No more sewing.........for a while anyway

"He sat in the window of a little shop in Westgate Street, cross-legged on a table from morning till dark. 
All day long while the light lasted he sewed and snippetted, piecing out his satin, and pompadour, and lutestring"

Beatrix Potter - The Tailor of Gloucester

I have to admit to feeling just as overwhelmed with sewing and in need of mice a few weeks ago! But now it is all finished and although I say it myself I am very pleased with the results . As promised I have been out specially today to take a photo! The seat covers, curtains and cab blinds are all finished, just the rug to do and that can wait till we are on the road!

I finished work yesterday although I don't think its sunk in yet. Chris has been to work today and I think when we are both finished it will seem more real. I have done some packing and sorting and also treated myself to a visit to my favourite cafe in Bristol this afternoon (Papa Costas) on park street. Baklava to die for.... its been a good day!

Testing the facebook link

Just a quick note to see if this works - with a bit of luck this blog post and all future ones will pop up on my facebook profile to.......lets see

Good bye Allotment

"The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of the birds for mirth
You are nearer gods heart in the garden
Than anywhere else on Earth"
Dorothy Francis Gurney

This weekend I had to say goodbye to the allotment, and move all my stuff out of the shed. It was sad and I was a little emotional at one stage, but I think the excitement of everything else that's going on carried me through. It has been great up there and I will miss the people but it isn't the same as a garden and I have definitely decided that funds permitting when we get back a garden is a must, maybe with an allotment as well to grow the bulk crops!! I currently have a bath full of muddy tools and cloches, which I think will have to be tackled this afternoon, otherwise their is no where to dry the clothes.

I have just got back from Taunton this morning and as far as we can

tell the heating and hot water is now all working and there was not really anything wrong, we were just a bit confused over all the buttons and nobs! I am letting it all cool down and then am going to go and fire it up later and check. Fingers crossed.

So time to sign off for a while, lots of jobs are calling and I need to make the most of my day off work. Two weeks to go, and only two more days of work. Yippeeeeeeeeee.

snow, no heating and boxes......

It's was a very wintry scene in Bristol last week and our poor van disappeared under a blanket of snow. We also discovered that we have a broken heating and water system, and a leek on the boiler. All in all a very cold week! Fingers crossed it will be easy to fix, I have to take the van to a specialist in Taunton next week to find out. I really hope that its just in need of a service and nothing more serious but it is 10 years old and I have a nasty feeling we may need a new one. We are cutting things a little fine as we have just over two weeks left before we leave the flat! 

We move out of here on the 1st of March, have about 2 weeks in the UK catching up with family and getting used to life in the van before heading off to France in mid march. I am really looking forward to revisiting some old haunts in France as I haven't been for a long time.  We plan to start at Le Mont St Michelle and then head south and west into Brittany and back along the Loire. The direction from there is a little hazy at the moment but probably Holland to see the tulips and on into Eastern Europe and the Baltic. 

The flat is a state of organised chaos, boxes and lists everywhere. There's not a lot more we can do until the last week when we can pack up everything else. This weekend we plan to finish fixing the bikes and I need to finish my sewing marathon (seat covers, curtains, blinds - I know!). I also have to say good by to the allotment which will be sad, but hey we will get a garden when we get back .

So all in all every thing is going very well and am beginning to get very excited. Europe here we come.