Snow Day

Snow lost its novelty for me a long time ago. Nowadays it seems like a big nuisance and I cannot even be bothered to take pictures anymore.

Not so, for Martha and Evie who both adore snowy days. Martha was full of it when I picked them up on Thursday. Her school permitted snowballing at breaktime. They were asked though, not to throw snowballs at people who didn't want to take part. That would have been me. Evie's school said there was to be no snowballing but they did it anyway and the playground supervisors pretended not to notice.

The local bus station must have been a dangerous place on Thursday morning as the best of the snow had fallen during the night. At Evie's age, I'd have taken it very personally if a 'big boy' had lobbed a snowball at me. Evie was unbothered and told me that she used her cello case as a shield. I do love having such tough-minded grandchildren.

After school, they were straight out to the meadow. The snow was starting to disappear but there was enough of it to make a snowman and a snowdog and to take...

a good, hardy roll in the snow.

Then there was that time their mother made a snowman that looked a bit like a snowdog.

Coill na Baice to Trá Lí

Last Friday Zoë and I went on a rail journey. I'd been worried as Storm Eunice was ongoing but somehow we managed to dodge it the entire trip. Belfast was blue skies, Dublin even bluer skies. There was a flurry of rain as we passed through Tipperary and Tralee was a bit blustery. 

Obviously, the purpose of our trip was to visit Kerry Sister and the family, most especially Seánaí, her brand new grandson.

Great Aunt Nelly and the child. Taken by ZB?

We had four nights west of Dingle and it was a lovely time. The new baby was a beautiful darling and our hosts were definitely the mostest.  And there were dogs. I always feel most at home where there are dogs.

The journey home went well too. Home last night just after eight o'clock. I was tired but today I'm enlivened. I can still feel the weight of Séanaí in my arms and the soft silk of his dark hair against my face. It was such a good outing, family, stories, dogs and a new bambino. What could be nicer?

And I learned a few new things about knitting too. And finished A Pin To See The Peepshow.

 

Dudley and Eunice

Dudley and Eunice could be the title of an early unpublished novel by Hilary Mantel, or a pair of breeding bloodhounds owned by a Church of Ireland minister. Or, the names of an elderly Telegraph reading couple who still think that voting Brexit was an excellent idea.

The Storm Dudley didn't affect us too much here in Cullybackey. The winds were a lot stronger at the coast as First Daughter knows to her cost. She told me this evening that she had to go to A&E today after a gust of wind blew her off her feet and caused her to have facial contact with a metal gate which resulted in a busted lip needing to be glued together. Poor Zoë.

Storm Eunice is next. Due to impact this Friday, the very day that Zoë and I are due to travel from Ballymena to Tralee by rail. Fingers crossed we get there. 

We had a bull calf born on the farm today (one of Clint's). He's a big strong lad. We shall call him Dudley.

Obviously.

The Knitting Bug

Q. Why don't I blog more?

A. Because I am currently obsessed with knitting.

I took a notion for it before Christmas and on a day when I was supposed to be shopping for presents, I popped into the Silk Road in Mill Street and bought 10 balls of knitting yarn, all in different colours. I already had the needles even though I’d previously donated all my yarn collection to Aunt Lizzie who was keen on crochet work.

Every now and then during the Christmas and New Year stir, I’d glance at my bright balls of yarn and feel a glow of excitement. Soon. Soon I will cast on and begin my first simple project.

The return to knitting was every bit as enjoyable as I’d hoped. Before long I had enough strips of multi-coloured garter stitched pieces to sew together. I did not enjoy the sewing part but it had to be done. Perhaps next time I will endeavour to make the sewing neater but I was in a big hurry to start my next project – a stripey sweater just like the ones I knitted so many years ago. By this time I had acquired a lot more wool. Unfortunately, I did not have a pattern. Zoe loaned me a book, Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmerman and it was informative – lots in there about knitting with circular needles. No definite instructions though. Elizabeth talked about knitting gauges. She wrote that it was important to do this accurately and conscientiously. She remarked that (and I quote her) that to ignore this advice might lead to me supping the porridge of regret with the spoon of sorrow. What a phrase! I admired it hugely yet did not pay heed to it. Sure didn’t I knit a dozen or more sweaters back in my heyday? Sweaters ranging from husband-sized to premature baby size. All were in perfect proportion. I’d wing it. It would all come back to me.

But it didn’t. The body and arms were far too wide and the sleeves too short. I decided to call my work a prototype and that I should learn from my mistakes. Even so, the prototype is almost finished. Zoe (a far better knitter than me) said I should keep going and that with the sharp increases in heating fuel it would be a useful addition to my wardrobe as it can be worn over several other jumpers.

I’m already planning the next project. Wish me luck.

 One of my stripey jumpers from when I was younger. Wish I still had it.

Fine Deed Is Nifty

Dede and Zoe

 I was going to blog about knitting, which has, once again, become an obsession.

Dede at a party in Belfast

 
Then I recalled that today is Leitrim Sister's birthday.

Dede at Ballee

Then I remembered that way back in the day when I was a Fairisle and Stripey jumper fanatic, my youngest sister was never shy about wearing one of my creations. In fact, apart from my children and their father (who had no choice) she was my biggest fan. Happy birthday LS, enjoy Spain and I promise you, I'm going to knit you the craziest jumper for your next birthday. It will have sixty different colours.