Rocking Your World 2020: Week 13

Note item number 8. That is the purpose of these weekly posts. We are looking for the good things that have happened this week. I am sure for some of you that is not easy right now, but even in these sad days there is always something, and that is what we need to focus on.

My big smile this week was when we heard our postman shouting from the gate to come out and collect a parcel. He left two grey squishy bags on my gatepost, and they were my order from Wool Warehouse in UK. I had got my order in just in time before they decided they could not accept any more orders from outside UK. I knew it had been dispatched but I wasn't sure how long it would take to arrive. In the end it was nine days, just two more than usual. One bag contained enough dark blue wool to finish my current project, and the other was lots of smaller balls of lovely coloured cotton yarn for my next project, so I am well set up to be locked down for a while yet.

I am very grateful for this as it is still not the weather we would like, so sitting outside is not an option right now, and evenings in front of the TV pass slowly for me unless I have something to occupy my hands. We do often get the odd day of rain in March but it is really unusual for it to go on for so long. This is our second week of grey skies, on and off rain, and much colder temperatures, and it is not set to change much in the coming week. We are back to where we were in the winter, with the fire on, lap blankets wrapped around our legs, and all the animals choosing to curl up inside with us. Here is everyone trying to keep snug. I am there next to Chris of course (sorry the stem of my crocheting lamp was in the way), but for once Tango joined Paco and Luna on the second settee instead of my lap.

It hasn't been all bad, and some days the sun has managed to break through for an hour or two, so yesterday I was pleased to get a load of washing dry outside, with only one T-shirt getting blown away. I managed to rescue it without it getting grubby again.

I also took the opportunity to walk around the front garden. The day before we had had heavy rain continuously all day and I wanted to check that everything had survived.

Some plants really enjoyed the water and I was amazed to see the 'potato tree', that has struggled to thrive in a pot by our front door, had suddenly become covered in its lovely purple flowers. I have never seen it looking so good. Both my hydrangeas are looking really good. They are water loving plants so they were enjoying a good soak. I love the yellow gerbera. It is a little common daisy that self seeded in one of my pots, and every year it shines out for me. The pink Kalanchoe is one that I had discarded because I thought it had died, but it has suddenly come to life again with abundant flowers. The top layer has some rain damage but the rest is fine. And finally, I am intrigues by two little seedlings that have appeared. I have no idea what they are, but I shall enjoy watching them grow.

I am trying to keep some variety in my days, so in the afternoons I come to my craft room. Sometimes I just spend the time trawling through the internet, and there are some very interesting things when you have time to search. Other days I make cards, mainly Christmas ones, as I don't think I'll be posting many birthday ones for a while. One day this week I used my cutting machine to make a piece of wall art. It is a mandala made from seven layers of coloured card. It was a bit frustrating until I found the best settings for my machine to cut the various thicknesses of card cleanly, but I am pleased with how it turned out. I made it to fit into an 8" shadow box frame that I knew I had hidden away in one of my cupboards. One day I'd like to make a bigger version. I can cut up to 12" square with my machine. But that will have to wait until I can send away for a larger frame.

It has been lovely to have lots of video calls with my boys this week. They have been taking it in turns to check up on us. They have also set up a family group on WhatsApp as not all of them use Facebook or Messenger, so on there we can all chat together. It is good that we are all looking out for each other.

One day, after a very damp morning, the clouds started to break up. the higher, dark clouds cleared, leaving thinner white ones really low so the Cabrera mountains showed above them. But in the opposite direction, the setting sun was fighting to shine through more dark clouds, and sure enough, the next day dawned wet again. But they still made for a lovely, dramatic sky.

Now I will link up with Annie's Friday Smiles. Virginia hasn't posted yet this week, so I hope she is well. If she posts later I will link up with her as well.

Now I'll leave you with a little picture that is not connected with the virus, and it made me smile. I hope you are managing to keep smiling too.