A lurvely time ahead

No sewing projects or scrapbooking projects but instead a car packed to the rafters with papers, ribbons and even a few sewing projects!  It's the annual weekend away with the Lurvelies - my group of on-line friends who have been so great to me over the last year. How I would have coped without them, I dread to think. 

I'm thinking back to last year - a time of great sadness really as it was the point when I realised that Dick's illness had really taken hold and I struggled being away when I felt I really should have been at home with him.  This time I have no other constraints so I am looking forward to a girlie weekend with lots of giggles and fun.  The support from the Lurvelies has been fantastic but as a group we have been hit with many, many difficulties this year - health problems, employment problems and yet we continue to support and help each other despite our geographical difference.  I have felt a little at a distance in the last few months.  Grief is a funny thing.  Sometimes there is a huge tiredness that seems to be part of it all - even making a phone call or writing on a blog can be too much, even though you know that in the long-term, it isn't helpful to cut yourself off.  I think my friends know that and have been very helpful.

I have just bought Sheila Hancock's book "Just Me" and I am hoping that her story chimes with my experiences.  I loved her book "The Two of Us" - describing her life with John Thaw and now I have a feeling that her approach to widowhood is very similar to mine.

I am off to celebrate a birthday today.  My dear mum is having the last of her birthdays that start with a 7!  What a woman!  She has just treated herself to a new car.  Bright red and perfect for her needs.  Happy birthday and many happy returns!

Projects in hand

What do you think of this beautiful machine quilting?  It is just a taster.  My quilt is back from Isobel Hall who has quilted it using her Longarm Quilting Machine and I am thrilled to bits with it.  I will take another photograph tomorrow of the whole quilt once I have found a way to display it.

I have been asked to display the quilt at the Annual Quilt Show of the Wessex Quilters which would be a real honour and I am just as proud as punch!

Also underway is a project which I started in Bath on Saturday - a Christmas Tree skirt.  This is another taster as it isn't being shown to full effect but might just wet your appetite.

The photograph doesn't really give a clue as to what the skirt really looks like but the sparkle and glitz are lovely and I intend to do some more beading on it to add to the general sumptuousness of it all.

Feeling a bit wobbly today.  Dick and I were savers in the Icelandic bank that has gone phut!  I couldn't remove the money as I am still waiting for Letters of Probate.  Just hoping now that we get something back.  Suffice to say that there were several years of ISA money in there!

Nice to see you...............

I'm back!  Yes, I know you thought I had disappeared, never to be seen again but I am back and delighted to be back with a vengeance.  The kitchen renovations are finally finished and my new life in my house has started and I am over the moon.  I apologise to everyone who has faithfully popped back here, waiting to find out what is happening in our lives but the whole building project turned out to be much bigger than I first anticipated and so at one point I felt like crawling into a hole and never coming out again.  Thanks goodness I didn't, otherwise I would not be able to enjoy the new kitchen/family room and we would not be chilling and relaxing in our fab new space.

 This is the first photo of the area where I think most of the chilling will be done.  I still need to make a wall hanging but I have plans and the more eagle-eyed will have noticed that my sewing basket is already in place!

Here's a view of the working part of the kitchen.  Yes I do expect to cook and the boys are living in hopes that efforts in that direction will be considerably better than recently!  I have a table and chairs on order so the fetching white plastic number is on a limited stay (Shame!) but it serves a purpose and we shall appreciate a proper table when it comes.

And finally - hoping that I'm not being too boring, this is the dresser which contains all sorts of interesting bits and pieces but most importantly, my sewing projects etc etc.

I am desperate to get going again with my crafting.  I have a  class in Bath this weekend when I am hoping to get a Christmas Tree skirt made and I have also got some cushions and a quilt on the go.  I have almost had the DTs from withdrawal from crafting so can't wait to get back to it. 

The following weekend is a Scrapping Weekend with dear friends.  I just can't wait.  It looks like life is getting back to normal.  Halleluijah!