Well, last night I got so engrossed in doing part of my family tree that I forgot to blog entirely! I got several new members onto it but it’s frustrating as I have a lot of research to do from just after the 1911 census period. Grr!

I also got a load of cutting done for a dress pattern - pics when I can. I’ve got the calico cut and marked up from the pattern so now it just needs altering to fit me!

Today has been busy at work, with a never ending queue of students, so much so that I’ve been tempted to shut and lock the office door at times!

Tonight Simon has a gig with The Spinal Tapps in Long Eaton. This means rushing home from work in order to get there for 6pm. The gig doesn’t start until 8pm but we have to do setup. No doubt I’ll be sent out with a food order at some point!

Well, today I have:
-Deforested my legs with the epilator;
-Re-packed and sent back some jeans that were too big for me;
-Bought fresh fruit and veg at the market;
-Eaten a whole punnet of strawberries to myself;
-Renewed my library books;
-Played lots of ‘Words with friends’ and ‘Draw something’;
-Started making and writing up the pattern for a cool iPad case.

All in all a productive day!
Bedtime!

YEY!! I’m feeling almost human again!

This may be down to the rather amazing (if I do say so myself!) veggie cottage pie I made earlier. FREE on Slimming World! :o) Here’s the recipe (made up on the spot this morning):

Put some spuds on to boil (for the topping). Pre-heat the oven to 200C. Chop up some carrots, parsnips and onions and 2 cloves of garlic and stir fry until soft. (My pan doesn’t need oil to stir fry). Add some veggie mince and heat through, followed by 2 tins of chopped tomatoes. Cook through for about 5 minutes, in which time add some herbs and seasoning. Add some Worcs Sauce if needed. Tip out into a casserole dish and leave to cool a bit. When the spuds are ready, drain off the water, add some mustard and mash well. Spoon over the mince mix and spread out to cover it. Rough up with a fork and top with cheese from your allowance. Serve with veg.

FREEEEEEEEE meal!! :o)

I’ve also finished crocheting the first slipper from this pattern. I’m so pleased with it. All I’ve got to do is the second slipper and to sew buttons on them both. Here’s the first one:

We went to pick up our new tumble drier today. It ended up costing the princely sum of £11.50 plus about £10 fuel and, whilst looking rather retro, it works well. This makes me happy. :o) Well done Simon for finding it. (He’s now catching up on his laundry). 

I promised a pic of the cake I made for last night’s birthday party. WARNING: It’s rather obscene! Well, here it is, in all it’s glory:

Now, I’m off to catch up with some TV and carry on crocheting…

Oh, and wishing all Mums in the UK a great Mothering Sunday. I hope you all got spoilt. 

Well, this is quite late in the day to be posting but I’ve just been so busy!

Jaycee and Helen stayed at ours last night so this afternoon, after deciding that the weather was too inclement to Geocache, giving up and knitting / tatting, we went for a pub lunch with Jess and Rich. (NOM, apart from the cheesecake, which was atrocious!) 

After lunch, Helen and I might have suggested a trip to the craft shop, where we might have purchased some supplies…

I found some discounted Colinette yarn in a really lovely midnight blue colour and some thicker tatting yarn and Helen found some rather scrummy-coloured Noro yarn. We also went to the bead shop, where Helen found some perfect buttons for one of her jumpers. (Which she has assured me she’ll blog a photo of!)

Well, since I’ve been back home this afternoon I’ve been getting on famously with my new tatting yarn and have managed to do this:

It’s half of the pattern I blogged about previously but wasn’t getting on with all that well. I’m chuffed with how quickly it’s coming together and how much easier it’s been to use.

I’ve also been looking up shawl patterns to crochet with my Colinette and I think I’ve settled on this one. Hopefully it’ll be a nice, quick make.

I’m feeling a little guilty for not having spoken to my brother today, on his birthday but no doubt he’ll have been busy anyway so I settled with a text message this morning - the wonders of technology, aiding yet hindering communication! Hopefully he liked his card and present, which I sent back with his wife when they visited. 

Tomorrow, if it’s not too wet, will be spent mostly in the garden, clearing weeds / unwanted growths(!) and digging…

A friend came over to stay last night and cooked this recipe to say thanks. I’d really recommend it - NOM! 

I managed to do a little bit more tatting last night and really hope I get to do some more tonight. I’ll post some more pics up when there’s more to show.

I also ordered the Carpenter’s Star quilting pattern from here today. Don’t know when I’ll have time to make it but I liked it and it was cheap so it will get filed! Need to get a freehand needle for my sewing machine now.

Today’s gym results:

Bike: 30mins on random - 20k (350 cals, apparently!)