Crafting

I have not done anything much on this cross stitch project, I did finish the plain colour in the top box, I find the plain colours hard, they show every mistake so I'm being careful not to twist, or pull to tight or too loose. I'm just glad I got it done, I have not brought it with me to daughters house, cross stitch and young ones don't mix.

I did bring my socks, I have finished the first sock, and in truth they won't be a favourite pair. I can't decide if I should give them away, I will make my decision once the pair is completed. I have used this brand before, it does wash well.

I love the shades, but I don't like the mixture with big and thin stripes, I wish it was just one or the other. The heels are knitted on a contrast yarn.

My steps are at the highest they have been for ages doing the school run is good for me, over 10 thousand each week day, weekend we did very little, I still want my daughter to rest. I will have to find a plan to stay walking, sadly Will's school is not close to our home, it would have been lovely to keep doing the drop off and pick up.

I'm on my second week of nana duties, my daughter is healing well, she is amazing, her 3 children are lovely, they all understand mummy can't do things and to ask nana. I forgot how much energy is needed for the school run every day, luckily I don't need to take the younger two with me every day, they happily play at home with mummy. Having 1 to 1 time with Will is fun, he is so interesting. I can rest once I'm back home, I am just happy to be able to help, daddy returns early next week, and can do all the school and nursery runs. Hubby has promised restful days with nothing to do. My brother Martin visited for a long weekend, he stayed at ours with hubby, they both had far too much fun without me, I love they get on so well together.

I'm feeling much better, I still have the dregs of a cough and cold and my voice is still not fully recovered, or maybe the younger ones have given me new bugs. I do have to book another blood test, I went to mine and after 3 attempts the nurse at our surgery did not take any blood, she does not fill me with confidence,  she struggled  last time I saw her, she also insisted I have a dressing on my hand, I'm allergic to the adhesive on plasters, but she insisted,  I removed it as soon as I left the room. I don't want to travel to our local hospital for a blood test, but if I see the same nurse again, I might have to ask to avoid her. It's not totally her, after my chemo treatment in 2010, my viens are tough and often moves, so it's never easy to get my blood. Our lovely nurse retired earlier this year, she was very experienced and always got what we needed, luckily I'm not bothered by needles.

Apparently its sober October, already failed had a glass of Presecco on Saturday 1st, Oh well. Our DIL ran the London marathon last Sunday, she finished in under 5 hours, we are immensely proud of her, it's a tough challenge.

September roundup

Almost nothing spent on gardening and craft, I was hoping to not spend at all, but September is a busy month replacing summer bedding plants and a new bin for leaf mulch. I already have a few things required in October, so any savings will be used up quickly. 

Low spend no spend September is over, how did we do, on food shopping locally much better, we decided to do our Asda shop on 1st day, hoping for a true showing of our spending. Sadly with two unplanned family visits our food bill was higher than expected. One weekend we had two takeaways, neither planned, but whilst daughter was in hospital we were looking after the little ones, and by the time bed time was finished it was too late to cook. As for other stuff, we needed so very little, we already have been using what we have, we make very few impulse purchases. We do need to try for more no spend days. I spent nothing on clothes or shoes. I think I can't call it a success, September is a busy month, loads going on and for us not a great month. On the plus, with hubby sorting the garage, he has sold lots of things no longer required and some bike stuff. 

We have again been so good on food waste, only peeling have been composted, our portion sizes work so we don't waste food once cooked. My sister asked for a beef stew, which hubby made, the leftovers he added veg to and blended, we now have thick broths in the freezer, ready for the cooler months. 

My weight is down again, I am now lighter than the start of the year, with having so little energy, I was not walking much, I had almost ground to a halt. My 'cold' has helped, I've not been hungry and without taste, food quickly loses its appeal. The time at my daughters house has boosted my steps to 10,000 plus each day, I will work hard to keep this going once I'm back home, small wins is the way ahead.

What, no shed.

Behind the garage has been cleared of my shed, the base is still tidy, so just a brush off, and it's ready for it's next adventure. It's not a pretty spot but it can't be seen from the house, so it's going to stay a working area.

When you have a small garden, nowhere stays empty for long, The water butt is in it's place, it works well in the back corner, hubby just swapped the down pipe from the front of the garage to the back, there might have been a few cross words uttered. My composter is next to it along the garage wall. The dustbins are for leaf mulch, hubby got a second bin, which will take all the leaves from the garden. The small shelf unit with the pots on will go into my greenhouse, it's a bit too wide here.

In the scrappy corner where our neighbours fences don't meet I have popped in 3 plants, one will grow tall and be good for birds and bees, it's from a cutting I was given years ago, but I can't remember what its called. I have also put a holly there, which should stop cats and foxes digging and a grass which I'm not too keen on, they should fill this corner. We fixed a heavy net above to hopefully stop foxes getting into our garden. I am hoping all my shrubs will fill out along the two exposed fence panels. I prefer having a natural barrier than another fence panel.

The shed is starting a new life in a different garden, the couple were very pleased with it, the damp in the back corner was not too bad and they should be able to treat it and get years of service. We have done all the big jobs, I just need a day in my greenhouse, to clean and tidy, I have already popped some tender plants in there. Hubby did say these task would take a while and then proceeded to get everything done I'm not complaining, its lovely to see it all done. I'm away from home for a couple of week's, hubby has a couple things he wants to do inside the house, whilst I'm away.

Daughter has had a small operation, so I am staying with her for a couple of weeks, I am doing the school run and be on hand for lifting and other things until she is healed, timing was bad as her hubby is away for two weeks with his job. So two weeks of cuddles, splashing at bath time, books at bedtime  and very little of not eating the meals I cook, tantrums and naughty little ones. I am enjoying evening chats with daughter. And early mornings, 6am most days.

Tidy garden

 We got this new square plastic pot, the pomegranate plant was not as pot bound as I thought it would be, but this pot will be placed where our large water but is, on the side of the garage, it's a sunny spot so it should do well here. I got plastic because the whole plant and pot is still very heavy, hopefully once in place it should not have to be moved. 

There are still pockets of colour around the garden, the begonia's have been fantastic so far, but the cold weather will kill them off soon, they grow from corns, which I leave in the soil, all are planted in raised section, so the flowers tumble down. Most of the plants returned after the drought, but few are in flower, so we have lots of different shades of green everywhere.

I have done more stitching, I love the flower design on the outer section of the bottom square, I normally finish my thread and then pack my sewing away, yesterday a neighbour popped in, so I did not finish my section. I have now decided how I am going to finish these squares, and I've started to think about what to pop next to them. 

The shed is empty, hubby helped and gave it a good sweep, he place a free ad on our local Facebook page and it was quickly snapped up. Hubby has been out and removed loads of the screws holding it together, it should be collected later today. Removing the shed will not as bad as we feared, it did just fit into the space behind the garage, it had been built from the inside, so everything is accessible. Hubby has also remove the canvas roof to our pergola, he packs it away each winter, stored in the garage in the dry, it prolongs the life of the canvas and keeps it looking good, plus it does flap in the wind. 

It's been a busy few days in the garden, it's that time of year when it's easier to do so many jobs, it's much cooler this September, so some jobs are being done now instead of later in the month. I still have 2 pots with gladiola bulbs in I will dig them out and plant loads of spring bulbs, they can be done later in October as the soil in the pots stay a bit warmer. I have one big round pot, which the pomegranate was in, not sure what to use in that pot, it may stay empty for a while.  I also have my old 3 level  tower pots, I need to decide if I am going to use them or pass them on.