my weekend

Whilst feeling marginally better, my weekend took on a slow pace, though we did manage a short walk (for us) on Sunday lunchtime

the very last tomatoes from the greenhouse - not bad for the end of November

On Friday I found we had had a visitor to my overflow dry goods drawer. I knew there was a reason I like it all in glass jars. I cleaned it out only to find on Saturday it had been back and that it had also been in all the utensil/saucepan drawers.  As you can imagine the last thing I felt like doing was sorting and cleaning this lot out, but we did.  The mouse has been caught.  The cat has had stern words

Saturday afternoon craft session with Rachel.  I made this stocking using an old polo shirt

And finally - a few last flowers gleaned from the garden.  I felt in need of a vase of prettiness

Stuff and nonsense......

I was indisposed yesterday for WIP Wednesday and to be honest with you, not feeling so hot today, but at least I can move my head without feeling like its going to fall off.  My cold of 11 days, has gone to my sinuses, leaving me from Tuesday evening with a monumental headache. I spent the day in bed yesterday and for those of you that know me, its not something I do.  I don't lay-in, but yesterday the only thing that got me out was my bladder and the desire for a glass of water. 

Have you started your christmas shopping?  Do you have an idea of what to get everyone?  Are your family badgering you for ideas of what they can get you?  In answer to the those questions - I have one present, have ideas for some, and have no idea what I want.  It gets harder every year.  I wish I could be organised, how do you do your shopping in October, have your cards written in November and everything wrapped?  Perhaps I just enjoy getting worked up over it all, or maybe I just have better things to do with my time....

Anyho, onto the knitting..........  first the projects completed over the past week

Teddy Hooded Top for Rufus

Baby Surprise Jacket for anyone that wants it

Little Deck Shoes for Faith

 and then the WIPs, which are back to a managable level

This was supposed to have been a cardigan for baby Faith - for inclusion in a gift box tomorrow, but I felt too ill to do more than finish the shoes and knit these few rows on Tuesday - sorry will get it sorted over the weekend.

My ten stitch has sadly been neglected in favour of other things, it will get done, no one is screaming for it

And lastly a very happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers - enjoy your day but remember, its only a month till Christmas so leave some room

The 3 D's

- dull, damp, dreary - the weather that is, though to be honest I don't feel so sparky either.

I had planned to go out into the garden when I got home from work, but its just so miserable, only 2:30pm and you need the lights on. Bring on the cold, frosty, sunny days anything is better than this. The Willow tree gets a haircut next week, so it can hold on to the rest of its leaves if it wouldn't mind, then the nice boys can take them away and save us the bother of clearing them up. We have a leaf vac, which is fine if they are dry, but it also makes my hip ache, so the good old leaf rake works best for me.  Hopefully the weekend weather will be kinder and I'll feel better more like poking around in the borders. 

Right better get off and make dinner - Venison and Wild Mushroom Pie tonight, then maybe some ironing, but then again, maybe some knitting............... choices choices

Nothing like your own bed!

Its true, there really is nothing like your own bed, especially if you've not slept very well for 9 nights and have a cold. I was so glad to climb in to bed last night.

The weather was kind, and we enjoyed our stay in Southwold again, even though we were in for a few surprises.  Firstly, the lovely farmhouse family kitchen had been changed for a cold, generic, modern one, so much wasted space and we felt the heart had been taken from the house. Secondly, the 2 book shops have closed and taken over by High Street names and the secondhand book shop by an upmarket childrens clothes shop.  Most of the independent retailers have gone now, so you could be in any street in any town.  Sad. This is the second year that I have come back from Southwold with a cold, perhaps I just didn't drink enough beer, or maybe I ate too many butter buns

Rufus enjoyed his time - trying out the beach, pier and amusements

We did lots of walking - see the red hats

Checked out the tractors - that boy can spot a tractor/digger/lorry a mile off!

any idea what Peter is holding - they look like white mussels or maybe they are some kind of barnacle?

Remembrance Day Parade - Rufus enjoyed watching the band

In other news -

My god daughter Chloe had her baby on 13th November, a girl, Amelie.  I've seen a few photographs, very cute.  Congratulations to Chloe and Liam and welcome Amelie.  Also congratulations to the new Grandparents - Judy & Stephen - have fun

More baby news -

I learned last week that my brother Andy and his partner Mel are having another baby - a girl this time - sister for Charlie - such fun I get to knit girly things for a change.  Congratulations to you all.

WIP Wednesday #18

Nothing much to report on the knitting front since my posts I've been tardy and Plague of Red Hats, apart from I finished the headband, knitted 6 rows of the Baby Surprise jacket, then realised I had repeated a row so pulled it out.  The front of the Teddy hooded top is finished and I've done an I cord for the bottom rather than a twisted cord. Nothing happening on the ten stitch )-:

I worked on the short row scarf this afternoon at Knit Lits, we have a new book, its The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, it reads ok on the back cover so I'll let you know once I get started.

I'm currently reading Distant Hours by Kate Morton. I need to give some time to it, a few pages at bedtime aren't enough as I keep falling asleep.  I need more hours in the day, because I hate having to decide whether to read or knit, unfortunately I'm not that good at multi tasking!

I'm sure there will be some lovely WIP's to look at over at Tami's, so give yourself a treat ......and still no baby news, Chloe uncross those legs!!!

Plague of red hats.....

Hope you all had a good weekend, they really go too fast don't they.  We had an enjoyable lunch out on Saturday at the Blue Lion in Hardwick .  I can recommend their autumn menu, in particular the Lemon Meringue Baked Alaska, even my mother in law managed to eat a whole one.  Yummy.  To counteract the over indulgence we spent some time in the garden clearing up afterwards and Peter had a large bonfire as he wanted to get rid of the tree stump from earlier this year.  He got a really good blaze going and we sat for a while warming ourselves with a large drink.   I cleared the last of the outdoor tomatoes, just a few in the greenhouse still.

Sunday we went into town for a coffee and a wander round the farmers market. I spent the afternoon knitting these, whilst Peter cleared leaves and had another bonfire.  The hats match the ones I knitted for Rufus and Beck, its hoped that it will encourage the little man to wear his hat.  So if you hear of a plague of red beanies on the Suffolk coast next week it will be just my family.  I refuse to wear a hat so am making myself a headband, whether I wear it remains to be seen.

 

I forgot to mention last week that I've had a photograph published in the December issue of Simply Knitting, they wanted pictures of children wearing something knitted from a Simply Knitting pattern, this I made for Rufus last year, so he was around 6 months old

Still no baby news - so I got Sunday morning wrong.........

I've been tardy.......

I realise that I've not been keeping up with some of my regular posts lately. 

I have missed 2 months of Project Spectrum.  This month is black/white/grey, I've nothing on my needles relating to these colours but do have a few past projects and a couple of signs ........

My stashbust totals haven't been updated since September, but I've not bought anything since my visit to the show at the beginning of October and have been doing a fair bit of knitting, but I guess my IN total is larger than my OUT!

A message to Nick who left a comment yesterday regarding the Kirton Aran, it is the colour and dye lot you are looking for so if you message me I'll see what I can do in helping you to finish your jumper.  Are you on Ravelry, if so I'm SUESPE contact me there, if not email me suespe@hotmail.com

I've not managed to do WIP Wednesday for a couple of weeks either, and I confess I now have four WIP's on the go.  This actually doesn't sit very comfortably with me as I feel no real progress is being made on anything.

Ten stitch - coming along very slowly - not a portable knit anymore

Short row scarf - even slower - usually take this when I go to KnitLit

Patons Teddy Hooded top for Rufus - with close up of stitch below

I have knitted this once before and the colour changing around the front border and hood is very messy so I have decided to make the top section in the solid colour which I think will work well and I will be happier with the results. I'm using Sirdar Snuggly and Denim Tweed DK

Also on my needles but with no photo, is a KAL which I am doing with my Craft Group ladies, we are knitting a Baby Jacket, which I have wanted to try for a while but was a bit daunted by its construction, but so far so good, I have done about 17 rows!

The greenhouse is still working well, not quite sick of tomatoes yet, these I picked on Tuesday and I guess there are about the same amount to pick today if it stops raining long enough to get down the garden.

I think thats me caught up for a bit.  The weekend is looking very wet so I'm sure to get some knitting done.  We are taking mother in law and partner out for lunch tomorrow as a thank you for looking after the cat so often and don't really have anything else planned as yet.

No baby news from my god daughter yet, she is overdue and fed up let hope baby comes soon, lets face it it can't stay in there forever........ I predict Sunday morning, lets see if I'm right

Bonus visit

Today I got to spend the day with my little man.  I'd not expected to see him until Friday week so the pleasure was all mine.  Lets hope I don't catch his mummy's stomach bug