Some of my recent purchases.

I bought this last week in a place where there are lots of little stalls/displays.(Lady Heyes at Frodsham).I thought it was quite pretty and as you can see I didn't pay much for it.(nb their spelling of brooch!).I have a display cabinet that is fairly tatty but my Grandfather made it and so I can't get rid of it.It is in a corridor at the back of the house.I have a collection of Midwinter crockery in there,some old embroidered teacloths,Coronation mugs etc.I bought this,immediately lost it but thankfully found it again this morning(after going through the bins twice and then discovering it was where I thought I had put it!)

This another purchase this week from the British Heart Foundation charity shop.I think it is so pretty.The cost-£2.50.

At this point I would love someone to tell me why some photos go on their side!Help please.
As I have blogged before i have a new hobby of collecting old postcards.They are cheap to buy and to post but are a wonderful source of social history.

This one says"How's good old Dartmouth?I'm

sure you miss me very much!

Thanks so much for my

pretty garters-what a shame

frocks are longer I shan't have t

the chance of showing them!!

but I will do my best!

May 1931 bring all that is

good to you

with love Smithy(?)

It is addressed to a Miss Dedman c/o N.U.W.T Conference.(? National Union of Women Teachers)

This is one of my oldest cards ,bought this week on ebay.It is dated 1900 and has Queen Victoria stamp.At this time only the address could be on one side.Any writing on the other.This changed in 1904(I have learn't so much).The picture is Constable's Flatford Mill.This it seems was common to give access to the public to works of art.

Finally ,I have some children/comic cards including some Mabel Lucie Attwell.I thought I had picked one of those but it isn't.

So,I hope you like my purchases of the week and all very cheap but give me so much pleasure.

I'm still cycling!

We bought an exercise bike 5 or 6 weeks ago.Everyone said that the novelty would soon wear off but I have to say that there have only been a couple of days when I havn't been on it.Those were days whenI had probably done a walk.Today is is grey and bitterly cold so not a day to be out and about.At first I read to relieve the boredom but have now taken to listening to the radio.On a Sunday I usually listen to Open Book with Mariella Fostrup at 4 o'clock.I thought Sarah Dunant was on today so started cycling at 4pm and just kept going.I must have got it wrong because she wasn't on but before I knew it I had done 5 miles.Unfortunately I havn't lost any weight but my legs and tum are much firmer and my walking is much,much better.

Snowdrops

I love snowdrops.There is place local to us where the snowdrops are spectacular.They are in the grounds of an old house but you can see them over the wall.We took our daughter to see them yesterday(it was soooo cold) but they were a bit disappointing this year.

Can you see them in the background in the sunlight.Normally they cover the whole area.In our garden this year we have had very few snowdrops,probably a quarter of what we normally have.Has anyone else noticed this?Is it a bad year?

This is in the same spot.I love the reflections.

I had this parcel of bamboo yarn this.The flash has made it look shinier than it is.It is called "sea green" and is gorgeous,so soft.It is from Allison at Sugar Hippo Luxury Handpainted Yarn.Look her up on folksy.She has some great yarn.

Erddig

This where we went yesterday.I forgot the camera.Typical.So this is a postcard.Erddig is just outside Wrexham in north Wales about half an hour from our house.We are buying our daughter and son in law National Trust membership as a joint birthday present so went along to Erddig to do it.The house isn't open yet but the grounds are and it was a beautiful day.The house is fascinating.It is an early 18th century country house showing typical upstairs/downstairs life.It is well worth a visit when it opens from March 12th.We had a lovely walk round the grounds,in glorious sunshine.Today it is grey and wet.Roll on the summer.
I have just realised that i havn't blogged this week so havn't reprted back on our trip to Birmingham.We really enjoyed Think Tank.I don't think it was huge surprise to Matt that we were there.We had a lovely meal in Pizza Express,put the children to bed,left Ella in charge of the boys and then we went and had a lovely chat in the bar.Sarah and family joined us on Sunday in Sealife and then we had a wonderful meal in Cielo's Italian restaurant,all 11 of us.Wednesday was Matt's actual birthday.He had a day off work ,a real treat for him.We had bought hom lots of memorabilia from his birth year and money for bass guitar lessons.Will he ever grow up.A great weekend was had by all.

New blanket yarn/unfinished projects

Before I start can I apologise for all my photos being sideways on.I havn't a clue what has happened.It takes so long to upload them I can't face starting again so here goes.

Above are the contents of package number 2 for the Debbie Abraham's blanket.Lovely colours again and the patterns look quite a challenge but before I do that I must finish.....

A cardigan in cotton for Ruby-one sleeve and one front to do.I suppose this could wait but I know if I put it away it will get forgotten.

Only this done on a pair of socks.Can you pick out the spiral pattern?It is so easy but really looks quite effective.This some 4 ply wool I had in my stash and feels quite hard compared to specialised sock wool.

This another pair of socks on the go.The pattern is Spring Forward and the yummy yarn is Posh Yarn sock wool.

If anyone can tell me what to do about photos turning on their side when they are correct in the camera,I would appreciate it.Also any quicker ways of loading photos.

I have been ten pin bowling today.Great fun.And I have done 4k on the bike but I am putting weight on!!

Tomorrow- coffee in the morning with a close friend.A talk by the conservation officer of Loggerheads Country Park in the afternoon and then up the M56 to meet up with 5 college friends(and it is a long,long time since I was in college!!)plus their husbands and mine.We meet twice a year in the same pub people travelling from all over Lancashire,Cheshire and North Wales.

Saturday we are off to Birmingham to meet up with our son and his family.He has a special birthday next week,overnight in a hotel and on Sunday our daughter and family join us.It will be a good break for Matt as he has been working incredible hours on the new newspaper "i".Have you seen it?