Hello!

I've done it again. Left it far too late between blogs. Again. What can I say? I have no excuse again other than my time being filled with so much going on that by the time I think about blogging it's so late that I fall asleep! 

I haven't had any spare time at all over the last couple of weeks. We all headed down to Bath on 12th November, to watch the start of the half marathon that DD should have been running. DD and her boyfriend were staying in the centre of Bath, while we stayed just a few miles outside in a lovely pub. The rooms were all separate from the main building which was lovely. 

 

We all met up in the pub to eat at night which was lovely - an early treat for DD's birthday. Then Sunday morning we all headed for Bath racecourse and watched everybody else set off on the Bath Hilly Half. The weather was lovely, so after they'd set off, and DD had headed back to her hotel, we parked up and had a lovely walk along part of the Cotswold Way. 

 

 

 

We were very lucky with the weather, although it was a bit muddy after the rain during the week....

 

 

We were only out a couple of hours, but it was good to be out in the fresh air before spending the next few hours travelling home. 

DD arrived home Monday lunchtime in time to get to college for the afternoon. I'd booked the day off so took advantage and went out for a run in the afternoon! 

Tuesday was DD's birthday - 26. My little girl. Growing up so fast. Doesn't seem two minutes since she was starting school!! I'd made her a cake and iced it using her preferred colours for the house she's buying with her boyfriend - yellow and grey! 

Both my mum and DD's boyfriend joined us for tea, and of course a slice of cake. 

Since then it's been all go with running and crafts. I went out for a run on Friday morning, which was perhaps not a good idea. Within minutes of stepping outside the door it started hailstoning, and continued this way on and off all the way round - a whole hour of getting wet! And not only that, but the amount of puddles I had to run through meant that my running shoes were wet through when I got home too!!

 

Oh the joys of running!!

Saturday I had a craft fair and very nearly didn't go. It started hailstoning which turned everything very white and very slippery. Needless to say we didn't have a lot of people coming in to buy. Not a bad day, but better luck next time. 

 

Then on Sunday DD decided to try a short run. The first one she's tried for about two weeks. It seemed really strange only running for a couple of minutes instead of 20, but she did it. And her knee didn't collapse. So that's a good sign. She'll need to build up slowly again to make sure she doesn't do any more damage, but fingers crossed she's on the mend now. She went out again today before work and said her knee was gone find too, which is very encouraging. I went out running after work, getting home as soon as I could do I could get round before it went dark. And despite wondering whether I should go or not, by the time I'd done 15 minutes I knew it was a good idea and really enjoyed the rest of the run. I knew I had to get out tonight after having a couple of days off - with a 10K race on Saturday I know I couldn't just turn up on Saturday morning and expect to be ok if I don't get some practice in. I think DD is planning on at least attempting to get round, all depending on how her knee is after she's been going for a while. 

And then there's the crafting - painting, sealing, crocheting. It's all go! And then there's the time to help DD make handmade lip balm ......

 

It's a kit I bought her last Christmas which she suddenly decided she wanted to do one night. So easy to do. I think she may be getting the handmade bug..........

Boo!

Yes, I'm still here! 

Is it really over a week since I last updated this blog? I've no idea where the time's gone. Well. I do. It's been taken up with so many things! 

I've been busy making up extra things for the Craft Fairs I've got lined up in the run up to Christmas. That, and running, and everyday jobs have just about taken up all my time outside of work. From getting home to going to bed at night I seem to be busy doing something. 

I've finished some extra Christmas countdown plaques.......

.......along with the hanging bauble reindeer to go with the snowmen ......

 

I took these to the Craft fair last weekend and had quite a few comments about them! 

I've also finished off some more cute penguins ......

 

....and decorated some little Christmas trees ......

I'm currently working on some more countdown plaques, both Christmas ones and Wedding countdowns. 

The running is going well. But last weekend we managed to go out for a walk. After over a month of not going walking! We were all set up to go in the van when disaster - it wouldn't start! Our own fault really as we hadn't used it for a few weeks. So, we ended up going in the car. And what a lovely walk. Very cold, but lovely ....

 

 

 

 

 

A lovely couple of hours before heading home to sort the van out. Turns out it needed a new battery. Fingers crossed we're ok now. 

DD has finally been to see a physiotherapist for the pain she's been having in her knee for the last few weeks, and been told she's not to run for about two weeks. This couldn't have come at a worse time for her as it's the half marathon that she's been training for this weekend - the Bath Hilly Half. We'd all booked to stay overnight to watch, but she's had to withdraw from it, and then build up slowly again in a couple of weeks. So it looks like we'll all be going to watch everyone else! And although I've carried on with the running, I really miss my running buddy. I think we've both got used to the company while running, so it seems very strange when I go out on my own. 

So, with all this going on, and working a few extra hours at the office to try and build up some extra time, I've been so tired at night. Hence no blog. Which I kept telling myself to do, but then fell asleep! 

Handfasting

Last weekend saw us all heading south to visit an old University friend of mine. We don't see each other very often at all. In fact it's been five years since we last met! And normally when I see him there's only me and either DD or DH with me, not both. So it was lovely to have all of us visiting for a change. Oscar went to the kennels again as we'd been invited to my friends Handfasting. 

We arrived Saturday afternoon and called in to say hello before doing a bit of shopping and finding somewhere to eat. Then back to my friends pub for a quick catch up. 

The Handfasting ceremony was on Sunday. And what a lovely ceremony! Having never been to a Handfasting before we didn't know what to expect. But basically everyone met at the pub. Then we all walked down to where the ceremony was going to take place - Midsumer Common in Cambridge. We were guided down by the man who was going to take the ceremony ....

 

.....a long line of people! We were taken to a particular spot and asked to form a circle .....

 

......and then we waited for the 'bride' and 'groom' to arrive separately, who then entered the circle. There were vows spoken, and then braids are used to 'tie' their hands together....

 

A horn containing mead was then taken round everyone by the bride to share with everyone, before we all formed an arch for the new couple to walk under....

 

Then we were all taken back to the pub by the new couple where we all celebrated with cheese and biscuits and cake. What a fabulous day! I'm so glad we made it. 

Since then I've been busy making more Christmas countdown plaques for all the craft fairs I've booked in the next few weeks - 6 in total! So I'm going to be mega busy! More wooden shapes and some bauble reindeers. I'll post photos when they're all done....

And I also had another PB time at Parkrun last Saturday, taking another 28 seconds off my last time! My first Parkrun on my own as DH was taking Oscar to the kennels, and DD was packing for our night away. I'm a bit disappointed I can't go this weekend, but it's one of my many craft fairs so I'll have to keep up the running during the week instead.... when I get time......