Eight-by-Six

It's been over a week since my last blog entry and I'm trying to find time to catch up. This week so far I have managed to swim 4 sessions (Sat-Tuesday) 202 lengths and now I'm having a couple of nights off to relax, knit, drink tea and eat chocolate biscuits. I started a new blanket this evening, do you remember my sisters Christmas present? well I've started another one following this pattern  but I'm knitting mine using some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran from my stash and I plan to use grey as the main colour, because I have more of this, dusky pink and lime green. I think I have a denim blue in the loft so I'll hunt that out over the weekend. I should have enough to make a bigger blanket as I've cast on 150 stitches and size 5.5 needles. We took Ian out for lunch for Fathers Day, it was really good and the Dirty Habit pub in Hollingbourne was a great choice. The food was amazing and the pub was in a great location not a long drive from where we liv...

Sowing seeds I spent a lovely Saturday afternoon pottering in the garden and veg patch. I worked really hard putting in rows of sweetcorn and dwarf beans. A bit annoyed that my Spaniel has run through it and damaged a few. That will teach me to remove the canes that seemed to be doing a good job, so back in they go! Solar powered Mason jar Today I managed to spend some time sowing more seeds, dwarf beans (again) some more climbing beans (Sultana) for another wig wam, Swiss Chard Bright Lights because the first lot didn't germinate in the ground and some herbs. I popped to Homebase and bought a Mason solar powered jar with LED lights, I saw it on another blog last night.  I bought the £9 large jar, really pretty. Whilst I was there I saw they had reduced all their tomato plants, so I bought three at £1 each. I now have five or six varieties (Sun Gold, Money Maker, Roma, Alisa Craig and Shirly F1), three in the grow bag frames on the patio that are doing really well, and...

I know I owe you a Chelsea part II, and I will write it next week, but this is part of it and I wanted to highlight this first as I've been doing a spot of gardening (in the rain) today myself. In my garden we have a garage wall that belongs to our neighbours. I've bought something at Chelsea Flower Show to use against this wall. We have a south west facing garden so the sun hits this wall in the morning then comes round during the day, flooding the patio with heat, which the wall and the house wall soaks up. I've been thinking about buying a green house for ages and ages but 1. they are expensive 2. hard to put up and 3. not sure I have that much space for one. I was looking at the flower show for something to allow me to grow against this wall that was quirky, functional and cheap! I love gardening but I hate being ripped off with over-expensive items. Well.... I found the best find ever ..... let me introduce you to the British designed, British made Grow Bag Frame. ...

What a great day we had on Friday 22 May, good weather, great company and lots of laughter. We arrived at North Greenwich station, parked Daisy Juke and took The Emirates Air Line cable car link across the River Thames to Victoria Dock. You get a great view of London and we booked a return flight, to see London at night on the way back! me and my lunch! The Dome Greenwich Thames Barrier in the distance night view of London and the cable cars are lit up too We then took the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) to Tower Hill, walked to Aldgate and took the tube to Kings X. Ian wanted to see inside St. Pancras station, its like a shopping mall and has donated pianos for anyone to play, it was buzzing with lunchtime activity, people pulling their suitcases on wheels along and the usual long queue for the ladies toilets! Next off to South Kensington on the Piccadilly Line to eat birthday cake at The Hummingbid Bakery , I've always wanted to try their cakes, they look and ...

This week the world will be watching the Chelsea Flower Show and all things flowery are the hot topic this week. One step ahead of the UK bank holiday weekend and the weather as usual is very unpredicatable for Chelsea week. As you know I am off to see it for myself on Friday with my lovely husband Ian - can't wait! Here are just a few of my flowery photos of things that I love at the moment. And of course some granny squares, a bit of lunchtime catch-up. Links of London Daisy charm favourite floral hand creams (hand bag size) joining granny squares, maybe a new cushion? my Cath Kidston work mug, 1 pint!  

A few weeks ago I did something maybe classed as a mid-life crisis! I went to test drive one car and bought a different one, a sassy red one. I don't buy cars that often, who does? I'd like to say I spent ages on my decision but the truth is I really only made my mind up to the night before prompted by yet another male driver flashing me whilst I was overtaking a slow lorry on a busy B road, when I was in actual fact doing just a tad over the speed limited. Fed up with agressive drivers making KA drivers life a misery I longed to be above the other drivers, in a high up driving position in a little fun crossover. I've driven the same style car for 13 years, it was time for a change, a grown up car with a quirky side to it. Well last week I did just that, I bought a Nissan Duke in Magnetic Red. I've had one fun week driving her, I've named her Daisy Duke! Monday morning last week driving to work was the best Monday morning drive ever, I couldn't st...

Salad leaves have germinated in the garden Bargain box 2 or £20 in Morrisons Bay tree from Aldi last year £15 half price herbs grasses from my sister trying to keep the birds off the salad