Sunday Stuff

I often wonder if there might come a point when I get bored with blogging my life. If you will get bored reading about it too. If you will one day pop in to Attic24 and groan. Think to yourself :: oh no, how boooooooring, not moooore crochet, moooooore baking, mooooooore magazines, how predicable, we've seen it all before, a dozen times or more. Isn't there anything different? Isn't there more to this persons life??

Well maybe that might happen one day. In the distant future. But right now I have to say I really, really, really enjoy my life. And i enjoy that my blog follows my life, and it is therefore honest and reflects my happiness as well as  my current passions, all of which don't alter much from week to week.

I sincerely hope you don't think me too smug for saying this, for declaring my happiness? I hope not, because it is certainly not meant that way. I am not bragging about my life. I am quite simply photographing bits of it and sharing it. Honestly, simply, and exactly as it is. Although of course I do tend to miss out some of the messy bits, the tantrummy bits. And the very private bits.

Why am I saying this to you? Well....because just now I uploaded my photos from my camera to the computer to take a look at the weekend images. Pictures from the past 48 hours which were snapped here and there. And I was delighted to see them. Yes, they are quite predictable. Yes, there are images which are very similar to ones you've already seen. But then that's the nature of my weekends at this point in my life, there exists a great deal of predictability, of repetition. But OH how I LOVE it that way!!!

So today's post is all about my yesterday, the Sunday Stuff. A little morning crochet (pictured above), interspersed with baking cookies, drinking coffee, eating breakfast (a bacon sarnie, sat on the front step in the morning sunshine), some magazine browsing and some Little People supervising (they were outside, up and down the street on scooters/bikes with half a dozen other neighbourhod children).

11am or thereabouts and we decide on the spur of the moment to pack the Little People's bicycles in the boot of the car and drive to a nearby town which has a park with great cycling potential. Unlike our local park (which is beautiful but hilly), this park is flat. It has expanses of flat grass and a neat flat path which circles the perimeter. 

It turns out to be quite a momentous bicycling morning as for the first time we remove the stablisers from Little Lady's bike. It does not go smoothly. There are tears and snot, there is a lot of obstinate, rather frightened protesting. There are wobbles and there are falls. There is minor injury. There is a rather exhausted Mother running around the entire park attempting to maintain her daughter in a vertcal position whilst whizzing along with some furious pedalling. But we do on the odd occasion achieve Balance, and a Little four year old girl pedals on her own when her Mummy secretly takes her hands away. We still have a way to go, still have plenty of practice to do, but it was a great start.

 

After all that emotion and exhaustion we drive up out of the town to a favourite pub we know and love. We were in fact here last weekend too, on the Yes-day. Today we don't sit inside near blazing fires and under ancient beamed ceilings but instead sit in the pub's beer garden with cold drinks and crisps and enjoy the warmth of an early spring afternoon. You can see the pub in the above photograph look, see it's stunning location. It's high high up on Ilkley Moor, and the views are spectacular.

 

After we've had rest and refreshment at the pub we take a walk up over the moor.
 

The landscape is quite bleak in some ways, but there is beauty in the sweeping open spaces.

It's the height that I love about this place. I love that when I am up on this moor top I am so much nearer to the sky. The town of Ilkley looks so tiny and far way down there in the valley, like a model village.

 

There are spectacular rock formations up here on Ilkley Moor, providing great climbing/scrambling opportunities for Little People and heart-in-the-mouth panics for Big People. There are sheer drops all around. It is not all that pleasant at times.

 

We watch gobsmacked as climbers scale the sheer rock faces. And eventually we tire of policing the daredevil antics of Little People who are so unaware of the perils of Sheer Drops.

So we head homewards to number 24 to light the fire and settle down for the late afternoon/evening. A film for the Little People, and some crochet and magazine-strolling for me....

....I began working the reverse of my circular cushion. Round and round in ever widening circles, I am loving it.

 

I often like to multi-task when I am crocheting, and one of my favourite things to do is to browse a magazine at the same time. Well truthfully I cannot read and crochet at the same time, but what I mean is that I like to hook a row, then browse a few pages, hook another row, then browse some more. I like the visual stumulation of doing these two things together, of seeing the yarn against the pages, the stripes against the print (see here, I was doing it then look)

Yesterday I was looking through last months issue of Country Homes (the April issue I think?) as I realised there were bits of it I had missed out the time I first read it. The above page caught my eye...it was a spread about cleaning out your greenhouse. Want a closer look to see what attracted my attention?

OK...look....

That blanket!!!!! OH oh oh!!! I Love it!! I tell you, I can spot a crochet blanket in an instant, they jump out at me, leap off the pages...That colourful stripyness is just so joyful isn't it?!

Oh yes and speaking of joyful, I realised this morning that I had indeed promised to show you a little something today, a little itsy bitsy peek at some new yarn, remember?

Want to see?

Do you?

Really?

Really really?

Oh go on then...have a peek......

Hmmmmmmmmm yes, another bag of scrummy yarn comes home to Attic24.

I blame Lovely C entirely. It's all her fault.

On Thursday, she casually mentioned to me that she was taking a trip that afternoon to a shop in a nearby village as they were selling off Debbie Bliss yarn for £2 a ball. Do you remember me posting about a Sale last summer? Well another sale is about to happen in a few weeks time at the same place, which is very exciting indeed. But even more exciting was the fact that Lovely C decided to telephone the shop and ask if we could possibly have a sneaky private rummage through the yarn before it goes on sale. And the shop owners agreed! Yeeee-hawwwww!!!! Wild Horses wouldn't have kept us away.

 

The yarn they had this time was Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. This is a GORGEOUS yarn, quite fine in weight (you would hook on a 3mm or 3.5mm hook) with a slight twist, and oh SOooooo soft!! It usually retails at around £4.35 for a 50g ball, so to find it at £2 a ball was an absolute bargain.

 

I'm not sure how many balls I ended up with...maybe 24 or so?? I was waaay too excited to count numbers. I simply filled a bag. And used my grocery money to pay for it. It all happened very fast, in a bit of a blur.

I got them all out and had a lovely play with them yesterday, had a good look at the colours I ended up with...13 in total, all very spring-like and oh-so-pretty aren't they?? A little more pastely than I would normally choose perhaps, but I love the way they look all together. They remind me of  sweet peas, that alluring combination of pretty softness with the odd deep shade thrown in.

Of course I don't yet have a plan for this yarn.

I am still firmly in the stroking/gazing/playing stage. Oh and sniffing. One thing I do love to do with any new yarn stash is to stick my face right in it and have a good, long snaffley sniff.

Delicious.

xxxxxxx

Comments

[Jan Marchant]

Just found you wonderful blog.
I've lived all my life in the South West--never made a trip to Yorkshire thinking it was full of "dark satanic mills"!! Your blog has opened up the beauty of the county---Ilkley looks so similar to my beloved Dartmoor.
Must book up a visit as I'm sure it will blow my mind!!!!!!

[Jeanette]

Oh my God cant belive the biscuits----out of this world----my two little people (grand children) are about to visit I better have another before they get stuck in
Beautiful thank you lucy Sout Australia Australia

[kristina]

Oh my goodness-baby cashmerino is the most wonderful yarn--what a bargain! And I would very much like to trade my weekends for yours! K x

[Anna]

Don't change your posts Lucy, I enjoy the colour, crochet and a glimpse into your world. Love the yarn, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino is beautiful and so soft and can be a bit pricey in Australia I couldn't imagine having a whole bag! Enjoy it

[pj]

Boring? - Never! Your blog is like a breath of fresh air. I love it's "ordinariness", it is real. My blog is just a diary about my everyday life and I love the fact that I can look back over the past year and remember the everyday happenings that might overwise be forgotten.

Wishing you a Happy Easter, Pj x

[Tanja]

Due to my Blog friend I have discovered your blog. And I become speechless. I just love it. I always wanted to make myself granny blanket. With help of your tutorials I think I will manage it. I will let you know!!!

And I will shore follow your blog, so don't stop now!!!

Best regards from Slovenia, Tanja

[genny]

hiya
just letting you know I'm completely inspired by your crochet - evidence here www.gengetscrafty.wordpress.com - thanks! I have linked to you from there, but never fear my 3 readers are probably quite nice!

[Jeanette]

Dont you dare leave us Lucy----you have the most wonderful blog and so much fun to hear what your up to----I never get sick of it at all-------Loved your colours of your new wool----cant wait to see what you decide to do with it South Australia Australia

[gill]

I'll never get bored with your Blog Lucy, you write beautifully and put a smile on my face every time I visit. And let's face it most of our lives follow a routine, they change with each season and repeat the following year. I find that really comforting, knowing that familiar activities will happen again. Please don't change.

[Elena]

sniffing..... mmmmmmmmmm......
me too!

[Elena, Moscow]

Hi Lucy,
It's been only 3 days since I've found your blog and I must say it's quite inspiring. During these days I - bought yarn, a hook, checked on the web how to make granny squares and have already 36 of them. ;-) 3 days ago I was not a crocheting fan at all. :-) Let alone I don't think I knew the English word for "crochet".
I like your blog, all the colours spread across it, and the images of the flowers and your household too.
Thanks and keep going - while you like it, I think your audience will like it too.

[Ali]

You are so right about the sweet pea colours. But so wrong about being boring - there is something very comforting in your consitancy and cheerfulness and I treasure it.

[driftwood]

what a lovely day. gosh it's years since I've been to Ilkley Moor, watching the children clamber on the boulders would terrify me, I don't do heights.........

[Louise]

How could I ever get bored of listening to all the lovely things you do, looking at all the lovely colours on your blog and then looking at your inspiring crochet!!!
Looks like a lovely Sunday, and the wool is lovely and what a bargain.
Louise x

[Cathsotte]

Very fan of your in no way boring blog, us copied your bag.

[Michaela]

i love that you'd be concerned about any of us getting bored with your writing. i don't think it could happen. i enjoy the routine, the familiarity and the joy that fills these pages.

i agree with the book comment. i'd buy it : )

[lulu]

I just love your blog Lucy..What a beautiful place, all the green..Its a lovely area...
i love that stripe blanket, its so pretty..
Your blog is never boring, its loaded with bits and pieces of your life and your passion for crochet..I love all the colors, love all the luchious yarn you found..
I cant wait to see your next project..
Take care,

[Laura K.]

Oh Lucy,
I have to admit that I live vicariously through your blog at times. I have always wanted to live in the UK and enjoy your descriptions and photos. I imagine myself living within in them and wonder why I am in the US. The simple things that pleasure you are the same the world over. Even though I am far away in a different country, I can relate to your daily observations. They are familiar and comfortable to me. I read your blog for comfort among all the creativity I love to see.

[Alice Johnson]

Your blog takes me back to the times when my kids were young (Now I'm a happy grandmother). It's so nice to see you enjoying and appreciating your life in all of it's aspects. I am relearning crochet through your blog and your colors are fabulous!!!

[Rhondi]

Hi Lucy
I enjoy reading about your everyday life and looking at all your projects and the interesting places you visit . I hope you don't decide to stop!
Hugs, Rhondi

[bethel of bethania]

G'day Lucy,
I love your blog for it's honesty & passion for your life & those you love ... we all need to remember to keep the passion in our life even for the little things we do & are done for us...
Yummmm your fibre buys looks great ... I'm afraid mine wasn't quite soo successful, but like they say 'persevere & all will be yours' & that's just what I did & eventually I found just what I wanted so am madly making some little flowers & leaves...
Now don't be laughing at me but I always thought that moors were low-lying boggy/marsh areas with tracks through them, so it was quite surprising & interesting to see such rock formations - ohh I love to watch rock climber & abseilers - not that you would catch me doing it though... have a great week, I look forward to reading more homely goodness this week[brings back memories of when I had youngins so do enjoy them cause this time will just fly by & before you can turn around they will be all grown wanting to do their own thing - sadly with the Big People]... OOroo ... Bethel

[Vintageheart]

Oh, Lucy ....Your Post today was in "perfect" timing with my thoughts!!!! I have been so busy today that I actually forgot that it was Monday, and that your post would be here waiting for me. So when I remembered, it was very close to an "all out RUN" to the computer!:)

Then when that LOVELY photo of your present day crochet project appeared before me, I thought.....
"Sighhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"....I'm HERE ....she's HERE....and ALL IS WELL ! :)
Then for some reason unknown to me, my NEXT thought was that your Blog is always DIFFERENT, and SOOOOOOO EXCITING ...I could just NEVER tire of it! Then I read that you were actually thinking one day it might be "Boring" to us !......N E V E R !!!!!! Next time you have such a thought as that...BLOCK IT OUT and start TYPING ! :) LOVED that GORGEOUS yarn too ! See ya tomorrow....BRIGHT and early next time!:)

[serendipity]

Lucy, thank you very very much for your instructions. I started a blog too for my crochet projects, and I like to traslate your patterns in spanish, because I find very difficult to understand and I like to share this with all spanish-talk people, what do you think? may I have your permission?
xoxox.

[Joyce]

funny you should mention if we get sick of hearing from you. i'm actually disappointed when "attic24" doesn't become bold when i refresh the blogs i follow. you're inspiring and make me happy.

[Dawn]

I adore that granny square afghan piece!!!!