Rocking Your World Friday - 33rd of 2019

Morning all, tis Friday and time for

Well I'm going to apologise for the lack of photos, it has been one of those weeks where I just haven't had anything fun to photograph, I promise to do better this next week.  So why, you may ask well basically because we are on with house jobs, in particular sorting the utility room out and well lets be honest it isn't the most exciting room in the house, critical but not exciting. 

We've made good progress but we are at the worst part when we are in a state of complete disarray and the end is not yet in sight.  On a positive though the new tiling looks fab and the painted walls look so much better.  We've got a shelving system, laminate and skirting to finish off before we can start putting it back together but it already feels so much better and I know i will be really pleased with it once it is done. 

Even our evenings have been filled with doing bits of the work, although hubby often works late which means we haven't got as much done as we would like. 

We have been busy preparing for our summer gala at work, lots of work behind the scenes goes on to make this a success, I hope to be able to share some of what we have been doing on my post next week. 

I managed a really quick catch up with my sister at the beginning of the week, being a nurse means long hours and unsociable ones at that, so its lovely to get a catch up even when they are only short. 

Said 18 year old has had a few days away at his girlfriends and went to Friends Fest in Manchester, a festival about the TV programme Friends, including set pieces etc.  They seem to have had a fabulous trip and it was lovely to see their photos and that my lovely people will have to do for this week, fingers crossed next week is more interesting! 

If you fancy joining in, pop a post together come back and link up so we can come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 32nd of 2019

Morning all tis Friday time for 

First up was a walk around a local dam this funky little fairy door was one of the first things we saw on our travels, shame about the screws if I'm honest but it was still mighty sweet! 

After all the rain last week the water was flowing quite fast and the stream was more like a river if I'm honest. 

The path is so very green and dense at this time of year

We grabbed a selfie near the bridge

And managed to clock up nearly 10,000 steps just on this walk alone

We saw lots of wildflowers whilst we were walking, this one the bees absolutely loved! 

I love being near large expanses of water, I find its good for the soul 

We finished the walk by stopping at the mill and having a cuppa 

Sunday dawned and we headed up to YSP, whilst celebrating 29 years since we met, which is ridiculous because surely it is only a couple of years ago.

We came across these wandering down to the river on our way, it did make me smile that they were all in a line.  

 

We went for a decent walk up to see the new sculpture, passing detailed architecture from yesteryear, this was a well dedicated by the widow of Sir Thomas Wentworth who lived at Bretton Hall (which is in the grounds of YSP) after her husband passed. 

It's mighty muddy now but technically looks no different to when it was first built. 

I loved the new sculpture called Seated Figure 

 

So much detail in the structure and I loved the scale! 

Up at the Long Gallery there were two exhibitions in one.  One recreated a 1970's school room linked with an unqualified teacher who changed the way children were taught.  The room was very reminiscent of my childhood primary school days, including the heavy textile artwork from the era that adorned the walls.  However, it didn't take any photos.

The main exhibition was where an artist had left canvas covers over desks in classrooms around the world for six months and basically said 'anything goes' to the children.  They were fascinating, from the beautifully adorned (which we assume were from strict backgrounds), to the ones with holes that we think may have been censored.  So many similarities but also so many differences. 

I loved the sea creatures

This one was from China and I loved the characters

The statements were really powerful and thought provoking

Including this one that really did make me stop and think!

Some of them were quite decorative

I loved the minions

I loved the colours of this one

And this one reminded me of the character in the Weasley's Magic Shop in Harry Potter

Despite the fact that the exhibition wasn't visually very appealing, we did spend an inordinate amount of time, reading and studying the work. 

The rest of the week has been the usual, however, unusually we headed to Chatsworth Wednesday night to The Lord Chamberlain's Men who were playing

They were there usual awesome selves

Hysterically funny and great fun, my Mum came with us too which was brilliant

And that my lovely people is that. 

If you fancy joining in then pop a post together and pop back link up and we can come and visit. 

Until next week. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 31st of 2019

Morning lovely people tis Friday time for 

so it has been a funny old week, lots of work stress as lots on but as always there are silver linings, you just need to know where to find them. So first up this little gadgetry

Hubby has always suffered atrociously with hayfever in all the time I've known him and this summer he has been particularly bad.  I saw a social media post about this and thought nothing ventured, nothing gained.  So I bought it on Amazon 

this is what it looks like when it arrives 

It has been so effective (maybe one sneeze a day, rather than a million), that I bought another for said 18 year old who has also said it has had a brilliantly positive impact on him.

Next up some scrapbooking time, I really haven't had the inclination to do any scrapbooking in forever, so it made a pleasant change to sit and not only put papers together, but actually complete some layouts together

First up said 18 year old and GF at Castle Howard last year, the height difference is the same as my Mum and Dad and never fails to amuse me, made even worse on the second photo because they were on a slope! 

Castle Howard again

They were taking selfie shots for their social media and I enjoyed grabbing a few photos of them

Tintagel last year, apparently it is about to reopen with a new footbridge.

Me and his lordship 

Next up was the live wall the kids did at work, at the end of the term, they are allowed to do a live wall rather than work on small tag boards.  I thought they did an awesome job!

The rest of the week has been lots of stress and hassle and I've not been managing my stress levels very well if I'm honest.  However Wednesday night made a pleasant change as we had a...

We enjoyed some tapas at Tapas Revolution and whiled away a couple of hours, before we headed to the cinema for this.  

I've only ever seen this play once before and was confused the first time.  I decided to follow hubby's path and read the synopsis before we went so I at least had an idea of the plays direction. 

It was a brilliant take on a complex play, initially seen as a comedy, it really does have some darker undertones to it and was played probably in a way Shakespeare never envisaged, but it worked incredibly well.  We had a brilliant night! 

And that my lovely people is this weeks list. 

I hope you've had a grand week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together, come back and link up and we come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 30th of 2019

Good Morning lovely people 

tis Friday time for

So it has been a rather warm one this week it has to be said, so it has been a quiet one, however, there are still a few positive elements to keep things ticking along. 

First up 

One of my lovely school friends brought a couple of bottles of this when they visited recently.  As those that read normally know I'm teetotal for just over a year now, not for any specific reason than it was time to make a change and it has been a mighty positive one. 

But sometimes you just fancy drinking something that feels like a grown ups drink if you know what I mean, I've tried various alcohol free wines since giving up drinking without success they all taste fairly awful, but this one is a little bit different, similar to a Prosecco or Champagne but of the non-alcoholic variety.  I got it in Morrisons 2 bottles for £10 and it really is lovely provided you have it ultra cold. 

I know I mentioned said 18 year old getting the 'you're in' email from uni, this is the photo I shared this week as he read the email 

He will be staying at home, at least for the first year, his job is over this way and financially it makes more sense although he will have to commute and it means I get him for a little bit longer.

At YSP they have converted the deer shelter into an art piece known as sky space.  There is technically a hole in the roof that changes on days where there is broken cloud, or it can provide a grey 'picture' or a blue one on blue sky days.  We had this velux fitted a couple of years ago and in summer it becomes my sky space. 

Hubby spent some time outdoors finishing off a piece of jewellery he was making for me.  I will get a shot of the piece this week some time, but this was a photo of him finishing the item off

Hubby as a qualified reflexologist promised to do my feet last weekend, I definitely made the most of the offer!  Overall it makes such a difference to my health and really eases my back, crazy but true! 

We bought these on our Lake District holidays and finally broke them out this week. 

Another positive if I'm honest. 

And finally - stand back in amazement, I managed a scrapbook layout and managed to include a poem that I wrote about who I am to accompany it. 

The rest of the week has been a rather grumpy me and a rather hot workplace, so I won't bore you with that.  But cool showers in an evening have helped and a couple of decent sized fans. 

If you fancy joining me, Kate and Lisca, in celebrating the positive moments and silver linings.  Pop a post together, come back and link up and we can come and visit. 

Rocking Your World Friday - 29th of 2019

Good morning lovely people 

tis Friday time for

So first up is said 18 year old and his girlfriend having a fantastic week away and arriving home safely last weekend always a positive. 

 Next up achieving a year without drink, most pleased with myself if I'm honest, now to sort out the next health challenge! 

Having a catch up with school friends, we left 30 years ago which really is ridiculous because it feels like two minutes ago.  There are normally six of us, but Mary Anne was poorly so just for 5 this time, but we had a fabulous afternoon putting the world to rights, catching up on news and having a thoroughly lovely time 

They came bearing gifts which was very naughty which included these beautiful flowers from Faith Marie

and these which smell utterly divine from Karen 

I feel very privileged to have these life long friends at my side.  

And I chose to document the day in my current favourite creative way 

I spend the morning baking with hubby 

Tis grand and reminiscent of our Christmas mornings 

Mary Anne unable to make it, migraine rules her out

I'm sad for our super six become five

I extend the table and lay out a white table cloth and harlequin runner

Purple platters adorn the table 

The smell of peach muffins permeate the room

We continue on

Making scones both fluffy and lemon drizzle 

After twelve I plate up sandwiches and pop them in the fridge.

The teapot proves illusive much to my dismay 

I quickly straighten my hair but clip it back again as I'm working with food

Faith Marie is the first to arrive,

I attempt and fail at instructions for pulling on the drive

She pulls it in square and we abandon it in favour of tea and chat 

She arrives with bottles of non alcoholic fizz, houmous, olives and tasty breadsticks 

And a summer bouquet filled with sun and cornflowers 

We sit nattering at the breakfast bar drinking tea

Bernie arrives chauffeur driven and confirms she has the lurg

She brings clotted cream and fudge gifts from her hols in Devon

Felicity next to arrive; the cul de sac now almost full 

We've got room for one more on the drive 

Karen the last of today's motley crew lands perfectly in the final spot

She comes bearing gifts a huge bouquet of the sweetest smelling lilies and marshmallows and stawbs

Raucous discussions as I pass back the scanned letters to their original owners 

Little glimpses of life from an era apparently long since past 

Faith Marie's postcard antics the subject of much giggling 

Including the hospital visits, her stay at the Louvre and how skylights can make your skin yellow 

Eventually we sit at the table munching on sandwiches and get tipsy on alcohol free wine 

We talk of jobs and lives 

Bernie is back dealing with the transport industry 

Karen about to commence a new role as a diabetic nurse 

And Faith Marie a head teacher no less

The conversation includes wild weeing and the joys of teaching primary children about vulvas 

A 500 mile motorway journey with no toilets

A man overboard bag containing pink lacy children's dresses

Inheriting new positions in the office of the granny variety

Pole and lap dancing Co workers 

Giant African snails

The odd she wee

And a sex ed lesson by faith Marie to a group of 5 year olds

The conversations and humour continue

My face hurts from laughing 

The bottle of fizz rapidly disappearing 

We chat of children and hubbies 

The clock is cruel as it races along 

But we make the most of it

Sharing photos of loved ones from graduations 

And them settling in at uni

Malachite arrives home and is bemused by the conversation

Double entendres whether unintentional or not prove entertaining and sometimes enlightening 

It's good to know that we haven't changed a bit despite the years

Bernie's hubby arrives to whisk her away and the girls start to make a move

Faith stays for a while longer

Filling me in on her plans for the week 

The house is quiet once more

I potter around the kitchen 

Filled to the brim with happiness

Thanks girls I needed that

Until the next time my beautiful friends

May the road rise to meet you

may the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm across your face

The rain fall soft across your fields and until we meet again

May God keep you in the palm of his hands

And finally today, said 18 year old got confirmation of his place at University - pleased beyond belief. 

And that my lovely people is that, I hope you've had a grand week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together come back and link up so we can come and visit.