New Year, new resolutions??

Yes, I am back, though not with a vengeance yet!!  Anyway Happy New Year to everyone and I hope the Christmas and New Year celebrations went well for you all and don't they seem a long time ago.

Christmas for me was spent in Cambridge with a well organised Christmas meal cooked by my son and a small input by me, which was enough for me not to do the washing up afterwards - excellent.  I went to the Crib Service and Christmas morning service at the University Church of Great St Mary's where my daughter in law goes.  I still cannot get used to seeing all the tourists who are around and coming in during the service on Christmas morning!

I went down to Kent for the New Year but travelling by train this time.  I was slightly apprehensive about the journey down as it was Sunday and I thought the dreaded 'PLANNED RAIL MAINTENANCE' might be in effect; but everything went so smoothly it was brilliant and the family picked me up from some small railway station in deepest Kent and bang on time!! Well done National Rail.

As New Year's Day was good weather we went to Camber Sands for our usual walk and it was very busy 

People, dogs and horses exercising on the beach

I went for a walk along the beach and waded through this stream coming across the sand but on the way back the girls and Dad had built a dam so my new walking boots (a Christmas present) didn't get too wet.  

Last year I seemed to spend most of my time being double booked so this was one of my New Year resolutions, which I promptly broke!!  Every year my family give me a family calendar with family photos each month and I really look forward to seeing it.  So I am going to 'sync' my calendar with my diary to make sure that everything is up to date.

I think I have mentioned in previous posts I belong to a monthly sock club (first Saturday of the month) and at our December meeting we did a secret Santa and have to make a pair of socks for a fellow member, ready by the March meeting.  Well mine are finished - no photos yet though - because I have now started a new knitting project from my Swing, Swagger, Drape book.  So exciting and I am loving it.

But here are some socks I made earlier -

BUT only one of each at present, so a long way to go!!

I also crocheted this bobble hat in two evenings

and wore it on the beach at New Year.  I do not like these hats as they usually make my head itch but this seems OK at the moment.

Do you remember back in the summer my younger son (who runs marathons) gave me a bag of his t-shirts and asked me to do something with them!!

Well, I washed them all (as they had been in the attic for years so you can imagine the smell!!), stabilised those I wanted to use with iron-on Vilene, cut the logos out and that was as far as it got in August!

A huge pile!

Well what do you give a son for Christmas?  A finished throw of course, but not without a great deal of blood, sweat, tears AND bad language!!  I decided to do 'quilt as you go' and cut all the logos into 12" squares (30.5 cms) (or made the smaller ones sewn together into 12" squares) and sandwiched them together with wadding, quilted them and laid them out to get the best design.  Doesn't that sound simple - well it wasn't!!  I used my walking foot for the whole project including the binding and got through THREE sewing machine needles because they became blunt.  Most of the logos were plastic which caused skipped stitches whilst quilting and it took a long time for me to find the best method to do this.  Eventually it was finished 

and he likes it!!  All the binding was made from the t-shirts so nothing was wasted.

He has informed me that there are more bags of t-shirts in his attic as he approaches his 100th marathon this year!!!  No NO.

Out and about and something new

During October when we had some glorious weather for half term, I travelled to Kent to see my family there.  We went for a brisk walk on Saturday afternoon and admired the new houses that were being built close to the town and had a 'Kentish' look about them; but we hoped no more would go up.  On Sunday morning it was to be a trip to Camber Sands.  After a quick stop here 

for the most delicious bacon butties and coffee we went on our way.  It was during that hot weekend that we had, so we walked along the beach, made sand pictures and I took photos of seagulls!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

People in the sea being sporty!

 

Careful your wellies don't fill with water!!

Following this we went to church, well to visit this delightful church on Romney Marsh.  We have driven past it before and I have always wanted to go in.  First we collected the key

 

and the door was opened

and we went in to this very unusual church

Box pews - I have never seen anything like this before

and a newspaper cutting showing the church surrounded by water

We went outside and I noticed the mounting block (on the left) for those riding to church.

No village in sight but I remember this from the last filming of Great Expectations in 2012.  Incidentally they also used Holdenby House near where I live, for the exterior shots of Miss Haversham's home.

At Higham Piecemakers in October we made either Alfie the Elf or Evie the Elf.  Once started we couldn't stop and I made four

 

 

with one being given to my granddaughters in Kent, one is in Cambridge, one for Will and one for myself.  Mine is a naughty elf and has muscled in at 'Sock' Club

 

Embroidery Christmas lunch day

 and very upset when there was no cake -

I mentioned 'Sock' Club where I have been going for the last three months at Purlwise.  Such fun and I have completed one pair, but finished some single socks.  I tell this against myself, but I decided to make a pair for one of my sons, who has since said he doesn't want any!!  Anyway I started and finished one and asked him to try it on for size

It was enormous and I gave it to my brother in law as he had just had an ankle operation and it covered the plaster and kept his toes warm!!  Are well you can't win them all. 

A trip up the river

Once again I am very tardy in doing the blog but following a wonderful day out with friends I discovered that my camera hadn't been working properly and they came out as mini videos (definitely pilot error, I know) but it left me feeling very depressed.  However two things happened that cheered me up: my friend SewHappy sent me all her photos - wonderful and I suddenly found how to get one frame from each video and though it has taken time, I have some at last.

I have always wanted to go on the PS (Paddle Steamer) Waverley, from back in the days when the children were small and I was living near the Bristol Channel, but we never did, so when the opportunity arose to go up the Thames on her I signed us up.

We went by coach to Southend where we had a hasty lunch of fish and chips, before catching the little train that took us to the end of the 1.25 mile pier. A quick ice-cream (it was a glorious hot day with no wind) and then Waverley arrived.

I had hoped to have my 'Titanic' moment standing in the bow but I couldn't get there because it was full of ropes and a sailor!!

Then we were off and what a brilliant trip it was and at times I found it very emotional.

Good there is one lifeboat at least

The RNLI were interested in us

A container ship being loaded at Thames Gateway

We overtook 'Atlantis'

I must mention that during the entire trip up the Thames all sorts of ships and boats were giving us a toot.  Occasionally Waverley replied with a wonderful deep bass hoot that seemed to vibrate through the whole boat! We also slowed a one stage for a boat to come alongside to change River Pilots.

The Queen Elizabeth bridge

 I have crossed this bridge as part of the Dartford Crossing on my way to stay with my son in Kent so I was quite excited to be going under it

This bridge is one way going South on the M25. Coming back you cross through the original tunnels

and that upturned mushroom is one of the vents for the tunnel.  You can't see that from the road.

Going through the Thames Barrier

As you can see the sun is beginning to set but we chugged on up the river passing

Greenwich Palace

 What you can't see here is the Greenwich Meridian that lies behind the buildings on the hill.

The Cutty Sark

 

Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf rose from the old docks of London and I regret I am old enough to remember the old Isle of Dogs and when my husband and I were courting we often went there with friends to eat and go to the pubs for the entertainment!!

Past the O2, now hemmed in by flats

Courtesy of SewHappy

and then further up river we came round a bend and there ahead was Tower Bridge all lit up against the setting sun.  A very moving moment for me.

The Waverley slowed right down and we waited; at this moment I felt that the ship was straining to go but couldn't and then slowly we edged forward and the Bridge started to open

and then we were through and at that moment the wonderful deep bass hoot was made and I like to think that it was the Waverley thanking the bridge for opening!

We were in the Pool of London in front of the Tower of London

The White Tower

and in the background was The Shard with HMS Belfast tied up.

This was the end of a memorable day out and another tick for the bucket list!!

On the crafty front I was asked to provide an item for Will's Family Box (remember, I used to look after him but he has just started school) so I decided on this

An ice cream complete with sprinkles!!

 and I have re-started knitting socks.  The first one was too big

but it has found a use as my brother in law has just had an operation on his ankle and is in plaster and this over-size sock covers the whole thing beautifully and keeps his toes warm!!!!