2019 - Hello

I'm a bit late in wishing you a happy new year but we were in France until Monday and I had no time for blogging.  Mending - yes, gardening - yes and a trip to Paris,  Yes, Paris.  Its just an hour away from Le Mans by train so super easy to visit.  This was a first for Peter and I, and Rebecca and family gave us a whistle stop tour of most of the major sites.  We walked miles and saw loads and it was SO cold. We will go back in the warmer weather to enjoy the river and gardens,  Here are some of the photos I took throughout the day

Luxembourg Gardens

Pantheon Paris

Sorbonne

Notre Dame

English bookshop

Notre Dame

Louvre

Sacre Coeur

Arc de Triomphe

Champs Elysees

The Eiffel Tower is never far from any of the views, peaking up in the back of photographs but we decided to leave our visit til dark so we could see it lit up, it was worth the wait. The walk up to Sacre Coeur nearly did me in, so many steps - 270, but the view was worth it, coming down was a piece of cake!!

That was the first week of this new year.  Now we are home we are getting to grips with the quiet and slower pace to the day.  Not many plans for this year as yet apart from the usual.  I have plenty to knitting and books to me occupied and there is always walking should the mood take us.

I don't make resolutions, easy made, easy broken, but I do want to try and master crochet this year.  Last year was socks and I managed that, in fact have a new pair on the needles.  Today I have pulled apart a cardigan I made a few year back, I was never happy with it so why not reuse the yarn,  especially as there is 400 grams of it.  I'm nearly done with the sweater for Dale, just the neck and sew it up.  I then need to decide what next to make.  I do have yarn aside for another cardigan for me, and I do want to make a ten stitch for our bedroom and to be honest I think I have enough yarn in my stash to make one.  I really want to shift some stash this year, some of its been around far too long.

So there you have it, up to date.  Maybe I will try to blog more often, especially as we have a new laptop and it won't be so painful to make a post.  Until then bye for now

More December days......

Since last I wrote we have had a day trip down to London. We decided that now we are retired and don't get to attend a work Christmas party that we'd have a Christmas day out instead.  We walked miles, took in the Christmas lights and enjoyed a lovely dinner before heading home on the train

Of course as usual knitting features large in my life.  I've cast on a man's jumper

Made a Christmas hat for Gus

Worn my snuggly fairisle and also my other cosy jumper 

Tried my hand at Shashiko mending on some of Gus's jeans!

Enjoyed some walking when the weather was good

Visited with friends on Tuesday for a long overdue catch up, my mother yesterday and followed that up with a quick trip to the coast. We've enjoyed a couple of lovely lunches out, this was yesterday's, and that is for one person.........

The wrapping is done, as is most of the shopping, time to relax a bit, so without further ado I'll wish you all a very happy Christmas.  See you in 2019

December days....

We had a great weekend.  Lots achieved.  Time spent with family, what could be better?

Saturday - Rachel and I went to our wreath making workshop.

Lovely squishy moss which we wired onto the base ring. 

needs more colour?

Rachel busy bunching up dried chillies for her wreath, love the concentration

thats better

Sunda - Jess was dropped off after breakfast for a day of tree dressing, cake decoration and some baking.

getting too tall for the kitchen step stool

Sparkly shoes why not?

gold stars again this year

growing up too fast

finished cake

Then the tree

day

night

we grew this little tree from seed, the first year its been decorated

wish we had a nicer door to show off the wreath

Baking

and that was our weekend.  How was yours? Still looking for a present or thinking about getting away?

Don't forget that winter offer over at Chateau de la Ruche