What I did on my holidays - Part 3

OOPS! I just discovered this post languishing in the 'drafts' folder. It should have been posted last year!!

Welcome back to Part 3 of the holiday snaps. Are you bored of them yet?? NO? 

On Wednesday we had a very busy day planned! More buildings and a very special treat!

Batemans 

Batemans is the house that Rudyard Kipling bought and lived in until his dying day. It's wonderfully cosy and homely with stunning gardens!

(Thank goodness that a lot of National Trust properties have now relaxed their 'no photos' rule - as long as you don't use the flash! I always missed not having photos of the inside of their beautiful houses)

Scotney Castle

Two properties for the price of one! The original castle and the much larger and much later stately home. Both are beautiful!

First the Stately Home part of the property.

(I think my eldest has perfected the art of posing during this holiday!)

... and then the older castle!

Bodiam Castle

Himself and myself have been to Bodiam Castle before... back in the BC days (Before Children). Other people's children charged around with swords and made a general nuisance of themselves. We tutted and sighed like inconvenienced tourists but secretely promised ourselves that our children would get a chance to do the same. We fulfilled this promise on Wednesday and great fun was had by all!

(The Millers wife - just in case you're wondering)

... and yes, we bought them both swords and much charging and play fighting was done. Thank goodness no eyes were poked out or limbs chopped off, but I think it was a close-run thing!

Of course, you absolutely have to charge across the drawbridge whilst brandishing your sword!

Kent & East Sussex Steam Railway

Our last stop on Wednesday was a last minute find! I had heard that you could catch the steam train from Tenterden to Bodiam and was looking online (on my phone!) on Tuesday night to find train timetables etc. when I discovered that they run a fortnightly 'Fish & Chip Special' on Wednesday evenings - and that the next one was scheduled the next day! One phonecall first thing in the morning, secured our last minute seats and a rather scrummy tea! We rode on a Diesel Observation car from Tenterden to Bodiam, where we had a 30 minute break. I think the intention was to eat on the train (and lots of people came prepared with lap trays) but as there were no tables and we have a messy 3-year old we opted, instead, for eating on a picnic table at Bodiam instead. Fish 'n' Chips alfresco stylee! Yum.

This carriage is set up as a permanent memorial to The Unknown Soldier and was used to transport the casket from Dover to London for reburial. It was not the first repatriation this carriage had been used for, so it seems fitting that it now serves as a memorial to those who fought in the Great War. A very moving moment in an otherwise hectic day!

WOYWW 25th July '12

Salaam and Good evening, my friends. (LOL. Why do I sound like the narrator from Disney's 'Alladin'?) My apologies for being late with my entry for this week's WOYWW. It's been a gorgeous day here for once, Mr Mojo finally made an appearance and I have been trying to make the most of both situations!! So this morning I was entertaining Mr Mojo and this afternoon I took the kids out to a local park. It was mobbed!  But the kids had fun anyway.

Yes, it's a little bit messy-ish. Mostly the papercrafting stuff is where it should be though. I don't know what happened to me but Mr Mojo was in the mood for sewing! First time in absolute years that the poor sewing machine has seen action. In fact, Mr Mojo has been working on me for about 5 days now and I have spent 4 of those days cutting out various pieces. Today was the first day that the sewing actually happened. Yay!

This photo is a bit more 'wide-angle' than usual just to show you the presence of the ironing board. Now, I hate and loathe ironing with a passion. In fact, in this household it's my better half (aka Himself) that does that ironing. However, I am not averse to Pressing. Now, you must understand that Pressing is completely different beast to ironing. Ironing = drudgery = boredom = something I DON'T DO. Pressing on the other hand = an activity integral to the sewing process to make things look properly finished. That, I can most certainly do!! Especially since I've discovered that I can set the ironing board at the right height for sitting down in my craft chair while I'm pressing the seams. Yay! I don't even have to move, I can simply swivel the chair and press. (Remember my previous post where I confessed my laziness? Yes, classic example here!)

Anyway, so today I have been ruching and gathering and hopefully it will all be finished later tonight or tomorrow morning. Pictures will follow as soon as it is all finished!

Now, excuse me but the sewing machine is calling and I have another seam that needs pressing. Hop over to Julia's blog to check out what all the other WOYWW'ers have been up to. Thankfully, due to my late posting, there will be plenty of others to browse through!

See you soon!


PS. I've just realised that I never finished showing you holiday snaps! More will follow soon. Perhaps even tomorrow... if my sewing project is finished by then!

Simple Woman's Daybook

Good morning. I'm sorry for neglecting my little bloggy thing. I have no excuses other than, school holidays. Enough said, I think!

I have, however, still been hopping around blog land and came across this meme through fellow blogger, Neesie. I think I shall try taking part regularly so I can get back into the swing of blogging regularly on here. I must admit that I have been blogging regularly over on my SU blog, but it's mostly crafty rather than personal. So, I'm thinking I'd like to take part in this Simple Woman's Daybook each Monday and see how often I can keep it going!

FOR TODAY  - 23rd July 2012

Outside my window... It's grey and horrible... and 'dribbling' as my beautiful 3-year-old told me this morning. Other than being able to laugh at the cute factor, I can't find anything positive to say about the weather at the moment. I thought we were supposed to be in Summer now? It feels more like winter to me.

I am thinking... all about goals at the moment. The aforementioned 3-year-old will be starting school in August next year and I'm starting to think about what I'm going to do once she's in full-time education. I've been considering going back to education myself, or getting a job or building up my Stampin' Up business more. 

I am thankful... for my wonderful hubby who does so much around the house! Seriously, I don't know many women who have a hubby that cooks, washes the dishes and does his own ironing! And I don't have to nag one bit.

In the kitchen... isn't much happening there today. I'd like to do some baking but the cupboards are bare! Time for some grocery shopping I think!

I am wearing... my usual, Jeans and a shirt with flat shoes. It's a Mummy's uniform and I'm comfortable in it.

I am creating... I have dragged out my sewing machine!! It's a miracle! I'm currently trying to sew a canvas bag/tote and adding extra bits as I go along. It might be a success, or a complete disaster. Watch this space for further details.

I am going... to the bank later. It seems hubby's car isn't going to last much longer, so a loan is needed. Not what either of us wanted since we're supposed to be getting rid of the debt not taking more on! However, the man needs a car to do his job, to earn the money that keeps food on the table. Speaking of food, I'm going to have to go to the supermarket today too as the cupboards are bare. We'll need another loan for that too!

I am wondering... why it is that kids can weeble to themselves happily playing with a plastic bottle-top lid and a cardboard box for hours, but if you give them a room full of toys they suddenly complain they're bored and can't find anything to do!

I am reading... Magician's Apprentice by Trudy Canavan. Yes, I love fantasy books!

I am hoping... that I can stick to the goals that I'm setting for myself right now. 

I am looking forward to... being thinner, being settled and being gainfully employed!

I am learning... that I have to stop using my health, my (supposed) lack of time and my kids as an excuse to do nothing. I am also learning that I am incredibly lazy and a good procrastinator.

Around the house... well, I'd rather you didn't look around the house at the moment. It's a tip. 

I am pondering... how to finish off the canvas bag without it becoming an complete mess!

A favorite quote for today... "Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana" Groucho Marx.... because who doesn't like a bit of random from Groucho?

One of my favorite things... is hearing my youngest 'reading' herself a story. Usually a Julia Donaldson book because she can memorise the rhyme and rhythm and make up words to match if she can't quite remember it.

A few plans for the rest of the week: This week the kids are still on holiday, so I shall be ferrying the eldest to holiday club and trying to keep the youngest one entertained. I am planning to get back on the Weight Watchers wagon properly again. I want to go swimming... and, of course, lots of crafting to be done too!!

A peek into my day... Lunch next, then off to the bank to talk to the manager (eek!), then back home in time to pick the eldest one up from holiday club, then grocery shopping, then home to start cooking tea, then maybe I'll get some more sewing done this evening.

Here's where my project is at right now....

I'm cutting one final piece and my sewing machine is standing by! Next stop for me, is lunch. For you? Hop over to Peggy's Simple Womans Daybook blog to see what some other daybookers are pondering.

See you soon!

What I did on my holidays - Part 2

I decided to break the holiday snaps into smaller posts for the sake of bandwidth and download times! So here's some more of what we did... you'll definitely notice a recurring theme!

Tuesday: Leeds Castle

Have you ever been to Leeds Castle? It's somewhere I've always wanted to go, but the ticket prices are extortionate!! £19.75 per adult and £12.50 per child?? You must be joking! Even if the ticket lasts all year, who on earth would pay those prices?! Luckily for us, our next door neighbour at the holiday cottages does! Her tickets were still valid so she lent them to us. Whoohoo!! There are still some good people on this planet!! We spent the whole day there, despite the on/off showers and had a great time!

Definitely worth the price of OUR tickets, but I'm still not sure I'd pay the whopping prices they ask for! But, hey, not bad for a FREE day trip!