Raisie Bay

My Sunday Photo 3rd March 2019

A trip down memory lane.

black and white photo of a woman and a little girl paddling in the sea.
Me and Mum

As you get older you tend to hold on to your memories more. You think about your childhood and the fun things you did. It’s lovely to take a trip down memory lane and that’s what I’m doing today.

A lot of my young childhood memories are just a blur. I really don’t remember standing in the water with my Mum for this photo. I’ve tried really hard but I can’t. At least I have this captured memory, so I know that it did happen.

I know my mum loved to paddle, she didn’t like swimming, she didn’t even like boats, but whenever we went to the beach she’d take her shoes off and feel the water splash on her feet. I have memories of later years at the beach to keep me happy.

The Only Girl

A Robin Reliant car in a caravan park. A man is behind the wheel and three young men standing by the car with a young girl sitting on the bonnet. The photo is black and white.
My Dad, brothers, me and my cousin

My Dad loved his Robin Reliant so much that when my older brother (standing with his arm around me as a little girl) crashed it, my Dad brought another. The second one had windows in the back and that’s the car I remember most.

This is another memory I’ve lost. I wish I could remember sitting on that car. My brothers where older than me, already teenagers when I was born and married not long after this photo was taken.

I was just eight years old when my Dad passed away and my memories are few but special. I remember he would take me out every Sunday, to a park or a pub with a garden. And in the spring he would take me to the bluebell woods. Bluebells always remind me of my Dad.

The other teen in this photo is my cousin who lived with us. He was younger than my brothers so I have more memories of him being at home when I was little.

I take so many photos these days, it’s so easy to do, I don’t even need a camera I can just use my phone. All memories are captured and preserved. The best ones preserved in many places so they won’t be lost. I struggle to remember my young childhood, but photos like the ones I’ve shared with you today are proof that we had some fun times too.

Sunday Snap
RachelSwirl

My Sunday Photo 17th February 2019

I have missed doing a Sunday photo for a couple of weeks. It was mainly because of illness and not being able to spend more than two minutes at a time at the computer.

a pink crochet axolotl
Axolotl

We’ve not been out much and I don’t have any brilliant shots to share with you, but I wanted to share a photo of my Axolotl that I made. I put a photo of it on Instagram and Simply Crochet Magazine have asked if they can feature me on their ‘Show Us Yours’ page. It said I’ve been shortlisted, so I don’t actually know if it will appear yet, but it’s still exciting to know that something I have made has caught their attention.

side view of the crochet axolotl
side view

Crochet

I first learnt to crochet over 30 years ago. I didn’t get the hang of it and the only thing I made, a baby jumper for my son, was a disaster. So I gave it up.

Then a couple of years ago I thought I’d try again. I kept seeing patterns for these little amigurumi critters and fell in love. So, I started again but soon found out that fiddly little stitches were not the best idea, especially with my failing eyesight. So, I made a blanket.

I’ve made several blankets, hats and scarfs since then and I love my crochet. It’s so relaxing and I love seeing something I’ve created looking good afterwards.

Axolotl

Then I saw a pattern for this axolotl and my little girl wanted me to make one. It was fiddly but I managed it and was happy with the results. So were my girls, I now have to make two more. I might try a lighter pink for the body, it’s supposed to be lighter but the wool I wanted was out of stock so I settled for something pinker. My daughter was okay about it, as she pointed out, axolotl can be quite pink.

I’ll just finish with the first axolotl we met at Hatton in 2017.

Sunday Snap
RachelSwirl

My Sunday Photo December 30th 2018

Post Christmas Limbo

The days after Christmas and before New Year when the house is full of toys and the kids are playing.

We had a great Christmas, the kids were happy, the adults were happy and the house was a mess!

Next it’s New Year, we will be carrying out our tradition of doing ‘not very much at all!’

What are you doing for New Year?

Sunday Snap
Photalife

My Sunday Photo December 23rd 2018

Christmas 1983

In loving memory of my Mum who passed away ten years ago on December 25th 2008.

My Nan and Mum Christmas 1983

One particular icy day, a week before Christmas 1983, my mum fell and fractured her arm. It didn’t stop her getting everything done for Christmas though. It was her favourite time of year. Together with my Nan they would cook up a gorgeous Christmas dinner and we would have loads of treats. Nan’s mince pies where to die for.

We didn’t have a dining room and the kitchen was small, but we did have a big round table that Mum used to put in the middle of the living room on Christmas day for us all to sit together for Christmas dinner. I would help lay the table while watching Top of the Pops on the Television. The after the Queen’s speech we would all pull a cracker and settle down to eat.

There would be various other family members visit throughout the day with extra presents for us all. It was always fun, even the washing up wasn’t so bad with us all chipping in. Everyone was in good spirits, and even though my Nan has a bottle in her hand here, I didn’t see her or Mum drink more than one glass of wine with dinner.

Boxing day all the family would visit for a party. Mum and I would move the furniture around to make more room, and we’d blow up balloons and give everyone party poppers. We’d play music on our Stereo gram, usually albums that I’d had as Christmas presents, and after a few drinks there would be some dancing in the middle of the room.

Then we’d rest for a while until it was time to get ready for New Years Eve. For this the whole family would save a little money each week in a Post Office account and it was all pooled together. We’d hire a hall, a dj and all my aunties would chip in preparing a huge buffet. We would have a huge table of drinks for the adults to help themselves. There would be loads of decorations, Mum and her sisters would work all day making it look totally amazing. Then we would party all night.

Thank you Mum for giving me these happy memories. They keep me going through the sad ones, like sitting with you in the hospice back in 2008 watching you slip away from me forever.

For anyone missing someone this Christmas, I know how difficult it is, but eventually the happy memories are what you grab in those sad moments. It’s okay to be happy without them, even though it’s hard.

Merry Christmas to all My Readers, Peace and love to all,

Anne xx

Sunday Snap
Photalife






My Sunday Photo 16th December 2018

In Search of the Christmas Spirit

a large outdoor Christmas tree in front of a church with a reindeer sitting on a bench

I have been feeling like something is missing so have been searching for some Christmas Spirit.

We had hoped to go to Bletchley Park this Christmas to see what it would be like to celebrate a 1940s Christmas. But sadly we had to put off our plans so I have been looking for something else to do. Star suggested going to the Christmas Markets in the City Centre and I ran with that idea. I’ve not  been for a few years.

Wet and Miserable

Getting out of the house was easy for a change. There were no meltdowns or grumpiness, no lost shoes or coats and everyone was in good spirits. But, it was raining and cold. Sitting in the car we almost changed our minds to go somewhere indoors instead, but it’s hard to deal with changes of plans so we set off for the markets. If it was too awful to stay outside we always had the Bull Ring shopping centre to hide in.

We left the car park and it was raining hard, we were all wrapped up but it was still freezing cold. My wheelchair is not supposed to get too wet so shelter had to be sought. So we went into the Bull Ring and was greeted straight away by a live band. It was too loud for Star and the Little Man so we quickly made our way through the crowds until the music lowered in decibels enough to hear each other. 

The kids went into Smiggles to spend their  pocket money and left 10 mins later with books, pencil cases, squishies and slime. Then we decided to see what it was like outside and whether we could actually make it to the markets.

It was still wet and cold and the kids just wanted to go home. We took a look at the Christmas tree outside St Martin’s Church and I felt happy that this year they had gone for a real looking tree rather than some artistic interpretation of a tree like they had last time I came. Next to the tree was a bench with a reindeer and some fixed antlers, perfect for a photo opportunity. The girls were not keen on going up but the Little Man and his Dad did. 

The Little Man did not understand he was supposed to fit in the antlers and Dad got frustrated trying to get him in the right place. This caused the Little Man to become upset and by the time I took the photo they both looked miserable. The girls were miserable waiting around. The weather was miserable and I was cold and wet.

Christmas spirit – Bah Humbug.

We found the car and went home.

There is still a whole week to feel the Christmas Spirit, but I’m 99% sure it will be found at home, not anywhere cold and wet. 

Sunday Snap
Photalife

A little Note About Positive Reviews on Raisie Bay

A little Note About Positive Reviews on Raisie Bay

Some people only write reviews when things go wrong with products, which is good because it lets people know that there could be potential problems. I’ve also seen negative feedback with say things like, I had to return this item because the colour did not suit me…is this useful?

I write reviews on most items I buy because I like to give genuine feedback. If I have a genuine problem with a product I will write my review in the appropriate place.

I write reviews on my blog too, but they are mostly positive. Why? Because I only write reviews for the things I’ve loved. If I don’t love them I let the person who sent me them know with details why and then let them decided if they would rather me write a negative review or not write one at all. It’s always the latter.

This is my blog, my place and I’ll let you know about the things I love. If you want to find out what other people have hated about the product then you will need to look elsewhere.

My reviews may all be positive, but they are still genuine.

Where to next?