I’ve always fancied writing a “doing” post. A list of every day goings on. Ending in “ing”. Good way to catch up too. So with no further ado, here is mine.
Knitting
I’ve made a start on my Sirdar Leaf Panel cardigan. The colour is “coastal” (Hayfield double knitting with wool). Wonderfully vibrant. More of a sunny seaside day with deckchairs and ice creams, rather than a murky, squally one, that only promises fish and chips in the shelter on the promenade, before admitting defeat and heading home.
I made a mistake on the ribbing and knitted twice as much. Fortunately discovered early on and easily put right by unravelling. It’s the first time I’ve knitted a “3 knits, 3 purl” rib and I really like it. The finish is a whole lot smarter.
Reading
I’m reading “The House on Carnaval Street“. I read her previous book “Little Coffee Shop of Kabul” a while back, and enjoyed it immensely. I found both books in a charity shop and I’ve been on the look out for the book inbetween, to no avail. I wasn’t trying too hard, to be fair.
Anyway, I grabbed this latest one as I rushed out the door for another after school club (aka I sit in the car and wait). Not too far into it yet, but I am already empathising with her loss of confidence and cheering her on from the sidelines.
(*affiliated links)
Sewing
I have three projects on the go at the moment, at various stages. This one I can show you. It is my beetle blouse. I’m making New Look 6598. It’s an old favourite and I know it fits well. I had great fun with the ties at the back. Turning the first one the right way out took less than a minute. Hook it with my loop turner and it was through with a swish. The second one took twenty minutes, as I lost the end half way through and couldn’t push it either way. Jammed. Done now, but I was so close to cutting out a new one and starting again.
Finding time to sew is more of a logistic exercise at the moment. I’m glad I have my sewing machine set up, ready to go when only five minutes are on offer. My wardrobe needs it. My sanity needs it!
Gardening
The garden is slowly coming on. Seedlings, the good kind, are popping up everywhere. I have more to sow, but it’s coming on. We took a tree down at the weekend. I now have more light on my raised salad beds, as well as the kitchen end of the cottage being dazzled by more sun. Still getting used to it.
The children are spending more time out in the garden as the days get longer. I worry in the winter, always forgetting that as soon as evenings out in the garden become more enticing, they will be outdoors more. They are playing badminton and frisbee mainly, but also helping around the garden. I bumped into a neighbour this week. She made a point of telling me how good it was to hear my crew out in the garden over the weekend. She meant it too, she assured me, as I apologized for all the noise.
Preparing
We have two sets of exams on the go at the moment. The timetable started this week in earnest, for eldest Teen doing GCSEs and youngest doing year 6 SATs. My job is to oversee the revision and run up to the exams. Provide good study environment, reel off motivation speeches, replenish snack supply and make sure they are in the right place at the right time. Also attend all school meetings, which multiply at this time of year. Not forgetting to organize sports kits and arrangements, as they ramp up too. All on top of the day job.
My calendar is full of notes for me to remember.
Eldest is taking it in her stride. Moments of doubt, but lots of determination. Needless to say, my dreams are school themed at the moment. I’m definitely reliving it all. I happened to see eldest’s german teacher during the week. She asked how I was faring with the GCSEs. First time someone has asked me rather than my daughter. Such a lovely teacher.
Growing
The pup is growing. His tail is still touching the floor when he stands up, but already people are giving him second looks when I tell them he is four months old. “Go-nner be a big lad” as one old timer informed me.
He’s made lots of new friends this week. Winning so many hearts. Especially the people who come to the house on a regular basis, like the delivery people. We gave the Park Run a miss this week, as he was showing signs of growing bored hanging around. Instead we took him to a local high street on a quiet Sunday afternoon. Another experience for him to mark up.
From the photo, you can see he is still tearing up cardboard boxes, wearing his ears inside out (they do flap forward, honest) and his best friend is a draught excluder in the shape of a hippo. Please don’t analyse that.
Exercising
I’m finally finding my get up and go as far as exercising is going. I walk lots, but today I felt the motivation to run. I’ve not run since school, where we used to run cross country two or three times a week. I’m no way near as fit, but I was quite pleased at how I fell back into the feel of it again. I have a schedule now and I will stick to it. I’m never going to be an all weather runner, but if I can bring my fitness level up then I’ll be as happy. I might out run that bear yet.
Baking
A funny one to follow exercising, but I have been baking. Scones and brownies. Bit of a debate about scones, at the moment. Not about the usual “jam or cream first” or how to pronounce scones. No, this is a new one on me. Eldest came home with a new scone dilemna. Do you leave them open, as shown in the photo, or do you put the two halves back together? Personally, I’m very happy with the former and have no idea how people manage to take a bite out of the other method, without squeezing jam and clotted cream all over themselves.
Running up to the royal wedding this weekend, so plenty of cream teas with scones on the go. I shall be looking at the plates of scones that little bit more with interest. Is this a new thing?
Doing
My list of doing is done for the week. A bit of all sorts, but not everything. Catching up as I’ve been slow to blog recently. Righty – ho. Off to put washing up on the line, while the sun tries to break through and the pup attempts to woo the sparrows off our roof again.
What have you been up to?
That’s a really busy week you’ve had and I’m in awe of your crafting in just snatches of time here and there. All the best with easing the exam stresses in the next few weeks. I’m sure baked goods will help ;0)
Hi Cheryl, I love all your ‘ings’. The colour of your cardi is a lovely shade of blue and will go with your beetle dress perfectly (I love your choice in fabric!). I don’t think I’m going to have much time to crochet now summer is here, but look forward to picking it up again at the other side of summer… I would love a sunny kitchen! Afterall the kitchen is the heart of the home. Unfortunately, mine is far a little on the dark side, only having one, half obscured window, but at least it’s a workable kitchen… I still remember the hours spent sitting in the car waiting for children, that’s one side of parenting I don’t miss. I’m counting down the days until my daughter finishes her exams and with that, school. After that, she will be studying her highway code and plans to get her driving licence very soon (YAY!). Hang in there with your lots exams, they’ll be over before you know it… Your baby hound looks adorable cuddling his hippo, it must be exhausting being a puppy. So many sparrow, so little time!… Coming from Devon it has to be the clotted cream first, it’s just the way it should be! And as for putting the other half back on top, noooooooo! Two halves equal double the amount of cream and jam… And the need for more exercise for sure!
Thank you for popping over and linking up with #keepingitreal.
xx
Loved reading The Little Coffee shop of Kabul, The Kabul Beauty Shop is a good read too, just in case you need a recommendation 🙂 Good luck with all the exams, we only have one doing exams at the moment and that is enough stress at times. Love the photo of pup asleep with the draught excluder.