Unraveled Wednesday

My upper right arm continues to ache if I knit. Sewing is fine, but I need to concentrate on it , so not suitable for doing whilst trying to follow a good programme on TV. So I gave crochet another go, and providing I am not over ambitious I can manage a little bit at night. So another blanket for the homeless is underway.

I am using yarn leftover from the dinosaur.

Now then the books I have read recently.

F Scott Fitzgerald- Tender is the Night. From my own bookshelf and I have no idea how I acquired it. I believe my thought process was “although I didn’t like The Great Gatsby, maybe I should try one of his other books”. Well I didn’t like this- I don’t like his style and I don’t like the characters in his books. I just have to accept I don’t like this author.

Aldous Huzley- Brave New World- I must have picked this one up from a community centres’ book table as it has the address of a school in it, with accompanying notes in the margin. This is a re-read for me- last read I think when I was in my 20’s. I had totally mis-remembered it. Did I muddle it in my mind with another book, maybe H G Wells? It’s written in the 1930’s and imagines life in a still distant future. Some things he predicted, but other more significant ones, not at all. Glad I re-read it, but I shalln’t be keeping either of these- destined for a charity shop.

Which brings me to my current book. After I read The Houses in Between by Howard Spring, which my Mum had introduced me too as a teenager I recalled another book she had suggested I read, and that I recall enjoying it. Written in the 1940’s and recently re- published, I was delighted to get my mitts on this copy.

Now don’t be put off by the ridiculous cover and the term “Bodice ripper”. The author was married to a historian who was writing his college thesis on Charles 2nd and his court. Kathleen Windsor read all the documents and academic books he had and put in 6 years of solid research before turning to writing her own novel set during the 1600’s. I am two chapters in and thoroughly enjoying it. 900 pages long and perfect reading for this time of year when the nights are cold and dark and the days not much better.

Apparently it was banned in Boston, owing to the immoral discriptions of the court- which by modern standards are really tame.. otherwise my Mum would never have given it to me to read.

Joining with Kat and others for more yarn and book chat, link here-https://askatknits.com/2024/11/27/unraveled-wednesday-11-27-24/

Yield- November

Right now I am yielding to Storm Bert which is blowing the few remaining leaves off the trees. I am stopping indoors and keeping warm. But I am luckier than many who are also contending with snow and floods. The problem with the UK is the powers that be assume these weather events won’t happen and then seem surprised when they do.

The month just seems to have vanished. I reckon November often does.. it’s Christmas creeping up on us. For me it’s been very much of doing what I know works for me. Helping family when I can, asking for help when I need it- printer ink needed changing- I have done it, but well over a year ago and I forget in between times. Thinking ahead so I stay on top of things- the unexpected will always happen eventually. Changing plans if needed- one anticipated trip in December was cancelled due to insufficient interest- instead my friend and I booked a different trip , and if I am honest one I am looking forward to this new one more. Resting when I need it.

I have already planned some January- March outings which I am looking forward too. I find having things in the diary at this time of year help me to get through Winter.

I have given up trying to knit at the moment- it just hurts my arm. I tried doing a row a night, but it was too much. Instead I am concentrating on sewing/stitching.

Here we have six little gift bags- from a kit I may have bought two years ago, maybe longer.

My aim in December is to finish at least one more stitching project- there are multiple ones on the go.

We moved house with an enormous artificial tree- too big for this house. The following year I bought a real tree- still too wide and a bit of a pain getting it into the house. The following two years I didn’t bother- just did not have the get up and go to do it. This week I have purchased a new slimmer artificial tree and I can’t wait to get out my decorations- so many are handmade by me and so many memories in them all.

I continue to read books from my own bookcases. My son and grandson came to stay recently. Last time they came Mr J pointed out that the bookcase and bedside table were wrongly placed in the room. The only electric sockets were part hidden by the bookcase. Why? he reasonably asked.”Because that’s where the removal men put them” I replied. I have swapped them round. It meant emptying the bookcase and in doing so I realised I wasn’t going to refer to some of the craft books again, so they are going to a charity shop this week. It meant that some books which were double stacked on another bookacse could now have a shelf space all of their own. And I realised how much I was enjoying reading these books of my own, and then letting them go.

Some days I feel like the trees, bending in the winds of life to what comes along.

So there we are for another month.

Joining with Carolyn and other One Worders

here- https://youronewordblog.wordpress.com/2024/11/25/checking-in-11-24/

Scrap Happy!

I don’t write these posts on a regular basis anymore, but today I thought, Oh Yes I have something. Well I hope I do. I am never certain when stash becomes scrap, because I tend to keep everything as you never know when it will be useful. All I can say is I have a bag of felt pieces, and that the following was completely made from squares of felt that had all been used in other projects. And what is it?

From a pattern given to me at Patch and Chat, one of my new groups this Autumn, I made this.

The cutest gingerbread house ever..lightly filled with toy stuffing and a smidge of homegrown dried lavender. I forgot to embroider the door handle. Doh!

Please pop over to Kate’s blog here-https://talltalesfromchiconia.wordpress.com/ for some wonderful projects made from scraps.

Unraveled Wednesday

Well America, what has happened there? I wish you all well after today’s results.

Moving swiftly on to pleasanter matters it’s Wednesday and time for all things yarny.

The Knitting.. or lack of knitting. I have done something to my upper right arm, sometime way back in September. Maybe lifting my suitcase? Maybe saving myself from falling out of a single bed on the first night in Greece when I nobley took the room with single beds, allowing my travel companion to have the room with the double bed? Who knows? I thought it got better last month.. that turned out to have been a side benefit from the pain killers I was taking for that tooth extraction.

I managed one row of this hat I am attempting to make for the Big Knit, before my arm hurt a lot. Honestly I am falling to bits. Did I mention that I now need new glasses, having gone from being long sighted to short sighted.

So lets turn to books. I managed to read this heap last month.

Even the library books you can see here are actually ones I purchased from the libraries destash book sale. All will be passed onto a charity shop for resale.

Another World by Pat Barker– Geordie a First World War veteran aged 101, is now dying and is haunted by the past and the death of his brother in the trenches. Meantime his grief stricken grandson is trying to make sense of a sinister Victorian drawing hidden below layers of wallpaper in a house he and his family are renovating. Thoroughly enjoyable read.

Below Stairs- Margaret Powell– I first read this in 1972..I am that old! This is the memoir of a 1920’s kitchen maid and she pulls no punches. Forget everything you saw in Downton Abbey, she writes well and the authenticity of her book shines through. I was gald to have the chance to reread this.

Enduring Love- Ian McEwan– Another great read, and an opening chapter detailing an incredible accident won’t be forgotten. And I can’t say more because I don’t want to spoil it.

Basil- Wilkie Collins– I think we were given this for Christmas one year, and I’ve just got round to reading it. Wilkie Collins has been over shadowed by Dickens somewhat. He sets his novels in 19 Century London, but I find them easier to read as he doesn’t attempt to write in dialect. Anyway, Basil makes a hasty and unfortunate marriage and all manner of dastardly schemes have to be thwarted, or not, maybe. I enjoyed it but will be passing the book on with the others.

Which turns me to the one I had started last week.

To my mind this book shows why it is hightime we got rid of the so called Upper Class, and it is no surprise that the 9th Duke of Rutland locked away his family papers after carefully culling some which showed his family in a very strange light. His redeeming feature is that he hung onto Haddon Hall and began it’s restoration..it having been untouched and unlived in for 200 years, and one of the properties I visited in the Summer.

Haddon Hall.

Prepare to be outraged. I shall keep this book, in case I need to get on a moral high horse again.

Joining Kat and others here-https://askatknits.com/2024/11/06/unraveled-wednesday-11-6-24/

Unraveled Wednesday

Joining with Kat for all things yarny here-https://askatknits.com/2024/10/30/unraveled-wednesday-10-30-24/

I have finally stitched up my second dinosaur, ready in plenty of time for a Christmas gift.

and I have completed my contribution for the local Big Knit

Four felt stockings and a Santa Hat to contain chocolate as gifts for a care home.

So now I can start a new project this week. Meantime my latest book is

This is not a novel! It’s a real castle and a real mystery involving rooms locked up for sixty years. I spotted it on holiday in the National Trust properties I visited in Derbyshire. I very nearly bought it then and there, but walked away from it, and regretted it all the way home, so when I saw it in a local bookshop I bought a copy and gosh it is good. So good that I suspect reading will delay the start of my new project.

Yield-October

I haven’t really had time to draw breathe this month, let alone done much serious reflection, or even had chance to work on my One Word -Yield. So here’s a whistle stop through October

There were birthdays, a beautiful wedding, trips out, a dental emergency (mine), a cycling accident (a sons), etc etc.

The clocks have gone back, so it’s lighter in the morning but darker earlier. The leaves are falling fast and furious, lots of tidying up to do, but I do like the extra light that comes now I see branches and not just greenery.

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the month, I have realised that my family do still need me, I certainly need them. Sunshine is to be appreciated especially in the dark months. I ate lunch outside on one of my outings and gosh that did me good. Spending an afternoon just reading is allowed! Having lots of projects on the go at once is great. Finally clearing the garage out and having space to store the garden furniture gives me a sense achievement. Reading my own books rather than going to the library is just as much fun, and giving them away afterwards feels good. And all those NYS craft projects? Well it’s as much fun ‘shopping’ my own stash as it is buying new stuff, and the sense of achievement of finally finishing something rather than acquiring more cannot be ignored.

My outdoors lunch!

Ribbon embroidery completed this month..kit bought many many moons ago.

Squirrel eating one of my apples

The ones I kept for me

Cooking apples – enough for two puddings.

My first apples from the trees planted in 2021!

Hurrah.

Linking with Carolyn and other One Worders here-https://youronewordblog.wordpress.com/2024/10/28/checking-in-10-24/

And now I am off for another birthday celebration. Next month- another birthday and another wedding, which it appears are just like buses- they come in twos.

October Photo Challenge

This month has gone in a blur of one thing after another, hence my blogging silence. However I was determined to complete my photo challenge this month- subjects were Boat and House. Kate made the wonderful suggestion that I could combine the two words to make Boathouse and Houseboat, which really appealed to me and set me off on my travels to Devizes, and the Caen Hill Locks looking for houseboats.

Here’s what I found

Is that a boathouse behind the houseboat..not sure

Look carefully and you can see someone on deck.

I am happy that I fulfilled my brief on the topic of Boat. But October ran away with me and I really wondered about house, and then I had a day out with family to celebrate Miss F’s birthday, and looking at my photos from that day I realised I had my House pictures. Love to know how soon you recognise them?

Did you guess the Warner Brothers Studio exhibition on the making of the Harry Potter films? I have to say it was one of my favourite days out this year. I loved it. I found it fascinating to see how the special effects were created, to see the actual sets and the make up , and learn how everything was made. We were there six hours and until the car driver said Halt he was tired and had a two hour drive ahead of us.

Novembers’ words are Vegetable and Hill.

If you have some pictures of House and Boat and post about them please leave a link in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

Chastleton House

I visited this National Trust property last month during the last blast of Summer.

Oh my goodness me, it’s just gorgeous. Forget all the swanky rooms in the places I visited earlier in the year. This house built in the 1600s, passed down the generations, none who married money, frequently falling out of favour with the powers that be, ending in debt, selling off all the land, before finally being acquired by the National Trust. The decision was taken to preserve as found and not as it might have been once upon a time. So that’s how it is inside. Outside the gardens were such a mess more decisive action has been taken. Result a faboulous day out.

Beautiful desk, has some one just got up and left the room. Imagine typing a blog here.

The White Room, sherry anyone?

Now that’s a showpiece of a bed. Best bedroom for guests.

That’s where the last owner slept- note the 1950’s teasmade on the bedside table.

View from the window..look at those weird shaped yew trees.

Gorgeous gardens to stroll round.

Love the gate posts.

Refreshments are provided by local groups in the church. It was the turn of Great Rollright School when I went. By golly the carrot cake was deeeeelicious. I left them a donation as that’s the school Mr E’s Gt Grandfather taught at. Coincidence for sure.

Wonderful day out, and just what I needed. Link below for more info.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/chastleton

Yield- September

I wrote yesterday about the Greek holiday, and it took up a lot of emotional headspace for me this month. Giving up on a much anticiapted trip will take me a while to process. Yielding on a different scale. Once the disappointment and hurt has gone I will be able to look for the positives, but not yet. I am aware that much of the disappointment is that the hoped for future trips have also gone.

Moving on, I have joined a new to me U3A group, called Patch and Chat. I have attended my first session and was most impressed with the skill level and the welcome. Time to get my fat quarters out.

It was Open Studios this month. I visited and exhibition for a group called Great Western Embroiderers. Time to dig out my old creative embroidery stash.

I am begining to get a real buzz from finishing things off, and finding uses for my stash. Who knew finishing things could become addictive.

I made the hearts for this last year, but never completed the sewing onto the ring to make a wreath. ’tis done now. All fabric from stash and the charms I think came from card making materials.

Yield of a different kind.. my seed sewing didn’t do too well, but what I grew I put out in the garden. Imagine my surprise when about a week ago, in all the rain we had my one and only sweet pea finally decided to make an effort.

Well I never.

Not my usual upbeat self I am afraid, hopefully I’ll be back to my usual self next month. october is a time of celebration, birthdays galore and this year a wedding too. I have to say I have treated myself to a rather swanky hotel room at the venue. Hoping that lives up to expectations.

Linking with Carolyn here for the one word check in-https://youronewordblog.wordpress.com/2024/09/30/checking-in-9-24/

Greece

I was really looking forward to this holiday- 10 days of sunshine, swimming, delicious food and sightseeing. Sadly the trip didn’t work out as planned and we had to come home a few days early. I am still processing the reason why..nothing to do with me, and all was well once we got back to England. I know I sound mysterious,that’s because the reason concerned my travel companion.

We spent a few days in Corinth.

The view from the garden of our apartment..that was sadly the closest I got to the sea.

Breakfast and lunches taken here. I spent a few hours sat here reading. It was just lovely.

The Temple of Appolo, literally five minutes walk from the apartment, in Ancient Corinth.

Ancient Corinth- I am still blown away by the thought of walking in the steps of St Paul.

The statues in the museum’s courtyard reminded me of scenes from Dr Who!

Hign on the hill above the town lay the remains of a fortress/castle built by the Turks.

View from carpark. Sadly we got there after it closed for the day.

And that’s all I have got that I can share here. We returned to Athens to await our flight to Bristol. We visited a rather splendid museum whilst there and had three delicious meals.

Will I go back to Greece? I had so many wonderful holidays there, I am not sure I could bear the risk of another disappointment.. still processing it.

I wondered if anyone else ever had to curtail a holiday for reasons you can’t quite comprehend? It really was a question of yielding to the right thing to do, whilst bitterly regretting the necessity.