Happy Planner action and a couple of UFO finishes

Happy Planner action

I am loving my new Happy Planner, and already it is helping me stay on track for things I want to do, must do, and would like to do.

My new HP Envy 5541 printer/ scanner arrived and I love it. This is the first time I have been able to sit in the lounge, or anywhere for that matter, and print in my Happy Room without opening my main computer. I am still getting to grips with what it will and will not do. It comes with four months free ink which is another bonus.

Printing freebie planner sheets from my iPad

Working out this weeks plan

Just look at all those lovely freebie planner stickers I have printed!

 To keep my hands busy in the evenings I decided to sew in a million [ well it felt like it] ends on this circular crochet that was completed some time last year. I have decided to use it as a mat as it looks nice in front of the fire.

Close up of the crochet

The binding on this lap quilt has also been on the UFO pile for a long time, so one evening I managed to sew it down. I think I will donate it to Linus, the charity for children.

Workshop day in the Happy Room

Four of us try to get together once a month to work on a project and keep us motivated.

Yesterday one of the group was unable to come at the last minute, we missed you Penny.

It was touch and go that I had to cancel the get together as I had a bad asthma attack the night before, but a course of steroids seems to be helping.

Penny had come up with the idea of the cushion front, which involved patchwork, applique and hand sewing. In advance we made the back, I forgot to put a border on, so this was quickly added before we started! The applique as Heat-n-Bonded on to the backing.

My version with rough edge machining around the applique and lots of button sewing.

I managed to complete mine with a zip in the back for the cushion filling.

Happy Room in action

Christine's version, which she also managed to complete, other than a little hand sewing.

Pauline's version just needs the backing.

It's amazing how different they all look, it was a great workshop and has really brought back my sewing mojo, which has been sadly lacking of late.

Back home one week

Thought it was time to try and catch up with what has been happening since we got back from our holiday on February 10th. Of course the first thing was washing and yet more washing, food shopping and sorting out finances... all very boring stuff. The family had invited us for dinner so that was well received.

Sunday I was able to go to Church and gradually being at home and all it entails slipped into place.
Monday was my last visit to the Physio, where I managed to bend my leg another 20 degrees and use the cycle machine. I am still far from back to normal, whatever that is! but I do not need any more treatment, just exercise and walking.

While away on holiday I research and joined Facebook groups concerning journal planning.
This is something I had been wanted to do for a long time, in fact had made a few attempts just using diaries,
 but with little success. A Happy Planner seems to be the answer so I invested in one
 and managed to buy a few stickers and Washi tape while still in Spain.
I will blog more about this later.

Tuesday and Wednesday the girls came to stay and had fun cutting up a load of fleece I had been
given to share with my friends for use with Charity quilts. See on the table behind them.
They also had fun using the Sizzix machine to make Christmas tags from old Christmas cards
hope I remember where I put them next Christmas!

Thursday was IAM day and although most of us seemed to be having troubles or illnesses we had a nice day.
Show and tell was a bit thin on the ground, but Jenny's caterpillar bag was a  big hit.

My Show and Tell was the pair of socks I had knitted while driving through France and Spain
Using Opal, Pop Corn wool I received for my birthday.

These snowdrops where such a welcome sight in my garden

There are two different types of snowdrops in the garden, I love the big heads on this clump.

Finished off the week with a visit to the dentist for an Xray, which will be followed by a crown and £320 bill!

Mont Saint Aignan

Another ten hours travelling through miles of thick boring fog and a long hold up on the Autoroute.
Our 2nd night en route home is at the Kyriad Hotel just north of Rouen at Mont St Aignan

After a quick cuppa we went in search of fuel and somewhere to eat, followed by a walk around the Carrafour next door. Both very tired.

Next stop the Eurotunnel and home after six weeks away.

Pau overnight

Up early for our travels home. We left Villa Martin Spain at 7am with a temperature of 12c.
Every kind of weather was thrown at us as we travelled towards France, howling winds that rocked the car, flurries of snow and rain and some weak sunshine. Temperature dropped to .5c at one point,  burr!
We had hoped to travel over the Pyrenees but the snow was so bad we needed snow chains, so had to take the tunnel instead.
The Somport tunnel that joins Spain to France is 5.3 miles long and at an elevation of 1632miles.
The scenery on the French side was spectacular, lots and lots of snow,  but the road had been kept clear, we passed a snow plough moving the snow aside. Many waterfalls poured into the river of glacier water. I always love the colour of these rivers, so strange.
A stop for lunch in Zaragoza at KFC and then onward to Pau and the
Appart'Hotel Victoria Garden Pau, our first night stop back in France.

We are on the sixth floor and have a view across town.

Including seeing about a dozen parachutes tumble out of a plane 

that seemed to be the same height as us!

The apartment which cost less than £50 for the night is great

With a small kitchen hot plate and microwave, table and chairs etc..

The Weather

Tomorrow we leave Spain for our trip through France home. I thought I would check the weather, maybe it would have been better if I did not!
At this moment it is
23c here and the sun is shining beautifully
2c at El Potalet in the Pyrenees and such a lot of snow we might not ba able to go over the pass, even the tunnel has big restrictions.
6c at Pau our first overnight stop... snow and cold
8c at Rouen our final night in France
7c at home
All the nights are really forecast cold... do we really want to go home?
 I guess the answer is yes, I am missing my Happy Room and family but I wonder if I can take the 23c with me.

Sunday in the sunshine

Friday the next 20 rows of the Attic24 Heathland crochet CAL were announced, we are moving into the sky area and the pretty blues.

Sorting out this weeks colours

Saturday we decided to do some exploring, and set off for Redovan and the National Park, most of the park involved climbing up a very steep hill, so we contented ourselves with ambling about on the low slopes.

Not a soul in sight even though it is Saturday and a large park area.

Wow this looks interesting I need a closer look

Peeping through a hole in the fence this is the sight.. amazing!

Sunday here we are at the market for breakfast and a wander around the stalls.
loved this guys baskets so nice to see hand craft.

Amazing shoes for sale

Just one of the many isles and the market is only just opening.

Someone was up early making all this bread and being on the market for 8am!

Miniature motorbikes and cycles for sale

The temperature reached 22 C on Saturday and by 10am this morning was already 20 C but with a strong wind, Chris is loving sun bathing every minute he can, while I'm happy looking for a little shade and doing my crochet. It feels like a life time since we were home, one more week and this holiday will start to become a memory.

Road Runner?

The weather has suddenly changed and we have had some really hot days. Chris likes to spend the afternoons sun bathing while I spend a little time outside enjoying the sun and working on my crochet. In fact friends are commenting that I have sunburn, which is most unusual for me as I don't take sun burn very well.
Earlier in the week we again visited the restaurant at San Miguel for their Menu of the Day. I enjoyed salmon and avocado salad, followed by pork fillet with vegetables and completed the meal with profiterole cake and a glass of apple juice [could have had half a bottle of wine, but I do not drink], all for 9 euros. [£8.50]
Chris walked home the 4 miles along the canal!!

A couple of evenings have been spent with our friends playing cards, always a nice way to spend the evening. Plus a visit to San Javier to see a few friends and raid the Chino Bazaar shop for candles and craft items followed by a quick lunch at Burger King in La Zenia watching a singer perform in at least three languages was very nice.

At home I drink Barley Cup, a coffee substitute, but the jar I brought with me is almost empty so I translated the contents into Spanish and went on a Barley Cup hunt. A Health Food shop said she could get me a jar for 12 euros, no way would I spend that much! However a visit to a local Mercadona grocery store and BINGO we found it for 1.50euros, that's about £1.30. I pay £4 a jar at home, so today I bought 12 jars to take home with me, good job we came by car.

Great shop found in Torrevieja along the pedestrian walk way

Torrevieja sea front, love the concrete seats that have built looking out to sea.
Not sure if you can see the cats, but there were four cats sunbathing near the wall
that did not even move when Chris walked out for the picture.

A walk around the area this morning [Thursday] and we spotted this bird,
looks like a road runner but I don't really know what it is.