July 7th 2015 - Making clipboards

July 7th 2015 - Making clipboards

Tomorrow night I am taking my SJA badgers to the local park as part of their wild badge.  We are going to be looking for different plants and trees, birds and animals as well as doing some leaf and bark rubbing.  I have printed sheets for each child to use.

Then it dawned on me that the paper is really flimsy and not strong enough to write on on its own, I need some sort of clipboard.   I don't have any at home or SJA.  So I started looking on pinterest for how to make them from cardboard.

I found this cardboard clipboard which gave me all I needed to make some.  Mine don't look as pretty as those in the pic but as a last minute thing they will do.  I think I may order some proper ones for future use.

I cut a box to bits into A4 size, covered the edges with brown parcel tape and added to clothes pegs to the top to hold the papers in place.

July 6th 2015 - Over door shoe rack

July 6th 2015 - Over door shoe rack

A few days ago I ordered an over door shoe rack as I have pairs of shoes laying around everywhere, not that I am saying I have too many shoes (no lady in a right mind would say that), i'm just saying that they are everywhere and needed tidying up.

Well I ordered the rack, and waited for it to arrive.  It arrived this morning.  I took it out of the packing and thought I would go and put it up and put my shoes away, as this was the whole point in it.  Errrrr no, can't do that as there is NO over the door hooks with it.  So I went back to the ebay listing reading to moan at the seller and in the TINIEST font you can see at the bottom it says "hooks not included".

Now what is the point in selling over the door shoe racks without the bits to fix it over the door???  Seriously some people need a reality check!!!  It is as much use a mudguards on a tortoise!  I now have to wait a few more days until I can get to town to buy some hooks of some sort so that I can actually fix it up like it should be.

July 5th 2015 - St John Ambulance

July 5th 2015 - St John Ambulance

Today has been a long day and i'm extremely tired!  I was awake at 06:30am and eating breakfast a few minutes later, this hour shouldn't exist!!!  Well I was fed, had had my coffee, a wash and wash dressed by 7am.  I was ready to go at 7:20am.

7:20am came and went and my lift arrived 10minutes late at 7:30am and we set off.  We were all heading to Lancaster (about 2hrs drive from where we live) for an update/training day for St John Ambulance.

We were given a lot of information and got answers to lots of things, some may not have been what people wanted to hear etc.  I met some new people who were all really nice and friendly, and saw a few people I had met before.  I also had a couple of people saying how well behaved and polite and helpful my son is when he is out on events, which was nice to hear.

I am now ready for bed and totally knackered!

July 4th 2015 - Whitehaven Carnival

July 4th 2015 - Whitehaven Carnival

Today is the towns carnival.  Most of the local dance and drama groups perform in the parade around town, along with floats for different organisations.  It is organised by the local LIONS group. 

Last year was the first time we had been to it as we missed 2013 as still trying to unpack etc.  It is a great environment with people lining the parade route, music playing from the vehicles in the parade etc.  Once they have done the parade round town they make their way back to the park on the edge of town where there is stalls, a fun fair and lots more.

This year I am not watching the parade as a member of the public but I will be there with St John Ambulance, who are providing the first aid cover for the day.  I really hope the weather picks up more than it has as its really dull and overcast, although not as dull as it was at 9am and has now stopped raining.

July 3rd 2015 - Paddling pool

July 3rd 2015 - Paddling pool

Today is another hot day and we got the paddling pool out for the kids.  Ours is similar to this one in that it is hexagonal and has a shade not a full gazebo.

July 2nd 2015 - Knights mask

July 2nd 2015 - Knights mask

I wasn't sure of what I was going to use for todays pin.  And halfway through tea there was a knock on the door, I looked and could see a man in a waistcoat with a clipboard......Hubby said what ever they selling we dont want.....the kids yell theres a yodel van outside.....hubby answers door and the bloks says "parcel for Amy Watson?"  Hubby says yes and brings it in.

I'm not expecting anything today as the few bits i'm waiting on are either from hong kong/china (so not til end of month of  emails said dispatched today, so again wasn't expecting anything.  I looked it over after tea and hid what the kids couldn't see!  1 item was a "open wrap box" around another box, I took the open wrap off but left it taped together.

Well b4 I knew it lil man had it on his head/face as a mask BUT he couldn't see as no holes!  So he asked me to cut him 2 eyes and a mouth so he could be a knight.  Well this had to be todays pin so I went and found one.

Here he is:

Bit blurry as he wouldn't stand still!  but he's happy all the same.  He's now sat drawing and decorating it.

Simple things that cost nothing to amuse kids and people say kids now days have no imagination.

July 1st 2015 - Defrosting the freezer

July 1st 2015 - Defrosting the freezer

It has got to the point where my freezer drawers dont open easily or close once open.  This is mostly due to the kids leaving it open for 5minutes whilst they decide which ice lolly they want, not all 3 of them together but each 1 on own once its been shut!!!

It's time to defrost the freezer(S).  I have 2 to do but as the towels I had stuck in the bottom of the 1st one and on the floor are soaking wet I think I will have to wait to do number 2.

Me and my trusty hair dryer got the job done in half hr, its now dry and switched back on.  Give it 10mins and I will put the drawers and food back in - some of it was rammed into the other freezer, some of it is in the cool box with freezer blocks.

At least its a lovely hot day so I didn't mind getting the odd splash of ice or drop of cold water on my arm as reached in to take chunks of ice out!