COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS....
Hiya everyone - this will be a fairly lengthy post today. I'm working on the fact that since most of us have cut back on outdoor trips (unless you're at work) then perhaps we'll have more time today to visit desks and generally have an extended snoop around! We've got to look for the positives eh?
Gordon and I visited Wiltshire last week and then carried onto Sussex, of which more later. But first, the desk:
I'm going to make the most of this enforced time at home by getting through my stash. I've cut out 7 bags worth and am gradually making more for the WI to distribute amongst the shops in our home town, which they then give out to customers for free.
I've rolled them up and tied them with stash ribbon so they'll take up less space in the shops.
All this fabric was donated by WI members and friends so apart from thread and time, these are free to make and give away.
I bought this yarn whilst away and am making preemie blankets and hats with it for a local special care baby unit. It's lovely soft yarn to knit!
Ok - desk stuff over, onto our trip so proceed at your own risk :-)
We stayed with Julia and Mr D for a couple of days and had a good catching up session but forgot to take any pics - doh! We went to Salisbury and found Franklins where I indulged in a little retail therapy:
Fun huh?! It's for a craft competition so I can't show you what I'm making with this for a while yet!
We then went to Sussex where we'd rented a cottage for a couple of days and met up with Eldest Son:
We were based between Chichester and Arundel - both lovely places to walk around. There were lots of interesting lanes and snickets around Chichester cathedral...
And a good Mexican place for a scrummy lunch!
I loved Arundel, it had a great vibe again with really ancient streets and lanes to wander around.
I loved the patterns of the flint courses in this wall with the bricks and trees providing interesting shapes (though the passers by did look askance at me taking pics of a wall!!)
Unfortunately Arundel Castle wasn't open until April so we couldn't go in - it is very impressive, though it and the cathedral were perched so high lording it above the town, my peasant rebel tendencies made me want to run amok with a pitchfork, lol!!
Although I'm 5'7, I feel very short when I'm around my sons these days!
And the reason we were in the area? Owen had bid for an hour's training in a professional Airbus A320 simulator at his work's Christmas do. G has always wanted to get a pilot's licence but it's just never happened but he loves flying - anyway, they both went in and had a ball!!
They both did exceptionally well - G got a round of applause from the pilot and co pilot trainers as he landed at Heathrow, putting the plane down smoothly right on the central line. That's my boy!! Needless to say, they now both want to build a flight deck at home....I suppose we've got space in the garage, lol.
Back at home we're lucky in that we have loads of beaches on our doorstep to walk freely without risk of getting too close to people. There has been so much erosion on the town beach that these have been exposed from the sand/ash cliff face:
The remnants of a coal fired power station that was levelled in the 90s, they've been buried for years but no longer - like our very own glacial erratic!
And this isn't a UFO:
But the base of an experimental wind turbine that I remember when I lived here years ago, again revealed by the sand erosion. There's no photo jiggerypokery here, that's just how it came out of my phone camera - very sci-fi :-)
Hope you've enjoyed my fortnight's break, it'll be more mundane next week probably!
xxxxx
34 comments:
what fabulous photos, good to see you were able to get out and about - I recognised Chichester cathedral immediately . That's a serious amount of erosion on your beaches. Take care and stay safe! Helen #??
I've loved your trip and thank you so much for it. It brightened me up (as you will gather from my post I have been down about this darned Corona) no end and made me remember that I once went to Arundel but cannot remember much about it. Love the photo of the snicket at Chichester especially. So glad you got this trip in before the ban on socialising.
Remember seeing the photos of Gordon and Owen with the flight simulator - they certainly have big smiles to record for the day.
Can't leave without saying how much I adore the red and black stuff you got - have all sorts of ideas in my mind as to what you are doing - a bit risque comes to mind. And well done you on the knitting and bag making - you are such a lovely generous lady, happy crafting!
Hugs, Neet 1 xx
Love the idea of the fabric bags. Keep safe and enjoy your sewing.
Happy WOYWW. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos. Never been down to Arundel, but it looks like the sort of town I would love. If I want to avoid people, I just walk the dog in our fields - but even out on the roads/beaches I rarely meet anyone. So grateful that we are not living in a crowded city. Even though I love our home/crafting etc, it is still important for me to get outside every day. Ali x #9
Fabulous shared pictures of your visit Jan thank you for taking us on the journey with you it;s been a breathe of fresh air. Bright and refreshing with so many creative things to take in today, i'm intrigued about those reds and blacks hee hee! Care duties all up to date I get a day in today, hope to have a little creative time myself. Take care, stay safe & Happy WoywW Hugs Tracey #10
Great photos of such interesting places..... I know that feeling when your inner peasant rears up. Looks like a wonderful time catching up with your son and great that the boys had some fun flying. Might be the closest flying for a little while. But, I have to say making those bags and premie beanies is just brilliant. Stay safe and keep crafting.
Sandra de @4
Morning Jan. Above all else this morning - I love your title - count your blessings!!! How we need to do that in these strange and puzzling times. So many are so afraid, and I don't think the media always help there!! Anyway.. your post...
Great bags - what a lovely idea your WI have had. You really do have a fantastically outward looking, energetic group! That yarn looks amazing - you can almost feel it just looking at the screen. I have just been given a little pattern for knitting small bands to cover the cannulas going into tiny babies' arms. Such a lovely simple idea - I can't wait to finish my next blanket - and use up more of my stash of yarn!!
And as for your trip - great photos - well done. Your boys really are incredibly tall, aren't they!!! Glad the men had such fun flying - what a treat for them both.
Do take care, both of you there at home. Stay safe. God bless.
Margaret #5
Morning Jan
You look well prepared for the coming months. We are so lucky to have plenty to do aren't we?
I'm hoping we can get our new kitchen finished. There's still half of it to finish, not sure if a visit to B&Q for more paint is essential though!!!!
Glad you managed to get your trip away in. How brilliant to catch up with Owen. I bet the simulator was brilliant.
Take care of yourselves
Hugs Lisa #18
I really enjoyed your trip so thank you for sharing it with us. It's getting harder to find something to put on my Friday smiles post but I feel we all need it more than ever now.....keep smiling and carry on I say.
I love the idea of the bags you're making...you're such a good egg :-)
The wool for the babies looks really soft and how lovely to think of them wrapped in your love.
Big hugs,
Annie x #11
Now Jan - that red/black colour combo has me thinking! Maybe your WI are doing a calendar and you need your outfit for December girl - perfect with a couple of twinkly baubles!! So glad you managed your break away before this virus misery. Lovely photos and yes your lad is certainly head and shoulders above you now. I think we might need to post our crafty activites on FB during our weeks of indoor captivity. You show me yours..... xxx Jo #15
Love all your bags I haven't even started mine, but will probably in the next few days. Thanks for your photo trips, reminds me when I lived in UK and my husband and I used to go off in the caravan during the winter months. Ani#7
Hiya Jan, some amazing photos from your break. That wall is fab. Another Mexican food fan here!Love the stash you bought, intriguing. I reckon I must have lay awkwardly on my shoulder, it was mildly aching for a week or two, but the Rotary Trimmer tends to need a lot of pressure to cut, and I think thats what did for it. Stay safe, and have a good week,Love & Hugs to you all, Shaz #6 XxXxXx
You're not alone in taking 'odd' pictures. I love taking pics from an unusual angle, something striking, unusual walls, whatever.
Oh dear.. these are strange times and all we can do is sit, craft and wait... I'm glad you had such a lovely trip, no-one can take that from you now and you still have the photos and memories! We're not homebound completely in Holland (we are still alowed to go outside) but social isolation, yes. And the place I work closed its doors (as do the schools, pubs, restaurants and most shops) and since I cannot do my work at home, I am unemployed now. It feels strange to have no job all of a sudden... I'm glad I have my online friends! Take care, stay healthy! Big virtual hug from the Netherlands! Marit #21
Your bags are a great idea but I did wonder why you had written IM on some of them, I wondered if others had ER on them for 'im and 'er - a few seconds later I realised it was WI upside down! Love the pics of your trip away - we go to Chichester a lot - it's my stepson's first choice of places to visit when we take him out - the Cathedral cafe does fab food and most years they have Peregrines nesting up on the spire - we often go just to see the them!
I love Arundel too but strangely as I've got older those hills have got steeper! So glad your men folk had a fabulous time - you might just find you have the time to build a flight deck now!
Have a good week and stay safe,
Hugs, Diana xx #17
What a lovely trip! I love the old buildings and cobblestones, and especially the castle! The wall was definitely asking for a photo! Too bad it wasn't open.
Your bags are wonderful, how nice that they are being given away! And I can tell lots of love ids going into those preemie hats!
Stay safe, have a great week, Lindart #26
Happy WOYWDW Lovely photo's The last one looks like its walking on te beach lol Well dome on all the bags,
Lilian B #18
So glad you were able to be out and about. Lovely photos my friend! As for me and my two yorkies, we are sheltering in place since last Tuesday. I had a dr. appt. and then ran thru the grocery store for a monthly stock up now I'm home and so glad to be here!~
Glenda #19
Lovely pictures of your break and of the remnants of the past nearer home. I’m intrigued by the black and red fabrics and can’t wait to see what you make!!
I know what you mean about feeling short next to your son Jan, my 3 are all 6'4" and up! Glad you had such a good visit before the latest Covid 19 edict went out. I am sure we will all have plenty to keep us busy over the next few weeks. Happy WOYWW. Stay safe. Sarah #2
Just read the comment you left over at mine, you're a very naughty girl! but I like you! All that red and black fabric is gorgeous and look forward to seeing how you use it. Pleased to see you managed to get away before everything kicked off. Take care and wishing you a happy creative WOYWW, Angela x12x
I LOVE your photos of your travels (and the rest, of course)! How fun to spend time with kids! And with Julia and Mr. D! Not unusual to have so much fun that the camera gets forgotten.
And a great batch of bags!
Hope you have a great rest of the week and thanks for popping by!
Carol N #25
Gorgeous photos of your travels. I love Chichester and Arundel - my Aunt lives near Chichester. Those red and black fabrics and feathers are gorgeous and very burlesque! Stay safe. Happy WOYWW. With love and God Bless, Caro x (#14)
Hi Jan-
I did enjoy your fortnight's break - I'm a bit of a hermit by nature, so even without the coronavirus it's really quite hard to winkle me out of my home/shell - but I'm always interested to see where other people have been on their travels! I love the photo of that lovely old wall - at first glance I thought the tree was growing right through it. It's a beautifully composed image. I'm forever stopping to take photos of odd things like interesting bits of wall - once you start noticing them it's impossible to resist! I'd have been right there with you puzzling the passers by.
Funnily enough I've just bought some of the exact same King Cole yarn to make a jumper for my friend's new baby. It really is beautifully soft and the colours are lovely.
Have a good week!
Amelia #32
Jan you're so wonderful. I love that you create all of those items to give away. You are a good person indeed. Your trip photos are so pretty. I love seeing the architecture and the castle. It's so pretty.
Stay well my friend!
Belinda #30
Another lovely post as always, Jan! I always enjoy reading about your exploits and seeing all the gorgeous things you make from all the fabby fabrics!! Ahh, Arundel... we went several years ago and I absolutely LOVED it! I have got a video somewhere of Kaffe Fasset visiting, and getting loads of inspiration from all the wonderful flint walls - like you, I always get funny looks for taking photos of walls! I took literally hundreds of photos around Arundel. I must look at those photos again. We were fortunate enough to be able to visit the Castle - absolutely awesome inside - do go back to Arundel again if you ever get the chance, and go round it.
Thank you for your visit - glad you like my successful bleaching attempts! Yes, they do look a bit like Mediaeval tiles - if I do enough of them I am thinking of mounting them all together. They are really an experiment for something larger but I won't want to waste them. The bunting is fun, isn't it! I only temporarily pinned them out so I could photograph them, but I will be blocking them properly once they are finished. I think it is very likely that the County Show will be cancelled, or at least postponed, though, due to the current crisis, but I shall keep knitting in the meantime.
Keep well and keep safe, and have a great week.
Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi x #22
I LOVED your trip, thank you! Great photos. I like Arundel too, but I really think its time they pedestrianised a lot of it. Because I don’t live there and wouldn’t be inconvenienced, of course!! Glad you enjoyed Wahaca...did I say that it was established by a Masterchef winner who has an interesting and (In my opinion) commendable employment strategy. Anyway, read Diana’s comment and forever will now consider the bags as I’m and er bags...such a great idea from your WI. Lovely that you’re bashing out the preemie blankets...oh my, still struggling to get over the size of them! Xxxxx
Hi Jan, I love all the photos and the stories :) and I think the fact that those stores are giving away your made by you tote bags is so cool. that is such a gift you are giving all those people :) the new loot that followed you home looks very fancy, it will be fun to see what it becomes. ~Stacy #27
Hi Jan, great post and love all the photos. Very curious about all the red and black - hmm, whatever is it for??? Sadly, I had less time to visit yesterday, so zooming around desks today. Working from home seems to make me busier! I'm still trying to get some crafting done each week though. Arundel seems an interesting place - maybe Mr M and I should focus on getting round more of the UK than visiting other countries. I'm sure Mr M would love to explore that wind turbine base (he worked for several years on a vessel building offshore windfarms). Stay safe, and have a lovely week Heather xx #13
I have indeed enjoyed your fortnight's break! Such amazing photo's and what adventures you had! I love your idea about the bags to hand out - inspired and very generous indeed! A truly heartwarming gesture.
Sorry I am late getting back to you - total meltdown day yesterday when I had to look into H's beautiful big blue eyes through the letterbox and tell him "not today" when he asked to come in. His mommy was dropping us some fruit and bread into the porch - how do you explain all this to a five year old! I cried non-stop for 8 hours after he kissed me through the front window. Keep well, keep safe and I send much love to you. Debbie xXx
Love the count your blessings at top of post dear Lunch Lady Jan! Some folk are such whinge buckets! Will seem strange tomorrow to not go to church but we are live streaming 😅 thankfully!
Love your many pickies, I love your posts Jan they’re always such pick-me-ups, and to my eye it looks like you’ve lost some weight, well done it’s not easy I know!!
Great bags and how generous to give them away for free, lovely bit of mystery red and black, and a dummy wool, too, I love your stone work and texture, there, I was laughed at for taking an old looking combo of a door and window in Brittany on last trip. Will rib be last trip too I think, I keep hoping not but looks that way at present, as health isn’t happy.. too often. But I’m very blessed I’m tkaing ages to get around, I write a book at each post... still on first column and its time for bed again!
Thanks for being a blessing, and may God bless you too, especially in these troubled times, may we look up in faith! Praying you’re all kept well too!
Hugs, Shaz in Oz.x 😊 #16
{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}
Hi Jan, for some reason I'd convinced myself I'd left a comment here earlier. Wrong! Perhaps it was our phone conversation that threw me this week. Better late than never. Your sewing room is looking very much busier than mine but then I've not been sewing, too busy scrapping. That's an impressive number of bags going off to good causes. I'm sure they will be found very handy. Love the wool - the colours really do remind me of sea, sand and icecreams. Your trip sounds lovely. I loved Salisbury and visited it often when I was stationed at nearby Wilton. Bet your glad you got your visit in before the great lockdown. That's a lovely photo of you and your boy. Take care and stay well. Hugs, Elizabeth xx #31
Hi Jan!
Oh what a lovely tour and visit. I'd so love to take that walking tour with you in person. What fun time for the guys! Those are very impressive structures. Kind of gives you a glance into how things stand through the ages. Love the bags. That's a sweet thing for you to do. Your bags, my cookies... don't we make a team! Hugs and Creative Blessings! Kelly #25
Great Photos! Love them. Stay well and take care!
Eva from Austria
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