Dulse

We went to St George's Market in Belfast in October and I succumbed.... .  With Mum's help I got the scarf started before heading back to Tullibody, and finished it on my return in November.  Of course it needed the black wool coat to show it off properly.  Thanks, Mum!

You've been framed!

Mum was right; Marks and Spencer was the place to go in search of small photo frames.  Although I have a feeling they were, perhaps, stitched in 2011,  I am clearly entitled to include them in 12 for 2012, having brought them to the point they could be displayed this year.

A blast from the past

Not the same excitement with a fire alarm.

Parents!

Click on the writing to enlarge the picture.

1973 Dad does the carpentry, mum does the shopping and I do the ierning.  Sorted.

Impressive use of the subjunctive

First time scanning.  Click on the writing to enlarge the picture.

Having mastered the present subjunctive, Eil is now ready to move on to the other tenses.  My aspirations haven't changed much since 1973; I've made it to Scotland, and the zoo, but am still hoping for the ladies-in-waiting and will trade the gold clock for diamonds.

Wagon wheels a-rollin'

4 of 12 for 2012.  Out for a designated walk in Alloa with Stephanie and David, ending up down at the sorting office.  Evidently a rather small horse was required to pull a rather large load.

5 of 12 for 2012.  Following Bryan and Marlene's advice resulted in a delicious duck dinner, with a side of tartiflette.   Looking forward to trying Mum's marmalade,  even though Stephanie has extolled the virtues of the marrow and ginger.

Transported to another era

3 of 12 for 2012.  Stephanie and David are confirmed museum-goers and, having rejected Kelvingrove and the Burrell Collection, we settled on the rejuvenated Transport Museum.  The dance dresses were lovely

as was the Lowry (Cranes and Ships, Glasgow Docks) which couldn't be photographed head on because of the glass door of the display case.

Eil had a go on the Sinclair C5

and learnt a bit of social history

while we worked on Shona's social graces.

Apparently glasses are not just for the taking.

How much is that partridge on the sofa?

Number two of twelve challenges set by Jan this Christmas has now been completed.  Thank-you to Margaret C for the brown and black wool.

Excellent; once the drummer is drumming I can start on a royal wedding.

Sweet 16

"You're 16," I said to no.1 daughter.
"You're 16 years older than when you had me!" she kindly replied.

How could I hold that against her when she made me a cooked breakfast for her birthday?

Eco driven

Saturday, 21st January, 2012. Experience No. 2. What a nice man who took me on the Eco drive; he only winced twice . Three trips round Stirling in a Mini Countryman took me from 39 mpg to 49 mpg (David from 40 to 49). Slow down earlier, change down, slow and steady over all the speed humps. If I decrease my fuel consumption do I get to spend the money saved as I wish?

Model required

The hat from January 2012's Knit Today ended up being my first completed craft project, closely followed by the lilac-tinted, somewhat myopic turtle dove. I am concerned about the partridge with its over-stuffed body and undersized head. Janice Galloway came up trumps with All Made Up  raising the same autobiography vs fictionalised memoir questions as This is Not About Me.

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12 for 2012

12 for 2012 is a scaled down version of Book Group Cathy's 40 books, craft projects, new experiences and new places in celebration of her 40th birthday. What an act to follow! This year I'm aiming for a more modest 12 books, 12 craft projects and 12 experiences over the coming year. Loud was the scoffing when, having rejected Edinburgh Zoo's pandas, we proposed a visit to IKEA on 6th January. Undaunted we enjoyed a 9.30am cooked breakfast for under £6, including drinks, purchased new wardrobe handles for Shona's stylishly repainted bedroom and survived Eilidh's failed attempts to switch off the cooker hood in one of the show kitchens. Onward to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in search of the postcard-sized portrait of Anne of Guise and a late lunch in Portobello. A foray into the wool shop for turtle dove-coloured wool nearly brought my bid for No Bags In 2012 to a premature end, but fortunately Eilidh was on hand to remind me and I returned to the shop to hand back the bag I had unthinkingly accepted.