X marks the Spot

This weeks letter for #leadthewayatoz took on a pirate theme as we hunted down the letter X. I think these crossbones will do very nicely! 

It's been a strange week. I've hit groundhog day. With hubby being furloughed and me working from home, every day really does feel the same. I was horribly confused when Thursday turned out to be Wednesday and I realised there was plenty more of the week left! 

Hubby wasn't very well Friday, so as a result this has been a very slow weekend. Although we did manage a family Burns Night (he passed on the haggis and, to be fair, I always pass on the haggis, so it was a wise move). 

I'd organised an online get together and had split our favourite Burns poem: Tam O Shanter, into peices that everyone would read. Despite the whole family being Scottish (with the exception of my BIL), my mum and eldest neice (16) both opted for the English translation of the poem as opposed to the Scots (so did BIL, but seeing as it was possibly the first time he'd seen Scots written down, I don't blame him for deciding to play it safe). I had eldest neice start as she was nervous about it, then my mum and then, at the point the story actually starts, I took over in Scots, followed by hubby and sister. BIL read the last part, with youngest neice (7) delighting us with the last four lines.

BIL was apparently very nervous, but I couldn't tell and the whole thing went without a hitch. The meal time set up worked really well - I stole the idea from a friend who virtually had Xmas dinner with her family, and thought it a good way to include the very young neice and nephew without them being bored or feeling like they are being paraded about.

And that was that. The weekend done. I managed to get a little sewing done with this great little upcycle. This jumper was one of the casualties of hubby's weight loss, but I couldn't part with it and I don't need more cushions. The solution? A new jumper for Missy (modelled throughout this post). 

I'll finish on a laugh, here's the before picture:

Coasting through January

Well, it's been a long time coming. After a stint of almost a year, Missy was at the vets. I wish it was for something routine, but no, she had started limping and the usual pulled muscle strategy (reduced walks, stretches, doggy massages) didn't work so we decided to see what Vets RE Covid would be like.

Not as bad as expected. Hubby drove there, rang to say he was outside, was directed to a  designated seat in the waiting room, they took Missy in and then popped out again to explain whats wrong. She has an ulcer, right up past the pad and in between her toes. Probably caused by all the salt and grit - I felt awful for waiting a few days assuming it was (yet another) sprain. We've been religiously washing her paws after every walk for weeks now, so I have no idea how that's happened, but now I'm applying cream to it twice daily, it's definitely a wound of some sort.

However, three days later and she's trying to chase squirrels again and decided to play wrestle a collie, so she is clearly in the mend and swiftly! 

Despite protests against, we've been sticking with the shorter walks to make sure it heals properly. That meant today's letter of "Q" was decicidingly difficult. Hubby came to the rescue and suggested we do the Julia Donaldsons Stick Man trail at the community garden and hopefully they would have a Quote from the book up on a sign. It was a long shot, but we took it! 

And quotes there were. All on cute little signs, each with a little bench to sit on. We found 5 of the 6 (how two grown adults were beaten by a trail aimed at 3 year olds, I don't know!) and decided to keep exploring. A lot of work has been done to the place over the various lock downs, there's a Fairy Glen and The Darkwood all ready to explore. We'd avoided the place over summer knowing it would be busy, and I can't wait to see it at its best this year. Definitely a place to take the youngest neice and nephew when they can eventually visit. 

I was quite happy with the Stick Man photos until we came across a tiny Storybook Glen. Lined up were quotes from Roald Dahl books and paintings of the illustrations. Whilst I found the one from Matilda the most appropriate in this modern world, my hubby loved most the one from his favourite of all the Dahl books: The Giraffe, The Pele and Me

With short days and short walks, I've done well this week with baking and crafts. I've tried 2 new recipes from a book I received for Christmas (a new rice krispie squares varient and a fruit struesal cake) and both were excellent, so that book has now gone on the shelf of useful cook books. Craft wise, I've been helping hubby make miniatures scenery and also got the sewing machine out:

Little craft buckets for my long term projects. All of them are ticking along nicely, and despite my desire to plough through and finish them, I'm taking my time to get them right. 

Well, that's all for this week, I did the maths (is it maths when it's alphabet related?) and worked out I have K, W and X left in the #leadthewayatoz. K and W, I have plans for, as for X, goodness knows! Hopefully my hubby will be clever again if I haven't thought something out by then! 

Leaping Lemurs!

It has been another week of sub zero temperatures, with us being greeted one morning to - 6C, so we didn't have much planned for the weekend except doing our best to keep warm.

Then I saw that the Five Sisters Zoo was allowing non reactive dogs in as part of thier "we're allowing local folk in for free to have some exercise, please please donate on your way out" policy. This was an opportunity I could not allow to pass me by. We pegged it for the weekend in a "when the best gap in the weather comes" space. 

Saturday was a write off. More snow. Sun zero (again) and, despite my best efforts, my arthritis was kicking in with a vengeance and I was hobbling about. We ended up doing the food shop and got a new fleece jumper for Missy (which I plan on using as a template to upcycle some jumpers with). 

Then Sunday arrived. It was above zero! And the snow was melting, meaning the ice now had a lovely wet slippery film all over. Glad we had no plans to drive today! And the #leadthewayatoz letter? L. Could the fates not have smiled on us more? 

We wrote a hit list of all the animals we could begining with L and hit off lucky pretty quick when the Lar Gibbon (second photo) came down to say hello to Missy. Content that my goal was a success, we carried on. 

It was interesting what animals were curious of her. The monkeys all came to investigate. The cats - fisherman's (above) and Scottish Wild Cat (sorry the snow leopard was to far away to make the cut for the photo challenge) would watch and follow her, then hide away if she looked at them. I know from past experience birds of prey dislike dogs, so we kept away from them, but the song birds, parrots and emus were completely disinterested. 

The bears and lions were asleep, as was the Fossa, although his enclosure smelled divine to Missy who would not leave it alone. We stayed clear of the badger in case Missy wanted a rematch after meeting the wrong end of one many years ago. Then the wolves, which were fascinating. They wouldn't approach Missy, but instead followed us all around thier enclosure. They stopped when we did, and casually moved away into the undergrowth, and would then come back out anew when we moved on. 

It was the only time people made comment about Missy, to marvel at this strange dance where the wolves, clearly unthreatened by her, where still making sure she would not cross into thier territory. 

We finished at the lemurs. And what a show we had as first the brown lemur came out to curiously watch her. He bounced back and forth, singing away whilst the rest of the family curiously watched from the door of thier bedroom. We moved on before Missy could be accused of taunting them, and had the same song and dance with the ruffled lemur. Ring tails stick as a pack, and decided to observe this strange animal from their indoor enclosure. Like with the Gibbon, there was no defense or caution, and instead they moved in closer to figure out this strange new breed of spectator. 

What a day we all had! 

As a final note, I want to take an aside, and point out the first photo. This was the real objective of the day. 

That old, half tailed lemur is Stumpy, who my sister very fondly remembers from a summer placement at Edinburgh zoo almost 17 years ago (I had the pygmy hippos!) And yes, we have verified, that Stumpy, is HER Stumpy. Everytime she visits, she has to go see him. And cries a little bit. I think he is a rare tie in the world to her of the sunny memories of that summer, rose tinted from a time when we were safely protected from all the world by our youth and yet it was the first time we were free of our parents to be adults, and invent ourselves anew to become the people we are now. He doesn't know how special he is, and is simply older and wiser, the Great great grandfather of the bachelor pad he commands.

So I had to. I had to get a photo of Stumpy and all he means to her, with Missy and all she means to me. Past and present. Creatures unaware of the live they have captured. 

And I know it is special only to us, but isn't that the wonder of life and the stories we weave? 

So, on that warm fuzzy note, I will leave you all until next time. 

Following the Yellow Brick Road into 2021

Well, lockdown 3. 0 (for those on the western side of the central belt) has just been upgraded, and we're only 4 days in - my haphazard joking of the zombie apocalypse may yet come into fruition.

Jokes aside, I'm trying to remain optimistic and upbeat as we sail from 2020 into horizons unknown. Looking back at 2020, at the dumpster fire memes, at the bemoaning of a year wasted and a record breaking summer of sunshine lost, and... It wasn't all that bad.

I am very lucky. Whilst I know several people who have caught the virus, they have pulled through the other sides and, whilst recovery hasn't always been quick, they are all on the mend. This year we travelled to Chester, to Disneyland Paris, to Perth and our gorgeous shepherds hut and our surprise getaway to Durham. My husband spent an idle summer building me the wartime garden I've always wanted and, between shifts, we grew that beautiful garden together. He also beat a personal goal and lost 2 stone, the bugs bit him and he's determined to carry his good habits into this year.

Redeployment sucked. And it didn't. Seeing people daily whilst everyone lamented loneliness made me realise I was lucky. I got to feel valued. I stepped up and did something important. Of course there was frustrations and long days, but Missy was always ready to greet me with a smile and the hubby a hug. Honestly, they were my rock. 

Homeschooling on Skype wasn't easy either, but that has paid off in ways beyond what I could have hoped. My neice, a girl recommended not to do science, now has her teacher urging her to aim for a higher grade next year.

So I enter 2021 with optimism. Of course this new strain worries me, I look at my whole family, and my extended branch of close friends, who have weathered the year and sit like a house of cards around me, and, as always, I will endeavour to protect that stack in any way I can. So expect more random adventures and photos of Missy either looking like a badass heroine or an absolute goof ball, and expect more ramblings as I try and process the is strange new world. And stitching too, one mustn't forget to take time for thier own mental space.

Enough rambling. My Christmas/New Year break was quiet and refreshing. I slept, a lot. I ate sweets and chocolate, a lot. I crafted and stitched plenty and most of all, enjoyed the company of hubby and Missy. 

I feel refreshed and content. 

I had a really enjoyable Skype call with mum and sis building the family album (I may have got them over keen by enthusiastically pointing out how important 2020 would be in years to come) and today managed a social distanced walk out with my older sister, her hubby and eldest neice and nephew. This weeks letter for #leadthewayatoz was Y, so credit to my nephew who found us a Yellow Brick Road.

We also found some Yellow Girders too! It was very icy underfoot so we bravely skated our way around the Manuel Fire Brick and Refractory Works, abandoned in 2006. Missy looked pimp no matter where she posed and we all laughed about how the photos looked like a zombie apocalypse, and then our phones all went and we realised lockdown had been ramped up. That walk was the last time families could meet outdoors until, hopefully, February 1st. Two people from other households can meet, but not groups.

So a well timed get together! 

In other news, I managed to complete one project between Xmas and New year, this lovely sewing machine cover. It's retro and twee and has baby Lady in her hat box on it and I honestly love it to bits. My plates very full with 3 rather large projects, so it might go quiet on the craft front for a bit!

Well, I've rambled enough. I hope 2021 brings you all everything you wish for, and I wish you all luck and good health, and a dose of optimism. 

A Surprisingly Busy Xmas

Well, we're back in lockdown for at least 3 weeks, but we managed to squeeze in some Christmas celebrations. There was an outdoor social distanced get together with my lot and then, following guidelines, the hubbies family came to visit for Xmas itself.

Missy was pleased to see Ruby again, although the novelty of the 18 month old pup quickly wore thin! There was lots of presents, lots of elbow bumps and waving of arms for social distance hugs and everyone's souls feel very topped up and ready to weather through the next lockdown. 

This lockdown, hubby has been furloughed, meaning for the first time in the 13 years we have known one another, we'll both be off fit the festive period. Sad as it sounds, it's one of the best gifts I've been given this year. Between redeployment and working from home, I haven't had the authentic lock down experience, so I'm looking forward to us all spending time together.

This week for #leadthewayatoz was the dreaded letter Z. After scratching our heads for a bit, we decided on petting Zoo. The Almond Valley Heritage Centre is closed, owing to lockdown, but you can follow the river and pass the fields with the horses and alpacas. The alpacas were clearly too cold to bother with us, but this horse was pleased for some company and came over to say hello.

And last (but not least), is my latest complete project. Ironically, this has been stitched for ages, I've just been waiting on the hoops to arrive to frame it! 

It's a house warming gift for a friend who used to work in the Haunted Mansion ride in Florida - I'm sure she'll love it! 

Well, this is officially the last post of 2020. Its been a year, I'll admit, but I can't say it's been all bad. I got to Disneyland Paris. My garden is years ahead of schedule and I grew carrots for the first time. Missy won us a holiday to Durham, and won an Honourable Hound award with Dog Furiendly. It's had its lows, redeployment and continental shifts are something I do not want to repeat, but that's as low as it got. I feel like I've gotten lucky all things considered with the virus, and I'm hoping that in the dark winter days ahead my luck will continue to carry on. 

So, I raise a mug of tea to all, for 2020, a year we want to forget but will be remembered in history, and to 2021 where hopefully we can start to truly celebrate this new decade. 

Online Festivities

It's less than a week until Christmas, and the festivities have begun. In keeping with the theme of the year, they've all been online. I've had my works night in (another one in keeping with the year, it was a quiz! ) and then Friday we saw one set of friends virtually and then I had my Christmas Dinner (virtually) with another set of friends Saturday.

Whilst everyone is trying to remain upbeat, it's clear that this year has started to wear folk down. Hopefully the winter is kind and quick and with Spring we'll get back to something akin to normal again. I'm not asking for my much, I'd just like to go out on a walk and stop at a cafe to have cake and tea with friends and family. Nothing much. 

Missy is doing well with her exploring with Dogfuriendly - we got the Honourary Hound accolade in November and the new badge arrived in the post. I'd hoped to get out and photograph her outside with her sash, but the weather has been far too grim for that kind of nonsense! 

Sewing wise, that's the last of the big projects out the way. I am rather pleased with this Wonder Woman quilt for the brother in law, I finally braved pinwheels and was surprised that they weren't nearly as bad as I expected them to be! More shots, as always, on the insta @missdaisysewing 

Just started on a new cross-stitch, although I will confess in that my sewing break has lasted all of three days - I've just purchased the the Hamilton Spencer Jacket which is definitely going to be my New Year project for myself!

Wishing you all a lovely Christmas, no matter what you do!

A Struggle to Find Santa Paws

Well, last week was a disaster. The boiler broke Friday and it wasn't until Tuesday that I had any hot water or heating. So I was far too cold and in an absolute humbug to write up a blog post.

The week had started off really well, despite experimenting with a veggie diet for a month (more to see if we could manage it, the hubby being the kinda guy that doesn't view a meal complete unless something dead is on the plate) my iron levels were good enough to let me give blood. (I always coast about the 125mg/l limit, so was shocked to get 150mg/l, albeit from the arm after failing the finger prick). So I got my twice yearly tunnocks teacake, got the house dressed for Christmas in our usual low-key kinda way, played my new Dolly Jolly Christmas CD and the three of us cuddled up on the sofa to watch Dolly's Christmas on the Square (if you need some warm hearted Christmas themed cheese, I recommend it). 

Then, prepped for a weekend of fun and adventure, the heating went. 

And we had snow. 

Thunder snow. 

Engineer was to come out Sunday, got cancelled as someone decided not to reveal they were covid positive until after they had been visited, so my engineer had to self isolate for the rest of the day. 

They came out Monday, the propeller had gone, so the part wouldn't arrive by Tuesday. All this time I couldn't have Missy sleeping in the hall (which at best we could warm to 12C with an oil heater) so she was in with us, meaning all three of us were under slept, tired and cold in the bones. 

Humbug to all those seasons greetings. 

Then heat returned, and we could have hot baths. I don't think the poor boiler engineer had ever been thanked so enthusiastically as the radiators hummed to life!

This weekend we moved out from teir 4 and down to teir three (which really, apart from the shops opening, has changed nothing) and I was determined to get myself feeling Christmassy again. I was two weeks into December and felt less Christmassy than I had last month, that needed fixed. 

So off to Santa Paws. 

We had planned on coupling the visit with a walk round Beecraigs, but it's rained all day and I've gotten a terrible cold from my chill last week, so hubby insisted on cream scones and tea and then for me to get back inside and warm and he'd do the afternoon walk. 

Honestly, I don't deserve him sometimes. 

In bake off news, it's been gingerbread men and pupperoni pizza - the later of which turned out perfect and Missy was very pleased with! Here's a recap of our bake off adventure, and my absolute low key trolling in trying to get Missy to pose exactly the same for every shot! 

Craft wise I haven't been idle. I lost a lot of sewing time last week on the account of it being too cold (trying to thread a needle with raynauds is absolutely impossible) bu I was pleased to complete my eldest neices stocking:

It is quite possible that she is more obsessed with backpacks than I am, so I know she'll love it. I wanted to do something fun and bright, but she's moved to that phase where it's all pretentious pouting and black.

Here's a sneak peek of my current, very bright and loud project:

One more post until Christmas!