Why do I get sick when I’m on holiday?  I’ve spent much of the last 24 hours lying on the settee or in bed with a hot water bottle and a cup of water as I have a poorly tummy.  Caveman thinks it my body’s reaction to all the stress of the past few months.  He may well be right.  Either way it’s not how I wanted to spend my time here.

Right now however, I do feel a bit better thankfully.  We did pop out earlier to Ripon which is just about 5 miles away.  I had hoped some fresh air would help but it didn’t really at the time.

Despite my incapacity there’s lots of things going on today! 

The main one for me is that today is the final day of Blogtoberfest and I am so proud to say I have blogged every day as intended.  I’m so proud of that.  I am going to write about it properly, hopefully tomorrow.  I’ve also decided that I’m extending my daily blogging at least until the end of my holiday!

It’s also Halloween today!  Are you all dressed up and going out ‘guising‘ (as it’s known in Scotland?  I love fancy dress but I’m not particularly a fan of Halloween.  I’m amazed this year the number of events, coverage on the tv and things you can buy for it.  Oh I do sound old ‘it wasn’t like that in my day!!’

And the other thing that’s happening today in the UK is the end of British Summer Time.  I don’t know if this happens anywhere else in the world, but in the UK we move our clocks forward by one hour in the spring and back one hour in the autumn.  It is quite a controversial subject as many of its origins no longer apply (linked to fuel / lighting use and farming) and it is often suggested that it is ceased, but particularly in the north of Scotland it would have a major impact.  I don’t have a preference for it changing or not, I can’t see it as a major issue for most people, but I guess those it does effect will be quite severely affected.

So that’s me today.  Taking it easy here in Yorkshire while all sorts of other things happen all around. 

Are you looking for today’s sheep picture?  3 sheep looking at me strangely in the early morning mist as I stood there in my pj’s with a camera!

So Happy Halloween, Happy end of Blogtoberfest and Happy end of British Summer Time!

The good things about coming on holiday to somewhere you’ve been before is that there’s virtually no settling in time.  Within minutes of getting here yesterday it was as if we live hear (I wish!!!) and I already felt relaxed and settled.

I was so tired I went to bed at 10pm, which is really not like me, but I certainly needed it.  Unfortunately though I didn’t sleep very well and got  up in the night an had a prowl around, as I often do at home.  I go through phases of not sleeping well and waking in the night.  Rather than toss and turn I prefer to get up and have a cup of tea, do a bit of crochet and watch some night time tv (the latter leaving a lot to be desired!!!)

So tea and crochet at 4am!  Rather than start anything new I carried on with the circles scarf which I am really enjoying for the pattern, the yarn and the finished effect.  I have now completed 3 full rows and this morning I took advantage of the daylight and beautiful outdoors to take some pictures.

We’ve had a very lazy day today, as was always the plan.  From tomorrow we’ll get out and about and enjoy the area, but staying cosy and comfy at indoors is one of my very favourite pastimes!

And here’s today’s sheep shot!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, that’s better!

Arrived in Yorkshire, car emptied, kettle on and feel like I can breathe properly for the first time in months.

Look whats at the back door of our little cottage…

Nothing at all!

Oh wait, I saw something move…

For the next week we will have only sheep for neighbours.

This place is 2 hours but a million miles away from home!  Perfect!

This evening I am getting packed because tomorrow we’re off on our jolly hols – a much needed break after the trials of the past few months.

And the most important packing of all….

See you on the other side, tomorrow when we’re arrived, and I’ll tell you all about it!!

PS my website host has been down all evening and has only just come back online, at 11.45pm!  Phew!  Managed not to miss a Blogtoberfest day!

I feel very naughty to be posting this so late after I actually finished the project, but I guess that’s no reason not to!

Over the summer I started using the Rowan Amy Butler yarn I bought with my Hobbycraft winnings.  Just before I received the vouchers I’d bought just a couple of balls, as it’s not cheap, but I went back for more and had plenty to make this one cushion and I plan to make its twin soon.

The yarn is Rowan Belle Organic DK, 50% Organic wool and 50% Organic Cotton.  The shades I used are:

• 005 Basil
• 012 Tomato
• 013 Moonflower
• 015 Slate (the name and shade on Rowan website indicate this is a grey, but the yarn I used is more purple – so maybe some sort of mix up on labels!)
• 017 Zinc

I used a standard granny square pattern for the body of the cushion and both sides are the same.  I wanted the cover to be removable so on one side I made two rows of double crochet (UK) and on the second of those rows made evenly spaced chain loops as button holes:

On the other side I then made two rows of double crochet along one edge (which the buttons would be sewn onto):

I then put the two sides together and made two double crochet around the remaining 3 edges:

Then I changed colour and completed another double crochet row around the remaining 3 sides and across the plain edge (without the buttonhole loops) and :

I did attempt a picot edge, of sorts, but it added too much of a frill to the edge so i took it off again.  I liked the pink trim but not the effect this additional trim created:

Then it was on with the buttons:

Et voila!  A granny cushion:

I’ve been working my way through all the other blogs taking part in Blogtoberfest and came across several taking part in this ‘meme’, so I just had to jump on board!  It has originated from ChunkyChooky who has set up a page to add your link to.

Here goes more stuff about me than I probably ever intended to share on this site:

4 things that I always carry:

1. lip balm
2. mobile phone
3. keys
4. a clean hankie

4 things that are in my bedroom:

1. a whole lotta mess - I am very, very untidy
2. A painted wooden owl that I bought the first week I moved to Oxfordshire when I first left Scotland.  I only had £10 to last the week and I spent £5 on him and have never regretted it
3. 2 pictures: one is a poster that advertised a photography exhibition at the Edinburgh Festival in 1993 called The Waking Dream, the other a canvas of a Roy Lichtenstein painting called Drowning Girl that has the words ‘I don’t care!  I’d rather sink than call Brad for help’  I never tire of looking at either of these
4. Several large piles of books, including lots of crochet and knitting ones

4 things that I would like to do but haven’t done… yet:

1. Get married
2. Buy my own home
3. Travel into space and look back to earth
4. Drive an HGV.  I have wanted to since I saw Long Distance Clara in Pigeon Street (my family sometimes even called me Clara as a result!)

 
4 things that you don’t know about me:

1. I never drink alcohol.  I used to, socially and for pleasure, but now I just don’t see the point.  I also have a real issue with people being drunk!
2. Caveman and I met through internet dating! 
3. I think about everything very deeply.  I think it’s a good quality but others don’t
4. I have a funny combination of qualifications including a degree in Clothing and Textiles, a Foundation Degree in Community Governance and  City and Guilds in Floristry.

4 things I often wonder:

1. what all my Grandparents were like.  I only ever had one Grandmother alive since I was born and she passed away 6 years ago.  I would loved to have known all my Grandparents.
2. where the universe stops beyond the stars and what there is beyond that!
3. what it would have been like living through the First and / or Second World Wars.  I am fascinated by the first half of the last century and find myself drawn to it in many ways.
4. What my life would have been like if I had stayed in Scotland all those years ago when I took a job in Oxfordshire and moved away.