Hello Again!

It is a long time since I posted anything and not much has really changed. Just time passing, another year older, another stone heavier. (more in a later post).

Some days I really struggle with this and to make sense of the rapid pace of change in some and the slow pace of change in me. Maybe if I had a job (paid) and structure to  my daily routine then I would feel differently, but other days I love the slow amble of this time of my life which is focused on bringing up my son and supporting my very work busy husband.

I find these days that I seem to find the negative first rather than than positive. Take yesterday, a glowing school report for my son and all I could see were the few little problem areas. Bad mum! I must be a glass half empty person, something I need to work on.

I am of course never a wine glass half empty person........

Turning 50 - May Day Madness

Turning 50 has been very hard for me it has raised many questions and unsettled me a bit.

Where did all that time go? How many more years have I got left to knit all those projects and use up my stash yarn? Can I still aim for and achieve those unfulfilled dreams and finally how come I can't seem to shift those extra unwanted pounds!

Friends at the gym and my husband will laugh when I say that I am going to set more goals for myself but here goes for the next 30 days.......

• I will not eat cake or chocolate
• I will try not to eat processed foods
• I will exercise everyday for at least 15 minutes
• I will challenge myself to start the Couch to 5K running programme (this will be hard)

May Day Madness? perhaps we will have to wait and see!

Shawls, Socks and all things Small

When I first started knitting, aged 6, I mainly knitted small things. Then I moved onto making jumpers and cardigans, however over the last few years I have found that many of the garments I made, didn't fit me properly or looked as good on me as they did the model in the knitting magazine. I still love knitting and always have something on the needles or crochet hook.

Last year I made 15 hats in 2015 a KAL hosted by the Stash and Burn podcast.

This year I am all about shawls and socks. Quick (ish) one skein projects often using lovely hand dyed yarns acquired on holidays, business trips to NYC (husband) and late night internet shopping.  They bring joy to the soul in their colour and textures.

As you can see most of my current choices are garter stitch projects as I struggle to get an even stitch on circular needles when I purl. I have a feeling I need to switch to continental style knitting.

Turning 50

In an early post this year I outlined some of my goals for what was my 50th year. Well I achieved none of them! Now I am in my 51st year I am temped to write some more. Probably best not too. Maybe just list some fun things to do and learn.

Here are a few:-

• Learn to knit socks
• Successfully make a swiss roll
• Drop a dress size
• Make profiteroles
• De-clutter
• Try not to buy any more yarn
• Learn to use my son's camera 
• Sail my own boat down the river

We will have to wait and see.

Big Foot

Germany April 2015.

It seems so long ago now we are in the winter months of December and the count down to Christmas. This picture is of our first home swap of the year and just before my son turned 6.

It was a great holiday!

School Run

My twice daily school run involves getting into the car followed by a short walk. This gives us time to chatter about the day ahead or the day completed. It is a pleasant walk often accompanied by a friend met along the way, wonderful bird song or other animals.

It is a mainly suburban walk but we pass over a small brook which once used to run through a market garden, before the houses were built. Past many gardens both large and small which at this time of year are full of gorgeous inspiring colours.

and here are a few more pictures to give you a flavour of our walk.

We never win anything!

Are you one of those families who always buy raffle tickets but never really win anything? We usually are, but not this time. 

Our local fruit and veg shop were hosting a raffle for Swanwick Lyons who raise money for various local causes, so I chose the number 6 square for Joseph and forgot all about it. On Good Friday whilst driving in the rain through Belgium, I got a call to say we had won the prize, an enormous chocolate Easter egg.

The egg was delivered to us on our return and as you can see it took a little bit of breaking into.
It was and still is delicious.