Keeping busy

 I collected these book from the library, these will be my February read, last month I read 5 out of the six books, I hope to read most of these. On my January count, I said I had read 5 books, but in fact I read 2 more books before the library ones, so my total read for January was 7 books. I have 3 books on my Kindle, as these library books won't be read for a few days, just to be safe and not handling them. 

I enjoyed this book, I spent most of Wednesday reading, it did not stop raining for most of the day, I enjoyed the story line, another different plot, I do enjoy when the storyline is unique, book 8 this year. 

I have finished my sleeves on my jumper, I sat and worked out the 2nd sleeve and it looked better, so I unpicked the 1st sleeve, about 20 rows and now they match. I am pleased the design on the sleeves match the design on the body, they sit together, I find it much easier knitting a neck down jumper for ensuring things match. Just have to finish the body now, and stitch in any ends. 

I have decided on yarn for another pair of socks for my SIL, his pair I made him for Christmas is always on his feet or in the wash, daughter would like him to have a couple more pairs, and he does love colourful socks. I have ordered bright orange for the top, heel and toes, and some matching colours for the blue/brown yarn. Hopefully my jumper will be finished before the yarn arrives. 

The 2 blooms on my 2nd Amaryllis has faded, the 3 buds are doing nothing, this was the expensive bulb and it has produced a poor plant. The cheap Lidl bulb was much better, the bulb from last year only gave me leaves. I have been reading up on how to make these regrow, so my challenge is to try and get blooms off each bulb later this year. 

I have not done anymore project's this week, I am still smiling from the photo collage in my previous post, but my hexagons have been on my mind for ages and maybe, I might start on them, I did have a ridiculous idea, but it was huge and really not some thing I would want to start, but it does keep floating into my thoughts. 

Today is another dull grey day, but it's not raining and we have had no snow or ice, the ground is very wet, so outside gardening is off, I have got all my packets of flower seeds inside, I have far too many, I will sort them today, some I will sow and raise plants just for me, the rest I will mix together and sprinkle over the beds, to see if any grow, most will disappear in our clay soil. 

Hubby got his jab this week, I will have to wait as I am younger than him and my group is not in the main 4, our local surgery is a hub and they have everything worked out well, nobody needs to wait outside in the rain, they have taken over the front section of the surgery, where the nurses work. If you have to see a doctor they now have the entrance at the back door through to reception, never mixing with the Covid people. Sad news this week as Captain Sir Tom Moore became another death in this pandemic, another bright light dimmed, we all enjoyed his moment of fame in the spring, he was the right person at the right time to help lift everyone, and not just here in the UK. 

Saving memories

I save everything, I have the biggest memory box and it was full, so I spent an afternoon looking at all the cards and sorting ones I did not want to pop back into the box, I managed to throw away a huge pile of cards, over £100 worth, such a waste, but I did keep all the grandsons photo cards.

I also kept all the cards with big writing made by small hands, I have always said the joy these cards bring to me, from scribbles to neat handwriting I have many. 

This card stays, it's reflective of how we feel after the boys had been for the day, all cards popped back into the box. It's such a shame to not be able to display these, but there is a limit on how many you can have out. 

I got thinking, spoke to hubby and we looked for a big frame, this A1 poster being the biggest, the 'glass' is perplex so even with the size it is not heavy. In our stair well we have a ledge outside of our bedroom wall, this frame would fit there brilliantly and we would see it everyday when going upstairs. 

All finished, not too cluttered, it fills this space well and it's big enough to see everything, we will look at it every time we go to our bedroom. We do have wedding and baby photos in this area, it does look like a gallery, we look it and it keep the photos in the house a to smaller amount. 

This was a fun project, we painted the back board a light colour from our supply in garage, the only extra cost was a can of spray mount. it does look good and is full of happy boys growing up, it's also out of the way, filling a dull spot. I did move my African ladies to another shelf on the stairs and then cleaned moved the glass bowl and vases, and removed a couple of things which had nowhere to go.

My memory box is now only half full, I am trying not to keep so much, having said that would you like to see my 18th birthday cards, yes they are in there alongside 21st and finishing work with my 1st baby.

I am hopeless with somethings, I have letters and cards from my mum, I do love to get them out and read her hand writing again, I don't have any cards from my dad but I still have his red book driving licence which he signed every year. There are loads of hand made items from both daughters, which I keep. 

My biggest joy of memories are my blog books, each year I publish my post into a year book, I have 9 and 2 more to publish 2019/2020, neither are finished. I often look in them, I looked for the post for the link above it's the quickest way to find dates. My youngest daughter was reading one on a recent visit, Will like all our grandsons loves to see his photo in my books. 

A new month

5th book read this year, another library book, not one I would pick but an interesting story and very enjoyable. I have read 5 of the 6 books chosen for me in January. 

I am now working on the second sleeve, the 1st sleeve has been left, I have knitted the bottom end twice, I am trying something different on this sleeve and will decide which I prefer, I don't like baggy sleeves. The fit of the jumper is great, it feels so warm. 

Hubby changed the light fitting in both the dining and sitting room, it's opened planned an so always looks better with matching fittings, just a very simple glass shade, easy to keep clean. We have purchased the bulbs so Alexa now can control the lights, so from the comfort of our chair we can turn on lights when reading and play with colour, works well when we have cats snuggled on our laps. 

Over the weekend we spent time visiting Su, daddy and boys, as part of their support bubble, and enjoyed a takeaway for tea, Will was very excited normally they pop to ours, but he was able to get out his toys to play together. Such a simple thing to do, I do feel blessed we can do this, we can't see any other of our grandsons, we watch and see numbers on the decline and hope, it's all we have is hope. 

January was a slow month but it's done again for another year, I don't feel we did much other than hide in the warmth of our home, but most years it's a nothing month. 

February can be over so quickly, so I have a few things I would like done, nothing much in the house, a few bits in the garden, loads of craft and some socks if my ball of yarn ever arrives. 

I am working on a project, it's one of those which came about after doing some sorting, I had to order a couple of items, waiting for the 2nd to arrive, probably have photo's in the next post, it's a happy task which should keep us pleased for months ahead. 

 

January round-up

I  have not spent much money on crafts, just a knitting pattern and a ball of brightly coloured yarn and a set of needles, and a few bulbs and roots for the garden changes, I am trying to be sensible this early in the year. I did spend £7 on an Orchid, it will flower for months, my plastic tulips are out again giving colour to our room, I plan this year to not purchase any cut flowers. My Amaryllis are both going over, I am going to try and get them to flower again later this year. 

I did say I needed new jumpers, and I didn't want to pay full price, I got 4 jumpers and some socks for £56 from M&S, which was a bargain, I also got an email from Clarks outlet offering me extra discount, and spent £27.35 on trainers, which are light and comfortable, both on free delivery. I've spent loads, but got great bargains, I am being bombarded with emails which I am not opening, I don't need anything else. I have not purchased any books so far, the library is keeping me going. 

All our Christmas foods are finished, I purchased so much less than normal, not popping to the shops cut back on what I got, and it's much better for us, we both have put on weight, but that's due to not being able to get out and walk. February is the month to get back on track, get out and cut back on treats. 

My computer cost £120 to fix, more new parts, but 🤞🤞it's like new now, our dimmer switch failed in the dining room and the under cabinet lights in the kitchen as well, all has been renewed. Not the cheapest start to the year. We also purchased a 2nd Alexa, but we are finding them useful. We have ordered new lights for our main rooms, hubby has been itching to change them for ages. 

We are back in lockdown, so shopping is different, our large shop from Asda is full of plastic wrappings, but life is what it is in these times, I had not been shopping locally, we did try a delivery from our local Iceland, not good quality. As the month is closing we are again walking to the village for fresh items. The heating is on more, it's really cold at the moment, and we do have a clothes airer in the spare bedroom drying laundry, but keeping the house warm at a good price is always a struggle.