Sunny Last Day in September

Brings a lovely sunny day!

Bright and fresh and perfect for going for a walk.

Things I am thankful for...

The lovely dahlia's growing in my garden. I don't usually like to cut flowers from the garden, but we have so many that I thought it would be nice to bring some in.

Yes it is wonky, I must have been leaning strangely! But isn't the vase pretty with the flowers.

Freshly made bread...

This time wholemeal, soya and linseed.

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The joys of CS and the bargains you can find!

Very pretty embroidered flowers...

A 'new' (unworn) pair of pretty 'Next' canvas shoes (we would have called them sneakers when I was younger!) ... £3.50

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Some patchwork...not sure what to make yet, but it is pretty.

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A thoughtful gift from a special friend who saw this and thought of me.

Just perfect don't you agree?

Lovingly covered in 1941 with brown paper.

Thank you Penny, I love it!

Sewing, Winners and Blog Awards

An enjoyable day spent sewing...

Lovely colours...

A sweet little heart...

Lots of names written out... paper cut up and then folded and put in my belle fiore bowl...

Time for my 400th Giveaway Post

I enlisted the help of DS1

Congratulations to:

Jane of Marigold Jam

However, not content with drawing one winner, I also asked DS1 to draw two more places as consolation prizes.

Sandi from Dancing on a Blade of Grass

and thirdly...

Gill (Sorry I don't have a blog for you?)

Ladies please let me know your email address and then I can email you for your postal addresses.

Jane, please let me know your favourite colours ;-)

Karen of Tilly Rose has given me her Scrumdiddlyumptious Award. Aren't I a lucky girl?

Apparently I have to tell you10 silly things about myself!

I love eating crisp sandwiches...especially with freshly baked bread.

I can't walk past conkers without picking them up.

I talk to my guinea pigs...of course they answer me back!

I just have to pop plastic bubble wrap bubbles.

I used to have cactus plants when I was in my teens and they all had names starting with H...Harry, Henry, Humphrey...you get the idea!

When eating Mallowpuffs, I have to eat the marshmellow part first, then the biscuit.

I cannot watch horror movies. They give me the hibbiejibbies. Although personally I can't imagine why anyone would want to watch them anyway.

I slept with 'Peter Panda', until I was.... (not telling!)

I enjoy crunching and jumping and skipping through crisp Autumn leaves.

I adore NZ cream doughnuts and hokey pokey icecream and can't wait until I can have some next time! Yum yum...

How's that?

Autumn 400th Post Giveaway and My New Love

The weather is definitely showing signs of Autumn and has been quite cold the last few days. Perfect for wearing those winter coats and scarves. A CS purchase the other week saw me bringing home a lovely brown cord coat, never been worn as far as I can tell. Just right for Autumn. It just needed a scarf to go with it and I finished this twirly crocheted scarf last week I think it was. The coat is a lovely fit (thanks Carol for helping me choose it).

Now yesterday was my 400th post (gosh I can really ramble on can't I?!) so I thought it was about time I had a Giveaway. This will be a Giveaway with a difference. Everyone who left comments on my post of Friday will be entered as will those who commented yesterday on what was my 400th post. Plus those who leave comments today. So this is not a Flash Bang Wallop type of Giveaway, but just one to my friends who read and comment on my blog regularly. The gifts will be handmade, a twirly swirly scarf (the winner can let me know their favourite colours), a dishcloth with your initial and a surprise gift or two.

Yesterday I visited the doctor and we are continuing with the neuropathic medicine Lyrica, for another couple of months increasing the dose to see if it will make any difference. He was concerned that my right hand now hurts when gripping, picking up things, and shaking hands. However, before any further tests are done, (he suggested an MRI of the cervical spine), I have to give this medication a good try. I'm hoping it does work as the pain has spread across the back of my ribs, hurting when I breath in, all the way down my arm and sometimes I am getting similar symptoms in my left arm as well as sciatica in my left leg. Not good. Anyway that is the medical update!

Yesterday I was a very lucky girl to come home with this....

I can't believe my luck as she is a beauty!

In fully working condition.

She dates from about 1885 and is I believe an 'Improved Family' Singer.

Cute little draw with some spare bobbins.

Very pretty decals.

Lovely lid with Walnut insert.

Isn't she a love?!

I need to find a proper 'home' for her, as she is in a temporary position at the moment.

I had fun sewing on her yesterday afternoon and using the treadle...such a wonderful sound she makes. Even hubby admired her!

So now for a name...I have several ideas, and my lovely hubby has suggested some as well...any other suggestions?

Achievable?

Oh how exciting will my day be today?

Make loaf of bread - In breadmaker as I type! Very yummy! Had cheese and tomato sandwiches for lunch.

Pack DS2's school bag - Done. Phew! In a better mood this morning.

Washing and drying clothes - Done.

Dr's Appointment & collect prescription - Increasing neuropathic medication to see if that helps the pain.

Collect sewing machine from repairman. (Sneak in a couple of visits to CS) - Works lovely. Didn't go to CS as something even better cropped up!

Test machine with a couple of makes - can't say what! ;-) Check

Post cheques:

• Show fees - Done
• Quilting exhibition - Done

Wrap, package and post Shabby Chic Swap - Done, couldn't post as realised I didn't have Lisa's address! Doh!

Finish Colour Swap -

Take time to smell the roses and watch the birds!

Now I've tried to get everything done in red...but will blogger obey? Bad as the kids!

I went to the Cavy Show

A very big Thank You to everyone who made such lovely comments to me when I was feeling so low on Friday. I don't like complaining as this blog was supposed to be my 'happy and positive' place, but I'm afraid real life isn't always like that. Although if it wasn't for the pain I probably feel better emotionally than I have for a very long time. (Hence the depletion of Serenata Rants Jus!). Sandy (Dancing on a Blade of Grass), yes I do have a light box, perhaps it is time to start using it again. Part of my getting up at 6am routine is in order for me to see the start to the day and get extra light, but as it is now dark at 6am, I guess it is worth considering using it sooner rather than later. Andi, well I was out there photographing the full moon, so maybe you are right! ;-)

Karen, admitting defeat and learning to accept it is something I struggle with ;-) but you do have a point, and it is perhaps something I need to learn!

Floss, I don't know if you can zoom in on the photograph but it is Singapore Airlines which I thought quite appropriate considering that was the airline I flew to NZ in earlier this year, and yes it is an airbus.

I did go to the show yesterday...I made myself. I didn't take all the pigs I had entered as they just weren't prepared. What do you have to do to prepare them Jus? Well they need to be clean for a start :-) But with Abyssinians they are also judged on harshness of coat so ideally if they need to be bathed then it should be done a minimum of two weeks before the show. This wasn't done. Their nails need to be trimmed, they need to be handled well so they aren't scatty on the show bench when being handled by the judge. With Abys they are judged on depth and pin point of rosettes, alignment of ridges and harshness of coats (a brief summary). The travel boxes need to be clean and prepared, and any other equipment that needs to be taken to the show...this includes hay for the cages and fresh food for the day.

I only had pigs to enter in the Adult and 5/8 month classes as I haven't done any breeding this year due to my TOS, so had nothing 'new' to show and in essense haven't made a lot of progress. A shame really as I had been doing so well with this breed, but I don't think it is fair to breed from them if I can't put in the work. One of my boars came 3rd out of 19 so I was pleased with that, considering the lack of preparation.

The best part of the day was catching up with fellow fanciers I haven't seen for a long time and the lovely roast dinner we had for lunch. Even DS1 enjoyed it and ate it all up - no mean feat as he has been off his food for some time now.

Of course I was absolutely shattered by the time I got home and have spent most of Sunday in bed, but hey it was worth going and it is such a miserable day today, I don't feel too guilty.

Friday Whinges

A feeling sorry for myself post...feel free to skip to the photos below! ;-)

Been feeling a little bit sorry for myself the last couple of days. Not helped by today's reading in Simple Abundance...Do what you love... which highlighted the frustration and pain I've been feeling even more. The frustration of NOT being able to do what I love. In fact not being able to do anything without some form of discomfort. It seems anything I do, be it driving, music, knitting, crochet, sewing, in fact everything has a knock on detrimental effect. Quite obviously this neuropathic medicine is not helping one iota! Okay I know I am lucky that I'm not in excruciating pain, and yes, I do know that it could be far worse, however that isn't to say that it doesn't interfere with my life on a daily basis.

I'm supposed to be going to a Cavy Show tomorrow. It is the big stock show of the year for the breed I have and yet am I prepared? No, the energy it requires is just too much, especially when my right side is playing up as much as it has the last couple of days. It almost feels like depression has hit me in the face again, when the discomfort I feel is overriding, but surely not, I only missed one tablet the other day. Is it just the turn in the weather that has made me feel like this the last couple of days? If so I am not looking forward to the next few months.

Yet I have to at least drop the trophies off, which is a two hour round trip that DS1 will have to do to enable me to do this if I don't show. Certainly I won't be able to take all of the pigs I entered even if I do show as I just haven't been able to give them the preparation I would normally have done, and several at just not up to the standard I like to be able to present my pigs.

So no sewing done the last two days with the exception of last night when I attended the evening sewing group. In fact the last two days have been spent with me wasting the day in bed lying on hot wheaty packs and having them draped all over my arm and shoulder.

Enough of my whinges, sometimes these things just need to be written down to get them out of the system!

On to a couple of birds I saw in the garden this afternoon, one of the many planes that seemed to be using our garden as a flight path the other day and the moon last night.

Creative Wednesday

Thank you all for your comments about my very Green Boden jacket. Still undecided at this point in time...guess it depends if I am game enough to wear something quite so bold. Will let you know what I decide.

I managed to get the house looking respectable for my husband's guests today, who came to interview him about his chess programmes. While that was taking place I had a blissful few hours sewing. I actually got Creative! Both my Colour Swap and Shabby Chic Swap are almost finished now and will be ready to post out on Friday all going well.

Hubby and DS1 (Shock horror!) are busy building a wall now in preparation for my greenhouse to be erected. Bit late for this summer now, but still at least it will be ready for next summer. I will be able to prepare earlier next spring which will be good.

Feeling rather sore now, what with the sewing and that dreadful tidying up business! But at least this time I'm sore through being creative, and that feels good. I have loads more ideas as well to put into place.

Pink, Red and Green

This rose is just so beautiful!

I saw a roll of fabric in the CS the other day and when I looked at the label I realised it was Sanderson fabric. Yes of course it came home with me. I have plans for this when I get my Sewing Lodge :-) It is Rose and Peony.

Now I don't usually buy things to sell on, but I am wondering whether I should keep or sell the next item on Ebay. It is brand new, but without any tags. Yes it was another CS bargain. So what do you think?

Do I keep or do I sell? The lining is purple with polka dots! The make is...Boden. Do you know I never even knew what Boden was until earlier this year when I bought a skirt from a CS and everyone asked if it was a Boden and said how lovely it was and how lucky I was to get it for such a good price.

I'm supposed to be in busy tidy mode today...started off very well and then petered out by mid morning! I would imagine I will be in a mad panic by tomorrow morning. Got to have everything presentable by 10 am!