Tuesday 24 June 2014

A new computer and a little update

Hello lovely people, oh I can't even remember when last I sat down to write a little post and to be honest I haven't a foggy as where to start. I still have so much news to catch up on, our trip to SA, little Es's party, general news and the monthly mandalong that I couldn't post thanks for our computer.



For months now our computer has been driving me doolally with taking ages to open, crashing all the time and not allowing me to do a blog post in under five hours. To be honest I stopped counting the number of times I wanted to throw the darn thing out of the window and jump on it, but I kept mindful and calm and carried on until we both finally blew a fuse and it just couldn't do NO MORE. So after a trip to the computer doctor, which half took some time we now are proud owners of a new computer that will hopefully make life a little easier, well she hopes! So without further ado, lets get on with the goss.

So yes, I know I am a month behind in my monthly mandalong and really I should be making that my first post, but I figured a month out wouldn't harm anyone and with so much other news to share, I would rather just get on with daily drivel. So in the last month I have enjoyed finishing a gorgeous little crochet project that I will share with you very soon, in the meantime here is a little sneak peak.


I also managed to do a little sewing. Now many of my regular readers will know that I am most certainly NOT a dressmaker, in fact I have only ever made a couple of dresses and two of those were for little E and two for myself. This time though I thoroughly enjoyed the process and I am hopeful that I will actually wear this dress, unlike the other two I made. I must confess that I find it hard to buy dress patterns that I actually like, but this sweet little pattern immediately caught my eye. It was a pretty straight forward sew, a zip in the back, some darts and some interfacing around the arms and neck. I also enjoyed adding a little trim around the neck, just to add that little something extra. I used some gorgeous traditional shweshwe fabric that Mum gave me as an early birthday pressie when we were over in SA for Easter. I absolutely LOVED working with it and I also love the texture against my skin. All in all I am pretty pleased with the outcome and it has put me right back in the sewing zone.




Last week I celebrated my birthday and I had such a lovely day in the company of good friends and loved ones. I enjoyed a lovely lunch with a girlie on my actual birthday, but then several others throughout the rest of the week. Isn't it great when birthdays go on forever?! I was also thoroughly spoilt and received some gorgeous gifts and quite a number of plants and bunches of flowers. Thank you also to the very lovely Joy who sent me a little something special all the way from Australia. We have become such lovely friends and I absolutely adore her and feel very blessed that our paths have crossed. Thank you Joy for sending through your gorgeous gifts and for making my day extra special.



So needless to say the girl had to make a birthday cake and even though I am still on my no sugar, no grains, no soy, no dairy lifestyle, we indulged in a very delicious Paleo chocolate cake that was beyond scrummy and yes there was a little exception for sugar on the day. For anyone interested you can find the recipe here


This weekend just passed we braved it and went camping for the first time in five years. In fact the last time we went camping was when little E was three months old and it was shortly after we returned that I fell ill. I have always loved camping and have wonderful memories of camping with my family when I was a child. I was a little apprehensive about how I would cope with the lack of sleep and if I am honest it most probably wasn't the best idea, but I loved it all the same and had such wonderful time. 


We drove to Anglesey, an area we have been dying to visit for so many years, and found a campsite two minutes walk from the beach, so perfect for me without my wheels. 


It couldn't have been more perfect. The weather was warm, well it didn't rain, we were virtually right on a gorgeous sandy beach (I have a thing about this!) and the campsite was clean with everything you need. 


We all loved it and even though the kids have been camping before (well E maybe won't remember), they just loved every minute. We made sandcastles, collected pebbles, did a little yoga every day, played football and swam in the sea. I think if anyone had to ask me what I would like to do before I die, it would be to have a swim in the sea, I love everything about it, the feeling of the saltwater on my skin, the cold sensations that swirl through my body and most of all I have to put my head under the water to get the complete sensory experience. The water was freezing, but for me that's all the better as it just fuels my veins with energy and life. I often wonder whether I was a fish in my previous life as I have always been a water baby, with a special love for the sea.


It was just sooooooo wonderful to be able to walk with my family and enjoy these little moments that I have been lying in bed dreaming about for so many years. Don't get me wrong they certainly exhausted me, but I did it and that for me is just such a massive achievement after years of struggling. 


Lligway Bay is just such a beautiful place and the beaches are truly stunning, I would highly recommend a visit here. 


I even got the opportunity to try out my birthday shoes and I have to say these shoes are just so very comfortable, thank you hubby!!


Well the weekend ended on a perfect note, a lovely cup of Teapigs chai at this very sweet little cafe on the beach after a wonderful swim. It certainly was a fabulous weekend and we are all looking forward to our next visit to Moelfre, Anglesey. 

Well that's it for today, I will be sharing a little crochet with you soon and in the meantime I will try and catch up with some of your news. Wishing you all a very lovely week filled with happy moments and lots of laughter!

Warm Wishes
Hannapat
xoxo

14 comments:

  1. your holiday pics are beautiful and I bet it did you so much good to get away for awhile...welcome back as you know from ig. i adore what you did with your dress you clever girl!!
    bestest d xx

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  2. Your trip sounds so wonderful, I am so glad you were able to walk about on the beach with your family. Happy Birthday, I wish you many, many happy and healthy years.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  3. I am so glad you are "back" I have missed your lovely posts! Wishing you a very very happy birthday and it sounds like you had a really wonderful time and I'm glad. Your dress... I love it it's stunning! I adore the trim around the neckline, well done it is so pretty. I really enjoyed this post and catching up with all of your lovely news. Wishing you a lovely rest of the week!
    Marianne xx

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  4. It's so good to have you back on board lovely Hannapat, and to know how well your camping trip and birthday celebrations went; you deserve to be spoiled and it looks and sounds like you were - now keep stretching your celebrations out and see how long you can make it all last! You've made a very lovely dress there in gorgeous fabric; well done and I hope it's given you confidence to carry on and make another one, or three. Your new shoes are lovely and your blue toenails will go nicely with your new dress, what fun!
    I am feeling a bit confused today for I can't remember when I moved from Australia to New Zealand - can you help me out with that, haha!!!
    You take good care of yourself lovely, sending you much love over the seas - from Australia - Joy xoxo

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  5. Welkom terug skattie, en veels geluk met jou verjaarsdag :-) So lovely to catch up and your trip looks just wonderful. There really is just something special about sinking your toes in the sand and have the sea wash over them. Looking forward to reading the rest of your news & stories. Happy Wednesday, hugs xx

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  6. Happy Birthday Hanapat! Your camping weekend looks fun and I am glad you enjoyed it. I love camping, too but never went as a child. The dress you made is just beautiful, well done. Have a lovely week. Cx

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  7. Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!! It is so lovely to have you back! It looks as though - apart from the computer! - that you have had a great time. The dress is beautiful, and you obviously had great weather and a fabulous setting for your camping trip. It is so wonderful that you got away and out and about. I hope that you can keep going and look forward to seeing you some more! xx

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  8. Happy belated birthday Hannapat! Glad you are back. I think your dress is really pretty as is your lovely crochet work! Enjoy the rest of your week.

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  9. great to see you made it to the beach! I think swimming in the sea just feels so cleansing, and freezing of course! Nice to see you back and that you are still managing to follow your regimes. Had to laugh about the cake, glad you suspended sugar restrictions for the day, Heather X

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  10. I'm so, so pleased the camping trip went well for you all....yes such an achievement! Your crochet hexies are coming on a treat, and I'm definitely going to check out that cake! :) x

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  11. Helloooooo Hannapat - I missed you ! Lovely post, I always think that computers are like cars : they're great so long as they work !! So glad that you managed to get away for a holiday and some fun times,
    Take care, Kate x

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  12. My oh my oh my! What a post! Sooo much catching up to do! I'm glad you're back, I have missed you so. Happy birthday!!! (That one snuck by without me knowing!) I'm so happy you were able to venture out with your family, happy memories. And your creations are heavenly, from the dress to that cake! Hope we can catch up more soon...lots of love, cxxx

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  13. A belated Happy Birthday from me! Soo lovely to see you having such a good time. And your dress is gorgeous :)

    I am feeling very guilty because I have yet to write a post about my ME after you so kindly nominated me for that award, I just haven't quite known where to start. But I am about to follow you down the Paleo road so I should be thanking you for inspiring me. Do you think it would be wrong to start my Paleo journey with chocolate cake?!

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  14. Sounds like a really wonderful break, although I can imagine it took you a while to recover. But it definitely sounds like it was worth it. And I know your children will have made happy lifelong memories. I'm at the seaside at the moment, and you've inspired me, I shall take the plunge into the sea tomorrow. Almost certainly. CJ xx

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