NOT MORE SOCKS...... are those for me?

 Well here we are again. Another Sunday evening comes around and another week has flown by. Half-term has passed by in a flash. I spent last weekend catching up on housey jobs, before setting off on the five and a half hour drive up to Manchester, to see baby Sophie. I came home late on Thursday, drove a one hour forty minute round trip on Friday, for Oscar's second hydrotherapy swim..... all of four minutes, and then seem to have spent most of this weekend shifting role between plumber and plumber's mate! Nothing ever happens simply in our house! Our kitchen was remodelled about seventeen years ago and all of the appliances were new at the same time. The washing machine and tumble drier have since been replaced. Neeedless to say, the rest are all arriving at the end of their useful lives at exactly the same time. This weekend , it was the turn of the fridge-freezer to be replaced (no probs there) and the dishwasher. I won't bore you with the details, save to say, that our kitchen has looked like a bomb site for most of the weekend and that we do now have a newly installed, not leaking, functioning correctly dishwasher. HOORAY! It's the turn of the cooker next! I don't want to think about it, so I won't.

So, apart from the plumbing fiasco, a very pleasant week has been spent by old Snoops. The photo above is of Chorlton Park in Manchester. My son and his family live five minutes away, so it is ideal for dog walking. Scott loves finding the muddiest puddles on the planet! Sorry about the poor quality photo. It was a mobile upload.

Sophie is changing so quickly, it's hard to keep up. She's now five months old and has just begun to sit up on her own and take great notice of Scott. I must show you two or three of pics  that I took of them this week.

I knew not too much knitting would get done, whilst there was a scrumptious little granddaughter to cuddle, but I did make some progress with the 'Raspberry Coulis' mystery socks. The last part of the pattern (the toe) was released on Friday and I have managed to finish the first sock off this afternoon.

The pattern is really effective, with a wide rib continuing from the 'little trowels' pattern , down the heel flap and also down into the toe. A very well thought out design. I just have to knit the other one now!

I've also started a simple ribbed pair for my son (Sophie's dad). He always jokes that I seem to do nothing else but knit socks, but they are never for him. He chose the yarn himself from what little sock yarn there is to choose from in John Lewis. I don't think he appreciate the hand-dyed or hand-spun variety!!! I've used the Basic Ribbed Sock by Kate Atherley. It's a free Ravelry download, which can be made in three sizes. With any luck, he may find them in his Christmas stocking!

I picked up three balls of this Aran weight yarn from the 'Sew-In' shop in Disdsbury. It's 'creative poems' aran, by Rico. It's a yarn that I hadn't seen before this summer and I was very taken with the really pretty colour combination. It's 100% wool and make a warm little cardi for Sophie.

I received a lovely little surprise this morning, just as the end of the plumbing trauma was in sight; two jars of delicious-looking homemade preserves from our kind neighbour, a jar of quince jelly and a jar of crabapple and chilli relish. I had to show you because I was very taken with the lovely lids and labels..... oh yes, and those gorgeously shaped 'Bonne Maman' jam jars. I'm easily pleased!

Just time to leave you with a photo of the Ladybower Reservoir, taken from the Snake Pass as I came home on Thursday. I know the sky wasn't blue and the sun wasn't shining, but oh, I do so love the drive across the Penines, whatever the weather.

Ahh! A great half-term and some cherished memories to see me through the week back at school. Have a good one!