Nice and tidy

I've been really happy lately to have found some head space - at last. Things have settled down so that I can relax a bit and feel the tension unwinding. This has only been made better by the presence of our little dog, who is growing up now and getting really rather responsible and good. (I say as she starts chewing cables underneath my desk.) One of my favourite things about having a dog is going in to get her from the pen first thing in the morning - cue high-intensity, bum-shaking African-style dancing (and that's just me!). It's just lovely to see such happiness as the first thing of the day. And then we can have calm little day together.

So I've been taken up over the last few days with making things tidy and sorting things out. Which has been really exhausting and dusty, but so blissful in effect. There's something so incredibly soothing in the end about tidy, ordered, alphabetised bookshelves. I really have a passion for these things, and it calms my heart and head to look at a whole row of spines all in a row.

Of course, there's lots that's gorgeous about piles and piles of abundance heaped together too, but even then I prefer single piles of uniform items.

Maybe this makes me a strange little thing, but I certainly feel that now that things at home and at work are spick and span at last the fog is lifting and I can start proper thinking.

Onwards and upwards.

a rose in June...

It's been such a long time! I'm very sorry to the one or two people out there who actually read this. Births, marriages, deaths, happiness, vexation, sadness, and delight have each characterised the last few months and all but obscured the life I love, and the Scottish road we follow. 

 *1

When last I wrote it was snowing and blustery and the trusty mittens were still on duty. But now -- at least every now and then -- it is sunnier, and since Scottish roses must do what they can with very little encouragement, they have defied the blusters and snaps of cold and come out to play. 

And now they get to play, in the case of our garden, with a crazy doglet. One who is currently throwing an alarm clock around her head. In a sock.

But she's still a keeper. Especially when she's sleepy. 

So small. So powerful.

*1: Photo by my darling companion (human).

hey shorty

it [was] my birthday...

i live in hope that my birthday will be a spring day, with green and yellow shoots everywhere, warming up sun, and maybe even a lightweight jacket. that's how i always remember it being.

but now i live in the north. where it snowed. and hailed. and was freezing.

so i'm afraid the daffodils were all in the dark, in the indoors - but gorgeous anyway.

and lovely people made very touching references to hares. you can just about see this necklace, on which a hare is hanging, whimsically holding a wooden spoon.

and the hare to top all hares - a 2-foot long cake.

thank you so much everyone for making the day so nice with all your messages and cards.

will write to you very soon. i promise.

Fiendishly stylish....

This little person was introduced to me at the weekend - we had lunch together (with others in tow) at The Narrow Boat on the canal near Islington (delicious roast beef).

Check that cardigan. I was impressed at how she worked it with the spring florals and fabulous hair. Feel some mustard-coloured yarn coming on...

And I'm afraid I've been knitting toys again. It's becoming a habit.

I'm pleased with this on account of the jointed limbs and the debonair moustache. All of which (I hope) distracts from the slightly knobbly stitching on the top of his head. Something of the dapper flight pilot about him I thought.

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Tally ho. Chocks away. 'woof'. 

1: Image from Vintage Posters Blog