Birthdays and X-Rays...

Hey there. So the title is a little misleading as there was only one birthday and one x-ray.

It was my middle bugs 10th birthday yesterday. DOUBLE DIGITS! That makes two of them now.

It was a pretty quiet one, we couldn't do too much as I had a doctors apt right bang in the middle of the day! He was thrilled with his gifts though and his big sister took him and the biggest bug out for a meal in the evening.

That mound he is blowing out candles on is a mountain of flapjacks covered in chocolate. It is what he asked for lol!

I also had some cake decorating to complete yesterday. Nothing too fancy but it is cute.

The doctor yesterday had a look at my neck, I have always had pretty bad pain across the shoulders and down the neck but lately it has been getting unbearable. She thought that the vertebrae may be collapsing or I have completely lost the curve(cervical kyphosis).

I went for an x-ray this morning and it was really interesting to see the neck and head on the screen. MY head and neck. I have had hundreds of x-rays on my legs, especially my knees and they are pretty boring, I have x-rays on my back and pelvis which were a little interesting, but the head and neck really was interesting. It was quiet in the hospital so the radiographer spent a little time talking to me about the different bones and functions. She confirmed that I had a very straight neck but obviously she couldn't tell me any more than that. I will have to wait to see the reumatologist in just over a week(thankfully I already had an apt).

Once I had finished there I took a stroll into town to enjoy a brew in a very colourful tearoom that I am coming to love(no camera so no pics). It is run by a lovely couple who are as colourful as the shop.

We then headed to the 'restaurant' the kid wanted to go to, I tried talking him out of it but he insisted.

 It was vile! 

If you live near a Peechy Keens and you are tempted to go in DONT!!! It was the most revolting food I have ever tasted in my life. I thought I would be sick. I was telling people who were wavering whether to eat there or not to run away!

These were the only things that tasted OK! I told middle child that he is never again allowed to pick somewhere to eat because he clearly lacks functioning taste buds!

Now we are finally home, the children are playing in there rooms and I am enjoying a cuppa and about to read a magazine that will restore my faith in good food.

Ahhhhh bliss...

Happy Thursday xx

Goings On...

Afternoon lovely people and welcome to my new followers, it is a relief when you know you are not actually writing to yourself and an honour that people find your blog nice enough to follow. You have all made me a happy lady so Thank You xxx

So, there has been nothing and something going on in my mad crazy world. The mood has been a little all over the place so I am taking it easy doing my favourite thing...

Isn't it cosy? I am so blessed that I can have these moments, even if I have to go through all the physical pain and mental torment I am still grateful that I can sit and crochet when things get tough.

I had another delivery over the weekend YAY!

I had some John Lewis vouchers over a year ago for my 30th birthday and I decided(once I found them again!) to buy yarn :)

Total luxury. The first lot is Erika Knight vintage wool. The colours are wonderful and it is more of an aran weight when you feel it than a DK. 

The second is Rowan creative linen. It has a sturdy cotton feel. 

I love the look of skeins but, they are a nightmare to ball up by hand when they are a big one like the rowan. It took the man and I an hour to ball up 4 skeins, but I can think of worse ways to spend my time :)

I like this...4.5mm is my fave hook size and it is perfect for this yarn which means it will work up a bit faster.

A little effort but how pretty do they look??? 

I have already started my project with the linen but you will have to wait and see. I am desperate to spend all my time on it but I really do have to finish my multiple WIPs before I can dedicate the hours needed.

*JOHN LEWIS vouchers DO NOT have a use by date...an excellent gift for someone like me who takes an age to spend vouchers(because I misplace them sometimes...all the time!)

On Saturday it was our cousins 30th birthday and being a fab lady she had a 1950s themed party. 

I was excited. I did wish that I was slim again and could fit into my spare bridesmaid dress that I had from my wedding, but thankfully I did have a dress in the wardrobe that 'just' fitted.

(not a fan of full length pics but trying to be honest with myself...)

 

Some of the girls did a fab dance to 'Candy Man' (birthday girl is in tartan)

It was fab and everyone was in the rock'n'roll spirit.

And that is it, the goings on over the last few days. I am now about to start my knitted project again...worlds slowest knitter hehe!

Hope you are all having a great day

Happy Tuesday x

Brother, Birthday, Crochet and Coffee...

Hello there. Well what a few days it has been for me. I was in Manchester over the weekend(well I say weekend I was there until yesterday...in fact I have spent more time in Manchester in the last 6 weeks than at home hehe!) I was there for my little Brothers 30th Birthday. We had a ball. I didn't actually get a chance to take many pics as we were laughing too much. He had a few nights and days(well it is a big birthday...)

Me and my little Brother, all poshed up to head out.

His official Birthday cake...I need to work on my piping skills :/

Happy Birthday. We went to a gorgeous Italian restaurant that is a regular eating hole for us. The food is so delicious. I let my diet fly out of the window that night :)

Birthday cake on the day.

My Brother LOVES lemon drizzle cake with lemon curd filling, so as a little Birthday breakfast treat I woke him up with this.

Safe to say he was very Happy indeed...

This picture makes me laugh as it looks like he is wearing a party hat haha!

Whilst there I did a teeny, tiny bit of shopping. I didn't intend to but I couldn't help myself. I made the mistake of going up there with no crochet. 

"I will be fine" I told myself, "I will read" I told myself. By the second day I couldn't cope so yarn had to be purchased. Not expensive yarn as there really was no point, but cheap, decent yarn to keep a girl happy.

Oh and I sorta purchased a few pretties too...

BUTTONS!!! I ADORE buttons. Don't ask me why but I do. I already have a huge collection and have no actual need for these whatsoever, but who cares? They make me smile

 

Don't they look all lovely and cosy(they feel awesome too when you put your hand in and let them fall through your fingers!)

I find in the craft world the smallest things make people so happy. Maybe that is just my crazy head telling me so, but that is how I see it. Reading many blogs throughout the years and I get so much pleasure from a photograph, a story. I find that when I look around I am cheered up by a bird diving to catch prey, my children concentrating with their tongues out, a smile, a button.

Oh and as for coffee and crochet? That was the journey home. I really prefer to get on a train at the starting station and Manchester picadilly is just that for my journey home on the ever so AWFUL Arriva Trains Wales. Yuk. I really don't like Arriva. 

Anywho, keeping me busy on the train was a little crochet, and by little I mean fast and simple. I made some little coasters. I really like how they turned out. I didn't have a pattern so kinda winged it. 

I will hopefully, once this house is all sorted out, be adding a pattern for a flat flower and these little coasters are roughly the first 3 rounds. I will definitely be making many more in different colours and designs.

I even made a smaller one for my coffee on the train :)

I actually found this yarn in a poundstore and they are the colours I have been looking for, for so long. It is awesome when that happens.

The pics are not great as, as I have mentioned I have a rubbish phone, but I am in love with these simple yet satisfying little things.

Happy Thursday x