Reflecting on my week #101

Sometimes it’s the little things, isn’t it? When someone notices, when they say thanks, when their actions give you that warm fuzzy feeling. That happened today, and was accompanied by this card and a box of chocolates too. And it couldn’t have been more timely, or infact unexpected, but nonetheless welcomed.

More than ever I feel these updates are about how busy I am, how much more there is to do and how I’m not doing everything I set out to do. They’re not fun to write, let alone read, but they are real life. This past week though there’s been an impromptu pub session with a good old chinwag, some pizza and quite a lot of red wine, and very good it was too.

Usually Friday evenings are my digital detox night. This week that stretched through most of Saturday too. With a couple of rugby games to watch out came my crochet, to make some more progress on the shell border. I got there in the end, but there was a few false starts and some unraveling along the way.

There’s still more to do, including a border of squares (which the patten currently has me stumped at) and then some more rounds to finish, so it’ll be a while yet. It’s coming along nicely, and once I’ve cracked the next set of squares, I’m hoping there’ll be no stopping me.

As the temperatures are dropping, i’ve already got my next project lined up. Not being much of one for coats, it’s a snuggly poncho, though i might adapt a pattern, if I’m feeling brave. It’s worked in a single piece, so the bonus is that it’ll keep me warm as I go as well as it’s intended use.

This weekend just gone we were out for lunch celebrating my MILs birthday. The Sunday lunch was good, so was the company, but it was just a little bit loud. Which makes me feel about 105, but being able to have a conversation across a table of five would have been handy. Though I’ll admit at times being cocooned in my own world has its appeal too.

Another short update from me, but at least there’s an update. Of sorts.

I’ve a day off on Friday and already the list of things I want to tackle will take me into the middle of next week, and that’s before I realised I’m seriously behind with my Christmas shopping (sorry to mention the C-word). And before you say I’m not, I am. This year our family Christmas is on 30 November, a date when usually I’m just starting my shopping.

Wish me luck. Or worry for the presents my family are likely to receive…

Reflecting on my week #100

Writing here has taken a bit of a backseat lately, as I’m sure you’ve spotted, but I’ve realised with the help of the quote below that we all need a bit of an outlet. Here, and crafts - currently crochet - are my thing, and birth have been relatively quiet of late. In fact a photo I’d submitted for a World Mental Health Day exhibition last year, was the prompt. I’d missed the exhibition last year, but the photos were used again this year, and so I got to see it, finally.

The irony of my own advice and of my current ‘busyness’ which hurtled past overwhelm a little while back, isn’t lost on me!

And so with a weekend free of commitments, that’s just what I did. The weather too played its part, as who wanted to venture out unless it was essential, definitely not me. Though we did pop to Majestic for a bit of a wine shop, definitely essentials!

As well as a busy working week, we’ve had some busy weekends. There’s been a medieval banquet near Coventry, a work conference in Birmingham - both within a few days of each other, but which required a trip back to London in between, but hey ho. Both were good, and while up that way we stopped off for a visit at Kenilworth Castle, a truly fascinating place. Castle ruins for MOH to look around, and a garden for me - and there was plenty still out too, so more to see than I’d expected.

If you’re not convinced by crafting to create some headspace, for me it definitely works. And this quote was something I needed to see.

Combined with my word for the year, which has been nagging at me lately - it’s focus! - I’ve had a quiet weekend with my crochet, and with MOH of course! The grey squares from the last post in this series have been sewn together, or 9 of them at least and I’m on my third round of the shell border. Though I had to unravel most of the shells and start again, as I’d messed up.

Normally I’d debate with myself if I could continue, but this weekend the unraveling helped too. I’m back to where I was before it all started and this time, at least, it was good to keep my creativity in line with the actual pattern.

I wish there was something more momentous for this ‘milestone’ post, but there isn’t.

There’s plenty more busyness ahead I’m sure. But I’m also hoping to spend some more-time-than-lately here, and with my crochet too.

So, time out taken, let ‘normal’ life resume.

Reflecting on my week #99

My work week has continued to be busy, and longer than in probably should be, but as it’s the first week of term I think that’s ok and hopefully things will start to calm down. More than usual I was looking forward to a weekend with some time to do what I liked as MOH was working again. I considered heading off to see Downton at the pictures, which felt quite decadent. Then I saw the weather and sitting in a darkened room didn’t seem right. However good the film might be.

In the end though plans changed and it was just as well I’d already dismissed the pictures idea. The weekend was far more chilled than we originally thought and for the first time in a while, out came my crochet. It’s been a while, and I’m not sure if I’ve shared it here. But it’s the project that’s travelled far and wide. To Birmingham, to Liverpool and even to Portugal, and not once did it see the light of day!

I made up for it this weekend though and the central square, made up of nine squares is ready to be assembled. I’ve used a variegated grey and white yarn which starts from white to the darkest grey, so I think it’ll look great. It’ll be a square throw for our sofas, one that we can throw over the arm and act as a kind of arm protector too.

Once the centre square is together, the next section is a series of shell borders. Then more squares, I think, but I’ll worry about that bit when I get to that. I’ve a few crochet projects on the go, and this one is my go to project right now. It’s simple with no colour changes, other than those that the yarn determines.

Simple for my full up brain, just what it needs right now!

The weekend was also one for being domesticated, and it’s been a while. Chores were done, and stock was made from the remains of the roast chicken from Saturday’s tea. It was the ultimate in multi-tasking, I was watching the rugby meanwhile the stock, and then soup was doing it thing. Tasty, wholesome and very good value. The small £5 chicken from the butchers has provided a roast dinner for two, four servings of soup, which was generously packed with chicken and veg - and the leftover roast potatoes, and there’s still chicken left for lunch one day.

With time and inclination, it’s amazing what you can do. During the soup stage i popped into the garden for some herbs, and was met with the “crime scene” below. Which made me jump more than it really should have.

I’ve no idea where it came from, or actually if it’s still there. Did the foxes bring it in? Did our neighbour’s children throw it over? Though if they did we should sign them up for the field events, because they’re naturals. Is it missed? Am I holding it hostage, without realising? But how do I return it, and to where.

It looks so peaceful too, and quite comfy, well for a soft toy.

Who knew the dilemma an unexplained soft toy in the garden would bring. What would you do?!