Pie's the Limit.

Warning. I am scowling. And speechless (...for once).

Just been told I look like I have eaten all the pies....by a woman SO flipping obese it's unreal. How very dare she?!

She was trying to get into the charity shop as I was trying to leave it and there was admittedly a bit of a roly poly stand off but it didn't even cross my mind to tell her that she should cut down on her pork life and get some exercise. But oh no, she felt she was in a position to talk to me in the only lardy language I apparently know.

I laughed it off but I was shocked. I admit I look like I've eaten a space hopper, and people are asking if it's triplets (already assuming its definitely twins), but What. A. Freaking. Liberty.

Mind you, she has a point...nearly 29 weeks.

Anyway, look what I am now obsessing about in the cherry tree shop. Victorian furniture. The manager said I could have both for £40. Seeing as it's me and I practically live in there, she laughed.

I just love the little key and door knob. 

I think they are so charming and so bloody pink which I am mad about. They belonged to an elderly woman who lives near Brighton and she has just been put into a home.

Trouble is, while I LOVE the pieces, we want to go with a cool, blue coastal theme for our bedroom which we simply must decorate before baby Bernard/Brenda arrives.

Decisions, decisions. I shall sleep on it. They are reserving them for me until tomorrow. Need to charm the Husband. He is all for shabby chic and fortunately we generally have the same taste in things for our home, but I have a feeling he may not feel the same about these treasures from the cherry tree.

In other news, my birthday flowers are still blooming.

And smell heavenly.....

And the best treasure from the cherry tree arrived on my door mat for my birthday:

Can you hear me gasping and salivating?!

Man, I've been searching for this book in cherry tree shops for six long years. It's sought after as there was apparently a shorter print run.

And my dear friend Kerry at http://www.thingslearntthehardway.blogspot.co.uk/ happened to tell me she'd bought it for herself for an incredible 49p (I was nearly sick on the spot), not realising I was desperate for it.

And you know what? That dear, kind girl sent it to me as a birthday present. The most thoughtful thing ever. I actually squealed! She gave up her beloved Ladybird book....for me!! What an honour. I love this book so much.

Oh and the Prince is finally settling into school although I pick him up after lunch and we tend to hit the beach during sunny afternoons, just to make the most of our time together before he goes full time.

Trousers four sizes too big. Mother can't sew. Disaster.

I am a pie eater after all..........I look like an eclipse!

Just us and some distant fishermen. Glorious.

So now I shall ummmmm and ahhhhhh about the pink Victorian furniture some more.

And then put my feet up. Tired dot com.

(Must be because I have eaten all the pies of course.
 (And the Magnums. And the cheese and biscuits. And the Peanut M&Ms. And the croissants. And the buttered teacakes. And the chocolate Digestives. And the fishfinger sandwiches. And..........repeat until you fall asleep........)

xx

Fun in the sun. And cherry tree bargains.

Ahhhhh, it's been a totally relaxing weekend. Just for once, there were no child-related dramas, no car sickness, no night terrors, no sleepwalking, and no cooking.

We spent the whole weekend in Whitstable where we were looked after beautifully by my friend Sharease. She and I met in the late 90s and have been firm friends ever since.

She and her beau live RIGHT on the seafront. You literally walk out of the front door and you can see the sea. It's magic.

When we arrived on Saturday we indulged in a little afternoon tea in her garden.

The hostess with the mostess

The children love visiting Sharease. She doesn't have kids of her own, by choice, but she is a marvel with mine and they love her and enjoy their time at the house.

Once the kids were in bed after playing for hours on the beach, we moved onto cocktails (I've discovered a fondness for cherry brandy) and a wonderful spread which we sat and devoured for what seemed like hours, under the wisteria of her beach cottage. L.U.S.H.

Whitstable is very quirky and quaint and famous for its oysters (gip......retch, no, I couldn't bring myself to).

The beach huts are all different colours, where as where we live, they HAVE to be boring white. It is the law. In Whitstable you can do what the heck you like, it seems.

 We passed one beach hut which was kitted out with a 1950s kitchen, gingham bunting, seaside pictures on all the walls and a cosy sofa. How blissful. Couldn't take a pic as all the family were in there, and it felt intrusive.

I went into seven charity shops but didn't find a single thing I liked, shock horror, I am normally very lucky in Whitstable. I also kept an eye out for Noo Noo, the rabbit comforter that we lost there last July but alas, he didn't turn up. I had hoped he might be at the bottom of the toy baskets but alas...

We spotted various birds on our walk into town:

"You lookin' at me?"

Not sure why, but this IS quirky Whitstable after all!

Eat your hearts out The Hoff and Pammy

The shops are gorgeous despite being a little pricey. This shop is one that Sharease and I love:

A bit contrived but still eye catching and cute

I have the "wanties" Nicki! FINALLY!!!!!! Too expensive for my wallet though...

It was a feast for the eye and for Pip fans (nice mugs!)

Thought these were cool and a bit different from the usual stuff

 Then we ate fish and chips in the heat of the sun, watching the yachts and enjoyed a spot of people watching.

My boys

 Les Dawson's love child, wearing his "gobbles"

This morning the lovely Sarah from Annaboo's House fame came over for a spot of crochet and some tea and cake. It was fab to catch up but it's safe to say she achieved more crochet than I did. As standard!

We are planning a few hours charity shopping and veggie cafe cake eating (where I've tasted the best carrot cake ever) soon.

Working on her CAL monkey

Ah, look what I bought for the sitting room, from the West Sussex Horse Rescue Trust cherry tree shop.....isn't it divine?

Of course I didn't buy it, you nutters. Isn't it vile?!

I did get this one free of charge though....not sure why it was free, the lovely lady just said I could have it! Nice!

And I got this one for 25p. I need wet myself with excitement. No, really.

Isn't it just brilliant? Check out those aprons.

I nearly bought this coffee set as I love sunflowers, but then realised that I have no storage space for it. I do love the kitsch design though. Happy flowers, they are.

And that's me done. There's a bar of Galaxy Crumble Cookie in the fridge which I am desperately trying to ignore, but I am not holding out much hope. I've got to take the Prince to Jo Jingles tomorrow morning and I need something just to feel better about going........(have any of you ever been??? Just WHERE do the women get their energy from?)

It's like watching Mr Tumble on speed.......

Catching up

I have been busy since my last blog post. Doing what, I hear 100 of you cry...doing what?

It hasn't involved housework, or crochet (although I have made a little progress on my first proper granny blanket, which I will blog about another time), or my freelance job.

It's my new obsession. I am truly addicted....

Kite surfing. Oh, I'm not doing it myself (Christ, I've seen myself in a wetsuit before and it ain't pretty - and that was before kids...)

It's just that I've never seen anyone do it before and it's incredible to watch. Look, I'm from Somerset. I do cider and tractors, not throwing myself 40ft in the air on a surfboard like some ocean fanatic at Bondi. My idea of sport as a teenager from the west country was snogging on haystacks. This kind of sport is way more extreme so I now go down to the beach most days and watch the dudes in action (OK and the fact they are pretty gorgeous too makes it more of an attraction.)

Look at this for heaven's sake:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYFoF5UIX0U

I heard the Princess tell the husband: "Daddy, guess what, Mummy and I were watching the kite surfers again today and Mummy was talking to one of them for AGES and he was ever so handsome in his wetsuit."

Awkward.

Anyway, so that's where I am been and everything has suffered as a result, except my kids, they love the beach life. But my cherry tree purchases are pathetic as a result. The weather is too fine to shop (although I saw a gorgeous old Singer sewing machine -with a turning handle- for £40 but had to walk away). Plus I can't sew and I don't have the time to learn right now so it wouldn't have been a wise purchase.

I did, however, buy this top for the Prince from the British Heart Foundation for £1.50. He loves it and looks quite dapper in it I think.

Tie AND braces, how swish

Defiant and sticking his belly out to rebel

We have had a very busy but wonderful Easter. My inlaws came to stay the first week, from Yorkshire. We took them to Brighton and they loved The Lanes, we lay in deckchairs on the pier and fell asleep after scoffing Easter biscuits, we had fish and chips on the beach, we hung out at my favourite cafe (which I've been to three times this week and really need to wean myself off) and ate and drank way too much as always.

Treasures from the cherry tree (did you see what I did there?)

An Easter biscuit? Oh go on then...

The Princess and Grandma

That is the husband's Converse and yes he was dozing

And yes that is ANOTHER Easter biscuit...

Then they went home and on Good Friday we went home to my parents in Somerset. It was my mum's birthday.

My sister took them out for lunch and we turned up and joined them for tea and cake in the local farm shop before all going back to theirs for the weekend. It was so lovely. I cherish my times with my family, the children love going home to Somerset and as always it went way too quickly.

I visited my grandparents' grave again, now that the headstone has been erected, and it was peaceful. They are nestled between daffodils and under a shady tree in the churchyard where I married the husband ten years ago, and my parents married 39 years ago. I find it comforting to visit them whenever I go home,  although it always feels very raw each time.

Playing in the grounds of where we married in 2002
and yes that is a cherry tree dress you spy!

My parents babysat on Saturday night so the husband and I went out for drinks and  he had the kids during the day so my mum and sis and I could spend the day shopping together. We pottered around a beautiful town near Bath, we stopped at a vintage fair, had afternoon tea, looked at the gorgeous little shops and I realised how much I miss them both when we aren't all together. My dad calls us The Coven. Hmmm!

Easter in Somerset:

I really love this pic of the Princess and "Ganny"

Picture courtesy of the Princess!

Simply not playing ball....

A lone dandelion crying out to be freed in the sky (which I missed!!!)

Then it all got silly. As always.

Here Prince, taste this lemon.....

Snigger!

Good night John Boy

The husband and the Prince and I steered clear for the photo!

It was so lovely to all get together - there was too much food, my mum is a true domestic goddess and always has been. She cooks and bakes everything from scratch and makes the most amazing carrot cake ever.

Here are two pictures that would have been lush if the Princess had managed to open her eyes! I gave up after two attempts as got impatient. After all, there were wind surfers to check out. But I love the way the wind is whipping her hair back and forth, so to speak.

Oh and on a final note the husband and the six other Superheroes raised more than  £2,500 for the Brittle Bone Society when they ran the Reading Half Marathon. Thank you so very much for the kind donations, it meant a great deal.

The husband is the Superhero Kick Ass, the green one!

I am very proud! Think they loved all the attention they got too.

Off lambing tomorrow if the weather holds. And Debs, if you are reading this, CAN you see me in the bath???!!! ;-)