Easter

Easter already. I am off school for two weeks and I have just spent the first week visiting with my mum and dad to try and take the strain from my brother and sister of looking after my dad who is really unwell. I spent the week going to hospital appointments and doctors surgery with my dad and my mum. I came back yesterday (Goood Friday) and tonight my dad has been taken into hospital. He is really unwell and we are all desperately worried, my poor mum is finding it hard going and needs a lot of support. So now we are involved with the mental health doctor and the community nurse. My sister is currently at the hospital as I write this at 9.00 pm at night talking to the doctor and trying to find out exactly what is wrong. They will keep him for observation and tests. I pray that they can help him.

Prior to this I was at the hospital and doctors with one of my boys who has a pain in his chest and is experiencing palpitations, whilst I have been away these seem to have calmed down so it may have been stress. He is on his gap year and going to University looms ahead for him and I think he is possibly worried about that and leaving his girlfriend who will probably go to Leeds whilst he will be in Winchester and the distance is more than likely to end this relationship. My other son is home from Lincoln and he is loving it, although hates being poor but no jobs out there for students at the moment. I can't even be bothered to talk about reasons such as recession and credit crunch because I am soo bored with that. Tonight they have gone to a fancy dress 18th one as Indiana Jones complete with whip, fedora and loot bag and the other as the skinniest Spider Man on record! Love em.

I came rushing back home to do a craft fair today which I worked so hard for, see pics. And made the grand sum of £15, I should have stayed in Yorkshire. It is getting to the point when I will actually have to stop making any new things because its not worth it. How bad is that. I have loads of other events to do but there is no money out for there and I thnk most people are not buying what they don't really need.

My college course is hard work and I am so on the points of dropping out. I can't find the time or energy to devote to it and next year I am unable to continue because it involves a day out of work which I can't afford with two boys at uni so it will have to go on hold. I'm not sure how that will work out but quite frankly with what is going on for my family its not at the top of my worry list. And as far as spending all day in a counselling room talking to troubled young people is concerned right now I am not looking to spend time doing that maybe I needed to do the course to find out that it's not for me.

Finally I come to this blog which is I think has almost become obsolete. When I started writing this at the beginning it was fun and a bit of a lark. I had this odd idea that people might be interested in my witty erudite offerings on life Chez Griff. Looking out there now its a big competition to be top, best, first, shabbiest, vintagest and all round brilliant crafter and supplier of homilies on how grateful we all are to be here. It's all turned a bit faux for me. I am not a stay at home yummy mummy with all the time in the world to post pretty pictures of my offerings and I think I am bored with it all now. I never fail to be amazed at how clever and creative people are but I don't have enough time to devote to it quite frankly. I love to knit and crochet and I do other stuff as well but it is only a tenth of what my life is really about. This recession is probably going to make us all make do and mend and create much more even the Times supplement was devoted to that today so I think I might leave it to the more devoted amongst us to supply the internet with endless pictures of their lovely and colourful little knitted, crocheted, decoupaged, car booted shabbied up offerings, their fun days out at beautiful places with lashings of ginger beer and their talented children/dogs who are so lovely/cute/sweet/angelic etc - and retire gracefully! I am wiping out my favourites list and moving on to real life.

Two Snow Days

Two snow days off school. Marvellous how you long for a lie in and a few days off and when it comes it never seems to be as great as you wanted it to be. Teenagers are definitely not up for going out in the snow early and making snowmen any more, although at 9.30 on Monday night D finally decided to meet his friends out in town and build a snow fort (still got a little boy in him thank goodness). But I was really saddened to hear that a young girl lost her life whilst sledging. Everyone thinks that schools are Health and Safety mad and in my day we all lived near school

and so did the teachers and we all put our little boots and wellies on and walked there. Well now a great majority of children don't go to their nearest school (for all sorts of reasons) so they come on buses or they are driven and it can be dangerous. One day back today and a student who already has a cast on his right arm, fell over and we sent him home with a sling on the other arm! Parents sue now you know! Anyway we were back today and could possibly be off tomorrow.

I managed to get a few things done, and certainly did a lot of crochet. Made a few flowers which came out quite good . Here's one

Also got on with a few grannies which are so easy once you get going. I'm hoping for a green and pink theme. Its coming on. Buster loved the snow and here he is.

And to pass the time I looked at an endless amount of blogs and marvel as I always do how clever we all are. There are so many talented people out there it amazes me. This is a boring old blog that no one reads compared to some that I have seen you talented women out there are wonderful.

I found this picture of my bookshelves the other day don't think I'll never work my way through this lot.

And then I went and got these!

I just love a book!

So maybe tomorrow a little lie in and a lot of playing with my crochet hook. If not I'll be at my desk dealing with whatever comes up!

One Month Later

Nearly at the end of January and in spite of spending hours looking at everyone else's blog nothing on this one. Lots of reasons why mostly to do with life and what goes on. I am back at school and very busy but enjoying it as ever. Also back at college on Tuesday evenings which is going moderately well although I constantly ask myself why am I doing it. If I can get through this year and on to the actual diploma it will be great becasue by the end of the diploma I might be ready to move over to a different role in school. We'll see.

Made many a resolution and have managed to stick to a few. Have been eating healthy and losing weight which is great and have stopped drinking and cannot believe how great I feel. We were really digging into the wine every night and I have decided I feel better without it. It probably won't last but currently sleeping like a baby and feeling less sluggish. Also picked up the writing again. I don't know if I've talked about it on these ramblings but I have 12 chapters of a book currently residing in my laptop. When I started out I researched and I really got into it (its not chick lit or highbrow more Family Saga I guess - based on my dad's family - an interesting bunch) but stuff happened like getting the lads through A levels and on to Uni and all the knitting and scrapbooking took up time. Anyway I have gone back to where I paused and have managed to pick up the threads - enjoying it too.


What else. Well my dear old mum and dad are having it rough. My dad is not good - he has so much happening for him healthwise and he is really struggling. My mum who is a real get on with it type is finding it hard being his full time carer and so there's a lot going on for them. My sister and brother who live near by take all the strain and I feel guilty for not being around. It can't be helped I live miles away but I ought to do more than merely phoning. Its difficult to get time off for me because working in a school you are generally expected to have all your life events happen in the holidays! Anyway I will be going to do my bit in February at half term but its not enough. I am worried about my dad and we all know he is slowly going downhill although he is not that old. Funny though I have two or three friends who are having the same thing and we are all feeling sad about it.

My lads are fine the Uni one is having a blast (as we knew he would). We phone him twice a week and he is either hungover or tired - student life. The Gap Year lad is socking away the money and preparing to go on holiday with his girlfriend before he goes to Uni in September. It will be quiet without them both. But I am happy for them.

A great pile of books waiting to be savoured - I always get books for Christmas. And I have decided to make this a year of reading as well as crafting.

This is my book pile - it may take some time! The blue one is The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists - I've been threatening this for years so now there's no excuse.

I've been doing a crocheted blanket which will eventually use up all the pink, purple cotton yarn I have accumulated and will find a spot at the bottom of our bed - Buster the dog will love it! Here it is so far. It will need an edging I think.

I took these pictures with a new camera which is quite swish, but it just goes to show that the photographer is the one at fault. I need to practice - on the to do list.

Just about to get the hoover out and make a token gesture then back to the blankie and a spot of TV closely followed by a few chapters and a nap then time for dinner mmmm nice weekend. Oh and then Lark Rise is on - Happy Days.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night

You've got to admire people like Yarn Harlot who can blog through thick and thin and still post on 24 December. This is about as much as I can manage. Apologies to anyone (and you are not many) who read this I have not been intersting or frequent! But I am promising to try harder. I wish for 2009 to be good to all of us, let us all be healthy, happy and kind to each other. When Obama takes the oath lets hope that we will be able to smile again.

As I write my fridge is full of food including a turkey which will feed 14 although we are only 4 (plus the dog). But tonight in Darfur or Helmand Province or the townships of South Africa a child will be hungry or cold or frightened. Let us all be gratefull for the fact that we have more than we can ever need or want. And may we find time in 2009 to give more than receive.

Merry Christmas and God Bless us every one.

Good Lord its November

As usual last time I wrote anything it was nearly a month ago. But boy oh boy has stuff happened whilst I have been away from this blog. My lovely mum who is a real feisty lady has fallen down and dislocated her shoulder and broken a bone in her arm! She is my dad's main carer (he has diabetes) and so its been all hands to the pump to help my parents out. My brother and sister live nearer to them than I do but I have tried to do as much as I can which has involved long motorway trips, daily phone conversations and next week time off of work to do some hospital visits. Mum is alright but finds it quite hard to be inacapacitated and since she is in charge of my dad she is more worried about him than herself. Anyway I spoke to her today and she seems to be plodding along. She's going to need a lot of physio when she finally takes off the sling that she has been wearing to rest her arm. Apparently old peoples bone are to quote the doctor "like cheese" and they don't opt for pinning or such invasive surgery. Looking forward to my cheddar moment then!

I've managed to knit and crochet my way through it all and last week did a Craft Fair in aid of Breast Cancer (oh my mother hs survived that as well!) and sold loads of my creations. Then to top it all got endless phone calls from other crafters asking me to do more events. I don't have the time and its a shame but I've had to turn them down. And also to cancel an event I was doing next week because I will be away.

The credit crunch is biting our family as well as those of my brother and sister. This year Christmas will be one of those "let's just buy for the kids" which I have never done before but it will help all of us really. My lads are great they don't want a lot apart from the odd CD and drop of aftershave so they will be easy. M is coming hom from Uni on 15 December and can't wait to eat food that doesn't come from Iceland. Hey have I got news for him! D is working full time at Waitrose and coining it in.

Just took that picture of the tree at the bottom of our garden which looks so beautiful but is chucking it down with rain outside and the dog just shook his head at me when I suggested walkies!

Pressure on at school OFSTED on the way and everyone feeling quite stressed. College has had to go on the back burner and so tomorrow it will be catch up for me. I am having a bit of a crisis of faith as to whether I want to pursue the diploma to the end I'm sort of short of empathy for everyone right now. We'll see.

Thank God for a bit of feel good factor from the lovely Barack Obama. I like him - tough job though. So let's all be nice to each other and in the words of my old school motto Semper Sursum - Every Upwards - though up who's I don't know!

Knitting and Stitching Show

Lucky me I got to go the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexander Palace for free with a group of girls from school. The girls were lovely and had a great time buying cute buttons and fabrics for their forthcoming course work and some of them went to the Learn to Knit Stand which was fun. But I cannot believe what happened. I met Nicky Epstein! I have practically all of her books I absolutely love her work and patterns and she was soooooo lovely. We chatted for a while about things she currently has had to stop knitting because she has swollen tendons in her arm due to the work she did on her new book called Knitting on Top of the World which she was promoting. I can't believe I got to talk to her, so gracious and charming. I bought a book and she signed it so beautifully for me - I was so pleased. But guess what my camera is busted and I can't post any pictures. But once I get it fixed I'll chuck some piccies on.

I did buy some yarn, not as much as I normally do but some nice bits. And I signed up for a subscription to the Let's Knit Magazine just to get a bag full of goodies. I loved every minute of being there - the stands, the lovely people you get chatting to, the amazing work that some of the textile students have on display. And I marvel at the creativity of people - women are so creative.

Then to top that day off my lovely M came home from Uni for a flying visit! It was so lovely to see him and his brother sitting on my kitchen counter tops late last night chatting about Uni. What a blessing to have my lovely lads .

I am truly trying to be happy with what I have rather than what I don't at the moment. Because of G being in hospital and now only recovered enough to go back to work we are scraping below the bottom of the barrel! So where did I find money to spend at Ally Pally! Its hard for lots of people right now and my sister and my brother are also having a tough time of it all. I think this whole credit crunch/recession thing is going to change the way things are for some time to come and we will all have to learn to have less. I am feeling more as I get older that there is no point wasting time over what you think you should have to make life better when in fact if most of us look at what we do have we are lucky.

So on that note, since no one reads this blog anyway I am going to spend the whole of today knitting and crocheting to my hearts content in front of the telly until we hopefully beat Kazhakstan 4 nil!!

Nearly Half Term

Best laid plans and all that - there's no way that I could ever blog as regularly as some people can. But life is sweet right now because my lovely lad is happy as he can be at University and that makes me so happy. I call him on Wednesday and his dad calls him Sunday and he is sooo enjoying his course, the town, his friends, we couldn't be more pleased for him. I think his brother misses him but they talk all the time on MSN and through Facebook. I feel so pleased for him and what more could I ask.

I am back at college which is interesting and challenging but I wasn't expecting it to be anything else. My job makes me laugh every day - the kids in that school are a delight. Its a pleasure to go to work every day.

More Craft Fairs than enough coming up but plenty of goodies have been flying of the hooks and needles. And Yippeee I am going to the Knitting and Stitching Show on Friday at Alexandra Palace with a group of students from school. So looking forward to it.

Today I have managed to be thankful for small mercies - which means ignoring any kind of credit crunch news, enjoying a nice dinner with my husband and generally seeing the glass half full.