January Resolutions

I am so happy to see February! January has been a very long month, it always seems so much longer than other months with 31 days. Work has been insanely busy, so time has flown, but it is nice to be finally in frosty February.

Nothing of note happened in January - apart from the for the first time in my life I haven't been away one single night. At home for the whole month and it's actually been really restorative. We've had some decorating done in the house, the first since we moved in 3 years ago and it really feels even more like home now. Lots of walks with our silly Sproodle, and I even went back to the University of Nottingham on a work trip. A walk down memory lane and I got really nostalgic!

As I wrote in this post I'm taking New Year's Resoultions more seriously this year. Each month I'm giving up and taking up something, and I've got some goals around fitness as well.

For January I gave up alcohol and I took up meditation every day. That sounds incredibly cliche written down! I have missed alcohol after some particularly long days at work I have to confess, but it was definitely doable. Meditation was an incredible addition to my life - I used the headspace app on my phone and it made a huge difference to my stress levels. Most nights I only did 3 minutes, but I found myself using some of the 'routine' at different points throughout the day. I think I will carry on with the sessions - they are really helping me to be more present.

For February..... after thinking long and hard about this I have decided that I am going to listen to a German podcast every day. I want to get my German language back and thought it might be a way to try and do that. I am going to give up crisps - they are my real weakness junk food wise!

Hope you are all keeping warm!

Happy weekend, Helen xx

January Days

Yesterday we met up with some of C's friends in Rutland, we went for a lovely walk around the water and I remembered how beautiful Normanton Church is. There was a wedding on and guests were arriving. The bridesmaids were looking pretty cold!

I've signed up to a half marathon in March which means I need to get training pretty sharpish! Today I ran for an hour and twenty minues which is the longest I've run for - it was cold and I didn't want to go at all even a little bit, but when I got back I felt great (apart from the fact I couldn't feel my legs).

We have had some decorating done and to my amazement C has agreed to a new blanket! Wool was quickly ordered and onwards and upwards with my version of Lucy from Attic 24's Cosy Stripe Blanket. It's so nice to have a new project on the go, gives me a distraction from those long ongoing WIPs! 

Springtime in Blighty

Spring is by far my favourite season. I love the lighter evenings, baby animals, buds a blooming, all the stereotypical aspects of this wonderful time of year. As wonderful as all of our recent travelling was, it's been truly lovely to come home to Spring. And Spring in our new home as well!

This tree is in the courtyard at work, I have no idea what it is but apparently its blossom lasts a couple of weeks at most. It's absolutely stunning and makes me smile whenever I need to use the microwave (on the other side of the courtyard to office).

As you can probably guess bluebells are my favourite flower, and it was great to see the first ones poking through in a woodland walk the other week,

C has been away this weekend and I have just been pottering around our lovely home. Today I took myself for a walk across the fields (I really want a dog... a walk never feels quite complete without one) and found some cows along the footpath. I think they were quite young, a little bit jumpy!

I'm trying to get my step count up and a big part of that is leaving my desk at lunchtime and strolling around campus. There are lots of flowers planted which I enjoy as I wander, the university where I work isn't as stunning as the one where I studied, but it's really growing on me. Speaking of which I've managed to get a permanent job there and will be changing roles next Monday - I'm really pleased and excited but will be sad to leave behind my colleagues.

Monster van is back. Shiny and running much better than before the fire. Chris is rebuilding the interior, and our first getaway is planned for my birthday weekend in May. I am super excited!

I've started my first ever baby crochet, a blanket for C's best friend's baby arriving in May in Oz. Need to get it finished soon to allow time for posting!

Settling In

We're having a lovely few weeks getting our new home in shape and order - 3 weeks since we moved in now and time is flying! Today C spent the day boarding the loft, meaning more stuff can be hidden from view stored until we need it. I busied myself putting up pictures, doing the washing and baking, all of the day-to-day routine type things that you do at home, and this really is feeling like home now.

One of my favourite things about the new house is its location - we're in a village but 5 mins from the university town where I work, and a bus ride from 3 East Midlands cities. We also have the countryside on our doorstep, part of our new routine is a Sunday walk. So far we have walked up to the nearby canal and along, but next week I think we'll venture further afield. Excuse the pun. I even have new wellies, which make the squelching and sliding through mud even more fun! Doggie patterned - hopefully one day we will have a dog to accompany us on our ramblings, shhhh don't tell Bella and Izzy!

Inside the house we're getting our various belongings into place. Our parents have all been to see us and approved, and we're gradually getting our friends over to check out the new pad. All sorts of things that we didn't have room for in our old house now have a place - the heart above for example, which was a wedding decoration. Old memories and new intermingle and we're very excited about the next stage of the journey - starting off with a trip to Asia in the not so distant future!

New Adventures

Two and a half weeks ago we moved house! It's been fairly non-stop, but we are finally getting there. I always forget what an upheaval moving is - I have to admit this time was a lot less stressful than it could have been. We have a lovely new house, and we are embarking on a new journey!

Although we have a new vessel, the crew very much stay the same! Here Bella looks exactly how I felt after getting everything into place.

Less than a minute from our front door is the beautiful English countryside. A maze of yellow footpath signs, all waiting to be explored.

We're getting all of our family and friends over to see the house. Lots of flowers and gifts, we've been spoilt!

And of course a new house needs new home made accessories! One of the best bits of moving in my humble opinion (C is definitely not in agreement here... the more space the more places to hide things is my approach...)

Normal service resuming soon, I hope all is well out in the blogosphere, and I can't wait to catch up on what everyone has been up to!

All Change

I've never been particularly good with change, I guess I'm a creature of comfort and habit. I like routine and stability for the most part, although I'm not completely adverse to the occasional adventure! Now is a time of change, and while I'm very excited about it, I'm also unsettled and clinging onto well-known and established parts of my life.

I have been exceedingly lucky and have managed to get a job - what a shock to the system that will be! It's a maternity cover role, so again a temporary solution, but I think it will give me some really good experience and also the opportunity to decide whether this is the area I want to work in. I really like the look of the job, and I had a good feeling at the interview so I am optimistic and looking forward to getting into it. Said job is however quite a commute - 2 hours on the train or an hour and 10 minute drive. Not being the most confident driver I'm a little anxious about doing so much travelling, but I'm sure I'll get used to it!

The job is in the area we want to move to, the East Midlands, so we will be putting our lovely little house on the market and attempting to move house! We've been here four years now and have outgrown the house a little - with both of us working at home and having quite a lot of hobbies we have filled all available space. And some. It's exciting, but also a little sad. We live in a beautiful town and I will miss it. But, we will be moving closer to both of our places of work, and many friends, which will be really lovely.

So I'm trying to swallow the unsettled feeling and embrace the excitement of change, the optimism we both feel for the next step in this funny old journey together. And with my last week of not working I am picking up old crafting projects, getting sidetracked with amigurumi pears, and panicking slightly that my oral exam for the PhD has finally been arranged and it's only two weeks away! Everything happens at once I suppose.

I hope you are all having a good week, and enjoying the change of season. I miss the long days, but I love winter/autumn clothes, always have always will - I love changing my wardrobe around in the autumn :) 

Around here... a taste of domesticity

 After a busy few weeks C and I are content to find ourselves with empty diaries and no intentions to make plans. Alongside working from home we are both pottering around our home, enjoying peaceful days and relaxing evenings. I am enjoying the domesticity, which can be rare to come by around here, and think it is doing us both good.

Crafy endeavours have been accompanied by attempts at cooking/baking, and C's efforts to tidy up the garden. The reappearance of my beautiful hydrangea means Summer really is here, and quite unintentionally we grew a cat in the plant pot by the back door.

Cosy Toes and Back to Normality?

Normality approaching :) Hubby's home, I made some cosy slippers, all is well!

I found the really simple pattern here. The colour is more like the top photo: I don't know what happened with the second! They took me rather longer than an hour (about two evenings in total) but they were simple and relaxing to make.

The only problem....

They're too big!! I made one and was too stubborn to unravel it when I realised my mistake. I used Sirdar Super Soft Aran (lovely yarn by the way) and a 6 mm hook. If I make them again I would use a 5mm hook, and reduce length. I might try and fashion some straps, I might find a friend with slightly bigger feet... I'm just getting over the disappointment at the moment ;)

Hubby had a good trip to the US, he came back clutching a Disney bag much to my astonishment (I am a huge Disney fan and he is.... not so much) and inside was Yoda! (the bag then made sense :)) We are currently watching all the Star Wars films, I've never seen them before. We have just watched Episode 5 so I finally saw Yoda in action. I have a bit of a soft-toy collection going now (should I grow out of that?!) so Yoda has some company already.

We had a scrummy lunch yesterday to celebrate being back together, my favourite type of lunch - lots of cheese! and my homemade soup and some homemade bread. Happy days!

I have got my camper blanket out again - 5 rows and counting! I'm going to try and keep the momentum up. There are a ton of ends to sew in, but I'm going to save those for a rainy day and just focus on getting the blanket together!

Tonight we are having a BBQ with our lovely neighbours, the last one of the year I fear. I hope everyone has had a wonderful relaxing weekend, here's to a bit of normality :)

Home Sweet Home

It's so nice being home, and settled again. Having not being able to bake for a few weeks I quickly seized the opportunity and made chewy chocolate cookies, so easy and very tasty - they didn't last long! (recipe here)

We bought these lovely ceramic plant markers at a Berlin market: chive, parsley and thyme. My favourite plant in the garden is also out in full bloom, I do love hydrangeas :)

I stayed with a good friend in Nottingham on Friday, we had some drinks and dancing and then the next day we went into town. After lunch at Jamie's Italian (YUM) we did a spot of shopping, and picked up some tarts from Patisserie Valerie for afternoon tea. Isn't her tea service wonderful! It's vintage 70s, I love the vivid colours.

I've now joined two rows of my blanket for Bonnie - slow progress but worth it! C and I have a bet going as to when I will finish, watch this space!!

Happiness is....

... breakfast waffles at home with C...

...finding homes for our all our lovely new things, we've very generous family and friends...

... elderflower champagne and a yummy bbq in our relatively tidy garden...

... picking up my favourite WIP for a night on the sofa...

.... I hope that you have all also had a happy (and sunny despite the forecast!) weekend

xxx