My Grandfather...

passed away this morning, I went to see him and the scared look that I have seen over the past few days has disappeared, he was peaceful and at rest. I miss him so much already, we looked for the new star in the sky this evening, but its too cloudy for stars, we will keep looking till we find the one with his name on it.

The hospital staff were wonderful, we cannot fault them this time, a far cry from last time when we were swearing and cursing the poor care that he received at xmas, no this time they were wonderful and wish to thank the staff on MAU and F2 Fleming for everything they did for him.

Ill never forget his favourite saying when we were kids - put the wood in the hole! We always used to leave the lounge door ajar when we went out of it and it used to cause a right breeze on his bald head, and my brothers and I used to stand behind him blowing on his bald spot! The races we all used to have to be the first one to ring the doorbell and hear him shut, hang on, hang on Im coming - we used to hold the buzzer and keep pressing it in one loud and continuous buzz, must have been really annoying. I used to love it each year when he got out his paint and brushes and gave his gnomes a lick of paint - annual gnome painting season and feeding the fish in the pond, we would always be told off for putting in too much!

The look of joy on his face when I presented him with his first great grandchild, I will never forget that look, it was a picture! The proudness on his face, Ill dig it out later and put it up on here.

No Grandad you may be gone in body, but in spirit you live on, I have some of that Reed stubborness, I have the Reed lip when I want it, but I also have the many joyful memories of you and your love, which will carry on throughout future generations of the family. I will look after nan, mum and the rest of the family as best that I can and Im so glad I got to spend so much time with you in your last few days, I am a very proud grand daughter.

Rest in peace, Grandad and Ill see you one day in the future, look out for Uncle Oscar and Auntie Ivy wont you! I love you!

Grandad!

I have been trying recently to keep my blog cheerful and light, but its with a heavy heart that I write this post, Grandad is extremely poorly at the moment, on wednesday night we really thought that he wasnt going to survive much longer, but he has, he is fighting, but it will not do him much good.

My folks are down the hospital as I type waiting to see the consultant, but there is talk of him being transferred back to his nursing home to finish his days there, so sad! He turns 90 on monday if he makes it!

I want to cry, I have cried, but at the moment I cant cry any more, I keep thinking back to the lovely memories that I have of him from my childhood, the look on his face when I presented him with his great grand daughter and I can smile, although there are tears in my eyes when I think of those things.

God Bless you Grandad, I love you! Im praying for a miracle for you! Jx

A much more productive day!

Well having now put my stresses away from yesterday I can report that we had the most fabulous meal out last night at believe it...a local pub, we had fillet steaks to die for, with a dressed salad, sauted potatoes, baby tomatoes and mushrooms and the creme de la creme of blue cheese sauces! Dessert didnt disapoint either! Raspberry cheesecake with shortbeard, and Lottie and Steve had ice cream which was sheer luxury, and i should know as I polished off lots of the strawberry one and the vanilla one too!

So today I have been busy baking, Ive made a victoria sponge, fairy cakes - which need icing and a batch of scones, tomorrow Im going to make a fruit loaf too!

On top of that, remember the albums from QVC I mentioned yesterday, well I have painted 3 of them in gorgeous pearly paints and will be decorating them shortly...watch this space!

We have also been into the home to see Nan and Gramps, Gramps has really given up all hope of anything and he just sits falling asleep all the time, a far cry from the man he was 6 months ago. Its really sad, at the moment I am working on a mini book of the day they moved near to us, it shows all the grotty pics of where we were clearing out their house, we had to rip up all the carpets everything, not surprising that the council would have charged to do it themselves, what it did reveal under those carpet and linoleum mats was a wealth of old newspaper articles which we had so muc fun reading and reminiscing!

Someone chopped off my left arm....

or so it feels, my car is very poorly, and it dont work no more! Well it does but it judders and shakes worse than a jelly! Why is it when you have no car you feel like you have lost a limb! i miss it and its only been gone since 11.30am this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It started off a lovely day, we drove to Basingstoke to get Lottie her Bear Factory Bear in celebration of finally getting rid of her dummies after 5 and a bit very long years of them (another story) and we were 2/3rds of the way there and the car began to quiver, which quickly then turned to a shake and a jolting feeling, it stopped then started again, then sort of sorted itself out.

So we toodled around doing bits in town and then came the drive home, it was quivering, shaking and shivering all over the place. SO we stopped at a little garage and they told us what was wrong with it and charged us a fabulous £33 for the pleasure of it - not bad for 15mins work, then told me that the part will be over £200 and then there is labour to go on top of that! Hmmmmmmmmmmm a little annoyed, I feel so!

Anyhow, on the bright side, it means that i cant get to my second school placement on monday as I have no way of getting there, hooray!!!! but need to spend the morning on the phone trying to arrange with uni what I need to do to make up the time!

Oh well, Im looking forward to being given a lift to tesco to get some photo's of my mum's birthday party and doing a bit of scrapping tonight. Last night I made 12 malteaster cupcake recipe cards and an ATC which will be winging its way to its recipient this week, I have gotten terribly behind this month with everything. I also need to think about a 90th card for my grandad, my brothers wedding stationery and someone at works stationery too! Just a little then to keep me busy, inbetween all my work too.

Oh, just have a craft delivery, some very yummy chipboard books from QVC see them here! Can't wait to get going on them! I also had some 'fly' stickers that I ordered from ebay too which are yummy! Just wish that I have more time to actually do stuff with them!

Some cards!

So here are some more of thos Dawn Bibby cupcake cards, I just love working with them, I know they are kanban, but when you need something quick and easy they are perfect, sorry the lighting wasnt brillain when I took these!

Things are looking up

well I hope so. Steve went for an interview on wednesday and we got a call thursday to say that he had the job! Hooray! One less weight on our mind. Its a temporary contract, but if he behaves himself and works hard there is a possibility of a permanent post at the end, I have my fingers and toes crossed, cos if thats the case and he gets the perm post we will have a holiday this year, and by jove am I going to need it!!!!!!!!

My grandparents are settling into the home a little better, nan isnt happy, but then she has lost her independence so Im not surprised, Im off to tesco's in a bit to pick up some photo's to make into a hanging scrapbook for her room for mothers day.

Then Im off to a Docrafts demo day to collect some of the new punches and it's a mans world papers and stamps! Gotta treat myself after all our good news havent I?

I say treat myself but then again I did order the TSV the other day for lottie as she loved some of the elements and Ill just have to make use of the rest of it wont I?

Talking of Lottie she is loving being a Rainbow - I must take some photo's of her in her uniform, she is soooooo sweet!!! Well a while ago we tried our hardest to give up dummies, we even sent them to the dummy fairies, but alas, this didnt work she still found a few I had missed! So we are still on dummies!!! Anyhow last night we made a pact that if she gives up this week next weekend we will go to build a bear and get blossom bunny - who she desperatly wants, the deal is this time though that she can't get it till she has had a whole week clear of dummies! So last night we made her, her own worry doll and today we are going to get some more bits and bobs to make another few, she tells it her worry about not being able to sleep without her dum and then kisses it. She didnt want it under her pillow so she made it a little bed out of her old muslin and popped it beside her bed.

The night wasnt too bad, she woke 3/4 times but the first few she was fine, by the 4th I put her in the spare room with me, which I was expecting to do, but she got through the night with not to many tears, fingers crossed we will crack it this time. She has to learn to get rid of it as the Rainbows have a sleepover in May and she really wants to go, but knows she cant with a dummy as they will all laugh at her!!!! Bless her!

Anyway I will add some photo's later of the bits and peices I have been doing over the last few weeks, mainly cards, but I need to remember to photograph them!

Have a lovely day everyone and thank you for stopping by!

Sunday's sunshine

Did you see it... the sun was shining this morning, I even got a load of washing dry on the line - i do love washing that has been line dried!

Been a busy few weeks, nan and gramps are both in the same home now and we are still all fighting and fed up! Lottie has joined rainbows and looks extra cute in her rainbow outfit and I have finally done a couple of scrap pages, will upload at some point if I get the chance.

Apart from that there is nothing else much to report, going to make the mothers day cards this evening and thats about it!