Exercise!

I am developing muscles and skills that I didn't know were possible while C is on his "no lifting,stretching etc "regime.Today I used an electric saw for the first time in my life.We are having the outside of our cement rendered house painted and the painter couldn't get his ladder on the gable end.A big shrub had to go.He had the loppers but I had the saw.It was great fun but I think I will ache tomorrow!
We went to Chester shopping yesterday,the first time since December(because of my knee op).C bought loads of clothes in M&S but guess who had to carry them!Didn't buy anything for myself but today I have bought some red shoes from Clarks.I love red shoes.
We had a nice surprise yesterday.Our son texted to say he is coming up from Cambridge this weekend with our 3 grandchildren to stay.his wife,who hasn't worked for 9 years has been given a project to do which will help her back into H.R and she needs time to get it done.It works out well in that C has a painting in a local exhibition so they can all go and see it.He has never exhibited before so it will be interesting to see if it sells.
I still havn't worked out how to put photos on here but will do soon.

Life is pretty boring at the moment!

I know I shouldn't complain but I am getting rather fed up with all these hospital visits and stays.We seem to have had 18 months of it.Hopefully we are at the end of it when C recovers from his op.You don't realise how much they do until they can't do it!I thought I was going to have to go and look after Emily tomorrow so have raced round today getting everything done, trips to the tip with garden rubbish,Tesco,Bins out ,ironing done etc and now Sarah has decided to send her back to school.It would have meant leaving here at 7.am which I wasn't looking forward to but I was looking forward to spending the day with Em.I had bought a sticker/story book,little sewing kits(with big plastic needles and perforated felt-all for £1),devised a spotting trail round the area etc.Never mind they will come in useful another time.

No photos at the moment because I havn't worked out how to do it yet and C isn't up to it.I have some gorgeous auriculas in the garden that I want to show you.

talktalk

I am hoping this works.The man came to help us out but it stiil took us time to work out how to transfer e mail addresses for this blog,facebook etc.

As expected Emily has got chicken pox and it seems she is covered with spots.it is her birthday plus party next week ,just when the rest of the class will be going down with it!!

What glorious weather.After a busy week running C about we have just sat in the garden and chilled today.A meal deal from Tesco will complete the day

Prairie Rose lace shawl

I thought I would show you some photos of my Prairie Rose lace shawl.It was tricky to start off with but once you got into the pattern it was quite quick.What I am going to do with all these shawls I have no idea!!I just like the challenge.

More gardening today.I have cut the grass and done the edges and chopped down a pampas grass( a bit much I think!)It's what to do with all the rubbish.

Also had c on a return trip to the hospital,at their request.He went to the ward,a registrar was there who had done the op,he took a quick look and we were on our way home again.I must say the NHS in our area is pretty efficient and waiting times have plummeted.

Home again.

I am pleased to report that C is back home again after his op.He was pretty rough Thursday and Friday but much better over the weekend.He cannot lift anything heavy for 2 months so I shall be doing all the gardening and jobs like that.He can drive again in 7 to 10 days.I drove 75 miles on Thursday to the hospital and back 3 times!!It is 12 miles to Wrexham and an absolute nightmare in that the speed limit changes every few miles from 30 to 40 to 50 mph and you really have to concentrate and remember which you are in.Anyway I coped ok with the driving and it didn't affect my knee.

I have cast on my cardigan and have used one 50 g ball already.I have started a pair of socks in a cotton mix.I have only done one square of my blanket and havn't started my Violet green shawl.It looks complicated.I'm letting Allison work it out first!!We will be having a quiet couple of weeks while C recovers so there should be plenty of time for these WIPs.

I spent most of yesterday and most of today gardening and my thighs are so stiff.I can't kneel on my new knees so have to bend down.Painful.

Sarah and Ruby(not infectious from the chicken pox anymore) came to call this afternoon.Big sister Emily was at a party accompanied by Daddy.We are waiting for her to start with the chicken pox.

We change to our new provider on Thursday.No idea how that will work out.We have a "man" coming to help us on Friday.

Hope you are all well and enjoying this glorious weather.

computer problems

We are having problems with our broadband supplier and so are changing in 10 days time to someone else.We also have a new computer.I have really no idea how this will work out.How you change everything over as we will have a new e mail address.So if I disappear for a while it is the computer.

We went to see an interesting film the other night called Seraphine.It is a French film so there were subtitles( can't watch those at home.They interfere with the knitting!).It was about a french painter called Seraphine who lived in Senlis.She lived in poverty for most of her life and ended up in an asylum.Her paintings are really interesting.My only complaint was that the film was a bit long at two hours.

I hope you all had a good Easter.Ours was very quiet but we have been very busy in the garden getting all the heavy jobs done before C is banned from lifting for 6 weeks following his op tomorrow.I feel a bit stressed about him going in obviously but as well I have done very little driving since January following my knee op.It will force me back into it!

I got my Violet Green Lace Club pack today.It is a beautiful red colour and the shawl pattern looks good,not like anything I have done before.I just have to cast off my Prairie Rose lace shawl from last month's The Knitter.I have ordered some wool to knit the Savannah cardigan/bolero from the same issue.I havn't knitted anything for myself for years.

Lady Lever Art gallery

We decided today we needed an art gallery visit so off we went to the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight, Wirral.It is a great littlegallery with lots of pre Raphaelite paintings by Millais, Holman Hunt,Rossetti and Bourne Jones.We have been lots of times but I never tire of seeing these paintings and always spot something I have missed in a previous visit.The gallery was opened in 1922 in Port sunlight.port Sunlight is a very special place.It was built for the workers at the soap factory to provide better living conditions.

On the way back I stopped to buy lots of little chicks to dot around the house on Sunday as my daughter and family were coming to stay.We would play spot the chick around the house and then have an easter egg hunt in the garden.Then the phone went and it was Sarah to say that Ruby (2)had chicken pox.As my husband has no spleen and has never had chicken pox they can't meet!Added to this he is going in hospital next Thursday for a hernia repair on his splenectomy scar.If Emily (nearly 5) gets the chicken pox the week after I shall be dividing myself between the two when Sarah is at work(only Thurs and Fri).Ruby has actually timed it quite well because daddy will be home all weekend and Sarah is on her Easter break.Poor Ruby.get well soon.