At the last minute

Just when you thought I'd gone......when I returned from taking Lily-the-Dog to her boarding kennels (oh, those reproachful eyes)the post man had been with a package from a swap-bot friend. Now this swap was to disclose all that was in your bag - what a coincidence the tag from Gourdongirl about showing off your clutter came at just the right time. The second part was to send something you would find in a bag and look what kind Jenny sent ;
She knitted a sock for the sock blocker key ring from Koigu and made a little knit kit in an altoids mint tin, including a lovely Clover yarn cutter. There is a tin of knitting girl mints - never seen these before- I can see repeat fillings and flashings of that tin happening and Jelly beans. Perfect timing for the trip. Thanks Jenny.... spot-on!

See you later........

I've taken today off work to get ready for our holidays tomorrow, only I am doing more messing about than packing! I spent the first hour or more dithering about waiting for a man to come and look and look at the garage door which is electric owing to my lack of height making a manual one a little taxing. It was going up fine but refusing to descend which meant winding furiously on a pole to get it down. This was okay until James decided to help, wound it the wrong way and it shot off up into the box!!! Well they've been and gone so what is my excuse now? I have to pack up my final SP 10 box so I can get it in the post before the holiday and the mail strike, James has a few things to do too so we have decided to have lunch at the garden centre.....quick the day is disappearing.
By the way the Tesco vouchers came in double quick time and Millie has added a trip on the car ferry across Windermere to her list of must-do's.

Please cross everything!

I recently found in the Tesco deals book that I could trade in the last club card vouchers I earned, value £5.00 for £20.00 off the entry fee for The World of Beatrix Potter (see now I can do those blue boys they may become widespread!) Only I couldn't find the rotten vouchers. I have searched in all the usual suspect places but today, having a pretty major tidy-up (okay, yes, we had visitors) I FOUND THEM! I have ordered the vouchers and it says they are usually dispatched in one working day......but can I trust them?? So please cross a few fingers because they ain't going to be much use if they don't arrive before we leave. The visitors? Well it was Father's Day so we had Rosemary and Millie, Isabel and her James for tea. Lovely! Especially as the Grand Prix was so resoundingly won by Lewis Hamilton! My own Dad would have loved that. He always watched the motor racing. The whine of the T.V. coverage is one of my enduring Sunday afternoon memories. The latest in the list of places we must go next week is Ambleside to see the Bridge House as Millie was playing with the Lilliput Lane cottages and brought the model of that one to show us.

Double Millie

This was the week Millie and I get together twice, Monday and Wednesday. Well despite her suggestion that we visit Attenborough two days in succession I decided it was about time we sorted out a new car seat for her as she was still using the one she had from birth. The style of seat is meant to last up to 4 years but she was beginning to look a bit like an upturned turtle.Her first question when I suggested going to buy one was, of course, 'Can it be pink?' Well I had been looking for that very colour and had to tell her it was very unlikely. However, as soon as we got into Mothercare what did I see shining out from the top shelf? Yea....a vision of pink plushness which I said to myself was probably going to be priced over £70 and could I justify that or how did I tell her'no'? Well, seeing her face when she spotted it there was no way I could have refused and IT WAS ONLY £35....one of the cheapest. Well I assume so, we didn't really look at any more, just bought it and left. She didn't even want to look at the toys!

On Wednesday we went to the garden centre at Risley. Millie enjoyed feeding the animals but I must admit to some concern about how they are kept. Still, it's a working farm as the many signs point out so maybe it's okay.

Seemingly out of the blue Millie asked me how pencils are made and I fell right into her trap by saying 'oh, when we go on holiday there is a place where you can go to find that out'. She was jumping up and down with gottcha glee as she cried "I know! Auntie Mabel and Pippin went there!" If you don't have to watch CeeBeebies you may not know this kindly lady ( Gladys Emmanuel from Open All Hours)and her dog who fly in a spotty aeroplane to find out thinks like how teapots are made or the stripe gets into toothpaste. She then went on to tell me all about it - not that it made much sense in the retelling but I have had to promise that we will go, after going to see Peter Rabbit of course, that has slightly higher priority. So Keswick Pencil Museum here we come. Actually there is a book in the library I had a glance through called 'Bollocks to Alton Towers' which is a guide to alternative days out and it got a very good write up so maybe it isn't as boring as it sounds. Will report back. I have a feeling this holiday may be a little different to what we have grown used to!!!!Oh we are off next Saturday for a week in the Lake district, mainly so Isabel and I can go to Woolfest. Rosemary, Johnnie and of course, Millie are coming along too.

Felting

Yesterday was the 3-D Felt making workshop which was my birthday present from James.It was at Rufford Country Park which is a wonderful place full of Art and Crafts and history. The workshop was run by Roz Beeson who had an exhibition of her work in the gallery there. It was a really good day and although when I saw what we were to make I thought - oh that's what I do already- she actually works in a different way to that which I learned when I did the City & Guilds and it was so much more effective and I had much better results.

Here is a 'pod' a shape I usually make, except they have all been round before and this one is oval. I actually managed to combine some open weave fabric.

Next a 'vase'. This was a completely new thing for me. It's started like a pod but then shrunk to fit onto the mold. This was my favourite piece of the day. It's in olive green tops with black cream and gold lace and net felted in.
Lastly I had some time left so I made a pouch in shades of rust and orange. I was too exhausted to think about making a handle for it so that's for another day. I will finish it off soon though. I might even needle felt a design onto it.


When I arrived home a neighbour appeared on the doorstep bearing a large parcel. This was a delivery from my Secret Pal in Germany and here it is;

Again it is full of good things. She asked if there was anything I would like to try and I suggested the bamboo sock yarn which she sent in a perfect colour. Then there is a jar of rose jam from Turkey which was yummy on my breakfast toast, especially sitting looking out into the garden which is full of beautiful roses just now. Next is the xenophobe's book of English to compliment the German one in the first package....it will be very interesting comparing the two!!!!! Also some paw prints to put on socks- I have never seen these before and a cute sheep badge for my sock project bag. Next, chili flavoured chocolate?? Oh yes, it really is delicious. Fortunately for my diet, a couple of squares a night are perfect. Then a box of chocolate capouchino. My SP says this is her favourite and I believe her -it is absolutely wonderful. Thanks SP you have done me proud once again!
We had Millie for a surprise sleep-over last night...just the job when exhausted from a long day's felting. She was very good though and today we met Rosemary and Johnnie for lunch at Attenborough.

The little garden which is our favourite part to visit is a picture just now (only I forgot to take one) It is full of wild followers, clovers, vetch, dog daisies. and the pond is full of lilies with iris and lots of other flowers around it. As they were leaving I asked Millie where she would like to go tomorrow as I will be looking after her again and she replied 'Attenborough' Oh well ...she used to say Ikea.

Tagged

I have been tagged by Gourdongirl http://gourdongirl.blogspot.com/ (still can't do those mucky links!) to reveal the murky depths of my bag;


The haul includes;
Half eaten (by Millie) pack of dried apricots, asthma inhaler, locker key (on sockblocker ring), diary,odd coins, notebook, hairbrush, purse, make-up bag (containing 3 almost identical lipsticks, lip balm, handcream, paracetamol,and a mirror with a picture of two girls by Mary Cassat which I bought from an Impressionist exhibition when we were in Scotland two years ago), 2 paper napkins, Tiny Tiny Ted who was sent from New Zealand when Isabel went travelling 4 years ago,
paper hankies, lace hankie, house keys in ancient Hello Kitty holder, tram ticket, wet wipes (it was a Millie day) earrings, card wallet, library staff badge, tatting shuttle, car key, mending kit, 4 Ikea pencils, Starbucks stirring stick,crochet hook, badge - 'I knit therefore I am', plasters, 2 pens, various receipts, telephone. That's it - I like to travel light. One question - how the heck do I get it all back in there????????

Finished at last

I started knitting these socks on holiday at the end of April and, helped by two 45 minute bus journeys today, I finally kitchenered number two.Why was I on the bus? I have been in the habit lately of driving to the outskirts of Nottingham and taking the tram into the city centre but today I was ready early enough to catch the Rainbow 1. Sounds nice doesn't it - well it is okay- better perhaps than the jam of cars and lorries round the Motorway junction I drive under, better than standing toe to toe on the tram, better for the planet, arguable cheaper and a chance to knit.BUT it means leaving home at 7.20 instead of 7.35.
Here are the socks, knitted from the Trekking sent from Germany by my Secret Pal to Roza's socks- the pattern by Grumperina in the spring 07 Interweave Knits.

One day I shall buy some sock blockers. It is impossible to photograph socks elegantly on the feet, even when practicing yogalates! And yes, I know they are only fraternal twins, the stripes are not very obvious in the ball so I didn't worry about it but just knit as it came.