Today is the first day of May – regarded by some as the start of summer, but no-one told the weather gods! Officially the May Bank Holliday is the first Monday after the 1st but this year it was moved to Friday 8th May to coincide with the 75th anniversary of VE Day but no-one seems to have told the calendar publishers. Not sure how we are going to celebrate this year since we are still officially in “lockdown”. I suppose I could tie a Union Jack flag to my front gate. Or perhaps draw a poster to display at in my window? I have a week to think about it . . . Meanwhile I reviewed maydays over the past five years to find out what I was doing then.
Last year I went out into my back garden to find my bench occupied by next-door’s cat. He always makes a dash for it when I approach – although I have not done anything to actively encourage or discourage him. I just do not want him to use my flower beds as his personal latrine. Wishful thinking!
Two I years ago, on Mayday, I finished a knitting project of which I am immensely proud. I had used the “modulo knitting” technique to knit three inch squares together to make myself a waistcoat. Before I started knitting I worked out the design on paper and even then I did quite a bit of adjusting as the waistcoat took shape – knitting and unpicking.
One of my regrets about lockdown is that I could not carry out my planned visit to bluebell woods. In 2017 I went with friends from Westcliff-on-Sea WI on an escorted walk with a Ranger around Belfair’s Woods. He was so knowledgeable and interesting – he knew every plant and every bird.
Christmas of 2015/2116 I had asked for a pack of yarns in the colours of the seashore to crochet a throw for my bed. I had spotted the pack on Deramores website and decided that the colours would look great I my bedroom. I think my decorator was a bit surprised when I produced a card with a sample of each colour attached and explained that the wallpaper and paint had to match!
Mayday 2015 I was in Edinburgh with my sister and we went on a river cruise on the Firth of Forth. Work had just begun on the Queensferry Crossing which was completed two years later. It was so exciting when we saw puffins flying across the water. Puffins always remind me of when I was very very young. I must’ve either seen them when we lived in Devon or had a book about puffins – memory is unclear.
When train travel is back to normal, I want to return to Edinburgh. Will I be able to purchase in advance the bargain tickets for first class seats? I doubt it.
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Love the clematis around your bench. So lucky to have a garden during this lockdown period.. xx
Absolutely! That tiny outdoor space really helps during lockdown. And growing seedlings is very therapeutic.
Lovely memories Jane. Great to look back on achievements too. Lots more to come in time if we sit tight and keep safe. The powers that be have a difficult job looking after us. It is good to read your blog. Well done!
Thank you for your comment.
I remember a book or book series of some young children detectives who had a puffin. Thinking back that was an interesting choice that the author made. Like you, I too was excited to see those Puffins because of that memory. As you and I travel down memory lane it is amazing how many gaps you have filled in for me and also that we have a lot of the same memories, like the lemon and honey glass cups in the metal container. Container is not the right word, but I know you know the ones I am thinking about. I too have been saying for years, “I wish I had more time at home”, and now I am at the end of the 6th week and I have done a lot of things, mostly at a slower speed and not related to my sewing and quilts. I have had a lot of pleasure working in the yard. I also made a commitment to stay fit as I did not want to have to struggle back to the level of fitness I had when all this started when gyms open. I miss swimming a lot. That is the other thing that I have a achieved. Starting today I am going back to mask making. I have a pattern that is not as effective as the N95, but will give the wearer some protection as well as the people around them. It has taken awhile to get a fit for the Sutherlands as I have to send out a sample and see how it fits. It would be a lot faster if I could go to Phoenix. Thirty two States are working on getting people back to work. The big problem is the lack of available test to check that people are not asymptomatic but infectious before they go back to work. I think you have similar problems in the UK. I enjoy reading your blog.
Lovely post, and such a nice idea to look back to the previous years! You’ve had some wonderful adventures and completed such beautiful projects. I know how it feels to have projects take much longer during quarantine… why is that?! Wishing you well. -Ariel