Crocheted Kimonos Whatever Next?

 Yes my darlings, you could be forgiven for thinking I had been abducted by aliens and subsequently, once they realised their terrible mistake, dumped swiftly back on Earth. It's been a while. I'm not sure why, as I have been muchly busy and certainly could have posted more. Anyhoo, I have been keeping up to date with you all, on receive but not transmit, as it were. 

The Mr and I have been out and about quite a bit and I have been crocheting and knitting a few things.

Firstly I finished my mad housecoat. I dreamt the design up as I felt I needed a yarny kimono style warm coat to wear about the house. You know, when the heating hasn't quite reached the desired temperature and the rooms are a little chilly. A bit like a wearable cosy blanket.

Kimono style, I think because in my student days I used to swan around in an antique silk kimono, drinking ice cold blonde sherry, like you do. As I'm less decorative myself nowadays a crocheted version serves wonderfully. My son thinks it has a Persian air to it and has asked me to make him one. I have just finished making him a Balaclava from a 1941 pattern, for his long daily city walks. I hope he never decides to wear the two together.

Although, Tom Daley has just released some images of his new knitwear collection, and to my eyes the garments look madder than mine. So who knows, perhaps I'm bang on trend. Or perchance avant- garde.

I'll be back soon, promise, with some more tidbids. I leave you with a picture of my nails, spruced up this very afternoon.

Oh Yeah !

 

I feel a trip to The Ritz Cinema coming on. Oh and some chilled dizzy water.

In Bed With Liza Minnelli & Robert De Nero

 Woke up yesterday with an unexpected sore back. It's a real nuisance and bloomin painful. It started after a rather fine facial I had the day before. My body doesn't appear to like laying still for an hour, even on a gorgeously heated treatment bed. By the end of the day, yesterday, it was almost back to normal so I  was more than a little surprised to find it really sore again this morning. I've taken something for it and moved around a bit but then decided to pop back to bed for a while and have given myself a bit of a back massage, which has helped a lot. I took the Ipad with me and saw this fantastic film of Liza, what a gal. I saw her live a few years ago at The Albert Hall, I'd love to see her again.

New Year Intentions

I think Pam Ayres sums it up beautifully and eloquently of course.

I've failed for seven decades but it's here now, this is it!

The year that I declutter, eat more wisely and get fit,

I'll exercise all muscle groups that atrophy and sag,

I'll hum with joyful sweetness and I'll never lose me rag.

Bye Bye 2021 Hello 2022

 

Happy New Year to all my blogging chums. Hope you have a good time tonight seeing the old year off.

Looking forward to sharing more with you all in 2022. I'm hoping it's gonna be a BIG year.

Recycling Christmas - Waste Not Want Not

 I have to say I'm pretty glad Christmas is over and done with, yes I know, bah humbug and all that. I just haven't been able to feel the cheer this year, or last to be honest. Next year I think the Mr and I should either go away somewhere or have a good few family members to ours. That I hope will make for a jollier time. 

I took my decorations down today and it feels great. My Christmas cards are going to a friend who makes gift tags from old cards and sells them for charity. Our tree will be recycled, and used as garden mulch.

Morgana helping me pack away the decorations

I have kept my Christmas stamps this year as they can help charities raise money. Country Living magazine recently gave details of all the charities raising funds from stamps and other things.

I have decided to collect to help Hedgehogs. I also have a few other things on this list which I'm happy to send.

I'm also collecting ends of candles and unused wax bits and bobs, to give to a new local business that is just starting up, making new candles from old. I have quite a bit already collected because it galls me to see a ton of wax left in candle jars and so I had been digging it all out with a mind to do something similar myself. Giving to a new business is even better.

I also recycled the turkey today and made a delicious soup. Using up the itty bitty pieces of turkey, very sad droopy spring onions, parsnips that were just starting to crinkle, slighty soft celery, good crisp onion and carrot. Oh and a couple of handfuls of small pasta shapes. Are you like me and often have a small amount of pasta shapes left in the bag? I've put them to good use today.

It doesn't look that lush but trust me it was very tasty and nourishing. It will stretch for another meal tomorrow night with a cheese board and crusty bread. 

Christmas Day 2021

 

Christmas at Chatsworth