Getting ready for Autumn

I trimmed back my Hydreanga plant just now and kept the last few flowers for my living room vase. I must remember to bring the flowers inside next year because they are pretty. Did you notice the table cloth, it was some scrap material from a charity shop and I love it. Its very girly.

I finished the socks I was designing myself and I cant believe how much yarn I have left over from one ball of wool. I have enough to make a pair of fingerless gloves to match. If you ever buy yarn thats quite expensive (the red sock yarn was almost £5 a ball), always see what the yardage says on the ball band because this ball had almost 500 yards so I could easily get another pair of socks out of it. I know it doesnt always seem affordable with sock yarns but you can substitute with 4ply or even 2 ply. Just remember to look at the yardage.

Also, I cant believe how the time flies by, I made this cross stitch picture in 2000 and I remember sitting down doing it when the kids were at school or when they were in bed.

I still have a patchwork quilt on the go for about 12 plus years and one day I will finish it...I am now searching for another pattern to make a christmas present. I feel like doing an intricate cushion pattern so watch this space.

Finally, I went back to the dentist for a check up and asked him for something to stop my front tooth moving forward and he said a 'retainer'. Well I have one and am trying to get use to having a foreign body in my mouth. I have to wear it all the time, just not when I eat, but its not easy. I have to go back every fortnight to get it tightened and when I do take it out at times, my teeth blinking hurt so it must be doing something right. I must be crazy..

Sunday Bake Day

I was going to pop into work today to catch up on a few things but decided to do some home baking with the intent to make me feel like a homemaker. Even though one child is in Cuba for holidays and the other pops into the kitchen to hunt for food without much conversation.

So I was reading a couple of blogs that I like and one of them gave a receipe for 'Granola Bars' and yes, they are expensive to buy from shops and full of additives so I thought I'd give it a go. Here is my outcome, its a cross between cereal bar and bread pudding (without the bread) but is absolutely yummy. There was also a receipe for Chilli which was made from fresh beefburgers and as it happens, I have got some fresh beef burgers I put in freezer so I am defrosting them and going to make my own chilli. Again, hopefully it will be eaten.

As we all are well aware, the weather is changing now and Autumn is vastly approaching, I noticed my shrubs in the garden are starting to die and even the flowers on my hydranger have started to brown already. Its such a shame, but on the other hand, I can cut it all back at the end of the month and winter-ise my garden.

However, whilst several plants are turning brown I have had the fortunate luck this year with my 'morning glory' plant. Its a traditional English Country Garden plant and I grew it from seed this year. I had planted it out into a large black pot and put sticks in it like a tipee but within a few weeks, the plants were getting eaten or just not doing anything. I then moved the pot nearer to the house in the sunniest of positions and hey presto, a fortnight later it was thriving. Then earlier in the week I noticed these beautiful flowers opening up and have finally achieved this plant.I love my garden and part of me loves being out there but the other part of me doesnt enjoy it anymore purely because there's no one around to enjoy it with me. My kids are not interested in the garden and dont sit out there. In fact, my two cats sit in the garden more than any of us do. I am considering potting up a load of plants ready for spring next year so if I can get a move to a different house, at least I can take a little of my garden with me.

Finally, I started my christmas knitting and it sure was not to save money. These socks have cost £6 so far but that dont include the time it takes to knit them. I have made one sock and its taken about a weeks worth of evenings because of using size 2.5mm double pointed needles. Its my own pattern too so once I have finished them I will put the pattern on here to share. That's me all done and dusted now. Another week of work ahead.