READY OR NOT, CHRISTMAS IS HERE!

The garland is made!

The cakes, decorated!

And the socks, well they are finished too!

Thank you for reading my blog this year.

Happy Christmas to you all!

A FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

I can't believe that a year has passed since these four little ladies made an entrance.

 A year ago the day never brightened, the clouds were grey and heavy and the rain fell continuously. Very much, like yesterday!

Despite the weather, the day was perfect in every way.

The venue was adorned with beautiful decorations and was very festive.

The cake looked and was indeed splendid.

I've included this picture because although we are celebrating a very special anniversary, our very good friend and neighbour who made and decorated the cake passed away during the year, unexpectedly.

She was a very talented lady and I think she would be pleased to know that Peter is now eating the top tier which she made especially for him as he is partial to fruit cake!

So our daughter Kate and her husband Peter celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary today.

Congratulations to them both!

A little ps - I'm still knitting the sock!

ONE DONE, ONE TO DO!

My marriage has certainly reached new heights this morning.

My husband exited the bathroom at 6.30am to find me sitting bolt upright in bed, glasses perched on the end of my nose with knitting in hand as I decreased the toe section of this sock.

His face was a picture of astonishment and he questioned, " Is that it, once that's finished?"

"Of course not" I replied, trying hard to focus with my not quite awake eyes, "I've got to make the other one yet!"

He left for work and I muttered and tutted as the sock finally reached it's near conclusion.

Only one more week of madness!

HO HO HO, IT'S NEARLY CHRISTMAS!

So, here we are with Christmas fast approaching and I'm really now getting myself prepared.

I made the finishing touches to this bag this morning and I'm really pleased with how it looks. The socks fit perfectly inside and I found this ribbon in my box which I bought many moons ago and forgot I had. 

The socks look good too

They should keep someones feet very warm and cosy!

I have another sock on the needles now and one to go.

Plenty of time!!!!!

I thought I'd share some of my christmas decorations with you too.

I've had this wreath for near on 10 years. I bought it in Harrods in the January sale at a very reduced bargain price and every year I bring it down from the loft and it always looks so festive.

This little chappy is fairly new and happily sits on my fireplace.

I went to my local wholesale florist and bought orange and apple slices and cinnamon sticks which I had hoped would fill my lounge with delicious smells. 

While I was wiring them to pop them on the tree my hands smelt lovely but unfortunately now they're hanging on the tree I can't smell them at all.

Never mind, they have at least made the tree look very pretty.

The glass bauble is one of two we bought while in Venice a few years back at the Morano glass factory. They really do glisten.

A busy week ahead, presents to wrap and even presents to buy (oh dear!), cakes to decorate and socks to knit.

As I said at the beginning of my post, plenty of time!

RISK OF FLOODING!

 Yesterday I was helping my daughter and son in law move into there new home so it never was going to be an ordinary day. Up, just after 6am, we all worked really hard and by lunch time we were already waiting for the keys to their new new house.

We knew that a tidal surge was forecast for the east coast so throughout the day we kept a close eye on the environmental website as we began to help them move in and unpack.

After a busy day like that I was keen to get home, eat some dinner and relax but as we tucked into our fish and chips the phone rang. The recorded message from the environment agency advised us of a severe flood warning. Our first thought to be honest was "really!!" We sat there, not sure what to do at first. Then I looked around and saw the photos of our grandchildren on the low table and before long Michael and I were moving small objects and items we could move easily upstairs.

We still weren't sure if we were over reacting but the knock on the door and the warning from the policeman advising us to prepare for evacuation made us realise we were doing the right thing.

Our thoughts swung from should we stay or should we go and if the flooding was effecting other parts of the country, I would be the first person to be watching the news and saying, "why don't these people just go!"

But, believe me when you're put in that situation, it's not so easy.

So we stacked up the furniture on books, lifted as much as we possibly could to a higher level, even tied up the curtains and waited. 

This was our lounge at 1am this morning.

I took water, biscuits, candles, matches and welly boots upstairs and we listened to the excellent coverage on the BBC local news. Then, even when the tide had started to ebb and it appeared that the waters hadn't breached the seawall it was so hard to sleep. Probably the continual cups of tea we'd been drinking didn't help that!

We were so lucky, although I know people further up the coast were affected by the flood water. 

My hat goes off to the wonderful job the emergency services and the environmental agency did over night. We couldn't have been looked after better!

A little bit of news from earlier this week. On Monday I met a friend at RHS Hyde Hall and we had a lovely walk around the gardens and a nice lunch.

I thought these grasses looked beautiful and stood out against a rather grey murky day.

I have also been having a sock issue this week. I don't know how it happened but my markers ended up in the wrong place when I was completing the toe of the sock to match this one. 3 times, I had to undo it and restart it. I really thought I would have to start  the whole sock all over again at one point but eventually it all came together and now is finished. I'm just knitting a little bag to put them in.

BIG SOCK, LITTLE SOCK!

Over the weekend I took a short break from knitting baby clothes and got on with knitting socks for slightly older people who are having a wonderful time at the moment touring New Zealand in a camper van. When we were all together in Malaysia during August I promised them socks for their return in the new year. The yarn was bought when I got home and has unfortunately sat in my bag for quite some time. I needed a kick start to get on with them and chilly weather at the weekend kept me inside and obliged.

This is a new pattern I'm trying, just very plain and easy to follow which I was given free when I was in the Orkneys. This one tells you how many rounds to do for each section so as long as i've turned my counter in the right direction both socks should match.

Now this other little sock is another matter. Very tiny, not complicated, no mistakes and yet on Friday afternoon I knitted and knitted and knitted. It didn't seem to matter how much I knitted I couldn't seem to finish it.
 Why is it that something so small takes so long to do?
Fiddly, I suppose, that's all I can think of.
Just one more to do, well for this particular little outfit!

A DISMAL WET WEDNESDAY

So, the forecast was for a wet Wednesday and indeed that is what we've had. I had to pop out this morning for a while but was quite relieved to be indoors this afternoon with  a cup of tea, some lunch, more tea and the tv on showing a re run of last nights "Last Tango in Halifax" while I got on with my knitting.

(I had my own little nodathon going on between 9 and 10pm last night Oops!)

Here is a sneak preview of the little outfit I'm making for my soon to be grandson. The jacket is also nearly finished but that is in an off white colour. Both yarns are Drops Fabel which I've not knitted with before and I'm finding really nice to work with.

Today also saw the finish of the Drops Harlequin jacket and booties.

I raided my mum's button box and although I have a feeling theses buttons probably came off my dad's old trousers at some time or another, I think they're perfect for the jacket.

I found the booties quite fiddly to make but I think that was because it was quite hard knitting with this colour, not good on the eyes! I am always so relieved when I knit things in pairs that they are actually a matching pair when they're finished.

I'm going to leave you with my post now as I'm off to the kitchen to prepare our dinner, roasted pork followed by plum crumble. Just the thought of it is making me feel quite hungry. Is it me or does everyone feel hungrier when it's cold, dark, wet and miserable outside?