The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Tuesday 20 July

Outside my window... I keep seeing little butterflies fluttering past. Apparently this is a good year for butterflies which is why we're seeing so many of them.

I am thinking... that it is only 3 more days till the summer holidays!

I am thankful for... the children not moaning too much when I ask them to help out from time to time. N. will occasionally object and say 'why do we have to do that?' but on the whole they're both pretty good, and it makes life a lot easier.

From the kitchen... summer soup with courgettes, beans, peas and pesto, with homemade salmon pate on crackers.

I am wearing... a turquoise outfit which caused I. to say this morning 'that colour suits you'. Awwww. I love my 11 year old.

I am creating... madly knitting on a little shrug for a party on Saturday. Not sure I'll finish it on time! N. is being picked up from school this afternoon so that saves me a trip and gives me some extra time. I'm on the second sleeve, but once that's done it needs quite a bit of ribbing still. Deadline knitting!

I am going... to go for a run tonight despite having been tortured by the Mel B bum and leg exercises last night.

I am reading... Comfort Food which is from the same author as The Friday Night Knitting Club. Nowhere near as good - the whole concept is much the same but it's a bit like a film sequel - I always feel the first one is best and you should leave it at that. I'm a couple of chapters away from the end and feel no urge to finish it.

I am hoping... that I get my shrug finished on time. That the linen trousers that I ordered from Ebay, arrive on time. That we get some nice weather while the kids are on holidays.

I am hearing.... The World at One on Radio 4.

Around the house... are little bunches of flowers from the garden. There is still so much work to be done in the garden, but there are enough plants now for me to pick the odd little bunch to dot around the house.

One of my favourite things... are the colours of the nasturtium flowers. I was expecting orange. Instead, I got about 4 or 5 different shades of orange. And countless flowers.

A few plans for the rest of the week... buying a few birthday presents, wrapping paper, cards, knitting, lots of knitting!

A picture for thought I am sharing....

Not sure it counts as a picture for thought but a favourite picture nonetheless. This was a couple of weeks ago on the ladies tractor road run I took part in to raise money for Cancer Research UK. It was such a lovely day and I managed to raise more than I had hoped (and the page is still open for donations until the end of July!)

Instructions for the Simple Woman's Daybook can be found here.