And the New Year is well and truly here! (Always one sneaky decoration which escapes the festive clear up

hello everyone


Nothing much to report except that I am back on my laptop after it's had a thorough laundering session from Hannah the Spanner, for which my gratitude is boundless! It has spurred me to make a little something for baby G in grateful thanks........and here he is - behaving like the ultimate fashion model sporting his new jacket!I thought I'd make it extra large so that it has a good few months of wear - but chunky baby fits the chunky knit very nicely! I raided my yarn stash and made this with recycled wool and bamboo tape - nice combination..... 

George the CHUNK




Hannah is worried that baby G is clearly behaving like a Quiney boy and turning into a giant........ at least he can pose wonderfully right now, perfectly natural - hasn't developed thirty years of refusing to smile for the camera (see next image, thanks Ripper)

the invisible man




I had infusion no 7 last week. Was worried that I had a reaction to the Nivolumab, when another awful gastric attack hit me - but then remembered that I'd had a few crackers with some old smelly cheese (goat..... from France.....at Christmas......) and I have put it down to that! I really must be more cautious when rambling through the fridge. I've cleaned it out now of all risky produce..........

I've had a few socially distanced strolls. Sometimes with borrowed dog. Sometimes not. I do feel that I could quite easily become a hermit. I quite enjoy my own company, although I did find myself talking out loud to myself this morning. And then answering...... It's when I start laughing at my own witticisms that I need to be worried, I guess. 

I've been trying not to be too energetic - because it pays me back. But I've also been trying not to feel guilty when I don't do loads in a day and achieve greatness! SO - lots of knitting, some stitching - my new sewing machine (Christmas Present from Peter) has arrived!👍Strangely enough, the washing and ironing could keep me busy most days! Probably because now there's just the two of us at home, I'm using the added free laundry time to catch up with stuff - mattress covers, bath mats etc etc that don't normally take precedence. 

I have discovered the one christmas decoration (so far) that I didn't take down and put with the other neatly labelled stuff in the loft.   We can live with mistletoe on our mirror for another year - that won't offend my sensibilities........

escaped mistletoe

 I have steam cleaned my en suite bathroom (scarily grubby) and I have rolled up all my pashminas and scarves ready to restack (some of them......) on the scoopy shelf that Ned has made for me - just need someone to put it up on the wall........ wish I knew a handyman...... hoping to borrow my friend Denys's husband, John - who is like me, and never still......  although when I told him we were going to share him, he looked decidedly worried!  (I beat a hasty retreat at that.....). 

I have so many beautiful scarves and pashminas that I think I need to start a lending library.......... I normally have them all hanging on hooks, but the volume is so great that I can't see them all - so I'm trying to organise a display method that allows me to choose with ease. In the meantime - here is my pashmina library!

the pash stash



All bedlinen has been cleaned and sorted - spare duvets and pillows stacked away in vacuum bags.

I just need to attack the numerous boxes and bags that I took out of the little room when I decorated it for Zephy. These need a serious sort out.... why is it that I am reluctant to make a start on this?  I can always find something which is more pressing that needs my attention...... (LIKE WRITING MY BLOG!) 

I have managed to do an online shopping order - couldn't get a delivery slot, so it'll have to be a click and collect. Normally I just pop to the shops down the road but I'm finding that I buy more than we really need - and I'm behaving like a hermit too, of course, and it's a pandemic, and I need to limit my time outside in the big, wide world...........

A couple of days ago, I was discussing with Peter the fact that he badly needed a haircut, and I wandered off in search of the clippers. My Dad bought me these clippers when the boys were small (small....hahahahahahah) and I have used them ever since. Couldn't find them anyway, and after a tentative query, discovered that they had gone with Ned to Devon. Well - he does have significantly more hair than his dad, I suppose! "Not to worry" I reassured them - "I'll get some more - that's not a problem". A quick bit of online research led me to the Argos app, where I find an identical pair for £10.99. RESULT. 

I popped them in my virtual basket  - thinking to myself "I LOVE online shopping"...... and with panache, and alacrity, clicked the applepay facility on my phone! Ta DA!!!!! 

WAIT A MINUTE! Why are those clippers now £90.96?????? AND WHY HAVE I JUST PAID THAT AMOUNT????

Upon further investigation, I realised that I had previously (God knows when) been looking at red kitchen gadgets, and had migrated them into my virtual basket....... a red toaster, a red kettle, and a red microwave.... all rather lovely... but nor hair clippers, and not needed my me! Peter had agreed to drop me in Croydon central to pick up the clippers (it is, after all, to his own sartorial advantage) and he was nonplussed when I had to call him to drive to the door of Argos to collect me with my purchase (s).........

This has all turned out for the best though, because after posting about my calamitous shopping fail on social media, one of my great friends is going to buy them from me! 

They are sitting here ready and waiting, Paula!



My final comment is going to be regarding the ongoing saga withVirgin Media - as previously mentioned, our landline stopped working, along with our Internet, two days before Christmas. We didn't realise that the landline wasn't working for a while, it was a coincidental discovery! 

Well - we have had two Virgin engineers visit - one put a booster on which helped the internet (now patchy), and he told us that the problem was with the line outside under the pavement and that he would report it and then all would be well. The second engineer (who arrived at 9 pm, poor man, on the coldest day of the year, when our boiler had broken...) told us that the booster was just a temporary fix, and that we needed a proper cable, dedicated to our household, in the street outside. This has not happened - despite seeing numerous chaps in high vis jackets working in a hole on the corner on more than one occasion..... but I have had an e mail from Virgin Media telling me that the problem is fixed, and that they are very sorry, and will be reimbursing me £8 per day for our loss of service. 

HUMPH. I think not. I have booked another engineer to come tomorrow, specifically for the telephone line (which we can quite happily manage without, I fear). And I hope that we can get to the bottom of the problem (metaphorically speaking - I'm not clambering into any holes in the road....)

Watch this space.........

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