What in the world

I have shown a similar chart for a few years, 1 Million women, a group I like to follow, posted this on Monday. It charts the date when each country uses all their earth renewable resources, every year the date gets earlier, it did drop back through lockdown, but it's still grim reading. 

This second image is also important, as it shows by country how much everyone is over using our worlds resource's, we hear so much about climate change and this is also a part of that problem.  The overwhelming sadness is these figures keep going up, hubby and I have changed our lifestyles as much as we can, in hope others do the same, our governments are not doing enough.

This is a subject so many people are just not interested in, having said that, I know loads of my readers feel the same as me, not interested in this commercial world, where things are pushed at you from every angle, so those who want to can purchase the latest must have stuff. These people will say we pass on what we no longer like or want, so we are being thoughtful to our world, but they just don't get it, we need to stop making it and think about our lovely Earth. 

My parents, whilst not rich, had quality well made items, often got second hand, which they cared for and used for years, in my childhood home things were only replaced when they broke. We did not dare to chuck our clothes anywhere, everything had to packed away tidy, and ready for the next time it was needed. Christmas was wonderful, I have so many good memories, but we did not get huge piles of toys, and the cost was never expensive, I do worry at the cost of the things our grandchildren desire, ' it's what everyone wants' comes back the answer. 

How did we get to this commercial world,  sadly it won't change every government in the world needs us to earn, so they can tax you and then spend so they can tax you again. Weekends used to be a walk in the park family time, now all we see are families off in their cars going to shopping places to spend and eat out. 

On the flip side sadly are those who are dire in need of the simple things in life, with all the price rises going on around us, more families here in UK are falling into the poverty trap.  Having said that, we went through the staggering cost in the 80's, where for years we lived in a house with negative equity, and a mortgage repayment which crippled us, we did not shout at the government to bail us out, we both got extra jobs to pay our way through.  

I sit here and shake my head, humans can be so destructive, or even worse indifferent.  

Staying in

I decided I would start with the top grid boxes, I have counted and recounted, I really don't want to make an error at this stage, the whole design fits within this huge round frame, which I love, it is so comfortable to hold. I am only stitching in natural daylight, it's better for my eyes, giving me reading time at night. 

This is another great book, it starts well and does not disappoint, so many twist and turns with a clever ending, I have not read this author before, but will add her to my list I like. The 2 week loan sticker is from our local library, all new books have their loan time shortened, so more people can read the book, it's the first section I always stop at. This being book 33 read this year.  

Some fun facts for this week, we listen to radio 2, on Wednesday they have people send in questions for the QI elves, so this week there were good questions, but the extra facts were fun, apparently in 2019 for the 1st time, there were more Lego people than humans, in 2035 there will be more people alive born in this century than the last. The last interesting fact, if you use night vision goggles, you won't be able to see a polar bear, the goggles show heat and the polar bear coats are very good at keeping their body heat in. 

Taken from the internet

The QI elves work on a TV program called QI, it's a panel game around loads of interesting and useless facts, and always very funny, I do miss Stephen Fry as the host, he is so knowledgeable and funny with it. I have always loved books on facts, the book below was a must have, and a good read. I do like to keep lots of 'facts' books, you can always find something silly in them. 

It's warmer again this week and wet, but the garden always needs the rain, I have been outside, but with nothing to do. We are talking about emptying the greenhouse so we can sort the glazing out, I think the frame has moved in one corner, not by much, about an inch, in the storms back in February. I am planning to get everything out, we can then clean it both inside and out, place it back square and pin the base again, it's still windy delaying the work, the rest of the glass is staying put.

Thank so much for your kind comments on the photo in my previous post, they are all happy children, George is a giggler, they live in a very happy home, where fun is always shared, we are so lucky to live so close, and I will always help out where I can, our grandchildren grow up so quickly, I want to see as much as I can whilst they do things we can be involved in.

Today I'm having my hair cut, daughter is bringing George and Molly over, George is going through a phase of being sick again, and daughter needs our support.

PS, I filled the car last night, 1st time in over a month, goodness the cost of fuel, and our local garage was out of diesel, and they would run out of petrol before morning, all because people are worried about the protestors blocking the refineries last weekend. Is our world ever going to be sensible again. 

Families

Daughter sent this photo, it's early in the morning, before the school run, both boys sit on the bottom step to put on their shoes, Molly has joined them, I love Georges giggly face, Will is wearing his school uniform, so different these days from what we or his parents wore. 

Another fantastic book, I really could not put this one down, it's a sequel to No time for Goodbye, it's 8 years on the family is OK, but suddenly they are again involved with the villain Vince. I love the authors style of writing, even the gory bits are done in a gentle way without losing the meaning, I don't enjoy books which are graphic with the gory bits, he finds humour as well, these are never small books this one had 500 pages. Book 32 read this year.

My reading will slow down now, I have pulled all the items I require for this new cross stitch, I got the design off Folksy site, I love the symmetry of the design, and for once I am not changing any colours, I have everything here already. 

Just a small start, in truth I am finding the 28 count a bit small, not enough to hurt my eyes, I think it should get better once I have done more. I am thinking I have just 1 roll left of 28 count, if I purchase anymore then I will get a smaller count with bigger holes.  I will just stitch in natural light, even with my sewing lamp, the holes feel much smaller, oh well I am getting older.

I'm glad the cold spell is over, we did get a touch of frost for 2 mornings, it didn't cause any trouble, but only time will tell, the greenhouse with glass missing is still warm, my plug plants are growing, as is my tomato, lettuce and rocket. Most of the blooms are gone from our Magnolia tree, more buds are forming, so I'm having a break from picking up petals, each flower has about 8 petals, so there were loads dropping. Late spring/early summer plants are showing, I have loads of aquilegia growing, all 3 of my peony have shoots, I love this time of year. I have not cut back the daffodils yet, I will leave them a couple of weeks, keeps the side bed full and looking green. Over all the garden is good, this year I should have more time relaxing and enjoying it, all the previous years work has made it my perfect place. 

My steps last week were terrible, but who wants to walk when it's cold and wet, at least I didn't snack so much, hubby made a marmalade cake, which is lower in fat and sugar than shop purchased. We spent most of the weekend at home, both of us have a bit of a cold, I did take another negative test on Monday, I have a face to face with our doctors, we are both aware the need to be careful still. I had a sore I wanted checking, and I have ringworm, probably from working in the garden, picking up cat poo from the flower beds, some cream should sort it. 

I'm feeling good crafting again, cross stitch has always been a love if mine, I have been sorting measurements for a cot duvet and covers for Molly, I have everything I need, just the energy to get started. The felt animals are too all ready to start, everything is in my new trolley, so once I start it should all come together quickly. I still have the second parcel from Hobbycraft, they have ignored all my emails, I have popped it in our attic out the the way, in case they ever want it back. I have changed my header, this time including Molly, I left the Jones boys, I do love it and some more recent finishes.

Looking out

I have moved this pot to the edge of our decking, much closer to where we sit and look out, the colours are stunning, and there are more bulbs to come, this is my pot of spring, I smile every time I see the blooms. 

There are so many spring blooms around my tiny plot, most grown in pots or my small bed made into the decking by the back door. I don't plant bulbs in the ground as my heavy clay rots them. Every year I add different things to my clay in hope I can break it down. 

I not sorry for showing this plant(s) again, I am so happy with the growth, the colours zing against the white background, it was a poorly placed door to the garage, hubby has covered it. 

Book 31 this year, I was given this book, I have read her before, it was an interesting plot about a crescent of homes and the people who live there, a bit light for me, with much too tidy ending, but it was enjoyable. 

We popped to Lidl's on Friday for weekend food, not a huge shop our store cupboards are full, this plant came home with me, it's a Bougainvillea, I've wanted one for ages and at £5.99 not a bad price. I'm keeping in my sunny office for a while, let it settle before potting it into a pretty pot. 

It has been much cooler here along the south coast, no frost and defiantly no snow, it was windy, which meant I did not sleep well on Wednesday night, my worry was the greenhouse with a pane of glass missing. Every thing in the garden including the greenhouse was good on Thursday morning, but it was colder, just above freezing, we even had the heating on for longer in the morning, something we have been avoiding. We did get icy rain for a while in the afternoon, lovely blue skies with a huge black cloud every now and then, the breeze ensured the clouds kept moving, everything was OK in my greenhouse. 

Friday lazy day at home, did housework top to bottom, I do like it clean before the weekend, old habits never change, we are both ultra tidy so not too much work, hubby made a marmalade cake. We did pop to shop for fresh food, then sat and read most of afternoon and evening, it was another bright sunny cold day after a very cold night. 

Today I am babysitting George and Molly whilst Will goes to a birthday party, I won't be rushing home afterwards, I want some catching up time with Will. Two of the friends we had lunch with on Tuesday have tested positive for covid, we both had negative test this morning. We are having home made pizza for tea tonight. 

I have seen a cross stitch I am thinking of starting, I have everything here I need, just need to purchase the pdf. I'm also going to make another Tunisian crochet lap blanket, using the hoard of 4ply cotton yarn I have.