Feeling Lucky

It's been a quick weekend - Saturday was my dance show and, whilst I didn't get every step perfect, I was happy with how it all came together. And Sunday was my next sewing lesson/photo shoot with my neice, which I felt also went very well! 

Missy wasn't left out, we did some nice local walks in the breaks in the weather and she got her own photoshoot too, themed for St Patricks day. 

Can't pick my favourite one! 

And hats all to report this week. It's been busy with work and other commitments, so I am very much looking forward to Saturday when the hubby and I have a quietday planned. 

Until then, hoping some luck rubs off on you! 

Passing on the Baton

Les just start with sewing. There has been A LOT of it this week.

As I very briefly mentioned just before Xmas, I had a mad dash to my sisters to very quickly sew some curtains whilst bleeding everywhere. Well, Friday was the refit. I'd always planned on going back and redoing them properl and therefore recruited everyone to help this time. My nephew was using the overlocker and my neice was sewing in tandem her machine as I furiously ploughed through them on mine. My hubby was unpicking the original seams and doing the hevy lifting getting them down and up again, and after a furious 3 hour sprint, they were done.

We then collected the kids and headed back to give my sister and her husband a much needed break. My neice was actually working this weekend, so whilst she joined in in the evening fun and board games, it was really a weekend focused on my nephew. 

So what did the 14 year old boy want to do? 

Sew. Sew like his life depended on it. Were taking him to a cosplay convention in July, because he really wants to get into cosplay. So this weekend was step one in learning to sew and making his costume. There's a lot to do, a hat and gloves and then the prop pistols, but his Alucard outfit is already off to a great start. He helped cut the peices, did most of the overlocking and the sewing too. It's in my care owing to some hand sewing it needs done, but for all accounts and purposes, he made a coat in a weekend - his first sewing project.

The baton I thought I was going to hand to my neice, a lifelong love of sewing and creating bizarre and wonderful things, has been pipped at the post and taken by my nephew. And long may it continue! 

We had the extra dog and did fit in a few lovely walks with Wee Ben, but he's turned into a grumpy wee old man of late and absolutely refused a second walk, preferring to sleep on the sofa and use the garden if need be.

A funny wee thing he is. 

Right. I'm free of children and about to soak in a well deserved bath, so until next week, have a lovely time and share your hobbies! 

A Tale of Two Kirtles

So last weekend was a Tale of Two Cities as we packed up the car for a flying visit to Liverpool. Missy was very pleased to see her buddy Ren and the hubby and I caught up with my oldest friend, her hubby and kid who, about to turn 2, was definitely the epitome of toddlerdom.

It was a mixed visit. We managed to play on the switch a bit, had a long chinwag and some walks. Both hubby's we're out of commission - our friend owing to a lads night the day before. My Hubby was out of action after a foul pizza (he has - 2 to dairy atm, and he rolled a critical failure against that pizza). We've been experimenting with a suspected dairy intolerace for a few months now - he was never very good with digestion, always being bloated, but has gotten significantly worse after a really bad stomach bug. 

And to top it off, both myself and my friend have had really bad news regarding the health of a parent recently.

I won't go into detail here. Out of respect to her privacy and also because I'm still not really done processing things on my side. Just understand some cathartic tears were shed. Not all visits are sunshine and daisies, but we both definitely needed to see one another.

Hence no update last week. This week has been a quiet one - hubby went off on his own boys break Friday through Saturday, so I got to work on one of my most ambitious projects to date. 

So ambitious in fact that I made a mockup! 

 

Ignore the neckline. I'm that happy with the mock up I'm keeping it for myself so will change that.

Roxy, my Manchester based sister, has joined a viking reenactment group. Which, in and of itself is super cool, but that means she needs a historically accurate costume. Which is where I come in. Despite Roxy more than having the skills to make one herself, she's a knitter. Even though she rarely follows them, she likes to have a pattern in front of her. She likes adjusting patterns into new things. She does not like squiggles on a scrap of paper like so:

She also lacks the complete unbridled enthusiasm I have to take on a large project that I can sink my teeth into and have examined by masters of thier craft. The above mockup was indeed based on the above squiggles and I now have a proper paper pattern. So I made this:

A (as far as matters) historically accurate under kirtle. Think viking underwear. The long seams are serged and machined, with the neck, cuffs and hem hand stitched using linen threads picked off a scrap peice of linen.

Such tiny stitches and I am beyond pleased with the result. The decorative overdress is next, which is in cranberry, and I am twice as excited to make that one. Alas, the weekend is over, so I'm gonna chip damage that one during the week. 

I did manage to get out the house this weekend and met up with my local friend for a dog friendly lunch and walk. We had a catch up and it was good to touch base and have a normal day following last weekend. So all in all its been a proper reset of a weekend. 

Missy was not ignored for all the sewing - and her patience was well rewarded. She definitely approved of her pupcakes, as you can see! 

Until next time! 

The Lurgy and the Cursed Ticket

It's been a WEEK. 

Firstly it was a busy run with 3 days in the office, where I held 6 interviews and and had an in person all team meeting. I'm not used to the socialisation anymore and was wiped out by the Thursday.

Then came Friday. I blame the office and hubby blames my metabolism, but either way, Friday was a write off. Down with a vomiting bug, I accomplished nothing. I fell asleep during everything I tried to watch, dribbled on my book in slumber and couldn't even manage to stay in the bath. (To be fair, when hubby queried how "cool" it was, he was right in that I view a bath as "just right" when you could boil a lobster in it, definitely not wise when unwell, no matter how sore the kidneys).

I did shuffle around a dog walk, feeling like the undead, and apologised profusely to Missy at the shortness of it. She had gotten bored of the duvet day hours previously and had abandoned me to sunbathe in the window. 

Which leads me to the Cursed Tickets. We'd been offered cheap tickets to the Music of John Williams Concert as my friends aunt and uncle could no longer go. Excellent. Then I got ill and there was no way I'd have been able to survive the trip, let alone the concert. We. Asked. Everyone.

Friends - other commitments or not feeling great. Family - all ill with various maladies. Hubby even tried to fob them off on work colleagues who deemed them cursed and wouldn't touch them.

Even my friends mum almost pulled out due to a bad ankle injury (she did go in the end), but truly, cursed.

Then Saturday, after being put to bed with a new teddy, some rice crackers and sugary ribena, I woke up right as rain. 

Typical. 

Missy did not approve of my emotional support shark taking the sofa!

Saturday we'd promised to see friends, so we kept it a short visit. Our friend with long covid really needed a wee break from the kids (his wife is away visiting family), so we took them on a dog walk and to a very nice playpark, returning them absolutely exhausted. 

Then today I had my eldest niece round for a big sewing project: her prom dress! I am flattered she thinks so highly of my skills, and, halfway through, she's absolutely delighted with how it's shaping up.

It truly felt like spring today with the clocks going forward. At least, it did until it snowed. 

Can't win them all! At least I managed my gardening in the sun this morning, there are grand plans for the fruit and veg this year - Good Life, here we come! 

Narnia or Duncarron?

It's time for the big reveal! 

Once again a Travelling Through Time event at Duncarron Medieval Village and once again it was sewing to the wire as I got over ambitious with my idea. 

I tell a lie! It's not my fault for getting over ambitious, I can 100% blame my sister Roxy on this one!

So, when Duncarron announced that they were doing another Travelling in Time event, my sister was determined to come and have her kids finish thier school holidays on an absolute high. She had initially outlined a family set of viking costumes for it, but once the full event details were outlined, she realised that vikings were omitted from the day. It was my hubby who came up with the winning answer - dress the kids as evacuees and we grown ups could be home guard. And that was what we decided upon. 

Except that Missy needed a costume. How about a mercy dog? WW2 British Red Cross, to be specific. I plunged down a rabbit hole and, in an inspired afternoon, modified her Julius K9 harness to a medic vest with pockets. Well I'd have to match, so I made myself a medic armband for my Rosie outfit. 

Hubby joked I should do the propaganda poster for the British Red Cross (in the same way my Rosie outfit is a propaganda costume). I jested about it to my sister who said I should make the apron and then arms and legs grew. 

Was it overkill? Absolutely. Was it fun? 100 %

My hubby wasn't left out as I embroidered him a boiler suit with "ARP" so he could join in as an air raid warden and I made "LDV" armband for my sister and hubby. She went last-project mad too, and, after ensuring the kids were kitted out in hand knitted sweater vests, knitted herself an amazing cardie (more details here). 

Missy had been unwell the night before with an upset tummy and, after privately debating with the hubby about taking her, we decided that leaving her home alone was a greater cruelty. We waited until the last moment to be sure it was a 24h thing and that she was OK before popping her in the car. We'd always planned on taking two cars, so hubby and I agreed that one of us would just take her home if she wasn't happy.

Panic aside, we arrived. Big sis and the older neice and nephew arrived at the same time and there was much fawning of costumes. It took more than an hour to reach the Fort as all the WW2 stuff was on the path up. The kids were in their element getting to handle real the guns and ask a billion questions, all of which were enthusiastically answered, and my sister had to be literally dragged away from the WW2 knitting display. I swear she shed a tear glancing back at the knitted balaclavas, swimming costumes and drawers.

After Wee Ben greeted a centurion, we entered the Fort and our little evacuees ran ahead to be amongst medieval knights, tents and pavilions. We unanimously laughed - we hadn't travelled in time, we'd stepped into Narnia: my niece and nephew the new Peter and Susan as Missy diligently followed - Alsan or Mr Tumnus? Who knows.

It was hot at this point. A picnic was had and Missy was freed of her costume. The kids were too excited to eat and soon they off to quiz anyone who smiled at them about the differences between each sword, why a helmet was shaped as it was and a thousand other things. Arrows were shot, axes were thrown and knights bravely fought for thier honour. One particularly brave Knight fought against the children, and was defeated time and again - even cheating and bringing an axe out to dual with my youngest nephew. He took the battle very seriously whilst every adult was weeping in hysterics.

Missy was getting tired at this point. She was being offered water and her pillow at every stop. The kids too were flagging, so we unanimously called it a day. 

An epic day by far, and one I'm sure my neices and nephews will recall in future summers. 

I didn't bother with getting a lot of photos of Missy, so here is a rare one of myself with her and our matching ensembles. 

And don't worry about Missy, who had clearly decided that she was gonna play and ravel in the extra attention - we got home and she insisted on a 40 minute walk, trotting ahead and scouting for bunnies. Today she is 100% back to herself. 

Truly, a weekend well spent! 

A belated Valentines

It's been a week! First Dudley, then Eunice - the weather has been all over place. Whilst Missy enjoys most weather's, high winds and driving rain are her least favourite...

Which summed up the week, with some snow for good measure!

So it's been a good week for cuddles on the sofa, puzzle games (both for Missy and us), quiet hobbies and refining the art of gauging for a break in the weather. 

The last point, I apologise profusely to Missy, I'm not very good at! 

This weekend was our date weekend. The theatre production of Bedknobs and Broomsticks was finally going ahead, meaning that the tickets I bought 9 months ago were finally going to use. Missy was pampered through the day, a lazy start with cuddles in bed, a variety of toys and puzzles to play with, and two (relatively) well timed walks. 

And yes. Bedknobs and Broomsticks was most definitely worth the wait. 

Todays walk was not so well timed. So it was day 2 of quiet games and distractions. Which I think all three of us needed. Hubby and I got to play some games that have literally been awaiting us for months, and Missy alternated between sunbathing and choosing who to cuddle next. A good weekend! 

I also finished a quick sewing project (procrastination from my main one) with this rock and roll vintage inspired thrift flip:

Thrift flip? It's another form of upcycling, changing one outfit into another. You can see the original on my Instagram post @missdaisysewing 

And that's it for now. It's National Love Your Pet Day, so I'd best get back to cuddling Missy. 

It's a hard life, honest! 

Overdue Catch ups

This weekend was a reschedule of a cancelled Christmas get together. Our friend from Dundee came down to stay with us, and then we all visited our mutual Bonnyrigg based friends.

I've previously mentioned that this is our friend with the twins who is suffering from long covid. Almost 2 years after catching the plague, he still has the same energy levels as a new born kitten, and his covid booster prior to Christmas really set him back a step. 

Because of this, we have to think outside the box a bit in how to get the most boxes ticked per visit, without him overdoing things. We decided to divide and conquer; mum and I took the kids to soft play (weather has been appalling) and we left the boys to catch up whilst Missy snoozed off her extra long morning walk. 

Once we got back, dad went for a nap, the boys played with the kids and I dashed out with Missy for her afternoon walk. On return I joined in the drawing whilst mum cooked the dinner.

Once the kids were in bed, we all chatted and had a catch up together. Board games was the only box we missed, but I think it was a very successful day from there. 

Not a lot to say from there. I have a half dozen projects lined up and in the works now after my disastrous at knitting again (turns out I have some kinda wool allergy, I absolutely do not recommend ignoring it)

My stitching is a bit slow going owing to slightly swollen knuckles and my thumb degloving, so I've been using the energy to prep things instead. In addition to the pirate map Missy was helping with at the top of the page, I'm going to try a thrift flip with a rather unloved dress that deserves a second chance!

Not a lot more to say, we've all been rather tired today and getting everything put back in order for the week ahead!

Slumber Party

I will warn you now that this post is going to get confusing with names, Maisie and Missy are far too similar! 

So, my brother is going to go away for a few days somewhere that isn't dog friendly, so we decided to meet up at Newhailes (now that we are National Trust members after last weeks visit) and visit the site when there isn't an event on. With a vintage car show at the end of the month that my brother really fancies, I expect you'll be seeing a lot of this place in future. With a run of busy weekends ahead, we'd earmarked this one as a quiet one to get on top of jobs and take at a more sedentary pace. 

Maisie is a character. That wide cheeky grin tells you all you need to know: selective hearing to the max, insists that everyone is her best friend and obedient only just enough that she knows when to stop toeing the line and get forgiven. A daddy's girl and a princess. At least, she is for my brother. Take him out the equation and the springs come off her paws and she just chills out with Missy. A completely different dog.

First time I saw this I panicked thinking she was in some depressive state but no, she's got a hearty appetite, plays if I engage with her and no pining or whining. It's the strangest thing!

I have seen a similar thing with my eldest neice and nephew, all those cheeky traits vanish and I'm left wondering who is getting the performance: the parents, or me. They want to come back (the neice and nephew, I mean) so clearly they do enjoy thier time with me!

But I digress. Everyone else in the family thought I was mad to offer to take Maisie, but I know she'll be just fine with us! (and the budgies, that was the only thing I was worried about, and she couldn't care less about them). 

Newhailes provided a lovely walk. After meeting up in the car park, we all went all round the fields and then ended up at the cafe for a slice of cake, good conversation and a pot of tea. If only all our walks finished so splendidly.

From there, Maisie came with us. She had a mad 10 minutes where every corner and toy was thoroughly sniffed before she climbed up on the sofa and fell asleep with Missy.

The true test will be the next two days (and nights) as its only a short holiday, but here's hoping. My brother does deserve a nice holiday, and I would like to be able to offer him a chance to go away properly.

I haven't forgotten the sewing, although I will confess that this project took far too long owing to a loss of my Sew-Jo. I liked the colours, I liked the pattern, it was the usual level of simple with an intermediate garnish that I like best, and yet I struggled with this.

I have a few reasons for that. Firstly, this project (its one of two matching waistcoats) was commissioned when my hubby's magic partner found out he had prostate cancer. Hubby had joked for a long time they should be wearing matching outfits, and decided that was the time to make the joke a reality. 

G, as I will refer to him, is that older generation which hides everything beneath a witty remark so whilst the banter was there, I had no idea if his joke of "if I never perform in it, I'll make sure they bury me in it" was because his prognosis was worse than he let on, or because he was genuinely so confident about getting through it.

So I stalled. I didn't like the lining fabric and bought another one (the backs antique gold, like the pockets). My findings were silver and I wanted gold. Unusually for a sewing pattern, it turned out small for the size. Every excuse to delay, I found, every problem that could happen, did.

Gs operation was a success. He struggled with the intensive chemo and needs some corrective surgery, and a double check in six months, but he's doing well. We're booked in to all see a magic show together ("time for the wives to meet", as such). They (G and his wife) love the waistcoats and he and hubby are discussing the next gig, so life seems to be carrying on.

I'm pleased with the waistcoats, but more happy they have been done and the chapter they represent is off my sewing table. Just like that, I'm one project down and blitzing through a second. Funny how these worries manifest themselves.

And I am rather looking forward to seeing hubby and G in thier matching waistcoats for the next show!

An Unexpectedly Busy Week

Well, despite my promises to have a quiet week, fate had plans otherwise.

I have a terrible compulsion when the weather is nice to work on the garden, so I've been quite physically tired (but it must be done, when else in Scotland will there be two dry days on the bounce?). Then Friday (as I was mowing both lawns, cutting the hedge and getting the weeding done) disaster struck. In an attempt to avoid a car that had pulled out of a junction in front of him, hubby mounted the verge and blew both passenger side tyres. So his early getaway turned into him getting home after 7pm whilst I was having kittens the whole time. 

We had already organised a get together with a friend at Jupiter Artland on the Saturday and, after explaining the situation, she kindly offered to pick us up too. 

Panic one over. Saturday morning rolls round and I'm looking at the poor car (hubby had to drive it with 2 safety tyres before it was abandoned at the closest garage to the house) and the MOT centre. Google said it was open. The opening hours sign said it was open. But the shutters were down and no one was answering the phone. 

Hubby and I were both flustered and cross at the situation. Thankfully I remembered my brother had booked someone to come out and replace his tyre and, after a few tense moments where we tried to figure out what tyres we needed, Halfords were booked in the next morning to fit them.

A sigh of relief. 

A text popped through, our friend asking if we were at the house...

We legged it down and, after some confusion about when we were booked in for, I panic packed the day bag and off we went.

Thankfully the rest of the day went very well from there. We bought lunch as a thank you and wandered about the grounds, enjoying hearing our friends thoughts as she saw the peices for the first time. The amythests were her favorite, we magpies do flock together!

We also braved Mimi again, and this time I stuck through the 8 minute video. We all agreed that we understood the message (and that the trigger warnings were appropriate) but that it was a bit on the nose. 

I was then reminded by my friend of her mannequin phobia, so at least we both had company in our awkward uncomfortable-ness about the place!

This morning was taken over a but by the wheels being replaced on the car. I decided to clear the schedule and focus on some sewing, putting my big project to one side for a little bit to focus on my new monthly treat:

A sewing subscription box! This one is from Oakapple Haberdashery and is thier "Sew Darn Sweet Box"

So this months project was tissue holders, but I thought they'd make excellent poo bag holders when on the dog walk! Because everyone deserves to be fabulous on a walk! 

Snowy Valentines

Its been a funny old week. There's been highs and lows and everything in between. 

After my extravagant attempt last week to cheer everyone up, it was my turn to turn into a flump. I completely lost interest in my crafts, I was losing patience with the home schooling and I felt trapped in a perpetual groundhog day. The snow had returned with a vengeance and I was ready to call it quits.

Hubby, bless him, was very good with me and pandered to my mood, offering nice things to do and organising calls with friends. Owing to the snow, we've been more cooped up than usual, so getting to see some different faces was a nice change. Missy's paw is all better, so she's been enjoying the snow this time round which has been nice to see, although I do wish she would stop eating so much of it!

I was caught out on Chinese New Year, remembering it on Thursday so didn't have time to make anything special for dinner or organise a cute photoshoot with Missy (my niece and nephew always appreciate silly photos of Missy). Determined not to make the same mistake for Valentines, I roped hubby into setting up the photoshoot for Missy. Like a lot of people, we did most of our Valentines celebrations on the Saturday; I'd organised a family call for the afternoon and I spent the late morning going around the zoo with Missy and the hubby. The zoo really has been a life saver in terms of getting out to do something, and the animals did not disappoint us - although the goat was very cheeky sticking his tongue out at us!

Todays been a quiet day getting on with jobs, and my sewing mojo has returned - one day I will finish my Hamilton Spencer jacket, if all the hand stitching doesn't kill me first!

The Longest Month

I don't know what it is about January, but it's a never ending month. It's not been a bad one, hubby and I have gotten into a good routine with him being on furlough and me working from home. Missy seems to have figured out the new routine and has settled again too. I had always assumed that she would have loved having company all day everyday, but it seems that routine is more important to her. And a sunny window - she will abandon us all in favour of sunbathing at the French window in the kitchen. 

Despite the cold, it does feel a bit nicer. The sky is blue again and the sun had been out and about. All good things. 

This weekend has been a busy one. I know it's been mentioned before, but hubby is a magician. He and one of the fellow magicians have been doing Zoom magic shows for carers and young adults with disabilities over the various lockdowns, and he finally caved in to me pestering about a friends and family show. That was Saturday, and it went brilliantly. We managed to get a good mix online and people got to see faces they wouldn't have asked to see, but were pleased to see doing well after the year we've had. 

I'm sworn to secrecy on the hows and whys of magic, but I will say the routine had a perfect mix of laughs, magic and good old fashioned now-hang-on-a-minute, what happened there? I will confess that I do take great enjoyment in watching him perform for an audience, there's nothing better than to see someone create joy, especially in this dark, cold lockdown. 

Today was K. Its the penultimate week of #leadthewayatoz, and I do think I will miss it - its breathed life into old walks and encouraged us to get out and explore, even when it's cold and miserable out. We had planned to do the Kelpies for K, but it's outwith our council area, so we went with the Korean War Memorial instead, and honestly, I think it was a better choice in the end. The walk around it is quite steep, so we spent an hour laughing and shrieking whilst sliding about in the snow. I had to give up a few times and just sit down and slide down some parts. Missy, with her nimble paws and mountain goat ancestry trotted about with no issue and was bemused as we blundered about. 

I had a bit of a mercy dash with the sewing this week - my neice who I am homeschooling on Skype keeps chickens, and one has lost a bunch of feathers. I had a lesson where my neice spent most of it lamenting about the timing being the worst possible for an outdoor animal, and promised her I'd look into jumpers. I was shocked at how easy it was to find a pattern and assembled 4 of them (I imagine they'll need washed daily). No sooner had I sent a photo of them to her and she'd pestered her dad to drive over - her chickens welfare is absolutely an essential visit.

It would have been nice to have seen her longer than the 30 seconds she shivered on my doorstep, but the jumpers exchanged sanitised hands and were put to use. The feedback has been good, and I've kept the drafted pattern just in case I get a request for more again, you never know. 

I think I can safely say that chicken jumpers are the weirdest thing I've been commissioned to make! 

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! 

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.