Monday 8 April 2019

Plastered

















Photos from a visit to Wells, England's smallest city. Spring was in the air, blossom, bird song, people already wearing shorts, you know how it is. I have to be prised out of my coat at the end of May. I'd love to be one of those people who can swan around in a t-shirt in April without a care in the world, but try as I might it just isn't me. I am not a hardy soul.

Some of you had questions about the news items from last time. The fatberg was sent to a plant to be converted into electricity. Apparently you can also turn them into biodiesel. The duckling thing works like this (I think). Fertilised birds' eggs don't start developing until momma bird starts incubating them. So she can lay an egg and go out for the day, leaving it all cold and alone in its nest. Then next day she might lay another one, and off she goes again. And on and on until she has all the eggs ready. Then she sits down and stays on the nest and they warm up and off they go.

So the fertile supermarket egg waits happily in its box until a boy with an incubator comes along and pops it in to warm. Then he keeps it constantly warm and turns it five times a day and in a month or so, bingo, duckling. So no need to worry that you're going to crack an egg and a duckling will drop out into your cake mixture.

The Easter hols have started in fine style. The littlest boy fell off of his scooter and took (another) chunk out of his leg. He is fundamentally opposed to plasters, so I persuaded him that the thing I had was a dressing and not a plaster at all. It is some sort of new-fangled thing, which I stuck on without properly reading the instructions first. It is oddly sticky over its entire surface, which doesn't bode well if it needs to be peeled off. And it's the peeling off part that he's fundamentally opposed to. And he's also slightly allergic to some plasters. So I am rather wishing I hadn't slapped it on now. I can't see it ending well.

The day was a whirlwind of bikes and scooters and boys and food preparation and laundry and dog walking and I am sat here thinking, blimey, that was only day 1. You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but somehow it always seems a bit daunting at the beginning. And then at the end I'm always wishing it would go on for longer.

I am working up to a craft project - one of those nice noticeboard things. I'll let you know how it goes. I tried some crochet the other day. You will remember the ball of wool that was sitting on the shelf. Well, I decided it would look nice as a scarf in one of those lovely ripple patterns. I wrote down the instructions and off I went.


Sigh. It is obviously not supposed to look like this. I have zero patience for fiddly things that go wrong, so it has all been wound back up and I am sulking. Everyone else makes it look so easy.

Hope all is well with you. Any good plans?

18 comments:

  1. Those are absolutely beautiful photos of Wells. Looks like a wonderful place to visit. Speaking of ducks, we have chickens - who must be very distant cousins of ducks! I'm always surprised at the number of people who don't understand that all eggs don't have the beginnings of baby chicks in them. I can't tell you how many times I've had to explain it all. Of course, it was explained to me not all that many years ago, too... I'm loathe to get rid of my jacket also. What makes me shiver is the people (usually young men) who wear shorts with heavy winter jackets! When there's snow on the ground!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely photos as usual. I know what you mean about the school holidays. At the start they can be quite daunting and you think two weeks will stretch out forever, then next thing you know they're over and you wish they went on for a little longer. Ours has started quietly with no dramas so far...touch wood! xx Susan

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Wells. We did a city break there when my girls were small, staying in a little B&B directly opposite the Cathedral. It was fab. Your photos are gorgeous. I feel the cold too - in the supermarket car park yesterday I was marveling at a woman in a vest top when I was togged up in jumper, jacket, hat and gloves! Good luck with the crochet and removing that plaster, and enjoy the holidays. xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a lovely storybook place is Wells! Thanks for sharing the images. I kept wondering who would be lucky enough to live in those fantastic homes with the leaded windows and pretty doors. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to live in all the places you'd like to try? I fancied myself living in a castle when I was younger.. I'd also like to live in a pretty canal boat.. enjoy your hols with the gang. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. So you have a nice crocheted bookmark there. I haven’t been to Wells for years but it is on the list. Such beautiful buildings. Is the dressing plaster the kind that responds well to a soak in a warm bath pre-removal? Some of them can be stubborn heh? Have a lovely hols with your lovely boys xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. What beautiful photos of a city I will never see. Absolutely love the first one.

    ReplyDelete
  7. A most enjoyable read that had me smiling. Lovely pictures of a wonderful place, which I've visited several times.
    I'm good thanks, and most of my plans centre on the plot not surprisingly. xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely photos of a beautiful place! I hope the holidays proceed in a more orderly fashion :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wells, one of my favourite haunts, especially on market days when I can indulge myself scoffing street food.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I don't think you gave your crochet enough time to develop. If it is a ripple it will have peaks and valleys, and I think you have a "valley" in the photo. I was doing some crocheting last night while watching a championship basketball game (I am in the US), and just kept going, mistakes and all! Love, love, love the photos! I thought I might be coming to England next month, but all is not looking well now. Maybe soon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh I must send you a photograph of Alistair's knee after using one of those dressings.... it it was a sight to behold (and the original injury was the smallest problem).... I hope your littlest boy is not developing an allergy to that dressing. Spring holidays are crazy here, too. Little boys everywhere. Today, I am insisting on a couple of hours of screen time to have some peace.... The zoo was fab, in case you decide to visit yours. We jogged through it, it was that exciting. Have a lovey and hopefully injury free week with your three rascals (and Bertie of course). x

    ReplyDelete
  12. I remember wandering around Wells years ago and loving it. So many pretty buildings although the cathedral was shrouded in scaffolding just to disappoint. Keep practising with your crochet. You’ll get there I’m sure. B x

    ReplyDelete
  13. Stunning photo's from your visit, and do keep going with that beautiful wool colour

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lovely post, hope the plaster isn't too problematic! Enjoy the hols with the boys and the little brown dog.....and the chaos, chaos always becomes fun in the end!xxx

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi CJ, hope your Easter hols are bowling along well with no more scrapes and I hope the knee dressing hasn't caused a major incident! I have zero patience for fiddly knitting so I totally understand you giving up. Lovely wool, though. It's v quiet here with the younger two away. I could get used to it... :-) S x

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lovely pics. I hope this means that you've sorted out your photo editing woes.
    Plasters - I once saw a nurse remove a child's plaster by carefully lifting a corner and then rubbing with a cotton ball soaked in methelated spirits as she gently tugged. I can't imagine that ripping it off is worse than the sting of alcohol, but who knows what might work for your son?
    The crochet actually looks fine to me. Isn't it normal to have a bit of curl until you've made a bigger piece?

    ReplyDelete
  17. My boy no. 2 used to literally pass out at the mere suggestion of a plaster... the pulling it off part being considered a form of torture. He fell over and had a particularly nasty graze on his elbow on the way to the beach one year. I insisted he needed a plaster to keep sand out of the wound, left him outside on the pavement with his dad while I popped into the chemist to buy said tin of plasters. By the time I came out he was lying prone on the pavement, convulsing (he always did this when he fainted but thankfully grew out of it) with a crowd of concerned onlookers! He still faints at the slightest hint of unpleasantness and he’s 33 now!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have a little one who is a bit allergic to the sticky part of bandages. I hope you got that one off your son with no scab coming off. That is the worst when it comes off you have to start all over again. Hope the rest of your week was calmer than day 1! And I think you can do the crochet thing. The first row is the hardest. Send it to me, I'll get you started.

    ReplyDelete