We had two potential plans today – one was Amberley working museum which has a local residents discount offer running again and a group of HEors were going along with a loose plan to meet up for coffee. The other was meeting up with Caz, Bid, Archie and Eliot in the woods. But when I put both plans to Davies and Scarlett this morning they both said what they *really* wanted to do was stay home. This suited me just fine as I had plenty of things I wanted to do too.
So Davies set to building a huge brio track in the playroom with many obstacles and added twiddly bits and Tarly got the ducklings out for a run-around in the lounge. They were far more interested in snuggling up with her though so she ended up with them both curled up asleep in her lap for about an hour.
Ady nipped home as he was presenting a large bouquet of flowers to an ex colleague at B&Q as she was retiring today. We’ve known her for 20 years since we first started at B&Q and Ady was her direct boss for about 10 years. In his current Roundstone capacity he still worked with her a fair bit and had been called in to do a little speech. B&Q is just up the road from us so Ady nipped home for a coffee first.
I did several loads of washing and cleared out the chickens coop into the composter as it was quite smelly and in need of changing so I put fresh sawdust down and swept all around the area. One of the hens is particularly bold and friendly and how I didn’t maim her with the shovel and the yard broom I don’t know. I then cleaned out the ducklings too as I was shovelling sawdust anyway. Tarly will normally do it but as she was keeping the ducklings busy I regarded that as assistance from her :).
I then made some flapjacks with the oats we bought from the farmers at the Green Fair – freshly rolled and very nice :). Scarlett had been going to help but she got distracted by playing with Davies. I then debated sowing or sewing and sewing won. I chopped up a load of red, blue, beige and pink patterns of sofa material from a swatch book and have been trying my hand at random patchwork. I’d got it all sewn up and about the size of a single bed duvet before lunch.
Lunch and Scarlett did some painting and sketching while Davies did some DSing and I watched the news as cabinet members were announced and then the press conferance of Cameron and Clegg. I’d told the kids we’d nip out after that to the fabric shop for some wadding so I could quilt my patchwork. But then Ady rang to say his car had broken down and could I collect him? His company car should have been replaced on May 1st but thanks to one of his colleagues being inept the new replacement wasn’t ordered in time so the new one is still in transit. This meant his current car needed an MOT and is now overdue a service which the leasing company refuse to have done because the car goes straight into auction when Ady hands it back so they don’t want to spend any money on it. Until today when the gearbox seems to have gone so it’s now in a garage awaiting it’s fate once it’s decided just who is paying for it.
So we nipped along to collect Ady and stopped at the fabric shop on the way home. A lease car was delivered home her shortly after we got home so Ady has a short term Ford Focus while still waiting for his new car. I suspect we won’t see the silver Touran again now. I did the bulk of the sewing the wadding and backing together before it was time for Badgers.
Tonight was tent pitching but as it was heavy rain showers we did it inside. It was pretty chaotic with various children being hard work. Julie told me I’m doing my own badge next term, probably without help but I can choose which one. I’ve also got the older half of the group which are the more challenging but probably the most interesting. Davies can come and help as a cadet and Ady said he’ll probably come to most of the sessions too.
Back home again I finished the quilt, which I’m really pleased with. I should have done stuff like measuring, ironing and pinning but despite a few amateur obvious errors I really like it. It’s currently on the back of the sofa but will probably become a camping quilt to go with my camping blanket. I nipped out to Sainsburys for a few bits while Scarlett had a bath and Davies did some more DSing, then came home and they went to bed. Must get back into stories at bedtime again, we’ve slipped the last week or so with various things happening in the evenings.
We watched Junior Apprentice and when Ady went to bed I laid out his presents for the morning in little labelled piles – we have fancy coffee and pastries ‘for birthday breakfast’, his favourite pot noodle and chocolate milkshake ‘for birthday lunch’, two Pompey tops, new socks and some aftershave ‘for birthday wearing’ and some posh loo roll (we only ever buy basic range), a huge slab of Cadburys chocolate and a jar with a whole truffle as Ady mentioned while watching Heston last night that he’s never tried a truffle and it’s shocking he’s gotten to 46 without having done so. 46!
Wish Ady a happy birthday from us!
Comment by Michelle — 13 May 2010 @ 2:55 pm