Here Comes the Sun...

...and I say, it's all right

Sunshine over Padiham

Such a glorious sunny day.  Just had to nip out for a breath of fresh air and to soak up some of the lovely rays.  Set off with the girls, the dog and my camera with a goal in mind.  Get some more milk.  This means a leisurely amble down through the park, and onto the Greenway.  It is the long way round but almost entirely traffic free so well worth it.  The sky was a most brilliant shade of blue and the clouds were fluffy and few.

Down through the park...

....and along the Greenway

Padiham Greenway is just fabulous.  It used to be a railway track years ago and has recently been transformed into a well used cycle and walk way.  It' s great.  The picture at the top of this post was taken from the Greenway and is one of my favourite views of Padiham. 

We had a really nice time ambling along looking at all of the familiar landmarks on our way. The White Horse of Padiham has had a bit of a makeover lately.  The building was once a pub but is now a car parts store.  I just love the fact that they have embraced the landmark status of the horse and have given it a smart new coat of paint.  Not only that, they have also restored the lighting behind it so it glows at night again. Nice!

The famous White Horse of Padiham

Admired the turret at the top of the Nat West Bank on the main road. It's quite grand really.  Check out how blue the sky was today.  It was simply stunning.

 

 

 

Classical Features on the main street

Steep and quaint Mill Street

Took the quieter but steeper route home up Mill Street.  Lots of quaint cottages and cobbles.  Lovely and olde worlde. Also the beginning of the Conservation Area.  Lots of cobbles and Narnian looking lamp posts.  I love this part of town.  So quaint and higgledy piggledy. 

Sunshine and shadows on the cobbles

Vintage lamp post on the corner of Dragon Street

Buds.  Spring can't be far away now

Some colourful Crocus

The signs of Spring are about now.  It feels like it really won't be long before the warmer weather and longer days are here.  Lots of crocus in purple, yellow and white looking so cheery and optimisic. Daffodils will be here next and before you know it we'll be changing the clocks.  I just love the anticipation of late winter/early spring.  It never fails to fill me with excitement about the year to come.

Flusi socks

Yet another WIP. Some socks for Big Girl in cheery and bright Regia Flusi sock yarn.  Big Girl's feet aren't far off the same size as me so I am knitting them with a view to maybe wearing them myself from time to time.  ( I do have teeny little feet).

Note the outside photo.  It's been a belting day today here.  Lots and lots of lovely sunshine. Marvellous.

Crofter Legwarmers... how to

2nd pair of legwarmers done.  Much better than the last lot.  Used some gorgeous Baby Crofter yarn by Sirdar.  It is really lovely for an acrylic/nylon blend.  Little Girl's are in colour no. 167. 

Sooo pink and girly

 Since the crofter yarn is self striping I decided to knit the legwarmers in the round.  You could knit them flat and seam them if you really want to.....

If you are interested in making a pair here's what I did:

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• Cast on 52 stitches on 3.25 needles.
• Knit 18 rounds in K2 P2 rib
• Switch to 4mm needles and knit for approx 7 inches (not including ribbing)
• Switch to 3.25 needles and rib for 18 rounds.
• Cast off in rib LOOSELY

Looking good on!

Note: If your little one has chunkier/skinnier legs then increase or decrease stitches in sets of 4 accordingly.  I probably could have gone to 52 stitches for an improved fit.

Happy knitting
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Cast on another pair for Big Girl. Also using Sirdar Baby Crofter, colour 162 this time. She is a bit taller so there is 8 inches of plain knitting between the ribs.  Cast on the same number of stitches as for Little Girls as she is a skinny thing. Also added a couple of extra rows of ribbing to make 20 rounds at each end.  One down one to go. 

Legwarmer frenzy

The stripy leg warmers are done.

 Sadly, they are little on the large and baggy side so am in the throes of another pair.  Of course, got to do some for Big Girl as well.  This time some self striping yarn so I can knit them in the round without all the faff of jogs.

Nature watch

Just a quick post to tell you about the latest sightings around here!!

Cycled to knitting last night.  13 mile round trip - yes I am feeling rather virtuous too! Anyway, a barn owl swooped across the road in front of me on the way home.  Amazing.

Also the 3 deer were spotted again this morning in the back garden.... Yes, I have a small herd of them now.

Just wish I could get a decent pic for you!

Dulce et decorum est...

Viewing platform at the Imperial War Museum

We decided, the girls and I, to visit a museum this half term.  After a bit of debate we decided on the Imperial War Museum North.  The main reason was the current exhibition called "Once Upon a Wartime".  It features some really well known children's books such as "War Horse", "Carries War" etc.  Really good.  Also includes the Silver Sword which is the book I got Little Girl's name from so it was a first for her to see her own name printed all over the place!

Then we checked out the main exhibitions.  Once an hour the whole of the main exhibit goes into darkness and there is a 360degree film show. There are a few different versions but the one we saw was all about children and war.  It was very moving at times and I was quite weepy by the time it was done.

It really was a thought provoking and interesting place to go to.  There's a time line to follow and the exhibits feature lots of more modern conflicts as well as the two world wars. Can't recommend it enough.

Part of a window from the World Trade Center

Also the whole Salford Quays area is fabulous. Lots of interesting ultra modern architecture to admire. I haven't really been here before and I was quite blown away by it.  It's really impressive and a fabulous renewal of what was really a bit of an industrial wasteland previously. Fantastic.

The Imperial War Museum North

The footbridge across the quay to the museum

The Lowry Centre

We also had a look around the gallery at the Lowry paintings which the girls really enjoyed.  Last time I saw them they were still in the original gallery at the Salford University site where I was working.  Still love them.  The simplicity and distinctiveness of them.  The industrial scenes and the Northern feel of them.  They are great.

Amazing modern architecture at Salford Quays

Little girls, little girls

Everywhere I turn I can see them...

As it is half term, and close to Big Girl's birthday we decided to invite some friends along to make cakes and pizza and have some fun.  We made macaroons (total disaster) and cakes which we decorated with coloured butter icing and sweeties.  Lots of fun.

Edible works of art!

Things got a little giggly after that so it was time to head out for a walk.  Oh the joys of having a cute doggy.  There is always an excuse to go outside to walk her and the cuteness is a real lure to visiting kids!!

Off to let off some steam

Much running about and messing on the play area ensued.

And another group shot on the recent sculpture.  The lightening represents where the old railway supplied coal to the former power station.  It's really cool.  We saw the sculptor at work on it last year.  It's done with a chainsaw.  Awesome.

Posing at the lightning sculpture

Then we walked the long way round via the reopened sweetie shop to (hopefully) wear them all out.

I was completely worn out by the end of the day but we did have a good time.  Bit giddy and giggly but overall pretty good.

Home Sweet Home

It's not a palace but it's warm and cosy, aglow with activity and all mine!

New Stash

New sock yarn

Kemps have some exceedingly cheap sock yarn at the moment.  Just too cheap not to indulge.

Regia - Flusi sock yarn blues and greens

Regia - Flusi sock yarn blues and reds

Regia - Flusi sock yarn yellow

Regia - 6ply

The Flusi sock yarn was inspired by a famous German kids book which after much hunting I managed to get my hands on for the girls.  It's very sweet and funny.

Regia issued a small pattern book with a new Flusi story and sizing for childrens socks to go with the yarn which I also have!!

Not that I am obsessed or anything.....

Cheery Bargains

Ooh don't you just love new stuff.  Especially bargainous new stuff.  Been indulging myself at Dunhelm Mill.

My biscuit barrel got broken so I needed a new one.  Couldn't find a decent one so settled on these cheery stacking cake tins.  Bright and breezy and unlikely to be broken by biscuit seeking missiles (aka girls!)

Jolly stacking cake tins - £4.99 for 3

That wasn't all. I got some new mugs as well.  I have long since given up even attempting to have matching stuff since something always gets broken. Plus there is absolutely no point having a complete set of stuff you are afraid to use in case you do break something.  I prefer a more ecletic and mismatched approach.  As long I like it, then it's fine! These mugs were fab for 99p each.

Cute flowery mugs

Pretty floral - bit Cath Kidston-ish I thought

And I saw these and just couldn't resist....

Ladybird scissors

You can never find any scissors in when you need them so here are some fabulous and funky new ones.  Three sizes so good for all occasions.

Pink and girly

Big Girl's room is finished and she has moved back in.  It's very girly, rather pink and she loves it!

Night cycling again

Nick recharged the batteries in my lights and I couldn't believe the difference!! They were miles brighter tonight.  Only one incident too.... got my shoelaces wrapped around my pedal and couldnt' take my foot off.  This meant that the only way to get off the bike was to fall off sideways. Ouch... the things we do to shift a few pounds eh!

The moon is almost full tonight and it was out and bright.  This made it a pleasure to cycle away from the streetlights as it was really light in the the moonlight.  Lovely.  Even the creepy woods at Grove Plantation seemed a lot more mellow tonight.

Went online and entered all my vital statistics on various sites and found I have a BMI of 29.9  EEEEEKKKK.  This makes me borderline OBESE.  I just can't believe it.  Tried on lots of different sites but the results were the same. I refuse to be obese. I really, truly, absolutely,  completely refuse to be obese. It's been almost a year smoke free so I can' t keep blaming that.  Time to face up to things.

Got to do something about this before I become entirely spherical.  Hence the cycling.  Doesn't help that I have a pretty sedentary job and a hearty appetite.  I need to control my portions and move around more.

It sounds sooooo simple doesn't it.  Problem is, it takes a quite while for any of that stuff to make a tangible difference and it's extremely difficult not to lose heart and go off and bake a lemon drizzle cake and eat the lot!!!

Gonna have to face it...

...I'm addicted to cheap tote bags.

Here's my latest addition;

Funky figs... £3.00 at Tesco.  Lovely

Gilet Ta Da

Here's my aran gilet.  I am very proud of it. Best finishing I've ever done.

Knitted in James C Brett Rustic Aran. Took about 1 1/2 balls to make.  Pattern was from the Favourite Arans Hayfield book.

Self Portrait - poor quality photo. Sorry.

Close up of cabling

Rice stitch on the back - took AAAAAAGES  to knit

Ready to go

Rip it up and start again....

Oh dear.

Wallpapering of Big Girl's room commenced until there was a minor hiccough when excessive bubbling occurred.  Much swearing and umming and ahhhing went on.  A decision was made and down the majority of it came apart from one piece. It was started again.

Lessons learned about how this particular paper goes on and all is going much better.  Sadly, we have run out of the paper but were able to source a couple of extra rolls to finish off.  Hooray

It's loud and has a bit of a 60s/70s vibe going on but it's what the Big Girl wanted.

Loud and graphic wallpaper

Close up of paper

Love the colours - very bright and girly.  I am now in search of a heart in a granny square type motif to make a new blankie for the room.  Also got some ideas for cushions too.

Final touch and a requested birthday pressie for Big Girl.  She is 9 today.  I can't believe it. 9 years old. Where did all that time go?  And so very quickly too. Cue Abba singing "Slipping through my fingers" while us mothers blubber away....

Pink and Purple Astrobaby Lava Lamp

She should be back in her own room by the end of half term.

No party this year so we all trooped off to the cavalry for lunch.  This was a cute malapropism from some years back and it's stuck. It will always be the cavalry rather than the carvery for us.  Don't get so many of those hilarious mistakes these days.  Most recent one was when Little Girl asked if she could have a sushi knife.  Seemed such a strange request that when we asked her why she was most amazed that we didn't know what she meant.  She wanted an Swiss Army knife like her daddy has - because it has tweezers and scissors on it!!

Static attack!

They were giving out balloons at the cavalry so Big Girl decided to give Little girl a static makeover!

Saturday Morning Stroll

Just the girls out for a Saturday morning stroll.  It was rather chilly so we all togged up warmly including Sally the dog.  She has a rather smart Burberry quilted jacket!

Sally looking rather smart

Sally tugging at the lead

We took a different footpath and came across this really fab tree.  It's been burned at some point but neither girl was willing to stand inside the hole for a photo.  Too scary!

Scary Tree

We joined up with the revamped railway line for a stroll back to the park.  There was a power walking competition to warm us up . Won by Big Girl who has the gait and style off to a tee.

Padiham Greenway - fabulous revamped railway

We found some wonderful iced over puddles for much manic stamping.  Very glasslike and satisfying to crunch up!

No longer pristine frozen puddle

Independence is a-calling so when we got to the park the girls dashed ahead to the sweetie shop.  It has been taken over recently after the owner got too old to run things any longer.  It is still a proper sweetie shop and everyone is chuffed to have it back again.  The girls went in to get their regular 20p mix.

Independent girls buying their own sweeties.

Pretty little circles

Just look at this bag of crochet loveliness.

Almost good enough to eat

Looks like a bag of sweeties

You may remember this post. I was intending to make a ripple blanket for Little Girls room but have had a change of heart. Will keep you posted.

Here's another shot of the pretty little circles

Mmm... yummy

Running with Deer

Nick has decided to take up running again - he was a fell runner back in the day. He got himself some new running shoes and set off early Saturday morning to try them out.  

Looked out of the bedroom window to see him bounding down the path through the wood at the back of the house.  All of a sudden he was joined by 3 deer.  They must have been spooked when he came running along.  For a short time they were all heading in the same direction and it was like something out of a film.  Amazing.

He's dead chuffed that I saw it as no-one would have believed him otherwise. What a nature boy.

Later on, when he was cleaning his bike in the back garden he heard a strange noise coming from the drainpipe that allows water to escape from the bay window.  At first he thought it might be rats so decided to investigate.  Moved a few things around and realised that the noise was coming from inside the pipe.

He then did what all real men do and dismantled the pipe to see what was in there.  A tiny little bird fell out of the pipe and landed in a ruffled heap on the floor.  After a moment, it chirped and flew up to the top of the fence, looked Nick in the eyes and tweeted meaningfully before flying away. Ahh....