Apologies

I'm sorry for absence and I hope that no-one has been fussed. It's just me going through a bit of a bad patch. I've been out of sorts with myself and I also feel disappointed in myself. There's been an awful lot of nothing going on. Well, not quite nothing but a lot of not very much. 

Bear is getting stuck into his revision and is studying hard, with the occasional break. Last week he had his prom and looked devilishly handsome on his way out in black suit, black shirt, black dress shoes and a matching tie and pocket square in self coloured black paisley. He went from the prom to clubbing and rolled in at 6.30am, looking remarkably good despite the hour. I came down at 7.30am and he was going through some past papers for the maths exams. If he doesn't get good marks, he's going to be devastated.

The chilli plants are doing okay, despite my best efforts. I've got six going at the moment, and I repotted the three that were small and in small pots to bigger pots today. I just remembered that I didn't have good pics, so here are two of the plants at time of typing.

I'm hoping to get a good harvest over the next few months. I haven't transplanted the tiny herb seedlings quickly enough. They're on the list for tomorrow. I hope that they survive.

Do you remember that last year I started knitting curtains for our tiny porch. It's maybe a metre/yard square and it get's stupidly hot in summer and ridiculously cold in winter. I thought the right sort of curtains would cut down a little on the heat transfer, although there's not much I can do about the uninsulated and leaking roof. Well, in an act of defiance, I actually finished them.

It's using King Cole Opium yarn in plain knit. DH thinks it looks amazing, it will wash and go up wet, and if it all goes wrong, it didn't cost a lot for the yarn. It's white to reflect heat in summer and it's an extra layer at the window to insulate against cold in winter and I'm very happy. There is one problem - the hooks. DH put up the curtains for me with command hooks, that is, sticky hooks. Did I mention that the tiny space gets like a sauna in summer? And it's been a little warm this week? The hooks have been dropping off the wall like it's been greased. I'm letting DH get on with it.

Speaking of knitting, look what I got done over Lent - even with a bad shoulder that took me out of the game for a week!

Two scarves and four hats are ready to be sent off. I'm considering marking off a particular time during the week for knitting for seafarers as I find it very soothing. I've also dug yarn out from my stash and I've started a sweater for me. My current sweaters are wearing very thin indeed.

As a random aside, last time I was parked and waiting for bear, I ended up near a hedge that was apparently full of spiders! Except I think it's a type of caterpillar at this time of year that leaves cobwebs everywhere. Whatever it/they was/were, they were industrious enough to put me to shame.

It doesn't look it, but it was night when I took the pic, the flash lit it up, so I didn't see anything scuttling around - not that I was going close to the place!

I haven't done much in the garden. Gladys isn't coming back strong, and I suspect that she may be fading with old age. She must be nearly fifteen years old, and I think that's old for a fuchsia. I'll see how she does this year and maybe bite the bullet and replace her. I have plans for the garden, and a lot of work to do. I saw an electric weedkiller in Aldi for £14.99. Apparently it blasts hot air at 650C (around 1200F) to kill the weeds between cracks in the pavement. I decided that I wasn't safe to be trusted with anything that hot and picked up a long extension cord instead.

I hope to use this blog as motivation - if I start the day with the thought of 'what can I do to put in the blog' then hopefully I'll get something done.

Writing stuff - I finally got a piece up on my writing blog for the White Hart here. I'm trying different ideas to increase my productivity, so watch this space. 

Hugs and good health to all