50 Things to do before I'm 60 - 11 to 15

Hi there everyone

Well, last week I let you know how I was getting on with the first 10 of the 50 things that I want to do before I'm 60.

This week I want to share the next 5 things that are on my list so here goes ...

11 - Either go camping again or ...... get rid of all the camping stuff!

It may not sound like it, but this is a big decision for us.  We love nearly everything about camping and we've had some really lovely camping holidays.  The one thing that we really don't like though, is having to pack up in the rain and we've had to do this the last two times we camped.  What this means is a marathon effort when you get home to dry everything out.

Added to that we have both Martin's and my ever increasing creaking and aching joints, which makes the getting up and down from airbeds not the most fun activity.

Actually, I don't really like peeing in a bucket in the night either and as for the showers .........

I think I know what I need to do with this one, but I can not tell a lie, it will be a sad day.
Well ... having written all of that and convinced myself that camping was no longer for me, and now having hunted out photos for the above collage, I didn't realise how many times we'd been camping and I've remembered just how much we do love it.

I'd also forgotten how slim and fit my lovely husband was when we first met!

Perhaps I'm not really ready to sell on the gear after all.

12 - Have a cottage holiday on one of the Channel Islands

Yay!!  Another one done.  We had a lovely holiday on Guernsey last year, which you can read about here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

13 - Run my own Business

When I wrote this goal, I never really thought that I'd do it.  But my little craft business Hand Made at Number 27 is up and running.  Its definitely in its infancy and nowhere near being in profit as yet.  I'm not sure how far I want to go with this but, for now, I'm enjoying making all sorts of different bits and pieces and really enjoying the feeling I get when other people say they like my stuff.

14 - Finish off the Explorer 232 Geocaching Series

Our caching exploits really seem to have tailed off over the last year.

We started this series, what seems like years ago, and it involves finding a cache in 232 of the grid squares on the OS Explorer map 232, which covers the Nuneaton, Tamworth, Lichfield & Atherstone area, so it's pretty local to us.

We started out really well and have already completed caches in 191 of the squares, so just 41 left to do.  Maybe this will be one for when Martin retires later this year and we can get out and about a bit more.


15 - Visit Rosslyn Chapel

Like lots and lots of other people I was enthralled by Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code.  A number of years ago I visited Paris, with my brother, who was also enthralled and we visited The Louvre and followed the Rose Line at the St Sulpice church.

Ever since I saw the film, I've wanted to visit Rosslyn Chapel, it just looked so beautiful ... and fascinating.

Knowing that this was something I really wanted to do, my lovely husband planned in a surprise visit, on our way back from The Cairngorms last year.

It did not disappoint.  It was an absolutely beautiful chapel, in a lovely spot.  Inside is as fascinating as I hoped it would be, though the film considerably extended the crypt!

It's somewhere that I'm really pleased I've managed to see and I would most definitely recommend a visit if you're considering it.  It was well worth the trip.

So that's 11 to 15 on my list.  Not bad going so far, really need to make that decision on the camping front this year though.  Will we risk another trip to see how we get on, or will we come to terms with the fact that our camping days are over?  Watch this space ...

50 Things to do before I'm 60 - An Update ...

In 2014 I hit the big 'FIVE OH' and I can't quite believe it's been a year since I published this post about 50 things that I wanted to achieve before I got to 60.

Well ... I thought it was time for a progress update.

Back in February last year these were the first 10 things I posted from my list and now I can let you know how I've got on so far ...

1 - Hand make Christmas and Birthday gifts

I think I've done pretty well with this one.  In 2014 the mainstay of the hand made Christmas gifts were beaded bracelets for the ladies.

I had to come up with something new for 2015 and came up with a selection of new gifts, including: a crocheted cushion, a tooth fairy pillow, a button art elephant, button art hearts, a selection of zippered make up bags and purses, more bracelets, home made wine, jams & chutney and even an oven glove!

2 - Make bramble jelly jam

Another objective firmly ticked off the list. I've now made a couple of batches of scrummy bramble jelly jam, from our blackberry foraging.

3 - Have a posh afternoon tea

Now this one seems to have become a regular occurrence, with a number of visits, with a selection of different friends to The Old School House at Weeford, which has fast become a firm favourite for afternoon tea.  I've also tried the afternoon tea at Dobbies, in Mancetter, with mum, which was also very nice, and the afternoon tea at Buzzard Valley, which, to be fair, was not so good.

4 - Visit Balmoral Castle

Well ... I feel like I'm on a bit of a roll, as we managed to take in a visit to Balmoral when we stayed up in Ballater in Spring last year.  Somewhere I would definitely recommend and we will definitely be returning to take up a land rover tour round the estate, which looks brilliant.

Balmoral was everything we hoped it would be.  We were really lucky and got to see it with no one else around.  We got there really early and did the recommended tour backwards, so we saw the house first, before anyone else had got there.  Definitely worth a thought if you are visiting.

5 - Make something in mosaic

Well, this is where it all starts to go downhill. Whilst I have got everything I need to get cracking with this, stuff to mosaic on, stuff to mosaic with, tools and plenty of books, I haven't actually done any mosaic as yet.  The closest I have got is  my button art.  This is one I definitely want to have a go at this year.  I've got no excuses now!!

6 - Complete my online photography course

I have at least made a start on this, though I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked.  I think, subconsciously, I am waiting for Martin to retire, so that we can do this together.  The plan then, is to go out and start taking photos worthy of competition entry, so we may see more progress on this one later in the year.

7 - Holiday on the Suffolk Coast

Now, I did really try this one, I really did.  I have spent many an hour looking for the perfect cottage to suit Martin and I, in the perfect spot on the Suffolk coast.  So far, the only cottages that I've liked have been either too far North or too far South.  I need to just keep looking for that one that is just in the right spot for us to be able to see everything that we want to see.

8 - Christmas in a holiday cottage

Those of you who follow my blog will know that we managed to do this for 2015, with a family Christmas break in Marsden in Yorkshire, staying on the Crow Hill Estate in The West Wing.

We all had a really nice relaxing break, with plenty of chill out time.  Would we do it again?  Not sure, I think would be the answer.  We had a great time, but for me, it was quite a rush to get everything that we needed to get done at home done, in time to get away, and packing was like a military operation.

I think the consensus was that next time, we might give it a try over the New Year instead.  Maybe something for New Year 2018.

9 - Holiday in all of the National Parks of Great Britain

This is an ongoing one, but at least we can add The Cairngorms to the list of Parks we've holidayed in.  It was, as have all the others been, absolutely beautiful and we will definitely visit again.

10 - Up cycle my old placemats

Yay!!! Another one done.  We love our 'new' placements, with all their wrinkles and creases! Not something I think I'd do again, it's probably cheaper, and definitely less hassle, to buy a new set.

So, how have I done so far, in my first year?

Of my first 10 goals I can say that so far I have ...

• Completely achieved six
• Made progress on two and
• Not really got anywhere with the other two

Whilst I am quite pleased with what I've achieved so far, I guess I might need to get a wriggle on, with 46 goals left to do and nine years to go!!

Next week, I will share my next 10 goals with you and, hopefully, some of these may already have been started, so watch this space.

A Year in the Life ...

Well, 31 January 2015 saw the last day of the first year of my new Life of Pottering.

When I first finished work I set myself the following objectives to give me a bit of focus to get me started on this new chapter in my life story:

• Start a blog 
• Be more creative 
• Learn to take better photos 
• Get fitter 
• Keep in touch 
• Make my money go further 
• Be happy 
• Add value to Society 
• Keep on top of general household and garden activities 
• Have less stress

I thought now would be a good time to reflect on the year and to see if I'd met my objectives and if I could answer the questions I asked myself when I started out on this new stage of my life .... Is there life after working for the same company for 30 years and can you really make a life out of pottering? 

I think I pretty much know the answer to both questions but still think it would be good to take a look back over the year. 

Early on there were some really sad times.  Losing Poor William on the very day that I finished work, followed by losing Martin's mum, just a week later, was not really the start that I had planned for. 

Whilst it was very sad to say good bye to both, losing Martin's mum did set us off on a journey of discovery with our finding of the war diaries of William Preston Sidney, Martin's granddad. I am still working through the story of his war years. Through our research we have both learned loads about both Martin's grandad and the kind of person he was and what WW1 was all about. 

We've started to get to grips with the new Canon and Martin has even had a photo included in a National Trust garden calendar. We've also had a go at film making, though I think it's safe to say it's early days. This year I hope to work through my photography e-course and do more from a photography point of view. 

Along the way there have been our favourite recipes, some new and some old, shared with you all, lots of jam, jelly and chutney making and plenty of garden activity. 

Highlights in the garden this year have to be the new fence and gate out the front and the new brick edge out the back. It was also great to be able to spend more time just doing what needs doing. Hopefully this year we will get more time to enjoy the garden, assuming we get some decent weather.

We are already starting to think about this year's cycle and it won't be long before we have a good look through the seed box and make our plans for this year. 

There has been plenty of time for holidays with time spent away in The Peak District, Snowdonia, Dartmoor and a week away in Norfolk with the family to celebrate my 50th birthday. We already have places booked for this year with two trips to the Peak District booked in and a week in a wooden cabin booked in the Cairngorms. We'd also like to try and get to Suffolk and the New Forest, so plenty more holiday cottage reviews are on the cards. 

There's been plenty of time for catching up with friends and family, combined with days out just catching up and just a spot of caching along the way. 

On the boring side there has been lots of thought gone into ways of saving and making money. After all, I can't replace what I spend with a salary anymore, which can be a bit scary at times. It's made me finally have a bash at selling unwanted stuff on ebay and have a good look at cashback sites. It's not going to make me a millionaire, but hey, every little helps. 

There has also been time for getting started with some totally new craft projects, including hand made beaded bracelets, which went down very well as Christmas gifts for friends and family, a tentative start at decoupage and big plans for working with mosaics. 

On a socially responsible note I've taken on the role chair of governors at a primary school not too far away and, as well as feeling like I am doing my bit from a volunteering point of view, this is keeping my brain very active. I've learned absolutely loads of new things and am really enjoying spending more quality time at school. I'm really starting to feel that I'm getting to grips with how things work and what we need to do. 

So, so far, so good! 

From an objective point of view, I don't think I've done too badly. Other than my objective of 'getting fitter,' which, I have to be honest, has gone a bit by the by, I think I can definitely tick off the rest, even though I will continue to develop some of them further in 2015.

In answer to my questions ..... 

There is definitely life after work, though I do sometimes miss everyone. It's hard not to when you've worked with people on and off for 30 years. I can see what some of my old friends are up to on Twitter and my brother does tend to keep me posted, as he still works for the same company. I have also managed to fit in a few meals out with old friends locally and a couple of days out with my old friends from further afield.

Can I make a life out of pottering. Well, I definitely think so, and a good life at that. 

So, what does 2015 hold .... More of the same I hope. 

This year I hope to finish off telling the story of William Preston Sidney and then we will decide what to do with all of his war memorabilia. 

I want to work through my on line photography course and think about where I want to go with my photography. Will it remain just a hobby or do I want to take it further. I'm sure there will be more recipes and more garden activity.

There will definitely be more caching and more time exploring this beautiful land we are lucky enough to call home. .

There will be more craft posts as I now have everything I need to get cracking on with my mosaic and decoupage projects. 

I also want to start posting about my '50 things to do before I'm 60' list. It's not really a bucket list, as I still plan to be alive and kicking by the time I'm 60. I just want to make the very most of this next 10 years. 

With Martin planning on retiring in early 2016, we also need to have a serious look at finances and find as many money saving ideas as possible, to make sure that this will be financially viable. 

Oh yeah, mustn't forget that never ending project - the guest bedroom.  This year I am determined that I will see that fully completed.

So, lots on the agenda for 2015 - best get cracking!

Norfolk - Sandringham Christmas Craft Fair

We wanted to squeeze as much out of our week's holiday as we possibly could and Martin and I decided that we would stop off at the Sandringham Christmas Craft & Food Fair on the way home from our week in Norfolk.

We were really glad we did.  Whilst we did have to pay £6.50 each to get in, there was lots to see and we did pick up a few bits and pieces.

There were loads of different crafts, and food, on show and it was good that the stalls weren't all repeated. Sometimes at this kind of fair there are only a few different things on show, that wasn't the case here.

There was all sorts on display and some of the craftsmen were actually working on the site.
We were particularly taken with the chocolate stall.  There were all sorts of different things made from chocolate and all were made to look like rusty old metal.  It was fascinating.

Not quite so fascinating were the rural facilities!!

At least we were there quite early on in the day!







After a good walk round we decided to head for the warmth and comfort of the Sandringham Estate Visitor centre for lunch, which was excellent and just what we needed on a cold Winter's day.
It was then time to finally call time on our week's holiday and join the Friday traffic in heading for home.

Norfolk - Felbrigg Hall

It was the third full day of our week away in Norfolk, with friends and family, to celebrate my 50th birthday. Today we said goodbye to Lesley and Tom, who were heading back home.

Martin and I had a two mile walk around the Felbrigg Hall Estate planned, where we would be picking up a series of 10 Geocaches, if all went to plan.  Mum and dad and my brother David and, his girlfriend, Alison, decided to join us for our walk, so six of us set out for Felbrigg.  We were well booted up as we were expecting plenty of mud.

We had a really nice walk around the Estate, which is owned by the National Trust.  Sadly the Hall wasn't actually open today, so we couldn't have a look round inside.



The walk took us past the Estate church, through fields of cows and sheep, around the fishing lake and through a field where there was a very friendly horse, which really took to Alison, after she shared her apple with him.





As we exited the field the horse got a bit frisky and galloped back across the field, right towards a group of school children.  All we heard was a scream of 'get back' from the teacher and we saw children scatter in all directions.  We thought the horse was just thinking that more apples might be forthcoming!

In the end a National Trust chappie had to come and keep the horse calm whilst the children made their way across the field.
We finished our walk, having bagged the full 10 caches and headed back for Incleborough.

We spent our last evening in the local pub, The Dozy Dormouse, which we could walk to, which was great.  We had a lovely meal and then wandered down to the beach to try and set off a Chinese Lantern, which David and Alison had bought me for my birthday.  As you can see, we didn't have all that much luck!
We'd all had a really great week away together, enjoying each other's company, the Norfolk Coast and the comfort of Incleborough House.  Tomorrow it would be time for us to head for home.

Norfolk - Cromer

The second full day of our holiday found us just along the coast in Cromer.
It was really bright and breezy, so, though cold, it was a lovely day. The last time Martin and I visited Cromer it was the greyest of days, so it was nice to see the pier and the coast with a bit of sunshine. It made all the difference.

What a Difference a bit of Sunshine can make!

We had a good wander out along the pier and round the town, before heading into one of the local hostelries for a quick one before heading back to Incleborough House, where this time, Carol's Chicken Pie was on the menu and very nice it was too.

Real Men don't Shop!

But they do eat Cromer Crab!

Carol's Chicken Pie

Now, how long does a pie take in an aga?

This is a recipe that I've been wanting to share with you for ages, but the timing's never worked out quite right with the cooking and the taking of photographs.

Even now, there isn't a photo of the pie cooked! It was just too chaotic a mealtime to remember to take that final photo.

I made this pie filling up ahead and froze it.  I then took it away with us on our week away in Norfolk and just tipped the filling into the pie dish and topped with frozen ready rolled pastry.  How easy was that!!

It was delicious and the filling did not spoil in any way for having been frozen beforehand.

Serves 4
Ready in 90 minutes

Ingredients
85g plain flour
Half tsp cayenne pepper
Half tsp white pepper
500g skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
2 leeks, thickly sliced
Button mushrooms, whole, as many as you like
2 garlic cloves
100ml white wine
250ml chicken stock
142ml carton double cream (or creme fraiche)
140g frozen peas
2 tbsp tarragon, either fresh or dried
Handful of parsley, chopped
500g block ready-made puff pastry
1 medium egg, beaten

Mix the flour, cayenne pepper and white pepper in a large sealable food bag.  Add the chicken pieces. seal the bag, and shake well to ensure all chicken pieces are well coated.

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over a high heat, until the button starts to foam.  Fry the chicken pieces for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown.  You may find it easier to cook your chicken in batches.  Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Reduce the heat.  Cook the leeks and garlic until the leeks begin to wilt, add the mushrooms and continue to cook for a few minutes longer.  Add the wine and boil for one minute, then pour in the stock and the cream, or creme fraiche, and simmer for five minutes.
Add the cooked chicken, peas, tarragon and parsley and cook for a further minute.  Leave to cool.

Preheat a baking tray in the oven to 220 degrees or 200 for a fan oven.  Roll the pastry to £1 coin thickness and use to cover your pie.  I always use ready rolled puff pastry here and I must confess to only putting a pastry top on my pie.


Brush the pastry top of the pie with beaten egg and cook on the pre-heated baking tray for 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot.

I served my pie with roasted butternut squash and red onions, parmentier potatoes and Brussels
sprouts.  It went down a treat.

Reaching 50!

Well, I can't quite believe it and I certainly don't feel it, but I'm now eligible to join the 'Over 50s' club.  I can get Saga life insurance and will start getting junk mail advertising Stana Stair Lifts. Oh happy days!

Martin and I had decided that we would celebrate my 50th birthday with pretty much the whole family and a couple of really close friends, with a Monday to Friday stay, at the very lovely Incleborough House, in East Runton on the Norfolk Coast.

As we weren't able to invite all of our friends we were also topping and tailing the week with Saturday nights out with good friends, both before and after we went away.

We had a lovely meal out at a very nice Italian, quite close to home, on the Saturday night before we went away, with Jackie & Phil and their son Chris and his girlfriend Jenny.

We were also meeting up with Jo & Steve and their girls Hannah & Megan on the Saturday that we got back.  We were going to one of our favourite places, which is quite quirky, a French Creperie, again not too far from home.  It was going to be a week of eating out and catching up with everyone.

We all arrived in Norfolk on the Monday evening and all got very well settled in before sitting down to eat a chilli, that I had pre-prepared and brought with me, with jacket potatoes cooked in the aga. We followed this with tiramisu and lemon meringue pie, both shop bought, so no recipes to share I'm afraid.

There were 10 of us in total, mum and dad, Sarah, my sister, and Mark, her boyfriend, David, my brother, and his girlfriend, Alison and our good friends Lesley & Tom.  I used to go to school with Lesley, so she really is my oldest friend and she was a;so 50 last month.

We had a good old night just sat at the huge dining room table in the conservatory, just chatting, playing games and, I must confess, there was a bit of drinking going on too.

Before we knew it, it was 1.30am and we all decided to call it a night - most of us are normally in bed really early, so this was a huge achievement.

On my birthday morning we all had breakfast together, in the conservatory, cooked by David, my brother, which was a very nice treat and all went to plan.  David is not normally known for his cooking skills, but breakfast is his specialty, and this was a real treat.  I think he quite liked the aga too.

David & Alison had also decked the conservatory out with balloons and other bits and pieces and it looked really pretty when we went in.
After breakfast there was lots of present opening, which was interrupted by the cottage owner popping round to say that he'd had a complaint from the neighbours about us being noisy until the small hours.  Whilst this did take the shine off the morning for a bit, we were soon laughing about it - imagine - us lot getting into trouble for acting like rowdy teenagers.

Whilst the pictures below aren't technically that brilliant, I do think they capture the spirit of the moment!

After breakfast we all headed into Sheringham for a bit of Geocaching, which was quite an event. We all wandered round the town looking for clues and debating the answers, with a bit of Christmas shopping thrown in for good measure.

With so many of us, things took longer than they normally would so we didn't manage to complete as many caches as we had planned, but we did do three, which took us on a good old walk round the town, along the coast and made sure that we got to see some cool artwork, before retiring to the pub for a quick one before heading back to Incleborough House for a soak in the hot tub.
We had a real picky tea.  Dad BBQ'd sausages and burgers and we also cooked some pizzas, which we had with lots of salad.  It was just the job and another nice and easy meal, with everyone mucking in.

After tea, I had a real surprise treat, with a 50th birthday cake which Lesley & Tom had organised for me.  It was pretty darn cool and seemed to incorporate the majority of my Life of Pottering, as you can see.

All in all we'd all had a great day and I'd had a great birthday and there was still an evening of games to come, including a pretty cool music quiz that Alison had put together for us.  You would have thought they would let my team win wouldn't you, after all, it was my birthday!