A tad too much sun

This is me today, well it obviously isn't actually me but you get my drift.

I sat out in the front garden yesterday with the intention of finishing the last strip for my blanket for sixty million trebles.  
The group can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter under that name by the way.
In fact I did very little knitting as one of my neighbours came over and sat with me and we drank tea, ate biscuits and watch the happenings of the road.
Several people who went by came and sat and chatted for a while and then left to go on with their business and although I can knit and talk at the same time I kept putting my knitting down so I didn't meet my target for the day.
Another unfortunate is that I didn't realise how long I was sat there and how hot the sun was so this morning the face of the lady  looking back at me was very red and shiny! That'll be my nose peeling by the end of the week then!
 Last night Malc, myself, Soloman and Cody got some blankets and settled ourselves in the front garden to stargaze again.
We saw quite a few shooting stars, I thought Soloman would burst, he was so excited.
Both the boys are real fidgets though so I kept getting an elbow in the chest or hip, they kept sitting up as they kept hearing noises which spooked them.
So we only lasted an hour but it was good fun.
Today the boys have gone crab fishing with a friend and his Mum so I'd better get off the Internet and get those needles out and try and catch up with the target I set myself!

Shooting Stars

We went to see the fireworks last night which were lovely.
The children played in the park and paddled in the little pool they have there.
Whilst we were waiting for the fireworks I saw one shooting star (and lots of planes! )
We got home at about 10-40 pm and one of my neighbours that had come with us with her daughter was going to put a blanket down and lay in her back garden to hopefully see some more and asked I'd I wanted to join her.

Well I did and we saw loads of shooting stars, some were spectacular.
It was so relaxing, chatting and exclaiming over every one we saw. They're all pretty much the same but the excitement every time we saw one was just so funny you can't help but exclaim "There's one!"
Unfortunately I didn't get to bed until nearly 2am and I'm already awake so I think  it's going to be a long day!
It was worth it though

Today's dog walk

I've managed to change my working hours recently so that I have three Thursdays a month off.
So we decided to walk the dogs early before it got too hot. Malc and Clark took the two Staffies out as any longer than 30 minutes of running around leaves them panting and as much as I love them I don't fancy giving them the kiss of life!
The little dogs seem to be able to take the heat more although they still only had 45 minutes. I really don't want to pay vets bills for dogs that have collapsed through heatstroke when it can be avoided.
So we took them to some heathland just down the road from us.
We didn't meet anyone and walked through this glorious heathland.
Everyone up ahead which is the norm as I'm a slow walker!

It goes on for miles

So much gorgeous purple Heather

Soloman and Cody

When we got home we all had an ice cream out of the freezer and I did the dogs a big bowl of cold water complete with ice cubes.
I've spent the afternoon knitting my fourth strip for my refugee blanket. I hope to start sewing them together tomorrow and then crocheting a border round it.
I've also made this Dorset Apple Cake which has already been cut!

Tonight we are going to a local park where we can see the town fireworks being let off at 10pm. We take down a drink and some snacks and the children play in the playpark with a couple of their friends that we take with us until they are let off.
Good fun is had by all.

Two birds with one stone.

Old readers of my blog will know that I help one of my neighbours and her son. Things have definitely improved in their house and lives.
Unfortunately two members of S's family have died this year, pretty much all of the older generation of her family have now died and she's been very depressed and has taken to staying in bed. She was persuaded to get up for a few weeks several months ago but a series of falls seems to have put her back into a depressed mood and she's been in bed again for several weeks.
Yesterday Malc and oldest son Callum went over to put up a new curtain rail at the bottom end of her lounge so I persuaded  her to get up to keep an eye on them.
This morning she rang me to tell me that she had got up again and as Malc and Cal had gone down the tip, one child was at work and another round their Grandmas that only left the two youngest so I popped over to her and tempted her outside into my front garden with the lure of a cup of tea and a piece of banana and walnut cake that I made yesterday.
This lady has not been out of her house in 2 1/2 years except for a hospital visit to have a cateract done months and months ago so I was astounded when she said yes.
After nearly tipping her out of her wheelchair at least twice just getting across the road we settled her in the garden. She spoke to several neighbours that went by and although I'd said to just come over for half an hour she ended up staying for two hours.
This was brilliant for me because I've joined a new project, sixty million trebles. I put up their poster a couple of posts ago but I'll put it up at the end of this post again.
So for two hours I sat and knitted, I know in the morning,  in the sunshine and everything! Absolute heaven.

I have to do four of these panels so I'm nearly halfway through it and then I'll crochet round it.
So if you feel like joining in all the information is on this poster.

They also have a Facebook page, just tap in sixty million trebles, they're on Twitter and Instagram too under the same name.
Go check them out.

Manic Monday

I came home from Mums this morning to a rather large lorry outside our house delivering a pallet of Ikea catalogues that Malc is set to deliver next week. We do live in quite a small road but I've never seen a lorry go backwards and forwards so many times just to get parallel to the kerb!
They eventually managed it and then left the pallet half on the drive and half on the front lawn for some reason!
Malc and Callum were over a neighbours putting up a curtain poll for them so I got on with some ironing.
The boys were building this in the front garden with some of their friends.

I eventually sat down with a cup of tea and some cheese on toast for lunch.
Cal has gone to do one of his customers gardens for an hour and then we're going to get the boys and their friends to form a line from the pallet in the garden up to the loft passing the catalogues along to each other  and try and fit all 1080 Ikea catalogues in it.
Wish me luck!

I'm back!

Thought I would post this, my new project

Any knitters or crocheters out there who would like to join in?
Life continues at a fast pace here.
Eden is off to University of East Anglia in September.  I'm busy buying essentials like towels and saucepans for her at the moment.
Cal has recovered really well from his second operation, we have his three month check next Monday.
The three youngest are outside all the time and enjoying this lovely weather. They are as brown as berries.
I would really love to return to blogging but we'll see how it goes!

All work and no play

Makes Jack a dull boy! That's me, Jack!
Easter was peaceful,  had some nice dog walks. This week has been really busy, helping neighbour, helping Mum, housework, keeping track of young lads going to the park, to their "tree camp" and going down to the backwaters.
I have however managed to knit this

Since this picture was taken I've also knitted the two sleeves and I'm halfway up the front, so hopefully the next picture will be of a completed hoodie.