Sunday 31st May 09

My latest read. The book I've just finished was a very serious one so felt I needed something a bit lighter.

Saturday 30th May 09

Watching TV this evening I realised I was dressed just right for Britain's Got Talent. I voted for the saxophone player who came third.

Friday 29th May 09

Finished my third pair of socks today. The yarn for this pair is a mixture of wool and bamboo which is wonderfully soft. I knitted them from the toe up with a short row toe and heel in a 3x1 rib and a tubular bind-off .

Thursday 28th May 09

These perennial scented Pinks were only £1 a pot today in a local shop. I'm sure I can find a spot for them in my little border.

Wednesday 27th May 09

The grandchildren came to play again today. Whilst Sophie had her nap, Harry and I played games. Harry was so pleased with himself when he beat me at 'Three in a Row'.

Tuesday 26th May 09

I went to a barbeque at a friend's house this evening. This morning the weather looked doubtful with lots of rain, but it cleared up this afternoon and we had sunshine, but a bit chilly in the wind.

Monday 25th May 09

Spring Bank Holiday Monday. Harry and Sophie came over for the day today, so as the weather was so kind we had a picnic lunch in the garden. The little dolly that Sophie is holding cost me 50p in a charity shop on Saturday. It never left her side all day. It shared her lunch, played with the Mega blocks and even had to have suncream on. One good buy!

Sunday 24th May 09

I went to the Farmer's Market in Chandler's Ford this morning. These cherry tomatoes looked so inviting, and they taste so sweet.

Saturday 23rd May 09

It's definately been ice-cream weather today. I hope it lasts all over the Bank Holiday.

Friday 22nd May 09

The postman brought me a parcel today containing a new book of socks for me to knit, and some lovely knitting yarn to go with it. How kind!

Thursday 21st May 09

The foxgloves are coming out in my garden, and I love the little speckles inside each 'glove'.

Wednesday 20th June 09

I went to Calais for the day with Dad. Every year his Regimental Association (King's R oyal Rifle Corps) hold a Service of Remembrance at the Green Jackets Calais War memorial to remember the Defence of Calais in May 1940, when his regiment were ordered to remain in Calais and hold it whilst the main body of the B.E.F. retreated to Dunkirque. By their refusal to surrender, they contained a large number of the enemy and enabled the Dunkirque perimeter to be established.

The bulk of the regiment were eventually captured and spent the rest of the war as POWs in Poland working down the coal mines.

Tuesday 19th May 09

I did cooking with my little class today. We made rock cakes.

Monday 18th May 09

The lilies have started to come out in my garden, but they are well and truly chewed by those darn critters that I so lovingly dispose of each day. My neighbour grew the plants from seed a few years ago and gave me a couple. Unfortunately, he lost all of his this winter, and so did another neighbour, but I've managed to keep mine.

Sunday 17th May 09

I've just finished knitting my second pair of socks. The wonderful thing about knitting socks is, that once you finish knitting there is no sewing up, only a tail of yarn to darn in and they are ready for wear. These ones are made with a cotton/wool/nylon mix so should be cool for the summer. Knitted from the toe up on five needles with a seamless toe and a short row heel.

Saturday 16th May 09

Guess what I've been doing today!

Friday 15th May 09

I often follow this little group up the road on my way to work. They are always so good holding each other's hands, and their little cereal box bags. They are just too cute!

Thursday 14th May 09

This cheeky snail tried to escape my daily collection off of my lilies, but he was not quick enough for me and he went over the back fence with his pals. I'm thinking of marking them with a spot of nail varnish to see if any of them have visited before!

Wednesday 13th May 09

I planted this ornamental grass a couple of years ago when it was just a few strands in a little pot. It's now gradually taking over my little border. I dug half of it out in the autumn, but it's grown back with vigour. I has lovely long seeded stems later on in the year that rustle in the breeze.

Tuesday 12th May 09

This week I have been going over to my daughter's every day to feed her cat whilst she is away. The gardens in Chandler's Ford are a riot of colour at the moment, due to the very acid soil making it ideal for azaleas and rhodendendrons. This is one of the gardens I have been passing. I only live a mile away, but the soil here is completely different and there are no such colours on my estate.

Monday 11th May 09

Today my firstborn would have been 36 years old. Christopher died at 11weeks old, officially recorded as a 'cot-death', whatever that is. Not a day has gone by since that I have not thought about him.

Sunday 10th May 09

Went over to Dad's this afternoon and found him sat on a seat behind his house chatting to a neighbour. The neighbour has lost his speech, but Dad just chats away regardless. He's wonderful! I sat on the bench in the glorious sunshine admiring the view and realised that this telephone pole was immediately in front of us. I love the pattern the radiating wires make against the sky, feeding all the houses in the close.

Saturday 9th May 09

Had to fill up with petrol today, so thought I would take a leaf out of Deb's book and record the price for future generations! Not a brilliant photo, but the price reads 93.9p a litre for unleaded.

Friday 8th May 09

Me and my shadow, just to prove that the sun has been out today, although it started out raining.

Thursday 7th May 09

I had a foul day at work today, was dead on my feet, and so needed some comfort food. Nothing better than rice pudding! I heated it up, stirred in a large spoonful of jam and sat down to enjoy. I wondered why it tasted a bit oniony, until I looked at the jar of 'jam'. It was tomato and onion chutney!!!! I went to bed at seven o'clock!

Wednesday 6th May 09

I wanted to go to the bluebell woods in Bishopstoke for a 'photo shoot' this morning because I was teaching near there this afternoon, but Dad had a 'funny turn' yesterday and I insisted he see a doctor, so I took him to the surgery this morning instead. My photo for today would have been of the lovely bluebells so this is one I took on Monday of Harry in the woods in Petersfield.

Tuesday 5th May 09

I've finished the socks I was knitting. They fit really well and are lovely and comfortable. I've joined the Ravelry knitting forum and have read so many tips and new knitting ideas about casting on and finishing off and patterning. These socks were knitted from the cuff down but after reading up about socks I'm keen to knit some from the toe up and to use a different heel and toe arrangement and a 'magic' casting on method. I think I'll still stick to a plainish pattern for now until I get a bit more confident with the shaping.

Monday 4th April 09

I've spent a super day today with my daughters and their menfolk, and my grandchildren. After a superb roast beef lunch cooked by Alex we went to the school where he works to see the flock of Jacob sheep and the new lambs. These ones were only one and two days old. Harry collected eggs in the hen house to take home for his breakfast tomorrow and we had a lovely ramble through the bluebell woods. Unfortunately, Sophie fell asleep after the lambs so not many photos of her. It was very difficult to decide which photo to choose out of the 200 I took, but I think these lambs have won.

Sunday 3rd April 09

My blackbird friend is getting less shy. He followed me around the garden today whilst I cut the grass and let me take a few photos of him. Not brilliantly in focus, but I didn't want to get too close and scare him off.

Saturday 2nd May 09

To celebrate National Scrapbooking Day we had a Lucky Dip at my crop today. I had eyed up all the goodies on offer and really wanted this felt bag kit. However, my name just wasn't called out and I was sure that it would go before it was my turn to choose, but I was in luck. My name was the very last one and no one else had chosen it. Made up, it will do very nicely for my knitting. Thanks a lot, Nicki!

Friday 1st May 09

What a difference a month makes. The border is now full of greenery and the first of the flowers are out. I have to go out daily and pick the snails off of the lillies.