What Katie Did

A Sociable Time

Well - I have eaten a lot treat food lately! It started on Thursday with a girls night in - Jan, Jayne and I watched Enchanted and ate lovely food with two sorts of Ben and Jerry's - this counts as a perfect evening in my book.

Then on Friday evening with apple cake and a marathon session sewing curtains for Lara. Lovely. Not finished yet, photos when we have.

Then it moved on to preparations for the Bed and Breakfast guests we were looking forward to welcoming to the treehouse! 

They had bid for this night at the charity auction to raise funds for this project. I went to the auction last year and had a lot of fun. It was this couple's 12th wedding anniversary, so effort had to be put forth. I had to test out the chocolate truffles didn't I?

And today, Lindsay and her friends Amanda and Fiona came from North of the Border for a jaunt and afternoon tea.

 

I went a bit over the top. There are left overs if anyone is nearabouts. 

I have eaten too much cake. A week of vegetables and fruit for me I think.

Summer

A sunset on my way home from a lovely evening making crafty things with friends

and a day of sunshine, sea and the best of friends

I can't imagine anything better

The cute one at the back

There is never a dull moment in our neck of the woods, especially in the summer. Geoff, usually to be found with a pencil behind his ear in the workshop with a bit of wood, has branched out into a new career as a dancer. Yes - you couldn't make it up.
We have a dear friend who is a dancer, choreographer and thoroughly all round nice person. Tim. He has put together an amazing dance performance at the English Heritage site at Belsay. Rehearsals have been in full swing for months with several different groups coming together for three performances, the last of which is tonight.
There are professionals from Dance City

dancing in the amazing library room
A group of performing arts students from a local school in the dining room

wearing my kind of colours
Then, in the central pillar hall, columns and stone and cold,dark high walls lit up by a community group of dancers of all abilities - some with learning difficulties, partial sight and professional dancers - amazing piece this one. The audience view this piece from the balcony above. This is such a joy - to look down on the Hall as the dance unfolds, with amazing music to accompany all of these separate performances.

Then, of course, the children, little bits of fizzing energy buzzing around the place in vibrant silk!

They were wonderful. The weather has been crucial for this production and thankfully, the rain has held off for their outside performance. I have been stewarding at this event and have loved shepherding people round the complicated room changes and outside/inside nature of the way Tim has used the space.

Here are the kids in the Quarry Garden completely absorbed in the sequence of their dance. Parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers in the audience catching a glimpse of their own little treasure. Lovely!
Another dance sequence took place with the Hall as the backdrop

Last night, bursting with pride, I whispered to a member of the audience - 'guess which one I am married to?
'The cute one at the back?'
Yes.

Nancy

What could keep me away from Tuesday Afternoon knitting I wonder? Well, Nancy, that's who. I have been on call for my dear friend Lara's home birth since she was 37 weeks pregnant. Today was her due date. Only 4% of babies actually come on their due date, did you know that? Nancy is one of the 4%. Being a midwife is a great honor and privilege, especially when the couple are so completely in tune with the process and allow the hormones to flow and the birth to happen as it should.
At ten to one this afternoon this little baby made her way into the world. A good days work for all concerned. Such a bright sunny day, no mad dash in the middle of the night, all very civilised and good. I will post pictures here when I can.

Nancy wearing the Baby Yoda Sweater from Dogs Steal Yarn a cracking good pattern for a newborn Jedi.

In the meantime, I will absorb all the comments about the mat-a-long and get to work as soon as I can. I am really pleased by the rapid response and the general feeling of 'joining in' you early contributors have - it will be very interesting to see how it all looks. I can't wait! But for now I am going to have a shower, a glass of red (the first for three weeks of on-call!) and an early night. Postnatal visiting to do now!