Monday 27 March 2017

Memos, Mail and Me

Very special mail for me to share today as part of Sian's Memos, mail and me

Leo made me a card!

I think he may have had a little bit of help from his mummy!  What a lovely idea though.  It also explains why his feet were a little bit red when he took his socks off the other day after he'd been to 'Discovery Tots'.
 
Those little feet learnt how to stand up for themselves this weekend.

Watching Granddad mow the lawn.  He was totally engrossed, then Coco came bounding across the grass to the patio and stared at him, eye to eye, through the window and the shock made him sit down.  Won't be long until he's out there 'helping' ...

Some more artistic mail arrived through the post this morning

My first 'Liberate Your Art' postcard arrived 

I love receiving post like this, to think how many miles it has travelled to get to me, and to connect with people that I would never
meet in any other way.  This card started life in Chicago, which made me smile as that is where my penfriend who I have been writing to for almost 50 years originally came from, and it's the city in which my future daughter in law's father grew up.  Seems like me and Chicago are destined to be together!
 
Better finish this post off now, it's much later than I normally post my Monday memo, but my husband and I had some important shopping to do first thing this morning.  Important wedding shopping.  The Father of the Bride suit has been bought.  Now if only the Mother of the Bride could get her act together ...

Monday 20 March 2017

Memos, mail and me

The postman was kept very busy this week ...

It was my birthday on Tuesday

My last year of being in my 50s.  That sounds very scary.  I thought that it was very unfair of the school to make me go into work on my birthday but apparently you aren't allowed the day off so I had to turn up as normal.  I've decided that I'm definitely going to stop working when I'm 60 and it seems very strange to now be beginning a year of 'lasts' in the office.  Last time I'll have to co ordinate the Easter revision sessions, last time I'll have to organise Awards Evening, last time I'll have to pay over the odds to go on holiday because I can't go away outside of the school holidays ... I'm not convinced that my line manager believes me that I'm going but she can't say that I haven't given her enough warning!
 
It wasn't only small envelopes that got delivered here this week though.  Some flat pack furniture arrived.
 
Phase One of Operation 'Update the Conservatory' begins ...


We had our conservatory built about 15 years ago and it's looking a little 'tired'.  So we are about to have the windows and roof replaced in a more modern style.  I shall have to take some before and after photos.  It should be quite a bit more energy efficient and will, I think, just have a more modern feel to it.  We currently have traditional wicker furniture and a chunky pine coffee table.  In order to get it looking a bit more contemporary we've replaced the one big table with three smaller ones.  My next mission is to find a new sofa and chairs.  Fabric swatches have already been ordered - watch this space!

Wedding(s) update

I met my son's future Mother in Law for lunch on Friday and she showed me the dresses she's bought for their registry office ceremony and the big marquee wedding celebration the following week, so now I have an idea of what she's wearing, I feel like it will be easier to find something for me to wear.  I didn't want to be too over the top or too understated in comparison to her.  The things us 'Mothers of the ...' have to think about!

My daughter and I are meeting with the lady who is doing her flowers later this afternoon, it's going to be fun choosing bouquets and buttonholes!

Joining in with Sian's idea to share our mail on Mondays. 

Monday 13 March 2017

Memos, mail and me

I have something very pretty to share as part of Sian's idea to share our mail on Mondays.
Another thing to tick of the 'to do' list for the wedding.  Although as you can see, as they arrived through the post, a bit of careful ironing of the bodice top is in order!  Things are gradually falling into place.  The overall colour scheme is emerging, creams, pale pistachio green and pink in a vintage kind of style.  Table numbers and place cards are here, ribbons to go round table napkins are ordered and my lovely friend Denise has kindly offered to show me how to make some rather gorgeous flowers to add to the ribbons.  Mother of the Bride outfit?  Ask me again next month ... (memo to self, must start to seriously get out to the shops)

It's been a week of getting out the 'not quite summer, but lighter weight than winter' clothes.  Long sleeved t shirts rather than jumpers and cotton chinos rather than jeans.  The lawn was mowed for the first time this year and I have aches and pains to prove it.  Husband rather conveniently pulled a muscle in his back playing badminton last week so was only able to offer encouragement from a comfortable seat in the conservatory whilst having a cup of tea.  Thankfully we were out to friends for dinner in the evening and a couple of glasses of prosecco soon took a little of the discomfort away. 

My last day of being 58 today, I'm pretty sure I'm far too young to be this old!  See you all next week, same time, same place ...

Monday 6 March 2017

Memos, mail and me

Monday - again! 

Joining in again with Sian's idea of sharing our Mondays.  Last week's postal deliveries are definitely an indication of how little 'snail mail' I get sent.  Nearly every piece of post was like this:
An invitation to treat myself.  Those marketing rascals nearly got me last week.  20% off everything . Hmm I thought, that's a good offer ... and then I thought, well there was no way I was thinking of buying something until their voucher came through the post, and 20% off is still more than the nothing I would have been spending if I had not received the offer.  Be warned, marketing managers, I know what your game is.  Until the weather changes and I realise I don't have a thing that I like in my wardrobe for the spring season!

(oops, wrote this post on Friday in advance, then 'accidentally' bought something in the Phase Eight discount day on Saturday.  My willpower is obviously not as good as it should be!)

A lot of post went out of our household last week.  Wedding invitations are finally in the post.  Well, the ones for the day guests anyway, the evening only invitations are still to be done.  It reminds me a bit of trying to entice Rachel into writing her Thank You notes after Christmas when she was a child, she sees no urgency in the job!

This weekend I did try something new.
 
Now I know that no one will believe me if I say that this is my first taste of gin and tonic - no, the new thing here is where I drank it.  A new restaurant in town which - as the name will give a clue - cooks Turkish food.  I've never been to Turkey, and I've never eaten Turkish food before so it was definitely something a bit different - and I loved it!  Wow.  So tasty.  I will definitely be returning! 
 
The sun is shining here today, it's warm and very spring like.  I hope Monday is looking good where you are too!