Simply Sunday

I guess there are many reasons why people decide to blog, and once started, why they continue to blog. I know that there are a great many little itty-bitty reasons that compel me to take photographs day after day and sit here and write day after day. I won't waffle on at you today (lucky escape for you) about my reasons for keeping this little bit of colourful cyberspace up and running, but one thing I can say is that I like my blog. I like it a lot. I like thinking about it, I like the creativity it involves and I like reading it. Yes, I often do read back through my own archives, not in a oh-look-how-wonderful-my-own-blog-is kind of a way, but in a daydreamy retrospective kind of a way. Often I will find myself thinking about something or another and my mind will settle on a particular remembered image, or an outing, or a recipe, or a crochet project and I will attempt to search out the blog entry, to find the words and images that accompany the memory.
And for someone with a memory that is as shot to bits as mine, this blogging lark is MARvelOUs! So many things I had forgotten about! So many images, memories, thoughts :: things that would otherwise be quite lost if it wasn't for my documenting them. I find it really wonderful to know that I have created this pocket of memories, and to be able to dip and dive into them whenever the mood takes me.

Take todays photographs for example :: images from yesterday (Sunday) which was a very normal, weekendy, family day in our house. Nothing extraordinary, yet somehow I look back at these photos, now a day old, and I am so happy to see them there! I recall the happiness that was there when I opened my eyes and saw that little jug of flowers beside my bed :: flowers that came from a huge surprise bouquet which J brought back from the supermarket for me, along with a packet of Lemsip and some Ibuprofen (yeah, I am fighting that cold, it has not taken hold of me quite yet). I remember the simple pleasure that accompanied my morning cup of tea in bed at 7:09am, and a bit of new-book browsing (both deeeeliicous). And I think this :: a cup of tea, a jug of flowers, a new book. Such small  pleasures, but how fabulous all the same. How simple life can be at times, how ordinary yet how extraordinary.

A little later on and I sit to do some colouring with the Little People. The picture above, started by Little Man, abandoned by Little Man, picked up by Little Lady, abandoned by Little Lady and consequently taken up by yours truly. The water is my handiwork, as if you couldn't guess, right? This is a new Christmas colouring book (eh-hem, yes, I confess, bought by me for Little Man because I loved it so). Ahh how I love to sit with a  good colouring page in front of me and an array of felt tip pens! Its pleasure overload!

I am ridiculously pleased with my concentrated colouring efforts, and my Sunday Sun is now proudly stuck up on my mirror to shine down on us all.

Ten-thirty and we are miraculously out of our pyjamas and out of the house. We've had a lot of stay-at-homes during this holiday (partly due to illness, either full blown or impending), which has been rather luxurious actually, but the time had come to get out of the house.

J chivvies us into action :: Cummon, lets go, lets go, boots on, jumpers, coats, hats, wrap up warm, lets get out into the Wintry countryside. Follow the path up and up above Bolton Abbey, shall we visit the Money Trees? Yes? No? The Little People excitedly suggest Buffers, so that is where we head off to.

Do you recall our discovery of Buffers in the Summer? We had always meant to go back again but had not made it until yesterday. The Little People are thrilled to be showing their Daddy this place, they rush on ahead and show him where to go, lead him up the creaky wooden stairs to the train gallery. We take in the dusty nostalgia, play with the trains and then head back down to the cosy cafe to eat lunch.

Lunch is as lovely as I remembered it from before, and we do not much want to leave the warmth and cosiness. But eventually, when lunch is done, when coffee and cake is done, when a second play with the trains is done, we set out and head back down from the hills to the river beach.

There is paddling, and tree climbing. It is freezing cold but the Little People don't care. The tree becomes a hotel. The river gives up heart shaped stones and remarkably a pound coin. It's a lot of fun, but oh so freeeeeeezing cold!Take me home, I want to go home, I am whining like a petulant child. Oh honestly, I have to laugh at myself sometimes :: so utterly childish :: fourty going on four.

I do get my way in the end and we come home to a warm house for an afternoon of tea and chocolate biscuits and laziness. I take up position in The Chair and carry on with my current crochet project. The crocheting is complete now and I'm just starting to bring it all together. 

There are twenty five bluey-green granny squares...

...and twenty five pinky-red flowers.

Squares and flowers. I'm calling it "Granny's Flower patch", and I am really liking it. Can't wait to see it all finally come together. Its only a small project, a second cushion cover to go with this one. 

When it's done, I think I'll be ready to embark on my next blanket, although I'm still finalising the plan for the blanket-to-be. I think I almost have it set, I have drawn out a rough plan on paper, and have chosen which type of yarn to use. But I am still stumbling over yarn colours, still debating Random v Planned, still debating Bright/Deep v Bright/Soft, whether to include yellow, whether to include white.

Ahh decisions decisions. Making decisions is so hard for me, even if they are deliciously coloured ones.

Comments

[joana]

hello Lucy

I'm at home (bed) with the flu and want to post in my blog and I knew that you had great pictures that express very well what I need right now. I want to use this picture if it's ok but will wait for your agreement!
XX Joana

[Alva]

Oh my goodness. . .your thoughts on blogging are absolute perfection (as is that cushion cover), love the picture of Bolton Abbey as well, thanks so much for sharing.

[Eilidh]

This is going to sound so silly but I'm so excited by the Motorail 78 poster from Buffers. Mum always told me when we moved back to Scotland in 1979 we went on the train and the car came too. This was totally beyond my comprehension and being 11 months old at the time I had no recollection but turns out it was Motorail that we went on. So thank you for sharing that photo.

[driftwood]

your small pleasures make perfect special memories.
love your trip to Bolton Abbey, it looks as much fun in the winter. xx

[Devon Hanna]

Hi Lucy,
I for one am glad you like blogging and please dont stop, yours like many others I read take me away from reality to world totally different from mine..I and love it,,I get to travel to places I probly wont ever get to go and see beautiful homes and gardens that I would never get to see if it wasnt for beautiful people like you..your blog also is a inspiration to the creative side it gets one motivated to make things that they might other wise be stuck..so I for one am ver glad you like to blog..your afghan is going to be beautiful and your so is your coloring,,hope you beat the cold and feel better take care,,from across the pond..

Devon

[dottydesigns]

Hi Lucy, ooh I LOVE your colouring, I am rather partial to a bit of colouring in myself, well i haven't done any for years but could you please let me know where you got the mosaic colouring book from as I would love to do some. thank you

[Anne Bebbington]

Bolton Abbey looks as beautiful as ever - thanks for sharing

[mandy]

you have the most pretty, colourful and inspiring blog, I love reading it, it really cheers me up to see all the bright colours, and I love all the ideas that it inspires me to do, hope you are feeling better soon.

[tracy]

ack
where has my last post gone?
i think i may be going slightly mad or have consumed too many pink gins.......
anyhoo...
it basically said how lovely your post is today and how i had forgotten how much fun colouring in is :)
i also wanted to let you know that i have woo whooped about you on my little blog today - a small thanks for my AMAZING gift from you xxxx
your real thanks will be in the post to you shortly - i am having so much fun gathering treasures for you :)
speak soon lovely Lucy - if this post fails then i am giving up!
t x

[Grifut]

Hi! I recently discovered your blog! It's amazing!! I love everything you make, the designs, the colours... everything!! Greeting from Spain

[Alexis]

I am so happy to have discovered your blog! It is lovely!

[Leisa]

Such a lovely post and a lovely day out! I so enjoy your writing and sharing, always something lovely to look forward to.

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

I'm very pleased that you enjoy writing your blog because I enjoy reading about your beautifully colourful life! Lucy x

[Umm Hibaat]

I'm so glad you blog too cos I love it! Can't wait to see Granny's Flower Patch!

[boo]

I've just been examining in close detail your ripples!! lol!! Mine is looking terrible.. I think I got my counting wrong at the beginning, or something - last night, on row 3 - I've managed to end the row in the manner Jan Eaton suggests - so hopefully it will start to go right and I can explain away the bad crochet as an alternative border..

Love your new project - those double petalled flowers are so sweet!!

Thanks again for all the colour!!

[CHABE2021]

I HAVE BEEN PERUSING BLOGLAND SINCE 2004-5 AND WHEN I FOUND YOURS I WANTED TO DELETE EVERYONE ELSES AND JUST VISIT YOURS AND YOUR LIST EVERY DAY, THATS HOW MUCH I LIKE IT :)

[Gem]

Very cute little flowers :) Looking forward to seeing what craft goodness you are going to do with these :)
x

[elizabeth of course]

Everytime I visit your blog I think I'll just DIE (LoL)if I don't immediately:
pick up my hook and get to crocheting something, quick.
pick some live greens or flowers or something to live in my house.
and move to England. It's so much prettier than here. Here is nice and all, but I think I need a change.
What I'm saying is, you inspire me SO MUCH!

[Jo]

Utterly extra-ordinary in every way, reading your blog is like reading a good book. Get well and enjoy the stitching together bit!

Jo

[cathleen]

Another smile-inducing, heart-warming Attic 24 post. Your lovely personality inspires me with the most wonderful positive energy today. Makes me what to grab my crochet hook and have a go at those little flowers. I know I have turned to your blog archives many times when I need a bit of cheering....and you never disappoint, Lucy. Have a great day, little sister.

[Helen]

Ah, such a lovely post and such a lovely blog too. I enjoy reading it and going bck over previous entries of yours. Attic24 is one of the few that I just have to check on every day. Thank you for sharing your life with us - it brings great pleasure.

[Barbara]

Thank you for your inspiration. Happy New Year to you too.

Barbara

[Bettina]

Hi,Lucy!wath a lovely sorprise your new proyect!!!Ican´t wait to see!!!!:)

[Manuela]

Each time i visit your blog i see wonderful colours and little flowers, in this period i'm crocheting a lot, and i also doing a lot of things. Tomorrow i wake up with little flacks of snow, unfortunatelly at the moment i'm at work, but when i will at home again i will do little rose ... excuse me for my horrible english ....

[Julie]

Having been inspired by your blog, am hoping to start my own when C is back at school, so your post today has seemed like a sign that I really ought!

Sounds like you had a lovely trip out, and the cozy at home times sound even better. Granny squares and flowers are looking great, can't wait to see them all

Hope your cold goes away soon. xx