Just poddling about.

Yesterday was lovely, a real stay at home day. I do get the little guilt trips that I should really be 'doing' something on my days off, but I am out working all week so I think the occasional self indulgent day is acceptable.I would like to say that I did do the laundry & ironing and a little vacuuming  prior to becoming  selfish with my time. I also got showered and dressed so didn't spend the day in PJ's

Mt little pink den of girlyness was looking a bit messy so I decided first up was to do a bit of a tidy, which in reality means faffing about with my stuff. I really should have known it would lead to another cast on, I had ordered more yarn [ oops meant to be on a yarn diet] for a new Patronus shawl, had popped it into a little project bag which was then left hanging on the back of the door. The reason being I couldn't quite decided on which solid colour to choose, I bought a gorgeous blue and a lovely purple, so still undecided thought I would wind all 3 skeins to see how they would look together. It was always going to lead to it being cast on then there and then.

The bottom pic is more of a true colour match, I cast it on, sat down and popped Glastonbury on the TV, and knit away.

section 1 completed, I was on a bit of a mission as I really want to see the 2 colours knitting up together, hopefully later today, trouble is I do have to go out and socialise as we are meeting friends for lunch ! 

In other news, I ordered a new fit bit as mine was struggling to charge and I was finding it quite bulky. I also took it off for a while as it was making me feel guilty for not walking enough ! Isn't that whats it for?  I chose a Flex 2 as the wrist band is slimmer and not so bulky, a pale lilac colour which will generally sit well with the clothing that I wear.

The decision to buy another is down to the fact that I am due to go away for our first  real holiday for years, by real I mean in a hotel, abroad, requiring an air-plane flight to somewhere warm, not packing up billy bongo, pitching up and having to walk across a field to find the loo. I had great plans for shrinking this body of mine, none of which have come to fruition, I am still fat ! There is nothing much I can do now, just go off on hols [ all inclusive may be eating and drinking a lot] and then try and get into shrinking mode when we get back.I am still going to weigh at Slimming world, even though I know I haven't lost any weight, I just need to keep at it until I get back and then go into it full throttle, she says with a smile on her face, how many times have I said that.

I had a good wardrobe clear out yesterday, my pink den also has a wardrobe which is full of my slim  clothes, still plus sizes but items which I just cannot fit into. There are some lovely clothes in there and if nothing else just dropping 1 - 2 dress sizes will enable me to wear these garments  again. When your plus size its amazing what you will buy hoping to find something comfy, nope, not any more, I looked at each item and though ' do I really like that?' if it was no it was off to the charity shop. I really want to get rid of the wardrobe in here, its old and broken and most definitely wont be coming when we downsize, 

Today is all about walking the dog, meeting friends for lunch, maybe a spot of cleaning then knitting the night away. Hope you are all having a great weekend what ever you are choosing to do.

Tha'ts it then.

Today is the end of an era, no 2 son has his very last GCSE exam, Physics. Then he will no longer be a school boy.Yesterday was my own very last day of doing school runs[ for the past 16 years] [No 1 son started at Nursery at 3] Bittersweet, I most definitely will not miss battling the school run traffic every morning, on 1 stretch of road, there are 3 schools, its traffic madness.I will also be able to get up and out to work early and beat that rush hour traffic. Which is a good thing as there are yet more road works being started in the city and on my route, which means my commute is likely to take even longer, good job I enjoy listening to my audio books. Our city currently resembles a car park at rush hour, there are so many road works and work on the metro bus set up, it must be one of the worst places in the UK to drive.

 On the other hand I am going to miss our early morning 1:1 time. Their childhoods seem to have gone in a blink, how did that happen, how did my cute little bundles  turn into handsome 6 foot men? They are now starting to spread their wings, no 1 son seems to be developing a night time social life, scary, no girls on the radar yet, which is a blessing as I am not sure I would cope, even no 2 son is now developing his interest and social life. I really need to get a bit of a social life, or just start doing things other than crafting on my evenings.

Today I am off to the dentist, a large part of 1 of my teeth fell off yesterday ! strangely its not painful or sensitive, but really needs sorting before I jet off on my holibobs, after having spent a huge amount on new eye glasses I could really do without the expense of dental treatment, I am also worried in case she says it needs to come out as I will be left with a very visible gap, If it does come out I can always look on the bright side, it will make a nice little space for my cocktail straw when sat in the pool bar, I will just need to remember not to smile with my mouth open !

Restless.

This coming week will be my last week after 15 whole years of doing school runs. Junior is in his final week of exams and then that's it. September sees him start at college so it will just be a drop at the bus stop in the village and off to work I go. No more jiggling work hours, no more rushing about, getting to work on time and I am even thinking about going swimming in the mornings on my way to work, what ever next.  

Its a strange feeling, both boys now tower over me, they are young independent men, and I am so proud of them. They have turned out pretty well so far. But its left me feeling a bit weird, No 2 has a plan for leaving college in 2 years time which includes leaving home, and hubs and I are now seriously talking plans for downsizing, its all coming real. I feel like I am in some kind of limbo.

 If you add to that my continued battle of the bulge and the mental fat induced social anxiety I am currently experiencing it feels like this is a real time for change. All roads lead to me, I need to start taking action and making positive choices,or I am just going to end up spending the next 2 years waiting and hiding. 

So I am going to enjoy this last week of school runs with Junior, I look forward to next weekend when we hop  for his prom outfit, I will marvel at the fine young man he has grown into and whilst my body may currently resemble a saggy sack of potatoes, I shall remember that it was this very body that gave me these 2 glorious boys.  

Up and down.

Its been one of those weeks, had a major wobble at the beginning of the week, all sorts of stuff just grouped up on me and that was it, I went off off on one.I don't mean the whole explosion type going off on one, more the internal combustion type. The sort you dwell on and ponder over, that grows out of all proportion.The more you think the worse it gets. I have to say I was feeling decidedly sorry for myself. It happens and there is generally a catalyst for it, I'm getting better at recognising the triggers now. Come the weekend I am more my normal self.

I realised this week that I have the audible app on my phone and that I can plug it into the stereo in my car, say what ! why had I not realised this before, my 45 minute commute to work is now spent in a relaxed state listening to a good book ! I had completely forgotten I had signed up to audible a year or so back and still have books I have not read, result ! I actually don't mind being stuck in traffic jams!

Which brings me onto reading real books, the eye sight is getting worse and the glasses were needing replacing, I bought a cheap pair for reading/ knitting but reading off the computer screen at work was a real problem, I have been having headaches on and off, and I am pretty sure that it was down to straining my eyes at work. Low and behold spec savers sent me a free eye test voucher, must have been a sign, so I booked up and went in this morning, new glasses are indeed needed and as they have a 2 for 1 offer I bought a second pair of what they call occupational lens, supposedly perfect for working on the computer, good for close distance and arms length distance, cant wear them for driving though, So I have a pair of daily use varifocals and a work pair, lets hope it sorts the headaches. I did go slightly over budget but as I have to wear them daily they need to be nice, 

pics from spec savers

They may just be Cath Kidtson glasses, red for work, blue for daily wear, love them.

It must have been my day as I walked straight into the first shoe shop and found the sandals I have been looking for.I didn't have an exact style in mind, just that they had to be black and comfortable to walk in, dual purpose, work / play and go with jeans as well as dresses !! It was actually a pair of sparkly pink sandals that caught my eye, totally impractical but they lead me to these beauties

Fly London. I have a pair of their boots and whilst they may be a tad expensive they do last for yonks as well as being comfy. Now I have sandals I need to paint the toenails!. I might have also snuck into the joules sale and M&S and just might have got my eyebrows threaded, I am thinking I needed a little bit of TLC and self love.Even the sun is shining !

Weekending..

This blog has felt more like a yoyo the past few weeks, one minute its up the next I take it down.

I have dithered so much about keeping this blog, I still feel as if I have nothing much to blog about. but I still keep coming back to it.I have uploaded a lot of the old posts from my last blog and its been great fun looking back over it and that's what has swayed me to keep it up. I love being able to look back.

due to weekday commitments its unlikely I will get to post more than once a week, but I'm happy with that.

This past weekend hubs was off so we got to spend some together, I am coming to realise I hate him working weekends! Friday night we went off to a friend's surprise party,  Saturday was errand day, hubs and junior also started work on our little sundowner area at the end of the garden, pics will come when its finished. and Sunday Hubs and I had a little ' date day', its not often we get out without the boys, despite them being older they generally like trips out too. But as were were up and ready to leave by 10.30am, the boys declined, wonder why. We have National Trust membership and are lucky to have some places reasonably close to us, so took a trip to Tyntesfield. We had a lovely walk around the grounds before heading into the house,

It really is a lovely place, I didn't take any snaps inside the house as it was packed, the joys of Sundays at National trust properties! I had a gift voucher that had been in my purse for over a year to actually spent that on a couple of jars of posh mustard, a metal sheep and a cute little jute bag with sheep on.All of which made me happy. Homeward bound for some household chores and the end of the day was spent like this

All round a happy weekend. 

Having a jig about.

Apologies to those that do pop in and read the blog, I have been having another jig about.I think it will continue to morph until I get to where I want to with this blog.I wasn't loving the left side bar on the previous template, so it just had to go. I do like the simpler layouts, easier to navigate and find stuff on.I really don.t like the blog title now either, but hey ho, I have changed the blog description and will just ignore the fact that the blog address is a bit odd.I don't really know what I would like to call it,Maybe I just need that to evolve as well. 

 This week I have blogged more than I normally do and have really enjoyed it, probably because I have only had to work 2 days this week. Its not riveting stuff its just my life and I actually quite like my life. Its great to look back over where I have been and what I have been up to, I think this blog will be more of a personal journal, even though when I set it up I didn't want it to be, it seems that I quite liking writing about me., I like to blog about my life, and that's where I think the block was coming from, trying to think of stuff to blog about.  So I am just going to go with the flow, I shall write and post whatever and whenever I feel the urge. 

Looking back at my first few posts, I realise that I have lost my photography mojo, I really love taking Photographs. and its something that I want to develop, I think having a camera on my phone has made me lazy, just clicking at anything and everything. I shall have to dig out my little black camera for our upcoming holibobs ! There are going to be some pretty amazing things to photograph whilst we are away.

Here's a couple I snapped on the phone this week during an evening hound walk, I say walk, he went about 500 steps and then decided he would go no further so we sat at a bench for a while ! daft dog that he is. 

Today I am off to faff about, do some housework and cleaning, maybe a little knitting, Hubs is at work so am on taxi duty for the boys today and then we have friends coming for drinks later. Then its back to proper full-time work mode for the whole month, that will test my blogging mojo that's for sure.

New project goal.

After having found my little shift tunic I made last year, I have had a sewing itch !  I really want to get my machine out and start sewing again, I have been following the 'me made May' pics on instagram and have loved seeing what everyone is making. But due  to my body shape most bought patterns just don't fit and I have to do so much pattern jiggling it puts me off before I have even started.

So having a quick surf around the Internet I checked out the sew over it web shop, I love their patterns  as they come with a little booklet on how to make the item, with pictures all the way through, it's great for someone like me who lacks confidence and doesn't have anything over a basic skill level.

Oh my, I am so glad I did, look what I found

Kimono Jacket

Love this little jacket and my mind is already thinking about different types of fabric so I can make different weights for different seasons!

It's the first time I have bought a PDF pattern and so far its been really simple, I just print off each section, you do have the option of taking it to a print shop, but why bother when you can print at home, just the small issue of sticking 32 pieces of A4 together.

 I also happen to have 2 lots of lovely chiffon type fabric stashed away upstairs which would make lovely kimonos for my impending holiday.But that fabric scares the pants off me, its so blooming sheer, I may have to make 1 in a soft drapey fabric first then try and  brave this sheer fabric.

How pretty are they?

Goodbye May.

I am bringing back the monthly reviews, I love to look back over my month and remember the fun things that we have got up to, its so easy to just get stuck in the full time work rut, forgetting what life's all about.

What a month May was, slightly more exciting than most of my months, I don't usually get arounds quite so much..

It started with a camping weekend with friends in Glastonbury

A lovely weekend was had by all and the weather was kind, it was great to get away for fresh air and open spaces.

The following weekend oldest friend and I went to Birmingham to see Take That..

wow, what can I say we had a fab weekend, we laughed we ate w e drank and we danced.. 50 years of friendship is something to be proud of I think.

I knitted a whole shawl

and the knitting mojo remains.

I rejoined slimming world

got off to a slow start but this time feels different, I have a different mindset, its about a change of eating style but still living. Making wise choices and shopping with meals in mind, work lunches are my downfall.

I have enjoyed sunset walks along the river, actually managing to drag the hound out for a change

I took my boys out for a trip and enjoyed spending silly time with them

generally it was under 5s with their families, but do you know what? we had fun, we laughed and walked and just enjoyed our time.

I don't think I did a full week at work, I have enjoyed shorter weeks, having more time for me and the family.I am hoping that although June wont be quite as exciting we will make time to have some fun.

Junes WIPS.

Here we are a brand new month and I only have 3 WIPS to work on, there may 2 others packed away, but there not in the running and probably wont be until later in the year as they are more autumnal projects.

First up is my Fast Forward sweater

doesn't look much at the moment as its a top down sweater so its all scrunched up, about 12 more rows and it will be divided for the arms, loving this sweater so far

then  I have the socks, just the 1 pair, whilst i read the bumph about the fish lips heel socks

cant remember what the yarn is but they are my seaside socks, love the colours

then lastly my sunshine shawl

how fab are those colours.

Goals for this month are to finish the shawl and the socks and get at least 10 rows done on the body of the sweater after I divide off the sleeves.