The grass seed is growing

Yesterday I walked down the garden to take a look at the grass seed which had shown no signs of sprouting... IT'S GROWING.. whoop whoop..... Not before time either as I was beginning to think I had used duff seed. This means that I can now remove the ugly netting from the middle of the lawn and just sit back and wait until I have a proper lawn. It will look lovely when it is all blended into one big lawn.
We ceilidh'd again last night.  It was such a fun evening and we met loads of new people. They had never been to a ceilidh before and I like to think they had great fun too.  Some people that go are ultra serious and huff and tut if anyone makes a mistake... We aren't like that. We think the fact that everyone should just have a great evening and will eventually learn the dances. The mistakes are part of the fun and a great way to bond a group of strangers.

We have been decorating

We had a cracking time at the ceilidh last night and it meant that my total step count yesterday was 23,690 steps.  I thought I would need a really good sleep in this morning but no... I was wide awake and raring to go at 06:50.  I waited until after 08:00  and then stripped the wallpaper off the walls in the sitting room. When Tony got up at 10.30.... after I stomped about a bit... :-)    he finished off the last few bits. After lunch we set too and I papered the chimney breast with the help of my able assistant.  . Very pleased we are with it too.  It has given a fresh new look to the chimney breast and really brightens the room.

We are off to another ceilidh this evening so with a bit of luck I should be able to sleep tonight for more than a couple of hours.  This flipping insomnia is really starting to take its toll on me.

Fresh look for the sitting room. 

Tony enjoying the Football match... yawn.......

Roots and shoots... free food

I have been experimenting with different veg to see if they will regrow.  I tried onions last year and they were a huge success. This year I am trying a couple of avocado stones, a mango stone,  the base plate of an iceberg lettuce and more onions.  I have simply cut the base plate  (root end) off the veg and sat them on a saucer of water.. Keep changing the water and give it a week or two.  The avocado stone I simply propped on a glass of water.. This took quite a while to start growing but is now flying away.  I have potted the other variety of avocado stone and also a mango stone. Both have started to push  out roots. The veg are going out into my border as soon as I have created a spot.  The fruit/veg stones are currently sitting in the sunshine but will need to come indoors if it gets cold.

Avocado root starting to grow. Instructions on You Tube

Onion shoot forming

Lettuce roots starting to grow

Newts in my pond

It is an absolute scorcher today and I have been sitting in the sun for the best part of an hour staring into my pond.  There are goldfish, tadpoles and a small black fish in there... best of all is the newt that I have been watching.  I think there are probably more newts but they are vey shy creatures.
Later today I am going for a walk in the local park with some friends.  We are planning on making it a regular thing when the weather is nice as we all feel we could do with a bit more exercise.
I hope the weather is being kind to you.

Jazzed the jeggings

A few bits of tat from my stash has made a world of difference to a £5 pair of jeggings

Not that I am tacky or anything  :-)  

Destashing.... again

I have just condensed a whole load of crafting junk and thrown out (recycle bin) all the plastic sweetie tubs that they were stored in. That makes fifteen tubs sorted and emptied so far.  I have my de-stashing head on again and have been busy since 07:15 this morning.. It is now 10:23 and I have stopped for a cuppa.  I feel as though I have been working for hours...I suppose I have really, but some people are only just thinking of getting out of bed now. Just look at how much you can get done if you get up early.
The weather isn't looking too promising... The sky is thunder grey and even though it is warm I am not chancing putting the laundry on the line to dry.  There isn't much to dry anyway so it might as well go on the clothes horse  (AKA Airer). The warmth in the conservatory will have it dry in no time.
Hopefully Mr Postman will deliver the scroll saw blades that I ordered the other day.  I am hoping to get out in Le Crafterie and have a play with some offcuts of wood from the garage. I have a couple of projects simmering away in my brain and now that it is starting to feel warmer I will feel more inclined to work out in Le Crafterie.

The 'odd socks' collection is growing.  I made a start on this one yesterday afternoon... The yarn is making me smile as I have no idea what colour will pop out next.  I am using a 'centre pull' on the ball of yarn and haven't a clue what will appear next.  I thought there might be a particular pattern appearing but not so far.  I will at some point make a start on the matching partner to each sock but don't hold your breath as I have loads more different balls of sock yarn to play with

It's broken

Alexander rang me after his appointment at the hospital. The consultant confirmed that his ankle is indeed broken. He has to go back in two weeks time to be x rayed again to make sure that it is healing properly. He is not to walk and must keep it elevated as much as possible...

How has the weather been with you.  We haven't had a bad day but nothing to write home about.  I stripped the bed before I went out with the walking group this morning. I had two loads of laundry done by 08.30 this morning. This afternoon I went to the craft group and had a good old natter with everyone. I still managed to get some of the sock knitted and it is progressing nicely. Before I went to the craft group I made meat loaf to pop in the oven for tea.  I am planning to serve it with some steamed veg.  I hope it tastes as good as it smells.

Ouch... oh dear

Poor Alexander sent me Wattsapp photo late last.... He may have broken his ankle.  Ouch.  It seems he was at his gym class when he was attacked  (I say that tongue in cheek) by a new piece of the flooring which hadn't been properly finished.  He spent nearly two hours in A and E and has been bound up in a huge Velcro boot contraption... He has an appointment today with the orthopaedic consultant.  Oddly enough, yesterday, I was reading a fellow bloggers post and learned that her husband had fallen and broken his arm....  These things come in threes so please keep an eye on your loved ones... They just might be number three.  Alison, I hope Bernard is feeling better.  Tell him to take more water with it  :-)

I had a smashing day with Jayne yesterday. We went car booting as Jayne had so much stuff that she wanted to get rid of. The weather was really good and the crowds piled in. We managed to sell loads of her stuff and are already considering doing another some time. I only wish she had suggested it the week before as we had tons of our  own junk we could potentially have sold.  The charity shop got  ours. 

Looks like a decent day

I am heading off out for the day with my friend Jayne. Tony will be going to the match later on and after so much rotten weather it looks like it might just be a decent day today.
The grass shows no sign of sprouting yet so I am hoping that it isn't a duff batch. I'll give it a few more days and then if it still hasn't sprouted I will buy a fresh lot.
When I get back I will show you some of the things that I have growing on my windowsill.... You will be impressed... :-)...or maybe you will just shake your head at me..

It looks as though it has started

I got up this morning to find that the expected missile attack in Syria took place overnight. Now we wait to see how Russia will respond.... I am worried but pragmatic... There is absolutely nothing I can do so I shall just carry on as normal.
Hopefully my grass seed is starting to sprout and will come on leaps and bounds in the promised 'warmer weather' next week. It is forecast to be a lot warmer and with a bit of luck I will be able to get out in the garden and plant some bedding plants. Everything is so much later this year. I did notice that the hawthorn is really starting to show its fresh green leaves and there is a promising green fuzz appearing on the trees. Before we know it spring will have arrived in all its glory... I can't wait.

My current pair of socks is progressing nicely. The colour changes in the yarn make it really interesting to knit. This is another King Cole 'Zigzag' yarn.  I can't remember which colour this one is but it is so beautiful.