Later January

My blood pressure is averaging 170/100 with the tablets so still needs a bit of tweaking. I guess it’s something I will now have to live with and monitor. Not sure when I can add proper exercise in again but hopefully soon! Thank you for the kind comments and messages, you’re a lovely supporting group!

Many years ago I made this little pincushion for my desk but it had one problem, the needles would disappear as it was so deep. Even the long Sashiko ones were tiddly. You wouldn’t know from the left photo that there were all those pins and needles in the middle photo in it. I took them all out carefully, unstuck the velvet from the cup, and found a few more needles in the stuffing, then put in a stiff piece of card about an inch down from the top with hot glue. After I’d replaced the velvet my needles don’t lose themselves in the depths of the stuffing now. Sorted!

Over the years I’ve done a few of the usual New Year challenges, Art for a month, 100 day, daily, weekly etc, well I’ve decided to be a bit more relaxed about it all and just do something with an aim once a month. So, I took all these rolls of felt out of the cupboard.

Sorted 12 I liked and trimmed them to 15cm. I have one for each month which I will put back to back for 6 pages and make into a little book of the year. The idea is just to do something that was prompted within the month whether it an image, something found or felt, just sample stitches, applique, whatever speaks to me of needing to be in this little book.

Last weekend Gwyn started her new scent work class and as we were driving home we passed the River Stour at Sturminster Newton. As we waited at the traffic lights I saw a head pop up, look around and dive heading up stream, a lovely otter. So that is what I did for my first page of January.

I put him in the swirling waters which were very high and totally brown as there’s been so much rain. If you would like to join in just using the hashtag #monthlymeaningfulmake on Instagram (I’m Amo107) and/or FB please do. It doesn’t matter if it’s knit a block, stitch a page or sculpt a figurine, it’s just a little something for each month this year. No pressure for 100 days etc.

If you like the challenge of a bit more though Karen of Stitching Life is making another year of stitch which was such a success last year. She has a lively group on FB for it too.

In December 2021 I started doing virtual walking challenges. I had already done a few real walks for charity like the Test Valley Way, Stars Appeal for Salisbury Hospital and the New Forest Challenge. The virtual ones were to keep me going with a focus. I actually started with the 33.8 km of the English Channel which I did in miles on my rowing machine as well as real walking. I then followed that with finishing 148.8 km of Hadrian’s Wall in the January. I also started the year long challenge of walking 2022 km for 2022. In February I completed the 200 km Ring of Kerry. This one was followed by The North Coast 500 (miles) which is actually 805.46 km finished in June. I then added the Lands end to John O’Groats which I have done 1357 km of the 1744 km up until now. I feels wrong going up country doing LEJOG when most walk down it for JOGLE but there wasn’t that option.

I completed the year challenge of 2022 km on 4th October, the day Chris went missing. A bittersweet challenge as the medal itself arrived in the post on the day of his funeral too. He was the only person other than John who knew I was doing these challenges etc. He would be excited for me when I was nearing the end or had just received a medal and would call up and want to know what I’d been doing for them. Well you lot know as well now.

These were all kilometres I clocked up myself when out walking, including golf but we had brought home Gwyn in the February and had to wait a while before she could come out on proper walks with me. As soon as she could I decided she could do her own medal as she obviously doesn’t come golfing with me! Each walk I specifically take her on was added to her total so she managed to walk the Camino de Santiago (773km) by 26th December. What She actually does on her zooms is probably more like 5 or 6 times that in reality though!

Whilst I’m finishing off LEJOG when I can she’s slowly making her way around Ring Road of Iceland now. I’m not sure when I can add any significant miles in the near future as I’m under instructions to rest still but I’m hoping it won’t be long!

In the meantime I have put together some of my rust prints, eco and ice dyed bits to make headway on something that’s been on the backburner for a while! Shouldn’t be too long in the making but I’m enjoying the soothing therapy of the hand stitch.

Some days the cleaning of pots for recycling doesn’t go quite to plan!

Have a lovely week ahead.