Winter

Posted on February 3, 2024 by The Little Room of Rachell

MAKING sourdough pizza later. Can’t wait! Love pizza

COOKING lasagne last night, it went down extremely well. I don’t buy dried lasagne (or other pasta, apart from orzo) anymore. Fresh is so much better for an occasional treat

SIPPING cider, the rugby’s on

READING an excellent proof! If it continues to be as good I’ll be telling you all about the novel around the date of publication. *Do you like the books posts? Or prefer little mentions, rather than a dedicated post?

WAITING for my tulips to appear

LOOKING at their lush green shoots

Paramount Lebanese Eatery near Paddington, London. Recommend

WATCHING The Great Escaper with Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson. Glenda’s last film before she died. Michael’s last because he says he’s now retired. We saw it last night. It’s multi layered

LISTENING to the sounds of rugby on ITV

WISHING for world peace. It feels trite to write it now, and realistically will never happen

Love this! At Piccadilly Circus Tube Station

VISITING Tate Britain: Women in Revolt, so interesting that I’m still thinking about it and The Wellcome Collection: Being Human and The Cult of Beauty exhibitions this year, so far

This made me laugh hugely. It’s still making me grin

ENJOYING talking to a 101 year old man and his 92 year old wife earlier. Amazing! Something incredible about talking to someone that old…

APPRECIATING sunny blue sky days

EATING a really good green lentil, chicken & vegetable soup this week, using leftover chicken from Sunday lunch

LIKING lighter afternoons and the fact spring is coming

LOVING having a good result for this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch, unlike a friend who only saw 1 bluetit during the hour

From Northumberland Avenue, London on Thursday night. No filter

BUYING another bargain yellow sticker (reduced) chicken, it’s in the freezer for another Sunday lunch. Yay! I’ve done really well for bargains lately, I found pork shoulder and a guinea fowl late last year too

APPRECIATING the opportunity to see The RSC’s (Royal Shakespeare Company) production of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, at The Garrick theatre, London, another very good thing I’m still thinking about

MANAGING receipts, ticking off items

WATCHING The Tourist. Into the second series now. It’s quite farcical this time around, lots of humour

HOPING for more QI on catch up, not sure why it wasn’t on this week. ‘Ultras’ episode is next, on 6th February (BBC.) Would I Lie to You was very funny with Craig Charles et al

WEARING owl socks, black leggings, Seasalt top, newly cut (bit shorter than expected) hair scraped up into my version of a bun thingy

NOTICING the library reservation charge is now £1.30. It was £1.20 FIVE MINUTES ago. A friend in Yorkshire pays nothing, though wonders why as she says the district council is bankrupt

FOLLOWING my cousin’s photography journey. Incredible talent

A seven mile walk last Saturday, set off later than planned so walked home along green lanes in the dark. Bit spooky so sang “Babushka, Babushka, Babushka yi yi” loudly!

WATCHING Ghostbusters: Afterlife, again, before the new film in the spring

COVETING nothing hugely, except I feel I should be buying an air fryer. It’s weird, but there’s so much buzz and seemingly constant ads for them. Have you got one? What do you reckon?

FEELING a slight cider buzz, thanks Henry Weston

The Victoria Tower, The Houses of Parliament

HEARING Cheering crowds, shouting commentator, “YESSSSSSS!” across the room

LOOKING at daffodils in a jug on the side table to my right

Walking from The Wellcome Collection down towards the river, I took a detour along Denmark Street to see where Cormoran Strike’s office/home is set, it’s the building to the left of Hanks guitar shop, which is not nearly as photogenic, and had a vehicle parked in front

I hope your week has been a good one? What have you been up to lately?

*Don’t forget to tell me the answer to my question, please

I’m planning to be back again on Wednesday with an update about what I’m currently making and reading. Take care of yourself, enjoy the weekend

Productivity

Posted on June 3, 2014 by The Little Room of Rachell

I was given Beyond the Square for Christmas, but haven’t made a single motif until this week. The other evening I thought I’d play with #118 and figure how to join it as I went. It took five tries and I got it, I think. Others might have sussed it out differently but mine looks like it will probably work. Since then I’ve had a little production line going making middles and am now round twoing them all.

I have no idea what I’m making, or for whom, as it’s been so spontaneous but it’s another way to use up some of my oddments of Stylecraft.

As I crocheted half-finished motifs, and tossed them into the basket beside me, I realised the colours are echoing those in my bouquet. This is nice, I like it.

Some stack their middles and half-done motifs beautifully, others lay them out in imaginative patterns to photograph; mine are tossed into a basket ends up and bedraggled! It’s all about doing some crochet again, not artful photographs. I can attempt to redress the balance and make sure they’re laid out with a CK mug of coffee in the background (tho I mostly drink tea) or my socked feet in the picture if you like? All the blogging photo cliches by request.

Stop being silly and go into the garden.
The potato leaves are looking lush and healthy, hopefully the potatoes are too. I can’t wait to dig into the soil and see them.

So many strawberries for one plant! My friend’s are redder and huge too, I think they get more sun in her garden, but I’m pleased my plant came through our wet Winter so well.

The first tomato. I bought two varieties this year; yellow Golden Sunrise and Gardener’s Delight, a red cherry.

The pepper plants look ready to fruit too. I’ve grown extra to swap with family this weekend.

I’ve baked wholemeal and a white seeded – poppy, sunflower and pumpkin – loaves for this week’s daily bread. The white is a bit darker brown than usual on top, I blame that motif I was trying to whizz around – rather than just putting it down and getting to the oven a few minutes sooner. It’ll be fine though. The bottom and sides are a nice colour.

For a week I’ve felt under par, waking up in the early hours with a thumping headache and sore neck/throat, had a hacking cough with lots of sighing and a bit of grumping. Today is the first time I’ve truly felt like myself and even slightly dynamic, rather than going through the motions. Three lots of washing washed and hung on the line too. It’s been a good day.

Oh and now it’s raining again, doesn’t that always happen just after you’ve done the watering?!

How are you feeling this week?

Oh by the way rather than just staring, hearting and commenting on others’ pics (only in the last few weeks – what can I say, I’m slow) I’ve started to join in on Instagram. Only three pics so far, but there’s scope for more! Let me know if you’re there too. I like the way you can swap quick chatty comments and search for hashtags, it feels like the best aspects of blogging and twitter. However I can’t imagine it replacing blogging, for me, because you’re limited word-count-wise…!

Week 22: CAL Blocks #64 #65 #66

Posted on February 2, 2013 by The Little Room of Rachell

#64 Sunshine Lace
5 1/2 ” square

#65 Patriotic Sunburst
Nearly 5 1/2″ square
I’m not sure about the rounded corners on this one, perhaps it just needs stretching out flat…

#66 Abstract
5 1/2″ square
I laughed a bit when I read that one blogger has decided she mustn’t watch tv and crochet at the same time. It made me think that I must be way more accomplished and had really mastered this crochet thing. Ha ha ha Rachel…

I crocheted these blocks last weekend during writing breaks. This one was ‘completed’ during Saturday Morning Kitchen, then half undone and re-crocheted during the week when watching The Gilmore Girls. Then, finally half redone this morning during Saturday Morning Kitchen (very, very gritted teeth.) I just kept making the section above the splodge too wide. I don’t know why really; I blame the gorgeous James Martin (A Yorkshire chef & presenter on SMK. Phoar!!!)
The splodge looks like a splodge in the book too. This one’s darnarama also. Needless to say I WILL NOT be making this one again.

Curly twirly corners ;-)

Just after I posted here yesters a beautiful bouquet arrived! :-D
I’ve had such lovely messages from friends and family too. My favourite text was from my friend Sarah when she saw my two bound dissertations – ‘Holy Sh**!!! Well Done!!!!!!!’ She’s working hard on hers at the moment and I know exactly how she’s feeling. It’s so good to be at the end of a lot of hard work. I’ve got that school’s out for summer feeling now.

The icing on the cake is while I’ve been writing this the postie has just brought me:

I took advantage of the first 3 issues for £5 offer. I did the same with The Simple Things mag, but really didn’t like it much. I have high hopes for this one…I’ll let you know my thoughts if you like?

What are your plans this lovely weekend? Tell me what you’re up to. :-)

Sunday afternoon

Posted on April 22, 2012 by The Little Room of Rachell

After a huge and absolutely delicious Persian lunch, to celebrate a birthday, there really isn’t anything better than snuggling under a crocheted blanket to read a good book. Happy weekend :-) Ps: I decided not to change the blog name … Continue reading →