A covid weekend.

 Yup, hubby went down with Covid, a week after no 1 son.

This weekend was a very quite one he was isolating. Luckily the weather was good so we spent some time in the garden. He was feeling pretty rough so I generally just mooched about.

I read 2 whole books

thoroughly enjoyed both of them, nice easy reads.

Did some spinning

 

Had a video call with Rosie

 had our first BBQ of the season

and just enjoyed looking at the beautiful sky.

 

I obviously did a lot of knitting, but no photos taken.

It was nice to have a chilled weekend with no pressure but a bit sad that we couldn't get out and about. Luckily Hubby is starting to recover and am hoping that he doesn't experience any after effects.

I'm getting pretty worried that I may succumb to Covid and given we are so close to finally getting back on a plane I've decided to go into semi isolation and try to keep as far away from people as possible.  That's one of the positives of home working I don't actually have to get near people when I work. I've also managed my work diary so I have no on site visit's until I am back from holidays !

Enjoying my long weekends.

 

I am really enjoying my 9 day working fortnight, it means I get a long weekend every other week.

This weekend was a long weekend, a 3 day one with Monday off. I visited friends, read a book, did some weaving, some knitting and some spinning, had a pupdate video from Rosie and I went for a walk with hubs . Just generally loved not being at work.  

Its really given me a shove to seriously think about how I can make this retire early dream a reality....

now its back to the real world and work....

FO Friday.

I have finally managed to finish a knit project

A pair of basic socks for me. Robin colourway from West Yorkshire spinners. Self striping/patterned yarn which is so effective. I love these socks they are comfy and snug. I am becoming more of a convert to this type of sock yarn as I find it more hardwearing. 

these socks have been on the needle now for over a year, why.... i'm such a  fickle knitter I really must resist the urge to cast on anything new until I have some more projects done. 

There have been 2 more finished projects this year that I forgot to show

My oversize cardigan, not the best of pics. Its a really lovely snug cardi and an easy pattern. Its now on the back of my office chair  but may make it out on adventures with Stan The Van. Finished on 31st Jan.

I also managed to get another bridge end hat completed, I love this pattern and this time I got t at exactly the right size to have a good brim ! Finished on 29th Jan.

4 projects done so far this year and all 4 will be worn.  

WIP Wednesday.

Hubs bought me one of these for Christmas

A rigid heddle loom

so over my last weekend off work I decided to get it built and get something on the loom. I have never had one of these and never really used one, its another craft to add to my fibre life. Generally thinking I could use my hand spun yarn to make some gorgeous cloth. How difficult could it be?

I managed to get it built no problem at all, but when it came to setting up the loom itself, well. let's just say I should have read the instructions properly.

For those of you that have weaved before you will probably see my really big error, I set it up the wrong way around.... It took me quite a while and despite also watching a video my brain did not compute... so I had to take it all out and start again. 

Finally all set up and ready to go. 

I'm just using some yarn I have that has no identified use and I wont be too upset if this piece is not pretty when completed. So far I am really enjoying using the loom and learning the process, its actually quit meditative. I find myself doing a few rows on my way out to the kitchen and its slowly building. Its very random and I am paying no thought to the colours, more about learning the process and trying to get the sides tidier.

I'm quite pleased that its starting to look reasonable by the blue rows, I seem to be getting the hang of it, I just need to learn the weaving language and start to work out how to keep the edges tidy.

Rosie- 3 week update

 Had a quick video call with Rosie whilst she was having her lunch today. Pictures taken by me on my phone whilst I was talking to her owner on the i-pad so pictures are not that clear.

That's little Rosie with the red collar and in the last photo sat right back by the teddies. 

 She is the smallest of the bunch but I am informed she is the most feisty and is certainly not backwards in coming forward. Noted today when she squeezed up between her brothers and got straight into the food bowl ! She also loves a snuggle....

Its great being able to watch her grow and have these little weekly video calls. The owner is ,lovely and I know she is getting taken good care of. 

I cant wait to get her home .

Daily Musings.

 Another week is almost done. I have been so busy at work I have had little time or inclination to do much else. I worked face to face for 2 days which I actually find quite exhausting now I have got used to working on my own at home. Around work I managed to finish my book and have been knitting on a  new project. 

No 1 son came home from work this week and has COVID!, luckily he is triple jabbed and only seems to have cold symptoms.  That's both sons now that have had it. I am hopeful we wont as we are very close to actually going to Florida and I would hate to have to miss it due to Covid having escaped it for the last 2 years. He's remained in his room and is mask wearing when he comes out, luckily we have 2 loo's so he has sole use of one until he is testing negative.

Yesterday I decided to tidy up and clean my office. As it's a  cross between my craft room and an office, it gets messy easily as its only a  small room. My knitting projects were getting out of hand so they had a sort out, I got rid of 2 projects as I just wasn't loving them and knew I just wouldn't wear them. My goal this year was to me more garment orientated and actually make things I will wear so it made sense to unpick them and then reuse the yarn for something else at another date. I really want to get the rest of the projects done now so I have a clean slate. 

Last night we went out for dinner with friends. We caught the train home and popped into our local for a nightcap, this was the view across the river . Whilst I may not live close to the sea I do live near the river and I love the lights at night.  I rarely go 'out out' so it was nice to actually do something with hubby on a Saturday night.

Today my goal was to write a blog post and update my journal. Other than that I have no plans at all. 

What I'm reading.

  I don't seem to be reading much this year despite having a whole pile of books by my bedside to inspire me. I have, however, managed to read 4 of the books I pulled off the shelves to make this pile. There may also have been a couple of book purchases placed in this pile too. 

I'm now onto my 7th book of this year

Midnight in Everwood.

A Christmas gift from No2 son. 

It's a dark magical retelling of the Nutcracker, I'm loving it. I started yesterday and have read half of it already. This is very much my preferred genre at the moment. A good dark gothic fairy-tale!