Weekend

We've had a very lazy weekend.  The weather has been rubbish, Saturday was very windy and rainy and today just cold and grey.  So cold that we even lit the log burner.  Come back sun, please.

We've made good use of our time though - we finally finished sorting all our photographs and they are now condensed into one space.  I have a box full of empty frames, which may find their way to the charity shop unless I decide otherwise.  I've popped them out of sight for now. I been reading and knitting and even managed to get a couple of loads of washing done today and dried on the line.

I am nearly done with the increases on the sleeves, I'm really not sure if two at a time works, it seems to take longer somehow.  I finished - A place called Winter this afternoon. I very much enjoyed it especially as its actually based around a real family.

I have to admit I'm just a bit excited to the starting The Strawberry Thief,  hubby has read it and couldn't put it down.  The eldest has listened to it and the youngest is eagerly awaiting it when I'm done.

Because I was bored with my sleeves I naughtily cast on another shawl this week.  Still working from stash.  I have three balls of kid silk mohair in three shades that compliment the main yarn, so whilst I'm not working the stripe pattern I am getting an effect that isn't plain.

This week I'll also be casting on the May socks.  I'm really scrapping the barrel for sock yarn, so June will definitely be a cotton mix 4 ply yarn.

That's our weekend.. How was yours?

You know when something is wrong

Yesterday I stood in the kitchen ironing, occasionally gazing out the window at the back fence.  Something was bugging me.  Since setting out the garden, part of the back fence area just didn't feel right.  In fact, I obviously subconsciously knew this, there are hardly any photos of it.  Its that area to the left of the photos where the arch, bird bath/feeders and clock is -  too busy.  Looking at it straight on just felt wrong. 

So what did I do? Popped into the garden where Peter was fiddling and asked if we could move a few things around......  Firstly I asked for the arch to be moved, this involved moving a couple of clematis that had just started climbing, lost the top off one but the other seems fine.  Hopefully once the plants get going this will provide a screen to the breakfast seating area.

Back in, carried on ironing, still not happy. Went back out and asked could we move the bird bath?  Much muttering ensued, a slab was found, spirit level and spade.  I did help carry the very heavy bird bath into place!!

Looks so much better here don't you think? It has since been leveled so that the water doesn't tip to one side, I was in too much of a hurry with the camera.

Back inside and on with the ironing - right those bird feeders need to come off the fence - back out to issue instructions.  Now what to do with those 4 paving slabs?  We have a matching chair that goes with the iron bench in the above photo, and I thought this just might work here.  What do you think?

That's better, and the urn will have something put in it so we have somewhere for a cup of tea or a glass of wine. A few cushions and a book, perfect spot I'd say

Its funny how a few small changes make such a difference. The bird bath just looks so much happier in the border and takes the place of a plant that didn't over-winter.  I'm awaiting the perennials that are coming through on the back fence to get some height in the border, but feel the need of a few shrubs to help it along.  I see a trip to the garden centre in my near future

Oh the sunshine

Its been a good while that I can recall such a wonderful Easter weekend weather-wise.  We were so lucky here in the East of England, wall to wall sunshine.  Its been cooler today but still very pleasant.  So what did we do.  It seems a while ago now but here we go

Friday - Peter was up early to go and give a platelets donation.  I got on with my washing leftover from France, then when Peter got back we popped and did a shop.  Then spent the rest of the day reading in the garden

Saturday - Peter's birthday. He popped to see his Mum and then we went for lunch at The Cock in the village.  It was very good, they were very busy and the service was slow, but we were given free desserts by way of compensation which was very good of them and totally unasked for.

Afternoon Rachel, Stu and the kids came bearing cake made by Rachel and Jess and presents.  The children stayed overnight whilst their parents had a night out.  We had fun the kids were running around well passed their bedtime...……

Sunday - started at 6:20 and they were hunting Easter eggs just after 7am, I'm sure the neighbours didn't mind!!

After breakfast pancakes, a bit of crafting and a trip to the park, we headed over to their house for lovely Easter lunch

Monday - bit of a lay-in (at last), then we decided a go for a walk.  We headed into St Ives, a quick look around the bank holiday market then on to Houghton via the Thicket Walk - stop for a pint and a packet of crisp.  We then headed toward home across the common stopping to watch the boats go into the lock.  I always enjoy watching the process.  A stop for another pint in Hemingford Abbots before arriving home and an afternoon in the garden with our books.  Of course, sitting in the garden with a book never is just reading, you can always spot a weed or something you aren't happy with then before you know it you're gardening. 

All in all an enjoyable Easter weekend. I'll save what we've done in the garden today for another post

Travellers return

Yes, we are back from France.  12 days of fun - gardening, ironing, cooking, cleaning, sorting.  Tiring.  I won't deny it, I'm looking forward to a rest.  Its so good to feel that you are being really useful and that what you do makes a small difference.

Firstly, we turned out a box room in the attic and made a spare room for us and other family members/friends to use. Thus not taking up a guest room which has a value.

 Weeded and bark chipped the front borders

Alain the neighbour came with his tractor and cleared the veg bed and dug out a fruit bed for us.  We planted raspberry canes, strawberries, blueberries and rhubarb.  Rufus helped Peter to put up all the support posts and wires for the raspberries, fun and a maths lesson

We also made a poly tunnel greenhouse, planted seeds

 Finished my oddments socks and managed to finish the fronts of my cardigan and cast on the sleeves, hopefully now I'm home I can crack on with it

They tried out the tandem, it was a huge success as was the boat

walked to Le Boulay and had a picnic

Went to Le Mans market on Sunday

 Visited Chateau Montreuil Bellay

Enjoyed evening views of the Chateau, chatted with guests

All in all a busy time.

Happy 10th Anniversary - Blog

Today my Blog turns 10.  10 years of writing and documenting my life.  In the last few years not so much.  I have wrestled with the fact that the number of readers has diminished over the years and I know that a lot of the blogs I have followed during that time have sadly fallen by the wayside for one reason or another.  I still enjoy reading blogs and do so on a daily basis.  For me though its a reference point. I can't tell you the times its been referred back too for information, little details, photos or just for the memories. If nothing else, it gives me enjoyment, so I'm not that bothered if only a handful read it. To those that do thank you so much.  It would be great if you could leave a comment from time to time, just so I know what you think.

So in 10 years what has happened?

The blog actually started out as somewhere to showcase my knitting, and was originally called Knits By Sue, gosh those early photos were bad.  One new skill I have achieved in that time is photography. I think I turn out some pretty decent photos these days.  To make finding what I knit easier, there is a dedicated page Knitting Projects which I try to keep up to date, though there may well be projects missing.

We have had two weddings - check out August 2009 and May 2015 - throughout those months are all the detail!!

Four grandchildren,  it was when the first grandchild came along and I had started talking about more on my blog than knitting it was suggested I change the name, hence it became Granny's World.  The grandchildren feature throughout the blog and links would be too many to share, but their milestones are noted, births, birthdays, holidays, days out, sleepovers, just their being in our lives.

Rufus

Laurie

Jess

Gus

I've talked about and shared my love of gardening, there is a dedicated page to our Old Garden, it makes me sad at times when I look back on this.  Its one of the things I most miss about our old home, that and the barn, which we converted into an amazing space back in 2011. I documented from February to June that year, so feel free to pop over and take a look if you've not seen what we achieved. I have started a page on our new garden, pocket sized but coming along.  Easy to manage now we aren't around so much.

I have documented our trips and holidays.  There is also a dedicated page for that too, Travelling.  You can find links to most of our travels, the best being our 3 months travelling around the USA in 2004, this tale was told over I think 15 installments and we relived every moment of that amazing adventure.  Through Ravelry - I have made some amazing online friends, some of whom have become real life friends and I documented our visits to meet up.  Check out 2010 Chicago, 2013 USA, 2014 USA to UK, New York links.  Plans are to meet again with some next summer, 2020.

There has been sadness too.  The death of my dear father after a long illness with cancer and mum's on going battle with vascular dementia.  I don't write about that much but its always in the background. Most recently our much loved cat Audrey (Poots). I try to keep things light but its a fact of life that death and illness happens.

Christmas - there have been lots for Christmas posts, you can find them most years in December!!

Flower arranging - this is a recent hobby since I retired.  I go to a monthly workshop which I enjoy and I think I have documented these in posts from August 2018, but I'll collect all the photos together and do a post if I remember.  I do share on Instagram, you can check out my feed @grannysworld_sue

Photography - I'm keen to take the best photos I can.  I love to take photos and have 1000s on my Google photos account - flowers, children, walks, knitting you name it. It did get to the point with the grandchildren that they would tell me to go away with my camera, refusing to have their picture taken. As I said some of my early blog photos are awful but it just shows you can improve if you practice.

Walking, baking and cooking all loom large throughout my blog too.  All things we enjoy, and hopefully one tries to counteract the other too.

The future -

The blog will be telling you about our retired life - 2017 saw major changes in our life.  A house move.  Family relocation. Retirement. Monthly travelling. How we fill our days. I'm trying to blog more, from a high in 2011 (235 posts) to a low in 2017 (22 posts). I am already passed the low and its only just April.

If you have managed to get thus far on this post, then thank you for reading.  I'm excited to know what the rest of this year brings, and who knows I may still be blogging in 10 years time

Thank you for being part of our lives

Sue xxx