Rambling again!!!!

by Kate on October 15th, 2011 | friends | 2 Comments » |

Well it has certainly been a while since I’ve rambled here….. its been a very busy time….

Firstly my friend came to convalesce at my home for a month. She had donated one of her kidneys to her daughter and needed to recuperate slowly without the housework and cooking that the rest of her family needed. Her daughter has taken on a new lease of life following the kidney donation – she is 27 with two small children so needs all the strength she can muster. My friend has done very well despite a couple of setbacks and has gone back home now but, while she was with me we devised a couple of projects to stave off the boredom as she went through the recovery process.

We both knit and there seems to be a lot of new babies around so Trish knitted tiny garments and we went to visit the new parents bearing gifts….. we also had a couple of visits to her home on my days off – just to check her husband and son weren’t wrecking the place, and while we were there we harvested the fruit and veg.

Some went in her freezer and some came over to my freezer but what to de with the rest????

Yes, we bottled them – following the recipe from my Mum’s cookery book

This is just a small amount of the jars we have filled – beautifully preserved fruit and vegetables – very decorative and delicious too!!

On the work front things are still great – I meet some amazing people and they are all on holiday so happy and pleasant…… here are just a couple of them…

They had just come back from a week on a canalboat hired from the marina, and were heading back to America the very next day.

They were an absolute pleasure to get to know!!!

My job involves helping people to keep safe on the water so I fit adults and children with life jackets and buoyancy aids….. but its not just the people…

Here is Hippie, my daughter’s greyhound showing off her new buoyancy aid – she loves the water but greyhounds do not swim well so her new jacket will keep her upright when she chases the ducks!!!!

Also I have had a visit from my son and daughter-in-law – not to mention the gorgeous Harry!!!!!

He is adorable and such a happy little boy..

just doesn’t stay still for the photos!!

While they were visiting they designed and manufactured a gate for my kitchen doorway – very necessary to keep the ‘would be destructive’ Alfie in the kitchen while I am at work……

And so much better than the dog crate to block his way

He quite likes it too!!!!

Natural Wonders

by Kate on September 3rd, 2011 | house and garden | 3 Comments » |

Rainbows absolutely fascinate me – usually I see them while driving and cannot stand and stare but just the other day there was a rainbow almost over my house, in fact it was a double rainbow and absolutely beautiful.

These photos were taken with my mobile phone and do not do it justice – but the colours are clear and it was a lovely moment…..

to the left of me….

and the centre…..

Just need to find the fella with the crock of gold now!!!!

and the right of me….

Alfie and the meerkat

by Kate on September 2nd, 2011 | house and garden | 1 Comment » |

The stuffed meerkat was found abandoned at work – it was around three feet tall and, knowing Alfie’s love of knocking the stuffing out of this sort of toy, I took it home for him to play with.