Last Day of Term

I have been up early this morning so i can have a little quiet time before another busy gala day. This is the last week end of galas that we will attend this year,we have one today and one tomorrow. I can't tell you how much we have enjoyed it this year, we always do, but with Molly as Princess and all the work we put into the float, its made it even more special and i have lots pictures to post from it all,(once i get a spare moment!). Next weekend will be the first weekend since February that we have not had anything planned or anything we have to do, the madness thats been the last 6 months is coming to an end, and it will be nice to be able to relax over the summer holidays and just spend time at home doing things with the kids or having more relaxed outings. I have taken 3 days a week off over the holidays, mainly as childcare is is expensive for four kids, which i am glad i did as i am really looking forward to it,we have so many crafts and activity we want to do. I started teaching Molly to crochet last night so she is sat here now working on chains.

Yesterday i went to Ewan's leavers assembly at school, he starts high school in September! It was really nice to see them all reading out what they were going to miss and there were quite a few tears from the leavers and from the other children in the hall. It a fairly small school that Ewan attends and there are only 15 children in his class, all of them are off to the same high school which is nice and his best friend is in the same form group. He was given his record of achievement which had pictures and work from right through school, time has just flown by.
When all the kids got home we made a strawberry cream cake, which was very tasty and had a fake Mc Donalds using some burger boxes and fries boxes i bought ages ago, we watched some films and just chilled out.

Everybody is awake now and its time to get ready for the gala x

Mollys Gala Float Ta Dah!!!

Gala Day has come and gone and i am starting to feel quite relieved its over, don't get me wrong i have really enjoyed it all and Molly has defiantly enjoyed starting her role as Princess, but the work i have put into it all along with everything else and work has been hard and i am officially knackered! I worked out the hours that it took to make the float as i did it all the plucking myself and its a grand total of 140 hours!!!!!

Stripping the old sides was the kids job, mine was sorting the mess out into colours and that tool time, but i we reused quite a bit of it which saved money. These sides ended up being warped so we used another set, so another lot of pulling all the plastic out.

Paul had the great job of cutting up bin bags for the other colors we needed.

The flags were so fiddly to do and took ages.

It started coming together and we had a puppet theatre, we had decided to use the Theme "Beside the seaside"!

When the new sides arrived we had to move to the lounge and for weeks all the outside could see was the big woodern boards

 From the moment i got up on the weekends this is what i would be doing, sat plucking away

These are the railings on the prom and the sand and sea, funnily i thought this is what the railings looked like, but then i realised they are exactly the same as the railings outside my window at work! so must have been in the back of my mind

One finished... then another one exactly the same for the other side!

Our Beach Huts for the back

A week before our gala we got the truck to have a trial run, this was frustrating with it only just fitting the truck

We had quite a bit of adjusting to do!

But gala day came and with some finishing touches like these chalkboards that i made

and some vintage ice cream posters

We were off!

I made the sticks of rock out of pool noodles and celeophane.

I have some vintage puppets as well that goon the theatre at the back, but with it being our gala and i was so busy we didn't get chance to put them on, but i am sure more pictures will follow x

Close to the finishing line...

I can't describe how much pressure i feel i have been under for the last few months, at times it has threatened to over whelm me, its been exciting and daunting all at the same time,didn't think i have every tried to cram in as much as i have recently, but i am close to the end of a lot of it now and other things i have had to pospone.

In a couple of weeks time you will be inundated with posts about Gala and Mollys float and costume, which i have done by myself, a recent tot up of the hours spent on the float alone is around 140 hours! there were times i though it would never get finished and it still isn't but in a few days it will be.

Tomorrow afternoon is Freds 5th birthday Party,which is another thing,we have had all the birthdays along with everything else the last few months, just Molly left but hers is in the summer.Today we are having a day off all of us together are going to spend some well deserved family time together, there hasn't been much of that these past months, its just been about getting the basics done, so we are off to get some breakfast out and then a trip to the beach (fingers crossed it doesn't rain!) I am taking some crochet with me, although it s a cardigan for one of the retinue so still gala work really, but i have missed knitting and crochet so much, its just so relaxing and i keep seeing all these new projects i want to start. After our gala day, i will just have work and councillor work to do for a while, the election will be over so no more leafleting and we will be out at galas for the following 6 weeks which the kids love and its a really great thing for us to do as a family, take a picnic and just enjoy the days.

Emma x

The Count

Last time i posted it was the morning after the election, it was the count, clearly i was up mega early, i just couldn't sleep and it was so quiet as the kids weren't here. I was just waiting for Paul to get up so we could go out and have some breakfast before we had to be at the Marine Hall for 10am. The atmosphere in the Marine Hall was excitement,  of course at the beginning everyone feels they have a chance, after all it could go either way and you never know what could happen, the polls aren't always right. In the centre of the room the tables went all round like a giant horse shoe with the counting staff in the middle and each group sectioned off with a sign stating which election they were counting. My count was to last, as the other approx 12 counts were all Lancashire County Elections and mine was a borough by-election, this was going to make it along day. we were all allowed to stand on the outside of the tables and watch as they first checked the number of papers against those they had issued and then started to separate them. This is where everyone is leaning over the table trying to count and guess who has more and as they are piling them up you are trying to judge which pile is bigger. Once they have finished that they start to clip the papers together in piles of  them band them up in hundreds and then they stack them up in a tub. This is then point that everyone is watching anxiously as you can clearly see who is winning in most cases and once they have done you can workout the winner. The only thing i can liken it to is being at the casino, everyone stood round the table , you can feel the nerves and excitement and also the disappointment. I never expected to feel such a range of emotions that i did, as they started announcing the winners, as they did this each time a count was finished even while other are still going on, i felt a surge of excitement and pride when one of my party was elected, when it cam to the other  candidates that i had been out canvassing and leafleting with from my association i cried when they won as it really felt like a team effort. Paul was with me and was so excited and was keeping me sane as i was swinging from one thought to another. Finally it was my turn for the count and i couldn't stand up as i was shaking that much, my heart was pounding and i couldn't breath, once they started stacking them up it looked quite close but then i seemed to get ahead and when they had finished it looked like i had won, but i couldn't believe it. I went upon the stage and they made the announcement i had won and by a good amount! I came off the stage straight to Paul, i was shaking, everyone was congratulating me, it felt amazing! I have never felt so proud of myself and so excited what lies ahead. Paul has been amazing and so supportive , we really are a team and this victory was as much his and the whole teams as it was mine. After i received a letter with invites for various events with Councillor Emma Ellison on the front..... It all starts here!

Election Day

Yesterday was Election day here in Lancashire. There were two elections near me the Lancashire County Council Elections and the by election for the borough council for the ward i live in. I was one of three candidates for the by election,Conservative, Labour & Green. I don't know the results yet at we have to meet for the count at 10am today so i am in a waiting game.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for me really, from getting the call so see if i would stand, through the selection process, to getting out and about, pounding the streets leafleting and canvassing. It been busy and hard at times with all my other commitments, but i have loved every minute of it and the nearer the day has got the more i have wanted to win! Paul has been amazing he has been sorting out the house and kids to going out night after night after night leafleting for me! i am so lucky to have him and i think he has enjoyed it all too.

When Paul got his postal vote a few weeks ago it was very emotional to see my name on it and i felt so proud. I really do enjoy all the volunteer work i no and this just feels like the next step.
I have no plan, no agenda i just want to make a difference and i really hope i get the chance.

Once the polling stations were closed last night we all went to the pub for a few well earned drinks and as my parents had the kids a child freenight!

Its all so exciting, but also nerve racking!, the seat i am going for is held by Labour so i have everything to gain!!!

Wish me luck! x

P.S As i think its going to be a long wait today, i have packed the sock i am knitting...

Rainy Easter Monday

Easter Monday,in fact most of Easter weekend was rather rainy,we stayed in mostly which was perfect as i had so much to do. It been so busy that knitting is on a back burner at the moment but i really miss it,its just so relaxing,so Easter Monday i got up super early and spent an hour on mt Frozen Oceans Shawl

My socks get a row every now and then as well, i carry them in my bag in case i can ever fit a bit in, usually on the bus. I look forward in couple of months to have lots more time to spend finishing all these projects off, i am envisioning, days spent in the garden or hopefully out camping.

Thisis the grey dismal weather we have been having, hopefully it bucks up soon.

Thelast few weeks, leafleting and canvassing have taken up a huge part of my time,

Ewan has been coming out with me as well, and Paul has been out leafleting in the evening for me,its a very exciting time and with less than two weeks to go before the election i really doubt i will have time for anything else

I bought some new craft supplies and that kept the little ones all Easter Sunday, 

Paul took the kids to the season opening of the windmill and make these when they got back

and he helped them make there decorated Easter eggs, as i am so busy at the moment he seems to be taking over the reins in the craft department!

I had a couple of days out, one with Molly to pizza hut and the Cinema to see Beauty and the Beast and one with Ewan to see Running Wild,which was an amazing show at the Grand Theatre and some tea at Harry Ramsdens.

xx

Sunday Shawl, Desmelda Blanket & the Election!

I actually finished the Sunday Shawl just after Christmas, it shows how much i post these days on this blog! 

So much has happen in the last couple of months and i have been so so busy! I am at work now, since November, i still have my two college course's, which will becoming to an end soon, i have exams in May and June. Of course Gala day is fast approaching in June and i am extremely busy with organizing that and with Molly being chosen as Princess this year,i am spending hours on her Float and costumes, pictures will follow straight after gala day! I am sure that i have mentioned the galas bid to reopen the local library that was closed in October last year and i am in full swing with meetings and planning to reopen this as a community centre and community Library.

So if that was not enough (along with a hubby and Four Children!!!!) I was asked a month ago if i would like to stand in the next election for Borough Councillor!

The post was not due for election till 2019, but one of the current Councillors of another party have stood down. So i went through the selection process and was chosen as the Conservative Candidate for the ward where i live!

Its all happened so fast but i have been super busy going out and about canvassing and delivering leaflets for the election which will be 4th May. I am so lucky that i have Paul who is 100% behind me and is putting up with either not seeing me or going out in the evening delivering leaflets for me. I have never been as busy as i have recently,if its not leafleting its college assignments or plucking the float! Paul keeps telling me we are a team and its very true we have a great routine going and i have to praise him for being so wonderful!

So this is the Sunday Shawl which is very much in use at the moment

Also this is the Desmelda Blanket that i made for my parents at Christmas but never got a really good picture of.

Hopefully i will be able to post again soon,once i have a bit more time,i do still have the odd hour knitting as i rely on it to wind down at the moment, x