My goodness has it really been that long .

I have just looked at  my last blog post  and hanging my head in  shame  I found it was the  end of March,when snow was on the ground and we were wondering  if spring would ever come. Well of  course it did and now it is summer.So  what have I been up to. Various hospital and  gp visits,but not going to bore you with  that. I have celebrated my daughter in laws 50th birthday and my grandaughters 18th and in a couple of weeks it will be my son in laws 50th too.I have stitched  ,and will  be  showing pics  for you to see.  Martin  has  had eye laser treatment which has been a success . So now onto the photos. 

Sue and her mum on her birthday. What a photo of a mother and daughter.
We did not go  to  Ellas 18th as  it would have  meant  Martin  driving back in  the dark,at that point he had not  had his eye done  so he did   not want to drive that far and not be able to see properly. Here is  a pic of  my 2 grandaughters   on   the same day a  few days before the 18th

Ella on the left  and Caitlin who will  be  21  at the end of the year.They are off  to Ibiza with a couple of Ellas girlfriends in a week or so. 

My son Graeme and Caitlin , a story being told I think.

Catherine my daughter  with Sam  who wants to be a firefighter when he  has done his stint  at college  and having  cuddles  is Alfie who wants  to be  a footballer !
My son  in  law with Sues dad ,

In deep discussion. Only one grandchild  missing ,Jack who with his fiancee was  at the Southampton boat show.  So lovely times  and memories with family.

So now onto  the stitching and  reading  bit. Well quite a bit finished in the last couple of weeks and  some  wips too. Stash has been acquired  and books  too .However before the stitching here is what Martin erected a few weeks  ago.

My bookcase at  one side of the fire, Sorry about the cards Martin had his birthday at the beginning of the month.

His bookcase ,his side of the fire. We both love books and love  seeing them on display. The grandchildren cannot get over the amount of books  we have ,Jack and Katie came over for a curry and gin night last night and it  was the first time  Katie  had  seen  them, where did  they all come from she said ,we  have more in the lofts I said in  boxes. Oh dear no  hope and  I have 2 more  coming this  week.  I think  these days youngsters do not seem  to read as much ,technology has taken over and not for the better sometimes I fear. Oh I love  to lose myself  in a book.
One of the things I have been to  the hospital for is my eyes they are monitoring it every 3 months . I am terrified I will  lose my sight and my two great loves of stitching and reading  may be lost. Still  I cannot think of that now I am sure all will  be well. I still manage to  stitch over one with the help of my light and really good magnifier.I find  though  by the end  of the evening things are  beginning  to double  up. Talking  about over one , this is the latest  thing  I am doing . It  is  a design by Carolyn Manning , it  is  called A  flower  a day as  it was  a  stitch along  she  ran  a while  ago  ,she has lots of wonderful  designs and I do not think  it  will  be  the last  I do.  This is how far  I have got.

I am enjoying it, I stitch along with Lainey and Jean on a Tuesday. Lainey introduced  me to  Carolyns  designs. I am also doing the LHN farmhouse series. and last week finished the 4th in the series stitching with Sally and Sue.

This is Daisy Darlin'. Sunday nights stitching. On  Monday I am again with Sally and Sue stitching Lizzie Kates  designs. This one was finished last week and is  now hanging  on  the wall.

The one before this that I finished was this one.

I have not realised just how much   I have finished since last  I wrote. This is  sheep in the  meadow  ,filled  with Lavender.

The same week this was finished I also finished this. Spring whimsies.

I also finished Boughs of Holly which had been sitting in  my need  to finish basket for far  too long.

Also I made a bookmark out of the gifted  kit  from Julie , it  now sits on  the bookcase.

Another finish last  week was on sheep night with Sally , here  is Winter  friends  by snowflower diaries .

Really pleased  with this  one. Now I have a question  for you,what do you do with all  your finished  work. I  had a message from  my ex boss asking that question ,so now I am  asking  you  if you are  still  with  me.
I  think  by now you are really fed up with seeing all these  photos ,but I know you will be too polite to say so.

Martin has just gone to get  his mum as she is  coming for  Sunday lunch.  I hope there are not too many mistakes  in this ,just needed to get  a post done today . Hope you are all  well  and stitching away furiously . I am  stitching on Grandmas  Quilt tonight another in the farmhouse series. No time to show stash but maybe next time .  Will  try to be  soon ,as  Hilda Baker used to say. Now I can hear you saying WHO.
Take care  my friends and give me a nudge  if I leave it too long next time. Photo hunt the end of this week argh !!! must take  photos.
Much love
Barb.x