Candles. As most of you know, I'm not a fan of the winter months, the cold days and the dark nights, but I do get the opportunity at this time of year to use my candles more. I'm a big fan of Yankee Candles and always have lots of different scents ready to burn. This one is Tropical Fruit but the Citrus Water I've also got at the moment is very nice too.
Sunny days and blue skies. I appreciate the sunshine more at this time of year when every drop is precious, after all, who knows when the weather will change for the worse. I find that a sunny day lifts my mood and makes me altogether happier, I just can't stand the endless rain and gloomy days of winter. I try to get out when the sun shines and make the most of these last drops of good weather.
Happy texts. As I've mentioned before on my blog, Eleanor has found her university work very challenging since starting back for her second year. My most favourite thing this month was receiving a text from her telling me that the first piece of work she'd handed in, which she was sure she was going to fail, had received a first. The following few days I received another two texts, one telling me that she'd got a 2:1 for another piece of work and then another first for a presentation she'd done. She's obviously doing much better than she thought, it seems the hard work is paying off. I'm hoping that these results will give her a little more confidence in her abilities.
Hand knit socks. I show lots of socks that I've knit on my blog, but when it gets to this time of year, I'm so thankful for them. I've always worn socks during the winter months but I rarely wear any other than hand knit nowadays. They're so warm and cosy and I find that if my feet are warm, then the rest of me is warm too.
Toasted teacakes. My mum's back in hospital again, she was taken in ten days ago and all the visiting is playing havoc with our evening meal time. We get off to the hospital as soon as Mick gets in from work and we're usually there until visiting time ends at 8pm. By the time we get home and get sorted, it's going on for 9pm and I'm past eating a meal at that time. A toasted teacake does just nicely though, slathered in butter, it's the perfect comfort food.
What favourites do you have this month? How about joining me and writing a post about them?
I love all your favorite things, we have started Will eating toasted teacakes, which he loves. I do hope your mum improves soon, it is so hard when family are in hospital, and harder when it's your mum. Thinking of you xxx
ReplyDeleteI think toasted teacakes are great for a quick snack or when you fancy something light. My mum's not very well at all now, though she's in much better spirits than she was when she was taken in.
DeleteWell done by Eleanor!!! She is a hard worker and it is indeed paying off. You must be so proud.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm very proud of her, she works really hard so it's nice to see that hard work being rewarded.
DeleteI enjoy candles as well and don't use them near often enough, as is evidenced by the pile of them on a basement shelf, some of which are older than our kids!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on warm feet - I love the rainbow of sock colours you have, just lovely! I only have one pair of hand knit socks for myself; the two pair currently on the needles are gifts. I'd better ramp up on the sock knitting if I want to have enough to actually wear regularly before I'm at retirement age!
And Jo, I'm so very sorry about your mum - hopefully she recovers swiftly and is back at home soon. I'm sending you and your family good thoughts across the Atlantic. XO
I love smelly candles, I've got so many different scents, it's nice to have a choice. I definitely want more knitting socks for myself, I've got a pair on the go now which will be for me, it's about time after all the socks I've knit for other people this year. They're starting to talk about my mum coming home now, though I didn't think she'd make it to this stage when she was taken in, she's so much better in herself now.
DeleteI agree about sunny days, and making the most of them. Well done to Eleanor. I'm sorry to read that your mum is back in hospital. Toasted teacakes look and sound good to me. xx
ReplyDeleteSunny days really lift my spirits, I could do with some more at the moment, though I'm not sure we've got any forecast this week. Thank you, Eleanor is working hard so it's nice that it's paying off.
DeleteSo sorry to hear your Mom's in hospital, it's so hard when our parents get older. That's wonderful that your daughter is doing well. I think girls tend to undervalue what they're doing, wishing they could do better.
ReplyDeleteLove candles, but because of Miss Kitty I stick to battery operated ones.
It is hard seeing our parents age, neither my mum nor my dad are in good health so it's quite trying, but I'm blessed to still have them both. I'm so pleased for Eleanor, she'd been panicking about the work she'd handed in so to find she'd got a first was lovely for her. I think you're definitely wise sticking to battery operated candles with Miss Kitty about, I know how she likes to investigate things, we don't want her little whiskers getting burnt.
DeleteI hope your mother will be okay, Jo, and back home again soon. I'm so glad to hear that Eleanor is doing well in school and finding the work less challenging. I remember being shocked by how difficult the work was when I started college. Not that I found high school all that easy either (I've always had to study a lot to do well in school, some things just don't come naturally to me), but college was another story. I love all of your beautiful knitted socks. I hope they will keep you warm all winter. Have a good week!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm hoping that my mum can be discharged soon, though she will probably need a district nurse coming in each day. Eleanor's the same, she has to work really hard to get good grades and always has whereas some people seem to just sail through their education. I'm so pleased to see that her hard work is paying off.
DeleteCatching up with you and your news....
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful a new woolfest in Nottingham, great purchases you made there.
Keep the blanket, it would be lovely for Eleanor at university to snuggle under, so bright and colourful... did you decide to keep it?
I love Daniels Dobby socks - that made me smile :-)
I'm sorry to read mums back at the hospital. It's so tiring for all keeping up with the visiting. Sending you a (big hug). A teacake goes down well here in this chilly weather.
Well done to Eleanor on her results.
xx
The Nottingham Yarn Expo was a great show, I hope they do another one next year. I've decided to have a go at the blanket, not sure yet whether I'll finish it or not but I'll see how I go. Hospital visiting is taking it's toll, the worry and stress is so tiring but I'm hoping we can get my mum back home again soon. Thank you, I'm thrilled for Eleanor.
DeleteCongratulations Eleanor on much deserved results. I love mince pies, love, love, love,them, but I have to be careful as I'm maintaining at weight watchers since March. But I save my points up specially for them. Love candles and teacakes too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'm so happy for Eleanor, it was a weight off her mind when she knew she'd done so well. None of us here like mince pies, Christmas cake or Christmas pudding, though there's so many other things to tempt us.
DeleteHuge congratulations to Eleanor. It must have come as a relief to her given all her hard work.
ReplyDeleteThe sock thing is funny isn't it? Once you've worn hand knitted socks you can never go back, they're just nowhere near as cosy. X
It was such a relief for her to know that she's on track, she'd been panicking. I still have bought socks in my drawer but I much prefer hand knit these days, as you say, they're so much more cosy.
DeleteI do love to read about your favourite things. What fantastic news about Eleanor, you must be bursting with pride, I hope it takes some of the pressure off her. Your beautiful sock collection! I can’t imagine not having a snuggly pair of socks on in this weather, it’s horrible to have cold feet. I hope things start to turn around soon for your mum, it must be so hard and draining too with all the worry and going to and fro xx
ReplyDeleteI'm over the moon for Eleanor, she works so hard so it's good when her hard work is rewarded with good grades, she just needs to keep it up now. My mum's much better now in herself but still poorly, I'm hoping she'll be able to come home again soon.
DeleteSo sorry to hear your mum is back in hospital.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Eleanor :)
It's a worry with my mum but I think she's in the best place. Thank you, I know Eleanor puts lots of hard work into her studies so it's nice when it pays off.
DeleteSorry to hear your Mum is back in hospital again. I sort of enjoy winter as our severe heat days are so draining, but understand when it is grey days on end. Seems like we are never happy, but I do try & make the most of any decent days when they come along. Love your socks & got a freebie on Sunday of 2 balls of sock wool, a pattern & a new fangled circular needle, so will try hard to make some when time allows. I really owe you an email or phone call soon. Take care & huggles.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't really had any bad weather yet, though it's got much colder just lately. I love freebies, you'll definitely have to have a go now, I much prefer dpns to circular needles though.
DeleteWell done to Eleanor :-)
ReplyDeleteNothing like a toasted tea cake and a cuppa, yummy.
Love your collection of knitted socks too :-)
Hope your mum is doing ok. x
Thank you, we're so pleased for Eleanor as she's certainly put a lot of work in. I'm hoping to increase my knitted sock collection now that my Christmas knitting is out of the way, time for some selfish knitting now. My mum's much better now than she was when she was taken in but she'll never be right. She's fed up now of being in hospital so we just want her home again.
DeleteOh, well done, Eleanor! I bet you - and she - are so proud of her. I hope your mum gets out soon. Hospital visiting is so draining for the visitors - and it's not easy on the patients either. Fingers crossed things improve for you all really soon.
ReplyDeleteIt's a big relief to know that Eleanor's on track as she had me worrying saying that she didn't think she was doing so well. My mum's fed up of being in hospital now, it'll be much easier for us all once she's back home again.
DeleteVery well done to Eleanor, her marks and results are very good indeed.
ReplyDeleteI do like all of your socks, they are so colourful, you must feel good wearing them.
Your toasted tea cake does look delicious ...
Sorry to read your mums in hospital again, I hope she may be allowed home again soon.
Sending my good wishes
All the best Jan
Thank you. It's good to see Eleanor's hard work paying off. I love my hand knitted socks, I really need to get round to knitting more for myself as I give so many away. I'm hoping that my mum will be allowed home soon, she's much better in herself now, though still not well but I think this is the best she'll get.
DeleteSorry to hear that your mum is ill again, I hope that she is soon on the mend. I do agre with you about winter sunshine.
ReplyDeleteIt will be two weeks tomorrow since my mum was taken back in to hospital, I don't think she'll ever be well again but at least she's much better now in herself. It's a miserable day here today, I'm looking forward to seeing some sunshine again.
DeleteAhhh, so sorry to hear that your poor mum is in hospital again, she must be sick of the place. Here's to her getting better and getting home. Hospital visiting is exhausting, thank goodness for those toasted teacakes.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Eleanor, what fantastic marks. You stay warm and take good care of you.xxx
I think we're all sick of the sight of the hospital now, but my mum especially, she can't wait to get out. Thank you, we're all pleased for Eleanor, I just hope she can keep up the good work.
DeleteSuch a happy text from Eleanor!
ReplyDeleteI love my hand knitted socks the most.
Sunny day and blue skies? Was that on an advent gift swap?
I bought a packer of 2 sticky toffee pudding teacakes the other day in Co-op, not tried them s yet they went into the freezer.
Lisa x
I was thrilled when I got Eleanor's text, she's worked so hard for that first. I'm pleased you like your hand knitted socks, I could never stop knitting socks now, I just don't think shop bought socks are as warm or cosy. Sunny days and blue skies are few and far between here at the moment, we had snow the other day. Sticky toffee pudding teacakes? I haven't seen those, I shall have to look out for them when I go shopping.
DeleteI love sunny days and blue skies too, they're perfect for getting out and about with the camera.
ReplyDeleteLoving the rainbow of handmade socks too :)
I like sunny days and blue skies to lift my mood throughout winter, I just wish there were more of them. I'm hoping to add some more hand made socks to my drawer next year, I think it's time that I made some for myself after all the ones I've made for other people this year.
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