Knitting now

I haven't given you a knitting update for a while, blame the lack of progress on the hot weather, the long light evenings and pure idleness.

Good news is the alpaca baby blanket is finished, its actually a pale leafy green, see below, not the dull grey it looks in this photograph. Bad news is for some reason and under certain circumstances it feels a bit scratchy despite being 50% alpaca 50% merino. I first noticed this as it got larger and was resting on my chest and later my legs, occasionally a bit of fiber would stab me quite sharply. This is a worry as I don't want the little baby to be uncomfortable. I've been testing it on the characters from the car boot mobile, they have no complaints but I've already warned the mum to be that it would be best until the bambino can communicate that it isn't placed against any delicate skin.

I have almost finished a little baby jumper that started as travel knitting when we went down to Yorkshire and I am also about to tackle this
Pam an occasional knitter started this jumper, a Kim Hargreaves pattern, then decided it might be too small and asked me to either finish it or make something else. I've taken a look at it today and after holding it against myself I think it will be fit her, she's done such a lot of work it would be a shame not to press on. I actually quite like sorting out other people's projects, besides the yarn is Rowan kid classic, very soft and less likely to attack me.

My flawed selling strategy

Big excitement in the village on Saturday, not one event but two. You need to know that in a little place that has no shop, pub, cafe or even a public toilet, any event is something special and to have two on the same day had the whole place jumping. In the morning there was a car boot/table sale in the village hall and in the afternoon jumble, cream teas and an auction in the church hall.
Pam had taken a table at the morning session and asked me if I'd like to keep her company. By the time I got down there the place was heaving, plenty of stalls and possible punters milling around. Immediately my strategy failed because Pam's biggest customer was me, her sales assistant. It must be something about sitting behind the counter contemplating the merchandise because I bought, and I won't bore you with pictures of everything -A tea and coffee canister set above
A stretchy bracelet also above
Another bracelet with tiny pearls and amethysts
A pretty red and black devore wrap
A pair of red sheepskin slippers
A file for taking the hard skin off your feet, one of my favourite pastimes, one of Mr FF's least favourite of my activities
A colourful fish dish
From another stall I bought a Winnie the Pooh mobile that plays a tune, for an expected baby not for myself, and from the church auction a couple of paperbacks. My total spend was £13. Mr FF dropped me at the hall in the morning and went off to buy some building materials, as soon as he saw what I had purchased he said 'this means we will be taking the car to Italy'. We are currently toying with the idea of driving to Lazio in August and taking various items for the house, it seems my suggestion that some, well actually all, of my purchases would be ideal to keep in our holiday house has settled the matter.
The auction was still going full strength when we left, anything that wasn't sold was being put into the next lot so someone wanting the set of Wedgewood plates found they also got a large chest of drawers. Just as well we didn't linger, I needed to come home to rethink my business model and there is a limit to what we need in Italy.

Treasure rediscovered

While I was down in Yorkshire at the weekend my sister in law, Val, generously asked me if I'd like to take any of the family glassware, items she had inherited as part of the house contents when she and my brother moved in after our parents died. I remember there was a quantity of pressed glass, which I've always loved very much in fact I have collected a few pieces myself over the years. We had a lovely time together looking through the collection with me remembering and chatting about my life as a child.First of all I had to take this one, not because it's the most beautiful but it's the trifle dish we used every Sunday teatime, and sometimes in the week too. Its a good solid dish that is definitely over 50 years old, I'm thrilled to have it.

This pretty set, a large dish and 6 little ones all matching is lovely. My friend Pam looked at my treasure this morning and has already requested a pudding served in these next time she and Andrew come to dinner. There was another set that I can remember we used lots for fruit salad but only three of the small dishes remain.A sweet cake dish with three short stubby legs, we used this all the time for home baking.Finally this oval dish that I really like too, again it was used for cakes and iced buns.

I didn't want to be greedy and take too many things but Val assured me that they weren't getting used and I'm sure she'd happily have given me more, there were at least a dozen pieces left. I can't tell you how overjoyed I am to have these things, I will use them regularly and treasure them like the family heirlooms that to me they are, thanks Val.

All things bright and beautiful

Our visit to Yorkshire and the gardens open in the village were hugely successful. 12 families opened their gates in aid of church and local hospital funds including my brother and his family, the only working farm to do so. These photos are of the front and back of house where I was born, my family have been tenants of this farm for many generations. I stress that we are tenants in case you get the false impression that I come from some line of landed gentry when revolting peasants is probably nearer the truth.

My brother's immaculate and much admired vegetable garden
We had a plant stall at the farm, stocked and manned by my youngest niece's boyfriend, you can imagine how delighted I am that she has a serious gardener in her life.

Friends and other family came to visit and Mr FF and I went off with them for a tour of the village, which actually took us about 5 hours with a couple of stops for delicious tea and cakes. There was a lovely craft stall where this adorable elephant was purchased for a granddaughter. I'd have bought it myself if someone hadn't got in first, I must make an effort to knit some toys.

One of my favourite gardens which I remember being a productive cottage vegetable patch

Another farm where I used to play as a child, the house and land have now been sold off separately. I had a wonderful time, meeting so many people I've known all my life who always remember me though it may be many years since they've seen me. The day finished with a service of thanks in the beautiful flower filled church, I felt inspired by all the hard work that had gone into the whole event.

The pigs on my brother's farm had a good day too and enjoyed having so many visitors.

Lazy hazy crazy days of summer

Wow its been hot here, some days the horrible harr (a sea mist) has come in from the coast more than 20 miles away but mostly we've had brilliant sun and a couple of short sharp showers that have settled the dust and cleared the air. Perfect flip flop weather for me though it has made me very lazy, even more than usual.

Its a year now since I finished work, a mite quicker than I expected when I was immediately put on gardening leave, but no regrets. I'm amazed how quickly the time has gone and apart from making great progress with the garden, how little I've done. I thought I would have read much more, the average has stayed the same, I started a piece of patchwork that is still in the early stages, I thought I would learn to crochet I haven't and I don't think I'm knitting any more than I did. I am however relaxed beyond recognition, am currently sleeping really well, haven't had a migraine for over a year and don't miss the old job one bit. This morning I woke just after 6, opened the curtains and the french doors to beautiful weather, made tea and read for a while, then went back to sleep until around 9, bliss. We've been eating all our meals outside, quick easy food like salad or pasta, and I can't keep Mr FF off the swing seat that he declared would be nothing but a nuisance, having to bring the cushions in every night and moving the damned thing to mow the lawn.

Best of all the strawberries are ready. It's the first year this has happened when Wimbledon is on, generally we see everyone tucking into their expensive little dishes while we are still waiting. I'm picking a bowl full every day with plenty more to come and they taste delicious. We are going to Yorkshire this weekend, to stay with my brother and his family and help out with the gardens open in the village. Family, gardens, home baked teas, Yorkshire, I can't wait. Have a lovely weekend.

Cat Feeders

Our friends K and S have been on holiday for 10 days so once again we have been feeding the delightful Peaches. She does have an automatic feeder that dispenses five portions of dried food over 2.5 days but we still visit her each evening. We've made a little ritual of preparing dinner then strolling together up the back lane towards the hills and Peaches lovely little cottage. She is always pleased to see us and comes running to the window or round from the garden as soon as we arrive, generally crying that the feeder hasn't opened and she needs food immediately, but that's never true.

We spend at least half an hour with her, the weather has been so good that after we've topped up the feeder and watered the greenhouse we've generally sat out in the garden, enjoying someone else's planting ideas and a different view of the hills.

Sometimes we've put the cat food outside and and wished we'd a glass of white wine to enjoy in the early evening sunshine as we watch Peaches enjoy her picnic. There's always some serious fussing to be done, a chasing game, tummy tickles and best of all chin rubs. K and S are home today so our duties are finished, we shall miss our walks, seeing their garden progress and nuzzling Peaches' soft sun warmed fur, lets hope they have more holidays planned soon.

Look what the sun brought out

My cousin, the intrepid car booter, bought something for £25, got the seller to dismantle and pack it, asked if we'd like it as she didn't have room herself and brought it up from Yorkshire a couple of years ago. It had resigned in the garage all that time, the summers hadn't been that good so we never bothered to put it up but this year is different. I am retired now so I started pestering Mr FF as soon as the warm weather came and this week I got all the pieces out and laid them on the lawn.
I had to look at examples on the internet to try and work out how to fit it together, I don't think I'm spatially aware or maybe I'm just a bit dim. I was surprised that they are still sold and also at the price of them, anything up to £500. Can you guess what it is yet, these aren't all the components, but the metal pieces made this
Yes its a swing seat. I remember these from when I was a child, we never had one but I can recall visiting gardens that did and I always wanted one. Its very retro, the cushions are not as garish as some I remember, quite restful and very comfy
Nothing was missing, it even came with stays to stop it swinging and its own wet weather cover, such a bargain. We have it on the lawn where it catches the late evening sun, though its good at all times, a nice shady place to relax during the heat of the day and long enough for one person to stretch out. Weather permitting Mr FF and I will be swinging this weekend.