Catching up.

Such a long time since I blogged.

I just wanted to make a record of what I've done.

I started this post in August and now it's the end of October and I'm just finishing it off.

Partly due to the fact that I can no longer use my ipad to blog since I updated it and blogger haven't updated their app .

Anyway....

I returned from Crafty Retreats at the start of June and had to knuckle down and get work done for Woolfest at the end of June.

I had a super time as usual.

I had some super neighbours.

Rio the Angora

And some sheep of a breed I can't remember.

I met some lovely people..

a satisfied customer.

including Harvey the delicate poodle, a regular visitor to these events. His feet never touch the ground.

I stayed in a gorgeous B& B where you didn't have to take your shoes off.

I would recommend this place without hesitation.

Number Six Castlegate. Lovely food, lovely owners and beautiful rooms.

And in the evening I ate out..alone! The second night I returned to 'The Front Room, a lovely friendly restaurant with great food. 

Baileys Ice Cream for pud.

This is as far as I got in August..so.. what else have I been up to?

Well we went Lyme Regis for a weeks holiday to coincide with our 40th Wedding Anniversary.

Love Lyme Regis.

We had a meal in the posh hotel which was wonderful.

Did a bit of mooching about and fell asleep in the sunshine which didn't seem too strong at the time.

these photos taken at Portland Bill show our red faces.

They were taken at a super quarry where sculptors go every summer to chip away at the stone.

Its a place we'd go again.

Later in the Summer I had a close encounter with a sparrowhawk who accidentally flew into the kitchen.

It beat its wings against the window trying to get out, and I had to cover it with a towel and carry it outside. 

Such a privilege to hold such a creature in my hands.

 A few moments later the starling it had been carrying came out of hiding from under the cupboard.

 Lucky escape. Not so lucky were my sea urchins from Symi. The sparrow hawk flapped them to pieces.

 The next day I found this on the path. So another bird made a lunch for the hawk.

I had a mighty clear out in the Summer and found all sorts of photos.

This one is an amazing collection of people in the one photo.

Little girl with bows= Me.

Woman seated at table=My Mum

Woman standing centre =my Mums best friend who sadly died on 11th September.

Man standing=my Grandfather who lived 100 miles away in Walsall

Two women to the right=my Godmother on the far right, and her Sister who were my father's cousins.

I really don't know what brought them all together for probably the only time. 

Perhaps it was becasue I was presenting a bouquet to a lady in furs...possibly mayor? I vaguely remember. I was about 3.It was a garden fete.

My room got really cleared out but obviously it was worse before it was better!

 I got rid of some goldwork stuff.

To an excellent home.

 A handmade book went to Australia...slow post. Might not even be there yet.

Then I started work for Yarndale.

 Amazingly I came up with some new things. Shawl pins,

 and fish! I've long been planning fish. I was going to make brooches but I thougt I'd tray something different.

 So I stood them on stands.

 They were very popular.

Then I harvested some potatoes! I grew them from rooty cupboard finds.

Such fun!

 At the beginning of October we went for one night to Dovedale in Derbyshire on a uni re-union ..my husband's reunion.Here's a pic of the pretty village of Ilam. The building is the village school . Gorgeous. The Hotel we stayed in was lovely and the food was stupendous.

 As soon as I got home I started my Mums 90th Birthday cake. Fruit at the bottom and sponge on teh top. I researched cake decorating on youtube and I must say I got pretty obsessed. I used all the equipment I bought! 

My Mum loved it.

 It looked good if not tasteful!

 She certainly enjoyed her birthday.

So there we are. And now I'm getting ready to go off to do two days teaching in Honiton and two days in Yate.

Wish me luck for the loooooooong drive.

I'm trying to be brave!