SUNDAY AFTERNOON STROLL

Today we revisited Clevdon. The first time we went there was for Steve's birthday, with D#1,#2,#3 and son-in law.

It is an interesting place. Typical of Victorian 'seasidieness'. But there must have been money there at one time as there are many fine houses.

We enjoyed the Poet's Walk as mentioned in the Somerset Teashop walks. We finished up at Scarlets, which I would recommend for tea, coffee and hot chocolate. They also do good food.
I am just reallising that I should have taken more pictures! The archway looking out to Wales on the opposite coast, is part of a little shelter was for looking out for the ships sailing in with cargoes of sugar. I would think that would have given a better idea of how grand the place is! Having said that, the pier is tiny! It was rebuilt not so long ago. As part of the fundraising for the build, there are numerous metal plaques, both on the decking and above the benches on each side of the walkway.

WHEN CROCHET ATTACKS!

The purple is the correct version, the cream is my attempt, under construction!


Do you ever listen to The Knitmore Girls podcast? Wll, if you do, you will have heard the section of theirs called 'When Knitting Attacks'. Yesterday, I sat down to finish a rather brave attempt, a much praised attempt at making a top without a pattern, just a completeed shop bought garment to copy. Hold the praise everyone who said I was brave! I got bitten to the bone by last night! I worked all afternoon on the top, as just like many Ravel-ers, I signed up for Ravelympics I have been trying since Monday to get this thing finished and was so close by last night! But then I discovered that the back was not centred properly! Oh no! I have now had permission from DH to put it down for a while, (I don't really need his permission, but it just made me feel good when he agreed with me that I need to take a break from said top for a while) as I think I drove him mad last night! So to the lady for whom it will one day be foinished, my greatest apologies, but it has to be right for you orit won't hang properly!

Friends

Today, My new friend Anita is coming over to collect her beautiful shawl which has been blocking on my table this week. I love the way that craft, knitting, spinning, crochet and all things fibre i giving me so many new friends, not just here in the UK, but worldwide!



Such a clever knitter!






























Yesterday Steve and I had a great time visiting Wells and Glastonbury. I discovered that he has many friends in both places. Customers who visit the shop, yes, but more than that, friends. They all wanted to chat, taking time out of their busy trading lives to do so! Friendship is the greatest thing!

On Saturday, I am off to another knitting group at Weston Super Mare, where I have also been made to feel very welcome!

BUISNESS TRIP, NOTTINGHAM WAY

Steve and I had to make a trip to Nottingham recently. It was really for buisness, but all expenses paid and we had a great time. On the way we noticed this church looking rather forboding at frist, atop a hill near the motorway. We decided it needed futher inspection.

There is quite a strange, or at least, it seems so to me, canopied pew. This has now been moved to the side of the interior of the church, but once stood in the centre. It was where the Lord of the Manor once sat, with his family. Other members of the congregation must have found it difficult to see what was happening nesr the altar, such is the size of the private pew.

As can be seen below, the pews still have their little doors on.I guess this would keep the winter
draughts to a minimum and keep children who might otherwise run around contained.

Coming out into the sunlight again, although the day was crisp, with a feel that the night might be frosty, we imagined the feel that rain or mist would give to this high hill...

and thought it would become quite brooding in atmosphere!

The weekend proved fun, a great hotel to stay in, a good meal in the evening. Our only regret was that we hadn't taken our swimming things as we could have made use of the hotel's pool!

CHRISTMAS 2009

Christmas 2009 was not at all the way we had planned it to be! DH and Bex had a bad bout of flu, we didn't bother to tell anyone as we had heard that Tami flu makes most people feel worse and we thought that as with any virus, the Doc would just say to go to bed and let the bug take it's course. Bex spent several days asleep in the dark in the living room (it was warmer there than in her attic) and DH even took some time off from the shop! Unheard of! AND he had to be persuaded at that! However, it was the first time in 6 years and he has been working non-stop, six days a week. About the only plus in all this was that I had more knitting time, hence the socks and sweaters below, it felt wrong going off and leaving them! The shop was covered, as Daughter #2 volunteered to take care of everything! She was an absolute star! Thank you SO much!

So we did not visit DH#1 over Christmas as planned, but at New Year, which meant that we could spend longer with her and her DH.





Left are the slipper socks she requested for Christmas. They should have been crocheted but I couldn't get the tension correct, so I ended up knitting them.







































We spent a great time on New Year's Eve playing games on their friends Wii, I failed miserably at scoring very much, but had a good laugh.



Saturday, we walked over Greenham Common. The snow still lay on the ground and had frozen the previous night. If you know the common, you will know there is plenty of water and boggy ground there. When it is not frozen, you have to pick your way carefully, but today was fine, it was all icey but the grass and moss stopped it being slippery. My DH and son-in-law spent almost an hour throwing stones at the ice on the surface of some of the deeper pools. It must have been really thick as it took so long, with many hefty stones to break the ice or even to crack it









Left Thank Ravelry for the February Lady's Sweater! I just want to make more and more! Maybe Ravolympics will see me making another, maybe in a multicoloured yarn.

KNIT CLUB AT HOME!

Today we met for the first time at my home as the place where we usually meet is closed on a Saturday for a while. We had such a great time! A new lady came for the first time today and said as she was leaving that she hadn't known quite what to expect, but had found us all really friendly, she was SO impressed that she is coming back a week on Monday to block a beautiful shawl she has made!

We now have partners in the USA! Jacob's Reward Farm have joined up to increase our numbers! We have virtual knitting sisters! Yay! Hi, Cindy and all you others who meet in the Red Barn! You can view a link to them from Followers on here and from there you will also find their podcast! There are great things happening on the farm!