The calming influence of yarn...

So, how do you spend the day before The Big Day?




You go shopping...obviously.






Obviously, you need to stock up on yarn because the scarf is finished, pressed and folded in readiness for a drop in temperature - hasn't this weekend been glorious, though?





This scarf was a joy to knit. Lurking in the bottom of the Loop bag are 4 more balls of Rowan Cocoon, this time, Bilberry, (colourway 812) to make one as a Christmas gift for my lovely friend.






All well and good, if I ever have time to knit again...

Going for it...

This week has found me with my head in books of all kinds, in preparation for The Big Day on Monday.

To set a benchmark for the beginning of my studying, I had to take an audit test in maths, English and science. The books were bought months ago, but have remained in a tidy pile on my desk...

Ok, so I've left it til the last minute...but hey, I wanted it all to be fresh in my mind...right? So, out came my lovely new pencil case and I got down to tackling the maths test first.

I honestly thought I'd get between 10 and 20% percent in the test as I just don't have a particularly mathematical brain, so I was quietly pleased with a score of 51%. There's alot of work to be done on equations and algebra...but, I have got 3 years to get there. This book may well prove to be a lifeline!

Next up came science: biology has always interested me and I do have a good memory for things such as anatomy and the living world. Physics is a different matter...

73% there - not bad, not bad. My confidence was growing every day. For English, I just took a deep breath and went for it. I mean, I talk the language everyday, don't I? I write regularly, don't I? I read...alot, don't I? But could I remember what a simile was? NO. Still, I got 82% and that has boosted my confidence no end. I do still have a brain...

I also have a reading list of both children's books and study books. I decided to tackle a children's book that I wasn't familiar with as part of a project set for our first week looking at who is the teacher and what is learning. I chose Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses.

My Borders gift cards that my colleagues at school gave me as a leaving present came in handy as I knew they would, and so I can still satisfy my urges to buy children's books, long after my children have grown out of them.

So, I am as prepared as I'm ever going to be. I have created written action plans with references to further reading to improve my audit marks. I have downloaded practice guides and strategies for teaching. I have bought files to keep everything in order.

I think a last dash to Borders and Paperchase is called for tomorrow. I need to buy an academic year diary and probably some more stationery (I love stationery). Then I am going to sit back and let the weekend pan out in whatever shape or form it decides...

Spiritual Retreat...

Yesterday I went on a Spiritual Retreat Day, organised by Helen House Hospice, where I belong to a bereaved parents group. The day was made possible by the generous offer by a lady who, I believe, is a benefactor of the hospice. She kindly allowed us to use her beautiful home, set in the Oxfordshire countryside. The day was facilitated by Mark, the chaplain at the hospice and he put together a programme that was loosely structured into group presentations, that we were under no obligation to take part in, and free time to spend in any way we wished for reflection.

The first group presentation was focused on Michelangelo's Pieta sculpture. Mark talked about this image and how it represented loss. I found it incredibly powerful to see Mary cradling the body of Jesus in her arms. It resonated with me in a way that words cannot describe. I think the image will stay with me forever.

Mark talked about a sense of holding on and letting go. It is a feeling that I am aware of now in my life, as I move on into territory that is new and challenging. Territory that I wouldn't have been entering had my darling boy not left me. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I would be lying if I said I wasn't dreading the conversations that are going to be inevitable about how many children I have (I still haven't formulated the response that I find comfortable...) It is proof that life continues and I can only hope that Tom's spirit is holding me up and pushing me forwards. It comes very easily to me to feel guilty that I am moving on without him, but when I get the chance for some dedicated time to focus on my grief, such as the time I spend at Helen House, it allows me to see that, actually, my grief is still there, just under the surface, and I find this a huge comfort to let my tears flow freely and without any fear. It affirms to me that the decision I made after Tom passed away, that I would not try to get over losing him, but instead learn to live with losing him, was the right decision to make.

We were blessed with a glorious September day and the gardens at the house were perfect for spending time either alone or with friends that I have made. They were filled with birdsong and butterflies. I discovered the most amazing walled kitchen garden and swings hidden in oak trees. I was drawn to this bench, flanked by agapanthus and looking down towards rolling hills beyond immaculate beds and perfectly cut lawn.

I proved to myself that I am not a shameless blogger, armed with a camera, photographing everything! I think I behaved in an appropriate manner, without taking advantage of the family's privacy and limited my images to just three as a reminder of a lovely day...

Pick-your-own...

Earlier in the year, I read with envy, of trips to PYO fruit farms around Blogland. I don't know of any such farms near me and never made the intended trips further afield to plunder the fields of soft fruit for jam-making.

But, come August and September, I have the PYO of my dreams. My local nursery has a whole field of PYO dahlias. Every week I go, armed with a pair of flower scissors and fill my arms with a spectrum of floral gorgeousness.

And so these last few days, I have been able to sit at my table, books spread around me, laptop humming...like a good student-to-be, but have had the absolute pleasure of glancing up and getting an eyeful of these fabulous flowers.

Edited...sorted! But apologies to my commenteers...they went in the bin too, by mistake!

Preparation...

The change of season has made me want to get my knitting needles out. I have been itching to make something using Rowan's Cocoon yarn for some time. I loved all the earthy colours on the colour card. At some time, when I'd taken my eye off the ball (if you'll excuse the pun), a whole new palette was added.



















I found the pattern for a scarf in this book and picked up 4 balls of Cocoon in Red Wine (shade 00819) whilst in Fishguard on our holiday. I haven't knitted anything lacy for years and it has been a comfort to sit and knit away, counting stitches and marking down rows. Relaxing into the rhythm that knitting brings.



















The yarn is incredibly soft - not at all itchy, so it won't be a problem draping it round my neck. It's extra long - over 2m! Perfect for really wrapping up in.









The best bit? I think it will look fabulous with my new coat...

Just a thimble full...

When I planted my pergola with grape vines, back in June, I didn't imagine I'd get anything growing this year. Each vine (there are 4 of them, one on each corner) has performed differently.

I've had one that went mad and clambered up its wooden post and is now making inroads across the top. I've had two that got all bushy, but didn't grow very tall, one of which got splashed alot from the pool and evidently didn't appreciate a dousing of chlorinated water... And one that didn't really do much at all.


Only one, however, surprised me with a small harvest of tiny grapes. They look quite impressive in the photo, but they are nowhere near what I would call grape-size! More blueberry... I
haven't tasted them yet, but will let you know if they are sweet...or sour! I love the duskiness of their skin.

So, it looks like we won't be getting our feet all juicy to make some wine this year...

I've been thoroughly disappointed with my home-grown efforts this year. All I really have for quite alot of hard work I put in in the spring, is a shelf of onions and shallots. My carrots refused to grow...don't get me wrong, I like baby carrots, but I just thought that with more than 5 months in the ground, I would have got something marginally bigger than my little finger! My beetroot bolted. I have a whole bed of green tomatoes - refusing to ripen under our grey skies.

The Olive Branch...

As an end-of-the-summer-holidays treat, we decided to have lunch at The Olive Branch on the way back from our glamping trip. Being only 2 or 3 miles away from Pettywood Farm, and coming highly recommended, it seemed silly not to.

We were warned that an early booking would be required, but everything with me has all been so last-minute of late, we thought we'd take our chances and turn up at midday on a Monday and hope for the best.

Luck was on our side and we managed to grab a table for 7. It was the most gorgeous pub I've been in in a long time, and fabulously child-friendly...which was a real bonus as there were 4 children in our group!

The menus were deliberated over for a good long while...aided by a chilled glass of South African rose wine...which always helps... The children's menu was particularly impressive. No2 chose tomato soup with cheese on toast.

I had the most delicious roast chicken on a Caesar slaw, beautifully presented. As a true blogger, out came the camera, with much eyebrow-raising from No2...

The perfect end to a busy summer...

Prizes...

After ploughing through the boredom of holiday washing, I was thrilled to see this little package waiting for me on my recycling bin the morning after we returned from Lincolnshire.

I could hardly believe I'd won another giveaway from Pebbledash. This time from Diana's 100th post celebration.

I have to confess to ripping it open in my excitement, only to rewrap it to photograph it in it's woolly packaging!

And look what was inside: not just one beautifully wrapped package, but 5 beautifully wrapped packages...

Diana - I absolutely love it all. Thank you soooo much. I have found the perfect excuse to send 2 thank you cards already, although really, I could hardly bear to pop them in the letter box.

Nestled in amongst all that papery goodness, was one final tiny little parcel. A perfect little nugget of sea glass, painted with a tiny heart. I LOVE sea glass - how did you know Diana? Have I said thank you?

Looking back over my post listings, I am shocked to find that my 100th post and 1 year anniversary are looming...

Did you hear that? That was me gasping...and putting on my thinking hat...

Glamping...again...

Our rendezvous for the start of our last trip of the holidays was Burghley House. We met up with friends en route to Pettywood Farm.

It was in the throes of preparing for the famous horse trials, so it was hard to miss. Unfortunately, the house was closed, but we had a lovely take-away lunch from the restaurant. The deer in the grounds were grazing without any fear of us walking up to them and taking photos.

The scent from the rose garden in front of the house was intoxicating, filling the air.

I know I did plead for no rain to spoil this weekend, and we were lucky enough to have good weather for most of the time - just a bit of the wet stuff for a few hours on Sunday afternoon, but not enough to have us moping about.

No2 impressed me with his newly-acquired axe skills, learnt at his Scout camp earlier in the year... Building the fire quickly becomes the focus of these glamping weekends, although, for the first time, it was mild enough not to have to sit huddled around it the whole time.

Pip enjoyed the freedom of running free through the woodland surrounding the farm.

And everywhere around us were signs of autumn...

Blackberries were picked and stewed with apples on the wood-burner and eaten in the evening with custard, which impossibly, took about 2 hours to make on the stove...

You know when you've succeeded in making your offspring forget about the excesses of modern life, when they are happy to sit on the step with a candle...

.

..for hours...