The Fair Weather Gardener

This past few years that is what I have become - a fair weather gardener.  I did think that having my polytunnel would encourage me to get out there during the winter, but no, I only recently went and checked how things were doing up there.  Today was the first day I have actually done anything.  A bit of tidying up of the broad beans I sowed last autumn, with a bit of luck I'll have some pods developing soon as there are lots of flowers on them.  Removed the radishes that didn't develop well at all and are covered in aphids.  The peas look a bit rough but we'll see what happens with what has survived.  Amazingly the carrots have done brilliantly, for me anyway...

I did throw away this many again that were damaged by pests, slugs probably.  These are the biggest carrots I've ever grown, in fact these are the only successful carrots I've ever grown.  So, the polytunnel is excellent for growing carrots but not radish.  There are a few other veg growing happily in there.  The brassicas I put in are huge, trouble is I can't remember if they are cabbages or cauliflower!  My next problem will be how to get rid of the aphids that have also done well in there, well, they would wouldn't they, a lovely protected winter home for them - damn!!!

Organised At Last

My craft room used to look like this...

Now it looks like this....

A bit different don't you think!  The big cabinet is wonderful, full of fab storage boxes with lids, that is what has made all the difference.  The shelving units I had before were quite deep and I used cardboard boxes to keep most things in.  The plastic drawer units I had just looked a mess and took up a lot of room.

First we cleared the room out, everything was stored in my sitting room downstairs.  Then Graham spent two days assembling the cabinet (the two side shelf parts close and make doors to the cabinet, I forgot to take a picture).  Next was the really difficult part, what to keep and what to get rid of.  Altogether this rationalising took a week.  Now I have the most amazing craft room.  I am very happy.



Knitting

I've been practising my knitting.  It's a really slow hobby for me, usually I like to make things that are quick but I am enjoying sitting and knitting just lately, must be an age thing!

Anyway, this is what I finished today.....

They are for a friend I go walking/bird watching with.  I was going to make her a pair like this...

I was pleased with how the fancy pattern turned out but didn't like how the glove fitted.  The pattern was from here.  So, I made up my own pattern for a more fitted glove with ribbed edges instead of garter stitch.  I was amazed at myself that I'd managed to follow that bobble pattern!  The only problem is I now have a left hand glove with no matching right hand, never mind, it was good practise.  This is the sort of thing I really, really enjoy knitting.

A bit of good news here is that my craft room will soon be smartened up and de-cluttered.  You know that I regularly whinge about the state of my craft room.  Everything is on open shelving and stacked up in boxes.  Well, I was telling Graham about a blog I'd seen and how the blogger had these fab cupboards to keep her stuff in.  We did a search to see if we could find these cupboards in England - and we did!!!  You can see here examples of the cupboards.  The one I am getting is the Midi and has fold out doors with storage bins and storage bins in the main section, not the one with the table.  What doesn't fit into this cupboard will go, after seeing this blog I just have to do something!  Later I might get another smaller unit to match but I hope that I can just manage with the one cupboard.

I decided to add the glove pattern here, after spending ages trying to work out how to get it here as a pdf - apparently you have to join other things on websites to be able to do this, just can't be bothered to do that just now.  So here's the pattern...

KNITTED FINGERLESS GLOVES 

Fits an average sized hand 

The finished gloves weigh 20 grams but 25 grams will be enough to be sure (that’s about 1 ounce of yarn)

I used double knitting yarn 

Needle sizes 10 and 8 

Cast on 40 sts 

Knit 1 Purl 1 rib and stocking stitch used 

Rib 7 rows using the smaller needles 

St St 15 rows using bigger needles (to get a left and right glove start this section with a purl row for one glove then a knit row for the other glove) 

On row 16 carry on in st st to last 7 stitches and put these stitches on a holder. 

St st 2 rows 

On next row cast on 7 stitches at the beginning of the row 

St st 6 rows 

Rib 5 rows with smaller needles 

Cast off in rib 

For the thumb –  use bigger needles and with right side facing pick up 9 stitches plus the 7 on the holder (16 stitches in total)

Knit 5 rows st st 

Rib 4 rows with smaller needles 

Cast off in rib

Sew up the thumb section first then the main section

Christmas Tea Party

Here's a picture of my three friends that come to my house on Thursday afternoons for a craft session.  I decided that this Thursday we would have a tea party as it was our last meeting before Christmas...

We had a lovely time and ate too much - of course!  Here's the menu...

Sandwiches

On white & brown bread

Ham

Ham & Soft Cheese

Prawn with Sweet Chili Mayonnaise

.........

Hot Sausage Rolls

........

Home Made Chutney

........

Sweets

Hot Mince Pies

served with Grand Marnier Cream

Sherry Trifle

Palmier Biscuits

Fruit Cake

......

To Drink

Sherry

Red or White Wine

Ginger & Lemon Grass Cordial (hot or cold)

Schloer

Cup of Tea

We didn't eat everything, no one had fruit cake.  No one had the wine but I thought it was nice to have it to offer.  I did feel too full by the end of the tea and had to go and stand at the back door to cool down!

I couldn't have done this if I had stayed on the Sertraline.  I stopped taking it a week ago and feel much better - more awake.  I'm still sleeping better and my mind feels a lot calmer.  If I start to feel unwell in the future I would probably go back on the Sertraline but only short term.  They did help me.



Just Lately

I've been making a lot of these....

...a nice, filling, fruit crumble.  To make the topping less stodgy I add some porridge oats

2 oz plain flour

2 oz sugar

2 oz porridge oats

2 oz butter

I put all the ingredients into my food processor and mix until butter is combined.  Sprinkle on top of the stewed fruit of your choice, this one is apple.  Sprinkle on some flaked almonds (optional) and bake for 30 minutes until golden.

Well at least I've been doing something!  I'm struggling a bit with these Sertraline tablets though.  My reason for going to the doctor was that I didn't understand why I was so tired yet couldn't sleep for more than four hours a night.  Since I've been on these tablets I can't seem to wake up.  I am sleeping much better but you know that feeling you have as you start to wake up and feel sleepy and comfy in your bed?  Well I have that feeling all day.  I'm tempted to stop taking the tablets.

I've been having a bit of trouble with my right hand, it has been quite painful.  To give it a rest I've been using my left hand to work my mouse, it is a bit awkward and my right hand does feel a bit better.  It has cut down how much I'm using my computer lately but that doesn't mean I've got more done, I just feel too dozy!

TATT Update

I was very happy to find out from my blood tests that I'm perfectly healthy.  So - it must be some other reason that I get so tired.  I know my bad back can be tiring but also I'm what would have been called at one time 'nervy'.  Not that being nervy ever stopped me doing anything but it does take it out of me, mainly because I hide it successfully which I suppose is part of the problem but who wants to go around whinging all the time - not me.  Anyway, the doctor has put me on Sertraline.  If it does the job I don't care that it is 'giving in' to my emotions.  I'm sick and tired of feeling tired!!!  We'll see in a few weeks if this is the solution.

TATT - Tired All The Time

I hadn't been to the doctor for several years.  Then a couple of weeks ago I got a letter asking me if I would like a routine health check, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure etc.  Of course I said yes.  I went for the blood tests and saw the nurse a week or so later.  BP was very good 134/81; cholesterol good at 6.1; no diabetes; and weight just right for my height with a normal BMI. 

I had worried that there was something wrong because I struggle to remain below 11 stone, I have terribly dry skin, my hair has got much thinner and, worse of all, I get so exhausted that I have to be careful not to over do it.  Anyway, the nurse suggested I see the doctor, which I did, and she sent me for more blood tests.  I just know that they are all going to come back normal, I'm sure I'm a perfectly healthy person for my age.  I'll let you know for definite after I get the results.

Ok - so if I'm so fit and healthy why do I get so tired.  I know that my back is quite weak and physical activity can make me tired.  I'm quite an anxious person and that can be tiring.  But this tiredness isn't just "Oh, I must sit down for a few minutes" type tiredness, it is more like exhaustion.

Once I know for certain that there is nothing physically wrong, I will be looking into what I can do about it myself, maybe doing something about my anxiety.

If anyone has any advice or a story to relate I'd love to hear about it.