Getting organised

Well, the snow is finally melting and life is slowly getting back to normal. Polly was a bit upset to see the head on her snowman had melted away, but other than that we are very happy to see the grass starting to reappear!

As the roads were too bad to drive to our scrapbooking crop, I spent last weekend trying to tidy up my tiny crafting corner. I bought a tall chest of drawers from Ikea, and gathered all my bags and boxes together before deciding what to put in it. I then made labels for each drawer, and it is SO good to know that I can now find paints in my paint drawer, and stamps in another one etc...believe me, before they were all stuffed in wherever there was space. I now need another unit for all my 12" scrapbook papers, but have no space to fit that so they will have to stay under the desk for now.

Happy Snowy New Year!

Happy 2010 everyone, and welcome to a very white and snowy New Year! After a lovely White Christmas spent at my sister's house, we awoke on New Year's Day to a light sprinkling of snow, which at the time looked quite pretty. After 2 weeks of real disruption, the novelty is starting to wear off! One consolation is that I now feel a tad fitter, as my car hasn't been out of the garage for a few weeks now (it can't cope with snow and ice, and is better suited to doing a Bambi impersonation as it skids down the drive with the handbrake on!). School had been closed for a few days, and the days it opened have seen Polly and me wading through the white stuff in our wellies....fun for a short while, at least!

Nick is back at RAF Cranwell after a fortnights leave for the Christmas holidays, and is dreading the next few weeks when he will be taking part in a huge leadership exercise, camping out in the wilds for TWO WHOLE WEKS!!! He was very nervous about whether he would pass the exercise or not, but is now equally worried about how he will camp in the open without dying from hypothermia!

I am still scrapbooking, and have resolved to try and teach myself some other skills. I knitted a poppy for Remembrance Day, which turned out to be a rather large corsage (well, I haven't knitted for over 20 years!). This week, I've been teaching myself to crochet again, and I much prefer it to knitting. My Grandma taught me to crochet when I was little, and although it was about 40 years ago, I am amazed how it's all coming back to me! So far I've just done a small square while I practise my trebles and double crochets, but watch this space...there will be more!

I have also completed an online photography class (Thank you SO much, Chery Johnson!) and have learnt lots of better ways to take pictures. My family are now fed up with me clicking away!

Finally, I have also got round to updating this blog. My intention is to try and update it at least once a month...time will tell if I manage this!

Nick's big day

Well, the big day has finally arrived, and we are about to wave Nick off as he leaves to start his officer training at RAF Cranwell. We will follow him down a bit later for a parents briefing, although there's no guarantee that we will get to see him for the next 5 weeks as he settles in to his new life. We love you so much Nick, and feel so proud that you are one of the chosen few who will be getting to live their dream. Before I get too slushy, I'll come back down to earth as the "embarassing mum" who likes to post pictures of you in the old days when you were cute! God bless you Nick xxx

Almost there!

As Nick leaves home to start his RAF training on Sunday, I've been madly trying to finish his A to Z album. I did the "V" page at my Leeds Paper Dolls crop day last Saturday, after finally settling on "vigilant", the name of the powered glider he flies the recruits in at Topcliffe. I bought some metallic spray paints whilst I was there, and had fun playing with them at Janet's house yesterday. The mottled effect looked like old map paper, so I decided to use it for the map of Yorkshire on his "Y" page. Only "Z" to go now, plus decorating the inside covers. I should make it, inbetween trying to pack (Polly is going to Scotland with her friend tomorrow!)
Wish me luck....and inspiration!

My "new" bike

Thought I'd show you my "new" bike - the farmer who owns the site where we keep our caravan let me have an old bike which was rusting away in his barn. After Steve helped me to dismantle it, I took the frame home and re-sprayed it bright red - to match my car of course, what else!!
After searching around for a few parts, it is now working again and I love it! Unfortunately, because I chose such a bright colour, most of our friends at the camp site think I am impersonating a Royal Mail delivery person!!!! I love it, and am looking forward to getting fit now that the brakes are working (and 2 of the gears!)

R is for RAF

To celebrate Nick's achievement, I decided to add "R" to his A to Z book; it was always going to be "RAF" but I didn't want to tempt fate before we'd heard the outcome of his officer selection board.
I felt really proud of him while I assembled these pages, and decided to scan his original letter, then reduce it in size before printing it out, so a miniature copy of the best news he's ever had will always be inside the little envelope! Hope you like it. Just got V, Y and Z to go now...