Spring has Sprung

What an original blog title...

But it's true, the weather is reflecting my good mood. I have finished for the term - a stressful end, if ever there was one - and now I am home and enjoying a proper Sunday.

This was me at the end of term, I had my 24 hour translation to do so I made my work space as clear and productive as possible. The tulips and daffodils (inspired by my little sister) really helped. So did the Milka..

When the 24 hour translation was finished I had one more trip to town to make in order to hand in the paper version, and do my last errands before packing to come home. Despite the grey skies, I was in a very good mood, so I made my own blue skies. I got these sunglasses a while ago from eBay because I had a mad Janis Joplin moment, listened to her greatest hits album, and got a pair of these for £2.99.

Once packed, all that was left was for me to have a restless night's sleep (I don't sleep well when I have an early start.. like 05:30 yuck); then travel home for EIGHT HOURS the next day. The largest chunk of my journey was pleasant: a train from Durham straight down to London and first class no less - it was cheaper, when I booked, to go first! My friend Will lent me a book called 'Bonjour Tristesse' and I spent most of my 8 hours reading that or sleeping. It is a fantastic read so far, I highly recommend it.

Yes! I have started knitting again! I knitted this heart and sewed it onto the front of a card for a friend to wish them a happy Easter break. I forgot to take a photo of the finished heart, or the card, but I have one of it half-way there. My slippers are from Miffy's shop a couple of winters ago, the make is Haflinger and they do loads of these designs that go across both feet.
 Home! This is actually a photo that my brother took and sent to me, I love it so much. This is Ruby and she is such a queer sometimes. Wouldn't have her any other way though.

 This morning I had my first proper Sunday in ... 10 weeks to be precise (it has felt like a long term...). The dogs came and lay ontop of me in bed this morning and after a bit of fidgeting I took them for a walk. We went down to the beach nearest my house - living on a small island means there are lots of beaches - and we were only out for half an hour, but when we got home I played with them in the garden for a bit too. Our garden is looking the best it has ever looked this spring. I love these daffs around the base of the old apple tree..

And I love these pink flowers - I don't know their name.. I'm no horticulturist - underneath this romantic bench. We never sit on it, so why not make it a feature?

Looking at this photo has made me realise we (or perhaps just I) need to fill the bird feeders...

Just Another Miffy Monday

As promised here is one of my new regular features "Just Another Miffy Monday" staring my mum Michelle O'Connell, known to many as 'Miffy' because of a nickname from one of her many Godchildren.

Miffy is a knitter and Crochet Queen and constantly has at least one project on the go. She will often make a homemade gift for friends and relatives and is known island-wide - slight exaggeration - for her crochet bunnies (which will feature in next week's post) which she sells in her shoe shop for charity.

As this is the first "Just Another Miffy Monday" here is a quick random-fact-file:

• Crochet Queen
• Loves Emma Bridgewater
• Jersey girl
• Mum of three (amazing) children
• Owner of Ruby, the world's best labrador and Binkie, Springer Spaniel extraodinaire
• Domestic goddess
• Business woman
• Shoe lover
• Multi-tasker
• Style guru
• Eye for interiors
• Ex-conveyancing clark
• Wonderful wife
• Wool-aholic

Her current project:

A blanket for someone, most probably for our Landrover Defender...

She's using up some wool that she's had for ages and it's now discontinued. She says that the wool stretches quite a lot which might be the reason it has been discontinued, but as this blanket is probably just going to be in the back of the Landy, it doesn't really matter. I think the colours are really good together.

What's in her knitting bag?

Miffy's knitting bag

Her current project.

And of course: her iPhone and her nail cream.

The Long Weekend *yay*

Hello and welcome to the long weekend!

Plans for this weekend include:

Writing some (long overdue) letters to my friends
Washing the cars (in exchange for my Jersey Live ticket)
Making serious progress with my scarf and finishing Mini Fox
Continuing with my driving lessons (yes I'm 22)

Teaching myself to crochet

And best of all... my little sister is coming home!