Today was swim number 5 for the year -- not quite as sunny as the forecast promised, but a nice swim nonetheless.

The snowdrops are out in full force so fingers crossed this means that springtime has got the memo that it needs to be getting here soon.  Plus, I've had enough of the mud!  :)

Not long after we first came here, I realised that I needed a hat with ear-flaps and strings to tie under my chin as I spend too much time trying to do things one-handed while holding onto my hat with my other hand (this is particularly difficult when I'm riding my bicycle...) -- and I finally knitted one!

I actually started this hat way back in December 2023 and I knitted about a third of it -- and then I proceeded to have a mental block about knitting for a number of months.  In August, when Heidi was here, she had socks with her that she was knitting -- which helpfully spurred me on to picking up my knitting again, and I finished this on Sunday.  I think there is a bit of a cosmonaut look about it with the flaps down and tied, but it is beyond nice to be able to have warm ears without holding on to my hat!  :)

In the kitchen, we've had a yummy Greylag goose, barley, and mushroom casserole...

...and some beremeal ginger nuts...

And let's not forget the highlight of every alternate month -- it's Booky McBookface day with lots of new reading material for me!  :)