Oh my!

Yes, oh my!  I've done it again ..... been away for simply ages with nothing of the past year or so, written in here at all!

But, some of you will have noticed me lurking around your blogs as I skim past, making the odd comment as I flit by.

It has been quite a year though ... We moved house.  Twice.  The first time because we knew the place we were at as housekeeper and gardener was being sold, though initially we didn't know why.  It was because the owner, a very kind and lovely man, had cancer and was dying.  Which he did a couple of month after we moved, but he had been determined to come up to Scotland for his last stay.  He brought with him an air of peacefulness, of ending and saying goodbye.  It was a wonderful last visit, and we are so grateful to the nurse he brought with him; who looked after him so well and with great care.

We moved to what we thought was going to be another wonderful place, with what we thought were lovely people.  Who turned out to be horrors!  Unbelievable how some people think they can treat others in their employ.  So, off we went again.

This time to our own property, which we had kept and rented out for several years, despite the odd time we were tempted to sell it and spend the money wisely on holidays and having fun, phew!  We had thought to rent out this house, but sell it and buy something nicer, and in the country, when we retired.  However, when we needed it this house looked absolutely wonderful and perfect for us!

And, we have actually settled in here quite nicely.  Anyway, we now live much nearer to town, and for the first time in over ten years, we have a shop at the end of the road!  Because it is not stone, it is quick and cheap to heat, and fuel costs for travelling into Dundee or Perth are cut almost in half as we are now closer = result.

What are we doing for work?  Well, I still Practice teach social work students, and have taken on some contracted work for another local authority.  Mr T wanted me to 'go and get a job' but, to be honest, I really don't fancy going to work in an office - I have an aversion to being in the same room with the same people every day, with all the office politics and egos, etc.  So, I am quite happy that I can contribute to the household expenses in the way I want to, again phew!  Mr T has been for several interviews, and was able to land himself a little part-time driving job, and has some lovely customers whose gardens he is starting to keep in order.

I am still continuing with my City & Guilds, and this year have really found my feet, and feel like I know what I am doing, at last.  This year, at Level 3 Creative Textiles and Embroidery, my subject needed to be about something I really love.  I do love lots of things, but Tea is one of my favourite things, isn't it?  So, 'Tea' it is.  My overall theme is 'Journey' with specific interest in tea.  Therefore, the journey of where tea comes from, how it got here, the social history of the tea clippers, the women who pick the leaves, and through to our beloved cuppa and the teabags we use today.  And, I am enjoying it so much!  I have even made paper out of used, dried teabags - next is paper using cotton and silks, representing the place I am concentrating on, India.

I have, of course, been knitting up a storm, lots of gloves, mitts, hats and woolies for the grandchildren. Once I get photos uploaded, I'll put them on here.

So, life is starting to have its own rhythm, quite different to how we lived at the estate, and it is quite comfortable.  This is the next adventure, and I promise not to leave it so long 'til I write again.

Karen x