You might have to look at these for a minute to work out what they are. Clever eh? Saw in an Antiques Centre
Making : nothing. Sigh. Not a little fed up about it. Total craft ban enforced by Hand Therapist as it’s “too intense”. I can’t tell you how much I want to knit or crochet some winter woollies
Cooking : lentils, quite a bit lately. Spicy lentil soup. Cheesy lentil loaf. Chicken, BNS & Green Lentil stew
Drinking : little alcohol since Dry October. None until Christmas Eve
Reading: just finished The Seduction of Water by Carol Goodman. A book I picked up from a pile at a booky meet up and didn’t have any expectation of; I just thought I’d give it a try. Realised I’d read another of hers: The Drowning Tree, ages ago. I’ll keep an eye out for more. I like her style
Two perfect creations, thanks Delia
Wanting: to make something else woolly, I did ahem…begin another thing a few weeks ago, which I want to wear, but it was stupid and made my hand hurt. I grumbled and packed it away. (Confession: I did get it out again yesterday and considered rebelling again. But good sense prevailed)
Playing: Coldplay: A Sky Full Of Stars – loudly, it makes me spin around in a circle, fast
Deciding: to carry on blogging when I feel like it and not worry about no craft content. Still getting new followers, despite no wool! Hello newbies, welcome to the waffle
Wishing: for more sunny days like this. It’s lovely and crisp
Enjoying: twinkly lights everywhere. November is one of my favourite of the darker months
Waiting: for deliveries. Christmas comes in a van, aka Margo Leadbetter (tried to find a clip of that on You Tube, I expect one’s there somewhere, if you can find it…)
Liking: The Kominsky Method on Netflix with Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. Love his work: dry wit and perfect timing
Wondering: when, how much longer
Loving: The Haunting of Hill House, also on Netflix. So gripping and made me wave my hummus bowl in the air last night in fear!
Pondering: family Christmas wish lists
Considering: mini sparkly things
Buying: the above for one who is developing has developed into a sarcastic, but funny with it, nearly-twelve year old
Watching: a group of Red Kites (Info here) circling and diving at each other above the nearby woodland
Hoping: it stays dry Sunday for walking
Marvelling: at my own organisation. There’s bound to be something vital I forget!
Well, it wouldn’t be a fully-rounded blog post without a pic of my sourdough, would it?
A homemade crocheted pot-holder I made ages ago for my friend’s canal boat and some starter for her to make her own loaf
When you’re hungry and it’s well past lunchtime and then the rain pours down, so you decide to shelter in a cafe. Cake & cappuccino is a balanced meal, isn’t it?
Cringing: at the news of 2 hour queues getting out of some supermarket car parks. Online groceries, folks!
Needing: hot chocolate with mini pink & white marshmallows
Questioning: how I’m going to cut down on sugar in January!
Smelling: orange blossom perfume
Wearing: scruffs
Following: well, this just changed as I went running downstairs because apparently a group of juvenile long-tailed tits were queuing up to use the dining room mealworm window feeder. I counted 5, it was marvellous seeing them swoop from feeder to feeder in the trees too (as long as they haven’t pooed on my pjs which are on the washing line!)
Knowing: I will crochet again one day, but April to …. is now months
Thinking: of all the things I have been enjoying: visits to The V&A, reading, baking sourdough bread for my loved ones, seeing friends who make me laugh, dancing to Coldplay, loving my nieces antics and humour, admiring all the Christmas lights
Admiring: my neighbours’ new and improved house, they’ve been living elsewhere since Easter while it’s added to and completely renovated. The first thing put on the new fancy kitchen shelves was a jar of Marmite! I like their style
Often get an ‘I’ve cut the new loaf’ lunchtime pic and this pinged in as I was walking past this new artisan bakery on Baker Street, London
Mid-November and London was all a twinkle. The Regent Street angels swoop the length of the road
I was lucky enough to get to go into The RSA for a meet up at the end of a Street Wisdom session. Isn’t this a great door-knocker?
The Royal Festival Hall, on the South Bank from Hungerford Bridge. Popped in and caught a steel band and dancers performing for a while
Sorting: receipts
Getting: sellotape and wrap ready, knowing my grand plans to wrap early always, always go astray and I’ll probably do it on 23rd…
Bookmarking: podcasts. Discovering some goodies. Btw: have you heard Simon Mayo’s Books of the Year podcast? Pick an episode with an author you know, to try first. There are lots to choose from now. (Link for Android users here)
Coveting: a new bit of expensive technology
Disliking: the way Apple slow down iPads at a certain age, it’s wrong
Opening: new loose leaf lemongrass tea my friend Phil gave me. I liked the spearmint one a lot too
Giggling: at I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here. I prefer it presented by Holly and Dec
Feeling: happy
Snacking: on a Cox apple. So juicy it’s running down my hand, right now
Helping: buy presents on someone else’s behalf this week
Hearing: a bird chirrup
Mixing: socially
Worrying: there’s no point. What will be, will be 🎶
Waddesdon Manor, National Trust, Christmas House, Market & Light Trail
Sparkly and sumptuous, Waddesdon Manor always looks beautifully dressed at Christmas. The garden light trails and the Christmas fair were the best ever this year too
Slicing: carrots, cucumber, red pepper and radishes for hummus
Celebrating: family time on Sunday, all enjoying spending time together. Playing a Kids’ Charades game was really fun. We all seem to have a thing for starting a scene with opening and closing a door. Neat framing or pedantic weirdry?!
Forgetting: what?! What?!
Winning: something with an order I placed this morning, it’s random but I can’t tell you what as I’m going to pass it on…
Pretending: to consider what to read next, but knowing it’s likely to be Bleak House. Dickens is perfect reading this time of year. Last year it was The Old Curiosity Shop and Great Expectations. A Christmas Carol the year before.
Sneaking: nothing. Honest Guv’
Embracing: sugar! Hurrah!
How are you? Was your November a good one too? I hope so – you’re too nice to have a rotten time. But if it’s not been the greatest, let’s cross our fingers December’s better.
The Little Room of Rachell 
Lots of things I could comment on so I will choose. Have you ever read Bleak House? My daughter who studied English recommended it and I worked my way through it, even had a sheet of paper with names and arrows on it so I could keep track of all the sub-plots. However when I go to the end, I rather wished I hadn’t bothered. Interesting to see your reaction if you do read it. Otherwise sympathy with crafting prohibition. I am making a pair of socks as a Christmas present and for some reason using the small circular needles after a while triggers off a sort of burning pain in my right wrist. Part of me feels I should stop but I need to finish before Christmas, so I keep picking it up again. Hope this isn’t a big mistake.
Jane! IT’S A HUGE MISTAKE!
Stop!!!! Have a few days rest and then try again, with a 10 min timer set. You remember that it’s sock knitting on a tiny fixed circular which caused my tendon injury? Please stop! Oh my goodness. My burning wrist pain is still burning from April and I’ve seen a specialist consultant, had an x ray, a scan and now have a series of appointments with a specialised physiotherapist – hand therapist. It’s affected my home life, work and hobbies. I can’t stress how important it is not to carry on if it’s causing discomfort.
Good job I don’t know where in your city you live, because I would be banging on your door, hand out for your knitting to be confiscated right now!
I haven’t read it before. I shall take note of your comments, but I’ve got a copy (free) on Kindle and it’s really easy to search for words and characters to check back. I’ll let you know how I find it. Great Expectations is my top favourite. So far.
I’ve almost finished the first one. Maybe I will finish it, then make the toe for the next one on straight needles (if it doesn’t hurt) then take a break and afterwards be careful and if the second one doesn’t get finished by Christmas I’ll have one sock to send with a promise of a second in due course. This was what I’d told my daughter I might have to do if the second one didn’t get finished and she thought the intended recipient would see it as funny! Thanks for your concern.
If your tendons are already burning with inflammation personally I’d go to Seasalt and buy a lovely pair!
*I really was shouting in my head with urgency!*
Hope Jane got that message! Certainly hand made gifts aren’t worthwhile if you injure yourself in the making. I think that is why I flit between a lot of projects, I have learned that is the way to prevent damage.
Lovely pics. I always love the Blenheim ones best! Although I find right now a poached egg sounds most appetising.
Sounds like you are living life to the full without crafting.
I read Bleak House and loved it and Hard Times. Some of Dicken’s other Christmas stories are good too. I think I like David Copperfield best- I love the BBC film with Maggie Smith and a very young and super cute Daniel Radcliffe.
I have been to Waddestone Manor at Christmas, many years ago- very very pretty. Seem to recall the tearoom was well worth a visit.
Enjoy the first December weekend.
The great thing about them is that they are so old that they are out of copyright, so are free on Kindle. (Though seems unfair for his descendants somehow. Just said that out loud and heard that Cliff Richard challenged and changed the rules for music, as it was 50 years and he’s still in the business!) I’m glad there are so many from which to choose.
I really hope so too, you can’t imagine the pain and discomfort – and reading that someone else might have the same, through wanting to make a sock! Truly it’s not worth it.
I’ve never been to Waddestone, that’s in Bedfordshire. So many properties to visit!
I was looking forward to your November “taking stock”! I love your photos, as always. That knocker is just great. It reminded me of a lovely one I saw in September in Florence, it was shaped like a lion’s head.
I’m baking my sourdough bread tomorrow (I bake it every two weeks). It is not round but a thin long rectangle (I’ve been using a baking form for some time) and the flour is a mixture of rye fl. and wheat fl.
I’ve been reading The Professor by Charlotte Bronte and I just LOVE it!! She is my favourite writer EVER.
I wish you a lot of patience with your hand… and I’m happy about your decision about blogging!!
Thank you.
I haven’t blogged much this month without a craft focus but will keep things ticking over, until one day when I maybe can again.
Have a lovely weekend.
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