Big Birthday

I don't know why I always decide to post something here when it's ridiculously late and I've gone beyond tired. I should be tucked up in bed because I know that working too late and losing out on sleep is counter productive the next day, but I always do it, pushing on just a little bit more to finish off a job or prepare stuff for tomorrow.
Then when I finally give in to exhaustion what do I do? Well I intend to switch off the computer but instead I hit that button that says "New Blog Post" and away I go.
Well actually one of the reasons I'm here at nearly half past one is that we are just one day away from the build up day of the Country Living Christmas Fair in Glasgow and there are lots of worrying gaps in our stock levels. Just how much can I make in 24 hours?!!
It's been said already here that we're working to capacity and beyond at the moment so I won't go on about it. But it's pay back time after a rare weekend off. Definitely worth it though because we had a great time celebrating a certain Mr Embroidered Originals' BIG birthday - all of sixty years old last Friday! ( I can't really be married to an old age pensioner, can I?!!!)
So we decided to give him a birthday to remember...and this is how he spent it -

driving a Ferrari around Knockhill Racing Circuit -

cheered on by all of us - including a surprise visit from Laura and Nick. ( He had no idea they would be there).

Laura, Nick and I even got the chance to be driven round the course in another performance car after Bob's run. And Laura's comment in the front passenger seat on taking the first hairpin bend at about 80mph? "Holy SH*T!!(And that's from a girl who's been skydiving and bungee jumping).
Here I have to say a huge THANK YOU to Graham and everyone at Knockhill who squeezed us in on Bob's actual birthday, when I had only thought to try to book it a few days' earlier. He had an amazing time and we were made very welcome.

If you can open this video, just listen to that distinctive Ferrari engine sound.

Then afterwards we thawed out round a huge log fire in a local hotel and had some present opening, before tucking in to a lovely Italian meal.
The next day we had a little party with my sister and family, much wine and dancing ( embarrassment for my 14 year old nephew - although it has to be said John joined in too!)
Once Laura was safely dispatched back home on the plane on Sunday it was back to work, but with renewed vigour after the weekend off.

Good day sunshine

Well it's been a good day. The sun shone and it was spring- like warm, at least in the morning anyway. The birthday girl - see below - enjoyed opening her presents and liked everything. We usually go shopping together on a Tuesday morning, and I casually mentioned as I dropped her off that there was a new posting on my blog she might be interested in. I left her to it, and came home to work in the afternoon.
It's a joy to work in my newly clean and tidy workshop, and so far, I'm keeping it that way. (Wait till you see it on Thursday, Barbara!)
Got through a pile of wedding cards and prepared a batch to paint as "homework" for the evening.
Then I scooted back down to Mum's to take her out for tea. She said she'd read her piece and it brought a tear to her eye, and that the description isn't really her...but it IS!!
Anyway, we drove along to Lower Largo and I treated her to very posh fish and chips in the Crusoe Hotel. They are served in newspaper ( a bit of patter, not batter!) and the fish is as fresh as can be in a delicious light beer batter, and the chips are real, not frozen, and very tasty.
To end the day, she went home to watch a DVD ( romcom), the first of an online subscription - birthday present from my sis, and maybe indulge in a choc or two.
I meant to go to bed before tomorrow, but tomorrow is today now and I'm still up, but not for long.

Saturday Night Fever

Special order - plaques for a 90th birthday party

I've spent the entire day springcleaning the workshop - the promised big clean up. It now boasts two large tables which are completely free of clutter ( for the moment) and a number of odd bits of redundant furniture bound for the dump. There's room to breathe now and I'm looking forward to working in an orderly and organised fashion - ha ha.

Anyway, feeling a bit guilty that I hadn't done any actual work today, I did a bit of homework tonight - 70 handpainted and lettered plaques for a special order. ( I seem to recall that in some distant past life Saturday nights were for going out. Or was that a dream? Ah well..)

That sort of repetitive work is easy to do while watching telly, and it's a good feeling to see them all laid out to dry and I didn't mess up a single one!

They are for a lady's 90th birthday party and will be given to each of the guests in their "party bag" as a keepsake. I hope she has a wonderful day.

Cuppa now, then bed.