The shine is off the apple

 We were away for another caravan break of four nights to  the south Peak District.  Unfortunately we had a number of minor problems which collectively wore us out so we were glad to get home.  Just things like our water pump running on when it shouldn't, the fog light on the van is out, some minor issues with window blinds, a very dull campsite with no view but plenty of daytime noise from agricultural machinery and the nearby country lane (surprisingly busy in the daytime), the car conked out and we had to call AA who said it could die again at anytime during the holiday which made turning the key feel like spinning a roulette wheel, constant heavy overcast weather with frequent showers that was both muggy/too warm and too breezy so that you had to wear multiple layers and spent half your day taking them off or putting them on, and then on the way home the fuse to the caravan lights blew so we were abruptly illegal.  Luckily I had stocked up on some spare fuses AND remembered where the tow hitch installer man had pointed out the fuse, so we were able to pull over and replace the fuse.

We did do some nice things, like a amateur walk in The Roaches scenic area, another walk near the campsite, walks around the picturesque towns of Leek and Ashbourne, another walk around Ilam and to a very crowded Dovedale, and a visit to a lovely garden at Melbourne Hall in Melbourne.  We were impressed with how pretty Staffordshire was, we might try to go back there (to a different campsite) another year.  The car has been to the garage and had the two problem sensors replaced so it should be okay now.  

We visited a couple of antique shops in Leek, and in one I found a cabinet of vintage dollhouse bits where I picked up a little Buddha who is the perfect size for my Japanese house plus a Thai? god figurine which DH has since stripped and repainted for me to look more like stone.  It's a bit bigger but could pass as a garden ornament I think.

One of my holiday craft projects was to do more stitching on the little felt teapot mat.  I added some bits of tatting from the miscellaneous bag of bits I bought at a lace fair a few years ago. and blanket stitched around the edges.  Just need to tidy it up and perhaps do a bit of quilting of the layers then it's done.

We got home on Wednesday then I had the rest of the week off, so I made a big push on block 2 of the Australian BOM.  I'm beginning to wonder if I have too much of a 'get it done' mentality to really enjoy endless embroidery.  But after several more hours of work, I managed to finish it yesterday and although not as perfect as the pictures online from more experienced stitchers, it looks pretty good.  You wouldn't think there was such a huge amount of work in it now it's done.

Hopefully Block 3 will be quicker, although I've already had to redraw the applique shapes as I wasn't happy with the mangled perspective. I'm beginning to suspect the designers have stronger embroidery skills than their drawing skills - thus the teacup that doesn't sit quite right in block 2.  Block 3 is supposed to be a stack of ribbon reels but the perspective was completely hinky to my eye.

I picked up an interesting thing online, which was waiting for me when we got home.  It's a secondhand Clothkits blouse with the pattern and print stamped on the fabric, and includes the instructions and even the buttons.  It was never made up.  But it's my size so I thought I would give it a go. I've got English friends who fondly remember their mother dressing them in Clothkits kids clothing when they were little.

With all the warm weather, the garden had become a thicket of weeds and rampant growth while we were away.  We've just spent most of the morning hacking it back - I think a machete might have been helpful.  There are so many weeds and things needing pruning back or propping up, it's just overwhelming.  But I filled the brown garden waste bin and an enormous collapsible leaf bag with cuttings and DH strimmed then mowed the lawn, so it looks less like one of those houses where an elderly person lives whose garden has gotten out of their control.

The other thing I did on my day off yesterday was to finally sit down with my stack of pension paperwork and files and try to work through at least the ones that are coming due when I turned 60 in the autumn.  It took about 30 minutes before the black despair and procrastination subsided but I persevered and managed to put in 2.5 hours just working out what is what, emailing providers for more info, and setting up a free government Pensionwise appointment for next week to see what they have to say. It's a start.

DS has started commuting to London at long last, just two days a week currently.  He says the trains aren't too bad, not nearly as crowded as they were in the old days, which is just as well since there is no social distancing as such.  He's still a bit bitter because he doesn't see why he needs to be in the office when he can do his job from home.  But it feels like progression back to a new normal.   Are you still working from home?