Making it up as I go along

Sometimes it feels like all I do is moan about one thing or another, and over the past couple of weeks I seam to have had reason to moan - but probably took it to the extreme, so today is a calm Sunday. 

Well, t would have been calm, but first thing this morning I had to dash out to a muddy field to rescue Baby Fig from her flooded tent after she had been woken by a torrential cloud burst at the aptly named 'cloud spotters micro festival' - I don't know, teenagers these days have no stamina or sense of adventure! 

Last week I went to our local wool shops first birthday party, and was inspired by the speaker Veronica Shaw who writes patterns for Let's Knit Magazine to just get on with my knitting, make stuff up as I go along, mix colours and textures and basically stop pontificating over everything I do! So to this end I have been crocheting a new blanket of blues from my huge basket of double knitting 'odd balls that need using up'

I did however get a little distracted mid week after discovering King Coles new sequined yarn - I am not a sequin type person at all so I am not really sure quite why I fell for this yarn, but cautiously invested in just one ball and am now working it into a frilly edged scarf I designed myself.

Not a brilliant photo - but the whole of the Ribble Valley is currently sitting under a very grey cloud!

It is now just over 12 months since I worked for the Department of Work and Pensions. The department I worked for was the Child Support Agency. In the 6 years I worked for them I learned more about bitterness and suffering than I ever imagined was out there on our small island. I think I had been rather nieive about life! I saw a side to people I would be more than happy never to witness again, both within the workplace management, myself and the customers.  It left me wondering just how disproportionate my view of humanity was compared to reality, and it also left me feeling distrustful and suspicious - almost paranoid! I am however working very hard on seeing the country and it's people with a more balanced view, but also trying to look at myself and my part in the grand scheme of things - I am by no stretch of the imagination a model citizen - how boring would that be! but I am trying my best and have been looking at the SLOW MOVEMENT - I am not signing up to anything, joining anything or telling anyone else to - but I like the ethos behind it, it's new old fashioned ways - the sense of appreciation of your own toils and those of others. Life is too short for all the stress and worry we create for ourselves. I don't suppose I will stop moaning about things, people, situations - but I am determined to to make an effort not to let the same things wind me up like they have in the past.

So - here is a 'big up' to life, lessons and living - next time I am about to have a rant, I will count to 10, look at it from all angles, fight the fights that need fighting and take the most from small pleasures in life like a sparkly sequinned scarf - and spot happiness in everything around me. 

Finally, a moment captured last Friday at Warrington Walking Day - My Grandma who is 96, attending her 96th walking day - She loves everything about it, especially when the pipe bands play as they pass us all standing in the same spot we have stood in for over 100 years!

 Grandma with a bag she asked me to crochet for carrying her handkerchief!

 Sis-in-law Elpetha with her youngest Daughter Gracie

 Our now dwindling group of family and friends in the usual spot!

 My baby brother on the right and uncle on the left

 Gracie running out to give her Daddy his walking day money

 My wonderful mum giving her Brother his walking day money

Friend of the family who walk every year

Dogs and Cats and Chicks and stuff!

As the (reportedly) most spectacular spring since 1976 unfurls before our eyes, I decided that getting up early and walking the dog would set me up for a better day, you know, fresh air, bird song, flowers, exercises etc - so this morning I set off with my trusty terrier through the field, up the country lane to the main road where the paper shop is. We have two 9 month old 'kittens' Bodkin and Stitch. Stitch has recently started to follow us on walks, and the little sod pot followed the dog and I, no matter what I did to put him off, so when we got to the main road and he shot across it and back almost causing a crash I decided not to bother with the paper shop, and we set off back. We must have looked quite comical to other dog walkers, me, 1 black and white dog and 1 black and white cat to match.


When will Easter get here? - I know I know, it is the weekend after next (I think?) but like all the other yearly events hijacked by the shops, it seams like it has been Easter for weeks now.
Baby Fig in her infinite thriftiness discovered a shop in London that goes that one step beyond poundland - a 99p shop! - she bought a box of these chicks, Easter Geek chicks! brilliant.



and now - some finished projects!!!!!

My luxurious kid mohair scarf wot I designed myself is now finally finished - Mr Fig said it had an 'ethereal quality' - I am just very chuffed!

And below is another - yes, I said ANOTHER finished project, a lovely ballet style wrap for my littlest niece for Easter - She can't eat dairy products, so no Easter eggs, and refuses to wear anything but pink - I hope this fits all her requirements!

Not sure if you can see this - tiny little charm on the sleeve that just says 'made with love' which it definitely is.

so - time is ticking now, only another week to finish knitting egg cosies, bunnies, chicks, making simnel cakes, roasting lamb and loosing an hours sleep. Easter keeps me busier now than when baby fig really was a baby!