Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

It's the natter catch up day again, hope you are all doing ok?

I've had time off this week and it felt so strange.

I reverted back to my part time hours just for this week as next

week I start a new role with my city job - permanently full time.

I've had a few sleepless nights about this, 

questioning whether I am doing the right thing.

But with the advantage of working the majority of days from home - 

I've chosen to say yes.

Sometimes you just have to take a leap and see.

I'm moving to a new team which has also caused mixed emotions,

I'm going to be working in the legal field of Projects and Construction.

I know, it doesn't quite set the world on fire does it?

 A full time salary will certainly see the VT repaired - I can't believe

I've lived here for 20 years and still haven't got around to decorating

certain rooms.  And...imagine all the yarn purchases! 

(Kidding - I must STOP buying yarn!)

Crochet:

 So yes, talking of yarn.

My Hello Autumn Blanket is finished.

Thanks to spending another long glorious day in my sister's garden

I joined all the squares and the border.

 

It is actually more rich in colour in real life.

I am definitely progressing with my WIP list.

I've had moments where I've nearly buckled and gone to start something

new but I reeled myself in and gave myself a stern talking to.

I am now finishing another Hello Winter blanket, working on squares

is a lot easier in the hot weather than wrestling with a blanket.

My Folksy shop looks replenished so please feel free 

to pop along and have a nose.

Garden:

Quite a bit of garden natter this week.

I was looking up an old blog post to locate this picture below. 
These were plants I bought last July from Secret Gardening Club.
It was an offer - 15 perennials plants for £20 inclusive of postage.

I thought it would be interesting to see how many I didn't manage to kill and 

how they are fairing now.

Spikey one is Festuca - Elijah Blue.
Yellow is Heuchera - Ginger Ale.

Pink flower one - I don't know what that is,

I'm not certain it came with this plant haul and yet I don't know where

else I could have obtained it - perhaps a rock rose?

Here's a close up.

Another two.

Rubus - Betty Ashburn - that really covers ground.
Coreopsis - Sunshine Superman - yet to burst into yellow bloom. 

This one is Luzula Sylvatica (Great Wood Rush).

The Lavender is just about doing fine it its own pot, a very slow start.

Some of the grasses didn't make it due to a certain pooch who liked to eat them!
Because we have artificial grass I've grown real grass in a pot for Bella -

"grass/pot" - yes the jokes have been made!

And taking top prize is Verbena - Bonariensis, it's now about 5 feet tall.

So all in all I think I managed to keep just over half of my plant haul.

And this week a robin landed in my garden, a first.
Sadly I wasn't quick enough to get a photo.
And, I may be oversharing the foxgloves but the bees are loving them too.

Hazel's advice - using soluble aspirin on tomato plants - 

sounds great, thank you - I'm doing it! 

Right let's move on - I am rather garden consumed.

Telly:

Britbox - Professor T

Cambridge University Criminologist with OCD becomes an 

adviser to the police.

Starring Ben Miller as Professor Jasper Tempest,

Frances de la Tour plays his overbearing mother.

Based on an imported Belgian format - I can't help but wonder

if the Belgians got it right because we got a lot wrong! 

It could be good, the veteran actors are not at fault,

unfortunately I struggled with the supporting roles - just not convincing.

And I'm no expert on OCD but there were glaring errors.

Having said (bemoaned) all that I did watch the entire first series,

it is acceptable crochet watching.

This week I have done hardly any cooking, we have been 

getting through salads like a colony of rabbits!

Our air fryer has been worth its weight in gold,

not having to switch the full oven on and heat the kitchen up, 

instead using the air fryer for 20 minutes to bake a jacket potato.

I swear I should be on commission, I cannot praise it highly enough.

This weekend we are celebrating Father's Day with a barbecue.

I think the weather is about to turn so it will be a barbecue with brollies.

It is also Bella's birthday beginning of next week so she's 

having her gifts (edible and toy) at the barbecue - she is going to be 10!

I'm trying not to think about her getting old. 

She gets so excited opening gifts, at Christmas it is mayhem as she 

wants to open ALL the gifts.

And that wraps up my week.

As always thank you for stopping by.

I was startled to see that some of my posts are viewed by 200+ people,

that's an awful lot of natter you're reading - big heartfelt thanks!

Take care friends - 

have a perfectly wonderful weekend.