Frank and Josie's House

Firstly thank you for the love. After my last blogpost I was touched to receive so many messages and comments of love, encouragement and thanks for being honest. I'm glad I could help those who needed it, including myself. Now onward... Lately I have been thrilled to see so many people on my various social media feeds that are promoting the use of either reusable plastics, non-plastic alternatives or articles relating to the environmental damage plastic causes or the shock articles (which seem to be working) with turtles eating plastic in our oceans etc. I'm thrilled because the awareness is out there. I'd like to say it's all down to me but I've a feeling that its a combination two things: 1. the Blue Planet effect and 2. people are finally starting to listen to those environmentalists who have been shouting this at us for years. Well 3 if you include my campaign ;-) A recycled plastic toothbrush that’s also recyclable. (Picture from Bioseptyl website) Suddenly I...

Lately I've been expressing via social media how my depression is starting to resurface and I want to start by saying thank you. I've received so much support in the form of comments and messages, texts and face-to-face. Somehow it's easier to say things via social media than face-to-face. Do you find that? Yes, those gremlins are back and they've been fed after midnight so are not cute, soft and fluffy but are green, have big teeth and sing "New York, New York" just when you don't need it! I've tried not feeding them but they only stop singing if I give them chocolate, particularly this lovely dark chunky chocolate with big pieces of candied orange. It's their favourite and they tell me to eat it all the time. I'm trying to give myself a break. I keep telling myself that it's ok to not be ok. I keep hearing it everywhere and in fact it was the subject of one of my mum discussion groups today. I know I'm hard on myself but it's bett...

So here I am: awake far too late because I'm uncomfortable with yet another endometriosis flare up. My stomach hurts as does my lower back and my hands feel like they're shaking despite the fact they're still as anything. My legs feel like jelly as if all the bones have been removed and my brain can't settle on one thing or another. So I thought I'd write a blogpost until I fall asleep as I can't get into my book and I'm going around in social media circles! Instead I'm going to tell you all about my yoga mat case/bag. I've had trouble knowing what to call it. I say bag but you might say case. I say potaato and you say potato! I'm going with bag as thats what it is. It has a strap so its a bag. Ok so I only carry it from the corner by the CDs to the rug but thats at least 30 seconds walking! And here is is: This one is for my sister...if she likes the colour. Now I do have the pattern written down which I may share at some point but at the moment...

I'm writing a blogpost about crochet! I know!!! How long has that *^+&ing been? Ages. Too long my dear friends. You will be pleased to hear that I am determined to make all things in my life work and after last week's rainy day thoughts I decided to be a little more chipper. The sun heard me and decided to come out (even if a storm is brewing for this evening) and has helped me regain some energy. So onward and on to a new crochet technique I finally tried: corner to corner crochet or C2C as it is referred to in short hand. It was Frank's birthday in March and I decided that as loads of our cushions were falling apart and he loved his Avenger's logo cushion from last year that I'd bring to life another of his favourite super hero characters...well logos. And Batman it was. the decision was easy really as he's always saying to the kids: "Do you know why? Because I'm Batman!" in a silly, growly imitation of the Lego Batman. The kids love it. So ...

It's a miserable rainy day here. After a couple of weeks of really nice weather it's a bit of a shock to get out the big thick jumpers again. The Jessica jumper has reemerged which is a surprise as I didn't expect to see it again for a few months. Cold drinks have gone away in favour of a nice hot beverage (mocha anyone?) and sun cream has been replaced by raincoats. I know it's only temporary but it's put me in a contemplative mood. I'm trying to figure out what's going on with me. Now so much recently has been on the physical symptoms that I've not paid much attention to my head. Thoughts have gone unanswered or written down to be acted on another time. So now I'm addressing those. Why do you come in to this, dear reader? Well because one of the things I'm contemplating is whether I want to continue this blog or not. I started this as a blog for crochet and life but recently I've not felt the motivation. I have two crochet projects I want ...

The last couple of days have been beautiful here. It's been gradually turning to spring but yesterday the paddling pool came out....and we discovered something had tried to eat it! So we popped to the shop and I persuaded the kids we only need a little paddling pool for now as opposed to the massive actual pool-sized pools. We have a patch of sand in our garden where a big pool was before. A perfect sunny spot for our little pool so on it went, we filled it up (unfortunately our hose didn't reach so buckets it was) and in got the kids...and so did lots of the sand and various other bit and bobs. The kids asked for a net. We don't have a net so we used the sieve. Not the most hygienic thing ever. Today when the kids wanted to jump back in they had to fish out the insects first. They did well but I was beginning to realise only a net would do. Now on Sundays in France the shops are closed so I improvised. You know those bath puffs that are made out of lots of squashed up net?...

Hi all. I was tempted to start with post with an apology for not posting the last couple of weeks and then realised it was unnecessary. You are an understanding lot and won't mind that. Especially when I tell you it's been busy as we've had visitors but also I've been suffering with my endometriosis symptoms these last couple of weeks. It's difficult having a toddler and permanent back pain plus fatigue. But it was worth struggling through to see my sister and her family. I'm close to my sister so it was important that she and her family visit us here. We've gone from living 70 miles and one and a half hours away to 500 miles and a one and half hour flight. A slight difference. She also suffers from a long-term illness so at times we became “old women”. and sat on the sofa chatting with knitting needles in hand...well she knitted and I crocheted but that doesn't read as well. We had a lovely week with them. It was U.K. Easter holidays but not French East...