HAPPY NEW YEAR from....Dubai!

Hello dear friends, I  just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year from the sunny shores of Dubai.

Spot on Vanya! And thank you all for playing along :O)

I've been having trouble with Blogger while I've been here, so I'll try to keep this short and sweet.

Wishing you all the very best for 2011

The year that I turn 40.

I declare 2011 to be 'The year to feed my soul'. Classes, travelling, books- whatever takes my fancy.

It's my time to discover me.

What are your plans for 2011?

Hugs,

B x

Wish you were here...

We've swapped the snow at home for sun and we're having so much fun! Unfortunately, we had to leave Jess at home, studying as she has an exam next week. Sorry Jess, take good care of yourself and Cookie and we'll bring you home a pressie!

More sunny pics to come, but how about a little teaser...I wonder if anyone can guess where we are?

1st clue: It took 7 hours to fly here from Heathrow.

Hugs,

B x
p.s despite the long nails, this picture is of Max and his amazing 'find' this morning. Note to self; must get the clippers out...

Christmas Wishes...

Hello my sweet friends. Firstly, a quick update on the 'floor issue'. I was incredibly grateful for all of your advice and am still toying with the idea of painting it white. That being said, it was very clear that I wasn't going to be able to fix the issue that was staring me in the face - the missing floorboards. So, hubby still away, I tried to call around and get help in. Unfortunately I had to declare my little whoopsie as I couldn't get it sorted before Chris was due home. However, I now have a guy coming to sand, fix and polish it at the beginning on January, so fingers crossed it will all be fixed sooner or later!

Now, that would probably be my first wish for Christmas but beyond that I haven't really given much thought to what I want on my Christmas list so here goes...

Seriously need one of these babies. I'm no camera expert, but something quick and easy to use that doesn't die on me would be much appreciated!

Ooooh, preeeeeeety! I've no idea where I would put her in my cramped cottage- maybe we could lose a sofa to make room?! Want one too? Take a look here.

It's been pretty nippy round these parts too and I was thinking that one of these would come in very handy for the party season...

...from Top Shop - and just been REDUCED!

And finally, I'm not a great 'bling' lover, but I would love to find this little treasure from Tiffany under the tree...



But top of my Christmas list is a Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year for my family and for you and yours.

Lots of Love from us all at Pear Tree Cottage...

B x

Busy, ruining my kitchen...

Firstly I must apologise for the photo quality of this post - still no camera...

Chris went to the States recently and he'd been gone less than 24 hours when I got itchy fingers and wanted to do something 'big' something that would make a difference and have him in awe at what a fabulous wife and homemaker I am...

Even though we've now been in Pear Tree Cottage for a year and a half, we haven't even got upstairs to work on the bedrooms, but the downstairs is getting there - gradually. Our house was built in 1840, but I feel that the previous owners stripped it of it's history and I'm trying to get that 'cottagey' feel back. The one thing that has been bugging me since we moved in is the flooring in the kitchen. Although perfectly laid and probably brand new, the orange laminate drove me NUTS!

Although looking at it now in this picture it doesn't look too bad! I was convinced I could make a difference and decided to rip it up. I actually started at the opposite  end of the room from this picture as I wasn't sure if it was an extension and so had a peek under the and was very happy to find gorgeous floorboards! So, before you know it I'm up to my neck in dust and pieces of wood...

Ruining my new slippers in the process! And cutting my leg...So, all was going swimmingly until I got 2 thirds of the way through and found a piece of hardboard where they had previously joined two rooms to make the kitchen bigger. Hmmm, I looked behind me and realised it was too late to go back. I kept pulling up the flooring only to realise these boards were running horizontal to the the rest of the room. I am now left with a room like this...

See the lovely floorboards at the bottom of the picture? And the patchy floorboards at the top?

Not a good look.

I don't want perfect floorboards, I'm happy for the kitchen to be 'rustic' but this is a bit too rustic, even for me! So, now I am aching all over and trying to come up with a way to fix this mess before my darling husband sees it.

Wish me luck!

B x

Life...

Hello there...

it's been such a long time...

This was an unexpected break, partly brought on by the fact that my camera has died...

And partly due to...Life. Thinking about it. Organising it. Living it.

I hope to be back here soon...

In the meantime, my love to you all, I hope your holiday preperations are going well!

B x