Walks and Talks

I find it quite nerve wracking to write directly onto my blog so I write on a document and then transfer it over.  I don't know why that seems to unleash the words compared to writing directly on the blog, but it does at the moment.  Perhaps in time I will be more familiar with it and I wont just freeze with no words coming out.

Deciding to join in this daily blogging, even for just a few days is quite a challenge for me.  I've been thinking “what on earth am I going to write about”?  I was planning on a day of knitting, crochet and pottering but it hasn't been like that at all.

Wednesday is the day when I am completely alone in the house.  The teens are at school and Chris goes into work for the day.  I don't have a morning fitness class either and I do a happy jig once that front door has slammed shut at 7.30am.  I have all these ideas about just how much I can achieve in the day ahead - read the news, catch up on IG, shower and do all that gua sha and body tapping routine, cook a delicious (healthy) breakfast and lunch, meet friends for a walk, crochet, knit, sew garments, speak to friends on the phone and clean the house….the list goes on.  I rarely achieve even half of what I think I can but I still love my Wednesdays - rain or shine they are mine.

Today, I did actually do a few of those things. 

My heart won over my head for breakfast today, but in my defence I did need to use those old mushrooms up and the olive bread was a bit past it.  I can't stand throwing food away unless there is no other option.  I find eggs the most filling of breakfasts and I enjoyed this so much more than yesterday’s seedy oatbran with no cream.  I can see it will be an uphill struggle to change my eating habits.

I bought some £1 daffodils from Morrisons yesterday and I think they look so lovely in a simple jar.  I prefer the paler ones if I can find them and these are so cheerful in the hall - although have noticed the pictures are slightly wonky! The tulips I received for Mothers Day have well and truly flopped and the leaves have gone yellow.  They will have to be composted tomorrow.

Whilst rummaging in my sock yarn baskets I found 3 yellow yarn mini skeins that I'd forgotten I had, so I wound them into balls using the traditional method of putting them around a kitchen chair and wrapping around 2 fingers. I've tried using a proper yarn winder for bigger skeins but I really like the simplicity of winding a ball with my own hands.

After that I'd arranged to meet my friends (from where I used to work) for a distanced walk along the seafront. They dutifully posed for me ( in their teasing opinion that I needed proof that I actually have some real friends).  So here they are, Sarah and Caroline, posing and pretending to be my friends.

The sun came out, the blossoms are on the trees and it was really good to be in the fresh air and have some company for an hour. 

I’d brought my secateurs with me to cut a branch of gorse for a little bud vase I have.  I've never cut a gorse branch before but blimey are they spikey.  Dog walkers passed by and Sarah and Caroline pretended not to be with me as I strode into the bushes to find the perfect branch. They do smell delicious, like coconut or a pina colada.  My instagram friend @lolcellini reminded me of this the other day which was one of the reasons I had to go and get one.

My oldest friend called for a chat when I got back home as her father has been in hospital for two weeks now.  It's not covid related but it's been a very worrying time for them.  It's so much harder when you cannot visit a loved one in hospital.  I'm sure that seeing your family would speed up the recovery.  It's very sad when you think of all these people who are in the same situation.  We have been friends since we were at nursery school together and even though we've always been very close, this Pandemic has meant that we've talked more regularly than we have for years. In a funny way we are now as close as when we saw each other all the time.  She still lives in my home town of York and our weekly chats are such a tonic for me.  We make each other laugh and have so much shared history and funny memories. We seem to be able to talk for a very long time!

Lunch was a leftovers pasta and a fried tomato on top.  I always think of “Fried Green Tomatoes at The Whistlestop Cafe” whenever I fry a tomato.  Love that film. 

With shock I realised what the time was and that no housework has been done. I tried to do a manic blitzing of chores in an hour then felt worn out.  Worn out from too much talking I think.

I did manage to do a few more crochet middles with a restorative cup of tea and I'm finding them so satisfying to do.  Much more satisfying than housework that's for sure.

My favourite ones are these ones here, made with Madeline Tosh in “Dirty Harry” colourway, which might now be discontinued.  I love how many sprinkles and spatterings of colours are in these yarns.  Each row of knitting or crochet has myriad speckles of colour using these yarns.  It keeps me interested.  I've treated myself to 3 mini skeins from an independent dyer on etsy and a skein of Madeline Tosh in Kauai.  I want this thing, whatever it ends up being, to have a festival vibe to it - to have that slightly hippy or grungy feel and I'm hoping that this colour will work as the second round, which might all be the same.  It's not thought through yet.

I'll sign off now as my brain has given up and this formatting malarkey is not going improve tonight.

I'll hit the publish button (arggh) and move on to a bit of sock knitting.

Thank you for reading.