The last assignment for Blog Week couldn’t have come at a better time for me. I’m in a place in my life where I can see that all the great things I’m looking forward to, have been slowly but surely making their way to me since starting this blog back in 2011.

To make your dreams reality, it’s good to look back to see where you began so that you can appreciate how far you have come, because gratitude is the great multiplier in Life. The more you appreciate what you have, the more you have.

When I started my blog it was purely to share my absolute passion of crochet. As I learned more techniques, found amazing yarn, great patterns and saw inspiration all around, all I wanted to do was to share this with my blog readers. Over the last year I found I wanted to share crochet with people face-to-face at groups or workshops and to spend more hours of my day surrounded by things that would inspire me to be creative – things like sunny gardens, blue skies, the comfort of my home, time to really read and comment (not just glance and hit the “like” button) beautiful blogs and doing crochet or knitting (because while I knit and crochet creative juices really flow). What was holding me back was having to go to work five days a week. I blogged about this conundrum in March here, but the need to break away from the office have been coming on a very very long time. I just don’t want to say out loud, or type, the words of complaint and frustration too much because just as gratitude can multiply the good things, so too complaining can multiply the bad things.

In the meantime my dear husband had also been looking for a career change. Through a series of events, most of which were brought on by his positive attitude, he is now doing his dream job for more money. Best of all he didn’t even have to change firms – he still works with the same people, at the same place, 10 minute walk from home.

Then, in February I grabbed an opportunity that has the potential to change my life. A fellow PA announced that she was going on maternity leave. She works only Monday to Wednesday….. I put myself forward to do her maternity cover, and I got it! As of this week, I only work Monday to Wednesday! Thursdays and Fridays are now blogging, photography, crocheting and knitting days! Yes, my salary is less, but with John’s new role and his excellent financial planning, we don’t have to worry too much. We’ve also made a few small changes (like rethinking the type of train ticket I buy and not getting a bi-weekly cleaning service any more), but I am so happy! With my free time I can now set wheels in motion to turn my hobby into a career.

Thursday was my first day at home. It was amazing!

It started with a morning tea overlooking the garden while the laundry was drying.

Mid-morning I caught up with The Big Allotment Challenge. This is where things get a bit nasty… our bedroom has been unusable since the Bank Holiday weekend. John replaced the ceiling with a new one that has better sound proofing (we live in the ground floor of a maisonette and our upstairs neighbours are very noisy….). It was a massive job but he did it wonderfully. Now we have plasterers in to skim the new ceiling and the walls. When they are done, John and I will paint everything white and then we get a new carpet. I can’t wait to have our bedroom back! Until then, our bedroom furniture is all over the place, including the living room.

At least I have my knitting 🙂

I soon got tired of looking at the back of the book case and two halves of the bed base, so I moved the knitting outdoors.

Then it was time to prepare lunch. Lunch with John! If you think I’m happy to be home on Thursdays and Fridays, you should see John! He loves that he can spend his lunch hour with me. I set the table with placemats and a little posy of flowers from the garden.

I made a salad and quick lemon juice & thyme dressing. My knitting and laptop is still on the table within reach. Of course.

After lunch and waving John goodbye at the door (how 1970’s housewife am I?! I love it!) I continued watching The Big Allotment Challenge, this time with my Crochet Mood Blanket. I was in the messy living room again but at this point it really sunk in how much time I will now have for crochet and knitting. I was half way through the first day and already I had swapped between my two crafts and I still had the whole afternoon ahead of me! When our house is back to normal (we are also redoing the bathroom) I’ll be able to use my Office Behind The Door again. That’s going to be great! (I’ll also be able to fit in an afternoon nap…ooh yes!)

When things in the living room / bedroom campsite got too much I moved outside again to continue working on Crochet Mood Blanket.

I got up every now and again to check on the dinner (no housewife is worth her salt if dinner is not on the table when husband gets home) and pack away laundry. If I say “pack away laundry”, I mean fold it and pile on top of any of the three stacks of wardrobe drawers on the floor of the study. Our clothes are not neat (or easy to find), but at least it’s clean.

I really had the most amazing day. I just know that because I’m so happy, relaxed and busy doing what I love, everything, including the crochet workshops I’m holding, is going to work out. How could it not?

In the meantime, I’ll follow my own advice – I won’t focus on the messy house I’m in now but rather focus on the beautiful white walls and modern bathroom that is to come. And to take my attention away from dust and inconvenience? I’ll knit and crochet.

 xxxxx

This post is Day 7 of the Knitting and Crochet Blog Week 5: Looking Back, Looking Forward

Tote Bag Barry is one of, at last count, five canvas tote bags I use to carrying and keep my various crochet projects in. Tote Bag Barry is a memento from a road trip through Germany’s Romantic Road. I bought him at a supermarket near the Neuschwanstein Castle for a few Euro’s – much cheaper than the tote bags in Hohenschwangau village at the foot of the castle.

Me: Hi Barry. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me today.

Barry: That’s all right. I wasn’t doing much anyway sitting here on the chair in your living room with Crochet Mood Blanket 2014.

Me: I know you don’t have a very exciting life at the moment, especially compared to your time in the REWE Supermarket in Schwangau with all the tourists admiring you. You have to remember that I was one of those admiring tourists and when I saw you I just knew you would be another perfect bag to carry my crochet around.

Barry: Yes but you could take me out of the house once in a while you know. The tree hugging “My Green Bag” cotton bag from the health shop goes to work with you every day!

Me: You’re right Barry, but I keep you at home because you are so much bigger than any of my other tote bags. You’re keeping Crochet Mood Blanket 2014 company and he’s growing every day. By the way, thank you so much for keeping him from unravelling the other day. I really wouldn’t have been able to keep him happy if you hadn’t told him about the diary. I need you around to keep CMB2014 in check. Just like the Neuschwanstein Castle printed on your front, you are a stable influence and impressive, I dare say noble, presence on that chair.

Barry: Well if you put it that way I guess I can overlook the disappointing lack of excursions.

Me: Thank you for understanding Barry. You are my German prince! As CMB2014 gets bigger you soon won’t have to keep him safe any more. I promise to then swap you for the health shop tote bag and you can go with me to work. Will that make you happy Barry?

Barry: Ja. Vielen dank.

Me: You’re welcome Barry.

xxxxx

This post is the Day 4 assignment for Knitting and Crochet Blog Week 5: Conversation Between Workers

Sunday. Living room

10:13 She is meant to crochet my squares every evening, yet I can’t remember when last I saw a crochet hook. Will I have to sit through yet another Sunday watching her make amigurumi owls, knit (bah!), crochet placemats and do cross stitch in stead of working on my squares? By the way, what’s with the cross stitch and knitting? I thought she was all about crochet. Judas.

10:30 She and the hubby are eating breakfast. Enjoyed your lie-in did you? valuable time wasted when you could have been catching up with your mood squares. She committed to make a crochet square every day and look at me. Skinny as a rake while they’re doing that full english breakfast thing. So selfish.

11:10 She’s finally out of those hideous pajamas and in her spot on the couch. There’s a mug of tea too. Will she work on her mood blanket squares? No. She’s knitting! Stupid needles click, click, clicking away. If I was able to crochet myself a square, today would be a purple square ’cause I’m really irritated.

11:55 Ooo, she’s reaching in my direction. Tote Bag Barry tells me that she is writing down her moods in a diary. Maybe she’s reaching for the diary. At this stage any progress is better than nothing. Even if it is just to write down “okay” or “ditzy” or whatever crazy mood she’s in.

Nope, I’ve been ignored again. She was only putting her knitting away.

Why has she forsaken me? Why? I’m definitely having a grey square moment. So sad, so sad.

11:56 Off to the kitchen. Probably to make tea.

11:59 Here she comes. I smell peppermint. Called it. (How much tea can this woman drink?!)

12:01 She’s reaching in my direction again. I’m not getting my hopes up. The acrylic strands of my heart can’t take the rejection much longer. I mean really. It’s so quick to crochet a 4-round square. She doesn’t even have to join my squares – it’s join as you go for Pete’s sake. If Barry is right and she is writing down her moods every day, she is still thinking of me so why not put hook to yarn? Just one square a day is all I ask. Just one a day.

Oooh, the hand is coming closer.

I’m out of the bag! I’m out of the bag! I can see her (ugly) Crocs.

I’m on her lap! Whoo-hoo! This is it!

Barry was right. I can see the diary. It’s open at 4 April 2014. Geez, she is way behind! Not judging. Just saying.

Well hello Sirdar Hayfield Baby in White and 3.5 mm Knitpro crochet hook. Long time no see. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Come snuggle up next to the happy green square from 3 April 2014.

Suddenly my day has turned into a very good day. My stitches are practically a quiver with happiness.

13:10 She’s been crocheting squares for almost an hour now. She only took one tea break and I’ve grown by two rows – that’s more than 4 weeks worth of squares!  I think she may even be up to date with the squares. I’ll have to ask Tote Bag Barry to check the diary, but things are looking good.

13:13 I’m back in the bag and she’s off to the kitchen.  I presume this is the end of the marathon moodblanket catch-up session.   Her hands are hopefully probably aching from trying to catch up on the backlog of squares. Serves her right for neglecting me for so long, but has she learned her lesson? I’m not betting my stitch markers on it.  I will bet on something else though: she’s in the kitchen making tea.

xxxxx

This post is the Day 1 assignment for Knitting and Crochet Blog Week 5: A Day In The Life.