Crossroads

Had I been born 5 years earlier I would have been retired by now, but I have to wait until I'm 66, another 5 and a bit years away, to get my state pension. I can get my Local Government pension now, but it would be reduced and isn't a lot anyway.  So at present I keep working four days a week, but at least I'm fit and healthy enough to work, so I'm lucky in that respect. David took voluntary redundancy at the end of last year,  it was the right thing to do, but it doesn't stop the frustrations that come with one working and one not.  I have the money to spend on craft stuff but not the time and snatch the time I have to create, be it knitting, crochet or sewing but things do pile up somewhat.

Above is some crochet, a corner to corner thingy, which I saw in Crochet Now and had to try.  I've also started knitting a Hitchhiker scarf with hand dyed yarn from Katherine of Crafternoon Treats.

Today is my day off and David volunteers at Swanage Railway so he was out today, so baking was the order of the day.  Coming home on the bus from work yesterday and idly looking at Facebook on my phone I saw a recipe for tea bread; hadn't made that in ages, I had to bake.

I started with some bread, I've not made bread in years, the dried yeast was old, but put it in some water and there were some bubbles so it would do.  It didn't really so I've got a couple of solid looking loaves, and I'll have to buy some new sachets of dried yeast and try not to let that get out of date!

A few weeks ago, just before our holiday, our oven died and we left it until our return and it has since been fixed and is working again. Having to use the combination microwave to cook some of our meals we then discovered the things that could be cooked including baking scones and had a go at fruit ones.  This time I made some cherry ones which cooks rather brilliantly.  I've since used the microwave to blind bake a pastry case for a quiche that we'll have for dinner tomorrow which it also does well.

Above are cherry scones and a couple of flat loaves of bread.

The aforementioned tea bread was also made and baked and I've also made a chilli, that's tonight's dinner. It's not baking but that's what was planned.

There is still time for some sewing and on Monday evening I've managed to make a couple of pouches. Some that I made a few months ago went down well at a craft sale at Cherry Tree Nurseries in Bournemouth so I've taken to making more of these when I can.

Marking and layering four Dresden Plate blocks

Back on Sunday (when I usually get to sew) I made a start on my journal quilt, which is to be finished off.

It should be turned 90 degrees, but never mind.

So I think if I was retired there'd be plenty to keep me busy. Just got to wait a few more years to get there.