moods a changing...

I am feeling a bit vulnerable today. I had planned to get so much done, and have accomplished very little. Had a nice chat with Jill though...drank too much tea, and ran around getting things done for kids and their friends. But I haven't done the crocheting I wanted to do, or had the talks I wanted to have, or had time to think about all of the things going around in my head. Oh well. Off to do the Guide run, but luckily I don't have to pick up. :-) Maybe I am just hormonal, or maybe I am stressing at the thought of the upcoming travel plans, or maybe I am tired, but I am feeling a bit like I am living in a glass bowl at the moment. Which would be fine if somebody came round to feed me every day. :-o  Here's a pretty photo to cheer me up...

It's one of R's.

It is a good day today!!!!!!

So a lot has been happening in the background, and I haven't slept in a couple of days because so much is going around in my head, but it is all pretty good!  I have had some positive news- thanks to email - so maybe I had better revise the opinions expressed in my last post!  My best friend Martine is here, and has found a house! She is moving to Manchester!

I wonder how long it will take for us to start annoying each other. :-) And she won't be coming to stay for long weekends, which means my cooker won't get cleaned. :-(

And a new wool shop is opening in the city centre! Purl city Yarns!  And Martine and I are going to check it out!

And the baby is still cute!

So the sun is shining...it is a glorious autumnal day...and I am going out to enjoy it!!!! (Before I fall asleep)

Why do we think that living in the digital age is a good thing?

So maybe technology is a good thing, or maybe I would think so if only I could afford a Mac, and a Bang and Olufsen stereo, and a car that gets better than 22 MPG. Or maybe speding weeks trying to sort out email problems is really a good way to use my time. But really I just think that for most of us, the time we spend maintaining our run of the mill technology could be better spent just using things like phones and pens and paper and feet.

On the other hand, I have been crocheting lots of stuff for a craft fair I am supposedly doing before Christmas in order to raise funds for the boy's 2011 Scout Jamboree fundraising - only £1700 to go! He is organizing a bag pack at Morrison's and has been collecting raffle prizes in Chorlton for a Christmas fair we are doing in December in Didsbury.  So if any bored millionaires happen upon this site, feel free to go to paypal here... 

http://tinyurl.com/2fzrmpk

and make a small donation. :-)

The musical Scout will be very grateful. :-)

Taking a break for a bit.

Haven't got the time for blogging right now. Baby, other kids, fund-raising, going to America soon, regular life, crocheting and knitting for craft fairs, and not sleeping mean this has just turned into one more thing I am not doing. So taking a break for a couple of months, and not going to worry about it. Well, I will try not to worry about it. I will worry about 600 other things instead. And maybe try to read a book.  I bought a couple of Cormac McCarthy books yesterday, as well as a couple of volumes of poetry, (from the great Chorlton Book Shop)and I am crocheting lots of squares, as well as fretting over family menus, and wondering what I should do that PhD on when I finally get around to it. So it isn't like I am slacking or anything...

Having a baby means...

very little knitting time.

But we have managed a short trip to Wales. Here is baby on Penlech beach - she thought the sand was very tasty. :-)

So. It was exams day...

And R didn't want me telling people about her grades and things, but I don't know why. She only did 2 GCSEs, and the college were going to accept her if she passed them, so maybe she just wasn't worried about it. Or maybe she thinks she should have more. Or maybe I just embarrass her by being proud.

An A in Maths and a B in English. Pretty damn good. Especially considering that the Maths was done in about 6 weeks. Before that, R had too many other things to do, with Radio, and RNCM productions, and babysitting, and taking photographs, and sleeping. :-)

This is where it is hard for me. I don't rate the exam system at all. You should not be able to get a Maths GCSE, having not done formal Maths before, in only 6 weeks. But she worked for several hours a day for those few weeks, and she can feel proud. Nobody can ever take that away from her. :-)

So now I am only home educating 2 children.

More jam!

So I am a copycat. Or else, Martine just inspires me. :-)

Here is my attempt as blackberry and apple jam. It is still hot. We are waiting to see if it sets, but I am optimistic, because the stuff that I spilled in the pan set, and was quite tastey!

Ignore the big one that is half full. It started out as a completely full jar, for which I lost the lid, so it had to get transferred at the last minute. It will just be the first one we eat. Also, ignore the bits dripping down the side of the jars. It was after my unsuccessful ladelling attempts that I read it is a good idea to use a jug. So now I need a jam pot and a jug. :-) I know full well, I don't need either of those things, I am just having fun. Besides there is no room in my house for anything new...