Has it really been so long?

I cannot believe it has been fifteen months since I last made an appearance here. I don't know why I became so detached from my blog. Did I feel it had run its course, I had nothing interesting to say, life was so busy? Probably a little of each. What I have discovered though, as time has passed, is that I really, really miss it! Maybe it's time to breathe some life into it again.

Let me being by giving you the potted version of the last year...

My 2nd Half Marathon

A trip with my two friends....to cheer on the man in the middle in the London Marathon

 My own marathon session. I completed the Belfast City Marathon in 5hrs 14 mins! Very, very chuffed and very, very tired!!

 Watching The Giro d'Italia go by the end of my road

 Seeing Matt Maher and Matt Redman in concert

The highlight of 2014....a family trip to Florida with some good friends

We came home just before term started again in September and I was very happily looking forward to my Autumn potterings and nesting and my early preparations for Christmas. In the middle of September though I was thrown a little curve ball. Quite unexpected but not altogether unwelcome....I am back in the world of work!

My daughter's High School asked me if I would consider coming in occasionally to do some substitute teaching (in what feels like a former life I was an English teacher). I thought about it and felt a day here and there would be good. It has been ten years since I last stood in a classroom so I believed this would help me reintroduce myself gradually. It is strange what a break of this length can do to your confidence!! I found though that I loved being back interacting with the young people and the possible issue of being in the same place as my teenage daughter hasn't caused any of the problems I feared it would.

I was in and out for two weeks and was over the moon when they asked if I could be put on timetable for two days a week. For this academic year anyway, I have two regular days work a week! Not foreseen but I am so glad of it (I will at some point get used to all the technology in the classroom and may even feel gladness about it too?!!! What a change for 10 years ago!). I couldn't have been luckier. I am doing the exactly the same type of job as the job I left in 2004, a mix of English classes and Literacy classes.

Strangely in the nine months from last Christmas to September I had completed absolutely NO craft work. I had lost my mojo, my initiative, my drive....Now however, when my routine is basically up the left and I am trying to settle into my "new life", I have finally lifted the crochet hook (1 scarf complete, 1 blanket on hook) AND the knitting needles  (1 scarf complete and 1 pair of socks in progress). Is it because I realise the need to relax in all this melee and in my heart I know this is the best way (along with my beloved books) for me to do it? Maybe.

Christmas has well and truly landed here and the kids are madly capering about. The Christmas tree(s) stand brightly in the corner(s), the presents are wrapped and nestled under the tree, the scent of cinnamon fills the air, Christmas movies are being watched and copious amounts of hot chocolate are being consumed. My favourite time!

Hopefully over the next few weeks I'll be popping into my blog. I do so hope you will join me!

The Weekend in Pictures....

 No Yarndale for me unfortunately, but I am loving wandering through the blog posts of those who were lucky enough to attend. Instead, it has been a restful weekend spent in glorious sunshine. Kiddies were delivered to the activities they had planned and I got a wee run fitted in yesterday. it was so lovely to be out on a sunny run that was purely for pleasure and not training for anything in particular (although I am booked to do a 10k run next weekend...let's not think about that today!!).

Today was spent at a little cove on Islandmagee. It doesn't have the most inviting name...Portmuck...but when you get there is truly beautiful. In the summer it can get really busy particularly as the parking is quite limited, but today it was fairly quiet. The views are stunning. Although it was misty out to sea and Ailsa Craig was hiding, the coastline of Scotland was just about visible! It felt like a little haven away from the rest of the world. My dream house on the clifftop was also looking mighty pretty.

The Isle of Muck reached by a tombola

My dream house nesting on the clifftop!

No better place to knit!

A lovely, relaxing day to ease me into a new week!

A Crafty Day...

Today has been a perfect day for being inside all cosy and warm and getting on with a little bit of crafting. I have an aran waistcoat on the knitting needles but I am a little bored with it and fancied doing something else for a while. I had begun these granny squares a couple of weeks ago and pick them up now and again to add to them. This to me is the joy of crochet. I am going to put them together eventually into bag form (Nicki Trench - Cute & Easy Crochet) as a Christmas gift for my mum. I have already crocheted the hook roll for her but as yet haven't finished the sewing part of it, although that shouldn't take too long as I have the pieces cut and ready to go!

Mid morning a friend called round with her sewing machine, which she has yet to use. It is a bit temperamental and from what I can see needs a good service but as it is an older Singer I think it has plenty of years in it yet. We are planning a little sewing morning for her to learn how to use the machine and make her very first cushion. If she takes to sewing the way she took to crochet she will be an amazing sewer. August, one year ago, she took up a crochet hook for the first time, and two weeks ago she wore a dress which she crocheted herself to her brother's wedding! It is absolutely gorgeous!

The rest of this evening will be spent supervising homework and doing a few taxi runs but I might be able to squeeze in a little more crochet here and there! :)

A Fresh Start...

What a year this has been! It has been such a long time since I have blogged....or to be honest...wanted to blog. It is only now with life settling into its new "normal" that I feel I have the concentration levels to start again.

When I last "wrote" on here I mentionned hospital visits. This was mainly with my father-in-law who became very ill in and around Easter time. He had been living in a nursing home for the past three years and was doing very well there. However, at Easter he became ill and went downhill very fast. For a few months he was in and out of hospital and in mid June we got the call to the nursing home that he was in a rapid decline and wasn't expected to make it through the day. However, he was a fighter and appeared to come out of it, with us even being able to spend Fathers' Day with him. He was able to get out in a wheelchair and share ice cream with us. That day is a very cherished memory for us because the following day he was back in bed and declined very steadily until he passed away on 5 July.

For the weeks prior to this we lived in a sort of bubble, trying to maintain a normal life for the kids yet spending every available moment at the nursing home. Since then there has been a different sort of bubble and life has been a bit "fuzzy", if you know what I mean?! For the kids' sake we tried to have as normal a summer as possible. We headed off to North Wales the week after the funeral as this had been pre-booked. We did have a lovely time, particularly as the weather was glorious, but we were in a bit of a daze. Here are some photos...

Llanbedrog Beach (National Trust)

Llanbedrog

 

Abersoch

Abersoch

A delayed "romantic" anniversary meal!

Karting

Meditating!!!

A bit of R&R!

 A few weeks were then spent at home getting things in order and then we took ourselves off for another week, this time to Fleetwood, Lancashire, to spend some time with my brother-in-law and his lovely wife. We had a lovely week and felt really relaxed at the end of it.

At the top of Blackpool Tower! I didn't spend long on that glass!!

 

 

 

North Pier, Blackpool

 Just before school started back we had a lovely treat given to us by a friend of Peter's. His son, who is only 17 (!!), has his pilot's licence, and he offered to take myself and the kids up for an hour's flight. It was a fantastic experience as we saw Northern Ireland from a completely different perspective. The countryside was like a patchwork quilt and was truly beautiful! The kids had a fantastic time, as had I, although my stomach landed half an hour after the rest of me!!

Belfast Harbour (Harland and Wolff)

My house is down there!

 The one activity that "saved" me through the summer was running. In May I had heard that Belfast was going to host a Half Marathon in September. The furthest I had run before this was 10km and that was only once or twice. I needed a challenge and a goal to motivate me so I decided I would give the Half Marathon a go. Three years ago when I started the weight loss I couldn't even walk the length of myself without struggling and I felt that since I had come so far I had to at least give this a go. I began training in June and continued through the VERY hot weather. On the whole I enjoyed it, it gave me time out, but there were times I found it hard to remain motivated. I am so glad that I did though. On Sunday I ran my first race and LOVED it. With the atmosphere of the crowd pushing me on, I ran my easiest run in ages. My aim was to run it in two and a half hours with, if I could push it, a possible time of two hours twenty. You cannot imagine my joy when my finishing time was 2:13:13!!! I have been on a bit of a runners' high since!! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, that's things up to date. The kids are settled back to school and I have been able to get time to myself to sort out the house and to begin crafting again, as this was an area that fell away somewhat over the past while. A new look to the blog...a new start! A new rhythm and routine has started and we starting to settle nicely into it. We even have a new addition to the family! Isn't he gorgeous?!

Inca

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's good to be back!!

Crafting Therapy

The last few months have been largely taken up with health issues of, at the beginning other family members and latterly myself, so with the exception of many, many visits to various hospitals and health establishments, the rest of my time has been mainly spent at home. To distract and occupy, I have spent a lot of that time crafting....knitting, crocheting and sewing. Here are some of the fruits of my labours....

 A cardigan for James

 A waistcoat for myself

 A top

 A "duvet" skirt...made from the back of a duvet cover!!

 The cross-stitch was not done by me...I bought it at a summer fair in Scotland two years ago and it became the inspiration for my newly decorated "Scottish" bedroom. I removed it from the frame and made the cushion cover to which it is sewn on to.

My new crochet top...pattern is from the recent issue (5) of Simply Crochet

WIPs

New socks...work in progress on its partner!

A New Throw using James C. Brett Woodlander...loving the colours!

A little playing around...not sure what it will end up as yet!!

There are also three more skirts on the go. I am loving this busyness! There are times when the creative juices dry up so I make the most of the times when they flow. I am itching to get something else on the knitting needles as socks are a project for the car and sitting in waiting rooms! I just cannot make up my mind as to what the next project should be!! Any ideas?!