Froglet

I decided to have a go at making a seasonal tea cosy. It was fun - there will be more on the way!

We do have magnums up here in the frozen north too. I think I’ve even seen more than one kind! 😉

I have to admit that the number of cookies available has reduced somewhat. You are always welcome though. I'm currently working on a new teacosy (I suddenly decided that I needed seasonal ones) so if you give me a week I will make fresh cookies, mulled apple juice, tea (in a seasonal teapot) and possibly jacket potatoes...

Just wanted to say there is nothing quite like chocolate chip cookies that have only been out the oven about 3 minutes.

Congratulations! I have been sidetracked on mine again!

Never too late - Sunnyday’s parties can carry on for days!

Everything on my hot chocolate please and I am blind to waistlines (as my own will testify!)

Definitely (although can I have hot chocolate?) I will bring my tape measure and start taking orders for sock and balaclava gift sets!

Zigzag - wonderful news, you really made me smile. Sunnyday - what a great message. I have had a great few days. I’ve been spending time up at mum and dad’s with my sister’s children and it’s been lovely - nothing special just chatting, playing games and going for walks to the park but they have and are continuing to grow into such nice people, it’s a real pleasure to spend time with them. I popped briefly into school this morning and figured out a classroom layout that I think will work which is a big weight off my mind. Now home for more knitting on sock number 4 and watching something gentle on TV! PS I don’t know if it’s the same for everyone but I think we’re on our 100th page of Fridays!

I haven't seen it Panders; sounds interesting though! I hope all are ok? I had the loveliest time at the weekend - how to feel special when a 3 year old squeals with excitement at seeing you and actually jumps up and down and around you. Then to see her face when she saw her cousins the next day - I nearly cried! This week I am being very organised(!) I have made a plan putting my TDL onto a calendar so that I tackle it at specific times. This morning I'm going to pick the new car up which has led to a stressful hour as I couldn't find the paperwork for my current car which I need to take with me. I used to be super organised and would have been able to find it at the drop of a hat which makes me sad. However, it did lead to a new resolution to sort it all out but it also led to a question which some of you may know the answer to (or at least know where I could look to find one). Have you ever come across a 'records and retention document' for domestic paperwork? I seem to have so much 'stuff' and a small house - I'd rather use the space for storing yarn but don't want to get rid of things that I need to keep. How long should I keep things like payslips/mortgage statements/insurance documents etc etc etc for? I'm feeling somewhat overwhelmed by it all never mind adding to to all the notes I have from various school staff meetings over the years¬

Ummm, I forgot it was Friday! I had a peaceful morning doing some more knitting and listening to the end of Mrs Bird. I also had a brief but sweet phone conversation with my youngest niece Me: What are you doing? I: Playdough! I'm making carrots. Me: Are you going to make a bunny to eat them. (She evidently didn't hear or follow the bit about making a bunny and responded with a tone of voice to which you can only too easily imagine an accompanying eye roll) I: They're only playdough carrots, not real ones! They are all at my mum and dad's for the weekend so I am going over shortly - it will be the first time I've seen them since Christmas. I discovered that my sister and her children are also coming up tomorrow. They are not telling the youngest one as she has missed them so much and will be so excited that she is unlikely to sleep tonight if she knows! I've listened to a really interesting podcast about managing distraction which made me give myself a kick and plan my day so that I actually get something done and plan in specific times to do things (including fun stuff, not just jobs). I still don't think we've had rain here (it may have rained overnight and dried out by morning) but it is so much cooler and fresher, it's lovely. Sunnyday - step away from the stationery... (although I have decided that I need a new notebook so if you'd like to look for one for me A5, lined you're welcome to!). I think my next book is going to be finishing off reading The Book of Dust which I start and really enjoy but them seem to read something else! For now I'm going to do a quick tidy, change out of my comfy but scruffy joggers and head to mum and dad's for family time...

I am the same. I just finished Charing Cross Road but I did have to smile at myself - all my recent reads have been on the kindle or from the e-library where I can adjust the font size. A real book was very tiny and I kept wanting to make it bigger!

I know what you mean - I try to treat the book and the film as two completely different things. I love that I’m now far enough into the holiday for my brain to be enjoying books properly again.

They are worth it Sunnyday! I don’t think it’s rained here, yet... the sky has that heavy look to it and it’s very dark inside. My mum and dad are driving up north for a funeral this afternoon and my brother and his family are driving down south to visit mum and dad (don’t worry the timing does all work out) so I hope they stay safe if there are storms.

Sunnyday, I didn’t think you were bad tempered - just hot and sticky and worried! I left my own car windows down once and had a sense of humour bypass with myself over it. I’m so glad to meet another Mrs Bird fan, I think it was a first novel and I do hope she writes some more. You are thinking of the right book/film - I watched it last night. It reminds me to get some more letter paper so I can start writing letters again. Have you read a The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society? Or Ella Minnow Pea? I think I like books with letters!

Thank goodness it’s a little cooler today! I have just started making some lemonade to chill for later, there is a ham baking to have with salad later, I’m listening to a brilliant audiobook (Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce - we read it at my book group earlier in the year). I’ve been reading 84 Charing Cross Road which was lovely and after a dropped stitch crisis last night I am back onto sock three! The TDL? Hmmm.... we’ll come back that!

Think you’re right - it’s a hot water bottle in the freezer kind of night! I have just started my second pair...

The socks are finished!

Sending you lots of love Zigzag.

The best kind! Thanks for the recipe Panders. I don’t drink coffee but love coffee flavoured things and this sounds tasty. I’m going to start some lemonade tonight so it’s all chilled for tomorrow evening.

That sounds perfect!

I freeze my hot water bottle which helps too. You could do it I’m sure. I’m about a third of the way through the next sock. I have discovered though that you can get candy cane yarn which knits socks that are red, green and white stripes - I’m very tempted! I haven’t done loads - some tidying, made soup And the veggie mixture for the inside of some samosas which I decided to have a go at.

Honestly, I thought the same but I followed a ‘Sockalong’ tutorial and used a circular needle. If you wanted to do it I bet you could.

Just to reassure you I didn’t

My mum used to have one of those wooden mushroom things for socks. I finished my first ever sock! I am so ridiculously proud, I might have to wear it to bed! 😉