Sunday 9 September 2012

The Flight of the Bumble Bee

I've been busy today finishing off the batch of bees ready to go into the Beehive pattern.  They look like a squadron ready for action!



It was all quiet in the house this morning.  Will was off on a bike ride before going to a BBQ/F1 session at one of his friends.  

John is nursing a bad back and has been applying ice packs since last Thursday night.  I suppose he works in the right place to have a bad back (Shield Clinic in Gosforth) but since his work is very physical a lot of the time, he needs to keep fit and well.  Luckily he works his hours over four days so he has had three days to recover.

Steph (38 weeks) had a restful morning after a midnight 'practice' run to the RVI in Newcastle.  She had better not have this baby on a match day otherwise we will have to plough a few football fans down to get to the Maternity Unit.  This is her with her 38 week bun and a freshly baked bun balancing on top.  There were lots more but you know what they say about hot cakes. I, of course, did not indulge....


....I have had a good first week on the diet (I always do) and my journal now has a complete first page.  I spent more time than I should doing the page for week two but I really enjoyed myself.  I have decided to have a road travelling across each page - hopefully most of the footprints will all face the right way.  There will be times when things don't go according to plan but, after all, it's not the mistakes you make, but the lessons you learn from them that counts.  Each night when I come in from work I just put a little thought in the journal - sometimes there is little activity in the brain, so not every night has a comment.


Work was a roller-coaster this week, as expected.  Network down and up, phones on and off, electric cables over heating and a whole new year group trying to find their way round a strange school.  I decided to go with the flow instead of trying to brace myself against the twists and turns.  This seemed to work for me.  That and the haircut on Friday night - it comes with a head massage which is guaranteed to soothe the raggiest nerves.

Sunday 2 September 2012

More beehives

I'm having a bit of a beehive interlude.  I don't know why they seem so comforting and homey but I love to include them in my work.  Bees are such lovely creatures too.  They only live about sixty days on average but what a lot of work they do in their little lives!  The latest beehive is a tag to put on the key-ring for the back door to stop certain sons putting the key in their pocket and forgetting to hang them back up. (Are your ears burning John?)


Why make one when you can make two?  I didn't think it out too well though because I couldn't find a key ring to fit the hole so I had to put a little extender on it.

I've been working on the Cosy Autumn Swap so I can't post too many pictures this week.  I have, however, been prepping a little book which will be my weight loss journal.  


I've just painted a background colour on the pages - a double spread for each week.  I've struggled with my weight for ages and I'm so sick of feeling naff that I am doubly determined to succeed.  John found an offer on Groupon for the Biggest Loser Club and tomorrow is my first day.  Each week I'll complete my journal page.  The challenge is for eight weeks but I know that there is a lot longer to go.  I'm hoping my journal will help me to succeed where I have failed before.  Cooking is such a huge part of my life and I know it won't be easy.

We collected two hens last week.  Some marauding hens got in to my garden a little while ago and we lost two hens over the past month or so.  It may have been co-incidence and I know that animals do just turn their toes up without reason.  I lived on a farm long enough to understand that, but it's still very sad.  The new ladies are a White Leghorn and a Columbine.  They are a bit flighty at the moment so I'll post some pictures when they have settled in.

I have just finished reading 'Out of Time" by Deborah Truscott - a gentle story.  I need to search for something that doesn't make me cry this time (not giving away whether they were sad, happy or wistful tears though).  I like a gentle story as I read for about half an hour before I go to sleep.  

Well I'm going to check I have everything ready for work tomorrow before I settle down to a bit of knitting.  I got my warm jumpers out last week but it looks like I'll have to put them away again.  Hey ho!