2018 The year my VW retired

This is the car that I bought when we moved here in 2009.  A 99 Polo estate, which took me everywhere without complaints until February 2018.  Where I found myself stuck in the supermarket car park with a full weeks shopping in the boot!  Basically the immobiliser, immobilised me.  Thank goodness for breakdown assist on my insurance or I would have had to go through so much stress.

I did get her fixed and through another NCT, but I was always afraid that next time I wouldn't be so lucky.  Parts are incredibly hard to source and scrap yards are trying to over charge for parts.  

After having to spend a month without transport.... only ONE bus a week, weather permitting here!  I started hunting for a replacement (insurance costs are insane here).  Every time I found one it had been sold - I don't think they get the bit where you update your website ads to state this, saves time and disappointments.

I had just about given up, when I woke one morning and thought 'look for a car today' and bingo I found one, phoned and arranged to go get it.  So we had our replacement car, but it took me a couple of weeks to part with my old faithful.  I actually felt bad about having to take it to the scrap yard, but you have to face the fact that at 20 years old, bigger things are going to go, there are rusty bits you can and can't see and you just have to say goodbye before you break the bank.

I still miss that VW engine.  We ended up with a Skoda Fabia Combi, definitely lacking the pull in the engine but will get used to that.

2018 The year that bugged me

After that parasitic wasp landed on my car, it raised more awareness of the bugs around me.  Either that or there were more than usual, or both.  Here is a selection of what I found inside, at the back door and on the road.

That is my first ever shield bug, pupa and Silver Y moth.  The slug I hunted for 2 weeks before it curled up by the sink!  A ladybird was found on my salt container and put back out.  The spiders get to stay, unless they are the ones that make giant webs all over the place.

2018 mini round up

So here is Ted, who escaped from Davy Jones, found buried in sand and seaweed. After a bit of tlc, he's scrubbed up well.  Here he is with his own custom beanie.

Brushing up on the self taught crochet skills, to make these little rosettes. Only thing is now my imagination is running riot, I've purple Harris tweed in 2 shades, purple faux fur yarn and these would make for a whacky designer bag of sorts.

Then one day this happened and it became a brooch.  Can still be trim on that imaginary whacky bag!

When you get a bright idea and order crochet cotton, but it terrifies you when it arrives! But you still go out and buy a tatting shuttle (surprised to find one).

Then order yourself a how to book, which turns out to be a blooper as it is a blender of 2 books.  No sorry I don't want half a colouring book of American presidents!! In my half book of Tatting.  I did get a replacement, but makes you wonder how many of them were out there?
Now that my head is a little clearer, I think I should give it another go, because first time round didn't go well when it came to the joining part.

My old comfort cardigan was getting a bit thin and had stretched to the point that it had become a wrap!  I had this vintage pattern in my stash, not sure how I came by it, perhaps an ebay purchase some time ago.

It's so old, it doesn't tell you what size they end up as, so I chanced my arm on a 38, which turned out to be oversized. I could have made the 34 to get a fit like the picture.

As per usual I had my 'helper'.  He was not amused at the big ball of yarn in his seat or that it was getting so much attention!

You had to knit up the button bands and collar after, then sew them on.  Really a bit odd instruction.  I ordered a selection of wood buttons to try on it and ended up using some nice ones from my stash, as the wooden ones were to big or small for my liking.

I have been wanting to try t shirt yarn for a while.  I had an old one so decided to upcycle it into a headband, this is a picture of the bracelet I made after, it kinda rolls itself into a tube.  But I'm finding the headband handy for facials, washing etc when you need your hair away from your face.

Yes it was a bit strange cutting the t-shirt in the round at a random width, until it was no more.  Then stretching it a little whilst rolling it up into a ball.  I thought I'd get more than I did out of the yarn.  So I'd need a bag full to make a rug or something.