Heroes and Heroines

I'm glad this isn't a live feed. Will has just walked past and stubbed his toe. I know it really hurts because he didn't swear, he just gasped - a number of times. There is a time when you say are you okay and a time when you don't. I'm in no doubt I did the right thing by letting him go upstairs in his own little bubble of pain. Don't you just hate stubbing your toe?

He has just put the little chooks to 'bed' for the night - but look what was waiting for us yesterday:

A double yolked egg. Added to another delicious egg and we had this for lunch:

A little grind of black pepper, a pinch of salt and voila! Fast food that tastes amazing.

I have been madly crocheting this week - I just can't stop, it's addictive and relaxing all at the same time.

 This pile became this,

and this.

There are 97 full squares - the three that are left will be finished tonight and ready to sew together.  I will then add some borders to make the blanket large enough to put over laps on a chilly day. I started off with the intention of making a blanket inspired by a waistcoat my mother made for me when I was about fourteen. Every square was edged in black.  I decided to do mine in a dark royal blue but when I added some edges it suddenly changed the nature of this bright and colourful thing that has been developing.  It became enclosed, almost imprisoned in the dark edging. I pulled out the stitches and will be sewing the squares together as they are. I know some stitches will inevitably show but I think this will be a small sacrifice to preserve the rainbow of colours that this will become.

Couldn't resist this girly bunch of flowers.

The garland above is part of a birthday present for my best friend who has today become a diamond. I just can't get my head round the sixty word - I am only three weeks behind her but in my head I am in my thirties and I know she feels the same. Where does that time go? Where are the giggling schoolgirls that smoked a mint flavoured ciggie behind the bike sheds and thought we were so grown up? Sharing a coffee in the Wimpy Bar in Woking and making it last all afternoon because it represented the pooling of our pocket money that week. Loving and losing boyfriends (never shared one though - she liked blonde hair and blue eyes and I liked dark hair and brown eyes). We had sons within a couple of weeks of each other and have bickered and laughed our way through 53 years. The only difference now is I have to cross my legs when we laugh.

In my workspace this week I have plenty started but nothing finished:

Soaps coated with different media and waiting to be decorated. I think the Liquitex is the winner.

 90 squares cut ready for the turquoise 'Cute as a Button' Quilt

 6" 'buttons' ready to be stitched,

Wooden hearts, undercoated and ready to be decorated for the Summer Fair at school.

Today has been gorgeous - sunniest as so often happens,  early in the morning. A sunbeam is my alarm during the summer months. I love living with the seasons, up with the lark in the summer and cosy indoors during the winter. It was so warm this morning I worked up a sweat cleaning out the hens. I also smacked my head on the hen house because I left one of the little doors open. No blood just a bump! Unlike Will my wound did not leave me speechless.

We had cheese scones and the 'Inner City' Block at class on Thursday.

Actually we also had raspberry jam swiss roll too but I didn't take a photo before it was all gone.  I did however take photos of the fat quarters I bought from the Tim Holtz range that Hilary has just got in. (Oh no!)

John was over this morning and we made pork in cider for tea whilst Ben had his morning sleep.

It is speckled with lemon thyme and rosemary and will be finished with some sharp apple puree. For my weird drink this week we made pear smoothie with hazelnut milk.  John decided it needed something extra and we put in a Reece's peanut butter cup. Weird but lush - maybe not that healthy though.

Last night I watched some really good rugby. Jonny Wilkinson was playing his last game before he retired at the grand old age of 35. He is a bit of a hero of mine because he is leaving such an amazing legacy. His work ethic, his honesty loyalty and modesty, not to mention his talent are so inspiring. The affection that was shown to him was so obviously heartfelt. 

Sadly this week Maya Angelou died. An amazing person who lived her life with such dignity and hope despite the hardship and suffering she went through. She fought long and hard to make other people's lives better. Two people with such different lives but heroes and heroines for their own things. 

I spent this afternoon with another such person (you know who you are). Knowing I have shared some time on earth with such wonderful, generous, talented and beautiful people makes me feel both honoured and humbled. 

"Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud" 
Maya Angelou

"Playing the game, representing the team, giving my all and never letting go has meant everything to me."

Jonny Wilkinson