Last day of January

Well that month went mighty quick . I hope the rest of the year doesn't follow suit . It's going out with a blast though isn't . As I write this the wind is howling outside and according to the forcast there's a promise of snow . I'm miles behind with my work as I'm having to stay downstairs . Papa Bear is decorating but due to the fact he's had the worst month ever Epilepsywise I've got to keep an even closer eye on him. So really he'll be glad to see the back of January.
We've decided to have an early night . He's already tucked up in bed and as soon as I've done this that's where i'm headed .It's 9-25pm there is absolutly nothing on tele so it's hot chocolate and a book . This time Roy Castle's autobyography ,not quite the page turner as Clarissa's but good. Tomorrow painting woodwork !!!!!!***** IHATE DECORATING.

Birthdays Decorating and Winding Wool

We went out on Saturday night . It was my friend ,Elaine's ,60th birthday . Her DH had organised a family meal out but unbeknown to Elaine he'd invited me and my DH .Much" oo what are you doing here? " when she spotted us . It had taken her DH much scullduggery finding my phone number . We have been friends for 56 years . We started school together in Miss Mckenzie's class . We've drifted in and out of each others life ever since . We had a lovely evening with much catching up .This is us below plus a bit of one of her Grandaughters.

Elaine is on the right.

The decorating has begun . All walls are stripped . As we have an open staircase the landing has to be done as well .That to has been stripped and my house now rembles a bomb site .Tomorrow all the woodwork will be rubbed down .

I absolutely , completly and totally HATE having the decorating done .One of my sons reckons i'm a control freak and when it's time to decorate I lose it big time.

I think I'll move into Mole End ( my caravan ) for a month.

The season is starting .Entry Forms for Agricultural Shows are popping through the door and yours truly is having a panic . Easter is quickly approaching and I've not half of what I wanted to do. Hence Winding Wool. Thats what I've been doing . My yarn sometimes comes on cones and it has to wound into 100grm hanks ,which is fine if the yarn is on the thick side . Today not so fine , i've been winding laceweight and at 1500 metres per 100grm thats nearly a mile of yarn . I didn't do to bad though and managed 3 kilos. My arms are killing me but not bad enough to stop me knitting tonight . "So oft I jolly well go " to quote Jimmy Young . TTFN.

Progress report and Hair

Here is a progress report on the front room . It's beginning to look good. It's had it's first coat of plaster and new scareting boards put on. Another cousin came last night , my cousin The Gas Man. Well you've got to keep it in the family. Anyway ,he came an sealed the gas off fom the old gasfire so that's sorted. It's getting final coat of plaster today then we just have to wait for it to dry then set to and decorate.
Hair Cut Fund Raiser

This my No 1 son so called because he's the eldest not the favourite . I don't have favourites all my four are loved equally .As you can see he has a lot of hair , It goes down his back . At the moment he is fund raising for his sons school here
http://www.meadowsteiner.somerset.sch.uk/.
If he raises enough money and gets enough votes he is having it cut off .
I myself am voting for it to come off . It's time for a change .
If you would like to donate and vote go herehttp://www.justgiving.com/meadowschoolbursary
If you put a mention in the comments that you got the link from here he would like that .
It's for a good cause .

Builders , Socks and Rain

Well that's my first resolution broke. I had every intentions of keeping up with my blog more, honest . It just hasn't happened . In the evenings with all this wet and rain all I've wanted to do is shut the curtains and curl up with my knitting. All this rain is so depressing . I 've been to B&Q to price up wood and I've got the plans from Noah just in case . We can't go for long walks ,it's a case of short ones in between the downpours . Luckily Meg is a pretty laid back dog and is putting up with it. But on I brighter note ( sort of ) . The rain has brought my cousin. If you scroll back to December you will see that our front room fireplace is encased in Lakeland Slate .It was on when we bought the house . It's grey and dark and after living with it for 37 years the novelty has certainly worn off. So we decided enough and consulted my cousin , The Builder , who is the brother of my cousin The Mechanic , who takes care of my car. All was sorted and a price agreed . Then it was a case of waiting for him to come. This is where the rain comes in , figuratively not liturally . He's got rained off outside work so he's come in from the cold . It's going to takes three days to do the building work then it will all have to be decorated .At this point I would like to leave and come back in a few weeks. After the slate has come off .
All tidied up and sides bricked up and made straight again. The big black hole is going to be an Ingle Nook . Today it is going to have a first coat of plaster . Watch this space .

These are the socks I've knit since Christmas .
Left to right . Christmas socks , own dye. Simple socks , Natural Dye studio BFL , Entrelac Socks ,own dye, Thong toe socks , NDS Alpaca /Silk , very soft.
I've also been up in my workroom every day sewing and cutting out . So really I've been a busy Bear and will be even busier when my cousin has gone.

Baking and Blogging

FRESH BREAD

After My day of rest and a good night's sleep I awoke this morning suitably refreshed.

So much so that I decided to bake . I'm fed up of the prices of good bread and biscuits and all this lot have no additives presservaties and E numbers in them . Plus they didn't cost an arm and a leg.

Barm Cakes

Shrewsbury Biscuits

Oatmeal Biscuits
Don't they look scrummy and before anyone mentions diets and weight loss they are all Weightwatchers points counted so I know just how much to have .

Talking of weight I have lost another two pounds this week ,so that's the Christmas gain gone.

I love baking. Before I became a professional Mum I did it for a living.

Up at six every morning to bake bread, cakes ,scones etc . Hard work but I enjoyed it.

I went from Baking to Babies so I never found the six o'clock feeds a chore.

I'm still an early riser and like to get on with my work .It leaves time for walks especially in the Summer.

A bit of R&R

Today I have taken it easy for once. After a nice long walk with Meg and DH ( taking advantage of the only fine day in the next week ) We nipped to Borders and picked up my Spin Off mag . Had a light lunch ,then chilled. Dh went to bed, as he's had a very dodgy week this week with seizures . Meg was zonked out . So Moi put her feet up and listened to saucy play on Radio 4 and knitted . I think I needed a couple of hours to myself as it can be a bit exhausting when DH isn't well . Keeping an extra eye on him and helping jog his memory about the simplest of things . I think the memory thing is one of the hardest things about the Epilepsy for both of us because it can be so frustrating . One plus for him he say's he can watch a film more than once and not remember it. I think this evening will be radio and knitting one . There's nowt on't tele . As usual . 60 odd channels and nothing worth watching .

Caravans and Damp

Had some bad news today . The caravan went in for a service and they have found a lot of damp. The scourge of all caravanners. We got sent for to see what we should do . It was good news and bad . The bad news is it would cost nearly a grand to put right and seeing as how it's 16 years old it's not really worth it. The goodish news is with a little bit of work that DH can do it will probably last a couple more years. I was a bit gutted as I love my little van . It's my Mole End , it's my Open Road . If you've read Wind in the Willows you'll know what I'm talking about. This is inside . The size is very deceptive .It's quite roomy ,even though it's a tiny van. Only 18 inches longer than the car . So easy to tow and it just fits nicley on the drive. This is outside ,with the awning on . This was taken at the farm we stay on in the Lakes. Last year we lived in it for nine weeks . It was great . But now we've got to start saving up to buy a replacement . God knows what I will do when the time comes and she's got to go . There will cerainly be a few tears . Till then I'll still lavish love on her and make some new cushions for this season.
25/01/2008 Got a P.S. Got my Van Back and the damp is no where near as first thought . We could get quite a few years out of her yet. But we've decided to start saving for a new one . We need more space when we go away for the Summer . So we are now looking for a buyer towards the back end of the year.

Workwise i'm back in harness after the Christmas break. All three embroidery machines going and cutting bags out. Going to design some knitting needle wallets for DPN'S . I need one desprately . Been swimming and the weight is moving again so that's ok.

Epiphany and all that.

Well it's the feast of the Epiphany when all the trimmings are supposed to come down . I jumped the gun and they all came down on the 2nd . Except for my Crib ,as the three wise men don't arrive till today, I thought i'd better leave it up or they'd have nowhere to go.
I had to take the Christmas stuff down as I wanted to get back to normality. When we'd done that we sorted all the stock out and made a big list of what there is to make. The answer was LOTS. Then I realised that it was only eleven weeks till Easter and our first outing . Then I PANICKED. Luckily we don't need much in the form of raw materials but we did need card for the Memory Albums I do . So after lunch we set off for James Croppers at Kendal and got loads. On the way back we called in at Sizergh Barn Cafe for a coffee and watched the cows being milked . Got a gorgeous basket for the stall . It will look great full of wool. And a hat . More on that another day.
Think I've got a new addiction . Lace knitting. This is another Forest Canopy . This time my own Hand Dyed BFL. I just love it . Watching the patterns form . I've just got a new book to work my own designs out . Am just experimenting today.At last I've mastered Entrelac socks and I think they will be a bit addictive as well. It wasn't as hard as I thought .Though they do take a bit of time. I've found my short Brittany DPN's are great for this work. Booked the caravan in at a site for the Easter Crafts Fair at Silloth , West Cumbria . It will be our first visit up there this year. One of many. Then we'll be up there for our long stay in Summer doing the Agricultural Shows . Hopefully nobody will let Foot and Mouth out again.
At last I've finished my Clarissa Dickson Wright book . It was fantastic . The only trouble was I didn't get much sleep while I was reading it as I couldn't put it down . What a page turner.
Well back to some proper work tomorrow . My lists are written . My timetable and clock are set and I am raring to go. NORMALITY RULES.

Happy New Year ( I Hope)

Well here starteth a new year and it's got to be better than last.It did end on a good note though DH had the first seizure free Christmas /New Year period for years . We didn't stay up ,though I did hear the fireworks going off at midnight. I got Clarissa Dickson Wrights autobyography for Christmas from DH and I can't put it down . I only read at bedtime so the light has been burning long into the night. I reccomend it as a good read.
Resolutions. I'm putting them on here as I think it will help me keep them.
1. Lose weight . I'd already started my diet before Christmas but I need to keep it up. I have put a bit back on over the festivities but I've got my diet head back on now. Target 9 stone by Easter.
2. Excercise more . I don't get enough fresh air and excersise so me DH have worked out a walking/swimming plan for the week.
3. Be more economical. I spend to much money and have not much to show for it. Going to do a bit of wardrobe revamping and remodelling to save buying clothes. I will only buy something if I need it not cos I want it.
4. Leave my children to battle with there own problems themselves. They are all grown up and I have enough to do as it is keeping my eye on DH .
5. Think of something really cool to do to mark mine and DH's 60th birthday in Feb/March. All suggestions welcome ( except bungy jumping).
6. Last of all keep up to date with my Blog. Ta Dah!!!!!