Birthday week

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2010

Simple Woman's Daybook: 26th October: Daughter's 28th birthday

Outside My Window ... cold, dank, wet, windy; yesterday's weather was so beautiful today I feel the cold creeping into me.

I am thinking ...about the friends of Stan who have contacted me following his death and how we all have a different vision of a person. So true for Stan and his wife who lived their life in separate compartments.

I am thankful ... for the old fashioned knitting patterns that Martha bought back from Edinburgh for me. She said she rejected some as the styles were so bad. What could she mean?

From the kitchen ...veggie soup & bread, both homemade for lunch; for supper we will have haggis that Martha brought back from Scotland.

I am wearing ... jeans, cream warm shirt from The Earth Collection and red V neck jumper from Uniqlo. Will add multicoloured Tradecraft silk scarf to this later. Jeans are so good as I keep Ventolin inhaler & phone in pockets instead of rushing around like a banshee looking for them.

I am creating ...a Dr Who style scarf using donated black acrylic yarn. Have knitted almost all 50g but will use some of second ball as the scarf is just 40 stitches wide, knit 2 purl 2 rib and will not be long enough for Ian to wrap around. As it is narrow wrapping will be essential. 

Not clear that the yarn is black in these pictures, but photos show the pattern.

I am going ... to Local studies to help with digitalisation project, either will be stuffing returned plans back into packs or preparing plans for scanning.

I am reading ... well, have just had phone call from friend in local library to say the latest Maeve Binchy I reserved has come in and she will pop it through my door. Not highbrow reading but just the thing for chilly days and escape. Still not really able to knit and read at same time but have hopes when I start jumper which is largely stocking stitch.

I am hoping ... all the fireplace work will be completed soon. The chimney stack pointing estimate has been accepted; the contract for chimney lining is to be checked and liaison with the fireplace company organised. Thank goodness Ian is qualified to project manage all this.

I am hearing ... study clock ticking and house creaks.

Around the house ... creaks and groans. The house is so noisy when the heating is on.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... joining the other knitters as Mrs Moon, maybe they can show me where I went wrong with the socks. Strollers walk on Saturday, weather and health permitting.

well guess that is it my friends. As usual as soon as I've sent this missive into the ether some brilliant thought will occur to me. Anyway, let me have your lovely thoughts, hope life is good for everyone who comes by here,

Madeleine

Happenings

Just a quick update and log of this past week. We had the phone call on Tuesday morning, Stan had died at 10.30pm on Monday evening, certainly obstinate to the last, going when he wanted. Amazingly I had slept really well Monday night so felt calm about it all. There have been calls, letters and emails between us and solicitor so date has been set for the funeral, minister chosen. this caused a slight amount of amusement, a person whom Solicitor assumed was C of E turned out to be from a spiritualist church so we have gone for safe local Anglican parish priest.

Have typed letter to send out to distant family, friends of Stan, former neighbours and Ian has trotted off to post them this morning. (Back now, windswept) Hope I have included everyone, when Stan's wife died very difficult to track everyone down, used Christmas cards we found at their home to contact people. So folks, do put your details on your cards to the more elderly recipients in case some one cannot find elderlies address book.

What else this week? Well daughter has gone north to Edinburgh to see the country, her first visit to Scotland in spite of having travelled widely between here, Australia and Texas. She's meeting her Dad's rellies, from the brief calls all is well although there was much panic before hand as to whether they'd like her. Cos they will, she's a consummate actress and can turn on the charm.

Daughter & I went to town early and I was able to buy her birthday pressie - a few days early- in the form of a smart, warm winter coat so she wouldn't freeze in the chilly north. Pleased to find a suitable gift, one with which she is pleased, I find it so difficult to get the presents right for my offspring.

Saturday evening update: Daughter has phoned us from Stirling and during call mentioned that the belt has cracked already. Pity she gets into London too late on Monday evening to go to Bravissimo and complain. 

We are sorting out our dining room fireplace, the tiles are dire, cracked and we want to add a gas fire for those occasions. Ian has said he will open a file. Larf!! That's what he does for every new project, every item of equipment. I want to hand everything over to the fireplace company, we have to have chimney lined, it has been swept and although husband has run many building projects I feel this should be left to the specialists.

These pictures don't show how bad the tiles are, hidden by the fire screen.

Welll, off to do ironing, may make dear Ian a coffee first. We have a sense of "while the cat's away the mice will play". Not sure about the play, but these mice will be out for Sunday lunch.

Greetings to all who read this, PixieMum

Mid October

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010

Simple Woman's Daybook: 18th October

Outside My Window ... bright, cool October sunny morning, cloudier afternoon.

I am thinking ... about Stan, it is a week since we were called urgently to Sunrise care home and he is still with us.

From the learning rooms ... Ian has just ordered two secondhand maths books online. His course starts February, he is revising as if it is tomorrow.

From the kitchen ... ingredients laid out to make a quiche and to make a loaf or two.

I am wearing ... jeans, Boden turquoise blouse, green tank top and matching cardigan.

I am creating ... a black ribbed scarf using the acrylic yarn given to me by Joan. I've used 40 stitches, knit two purl two rib and will knit till the yarn runs dry! A Doctor Who scarf.

Have given up (temporarily?) on socks as found I had too many stitches, not sure how I'd gone from 64 to 72, also clearly line where switched from one needle to another.

I am going ...nowhere this week. Our trip to East Anglia didn't materialise.

Around the house ... we have had the chimney swept; this led to discussions about relining the chimney and a guy is coming to discuss this.; we have been measured for the new fire and tiling. 

We have decided to move the sound system & TV from one side of chimney breast to other. So often one task leads to other changes and to one seeing a room differently.

Didn't complete this yesterday but will post it just the same, and then compose another blog.

Time for reflection upon family

Simple Woman's Daybook: 12th October

Outside My Window ... sunshine, a breeze

I am thinking ... about Stan, my mother's cousin coming to the end of his life. Ian and I went to see him yesterday, we are not sure whether he knew we were there, maybe for the last time. The care he is receiving from Sunrise home is exemplary, one member of staff signed off at the end of her shift and then went to sit with Stan whilst we went away for some lunch.

The other effect of this is we have had to be in contact with my sister. Just to say, we are not close, never have been for we are so different in all ways. In the event the calls were amicable, touching on our family history for Stan is the last of our mother's generation, he, his late wife and especially his parents were so much of our lives. 

All we can hope he is not in pain, will not suffer. The staff are doing their utmost to ensure this and I feel at peace about it.

When we came away from the home we rang Ian's cousin who lives nearby, we went to see them for respite. E. is a great craftswoman and 'sold' me yarn at a 1p a gram. Could have had loads more, especially crochet materials. Will photograph yarn and post here later and in Ravelry. Need to find patterns and time to use it all.

A not very good picture of the mohair yarn Ian bought in charity shop - £8.99 for 10 balls. The pattern had gone but will find another.

Front of the pack, the hair style tells me this is not a recent pattern.

From the learning rooms ... Ian still keeping maths learning going although course doesn't start till February.

I am thankful ...my results form blood test as apparently I am fine.

From the kitchen ... not much happening, probably will make bread later and need to shop as we have no fruit.

I am wearing ... Uniqlo navy sporty type trousers and matching top, my gear for doing things around the house but will change if/when I go out.

I am creating ... socks, have done the cuff and working on the body of sock, knitting and thus creating stocking stitch. Am aware that I can see where switch from one needle to another takes place.

I am going ...to load washing machine, all the stuff that didn't get done on Monday washday.
 
I am reading ... The Colour still for reading group next Monday. On Sunday sat in garden at round table above, read a large amount, combining Vitamin D and pleasure.

Around the house ... chimney sweep comes on Friday morning at 8.30 - is there such an hour?

One of my favourite things ... husband and this house.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... voluntary work at local studies, nothing else planned yet.

Pictures I Am Sharing ... 

A pot of 'mums which we had at the front of the house last year, it had almost died, we put it in the cooler back garden, watered it and late this summer it flowered. We have moved it to a sunnier spot so we can see it from indoors.

Hope life is good for all who read this kind of online diary, am sure I have other thoughts to add, maybe will write more as I do not Twitter.

Byeee, Madeleine PixieMum

Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman

October Monday

Simple Woman's Daybook: 4th October

Outside My Window ... greyness, rain, mugginess

I am thinking ... that I survived very well as I didn't eat from 7.30 last night till nearly 1pm today. Reason was a fasting blood test, have these tests twice a year, very efficient GP monitors our health.

I am thankful ...I made my first time attending a knitting and chatting gathering at a yarn shop. Won't be able to go this week as people will be coming to look at front room fireplace. We wish to add a gas fire, replace grotty tiles and keep oak surround.

From the kitchen ... drying up to be done

I am wearing ... black trousers, white short sleeved Laura Ashley blouse and mauvey-pink Talbot cardigan

I am creating ...Socks. I feel this should be shouted from the rooftops as I have completed my cardigan. First time I have knitted on four needles.

I am going ... to Borough of Twickenham Local History Society meeting this evening. Will go early if possible as members will be renewing subs. and membership secretary is glad of assistance.

I am reading ... The colour by Rose Tremain, it is our reading group book. Have just finished Dewey: the small town libary cat who touched the world. We were owned by a cat who read feelings and knew when a family member was upset.

I am hoping ... we can really clear and tidy house, come to a decision what we keep and what goes. Why are we keeping old books that we will never read, if we want to they are out of copyright and can be downloaded. This is why 

Around the house ... the study is still chaotic with piles of books, photo albums to be put away but the rearrangement of the room will help. The futon is in a good position to be used as a double bed, one of our many Lloyd loom chairs is in the bay window, the wooden linen box houses the printers, we have my laptop on the table, Ian can work the other end as his PC is on shelf nearby. Decisions will be needed to be made about the big desk top PC, it takes up much space.

Study will be photographed when we have uploaded software as cannot use my camera memory card yet as Martha's Sony card stuck still.

Hurray, next day and upload has worked! So am going to give all you lovely people out there another view of our landing, bedroom door and me modelling cardigan as photographed by lovely daughter.

One of my favourite things ...the pink chrysanthemums in a pot outside our French windows

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... Prayer and meditation tomorrow at church; first ever visit to the Rose Theatre for a Noel Coward play. Local venue; local playwright. We are going with Ian's brother.

A Picture Thought I Am Sharing ... well I hoped to share picture of my cardigan but this site doesn't seem to let me.

Find instructions and links to other daybooks at The Simple Woman