Baby Bunting

How cute is this its called Baby Bunting, another Sublime pattern, they are so attractive. This one is done with 2 strands of 4ply and in size 0-6 months

Goal

Today I am proud to annouce that I have reached my goal weight. For those of you that don't know I have been doing the Yours Magazine "reclaim your waist" challenge since January (one of Beck's band of overweight ladies). I have lost 2 stone 4lbs since December but 1 stone 12lbs since starting the challenge. A lady never reveals her weight but I have decided that maybe there are a few more pounds I could drop. The only downside to this weight loss is that some of the new clothes I bought earlier this year are too big, and I have nothing to wear for the upcoming season, so I'll be dropping a few pounds in the purse department too!

The professional photographs - well some of them

Sorry if I am boring you all with this wedding stuff, but frankly hard luck, no one is forcing you to read or look! Mr Taylor has updated his blog with a selection of photographs and I think they are wonderful, especially the ones with the sheep! The following link will take you there

It's official

Knitting is making a come back - for some of us it was never out of fashion. This morning on Radio 2 Johnnie Walker was extolling the virtues of knitting, saying that it was back in fashion and what an good stress buster is was, as well as giving an end product. So come on girls and boys, pick up those pins and yarn and have a go, you never know you might surprise yourselves.

More on the wedding by Miss Pickering

Miss Pickering has updated her blog with more news of Friday's wedding

Just a few photographs to be going on with

A few pictures culled from Facebook entries by Rebecca Birkett-Smith, Cath Williams and Sheena Correa - thanks ladies

All those little details

As we come down to earth after the wedding, the photographs are starting to appear and the blogs are being updated, the following is on Miss Pickering's blog. Miss Pickering (Simone) was the florist on the day and she created the most amazing floral arrangements, some of which now adorn my house. I've never had so many posh flowers at one time. A big thank you Simone from myself and Peter, you did a great job helping to make Beck and Tim's day perfect.

BTW - the bride and groom have arrived safely in Cape Town this morning for the start of their honeymoon

Taking Meryl Home

Today we took Meryl back to her home nr Lichfield. Meryl is the Morris Minor Convertible that we hired for the wedding. It was a lovely morning so we had the top down, not good for the hair style but fun anyway. Meryl is part of a fleet of classic cars that are available to hire from Self Drive Classics. You can hire by the day or longer, so if you fancy a trip down memory lane for a weekend then Steven is the man to see. You can call him on 01889 504040.



I will post some pictures of Meryl in her wedding finery when I have some close ups.

Wedding of the Year - Mr & Mrs Jones

I can honestly say that it was a beautiful wedding, the bride was radiant, the bridesmaids stunning, the location breathtaking, the marquee decor just perfect - of course I am a bit biased there. So today I am feeling a bit shell-shocked, tired, teary and wondering what we will all talk about now that the wedding is over. Of course we will hear about the honeymoon - they go to South Africa tomorrow, we hope they have a wonderful time, and don't bring any lion cubs home! Some of the photographs will be on the photographers blog Monday/Tuesday so I will post a link. Going to have an early night now as I've alot of sleep to try and catch up on

Count down

- the baking is done
- the nails are painted
- the car is packed - well nearly
- the clothes are laid out
- tomorrow is registry office and then the set up at Lyvden
- friday - wedding day - please let the weather stay fine

Rib Roy Tank

Finished this last night 0-6 months - 4ply.

Had a busy day in Stamford sewing among other things. Did a spot of shopping at lunch time. Haircut and colour tomorrow.

Time for a manicure

having spent the day in the garden and even with gloves my nails are looking a bit of a mess, so just going to pop in the bath then try and tidy my nails up!

The tree trunk is down and I have 2 new beds in the drive, one of which I have planted up, the other requires a trip to the garden centre. I have a bucket full of daffodil blubs to replant, but maybe I will have time for that tomorrow, after our early trip to Heathrow!

New friends

Whilst on Ravelry (online knit and crochet community) yesterday morning I stumbled onto a knitting forum called Knitting it...one stitch at a time, this group chat about anything, knitting, families, life. They are a really friendly bunch of ladies from just about anywhere, US, Australia, Europe. I finally feel I have found a group that are interested in what you do.

With just 7 days to go before the wedding I am now released from paid work for the next 10 days. Today I plan to give my house a much needed clean )-: that is if I get off the internet for a while. Mrs Jones to be is coming round for a while before picking up her wedding dress.. so exciting. The garden also needs some TLC, so tomorrow if the weather plays ball will be spent in the garden, I must remember to wear gloves as I've already broken one nail, and they had been looking really tidy! Sunday we pick up the matron of honor from Heathrow at 6:30am, back from her Mexico travels, apparently we need to keep her amused all day so she is not tempted to go to sleep before normal bedtime. No doubt she will have lots to tell us after her month away. So looking forward to seeing her again.

Next week, wedding week is busy as you can imagine, hairdressers, baking, transporting china, glass, bunting, and a whole host of stuff so may not have a lot of time for knitting and internet. It will really strange when next Friday is done, so much planning and then its over...... what will be next?

9 days to go

Yes, the wedding is nearly upon us. Only 1 day left at work. Then the preparation starts in earnest. I have made myself a large list of things I need to do, take and where it all needs to be, and when. I like to be organised.

My outfit is ready, the shoes kill me, I have attractively been walking around the house in them with ankle socks on, but they still pinch. I have left them today with shoe stretchers in and hope they will feel better when I get home.

The bride and groom currently have colds, better this week than next I say. The maid of honor is still in one piece in Mexico, relaxing on the beach (she's had a cold too), we pick her up at 6:30am on Sunday!

My parents won't be making the wedding as my dad is too poorly, unfortunately he started chemotherapy yesterday. They are very disappointed not to be there but there will be lots of photographs and a video they can see - not the same I know.

On the knitting front I have started the Rib Roy Tank from the Sublime 4ply book, its in a pale lilac/grey and 0-6 months size, hope to have that finished by the weekend.

He won't be told

This afternoon the husband and I were discussing the dangers of cycling along the new guided bus route, for those of you that don't know it, it is concrete track ways with built up sides, so therefore cycling requires full concentration or you clip your pedals and over you go! So, after cutting down branches from the oak tree in the garden, whilst balancing on the top of a ladder or the said branch - he thinks he is a child again instead of 57, he went off for a cycle ride. I thought he'd been a long time, when he finally arrived back he had a bloodied arm and scrapped leg, yes he'd fallen off. He made some excuse about cows, mud, gears, but the upshot was he fell off. He has now promised to wear his cycle helmet!!

Whilst he was out I made jam - damson this time. We picked up 4lb of damsons yesterday on the way back from our cycle ride into town and back - (I really don't enjoy cycling, my saddle is hard and I have sore bits). I made a lovely damson crumble and 3 jars of jam, the colour is beautiful



These are some of the vegetables we picked from the garden today, looking forward to the summer squash, we've not grown them before.

Pretty in Pink

I finished this cute cardigan recently. It is from the Irresistibly Sublime baby 4ply book - size 0-6 months, yarn from my stash from the charity shop.





I plan to work my way through the book and do each pattern in at least one of the sizes. I have already done the Frou Frou Cardigan. I guess if this awful weather keeps up I will have plenty of time to knit as I can't get into the garden. I am also knitting some squares to make a knitted quilt, using patterns for washcloths and joining them together, when I've done a few more I'll take some pictures. Well best get on have to go to work today )-:

Down Mexico Way - Update

all is well with the travellers, sounds like they are having a good time, currently staying at The Villada Inn, Oaxaca, lots of good things to eat, hiking, bike riding and generally having a good time. I will still be glad to have them home and in one piece as will Mrs Jones to be I'm sure

All clear

My Dad's tests came back all clear, so nothing sinster lurking about other than what we already know about. Hopefully with 3 units of blood and a few more steriods he should be feeling much better for a while, fingers crossed.

Perfect....

it was just perfect. In fact hopefully, just how Mrs Jones to be imagined her princess dress to be all those years ago. I will leave someone else to explain about that. She will be our princess for a day in her beautiful bridal gown. I know I will be extremely proud to be the mother of the bride. All we need to make the day absolutely perfect is for the sun to shine all day, a tall order currently.

Looking forward to Monday

on a brighter note I am going with Mrs Jones to be (21 days to go) for her final wedding dress fitting. The last time I was allowed to go it was just a sketch on paper and a sample of material. I will take tissues

At least I get Sunday at home

Mum's kind neighbour has offered to do the hospital run tomorrow so I was able to come home tonight. Feel really drained but have the fidgets. Just downed a glass of wine, ate a whole load of nibbles and a piece of the cake I made yesterday. Now feeling very uncomfortable.

Dad seemed very perky, but that could be due to the amount of steriods and bags of new blood they are pumping in to him. The funny thing is his hair has changed colour it was grey but now turning light brown! A friend said to me recently "getting old is not for wimps" and I'm afraid that she is right, it really was sad seeing all the elderly men in the Big C unit at the Norwich and Nofolk, all looking very scared but trying to put on a brave face for their loved ones! Life's a bitch and then.............