WOYWW 486

Again, I’ve been very busy this week, so much so that I’ve only just managed to reply to most of your last week’s comments, for which I apologise! However, I did manage to get two or three hours in my studio last night, at long last, working on the boxes for the two copies of the Floral Mini-Album I made earlier in the year.

I have been keen to get back to my box project as soon as possible, and have been mugging up again on Youtube re its construction. I hate it when projects go off the boil but Youtube has fired me up again. This week I’ve ordered some hardware for boxes – feet, corners, clasps etc. but can’t get on until they arrive as I need to install them before being able to work on the mats and embellishments.

What I did last night was to start working on the inside of the two boxes – I’ve decided to make one for each of the albums. We are seeing our friend next month and I would like to have finished her box so we can take it with us, so that her copy of the album no longer needs to reside in a biscuit tin!

You can see what I’ve been up to in my previous post.

Crochet

I did manage to make some crochet leaves for my scarf while I was crashed out resting on Saturday. I just needed a day with my feet up and some TV and let everything else go hang for a few hours.

They look a bit messy because they need pressing, and they’ve also got tails on them which I am going to use to attach them to the scarf. I’ve got quite a few more to make and will probably use one or more different patterns for them.

Here is a mock-up with two different sized leaves with one of the flowers I made.

I have found a brilliant Youtube tutorial for the most realistic crochet peacock feathers I’ve yet seen, so I’ve written it out, and selected the colours I want from an online supplier and waiting for them to arrive – 4-ply cotton yarn. When I’ve finished the scarf, I am going to start another one with a gorgeous ball of yarn I bought for £1 in a charity shop a few months ago, and I thought I’d embellish it with peacock feathers. Watch this space.

Cooking

Another Erev Shabbat meal last Friday, for which I made the challah. I always volunteer to do this if we are able to attend – my little contribution!

This time, because I had to go out on the day I made it, there wasn’t quite sufficient time for the second prove, so they came out a bit smaller than usual and the texture was a little dense, but still delicious and everyone enjoyed it. Again, I divided the dough into three portions as this recipe makes two enormous ones, and there usually aren’t enough of us to consume it all! I have frozen the third one, and I’m going to take it to my friend’s Macmillan tea party on Saturday, raising funds for cancer.

My sourdough loaf this week:

I showed someone this photo at church on Sunday and he said that when I really perfect my sourdough technique (always striving for an ever more open crumb), there will just be a crust containing one enormous hole! Haha! Sourdough perfecting itself out of existence. Just how holey does it have to be to be perfect? This week, not quite as much oven spring as I’d like, but still perfectly acceptable, and a gorgeous flavour.

I made a huge pot of very thick vegetable soup this week (now in the freezer). For this I’d bought a butternut squash and a celeriac, both of which I cut in half and used for the soup, and chopped the second half of each to roast with some other veggies, in order to make a couple of quiches for the freezer. Unfortunately I forgot them and they got burnt. Grrrrrrrr. Mega annoyed with myself! I managed to salvage a very small quantity and these have been used chopped up in various other things (salad, sourdough pancakes). I shall have to try again another time.

I made more sourdough crackers on Sunday evening. I’d nearly run out of coconut oil so had to use olive oil as well – either will do but I love the delicate flavour of the coconut.

I made sourdough pancakes again on Sunday evening, too – again with kimchi which gives them a nice spicy kick. Some of my rescued roasted veggies went in too.

Finally, something that arrived with my grocery shopping this week: a relaxed carrot.

Kitties

Am I tempted to go out and play with my sister? Noooo… not really… too nice and warm indoors!

As usual, Lily is rolling and showing everything… That kitty is soooo soft…

They’ve both been spending more time indoors since the weather has got colder, and Ruby’s latest favourite place is on my legs when I get my feet up on the recliner. She’s so nice and warm! I often have Lily as well, and then Ruby lies more on my feet which get really squashed, as she’s so heavy these days!

Health update

At last I’ve got my CT scan appointment – Thurs. 18th Oct. in the evening. I am more and more convinced that it will confirm my suspicions that my hernia has returned. I really have no doubt about it now. I am still awaiting the arrival of the first pair of support pants after the support garments lady visited me recently. I know my stoma supply company has got the prescription so it shouldn’t be too long now. If they fit OK, I can go ahead and order another two pairs but if not, the lady will have to come back for another fitting. Hopefully I’ll be set up soon because my current pairs offer very little support now, being well over a year old (I should have new ones every year) and also because I’ve lost weight since they were made.

Next week I’ve got a blood test appointment with the practice nurse (after going back on my rivaroxaban anticoagulant – they need to check my kidney function periodically, apparently) and on the same day I’m getting my eyes tested. I’m also having my stairlift serviced so it’s all go!

Other things

Another Torbay Friends of Israel meeting this Sunday, at which I am hoping to sing again, and my Bible study group is going well. Lots of preparation work to be done and I’ll have to fit in quite a few hours on that this coming week. I’ve also got a huge backlog of emails that need dealing with.

I really want some more studio time this week!!!