Be Glad Your Not Here

Firstly yes I'm still alive (just) and although there's not been much sewing going on I have been out walking a fair bit, whilst also catching up on weeding and reading. However since 18th April there has been no hope of any sewing being done, or much else for that matter, as the World Snooker Championships are on. The red button has been very active, unlike me, but snooker and sewing don't go together so the sewing is being neglected. It's no coincidence that this post comes on the day the semi-finals start, as there is no morning session.

Last Thursday saw husband and I heading to Sheffield, not for the snooker but to see The Specials who were on at the O2 Academy, opposite The Crucible. The tickets were a Christmas present from me to husband and whilst we both enjoyed the gig the after-effects we're not so keen on. As it was a sellout the place was packed and boiling hot. On Monday evening we both started to feel somewhat unwell, with sore throats, coughs, and aching muscles. We have concluded that we must have both caught something off someone at the gig. The last few days have seen us both suffering with flu-like symptoms. Not what you want when the news is dominated by talk of a flu pandemic!! As we are both on the road to recovery I'm assuming its not the dreaded Swine Flu. If it is then a good chunk of the UK must be contaminated by now as we can't be the only ones who left the gig having caught it.

Since my last post I have fitted in three walks, although one of them still needs to be posted on my website. Husband and I enjoyed a walk along Derwent Edge on a lovely summer-like day and both ended up sun burnt.

Ladybower from Whinstone Lee Tor

The next two walks were done for the magazine I write for, one was a local walk to Alport Heights and the second was an unusual route above Dove Dale.

Dove Dale from Bunster Hill

Alport Stone at Alport Heights

Once I have finished writing up the Dove Dale walk I will be 4 months away from needing to submit my next walk, which will give me an opportunity to get on with the walks for next years editions. This feels incredibly organised for me.

Sadly the walk in Dove Dale also saw the stitching on the sides of my walking boots give up and split properly. On average a pair of walking boots lasts me a year so it's no surprise they have started to go but it's an expense I really could do without at the moment. Thankfully our local cobbler can restitch them and at the very reasonable cost of £2.50 it works out much cheaper than a new pair of walking boots. It does, of course, remain to be seen if the stitching holds, but as my birthday is relatively soon if it doesn't a new pair of walking boots will be my birthday present. I really hope the stitching does hold as they are by far and away the best boots I have had for a good few years now.

Sewing wise I have done some more work on Celtic Autumn but I can no longer avoid transferring her to a scroll frame so I want to give her a quick iron and take one last picture of her before she goes onto the scroll frame.

For anyone who is into beads a store just selling beads opened up in Belper a few months ago and I finally remembered to go and have a look in it the other day. It has an excellent selection of beads that will suit both stitchers and jewellery makers, although I don't think I'll be buying any of the Swarovski Crystals that they keep locked away in a display cabinet. A new craft shop has also opened up further up the road but when I called in it really didn't have any stock or anything of great interest for me.

I have also finished three books over the last few weeks. The first was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, if you've not read it do.

It wasn't at all what I expected and acts as a reminder that there is suffering and loss on both sides of any war.

I then read a very short Maeve Binchy book called The Builders. As with all of her books it was very enjoyable but so short it only took me one hour.

Having been told that The Cipher Garden by Martin Edwards was no longer in print I reserved it at my local library and have now read it.


I have to admit I didn't find it as compelling as the first book in the series but it wasn't bad enough to put me off reserving the next book in the series from the library, which I plan on picking up tomorrow along with my boots.

Right off to catch up on some housework, assuming the shakes and sweats hold off.