Lazy Sunday

It's been a lovely day today, just pottering around, set off to have a wander in the local garden centre and maybe find some little succulents for my kitchen windowsill. Imogen stayed at home, groaning about why old people like garden centres... cheeky little miss, we're not old people and I've always been rather fond of these places with all their different departments, plants, gifts, small animals, furniture and a place for a nice cup of tea.

It's a lovely drive, there are masses of wildflowers growing in many of the grass verges along the road sides. I've noticed them throughout the city and they're a pleasure to see.

We were surprised when we arrived to see lots of Christmas displays. They are still busy putting more out and there's still quite a bit of space to be filled. We could see where Father Christmas' grotto is going to be and are looking forward to taking Zack a bit closer to Christmas, not that I think it'll really mean anything to him this year.

There were lots of displays and decorations with the theme of pink and white, quite pretty.

I liked these Father Christmas figures and the girls with their long swinging legs.

More trees

I found some baby succulents in tiny little pots, so repotted them for the kitchen when we arrived home just after peeling all the veg and potatoes for our Sunday dinner.

Just the thing for this chilly day, a nice hot roast chicken dinner with steaming hot gravy, it was delicious. After dinner, Imogen filled the dishwasher while Andrew stripped the chicken carcass for the dogs to enjoy their chicken dinner too.

With my cup of tea, I went to sit down with my crochet. I started this a while ago, but it was set aside while I continued with other projects (always so many things on the go). With the turn in the weather it's quite nice to have the weight of the blanket over my knees. I'm enjoying using different colours and stitches. Here it is folded in half.

Oh I shall have so many ends to sew in, I have to face facts, I'll never be a stitching in as I go person.

I'm going to watch the Strictly results now and the last part of Vanity Fair tonight. There's been lots of good dramas on recently, my favourite being Killing Eve. It's showing on BBC1 at the moment, but we watched it on Iplayer, kept up a really good pace, definitely recommend.


Take care
xxx

What's on my Needles?

What amazing weather we're having, the sun in shining and the garden is in full bloom, I think June is the best month in our garden.

I love all the colour, I think it's impossible not to be out there and smile with gratitude for how beautiful it all looks.

Thought I'd show you today what's on my needles... sometimes it shouldn't be... look at this cheeky little boy, he often comes and perches on the needles or my fingers, bringing any knitting to an abrupt halt.

I'm currently knitting a cardigan for Zackary. It's age 18 months to 2 years, so will be ideal for the autumn as he is growing at such a rate! I'm using Knit craft 'cotton blend plain' from Hobbycraft, it feels lovely to work with, 50% cotton and 50% acrylic. I'm using Denim and Light Blue and there was quite a few different shades to choose from.

I also have some crochet on the hook too. I don't know if you can tell yet from the shape, but it's going to be a budgie!

I've posted this next picture on Instagram, I absolutely love it. Adam and Holly were going to a wedding and popped in on their way to show us little Zack in his suit. Isn't he a little stunner the little darling  with his little dickie bow and quiffed hair, I love this little man so, so much.

As I've been posting dog and budgie photos, I thought I should show off Mitzi too, but she was too shy to turn round for the camera.

Take care
xxx

Still Indoors

I think I should start this post with a brrrrrrr.... we appear to have escaped the worse of the weather here in our little corner of East Yorkshire, but my, it's chilly! A large part of the country has snow and has come to a standstill (as we often do when the flakes fall as we just aren't prepared for it due to it's infrequency here). The 'beast from the east' as the media have named it, gave us a smattering of snow, but we do have icy cold temperatures. Andrew and I have hunkered down, neither of us having shaken off this irritating bad chest and cold, keeping warm and busy indoors.

Here's a photo of our lovely fountain in the Queen's Gardens area of our city covered in ice

There is a small area where the water is still pushing through

Our garden pond is frozen over with a tiny section where the pump pushes the water out left in the middle. I wonder if our fish are surviving...

We've been slowly going through boxes in our loft, not much has been done over the last month due to illness, but I did come across these hangers.

They would have once held my clothes when I was a baby and I've used them for Adam and Imogen. I wondered if Adam and Holly wanted them for Zackary, but no, so I'm holding onto them for now.

Even though we're both coughing and spluttering, babysitting duties had to carry on. My main worry was that the poor little mite would catch this horrible virus from us so I've somehow managed to restrain myself from kissing him to pieces and so far he seems to have avoided catching anything. It's a difficult situation as Adam and Holly have to go to work and there isn't anyone else who can look after Zack. I took this picture during the week, I think it's one of my favourites. Poor Grandpoppy feeling rather worse for wear, but cuddling the beautiful boy while they sit and listen to music together.

I've done a little more on my cross stitching, but mainly crochet this past week.

I came across this short video when I was looking through Facebook the other day. It's pictures of Hull, before and now, I thought it was well made. Credit goes to the Time Travel Artist on Facebook.

 I hope everyone is well and warm, especially those who have been badly affected by our recent weather.

Take care
xxx

Keeping Warm

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes, they're very appreciated and every one made me smile as I read them.

I'm glad my birthday was when it was as we've all been struck down with hacking coughs and colds since then. Andrew started it off and passed it along, temperatures, headaches, sore throats, coughs and runny noses. It seems to be passing just leaving the horrible coughs (they always seem to linger), but meant half term was a bit of a washout and we spent most of our time in the house watching films, reading, eating homemade soup and keeping warm.

I'm discipling myself to stay with stitching Zackary's Christmas stocking and not to start any more stitching projects until this one is finished... even though I can hear them calling for me...

Still quite a bit to do, but it's really taking shape now.

To give my eyes a break from the stitching, I've started to crochet another blanket, something for my hands to do in an evening when we sit down to watch TV.

I have my first Hyacinth bulbs of the year growing in a pot

We're not the only ones staying in the warm, these 3 just wouldn't smile for the camera today.

Little Gary (the white one) doesn't like to go outside without his jumper on and likes to nestle up next to Honey and Alfie. I've put an old cushion in their bed to make it more snug.

Hope you're all keeping nice and snug too.


Take care
xxx

Scottie Dogs Christmas Prep

Here we are again, I seem to be just managing a post a week at the moment. It's so lovely to see I have a new follower too, hello.

I've been trying to have a bit of a tidy up and declutter this week in preparation for the Christmas decorations going up next month. I found some things that are no longer used, needed or wanted, so put them on eBay. I'm not sure if they'll sell or not, they have a week and will be donated to a local charity shop if they don't go. I do try to be ruthless, but I'm an old sentimentalist at heart so I'm not very good at it. I decided it was time to say goodbye to one of my craft totes/bags, it's just a small one that I often have sitting next to me on the sofa with some ongoing project or another in it (as well as my other paraphernalia such as notebooks, pens, crochet hooks, tissues and my phone). I added it to the charity pile when Andy commented 'oh, are you getting rid of that', so that made me wonder if he thought I shouldn't, oh no, will I regret it once it's gone. I was very good and let it go... am I the only one who has trouble letting things go, forming attachments to 'things'?

I found this blanket in one of my cupboards. it had an awful lot of ends that needed sewing in. It seemed a shame to leave it languishing in there, taking up precious storage space. Out it came and I spent a hour or 2 sewing and weaving in all the ends.

I'm glad I spent the time doing it, I'm really pleased with it now and know a little girl who will enjoy wrapping herself up in it on chilly afternoons.

I've also been making some other preparations for Christmas. I need to make some pretty bunting with blue in it, also for a special little girl. I found some fabric in my stash with pretty blue flowers and little paisley patterns.

It's all cut out and waiting to be stitched up.

I've made this sweet little scottie dog for Christmas too. I cut 2 dogs out in felt and stitched them together with a blanket stitch. Gently stuffed them and also put in a small muslin bag that I stitched and filled with lavender. This little chappie smells quite divine and is just the thing to hang in a wardrobe or on a hook somewhere.

I think I shall make some more in different colours.

Thank you for popping by and please stop and say hello.

Take care
xxx

Just a chat

The days are dashing by and I don't feel I have anything much to show you this week. Yesterday afternoon I made a bolognese in the multi cooker so we could have it for tea with some pasta (we're having it again tonight with some wedges and there should still be enough left so I can put a portion in the freezer).

While I sat on my perching stool stirring and adding ingredients, I was also able to use a foot to keep rocking this little mister in his chair. I gave him a running commentary so I'm hoping he'll be able to help when his old enough!

A nice strong cup of tea for Andrew with a couple of Tunnocks to boost his afternoon energy levels. I drank my cup before I thought to take a photo.

Tea for us and milk for Zackary. I fed both my babies myself (Adam until he was 18 months and Imogen until she was 2 1/2), but I think I'm becoming an expert at making up and giving bottles.

Imogen's had an interesting week. Last week she went to see a local sixth form college and felt quite excited by the choices, this week she went to an open day at the college in town, not really expecting to want to go there, but just to see what they had to offer. What a turn around, Imogen is now hoping to go to this college, depending on her exam results in August. It's been mock exams this week (and next week too) so Imogen has been working hard... I really wouldn't want to be a teenager again!

I've decided that it's unlikely I'll finish Zachary's cross stitch stocking in time for christmas, so I've put it to the side for now so I can concentrate on Imogen's jumper and anything else that needs doing. I've been so tired recently that when we settle down in the evening, I don't really have the energy to start crafting.

I haven't been reading much either, I don't seem to get past more than a couple of pages before my head begins to nod. I have finished reading this book by Tess Gerritson (I've read and enjoyed a few of her books)

The little bit of spiel on Goodreads says:

'An experiment on micro-organisms conducted in space goes wrong. The cells begin to infect the crew with deadly results. Emma Watson struggles to contain the deadly microbe while her husband and NASA try to retrieve her from space, before it's too late.'

It was very good, quite a page turner at times and I definitely recommend it.

That's about my lot this week, daily jobs and keeping warm... and starting to get a few Christmas presents together.

Take care

xxx

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Half Term Catching Up

Where did October go? Time is definitely getting away from us at the moment and last weeks half term went by in a finger snap.

It was my mum's birthday on Sunday so we wanted to do something special, even more so after the horrendous year my parents have had. It was half term last week so it seemed a good opportunity for Imogen to go and spend a few days with her grandparents, perhaps help her granny out a bit as well as spending time with them (Imogen adores her granny and wishes so much that they lived closer to us). Adam and his family took Imogen down at the beginning of the holiday, we were supposed to go as well, but I was full of a nasty cold and as my dad is waiting for heart surgery he mustn't get ill. My mum was able to spend some good quality time with her great grandson as they stayed over and had a lovely time with Imogen too. Andrew and I went down at the end of the week to pick her up (I tried to keep my distance from dad so he wouldn't catch any germs from me) and had a lovely afternoon and good catch up.

I need to establish a routine that fits our new little charge in and still gives me some crafting time as well as everything else that needs doing. How easily one forgets how much time little ones gobble up, though worth every minute, just look how sweet Zack is in his little Gruffalo jumper.

I've managed to spend a bit more time on the cross stitching for Zack's stocking. Last timeI showed you

it's starting to take a bit more shape now. Still a long way to go, but you can see the snowman beginning to appear with the little penguin on his hat.

I've also been doing some crochet on a jumper for Imogen. Last time on here I showed you the rib with the marble yarn

I've done the front design now so it's on track for Christmas.

I haven't spent any time in my craft room for a couple of weeks, so I'm hoping I may have an evening there soon. I have so many ideas of things I want to make and do, just in need of more time. It hasn't helped having a nasty cold and wow, hasn't the temperature dropped all of a sudden!

Here's another photo of our beautiful grandson having fun with his nanny and grandpops.

Take care
xxx