Daffodil Day

August 25th is Daffodil Day here with money raised for the Cancer Society.
We had a "mufti day" at work to raise money and I raised a beautiful potful of miniature daffodils

These were bought as two pots of teeny weeny daffodils three years ago and they've happily grown up.   Like  all who grow older they have increased in size too and are now mid-sized rather than miniature.
Oh well, back to the knitting.

Christmas Sampler

Life administration and aged care fill the hours of my days that are not occupied by gainful employment and little else seems to get done.   Well, that is not entirely true.   I did manage some sewing and am almost completed a new dress for myself.   And some stitches have been added to the Christmas Quaker Sampler.   The gap towards the centre  under the wording is for the date.   I don't want to tempt fate and put 2017 just yet:-)

When the bottom right quadrant is completed (hopefully tomorrow) I will put this aside and finish my knitting.   And I need to get started on the family Christmas ornaments too.  There are only 128 days till Christmas.   We have had to put in requests for Christmas Leave at work and I am hopeful of having two weeks off so in anticipation have already made a To Do List; mainly DIY tasks but I want to do some sewing too.  
Today we had a visit from a niece who brought her second daughter to visit Great Grandma. It has been too much for Great Grandma who is at this very minute snoring in her armchair!   Admittedly Great Aunty is also rather weary after two trips to the airport and some energetic baby admiration:-)

Top and tail

The left front of the cardigan is complete so I put it aside and have gone back to the Quaker Christmas Sampler and much progress has been made.

I was really concerned this would not "meet up" so have done the motifs along top and bottom and then with a running stitch confirmed the intersections are as plotted.   QED.
Tonight I made the DBEM a special Japanese meal as she has been voicing a hankering for Chawanmushi.   It was rather tasty if I do say so myself.   It has been DBEM day here1   During the afternoon I stitched a Pop Over Presto Top for her in a cerise merino fabric.   When we have so many sheep in New Zealand there seems little reason not to go for merino:-) besides which this past week has been chilly temperatures.  
Tomorrow I have a day off work -  for a WOF for my pacemaker and my teeth.  Surplus time will be spent sewing - for myself this time.
And a funny story.  Last weekend I was clearing out a cubby hole in my roll top desk and happened across an old wallet stuffed with Australian Dollars, lots of Australian Dollars:-)   So I took myself off to the bank and turned them into my favourite New Zealand Dollars and indulged in a new toy and banked the balance.   It is many years since I had a trip across The Ditch so it felt like unearthing buried treasure1
This is for my Active August Campaign!

So to a chorus of "thank you dear, that was lovely" from the DBEM good night all.

My garden thinks it's Spring

The temperatures are low, there is snow in the South but my garden thinks the winter is over.   I was so pleased to see this cheery yellow bloom brightening up the dreary outdoors.

Today has been a good day.   Good, because the DBEM was well enough to come with me to the shopping mall where we crossed off all the items on her shopping list.   Then it was off to the Post Office (watch out for a package Little Brother), the Library, a drive through the park to see the field of daffodils and then home.
On the knitting front I have almost completed the left front of the cardigan, so will then do another page or two of the Quaker Christmas.  I seem to maintain momentum better with short bursts like .this, besides which there is a deadline on this cardigan so I must keep up speed.   I am knitting in NZ merino 4 ply yarn which has an immense mileage per ball.  Unaware of this I bought 15 balls and will only use around 8 for the current project.   What to do with the remainder has been perplexing me for some time.   I even read a couple of Elizabeth Zimmerman books to see if I could design my own?!  However, my faithful English Womens weekly magazine had a pattern  which will be perfect for what I want and will use this yarn so I am happy.   A short sleeved cardigan is on my list of wardrobe planning for The Great UK Trip.
So all is well Chez Nous and the DBEM has just consulted her calendar/diary to tell me that she hasn't had a "good Saturday" since 17 June.  So she is Very Happy.

Progress

This week I have made real progress on the Quaker Christmas Sampler and am almost at the half way point.  

When I get there this project will get a rest and I will need to return to the knitting - I need my cardigan by the end of September!

This evening I managed to attach the floral K to the book cover and am pleased with the results.   It sure does brighten up the black watch tartan fabric from which the cover is made.
The DBEM is unwell and today has been a dressing gown and pajamas day.   She has had a couple of these this winter.   This too is a sign of progress - of sorts.
Jo of Serendipitous Stitching aka Blogger Extraordinaire, hosts a Blogger of the Week.   Do pop over and check it out;-)   Thank you Jo and 'kia ora from Down Under'

Warm feet

A slight detour from the planned path of the Quaker Christmas Sampler.   The DBEM needed new bed socks to keep her chronically icy feet warm in bed, but she can't wear ordinary socks as they are too tight around her lower leg.   Last winter I tried altering a baby bootee style shape, with limited success.   So this year opted for these TV slippers.   Success :-)

And the Quaker Sampler is about to turn the lower left hand corner.  

Now off to another date with my needle.

Hard to find...

Today the DBEM is still unwell but as this is the first day to see the sun after a bad storm and a "polar blast" we decided to wrap up warm and take the newly washed car for a drive.   A local park has a pond and is a "dog friendly" zone so we sat and watched the dogs chase balls, each other and the ever patient sea birds.  

On the way I stopped at the "Hard To Find Bookshop" - not that the shop is hard to find you understand.   It is named that, as they stock otherwise hard to find books.   Little Brother had asked his library for a book I recommended but they couldn't oblige. I thought I still had my copy but a lengthy search proved memory false, so today at this bookshop, the obliging assistant directed me up the stairs, around the corners and I found exactly what I wanted.

The knitting is at another "have a rest" place with the back and two sleeves completed.   I am well on track to have this finished by the desired due date so it is back to the projects.

A toss up between the Hardanger Angel and the Quaker Christmas Sampler.   I really need to get half way on this project and only three and a half chart pages to go to that mark.

Why the sampler not the angel?   I am still debating what to use for the "body" of this angel as she is taller than number one.   That puzzle is paralysing my ability to do the necessary lacework to complete her.

Meanwhile I need to get dinner ready.