We wuz robbed

It seems that everything I post lately is full of doom and gloom. It feels like I am having my equivalent of the Queen's annus horribilis and it's only half way through the year! In the early hours of Thursday morning while we were fast asleep upstairs, we were burgled.
The thief carefully removed some mirrors which were leaning up against the kitchen window and placed them around the corner. We are renovating the house ( as well as repairing the fire damage) and these mirrors were 'stored' against the kitchen window.

 

He then jemmied open the kitchen window 

 

and carefully removed everything from the kitchen windowsill and draining board and  placed them outside.

 

 One of our garden chairs was used as a lift up into the kitchen

He didn't take much, only as much as he could carry. This included my handbag, another Mulberry handbag, a new laptop, my son's phone and various leads to charge the phones/ computers etc.
My handbag contains my life! I carry everything in there. This included my phone ( numbers foolishly not backed up), my purse containing cash and all my cards, my house and car keys, two sets of spectacles, a metro card etc, etc.

So I had to take a day off work, just to sort out the basics-calling the police (and the subsequent statements)  cancelling all my cards and getting a locksmith in to change all the locks and secure the window.

The police were very professional and even managed to get a size 12 footprint off the kitchen floor and identify the exact make of shoe. The thief wore gloves so they couldn't get any fingerprints.

It was only later when I had sorted out the important items that I could think about what else had gone. It is the little things that gall the most. A notebook which I used to jot down all sorts of things, my brand new made-by- Hadley keyfob,  a pouch containing all my EPP paper pieces and basted  diamonds, the usb sticks that I haven't foolishly backed up or catalogued, the pictures on my phone, all the contact numbers. Mr Hare is very sanguine about it all but then nothing of his was stolen. I know in my heart of hearts that they are only things that can be replaced, but it has upset me a lot.

It's not helped that I tore my calf muscle in aerobics last week and I can barely walk. I get cranky if I can't exercise and I now have to be a couch potato for 6 weeks, aargh!

 I had a great time at FQR 2013 meeting lots of friends new and old and matching blog and flickr names to real live people. It has been well covered in blogs and on flickr, so I'm not going to add anything new. It now seems like eons ago.

On a more positive note I had an average July as far as making things go. I can't get my July mosaic on my computer or flickr to download to the blog. It will have to wait until my son wakes up. They are mostly all bee blocks but I have made progress on Madlen's bright quilt. I'm probably half way through making the blocks and I just love how quickly they come together. This is destined to cover her sofa when she moves.

 

She also wants me to make her another one!! Very girly and covered in roses as far as I can tell.
I've also been asked to make a cushion featuring a VW for charity. They have kindly provided a photo for me to work from( due to my very limited computer skills I can't get that to load either).

I've managed to pick 1kg  of gooseberries from a twig of a gooseberry bush that I put in last year. I made a gooseberry pie for Mr Hare and Wonderboy ( it went down in a flash) and gooseberry coulis for me ( lovely mixed with plain yoghurt). It's also been a bumper year for raspberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants. I don't have many bushes  but they have been very productive. As the beginning of the year was so bad I only sowed 4 courgette plants but I've had  5 or 6 courgettes, lots of rocket and the tomatoes are just beginning to start as well. These are the small things in life that cheer me up.

Lastly, I had this delivered after ordering it off Lu at the retreat- wonderful!