A little time away...

We've been away for most of this week. It was a bit of a last minute dot com type of arrangement with the accommodation despite having the cricket week on the calendar for quite some time. For the first time we didn't take the caravan and instead stayed in a nice hotel. It was definitely a more sophisticated way of doing things! Now of course, I don't really want to go home; to housework and laundry!

It was a good week for Jake. He bowled really well, especially the last day, taking four wickets, three of which were in his opening overs. We had a disaster the day before we were due to leave when his cricket shoes came apart during a match. We quickly checked out the local sports shops for size twelve cricket spikes with no luck. Contact adhesive was applied and the dodgy shoe bound overnight with string. It lasted one over and split again so J borrowed his coach's spikes (one size smaller but wearable). Then due to unforeseen circumstances the coach and his shoes had to depart one day early! Thank goodness for google is all I can say. We drove out to an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere this morning and picked up the only size twelve cricket shoes for miles. J reckons they will have to be his lucky boots now that he's taken four wickets wearing them!

It's been a tight schedule of cricket, eating and sleeping so there hasn't been much time for making use of the hotel pool, reading or anything creative. I packed knitting rather than crochet on this occasion. I've had this Erika Knight pattern and yarn for a little while but saved it for a rainy day. I finally cast on last night and phew, I can remember how to do cables!

I've blogged about these Erika Knight for John Lewis patterns before; they are perfect for beginners or anyone who just wants a quick, easy project with a useful outcome. The other one I've purchased is the Slouchy Hats pattern which has two designs. I've made the ribbed hat for myself, the kids and even M who rarely wears hats. So we will all soon have matching cable and rib mitts to go with the hats!

Today I wished I was nearing the end of the project with just the side seams to sew up; it's supposed to be summer but it was rather chilly and unpleasant today. It was just as well we bowled the opposition out quickly and got the required runs just as quickly. The match was over three hours early just in time for the heavens to open. So British; cricket and rainy summers!