Good grief it's mid-February!

I can't believe after all my good intentions I've missed a couple of blogs and it's only February!

In my defence work has been a bit manic, but other than that I have no real excuses...

So just what has kept me away? Uuummmm.. well I have been back and forth to Wales for work. It's still exciting stuff going into schools and supporting eager and enthusiastic staff. It's also lovely the way they let me demonstrate different techniques with their classes and I really enjoy the easy way the children respond and chat! I'm not too wild about the staying away/hotel bit, but I have managed to get to the end of all the appropriate stash wool so the blankets have reached a stall until some more matching types of yarn find their way into my shopping bag!

My sister sent out an SOS for some more socks.. I managed to find some 'spare' wool for one pair that I could do quickly and post, but the other I had to buy some more wool and finally finished the pair on the train up to see her and Mum last Monday..

 

 

We had a lovely day - complete with pancakes a day early!

 

Then I got Graeham's Valentine's card done - I decided to try some needle felting - must remember not to do it while watching gripping TV - my finger is now recovering from being needled itself! I have got some bits and pieces ready for brooches, but they're not quite ready for show.. maybe next week...

 



 

 

What else? Ahh - yes more Exeter City fixtures - this is how close we were to the TV commentary box - sadly the team were a lot further away from a win!

 

 

On the 101 Ways to Save Money side of life I bought two new dresses! Well, I know that doesn't sound too thrifty, but I did need some presentable gear for school visits in order to look professional.. but that lead to a big money saving - honest.. I did wonder if I needed some new shoes so we got all my shoes out (12 pairs, plus some boots, if you don't count trainers, flip flops, walking boots - you know specialist type stuff). Graeham then got out the scuff cover, polish, suede brush, etc. and half an hour later it looked like I had eleven new pairs of shoes with one waiting to be re - heeled.. quite a result and it didn't cost a penny (well not until I'd paid for the re-heeling! - still cheap though).



 

 

Then there's the writing.. great fun this week as I had to do Teachers' notes on Shrek and Ratatouille!

I've never seen Ratatouille and thoroughly enjoyed it - and it's quite current in tone with the present worries about food too.

Oh yes and I finished the Kate Mosse book too.. very gripping. I felt like I'd missed one or two things within the historical/mystical part of the story as there was so much going on. But it was fascinating and, as usual, really well written - I do feel the need to re-read it and look forward to that.  As a bit of light relief I read the P.D. James 'sequel' to Pride and Prejudice 'Death comes to Pemberley' - interesting concept, but without the Austen wit!

Now I must scoot over to Handmade Monday and then knuckle down to the proof reading I keep putting off.. partly because it's close, eye-bending work and partly because I'm having to add bits of Welsh that are too far back in my memory banks for comfort!!!

Have fun this week - I'll try and be good and get back here on time next Monday with more to show - some crochet perhaps.....