Five on Friday - randoms

This week has flown past in a jiffy. I have been exceptionally tired this week, not sure why, I am not ill and life has not been more busy than usual either. I have a collection of completely random news today. I am linking up with Amy's Five on Friday. If you have a minute, do go and have a look, there is something interesting for everybody.

Fruit trees. Ours are not carrying much fruit this year with the exception of the apple tree that is laden with small apples. The branches will bend under the weight soon. I had so much hope for my quince tree. Dozens and dozens of quincelets in late spring were promising a rich harvest. Last time I checked, there were two quinces. The stems turned brown and the fruit fell off in late May. Not sure if the dry month of May combined with high winds have cleared the tree of its fruit, it could also be a disease. Any suggestions? The plum and pear trees have very little fruit but there was not much blossom so no surprise there. 

The extension. It is happening, very soon and should be complete by December. We have met with our builder (how strange this sounds, our builder) and the architect and have discussed details. It appears that we are easy clients so far, I have only asked for one minor change to the drawings and have not questioned anything really. I guess a good architect understands your brief and translates your vision into something practical. My most urgent question yesterday was the location of the cat flap (there will be a little tunnel through the wall). We are going to loose half of the kitchen right away but luckily the stove is in the other half. Not the sink though but I have been promised a temporary one so all is fine. If not I guess the bathtub will have to do... not a thought I cherish. I am quite anxious and no doubt plenty will go wrong and I will moan about it here in the coming months....

James and Alistair have been to a holiday camp all week. We chose the day camp option because the boarding one cost an arm and a leg. The boys came home most days in full war paint and wet on occasion (water fights). They have bing singing motivational songs, very much like the ones in the dreaded Barney the Dinosaur show (hey, you, can you do it? I don't know but I will try!). It makes me cringe a little but they are having a grand time. All holiday camps we have sent children to in the past were sports only so this new camp is very refreshing with its options of football, general sports, creative arts, performing arts and action & adventure - and lots and lots of team building. 

My foot has been really sore this week. The pain comes and goes and seems to not be correlated to shoes or activities. It doesn't get worse with exercise either. I't just hurts or doesn't hurt. It has been like that for many months. I had x rays and other investigations but there appears to be nothing wrong with the foot. Except of course that it hurts. I feel like a fraud when I make yet another appointment at the doctors. I finally managed to get a podiatrist appointment (I was given the wrong number and was cursing for weeks because no one answered the phone) and hope for some relief, although I have little hope.



I have started another crochet blanket. The last one I made disappeared into a teenage cave, never to be seen again. I am using Drops Karisma and Sandness Smart yarn, both 100% super wash wool, most of it from my stash. I made a blanket with this yarn before and prefer it over the Stylecraft Special DK I have used for two other blankets. I am loosely following the 'Weekender Blanket' designed by Sandra at Cherry Heart. I love Sandra's designs, she has a great eye for colour. Having said that, I chose my own, inspired by Sandra.

That's it for this Friday. I hope you are having a nice day. Summer has returned to Scotland for a few days (I hope) and I am enjoying the warmth through the office window. xx