Another Staycation

As much as we used to enjoy our holidays, staycations are best for us at the moment. At fourteen Archie is an old boy. We've never left him in kennels, he's always holidayed with us but we're limited with what we can do with him these days so days out and then home to familiar surroundings works best. We don't feel hard done by, there are some beautiful places to visit which aren't too far away so Archie comes with us and enjoys his days out just as much as we do.

Mick's still taking some of last year's holidays which he carried over so we had another staycation last week. It had been forecast to be good weather but it was showery on the Saturday when Mick and Daniel were supposed to be playing cricket. I wasn't sure the match would go ahead but they did manage to play and win the match. Daniel took three wickets.

It was still very drizzly on the Sunday but we decided to head out anyway. We went to Nunnington Hall, a National Trust property in North Yorkshire. We've never visited before but we'll definitely go back, we were really impressed. There were so many things set up for children's entertainment, it was just a pity that the weather wasn't very good. Mick and I picked up a racket each and had a little game of badminton on the lawn in front of the house. There was also croquet, archery, and fairground games like hoop-la, amongst other things to entertain them. Nunnington is a manor house with an organic garden where peacocks roam at will. Not the largest National Trust property but plenty on offer to while away a couple of hours.

We stayed home on Monday as I had a nurse appointment for my B12 jab slap bang in the middle of the day, how inconvenient, but appointments are hard to come by so I didn't bother trying to change it. We had a walk with Archie at Lotherton beforehand, and the family came round afterwards to spend the evening together as it was Eleanor's birthday.

Rain was forecast for the whole day on Tuesday but it was glorious sunshine when we got out of bed so we decided to head off to Bingley to walk by the canal. I'm just glad that on arrival we waited in the car when we felt a couple of spots of rain as before long, the heavens opened, I'm glad we hadn't got caught in it. There was no chance of it stopping so we drove on a few miles more to a yarn shop I often visit when we have a day trip to Haworth. I didn't come away empty handed. On our drive home, the rain was torrential and water was spurting up from the manhole covers, needless to say, I was glad to get home.

The weather really changed on Wednesday. We've had so many cold days in July, twenty four degrees was a big improvement. We took ourselves off for the day to Belton Estate in Lincolnshire, another National Trust property. Belton House served as Lady Catherine De Bourgh's residence in the 1995 TV adaptation of Pride & Prejudice and it's been used more recently as the main location for King George's residence in Bridgerton, though I don't watch it. Another place we'll visit again, the gardens are stunning and so well kept. We even had a crack at the maze.

As I've said many times before, no staycation would be complete without a trip to the Yorkshire Dales. I'd seen that Settle is currently hosting its flowerpot festival again so that's where we headed. It's so much fun spotting all the different creations, they're all over the town, in gardens, shop windows and doorways. You need to look up too otherwise you may miss some. Here's Mario and Luigi.

Archie was flagging by Friday so we decided to have another day close to home. It definitely made sense as the mercury hit twenty eight degrees, it wasn't just Archie who was feeling the heat. We got a few jobs done at home and then later in the day, when it had cooled down a little, we took Archie for a walk in the woods near where we used to live. This used to be one of Archie's regular walks but it's become very overgrown in the two years since we left. Archie still enjoyed it though, he definitely seemed to recognise where he was.

Saturday was a cricket day again for Mick and Daniel, Unfortunately, Mick was out for a duck, his first one this season. Daniel took another wicket so that's twenty one wickets now in nine games. He's the third best wicket taker in the league up to now. The team won again so that's good. It was the day of the music festival in our small town, starting at midday and ending at 10pm. A line up of tribute acts, everything from Taylor Swift to Coldplay, with a bit of Abba and Pink, among others, in between. All in the name of charity, the money raised goes towards the running cost of the local hospice. We can hear the music from our house and it's rather good so I was happy tuning in to that throughout the day. When Mick got home from cricket we popped round to see Jack, he was one month old on Saturday and has already changed so much. We've seen him every day since he was born, I'm so grateful that we live close enough to be able to just pop in.

A lovely breeze cooled things down on Sunday so it was nice to get outdoors again. We visited yet another National Trust property, this time Wentworth Castle Gardens in South Yorkshire. I was a little disappointed in this property actually. The house is closed to visitors as it houses Northern college (who work in partnership with Barnsley Council and the National Trust in running the estate) but that doesn't bother us as we never go inside the houses anyway as we always have Archie with us, but I was expecting more from the gardens. To be honest, it all looked a little tired and unloved, it definitely needs some work putting in on it. It made a change to walk somewhere new though and it wouldn't put me off going back, it's a big place so there's plenty more to discover which we didn't get to see on this trip. No sooner had we arrived home than we were out again. Late afternoon we visited a local nature reserve with Eleanor, Jacob and Jack. We had a leisurely stroll around the lake and it was a lovely way to round off our staycation.

It was an enjoyable week and I feel it was a nice balance of days out, time spent at home and seeing the family. Roll on the next staycation! 

Baa-ble Hat

I bought the Baa-ble Hat pattern by Donna Smith a very long time ago, along with the yarn to knit it with. I'm on a bit of a mission to use up odds and ends as well as get on with things which have been waiting for my attention for far too long, so this hat can finally be crossed off the list.

I'm actually glad that I didn't cast on this hat as soon as I bought the pattern as it's been brought to my attention since that the hat knits up on the large side. Susan B Anderson published some modifications and tips on her blog back in 2015 which can be found by Googling, so I followed those instructions. You do still need the pattern, the modifications just run alongside.

It's years since I've done any colourwork, it's really not my thing, but I thought this hat was cute so I was happy to go with it on this occasion. It's an easy pattern and definitely suitable for anyone attempting colourwork for the first time but as I say, it's a long time since I've done any myself so don't look too closely.

I haven't blocked the hat yet, just like lacework opens out when blocked, colourwork really needs blocking to relax the stitches which then helps them to even out. The pattern calls for a pom pom but I'm not sure yet whether I'll add that or not, I've certainly got enough yarn left over if I decide to go ahead.

I used Drops Nepal, an aran weight yarn, which is 65% wool and 35% alpaca. You need four different colours and I find the Drops range very affordable.

Will I knit more colourwork? Not unless I see something else which really catches my eye. Knitting this hat hasn't increased my enjoyment of colourwork at all. I'm definitely a process knitter, I knit because I enjoy knitting rather than knitting because I want the finished product so enjoying what I'm doing is paramount.

Birdwatch

We've lived in our house a little over two years now. When we moved here the only type of bird which regularly visited our garden was the greenfinch. We always used to feed the birds at our old house and we encouraged many different types of birds to pop by. I wanted the same here so we started offering different types of food and it did the trick.

Sparrows are one of the most common birds in the UK though their numbers are declining and it's said they're now a lot rarer than they used to be. You wouldn't know that here though, there's always sparrows to be found in our garden.

We still get plenty of greenfinches. They love the black sunflower seeds.

I think the most common birds to our garden are the great tits, they're always around the feeders but are rather skittish so they're in and out throughout the day, never staying long to seek out the food they're after.

Archie isn't at all happy when there's a pigeon in the garden, they're the only type of bird which he chases. I don't mind them, they hoover up all the bits which the other birds have dropped and clean up after them.

Dunnocks can be easily mistaken for sparrows, in fact they're also known as hedge sparrows. Their beaks are more pointier than the sparrow's thicker beak.

We used to get lots of thrushes in our garden when I was a child but we didn't get them at our old house. They do visit our garden now and they come in large flocks when the berries on the rowan trees are ripe in autumn. We've recently replaced a diseased ornamental cherry tree in our front garden with a yellow berried rowan so I'm hoping to see even more thrushes now.

Blackbirds visit regularly. Again, they're happy to hoover up anything which drops from the feeders but they also hop around the garden looking for worms.

Blue tits are regular visitors to the feeders. I've hung a nesting box this year but they haven't bothered with it. It took quite some time in our old house before we got birds nesting in the box so I'm still hopeful that they'll take up residence in the future.

Large numbers of starlings flock to the feeders when we put suet pellets or a suet block out but we still get odd ones visiting at other times too.

We have a pair of robins which are regular visitors, one much plumper than the other scrawny one. Robins are very territorial so I suspect that they're a pair. They're very friendly and are always waiting by the feeders for a juicy titbit.

It's always lovely to see the fledglings, the adults often bring their babies and we watch whilst they feed them.

It's been nice to watch as each new kind of bird has found the feeders and become established visitors over the last couple of years. The newest ones to arrive have been the long-tailed tits. These birds visit in flocks, there's always more than one at a time. It's been a delight to see them as these are another bird we never saw at our old house.

Collared doves and coal tits also visit on a regular basis and red kites are always flying above, though I haven't actually seen one visit the garden. They're wonderful to watch though. We used to get great spotted woodpeckers visiting but we haven't seen them for a while. Goldfinches used to be the bird we saw most at our old house but we're still trying to encourage them here. We've seen the odd one on the lane so we know they're about, we've put out niger seed in the hope of enticing them here.

Do you enjoy watching the birds in your garden? What do you do to encourage them?

Please excuse the poor quality of the photos, they've all been taken from the house through the window and the window cleaner hasn't been for a while!

June 2024

It's been a very exciting month here with the birth of our first grandchild. It's been quite strange really, early on in the month we were waiting for the imminent arrival and then the later part of the month has been totally absorbed by Jack, so our usual routine has flown out the window.

We did still manage some days out. We had a trip to Bridlington on the east coast and called in at Bempton Cliffs where many seabirds are currently nesting. You can just see the gannet chick underneath the parent in the photo above. Even the chicks have very sharp beaks! Isn't it amazing how these birds raise their young on such precarious ledges on the cliff face. It's amazing to see the sheer number of birds which gather here at this time of year, many are now sitting on nests, either hatching their eggs or nursing their young. We also saw puffins again as well as a barn own swooping for prey in the fields surrounding the cliffs.

Lotherton is somewhere we visit all the time, it's close to home and it's a great place to walk Archie. We don't often go into Lotherton's zoo, Wildlife World, as Archie is usually with us but we'd heard that the keepers had been surprised, I believe at the end of March, when they entered the capybara's enclosure and found that Carly had given birth to a pup. They hadn't even realised she was pregnant. We've been meaning to go without Archie since and we finally got round to it a couple of weeks ago. The baby has grown quite a bit now but is as cute as ever.

I've read four books this month.

The Moon Sister by Lucinda Riley.

"After the death of her father - Pa Salt, an elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from around the globe - Tiggy D'Aplièse follows her instincts to the wild Scottish Highlands. There she takes a job doing what she loves; caring for animals on the isolated Kinnaird estate, employed by the enigmatic and troubled Laird, Charlie Kinnaird.

Her decision alters her future irrevocably when Chilly, an ancient gypsy who has lived for years on the estate, tells her that she has inherited a sixth sense from her ancestors, and that it was foretold that he would be the one to send her back home to Granada in Spain...

In the shadow of the magnificent Alhambra, Tiggy discovers her connection to the fabled gypsy community of Sacromonte, and to 'La Candela', the greatest flamenco dancer of her generation.

From Spain to South America and New York, Tiggy gradually traces her complex past. And under the watchful eye of a gifted gypsy bruja she begins to embrace her own talent for healing.

But when fate takes a hand, Tiggy must decide whether to stay with her new-found family or return to Kinnaird, and Charlie..."

Another great story in The Seven Sisters series. These are quite hefty books but I seem to get through each of them so quickly as they're real page turners. If you're looking to embark on a new book series I can heartily recommend these, I've enjoyed them all so far.

The House Keepers by Alex Hay.

"UPSTAIRS, MADAM IS PLANNING THE PARTY OF THE SEASON.

All eyes are on the grandest house in Mayfair as the countdown to their lavish summer ball begins. Everything must be perfect. But with the chandeliers gleaming and cellars stocked, loyal housekeeper Mrs King is suddenly dismissed.

DOWNSTAIRS, THE SERVANTS ARE PLOTTING THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY.

As the clock strikes twelve on the night of the ball, Mrs King will return to strip the house of its riches - right under the nose of her former employer.

And she knows just who to recruit to pull off the impossible: a bold alliance of women with nothing left to lose and every reason for revenge."

Marlene from Poppy Patchwork kindly sent me this book. She'd read it herself and thought it was a book I'd enjoy and from the blurb, it definitely sounded like it would be right up my street. Unfortunately, I found it very hard going. I'll be honest, the beginning was a hard slog, it did get a little better as I read further but once I'd finished the book I looked online and it's got very mixed reviews. Some people have loved it and others really haven't so it seems it's one of those books which garners varied opinions. I'm very grateful to have been given the chance to read it though, so thank you Marlene. We all have different opinions when it comes to books so what one person enjoys isn't necessarily something that another will enjoy too.

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary.

"Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time. But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, it seems this flatshare is more complicated than expected..."

I've read a couple of Beth O'Leary books in the past and have enjoyed them. The Flatshare was her first novel and was a huge success selling over a million copies and nominated for a Comedy Women in Print Prize. Out of the three books I've now read from this author, this is my favourite by far. I can see why it's done so well. I found it a hugely entertaining read with some great characters and multiple storylines which kept me fully engaged from beginning to end. A big thumbs up from me.

Very Very Lucky by Amanda Prowse.

"With kids to look after, an ailing mother and a neglected husband, life is full for Emma Fountain - too full, she realises, when she wakes up in IKEA after falling asleep in one of the show beds. Only her crazy, funny best friend Ros keeps her sane. But when Roz climbs in through her bathroom window one day to deliver terrible news, Emma's belief that she can find a way around any obstacle crumbles in the face of a problem she just can't fix.

For recently widowed Thurston, life without his beloved wife of sixty-two years has lost all its joy and sense of purpose. That is until he finds himself driving his niece to work one day and meets Emma, whose busy days are the opposite of his own. As Thurston is drawn into the whirlwind of Emma's chaotic life, and as his calming influence starts to bring her troubles into perspective, an unlikely friendship grows.

In a world where grief is the price we pay for love, can two very different people realise that the little things in life are precious, that love is all around us, and that, even after all, they might still be very, very lucky?"

I've read all of Amanda Prowse's novels, and there's quite a few. This author tackles difficult subjects with sensitivity and I enjoy her writing. Her characters are always well thought out and come across as believable. This is another book I've completely enjoyed from start to finish and another I'd definitely recommend.

Jasmine has finally become a British citizen so she now has dual nationality. She came to the UK back in 2013 to attend university, met Daniel during their first year of study and decided to settle here. It's been quite the journey, extremely costly, and she's had to jump through many hoops to get to this point, but it finally means that she's able to live and work in the UK permanently, without any immigration restrictions. She had to attend a ceremony at Leeds Civic Hall where she took the Oath of Allegiance to the King and made a Pledge of Loyalty to the UK. She was allowed to take one guest so Daniel went with her.

You may remember the English paper piecing, or patchwork, which I've had on the go for quite some time now. I started it not knowing what I was going to turn it into but as it grew larger I thought I might make a baby quilt or floor mat, but I picked it up again recently with the intention of putting some more stitches into it and I just wasn't feeling it. I don't think sewing is my thing. This is the first hand sewing I've ever done and I'm pleased I've given it a go but it really isn't for me. It's a shame as I love the fabric I chose but crafting is a hobby and it's something which should be enjoyed so I'm not going to push myself to finish something I'm not loving. I have definitely learned something from this project though, they say that you're either a process or a product crafter and I'm most definitely the former. I absolutely love the idea of being able to make quilts but enjoying the process is far more important to me than the finished product. I've passed it on to Jasmine, she's very crafty and she'll enjoy turning this into something so I don't feel too bad about not finishing it.

And just in case you didn't catch my last post, here is the main event of June once again, my beautiful grandson, Jack. Born on the 20th of June, he's brought such a lot of happiness into all our lives.

It feels like we've been waiting for June to come around for so long, it lived up to everything I wanted it to. Jack has made a big impression on all our lives already and I'm now looking forward to seeing what the months ahead bring.

He's Here!

It's a boy!

He was born yesterday at 2.25am, but everything began around 4am two days earlier. It was a long, painful and exhausting labour for Eleanor and it resulted in a caesarean section, even that didn't go to plan as she had a major hemorrhage when an artery was nicked, but Mum and baby are doing fine.

They're still in hospital at the moment but we visited twice yesterday and I have to say that grannie cuddles are the best.

And something very special, they've named him Jack with Michael as his middle name after Mick. Perfect.

Rosa Shawl

I've finished the Rosa shawl which I cast on for the Spring Shawlathon which was being hosted by Fran at the Franny Do Makes podcast and Helen at the Giddy Knits podcast.

This is a pattern by Collete Audrey, free on Ravelry. I used yarn from Fondant Fibre in the Coral Roses and Wooden Heart colourways which have been in my stash since 2017, so it really was time that I put it to use. This yarn dyer is no longer in business, such a shame as she dyed some beautiful colours.

It was the beautiful lace section which sold this shawl to me, it's so pretty and gives a gorgeous finish.

I also like the pretty sections within the shawl which are knit in the contrast colour. The technique of wrapping stitches with yarn makes an interesting feature.

Shawls often need to be blocked rather aggressively to get their shape as the way a shawl is cast on usually leaves a small 'hump' in the centre at the top so you have to make sure you deal with that, and any lace always looks better once it's stretched out, it really opens out the pattern so that all the details can be seen. Unfortunately, despite blocking this shawl, it will just not keep its shape. I did suspect this would be the case whilst I was knitting it as it seems to knit up in a reverse triangle shape with a sharp point at the top rather than just a 'hump', and the pattern gives no indication as to how it should look once knit, there's no schematic diagram included in the pattern, and even the photo, which I've shown above, seems to hide the top of the shawl. I just think it's a shame that the top section doesn't block straight as it would make the shawl a more wearable shape.

I'm definitely disappointed in the shape but I like how the yarn has worked with the shawl and the drape it gives. 

There could have been another repeat of the main colour and contrast section, I had 32g left of the main colour and 30g left of the contrast. This would have made it a more substantial shawl, which is what I would have expected from a two skein project.

It's a nice, simple pattern which I enjoyed knitting and I think it shows the yarn off beautifully but it's just a shame about the shape. I know some people won't mind this but a schematic in the pattern, or at least a clear photo, would have shown me what to expect.

Little Pearls Of Colour

I find it so hard to get rid of leftover yarn, no matter how small a quantity I have. After finishing a project I put the remaining yarn to one side, just in case I can use it in the future. Considering all the scrappy projects I've made recently from ten or twenty gram mini skeins which I've had in various advent calendars or swaps, some of these leftovers can work out to weigh less than a gram.

I've recently gone through all these tiny scraps and kept anything weighing more than six grams. I figured these could be used in a future project. Above you can see all the leftovers weighing less than six grams. The box is quite deep. 

There's some really pretty yarn so I'm loathe to just throw it away. I thought I might start a new, very, scrappy blanket with it. Obviously, it would be easier to knot all these little pearls of colour together and make a large magic knot ball to work from, however, I don't trust the knots so I foresee a lot of sewing in of ends.

The big question is what kind of blanket to make. I think a crochet blanket would work best with such small scraps but what type? One large granny square attaching new yarn as each one is used up, smaller granny squares crocheted together, or something else? What would you do? I'm on a mission to use up all my leftovers.

May 2024

The weather finally perked up in May. After a cold, wet start to spring we got some beautiful days and it was nice to finally spend some time enjoying the garden and having some days out in the sunshine. Mind you, I don't know what's happened since as here, at the end of the month, we're back to cold, rainy days.

We were treated to the most spectacular natural light show on the 10th when a solar flare reacted with gases in the Earth's atmosphere allowing us to see the Northern Lights or aurora borealis. They're usually only seen further north than the UK but they were visible in many parts of the world on this occasion. It had been a lovely, sunny day and we were sat outdoors with the family so we didn't miss a thing. This photo was taken from our garden by Eleanor.

Archie celebrated his fourteenth birthday on the 13th. As you can see, he was rather bored with all the present opening, though he did enjoy the treats which were inside the packages.

I've read four books in May.

The Big Little Wedding in Carlton Square by Lilly Bartlett.

"When Emma's boyfriend Daniel pops the question with a ring the size of a small country, she suddenly realises just how different they are. She wants a low-key wedding in Uncle Colin's pub, while Daniel's mother is expecting a society do that their high-brow guests won't forget!

Then there's the fact her cross-dressing Uncle Barbara wants to be a bridesmaid, her best mate Kelly can't stand Daniel's best friend Cressida, and her dad is too proud to accept any help from Daniel's family towards the costs.

There's three months to go until the big day. Will Emma's happy-ever-after end in disaster?"

This book was in my Twelve Days Of Christmas 2023 parcel from my friend, Lisa. I'd never read anything by this author before but the cover drew me in, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Very light-hearted as you'd expect, but lots of laughs. I enjoy reading a variety of genres, it keeps my reading fresh and enjoyable.

The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley.

"CeCe D'Aplièse has never felt she fitted in anywhere. And following the death of her father, the elusive billionaire Pa Salt - so-called by the six daughters he adopted from around the globe - she finds herself at breaking point.

In desperation, and armed only with the scant clues her father has left her, CeCe begins a search to discover her true origins...a search that takes her to the searing heat and dusty plains of the Red Centre of Australia.

But what is her connection to Kitty McBride, a Scottish clergyman's daughter who lived there over a hundred years ago?

As CeCe unearths deeply buried and long-forgetten secrets, she starts to believe that this wild, vast continent could offer her something she never thought possible: a sense of belonging and a home."

I must admit that when I started this next instalment of the Seven Sisters series I wondered if this would be one story that wasn't for me, but I should have trusted in Lucinda Riley's captivating storytelling because once I'd read past the first couple of chapters I just couldn't put it down and it's probably the book I finished the fastest of the four in the series I've read so far.

I'm trying to pace myself, I'm half way through the series now but I don't want it to end so I'm reading other books in between. What I really want to do is devour the whole eight books in one go. A big thumbs up from me.

The Household by Stacey Halls.

"Urania Cottage reminds Martha of a doll's house, of a staged domestic life where, upon closer inspection, the fire is a pile of ribbons and the windows are pasted shut...

London, 1847. In a quiet house in Shepherd's Bush, the finishing touches are being made to welcome a group of young women. The house and its location are secret, its residents unknown to one another, but the girls have one thing in common: they are fallen. Offering refuge for prostitutes, petty thieves and the destitute, Urania Cottage is a second chance at life - but how badly do they want it?

Meanwhile, a few miles away in a Piccadilly mansion, millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts, one of the benefactors of Urania Cottage, makes a discovery that leaves her cold. Her stalker of ten years has been released from prison, and she knows it's only a matter of time before their nightmarish game resumes once more.

As the women's worlds collide in ways they could never have expected, they will discover that freedom always comes at a price..."

One of the great things about reading historical fiction is that you learn new things along the way. When reading a book of this genre, I often Google to find out more, and I'm often surprised by what I learn. For instance, I never knew that Charles Dickens set up a home for fallen women. Urania Cottage, as written about in this story, was a real place and it was, indeed, funded by Angela Burdett-Coutts, British philanthropist and granddaughter of the banker, Thomas Coutts.

I was expecting good things from this book. I've read all three of this author's previous books and enjoyed them all and this one didn't disappoint either. The book follows several storylines and held my interest. Another good read from this author.

The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn.

"BURMA, 1945. Bea, Plum, Bubbles, Joy and Lucy are five young women looking for adventure, fighting a forgotten war in the jungle. Running a mobile canteen and dodging hostile gunfire, they soon become embroiled in a battle that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

OXFORD, 1976. At the height of an impossibly hot English summer, a woman slips into a museum and steals several rare Japanese miniature sculptures. Despite a reward being offered, these exquisitely detailed carvings are never seen again.

LONDON AND GALWAY, 1999. On the eve of the millennium, Olivia, an art dealer's assistant, meets elderly widow, Beatrix, who is hoping to sell her husband's collection of Japanese art. And when they attend a New Year's Eve party in the Irish countryside, secrets kept for more than fifty years will be spilled..."

I must admit that it was the lovely cover which tempted me to purchase this book when I saw it in The Works but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Dealing mainly with life in Burma towards the end of WWII, it follows the Wasbies (Women's Auxiliary Service Burma WAS(B)) who operated mobile canteens for the troops close to the front line.

It's such an interesting storyline with strong, female characters and beautifully written. I shall definitely look for more from this author.

We've enjoyed lots of meals out this month for one reason or another. A particularly nice one was at our local Italian, a favourite restaurant of ours, celebrating Daniel and Jasmine's engagement.

I visited Buxton Wool Gathering on the 19th, a yarn show I haven't been to before. It's held in the most stunning setting, Buxton Pavilion Gardens, a fabulous venue. We took Archie with us so the landscaped public park was an ideal spot for Mick to walk him whilst I was squishing yarn. It was a glorious day weather wise so they got to see the Victorian gardens at their best. I came away with just two mini skeins, one in pink and one in blue, the edging for a baby blanket I've got on the go. I shall decide which one to use after the baby's born. There was so much beautiful yarn there which I could have bought but I'm more mindful at the moment of the stash I've already got so I'm trying not to purchase yarn unless I've got a project in mind for it, or if I just really can't resist!

I got a lovely surprise phone call from Nectar at Sainsbury's. Apparently, there was a Cadbury's promotion running over Easter to celebrate their 200th birthday and because I'd bought some Cadbury's Easter eggs there, I'd been entered into a prize draw and won a chocolate hamper. It's stashed full of different Cadbury's products, there's more underneath the ones you can see here.

After reading Pride and Prejudice last month, I decided to look out the old DVDs I've got of two of the screen adaptations and rewatched them. One was a TV mini series and the other a film. More often than not, I prefer a book over a movie and I think that's because a book goes into so much more detail. Films have to cut short many elements in a story because time is limited but a TV mini series doesn't have these restrictions so much so perhaps that's why this one stays truer to the book than the film does and why I prefer it. Or, perhaps I favour it because I'm more partial to the cast. I think Alison Steadman and Julia Sawalha, amongst others, portray their characters so well, and Colin Firth will forever be my Mr Darcy.

Mick had booked this last week of the month off work but I started feeling unwell on Sunday, I've had a sore throat all week and now that's developed into a cold, so he ended up cancelling his holiday and he'll take it at a later date. It's good that I've got any illness out of the way as we're looking forward now to the month ahead when we're expecting an addition to our family. There's lots of excitement here as you can imagine.