Wednesday 23 December 2020

Approaching Christmas

Well hello there, long time no see! I've been MIA for the longest time, just life getting in the way but I've really missed my wee blog and chatting to you all so thought I'd start it up again. I did have a scary moment where I thought the whole thing had been deleted (note to self: BACKUP your blog Jill!!!) but luckily it was user error and here I am posting again - phew! I'd love to recap the last 2 years but I can't remember 2019 (I can't remember what I had for breakfast most days ...) and of course 2020 has been a bit of a write-off with children off school, home-learning, and MrEC working from home, and everything being shut. As I write we are in Tier 4 so basically no going out except for a walk, or essential shopping. I'm very sad that the cafes had all closed except for takeaways - which - I'm sorry - just aren't the same as sitting in with a cosy cuppa. However I am on a strict diet at the moment anyway, very boring but I needed to lose a load of weight - have lost 2 and a half stone so far, so feeling rather pleased with myself :) So its probably for the best that I am not allowed anywhere near the cake counter for the time being.


Instead I've been going or lot of lovely long walks. Our weather has been mixed , some bitterly cold days but with bright blue skies and winter sun .....


... and some very murky damp dismal days.... 


... though the ducks and geese don't seem to mind ....


There's still lots of colour to be found though with nature continuing to burst forth ....


We are very lucky where we live - its slap bang in the middle of suburbia but there are so many lovely walkways and paths to explore. I have a few very good walking friends who I take it in turns to walk with, there's nothing like a good 2 hour chat to clear the mind!

Things I've noticed on my walks this week were this rather forlorn looking welly ....


I wonder where its partner is and if it ever found its way home ? And also this shopping bag, which has been hanging on this branch for about 3 weeks now.


I've decided if its still there unclaimed today I'm going to take it back to my house, clean it up and give it a new home.

And check out this house's front garden - it has the most beautifully decorated Christmas trees .....

Speaking of Christmas trees, I crocheted up this little chap last week, isn't he super cute ?


I got the pattern from issue 124 of LGC Knitting and Crochet magazine ...




He was pretty straightforward apart from the frills which were Super Fiddly, but worth it I think as he was a gift for a friend. I also made a little Santa gonk for my gonk-loving friend ....

I bought the pattern online but of course now can't find it to link to it, sorry!


And I've picked up a blanket I started YEARS ago, its the Attic24 Cottage Ripple Blanket, I'm determined to get it done before the end of the year.


I've got about 12 stripes left to do, so am aiming for 2 or so a day. I did manage to lose my favourite 5mm Clover Amour crochet hook yesterday though - where do these things go ???? I have another one by a different brand but it doesn't crochet nearly so smoothly. I've searched high and low (yes, under the sofa) for my clover one but it refuses to be found. So tomorrrow's walk will be a hefty 9 mile round trip walk (see below!) to me local yarn shop Stitchery Do, once the very lovely owner Rebecca confirms if she has one in stock (keep your fingers and toes crossed for me!)

And with that I shall leave you, I am off on another walk - oh I didn't tell you I am aiming for 200km in December, have done about 140, so 60 to go in 9 days, I reckon its still doable.... so I better crack on.

I know for many of us this year Christmas will be a strange one, but I do hope you all manage to make the best of it and have a relaxing day. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas!

Jillxxxx

12 comments:

  1. Jill, my lovely friend. I am so, so happy you are back. You have been missed. I wish you were here in Florida, but with Covid you are much safer where you ae than here. Good for you with the weight loss, bravo! I bet it has been a tough year with kids home and schooling, it was a rough Spring for us, but have to go back to school so here we are, trying to muddle though third grade with everyone in masks. Take care of yourself and your beautiful family. Happy Holidays!

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  2. Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I love your pictures. It must be wonderful to live in England...always been a dream of mine. Gosh, I've always wanted to crochet or j=knit too, but never learned how. Merry Christmas!

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  3. Nice to 'see' you again!!!!! Glad you are still finding time to craft with all of the extras that Covid has brought to us! Be safe and a very Merry Christmas to you!

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  4. So good to hear from you again. It has been hard to come up with posting content during these crazy times so I understand the blog break. I had to take a wee one myself last month. I love your little tree and your Santa. I am in awe of your crochet skills.
    Have a safe and healthy holiday!

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  5. So nice to "meet" you, Jill.

    Sorry to hear you are in Tier 4, although for the most part, we have been living like that is the rule here too. You are so right. Take away is not the same as having a nice sit down in the coffee shop and just watching the people go by. I look forward to doing that again some day. I miss it.

    Your Santa Gronk and Christmas tree are very cute. Hope you had a good Christmas Day and I hope that poor Welly found its little boy or girl.

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  6. Thank you for your blog visit, I'm always glad to see bloggers returning a lot of them seem to have gravitated to Instagram, I love your cute Christmas decorations, I'll have to see if I can find that magazine. We are in Tier 3 at the moment but had a rise in over 300 in the past week so I have a feeling we will be joining you pretty soon.

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  7. Thank you for visiting my blog and for leaving a comment on my latest post. It is great to see you have returned to blogging, so many bloggers have been disappearing lately )-: I know just how life gets in our way though!! That is a super cute Christmas tree!! My WIP at present is another baby's blanket which is growing slowly too slowly...sigh! Christmas here in Alicante has been a very quiet one but I just thankful we are all safe and healthy! Merry Christmas Amanda :-)

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  8. So many blogs seem to fall by the wayside so it's nice to see a blogger return to their blog. Yes, it's been a strange Christmas this year but I think we've all made the most of it even though it's been different.

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  9. Welcome back to the blog community. It's a lovely and rewarding group.

    You've got pretty pathways for your walks, and that makes getting out there easier. Right now, we're under several inches of snow, and our temperatures are near zero with wind chills figured in. I'll not be outside on my walks until some of that clears out, but until then, I can shovel a bit and fill the bird feeders.

    Love your cute tree ornament. I don't crochet, but I do knit. Stop by again in the New Year.

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  10. I must say I love your flowery wellies! Such a happy sight in an English winter. You do have the loveliest walks "right smack in suburbia". I have pretty walks, too, right smack in the country. =) Your crochet pretties are sweet and love the blanket you are crocheting. 'Tis probably a good thing you cannot visit cafes, if you are watching what you eat. Well done you for the fabulous progress you are making. So happy your visited my little place because that means I can now visit you.

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  11. Well, hello! It is good to see you again. I hope you got your crochet hook (and that your feet are not killing you, 9 miles!).

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  12. Good job you wrote on my blog as I hadn't realised you were back! Nice to see you again.

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Thankyou so much for visiting, and for taking the time to leave me a comment :) I really really love getting little messages, I read and value every single one, so thankyou again, and have a great day :)
Jillxxxxx