Can you believe that we’ve been in Lockdown number three for just over a week? That’s 10 days. It feels so much longer, but here we are. The TTC household has fallen into a routine, that everyone is happy to follow. Mini tweaks are added, but nothing interrupts the rhythm of the day.
We’ve cut our trips down to the minimum. Apart from exercise and the inevitable work jaunt, we’re staying home. I’ve managed to cut our food shopping down to once a fortnight. Helped by milk and fruit/veg deliveries in between. I have every meal planned and it is easier than I imagined. Certainly less stressful.
School
The two younger teens are taking the online lessons in their stride, as if they’ve always done school that way. Logging into MS Teams each day, rather than dragging themselves into a classroom. Apart from running upstairs to check on them, I’m really not involved much. I do listen in sometimes, because I’m nosey!
We’ve also had two evening Zoom briefings, this week, for parents, from school. One for Middle Teen, whose GCSE exams are now cancelled. Still waiting to hear what will exactly replace them. It does seem like we’ve been here before.
Second Zoom briefing was for Youngest Teen as he’s choosing his GCSE options this year. Sigh. It would be nice to think, sometime in the future, I get one of my three through both sets of exams (GCSE and A Levels) without a hitch. He may be the one!
Craft
I’ve had time to put other plans in place. This week, I almost finished my mohair snood, but couldn’t find the second ball of wool. I searched high and low. Found lots of other wool, but not the one I wanted. It did get me thinking why I was keeping all the odd balls of wool, I was coming across. I always imagined I’d knit gloves and hats for the family, but quite honestly, they have enough handmade mitts.
Instead, I’m rounding up all these odd balls and starting a memory blanket. Each square uses yarn leftover from a previous knitting project and is a lovely reminder. My cunning plan is, that as I rummage around my yarn stash for more yarn, the second ball of mohair will miraculously turn up. Fingers crossed, I might finish my snood.
Also came across a fair amount of fabric metres. Why am I hanging on to it all? I’m going to use it. Make a piece of clothing at least once a month. At this rate, I really might cut down on my stash and buy nothing new for part of the year. An aim I have every January, but this time I have a plan.
(cucumber seedling from a few years back)
Other Plans
I’ve also been laying down plans for this year’s kitchen garden. Checking on the seeds I already have and those I would like to get. I can’t wait. Seed order will be going in soon. Once I’ve put my realistic head on and cut it down a bit. Seriously. You’d think I’d learn that I can’t grow it all.
We’ve also started to talk about the next part of the property we want to sort out. Looks like it will be the front garden. A new path and porch, which will improve the approach to the house. There will be lots of concrete to remove and something kinder to put down. Increase in the cottage’s kerb (curb) appeal, I hope. Not that you can stand on a kerb and see our house. You’d need to walk half a mile to get to the nearest kerb stone and, by then, we’re totally out of sight. Let’s call it gate appeal.
I’ve been working on getting fitter. Honestly, I miss the days that I could click back to being in shape, almost overnight. Those were the days. It takes so much more work now. I have improved, but I slip back so easily. Mr TTC bought me a FitBit for my birthday and it’s given me the extra motivation I need, to get out there when the weather is less than inviting. So true at this time of year. I feel I have a measurable plan now. Being a maths geek, I love all the stats too.
Final plan is marmalade making day tomorrow. Exceedingly excited to have Seville oranges as I didn’t think I’d be able to get hold of any, this year. Expect photos of jars of yummy marmalade soon. Yey! Homemade marmalade.
Hope you’ve had a good week. I’m joining in Anne’s word of the week. My word is Plan.
Is that it? We seem to have been in the 3rd lockdown for much longer. It sounds like you are so organised.
I have been listening into my girls lessons too, they’re so interesting. My youngest will be picking her GCSE options this year too but we’ve had no word about when.
The memory blanket sounds like such a lovely idea and a great way to use us the extra wool.
It sounds like you have some great plans. x
I think with the tiers running into lockdown 3, it all blended together and makes it feel longer. Well I hope that is it!
Could your furry person have moved the yarn to another place? Do dogs do that sort of thing? It’ll turn up. Hopefully sooner, rather than later. 😀
I wonder. He is interested in my wool, but has never run off with it. Mohair is slightly different and maybe more appealing. Hmm. I fell out with the ball of wool because I couldn’t find the end, so I’m hoping I’ve not put it somewhere unusual in retaliation.
We’re the same with the shopping – getting a food shop delivered about once every ten days, but milk and fruit/veg deliveries mean we get the basics in between. Glad the two younger teens are coping well with their online lessons. Fingers crossed that your youngest teen will manage to have a more normal experience of GCSEs and A Levels. I love your memory blanket – what a good way of using up all that leftover yarn. It’s nice to make plans about the garden. I’ve been doing a bit of that this week too. Home-made marmalade sounds very yummy. Hope the mohair yarn turns up! #WotW
I hope so too.
Your plan to find your ball of wool via making a memory blanket made me smile. It’s a lovely idea. Fingers crossed for all the exams, I’m glad mine aren’t doing that. I’ve had a nosy through my seed packets – we have enough for the space we have but I did order some seed potatoes. Seville orange marmalade Yummy!
Yes. A memory blanket which might just help me to remember where I left that other ball! Not quite what I meant by memory! 😆
Love the idea of a memory blanket. I have so much yarn that needs to be put to use and like you, the whole gang have enough hats, scarves and gloves to open up a shop!
Homemade marmalade sounds amazing. I’m going to have a go at lemon curd this year.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend. x
Yes. They get to the point where they just don’t need anymore. Especially if they are not growing so much. Lemon curd sounds delicious!
I love that you have been able to plan. I’m a planner but of days out which is why I find the lockdowns so hard. I’m impressed with getting your shopping trips down to every two weeks. My husband does the shopping trips and he tries to go once in the week and avoid the weekends. My mum is a knitter and has lots of leftover wool. I will have to tell her about your project #WotW
Good idea to avoid the weekends. It is so difficult and stressful. Leftover wool is inevitable. Hope she likes the idea.
Lots of lovely plans and mmmm home made marmalade, yum! I’ve started something similar with my leftover wool. (Why don’t projects use up all the wool? You can’t throw it away, but it’s not enough to start something new.) My memory blanket I’ve decided to do in hexagons which I may live to regret, lol. Good luck with finding your mohair.
I know what you mean about the exams, my daughter doesn’t know what she’s doing either and it’s really stressing her out…but I am in dismay. I have two older children who never did formal GCSE’s in a regular school because of their issues. They never even stayed in school after year 9. But Star has made it to year 11 and GCSEs and it felt like we had both achieved something. Now, it’s all taken away. Hopefully, things will be different for Boo who starts her GCSEs next year. #wotw
Looking forward to seeing your stash busting project. I’d rather have some left over than playing yarn chicken at the end of a project. Also good excuse for another project! I did a hexipuff blanket and love the look.
I’m trying not to get stressed about the exam situation this time round. I felt so cheated for Eldest last year. Hopefully they will include some kind of testing, so it really feels like they’ve earnt it this time. I hope it works out for Star.
I’ve known some ladies who made jam or jelly but not marmalade. DOn’t know why no one makes it here, but I love citrus marmalade. #MMBC
I’d imagine you’re in a good area for growing citrus. Marmalade is lovely in the morning.
Ah! I think we’re on the same path and mindset with getting fitter (I call it ‘being healthy’ so it doesn’t sound so much like ‘losing weight’). It used to be so much easier but alas, what they say is true about getting older and it getting harder to lose weight. I really don’t like going out when it’s so cold and blustery but it has to be done.
I, too, gather lots of yarn. I don’t know where it comes from sometimes. I do like your idea of using the scraps for something else. I’ll have to look around the internets and figure out something to do as well.
Good luck with all the things–marmalade, finding the mohair, exams, projects, getting fitter!
I like “getting fitter” better than “losing weight”. We don’t have scales, so it would be pointless for me to aim to lose weight. I like the “being healthy” too. My scrap yarn blanket is coming on. Tidying up those loose ends!
I spread marmalade on my toast every morning. The other slice, peanut. With my morning coffee it’s heaven.
Two of my favourite spreads. Yum.