I'm still standing!

Terrible time for blogging recently :( I've been on the point of starting an entry a couple of time, but have been too black to do justice to it without it becoming a depress-o-blog. The last couple of weeks have been very busy. The end of the Summer term is a really hard time to be in school. I'm vowing to take more holiday this year - at the risk of sounding like one of those teachers who feels obliged to defend the salaries and hours, I only had a week during the holidays last year when I wasn't at work due to one thing or another. I'm feeling a bit burnt out at the moment - despite lavish doses of echinacea and St John's wort - and am looking forward to a break.

I have enhanced the stash a bit in preparation for the holidays, having bought this book.



I'm planning to start the Hex jacket when I get round to choosing the yarn.



I was hoping this could be as part of an AK Knitalong, but I'm reeling a bit from the news that Shelda is retiring and the list will be no more in 3 weeks. More of that later, perhaps.

I've also bought some Rowas All Seasons Cotton in dusk so I can make another start on the San Fran Shirttails. I feel much happier about this colour than the previous beige effort.

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Since I last wrote, we appointed a new person to the leadership team at work. This chap was not my choice and I have taken a little while to come around to acceptance (in the Kubler Ross sense), but I keep telling myself that nothing can be as bad as this past year has been, so - upwards and onwards.

Last Thursday I had my not-mole removed from my arm. Still waiting for the histology, but opinions are that it was a basal cell carcinoma. Although the incision is only 4cm long my arm ended up bruised and sore from elbow to armpit. Ironically, I finished my World Cup knitting project - Tape yarn Shapely Tank - which matched the bruising perfectly!

The combination of all this and a couple of events at school requiring very late nights left me feeling like I'd been in a train wreck by last Friday.

My Secret Pal cheered me up with a note and a lovely recipe for banana bread. I'm ripening some bananas now so I can try it at the weekend. Thankyou! :)

J decided I needed some gardening retail therapy. We drove out to see his Dad and his partner at their Summer home in Barnard Castle in Teesdale on Saturday, then went up to Eggleston Hall for some lunch and a plant buying frenzy. J knows the way to my heart is through the promise of curried parsnip soup and walnut cake!

Knautia growing against the ruined chapel.


Eggleston Hall Gardens has a lovely garden open to the public, within the walled garden of the Hall, and sells a large range of plants for sale. Their stock is always in super condition and they have some very unusual specimens.

The blue cones of a korean pine


An old rose with a gorgeous scent which took me straight back to making rose petal 'perfume' as a child.


17th Century cherubs


J loves trees but he doesn't like to hug on a first date.