Filling my time

I am pleased with my progress on this project, I am ensuring a couple hours stitching each day, I really would like to be able to use this in December. On the plus side, it is a joy to stitch, normally I get a bit crazy with so many different shades, often only a handful of stitches each colour, but the design pulls together with every bird, basket, apple and decoration. I have made a few counting errors on the tree, but it's so easy to make right, so far no unpicking. 

My dogwood plant arrived, it's really small, but healthy and I can wait for it to grow, it's already planted, it had a great root ball which filled the pot. I am still picking up leaves, most of them have dropped from my acer, and loads blow into the garden. I am still managing time outside on dry days, I do check my greenhouse each day and hubby fills the bird feeders most days. 

I've joined our local library scheme, and collected these books, they ask what books you like and then select books for you, I am hoping I can find some good reads out the these. I just turned up at the door, they passed books to me, quick and simple, I have left them for 3 days before reading, just in case. I know there is one book I won't read, I don't like the author, but the rest looks good. 

I managed to make the tree decoration for George, I'm pleased with the colours, but the glass bits have not melted as much as I wanted, I did it the same as Will's, and I don't know why it's not as fused as I wanted. I think I will make another, this one is not smooth to touch. 

Our house is just too clean and tidy, we are missing Will, George and mummy, but we are sticking to the rules, in hope we get a family Christmas. Great news on the breakthrough for the vaccine, our hope is it continues to keep within all the safety guides. Maybe by next winter we can have this virus under more control and find ourselves all back together. All of this week has been home, I did manage to get my 2nd Christmas cake baked, at one point we could not get fresh eggs. 

Will's best friend at nursery has tested positive for covid19, Will is Ok, mummy spent most of Wednesday checking what they could and could not do, regardless they have decided to spent the next 14 days at home. Daddy has been working from home most of the year, we are keeping everything crossed they all stay well.  We have not seen them this month so are not affected. 

We did a Asda home delivery shop, just a few things we required, but we also got the Turkey crown and a big joint of beef (on a special deal price), all ready for Christmas dinner, we are hopeful we will be at our daughters, we will provide the dinner, hubby is happy now they are in our freezer. Purchasing things early we are hoping will take us out of the mad rush in December, we hope to sit it out this year. This is something we do every year, we have time to get things done and enjoy the weeks before Christmas, I know not everyone can do this, but in this strange year we are doing what we can to keep ourselves feeling safe. Our new fruit and veg shop is a hit, it's first weeks trading has been busy, we loved being able to buy just what we required and take our own bags and containers. 

Now the garden season has finished I have started doing my nails again, for 2 weeks I have cut and shaped them short, I have very weak nails so it's important I do this, I am now using varnish again, I have loads of lovely colours, and will be playing with design soon.