Car

An Addenbrookes today for my husband and then a trip into Cambridge. We looked at some bathroom items in various shops but did not purchase anything. We went over to the Grafton Centre, which we rarely do and that is where I saw today’s blip. I am not sure why it was there, but later in the day it was in the main town.

The Painter

The builders were not here today, as they all had to be doing other jobs; they will be back on Monday. Next week, the builders should be finished with all the upstairs plastering etc., inside and out and then we can get on with the decorating which will take a while.

A whole day without any interruptions and a day when Dougal and Florence could go out, without getting in anyone’s way. So, where has Florence been for much of the day? Laying in the sunshine, which was streaming through the door from the balcony into the North bedroom. Dougal could not believe his luck and has been in and out more times than I can remember. He has been investigating various things including the three doors to the conservatory, which have been open all day to allow the plaster to dry a little quicker. He is now exhausted and is fast asleep on our bed.

I have been doing some tidying and cleaning today and Bill has been putting ‘primer’ on some of the windows and doors. I took today’s picture from the South end of the balcony, looking North.

Iris

Purple Iris

Today it has been raining for most of the day, but the roofer has been working on the roof all day and is thoroughly soaked! The architraves are being put in, in the conservatory, but not the actual shower room as this will have tiles from floor to ceiling. The ceiling in the North bedroom has been repaired where it was damaged earlier in the year when the water tank in the loft leaked. There is so much dust, but there is little point in doing a thorough clean until they have finished; every room in the house is now in a state of disorder.

Today I found these Iris flowering beside the small pond. I have been looking for them for days, but only found them this morning.

These were in the same border, all covered in raindrops.

Hellebores

Winter Aconite

Snowdrop

Miniature Daffodils

Today, if it could go wrong it did, enough said about today.

I spent all morning checking and typing up the documents to confirm to the builder the tile, shower room and bathroom furniture that we are having. We have decided that whilst the man is on site, laying tiles on the kitchen floor, we will have the hall done at the same time using the same tiles.

Most of the pictures I took today were of cats or flowers. In the end I chose this one of the miniature Daffodils in bud, underneath a small shrub whose name escapes me. These plants, which are looking very green and healthy, mark where Dillon, Dougal and Florence’s brother is buried.

Soap

The building work is continuing, but seems to have slowed a little, inevitable I suppose when the plasterwork is being done and there are no dramatic changes. We have chosen our bathroom and shower room tiles as well as those for the kitchen floor; the price is high, but these are the ones we liked. We have also chosen our shower room ‘furniture’ as well as the new shower unit, which is going to be added to what is already in the existing bathroom.

Yesterday I mentioned that Victoria had bought me, from her skiing holiday in Livigno, some soaps for my new shower room and that I would blip them if I remembered. Well here they are, sitting on the unfinished shower room windowsill, which still has plain glass in the window and a piece of wood on the windowsill.

The 1613 hours…

…to London Liverpool Street station. I could have photographed this from the balcony, but this one was taken from the orchard. Our daughter and granddaughter visited this afternoon to bring presents and show us pictures taken on their recent holiday. I was going to blip them today, but forgot until they had gone home.

I took lots of photographs in the garden of flowers, mainly Snowdrops, but the 1613 hours train went past so here is a picture of it. I chose this one as it demonstrates how light it still is in late afternoon, despite a cold and windy day with some brief hailstorms too. After I had chosen this picture I remembered that Victoria had bought me some lovely soaps from a special soap shop in Livigno; if I remember I will blip them tomorrow.

Winter Returns

Today, winter returned so as it is Sunday there is nothing I specifically have to do; as I often do when it is cold I did some knitting and watched the Sunday afternoon film, ‘Dunkirk’. Today’s blip shows a simple green garter stitch scarf, knitted using thick wool and chunky needles. It grows at an incredible rate and now just needs a fringe added to each end. I knitted it in this colour to go with the new RAB jacket that my husband bought me for Christmas.

This is the yarn I used, but in green, to knit the scarf; it was purchased from 'Love Knitting'.