Well behaved children

Last night was St. Maarten here in Holland. Children go round the houses with lanterns and sing songs in exchange for sweeties!!! I have to compliment the children here - they all came between 6 and 7pm, sang their songs in various degrees of enthusiasm, and not one single child took more than their share of the goodies!! It was refreshing to see such good manners  - gosh, I'm sounding like a real oldie!! but even my son was impressed. He was happy that so many sweets were left over but I suspect not for long!! He is unlikely to be so polite . . . .on the other hand, having such temptation in the house is not good for my will power!!! Diet is going well still, and my trousers are looking decidedly baggier already. Just two more kilos and my nice jeans will do up again!!! I need to be in my winter trousers soon as poss. Buying new is not an option right now, and if I were to buy anything it would have to be slippers. Boy, are my feet cold!!! I have a pair of house socks that I bought in M&S one visit, but they are best for in bed . . in the absence of a hot water bottle that is. At the moment I trudge around in them indoors but by the time I get into bed I have ice blocks on the end of my legs!!! Takes the whole night to warm them up. So priority = slippers.

The weekend promises to be nice weather so it is time to plant my bulbs. I only have a few but they need  to go in now. I am thinking pots but there is space in the borders otherwise. And I really ought to tidy up the front too. In my head I am thinking ' when can I get the decorations down from the attic '..yes, my Christmas head is on!!! I went for a smooch around the garden centre the other day and was dismayed to find that they had nothing I wanted to add to our collection this year!! I found it disappointing to be truthful. Since we don't really need anything............probably a good thing, but I have seen some lights in M&S that I covert. They are BEAUTIFUL!! On the list!!!

The countdown has begun.
Sue xx

11.11.11

Armistice Day. We remember. Always. With gratitude in our hearts. Small thanks to the many who gave their lives for our country in so many conflicts across the centuries.

Wear the poppy with pride.
Sue xx

Morning walk

This morning I walked to the post box and back through the park near our house.

It was still rather misty and a little chilly and the park was peaceful.

The deer were sheltering by the far hedge and stared back at me through my lens.

Almost there and a timely bench for a little sit.

I drive along the other side of this water to get home and out again.

Through the middle of the village lies this sloot.

And on the banks someone had left their bicycle once upon a time!!!!

It was a lovely walk, and on the way home I called by my neighbours for several cups of coffee and a two hour chat!! Oh, it was lovely and warm in their house!!! I am just back again and it's after twelve, so that was the whole morning gone by. And very pleasant too.

Yesterday afternoon I was very poorly - and so since then I have not been able to eat a thing. My tummy is rumbling like crazy right now  but I dare not risk eating something yet. Give it time to settle properly, eh? Good for my diet; 4,5 kilos off so I am going well!!! Still a way to go to reach the desired 10kilo mark . . . . and my walk was all in aid of this goal. Actually it did me good to get outside as tomorrow I am working and Friday too, so two days cooped up indoors again. 

I sat and watched the first DVD of Downton Abbey yesterday. I know, I am lagging behind everyone else, but I have made a start and will be beginning with number 2 soon. The series is being shown here on Saturday nights but it clashes with Strictly and Merlin so I have no choice!! Wish I had a recorder . . . Sue xx

Radio Two remembers

I always try to listen to Jeremy Vine when I am at home as he usually presents interesting current affairs stories  very well. This week he has a series dedicated to the stories of some service men who died in Afghanistan, told through their music and the voices of their mothers. The first one has just ended. It was incredibly moving. And very personal and terribly brave. 11 November is Remembrance Day in England and we remember all the people who have died in all the wars we have been through. The young man today was only 19 when he lost his life out there, but he had left a letter for his family which was so mature and kind and honest, that you would want to keep it with you forever. Just to remind you that he had been happy and well-adjusted and doing the job he loved most. I will be listening tomorrow, and making that 30 minutes space in my day to pay my respects to one and all.
Sue xx

A favourite film's best quote:

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."
Sue xx

Photo update

My take on a  banner in my lovely Scandinavian Felt Book.

Hanging under where the shelf is coming over the doorway -soon, hopefully!!!

The bargain Riverdale Lamp hanging over the coffee table - yes!!!

So I have been busy this weekend, finishing off the hanger and getting it up in the doorway. Possibly not its final resting place but it will be in the doorway for sure. We have two doors into the kitchen in an incredibly small space, so it is not practical to have them both in situ, so making it more of a feature is our answer. And then you can see how full the shelves are now...and how I need some more......

maybe the two sides ought to match more? (think you probably told me this in the beginning, right?!)

And finally the super lamp I found with Jackie when we were in Zwolle. Needs a proper ceiling rose to finish it off of course, but then it will be perfect. The list of DIY projects is growing I'm afraid, dear!!!

I have decided Finka's blanket requires more squares so they are winging their way towards us this coming week. Three extra colours ought to do it, as that gives me 9 more squares and enough wool for the joining in etc. Since I gave her the old cardie to sleep under last night I am even more determined to get this done for her as soon as possible - she lives for warmth!!

Well, I stayed in bed for an unusually long time this morning due to weeks of poor quality sleep, and even though I was resting, I still feel tired with prickly eyes and not much oomph right now! But it's Sunday and I am allowed to feel lazy aren't I?

Sue xx

Blanket progress

has now ceased temporarily because I need more wool!! Each ball was enough for 3 squares with bits left over for the eventual joining together, but it was not large enough even for our tiny cat!! So this evening she is tucked in under the warmth of an old cardie of mine as compensation for having to wait a while longer for her very own blanky. Aah............
at least it will allow me some time to work out how I have to make the squares sit next to one another, either in single chain or sewn; not sure which is the best method? Advice gratefully received please.
On the other hand, delays in crochet benefitted my felt hanger's progress, and I am pleased with how that is looking already. It's tricky but  I am hoping to have made a very nice hanger for the finished bookcase-over-the-doorframe, and getting another celebrating winter project completed. My Christmas cards are going well, so that is not a concern, and I am wrapping presents as I buy them, because even though I won't be able to buy many this year, I do try my best to wrap them beautifully! So my friends will have to appreciate the time and effort that has gone into their tiny gifts this year; extra specially!!! Its going to be a very homemade Christmas!!!
Sue xx

Weekend!!!

It's been a long old week, with much tiredness and a longing for my bed!! There has been lots happening at work, in the background, and it gave me a lot to think about that's for sure. It also helped me to think and clarify what sort of counsellor/coach would suit me most. We have to determine our specialism in the second year and it always bothered me that I didn't have a particular leaning in any direction apart from the Mediation side of things. But I know now, and that gives me some peace of mind. It is really just a combination of all that I have ever learned and done, with this new approach thrown on top!! But I am not going to talk more about it here until we have discussed it in more depth at home, and I have got it sorted on paper as well as in my head.
Finka is desperate for her mini blanket and I have only three more squares to crochet before I need to learn how to stitch them together. I don't think there will be enough wool left over at this time, for any fancy border etc but I doubt she will worry too much! At the moment she is buried under the rug that we keep on the settee, for her nights sleep, so I know I have to finish it this weekend. I have also promised myself that next week is essay time, so my hobbies will have to take the back burner for a while. Emma has asked for more cards so that will be a priority, but mine can wait. I am loving the simple designs I am going with at the moment. Just ink, ribbon, text and the odd little embellishment tacked on. I put the sampler up the other day and have been surprised as to which cards turned out to be people's favourites.
Amazing how our tastes all differ from one person to another which is why I enjoy creating one-offs.

But it is almost bedtime for me, so enjoy your weekend what ever you may be doing; the sunshine of autumn is lovely for being out and about - and for me, making more soup!! (Diet going well but need to stick to it with easy recipes and short amounts of time in the kitchen!!!)
Sue xx

November 1st.

I have been busy with my crocheting today. It is absorbing now I have got the hang of it (I think!). Ann is coming round to give me advice tomorrow evening. I'm not making the squares that large because it is going to be (yes, I am now more confident!) a little throw for Finka to sleep under this winter. At the moment she dives under the quilt and sleeps there for as long as possible or until discovered. She is a cat that requires copious amounts of heat!!! Anyway, I am enjoying it. It makes a change from my card making although when my Washi Tape arrived this morning I did do a little dance of happiness!! Not quite sure how I am going to incorporate on with my cards but pretty parcels are a definite yes this year! I love the stitched effect roll. Still waiting more and more impatiently for the Royal Mail to hop over the water with my package from the Ribbongirl . . . seems to be going via China.

So I have decided to join in with the Winter bloghop over at Silverpebble. Since I am a winter lover and she is the opposite, I thought it might be fun to participate. Brings me a little closer to home seeing the beauty of the English landscape etc. I tried a new soup recipe today as well (bored, me?) but I am undecided as to whether I like the taste or not. It is Curried Apple and Carrot Soup, from a recipe by Lavender & Lovage on her foodie blog. Don't think it is one I will do again however. Still soup is great for my diet so I will be testing out others!

Suddenly it had turned dark and not even 6pm. Time for dinner and pyjamas!!
Sue xx