HAPPY NOW!!

After a marathon baking sesh, the freezer is full again. Should be able to take things a little easier for the next couple of days. Christina has made vegetable soup for this evening's meal. Smells wonderful. Can't wait!

RUSHED BACK...

... from Jesmond, set off for Morpeth straightaway to get Christina to the station, raced round Morrisons, getting stressed with elderly slow people... ... then drove home munching a Turkish Delight and singing along to "Lady Linda" by the Beach Boys on repeat. Happy times!!

BETTER GET A MOVE ON!!!

Kevin rang early this morning to say they'd completely sold out at the coffee shop on Saturday so could I get there ASAP! ON MY WAY KEV!

NOT SURE HOW...

... to link these two together on a cake.

All ideas welcome!!

HMMM!!

Making a gruffalo Look like a Gruffalo, isn't as easy as you might think. However, I've done my best and HOPE it bears SOME resemblance to the well-known storybook character. Just waiting for the paint to dry now...

OKAY. IT'S BEEN...

... a busy and productive morning. Have made all the quiche and bakewells ready for tomorrow. Now going to start on Sunday lunch (well, it'll be dinner actually by the time I get sorted) and then I'll make a start on the Gruffalo! The house is strangely quiet at the moment. Charles and Christina have wrapped up in many warm layers and have taken the girls up to Ingram Valley for a good old leg stretch.

WELL, IT WOULD APPEAR...

...that Kevin's Mad Hatters tea Party was indeed a HUGE success last night. We bumped into him in Fenwicks and I've never seen him so animated! He HAD covered the dining table with turf AND planted daffodils into it. The cakes had gone down really well, as had the red, purple and green bread rolls. In fact he'd taken the big cake into the coffee shop today and had customers asking for my contact details!! (Yay! result!) Apparently his daughter had been eating a bacon buttie made from one of the green rolls this morning and he said it looked really strange. Well it would, wouldn't it? Can't wait to see the photos and will certainly publish some on here.

OH POOOO!

Maybe NUFC began to believe the hype just a little too soon.

OFF TO MORPETH...

... in a few minutes. Looking forward to today. Now, just need another win and that would make it pretty perfect! HWTL

LOOKING FORWARD TO A DAY WITH...

... both my 'kids' tomorrow. First up, Christina and I are going to spend the morning having our colour done at the hairdressers, then Charles and I are going to meet James to help him choose the shirts for the wedding. We MIGHT even manage to find somewhere that's showing the match! Christina has promised to make a hotpot over the weekend, so I'm going to suggest that she does it tomorrow evening. That way, I don't have to think about throwing a meal together when we get in. Sorted!

HOPE KEVIN ENJOYS HIS...

... mad hatters Party tonight. The last we heard he'd gone out to buy a load of turf to cover the dining table. As you do!

THIS IS A FIRST!

And probably a last! Making bread buns for Kevin this morning. Don't normally do bread, but as a favour I've agreed to do a one off. Mind you, as these buns are for his Mad Hatters Tea Party, they are somewhat unusual in that they're all ridiculously bright colours. I'm not sure how appealing they'll look when they're baked. Anyway, I've got three bowls of dough proving happily on top of the stove. Just hope the end results are okay!

PRODUCTIVE DAY!

12 little cup and saucer cakes completed for a Mad Hatters Tea Party tomorrow. Also big centrepiece cake done. (Changed my mind halfway through this one and started all over again!) Delivery pretty much ready for the morning apart from a few bits that need to be done at the last minute. Just sitting down for a cuppa and being smothered by my two girls! #puppylove

BEEN BUSY MAKING...

... little cakes for a Mad Hatters tea party. Hope they're okay!

FORGOT TO MENTION...

...that Villa lost again last night. So that was good! Tee hee!!!

STILL NOT KEEN...

... on the new look blogger, but at least I can find my way round it now. So, it's Wednesday already - the new Friday for Charles! He went out this morning with something approaching a hop and a skip - or maybe he just tripped over his own feet. Sky Sports News is on (as usual) and they are going into predictable raptures about Chelsea's performance last night. We sat and willed on Barca, but to no avail!! So now it's all down to the final then. Anyone hear Geoff Shreeves last night? What a killjoy he is!!!

THANK YOU CHRISTINA!!

Our evening meal was fab. Cranks minestrone soup, followed by paella and finished of with lemon tart and cream. Absolutely delicious. Even better for sharing it with Sean AND not having to lift a finger myself!! xxx

NOTHING MUCH...

... to write about today, as nothing of any interest whatsoever is happening! Just thought I'd better let you know, in case you were under the impression that I wasn't blogging because I was busy having an amazingly, scintillating time elsewhere. I'm not and I haven't and I'm not likely to. Yawn...

PHOTOGRAPHS THIS MORNING!

Up early in order to get stuff stowed away before the photographer arrives at 9.30. Trying to get a balance between looking uncluttered and 'lived in' at the same time. Unfortunately it's another dull, damp day. I was hoping for brilliant sunshine!! Anyway, there's nothing we can do about the weather so no point worrying about it. When the photos and dimensions are done, Christina and I are going to Morpeth where she has a few chores to do, then it's back home for a mega scone-baking session. Oh joy!!

NOT A BAD DAY REALLY

Christina has been pretty cheerful and settled, o that's good. Delivery went well - no pay though hmmm, not impressed. Signed the contract with the estate agent and the photos will be taken tomorrow, first thing. Managed to replace most of the big cakes this afternoon. Now just chilling waiting for Silent Witness to start.

CAR LOADED UP...

... and I'm just about ready to go. Hopefully I'll manage to squeeze in amongst... ... wait for it... ...carrot cake, chocolate cake, banana loaf,lemon drizzle cake, brownies, flapjacks, bakewells, shortbread, fruit scones, cheese scones, leek and bacon quiches and broccoli and stilton quiches. Now you can see why yesterday was a bit of a marathon! (And not just in London!)

I KNOW, I KNOW...

What time do you call this to be making your first blog of the day? Eh? Too late in MY opinion. But thanks to having our Stoke friends here, combined with an enormous coffee shop order, this is the first opportunity I've had to sit down for two minutes - AND I STILL HAVEN'T FINISHED! Still got a batch of broccoli and stilton quiche to make, but am just about on my knees and really don't want to do it! However, Charles has just put MOTD on and that's lifting my spirits a bit. (Well, quite a lot actually!)

STILL HATING...

... what they've done to blogger. It's pants!

WAITING...

... for Paul and Karen to arrive, then picking Matthew up in Morpeth before heading to Fujiyamas for lunch, with Jim too, and then off to the match. #gettingexcitednow

AAARGH!!

Bloggers changed. Can't find my way round this new layout. Why, oh why do they change things that are working perfectly well? It's like going to your favourite supermarket and discovering they've moved the entire stock around. Don't like this one bit. It's just taken me ten minutes to find out where I write my posts. #leavebloggeralone

WE DIDN'T HAVE...

.. the best day with Christina yesterday. There was quite a lot of tension, but she managed to remain calm, so that was huge progress compared to how things used to be.

I suppose this would be normal in any situation where a family is living together after one of them has been away from home for ten years, but in our situation it tends to ring alarm bells.

Hopefully we'll have a better day today.

And, equally hopefully, the cooker will be repaired this afternoon, providing the wretched thing can be moved. Apparently there are other guys from the firm in the neighbourhood who are in standby to come and help shift it if it proves too much for Charles and the repairman! (Better check what it'll cost if they need to get involved!)

I'm taking Christina through to Alnwick for a meeting at lunchtime and will get some shopping while I'm there. We've got visitors (Stoke fans aaaarrrggghhh!!) for the weekend, and even though we're planning to eat out most of the time, there will still be bits and pieces we need for breakfast and for treats. (Won't be giving them any treats if we don't win!)

YES DANNYMATT...

... you're absolutely right, as usual.

We're just in the process of choosing the lucky estate agent who is going to be selling our house. Charles is putting them through their paces!!

THE GIRLS ARE GOING TO...

... have their hair and nails done today!!

(Lucky things. I wouldn't mind having MINE done as well, but not necessarily at the same place.)

Charles is taking them over to Shilbottle while I'm stuck at home waiting for my flour and sugar delivery.

They HATE going - Rose especially. I know it's traumatic for them, but I'm sure they'll feel so much better when it's all over.

AND THE NEXT BIT OF...

... not so good news is...

... that the house we fell in love with on Brunton Park HAS GONE.

AGAIN!

Gutted!

OMG!!!!!!!

Have just had the quote for my cooker repair.

Need to lie down for the rest of the day.

Apparently it's better than paying £1000 for a new cooker, according to the very cheerful gaffer at White and McArthy.

Yes - but not by much.

OOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!

Just finished loading the car up with cakes for Kevin, slammed the boot, but managed to catch my fingernail on the way, ripping it off about halfway down the nailbed. Very bloody and sore.

Hope it grows before The Big Day!!

JUST HAD...

... a fairly stressful couple of hours with Christina, who has some major concerns about the potential contraindications of the meds she's on. This only came to light when she read the leaflet in her new pack of tablets and which bears little resemblance to the info in the pack that she was given on discharge. With the help of the Crisis Team we've managed to get through an awkward and distressing time and she is now calm. This is a big improvement on how things used to be.

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

So the oven fan isn't working properly AND as a result has burnt the element out.

The repair man can't move the oven out by himself and needs another body to help him - it'll be cheaper if Charles helps him rather than someone else from his firm because I would get a double callout charge.

Of course he didn't have the part anyway, so here I am without my best oven wondering how on earth I'm going to cope for the next couple of days. Fortunately I've got Kevin's order for tomorrow all done, so that's a blessing.

So, it'll be Thursday at the earliest before I'm up and running again.

Not happy today.

WET, GREY AND WINDY!

The perfect day for the estate agent to come and take photos of our house.

Got that happening this morning, then hopefully the guy from Whit and McArthy will get my fan oven working this afternoon. Thank goodness I've still got the big oven to use!

Right - the coffee machine beckons...

AND THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WHO BAKES FOR A LIVING IS...

... THE OVEN PACKS UP

OH YEAH!

COULD I JUST NOT DO WITHOUT THIS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

AND YES - I AM SHOUTING!

SUMMER TERM!!

Wow, how quickly has that come round? Hard to believe there's only seven weeks till the Big Day - it seems to have crept up on us all of a sudden.

Charles has departed for work and Lily is already looking a bit mopey. She misses him so much when he's not around. (Rose couldn't care less - anyone will do for her!)

Christina and I have got quite a busy day ahead, sorting out medication, shopping, baking and making phone calls. She's still sleeping just now, so I'm going to leave her to wake in her own time.

THERE'S A TOTALLY...

... infuriating bird outside our house today. It is repeatedly tweeting the first five note of "I'm a Barbie Girl..."

I then find myself with the rest of this song going round my head and believe me, if there's one song you do NOT want stuck in your head it's that one.

OKAY, SO IT'S...

... stopped snowing and the other two eventually got out of their beds. We managed to get to grips with some major cleaning - windows inside and out, all woodwork, pulled furniture out, changed all the bedding and scrubbed the bathrooms to within an inch of their lives.

So now we're positively gleaming!!

Mind you as soon as we'd finished I made a start with a load of baking, so now we're probably covered in a fine layer of flour and icing sugar all over again!

Having a roast chicken dinner later - and I've already got the munchies. What can I have to keep the hunger pangs at bay until 6.00ish?

MIDDLE OF APRIL...

... and we've woken up to snow showers.

(Well to be more accurate ONE of us has woken up to snow showers!)

#getoutofbedyoulazygits

SATURDAY MORNING!

Very lazy start to the day. It's 10.00 and we're still getting ourselves up and organised. I put it down to the new routine of getting the girls to settle in the bedroom for an extra couple of hours!!

Not much on the cards for today. I think Christina will be out for most of it, Charles is going to do a bit of shopping in Alnwick (not Morpeth today as it's the Morpeth Gathering and will be heaving) and I'm batch baking scones and bakewells and then making a start on some of the figures for the Shrek cake.

It's very windy outside this morning, but bright and sunny which unfortunately illustrates the dire need to clean all the windows. This is a job I detest and avoid at all costs, but since our trusty window cleaner has disappeared off the face of the earth it looks like we're going to have to set to ourselves. Hopefully I can persuade Charles that it's a job HE'D like to do!!

We're planning a bit of a spring clean and clear out tomorrow. Christina's going to help, so the three of us should whizz through it. As we've now accepted that we need an estate agent to get our property moving, we've got to be ready for more photos on Tuesday, so that's part of the thinking behind it!

ACTUALLY ENDED UP...

... viewing FIVE houses this afternoon.

Dismissed two pretty much straight away. Found two Victorian terraced properties that we loved but were right at the top end of our budget and both had only been on the market a week. They're going to attract a lot of attention and interest, so there's little point us making an offer yet.

However, the most amazing news is that the fifth house is actually the one we fell in love with three weeks ago and which we thought was under offer. It's on Westwood Road in Brunton Park and we've just been for our second viewing.

Haven't heard anything back from the agent yet...

OOOH...

... make that FOUR house viewings this afternoon!

WEDDING CAKE CONSULTATION...

... this morning.

This is for Matthew and Sarah who are getting married in August. My bets are it's going to be very chocolatey, but I may be wrong!

After that it's a little delivery to Jesmond, followed by three house viewings and some shopping. MUST find some decent Shrek pictures!!

BACK TO...

... househunting tomorrow, despite no one showing the slightest interest in ours yet.

Got three to look at, 2 Victorian terraced and one modern terrace.

All in Gosforth.

Just need a buyer now please!

THANKFULLY...

... the rain has eased off now.

The girls are very relieved.

CLEARLY IT'S A SIGN OF...

... just how dry the winter has been, because it's actually worth noting today that it is...

...RAINING!

Not just any old rain either. It's coming down in sheets. So much so that the girls, despite being clad in their little waterproof coats, are refusing to go out for a wee and are sitting by the door with their legs crossed waiting for it to abate.

JUST HAD AN ORDER...

... for a Shrek cake.

This is gonna be fun!

AH HA!

It would appear that Rachel and James are likely to beat us in the move to Gosforth! Helen and Bill have been looking at a property with them today and, although it needs work doing to it, it sounds as though they are smitten and have already put an offer in.

Exciting!!

SURPRISE VISIT...

... from Helen and Bill!

On their way as I type, but wont say what they're doing in Toon!!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

LOOKS LIKE...

... we're going to be entertaining a couple of Stoke fans next weekend.

They're busy practising their Geordie phrases on facebook already - and getting hopelessly mixed up with Yorkshire and the Mackems - by 'eck!

I think Charles, James and I should meet them and only talk in the broadest Geordie accents just to get them really confused.

Howay Karen, man woman!

CAN'T GET USED...

... to these lazy mornings!

We'd never had a lie in since the girls came to live with us (happy day) but with the new routine of actually letting them into the bedroom in a morning we seem to have found an extra couple of hours of sleep each morning.

Should be a fairly relaxed day today. Christina's going to spend the day with Sean, Charles and I will have a mooch around Morpeth. There's no baking to do for the coffee shop as I caught up on it all yesterday.

Good times!

FIVE HOUR LAMB...

... for dinner tonight!

Yum yum, can't wait!

It's been smelling wonderful for the past four hours. Not long to go now...

WELL!!

Talk about a lack of communication! A coffee shop delivery was most urgently needed, but, having received no order yesterday it wasn't until we made contact this morning that it was placed. And it turned out to be a huge order! Fortunately, I'd been able to anticipate everything, apart from the blueberry muffins, so was able to get stuff into the shop within an hour and a half.

I'm now busy replenishing stocks, but, as things seem to be quiet in the coffee shop over the holiday period I don't anticipate much of an order before the beginning of next week. It's amazing how trade fluctuates. Clearly many of the regular customers are Mums who go for coffee and a chat while the kids are in school, so that won't pick up again until next week. It's a bit off the beaten track for tourists, so we miss out on that trade.

Never mind, I'm quite looking forward to a quieter week to be honest.

FED UP!!

Probably shouldn't air my grievances on a public forum, but if I just ask the question, "IS THE COFFEE SHOP OPEN TODAY" maybe you'll get the idea!

GREAT RESULT

Pretty lousy match, but...

... possibly the best goal I've witnessed at SJP.

Hatem Ben Arfa - what a star he is!

CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!!

It's 8.30.

The girls woke me at 6.30. Thanks a bunch!

Went out for a wee (the girls not me, I went to the bathroom if you MUST know)

Then they tappy-lappied down to see their dad who was still in bed...

... and they've been there ever since!

Maybe I should go and get me own back after all these months and WAKE THEM UP myself, although to be honest I'm enjoying having the house to myself for a while!

OUGHT TO GO TO BED...

... but as I managed to sleep all the way home, only stirring on the outskirts of Leeds and managing to stay awake for Sunday lunch, then recommencing the zzzzs when we left for the final leg, I actually feel remarkably wide-awake now!

Bet everyone in the Richardson household is feeling pretty knackered now though!

THE HAPPY COUPLE

CONGRATULATIONS HELEN AND GREG!

WE'RE HOME!!

What a fab weekend we've had. AND the girls have had a brilliant mini-break too.

I'll start with Lily and Rose who have been staying with their cousin, Tex. Eating his food, sleeping in his bed, hiding upstairs, (this is a bit of a novelty considering the girls only know about bungalows!) visiting the horses on the stables and generally being very spoiled.

Our weekend began in Redditch on Friday afternoon when we arrived at out hotel and settled in front of the telly in the bar to watch the match. Great result, but terrible game to watch.

Met up with all the rellys, including the bride-to-be and her family and all went out for an eat-all-you-can-before-you-explode Chinese meal, followed by drinks and chatting back at the hotel. We were joined by our good friends Garry and Wendy who live close by and enjoyed catching up with them.

The day of the wedding was overcast, but this didn't spoil the mood, which I have to say was incredibly relaxed. I only hope that when it comes to 2nd June, I will be as easy-going as Elizabeth was!!

Spent the morning relaxing in the hotel, drinking coffee and reading, before getting ready for the Big Event in the afternoon.

it was the first time I'd been to a wedding in a hotel and I have to say it was just lovely. Everything just flowed from the ceremony to the photos to the reception, the evening do, the hog roast, the disco and apparently the bacon butties at midnight, although I'd turned into a pumpkin by then and retired to bed (Lightweight, I know)

Charles and I missed out on all the dramas that were playing out amongst the guests, but, as we didn't know the main players we probably wouldn't have appreciated what was going on any way!

Breakfast this morning was a great opportunity to relive the day before with the family and shortly after we set off north for Yorkshire where we were reunited with our girls and treated to a fab roast lunch. Thank you Helen.

We finally got home at about 5.00 and after sorting out the laundry, I immediately set to with the order for Tuesday, getting pastry cases made, bakewells done lemon loaves ready and a huge chocolate cake frosted. I wanted to make a start because a large chunk of tomorrow will be taken up at the match and I don't want to be having a last minute panic when we get back.

Christina seems fine this evening. Much more relaxed than before we left her for the weekend.

Okay, I'm off to sort out the ironing.

Just want to say a huge thank you to John and Elizabeth. The wedding was wonderful, your hospitality was extremely generous and I only hope we can reciprocate in June!! xxx

DIDN'T HAVE...

... a good evening with Christina yesterday. Leaving her in bed now and hoping she's going to be okay while we're away. I think there will be people looking in on her over the next couple of days, so that eases my anxiety a little.

We're setting off in a few minutes. Stopping in Yorkshire on the way to Redditch to take the girls for their mini-break with their cousin Tex and to see Mum on her birthday.

Getting excited now!

Probably won't be able to blog again until Sunday pm, but will let you know how everything goes.

IN MY OPINION...

... it's actually more difficult to pack for a mini-break than in is for a fortnight's holiday. Admittedly this is a mini-break with a wedding, so that involves quite a lot of kit, but even so it's difficult to know what else one will need for the socialising, relaxing, travelling bits.

Tricky!

OH GOOD!

The sun's back and it's pleasantly warm this morning.

The girls are up and breakfasted. They've just had one of their bonkers chasing sessions around the livingroom - Rose playing Queen of the Sofa in the sunroom and Lily racing the length of the room trying to find an opportunity to knock her off her position of power.

Christina has just got up and seems content and relaxed. Charles and I are going to be leaving her for two days while we go to the wedding in Birmingham. On one hand it may be good for her to have a break from us and a bit of independence, but on the other hand I'll worry about how she's coping. No doubt there'll be many texts and phone calls between us while we're away.

Need to do some packing!! Obviously the girls have their own bags for their stay at Auntie Helen's. Then there's all the stuff for Mum's birthday - whose idea was it to but luggage? It takes up half the boot space! We need wedding clothes and casual stuff, hair things and make up (obviously Charles doesn't need the hair stuff - or the make up come to that). Then there's the question of shoes! How many pairs is it reasonable to take for a two day break? I have four plus the Uggs I'll be travelling in. Wonder if that's enough?

We're going to try to get to the hotel by 4pm so that we can watch the match. Mind you it's bank holiday weekend so the traffic may not be kind to us. Better set it up to record at home just in case we don't make it.

Right - I need to go and do some shopping...

AAAAAH...

... Charles has just shown me the photo of Maggie Mae. Poor little thing. She looks so sorry for herself. Hope she feels better soon.

We're waiting for James to come round for Wednesday's Parents Evening after his weekly football sesh. Kindly he always leaves his kit for me to wash! #gottalovehim.

LITTLE BIRTHDAY CAKE...

... made for Mum this morning. It's her birthday on Friday and will always been poignant as, six years ago, we said goodbye to Dad on the same day. I'll always remember the warmth and love that people expressed for him during the service on that day. What could have been a very sad occasion turned out to be filled with laughter and affection and will always have a special place in my memory. Just as Dad has a special place in my heart.

WAKE UP MAGGIE...

... hope you're okay Little Lady. Lots of hugs coming your way from Lily and Rose.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

IT'S NOT EASY...

... to gift wrap a suitcase.

Just thought you'd like to know that.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Watches synchronised.

Both agents in position.

Target identified and apprehended.

RESULT!!

So, basically, we managed to choose and buy matching luggage for Mum's birthday. Yay!!

GOING SHOPPING...

... for Mum's birthday present this morning.

Haven't really got a clue what to get her, but there's a madcap idea hatching, that Helen and I both go to Debenhams to look at luggage sets for her as she's going to be coming to stay with us for the wedding and for the week following. The only problem is that Helen will be in the Leeds shop and I will be in Newcastle! What did we do before mobiles and camera phones?

IT'S 'D' DAY TODAY!!

As in Christina's DISCHARGE FROM HOSPITAL day!

All being well, we'll return her to the hospital this afternoon and, following a consultation with staff, she should be discharged with immediate effect.

The last few days have gone far better than we could have hoped and we all feel that the time is right for her to be out of hospital.

We genuinely feel as if we've got our daughter back and that makes us incredibly happy.

OH YES!!!

Pretty perfect day all round!!

Found the perfect jacket to go with my Mother of the Groom frock and also managed to get the shoes, bag and fascinator as well!! I would have been more than happy just to sort out the jacket today, but to get it all done is pretty amazing.

The match was just brilliant. Excellent performance and result. Atmosphere was incredible.

Saw James briefly on our way home. He's clearly had a memorable stag weekend, doesn't appear too hungover, but sounds as if he could do with a good night's sleep.

Got home to find Christina had looked after the girls brilliantly. She seems really content at the moment, which is great.

Bathed the girls in readiness for their weekend away over Easter. (They're going to Helen's for two nights while we go to Helen's wedding. Confused? Different Helen's obviously - my sister Helen's been married for 29 years.) We now have two beautifully fragrant, white, fluffy little dogs.

Had chilli for tea - not the usual Sunday repast, but enjoyable nevertheless.

Now we're watching the recording of the match and thoroughly enjoying it!!

THINK IT'S MY TURN...

... for a lie in tomorrow as, yet again, I'm up on my own and have been since 6.30. Got my Toon training top on ready for the match!

Wondering how many of the boys on the stag do will have sore heads this morning. Bet none of them are up yet!

TOON, TOON...

... BLACK AND WHITE ARMY!!

COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!