House Pictures....

Took these pictures this afternoon of the outside of the house. You can see the new veranda roof, looks so much better now. Still got quite a lot of pointing to do, just waiting for the weather to warm up a bit.

Another Day...

Well not alot to tell you really. Been doing the normal daily chores, you know the thing washing, hoovering and trying to get the place tidy.

Did sit down last night and try to sort out our breeding plan for Hericus Stud this year and names for the forthcoming babies. Hopefully we will have four, running about by the end of April.. Really looking forward to that.

Well nothing else really to tell you.....

Do You Remember...

For regular readers of my blog, do you remember all the Vegetable boards and Fruit Salad boards I did last year? Well I've completely sold out of them. Looks like I'm going to have to make another batch!

Had some emails asking when I'm putting some more miniatures on Ebay, so will have to get my finger out.

Been looking through the pictures on Ben's computer and thought I'd put some on here, in case you've all forgotten what I make...

Saturday....

Harry has gone over to stay at his friend's house today and tonight. Ben is going to help outside today as I want some stuff moved. Also want to finish pruning the apple tree and the fruit bushes. Managed to take some video on my Fuji Finepix S9500 yesterday of the ponies. Never used the video function before, so was quite pleased with the results, you can see the videos on Hericus blog. Will try and take some more video today of the outside of the house and outbuildings and put them on here later, so that you can get some idea of the lay out.

Also thought about getting Mick or one of the boys videoing me making some miniatures and putting them on here, like a live tutorial. Just need another few hours in the day...

Crafty Blog Button.

You see the crafty blog button at the top of this blog... Well it's supposed to let you know how many people read your blog and visit via the crafty blog site and how you move up and down the rankings. Well I think its telling porkies! Cause when I checked on it today, it said only 5 people had visited my site today. Why then pray tell have I had over 3o hits on this blog. ......

Blog Lapse Again....

Sorry if you pop in every day, lapsed again.
Been busy here as the last couple of days we've had reasonably good weather and some jobs have needed to be done outside. Also been trying to get the new blog up and running with loads of information on the ponies, pictures and today I've managed to put a video of Athena on there. Really chuffed with myself, well ok did have help from Ben last night to get the video off my phone and onto his computer.
Harry didn't go to school yesterday as he was sick first thing yesterday morning, but has gone back today.
Ben had another exam yesterday, which he said went ok. Going to try and upload a video on here of Merlin and Harry that I took on my phone in the Summer. Merlin had nicked something of Harry and Harry was trying to catch him.

Wednesday....

Last night we had a major flood in the downstairs shower room, as fast as I was mopping up the water more was appearing. We rang our plumber Derek who came out straight away. He had to take one of the tiles of the wall to get at the pipework. It turns out that it was a faulty connector and it had literally unscrewed its self in the wall. Luckily the tile came of in one piece, I had visions of it breaking and having to go out and get another pack of tiles. Derek then filled up the central heating system again and went round and bled all the radiators to make sure everything was working OK and no more leaks.. He didn't charge me a penny, as he said it was down to the faulty valve connector which he'd fitted. I offered to pay for his petrol but he was adamant that he didn't want anything.
Today I've just been sorting out washing, stripping beds and the like. I've also managed to get loads of information loaded on to my other blog Hericus Miniature Shetlands. I put a blog counter on it yesterday and it already had 60 hits.
Nothing much else to tell you really, will update tomorrow.

Sort Out Day....

Went to Harry's Parent's evening last night and was pleasantly surprised at what his teachers had to say about him. Well done Harry keep up the good work..
Decided this morning to start sorting out some boxes of glossy magazines that I had stored. My friend Rachel called in while I was doing it and ended up taking quite a few with her to browse through. She also borrowed my Quickutz and some heart shaped dies. Rachel works with special needs adults, some who are quite severely disabled and at the moment they are working on a Valentine theme. Showed her how to use it and she was really pleased with the results. Hopefully they will be able to make some nice cards. Sorted out loads of mags for Tash & her Mum and loads to go to the recycling bin down in Emlyn. So the car boot is now loaded up with a box of glass jars etc and magazines all for recycling. Will get rid of those today.
Had a leak in the shower room this morning think one of the boys may have pulled on the radiator and dislodged the pipe. There was water gushing out all over the floor. Thank goodness that the whole room is tiled, made clearing up a whole lot easier. The nut has now been tightened and the leak has stopped, I've put a bowl under there just in case. But it did mean all the other Rad's in the house had to be bled once the boiler went back on as we'd lost all the pressure.

Kitchen Tiles...

Been out today looking for Kitchen tiles. I've brought some samples home with me to try out and see which ones if any that I like. They look so different in the room then they do in the tile shop. Still not sure which ones I like.
Also started my blog on Hericus blog page today. Will be trying to get as much information on there as I can over the next few days. So those of you that are interested please fill free to have a look.
Harry has his first parent's evening tonight at secondary school. I wonder what the teachers will have to say? My boys are as different as Chalk & Cheese.

New Blog Page.....For Hericus Stud

Spent most of yesterday, scrubbing the kitchen walls down with a strong bleach solution to eradicate the mould on the walls..

Today I decided that my blog needed a good tidy up as I have stuff on here relating to my miniature work, the house, the ponies and everything else besides. So have decided to start a new blog page just for our miniature Shetland pony stud Hericus. I'll be listing the ponies with pictures and their breeding and all the foaling news, plus loads of links to pony sites. There is now a link in my sites & blogs I stalk sidebar.

Tiny treasures blog will be for my miniature work, house and daily ramblings... Pretty much what it is now but without the Ponies.

Freaky Photo...

Our Friend Geoff sent me a photo that he'd taken of himself pulling a stupid face, he'd then morphed it on his phone...

The result was pretty freaky and you wouldn't want to meet that face down a dark alley... My Mum always said never trust a man who's eyes are to close together...

Actually Geoff is really a nice looking bloke, but this was just Freaky....

I've added a normal picture of Geoff so you can see what I mean... Can you tell which is the normal picture? Only joking Geoff, we love you really....x

Boot Room Continued.....

Weather today is awful, torrential wind and high winds which according to the weather forecast, Wales have got all weekend, plus flood alerts are in force...

I did manage to get into the Boot Room yesterday and have a good sort out. Filled 3 recycling sacks and 1 black bag. The bin men are coming today, so their going to love me.. Not. Found some more kitchen equipment that had been stored out there and that's now indoors in the cupboards. Moved loads of stuff down into the garden shed/room, like the fold up garden chairs, Harry's skateboard and about 6 pairs of wellington boots. Also found some photographs that I'd been looking for. Took a picture of one with my camera and have added it as my profile picture. You can actually get to everything now and I know whats in the boxes in there. Will try and finish it today..
Ben was sent home from school yesterday feeling really rough. I rang the Doctors and explained what was wrong and that he has exams at the moment and we were worried that it will affect his performance. They arranged for antibiotic's to be waiting at the chemist for us late yesterday afternoon, and advised us if he wasn't any better in the morning to ring for emergency appointment and they would fit him in. We also rang the school to find out what we had to do if Ben was to ill to sit the exam. They advised us that they would need a Doctor's note and they would then grade him from his mock exam and the course work. However, when he got up this morning he said he felt a bit better and has gone into school with his own supply of painkillers. Just hoping he gets on OK.

It was Harry's first night back at Scouts yesterday and was given a couple of badges that he's earned. They've also got an all day activity planned for Sunday 27th January doing forestry work. On the equipment list that he was given it said Chainsaw if possible! One thing that Harry will definitely not be taking, made me feel ill just thinking about Harry wielding a chainsaw.

Rang t-mobile last night has I've been getting picture messages sent to my phone and I have to go on line to get them. I have to say the girl I spoke to (Louise), was so helpful, she rang me back on the home phone and spent ages talking me through the set up procedure for mine, Mick's and Ben's phone. Ben & I can now get picture messages, but for some reason Mick can't, so there sending him a new chip and hopefully it will then work.
While I was clearing the Boot Room yesterday I came across a new sea grass bin that I'd brought and put it in the lounge. Last night while we were eating dinner, Harry said that the kitten was in the bin. Harry grabbed my camera and took some pictures. She looks so cute....

Car Service..

My car has gone in for a service today.. I know the brakes need doing, but hopefully nothing else will crop up.

Weather can't make up its mind today, it was raining this morning, now its overcast with the sun trying to peek through, but there are some nasty black clouds coming in over the hills. Lets hope they blow over.

These Pictures are of the boot room, another out building jam packed with stuff, this also houses our big chest freezer. I eventually want to turn this into an office or craft room. If I can get galvanised today, think I might start sorting this room out, there's loads of stuff that's been put in there that shouldn't have been, fold up garden chairs etc. When we first came here, there was a resident RAT, yes I did say Rat. I went out to the freezer one day and heard some scratching, I thought one of the cats had followed me in, until the Rat decided to literally run up the wall and exit through the ceiling, frightened the life out of me.. He or She is no longer, as I put enough poison in there to kill a herd of Elephants. Plus the cats have full access to this room now, as you can see in the picture O'Malley laying on a box in the window. (the poison has been removed).

Well the clouds didn't blow over and its now pouring down. I'm off to see what I can do in the Boot room.........

Pictures of The Downstairs Of The Barn Building.

Downstairs in the barn building in what was a feed shed of some kind, as it still has the metal bars and concrete feeders in there, we have more stuff stored.... Told you its a mammoth job and I really have no idea where to start. There's loads of furniture in here that needs to be sent to auction or put in the local paper. In the picture where the boys bikes are, under the tarpaulin is a full size pool table! This room is bigger then the upstairs of the barn, I eventually want this turned into more stabling.

Then theres the boot room which is next to the garage and thats full to the brim as well.....

Pictures Of The Barn

Just taken these pictures as well. As you can see I have a mammoth sorting out job to do. This is stuff we brought with us from our old house and my parents house.. Need a gang of about 20 of us to sort this lot out!!!! And this is just what is stored in the top of the barn. To give you some idea of the size the barn upstairs is approx 36ft long by 18ft wide and the boxes are stacked 3-4 high...

Pictures Of The Flooded Fields.

Just taken these pictures from our back field looking down towards Adpar. Normally this is all fields with the river winding through it. It looks like the flood waters have receded quite a bit this morning.

Flooding In Wales...

Meant to say yesterday, that due to the appalling weather we've been having over the last few days that there has been some flooding in our local area. The River that flows through Newcastle Emlyn has broken its banks and all the low lying fields through Adpar are now under water. As I write this the sun is out and its quite a lovely day outside, made quite a change to muck the Horses out without getting soaked to the skin. But looking at the weather reports, we are in for more rain tonight and the rest of the week. As the ground is already saturated I except there will be more flooding in the next few days. Outside our drive on the lay by, we have a steady stream of water running down the hill, I made sure the debris was moved from the drain outside our front gate yesterday. Thank goodness we live on a hill and our property is safe from flooding. Harry's scout leader's house backs straight on to the river, so I expect her flood gate is up and in use. The water was raging under the bridge in Emlyn yesterday and having spoken to our post lady, she said that they stopped traffic going across a bridge further down river as it was to dangerous to cross.
Ben wasn't well last night and threw up, think it was more down to him being blocked up then a stomach upset. He said he felt better after he was sick. Both Ben & Harry have got a cold/virus at the moment.
Really need to start work on some more miniatures, its pretty difficult trying to fit everything in at the moment, what with trying to get the house sorted out, need to get motivated. Also really need to start sorting all the stuff we have stored in the barn, mammoth job that's going to be.... I'll take some pictures so you can see what I mean...

Blog Award...

Got a surprise when I went on to my blog this morning. I've been awarded a You Make My Day Award from another blogger. How nice is that.. Thank you Minna. I have a link to Minnas Doll Houses on my sites and blogs I stalk side bar, if you want to take a look. I've tried to pick up the award and put it on here, but I most be doing something wrong cause it doesn't seem to be coming over... http://minnasdollhouses.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-make-my-day-award.html..

Carmarthen....

Popped to Carmarthen this morning, wanted to pick up all the ingredients for Harry's cooking lesson on Thursday. Not that he's cooking, but making a fruit salad.
On the way back called in to see Tash who'd also been to Carmarthen, I'd forgotten, but today Boots were reducing all the Christmas Gift stuff by 75%. She had bags of stuff laid out on her Kitchen table. Tash's Mum & Dad were there and were going to Carmarthen so asked Jackie if there was anything left to pick me up a couple of bits, which she has but not sure what yet. Left Tash's and whizzed straight down to Boots in Newcastle Emlyn, but when we got in there, all the stuff just said half price, so I took a gift set to the till and got them to check it for me and it did come up with 75% off, so grabbed a couple of gift sets and a few other bits for myself and Tash. Just to give you an example £8.00 glass decanter bottle of bubble bath, down to £2.00..
Got home unpacked the shopping and then rang Tash to let her know what I'd got her and told her that the Perfume sets also had clearance tickets on them. So arranged that I would meet her down in town and we'd go in their together and Mick would stay in the car with the babies. Which we did, but when we got to Boots there was hardly anything left, so pleased I picked up what I did earlier. We did however manage to get two sets each of some miniature perfumes at a bargain price.... Best bargain of the year....
Ben had his re-sit today for his Biology and another exam. He doesn't think he's done very well in the second exam as he had a really bad headache. Told him not to worry about it. Its such a shame for him, but he's so bunged up with a cold and a bit of a temperature, but I can't keep him off school as these few weeks are so important and he needs to be at all his lessons, otherwise he could miss some crucial work in class.
Got an email from my cousin Mandy today, she seems to be enjoying her new job, so pleased you like it Mandy. She's got visitor's coming from America for a long weekend and has been doing up the spare room. Hope the weekend is brilliant Mandy, would loved to have met them. She also wants to book in a long weekend to spend with us, hopefully in May. I know why Mandy, cause hopefully we will have some foals running around by then....

Work In Progress...

Yesterday, was a really miserable day, it just didn't stop raining and with the high winds was awful. Both the boy's are feeling ill at the moment, but Ben can't afford to have any time of school as he has some exams this week...
Have taken some more pictures of the Utility Room and the Farmhouse Kitchen. They are both still works in progress. As you can see in the utility room, Merlin our Newfie is after the cat's food, he's a bugger for doing it. Notice how he uses the washing machine as a step. definately caught in the act this morning. Still need to get tiles for the window sills, some painting needs finishing, kickboards need to go on and cornice/pelmet for cupboards.

In the Farmhouse kitchen, we still have to get the wall skimmed and finish painting the beams, but was unable to do that while the old kitchen units were in the way. Loads of painting to do, kickboards to go on, plus pelmet/cornice on the cupboards, plus my under cupboard lighting their another thing that have disappeared... (Remember the taps for the Utility room, well they turned up over Christmas, in a box in the workshop!!, need I say more?).

Happy Birthday To ME.....

Well as you've most probably gathered by the post title its my Birthday.. Forty Four Years young today...

Thank you to all my friends and family that sent cards & gave me pressies. My friend Mandie in Spain sent the most beautiful hand made card, thanks Mandie its beautiful. I've posted piccies of it on here, but I have to say that they don't do it justice.

I had a lazy couple of hours this morning, then wrapped up warm and have been outside in the freezing cold till about 10 minutes ago. I've been pruning back an old apple tree in the garden, it was so badly overgrown and a lot of the branches had crossed and loads were actually touching the floor. It looks quite naked now, just hoping that I haven't over done it and killed the poor thing, as the apples from it are beautiful.
Ben & Harry worked really hard today, helping to get the old units out of the kitchen. We've managed to salvage a couple which we are going to reuse in the workshop. The rest were beyond saving. It looks like we are going to have quite a bit of filling to do and the wall really needs a skim of plaster and the walls could really do with a wipe down of a bleach solution to get rid of the mould. It looks massive out there now. It will be fabulous once its finished. Will take some pictures tomorrow.

Tonight I think I'll open a bottle of wine and relax in front of the TV...

Friday Friends...

Went over to see my friend Di today, she's not been very well lately. It was great to have a chat and catch up on all the gossip!! Not that there was a lot, but ha, you know what us women are like when we get together!
Got back home at about 1pm.
Had a phone call from my cousin Steve to wish me Happy Birthday, it's his birthday today. Happy Birthday Steve hope its a good one, and try not to get to drunk...
Then went to meet Tash this afternoon at the school car park so she could give me my Birthday Cards & Presents. Its my birthday tomorrow. Can't believe another year has passed so quickly. Managed to get a huge smacking kiss from Brandon, but Tyler wasn't having any of it...
Does sleep talking and walking run in families? When I was young and still living at home with my parent's, I used to sleep with my door wide open. But I had a habit of when my Mum & Dad came upstairs to bed, I would sit bolt upright, with my eyes wide open. It used to totally freak my Dad out, and he'd say to my Mum "Kay, she's doing it again." Then my mum would just stand in my doorway and say its ok, go back to sleep and I'd lay down again. My hubby Mick talks in his sleep and you can hold a conversation with him. So I think we have passed both traits on to Harry. Last night about midnight, I went up stairs to bed. Harry's door was wide open which is unusual, as he normally only leaves a small gap. So I go to close it and Harry sits bolt upright in his bed and says "Mum, I need to get the thingy!", I said "what thingy, are you talking about Harry", he replies "You know the thingy that goes inside the other thingy!", he's out of bed by now. So I said "its ok Harry, we will find the thingy tomorrow, its time to sleep now", at the same time I'm gently guiding him back into bed and trying to get him to lay down. He then says "I really need the thingy" and promptly lays down and goes back to sleep. I asked him tonight if he remembers anything about last night and he said he remembers me closing his door but not our conversation... He does this quite often, especially if he falls asleep on the sofa and you try and wake him to go to bed, he will start totally random conversations and we have to guide him up the stairs and into his bed. Ben thinks the whole thing is hysterical and will talk to him about anything to see what he will come out with... I just hope he doesn't start sleepwalking..

Cobwebs & Crap....

Started getting out the old kitchen cupboards today, my god you should have seen the crap behind them and the cobwebs, good job I'm not scared of our Arachnoid friends. Have uploaded some pictures of work in progress...

I can't tell you the relief to be finally getting those horrendous tiles of the wall, they've haunted me since we've been here.... The whole kitchen had been very badly thought out, can you imagine having a sink in the middle of the work top but no drainer, where were you supposed to drain your dishes? Plus there was hardly space on the worktop to dish up. It looks like we are going to have to skim the walls, another bodge job we've uncovered, but I have to say its not as bad as I thought it was going to be... Mind you their not all out yet, so will have to see tomorrow whats behind the remainder....

Harry's Room...

Well got the other unit together this morning and dismantled Harry's old bedside table. Emptied all the drawers and rearranged his bits in his new unit. It looks so much better in there. Its amazing what a bit of storage can do.. Also tidied up all the mess on the floor and emptied his bin which was stuffed full.

Been down and mucked out the Horses and given all the others some nice dry hay, which Athena promptly rolled in. The weather was horrendous this morning, its dried up a bit now and the sun is trying to peek out from behind the clouds. It poured down all night, so you can imagine how much mud there is outside...

We've started dismantling the old kitchen, just keep your fingers crossed that it all comes out ok...

I'll try and update later....

What A Difference A Day Makes...

Went into Carmarthen today, to try and get the shelves I wanted for the alcove in the lounge, but they are out of stock just my flipping luck. Did however manage to get three small modular units for Harry's room, which we've put together, one has doors, one has 4 cubed shelves and the other has two small doors and 2 shelves. Harry's window sill is now clear, all the games & DVDs are tucked away nicely, behind doors, it's big enough to get two deep. It looks so much tidier in there now and he can now display his replica Samurai Swords on his window sill. That's another job ticked off my list..

Tomorrow we are going to attempt to remove the old kitchen units and get them into Mick's workshop. I'm dreading what we are going to find behind them, just keeping my fingers crossed that as we take the units down that the plaster on the walls doesn't come with them...

I made myself a list of all the work that still needs to be done on the house last night, as you can imagine there's still quite a lot to do inside & out. Most of the jobs inside are minor, just finishing off really, considering that we've had the inside of the house totally gutted and rebuilt, but some major work still to be done outside. I'm determined to get a least one minor job completed each week. I'm also determined to get my finger out re my miniature's. I really need to set aside at least one full day a week to work totally on them, I've really let things slip over the last month.. I also want to spend at least one evening a week catching up on my scrapbooking, can't even remember the last time I did a page...