Advent

Mr JK was a huge fan of Christmas, as am I, although I'm not feeling very enthusiastic about it this year. We always decorated the house on Advent Sunday and loved opening each box of decorations, collected over many years, greeting all the trinkets like old friends and remembering where we'd bought them from. This year, those boxes are staying up in the loft, and my token gesture towards Christmas, apart from the glass angel I showed you last week, is a rather rustic string of bunting I made at The Makeplace in Norwich. It was a lovely way to spend a morning and I am pleased with the result. I hung it up around the mantelpiece and it brings a touch of the festive spirit into the house. 

My sock mojo has returned and I have managed to finish a pair of DK socks - I love the fact that they knit up so quickly and will definitely knit more. Perfect for slouching around in at home or wearing inside my wellies at Parkrun. The yarn is from Opal, in their Wintermond range and this colourway is 'Sleigh Ride'. I bought my yarn here and had excellent service from Julie. I've also made progress on my giant granny squares blanket, which tells you something about my sleep (or lack of it), as it sits by my bedside!

Talking of Parkruns, I was volunteering again yesterday and it was another beautiful morning. The mist was just clearing and the sun came out. Still cold, but I don't mind that when it's dry and sunny. Give me that any day over a grey, damp day.

Flo continues to be a great comfort to me, coming for snuggles as regular as clockwork each evening as well as being my night-time companion. She seems to sense when a little nudge or cheek rub is needed. It's so nice driving home and seeing her on the window sill looking out and waiting for me.

I had a lovely surprise in the post this week - I discovered that I'd won a kit from Loop in London. The kit is just gorgeous, 21 mini skeins to knit a stripy slouchy hat. Beautiful happy colours which lifted my spirits when I opened the parcel. I've also received gifts from friends in the USA and Canada this week and yet again have been touched by how kind and thoughtful the knitting community has been. Both my friends on Ravelry and Instagram and Mr JK's running friends on Twitter continue to be so supportive.

Before I go, I must just share with you two giveaways that are running, or soon will be. The Stylecraft Advent Giveaway begins today, over on their Facebook page and Instagram. Running from today until December 20th, they'll be giving away prizes each day. The Blogstars have also given some prizes - I think my day is December 8th, but I'm not going to tell you what I've my prize is! You'll have to keep an eye on Stylecraft! 

The second giveaway is from KnitPro and starts on December 5th. The KnitPro Twelve Days of Christmas giveaway will be giving away more than 70 prizes. You can sing away to the Twelve Days of Christmas as you read your way through this list of treats:

12 Clickies clicking 

11 Yarn Cutters cutting 

10 Packs of stitch markers marking 

9 Colour Cables 

8 Repair Hooks mending 

7 Needle Sizers 

6 Wave crochet hooks 

5 sets of DPNs 

4 Jumbo Birch crochet hooks 

3 Royale Midi sets 

2 Wave Crochet sets

and 1 gorgeous Melodie gift set.

Wow! That's a LOT of prizes, definitely worth entering.  Check in on the KnitPro Facebook page for more details when they are announced.

I'll be popping back on December 1st when I have a rather special Advent calendar to share with you. xxx

Keeping things 'normal'

Not much knitting this week, I've been in a bit of a craft slump again I'm afraid. Flo keeps looking pointedly at the wrappy poncho that I've started. I think if it stays in the knitting bag on the sofa much longer, I'll find her curled up on top of it, claiming squatter's rights. 

It was freezing cold here yesterday morning. I was volunteering at our local parkrun. I really like doing it, and find it comforting to be involved in something that Mr JK was so passionate about. It makes me feel closer to him in a funny sort of way. He really hoped that one day I'd actually run in one rather than volunteer. Who knows?! Never say never! Although it was cold, it was a beautiful morning to be out and about. 

Afterwards I went into Norwich to meet a friend for lunch. There was a Scandinavian market outside the Forum and I bought a beautiful glass angel tealight holder. It's meant to be a Christmas decoration but I think she looks very much at home on the mantelpiece and wants to live there all year round.

This weekend was 'Stir up Sunday', when Christmas puddings and cakes were traditionally made. Mr JK was a huge fan of Christmas and we always made our own puddings, so I decided to keep that tradition going. On went the Christmas music and I followed Delia's recipe. There were tears when it came to the stirring - we always held the spoon together and stirred and made a wish - but I did it and now I have eight delicious puddings to share with friends and eat over the festive season and beyond. 

Flo wanted to keep up with the action when it came to getting them ready for steaming this morning!

And it was with some sadness that I ate the final pudding that Mr JK and I made together last year. It did taste good but ...

I shall say goodnight to you now - Flo is craving a bit of lap time before bed. I'll dig out my sock to knit on too and see if I can finish it off to show you next week. xxx

Tiny steps

I started back at school this week, but only working mornings while I try to get my sleep (or lack of it) sorted out. It's been good to do something 'normal'. My creative mojo has been pretty low for the past month and I haven't been able to settle to much. My night-time companion has been a Granny Square blanket using a variety of colours of Stylecraft Special DK that I bought a year ago with a knitted blanket in mind. However, I found myself wanting something mindless and soothing to work on and the repetitiveness of the crochet fitted the bill. There's no special plan, just picking the colours fairly randomly and working each round. I plan to use the Parchment shade to work a final round on each square and join them as I go.

I have also started a poncho/wrap using a pattern from the most recent Rowan book. I'm using yarn that Mr JK picked out for a sweater for himself. I had started knitting it but had decided that the yarn wasn't right for the pattern so it had been frogged. The poncho uses the very same yarn - Rowan Brushed Fleece. Perfect! So it will be like having a hug from Mr JK when I wear it. Of course, Flo is rather smitten with it too, but I think I can allow her a share in in the hugs too.

I haven't done any sock knitting for ages and decided to try some DK socks for a change. I ordered yarn from Suffolk Socks and had brilliant service. Julie was really sweet and added a few extras in my parcel in the hope of kick starting my sock knitting. And do you know, I think it's worked. I started these yesterday evening when I was with my pal Snoopydog and look how much they've grown already!  The yarn is an Opal one, so I know it will wash and wear very well. You never know, I might have a finished pair by next weekend. xxx

Thank you

Thank you so much to each and every one of your for your kind messages and support. It's been a very sad time here, but I have been so comforted by all the good wishes and love that has been coming my way. Cards, emails, gifts, messages and even meeting up with bloggy friends. The knitting community and the running community have been incredible and I cannot thank people enough. I'm going to start taking baby steps back into Blogland over the coming weeks. xxx