Year ending 2024

 It has been a Curate's Egg sort of year....

Hoping for better in 2025.

Most of last night and today it was wet and very windy... although it seems to be taking a breather as we slide into 2025.

This morning's kitchen view was definitely uninspiring!!

I tried on all the clothes in The Pile....most fitted....then I weeded out half of them....put them in my case and wheelie bag...took out some more after weighing them....

I scrubbed my trainers and they are sitting drying. They won't come home with me in March! They weigh 0.88 kg, and that will make room for things to come the other way!

I always return with nice clothes...some from op shops, some new. Somehow it is easier to find things that suit me in NZ!! Plus there may be the odd pot ..or three...a couple of books.... Footrot Flats anyone?!

I will resist buying any more fabric, I have enough of that to keep me going!!

Now to check over what I'm going to wear on Friday...and bedtime...last one in 2024!

Alone again

 And there he was gone....

The Oily One left this morning, heading to Blackpool for a day or so with a friend, then making his way around his siblings, delivering various presents, jam and chutney!

The house isn't empty....I'm here....loads of stuff fills the house...but despite being quite quiet around the place you notice when he isn't here!

I've been to the local mart where my insurance office is to let them know how long I'll be away...so I can reduce the car insurance...but I haven't been anywhere else. It wasn't exactly inviting out there!

Gusting up to 50 mph today...it has subsided a little but still over 30mph tonight.

It will be back again tomorrow, with added rain....

Tonight's job is trying on clothes to see what still fits.....

Weekend and meeting again

 Saturday the thermostat was fitted, so we took a run down to Girvan to check it.....working fine! 

Sat on the prom in the car watching Ailsa Craig play "now you see me , now you don't".....and drive back home...at least I went along the two different roads along the Girvan Valley!!

Sunday we were up and out early (ish!) and drove down to Cally Woods in the Cally Palace estate at Gatehouse of Fleet.

There we met friends that we haven't seen since 1996 when they left Garn Dolbenmaen, two years before we did!!

She used to childmind #3 and #4 in exchange for grazing for her Shetland sheep on my spare fields.

They were there with their two children, now 39 and 37 ( ?) and their dog, an English Setter who was itching to get going!

A good walk ensued..and we found a motte as well!!

Then to the Iron Brew café in Gatehouse for drinks and cakes and more talk!!

I had a short wander around the town with The Oily One...I need to get back there early one nice morning with the camera...

Back home through rain showers and time for a late lunch and relax.

Relax!

Sunrise looking like sunset

And the Oily One thinking of what we should do today...

 We had a visit to Nae Sae New in Mauchline...no Haynes manuals that he needed....and a couple of small but interesting and possibly useful hand tools for me.

Then to Ayr to pick up a thermostat for my car which he can fit tomorrow.

A modicum of fresh veg shopping for him to make supper.....

Which was roasted veges...small potatoes, some parsnip, yellow beetroot (thankyou garden) a couple of garlic bulbs (") and sections of a small white squash (seeds now saved) and steamed carrots and sprouts....my contribution to the meal...tomato mushroom garlic and olive sauce from the freezer!!

He has moved on from having three meals on his menu list fifteen years ago.. curry, pasta with tomato sauce and pizza!!

Cutting and printing

Today was a grey day...apart from sunrise and sunset!

The order of the day was therefore stay in an enjoy working!!

The time when you realise that you forgot to reverse the design on the block.....

I redid it!...and it was better...but I haven't photographed it yet!

The next one I got right first time!!

 The Oily One had a good journey, stopping at a friend's place in Blackpool for lunch..at least the motorway services were open...but they were crammed full.

A nice quiet day

 

Morning sun!! But not exactly weather to put clothes on the line!!

The dehumidifier has been working well today!

By lunchtime the clouds had lifted a little so I ventured outside 

Wave to the neighbours, then I found a tree full of sparrows!!

There was even some blue sky until I turned the corner....and there were the clouds rolling in again

Busy starlings

And busy cat.."who are you looking at????"

Back home just as the fine rain started again....lunch and print work...

Then just before 6, my phonecall!! He had forgotten that I no longer have a landline and had been trying that....so his festive cooking done sons gone out he could have a phone call in peace!

Good to catch up with an old friend and hear their voice even if you are still far away.

Then a quick supper , a quick check on blogs....and there are new blocks to carve...

Celebration

 Happy whatever you celebrate ❤️

I started working on a block yesterday 

Pencil rubbing to check

Oops... forgot to take the shine off the block with fine Wet and Dry...

That's better!

I will print up some business cards in a minute using all the small blocks.

Good practice.  

I won't open any ink, just use the stamping ink pads...less mess to clean up !!

I had a few messages yesterday and one phone call.

Messages this morning..one friend visiting her mother on the Isle of Man has woken up with no voice after a night of coughing..a busy girl now having enforced rest!

Another friend is just back from a trip to NZ where a friend had a lovely wedding in Te Anau.

I might be getting a phone call today from another friend...

And hopefully the Oily One will be here... maybe tomorrow!!

It is all grey and damp out there...but it is forecast a bit better by midday, so a walk just might be in order.

One step forward....and chatting...

 I started working on some new designs yesterday, using drawing from older small sketchbooks...from 2019!!

The hole in the cardboard is the size of the small print block.

It got a bit late...only just started drawing on the lino...

The intention was to get on with it today....but I haven't got on with much atall! 

And then I delivered local cards after lunch and stopped for a chat at two places...then home and ended up chatting on messenger to my cousin in Maryland state, USA..for nearly an hour.....and then to Pirate's great niece in Kent for a while!!!

So no linowork tonight.

I'll put in as  good a session as I can manage on Duolingo....I have reached saying that something has just been done....and that I was doing something....this is beginning to stretch further than my school French from the 60s !!

I've invested in a yearly subscription to The Connexion as well..only €54....online English language French news'paper' with lots of interesting subjects including modern colloquialisms for learners!!

After the Solstice

 

Light on the first morning..

Thunder last night, and after breakfast the rain, hail, gales resumed outside 

I have no incentive to go out of the door, even between showers!!

Inspiration is lacking as well 

Back to a bit more tidying, in case the Oily One (aka son#1 and eldest offspring) does decide to come up from Wales and stay for a few days!!

Half useful day

 Late up this morning after a late night!

So today didn't start on a good footing.  But eventually I got into gear as it hailed and rained ,carried on the gales rattling around the house...and being Westerly the wind blows into the extractor fan vents in the kitchen and bathroom and past the brushes in the letterbox!! Draught sausages are employed everywhere, but that draught still gets in !  I know we need ventilation, but...

So to keep warm I got busy in the kitchen, with the reduced veges I had managed to find in a shop before going to Glasgow last night.

With leeks and garlic from my garden went a cauliflower, a pepper, some potatoes and barley (cooked separately) plus a tin of butter beans to make an orzotto.  Six portions for the freezer and one for supper.

Then a spicy lentil and carrot soup...five portions in the freezer.

After lunch, I got my tools and lino out...but no inspiration atall...

I'd gone back to some tiny blocks yesterday afternoon...

I know I've got a good beginning there...

the owl needs redoing...but taking the next step to pick up the threads of ideas again is proving a problem that I need to work around.

Festive Fun

 Last night was the end of season race night, for all ages and abilities...Pies and Pursuits...the Pies being mince pie prizes!

The pursuits were 8 lap (2 km) long in teams of three or four ( time taken on the third over the line) and there were also team sprints...start with three and the lead rider peels off after a lap, same again then one to finish.

And the commissaires had fun as well.....

I had to get a shot of her hat...

And the riders did too...

You can guess who won the pursuit (after several rounds)...

My club womens team

Our Transplant Star

And home late... getting back as the Weather kicked in!!