Time flies when you are having fun!!

Just to let you know what I have been getting up to the last few weeks, here is a brief ??? post.

 I was very lucky to get two free tickets to the Stitching Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show at ExCell n November. Diane and I had a lovely time there, browsing all the stalls, but I was very restrained and came home with money in my purse for another day. Bonus!

 At school this term is hectic, reports to be written and Christmas play rehearsals to fit in .  was asked to help with some of the props, Juniors were doing Peter Pan for which they needed a button, thimble and a needle.  My friend made me a lovely needle and after finding a charger plate which with holes drilled in, resembled a button, I found out it had to be acorn shaped. I forgot to take a photo of that though.  couldn't have a needle without a reel of thread. The cable drum has been in the loft year's waiting for the right project. The thimble was made from a container I found in the Poundshop which was the right shape.

 I gave a talk to Chelmsford Embroiderers' Guild and here are all the boxes I took which contain just a small selection of my work. I was very nervous as it is only the 2nd time I have talked about my work.

 Work has been done on my latest doll. To make the jacket  had to order a pattern from USA. I could not believe how quickly it arrived. I have adapted the jacket to make it fit my doll, as the pattern is for a much bigger one. It is machined together and now I need to stay stitch it, hopefully in the next few days.

 One Saturday, my friend drove his wife and myself up to Gloucester to visit a friend for the day. On the way home we stopped at this marvellous service station,not a McDonald's in sight!

 Another Saturday I had to go to Hinkley for my husbands Christmas do.  We woke up to snow and the river almost completely frozen over. A horrible journey home, what would normally take on average 2 1/4 hours took nearly 5 hours!!

 The snow bought the long tailed tits back to the garden though.

 Last week, at the very last moment I got a chance to go on a school trip to the lantern festival at Chiswick House. Just a few photos, none of which do it justice. Unfortunately, because it was last minute I hadn't taken my camera to work and only had my phone which was not fully charged.

I have been without a car for over a week now, so I have had lots of time in the kitchen baking for Christmas. I have already had my 'Christmas Day' as my youngest daughter was hoping to be in Japan for Christmas, unfortunately her trip has been postponed for a few weeks, which has given her time to get a visa to work in Australia after Japan.

Cornwall-day 6.

 I was out walking for nearly 2 hours before breakfast, I shall miss doing this next week when I am back home in Essex.

 Looking through one of the arches on the harbour wall at the town.

This is normally behind metal gates, but today they were left open, so I popped in to get this photo. After breakfast, it was down to the Surf Shack, our favourite cafe in St. Ives, ( best hot chocolate served here) especially when you can get the table by the open window, looking out over the harbour.

When we get home, one of our first jobs will be to plant up the new flower bed in the front garden.  Hardy Exotics Nursery is a nursery we visit every time we come here as they stock such unusual plants as well as some more common varieties.  

 is

This plant is one of several, coming back to Essex, it has red velvet stems- Salvia Confertiflora, an evergreen shrub. 

It was then on to Penzance, I needed to go back to Wooly Sues, to get some wool to finish my throw.

For my husbands 70th birthday, my children brought him afternoon tea.

It was a very lovely end to the final day our holiday. We had a table looking across Penzance Bay to St. Michaels Mount. There was so much to eat we left with a doggy bag.

Back to St. Ives as dusk was falling. 12 obelisks on the beach tonight.

We will be leaving here tomorrow morning, and I hope to get to have one more walk along the beach. It has been a lovely week.

Cornwall- day 5.

 It must have been foggy last night, because as I went out for my early morning walk,I could hear a foghorn in the distance.  The sea was still very still, like a mill pond, which is why I thought it was strange that I could see '2 surfers' out in the sea. Wrong!!!!! as they came ashore, I was able to see that the 'surfers' were in fact Canadian Geese. I didn't realise they liked salt water.I need to take my long distance glasses out with me on my walk.

On the beach, just pass the lifeboat station, someone regularly builds these piles of stones. 

 I walked to Porthminster beach, and again not a wave in sight!

 In need of the sound of waves, we decided to visit Porthleven with a stop of on route to Helston. It is famous for being the 2nd oldest Cornish town,  as well as for the channels of flowing water either side of the High Street and the Flora Day Dance, which celebrates the end of winter..

 This monument is for Humphrey Millet Grylls (1789-1834) for his generosity to the poor and his acts of charity.  Onto Porthleven.......

 Wing Commander Guy Gibson of 617 ( Dambusters) came from Porthleven.

 A very unloved boat!

 Found this lime kiln, a grade II listed building,  used for burning limestone to get lime for use in the building industry.

 This church normally is seen in the news when it is being battered by storms .

 I was able to listen to some waves, though very tame compared to previous visits.

Watched the moon rise over St. Ives while drinking a lovely cup of tea.