A Busy Week

It's been a really busy week making sure that Eleanor has been at the theatre on time for her performances. We've had an hour round trip to drop her off and then another hour round trip to pick her up afterwards. We haven't been getting home until nearly 11pm, and then Eleanor has had to get a quick shower before going straight to bed. She's shattered now and her voice has finally given in, she's very croaky.

We went to see the production last night and it was fabulous. It's hard to believe that it was performed entirely by kids, it was so professional. We had a brilliant time.

We dropped Eleanor off at 6pm to get ready but the show didn't start until 7.15pm so we decided to have a wander around the German market which is situated at Millennium Square, right outside the theatre. There were some wonderful stalls and lots of things which caught my eye.

Glassware.

Wooden goods.

Honey and beeswax products.

There were lots of food and drink stalls.

Donuts.

Marshmallows.

Whilst we were wandering around the German market, Eleanor was getting ready for the performance. She loves the backstage buzz and has lots of fun with her friends. She took a few photos which she's allowed me to share.

Her next event is a Christmas concert at Leeds City Museum, I'm looking forward to that.

Christmas Cards

I finally got Mick to climb up in to the loft and bring down my box of Christmas cards which were left over from last year. I thought I remembered having quite a few left over and I was right, I won't need to buy many this year.

I'm usually at the last minute writing cards, rushing to get them finished before the last posting date goes by. I'm determined to be more organised this year so I shall start writing them now, a few each day.

There was a couple of these Cavalier King Charles Spaniel cards left over too. It looks just like Archie waiting for Santa to arrive. I'm going to see if I can find any more similar ones for this year.

Lovely Ladies

Next week, Eleanor, along with the rest of her drama group, will be performing at The Carriageworks theatre in Leeds in a production of Les Miserables.

She's been cast as a Lovely Lady (prostitute), and had to go for a costume fitting today. This is one of the outfits she'll be wearing.

There's lots of late nights coming up, a technical rehearsal tomorrow which doesn't finish until 10pm, a dress rehearsal on Tuesday and then the performances from Wednesday through to Saturday. I can't wait to see it.

Jazzy Socks

I've finished the first of the Waving Not Drowning socks which I started a while ago. These are being knit in Laughing Yaffle yarn and it's so soft and squishy. They were supposed to be for my mum for Christmas but she has bigger feet than me, and so although they're a nice fit on me, I don't think they'll fit her.

I've decided to knit my mum a different pair of socks for Christmas and have chosen this jazzy Regia yarn to knit them in, they'll certainly be nice and bright. I'm using an easy plain pattern which I've used before, and which I know will fit her.

The Waving Not Drowning socks won't go to waste, I know a few pairs of feet which they'll fit perfectly.

The Book Thief

I finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusac today. I started off by reading a couple of chapters each night in bed, but it didn't take me long to get hooked and I was picking the book up in any spare minute I had. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it, just be sure to have a tissue handy when you're reading the end.

I had another trip to the charity shop yesterday to drop off some more bits and pieces for them. I'm trying to have a good clear out before Christmas comes. I didn't think it would harm to have a mooch around the charity shop whilst I was there, and I came across a couple of books to add to my collection.

The first is another book which I've heard recommended on many blogs, The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. There's a whole series of these books, which are set in Botswana, so I'll have plenty of follow on reading if I enjoy it.

The second book is The Other Side of the Dale by Gervase Phinn. This book is about the author's experiences as a school inspector in North Yorkshire. I'm looking forward to reading it.

It certainly looks like I've got my reading mojo back.

Our Holiday Is Booked

I know it's a little early to be booking our holiday for next summer, but we didn't want it to get booked up and then be disappointed.

This year we spent a week in Cornwall in a lodge, and a week in Devon in a cottage where we've stayed before. We enjoyed both places but have decided that next year we want to stay in one place for a fortnight rather than moving half way through the holiday.

The lodge in Cornwall was so lovely, and the on site facilities so good, that we've decided to book for a fortnight for next year. There's eight lodges and two cottages on the site which is in a village about five miles from Bude. On site, there is an indoor swimming pool, tennis courts, a games room with table tennis, pool, table football and darts, a gym, three fishing lakes, and there's also a beauty therapist who visits to give treatments.

Archie is coming with us again too, and there's some lovely walks nearby as well as plenty of dog friendly beaches which Archie is very pleased about, he does love to swim in the sea.

It seems like a long way away but I'm sure it will come round in no time.

Preparing For Winter

Last winter was especially harsh and I consider myself very lucky that I didn't have any burst pipes to deal with, I know so many people did. Water expands when it freezes and if the water's in a pipe when it freezes, it expands just the same and can cause the pipe to burst.

I came across an offer from Yorkshire Water offering it's customers a free Winter Protection Kit. I sent off for it and it was delivered today.

Included in the kit was a leaflet full of useful advice on how to get your house ready for winter.

Pipe lagging to protect wall-secured pipes and some cable ties to secure it with.

A tap cover to insulate an outside tap.

This lot should help me to get the house ready for whatever winter has got in store for us, let's hope it's not needed though.

I know other water companies as well as Yorkshire Water are offering similar kits, so do check out your own water company's website.

Books Galore

I've had a splurge on books just recently. It all started when The Book People catalogue dropped through my letterbox and there were a number of books in there that caught my eye. The Book People has some brilliant reductions on books, you can buy many quite new titles at a fraction of the retail price.

The first book I just had to have was Cute & Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench. The cover of the book caught my eye, the jam pot covers are so lovely. The book is ideal for someone who has just learnt to crochet, like me, as it explains techniques and explains the stitches. The recommended retail price of this book is £12.99 but I got it for the bargain price of £3.99.

The 35 projects included in the book range from Starting Out, for the more easy ones, followed by Practice Makes Perfect, getting a little more difficult, then ending with Confident Crocheting.

This bag is in the Starting Out section, perhaps I could manage that.

I love this cushion, I'll definitely give this one a go.

The second book which caught my eye was The Knitter's Year by Debbie Bliss. This book contains 52 seasonal knits, the projects are grouped by season. The idea of the book is that there's a project for each week of the year. There's lots of different types of projects, not just garments but also things like a cushion, lavender bags, pencil case and bunny egg cosies. There's some great ideas in the book for gifts. This book cost me £4.99, much less than the £18.99 recommended retail price.

This mug cosy is cute, and the pattern for the tea cosy in the background of the picture is also included in the book.

I could do with some of these fingerless gloves for when I'm gardening at the moment now that the weather's turning colder.

I couldn't place my order without including this next book, The Vintage Tea Party Book by Angel Adoree. The book contains recipes for tea parties held at all times of day, from brunch, afternoon and through to evening. This book has a recommended retail price of £20.00 but I paid £7.99.

There's some wonderful photos in the book to accompany the recipes.

Not only does the book contain recipes but it includes all the information you need to make your tea party special. There's samples of invitations, information on where to source props and even instructions on how to apply fake eyelashes.

The book shows some ideas for hair decorations...

...and even gives instructions on how to play parlour games.

There's so much more to this book that I thought when I ordered it.

I was thrilled when my delivery of books arrived, but it didn't stop there. Last weekend I visited a few charity shops and managed to pick up another couple of books.

The first was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I've heard a few bloggers mention how good this book is, and the reviews on Amazon seem to confirm this. I'm certainly looking forward to reading it. I paid £1.49.

The second charity shop book purchase was The Illustrated Lark Rise To Candleford by Flora Thompson. I'd seen this book in a charity shop whilst I was on holiday in Cornwall earlier this year but I left it behind as I thought the price tag of £7.00 was a bit steep. I picked up this copy for £1.99.

I absolutely loved Lark Rise To Candleford when it was on television and I'm so looking forward to reading the book, especially as it's so beautifully illustrated.

So that's my recent purchases. Plenty there to keep me occupied now that the dark evenings have come round once again.

Di Palomo

When I was asked if I would like to try some items from the Di Palomo White Grape with Aloe range and review them on my blog, I jumped at the chance.

Although I like nice bath products, I never buy them myself but instead, ask for them for presents. I can never justify splashing out on myself when the money could be spent on so many other things, so it was like Christmas when the parcel arrived and I duly unwrapped the items.

Di Palomo is made in England but inspired by Italy.

"Three friends enjoy lunch overlooking the River Dart in Devon on a perfect, English summer's day. A second bottle of Verdicchio is opened as they share vivid recollections of time spent in Italy.....Inspired to capture their memories with fragrance, Di Palomo was born".

Inside the parcel was a Moisturising Bath & Shower Cream and Body Butter. The packaging was just lovely, very understated and classy looking, white with a grape print.

On taking the items out of their boxed packaging, I could see the continuation of the grape print on the items themselves.

The Moisturising Bath & Shower Cream is presented in a pump dispenser which I thought added to the upmarket image. It's also very handy if it's being used in the shower, so much easier to use a pump dispenser than trying to pour from a slippery bottle. The product itself is wonderful to use as a shower cream, it lathers on the body very well, which is something I insist on in a shower cream.

I've also used it in the bath, adding a few pumps under running water and it bubbled up very well.

The smell of the product is just beautiful, very delicate and subtle, though it doesn't particularly remind me of grapes. The scent lingers on the body for a while after leaving the bath or shower, which is good.

The body butter had the same delicate and subtle scent. It rubbed in to the skin easily and was absorbed quickly. After using the product each day for a week, I can say that my skin is noticeably softer.

Eleanor has also tried the items. She uses lots of bath products and often treats herself to different brands out of her pocket money so she is in a good position to compare these. She thinks that Di Palomo is one of the better brands that she's tried.

The Moisturising Bath & Shower Cream retails at £9.00 for 250ml and the Body Butter retails at £15.00 for 200ml. I wouldn't pay this amount myself for the products, but the price is acceptable to ask someone to buy this for me as a present, or for me to buy to give to someone else as a present.

There are other products in the White Grape with Aloe range and also other ranges available from Di Palomo.

I shall certainly bear Di Palomo in mind when buying gifts, and some other products from the range may just sneak on my Christmas list. I particularly fancy trying the White Grape & Aloe Cleansing bars and the White Grape & Aloe Bath Elixir.

I should just mention that the products were sent to me free of charge but I have not been paid for writing this review.

Oakwell Hall

As it's half term, Mick took a couple of days holiday at the start of the week. Looking at the weather today, I think he chose the right days to take off work, it's a really dreary, grey, rainy day today. Monday was much brighter and we decided to have a day out.

We've been meaning to visit Oakwell Hall for some time. It's situated in Birstall which is over the other side of Leeds from us, but still only a twenty minute car journey. Daniel and Eleanor have both visited it in primary school when they were learing about the Tudors, they had to dress up in Tudor outfits and took part in a Tudor day there.

Oakwell hall is an Elizabethan manor house which was built in 1583. Unfortunately, on the day we visited, it was closed due to a heating failure so we didn't get to look around it, but apparently, it's furnished as it would have been in the 1690's when the Batt family resided there. Charlotte Bronte visited the hall in the 19th century and featured it as the home of the heroine in Shirley.

Even the gardens have been restored to to the condition they would have been seen in around 1690, and the plants date from before that time.

There's lots of these living willow structures in the gardens. I'm sure they'll cast a lovely shade and give somewhere cool to sit in sunny weather.

We came across this fellow on the lawn outside the hall. It's a carved stone ram, though it's origins are a mystery. It's not known how he came to be at Oakwell, how old he is or who carved him.

The hall and gardens stand in over 110 acres of country park which has been formed by a mix of woodland, farmland and a reclaimed colliery. in the 1960's, Gomersal Colliery employed over 360 men. The mine closed in 1973. There's some information about Life Dahn t'Pit, or Life Down The Pit for those of you who don't understand the Yorkshire dialect.

There's also a metal sculpture depicting two miners.

The country park is extensive and there is a nature trail which you can follow which takes a figure of eight route. It's good to know that the fields at Oakwell are being managed with wildlife in mind.

There was plenty of space for Archie to have a good run off his lead. It seems that the park is a favourite for dog walkers as we came across a great many of them exercising their dogs on Colliery Field. In one corner of the field is a sculpture, Fiddlehead and Fernblades, which stands over six metres tall.

There's a fabulous playground at Oakwell with lots of play equipment. Daniel and Eleanor may be teenagers but they couldn't resist having a go themselves. There's a cafe with very reasonable prices and also a shop which sells lots of little pocket money priced souvenirs, though I wouldn't like to see the giant rodent which they had in their window in my garden.

It was a lovely day out and another great place which accepts dogs. We'll definitely return, I'd like the chance to have a look around the hall.