Chocolate delights and others

Today the postman delivered a package from Japan.   Walking between the postbox at the gate and my front door I read the customs label, "chocolate, cookies, soup"....  Anticipation built...

Only a few minutes later I opened the package to find these.
Ahh...Godiva chocolates.  Aren't they great?   Japanese packaging is exquisite - a feast for the eyes (and also for the stomach).  And... Morozoff Cookies

Both the DBEM and I are very happy!
But the most intriguing are these?

What do you think these might be?   Initially I thought they were individually wrapped macarons.  Closer inspection and I saw the word Soup.   Still the penny didn't drop.   Ahh savoury macarons, I thought.   How unusual.  But no, these are cup-of-soup -  corn potage, consomme and tomato.   Guess what I will be taking to work for lunch next week. 

A Finish

Today I completed the Octagonal Box.   After much thought as to how I would hinge the lid, I ended up whip stitching the two pieces together loose enough to form a hinge.   For the front a small tassel makes sufficient weight to close and a pull to open.  Success in my book.

The pin cushion and the needlebook (which have Land on one side and Sea on the other) are complete and sufficient as I do not intend to use this box.   It will sit in my cabinet with all the other pieces and create work for someone upon my demise :-)

It has been a good week.   I have sorted through my bookshelves and taken a bootload of books to the secondhand store.   My car has a new Warrant of Fitness.   I bought another 50 freesia bulbs to plant for Spring flowering. The back of the knitting project is complete and the left front is started.  Tomorrow I need to cut carefully around the buttonhole edge of the Hardanger Doily and finish one of my library books.   And I plan to kit up the annual Christmas Ornaments for the nieces and nephews. 
It has been a good holiday.   And the best part is that I was forced to book another two weeks annual leave so have that to look forward to from 15 - 30 April.   Yes, it is stretched to encompass public holidays for Easter and Anzac Day.   Ahhhh clever me!

Helping out the DBEM

This week I am taking compulsory annual leave.   My boss told me I had too much leave accrued and I needed to take it so this is week one of planned leave.
And what to do?    Well I am practicing "good use of time" for the day when I will be retired and will need to ensure I don't grow lazy.   A list of tasks, a pile of books, planned outings and a happy DBEM.   What more could I wish for? 

Today we went to the yarn store and got yarn to knit a winter jacket cardigan for one of my great-nieces.   She already has a much loved one knitted from the same pattern but needs a second one so the first can go in the wash.   Great Grandma cannot see to do this sort of knitting so I am helping out.
Tomorrow I have cleaning of the oven on the list as well as cleaning of the car.   Car first I think:-)  I want to sort out my books and take some boxes to the second hand store too.   Could be a busy day.
The needlebook and pin cushion are ready for construction and I should then be able to finish the Land and Sea Octagonal box.   I want to start another small project so tell myself that needs to be done first.
I am enjoying my week so far and feel quite refreshed and relaxed.

Relatively consistent

The temperature chart has been relatively consistent orange and yellow these past two months.  

Night time temperatures are dropping now and hopefully daytime will follow suit so there should soon be more green appearing.   This sure is a fun way to make the daily TV weather exciting!

The things you do....

All week I have been fighting fatigue and it has been an effort not only to get up in the morning but also the multiple times in the night when the DBEM calls out.   Then last night she didn't call out as much and I woke every two hours and crept in to her room to check she was still all right! 

Today I had a long list of chores and they have all been crossed off the list so I am now waiting for dinner to cook and procrastinating on my next "Help-The -DBEM" project.

There are lots of little pieces of yarn left from the knitting and I don't want to waste them so here we go.  Granny squares.  When the box is full I will lay them out and decide on a colour scheme before crocheting them all together to form a blanket; size as yet unknown.   I'm sure a night shelter or a women's refuge or some such place would be able to use a warm woollen blanket.