Good Morning Everyone. February has arrived and with it the promise of Spring to come.
At least up here in the Northern Hemisphere. The snowdrops are popping up on almost a daily basis. Just lovely.
My lion is looking resplendent behind the tubs of primulas.
It’s been wonderful to read the posts from those who took part in the RSPB Garden Bird Count. I meant to include a picture in my post of the rather ingenious feeder Mr E made from a plastic bottle.
The bottom part he made on the 3D printer. Just as brillaint is the funnel he made from another plastic bottle with another 3D printed connector to the feeder. Clever chap all told.
He’s poorly still I am afraid with what turns out to be the late-term effects of the cancer treatment he received nine years ago. Long story short, he is due an operation next week to see what can be done to help improve things. Hoping it doesn’t get canceled at the last minute. We only found out the date 6 days ago , so trying to get our heads round it all. Meantime we soldier on.
I have enjoyed reading some posts recently about people who signed up to various craft/crochet boxes. Once a quarter or once a month through the post comes a box of goodies, a little project or two, a tea bag, something tasty to eat, maybe a picture. Oh they look nice thinks I , but I don’t need any more projects, but I can do the rest my self. So I found a nice picture postcard in the newsagents and some hyacinths in Morrisons and an ornament of Mums, so all I need is a mug of Earl Grey , a tasty biscuit and some small project and I am away.
Thanks for all the help with the crochet bag last week. I honestly don’t know where I would be without you. I have stitched in all the loose ends and although the joins are less noticeable I think I shall go with the Snails idea and crochet extra flowers to cover up the seam that isn’t.
Meantime the dragon progresses.
Left wing done. Right wing awaits construction, then back feet and claws front and back. Maybe I will get him/her finished this weekend. Stand by your beds for the big Tahdah moment.
I have been swimming three times in January and have so completed the 17 swims for 2017, just four weeks late. I am still working on 14, but I resolved the 15 books read from the heap by the bed. If you recall I had faltered after 12. I had a long hard look at the ones that remained and bagged them up for the charity shop. Result, no more heap by the bed. I know some brave souls are doing 18 for 2018, how are you getting on? No goals for me this year and that is good, no pressure!
Quiet weekend for once coming up. May get out in the garden. I had an hour outside on Wednesday and chopped down more ivy. The sun was shining but the wind was positively arctic so I gave up and came in.
This morning I am off to the hairdressers, I can’t see out from under my fringe, high time for a trim, and then who knows…..
What are your plans this weekend, do tell please.
I love your comments, please do join in with the natter love to hear from you all.
Have a good day, and Be Happy,
Cathyx
nanacathy2
nanacathydotcom 
Comments on: "Knit and Natter Friday!" (56)
I loved the big garden Birdwatch too. Lovely thing to do.
Hope all goes well with Mr E Cathy x
Sorry to hear about this setback for Mr E – I hope all goes well with no delays or cancellation. The subscription boxes look pretty, but the contents are usually a bit, well, pointless to my mind! Apart from the sock subscriptions. Now they really ARE tempting! Dragon is looking amazing – that wing!
Glad to see spring is coming your way. Best wishes to you and Mr E.
Thanks a lot. I don’t think Winter has quite gone yet, too much of an optimist for my own good.
The flowers peeking out are so wonderful! I am so looking forward to Spring here, but I am afraid it is still months away. I will enjoy looking at your beautiful spring photos 🙂
Maybe I spoke too soon, Monday morning and we have a sprinkle of snow!
Thinking of you both re the operation. Not a pleasant prospect, but I have a feeling that your positive outlook will help both of you deal with everything as smoothly as possible. So, good luck to Mr E. xxx
Thank you very much.
Best wishes to Mr E from us both.
Thanks Rachel, much appreciated.
I do hope your hubby is ok and all goes well with the upcoming treatment. He must be a clever chappy to print things on a 3D printer! No change for me on the weekend’s activities – lots of stitching!
Enjoy the stitching and thank you.
Well the Super Bowl is here in Minnesota and we are thankfully 60 miles away from the traffic and mess! ;o) All us Minnesotans are snickering as it’s -13C tonight! Saturday night and Sunday night should be -21C! Hope the visitors keep warm!
I love that dragon! You are so talented! The wing is just amazing! And Mr E’s bird feeder is so nice! And he used a 3D printer!! Cool! I’m praying all goes well for his surgery.
About 10 years back a dear friend suffered a similar issue/side effect from her past cancer treatments, her surgery resolved it. That was the first till now I’d heard of a side effect like that.
No spring here yet. This weekend I’ll be doing Sashiko embroidery on a bed coverlet, and keeping warm!
Thank you for your reassuring words about your friend. There is virtually no information I can find through google on what may happen after treatment especially when it is long afterwards.
Constructing the dragon is proving to be quite tricky with lots of ” Have I pinned this right, does it look like the picture” questions to Mr E. Not for the faint hearted!
It sounds very cold your way. We are at about 2C now but with a cold wind coimng from the North. You need to stay indoors and enjoy sticthing your embroidery!
Have a lovely weekend.
I love your idea of making your own box! I have been thinking about getting a box, but figure I probably won’t like everything I get whereas if I treated myself, I would!
I think I have started something here, and why shouldn’t we have a tailor made box which we are guarenteed to love all of it. Let me know if you make one for yourself.
I was thinking about it again this morning. I could get myself one new thing for each of my three main interests, plus maybe a little snack too! I loved your idea of flowers too! I so enjoy them, but never buy them
I think that would be a truly splendid idea, and certainly the flowers. If you buy them from a market , greengrocers or supermarket they aren’t too expensive.
Take care, I’m sending get well wishes to Mr E. I don’t tend to buy boxes or magazines as I don’t really need any extra projects and I get most patterns online. I do like your idea of a little treat though, it sounds very much like you deserve it. x
Thank oyou, I appreciate the good wishes. We all deserve a little treat from time to time. Have a good weekend Mrs C.
No ‘big’ plans for the weekend. Davis Cup tennis continues over the next couple of days so I’ll be watching that on and off plus clearing beside a fence line. New boundary fence going in soon and due to various reasons (like a bad back) it’s a bit of a mess down there and has to be cleared so the fencers have a clean line to work along.
And as Australia Day has been and gone, the school year has just begun, all businesses are back to work so it’s now the start of the year ‘proper’ which means thinking about all my extra curricular activies. Well they aren’t extra as in over and above but my life in general I suppose. Choir – women’s groups – retirement groups – knitting – reading 😊
Talking about knitting, the dragon looks a fair size in the photo. Is it big or little? Looking forward to seeing it finished. Thinking healthy thought for your man ~ Cathy
I hope you enjoy all the sporty activities this weekend and get the garden cleared for the new fence. I have just started the post Winter tidy up. It’s going to take me longer as Mr E is out of action.
The new school year is great with everything starting up again. The groups I belong to tend to run September to September with the summer months off. The only thing that keeps going is the library volunteering which takes the biggest break over Christmas. Exciting time for you.
The dragon is quite long, I shall measure him when he’s done.
Enjoy your weekend.
I hope it all goes as scheduled and a swift recovery is had. I’ll be thinking of you both 🌹🌻🌼❤
Thank you, so very kind.
Busy as always. I love the dragon. I hope your husband’s operation goes well.
Thank you, everyones good wishes mean so much.
I love that snowdrops are popping up everywhere. They are such cheery little flowers. Your dragon already looks brilliant already. Thats an ingenius bird feeder! Well done Mr E. Hope all goes well for him and he feels better soon. X
Snowdrops are just such a welcome sight , the season is turning. The only draw back with the feeder is that get two or more sparrows on it and it spins, they hold on for dear life. Very funny in some ways. Thanks for the good wishes for Mr E, so appreciated.
Sending prayers and best wishes to Mr. E, that the operations goes smoothly and as scheduled, that he recovers quickly and that he feels much better as a result! Have fun at the hairdressers, such a treat when I go every two months. The dragon is looking so perfect for an independent princess.😄 I am with you on those nice little boxes. They look like such a treat, but the price tag is always high, especially if you don’t care for their selection. I am too tight with my money to be willing to risk it!😆 I’ll just enjoy a cup of Earl Grey with you and maybe splurge on a bag of chocolates I can ration over the year!
Oh yes, we should all have a nice pot of Earl grey, milk or lemon?
Thank you for the prayers and good wishes, much appreciated.
Feel so much better for having had the haircut, I have no idea how she manages to make it look so good if only for a few hours.
I like your version of the craft box! I do get a “roving of the month”, it was a Christmas present, but it is just a hand painted braid, no pictures and tea come with it.
No big plans this weekend except to eat bad for is food and watch the big football game. We could care less about the game but we like the food, lol.
Wll isn’t the food the best bit, enjoy every wicked mouthfl! The roving a month is a good present for you, you can add your own treats in too!
Lol and I will add treats!
Absolutely. I think we have it cracked, crafting with treats!
I am joining family for dinner tonight and a movie tomorrow. And in between sewing and knitting! I like your idea, make your own box treats!
Oh a family meal how wonderful, enjoy every mouthful and no washing up either.
Spring has not arrived everywhere in the northern hemisphere! Winter is holding on tight here but I love seeing your hints of spring. I didn’t know that cancer treatment could have side effects so long after the treatment was over–that seems very unfair to me! I hope the surgery is successful and not too hard on him. My husband is having ankle surgery in April . . . not fun. And I love your idea of making your own treat box! That way you know you’ll like what you get!
I had not heard of late term effects either. The thing is his treatment was quite revolutionary at the time, so no-one knew what would happen. Nine years nearly and only the last year have there been any problems. The trouble is realising something is amiss and going for help! Hope the ankle surgery for your husband goes well. I like the idea of a treat box too, maybe I shall do one a month!
So sorry to hear about your husband: here’s hoping they don’t cancel the op. My son had a minor op lately but it took a few goes before it finally happened!! The dragon looks lovely.
So hoping it isn’t postponed. We were expecting a date in May and to come home last Saturday from the supermarket to find a letter saying February was a bit of a shock! Trying not to read anything into the date!
Hope your son is making a good recovery.
His was more of an investigation. Getting the date brought forward sounds good though I know what you mean about not reading anything into it. Maybe they just realised they had to fit in more ops. I had something similar with an eye checkup that was brought forward to when the consultant wanted it!! Anyway sending you all good wishes for a good outcome.
sending positive vibes to Mr E and hope the op goes smoothly. Will he be in and out or be kept in for a few days?
Your dragon is looking fabulous – so much detail in that wing already!
Hopefully home by bed time, but… he is a terrible patient and it wouldn’t surprise me if they keep hm in. Thanks for the vibes.
The dragon has to be one of the most complicated things I have ever knitted, not for the faint hearted!
Looks positively like Spring indeed. Very cheerful. What a clever plan for a bird feeder. Well done to Mr. E. Hope all goes well, I am thinking of you all.
Your dragon is just so adorable. Great job. Enjoy the trip to the hairdresser.
Not so quiet weekend here. Due to the ongoing drought and severe water crisis in Cape Town, we have a water collection drive on Saturday to get water to the animal shelters in Cape Town. 🙂 We all have to try and do our bit.
Have a great weekend and enjoy, stay warm if it is still on the chilly side. 🙂
Oh gosh I hope the water collection drive goes well. I have seen reports on our TV news about your water shortage, so alarming in a city such as Cape Town. The very best of luck.
Just back from the hairdresser, feel so much better for the trim, I can see out again!
Thank you for your good wishes, they mean a lot to us.
Thank you, we are helping where we can, and keeping fingers crossed for rain soon. 🙂 Enjoy the new haircut. 🙂 It always feels so nice to have one’s hair done, even if just a little trim.
I have exactly the same feeling about those little project boxes – they are tempting, but I really don’t need someone to send me more projects – I’m perfectly capable of generating them on my own!
This weekend is the start of the 6-nations rugby, so that will be occupying part of my time. Whilst it’s on, I’m planning to do some test squares with some new yarn. I am going to write some patterns for a local wool producer so that she can put together some kits. She currently has one particular yarn in abundance, so I have a couple of skeins of that to do some trials with to see what sort of stitches show it off best and to work out a hat pattern to get things started.
Gosh, I hope Mr E is on the mend soon and that the op goes ok. Mum went for a check-up recently and, although the mammogram was clear, the doctor found a small swelling under her arm on the side that still has lymph nodes. She went for an ultrasound yesterday for them to check it out and we are all immensely relieved that it turned out to be nothing.
I’m delighted that you are going to put some flowers on your bag – I think they will look splendid. Have a lovely weekend and take care of Mr E. x
Thank you for your good wishes and what super news about your Mum. Such an anxious time waiting for results.
We were relieved when we were told that cancer had not returned but disappointed not to know why swallowing was such a problem, then relieved to be told it was late term side effects and that something might be able to be done about it. Fingers crossed it is successful.
Meantime good luck with the pattern writing and yan testing. Impressed you follow rugby. Son 3 played rugby at school, in fact the whole school was obsessed by it. I used to watch his games but hated every minute. He was a big lad, but not compared to the others and e would disapear into the scrum as a kicker out, I am sure that is not the name of his position but that was what he had to do. I spent a fortune on kit to protect him. Anyway he came away unscathed!
I shall finish the dragon then the crochet bag, who knows, I may have two finishes very shortly!
I used to hate rugby, but living in Wales everyone talks about it and following it became the path of least resistance! To be honest, it’s a good excuse to spend the afternoon knitting or crocheting and, possibly, to have a nice bottle of beer! Actually… perhaps I’ll make some snacks this afternoon to accompany the beer.
I really hope the operation is a success… it seems like an awful long time to wait for side effects.
My mum is over the moon that no problems were found – she’s been so well over the past year that it would have been a terrible set-back. She goes to the gym twice a week now and enjoys meeting the body-builders and fitness freaks who, by all accounts, take great care of her (she’s in her 80s), plus she has a personal trainer!!
I’m sure the bag will look wonderful with some flowers over the bit you don’t like. The dragon already looks amazing with just one wing! Looking forward to seeing it finished for sure 🙂 I’m sending you both best wishes for a happy and healthy outcome from this round of health issues. Never an easy time Cathy, but as you say we soldier on!
Thank you very much.
I did try a trial crochet box subscription but I must admit I found it rather expensive and not necessarily something I would have opted to do so didn’t sign up. Plus, like you, I don’t have any problems finding projects to keep me occupied – rather the reverse. It’s exciting to get something nice through the post but I have Amazon and online fabric & yarn shops for that 😉
I’m sorry to hear Mr. E is having problems – here’s hoping it gets sorted quickly and satisfactorily. Bon courage!!
The boxes look really appealing, but not very good value, and the bits that appeal are so easily put togther for onself! Maybe I should make an effort at the start of each new project.
Thanks for the good wishes!
Sending best wishes to you both 🙂
Thank you, much appreciated.