The Stash Stack

My winter knitting was supposed to be about reducing my ever increasing yarn stash. It started well. I duly wound skeins of beautiful yarn unto neat manageable cakes of yarn. Then the dilemma began. I searched through my patterns I search Ravelary, I searched Patternfish. Frustration set in. So many garment I want to knit. The problem was I couldn't match what I wanted to knit with yarn I had. A couple of shawls later I was only two balls of stash  down. This wasn't working. 

Then a trip to the Oundle Farmers Market found me in the Oundle Yarn shop, Oundle in Stitches, http://www.oundleinstitches.co.uk  Just browsing though wasn't I? Er no! A big bag of Rico Essentials Cotton Glitze DK. Well it was almost half price. I couldn't leave it. Could I? So now what to do with it? A quick search online for crochet patterns and a root through the needle draw for long abandoned hooks. After a quick tutorial on the difference between UK and US crochet stitches and I was away. Soon the Lost in Time shawl was growing. I'd forgotten how much I use to love crocheting. 

Shawl finished and folded and stacked away. I dipped into the Deramores website. Bad move. Jacket pattern and yarn ordered.
Three different sizes of a jackets later ....

and two sizes of yet another jacket...Not sure if I'll ever reduce this Yarn stash. Still tryingthough!

‘Lido’ an Italian Word for Bathing Beach.

From a poem by Keeley Mills.

Words from a poem by Keeley Mills applied to the entrance way to our Lido. Lido an Italian word for bathing beach. Which ever way you say it it still means to me a  blissful half hour or more immersed in my own private world of thoughts and ideas. The only interruptions are my fellow swimmers with their cheerful ‘morning’ greeting. It’s especially enjoyable this year. State of the art new boilers in the 80 year old boiler house means pleasantly warm waters in the pool. 

Sliding into the water at  just gone 9am. The Cathedral bell have stopped ringing but the birds chirp away. The gentle hum of the City traffic fades as you dip your head under the blue waters. A golden Walter swings slowly as the breeze hits him on his perch on the top of the clock tower. Not too hot and not too cold but just right for relaxing mindful swimming. even the rain docent faze us.

All through the grey winter mornings we trudge to the indoor pool. The changing rooms are brightly lit with electric lights. But. No windows. No fresh air.  Just the stale dank moist air swirled about by the corridor door constantly opening. Through the shower area with it’s slippery shampoo greased floor to the pool. Turning the corner, into the pool area, the stuffy chemically loaded over heated air hit you full in the face. This hall of a room is also lit by a glare of artificial lights. There is some daylight from the domed roof glazing but not enough, and the tree shaded window wall boarders the diving pit ares let’s in some more. But we swim dreaming of the last weekend in May when the Lido opens its metal gates once more.

Last Friday at 11am we plunged into the welcoming open air waters. A pre season swim arranged especially for our newly formed 'Friends of the Lido' group. Some more active members had been helping The lido staff prepare the winter damaged buildings ready for the opening day. I had been busy over winter creating a web page to keep members and non members up to date. Swim over we sat in the sunshine with chips and a bacon butties from the cafe putting the world to rights. To start this season I've invested in a new bright pink swim towel. one that dries you quickly, two new swimsuits, new goggles  and a pair of comfortable pool shoes. It promises to be a wonderful season swimming.

Coffee and Knitting

Over the last few years there's been a revival in the art of knitting. An article I read today described it as it's third renaissance. I not sure how they arrived at this description. Knitting for my Mothers and Grandmothers generation and in my teens was a skill passed on from Mother to daughter. Or in my case Grandmother to Granddaughter. It wasn't a skill I latched onto as a kid. I preferred reading and painting then.

Leaving home and living in a Nurses Home as a 1960's Student Nurse painting had to be dropped. A hobby not suited to working a 44 hour weeks and spare time studying. So knitting became the relaxing pastime. Every magazine then had new knitting patterns and almost every street a wool shop. In the 1970's Knitting was declining and by the 1980's it was definitely out of favour. The wool shops all but disappeared.

A Crocheted bedspread aka 1978.

After knitting 11 sweaters one year mid 1970's I burnt out and couldn't pick up the needles any more. Eventually needles, crochet hooks  and patterns were relegated to a Charity shop. Sugar craft was my new sideline. During the 1980's and 1990's I took courses and did a City and Guild course in Sugarcraft and design. I instigated and became the Chairman of the Peterborough Branch of the British Sugarcraft Guild. We were a successful Guild winning competitions at National level. In my spare time between full-time work and looking after my family I make intricate wedding and celebratory cakes.

One of my many wedding cake creations.

Then in 2003 a visit from my 'surrogate' daughter from Canada and a visit with her to the Knitting and Stitching show at the Alexander Palace in London and I was reinstate back into the knitting community. The needles once more were clicking. Yarn and patterns searched for. My borrowed Canadian daughter and her Mom were delighted. we were all back knitting. Visits to Canada involved a lot of knitting and visits to yarn stores. Returning home to Britain with suitcases stuffed with delicious yarns.

The American have taken knitting to the next level with 'Bitch and Stitch' and 'Knit and Natter' groups.  It slowly became filtered across to the UK. The Internet helped with the American website Ravalery attracting members worldwide. Wool became Yarn and the American spinners and dyers created some wonderful yarns. We now have wonderful yarns from all over the world.

A Canadian Yarn store 2005.

 It's taken Britain a while to retrieve the love of Knitting but it's getting there. Yarn shops are on the increase and the online yarn providers do a roaring trade. The health aspect of knitting is becoming clear, with research finding a whole range of health benefits. From slowing the onset of dementia, reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure, distracting from chronic pain and lowering depression.
Knitting has been a reaction from my own health problems. As arthritis progresses and I found painting and gardening difficult my knitting has once more become my obsession. My Great grand children are benefiting where unfortunately my grand children came along in my barren knitting years.

Little People Knits.

Now I'm knitting all sorts of garments. From lacy scarves and shawls, to gaily coloured socks, hats and hand warmers. Cardigans for me. Sweaters for the lads. Jackets cardigans and jumpers for the little people in my life. Knitting groups are not for me, I'm a solitary knitter, feet up with a mug of coffee and sometimes with the headphones and an audio book. Bliss.

New Beginnings

After a prolong absent I’m back at last.

 After my last post in October 2013 my blog has been lying sadly abandoned. Other matters in life took over. Family matters had to be attended to. Health, mostly in the form of ageing joint made mobility an issue. My art and craft work took a back seat and knitting became my new focus. Grandchildren producing their own prodigy gave me a reason to knit.

Recently though, always being a bit of a tech lover I took on some Websites Administration and after designing another website from scratch plus the purchase of a up to date new laptop gave me a reason to look back at the abandoned blogs. So, I thought lets get myself a proper domaine name and get back to it. So here I am...and what to write....well it's Ramblings from the 'Boro so we'll  start with the History Society news would be appropriate.

Last Thursday evening “Himself” and I took ourselves in to Town to a meeting of the Local History Society. Wherever Ive lived I delved into the local History of the area. History was one of my favourite subjects all those eons ago at school, and in one form or another has remained so all my life. It actually took us a long time to actually join the Peterborough Local History Society but after attending their Annual Charity talks in the Town Hall for several years we took the plunge and went along to a meeting.

 This evening  we were expecting an interesting talk from the speaker, Mr Toby Wood, Vice Chairman of the Peterborough Civic Society. His subject was Peterborough’s Blue Plaques.

The Civic Society was set up in 1952 to campaign for the protection and preservation of Historic buildings and monuments. They aim to work with Public authorities to care for the City’s future, by promoting good design, campaigning to save our local heritage buildings and other features and to promote public interest.

From 1985 to 2012 The Civic Society had placed 28 metal aluminium Plaques around the City. They commemorated the City’s historic people or historic buildings. Each plaque had quite a bit of reading information engraved on it. The problem was over the years a few have disappeared when buildings were demolished, many have suffer wear and tear and many were erected in places where it was impossible to read them.  

In 2015 the Civic Society made a decision to replace the old plaques with a new design following the heritage design of the London Blue Plaques. These Plaques are more visual to the public. They were erected to enhance the City centre and form a  trail that can be further  enhanced with a leaflet giving more information on each plaque. So far a total of 20 plaques have been put in place. The Civic Society are planing more and have invited the public to make suggestions. There are restrictions though. With people they have had to have been dead for over 50 years. This rules out many famous people for some time to come yet. People such as Edmond Hockeridge and Ernie Wise. Even Henry Royce of Rolls Royce who was connected to Alwalton cant be included because Alwalton is not actually part of Peterborough. Its part of Huntindon albeit some 20 miles along the A1. Other people such as Edith Cavel were connected to buildings in the Cathedral Precincts. And the Cathedral are planing their own Blue Plaque trail within their grounds.

The program took 3 years to implement. From deciding which plaques to replace, the information on them, the colours, the fonts, getting permission to erect them in the chosen location. Costing over £300 each, they were cast and hand painted by a Derbyshire Architectural signage casting company. They are cast from an amalgamation of metal and plastic making them useless to metal thieves. 

Sky High in the Smoke.

Tuesday Oct 22^nd London and The Shard

Way back in May this year we had a holiday in Italy. Our trip was booked with a local travel firm it was also was affiliated with a Yorkshire firm. Half way through the holiday the Peterborough people realised the Yorkshire people were talking about the home wards journey a day before we were expecting to go. We had, after all booked a 10-day holiday from their brochure. Frantic emails went back and forth from our driver to the offices of the Peterborough firm and the Yorkshire firm. Oh dear, the Peterborough firm had screwed up proof reading their brochure. We were not too happy but there was nothing to be done but enjoy the remainder of our holiday and sort it once back in the UK. All to soon it was time to return home.At home we found the Tour firm had already pre-empted our concerns and an envelope with an abject apology and vouchers for £40 each had been delivered.

The vouchers sat in the cupboard until I thought it was about time we used them up. I pinpointed two day trips from their excursions brochure and we discussed. The London Shard with afternoon tea was decided on and I rang to book it. I wasn’t sure if we would get seats, as the trip was only two weeks away. No problems the coach wasn’t full. We now just prayed for a fine day.

Tuesday arrived, as did the rain, Oh well can’t be helped. We drove to the pick up point we had chosen and the coach pulled in right on time. The journey was uneventful, driving along the grey wet motorway cheered up by the autumnal tints of the roadside trees. A comfort break was made at South Mimms before we hit the snails pace of London traffic. The one good thing about a slow coach ride through London is that you can take in all the architecture of the Georgians, Victorian and the Edwardians.

'The Navigators' at the Hays Galleria.

Eventually we arrived outside the Hays Galleria and were dropped of with our Courier. Then coach  and driver beat retreated to a distant coach park for the day. The Hays Galleria was named after Alexander Hays who bought the property, then a Brewhouse in 1651. The present buildings were created out of the Pool of London’s Wharf and warehouse complex, where, in past decades, Tea Clippers berthed and all the Perishable goods for London arrived. It was known as the Larder of London. Badly Bombed in World War 11, the area became economically depressed.  A program of regeneration was embarked upon in the 1980’s and the now restored tea and produce warehouses are a maze of independent shops, offices and restaurants and is a fascinating areas to explore. We walked through the Galleria’s central court yard past a fountain with a moving bronze sculpture called ‘The Navigators’. Created by the sculptor David Kemp, it was unveiled in 1987 and commemorates the Galleria’s shipping heritage. On through the massive Port gates to the riverside’s Jubilee Walk. Here you see the last surviving Battle Cruiser, HMS Belfast moored. She is now part of The Imperial War Museum and open to the public. My brother actually served on the Belfast when she was Berthed in Portsmouth before she was decommissioned and dispatched to her present berth on the Thames. A little further along the imposing Tower Bridge spans the river. We only had a short time to explore as our time for the Shard experience was fast approaching.

Part of The Hays Galleria

The Galleria plaque.

HMS Belfast moored in the Thames

Looking to Tower Bridge

                       

A short walk brought us to this new iconic London Landmark. In 1998 the London based entrepreneur Irvine Sellar and his Partners decided to redevelop Southwark Towers in the Tower Bridge quarter of London. The Italian architect, Renzo Piano was approached, and at an initial meeting he apparently spoke of his contempt of conventional tall buildings. He flipped over the restaurants menu and sketched a spire like building rising from the river Thames. Apparently he was inspired by the railway lines next to the site and spires depicted by the 18^th century Venetian painter, Canaletto and the masts of sailing ships.

There was much opposition to the plans but in 2002 John Prescott the then Deputy Prime Minister approved the plans. Funding was eventually obtained from an Arab consortium including the Qatar National Bank. Construction began in the spring of 2009. The 87-story, 310 meter, high skyscraper was to be a slender glass and steel spire. It is currently the tallest building in Western Europe. In early 2011 the Shards Concrete core was topped out at 245 meters, the 72^nd floor.  The floors above -73 to 87 are the glass and steel Spire of the building.

Quite an impressive reflection

The ground level entrance

Level 72 Note the rain splatter floor

The open shards

We really did it!

and it was fun!

The views were impressive even on a grey day.

The Ground floor is to be a hotel, restaurant and an office reception. Level 1-2 is to be office and retail space. Level 3 – 28 offices, 31-33 are 3 restaurants. Level 34 – 52 is to be a hotel called The Shangri-la. The opening of this is delayed apparently due to fitting out problems. Level 53 – 65 are Residences and level 68-72 is the viewing area called simply ‘The View’. It was opened to the public in February this year. The experience doesn’t come cheap. Pre booked tickets are £24.95p and tickets on the day are £29.95p. You enter the building at street level and go through an airport security type procedure. Your bags and coat are scanned and you walk through an x-ray portal. We were told to take photo identification but we didn’t actually need to show it. Next was the usual ‘experience’ photo that you could buy later. A short walk followed, through a corridor were the walls screened the Shard construction and the views to come, brought you to the two lifts. The first smooth and rapid ride up is to level 33, then a short hop around the corner into the second lift the whisks you up to level 68. Stairs then took you up to the next level, 69, the indoor viewing level. Or a small lift takes you up to level 72 the outdoor viewing platform. We went straight up to 72. It was quite cold and windy. The area you walk around was glass panelled, no possibility of accidentally chucking yourself off!  But the shards of steel and glass towering to the spire were open to the elements. The 360-degree views were breathtaking even though the weather wasn’t good. By this time there were just rain showers and the cloud layer was breaking up to give some small blue patches. After scanning the views and the usual photo shots from all angles we went down to the comparative shelter of level 69. On this level there were interactive telescopes, free as well, that you could point at the views out side and the screen would tell you what you were seeing.

My postcard purchase from the gift shop

Viewing over, we congregated on the lower floor where all the Shard commemorative gifts were to be found. Sorry to say we gave them a miss and the ‘experience’ photo, Just the one night time postcard was my only purchase  Our courier took us the short walk to the Hilton Hotel were our Afternoon Tea was booked. Although the walks were short I struggled to keep up and by the time we reached the hotel my back knee and ankle were sorely complaining. My first action, once the teapot of Darjeeling was placed on the table (after it had brewed according to the special Twinning tea timers on the table) was to wash down two Paracetamol tablets. Never has a cup of tea been so enjoyed. The food arrived it looked delicious and was duly devoured and thoroughly enjoyed.

My desperately need cup of tea. Mine was Darjeeling and 
Dave's was Earl Grey. Note the nifty timer for timing the brew.

Afternoon Tea Hilton style.

All to soon we were on the coach once again. Our driver took a different route through London. We drove slowly over Tower Bridge, slowly because it was rush hour and all the traffic could do was to go slow. He also took us through the Camden Market route. If I had been several years younger I should love to explore this area of London and many more but now days I’m afraid although the spirit is willing the body will not comply!

Out of London we hit the rain once again and it stayed with us most of the way accumulating in a really heavy down pour when we reached out destination. Good job the car was parked just across the road.

We both thought it was a good day out and not at all scary although I must admit just once me heart missed a beat and the old legs did buckle. I had to grab the steel upright edging the glass panels and remind myself there was absolutely no possibility of falling! 

Summer at the Lido

 In early May before the Peterborough Lido opened 'Himself' and I took a holiday in Italy. Unusually for that region (Lake Garda) it was wet and cool. We did manage some sunny warm days, between the rain though. Our hotel had an outdoor pool, I was assured it was still  too cold for swimming, 18 degree. too cold, nah, a tad cool maybe. Not daunted, I took the plunge and had a lovely swim in the Italian mountain air.

Hotel pool at our hotel in Torbole

 May the 25th eventually arrived. The Opening of our Lido. A ridiculous ceremonial affair with more Council suits than swimmers, all there for the free grub and photo opportunities. No free refreshments from the swimmers though.  Nothing new there.  Over winter our 75 year old Grade 11 listed pool had major repair work done. Last year water was leaking from the pool at an alarming rate so a fancy new liner had been installed by one of the top Pool Maintenance firm in the country. Looked good. We got in. Mmmm.... not so good. The pool bottom was super slippery. First fault. After about a week we notice some bubbling of the liner. Oh dear. After two week it was worse and the dear little children who braved the cool water had found the faults and as kids do couldn't resist picking at the bubbles.

The Lido in it's lovely setting with the Cathedral in the background

Brenda enjoying her first outdoor swim of the season

One morning a week later I called the new Manager over and asked if the liner was guaranteed. She said yes. Why? so I showed her. That morning several of the maintenince crew turned up with Vivacity Suits all kneeling on the side with their heads inches from the water! The Pool firm was contacted and a few weeks later some remedial work done to get the pool through the season.

MY changing cubical for the summer, note the fat swimmy thing!

It's been a wonderful summer season. The new Management worked hard to make it successful. The newly refurbished cafe worked well. The water temperature has been pleasant through out. There has been the usual few hiccups but mostly we managed to get them sorted. We even managed to get a shower curtain across the second shower. It's only taken about six years of asking. Although it was a door we originally asked for like the first shower. The hot weather did cause the drains to pong slightly but some extra scrubbing by the lifeguards helped sort this problem.

All too some the season came to an end and our End of Lido Annual Picnic came round. 3.30 on the last Sunday its a fixture we don't like missing as some of us only swim outdoors and won't step foot in the indoor pool. We will have a Christmas 'do' to meet up again before next year.

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All of us are regular Lido swimmers, rain or shine, mostly early morning so we get our swim before the kids ( who like to scream 'It's freezing' and their families arrive.  The picnic went well after some table shuffling and chair snaffling. We all bring food so their was a goodly selection on the table. As you can see despite our sadness at the end of the season we all enjoyed ourselves and had some good banter.

Ronnie even decided she was going to enjoy the water to the very last, donning her wet costume and going back for a last swim.

My swim this morning in the Indoor Regional Pool. Ugh! Through the doors, the chemical smell hits you. In the changing room, nearly fainted with the heat. In the pool. 31.5 degrees should have bought soap! Not many swimmers at 9am definitely more in the Lido at this time! Swims is exhausting waters too hot. My knee prefers the cooler water that makes it feel more normal. Oh well only another 8 months to a decent swim again. Think positive the exercise keeps me moving.

An Afternoon Out

All this week we have had some pleasant weather. Neither too hot or too cold. Himself wanted an outing but various appointments meant we were occupied until yesterday. So after a light lunch we headed North along the A1. We weren't going far just to a small village south of Grantham. We had made this trip some months ago but forgot to do the proper research and found the gardens closed. That trip finished at Downtown the large outlet store near Grantham for some retail therapy.

This trip we were prepared, research done before we headed out. The 400 year old gardens we were aiming for are now in their 13 year of restoration work. The 12 acre site, once the magnificent grounds of Easton Hall the home of the Cholmeley family since 1592  was completely neglected and overgrown. 

                        

A view of Easton Hall and terraces in 1901

Sir Henry Cholmeley bought the Manor of Easton in 1592 and built this house overlooking the River Witham. That hall survived until the beginning of the 19 century. In 1805 the house was enlarged and parts rebuilt by Sir Montague Cholmeley. Later yet another rebuild took place by another Sir Montague
 During World war 11 the Hall was requisitioned by the Army and a unit of the Royal Artillery were based here. During this time the Hall was subjected to considerable damage. After the war there was no manpower of money available to do the repair and restoration work needed and the Hall was demolished in 1951. The beautiful landscaped grounds were lost to undergrowth scrub and wild Alder trees

The remains of the elevated front of Easton Hall

The Gate House entrance to Easton Hall Grounds as it is today.

The Cholmeleys of Easton Hall

A new garden planted on the site of part of the old Hall

The Cedar Meadow.
Many of the magnificent trees from the early Parkland Landscaping have survived. 

The terraced steps down to the river walk and the walled garden beyond

The River is the Witham that flow out to the Wash through Boston. Its badly overgrown and the Rivers Authority are wading about in it doing some much needed cleaning and restoring. Hazel sticks are being used to line some of the bank for the small fish to spawn safely in.

the Victorian stone bridge spanning the Witham to the Wall garden beyond

 The Victorian stone bridge was not visible before the restoration began and the Yew tunnel in the garden  is slowly being tamed. A rose garden and orchard are newly planted in the Walled garden over the river.
Its quite a steep decent down to the river and the walled garden I decide not to risk the walk and elect to sit in the sunshine and wait for 'Himself' to have a ramble around.

On his return we amble around the other gardens that have been recovered and recreated. The vegetable garden is  still productive with runner beans taking pride of place

A bean walk through.

The Potting Shed. 

Theres also a garden called The Pickery where flowers and vegetables grow together and a lovely Cottage Garden. As it is getting late in the season many of the flowers were past their best but there were still bright patches of colour.

Sweet peas despite being almost over still perfumed the air and the gardens were alive with bees and other insects.
The awnings behind 'Himself' is were the little tea shop is so a rest with refreshments were just the ticket. We had a lovely cold Belvoir organic Elderflower cordial (from the estate of Belvoir Castle just a few miles away) to wash down yummy lemon drizzle cake and coffee and walnut cake.
We then just had time to go into the History room where the history of the Hall, the family and the garden restoration is documented. I resisted buying any of the plants for sale in the stables courtyard and the garden related goodies in the small shop.

A really pleasant afternoon but we must remember to made the journey again next year to see all the plants at their best. maybe early June. Thats a date.