Easter but without any eggs ('cos we had chocolate bunnies instead!)

A farrago

Before I write about Easter I needed to delve into the bag that came home with us from the London marathon. I'd been putting it off for a couple of days because I remembered how the carefully untwined chain had been bundled, willy-nilly, into my kitbag.

This farrago is what came out of the bag!

It took quite a long time to get it back into separate colours which I then secured with some yarn to keep them together.

Then I started to undo some of the chains to finish off the first blanket. You can see some bits of the many ends that need to be woven in sticking out.

It's just over 1 metre square which I think it's just the right size for a lap blanket. It will be going to the recipient in a couple of weeks. But I won't be writing about that on here as it will be a very personal and emotional meeting as I know they will be touched by the gesture.

The next blanket can't be started just yet as I have to take the remaining chains and the blanket to GWR HQ next week for a photo-shoot and Q & A session.

Good Friday

We decided to have a little trip to Hastings as the weather was fine. It was rather breezy down by the coast though which made it feel cool. We always head to what's known as the 'old town' where there are lots of pretty terraces and quirky buildings.

This being Good Friday there was a procession along this little street (which is one I know well as it forms part of the route of the Hastings half marathon which I last ran back in 2011).

We had a good mooch around the secondhand book shops and vintage clothing shops and I found this little gem. It's a Hobbs jacket and it's as good as new. The colour is perfect with my hair - this was taken on a very dull day and the colour is much more vibrant. I needed a new Spring/Summer jacket and so I was ecstatic!

Redhead heaven!

I also found this little chap looking all forlorn in a charity shop.

He's a tea-light holder, very similar to a cat that I made in pottery class a few years ago. The light will shine through his holes and at £2 I think he was a bargain.

I always stop to look at this tiny garden as it's an oasis of calm in a rather busy street. It was looking very lush and these massive leaves by the gate are of a Zantedeschia which was flowering already.

Of course, after lots of walking and rummaging we were in need of some sustenance so we headed off to our favourite little cafes, the Land of Green Ginger, for coffee and cake (simnel cake, yum!).

It was so busy we had to sit outside in their back yard which was charming. There was a beautiful cherry tree on one side and the petals were falling like confetti so we had to cover our cups of coffee with our hands!

The next day it was somewhat brighter so I took myself off for a run through the woods and across the fields.  The bluebells were all out and the smell was wonderful.

The bronze-coloured leaves of sycamore. newly emerged, drew my eye.

Whilst the bright yellow flowers of gorse shone brightly as if they were soaking up the sunlight.

It was lovely to see these Red Sussex cows and their pretty calves, taking shade under the tree canopy.

So why the photo of a bruised and cut leg? Did I fall over out on my run or did it happen whilst I ran the London marathon?

Neither.

I somehow managed to trip over the handle on one of the sun-loungers whilst I was moving a pot around. Ouch!!!

On Easter Sunday it rained. The view from the kitchen window was still beautiful though as the blossom on the clematis looked so pretty with the pear tree in the background.

I took this shot of part of the front garden by hanging out of the bedroom window. You can really make out the shape of the heart in the gravel garden now the plants are spreading out. You can also see the little stone and brick perching bench Mike made for me a few weeks ago. I like to wander around the garden with a cup of coffee then stop and look at things and this is perfect for a short break.

As it was dreary outside I decided to bake some cheesy bread rolls to cheer us up. They are my own recipe and they have a texture somewhere between a bread and a scone. They were divine, though I say it myself!