Saturday evenings

A very long time ago when I was growing up my Mother regularly baked a cake on a Saturday evening, as my sister and  I grew up we would make cakes too, I’ve never stopped making home made cakes although the procedure hasn’t often been on  Saturday nights more when I’ve felt like it, we don’t live by regular routines any more! No need.

As I was making a sponge - vanilla Victoria sandwich if you are curious, Ian chose it over chocolate - that regular routine was brought to mind, how I appreciate changes in those years that make he task easier, prepared cake tin liners, electronic scales, silicone scrapers, handheld mixers, we did have these at home in later years in the form of a Kenwood chefette. I’m using Mason mixing bowls, imperial measurement and  licking the bowl still, yes I know it is raw egg but such a minute quantity.

Once cooled will be sandwiched together with homemade blackcurrant jam, not made by us but bought to support a charity, not sure which one. 

Jammed together eventually, half watched programme about Australian railways whilst working on sudoku from today’s paper, seem to have most success with those from Metro, so far have completed ‘gentle’ and working on ‘moderate’. Often if I’m struggling the best answer is to leave it till the next day and the correct answer will appear. 

In spite of the grey, wet, cloudy weather it has been a good day, our daughter’s birthday, couldn’t spend it with her but FaceTime helps to bridge the miles, England winning the rugby semifinal against New Zealand, we watched most of the match at home, listened to the last few minutes on the radio in the car. The roads to Kingston were delightfully empty, I didn’t wish to be late for Knitting 🧶 & Crochet Guild meeting in John Lewis. That store is demonstrating the financial struggles the partners are having, lifts and escalator not working, loos closed, doubts whether we will be able to continue to meet in the Community Room, an air of shabbiness, fewer tills so longer queues. It wasn’t all bad, I spotted a John Lewis brand coat 🧥 in fabric and style I liked, after the meeting it was tried on, approved and purchased. Now my old coats can be donated to WrapUpLondon to keep someone else warm. 

Still here

Just a brief hello, Ian and I have been suffering from the cold/virus that has been sweeping the country, Ian phoned surgery as he was feeling so grotty, GP said his was eleventh call that day. What is so annoying is that gradually one feels better then suddenly symptoms come racing back.

Not much news on the knitting front, I’m working the third side of first round of the Sweet Pea borders, the Moorland blanket is progressing slowly, we are away from the sludgy colours to the mauves, plums and purples. The Qiviut scarf is knitted and blocked, lovely Jean is going to join the ends so it becomes a cowl, no worries about losing what is a short scarf.

Another pair of socks for Ian has become my portable project, much progress was made last week when I travelled to St Albans by tube and train to meet a friend for coffee and lunch.

Bottom corner of Sweet Pea blanket, need stitch markers to show where to miss two stitches, much concentration needed here.

The scarf measures 33 1/2 x 4 inches. 

Not the original stitch pattern, just original colour sequence, both blankets by Attic24.

All photos just taken by iPad rather than from online album. 

Commenting.

Even with logging into Blogger and my own blog it won’t accept my comments so just wanted to thank Librarian for her assistance, to explain I’m using my iPad to compose and post my blog, don’t really want to switch back again to Wordpress and lose  my few readers.  The iPad is so much more convenient than laptop, I intend to use the training sessions provided by the local reference library, also Blogger isn’t compatible with Apple updates.

I have also an Instagram account that is more photographs, less reflective and probably more yarn content.  Find me at    thepixiemum

For the minute I’ll just add photos at the end of the text, it is proving difficult to add more text after the pictures.

To make this interesting I’ll add a couple of pictures, the rosewood yarnbowl was a birthday gift from DS and DiL, the yarn is qiviut which I’m knitting up into a scarf.

The golden table decoration was given to me by my paternal cousins, Doreen and Mick after the weekend celebrations for their golden wedding at which I was a bridesmaid. Highlight for us was to have all our family together for the weekend, DD and DS live such busy lives.

September mini break 2.

Well the herb garden photos vanished from the screen, will try again along with photos from the nearby amazing bookshop. The bookshop was so packed, jammed, squeezed in with so many books and other printed material one could not move around in it but so lovely. 

In reverse order, I’m so frustrated with Blogger b

September mini break.

Mid-September Ian and I zoomed off to South West Wales for a pre-Autumn break, very last minute but so fortunate weather wise, warm, sunny and dry, also fortunate in taking the last room in Heywood Spa Hotel in Tenby. Very pleased with choice, fantastic service from staff, also good food with breakfast cooked to order rather than having to serve oneself food that has been on a hot plate for ever. Lighting in lounges and in bedrooms was excellent so progress was made with knitting projects.

We are not used to empty, windy, hilly roads, albeit with good surfaces, our petrol car with 1600cc engine struggled, it is so used to Middlesex flatlands, we made it to St David’s, a city the size of a village, again steep inclines for pedestrians too. As is our custom we ate in the refectory, very generous portions of tasty local food.

There was a tiny market in the town, a stall was selling alpaca, would have been tempted need to complete 4 projects and use up huge stash too.

Following day was spent in Tenby itself, we walked in knowing it would be too steep to walk back, 

ambled around the mostly independent shops, found a smaller vegetable steamer for which we had 

been searching, the rather dusty box indicated this hadn’t been a best seller but it has been ideal size 

for us. Some clothes purchases for me will keep Seasalt in profit, the quality is good, the pinafore dress is lined and has pockets! Also their catalogues have interesting features about crafts, design, materials etc.

We found the National Trust merchant’s house, excellent and knowledgable guides there, I prefer these smaller NT properties rather than the large stately homes.  The herb garden made me consider that many of the ancient remedies, dyes and culinary uses should be scientifically examined for their properties today. Am going to attempt to post pictures of the garden whilst not losing the ability to write more text. 

Success

One of my objectives is to keep learning, maybe not formal education but practical skills and knowledge so it was with delight today I not only finished my first pair of toe up socks but they fitted Ian.  One of the advantages of toe ups apparently is that they can be tried on as one knits, however that ideal never worked in practice, partly as these socks were made much on the move. Cannot expect my husband to try on socks whilst travelling on the District Line or a crowded London omnibus. 

Another first first for today was our grandson’s first day at Infant school, his parents haven’t posted those obligatory front door photos on social media, just family site so this will be respected. My fingers are sore still from sewing on his name tapes on all the uniform. A question - when did school socks become black instead of grey?

Another question. Why do hairstyles look ok just before going to bed having not behaved during the day?

Will add photos of socks, colour varies but officially the Dublin Dye Company calls it Petrol. 

Preschool treat.

This time last week grandson Edward stayed with us for three days, a treat before he starts school this Wednesday, also a chance for little sister Alice to have her parents all to herself even if she was at nursery for two of those days. She understands her brother has left nursery to attend big school.

Our big day out was on Monday, different forms of transport in London, some enjoyed more than others. We travelled on South Western Railway to Waterloo, that was fine he appreciated the design of the former Eurostar terminal, changes in bus routes meant taking the Northern line, far too noisy for young sensitive ears, District Line to Tower Gateway with a short walk to The Minories for a pit stop. This pub is under railway arches so whilst drinking a large apple juice heard rumbles above before we travelled right at the front of the Docklands Light Railway. Not the expected success, apparently the train was too wobbly and a bit scary, a short walk brought us to the Emirates cable car, now that was fun up in the sky!

Lunch at the O2 before a walk to the riverside for the Thames Clipper, another success where he chatted to other travellers sitting at the front with him, of course in our sights. A westbound  journey on the District Line, appreciated once the train was in the open air and a final bus ride to our home during which he nearly fell asleep.

Next day was less frenetic, went to The Cake Box at Hampton http://thecakeboxhampton..co.uk/  for a story about a hedgehog, decorating a cake to resemble a hedgehog using chocolate butter icing and broken spiky chocolate buttons, made a hedgehog using a folded paper bag and scissors, a video was shown about hedgehogs in gardens and countryside. All appropriate as Edward will be in hedgehog
class at his school.  The afternoon was spent working on his chess skills.

Will end this update with photos, Trust they will be in the right order!  Photos are not in right order, bother!

View from cable car

Waiting on station platform for train to Waterloo

Paper hedgehog, cake in holder, shortbread hedgehog,