Happy Birthday and Retirement Vernon

Hi,
Today is Vernon's Birthday ( my husband) and he retires from work after 50 years of working from today he his own boss (well in his dreams). I made this card not the one I originally thought up as I wanted a picture of him as a baby, the great British Post office failed us, his Dad sent me a picture and the post office lost it. So this card is my second thought about what to do for him. I am not very good at parchment so I really hope he likes it.
I did my own design and used peel off boot and hat embossed in the designs, Vernon is into Country and Western so I hope he likes it, as I say I am still learning parchment and their are no teachers in this part of somerset, so its self taught, reading the parchment magazine and books. I hope you like the card its takes many hours for me to do just a simple card. I put blue paper behind the parchment and blue ribbon down the side. The ribbon is from Joanna Sheen's online shop.
At work they said to Vernon that he would be under my feet from now on, he replied "I told them you would be under my feet", I don't think so. On one hand it will be nice to have him home but all day not sure about that.
He says he is going to do the garden, there's plenty out there to do, as it has not touched the garden for a year, its my job to do the garden and being ill I have not been able to get out there and play.
Its amazing how mild it is at the moment I have a plant called Lady Mantel, it flowers in June, well I have found some in flower now yes November and its in flower, I cant believe how some plants are so confused about what time of year it is.
This cross stitch picture I made Vernon ten years ago, I knew he liked Country and Western and the first Country and Western night he took me too they had a special Indian night, so I saw this picture and decided to make it for him. It was the hardest cross stitch picture I have ever done, I vowed then I would never do another one, the detail in the Indian is vast and took many hours to do. Most of it was done at work then as I was a live in carer, that way he did not see it, that's how we meet he was a friend of the family of the old lady I was looking after.

Here are some close up pictures for you

I made it ten years ago before we were married and has been admired by many visitors. It was a Gold Collection Petites from Dimensions and called Noble Warrior.



Update on mother she is now in a community hospital at Paulton, shes very confused, but they have a bug in the ward and they wont let me in to see her, I have left her a note to say that I have been and that we are on holiday, plenty of nighties I have never known so many nighties coming home for washing in such a short time, I think they change her for something to do. It going to be a long job as they have said 6 to 8 weeks in hospital and that I am to go on holiday and not to worry about her.

From now on all posts until the 5th December are scheduled as we are in the Canary Islands soaking up the sun. this is his planned holiday for his retirement, we are going to make the most of it.

Until we meet again in blog land take care and keep well

Hugs

Margaret