So what have I...

been doing these last few weeks....

Well have been be sorting out what Steven will be doing when he leaves school in 6 weeks time... I've been visiting places, asking questions and talking to people that are already out in the community...

I've made a choice of few private day centres, and now the social worker has to take it to panel to see what funding we can get towards it... but the way things are going, I'm not sure the outcome as they're already been cut backs, starting with the social services closing their doors to new intakes. So hence why I've had to look at private day centre (The Government want the venerable out in the community, so have been closing their day centres)...

Also I've been helping Sam move into her house, well started and finished helping her, I did 5 cars loads before the Bank Holiday weekend, which looked like this when I left it in her spare bedroom...






(I'm still surprised at what you can fit into the back of the Micra)...


then hubby, Steven and I nipped off for the weekend away to a steam railway (Steven's belated 18th Birthday present, so only a year and 2 months late, lol)...and left Sam and Matt to carry on moving her stuff, then this week I've done another 2 car loads to finish it off, also a couple of trips to the tip, so am nearly left with an empty attic... There is still her wardrobe, ottoman, bedside cabinet and her dressing table/desk up there...

and lastly, have slowly been sorting Stevens things back into he's new look bedroom, I'm are nearly there, it's just the changing of he's bedding now, but will keep he's Thomas the Tank rugs on the floor as have not found anything to replace them yet....

So most evenings I've been falling asleep on the settee after Seven has gone to bed, as going up and down 2 flights of stairs with Sam's stuff and lugging it into the car, then lugging it out the car and up one flight of stairs to their back bedroom, gets you a little sweaty and tired, lol... also it's been emotional as well as draining, with all the meetings for Steven :-(
(the not knowing)...

I am slowly trying to catch up with all the blogs I read and my emails, but sorry if I've not got to yours as yet, I will get there, lol...

Half a century...

Well I actually did some crafting, YIPPEE, it might have taken me 2 days, but managed to make hubby a card for he's birthday...

as you can see he's now half a century,



He's birthday treat, hopefully will be driving a steam train, but it's only certain weekends they do it, so it's finding one that we're free on and can get some cover for Steven...

so as yet, a date has not yet been set, but we live in hope, lol...

(The card was done from the Patchwork pal clear stamp set called Train for QVC...)

Haven't forgotten....

about me doing a May Bank Holiday give away, it's just, have had a busy time of late, and to be honest, crafting has been the last thing on my mind, but I am still up for it, but not sure when it will be, sorry...

...but watch this space, it will be done, lol....

I also hope to get back to blogging, reading blogs and catching up with all my emails very soon...

My May Day prize

Here is my crafty prize I won from susiej blog...



she also sent me my May ATC which is a Masculine theme (not sure who set that one, lol) it's fab Sue, and with trains too, thanks....



I also received a fab tag that she made using perfect pearls (which she had emailed me the details of how she did it, so I can have a go when I get five minutes, as I bought some years ago, but didn't know how to use them)...


Thanks sue, they are all fab...

A non-crafty time...

Have had a few busy weeks of ups and downs, it started off with Charlie (my 9 week old great nephew) being taken into hospital with trouble breathing, they said he had bronchitis, he had only been off colour the evening before, so it as a BIG shock when he's mum took him to the doctors (thinking he might have a chest infection) to be told to go straight to the hospital. They couldn't give him anything because of he's age, apart from oxygen... he's doing OK now and was sent home 3 days later... I've popped round to see him, he still got a rattle in he's chest, but he's having someone round to keep an eye on him...

Then while driving Steven to Hayling Island to look at the disability sailing group, my car starting jumping and a light came on to say the engine had a malfunction, the same day hubby said it looked as we had woodworm in Sam's kitchen, so it meant a few phone call to sort out them and to cancel the kitchen floor layer...

On a upside, Steven went over the IOW sailing with the school (it was a last minute place, I only knew about it the week before)... so I thought I would go for it with decorating he's room, well he couldn't get any worse in sleeping than he's already been doing, lol... and that was before I knew the car and woodworm would have to be sorted!!!!

So on Monday after putting Steven on the school bus with he's suitcase, it was all systems go, I came home to do a couple of phone calls about the car and the woodworm... then started the stripping Steven's room of everything, apart from he's bed, so all week it was filling holes, rubbing down paintwork, cleaning walls, painting and then laying a new carpet (OK I went and got it in my little micra, but my mum laid it, and she's did a fab job, thanks mum)... also we put up Stevens new Ikea unit, (girl power)..

It was also a week of pulling UP carpets and underlay at my daughter house, but that was after lugging all the bits she had bought and was storing there, down to their garage...

As for crafting, nope had no time, sorry Gill I WILL do your May ATC as soon as I have some time and energy, lol... Oh an UP I did buy a funky chicken die that Carole just MADE me buy, cos he was so cute...


Another UP I think Stevens room looks fab, (even if I say so myself, lol) it looks so fresh, clean and modern, I will take some photos but might wait till I've changed he's bedding and curtains, as they are still Thomas the Tank at the moment, as I wanted to keep some things that were familiar to him. He was a little apprehensive going to bed the first evening back from he's little holiday (had a fab time, will tell you about that in another post with some photos they emailed me), but he must like it, as is sleeping a lot better than he was before he went away...

Another UP he car is sorted and wasn't as bad as I thought, as the malfunction of the engine was covered under the warranty... which surprised me, as the car was bought from another Nissan garage that had since folded... also Sam's house has been sprayed and the kitchen floor has since been laid, so today I've been lugging the carpets and underlay back into the house and re-laying, one room down, 4 to go (and the stairs, yikes)....


and on a DOWNSIDE, I'm walking round like a 90 year old at the moment, as got aches and pains where I didn't know places existed on my body, lol...

April ATC

Sorry for the late posting, but have had to wait for my partner to receive it, which she now has, so here are the April ATC...

Well the theme was 'spring' and was set by Carole, I did a set of 3 and number 1 was sent to my partner Val...


and the other 2 went to Gina as she's not been well lately, Hope your feeling better soon Gina'... and to Susiej, as she was the one that got a lot of us into making ATC for the first time, but she also sorts out who partners who, and reminds the person who has to set the theme that month, so thank you sue...

YEAH..... I'm a winner...

Just been checking the blogs (as I find do-crafts too much hard work now) to find out I'm a winner on susiej blog for her May Day giveaway, YEAH thanks sue...

What I will do, to say thank your for my win (and I once won a stamp from CC blog too) I will do Spring Bank Holiday giveaway...

But I will need reminding nearer the time, LOL.... as not only is 4 weeks a long way away, but it will take me that long to venture under my stairs and come out again in one piece, as I might have forgotten why I went under there in the first place... as it's a little junked up...

You should have seen the poor gas mans face when he came to read my meter last week, he said should he come back next month to give me time to find the cupboard, let alone the meter, lol... (cheeky monkey)...