I have sadly come to the end of my tote-bag embroidery. I enjoyed it so much. Just straightforward stitches, and it worked up quickly. Now I can use it when I go down the town for bits and bobs.
I am currently without a car. I had to leave it at the garage this morning as it had been making a bit of aa whining noise, and then there was a slight burning smell . . . NOT what you want! They needed to order a part (the filter for the air-conditioning I think it was), and am hoping that is much cheaper than the Alternator, which had first been mooted as a possible problem. The burning smell is probably the fan belt. Let's hope. Not sure if I'll get it back tomorrow as it's dependent on when the courier delivers it. Fortunately Tam and boyfriend are here at the weekend so if we are sans car all over the weekend, we have some wheels if we need to get out.
So, another bill to add to the bill for the septic tank being emptied next week, and the bill for the annual service of our new heating boiler. They say things come in threes.
There is currently a lot of hedge trimming noise as our very kind and helpful farmer from up the lane is cutting our hedge and reaching as much as he can in the bottom paddock to set it to rights. A bit less Rhododendron too . . . He is even taking out the waste-of-space shrub outside which gets is doing nothing but growing in the wrong place! I will then have to dig out the roots. I shall bake a big cake for him (and brothers & Mum) tomorrow as a thank you.
Keith is now back to pretty well normal - or what passes as normal - though his legs feel tight from the PD, which isn't good, though goes with the territory. I've found a 2nd bottle of Tonic Water in the house, so have given him another glass-full to see if that makes any difference. You never know.
Let's hope we get the car back tomorrow but it depends what time the courier delivers the part. I started walking home today (about 1 3/4 miles - with big black clouds rolling over the hills) and was very lucky, as I had just laboured up the hill past the school, to be picked up by a neighbour so I was spared all the other hills between there and home!
My mum suffered with restless legs. She used tonic water (which contains quinine) and found it very effective. I hope your husband does as well.
ReplyDeleteYes, I read on a Parkinsons' forum that it's the quinine that works. Glad it did for your mum too.
DeleteI was just wondering how you managed to get home, lucky the neighbour was driving past. You seem so well settled in your new home and I am glad Keith is feeling better.
ReplyDeleteOh I'd have walked and I will have to walk back down when the car is ready. That's more downhill most of the way so not as challenging. We're settled here and have some very good neighbours. Keith hasn't lost his sense of humour yet, which is a positive.
DeleteLovely embroidery
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Thanks Alison. I did think of buying one for a friend as well, as part of her birthday present, but saw a lovely kit which went her way instead.
DeleteYour reference to hedge trimming brought to mind an article that I had bee reading earlier in the Telegraph about the art of real hedge laying, not the flail trim that passes for maintenance these days. Apparently King Charles is an expert at hedge laying and has been responsible for much of the traditional hedge maintenance at Highgrove.
ReplyDeleteHello Will. Yes, I remember seeing something years ago about King Charles being proficient. My husband did a short course on it once, but the hedges at our old home were a bit challenging, having been left to "grow on" and there were some pretty big young trees in there, so he never tackled those.
DeleteLooks lovely. Glad the Tonic water seems to be working for Keith xx
ReplyDeleteThanks my dear. I just sat and sewed each afternoon and evening.
DeleteYour embroidery is lovely. I'd not heard of drinking tonic water to help with restless legs, which I suffer from. I'm going to give the tonic water a try. I hope it helps Keith's tight legs.
ReplyDeleteHi Celie. Glad you like the embroidery. A little bit of cheerfulness. The Tonic Water does seem to help so I must recommend it to another friend who suffers from restless legs.
DeleteHave you been fiddling with camera settings BB? The sepia photos are beautifully arty. Yes, it is hedge cutting season around here too, which often means bike punctures. We had the oven man out yesterday morning. I broke the oven roasting tomatoes. It switched itself off due to a build-up of condensation, but the next day was working, except for the grill function and latterly it has been tripping all the kitchen lights too. Anyway, the oven was taken out of it’s housing, a couple of parts replaced and all is now well. Fortunately we have two single eye-level ovens side by side here and I had been using the left hand one since the tomato trauma. Last week we had the ridiculous Quooker tap replaced (we had never used it and it had developed a slow leak) which involved a lot of decommissioning but I now have a smart new tap and have regained the cupboard under the sink. What could our third thing be? The weather has been so good here that yesterday I not only got two loads of washing dried on the line (son’s bed linen and all our towels and bath mats etc) but I cut the grass - again. If the temperature continues at 20 degrees I don’t think it will be the last cut either. I also fitted in a hair cut - back to a short sharp bob - a walk with husband, the ironing of son’s bed linen, and harvested a load of chard and made a delicious supper. I was in my bath at 9pm absolutely wiped. Today I am working and am out this evening at the horticultural society prize-giving so a more restful day I hope. Although on my mostly gluten-free, alcohol-free, drinking plenty of water, resuming actual yoga classes and lots of activity I am feeling pretty well for a woman who will be 62 tomorrow! Hope your car is sorted soon and you find a pleasing pattern for your patchwork cushions. Maybe have a look at the Toast website homewares section for some inspiration, I seem to remember they were selling patchwork cushions recently. I’ve just had a quick look and they have a centre star patchwork cushion using three contrasting fabrics for £68 - and a patchwork hot water bottle cover too! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI've got a setting that does a choice of colourations and this is sepia. I don't use if often enough. Hedge cutting season - yes, punctures indeed. No walking barefoot on the lawn now he's cut the holly for us! Time to invest in a dehydrator? I bought a cheap one, as I wasn't sure how much use I would get for it. Here I have no use as before I had 8 mature apple trees, a big pear tree, and lots of soft fruit, plus I could buy big trays of fruit from Abergwili.
DeleteGlad you have the cupboard under the sink back. I've seen those Quooker systems advertised and they make them sound like you can't live without them! You're about to prove them wrong.
I need to cut my lawn and carry on with the pathetically small amount of Autumn Tidy Up I've done so far. I am just not in the mood right now.
Happy Birthday for today. Hope you will be spoilt.
£68 for a cushion at Toast - blimey, think of the money I'm saving making my own!!
Good luck with your parts for the car. My neighbour just had to have a small, fairly common part to replace in her gas boiler, but it just couldn't be obtained due to the current climate, so she said to have a whole new system or do without.
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity, what sort of quantities of Tonic water seemed to work for Keith?
I am just a little annoyed I shall be without the car for 5 days by the time I pick it up. I shan't book it in on a Thursday when that's offered again. What a shame about your neighbour's gas boiler spares.
DeleteKeith's been taking a small glass (1/4 pint?) of Tonic Water each evening.
'Comes in threes' indeed. It has just done so here, and my husband has been fretting. But...we always get through to the other side of it. That totebag is so very sweet.
ReplyDeleteGood things come in 3's too, so I hope those come your way soon.
DeleteI have restless legs as well. Many is the night I need to get up and walk around for a bit or put a pillow behind my knees to give me rest.
ReplyDeleteLove the embroidery, so pretty.
God bless.
Try the tonic water, nothing to be lost.
DeleteThe embroidery was a real treat to sew.
I tried to be back into embroidery, but unfortunately, my eyes are just not built for close up work anymore.
ReplyDeleteLove the Tote bag - you did a great job, but I'll bet your stash is no smaller - I reckon they grow every time you open it, it lets in Oxygen... that's my theory! What a kind neighbour you have. I hope the car bill isn't too sky high.
ReplyDeleteAhem, stash a little bigger but only by 3 pieces! Kind neighbour even kinder yesterday!
DeleteHoping car bill not too high as well . . .