I'm Behind

I'm behind at posting on my blog and I'm behind at reading other blogs so I thought I'd do something about it this evening.

Something else I've been behind at is walking, I hurt my leg a couple of weeks ago when I was out walking and on my way home my leg was hurting so much I had to ring Neil to come and fetch me. My leg was very red, swollen and extremely painful. I saw the doc and although he couldn't find a bite mark he was certain I'd been bitten and reacted to it. He prescribed some antibiotics, told me to take the rest of the week off work 

(this was on a Thursday) keep the leg up, and I could go back to work on the Monday. Anyway I didn't take time off work but I did try and keep the leg up as much as possible and rest and take the antibiotics which made me feel even worse. But by the Monday it really wasn't that much better, it wasn't quite as red or swollen but it was still very painful. So I went back to see the doctor as the antibiotics obviously weren't doing any good. It turned out that I'd got a shin splint, this is when the muscle comes away from the bone and when it was red and swollen it was actually bleeding internally.Thankfully it is much better now which is a really good thing as next Tuesday I'm doing the Race for Life. I'm slowly getting back into my walking routine but I haven't been to Zumba for over two weeks, I think I'll give that a little bit more time.

I have finished Freddie's jumper. 

I've started a sleeveless tunic for Eva in pretty delicate colours, she is our little dolly unlike Ellie.

Granny squares have been on the go again. I'm teaching them next month and two methods of  joining them.

I couldn't resist making a mariners compass block. Pam is teaching this next month and It's been something I wanted to make for a long time so I thought I'd make another sample for the class. I was going to make just the one block and turn it into a cushion cover but I like it so much that I'm going to make another two and turn them into a table runner.
  

Wednesday was the last meeting of Spectrum before the summer break. I have to say it was a lovely meeting and Gina made the most gorgeous chocolate cake, thank you Gina. We had to take our finished round robin pieces with us. I was the last person to work on this piece but there really wasn't anything left to do except mount it. I had two attempts at mounting it, the first time I stitched it all the way around after carefully measuring and levelling it up. Guess what, it had moved whilst I was stitching so it had to be unpicked and done again. It is now just stitched at the four corners..

Gina has given us some homework for the summer, we are going to do another round robin as we all enjoyed the first one so much. The theme is festivals/ summer, so something else to start at least I don't have to worry about finishing it.

The weather looks promising for the weekend so I hope you all get a chance to enjoy it whatever you may be doing.

Oooops!

I hadn't realised it had been more than two weeks since I last posted, I've obviously been very busy and time has flown by.

We had a real family easter this year with all the children, grandchildren and parents. Last Saturday was Neil's birthday so the children and grandchildren came over and we had a takeaway (see blog title) with homemade cake to follow. I made Millionaire's Shortbread and grown up Rice Krispie Squares.

Nicki and Ellie also made Rice Krispie squares.

Trying to get a photo of all three little people was a nightmare. Eva looks worried, Ellie has obviously had enough and Freddie is just a happy little chap.

There has been some making going on, I spent far too long on these crocheted cupcakes. I won't be making them again as cute as they are, they are too fiddly. I have also finished the border on my crochet blanket made a bag for Steph and layered and wadded a quilt, so I have been busy.

I'm keeping up with my walking. This was the view at Ferry Meadows first thing this morning.

The sunrise was beautiful.

The swans were graceful, unfortunately I was too slow to get a picture of the heron.

Last but not least I made raspberry and white chocolate muffins for afternoon tea today.

 I'm hoping to have some time to catch up on some blog reading this weekend. Enjoy your weekend.

Where Did the Time Go?

I know I've been busy but I hadn't realised that it's nearly two weeks since I last updated my blog. I did have good intentions of doing it on Monday evening but there was a bottle of wine in the fridge with my name on it so that put paid to that idea and last night I was working so here we are today.

Last Wednesday was the Spectrum meeting and guess what, I was in trouble. No surprise there but it was my own fault, I didn't do my homework. I didn't do it because I don't like my project. I know it was my choice and I liked it at the time but I've changed my mind. Any how teacher put her foot down (understandably) and has convinced me to give it another go, so I will.

Although I haven't posted I have been busy.

I made some bunny bunting for another 'how to make' for a local magazine.   

My crochet blanket blanket is one step further to being finished. All the squares and rows are now joined and  I'm really pleased with it. The only thing is I've got hundreds of ends to sew in and then the border to do.

I've nearly finished the dresden plate table runner. I'm really pleased with the quilting.

The back looks just as good.

Last night I went home and made raspberry and white chocolate muffins for today's ladies.

On Sunday we went to see Sam, Amy and Eva. It was Amy's birthday and she was having a little family celebration. It was lovely to see them all, but especially Eva. We don't see enough of her and she is changing so fast. She is a beautiful happy little girl.

Hurrah!

I have been trying to post on here since sometime this morning, so long ago I can't remember when I started and I've now lost a beautiful picture of Eva. 

This is how she felt after an hour with Ellie-understandable. Isn't she gorgeous? She has got such a lovely little smile with beautiful beaming eyes. Not that I'm biased.

One night over Xmas week Neil and I had Ellie and Freddie to stay and I'm still exhausted. Ellie was a doddle - I put her to bed, she cried for 5 minutes and that was that. Freddie on the other hand was a nightmare. He would not go to bed it didn't matter what I tried he just would not sleep. In the end I had to sleep with him cradled in my arm and holding his hand all night. Very uncomfortable but at least he was quiet till 6.30 in the morning. I haven't had a good nights sleep since and it's becoming a problem. So much so that when I couldn't sleep last night and was looking for some paracetamol I found some valium left over from a dentist's appt. and I will be taking that tonight.

I now have enough squares for my blanket and have started joining the squares and the rows.

Unfortunately I have lots of ends to sew in.

As a treat for todays social stitchers I've tried another recipe from this book.

Hazelnut Praline Muffins.

I didn't think they were going to come out okay, the batter was very smooth and runny, but they rose and look lovely. They didn't smell too bad whilst they were cooking either. I'm very tempted to have one but I had a check up at the hospital just before Xmas and I was told to stay away from baked goods such as cakes,biscuits, bread and cereals also fried foods. The last one isn't difficult but when I look at those muffins I'm sooooo tempted. Right now life doesn't seem very fair. Oh for some sleep.

Water Water Everywhere

This was Whittlesey Wash on Boxing Day, the road  has been closed since before Xmas and is clearly not opening any time soon especially since we have had more rain and there is more forecast.

 

You can just make out the white lines under the water.

 

 

 

This view is looking back towards Whittlesey.

 

I hope you all had a great Xmas and managed to spend time with your nearest and dearest. We had a wonderful day and the lunch was cooked to perfection. Although I did forget to cook the red cabbage and make the bread sauce, but hey you can't have everything and how close to perfection can one person be?

 

Ellie enjoyed her lunch, she managed to eat five roast parsnips along with everything else. 

 

She also enjoyed opening her presents and everyone else's. I was incredibly lucky on the present front this year. The most fabulous present was from Neil, a jacket that heats up. It really is something special it's a gorgeous pink colour- unusual for me to like a jacket that colour but it is lovely and oh so warm. 

 

This was Eva after an afternoon and evening with Ellie, I know how she feels! I'm convinced that Eva is going to be the dainty feminine granddaughter where as Ellie will be a one woman demolition team. She is incredibly stubborn, she must get that from her mother's side!

Fingers Crossed

 

My fingers are crossed in the hope that this post actually works. It's the fourth attempt and I am now so fed up with blogger that I'm thinking of giving up and starting a facebook page. Just to annoy me even more while I typed those few sentences a picture has dissappeared. Does it only happen to me?

 

I have finally had to admit this week that christmas is definitely on it's way, in fact it's just around the corner. On Monday I went into town to do the dreaded  christmas shopping, oh it was horrible! I was there waiting for the shops to open and I was home by 12.00pm and I'm not going back. I'm so pleased Neil has booked an Ocado delivery for next week.

 

The picture above is one side of Freddie's stocking, the picture that has vanished was the other side. Below is the stocking I made for Eva.

 

As part of my christmas preperations I've started yet another project, it is an Xmas tree hanging and I'm hoping to have it finished in time for this year.

Here's Ellie having her first sewing lesson. Doesn't she look thoughtful, she sat there for quite a while just watching.

 

I have also started playing around with hexagons. I'm not a huge fan of hand sewing but there are times when it's not possible to be sat at the machine so I thought I'd start working with hexagons and it would be a long term project so no pressure to get it finished. 

 

I have got so many things I want to do during the christmas break but knowing my luck I will be finishing christmas presents. One thing I really must do is work on my Spectrum project.

 

You never know, next time I blog there might have even been some christmas baking. I love homemade mince pies - shop bought ones just don't do it for me.

He's Here

 

 

Baby Freddie arrived at 7.26pm on Friday 26th October and he weighed 7lb 11oz. Nicki had a midwife appointment on Friday morning and she told Nicki that he was only measuring at 36 weeks and was going to be small, just goes to show how wrong they can be.  All the way through the pregnancy the midwife has done nothing but cause undue stress and the health visitor isn't much better.

 

This is Freddie and Eva.

 

All three of them. Two beautiful little girls and one cute little boy, we are so lucky.

 

Steph has asked me to teach her how to make granny squares so I've made a few just to remind myself how to make them. Now I haven't got enough to do anything with so I'm just going to have to keep going until I have got enough for a blanket. It'll be a long term project.

 

Bread pudding for afternoon tea tomorrow at the shop.

In case you want to make it for yourself here's the recipe.

12oz stale bread
2 tbsp flour
4oz melted margarine
2oz caster sugar
6oz sultanas
6oz currants
2 tbsp mixed spice
2 eggs

Oven temperature 150 c

Method
1, Soak bread in warm water for 1/2 an hour
2, Drain bread to remove excess water and mash well
3, Add all the other ingredients and thoroughly mix
4, Place mixture in a 9"x9" tin and cook for 1-1 1/4 hours
5, When cooked sprinkle with caster sugar

I only use sultanas, I can't be bothered with those hard little currants and I sprinkle plenty of caster sugar on top because it seems to disappear. It's very very nice warmed up and served with cream.

Grandad's Complaint

 

Grandad (Neil) wasn't happy with the pictures of Ellie in my last post. He thought she looked a bit boyish, I think he's being a bit picky but just to keep him happy here are some more. The one above was taken in June and doesn't she look angelic, not at all like the little monkey that she is. The one below was taken yesterday afternoon. She is cuddling one of her favourite dogs and you can see mischief in her face. Ellie is a little girl full of expressions and is very capable of making her feelings and thoughts known. 

 

 

This happy little girl is Eva, she is almost four months old now. They paid us a vist a couple of weeks ago, we don't see Eva and mummy and daddy any where near as much as we would like.

 

She has changed a lot over a few months. Eva is a beautiful little girl and we consider ourselves very lucky to have two of them and very soon a grandson.

 

I have been doing a little bit of sewing - not a lot. I've made some progress with my cathedral window cushion, I'm doing the hand sewing bit and have got half the cushion done, there is a reason for this sudden burst. Barbara made one of these cushions last week so I'm trying to get mine finished before she does. Childish I know but it's fun.

This is what my sewing room looks like at the moment. Not pretty is it, life is still very hectic around here, but I'm going to have to do something about it soon or I won't be able to get in the door.

 

This is a pile of rows waiting to be made into a quilt for Ellie. There are eight rows in the pile and I've got another four to make, there are ten blocks per row so that means another forty blocks. I've made three blocks in the last week, so progress is slow.

 

 

I was hoping to get at least one row done this week but some how I don't think it's going to happen.