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!!!!!!!

Back Home

We are now back in the UK having had a good trip away. The sun shone, the temperature rose to uncomfortable levels and that limited what could be achieved outdoors. We also had visitors - our son, daughter-in-law and number 2 grandson. Number 2 gs was six and a half months old and an utter delight. It felt really good being able to hold him and cuddle him, and to drink in his scent. I'd forgotten just how the scent of a baby has such a strong affect. We felt we really got to know him during their visit.

Bet you can't do this!

Still in his pjs - enjoying an early morning cuddle with his grandma.

A very happy and contented baby, he has a ready smile and his giggles melt the hearts of anyone who met him. Of course, the French are very family orientated and so he basked in all the admiration. We went for lots of walks and had a lovely picnic by the lake in Bagnoles de l'Orne.

Playing by the lake in Bagnoles

Bagnoles Lake

 We also visited St Frambault - known for it's fantastic floral displays.

Enjoying his first ever ice cream

After they had left we piled in the car and headed west for a couple of nights staying in beautiful Vannes in southern Brittany.

Vannes Town

The old town entrance

The waterfront

On our second day we ventured further west to Concarneau. It was our first visit here - so we had plenty see!

Old town

We loved the planting down the middle of the dual carriage way along the front. I guess these wouldn't have won the Tour de France!!!! Great fun, though!

I also managed to get on with a couple of projects, but I'll tell you about these next time!!!!

Take care!

Off to France

Just a quick post to say we're off to France today - back mid July. I shan't post in France but I'll try to make up when I'm home.....

More Felting Projects

Well.....  now I've attached the handles to the creamy yellow bag and I'm quite pleased with the result.

My next felted bag project is well underway.
I've finished the knitting and I'll pop it into the washing machine tomorrow. This bag is octagonal and has an attached icord round 7 sides.

It looks more like a circle than an octagon in the photo so it will be interesting to see how it turns out after the felting. I'm also concerned about the top because it rolls down - would it have been better to have a few rows moss stitch before casting off?

This bag is from Alice Underwood and Sue Parker's book "Felted Bags".

Today I had a girlie day with my friend Sandi. We visited a lovely little shop and I bought some goodies....

This blackboard for the kitchen, and a picture that I'll put by for my daughter. She's in the early weeks of pregnancy so I shall keep it until she's a bit further along.

I think this will look lovely in the baby's room..... hope she lokes it!!!!!!!!!!

A Hot Saturday

Goodness it's been so hot today!!! Too hot for anything too heavy this afternoon - well that was my excuse!!!

On the positive side I managed to felt a bag I knitted from Bev Beattie's book "Knit and Felt Bags".I used Bev's felting wool - one strand of buttermilk and one of ecru. The bag is knitted on 8mm and 10mm circular  needles, so it knits up really quickly.

As Bev says in her book, before felting, the bag is very much the ugly duckling -

 - but then in the washing machine the magic happens. I used the 40 degree cotton wash programme and I'm really pleased with the result. My ugly duckling is on its way to becoming my swan!!

I have stuffed the bag with towels and need to wait until it dries and then I shall attach the handle and think about embellishing it. Bev recommends attaching embellishments and handles before felting but my confidence isn't that high yet. Maybe next time.....

The other thing I have finished is a birthday present for a friend.

I hope he will hang it on his shed - it doubles as a store for all the bits for his garden railway!

Monday 24 May 2010

Today has been a good day. The postman rang the bell around 9.30 and delivered an eagerley awaited parcel. It was my new knitting bag from the lovely Sally at lifecovers. Sally produces her items in beautiful Scotland so has lots of inspiration all around her.

I'm so pleased with it; it's even better than in the photos -

Sally was able to personalise it with 'Susie's bag' embroidered on the handle -

I spent the morning in the garden watering, tidying and planting out. We have been growing a few veggies here in the UK and we have peas .....

.....runner beans.....

.....garlic, carrots, onions and salad leaves.....

.....and I put the strawberries, with some parsley and dahlias, round the lamp post.....

  The afternoon was impossibly hot and humid so we had a lazy break in the shade with lemonade and something to read!!!!

Sunday 23 May 2010

Some while ago, when life was difficult, I came across the suggestion that at the end of each day you should think of six good things that have happened during the day. At first I found it really hard to come up with a list of six, but after a while it became easier. It's a habit I have kept up over the years and helps to keep me focussed on the positive side of life. It has clarified what sre, for me, the important things in life, what makes me happy and what I have to be thankful for. It's not the material things that make my list, but often it's aspects of the natural world - birds or flowers; chance conversations with strangers; time spent with family and friends.

So what made the list today?

1. Time spent in the garden in early morning solitude with that first cup of coffee.
2. A walk round the lakes with my daughter and her chocolate labrador, talking about the baby she (fingers crossed) is expecting. It's very early days but she deserves a problem free pregnancy and a healthy babe.
3. Meeting other dog walkers and exchanging news.
4. A rare, quiet, afternoon reading my book.
5. Watching Halcyon River Diaries on BBC1
6. A leisurely bath with delicious bath salts.