More Holiday Snaps

Hello friends

More holiday pictures

Our room

Dinning on the beach

Party on the beach just before it started raining

My favourite view

View of the resort from the sea

And next door

A hermit crab

View of the pool bar from behind the waterfall

L horse riding

M horse ridung

Some entertainment

The beautiful beach

The happy couple

The wedding cake before a little man started to stick his fingers in it

I don't want to go home

I want some more rum runners (cocktails) 

We need to sort out which pictures we want printing over the next few days

Carolx

An Amazing Trip

Hello friends

How are you all?

It's all back to normal for us from today. L went back to school on Friday but it was only half a day so that doesn't really count does it. Anyway, Thursday night we arrived home from our holidays proper tired. It took us 18 hours to get home. It took 18 hour to get there too. I bet you are wondering where we went that took so long. We went to Jamaica and had an amazing time but before I show you some of the photos (we took 100s) I will tell you how we were able to go on such an expensive holiday.

Funny enough it started about 12 years ago (when L was about 2) M and I said we would like to take L to Disney in Florida when she was a bit older and was able to remember it. So we started saving and after a couple of years we were half way there and then M's taxi started playing up and needed some major repair work and the only way to pay for it was to use the Florida funds. So, we started saving again and this time we were three quarters there with the funds and again, M's taxi died and we had to use the Florida money for a deposit for a replacement car. And we started to save again and then last year my SIL to be said "You know how you're saving for Florida, have you set a date yet?" "No, not yet, as we've not quite got enough yet" I replied. "How do you fancy coming, with us, to Jamaica next year? We're getting married in August" ooooh the excitement was almost too much.

Wow! First I had to find out the cost of the holiday and then 1 passport renewal, insurance, travel, spending money, and clothes. Next I had to calculate how much we had and how much we still needed to save. Next a family conference and a vote was taken, Florida or Jamaica for a wedding?

JAMAICA

So Jamaica it was. We didn't need to buy many new clothes but what we did came from a mixture of high street and charity shops and L was bridesmaid so SIL and brother bought her dress.

The 18hrs travel was the 6hrs drive from our house to Gatwick airport, 9hrs flight and 2hrs drive from airport to the resort and all the hanging around between times and then the same for coming home.

Pictures now

The lovely man-made beach of nearly white sand being lapped by the warm turquoise sea.

View of the resort from the sea. The resort was quite busy when we got there but gradually as people left it got quieter and quieter because it was now out of season. November it will start picking up again.

This little black bird visited every morning for breakfast and took scraps from left plates and fed her two fledglings and would visit other parts of the resort at different times throughout the day. She knew where to find the good stuff.

The food was incredible. These pictures are from breakfast. Top left was the pastries and cakes (the banana bread was delicious). above middle was smoked fish and meats plus a selection of cheeses, top right was the fruit and the bottom left was the hot food. There was also pancakes/waffles/french toast with lots of different toppings, a variety of breads/cereals/porridge and smoothies of your choice. Lunch and evening meal were just as spectacular.

We climbed up the Dunn's falls which was incredible. We all had to hold hands as we climbed, with a guide. the water was quite

forceful and a little cold but the guides lead us through the easy ways. We went to swim with Dolphins, I couldn't do it. I got in the sea and started to swim but panicked because the water was getting too deep and I got scared. Luckily the trainers were nearby and pulled me out so I watched M and L do there swim.
SIL and brother paid for L to go on a horse ride with them and M went too. I didn't fancy it. M went with my nephew D to do a bob sleigh and zipwire and saw some incredible countryside. We swam in the pools (3), sat on the beach, went on a couple of boat trips around the resort and sat in the very hot sun under the shade of a parasol. And attended a wedding.

A beautiful family photo.





 Best man was my nephew D (my oldest brother's son who's currently living with my youngest brother, the groom) and bridesmaid L.

We really did have an incredible time. The staff were very friendly and had time to chat and nothing was too much trouble. It was more than we could ever would have dreamed of and we met some lovely people too. We have created some wonderful memories and L says it was the best holiday ever and would love to go back (I suggested for her honeymoon).

We have some money left over so that will start us off for next years camping/caravan holiday (back down to earth we go).

Will we ever make it to Florida? Who knows. Next year we hope to go to Devon or Cornwall and the year after we are hoping to do Disney in Paris when L has finished her GCSEs.

Would anyone like to see more pictures?

Carolx

Fun Times

Hello friends

Only two weeks left of the summer holidays before L goes back to school. I love the school holidays and spending precious time with L and M. In a few short years L will be an adult doing her own exciting things so I try to make the most of her company now.

I felt that we hadn't done much over the holidays but the more I think about it we have done quite a bit.
We've been shopping - for school and holidays (next week)

Walked on the beach and painting pebbles

Walked around the local ecological centre that was once the local tip (more than 50 years ago)

There have been sleepovers at ours and friends over. There have been lazy days snuggled on the settee watching films all afternoon.


We had a trip to Manchester to the children's hospital regarding L's back (going ahead with the operation to straighten it) and met a lovely nurse who answered our questions and gave us a useful leaflet and told us about the pre-op procedures. Whilst we were in Manchester we visited a history museum. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to see everything so we will go again another time as there will be many more trips to the hospital.

L and I made up a new game. I bought a pack of small wooden blocks and we painted them five different colours and when dry we used black paint to write on the letters of the alphabet. There were two blank side so we painted stars to represent wild cards. The aim of the game is that you shake up the cubes and toss them onto the table and then make up a word using the letters/wild card showing and write it down and pass them onto the next plater. If you can't make a word then miss a turn and pass on the cubes. Other rules can be you all write what words you can make up or write down as many as you can from one throw. You can have as many players a you want. Make up your own rules. We had loads of blocks left over so they've been finished in the same way and will be passed on to the guides for a fun night.

I've decorated fifteen more twiddle muffs and they went to Morecombe this week. That makes a grand total of 45. I have another bag of fifteen ready but will make arrangement for those in September (60) and I have a further sixteen to decorated. we are fast heading to our target of a hundred (A big THANK YOU goes to the ladies and gent who have knitted them)

We've been to a wedding (there's another a week on Monday on the beach. Special blog post about that one) and a 60th birthday party and a bouncy castle party.

And what will we do this bank holiday weekend - packing for our holiday, plaiting/braiding and beading all of L's hair (so much easier to look after especially when in and out of a swimming pool and sea) and we must find time to have a day out and have some fun. Afterwards I have a hospital appointment to see if the last lot of eye injections have worked (I don't feel they have) and that's it for now.
I'm now off to do the ironing that will get all creased again in a suitcase.

Carolx

Winnings... Air... Bertha....

Hello friends

Yesterday was our annual flower and craft show and  being the treasurer I gave my own busy duties to attend to on the day.  But for the past two weeks L and I have been getting her exhibits ready and she has been sewing, sticking and gluing, gathering and planting, She won a few prizes again this year and came home with two trophies again.

The one thing that she is the proudest of is a handkerchief she embroidered for her friend's birthday. The name in the middle is, Liam, which is her friends favourite band  member of One Direction.

I won first prize for this blanket I made last year. That was my only entry this year. I just didn't have time to do any more.

Today we went to the Blackpool Air Show. We sat in the warm sunshine, after a short shower, on the promenade steps and watched the old and the new planes, the helicopters and the Red Arrows all showing off the wonderful things they can do. (Sorry no photos of the planes as they didn't turn out too clear).

There was a slight breeze and the sea was calm and yet other parts of the country were being battered by Bertha (hope they're ok). As I'm typing this I hear the wind getting up and see my plants starting to get a little shaken.
I'm glad we went to the air show this afternoon as it may get cancelled tomorrow if this wind gets up any more.
I've got some treasury work to do tomorrow so won't be going anywhere.

Also this week-end saw a Punk festival and there were some amazing sights. Some of you may remember Punks the first time around, I know I do, (but was a bit young to be part of that scene, not that I wanted to) with their safety pins, tartan trousers, spiky coloured hair etc.
I felt a little threatened by the punks back then because, to me, they looked quite aggressive but these two don't and were happy to pose for photos. I love the colour of their hair. I wonder how long it took them to get ready this morning and if the were jostling for mirror space.
I'm now going to close the curtains, snuggle up on the settee and watch some TV.
See you soon.
Carolx

The Winner Is...............

Hello friends

Hope you are all having a great weekend. We had some rain last night so it's a bit cooler here and much more comfortable.

The names of all who entered my 100 post give away were placed in a hat and with the help of my assistant, L, the names were shuffled.

Do you like the bracelet? L made it this morning with her loom bands (latest craze) and it's called A Ladder.

Anyway I guess you want to know whose name she pulled out. Are you ready.

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

It's

Are you ready

I can feel the anticipation

Alison from Heavenly Handmade!

Alison please will you email me your full postal address so that I can put your parcel in the post.

Carolx

100....

Hello friends

This is my 100th blog post and I've something special for you but you'll have to wait until the end.

The town where I live used to cover a much bigger area when it was mentioned in the Doomsday book (1086) and centuries later it was divided into smaller areas creating villages/townships. The area within which I live became a village and had only few residents but with continuous house building over very many years the number of residents have grown and is now a town.

Today I wanted to show you some buildings that I find interesting around where I live. On the left is Marsh Mill (I can see the top when I look out of my front door) This was built in 1794 by Ralph Slater and was commissioned by Bold Hesketh (there is a lot of history regarding Bold Hesketh that can be found all over the internet and is quite interesting) The windmill was used to ground corn/wheat for flour up until 1922 then in 1928 the 1st and 2nd floors were used as a tea room until 1935 and was then left empty. In 1957 it bought by the council and has gone through a few restorations, mainly to the sails and is open to the public at weekends.

Just a little way beyond the mill is a little village of shops, apartments, a pub, a posh restaurant and one or two offices with a lovely cobbled courtyard. Once a month there is a popular farmers market.

When I go to my craft club,at the library, I walk though this village. This foot path looks as though it's a lovely country walk but on either side of them bushes and trees are parking bays for the village and pub and comes out at another car park behind the library and the Little Theatre.
The library and theatre was opened in 1938 by Sir Percy Meadon, who was the director of education for Lancashire at the time; is owned by Lancashire county council.
The theatre, however, now owned and look after by the local council and a few years back was renovated inside and brought up to date this has made it more versatile and can be used for all kinds of events. You can't see from the pictures I've taken but there's a beautiful garden at the front of these two buildings.

A little further down the road is the Methodist church. This part (on the right) was built in 1812 at the cost of £150 and then in 1905 the church next door was built and the old church then became the church hall.
In 2011 the church went through a huge refurbishment to modernise the interior which made it more accessible to both the Church and the wider community.

This next picture doesn't look very interesting but it has gone through a few changes. Built in 1876 by Earnest Thornton as a private house until 1949 when it was bought by the sisters of the religious order of mercy in Burnley and for 28 years was a holiday home for the nuns. It was then empty for many years, and this is when I got to know of this house, before being turned into a restaurant, first the Linden Tree then The Victorian House. I worked there when it was the Victorian House and had a ghostly experience there. Now it's owned by a brewery who erected and ugly extension onto the side and made it the front door. The view you can see on the picture is of the original front door.

Across the road from the pub is the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. It was built in 1899 and designed by Pugin  & Pugin and became a listed building in 2006. Looking at the records this does not appear to include the priests home that's attached to the side. There is a school linked to the church but it's a modern school, however a short walk down this road and you will come to one of the second oldest schools in the area. It was opened in September 1914 as a fresh air school. It was a new idea and was designed so that there should be plenty of fresh air available to prevent getting TB. The school is planning big celebrations for the coming year.



The next picture (on the right) is known as The Old Smithe. It was built in 1804 and is a listed building. It looks well preserved and under that solid roof is a thatched roof and that is all I know about it.

And now for the final picture. This is Raikes Farm also known as Primrose Cottage. This is also a listed building. It has a date stone winch reads 1692 but records show that there was a death at this address in 1595 and a baptism in 1601. It was built of cobble stones similar to the garden wall but has since been pebble dashed. The farm house is L shaped with the leg going behind the building. I grew up near this farm and knew the family. It's up for sale £450,00 for the house and two run down barns that have planning permission for conversion.
Hope you enjoyed your trip seeing some of the old buildings in my area.

We are at the end now so it's time for the something special to celebrate my 100th blog post. I can't believe I've actually stuck with it for so long. I did keep a diary for two years , the year up to the millennium and the year after. I've put a few things together to do a give away, a small blank wooden picture frame just waiting for you to decorate along with a hanging wooden butterfly and an egg shape, there are some fluffy flower seeds (might want to save them until next year) a packet of salad leave to grow, a mini scented candle and some chocolates.  All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is. be a follower and leave a comment and all names will go in a hat and the winner will be drawn and announced on Sunday.

Best of luck

Carolx

I'm Back

Hi everyone

I'm back. From where I hear you ask. Well, I'll tell you but first I think you better get some refreshments as this could take a while.

I've been quite busy again with exam invigilating for GCSE's and A levels and although they finished a couple of weeks ago I was asked to stay on and do the year 9's and 10's exams which finished earlier this week.  I worked on the days that mum was at day care and I tried to get ahead at the weekends but by Friday I just got behind in everything.

I'm still working on the twiddlemuffs and have fourteen ready for picking up, from my local library, next Thursday. I will do a photo next week. I made two muffs from scratch for relatives of two friends and one more to make.
I've had so much support, from the library craft club, the fourteen that are ready were knitted by them and today I was given a further seventeen. Whilst I have been away from the club it was decided to set a target of one hundred muffs before Christmas. We are half way there. I can't thank, all the ladies and one gent, enough for their help and dedication and the difference they will make to people with dementia. I will have to make them some cakes when we reach our target.

After the rainy gala at Poulton we had one more to do the following week and that was our local one and what an amazing day that was. The committee managed to arrange for the procession to include some of the old route (this procession was the 115th) which made it three miles long in total and I walked it in the blazing sunshine and got quite burnt. The atmosphere was the best it had been for a long time and the procession was the longest it had been for ten yeas. L retired from being the Prince Charming so we've not attend any other galas. yeah. Afterwards we called in home to freshen up (we live near by) and return to the gala field for L and her friend to go on some of the fairground rides. I didn't take any photos this year because we have so many from last year.

At the end of June I had the second injection (out of three) in my eye, the following day it was my birthday and the day after that I was at the dentist having preparations done ready for a crown followed by a trip to the beach with the guides, that was a lovely night watching the guides having so much fun and the best bit was when some of the girls came up to us and said, Thank you. Next Monday we break up for the summer.

We've been to Cleveleys beach M and L climbed on the new rocks (the hills in the background are part of the Lake District) and I played with my new camera and then we walked back along the sand It was a lovely day and something we should do more often. We live close enough but I don't think we appreciate it enough.

We've also Been to Fleetwood beach having fun flying a kite, eating ice-cream. watching the boats and walking on the sand. Behind that nice boat, in the distance is Heysham power station.

Dad had a much needed break in Tenerife for a week and came back much refreshed and mum went into a home that specialised in dementia care. The staff there were very caring and had time to spend with the residents. There were activities on every day and the residents were encouraged to join in but could leave if they wanted to to. I visited as often as I could but that was my busy week and only managed to see mum about four times in nine days. I did have one complaint and that was although all her clothes had her name in them some still went missing and she had other peoples in her draws. I understand that this is quite often the case in most homes. Dad had to take some things back to the home and collect some of mums. The strangest thing to go missing was one of her slippers, it disappeared a couple of days after she arrived and its still not turned up. (She does need some new ones). Dad is looking at his next break at around October/November and the next one after I think he's planning for February/March.

Well I think that's me caught up now. Hope you are still awake. I'm afraid I had a few sleeps whilst writing this as I didn't have enough time to do it all in one go.

Carolx