Catch-up with New Beginnings

Right, I'm back, with new resolve to write regularly and lots of stories to tell. Time is more permitting as well, as Mary-Jane settles fairly early in the evening, following that I'm not sat in front of the idiot box all evening.

On the 11th January, HK, Mary-Jane and I moved to West Cumbria. The whys and the wherefores are for another time. We are here and starting to get used to it, although in reality I think it will take a while, but we are being as positive as we can. Getting out and about lifts my spirits as much as cuddling up to HK in bed at night.

Onto the first photo - all the photos are a bit random - I made these decorations in the days running up to Christmas. They were inspired by an idea in HobbyCraft. They are very easy to make. Cut two heart shapes out of felt, I used a baking cutter as a template. On one piece, sew some buttons of your choice. Sandwich the two heart together, with some wadding or stuffing. Sew together with some thick embroidery thread, including some pretty ribbon to hang the finished thing with. Ta-da. Simples, in the words of a cute meerkat!

I'm trying to go for a walk most days, weather permitting. The fresh air is so good for MJ. This is a view of the River Calder, about a mile away from home, in the village of Calder Bridge. Calder Bridge is rather lovely. Ennerdale is about 8 miles away. I'm not quite up for an 8 mile walk (and that's in one direction!) yet.

Last Sunday, we went for a walk around Whitehaven. It was a fresh, sunny January day, so here is me being rather windswept after a walk around the harbour. We tell Mary-Jane that we have to strap her into her pram otherwise the big seagulls will swoop down, take her and carry her off to sea. She just looks bemused back at us.

Mary-Jane, about two months ago. I do like this picture. I tell her that when she wears this outfit, she turns inot a polar bear. Here she looks like a scary polar bear. I think she will grow up with some weird ideas - but lots of imagination!