Busy New Year and an appreciation for modern gadgets.

Happy New Year lovely readers! It's been a busy, but productive start to the new year here in Oxfordshire. For one thing, I've been hand washing all our laundry because it's been so cold that the pipes to our washing machine in the garage have frozen up. It has really made me appreciate having a washing machine, but with the cold and snow creating such a beautiful winter wonderland, I don't mind at all.

I'd also like to show you my new housekeeping gadget...

Well, actually it's my new running watch, but I've found it as, if not more useful for house keeping. This past Saturday morning I wanted to spend one and a half hours cleaning before getting on with my crafting and relaxing, so instead of using my timer I thought about trying my watch and set the alarm to go off after 90 minutes, and the timer on 15 minute intervals, giving 15 minutes in each of the six rooms I needed to clean (we don't have a 6 bedroom house, our six rooms include the hallway, lounge, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom 1 and bedroom 2). It works a treat, and by the end of the hour and a half I can relax and do my crafting guilt-free. Also it meant I didn't have to carry a timer around with me, or be within earshot of the timer. It's the small things in life eh?

Talk of running, another reason to get a running watch, is to star running. I am what I call a non-runner. I've never been any good at running... at all. But for Mr.L's birthday I bought him a book called Chi Running, and some funny barefoot shoes called Vibram Five Fingers. Funny looking, I know...

Anyway, I ended up reading the book too, got some shoes and now I'm out there 3 times a week running at 6:30 in the morning, and wait for it, enjoying it. Okay, well, I enjoy it when my toes aren't freezing in the snow and admittedly I'm only running short distances, only 1.3 miles, but I think that's pretty impressive for a non-runner.

And what crafting have I been doing with all that free time on my Saturday after cleaning the house in 90 minutes? I've been sewing like a madwoman, and I managed to make these two lions for my friend who recently gave birth to twins (a boy and girl). I bought the pattern for them off this website where you can buy patterns for all sorts of sweet stuffed animal toys, I'd love to make the elephant.
Oh, and remember when I showed you a photo of our bedroom with it's new colour scheme here. well, it has now been wallpapered and looks like this. Yes, look at that naughty creature asking if he could get up on the bed.

And after all that snow, cleaning, running, and general business it's always time for a lie down... look how I found these two the other day... bless 'em.

I'll be back soon with a post about hand washing laundry and delicates.
Have a great week!
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