Everywhere I Look...

...I see greetings cards. It is so lovely - in the lounge, and in the dining room, and on the window sill. Cards, cards, cards

These are just some of the ones I received for my birthday, along with three lots of flowers [plus my Mothering Sunday ones which lasted two full weeks - thank you family, and Bloom&Wild]
People sent birthday cards, and Get Well cards, and Easter cards. Far more than usual. And they took the time to write thoughtful messages inside.
Some of the cards had been specially made, and those ones are always precious.

This one was die cut, embossed and inked. The colours and textures are beautiful. "If you come up to my house at 2pm, I shall leave your card and some flowers behind the gate" said my isolating friend. I went up on my bike - and sat on the steps at the end of her garden and she sat just inside her front door, and we had a good chat in the sunshine!

These three from friends who know me very well - and from all over the country. All of them feature sewing - two with machines, and one with a free-motion machine embroidery flower. You can't quite see the cute little pair of silver scissors on the card top left. I love the different fabrics and embellishments.

This is an Easter card from Alison - a very dear friend here in Ferndown. She is one of the UK's top parchment crafters, and runs teaching workshops. Find out about her Kingfisher Crafts business here. This is the special Easter card she designed for 2020.So much detail, such intricate work. I love it!

And then these two cards- made by some young children I know. The orange one came from a little girl in Norfolk, and inside it said "to Angela and Bob. I miss Rosie and you two, lots of love". I miss her too - and hope its not too long before we see her and her family.
Maybe if the lockdown keeps going, I shall sit down one morning and make some cards myself. I have been terrible at remembering dates. I've missed 4 birthdays of family and friends since all this started, which is really unlike me.
I feel like the deaf little old ladies on the park bench...
First granny; "Isn't it windy?"
Second granny "No it's Thursday"
Third granny; "So am I, let's have a cup of tea"
[please note, this joke predates social distancing]
I usually have a two week rule for displaying a card on the mantelpiece. But at the moment I may make it three...because their bright cheerfulness reminds me I have so many dear friends and family members "out there", and I am grateful for them all - and I pray they will be kept well and safe.

Lockdown Locks

Hairdressers are not deemed "essential" so they have been closed during this time of lockdown. I had my hair cut on March 12th - so fortunately it's still looking ok. But I took a picture of Bob on Good Friday and realised just how long his hair is getting.

Someone asked me how tall Bob has, as his hair appears to touch the ceiling- I had to explain that he is tall, but I'm pretty short so that affects the camera angle!
I shall have to get out the trusty clippers and give him a trim, preferably before his next YouTube church appearance. 
Have you seen the number of disasters perpetrated by amateur barbers over the last few weeks? People seem delighted to share pictures of their nearest and dearest. 

You'd want to die of embarrassment wouldn't you? In fact, you could make a film about that, with Simon Pegg, and call it "Dead of The Shorn" [I couldn't resist that pun, sorry]
I noticed that all the bad haircuts I've seen thus far have been of blokes- does that suggest

1. women with bad haircuts avoid being photographed?
2. women are wise enough not to let inexperienced people get near their head with scissors?
3. most women are just letting their hair grow, and tying it back, or at most, trimming the fringe carefully? [useful trimming instructions here]

Sali Hughes, the Guardian beauty writer, shared this tip from her hairdresser “Stepping back from the blowdryer and straightening or curling iron is easier, saves time, preserves condition and very often looks better,” he says. The trick is to place hair where desired when soaking wet. “Comb it through, apply any product, part it where you like, tuck behind the ears, twist, shake it out – but then leave it alone until it’s dry. Then you can disturb it, taking a piece or two to style with tools, but don’t bother with the back – only the front matters in Zoom meetings.”

 I usually blow dry my hair, and very occasionally curl the ends under with my straighteners [yes, I know that sounds perverse...] but I have been forgetting all of that and following the advice above. And my hair feels fine and dandy, thank you. I have been dyeing my hair for ...years [see here] ever since I started seeing grey hairs growing through. Usually every 13 weeks or so, usually early December, around Easter, June and mid September. I buy boxes of hair colouring when it's on offer, two packs at a time. My last dyeing experience [not counting daughters and henna at Cornerstones] was around 4th January [it never got done in time for Christmas]. That makes it 15 weeks now. And actually, it doesn't seem that grey [check out the YouTube from Sunday] I shall see how it grows. There is a box of dye on top of the cupboard if it starts to look terrible. It will certainly be a long time before I need to plait it, anyway. 

Speaking of plaits, I got a bit carried away with the bread making yesterday!

Losing Track Of The Dates

Minor domestic disasters - Two weeks before lockdown, the nonslip mat in the bath split. As we have to stand in the bath to use the shower, this is a safety matter. Bob put the mat in the bin, and we tried to buy a new one locally. Boots told us they didn't sell them anymore, Ferndown Wilko said that we needed to go to a larger branch. It never happened.
We've been very careful not to slip. Then the loo seat broke. Not due to excess weight, but the metal fitting just went. Bob ordered online and now we have a new blue mat and a fancy soft-close seat. Problems solved

So I thought we should celebrate with cake. I decided to make a boil&bake fruit loaf [it only needs one egg] I used my regular BeRo recipe, here, but tweaked it a bit. I'd got a few sad chopped dates, some dried apricots, and also half a small jar of cocktail cherries.

I chopped them up to use instead of sultanas or mixed dried fruit. Instead of water, I simmered the fruit in some "cranberry and raspberry tea". We had a lovely selection box of teas at Christmas, but neither of us liked this one.  It added a lovely dimension to the flavour, and the pieces of fruit were colourful and bright. 

It is satisfying to use up odds and ends like this. I'm sure there are other uses I can find for this fragrant fruity tea. Any suggestions? 

In Liberty And In Lockdown

I decided to post about Gaz & Steph's staircase yesterday because it was their 2nd wedding anniversary - then forgot to mention that in the post! Congratulations! Maybe in future they will amend the wedding service- for richer, for poorer, for better for worse, in sickness and in health, in liberty and in lockdown...
Life goes on, I've tried to have a cycle ride every day since Thursday - I missed on Monday though. Friday was my 65th birthday, and I want to spend this year working on my fitness levels as well as knitting a weather scarf!
I've tackled the ironing basket!![applause]

And I have made SO much bread. 

Jack Monroe's Slocooker Bread [I threw in some seeds which were in the larder] That was very good [recipe] and I did it in a tin.** It toasted well.

Rachel Allen's Soda Bread [plus seeds] I did that half sized. I need to turn the oven temp down a little, the crust was a bit too well-done [recipe]

I used a can of IPA someone had given Bob to make a Beer Bread, thus saving on yeast. It was a soft crumb, and a bit crumbly round the edges[recipe] but it had a plesant flavour.

I made a 'regular' slocooker loaf, but using chapatti flour - that came out well - again I did half quantity and in a tin. [recipe]   
And I made Swedish Semlor Buns [confession, I did make a batch of these the week before, as a Lenten treat, but they came out like bullets!] [recipe]

All in all the last few days have been very satisfactory in terms of domestic achievements. **please see note about the tin in the comments 

Going Clip Clippety Clop On The Stair

Are you old enough to remember this 'novelty' song from 1965? [55 years ago!] Recorded by Ronnie Hilton, the single sold more than a million copies that year. I've only been to Holland once, but I loved Amsterdam, and the windmills, and the tulips - and the lovely blue and white delftware.


Steph and Gary have been using 'lockdown time' to get the home ready for the arrival of the baby. One project which needed finishing was the staircase. 

They wanted to have a painted staircase with a blue and white Delft-type theme, which would blend with the wood effect in the hall, and the blue/grey landing carpet.

1. First Steph experimented on the bottom two steps to see how it looked.
2. Then alternate treads were painted blue
3. And then remaining treads
4. Then the risers were painted white.
5. Finally all the risers had their blue design stencilled in place.

Here's the completed staircase [with a coat of non slip safety varnish]
I think it looks great - the hall is so much lighter and brighter than it was before. I think this picture is good enough to be in a magazine!
Well done S&G! I hope it is not too long before I get to climb this staircase!

Good [And Less Good] Housekeeping

I'll be honest here - nobody is coming inside my house for a while, so I've been a bit more relaxed than usual.

Some things have worked- last year I embroidered my dishcloths for the days of the week. It seemed a bit OTT at the time. 

Right now it is brilliant - each night, I put that day's cloth into a mesh washing bag, and put out the next day's cloth. Because at the moment, I often find myself in the kitchen making the first morning cuppa, struggling to work out what day of the week it is! At least now it is written in front of me.

I am rethinking my teatowel situation. Since I married, I've used check cloths like this [my MIL used check ones, so I knew this must be the correct procedure] 

They have As on them because occasionally they end up at church,and I prefer to bring my own ones home again! [And also, I like using my embroidery machine] More on teatowels* in another post.

But my epic fail is with the ironing. The contents of the ironing basket are now almost 1 metre high. I have not ironed since March 10th, just before I went to Manchester, caught the virus, and entered lockdown. I have been washing dirty clothes, but wearing fresh ones. Bob has plenty of shirts in the wardrobe to choose from.

And he only wears a shirt when recording his church services. We've mostly lived in scruffy teeshirts, jeans and pyjamas for the past month. 

How long do you think I can keep this up? I have never gone as long as this between ironing sessions before. 

Tackling the ironing basket will de-crease the contents!

I probably ought to do my winter-to-summer clothes sort this week - we are into April now. Perhaps ironing, and sorting - and filling a bag ready for when the CS opens again would be a productive use of time.

* here in the UK, we say teatowel for the dry cloth used to dry plates etc after washing up, and dishcloth for the damp cloth used for wiping things in the kitchen. The Americans say dishtowel and I think that means teatowel. So what do they call the wet cloth? Bless, or somebody, can you help out here?

Hallelujah!

Click on this link HERE to access Easter worship from United Church Ferndown
[thank you to all our friends who have made this recording possible]
This will give you the You Tube links in the correct order

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days, because He lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

A Whole New Language

I now know words which I wasn't aware of a month ago - and many of them sound strange.
I already knew anosmia - it sounds like a fear of watching Pointless, but is actually means loss of sense of smell,and I knew anorexia which is loss of appetite

But ageusia?  [pronounced age-you-seer] That one is loss of sense of taste. Anosmia and ageusia are now recognised symptoms of covid19. We were both aware that we couldn't taste things before they started mentioning it as a symptom. My mouth felt dry and horrid, and at one point Bob declared the cheese was 'way too salty' and put it back in the fridge. He subsequently tasted it again and declared it fine- it was his taste buds at fault. I'm happy to report that we are both enjoying our food again! In fact I think we are appreciating smell and taste even more, having experienced the temporary loss.

Then there is syncope [sin-co-pay] who sounds like she should be the Greek Goddess of Jazz. But this medical term, usually known as fainting, is a loss of consciousness and muscle strength characterized by a fast onset, short duration, and spontaneous recovery. This is another recognised symptom. Bob had it, I didn't.
And finally I learned fomites  [foe-mitt-tees] which are any inanimate objects that, when contaminated with or exposed to infectious agents [such as pathogenic bacteria, or viruses], can transfer disease to a new host. These can be clothes, masks, utensils, books, bedding, skin cells...

WFH is working from home  [it is not Wash F****in Hands]
And well done Emily Maitlis, on Wednesday evening's Newsnight 
speaking out about the words used by many politicians at this time

Maitlis described the platitudes [being used ] as“misleading”, saying that the myth of the virus as a social “leveller” had to be debunked. She said. “The language around Covid-19 has sometimes felt trite and misleading. You do not survive the illness through fortitude and strength of character, whatever the prime minister’s colleagues will tell us and the disease is not a great leveller – the consequences of which everyone, rich or poor, suffers the same. This is a myth which needs debunking. Coronavirus has exposed the gulf between the lives  of those struggling to make ends meet and the wealthy"

Read the whole piece here. I think it is excellent. 

Easter Story Biscuits - aka Resurrection Cookies

Here's something you might want to try if you have children who like cooking. It is a retelling of the Easter Story - and as you read it, you make biscuits. Five simple ingredients - but do read the recipe through first so you understand the method. Make in the evening, bake overnight.

The bible verses are listed after each instruction.

You need these things

• 1 cup whole nuts [almond, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts – whatever you have! - or use a handful of cornflakes]
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 egg whites [separate them before you start. Use the yolks in another recipe]
• pinch salt
• 1 cup sugar
• Ziploc plastic bag
• Mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• baking sheet lined with greaseproof/parchment paper
• masking tape

Method

Preheat oven to 150ºC [IMPORTANT, do it NOW don't wait till you're halfway through the recipe!]

Place nuts in the bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.  Explain that after Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman soldiers.  [John chapter 19; 1-3 “So the Roman Governor Pilate took Jesus and had him beaten by the soldiers. The soldiers, having plaited a crown from thorns, set it on his head, threw a purple robe over him, and approached him with, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they greeted him with slaps in the face”.]

Let each child smell the vinegar.  Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl.  Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink.  [Read John 19:28-30. Jesus, said, “I’m thirsty.” A jug of sour wine like vinegar was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the vinegar on a spear and lifted it to his mouth. After he drunk it, Jesus said, “It’s done . . . complete.” Bowing his head, he died.]

Add egg whites to vinegar.  Eggs represent new life.  Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.  [Read John 10:10-11. “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.”]

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand.  Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.  Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the sadness we feel when we make mistakes and do wrong things.  [Read Luke 23:27.” A huge crowd of people followed, along with many women weeping”]

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing.  Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us.  He wants us to know him and be his friends.  [Read Psalm 34:8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is. and John 3:16.  “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life”]

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.  Explain that the colour white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.  [Read Isaiah 1:18 The Lord says, “Now, let's get this sorted out. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow” ]

Fold in broken nuts.  Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper on a baking sheet.  Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.  [Read Matthew 27:60. A rich man called Joseph took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance.]

Put the baking sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.  Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.  Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.  [Read Matthew 27:65-66. “Take a guard,” Governor Pilate ordered; “go and make the tomb as secure as you can.”  So they left and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and leaving the guard on watch.]

GO TO BED!  Explain that the children may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.  Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. [ Read John 16:20 & 22.” I am telling you the truth: you will cry and weep, but the world will be glad; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness - That is how it is with you: now you are sad, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you.”]

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.  Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.  The cookies are hollow!  On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.  [Read Matthew 28:1-9. As Sunday morning was dawning, Mary and her friend went to look at the tomb.  Suddenly there was a violent earthquake; an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled the stone away, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid that they trembled and became like dead men. The angel spoke to the women. “You must not be afraid,” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has been raised to life again, just as he said. Come here and see the place where he was lying. Go quickly now, and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from death, and now he is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see him!’ Remember what I have told you.” So the women left the tomb in a hurry, afraid and yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Peace be with you.” They came to him, knelt down and worshipped him. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to them. “Go and tell my friends to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”]

Happy Easter everyone, Jesus is Alive!

©AA/UCF/04/20

Worship With Us On Good Friday

Click on the link below for the whole service
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzDKwmzGC3A&list=PLMM0wxhALBthXh0n9QmDNWOsuSG6Q82g2
The YouTube clips will proceed in sequence

Good Friday

Do This In Remembrance Of Me

Two thousand years ago, Jesus shared a Passover Meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified. He said "Whenever you eat and drink together, remember me". This event has many names throughout the Church - Mass, Eucharist, The Lord's Supper, Breaking of Bread...and in my tradition, it is often just called communion - because we come together to share in this declaration of faith. This year, we cannot physically come together - but we invite you to join us as we celebrate together [the whole service lasts about 17 minutes] Find some bread, and something to drink...and maybe light a candle.

a hymn 

communion

a closing hymn

Thank you for worshipping with us - God bless you today and always
Bob and Angela Almond - United Church Ferndown, Dorset

Join Us For Communion

Every year, on Maundy Thursday, we join together at United Church Ferndown for a communion service. We are going to do that this evening - but in a very different way. If you would like to join with us, watch the clip below now for instructions on preparation, and then join us here on the blog from around 6.45 this evening. And don't worry if you haven't got wine or 'proper' bread or wafers, or a candle. These are just symbols - a glass of water and a simple biscuit will do fine!

Sew Relaxing

I've had the machine out this week. It's been good fun. I made another crossover apron for a friend. Very pleased with the way it came out - its a lovely floral cotton. But I had to pin the straps because you have to fit it to the wearer - so the recipient will have to adjust it when she gets it and sew the ends in place.
When I replaced the bobbin, I noticed there was rather a lot of fluff in the bobbin case. I used to blow it out with Bob's compressed air spray [that's airspray, not hairspray!] 

But Andrew, at White Orchid who services my machines told me that might be ok for computers, but it is bad for sewing machines, because it blows all the fluff into the workings. I cut up some scraps of soft cotton, and holding them with tweezers, gently wiped round the bobbin area. It was horrifying to see the oily black fluff which came out!

At Christmas, we gave Rosie a Baby Annabell doll, and I made her a carry sling. This week I noticed our young neighbour [also called Rosie] outside in the back garden with her BA doll. "Would you like a sling?" I asked. It is a matter of minutes to make these. I took it round, and asked her Mum if I could borrow Annabell for a moment.
I needed to take a few measurements!

 Then I had fun making two pairs of doll's pyjamas - one set will go off to Rosie shortly. The blue fabric is some shirting from the stash, and I made some contrast bias with a bit of floral cotton.

My final sewing job was to repair my chinos. I do not know how I made a tiny hole in them, halfway down my left thigh. I decided simply to patch the back of the hole with interfacing then do some satin stitch on the machine to strengthen it.

The right hand picture is a more accurate reflection of the colour. I tried all my khaki threads, and the 3rd matched the best. It is a tiny little darn - and doesn't really show. I'm not discarding the trousers for one little hole!
An apron, a sling, 2 pairs of doll pjs and a chino mend. |And all that fluff dealt with. It has been a good sewing session!
I have been asked about sewing DIY face masks. This is not something I plan to do myself. I think the WHO guidelines are clear about this. Professionals should have professional surgical masks, or N-95 respirators. There are too many issues around fitting, laundry and disposal, and the fact that the virus can stay on the surface for a long time. I would not want to make someone a mask which gives them a false sense of security. But that's just my opinion.
Having the machine out has been good - it has made things feel a little more "normal" Maybe I shall make a pair of summer dresses for the two Annabells.

Old Masters - New Interpretations

The Getty Museum in LA has asked people under lockdown to recreate their favourite artwork using the stuff they have at home, and share the results on Twitter. People have come up with some splendid stuff. Click this link to see some great examples.The Arnolfini Marriage, and Murder of Marat

This young milkmaid is so cute!
Mind you, I am more interested in all that bread she has on the table!
It is an interesting challenge.
Which picture would you recreate?

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

....then I'll begin. Older readers will remember that before CBeebies** on TV, there used to be "Listen With Mother" on the BBC Home Service [which became Radio 4] It always began with that phrase. At antenatal classes, they always seem to bang on about sitting comfortably when you are feeding your baby. 

When my friends moved house [a few years back] they gave me their family 'Nursery Chair'. "You can make it a 'refurb project' - and do what you like with it afterwards- sell it, give it away, whatever - it's over 50 years old" The chair has sat in the corner of our lounge under a throw. Until last Saturday.

I stripped it, and cleaned up the woodwork.
I added extra padding to the seat, 
covered it in plain cotton, 
then in a heavy teal upholstery fabric.
[Steph's Nursery is teal and ochre]
I replaced the base piece which hides the springs 
secured all round with some bayonet tacks from the garage.

Before and after [that's the Fair Isle baby blanket I knitted in 1982]

Steph can sit on the chair and feed the baby [**and even listen to CBeebies Radio if she likes] Thank you A&A for this chair, it has been a fun project.
I'm not as good as Sonnaz on The Repair Shop, but it's OK.

John Rylands, The Bodleian, And Rosie's Place!

Liz sent a series of WhatsApp messages yesterday afternoon. They made my heart sing!

Ro: I want to go back to London
Liz; why?
Ro; so we can go to the library
Liz; 

Ro; what if we MADE a library?

Customers are getting books recommended that relate to their interests

We have a till and library cards

And recommendations are very tailored

Three cheers for all the parents and children out there who are doing brilliant, creative things right now.