A warm front is approaching.

Not just the front, back and sides will all be toasty soon, very soon. I have made a start on my crochet poncho, all the blame has to go to Lazy Daisy Jones and Lucy Croft from attic24, they put it on their blogs and I was smitten. Who can resist a double whammy, not me, at least not this time.

These are the colours that I selected.

 

The ball on the far right is Raspberry, on the screen it looks good, in the flesh it has an orange tint so I will not use it in the poncho. I will not be wasting it, I will make a hat, 2 of mine are looking a bit tired and I have a pattern.

 



 

This is the cowl and look at that ribbing, who would think it was crochet, I love it. It is soft and bouncy and drapes wonderfully. I am hoping to find a jumper pattern that I can adapt to use this stitch. I followed the link on Lucy's blog and watched the tutorial, easy peasy, squeezy the lemon.

 



 

 

Here is my work so far, I would have a bit more done but I keep putting it on and admiring it in the hall mirror.

 

 

I have the brick quilt to finish up, and apart from the fabric for borders and backing, all my Christmas fabric has been tidied away for another year.

 

I have a new book, I will share later, and have a cushion pattern and fabric on my cutting table. I love it, watch this space.

 

Dinner tonight was Piri Piri chicken from Lidl, less than £1.50 for a half chicken, loads of meat for 2 servings but very bland to me. I did buy 2 more and will be removing the meat and using in my own sauce. Each chicken half will make 3 meals once the meat is stripped from the bones, and they will make a good stock.

 

Ben is enjoying his turkey, I get 3 drumsticks for £5 and of course I pick out the biggest. The same shop also does 3 packs of 2 chicken legs for £5, and they are very big, there are some tucked away in the freezer. Each leg will do 2 generous meals, so 12 dinners for £5, and bones for stock.

 

Francesca has booked her train ticket for 24th, my last bit of shopping arrived today, all is well here.

 

I have not decided what we will have for Christmas dinner yet, not turkey that's for sure. The last few years it has been beef so we may have Lamb or Pork, nothing to worry over, it is just another roast dinner.

 

Pudding will be a crumble ( Fran's favourite hot pudding) with custard and I will make a vanilla cheesecake.

 

I have a tin plastic tub of chocolates, they will probably hang about till Easter, for Fran. One of those silly family traditions, she gets to open the tin and just loves the scent that pours out.

There will be a trifle for boxing day, as usual.  I make lots of pigs in blankets and bacon wrapped stuffing balls, Fran will have one of each for breakfast, another tradition that has just happened. Yes my Christmas is geared towards her, why not, it is only once a year and costs very little as I plan well ahead.

 

Presents are mostly homemade, and have their own traditions. She always has a pair of silly slippers and a chocolate orange with a difference. This year I will dip a peeled clementine in alternate layers of milk and white chocolate, then wrap in foil and then put it in a little orange fabric bag.

 

There  are many more and they are more important than the food really, part of the cement that makes the family unit strong.

 

Now it is time for Ben to have his walk and dinner, he does like his routine.

 

      TTFN                                                         Pam