Winter weather has arrived,and it's cold and chilly,just the way I like it. We have had the most amazing June, with temperatures so mild it was unnatural. July has reverted to normal though, and I think twice now before I go out at night. However, it's Wimbledon time, and my TV reception is so bad I can't pick up the channel, so I have to go to Mereth's place to watch it. I should just sleep over and be done with it.

I actually subscribed to the live feed on their site and so I can sit in my own bed and watch it on my laptop, while I knit on my current sock. The video is a bit jerky in places, but it's definitely worth it. I love technology, I never dreamed of such developments when I was a teenager watching Wimbledon.

I've been busy as usual, but all boring stuff involving reams of paper and making pattern packs for orders, and cleaning house and endlessly searching for things. Why do things vanish as soon as I put them down? Once upon a time Iwas able to blame the kids, but I can't do that any more. As a friend said, when there's a tissue in the pocket of something you put in the washing machine, there's no-one else to blame it on.

Our Patchwork group are making a quilt for a friend who has some health issues, and really needs the warmth in this weather. Plus the good thoughts that will go into the making of this quilt will be much appreciated I'm sure. It will be a reminder that we are thinking of her.It will involve some embroidery in the blank centre squares, which will make me dredge up my almost forgotten stitchery skills. I've been admiring friends' stitchery quilts for so long, I think it's time I started one of my own and this will be a warm-up for it.

At our night group Sonia showed us what she's been working on. She is smitten with yo-yos, and has made over 100 with the large Clover yo-yo maker. They are seriously gorgeous, and I can't wait to see what they become. They are perfect stitching for the evenings or while waiting at sports practice. I am working steadily away at my collection of smaller ones, but these big ones just beg to be used as embellishment on bags or quilts. They look simply delicious.

Yesterday I sat at the machine and sewed until this top was in one piece. The centre blocks started out as a pile of donated samples from Elaine, at the patchwork shop in Jamestown. These are not my colours at all, but someone will like it, and it used up everything. The border fabric is from a bolt that was sent to us in error, a fabric order gone wrong; just goes to show that everything has it's place, given time.

While Mereth was quilting in the workroom I babysat Dolly. She doesn't like this cold weather one little bit, so I made room for her on my sewing chair. She snuggles up behind me and snores the day away, toasty warm and content. I know she's spoilt, but she deserves it for being so good. And her days of being a lapdog are numbered; toooo big now. Friends have been telling me tales of fullgrown Labradors and Dobermans who still behave like lapdogs; thankfully Dolly won't get that big,but she's certainly an armful already.