Doings

I can barely believe it's four weeks since I last posted. My blogging mojo isn't what it used to be but I seem to get there in the end.

The past few weeks seem to have been busy busy busy. I had a very busy half term at work and there was no let up at weekends either.

We were ready for a holiday and the half term break was just what we needed. While Moog went to m-i-l's for a break, Mr Moog, Monster, Minx and I packed up the car and headed off for a glorious week's camping in Wales.

Our first stop was near Chepstow for a wonderful few days of camping with family - my brother, s-i-l and littlest niece (a very grown up 13!) and my cousins and their children from Mum's side of the family.

Mum's brother and two sisters also came along and it was so precious to spend time with them all - especially as it was exactly three years since Mum passed away (on 31st) and we all got to be together and talk about her. The general consensus was that we all miss her more than ever and are still very cross with her for going off and leaving us far too soon.

After several days of camping in a big group on a very busy but very basic and very slopey site overlooking the beautiful Wye valley, family Moog packed up the tent (in pouring rain) and went deeper into Wales to our favourite campsite.

A total contrast to the first site, we were nestling amid the trees in a flat valley bottom, with glorious sunshine the whole time we were there......and managed to do the laundry and have clean, hot showers every day!

Although missing the chat and fun of big group camping, we did chill out and relax more than we ever have on a camping holiday before. Thanks to the fantastic weather we spent days sitting outside reading, chatting and playing - none of the driving miles trying to find something to do in the rain that we have had in the past.

Whilst there we caught up with very dear friends - my friends of 20 years standing, who came to visit us en camp and Mr Moog's friends of many years who we stayed with on our last night. Both friends have children of similar age to our own and they all got on brilliantly, whilst their parents got slowly sozzled on rather a shocking amount of wine!

On the drive home over the Severn bridge we concluded that this was without a doubt the very best holiday we have ever had.....no doubt helped by the fact that for the first time ever I actually slept well every night whilst camping :o)

You may well be thinking that nine days away camping would have seen an awful lot of knitting being done. I took four knitting projects with me - one Baktus scarf and three different socks.

Shockingly I knitted four rows of the scarf and not one stitch more.

In fact, this is the first proper knitting I have done for nearly two weeks!



The first pattern repeat of Rhodie Gus - the June sock for the Stashbasket and Moogsmum sock challenge. I cast on last night and so far I love this pattern - even the fiddly cabley bit. I'm using some Blue-faced Leicester sock wool that I hand-dyed......couldn't face using any of my posh stuff in case I didn't like the pattern!

If it works out I may end up doing another pair in something more delicious.

Crochet has taken a temporary back seat. After doing 9 ten inch Granny squares in four days I had to give my poor aching hands a rest.

Luckily, I can foresee a whole lot of knitting and hooking this weekend as the little beasties are heading off for a whole weekend away at Cub's camp......of course, I'll miss them dreadfully but will just about manage to console myself with some yarny doings ;o)

xxx