CELEBRATIONS AND RECORD BREAKING (HOPEFULLY)!

We went to visit our girl in the north to check out her new studio premises and celebrate the start of her new venture. It was a four hour car journey, due to road works.  I have suffered car sickness all my life, but in recent years, it's improved and a couple of years ago I found that I can crochet whilst travelling, with no ill effects.  So happy with that discovery I can tell you.  I took a bit of hooky to while away the hours.

By the time I'd arrived at the hotel, I had one of these and yes, I took wooden coat hangers with me. It's the kind of pattern you do from memory, which is just as well as reading in a car is a no-no for me.

M's studio was a total wreck when she took in on, but in  a few short weeks, her lovely man C has done a complete refit, new plasterboard walls, a new tiled floor, work surfaces, sinks, everything she needs.  His lovely dad even pitched in to help screed the floor. C even made her a bespoke desk to fit the alcove.  They both worked their socks off and we're so proud of them.

She drew an octopus on one wall as a homage to her Dad (they both love octupi) and put a little black hare on a shelf next to it for me. She wanted something to remind her of us which was so neat and made us both beam.

We all decamped to the courtyard for a celebratory drink, no champers, just good, cool beer.

Her studio is through the yellow double doors.

There is nothing better than seeing your child so happy with their life choices, even if they weren't exactly what you as a parent had imagined.  She has the talent and the smarts to make her business work and with her lovely partner backing her all the way, she can't fail.

We got back Saturday night, my sister having babysat the pooches. The next day, she and I were taking part in a world record attempt at the biggest ever sauerkraut making feat at the annual Wells Food Festival.

The weather was dreadful, it chucked it down, but thankfully for all those stall holders and organisers, it didn't deter the crowds.  We duly scrubbed up and took our turn to prepare our part of the giant kraut. It was so much fun, being with a bunch of like minded people, sharing fermentation stories and having a good laugh.  There was seating for anyone who wanted to watch us chopping, and a compere keeping people amused.

After our stint, we did a soggy troll of the various stalls and tents....so much fantastic street food and local artisan food products. But we were extremely cold, so headed straight to a nice cafe for something hot and a sit down.  We'll definitely be returning to this festival next year.

We also celebrated Mr.'s birthday, a half a century young, by going for a meal at our favourite local restaurant, one with a cozy fire to warm up by while waiting for our table.

The following morning my sister arrived with a birthday Rum Cake, one of his few favourite sweet dishes and a basket full of various cheeses as a treat.

We've been  enjoying  the last of the warm weather before the chill arrived and the clocks went back. The sun is so low now when we take the dogs for their afternoon walk.

Our garden is also looking strange for this time of year...all these flowers still there in October...weird!

Pretty fuscias (you can see I've given up weeding).  We pruned all the fruit trees and I've kept some plum sticks in the hopes of making some wreaths for Christmas, that or tie them together as a witches broom for Halloween, decisions, decisions. 

Got the very last of the squashes and beans, plus a couple of beets from the allotment...

.... a couple of crook neck squash that I'd never grown before, but decided to after hearing my blog friend Amber was growing them. I'm such a copy cat!

The Aga is now on, so plenty of comfort food is being prepared, oh, and cake, always cake, especially if made with apples.

And rice pudding, the way my Granny Maude made it.

 The fire was lit for the first time this week and I've dotted some twinkly lights about the place to create that cosy feeling.  The winter throws are now in place on the sofas and we're all set to hunker down until March next year!

Oh, and lastly in my little round up, I crocheted a pumpkin from this pattern.  So sweet, I think I'll be making a couple more.

It's going to hang out on the newel post for the Halloween, where the dogs can't get at  it.

Hoping all is well in your world xx