And the rain just kept on raining!!!

Well what can I add to the mass of comments about our lovely British summer. All our usual summer activities are on hold for when the sun does shine! Instead of photos and chat about beach days and never ending evenings with the smell of coconut suncream and long lazy meals outside, we are all wearing wellies and rain coats, running in out of buildings, still enjoying Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows. Its just not right. Although I am so glad to report that we are not actually flooded out here, I am in a part of the country particularly used to rain. I just had to share this picture with you as it really captures the mood of the moment. It was taken between showers, a picnic packed, which of course was eaten in the car, we got wet, OH so wet, we walked and played and found a few animals, as we started to feel wet and cold and getting to the miserable stage we had the blessing of a beautiful rainbow sky.
So if you can not escape the rain, why not go with the flow, so to speak!
The kids had a great time splashing, swimming and sailing in a Lake, here is my youngest taking his first steps in to the cold water, just before the heavens opened and the rain came down, yet again, Hey who cares when your this wet already...OK I got a bit fed up on the bank, wish I could have gone in with them.
Keeping with the thought of the sky, this is a safe sky, hopefully no rain here (although you never know) this is one of my children's bedrooms. Its a surf dude/pirate room and I painted the sky myself when I was rather pregnant, I remember standing on a chair and painting on the clouds literally not looking as I was trying to keep my balance with my big BUMP, it worked out just fine. With my love of Gingham and thinking of summer time fun, I made the bunting, this is so simple. If your thinking of buying some as its so popular at present...try and make it yourself its so easy and quick!!!
Another little trip this week, we headed off to the moors and the mills, I was after some wool, yes well I needed to top up my stash! Look what we came across, how cool is this, an original cotton mill spinner, sorry I do not know its proper name. The children had such fun asking lots of questions and playing with the bobbins etc. Rather sadly someone had put some dirty nappies in one of the baskets, I know they are a little worn, but why people do this kind of thing is beyond me!!!
SO what wool did I buy? Mmmmmm lots!!! A huge bag full, I got some beautiful cashmerino super chunky at a fantastic price, I wanted this in the Autumn but felt it was to expensive. I also got some beautiful silk in brown and green to make the top that I showed the pattern of a few postings ago. All the wool was Debbie Bliss, I am a bit of a fan of her yarn. Oh and this little fellow, Pinkie the mouse, well first there was one and now.....well lets just say they are quick, easy and fun to make so for a quick fix of knitting whilst the children are around they are multiplying. SO I bought a couple of balls of different wool to play about with. They are not very professional looking at the moment but I am working on that, but they are a heap of fun....

I have noticed how quite blog land is at the moment, I to am not able to get to blog daily myself, I guess everyone is busy with the summer holidays and it will all pick up again in the Fall. I do still intend to blog a few times each week so until the next time we get together for a chat and a cuppa I wish you good health and lots of fun...With or without rain!!!

Went away came back again!!!

Oh man, what a start to the summer holidays, we are only on day three without school and sooooooo much has happened, which is why I have not been around to reply to all your lovely comments, I will get to you eventually...The first day was so relaxing we had a lazy morning and eventually got ready around lunch time and off we went to a little end of school celebration for the children. This was great fun...came home and hastily packed for a week in the English Yorkshire Dales for a little holiday. On the way I had a flat tyre, as I had no idea what place I was in I was very silly and drove on the flat to the nearest place. Great start... When we eventually got to the idyllic cottage retreat we nearly turned around because of a horrid smell that just jumped at us as soon as we opened the door. The next day after nearly being 'ick' (as the children politely say) a plumber came out...horror it was not a drains smell it was a rotting animal under the floor boards. As you can imagine we came home quite quickly...
So the children needed some fun, we started a fresh day with home made pan cakes and chocolate sauce, its all healthy stuff around here at the moment!!!
'Mommy can we make a project' my usual reply 'Oh yes, what could we do?' to which both children shout 'painting' So that's just what we did, we got my Dads treasured box of paints out and we each picked our own colours and mixed them up with white to see the colour change.
We had a little practice each and had some fun with the cleaning up of messy hands and feet. Let me tell you, we are all very happy with our art work, what do you think?
Just a few canvases I had picked up cheap to originally do some Baby and Christening paintings to give as gifts, sadly it never happened so I thought I would put use to them, the kids are at an age now that they like to see an end product, gone are the days of just a colouring book and a few pencils...Once we had cleaned up it was time to take a break and enjoy our hard work which is now displayed up on the kitchen wall. What better way to make everyone happy on a dull wet day but Hot Chocolate and marshmallows, I know this health kick we are on is just too much.
SO we all went to bed happy and content with our lazy day at home looking forward to the next day, sadly this brought a flood, no not the horrendous ones that have been doing so much damage around the UK, no this was more of an over active bath time, my two children, a deep bath and a pair of goggles each...OK I saw a bit of water go over, when the electricity went out I thought it was a storm, now once the boys had got out of the swimming pool, whoops I mean bath! I realised that the reason I had not seen the water was the loo roll holder full of rolls had absorbed the visible damage. I went down stairs and it was here I got the full picture of the damage, coming out of one of the rooms under the bath was water, the light was blown and the bulb full of water, the ceiling of this room and into the kitchen was a dirty big water mark. I went to bed reading with a camping head torch, it took hours and hours for it to dry out enough, of course that meant no computer, no telly, radio or cooking...So forgive me for being a little quite over the last few days, its been a bit of a drama to say the least, still to the floods that so many have had, it just makes a funny story really...No seriously I am laughing...Honest!!!

I did managed to get some knitting done whilst the TV was out despite my still sore arm, wow such a great bruise so many colours! I have been making little mice, the first one, well he had character, they get better as I make more, so a trip to the wool mill today to cheer myself up and buy some odd balls of wool to fulfill the desire to make a ridiculous number of mice...Oh I feel better already, yer OK I admit I bought more than just the odd ball...

Here's to the sunshine...

UPDATE UPDATE....My doll quilt has arrived and it is just brilliant, I will not spoil the surprise, I will get a good picture and share with you all the info.