Productive Days

 Many, many years ago we used to have Saturday Chore Day and reading Eva's recent posts reminded me of that fact.  I'm very lucky as we have funding for a cleaner due to the combined health issues in the family.  Sammie visits once a week to clean the house from top to bottom and then the kids and I catch up with interim vacuuming, sweeping and turning out a room on a rolling programme basis. 

 On Saturday the bathrooms were cleaned and Pip in particular enjoyed mopping the floors!  The kids vacuumed their bedrooms whilst I sorted the lounge and we all pitched in with hanging out various loads of laundry as it was perfect drying weather.  It was really lovely to work together as a team and to have the satisfaction of all the things ticked off the to-do list 😊

Sadly we missed attending mass in person on Sunday as the car braking system is not working properly.  The foot brake works fine, it's the electronic automatic parking brake system that has failed and so we are home based until Thursday when it goes into the garage.  We made the best of things and the kids helped out painting the side fence whilst I made a cooked lunch.  Our friends Beatrice and David visited for a belated birthday celebration for Dave and we enjoyed Camembert cheese with gluten free crackers followed by home made fruit scones.

I've also been busy in my workroom finishing off some bunting and making a new batch which is Autumn themed.  Our lovely neighbours Paul and Anne run a hedgehog hospital and Pip helps out when needed.  I saw the hedgehog fabric in Aldi a few weeks ago and new instantly what to do with it 😊. 

I just love those colours they definitely shout 'Autumn!'

I hope life is treating you kindly.  Over here in the UK the financial markets are a mess and the big energy firms are now actually warning of potential blackouts due to limited gas supplies.  I was blown away when I saw the price for a bottle of olive oil; what had previously been retailed at £3.50 was now over £5.00 😯.  Due to recent drought conditions in Spain nearly half the olive crops had failed to survive.  The cost of living crisis is very worrying so for the last few weeks we've been buying extra tins, packet items with a long shelf life and cleaning products.  I managed to find some bags of gluten free pasta from Sainsburys that was a very cheap price so I bought several packets.

We are going to try and stave off putting on the central heating so we've made sure that we have plenty of extra quilts/ blankets, hot water bottles, extra layers of clothing and in early November a wood burning stove will be fitted 😊. We had a burner in the last house and it has been sorely missed but the energy crisis and potential blackouts has forced us to act.  All of our cooking facilities run off electric but we have a two ring camping stove in the shed that runs of Calor gas, so that is on standby.  I've also bought extra candles and Dave sourced some really good camp lanterns that run off a battery but can also be charged using a USB connector, should we have designated times of power.  I know it all sounds a bit Armageddon but I'd rather be prepared than have to deal with panic overload when it all goes horribly wrong - remember the loo roll riots of 2020? 🤪

Making and Creating

 In the past few months both Pip and I have been busy with all sorts of projects.  I've spent quite a bit of time in my outside work room and made a selection of placemats, aprons and bunting for friends.  I've also been busy making bunting to sell in my folksy shop which will be resurrected over the next week or so 😊. 

A Floral Apron.
 

A Woodland Christmas.

Shades of Green.

Red, gold and green.

Candy Cane Colours.

Red, White and Blue.

Pretty Pastels.

A Vibrant Variety

A Parade of Animals.

Pip has been busy at her desk creating all sorts of funky images ❤️. She has a distinctive design and either devises her own designs or tweaks a standard image with her own interpretation 😊

Pip's friend Anna from Interhigh. 

 During the same trip where we met Eva and family, we also spent the weekend with Anna and her Mum.  Sadly we were unable to meet her Dad as he was poorly that weekend.

One of Pip's ace designs ❤️. 

I love the whole effect including the clever colour combinations but I think the lace up boots are my favourite part of the whole outfit.

Pip's handmade birthday card for her best friend Beth.  She scanned the drawing onto the Moonpig website and was able to type in an individual birthday message using a quote from Albus Dumbledore:

It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow up to be.

Thanks also to a really brilliant book called 'The First 40 Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing The New Mother,' I was able to make a big batch of Gourmand Granola and Postnatal Recovery Stew for Kathryn.  The stew was so good that I made some for the family and it was the only thing Ben could eat when he had Flu followed by a throat infection a few weeks ago.

Gourmand Granola made with oats, nuts, seeds, shredded and flaked coconut, cocoa, peanut butter and chocolate chips.

Recovery Stew: carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, leeks, mushrooms, lentils, cashew nuts, turmeric, garlic, ginger, bone broth and one can of coconut milk.  I cooked it in the Instant Pot for 18 minutes and the flavours wonderfully mingle.

Cardinal Newman

God created me to do him some definite service.

He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another.

I have my mission.

I may not know what it is in this life but I will be told in the next.

I am a link in a chain a bond of connections between persons.

He has not created me for nothing, I shall do good, I shall do his work.

Therefore I will trust in Him.

Whatever I do, wherever I am, I cannot be thrown away.

If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him.

If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.

He does nothing in vain, He knows what He is about.

Cardinal Newman 1801-1890

Edited:  I have been attempting to write this post since last Sunday, so here goes third time lucky!

Sunday 13th October

Cardinal Newman is being canonised today; he was an outstanding thinker and writer of his time.  His writings were easy to comprehend and his spiritual incite for everday difficulties is still applicable today.  I have this excerpt in front of my knitting chair and whenever I am doubting the current situation, it speaks volumes in the silence of the heart.

It was a year ago yesterday that we moved into this home and the day before that we celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary.  Mum and Dad very kindly sent a treat via BACS transfer so we were all able to enjoy a yummy takeaway Indian meal courtesy of the Booths chiller cabinet!

My silence here has not been due to sickness per se but rather a case of blogging fatigue and the computer always in use by another family member!  I have remembered to document some of our days courtesy of the phone camera so will share them in the following sections.  One thing I would like to say is that thanks to blogging I have made some precious friendships, so when I read that Eva's mum was seriously ill in hospital I did not hestitate to pick up the phone, 11pm our time, 6pm hers.  It is in times like these that I am glad that I continue writing and sharing here as best I can :-) 

Beacon Fell Adventures

We have kept up with the monthly home ed forest school meetings.  September's challenge was to build some shelters and last week it was all about whittling:

Rhoda and Andrea who run the activities, are looking into the possibility of the kids working toward the John Muir Conservation Award starting in January.

Arts Award

Pip has almost completed her bronze award, she has attended the weekly sessions, gave her review on Jarrow Hall including making a booklet with the help of Dad and she also used her artist inspiration adding her own twist of converting the image into a collage.  The only remaining task is to share a skill with the group.  The Thursday meetings are a real highlight to our week and we have found some lovely friends too.

  


Confectionary Badge

Pip is working towards her confectionary badge at Guides.  Yesterday she made 'frighteningly fabulous fudge', which she has shared with neighbours and some waiting to be gifted to family. 

 Today's task is to prep the puff pastry for the apple turnovers and to make Bakewell Tart.  We are attending a theatre production celebrating Diwali on the 28th so there will also be some sweet treats to celebrate.  By the time she attends Guides on the 29th this badge will be signed off and completed :-)

Other News 

Dave has been accepted on phase three of the statins trial relating to reducing the damage associated with secondary progressive MS.  It is a double blind trial so neither us nor the team at Preston hospital know if he is on the drug or a placebo.  We have asked everyone to pray that he actually gets the drug.  The trial lasts for three years and during that period they track his walking, general neurological functioning and blood cholestrol levels.

I have been candida symptom free these past ten weeks which is a major breakthrough!  Still sticking with the diet, taking probiotics and grapeseed extract which is an anti-fungal.  I am having ongoing issues with my spine and trying to tackle the pain with osteopathic manipulation, tai chi and pilates exercises.  It is a slow process attempting to realign the body.  All my crafting work doesn't help and I'm having to remind myself to get up, move around and stretch in between working.  I have finished another pair of socks for me and been working on some items either for a craft stall or folksy shop, some Christmas owls and cochet washable make-up remover pads:

It is half term in these parts, so no college and our arts award class isn't running.  However we have two lots of hospital appointments, continued arts and badge prep, an afternoon with friends and a meet up with family and our ususal football training at UCLAN on Thursday.  A friend from prayer group asked me how things were going and my reply, " Bonkersly Manageable!!"  It can definitely be chaotic at times but we are still smiling so that is a good sign.

An End of Week Round Up

We met with our homeschool friends on Tuesday and the girls worked on a replica of an Egyptian necklace.

On Wednesday, Dave and I went to visit Sara, Tom and Oliver.  Sara and I had fun choosing books for Ollie, and at the tender age of seven weeks he has his very own library ticket ;-)

On Thursday, in between a hair appointment for me, we completed all our home school tasks and I visited Uncle Bry as usual in the evening.

Saturday meant Wildlife Watchers for Pip and an extra chance for me to be in the loft room.  So far this week I have managed to make four bags and four lavender baboushka dolls.  When it is too hot for the loft room, I take my handsewing or crochet outside and enjoy working in the fresh air.  In the afternoon we had a visit from Kath and Mary which was lovely.  Pip had fun hanging out with her niece which meant nattering time for me and Kath ;-)

Today the kids and I sat outside to pray the rosary whilst Dave rested inside.  Warm weather is great if you do not have MS, so he has spent the day seeking either shade or being indoors.  He will just about to acclimatise to the heat and then the temperatures will drop!  I don't think this current warm spell will last.

All in all it has been another good week, with plenty of variety and lots of things accomplished.

 Oliver and Grandpa ~ Ollie looking a bit phased, he had just had a big feed and was definitely tired!

 Filling out nicely ;-)

 Library books for our youngest bookworm!