Green

 Here I am picking myself, dusting myself off, and getting on with it. 
Yesterday I went for a fab swim with my friend. I really wasn't in the mood, which is rare, but I never say no to a swim so along we went. The sea was wonderful and bouncy and there was even a bit of sun. Although the weather is cooling the sea is also still almost at its warmest, and it's great to be making the most if it. We probably stayed in for the best part of an hour and I came out feeling better than I went in. 
I got home and was so hungry I had to immediately eat two pieces of date and orange cake and sit in a sun beam to warm up. 

While doing that, I noticed one of the cones of angora, or angora type yarn that we picked up from the charity shop at the weekend and thought that it looked like the exact sort of thing a beret would suit. An hour and half later I have a lovely, and very warm, fluffy beret. 

I was reminded of years ago when I was about 19, I was in America and got quite into knitting, just very simple things, and had bought a bag of mixed yarn from my Dad's thrift store, and in this bag was a knitted beret, complete except for the ends being tucked in. I wore it for years and I remember thinking wistfully, if only I could make something like that. It all seemed such a mystery. I so look forward to teaching the girls every skill I know how to, it makes you feel so powerful. I have begun now on a Christmas present for my Mum and hope to keep the momentum up and give people some really nice handmade gifts this year. I have no money, and no desire to buy anything anyway.

I painted our hallway floor the night before last and gave it its first coat of varnish last night, so just one more to do this evening. All of the paint was in our shed already, so I'm so pleased to have done this job without having to buy anything, just a little bit of elbow grease required. With a couple of coats of varnish I'm hoping this paint job will last, and it has inspired me to keep working on the many, many other areas of the house that need attention.