Just frazzled!

It's October, and the autumn spiders are out in full force. They insist on spinning their webs across the path to the washing line, and they are so beautiful I hate to destroy them. DH and I watched one spinning her web a few days ago. The sycamore trees are dressed in their party best, but not for long if the wind has anything to do with it, and the holly and rowan are covered in red and orange berries.











Sadly, the Michaelmas daisies have been flattened by recent heavy rain, but "our" wren has reappeared as have the goldfinches.


I have finally completed the main stitching for sister's piano stool cover. Just the small medallions and backstitching to do, and then a thorough wash for it all before making up. I might just get it done by Christmas. Younger sister liked card for wedding. (Pics to be added later)

For the past 8 days, our phone line has been out of action. Eventually, I had to tell a sob-story about DH not being well and having a DD who is expecting in February, bith true, and they finally sent out an engineer today, who told us the problem was most likely squirrels chewing the line! Our broadband speed is still very slow, but just about adequate.

Have just been given some quinces by a fellow freegler, so tomorrow's task is to make some quince jelly. Haven't made any for years, and really looking forward to enjoying some with some new bread. Which reminds me, I must put the breadmaker on tonight as we have no bread. One of the Sunday treats to enjoy is new bread and fresh coffee.

An extra service tomorrow - a cafe service. Not done one before, so should be an interesting experience, but feeling a bit stressed about it.

Off to Enfield on Friday to grandson's 4th birthday party.

Just dropped by to say "Hi"

For the past few weeks I've not done much sewing for various reasons, but I have visited my sewing group from time to time to see what everyone else is doing!
Our fourth grandchild, and our DD's first child, is due in February, so doubtless more stitching will be required! It doesn't matter how many you have, each grandchild is a little miracle.



My youngest sister got married again this past weekend after having been a widow for about 30 years. It was a wonderful family occasion. I made about 90 favours - another reason for not much cross stitch - and was quite pleased with the way they came out. I hope to post a few more pics later.



I also managed to stitch a "New Home" card for DS1 and his family. They have now moved to North London where he has just started his training to be a vicar.




An elderly lady of my acquaintance has asked if I could finish a cross stitch sampler she gave up on around 1990 due to failing eyesight. So that's another UFO! I doubt I'll get all my planned UFO's finished this year as it is. (Frederick has just emerged again after being hidden deep in my sewing pile so that I couldn't hear his plaintive requests to come out, and I've just put a few stitches in this evening.)

In amongst all that I have had far more services to take this summer because of illness and sabbaticals, and there seems to be no let-up on that score. I've just agreed to take another extra one because of a supernumary minister's wife's serious illness.

A quick update

I've ended up taking a short break from stitching as I had offered to make the favours for my sister's wedding on Saturday, and she accepted! I was quite pleased with the final results. I will post pics after the wedding. Plus we were short on people to take services in the Circuit during August, so I ended up with more than my fair share!! Frederick has made no progress for the past 4 weeks, and he's starting to get scratchy again. I think I will have to give up on the clock for our DGD and postpone till next year. At least the piano stool cover might get done!!
Still trying to get rooms sorted and usable now we are storing stuff for DS1 while he is doing his vicar training. At least I now have (almost) a new hall floor - wood - which looks good. I need to paint the skirting before the trimming gets put down

July 20th 2010

5.30 pm. Much excitement - the plane with the new RR engine has just gone over our house during its visit to Derby. I managed to get a few photos and two short video clips (which will need editing!!). My camera's motor was about as noisy as the engine, so not much sound.

I discovered earlier this afternoon I had made a fairly obvious error on Catherine's piano stool cover, so have spent much of today frogging and redoing, in between helping DH put up some bunk beds which arrived soon after 8am. The errors are now corrected, and I'm feeling a lot happier.

Marie from an online stitching group has encouraged me to pick up Frederick again. I wish he didn't look so spooky, but I am trying to get past that stage as quickly as possible, and intend to post some pics once he looks more feline.

Meeting tonight to arrange the Guide programme for next term. Not sure how I'm going to feel about no longer being a leader but "only" a Unit Helper. We shall see.

March 27th 2010

Run off my feet

So much for any New Year Resolutions! It finally occurred to me that I needed to add to any blog if I wanted to update it.

Currently Easter preparations are taking up a lot of time, plus baby sitting in Sheffield while DS1 is in Oz. Stitching has had to take a back seat, so my younger sister's 60th present will have to wait for a little longer. Preparations for an all age service on Easter Sunday are well behind. But I've booked the week after off to do just what I want!

No more till after Easter!

Happy New Year

January 1st 2010!

Well, I started getting organised - a little! One of my aims is to start a blog. I did try a diary, but it got too tedious, so I thought maybe this way would be better!

Looking back on 2009.

It's been a hectic year with the arrival of a new granddaughter, and with our older one coming to live with us during the week while she finishes her GCSE course. Better that way than having to move to Sheffield and change schools. It does seem, though, that we are sharing her with her Grandma, but perhaps that's for the best!



We had a delightful week in Pett Level in September, renting what was Aunty Gwen's cottage. It's not really changed much! Quite a lot of erosion around Cliff End, and the old screen has disintegrated in all but a few places. But so peaceful and revitalising.



I have put a few stitches in each of my 1st January 2010 starts. I do love Margaret Sherry's cats! (I've started subscription to Cross Stitcher Magazine now she writes regularly for it!) I think her Nine Cats will be more of a challenge than I anticipated as it involves vertical half-stitches rather than the usual diagonal ones. Definitely a case of using magnifying specs! The Calke Abbey State Bed will be a bit easier, I think, though challenging in its thread combining. Watch this space for progress! Frederick the Literate is going ballistic as I'm sure he thinks I've forgotten him, so I will add to him over the weekend. Then I must continue with Catherine's piano stool....... I don't think there are enough hours in the week to do all I want, what with guitar practice and New Testament Greek, and studying.

I think I will have to pull out of Margaret Barker's January evening class, sadly. I do hate driving in the dark these days, and it's about 45 mins down country lanes to get there. Still, I've just bought her new book on Creation, so will have plenty to read along with John Mauck's book "Paul on Trial" which looks fascinating. At least I have no service till February 14th - Valentine's Day. Perhaps I'll preach on Hosea....