Friday, 19 January 2024

Friday, 19-01-24

Good morning, peoples!  Welcome to Friday.  Another cold start today but tomorrow is supposed to be a fair bit warmer.  Bring it on!

AFter a lovely chat with Chris, I caught the bus into town and headed straight for John Lewis where I found the same young lady as the day before.  It wasn't totally straightforward and she had to ask her supervisor to come and show her how to do one of the bits of the transaction but it was all done and dusted (groan) eventually.  I have to wait as they didn't have one in local stock so I will hear from somewhere central at some point.  The headboard I wanted was out of stock but could be ordered so that won't come at the same time (probably).  Not a problem - a headboard is not integral to a good night's sleep and if the order in cancelled, we have other bed places locally anyway.

On the way back, I popped into The Range to get a bird feeder and some sunflower seeds.

I had decided that while it was winter, it would be an idea to hang some bird food containers on the hanging basket hooks on the garden room exterior so I got this last week.
I've not seen much interest although I've not been looking that much.
However, I glanced out on Tuesday and it was smothered in long tailed tits - I'm not great with birds but I assume that is what they are - although in the time it took to get my camera, most of them had flown off.  The movement might have scared them.
Anyway, that's why I got another feeder with sunflower seeds which is now on the hook the other side of the garden mirror.
There's another hook the other side of the bifold door and I might put another one there - those of you who know - would peanuts be a good idea?

After looking around for a tiny hat pattern that was also free (and failing rather - but I didn't try Ravelry and will, today) - I noticed that in photos, some of the hats were so tiny they were put on apples for photographic purposes so I grabbed a set of in-the-round needles (dpns?)  and off I went.  A basic pull on hat is not hard, after all.  I should finish it later on today.  However, I will look on Ravelry because one pattern I saw had a slit in the top - for an electrode wire, I think.
I could get in touch with the baby unit, I suppose but that means bothering a very busy and important part of the hospital.

Today I am off to Slimming World, then popping into Morrisons to get a few necessary bits and bobs and then it's the usual plus finishing off the ironing and making more!
Just a normal day, in fact.
When it is warmer, I need to spend some time in the garden but for not it will have to stay a bit messy.  Wimps of the World units!!
xx

29 comments:

  1. Yes, long tailed tits, aren't they beautiful? My sister calls them the flash mob - because they fly in en masse, flit around briefly and then fly off again just as quickly. Another wimp here - I'm itching to get out in the garden and start pruning and weeding, but it's just too cold for me right now. Are you weighing in today? I can't remember, sorry - good luck anyway. xx

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    1. That's exactly what happened - an absolute mob one moment and just those tw the next. They're lovely little things.
      No, not today. Maybe next week but it's not looking brilliant at the moment. xx

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  2. Your bird feeder bracket is very pretty. I'm sure the birds would appreciate peanuts, but do you have squirrels? They like bird food, too! x x x

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    1. Surprisingly, no. I'm very close to the countryside here but it is open rather than wooded. Maybe that's why. xx

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  3. Good Morning Joy, if you google 'baby hats for hospitals ' it will come up with several patterns for you. The bird feeders look lovely, I bet the birds are appreciating the food this cold weather. We had a surprise covering of snow last night xx

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    1. I'll do0 that, Hazel - thank you.
      Brrr - but I bet it looks lovely. xx

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  4. You've reminded me to stock up on seed and fat balls. We're running short and the birds definitely need all the help they can get at this time of year

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    1. Yes, they do - it is so gold and everything is frozen hard. xx

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  5. Our garden is so messy but today we have had heavy rain onto heavy frost and the paved areas are like glass. There have been lots of warnings on the local FB page about falls on the pavements so I will have a stay inside kind of day. Catriona

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    1. That really does sound very dangerous and you're wise not to take risks. I wouldn't either. xx

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  6. Those birds - so lovely to see.
    Well done for your teeny tiny hat making - they will be much appreciated x
    Alison in Wales x

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    1. I hope so. I'm sure they won't be wasted anyway. xx

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  7. Hubby has been making sure there is enough food out for the birds as well as suet for all the Woodpeckers and Flickers. I agree, the peanuts just might attract those acrobats the squirrels.

    God bless.

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    1. They didn't have peanuts so I got some mixed seeds instead. Not that they are showing much interest at the moment which is a shame. Fingers crossed word gets around. xx

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  8. We don't seem to have any birds that eat sunflower seeds, it's the one feeder that stays almost full at all times. We do have lots of eaters of peanuts, fat balls, half coconut fat holders and mixed seeds though. We also don't seem to have any that like the peanut butter feeder that I bought recently. I've also been going out and thawing their water first thing every morning, and crumbling up a slice of very toasted bread for the couple of fat pigeons that visit. The birds are eating better then me!!

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    1. Ah - oh, well, time will tell. I'd rather not encourage the pigeons, not that they need that much encouragement and I guess they need help in this cold weather just as much as the smaller birds. xx

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    2. There's only two of them that come regularly, proper fat and recognisable ones so I don't mind. If they tell all their friends I'll have to stop, but it's just been the pair for the last two years. They do get stroppy if there's nothing for them though, they march up and down on top of the fence or come and look through my door.

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    3. LOL - they are bossy things, for sure. I had a pair that did things on my fence that would get me arrested but I haven't seen them for a while now.
      xx

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  9. Last time I put out peanuts they went mouldy with all the wet weather so I stopped buying them. Dried meal worms are popular here and a suet block which is what 'my' long tails were on on my photos the other day.

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    1. I believe robins like mealworms, don't they? The fat balls in the feeder are suet, I believe. xx

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  10. loved seeing the birds, we don't have that species here in Canada. Raverly is a good source for knitting patterns. Have a good Friday.

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    1. Thanks, Gill. You do have your own wonderful native birds, don't you? xx

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  11. Lovely to see the long tailed tits we have them in Ingatestone occasionally. I use https://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.com/2017/06/micro-preemie-baby-hats.html?m=1 for preemie knitting this link is Micro hats if that helps. Nearly all her patterns are free which is amazing.
    Looking forward to the milder Essex weather!

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    1. I found them but I think they are double knitting and I was looking for 4 ply. I've done more looking and have found some nice ones for four ply. Thanks to everyone for the advice. xx

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    2. Yes, me too - I've just been out to the freezer (Sat morning) and there's no frost which is good. xx

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    3. Sorry for the three replies!! I've looked up the blog you recommend and those patterns are so lovely. I can't see where to 'follow' which is a shame - I'll just have to remember. :-) xx

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  12. How lovely to have the birds visit. I think it takes them a couple of days to find the food, but now they have you should have lots of visits.

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    1. It's gone a bit quiet but I don't look that often - maybe they come when I am not by the window. xx

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  13. I'm sure that once the message gets along the bird communication wire about a new feeding spot, you will have more birds visiting your feeders. The long tailed tits are lovely.

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