Day 38

Despite the weather turning wet and cold (we've even put our heating back on) I've enjoyed the walks with the dog far more than when the sun has been shining - it's nice not having to think about other people!  Yesterday it was wet and miserable again and I didn't take my neighbours dog out (she hates the rain!) so it was just Lola and I and we walked for an hour and didn't meet anyone! Heaven!

I have also finished April's section of the Linen and Threads stitch a long and I'm so glad it is done.  Don't get me wrong I love this project but I just wanted this bit out of the way! Hopefully May won't be so intimidating.

Day 35

We are positively galloping towards the end of April and because I've been a bit slow on getting my Linen and Threads stitch a long completed for this month I've spent the last few days putting in as many as I can.  I am almost there!

I am linking up with Kathy for some much needed motivation and some slow Sunday stitching!

Day 31

It's hard to believe we are on day 31 of our lockdown - fortunately it has really gone quickly, but I think that has been aided by the beautiful weather and being able to sit in the garden!

Below are a couple of photos taken on our morning walk with Lola and a neighbours dog (Button - whose owner is on two weeks isolation)

 Button really isn't used to walking as far as Lola and I would like to say that after a week of joining us daily she had adjusted to the extra exercise but in all honesty I would be telling fibs!  I don't think she has forgiven me for taking her out in the pouring rain last week!

Below is a view from the common across the golf course to the Isle of Wight.  Yesterday apparently a seal was seen bobbing up and down in the sea and later in the day basking on the beach.  We haven't been on the beach since lockdown started because I think it will just be too busy, but oh how I miss it!

I've started to get into my linen and thread project a bit more over the last couple of days - here is my progress picture up to this morning.

Take care!

Day 28

In Wednesday's blog post I wrote about Captain Tom who at 99 years old had walked around his garden 100 times to raise money for the NHS.  Since then the money has just kept rolling in and while money is being donated he said he would carry on walking.  As of Saturday evening he had raised over £22 million for NHS charities! Captain Tom we salute you!

I've struggled to settle to anything over the last few days, but I am happy to report that I finally finished my 'Lets Stay Home' cross stitch and it is now hanging in the hallway on the little bird house that my DH made for such projects!

 I've also started the next part of the Linen and Thread stitch a long.  Because it is so big I've not felt motivated to do it, but now Faye has started hers and it looks really good I thought I had better make an effort.  Only a small bit done but I will carry on working on it today.

In the meantime pop over to Kathy's blog for some more slow Sunday stitching.

Stay well and stay safe.

xx

Day 24

It is amazing how small things can make me happy right now and today I received an order of bread flour and yeast from a little shop on our high street called the Naked Pantry.  So I am looking forward to DH doing some baking!

We have been having updates daily on the morning news about a 99 year old man in the UK aiming to walk around his garden 100 times before the end of April (he will be 100 at the end of April) to raise money for the NHS.  He uses a walking frame so I guess he can't do that many rounds in a day.  This mornings news said he had raised a whopping £4.6 million and the latest news is that has gone up to £6 million! 

Below are the pictures of my finished Attic 24 blanket!  All 79 rows and 6 border rounds!

Take care and stay safe!

Day 21

Lots of people where out at 8pm on Thursday clapping and banging saucepans for the NHS, they are really doing a fantastic job! On Friday I drove to London Heathrow to pick up my son in law who has returned to the UK permanently (from China) and of course on Friday the Prime Minister was out of Intensive Care and on the road to recovery.  Yesterday we had a no news day and avoided any reference to the virus and as the sun was shining it felt really good to get away from it for a few hours. Today at 12 midnight I booked another delivery slot for food (for the beginning of May) and DH came out for an early morning walk with the dog (the first time in 21 days) and then he came home and made a batch of cookies!

Sunshine, coffee, cookies, surrounded by some of the family and of course sewing - it's a good day!

And here is where I am up to on 'Lets Stay Home'

I am linking up with Kathy for some SLOW SUNDAY STITCHING so I will pop over and enjoy looking at what everyone has been creating over the past week. I always enjoy this part of Sunday (more so now than ever) and I might even treat myself to another cookie!

Stay well and stay safe!

Happy Easter

Day 17

There isn't a lot of change on a personal level but of course the UKs big news is that Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital on Sunday evening and then moved into Intensive Care.  There have been huge highs and lows during the lead up to lockdown and then lockdown, but this feels like a really low point.  I am still very grateful that we can go out for our daily exercise and walking through the woods next to the house today all I could hear were the birds (its unusual not to hear lawn mowers). The trees are still generally bare of leaves but the bluebells are coming into flower and it is so nice to see clumps of them amongst the trees. Lola and I walked across the common and onto the cliff top and the sun was hot and the sky very blue.  All the car parks along the cliff top have been closed and the council have been out in force attaching signs to every bench warning people to stay 2 metres apart.  I guess they are gearing up for Easter weekend and hope to discourage people driving to the beach!

I have been working on crocheting the border on my Dahlia blanket.  I have one final round to do and then I can post a completed picture.  I have also been enjoying sitting under the sun canopy and adding crosses to my 'Lets Stay Home' picture.  Here is where I am up to.

I'm really glad I've completed all the green, it was definitely getting tedious.  I wanted to add the year as a reminder of when this happened - not that any of us are likely to forget 2020!

Take care!

Day 14

Despite being in semi lockdown the days are flying past!  I think part of it is I have hobbies - as does DH and Faye, so we have no trouble filling our day. And for that I am very grateful.  It is hard to imagine that we are on day 14 of our enforced stay at home.  Here in the UK we are on our 2nd day of beautiful sunshine (and I have a burnt t shirt neck to prove it!) We have had lots of officials leading up to the sunny weekend telling us that we must stay indoors apart from our one hours exercise but it seems not everyone understands the concept and pictures this morning on the news showed a very busy towpath at Richmond upon Thames (we used to live not far from there) - I just don't get it!  We decided yesterday that we wouldn't take the dog out to the common because we knew it would be difficult to dodge people on the narrow paths so instead we gave her a bath and then a haircut - she was due at the groomer on Friday and she looks lovely, uneven but lovely!  We also made the decision to have a no news day and I must admit it was rather nice!

I finished March's bit of the Linen and Thread stitch a long and realised I haven't posted a photo.

April has been published and is huge, so much so that I am struggling to decide which colours to use where so I am going to leave off starting it until I've seen some other interpretations!

In the meantime I am carrying on with the Satsuma Street freebee 'Lets Stay Home'

I am linking up to Kathy's blog for some Slow Sunday Stitching, so apart from sitting in the sunshine for the rest of the day I will be reading lots of fellow slow Sunday stitchers blogs!

Keep well and safe!

Day 10 semi lockdown

I feel as if we are getting into a bit of a routine and all though it is still unsettling, I function much better with routine!  So the mornings are taken up with breakfast, dog playing, exercises in the garden, housework (currently I'm clearing cupboards) coffee and what ever Laurie has baked for us to snack on, walking the dog (less people out at midday taking there one hour of walking, jogging or cycling that the government has allowed us). Lunch (can you see a bit of a picture developing here?) and then I can do some sewing, crochet or what ever I want to do before taking Faye to work (she is looking after key worker children doing after school activities).  And then of course it's preparing dinner - I admit I've become obsessed with food!
Leaving food aside I wanted to share a couple of projects I've been working on - one ongoing and the second one is new!

 I've decided that my Attic 24 blanket at 79 rows is long enough so all I need to do now is add the border!

This is one of the lovely freebe cross stitch patterns from the Instagram #bewellandstitch designed by Satsuma Street.  There is a link in a post from a couple of days ago.

Keep well and safe.