Friday, January 06, 2012

Rocking Your World Friday - week 1


So….what’s this all about then?

All last year I enjoyed reading Virginia and Carmen giving a regular run down of what had been Rockin’ Their World that week – those little (or big) things that had put a smile on their face or a spring in their step. 

I don’t think they will mind me saying, but neither lady was having an easy time of things, especially in the second half of 2011, but still every week they managed to find, and focus on, so many positives. 

They really set a fantastic example, and this year I thought I would join in.  It will help me stay focussed on the good stuff all year, and also it will be fun for me to sit and re-read all the posts next New Years eve and remind myself of everything I have been grateful for along the way.

So here goes….what’s been rocking my world this week?



The biggie is that my house is WARM again!

A few days before Christmas, our boiler went boom!  And ever since then, we’ve had no heating, and no hot running water.  It has been no fun at all.

But like knights on white chargers, British Gas turned up this week, and three days of hard work later, they have installed a brand spanking new combi boiler and we are, quite literally, running on gas again.  Woohoo!  I had an hour long super soak in the bath last night, and it was wonderful!

You don’t half appreciate things when they’ve been taken away from you for a while…



The next thing is kind of related to the boiler dudes’ visit.  Of course they needed access to every radiator in the house.  And you know what that means.  It means that BEDROOMS have to be clean and tidy!  Eek!!!!  We don’t usually let people upstairs J  We spent a solid two days tidying up the bedrooms – but it was SO worth it.  My en suite bathroom is now so bright and decluttered that you need sunglasses to avoid the glare from the white tiles.  My bedroom is so lovely I just want to live in it 24 hours a day. And, most exciting of all, we discovered that Connor, my 9 year old, not only has a CARPET, but apparently there was a RUG under there too!  Who knew?? :D

We had a big clear out downstairs too (bye bye to my ten-years-in-the-making collection of jiffy bags from behind the big sofa, I’ll miss you, all my little envelope pals!), and two trips to the local tip later, the house was more presentable than it has been in years.  And I love it!  Now I just need to keep it that way J



Other miscellaneous things:

No, this isn't me...my arms aren't that hairy!
  • My middle son bought me a FAB Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock t shirt for my Christmas (slightly belatedly, it turned up in the post yesterday), which I’m currently wearing at work and which has already attracted a loud Bazingaaaa! :D
  • I got an extra day off work this week due to it being the boiler dudes’ first day working and wanting to be there to show them where everything was and offer them lots of tea and biccies and stuff – so I have only had to work three days this week, yay!
  • Thanks to that extra day off I actually got an art journal page done for the first time in a while
  • Plus, I feel like I have finally broken the back of my Sketchbook Project book, and for the first time I believe that I can and WILL get it finished in time for the January 31st deadline
  • I got an extension on the bookbinding tutorial I am working on for the new Art Journey series over at UKScrappers, and am on track to finish it in plenty of time, so I no longer feel like I’ve let Mary Anne down (HATE letting people down!)
  • While tidying earlier in the week I found a fab old photo (see below) – we think it’s from 1999-ish – of my old team from when I worked at WHSmith.  I wish my hair was still that colour!  This caused great amusement at my new job as the chap on the bike works here too, and both he and I have changed in appearance a lot over the years!  I love coming across forgotten gems like this J
  • I’ve bought myself a little pocket diary and am writing myself small bite sized daily to do lists and it’s really helping me feel in control and on top of stuff
  • I’ve also started taking photos every day for my “Project 366, a (leap) year in pictures” – having fun with it so far, no masterpieces yet but I’m hoping it will eventually provide an interesting (to me, anyway!) retrospective of the 12 months
  • Grapes were half price in Tesco today and I am thoroughly enjoying munching my way through a huge bag of them, they are DELICIOUS!  (I might have a tummy ache later though if I don’t stop soon!)
  • I learnt this week that ESPN America are now starting to broadcast AHL hockey – which is fantastic news for me as I will be able to follow the Chicago Wolves – my main team’s farm team – and also other teams I am fond of such as the Hamilton Bulldogs and Hershey Bears – AND I can follow James Wright’s progress now he’s with the San Antonio Rampage.  (I fully appreciate that this last bullet point will mean absolutely nothing to 99% of the people who read my blog, sorry! J )


So, there you go - LOTS to be happy about this week!

See you again same time, same place next Friday?  Oh, and if you’d like to put together a Rockin’ post of your own, head on over to Virginia’s blog to find out where to link up and stuff…

Rock on!

8 comments:

Joanna said...

Yippee, another new Friday Rocker!

Hooray for heating/hot water! It's only when something goes that you realise how much you depend on it! So glad you're warm and toastie again, and that your house is spick and span. Your fond farewell to the jiffy bags made me laugh guiltily - I too have an increasing collection of them - I just can't throw them away 'cos they might come in handy......! Great t-shirt! And whoever took the photo knew something about composition, it's great :o)

Have a lovely weekend!

Carmen said...

Ay what? Book binding class? Ooh let me know when it goes up? I totally miss loads of stuff going on over there!

LOVE the hair :D

Totally get where you are coming from with the heating and the feeling when it comes to the kids finally doing their rooms! What a great week!

Hurrah for new Rockers!

Carmen said...

p.s Ruby, aged 4. can now sing the entire Soft Kitty song with actions (think she made those up). Am a proud mama!

Luna Art said...

So glad you have your heating back it's freezing at the moment!It always feels great when you do a BIG tidy, its just a shame that I have 2 kids, 2 dogs and a hubby to come along and mess everything up again! I LOVE the t-shirt! My son has the bazinga one and the friendship algarythm one and my daughter is pleading with me for the soft kitty one she has seen on my pinterest board! Huge fans of Big Bang!Love the pink hair as well! Great post,glad you have joined and are a newbie as well! x x x

SusieJ said...

Welcome new Rockette!!
Loving your list of gratefuls and am pleased you have heat and hot water again..don't blame you for having an extra long soak in the bath..one of my guilty pleasures..:)
Had to laugh at you finding a rug in your son's room...so know that feeling!!lol
Hugs xx
p.s. don't worry about the hockey..I put lots about football (soccer) in my posts...they too mean nothing to most of the people reading my blog!

CRAFTY WOMBLE said...

Hello, am new too, I've known Carmen for a while and been stalking (legitimately ) Virginia since October last year. You sound like you have packed a month into a week. Exellent going :)
I have a whole front room to sort out this month (house dumping ground.....) Our bathroom is downstairs so there really is no excuse for anyone to go upstairs so.........
Hope this next week is just as splendid for you:)

Sabrina said...

I feel for your heating dilemma, I detest being cold!!

Is it as scary for you, as it is for me, that 1999 should be considered such a long ago?

I'm new to the group, lurked around Joanna's Fiddlesnips ALL last year and I'm so looking forward to joining in. Read you next week

Virginia said...

Oh I just left a lovely message - and then blogger threw a wobbly grrr. Hey ho - I'll start again - I'm soooooooooo happy you have finally got some heating again and you deserved the long hot soak in the bath!!!!

Loving the idea of the house clear up before the workmen arrived and seriously giggled at the carpet and rug comment, I have a niece who also seems to feel that the floor is the best place for - well for everything - if we can see laminate floor there is something wrong!

Extra days off work even for work men are always nice and glad you managed to sort an art journal page finally - I've got to get me back into my art journalling LOL!

I hope you have a beautiful and blessed weekend

Hugs