Boys Back To School...

Well the boys went back to school today, much to my relief and their disgust. The weather is horrid, its persistent rain and high winds. I was soaked when I came in from mucking the horses out.

Been looking on a few websites for a storage cupboard for Harry's bedroom, which at the moment looks like a tornado has gone through it. The problem in this house is there are no storage cupboards, only the one under the stairs. Whereas before in our other house, which was a Victorian Terrace, we had loads of original storage cupboards, under the stairs, in the dining room, on the landing and in the bedrooms. So trying to keep this place clutter free is a nightmare. What he really needs is a cupboard with shelving, with drawers and doors so everything is out of sight & tidy, he also needs a new bedside cabinet his old one, has given up the ghost and the drawers have collapsed in on themselves... It would help if he didn't chuck everything on the floor or on his window sill. The only new furniture in his bedroom was his wardrobe all the rest we brought from the other house and really it has had its day. You can see by the pictures that I've just taken how bad it is.. I might pop out tomorrow and have a look in a local furniture warehouse to see if they have anything or even the local auction house, you can sometimes pick up some good quality furniture there at a bargain price.

Blog Lapse..

Apologies to everyone that reads my blog on a daily basis, I've had a bit of a lapse due to the festive session. Will try and update daily again from now on..

Katie left ours yesterday to go home to bonny Scotland. She was actually back in Scotland before Ben got back from Bristol airport after dropping her off. I think she enjoyed herself here. Ben & Katie were out pretty much everyday that she was here. It made quite a change to have a girl around the house.

Katie loved the necklace that Ben brought her from Morgan, while he was in Paris and as promised I've uploaded a picture, couldn't do it before as Katie reads my blog. Thanks Katie for all the pressies... Hope all your bits arrived home safely, especially the dram for your Mum & Dad..

The boys are back to school tomorrow so I asked them to make sure they have all their uniform ready tonight, as I can't bear it in the morning when they've forgotten something and its all a mad dash...

Happy New Year....

Well sorry for not updating but we've had a lot going on here over the holiday....
Mick's parents came up Boxing day, we went out to Carmathen on the 27th, so that the boys could spend their Christmas money. Harry brought a couple of games for his wii and Ben brought himself the XBOX Elite and a couple of games. Mick and I managed to get the light fittings for the lounge, with I was over the moon with as we have had a bare light bulbs hanging in there for months. Mick's parent's brought us a new flat screen TV, as ours has been on the blink for ages, and also a new microwave as our one had gone a bit funny inside and you could see the bare metal under the glass dish where the enamel had lifted. I also stocked up on half price Christmas Decorations and Cards for next year.. My friend Tash (The Boot Sale Queen) has been ringing me after her shopping trips to tell me about all the bargains she's been picking up in the sale, I reckon she could start her own shop..
Mick's parents left early on 30th December and Ben's girlfriend Katie arrived the same day. Harry went to stay at his friend Paul's house for the evening, dropped him off on the way to Bristol Airport to pick up Katie. Apparently, she was really worried about meeting us but she seems ok now. New Years Eve, Ben & Katie went into Newcastle Emlyn for a wander round, Ben showed Katie were he goes to school and walked her round the town and castle. Mick & I popped to Tesco's at Cardigan for some milk and fridge bits and the place was packed. Got back unpacked the shopping , went to Emlyn to pick Katie & Ben up, came back and our lounge lights started flashing, then all the power went out in the whole of our village. I wouldn't have minded but I had a joint of meat in the oven cooking, luckily it was only off for about an hour, it was quite cosy sitting down in the candlelight. New Years Eve we had a quiet evening in, watched a film Hairspray, that Katie brought down with her and then the countdown on Big Ben. Picked Ben's friend Dyfrig up at 2am from his girlfriends and he stayed the night here. Finally got to bed around 3am.
Yesterday cooked another big meal and we all had a relaxing afternoon, Dyfrig's mum picked him up around 6pm.
Today, dropped Katie & Ben off in Emlyn so that they could catch the bus into Carmarthen where they were meeting up with Ben's friends and then they are going back to Dyfrig's house and we will pick them up from there about 8pm tonight. Our friend Rachael called over this morning for a cuppa and chat up, which was nice. I also caught up with some other friends via email and phone while the computer and phone was kid free.

Christmas Catch Up....

Christmas Day morning we were all up at 6.30am. Harry crept down the stairs behind me, think he was just waiting for someone to get up. Ben was awake as Katie rang him at 5.30am. Ben & Harry were really pleased with their pressies. Brought Ben his ipod classic, docking station, ipod charger, 3 new pairs of jeans, No fear clothing, his tickets to go to Katie's in February, slippers, socks and lots of little bits. Harry had his wii package, No Fear clothing and Roller blades, a couple of DVD's, slippers, socks and again loads of little bits.

Its a tradition in this house that we have a little present on the table at Christmas, I'd got the boys a tin shaped like an old fashioned racing car which was filled with chocolate chip cookies. Mick and I had a tube of sweets each.

We had a lovely dinner and chilled out for the rest of the day, watching films and stuffing our faces. Harry did have a go on his roller blades, but he needs a lot more practise..

Mick's Mum and Dad arrived about 11am Boxing Day, they had a clear run all the way and also had 3 stops, so they did really well to get here that early. All of us had a go on Harry's wii, which was a good laugh. We had the traditional boxing day dinner, cold meats and pickles...

Yesterday, we went into Carmarthen early to have a look in the Sales, Ben brought the XBOX Elite that he's been saving up for and Harry got some games for his wii. I managed to get the light fittings I wanted for the lounge, so their going up today, also managed to get some nice baskets to go in the kitchen cupboards. Mick's Mum & Dad treated us to a new television, as ours as been on the blink for ages, and to be honest was way down our list of things to get, with all the other stuff we still need to get to finish the house. So we now have a new LCD TV which is great and we really appreciated it, can actually watch the TV now without it suddenly going to a black screen. Well I'm off now to get the new light fittings up.. Will try and update later. Merry Christmas......

Twas The Night Before Christmas.....

And all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse, cause I found him decapitated on the kitchen floor this morning at 7am... Early Christmas pressie from one of the cats...

Its all go in this house today, washing on, washing drying, meats are cooking in the ovens just trying to make sure there won't be a lot to do tomorrow, other then muck out the horses and cook dinner...

Its really miserable weather here today, the heavens opened early this morning and it hasn't stop raining since..

Ben's girlfriend Katie is ok, hospital have advised her if she has another nose bleed like last night , she will have to have it cauterized. So glad she's ok, had us all worried there for awhile.

Anyway not a lot to say other then Happy Christmas to everyone that is reading this, hope you have a wonderful time and may the New Year bring you Peace and Happiness... xxxx

Sunday....

Was awake this morning about 7am feeling pretty sick, tried to ignore the feeling but decided to get up and have a cuppa instead. Had to go to the Butcher's today to pick up our meat for Christmas, which is now tucked up nicely in the fridge.

Walked up the fields this morning to open the gates to one of the paddock's so that the ponies could have free range, they all followed me and started munching away immediately. As I was walking back down the field Mick shouted up at me to look behind me, which I did and little Athena was following me, so I stopped walking turned round to face her and called her name, she came running straight at me and then started jumping and bucking with excitement, it was so lovely to watch her, she then stopped came right up to me and put her head up, ready for a kiss. She is such a dear little soul. Eventually after about 10 minutes playing with her and giving her a good scratch, I walked her back to the others and told her to stay with them, which she did, I'm sure she understands every word I say to her.

Had a visit from Rhidan & Judy this afternoon, they used to rent our land from us when we first moved here. It was a nice surprise, showed Judy the house as she'd never been further then the kitchen before when the other owners lived here.
Watched Noel's Christmas Presents tonight it was on sky one at 6pm, what a wonderful programme, I cried my eyes out.
Had a bit of a fright tonight, Harry heard a knock at the front door and I went to answer it, only to see 2 Policeman standing there, god my heart missed a beat, thought something terrible had happened. As it turned out they wanted to know if we had called them as a man had been reported unconscious in Cwm Cou, we had a police car and ambulance parked outside the house, they had called at another house and was directed up the hill to us, told them it wasn't us and that I hoped that they would find him. We checked the drive to make sure he hadn't wandered in from the layby. The problem is as well as there are no street lights it is pitch black outside, so unless you knew where to look it could be quite a problem finding someone. Just hope who ever it was managed to get up and find their way home.

Mick's Dad rang tell me that he had been to the Cemetery yesterday to lay some flowers on my families grave and had taken a picture for me, as I wanted to see what the flowers were like. There were another two wreaths on there, one I think is from my parents Godson and the other from my Mum and Dad's friends. It was always a family tradition that 2 pale blue ribbons were put in the wreath to represent my brothers Richard & Dean. When Mum died we added a pink ribbon and then when Dad died a dark blue ribbon. I'd just like to say thank you to the friends and family that visit the Grave for me, it means a great deal to me and I really appreciate it.

Ben's girlfriend Katie has had a really bad nose bleed tonight, apparently it's gone on for over an hour, so her parents have taken her to A & E to have it checked out. Waiting to hear how she is, will update tomorrow.. Hope everything is ok Katie xxxx.

Friday & Saturday....

Friday morning dropped boys off at school, much to Harry's disgust. Then Mick and I popped to Carmarthen to get the rest of the food shopping for Christmas.. Morrison's was packed god knows what it will be like Christmas Eve... If I've forgot anything now will its tough, cause I'm not going out again.

Ben asked us last night if one of his friends could stay on New Years Eve, he's going to his girlfriends in Cenarth to see the New Year in with her, but he can't stay there the night, and the nearest friends are not at home New Years Eve, so we are going to pick him up around 2am and he's staying here, can't bear the thought of him trying to get home as he lives miles away, and his parents are going out for the evening to the local Pub, so looks like another New Years Eve without a drink! Last Year I wasn't allowed any food or drink from 10pm New Years Eve, as I was going into hospital on the 2ND January, for a Colonoscopy. Which was all clear thank goodness.

This afternoon we all went over to see Tash, Geoff and the boys and take over their Christmas Presents. We had a really nice afternoon. Took loads of pictures of the boys, didn't realise I'd taken 94 pictures till I downloaded them. Little Brandon is talking really well now and wanted Ben to give him Aeroplane rides and Monkey swings and he got Harry to read him loads of books. Managed to get some lovely pictures of Callum, Lewis, Tyler and Brandon, which was a feat as they are normally all running about and by the time I've pressed the shutter button they've gone...

I've put some of the best ones on here...