Hot sunny days of summer and Bournemouth/Sandbanks visit

 The above image creeps into your mind when the sun shines hot in England doesn't it?

 Being in Oxfordshire it was far far from the sea but very hot and the dogs were sunbathing.

 Miss E studies in her room for those pesky GCSEs and Miss Y  does homework in the garden.

 I had a great many work  visits to hot clammy London but the one below was fantastic: The London Healthy Schools Awards and the view over the Thames was amazing...It was also a really energetic and inspiring event so actually I hardly noticed it most of the time!

 Then JJ decided a visit to the sea was imperative at the weekend and the girls chose Bournemouth...

 But they were so not impressed with this that we travelled onwards and found Sandbanks much more to our liking!

 One one side the harbour....

 And the other side the SEA!

 I missed the dogs though as JJ doesn't allow them in his (new) car?

Remembering last Easter when we went to Bridgeport and the coastline there?

Over to the right and round the corner of that cliff in the photo.

 Hours of fun paddling and collecting shells.

 Loved this rusty chain for a textiles project? And the textured sand patterns too.

When we were hungry we found a lovely restaurant at the harbour side...

 JJ relaxed and happierthan many a long day with his 'French Martini'' and delicious it was too.

 Time to go home, Bye bye white cliffs of the Isle of Wight?

Saturday Crochet some time to reflect and relax

 A day to relax after a very busy week and an even busier week coming up?
It's been emotionally exhausting too as my sisters have sold my childhood home and that's very sad and hard to get used to. A bit of crochet was the answer and I started with a white collar which was needed for this polka dot blouse...

 It's Claire Montgomories' pattern, adapted for the blouse and a 4 ply cotton yarn as I didn;t want it too bulky.
It's in the Inside Crochet issue 55, I used a 3.5mm hook and cotton 4 ply, chained 90 and went from there, usually using trebles for her half trebles, increasing slightly more and using half trebles where it said dc in some rows, though I did use some dc rows too. I finished with the 5 Double treble shells as I didn't fancy all those picots. It looks great on , will take some better photos soon.

 Then an Art of Crochet issue had this towel edging so I thought of my turquoise dress and had a go, it was a very unusual construction method but easily lengthened or shortened so it could have been ideal?

But I needed 250 g to do the complete 408 cm hem and I discovered that I did not have 2 cones left but just 100g and Cannele from Texere yarns, rather than ordering more has been discontinued! Such a shame.

 I also tried out a new stitch pattern for a possible throw for the living room, in aran wool yarns but I'm not sure about the pink in this now. And just the green, cream and red will look too ''Christmassy''?

 Doing those spike stitches was fun though and it looks a bit like a houndstooth?

 After all that when the girls and JJ came back from a London visit, Miss Y and myself walked the dogs at the chicken run.

After all the rain today the sun came out and it was very nice, and so late after 8:30 pm!

I'd been resting my ankle as after a week without the brace and being so busy it had kept me awake with pains and twinges last night. 6 weeks now...and the ribs aren't painfree yet either.

 
 It was very funny seeing both dogs lie in these puddles, I was a second too late with the camera.
They paddled in and then just lay down.

 Lovely peonies in really full bloom at home!

 And last week I felted an ancient Peruvian wool jumper from the late 1970's ....

 Now I need to decide what to make: an i-pad sleeve? Small tote bag? diary cover?

 It felted beautifully washed at 90 with some sheets and a towel. I think Princess Diana wore one similar during her engagement, long before marriage and all that glamour.