Friday catch-up

Summer returns with a vengeance

I definitely spoke too quickly last week when I said that autumn was here. I put the fans away in the loft and packed away my summer clothes - the resulting 5 day heatwave (and still going) is obviously my fault. I do apologise.

All extravagant knitwear plans have been temporarily halted this week as once the mercury climb above 30 degrees my brain ceases to function, and the thought of touching yarn is not a happy one.

I did manage to work on a West Yorkshire Knitters sock in the Starling colourway for my (smaller footed) son, but all work on his Uni-bound crochet blanket has ceased for now. If all else fails he will just have to pick it up later once he has settled in.

I snapped up 3 out of the 4 new colours of West Yorkshire Spinners birds sock yarn a few weeks ago and I’m slowly working my way through them. Jay (far right) is now currently on the feet of my youngest son - heatwave notwithstanding - and Starling (middle) is sitting at 1.5 socks done with just the second foot to go.

No one claimed Woodpecker (far left) which made me feel sorry for it , so I think that will be a particularly cheerful pair of socks for me.

Making me smile

• It’s week 2 of the Everyday Knitter book club and I think it’s safe to say that we are enjoying working our way through The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon. The author has such an uncanny knack of describing something perfectly in a very few words - she can almost paint a picture in a sentence. It’s not too late to join in, if you’d like to. Link is here

• I don’t know if it’s the hot weather or the fact that lots of people have been away on holiday but my local supermarket has been chock full of locally grown sunflowers on sale at ridiculously low prices. I don’t normally buy many flowers for myself but I can never resist a bargain bunch. And now I have a cheerful vase in almost every room of my house. A reminder to enjoy the vibrant sunny yellows while I can (it helps to deal with my heat intolerance and general crankiness)

• A new book. This one was recommended by a good friend, and after sharing a post about my midlife journaling it came at just the right time. Hagitude: Reimagining the second half of life by Sharon Blackie.

  Hagitude has the power to change lives…Full of a fierce energy, this is a book that acts like a ration of courage, of purpose

  Tanya Shadrick, Author

I don’t know about you but I could use some fierce energy round about now.

Wishing you a happy and fierce weekend ahead.