In the Summertime, When the Weather is High . . .

 . . . we're off to the Med today in our campervan.  We don't have any visitors until the 27th, so decided to take a little break.  We have rain forecast here at the weekend, so the garden should get some water while we're away. We're just going for four nights, back on Tuesday.  The spinning wheel is going with me, plus my merino fleece, plus my knitting and current book, so who cares if it rains - I'll be OK.  Eric, of course, is taking a guitar or two.

We probably won't have telephone or internet when we get back because France Telecom have finally decided to replace our rubbish phone line, about half a kilometre of it.  They reckon it'll take five days to do, so we're hoping they'll start on Monday and we'll be back on line next Saturday - fingers crossed.

Will post some photos when we get back, or at least when we have internet again.

What is it about September??

Just been on Facebook only to see an announcement from Wicked Stepson No. 1 (Ben) . . . he's just got engaged to Sam!  There's definitely something in the air this month - 3 engagements in less than 2 weeks.  Well done all six of you, could be an expensive time coming up!

Knitting Progress

Colette's sweater dress now has a sleeve :-

It looks a bit odd at the moment, but I'm cracking on with the 2nd sleeve. Yesterday I managed to pull my back while watering the garden so I've been  banned from doing anything physical for a few days.  Perfect opportunity to sit and knit, read, cuddle the cat etc, and I'm getting my meals cooked.

Now, I wonder how long I can stretch this out . . .

Cotton Update

My cotton plants have grown pretty well so far.  We have had some good, hot weather, but really they were just planted too late.  However, today I found a flower (at least I think it's a flower).  It probably won't develop into anything as it's starting to cool down now, but I'm pretty sure it is a flower.

This has actually given me hope that next year I can grow cotton!  If it's sown a lot earlier, and protected, I think I should be able to grow my own.

My new greenhouse will help towards that end.  Work started this week on my greenhouse.  We had been waiting for the visit of my sister and brother-in-law to start the work, because Geoff used to be a welder in his previous life, and we needed welding!

These photos show one of the roof panels being lowered into place.  It's still far from completion, but at least it's started.  I have high hopes of being able to start things off in there in the late autumn.

Surprise! er, Surprise again!!!

This morning we received a surprise phone call from Wicked Stepson No. 4 who is at present in New Zealand (correction : they've just left and gone to Australia) with his girlfriend Rona.  He's been there for nearly a year working as a vet.  Sunday night he took her for a walk on the beach and proposed!! She's now wearing a very, very sparkly rock on the third finger of her left hand!  Well done Matthew and Rona.  Can't wait to see you both.

And you'll never guess what happened 5 minutes ago . . . Wicked Stepson No. 3, Nic, who is on holiday in New York with his girlfriend Vika, phoned up with some good news . . .

Apparently, it wasn't planned between them, and they both sprung the surprise on their unsuspecting partners a day apart.  Nic now has a few more grey hairs as he proposed to Vika in a park next to the Brooklyn Bridge, and she said no!!  (She doesn't like surprises).  Luckily, she said yes later on when he asked her again!

So, congratulations to all four of you.  Now, how about a double wedding? That way we only have to buy one outfit.  In fact, can we persuade Wicked Stepson No. 1 (Ben) and his girlfriend Sam to make it a triple??

Just off to open the champagne!!

Free Chunky Wool

A few weeks ago I was given a kilo of brown chunky wool.  It's very old and came from a house clearance.  I thought at first it had been hand spun, but now think it's just a bit too even for that.  What is unusual is that it still has quite a lot of dried vegetable matter, and it's not something you see in factory spun wool nowadays.

Anyway, brown is definitely not my colour, and Eric wasn't really needing a new sweater, so Colette (from the Dolly Blues band) asked if I would make her something.  She wanted a sweater with a hood, but I've never done a hood before, so we settled on just a sweater with a slash neck.  Since then, it's progressed to a sweater dress and yes, you've guessed it, the hood has reappeared!  Not just any hood either, she wants a detatchable one.  Anyone know how to knit a hood?

This is as far as I've got so far, just another inch or two to armhole level.

The bottom is plain stocking stitch, but she wanted the top half in moss stitch.  By next Tuesday I'm hoping to have both sleeves started so we can work out where to start the moss stitch so it matches.  It's actually knitting up very quickly so should be able to manage that.

Ken's Hat

Yesterday was Ken's 60th birthday.  Ken plays guitar and sings with one of our bands, Al Fresco.  I really didn't know what to give him for his birthday, but it gets pretty cold here in winter and he works outside a lot.  So, this is what I made for him :-

a silly little hat with plaits.  The wool is a bit of a mystery - it's either Friesland or Gritstone, but I can't remember which.  It's been dip dyed with natural dyes but again, I can't remember what I used.  The yellow could be sunflower though.  The plaits are natural camel down, which I used because it looks a bit like hair in colour.

This is a side view showing the pony tail hole at the back :-

 

  

Ken - if you don't like the plaits, ask Angela to snip them off for you.