Lets twist again

Hello. Nice to see you, to see you nice. The bags are finished, and they look fab. They are strong, good for carrying spuds, and books, and anything heavy. We will be having a stall to raise money for our rescue cats at our village fete next month, so these will be for sale. 

Sometimes the kid in me just can't resist playing. I wondered what this soft twist plant ties was about when I saw it in Poundland, so I bought one thinking I could do something crafty with it.  Ooooh look, you can twist it into any shape you like and it stays there. It's got wire running through the centre of it. I think I will have fun with this, could be a new trend. Pity it only comes in green, it would be great if they made it in several colours. 

My lunch yesterday, salad with a portion of quiche, and a wedge of French brie cheese. If you are wondering why I am eating a lot of beetroot, it's because I found a pack at 10p and I already had some opened in the fridge. Well I had to have it at that price, didn't I. Besides beetroot is good for me. 

I see we have some new readers, welcome people, glad you could make it.
Toodle pip

It's a cover up

Hello. A little bit more progress to report today on the summer house. There was a long narrow gap which needed filling, glass or thick clear plastic would have been preferable, but I don't have any. It's narrower at the top than it is at the bottom, such is my cockeyed way of constructing things without measuring. So. I made a frame to fit the gap, then used an unwanted mini greenhouse cover for the glazing. Stapled onto the frame it's a bit wrinkled, but it fits perfectly.  

Four small blocks of wood, one in each corner to hold it together.

Now for the door, I had an idea. I don't want a proper door, I just need something to cover up the opening when I am not about, and overnight. I have a massive sheet of heavy duty grey plastic. I remember scavenging it out of a skip at a factory years ago while my lorry was being unloaded. I think it's what they use for roofing. I measured the opening and cut a piece, adding a bit extra to the length. 

Then I got two old broom handles, I'm going to make a sort of blind. I folded the excess and stuck it down at each end. Insert a broom handle and stitch along it with a big needle and string, to hold it in place.

Screw two coat hooks on the top bar to hang it. This can easily be taken down and rolled up when not in use. Easy to put back when it's time to lock up and leave it.

Screw two more coat hooks half way down and stretch a bungee elastic across to stop it from flapping about.

The gap above the door has been filled in with plastic.

Good eh! A simple idea. I've got all sorts of stuff in my garage, always seem to find something to do the job.
Thanks for popping in.
Toodle pip

Steps in the Dark by Joe Willisch. Book review

Good morning. It's chucking it down outside, best stay indoors for a while. I want to get on with fixing up a door for the summer house, got a good idea, but it will have to wait till the rain stops. Yesterday I cut a piece of the plasticky roof stuff to fit a window hole just above the door. I didn't cut it from a roof panel, but from a smaller piece I already had. Blimey, sawing plastic is much harder than sawing through wood. I'm glad I didn't attempt to trim the roof panels, it would have taken me ages, with a lot of cursing. I think a special saw is needed for that job, and I am not prepared to spend money on more that the basic tools I already have. 

Right, lets get on, I have plenty to do today. First off a book review. I have just finished Steps in the Dark, by Joe Willish. It was a random pick from the mobile library. It was a fascinating read. I don't know why but I am becoming more interested in the times around the first and second world war. Could be something to do with the passing of time, and the fact that the end of the war has just been celebrated. Ancient history has never interested me, but anything to do with the time my mother was living in bombed out Hamburg seems to be drawing me in. 

Reinhold Joseph Willish was born in 1924 in the small Czechoslovakian village of Partschendorf. The simple life he had until his teens revolved around family, friends, and a passion for learning. When he was 18 years old he was forced to leave his home and family to face the fallout of Hitlers tyranny in Europe. It was a treacherous journey that led to hardship, and heartache, which eventually led to him changing homeland and nationality. 

It took many years for him to write this book because he wanted to forget everything, but his children urged him to do so. Since it has been published Joe and his family have spent some time in Czechoslovakia visiting many of the places mentioned in the book.  

Joe tells it how it really was. His warts and all tales of a tank commander on front line battles, his time in a labour camp, really brings it home on the horrors of war. Despite the content, it's an easy to read book.

A quote from Joe. "When you hide things away and keep them secret, they have power. Eventually you have to open them up, face them and lay them to rest."

This book ties in with some programmes I have been watching on BBC iplayer. There are three programmes currently, called 'Britain's Greatest Generation.' They look at stories of extraordinary courage, terrible suffering, and miraculous survival from service men and women between 1942 and 1945. I won't embed them all here, but they are on yooootooob if you want to look. Each one is around one hour long. well worth a look. 

Episode 1. Britain's Greatest generation.

A quick look at my food. Yesterday I had some cooked pasta to use up, so I put it in a pan with a knob of olive spread and warmed it up. Then I added two eggs and scrambled them, and some leaves of spinach. Served on a bed of fresh spinach with beetroot. A loverly lunch.

Breakfast this morning. In the mini chopper went dried fruit, almonds, two dessertspoons of porridge oats, and three prunes. Under this is Special K, I bought a box from the cash and carry at a cheap price. Won't bother again, it's like eating sawdust, but palatable with the topping and soya milk and plain yogurt.

Well it's still raining, I think I'll crack on with the shopping bags. No one has contacted me about a meet up at either Haworth or Saltaire, so I assume no one will be around. Arrangements are made to meet Simplesista at Saltaire, looking forward to that. Thanks for popping in.
Toodle pip

Errrrmmm, excuse me.........

would it be possible for you chaps to move over and let me in? 

It's comforting to know that my pets are tucked up safely indoors at night, and that they love me.

Mayze has declined to join us, she is cosy and fast asleep in the box of shredded paper.

Toodle pip.

Tidying up my backside

Howdy. It's been a nice day, but it's raining now. I have moved on to another project, the landscape picture is on hold for the time being, I might get it out and look at it again soon. You may remember that I bought a  piece of turquoise  fabric from a charity shop, it was in the 50p basket on the floor. A rummage brought forth a huge piece of  canvas type fabric, just right for shopping bags. I was able to get six out of it. 

I don't want to spend too much time on them with complicated designs. I have gone for the simple option of  using up some of my colourful scraps and cutting them into pieces with straight edges, and machine sewing them on . A quick and easy way to embellish, no measuring, just arrange them and stitch. These are now ready to make up into bags. 

A bit more work on the shed  summer house today. This is the back of it, my neighbours garden is a tad untidy, more like a jungle, there's all kind of rubble and rubbish in there underneath the weeds. He is talking about making this a seating area, I'll ask him if he needs those slabs stacked up, he probably will. He also said he will put a fence between us, so with that in mind I have made a start on tidying up the back of my structure. When the fence goes up only the top two or three feet will be visible to him. That lilac tree by the way is mine, the perfume smells gorgeous. The weeds are all his, none on my side.

I had half a tin of green paint, I thought it would blend in a bit with the shrubs and trees.

I had some paint left so I next did this side. 

I got as far as the first door, and a bit of the black door and left two rows of windows clear. The black door was my neighbours and he only painted it about two weeks ago, so I think that can stay black. Then I did the top ledge of the pallets, and ran out of paint.

Still got some free paint left, but no green. My next job will be to de clutter the garage now I have raided the wood store inside. It looks a proper mess.  It needs a good sort out and some of the rubbish taking to the tip. Then I will have space to move the bits and bobs at the back of the garage, inside, and paint the garage wall so the view from the summer house is more pleasant. Always plenty to do.

Lunch was the last portion of bean curry and pasta. Dinner tonight was a plate of steamed veg topped with grated cheese. There was potatoes, carrots, broccoli, and spinach, all out of date, and all reduced. I didn't take a photo, you know what it looks like.
Thanks for popping in. Toodle pip

Zzzzzzzzzzz. Ooops, fell asleep

Oh dear, I'm nodding off while sat at the computer. Do you ever do that? Getting up early and running around all day, has that effect on me. I can easily doze off while in an upright position, I think it's called power napping. I just had 40 winks while uploading these two photo's. Today I helped my friend deliver her Parish Newsletters. It was so warm I wore my baggy shorts, you remember those, the blue ones which flap around my kneecaps. Yes, I've still got them. 

This is a photo of my dinner tonight, which was the same as my dinner last night. I made a curry with the rest of the tin of  salad beans, plus an onion and some frozen chopped leeks. I won't buy the leeks again the outer skins were tough to chew. Instead of rice I did pasta, there is enough left for tomorrow. 

Hey look at this, the roof joins are sealed with tape. How did I do it? I found a man with a big ladder and long arms. He could reach across. Easy innit, ha ha.

I've got a two day trip coming up soon. I'll be staying at Haworth Youth Hostel, Yorkshire, walking in that area, and visiting Saltaire near Bradford. One reader is meeting me in Saltaire, anyone else want to come? Let me know and I'll tell you when.

My typing is getting a bit sloppy, keep hitting the wrong keys, I had better sign off before I fall asleep again.
Toodle pip.

Mirrors

Good morning. I'm going to be a bit busy today. I'll leave you with this.

I used to think that old people were just old people.
Not any more.

Mirrors by Tom Hussey



Catch you later. Toodle pip.

All my doing

Hello. How has my day been? The usual, Crafty Club, a bit of work on the summer house, a Rocky bimble, made the curry with the beans, and sewing I'm making some shopping bags. I'll not go on about it, instead I'll recall an incident that happened a couple of days ago.

I was browsing in The Range last week, a big department store on a Retail Park just outside of town. Not looking to buy anything, but to get ideas. I do that sometimes, I call it research, or snooping if you like. I heard someone call my name, only she didn't use my first name, she used my middle name. I was day dreaming and she called again as if she wasn't sure she had got the right person. I looked and recognized her face but couldn't think where I knew her from. Then the penny dropped, ah yes, once she started talking I remembered. P joined the Introduction Agency / Singles club I used to run. She was a bright full of fun happy lady, always had a smile and a laugh and a joke. Down to earth, call a spade a spade, that's what I liked about her.

She hooked up with an equally happy and fun loving chap called B, they were well suited. I saw them lots of times during their courtship, always smiling always talking about where they were going and what they were doing together. I was so pleased that they had found each other.

I asked her about B but was very sad to hear that he had passed away five years ago. She had nursed him right to the end. She missed him greatly but she told  me about the little dog she adopted. We chatted about allsorts. She is still down to earth, the odd swear word popped out which made me smile, yeah call a spade a spade I thought, ha ha. Then she said something which almost brought tears to my eyes. She said, 'Yes, I miss him, but we had ten wonderful years together, I was blessed.'

We said our goodbyes, she got in her car and I walked across the car park to mine, it was then I was smiling to myself. I remembered when they first met. Those two getting together was all my doing. If I hadn't started the club they may have never met. I'm pleased that they had ten happy years together. Oooh, I'm coming over all soppy just thinking about it.
Toodle pip.    

A little bit more work on the bespoke summer house

Hello. I'll get on with this while I'm feeding my face, multitasking, I can chew while I type, ha ha. As you can see the roof is on. I have used the panels exactly as they were, didn't need to cut any off. There is a good overhang which is what I wanted. I had to move four of the support boards, I spaced them evenly across the top but they needed to be two for each panel with the outer ones being right on the edge. Each panel has two screws at each end holding it in place. Although it is pretty solid I might add some more. We have had a bit of wind, but I wouldn't want them to take off across the neighbours garden if it gets very blustery. 

Front left corner.

I need to seal the joins with tape, that will be a job and a half, my step ladder is not high enough and my arms are not long enough. It rained this morning and I went out to inspect it. I couldn't see any leaks, but I think it still needs the tape. The rain ran off it, it has a slope.

Front right corner.

The side against the back hedge.

The floor is next. I don't have enough slabs, and the ground is not level, so a bit of jiggery pokery going on here. I need to shuffle them around. I stopped at this point, needed to eat.

And this is my no cook dinner. All gone now, scoffed the lot. Iceberg lettuce, pickled onions, grated carrot, beetroot, Wensleydale cheese with apricots, and I opened one of the big tins of mixed bean salad. I thought I might make a bean curry but then I couldn't be bothered, I might make it tomorrow.

I'll sign off now, the dawg wants a walk. We are still meeting at the crafty club tomorrow, even though it is Bank Holiday. Enjoy your day off.
Toodle pip

When does a simple routine become more complicated to the point of being obsessive?

Hi peeps.
From time to time I get emails asking for tips and advice. I try my best to come up with a constructive reply, but be aware that I don't know everything. I am not Superwoman, I just do my best with the life I have been given. An email dropped in my box this week.

Hi Ilona,
I hope you don't mind me asking for some advice.
I seem to complicate things with a lot of paperwork re. our finances and bank accounts, vouchers, shopping rewards cards etc., do you keep reward cards? We use credit cards for rewards and pay off every month so we don't pay interest. Its not budgeting I need help with, its just a simpler way of doing things. As we get older I'm so overwhelmed now with things. I use a budget software and categorize everything which I want to stop doing! Can you give me any tips please.
Thank you.

Hi Anon. I do have your name but I will not reveal, thanks for contacting me. At first glance you seem to have a lot going on regarding your finances. It will be difficult to make comparisons between how you manage your money and how I manage mine, because of the differences in incomings and outgoings. Maybe it would be a good idea to highlight these differences. I have a state pension and a small top up pension, no savings except for a small emergency fund, that's it. You may have more incomings from different places, stocks, shares, investments, savings. My whole lifestyle is very simple, you may have more going on in yours. Your spending will be different to mine, your priorities will be different. I have no commitments other than to provide for my pets, you may have other family members involved which can complicate things. 

You say 'bank accounts plural, I'm wondering how many you do have, and what you use them for? I have one account which everything goes through. I get a statement in the post which I can check. I have minimum direct debits, I never get more than one page because there is not much activity going on there. I withdraw cash from the machine inside the bank as and when I need it, £50 or £100, more if I am going on holiday. I have no problem with cash in my purse, because I have a strong discipline that I don't make impulse purchases. It will be two, three, or four weeks before I need to get some more out.

You ask about shopping rewards cards, I assume you mean store cards. I don't have any, why would I need them. Most of the purchases I make are in shops which don't have cards. You have to remember that store/loyalty cards are only dished out to entice the customer to spend more. I know how much I want to spend, and where I want to spend it, a card is not going to make me spend more. Dump those which you haven't used for a while and never go in their shops again, it makes life more simpler. 

I have one credit card, that's all I need. Years ago I used to juggle a few cards with 0% interest, purely to fund large purchases. It worked for me at the time, but as the statements were cleared I cut up the cards and cancelled the contracts. My one credit card earns me points, not many because my spending is controlled. I use it for convenience, mainly for petrol and food shopping, and of course it is cleared every month. I'm wondering how many credit cards you have? And why do you need more than one? How many statements do you get every month? If you are juggling several, can you use just one card, keeping it all in one place? On my one monthly statement I usually have only three or four lines on it at most.

Vouchers. I assume you mean money off vouchers. I know there has been a lot in the press, and some bloggers are really keen on couponing, to the extreme in some cases. I use very few of the vouchers I receive. You have to remember that vouchers are given to encourage you to spend more. If I forget to use a voucher before the date expires, I say, so what, I didn't need it anyway. 

A lot of people find budget software a useful tool for keeping track of things. I haven't tried any, I don't need to. It would be like adding an extra layer to my simple way of checking my finances, and would entail sitting in front of the computer longer than I already do. No thanks, I am not a number cruncher. All I need to know is that my pension is going into the bank every week, the few cheques I write are cashed, the withdrawals I make from the machine are entered on the statement, and the two monthly direct debits have gone out.  

I used to keep a spending diary when things were really tight, when my income was so low I had to account for every penny to make sure there was enough to pay the mortgage, utilities and council tax. I was sailing close to the wind at times, but my bank balance never dropped below the bottom line. The spending diary I had was a note book, took a couple of minutes to enter figures when I came back from shopping with the receipts. 

I have never needed to use a budget software to keep track. I see that as over complicating matters. I keep pieces of paper in different folders in date order. Once checked they are put away and forgot about. I only get them out if I need to go back to something a few months or even a year before, if some query arises and I need to verify something I have the statements. 

So, Anon, are there two people in your house? You say, 'as we get older I'm so overwhelmed with things'. Does this mean that all the finances are left up to you? Is that a job you willingly do, or is it that your partner does not want to be involved? Are you perhaps becoming a little bit obsessed with keeping things tidy and in little boxes? Everything in it's place? I'm wondering if this is a reflection of how you tackle your housework, your appointments diary, and your social life? Are you a person who needs to scrutinize every little detail about your life? Of course I am only surmising I only have your short email to go on. But I'm wondering if your complicated paperwork system is part of a bigger picture. 

You say, 'categorizing everything which I want to stop doing'. Not sure what you mean by that. I think you have missed a comma out there. You maybe want to stop categorizing. Ok, try this.

You need to declutter your paper/software systems. Give them a good clear out, only hang on to the information you need. Again it's down to 'needs' and 'wants'. Once you have a good understanding in your head of where your money is coming from and how it is spent, and that your budgeting is under control, you can begin to relax a little. I don't need to account for every penny now, my diary is redundant, because I trust myself not to go bananas and spend willynilly. 

If you are confident with your budgeting, try letting go of the reigns a little bit. Get rid of cards which you are not using, cut it right down to one or two. The points and rewards you accrue though using them are so piddlingly small it's not worth the hassle of keeping them. 

Vouchers. Sort them out as soon as they come into your hands. Do not hang on to any that you definitely won't use, or those that you might use. Chances are that you will forget and they will be out of date. Bin them straight away, banish them from your house. You have more important things to think about rather than rushing off to Tesco to get 10p off a pack of frozen peas. I get the £3 and £4 off a £30 shop at Tesco. I only ever use the £4 off one, the rest get binned. 

Close down your budget software, delete it. I know everyone is trying to get their customers on paperless billing, but I love it, and will not change. I have box files, the bills are checked and bills filed. Put away in a box where I don't have to look at them. If you have to stick with your computerized system, and you are confident that you are not overspending, only check things to make sure your cards have not been cloned or your account has not been hacked into. 

Personally I am very careful where I give my credit card details. I don't have any financial information on my computer. No internet shopping, no paying bills on line, no banking online. I take great care where I withdraw cash, only at a machine inside a bank, never outside. 

Phew, I think I've covered most points. If there is anything more to ask dear Anon, please email me again. It's sunny outside, it's a Saturday morning, and I'm going to get off my backside and get out there. 

I hope you have a lovely weekend, whatever you are doing. 

Tattybyes and Toodle pip.

PS. Please be aware that if you are reading seconds after I have published, what you see might not be the finished article. I always edit after I publish. Thanks for your patience.

PPS. I've just looked at the title of this post again. I am obsessively simple, ha ha.

Found some roof panels.

Hello. Look what I found. Yipeeeee. Five polycarbonate sheets found at a conservatory company. They are 9 feet long and 3 feet wide, filthy and need a good scrub. The boss asked for a charitable donation which I was happy to do. Not quite free, but at least they are recycled second hand. I brought them home in my car, with a big overhang at the back end. Again the bleeper was warning me that the luggage compartment lid was not closed. I had the front seats pushed forward and I was driving with my knees wedged under the steering wheel and my head touching the roof. Phew, I made it back without any falling out, good job it's only three miles. 

I've had lunch, so now I'm off out in the garden to clean these up. I shall be busy with this over the weekend, lets hope the rain holds off.

Have a good weekend whatever you are doing. I'll be back with a progress report.
Toodle pip.

The sewing machine cover is finished

Good morning. At last a completed project to show. I was rushing to get this finished for yesterdays post, but ran out of time. So here is my new home made sewing machine cover. I got fed up of seeing the boring white plastic one that came with the machine. It sits on my dining room table so it's always there in my face. I needed something more cheerful. 

I've still got lots of small patchwork pieces, so this was a good opportunity to use some of them up. All the squares are hand sewn together. The seams joining the three sections are machined. 

I used the original cover as a guide, and measured it with a ruler. Two pieces front and back, and one long narrow piece to go from end to end over the top.

I made up the three sections separately, with the lining, making sure they were going to fit together by pinning and checking several times. Joining them together was machined on the outside. It helps to iron them flat before sewing. The other way of doing it would be to make the outside up, then the lining, put one inside the other like a box, and stitch them together around the bottom edge. I like the way I did it better because the lining is stitched into the seams and is less floppy and loose.

I didn't make a slot in the top for the carrying handle, this is just for the house. If I take the machine anywhere I can use the plastic one which does have a slot. 

The lining is cut from a blackout curtain I got out of a skip. It was a brand new curtain still in it's wrapper. I did think about using a plain cotton fabric for the inside with a thicker piece sandwiched between the two, sort of a bit quilty, but the blackout material is quite thick and does the job perfectly without the quilting.

So, which is best? the plain plastic cover.....

or the brightly coloured version which brings a bit of sunshine into the room? 

I am very pleased with this, it's nice to get something finished, it spurs me on to get a move on with other projects. Thanks very much for popping in.
Toodle pip

A brilliant night

Hello. I've had a belting night, with these lovely ladies. My frugal living/money saving/living within your means/having a brilliant life on a pension/walking and crafting, talk went down a storm. I took three friends with me from the Crafty Club, everyone was so friendly, and no one got up and walked out, ha ha. There were several textile artists and crafty people in the group, so I hope I gave them some ideas as I showed a selection of my creations. 

On the way back we passed a large Asda store which was still open. I left the ladies in the car while I went in search of chicken for Bugsy cat, as I remembered I was nearly out of it. It was force of habit to look if there was any yellow stickers as I passed by the veg counters. I couldn't believe my eyes, everything was 2p. I had to go back to the entrance to pick up a basket. Veg, salad, bread and milk, eleven items at 2p each. Wow, what bargains, better than Tesco.

I would say it was a brilliant night, and the cheap food was the icing on the cake. Brilliant.
Toodle pip

Soak it all up, clean the plate

Hello. I've had a bit of running about to do today, so haven't done very much.  It was raining heavy all morning. I only had an hour at the crafty club because I had to take a dog out. Timing was crucial because the dog is on tablets which are making him pee a lot. Luckily no accidents in the house when I got there, but boy did he cock his leg a lot once we got outside on the grass. 

I found some useful pieces of timber in the bin outside the Village Hall, that's where we have our craft meetings and I always look in the bin. Too good to let them go to the tip, and too heavy for me to carry, so I went round in my car to pick them up. The library came today, so I chose some books, Stan won't be coming next week, it's Bank Holiday. 

Lunch today was guess what, a salad, with mushrooms cooked in olive oil and garlic powder, and two eggs scrambled into it. I chucked some spinach in for the last few seconds.  

I don't make gravy very often, about once a month if that, but tonight I fancied some on my steamed veg. My veggie Bisto lasts ages, occasionally I will put some in a stew.

I always save the potatoes till last, something I picked up from my mum, she always did this. Mash them into any gravy left on the plate. Here I've mashed the swede as well. 

Keep mashing till the gravy is soaked up, as it helps to pick it up with the fork. I suppose you could always use a spoon to finish off, if you don't mind washing up one extra utensil.

And there you have it, an empty plate. I paid for the gravy so I'm going to eat it, or is that drink it, ha ha. My dad used to soak up his gravy with a slice of bread. How do you soak up your gravy, or do you swill the plate under the tap before you put it in the dishwasher? Ssshhhh, don't tell anyone, but I lick the plate  :o)  Ooops, did I really say that, ha ha.

It's gone really black outside and it's raining again, so I'm going to get on with a bit of sewing. I'm going to put the landscape picture on hold for a while until I can think of a solution to the problem. I took it to the Crafty club this morning for some feedback, and this afternoon I acted on a suggestion. I'm not sure if I like the result and I'm mad with myself. It's taking up too much time and thinking about it is making my brain ache. I have to walk away from it for a while. Sorry if you are waiting for the finished picture, it will come eventually, but not just yet.
Toodle pip.

Catch up with the family

Good evening all you little Blogerettes out there. A short post tonight. Thank you so much for all your lovely birthday wishes, I am chuffed to little mint balls by your kindness. I took a break from the summer house today, and went to visit family in the Midlands. Nothing much to report. Aunty has a breadmaker and I got to sample some of her gorgeous nutty brown bread. Uncle had a fall and has pulled a muscle in his back, so that's giving him some agro at the moment.

He has an exhibition of his paintings coming up soon in June at the Library in Burton on Trent. Pretty amazing that he can still enjoy his art at almost 93 years old, and put together a collection of 41 pieces to show. As usual the money from the sales will go to the Air Ambulance. We were talking about charities harassing people, and he said he never gets any begging letters from A A, so that's good to hear.

I took my landscape picture for uncle to see, and tell me what he thinks of it. I knew it wasn't quite right, but I couldn't put my finger on why. Now I have his feedback I can decide my next move. I need to make changes, it's not working as it is.

I was up at 5am this morning so I'm beginning to get tired now. Spose that's what happens when you get old. My goodness, sixty chuffin six. How come I am only 32 in my head? Where's all the time gone? Off to bed. Toodle pip

More colours added

Hello. Bit late tonight, I decided to mow the lawns after dinner, been putting it off, it needed doing. Covered in paint again. Good job I have old clothes on. 

I tried the mixing of yellow and red to make orange, it's not quite the shade I would have liked, but I can live with it. Trouble is I didn't mix enough and ran out before I got to the bottom. It wasn't worth mixing a bit more, I wouldn't have got the exact shade, so I dipped my brush into the red tin and finished off with that. The door next to it I painted in a pale lilac colour. I mixed a couple of small tester pots of purple with some white.

Looks quite good I thought.

The next colours I mixed were some of the green with white, it's turned out really nice.

I made too much of this one, so I painted the top and side of the darker green door. 

 And I painted two plant pots.

And finished it off by painting this bit, but ran out before I got to the bottom. By this time I'd had enough.

There are two more doors to paint inside, they are patio doors and are mainly glass which I am going to leave clear. Can't decide whether to paint them or not.

Ooo errr, I don't think Heidi is supposed to be up there. 

My lunch today was a big plate of salad, with the addition of brazil nuts and almonds in the broccoli/carrots/radishes mix in the mini chopper. 

 Dinner was steamed veg, with a Tesco Value macaroni cheese, yellow stickered to 24p.

I couldn't think of anything special to do for my birthday, I was happy to work in the garden. I did have a treat, a Magnum ice cream. I'm easily pleased, ha ha. I have got two short breaks arranged for the end of the month, and the beginning of June, so that will be nice.

Have a great Sunday. Toodle pip.