Biffsugar

Garden love

I'm loving my garden right now. 

 
My new arbor seat is making me very happy indeed.

 
the colour to match my newly painted gate...

 
The promise of all that is to come::

 
 
and what already is...

 

 

As I was taking a photo of this verbena - the colour of which never fails to amaze me - the dog grabbed the root of it and literally dragged it out of its bed and onto the lawn to chew it.  I just stood and watched.   If anyone else had done that I would have been devastated but that dog can do anything he wants and I just find it charming! 

 
Butter wouldn't melt!

A day in the forest

It was a wet Bank Holiday Monday and where better to spend it than the forest? 

 

 
Moors Valley Country Park to be exact.

 
The first time I stepped out of the car at Moors Valley I knew I was going to love it.  The smell of damp pine forest holds many happy memories for me of camping at Lowther Caravan Park near Penrith as a child and then of living and growing up in the lakes. 

 
By the end of our visit we were damp and tired but nothing that a hot chocolate and some cheesy chips in the cafe couldn't sort out!

 
Once back at home we had early showers and pyjamas and an evening of movies.  Great days!

Our first caravan trip - part 2

 
Part of the joy of caravanning is being able to take the dog with us.  Crumble had a marvellous time!  He constantly lay in the most obstructive places and we spent the whole weekend stepping over him.  He was also the worst behaved dog on the campsite as he's not used to being on the lead and tried to chew through his on several occassions.  Any chance he got he would run over to other people's caravans to meet their dogs - and there were a lot of dogs, but they were all small and well behaved and quite happy for a quick once around the campsite on a short lead.  Crumble has a lot to learn about doggy camsite ettiquette!

 

 
You can't beat a stable door!

 
Although we only stayed two nights we felt as if we'd been away all week.  The reality was we were only a couple of miles from home and yet with the weather so good we could have been in the South of France!

 

Our first caravan trip - part 1

After spending many years looking at campervans and then another couple looking at trailer tents we very impulsively went out and bought a caravan.

 
Aparently when buying a second hand caravan you're meant to tap things - "Did you do any tapping?" my friend asked.  Well no, we didn't know about the tapping.  Joe did get down on his knees and confidently looked underneath the caravan - I was very impressed and presumed this meant he knew what he was doing but I think maybe he'd read somewhere that's what you're meant to do.

We purchased the caravan in a moment of impulsiveness which is highly uncharacteristic for us.  We like to dither - a lot. 

After it arrived home we had a moment of panic when we thought perhaps we didn't get a good deal.  We found things we hadn't noticed or even known to look for.  We stripped it down and cleaned it out, we had our tea in it.  The kids played chess in it and then we had an Indian takeaway.  Eventually we spent a night in it, and it was good.  Our previous experience of camping has always been in a tent and always a dome tent where you can't stand up.  I've never understood this as I believe it's not too much to ask to be able to stand up whilst on holiday!  Camping for me always involved being cold and damp and lying awake all night shuffling around trying to avoid the rock that is digging into the back of your head.  By comparison the caravan is like a 5 star luxury hotel.

The next thing was to actually go somewhere - we had to tow it!  We got the towbar fitted and then had a little practice "off road".  I panicked and screamed "what are you doing?  Slow down!" - we were doing 4 miles per hour!

Eventually we plucked up the courage to go on the road :

 
I had no idea about caravan wear but apparently you have to have a special hat - only to be worn when caravanning :

 
I think it helps if the hat co-ordinates with your checked shirt.

This outfit can also be worn for sports :

 
and relaxing ...

 
And it was soooo relaxing.  At one point during the weekend Joe asked me what I wanted to do, I turned to him from my slouched position in the deck chair and replied "I'm thinking of putting the oven on". 

That was how relaxing it was.  I also found everything is so hilarious when you're camping.  Things that at home would drive you mad like hitting your head on the cupboard door or tripping over each other in the kitchen just seemed really funny!  I also enjoyed walking to the shower block in my pyjamas which is just an acceptable way to behave on a campsite.  Passing other people who you've never met in similar states of undress - spotty dressing gowns, big furry slippers and saying hello without the slightest hint of embarrasment.  It was fabulous!

 

This moment...

++ this moment ++

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Soule Mama

. . . . . . . .

 

Caravan

 
There is a new member of the Biffsugar family.  Her name is Mavis : :

 
She's an old lady now but still - hopefully - has a bit of life still left in her.  After dithering around for only about five years wondering if we should buy a VW T25 Campervan (which is still an ambition of mine!) we eventually settled on old Mave here.

Of course you can't go caravanning without a bit of bunting so she has inspired this ::

 
And you can't really have your tea in the caravan without a fancy tablecloth can you?

 
There is a definate lack of curtains in the photo I know.  The curtains it came with are very plain but will do for now until I can find something bright and funky.  Hopefully Mavis and the Biffsugars will be having some summertime adventures pretty soon.

The Pillowcase dress

For a very long time now I have had a pillowcase which was destined to become a dress.  I have made lots of empty promises about turning it into something fabulous and now at last that time has come ::

 
Ta daaaa!

Of course I couldn't just have the most basic dress, no.  I had to elasticate the shoulder straps and then it just had to have a ruffle.  I had never made a ruffle and certainly didn't know how to attach one but thanks to Sew What! Skirts  - which has been sitting on my shelf forever - I now know!

This was an unusual sewing project for me in that I didn't feel stressed about it.  Usually my ideas completely outstrip my capabilities on any crafting project - but particularly sewing, and I end up feeling frustrated with the whole thing.  This time, I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself.  So much so that I tempted fate and asked my daughter to choose some fabric so I could make her a skirt!

 
This skirt was made using the tutorial from Dana Made It which has loads of other great tutorials that I must try.  She does say this is the easiest skirt you will ever make and I have to agree.  I have not yet forgotten the trauma of making this!

As there has been a new addition to our family lately there has been some sewing for them too, but more on that tomorrow!

Stratford-upon-Avon

 
Here are some photos of my birthday weekend which we spent in Stratford-upon-Avon.  I had always wanted to go there and wasn't disappointed.  It really felt as if you were somewhere different.  All the shop fronts in the town were as they should be - there were pillars outside M&S for goodness sake and Next looked like the shop Bagpuss lived in!  This is how towns should be rather than all looking the same. 

I've decided that my home City of  Salisbury should have paid heed to Stratford when putting their town centre plan together.  Stratford is how Salisbury should be and probably what tourists think it is before they get there.  I mean I know the Cathedral close is outstanding but what about beyond that, it's just another place full of too many coffee shops. 

Moan over here's another photo:

 
They even have beautiful lamposts!

This was the stage set for Matilda. 

 
I knew that red cardi was a good idea.  The butterflies loved it!

 
40th birthday portrait.  Check out the frock!

 

Signs of life

There are signs of life appearing in the garden :

 
I am very excited about this.  For years I have wanted bulbs in the garden, spring bulbs that's all, some daffs and a few snowdrops - I love snowdrops.  I never had them though as I was expecting that someone else would plant them which they never did.  This year I didn't expect anything.  I just went out and did it myself and it wasn't that bad.  It was really easy and done in a flash.  Now, just a few short months later are the signs of my work and soon there will be flowers!

 
This is my favorite thing in the garden right now.  Oh Hebe of joy!  It's really the only thing with any colour in it everything else is just muddy and dismal.

 
There are plans for the garden this year and that trampoline which has been moved to every available square inch in the garden and never really looks right anywhere, it's too big of course but there's no point in getting a small one.  Last year it went outside the garden on the 'patch' but then the children forgot about it and it didn't get used.  There could be an ebay listing coming up soon.  Same with the blue house.  It took us 8 hours to build it in the pouring rain about 4 years ago and it's never really been used for anything other than a dumping ground.  However, as soon as I suggested we sell it I am informed that it is going to be used as a detective agency!  I can still remember so clearly how disappointed I was as a child that my Dad wouldn't get me a shed for my detective agency so I could hardly refuse.

These plans involve creating a kitchen garden and you can get pretty carried away with the images of these on the internet:

 
 
 
I have no idea what ours will turn out like but if it's half as good as these I'll be happy!

 

 

40

 

I am 40.

It happened on Friday and actually it's fine.  It's not like being 30, it's so much better than being 30.  I've had a great weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon where we went to see Matilda the Musical.  It was superb!  It was funny and scary and happy and sad and uplifting.

Tim Minchin who wrote the music was there and signed our programme and the paper airplanes that the children caught during the show.

It was so good in fact that we went back again on Saturday night because I couldn't bear the thought that I may never see the show again.  It's due to finish at the end of January although I can't believe they'll let it end there.  It should go on tour, it should go to the West End and Broadway.  The world needs to see this show!