Today I've been.....

Happy Birthday ga it is my DGD's 3rd birthday today so I shall be off visiting soon with cake, balloons and gifts. When today is over we have to do it all again next Saturday for a 7th birthday.

Happy birthday

My dgd has just gone with her mother and the place seems empty. At least I can now play with my ikad! As it seems to be called!

I was supposed to be taking GD1 out to lunch but she rang to say she wasn't feeling well, so lunch was off. A mixed blessing because I wanted to see her but didn't want to be seduced into having a pudding - weak willed as I am. I will now take the opportunity to go and look at the garden at Styal Mill.

finishing my skirt..the first time I've done any dressmaking in donkeys' years (apart from alterations) Im so thrilled, I've got a skirt that fits me, is the right length, in a fabric I like AND it only cost me £6.50. I've put some hours in on it though cos its lined and the hem is hand sewn, but I don't care!

Brilliant specki. Doesn't it give you satisfaction to have done it yourself? I've got one cut out, made of jersey fabric, and have been practising stretch stitch to try and get it right before I sew the skirt. Must get back to it this week.

I have had my first proper walk in three days - at last the sun is shining.
Anno - you won't be tempted by my puddings - I don't make any! A scoop of ice cream with a little half-fat cream, or a couple of yoghurts and a piece of fruit is the best you will get! Unless you fancy making some, of course!

Anno are the gardens at Styal Mill worth a visit? It's been years since I was there and I can't remember any gardens. can't remember much about anything anymore

Happy Birthday GA! You`re only a spring chicken yet, my 59th was 10 years ago!

Happy birthday granny-a

Have done some mending, hurrah some emails, some hoovering, some deadheading, given some advice on something I know nothing about and found out about circle dancing. I now deserve a G&T. Happy birthday to everyone and please will you all will my elder daughter to send me a birthday card next week as I've nurtured her children for 4 weeks and not had a peep from her since they went back.

Happy birthday to birthday girls! It is my DGD1s birthday today too! She is 7 today. We went with her and her mum, dad and sister to see 'Brave' and then back to ours for BBQ. She and her sister (3) now asleep (I hope) upstairs...not sure how that happened as it was not a planned sleepover and is DGD2s first without her mum! Fingers crossed they stay asleep!!

Stansgran I completely empathise with you on the birthday card thing. I dread my birthday every year because someone in the family always does something hurtful - either they don't phone or they ring and say sorry I only put your card in the post yesterday and what do you want for your birthday? or something like that - and I'm hurt because a) I make such a fuss of them on their birthdays and every other day of the year and/or b) six months earlier, their stepfather gets his birthday cards, calls and lovely presents on or before the day.... and he never even thinks of any of them from one week to the next, least of all think of sending them a birthday card! There's a lesson there perhaps?

I also don't enjoy getting a card written by one of my offsprings wives.

Ooh I'm glad I've got that off my chest! My birthday's coming up this month so I'm going to have to toughen up!

Yes, Ella, the National Trust has been working for several years to restore the Victorian garden of the Mill House at Styal and it's now looking pretty good. It's on a steep slope above the river Bollin. You have to buy a ticket and walk round behind the mill to reach the garden.
The work is still ongoing and the latest is in the kitchen garden where they are in the process of restoring the greenhouses. The are also planning to plant old varieties of apple in the original orchard. I had a lovely walk there this afternoon - very warm in the sheltered valley.

I'm tired! I've two more tribunals, then :- 'yippee '
maniac and I are off to the med!

Watch out all you blokes.
GNers are going to hit you!

[crescent moon]

jeni what are you planning?

Could I push a wheelchair around Styal Mill, Anno? I am sure my sister would love it, she is a very keen gardener.

Don't know until I get on board!
But I don't think I'll be boring?

You could never be boring, jeni! Night night xxx

It's a steep walk down to the mill from the car park, Greatnan but if you phone them up they can arrange something for you. I took a party of people there a few years ago, and saw a van near some buildings, so there must be a separate entrance for services and disabled access. The gardens are lovely, and now the old garden has been restored, I believe it's fabulous.

today I have been eternally grateful to middle D and her boyfriend who came to stay to help us with the DGs while their parents are away. Frankly, DH has been as much use as the proverbial chocolate whatsit. OK first day he was great at playing with older GS (2) puzzles etc, but the novelty wore off and he started to get cross with the little fella (who was admittedly being a little trying)Yesterday I was up as usual at 6 to do littlest fella's bottle and DH turned over and stayed in bed till 9 (no comment) while I dealt with breakfast/nappies/playing etc. OK he came out for a bit of a walk with us and babysat while I did a quick supermarket sweep, but just expects too much of a 2 year old. Then he had one of his dizzy episodes at tea so I had to do bath and bedtime on my own (collapse) D and her BF arrived a bit later and have stayed all today - they have played, taken boys to park with me while DH stayed at home nursing a cold, for heaven's sake (man flu), helped bath, and bed. I am so grateful. 36 hours to go!!!

At Styal there's now a shuttle service to and from the car park but it would be wise to ring up and make sure it's running. Might be weekends only. The path to the garden and on the bottom level beside the river is probably OK for wheelchairs but in the garden there are very steep paths up to the top which would be hard work with a wheelchair. Tatton Park would be easier and I know Dunham Massey is OK because when my sister had a broken leg, we wheeled her round there in a wheelchair. Information on National Trust web site.

gracesmum - I do sympathise! My DH is much the same.....sometimes when the 2 GDs are here it's like having three of them to look after! He does seem to have rather a low patience threshold, and is a bit old-fashioned in his attitude to child-rearing, but I know he loves them to bits! Not much help on the practical front though.....

Thanks anagram I was really depressed about it because as you say I know he loves them but 30 years distance has left him so out of touch with tinies (if he ever was, as he was not a hands on dad even then) and I think the grandpa relationship is so important. OK he has manflu which is making him tetchy but I would hate littlest fella to remember DH as a grumpy grampa! As for turning over and staying in bed till 9................... Honestly I was on my knees yesterday and I want to enjoy my time with them - isn't that what it is all about? As you said, it feels at the mo like having 3 to look after.