alone at last

I am alone in the house - gloriously, peacefully alone! This has not happened since mid-July.  One way or another the house has always been full of:

• builders working on the kitchen reno (nearly finished, but we're having a little break until the worktops are ready to fit).
• plumbers fitting the new boiler and radiators.
• my lovely husband and stepsons + girlfriends.
• my parents and mother in law who came to stay this week. The plan was to celebrate my birthday and do the big reveal on the kitchen (Oops!). My dream of cooking a fabulous meal had to be modified a little - big thanks to my Mum for turning up with enough chicken pie to feed an army.  Also thanks to Mr A-P's Mam for cleaning the brick dust off the contents of my kitchen cupboards, ready to go back into service.

Today everyone has gone home/away/out/back to work and I sit in solitude to write. (Okay - so I'm waiting for the Rangemaster guy to come and fix one of the burners on the new cooker, but I reckon that doesn't count).

Guys - I love you all, but a girl needs a moment to herself sometimes!

So before I go off to sit and stare into space in our new sun room (I think that's what we're calling it), here are some pics of the birthday loveliness that was bestowed upon me this week:

a fab Gareth Davies 'seaweed' print that I hankered after when we were in N. Wales

(can't find any details for a link, but it was bought from here)

stylish things for our new kitchen

(they'll all be wanting 'Shaw's the Drapers' linens soon - you saw it here first!)

the exact book I wanted

good things from my friends' clever hands

and sweet words from my stepson...

the water may be choppy sometimes, but we sail our little family ship together!

I am a very lucky girl.