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Tuesday 26 August 2014

Golden Days


At the start of the summer I thought I'd have far more time to be blogging and instead I seem to have neglected my little old space over here somewhat. Ive been existing more in that live in the moment giddy world of Instagram. She's seduced me, but hasn't won.

I really intend to get back on top of that very soon.
 I think a spot of autumnal sprucing up here and blog visiting are most definately in order.

Now what have we been up to.

Well one day we went on a train. The train stopped at Cambridge and off we went for a wander. I took my knitting on the journey dreaming of lazing on a punt later in the day. Miss Rosey refused to get on the punt. End of that idea.


Next Monday my eldest girlie will be 14. She's finding her own feet these days and very much deciding if she wants to come on an adventure with us or not.  Thankfully it's not us that she's avoiding, just the things we want to do. So it's all change here and sometimes we're a family of 3 and sometimes a family of 4.


 Around our adventures there's always been time for sewing. 


 Then there's a new addiction of mine. 
Lampshade kits. 

These are so easy to use and totally addictive.


Two smaller ones made for my girlies rooms. 
I won't stop until each lamp has had a re-vamp.


We've had a week away at my mum's while my man worked and then he had more time off to play with us.

Summer stopped that week and hasn't really been back since.

Under a bed of pebbles down below and an Aran Cardi and scarf up top when we picnicked at the beach. 
Laying down out of the wind was much warmer too.


It was much warmer on the cliffs exploring Greyfriars above Dunwich beach. We also had a pootle in the tiny village museum.


In the middle of the week blue skies beckoned and so we whizzed off to see the Red Arrows flying over the sea at the Cromer Carnival.

Then we took our picnic off to Felbrigg Hall to get away from the crowds and get the most of our NT membership. Miss Rosey was very keen to see inside the house - yay as I love this home.

 

The following morning we were up bright and fresh to drive down to London. We had fancied visiting the Imperial War Museum to see the new WW1 exhibition. Not a great decision looking back on it.

At the moment a lot of stressful work related wranglings are going on. Hands feel tied, frustrations and fears - all of those things. We needed more laughter and a big dose of war with the Holocaust thrown in wasn't ideal. I was fascinated by it as a child. A close uncle had been part of the Medical Corr finding Belsen and then stayed on in Europe for years after helping in the refugee camp. Our girls were interested and handled it really well. I was worried as I knew exactly what they would be about to see, but I didn't want them protected from it either as it's so important to know what happened and still happens today.

There was a strange moment when they were looking at the Aryan Genetics part and people stared. There were my three 6ft and over and blonde.

In one of the films at the end I got to see the lovely lady who had spoken to Miss Rosey and her class in the Golders Green Synagogue a few weeks back about her experiences as a German Jew.

How strange it seems after that to be talking about making jam. 

Well that's what I did and so I will. The week before Miss Millie was born was Mother's Day I was given a Greengage Tree. 12 years later it's thriving as you can see. 

I've never ever made jam before, but with this bumper crop there's only so many crumbles and tarts you can face eating.


I can't believe I managed it. 
Six jars of soft delicious jam. One burnt and blackened hob.

Thanks for reading and stopping by. I really enjoy reading your comments and will get back to replying very soon I promise. 

21 comments:

  1. Sounds like you've been too busy to blog! I've been wanting to go to the IWM but never get around to it

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    1. I hadn't been for years and I remember enjoying it more in the past. Definitely worth a visit though.

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  2. Sounds like you had a lovely week away. I love those lampshades .... so pretty !
    Jacqui x

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    1. Thank you Jacqui. They're really lovely to make too.x

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  3. Where has the time gone? I had plans to do so much more....! X

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    1. I know, I want it all back again. I find summer pretty bittersweet really x

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  4. It looks as though you have been having some lovely and interesting summer moments. Lovely to see you back again and looking forward to more as and when! xx

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  5. Hello lovely....it's good to visit you again! Sounds like you've packed quite a bit in over the holidays, hope the work stuff gets sorted soon, I know how difficult it can be for you. Well, as for those gorgeous lampshades, I'm thinking of getting our electrician to put lots more lights in each of our rooms....that way I can make lots more! ;) xxx

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    1. You're an addict in every sense of the word my lovely aren't you. X

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  6. I'm an Instagram addict too Lisa ... it's so, well, instant! Loving the lampshades, I need to get my blogging and crafting mojo back ... too much going on, but shall be more organised soon. Looking forward to getting back to 'normal' ... whatever that is! xxx

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    1. I think it's gripping a lot of us Claire but I feel loyal here too. X

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  7. I used to love the taste of greengages as a young girl, but somehow they don't taste the same now I'm an old one! Lovely to read about your days, as always.

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    1. How strange that they taste different now Edwina. Lovely to have you visit, I always appreciate you or words. X

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  8. Aha L blogging vs instaG. always a dilemma !! Love that top with the bow or is it a dress....?
    My 12 year old boy turns 13 soon, but the girls his age seem sooo much older! I like that about boys...what you see is what you get?
    glad you have posted twice in one week its been a bit lonely in Blogland!!
    bestest D xxx

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    1. It's a top miss D. Lonely blog land isn't good at all. My youngest always preferred playing with boys when she was at a mixed school as she can't stand the complications and rows some girls seek out. Now she's found eccentric friends of her own and is happy. X

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  9. Hello,

    Gosh what an action packed time you have all been having. No wonder that the blog has been relegated to the background. But, as you say, the air has a definite chill about it now so it was good to make the most of what might be the last rays of summer before they disappear for another year.

    Your dressmaking skills are amazing. Wonderful to be able to select fabulous material and then create your own clothes. Everything can then be unique, so much better than simply looking like everyone else.

    Norfolk has some wonderful houses and gardens and Blickling Hall remains a favourite with us. But, then, we are Norah Lindsay devotees.

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  10. Blickling hall is wonderful too I agree, I prefer the grounds there, but love the homely quality of Felbrigg more.

    I continue to try and improve my dressmaking skills so thank you for your kind words. X

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  11. Thanks for the lovely catch up. So fab to see lots of happy times x

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  12. It is so lovely to return home after the holidays and visit you again. Your greengage jam looks as delicious as your lampshades... although the latter are a lot less edible, I believe.

    Ho hum.

    The Holocaust. I admire and respect your decision to take your children to the exhibition. I studied German at uni and became rather preoccupied and interested in the Nazi Regime. I (foolishly) believed at the time that were I to read enough books and visit enough places I would learn to understand why the Holocaust happened. Dachau pretty much crushed me. I left there feeling so very, very different and I could not empty my head of the leitmotif 'why am I free to leave this place but they weren't?' Dreadful, awful. And yet, it is so important for our teenage children to be aware of this dark period of history. My uncle, Maurice Auroux, a French professor of Medicine, had his latest book published a couple of years ago 'Les Ames Froides' (Cold Souls). It is based on a true story recounted to him by a fellow medical student in the early 50s and is based on medical research in one of the camps. However much I adore my uncle I cannot bring myself to read his book. I'm afraid of facing this past horror again.

    So sorry to have rambled on!

    Stephanie

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  13. Always enjoy reading your posts, I love to see all the old haunts...we used to live in Beccles and moved down here to Devon fifteen years ago, a beautiful part of the world, but you always have a place in your heart for the childhood homex

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