A Bank Vole up the curtain . . .

 One of the two patchwork quilts I bought recently.  Now I have the internet back, I will list them on Ebay.

Not a good way to end an afternoon.  Pippi has worked out that if she lets go of any live rodents in the kitchen, I am able sometimes to rescue them (or else they disappear).  So she's taken to going into the living room or library with them.  If the latter, I stand NO chance of ever finding them again.  I stand a slightly more sporting chance in the living room, but today a suitably desperate Bank Vole made it up inside a curtain.  We managed to shake it down, having opened the French Doors, but it foolishly shot in the opposite direction, and then under the sofa.  It has since been chased up the other curtain . . .  There is currently a stake-out!

I have had a lovely day full of visitors, with my old neighbour Nikki finally making it up here to visit, and Gabby had driven up last night as I was upset, and Tam and Rosie came over today.  They've all gone now, and it's very quiet again.  I shall put the tv on in a moment so I have some background speech and then quickly reheat the other half of the Prawn Curry I made myself last night.  Very tasty it was too.

Whilst Gabby was here (Tam had no free hands because of Rosie), we did a bit more of my challenging jigsaw.  I managed to get a few faces and bits joined up, but I think I'll still be doing it at Christmas!

Yesterday the lovely Dartmoor 2025 calendar I treated myself to arrived (a treat after selling a similarly priced book on Ebay).  The photography is by Tracey Elliot-Reep and absolutely superb.  Each month will bring me great pleasure.

Yesterday it also rained and poured all day long.  I had to go to the Ban in Brecon again, to move across my credit card to NatWest.  I got SOAKED.  Shoes, socks, jacket - and the latter is still a bit damp as I only have the heating on for an hour or so morning and evening.  I was a bit upset over something (not banking related) and so went into WH Smiths and bought myself two magazines - a Christmas patterns Quilting mag, with a free diamonds template, which will be useful.  The other magazine was a Christmas one (haven't bought a Christmas mag for several years now, as I tend to hang on to the old ones).  This was the Your Home Christmas Made Easy, and had some nice veggie options for Christmas and some lovely decor ideas and crafts. Although I didn't spend much on groceries (about £27 in Aldi), I did have to get cat sachets and cat litter, and I got 5 tins of soup for £5 as they are handy for a meal when I haven't been soup making myself. So that doubled the outgoings.  It carried on chucking it down with rain and even though I was coming home at lunchtime, there was already standing water on the roads and the dip by the turn off to a farm half a mile downhill of here, had about 5" of water already.  I tried to put Gabby off coming because I knew the roads would be worse when she set off from Cardiff and she would be driving in the dark, but she is intrepid and came anyway, though she said the road by the Storey Arms was under water and Police were directing traffic.  Apparently the M4 was closed too, at one point (accident I think), and train lines flooded so train cancellations.  It was definitely a Yellow Weather Event day!

I have booked myself an evening out soon, a topic which will be very interesting, and also have a day out planned at Malvern Quilt Festival which is the next 3 days.  My reward I reckon for all the washing up I did at Tam's this week :)

I've been too tired after Malvern to feel much like sewing but did another side on the £15 auction quilt, so half way through now.  I have a little shopping list for the Quilt show, but things I NEED - will have to resist things I would really LIKE!  You will see which prevailed in due course!