I’m still in shock. Despite the slight claustophobia that has always in the past made me panic at the mere thought of diving below the ocean’s waves, with the help of a very patient and sympathetic dive instructor I managed my first ever dive yesterday.

Luckily I had no idea of how deep we were and just thought about breathing and yoga and meditation and watching the fish go by ….and not about how far under water I was…

It was really rather extraordinary – and by the reaction of my family you’d think I had walked on the moon. I’ve clearly never made them so proud before.

Mmmmm….might try this again sometime…It’s actually rather amazing down there!

Helen

After a couple of non-blogging days I had hoped to have more to show you than one inch of sock knitting. I’m away on my hols and between exhaustion, a terribly slow internet connection and spending time at the bar drinking gin and tonics with friends, I’ve achieved nothing much at all. I had forgotten that being away with friends inevitably leads to much more socializing time and much less doing anything else time. . I’d intended to get down to my knitting on the plane, but the experiment with the baldrian drops knocked me out before I knew what was happening. (I even missed dinner and failed to notice my 13 year old son was watching unsuitable movies and drinking industrial quantities of coke even though he was sitting right next to me, to give you an idea of how completely zonked out I was! That stuff really works though if you want a herbal alternative to sleeping pills!).

So….back to the knitting…

I brought the most gorgeous yarn I own with me. It’s Sock Hop Yarn from Crown Mountain Farms. SERIOUSLY DIVINE. I already have two pairs of socks from this yarn and once I have them on my feet I don’t want to take them off for anything (not even diamonds or sushi). Which is good really, because they are also probably the most expensive socks known to mankind. We’re talking gold dust here folks. But IMHO they are so seriously worth every penny.

I’m making a basic plain vanilla sock and kind of winging it as I go along. This yarn would be totally wasted on a patterned sock. It needs to be enjoyed in its own simple glory…a sensation in stocking stitch. It’s also really nice to make something where I don’t need to engage my brain very much.

I had to smile when I saw that the colour is Aqualung – which seems sort of appropriate for the non-diver in the family…it’s my contribution to a diving vacation….

And now I need to knit!
Helen

PS I apologise to anyone who has commented recently and hasn’t had a response from me – my connection is more than patchy and sending out emails seems to be a bit tricky. I will get back to you, but it may take a little while!

Getting up while it is still pitch black outside and watching the glorious sunrise with the mountains silhouetted infront of them is one of the things I love about this time of year. The sunsets this time of year are pretty good too, but I don’t have such a good view of them and sunset time is generally chaos time at my house.

I love the slight bite in the air in the evenings in the autumn, which make me glad to get in the house, lock the door and switch the light on. I love that we can start eating hearty soups and casseroles again, with baked potatoes done in the AGA and fruit crumbles for dessert. I really love warm flannel pajamas and hand-knitted socks and snuggling down in bed in an ever so slightly chilly bedroom, but swathed in a snuggly duvet and plenty of quilts. I love hot baths.

As I get older I have learned to recognize the signs. I don’t like going out on cold dark evenings, and I’ve got brave enough to say so…so no sewing classes through the winter, no meetings, no extra social events unless they are special enough to make me really want to go. I guess I’ve finally learned to listen to myself and say no. And to wallow in hunkering down in the warmth and cosiness that is home.

I love my home. Being content in your own home ranks right up there in the list of things that make us happy if you ask me! Tonight I’m going to be particularly happy – Strictly is starting up again. You will find me with my feet up, a nice glass of wine and my Color Affection scarf (otherwise known as the never-ending knitting project) infront of the telly. And I will be in a supremely good mood!

Helen

Thanks for all your comments yesterday about what to do with my June Bug blocks. At the moment I’m going to do what Leanne suggested and put them to one side to do something I love….

I know, I know, it’s a cop out, but I really still don’t know what I want to do and I’m certainly not feeling the love, so I guess I can just leave them in a box under the bookcase until inspiration strikes…or doesn’t…

I’m absolutely not going to feel guilty on this one….!

The cooler weather has had me pulling out my yarn stash. I feel a little knitting coming on. I’ve only managed six pairs of socks this year so far and I’m supposed to be knitting 12, so I’m 3 pairs down and I guess I’d better remedy that in the near future. I love knitting socks. Especially when it’s cold outside. It makes me feel like a good old-fashioned earth mother type!!

All the knitting I’ve done this year has really made a difference to the stash. This is it! Amazing huh! Two not very big and not very deep baskets. I’m polishing my halo…..

Now what should it be? Yellow would be nice, or the scrummy greeny/bluey yarn I bought last month? I’m almost finished a scarf and a cardigan too. I guess I could get them done and then my minus in the yarn stash spreadsheet would be even bigger….and my halo even shinier….

Yummy. I love yarn.

On a another happy note, I am not going senile. I have found the id cards. Well they found me really. Yesterday I was putting my shoes on to go to the police station to report them as lost, when I suddenly thought I should take my passport to prove who I was. And there nestled in the passport were, you’ve guessed it, the id cards. Now the passport box is where the id cards normally live and was, as you can imagine, the first place I looked. Somehow they had slipped into my passport, not my husband’s mind you, or one of the kids’, but mine….If they had been in anyone else’s I wouldn’t have found them…..

So no embarrassing conversations with a Swiss policeman or thoughts that I might be going doolally ….I am a sensible organized woman after all.

Phew, what a relief!

Helen

In my continued half-square triangle avoidance campaign,  this morning I pulled out this UFO project…..it’s June Bug by Thimble Blossoms and the fabric is an older Kate Spain line.

I really can’t say I’m feeling the love. Do I want this on my wall? Nope? On my bed? Nope?

It seems a shame to give up on it all together, so I’ve been playing with the blocks on the floor. I’m thinking maybe a table runner? Nice autumnalish colors? It would go reasonably well in my dining room/kitchen…

How about this?

Too big. There would be no room left on the table.

or this?

Now this might work. What do you think? Is it blah? Or would it do? You can be honest, I have broad shoulders….

Maybe a table runner and then I could use the left over blocks to make some place mats…which is something I’ve been meaning to do for ages….although they would clash really really badly with my Portmerion plates (please tell me why I didn’t just buy white plates when I had the chance? They would have made life so much easier! There’s no hope of even eventually breaking the Portmerion and staring again either, as being a sensible mother of three I bought industrial quantities….)

Or do any of you ingenious ladies out there have an amazing suggestion as to what to do with this little lot?

Helen