My grandfathers battery charger

My grandfathers battery charger, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

So my parents are moving, leaving the country, packing up from the house they have lived in for the past 36 years and for my Dad it will be the first time he will ever have left Reading too live.

We won't be lonely, I have so many relatives live locally, in fact too many to be able to see and I often see them fleetingly when I am in town and I know that we are *unusual* these days, living in such a dense area of relatives and I also know that when I left when I was 18 I said I was not going to come back..so why am I here?

I know why I came back, it was temporary and I still feel like a nomad. This is a short stop for me (well 14 years) but now my parents are going and the children are getting bigger everything is slotting in place to think about the future.

Here is my past, my grandfathers car battery charger, my dad uses it - it works perfectly and will be mine to fire up the YUYG . I have gathered a plethora of goodies from my parents, a tool chest that my grandfather made when he was 15, a bunny plane, a rebate plane, some tools from my great grandfather.. a line of carpenters.

scarey shop window 2

scarey shop window 2, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

This shop, the infamous Jacksons is an absolute must for a visit, don't expect background music, modern technology or trendy sales assistants but do expect strange odd things that you did not know you even needed to buy and then a few pounds later, there they are in a Jacksons bag, under your arm. Purchases have included specific coloured pipe cleaners, a lampshade frame, various old style hankies, gloriously large amounts of wool (for evidence look here at my cupboard) school uniform items, needles, scissors, thread and a belt buckle.. not too mention that my schooldays were spent with a visit to the uniform department, but the scarey schoolgirl in shop window is enough to terrify anyone.

And did I mention that this shop holds a staff team with a wealth of knowledge - it would be very rude to guess their ages but I believe a large number would be over the retirement age.

And did I mention that if you wish to pay by card (in that modern way) then you will have too proceed to the front of the store to have your card processed.

And did I also mention that if your purchase is more than a few coins in change, your money and receipt is put in a tube and sent through to the accounts department who return it the same way with your change and receipt. I have it from a very good source that it is *an operational Lamson pneumatic tube system with nine stations over two floors, dating from the 1960s*

And if that does not make you want to come and see Jacksons then at least you may be heartened by the news that they accept Euros... hurrah, an old staff team with an eye on the future... well, in some aspects

tin no 22 - departure

tin no 22 - departure, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

tin no 22 - departure


So many things to go in, so little space, in the end I went for special stickers, a stone heart, a scrabble letter *y*, a knit happens badge, a small sample of soap from BlueMarmalade and a gift from my friend aliceofkansas of a small origami badge.

So many people want it (the tin that is) but I thought I'd go for a birthday boy, who is a creative and in TV and see where it ends up now.

To see where it goes next, go to foundmeagain

tin no 22 - arrival

tin no 22 - arrival, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

tin no 22 - arrival

Here is the tin I was sent as part of the project find me.

Ninety of these tins have been sent out and left around Britain (and a few to the US) as part of an experiment.

Tracey Tucker, the artist originating the idea, wondered if we are all capable of doing something good - just for the sake of it - when we don't really have to - an act of kindness for no real reason.

The idea is a simple one - if you find a tin that looks like this - then take what's inside it and replace it with something else of your own. Then, send it back out into the world and see what happens. Add your experience with the tin to find me website by posting pictures and blogs- it's really imortant that you do this, as then, other people can see what has happened to a tin that they might once have had too.

You can give a tin to a friend, a stranger, hide it, leave clues as to where it is, pass it around and around a family, anything you want.

I was so excited when I saw the tin, it was a number 22, a palindromic number, my very favourite.

a day in the life of...

Yesterday was a very sad day, our beautiful Eros has died after more than 13 years of a wonderful life together.

This woman's best friend.

I keep thinking I see him as I move around the house, which has become empty without the sound of his paws padding on the wooden floor.

Echoes of him everywhere.

I am not alone thinking this, one floor beneath me sleep the children, all they have known is him in their life, everywhere with us, to the beach, to the woods, to work, to school, an integral and full part of our life.

eros

eros, originally uploaded by alabamawhirly.

My baby dog, getting very old now - 91 years old and suddenly he seems to have aged

But we made it to the sea together, slept in the van, paddled in the sea, sat on the top watching the kids surfing..an important place in our life.

UK etsy sale

Lots of the UK Etsy sellers are having a Spring Sale! Woohoo!

The sale starts on April 1st (no, it's not an April fool...) and ends on the 8th and features a grand total of FIFTY-TWO lovely shops offering a wide range of discounts and freebies with products bought that week. Open to buyers WORLDWIDE, not just here in the UK! :)

You can search for "uksale" on Etsy to find participating sellers or use this helpful list compiled by Kezzaroo:

alicub - 10% off every order
amandawilliamsdesign - 10% discount off every order
artandghosts - free worldwide shipping
askey - free card with every order
beadeliciousbaby - 10% off + free shipping
beadnut - free gift worth $5 with each order
Bebopgirl1969jewelry - 10% discount off every order
binageyer - free shipping + free gift
BlueMarmalade - 15% discount off every order
Daintybeads - free shipping

Feltathome - free gift with every order
gilfling - free shipping + free gift for orders over $40
gillyflower - free shipping
gorjuss - free buttons with every purchase over $20
honeybeedz - buy one, get 50% off the second item
hoolala - free shipping
inkyminx - free shipping
japancrafts - free Japanese gift with every sale
kezzaroo - free uk shipping, gift for all & prize draw
knithappens - free priority shipping with tracking worldwide

knittygritty - free worldwide shipping
LaLaFelt - free uk shipping
knitwit - 10% discount (does not include shipping)
konyskiw - free UK shipping, half price shipping for rest of world
kookyboutique - free gift with every order
koolkookykreatures - free gift with every order
LAMdesigns - free shipping
lilley - 15% off (does not include shipping)
littlemissriver - free UK shipping & half price shipping to the US
lupin - free small spring flower pin with every order over $5

lynseyhunter - free worldwide shipping & free greetings card
madebymilla - free gift with every order
madebythem - 10% off every order
meltedfabrics - free gift with every purchase
memake - free gift with every purchase
nonsuch - free shipping with every purchase
numpty - free shipping with every order
poketto- 10% discount off every order
reform - free shipping
SakuraFubukiDesigns - 10% discount + free shipping
seaurchin - 10% discount off every order

slumbergirldesigns - 10% discount + free gift
Stitchworks - half price shipping
sugarcane - 15% off every order
pinkswizzlestick - free shipping
sweetdreamsdesigns - free shipping & mini print with each order
thedevilswallpaper - 10% discount (request revised invoice in notes to sellers box)
tiinateaspoon - free gift with each order
travellinglight - free UK shipping
urbanknit - 10% discount off every order
vickiward - free gift with every order
wildcatdesigns - free gift with every order