Made It Monday

Something cute for Halloween!

A little free product that you can download if you click the button above to go to my TpT store.  I'd love some feedback :)

Linking up with Creative Mondays - hosted by the lovely Justine

Have you been busy being creative lately?  Leave me a comment below.  You know I'd love to know :)

Joining in with The Prompt

It's been a while but I decided to link back up with Sara's wonderful

there are some wonderful writers out there who contribute regularly to this linky and I often find their words really resonate with me so it's well worth a read even if you don't want to be inspired to write yourself - but you'll be tempted - I guarantee it!!

Here's my submission for this week's theme

HOPE

To hope is to be human

To want things to change for the better

To believe that good can finally conquer evil

To dream that we accomplish the impossible

To nurture new life and send it out into the world

To face the challenges before us

To comfort all in times of illness

To hold onto in our darkest hour

To wish for peace for the next generation

I think my inspiration is coming yet again from the awful scenes in Syria and also wishing for a miracle cure for illness and disease that robs us of our loved ones.

Thank you for reading :)

Celebrate #23

Come and join the fun over at

where we all look to share those small things that make ALL the difference in our everyday lives

kindly hosted by Lexa Cain, L.G. Keltner & Tonja Drecker

This week I am celebrating - 

1) Making people happy via my Nordic walking

I know it can sound a bit corny but it is just so lovely when people who are walking with my groups turn round and say with such a smile on their face - "I can't believe how wonderful this is - I never knew this even existed!" when we walk down by the canal and through the back lanes of places where people often pass through on the main road but have never "Been" before.  Having the time to walk and enjoy the beauty around us is so special and priceless really (well £2 per session actually) and I love it especially in this super sunny weather we're having :)

2) Having a very reasonable quote for tree pruning

Yes when you live in a conservation area you need to have a professional person come and do the work on any trees you may have and in our garden we have a lot that need a bit of a pruning after some years of not having anything done to them.  I know from my parents (who also live in a conservation area) that this can cost an awful lot of money so after having a site visit last weekend I was waiting for a bill with at least 3 zeros after it so was delighted to find it at much less plus I really liked the chap and his attitude (he had been recommended to us by one of our local parish councillors).  So now I am battling with filling in the application I need for the district council to process and get back to me in the next SIX weeks!!!  Why on earth it takes that long, I don't understand.

3) Getting an emergency appointment with my own dentist

On Tuesday, I was having some low fat soft cheese with some soft bread when my tooth decided to break a piece off!  Obviously, I rang my dental practice to arrange a visit thinking that I would have to see another dentist and hoping that I'd get an appointment within the week if I was lucky.  I was offered an appointment with my own lovely dentist the very next day!!  Absolutely wonderful and it was an easy repair and everything is great and there was no charge as it was covered with my dental plan - so a very good reason to celebrate :)

Now I'm off to see what everyone else is celebrating - so hoping everyone has a lovely weekend and please feel free to join in by hitting the celebrate button on top!

Is this a sign of Global Warming?

Well today when I was out in my garden trying to clear the path of weeds, I discovered that some of my strawberry plants are in flower!!!  What's that all about?

It's not the only plant that seems to be coming to life again after having bloomed earlier this year so it begs the question - is this because of the unseasonably, warm October weather we've been experiencing lately or is this Global Warming?

Have you noticed anything odd in your garden recently?  Leave a comment below - you know I'd love to know :)

Weight Loss Wednesday - Seeing the Silver Lining

I'm back on the wagon having taken a few months off over the summer and seeing a gradual return of a few of those pounds previously lost - I put this down to - too many parties, too much ice-cream and too much cake!!

However, every cloud has a silver-lining

and so last week I saw a drop of 1 and a 1/2 pounds with not too much effort so I am returning to a more balanced diet and an uptake of water consumption this week in an effort to see another 2 lbs shifted which would take me to ___ 4 lbs.

Joining in with -

Getting Back on Track

I'm determined to be getting back on track with managing to post 15 times during October as well as resume my more sensible and healthy eating plan in order to lose a little bit more weight before winter sets in.

What things in your life are you trying to get back on track with?  Leave me a comment - you know I love to know :)

Celebrate #22

Life seems to be whizzing by at the moment and taking time out to catch up with internet friends has gone completely out of the window. There's been nothing major or important - just everyday life! But I thought I could at least post about celebrating the small things in life and joining in with those others who know what it's all about...

Please feel free to join Lexa Cain and her co-hosts L.G Keltner and Tonja Drecker by clicking on the button above.

My big story and celebration for this week is that one of my cats returned after being missing for 14 weeks!!
Yes - that long.  She has been missing before (about the same time of year in 2015) but 3 weeks was the longest time she'd ever been away.  I can only presume that she was "taken in" by someone else who maybe did not let her out as she seems very happy to be back with her cat companions and me. Who knows?  All I can say is that I am delighted to know she is well and alive as you can imagine I have felt that it might not have ended so well for her.
Other things to celebrate include some lovely autumnal weather with bright sunshine - just perfect for Nordic walking outings - which are still going well and increasing in the number of attendees.
Getting to see my aunt a few times before she travels back to Spain. As a child I didn't see her much at all, but now in later life we share so much in common it is lovely when we get together :)
And making a bit more progress on getting things done on the house before winter weather starts to set in although there was a tiny set back when trying to put a new pane of glass in a small cellar window - leaving it to go and get the batten for the bottom bit I'd left on the stairs leading down and returning to find my youngest cat had jumped in from outside and the pane of glass was now in five much smaller pieces!!  No wonder things take a lot longer around here!

Here's hoping everyone else is finding those things in life to celebrate even if finding time to tell others about it can be a bit short :)