Don't like this weather

Since a small child I have always hated thunder storms and today we have had some beauties, infact the thunder is still rolling around as I type. The power has been off on numerous occasions hampering the Friday housework. Still all done now. Even the youngest daughters washing which she left pre-holiday, I'm such a pushover. She's off to Mexico with her friend Gemma tomorrow, we also get the Heathrow run - up at 4am!! Am I worried about swine flu? well she could get it here so why worry.

Last night I started myself a knitted top, actually haven't knitted for me in ages but I found this pattern on Lion Brand's facebook page


and thought it looked like me. Still haven't finished the white bolero, there's just something about it I don't like, the yarn I think, but I have broken my rule of starting something else before finishing it.

No: 3

In praise

of my first chicken coat -
" Please say a massive thank you to your mum...I looked again this morning at the chicken top...absolutely brilliant...
Can't wait to show the northern bridge farm gang...
Does she do human clothes too?"

We were soaked

the youngest and I set off this morning at 6:25, bright blue skies, for our morning walk. We had only been going about 10mins when the skies darkened and it started to spot with rain. Won't be much we thought, wrong! Can't actually remember being this wet with my clothes on, I needed wipers for my glasses, eyes stinging, but at least it made us walk faster. Perhaps take a brolly tomorrow!

Another chicken coat

this time a pattern from Little Hen Rescue



Just need the team to decide how many battery hens they are getting and which type of coat they prefer then I can get knitting. Certainly a good way to use up all my odds and ends.

Let there be light

Today we started to cut down the sweet chestnut tree in our drive (just the trunk to go). The crown was dying and we had applied to the council to cut it down -we live in a conservation area. It seems a shame, but it was actually far to close the the house and in the autumn we had the spiky chestnut husks and ALL the leaves to contend with, and never many chestnuts. We are amazed at how make more light we now have in the driveway and hopefully the other plants will now thrive.

We had a good day yesterday, Dad enjoyed his cake and mother wasn't too annoyed at my offering. My younger brother and his family were going today so I guess there won't be too much left by now. Also our youngest and her friend popped in en-route to a Motor Cross day in Norfolk, so I'm sure they nabbed a slice too!

Birthday cake for my Dad

Tomorrow is my Dad's 78th birthday. He is partial to be bit of cake, so I have made him a lovely carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The recipe is from my good friend Sue in Utah. My mother will have a fit as she's constantly watching what they eat - she has a heart condition, but Dad doesn't, so let him eat cake I say. Of course, she will eat just a small piece, "oh that was lovely, I'll have the rest of the slice I don't suppose it will kill me", is what she said when I last took cake on a visit.

Whilst on the subject of cake - one like this plus other home baked goodies will be available for those of you that are coming to Beck and Tim's wedding, so make sure you have loose waistlines, there will be plenty to eat. They will all be displayed on my now large collection of antique glass cake stands and platters, not sure what I'll do with them all after the wedding, but some are so lovely I'll just have to find a use for them.



Chux Tux - is finally finished, not a very satisfying knit but Rachel was pleased with it, so it will go off to work with her on Monday, and hopefully they will decide how many chickens they plan to get so I can fit in further tux amongst the more interesting knitting that I have planned.



I've picked up a little bolero jacket I abandoned a few weeks ago, so need to finish that, then I plan to knit something out of my new baby knit books that I got before I went on holiday. Just wish there were more hours in the day!