Eating alfresco, knitting and becoming chimney sweeps!!

Various things have been happening over the last couple of days, firstly we had a lovely day on Sunday with hubby's sisters visiting for lunch. It was the most glorious day again and we decided to have our lunch outside which is such a bonus. It's difficult to remember that it is only February. It was good to catch up with his eldest sister who we don't see very often even when we were all in the UK. She is always very busy with work, so she was here having a few days to relax and catch her breath a bit. In the evening I had a session of knitting, I have to say I have been making this cardigan for my grandson for ages so if my daughter should see this photo she will laugh because it will probably fit one of the girls by now. Anyway, I hate it when it gets to this stage because the knitting part is OK, but I always seem to spoil it by the sewing up and picking up the stitches for the collar etc. I find this really hard, but, needs must. I will probably feel very chuffed when it is finished.

Today, after we had been to the market to buy our fruit and veg and of course some more pansies and polyanthus we came home and waited for a friend to come round with some rods so we could have a go at cleaning our chimney. The fire hasn't been drawing at all so we thought we had a blockage. Did we?? Oh my goodness I have never seen so much "stuff" in my life and I was going to take some photos but we were so busy, hubby and friend shoving the brush up, and me running outside to shout when it came out of the top! The only good thing is, that with it being a stainless steel chimney pipe going from the log fire up the existing chimney, it was a type of klinker (is that how you spell that?) coming down, so although a lot, not too dusty. We now know we have to do it quite often because the build up was in quite a short time. Funny how we always find things out the hard way......

After that was done, I carried on with planting my baskets and Richard came to help me at one stage. Well, he has been known to be called a "Bull in a china shop" because he is rather heavy handed, this was proved again to be true when I asked him to just pass me a pansy and take it out of the pot so I could plant it. How do these things happen, suddenly there was this beautiful little face looking at me from the floor where it had "somehow" come adrift from its body. Although being a bit miffed, I brought it indoors and just look what I have on my dining table now. There is very often good comes out of bad isn't there? I also couldn't resist another photo of these lovely little friendly flowers. The end result in all its glory will have to wait until they are a little more established.

Well tonight it is back in the lounge with the fire alight, so more comfortable, and you never know, perhaps the fairies will come in while I'm asleep and sew up my knitting for me.........