Half term

 Molly has her own style, quirky comes to mind, 

much like her mum at the same age. 

These are from last weekend, 

she does love her sparkly jacket, and hats.

Hubby made the pancakes on Tuesday, I added all the good stuff, George had raspberries, bananas and ice cream on his, all 3 children had two small ones each.

Molly loves to paint, this Hello Kitty kit kept her happy for ages, I do love her independent way of using colour.

Wednesday was Will's birthday, 9 already how quickly the years fly by, hubby made his favourite red velvet cake, made with plant based ingredients so Molly and George could have some. No photo of Will, he asked me not to post any. 

Molly slept over on Tuesday, George instead of sleeping over went home really late on Wednesday, Will on Thursday, having them one at a time works better for us. It's nice to give individual attention to each child, they are happy and comfortable here. It was great having them here together for 3 days, mummy took home two each day, but we did both get tired.

We did not go out anywhere, the weather was just so dire, both little ones loved the different toys and puzzles here, Molly loves paper and crayons, George is still car mad, Will has an army game he loves playing on his tablet, not for too long, we watched a movie together, plus he started reading a new book we gave him.

Later today I will drive Will home, I'm sleeping over, daughter has a spar afternoon,  evening and Saturday morning at a local hotel,  time for her to relax, I'm  very comfortable at her home and the children are all good at bedtime, hopefully Molly won't wake up too early.

Crafting

 This is my starting point, these are the part used balls of yarn from socks, plus a couple packs of hand dyed yarn which I have had for years, it's a nice mixture of colours, I hope to use the smaller balls mainly and add colours where required, each of the new shanks should make 3 different colour patches. 

In here are the rest of my 4ply yarn, there are only a couple of full balls, all the random shades are on the right, these are going to be my first choices along with the yarn in the above photo, the plain colours can be added if I require a different shade. I have pulled out 3 full balls which are handy to keep.

I decided on black for the contrast, so many of my random balls have grey and blue in, so black stands out. I could not find any locally, so I had to wait for delivery, I'm not in any rush with this, I can take my time and enjoy the process. The first row I have used my blended yarns, the second row plain colours, I think I will keep this mix, gives the blended colours space to shine. 

The smaller balls shown in top photo, are in my workbasket next to my chair, handy for me to use, I can also pop the balls I am using in as well, they can roll and jump as I pull on the balls and hopefully not fly onto the floor for Lilly to chase. The yarn in the second photo is in a plastic propagator lid from the greenhouse, it's big, so it can stay on the spare bed, we don't have anyone due for a visit in the near future. 

I got in a terrible mess with 11 different balls of yarn on the first round, by the second I had worked out a method which stopped most of the tangles, I am packing the colours for each row after use together so I can use all the different colours. I am stitching in all the ends after each 'row', it makes my work tidy and saves the horror of doing it all at the end. 

I will still have loads of yarn left over, I really want to shrink it more, these are mainly sock yarn, so tough and not so fluffy, there are some baby yarn which is soft and fluffy. I have seen a circular blanket which I am considering as well.

Flowering

 Just one last bloom, stunning. 

More buds on plant in bathroom. 

Homegrown daffodils, 

 these from the front garden, the wind and rain had battered them.

A sneaky purchase at Tesco.

I have read this author before, the plot was very deliberately slow, it took me longer to read, the plot opened up the life of a recluse artist after her death, there wasn't a dramatic twist, everything was revealed throughout the plot. Book 14 read this year.   

Another author I like, set in Ireland, a boy is dead, another charged with his murder, the dead boys friends are all sticking to the same story, DCI Reynolds is asked to have a second look. I enjoyed the plot, nice twist at the end. Book 15 read this year.

Friday turned into a good day, car passed MOT with no issues, it was dry whilst we were in town, I had previously sorted my jewellery box, I have so much I don't wear and daughter did not want any of it, so I took some to a pawn shop, £360 for gold, £35 for silver.

Saturday was dry, so an hour outside in the garden, I had to redo the netting on one veg bed, Lilly had found a way in, did a bit of cutting back, and a general tidy around, as always it felt so good to be outside. The automatic greenhouse window opened for the first time this year, it was warm inside. I've a couple of huge pots which are empty, I would like to use them in the front flower section of the garden, I have enough plants for them, I hope to swap out a few smaller pots, they have been increasing over the winter. 

We got some Chinese dishes from Tesco which we heated at home for our tea, opened a bottle of prosecco, again we re-used our cards, it's the 5th year, no flowers or gifts to each other. We did get red tulips and a card for the little ones to give their mum, daughter was happy.  We read most of the evening, only watching The 1% club on TV, which we love.

Sunday back to rain, it was dark and grey from the start, it did not stop raining, so a day inside, I did some more on my 2025 book, a bit of knitting and more reading. It's half term here, so we will have days with children, all three have separate hospital check ups on different days, so mummy will drop the others here on the way. 

Everything else

 My hyacinth blooms have gone over, so they are in the greenhouse until they die back, knowing I would have my hand painted pot empty, I got a new spider plant, Lilly shredded my other plant, it can stay here for now.

The first amaryllis bloom had died back, this second stem has one large opened bud and two smaller ones. The smaller of the pots is another new bulb this year, both bulbs were purchased from our garden centre neither cheap, this second bulb is not growing, the other pots is a bulb from last year, both bulbs only has leaves growing. 

I popped to our village library, I have not been for a while, I took my address book with all the book titles I have read, I stopped going as I found the choice of books I liked limiting, things have not changed, to order books in cost a £1 per title. The bottom book is an author I have read before, no a favourite, the top two are new authors to me, 

This book follows on with AI, this time in self drive cars, the government now wants everyone to drive level 5 cars, no brakes or controls, there are less accidents and congestion, our main lady hates these cars, refuses to use them after seeing a horrible accident which killed a mother, daughter and grand daughter. She is on service much like jury service, to discuss accidents and who was at fault, so far it's never the car, it's a farce until The Hacker takes over. Another tongue in cheek plot, again another good story, it's about the people not the cars. Book 13 read this year

Monday we walked to the village, Tuesday we met daughter in Whitley, we have not been there for a while, and popped to garden centre for the compost, I got a bag of shallots as well, I did not look at the plants. Molly was very happy with her badge now on the back of her swimming robe, it's too big for her and should last a few years, George also has swimming robe, but, as yet he has not reached his first badge. I did not keep the sewing machine out, I have a busy week.

Wednesday was a day at home, morning doing housework, the sun shone weakly for an hour, I have started my new knitted blanket, which I am enjoying. Thursday we went to the local huge Tesco superstore, its been months since we have been there, we have stocked up on bits we can't get at Lidl, including free from eggs for little ones Easter egg hunt. 

Today it's MOT for our car, we have everything crossed it does not cost too much, we are not aware of any issues, we will have a wonder around town whilst the car is in the garage, nothing planned for afterwards. I have my WI meeting tonight as well.

Flowers

I am going to plant flowers in a couple of bags to use for cut flowers in the house, I was quite successful last year, so gypsophila would be nice to fill my flowers out, I did try growing it before and failed. This time I have started it in a pot in the greenhouse. Just one packet of seeds purchased from B&M. The packs of freesia came from Poundland cost £2, these I are already in cells in the greenhouse and then once they are growing I can plant them outside.

So my garden is full, BUT in B&Q this week another reduced plant, just £2, I have tried growing echinops before and I failed, these are very different to my normal choice, it's in the greenhouse and will be potted up and when it's a good size it will have a place in the garden. I did leave loads of decent looking reduced plants behind, they had loads of hellebores and grasses.

This spot in front of my blueberry tub is in the back of the garden in the veg section, in front of the greenhouse, I have rhubarb, gooseberry and my strawberry tower in this bed, still room for some flowers, this corner is by my steps and looking very pretty this time of year, with my stone hedgehog (which is over 30 years old) and a broken plant pot for a hedgehog house. I don't touch this bed it has summer plants as well. 

This is the first book in the set including The Marriage Act, whilst set in the future and a bit tongue in cheek, I picked this because it's the start of the changes. Do you have a soulmate? and if so can DNA match you to the person, a scientist cracks the code and it's working, There is always a BUT, again following 5 very different stories. Book 11 read this year.

A new author to me, this is a very clever book, nothing dramatic, it follows an author on hard times, his wife is gone, he can't write, and then he's sent a life line, with consequences which he finds out afterwards, and a utterly brilliant twist, I could not put it down. Book 12 read this year.

I have sorted the sweet pea seedlings into the long root pots, they are now in the greenhouse under cover, last Wednesday we had a sunny day, still cold, inside the greenhouse was 20°, nice and warm, so I got a few jobs done, sorted old pots and packed them away and potted three extra strawberry babies. I have little space inside, I will have to sort more bits, maybe in a couple of weeks, hopefully I will be able to move a few bits outside into a makeshift cold frame. It felt so good to be outside doing what I love.

I got a bag of bark and another of grit from B&Q, the bark is already spread across the daisy garden, I last did it back in 2023, and it needed topping up. I had enough to do the side bed as well, not too deep, just enough to keep it looking good, the square bed had my own leaf mulch put on last October. Our favourite garden centre has good compost on a BOGOF, at that price it's too good to miss, we plant a visit this week.

I spend Sunday with daughter, George and Molly, Will was at grandma's house, we stayed in, Molly read her school reading book to me, George and I read his together, he can read smaller words, and repeats the longer ones, it's as much about speech as it's about reading. Just a lovely family time, daughter was able to have a long shower and take her time with her hair, I have a sewing job, Molly got her 1st level swimming badge, I will pop it on her swimming robe for all to see. 

Has anyone had contact with Northside Dave, just wondering how he is doing?

How many years

 It's February 9th, 

not a huge date in the world, here it's the anniversary of my blog, I wrote my first post back in 2009, seen here. I had no idea where it would lead, my daughter was enjoying blogging and suggested I try it. At one point I had 3 blogs, one for photography and another for my dolls-house, both are still there, I don't use either, hubby tried a blog, but lost interest, daughter no longer blogs. 

I still prefer the gentle medium of blogging, I have a great list of people who I follow and love to read, everyone living around the world, often with similar hobbies, views and lifestyles, I adore how we are all very close in our opinions, but very different in our lives. 

Each morning I sit at my desktop and catch up with my world, emails and blogging, I no longer post on Facebook, I still use my Instagram account. In these turbulent times it's good to have a space which feels safe and friendly.

 How long have you been blogging?

Yarn

 She is doing something different, loads of these coloured balls everywhere, some on the floor, are they for me, NO, I'm not to touch them, Ohh, I want to.......

One moved, it rolled, everything on the floor is mine, that's been the rules so far, they both throw things for me to chase, again she called NO.

I'm just a small cat, how can I resist something so playful, she was laughing when she caught me, it's still NO, I can't play with them. I heard him say it was her fault for letting them drop on the floor. 

....................................................

I have finally found something to use some of my huge stash of bits and bobs of 4 ply yarn leftovers, I saw this pattern on Pintrest, I do love to knit, but I'm not so good with long rows of stitching, this design is made knitting each colour segment in one go, only when the colour blocks are completed on the row do I need to knit two contrast colour rows. I purposely mixed different thickness, it's all 4py, some brands are spun closer making them just a bit thinner, this is my test piece, it will look better once it gets to a good size, the weight will pull it flatter.

Doing the test piece has helped, firstly the yarn from each of the colour rows stays attached until all the colour blocks are finished, so there are ends and strands I'm knitting with, I will need to sew in ends once they are finished, other wise I will get into a right mess. I have already worked my method of making this, I need to mark the main 18 rows once done, it's not easy to find my place if I lose concentration. I can also work out the number of blocks I require in each row, it's not a bulky, and I have no use in mind for it, being pretty is enough for me to make. I intend to use the smaller scraps, I have sock yarn and various other 4ply from jumpers knitted. I don't have enough yarn for the contrast colour, I will purchase a couple of balls, can't decide on grey or black, either colour would work well.

It's great to finally find something to do, I had been looking at the 10 stitch scrappy blanket, but the deign was too blocky for my taste, I had started crocheting squares, again no a favourite thing for me to do. I toyed with another Tunisian blanket, I have made 3 already, it's a good way of using scraps, using 4ply is not the warmest, they are too light weight for a lap blanket.

This did lead to me having a mini sort out of my craft bits, loads of books to try and sell, whilst they are great craft books, I have not looked at them for years, I tried an online scheme, which gave me their prices, a couple of books sell much higher on ebay, maybe time to list my books, if they don't sell them I will go back to the site. 

It has been months since I last did any craft, I'm not sure why, this winter I had closed myself down, again I'm not sure why, I kept saying nothing is calling, but in truth I stopped looking. I will need to have things to craft in advance of the later months of this year to try and avoid becoming inactive. I am beginning to believe I suffer from SAD, I have always required an outside space for balance, in the past few years as I get older I am not liking going out on wet days, which is many days each week inside.

Hope

 My sweet pea seeds have started to grow, now I will pop them into my long root sections, allowing them to grow into healthy plants for planting next month. The separate pot are a different type, which does not grow so high. 

My cuttings from the fleabane daisies are forming roots in their water, these will go into pots in hope I can have enough plants for daughter's garden. I also have tiny seedlings in the greenhouse, failure is not an option this coming year. 

These are Peony blend Ranunculus, in previous years I have planted their strange roots into the garden and never seen them again, this time they are in cells planted back in December, which they will stay in until they are in bud and ready to flower, then they can be spread around the garden, I have 18 plants here and a couple more in a nice pot. 

My first early seed potatoes are starting to sprout, these won't go into a grow bag until the end of the month, then I can start my second early ones.

I adore this author, normally set in and around Brighton and DCI Roy Grace, this is different, a mother dies and the son is left alone, the story hints to his unusual childhood and the issues he now faces, set in London, people are disappearing and a death in Brighton, it's a clever plot, always you know the son is guilty, but can they capture him. Book 11 read this year. 

I have been helping my sister re-plan a small courtyard area in her garden, our styles are very different, so I hope I have been able to create something she can work with, sadly she did not send me any measurements, so it's all guess work. The planters she will fill with grasses, I suggested she use fleabane daisies along the front, which will hide all the bases of the grasses and look pretty. Her water feature I suggested she get a plastic tub (similar to my pond) and pop in in a matching tall planter. There is a gate at the front end (right side) which lead to a path by the house into the back garden (left side). Using tall planters will give her easy access to her plants, the paving is already down and they won't remove any. 

Tuesday was rain all day, by mid afternoon it was heavy, I spent an hour chatting to my brother via video and made the garden plan above, in the afternoon we watched  Rental Family, with Brendan Fraser, a brilliant film.  I watched Traitors Ireland on Monday afternoon whilst hubby was out, they are arguing all the time, the roundtable is always very animated, the traitors all fell out and two are gone. I've not watched from any other country. I normally would not watch TV in daytime, the wet weather is keeping inside with cabin fever.

I aim for an hour in the greenhouse to sow the sweet peas and check all my other plants, the temperature is reasonable for this time of year, and the greenhouse is much warmer. My greenhouse is already crowded, I need to sort and move things around, its the start of a busy time of year. I had a walk around the garden, I can see snowdrops, crocus and primroses in bloom and loads of leaves for spring bulbs, mostly in my flower beds, my pots with the bulbs purchased last year are also looking good. I do love this time of year, I never remember where the bulbs I have planted are, so everything is a surprise to me.

Now that January is gone and spring feels closer there is hope, I know winter is not over, we can have snow in March, but longer days does wash the winter blues away. I am feeling better, not fully the issues with my tummy linger, I've cut back on any foods which does not help, mostly everything which I love, it's only for a short while. I've not seen daughter or children this week, I do miss them, their laughter and joy bring so much energy to our home. 

Resting

I was expecting a card through the post, who doesn't love it when the letter box clatters with a delivery, this card is so me, garden and birds, both loves of mine. For years I made my own cards, it takes care and thought to make something so beautiful, thank you Angie, I'm glad you loved the socks, thank you for the stamps, they always come in handy.

I love this author, this is set in the future in a changed world, AI is in homes where marriage is monitored, the government want happy families. We follow 5 different people, how they live their lives, living on both sides of the official line, can AI judge people, understand them, very tongue in cheek, I enjoyed it, very different read. Book 10 read this year.

 Last year's amaryllis bulb, I hope this will produce buds, last year I ensured the leaves were left to die back, I popped the bulb in my greenhouse, hoping it got enough sunlight. I started to water it again in December, now all I can do is wait.

My bulbs are still looking good, plenty of blooms, the second amaryllis bud is starting to open, keeping this spot looking good for a while longer. 

I have picked up a bug, not feeling great, I was due to pop to daughters on Saturday so she could take George to a party, but he has a bad cold again, so she kept him at home. The rain once again has kept me inside, the whole of the weekend was reading and watching the birds at our feeders, the foxes are back in next doors garden, no signs of them coming into ours, no signs of any rats either, hopefully Lilly is helping us out. I did listen to the tennis, Alcaraz and Djokovic Australian final on Sunday morning, Carlos winning in 4 sets, which pleased me, I have often said I do not like the arrogance of Djokovic, he is a great player, but I'm still not sure he is the best, give it a few years and his records alongside Nadal and Federer will fall to Alcaraz and Sinner, who both achieving so much at a younger age. 

I have been thinking about my flower beds, mainly I have to wait to see what returns, I did go through all my garden post since our refit to note what I had purchased, working out what grows in our soil. I already know big daisies, dahlias and lupins never return, my hope is not to purchase so many plants this year and ensure any I get will thrive and return in following years. I was surprised in December to see how much I had spent on plants, seeds and bulbs for my flower beds, about £500, I spent the same amount on fixtures and pretty bits, hopefully I won't spend so much this year. These days I am not swayed so much by a pretty flower, I like to check if it's suitable for my soil and climate.