The Antidote

Time for a Nap

Thank you so much for your sweet comments about my blanket.  You are so kind and encouraging and your praise is valued.

I have been hooking away hard on my latest project and hope to share some pictures of it later on in the week.  I love the way that memories are worked into crochet projects, often nothing momentous or otherwise memorable, maybe just repeatedly being asked who my favourite Batman baddie is, or of Ivy and Biba vying for the closest position to me on the sofa whilst watching "Strictly".

I have also been working far too hard and missing too much sleep, so I am going join Biba and catch up on a few Zzzzzz's this week.

I Heart the Granny

I have had a weekend of Granny love!  To say that "Grannying" has taken over a large proportion of my life would be something of an understatement.  I Granny all the time, watching TV, listening to the babies read, watching them while they are in the bath, waiting for the kettle to boil....yes really!

 

I have blogged before about Oscar and I and our sweet Saturday mornings, the last few have included counting Grannies and arranging them into possible blankets.  Ivy joined in this week, having been rudely awoken at 8 am (on a Saturday?).  Want a peek at what we came up with this week??

Ta Da aa!

 

It will be completely different next Saturday, you understand?!

 

Now it has been dismantled and re stackedwaiting for our next play with them.  Who needs Lego!  I have insisted that everyone select their favourite Granny, Stu was reluctant but finally conceded on Friday night - that green black and red one on the left is his.  I feel like my blanket is going to need some sort of title, I think it should have some sort of Jack Bauer theme, as I have watched nearly three series of 24 whilst hooking away.  Mm mm hooking and torture what more could you ask for?!

 

Ivy also got a bit involved in a bit Blog Photography on Saturday, displaying her newest button on a Granny.  This button got lost at the woods yesterday and Ivy had her Daddy go all the way back and find it, apparently it was playing with some leaves!  Is there anything he wouldn't do for that girl?  I would have probably bought another button - I was tucked up in bed post night duty.

 

There are little piles of Granny love all around the house, not to mention little ends which have been snipped.  Stu does his bits when I balance my tea like this!  Ha! he is at work and will never know!

Oooh, I really need to share this before I wind up for today..

 

How cute!  She has been there for two hours now, this is what happens when you leave your knitting (crochet) bag on her favourite chair.

Ooh Just one more thing, I am seriously considering entering this swap, but I am not sure if I am good enough at either knitting or crochet to contemplate give something as a gift. Oh sod it, just put my name down!

I Can Smell Heaven

I have had a long love affair with this little plant, so when Bluebell Woods was suggested for our weekly dog walking group, I was made up.  Unfortunately it rained, so there was not a big turn out, but Becca (Rolo and Alfie) Laura (Stanley) and Myself (Biba) braved the drizzle and set out anyway.

And it was soooo worth it!

Just like when Cassandra enters the fancy department store in "I Capture the Castle" the scent of bluebells truly took our breath away.  It absolutely smelt like "heaven".  This was fairly impressive as within 10 minutes Rolo had rolled in fox poo!

The bluebells were completely enchanting with their little nodding heads and looking like magical blue haze of fairy dust misting over the woodland beauty.

The dogs had a ball and I think this is the most beautiful walk we have had this year.

My Aunt Vera used to bring my sister and I to these woods when we were little and it bought back some lovely memories.  I wish I had taken the Babies, too late now, bluebells don't last forever...

Unless of course you have a sweet bluebell candle, or even a bottle of the delicious scent Stuart buys my for my birthday most years.

Or even a pretty new "Bluebell Dress" from Cath Kidston (a little bargain from last weeks sale).

 

And while I am having a bluebell moment, I may as well confess that I need to learn how to make these,  I actually think then, my life would be complete!

Glimpses of my Weekend

What a beautiful sunny weekend we had here.

After slurping down the pink fizz on Friday, I picked Ivy up from school and she took her birthday money out on a little spending spree and came back with a much wanted skateboard.  Ivy and Oscar both have winter birthdays, so they save any money they receive and then when it gets a bit more outdoorsy they buy something to play with outside.  I love that I have a little sk8er girl.  She is the only girl at the skateboard park most days and does she get fussed by all those bigger boys - keep it up girl!

Saturday afternoon was glorious.  Although strictly speaking we live by the Estuary, I never stop loving that we are right beside the sea, a ten minute scooter ride maybe!

Dogs aren't allowed on the beach between May and October, so we took Biba for a last romp on the shingle before the ban starts.

It was wonderful, we found a spot where we wouldn't be too windswept and pitched up for an hour or two.

Oscar had wet shoes almost instantly, Ivy took hers off before paddling.

Although it was not long before she was thigh deep, jeans and all!

My lovely husband grew up by the Sunderland coastline (which is a little prettier than ours) and spent hours beach combing.  He scooted (on a pink scooter!) to buy tea and ice cream and when he returned I had collected a lovely little pile of sea glass.  How lucky am I to have a husband who grades sea glass on rarity!?  OK white=rare, blue=ultra rare, green=extremely rare, navy blue=off the scale..what a find!  He had a little sea glass envy at my little collection!

I had to work Saturday night.  There is something very cosy about coming home after a night shift and heading off for a snooze just as everyone is about to start their day.  Just to unwind, I caught up on an episode of my beloved 24, knitted a couple of rows and gobbled a bacon 'wich.

Then I woke up at 2.30pm to the adventures my little crew had had while I slept, a nice roast chicken a vanilla bath and a snuggle on the sofa with more Jack Bauer.

Perfect x

Before and After

 

I try not to have Biba's coat clipped in the winter, as she hates wearing doggy clothes but feels the cold enormously.  Truly, you can almost see her going blue!  With the weather becoming (ever so slightly) warmer, and her becoming stinkier by the day, she was booked in yesterday for her cut and blow dry.

I know that Shi-tzu are supposed to be preened and groomed to a high level, but my Biba is a family dog, she plays.  We go on long mucky walks to the woods and the beach and she is just not a fussy kind of dog.

She is my dog.  My dad bought her for me, after much contemplation ("this is like having another baby") when Oscar started school.  I missed having him around soo much.  I needed company, someone to mother and a bit of daytime responsibility.  My sister and I went to see the litter and chose her and I remember feeling sick on the way back.  What if she didn't fit in with the family?, What if she was snappy or naughty?, What if we didn't have time to walk her?  Looking back now I think that in a way all of these concerns were good indicators that I was ready for a dog. 

We had nothing to worry about.  Biba integrated herself perfectly.  She is my constant companion, as I type this she is at her usual position, adhered firmly to my right hip.  Oscar is her playmate, they have a wonderful relationship and one is always suggesting a new game to the other.  Ivy is her substitute lap when I am not available - S told me last night that he thinks Biba sleeps on Ivy's bed when we are all out (beds are kind of out of bounds).  And my husband?  Lets just say that S and Biba have a "love hate relationship"!

 

So this is her "after" shot.  I think she looks better with her winter coat, but....the smell!  and underneath all of that fluff, her coat was a bit matted too.  Oooh, you should smell her now, all lovely and baby powdery.

And on that note I am off for a little trim myself.  I have been growing my hair for ages and have decided to have a little Duffy style fringe cut.  There will be no before and after of this one!