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24th November. Another week gone by.

11/24/2019

Will somebody stop the clock please, its going far too fast!

Mostly working this week and in the office on Friday. Traffic is getting worse as it always does this time of year.

Thursday was the Historical Society, The Industrial Heritage of the Blackcountry, which was very interesting. The speaker knew her stuff and had a good sense of humour. Went back to Shalagh's afterwards and she showed me a beautiful white dress that she has had in her wardrobe since the 50s. It was a chiffon material with a gathered skirt and stiff net underneath. The waist was tiny.

Earlier in the year I made some cushion covers with stags heads on and tartan backs. I listed the one set, red and beige, on Folksy and while I was in Weymouth they sold so I decided to list the other set which are grey and soft green, so I got them out to photograph. When I put them on one of the new kitchen chairs to photograph though I decided to keep them as they go quite well with the decor in the kitchen.

Today I met up with Richard and family at a craft fair at Dudmaston Hall. When we first got there we couldn't park as the car park was full so we went to Bridgnorth for a walk round first. I haven't been for years so that was nice. The craft fair was very good with about 80 stalls and I got another couple of Christmas presents so worth going. Very muddy though and my boots and the car are in a right state!

Have been carrying on with the top secret project and have now done 5 characters. 3 more to do. Also knitting some fingerless gloves for my sister for her birthday. One more episode and the finale to Watch of Downton Abbey and I can start of The Crown.

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17th November. Busy, busy

11/17/2019

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Have been busy since I got back form Weywouth and have got all behind again!

I finally got around to buying a new mattress and it was delivered last week. It came rolled up in a box and was very heavy so I had to enlist the help of Mark and Michelle. They kindly moved the old one to downstairs, slit the packaging on the new one and it exploded into place. It's nice and comfy with a squidgy layer on the top. The only downside is I had to pay Robs Rubbish £35 to take away the old one as there was no way I could get it to the tip!

Dentist on Thursday, just a check up and clean. Is it just me or does anyone else dread the clean? Theatre later though to make up. My Beautiful Launderette at the Rep. Very good.

Richard, Debbie, Brendyn and Olivia popped in on Saturday. It was nice to see them. Richard was sporting a pumpkin carving related injury to his hand which he did last weekend and which had required hospital treatment (superglue and butterflies). It had healed up nicely though and he removed the bandage and just covered it with a plaster.

Wednesday was spent in the office and in the evening I went to Stratford to see The Boy in the Dress which was excellent. I highly recommend it if you can get tickets. The sets and the costumes were amazing and the music of course written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers.

Last Sunday I attempted to go to the craft fair at Hanbury Hall but was unable to park so I tried again yesterday and made sure I was there when it opened. It was not too busy and there were some lovely stalls. I fell in love with a cushion with a highland cow on but at £30 it was a bit steep. Might try to recreate though. I picked up one Christmas present and then went on to Hobbycraft at Webbs where I picked up some bits to complete another. Back to Halesowen where there was a street fair with lots of stalls and live music for the Christmas light switch on. Picked up a few more presents. Yay!

Since Weymouth I have been working on another top secret project. This time crochet, amigurumi to be exact which I don't find easy. I have done 3 out of 8 so I am getting there. Pictures after Christmas.

Have also been watching Downton Abbey from the beginning. When I was on holiday a few weeks ago I came across an episode on TV and had forgotten just how good it was so when I got back I started watching it from the beginning. I had the first few series on DVD and ordered the episodes I had missing. I am on the last series now but The Crown is back on Netflix today so what do I do!!!

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Craft Fair at the NEC

11/7/2019

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Sunday I went to the craft fair at the NEC. Mark and Michelle kindly got me a ticket for my birthday. I went on the train as it is easier and cheaper than taking the car. It didn't seem quite as big this year and several of the usual exhibitors were missing. It was still nice to look around though and I picked up a few Christmas presents and some lovely baskets.

This year the 'centrepiece' was a lifesized knitted model of Her Majesty the Queen in her coronation robes. It is amazing. I took a couple of pictures but there are much better ones and more information on the Daily Mail website.

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Lovely week in Weymouth

11/3/2019

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Just back from a lovely week in Weymouth with family and friends. We had three apartments in an Edwardian house just across the bridge from the town and the harbour.

We went for lots of walks around the town and the harbour following some leaflets on guided walks which were provided for visitors. It was really interesting to look at the different styles of architecture from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and to read the stories behind some of the buildings. Like the fact that when the 'new' bridge was built it was level with the first floor of the houses so they moved their front doors upstairs, or the hole still there in the side of a building which was made by a canon ball during the civil war, or the plaque that marks the entry of the black death into the country.

We also visited the Nothe Fort which was built by Palmerston in Victoria's time as protection against possible French invasion. It was also used as defence in both world wars and as a nuclear bunker during the cold war. The fort also had a lot about the history of Weymouth during the two world wars. Many soldiers, including American, set sail from there for the D Day landings. There are photographs of them lining up on the quayside to board the many small boats and one of the boats that was used, My Girl, is still in use today. Mark took many more photographs than I did and you can see them at romanais.co.uk. The models used to portray events in history are excellent.

We visited Dorchester, the setting for Thomas Hardy's Mayor of Casterbridge, which I have just finished reading and really enjoyed. The house below is believed to be the one which Hardy used as the home of the Mayor.

We also visited the cottage where Hardy was born. It was originally two cottages and his grandmother lived in the one on the right.

And we visited the house he built when he married, Max Gate.

We didn't venture too far afield but we did go over to Portland which you can see pictures of on Michelle's blog at romanais.co.uk, as well as Sandsfoot and the castle ruins. We also went to Bowleaze Cove and the Jordan Hill Roman Temple.

Every day we walked over the bridge into the town, across the front and round the harbour.

On Halloween night we all dressed up and went for a walk round the town. I was Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas. All in all a lovely holiday and we have booked up again for next year.

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I am Jenny (when I was little my dad always called me Jenny Wren) and I enjoy making hand crafted things. Watch this space to see what I am working on.
I have two sons - Mark, married to Michelle with children Anais 18 and Roman 13, and Richard - married to Debbie with children Brendyn 14 and Olivia 11.

24th November. Another week gone by.

17th November. Busy, busy

Craft Fair at the NEC

Lovely week in Weymouth

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