My delightful eldest daughter has been giving us some grief this last couple of weeks, oh I cant wait until she leaves home, then it will be a huge reality check as suprise suprise money doesn't just appear, you have to work for it! Bless her.

So it is jolly half term this week, and all my four keep moaning about already is that they are bored and it is only Monday!!! Please give me strenght for the rest of the week, anyone have any good ideas that dont cost any money! and cover 16,11, 9, 7 year olds

I made a very rough sketch plan of how the commercial unit might look like and I am really pleased with it. I want to be able to run courses on Jam and Chutney making courses out of it, just have to be patient, however this is not one of my greatest virtues! They say that all good things come to those who wait, but I want it NOW!

Anyway got to go and make some more bits and pieces for a nice sized wholesale order.

I will write again soon

Vickie xx

I would like to thank Matt and Pat for coming to Harpenden Farmers' Market and helping hand out leaflets about the new @BedsFoodGroup that we have started on Twitter, both of them are local people passionate about local food so if you want to follow them they are @amuseboucheUK for Matt and @pequal for Pat, thank you again for your help guys and it was great to meet you.

We want to find out if we are providing our customers with what it is that they require, so if you have any suggestions on how we could improve or something you would like us to offer or do please email us and let us know as we want our customer service to be the best that you can get.

Anyway off to fight with the accounts now so will write again soon.

Vickie xx

So all that snow has gone now although they are saying that is may be back later in the week, please no for those of us who have to attend markets to pay the bills.

I am looking to get a group of local food producers and food lovers together hopefully through twitter, using the hash tag of #Bedsfood this way the food lovers will be able to see what is new in Beds and the producers will be able to promote what is new. If anyone has any ideas or would like to get involved please contact me. You can follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/HumbersHomemade

I just find all the pictures and stories of the earthquake in Haiti awful and like everyone really wanted to do my bit, it really makes you realise despite all the troubles we have personally it all pales into insignificance, so if you haven't donated and you wish to do so please use this link to give anything that you can afford even as little as £2.50 will really go a long way. http://www.justgiving.com/Bloggers-For-Haiti

Another thing is that there will be a new fish shop opening in Ampthill shortly, hopefully the beginning of March so watch this space to follow the progress.

Anyway I'll write again soon

Vickie xx

So what does this year hold for us? Well we have decided to consult family and friends about our ideas especially the parents, who come from different prespectives and it gives us a good alround opinion.

The children have gone back to school today although Im not sure how long for a the forecast for the day is snow, so I know that the kids are hoping for a snow day tomorrow.

Off to the hospital today for the second part of my assessment to see what services would be useful for me with reference to the mental health team, although I keep busy and I am generally ok I still struggle with some bits and pieces, and they really are a cracking team of very nice people.

As far as resolutions are concerned it is the boring old one of losing weight and getting fitter. I have lost 2 stone since this time last year but still have a massive minimum of 8 stone to lose! I have teamed up with Heather Townsend - www.theefficiencycoach.co.uk - and we are going to participate in the Race for Life in Bedford this year.

Before my breakdown I used to run and I loved the freedom of it so although I am daunted I also am looking forward to the buzz of the endorphins.

I will keep you updated, and write again soon

Vickie
xx

We have now had a few days off and I am trying to get on top of the great mountain of paperwork, but failing miserably but I have until Sunday till my next market so still chance to get there.

I would like to thank ALL of our customers for your support over the past 2 years and hope that if there is anything that we can do to improve you will let us know.

I have had my first tumble dryer arrive today so it will be a luxury not having to have washing drapped all over the house. I just hope that it doesn't send the electric bill too far up.

And finally I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and I hope that all your dreams come true in this coming year.

Write again soon

Vickie xx

Then last week it would appear that there is a chance that we could be moving our production out of our home kitchen into a premises which would be bigger and give me the chance to expand the business, this is still in the very early stages but I still can't help but get very excited about the thought of having my own commercial premises.

Anyway the wholesale orders keep rolling in so I had better go and make some of them.

Talk soon

Vickie

Yippee a day off tomorrow, well kind of just making rather than going to a market, but then a market again on Friday, but I also have a visit to the dentist on Friday as I have lost part of one of my teeth and am getting toothache so got to get that sorted.

Anyway waiting for hubby to come home and then going to do an exciting trip to Tesco can't wait.

Write again soon

Vickie

Now I can work around that as she is good and just either helps or stays out the way, but the killer is we spotted that one of the dogs wasn't looking too great yesterday, he had gunky eyes and seemed to have a bit of a wheeze on his chest so I thought chest infection or pneumonia, either way he needed to be taken to the vets, so off we trudged only to be told by the vet that he didn't have a temperture so he has no infection and that she thinks that he has an autoimmune problem, meaning that we would have to think about putting him down.

We agreed to do a full set of blood tests and come back the next day for the results, but he has gone down hill so much over night that I will be taking him this morning, so I have been unable to do my market in Buckingham this morning and I have a house of very upset people.

Surely we deserve a break soon, I really don't know what else can go wrong.

Write again soon, Vickie