Margate's Big Event!

Margate's Big Event took place at the weekend and as The Red Arrows were to take part, I am not one to resist a few more photo opportunities! I never tire of watching them. They always manage to thrill me - even on the dullest of days.

The weather was atrocious! Boy, was it cold....and wet....and windy. So here we are - all bundled up with hot chocolate to keep us warm. With a top temperature of 13c! That is just 56F. Eek...and it's almost 'mid summer'!

Nothing would deter me from watching The Red Arrows.....and...without further adieu...

WHOOOOOSH!

A seagull gets in on the act...

Now for some aero-dynamics...






Poooof!

Yikes!

A little light refreshment while the sky changed from grey to blue - briefly!

I met up with quite a few characters.....

....and creatures.

The England team might be able to make good use of this guy! LOL.

Anyone seen my gorillas? This traveller had 3 to entertain the crowd.

Wolfman!

You looking at me?!

...and there were several bands who played a variety of music.... including my favourite Marylebone Jelly.

There was no shortage of food stalls but as usual, they were so expensive. (Look at that black sky!)

Four small sugar doughnuts were £2.00 and a weak - very watery hot chocolate was £2.00 each!

As well as the funfair...there was other kinds of entertainment.....water bubbles - and bungee jumping.

All the fun of the fair.

This is the ride where I first spoke with my husband - in London - in 1966!

No, I don't have the photo the wrong way up!

The Ghost Train ain't what it used to be! LOL.

I gave up my title of 'Coaster Queen' to my 11 year old granddaughter last year! My brain won't take it today!
Ahhh...this is more like it....although at £2.00 per ride...it was extortionate.

A selection of the usual funfair stalls.

I'm not one for soft toys and with some of them at three feet tall....there's no way I will make space for one in my craft room!

There were some peeps who were carrying 3!

The Red Arrows didn't disappoint and I had a great time with my family. Right, I'm off for a REAL hot chocolate.

Toots for now,

America's Got Talent!!

I can't help thinking about Linda Elbourne. I mean, who hasn't been drawn into her little world of Ranger U and felt her excitement about meeting up with her 'idol' - her 'American Idol' at that!

She is most probably flying high in the sky as I type and is now realising that 'This Is It'! This is actually happening - for real. All that preparation, all of those sleepless nights and those fabulous countdown tags. I'm feeling so excited for HER!

Seeing as the new series of 'America's Got Talent' is back on our screens, gave me cause to think about our talents and passion for crafting.....that, in turn led me thinking about Linda and her visit to USA. So I decided to play with some photos and this is what I did!

America is preparing for Linda's arrival and have her pic on the posters! Look, they know who she's there to see!

Her name is on everyone's lips and they are even sketching her. (This is a moving photo but doesn't work on here).


Linda will also be meeting up with Suze Weinberg . She makes the most amazing creations with her 'Melting Pot'!

We all know the true reason why Linda is so excited!

If Tim lived in Australia....he would be known as 'The Wizard of Aus'! LOL.

It seems that every craft item that I look at, it has Tim Holtz's name on it, so all that is left to see now is this..... it will happen one day....that I'm sure!

Have a wonderful weekend folks and how about getting out those TH Distress Inks for a little play - for Linda's sake! LOL.

America sure has talent!

Come on England!

Well done Gerrard!

*****HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDEN*****

It's one of my beautiful granddaughter's birthday today. She is 11 and I had a play with some of the photos that I took of her when we had a photo shoot. She is such a model poser and I love these photos of her.

I can just see this in about 7 years time!

Have a wonderful day Eden.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving me lovely comments. I appreciate them all.

Truth or lies?!

I was nominated for a 'Creative Writer' blogger award by Darcy recently and - believe it or not, it has taken me a while to come up with the required 7 truths and lies!

First, there are rules.

1. I need to express gratitude to the blogger who bestowed the award. Oh yeah ...Darcy.

2. Display the blog award on my blog proudly. *Chest expanded*!



3. Be nice and provide a link to the person who gave it to me.....the Delightful Miss Darcy....and then here is the scoop!

4. Tell up to 6 outrageous lies about myself and at least, 1 outrageous truth. Or, switch it around and tell 6 outrageous truths and 1 outrageous lie! I will leave it for you to decifer which is which!

5. I need to then nominate 7 creative writers to do the same. OK....I can see those hands up screaming "Pick me, pick me"! LOL. Check the list below to see if you have been chosen.

6. I then have to post links to each of the nominees I have named below.

Here are my 7 truths and lies.

1. I once sat in the cockpit on Concorde!

2. Steve Harley (& Cockney Rebel) and I are friends. We sat next to each other in class at school!

3. I rode a camel around the pyramids in Giza!

4. I LOVE flying and I once piloted an aircraft!

5. I was in a band when I was younger!

6. My dad was born in Cairo, Egypt which in turn makes me a mummy!

7. I have shares in Cadbury's....I keep them going by eating 10 bars of chocolate each day!

These are the peeps that I have chosen.

Emma
Sian
Sue
Keryn
Mandy
Linby
Enfys

Lastly, I need to inform each nominee by posting on their blog to let them know.

I'm feeling in an impish mood after that!
Have fun and toots for now.

It's A Family Affair!

What a week it's been! First it began with my mum's fall and her hip replacement surgery. As it was half term, I had my eldest daughter Lisa and family come stay and my middle daughter Michelle and family came over every day for family time. Cooking for 9 of us meant an early start in the week and as we like our desserts, I made 4 throughout the week and Cameron helped bake chocolate chip cupcakes.

Cameron is the official 'taste tester'!

I also made a mahoosive tray of lasagne that we had with homemade chips, garlic bread and salad.

Before:
After:Fruits of the forest cheesecake... with a digestive biscuit base was one of the desserts that I made.

Mascapone cheese, double cream and a strawberry jelly mixed.

Topped with fruits of the forest. To be eaten with ice cream...

...or not.
Then I made a Banoffee Pie....making the biscuit base with crushed coconut biscuits and melted butter.

Add one can of the most delicious creamy toffee....top with slices of banana and whipped cream...

...and a dusting of cocoa powder.

As you might have noticed, the favourite kind of dessert includes a biscuit base. Now this one has a different base - made with crushed ginger biscuits and melted butter. This Key Lime Pie was inspired by a recipe that the Delightful Miss Darcy dished up for her family recently. Scroll down until you see Lime Jelly Cheesecake.

Oh...and one more dessert that I made but didn't take a photo of (it was whipped out of my hands before I could say "David Bailey"!), was a homemade rice pudding that was always a childhood favourite of mine - and my 3 daughters. I will fight anyone for the skin....but I didn't need to! LOL. It was all MINE.

So now you should be suitably full...I will certainly be considering a diet of some kind in the next couple of weeks....until my youngest daughter's visit in August that is....and I start all over again!

Update on my mum!

I want to thank you all soo much for your kind words of support, love and concern for my mum. For someone you have never met or even know. That is what I love about this blogging community - the sheer sisterhood - a completely supportive family.

My mum is an amazing woman. She has had a major operation at the age of 96 and when my sister told her that she has got a new hip, she replied "oooo....have I"!

She is not enjoying the stay in hospital and neither did she earlier this year. She isn't eating right now and has had low haemoglobin, so needed a unit of blood last night and again this morning. However, that has helped her feel better and after my sister visited, said that she needs to manage her physiotherapy on the rotunda before she can go back to the nursing home in a few days.

Of course, it will be weeks, months even, before she will be able to walk properly again but knowing my mum.....she is a determined spirit and I reckon, she definately wants to receive a birthday card from the queen for her 100th birthday in 4 years time. Now that will be a treasure to keep for posterity!

Thanks again for your kind words.