2015

• Well hello to anyone who is still following me. Christmas and New Year was quiet for us. Think the least said the better for I saw the New Year in with two black eyes. Not a pretty sight I can assure you. No I was not in a fight or anything like that. We went out to collect some wood for the fire and I got in the way of a small tree truck that decided to flip over and hit me right between the eyes. It knocked my specs clean off my face. Miraculously they never broke. I had a scrape above my  left eye and both  eyes puffed up and went black. No photo proof either.
• We have had all sorts of weather recently to. 
•  Sun, rain, thunderstorms, snow,  cold winds and more rain. Lots of places have been flooded and blocked in by snow. Don't for one moment think because Crete is a hot country that we don't get cold weather in the winter because we do.

 Things I have been making recently were this cushion cover for our secret Santa at the knit and natter group I attend. 

The above passage was from last year and never got published.

This year 2015 has had a few ups and downs.

 We still have a lovely view from our door.

 We have seen some lovely sunsets

 I am still making things. This a a shawl made with a lovely variegated yarn made by Alize.

 We have had plenty visitors. My sister and brother in law. My son, Graham and my nephew Stephen and his wife Tracey. (pictures above).

 We have visited many beaches. This is Vai beach. Much more commercialized than the last time we were here.

My plants have flowered continuously all summer.

We have had loads of tomatoes, beans, onions and melons from our very small garden. We still have cabbages and broccoli and tomatoes to harvest yet too.

 They put fibre optic cables through our village.

 Very quick method for digging the hole to lay it on.

 I have visited England this November and we saw some snow.s

Went to visit Lucky. This is the spot where she is buried. She used to love getting her feet wet in this stream.

The downs.

I fell down the steps outside and split open my head and broke my left wrist and I am left handed.

Ian fell down taking the dogs for a walk and broke his right wrist and he is right handed.

We still haven't got the outside of our house painted because of the heat and our wrists.

 I think that sums up our year up to now. We still have Christmas to look forward too as my son Graham is coming so that will be nice.

That was a quick catch up, sorry if it has been a bit long winded. I am really going to get back into blogging so watch out for my posts and thanks for bearing with me.

Cya,

Judith x

Progress report

Well a few more days have gone by and here is a progress report.This wall up our steps to the roof has been done

The outside view

and one from the road.

It is really taking shape now.

Cya,

Judith x

What a difference a day makes.

Well they seem to be pulling out all the stops here.

They  are certainly making big changes.

 Our fourno is going to look great.

The roof is going to be sheltered from the wind

 

It won't be long before she looks her best.
Cya Judith x

It's All Happening Here.

.

My poor house is naked. The builders came and removed her clothing and left her stripped bare. Soon she will have a whole new look. She is going to look real smart. It has been a long time coming only New doors and windows left to do.
Don't forget you can click on a photo to enlarge it for a better look.
We have dust everywhere and the poor dogs can't run free in the courtyards. To be honest they have been really well behaved and haven't barked much at the builders. They are stuck indoors but having lots more walks.

Will keep you posted on developments.
Cya Judith x

My New Look Chairs.

Well I did it. My chairs have been revamped.

You will notice that Sam and Rosie had to be in on the action.

I am really pleased with the way they turned out. I didn't have much to cut off. What do you think.
Cya Judith x

Hot off my sewing machine.

These little beauties

 All six of them. Nothing matching. All lovely colours. Destined to be my new seat covers.

 My dining chairs are due a makeover.

These are sure to brighten things up a bit, em! A lot.

 Thing is now they are made up can I bear to cut them to fit? That is a big question. You will have to wait and see.

 All the materials were just scraps. Off cuts. Bits and Bobs that I have collected from other projects. So they have cost me nothing except my time and effort.

I am really pleased with the way they  turned out.   

My next project was a cover for the dogs bed. Here is the lovely Rosie trying it out for size and comfort.

Perfect she reckons.
Oh! I have also been knitting but I will keep that for next time.
Cya, catch you all soon.
Judith x

She may be gone, but she is not forgotten

A whole year has gone by since our lovely Lucky passed.

We still miss her loads and just thinking of her still brings tears to my eyes.

Rest in peace my little darling. XXX

Well it's May. Ooooopps

The view from my front gate


Well it's May and I am back to tell you all what has been happening in our lives.
Oops it's not May! It's September. (Where on earth did all that time go???) Let me tell you that it has just whizzed by. I have not even had time to keep up with all your blogs, please forgive me.

As my followers will know (that's if I have any left) we moved back to the UK in April 2012 and by April 2014 we had made up our minds to move back to Crete. Yippee. Yes we are here in sunny Crete. We got back the beginning of May.

The house needed a good going through, two years of dust, cobwebs and creepy crawlies had to be removed. Then all our stuff arrived, boxes and boxes of it. (well really it's nearly all mine. Material, patterns, sewing thins, material, wool and material etc etc.

We have unpacked all of the essentials but there are still loads of boxes. My boxes. Where oh where is all my stuff going to go!!! Think I will have to get some sky hooks.

Did I tell you that I have loads of material. Good job I have loads and loads of ideas so I will use some of it up. I just thought of two more ideas yesterday, they are written down in my little note book so I will not forget them.

There is quite a list in there now. Autumn is coming up so I will have more time for sewing, knitting and crocheting and whatever else creeps up my back.

Anyway enough of that. We have looked at these plain white walls for long enough, think it's time for a change, an injection of colour. Get the colour charts out and see what we fancy.

Watch this space.

Cya,
Judith X

I have not forgotten you all out there.

I am so sorry for not doing any posts but things are really hectic here at the moment. Got loads to do and hardly anytime to do it in. I will find some time in May to tell you all what is happening. I am really excited about it.
Ps If you know what I am talking about keep it to yourselves.

Blogger here we come.

I have somehow  gotten out of posting on here frequently so I suggested to Featherduster, who is in the same boat as me, that we should encourage each other to do more posts. So we are both up to the challenge so here goes.

Going back to my post from last week, I am still feeling a lot of aches and pains. Hopefully they will soon go. They need to cos can't be putting up with them for much longer. I don't like feeling restricted in my movements. Anyway enough on that subject.

It is over a month since we lost our faithful friend, our Lucky. She is a big miss, I still have tears when I think about her. My eyes are full now. Even Rosie misses her terribly. Rosie was brought up with her from been born. She seems to have lost her confidence in some ways. She used to wander of into the woods looking for rabbits, but now she sticks close by. Any noise and she is looking all around nervously. Not the same little dog as she used to be. Hopefully it will only be a matter of time.
She has changed in other ways too. In the morning we have a little sing song together. Something she never did. She gives me more cuddles and kisses and wants picked up a lot more.

Right that is my post for today. Please help us get back into the groove by leaving us lots of comments. Thank you.
Cya,
        Judith x

Arrrgh, ooouch.

I had a job interview on Friday morning. I got up early to have a bath and get ready. On my way down the stairs, something happened, not sure how it happened or why but my foot seemed to slip off the stair. Crash, bang, wallop there I was lying in a heap at the bottom. Oh the pain! It took me a few minutes to gather myself together, however I could not get up onto my feet. It seemed that I had knocked the stuffing out of me. I literally crawled on all fours to the settee and lay the top half of my body on the seat. Eventually I managed to climb onto the settee. I lay there for a while trying to pull myself together. Needless to say I never made it to the interview. In the afternoon I was supposed to be meeting friends for lunch, that never happened neither.

I did eventually go to the hospital and had some x-rays, nothing broken thank goodness.So I have been laid up for a few days. I had to go for a medication check at the doctors today and explained about this feeling I had in my chest  and she sent me back to the hospital for another x-ray  thinking I could have a collapsed lung. It turned out to be ok. Phew, let out a sigh of relief. Well thats it from me, catch you all again soon.

Cya Judith x

The fruits of our labours

Today I have harvested tomatoes, borlotti beans, runner beans and a patty pan squash.

Think a nice vegetable soup is in order.

I have not bought any veg for quite a number of weeks now, what a money saver that is.

However I do have cucumbers coming out of my ears.

Think I will go blackberry picking tomorrow if the weather stays fine. I love blackberry tart.

All the sun that we have had this year has made them ripen early.

Must dash as I have a big pan awaiting me.

cya Judith x

Lunch

Lush fresh home grown tomatoes.
Lots of different varieties

Onion, a potato some veg stock and tomatoes bubbling away on the cooker top.

Some nice bread and a dollop of Greek yogurt = fresh tomato soup for lunch.

On out walk

I remembered to take my camera when we went on a recent walk. Lucky and Rosie love their walks as they like to chase the rabbits. Don’t know what they would do with one if they caught it.

Every day they stop by this stream for a quick drink.

 

Can you see the pheasant sitting on her 16 eggs? She is very well camouflaged .

Soon we will not be able to walk freely down this path as the hedgerow  grows out over the path.

sweet violets enjoying the morning sun.

Some of the tree don’t have their leaves yet.

This is not a very clear picture but this is a bank full of primrose.

Nearly home now. Both dogs are off the leader, they are getting very clever.

This is a lovely walk and to think once it was a massive pit heap. Now everyone can walk around here and have a good time.

cya all again soon.

Judith x