Where does the time go?

Last week (Half Term) was busy!  I can't deny that.  Here it is now June and well, I'm ready for a proper holiday.  Lunch with Dad on Friday was not easy.. he is very introspective now and not very 'polite' either.  Still, lunch was an amicable affair despite him finding the filling for his baked potato rather tasteless and then we walked around the garden centre briefly.  'Which is the way out?' he said.  I took the hint and followed him out. He stayed long enough to have a cup of tea and then went on his way home.  Sadly, for me, it is hard to see him becoming so 'muddled' and unfocused.  He doesn't know what to do with himself these days and 'finds things' to do, whether it is bringing me Sainsbury's schools vouchers at some odd time, or taking MIL to the doctor.

DD has come for a visit (it involved lunch and an iced coffee at our local cafe) in the middle of her working day.  She has been obsessing over the iced coffee they serve for a couple of weeks now so, I took her as a treat. I was able to do this as I have had no work for 2 whole days... a record!  I am happy to have the time but not to lose out on the payment. I have partly used the time to visit my friends yesterday for our regular Tuesday quilt and lunch sessions (or should that just read our food and gossip session???LOL).  I did get quite a lot done so am really pleased to say that today I have put the binding on my first ever baby quilt!  I have enough fabric to make two more, although I shall be a lot more careful with how I allot the limited fabrics I have .  In some of the colours I only had a small amount of fabric and so,  still being a novice quilter (in my opinion) I did not work out the ratios very well. This quilt is a square as a result!  A very pretty one even though I say so myself.

Tomorrow, I will be back at work in a regular slot.  Hopefully, it will be a split day with Yrs 3 and 5. I have one week totally year 5 and then the next is 3 and 5.  One is an enjoyable day the other is not so much.  Never mind, it is all part of the great  experience life has to offer us.  Who knows what Friday will bring!

Half Term - and it is rapidly disapearing!



First you have to cut the fabric into
strips and join them together.


It is half term.  What does that imply?  Leisure time, so you would think.  I have been busy playing catch up with friends.  Woe be-tide the family members who get in the way of that happy task!  It began with a mediochre Saturday (DD came over wanting this and that, but mainly a McDonald's burger; a very bad tempered Sunday  burying a fox cub, and other things not worth mentioning.  In other words.. not much has been achieved!  Did do a little bit of gardening... my poppies are just stunning.
 
 

There are white ones and pink ones, orange
and deep crimson, dusky plum ones and frilly
ones.  Just amazing how many I have to look at.

June 1st however, has arrived all too rapidly.  It heralds a month with a rash of events such as Father's Day and family birthdays including FIL and DD.  My grandfather's birthday would have fallen between the two, (he would have been 84, I think, had he survived cancer). Time is literally flashing by.  The list of things to achieve is quite daunting, expensive and only some things will be achievable this month. 
It has been very summery over the last few months and today was no exception.  This morning was gorgeous, walking the dog as usual.  The bird song alone was quite amazing, if only the roar of the traffic was less than it had been. At 7.30 around here it can be very busy on the  roads.  (The only difference to previous days is that yesterday and today, I dropped DH at work instead of the station and was back in about half an hour.)  It is going to be a busy day tomorrow as we have a family funeral to go to in Peterborough... long trek and lots of arrangements for the dog and the cats welfare.

I visited a friend whom I made through work.  She is an amazing lady, about 5 months pregnant ( I am trying to get a baby quilt done for her - see photos) and had fun with another friend cutting strips and piecing fabrics so they looked good together.  She has a lovely personality and we get on like a house on fire.  She is 'crafty' as I am and together we were oohing and aahing at the things we've made.  We had lunch in a local town and really enjoyed the meal in Prezzo.. my first visit to one. Later we went back to her home and she showed me around.  I met her MIL who was exstatic to just learn she had been awarded three Olympic tickets (for the same event) so they would all be going!



Just divine!




Then you slice them the other
way so they stitch together to
make squares - the pattern
 running diagonally.


Of course, once I realised where she lived and the fact (as I drove past it) that she lived less than half a mile from my second favourite fabric shop... well of course I could not resist a visit.  Yes I spent a few pounds... four fat quarters later!!!! BUT it was the BOM (Block of the month) which really grabbed me.  Yep, signed up for it and paid the extra fee willingly... it is that good!  Now how to tell DH that the big fat monthly credit card bill is for yet another craft oriented venture! Hmm!  The shop owner obviously knew how to hook me in, but it was my choice after all.  The quilt is beautiful, I was even allowed to photograph it which was kind.  I am going to enjoy the challenge, as it is a full sized bed quilt, so one I SHALL actually have to get quilted rather than try it myself.  I would not want to ruin it.

So, my day was busy and full. DH and I took the dog for her customary evening walk and later, I dozed off on the sofa... something which is becoming rather more of a habit than I would like.  I knew we would be out early as we had an empty fuel tank and as it was a long way to go without, we would be visiting a petrol pump next day!

Today, 2nd June, was a shock to the system.  We had reset the alarm so it didn't go off at 5.30, but  I still awoke with a start as it sounded at 7.00.  DH had gone already with the dog.. which allowed me a gentle half hour of hairwash and shower.  Brekkie followed, by which time we were ready, picking up fuel, then my inlaws and we were off.  An early lunch at a Table Table restaurant along the A1M with soooo much time to spare it was daft.  However, we arrived stress free which was the main point of leaving early.  The funeral went well; later we caught up with a few relatives at the Fitzwilliam Arms (fantastic place) and then we drove home.  DD's housemate had picked up the dog so we went to collect her and finally, a quiet phone call with an old friend and now my blog update. 

Tomorrow is lunch with my father and hopefully the weekend will be restful!  At least it might be after we have been to a friend's leaving do.  He and his family are off to regions further away due to work! 

Hope you all have a great weekend too!