Fanfare Please

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I did it!

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I managed to complete the "Post A Day In May" challenge!

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It got a bit wobbly towards the end, but I did actually quite enjoy thinking of different things to write about (even if I did wake up sometimes at 4am thinking "what-the-Nora can I post about today?!?!")

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So in May, I've shared some of my personal weirdness with you....

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I've given you some local history....

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I've introduced you to Henry The Hornet.....

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You've shared my despair......

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And I've even given away something for free!

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But the one thing I haven't done, is revealed what Mr Jelly looks like.....

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And how does it feel knowing I've completed the challenge?

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I'm so happy, I'm off to ride my goat....

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Now tell me, is anyone up for "Bend A Spoon in June" ?!

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I Won A Prize!

I recently entered a giveaway on Sal's Blog ... and I won!
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My parcel arrived this morning, along with some bits-and-bobs I've recently been ordering, so I just assumed it was going to be some threads, or some stabiliser.
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It was a lovely surprise then to open a bubble-wrapped package containing this :
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Thank you so much Sal, I think these are my favourite fabrics:
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I've also joined in on I'm A Ginger Monkey's Russian Doll Swap.
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If you fancy joining in, then head over to Katy's blog before next Friday.
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Home Sweet Home

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In the words of John Cleese and the Monty Python team, this blog has become "too silly" over the last few days, so I thought I'd better share a new product I've just finished working on.

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Using my embroidery machine I have made this hanging fabric plaque with "Home Sweet Home" detail.

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It's available to buy from the JB*JB website, here
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"And now for something completely different ......"

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(This post a day in May is hard .... is it nearly June yet?)

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Laugh Overload

I can't remember how I found this blog, but I have become totally addicted....

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Anything that makes me snort with laughter......
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or go "nawwww" .....
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at my computer screen has got to be worth a look:
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Not only are some of the photographs the cutest things ever.....
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But some of the captions that go with them are brilliant.
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...Playing Wii tennis (super small Prairie Dog version)
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Add this to your blog-roll today ...
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... Or the cat gets it!
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Home Alone

A family were always finding water all over their pool deck and furniture, every time they came home, after being away for a few hours.

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They thought the neighbours' kids were waiting for them to leave, and using the pool. However, they could never catch them doing it.

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So, they set up their video cam and left.

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This is what they found out.

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Some Things Never Change.....

Me aged about six filling my face with yummy-ness:

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Me aged about *cough-splutter* filling my face with yummy-ness:

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And he's definitely my son:

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PS - I feel it is most important that I point out that these desserts were made for sharing ... !

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Colin Meets A Celebrity!

When I saw this felted Mario on Cuteable, I just had to take a look at Poor Lulu's Etsy shop because the world of Mario is a constant feature in this house!

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And then when I saw she also made Yoshi, I instantly knew I had to get him for Colin.

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He arrived from America on Friday and has now recovered from his jet-lag.

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Colin and Yoshi compare noses.

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Colin, it has to be said, is in total awe of meeting somebody so famous.

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"I'm not worthy your Yoshi-ness"

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Tag ... I'm It!

I bet Ethel and Edna thought I was never going to do this but I've kept this in reserve for when I can't think of a blog post!
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Q1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

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Crikey! I can't remember what I was doing 10 days ago, never mind 10 years ago! I do know we had only just moved into this house, so I'm going to say "decorating"

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Q2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?

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Get some washing done .... check

Stop boy*jelly from playing on the Ninetendo DS .... ooops

Not have a daytime sleep (I have M.E/CFS) ... ooops

Have a healthy lunch .... check

Make a blog post .... check

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Oh well, I managed 3 out of 5!

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Q3) Snacks I enjoy:

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Chocolate, cake, chocolate and ummm, chocolate.

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Q4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

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The usual ... buy a nice house, have a nice holiday, give to charity

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Q5) Places I have lived:

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Leicester, Bicester, Chippenham and Corsham

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I'm supposed to tag 6 other people to do the same, but I shall just say, keep this game for when you're stuck for a blog-post!

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Why Is That?

Why is it when it's not a school-day, your children can quite happily get out of bed with the dawn chorus?

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Why is it when I see a teenage boy with his jeans half-way round his backside showing the world his underwear I want to yell at him "pull your trousers up, I don't want to see your pants" even though every time I bend over in my jeans I reveal half-an-acre of my very own granny-pants?

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Why is it you put 20 socks in the washing machine and only 7 come out at the end?

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Why is it your kids only ever say swear words in front of your in-laws?

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Why is it you only ever lose your keys when you're running really late?

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Why is it there's never anything worth watching on TV when you've got a spare hour?

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Why is it your kids know from another room the instant you sit down with a cup of tea?

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Why is it when you've got gift vouchers to spend in your favourite shop you become precious about what to spend them on, even though when you have no money you could buy the entire shop?

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Why is it I can lose anything in the blink of an eye in my workroom, yet I can't lose a pound off my weight?

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Why is it the older you get, and the less energy you have, you have to wander from room to room thinking "what did I come in here for?"

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PS - I'm British ... "Pants" = underwear (not trousers!)

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E Is For Experiment

I had another play with my embroidery machine last night and really wanted to make something pretty.

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I've ordered some darker thread for the hand-sewn stitching, and the buttons were an after-thought which is why they're glued on rather than sewn, but with a few improvements I shall add this and a boy's version to the product range on the website.

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Rather than doing letters though, maybe I should just do a heart? What do you think would be popular? Personalised with an initial, or a heart instead?

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Mmmm .... Germolene

When I was a kid, I used to love the smell of Germolene.

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It used to come in a round tin, and I would quite often lift the lid for a smell ... I wanted to be able to eat it.

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When I was a teenager, Ronald started selling McRoot Beer which, to me, tasted just like the smell of Germolene.

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One day, Ronald stopped selling McRoot Beer, probably on the grounds that there were only about 3 of us that liked it.

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Imagine my delight when my dentist (yes, her again) recommended this toothpaste

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It tastes just like the smell of Germolene! AND it whitens your teeth!

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Okay, so how weird am I?

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Best Bargain Buys!

Reading people's blogs, I know there are a lot of us out there who like rummaging in jumble sales / rummage sales / car-boot sales / charity shops / thrift shops and finding delicious bargains.

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So I've started a group on Flickr where we can all post pictures of our lovely finds.

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To have a look and see if you would like to join, click the logo:

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To add the button to your own blog or website, please click here.

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Here is one of my latest bargains:

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I bought this tray from The Cats Action Trust charity shop last week for £2.00.

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It looks like it's made from fibre-glass and it needed a good clean, but it looks great in the kitchen.

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So come on, show-off your Best Bargain Buys .... you know you want to!

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Henry The Hornet

This is me on my 18th birthday....

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Don't I look seriously underwhelmed? (Not to mention thin)

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My mum and dad got me a 21-year old Wolseley Hornet Mark II and I named him Henry.

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He was the same size as a Mini, only Henry had a boot. ("Trunk" for those of you in America). He also had a walnut dashboard, smelt all musty and leathery and needed his spark-plugs spraying with WD40 whenever it rained. And after it had rained, his interior would be damp and the windows would be covered in condensation.

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A new Wolesley Hornet

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I still hadn't passed my driving test by my birthday - it took me over a year to pass. I failed at my first two attempts, so I had to drive him with 'L' plates on and Mr Jelly would sit in the passenger seat, or take over the driving when he couldn't take it any more. (And yes, I've known Mr Jelly a long time!).

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Being 21 years old, Henry was considered a "classic" or "vintage" car and he was fun to drive. He even had a button on the floor to dip the headlights.

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.I don't think he'd be legal to drive in the present "health-and-safety" society we live in as the seatbelts were not the self-tightening ones we have now ... plus, he drank leaded petrol!

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And The Winner Is....

And the person to win the padded heart picked out of the colander by boy*jelly was.....

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Well done!

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Email me with your chosen heart (click here) and your postal address!

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Thank you to everybody else who left a comment ... sorry you didn't win this time, but I was so chuffed to see people actually take the time to read my blog!

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And you never know, I've only got another 44 posts to do until I reach 100!

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Flemmish Weavers and Dickens

Our nearest village is Corsham and as it has hardly changed since the 1800's, I'd like to show some 'then' and 'now' pictures ... click any of the photos for larger images.
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I've tried taking my photoghraphs from the same spot as the originals (traffic permitting!)
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In the olden days Corsham used to be 2 separate villages, Corsham and Pickwick - they are now classed as Corsham which is gradually growing in size.

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This is the Hare and Hounds pub in Pickwick and it is said that the author Charles Dickens once stayed there and used the name for "Pickwick Papers"
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Hare and Hounds pub in 1905:

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Hare and Hounds pub 2008:

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The road leading from Corsham to Pickwick used to look like this in 1906:

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The building in the foreground with the curved window is now a fish and chip shop where I bought last night's tea!

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Below is the start of the High Street, which you can see has barely changed since 1905 :

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The building in the right foreground has been demolished since the above photo was taken, and the road in the centre is now pedestrianised, but as far as I can see, nothing else has changed apart from the TV aerials and cars.

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Further up the High Street in 1903 :

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The building on the right corner is now an Indian restaurant ... unheard of in 1903 I should think!
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Continuing up the High Street, you can see the car in this picture from 1931 heading towards you. You can't do that now as this road is one-way.

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I also used to work in the first building you can see on the left, and I have only ever been in the Royal Oak pub on the right a few times

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At the end of the High Street are the Flemish Weaver's Cottages, which date back to the 16th century. Corsham was once a thriving wool town and these cottages were built to house the weavers that came to Corsham. The windows were large for the period to increase the light which the spinners and weavers needed for their work. The building on the right, just behind the man in a cap is now the Post Office where I send my parcels from.

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The clock you can see in the foreground is still there even though I haven't got it in my photograph.

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And coming out of Corsham, you come to the Cross Keys pub where in 1904 children were safe playing in the road.

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Now it is a busy cross-roads with traffic lights on the A4 from Bath to London, although it is still the Cross Keys pub.

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I find it fascinating looking at old photographs of the town where I nip to the shops, and hope you've found it fascinating too!