Friday 25th November
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| 329/365: raindrops on penstemon |
Yesterday's shopping trip to Bath was a washout in more ways than one. The weather was dire and once I got wet it really wasn't that much fun any more. I did see a dinner service I liked but didn't like it enough to even consider paying the £300 price tag, and there wasn't a lot of choice of the glass storage jars I'm looking for. I did see one set I liked but the lids on the display set weren't tight fitting so I have doubts about how good the seal is and how fresh they'll keep the contents. I'll try IKEA next but that's for another day as the nearest store is in Bristol.
Friend JDH was a no-show but G arrived as promised and I now feel human again. G took up crocheting during the first lockdown and has updated me on all the places to buy wool in this area ... in other words she is a bad influence, but I am resisting the temptation for now!
Today it's the monthly 'Ladies That Lunch' meal. I've missed the last three for one reason or another so I'm looking forward to getting back to see everyone today. It's supposed to be fine today so if that turns out to be correct I'll call in at the Spitfire Retail Park afterwards and continue my window shopping in Matalan (again!), B&H, Home Bargains and Knees. Lyssa reminded me that Tesco also sells homeware so I call in to have a look at what they have to offer on the way home.
It sounds to me like G is a very Good Influence indeed!!!
ReplyDeleteKeep looking - you will find your china and when you do, it will be just perfect and right for you.
IKEA should be good for storage.
Have a lovely lunch with your friends. xx
Haha, she admits her stash is out of control already so I'm not following her example!
DeleteYes, something will catch my eye if I keep looking. There's no hurry so I don't need to rush into buying anything.
Thanks, I'm looking forward to lunch today, and catching up with everyone. xx
Shopping in the rain, running from store to store - no not good for making purchase decisions. That's great that G can also be a resource of "how to" & "where to" I hope you have a fun time with Ladies Who Lunch.
ReplyDeleteI had a lovely time with the Ladies That Lunch, thanks. Today so far, is making up for yesterday's disappointments.
DeleteOh no! £300! Are we talking bone china? Personally signed by Josiah Wedgwood? Looking forward to seeing how the crochet is coming along. I can't get inspired with it at the moment. I think I am too distracted by my to-do list, which I know will get even more out of control if I get into crocheting! The weather has been quite unpredicable lately. I am hoping tomorrow is dry and warm enough for standing around, as I have been tipped off that a kingfisher is lurking nearby and I want it to smile for me :o)
ReplyDeleteYes it was bone china but not personally signed by JW. The crochet isn't going well. I'm taking a break this weekend and will try again next week when my friends will have gone back home and I'll have more time.
DeleteI hope you have more luck with the kingfisher than I have. There's one near the town bridge in Bradford on Avon and I see lots of photos of it on Facebook but every time I go with the aim of taking some photos, it's nowhere to be seen!
Oh that's a pity. I hope you get into the swing of it when you come to it afresh. I am keeping my fingers crossed re. kingfisher. I tried to select some photos for my parents' calendar yesterday, and couldn't find a single suitable one :o( I just haven't been anywhere particularly interesting this year. Might have to go back through the archives, but I have a feeling I did that last year too so might be scraping the barrel.
DeleteThe problem is the arthritis in my hands. I can't find a comfortable position to hold the wool so will experiment with trying to crochet left handed. My right hand is more flexible than my left so I may find it easier that way, we'll see. It'll also be easier when my friends have gone home as I'll have the time to sit and concentrate. I'm just feeling a bit frustrated about it at the moment!
DeleteGood luck with sorting out your photos for the calendar. You posted some beautiful ones on your blog this year, especially in the autumn and the leaves selection but maybe they don't give you the variety you want for your parents' calendar. Good luck with getting it sorted.
That does sound difficult. If it is any consolation, I also took a while to get used to holding the hook and yarn, and my hands would ache even without arthritis. It did improve gradually. I have also noticed, through watching online tutorials, that there are various ways of holding the hook. Instinctively I started by holding it like a pen but when someone told me that was "wrong" I changed to holding it in my fist, which felt horrible at first but seemed to help improve tension, and also the angle at which the yarn fed in. I hope you are able to find something that feels comfortable for you.
DeleteI have taken several hundred kingfisher photos (not many that are in focus!) but I came away armed with knowledge and tips for future attempts. :o)
It's more to do with holding the wool and keeping a bit of tension ... I can't bend my fingers properly. I will just have to experiment!
DeleteI saw your kingfisher photos ... brilliant!
PS. Are your draft posts by any chance currently showing up in HTML format only? I used to know where you could switch out of "View HTML" but at the moment I can't see how - and I'm sure I didn't ask it to present that way!
ReplyDeleteYes they are and it's really annoying. It's the option on the extreme left of the toolbar at the top of a draft post and looks like this .... < > . When I select that I have the option to change to compose mode. It always warns that data may be lost switching between modes but nothing had ever happened so I just carry on.
DeleteThank you. I know exactly where you mean. :o) I will come back to it tomorrow and if it hasn't sorted itself out overnight, I will now know where to click. Much appreciated.
DeleteYou're welcome. Hope you get it sorted.
DeleteI'm sorry your shopping trip got washed out, but, hopefully there will be sunnier days in which to shop. Glad your lunch with the ladies who lunch went well. Sounds like G will be a good friend when you next need yarn! LOL. I hope you will be able to find a comfortable way to hold the wool when you crochet. My grandmother was left-handed and used to crochet with her left-hand holding the hook.
ReplyDeleteI've been looking online as well where there's much more choice. The Ladies Lunch was lovely and I'm glad I went. I think G may have a wool buying problem 😂
DeleteI'll try holding the hook in my left hand next time I have a go. I'm hoping it'll be less painful that way. Thanks for the suggestion.
Have fun at the lunch! Sorry that you didn't have much luck shopping. I think that's sometimes some of the frustration with in-person shopping. I like to be able to support local businesses, but sometimes it's really frustrating trying to find things!
ReplyDeleteThe lunch was good and it was lovely catch up with the other ladies. I've found what I wanted online so have placed an order and I'll sit back and wait for delivery. It's easier than trailing around all the shops now it's getting colder! xx
DeleteYou take beautiful pics. When it comes to yarn, I am a fan of charity shops, Aldi (cheap but not always brilliant) and Marriners Yarns who are cheap and it knits up well. Then when it comes to special pieces, then you can push the boat out. I shall watch with interest as I have no idea where to start if I'm looking for quality!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lyssa, that's really kind of you to say that.
DeleteI'm buying some cheaper wool to use while I play around and work out the best way to hold the hook and wool. I have a feeling that expensive wool won't be featuring in my attempts for quite a while yet! 😂😂 xx