Wednesday 25 April 2012

WOYWW I'm Back

I've missed the last two WOYWW because I've been busy with the school holidays and also, last week, I had a student staying with me and I was teaching in the morning. This morning, however, is a very special day in the Morris household: 
Today is my son's 14th birthday and for once he was out of bed without having to be dragged! I'd decided to get up early and make him one of his favourite breakfasts
They are really easy to make. George likes his with maple syrup but I like mine with the addition of cinnamon and raisins
My son is an unusual teenager, when you see what I gave him you'll see why
It was a cushion and a lavender bag made out of his all time favourite fabric and a card with a chicken on, he is obsessed with chickens! This is the finished card
Before I forget, I won this beautiful pin cushion on a blog give-away a few weeks ago and in the envelope was a lovely ATC and some bits and bobs to add to my collection. Check out the blog here  
And finally, if you want to check out some more crafty desks, get yourself over to Julia's blog to see what it's all about
Happy WOYWW and Happy Birthday George!



Tuesday 17 April 2012

It's Been a While

That's the trouble with school holidays, you get all behind. Well enough of my big bum, what have I been up to since my last post?
Tuesday my youngest son had a beach football tournament in Brighton. My husband got up early and took him there for 9am, I just did the bacon sarnies as I had to stay behind and wait for two teenage boys to awaken! He had a great time playing in the sand, it was a great venue and we might think of it for his birthday as something different to do.
On Wednesday we had a massive family trip to Portsmouth harbour. My husband, his brother, their uncle Fred and four boy cousins went on a harbour tour whilst his mum and auntie went up the Spinnaker Tower (shudder). I was left with my sister-in-law and my two beautiful nieces so what could we do? Only one thing to do really, go shopping! Gunwharf Quays is a great place to shop once or twice a year. I bought some supplies in L'Occitaine, got reupholstered in Wonderbra and bought a very Margo top in Gap. After all this I needed some refreshment and as the queue in Nerd was just too long and too slow I decided to try something different:
   We al regrouped about 5.30 and had to decide on somewhere to eat. Not an easy task when the age range was from 7 to 80! The youngsters decided on Nando's, I have only one thing to say on that decision; WTF
On Thursday I went to Surrey to meet my best friend and we went off to Guildford for a little wander. I didn't buy anything much apart from a £2.50 bookmark and some American snacks for my children but we had a lovely day despite the crazy weather. This picture is of my friend's front lawn:
Friday was a quiet day, my husband took the boys out as I had some work to do.
On Saturday I collected a student from Gatwick airport who is staying with us for a week. He is a young French boy who has stayed with us for the last four years. Usually there is a clash between him and my youngest son but so far so good this time. Maybe he's matured a little, who knows?
On Sunday I went to London with my eldest son and the student. We visited The Cabinet War Rooms, very interesting, no really! We then went to Regent Street so the boys could go to Hamley's. I think they have both finally realised that it really expensive and didn't buy anything, another first!
I didn't take my DSLR on this trip as I couldn't be bothered to carry it so I just took my point and press. After doing a couple of photography courses with Kirsty Wiseman, I have discovered that even my little P&P has adjustable settings! I had a bit of fun faffing about and I'll just leave you with a couple of shots.
Thanks for stopping by, oh and watch this space for a give away.

 Sorry, can't rotate! Had to delete two others as I couldn't work out how to rotate them either!

Monday 9 April 2012

Easter Feaster

My goodness me, I've eaten more these last few days than in the whole of the Christmas holidays!
It started on Thursday with a party at my brother-in-law's house for my mother-in-law's birthday. My husband's uncle is over from Australia so there have been a lot of family gatherings. I was given the task of making banoffee, so here it is:

Good Friday started with brunch at Carrat's Cafe which is on the beach at Shoreham Harbour. They are always busy and their breakfasts are legendary. I however, only had a bacon and mushroom sandwich! The children played on the beach whilst I caught up with my sister-in-law.
Saturday was another family gathering at my other brother-in-law's house for roast lamb and many more puddings! Unfortunately my husband spent two days in bed with man flu so he missed this meal, although I did bring him home a bone to chew on!
Easter Sunday was spent at my m-i-l's for the traditional (since when was this a British tradition?) egg hunt with my lovely baskets!
I hope you all had a lovely Easter, despite the dodgy weather.



Wednesday 4 April 2012

WOYWW #148

Julia will be very pleased with me this week because it's only a quick post! Off to the dentist later with the children, I'm trying to stop them eating a bar of Galaxy and a yum yum at the moment.
Anyway here goes, this week you may notice a change in location:
Yes, it's my living room floor. I'm making Easter baskets for the family Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday. Here's a couple which I have finished:
Right, that's me done today. I'll do a longer post tomorrow with all my Easter goodies plus a picture of a bannoffie pie!
Run over to Julia's blog to see all the more interesting places.

Monday 2 April 2012

Lovely Weekend

I have just had the loveliest weekend in a while, which is surprising because I wasn't really looking forward to it! A few moths ago my mum asked me if I'd like to go away with her on a spa break, well I had to say yes, didn't I? Anyway, when she looked up the hotel on the net, it turned out that it was just an ordinary hotel without any spa facilities. I didn't feel I could say,'Oh, I don't want to go now' so I went.
Saturday arrived and, after cooking the boys breakfast baps, I went to collect my mum. The weather was a little chilly after the beautiful week we'd had so that wasn't helping my mood much. We were going to a place called Hawkhurst in Kent which is only about 50 miles away. Anyway, about lunchtime we stopped in a little village called Heathfield for a coffee. What I din't know was that there were a few antique shops so we ended up spending a couple of hours there happily mooching about and exclaiming over lots of bits and bobs. We had a lovely coffee in  a little cafe, it made a nice change from Costa or Nerd which have taken over the British high street. We also discovered a huge second hand book shop and I bought myself some porn. Well it's my type of porn, a book on preserves!
We carried on to our final destination and found it quite easily, well we found Hawkhurst quite easily, but we couldn't find the hotel! We actually drove past it about four times before I finally spotted it! We were starving by now so we had lunch and then we were shown to our room. It was quite nice and luckily it was a twin and I didn't have to sleep with my mum!
We then drove to Rye and spent another couple of hours in and out of the antique shops buying little bits and pieces. I bought a silver spoon for my husband  to use when he's fishing out his olives or pickled onions from the jars! I also bought a tiny chicken which is a actually a salt and pepper pot from the 1930s, my son is addicted to chickens so it will make a great little birthday present for him.
We drove back to the hotel and watched a bit of TV then went down to the restaurant for dinner. The meal was a little disappointing but the wine was good! Also the fact that it was all paid for by my brother! He'd got a deal on Groupon for my Mum's Christmas present.While I was eating my meal I recognised a man at another table, he used to work at Gatwick Airport when I was there. My mum said, say hello to him, but I couldn't remember his name!
I then spent a sleepless night in an extremely hot room. What is it with hotels and heat?
Breakfast was at 9, no choice! Once again the food was disappointing but, hey ho. I also spoke to the man from Gatwick airport, his name is Chris, he too was there on a Groupon deal, we had a little chat and found out that he lives in Worthing too and works in Waitrose!
We checked out, my mum paid for everything, she said it was her.
We drove to Tenterten as I wanted to see if it was how I remembered it from the eighties, it was but we didn't stop because nothing seemed to be open.
We drove on to Royal Tunbridge Wells where we spent a good few hours wandering around. It did surprise me however, how few shops and businesses were open. I guess Sundays are still special in some places.
On the way home it was still early so I decided to stop off in Lewes for a cream tea. Also there were a few more antiques shops to browse in! My mum took me to a place she knew, Bill's. OMG if you haven't been, you have to go. The scones were the best I've ever eaten, even better than my Nan's. The place was amazing, it's a shop and restaurant and it was full to bursting with all sorts of yummy mummies and trendy foodies, oh and me and my mum!
Finally got home about 5 to the delicious smell of roasting chicken. Although I thought I couldn't eat another thing, I managed to squeeze down some roast chicken and roast potatoes, well it would have been rude not to, wouldn't it?
I want to leave you with a photograph of me taken eight years ago today
Happy Anniversary Mr Morris