Treading Water

I haven't had much time to pop into blogland recently, I'm definitely missing it! I will try and reward myself with some blog reading time over the weekend and catch up with what everyone is doing, I keep seeing halloweeny things as I scan through bloglovin :)

Thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post, I had a wonderful day with my wonderful Mum. Sadly her wonderful Mum isn't so well at the moment so we cheered each other up and enjoyed some rare quality time together. My Nana is one of the most incredible women I know, she is 94 and still lives on her own in her house she lived in with Grandpa - she is so determined to keep her independence, and bless her she has. She fell and broke her arm two weeks ago which has sadly resulted in a hospital stay - they really need to operate but can't because of the anaesthetic so are keeping it in a cast and hoping it tries to mend itself. She tells everyone she sees that she wants to go home. She insisted on getting dressed and out of bed, and walking herself to mealtime in the dining room the first week but has not been so well the last days - I hope if I make it to 94 I have her grit and determination!

My amazing friend drove up to see me (she lives quite far away) and cheer me up and brought me these beautiful flowers, every time I see them they make me smile

Thank heavens for friends. I've just arranged a trip to Chatsworth Christmas Fair with another good friend to cheer us both up. My supervisor has given me some not so great news regarding my PhD work, so at the moment it all just feels a bit pants. All I really want to do is put my PJs on, grab a stash of Disney movies and eat popcorn. Sadly that a) won't help my thesis predicament b) won't help relations with my hubbie as he has just subscribed to Sky Sports for a week... could lead to some tensions and c) would lead to a never ending misery of popcorn curnels stuck in my teeth, not a good look.

Thank the heavens also for crochet, I've started planning my Christmas presents, and here is the first project, a granny square hot water bottle - I missed the CAL at Fox's Lane so thought I would have a go now :)

So apologies for a slightly whiney post, I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone else's activities and getting going a bit with some Christmassy stuff - it is the most wonderful time of the year after all, and it is getting ever closer :D

Gifts for Mum

It's my Mum's birthday on Saturday so I am going to travel down for the day with her. My Dad and brother are at the football (typical!) but we will be quite content to meander somewhere nice for afternoon tea and lots of chatting. I used the other lot of wool I bought on honeymoon to make a scarf for her - I might make it into a cowl like mine if she says she would prefer it. She's quite sentimental (like me!) so I think she will like the fact I bought the wool on honeymoon, it's a lovely purpley-browny colour, the pictures almost do it justice!!

I also made her a mandala - she keeps admiring the ones I have made myself so I thought I'd surprise her! C was very relieved to learn that this wasn't for us....

Thanks for all the lovely well-wishes on my last post, blogger is so slow today I haven't responded to them individually but I will when I'm next on. I managed to get the job, which was very good news - it's just a bit of temping at the University of Leicester, but hopefully it will give me some good experience, and some motivation to finish that thesis! I start tomorrow so fingers crossed it all runs smoothly, I haven't had the 9-5 experience for three years now!!

Wishing you well whereever you may be,

Until next time :)

Checking In: October

Making : A Scarf for my wonderful Mum's birthday

Drinking : Tea - I'm a bit dependent

Reading: 'Post-Fascist Fantasies' by Julia Hell - still no relief from 
heavy reading for my thesis!

Wanting: To be back in Pembrokeshire

Looking: At temping jobs

Playing: With the idea of cutting my hair short, maybe it's time for 
a change :)

Enjoying: Some afternoon sun

Waiting: For the cake in the oven to be finished to go with my tea!

Liking: All of the beautiful autumn colours

Wondering: What comes next

Loving: Snuggly jumpers

Considering: Saying 'What the Hell' and booking a spa day ;)

Watching: Homeland (now I have caught up with Breaking Bad I'm making my way through the neglected 3rd series so I can watch the 4th!)


Hoping: An interview will go well tomorrow


Marvelling: At how slowly time passes when you want cake! 

Needing: Some time with my Mum

Smelling: The lovely smell of a cake baking

Wearing: A snuggly jumper!

Noticing: How soon it gets dark

Thinking: It is nearly Xmas :D (I'm a Christmas bunny, it drives people mad)

Sorting: Piles of photocopying from my last trip to Berlin

Buying: Not a lot - I am on a budget until I start working!!

Getting: Excited - I've just been asked to be a bridesmaid for an old friend from uni!

Giggling: At Miranda - I'm revisiting the old series 

Feeling: In need of Motivation

Snacking: (will soon be ) snacking on a cake!

Coveting: Cake

Wishing: The Cake was ready.... (ok this is getting ridiculous)

Hearing: A CD I bought from a busker in Berlin, an amazing acoustic band, brings back memories of autumn in Berlin last year.

Autumnal Tidings

Crunchy leaves, wild berries, autumn sunlight, colds... there are lots of things that characterise Autumn for me. We've had a quiet weekend at home which has been nice, although it has been slightly marred by colds. We woke up and had banana pancakes today (recipe here) and then had a lovely walk through town and woodlands, collecting sloes for sloe gin.

Yesterday one of my best friends came to visit and we had afternoon tea on our vintage tea set which she gave us for a wedding present, and then sat and watched Strictly Come Dancing with my crochet, I don't really have a favourite this year like I did other years.

Oh yes, and I sorted out my yarn stash. This little pile is just my acrylic DKs.... there is oh so much more when you include other sorts! Time to get stash-busting methinks :S

I hope you've had a lovely weekend whereever you may be,

Until next time,

Helen x

Happy Snaps: Tenby and Amroth

We're now back from our week in Wales (via family in Birmingham and a wedding in Nottingham!) and our noses are firmly back on the grindstone, I am editing my thousands of words and looking for jobs and C is back on the old engineering malarky. One more gratuitous post of shots of Pembrokeshire and then I shall move on to more crafty adventures I promise ;)

We spent most of our time between Tenby and Amroth this time, mostly sunny weather with a few clouds. Here are some shots of Tenby with its lovely houses, harbour, coastline and coastal defences...

It's so lovely. There are two islands in the photos, Caldey Island and St Catherine's. Caldey is inhabited by monks, and is such a wonderful place. They allow visitors during the summer, and you can look at the beautiful island as well as the history of its connection to the Catholic Church. We didn't make it across this time, but maybe next time ;) St Catherine's is smaller, the fort you can see I believe dates back to the times when we were scared of French invasions....

here is lovely Amroth, the most beautiful place I have ever taken my PhD!!

And some wool I accidentally collected.... more on that next time :)

My Heart Belongs In Pembrokeshire

If I were a king in the Middle Ages who had the misfortune to be killed in battle, I would order for my heart to be sent to lovely Pembrokeshire. There, that's a cheerful thought isn't it?! We have snuck down to wonderful South Wales for a cheeky break just before C's birthday tomorrow - I've been coming here on family holidays since I was a little girl and my parents are now lucky enough to have a static caravan right next to the beach in the little hamlet of Amroth (just along from Tenby and Saundersfoot on Camarthen Bay) so we are able to come when we want. We haven't made it down this year yet, due to weddings and other stories, but we just managed to steal a few days of late September sunshine. I always feel peaceful and at home down here, the thesis has come with me so I'm not 100% relaxed but it is nice to write with the sound of the waves crashing on the sand and seagulls overhead. The internet is rather patchy and limited so I will just leave a few snapshots of out and about, including the beautiful beautiful coast.

Hello to all of my new readers, thanks for following, and thank you for the lovely comments on my last post.

Until Next Time :)