Wednesday 15 April 2020

Wednesday

Good morning.
I am ashamed to admit that yesterday morning I had a slump.  I dived into the peanut butter jar, I didn't go to the allotment and I slept the morning away.  I was so grumpy it's just as well I live alone.
In my defence, I'd had a rotten night's sleep, wide awake from just after one o'clock, and maybe things were getting to me.
However, I did do an hour of algebra and it all made sense.  I'm on the very last section now.

I woke from a good sleep in my recliner to find two things.  Firstly, the veg box had arrived.


It's not organic or anything like that, but the quality is good and there was loads.  I sorted out half and took it over to Beth, offloaded some carrots onto neighbour Chris and I am now well set up for at least the next week apart from broccoli (I gave that to Beth).  It wasn't cheap (well, it wouldn't be) and I could do better hand picking from Morrisons, but I wanted to get onto their 'list' in case it's needed again and I am sure I will use them again.

Secondly, we were in the middle of a power cut.  It came back quickly enough but then went twice more, just for short intervals.  Maybe 'they' were doing some work locally.

I felt a lot better after the sleep and the trip over to Beth's with the veg.  When I arrived there was a wee box on the mat and when I opened it, I thought of a familiar fairy tale.
Once upon a time there were three tomato plants - a daddy tomato plant, a mummy tomato plant and a baby tomato plant . . .

See what I mean?  

They're now in pots on the window ledge and they've all survived the night so fingers crossed.  I was in a bit of a grump with the company that thought it a good idea to post live plants just before a long holiday weekend but there you go - at least I should have some tomatoes this year.
So my strawberries arrived, some of my tomatoes arrived and now I am just waiting for the last part of my order.  That shouldn't be for a week or so yet.

I spent the afternoon trying to sort out the side seams for the dress.  I changed the needle as Viv advised in her comment yesterday and dug out some paper and the seam (I just did one in case) is better but there's still a bit of puckering.  I think what I need is a little weight down the bottom in the hem each side.  I know they are a thing because the queen has her skirts weighted so need to do a little search.  Maybe I'm being fussy but there you are!

I also made a delicious soup (cooking always cheers me up) and watched a programme of a performance of Holst's The Planets, with Professor Brian Cox talking about each planet between the movements.  It was really interesting.

And last night I slept really well, coming round at well after six.  Phew.

So today I have plans but it is nor the end of the world if things change.

Something energetic:
Personal Training has been deferred until Friday, but I am definitely allotmentating this morning.  I'd ordered some slow release plant food pellets and they arrived yesterday so I can take them with me and scatter some in the trenches I will dig for the potatoes.
The cat-proof (fingers crossed) ground cover is due to arrive in the next three or four days.

Something for house/garden:
After following a tip, I have contacted a local garden centre and they do deliveries of bags of potting stuff.  Yes, it costs for delivery, but nothing outrageous, so I have ordered three 50l bags which will be plenty for all my tomatoes, baby plants, etc, and leave some for emergencies, especially when mixed with good stuff from the garden compost bin - and today I might get some of the compost stuff out from the bottom of the bin and spread it around the strawberries.

Something social:
Today's a good day for that.  I'm having a vid-chat with Beth this afternoon and at five it's our SW meeting via Zoom.  I'd never heard of Zoom before this but suddenly everyone is using it.

Something creative:
I must see if I can find some skirt hem weights (I wonder what their proper name is) and get on with t'other side seam before tackling the sleeves.  Wish me luck.

Something entertaining:
It has to be Jane Eyre today or I will lost the opportunity.
And I'm hoping to finish the algebra course today, come hell or high water!

So a busy day but maybe that's what I need.  Maybe having an 'easy' weekend doesn't suit me.  Fingers crossed.
Have a good one yourself, whatever your plans.  xx

17 comments:

  1. A Creative Comment: I used to sew quite a lot (now it's more knitting) and had problems with the side seams and wonky hems, especially with bias skirts and flimsy fabrics. After sewing the side seams I clipped lots of clothes pegs all around the hem (I didn't know about dress weights then) and left the skirt hanging for a few days before finishing. This used to help, but often I was too keen to have a new dress for an outing, hoping for dimmed lights ;).
    Good luck, Lena

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    1. Oh, that's really helpful, thanks, Lena. I'm in no hurry so I'll give that a go.
      xx

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  2. I hope baby tomato survives - it looks a bid sad!
    Enjoy todays sunshine

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    1. It does, doesn't it. It still looks miserable but has a fresh shoot at the top so my fingers are crossed.
      It felt pretty warm down the allotment.
      xx

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  3. Good luck with the oompost, all our local garden centres and nurseries, and there are plenty, have stopped taking orders as they are overwhelmed and can't keep up with deliveries! I've got an order out for annuals for pots and hanging baskets but don't know whether I get them as no acknowledgement and of course, no compost!! Just have to keep trying and hope!
    That veg box looks really good! Did you chose what you wanted or do they just deliver what's available?

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    1. They've accepted my order so here's hoping. I have to admit, I'm eyeing up the compost bin with a lot more interest than ever before!
      With the box, you can have the pre-selected one or you can choose individual items - or both. It seems very flexible. Ditto with fruit and salad boxes. I've decided to try the salad box with some added single item fruit to make up the minimum spend. Fingers crossed.
      xx

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  4. Hope you feeling brighter today. Sounds like you have one of those difficult fabrics - often when sewing two seams that are cut on a very straight grain ie running with the selvedge, or one where on piece is on a slightly different grain you can get unavoidable puckering. With bridal wear you try and go for as few seams as possible to avoid this - so a centre back would always be cut to the fold so you had no unsightly seaming. Sometimes playing with the tension and stitch length can help as can doing a very long but not very wide zig zag so it looks more like a wonky stitch but can help with the puckering.
    Have fun today. x

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    1. I'm feeling very much brighter, thank you.
      I'll play around with the other seam and see. I said I wanted a challenge, didn't I? :-) Thanks for the advice.
      xx

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  5. I think I will have to miss Jane Eyre this time. I need something upbeat so may watch another André Rieu offering or look for another musical.

    Good luck with the sewing!

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    1. Thanks, Eileen. I'll let you know if I get it watched - there seems to be so much on offer right now.
      Have a lovely day.
      xx

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  6. Aww ... that poor little baby tomato plant. I hope it survives, the other two should but that little one is so sad :-(

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    1. Isn't it? I thought it might be OK but it's not gaining ground today, sadly.
      I may well pop in a complaint - they weren't cheap.
      xx

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  7. Good luck, hope you find hem weights for your wonky seams...if not I'm sure curtain weights would do, there are little tiny ones in a fabric 'sausage' for in the hem of sheer or lace curtains.

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    1. I was wondering about that, Margaret. The only ones I have (salvaged from old curtains) are rather large but it's good to know that you can get smaller ones. I'll take a look online and see what's available. Much appreciated.
      xx

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  8. The little tomato plants that I grew from seeds from one of my tomatoes are coming along fine. They have just put out some true leaves. I sowed them onto a pad of wet paper towel on a saucer and covered them with cling film until they sprouted. I have nine tiny plants now. Hopefully they will give me plenty of tomatoes to share with my neighbours.

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    1. That's great. Good for you and for them too. There's something about little plants that's so very heartwarming, isn't there. They lift the spirits.
      I'm looking forward to sharing with neighbours as well.
      xx

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  9. I hope you are successful with the tomato plants. I noticed mine were just beginning to sprout as of yesterday, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Well done on sourcing some compost. X

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