Work In Progress - Summer Blanket

A blanket started *ahem* last summer ... 

Progress is being made albeit slowly 

Should be finished by next summer

And that was March

Looking: At all the lovely handmade'ness around our home

Deciding: Handmade is pretty and comforting and colourful and . . .

Wondering: if our children will take up any of our hobbies

Thinking: about the women who taught me to sew, knit, crochet, cook, bake, preserve

Buying: clothes clothes and more clothes, NOTHING fits anymore

Wearing: a size 10 again

Smelling: his aftershave

Thanking: our out of town visitor who babysat so we could enjoy a night out with out of town friends 

Loving: a girlie week, just me and my girl

Watching: her write a postcard to Grandma

Hoping: her innocence lasts forever

Marvelling: at how my Tsunami has blossomed into such a lovely wee girl

Following: the school camp blog

Feeling: proud of my boy pushing his comfort zones

Missing: my boy and man . . .

Knowing: this week spent together is oh so good for them both 

Cooking : Beautiful nourishing soul fulfilling clean food LOVE 

Drinking : Coffee always coffee - I really did try to give up

Opening: Dr Libby's cook books and book marking 

Bookmarking: Raw caramel slice OMG so good 

Giggling: with friends, friendship is so gloriously good

Playing: at the Holi Colour festival

Thinking: How wonderful it was Lara came to Auckland - Lara took BOTH my kids last year when I had glandular fever.  She took time off work and loved my kids like her own.  Blessed beyond measure.

Knowing: Friends who you can pick up with like you last saw each other yesterday are special friendships

Celebrating: Friendship

Reading: ick ick ick

Pondering: ick ick ick

Writing: ick ick ick

Wanting: this paper to be over

Getting: A+ despite my despise for the subject matter

Making : Crochet Boot Toppers 

Enjoying: Some down time crafting again

Wishing: it didn't take a slipped disc to slow me down

Loving: my physio and new PT for having me and my health at the centre of their minds

If you want a list you can get it from Pip at Meet Me At Mike's too!  

TricoThé with Pauline

Oh the wonders of social media - in this case - Instagram 

Pauline and I had both sat in the same cafe knitting and had uploaded photos onto Instagram

We commented on each others photos 

I discovered she had arrived in New Zealand only 5 days earlier, here for a year on a working holiday visa.

She asked me where to buy yarn.

After a few Instagram conversations we made a Sunday date to meet at the cafe where it all began and to TricoThé

She taught me to Moss stitch 

We chatted about travelling around France and New Zealand

I invited her back to our home .. .. ..

We drove her along the Waitakere Ranges and out to Piha, showing her Auckland is so much more than big city lights

We cooked a roast lamb dinner 

After dinner taking her up Mt Eden to see Auckland - big city lights - at night before returning her to her hostel.

Along with weaving and knitting, Pauline also makes the most wonderful Arugami Crochet dolls, animals etc.  A couple of mornings later she messaged me to say she would be at the cafe if I wanted to learn Arugami Crochet.

An hour or two of TricoThé and I had 'mastered' (I use the term lightly) the art of Arugami Crochet and had promised Pauline I would make 'something' and post it on Instagram,

Last week Pauline left Auckland for an Au Pair job in Dunedin . . . . I hope we get the chance to TricoThé again.

TricoThé - To knit or crochet with friends over a cup of tea

TricoThé - The original Parisian café tricot, L’OisiveThé TricoThé host a weekly knitting group called TricoThé .  A knitting and crochet haven to get away from the hustle and bustle of the City of Lights. Knitters and crocheters come together to enjoy dinner, dessert, tea or a glass of wine and of course, to knit or crochet!

Information on TricoThé at L’OisiveThé can be found on the tea house blog at www.loisivethe.com.