ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 3RD OF 2026

Morning all tis Friday time to clock the silver linings and positive moments for it is time for

So one of my tasks this year is to catch up on my scrapbooking as I'm still scrapbooking 2023.  This is bittersweet as it means I'm still scrapbooking photos of my Mum, but it also means that scrapbooking of my grandson is going to take an age to get to.  Nevertheless I'm determined to put best foot forward. 

This first layout is a double page, it was family making some headway on my Mum's garden which had got a little bit wild.  Me, hubby and my sister set too getting it sorted, and my Mum dipped in and out helping as much as she could.  She was really pleased that it was a more usable space after we had finished and the following weekend my niece, her partner and his sister helped recover the first tier in the garden. 

Then this layout I took of my Mum when we were at a craft class, she loved nothing more if I'm honest and we always had a wonderful day. 

Then this was a theatre trip out, the show a one man show about Laurel and Hardy, they were childhood heroes of mine so it seemed apt to see it with my Mum (hubby was there too)

and then documenting seeing the Ocean at the End of the Lane, which was a fabulous touring production

Layout for the Motley Crue and Def Leppard gig 

I feel that my layouts have become very similar, so I'm attempting to mix things up a bit, you'll have to let me know if you think I've achieved it with the next set I share. 

So how has the rest of my week panned out?

Well I finished this beautiful book last Friday, it is a set of four and showcases Angela Harding's linocut artwork and is beautiful.  I have the other three which I will be reading as the seasons appear (Spring, Summer and Autumn still to read)

We also woke to a smattering of snow, but it didn't last (thankfully) although it did make everything look very pretty. 

We had some persimmons lurking in the fruit bowl and as we both have a real issue with food waste hubby made a persimmon parfait, which was lovely, topped with pistachios and then he added to it the following day with baklava biscuits which are what are sticking out either side.  The dessert lasted us 4 days in total and fully used up the persimmon so definitely a win. 

I also finished this read, I've had the book an age, I think it was published back in 2013.  It is a riotous read and I thoroughly enjoyed my first read of a biography.

You may recall my first knitting kit coming through the post, this was my first couple of rows, I am very rusty and I don't think it will be very pretty but I'm off.  For reference Lisca my intention to learn is one a month not one a week, I don't think there are enough crafts out there for me to learn that would enable one per week. 

I also finished reading this book, which also proved a good read and allowed a little bit of focus. 

The knitting was coming along OK later in the week

and Wednesday night after my working week was done we headed out for our walk and accidently fell into the pub.  I had the none-alcoholic Old Mout cider cherries and berries and hubby enjoyed a pint of cider. 

Thursday was my first full day off, I thoroughly enjoyed a lie in after my three very busy days at work.  We sat drinking tea and reading tablets, made a plan for the next few days and then had showers.  

I had some house jobs to sort, vacuuming through and lots of washing so the dehumidifier is on full tilt today but it shortens the drying time so that is definitely a win. 

I also managed to sort a couple of boring tasks out that were on my to do list, you know the ones you keep putting off and then once you've done them you don't know why you put it off because it didn't actually take that long to sort.  Hubby helped with that and I'm definitely grateful on that front. 

I hope you've had a fabulous week.

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 2ND OF 2025

Morning lovely people tis Friday time for 

Time to clock the positives and the silver linings as we work our way through the year. 

So last Friday was our last Christmas type activity of the season, this time a trip to National Trust Nostell Priory for a wander around the house. They always make a lovely job of the decorations and I love the lighting, so very pretty. 

Gingerbread houses with the train whizzing past behind, the room smelt amazing! 

This is the gingerbread town that they had created. 

The stairs looked very pretty

and I loved this glimpse through into a different room with a different tree framed by the doorway

The dining room was very pretty and not overly big so you could imagine a family enjoying a meal here. 

and that was it the close of our 2024 Christmas season and nearing the end of my break from work. 

I had a beautiful Christmas and got to do lots of lovely activities for which I'm grateful, I had support from family particularly at tough times when my Mum was so noticeably missing but I feel very blessed to have had such a lovely festive time and very blessed to have such a lot of support from family and friends, it genuinely means the world. 

Saturday we decided to take the tree down, well I say tree I mean all the decorations, the hearts in the window, the lights on the trees outside, the garland in the window, the glass baubles hanging from the light fixture, the three wreaths, the houses on the stairs, the hats on snipe plus three trees and all their decorations and you are going to think, wow - that is going to take some time and you would be absolutely correct, it took an absolute age to do but the clean and tidy house (and oh boy did we clean) feels so much better.  So why am I grateful, that I had the help from hubby which halved the time, we worked continuously until it was done and that is why I'm grateful. 

Sunday and the weather turned and this arrived, not exactly what I wanted on my day before returning to work, but it lead to us hunkering down if I'm honest and just enjoying cosy time at home. 

in front of this

which I'm feeling very grateful for, there is nothing finer than sitting with a good book, a warm drink and a roaring fire. 

Monday arrived, first day back at work and I'm working from home, it was a really productive day which was great and my fears for going into work with the weather so poor were resolved by one of my colleagues advising I work from home on Tuesday which was great, so another day I didn't need to worry about. 

Tuesday another busy work day at home, I managed to get lots of things ticked off the to do list and because I started earlier, I could finish earlier, so that is something else to be grateful for. 

Wednesday and I had to go to Sheffield for a meeting that could potentially last three days, which I had to attend, I'm grateful for hubby coming with me as I didn't have a clue where I was going.  Thankfully the meeting didn't take as long as expected and around lunchtime we were told that they were going to reschedule it for the future, so I headed back by tram and met hubby in Ikea.  We had a bite to eat as I'd not eaten as was a bit stressed about getting there etc in the morning and then headed home. 

Wednesday evening I had a natter with said 24 year old and said d-i-law which was lovely, a quick impromptu facetime, nothing finer. 

Thursday my first day off which I'm really enjoying, grateful for hubby making us a lovely boiled egg and sourdough toast breakfast, I've tootled around sorting a few little bitty jobs, so I feel grateful to get them ticked off my list.  I've also sorted through some photos that I've had printed and dated them ready to scrapbook which is great. 

Then we've had a chilled afternoon, reading, crafting and chatting, nothing finer. 

I hope you've had a grand week too. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 6TH OF 2024

 Morning all tis Friday time for

Last Friday we headed up to the hospital for the ultrasound scan for hubby, he was also due to have a biopsy but they initially decided against that but have since changed their minds, so please keep him in your thoughts for a positive outcome so we are returning today for that. 

We had a quiet day around the house on Saturday, we decided to head to York on Sunday as my sister who was on annual leave could come too.  The annual ice trail was on around the city, this year 33 ice sculptures to find, unfortunately the weather was against us but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

This is a selection of the ice sculptures we got to see, from Willy Wonka

and his golden ticket

to the hat of dreams outside The Grand hotel

A crown throne opposite the train station

and dragon and trailer at the Judges' lodgings

I always love the one outside the jeweller, there was a robin on holly leaves inside the egg

The weather got worse late morning, so we took refuge in a café and enjoyed hot drinks and drying out for a while.

We continued on but by the time we got to Spark things were genuinely starting to melt considerably 

and by the time we reached the Yeti, we decided it was time to take stock and start to head back, we managed 30 of the 33 and were all well over 15,000 steps for the day so a win win in my book. 

We enjoyed facetime family chat on Monday catching up with everyone, my Mum had had her first visit from the nurse so she was feeling a bit more comfortable. 

Hubby and I have been doing lots of talking, chatting and engaging with each other which has been positive, we've started to do a daily walk which is good. 

Thursday the day turned decidedly wintry unfortunately, we headed out for a walk

The village was very pretty although the roads were quite difficult to pass by the time we headed home. 

We grabbed a snowy selfie

The fields were covered

We got back and spent some time in the craft room, hubby enjoying silversmithing and I was doing some scrapbooking. 

I hope you've had a good week, please keep fingers and toes crossed we can get to the hospital appointment tomorrow. 

Have a great weekend and week ahead. 

Hugs

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 49TH OF 2023

 Morning lovely people tis Friday time for

Well last Friday we were due to go to see a Christmas Carol inside Sheffield Cathedral with my sister, but being a nurse she often picks up bugs at this time of year, so alas she couldn't make it.  Me and hubby went anyway and enjoyed a wander around the Sheffield Christmas market albeit that most of it was stalls to either eat or drink, we also wandered a couple of shops on our way around.  We had a naughty tea in McDonalds and then headed to the Cathedral.  The show was done by the Chapterhouse theatre group and was fantastic, the only down side were church pews for two and a half hours, my back isn't what it was. 

We had woken to a bright blue skies day, but Jack Frost had been painting on the windows

We had a wander around to the Church in the afternoon for the Christmas tree festival and enjoyed taking photos of the frost 

The festival was brilliant as always, I love the handmade items for the trees, they do make me smile from one-eyed donkeys

to knitted polar bears

and tiny mangers

The trees really did look beautiful 

and I enjoyed a moment of pre-Christmas solace alone in God's house

Sunday was a different story we woke to a good couple of inches of snow. 

and whilst it might look festive it really isn't very convenient these days.  Thankfully we'd already planned a stay at home and chill day if I'm honest.  

I've also started my Lego advent calendar, which really is now a bit of a tradition, although there are some days when I still have to google what the items are, thankfully Harry on the 1st was easy. 

The rest of the week has been manic busy at work, including today when my primary role was peeling potatoes for chips for our volunteer get together, I've had to come home and have a shower and all my clothes are going in the wash due to the smell of chip fat.  Hey ho the things you do, lol.