What’s On Your Workdesk this Wednesday?
As usual, my desk has been the recliner and the kitchen this week! I am continuing to make good progress on the Tiny Carpets project and have finished the red stitching for the border of Carpet #4. There’s a lot of red on this one. At this stage it’s just “mapping out” and once the main structure is done (which involves counting threads and great potential for going wrong!), it’s just a question of filling in.
Here’s a reminder of the pattern I drafted on graph paper:
from this design that I found online.
As before, I began with the border. The outline has alternating gaps in the lines of red cross stitch, which will eventually be filled in with cream.
Continuing to work on the border.
I’d hoped to have done a bit more by this time, but I’ve been pretty busy with other things.
Disaster Area
I don’t know what’s going on with us at the moment, but everything seems to be either breaking down, or just breaking!
Last Wednesday afternoon, I went to the front door to take delivery of a parcel, and was horrified to find that this had happened to our gate! And our poor geraniums!
My cleaning lady was here, and she had been in the bedroom at the front, and had heard a loud bang. She looked out and saw a large white van in the road. I hadn’t heard anything because I was busy in the kitchen at the back of the house and probably had some machine or other working full-pelt! When I went to the door, I found a scrap of paper on the doormat. The white van driver had obviously posted this through the letterbox as a gesture to any neighbours who might have been watching, and they would have assumed that he had written his name and contact details. But no. There was NOTHING written on the paper. He just drove off. He must have hit the gate post with one heck of a bump to do the damage he did, and there must have been a socking great dent in his van, which would have taken some explaining at the other end!
My hubby contacted the insurance company and was told we’d have to pay our £75 excess, and lose 4 years’ worth of no claims bonus. He said he’d consult a builder and get back to them. On second thoughts, and chatting with a couple of neighbours, he decided that the gate post could be glued back on and the minor damage repaired with ready-mix. A couple of days later they came, and the gate post is now glued back on and he’s repointed the repair. He’s got this really strong waterproof exterior glue which is brilliant for things like this. Unfortunately the metal gate bracket is broken and cannot be repaired, and my hubby can’t find a replacement, so he is going to ask someone to do a spot of welding and make us a new one. He got back to the insurance company and said we wouldn’t be claiming after all, and the whole thing has cost a small fraction of what it would have cost had we claimed on the insurance!
My poor gooseneck lamp is definitely on the way out. A couple of nights ago the head worked really loose and was dangling. I mended it with duct tape which doesn’t look all that great, but amazingly the lamp still works, although the gooseneck is so weak that it tends to droop.
I have ordered a new lamp but it won’t come till mid-to-late October for some reason. I am going to put the original one in the studio and possibly use its clamp attachment. Who cares if the gooseneck has to be held up with string? It gives a good light and there’s still some life left in it but I need something better now, for downstairs use.
No sign of our new sitting room suite yet, and my ring remains missing.
The new hoover is brilliant and my cleaning lady says I spoil her!! She doesn’t want to use the Henry any more and is very happy to use the new Shark all over the house as it’s not heavy to carry up and down stairs. She loves it.
Food
Recipe of the week
Another soup for you this week – a new recipe for me. I have eaten this in restaurants in the past and always liked it, so I thought I’d give it a go. As usual, I omitted the oil. Served here with some of my home-made half-and-half wholemeal and white bread with seeds, and some seeded oatcakes. The funny little pointed tomatoes are out of the garden. Delicious soup! I’m not usually a fan of fresh coriander but in this case it definitely enhances the flavour. It also contains dried ground coriander seeds. I used a little more of this as a garnish, with some basil leaves because I forgot to save any of the coriander!
Nutrition
Why whole-food plant-based?
I encourage you to watch this excellent lecture given by Dr. Anthony Lim. It is about an hour long, but worth taking this short time out of your schedule, because in my opinion, it is one of the best summaries of the indisputable benefits of this way of life that I have seen.
Kitties
Not a lot going on in their little world at the moment except sleeping and eating! My hubby has been busy out and about over the past few days so they haven’t had much garden time. Here they are, asleep on my legs while I’m enjoying a nice cup of tea. They can get extremely heavy after a while. Two little bums with stripy tails.
Ruby has found a new favourite place – my knitting bag!
It doesn’t take long for the head to go down and deep sleep to ensue.
They had a spat late on Monday night – the usual – Ruby chasing Lily, who swears like a trooper at her. I tell them to pack it in, and chase them out of the sitting room before they send everything flying. They careered off up the stairs with a huge thundering of paws which I expect woke my hubby up! They’d had a lazy day and hadn’t been out so they probably needed to blow off steam. Lily went up on the bed straight after breakfast and stayed there all day until their tea time. I told her she was a lazy lump. My hubby (as usual defending his beloved Lily!) said she was guarding the bed. I pointed out that those who fall asleep while on guard duty are apt to get shot.
Clothes
I thought you might like to see a picture of me wearing my red skirt now it’s been dyed. I’m wearing the first Romanian blouse that I showed you a few weeks ago. We were just about to go out for lunch with a friend on Saturday. (Note the red socks.)
My main outfit this week is special, because both the top and the maxi-skirt were given to me by friends. The top came from someone who used to go to our church where we lived before we came here. She worked in the local art shop. I don’t know why she wanted to get rid of this top because it’s gorgeous! It’s my other “in-between” one – a bit too hot for the summer but lovely in the spring and autumn. Like the one I showed you last week, it is made of a variety of fabrics, and it has some Indian shi-sha mirror work on it. The only problem with it is that the sleeves are velvet, and I can’t wear a cardigan over it or the pile of the velvet makes the sleeves of the cardigan twist round my arms and they get tighter and tighter!! If I want another layer, I have to wear a T-shirt underneath.
The skirt was given to me by another friend, back in our Plymouth days. We left there in 1999 so it’s really old! Again, I’ve no idea how this friend could bring herself to part with it. I really love it with its patches of different material, the gold braid and the lovely random colours of it. I wear this one quite a lot in the winter. Maroon socks to co-ordinate! I’m wearing some cheap amber-coloured plastic crystal beads with it, and a pair of old gold earrings. (I’ve also got my wireless earbuds draped round my neck – forgot to take them off!)
Some detail shots of both garments. First, the top.
The embroidery is gold, which of course doesn’t show up properly on the photo which is a shame.
The skirt.
Again, the gold embroidery and braid doesn’t show up properly on he photo.
Lovely flowers on the patio
My hubby has changed the pots and troughs around a bit now that the spring and summer flowers are getting over and looking a bit tatty. This year he put in some dahlias and they are lovely now.
Up the side of the bank, beside the steps to the upper part of the garden, the wild cyclamen are out. Earlier, we had wild violets here. I love the little wild things that grow there, and the ferns too.
A week of special anniversaries
Thursday 17th September was the 35th anniversary of the day I met my hubby. I think I’ve shared with you before, how it happened, but I’ll share it again – I was attending the church where we eventually got married, and the curate offered several of us a lift to a lecture in another church (which happened to be the one my parents used to belong to, and where I went to Sunday School as a child). My hubby had been at college with the curate so he knew him. He was sitting towards the back, and I don’t think he was attending to the lecture at all, because he could see my back view, with my long hair loose down my back (I could sit on it then) which was a major distraction apparently. There was a short break at the mid-point of the lecture, and he came forward pretending he wanted a word with the curate, but in actual fact to check out the front view and see if it was as good as the back. He decided it was, so over coffee at the end of the lecture, he sought me out and chatted me up. Before he could discover who I was, he was hauled away by someone he’d promised a lift to, and had to leave in a hurry to get the person to the train in time. The next day, he phoned the curate and asked who I was, and of course this was the opportunity for endless teasing, especially as later on, when he was trying to phone me, he got the curate by mistake because his number was only one digit different from mine! He and his wife thought it was hilarious. After my parents, they were the first to know we’d got engaged, only a couple of months later, at the end of November. The whole thing was a rush job – my hubby wanted to marry me straight away but I said no, I wanted time to make my dress! (And Mum would never have forgiven me – she wanted a proper “do” and needed time to organise things!) So he had to wait six months, and we were married the following May (24th, which also happens to be our kitties’ birthday!). I wrote to a school friend at Christmas and told her I’d got engaged, and she replied, “Who is this person? I’ve never heard of him!!” because the last time I’d written, I hadn’t even met him!
Yesterday, 22nd September, was the 36th anniversary of the day I became a Christian. It happened at a big rally I was taken to by a couple from my church, where until then, I’d just been a churchgoer with no real faith. Everything changed that night. The date was closely tied to my meeting my hubby a year later, because I was just approaching my first anniversary as a Christian, and being young and green in the faith, didn’t realise what a risk praying can be (you have to be careful what you ask for!!!) – I reminded God that I was just approaching the landmark first year and asked Him what He wanted me to do with the rest of my life, and laid myself wide open. A few days later I met my hubby. I didn’t recognise this as the answer to my prayer at the time, of course. At that stage I had no intention of marrying anyone, and he told me later that as soon as he met me, he knew I was the one he was going to marry! If he’d told me that then, I’d have run away to China or somewhere! In the early days we had our usual problems adjusting to the new life together, and it wasn’t easy because we were both older than most of our contemporaries had been when they got married, and we’d lived independent lives so had a lot of corners to knock off each other. My hubby didn’t make things any easier by working 24-7 and not taking any time off, and making it very difficult for me to look after him because he resented being forced to take regular meals, and we had the usual arguments and problems. Whenever things were really bad, I was reminded of my prayer, and knew that God had brought us together so I had better get on with it because after all, I couldn’t really go against God and run away, could I!!! These days, 34 years on, I can’t imagine life without him.
Have a great creative week, everyone.
What a beautiful outfit indeed Shoshi. So sorry to hear about your gate and a shoddy trick by the van driver. My husband quite often makes carrot and coriander soup if we have too many carrots in the fridge. Yours looks delicious. Meow to the lazy bones. Congratulations on your two anniversaries. Stay safe and happy WOYWW. Sarah #2
Hi Shoshi, what a mean and devious van driver! Grrr.
Your magic carpets are coming along well. My better half once had a temporary job holding up the carpets at a Persian carpet auction. You’d have loved to see them all. Have you ever been to Morocco? There, they invite you to come into their carpet shops “ just for the pleasure of your eyes!”
I love the story of how you and your better half met. It’s the our anniversary of meeting this month as well. You’ve given me the idea to tell the story of that next week, if you don’t mind me copying you.
I haven’t had carrot soup for years but it is delicious.
Take care, stay safe
Hugs Lynnecrafts #13
Hi Shoshi. Oh my – a busy week. Glad you managed to get your wall fixed – what a naughty van driver!! Your garden is still looking great – I love the little cyclamen on the bank. Next week I, too celebrate the anniversary of my becomming a Christian – 56 years. Goodness, I can hardly believe it.
Take care. God bless.
Margaret #6
I almost can’t take it all in! WOW. I love the carpets. My sister had a doll house as a child and a family friend made one for her – the tiny stitches and detail was amazing. Yours is too. Your garden is stunning, as is the outfit. What a lovely gift. I’d have kept it LOL!
Interested in the plant-based video. I keep reading the benefits of it, and as I struggle with medication side effects, it seems all the more appealing. What doesn’t is making multiple meals… What I will do is check back for previous recipes 😀 I always need new ones to avoid the dinner-time rut of the same 10 meals rotated across a couple of weeks.
Happy WOYWW!
Mary Anne (20)
You must be enjoying making those mini carpets to start another one! I love it when I find a new “obsession” though I tend to flit from one thing to another. In my experience broken things always come in threes. I’ve seen it time and time again. So when something goes wrong, I always expect two other things to go wrong or get broken. The nerve of that driver putting through an empty piece of paper – revolting! You did the right thing though – it’s not worth messing about with your insurance. I just feel sorry for the geraniums, but I’m sure you’ve repotted them since – shame about the broken pot through. I could very easily become a vegetarian but I need my dairy! Couldn’t give up cheese! I have no doubt though that if you have the time and energy to put the effort in, you can get full nutrition from a plant based diet. Lovely outfits and flowers – I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but neither my dahlias nor my gladioli flowered this year – or ever for that matter. Lots of greens but no flowers. I’ve got beautiful geraniums and petunias though, so I’ll just stick with those next year. Enjoyed reading the story of how you two met – I’m sure I heard it before but forgot the details – I’m not religious per se, but I am spiritual and I think it’s the same forces at work whatever your believes. Different religions just put it into a different format – if I had to choose a religion, I would be a buddhist – and then I would definitely go vegan! Happy anniversary of meeting your other half and finding your calling! xx zsuzsa #20
Loving the photos of you on your fashion shoot! So graceful and colourful. I also love the story of how you met your husband – be careful of what you pray for indeed! I was single for 5 years and considering training for ordination – I had no intention of meeting anyone and getting married and Tim came into my life. He knew within 2 weeks that we were going to get married – it took me longer than that to realise he was interested in me! We married 6 months later, and like you had some corners to knock off each other – it will be 20 years in October that we met. Happy WOYWW. Take care and stay safe. With love and God Bless, Caro xxx (#11)
LOvely to read how happy you both are after all those years, sometimes people just click, who needs a long engagement and years of wedding prep when you find your soulmate. Your skirt looks even more fabulous on, you did a great job with the dye last week.
What a shock it must have been to see your wall had been knocked down, I imagine it would have caused a not so pretty bump to that van, hope you can find a cheaper solution to fixing it, sadly things always seem to break or happen in three’s or more, I hope next week is a much better one for you all.
Take care & stay safe, weather is changing here it maybe time to get my socks on hee hee…
Happy WoywW Tracey #5 xx
P.S Like the red of the new cross stitch carpet, look forward to seeing it complete x
Shoshi……..my goodness!! What in the world??? There’s a little troll nipping at your heels!!! Sounds like things I go through from time to time!! I just remind myself that it’s a test to see how I will respond!!! LOL I hope the van driver ends up having a conscious and decides to come back and apologize or at best help foot the bill! Goodness!! Break downs seem to come in numbers….poor little lamp! LOL As my dad used to say, “duck tape fixes EVERYTHING!” LOL I love your amazing outfits, right up my alley, and your lovely gardens….still!! Here in my state, all is but dried up with our amazingly hot summers! Time to start thinking about fall planting!! Happy “both” anniversaries!! Blessings on both scores!! I don’t know where I’d be without my faith!! I haven’t cross stitched in so many years, but this is coming along nicely. Can’t wait to see it finished!! Blessings, Felicia #25
Love your honesty on relationships ~ so many people think that everyone else has perfect marriages and in reality it take a lot of give and take or knocking corners as you say. I came to faith about 21 years ago. I’m glad you were able to fix your entrance, what a mess. Another beautiful outfit and your skirt looks nice and red. Hopefully your streak of things breaking is over and you will have a wonderful rest of the week ~ Love, Karen #28
Well, that made me very cross on your behalf about the gatepost! That was a rotten thing to do, just driving off like that. I hadn’t realised that you could glue it back together though, that made me laugh. Still, if it saved you losing your no claims then all was worth it. The carpets are coming along beautifully, I do love the graph paper patterns, they’re so pleasing! I’ve graduated onto a larger piece for a hanging for our house at Christmas.
HUgs LLJ 8 xxxx
Looking beautiful in your photographs as usual! What a rotten driver,both in driving and behaviour! Glad your husband got the wall fixed although my daughters house insurance went up after she told them a tile fell on the roof of the caravan, even though they paid for it themselves. They said It was still a claim even though they hadn’t paid out! A lively account of you and your husband’s first meeting x Angela #23
Great post Shoshi. Loving the kitty pics and the flowers too. The soup looks rather nice and the embroidery too but what a shame about the gate. Wishing you a lovely week and a happy and creative woyww, Angela xXx
Today’s is a beautiful outfit!
The cross-stitch is coming along nicely…
What a shame about your gate and lamppost! But at least it dint not coast as much as the insurance would have.
Enjoyed reading about meeting your husband!
Happy Woyww! Susan #14
Aww that’s such a pain about the van man being selfish like that. Your kitties are super cute. The mini carpets are adorable, they must take a while x
That is a despicable way to behave isn’t it, the van must have a big dent or broken light unit, something that will require explanation, for sure. It’s also pretty shoddy practice from the Insurance company, but don’t get me started!! The cross stitch is beautiful, I think you work faster than I would. I would need the magnifier too, I totally understand why you’ve ordered another straight away, some things you just cant muddle on without!
Oh what a horrible thing to have happen, and what a mean minded van driver. I’m glad your hubby was resourceful enough to fix it, I would never have thought you could glue on that scale. Your outfits are both beautiful and they are lovely photos of you – I have a similar problem with a lovely velvet top of mine that gets a life of it’s own if I try and wear a cardi over it. Congratulations on your two anniversaries and your garden is looking gorgeous, still a riot of colour this late in the season.
Have a good week,
Diana x #22
Great post! Love the little red carpet, the kitties, the clothing, the plants… Sorry about your gate. What a rude man. I’m still visiting in between work, etc. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!
Carol N #24
Oh wow, the color of that brown top and skirt…. I’m in love!!! Sorry to see things in and around your house break (the lamp, the wall…) it does make one angry isn’t it, people who don’t take responsibility and leave you with the damage… Thanks for visiting my blog the other day, have a wonderful weekend. Stay safe. Love from the Netherlands. Marit #1
First, as you know, I LOVE your wardrobe!! That red skirt turned out fab, and the next outfit had me drooling. I say this without having anything close to these in my closet (well maybe one or two that are close…). I loved your story about meeting your hubby, and him calling the wrong number – when I gave my hubby (36 years) my number, apparently I gave him the wrong number (I’m a bit number dyslexic), but there was a Linda at that number, and he tried in vain to tell her how he knew her! Luckily we did finally meet up and the rest is history. I’m glad you got that post fixed without the insurance company. Boy that sure is a racket, isn’t it? And how horrible was the guy in the van who put a blank note in your door? Hopefully Karma will take care of him!
Inky has finally recovered from her trauma. I don’t even think anything unusual happened to her, I think maybe she thought we weren’t coming back? Mittsy recovered quite quickly. It’s nice to hear that Lily and Ruby fight sometimes just like Inky and Mittsy. All is normal!
It was fun making all the macrame. I had a year to make them, but stopped the small ones at 60 before we realized what was happening. Something just told me to stop! So it all worked out, the extras were used for the bunting and it all just added to the Boho theme. The big hanging was a surprise for them, and it was just what they needed for the altar. I don’t think I would have done the sculpy tags for 120 people! Thanks for your kind words about the wedding, it was definitely a project of love! Have a great week and stay safe! Lindart #32
Hi Shoshi. I am late visiting – a lot has been going on here in Copper Beeches.
Loving the fashion shoot, gorgeous colours. Such cute kitties!
Loved hearing about how you met and married your DH. Happy Anniversary.
I met my husband at Woolworths 🙂 we both worked on Saturdays–he had finished studying and started working but enjoyed the Saturday job as something completely different. I began working there as a 15 year old for 3 hours initially. Progressed to all day Saturday with some extra hours now and then during school holidays. DH waited 7 months after my 16th birthday before he asked me out. My parents were not happy, I was 16 he was 23. I had A levels ahead and planned on teaching. Our first date was to Coventry Cathedral.
People said it wouldn’t last. His friends called him a cradle snatcher. They seemed rather sophisticated to me.
Anyway at the age of 20 we got married. Next year God willing we will celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary! I completed A levels, trained as a teacher, married, had two sons, 4 grandchildren and taught for 30years 🙂
Life has been good to us.
I need to complete some cross stitch pieces, yours has inspired me. I will look at the video re whole food. I need to change my eating habits, I am dismayed by the weight that has crept on. The Covid months, mum dying and the dreadful time afterwards has led to some bad eating habits.
Exercise is difficult. Arthritis and FM help.
Sorry for my long comment. Take care. Anne x26