Knit one, purl one, graft some

Not a lot to talk about today. The weather has been rather nice, very sunny during the day but frosty early morning and night. We have been trying to do our walking every day, it's not always possible but as you can see from the photo, there are 2 old age pensioners out for a stroll enjoying the sunshine.
I think I told you I have posted off the pair of socks I knitted for Clare and I can't wait for her to get them to see what she thinks. They are very addictive and I have finished another sock and half way through the next one. They certainly knit up very quickly and I can even graft the toe now, thanks to my good friend Helen who is a genius at any craft. Whatever she tries, it always turns out perfect and she makes some stunning things, I suppose I shouldn't like her really but she is so generous with her knowledge and time that she has become one of my best friends over here :-) I have just spoken to my eldest daughter and she is desperate for a pair of socks to wear with her wellies when out walking the dog so I think I better get back to the clickety-click of needles, little Sophie permitting of course.

Well I am certainly achieving some of my new year resolutions, the walking, more time for my craft and trying to be better at keeping in touch with all the people who matter to me.

Time for a cup of tea I think so I will say cheerio for now and hopefully there will be more photos to show you another time. Take care one and all. God bless.

Things I've been doing

Not a lot of chatter today, I just thought I would show you a couple of things I have been working on and some I have finished, which is very unusual for me because I have so many UFO's. The chairs - we found quite a few of these in our barn when we bought the house and I thought it would be a good idea to learn how to re-seat them so I went to a class with my friend Clare, who speaks french. To be honest, not speaking the language very well, it was hilarious and I soon learnt when the tutor said, in french, "Stop you fool, you are doing it wrong". That's how I understood it anyway, she didn't really call me a fool, I just felt it. It was a brilliant class and I learned a lot but having said that, I'm not sure I could do one on my own, the starting off is very, very difficult, so I would need another lesson. The end result though, for a first attempt, I was really pleased with. Richard had to go in my place for the last lesson because I was in the UK and he enjoyed it as well.

As for the socks, while I was in Penzance with Clare and Kenny over Christmas, I think I said in my last post that there is this wonderful wool shop. Well the assistant in there said she had found a pattern for knitting socks on 2 needles and it was easy.............. Not for me it isn't but I have now completed one and I am rather pleased with it. Now half way through the next one so hang on for a while Clare they should be with you in a couple of weeks. I suppose I was a bit naive because I didn't realise there would be so may seams and I hope they aren't uncomfortable when you put your shoes on. I have sewn them as flat as I can. Has anyone else knitted socks on 2 needles? I have to say, knitting them on 4 needles, although more difficult for me, they are a much better looking sock.

Well I think that will do for today, seeing as I said there would be no chatter. Will let you know how I get on. Take care everyone. Love to all my family and friends who take the time to read this.

Home again

Our travels are over for a while and we are back home in France, so no more suitcases to live out of. I love going back and being with my family more than anything, but the nomadic lifestyle isn't for me.




We had a fantastic visit and managed to stay with all our family, my parents for the longest and they are really well though struggling a bit with the snow they have had since Christmas. We were actually very lucky because if we hadn't left the UK when we did, we would probably only have got home a couple of days ago, the roads were completely impassable. We had a wonderful week with Clare and Kenny in Cornwall, with no snow there and it was good to be able to walk into the town, looking at the sea and just enjoying the amazing scenery. We even managed a walk on the beach. We were spoilt rotten while we were there so thank you guys very much. A bonus for me is the fact that there is a lovely knitting shop in the town and they are so nice in there that I could spend hours just feeling all the loveliness of the yarns and looking at all the patterns. Clare was very patient though. This is the name of the shop.



On the 14th of this month it was Richard's 65th birthday so I am now married to an old age pensioner, not forgetting that I'm one anyway when I became 60. I find it very scarey when I think about how old we are getting, I don't think I like it at all and everything that comes with it, I really need to get into a positive mind-set and do something about it. We have started walking and try to get out every day. We have just got back from one and it was an amazing view of the mountains today, they look very close and they have certainly got their wedding gowns on and the sun was glinting and making a myriad of colours of pink and purple and silver. We said we needed our friend Brian here because he takes wonderful photos and , having the correct lens, which we of course haven't. We also saw deer in the fields, it was all rather magical and makes you feel alive. Anyway, going back to Richard's birthday, our little cat, Sophie came up on the bed and decided she would help him open his presents. She was so pleased to have us back, though she has had a lovely holiday with a friend of ours up the road, so much so, that we can't get her to go outside now, she prefers living indoors in front of the fire.
We are now of course missing our beautiful grandchildren, we spent some lovely days with them and Vicki and Bill and managed to see a few nativity plays at the schools which was an added bonus. I am so pleased we were there to see them. Thanks so much for having us stay for so long, I do realise it's a bit of a squeeze having us all there and as William says, I do snore when I'm sleeping in his room with him. Bless him. Out of the mouths of babes.........

So now, back to some kind of normality and I want to do some more of my craft so hopefully you will be able to see some things I've made on here over the next few weeks. I have just sent off a couple of scarfs for the girls and they phoned me this morning to say thank you. Though they seem to be using them as reigns, belts, superman capes, anything except scarves. Still, never mind.