Saturday, 7 January 2012

Enjoying family

Success is enjoying having all your family home for Christmas. Spending time doing things, playing games and just hanging out together--- it's so very special... Something to truly cherish!


Until next time
Gillian

Thursday, 29 December 2011

Finishing the Unfinished

Success is finishing the double bed sized quilt that has lain unfinished for a year. It seemed too hard to put together due to its size but I finally realised that leaving it as a pile in a carrier bag was no better than having a bag of rags so it was better to have a go and risk making it. It actually worked out alright. Physically it was heavy work moving it around as I stitched it but I managed. I also did free machine quilting for the first time. I know the experts would advise practising on scraps first but I wanted to do it today so I did. Yes, it has a rough and strange quilting design, but I like it. There are spirals, daisies and totally wild doodles. And best of all----- I LIKE IT!!!!


Until next time
Gillian

Monday, 19 September 2011

Keeping Going

Success is keeping going when you really would just like to sit and go to sleep. I am so tired yet still doing everything I have to.


Success is cooking a lovely tea, simply sausage and mashed potato but with an apple, red onion and sultana relish I made up- just boil the apple in some water with a little date syrup for sweetness. Mash when soft and then add finely chopped onion and sultanas and simmer until soft. It really feels good to be creative with food again.


Bye for now
Gillian

Wednesday, 14 September 2011

Keeping on top of things

Success is keeping on top of all the things going on right now. So many competing demands on my time, and more significantly my energy. I'm more determined than ever to keep doing what I must and yet still make time for myself- even if that just means an hours crochet whilst watching tv at the end of the day.

Back to more me time now
Bye for now
Gillian

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Mending

Success is being able to sew up any mending. Ok this has a down side in that I'm the one who has to sew on loose buttons and turn up hems. I don't really mind that though. Today as I re-enforce several loose buttons John finished cooking tea ( I had actually started it) and Tom bribed me to do it with a cup of coffee!

Bye for now
Gillian

Monday, 12 September 2011

Names

Success is learning 30 out of 32 names in year 1 in just 5 days- that is amazing for me as I usually find it hard to put names to faces.

Success is keeping my stress levels under control at a time of great changes.

Success is blogging regularly again.

Bye for now
Gillian

Sunday, 11 September 2011

Finding the lost

Success is finding something you didn't know you had. I found two balls of wool today so I can enlarge a granny blanket I thought I had finished when I (mistakenly) thought I had run out of wool. I am so glad I can now make the blanket bigger as I already think it is lovely, and it will be even better if it when it is bigger.


Success is deciding to make pork meatballs to go on a homemade pizza. I simply made little balls of pork mince and sprinkled pork seasoning - sage, onion and apple- over it as I dry fried it. The cooked balls were then arranged on top of our homemade dough  with bbq ketchup, grated mozerrella, red onion and red pepper- the result was the best pizza I have ever had! 


Super success is that Sean (age 9)  made the meatballs with me, helping to shape them, fry them and layer up the pizza. Amazing!!! He was rightly delighted with himself! As he has never since birth eaten much other than bread and butter, we are so pleased to see him eat new foods at last.


Bye for now
Gillian