Golly that was one nail biting Wimbledon mens final! I'm too lazy to do sport so there'd be even less point in me watching it, but that tennis game had me in bits! I'm chuffed for Rafa - he seems like such a nice young man (with such nice arms...mmm).
Last Thursday Al finished his 4th year in med school (1 more year to go; jeez it's a loooong slog) and Paul (Al's brother) came over for a short visit on his way home to Dublin. So we have all been having fun trying to stay out of the rain and Al has been reacquainting himself with the joys of long lie-ins and eating breakfast at lunchtime.
Last weekend we visited some friends who live in Brighton. Each time we pop down to Brighton we look dreamily in the estate agents windows and fantasize about living by the sea...
Time for a spot of lunch. Vicky is picking some salad from her veggie patch. The resulting salad is sooo flavoursome. Paul (Al's brother) is certainly impressed with the home grown groceries.
Vic & Mick (yes that is really their names) have a lovely garden and home - much of which they have fixed up themselves (the bathroom, flooring, kitchen, you name it). In contrast Al & I are a bit rubbish at DIY (beyond decorating) and we're not too hot at gardening either. Still, I quite like the idea of growing my own veggies...not that committing myself to anything by saying that...
Too early to pick this tasty looking specimen (courgette/zuchinni) shame! Perhaps we'll pop over for another visit in a few weeks time - heh!
Such a great idea to plop a sink in one of your flowerbeds. I love the clock too.
He always makes a daft face as soon as the camera is pointed at him (and so does Al).
Desert was deeelicous homemade summer pudding. Sprout the cat just so happens to love summer pudding - handy eh?
This is Beans the cat. Bean & Sprout are lovely, lolloppy, and friendly cat brothers.
I bet they all know how cute they are and I bet they love to mug up to a camera just as much as we do.
And now a nice dusk-lit stroll on Brighton beach to walk off a late lunch and to make room for dinner. Ah...life is good.
Brighton Pier
And the "Mr & Mrs shoe shot". We always take pics of our feet/shoes whenever we're on a beach, as you can see Brighton beach isn't very sandy. If you're interested my shoes are by Simple and they are made from hemp and completely recycled materials. They are well made, sooooo comfy, and really breathable (or in other words completely un-whiffy, which is kinda handy don'tcha think?)
"Wow happy birthday to you and wishing many more years of happiness and success:)
I was just thinking yesterday how much I love your blog and how much I appreciate you being such a generous person and sharing some of your patterns and many of your clever tips. It's great to see someone "who's made it" but still is generous in spirit and knowledge/experience sharing. I'm glad you haven't become "stingy";) on the way.
Anyway, I would have loved joining your bag making course I had been living in the same country as you (consider expanding to Norway, will you?:)
If I was going to your bag making course; I think I would have wanted to learn how to make an across the shoulder/chest messenger type bag. One that is cleverly organized and...pretty:) I always drag tonnes of stuff in my bag to work: crime novel, private sketchbook, work sketchbook, moleskin, a snack, a scarf, some work in progress knitting or embroidery project...and the list goes on:) With 2hours to work that includes: a bike ride, a long train journey and a shorter bus journey; I need plenty of stuff and a nice comfortable/safe(thinking of busy hands in busy places)/pretty bag to pack it all in:) Yes, so that is the bag I would have liked to be making, a bag I think you would/could design perfectly:)
My second choice I think would be a well-organized week-end type bag with a retro feeling which would be almost too pretty to use but so intrinsically associated with vacation and bliss that even looking at it would make one's mind thrift off to exotic (and homely) places:)
All my very best,
Christina"