Missing In Action!

Evening All!
Sorry it's been quite a while since I posted but things happened which sort of took over the last few weeks!

My previous laptop, which I've had since 2007 was running Windows Vista. I know it had lots of programs on it as I use it for all my craft - papercraft (Serif DrawPlus and Craft Artist); Cross stitch designing (Ursa Software's Winstitch); photo manipulation (Photoshop Elements and Microsoft Digital Image) as well as my Calibre e-book library. But recently, no matter what I tried it was getting slower than ever and it kept dropping the Internet connection. So I had to bite the bullet and decide if I was going to spend time trying to sort it out, or go look for a new machine.

I decided that a new one would be a better bet! And it's PINK!!

So I've been super busy - learning Windows 8 and trying to recover all my files and transfer them to an external hard drive, so that I only have to load the minimum amount onto the new. It's taking me hours!! Almost done, but I decided to let you all into what was happening!

On the stitching front it's likewise been quite quiet - by the time I've spent hours looking at a screen I'm in no fit state to look at cross stitch! But I've put a few stitches into my cheetah - I can see the beginning of an ear now, so it might be a bit easier to see where I am stitching.

Also I made a fair start on the July mermaid from the Joan Elliott diary stitchalong -

Our weather hasn't been too wonderful lately. So I haven't been able to get out much and tidy up the garden. But the last few days of sun which followed a few wetter days has been ideal. I spent the last 2 afternoons out tidying our front garden. I have to make a few changes to the plants I've decided. I had a large lavender bush which actually BLEW OVER in the wind, splitting the stems, so it was dying. I still have to get the roots up, but I'm replacing that with a soft yellow rose. Then I want to dig up the bergenias. They look lovely in flower, but they rot from the underneath (and house loads of slugs in the damp weather!) So I have to decide what goes there instead. I think a trip to B&Q is in order next Wednesday (when they have their over 60's discounts).

Well must go, got to load the dishwasher and settle down on the sofa.

Till next time

Sandie

May Bank Holiday

Well, I don't know about where YOU are, but here it's been a bit of a mixed weekend so far. Friday we had brilliant sunshine; Saturday we had cooler weather with both a thunderstorm and a hailstorm(!); Sunday has been a much better day - wall-to-wall sunshine. I wonder what tomorrow will actually bring for the Bank Holiday?

We had a pretty hectic week just gone. On Monday we had a service visit for our gas boiler. It was firing up our heating, even though the boiler was switched to hot water only (!). That was fixed, but we needed a new part, which had to be ordered, delivery on Friday.
Tuesday we had the car booked in for its' annual service and MOT (a certificate of road-worthiness which all cars over 3 years old have to have in UK). Apart from having to get one new tyre it passed, but when they tried to adjust the tracking having put on the new tyre, they couldn't move the bolt which held it in place. We waited all day for it to be done, but by the time they tried to do this it was too late to complete because they were worried that the rod would snap under pressure!
So we had to take it back on Wednesday for them to order a new track rod and fit it. We then spent the day shopping! Our daughter rang us later that day to ask if we were able to visit the next day so...
On Thursday we drove to see her and our grand-daughter. Our daughter had what we hoped would be her final check-up with he consultant about her knee operation. So we drove them over to the hospital, and entertained Jessica while her mum was seen - and was signed off by the consultant. She still has to go to physio, but he has declared himself happy with her progress. She's been taking Jessica out on a trailer attached to her bike, Jess seems to enjoy it, and it's added weight and resistance for exercising her knee.

 Getting kitted up....

And off they go...

We went back to theirs for a couple of hours before heading home. I'd made her another dress which we took along - it was made with fabric I'd bought in Hawaii!

Then on Friday we had the gas engineer revisiting to fit the part to the boiler as well as a plumber to fit a new siphon unit to our toilet. We'd been having to pump the handle to get it to flush, and my right arm was beginning to complain about all the extra work it was doing - it was like an old-fashioned water pump!

After all that exertion for the week I've been spending a fair bit of time on Pinterest (I finally gave in and joined!) My page is here if you'd like to take a look. Decided that it makes sense for me to use it for all those  pictures which you attempt to download and keep track of ideas!

My shrug is nearly complete - I'll save a photo of that for next time. I finally chose my pattern from 1-2-3.com which I was going to get with the voucher I won from Ruth's blog As you may know (if you've been following me for a while) we love the atmosphere of German Christmas Markets. Over the years we've bought a few Nutcracker ornaments for Christmas, so (cue fanfare.....) I bought.....

And I've started to pick up my cheetah again -

 Here's where I left it...

 And here's after today's mini stitchalong.

I'm beginning to see the pattern of the fur emerging, so that's making it a bit easier to follow. But it's still hard going, and I can only stitch 2 or 3 lengths of thread before I have to get up and do something else instead. 

Better go now - got to settle myself on the sofa ready to watch Hawaii Five-0 and vicariously enjoy the stunning scenery (and the sight of Alex O'Loughlin as Steve McGarrett!!). 

Til next time - have fun

Sandie