Catch up

 Wow, where did the week go?? I had all good intentions of posting at least twice this week.

It's been busy though.

I'm reading a couple of books at the moment.

This is a sweet story.

Wanted to read this for a while... it's a bit bleak haha

Sunday

We picked L up from her university - again (she was re-visiting) and picked up the last of her stuff from her uni house. She's living in a different house from September so we checked everything was clean and tidy before posting the key through the letterbox.

Monday

We had a late night on Monday, after work I travelled over to G's work where a friend of ours has been running Dungeons and Dragons games as a fundraiser. The game this week was a pirate themed game. It's hilarious and lots of fun. The idea was that we visited this fortified village near the coast and then we needed to find a ship's captain and steal a ship. We totally missed all our cues, ended up in prison, escaped and then commandeered a barge and ended up on an island. However, despite our ineptitude we did find a bit of treasure. It was a late night though, we finished the game at around 10.00 pm.

Tuesday

Tuesday was spent recovering from my late night. I yawned my way through the workday! We started to watch a film in the evening (Red with Bruce Willis) but didn't finish.

Wednesday

My birthday! One of my colleagues at work got me a cake, which was very kind (and very delicious). I left work earlier than normal and G picked me up. When I got home I had some lovely presents awaiting me. I realise that these presents wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but they were just what I wanted.

Vintage Sega Mega Drive

I have mentioned a few times I'd like a Sega Mega Drive (I think it was called Sega Genesis in the US). I remember this console from the 90s and playing Sonic and Street Fighter at university on a friend's console.

A notebook and pretty earrings

The girls got me a lovely pair of earrings and a notebook as well (I love notebooks). B ordered the notebook online and we laughed so much. You see, it is very pretty but on the front is a sleeve with the following text:

SAMPLE TEXT

WIND FLOWERS

SAMPLE TEXT

Born as the bright summer flowers

I believe I am

Born as the bright summer flowers

Do not withered undefeated fiery demon rule

-----------.-----------

I believe I am

Died as the quiet beauty of autumn leaves

Sheng is not chaos, smoke gesture

MGGAO

It is all very strange - something somewhere has been lost in translation I think! Then on the back is the first few verses of Genesis, which is nice.

 

Silent Hill a vintage Playstation game (I have an old Playstation 2)

I also got a copy of Silent Hill, a spooky vintage Playstation game that is quite rare and not cheap. 

A cake the girls made - it was DELICIOUS

The girls made me some cake, they said apologised was a bit messy but I think it's just a bit beautifully rustic and DELICIOUS.

Mum and dad came round to wish me a happy birthday, which was lovely. Then we went out for a meal.

Up on the moors

We went up to my favourite pub/restaurant up on the moors. There are amazing views up there. I had goats cheese and beetroot salad starter and then rag pudding, chips, veg and gravy for my main.

We came home, finished off the rest of the film Red and then fell into bed. A lovely day.

Thursday

Not much happened other than back to work and watched the film Lift in the evening.

Friday

My day off work. I cleaned the bathroom and did some washing - I was going to hang it outside and then the clouds came in threatening rain.

B and I have been cataloguing our DVDs, this sounds very boring I know but I love to organise things, and B loves a good spreadsheet!

For lunch we went out with my mum and dad, which was lovely, especially as L is home at the moment. We went to a local garden centre cafe, it was really busy, a 45 minute wait for food, but it was good to spend time with mum and dad. I was exhausted when I got home and went for a lie down, when I got up B had completely cleaned the house and hung the washing out! What a treasure she is.

So that's been my week. How are you?

Sarah x

Sofas and walks

 The new sofa arrived ::fireworks of joy:::

Coco on the other sofa inspecting the box - what is it with cats and cardboard boxes?

The weather is grey, grey, grey. I'm hoping to get out for a walk today, if the rain holds off. We are blessed to live near some beautiful countryside and often pop out for a bit of a ramble. Here are some photos from walks over the last few months:

Hello cows! One of these young cows licked my jumper, how rude.

Ah, the beauty of a rainy cold July day!

Just love taking pictures of cows haha

I am endlessly fascinated by lichen

A sunny day! Hurrah and huzzah! And curious cows.

Buttercups and blue skies

My favourite local tree visited in the early spring - I must go visit now that he will be in full leaf!

Well, we are now off to the tip with the old sofa and then to the library.

Sarah x

Sunny day

This week was my first week of reduced hours at work, I've cut my hours down to 4 days a week. As the old adage says, no-one ever says on their deathbed that they wish they'd spent more days at the office!

I really want to be around for my mum and dad who are now late 70s nearly 80, and to be able to do some of the homey things I love to do and take care of my garden, and above all be able to take care of my family. These are the things that are truly important.

It's so good to just take a pause, and have breathing space. And it was lovely to have some time with my mum and dad today, just catching up.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️

Interlude: The sofa saga

Today I vacuumed the living room, under the sofas to make it all clean because tomorrow our second sofa arrives!! Woo hoo. This is exciting because we ordered two sofas in April, a two seater and three seater. Our current sofas were basically falling apart. So we ordered them and paid for them. 

The two seater arrived within a week and the three seater was supposed to arrive within 5 weeks. But instead we were informed about two weeks later that because we didn't pay quickly enough the three seater was out of stock and they didn't know when it would arrive (this is ridiculous as we paid in the time frame the salesperson at the store gave us, i.e. we paid as soon as we got home online and we were given 24 hours). Anyway, G spent a lot of time on the phone and emailing and we ended up with a 'case worker'! Sounds like a social worker, not a customer service person. 

We were told finally that our three seater would be back in stock on the 10th July. Yay. Yet, no! Just before we were about to go on holiday at midnight on the 7th July G got an email to say our order had been cancelled as it had been on order for too long! So G make a lot of phonecalls and apparently it is arriving tomorrow morning.

I have a worry that the wrong sofa will arrive! But fingers and toes crossed!!

🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️🌤️

I have done three loads of washing today. Nothing brings me greater joy that being able to hang my washing out. Washing dried outdoors has a beautiful scent.

Ah sunny skies and washing outside.

These wooden pegs were my nan's, they make me smile.

It's very warm for a kitty with a heavy coat of fur, so this can be resolved by actually sitting in the window.

I think the sunny weather is short lived and we are in for rain tomorrow afternoon again. The skies looked slightly ominous looking across the fields earlier.

Here's to a lovely weekend.

Sarah x

Tuesday catch-up

It’s a bit of a shock to the system going back to work yesterday. When I got into work I also discovered that my desk had been moved away from the lovely big windows! I have a nice view of the corridor now. 

I went for a short walk to take a break on Monday (I hate sitting too long in an office) and found a little green space. I've been using the Merlin bird app and recorded songs from Great Tit, Wren, Goldfinch and Blue Tit - it's very cool learning all the different bird sounds and being in nature is so restorative and calming.

Today I felt like I could spend the day in bed though! It's always hard the second day of suddenly having to get up early again. 

At home, since coming back from holiday, I’ve been catching up with washing oodles of clothes and a bit of cleaning, watering my thirsty plants and tackling some gardening - which wasn’t helped when the wheel of my lawnmower fell off haha.

On Sunday, I trimmed the leylandii in the front garden (you really have to keep an eye on leylandii otherwise they grow to a huge height). We inherited it when we bought the house. Our hydrangeas had become swamped by the leylandii, Japanese Quince, wild rose and brambles from next door - so I did a lot of tidying up.

I didn't take pictures of afterwards, I'll perhaps do that later on this week

This weekend G was busy putting together his AT-AT Lego from his birthday.

He concentrated so long he got a bad headache haha.

I was a tad disturbed when I discovered where he had put it. Right in the middle of the shelves in the living room with all my plants and pretty knick-knacks haha. Not the aesthetic I was looking for.

L is currently away in the Lake District and her photos are amazing, I must say I’m a bit jealous.

Sunday was my book club. We meet in Waterstones in the city centre. We all gave varied reviews to The Other Mothers - between 3-4 stars. I gave it 4, because I did enjoy it but the ending was a bit convoluted (so it was more like 3.5 rounded up). Our next book is Seven Summers - I’ve not heard of it before but looking online it gets good reviews. Apparently it’s a tear-jerker too.

It was good catching up with everyone at book club and my friend too.

I’m currently re-reading Pride and Prejudice, which I know will be a 5 star of course! ❤️

B has gone back this week to her volunteer job at the RSPCA, she particularly likes looking after the cats and kittens. She'll also be back at her temp job doing admin this week. So we're all getting back into the rhythms of a regular week.

Speaking of cats, Coco has been with us 6 months now! She’s a nervous cat but definitely beginning to settle and is a little fluffy treasure.

Mum and Dad visited an old friend this weekend so I have yet another book to read! Ah the trauma - haha. I really do need to do a cull of my books, the bookshelves are groaning. This one looks a nice easy devotional read.

Tonight we had a delicious chippy tea (dinner from a Fish and Chips shop for my non-English readers). Just what you need when you're tired, but definitely not a healthy meal - our cholesterol probably went up a zillion points.

I took a look at the local river which runs near the chippy, I thought it would be much fuller because of all the rain, but it was pootling along fairly peacefully today.

Anyway, that’s it for today. Hope you're having a lovely day.

Sarah x

{Old Fashioned blogger - Say Hi! }

I saw this on Sandra's blog (Diary of a Stay at Home Mom) - so thought I'd join in! 

1) How long have I been blogging and why did I start this blog?

I started blogging in 2006 at a blog called A Bend in the Road. I was lonely at that time in life, so was reaching out to other mums and Christian women’s blogs. I started this blog after I closed my old blog when I was getting some really weird comments which made me nervous.

2) How did I choose the name of my blog?

There’s nothing more cheerful than sunshine streaming in through your windows. I just wanted to capture that idea of a happy light filled home.

3) What is my blog about?

Mostly it’s like a journal I guess. Just bits of my life. I’ve dipped in and out of blogging in recent years, but I do love the idea of connecting with others and sharing my life. Sometimes I’ll share deeper stuff, but mostly it’s just my daily doings.

4) Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I am 50 years old English woman. I work part-time for a non-profit related to health inequality. My husband (G) works for a Christian charity in fleet and facilities management, health and safety, etc. We’ve been married for almost 24 years. We have two girls, both grown up: B is 23 in August and L is 20. B gained a first in Religious Studies last year and is now living at home at the moment and L is currently at university doing Design. We have a very fluffy cute kitty called Coco.

My mum and dad live locally and I’m hoping to spend more time with them as they get older, I’ve reduced my hours at work to do that.

5) A few of my favourite things (collections, things that make me happy, etc.).

Books. Plants. Pretty ornaments. Pictures. Candles.

6) What do you like to do in your spare time (hobbies, crafts, etc..)?

Read a lot. Spend time with family – I love watching films (I watch a wide variety but I am a big Simon Pegg fan, Star Wars franchise and Lord of the Rings), eating out, playing board games. Play old Tomb Raider games – I’m currently revisiting Tomb Raider III! I also occasionally paint, but not often enough. I enjoy walking, watching birds, and visiting historical places. I have also been found, on occasion, to hug a tree.

7) What does your dream house look like? (Describe and/or include photo)

An old stone cottage on the coast of Cornwall, with a proper pretty cottage garden, a small wood and a stream running at the bottom of the garden, you can see and hear the sea. I have my own tiny beach cove. The kitchen has a massive wooden table where we sit as a family and chat. I would need to be a millionaire to get this, but one can dream. I couldn't find a picture that meets these requirements haha.

8) If you could visit anywhere, anytime, where would it be and why?

Cornwall – I just love it there. Or maybe somewhere in Italy, like the lakes.

9) Would you share with us a favourite homemaking/organizing tip or recipe, etc..?

Organising tip – as someone who is easily distracted or overwhelmed the timer is your friend. Living room in chaos, just set the timer for 15 minutes and quickly do what you can. It makes it feel doable and less overwhelming.

11) Tell us a way God has blessed you and/or your family.

Really good relationships with our girls. The best husband – obviously (he’s sat right next to me!). We enjoy each other’s company lots.

12) Share any words of wisdom and/or a favourite quote you'd like to leave with us.

I love this quote from Anne of Green Gables (which is where I got my old blog title from):

“When I left Queen's my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I am going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes - what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows - what new landscapes - what new beauties - what curves and hills and valleys farther on.”

Because we don’t know what is around the corner, we can make all the plans in the world, but we just don’t know what is there – but we needn’t despair, all will be well and all manner of things will be well (as Julian of Norwich said).

Favourite Bible verse: The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still (Exodus 14:14).

Hardwick Hall and Hardwick Old Hall - visited 22th July 2024

This was the last big ol' house we visited on our holiday last week.

Hardwick Hall is an Elizabethan 'prodigy house', which is a large fancy Elizabethan or Jacobean English country house built to show off wealth or status with MASSIVE windows (and other features haha). It was built between 1590-1597. The story of Bess Hardwick whose house it was is fascinating. She was the second richest woman in England, second only to Elizabeth I and survived four husbands. Her last husband, the Earl of Shewsbury, was the keeper of Mary Queen of Scots who was essentially the prisoner of Elizabeth I. He ended up being her keeper for 15 years and it broke his health and finances and by extension broke down his relationship with Bess and probably killed him in the end. 

Hardwick Hall is a National Trust house and has been wonderfully preserved. It was used in the filming of Malfoy Manor in Harry Potter, except they added some turret roofs. They also filmed in the entrance Hall.

Malfoy Manor - you can see that a bit of CGI has created roofs on the turrets

Here's Bess - she looks very much like Elizabeth I

Hall looking toward the door

Hall looking away from the door

Muniments Chamber - documentation relating to land ownership, etc. Bess had a LOT of property

Mary Queen of Scots

Elizabeth I

Long Gallery

Thomas Cavendish and the ill fated Catherine of Aragon

Another Thomas Cavendish and the best husband ever (NOT) - Henry VIII

Cabinet thought to have been owned by Mary Queen of Scots - it smells of spices so they wondered if it was some kind of place to pray (i.e. the spice smell is incense) it opens up.

Detail on cabinet - the weird creature is a dolphin, obviously carved by someone who has never seen a dolphin haha, it looks like the Loch Ness Monster with false teeth

Embroidery panel by Mary Queen of Scots while in captivity under Bess's husband, the design is so interesting - you can see the thistles representing Scotland (Queen of Scotland), Lily of France (Queen of France) - there is also a caged cat in the top left corner with mice playing outside (a hint at 'while the cat's away the mice will play) and finally you see the Rose of England (a strong hint of her belief that she should be Queen of England too). It was all very bold for a captive Queen no wonder Queen Elizabeth was suspicious of her haha!

Withdrawing chamber

The Great Kitchen - some of these appliances are later additions, not Elizabethan as during that time cooking was done over open fires, they are 17th-19th Century.

Hardwick Old Hall

There is also the ruin of Hardwick Old Hall at the site. This is where Bess lived prior to building Hardwick Hall. It was a manor house when Bess was born in 1527 and extensions and extra floors were added over the years until it became quite a rabbit warren of rooms and floors.

It became a ruin as the stone was used to build Chatsworth House. The Duke of Devonshire is from the family of Bess Hardwick, as is King Charles III through his mother. Elizabeth II.

Well that's it for Hardwick Hall, I hope you enjoyed visiting with me!

Sarah x