Bad News and Good News

Hello There!

Well the bad news is that my Hero Next Door did indeed have to smash his way in through the tiles to fix the leak.  A washer on the water inlet into the toilet had perished and was causing the problem.  He cut from underneath in the craft room first but concluded that he couldn't reach the problem and the only course of action was to smash.

What a difference a day makes!  He fixed the leak, cut new tiles ~ luckily we had some spares ~ and he's added an (easily) removable piece of wood to the top "in case it happens again."  I just need to grout around the replacements now.

Downstairs in the craft room he's patched the ceiling with new plasterboard and will skim over with plaster later on.  For now things are drying out above.  

The other good news is that Master Clicky passed his driving test yesterday.  Apparently the examiner was extremely pleasant and they chatted away during the test!  When he got in from work we sorted out the insurance on 'his' (Mr Clicky's old) car.  He was however, a little reluctant to drive to work this morning, because we had snowfall during the night.  He left a bit later, I told him to take it steady and he went off ok.  Let's hope he gets home in one piece!

The snow has mostly gone now, and it's getting chilly.  I have lots of dust to sort out in the bathroom.

Bye for now...........Clicky Needles.

Oh Dear!

Hello All.

Well it's all go around here.

Mr Clicky went back to Chicago only to stay for a week and then came back home to the UK Head Office to work on a project he is involved in.  He wasn't keen to come back but Chicago wanted representation and he drew the short straw.  He departed back this weekend and flew into O'Hare and into the snow and freezing conditions that North America is experiencing right now.  His plane took three attempts to land in between snow and ice clearing.  At least he wasn't on a United flight which slipped off the end of the runway the same afternoon.   The cold is predicted to stay with Saturday lows of -19 degrees C and highs of -12 degrees C. 

I am carrying on with my sorting and clearing and to this end I have got a lovely skip for the remains of the builders rubbish.  It's about 2/3 full now.  I have been rummaging through wardrobes and cupboards to rationalise 'things' and if there are clothes that haven't been worn lately they are going to charity.  

I went into the craft room a week or so before Christmas and found this on the floor,

and this above.

I tried ignoring it for a bit (!) but as we all know that never works, so there was nothing for it but to cut into the ceiling to find out where it was coming from.  Unfortunately all this hole told us was the water wasn't coming from there.

Another hole was needed and we found the source.  It appears that the leak is from the toilet in the en-suite above, which is unfortunately, a sealed system and fully tiled.

I tried to get hold of our plumber but couldn't, so I went in desperation to our lovely next door neighbour who is builder and he very kindly offered to have a look.  He's coming round tonight to try and fix it from underneath otherwise "we'll have to smash the tiles to get to it."  I am trying to remain positive.

Although all the Christmas decorations are long gone and packed away, I am still enjoying this little tree I bought in the supermarket.  I did actually buy it for Miss Clicky as a present but couldn't part with it!

Also in the supermarkets now my first bunches of daffodils.  These have a wonderful delicate scent and a slight variation in colour are making me smile.

I have been knitting too, and thought it was about time that I tried out some socks using magic loop instead of five needles.

Do I like it better?  The answer is I'm not sure but I shall carry on persevering for a while.

I have my Dark Pearl cardigan on the needles too.  The main body is knit in one piece and then the front lace panel is picked up and knitted across ways.  I am using Drops Alpaca so it will be lightweight but very warm, the lace panel is very easy and I am enjoying it hugely ~ nearly finished too!

Well that's me for now, as I type water drips into a bucket on the floor, fingers crossed we can it get sorted soon.

As always, have fun.................Clicky Needles.

Happy New Year!

Hello Folks!

Firstly I hope you a Happy and Peaceful New Year.  My Christmas has been lovely, some family filled days and some days with just Mr Clicky and me.  He arrived back from Chicago on the 21st December and he will be returning on 5th January and it's been great to have him home. 

As I mentioned in my last post I have been making things.  I got a call from a lovely old friend to ask if I would make a crochet blanket for her granddaughter's new pram, made by granddad.  Of course I said yes and made a bright cheerful little 30cm square.  I so enjoyed making this and I added some tiny pom-poms to the edges.

The pom-pom bug bit and I then made more, to decorate one (!) of my Christmas Trees.

As I am no longer working and have more time I also made Christmas Cards.

A chunky scarf for my friend's birthday on Boxing Day; made with some chunky yarn and some more pom-poms for good measure.

My (big) christmas tree this year had an orange/bronze tone.  I used some wooden decorations from previous years and made some new ones, dried oranges, stuck star gift tags together and filled glass baubles with beads and foil paper I got from Amazon.

Can you see the little orange felt fox?  I made him too, I love the way he looks all snuggled up in his scarf.

The rest of this week Mr Clicky and me are doing a bit of work around the house, and sorting out some things for him to take back to Chicago.

As always, have fun.............Clicky Needles.

A Grand Day Out

Hello There!

Now that I have a bit more time time on my hands, me and my lovely knitting pal Romain decided to have a day out at the American Museum in Bath.  It's only an hour or so down the road from home and the last time I went I think I must have been about 10, so time for another visit.

There were room guides aplenty and we took the recommended route, which starts in the basement.  Here we found some beautiful beaded moccasins 

a stunning waistcoat which is also beaded, not embroidered as I thought on my first look.

and an Indian Headdress.

We carried on upstairs to the quilt room, which was why we had come, obviously!  There were some beautiful examples.

Some more modern and some really old.

This Flower Garden Quilt dates back to 1840.

There was a huge variety of techniques, luckily I had Romain with me who was able to explain most of them!

This one had embroidered animals on too.

The museum was also 'decorated for Christmas,' I was a little disappointed in the decorations but this tree, also in the quilt room, was made of fabric scraps over a metal frame and was quite something.

The main Christmas Tree in the hallway was however, very lovely ~ oh to live in a house with an impressive hall and stairs!

It was covered in santa log cabin quilt blocks made by a supporter of the museum.

This little tree had only quilled decorations.

The rooms of the house have a period theme, each one being different.

A sampler made by 10 year old Hannah Taylor in 1774.

The walls in this bedroom are painted boards, not wallpaper.

We had lunch and then ventured out ~ through the rain ~ into the grounds which have undergone a refurbishment this summer.  There were big herbaceous beds planted in drifts which will, I'm sure, look great next summer.

I came away feeling quite inspired.  Maybe quilting is something to try in the future.  

Right that's me for now, I've been making Christmas decorations which I'll show you soon.

As always, have a great week.....Clicky Needles.

Finishing School

Well hello.

Carrying on the theme of things changing, I worked my last day at school last week.  I decided with Mr Clicky that I needed a bit of time to get things in order before I upsticks for Chicagoland.  There's lots to be done and I have even started making lists ~ which is most unlike me ~ of 'stuff' that need to be attended to.  

My last day was emotional, I have been at school for 16 years.  The children had made me a book of memories, drawn pictures of me, made, along with the help of some wonderful mums, a quilt with a block from each child

and even written a poem.  I won't bore you with it all but the first verse goes,

Mrs W has curly hair

She can give you a scary stare

But we know you really care

We're going to miss you not being there.

School has given me some wonderful opportunities and no matter how rubbish your day may be, there is always a child who says something bonkers mad and makes me laugh.  I will miss them all.

Talking of opportunities Tuesday last week saw me driving around the country lanes near school looking for Matt Baker and Maisie as the Children in Need Rickshaw Challenge went right past the school.  I found them and the support vehicles some in very challenging lanes near school, and then raced back to school via a shorter route so we could get all the children ready.  Matt and Maisie looked exhausted so I told the children that they needed a lot of encouragement.

We lined the village and made a huge amount of noise as they came round the corner and we were rewarded with wide smiles.  Over £50 million has been raised this year.  Wow.

When I woke up this morning it seemed a bit naughty not going to school in term time and I contemplated my day.  I didn't imagine that I would receive a text from Master Clicky asking me to retrieve a part of his bike.  He had fallen off (yes, again) with no injury but realised that the cover for his battery (electric bike) must be on his route.  It was down here, a hill called Blackness.  This is actually tarmac, not that you would know as it's covered in leaves.  These are what caused Master Clicky to come off.

I put my walking boots on and me and the dog set of to find the cover.  It is incredibly steep and not used that much.

There are some bollards about half way down, presumably to stop you if your legs are going too fast for the rest of you, and we found the cover by a tree.

We stopped and looked over to the hill on the other side and then walked back up.  

My hamstrings had a jolly good stretch and we stopped for a rest on the bench at the top and looked over to Minchinhampton Common.

So that's me for today, on my second day of 'retirement' tomorrow, I've been persuaded to go on a school trip so not quite finished yet!

Have a great week..........Clicky Needles.