A blanket saga, more animals and some snow

Hello again!

As you know I've been making a hexagon crocheted blanket. I crocheted 100 hexagons and then sewed them together in rows of 10. And therein lies my mistake. I should know better - this is the third hexagon blanket I've made. When I  finished sewing the hexagons together I laid the blanket out on my bed and it was the most peculiar shape. Not squarish but trapezoid; I couldn't work it out at all. Then after a while I realised that I should have staggered each row as I sewed the rows together.  Not sew them in a straight line...never mind, I said to my self, I can unpick 5 from the top on alternate rows and add them to different alternate rows on the bottom. It took me hours and I do mean hours to unpick 5  hexagons and put them at the bottom and it still wasn't right. 

I had had enough of the hexagon blanket by then so I sewed a simple border in yellow and started sewing all the hundreds of ends in. OH has claimed the blanket for his car and I am furious with myself for making such a fundamental error in the first place! Still it will serve its purpose which is to keep someone warm and that's the most important thing.

We had a great time in Leeds. We didn't get there until it was starting to get dark so we didn't see as much of Leeds city centre as we would have liked. There were some fabulous buildings and next time we go we'll make sure we get there in daylight! We found only three charity shops and they were not very interesting. I didn't buy anything.

Here are some OOTD I've been wearing...

Necklace 1.50 in 3:16 charity shop. Earrings, new 3.50 in 'All Ears' Bedford. Scarf charity shopped.

 

Everything charity shopped except purple leggings - online retail. Knitted tunic; Dorothy Perkins, can't remember where; M&S blouse 99p rail, Barnardo's in Ampthill. Boots bought in the Reuse Centre for 2.99 a few years ago.

I wore this outfit last Sunday to travel back from Leeds. The matching skirt and top are Peruvian and made of a lovely soft, warm material. The outfit was a bargain at 2.99 from the Cat's Protection League because there was a grease spot on the skirt, but I got it out with stain remover! I bought the jacket by Roman from a £1.00 rail in Wellingborough, Age UK about 2 years ago and I wear it a lot. I'm wearing OTK boots underneath. I found the weekend weather quite mild after our freezing previous week.

All jewellery charity shopped. The earrings were 1.00 from 3:16 shop and the necklace too, 1.50. Bangles and ring also charity shopped.

Last Tuesday's outfit for volunteering...

Everything charity shopped except the boots - present from daughter.

Shirt, 1.00 rail Red Cross. Tunic; White Stuff, can't remember where or how much nor the jeans.

All jewellery (except earrings; brought back for me from Spain by the eldest grandson some years ago) and scarf charity shopped.

Tunic; Sainsbury's retail. Jeans, boots, scarf and shirt all charity shopped.

Necklace; 2.99 from Oxfam in Newport Pagnell a few years ago; earrings Sainsbury's retail. Bangles charity shopped.

As our weekend rummage was not very good I went to Newport Pagnell last Wednesday afternoon after going out for a short walk and doing some errands in town. I bought one top for 1.00 and one (below) from M&S for 1.50; a ring and two pairs of earrings all 1.00 each.

This is the coat I bought in a Devon charity shop last year for 3.50, I think it was. It had that funny musty smell. I had it dry cleaned in the end. I wore this outfit to do the food shopping on Thursday and got several compliments - both from other women! The patterned top was 1.00 in Newport Pagnell Keech Hospice shop.

I tried this jacket with it first; it's a Jaegar jacket and I got it from the 99p rail in Barnardo's. Great Denham.

On Thursday evening we went to see 'Young Marx' which was showing at the Bridge Theatre, London. The Bridge Theatre is: Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr’s intimate new South Bank theatre, where the focus will be on new writing, opens in riotous, melancholy style at home with Karl Marx 

Picture courtesy of the Guardian newspaper

Only we didn't go to London to see it. 
We used our complimentary tickets from the new Vue cinema in Bedford and watched a live screening of it. What a fabulous idea. Both OH and I enjoyed it so much. It was witty and funny and informative. There are a couple of Shakespeare plays coming in 2018 and a production of Lady Windermere's Fan; all of which I want to see. I checked the ticket prices for the Bridge theatre production of 'Young Marx' and the cheapest tickets were 15.00 and the most expensive 65.00!

On Friday I went walking with the Ramblers. We walked 7 miles from Carlton and across the fields to Turvey. We walked around Pict's Hill House where they have a collection of animals; reindeer, llamas, red deer and water buffalo.

A reindeer running

A llama and some young reindeer.

The person leading the walk had recce'd it a few days before and said that  one of the llamas was a bit frisky. It certainly was! We had to keep it at bay using walking poles and it still managed to jump up at the back of one of the walkers and almost knock him over...he was fine but a bit shook up.
The path we were walking on was a right of way so the owner of the llamas should have kept them under control.

The past few weeks have been very, very cold. I've had to keep the heating on all day and know my bill for this quarter will be big. We had our first snow on Sunday 10th. OH had to dig my car out of the car park as under the compacted snow was several inches of ice. Neither of the grandchildren's schools were opened on Monday by which time all the snow had turned to ice.

Someone in the flats at the bottom of my road is very artistic: can't work out what it is meant to be - a snow dog?  A snow bear? But it's very clever! It only melted on Wednesday.

Tuesday's volunteering OOTD

All jewellery charity shopped. I was wearing 3 green bangles but had taken them off by the time this photo was taken.

Everything charity shopped. Boots, 1.99; cord trousers and cardigan from the 1.00 rail, all from the Red Cross. Black and green jumper; 1.00 rail in Barnardo's, Ampthill.

On Wednesday, it was the Ramblers Christmas Walk followed by Christmas lunch. We walked from the village of Old Warden where this building, Shuttleworth House, with its 425 acres of parkland is located. Built in 1875 by the prominent Victorian architect Henry Clutton; it's also where the Shuttleworth Collection is housed and the Swiss Garden.

There is also a collection of animals! Alpacas, wallabies, goats and an emu were spotted on the walk. This is the third consecutive walk I've done where unusual animals have featured.

The Christmas lunch was lovely; we sang carols with the women singing certain verses, and men the other. A fellow walker played the keyboard to accompany us. It was all very enjoyable.

This is what I managed to change into for the lunch - in my car! I wore the headscarf with my walking gear to keep my ears warm and wore tights  under my walking trousers. I changed into my velvet trousers (M&S retail); removed my walking fleece and slipped on the charity shopped Next lace top, and topped it with this colourful kimono also charity shopped.


Boots; present from daughter

Scarf, bangle, beads charity shopped. Earrings; Sainsbury's.

On Thursday I paid my last visit to the Guild House to say goodbye to my colleague. I drew up a garment pricing guide for them to use to help with the pricing of donations to the charity shop. I also picked up a lovely silk mixture cardigan in a riot of lovely colour; 2.25, my one and only charity purchase this week. I've been too busy to look in any charity shops! I finished off my Christmas shopping in the afternoon.

Photo courtesy of youngest grandson - the quality is slipping - no dinner for you, young man!

Everything charity shopped except OTK boots; online retail. Skirt Mc & Co; Red Cross, 1.99. East top; 1.00 rail same place. Hobbs cardigan; charity shopped but can't remember where. Scarf 1.00 Whitechapel Road (London) stall.

All jewellery charity shopped.

I'm still sewing the ends in on that bloody blanket I should have it finished by this weekend   year.

I wish you all a happy Christmas or happy holiday and I'll be back again once all the festivities are over and done with...

Some crafting, reorganisation and other bits and bobs

Hello everyone. I hope you are keeping warm in this freezing cold weather!

I had my hair cut last Monday. I did the school run and took the youngest grandson to football training after school. I also managed to get to Lidl's and Tesco and out for a 6 mile walk...

This was last Tuesday's outfit. M&S sweater dress; Red Cross shop - 1.99. Velvet loafers from Primarrni; 5.00 in the sale. The scarf is from Zara and was a 60th birthday present from my brother Julian.

Bangles charity shopped; the brooch is silver and I bought it from the 3:16 charity shop last week for 5.00. It has a raised pattern of flowers on it, but it's quite old and the pattern is wearing away. I like that. The earrings are from Sainsbury's and the ring, below, is one of the 50p bargains from the Salvation Army shop in Rushden.

I had a major sort out last Tuesday afternoon of my accessories. I have so many bangles that the 3 miniature cardboard suitcases where I keep them became too full and too heavy. I put all my bangles together in a wicker picnic basket Hilary gave me ages ago.  I cleared out two hat boxes and managed to put 6 of my hats in them. The last hat sits on Norma; a wig stand - decorated by my friend Natalie and she gave me the hat, too.

Meet Snooty Norma!

The last hatbox was big enough to put all my headscarves in (which previously lived in the picnic basket) and the scarves that belonged to my mum, as well. The 3 miniature suitcases now contain: all my purses in one; all my toiletries/make up bags in another and the third one contains hair accessories and sunglasses.  I had a 4th bangle box, which was a fake ostrich leather bag, that had previously contained toiletries bought at a car boot for 1.00.  I put all my brooches in it. I got rid of a wooden box where I used to keep all my silver earrings and moved them to the box that used to house my brooches...are you keeping up there at the back? 

Anyway, in brief all my jewellery is together in one place - on my chest of drawers and all my scarves, hats and hair accessories and sunglasses are together on top of my cupboard. Now, if only I could organise storage of my tights in one place. I have a small drawer full of tights and a small wicker basket underneath the bed with more. Ideally I'd like to have them in one place and organised so I can see all the colours at once...I can but dream!

Hilary made this lovely bolster for my bed.  I love the chintz pattern and the lace trim. Now I can read in bed in comfort! I have been reading in bed every evening and I have never been so comfortable. Tempted not to get up on a couple of really cold days and just stay in bed and read...

WIP

This was the start of putting together the hexagon blanket. 100 hexagons - not in equal numbers of colours. That's what you get when you buy your wool from charity shops! I did have to buy two extra balls of wool in Donegal in the summer as I hadn't brought enough with me. 

After planning them out I then pinned them together in rows of 10. I labelled each row and then I started sewing them together.

5 rows completed - only 5 left to do!

I must stop clashing with the curtains...

Everything is charity shopped. Kimono; H&M bought in Galway charity shop in the summer for 4 euros; boots BNWT from New Look in the Willen Hospice shop, Newport Pagnell for 6.00; top by Monsoon; RSPCA in Bedford for 4.00.  I can't remember where I got the trousers from.The kimono makes me look enormous but I love it; it's so swooshy!

I got up too late on Wednesday to go walking so I decided to get on with my hexagon blanket instead. It was a very windy day and I enjoyed staying in. Youngest grandson came for a visit and stayed for dinner - he took these photos. I always make the grandsons work for their dinner!

All jewellery charity shopped.

On Thursday I walked with Ramblers and we walked from Ridgemont to Woburn Safari Park just a short walk of 4.5 miles. There are several public footpaths through the park and you often get to see the animals without having to pay the 32.99 entrance fee!

Wallabies

Elephants

Zebras

Camels

This what I changed into.  I thought I only had one sweater dress but I'd forgotten about this green one. I think I bought it at the Red Cross for 1.99. The shirt is from there but from the 1.00 rail and is a 90s does 70s one with the very pointy collar. It was a really chilly day so warm clothing was required. I wore my yellow duffel as outerwear and was very snug as I did the food shopping in the afternoon.

All jewellery charity shopped including the second of my 50p rings from the Salvation Army in Rushden. Tights from John Lewis but charity shopped for 1.00. Boots - Christmas present from my daughter.

Scarf charity shopped. It started off around my neck on the walk but I quickly wrapped it round my head as my ears were cold and I left it on all day.

On Friday I walked with the group again - another bus walk but this time from Marston Moretaine and around the country park - 6 miles. This is the church in Marston Moretaine; unusual because the tower is detached from the rest apparently as a refuge from the Vikings!  It also has a medieval dooms day painting - see below. A dooms day painting is one where Christ is assigning souls to either heaven or hell.

source  https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyHz6fIO1sNpsIjq3pn78Xa9UUNDKcjZucuru34Rsr8SAhkqFxuAKMktp2cjVl6kF_5NFEtJbfSAF63Bg5FdHKgDCMuk71mzjBz5ND7HwKM1OkNge5sOQF5xSvxfT8iu3LqSB5tk_4tc/s640/20171124_110740.jpg

It was a chilly but very bright day with no cold wind so ideal for walking.

Saturday was my youngest brother, Tony's, 60th birthday meal. It was held in Burton Latimer which is near Kettering and  attended by his four children and five grandchildren; one son in law; ex- partner and her husband, ex mother in law, one brother (Mark), sister and OH (me and himself); best friend, his wife and daughter. If you remember we went out in October for an early birthday meal with the birthday boy, my two other brothers and me and OH as Julian would be on tour in November.

I wore my turquoise blue charity shopped evening coat; jumpsuit from M&S - it has only one shoulder hence the lopsided look. Shoes; charity shopped 99p in Barnardo's in Ampthill.  One of the waitresses; a very young girl, asked me as we were leaving where I got my evening coat as she loved it! Of course I told her the truth.

The black plastic bag is full of charity shop donations which I'll drop off next week; probably in Kempston.

I picked up this bag in the week for 2.00 at the  Children's Society; I love the embroidery on it and I'm using it as my current handbag. It had a corded drawstring which I didn't like so I cut it off...

All jewellery charity shopped except turquoise ring which was a present.

And here's himself...

And here's the birthday boy - a great 'Only Fools and Horses' fan. For non UK readers that's a British comedy series from the 80s, I think it was.

Eldest grandson returned on Monday to stay with us until he finds some more affordable accommodation in London. Meanwhile he's commuting...

On Tuesday I was at the food bank in the morning and the library in the afternoon. I was outside a local Tesco's on Friday afternoon from 1 - 2 pm handing out lists of required items for the food bank to shoppers. People were so generous. By the time I left we had a total of 20 crates of food donated and there were still 3 hours to go.

This is what I wore on Tuesday. All clothes charity shopped. Skirt, Top Shop; can't remember which charity shop I got this from; denim shirt underneath charity shopped in Cambridge some years ago; jumper B&M, 1.00 rail Barnardo's in Ampthill. Boots: Sainsbury's retail.
All jewellery charity shopped.

I've been out walking twice this week; one a 7 .5 mile walk and another of 5 miles with my daughter. I took the bag of donations to a charity shop on Thursday and had a rummage around the charity shops in Kempston. I am very naughty, as this weekend OH and I are going to Leeds to stay with his best friend from his army days and we will certainly have a rummage while we're there. I'm also hoping we'll get out for a walk. The last time we were in Leeds we walked on Ilkley Moor.

I found a pair of dressy trousers from MC &Co; 3.50 in the Keech Hospice shop and a ring 1.25;  a skirt and matching top; 2.99  in the Cat's Protection League and in the Day Hospice shop I bought a brooch for 1.00, so I  think I was quite restrained.

Thursday's outerwear

I bought this 100% wool cape coat by 'First Avenue' in the good old British Red Cross shop for 1.99 last winter.  I do miss the shop for wonderful bargains! The brooch is the one I bought in the Day Hospice Shop for 1.00. Animal print gloves and scarf both charity shopped. We went for dinner at my daughter's on Thursday evening hence the unfamiliar background in the photos below.

Everything charity shopped except the OTK boots which were online retail and the brown leggings from M&S. Can't  remember where I got either the tunic or the waistcoat but the waistcoat was needed as it was bloody cold on Thursday!

Necklace bought in the 3:16 shop for 1.50 at the same time as the silver brooch in the first photos. Earrings from Sainsbury's. Brooch, bangles and ring charity shopped.

I know some of you escape from all the Christmas stuff by going away but I'm stuck here and have all the family on Christmas Day. I've started the dreaded shopping as I have bought a couple of Christmas presents online already but intend to do the bulk of it next week. Luckily, most of the family want hard cash!! How's your Christmas shaping up?

Blogoversary

Hello!

As I'd been away and was playing catch up when I got back; I completely forgot when I last posted that the two year anniversary of my first blog - 3rd November 2015 - had been and gone! That flew by...

The first Monday in two years without a stint in a charity shop. What did I do instead? I went back to bed to finish off my book! Got up when it was finished, got ready, popped into to town to do some errands and picked up the grandchildren from school. It made a change not being on my feet all day..

Everything charity shopped. Cardigan, (Laura Ashley); scarf and boots all from the Red Cross. Navy blue velvet cords M&S bought in Sandy Wood Green Animal Shelter charity shop last Wednesday after my group walk.  I bought the top in Sense in Kettering on Saturday's rummage for 2. 99. All jewellery is charity shopped.

My earrings seem to have disappeared in this picture!

On Tuesday I volunteered at the Guildhouse. We had a meeting and I was able to tell the Manager that I won't be back after Christmas. I've got two more sessions there and that's it! More freedom...

Yellow pinafore; Sainsbury's retail sale plus a further 20% off. The blouse is charity shopped as are the scarf and leggings; the boots are from Lidl. I wore a charity shopped long sleeved yellow top under the blouse for added warmth.  

I actually cut and hemmed this pinafore as well the navy blue cords I wore on Monday. It took me longer to thread the needles than sew the bloody things; I only had tiny needles in my sewing box. Everybody comes round for a needle and some thread and leaves me with nothing! I bought myself a packet of needles with large eye holes on my way back from volunteering at the library. I have another pair of trousers to hem so I won't have to spend so long trying to thread the needle.

I have been eyeing up this jacket  in the Guild House for a few months now and had rejected it on the grounds it wouldn't fit me. I  decided to try it on finally as I only have a couple of sessions left at the Guild House.  Do you know what?  It fits absolutely fine! 4.00 and it was all mine. It's a bright yellow duffle jacket with a detachable hood and toggle fastenings. I wonder what people in the States and Canada call this type of coat? Do tell. 

Of course Paddington Bear is one of the most famous of duffle coat wearers and I seem to recall dear old Michael Foot (a  British Socialist politician, now dead) used to wear one.

All jewellery charity shopped except the earrings which were a present from my ex mum in law. The necklace was from Oxfam in Newport Pagnell about two years ago - my very first visit, I think.

I went walking with the group on Wednesday. We walked from Rowney Warren through beautiful woods and seven miles across fields and woods to Haynes and Deadman's Cross. It was a very cold day but we soon warmed up.

Image courtesy of Google images

This what I changed into and went to Rushden to pick something up. Of course I just had to have a quick whirl round the charity shops while I was there...

Yellow trousers; La Redoute sale, blue top Sandy charity shop last week; 1.99. I really like this top; the colour and design reminds me of Delft china. I brought the cardigan back with me from the caravan but can't remember where I bought it in Ireland in 2016. I find it hard to resist a patterned cardigan! Boots; 1.99 Red Cross shop.

I bought this necklace on a rummage recently but can't remember where. I happened to have an almost matching pair of earrings in my collection...

The wonderful Salvation Army shop in Rushden always comes up trumps. They had a jewellery sale on. Like I need more jewellery! Nevertheless, at 50p per item I couldn't resist. I bought 4 necklaces and 2 rings. I also bought one grandson a t shirt here and a lovely Phase Eight lace tunic top for me. There were four other shops to look at and I bought a bangle for 99p in one and  something for the other grandson in another. No more rummaging for me for a while, I think, but then I remembered I'm going to visit Hilary in Devon in just over a week's time. I can't see me and Hilary not going rummaging but I might set myself a very strict budget and try to stick to it...

Clashing with the curtains...everything charity shopped except the boots online retail.

 Can you see a mark on my hand? It's an oven burn from my 'new to me' oven. I had an insurance cover on my old Candy double oven and decided one day a few months back it was a waste of money, so I cancelled the direct debit.  Less than a month later the oven went - it's called Sod's Law! As I have plans for my kitchen I didn't want to invest in a brand new oven, so I bought one secondhand from the second hand white goods dealer who has a shop at the bottom of my street. How convenient was that? Anyway the oven is now well and truly christened...

On Friday I did a bus walk with the group. We caught a bus from Bedford to Rushden Golf Club and walked to Souldrop, Sharnbrook, Felmersham, Radwell to Oakley where caught a bus back to Bedford. It was 10 miles and I was completely shattered. I went to bed at 9 pm and slept like a log!

On Saturday we went to see my son.

Boots; Sainsbury's, leggings; Store 21 sale (I noticed when I was in Rushden last Wednesday that this shop had closed. Such a shame it did good household stuff). Phase Eight lace tunic; Salvation Army Rushden; 5.00. Kimono, 1.99 Red Cross shop about three years ago.

All jewellery charity shopped. This is one of the 50p necklaces from the Salvation Army in Rushden.

On Monday evening, OH and I went to see 'Murder on the Orient Express' at our new Vue cinema. I booked the tickets online and they have a senior i.e. over 60 category which I booked. The online information said the film started at 8.10pm. When we got there we were told the film started at 8.45 pm and the online information was wrong. We had a wander around the new complex; I crossed over the new bridge over the Great River Ouse for the first time. I was very sad to see that new complex has been inhabited by an encampment of homeless people. It was a bitterly cold night and it is shameful that in such a rich country as ours people still have to sleep on the streets. If I had my way I would turn one of the vacant premises in the new complex to a night shelter for the homeless.

When we returned to the cinema the manager gave us two free cinema tickets to make amends for the delayed start time. Yippee! I enjoyed the film. I'd not seen the original and this is one of the few Agatha Christie books I haven't read. The clothes were fabulous and Judy Dench had some amazing jewellery!

On Tuesday I volunteered at the food bank in the morning and in the library in the afternoon. Tuesday wasn't a bad day but Monday was very cold with a really chilly wind. I just didn't fancy going out for a walk so I got on with sewing the ends of my third blanket in. Yawn...

Everything charity shopped except boots; online retail.
The cardigan was from the 1.00 rail in Extra Care, Kettering last Saturday. The blouse is from the Red Cross 1.00 rail. Can't remember where the trousers came from but they were charity shopped as well as the scarf. All jewellery charity shopped. The necklace is another of the 50 p necklaces from the Salvation Army in Rushden last Wednesday.

On Friday I went to spend the weekend with my friend Hilary in Devon. We went to Exmouth to visit her daughter and grandchildren and have a good old rummage as Exmouth has about 10 charity shops. I'm still looking for a purple bangle; I'm finding it very hard to find one - one that fits, that is. I don't know if it's the arthritis in my hands or just general old age but my knuckles have definitely got bigger which makes finding bangles that fit, problematic. I sometimes struggle to remove my bangles in the evening as my hands/knuckles/fingers have swollen.

I had a lovely weekend with Hilary but forgot to take photos - doh! We went to Exmouth; I found two pairs of summer type trousers; 2 necklaces; one 50p and one was a 1.00; a bangle (lilac not purple) and a pair of earrings. I had a budget of 10.00 and only spent 8.00!

This was Sunday's outfit. I'm wearing a Desigual tunic which I charity shopped somewhere; over a green top from Primarni and  brown leggings from M & S;  brown boots from Sainsburys; scarf and jewellery charity shopped. The necklace is yet another of the 50 p bargains from the Salvation Army in Rushden.

I had a horrible journey back from Devon on Sunday. There were 3 separate accidents between junctions 22 and 21 northbound on the M5 to Bristol; I was between the two junctions and we were at a standstill for 1 hour and 20 minutes. The journey home took me over 5 hours.

I've now finished my crochet blankets and have sent 3 to 'Knit for Peace'. I'm currently sewing my hexagons together and hope to have it finished by next week. I may give this blanket away; it all depends on what it looks like when it's properly finished. I'd like to give it away. I won a book last week  - a biography of James Ravilious (son of Eric) on 'Dovegreyeader scribbles' blog here. I'm so looking forward to reading it.

Have a great week!