Hello December.

I am so glad December is here, I love this month.

I am feeling much more like me now, I have really stopped, its been difficult, but I have slowed right down, I even had a lovely comment at work this week ' you're always so relaxed', boy if only they knew!

I have made a concerted effort to be thankful and mindful, I have chosen what needs to be done and what can be left for another day, I have given myself time, I have spoken to myself when things really need to get done, that I don't want to do [ work related] , it seems to be working. If I have woken early, I have made a cup of tea and gone back to bed, I have read, knitted or surfed the net, just relaxed before I start the day.

Hubs ushered in December with a  lovely and thoughtful gift, this year we decided that we would not buy each other Christmas gifts, just some small Christmas stocking gifts to open with the boys, so he went and bought me a beautiful Yankee candle advent calendar, I love it..

I have spent time doing the things that I like, even the dog joined in

I managed to get him down to one of my favourite fields along the river, hes refused to go down there for months...

I have read my first Christmas book

with my hound at my side

Ordered and then cast on a knit project I have been lusting after,

I even swatched, now that's a first !

This is going to be my 'Lundy Hat', I have just paid for the helicopter flights over to the island, and will be celebrating my birthday there next February, we have booked the same accommodation as last year, staying for 3 nights, a long weekend, with my birthday smack bang in the middle, cant bloomin wait..  

I love that island. 

Where's the week gone?

How come its Sunday already?

I have no idea where time is going.

All I know is there just isn't enough of it in my week.

Work this week meant I got to go on a train ride, decided to take a train rather than drive, boss agreed as was cheaper than paying my mileage !

Lovely train ride down, great views and a good book, why I never thought to do this before I don't know!

Next time I have to leave the city to work it will be a train if possible!

I also happen to love old train stations

Work is still testing, still unsure if I need to find something else, hanging in there and trying to focus on the positives and be thankful, hard sometimes though. It's a thankless job I do.

This weekend has been spent at home pottering about, hubs is working  :(

I have had another hardcore clear out of my 'stuff',  all the ' I might lose weight and fit into it' clothes are now packed for the charity shop.Seriously, am I ever going to fit into them, and if I do, will they still be in fashion !

  This  left a whole drawer in my wardrobe empty, my pared down fabric and yarn stash has now been moved into there so I have managed to get rid of a whole set of plastic storage drawers from my little girly office.I have cleared the top of my sewing table/ desk so I have more space when working from home, something I am trying to do more of that to reduce stress levels. My next goal is to pare down my shelving unit. Tons of paperbacks waiting to be read and loads more craft stuff to sort. I'm not really crafting anymore, just a bit of knitting here and there. Not sure what I am doing to be honest with you, maybe I am becoming a couch potato!

The poor hound was terrified last night,we managed to get him out yesterday afternoon with my sons little dog walking dog, so he had some exercise, then gave him some Zylkene and hubs stayed in the dining room with him as that was the quietest room firework wise. But they just went on and on and on. Huge displays in back gardens all around us, they were still letting them off in the early hours of the morning. Why they cant make quiet ones I don't know. This morning I couldn't get him to walk anywhere hes still terrified. Poor soul. Going to try the pack walk thing later, hoping we can get him out as hubs has taken the car to work. Will go with no 1 son and walk down to get his dog walking dog and try it that way, not hopeful after this mornings attempt. Shame as its a beautiful day. 

A little bit of RnR

Another fab weekend in Cornwall. Over far too quickly.

I won't bore you with all the details, It was a bit of a whirlwind affair, 2 nights, so really just 1 full day. But we managed to fit a fair bit in, it was just what I needed.

Juniors day.

Yesterday was juniors belated 16th activity, he chose paintballing.

After a few difficulties managing to book a mid week slot for 4x 15-16 yr old boys, we found a local site that we never knew existed. We tagged onto another party who had booked so the required player numbers were correct.

Although paintballing isn't my thing, the site was part of a working farm, so I got to look at cows, which I love and old farm machinery. I didn't get to use my new phone lens much, it was a bit muddy and I had to concentrate on staying upright! If I had known I would have took my wellies.

I wont bore you with all the details I will just leave you with some pictures

I am now off to pack, I am going to CORNWALL for the weekend

YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Holiday hump day.

Wednesday, hump day. 

Half way through my weeks annual leave  and today is the first day I feel really relaxed. I am having a lovely week.

Saturday night was a dinner date with one of my girlfriends. a little bit of crafting may have occurred but it was a fab night, and last night I had a cinema date with another of my girlfriends, my oldest friend. We went to her local cinema and watched ' The Girl on the train', wow, I loved it, kept me drawn in right until the end, I actually want to watch it again now, and read the book.

I have been pretty relaxed this week, not stressing about ' doing things', just because we are on holiday. Junior has decided its the right time to re design his room, hes has been ruthless, 16 years worth of books, films and 'stuff' has been sorted and discarded. 2 book shelves and a huge dresser has now been removed from his room. Bed and wardrobe has been moved, and it was given a blooming good vacuum!

Don't be fooled, he has a master plan, 

1 corner desk to be installed for his computer system, [the computer he made]

 A huge long work bench for his war hammer painting and scene making, please don't ask me I Know nothing about warhammer. except its damn expensive.

I have actually finished my green / purple shawl

currently blocking on the line, I made a pretty big error though, I decided against the fancy bead bind off and just bound off. I forgot to change needle size and the cast of edge is really tight, its curling up. I tried to unpick it but ended up making it tighter so have given up. Luckily its along and will wrap so I am hoping it won't show, I love it.

Have immediately cast on another little scarf/shawl, green again, using up stash yarn, but I am definitely in a green moded at present.

This looks like its going to be a quick easy tv knit.

Whilst rummaging found a book to read, although I have loads of books ready to read, couldn't quite find the right one until this morning 

looking forward to getting my nose into this later.

We have managed to get the hound out for a couple of walks

And I have played with my new little macro lens  on my phone camera, this is the lens I am most excited about.

Tomorrow I shall be taking Junior and his mates to a paint ball session!

I will be sitting this out but am hoping I may get chance to try out the fish eye lens on the camera.

Thoroughly enjoying my week, really don't want it to end.