We made it!

Is it me, or has this seemed like a very long school year indeed?

Not wanting to wish our lives away, I have been really looking forward to today - the end of term....the start of the holidays....at last! In a few short hours the tired kiddlies will be home for six lovely weeks of long and lazy get-ups, meeting up with friends and family, and a whole host of holiday fun.

I've just sent off my last few emails for work and now have something very precious to savour. I have time.

To make the very most of this time, I've unearthed my big granny squares that have been neglected of late and plan an afternoon of gentle crochet.



I may even finish the last few rows on the back of my summer cardigan today. This has been such a fun and simple knit so far. I did all of that knitting with just two balls of yarn!



Sigh. I do love summer.

Hope yours is a good one xxx

What do your photos say about you?

A few months ago, my friend from work asked me if I'd like to do a craft evening with her friends. We decided I'd show everyone how to make fabric flower brooches. What followed was a very happy evening, with a lovely group of ladies who all agreed this was something we should do more often.

This has given rise to a little craft club - although craft club isn't really the right words as we're not sticking just to crafty stuff. On our second evening together we spent a couple of hours sketching and last week we all got together in Winchester with our cameras.

It was fascinating to see what each of us chose to photograph. It would seem I have a thing for doors and gates and I can't help wondering what this says about me!

Naturally, there has also been knitting.

My choice of socks for the July Stashbasket and Moogsmum Sock Challenge - the fossily sounding Trilobites. A lovely simple knit that zoomed off the needles in no time.

I suddenly found myself in a very rare situation - I had no socks whatsoever on the needles. Not one bit of sock knitting was in progress.

I floundered a bit, tried and failed to choose which socks to knit next, tried and failed with the socks I chose and then opted for a very simple yet very effective pattern - Circle Socks in self-striping Regia sock wool.

The socks have taken a bit of a back seat, however, as I have become hopelessly distracted by something much more involved.

I'd seen the front cover of Simply Knitting magazine, kind of fell in love more than a little bit with the cardi on show and all of a sudden I was overwhelmed with the need to knit it - immediately!

It's years since I've knitted an adult sized cardi and I was loathe to part with nearly £50 for the beautiful Rowan Revive yarn stated in the pattern, just in case it didn't work out. After a little research I opted for a very nice and far cheaper 100% cotton in a summery lime green.

Those who don't know me might be tempted to accuse me of a certain tendency to become obsessed. I do, of course, refute such accusations.

After all, it's entirely reasonable to do this much knitting in two days, isn't it?

Please be assured that no children have starved, gone unclothed or lacked attention during this marathon knitting binge......their mother may be a little sleep deprived but it's a sacrifice worth making.

Happy knitting!

xxx

UB40 and socks

Last weekend was one of the best I've had in a very long time.

Some time back my friend's husband asked me if I'd like to go and see UB40 at Broadlands with him in June - he's a massive fan and has seen them 15 times.

Where I grew up in Birmingham, was very close to where UB40 started out and I knew loads of people who knew them. I even used to serve Brian, the saxophonist, in the florist shop that I worked in - he lived just round the corner and bought flowers for his wife every week :o)

However, I'd never actually been to a UB40 concert. Now I can't imagine what took me so long!

Saturday night was just fantastic!! The venue was beautiful. The atmosphere was amazing - so incredibly friendly, relaxed and happy. The staff at the venue were lovely. The support band, The Dualers, were awesome, with so much energy and very obviously having the time of their lives and their music was a perfect warm-up for UB40.

As for UB40 themselves - wow!! Not only truly brilliant performers and superb musicians but the nicest bunch of guys who quite evidently love and appreciate their fans. I'll definitely be going to see them again!

I'm not sure what was the best bit of the weekend - going to see UB40 or getting to spend it with very dear friends who we haven't seen for a few years. As an added bonus, their little boy got on brilliantly with Minx and Monster and they're all asking when we can meet up again :o)

Sigh.......


Right then. Back to business.

Knitting.

Having set myself a bit of a challenge to finish a few neglected projects I got stuck into the knitting last week, while Mr Moog watched the football.

Finished: Jaywalker socks


Finished: Monster's new socks


Not bad going if I do say so myself. Of course, I had intended to finish Minx's scarf too but seeing as we're in the middle of a heatwave and she won't be wearing it for at least four months the management and I concluded that it was ok for me to neglect it for a bit longer.

For the first time in months I had no socks on the needles. Shocking!

Soon remedied that. These are my July Sock Challenge socks - Trilobite socks from this lovely book - knit from the toe up.



Mrs Stashbasket and I have discussed this month's challenge and have opted to make it a Freestyle month. If you want to join in, you can choose any pattern you want - as long as you let us know which one!

Happy socking :o)