Sunday 26 October 2014

Challenge Update - October 2014

My 2014 challenges are:-

1) Knit one hat each week for The Innocent Big Knit.

2) Do something nice for me.

3) Choose a non fiction book from the library.


I set myself the challenge of knitting fifty hats for The Innocent Big Knit over the course of the year. They had to be finished before the end of the year as they have to be sent off soon, and here they all are, all fifty of them. That's one of my challenges now completed, well, all apart from sending them off.

Wetherby is a small market town about ten miles from where we live. I love visiting as there's so many small, independent shops and they're always good for a mooch round. It's not a regular haunt, but I do like to visit a few times each year and this is what I decided to do for my nice thing for October.


The car park is by the side of the river and it's a beautiful spot when the sun's shining.


There was an antique and collectors fair in the town hall so we had a little looksy in there as well as popping in to my favourite shops. I was saddened to see that the book shop had closed down since my last visit. The independent book shop in my own little town has closed down recently too, a sad sign of the times as online book shops are pricing them out of the market.


There's lots of cafes in Wetherby where the seating spills out on to the pavement, but we resisted and instead, bought some goodies to take home with us, a French tart for me, coffee and walnut cake for Mick and a pavlova for Eleanor. They were all delicious.


I popped in to the Christmas shop and treated myself to a couple of new tree ornaments. I like to buy something new for the tree each year.


I chose Where To Go When as my non fiction book for October. It highlights some wonderful places to visit in Great Britain and Ireland, and the best times to visit them. It's a Dorling Kindersley book, I always find the photography and illustrations in these books stunning.


It's half term here this week, I know that Eleanor's looking forward to having a bit of a break from school, she's worked so hard since she started the sixth form in September and it seems to be paying off as she's had some very good marks in the tests she's done so far. She hasn't got anything planned for the week so I might just treat us both to lunch out one day, I do love spending time with her, she's a wonderful companion.

37 comments:

  1. Well done, Eleanor!
    And well done on completing your challenge!
    Wetherby is a place I only ever went to once, and not for a proper trip but only to pick up a pasty on the way to somewhere else.... It looks like a good place to visit and relax. Anywhere with a Christmas Shop is good in my books.

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    1. Eleanor's really settled in to sixth form and she's loving the subjects she's chosen, especially Psychology, not so much English but you can't win them all. I love Wetherby as it's not packed full of chain stores, most of the shops are independent, but the loss of the book shop is a blow, I always loved visiting it and bought lots of Christmas gifts from there.

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  2. well done getting the fifity hats completed.

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    1. Thank you. It's good to get this challenge completed and know that I've reached my target. I'm looking forward to seeing all the bottles in the shops with their hats on.

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  3. I hope you enjoy your week with your daughter at home.
    I don't think I've ever been to Wetherby

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    1. I've always loved the school holidays when the kids have been at home. Daniel's now at university so he doesn't get the half term holidays any more, but Eleanor and I shall enjoy our week together. I enjoy visiting Wetherby, it's a lovely town and a nice place to visit.

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  4. Well done in completing your little hat challenge. Wetherby sounds a lovely little place especially with the independent shops, nice too that you bought some decorations for Christmas, not long to go either!! xcx

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    1. I love visiting places with independent shops rather than chain stores, they're so much more interesting. I always buy a new decoration for the tree each year so it was good to get that sorted out nice and early this year.

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  5. So good that you made the fifty little hats. I pledge to buy a drink with one on !
    Jean
    x

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    1. I'm looking forward to seeing if I can spot one of my own hats on the Innocent bottles when they arrive in the shops. I suppose it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

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  6. Well done on doing the hats. It's a shame about the bookshop closing in Wetherby, a place that I have fond memories of visiting some years back. DK books are always excellent as that book shows.
    Enjoy your lunch out during the week. Flighty xx

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    1. I could spend hours in a book shop just looking at all the lovely books so it's such a shame when another one closes down. I'm not sure where we'll go for lunch yet, I think I'll let Eleanor decide.

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  7. I know what you mean I do miss have some girlie time with my daughter now she is at Uni.

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    1. I know how much I miss Daniel now he's away from home so I'm making the most of Eleanor while she's still here. It's fun spending time together.

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  8. Well done on the hats! I've never been to Wetherby but I like anywhere with independent shops. Enjoy your week with Eleanor x

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    1. I'm the same, I love looking around independent shops, and markets too, though Wetherby's market day isn't on the weekend so it's not one I really visit. I'm looking forward to having Eleanor at home for the week.

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  9. hi Jo. Sorry I havent been keeping up with your posting. I dont get on my blog much these days, I dont know where my time goes. I love these little hats and it always makes me smile when I see them in the shops on top of the bottles.
    Wetherby is a place Ive only ever been to a couple of times. I went earlier this year with my friend Alison and got a couple of ladybird books from the charity shops there. I was surprised at how nice some of the little shops are. A lot of independant shops are closing now and the high streets all tend to be the same but that does still retain some individuality. xx

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    1. I'm looking forward to seeing if I can spot any of my own hats on the top of any bottles once they're in the shops, I doubt it but I'll look all the same. Wetherby has quite a few charity shops as well as independent shops, I love looking round them. I hope you had a good holiday and came back feeling refreshed.

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  10. Well done to on completing your challenge, I only managed 20 unless I can find a few hours spare this week, we send ours from Thimbles and last year we collectively made 600.
    Weatherby looks lovely, its years since we last went. It such a shame when bookshops close down but I m guilty of having a Kindle and also buying books online. I like to buy a special Christmas tree ornament each year and wouldnt have been able to resist the Christmas Shop. Glad you enjoy spending time with your daughter, we have to make the most of those special times.

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    1. What a great amount of hats you all managed to knit last year, it's great when a group comes together and gets involved in charity events like this. I'm guilty of buying books online too, but I do try to support independent book shops too, it won't be long until there aren't any left which would be such a shame. Eleanor and I do enjoy spending time together and as you say, we have to make the most of the special times. I've come to realise that more since Daniel left for university, it won't be long until Eleanor's following him.

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  11. Congratulations on finishing one of your challenges, Jo, and for keeping up with the other two as well. Enjoy your girly lunch out! :o)

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    1. I'm pleased I managed to complete the challenge, I feel as though I've done my bit for The Innocent Big Knit now. I'm looking forward to our lunch out, discussions are still ongoing as to where we'll go.

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  12. I know Wetherby - when we have to go to Leeds re Jon's business we like the Wetherby Services - M&S in particular!

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    1. Wetherby is lovely if you fancy a stroll, it has some wonderful shops and there's usually something on in the town hall. There's some great cafes too.

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  13. Wetherby looks nice, I love going into Christmas shops. Enjoy your half term! We don't get one :( but have some days off coming up in November. :)

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    1. I like Christmas shops too. The one in Wetherby is quite reasonable, though I've seen some which are very expensive. What a shame you don't get half term, I'm sure you'll enjoy the time off in November instead.

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  14. Your 50 wee hats look great! They'll go to a very good cause.

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    1. It is a great cause, I'm pleased to have helped, albeit in a small way.

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  15. Look at all of those little hats! I'm so proud you of you, Jo. You did a great job and a wonderful thing making them.

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    1. I'm so pleased that I managed to get them all done and reach my target of fifty hats, I just need to send them all off now.

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  16. I just realized I never commented on your amazing hats! I think its great that you stuck with it and made so many. They look great :)

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    1. Thank you. They don't take long to make so my target of fifty was achievable. It was fun to contribute.

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  17. Well done you for the hat making, such a worthwhile thing to do. I do like the look of that Christmas shop. And the sound of the coffee and walnut cake, yummy!
    Lisa x

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    1. I love Christmas shops. There's one in York which is open all year and I can never resist visiting it. Coffee and walnut cake is Mick's favourite, I knew he'd choose that as soon as I saw it.

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  18. What a pretty village......I love independent shop. Always something different to look at.

    Perhaps next time I am in Yorkshire I can meet you for a coffee there :)
    Of course, quite understand if you would rather not, sometimes blogging encroaches on our personal life. I would not want to do that.........

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    1. It's a lovely place, plenty of shops to mooch around in, but pretty too. Of course, it would be lovely to meet up.

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