One of my favourite meals in France, parmentier de canard (duck topped with mashed potatoes) was enhanced by the new cutlery John got for our kitchen for my birthday. 😋

I fnished my headband and I'm wearing one of the 2 new outfits John got me for my birthday.

It didn't take me long to decide what to make first with my new yarn. I'm making myself an Irish flag 🇮🇪🍀 headband to wear on St. Patrick's Day.

#crochet 

My Fairy Yarnmothers have struck again. This arrived just in time for my birthday. And look! Crumpets! 😋

Note to self: mustn't get margarine on the yarn.

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

10:02 hrs

Our day started with an exchange of Valentine's cards and presents...

The morning will continue with breakfast, followed by Fair Damsel opening her birthday presents.

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

A Glimmer is a small moment that sparks joy, happiness, or peace.

Today's glimmer is

Miniature daffodils in one of our planters are beginning to bloom. 

(The pic is a bit blurry because of the wind.)

#flowers #glimmer #glimmers

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

19:35 hrs

As it was a brighter start to the day, I took the opportunity to drive to our local post office to dispatch another set of documents that I'd already completed on-line. There was a slight drizzle on the way, but it had cleared by the time I reached my destination.

Once home (isn't home a wonderful word?) I cooked breakfast and we listened to a Terry Pratchett story as we ate. Afterwards, I checked the post and found two letters for Fair Damsel, one of which was to related to the issuing of her health card.

Then, I chatted to Sarah in the pool area before driving Fair Damsel into town to replenish our supplies and buy a few treats for Valentine's Day and her birthday which are both on Saturday. By this time the sky was beginning to darken and rain quickly, followed but not before she took a photo of emerging daffodils.

The rest of our time has been spent relaxing and continuing with the story until it's time for dinner which will set us up for another Death in Paradise and possibly Small Prophets, if I'm not too tired.

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

Another pretty Valentine pattern successfully tested, this time for CrochetbyLauren4U. The pattern is available from her Etsy shop, link below:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CrochetbyLauren4U?ref=dashboard-header&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRzdgP4D0JleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAace_PutGrhfMKJWAjeL74i7qbFqICdAMKV7a4zRB6xPvGQ4Lu0LOvqWgPio9A_aem_-8hyC3ojI-pQe_wWlRr-HQ

#crochet 

Something I really enjoy is testing patterns for creators. This chocolate covered strawberry is a free pattern by Laura's Crafted Collectibles and is perfect for Valentine's Day. Here's a link to the pattern on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUiq6OmjLAS/?img_index=5&igsh=d3V2dmxlaDRlNndw

#crochet 

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

22:30 hrs

After a rather daunting operation, I was discharged this afternoon and Fair Damsel treated me to a fried egg, a helping of baked beans, together with a good supply of bread & margarine: it went down a treat with a tasty mug o' tea.

It's great to be home and there are no issues apart from a slight inconvenience which hopefully will clear quickly. 

Thank you for all your good wishes and supporting Fair Damsel in her time of need.

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

Sir Ian McKellen uses the words of The Bard to give a master class in empathy.

https://youtu.be/wXq58BbhCO4?si=5jIAyKPwJ9AOhTGv

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

20:07 hrs

I've had a sleepy day which has made the time go faster and brought me closer to going home tomorrow; and isn't home a wonderful word?

All my tests results are good and there hasn't been any pain, apart from a sore tongue which has made eating and talking unpleasant. It didn't stop me from facetiming with Fair Damsel though.

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

Update on us 

23:15 hrs

Mr. C met with the doctor following his surgery and was told all went well. He will be able to come home on Sunday.

There was a hiccup as Sarah and Michel will be out of town and unable to pick him up. Mr. C's lovely nurse helped him arrange for SAMU (the ambulance service) to bring him home.

We are both relieved and had good dinners. He had turkey and pasta while I had lasagna bolognese and Strawberry Quik.

🌞❤️🌻

Update on us

15:50 hrs

After waiting anxiously all day for news I have just spoken with Mr. C via FaceTime. He has had his surgery and is back in his room. He is a bit groggy and very thirsty but in good spirits. He has not seen the doctor yet. The nurses are very kind and looking after him very well.

Thank you to everyone for keeping us in your thoughts.

🌞❤️🌻

P.S. He's been letting his hair grow. When it gets long enough I will braid it for him.

Granny Square Of The Week - week 50

Mesh Strainer Square

This is the final square depicted on the Granny Square Card Deck I got last year. I soured on the project when I found I'd got a knock-off product, but finding the original source from where the images were stolen, 'The Ultimate Granny Square Sourcebook,' helped. Now I need to lay out all the squares and see how big a rectangle they make. I'm going to outline and join them with black. The book has 50 more patterns in case I need more squares. I'd like to make a cocoon cardigan or a poncho.

#crochet 

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

23:57 hrs

Dinner arrived just after 18:30 hrs and it didn't look very appetising tbh, just a load of cold stuff including lettuce leaves of assorted colours. I was about to start when I realised that they'd brought me cheese, so, I called the nurse back and reminded her that I was allergic to cheese: she was horrified about the mistake and I got a lovely hot boiled beef & veg instead.😋

I gave each of the two nurses a Fair Damsel's kindness and let them choose the colour. They were delighted and I was mobbed minutes later when they came back with friends. There are five left out of the original fourteen.

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

My other guardian!

#Watson #cats

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

16:45 hrs

Michel drove me to the hospital and we arrived in plenty of time. Parking was much easier with the car although the situation was much the same as last time.

It took us a few minutes walk and several attempts to find the right building and entrance because the signs for it were pointing the opposite way which is a bit bizarre. However, once we located it everything went smoothly and I'm now ensconced in a double room on the sixth floor with Ringo, free WiFi, telly, and plenty of treats. I have a roommate and we've said hello but I don't know his name yet.

I'm the first one the list for tomorrow, so I may well be home on Saturday... and isn't home a wonderful word?

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

Guardian!

#Moriarty #cats 

Mr. C says: 

Update on us.

19:12 hrs

Fair Damsel has just completed crocheting 14 kindnesses in preparation for my hospital stay which starts tomorrow. She's taken great care to ensure that each one is unique by making 2 of each colour, 2 of each face but no 2 alike.

That's dedication and thoughtfulness for you, Sunbeams.❤️

Thank you, Fair Damsel.🙏❤️❤️🙏👍

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

17:44 hrs

We started our day with a tasty fryup of bacon, egg, sausages, and tomatoes with an addition of fried bread on Fair Damsel's and baked beans on mine. Of course, it was absolutely Sunbeamadelicious and went down a treat with an episode of Stephen Colbert.😋

Sarah popped over just after midday to confirm that Michel is taking me to the hospital in Rennes tomorrow and we chatted in the pool area for about an hour.

Afterwards, we listened to our latest Terry Pratchett story whilst I cleaned the apartment and Fair Damsel crocheted seven of an intended fourteen unique kindnesses for the hospital staff. She took a brief pause from her crocheting to trim my beard.

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

A Glimmer is a small moment that sparks joy, happiness, or peace.

Today's glimmer is

a pink hyacinth spotted in La Guerche after successfully overcoming an obstacle

#flowers #glimmer #glimmers

OMG! I was trying to find a way to remove the background in one of my mole pics in Google Photos. I tried their "Reimagine" feature. My only instruction was "remove background." Why did it give me nightmare fuel? 😱

I was invited to test a pattern to crochet a baby pangolin. Then the group of testers started discussing how to modify it into a mole pattern. So, I volunteered to make the mole version. Mr. C is going to take him to the hospital with him for comfort when he goes in for some planned surgery next week. He's a star nosed mole. Mr. C says his name is Ringo.

The pattern creator is https://www.instagram.com/casita.albita?igsh=MTc5ajQ3dzVsaWR1Mw==

I will post links when they release the pattern.

#crochet 

Sweet dreams, Sunbeams! 

Fais de beaux rêves, Rayons de Soleil!

🌞❤️🌻❤️😻😻🐦‍⬛

She's giving me this look because she knows I'm gonna make her get off of me so I can go pee in a minute.

#Watson #cats

Mr. C says:

Update on us.

22:43 hrs

I slept most of the afternoon away, and awoke to find that Fair Damsel had been busy making potato soup to her grandmother's recipe. We had a bowl each and she ate hers using a favourite spoon which belonged to her grandfather. It was absolutely Sunbeamadelicious so we've had another helping.😋

All's well in our world, Sunbeams.

🙂☄️🌻🌞

There are four lights!