Lots of colour here.

Today has brought every type of weather bar fog, wind, rain, hail, snow and sunshine, several combinations at the same time occasionally.
Ben had his walks in the dry spells and I got a load of washing more or less dry. I also made cheese scones for breakfast. Before I started them I read my blog list while drinking tea and found a recipe for coconut  biscuits on Thrifty Lesley's blog. It looked good and I had all the ingredients so they went in the oven as well, delish. In fact they were so good that I made a batch with some crystalized ginger chopped into the mix. Equally delish.

Anyhoo, I looked at the Alien and lo and behold there were 4 heads/flower buds emerging.

 

Side 1

 

Side 2

 

While I was at it I took a shot of my £2 roses, still looking good.

 

 

Then of course one of the £2 tulips, these are opening fast, I do not think they will last 2 weeks, at this rate they may not last 1.

 

 

 

,

Last but not least I managed to get one half decent shot of my bracelet.

 

I am very pleased with it and will be wearing it often.

 

Ben just asked to go into the garden and there has been another flurry of snow, hopefully there will be no more.

 

I have done a little sewing today and a lot of housework, it had to happen. This evening I have the binding on a quilted cushion to slip stitch down and then a little knitting.

Tomorrow I have a quilt to get on to the frame, ready for some quilty fun on Monday.

Then there will be some tidying in the sewing room so that I have room to work comfortably.
I have an empty laundry bag and ironing basket, deep joy, and the kitchen just needs the floor swept and washed. Then I can sit down and relax with my sewing and knitting.

Enjoy the evening.

TTFN                                                                       PAM

A Nice Morning Out.

This morning was cold and windy, yet again, mind you it is January so I don't expect a heat wave.
I saw that the monster from Ripley's chest, AKA my Amaryllis had opened up  bit more.

 

Looks a bit scary to me, like 3 little monster heads emerging.

 

The Muscle has been working very hard for me, there is a stack of black buckets waiting to have drainage holes drilled, 2 raised beds to be built and some serious digging in the near future.

 

In payment this "New Man" wishes to learn to sew, and not just to stitch 2 bits of fabric together or sew a button on. He wants to sew patchwork and make a quilt. Not satisfied with sewing scraps he has started using all the leftover strips from jelly rolls that were looking for a new home. More on that at a later date.

 

Now as I explained we all have to learn to walk before we run, but I think that he is trotting already.

 

This is what he made yesterday in quite a short while.



 

It is now layered and he has started to quilt it, on the big Janome, not bad for a first attempt.

Once I had surrounded a couple of pots of tea and taken Ben out for a shivery walk, I did put his coat on him, I was the one shivering that wind goes just where it wants. I checked that Dawn was not snowed in and set off for a visit.
That is Dawn from Doing it for ourselves in Wales, she lives halfway up a mountain and I have to drive more or less over another to get to her.
I duly arrived and, after a welcome cuppa and a slice of cake, we went and looked at the log cabin. My first response was "where do I sleep then?"
Heaven on earth, fabric, yarn, thread, sewing machine, books and magazines, all the sewing notions and haberdashery that you could ever want. Yummy Yummy. On thinking about it I am quite glad that I do not have the room for one as I would turn into a hermit.
Dawn is busy sewing quilt blocks and hopefully once the top is done she will come and quilt it on the frame, after a few practise sessions first.
I did not leave empty handed, a bag of Seville Oranges and a bunch of grapes went into a bag. There was a second bag, filled to stuffed point with colour, glorious colour, for future fun.

 

Scarlet and a blue polka dot. I love dots and the scarlet just took my breath away.

 

 

These blues because they sing to me.

 

The blue Peacock Tail is brighter in real life and the Batik is just drool worthy.

 

The dark Christmas fabric will feature as border strips in at least 1 set of cushions. The Bird print just jumped out at me, if I had the space I would have had much more. I may be going back for another little visit, soon very soon.

 

 

They are so cute I just could not resist.

 

I do have some fabric from Cotton Patch to share but could not wait to show you this.

 

Now I feel another cup of tea coming on and then Ben will need a walk. The slow cooker is filling the house with Sausage Casserole smells and my mouth is watering.

 

The weekend beckons and I hope that you all enjoy yours as much as I will mine. Lots of stitchy fun ahead.

 

                 TTFN                                             Pam

The North wind Doth Blow.

Yes we have snow, not much and thankfully it is falling on wet ground so should not settle.

 

 

I took this at around 9.30 this morning, it was cold and windy but lovely and bright.



 

This was taken about 30 minutes ago and it is snowing a blizzard.

 

On a better note, my Amaryllis has decided that it will flower after all.

 

Just look how much my tulips have opened out, I am glad that I picked this colour, it is just as good as I thought it would be.

 



I decided not to venture out to Swansea to look at sewing machines, the biting cold wind put me off walking round so I got on the phone. My Janome 1600P will be here on Monday, along with the correct feet for FMQ on the Grace Frame. I had a long chat with "a man who knows" and am happy with my choice. I did discuss a new machine that is about to be released, it is a big upgrade, and a big price increase, but I need to walk before I try to run in the Olympics. Possibly next year, or much later this year. It is good to wait a while before buying a new release, let the teething troubles get sorted first.

I have some fabric to unpack and photograph, and the bracelet of course. The cat popped in this morning but Ben was not impressed so it will stay a visitor only. I will not risk a confrontation, but am thinking of looking for a way of providing some sort of shelter in the garden for her.

 I will be back tomorrow with the next instalment of the " Quilt frame saga" when you get bored let me know.

                 TTFN                                                       Pam

Having some more fun.

The day dawned, wet and windy, very windy. I managed to get Ben out between the downpours, then picked Maggie up for our weekly foray to Lidl. I did my shopping for the week and it was under £14, £2 of that was food for my visitor cat.
She is a very slinky grey striped girl, wary but getting more confident by the week. She started calling in towards the end of last summer every week or so. Then as the visits got closer together she started to "talk" to me. I responded with a saucer of Ben's food. When the cold weather started I fed her every time she came and now it is almost daily. She is not a fat cat but equally she is not a bag of bones. She has been in the house a few times and I hang on to Ben, just in case. He puts his head on one side and gives her a quizzical stare, almost as though he can not decide what she is.

If the situation improves enough that I feel she is safe I will let her stay in as and how she wants. Until then she is a visitor only. I will try to get a photo.

The frame was assembled yesterday, but I was too late to worry about posting it.

 

Here it is, single size and ready to go, but............. The "Muscle" thought that I may as well have the extension on it as most of my quilts are Queen sized. So this morning and afternoon he was busy, and now I have this.



 

There is a lot of empty floor space under there, at least there was.

My large plastic boxes of fabric are now underneath and there is still space. I am going top get a quilt layered tomorrow and have a little FMQ playtime.

 

And now for something completely different.

Remember my pink roses from last week, well just look at them now.

 

 



 

The tulips finally bit the dust Monday so I got some more from Lidl, £2 a bunch as the roses were.

 



 

I love the colour and look forward to another 2 weeks of them.

 

Knowing that today would be busy, and that there would be a hungry man at the end of it, I got the slow cooker on first thing.

I soaked some chickpeas overnight and then as I was up very early I drained and rinsed them and got them in the slowcooker. I poured on a kettle of boiling water, chucked in a couple of bay leaves, 4 peeled cloves of garlic and a small piece of root ginger, I bashed it a bit to let the juices flow. That lot went on high for about 4 hours.

I drained them and added diced peppers, onion and some more ginger, this time I peeled and minced it. about a pint of passatta, and some chicken stock, enough to just cover the chickpeas and veg. Then I chopped and threw in half a smoked pork sausage, the end of a pack of cooking bacon and a small chunk of chorizo, all of these were dug out of the freezer and needed using up. I added a squirt of some spicy tomato sauce and a good glug of Worcestershire sauce, stirred it well and put it on high. About 5 hours later I dropped it down to low.

 



 

This was around 11.00 this morning.

 

This was at 6.30 this evening, just before I set to it, yum, yum, yum. The muscle had 2 lots and now can not move.

 

I have had lots of fun today, playing in the kitchen and turning lots of nothing very much into a delicious dinner, 2 helpings left for another day.

Watching my quilting frame rise from a couple of boxes of bits.

Getting my visitor cat fed and doing the shopping in the dry spells.

A very good day for me.

I nearly forgot, Maggie has made me a lovely bracelet, I will share it tomorrow, and hopefully let you see the frame at work.

I am going to buy a machine to go on the frame permanently, I think it will be a wise investment. I would hate to drop my Janome while transferring it from frame to sewing cabinet.

 

It is quite amusing, Ben and "the muscle" are side by side on the sofa, both snoring gently. While the madness that is Top Gear unfolds on the TV. I am not a petrol head but I like James May and the Richard Hammond.

 

Now I am off to wash up and then decide which quilt is going on the frame in the morning, I also need to reposition my sewing cabinet and table.

 

  TTFN                                                                  Pam

It Is Here.

The rain and mist swept in from nowhere this morning, but I care not. Why?

Because Little Grace is here.

 

The main frame and poles.



 

The carriage for the sewing machine.

 

 

 

This is the kit to extend the frame for larger quilts.

 



The stitch regulater and various stops and bits.

I have cut out some 6 1/2" blocks from the mile a minute patchwork, I have picked this soft green for the sashing. I need to cut a few more blocks out to decide whether or not I like it. To add interest I have cut these out on the diagonal. Unless I am willing to have a lot of waste I have to put up with tiny bits of fabric here and there on the edges. When this is done I will go back to foundation piecing, there will still be some waste but no tiny bits.

 

Ben has just told me that he needs to go for a walk Right Now, so toodle pip.

 

      TTFN                                                             Pam

Planning for the future.

This morning dawned bright and sunny, cold but it is January, A load of towels washed and on the line, a brisk walk with Ben and then to business.

The sewing room is ready for my quilting frame, I had a light bulb moment and have the perfect spot for it. It has meant that I have a stack of boxes upstairs "to be gone through". It also meant that I found a few things that I had forgotten about, not the first time.

My thoughts then turned to the glorious weather and looking at my pepper plant decided to concentrate on the great outdoors, well just my garden really, and went shopping.


First a little visit to Wilkinsons.

 

As you can see these are priced at £4, I paid £1 for the lot, the bulbs will go straight into the ground tomorrow. They will not do much this year but should put on a good show in the future, and I can use the pots and compost for something else.

 



 

 

 

This Victoria Plum is a sturdy little tree and will be going into the garden next week, if nothing else I will have the blossom and maybe some of the fruit, depending on the local birds. I am not expecting too much of it until next year, and it was all of £7.

 



 

I do intend to get some Rocket first early seed next week but these little packs of 8 seeds were 99p each in Home Bargains, I have grown them all before and they are very tasty.

 



 

I was only talking about Gooseberries yesterday so was very pleased to find these at £4 the pair, I had the same varieties at Tydd and they will make large, very productive bushes. I can take cuttings later on and grow some more If I want.

 

All in all I am very pleased with my purchases, I need to get some more black pots for potatoes, I aim to grow them on the patio and keep my beds free for other things. I would set main crop varieties in the garden but they are so reasonable to buy that I have not grown them for years. The exception was Nadine, one of my favourites that were few and far between in the Tydd area, but they are grown here so I do not need to try and squeeze some in.

 

Ben has decided that he does not like his food now, yesterday he reluctantly ate late and today he has turned up his nose again. When he is hungry he will eat, I am not going to angst about it today......

he just sloped off and I can hear him eating.

 

My frame comes tomorrow (fingers crossed) so I may not be with you until Monday. I will be taking pics and hope to get some fabric in place on it.

Until then

 

                      TTFN                                                    Pam

 

 

 

 

 

 



Sparkle and eedjits.

I have decided to put comment moderation in place to save any of you having to read the drivel that some damp squib felt obliged to post.  They will never get nominated for a Booker Prize, a Booby Prize possibly.
There are fools and eedjits all around us, they need no encouragement.

I have had a few attempts at photographing the jewellery that Maggie has made for me.

 

This colourful bracelet is her first piece and I love it. All the stones are semi precious gems and the colours are amazing together.

 

I admired this Cabochon while we were having a coffee one afternoon and within a couple of days Maggie presented me with this brooch, it is perfect on my purple coat.

 

 

 

 

Earlier this week I called round with some Asparagus and over coffee she showed me some of her more recent makes, this ring caught my eye and I left with it. Spoilt or what?

 

 

It is very "Elizabeth Taylor" in my view and is large enough not to look like a child's item on my large hands.

 

 

 

On a different note, look at my pepper plant. I moved it into the little utility room before Christmas and brought it back to the sewing room windowsill a few days ago. I have had over 20 fruits from this plant and it still has a few peppers on, and they are sweet and juicy. The plant was one from Lidl, there were 4 plants for £1, I had this, a chilli and 2 tomato plants, the toms are long gone but I have enough chillies in the freezer till I get fresh ones later this year. That was £1 well spent.

 

 

The roses and tulips were from Lidl as well and just over a week later they are looking great, the tulips are now starting to bend their stems around, I love it.

 

Tomorrow I am going to take all the small stuff from the sewing room and get ready for the frame. I know that there is enough room for it all but can not visualise the layout. I also have a console table in my bedroom that I would like in the sewing room. It is a perfect size to hold the overlocker and my thread stand. At the moment they are on my old sewing machine table and I have other plans for that.

Dinner last night was left over pie, and I was piggy enough to have home cooked chips and mushy peas with it, mushy peas are 17p a tin in Lidl and are lovely.

 

Tonight will be a pepper and mushroom pizza, I have a spicy tomato base sauce and some Mozzarella to go on it. I am cheating and using the crust from a small Tiger loaf as the base, there will be 2 for another day and some crumbs for the freezer, all for 75p, again from Lidl.

 I do make a decent Pizza dough but fancied a change. 

 

Now it is time for tea and some more knitting.

 

                TTFN                                          Pam

 



 







A long night with two companions.

I have no crafting to report today, my night was long and painful. I had 2 companions that kept me pacing, albeit slowly, Sciatica and Insomnia.
I went to sleep very quickly after an earlyish night, 10:00 but woke hot and sticky at around 12:30 in not a little pain.
I made some Camomile Tea and washed my painkillers down with it, while I waited for the meds to kick in I just pootled around. After half an hour I went back to bed but instead of drifting off I just became more awake. More camomile tea and a biscuit, more sloping around for an hour, back to bed, rinse and repeat. Eventually I slipped into the arms of Morpheus around 4:30 and woke tetchy at 8:00. My head has been woolly all day and apart from walking and feeding Ben have done diddley squat.

The only good bit of my day has been reading my blog list and leaving a few comments, I did not leave many as it is hard to concentrate. A Simple Suffolk Smallholder is throwing a "feed 2 people on £20 for a week" challenge, I want to do this but it will probably be next week now.

I did manage to get down to see Maggie at lunch time for a visit, she is making some lovely jewellery and gave me a ring. I will get it photographed to share ASAP, I also have a bracelet and brooch that she has made for me. I love her work but have no interest in making it myself, at the moment.

 While I was pacing last night I cast a critical eye over the house. It is in serious need of some TLC involving considerable quantities of paint and elbow grease. There are some small repairs that need attention, nothing major, now I knew these were all there but as with most things after a while you stop seeing them.

Once I get over the excitement of my quilting frame I will be pacing again with a note pad and pen. I aim to work through the house, room by room, until all the jobs are done. I have help lined up as decorating is not one of my strong points. I can choose colours, find the accessories and make the soft furnishings. But I can not get paint on a wall without patches, brush strokes and runs.
 I know a man who can!

My garden is planned, in outline so I can change as I see fit, and I can do everything there.
My apple trees are budding up, the garlic, hardy herbs and overwintered onions are looking good and I will be sewing seeds soon, indoors for now, then outside in March.
My front garden will have a bigger central bed and new edging beds, all filled with edible decorative plants. I will grow early potatoes in builders buckets, that way I can harvest in small amounts for optimum freshness.
 I am looking forward to the year unfolding, new crafting skills to be acquired and lots of good things from the garden. The house taking on a fresh, loved appearance. Days out exploring the area and visits to well known favourite places.

Now I must go and get ready for dinner, which is being cooked for me and smells wonderful.

           TTFN                                                            Pam

The mountain shrinks and Exciting News.

I have been keeping busy, and warm, in my sewing room watching the scrap mountain shrink while my "new fabric" grows. There has been some bright sun but it is still icy.

I have some pretty flowers to brighten up the windowsill, and now that I look at the photo, I realise that I need to get sanding and painting before too long.

 

They have opened quite a bit since this was taken and the roses are lovely, no scent though, I look forward to seeing the tulip stems bend all over the show.

 



 

There are 2 sections here and once joined they will measure 5' x 6', there are some smaller slabs in progress which will join them tomorrow.

 

I can not decide whether to cut 12 1/2" squares and sash them or 6 1/2" and alternate them with solid squares, mind you at the growth rate I may be able to do both.

 

Now for the News, I am on tenterhooks, weather permitting my quilting frame will be here on Sunday. Boy oh boy am I excited. I have 5 quilts waiting to be layered and quilted, the "mile a minute" that I am working on now and 3 more it the planning stage ( the fabric is ready for 1 and almost ready for the other 2).

 

All my family and friends have asked for quilts for Christmas this year so my back will not be subjected to crawling around layering and pinning. Oh Yes, happy thoughts.

 

I have  had a few emails, from unknown people, admiring the blog posts and commending me on my "research and planning" and expressing interest in being a part of my little diary. One even dropped in that there would be "Something for Me" in it.

 

Well there is already a big something for me in it, the virtual friendship and support that the wonderful peeps in the blogging community have in bucket loads.

 

If I write in praise of goods or services, it is because I am impressed. Not because I am getting (or in hope of getting) a hand out.

 

If anyone would like to give me sewing goodies, raised beds for the garden or new ingredients to try cooking with I would be tempted. But no matter what I could never recommend anything that was not impressive.

 

For instance, I buy some of the Lidl weekend half price offers. Most of them are very good, the lamb shanks for one, but some such as the Piri Piri Chicken may have been a bargain but did not impress. After the first one I washed the sauce off and used the meat for other dishes, there was enough on each half chicken for 3 good servings and the bones went in the stock pot.

 

So the essence of this is, if you want to promote your business on here don't bother to try. If you want me to promote you, you better come up with something really good to impress me. As for reward, my favourite charities are always looking for funds.

 

I am off now, Ben has a visit to the vet in Neath

 

 

Well, that was a rush. Just as I typed the last words I looked at the time and realised that I needed to leave   NOW.

Back now and a clean bill of health for Ben.

 

Now it is walk time once I have boiled my tonsils with a much needed cuppa.

 

        TTFN                                                     Pam

 



Mile a minute scrappy sewing.

I had a lovely day out yesterday, the grands were on fine form and had a selection of toys out ready for some serious playtime. The day started very cold with a thin layer of frozen snow everywhere, it was a bit dicey underfoot when Ben had his first walk.
I did not go fabric shopping after all, I had a look round the sewing room and found this.

 

 

A fat quarter collection from Kate Spain, I won it about 2 years ago and have been hoarding it for something special. There are 17 patterns here and I need 21 for the Snapshot quilt so added some from the stash.

 

 

These 4 will blend in nicely so all I need to buy is a white on white for the background, a solid for block frames and binding and possibly a polka dot for sashing and borders.

 

I am going to make the monthly blocks twice, once in this collection and once in random fabrics from the stash. That will give me a quilt to keep and one to give.

I have plenty of wadding and will be piecing the backs to use all the leftover fabrics from the fronts. The only thing that I will have to buy is thread, I am romping through it at the moment.

 

 



 This is the first block, let them eat cake, sounds good to me. I look forward to seeing how it turns out in my different colour palette.

 

 

I have made a good start on the mile a minute sewing, it is good seeing the scrap mountain dwindle as I sew.

 

 

Here is my work so far, about 30 small blocks. I want to end up with 30 x 12 1/2" blocks, that will make a good double quilt with sashing and borders.



 

I am getting through the orphan block pile as well and using lots of pretty scraps.

 

These little owls popped up a few times and there is even a little bit of Christmas in there.

 

I am just mixing colour at random while trying to keep a reasonably balanced layout. I do have one or two places where the same pattern touches but do not mind at all.

As the blocks grow I will be sewing them together before cutting into the block size that I want.

 

It is very relaxed sewing and just the ticket for a lazy weekend. I was given a box of Asparagus yesterday so that will feature every day this week, I have shared it out with my neighbours and had a lovely bunch of roses in return from one of them.

 

I have not bid a welcome to all my new followers, I grovel before you and say welcome aboard, enjoy the trip. Feel free to leave a comment or a question as and how the moment takes you.

 

Dinner is simple roast chicken with a cauliflower and leek gratin, Asparagus and roast potatoes, and if we have room there is sticky toffee pudding and if not some fresh strawberries, a little gift from James. I do have some extra thick cream to go with either pudding.

 

I will give some of my freebies to Maggie later, there is plenty to go round.

 

Now I am back to my sewing and pressing. Not forgetting the tea of course.

 

I hope that you are all enjoying your weekend as much as I am. I have 2 loads of washing on the whirligig, in full sunshine. Lovely.

 

 

                      TTFN                                             Pam

A weekend Scrap Buster

Just popped in to say that I am sorting at least 2 scrap bins to start this mile a minute patchwork. I have been sewing scraps to a paper foundation on and off for years and have sometimes used a square of fabric as a base. I have looked at a few sites and realised that this may well be a way for roaring through some scraps.

I will be busy out of the rain and wind, snug in my sewing room. Tomorrow I am off to see the grands in Cardigan and plan a side trip to Lampeter to visit Calico Kate. I have printed off the first block of The Fat Quarter Shops Snapshots Quilt Along. They are making it in Sail Away, the new collection from Bonnie and Camille. The kit is available for pre order but I aim to get each block done as it comes out so will shop locally for my fabrics. Most will come from the stash but there are a few gaps in my low volume fabrics. You may have noticed that my colour choices are a bit loud. This will be a Charity Quilt so I want to keep cost as low as I can, the back will be pieced from stash and probably scrappy.

On a equally positive note I have found a fabric shop in Brecon so will be going there as soon as the weather perks up.

Right, I am off, I must do some housework this morning.

TTFN                                                        Pam

Sewing for Squares

I had a lazy day yesterday, only a little crafting, some visiting and much chatting. When I was at Cross Hands Hilary gave me a bag of scrap fabric, the offcuts from her kits and charm packs.

I tipped it out this morning and sorted through it, some is a bit too small but will be used for stuffing. The rest has been pressed and put into a zip lock bag for later.

While I was at it I turned out a plastic box of strips and scraps and started pressing and sorted. After a while my mind was wandering and log cabin blocks floated around. Boom.

Out came the rotary cutter and I soon had a stack of 1 1/2" strips in 2 piles, light and dark.

This is what I have to show for it.

 

 

I am quite pleased with the layout, I just pulled strips at random. I am making 2, they will be a pair of cushions.



 

 

 

 

Here are the next 3 strips from left to right anti clockwise, I want to get them 18" square.

 

Now all this creativity has a down side, I did not get through the plastic box and I pulled some more colours out from other boxes.

My table now looks like this,

 



 

 

 

I thought that a break to share this with you was in order, and a cuppa, then I will go and restore peace and harmony. I will finish the blocks tomorrow and get them layered and quilted, I have the backing fabric ready. Not a WIP but a fair inroad into the scrap ocean.

 

We have had rain, hail and snow, all at the same time at one point. The wind is high and we have had thunder and lightening to boot. We also managed a few spells of blue skies and bright sunshine, a bit of everything really.

 

My dinner was Fish Chowder and was very good, I will be making it again, soon.

 

That's all for now, my tea needs my undivided attention.

 

             TTFN                                                              Pam.

 

BTW, someone left a comment on an old post regarding TTFN,

it is Ta Ta For Now and was a catch phrase for Jimmy Young, the radio presenter.

 

 

 

 

 



Happy Snowy Tuesday

Yes I know that it is Wednesday now but yesterday was a happy day. 1. we had that fluffy snow that looks like little balls of cotton wool as it drifts down and 2. I had a parcel, from abroad no less.

 

I had to squeeze it and turn it around in my hands for a few moments, the frisson of anticipation is a lovely feeling.



 

 

Just look what Julie sent me, all the way from Canada. Yellow, I just love Yellow fabric and often struggle to find it in a bold shade like this. Spots, I love them and in bright greens just right for Spring time sewing. Then there is the Christmas fabric, but just see how good it looks with the others, I will not be leaving this until next December. The card that Julie popped in is a blast of colourful berries and will be going up on the wall.

 

Thank you so much, I love every bit of it and will be cutting very carefully so as to use every last bit.

 



 

I had this on my cutting mat before taking the photo's. I was asked for 2 large placemats, bright and scrappy, lush.



 

Here they are waiting for the binding to be hand sewn on the back, one is finished and the other will be done this afternoon.

 

While I was in the scrap bin I dug out enough 2 1/2" squares to make a small table runner. I was asked about this a week ago and thought that it was high time to get it made.

 

I backed it with a bit of flannel to cut down on the slip factor. The recipient was pleased enough to request another.

 

This was the view down the valley towards Ammanford this morning, it had started to thaw thank goodness. First thing it was freezing hard and the pavements were treacherous. I staggered along with Ben, walking like a toddler with a full nappy, but managed to stay upright.

 

This is looking across the valley towards the coast, you can see the state of the side streets.

 

I went out shortly after taking these and Ammanford only had a light sprinkling of snow. Cross Hands had a bit more but not as much as us.

 

Dinner tonight is my homemade Chicken Curry with Naan bread, RTC from Mr Tesco. 10p for 6. The price was certainly right for me.

 

Tomorrow I am going to make some fish chowder, I have a pack of mixed fish bits from Lidl in the freezer, they are called a fish pie mix and I bought them half price a while ago. I will get several bowls full from the recipe and have everything I need to make it.

I will take Maggie shopping tomorrow but will want very little other than fruit and veg for myself.

 

I feel the need for tea, so toodle pip, stay warm and safe.

 

 

       TTFN                                                        Pam

 

PS. I see that I am almost at 450 posts, I think that at 500 an extra special giveaway will be in order. How about a quilt? What do you think, what pattern and colours would you like to have. All suggestions are welcome, anything that gets a few votes will be decided on. That will give me time to pull the fabric and get it made in time. Get your ideas in, it may be you who wins.