my xmas box

Look at the contents of my box from Sarah.Brilliant.Sarah, did you make the exquisite evening bag/purse?It really is a work of art.

I love the wool and the pattern and can't wait to get started.The wool is an even lovlier colour in daylight.A soft peach colour in cashmere,alpaca andsilk.A real treat.Sarah also sent me some beads,some chocolates and a local tea towel.

Thank you so much Sarah.I really appreciate all the thought and kindness that went into assembling the box.

the box

The box arrived today.Thank you Sarah.I am saving it until Xmas Day.Sooo exciting.Hope you are getting things organised and really enjoy Xmas.As it is only the two of us and my op being postponed we are going out for Xmas dinner so I feel very relaxed.But I would rather be frazzled and with the family.

Christmas

Well, I have got overthe disappointment of my op being cancelledand have been given a new date,Jan 4th but i will only believe it when it actually happens.We had cancelled going away and had not the enthusiasm to reinstate it.We have a restaurant in our small market town that is in the Good Food Guide.They have been booked up for Xmas daysince September but when we trid them last Thursday they had had a cancellation so at least we are going out for Xmas dinner!
What I didn't get were my 3 days in hospital with nothing to do but knit and stitchso Emily's Flower Fairy won't be finished.
I have been to my Book Group this morning but because I thought Iwasn't going to be there I hadn't read the book and only managed the first 70 pages.Never mind.We were also choosing the next set of books to read.What do you think of this list?
Small Island by Andrea Levy
Amsterdam by Ian McEwan
Miss Webster and Sherif by Patricia Duckner
Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
A middle ages crime story by CJ Sansom
That should keep me quiet for a bit!

I have also ordered a cross stitch kit today from sewandso.co.uk ( a brilliant company).It is of a Doll's house and is huge.So with that ,the reading and my Debbie Abrams Blanket Club I should be kept well and truly busy while I am on crutches and recovering!!!

Hope you are not getting too frazzled about Xmas.

my op

I am gutted.I jad a phone call to say my operation next Tuesday has been cancelled due to an emergency(???).I was all psyched up for it and was looking forward to 2010 with it all over with.C'est la vie(said with a sigh)

good day

My box is packed and ready to post tomorrow.You have to really psyche yourself up to go to our post office in town.It is always busy,often 20 people in the queue before you and only 2 out of 5 positions open but I will do it.I will do it!!
We have had a great day today.We had a phone call last week from some old friends who live in Bristol.We havn't seen them for 6 years just the annual Xmas card and letter.They were coming to Anglesey for a few days and could they come to lunch.We just took up from where we had left off and before we knew it it was time to go back to Bristol and we had been nattering for 5 hours!Also today we had a phone call from some even older friends who live in Portsmouth.They are up here next weekend and are coming to see us onFriday.Both these couples are younger than us and both husbands were work colleagues of my husband.it gave me real lift to think that friends from the past still want to come and see us.It just shows how good friends they must have been.
I am getting a little anxious about finishing projects for Xmas.I am telling myself that I will have 4 days in hospital where I can knit.I am kind if forgetting that it is not a holiday but a major operation!Do you think I can follow a pattern if I am drugged up with painkillers.My big concern is that I may not be out for the Strictly Come Dancing final.How bad that would be!!
Roll on 2010 when it will be onwards and upwards.We have great plans for holidays next year.

Too many projects

I am trying to juggle too many knitting projects at the moment.I have 3 pairs of socks on the go and I am sure my next sock club projects will be arriving with December.I am also making a scarf for my daughter,a dane shawl for my step mother and have also started some cross stitch.I have decided not to give anyone the scarf where the colour ran but keep it for myself.My trouble is I want to keep everything for myself.I like the thought of when I go out selecting a scarf from a choice.
I like to collect things and my latest collection is Mabel Lucie Atwell postcards.I just love the illustrations.They are so cute and remind me so much of Ruby.I have bought several on e bay and will give me something to hunt for when we are out and about.
I really shouldn't be on here.I am in 2 book groups,one more serious than the other!The casual one is next Friday and we are meeting for lunch as it's Xmas.We are reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which is 500 + pages long and I am only up to page 250.
My box is coming along nicely.I hope whoever gets it likes my choices.

great weekend

It has been party weekend.Ruby was 2 on Saturday.Mum and Dad took her and older sister Emily to the zoo where it poured down!We went over in the afternoon with our presents and all went out to tea.We had bought her a dolls pram and a new doll.She only has Emily's cast offs.So I have spent last week making bedding and clothes for the above.The clothes are so fiddly to sew up.Ruby just loves playing with her dollies.Mind you saying that ,most of the time we were there on Saturday they spent playing in 2 huge cardboard boxes!
Sunday was special birthday for my older brother so we went up tp Blackpool to his daughter's and met up with all his family.17 sat down to lunch.It was great seeing my nieces and nephews.My brother's first wife died aged 32 when the children were 9,6 and 4 so we have a particular bond with them.He has since re married and had another son.
Now I have a bit of a problem.I have knitted a lace scarf for someone for xmas but when I came to block it an enormous amount of colour came out.Can I give someone a scarf where if it rains and gets wet the colour could ruin their clothes.I could try and set the dye with vinegar but would I ever get rid of the smell.Advice please.
Do you know I told you that I have signed up for the very,very expensive Debbie Abraham's blanket club starting January because I am having a knee op in Feb or March and it would be something for me to focus on.I had a phone call on Thursday to say I am now having the op on Dec 16th.Oops.It was a good excuse.So I shall be spending xmas on crutches this year.