My Big Fat Greek Cushion!

Since I last posted, I have had the most wonderful holiday in Greece. I have been to the same place 7 times now, and have got to know many of the people in the village, which is so lovely, It is like going to visit my Greek family every time I return.

The view from the hotel is sensational - across the ocean to Zante on one side and mountains on the other.

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The colours of Greece are just wonderful -  so many shades of blue.....

 ...and of course the sensation yellows of sunshine

Before I left home, I made sure I packed all the essentials!!! I wanted to use the colours of Greece to make some bunting, but eventually decided that a good project for my holiday would be to attempt, for the first time, a round cushion..

So at siesta time every day, I couldn't wait to pick up my hook and create!!! However, it all went a bit wibbly!

For some reason I thought if I carried on it would right itself........wrong!!! In fact it got worse and worse. So eventually I stopped and made some bunting and beer mats. That was real therapy as it turned out as it should!

When I got home, I didn't really know what to do with my wibbly wobbly cushion cover front, then decided the only thing to do was to remove the green edging (which represented olive trees) and make a back to match, which I did. It was still wildly wavy! So today I blocked it, but didn't do an amazing job - I need a proper foam mat and blocking pins really.

Anyway, popped out and bought a 14" cushion pad (even though the case was only 12"), came home, popped it in and sewed it up.

Here is the end result......my Big Fat Greek Cushion, TAAA DAHHHHH!!!

Hardly perfect, and more octagonal than round, but I am still rather pleased with it as in the cold chill of winter, it will certainly bring the essence of Greek sunshine into my world!

Over

Well, tomorrow is my last morning watering at the garden centre until March, so I thought I had better let you know that at 10am tomorrow, summer 2013 is officially over!  I will really miss arriving at work at stupid o'clock, as I would never usually get up so early, but just look at what is waiting to greet me......

I have Robbie the robin who chats with me every morning and follows me round while I water! Oooooh - and just look at the amazing view I have while I am working....

..

I am truly sad the season has ended, but hasn't it been great?  A proper summer - I know we waited a long time for it, but oh, worth every minute! The gentle warmth of the early mornings, promising heavenly blue skies and hot sunshine by midday, then winding down into comforting, balmy evenings under star studded midnight blue skies. Mmmmmmmm, heavenly!

All too soon it will be chilly mornings, heavy dew on the cobwebs, golden leaves and the delicious smell of distant bonfire smoke, swiftly followed by short days, cozy fires and regular visits from Jack frost.

Then the early snowdrops valiantly defying snow, rain and winds.........daffodils........ Spring.......and back to watering again...... !!!

A hooky first!

Wooooo hoooooo!!!!! I am soooo excited! After several months, I have just finished crocheting the last of 168 granny squares for my very first proper delicious hooky blanket! It is simply amazing how working with such gorgeous colours lifts the soul!

Working on the final few squares:

The whole 168 granny squares just waiting for the ends to be weaved in, then I can join them all together:

Originally I thought that 10 squares x 12 rows (a total of 120 squares) would be a perfect size, but soon realised that would be a bit on the mean side, and to be a decent snuggly sofa blanket,  I needed to make it at least 12 x 14. Amazingly that small increase needed an additional 48 squares!

When all the granny squares have been joined together, I am going to add a border, which I have never attempted before. I think I will go for quite a simple one this time, and although I have been researching various ways to do it, am feeling less than confident! I think that as the squares look so good, I am worrying about ruining the blanket at the last hurdle!

Anyway, all being well, I am hoping to get my 'Very First Proper Delicious Hooky Blanket' finished in the next couple of months. As soon as I do, I will post my very first official 'Whooooo Hoooooo Moment'!!!!

Watch this space my lovelies! xxxxxxx

Happy happy joy joy!

Ooooooh! I am soooo pleased with this lovely colour filled granny heart bunting! It has taken me a week or two to complete, but crocheting with these deliciously yummy colours has really lifted my spirits. In fact, the amount of energy and happiness I got from hooking these hearts in such lovely colours was just extraordinary.

I got the pattern from the very talented Bunny Mummy, although I did make it slightly differently (wrong actually!) as the patterns are written in US terms, and I made a mistake with the UK double treble, adding in an extra stitch! Oh well, it didn't seem to matter!

I do need to give it a bit of a iron, but I was so keen to see it up that I got a bit carried away. Not like me!!!

Crochet bunting and more....

Well, at last I seen to have more or less got the hang of this crochet thing, although I haven't yet finished my russian dolls - I have made all 4 but seem to have lost one of the faces! I think the embroidering of the eyes and mouth is putting me off a little, but that's the beauty of crochet - I can have several projects on the go, and pick them up as and when I am in the mood for them.

I have been particularly enthusiastic on the bunting making front, deciding that as I have Irish ancestors from the early 1800s, it would be just churlish not to celebrate St Patrick's day in an appropriate crochety way! I am rather pleased with it, and it didn't take too long. The fact that I made it at 2am in bed, is neither here nor there!

..and in it's St Patrick's day position, along with some heart bunting. I liked the hearts so much that I just couldn't take them down!

 My next project was to attempt a daffodil, following a pattern written by the lovely Lucy on her blog attic 24.  To be honest, I thought it was a little beyond my capabilities, so I was more than a little delighted at the result!

And finally, last night I finished my first Christmas decoration of the year ....I know, it's a bit early, but sooooo pleased with it! I just hope I get the enthusiasm to make some more before December, as it did take me a stupidly long time to complete.

Hope you like these and perhaps get inspired to do some hookying yourselves! Thank you for looking!

♥ ♥ ♥

A happy hooky holiday!

What a wonderful surprise I had the other day! It was a spectacularly warm and sunny day, and I returned from work with the intention of having a less freezing/wet/windy/foggy walk than usual with my lovely dog. I must admit walking the dog every day has been somewhat of a challenge this winter as the weather has been simply awful, but she enjoys it so much, and I always feel so good when I get home....anyway, I digress!

I got in to a message from my darling daughter - she had popped up to Wowo campsite at a farm near the Bluebell Railway, to stay in a shepherd's hut, and asked if I would like to join her. Well, having made pies for 6 hours, and looking forward to my 'weekend' -  a couple of days of nothing, I had to think about it. For a millisecond!! So, around two hours later, the dog was walked, I had asked my neighbour to look after her and my chickens for a day or two, I was packed and winging my way to another adventure.

Packing was....well....different! My major decision wasn't what clothes to take (none - just what I was wearing plus undies and socks!) but what colour wools to pack! A relaxing couple of hours crocheting was definitely on the agenda, and I couldn't seem to make my mind up what I would make. I am halfway through making a set of Russian dolls, but thought something a little simpler would be better, so packed lots of reds and pinks to make roses for a summery flowery wreath I have in mind. Plus, I couldn't resist it -I took my half made Russian dolls!

I may re-make the second one as it looks a bit teeny...I will see how I feel when all four are done.

I arrived at my destination, and although it had been 8 months since we stayed in the shepherd's hut, it felt like I had never left it! We decided to have a meal in a local pub, then came back and wiled away the evening relaxing and basking in the warmth of the log burner, and even managed to crochet a few teeny flowers for the spring tree, by candlelight.

In the morning when I woke, I was greeted with a freshly cooked bacon and egg sandwich brekky, and we ate outside by the stream. Astonishing to think of the howling gales and driving rain we had encountered here last June - it was really mild and the sky was so blue - and it's only February!

We found a sunny spot in the field, and took our wool with us and set up for a day finishing the crocheted twigs. We had been given a wide necked bottle for the display at the pub the previous night, and my daughter made a little cover for it, which looked very cute.  The day was completely idyllic, and the time flew past. Before we knew it, the sun was going down and it was getting chilly again.

So we returned to the warmth of our little hut, and apart from a quick dash to the compost loo, we were toasty warm again! In the evening, we popped out for a delicious takeway curry, then sadly, after a lovely evening, tucked up in bed for our final sleep in the hut. We did have our lovely twigs to enjoy for the evening though.

The next morning we left to return home, but gave our flowers to the lovely lady who runs the campsite. They were always intended for her, but we enjoyed both the making and looking at them too for a while! 

Bye for now Wowo, bye shepherd's hut, bye sunshine, bye stream, bye twigs.

Bye compost loo!!!

We'll be back xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A very strange day indeed!

Life has been somewhat full on over the last couple of weeks, culminating in an extremely challenging evening last night, so this morning, when I woke up, I decided  to cheer myself up by treating myself to a couple more chickens. Now most of my 6 chickens are rescues of some sort, either end of lay free range girls, or ex battery hens. They are also all knocking on a bit, and as most of my chooks seem to be heading for the 'henopause'  egg laying has become a rather hit and miss affair recently!

Firstly I had to decide whether to go to a poultry seller with many different varieties of chickens (mmm - tempting!) or whether to go locally for the much cheaper option. I decided to discuss it with my daughter, but it was a bit early, so thought I would wait an hour or two. So I walked the dog and popped into the farm shop over the road for some veg. I was 11p short, but as I work in their garden centre during the summer and they know me, they said I could drop it in later.

I contacted my daughter to see if she would come chicken buying with me, and we opted for the local option, and she and her partner picked me up. They wanted to visit the farm shop on the way, and I said I wanted to pay the  owed 11p so went in with them. That was when it all went a bit weird!

I came out with a new part time job. As a pie maker.

Hahahahahahahaha! How random was that?

We than went to buy the chickens, which I was treated to, and so I would like to introduce you to them. Meet Pudding and Pie!

What a strange day this has been. I have to keep reminding myself I am now a pie maker!!!

Getting to Hampton Court flower show

A  friend treated me to a ticket to Hampton Court flower show this week - and as always, the day was eventful! How we manage it, I have no idea, but every single time we go out, something happens!

The plan was that we travelled by train - she would leave from Brighton, and I would pick up the same train a couple of stops on. Simples. Or so you would think!!

I got up early, cleaned the chooks out, walked the dog, showered, changed (what do you wear in this changeable weather?) and drove to the station. Luckily I managed to park, which meant I was rather early, but already I could feel the excitement of a rare day out beginning to kick in! I was there, it was almost 10am, and the train would be there at 10.34. Perfick. 

Having already purchased a ticket, I managed to negotiate the new automated barriers and arrived safely on the platform. Then there was an automated announcement over the tannoy something like  "STOP VANDALISING THIS STATION....SECURITY IS ON IT'S WAY" and the maintenance men who were employed to take down advertising boards and put up new ones just yelled a few choice comments back at the speakers!

I wandered back off the platform to find a coffee, which was in a little van outside the station, but decided that at that price, I would leave it and grab one later, maybe on the train. I returned to the platform to see maintenance replacing a broken bin liner holder. They had to snip off a large plastic tie, which I noticed they threw on the floor, rather than in a bin!

Then one of the earlier trains was cancelled....and another....and then one came backwards through the station........things obviously were not quite right! Never mind.... my train is ok. Then my phone rang. My friend said she was on the train, which was still in Brighton station and it was absolutely packed. Their driver said there had been a breakdown at our station.

So another announcement at my end: " I AM SORRY TO REPORT THAT THE 10.34 TO LONDON VICTORIA HAS BEEN DELAYED. APPARENTLY THIS IS DUE TO A BREAKDOWN ON OUR STATION, BUT I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING, CAN YOU?"  Ha ha ha - that was funny.

Anyway, time went on and a train going in the wrong direction stopped at out platform, which was a bit odd! I decided to get a coffee from the van, but apparently they had no water!!!  There were a few tense people on the platform and the most helpful staff member trying to sort it all and giving out compensation forms, despite being almost completely devoid of any information from Brighton. So I managed to tell them (via info from my friend) where the train had actually broken down. My friend kept in touch, and eventually, about 40 mins later, said she was on her way. I told the station man and a few other people not in earshot, and there was another announcement:

" WE ARE SORRY FOR THE DELAY TO THE 10.34 TO VICTORIA, BUT THERE IS A LADY ON THE PLATFORM WHO HAS A FRIEND ON THAT TRAIN, AND APPARENTLY THEY ARE NOW ON THEIR WAY"  Ha ha ha !!!!! That really made me giggle.

We had arranged that when the train pulled in, she would wave out of the window, but I knew the train was packed and I also knew from previous experience where the train would stop, so........the train pulled in.....no sight of her so on I jumped! The phone rang and I told her I was on, so I battled through the heaving carriages, past the coffee trolley...until all of a sudden I saw all these people waving at me and calling out my name!!! Ha ha ha! What a welcome! Hilarious!  Not only had my friend been relaying the story to the people she was delayed with in her carriage, but also some passengers from my station had got on directly into her carriage and knew what was going on and told her where I was!!!! Ha ha ha! We had such a great journey, with some incredibly entertaining people, but because of the delays the train ended at Croydon, and my goodness, there were literally hundreds of people trying to get on the  train to Clapham Junction. I had to suck my tummy in to get on and many were left behind!

Once at the Junction, and getting on the sedate and empty Hampton Court train, peace and sanity reigned supreme.

So a little delayed, but perfectly happy, we travelled onwards to the flower show........

(to be continued in a new post!)

My day off

Well, today is my one day off this week and I wanted to do something really lovely. What I really wanted was to be whisked off to Paris for a champagne lunch, but that clearly wasn't about to happen.

I did have a bit of a lie in this morning, until 9ish. That was nice as I was awake, so really able to enjoy just admiring the wonderful views from my loft bedroom windows and daydreaming, rather than having to be up and about early cleaning the chickens, feeding the dog etc before work.

So, after I surfaced, I thought before I did anything, I would check on my dog-walking phone. This is my old flip up mobile which I replaced before Christmas with an all singing, all dancing, oh so very easily breakable touchscreen beauty. I didn't want to take it out on dog walks in case I fell over and broke it (I have fallen several times!), so had the genius idea to get a pay and go sim for my solid as a rock old phone, and take it with me in case of an emergency.

Well, that was all well and good in theory, but the problem was I kept forgetting to take it out with me. Also, if I was wearing leggings, not jeans, I often had no pockets, the end result of which was that I only ever took it out on a couple of occasions, the last of which was the day before yesterday. I forgot it was in my jeans and put them and the phone through a 30 degree washing cycle. My phone was now very clean and smelling of summer meadows, but sadly, no longer working.


My ever patient neighbour very kindly took the phone to bits for me yesterday and I had it drying out in my loft bedroom, as it is warm up there. So, when I got up this morning and saw the screen had dried out, I put it all back together....nothing. Plugged the charger in.....nothing. Luckily I have another spare phone somewhere, so decided to charge that to see if the sim was still working. I was looking for the phone under the stairs, when I came across my penguin steamer and remembered that the freezer needed defrosting, so for some obscure reason got completely diverted and started emptying the freezer. By the time I had finished defrosting it, walked the dog and hoovered right through the house, most of the day had gone, and I still haven't found the spare phone!


Oh well. Change of plan. It will have to be a champagne supper in Paris instead!











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Our traditional village fête

What a hectic weekend! Worked yesterday morning, then rushed back home to walk the dog and ice some cupcakes for the village fête, which was starting at 2pm. Knowing I would be short of time on Friday and Saturday morning, I had baked the cakes on Thursday evening, and they turned out really well. Mind you, what a palaver - I can only make 6 cakes at a time and only have 2 tins, so when one tin comes out, I have to run it under cold water until it is cold, before drying and refilling it. I did this 5 times!

The reason for the limited capacity is because my Rayburn caught fire on Easter Sunday, and needs servicing. They couldn't come until June, and I was going to put it out anyway this year June-ish, to try to save a bit of money on oil. So I thought I would wait until September (mind you - didn't bargain on the weather being so awful!) Anyway, as I have  no other cooker, I have to cook them in my combi microwave, which has proved absolutely invaluable.

So back to the icing - all went well and I used up a few bits left over from the Jubilee tea.

It was a bit of a rush but got to the fête just on time, took the cakes to the food stall and when I opened the tin, they looked so delicious, I had to buy one. Ha ha ha - I'm sure that wasn't the idea!

There was lots going on aside from the cake stall, there was a plant stall, bric a brac, book stall, charity stall, raffle, tombola, cream teas, bat the rat, a golf game, apple bobbing, balloon modelling, puppet show, golfing game and one where you have to throw a £1 at a bottle of champagne, and the nearest person, wins it. Sadly, I didn't even get mine on the 4ft square board that the bottle was standing on!

Such a very British thing, the village fête. Ours has changed very little since I first attended 35 years ago. One of the nicest things about it is the maypole dancing. This year there was a display which went brilliantly. The dancers all hold a ribbon and weave in and out of each other, creating a lovely pattern of criss crossed ribbon down the pole. Then, it's all change in the other direction, and amazingly, the ribbons were back to their starting position. Last year they got terribly muddled up, and everyone had to let go of the ribbons so they could be untangled!

As you can see, everyone had a fun afternoon, and luckily, the weather managed to stay dry all the way through. So many people put such a lot of work into it so hopefully a lot of money will have been raised.

Last of the summer wine...and beer....

A few of us went up onto the hill to celebrate the summer solstice last night - 5 of us in fact this year. Wandering down the lane carrying coats and quite heavy bags containing everything except the kitchen sink in the warm early evening sunshine, it occurred to me we looked just like a scene out of  'Last of the summer wine'. Coming to think of it, it was only a couple of weeks ago that a friend described my home as like 'Auntie Wainwright's' - I can see a common theme developing here!

We walked through the farm and started up the hill, before we stopped to wait for a latecomer who we could see in the distance. I think everyone was grateful for the rest, as there was certainly a lot of huffing and puffing going on!

We all got going again and proceeded to climb the hill, which was steep in places, collecting a little kindling on the way. When we found a suitable place, we spread out our various blankets, lit the BBQ and enjoyed a balmy evening watching the sun go down, and enjoying the most fabulous views, with food, wine, beer and friends. Oh yes, and glowworms!

I had never seen a glowworm before and was completely entranced by them. Apparently, they go out when they have found a mate. Actually, having just written that, in the cold light of day I am not sure how true that is, although it seemed perfectly plausible last night after half a bottle of wine!

11.09pm was the exact time we had been waiting for, after which we packed everything up and proceeded back down the hill in the pitch black. We did have torches though, but it still wasn't easy. At least I didn't fall into a bush like I did last year!

Got home to bed tired, but happy.

The nights are now drawing in . It will soon be Christmas. EEEEEK!

Numpty Dumpty!

Had a bit of an accident prone few days really!

Firstly, a friend took me out for a drink and a meal at the pub where my son works. It was an absolutely glorious day and a stunning setting, so we sat in the garden . The chef wasn't due in for an hour and a half, so we were quite happy, sitting in the warm sunshine, chatting and sipping!

Well, when it was time to order, we decided to go and look at the 'specials' board inside, and as I got up I managed to trip over a small wall, scraping and grazing my leg and shin! Duh....how embarrassing, having first aid in the bar (good job my son had gone home by then!!!). I hadn't even had much to drink either!

Then the next morning, was out for a walk with Bailey and a tree had blown down across the path we take. I did my usual 'grab a large handful of ivy to pull myself over with' routine, but it snapped, and I fell backwards over the tree, scraping and grazing the back of my other leg! At least I now know what Bailey would do if I had a serious fall while out walking her. She would jump all over me. Hahahahahahaha!

So today went to work with the front of one leg and the back of the other grazed! Not a good look really.

Then this afternoon picked my little grandaughter up from school and took her to her ballet class. As we turned into the lane, we were behind another car, which  reversed into the entrance of the dance school car park. As I continued down the road to park, BANG! Her car rolled forward into the side of my car! She wasn't thrilled as her bumper was smashed. Luckily, my car seems fine.

So that's three things. According to the rules, that's it then now, isn't it?

Eggy update

I popped the eggs and the 'eggs for sale' boards out again on Saturday before I went to work, but when I returned home, nothing. When I returned from taking Bailey out....nothing again. I was really beginning to wonder what I was doing wrong.

Then, a couple of hours later, I was looking out of the bedroom window....was it.?....had they??? YES!!! they had ALL gone!! Yippeeeeeeee! I know it is only a small thing, but it was £3 towards chicken food and bedding. Also I had sold a dozen to my lovely neighbour, so another £2, although, if I am totally honest, 'sold' is rather a misnomer, more like 'insisted'! Ha ha ha!

I still had a few surplus eggs, so decided to have a really good search for the egg boxes which I was sure I had secreted somewhere. Rummaging under the stairs I felt cardboard. Yes! Cardboard with egg holes! So I tugged, but the egg boxes tore in half, leaving the lids behind.

So, still on a high from the morning's success, I put another 2 lidless boxes (called 'trays' in the trade!) out for sale on the road.

An hour or so later, a friend was due to arrive to take me out for the afternoon as a belated birthday treat. I was convinced she wouldn't see my eggs and just drive into them, so moved them slightly for safety. She arrived and off we went for a brilliant afternoon out.

On our return home, one of the boxes was empty on the floor, no eggs anywhere. The other one had 3 broken eggs and 3 whole eggs left in it. Arrrghhh - very frustrating!!!  I have been trying to convince myself that as they were in only egg trays rather than covered boxes, it must have been crows, possibly as it is less upsetting than the idea of some idiots stealing and breaking my eggs. They take such a lot of both my chooks and my own efforts and I only ask £1 for 6 eggs, which is so reasonable anyway.

I had such a lovely time out with my friend, that I completely refuse to let this upset me too much or put me off selling eggs at the gate again when I have a surplus. Onwards and upwards!!

An eggy dilemma!

Isn't that typical? When the egg rack fell off the nail it is balanced on a few months back and smashed 2 dozen eggs, within minutes, someone had popped round wanting eggs!

Well, as absolutely no-one in the universe seems to want eggs at the moment, my chickens have gone into laying hyperdrive! I am getting 4-5 eggs a day from my coop of 6, mainly elderly chickens, which include  2 ex battery ladies, Wallace and Grommit, and 2 ex free range - Purple Myrtle and Nora. The other two - Jake and Ellwood, are skyline hybrids named after the blues brothers, as when I got them, they had an 80% chance of laying a blue/green egg. As it happens, I was very lucky as one laid olive and one sky blue eggs. Sadly the blue eggs keep getting broken at the moment as the shells are very thin due to their age.

Anyway, back on topic - the bottom line is that I have loads of eggs. So I decided to pop some by the road to sell like I did last year. Well, this led to several slight problems.

1) Where are the egg boxes?

2) Where are the 'Eggs for sale' signs?

3) Where is the egg money jam jar?

4) Where is the crate I used to put the eggs for sale in?

It has taken a couple of weeks of vague looking/thinking/deciding.....but today I really did all three. I thought I had too many eggs, then decided that 4 dozen eggs was really excessive for just me (I use perhaps 1 doz a month!), so I decided to properly look for all the missing items.

I found a broken blackboard, but am not convinced this is what I used last year. Anyway, I used a  black permanent marker on the back to say 'Fresh eggs' - that will do nicely!

What is more impressive was that I found the crate thing that I used for selling eggs last year, under the bed. Not only did I find that, but inside it was also the money jar and the 12 or so glasses with chickens on, which I mislaid months ago and have hunted for on several occasions. Yippeeee!!!

Although I only had 3 scrounged egg boxes to use, I popped them out at the roadside. The end result was that I was reasonably pleased with my little sales area but sadly, nothing sold today.

I am hoping the weekend will see some sales although I wish I could ask them to buy the eggs but leave the egg boxes!!!!

A wonderful walk on the South Downs with Bailey!

Summer has arrived at last! I am always thankful that I live in such a beautiful place, but today.....aaaaaahhh....today.......

I took Bailey, my very bouncy springer spaniel, out for her daily walk this morning. For several months now the mud has been horrendous and really dangerous, and I have had to restrict my walks somewhat, but today, for the first time in ages, I was able to walk right through the woods and over the top of the hill. This has to be the most breathtaking view in the universe - as I emerged over the ridge, to see miles along the South Downs and the little villages which nestle at the base.

In case you were wondering, I am certainly not the most fanatical of walkers or at all exercise orientated, but my goodness, what a fantastic morning I had! Bailey is always inspirational as she is so enthusiastic about everything.

Meet Bailey!

It was lovely to bring her home fairly clean for a change, and the weather looks settled for the rest of the week - hooray!!! 

Herman

A couple of weeks ago the dog bell went and Herman arrived. In case you are wondering, he is a sourdough starter for a German apple cake - a friendship cake. It was quite lovely to be given something in friendship, and I duly took him (and the instructions) into the kitchen and started the 10 day nurturing process!


Actually, it was quite easy, he is left on the worktop in a large bowl and just covered with a tea towel. Every day for 10 days he needs a good stir, and on day five I had to add some sugar and flour. Around day seven I noticed Herman was definitely trying to make a bid for freedom, although he was diminished somewhat again after a good stir.


If I am truthful, the last thing I felt like doing at the end of the ten days was baking the cake, but I did, adding apples, raisins, cinnamon, flour, baking powder, eggs, butter and sugar. It looked absolutely disgusting when I put it into the tin and took much longer to cook than I expected.  I used a 9½" tin and produced enough cake to feed an army! It didn't fit in my cake tin so I had to cut it in half and put it in two tins.


My goodness, it may look a bit rough and ready here but how delicious! Yummmmmm!

Now the reason it is called a friendship cake is because before you make the cake, you divide Herman into four portions and give three of them to friends. Great way to poison an entire nation actually! 


I offered him to my daughter, feeling certain she would love him, but sadly it seems she had already baked him once and didn't have the time to do it again at the moment. Luckily, I had an unsuspecting friend coming for the evening, so she went away clutching one portion. The second one, I was going to give to my neighbour - I was going to put Herman on his doorstep, ring the bell and run away! Ha ha ha! As it turned out, he wasn't in, so I just left Herman on his doorstep. At least he couldn't refuse!


The third one is still sitting on my worktop waiting for the next visitor!

Old dog, new tricks! Learning to crochet

Well, for some completely obscure reason, I decided a couple of months back that learning to crochet was a good idea. I suppose that is what Grandmas do anyway, isn't it? So I bought a set of crochet hooks and some wool, and tried to follow the instructions for a 'Granny Square' in a book I had.

So this is my first square - well, more like bunting! I had a friend round for supper when this was taken and we couldn't stop laughing!

So, not to be discouraged, I tried again, and again. Every 'square' turned out round! Ha ha ha! Then, on the advice of a dear friend, I looked at a crochet tutorial on you tube, which resulted in this...ermmmm......well.. ..not round, but not square!!!

I belong to a lovely forum on a website:  www.downthelane.net and one member suggested another crochet tutorial, which actually just hit the spot! Ta da!!!

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my blog!


Well, I guess you are wondering what this blog is about? I expect only time will tell!


It occurred to me that although I attempt to do all the things a Grandma is supposed to e.g.  bake cakes, grow vegetables, keep chickens, knit (that's another story), etc etc, life generally is very eventful, with the unexpected rearing it's head far more frequently than I would have thought possible!


So, after some thought, I have decided it would be prudent to put pen to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard) to keep some sort of record of what it is really like to be a country Grandma in the 2nd millenium.


I hope you enjoy sharing my journey, and thank you for looking!