Good Mail Day!

When I went down to check our Post Box yesterday , imagine my delight when I found this 

in between all the junk mail and bills..... it was a delightful piece of Mail Art, just for me, from one of my bloggy friends- the lovely Melissa over at Daily Life- Bits & Pieces. She had used things that are pertinent to my weight-loss and trying to be fitter journey, which was very thoughtful of her.


Inside, Melissa had added a  letter and a very cute tag

Round the card on the tag, Melissa has journalled:


Blogging is like a conversation around the table during a game of Canasta:sharing stories, commenting, building friendships, laughing and connecting. 


I couldn't agree more...that is a perfect quote as far as I'm concerned. I love reading about what's happening in all  your lives, wherever in the' Blogosphere' you live, and seeing how creative you all  are. I put off blogging for a very long time (mainly because I was sure I had nothing of interest to say) but have found it great fun, addictive(!) and inspiring!.


Thank you Melissa, for the Happy Mail..and thank you all for being my 'bloggy friends'


Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx


P.S. Weighed in this morning and had only gained 0.2kg...a miracle, given my travelling and the amount of meals out I've had!! I must have made good choices after all.

Irresistibly Sweet!

A BIG 'Thank you' to JO for this award, which I am honoured and very pleased to accept!

In doing so, I am requested to share seven facts about myself and then pass the award on to seven great bloggers,whose blogs I really enjoy.

Firstly, seven things about me: (some of which you may already have realised!)

1. I am a self-confessed chocoholic!

2. In my previous life in the UK I was a teacher and then a Special Needs Asst.

3. I love all things American

4. I LOVE Christmas and have a double cupboard in my house just full of Christmas decorations/ornaments!

5. I miss Marks& Spencers!

6. My favourite kitchen 'gadget' is my NESPRESSO machine

7. The one thing I couldn't would hate to live without is my dishwasher

Now the hard part....seven (only seven:( ) of my favourite Bloggers. I have chosen a few of the blogs which inspired me to start blogging and a few I have 'picked up' along the way

Sian from FROM HIGH IN THE SKY

Mel from I SPEAK MELSH

Amy from OVER AT OUR PLACE

Karen from TALES FROM THE SCRAPHEAP

Helen from HELENTILBURY.BLOGSPOT

Deb from PAPERTURTLE

Ruth from SUBURBAN SAHM

There are so many more of you I could have added, but in the spirit of the award I stuck to the seven! It is now up to those seven lovely ladies to pass the award on in the same spirit.

Hope you're all having a great summer/winter

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

SO hot!

 Summer has definately  arrived in this part of Spain. Since I arrived home, about 10 days ago now, the temperatures have been in the high 20s-mid 30s and the humidity has been unbearable.


When it gets as hot as this, my pace of life really does slow down...it's too hot to do anything quickly. I try to get some housework and any shopping done in the morning, so that I can get back home, get my clothes off ( especially the bra...bras are terrible in hot weather!!) and a sarong/wrap on. After lunch, I lie in the shade, listening to my Kindle and by mid-afternoon I've been forced to get in the pool (it's the only way to cool off) ...I look at this as my exercise for the day. 


After that, I have been retreating indoors to blog or scrap, until the sun is less intense (usually between 7-8pm). Then I get back outdoors and water the garden and get any little outside jobs done. Poor Boo's walks have become shorter (just as well she's a little dog and doesn't need too much exercise).


 I usually get a bit of scrapping done at night too......it's far too hot to be indoors and I sit with all the doors of the Naya open enjoying the evening air (with my citronella candles burning to try to keep the mozzies away!)

And there, my friends, you have my days. Even though I consistently complain about the heat in the summer, I consider myself very lucky to waken up every morning to my glorious views and (mostly) wall-to-wall sunshine. My days are mine (mostly), to do with as I please and although I miss family life as it used to be, when  the children were young....life is good! (EXCEPT for the mozzie bites.....both ankles were attacked yesterday and they are PD itchy!!)


Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx


P.S. Half a pound off today!

I'm Back!

I arrived home last night on a good ol' Ryanair flight (which didn't get the fanfare at the end, as we had a delay of about 45 minutes). DD's best friend was supposed to be arriving just after me..... but of course, because of the delay actually arrived before me ...so we travelled home together.


Much as it's been lovely to catch up with most of the family and lots of friends, it was wonderful to walk into my own house last night....and to sleep in my own bed! BLISS!! There really is 'no place like home', I do believe.


In the space of a week, Boo has turned into a 'shaggy' dog, so I must get an appointment for a hairdo for her. The temperatures have been in the high twenties and it will now just continue to get hotter, so she'll be far too hot if I leave her as she is.


In the same week, my poor garden has taken a bit of a 'pounding'. I had asked Man Friday to come in and water the pots every other day, but I think his idea of watering is very different to mine...however, I've given them a good watering and already they're looking much happier. When the sun goes down a bit I shall get some deadheading done, give them another hosing and go from there.


Hope everyone is well...will start checking on all the Blogs later. I cannot believe how much I missed my daily dose of blogging!


Thanks for dropping by!
Take care of you
Alison xx

Scrap-in-the-Moment Day 6

Today has been a 'house' day...apart from a quick pre-weekend food shop. 


Just so that you don't think I spend all my time lying around the pool, scrapping, blogging and wandering round pretty villages drinking tea and coffee, here's today's page!

I am pleased to be able to report that the ironing board is now back in it's home, and the ironing basket is as empty as it's going to be (I have to confess that it's actually never empty!).

 I also have to confess that the reason for  the ironing, dusting and stripping beds today is that DH is due home tomorrow, and I don't want him to think I spend all my time lying round the pool, scrapping, blogging and wandering round pretty villages drinking tea and coffee! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx

USA Trip 2008- Los Angeles

For the next part of our trip, we drove down to Los Angeles. Because DD was joining us for a couple of weeks, instead of booking a hotel, we had decided to rent a private home. Although we had seen some photos on the website, we were stunned when we (eventually) found the house, high in the Hollywood hills. It was a beautiful, Italian- type villa...beautifully decorated- and, to be honest, a bit too posh for us!

I don't really like this LO..it was done for a Challenge a couple of years ago

 We were only there for about five days, but I never felt quite comfortable in the house. We had  a wonderful view over L.A. itself, though the smog was always hanging above the city, so it was hard to get a good photo

The highlight of the visit, for me, was

seeing the musical'WICKED' for the first time-if you have never seen it, and get the opportunity to, you should take it..it's a wonderful story of love and friendship-and I LOVE the music from it..but let's not get waylaid! (for the eagle-eyed among you, this billboard was from NYC, not LA)

As I said, we were stunned by the house..and almost as stunned when  DD got the  flip-flops out- she had only gone and had a tattoo on  her right foot!  What could we say..she was almost nineteen, with a mind of her own-and at this point in time she was working, so it was her own money she had spent...didn't make me a happy bunny, though!

It's at this point that I realise how much more I would have noticed and photographed, had I had a Blog in those day..and also how much I have forgotten of the trip( Note to self....Blogging is a VERY GOOD THING!)

I know that we enjoyed the shopping and re-visiting Santa Monica, and before we knew it we were heading off to.....come back soon to find out!

Thanks for dropping by!

Take care of you

Alison xx