Life in Suburbia

This Week: Saturday 9th February 2013

The weather ... wet, cold and grey. However bad it is I am pleased to say I made it out today to the High Street for the newspaper, prescriptions and a coffee morning. Even more delighted when I spotted a Filofax cover on the bring and buy stall. Ian uses these for his maths. notes, we have scoured the charity shops, this cover will hold lots of writings on mathematical modelling. Big thank you to Anon for donating it.

I am wearing ...  navy blue jeans style trousers, navy blue crew clothing cable jumper, warm cream blouse and the pink cowl.

I am reading ...  today's newspaper, have finished and enjoyed The vanishing act of Esme Lennox, so much that I may re-read it before the book group meet.

I am creating ...  another cowl in linen coloured Rowan big wool, will be deeper and squishier than pink Spud and Chloe version as it's already more than 29cm long.

I am watching .. plenty of TV programmes about trains, so enjoyable that I fancy train trips around the country when the warmer weather appears.

I am enjoying ... the benefits of Ian's membership of the Royal Academy. With a friend the two of us went to Town on Wednesday last to see the exhibition about landscape. Slightly disappointed, had expected more paintings rather than prints, felt the latter needed more explanation, especially the difference between etching and engraving. Even after consulting Wiki I am not too sure.  More important, can recommend the cakes consumed in the Members' Room before we went to look at electronic toys at JLP and Ian went off for an OU tutorial.

Much knitting was done on the train and tube.

From the learning rooms ...  the last couple of times I have helped at Richmond local studies the work has involved listing information from black and white photographs taken of productions at Richmond Theatre in the early 1950s. I suspect these were publicity shots. If I'd known, I'd forgotten the theatre had it's own repertory company so the same names occur throughout the years, including one Margot Boyd, who became well known when she played Marjorie Antrobus in The Archers. None of the online biographies mention her time in rep at Richmond so the work recording these names in the archive is so worth while for future researchers.

On the menu ...  chicken for supper this evening, not sure how it will be cooked yet.

On the calendar ... collection of our ancient fridge and freezer, we had advertised them on Freecycle and they are off to be spares for another family. The fridge was Ian's Mum's; the freezer was from my Mum so we have had the latter for twenty years. Now it's just the two of us, we can shop daily for fresh foods so the capacity is no longer required. All part of the decluttering ready for transforming the cloakroom into a shower room later this year.

A picture (or two) from last week ...

Started again with the multicoloured yarn, the 'yo' holes can be seen, also a picture of the blue shawl, this completes 31 non consecutive days of blogging about knitting. Readers may be pleased to know I may not attempt any more of these kinds of challenges!

The shawls have been neglected in favour of the quick knit cowl given the cold weather.

Off to have tea and Ian's home made bread pudding, comfort food.

Day 22. Knitted cushions.

Yup, am creeping towards the end of 31 days of knitting with some good news. Have sewn up the knitted squares for a second cushion cover made from wool generously donated by some one on our local Freecycle. There is more yarn, it will wait while I complete the socks, also given the cold weather I'd like to make a cowl for myself as I am such a chilly mortal. I have Spud and Chloe yarn for this, it needs winding from a hank to a ball, just as I had to do when I knitted as I child and bought wool in a shop near my grandmother's home in Kew.

So this is the latest cushion, 50 x 50cm with cushion pad from IKEA, no buttons this time and below the chair with both cushions.

Just to show we don't just rely on the home spun, cottage industry, craft look we have bought cushions from the Royal Academy featuring anemones in a print by Dame Elizabeth Blackadder. Loved the cheerful design, reminds me of our visit to the Bronze exhibition a few weeks ago too. Another link, very tenuous I know, Dame Elizabeth is from Falkirk, not that far from Stirling from where Ian's Mother came and where his relations live still.

Attended reading group this morning, only two finished White truffles in winter, (I didn't) none of us were impressed even after viewing the BBC4 programme about Escoffier. Our next read is Before I go to sleep by S. J. Watson. I know nothing about it, have until mid January to read and consider it, even though that is a long way off mustn't procrastinate. Meanwhile, I need to complete those warm socks......

Give us our daily bread.

Never quite sure what to say here, think I will return to the template of Simple Woman's daybook although maybe not using all the categories. Whilst writing this blog I am making a couple of loaves so if all goes well you may see the final result.

Outside my window ... from the front of the house whether we look to the left or to the right we can see building materials. The house next door is being extended; next door but one the other way the property is being altered, rewired and replumbed. Skips are us.

I am thinking ... about Norway. How could this have been avoided? Probably couldn't but just hope somehow some good will come of this. What a way to learn about this tiny nation with a total population less than half that of London.

From the learning rooms ... Ian has sent his third TMA (Tutor marked assignment) to be marked. Quite a relief, I understand question 5 gave him, and other students, some difficulty.

From the kitchen ... bread is in tins, proving for the second time. Will be scampering downstairs to light the gas oven soon. Recipe for a Half and Half loaf is from Taste of Health, a BBC cookery book from 1985. Update: the loaves are baked, didn't stick when I removed them from the tins. That is always my fear in spite of oiling the tins well.

I am wearing ... M & S cream trousers, sort of chino style with a Boden black and cream striped top.

I am creating ... socks, on second pink one, nearly at the heel.

Also working on cardigan but that needs total concentration. Earlier in the week sat in the garden and made much progress but cannot follow complicated pattern if anyone else around.

I am reading ... waiting for reading group book, it will be The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks. From what I have gleaned on line it looks good.

I am hearing ... fridge humming. How exciting is my life?

One of my favourite things ... well not things, but place. It is the Royal Academy of which Ian is a Friend. Met up with him after his day school (morning only) and after a light lunch we saw just a few of 1000+ works of the Summer Exhibition. Didn't see anything I wanted to buy, most prices were out of our reach just as the sizes of the works would be in our suburban semi! There were a few I liked, my tastes are uncomplicated, I like interiors or street scenes that look realistic and also are calming. 

As I have worked in an art gallery quite often many modern works make me think of the Emperor's New Clothes. Good that everyone has a different viewpoint about art. We hope to return to see a few more of the works before the exhibition closes.

A few plans for the rest of the week ... BLF Breathe Easy group tomorrow, the last meeting for the development officer who is off to Oz, there has been no communication about the meeting. As I missed the last one, and development person has not responded to me, not sure what is happening. We shall see.

To tempt parishioners to come to the gardening party on Saturday vicar was promoting the joys of a new mower. It is a ride on one, now I've never driven one of these and have a mind to turn up and have a go. Will I need my driving licence? So different from our traditional push along hand one, bought second hand some 32 years ago for £5.00 and still going well.

A picture thought I am sharing ...

Photograph of one of the many and varied sunflowers in our front garden. Picture taken by Martha with her phone. Must take more pictures of these lovely flowers, some grown from last year's sunflowers. Those were from seeds given away at Hampton Court flower show.