A Roof or a Colander ??

 Thank crunchy its Friday and the weekend starts.

This week has been one of getting back into a routine after john being off work for a fortnight and us off on our hols.

Of course our idea of having a holiday doesn't include two weeks in Spain, hell no, although we did head 'doon sooth' for a few days at mum's in dumfries, we spent most of our so called time off renewing the new sunlounge roof.

Last year John built a soundlounge to connect the cottage with the barns, ready for the barn conversion.

Unfortunately the plastic roof leaked like a sieve, was too hot in the summer, and freezing in the winter, in fact it was -4c in there over Christmas week.

Although this wouldn't normally be a problem, the room is currently serving as our temporary kitchen, not a fun place to cook Christmas dinner.

So most of last week was spent putting on a solid board and felt roof, even got me up there helping and I am not good with height, but needs must.

 This is the state the kitchen was in during the roof changing, yuk.  It decided to bucket down and everything got soaked. Of course the kitchen being a building site with bare barn walls, breeze blocks unrendered, and an old door as a worktop, doesn't really help.

The new roof is now leaking too, aaagggghhhh !!!

This weekend will be spent painting new roof with waterproofing stuff, not me though, oh no I've had enough, you'll find me in front of a log burner attempting to make a patchwork quilt.

I think I need a holiday :)

A halloween Party

I have been such a bad blogger recently, soo busy and no enthusiasm to post, but with the autumn weather and my new favorite season all that is gonna change, and to prove it I am committing myself to Vanessa's Halloween blog party over at a_fanciful_twist  to which you are cordially invited, and with less than 3 weeks to go I had better get my skates on, heehee.

Happy Valley

 It has been rather a busy month here, with not much time left to blog at the end of the days. My Sons are visiting us for the summer ( although the whole of august has felt like autumn, awful weather ), on Sunday we took advantage of a spot of rare sunshine and visited some outdoor places before going to Gerri's ice cream parlour for sundaes, mmmm.

First up was the Ring of Brodgar and the standing stones of Stennes, before heading a couple of miles up the road to Happy Valley. These photos were taken last October, I forgot to take my camera out the other day, oops. Anyway Happy Valley is a sweet place which was created by a gentleman called Edwin Harrold. Orkney doesn't have many trees, and certainly not many which grow as they would naturally, the cold sea winds twist and stunt them so much that in winter it is very difficult to identify species.
But Edwin created the miniature woodland in his sheltered valley garden where visitors were welcome. He died in 2005 but the garden was left in the care of the local council and is open to everyone to visit still.

More charity shop bargains

I really do love our charity shops up here on Orkney, you really can snag some bargains. for example, my straighteners which I have had for years and don't use that often, were finally on the way out, the ceramic was cracking which is not good, but I remembered seeing a pair of slimline straighteners a few days earlier in one of the charity shops, so whilst in town a went back. Low and behold they were still there with a £2 price tag, a bargain. Even more of a bargain when I went to the till and the man decided they were worth less and only charged me 50p :)

 Also since moving up here I have grown to love my boots, especially long ones with fur in them. My last pair I managed to snag for 50p like new, and since then I always keep an eye out for more, as I have very large broad feet, and shoes for me are not cheap. Anyway I found these for just £1 so very pleased, and they have a nice solid deep sole on them for trudging up and down our muddy drive to walk down to the main road for the bus :)

Mad Tea Party !!!!

Marvellous Mad Madame Mel was in a gloomy mood, for the weather was not on her side.

Today is the day of the Mad Tea Party and I had planned on looking for a rabbit hole to journey down, to join the March hare and the Hatter for tea, but it is looks so gloomy outside from the attic window.

 I had even dressed for the occasion, wearing my magic ice cream socks, and finest lace. Oh I do Wish I could join the party, for it is also a special day today, for it is My Un-birthday !!

But as I turned around what should I find ???

 The house fairies must have heard and granted wish for there was an indoor tent picnic tea party

 just for us !!

 "And about time too, you're almost late" came a voice which I could have swore came from Flopsy.

 Curiouser and curiouser.

Oh what a lovely spread, where shall we begin? would you like some tea?

milk with that?

There you go.



Ohhh cucumber sandwiches, how refined.



And fairy cakes? Don't mind if I do, thank you.



You should try one, they are very good.



Here have a sugar biscuit, there is plenty to go round.

More Tea !!! you simply must have more tea !

"hello mum, could I join you too ? "



"Of course you can poppy, the more the merrier"



"hey mum the food looks yummy, can I have some? "



"OK lets see. Scones next I think"



"We had better leave one for the mister"



Butter and homemade raspberry jam too i think.

That's better



"There you go. You know I almost named you Dinah when we brought you home to live with us, wouldn't that have been appropriate ? "

"Humph, no I think not,

 and those scones have sultanas and nutmeg in,

I can smell it, you know I don't like nutmeg"

" Oh dear, I am sorry Poppy, here have some butter instead"



"Nom, Nom"



"Thanks mum, yummy butter"



Thank you all for joining me at my tea party, hope you enjoyed the tea and food. Now I am off to indulge in a spot of reading and writing as the house fairies also left me a couple of good books and a journal.

And don't forget to join Vanessa at a fanciful twist and everyone else in their tea parties here:

Mad Tea Party 2011