Saturday

 Today's garden happy - the mint.  It was definitely the right way to go, wasn't it?

Good morning, everyone.  Boring as it is starting to sound, after a gloriously summery day yesterday, it looks as if today is going the same way.
A good sheet drying day which is great because that's one of the first things on today's agenda!

This week has been a pretty quiet week and yesterday was no exception.

First on the list was Slimming World.  I had a good loss (cheers) and the whole thing was great fun.  Lots of helpful hints and lots of laughter.  With my new hearing aids, I really can hear much more of what people say which is lovely.  It means I can participate much more.

Then I came home and got the household stuff done - tidying, washing, cleaning round the kitchen (I do that anyway, cleaner day or no cleaner day!) - before settling down to crochet again.  

It was a row of 3D granny squares and I really like this - it was fiddly but not hard.  The joining to the cable section was harder and I tried several different ways before deciding on how I want it.  As a result, the first two are joined in different ways to the rest but, dear me, life has its little imperfections, doesn't it.  😇

Today's challenge is a row of Tunisian crochet.  I've heard of it but never actually done it - I gather it is a cross between crochet and knitting where you hold multiple stitches on your hook one way and crochet them off the other way.
Real Tunisian crochet hooks are long and can have bendy cables on the end.  The squares on the quilt are just seven stitches wide so can be done on an ordinary hook.  

Apart from the washing and ironing mentioned above, the other thing in the diary is that a couple of friends are coming over for dinner.  I have it all planned so prepping won't take long, but it's going to be lovely, I am sure.

I'd better got going - I've had a comparatively late start today so mustn't be too lazy.  Have a really lovely day and stay safe.  xx

Friday

 Today's garden happies - the peppers.  I took this yesterday but I noticed this morning while watering that one of them is finally changing colour.  Actually, you can just see it in this photo too.

Good morning, everyone.  It's quite cool outside this morning but it looks as if it's going to be another really pleasant day.  Apart from the lack of rain, it's been a delightful week for weather.  Not too hot, not too humid most of the time.  Beautiful.  What a change from August last year!

The blanket is coming on.  I spent most of yesterday on it, in between chores or various kinds and got the cable part finished.
This is the stitch.

And this is how it is going.

I keep spotting mistakes-  which is why I'm making a practise one, of course!  Also, it's nice to work on a few more advanced stitches.
Yes, there are a lot of ends and I am sewing them in as I go along.  At least I don't have to cut any marker threads!
Today's challenge is some fancy, 3D granny squares.  The squares themselves look fiddly but straightforward but the joining doesn't.  I'm not quite sure I like this joining technique (the project teaches three different styles) but I'll give it a go and see what the effect is.

The chat with Chris was, as always, lovely.  It'll soon be time for another lunch out, we think.

The hip's feeling much more stable (good word, that, better than 'safer'.).  The advice to keep moving (mindfully!) was good - thank you.

Today starts with Slimming World and, after last week's less than helpful gain, my fingers are crossed).

Then I have another day at home to do more homey stuff.  There's a small pile of ironing to do, a load of whites to wash, etc, and a house to tidy for the cleaners (it's really not so bad, so won't take very long at all.

I'm hoping to have a movie night this evening.  I've ordered the new Fantastic Beasts and it should be coming today, fingers crossed.

So that's my life today.  Not very exciting but very satisfying, I hope.
How about you - what do you have planned for today?  xx

Thursday

 Today's garden happy - those tomatoes are coming thick and fast now.  Thank goodness I really love tomatoes.  One of the not-Sungold plants has blossom end rot though, which is a pain.  They're not close to ripening yet so - well, we will see.

Morning, everyone.  Yet another bright, sunny start to the day with not a glimmer of a hint of rain.  A good, hefty downpour, specifically overnight, would be fabulous but there you go!  South of London has imposed a hosepipe ban and I can't see it being long before Essex does too.  Thank goodness for good, old fashioned watering cans - two of them, one to pour while the other fills.

Yesterday was a funny old day.

As I mentioned, I got on with that blanket project for a fair old time but really hit the wall with one of the patterns - for any who know this design, it was the crochet cable section.  Could I get it right? No!!   After undoing it ten plus times, I fired off a 'help' email to Diana (the pattern creator who I met at the yarn festival) and, within a couple of hours, she had replied, offering to do a little video thing but it couldn't be until next week as she had a commission to finish.  Wasn't that lovely of her.  However, in the meanwhile, I had gritted my teeth, reread the pattern VERY carefully yet again (I hate being beaten by a pattern!) and realised where I was going wrong.  She said the first two rows are, undoubtedly, tricky, but after that it is easy to see the pattern.  And it is.  Phew, that's another new stitch learned.
(she also said thank you for mentioning her in my blog which was nice of her 😃 - one of you will know why she knew!)

When Lindsey came, I went bonkers and had her cut my hair much shorter.  Good for the hotter weather but it needs to settle into its new style and when I woke this morning, it looked like a street urchin's mop.  I hope I won't regret this!

And then I was ready to go to Lindsey's for training.  Bent down awkwardly to pick up mat, towel, water bottle and bag and my hip 'popped' - that's the only way to describe it - as if it had come out and gone back in again.  It didn't hurt but it felt really odd and I turned all woozy and giddy.  So no training - I could walk on it but it didn't feel 'safe'.  She had given me a time for today instead but I've cancelled that and she's sent over a few of her video clips to use, if I would like to.  So nice of her - people,. generally, are so lovely, aren't they?
Now - do I look up 'popping hip' on Google and, probably, scare myself silly, or do I just wait and see what happens (and be sensible and take things easy)?  I suspect the latter is more my way!
Honestly, it feels loads better this morning, it's really just a muscle ache and a slight feeling of 'unsafeness'.

So - funny old day, one way and another.

Today starts off with my coffee and chat with Chris.  She and Steve have to go out later so I'm going over at nine - I know that sounds early but  we are both early birds so it's no big deal.

The rest of the day is my own so it will be the usual stuff.  I have a load of colourds so the washing machine will earn its keep today, as will the outside line.  I have a menu to plan for Saturday (friends over) and a crochet project to work my way through - although I do think the cable section is the very hardest. 
Oh, I forgot to say - I've ordered the sunshine and flowers yarn pack so when I have finished the practise blanket (which I will probably either pop into the Sally Army collection point or donate in some other way - every baby deserves a nice, warm blanket, after all) before starting on the one I intend as a gift.  I'll have made all my mistakes on the first one, hopefully!

I seem to have rambled on (again)!  Have a super day, everyone; be happy and safe.  xx

Wednesday

 Today's garden happy - the geranium.  I know it doesn't look anything special but this was glorious through June and then, with the very hot weather, it pretty much curled up and died - all the leaves turned brown.  I cut it right back almost to the soil, mainly because I couldn't bear looking at it, and look - fresh leafage.  Now I am wondering if I will get some more flowers too.  Fingers crossed.

Morning, everyone.  Sorry this is late - I'm afraid I got stuck into the crochet and ten minutes later two hours had passed!!
It's warm again today but there's a breeze and it's quite dull.  Yesterday did indeed got to almost 30C in the shade, despite only intermittent sunshine, and it was pretty humid too.

Lindsey is holding all her hall based classes in her own studio during August with an online 'presence' for those who have to stay home (e.g. looking after the children).  I went over to hers which is further than to the usual hall and forgot to leave more time so I was almost late - not usual for me.
There were five of us there which was a nice number.

When I got home I pottered really, doing the housework and then settling down to get on with that blanket.  It's growing quite quickly but the stitches are getting harder and I am finding that I need to undo once or twice before I catch on to what is required.
This is not a pattern for a beginner!

Today, the lovely Sharon is coming to sort out my hair and then I'm off to Lindsey's for personal training.  The rest is home time so that means the usual - a bit of gardening, a bit of housework and, probably, a lot of crafting!

Have a great day, one and all.  Stay safe and well.  xx  

Tuesday

Good morning, everyone.  Yesterday was pretty warm and today is supposed to be warmer, maybe touching 30C (warm for us in the UK!).  Thankfully, I don't have loads planned today.

Apart from the tomatoes and the corn, everything is looking a bit sad in the garden.  A lot of the flowers really suffered during the more extreme heat and are slow to recover, despite watering.  The cucumber was particularly badly hit and, after last week's over abundance, there's one ready to pick and all the babies have fallen off.  Very sad.  The courgette seems to be picking up a bit though and the new mint is flourishing.

All that is a way of saying no garden photos today.  However, I do have this one.

Having played around with some of the stitches for the blanket pattern, I decided the best thing was to do a trial run, just using colours from my stash (so they are not the ones I would choose, necessarily).
The first, the shell stitch, was easy enough, as were the granny squares, although I picked up a number of tips for improving my rather feeble crochet technique.  The stitch above is easy but new to me.  As the pattern said, you soon get into a flow with that stitch and it is easier to follow than it sounds.
I've also sewn in all the ends thus far - all those changed of colour make for an awful lot of lose ends!

I did my weekly shop yesterday and have already discovered somethin that I am short of - rinse aid.  Most annoying but I will walk around to Morrisons at some point to get some more.
I went to Aldi first and then walked over to M&S to get fruit, veg and anything Aldi didn't have (like risotto rice, for example.   I'm running out of a number of items at the same time so it wasn't the cheapest shop, sadly, but there you go!  Start of the month, new budget!

The other main thing I did yesterday was to go to circuits which was, as always, good.  There were just four of us yesterday

On to today and a pretty much stay-at-home day.  It starts with Groove and then I'm home.  There's a list of chores - all the usual stuff and I must check and see if I have enough washing to make a decent load.  There's bits and bobs to sort out and I want to plan my 'menu' for Saturday when Julia and Harry are coming round for supper.  I have started a batch of savoury mince in the slow cooker so maybe the main will feature that in some way.  I will have a good thunk.  :-)

So that is today.  All the normal, pleasant stuff.  What are your plans for this second day of August?  xx

Monday

 Today's garden happy - nearly ready to pull off.  I've had a little peek and the kernels just need to plump up a wee bit.  Maybe by Wednesday or Thursday . . .

Thank you for all your lovely comments about the yarn, etc, yesterday.  I think I have answered them all and have checked Spam.

Eileen, the lady who created the blanket has a YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/c/thecrochetchain
and a site where you can buy the book that has the pattern and tuition for the different stitches (worth getting, I think) here
https://www.thecrochetchain.co.uk/

Yesterday was devoted  to chilling and trying out a few things.
I learnt a new to me stitch on Saturday on the Yarn Mixology stall . . .
(here's the link to the site - https://www.yarnmixology.co.uk/ )
. . . a three dimensional, two colour honeycomb stitch which was quite easy once I sussed where I was going wrong.

This is the stitch (which looked gorgeous with a bobble - what they call their yarn cakes - of ombre colour and a plain yarn to make a shawl that was on their stall) . . .

And this is what I ended up making (for a purpose, not just because).  It's pretty much a first size little jacket, maybe around one of two months, and I just used a bit of my stash and my experience.  :-).  I just have to get buttons but can't sew them on because I don't know which side to put them yet.

I must write down the pattern!

Then I carried on trying out the crochet stitches for the blanket.
The earlier ones are easy enough but they gat harder and some can only be done in situ.  I went through my stash, chose some colours and started making one, not the final one as the colours are not really that right, but it will give me experience and a finished blanket that I can donate somewhere.
I expect that there will be plenty of undoing and retrying!

Today, things are back to normal.  I want to pop over to M&S/Aldi for some supplies.  Later on, it is circuits and, perhaps, a swim although I expect I will want to get back to carry on crocheting.

While I work, I have started watching all the QI programmes right from the start on iPlayer.  Most enjoyable.  I'm looking forward to my daily dose!

Well, better shut up and carry on with life, I suppose.
Have a wonderful first day of August and stay safe and well.  xx

Sunday

No garden photos today - I didn't take any yesterday.

Morning, everyone.  I think it's going to be a bit of a funny old day today - bit of sun, bit of cloud. some wind and, possibly, some rain.  At the moment 8it's cloudy and looks very much as if there's rain up there but we will see.

I had a lovely time yesterday.  I am sure wandering around countless stalls in a secondary school, gazing at hanks of yarn, unspun wool, ball bowls, etc, is not everyone's cuppa but it certainly is mine!

The car, with J, K and N turned up at quarter to nine and off we set, getting there about 10:15.  K drove off to do his own thing and we ladies started looking around.

I won't go into details - there were lots of stalls like this . . .

. . . although the photo really doesn't do the colours justice.  They shone.  Coloured yarns and fabrics sing to me which might sound really silly but . . .

Lots of natural fibres of various kinds, so many hand washy mixtures which I won't go for as I know I can't be bothered to hand wash and some were 'carefully wash on a cook setting' which is better. 

It's been three years since the last one which was run by Fibre East.  It wasn't as big this time, not were there the variety of non-yarn stalls (by that I mean stalls that sold a wide range of knitting needles, crochet hooks, winders, weaving gadgets, knitting patterns, etc) and, frankly, the catering arrangements were a disgrace.  Queueing for three quarters of an hour for a coffee and a snack is not my idea of efficient.

However, there was plenty to see, touch, enjoy and I managed to get together a fair old stash.

From left to right, along the top there's two pieces of felted wool which I though I could embroider over and make into cards.  Next to that is a little gift for a cat crazy daughter!  And then I fell for this sock pattern.  I have a basic pattern which is fine but this one was nice.  (I meant to get a sock blocker but forgot!)

Then back to the left side again, I fell good and hard for this project.  She had a made up blanket and it was so lovely.  Also, it showcases stitches I don't know so I will be learning while I make.  I've already started practising some of the stitches before I delve into my shamefully large stash of yarn to see what colours would work.

Then there's a couple of - er - it's hard to describe really.  The effect is ombre and there are four strands (knits up a 4 ply).   For example, one of them starts with one strand of lilac and three of blue.  Then, after a while one of the blues changed to lilac so there's two blue and lilac, then three blue and one lilac, and so on.  I have a few ideas about what to make but I'm not sure yet.  We will see.

The next two hanks are for me to make a couple of baby things while the last two on the right are for socks.

Both J and I fell asleep on the way back, we were so tired!  I'm still feeling weary so I'm going to have a very easy day today, enjoying learning some new stitches while I watch goodness knows what on the telly.
Have a good day, everyone.  xx