Dolly's Dreamings

A relief confirmed

Yesterday we went to the dentist for our check up appointments that were cancelled at the start of May due to COVID. It was a bit nerve-wracking as going to the dentist always is, but more so for me with the recent TMJ issues. Our dentist was, as always, totally marvellous and she checked me so thoroughly and carefully  and I am pleased she confirmed my teeth are fine. It is JAW not teeth. It is now just a waiting game until I get referred which I know may be a long wait. So long as they renew my pain meds I will be fine.

 

On the way home we stopped at sandbanks for a lovely walk (and of course we had a dentist treat in the form of a Starbucks!

 

 

 

 

This is how I like the beach - lovely and empty

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have new scrapping to share as it is new releases day at Pickleberrypop

 

 

This is the Berry Blends kit this month and it is lovely. It is free with all orders over $10 before next week. And I need to state - because these days you do, I get my Pickleberrypop products free as long as I promote them so ... full disclosure. They were free!  The images take you to the kits

 

 

I have realised just how many of my pages feature the beach. No suprise there then. A rather chilly Hamworthy

 

 

Happy place bundle plus FWP by TirAmisu Designs

 

 

Oh dear - at the beach again. This time Swanage I think

 

 

American Heart full kit by Jen Yurko

 

 

I loved this 'show' which used to take place regularly at the American Pavillion in EPCOT and was sadly stopped.

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• living near the beach - I don't think I could cope not ever being able to visit as often as we do
• free lushness to play with
• good news - can't quite share it all yet

 

 

 

Marvellous Mottisfont

I have to say I am loving the pre-book system for National Trist properties. We headed to Mottisfont today and it was wonderfully quiet and very pretty. The house wasn't open, of course, but we did give the cameras a good work out.

WARNING

Photo heavy post

We did the lovely river walk first

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was my photo of the day I think

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Queit as anything and a lovely picnic too.

Today I am thankful for

• The National Trust
• Beautiful gardens
• the history of our country
• cameras - and actually phones

 

 

 

So little to report

I have been busy scrapping but they are new releases for PBP and classes for ATDML. I do hope many of you will pop along to ATDML facebook page for the cyber crop as we have so many great classes and challenges to play along with.

 

I do have this I can share though

 

 

It is a digital page but I have already printed off the elements to make a paper page too as it was just such fun.

I can also share this made for the Scrappycats challenge last week - I am loving our zoom chats and challenges - this challenge was mine and was TV related. Couldn't not scrap this one. I printed off the title to mimic the Big Bang logo etc.

 

 

and finally this is a page made for a UKS challenge and features a free with purchase kit by Jen Yurko (you can find her store here)

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely quiet weekend
• no fear of the wind
• scrapping time and walks

 

and it was four years today that I celebrated my first ever day as a totally free woman - I had officially retired and was free of all that stress and pressure. Best 4 years EVER

 and today's extra - fabulous animal photos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High winds - no fear

We have three days of reasonably strong blustery winds ahead but we are NOT worried. Our fence should stand. First time winds haven't worried us in many many years. I so hope we are not proved wrong.

 

We went for a walk along a deserted beach this morning - that blew the cobwebs away I can tell you. But it was lovely to be out.

 

I have been reflecting on the many many good things that have come out of this awful situation the world is in and one of the most important is that although we are all separate, in so many ways we are more together. One of our neighbours dropped off food parcels to several of us in the form of gorgeous raspberries and rhubarb from the garden. A group of three houses are sharing (after quarrentine of course) jigsaws and magazines. We have a weekly zoom fun evening with family, Nigel speaks to his brothers via whatts app messages  most days, I have a weekly zoom chat with scrappy friends and Nigel meets for a zoom chat with old cycle speedway friends. We may not be in touch physically but probably have more contact with a lot of people than before the pandemic. There are silver linings if you look for them.

 

I have done a little scrapping and even made two pages yesterday - a digital and a paper, - of the flowers we went to visit yesterday ... gorgeous fields full of pink opium poppies grown for the pharmaceutical market. I had never seen pink poppies before.

 

 

 

This was made with a free cutfile fromt he brand new Peartree Cut Files and I couldn't wait to use it.

 

I decided to fill with rainbow papers but to add photos behind the hearts

 

 

 

and this was from our trip to Corfe Castle.

 

Today I am thankful for

• connecting with people
• wonderful neighbours

 

And fun shares today -a mazing sand sculptures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and lockdown photos mimicking great art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and finally just because I found it fascinating

 

A little bit of floral joy

Today we went for our walk early as more rain (which is good) was forecast and the flowers everywhere looked gorgeous. We don't really have flowers in our garden as they don't grow. When we first lived here I spent a fortune on peat, topsoil and bedding plants. Did that for a few years and finally saw sense. We have lots of different coloured foliage bushes. the only flowers we have are azaleas, a few rhododendrons, a few roses and my new sunflowers.It works for us but I do enjoy everyone else's flowers.

 

On a floral theme I have new releases to share for Pickleberrypop

This is an utterly gorgeous collection called Summer Palette by Natali Designs

 

 

I used it to showcase the painting I did of my favourite flowers - sunflowers.

 

 

Wildflowers collection by Heather T

 

My second favourite flowers are poppies so they feature this week too

 

 

and finally

Foundations Rectangles #2 by Fayette       and also using her Get Lost Bundle by Fayette

 

 

Gosh I miss roads like this so much. This was Sedona last year.

 

TOday I am thankful for

• a lovely walk
• everyone else planting lovely flowers for us to enjoy
• great kits to work with
• the start of a new month - the month I hit the big 60!!!

 

 

Take your wife to work day

Nigel had petrol jobs today and so we went together as it is even quicker if we do them together and we had a lovely day with 4 hours int he car and about 30 minutes work. It' so much nicer than 'being' at work. And it happened that one of the stations was in Blandford and so we just had to buy takeaway pastries from Reeve for lunch. It's a hard life but someone has to do it.

 

Other than that we have had a quiet time. I have sorted out some stash for sale (it is never ending really) I have completed class pages and I have done jigsaws. We are loving the puzzles we are doing. I will have to share the pictures of them once I have downloaded them.

My new scrapping is largely not able to be shared yet as it is all design team work but this is new

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• a lovely day spent together - can't say I am disliking this retired lark. It will be four years on Saturday - can't believe it. Best four years of my life.
• sorting some stash out - long way to go

 

And I took these from a nostalgic post. If you are a similar age to me I am sure they will bring back memories for you too

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a mixed few days

We have gone through a full gambit of weather, pleasure and stress the last few days. It was awfully hot and so we took a picnic tea down to the sea. Not where all the people are. We locals know where to go that is quiet and it was lovely but still not cool. It was 28 degrees all night in our bedroom.

Yesterday was a little cooler and we finally had our fence fitted. We have gone from 6 foot wooden panels (that break, blow out, shatter, fly like kites over the heath) to 3 foot gravel board and 3 foot fence. It looks very different - not quite used to it yet - but will last much better int he wind. But I don't cope at all well with workmen around and so I found it all very stressful. I breathed a sigh of relief when they had gone and the day finished on a high with our Friday family fun night which we hosted this week. The round of Mr and Mrs was hilarious.

I had a busy day scrapping yesterday but as they are for classes I cannot share them yet. But - pin the date

 

The weekend of 17th July is a bumper cyber crop at ATDML

 

 

These are three pages made a while ago but not shared

 

Kira helping with our jigsaw puzzles. We have done dozens of puzzles since lockdown and really enjoy them

 

 

This was my page about me for the last ATDML cyber crop

 

 

 

and a garden one from earlier in May

 

Today I am thankful for

• the fence work complete and hopefully stable now.
• Nigel's patience when I have meltdowns

And today some totally ridiculous trying to be a pretentious way to serve food which I think are totally bonkers

 

I'd send most of them back on the basis they were unhygenic as the things could not be cleaned properly. But then I don't go to that sort of restaurant

 

A potato on a  little chair!

 

 

roof tiles - really!!!

 

 

a cocktail - what is wrong with a glass?

 

 

ramen noodles as beer!!!

served on real pebbles - no thank you

 

 

nope

 

This is quite cute - they asked for nothingf or dessert

 

beef potato and peas in a glass - for goodness sake

 

 

 

 

cheese on a mousetrap!

 

 

 

nope nope nope

 

 

the kitchen sink

 

 

 

 

absolutely no

 

 

Burgers as a cocktail accent!

 

 

 

noooo - the mess

 

oh for goodness sake

 

 

 

 

 

I despair of the great British public

The Prime Minister said it would be Ok to lessen restrictions because the public would use their common sense. I did think that was optimistic and I now have the proof we didn't need.

For the first time I can remember Bournemouth and Poole have declared a major emergency due to the unprecedented number of people coming down to the beaches on what is the hottest day of the year. It is 30 degrees here and humid so I get the appeal of the beach BUT for goodness sake, we are in the midst of a pandemic, it is NOT safe out there and the beaches were so very very very crowded. Not 1m apart let alone 2m. The result of people not at work and the children not at school and I wonder how many of these people wouldn't send their kids to school because it was unsafe but were prepared to pack them like sardines on a  beach. But it is not just the sheer numbers that are the issue. The people are behaving like anti social animals. The beaches are full of rubbish they can't be bothered to deal with, they are defecating and urinating behind beach huts when toilets are open and available, they have parked on grass verges, double yellow lines, over driveways because a £30 parking fine still makes it a cheap day out. The sandbanks ferry was unable to unload it's cars last night because sandbanks was in utter gridlock and there was nowhere for the cars to go. There have been dozens of people camping on the beaches - illegal and all of this in the throes of a pandemic that is STILL OUT THERE. I get people have been trapped inside for so long. I get they have needed to have some respite. I get that the sea is desirable for all. But that does not entitle them to behave so badly, cause so many problems and treat an area with total disregard and contempt. Roads into the town are being closed, signs say we are full and still they come and still they leave their mess behind.I wouldn't mind betting taha if you polled the hordes on the beach today you wouldn't find more than a handful of local. We are staying well away from the madness. I just hope their rubbish is the only thing they leave behind.

Personally I think make the fine £500 per parking offence or tow the cars away and use the money to clean up the mess they leave. These pictures sadden me

Bournemouth Beach yesterday - apparently busier today!!!

 

 

 

 

These are pavements and double yellow lines

 

 

The beach at 4.30 am this morning ... lovely and clean

 

 

 

yes - camping is illegal

 

 

 

and a way to treat a world heritage site

 

OK I need pretty things to calm down.

 

This was a new release from Chunlin designs this week  and yes - the picture is me!

 

 

 

 

 and this collection by Kathryn Estry was perfect for my Mr Fix It

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• calming down a little
• fans (it is oppresively hot and there is no air anywhere)
• ice lollies (bet we can't buy any tomorrow)

 and some bizarre pictures from tinternet!

 

 

 

 

perhaps not the best design

 

crazy socks

um?????

 

 

seriously!!!

what !!!!!

 

 

wow

 

This must be the portal to hell

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fiki used to be a tick magnet. Never ever thought of looking here

 

 

 

 

and finally some amazing designs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

such a fabulous day

The weather has been glorious and it set to get hotter and even more lovely. Too lovely to stay in.

And we didn't. We went out out.

 

We had a wonderful socially distanced picnic and walk at Corfe Castle with my bestie and her husband. All credit to the National Trust. We booked a time slot and all of the time slots hadn't gone so it was very very very quiet. I don't think I have ever been when it has been so quiet which was wonderful. Lovely walk up to the castle through the cool green leafiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was hot hot hot but once we had climbed up to the top there was a nice breeze and it was a little cooler and was perfect for a socially distanced picnic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has always been a favourite place and such a Dorset landmark - just a fabulous day.

 

For the first time in a long time no scrapping today - yet. I am sure there will be  soon though.

But I can share this ... my class pages for ATDML cyber crop at the weekend

 

 

 

 

Meeting Ann - an unexpected bonus just before lockdown

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• social distancing working - I am NOT ready for 1 meter yet but today was perfect
• days out with people we love
• Dorset - we are truly blessed
• sunshine (and sunscreen)
• a retired life - I love my life. It simple but it's perfect. I'd like a LOT longer but I do always say to Nigel that should anything happen to me he needs to know I have had a truly wonderful life.

 

 

 

 

 

Not quite the twin cities

We were blessed to visit the twin cities of Minneapolis and St paul last year (though not sure that it is a great place to visit at the moment with the issues with George Floyd, riots and now they have banned To Kill and Mockingbird and Mark Twain)  and we have our own version here int he towns of Bournemouth and Poole and I think people are quite loyal to one or the other. It's a light hearted rivalry between the two. We both lived in Bournemouth for a long time with our parents, me for 19 years and Nigel for 21 but we have lived in Poole for all of our married life - some 34 years - and are very proud of the fact we live in Poole not Bournemouth. We rarely go to visit Bournemouth but went today to see the three large cruise ships in Poole Bay (yes the water off Bournemouth Beach IS Poole Bay - proud of that too)

There were four cruise ships, the Cunard Victoria and the P and O cruise ships Ventura, Arcadia and Aurora but Victoria is now back in Southampton. It is very very rare to have them int he bay and it is simply because with the cruise industry in standstill at the moment the berths in Southampton were full so along with Bournemouth having dozens of BA planes at its airport where BA doesn't usually go, we have cruise ships int he bay. Nice to know we are useful. Anyway we took a  trip and a walk today.

 

 

 

I only took this as I was quite proud of his hair which I cut yesterday!

 

In my defence the wind was blowing so the front looks better than this - it has just blown!

 

 

 

Very windy!

 

 

The pier has a new electronic board with welcoming messages flashing across like If it is busy go home  and stay safe

 

 

 

an iconic view of the gardens (not as nice as Poole Park

 

 and another iconic image - these have been the same for all 54 years I have lived here

 

 

ducklings and their mom on Bourne Stream

 

and signs everywhere (which the majority of people seemed unable to read apparently!

 

 

 

 

We had a lovely walk on an almost empty beach (unheard of on a sunny June weekend) but it was nice to be back in Poole and watching the kite surfers at Sandbanks

 

 

 

This was yesterday. We had a brilliant idea that Nigel would wear a bin bag when I cut his hair to act as a sort of hairdressers cloak. Mmmm - it was far too small. But it WAS funny

 

 

 

 

and a very appropriate shirt - a gift from Barb and Steve, for him to be wearing for a post about the twin cities.

 

and my little boy with a new mouse we bought when we went to Pets at Home the other day

 

He is gorgeous

 

 

and yes there has been scrapping today too. I made this for the Scrappycats challenge using lots and lots and lots of scraps and sewing

 

 

and finally it is Father's Day and I miss my Daddy so much

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and My Nigel is such a good fur Daddy

 

 

 

Today I am thankful for

• living in a great place
• having had a wonderful wonderful Daddy though I lost him way too early
• having such a wonderful hubby who loves 'his kids' as much as I do