Happy 45th birthday to me!!!

...got spoiled with gorgeous bouquet of flowers and others gifts from hubby & kids! Didn't plan anything that day other than to go out for dinner as it is usually a busy day for everyone if we will celebrate it that day. Since Chris also's birthday in December we had decided to celebrate it together for family and friends and had it yesterday. Here's a couple of pics of what i had prepared. Pity i wasn't able to take pics of the main dishes for dinner, was then too busy so the pics below were the small bites, warm and cold that was serve after coffee in the afternoon. Preparations had taken a lot of time and hard work but it's worth it! Kind of fun too trying to choose which dishes that fits together. Nearly a couple of weeks ago, the owner of the cafe-restaurant where i work celebrated her 60th birthday and i had offered to make some small savory snacks for the drinks. No stitching was done at all this month...but have a couple more days to go... Wish you all a Happy weekend!!

Our Christmas Tree

Finally put up our x'mas tree today, did wanted it earlier but been crazy busy while i am off work for the whole month of December but since hubby came home last week we've been catching up on scheduled appointments mainly for our son, Chris. At school and dentist appointments as it have to be at the mainland. Manage to pick up half of the boxes from where we stored them and still piled up here and not yet unpacked. We are off again for a couple of days tomorrow so it will have to wait end of this week... Probably our last lunch get-together as we are all busy this coming weeks. Kind of happy organizing for lunch/dinner here at home as i am into trying new recipes. Yeah, instead of picking up stitching i am browsing through different sites for new recipes to try. Although no builders to spoil i still make cake/tarts for us. Since i don't want to eat much, just a taste...i'll bring some portions to friends to try. Hope everyone's having a good weekend!

Autumn exchange @ HOE!

Here's what i sent to my partner Brendon all the way to Australia. It's a freebie design just can't remember from who... Love the piece i received from Becky, Thank you so much, Becky!! Days go by so fast...First day of December, birthday of our son...his father and sister aren't home and one of his wish to go out to dinner at the only 'Wok restaurant' here on the island so i asked him to take a few of his friends so we went this evening. Such fun with these young guys! I was glad i can join them, thought they'd prefer to go without parent. Last saturday been off with friends to the city with the train. It should be around 3 hours travel to there but due to some storing with train connections, we had miss a couple so it took us an hour extra. It was quite an experience, was first for me to go that far with the train. Ussually we took the car if we go out of the island. Still preparing and trying some new recipes, not for the builders anymore but just for us here or friends who stop by for coffee or lunch. I do need to gather a list of recipes that i'd like to prepare again when needed. Most were found through the net so sometimes i cannot remember anymore the link where i've found the recipe. Thanks to all who stop by and took the time to leave me a comment. Really appreciate it. Happy week to all!!

The Sampler Girl ornament!

Found this one stitched i think the beginning of this year so made it into an ornament. At first didn't know where i got the design but through searching at google had found out from JCS magazine 2012. Thus, went in search of the magazine and honestly quite lots of designs i've started or wanted to stitch from the magazine compare to the one this year. Do hope my mojo contineous.... Well, here are a few pictures of what i've made...baking/cooking! Not much lately as works nearly done except painting and the one who is assigned for it only comes during evenings. Probably a couple more evenings and he is done so we can start bringing up things upstairs. Hubby, hopefully will be home in two weeks then we can get everything or most of the things back for each room. Hope everyone's having a good start of the week.

...accident happens...

...while drying glasses at work, haven't noticed one was broken luckily was from the dishwasher so it was a cleaned glas otherwise if it was not might haven been in trouble with infection as it was so busy last saturday day/evening cause of the 'blues weekend'and we had a band playing that afternoon till early in the evening. Was enjoying my work at the bar but wanted to put away a few glasses and started cleaning up...with that enthusiasm as i wanted to be off as soon as possible and joined the party for drinking and ended up at the medical center! Feeling better now and glad it wasn't that serious and had only 3 stitches...so, glad to be back at work in a couple of days though have to keep off water for more than a week. It is my right thumb finger thus can't stitch for a while too. Haven't done stitching for a long long time...instead i had been baking almost daily for my builders..here are pics of my favorites which i hope to make it again when needed as i am still preparing recipes that are new....even with only one hand working just like yesterday evening and tonight! Hubby is home a couple of days ago and has been working with the builders...everything's going well but i haven't been home to take pics while they are at work so not much to show yet. Yesterday, has been sunny so force hubby to take a break from upstairs doing the electric wires and had walked to the terrace where i work-it's nearby our house and had a pleasant time outside drinking beer and dinner, glad our teenage son had joined us too. Hope everyone's having a good start of the week.

20 years....

....imagine my surprise while at work and saw a van stopped by and gave a huge..really huge bouquet of flowers to my colleague who was nearby the door and i said further away WOW!..and her thumbs says for you..means for me...so i went inside following my colleague and she says this huge thing is for you...i stand still and says what's the date today??? oh my...i was speechless...yes...my or better say...Anniversary! Hubby is away...in the U.K for work but remembers... ...really gorgeous bouquet of flowers! So busy here...what with the builders, at work due to the lovely summer weather and looking after the house and kids. Thank you so much, Lief!!

...started breaking out the front wall!

Now, the works really starts for the builders... We are getting a new roof and at the same time a few changes for the upper floor. Quite a work had done at the end of the day. The big bricks were removed so you can see it through, before the builders left they had placed a plastic so it looks closed from the outside...Glad we are having a nice sunny weather though a bit windy but hopefully it stays dry for a while. Had a realaxing sunday...starts with an early morning stroll along the dyke...and then a visit to Kees mother at midday. On impulse later in the afternoon we decided to have a barbecue...the first and probably the last this year. With the backyard filled with materials for the builders and hubby will be leaving this week to the U.K for work...i ĺl be working lots too as weather stays good so lots of tourist around. Thanks to all who stop by and hope everyone have a good start of the week.

I am still around...

WOW!!! It's been more than two months that no update here, can't believe it myself but was crazy busy here especially at work, working more than 40 hours a week...one time was nearly 60 hours for a week. So, days passes so quickly. With all the hectic here no time for picking up my stitching instead try to catch up socially whenever possible.

 Finally off this weekend and noticed my cherries in the garden are starting to ripen. My first time planting these, wasn't planned at all but early spring a friend gave me a few of these and insisted i have to plant it on my garden as she has enough..now, looking at them kind of happy i did. I do look out for these plants daily how they grew up and spread all over. I should have put sticks to hold them up so they won't spread all over but i didn't know it.
 

Saturday was really spent sociallizing, been to a birthday of one of my husband's nephew in the afternoon, stayed an hour and then off to the next where stayed for dinner and afterwards to a Festival that held here on the island every end of August...

The Tropical Festival and yes...had dance through the night. Sure had lots of fun with friends!

 Hope everyone's having a lovely weekend!

My everblooming orchids...

...aren't they gorgeous! Everytime i came in from work or comes down in the morning i can't resist staring at them ...can't believe they've been blooming for so long. Below picture are sitting by our kitchen window. These big potted one in the living room. Oh, i love them so much!! Once again, everyone's home so we decided to go out for lunch...the only time we are all together otherwise one always missing during meal time due to work schedule. Looks delicious on the picture and sure they are. Today was, The annual catamaran race around Texel (“Rondje Texel”)...took these pictures from the dyke here nearby our house. These were the first to pass through after they started from "De Koog" at 9am and took these pics around 11am. I never been to the starting point of the race, so i don't have any idea how it looks like with so many of those Catamarans. Sure they are lucky the weather was great for them. The last couple of days was no wind at all and if it was still no wind today, was probably move for the next day or cancelled. It did happened a few years back and if it strong winds it will be cancelled as well. Today was really perfect for them. One of my lunch outings this week with friends. With work, we don't see each other much so if we get the chance we do like to meet up and have lunch or drinks somewhere. No stitching done at all for this week... Happy weekend to all.