Guest-Emily

Hi I'm Emily, Em for short! A little bit about me...

I love to spend time with my friends. I love to take pictures with my digital camera, I am always up for a good book, movie or playing on my computer. Once when I got my first digital camera I was experimenting with it. I suddenly had a thought that I could take a photo of myself, so I turned it around and made an odd face. when I saw it on the screen I burst out laughing! When Mum saw it she was in tears of laughter! So I'm a bit mad, but who cares, well definetly not me!

this is the photo!

High School Musical 2 Has arrived in the UK, it premiered on Friday 21st September 2007 on Disney Channel. I love High school Musical 1 and 2, they are great movies. My Mum, Jane can't stop singing the songs! My fave character is Chad - Corbin Bleu because he is really funny, he is also gorgeous! but that's not quite why I like him. He shows in the movie that he is an outstanding and kind person, he really evolves throughout the movie and becomes trustworthy and understanding. I think he is a person with a big heart. That's why I'm a HUGE fan!

Corbin Bleu.

Last tea cozy

Phew! thank goodness thats done. Tony keeps teasing that they could double up as hats for teddy bears ( I have a large collection of bears who would love to borrow these cosies as hats!)

Tea cosy No.4

I think at the moment this is my favourite cosy I love the colours, sad isn't it! I think i will stop at five cosies and move on to something else.

More Teacosies

Tea Cosy No. 2 a variation on the Jean Greenhowe pattern but this one has stars and a lantern

Tea cosy No. 3 based on the pattern from Laughing Hens using some colours from my local shop

Finally the best news for us came at the beginning of the week, Emily had at last risen high enough up the waiting list to start at the school where I work. Emily was so excited and happy and she is settling in really well and making lots of friends.

Now I'm starting tea cosy No. 4. By the time I've knitted 10 I'll probably never want to see another tea cosy pattern ever again! I am enjoying knitting the cosies but I have my eye on attempting some socks, buying a couple of books - Charmed Knits and Classic Knits for Real Women amongst others, and finding more lovely patterns to knit.

There is a chill to the air in the mornings and it now begins to feel like Autumn. Our tomatoes have been lovely this year - we grew Tumbler in wall pots and they have given us a sweet tasty crop, although because of the cold weather they seemed to take ages to ripen. Next year I will try some more vegetables but as our garden is tiny there won't be many.

It is a rectangular plot 15ft long by 20 ft wide. Although it faces east we have the house next door blocking the sun during the afternoon. This is nice in the summer as the garden is often in partial shade by 1pm and full shade by 3.30pm. In the winter the sun barely touches the garden for more than a couple of hours, so our garden is suitable for shade loving plants.

I planned and planted it myself and got a builder/landscaper in to do the heavy work.

Autumn

Nymans Gardens, Handcross, Sussex. A patch of Cyclamen in flower amongst Oak trees.

Autumn has arrived and on Sunday as the weather was so nice we went to visit Nymans Garden.

The borders were full of colour and a huge variety of plants, the sun was warm and it was a lovely way to spend a Sunday.

I studied Horticulture (plants) when I left school and went on to become a Garden Centre assistant manager, then a full time gardener finally giving up due to a back injury. So now I enjoy visiting gardens with Tony & Emily and looking after my own garden.

Nymans house and garden was home to the Messel family from 1890 and was given to the National Trust in 1953. Part of the house was destroyed by fire in 1947. The ruins can still be seen today as well as some rooms which the family still used until 1953, in the remaining wing of the house.

The view above and below was taken from the pergola platform over looking the croquet lawn. The view is of the house and the other is looking out across the Sussex Weald (countryside)

Teacozy No.1

One tea cozy completed, it is from the Jean Greenhowe's Christmas Special book.

Emily went back to school on Wednesday, very pleased to see her friends. New books to cover and designs to make for some of the front covers for homework, she loves art and drawing.

Today Em is home with a stomach bug (yuk!) but she is feeling a little brighter this afternoon and has just eaten some toast. So I hope that she will soon recover her usual bounce.

Back to School

Yesterday it was time for me to return to school, I work as admin support to 3 departments, English, Geography and Health and Social Care. (so I am back to knitting in the evenings)

In the last two weeks I have completed 2 ipod covers, the pattern was on chocnvodka.blogware.com

I finished off little Girl Guide for Emily and added a sweater, rucksack and teddybear.

my next project is to knit some teacoszies for St John ambulance appeal. http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/about-us/latest-news/stitch-in-time-saves-lives.aspx

End of the Summer Holidays

Yesterday (Sunday) we visited Bently Wildfowl and Motor Museum, at Halland near Lewes, East Sussex.

Our favourite cars: Tony's - Jaguar E-Type and MGB GT

Emily's favourite car Lamborghini Diablo!
My favourite; VW Beetle, this particular car has covered almost 884,000 miles! and is on its fourth engine, second gearbox and is 47 years old.

There was also the ducks/wildfowl from all over the world and the house, gardens and miniature railway to visit.

We had lovely day out.

So it is back to school for both Emily and me this week, back to normal routine of work and school. (think I'd rather stay at home and knit!)

Home sweet home.

We have returned from warm sunny Dorset to chilly Sussex, brrr. We picked these apples in my parents garden. My mum made apple chutney and some apple & mint sauce.

We visited Dyrham Park (National Trust)

We sat by the ponds and watched the damsel flies chasing each other.

Alice and I went to Prague for 3 1/2 days. We loved it. We stayed in the Hotel Akcent, which was clean, comfortable and the staff were very helpful. The hotel is only four stops on the Metro (underground) from the centre of Prague.

We visited the Astrological clock which chimes on the hour. The doors open and the twelve apostles walk past, the cock crows and the doors close. The clock is across the square from the Church of our Lady at Tyn

We walked across Charles Bridge which was very busy.

We visited many of the churches, they were stunning and so beautifully decorated; it took your breath away.

Most of the architecture and decoration was from the Art Deco era and made by Mucha, including a stained glass window in St Vitus Cathedral.

We visited Prague Castle, St Vitus Cathedral, St George's Basilica, the Old Palace and Golden Lane, No 22 is the former home of Franz Kafka, a Czech writer.
We watched part of a folk festival with dancing and music from many different countries including the Czech Republic.
Prague is a beautiful city and I would like to return for a longer break with the rest of the family.