tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41288285011662133352024-03-03T09:51:08.152+00:00Plain JanePlain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-83877265987101398312015-10-06T19:44:00.000+01:002015-10-06T23:35:11.437+01:00All is well!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's me again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bobbing back and forth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Determined to get back into the swing of writing something interesting but continually getting distracted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I'm sure you know what with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Did I mention we have an <i>allotment</i>?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So here, in a five minute nutshell, is what I've been up to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dr7zEz3-RW8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dr7zEz3-RW8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other things have been afoot of course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There's a blanket in the making.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And a hat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A tunic is being stitched.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And of course plenty of pickling and jamming.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And soon, very soon, I will get around to sharing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile I'm still here. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still enjoying popping over to your place and seeing what you've been up to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just keeping a little bit quiet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which is not like me at all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But all is well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I hope you are too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-88593746474482739122015-07-27T16:19:00.000+01:002015-07-27T16:19:25.805+01:00Thank you - I did it!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't possibly thank all of you enough for the incredible amount of support I received on my last post. You may have noticed I haven't been here - I've simply been 'hunkering down' and dealing with one thing at a time. But last Monday - the event that had sparked off such anxiety - took place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I was there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My gorgeous eldest daughter graduated from King's College in London and I actually made the train journey there and back to attend the ceremony. I knew that if I hadn't gone the guilt would have been almost unbearable, and perhaps it was this that actually spurred me into taking some action. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So - how did I do it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had hypnotherapy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A colleague of my husband had recommended a very well known hypnotherapist who had helped her quit a thirty year smoking habit. And he lived locally. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Worth a try? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I remember saying on my very first session that I would be amazed if it actually worked! But he immediately made me feel as though I wasn't alone, and had complete faith in the fact that my issue was reversible. Through various relaxation and visualisation exercises he handed me the 'tools' to deal with my phobia. Instead of that dreadful feeling of 'fight or flight' I was able to utilise these to minimise it. This handed me back control - and with this confidence - which I was able to summon as needed. There were a couple of times during the day where I did need them - and they worked. My husband didn't even realise I was feeling anxious! Now I know that I can do this I know that I can do it again! It's a bit like setting out on a long bike ride without a puncture repair kit - wouldn't you feel better knowing that you had one just in case?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was no magic wand. Every night I squirrelled myself away and practised my visualisation. I can't tell you how much I would recommend this - whether you have a particular anxiety or not it was wonderfully relaxing and, like anything, became easier with practice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I still have worries about staying away overnight - that is my next 'challenge' if you like - but now I know that I have achieved something I had previously thought impossible, I am willing to accept it can happen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So - my advice to you? Please never feel that your fear is 'silly'. No matter what it is that makes you anxious it is very real to you. Speak to others. The amount of support and advice that you gave me here showed that people <i>do</i> understand, and that there are so many different ways of tackling an issue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I apologise that I have not managed to get around to replying to all of your comments but I had no idea how this story would end. As it is it hasn't ended. In fact it's begun a whole new chapter. And it looks brighter than it has done for a very long time!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgCR3si7yQuODmWVGQF3Ix8l5pRC0nlhsk3PE_LyzSPq6b3KrYkNyturbpF_KYSH3ogCHAsEhpDrTyXWJs_6I4_8qlLwXT7s-xHik3MMYWMs5GQbUuu4Lkzsv7WTBciCOG4WdZQeZzj-w/s1600/gr9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgCR3si7yQuODmWVGQF3Ix8l5pRC0nlhsk3PE_LyzSPq6b3KrYkNyturbpF_KYSH3ogCHAsEhpDrTyXWJs_6I4_8qlLwXT7s-xHik3MMYWMs5GQbUuu4Lkzsv7WTBciCOG4WdZQeZzj-w/s640/gr9.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<br />Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-18895750072049092882015-06-01T11:51:00.004+01:002015-06-01T11:51:53.519+01:00A bit of a serious one. <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Okay folks. If you're reading this I've obviously pressed publish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> You've maybe noticed that I haven't been around much lately. I've been tootling along at the allotment and getting on with some bits and bobs but truth is it's been a bit rough of late. Physically we are all well and I thanks our lucky stars every day for that. But emotionally it's been a bit tough. In March I was told I had lost my beloved teaching job alongside six others at our school through some drastic financial cuts. I still have to teach until the end of term, so the whole affair is like pulling a plaster off very, very slowly. Of course we also lost our lovely Jessie a few months ago and although time is healing matters it still comes back and thumps you in the stomach sometimes. And although mum is now on the up we have had twelve months of scans, specialists and appointments to get her to this point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But - and I have thought long and hard about whether I should share this - I also suffer from a ridiculous phobia. For many years now I have been unable to stay anywhere overnight. I feel an absolute fear if I am not able to go somewhere and get back the same day. This fear has now developed further and I find the idea of travelling any distance by train absolutely terrifying. I have tried to reason it so many times in my head but the fact is that these things - however strange they might appear - now act as a trigger for a huge amount of anxiety. Fortunately my life isn't dominated by these issues and my family are wonderfully supportive. However I have an event coming up in eight weeks - (that's right - eight weeks!) - that I can't possibly miss and it involves a two and a half hour train journey each way. Already I am feeling the anxiety kick in. I desperately want to enjoy this event and was just wondering if any of you have ever suffered something similar - and if so have you tried anything to help?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So there it is. A bit of a serious post but knowing how lovely you all are I feel sure that you will be able to offer some wise words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And if you've stuck with it and managed to read this far - thank you.</span></div>
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Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-8914899146851205992015-05-18T17:57:00.000+01:002015-05-18T17:57:38.889+01:00I'm still here - it's just that I'm over there!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Truth is I've been distracted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Completely and utterly distracted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And for the last few weeks I've been spending the majority of my spare time over at the allotment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've kept it very quiet! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't want to bore you with all of the details but if you do want to pop over and take a peek you can see me <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRFKoYM6wzI0UhdmUcju4Zg">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile I've been enjoying my own garden. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What a fantastic time of year it is out there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So here's a few of my favourites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0Fa_tHfruZMDjspAOF-mF1kHWXj4IsI5C-T8yg9v1MYw5In9m1rA28_DEgNSgtTmz4fXjENNi9so6IPwwENVcrk26f5GVHLSvyKo-n1UR39tshlDPGTBMCalyS_6qitDkeHsn7FW4vu3/s1600/g3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim0Fa_tHfruZMDjspAOF-mF1kHWXj4IsI5C-T8yg9v1MYw5In9m1rA28_DEgNSgtTmz4fXjENNi9so6IPwwENVcrk26f5GVHLSvyKo-n1UR39tshlDPGTBMCalyS_6qitDkeHsn7FW4vu3/s640/g3.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEKIm0uBvwgdH9xMH5jeSFETjC5K9luAkaqM1fJNUTmZo5d9xJXtf11Xj3FhbEvu1yXAWGcoPAfKRaG477t83-gKGDHoLOs-72Zo2M8T0PPtnJUS3HKhP9BiHV5jEhNY5pjokN0gMGKZ4/s1600/gardenmay132015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEKIm0uBvwgdH9xMH5jeSFETjC5K9luAkaqM1fJNUTmZo5d9xJXtf11Xj3FhbEvu1yXAWGcoPAfKRaG477t83-gKGDHoLOs-72Zo2M8T0PPtnJUS3HKhP9BiHV5jEhNY5pjokN0gMGKZ4/s640/gardenmay132015.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile I'm off to don a wet suit and lash some poles together ....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hope you are enjoying the flowers wherever you are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(All will be revealed soon!)</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-28291814345029974912015-05-02T19:58:00.004+01:002015-05-02T21:27:53.998+01:00The robin that came a bobbin'<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As you know I love my garden birds and, after the recent disaster of the poor little blackbird chick, we have had the joy of a new clutch of robins. The mum and dad have been very attentive and become braver than ever fetching food. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then the other day this happened.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was quite magical!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IKn-Aitu8rs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IKn-Aitu8rs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hope that made you smile!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back soon with some makes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-26202764350523882882015-04-27T18:48:00.001+01:002015-04-27T18:48:04.276+01:00This was the weekend that was ...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It started with this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The annual Floating Market was back!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A whole array of different traders turn up once a year to sell their wares - and of course look very pretty!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZn5yL02xgF7rRc9HM8WNsuxy9AQ6q-6we3s7tbOgKi4Vmy6HGo6NwW-ajwoS5L9KFCECrn1-nytHLLHTE68BZSl2MRdLU3uNEbF_1R4f9r6KNfME5sSZqTkk0OFqR0htVwvIspcGaUTvg/s1600/7.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVheO2z5eFPLEujGLpxft7ynkE6-OtWupCN4bBLhOaKQA3hli7ebFQGk-eRxuhRcdAwZBsT33CHsAdF8EHiFaooDRNYoKoe4VN5EhSrhmMxRFNYERp2hczbDh12gUG_rilP_IcIDaS_wAL/s1600/13.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course Mike soon found his favourite.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5DxfhdB4EYp92kZjX9ui4QEgr1Y6VrmilBoD013NynsN0ZuMSyavjUl5g7Xu57UJ1BliXQ7nXqMhDwFf2-IvcYKT5Mnt7skqfE01uTu0z66BrNomjBdK3dqmCwBrHgtV4EImi_tindaN/s1600/11.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Peek inside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEnWediOuLhF9EqH6alA-gyBlsKnyyjnd20k68GToieIJbMyqpw7FV7e5DsElbPwUULa-6XfCrn1tvbi98ezSNsAxv44VetFyH11RQCf4M18laAzTAvxAba1oVmfGaY1h1J1caZsnzBaC/s1600/12.jpg" height="462" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course one of the hidden treats is sitting in our garden listening to the conversations of people going by. No - it's not in the least bit nosey it's - errrr - ummmmm - being<i> in</i>terested.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Closer to home we've had the robins nesting in the ivy. They are now so used to us that they are almost eating out of my hand. Not sure what the people walking by would think of me though - hand full of dried mealworms outstretched as I cheerily quip 'come on little fella.' I don't know how or when this actually happened but that seems to be my default response to any creature I now come across. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not sure what would happen if one of them answered me back. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here he is posing on the bird feeder (he's that tiny dot).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3TxhYfz50VgzWG23pXyz31aVKSBAyvbFQvaEVS6bRdmJ5xgvhizks8U85AgWyRy_vSwFFypVK1BKl6rGcTx97z8eCgXZUjiE8XIzeol_tXVcfnbZJhMy_dsleuVvClEEM-mW70Il4lMRv/s1600/1.jpg" height="640" width="620" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As for our poor old blackbird chick - sigh - he was doing very well until last Friday when we found him lying in the path. Not a scratch on him. So much so that Mike even tried to do a mini resuscitation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It didn't work :( </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here he is in happier times (the chick not Mike).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITRIqfgxf1-B_LRV_PyOS6gQXAFIS-uf9hWvsszoUA9nf-YET7dePesVOIx20Um26c-xxeDEuj40r0QmTsUP3OiOO-ohF4jjJTxyE0WLpqcpsJs5d-Xhund54bfRtE8qcw3DGS5r5-5BU/s1600/chick.jpg" height="616" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mike's a bit taller.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With a bit of a beard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And trousers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mostly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've starting knitting a sock! <a href="http://winwickmum.blogspot.co.uk/">Winwick Mum</a> is hosting a wonderful sockalong - do pop over and see what she has posted so far. But in typical impatient fashion I wanted to get started. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I have. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Feeling positive so far but haven't 'turned the heel' yet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Wish me luck.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fOMo1eQliGM-gcGmJYp_HyXGqM-Iq2uUmHp1mIIPsUekVeOEla-FCeTlT7KOj54fX31J_q1tOni-jgdiTJ3SI19cSqUJWjtmnU28pSTBFD3d8FZxoP92TzzkNviRu9eLSXoJiilsQEQQ/s1600/sock1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And the 'eyelash from Oswestry' fabric has been cut out to make a simple skirt. Now I'm concerned it's more of a craft cotton, without much give, and I - erm - need a bit of give! I've decided I'm going to stitch very narrow seams in a bid to convince myself that my size hasn't gone up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8EEZLje2RP-rUewea9YqVerLYleKtSmXFvQyYRzDS0dhYpi6SRazf3Xj7JRqN4t5FykcWvPz_NQQXkLJGAFqKJHb1VCBh4cE3mEm4Z3zuuL7xjlRBNCpY-VkXFGWWWrrRdL5s7U-BV9TV/s1600/o5.jpg" height="640" width="566" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Other than that we've been spending a fair old chunk of time at the allotment. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">'The WHAT? You kept that quiet!'</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We've even started to pick a few lettuce! I foresee a future where I develop a serious lettuce aversion in an attempt to not have to eat it three times a day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And other than daily doings that's about the weekend summed up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hope you've had a good one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-67004392008592946592015-04-22T19:40:00.000+01:002015-04-22T19:40:15.729+01:00Allotment Update!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The evenings have been too lovely to stay indoors so we've been creating mischief at the plot!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5NR05j6qooM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5NR05j6qooM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What's going up in your garden?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-49463456428229231382015-04-19T15:00:00.000+01:002015-04-19T15:03:35.905+01:00A song, a journey and some fabric!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>To the tune of For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I met a girl called Jo</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Who told me what she knew</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">About a fabric gold mine</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">About a fabric gold mine</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">About a fabric gooooold miiiiiiiiine</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a place called Oswestry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqMi3ktaUrwEHtDWpJvkSnWP8jidn8JwnbSjNSlfokvXhO8mGY7EX4KpQaQmHYlaH6MBYedtFRIjPVTxIn930iYI9uYvLRyh6vKAq9YH9-AuedeTVVSwdMWUalHgu3AdnZvsUqwl5HkW2/s1600/o11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqMi3ktaUrwEHtDWpJvkSnWP8jidn8JwnbSjNSlfokvXhO8mGY7EX4KpQaQmHYlaH6MBYedtFRIjPVTxIn930iYI9uYvLRyh6vKAq9YH9-AuedeTVVSwdMWUalHgu3AdnZvsUqwl5HkW2/s1600/o11.jpg" height="640" width="613" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Soooooooooooooooooooooooooo ...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I knew I had to go</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A long way off I know</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I knew of a lovely cafe</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I knew of a lovely cafe</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I knew of a lovely caaaaaaaaaaaaafeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where I ate and fed the ducks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxSq86P8obgJ-jwqrwO0VKXIKXaiufDCJipjsaTsTet3F1fwCSr-clTeIAqF-gao22MrvrRb1b-EWtZcued0QjaGftefg2l1MpTfvZPD1_3VKyNxBe_xhK8TkXsHcK3VUZZY-Mt0BT6gh/s1600/o2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxSq86P8obgJ-jwqrwO0VKXIKXaiufDCJipjsaTsTet3F1fwCSr-clTeIAqF-gao22MrvrRb1b-EWtZcued0QjaGftefg2l1MpTfvZPD1_3VKyNxBe_xhK8TkXsHcK3VUZZY-Mt0BT6gh/s1600/o2.jpg" height="452" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-p9Yxt7-6ItzCIIshXAWYaTDfQf9lrSp7XE72SM-ON9Ylxo6ERScpZLsN7k3dxu6_dJ-dglK1YYYbHhewlFF7bsE-8Sp4GRDbVGcq5TT8025E2kWCM2VHNJzLXQueK8FtGFbxcEyi0dA/s1600/o3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-p9Yxt7-6ItzCIIshXAWYaTDfQf9lrSp7XE72SM-ON9Ylxo6ERScpZLsN7k3dxu6_dJ-dglK1YYYbHhewlFF7bsE-8Sp4GRDbVGcq5TT8025E2kWCM2VHNJzLXQueK8FtGFbxcEyi0dA/s1600/o3.jpg" height="328" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen ...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I carried on my way</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On such a lovely day</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I asked for lots of directions</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I asked for lots of directions</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I asked for lots of direeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeections</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To get me to my shop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJn10QG-eXc6wiL1uRQNFwgRaLNIomB65eRUU4QgcIAiqcZQQCqpo9M_nX9PLg12RAMvy-ClZ0D4ZX3C9kx00Cur6zycwOdimJM2UsN9T1DzVgnQNQf6VXgVgoWBTy08eAmwcFiGcgwg1q/s1600/o4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJn10QG-eXc6wiL1uRQNFwgRaLNIomB65eRUU4QgcIAiqcZQQCqpo9M_nX9PLg12RAMvy-ClZ0D4ZX3C9kx00Cur6zycwOdimJM2UsN9T1DzVgnQNQf6VXgVgoWBTy08eAmwcFiGcgwg1q/s1600/o4.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Whispers in awe - </i><a href="http://www.textileexpressfabrics.co.uk/">Textile Express </a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww9IRJxdmr2fsNT7yoQRN7ikhhgmTpwDxxZqvWzQRpiADuUCirhG9rxOtzX_sqtSHOezWYYWvQ_bOa3g_9Seecjx8vd5SwFOxsteJ4rPe4f_4glkB9Fwd7t8Z5PF94K7RNWGLy54igl3w/s1600/o12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjww9IRJxdmr2fsNT7yoQRN7ikhhgmTpwDxxZqvWzQRpiADuUCirhG9rxOtzX_sqtSHOezWYYWvQ_bOa3g_9Seecjx8vd5SwFOxsteJ4rPe4f_4glkB9Fwd7t8Z5PF94K7RNWGLy54igl3w/s1600/o12.jpg" height="240" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I walked into a dream</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bulging at the seams</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With every kind of fabric</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With every kind of fabric</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With every kind of faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaabriiiiiiiiiiic</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All at a bargain price.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8N3q_ht0r6RvZR2ycXaimDeJYFTIS4YC5uUqcP44L2z8E8NeEH3sACCX8rWlt3sGYcfi27KKkzSQlsJwxoiZUnc55fF2aKDVfYLuE_uSjEE_m4AOIcPvUOod4AMk-Xu3nZnOhuQK1KarD/s1600/o5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8N3q_ht0r6RvZR2ycXaimDeJYFTIS4YC5uUqcP44L2z8E8NeEH3sACCX8rWlt3sGYcfi27KKkzSQlsJwxoiZUnc55fF2aKDVfYLuE_uSjEE_m4AOIcPvUOod4AMk-Xu3nZnOhuQK1KarD/s1600/o5.jpg" height="640" width="566" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd ...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I went from room to room</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The choices made me swoon</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With linen, silk and cotton</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Corduroy and chambray</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lace and velvet and poooopliiiiiiiiiiin</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had to make a choice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_bOZtXl5u7fzUKOLfZgwy7FaniNJJswBHv192b9XsChGJBJ08I5dQwWvr4WgBU8PPmsD0x3Blr4Px9BafKd7aicEZpSngVU5Pj3CR6Gl_BFgmSnX8_u_8Dq2F3YLoqlsewtiOMBQA5Q7/s1600/o6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_bOZtXl5u7fzUKOLfZgwy7FaniNJJswBHv192b9XsChGJBJ08I5dQwWvr4WgBU8PPmsD0x3Blr4Px9BafKd7aicEZpSngVU5Pj3CR6Gl_BFgmSnX8_u_8Dq2F3YLoqlsewtiOMBQA5Q7/s1600/o6.jpg" height="640" width="584" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Soooooooooooooooooooooo ...</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I didn't know where to start</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So decided to follow my heart</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I chose some jazzy cotton</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And then some floral poplin</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With lots of lovely lineeeeeeeeeeeen</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And a couple of trimmimgs too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUNcoe7c_-ezPtF7Ir831wk4Db3j4sPG_gLosuAKfA8L6wqk5BbGyKDDAiqULNb4EzfXFiu9v2tdU7I8eVKfnZIJwbmyKnzdOPanNSK4T7HvClnWJR870GCl0Eyu3-1k8-8hxeFsOlCy8/s1600/o7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUNcoe7c_-ezPtF7Ir831wk4Db3j4sPG_gLosuAKfA8L6wqk5BbGyKDDAiqULNb4EzfXFiu9v2tdU7I8eVKfnZIJwbmyKnzdOPanNSK4T7HvClnWJR870GCl0Eyu3-1k8-8hxeFsOlCy8/s1600/o7.jpg" height="494" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooow ...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My purse is nice and light</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But what a lovely sight</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not sure what to do with it</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not sure what to do with it</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not sure what to do with iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Any suggestions please!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjob5LBzv9wnM2SujeVeohkoakSg3b1kDt_t7vyQVVLd4vZ-UmBycwB-jK2OSacRk3z9S0z6pNKGU6ARjbcFh9HFv5TgacSP6SCGlPSJTbBkY2MoxF-zpdP4vjg6Z0ANXu4xZUBn8dEXs4h/s1600/o9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjob5LBzv9wnM2SujeVeohkoakSg3b1kDt_t7vyQVVLd4vZ-UmBycwB-jK2OSacRk3z9S0z6pNKGU6ARjbcFh9HFv5TgacSP6SCGlPSJTbBkY2MoxF-zpdP4vjg6Z0ANXu4xZUBn8dEXs4h/s1600/o9.jpg" height="470" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>And as a final thank you for the tip off</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For Jo's a jolly good fellow</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For Jo's a jolly good fellow</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For Jo's a jolly good fellooooooooooooooow</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pop over and say hello!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNvYMAtbzsMNqx3H98d6AHJsXGa-6ij0p7HcZSmO5S7cENcCWMRsfx4hQyCenaoq_rMFd8nTmQAacHy23Xlou7YnyBNSRsfjZ_S9-ng45MBa4J_DsG1MEtOfLWwNNo1WrJGZxFjn51StF/s1600/o20.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNvYMAtbzsMNqx3H98d6AHJsXGa-6ij0p7HcZSmO5S7cENcCWMRsfx4hQyCenaoq_rMFd8nTmQAacHy23Xlou7YnyBNSRsfjZ_S9-ng45MBa4J_DsG1MEtOfLWwNNo1WrJGZxFjn51StF/s1600/o20.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Find Jo over<a href="http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/"> here.</a></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoszDiqwyFTj7I6wOJ-95CqL3Cv0h6i2leXTSbVOC2J4BKQSJGxi0BZ9IssZUBwiikEbOfRakAazHxuBr-t4YsbYdDHP_dXZ9LLq-SOdyAJ5Wja1JCMP14ZI4CXTjZZbUKM-M2wWz5A7Q/s1600/o10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoszDiqwyFTj7I6wOJ-95CqL3Cv0h6i2leXTSbVOC2J4BKQSJGxi0BZ9IssZUBwiikEbOfRakAazHxuBr-t4YsbYdDHP_dXZ9LLq-SOdyAJ5Wja1JCMP14ZI4CXTjZZbUKM-M2wWz5A7Q/s1600/o10.jpg" height="640" width="608" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Apologies for the dire use of rhyme)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-78180286379639415602015-04-14T17:38:00.002+01:002015-04-14T17:38:44.618+01:00Much Ado About Bloggers ...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">... or as Mike would have me put 'blogging' as it is more akin to the original 'nothing' of the title.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the sort of conversation we were having at 5am. I couldn't get back to sleep and I was wondering how I could write about our lovely bloggy meet up that we had on Saturday in Stratford upon Avon - home of the great Bard himself. <a href="http://lovemademyhome.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/a-confusion-of-bloggers.html">Amy</a> and <a href="http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/happy-weeks.html">Jo</a> have already written about it very eloquently so I was trying to think of a different angle. I thought about using the magic of song - but being a blog of the written word this proved tricky. So the Shakespeare link was broached. By 5.10am I was chuckling so hard I had tears rolling down my cheeks. Looking back it must have been pure hysteria as the suggestions were at best mildly amusing, and at worst - not amusing at all. When Mike realised there had been ten of us he suggested The Tenpests. Whilst I sunk the lowest with Macblog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We met and drank tea and visited Sew Me Something and nattered ten to the dozen and wandered through the park where there was wonderful music then travelled back to the 1940s and I ate some comical eggs and carried on nattering and took lots of photographs and received some wonderful gifts and had lots of hugs and then had to go home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was the best!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sadly my camera decided to play up and wouldn't allow me to take more than a few pics but I hope they will give you a flavour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And here we are!</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back row:</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mel from <a href="http://borisandme.blogspot.co.uk/">Mel Makes</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Nicky from <a href="http://sunshinegirlnicola.blogspot.co.uk/">Sunshine Reflections</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sarah from <a href="http://sarahspigeonhole.blogspot.co.uk/">Sarah's Pigeonhole</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Amy from <a href="http://lovemademyhome.blogspot.co.uk/">Love Made My Home</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Front row:</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jo from <a href="http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/">Three Stories High</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gilly from <a href="http://gillymakes.blogspot.co.uk/">Gilly Makes</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mel from <a href="http://melliemoo.blogspot.co.uk/">Mellie Moo Crochet</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mel from <a href="http://thepatchworkrobin.blogspot.co.uk/">The Patchwork Robin</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And of course we can't forget our very lovely Ashley from <a href="http://www.lazydaisyjones.com/">Lazy Daisy Jones</a> who joined us later and even brought along her pin up man!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks so much to Gilly for organising such a warm and wonderful day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And to the rest of you:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-21656446233558224172015-04-06T22:34:00.001+01:002015-04-06T22:34:02.695+01:00Allotment - April<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mhwKVtKWUss" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second visit to my lovely new allotment - just two months behind schedule.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hope this finds you all springing into the new season!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-11658248208281079242015-03-09T20:05:00.000+00:002015-03-09T20:05:06.306+00:00Hen's Teeth Workshop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've admired the work of Viv Sliwka from<a href="http://hensteethart.blogspot.co.uk/"> Hen's Teeth</a> for a while now, so when a chance came up to attend one of her workshops I couldn't resist. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYE2Qaj0H2RY3COhvSLyxzYgZUeqFcemE7DNFC3CooRNy9GYBsfKrye1gmPleURJkIqeKw-ij9AwT7HSxF_K7pFbpJ2UzCgLUNjusENgLWdETh_jSWqkT9l9z28op-edd4w7dh0bRIm-1/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYE2Qaj0H2RY3COhvSLyxzYgZUeqFcemE7DNFC3CooRNy9GYBsfKrye1gmPleURJkIqeKw-ij9AwT7HSxF_K7pFbpJ2UzCgLUNjusENgLWdETh_jSWqkT9l9z28op-edd4w7dh0bRIm-1/s1600/11.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Known for her use of beautiful old textiles, combined with embroidery and other ephemera, she creates all manner of delights.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2gbnlg8vjiYmG1RAQb0L8vBA83gG7krK2TGo3erUd4xF5ZR1OsyIb557LXMMjYgFtezZhZRTvWgoXmVVib55OdpNxv96X0FlkcwxzcEYInorSM8dsT5SYLnG91u4aznL8FcYeHGVo75g/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2gbnlg8vjiYmG1RAQb0L8vBA83gG7krK2TGo3erUd4xF5ZR1OsyIb557LXMMjYgFtezZhZRTvWgoXmVVib55OdpNxv96X0FlkcwxzcEYInorSM8dsT5SYLnG91u4aznL8FcYeHGVo75g/s1600/10.jpg" height="640" width="624" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So it was that on a murky Saturday morning several weeks ago I set off for <a href="http://www.weston-park.com/">Weston Park</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The brief had asked us to take along any bits and pieces that we would like to incorporate in our work, so I had spent the evening before cramming my basket with all sorts of 'tat'!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I pulled up I was greeted by the friendliest black cat. Monty has 'adopted' Weston Park and, more particularly, it's visitors in exchange for lots of attention and the occasional titbit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_41vUCQYjBK5XQgzA9O5rQvx9hJlnlGuwV4Ee2zefNVNEIluv8VfOCZxnlG7n0_h0UUVWk4qmSO81P6pbRoGZgqLkC9Z02YQMbLp49ihN4KEQnEV5peWZagxVVstQfrwlZFFl8nwgK6F/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_41vUCQYjBK5XQgzA9O5rQvx9hJlnlGuwV4Ee2zefNVNEIluv8VfOCZxnlG7n0_h0UUVWk4qmSO81P6pbRoGZgqLkC9Z02YQMbLp49ihN4KEQnEV5peWZagxVVstQfrwlZFFl8nwgK6F/s1600/12.jpg" height="640" width="620" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He showed me to the workshop and it was there that I suddenly realised everybody looked like they knew what they were doing, were incredibly creative and would soon be sniggering at my embarrassing attempts at French knots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I needn't have worried.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The other participants were lovely. All had different levels of expertise and all were willing to share what they knew.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQOkw19X4hhMeK8f31AIXVWupAqAVs0Erc8Xx0W1yCbsLNs-U0JGtMmD9TY5I4WZPTorpobFGC1W37SUJ4nas0bYdwVl7bC5tIpxz92cMnXQb41vVi0o7M6IrbTp8c5YWITAt1U1Fm5aP/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQOkw19X4hhMeK8f31AIXVWupAqAVs0Erc8Xx0W1yCbsLNs-U0JGtMmD9TY5I4WZPTorpobFGC1W37SUJ4nas0bYdwVl7bC5tIpxz92cMnXQb41vVi0o7M6IrbTp8c5YWITAt1U1Fm5aP/s1600/15.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Viv was an absolute star. She encouraged us to just 'have a go' at something, take ownership and go with our instinct. I think this was my biggest barrier. I am so used to following a pattern and working within a framework that I found it quite difficult to just let go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The only thing I knew was that I wanted to make a needle case. So, using some templates and a stamp that represented dear old Jessie, I got stuck in. </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjm2JNvXBDGTDAO_MnFTHBuX39hXI0c7AM7ydw19v6YxbN6zifzCQUYlaSJNaLRrtUaEBvk9VD2yLrWT4N-PTCfYMEiMZSyzgemmGOBGyny1gdkGDK1Dw-44qDnAX-8M7s6D7D9No9UDt/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjm2JNvXBDGTDAO_MnFTHBuX39hXI0c7AM7ydw19v6YxbN6zifzCQUYlaSJNaLRrtUaEBvk9VD2yLrWT4N-PTCfYMEiMZSyzgemmGOBGyny1gdkGDK1Dw-44qDnAX-8M7s6D7D9No9UDt/s1600/7.jpg" height="592" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Early thoughts</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or rather I stared at things a lot, had a look at what everyone else was doing and ate some cake.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui_ZS13rt_h7MPMdRS80DhbkigR8ObyDEE9Ytr2NTN60VOxrZEtUUP4DmbyX732_0XNWmoo-xocjhjwDKTaUAdMD0g3-UWhreAd1-yKFJw0rdF_eyTWAW3pKTUjtWy4wghwR9nHB7DyNV/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiui_ZS13rt_h7MPMdRS80DhbkigR8ObyDEE9Ytr2NTN60VOxrZEtUUP4DmbyX732_0XNWmoo-xocjhjwDKTaUAdMD0g3-UWhreAd1-yKFJw0rdF_eyTWAW3pKTUjtWy4wghwR9nHB7DyNV/s1600/9.jpg" height="368" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Then</i> got stuck in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And do you know once I got started it was difficult to stop. I ate lunch between stitches. I drank coffee between stitches. And it was only as the workshop came to an end I realised that I hadn't even visited the ladies room between stitches!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was cake. There was laughing. There was the inevitable discussion as to who was going to win the Great British Sewing Bee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I even found out how to do a French knot! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was a bit worried about the group photo as I knew my work wasn't in quite the same vein as the others but, do you know, the more I looked at it the more I liked it! And it was for that very reason of having let go and creating something that was completely my own. Something I will definitely tap into in the future.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oLkTELUU0suYgFykPkAH50fBq_Nk534qdgOU2pcdZJ_oigkXe_DXVJCxDU22S4weJIbzPmfTKjglDEwq8TkOutm9dN9BLykbKEulPbNmIWJ34e9gCxnPfDGluotzQ0161WkUWSvVXXnA/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oLkTELUU0suYgFykPkAH50fBq_Nk534qdgOU2pcdZJ_oigkXe_DXVJCxDU22S4weJIbzPmfTKjglDEwq8TkOutm9dN9BLykbKEulPbNmIWJ34e9gCxnPfDGluotzQ0161WkUWSvVXXnA/s1600/13.jpg" height="618" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can you spot Jessie Dog in the middle?</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I completed the case over the following few days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Want to see?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBmZDUyHpCPu8aKVgpYVus_giulpO6AORMXx-L_eHpWjyVAn0qncIpSae_I3Ikiv-iakBN45hyphenhyphenVVHRNkINjhK0dAqdtmcX8GRckfPkVj8aTz-5_WbKPS7jQuNTkYOX5vhSzN7Z4lIT-Pd/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBmZDUyHpCPu8aKVgpYVus_giulpO6AORMXx-L_eHpWjyVAn0qncIpSae_I3Ikiv-iakBN45hyphenhyphenVVHRNkINjhK0dAqdtmcX8GRckfPkVj8aTz-5_WbKPS7jQuNTkYOX5vhSzN7Z4lIT-Pd/s1600/4.jpg" height="462" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNQ4FzmIhheBozzlmYAb10Fphxs9safLzBB8hTINvhvCVK0_AND4FjuSlz-wQfmCri994T4ph2ymE7D6apeU-_VFwL_X6Nf2RUvGthtcHcsMk20Z3qHoxRa9XUvPHdS02uwbErQRKcXrU/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNQ4FzmIhheBozzlmYAb10Fphxs9safLzBB8hTINvhvCVK0_AND4FjuSlz-wQfmCri994T4ph2ymE7D6apeU-_VFwL_X6Nf2RUvGthtcHcsMk20Z3qHoxRa9XUvPHdS02uwbErQRKcXrU/s1600/5.jpg" height="640" width="576" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhJkt09GQDyez4efT6pZzsN8je6RUc_qXqIRz51p-cyk5gGFVyXRm-pHIPXtYV-mkbQ6rkPBTEsipkq7tDNPy7pmA3b14ro_ryLrpsiCLzDnNnVqrIMxPHaTesSH2EDaVubfmElDFMu0w/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhJkt09GQDyez4efT6pZzsN8je6RUc_qXqIRz51p-cyk5gGFVyXRm-pHIPXtYV-mkbQ6rkPBTEsipkq7tDNPy7pmA3b14ro_ryLrpsiCLzDnNnVqrIMxPHaTesSH2EDaVubfmElDFMu0w/s1600/1.jpg" height="608" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> If you ever get the chance to go to one of Viv's workshops grab it! You can find out more about them on her blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile look what popped through the letter box the other day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hmmmmmm? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Could I?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bit scared!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDath5cjWXmE6udQOKs8CxEib_8fBoIyNvNFsBf1zx3_iHJlgPeNnIxdSZNFLvLoiFGUtSNoVNaHISAzv-gnX2CN7tY8UxY1gyP_y7gfSV_TI0lwxRJCNEP7_jez9gYAHKhCjgZSQSHble/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDath5cjWXmE6udQOKs8CxEib_8fBoIyNvNFsBf1zx3_iHJlgPeNnIxdSZNFLvLoiFGUtSNoVNaHISAzv-gnX2CN7tY8UxY1gyP_y7gfSV_TI0lwxRJCNEP7_jez9gYAHKhCjgZSQSHble/s1600/6.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Watch this space!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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<br />Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-62417962337347975052015-02-28T20:44:00.000+00:002015-02-28T20:44:13.785+00:00Scavenger Hunt - February (director's cut)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Okay folks this is my first scavenger hunt and, as the title states, it is indeed a 'cut' version. In truth I have been mad busy and have not had time to fulfil all the categories but still wanted to post something. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So here goes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Flowers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Spring bouquet</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbH0990GMhpBwpP7CnYdHqT19eOwnjFFjQMOmwgMkcUPCyKFvNDHMRwTFkFwUybIDjV_8PdLALKPYb2vwoQPJxe9FywQG1gczFAr-AMZurWlPW3WX7HxAZXedHhryinMkF62g9NNyQ0vl/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpbH0990GMhpBwpP7CnYdHqT19eOwnjFFjQMOmwgMkcUPCyKFvNDHMRwTFkFwUybIDjV_8PdLALKPYb2vwoQPJxe9FywQG1gczFAr-AMZurWlPW3WX7HxAZXedHhryinMkF62g9NNyQ0vl/s1600/6.jpg" height="554" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love / Heart</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>From my favourite valentine </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni9b9tXpHXvylhFg2ouvXcrjuOve-N2KlnctT3cqX9_KaF2valqCeO9nFmOEsxvCs2Yzwlpc3LuNj_ummrxeG84E16rNv1hJhrIWvjC5NWZlSHdWaK_yZRdkhsgl0MBXVOO7FLdqwv6Ps/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhni9b9tXpHXvylhFg2ouvXcrjuOve-N2KlnctT3cqX9_KaF2valqCeO9nFmOEsxvCs2Yzwlpc3LuNj_ummrxeG84E16rNv1hJhrIWvjC5NWZlSHdWaK_yZRdkhsgl0MBXVOO7FLdqwv6Ps/s1600/10.jpg" height="640" width="558" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Number / Price</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Imperial bliss</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ebuR-peJAn1odSUCCASQXQJ5eIFZW9RJMspq727ij9TCpT0RzNrndh-Jiy_EKvd_csPW_wh0nGRgZSAz6ypKbw6l9zKHrE4MQ5UQkT_UHesI52y0RCtXhGFhJ5yzro044UAuUJBtNTJS/s1600/23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ebuR-peJAn1odSUCCASQXQJ5eIFZW9RJMspq727ij9TCpT0RzNrndh-Jiy_EKvd_csPW_wh0nGRgZSAz6ypKbw6l9zKHrE4MQ5UQkT_UHesI52y0RCtXhGFhJ5yzro044UAuUJBtNTJS/s1600/23.jpg" height="640" width="604" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Favourite colour</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Green - such optimism</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_obfOEUcYUMuURfYx3rBd6__SkXrNTtPhlhbBgLj1qWFFeHg_NLY0H-yV-pqc-9w9wp9cLGAnTVHnDH0mcfyLrH74ikv48N9YxahS6eopmLFE6ZPBwuAHe-hHC8aYkxj0s2rq-5sRiK6a/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_obfOEUcYUMuURfYx3rBd6__SkXrNTtPhlhbBgLj1qWFFeHg_NLY0H-yV-pqc-9w9wp9cLGAnTVHnDH0mcfyLrH74ikv48N9YxahS6eopmLFE6ZPBwuAHe-hHC8aYkxj0s2rq-5sRiK6a/s1600/2.jpg" height="436" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bird</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>With a bird's eye view</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2RspwwMtvGSlsV_mZyMWbabP-qQCEu1p6YWEdr31YSw84S6NrdWXZKJBGkZHLWcrjqcKMcG4LjeN-CQbOa0Su2yRznVArdprhV1EWAPSGQ89PIA2F0A82b8EyCMukAc-4Yv4DjZbiAkp/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2RspwwMtvGSlsV_mZyMWbabP-qQCEu1p6YWEdr31YSw84S6NrdWXZKJBGkZHLWcrjqcKMcG4LjeN-CQbOa0Su2yRznVArdprhV1EWAPSGQ89PIA2F0A82b8EyCMukAc-4Yv4DjZbiAkp/s1600/8.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the road</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>My favourite stop off place for free range eggs</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7XawX2Dq7ilDpCUyE6YMC1qQy8sbdxJKsTfotviLyvl60MjjCBwWBE09HmaMAE0O8bBekoRf4z-tzbO8iSGalu3TOiVzwJaTXaf91fJKTsm9ePJDgaQKoF1j9wSkredogEKehwf1A5F5/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7XawX2Dq7ilDpCUyE6YMC1qQy8sbdxJKsTfotviLyvl60MjjCBwWBE09HmaMAE0O8bBekoRf4z-tzbO8iSGalu3TOiVzwJaTXaf91fJKTsm9ePJDgaQKoF1j9wSkredogEKehwf1A5F5/s1600/1.jpg" height="422" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tap</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Not particularly attractive but one of the hardest working parts of the garden</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aI0SkPvsaKeICjIxiuVB4H-EgciBFwDqYe3ElXVbLHugFwWo7fIzqCyUSN_On2WMhHXl_e61341gQjWMxJy2t7vubriMB7t_MfAjPUJbkydbQ2M-qZMe41aTr0oR8DWE7_MzwFgxEXSa/s1600/IMG_5275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9aI0SkPvsaKeICjIxiuVB4H-EgciBFwDqYe3ElXVbLHugFwWo7fIzqCyUSN_On2WMhHXl_e61341gQjWMxJy2t7vubriMB7t_MfAjPUJbkydbQ2M-qZMe41aTr0oR8DWE7_MzwFgxEXSa/s1600/IMG_5275.jpg" height="586" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A corner of my home</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The best place to snuggle up with a book</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzo1ZjpWLHLKhgzgXi4hyphenhyphen1Yw-qGP9GJZJbYVqQx4vaLIsp0XODMDKdQ9n69Dq08d1FavuTW08-a0vcmyK2DafNs70Yw-z795Qlqa0no__L3qW6eN6rEhtUsoqTRH1rUp3_MesGXM4qGRe/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzo1ZjpWLHLKhgzgXi4hyphenhyphen1Yw-qGP9GJZJbYVqQx4vaLIsp0XODMDKdQ9n69Dq08d1FavuTW08-a0vcmyK2DafNs70Yw-z795Qlqa0no__L3qW6eN6rEhtUsoqTRH1rUp3_MesGXM4qGRe/s1600/5.jpg" height="640" width="422" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next month I will be more organised. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks to greenthumb for organising. If you fancy joining in with the scavenger hunt for March you can have a look at the next list and other linkee's (!) <a href="http://suzzie43.blogspot.co.uk/p/scaerngera.html">here.</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-88750751604695329762015-02-25T22:55:00.001+00:002015-02-25T22:55:40.292+00:00Begone evil feed!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you've ever been in the position of receiving unsolicited feed read on!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I first started blogging I was in the excited blur of discovering new people, influences and friends. I signed up to follow many of those that interested me and have received regular updates ever since via my blogger feed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However several months ago I noticed that one of the blogs had changed beyond recognition. The blog name had stayed the same but the language had most definitely changed - both literally and figuratively. Although I am not fluent in Spanish it was apparent - from the preview pane alone - that the contents were undeniably pornographic. Some words need no translation. I responded to this 'invasion' by never clicking on the link and hoping that if I showed no interest it would eventually 'go away'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However tonight when I was bombarded with twelve simultaneous feeds from the same link I decided enough was enough. After much trawling of the web and various help centres I found out just how to get rid of this insidious connection. I only know how to do this in Blogger but hopefully it might help some of you in the same position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first thing you need to do is to click your My Blogs section. This will then display the reading list of all the blogs that you follow on the left hand side of your screen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To the right of where it says 'All blogs' there is a gear symbol. Click on this to manage your settings. The screen will then change to something more like this. It might take a while so be patient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(So sorry about the quality of these pictures - the only way I could find to upload them was to take photos of the screen)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevDslmI89mNUd-XeDQsvK21j0DJyIVM63Cywai7Ab7_VKQlK-dv7qpH5qbW_zV_EAPyWIQ_T6o4Ejr3yaK3BbtledfBjuKk-gN1od2DA96V9TVxBrH-K5VHM_5zuj0kRvtVr9KQJZCItR/s1600/IMG_5244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevDslmI89mNUd-XeDQsvK21j0DJyIVM63Cywai7Ab7_VKQlK-dv7qpH5qbW_zV_EAPyWIQ_T6o4Ejr3yaK3BbtledfBjuKk-gN1od2DA96V9TVxBrH-K5VHM_5zuj0kRvtVr9KQJZCItR/s1600/IMG_5244.jpg" height="336" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Find the offending blog and click on the settings option on the right hand side of the screen.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJXW7k4PCk_sN_2j_t-w4yuXXptrAIMJhXCqr59ICELjE35LfCUBqoVnR4arYOZCWU15wrgBtdxzo8lAHysecT4AjtjkR9ypvALwU_8tmELqGJ1_FF-THrey4CAU_1IXclWmQ7WrKS8Z_/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJXW7k4PCk_sN_2j_t-w4yuXXptrAIMJhXCqr59ICELjE35LfCUBqoVnR4arYOZCWU15wrgBtdxzo8lAHysecT4AjtjkR9ypvALwU_8tmELqGJ1_FF-THrey4CAU_1IXclWmQ7WrKS8Z_/s1600/2.jpg" height="640" width="619" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Again this can sometimes take time - I had to right click and open link in a new tab.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This should then take you to a link page which will ask if you wish to continue following this blog. This is your chance.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAVJO8lt7fmOVgMk1vHm8ouLXVzw8nrt5mncUaJYsSPeLV97qoOvSh-q54xrtW2N_wqYTKk14LfX7THr6myX8NBKMCfcnTtMJU5iQrKcWROLJ60m5vjmcvHpdSy9qZpiABt7QdsxUHRJu/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmAVJO8lt7fmOVgMk1vHm8ouLXVzw8nrt5mncUaJYsSPeLV97qoOvSh-q54xrtW2N_wqYTKk14LfX7THr6myX8NBKMCfcnTtMJU5iQrKcWROLJ60m5vjmcvHpdSy9qZpiABt7QdsxUHRJu/s1600/3.jpg" height="175" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Click stop following and give yourself a pat on the back. You've done it. Not only should you have banished the blog forever but you should also have got rid of any previous posts. Freedom!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope this has been able to help some of you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's nearly Spring!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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xxx</div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-88078210593945987202015-02-19T17:38:00.000+00:002015-02-19T17:54:00.667+00:00The Charging Rhino<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It hasn't quite turned out as planned. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a fairly gruelling start to the year the half term break had been hovering just ahead like a sparkly oasis. Time to breathe I thought. Maybe visit some new places and take some much needed restorative walks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Renew my perspective. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look forward.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But then came the tickle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just a little one but significant nonetheless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The tickle that is soon followed by hot eyes and a runny nose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The charging rhino had come to a stop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now before I continue I had better explain the analogy. Apparently when one is under a certain amount of daily pressure the only way to get through it is to put your head down and barge through. This stops you from getting attacked by wild animals and eaten. However once the threat/pressure/ situation has passed it is time to stop charging and relax. And just when you do so those sneaky little critters catch you from behind and before you know it you've got a cold. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or at least it goes something like that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And so it goes that I'm writing this from my bed, surrounded by tissues, blisteze and old magazines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course I'm very fortunate. Mike is also on his break and keeps popping in with much welcomed cups of tea and home made soup. I've got a roof over my head and a warm bed to sleep in.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But things have still been going on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Tuesday we had some new carpets fitted. I know you'll be enthralled to hear more but all I'm going to say is that after twenty years of children, dogs and rabbits skipping about we now have cream carpet adorning our stairs and landing. That's right. CREAM! What were we thinking? But it does look lovely even if any trip up and down stairs now demands clean feet. And our bedroom, where we have insisted on keeping hold of our original Victorian boards even though they were scarred with woodworm trails, is now covered in a luxurious tuft!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course this included a mass movement of furniture which started a bit of a sort. Started mind you, not finished. We are now paused - mid sort.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wednesday saw the cold break but did not stop us visiting the theatre. This time I was accompanied by Mike to see the fantastic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Shuttleworth_%28character%29">John Shuttleworth</a> at the <a href="http://www.newvictheatre.org.uk/aboutus">New Vic Theatre</a> in nearby Newcastle under Lyme. Now I realise that drink and drugs should never mix but to be honest I hadn't realised that a small mid interval gin and tonic (always a theatre treat) would react so potently with three days of cold medicine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Goodness me I haven't laughed so much for a long time. Tears were rolling down my face!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But don't do that at home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which brings us back to now. My body has finally said no, stop it, I've had enough. Stop feeling guilty about things you had planned to do and let those little critters have their way. And if that means staying put and being waited on by others then so be it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Appreciate it. Let it happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A dear friend bought me this cushion at Christmas and the sentiment always makes me stop and think.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29SBsrswEOxQnUpTnDKV6uiKgPwOisB_tqCD-AOuXjN4WxGLNmP8Luyv7V3t4u3xiKYINcWu8szbfZyczRLpFXXrA6mXjuM7iPQQBxAnQ01V7URBOP4vxJ7AgAKe0hyphenhyphenVyTbzkUo1YdEz0/s1600/IMG_5203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29SBsrswEOxQnUpTnDKV6uiKgPwOisB_tqCD-AOuXjN4WxGLNmP8Luyv7V3t4u3xiKYINcWu8szbfZyczRLpFXXrA6mXjuM7iPQQBxAnQ01V7URBOP4vxJ7AgAKe0hyphenhyphenVyTbzkUo1YdEz0/s1600/IMG_5203.jpg" height="500" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Take care and, if your rhino does need to take a breather, watch out for sneaky critters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">P.S. Preparations are now well under way for our bloggy get together in Stratford in April. It would be so nice to meet you, so if you're even a teensy bit curious as to what we're going to be up to, give myself or dear old <a href="http://gillymakes.blogspot.co.uk/">Gilly </a>a shout!</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-40697812351710002412015-02-15T16:00:00.000+00:002015-02-15T16:20:44.907+00:00The mystery of the small smalls, or, why are some smalls smaller than others?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've been flitting about again. My attention span at the moment is that of a very small gnat (although having not been an observer of gnats and their mindsets I may well be doing them a great disservice - but I feel that the analogy makes the necessary point).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So when good old <a href="http://www.lazydaisyjones.com/2015/02/sewing-knickers.html">LDJ</a> posted about knickers I was hooked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> 'Aha!' thought I.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">'They are nice small objects and thus must be nice and quick to make.'</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But in typical impatient manner I wanted to make them then. And there.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I scoured t'internet for a free pattern and set to.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now I should have learned from the time that I made a crochet slipper - that's right, just the one - that you should always double check your sizes. How was I supposed to know that a size seven pattern would equate to a size four in the UK. Feeling very much like an ugly sister I tossed aside my 'too small footwear' in a fit of pique.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But this pattern clearly said size twelve.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So off I went.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And very pleased I was with myself too. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until I tried them on. Or should I say tried to try them on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At the point where I realised that I would be lucky if they would reach a thigh I decided to check the size.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwdx3i17v0fB5uaOxUf3D-vBJTCinVCV6TPqCf4R3V2UGAUBdpxNMj8Ogxv94jdSM_HgHDNRxlti9L_D92IceZizBkfvzQWIpTaoHH34Ft1P4LD-_sQVy70YREtqFztKWuBVZyogGngHF/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPwdx3i17v0fB5uaOxUf3D-vBJTCinVCV6TPqCf4R3V2UGAUBdpxNMj8Ogxv94jdSM_HgHDNRxlti9L_D92IceZizBkfvzQWIpTaoHH34Ft1P4LD-_sQVy70YREtqFztKWuBVZyogGngHF/s1600/9.JPG" height="410" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The very pretty thigh stranglers on the top</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hmmm.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Surely a size is a size is a size - no matter where you live?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Apparently not!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I played safe and sent off for a popular kit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQ7J8FWgyTqmr9WdNa396RnzGir4K64ArnWFMTg_OnXWOQX9bb6R6NjNmkAIGK-PRxdpq0wazEFjg_kFTYnsmVaC-M9ktnu_gkvxOXwukoGZFPUXDg5RacvbKaJmzeMdrfgKWizxvD5rX/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQ7J8FWgyTqmr9WdNa396RnzGir4K64ArnWFMTg_OnXWOQX9bb6R6NjNmkAIGK-PRxdpq0wazEFjg_kFTYnsmVaC-M9ktnu_gkvxOXwukoGZFPUXDg5RacvbKaJmzeMdrfgKWizxvD5rX/s1600/10.JPG" height="298" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Would you believe it? The kit worked!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sizing was correct and - without going into too much detail - my nether regions were suitably adorned.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlj84wcTSU0l32_-kLwyt-_y7cu_xFdgjUGYPLbfHYRRNV3dtqjULcM0V_BRMFnd9HMp5x1jBuO7vgDJ3DCtghmGWCK6xpygZsy_zRGzREEuRMWdIUXMFLYQ2LxMqcG-MNNgkdcOnBPGC/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlj84wcTSU0l32_-kLwyt-_y7cu_xFdgjUGYPLbfHYRRNV3dtqjULcM0V_BRMFnd9HMp5x1jBuO7vgDJ3DCtghmGWCK6xpygZsy_zRGzREEuRMWdIUXMFLYQ2LxMqcG-MNNgkdcOnBPGC/s1600/1.JPG" height="424" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The free pattern on top compared to the proper size!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Next pair.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Same pattern on a fat quarter.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiyfxT-tQtdKtaWkGUBn6U4szGO9NeWTqo8Namyr1oRWmj1ckAb_bX7141eaKu2Uq56lk6fNOpoUTwWde2B5wW07az9r0N7aTvNy1Z20_Mw5LCN46vtu2SRhWrOggEaWadH7WDOip4JBx/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiyfxT-tQtdKtaWkGUBn6U4szGO9NeWTqo8Namyr1oRWmj1ckAb_bX7141eaKu2Uq56lk6fNOpoUTwWde2B5wW07az9r0N7aTvNy1Z20_Mw5LCN46vtu2SRhWrOggEaWadH7WDOip4JBx/s1600/12.JPG" height="640" width="568" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hmmm.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A visit to the craft emporium to buy a replica set of fat quarters and eventually more knickers were made (two quarters per pattern if you will - or indeed a fat half)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN393sO3pXJ5EGHdAWKlQE8_3UWObnbJVCvJOx68TK0M84TF_zS_Qxtfft2zkLbuD7UFqfoNTeZMnYRJiS6o-GxdzPy0lWYnbjEeND1_45B6HWklKt6dczJXZJfmd4sAgQ0N2Z8v8GcNPM/s1600/14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN393sO3pXJ5EGHdAWKlQE8_3UWObnbJVCvJOx68TK0M84TF_zS_Qxtfft2zkLbuD7UFqfoNTeZMnYRJiS6o-GxdzPy0lWYnbjEeND1_45B6HWklKt6dczJXZJfmd4sAgQ0N2Z8v8GcNPM/s1600/14.JPG" height="640" width="380" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6T0aQRwTImyuiu_4VPqwTFO-GjAomROiELCVN4jSKsyEVQ9dyPmkMu2sN8uuYc4jXudrAfrFVlkJeSczmKMjK1R_W_D47mgqLOtN3S9nkuZVMVqsHcfxmXF973rOoqiQt1K6ruF0UNlQ/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6T0aQRwTImyuiu_4VPqwTFO-GjAomROiELCVN4jSKsyEVQ9dyPmkMu2sN8uuYc4jXudrAfrFVlkJeSczmKMjK1R_W_D47mgqLOtN3S9nkuZVMVqsHcfxmXF973rOoqiQt1K6ruF0UNlQ/s1600/8.JPG" height="640" width="424" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile there has been a production line of baby hats for <a href="http://tacistudio.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/hats-for-brazil.html">Taciana's </a>worthy project. Again these have been wonderfully quick to make, and I have enjoyed revisiting some of the yarns that I used when the girls were mere twinkles.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLliaDeUt4l2vi7NQzvaZVPDMQ0Jde6Jja6-0grGsE_hnAgQpZ8jXpPl4NJW0i6mSE11Lw06i0KWriQaRdktvQTUln7c-r9hMJNacdB8k96H0xpxnEN2_Z9pGbhwf4-BhWwaZt7fs6XQ8/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLliaDeUt4l2vi7NQzvaZVPDMQ0Jde6Jja6-0grGsE_hnAgQpZ8jXpPl4NJW0i6mSE11Lw06i0KWriQaRdktvQTUln7c-r9hMJNacdB8k96H0xpxnEN2_Z9pGbhwf4-BhWwaZt7fs6XQ8/s1600/3.JPG" height="468" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Difficult to model them though. Especially when the 'models' keep rolling off.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLmvr4vcXKcvDxyFcAOGec6ikussSdcet-__sSZAZ0G7BPM-RBXxghEfbw3XVp1kOxqAQFlA9FV3hvVjF1g1Dz-Wtslu9nLFe_pTm6L7niXBxgZxSi89wRrI7F4siU79_DBUlJdc_kEym/s1600/11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTLmvr4vcXKcvDxyFcAOGec6ikussSdcet-__sSZAZ0G7BPM-RBXxghEfbw3XVp1kOxqAQFlA9FV3hvVjF1g1Dz-Wtslu9nLFe_pTm6L7niXBxgZxSi89wRrI7F4siU79_DBUlJdc_kEym/s1600/11.JPG" height="524" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And last but not least has come a small pair of trousers accompanied by a chunky sweater.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kh6Ua6SihW9py43azo_SSwzqvLgxYFYdW7oXiy4mee33yJhxk685Xu73cvyvhcWkx6LiP3STyzPdevu4vWZ3_2Qwmcy89ahiFCuE68658D-kLqZFkRsSU8jzUKtwq9i0riQns_hhUDOs/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kh6Ua6SihW9py43azo_SSwzqvLgxYFYdW7oXiy4mee33yJhxk685Xu73cvyvhcWkx6LiP3STyzPdevu4vWZ3_2Qwmcy89ahiFCuE68658D-kLqZFkRsSU8jzUKtwq9i0riQns_hhUDOs/s1600/6.JPG" height="524" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just about big enough for a mouse.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">NO! Glove Mouse.You are <i>far</i> too small!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_Yzevj-_KoevK9UiD5bS8o8U0MsSEkFJwD5OVuXoKrRmJDMfLV-D5zPWqHhLC4-cK0zFS3CoiMFC6g4OJ5QXHtElSb-36oypggxdIMX6lxkgkq9jRe3HZfRloXCAgst8yb3LUJquPQPF/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_Yzevj-_KoevK9UiD5bS8o8U0MsSEkFJwD5OVuXoKrRmJDMfLV-D5zPWqHhLC4-cK0zFS3CoiMFC6g4OJ5QXHtElSb-36oypggxdIMX6lxkgkq9jRe3HZfRloXCAgst8yb3LUJquPQPF/s1600/5.JPG" height="634" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just about big enough for a mouse called Bob!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6iEUL4aaOcdIOsUK7PwxyS4xyMg0t5D-P3-Bm45XW-8t1NrNwKnjf6t2ZwMbQ2-Zu6oLJQA2sMxK4ZVpgroySe9ozhWWQJmleeuZAuLZjXbzTOTJOaL7JAr6tj5tLrlk3fQGF9iwmE9N/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6iEUL4aaOcdIOsUK7PwxyS4xyMg0t5D-P3-Bm45XW-8t1NrNwKnjf6t2ZwMbQ2-Zu6oLJQA2sMxK4ZVpgroySe9ozhWWQJmleeuZAuLZjXbzTOTJOaL7JAr6tj5tLrlk3fQGF9iwmE9N/s1600/7.JPG" height="630" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bob's about to go off to furnish the dusty shelves of my old etsy shop, but before he does I wonder if he's got any ideas as to what to do with the 'too small' knickers?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_R8Hx9w56gn2AgUtfcALCl1kGErC-Xf7dymcJJEYMAHNvsmDoeyrNU67mPLXat7j-XHqlKr2HTxzbcPXAmNJwky_C9cw-CeMyWdfhqMxVqtV57j39Ku0AV4sY40S9PbwbYDgI2dIyYkQ/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_R8Hx9w56gn2AgUtfcALCl1kGErC-Xf7dymcJJEYMAHNvsmDoeyrNU67mPLXat7j-XHqlKr2HTxzbcPXAmNJwky_C9cw-CeMyWdfhqMxVqtV57j39Ku0AV4sY40S9PbwbYDgI2dIyYkQ/s1600/4.JPG" height="640" width="588" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks Bob!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">May you all be well and your smalls be adequate.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-23499823537416767412015-02-10T12:30:00.000+00:002015-02-10T12:30:03.065+00:00Something to look forward to!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The comments that you left on my last post were so thoughtful, so kind and so warm. They have helped both myself and the whole family come to terms with a sad moment.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I don't want to dwell too much more here.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is indeed something to look forward to!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some time ago I met up with some lovely bloggers over at <a href="http://plainjane66.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/as-i-was-pruning-in-servants-courtyard.html">Shugborough</a>. Before we left there was talk of getting together again. Gilly from gilly makes suggested Stratford as a meeting place as that's not only her stomping ground but also the home of the fantastic <a href="http://www.sewmesomething.co.uk/">Sew Me Something</a> (oh and of course an old writer called <a href="http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/resources/shakespeare-facts/">Bill</a>). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVm6M6tZ9E8ufUJ2afdW9v3t69UcKXvgEFo01zwoGOkHq7zg4YYa0OmfBiQox4cCkq_ZRjUAAnsrfYc9snHeyk1P8NdIE82YVtBfSD4V-C3jS2iUnH5skwLakNdpAyLK3-PhIv58d1qJbL/s1600/shake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVm6M6tZ9E8ufUJ2afdW9v3t69UcKXvgEFo01zwoGOkHq7zg4YYa0OmfBiQox4cCkq_ZRjUAAnsrfYc9snHeyk1P8NdIE82YVtBfSD4V-C3jS2iUnH5skwLakNdpAyLK3-PhIv58d1qJbL/s1600/shake.jpg" height="640" width="496" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What could be better? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a recent flurry of emails a date was set and we oh so hope that some of you will be able to join us. Gilly has posted all the details over <a href="http://gillymakes.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/lets-get-together.html">here</a> - take a look! I know some of you might feel a bit shy about meeting up but I can assure you we will all be in the same boat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So check your diaries and get in touch - either over here or at Gilly's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look forward to meeting you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-64188719428413596732015-02-07T00:36:00.002+00:002015-02-07T17:27:49.473+00:00Sad news<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some of you lovely followers out there will probably be aware that our poor old Jessie dog has not been too well of late. At sixteen she was almost blind, pretty much deaf and struggling very much with her back legs. Yesterday it all became too much and the decision was made to have her quietly put to sleep. It was a decision I'd been dreading but we've known for the last few months that things were getting worse and there was a sudden nosedive this week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I've had a quiet day. Not working on Fridays, I decided to stay close to home and found myself on auto pilot - cleaning, washing, and generally trying to keep myself busy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But it was hard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jessie used to follow me everywhere - she had no manners with regard to following me and staring whilst I visited the bathroom! I found myself automatically stepping over where her bed had been, and saving her some crusts from my sandwiches. When I answered the door earlier I automatically put my hand out to hold her collar. It's going to take some time to get used to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I have some lovely memories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We 'rescued' her from a dogs home when she was six months old. She had a strong sense of wanderlust and would often take herself off on an adventure while our backs were turned. She sometimes got returned by complete strangers looking very pleased with herself. It was as though she'd found some new friends and was very glad to introduce us! She was picked up by the police and spent a night in the cells when they went off duty, she visited various offices on the local industrial estate, and once even made it across quite a busy dual carriageway to be found in the kitchen of a popular restaurant. On several occasions we would have a call from our local dvd store whose automatic doors would generously allow her entrance - 'Hi there - we've got Jessie here again - don't rush!'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And of course whenever she was returned people would say the same thing, usually along the lines of 'Oh but she's so lovely - and she does enjoy a custard cream!'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She adored our girls and put up with many years of being snuggled and squeezed by gaggles of toddlers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When we had fourteen ducklings hatch in our garden she would lie there patiently while they waddled around and over her on the way to our little pond. And Ned rabbit could often be found stretched out next to her in a sunny patch of grass.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She really had the sweetest nature and gave us years of unconditional devotion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She was gentle, loving and fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And we will miss her.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf_k10ApUEqY3Yvn1lk_P1O-qY5TDVSscrqjIZmFWMSJHdJSGSsOgXzvzFSKZVVM8UaZ2mOiGcdcLBzu-pX6CZ_o5wawU3t61P1EM9-XsWN9IC_IUMWkoI1r11Y8nFPgrhO2EpreoM3Q5/s1600/jessieblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqf_k10ApUEqY3Yvn1lk_P1O-qY5TDVSscrqjIZmFWMSJHdJSGSsOgXzvzFSKZVVM8UaZ2mOiGcdcLBzu-pX6CZ_o5wawU3t61P1EM9-XsWN9IC_IUMWkoI1r11Y8nFPgrhO2EpreoM3Q5/s1600/jessieblog.jpg" height="640" width="446" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-32628652431620582312015-02-01T17:17:00.001+00:002015-02-01T17:17:33.598+00:00You like?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The very fact that I am starting this post with an excuse might indicate just how many doubts I have about my most recent of purchases.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The fact that I am going to reveal said purchase slowly so as to minimise the visual shock might emphasise this further.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You see Mr K - who shall thus forth be known as Mike for that is his name - insisted on popping in to our local charity centre. As I duly followed him in I was feeling fairly nonchalant about the prospect. Having had a conversation on our way there about having too much 'stuff' I had resolutely stated that I'd have a look around, but really didn't want or need anything at all. I was there purely to support his quest for some old cameras.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It nearly worked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then Mike spotted something I'd missed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Something with a lovely pattern.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKP5E2tyaI7jIe2Jc8GpMnHak8JvWKFxhDkoxz0Fs49GdoSbzj7Pxmmo8rlBbUHkGfyFGduA0nwL1z-2hjM4cvTbdyVFrHUcsLEbziO9p-Li4LeOlAUqiCZJnlI4vGnMV6KP48Z7E4o3f/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKP5E2tyaI7jIe2Jc8GpMnHak8JvWKFxhDkoxz0Fs49GdoSbzj7Pxmmo8rlBbUHkGfyFGduA0nwL1z-2hjM4cvTbdyVFrHUcsLEbziO9p-Li4LeOlAUqiCZJnlI4vGnMV6KP48Z7E4o3f/s1600/1.JPG" height="474" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And an interesting shape.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mtK6sT_wKa-XQdziKD_JCyh0Uqdv7p8mrdL-kKrQOTK4GKXzj6iHs-9lDYvViye8cmt0Yqnt_lkoJtvwKG4vf8pYytak36qwgVh-mvUyKexYYS3FWF0amKpBbsr0_5KSL2BQJKl33PsS/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mtK6sT_wKa-XQdziKD_JCyh0Uqdv7p8mrdL-kKrQOTK4GKXzj6iHs-9lDYvViye8cmt0Yqnt_lkoJtvwKG4vf8pYytak36qwgVh-mvUyKexYYS3FWF0amKpBbsr0_5KSL2BQJKl33PsS/s1600/2.JPG" height="640" width="328" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maybe a feature?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIU_RvlkIil1fKF8CcApoq6bthnYokcGSC9GfihYpIYtl_EOuKx6jh46IMxAG_IQ-NeyfS3xuC3czHy5rZSFUDsDuIqmrEWJDhbpiiaaRiNGz623mOeTkFRSwbtN-3ah2pjBp01ZUE4Ss8/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIU_RvlkIil1fKF8CcApoq6bthnYokcGSC9GfihYpIYtl_EOuKx6jh46IMxAG_IQ-NeyfS3xuC3czHy5rZSFUDsDuIqmrEWJDhbpiiaaRiNGz623mOeTkFRSwbtN-3ah2pjBp01ZUE4Ss8/s1600/4.JPG" height="640" width="622" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or two?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_NINvj0FTy5FG9lkpu7kHcIu4zxh1oJGeK5GacfKQ1E6xnI75MQ_LKRjw-Jl9ggqZKn000aZGPfgSM4CGsg9jsqfaIvi7NHRz3_484bTGGTE_fzdfdmeUdKfnjJujtQjesqLa8T0i4e4/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_NINvj0FTy5FG9lkpu7kHcIu4zxh1oJGeK5GacfKQ1E6xnI75MQ_LKRjw-Jl9ggqZKn000aZGPfgSM4CGsg9jsqfaIvi7NHRz3_484bTGGTE_fzdfdmeUdKfnjJujtQjesqLa8T0i4e4/s1600/5.JPG" height="640" width="500" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At this point I feel it is only fair to warn you that if you possess a modicum of taste you might want to stop here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You could imagine I have bought a beautiful old vase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or bowl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maybe a dainty cup or a tea set for summer picnics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What you probably won't expect is this.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVSy4oRNNskrFQubA7wRYn8u7ByLt2zaHTZzIavEyMU_XXE9pOZojvxYY5LTLpaViJgfIGEpYqDak9iIbwsFCP3pkL-5Rt2gmvuxG6_RdJGS3RnWEilHTJBsHTbJqtz4RY_BsfDHi0DUq/s1600/6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYVSy4oRNNskrFQubA7wRYn8u7ByLt2zaHTZzIavEyMU_XXE9pOZojvxYY5LTLpaViJgfIGEpYqDak9iIbwsFCP3pkL-5Rt2gmvuxG6_RdJGS3RnWEilHTJBsHTbJqtz4RY_BsfDHi0DUq/s1600/6.JPG" height="640" width="540" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A fine example of a prettily patterned pottery dog!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And if you're still here you might be thinking 'how could this get any better?'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll show you how.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_gJ7p5iWjR8zGAft4V3QD99G8nzAsM4szqNTDqPt1wUv-I2Ka129keJ-Iu5k4qjXeKTxDvbyyqn64jYHtQroBmljLGJAoGIw-OEDkISBv9FCNov2l86EsKC_HwzyE0sEngeIOFrJTG7Y/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG_gJ7p5iWjR8zGAft4V3QD99G8nzAsM4szqNTDqPt1wUv-I2Ka129keJ-Iu5k4qjXeKTxDvbyyqn64jYHtQroBmljLGJAoGIw-OEDkISBv9FCNov2l86EsKC_HwzyE0sEngeIOFrJTG7Y/s1600/3.JPG" height="400" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A pair of prettily patterned pottery dogs!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They made me smile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I chuckled all the way home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today the chuckle has been tempered by many doubts. Am I turning into the sort of person who throws taste out of the window in favour of a cheap thrill? Will my twilight years see me surrounded by hordes of prettily patterned animals? I have never given much heed to popular taste and have always fancied a wall full of cuckoo clocks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is this a slippery slope?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">HELP!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-15773263804920703622015-01-29T22:18:00.001+00:002015-01-30T16:04:19.062+00:00Bring back the potter's wheel ...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">... for that is indeed what I need at times like this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sigh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm trying to do a little updating - Mr K has done me a spiffy little header and with that I'm trying to tidy up this old blog of mine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A new colour I thought.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Perhaps update the photo's in the sidebar?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But no!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Blogger has different ideas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The header is showing up as vaguely larger than a pin head and apparently now each photo needs a header.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">AAAAARGH!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So please bear with me as I faff around for a while. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will try to think pleasant thoughts and think of pretty lambs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xL8Vpxli9jcC1CX7v2mHMktJwSNqZ2eB8oU58xVRORvhXq2Vb_jOW2tBeZT6baF-ERvpazoNL5HhXxks8yqZo6WaG9FyOn1UXKpIy8yjIj2H48i0rVva3bwYt9zxa2nzyt0pE1Fr_QbU/s1600/lamb-daffodils.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9xL8Vpxli9jcC1CX7v2mHMktJwSNqZ2eB8oU58xVRORvhXq2Vb_jOW2tBeZT6baF-ERvpazoNL5HhXxks8yqZo6WaG9FyOn1UXKpIy8yjIj2H48i0rVva3bwYt9zxa2nzyt0pE1Fr_QbU/s1600/lamb-daffodils.jpg" height="640" width="624" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But - REALLY?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">P.S. Does anyone actually know how to add a gadget to your sidebar without having to put a header with it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">UPDATE: Thank you to all of you for your suggestions but special thanks to Anne for her 'magic formula'! Hopefully there will be some new 'headerless' photos any time soon!</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-49184727789362439922015-01-25T04:20:00.002+00:002015-01-25T12:14:39.014+00:00Off the Top of my Shed (a post pants presentation!)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Following my recent <a href="http://plainjane66.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/pants.html">Pants</a> post I had decided upon a little poem to show that things aren't really that bad when you've got some finished objects too show off (I know...) However today''s glorious Winter sunshine sparked off a new idea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How about if I showed you around our new allotment? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Having nothing other than my camera and Mr K's arms for assistance I got overexcited and trooped merrily down there straight away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And talked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And pointed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And talked a bit more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So if you're interested in seeing me pointing at bits of soil and talking incessantly you might want to take a peek at this. </span><br />
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/s_vi/1cpSp-b8QGo/default.jpg?sqp=CMTbkaYF&rs=AOn4CLDOe1f-LxhXgYIyeW0I1RrpyEB3Rg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/1cpSp-b8QGo?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/1cpSp-b8QGo?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What do you think?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know. It's in three parts. And the last bit gets a bit jumpy. But as yet there is no editing software to speak of so I'm afraid that's as good as it gets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At the moment I'm quite excited as using it as a way of documenting our first year at the plot by way of monthly updates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not sure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think I've got another wip!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">P.S. I mention <a href="http://ilovefreegle.org/">Freegle</a> a couple of times. This is a site, much like<a href="http://uk.freecycle.org/"> Freecycle</a>, where people can advertise goods that they they might want, or offer things they don't. A great form of recycling - well worth looking up to see if there is one in your area.</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-22940403656118075072015-01-20T19:54:00.004+00:002015-01-20T19:54:55.349+00:00Pants<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This isn't a post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a moan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not a very long moan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I haven't got the energy for that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But sometimes things are just pants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pants. Pants. Pants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However rather than show you a picture of some pants I'll show you some nice ducks.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm0zB3yrXQtv0hjiqjxENF8h6pwktPc_rHiDsZ9GsB24-jEKTCdFJz3oKJFqbZ3o1aj5KFAE2950eQIpsrVfx31A54d2zQ_sFNAIqGE9ZhSNLJhsxpP15wifmwjrF-LlybrPCzfd0p1rf/s1600/b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvm0zB3yrXQtv0hjiqjxENF8h6pwktPc_rHiDsZ9GsB24-jEKTCdFJz3oKJFqbZ3o1aj5KFAE2950eQIpsrVfx31A54d2zQ_sFNAIqGE9ZhSNLJhsxpP15wifmwjrF-LlybrPCzfd0p1rf/s1600/b.JPG" height="628" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That's better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A bit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-10676619910421190602015-01-17T16:48:00.000+00:002015-01-17T16:48:15.553+00:00A Rare Review<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some time ago I wrote a post called <a href="http://plainjane66.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/brightening-up.html">Brightening Up</a> about taking on our new allotment (did I mention we have an allotment ;)) In the comments section the lovely Frances from <a href="http://cityviewscountrydreams.blogspot.co.uk/">City Views, Country Dreams</a> asked if I had read a book called <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Hedges-Clare-Leighton/dp/0956254535">Four Hedges</a>. I immediately looked it up and was blown over by the cover alone. A few days later I was happily ensconced in what I consider to be one of the most enjoyable pieces of writing I've read. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQhkEOixnJ0EbaHw3BPj7NABNRREFntB3xbkpWt2kgCu-pbbg4Y0VmqcdGcTgr4frIAM1OR4DyCCiFAXYnWSV4SZwPkjdIqWVKZdoqfRM1DnHyJH5s2jGBzuGPxLbzIrlPhKBdVUodN5H/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGQhkEOixnJ0EbaHw3BPj7NABNRREFntB3xbkpWt2kgCu-pbbg4Y0VmqcdGcTgr4frIAM1OR4DyCCiFAXYnWSV4SZwPkjdIqWVKZdoqfRM1DnHyJH5s2jGBzuGPxLbzIrlPhKBdVUodN5H/s1600/1.JPG" height="640" width="462" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Written in the 1930's, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_Leighton">Clare Leighton</a> - renowned wood engraver - told of her experience of creating a garden in the Chiltern Hills. Alongside her partner, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._N._Brailsford">Henry Noel Brailsford</a>, she fought against the not too ideal location to develop a garden that provided both visual and spiritual pleasure.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WCnfvMjNMPDl1z3uThrGyM7np4J7LokxwSdJt20Ez6QNrE64FA7cHbOi7ajRNuVnzEWc19lZTDmZzPykRdJJFZp1ARpoFFWhs5G-ctkBZeot4YNtvjQaMr8CohTfCZkVIJ39Ai3WYKvS/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WCnfvMjNMPDl1z3uThrGyM7np4J7LokxwSdJt20Ez6QNrE64FA7cHbOi7ajRNuVnzEWc19lZTDmZzPykRdJJFZp1ARpoFFWhs5G-ctkBZeot4YNtvjQaMr8CohTfCZkVIJ39Ai3WYKvS/s1600/2.JPG" height="640" width="630" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Divided into sections - one for each month - she not only observes the plants and wildlife but also the weather, social etiquette and the symbiotic nature of gardening.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLT6keQp0RiPCghBANdrIYi4mHMJrmtuRV1qRoXn0QkHQS0zzFHW1OAgeoJGJndNhkAuxpk_mnqDC8NvR4XZh3j2GeEr2tafv019FNJrhPdbo1w8dDGFqGhbKj6Tex9slNWDl2n9sAJWhm/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLT6keQp0RiPCghBANdrIYi4mHMJrmtuRV1qRoXn0QkHQS0zzFHW1OAgeoJGJndNhkAuxpk_mnqDC8NvR4XZh3j2GeEr2tafv019FNJrhPdbo1w8dDGFqGhbKj6Tex9slNWDl2n9sAJWhm/s1600/3.JPG" height="640" width="466" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even if you're not a gardening nut such as myself you would find it difficult not to be moved by her deep understanding and appreciation of the senses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To quote from 'January':</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There is nothing more satisfying than to lie in bed at night, secure and warm,with a whistling wind outside. Windows creak and flap and grumble; one's senses are limited by the dark to hearing, and so the moan of the wind lifts and falls, strengthens and diminishes with a range of sound that is unimagined during the daytime, when hearing is tempered and distracted by sight, and wind means the racing of clouds across the sky.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGrT5_1d2_e6BNKbnurb0RPpcUinI-go-88zgZpSPe4CCvYQA_ah8V48XA9-ISP9hvbDsySh31Mx_PcKPYg4brQ2rF9IsgPiK5pDbE8ca0-9R1TIbk2Npc4cD5RgR2ZEKhuoozFaEQg8m/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGrT5_1d2_e6BNKbnurb0RPpcUinI-go-88zgZpSPe4CCvYQA_ah8V48XA9-ISP9hvbDsySh31Mx_PcKPYg4brQ2rF9IsgPiK5pDbE8ca0-9R1TIbk2Npc4cD5RgR2ZEKhuoozFaEQg8m/s1600/4.JPG" height="640" width="454" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the introduction <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Klein">Carol Klein</a> tells us</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As you read each word, as you study each line, you smile. Yes, you want to say, yes, yes, you want to shout, that's it!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not only battling with the plot and the weather, they also have another battle on their hands. That with their gardener - someone for whom they have the utmost respect but are too intimidated by to disagree with. This leads to often subversive methods in order to try and garden 'their' way. The local villagers also enrich their gardening knowledge with local lore.When their housekeeper Annie turns up with the phrase <i>'Coo! There's thunder about'</i> they are confident that rain will soon appear to end a prolonged period of dry weather.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Clare urges us to look at things from a different view. When all seems grey and stark in the middle of Winter she notices the brightness of the birds plumage, and furnishes us with a beautiful account of watching the first iris open.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Throughout the book there is an air of appreciation and optimism. She manages to put into words what so many of us might feel but would find difficult to express. The eloquence of her writing is enhanced by the intensity of her engravings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> A truly beautiful read.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZUzkvGJydeDYd3woz9F59B_nwF6IjBOl_SEM_0DkRTdVDptU0bx2APSD63NlJc1Q20aWaUpmXSl4a4KFrPZCv-TfZNKnylK0eTYp58Pji2S4gvMc2uMMSx5ZSsvpXwSpdqpuk75KkRKX/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZUzkvGJydeDYd3woz9F59B_nwF6IjBOl_SEM_0DkRTdVDptU0bx2APSD63NlJc1Q20aWaUpmXSl4a4KFrPZCv-TfZNKnylK0eTYp58Pji2S4gvMc2uMMSx5ZSsvpXwSpdqpuk75KkRKX/s1600/5.JPG" height="640" width="624" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So - how to follow up such a book?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently another blogger (I'm sorry I can't remember who - please put me right if you know!) put up a book for a giveaway. This one was called <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Allotted-Time-Blokes-Shed-Idea-ebook/dp/B004P1JDRQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421511113&sr=1-1&keywords=alloted+time">Allotted Time</a> and with the strapline 'two blokes' one shed, no idea' I knew it would make a perfect gift for Mr K. Very loosely linked, in that it is about developing a garden, it provides a light hearted recount of the trials and tribulations of starting an allotment with - in their words - no idea. The writing may not be as lyrical, but the events are just as recognisable - with battles against the similar obstacles of land, weather and locals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Good fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So there we go. Two books - similar themes but very different tones. Both perfect for snuggling up with on these dark January days when all we can do is dream about what the year ahead will bring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'd love to hear if you've read either of these - or if you have any recommendations yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Keep warm</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-30380167463542023352015-01-11T23:12:00.000+00:002015-01-11T23:32:43.356+00:00Looking forward to ...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Seeing my socks continue!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can you believe I managed to detangle that mess that I showed you in my last post? I'm loving the roundy round knitty knit thing at the moment. Of course it might all turn sour when I hit the heels ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Seeing some of these start to pop up in the garden. I couldn't resist treating myself when I saw them at the supermarket for £1. I keep having a good old sniff whenever I walk by.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But what I'm so so so looking forward to this year is seeing our newly acquired plot develop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was bitterly cold today but Mr K and I spent a really happy couple of hours planning and planting. The beauty of having been granted the allotment during what is essentially the 'dormant' season is that we've been able to get to grips with the essentials. Shed, greenhouse, paths and beds are all ready and waiting for the fun to begin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> The shed has even had the seal of approval from H.R.H. mum when she visited at Christmas! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today I transferred a whole bunch of herbs from my poor overburdened back garden to their new luxury pad.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcEr7wQiuUwOBBMPbCUDOfidsfxB7dk6fyqZISfo9A3tEahbIMvA7K4YnuwIBwgQnwIy-0wq_FYqxBkx-Re5opjKZ5pBGgM9E_P6ItpDsb318qJUWtYpjpIlIalDp96O2rUn0eXn9L9Zp/s1600/f.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcEr7wQiuUwOBBMPbCUDOfidsfxB7dk6fyqZISfo9A3tEahbIMvA7K4YnuwIBwgQnwIy-0wq_FYqxBkx-Re5opjKZ5pBGgM9E_P6ItpDsb318qJUWtYpjpIlIalDp96O2rUn0eXn9L9Zp/s1600/f.JPG" height="568" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Am I alone, when transferring plants from pots to fine soil, in going - there you go, that's good isn't it etc? It's the same when I put petrol in the car. Just me?</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know. This looks more like a patch of mud than plant heaven but I'm seeing thriving herb plants attracting bees and butterflies galore. Of course this has left a few gaps at home which means I'm going to HAVE to look out for some replacements. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The fruit patch (yes - those twigs) is now full of raspberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and gooseberries. Oh to pick our own soft fruit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And of course we got the chance to try out Mr K's favourite Christmas present. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A storm kettle!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I remember watching a clip of gardening guru <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaeEiN_t954">Alys Fowler</a> visiting her allotment in January and making a cuppa using this fantastic device and thinking it looked like such fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And it was!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd-r4BNRvoIvy2NyO6hgYHnxLUVRP0FnH0e2PA1JDAVo7r8D2t0R_LE-qktpwC88i4USa4L6KhNLYn9XAELwtmlPx9QCmTXPV9Tqqkd8lgD_6wEDPwGOvFobFLoBT_5Sm35ESmdwWlYA-/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd-r4BNRvoIvy2NyO6hgYHnxLUVRP0FnH0e2PA1JDAVo7r8D2t0R_LE-qktpwC88i4USa4L6KhNLYn9XAELwtmlPx9QCmTXPV9Tqqkd8lgD_6wEDPwGOvFobFLoBT_5Sm35ESmdwWlYA-/s1600/9.JPG" height="456" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So much to come - fruit, flowers <i>and </i>socks!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh and well done to those of you who guessed what the wire thingummyjig was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was - and still is - a duck.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWkFqxKYlsLfNqBfPdkgY2jyJb8wubNZNptmWNl1eUHS2dm_K_3Op9BB1U67PNfMCfr-ToAov4T64LIOtJxj0Rnk1IEascdQXIiKQCRAMgCQgpNhFCPCmaJx3-diG4mxKCCvymkVEVWS3/s1600/d.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWkFqxKYlsLfNqBfPdkgY2jyJb8wubNZNptmWNl1eUHS2dm_K_3Op9BB1U67PNfMCfr-ToAov4T64LIOtJxj0Rnk1IEascdQXIiKQCRAMgCQgpNhFCPCmaJx3-diG4mxKCCvymkVEVWS3/s1600/d.JPG" height="640" width="600" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although Brownie points to Angel Jem for her imaginative suggestions - sadly 'tis not a false bust, a pasta drier or - my favourite - a lamp shade for a submersible caravan!</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mum and dad found it inside a tree at the back of their garden. I think it was originally meant to be 'topiarised' but instead was unceremoniously hanging from a twig by it's beak. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not quite sure what to do with him yet - any suggestions?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope you all have something to look forward to this week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-77967460201762633142015-01-05T20:36:00.000+00:002015-01-05T20:36:01.122+00:00Tangled<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm starting with the positive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some time before Christmas I showed some sneaky little pictures of some Christmas knitting <a href="http://plainjane66.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/shhhhh.html">here</a>. Now they've been and gone and been merrily received I can do a g-r-a-n-d r-e-v-e-e-e-e-a-l.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First there was this.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06kkjwArGgig72K92vML-L0YBR91UNs9Bn8kr43Arbv7x77vKiHwBDxtwLNmFZS-tb4RCCVm-YOqKSFm2y67XnWRt2i3MMqwGN1dT6Y68oEgcqj0hpZmz1yyZ_vdomEANs-89pgxnUO1b/s1600/s1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06kkjwArGgig72K92vML-L0YBR91UNs9Bn8kr43Arbv7x77vKiHwBDxtwLNmFZS-tb4RCCVm-YOqKSFm2y67XnWRt2i3MMqwGN1dT6Y68oEgcqj0hpZmz1yyZ_vdomEANs-89pgxnUO1b/s1600/s1.JPG" height="500" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which turned into a crochet shawl for mum.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0DueV5CNzfPGAaqjbVwlIMVmHBejusF2_jQgUyTZTOmr6-Lote3O3d5Mn92G9Ir4dCReCOwUB5yjZmDYN3l-cgKdhC6q_CQdeQfJ8pYeLO8wvH1GwHoVhvCWfVYk5XfUdBh362va6OvK/s1600/r1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0DueV5CNzfPGAaqjbVwlIMVmHBejusF2_jQgUyTZTOmr6-Lote3O3d5Mn92G9Ir4dCReCOwUB5yjZmDYN3l-cgKdhC6q_CQdeQfJ8pYeLO8wvH1GwHoVhvCWfVYk5XfUdBh362va6OvK/s1600/r1.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcg44IX_BwKsnRaZfmruLGRlL3ept9RhGPheEZVohw6uMY-K1FBr6ceifJvAh6LZ4dcOLXAm9lMsER-BzWMOfBp1D1e1sSiyqedueahd8deQklja2gChDLnufmI3MrVubD_Avt1JNzgNW/s1600/r3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcg44IX_BwKsnRaZfmruLGRlL3ept9RhGPheEZVohw6uMY-K1FBr6ceifJvAh6LZ4dcOLXAm9lMsER-BzWMOfBp1D1e1sSiyqedueahd8deQklja2gChDLnufmI3MrVubD_Avt1JNzgNW/s1600/r3.JPG" height="640" width="398" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvZ1U8H8NBK2G_6IIj3SuxRe4azvITKuiZQUTJKsmHFqndZMqEr50rfBBJ345LYQRxo_9AdOiJgvMuHWhAvUAJu2jTBoH4JnnD1A5I7DHEk4N_QLuCTjAPCAFXXWKHdkEoZekcbCIRF6a/s1600/r4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvZ1U8H8NBK2G_6IIj3SuxRe4azvITKuiZQUTJKsmHFqndZMqEr50rfBBJ345LYQRxo_9AdOiJgvMuHWhAvUAJu2jTBoH4JnnD1A5I7DHEk4N_QLuCTjAPCAFXXWKHdkEoZekcbCIRF6a/s1600/r4.JPG" height="640" width="434" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ravelry details <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/janiek66/openwork-shawl">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then this.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pm47EcqD2WgCZfgkGkNzTO2MIKW4cewTtG_exrgN2X0td6xDYk9TUL_DMqr15rnEoHGAM4bKWTtypgsXDoew4trdm5l3GMXuYy9KAhS_C9aQqpoKRNUy_yf-Cco_pzjnrpdAxpfF19i1/s1600/s3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pm47EcqD2WgCZfgkGkNzTO2MIKW4cewTtG_exrgN2X0td6xDYk9TUL_DMqr15rnEoHGAM4bKWTtypgsXDoew4trdm5l3GMXuYy9KAhS_C9aQqpoKRNUy_yf-Cco_pzjnrpdAxpfF19i1/s1600/s3.JPG" height="618" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A hat for Big Sis' big squeeze.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdzxCzXWo8hFt5M3_5iDRX0UoE7iV9Aq5MnpuglaUlFFL7NMAX7nY9yb5pT4Y0sWUxpK0FDFYh6A5BhIXamwyI7etcQ5v7GEn0bKqM7trVm-8x2mjQzX03PlVMja8VBa072lkBWOmaqRc/s1600/s5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdzxCzXWo8hFt5M3_5iDRX0UoE7iV9Aq5MnpuglaUlFFL7NMAX7nY9yb5pT4Y0sWUxpK0FDFYh6A5BhIXamwyI7etcQ5v7GEn0bKqM7trVm-8x2mjQzX03PlVMja8VBa072lkBWOmaqRc/s1600/s5.JPG" height="638" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Followed by these.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRVd1-7v6-H349b6Xp5HGo5h1C6xI2pPtg8BOKbBz2T9WYYoheSs5S6r8tDLxOGuUZ5AkEfqnKUFXuw92zW0VcM3ohGhJfkrDQRfJkMHJAWtbXjvz2KJuFuZ409DelKSPhuss0EmKaocI/s1600/s4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRVd1-7v6-H349b6Xp5HGo5h1C6xI2pPtg8BOKbBz2T9WYYoheSs5S6r8tDLxOGuUZ5AkEfqnKUFXuw92zW0VcM3ohGhJfkrDQRfJkMHJAWtbXjvz2KJuFuZ409DelKSPhuss0EmKaocI/s1600/s4.JPG" height="406" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A couple of happy dishcloths for the lovely Gloria over at <a href="http://canelakitchen.blogspot.co.uk/">Canela Kitchen</a>. A blogger who I was fortunate to be paired with for <a href="http://lovemademyhome.blogspot.co.uk/">Amy</a>'s Christmas card swap.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zb-1XT1FuLs3fH5Cl9J-5jALa5nM7DafFZcVohAiFH0baqYo-ob45FqMcPSvRGqDodCQgvLH_BwmIkDWQRMh-NW__bVLvpSaeDNodQZEVFHlcyP3GiKA6nArjUSTW5OZsvjoDhqM4wk0/s1600/dishcloth4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zb-1XT1FuLs3fH5Cl9J-5jALa5nM7DafFZcVohAiFH0baqYo-ob45FqMcPSvRGqDodCQgvLH_BwmIkDWQRMh-NW__bVLvpSaeDNodQZEVFHlcyP3GiKA6nArjUSTW5OZsvjoDhqM4wk0/s1600/dishcloth4.JPG" height="346" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWuTrTbbsZqHBMM-wlOnV7MSdKF7NPm9Z8htZgp4EfLbN6eGBOebvBraqPJZ5a-LyFDDsSDs-tk68-Z3UbDDpyvK6lh7ukh0PLAo3afxgSlzMoJDKi3VNCJjTQHaxwZdgsFFRIztDoI1I/s1600/s6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWuTrTbbsZqHBMM-wlOnV7MSdKF7NPm9Z8htZgp4EfLbN6eGBOebvBraqPJZ5a-LyFDDsSDs-tk68-Z3UbDDpyvK6lh7ukh0PLAo3afxgSlzMoJDKi3VNCJjTQHaxwZdgsFFRIztDoI1I/s1600/s6.JPG" height="620" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But that's where the woolly wonders finish. I've gone off at a bit of a tangent and got myself in a right royal twiddle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I decided that I could easily knock up a pair of socks for Big Sis in time for the big day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was only half way through sock one when I lost three of the needles.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJ2jMaBQAvDqiF-2u5aZKGLdpOYhqqCFr5LETZDPiTxqDgc2cyhUQ9xfGHZIw6h1XE8-FuVUydhUxQRzXWcLRXx36qLv8eiRa3iXj8PuvQmamu3TnyWsH6LQQ5Srrh-pA1C3QO5ziJl5D/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJ2jMaBQAvDqiF-2u5aZKGLdpOYhqqCFr5LETZDPiTxqDgc2cyhUQ9xfGHZIw6h1XE8-FuVUydhUxQRzXWcLRXx36qLv8eiRa3iXj8PuvQmamu3TnyWsH6LQQ5Srrh-pA1C3QO5ziJl5D/s1600/5.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I decided to fall back on my tried and tested <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/janiek66/easy-armwarmers">'easy armwarmer'</a> pattern. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFw5t8rQW9fpyjWqk-KI2BPKg2aD9OUK1v_x0pFwHHqKeYXa4eIG0hMWZ60xHWw7SfzItpmxLIl-mH-IPm6BCaDH2F6r75mLXVRCjZ_Iuw253xwwz5u55ZLB7Pr1XaObZkTEYbjufUjIB/s1600/8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFw5t8rQW9fpyjWqk-KI2BPKg2aD9OUK1v_x0pFwHHqKeYXa4eIG0hMWZ60xHWw7SfzItpmxLIl-mH-IPm6BCaDH2F6r75mLXVRCjZ_Iuw253xwwz5u55ZLB7Pr1XaObZkTEYbjufUjIB/s1600/8.JPG" height="418" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One down one to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now I know at this point there will be some of you thinking 'why doesn't she just get that other armwarmer finished and <i>then </i>think about starting something else?' </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll tell you why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm a terrible flitter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I saw <a href="http://teresakasner.blogspot.co.uk/">Teresa's</a> lovely diagonal crochet hotpad and at once requested the pattern. The lovely lady that she is immediately obliged and I had visions of snuggling under a diagonal afghan by the end of the month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the result so far.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdAID-TguqO_Xv47fHRpqSDe_qAw68s153rXFqIj0bEFmJpWeq1hZ3TuyB_zpUESIgT3CAGhnlQ9yvkD3KwXe40hqAQs2TXAJAW9m3U6-PSoGhBS2Qupl6v-PKrr3zUraO_UE6_yRX7RY/s1600/7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdAID-TguqO_Xv47fHRpqSDe_qAw68s153rXFqIj0bEFmJpWeq1hZ3TuyB_zpUESIgT3CAGhnlQ9yvkD3KwXe40hqAQs2TXAJAW9m3U6-PSoGhBS2Qupl6v-PKrr3zUraO_UE6_yRX7RY/s1600/7.JPG" height="618" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm sorry Teresa - I will keep trying!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But to top it all. The knotted turret atop the castle built out of confused yarn (I really don't know where that analogy came from). The project that I got so excited about that I sent off for some new interchangeable needles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Was this.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7SEE1Ou5EgTVUgk_fZg-r8qgI_a4vbu4gwvAnKBq6-FjkQWT5tzF17CeR-ccJ34HstI5Mj5ALwM_70bHFKzy0jR80sdt2EMhtPRPOsG3Gm8WazDLj_A7oDYX3qTC_NRbx6e1BX5wcnFz/s1600/2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7SEE1Ou5EgTVUgk_fZg-r8qgI_a4vbu4gwvAnKBq6-FjkQWT5tzF17CeR-ccJ34HstI5Mj5ALwM_70bHFKzy0jR80sdt2EMhtPRPOsG3Gm8WazDLj_A7oDYX3qTC_NRbx6e1BX5wcnFz/s1600/2.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Can you guess what it is yet?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdOr9yTsgH3YRc_mHx-GIwi8-41axMoopPqwb79Sx6tLlCGwb08HTM66SxMW0DytDUDAllapIbLXX67jiBfSwZk-YnW35YC8HjB1XeRZKWlyX_M7dXXrZBZNTlWy43oOAbZE3gKrpbOij/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdOr9yTsgH3YRc_mHx-GIwi8-41axMoopPqwb79Sx6tLlCGwb08HTM66SxMW0DytDUDAllapIbLXX67jiBfSwZk-YnW35YC8HjB1XeRZKWlyX_M7dXXrZBZNTlWy43oOAbZE3gKrpbOij/s1600/1.JPG" height="528" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How about now?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCZkO9LAriej4b9domKfiiJ5B9jgN6BlQJJjO-tgn3YQkZSHQDzGyX_abhSHkyFkgkClX_8kuFkUG2WfZ7wLpMPUYjheV0IYIhWkamY9Xz4DjoyqCpirpe0PwLvC-iomQHoCnFuRMsQLh/s1600/3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCZkO9LAriej4b9domKfiiJ5B9jgN6BlQJJjO-tgn3YQkZSHQDzGyX_abhSHkyFkgkClX_8kuFkUG2WfZ7wLpMPUYjheV0IYIhWkamY9Xz4DjoyqCpirpe0PwLvC-iomQHoCnFuRMsQLh/s1600/3.JPG" height="640" width="558" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a miracle way of knitting socks that means you can knit two at a time via a magic loop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Honest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's just having a few technical problems.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Anyhow I know the question you'll all really want the answer to. You're wondering what that metal wire type thing is loitering on the edge of my dubious quality photographs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you really want to know?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Really?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Go on have a guess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll tell you next time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If I'm not completely tangled up in wool that is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh dear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xxx</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GhUv612OjitZn_zdjQNm1yj-FqjB-tNlPw8qMRABqNN3wl8Y_M8xTVpYB1Ywuh1YCOnJUz1tjNMPpdqoZ-FOUOpEXhdXvnYlX0Rg5Yvon-gXCly4SI82wlebNO68UsglS6zLLm2xmpQg/s1600/9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GhUv612OjitZn_zdjQNm1yj-FqjB-tNlPw8qMRABqNN3wl8Y_M8xTVpYB1Ywuh1YCOnJUz1tjNMPpdqoZ-FOUOpEXhdXvnYlX0Rg5Yvon-gXCly4SI82wlebNO68UsglS6zLLm2xmpQg/s1600/9.JPG" height="640" width="574" /></span></a></div>
<br />Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4128828501166213335.post-66966277369795446612014-12-31T13:05:00.002+00:002014-12-31T15:46:37.118+00:00Blessed<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Such a busy week but, after the terribly sad news about <a href="http://doyoumindifiknit.typepad.com/">Vanessa Cabban</a>, I'm lucky to realise that it has also been a blessed one. With that in mind I'm going to limit this post to as few words as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We have enjoyed...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">wonderful food</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV2WSxE_TabkKz9_SCPdIa_7WRwHWilLkhXIvuuZCiIaXUyzlEMkiASlyQH4BJXld9BVjfrn6iyvK08eRVzUVfsIY4MjKgyiKyLyNTj05DDo5e-6T41MX69q1Wm7yj-GSH-4E09tgZTsK/s1600/nuts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMV2WSxE_TabkKz9_SCPdIa_7WRwHWilLkhXIvuuZCiIaXUyzlEMkiASlyQH4BJXld9BVjfrn6iyvK08eRVzUVfsIY4MjKgyiKyLyNTj05DDo5e-6T41MX69q1Wm7yj-GSH-4E09tgZTsK/s1600/nuts.JPG" height="540" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp8EpQjaxSH6VNA8RwoboyXfZFDXA5TseIqzC1IzTJSMX1XLyOhrqrpd8W3TDdH3ZbzlY8hVV4pL0PgBiPyiEs5oedudYsvhhIygKXgKOvDcAFZFM4vIzUCvQjvBdE5hbhz78yNsLkNnW/s1600/ht2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZp8EpQjaxSH6VNA8RwoboyXfZFDXA5TseIqzC1IzTJSMX1XLyOhrqrpd8W3TDdH3ZbzlY8hVV4pL0PgBiPyiEs5oedudYsvhhIygKXgKOvDcAFZFM4vIzUCvQjvBdE5hbhz78yNsLkNnW/s1600/ht2.JPG" height="596" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGEzLFuuXibXIDB5p7h6pR7u2Pk30XFyrM8MWbiHWYP56RmEMk2lghGpcmjGn3cksxipm1R5j9RSo33Q8JYVb29S7hP1YUhj-a4xTdeDvYTO8tACRx4pAKq1eFti0bvfG3a-fJRhBo09u/s1600/x40.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGEzLFuuXibXIDB5p7h6pR7u2Pk30XFyrM8MWbiHWYP56RmEMk2lghGpcmjGn3cksxipm1R5j9RSo33Q8JYVb29S7hP1YUhj-a4xTdeDvYTO8tACRx4pAKq1eFti0bvfG3a-fJRhBo09u/s1600/x40.JPG" height="500" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wintry weather</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9_HH4cf7WtfNo6auf1bvF-bIRsZLsw3bpi1Vdzmimfs3LTkxehOluY-odm4a0BKhPH1M-wpGZI6eOOvalr3kfqAnTJwzOul9LIOp4xor6xz8mWu0gX29buqjXggq5oY-ZZZLlt0zMxb-/s1600/snow261214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9_HH4cf7WtfNo6auf1bvF-bIRsZLsw3bpi1Vdzmimfs3LTkxehOluY-odm4a0BKhPH1M-wpGZI6eOOvalr3kfqAnTJwzOul9LIOp4xor6xz8mWu0gX29buqjXggq5oY-ZZZLlt0zMxb-/s1600/snow261214.JPG" height="560" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7t7rAHOokGmxKH763irnT4JNOfQvyGH99LDf0nesHTFzhIMfeg8xt4v8c49OZ0wtewp1wMIP68yWZ91d9t9I6a58G9hs4eldYEz7Hv98IKeLvDmZwvDPJQMz13JCZ9Ja2-eeSUIQIOjNP/s1600/x41.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7t7rAHOokGmxKH763irnT4JNOfQvyGH99LDf0nesHTFzhIMfeg8xt4v8c49OZ0wtewp1wMIP68yWZ91d9t9I6a58G9hs4eldYEz7Hv98IKeLvDmZwvDPJQMz13JCZ9Ja2-eeSUIQIOjNP/s1600/x41.JPG" height="640" width="376" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwPGZOjK8SSaaaCRfsP2Np7-GkSj1MhiFrpx4sgLPOeEAkaDrNO4Fgq1Q2DPpow05dSP_8Is1j1cQHIarAbR_QAhAN5ygMFaXj2u4vIIaWarQGhwSyunN2hKOKURQQPLc9dIFXBSwU6ia/s1600/x44.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwPGZOjK8SSaaaCRfsP2Np7-GkSj1MhiFrpx4sgLPOeEAkaDrNO4Fgq1Q2DPpow05dSP_8Is1j1cQHIarAbR_QAhAN5ygMFaXj2u4vIIaWarQGhwSyunN2hKOKURQQPLc9dIFXBSwU6ia/s1600/x44.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwaMwyaTrlUuDmFj6bGvuRObbnNHYz2XNtPBIo74HDrTlbsBC9NTGTp3m3f373yIZJ8WOgMucShxTtemrDiz-HyKOdibcEcC5dQP85dmd001Wxmol_zT99PfscRCb_OPAODNUpMuy1T-1/s1600/c2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwaMwyaTrlUuDmFj6bGvuRObbnNHYz2XNtPBIo74HDrTlbsBC9NTGTp3m3f373yIZJ8WOgMucShxTtemrDiz-HyKOdibcEcC5dQP85dmd001Wxmol_zT99PfscRCb_OPAODNUpMuy1T-1/s1600/c2.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Colour and cheer</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqQxz2wqipJ2UkumYpj8AYJTi2SVixKRLo63XEpOfLJrfcSV0qHQb7X1Qaw8K8J9TXBd3299B-2bXa1kYhFqT1CEh0t9K7eG2EeTwNzJUzUsAs0XxIZJPnI47a-jH5m6_BY10ze49RJMk/s1600/x26.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqQxz2wqipJ2UkumYpj8AYJTi2SVixKRLo63XEpOfLJrfcSV0qHQb7X1Qaw8K8J9TXBd3299B-2bXa1kYhFqT1CEh0t9K7eG2EeTwNzJUzUsAs0XxIZJPnI47a-jH5m6_BY10ze49RJMk/s1600/x26.JPG" height="460" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And surprise gifts!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpmdOeMxZAYQ1a4jnJ2xTDhdzKAlvPxtyplOFcpXJTxi0yh8FZEMKrD7MIGwP1KDgF11jYTU36dgXx_LbvVI9F90HopkJGEmQ7SCcz8UzEAxslmhWxKXmXlBRl-liM8XaK7ukH5O2drhF/s1600/secretsanta14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpmdOeMxZAYQ1a4jnJ2xTDhdzKAlvPxtyplOFcpXJTxi0yh8FZEMKrD7MIGwP1KDgF11jYTU36dgXx_LbvVI9F90HopkJGEmQ7SCcz8UzEAxslmhWxKXmXlBRl-liM8XaK7ukH5O2drhF/s1600/secretsanta14.JPG" height="640" width="344" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejbuJ17dCopDd8x5pGJ_ru2UAcV0w9IzO3XpTgKTjb9TcWY-uNDdavetEtGa4nNMNQvf0nQDaxm9TjywMObkAoPCOb_ehzVonI-l7Ksw6_Q5iHqirfQd9Y_pl58uNUhyphenhyphenpcfgbZUU772IL/s1600/fork.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejbuJ17dCopDd8x5pGJ_ru2UAcV0w9IzO3XpTgKTjb9TcWY-uNDdavetEtGa4nNMNQvf0nQDaxm9TjywMObkAoPCOb_ehzVonI-l7Ksw6_Q5iHqirfQd9Y_pl58uNUhyphenhyphenpcfgbZUU772IL/s1600/fork.JPG" height="640" width="456" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But most of all the warmth of family and friends</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAigu_BtG1mPZxlh63fBanTAmCVn1V4-GdXDHOECnIILs_VCFmKVvMsjMA2KM8dlN3SIT8Qb-hi-i1IDmU9cc2skwZntnlc3JNDfpjtAHFDFDSyKaZea9i35pSoLgwsJvYowYf6YQmBjzB/s1600/x27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAigu_BtG1mPZxlh63fBanTAmCVn1V4-GdXDHOECnIILs_VCFmKVvMsjMA2KM8dlN3SIT8Qb-hi-i1IDmU9cc2skwZntnlc3JNDfpjtAHFDFDSyKaZea9i35pSoLgwsJvYowYf6YQmBjzB/s1600/x27.JPG" height="640" width="436" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92Ms6IbiaI6ervbsJ1mgUH3-BR4eCLMPHlr1bm97SRczBekp74a8kiJmqK82YD8MCc-0bit5B3CgsfAIcqFKven732pReF_l9biRCGb3Xc6Vsr0nRx5L6ETqc8e-GueY4yDm771tw5NOh/s1600/mumanddad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92Ms6IbiaI6ervbsJ1mgUH3-BR4eCLMPHlr1bm97SRczBekp74a8kiJmqK82YD8MCc-0bit5B3CgsfAIcqFKven732pReF_l9biRCGb3Xc6Vsr0nRx5L6ETqc8e-GueY4yDm771tw5NOh/s1600/mumanddad.JPG" height="640" width="560" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At a time that can be - and has been - so difficult for some I feel truly blessed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And out in the garden, under all the dead leaves and frosted ground, there are new things emerging. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And with them comes hope.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKbaAzmZR1qdr5U6Wv9TwGgIWEem1CFU-k7EOPRuLSqv8gx5nV_3djd2AEXv_Zz24IYnjekPV74QPRqgWmyy1H2GE6k_j3Cd2kWuKBjbPEg39NlfHkQx4TZtvmCLyba0QdfMrQvqsgyN2/s1600/x25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKbaAzmZR1qdr5U6Wv9TwGgIWEem1CFU-k7EOPRuLSqv8gx5nV_3djd2AEXv_Zz24IYnjekPV74QPRqgWmyy1H2GE6k_j3Cd2kWuKBjbPEg39NlfHkQx4TZtvmCLyba0QdfMrQvqsgyN2/s1600/x25.JPG" height="568" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope that wherever you are - however big or small they may be - you all have some blessings to count.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jane</span></div>
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xxx</div>
Plain Janehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14550225722716184723noreply@blogger.com28