HARD WORK IS WORTH THE EFFORT

Despite the severe pain this garden project has all been worth while. We still have a way to go but the next bit will involve raised borders and - PLANTS.

So this is it right now.

First the bin storage

I'm sure these things breed.

A couple of views one way then the other

The gorgeous sunshine has beckoned now so that's it for a while as the inside of the house needs some attention next ie cleaning - yak! hate that word and deed.

COMPLETE CRAZY

Sorry about that heading but I feel completely crazy. Totally worn out too.

The garden project is slowly getting there and today saw the end of the crazy paving - HOORAY!

My back, hips and knees are screaming in pain and my poor workmans shoulders and wrists are also screaming after mixing so much cement.

A bit of a clean up tomorrow with a couple of tip trips will make it look a lot neater then we can measure properly for the railway sleepers.

In between all this hard work I have been chilling by making a few canvases.

The next is still in my head but will start to take shape if I ever manage to move from the settee!!!!!

MORE SELF INDUCED PAIN

Back ache to be precise and my workman has sore hands from mixing cement all morning.

We started the flagging and I laid every one so far.

Not bad for today. We ran out of sand so have just tortured my little car again by carrying 4 bags of sand in the back.

Good job it's an old car now and not a new one.

Finished for today. Let's hope the sun shines tomorrow so we can crack on.

A DAY OF INCREDIBLE FUN

My SD Paula and I took off early yesterday morning and headed south to the NEC. What an adventure we had. 

Nattering all the way the journey seemed only to be about half an hour long but with the dreaded M6 roadworks took about 3 hours. 

We parked up. Paid the atrocious £10 and made our way to halls 11 & 12. It was packed! 

We just about managed to hussle our way round each show before finding a little hide away to stop for a sit down, butty and drink. Then off again.

I have never seen so much gorgeous material and even found The Cotton Patch who had Tims Eclectic Elements fabric by the meter. I got to touch each design!!!

Gradually the crowds diminished and we could get into the stalls. Both of us spent up and this is my stash hoard of the day.

Some will be fun to use now, some ongoing and the patchwork bag is fun for later.

We had a wonderful day laughing for most of it. Roll on Tatton Park flower show now when we get to have another fun day out.

Thank you for it all Paula XX 

THE GARDENING CONTINUES

Another week has flown by many of the days have stayed dry allowing more garden work.

Hubby - my workman! - and I dug out the raised brick planter in the far corner. I saved as much soil as I dare then had to take the rest to the tip as it was riddled with ivy roots. The bricks had to go too so all that meant another 8 trips to the tip. 

 Hubby then had to isolate the electrics which served the pond pump and we plan to use the wiring for a security light which we bought yesterday.

The infill - all 3 tonnes, has settled really well so we ordered a further half tonne to take it all to the level ready for paving.

So the next challenge was to create the bin area which we've achieved with a new fence panel, base and some of the old gazebo wood. Still a bit to do on this but rain is expected today so no painting. 

Coming along nicely and so far so good.

The next step is to pave the area. We've decided to crazy pave as we have a lot of flags and have been offered more by a neighbour. Once that's done I can order railway sleepers to make raised borders and start making it all look pretty.

12 TAGS OF 2014 - MARCH

I have been so very busy this month with the massive garden project and my trip down to Poole, Dorset to see the new Sunseeker 155 yacht that it has taken me until now to complete this month's tag. Once again Tim has come up with great ideas for techniques and the distress marker spritzer is just amazing to use. I adore this set of stamps and it was quickly added to my want/need list as soon as I saw it. A lovely set that can be used over and over for all sorts of occasions. This is my take on the tag together with the second generation.

My tiny attacher ran out of staples and I have searched every inch of my craft room looking for the refills but to no avail. In the end I had to resort to using a full size stapler! I had fun which is all that matters.

BYE BYE POOLE

After checking out of the hotel we drove to the quay side and parked up in the car park opposite Sunseeker.

This is the car we hired and this is the car park.

I'm showing this because when I win the lottery I want to buy this piece if land and build a house so I can always watch Sunseeker building their magic.

So Eddie Jordans boat is almost finished. 

The lads were working hard all over it today finalising the last tasks.

Being a bit overcast meant we could make out the ice blue hull which looks really good. Lots of the small roof and LED lights were on so some details were visible to us which we couldn't make out in bright sunshine.

The first photo in this post is one of the hull of another yacht in production just to show how it all begins and ends up like this 

Sadly we had to leave as the journey home takes around 6 hours. I took as many last looks at this wonderful boat as I could through the 'silly' tears in my eyes and said my final good wishes to her.

Enjoy your boat EJ and please let me on board to have a look round.

A WONDERFUL DAY

As we are only down the road from Poole centre we decided to walk today - mistake. We ended up buying so much I had to buy a wheelie bag!!!!!

The weather has been glorious and to be able to sit on the quay side without the hoards of people around just watching the final prep being done on the amazing Sunseeker 155 yacht was, for me, a dream come true.

The walk around Holes Bay was super too. 

We will drive in tomorrow for a few final photos before the 300 mile drive home.

I FULFILLED A LITTLE DREAM

We hired a car - a lovely Audi A3 - and set off this morning around 5:45am. The M6 was closed not far into our journey and we had to detour around Wigan putting rather a long time on our journey as there were no diversion signs. Then miles and miles before Birmingham there were road works and we were down to 50mph. Eventually we reached the M5 and 2 more sets of road works. 

Once we passed those it was plain sailing and we were properly under way.

The sunshine is incredible and the sky us pure blue.

We went straight to the car park in the centre if Poole and walked down the streets of the old town which take you directly to Sunseeker.

My throat was getting a big lump in it and I welled up at this sight

My first proper view of EJs boat. She is spectacular and worth the journey.

The hull is a pale ice blue and there are lights all over the boat.

A photo of the quay side in black and white. Look at the crowds, you would think it's the middle of summer.

Finally, here is the view of Holes Bay from the hotel window

Sorry about the flash, just pretend it's the sun.

THE RAIN KEPT OFF

- just long enough to finish painting the fence panels. 

These will replace the ones at the back which amazingly survived the hurricane winds despite being partly rotten and bowed like a banana.

The far corner of our space had a box bush in it and I want to save it and trim it up into a ball like the other one I have. I managed to dig it out and replant it in a big pot I bought yesterday.

It's all out of shape having spent years against a fence. Once it's had chance to settle, I'll start to trim it.

My back is aching badly today so we packed up mid afternoon. Hubby has a hospital appointment tomorrow to - hopefully, sort his night time breathing. Must admit, he's been a lot better lately or he wouldn't have been able to do any of this garden work. Just hope he finds a cure so his sleep isn't disturbed any more - dare I also say - mine too!!

A BIRTHDAY and A CRAFTING GENIUS

Yesterday was my pal Sylvia's husband, Reg's birthday. I made him a canvas board 'card' using paper piecing and a the parts from a broken video camera. He was surprised it got to him with all the bits of wire etc!!!

It was fun to make. Sylvia is the crafting genius. she has completed an incredible patchwork quilt for friends of theirs whose golden wedding it is this year. Even more incredible is the fact that she made it in around 2 months!!!!

Has your jaw dropped because mine did. She is starting another now for themselves, oh! and I forgot to tell you that last year she made one for a 6' bed!! Unbelievable. Well the garden revamp is progressing. Yesterday we painting fencing all day until we couldn't hold the brushes any longer. Today has been a busy shopping and price obtaining session. We may get a bit more done tomorrow but that will probably be it until the middle of next week because we are going to Poole to see the new Sunseeker 155 yacht belonging to Eddie Jordan of F1 fame. I know its a heck of a journey for just one day but after following this British built flagship (I know the Sunseeker business is manly owned by the Chinese now but the workforce is British still) from day one, I HAVE to see it in the flesh.

Thank you to Joanne from Sunseeker for letting me know it will still be in Poole when I come down. Can't wait.

THE POND STORY SO FAR

It really doesn't seem it but it's 25 years ago this summer since we dug the big pond. 

This was the site.

Both hubby and I dug it - believe it or not - but in one day!!!

Sorry about the flash but these are photos of photos!

I don't remember having back ache because I didn't neither did my hubby, not like this week which has seen us having aches and pains in parts we didn't  even know we had !!

So the hole grew to the required depth

and promptly filled up after a night of rain which meant we had to drain it to put the liner in.

As we wanted to keep Koi it had to be a good 4' deep for them to be ok in the winter. A brick wall all round meant a little less digging and a bit more depth.

A double row of bricks would add strength which we have found to be a nightmare this week trying to demolish it.

This photo and ones following show it completed but before we added a wooden gazebo. 

It has served us well all these years but keeping 2 ponds is getting to be a chore now so this photo shows it as it looks today.

25 years in one post! 

The next bits will take a while now because we need to let the infill settle for a couple of weeks and then tamp it down. When we come back from our 2 days in Poole we hope to crack  on again.