Visitor in the garden

Whilst taking pictures in the garden this afternoon I spotted this fellow making haste through the hole in the beech hedge

just what we needed

a weekend break that is.  This weekend we have been in London, a 2 night break away.  Friday we spent in the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A).  We had never been before, its amazing, too much to see in one day, but we did a fair amount - 5.5 hours before we decided we were all "looked out". The only disappointment was that the fashion section was closed for refurbishment.  But a good excuse to go back again.  It amazes me that museums in London are free to enter, with just a donation if you wish.  Such a wealth of things to see and do for free.  We decided to walk to our hotel in Holland Park Avenue, which took us about 50 minutes.  There really are some incredible properties to look at on the way. 

The actual reason for our weekend trip was to go see Beth Hart on Saturday at the Shepherds Bush Empire, so we chose to stay at the Hilton in Holland Park Avenue, which was a perfect base.  Friday evening we found a pub for a few drinkies then had dinner in an Italian restaurant.

Saturday morning with the sun shining we headed out for Portobello Road Market, a place I'd always wanted to go to, and as it turned out so did everyone else.  Again a good walk through the Notting Hill area, drooling over all the huge houses.  Who lives in these places? The estate agents window had nothing under £1.5 million and that was for an apartment!!  As I said Portobello was heaving and you really couldn't look at a great deal, but I been now so something else ticked off my list. 

Next stop, Kensington Gardens/Hyde Park. 

We walked the park, it was great to see so many people out and about in the sunshine, jogging, walking, skateboarding, skiing, or just plain sitting and watching the world go by.  We late lunched in the Chicago Rib Shack - a disappointing experience. Then walked back to the hotel for a cup of tea, feet up with a book for a while.

As previously mentioned the concert was at the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire.  Reasonably small venue which was great, good view where ever you sat.  Beth Hart was tremendous. She was supported by Marcus Bonifanti,  who for a support act was very good, great voice.  Beth was on stage for 2 hours, how you sing for that long, the way she does, without getting a sore throat I have no idea.  She is a real character with in her words a "truck drivers mouth".  She did a 6 song encore so no one was complaining.  She did lots of tracks from her recent album Don't Explain, my favourites being Chocolate Jesus, Your Heart Is As Black As Night, I'd Rather Go Blind and of course I'll Take Care Of You.  Hope you enjoy these, managed to find three from Saturday's concert.

 On leaving the concert rather than heading back to the hotel we decided to go for a drink.  Why not, the pub was groaning with people, young people, but we joined in, had fun. Peter was surprised at the reaction our presence got.  Young men smiling and waving at me.  I assured him they maybe thought I was their Mum or Granny!!  We were given a seat, must of thought we looked like we needed one.  But it was a jolly atmosphere, we finally got back to the hotel just before 1am having partaken of a McD's cheese burger and fries on the way back.  Rock and roll left style or what?

Morning came far too soon......... packed up and headed out into another glorious day.  A walk back through the park to the Serpentine Bistro for a fortifying full english breakfast and a pot of tea.  The rest of the morning was spent in the park, watching the world go by and then we popped over to Marble Arch M&S for a quick shop, heading for home on the early afternoon train.

All in all a great weekend - lovely weather and great to spend time with my lovely husband with no other distractions

WIP Wednesday

Just a short post today.  

I am now concentrating on finishing this Ten Stitch Twist, then it will be the In the Mood cardigan and the socks, BEFORE I start anything else. 

This is what I decided to do for Lent, nothing new started for 40 days until WIP's are all done.  I hope I can stick to this as I printed off Frankie Brown's latest offering the Button Quilt

For more WIP go over to Tami's

whats it to be, sweet or savoury?

Its that time of year again. 

Fat Tuesday

Pancake Day 

Or whatever you want to call it.  For us we are having both.  Seafood to begin, and sweet for dessert. As usual lemon and sugar me, but I do have a punnet of blueberries that need using up.....

Are you giving anything up for Lent?  I should but I know I will fall by the wayside before the 40 days is up. 

What to give up?  Buying yarn....... no, not with the Stitch and Craft Show coming up next month.  Booze, don't drink enough these days to make it worth it. I'll have a think and get back to you on it

On our doorstep

We are lucky to have some lovely walks around the Cambridgeshire village where we live. Just a 10 minute walk takes us to the lakes and river.  The lakes were formed a while ago from old gravel extraction workings.  They have in recent years been taken over by the RSPB, who are working hard to make this an enjoyable place to visit, being serviced as they are by the guided busway.

As the weather was beautifully sunny yesterday we decided to wrap up and venture out. As you can see it was lovely and clear, I'm glad I took my camera.

 

Centre photo is a bug hotel!

Here is my latest creation.  Tartan Teddy for Mel. Hope you like him. 

Knitted in a day, it took me nearly another to put him together. 

Pleased with the end result though

20 months already

 

Molly cardigan completed

more signs of Spring

Now the snow has gone, there are clumps of Snowdrops popping up all over the garden, a few Hellebores also showing through the general mess that is my borders. 

A couple of completed cardigans for my future niece

And my WIP's - I have never had so many, I really am getting into bad habits

Happy door door Granny

Today is my birthday.  To be honest I wish we had all felt better but we have made be best of it.  Rachel cooked us a lovely dinner which we didn't really do justice too. Thanks Stuart for washing up, its becoming a habit!  I think we will do the whole dinner again when we are all fit and well.  I had some lovely cards and presents and two trips to enjoy during the coming months.

At least we had our little man here to help me enjoy the day.  His "happy door door granny" first thing this morning melted my heart.  Whilst I was at work they managed to get him to say happy birthday, but "door door" was just special.

Yee Haw

 

Helping out with my knitting!!  The ball ended up wrapped round the rocking horse

Theme tune of the day is My Valentine by Paul McCartney

BTW - Still awaiting the X ray results

Health update and more for the stash

Readers, I have managed to drag myself into work.  I ventured out yesterday to do a grocery shop, and that's about all.  I feel better than I did, but unfortunately not so Peter.  He has been to the doctor this morning, who then sent him off to the hospital for a chest x-ray.  He has antibiotics and gets the results tomorrow.  We are hoping its not a reocurrence of the pneumonia he had a couple of years ago when he last had a bad chest.  We will have to see. 

We have Beck and Rufus here again for a few days whilst the builder puts in the new stairs.  Poor Rufus is not well either, so we all make a great crowd coughing and spluttering.  I have never known us all to be so poorly.

I paid my daily visit to the local charity shop this afternoon and relieved them of 3 bags of yarn they were just putting out. 

600 grams of Sirdar Denim Sport Aran in blue

150 grams of Sirdar Silky Look also in blue

200 grams of Patons Pearl Double Knit in yellow and a 380 gram bag of a green yarn which looks like double knit - no labels on that. My stash really didn't need it but as the whole lot only cost me £9.50, I felt it would be a crime to leave it.  The green yarn will get used on my ten stitch twist rug.  The rest will get put away for some future project. The pictures were taken from Ravelry as I couldn't be bothered to get my camera out.

I started another baby cardigan with matching hat yesterday its, Belle from Patons Nursery Days, doing this one in a pale peach double knit.  Pictures to follow along with the completed Lucy Cardigan

Sympathy is in short supply

 

Pied Wagtail visiting the bird table - well picking up the bits the starlings had dropped

Bored with my current WIP's, I decided to start some knitting for my niece who is due in April. 

This pattern is the Lucy cardigan from the Patons Nursery Days booklet.  Knitted in Cygnet Kiddies Kaleidoscope Supersoft Double Knit. Simple lace pattern with a v-neck

Because the temperature is still in the minus range, though beautifully sunny,  root veggies ready to roast for some warming soup.  We have only ventured outside to replenish the wood supply.  We are both feeling rough still, my chest hurts from coughing and now my ears ache.  Its an effort to do very much, only put on a couple of loads of washing, and cooked some meals, luckily I had plenty of stuff in the fridge to whip up something quick 

Audrey is enjoying having us around all day, especially to jump onto my warm sofa when I got up to make a drink.

Its funny, in 35 years of marriage we think this is the first time we have been ill together.  Good to have company but you don't get any sympathy

Snow on snow.....

The old wives tale about "sitting snow is waiting for more" came true yesterday.  We had a whole load more during the evening.  We had still got a good covering in the garden from the weekend, though the roads and paths have been clear.  We woke to a sunny winter wonderland.  Thankful that we are still poorly and not going to work.

On the illness front, Rebecca is still feeling ill, totally exhausted and back in bed.  Tim, doing ok.  Me, doing ok and feeling much more human today.  Peter, looks rubbish, its all on his chest and he is bringing up, well you just don't want to know!!  Rachel has finally succumbed, bless her she called round yesterday with lemons, paracetamol, Lucozade, ginger cake and crumpets, much appreciated.

The only good thing about being off work sick is that I can indulge my knitting habit.  This is my first Ten Stitch Twist, which as I said I made into a bath mat. I lined it with an old bath towel, waste not want not.  I have a second Twist on the go in chunky yarn, which I plan, if I have enough yarn, to make into a rug for one the the spare bedrooms.  I will line this with hessian to make it a bit more robust.

I also did a few more rows on the back of the In the Mood cardigan, but the Irish Moss stitch is getting boring and there is no shaping on the back so its just plain rows.  I have 3 pattern sets done on the front, but my head hurts too much to concentrate at present.

Keep warm and stay healthy