Refuge

Oh I've missed being here the past couple of weeks. There has been dirt and chaos everywhere! Never mind, all that remains to do in the bathroom is the electrical work and then we can paint and most importantly I can titivate. I'm not sure of the correct spelling of titivate - but I like titivating when I get chance and there hasn't been the opportunity to do that in the past few weeks. The guys doing the work in the bathroom have been great workers and also made themselves at home. Their first job in the morning was to boil the kettle ready for coffee!



My refuge from all the mess has been my little shed at the bottom of the garden where I've been able to sit and read my magazines and my latest book 'the Shadow of the Wind' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - It's one of those books you really really don't want to put down and I know I'll really feel bereft when it's finished. A couple of weeks ago I discovered a great new shop in a local village called 'Talulah & Blouwsie' - I nearly fainted with excitement and pleasure - in fact I had to go in twice just to take it all in. Next time I go I might pluck up courage to ask if I can take a few photos. It was crammed full of vintage loveliness, old and new items that made me wish I could take you all shopping with me. There was jewellery, French storage jars, vintage clothing, linens and more - it was heaven on earth. I was very controlled (well I did have Mr Funky with me) and bought just the one item - this pretty, sparkly, girly, crystal necklace.


I couldn't put it down for days. I unwrapped it from it's pink spotted tissue paper, wrapped it back up again, decided I needed to look at it lovingly and unwrapped it yet again. Just look at all the pretttiness going on with the light reflecting all those colours. Mom-in-Law got to hear about my excitement for this wonderful shop and ecstay of ecstacies - she produced all of this gorgeousness for me. This time, a double row of crystals

and three sets of pearls, which belonged to Mr Funky's grandmas and an aunt.

There was also this piece which looks very modern I think but is definitely a vintage necklace. I am so lucky and I can't wait to wear them. I love the ones from my new favourite shop but don't you think it's even better to make use of something that a member of the family has treasured?

At Last

At last this tatty old bathroom suite is out of my bathroom and out of my life (well almost). I've waited for this for so long and I'm happy to see it lying in the garden as a pile of junk.



This is my bathroom as it looked on Monday....I really don't care about the chaos and the mess. I'm so pleased to see that we are on our way to a shiny, clean space. I've managed to keep out of the way of all the chaos by being at work for two days and then going on a long shopping trip another day. Tomorrow, I'm having a day out with a friend - somewhere within easy reach of a nice clean loo!

All Sorts

Chaos here at the moment folks. Next week sees an incredibly busy week with the new bathroom being installed. I don't know whether the mood here is full of excitement or tension. The dining room is looking particularly glamorous with all of this stuff stored in here and the bathroom needs stripping out, cupboards need to be emptied and storage found elsewhere.




Added to that I 'm still finding plaster dust lurking in the most peculiar of places and there is still electrical work to be done. Josh also has an overnight stay in Wales next week with his school, a guitar exam and a three day trip with Scouts - nothing's ready and here I am again blogging instead of doing something useful!




Yesterday I received my first bunch of sweet peas from Father-in-law's garden.





I wish you could smell them, they are so gorgeous. There will soon be enough for him to leave a bucketful of bunches at the gate to sell to passers by and later in the summer the finest specimens will be kept for the all important competitions.




He also gave us our first English strawberries of the season. We are a bit choosy here in the Funkyhouse and will only buy English strawberries in season. They are so much better than the imported ones that are here at totally the wrong time. O.k. lecture over! I also love these delectable sweet william. They always make me think of my grandad, as he always grew them in his garden as well as dahlias later in the season.




I will be back in a couple of days to post the last of my holiday pics but I thought you all deserved a break from them! I'd better start thinking about doing some work of some kind instead of sitting here enjoying myself. I'm also thinking of places to visit next week as there is no way I'll be sticking around the house with no available loo. That means I'll probably be spending money I shouldn't but I can't really stay here can I?

I Think I've Died and Gone to Heaven Part 2

Morning ladies! I'm back again with more photos of our holiday. As there are lots of pictures I'll try not to give you sensory overload with too much natter.So let's get going. We decided to stick close to home on Sunday after the long journey the day before. I'd heard lots about Sizergh Castle, so we decided to visit there.



To be honest, I was a little disappointed with the house itself. Every blind and curtain seemed to be closed, which made an already very dark house difficult to enjoy. I do appreciate the conservation issues but I would like to see the house I'm walking around. Take note please NT!



By contrast the garden were full of gorgeous colour and it was so relaxing walking around with the sun on my back and a strawberry ice-cream in my hand.









Monday was once again sunny and hot and my boys decided that they wanted to
climb the fell that sort of came with our cottage.Did I want to go with them?



Not on your nelly! I was quite happy to sun myself in the garden, enjoy the view from the living room


and complete this taxing project.



They did get to the top of the fell.



And bought back these picture perfect views.





Kirkby Lonsdale was our destination on Tuesday. It was a sunny day, but very, very windy, which made wearing my new skirt quite difficult but here's the photo to prove I actually got to wear one.


I think my legs are red with cold, rather than the sunshine of the previous day. As for Kirkby Lonsdale.


It was a shopping paradise for bloggers.










I did buy a lovely metal sign for my soon to be new bathroom but perhaps I'll show you that when the bathroom is done! After lunch we pootled along to Arnside, a small Victorian town on Morecambe Bay.







You can see the rain clouds gathering can't you? Time for a warming cuppa and a slice of chocolate cake methinks!



The Posh Sardine was just the place for this. As well as selling loads of funkiness it had a welcoming cafe area from which you could enjoy scenic views of the bay with a certain degree of warmth. I managed to spend some more money before pootling on once again.







It did rain as we journeyed back to the cottage but we were greeted by these little ladies once again as we reached home, eager to see if we had anything for them.




We were in just the right place on a cold evening! I love evenings like this, cosy and warm after a lovely day with my family.

I Think I've Died and Gone to Heaven Part 1

I've been trying to find the time to do a new post but things have conspired against me! We had a wonderful week's holiday only to come home to a building site (well almost). Whilst we were away electricians came in to re-wire the house and although it was wonderful to be out of the way whilst the work was done, I've been fighting a battle against plaster dust this week, plus all the washing and ironing that the holiday created. We took so many pictures that I'm going to have to blog the holiday in several instalments (sorry to bore you all folks).

We had a fantastic holiday. When we turned up the lane to the cottage we were treated to the sight of beautiful lakeland fells and then had to finish our journey half a mile down a rough track,



past the bastle house,



to the sort of cottage we all have dreams about.



Waiting to greet us were these little ladies and their friends. They look sweet and innocent but believe me they were not. Any whiff of a peanut butter sandwich and they would snatch it out of your hand like a mugger takes a handbag!



Honey on the other hand was happy just so long as would throw sticks for her to collect. She loved jumping into the stream at the bottom of the garden to find any stray sticks that had found their way over the garden fence and was always quite considerate as to where she would shake herself to dry off her fur.


And these neighbours were no trouble at all. Although, I expect Mum wonders where they are, as they have escaped their field to find more lush greenery to eat.



It was lovely to have a pasta supper in this sweet little kitchen,



even though we did have an audience whilst we ate.



Josh loved his little bedroom



as I loved my slighter bigger one.



It was just the place for a relaxing read.



I can't tell you how it felt to wake up to this view in the morning



and how wonderful the sound of this stream was as I lay in bed with my early morning cuppa. What a contrast to the sounds of a suburban street.



Well, it's taken ages for all of those pictures to upload and I've only shared half of day one with you. Sorry folks, but I'll be making you suffer some more holiday pics just as soon as I've caught up with clearing that blessed plaster dust!