Camping ShakeDown

You may remember that we bought a brand new caravan back at Easter time and I'm happy to report that we have just returned from our very first camping holiday with said 'van. We probably had the best family holiday we've ever had and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Yes, it rained some of the time, and yes, the weather was cool because we were up in the Welsh mountains, but it just means that we all need lots of camping jumpers, hoodies and socks for next time!

We arrived and Mr M reversed the caravan into the pitch with little or no difficulty whatsoever (the joys of having driven a truck in his younger years!) and we put up the awning easily:

We stayed in a beautiful part of North Wales where there were trees, wildlife and wild flowers:

And had the added benefit of being within travelling distance of Stash of Chester....

Much to my surprise, Mr M insisted that I called into Colinette on the way home as we literally drove straight past the door! You can understand that it would have been rude not to buy something as I was forcibly pushed in through the door whilst the boys had sandwiches and drinks in the caravan on the car park...

And the best thing about leaving and coming back home? We're going back to spend our two weeks holiday there in the summer!

LK 150 Arrives Back Home

I loaned my Silver Reed LK 150 knitting machine to a friend several years ago and went over to her house last week to pick it up as it has an important job to do; I've been asked to teach the children in littlest Little Melody's class to knit and I thought that the younger and less dextrous children could use the plastic bed machine to produce some knitting and feel included in the 'knitting workshop'. I cleaned and oiled the machine this afternoon, cast on and knitted a few rows. The Little Melodies heard the commotion and wanted to knit of course :-)

I was quite surprised that they found it so easy to use and they were soon whizzing away on it, the littlest Melody announcing that he was knitting a washcloth for himself!!. They were so excited and encouraged by the ease of the machine that littlest Little Melody is taking his yarny masterpiece to Show and Tell on Tuesday to show all his friends at school! I can see lots of blankets being produced by Class 2 this term, the only problem is that I'll have to do the finishing by hand.

The LK150 is cleaned and oiled and ready to start work

Two pieces of yarny artwork produced with the flick of a wrist

The LK 150 is so light, compact and easy to set up that I'm thinking about using it in the caravan when we go on holiday.

Now THAT is what I call a home from home!