My Life's Ingredients

Warning - some mild swearing and POLITICS (in a life affecting way)!! Today I've been thinking about the current political situation in the UK and the whole uncertainty for EU Expats in the UK once the whole “Brexshit” hits the fan! We don’t get information, getting strung along. Hubby is more active in the whole thing (probably because he’s kinda keen for Scotland to go for IndyRef2 - mostly because Scotland voted to remain in the EU and because he sees a lot of issues with Westminster), and his brain is working slightly different (maybe a “side effect” of his Dyslexia?) and he can “see” things 3-4 steps ahead more so than others. There are things coming through about driving licenses (I had to swap my German one to get a UK one - which so far is still EU valid but that will all change once Brexit is through). The EU has been writing papers about that situation way back in January I believe, but the UK gov has not even touched on that subject. Lots of other things. Sooo… gues...

Well... we will see I think. Just decided to use my blog as a brain dump for lots of things now... life stuff, craft stuff kinda thing. And probably will dump a lot more than I would post in Facebook (post length). I know that some people still seem to follow my blog in some way and will continue post a link to my Facebook for friends to look at. There's a lot of things going on in my brain at the moment and I just need to dump it somewhere to get back to or maybe even getting some comments/suggestions from others, but don't need the latter. Sooo... let's see how that is going.

Scenario - you promised your kids Hogwarts robes for their birthday party (which is of course a Harry Potter Party). However, you've left things quite late and then had to go to Germany for holidays. So, after you managed to finish all the pencil wands, mini cauldrons and most of the golden snitches, you decide to start on the robes... on the twins' birthday (the day before the party) at 5:30pm... But all should be ok... because the pattern you found says it will only take 1 hour to make ... Ok... I suspect somehow that's withouth ironing and cutting... or most likely that the lining fabric has the same width of the outer fabric so would be easier to cut? But of course my lining is a bit more than half the width of the outer fabric which resulted in me having to measure and then double them up and sew at the top. It IS actually a very good pattern/instruction. I managed to get everything done like they said (mostly, but that's my measuring issue), h...

Let's try this one properly this year... mmmhh??? ;) You can find the original list and info etc on Eileen's Blog "In my Playroom" . And there is also a Facebook page for it. (I'm just posting it here in my blog as I've just spent about 20 mins searching for that list/Eileen's Blog/The FB page!! :o ) It's December 1st, so it must be time to start the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt. The hunt wil l run from 1st December 2016 to 21st March 2017, and all photos must be taken between these dates. 1.   layers 2.   raindrops 3.   key 4.   a signpost with an image of an animal 5.   fur or feather 6.   river or canal 7.   glassware 8.   a seasonal treat 9.   diamond 10. winter weather 11. a photo taken outside at night 12. a market or market stall 13. cogs/gears 14.  repetition 15. hands 16. a memory of your childhood 17. a church with a tower or spire 18. tools 19. bird table or bird feeder 20. cold ...

Ok... I've not blogged a while... ;) (how often have I posted that over the years?! Anyway... checking my blog for last year's Christmas Presents (only to realise that the present I was looking for was from 2014!) and realised I'm actually a week early for the "Christmas Panic" post... :D Have I done any Journal Your Christmas / December Daily stuff? - NO Have I baked ANY stollen or cookies yet? - NO Have I done any homemade presents yet? - Partly (still to do more ... MUCH more... ;) ) Instead I've been through a huge social and school calendar for the girls... and had a 24 hour stomach bug ... and was 2 full days quarantined upstairs. And I've done and sent out my Harry Potter Holiday Round 5 and Christmas Stocking Round 12 swaps. Tomorrow stands under the signs of tidying the living room and BAKING with the girls me thinks ... and them writing their Christmas cards for school friends. I might try to get some cards done myself for the ladie...

I know I said I'd not be looking for work until 2017, but have been talking to friends who are just going back to work etc. There's the age old question: What do I want to work? Do I want to go back into admin/pensions/secretarial work, or do I want a career change? At my age, would a change in career be an option? Or should I just trudge back into a "desk jockey job" that I don't like? How many people are actually LOVING their job or have the job only because it's good pay and makes ends meet? And works around kids etc? My main thoughts right now are: I would like a term-time job that works around the girls' school hours. We've been through a hellish time for 5 years to actually HAVE them, so I'd like to be able to spend as much time with them as I can. And yes, I actually would like to go back to work, just for my own sanity and to regain my own personality again, not being "mum/mummy/mami" or "K&M's mum". That...

I'm DONE!!   Rinda's scavenger hunt   ... and I managed all photos! :D Despite late start.  A "wild heart" - a naturally occurring heart  A footprint or paw print (enough paw prints on Cramond Beach!) A skeleton, bone or X-ray A book or magazine read during 2016 A porch or deck (taken Wednesday during my ventures into town. It's the "porch" of the Royal College of Physicians - LOVE it!) A camper (caravan) A family gathering A drawing, art project, artistic photograph, scrapbook page, greeting card or art journal page created by you Someone playing with, in, or around water A bicycle (going for a ride on the Cramond Beach Promenade) Fresh produce (fresh produce at "our" Aldi, and Blueberries I picked today in our garden) A window The Moon A buffet of food A team logo (added a new one ... ticket delivery for the NFL International Series 2016... ;) Not for us unfortunately, the tickets are going to friends or people who took them ...

Took the girls to Cramond beach after school, they had their lunch there. Weather was nice enough, the sun was out and despite quite a bit of wind the girls wanted to play on the beach and go on their bikes.  We met up with one of their P1 friends on the promenade and had lots of fun!  Managed to add 4 more photos to Rinda's scavenger hunt (3 of which from today). I'm confident I will manage all the items this summer!! :) And that despite a very late start.  A "wild heart" - a naturally occurring heart  A footprint or paw print (enough paw prints on Cramond Beach!) A skeleton, bone or X-ray A book or magazine read during 2016 A porch or deck (taken Wednesday during my ventures into town. It's the "porch" of the Royal College of Physicians - LOVE it!) A camper (caravan) A family gathering A drawing, art project, artistic photograph, scrapbook page, greeting card or art journal page created by you Someone playing with, in, or around wa...