Friday 29 August 2014

Water water everywhere...

Water...

Wookie and I take two bank holiday breaks away each year. They began as traditions long before me, but I have embraced them as firmly as I have the man himself for I find them relaxing, grounding, renewing. 

One of the places we visit is on the west coast of Wales on the Gower Peninsula and the other is in the east of England along a stretch of coast that seems to be neither the English Channel nor the North Sea, but both at the same time. 

The ocean... One of my dearest and abiding loves.

Wookie proposed by the sea during our most recent trip to Wales. These two photos were taken just before and just after the event, respectfully...


This most recent bank holiday weekend was our annual family (Wookie's family) holiday and while this was only my second year, I looked forward to it for *months* and already can't wait for next year...

On our first full day there, the sea was gorgeous, peaceful... the weather was sunny, calm...


I actually made a mountain out of a molehill. I'm still surprised that Wookie was so surprised that I went to such lengths to get this photo. He's a weirdo.


On our last day, the sea was somewhat temperamental... Just as gorgeous, in my opinion.

I fully understand why adventurers and poets alike are drawn to her...


More water...

The other day, Wookie was presented with the Ice Bucket Challenge. He's just recently had back surgery and can't get his dressing wet, however, so after some careful planning, I took one for the team...

I took a photo of his face, enlarged it and printed it out to wear as a mask. Wookie did the voiceover work on the video and the nominating. (I was his "stunt double".)

Here are a couple of screenshots from the video...


I kind of freaked out immediately after this as I could tell the flimsy paper mask had come away and it felt like it was in pieces, a large part clinging to my fringe/bangs so I was frantically trying to remove it only to find out that it was merely the weight of my own, wet hair that was so heavy. Sigh.

Well, *that's* novel!...

Some of you may know... I've started writing a novel (of sorts) and I have approximately the first chapter so far. 

It's "Young Adult Fiction" (ugh. I don't like that genre name, it's so... vague) and my protagonist is a young boy named Ryles.

I've tried to work out his story and while I know basic plot plans and setting ideas, the little guy won't tell me any more than that and insists that the story come out chronologically, as I sit ready to listen.

There's no cooperation from the little guy during my attempts to plan ahead, to form an outline, to brainstorm. As much as I beg, plead, bargain, all I am told is to sit with my notebook and pen and it will come.

And it does. Every time.

How odd.

But yes, I'm writing it by hand. Old fashioned paper and ink, in fact(!) and I'm trying to figure out how/where/when/why to share it.

So far I have allowed specific people to read the hard copy I have printed for my own, editorial purposes and while the reviews have been very positive overall, there have been some issues with following the formatting (page flow) of how I have it printed.

Clearly I need to print it in a more... digestible format if I want others to be able to consume it because at this stage, I can't let it out of my proverbial sight. I cringe at the idea of emailing it to anyone lest it fall into the wrong hands become something I created but which is available for all and sundry to take/change/claim as their own. 

That would break my heart.

I thought about sharing the first bits here, perhaps, with a view to possibly self-publishing the work in the future and I know there is a way to format webpages in such a manner that copy/paste isn't possible... But I don't know how and am honestly presuming it's not something that this website would allow. I presume I would have to use my own domain for.

Perhaps I need to look into that, actually.

Thursday 14 August 2014

This week...

This week, I started making home-stuffs that will help, not only save the environment, but also money in the long run, too!

The first item I made is a "Swifty" (Ravelry link) for our Vileda mop. It's not the same as the mop of the original pattern but the dimensions are (thankfully) very similar.

The pattern is from Mason Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines (Amazon UK link) and I should have paid attention to the errata (available on Ravelry under the pattern details) because I messed it up. I'm not frogging it, though, as there's no reason to. I'll just know better for next time. (Mental note: I also need to add the errata to the book to prevent this next time.)


I've begun knitting the second one already, even though I still need to weave the ends in on this one and add the buttons, but I'm modding the pattern so that it's knitted in one piece as I'm using only one yarn (colour) and it's so much easier (I think, anyway!).

I also plan on making some Mitered Hanging Towels (Ravelry link, pattern is available for free) and several things from their first book, Mason Dixon Knitting (Amazon UK link).


On Sunday I got to sit outside and enjoy some gorgeous Autumn weather...



On Monday, I had a wonderful friend over for lunch, gossip, movies.... generally just hanging out and it turned into some impromptu cooking lessons.

Fakin'. (Vegan bacon) Recipes all over the internet (though, I don't use any "nutritional yeast" when I make mine).


Served with noodles in a home-made (oat-based) creamy sauce...


Dessert wasn't *quite* so successful. I haven't really baked since we moved in March (Gasp!) and I didn't know that some of my ingredients hadn't survived...


Those were supposed to have been cupcakes. Sigh. (Notice the wonky one? I decided to make that "a design choice" because when the paper flipped as I was filling it, I couldn't be bothered to mess around with righting it. Poor thing.)

They turned out OK, though... Even though the frosting messed up, too. (I *really* need to re-stock my baking cupboard!)


Later that day, I made myself some yummy (Vegan!) dinner based on this recipe here (I rarely follow a recipe by rote so I modded this quite a bit. If you want details, just ask!) and it was *really* scrummy!



Yesterday, I sat with a pile of felt...


And began masterminding this year's entries for "Bad Bow Tie" night at the annual family holiday... This will be Wookie's entry...


Mine needs a few more ingredients, the likes of which I plan to procure this weekend.

Wednesday 6 August 2014

A(nother) restart

It's been about, let's see... Wow! More than two years since I last *wrote* anything here.

So very much has happened in that time that I'm unsure of where to begin... Perhaps I should catch you all up simply by using photos.

(Please note: these photos are not in chronological order. If you have any comments or questions about where/when they were taken, please share.)

A bit for charity...

A quick snap captured at my brother's wedding...

A very fun evening...

London, my London...

Christmastime in Belfast...

A Boxing Day paddle...

A fairy in a tree...

A beautiful day for reflection and love...

Our "LivingLoo"...

Gotcha!...

Curious neighbour...

Mount Legomore...

Contemplations while in a church...

Very special cakes made with love...

Beauty...

Garlic!...

A slight (but hilarious) misunderstanding...

"No I don't! What do you mean I have a black eye?!"...


Oh...

Sigh...

Gorgeous view, interesting circumstances...

Taste testing...

When is a wall not a wall?...

Custom shoes?? Yes please!...

One of my favourite life-moments, encapsulated...

The reason I now celebrate my birthday again...

And that's a bit about what I've been up to since I last posted.

Let's hope I can keep it from being so long before I post again next time!