Playing Catch Up.

Thursday morning it was clear by very early that it was just going to be far too hot to do any work in the garden, and anyway I like to have a day of rest every other day if I have worked hard in the garden...of course as it has turned out the weather turned so I have had several days 'rest' since Thursday.  Anyway, back to Thursday, I packed a lunch and a drink and set off for Brighstone Forest as I was pretty sure it would be cooler walking through the forest than anywhere else less sheltered.

I enjoyed a lovely morning walking through the trees.

It was very quiet and peaceful. 

Lots of options of where to go should the fancy take you to head out of the forest.

At lunch time I decided to head to Brook Bay to have my lunch on the beach...rightly or wrongly... as it was VERY hot so I didn't spend a lot of time on the beach that was for sure.

Still it was lovely to sit on the sand while eating my lunch and admiring the view and the stunning blue sky.

For a bit of fun I changed the setting on my camera to monochrome to take a photo of this crab shell.

...then left it on that setting for a few other photos.

This boat is always here, and has been for years.

Once home I sat on the deck in the shade of the umbrella with a nice cold cider and my book.

Friday just sort of came and went.  One of those days where I didn't do a lot at all, for various reasons.

Today we finally had a bit of rain, but it wasn't much and didn't last long, so I doubt it will make a lot of difference to the ground.  It has been pretty overcast most of the day and quite windy.  It has been a stay inside and do housework type of day.  

I tidied up the dining table as it had become rather unusable.  As I am on my own I can use this at the moment for my scrapbooking/journalling, not that I have done any for a while, but now it is tidy perhaps I will!  I ordered a three tier trolley from Amazon for my supplies, as I have nowhere to put them - a severe lack of cupboard and drawer space due to not getting them before lock-down.  Hopefully I will be pleased with it and it will do its job.  All going well it should arrive Monday. This in part helped motivate me to start clearing the table.

Thrifty Thursday.

So it came upon me today to make myself an apron.  I have one that I made a number of years ago that I use in the garden....it has big pockets in it which can carry all number of things, from secateurs to string for tying up plants or my phone if I want to know the mileage I do when working in it! ;)  .  I've got a few old tea towels, table clothes, napkins etc...so thought I would put some to good use.

I gathered some materials...

...and then some more and faffed around a bit until I decided exactly what I wanted.

Muriel got to work.

Finished!

A very simple apron that wraps around the waist, but does the job.

I'd like to have takem one of those stylistic photos where one is wearing a dress and standing on a stool or something equally fancy, but with not one to take the photo, and wearing shorts and an old jumper, well wasn't going to cut it anyway!

So I just laid it out on my bed.

Continuing my crafty theme for today,  I figured while waiting for a parcel to be collected and hopefully for the other to be delivered I would make something that I have been wanting to try for a while with some of the shells and drift wood I have been collecting.

I gathered the shells, driftwood and block of wood to drill into I set to work.

I only broke one drill in the process!

A finished hanging wotsit.  I of course discovered I actually had nowhere to hang it from apart from a random hook in the wall at the front of the house so that is where it is for now.

Finally, after almost two weeks my parcel arrived this afternoon, although the Hermes website claimed it was delivered this morning, which gave me cause for concern and not without considerable frustration at the complete inability to communicate with anyone!   I have now washed the jars and pots ready for a big jam making session tomorrow morning.

My vegetables are growing well, looking forward to having my first courgette in the not too distant future.

Despite the weather forecasting rain, it hasn't so I will have to water the garden again this evening as it is oh so dry.

The salad vegetables I sowed in the large planters on the deck are growing well!

The other day I bought a plant at a little garden gate stall near me - succulent and cacti that need re-potting.

I also picked up some free pots yesterday from another garden gate, including this porcelain pigeon.

I separated but of the plant and put three of the pieces into the pigeon.

Put the rest of it in the original pot with refreshed soil - unfortunately I don't have any proper cacti mix, so hopefully it will do for now.  This pot is damaged so I will have to re-pot it again anyway at some stage.

Put the cacti in another pot.  Hoping it will survive the previous neglect and my attempts to rescue!

This wooden box was also amongst the free pots I picked up, so planted a couple of the flowering seedlings I grew.  Some kind of marigold if I remember rightly. 

I also finished reading one of the books I got from my new 'Free Little Library' today so that will go back out tomorrow morning.

A very compelling read, the strength and courage of the couple the story centres around is incredible as is all the others who lived through this awful stage in our history.  These things should not be forgotten.  I do fear for our future though.

Working, Walking and Woodworking on Wednesday

This morning I got up bright and early before the sun rose... I'm not sleeping especially well at the moment, so thought I might as well get up after a restless night and get on with things.  In the morning I started clearing some of the stuff I should have done months ago that has just been sitting in our dining room waiting for me to sort.  I've crushed a load of cardboard for the recycling collection and there is also a load of what turned out to be rubbish that has gone in the bin.  I was certainly ready for my walk to clear my head after that lot.  Still a lot to be done though and I am going to have to be a lot more focused if I want to get it clear in the next couple of weeks and not get distracted by what I call 'Percy Cuddles', where he wants to sit on my lap and snuggle so I do that and knit instead of getting on with the things I need to be doing.  It is that time of year when you just want to hibernate!  

I redid the eyes on my rabbit, added a bit more detailing to his nose and added a mouth and am happier with him.  Hmmmm  I seem to be calling it a 'him' so I guess I better actually make some more appropriate clothes at some stage!  In the meantime rabbit can wear what rabbit is wearing.

I enjoyed this morning's walk with the group. We did a different route today even though we ended up walking through one of the local parks like we often do, so it was nice to see something different.  Although I enjoyed some interesting conversation today with one of the ladies who walks.

Hubby and I had lunch out today at the local garden centre.  It was roast turkey and I fear I ate too much as it was a big meal and I don't like to waste food.  It was nice, but just that little bit too much, so I think it will be a light meal this evening as I have band rehearsal afterwards.

The other week I started to make a 'Penny Wooden' doll...  

I then put it aside as I didn't have the tools to saw down the middle length of the pegs, so this was as far as I got.  Fortunately I was telling one of the men in the walking group and he said he could saw the lengths for me, so I gave him a couple of pegs on Monday and he then returned them today.  Of course this meant that this afternoon instead of continuing with my household chores, I was working on the little doll!  Although in between coats of matt varnish and paint I did do some housework.

The peg cut in half lengthwise.

I then had to cut in half across and drill some holes.

Plus holes in the body and leg pieces.

Checking out for size.

Seeing what the doll looks like once together.

Painting the stockings.

Shoes added.

Together!

Dressed.

Waiting for hair and features.

I love how the grain of the wood of her head almost has a natural smile before I have even done anything.

Well time to get on with dinner... I think we will have probably just have some soup and toast.

Tired on Tuesday

I have felt quite tired today.  Slight heavy feeling on the eyes, I think It is partly the weather. Sure enough the rain came down this afternoon.  I sometimes feel like this on days that seem quite 'heavy' and a bit dull if that makes sense.  So I have had an easy day today doing a spot of hand sewing, finishing some of my Tiny Rag Dolls.  I have felt a bit irritable later this afternoon though...just little things niggling me when doing this, so packed up now ready to make dinner.  I will make a Shepherds Pie for dinner so that we can have it two nights running, so I won't have to do any cooking tomorrow, just heat the dinner up.

I'm not sure if they will stay in these dresses yet, or if I will make something else for them. I still have to make their little shoes.

The dogs went for their walk this morning, but not quite as far as usually go as little Percy was a bit more reluctant today, so perhaps he feels like I do.

I had my usual lunch which consisted of a croissant with ham, cheese, tomato and salad leaves.  I have this quite a lot, just vary what is inside.  If I heat it up I just do the ham, cheese and tomato.  Today's was nice and fresh as I went and got it this morning from the local store.  I find I can tolerate a croissant so much better than bread, so no longer eat bread.  The couple of times I have done since keeping my food diary the last few weeks my stomach has not felt good afterwards.  I look forward to my three meals each day now I am very strict with what I eat and no snacking in between and really enjoy them.

It is walking group tomorrow, so hoping I will feel a bit brighter and less lethargic than I have today.  Apparently my husband is joining us tomorrow.  I will believe that when I see it, as he is not generally an early morning person and takes quite a while to get ready!