Crochet

Being ill can either go two ways I tend to find - don't you think??

Either I'm absolutely at death's door tucked up in bed groaning with man flu 'or' I'm just plain old unwell. But sooooo lethargic that I can't even seem to find the energy to pull myself off the sofa - unless of course I have to go for a pee or get another hot lemon and honey drink!!

Though being a mum most times you do 'have' to find the energy somehow, somewhere despite how you're feeling. But ever so often on very rare occasions if you don't 'have' to make the effort then 'why' force yourself?


More often than not it's the latter for me and if I do fall unwell during the week I tend to fight on until the weekend when I know another grown up will be around to do their share of parenting.

Not that I relish being ill just so I can breath a deep sigh and sit for a whole day if I wish to be left to my own devices as long as I get better you understand because given the choice I would far prefer to be fit and healthy than not, but from a 'well mama' point of view having a day to do absolutely nothing but recuperate is the best medicine prescribed - well for me anyway, even if I am sat sewing or trying to crochet at the same time.

Welllllllll there's nothing wrong with occupying the mind whilst sat snuggled and recuperating is there? Better than sat glued to the goggle box all day getting square eyes (my parents terminology when I was growing up!)


It was the latter that I found myself in at the weekend (illness wise that is) and even though I fought all week with a temperature that was making me see everything with a pink tinge, by the weekend I was still ill but not 'that' ill I couldn't enjoy the art of a little gentle crafting whilst snuggled up sneezing, wheezing and coughing into my hankies. So with this opportune moment I managed to finish not only one project, but complete two others as well - more of that tomorrow.

For today though I will concentrate on the finishing and that was my crochet 'round and round' cushion which I started only back here at the beginning of the month 'just!!' And which I aptly named that posting 'Finishing' as well.


I back it with some Laura Ashley green polka dot fabric which I've had stashed away since Christmas (last year) and the cushion is now the perfect colour combination for our front room which is a mixture of subtle grayish/blues with reddish/pink accessories - that sounds really styled doesn't it? (or totally hideous depending on your taste) but it's more of a mish mash really - as most of my decorating efforts go!! But the fabric is in keeping with the Laura Ashley 'Erin' wallpaper I wanted to match the cushion with - so a win, win all round for me anyway!

{A little peek into a tidy front room, but it is not always so}

Though it didn't last long on the sofa as it happens, a little person spied it almost immediately and decided it was the perfect size to plonk her bottom down on whilst watching her beloved Peppa Pig - oink, oink!



My crocheting is a bit naff as usual even though I tried really, really hard to concentrate this time, but it's given me the colour effect I was after despite running out of the red very early on and it's another handmade item to add to our home to help make it even more warm and inviting.



And as for me - well my voice has gone all deep and wonky which isn't having much effect on the children (and hubby) when I try and shout, but in a couple of days time and a few more hot toddies I'm sure I will be back to normal.

Until the next time that is!! xoxox

Sickness

The weekend 'eh' - where to begin?? Well I guess the best place is the whole reason why we found ourselves stuck in the house for the best part of the weekend - sickness!! (damn and blast!).


I can't believe the children have been back at school for only two weeks and already we are picking up bugs and germs 'yuk!' Well you could say a week really as my head cold started last Monday, but who's counting - not I!! Well not much.


This weekend gone has seen at least four out of the five of us ill. Mainly with coughs, colds, snots, sneezes and high temperatures and for one poor little soul the sickness bug! The fifth member escaped to a mates house for a sleepover and a day at Legoland - a very wise move on his behalf! Though saying that since he had his tonsils taken out at the tender age of four, he rarely gets ill - ever!


When I wasn't curled up on the sofa under a mass of blankets with tissues strewn all around me trying to master a ripple I was holding (please look away now if you have a very weak stomach!!) a poor little feeling very sorry for herself girls hair back and trying to gentle reassure her as she threw up on the hour every hour into her little blue bucket. Gross I know, but that's my job!



Anyhowwwwww, back to the ripple as I know your all dying to hear how it went!! Welllllll it's not as easy as it looks, is it?? Well not for me anyhow, but then I guess the fluffy boot fair bargain wool probably didn't help my efforts at all!! So until my very teeny weeny (being a very good description at the moment!) purse can afford some 'proper' wool I've put that little project on hold for the moment.

Probably a good job as I've only got a few weeks left, well four'ish' to be precise though I know an 'ish' doesn't really count in the whole matter of being precise, but anyhoo, sorry my brain is still a bit muddled from all that snot!! I really need to try and conjure up some homemade gifts for a very special second birthday - more on that later in the week.


All being well now and we are thankfully - I'm hoping that's it, our stint of illness done!! For 'oh' I don't know, the whole of the winter!! Yeah right, who am I kidding. Though I bet you (please no actually betting!) we will all have some kind of nasty lurgy in another couple of weeks. For some reason germs and bugs just love us!!


Have a super, duper Tuesday and 'thank you, thank you, thank you' for all your warm wishes - they definitely helped speed up our recoveries. xox

ps. the crochet blanket was my charity shop £2 find - not my handy work I'm afraid! If only I could crochet that well, hey, ho maybe one day.

Highlights

It's amazing 'what' can be achieved when your sat curled up on the sofa for the best part of the weekend - well apart from the baking that is!

Despite all of us (par one) being ill this weekend I thought I would show you a couple of pictures of just some of the things we (well I) 'did' get up to at the weekend. A kind of a teaser some might say as I am not actually going to 'say' what those things were, but just leave you with the pictures and let my weekend story unfold during this week.



Soooo here are some 'highlights' to wet you appetite and I 'will' share all of them with you this coming week. Not that I haven't much on this week to post about - me have a quiet week 'yes please!!'

It's just that as I achieved sooooooo much over the weekend I thought that I would post about one a day just to make sure I cover everything, but as not to bore you with one 'huge' post that doesn't really say much.



Enjoy, have a lovely day and a fab start to the week. xox

ps. we are all on the mend now 'thank you' for your warm wishes and I will explain 'all' tomorrow.

Saucy Haw...

...Ketchup - whey, hey!!

We've been adding more store cupboard preserves this week to our larder with haws now ripe and the pickings to be very 'very' generous and as always, using our trusty 'Preserves' hand book No.2 from the River Cottage.



We spent a lovely morning after our stroll on the beach walking back through the allotments picking haws and filling our little dish to the brim.

Then Mr T had the mammoth task of striping (more whey, hey!!) the haws from the stalks and sorting for simmering, softening and passing through a sieve to then go back into the pan for more ingredients to be added and the final cooking.


From this to...


...this. And very delicious in bacon sarnies - I've been told. A new brown sauce replacement for the northerner in our household - now that is progress!


Happy weekend and a wonderful Friday for all!

ps. sorry if my posting's have been short and sweet this week. I've been suffering with a stonking head cold 'all week' and am hoping after a good weekend rest that I will be right as rain and bright eyed and bushy tailed come Monday. Have a good one. Nxox

Beside the Seaside...

...beside the sea!

On a beautiful warm and sunny autumnal morning strolling along an empty beach, with the sun on your face and a warm breeze blowing gently through your hair...

...the sky a picture perfect beautiful blue with the odd cloud scudding across and seagulls call to each other soaring and swooping.

And where the only other sound apart from the plodding of your feet (and the seagulls calling) is the constant rhythm of the waves lapping at the shore.

The only place I would want to be on such a wonderful morning is...

...beside the seaside, beside the sea!!

Have a lovely, lovely day. xox

ps. I've been thinking recently - as I do far too often for my own good. Do you think people are wondering what on earth that mad women is doing on her hands and knees with a camera in her hands and her bottom stuck up in the air doing?? 'Nah' maybe I'm just being paranoid!! Have a good one. N xox

School

For the first time in a couple of years I am back down to having just the one child at home who still has a delicious two hour nap in the day and then goes to bed on time - pure bliss.

She must take after her mother who I swear was a cat in a previous life due to the amount of sleep I need - I like to think of it as beauty sleep as apparently it has been proven that sleep is the best beauty product - ever!! Just think of those laughter lines resting as you do ladies.


Anyhow, have you guessed 'what' I get up to in those two 'ish' hours??


Not racing around vacuuming, polishing, tidying, cleaning, and general putting away of stuff 'oh no!!' I prefer to put my blinkers on and wallow in the mess with a cup of chamomile and a caramel slice.


A jolly good craft book a magazine or two and some crochet to occupy my mind and twiddly fingers - well I wouldn't want you to think I was lazy or something!


Have a lovely mid week - we are still experiencing our Indian Summer here so I think I may head down to the beach hut today for a couple of hours - just in time for a Tabi cat nap of course! xox

ps. thank you for all your wonderful comments on my new header these past couple of days. I love reading all your comments and it means an enormous amount to me - thank you. N xox