Oh! yes we did!!

Meeting up in the village, we were soon on the bus into town.  We stopped on the way for Dx to have a look round the fish market and . . . . . sample some wares of course!!!

Then it was on to our lunch venue, dear old Wetherspoons of course!  We just love their Fish and Chips but guess what . . . . . so does half of Birmingham it seems . . . . . we had to choose something else but that isn't really a problem in here.

We're in the Chinese Quarter so the pub is aptly named.  I popped into a shop to pick up my Red Envelopes for next year . . . . I only use one shop which is always busy but they are just so customer orientated . . . .

Coming out of the Dragon we just have to cross over the road and . . . . 

Just love this theatre . . .. 

We still had plenty of time to wander inside and find our way to our seats . . . .

Once seated we had chance to look around.  This was Dx first visit here and he was thoroughly enjoying himself, especially when he saw the rats around the auditorium!!!

The safety curtain was down ready  

and we were getting into panto mode . . . oh! yes we were!!

This was a very low key show this year.  

Marti Pellow, Dr Ranj and Susan Shaw (He'rsay) were the brought in stars.

For us the local artists carried the show.  Round here we have two celebrated artists who appear every year, usually in supporting roles.  This year they were the main characters . . . . did they let us down?

Oh! No they didn't . . . 

Matt Slack (Dick Whittington) is just great, we have no idea how he learns all those lines and he ad libs wonderfully.

Doreen Tipton (Black Country girl who makes us laugh by just speaking!) was the Cat.

They have been together in the pantos for a long time . . . oh! yes they have!

Andrew Ryan is a smashing Dame.  He posted a short video on Facebook a while back and it is amazing how many costume (some he made himself) changes he makes!

Dr Ranj, well . . . . he sang, he danced, he cracked jokes . . . . he was an eye opener on stage.

Marti Pellow was the Rat Man . . . . costumed up and singing his heart out . . . . at the end he even asked us to boo him one more time!  Oh! yes he did!

Susan Shaw was Alice . . . . well, you can imagine the jokes . . . .

After the show we caught a black cab home . . . .  the only way to travel from the theatre in my opinion!

Bookings for next year are already being taken . . . . Matt Slack in Jack and the Beanstalk . . . .

WOYWW #712

 Good Morning

and it is good . . . . I'm going to a Pantomime on Saturday . . . to say I'm looking forward to it is an understatement!

The Desk . . .

I found these embossed cards while looking for a stamp . . . . you know how it is . . . 

Now what was my thinking when I created them . . . .  to keep as examples . . . to make cards . . . no idea!

Today I will try to use them, if not all, then some . . 

To the right is what's left of some backgrounds I made for the upcoming ATC Colour Swap, and some packaging from a Christmas present . .  

 With the packaging, I have choices .  . 1) Use as ATCs, 2) Use as Coins.  3)  Use on a Christmas Card . . . 

 That's my day sorted although I would like to fit in a trip to Asda . . .  online of course!

Thank you all for your comments last week, they are most appreciated.  Have a good day, hope to visit you soon.

The Screen

You can guess why our Bully Boy is dressed like this!!

With thanks to Blogger for the unusual formatting . . . .

WOYWW #711

 The Desk . . . .

I am not multitasking, just flitting from one to another . . . .  better than watching paint dry!!

This is the current project . . . Alphabet Letter R . . .

Then it's on to the next one . . . . Bears

and so it goes . . . 

We have snow this morning, at 05.00hrs there was a light smattering . . . .  by 08.00hrs the ground was covered and there were tiny snowflakes still falling . . . . . so tiny . . . . so magical . . .  so glad I don't have to go out though!

have a good week, stay warm and stay safe 

The screen  . . . 

January 15th

 Just saying . . . .

My daughter Leanne would have been 47years old today.  How time flies . . . . but the memories stay . . .

I am still recovering from yesterday . . . . paid a visit to CostCo . . . . such a lot of walking, we cut it down to a minimum but still takes time . . .  lots of sitting in my case!!  

I met a lady from USA in the queue and we had a nice chat, she said that whatever Costco you went to they were all the same . . . . this one is the same as any in America and she had been a member since the first one opened over 30years ago. . . . every day is a school day as DDC is always saying when she learns something new  . . . .

I now have my apple juice back on my desk

and my wipes shelf is full again . . . . nothing worse to me than a mucky stamp or workspace. . . 

I popped out with a bit of bread and a few peanuts for the bird feeders and they didn't give me chance to get back in the house before the little sparrows swooped down.  They must be soooo hungry in this cold weather.

Today I hope to get a few cards ready to post tomorrow or Tuesday . . . . when they'll arrive who knows.

Just Flitting

I am not the best today so I am flitting around doing this and that . . .. 

My desk has the workings of another set of ATCs for January . . . 

The theme is Snowy Days so I have printed off a few backgrounds and a page of images to use. 

The backgrounds were found on the net and I cut them down to size.

What I love most about digital images is the bonus of re-sizing.  I have reduced these images in size to fit landscape ATCs . . . .

After printing and painting, I am now fussy cutting them out.

Perhaps they'll be finished over the weekend . . . . perhaps . . . . perhaps . . .

Brown / Orange ATCs for January swap

 In the early hours of the morning I had a light bulb moment . . . . had to write it down so that when it was light I could remember . . . . .

I soon sorted out my components for this swap . . .

                   

The ice cream packaging will be cut for the ATC backing.

These dies came free with Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine, some time ago . . 

My wonderful brown colour acrylics were chosen . . . .

                                          

Here we are going full ahead . . . I have covered my desk with paper, painted the packaging and now chosen some stencils with a few paler brown acrylics.

The orange colours have been sponged on with a natural sponge ready to cut out the bicycle wheels orange slices.  

                                              

I've printed some sentiments ready to cut and paste . . . . literally!!

Now to finish them off with the sentiment, label on back and a swipe round with a Sharpie pen!!!

Catcha later . . . .

Monkey nuts

 Remember doing this when you were young?

                                                                

Went up the local shop for some milk . . . and had a wander round . .  found these . . . .

I remember watching bluetits hanging on these back in the day

Why not I thought?

So I sat watching telly and stringing peanuts!!

When I went out to hang them up on the birdfeeders I popped into the greenhouse, as you do, and found some of the bulbs are sprouting . . . . . 

have to wait to find out what they are . . .

WOYWW #710

  WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top of the page.  Thank you Julia for reminding what day of the week it is!  

The desk . . .

Not a lot going on at the moment as I have some online work to do . . . . month end and all that . . 

To the left a pile of New Year cards, I really must settle down to sending them out  . . . it'll be Christmas again before I know where I am!!  lol  

I am trying out this stamping design on the blue card,  I have stamped several of these out and I am hoping to be able to change the designs slightly.

In the centre of the desk is a half made card.  The theme is Recycle so I am using some wrapping paper from Christmas presents but puzzling how to decorate it . . . . .

and the screen . . . .

FYI  . . . I am the right height to get poked in the eye when umbrellas are used!!!

Panetonne

After my trip out yesterday, I came home with a Christmas tin which was forgotten over Christmas.  We often forget to fully load bags ready for the off before the taxi comes, but they do arrive at mine . . .  just a bit later in time . . . 

One thing I love, thanks to my trips to Italy, are my Panetonne tins.  Christmas decs are stored in them and, before the village, they were all displayed underneath the tree . . . . they also prevented the many cats we had at the time from exploring the tree!!  lol

              

This is the one I came home with . . . . my thoughtful SILR knew about my tin 'fetish' and just had to buy it for me.

Panetonne is Italian Christmas Cake.  It is like a light loaf with mixed fruit and candy peel but has a taste all of its own.  I have had pieces dipped in wine, spread with butter and just plain.   I have tasted many since Peter came 'off the road' and we no longer travelled to Italy, lots of English Panetonne.  I say that with love as, nice as they are, they do not have full flavour and texture of Italian Panetonne, they are very much baked for the foreign market.

Half of my pleasure comes with opening the bag that contains the cake . . . . the aroma that arises is only Italy!

When I was in paid employment, I always brought a Panetonne home to share with the Office staff and how they laughed as I opened the bag and took deeeeeep breaths of that smell!!!

This cake was so real. so fresh, so fruity, so light . . . . getting the picture are you?!!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this first slice and rest secure in the knowledge that this feeding of the emotions, as well as the stomach, will continue until the last crumb has been eaten.

 . . . . . and I have it all to myself . . . . . just saying . . . . .

Spending time with family

 I was invited to lunch and, when the Chef is a glorious cook, who am I to refuse?

After lunch we played a few games with the boys new Chrissy pressie, they played and I watched, and had a super time.  Such fun and I was only watching!!   My hands would never allow me to move those buttons to move my pieces quickly enough, but it was still fun.

Afterwards, we built the Acropolis for Dexter's homework.  

Well, his Mommy and I came up with ideas but he ran with them or threw them out.    He ended up with a great Lego build

What a super structure!  It even has tourists inside as well as 'gods' and plants on the outside.  Amazing imagination . . . 

This is one proud Grandma . . . . 

Catching up already!!

 So much for me trying to Blog each day . . . .

I have been taking down my Christmas decs and yesterday I started on the tree.  I want this year to label my tins and boxes so that we don't have to go 'sorting' for the houses etc that we want.  There are so many bags and each year the boxes and tins just go on higgledy piggledy and it is just a case of 'I wonder what's in here . . .' so labels it is!  It's taking a bit longer to put away but at least every tin and box is opened to check the contents.

I am using some old labels, plenty of them and still sticky!

    

Quite tiny but they'll suffice

I have also been outside looking for signs of Spring . . . no . .  not really . . .  just went out to fill the bird feeders.  I noticed that all the feeders, the posh new ones I bought, are hardly touched.  I reverted back to a couple of old ones, apparently they don't mind sharing food with the squirrel . . .

I had hoped that Blogger would have sorted out the problems with formatting as users would like their posts . . . . . no . . . . 

WOYWW #709

Happy New Year to you and yours!

I hope that 2023 will be healthier and happier and maybe a bit more peaceful . . . . one can dream . . . 

And just what is on the desk?  

Nothing except a clear space which I am sure you will find boring.

I have been creating, see previous posts, but at the moment I am taking down the decs.  My dearest SILR came and brought all the empty boxes downstairs for me.

He came to set up my new fridge, courtesy of DDC who sourced it out and arranged delivery for me. 

It is just what I wanted, smaller than my old one but I never filled that one since Peter died, I only really put milk in there and the occasional yoghurt, all my food is fresh . . . . even though it is cooked and frozen I consider it fresh!

SILR worked so hard, he even cleared all the rubbish left outside by the builder.  My patio hasn't looked so large for months!!

So I am taking down the decs and hopefully he will come back and take the full bags back upstairs . . . .

 . . . and the screen .. . . . just saying . . .

 WOYWW - All the deets on how to link up etc. and, more importantly, why you should, can be found at the top of the page.  Thank you Julia for hosting another week of fun and mayhem.

In the Greenhouse

 We had a bit of sunny weather so I strayed outside. . . . . said 'hello' to the fish, could only count seven so we are down quite a few.  Once the weather is really good, I will enlist some help and clean out the pond so we can have a proper count.

Wandered up to the bird feeders  . . . . cleaned and filled them all while with the Bluetits moaned at me!

Then I went into the greenhouse . . . . I usually only pop in to check the thermometer and reset it . . . . interesting how low it gets inside there during the night.  

This time I had a good look round to see what will need doing ready for the Spring sowing.

These dear old cactus, grown from seed bought in Red Rock Canyon (out Las Vegas way) were still surviving . . . . it must get very cold out in the Nevada Desert.

There were some hyacinths sortof sprouting . . . and Fritillarias . . . . bought out of season . . . 

I found some crocus bulbs I seem to remember purchasing way back in November . . . . they were mixed up and sold in bags for £1.  I like to support this garden centre, unfortunately they were put 'somewhere safe' and found only last week!!  They were planted . . .  don't know if they will be any good but one can only try.

Just a small amount of Parsley carrying on all by itself.

I gave them all a good water and now we  wait and see . . . . maybe we'll have some super flowers . . . or maybe just leaves . . . or maybe nothing at all!!  lol

Pink Houses and Junk Mail ATCs

 My Pink Houses are all finished.

A bit of Corrugated cardboard, shades of pink naturally and a few Vera Lane Images.  I decreased the size of the image to fit and then coloured in with watercolour pencils . . . . .all packaged ready to go . . .  in a pink envelope of course!!

This morning Costco sent me their latest offers and then, after having a good read through the magazine, I realised I could make some more ATCs!

Junk mail and used postage stamps . . .  perfect.

So here we are sailing, with food, animals and relaxing . . .  and another piece of junk mail in the bin!

Stamps are never a problem in this house, if I don't use them for my collection . . . they go to Charity.  Had a good mooch through the tin and found just the ones needed to finish off the cards.

Another one ready to post . . . . .

01.01.23

 

May God bless you throughout this year with good health, good food and good friends.