40 minutes and we are here..

in Llandudno.This the West Shore .School holidays and it would be impossible to park on the other main shore and promenade.Just look at this beautiful,deserted beach with wonderful views.There is a promenade to walk along with benches,a children's play area,a lake with swans(and ugh seagulls) and very little else.There is a grassed area between the prom and the road for ball games and picnics.They were setting up a small putting course and there were buckets and spades for sale but nothing else.No great temptations for children.And there are clean toilets.We had lunch in the only pub/hotel on this side and then went to Conway.

This is Conway Castle from the car.

We parked and went down by the harbour.It was quite busy with lots of people taking boat trips either up the river to get views of Snowdonia or out to sea to see the coast.

What are all the people on the left of the photo doing?They are catching crabs!You could buy a bucket,a line and some bait all for £3.

We are so lucky to have all this so close to home.We were back home by 3.30pm full of sea air and a lovely lunch.

Ruthin Craft Centre.

Yesterday we decided to visit Ruthin craft Centre.It is only 10 miles away,a lovely run with breathtaking views into the Vale of Clwyd.
The picture on the cover is a tapestry done by JillyEdwards



Another woven piece.
Jilly Edwards is one of the UK's leading tapestry weavers.She is renowned for her use of colour and tje way her pieces look like paintings.The whole exhibition was stunning.

There also works by ceramicists.This one by Anna Lambert.

A third exhibition was by Eleri Mills.I didn't take to her work really.Not my kind of thing.


The craft centre is quite small but they have had lots of schools visiting and there was fourth exhibition of work that had inspired the schoolchildren.

This was my ice cream-coffee- from our visit to Parkgate on the Wirral this afternoon.You have to have an ice cream(or fish and chips) if you visit Parkgate.Everyone is eating one or the other!!

We are trying to keep busy until C's op but straying far from home just in case there are complications.We feel a bit in limbo as this next hospital visit is hanging over us.

I have abandoned my Ifigenia shawl until I can clear my head and concentrate.

An update.

C came home on Monday but now has to wait for an operation.He is classed as "urgent" but as three out of the four urologists are on holiday it will probably be six weeks. so bang goes our French holiday in September.He is very upbeat about it all and has been to his Philosophy group this afternoonIt is totally beyond me but he loves it.
Sarah had her diabetic appointment this afternoon and has been reassured she will live beyond 50(remember last time's fiasco)!
I have bought the latest Posh Yarn shawl kit but am completely daunted by it.I can't even cast it on!I will not be beaten I promise you!I also need to get some socks cast on.I like to have some socks on the go but fancy a different pattern(a job for this evening).
I have now done and crocheted together 150 squares from Jane Brocket's latest book using all left over wool and it looks great.
I just thought I would mention what our son and his family are doing for their holiday in case any of you fancied the idea.They have exchanged their house in Cambridge for two weeks with a couple who work in Barcelona but have a holiday flat with a pool by the beach which is where they are..It is within walking distance of a supermarket so they havn't had to hire a car.I had a text from him this morning saying they had taken the local bus intoTarragona.When you have three children package holidays are just too expensive.They booked cheap air tickets into Barcelona and that is there only cost.Last year they did the same in northern France.

Catch up time.

We had a brilliant holiday in Croatia.We were staying in a hotel just a 10 minute bus ride from Dubrovnik old town.The flights were on time,the hotel was great and we loved the place itself.
This is the view of Dubrovnik seen when you go up in the cable car.

It is not big but has lots of streets like this.

A cool place to shelter from the sun and listen to some music.

This is taken from the coach window on our way back to the airport.We actually visited this island.It has an interesting botanical garden.

I have lots more photographs but no time.We came back on Sunday and landed at Manchester airport in torrential rain.
We were on a high .We had had a brilliant holiday but then in the early hours of Wednesday morning C woke up and found he coudn't pass urine.He was in agony so it was straight to A&E.We were there 2 hours before they catheterised him to relieve the pain and then 3 hours until they could find him a bed and there he has been since.He is on different medications for 48 hours and then they will see if the problem has been solved.If not,it is probably surgery.I went back to visit last night and this afternoon.Our daughter has gone tonight and I will do both tomorrow.By the time I get back from afternoon visiting I only have an hour here and then it is time to go back.

So our wonderful holiday seems a lifetime ago.

comments

I have found that I can't leave comments on certain blogs.The only way round it is to not tick the "stay signed in" box.It is a nuisance having to sign in each time but it does solve the problem(just in case anyone else has it).
just about to leave for manchester airport.We havn't been on a package holiday for years and I feel very stressed sorting out luggage weight,hand luggage etc.I'm used to just throwing everything into the car!
The netbook is being left at home!

It's coming along nicely.

I decided to follow Sarah's(Knit along with me) advice and crochet the squares together.I still have another 50 to add and some wool left.I do feel I have got rather addicted to making them!Other things are being neglected like housework.

Family things have settled down but we are still very worried about our daughter.I think the consultant saying to her last September about only living to 50 has had a profound effect on her.She sees him again in three weeks so C is going with her.Let's hope someone can convince her he didn't mean it and as long as she looks after her diabetes she will live a long life.Once these ideas are planted in your mind it is hard to get rid of them.

We are off on our travels again on Sunday.We are having a week in Croatia staying just outside Dubrovnik.I just wish I wasn't so worried about Sarah.Before that I have the dreaded mammogram coming up on Friday.

Also I think I got caught speeding yesterday.I was only doing 31 or 32 mph but Flintshire has zero tolerance!I am waiting for post to arrive.

My latest little project.

This is one of the projects I took to France.It is a pattern from Jane Brocket's The Gentle Art of Knitting.It takes about 20 minutes to do a square.The plan is to use up all my odd bits of wool from blanket clubs etc.(I just can't throw it away).

This just a few of them.Each one is exciting.You are never quite sure how they will look until you put the border on.

I have done quite few-over a 100!can you imagine how long it is going to take me to sew them all together.

This is my next project-making wacky tea cosies for everyone for xmas.

I also took a 2ply shawl to France which I finished but havn't blocked yet.Photo later.I knitted one sock between La Rochelle in france and home.

I have had a pretty awful week.When my children were growing up they were very close to my brother's four children.our son and his family are coming up here in the summer and I thought it would be a good idea to get everyone together.They all have children now so it would be a big gathering.Both my two were very keen but it has been met with little enthusiasm by P's lot.I intended us to meet half way but my niece wanted it to be a picnic in a park by her,(her sons would only come if the local football team were playing away),another niece couldn't come but has sent me some pretty awful e mails suggesting I re read her messages etc and generally not a nice tone to them.One nephew has not even answered my e mails.The other one is the only one that was "quite " keen.So ,I have decided not to bother.What i thought was a good idea has severely backfired on me and left a nasty taste in my mouth.Families!

Then to cap off an awful week my SIL had a word with that he thinks our daughter is depressed.it seems she was in tears last night saying she couldn't cope etc ,etc.We have seen her this afternoon and although she wasn't her usual bubbly self she didn't seem too bad.He says she is putting on a brave face for us.I really don't know what to do for the best.Suggesting she goes to the doctors might make things even worse.

Sorry to have gone on .