Sunday 12th April - Easter!

He is Risen indeed! Alleluia, alleluia!

(Jesus, obs. He's the one who has risen)

The first Easter without Easter eggs since - since I was born? Probably. I made a chocolate cake this afternoon - I'm out of practice, and it's a bit dry, but will make an excellent chocolate pudding with custard tomorrow.

The days between the last post and today's post seem all to have been fairly similar - a mixture of

gardening
I've planted seeds, planted out seedlings, trimmed the edges of the grass, all those bitty jobs. 

knitting
A couple more of these flower squares for a mystery 'knit-a-long'. I'm getting better at reading the instructions, and also knowing when to stop and put it aside before it all goes wrong

I've finished one slipper, and am part way through another, which I will post to the Daughter probably in time for her to lose them over the heatwave and be unable to find them again when it gets cold!

crochet
I've done a lot of research and thinking about how to join these granny squares which I made throughout last year. I've finally come to the conclusion that I need to border each one in a plain colour and then join them together with the same yarn. I chose a dull air-force blue, and I'm really pleased with the result. 

I'm also trying to do a couple of rows most evenings to make this blanket in time for a present to give to someone (she already knows about it) in August

It looks as though I'm keeping busy, but actually a lot of time is spent sitting around, reading, frittering time away here there and everywhere.

I've played the piano - a few times. Had a go on the saxophone - oh yes - that was a bit of a laugh - I turned out for the first time on Thursday for the 'clap and cheer the NHS' time, and let loose with a blast of 'Lean on Me' and 'O when the Saints'. Quite a few people appeared - I think the row I made might have had a bit of an effect... So I'd better practice again for this Thursday. Something EASY.

Ah well. Another week - a few more zoom lessons, more zoom meetings with friends and family - phone calls and texts to keep in touch - time passes, and another week beckons.

Take care - stay safe...

Saturday 4th April - The First Warm Day

I'm defintely a warm weather person. Cold weather saps my energy, resilience, whatever you want to call it.

Today was warm and sunny all day.

I have spent the day doing this that and the other

 - cleaning the bathroom

 - reading

 - sitting in the sun; this involved moving a cat basket out of the way - an action which met with total disapproval from said cat

 - a few rows of knitting

 - planting seeds (tomato, basil, cress). The cress seeds needed to be sprinkled on some damp kitchen paper laid on a plate, and then kept in a dark place for a week. I've put the plate in this biscuit tin, reckoning that if I put them in a cupboard I would forget where they were.

I was a little taken aback to find there were only 6 seeds in the packet. They had all jolly well come up. 

 - making sauerkraut, ah, that also needed a dark place for 5 days. So I have put it in the bottom section of the cupboard in the dining room. On top of the tablecloths.

 - planting out my sweet peas into a container (The forecast is 5-8 degrees tonight so hopefully they will be fine.

 - walking to the post box and back, zig-zagging between both sides of the road to dodge other people out in the sunshine

 - weeding part of a flower bed - that was the hardest activity.

 - a few rows of knitting

 - playing the saxophone - I don't think I have opened the box for about six or seven years. One clue, is that there isn't a tag for saxophone on this blog.

 Everything was still there, including a couple of decent reeds. I had forgotten some of the fingerings, but even so

it didn't take me too long to work out how to play 'O when the saints' and 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'. Playing the sax is an excellent work out for my lungs.

I expect I shall pay for all this activity tomorrow...