Tuesday 25th September

Well there is another week gone.  I have such good intentions to get back to daily blogging but it just isn't happening.  I seem to be busy, busy  busy!  Happily busy.  My time is taken up with all the normal housework stuff and a gazillion and one hobbies.  Sewing is all consuming right now.  It is as well that I have lots of indoor hobbies as the weather is just horrid right now.  Autumn is well and truly here.  We have had rain and wind and more rain and.......  let me think...   oh yeah, more rain!  It is cold.  I so hate the cold.

One day last week it was so windy that the washing on the line was blowing horizontal.  This is dog bedding.

Do you remember some months back when we had an outdoor mud bath / paddling pool?  Well we now have an undercover pool!  The garage extension is progressing well but as it only has half a roof we can't stop the rain getting in.  Yesterday it had about an inch of water inside and it was flowing like a river into the existing garage.  Simon had to move a lot of stuff to protect it. Hopefully he will be able to get the roof finished soon so it will be water tight. I shall do a progress blog soon.

So what have I been up to this last week?  Well I went to see my Dad last Wednesday. I took Flynn with me and we had a lovely day he was so good.  It is so nice to see my Dad playing with him.

On Friday I went to help out on the Three Counties charity stall at Peterborough market. They have a secondhand stall there once a month.  It is run by a volunteer called Marion and 2 other ladies, Nita and Mary.  They were very friendly and made me welcome.  I didn't know what to expect really as I have never done anything like it before.  I loved it!  It was really fun.  My feet were killing me by the time I finished but it was worth it as we made £416 for the doggies.   I was so pleased.  I shall do it every month now.

I was also really thrilled to get 5 pairs of jeans for £2!  You may recall I have been trying to get some old jeans for ages so I can progress with my scrappy denim quilt.  These jeans were old fashioned and very large.  The other ladies said they wouldn't sell so put them aside for a man who buys unwanted clothing from them for 50p a kilo.  I said I would buy them and they let me have them for what he would have paid.  Bargain!

Since Sunday I have been busy cutting them all up into 6 inch squares and I have made fantastic progress with  my quilt.  Well it isn't a quilt yet but I have now doubled the amount of squares that I have ready.  I had 40 and as of tonight I have 96!  I did 30 on Sunday and Monday and another 26 today.  I think I have about another 40 to go to make it the size I want.  It isn't for a bed;  I think I shall use it as a picnic rug.  I have got enough denim now to make all the squares I will need.

On Saturday I went to help at the dog rescue kennels again.  They had 2 Labradors brought in and one of them was in such a bad state.  Really emaciated and some nasty skin condition too.  They looked so sad.  It really upset me.  It was the first time that I had been right there when people signed them over. They didn't seem to care.  They weren't upset and didn't say goodbye.  I cried buckets and felt stupid but the others all understood.  I keep telling myself that at least they hadn't just dumped them.  At least they had taken them to the rescue where they will be cared for. I hope I  can continue with this and that I don't get too upset.

I did enjoy playing with some of the dogs.  A Staffie cross called Harrison was lovely.  He really enjoyed playing ball. That is what I really want to do, get them out and play with them and give them some love and affection.

Yesterday I was at Coralie's house for sewing with Denise.  We are each making a teddy bear.  Denise thought it would be a fun way for us to try working with a different kind of fabric.  I have chosen grey fur and pink suede for his pads.  I got him cut out which is quite tricky and time consuming as you have to just cut through the backing and then tease the fur apart.  Denise has shown us how to get them pinned together and we have to sew the seams on the body, head and limbs ready for our next get together.  You have to take your time with the pinning as you have to brush the fur inwards so it doesnt get caught in the seam.  I think I will work on him tomorrow.

I have quite a busy day tomorrow as I am going to do 2 hours from 11am - 1pm outside Tesco in Bourne with a collection tin for the dog rescue.  They have an information stall there on Wednesday and Thursday  and there will also be a dog.  They collect more money when they have a dog there as people are more inclined to stop.  I am doing 2 hours on Thursday too. There is another volunteer lady called Judy who lives in my village so she is going to give me a lift.  They do these collection days several times a year.

If I get my housework done before I go out then I will be able to do lots of sewing once I get home.  I will have a long day as Simon won't be in until 8.30pm because he has a parents evening.  I hate that as it means dinner is really late and I hate cooking late.

Talking of late...it is quite late now so I suppose this is a good place to stop my rambling. I shall try to get back soon.  I still haven't posted photos from the summer holidays.