Friday, April 29, 2016

London, bronchitis, sinusitis, -- ugh

I have an excuse for the long silence.  I've been sick since about April 4.  Almost better, but still lingering effects.  Ugh.

Ok, I'll start with my finishes and almost finishes.  I started this before we left for London (more on that later), and finished it while in London.  It's the Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West, but what makes it beautiful is the yarn, a self striping yarn by Caterpillar Green Yarn specifically designed to stripe correctly for shawls like this!  It still has to be blocked.)


I almost finished the Double Basket Weave Cowl by Karen Templer, but I lost at yarn chicken, so I have yet to finish the bind off.  Sigh.


And finally, just yesterday, I finished the Leftie Shawl by Martina Behm.  Love this one!  It's not as big as the one pictured on the designer's page.  But it's plenty big enough for me!  I used  a yarn (17 Year Cicada) by Cephalopod Yarns and a Plucky Knitter yarn whose name and base I can't remember (the beige color).


Since the Father type has to go to Dublin for work every year now, it seems we have the chance to go to London again!  So we did!  We arrived and I got sick with a bad cold the very next day.  Sigh.  So I have a feeling I was in a fog the whole time we were there, and wasn't taking care of myself like I should have.

But we did see things!  Despite the fact that it was school holidays for everyone there and there were tons of people and their children and school tours everywhere.  Yikes!

We were there for a week, then I got home while Father type traveled on to Dublin -- and I promptly got sicker.  Ended up with bronchitis and sinusitis, which I'm still feeling the tail ends of.

So I might not show as many pictures as I might if I were totally healthy!

So yeah.  First day we went to -- OMG!!!  Wimbledon!!!!!








This is the pub in town that we went to after -- the Hand & Racquet!

On Tuesday, we decided to take the commuter type boats down/up the Thames to see the sights.  Such fun!






We stopped by the Globe Theater, walked through that area and had lunch, then ended up back on the boat all the way down to Greenwich!






Wednesday we had tea at Fortnum and Mason.  Yum!




Followed by a stop at Liberty London.



Thursday we went to Loop London.  Yay!!



Followed by a quick stop at the British Museum to see this amazing space.


Friday was deemed a day to walk by the Thames.  But first we stopped here.


We crossed Westminster Bridge and walked along the Victoria Embankment down to Blackfriars Bridge.







It was wonderful, and beautiful.

Saturday, we went to a play!  We went to the Queen's Theater to see Les Miserables.  it was wonderful!





(Can you tell I was feeling sick?  lol!)

Anyway, Sunday I flew home while Father type flew to Dublin.  And we both got sick.  lol!  Me with bronchitis and sinusitis, him with the cold I probably started out with.  By the time Father type got home a week after me, he was still sick.  It took another week for him to go to the doctor and get diagnosed with an ear infection.  As of today, his ear is still stuffed up.  Sigh.

All in all it was still a fun trip, despite the being ill and continuing to be ill.  I love London!

And btw, here's what the street looked like where we stayed.  (We stayed in another Airbnb flat.)


And here is a typical meal -- we ate at lots of pubs, and I tended to go for the pies -- and once for the fish and chips.  Yum!



And now, the anticipation is building.  Soon a certain young man will be graduating from a certain music college!  So exciting!!!!

Mia, of course, couldn't care less about that.


This is what happens when I go for a nice cup of soothing tea.  Yup, that's my knitting she's sleeping on.

Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi.  Sorry for the long absence -- and the long post!


27 comments:

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri Malinovich) said...

Wow! London, Wimbledon, knit shops, castles, boats, plays, pubs and all while being sick. Very impressive, Margaret! That stripe yarn is really cool and the shawl is lovely but the smaller one with the cream edging is my fav! Really pretty. Congrats on the BC graduating! What are his plans? Orchestra. Teaching? Would love to hear what he'll be doing. Have a great weekend and I hope you fully recover quickly!

marly said...

Love that edging on blue and cream piece. Baffles me how yarn can be self striping. How the heck did you fly with a bad cold?? That had to make your head pound. Glad you are getting better and had another London adventure.

Lynette said...

I loved looking at your London pictures. You've been to quite a few places that I haven't (eg Wimbledon, Fortnum & Mason etc) and I'm from the UK! We actually lived in London for 8 years back in the 70s/80s - wouldn't like to live there now but it's great for a visit!
Love your knitting, especially the new stripy shawl - clever yarn!

Annie said...

What a fun trip! You really got some good photos and if you can forget about all that sickness, they make for great memories.

And what a lot of gorgeous knitting. It's completely amazing to me that the stripes come out placed that well. You don't have to cheat to get it to do that?

Graduating already? Didn't he just start? Where does the time go!

It's almost a month of sickness now. Sending positive thoughts so you return to good health shortly.

Mugwump Woolies said...

Margaret...what a great trip you had! Tea at F&M looks fantastic and, of course, a visit to Liberty and Loop must be wonderful fun. Your shawls are gorgeous...the one with the beige trim is amazing! Hope you are both feeling much better now. Such a bummer when you are feeling bad on a trip. Graduation? Gosh, that was fast!
Feel better!
Robyn

Vickie said...

Oh Margaret, I know how very much you adore London so I am so sorry you were/are ill. I hope the both of you QUICKLY get over and done with this crud.
What an awesome adventure this time!! Wheee!!! And for being sick,you took great pictures.
I am in awe of your knitting. And green with envy of that self striping one!! L♥VE it!

Kaisievic said...

Lovely long post, I am so envious of your London visit - such fun although I am so sorry that you were ill. Gorgeous shawls, I want to knit them all!

Vicki said...

What an awesome trip! I'm glad you were able to enjoy yourself in spite of feeling yucky. Thank you for sharing your photos with us. This is probably the only way I'll ever see London and I enjoyed each day of your visit! haha

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

Vacationing in London is just the best--you went to so many wonderful places. Hope you and your hubby are feeling better. How is possible your son will be graduating from college? I'm not going to ask if Miss Mia missed you while you were gone

Ann at Beadlework. said...

Gald you're improving Margaret, it's not funny being unwell whilst travelling.
I very much enjoyed this post with all your knitting lovelies and your holiday snaps.

krayolakris said...

So glad you had a great trip, and that you are recovering. Mia will be happy to have her boy home!

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

So sorry you felt so awful. Loved the London pictures.

Kristen said...

What a wonderful trip, illness aside. Hope you and the Father type feel better soon.

Wanda said...

Wow! It sounds like you had an amazing time despite being sick. It is tough being sick on vacation. Your knitting is amazing and I'm so glad you found a couple shops to go in while you were there. I can't believe your son is finished school as it feels like he just left home....time really does fly.
Mia is so cute! Hope you are feeling better.

Jackie's Stitches said...

Outside of being sick, it looks like you had a wonderful time. Having to go once a year must be so hard! :)

I had bronchitis in February, missed 5 days of work which has never happened to me, and hacked for over a month. I hope you both are 100% soon.

Brigitte said...

Gorgeous knitting projects that you finished and nearly finished since your last update. This Boneyard Shawl is fantastic with its change of colours. And this Leftie Shawl looks very special to me.
So sorry to read that you got sick already the first day of your stay in London. But I hope that you could enjoy all these lovely visits of wonderful places anyway. So great to see all these pictures and wandering around London and Wimbledon through them.
I hope that you will soon be feeling completely well again. And your husband, too.

Cathy Lloyd said...

What a fabulous trip to London. Thank you for all the delightful pictures...even if you weren't feeling all that great. I'm hoping that someday I will be able to visit England. Your work is beautiful, as always! Get feeling 100% very soon!

Cathy Lloyd said...

PS...can't wait to see and hear all about the Boy Child's graduation!

Rugs and Pugs said...

Margaret ~
Every time I see your knitting I am just in AWE!!!
So sorry you got sick on the trip, but it still looks you had a wonderful time. So many beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing.
Feel better!!!
Hugs :)
Lauren

Ellen said...

So sorry to hear that you've been sick, especially when traveling. That's no fun. Looks like regardless you had a great time and got to see lots of things.

Hard to believe that your son is approaching college graduation. Yikes! Where have the years gone?

Ali said...

Sorry to read your trip to London was marred by illness. I hope your feeling much better now you took some cracking pics of your trip and visited some wonderful sights and shops. Hope hubbys ear infection is clearing up and you both get to enjoy the boy child's graduation free from illness.

Penny said...

You still managed to pack a lot of wonderful things into your trip despite being ill! And I love the idea of staying in a flat as opposed to a hotel. It has always been a dream of mine to take my husband to Wimbledon, but he feels he did enough flying while in the Air Force, so I guess that isn't happening. : ) Your knitting is beautiful! I'm in love with your Boneyard Shawl - such vibrant colors!! Hope you and your husband are feeling better, Margaret!

woolwoman said...

WOW - what a great catch up post Margaret ! Sorry you still aren't up to par. I'd love to hear more about Loop and I Knit London - I had not heard of that one. Pretty yarn in the bag from Loop. Fortnum and Mason (BIG sigh) I just ordered their Queen Anne tea from Amazon. A friend had some and I had to get some but I was a bit disappointed in the taste vs price. I think I like my cheap old Twinning Lady Grey just as well. It's fun to try new teas. Great photos and I'm so sorry you were sick on your trip. Hateful! Hope May is bringing better days for you and DH and congrats on the big grad day for your DS. Mel

Vera said...

I was wondering what had happened to you Margaret!! London again - fabulous. Cold/sinus issues/etc. - not so nice. I managed to get the bronchial nonsense going around our office and had it for several weeks...and I got off easy compared to a lot of people. What wonderful shawls. Love them both, but especially the edging on the blue and cream one. Have fun next weekend at the graduation...sorry you can't make MDSW, but graduation is a great excuse! What are his plans post graduation?

Carol said...

I'm so sorry you got sick when you traveled, Margaret, but by the looks of your photos your still had a grand time. I have never been to London (it's on my list, though!) so I enjoyed all your photos. I'd love to try those fish and chips some day :)

Really beautiful finishes--I think the blue shawl is my favorite with the unique edging.

So exciting that the end is in sight for your son! My son gets his Master's from GW on the 15th--I think he'll really miss classes, believe it or not...

Hope May is healthier for you, Margaret...

Beth said...

I am not ill, but am suffering from a pretty heavy-duty case of travel envy! So sorry you were ill on your trip. The Thames is a great way to see the city - by foot or by boat. Greenwich is so very pretty - a slice of 'almost' manicured countryside. Liberty's is such a remarkable store. Glad you had a good time, now it is time to plan your next visit.

Melissa B said...

Hi, I stopped by after seeing that someone tagged your blog as one she follows. I really enjoyed your photos of the London trip. You're like me in that you post pics of the food!!! Haha thanks for the reminder of that food. Doesn't make me very excited, as I was there in the 90s and it appears the pub grub is still the same...heavy.

Your Caterpillar Yarn shawl had me running to their website. WOW!! That stuff sure sold out fast, nearly all the colorways!! Must be the "in" stuff. I knit as well. Since I was 8 and that was nearly 50 years ago.

AND, congrats on your son's graduation from Berklee. That is one GREAT music school!

Thanks for sharing. Very enjoyable blog. Melissa