Thursday 3 December 2015

Books, books and more books


Joining in with the Year in Books.  This is my book for December.  I last read this when I was doing my exams at school.  In fact it was the book that made me fall in love with the classics of Jane Austen.  I have read most of Jane Austen's novels and enjoyed them all.

It has been a while since I really blogged about a book that I have read/been reading so I thought it was about time I did, sometimes other things just get in the way or I am just too tired to read - especially as most of my reading is done in bed just before falling asleep.  I have really been enjoying joining in with Laura (http://circleofpinetrees.com/year-books/ ) for 2015 and plan to join in again next year.  I may not have joined in every month but it is the sort of thing you can dip in and out of.  Also once a month we have a chat about books over on Twitter (https://twitter.com/hashtag/theyearinbooks?src=hash) and have added to my want to read list so much.



Wednesday 25 November 2015

Autumn


Not long now and we will be talking about winter.  The leaves have fallen off the trees.  We have  had a few frosts.  I do like this time of year, well parts of it.  I love it when the leaves are changing colour.  I love the sunrises and the sunsets.  I think the majority of my recent pictures on instagram have been pictures of sunrise or sunset.  They are so beautiful.

In home life change is also happening.  We are reconsidering a different school for little one, he is not happy or are we.  He relaxes Friday night but then by Sunday he is very anxious again.  Not good for one so young (he is 6).   I  told school about 2 weeks ago that I would not be able to do casual supply as of January and I am going to start persuing my creative side - I think I need this break as well.

Roll on the Christmas Holidays when we can all relax a bit and enjoy spending time together.

Monday 26 October 2015

So long


I can't believe it has been so long since I last wrote on here.  It is not that I have been that busy, well no more than usual.  I just have not been sure what to write.

Recently I have been doing a bit of cycling and it has been lovely to venture a little bit further than I would on 2 feet.  On Saturday a friend persuaded me to go out with the local cycle club (all very serious), it did mean getting up really early - 6.30am early!  Something I am not accustomed to at the weekend.  It was a lovely cycle despite the rain but I think I need to get in some more practice with big hills before I go again.  I have also made the decision to try and get my running back on track rather than being very ad hoc as it has been recently.  I need to set aside some time each week when I know I will go for a run.  I would like to try and alternate a cycle and a run if I can.  I am hoping that once I have got this under my belt I can then get back into doing some races.  Mind you perhaps I ought to book the races to provide me with the impetus to get out.  Oh well, here goes, let's give it a go.


Tuesday 8 September 2015

Filling my time


Joshua has now gone back to school and seems to so far has settled in well in his new class and likes his new teacher.  Phew!

So now I am at home by myself during the school hours and filling the hours seems to be no problem. I am hoping to get back to doing a little more exercise each day as well as the usual bits of housework and maybe the odd bit of knitting.   So far I have cycled and done some running and it feels good.  The endorphins from exercise make you feel so good.

But I do miss the constant background chatter of the little one and look forward to picking him up each day and spending some quality time together after school and before bedtime.


Tuesday 1 September 2015

September


All too soon the summer holidays are gone and we are back to the school routine.  We actually still have one more day holiday but that will be gone soon too.

At the start of the holiday I was thinking what are we going to do for 6+ weeks but the days have been filled with lots of things to keep us busy.

I shall miss having Joshua around with the constant background chatter, the cuddles, the tantrums!! (And yes we still sometimes have those even though we are six years old.)    Oh well I shall just have to remind myself of the things we have done over the holidays and look forward to the time we have between coming home from school and bedtime.

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Holiday


 On holiday we went climbing/ walking in the mountains.  We had amazing weather to climb both of the mountains that we wanted to .  (Views climbing up towards the summit of Snowdon)


The views from the top were amazing.


Looking back up after climbing to the summit.


Mountain number 2.  Again good weather and amazing views.  It is not always like this in Wales.


Little one likes to climb.


We did also go to the beach.  Skimming stones lesson.  Not sure we really got the idea.  Most of the stones that were thrown went high in the air.


And we did some castle visiting and walked on the town walls.


And visited waterfalls.

We had a fabulous time in North Wales and squeezed a lot in in a week.  The weather was mixed - the week started off sunny and warm but we also had rain but it wasn't such that it stopped us doing what we wanted to do.

Now back home thoughts have started to turn towards the new school term starting and with all that entails.  The buying of school uniform and shoes.


Wednesday 29 July 2015

Shaun the Sheep Hunting



Last summer we hunted for Gromit around the city of Bristol, this year we have been looking for Shaun the Sheep.  Each one has been sponsored by a company and decorated by various artists.  They are all great.  The advantage this year is that they have broken it into several trails, so we have been doing one trail a week.   Sometimes they are easy to find, sometimes hard.  Yesterday we decided to do the ones that are near the waterfront in Bristol and do it the other way round from lots of others.


We rounded off our hunt with a lovely coffee (for me) and cake and juice for J at the Arnolfini cafe. it is so long since I have been there.  What a lovely cafe.  Need to look in the shop for longer but J does not really do shopping so once he goes back to school I think I shall visit again.                            


Wednesday 22 July 2015

Summer Holidays



Summer holidays - a time to slow down and do things we don't normally have time to do.   We have been for lots of walks with the dog in the fields to throw his frisbee.  So far the weather has been a bit mixed with showers but also sunshine as well.

We still have several things to look forward to camping trips (this weekend) with family and holiday to North Wales.

Last night we had one very excited little boy when the combine harvester and the bailer were in the fields behind our house. Of course, we had to go out and watch them working.  And then this morning we got up to find that there was a tractor with a bale fork putting the bales onto a trailer to take to the barns where they store them until needed.   Oh the joys of having the countryside on our door step.


Wednesday 17 June 2015

Holidays!!!


Roll on the holidays, we are all tired and tempers are frayed especially at bed time.  Little one is struggling and really just wants to stay at home rather than be going to school.  Four more weeks left! But 4 weeks of unsettled days at school with things being out of the usual routine, visits to new class, new teacher and also mixing up of the 2 classes.  (Very unsettling for a child who loves routine, stability and knowing what is happening)  So looking forward to not having to get up early for six whole weeks and to spend lots of time outside whatever the weather.  Camping weekends are planned, a week's holiday booked and even camping in the garden.  I think lots of unstructured play in the garden as well and trips to the park.  And lots of time together.

Can't wait !!!!!

Friday 12 June 2015

Summer at last?


Quite a few times this year it has seemed like summer and then all of a sudden the weather has changed.  This week has been so nice weather-wise.  It has been warmer, even warm enough not to have to wear a cardigan or sweater.

It has also been a busy week with Sports day at school (for little one) and various trips/walks around the local area with those that I work with at school.  Thankfully the weather has been kind to us and we have had fun.




Tuesday 26 May 2015

The year in books


I have been thinking for ages that it is a while since I talked about the book I am reading at the moment.  I have been joining Laura from http://circleofpinetrees.com/ over on twitter to talk about what we are reading, like to read, used to read. etc.  It is a great place to pick up ideas of what to read next.  I seem to add to my want to read list every time we talk (once a month - the last Monday of the month).

This month or should I say half month as I have only just started it I have been reading 'All the light we cannot see' by Anthony Doerr.  It is set in France and Germany around the time of the second world war and the two main characters are a blind girl who lives in France with her father who is a locksmith and musuem curator and a boy who lives in a childrens home in Germany with his sister and is of interest to the Nazis when they realise he is good with electronics and radios.  Their paths collide in occupied France and the book goes on from here but I don't want to say too much to spoil the story for those that want to read it.  It is not the usual war story but is very well written.  Maybe I will write another post once I have finished the book.

Wednesday 29 April 2015

Bank Holiday weekend


Is the weather going to be kind to us?

I have an extra day off school and Joshua too.  He so needs it,  he has been so grumpy lately and can't explain why.  It may just be tiredness.  He is fine at weekends but during the week is a nightmare to put to bed what ever the time.  I don't know if he is just tired or just wants more of my attention and finds the way to do it by being naughty at bedtime.   It is so hard, it never used to be like this.  He used to be such an easy going child.  I think he spends time in school being good that when he gets home it is hard to keep it up and he just has to let it go.

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Beginnings


 This is a very timely post title this week as I have just started a new, temporary post at the school that Joshua attends.  So far I have done my allotted hours this week and there are parts that I really like and parts that I am still unsure about. (But I am going to work on those. )  The job is only until the summer at the moment.

Thinking of other beginnings before writing this post I came up with the fact it is the beginning of a new term at school and all the tiredness and grumps that brings in this household.

I also started thinking about the beginnings of so many knitting projects I would love to start but really need to get what I am making off my needles before casting anything else on.  I really don't want to get back into the habit of having projects that just languish about.

Also this time of year is good for thinking about new beginnings with plants and trees starting to blossom and bloom and a bit more colour coming into everything.  When I took the dog for a walk this morning before school the blossom on the trees in the fields is amazing but I forgot to take the camera with me so I am going to have to remember to take it with me tomorrow.

Thursday 9 April 2015

Beautiful Weather


This week we have been spending a lot of time outside, doing some gardening, playing, having coffee and lunch and of course knitting.  I'm sure I should have been doing something else but why not spend some time doing what I love to do and making the most of the weather by being outside in it.





(Just in case you are wondering what I am knitting it is Kate Davies' Catkin - but I am doing a shorter version knitted in Baa Ram Ewe's Titus yarn - not really the right time of the year to knit this but it will hopefully be useful in the evening if we go camping this summer or for colder autumn evenings.  I promised myself at the start of the year I would only have one thing on my needles at a time so this is it until it is finished.  I have various ideas about what to make next but that will be for another post soon I hope. )



Monday 6 April 2015

Love your blog challenge - Interactions and Community

I have decided to join along on the Love your blog challenge in the hope that I may fall back in love with my blog and not feel that my life is too boring and no one would want to read it.   So I have joined in with Kate over on her blog 'A playful day' and lots of other bloggers who read her blog.

Whan thinking about the first challenge of Interactions and Community I first thought I am not entirely sure what this really means to me but as I thought about it more there are so many communities we can be part of  and there are so many interactions that go on in those communities.
A big part of my life is my knitting and so Ravelry is such a big part of it - from getting inspiration for garments I want to make to getting help with knitting problems and meeting others albeit online.   Also this has led me to go to a knitting night and again interaction with others have been a big part and friendships have been made especially as knitting can seem quite a solitary hobby.


(I leave you with this picture above which was taken today, Easter Monday while walking the dog in the fields around our house, our local community where we interact with other dog owners and walkers while enjoying the scenery and surroundings).

Saturday 4 April 2015

Crafting Mojo





The last few weeks I felt that I had lost my crafting mojo but after finding the blog wtitten by Lapinblu (www.Lapinblu.com) in which she made these cute rabbits I knew I had to make them I love making things with pompoms  and as it is Easter decided we needed some Easter bunting.  I actually made 3 rabbits but Joshua has one on the wall above his bed as once I had made the first one asked if I could do him one.  Lets hope the crafting mojo has returned as I have missed it.

Thursday 26 February 2015

A year in books


Sorry terrible picture but wanted to post before the end of February.  For my February book I read The Miniaturist.  It is an excellent book but I was a bit disappointed.  I don't want to say too much about it as others have chosen this as their next book to read.

For my next book I am going to read Miss Carter's War by Sheila Hancock.  It looks quite a good read and this month I decided to go back to a good old paper copy book rather than reading on my kindle to try and persuade our little on to read a bit more.   I shall let you know how it goes.


Saturday 3 January 2015

2015




2015 - Well I wonder what it will bring.

2014 was a good year in some ways, hard at times and busy as usual.

What would I like for 2015.  I would like to occasionally slow down a bit, spend time together doing lots more fun things, simplify our lives a little bit more.   I think that might be enough to start with, maybe as the year goes on and we accomplish some of this we can add things to it but I don't want to start the year bogging it down with lots of things I know probably won't be accomplished.  I want to start small.

I would also like to think I will blog more but again I don't want to put pressure on myself to do so.  I am trying to make things easier on myself so I can spend more time with those who I love.