At last ! Finished.

This has been a long time coming. I start off with a little idea and it turns into a marathon. A piece of hessian out of my Aunties garage, been there for many years. I painted coloured squares on it, and stitched smaller squares and oblongs over it in simple backstitch. 

I started in the centre and worked my way to the outside edge. Random sizes of any colours I fancied. I decided not to make the edges dead straight, I think it looks better with a haphazard look. The remaining coloured edge I painted black, trimmed it and frayed the edges. 

Then I mounted it on a piece of  thick upholstery type material which Crafty Club Janet gave me, it looks a bit like the hessian. I stitched it around the edges with black cotton twice, then a few random stitches in the centre in matching thread so it wouldn't show at the front, to keep it together. 

In between the back and front is another piece of fabric to give it some substance. Three loops at the top with a piece of driftwood through them. I went for three wider loops rather than four narrow ones. The fabric is quite thick with a rubberised backing and I was having trouble getting a needle through it. A pair of small pliers close at hand solved the problem. 

I am pleased with the way it has turned out,  though it was a slog at times, doing the same repetitive stitching over and over again. Need to do something more colourful and creative now. I've made a start and it's looking good. 

Raining again, I'm not doing much walking at the moment. Playing with the new computer. It took a while to figure out how to edit these pictures. It's a similar programme that I had before, but different layout on the screen. A lot of scratching head, going all around the houses until I find what I want. I have never used Paint before, but I might give it a go and play around with it. 

Toodle pip.  ilona

All's rosy in the garden

A few pictures from the other day. It was sunny then, this morning it is murky, foggy, damp and cold. Very strange.

I put a chair outside the back door to sit on while I contemplated what to do next. I didn't get to sit on it. Mayze is always hovering, just in case a chair comes vacant that she can lie on. 

The cats like the long grass, Oscar has made a nest and loves to snooze there in the sun. Not today though. He has taken shelter under the table outside the back door. He doesn't seem to mind the manky smelly cushion that has been there for ages.

The pots are springing to life again and are showing signs of colour. The ivy up the side of the garage needs trimming, and I have some more plastic fruit to hang there, just for fun.

No need to buy any more plants, the beds are full to bursting.

A wonderful splash of colour in the flower garden. Some in full bloom, some with buds which will open up in the next few weeks.

The plastic boxes are coming to life again. Cheap seeds and bulbs bought from the £1 shop three years ago. They keep coming back. David wants a bit of a clean up and a lick of paint.

Aaah, Mayze has moved from the chair and has now come to see what I am doing in the summer house. This cat shelter with the storage space below it comes in very handy. I built if from a dog cage and bits of wood. The steps help them to get into it.

Don't think I'll be doing much in the garden today if this miserable weather keeps up. I'm almost coming to the end of the wall hanging, and now assembling bits of fabric for the next art project. Catch ya later. Toodle pip. ilona

Yipppeeeee, new equipment

I've just spent three hundred smackers on a new computer. The workings box of tricks is new, but I've kept the old monitor, good for yooootoooob entertainment, and the keyboard and speakers. I had a new mouse. Keith has been this morning and put all the data lifted from the old Dell, into the new one which he has built himself.

Now I'm all set up with a massive memory, what do they call it, gigabytes, or something. I can't get my head around the technical names. Pity I cant put my finger into a socket and charge my brain up with extra memory, ha ha.

I just need to find my way around windows 10, a bit of playing I think will do the trick.

The weather is awful, I'm staying in, got everything I need here. I'll go a walk later if it stops raining.
Toodle pip.  ilona

My Trucking Life. Part 9.

I thought it's about time I made another trucking video, or this saga is going to go on for ever. Not quite at the end yet, still a bit more to come. So, what did I do after I left Leicester Heavy Haulage? If you watch the video you will find out.



I had a penfriend in New Zealand, she was truck crazy and painted wonderful pictures of trucks. She has passed away now, but I have some truck photo's she sent me, they are from 1986 - 1988. Two of our lady truckers went over there for a holiday. If any truck enthusiast in New Zealand would like these photo's of older trucks, photo's taken in Aukland, let me know your postal address, in a comment or email, and I will send them to you.

I've finished bunching up the flowers, there are 18, and four smaller ones, and some napkin holders and corsages that Joyce made.

Back to the grindstone, ha ha. Sorting through stuff to sell on the cat rescue stand. Toodle pip.  ilona

A whole lot of flowers.

I have five boxes of artificial flowers. They belonged to Joyce, the family kindly let me have them to sell for the cat rescue. Today I set about sorting them into bunches. I laid them on the bed so I could see what there was, easier than doing it on the floor. 

This was the state of play tonight, 15 bunches made, and whittled down to three boxes. The flowers which are left have shorter stalks so I will make up some smaller bunches with those. I'll do that tomorrow. In the meantime I have to shift this lot off the bed so I can get into it.

Remember the cd's screwed to the fence in town. I thought they were going to do the same with the gate, but they haven't. What they have done is re arranged those on the fence, and added more so they overlap each other. It makes it more solid with no gaps so people can't look through it.

Wet windy and cold today, so I've had a day indoors. The arty tapestry I am making is almost done. I managed to do my walk in between showers. Haven't had the new computer on yet, still on the little net book. Maybe I'll wait till Keith comes back and loads all the files onto it from the old one.

A friend sent me a facebook message last week and I couldn't find it. Today I found it, along with a load of other messages dating as far back as 2016, which I also hadn't seen. Oh dear, I wonder if they are still waiting for a reply. Most of them are from people who saw me on Shed of the Year, or who have found this blog. They were asking to be friends. The truth is that I don't want to be friends with people I don't know, what is the point. I've got a grand total of 11 facebook friends, these are people I have met and know personally. That's enough, suits me fine. Toodle pip. ilona

A good idea, and new equipment.

I'm here, I took a day off because things have been a bit hectic here. Yesterday I did a talk, well not really a talk, more a chat with three people. It was at a Village Hall where they are trying to get a crafty group going. I took some of my arty and crafty works, each piece was inspected, we discussed how I made them, and hopefully they went away with some ideas. And we had coffee and scrumptious home made cake.

When I was in town last week I spotted this wall of cd's screwed to an iron railing outside a drop in centre, which is also a charity shop. Don't you think this is a good idea. Looks like they have started at the bottom of the gate on the right, I'll have a look to see if any more have been added when I go to town later on today. 

I am having an equipment update, a new computer man was recommended and I thought I would give him a try. I haven't done anything with my computers since Mark left about six years ago, now is the time to sort things out before they conk out altogether. Keith has connected up a new computer which he has built himself, in place of the old Dell which is about 15 years old. He has taken that away and will download all the files on it to be installed on the new one next week.

I still have the little Samsung to keep me going, which he has tweaked to go a bit faster, but apparently there will be problems with that in January when Windows 7 ceases to receive any updates. I'll keep my eye on it and see how it goes. After all I have been using XP on the big Dell for a couple of years with no updates, and it still works, of a fashion.

The new one has Windows 10, so something else to get used to. I've got plenty to do today, so I'll quit waffling and get on with things. Toodle pip.  ilona

Talking to the animals at GoodHeart

As I was saying, I'm on the M5 heading north to go home, after a lovely holiday in Cornwall, and I had it in mind that there might be enough time to make a detour, to go to the Goodheart Animal Sanctuary. Junction 6 was decision time, it was late afternoon. I kept to the left hand lane of the motorway and thought, if I don't go now, I might not have the opportunity for a long time. Just go, let's do it. The worst that could happen is that I am too late and they have closed up for the day. 

I pulled in a layby and rang them, oh bother, an answer machine, I left a message.

I was on the A449 heading towards Kidderminster, then turned off on the the A443 towards Tenbury. It's not like it was a ten minute drive, the sanctuary is in the middle of the countryside a few miles from Tenbury. I found the village, Milson, after going along some narrow and twisty roads, and was hoping I might see a sign. Time was getting on, it was after 5pm, would they still be there. I rang again for directions, answer machine again. I knocked on someone's door and asked the occupier, yes, turn left here and go up the hill, it's up there, he said. 

Sure enough, a long drive took me to the entrance at Nickless Farm. Lucky me, there was someone there. Vanessa, who I had previously spoken to on the phone a few months ago when I made a donation, remembered our conversation. She invited me in for a coffee. I think she was a bit surprised about the fact that I had just driven up from Cornwall, and was heading towards home in North Lincolnshire. It's not exactly just off the route, it's a lot of miles off the route. But I am used to driving long distances so it was no big deal for me.

Dave Bourne, the manager was knocking about, busy tending to the animals, he lives onsite. He filled a bottle and showed me how to feed a lamb. Hold it's head up high. 

Oooh, I want to have a go at that.

I am liking this, and the lamb is guzzling away. It emptied the bottle in less than a minute.

Look, I've got the hang of it now.

That's it, all gone, and one happy lamb.

Dave very kindly showed me around the rest of the farm. I took some photo's but the animals didn't want to pose for the camera. My, what a sloppy wet nose you have Mr Pig. They all have names by the way, but I can't remember them.

Dave put a few pellets in a bucket and we went onto the field where the sheep were grazing. In an instant they swarmed around us, and I was able to hand feed them.

They have recently been sheared, and looked very pretty.

Look at these gorgeous young lads, saved from the slaughterhouse. They are quite tame now, after having lots of human contact. I want to cuddle one, but I think it's best that they stay behind the gate, ha ha.

Hey, don't you think I'm handsome? Yes I do actually.

Ooooh, that's nice, I love a scratch under my chin.

This little piggy didn't go to market. It is living the rest of it's life in total security.

These two are also safe, they won't be served up between two slices of bread.

Hello hens, I bet this is better than the last place you were at, crammed in with thousands of other feathered, or should I say featherless, friends. These are the lucky ones. All tucked in for the night behind bars, safe from Mr Fox.

Blimey, these two can certainly chatter. I wouldn't like to be chased across a farmyard by these.

The horses were too far out in the fields to go and have a look at them. Time was getting on, so I made my donation, and left at about 7pm. Happy in the knowledge that my money was going towards looking after these rescued animals.

Thank you to Vanessa and Dave for making me feel welcome. This visit just finished off my holiday nicely, it was the icing on the cake. I'm glad I made the effort. I don't know if I am coming down this way again, but you never know. If I am anywhere near I will pop in, or even if I am not anywhere near I will pop in, ha ha.

Check out their site, they do have open days for people to visit, if you are anywhere near Tenby/Bewdley/Stourport/Kidderminster/Ludlow.

Toodle pip.  ilona

A quick visit to Tintagel

You saw the movie, now here are the pictures. I have already posted a short video of Tintagel, I also took some photo's. It was a morning visit after leaving the Travelodge at Wadebridge after breakfast, on the last day of the holiday. After driving along some narrow roads to get there, I was pleased to find a large car park with lots of spaces. It wasn't yet the height of the holiday season so there were only a few people about. Shops were opening up and getting ready for the days trading. Pubs serving breakfast if you want one.

I asked someone where the best scenic viewing spots were, and was directed to this hotel, high up overlooking the rocky coastline. Isn't it magnificent.

The car was an advert for an art show inside.

It's ok to wander all over the grounds of the hotel, and this is the view it backs onto.

A beautiful sunny morning again, I have been lucky with the weather.

See the little bridge across the gorge at the bottom. It is usually open to pedestrians, but today it isn't because building works are going on. They have strung a wire across from one side to the other and have a pulley system for transporting the building materials across.

I walked back to the town and had a look around. Someone obviously love wildlife.

It's a pretty place to visit, and I have to say that everywhere I visited in Cornwall had hardly any litter. In fact I struggled to find any at all in some places. Obviously people take a pride in the surroundings where they live.

Fancy something mystical and magical, this is the place to be.

I left Tintagel at about 12.30pm, to continue my journey home. I had a long trek ahead of me. I had an idea of another place to visit on the way back up north, but wasn't sure if I would have time. It depended on the traffic, and how I was feeling halfway up the M5 motorway. I was in two minds, and didn't decide until the crucial moment when I reached junction 6. Should I get off and make the long detour, or carry on home. I'll let you know what happened in the next and last installment of my Cornwall holiday.  Toodle pip.  ilona

Colin Thackery is a winner.

Got to share this. Get your hankies out. 89 year old Colin Thackery captured the hearts of the nation and was crowned BGT 2019 winner. Here's all of his Britain's Got Talent performances. What a lovely voice he has. Even if you don't click on my videos, you'll have a treat if you click on this.



And the moment he was announced as the winner.



Enjoy.   Toodle pip. ilona

Motivation.

My reply to Vickie's comment on how I keep motivated for the walking challenge.

My motivation comes from within my own head. I can easily fall back a bit, and be too lazy to get off my backside. My daily walks I focus on the time it would take me, 50 minutes for 3 miles, 35 minutes for 2 hours, that's if I don't stop and talk to someone, which often happens, ha ha. 

I should be able to fit that into everything else that I have to do. If I can't then there's something not working with my time management. 

From the moment I get up I am mentally planning my day. The jobs I need to do. Cats feeding and cleaning litter boxes. Keeping the garden tidy at this time when everything is growing. Mowing lawns, trimming hedges, pulling weeds out. Keeping the house tidy, doesn't have to be pristine, just livable. My arts and crafts, working on a piece to get it finished, and thinking about the next one I am going to start. I may make some phone calls. I like to keep in touch with a few close friends, they visit me and I visit them. Of course computer time comes into the equation, I need to be more disciplined with that. 

I have a calendar on my desk, I make notes on it of any appointments, and regular commitments. Next week I have a man coming to sort out my computers on Wednesday. Monday morning is Crafty Club though I don't have to go if anything else crops up. Thursday afternoon I have a talk to do for a crafting group. There will be a trip to town at some point. Every day on my calendar I write down the miles I have walked. It gives me a buzz to see the numbers rising. 

I decide on a daily basis when I am going to do my regular 2 or 3 miles. Sometimes it gets to the evenings and I still haven't done it because I've been distracted with something else. I look out of the window to see what the weather is doing. It's fine, no excuses, just get up off my backside and do it. I'm lucky that we have plenty of street lights, I could walk at midnight if I wanted to. 

My main motivation is that I am doing it for me. No one else can look after my body, it's down to me to do the best for myself. I walk past people's houses and see them sat in front of a TV screen and wonder how many hours they are doing that for. Of course that's their choice, it isn't mine. Getting up and moving about has got to be better for the body, and mind. 

Another motivation for me is that I can't let myself down by giving up, and I can't let everyone else down who have chosen to join me in the challenge. I can just imagine what the trolls would say, can't hack it, no staying power, she doesn't follow her own advice, says one thing and does another. 

I am motivated by what I believe is right. It was right for me to remain single and not have children. It was right for me to leave home when I was 18 and make a new life in a different place. It was right for me to become a lorry driver. And now it is right for me to look after my own body in the best way I can. 

Talking of advice, I don't give advice. Everyone has the ability to work out what is best for them. I am not telling you to walk three miles every day, 1000 miles in a year. I am giving you the responsibility to work out what is best for you. 

Walking group members have reported how much better they feel having increased their walking times and distances. It's a proven fact that it is beneficial to move about a lot. It's not me saying that, it's the medical profession. Take that information on board if you like, or ignore it, that's your choice. 

Thank you Vickie, hope to meet up with you again for another walk. 

Toodle pip.  ilona

My Trucking Life. Part 8.

Hello, the second post of the day, and guess what, it's TRUCKING TIME AGAIN. YAY, I bet you are all excited. It's a bit longer than the others, such a lot to tell. Back on the lorry driving with this one. Still more to come, I'm on a roll now, ha ha. This covers three years on Leicester Heavy Haulage.



A few of the walkers have checked in on the previous post. You can go back to it at any time. It's the weekend so I suppose you are all out enjoying yourself.

Toodle pip. ilona

Check in day for our International Walking Group

Hello, it's the first of June. Five months have passed since we started this challenge to walk more, to set targets, and to get ourselves fit and healthy. My target is 1000 miles for the year, yours may be different, whatever it is are you keeping up with it?

I am on 431 miles, which is on target. My next number is 500 miles at the end of June. There will be no letting up, I get out almost every day. In fact if I miss a day I feel like I have cheated.

This is where you check in with your miles, howzit going for you. Let's all support each other, words of encouragement please.
Toodle pip.  ilona

I'll post again later today for those not in the walking group.