Feeling Blue

Curses. I've got a yucky cold. I have a non stop nose drip and feel grouchy. There have been some lovely moments this weekend, in spite of my nose feeling like it has been sandpapered. I woke up this morning, and these beauties were looking divine. The blue is just stunning. 

Yesterday Johnny came out with me to see the horsey girls. Zanny has been recovering from lameness so I decided to groom her, but not ride, and was able to bring Tara in with her with Johnny's help. Tara loved having a good brush, and Zanny seemed happy to have her company in the yard. Today I test rode Zanny to see how she has recovered, and we got the all clear from the expert, and had a lovely gentle potter in the arena and down the drive. I was very pleased because she was told she is looking fat - not something she has ever really been before. She has quite a light build, and going into winter, being plump is a very good thing. Tara is also looking fat and happy. I always wish I could look through her tummy to see the developing foal deep inside. 

Zanny was in a daft mood today. She took a look at the wee mini pony boarding in the paddock next to the stable yard and her eyes were on stalks. What the Hell is THAT!!!!!???? Funny how miniature ponies look like monsters to big horses who are not used to them. Apparently pigs and alpacas are also considered up there with lions and tigers in the scary department too. Zanny also decided that people moving around making noises at the end of the pine tree lane were petrifying, so we had a wee discussion about going that way. She said it was a very bad idea, and I insisted that we were not going anywhere else. We are getting there with our spook battles. I just have to remember to sit deep and hold her head steady the way I want to go. Her back end can swivel a bit but she can't spin on me. Once she settles I can then gently press her on with my legs. See, not scary at all! Well, I pretend it isn't, but between you and me, I do have to tell myself to breathe. 

Mr Mouse has been a jolly little man this weekend. He helped me with the garden, and was chief supervisor in my craft room. I was dabbling with my overlocker. I love the neat seams it produces, even if Mouse looks rather indignant at the noise it makes. When I finally make something I can actually wear with it, I'll show you. I made another sack of a muslin (a trial of a dress pattern). It looked fine on my dressmaker's form, Ruby, but I seem to be a different shape in some areas. I think that even though the bust measurement is the same as mine, my chest is smaller, but boobs bigger. My shoulders seem to be narrower too, although I haven't measured them. Anyway, I am doing well with losing some weight, long may it continue, so I have decided to shelve the clothes sewing experiments and focus on finishing a pile of quilt projects lurking in various corners of the workroom. 

I'm also getting into the knitting again. I was sick of dishcloth making after two, and am now working on long fingerless gloves. They will basically be a long tube with a hole in the seams for my thumbs. 

I'm doing a 2x2 rib and might shape into the wrists with smaller needles. Or not. 

I am working on the back of a wee quilt using some gorgeous birdie fabric from my stash. Time to bust the miniscule yarn stash, and relatively modest fabric stash. 

It is no good hoarding stuff until:

- It is no longer fashionable. 

- You can't stand the sight of it. 

- You have never used it in spite of several suitable projects because you might need it for something else one day. 

- Things fall out of the stash cupboard whenever you open the door. 

- You hit menopause and still haven't used the sweet children's fabric you got at a great price for the child you never had. Still a bit of time there but definitely no child on the cards. 

- You feel guilty buying new amazing fabric because the stash looms in your mind as you are admiring it. 

Time to use as much of my craft stash as I can before I turn into one of those crazy hoarding people you see on TV. At least horses are a bit harder to hoard. I did spot two gorgeous horses on Trade Me that would be perfect for me. Don't worry Zanny, you are my number one.