A day late!

but with good reason, the poorly blanket has had to come out

this scruffy merino and blue faced leicester slightly felted, well worn, well loved blanket is a sample of my distant spinning.  I have friends who can spin a kilo of aran weight to make a jumper, I only make blankets or throws because there is no consistency to my spinning.  It has a home made quality to it!

a (bad) picture of my lovely, and very old, ashford wheel, as proof of my spinning past.  In fact I even belong to a spinning group, we don't actually spin anymore, we knit instead and I sometimes embroider but we still call it our spinning group so ssshhhh don't tell anyone we're not spinning!

but back to the blanket and my missed post yesterday, there is a little child under the blanket who was feeling very sorry for herself and distracted me away from the computer yesterday.  She is still feeling sorry for herself this morning and has got out of bed to lie back down on the sofa under the poorly blanket.  After all, how would I know she was poorly if she wasn't under the poorly blanket?

winter surfing

It seems strange to me that just when it's cold enough to wear all our clothes, scarves,hats,gloves...

all some people want to do is get in the sea

and so the magical moment of father and son body boarding together

The party's over

Well it was the longest journey we've ever had on Friday but we got there for the party.

Middle sister is 40

fancy dress was worn by most

and tears were shed when littlest sister returned to America at 5 o'clock this morning

motorways and celebrations

this seems to be all we have seen for the last few weeks.  It's one of the problems with living 400 miles from the rest of our family!  Especially when they all have major celebrations in the same year.

we have passed the wicker man six times since mid August and still have another trip to go.

lots of bad indoor party photography

and the lovely old (literally after her 40th) friend that we surprised at her party.  Her scream of delight at seeing us made the whole trip worthwhile.

So one more trip to one more biggie... and this time it's a sister

Family

Ok, I've been missing again!  We have never had such a busy year for family events.  This time these two people are the culprits. 

my sister who lives in America

and my nanna

We travelled to Lincolnshire for my nanna's 90th birthday (if I could put numbers in capitals I would have done).  More importantly the whole family managed to be together, for the first time in years and years, to celebrate the occasion.  Nanna loved it and I can only hope that I am as bright and healthy as her when I get to ninety (you'll notice I didn't write 'if I get to ninety).

And Clare and I spent a lovely day at the Harrogate flower show the day after the party.  Drinking pimms in the rain (what could be more English!)

Looking at (and photographing badly) flowers

giant vegetables

tiny trees

and our favourite judges comment on the flower arranging 'good use of cabbage'.

But the partying doesn't end here, I am going back up to Lincolnshire to visit Clare again, to celebrate my oldest friend's 40th and then my other sister's 40th.  I will try to pop in again in between all the celebrating.