Rain rain.............

It's a distinctly soggy day today. We have been without significant rain for so long now that I feel I shouldn't complain.....but.....wouldn't it be good if it only rained at night and the sun shone every day?

We have house guests at the moment. Our daughter, son-in-law and grandson have gone to Brittany on their hols and we have the cat and the dog to look after. Having had pets for years and years we now have none and we don't plan to replace them at the moment as our split life style doesn't really suit itself to pet owning. I do miss them, though.

So for two glorious weeks we have Bovril, the cat, and Thomas, the dog. Bovril largely keeps himself to himself. He tends to sleep most of the day with a few food breaks between napping sessions. He is a glorious black cat, and unusually has not a single white hair.

Thomas dog does everything other than keep himself to himself. He is a nine month old Chocolate Labrador. He has a wonderful, loving personality and is in to everything that isn't shut away!!! Some jobs are almost impossible to do. Sweeping the terrace was interrupted when he pinched the broom and took it off up the garden to play with. Luckily the broom survived minus a couple of tufts of bristles.

Oh, and you can see on this photo just how parched the lawn is now! That's why I don't want to grumble too much about the rain!

While we were in France I managed to finish knitting a pair of socks. I haven't blocked them yet. I don't have the sock shaped inserts to go in them while they dry. Yesterday I managed to download a template and Mr Dreaming is going to see his friend who has some sheet plastic. Once the plastic has been cut I shall get on with blocking them. It's not a priority at the moment as it's hardly the time of year for woolly socks!

I also made a crochet bag and when I got back I lined it, as instructed , with oil cloth. However I'm not happy with it and I shall try again with some ordinary fabric with some very stiff interfacng. I'm hoping that it will retain its shape better then - but we'll see!

Since I've been back I have been rather naughty and indulged in a wool buying fest! Oh dear - not good for the account balance!!!!

I'm sure you'd like to see what I've got.......

Firstly some lovely Drops Fabel (the link takes you to the skd site and you need to click on Garn Studio Yarns) in a variety of colours to make a blanket for my daughter to use when she feeds the baby during the night. The babe is due in January, so she'll need to keep warm.

Secondly some lovely muted shades of shetland wool - all dyed with natural dyes by Llynfi Textiles. These were on offer in the July issue of Country Living magazine.

Thirdly some blue and pink wool from The Knitting Goddess. Thomas decided he would try to help by having a go at winding one of the skeins - that's why it ended up as a ball - and no, he didn't manage to wind it himself - and it took me 45 minuted to untangle it!!!!!!!

And.....lastly.....some gorgeous bright skeins of Laughing Yaffle's Tiny Temptations. They haven't any Tiny Temptations at the moment, but will have more in the future!

I've obviously got a lot of knitting to do!!!!!!!