This Week

 

This week I have to confess I've been feeling rather low, and not my usual self at all. Nothing monumental to report, nothing dramatic or traumatic has happened, it's just the predictable humdrum of returning to domestic routine after a rather fandabidozy holiday.

I spent aaaaaaaaages the day before yesterday uploading images of Bruges to the blog to share with you, then simply ran out of time to actually write anything. Then yesterday, I had quite forgotten that J would be working from home and would therefore be in My Attic. All day. So I was forced to remain at home but away from my Attic24 Comfort Zone, which left me prowling round in the Messy Zone (ie the whole damn house) feeling all cross and grumpy and out of sorts. 

In fact, yesterday I was compelled to confront The Piles.

Yes, I managed to sort through two small piles of clutter (a mere teeny-tiny tip of a very large Clutter Iceberg in residence at number 24). The above crate (containing Little People art/craft/school work) is just one example of the teeny-tiny tip yet to be dealt with. Clutter is monumental in this house I tell you. MonUmENtal.

Oh yeah, yesterday I also managed to clear the coffee table too. 

And I managed to wash, peg, unpeg, fold and stack two loads of laundry.

I am still working my way through the post-holiday laundry actually, and wondering where it will ever end. How did we manage to wear and make dirty (absolutely filthy in some cases) so many items of clothing?? How?

And then there is the outside stuff ganging up on me too.

Just like last year, I am suddenly aware that it is now June and sadly too late to plant many of the seeds. These are, of course, seeds which are left over from last year when I also forgot to plant them in time. I can see a sad, sad pattern forming here.

My lovely big blue pot which last summer contained sweetpeas, is currently growing a healthy crop of robust weeds. I have not yet bought any plantlets to fill my pots and am finding the prospect of it all a little overwhelming. Too late to plant seeds and no available funds to buy plants either. oh Poop.

Then there is the grass in my teeny front garden......oooo about 10 inches high would you say? In need of a trim then possibly. I'll add it to the list of chores.

 

Ahhhh you know what, I am missing my family quite a lot this week too. After spending pretty much 24/7 with them last week, I miss those 3 pairs of feet accompanying mine.

 

Awwwww I am so so sorry that this post has turned out to be a somewhat downhearted, self-indulgent whinge-fest. I am so sorry folks, I know you come here to feel uplifted and happy and probably don't expect to find me moaning and groaning at you. But hey, you know, I'm only human. And this blog is an honest record of daily life chez-moi, which mostly is buoyant and smiley and cheerful but very occasionally not. And today happens to be one of the Not days.

On a brighter note, this morning at the cafe, I finally finished frogging the white.

Yeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wanna see?

AAAhhhhhhhhhhh I am so relieved that the white has gone, it was most definitely the right decision to get rid.

And I've changed my mind yet again about the colours for the next rounds too :: not going to do blues, but random colours instead. After looking at the squares all laid out together, there is already a lot of control in the colour choices, and it all needs a little shaking up, a little more heat and zing. Yeah Heat and Zing, bring it on!

But for now I am slightly stuck because I have run out of yarn.

And I have run out of money to buy yarn.

And even if I did have the money, my car is caput and refusing to start so I cannot drive the eight miles to the yarn shop anyway.

So I have not been able to crochet for over a week now, which is not helping the mood around these parts.

Right, I need to scoot off now and go do more laundry, and try to work out what to cook for dinner with only tuppence-ha'penny in my purse and no food in the cupboards. What a pity you can't eat grass and weeds, this years crop is splendid don't you know.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[kelly]

I know the feeling!! Sunny days are on the way....

[Annabel Burton]

well you may feel a bit deflated but your fantastic pics are a tonic for anyone. I look around my desk and it's a mass of clutter but a look out the window reveals trees, flowers in bloom and darting birds. We all need to plug in to what is beautiful and gorgeous. x

[Danielle]

Dear Lucy, by posting this post, you just made me really love you ;-) I was starting to be afraid you really were always the happy, jumpy, brightly coloured, cheerful family-superwoman you seemed to be, but thank god, you turned out to be a real-life-flesh-and-blood-kinda-girl. Who still is, most of the time, happy, jumpy, brightly coloured, cheerful and close to superwoman :-)
Thank you for letting me know I'm not the only one with those piles, or envelopes full of not-planted seeds, and knee-high front-garden-grass (although I have it in the backgarden...).
Maybe you could borrow someones sheep, goat, or rabbit for that grass? And a lot of weeds do have the loveliest of flowers, did you know? (I do, by now...) You know there are even a lot of weeds you can eat (hm, don't know which weeds of course)
Just a little change of perspective :-)

[Guro]

I love your blog, because you share your piles and clutter, thank you so much. It really cheers me up :)

I've just learnt to crochet, thanks to your lovely granny square pattern, and I'm feeling the crochet love! http://regnbuedalen.blogspot.com/2009/06/granny-square-flowers.html

Hope you are able to shake the Post Holiday Blues soon, lots of love from Norway.

[Josie]

You still have time to plant annuals... cornflowers, nigella, larkspur etc. It just takes them 12 weeks to grow and flower so you'll have a wonderful display in September when everyone elses have finished!!

[Michaela]

thought i'd pop in and see how you are. hopefully things are looking up in the attic : )

take care

[Tami B.]

Just stumbled upon your blog...it's so colorful and lovely!

[val]

just heaven........gardening and crochet. Now you just need to throw in a frozen margarita with no salt please :-)

[Tulip Cheeks]

Hi Lucy,
I found your blog way back in Yorkshire, Ive just emigrated to Melbourne, Australia and its so lovely to read about all the things which are so familiar to me - you really help keep me sane!
Sorry youre feeling down this week, it must be the week for it, I too have been feeling a little low - thousands of miles from home, no friends, no job...and no sun (its winter here at the moment) but reading your blog really cheers me up. Im trying to teach myself crochet, I love to cross-stitch, I just love being creative.
Ive got a small blog if you would like to have a look? www.tulipcheeks.typepad.com Im just new at this so I hope to be able to pretty it up soon.
All the very best to you and your lovely family,
Best Wishes TC x

[Alyson]

My mother and I in Nebraska, USA read your blog everyday, but this is my first post. I just wanted to tell you not to be sorry for posting your blah or crabby feelings when you have them...I think that most people actually feel a little better knowing that they are not the only ones with a sink full of dishes, and wallet full of cobwebs, and a hamper full of stinky clothes. Though none of your readers wish you to have frustrations or bad days, I can say that your blog appeals to me because it is genuine. Please don't feel unnecessary guilt on our account! Cheers.

[brooklyncodger]

Ech, money worries and housecleaning aggravation and no time to crochet! I am so with you.

[susan]

Bless your heart *pat* *pat*. Don't worry about coming across as grumpy. You are very real and THAT is your appeal. Well... that and the gorgeous crochet ;)

[Merry Susan]

OOPS forgot to mention: re wool and cash shortage: pure DK wool from YEOMAN YARNS is only £2 per 50g ball , you have to order it by phone but there are fab bright colours to be had. As per my ripple throw on www.stitchingandhookingpassions.blogspot.com

Google Yeoman Yarns for the tel# as I'm always forgetting it. Very friendly folk on the phone. Used to mad requests- like from ME!

[Merry Susan]

Hi Lucy : don't worry we ALL have days like that and my piles HAVE to be worse than yours.....I'm doing a HUGE stocktake of my stash accumulated over 35 years of sewing/crafting/embroidery and City and Guild's courses- ughhhhh! So far it's only been 6 out of the 12 basket storage wall in my workroom BUT we have a garage- DOUBLE!!!- AND AN ATTIC , and an understairs cupboard and other storage places too oooh HELP!!!!
I'm going to complete it before I'm 50....
I KNOW I have over 500 sewing patterns....12 IKEA BOXES of fabrics...ditto for yarns.. some are 20 years old or even 30 years old and a gift to me as a teenager!!!And then there's all the kids stuff: some is treasured, some is sooo nice I want to recycle it and lots needs to go....Dates from baby to 2 years old and they are 9 and 11 now....

Anyway I'll get on with that and ARE YOU OK??? Not seen a bloglet for 4 days now???
Was looking sooo forward to your photos of Bruges.... Course I thought it was DELFT didn't I, there's the most FABULOUS WOOL shop in the centre of DELFT !!! It's absolute HEAVEN but then so is the town in my opinion. Canals, pancakes and blue and white handpainted pottery what more could you want?

Hope to see you again soon- by blog of course: get better soon will you?PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE: WE NEED YOU!!!!

xxxxxxxx Susan

[Quilting mama]

Come back and chat a while - life always seems better after a good natter. You could cut up the laundery and make quilts?! I fantasise about this a LOT !! Take care.

[hjd]

Hahahaha...I am sure that you have already heard this one million and one times, but I think you ought to go ahead and play with those seeds. After all, it will be an adventure: will they grow?! Will the weeds return?! FIND OUT NEXT WEEK!!!

Besides that, I do hope that you find something to cheer you up, although it is certainly healthy to have a humdrum sort of day (or week) sometimes. And, for mere humans like me, it's sort of nice to know that the people you admire have those days too. So thank you for sharing everything and I hope you feel better!

[Brigid]

I have recently started reading your blog. I came across it one day when I was looking for granny square patterns and fell in love with all your bright colours. We all have blue days and you are so lucky to have all these lovely readers to pick you up. Hope your colour is improving, lavender is a pretty variation on blue. Its lovely that you're so honest. It's a tough time for a lot of us at the moment and its good to know we're not alone with our empty pockets.

[kinkatink]

Hope you're feeling cheerier soon lovey. I often come to see you when I'm feeling in need of a bit of colour, so wish I could spread some cheer myself.

xx Kate

[Alison]

I thought I would like to know that I have finished my Summer Garden Squares Cushion and have just blogged about it on my blog:-)
Alison.

[Stacey]

Hi Lucy, Just wondered if you would be interested in doing a swap? I am organising my first one and thought I better invite my mentor. Anyway, I know you're a busy woman, but I just had to invite you to join along...just in case :)

[Irene Jackson]

Hi Lucy,

Yes we all have those piles and in my case they move from one place to another and then eventually I get rid of stuff and promptly find that I needed something in the "pile"! Plant those seeds and I feel sure that they will come up and flower eventually even if you have some late summer colour.

Irene

[cathleen]

(((((((((LUCY))))))))))

[Cloudy Kate]

Ditto to all above comments--creative women create piles of clutter, etc. My own suggestions: 1.plant the sweet peas at least. Here in Portland Oregon we can plant all kinds of peas absurdly early, but I never manage. I planted sweet peas in late June one year (and in full sun--oh, no!)and they grew like crazy and bloomed into Oct. The garden gods are usually on your side. 2. yes to some splashiness on the blanket edging. I'm working on a chevron crochet afghan and pushing myself to use colors outside my usual palette (leftovers from making trendy mitts for a daughter in law--my usual stash is very predictable blues, greens, purples, greys, etc.). As I work on this, I think of your wildly colorful and gorgeous creations--so don't go getting predictable on me! 3.sometimes you need to go with the feeling--drink, eat chocolate, swear at the telly (or whatever). Love your blog. Kate

[Kathy]

You okay, Lucy? I miss catching up with your life. Oh, as you asked in a previous post - I have made something "Lucy inspired", you can see it on my blog. You have given me such a crochet bug, I am never seen without a hook in my pocket and a ball of yarn tucked somewhere. We go to France this next week and when we get back I am ordering a bunch of NICE yarn and then watch me crochet! Until then, au revoir.

[Sumea]

Being in a similar boat to you at the moment and with sick relatives thrown in the mix, I have hardly had any time to visit blogland lately or create anything. The grass and weeds here are knee high as is the clutter in some of the rooms here.
The I read your blog and I smile about it! You keep your lovely sense of humour even in the struggly times. You're an amazing woman and a human one.
I haven't been here or commented for a while, I have been catching up on your lovely posts. Your chair with it's patchwork seat and crochet cushion and shawl are out of this world. Looking at them brings back so many happy and cosy memories of my mother and grandmothers colourful patchwork, knitting and crochet. It was so much the rage when I was young and I'm very happy it's back. And you do it so wonderfully it brings a big smile to my face and a shine of delight to my eyes. Lots to thank you for sweet one x Lucy I think you are doing wonderfully and I know how it is to be pulled in so many directions, you are doing a great job, really you are. If I could affoard it I would send you some wool, being that I can't I will send some positive wooly vibes that something works out in that direction.
Lots and lots of love x
Sumea