Went to visit an old friend from college days (nearly 40 yrs since we first met), who lives about 30 miles away.  It's great to be within easy travelling distance after all this time and we've picked our friendship back up as if there had been no gap in between.  She's now a farmer's wife - her father was a farmer and I spent many happy times on her parent's farm when we were at college in Birmingham.  I wanted to take lots of photos to show you but the camera wouldn't play so you'll have to make do with these from last year's Three Counties Show (this year's starts on June 18th).

The halogen cooker has arrived and I've tried it out by cooking a duck.  It was quite successful but a bit awkward to get the duck in and out of the bowl.  Cooked potatoes well without any added fat but didn't have room round the duck for the rest of the veg.  It was certainly quicker and it's sort of self-cleaning.  I'll need to experiment to see if I can get things a bit easier to manage - on the worksurface it seemed too high to lift out of so might try the table.  M won't eat duck so she had fish pie!

  Next week H has an important birthday and I'm committed to finishing some tax returns, but I'll try and keep up with everyone.  Hoping to get to the Flea Fair tomorrow too.

In a clear blue sky..

Amazed by this cloud formation seen out of the landing window this morning - looks like a huge feather.  Isn't it wonderful to have such a beautiful blue sky for a change. 

A room of one's own

Thought I might get on a bit quicker with the sewing if I tidied up.  I'm really lucky that this house has room for a sewing room (half the huge utility room) and I also have a small office - one's in the basement and one's at the top of the house so it would keep me fit if I ever got enough time to use them both as I would like! Anyway, here are some pictures of my (more or less) tidy sewing room

I do have the fabric  to make curtains to go all the way round under the work surface which would tidy everything up no end.  The table extends to about 5 foot so I've plenty of work space.  This is slightly less than half the room - the other end is full of washing machine, dryer, freezer, bird food, spare loo rolls - you get the picture.  My sewing machine is about 40 years old - husband bought it for me before we were married and it's only needed one repair since, despite bouts of heavy use - sewing costumes for school plays out of strange shiny fabric tested its patience.  I do have a newer one, but it never seems to do what I want and is difficult to thread so it's on loan to daughter.  I've no excuse really but to get on and finish the sewing I've committed to  - quite a long list has accumulated over the past few months.  Hopefully, better weather will get the washing outside to dry - sewing with the dryer going isn't fun.

Did manage to finish these:-

But have been trying to get some more yarn to finish this, without much success.

I only need one ball, so to buy it online I need to want some other things to justify the postage.  I hope next Monday isn't like last week, I might make some progress then!

Hope you're all having a good weekend, weather is quite bright here.

Quilt UK update

Just to say that the Quilt UK show has been vastly improved: in case anyone was deterred by my earlier post.  They've added a marquee to the Severn Hall which has doubled the space and makes it less hot and crowded.  There's also much more catering choice on offer and it's now on the edges of the show so queues for one aren't blocking the other.  Vast quantities of fabric on sale and just about every tool accessory you can think of - and some you didn't know existed.  Also a lovely display of quilts made for the various competitions.

Dee Dum Dee Dum

 

I'm surely not the only person who thinks of these two every time we turn on the TV news  - the political cartoonists must be in seventh heaven.   Extend it to the full version :-

And you even have Harriet Harmon.     How long until we get to this?  

 

And then, of course, there's the monstrous crow to worry about.  Sorry the pictures are all a bit fuzzy - but that seems to fit in with the current situation too!  I'm actually not at all politically minded but the humour of this appeals to me.  We're all like Alice and the Red Queen perhaps - running as fast as we can to stay in one place - or is it the White Queen?  Jam yesterday and jam tomorrow, but never jam today, and living life backwards.  It certainly feels as if we're through the looking glass but not in wonderland.

Quilt alert

For anyone interested, there's a Quilt UK show at the Three Counties Showground next week, starting May 13th .  There's plenty of easy parking but there can be long queues for food and drink.  Can't get at the website for the actual show but last time there were lots of stalls and bargains and it was very busy.  Don't know how much the entry fee is, but you get the view of the Malvern Hills for free.

EDIT :  Have found site and details now : www.grosvenorshows.co.uk/Quilt/Malvern/QuiltsUK-WithTicket.html#Quilts UK - Top