Tulip

We had a quiet time for the first week back at the quilt class last Thursday. Let's hope the nasty winter bugs are being beaten back by our lovely antibodies and we're back up to full strength next week - get well soon Karen!  It was lovely to introduce a new Mystery Quilt to the class.  This is Tulip - the first part (well nearly Tulip - I ran out of thread). 

We just had a fairly plain cake with our coffee this week so that I didn't tempt anyone away from possible New Year Resolutions. As usual I forgot to take a picture.

I am a little bereft at the moment, now I have finished my crochet-along project. But not being one to sit with idle hands I have started a new little blankie for the baby. It's cream cotton and is incredibly soft and drapey. It's only little - enough for a pram blanket - because I am not the world's quickest or most accurate knitter.  

We are currently without garage.  Will and his friends demolished the old, rather fragile, garage today and the ground is being prepared for the new model which will be much more secure.  I'll keep you up to date with building progress.

Isn't it nice just to get a cushion and lie down for a little nap when you feel like it. Ahh.

Can you see his little dog getting a cuddle too?

I spent three hours sitting in my car last Friday morning after the motorway was shut.  I tuned in to the local radio to find out what had happened.  A lorry had shed its load - no I misheard - a lorry carrying a shed had shed its load. It looked like a mobile home type of shed.  It had blown off the lorry on the Northbound lane and bounced into the Southbound Lane. I don't think it caused any injury although were some skidmarks on the south bound side. The article isn't that accurate.  It must have just happened when I pulled on to the motorway at 7.25am and I didn't get going again until gone 10.30am. All I will say is I'm pleased I went before I left.

I've spent a lot of time indoors this weekend, the weather has been pretty nasty.  But there are little compensations.  A little knitting and sewing, some nice things to eat. I had an incredibly fresh poached egg  for breakfast yesterday

with thickly buttered toast and a cup of steaming hot coffee,

and a luscious lunch today - avocado and bacon on a little square pitta (Warburton's Thins) and a lovely smoothie, spinach, kale, tomato and pear.  The pear was so sweet and ripe it was the dominant flavour. Yum. 

There's been some nasty things happening this week which I find deeply disturbing - all I will say is "Je suis Charlie"  and that I am grateful to all those incredible people who stand up and speak for freedom.

Keep safe.

2015 - Bring it on!

It is the most beautiful crisp morning here in the North East of England. Cold and bright. I love it. Work starts tomorrow after a two week break.  I say break rather than holiday because I think the Christmas break is a time of rush and recovery.  The Autumn Term was 15 weeks of hard, hard slog but there is no time to recover before the Christmas Day. Recovery starts on Boxing Day. I am now officially chilled.

Can you remember this?

Well it has grown a bit since then.

This has been one of the most relaxing projects I have ever undertaken and I'm sorry it is finished. The colours on my computer make it look a lot brighter than it is in real life.  It is much more subtle and autumny.  I will now be able to devote some time to the rest of my life now as this project has been very hard to resist. The thing is you just need a crochet hook and yarn, you don't have to get lots of equipment out, or measure and cut, or prep and paint, or weigh, measure, bake and wash up.  Although there is a very long list of projects for 2015 I must say I am looking forward to every single one.

The best will be the arrival of grandchild number two in June - ahh.  Steph is going to find out what it is in the next couple of weeks.  In the meantime I have started on a few bits and pieces.

The bootee is for age 3-12 months. I only made one as I am going to make them on smaller needles as it is huge. I think it would fit Ben. I'm actually going to knit some larger sizes for the winter months as I'm hoping it is going to be far too warm for knitted things in June.

The quilt class I am teaching (in the loosest sense of the word as it is more a gathering of friends) is going to be held once a week instead of once a fortnight so I have been busy planning for the next six weeks. I'm breaking things into chunks so that I don't get overwhelmed or leave things to the last minute. We are also going to have a monthly workshop on a Saturday and I have a wall hanging designed for that (currently in its component parts - ie I haven't started it yet although it is designed and written.)

What do you think of John's Christmas present?

Clue - it's the tiles behind Ben who is raiding the sweetie jar in his underwear (oh to be two again!). We went very practical this year. I gave Steph some Clinique lotions and potions and Will a tool kit for his bike and some work jeans (he asked for those - really!)   I got a spare wheel from Will and a wool winder from John.

My 'To-me-with-love' was a scarf kit.

Be still my quivering heart. I really don't feel as though anyone spent money on something unnecessary this year and for that I really grateful. I haven't cracked the overload of meat though. That is my Christmas 2015 resolution. Don't buy so much meat!!! I'm glad to get back to a less meaty diet and more of this luscious stuff.  I will keep you updated with my rainbow drinks.

This afternoon, after I have done the ironing (resolution number 645 - don't leave any ironing in the basket thinking I will do it when I get back from work during the week) I am going to finish updating my blog with a different design and some more links to blogs I read.

2014 wasn't the best year I've had.  A lot of sad things happened to me and some good friends, in and out of work,  and the year's parting gift was a burglary. Someone took both Will's bikes (the ones he spent hours and hours building) and the nice alloy car wheels which he takes off his car in the winter to protect them.  The burglars broke into our garage and two others. We are insured but it was a poop end to the year, knowing that some snivelling little gits (I have paraphrased my original comments for the sake of decency) have had other people's hard earned, tax paid things.

So,  I am drawing a line under 2014 and looking forward to 2015 with the words of Samuel Goldwyn to guide me -"the harder I work, the luckier I get".