Another year started

So it's now 2013 and we have had our first Christmas and new year at the rebuilt Milton...

What to say?

So much has happened since we moved into Milton but having weeks and weeks of no Internet has not made it much fun so now what to chat about first....

Milton is beautiful and living back in her is wonderful, exciting, interesting, poignant, strange, but fun as ever. Rob is a tad worried as I am a bit anal about keeping her very tidy, he is being patient and thank goodness for that because I find myself actually not having something
Because I has just wiped the work
Tops lol. As you who know me this is very novel and I am sure it won't continue but in my defence I do feel that so many people will want to see her now she is finished ( relative finished some outside jobs by builders still not finished) and well
I want to show he at her best of course. So what have we been
Doing with ourselves

This last few weeks. Well we have had a few weekends away in vinnie and also been on holiday in the lake district with wee emilidh.

Our holiday was pure pleasure we bought just before we went a wee cube awning so that we could keep our space on the site when we went away each day and also so the table and chairs could be left and not packed away each time. The cube was awesome it made life so much easier for us and was really quick to erect and not much trouble to attach or detach when we went out and about.


Our routine on holiday was up. Breakfast ( rob does a mean bacon roll in vinnie) which was always tasty courtesy of the wonderful food from Booths. Then we went out for the day now as it was wet for the first half of the holiday we did fall back onto our wet day plans and so a trip to the illusion experience in Keswick was a great call. We had gone before with emilidh but this year she really got the illusions and it was so much fun showing and sharing the experience with her the laughter was loud and very frequent and also seeing the wonder on her face made me want to thank the rain. Now at the end of the day it would have been rude not to have gone to the swimming pool in Keswick
With its wave machine and so we went every day bar one and spent at least 1 1/2 hours jumping the waves each visit... The bruises I ended up with. We're all my own fault but needless to say if I had been taller I might have managed not to be dragged back and forth over the bottom of the pool.. Lol I went down my first ever flume and well it was fun but not sure I would do it again there as it was dark for some of it and I didn't like that part.

We then would head back to the campsite for a spot of tennis, frisbee and footie, usually while dinners was being made, then following dinner till the midges got us and then it was back to vinnie for hot tea and dunking biscuits whole we had a story and then we all turned in... These evenings times were special and I still get a warm feeling when I remember them. Thanks wee emilidh you were a wee star.

Now you will notice that there are not photos at the moment in his blog post that is because I don't have any on the iPad and don't yet know how to add ones from camera to it. Sorry but trust me they are great photos too.

Think I will finish now more of our summer adventures shortly

Day 9 tour de fleece

Well the day of rest on the tour and yes I have rested. In fact didn't spin on Saturday or Sunday..

Saturday saw me on the waverley for a day trip with the Gourock Stitch and Bitch. What a wonderful day and thanks to all for great company and especially Kimberley for organising it.

I wish I had taken some photos but unfortunately I don't have a small manageable camera at the moment one day soon hopefully...I managed to knit a sock for robs camera lense I used some fibre that I had been given by the wonderful Alitee and had spun it last month. Again no photos...hm boring post this one isnt' it.

Sunday so Rob and I out for a trip to Oban via the real food cafe lovely food as always.

Night night

day 7 fleece journey begins

Well today is day 7 of the tour de fleece I admit to not posting any pics yesterday but time got away with me. However here are some pics of more on each bobbin or shetland humbug and of course some more of my swap partner fibre which is so lovely and luxuriouos....



I also spent some of yesterday picking over fleeces. Ali managed to procure 2 scottish mule fleeces and a BFL and kindly offered me half so as she was working I have started on some of the preparation.

Here are some photos of the mule on the table and freya and I trying to work out which end is which...lol




The BFL but well we shall see about this one










The BFL in the soaker hmmmmmmm yuk yuk 3 soaking so far and lots lots more to go I fear. Hope the carding helps cos this here fleece is full of bits yukkkky

















The mule back end only in soaker/barrow this is its 3 soaking and it is looking good...

















close up of both clean area and dirty area of mule, this looks so lovely already can't wait to start carding and spinning this one...










In true nana style I also had a wee soaker for Emily and she did enjoy collecting the bits and washing them... whether they have managed to not felt well that will remain to be seen but she lo
ved getting into this lovely squishy mess I provided...lol










This is going to be a big learning curve for me and of course Emily I want to thank Ali for the sharing of the fleeces and of course the wonderful bath to use as a soaker too...

day 5 tour de fleece

Day 5 of the tour de fleece and I started with lots more shetland this morning pictures further down.

Then this evening I decided to have a go at the lovely fibre I received from my swap partner for Dragon fly in Amber. It is lovely and shiny and so green scrumptious...what do you think I have only done a small amount.







This is some more shetland it is going really well and seems to be quite even most of the time don't know yet what ply it will turn out but finer than anything done so far

Hi well it has been really hot and muggy here and well my health is not its best but I have been doing the Tour de Fleece with Ravelry and thoroughly enjoying what I am doing I aim to spin an hour a day so here are some pics

Day 1

Well first I decided to do some Yarn Yard lovely merino/silk fibre here its not that smooth or consistant but the colours are wonderful.






Day 2 saw me doing some more of the same fibre but this time I had carded it all into lovely rolags (first ever carding experience) also first time I had spun from rolags too what do you think?







This one shows edna getting into the cycling mode!




DAY 3

Today I had to free up some bobbins so I had a go at navajo plying the first attempt was with some bfl spun months ago so very uneven but now plied.



then I plied the day 1 and day 2 spinning here are the photos




this is day 3 spinning not that good today very tired..




Day 4 and that is today I got up and did my spining much earlier and it felt better I got some shetland humbug and after a wee tricky time it came along much better what do you think?



I don't think I will win any of the prizes available but then it isn't about the prizes its about setting myself some goals which involve spinning and improving and learning new skills so this is the start of a bit of a spinning marathon and I will try now to post daily too. If you are interested in the tour de fleece it is a group on Ravelry and well some of the spinners are so inspiring..take a look

long time no blog

Hi just a quick hello to say sorry been a really bad time health wise but also been a really busy bunny the last 3 weeks will catch up once caught up with my washing. But been on a wonderful retreat at woolfish and down to wool fest. More to follow