Rocking Your World Friday 4th of 2020

Good morning lovely people tis Friday time for

So what have I been up to this week, what silver linings, grateful moments have I got. 

First up is spending a lot of time with family last weekend, my lil sis is having a tough time at the moment and so it is at time like this that we remember what is important and pull everyone is little bit closer. 

So we met up at Ikea and put the world to rights which was good, I'm not sure what we achieved but it was nice to touch base. 

I captured this little shot when my Mum decided to reapply a bit of lippy with no mirror, it didn't go swimmingly so my lil sis sorted her out and I was there to capture the moment - she makes me laugh sometimes and this was one of those moments. 

Then after I got home my sister popped over with my niece who I hadn't seen in a while and who is heading back to university shortly so it was lovely to have a catch up with her.

Saturday was a catch up with jobs day, food shop, cleaning the house the usual boring things, but it always feels nicer once its done so that was a win win and hubby was there to help so a definite positive. 

Sunday we decided to head out for a walk, my sister came too and we enjoyed some wintery sunshine including a stop off at the pub for a coffee at the midway point. 

Monday soon arrived and things have been hectic with a capital H at work recently, so I've tried to balance the crazy days with some therapeutic nights, namely scrapbooking. 

I hardly did any last year, but one of my resolutions was to get back into it.  I file all my layouts chronologically and I am literally years out of date I'm currently trying to finish 2016 (yes I am officially that far behind). 

I am getting there and have less than 10 layouts to do (I think) to complete the year and then I will take great pleasure in filing them away and then starting on the 2017 photos that I have yet to do.  I will also need to put a photo order in at some point which should be grand as I will have new photos to play with, although I really need to cut down on the volume I order as it would be impossible to scrap every single one. 

My aim is to try and get to the end of 2017 by Easter - wish me luck! 

Anyway the rest of the positives this week 

Hubby buying me beautiful flowers and putting them in the vase (when I refused to move from the sofa as I was shattered). 

Said 19 year old hoovering through the entire house as I made tea last night.

Said 19 year old getting a "high 2.1" in his first semester at university - and even though it is his first year, this all counts towards his final grade. 

Woodburning stove when me and hubby are home alone and it seems silly to heat the whole house. 

Hiking boots for keeping me just about upright last week. 

And that my lovely people is your lot. 

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 - 3rd of 2020

Morning all 

I hope I find you well tis Friday time for 

Well it has been a funny old week, last Friday I had a relatively quiet day at home, which was nice, I was in need of stopping if I'm honest. 

On Saturday I enjoyed popping to my local craft store and buying some goodies to scrapbook with.  I'd seen a couple of online kit websites and decided that I could buy similar from my local store, thus supporting my local store and hopefully it staying around if that makes sense.  I had great fun co-ordinating paper and finding some embellishments. 

We then popped to see my Mum and my sister which was lovely and much needed. 

On Sunday we decided to have another mooch to Yorkshire Sculpture Park as there was a new exhibition in the chapel that we hadn't seen. 

We saw a new sculpture in the park called Oeuvre by Gavin Turk, we spotted it from a distance and went for a closer look.  We giggled at the write up which stated that "Turk studied at the RCA London, where he was denied his post-grad qualification because his degree show consisted solely of a whitewashed studio in which he placed a single blue heritage plaque stating 'Gavin Turk worked here 1989-91' "

The water was flowing fast due to the recent rain. 

We then enjoyed a long leisurely walk around before making our way up to the chapel, it was mighty muddy trying to climb up the hill but it was worth it.  

The artist is Saad Qureshi and his work really appealed, the detail was fantastic. 

The ladder was one of my favourite pieces, although this one is a bit blurry so might have to go back and have another look to get a better shot. 

The theme of the exhibition was paradise. 

This piece was probably one of my favourites

and this one, a boat, really high up near the ceiling

The rest of the week has been tough if I'm honest, a very busy hectic week where I've definitely tread water rather than made progress.  But with the support of great colleagues and my wonderful family I'm trying to find ways of calming and finding work rounds. 

Other little silver linings, lovely chats with said 19 year, beautiful flowers from hubby, milky coffees, lounging on the sofa, woodburning sofa. 

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

Rocking Your World Friday - 2nd of 2020

Good morning lovely people and I find myself on Friday again, already 

time for

Well we enjoyed our last weekend before we went back to work, twas grand.  We had a remaining Christmas pudding in the house, so hubby flamed it for me and I enjoyed the last of the Christmas goodies, back to new year new me routine which in essence means back on Weight Watchers. 

We enjoyed a walk out, we were sorting said 19 year old's passport as he is off to Germany in the spring with uni and needs a new one, which meant sending his old one off. 

It was brilliant to be able to do it all online, leaving only the passport to send off.  

We walked the path from the church to the post office and back, it was lovely and lots of other walkers were out and about. 

The post office is also a sweet shop so I took a photo whilst I was in there. 

Sunday found me and hubby (yes on our own) at the panto in Sheffield.  We haven't done it for a while because it is really expensive when compared to the more local ones, but it was brilliant and a fab way to finish our Christmas break. 

We grabbed a drink when we got there (cider for hubby and the world's strongest coffee for me - shudder)

Then it was panto time  I love the theatre inside, it always makes me want to go home and read Masquerade by Terry Pratchett

The stage was all set

and because it was the last one of the season we were actually encouraged to take photos on the last song and dance number

Back to work Monday was a hard slog

I finished off my Christmas journal on Tuesday (forgive the poor quality the lighting was appalling at that time of night)

I've had a chocolate frog sat on my craft desk since Christmas and decided to open and enjoy it despite the 4 weight watcher points. 

I made a start on some scrapbook papers I got for Christmas

And set myself the challenge of not only scrapbooking again but fathoming out where I was at with it all as I scrapbook chronologically and I have definitely ended up out of order with my scrapping 

And that my lovely people are all the positives, silver linings and rocking moments from this week. 

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

Rocking Your World Friday - 1st of 2020

Good Morning lovely people tis Friday time for

We had a fabulous trip up to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, much needed to blow off the cobwebs and get some fresh air if I'm absolutely honest.  We took my sister and managed a 14,000 step walk, going up to the old man on the hill side, down the field and then past a few new sculptures before an impromptu stop at the cafe for a butty and some naughty chips.  Then down through the park and along to the Weston Gallery past the huge Damien Hirst pieces, it was cool,but the wind was quite still so we didn't feel overly cold when we set off.  A lovely day was had, chatting about plans for 2020 and reflecting on the year that was. 

We saw a new sculpture called Vulcan

And another one that didn't have a name on it

Me and hubby had a final jaunt to Chatsworth together, just the two of us again.  We thought with it being a Monday it might be a little quieter - we were wrong.  The car park already heaving when we arrived.  We enjoyed the trip nevertheless and then enjoyed a beautiful blue skies day outside wandering the gardens, definitely another positive day for me and hubby. 

New Year's Eve arrived and we enjoyed a quiet night in together, said 19 year old and his girlfriend were out with her family, but they did facetime us just gone midnight which was lovely. 

New Year's Day was a slow day, not through alcohol as I don't drink, but the late night doesn't do me much good so we had a significant lie in.  In the afternoon we headed to an ice hockey match, it was a grand match despite losing and we enjoyed a walk to and from the stadium. 

So overall a really good week although I seem to have caught someone's dreaded lurgy at the ice hockey which I can really do without, this winter is turning into wall to wall colds unfortunately so I'll be hitting the multi-vitamins and plenty more walks. 

As 2020 stretches out in front of us, a new clean fresh page as usual there is lots to look forward to, a trip to Cornwall already in the pipeline, a few theatre trips already booked and a few more on the list to book.  I can highly recommend this book, I got it as a Christmas gift and polished it off over New Year - now here is to making it a reality! 

Plans for the house (nothing major, just little bits of progress).  Key birthdays this year, my Mum's 70th in February, my sister's 40th in June and my niece's 21st in July.  

So lots to look forward to, I hope you've had a beautiful and blessed Christmas and New Year and are looking forward to a new year.  

Thanks to Kate and Lisca for joining in each week and Helen for wandering and commenting regularly, it is always lovely to hear from you.  

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

Rocking Your World Friday - 52nd of 2019

Good Evening lovely people apologies for the lateness of this post 

tis Friday time for the very last Rocking Your World Friday of 2019

So the week has fair tripped along and I find myself at post Christmas already, it doesn't take long does it. 

We've had a good week overall 

We went to see Jumanji last Saturday at the cinema and thoroughly enjoyed just sitting and watching and being entertained for a couple of hours.

We also did the food shop for Christmas on the spur of the moment and found the shops full of food and empty of people - note to self be spontaneous next year when it comes to this. 

We went to a lovely local carol concert on Sunday, it definitely fit the bill, telling the story of Christmas interspersed with choir songs and carols for everyone to join in and all by candelight. 

Monday saw me preparing the Christmas table and said 19 year old finishing off homemade gifts. 

And then Tuesday was all about food prep, but not too much and it really didn't take too long so a win win on that front. 

Christmas day arrived in a flurry of wrapping paper and the day went amazingly well, said 19 year old was up at a sensible time, so we had a leisurely present unwrap with lots of little stories to share along the way.  He then popped to see his girlfriend as a surprise as we got dinner well and truly underway. 

Mum and her hubby arrived at 12.30 and the rest of the gang for Christmas dinner arrived a little later. 

We ate and drank and laughed and had rather a lovely time it has to be said. 

Said 19 year old's girlfriend and said niece's boyfriend arrived at tea time whilst we were still unwrapping. 

Everyone had a really lovely time and it was gone 9pm before they started making their way home, I felt immensely blessed if I'm honest and everyone commented that it was the best Christmas dinner yet, which given the fact we've been doing this for years and years was a lovely compliment (even if a little daunting for next year). 

I got some really lovely gifts from people, really thoughtful and everyone seemed happy with what they received, it was a most lovely family day for all of us!  

Boxing day saw us at my Mum's for the annual pig table - not because we overeat (although that does occasionally happen), but we clocked one year that most of the items on the table were made from pork in some way shape or form and so pig table was born. 

We had our fill of beautiful home cooked food, had a giggle at Mum's Christmas present in the form of an Amazon Echo aka Alexa and whiled away several hours catching up and chatting with family once more. 

Which brings us to today which has been a quiet laid back affair.  I managed to catch  up with my Christmas journal and make the beginnings of some Christmas cards utilising the left over Christmas cracker paper (although I'm not sure if I will manage it fully) and then I've been sat reading my new book on making memories and starting to feed Christmas gifts into their new homes. 

I hope you have had a blessed Christmas and that your new year brings a time to reminisce and celebrate whilst also looking forward to the new clean blank page that is 2020. 

If you fancy joining in, Mr Linky below

Rocking Your World - 51st Friday of 2019

Hello one and all a bit late to the party as it were but we had a final send off for my Mother-in-law today so I am a little tardy, despite the sadness of the occasion I think we did her proud, it was a truly beautiful service, one which most definitely celebrated her 94 years on this earth. 

So what have I to share with you today, well as you can imagine, it has been wall to wall with arrangements for today, but me and hubby have been most adamant that we would ensure that we balanced arrangements with still enjoying the run up to the festive season. 

So last weekend, I worked the Saturday and hubby came in to volunteer on the boats as we ran the final Santa boat trips for 2019 at work.  It was lovely to see all those excited to see Father Christmas on the boats, I spent the day serving teas and coffees and festive baked items and it was overall a really lovely day. 

On Sunday we headed to Nostell Priory, we went last year as we are members of National Trust and had a lovely few hours wandering the festive rooms of the house.  This year was no different. 

First up one of me warming by the fire

The trees are beautiful as always

This year the gingerbread village was in an upstairs room, it smelt beautiful! 

I loved the Station

Upstairs the rooms was set out for a Christmas concert

And the homemade baubles were beautiful papercraft

There was a mini art installation, a single trunk surrounded by three sides with mirrors

The dolls house is needing refurbishment, one of the few dolls houses built for large country houses in the 18th century that has survived, they need £15K to renovate not only the house with its staircases and lighting, but also all the furniture that they also have. 

Outside the skies were blue, so we wandered the reindeer trail

And enjoyed the fresh air

I loved the wooden snowman outside

And got a shot of the house as we left

The rest of the week has been busy and building up to today as can be expected, but overall we've kept upbeat and positive. 

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