Four out of Seven ain't bad

Firstly to put you in the picture, I am a little unwell today so am capable of being incredibly whingey and could moan and groan for England if it were ever to become an Olympic sport.

So I came down with a cold a few weeks ago before Christmas and it didn't do much after a couple of days and I thought that would be it, my singlular cold of the year which suited me fine. Hell no! Not going to be the case this year Sarah. Yesterday I was smacked in the face with the mother of all colds and spent the latter part of the day all rugged up in front of the telly catching up on the Christmas programs we didn't get the chance to watch last week. When I say rugged up, I really was - three jumpers of varying thicknesses, two blankets and sat infront of the roaring fire and I was only just about warm. Poor old Hubby was on the other side of the room as far away from the fire as possible absolutely swealtering!

Today I am carrying around a head that weighs more than any bowling ball known to man and about as dense as one too. Can't breathe through my nose which is becoming a very unattractive shade of scarlet and if I were one of the seven dwarfs I would be four of them actually - Sleepy, Grumpy, Dopey and Sneezy! Happy, Dock and Bashfull are all HiHo-ing somewhere off far far away.

In my attempts to numb the throbbing head, sore nose and blocked sinuses I have been taking a particular hot lemony drink which is called, according to one of my friends 'Devil's Pee' - she's not wrong with that one is she? Man it tastes bad and even worse, the new box I had to get yesterday has been modified to contain Menthol as well! I mean, who in their right minds ever thought that Menthol and Lemon go toghether? I can tell you they don't and have now been christened 'Saturn's Revenge'. That said though, they are terribly effective and I don't think I'd even be out of my bed if it wern't for the foul stuff!

Apologies for my feeling sorry for myself and pitiful whinging but I feel better now! I hope you are all keeping healthy and have a fantastic time tonight if you are going to celebrate the New Year.

Take care all

Sarah xx

Still Christmassy

Still catching up from Christmas here and this post feels more like a catch up on the entire of 2009 but its only a couple of days! I'll do the run down of all the happenings from this year tomorrow! No I wont I promise.

We really did have such a lovely Christmas this year, for the first time Hubby was off work on Christmas Day so we got to open pressies and eat our dinner at the same time as everyone else, we're usually a couple of days behind.

Just before Christmas Day our first parcel arrived in all the heavy snow when even the regular post was not getting through.

I wasn't even thinking it would be a gift and couldn't begin to think what it may be as I couldn't remember ordering anything for work.

It was all packaged up in tissue paper with a tag revealing where and who it was from.

and little polystyrene s's so it was clearly for me.

A hamper of delicious loveliness - cheese, wine, beer and chocolates, perfect! Thank you so much x.

After our journey around Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire to see our families we ended up at our friend's house in time for the annual Christmas games.

Roll a six on the dice and after donning the hat, scarf and gloves you get to eat as much chocolate with a knife and fork as you can until someone else throws a six.

Pass the parcel with a difference everytime it lands with you, you had to play a nursery rhyme on whichever instrument you were given!

This looks really impressive (especially the scary eyes) but I don't remember any sound coming out!

Aaaaaannnnndd - stike a pose!

The madness which is charades!

George was excused from all forefits and quite happily gnawed away on his bone for the evening.

And at the end of the day there is nothing more to do than stretch out infront of the fire with your new ball and have a snooze.

I hope you all had lovely Christmasses, thank you for all your lovely comments over this past year, be safe and take care all

Sarah x

Those snowy pictures

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas out there, whether you have been celebrating in the heat or all rugged up in a snowy winter wonderland. I trust is was a safe and happy time for you all.

Being a little delayed here in Land Cuckoo I now have the snowy pictures from last week! As I write there is now very little reminder of any of the weather we have been having, we can see all the grass in the garden and the rather muddy path down to the workshops but the Chooks are happy to be back out a hunting and a gathering - they would not entertain the snow at all!


Our lane after the first lighter snowfall, this is the amount of snow we are used to seeing, but then there was more........


This was the first day after the very heavy snowfall and it seemed like George and I were the first ones out across the fields. There were so many places where our footprints were the first. So of course after I had taken this picture I had to throw the frisby so George could run on the new snow!



I know it is a very pink frisby, but at least we can see it where ever it lands on snow or on the beach!


The brook was so frozen over you couldn't even see the edge so we didn't get too close for fear of falling right in!


It was just an unbelieveable expanse of white, so bright in the sunshine, I don't remember seeing this amount of snowfall before.

The closest we could get to a family photo! Trying to get us all in shot, Hubby concentrating, whist trying to remain upright and not falling over and before George could run through the middle of us! He didn't quite grasp the concept of photos, prefering to be either so close you'd not see anything but the back of his head or patiently waiting behind us trying to not look bored!


This is George's friend Lilly who is taller than George and still sunk all of her legs in the snow drifts along this part of the walk! Lilly's Mum and I had to abandon our attempt at getting through this part of the snow and cut through the hedgerow on to the next field as it was so deep. That would be why there are no other footprints along here as most had the good sense not to try it!

By the following day we were ready to try again though! It was over our knees in places.

But great fun!

For those of you in hotter places I hope these pictures have cooled you off a little! We could maybe do with some nice hot sunny pictures to bring a little warmth this way if you'd like to send us any!

I wish you all health and happiness over the holiday time, be safe and take care, til tomorrow.......

Sarah xx

Santa update

Just a quick update to let you know that Santa is busy getting things ready for Thursday night and Friday.

He had to make a little stop weekend before last in our village and the surrounding villages and farms as he had to check on the children, make sure their lists were in order and to give out the invitations to the Christmas meal (for January) and goody bags to the older members of the community.

There were plenty of sweets in his bag too!

As is customary along the route there were a number of stops for mulled wine, sherry and mince pies.

The afore mentioned goodies were very welcome as it did rain a lot and FC and his band of getting merrier helpers had to take shelter in the bus stop!

Spot Santa competition! Can just see him making his way back to the field where he left his sleigh, he needs quite a bit of open space to be able to come to a safe stop, plus he didn't want anyone seeing him land before Christmas Eve.

Shall be back with those obligatory pictures of snowy winter wonderland soon!

Take care all

Sarah xx

Brrrrrr

Don't know about you but it was a proper frosty winter's morning here today. Puddles frozen all along the track and the water in the creek was so very clear, I'm not used to seeing the bottom of it as George has normally got in first to have a drink! At least he had the good sense not to get his paws that wet and cold today.

I spent yesterday afternoon under a blanket in front of the fire feeling very sorry for myself as it seemed as if I was coming down with some dreaded lurgy. Unfortunately it meant that I was not able to go to my first proper Christmas meal out which I have been looking forward to for months. Speaking to some of my friends and it seems that I am not the only one, there are 3 of us at the last count all suffering with similar symptoms and tucked up under blankets!

Thankfully today I am feeling much better, well once the medicine has kicked in anyway! I'm rather hoping that plenty of vitamin c and fresh air followed by a little nap in the afternoon will keep this at bay!

Going to rest now, til tomorrow, take care all

Sarah x

Handmade at Home

I thought it was about time I caught up with my blog. It's been a busy weekend in the Land of Cuckoo. so I'll start at the beginning, its the very best place to start!

Last Friday I organised a Handmade at Home day here where I gathered a group of us together who all handmake our own products to sell, we set all our wares out in my house and then hoped that the people would come and visit us! And they did. Lots all at the same time!

As we were all so busy making tea and serving the customers, there are no pictures of the house full of people!

In fact I didn't get the chance to take any photos until late in the afternoon which was the only time there was nobody about for a little while.

There were angels watching over us, beautifully made by SewSonja

Gorgeous Liberty fabrics and lavender hearts by Maggie at Sunflower Fabrics

Delicious Christmas cup cakes by Helen, complete with sparkling icing.

Cats and......

........snowmen

Sparkling jewellery made by Sheena of Sheena's Beads

In all the colours of the rainbow

Fused glass, stained glass and squashed bottles made by Linda Boy

And we even had a protest, nestled in amongst Ruth's lovely cushions and quilts!

I had a brilliant day, thoroughly enjoyed myself and the fact that my home was full of people and bustle, it was great fun. If the other crafters are up for another day like this then I hope to hold another Handmade at Home day in the new year, we shall see........

So that was only Friday, still the rest of the weekend to go but that can wait until tomorrow. Not least because I have to retrieve the photos from Hubbys camera.

Take care all, til tomorrow

Sarah x

Still here, honest!

Apologies for the lack of blog posts recently. You see, I have come to my busiest time of year with lots of events and markets to go to and therefore lots of stock needs to be made. Not content with just popping along to these events and markets with my collection of goodies I have decided to organise an event here at my house, this week!

Handmade at home will be a collection of products made by some of my rather clever friends plus my own bits and bobs all for sale throughout the course of the day with a steady supply of mulled wine. tea, coffee and mince pies! I have no idea why I thought this had to be done during silly season, well apart from the fact that hopefully people will buy things, but beats me what I am thinking of some days when I come up with these ideas! That all said, I am very much looking forward to the day and am quite keen to get on and decorate the house with the Christmas things and plan all the displays.

Just got to make more stock, make biscuits, make sausage rolls, make mince pies, make the mulled wine spices, make a few more lists and then I'll be ready!!

Will catch you up on how things are going tomorrow, hopefully!
Take care all
Sarah x

Is that the time?

Is it really December 4th already?

Think I may have a little too much on my plate at the moment, not sure what to do first - this or that!

Should have bought myself a copy of the Time Management for Dummies book instead of thinking I could remember it all!

Got half a new workshop up at the bottom of the garden and to be honest that is exactly how I feel - half a job done. Not able to finish off anything it seems so hence I am now in a not so good mood and really trying hard not to hit the moping stage with Keving the Teenager lifeless arms. Actually maybe a jolly good tantrum is what I need.

Off to stamp my feet somewhere where no-one will know, kind of defeats the object now I've just informed you all thats what I'm doing, but it may help!

Take care all
Sarah xx