Hello my friends. I do trust you are staying safe and well. Thank you to so many who left lovely comments last week. I do so appreciate them all. It has been quite a week here on the North Wales coast. Mr Jolly Jingle has had to be consigned to the unfinished symphonies cupboard as I endeavour to use any hours of good light to continue with the large cross stitch picture – it’s coming on, but not exactly ready for framing yet! I have continued with knitting a sweater – not photographed yet… maybe next week? Nothing has happened (again) on my landing workspace – but…

… the study is an entirely different matter! I had really hoped I would be able to post using my new computer this week – I’m so near… but this comes from my trusty 12 year old machine! As you can see from the photo, the study is a mass of technology – some plugged in, some not, some defunct now, some hopefully to be re-installed. I did manage to get the printer to work today (Tuesday) – but failed with the scanner – a job for Thursday or Friday. I have taken everything except one small programme off John’s computer, so that can soon be removed from the scene of carnage. Nothing is in quite the right place yet, so the worktop is a mass of electrical leads – again, some being used, some I haven’t even investigated yet! Just a small government health warning here – don’t hold your breath until it is a complete work of art!

But it hasn’t all been work! I have sat and done some jigsaws. The large Christmas one, was, I think, bought from the local charity shop in the 2 weeks it managed to open! The four smaller ones are all the same scene – just in different seasons. They were fun to do. They are all now on their way to daughter number 2, who will then pass them on further.

So, that’s life in continued lockdown here in North Wales. Not a lot going on really, but I have to tell you, I am still not bored yet – frustrated sometimes (especially when technology won’t do what I tell it), excited sometimes (especially when we have a family whatsapp call), but not bored.

I will do my best to get around to you all – even if I can’t always comment, I do come peek.

Take care of yourselves. Stay safe. God bless you.

Margaret

Hello my friends. So, firstly – a VERY belated Happy Christmas and New Year! I trust this finds you well and looking to new things in 2021. Secondly – thank you SO very much for all the beautiful cards you sent to me – all made with care and love! They are great, and safely stowed. I have again been AWOL! Life was just a little difficult for a couple of weeks, and I just felt I couldn’t concentrate on writing my blog or visiting everyone. However, things have straightened themselves out somewhat, and exciting things have been happening here on the North Wales coast. The first thing was a WhatSapp family call on Christmas Day when my eldest grand daughter announced she was engaged and hopes to marry her lovely young man in September – life steps up a few gears at that announcement – as many of you will testify. The next thing to happen was for me to pluck up the courage and actually buy that new computer! No – I’m not yet using it fully. I need my grandson to walk and talk me through various things!! Then tomorrow (Wednesday) my 2nd grandchild achieves his 18th birthday! It’s all go up here, never a dull moment.

But – has anything been happening on my desk, I hear you ask…

Not a great deal, is the answer. This bit of the desk remains fairly empty. You see before you an empty cutting mat, a brown bag which had parcels in it; photo of my family at my parents Emerald wedding anniversary – an awful long time ago – the little girl in the blue dress has just got engaged!!, and a photo of my family taken about three years ago. The lovely caligraphy, Shaz in Oz did for me; half of a picture of a sheep, painted by grandchild number 4; The back of what looks like a picture frame – and is, in fact, a lovely photo frame thingy which was my family’s Christmas present to me. They filled it up with hundreds of pictures, some of which I have never seen before. The rest of the desk is deliberately out of sight. It sits about 6inches deep in clutter – all of which needs sorting!

But I haven’t been completely idle. I have done a jigsaw – which had pieces missing. So I selected various parts of the picture, removed some of the pieces and have saved them for the front of cards. I have sat in the evenings knitting a sweater – from the neck downwards, and in the round. Never done one quite like this before – but I’m nearly there now, and am on the second sleeve. Soon be able to model it for you.

Then my younger daughter asked would I be willing to do a large cross stitch picture and make it into an Advent Calendar for her daughter’s first married Christmas. Well… I’ve made a start…

I know – not much to show yet. It is actually in the centre of the fabric, I have just rolled a lot of the lower fabric round the bar so I am working nearer to myself! You can see how long that piece of Aida has been in my stash by the fold marks!!! I didn’t want to press it until the work is done, though. just in case you can’t immediately guess what the finished picture will look like…

The Stoney Creek picture will have a large vacant space around it, where I will stitch the numbers and curtain rings. Beth and Sam can then attach sweets to each numbered ring. I have so far purely achieved the underskirt of the girl in the green coat! But I did only start this week, and couldn’t do any on Monday as the light was so appalling (My excuse which I am sticking to!)

So, that’s life here in Wales – not much else going on around me, as we are still in total lockdown yet again, but then, so is the whole of Britain. I trust you are managing to find lots to do and occupy your fingers and minds. How my heart goes out to the nurses, doctors, surgeons who are continually on the front line – dealing constantly with such severe illness, and so many deaths. They must be exhausted, physically and mentally facing such pressures each day.

Take care each one of you. Stick to the rules. God bless you all.

Margaret