ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 24TH OF 2026

Good Morning lovely people tis Friday time to clock the positive moments and silver linings from the last 7 days

So last Friday we were out and about hunting down food for a tea party for my sister's birthday, once purchased we enjoyed the rest of the summery day sat reading (and crocheting) out on the deck which was lovely, I'm really enjoying using our outdoor space. 

Saturday was our food preparation day and despite hoping it wouldn't take all day, it did, myself and hubby aren't fans of ultra processed food so wherever possible we like to cook from scratch. 

The food theme this time was Greek, so we marinated chicken and pork and put them on skewers to grill on the day. 

We made homemade flatbreads, tzatziki dip, a whipped feta with chilli, a new dip called tirokafteri which is made with feta, roasted red peppers and red pepper flakes and a home made houmous.  Whilst it might not seem a lot when you are preparing for 10 people it took time. 

Sunday and we got up, hubby extended the table and we laid the same with a witchy theme for fun

My daughter in law had also been exceptionally busy and had taken the making the sweets on with gusto

She had made cupcakes which she'd decorated with witches brooms and witchy hats and they tasted as good as they looked

This was the birthday cake, how amazing does it look, it was a chocolate cake and so very moist. 

We struggled to find appropriate candles so turned a 9 upside down to look the part and we all sang her happy birthday

Everyone was in fine form, we enjoyed the family catch up (despite the noise as so many of us were talking together).  We enjoyed time with family and enjoyed cuddles with our grandson.

We managed to get everything cleared away as people were leaving and enjoyed a few hours relaxing before bed. 

Monday and the start of my work week, I've worked two days at home this week so managed longer days which is good as I'm still on major catch up and at the moment fatigue is my enemy as I await results of blood tests which we think are going to show an iron problem (again). 

Tuesday evening hubby cooked a roast pork dinner and our son, d-i-law and grandson came for tea, we've started doing this on a Tuesday and it is an absolute joy if I'm honest.  Our grandson 'de-tree-ed' the broccoli we were getting him to try but was much more enthusiastic with his Yorkshire pudding and gravy dip as he has started his weaning journey. 

Wednesday and I was in the office, I'm grateful for the amazingly supportive staff that I work with, the day flew and I left early for the aforementioned blood test, which was something of a trauma as I had a student nurse take my blood.  Now we all need to learn and I get that but I did leave feeling something of a pin cushion after trying both arms and eventually succumbing to the nurse taking it from the back of my hand.  So why is this on my grateful list, well the grateful part comes from having a wonderful sister who is also a nurse who confirmed that my lumpy arms that occurred in the evening were as a result of the trauma in the area of the blood test and she didn't feel anything to worry about, recommendations elevated arms and cold compress on them and by Thursday morning they were much better albeit somewhat bruised from the needles. 

And that is my lot this week, I'm writing this early Thursday so will catch you up on the day next week. 

I hope you've had a splendiferous week. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 15TH OF 2026

 Good morning finally it is a Friday I'm managing to post on, time to find the silver linings and positive moments from the last 7 days. 

So last Friday I had decided in my infinite wisdom that I could make a dress in a day, now when I say that I don't mean just running a dress up, I mean sticking the printed pattern together, cutting the pattern, reading the instructions, cutting the materials and then making the dress and I will be honest none of that would have been possible if my lovely hubby had not helped with the sticking and cutting of the pattern and the cutting of the material then giving me a 3 hour run at making the dress and completing it before tea time.  Why the urgency, well the tea party was on the Saturday for my daughter-in-laws birthday on the Sunday, thankfully I'd chosen the right size (and definitely the right style) for the dress and here she is showing off the finished item and yes it is a Toy Story dress and yes it was made from a duvet cover

We had people over on Saturday for a birthday tea and this was before they descended, unfortunately my brother and his fiancée couldn't make it but we had a lovely afternoon nonetheless

the table matched the Easter flowers I'd received

I also wore a new dress that I'd made, I'm not sure I pulled the style off if I'm honest, but I had fun making it, the pattern is the Marauder's Map from Harry Potter and this too is made from a duvet cover, my dress is floor length.  

Hubby decided it needed a bow at the back

This little man was amazing on the day an absolute joy to be around and yes he is wearing a Toy Story outfit. 

We also managed a walk on the day look at those blue skies

The rest of the weekend was quiet, we enjoyed reading, I enjoyed scrapbooking, we spent time outside, we spent time in front of the woodburner and I managed to complete a couple of books, the first is the book 'Eat Pray Love' I'd seen the film but was intrigued to read the original book, it was a joy to read

and then 'The Grapes of Wrath' this is a book my Mum read and declared that neither myself nor my sister would be able to read.  On reflection we have no idea why, we think she might have been trying to stir the competitiveness in us so we could discuss in detail, but unfortunately it didn't happen whilst she was still with us.  I did however complete the book and what a read it has to be said, such a harrowing tale of humanity but also one where being determined to survive the day is essential, I enjoyed it immensely. 

And that my lovely people is my lot for this week, I hope you've had a good week too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 23RD OF 2025

 Good afternoon tis Friday time to clock the silver linings 

Last Friday we had a funeral, always a sad occasion and for as hard as it is that a person is no longer here, it is always the hole they leave behind and the sadness of the family that genuinely hurts.  So how can it make my rocking post this week, because the daughters who read something during the service were amazing, knowing how hard that is to do having done that at my Mum's funeral with my sister last year I know it takes a lot of courage to see it through. 

It was also nice to catch up with family after the service, some we haven't seen in quite some time, unfortunately it seems there are more funerals that christenings or weddings these days. 

Sunday and hubby picked up his new glasses, he is still getting used to them, varifocals are never easy to acclimatise to. 

It was Monday soon enough and lots of work on this week, although I had a good couple of meetings and some positive feedback so definitely popping that in the rocking post, it was nice to feel genuinely appreciated for the work I've been doing. 

Wednesday night and we went out to the local college restaurant for pre-theatre dining and then we headed to the theatre to watch Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time.  I wasn't sure if we would enjoy it, but it was genuinely incredibly well done. 

Beef teriyaki starter with cous cous

Chicken chausseur

Summer fruits crumble with sorbet

This was the stage set for the play

Thursday was my sisters birthday, we had a slow day overall if I'm honest and then went out for a meal in the evening which was grand, there were 7 of us in total. 

Here is a photo of her, she has had a new hairstyle recently 

I loved this shot, she looked like she was peeping out of the gift bag. 

so a good week overall, I hope yours has been good too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 8TH OF 2025

 Morning lovely people tis Friday time for

So last Friday we arrived home from Center Parcs, I'm grateful that me and hubby worked as a team to get everything away and the washing sorted within a few hours of being home. 

Then he finally opened his birthday gifts (well 2/3rds of them anyway) and then we opened Valentine's gifts.  I noted in the last few years that we rarely make a big thing of anniversaries or Valentine's days, so I've asked we make a bit more of an effort.  

So this year we had gifts and cards, I bought an acrylic block photo for hubby of a picture we had taken last year, we look so chilled and relaxed and I love the photo, I also made him a picture and hubby bought me something I genuinely wasn't expecting my very own Lego.  But not any old Lego, no a Robert Indiana piece, that I love, it is still on show at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. 

We had great fun building it together, such a lovely memory if I'm honest. 

The finished piece 

On Saturday we had invited family over for a get together, not that we knew what we were cooking, thankfully me and hubby managed to come up with a plan.  Hot dogs and burgers and we made double chocolate scones, normal fruit scones and some cheese scones.  Hubby also made his cinnamon cake and everyone descended mid afternoon and we had a lovely catch up putting the world to rights.  The noise level at one point was off the charts but it was grand to catch up. 

This was the table before everyone came, we set the hot buffet tray up on the side with the hot dogs and burgers so that kept everything warm. 

There were 10 of us in total for the afternoon and it was lovely, I definitely had the feeling that my Mum was about. 

I'm immensely grateful to said 24 year old, I asked him to source a gift for his Dad as he was more knowledgeable and he managed it, it was touch and go at one point, he came along on Saturday having sourced the item which was acoustic electric guitar, hubby has always wanted to learn to play and I thought, why not there should be enough tutorials, apps etc for him to learn and hopefully enjoy, I think he was a little surprised, but it honestly would not have come about without said 24 year old, so I'm grateful for him taking the time to sort this - he is an absolute star. 

We were shattered on Sunday and had a lazy day if I'm honest, but we had also booked to see 'The Ripper Files' at the local theatre.  It isn't a play we've seen before and at first it seemed to just be a play giving the chronological story of Jack the Ripper through the eyes of Lestrange one of the key police officers on the case.  However, there was a plot twist near the end which we all enjoyed despite it being somewhat far-fetched. 

Monday was my first day back in work and I was working from home, the inbox was extremely full if truth be told and despite working until the late hour I genuinely didn't get to the bottom of the inbox.  Thankfully I arranged with my colleague to work from home again on the Tuesday in the hope that I could make headway and actually get to some of the key pieces of work that I needed to do. 

Wednesday was another hectic day at work and hubby was out delivering on the vans.  

In the evening I went to see the new Bridget Jones film with my sister, daughter in law and niece.  It was a lovely girly evening, despite the fact I hadn't seen all the films. 

Thursday and we headed to my step-Dads to sort my Mum's craft room, to be honest we lost heart a little bit with it previously, but I'm determined to move things forward this year, so me and my sister scheduled things in our diary to get things done, this is the first activity of that schedule. 

I hope you've all had a great week too, finding those positive moments and silver linings really makes a different to your mood and mindset. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 24TH OF 2024

 Good morning lovely people tis Friday time for 

So this is the point where I clock the silver linings and moments that I'm grateful for, it reminds me of the important things in life and that my most precious thing in the world is time. 

So as it was my Sister's birthday recently and I knew it would be a hard one as she would normally have spent time with my Mum had she still been with us, as well as taking her out for a meal on her actual birthday, we planned get togethers over the weekend. 

The first of which was that she wanted to make a ghostie, she has recently done her bedroom at home in a very very dark green and gone all things gothic and she wanted a little ghost (or two) to add to the room.  So she came over, we got out the powertex, hubby gave her a master class in the same and then we set too drying them with craft driers before spending time decorating them, here she is showing off the two she made

We had had a sample run the day before and created these two which are much smaller but quite fun I'm sure you will agree. 

and these are my sister's one up close

Then we packed a very quick picnic (we ran out of time playing with ghosts so much) and headed to Wentworth Woodhouse for the Shakespeare play Comedy of Errors performed by the Three Inch Fools.  It was a night of madness, 4 actors trying to perform that play which has an awful lot of characters, I think each one ended up playing every single part at some point in the play, no mean feat, there was also a degree of audience participation near the end which had us giggling, but it was mayhem and chaos and had us smiling a lot so that was definitely a win, the weather was cool but the rain held off so definitely a win. 

Don't let those blue skies deceive once that sun dropped below the tree line we could definitely feel the difference, thankfully I'd taken copious amounts of blankets, coats, fleeces etc.

and here we are before the play started

Then on Sunday we got up, made fresh scones and put together an afternoon tea for 9 of us, no mean feat when everyone wanted their sandwiches slightly different. 

Hubby had made the plate stands and we had cooked the cakes on the Saturday, we had a great afternoon catching up and chatting, it really was lovely and my Mum was so very missed from the gang it has to be said, we all know she would have loved the get together. 

After the youngsters headed off to get people to train stations etc, me, my sister and brother, hubby and my brother's fiancee stood chatting about Mum and all things grief, it was time we genuinely didn't know we needed together and was good for our soul.  We laughed and cried and genuinely felt closer a wonderful end to a crazy weekend. 

I'm also enjoying these beauties bought for me by my daughter-in-law

The rest of the week has tripped along at a merry old pace it has to be said.  My working day has now started to 'speed' up which pleases me no end as I like a fairly fast paced day it has to be said.  Hubby has kept himself busy tootling around at home and now it is Thursday and the first day of my four day weekend.  

I hope you have had a great week too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 23RD OF 2024

 Morning lovely people tis Friday time for

We had a lovely trip out on Saturday, we went to Wentworth Castle, we only have access to the garden as the original house is still used as a college, but we did enjoy a walk around.  Included in the gardens is the now renovated conservatory

The birds of paradise plant was in all its fully glory

The Lime Tree walk looking particularly pretty

We grabbed a selfie on our meander

The original Stainborough Castle built as a play castle for the kids (I kid you not)

and eventually the blue skies arrived

Sunday and another fine day so we ventured to YSP we enjoyed breakfast and then had a good walk

We came home and as it is volunteers week this week I did some baking with hubby which were very well received, raspberry and white chocolate muffins, cinnamon cake and a lemon drizzle cake.

The working week tripped along at a merry pace, my hubby had a hospital appointment following his recent surgery.  The removed thyroid nodule and half thyroid were found to be just an overgrown nodule and nothing else, which was fantastic to hear.  They did find a micro cancer but apparently these are so tiny and don't do anything, so they are going to discuss it again at MTD, but provided they are happy they will just check his thyroid levels and then if all is good he will be discharged.

Wednesday was my sister's birthday so as a celebration for the good news at the hospital and for her birthday we took her out for a meal, it was a lovely evening which I really enjoyed.  

Lots of positives this week lovely people, I hope yours has been grand too.