31 Days of Creativity - the Monday report.........

Cold. Damp. COLD. Hello, Autumn, you are definitely here.

The garden is full of spider's webs and apparently we are no further than 3ft from spiders in the house too right now. According to reports. Just peachy. I don't really mind spiders. I do, however, hate walking into a web at head height. I swear I can feel spiders crawling around my hair for hours afterwards. {{Shudder.}}

I have been to aquarobics, done my bit bouncing about in the water, and my leg and I are having a rest for a little while. The bouncing about is good for me. The leg takes a little convincing. The doctors - the consultant ones - say don't stop. So they must know what they are talking about. Right? Right.

Last spring, when the dahlia bulbs went on sale, I decided that, as they flower right through autumn, I wanted some autumn coloured ones, and I am so thrilled with the mixed bargain bag I got. I really love these curly orange ones. And there were 2 in the bag, which is even better. I already had pink ones, which I love, and which are unbelievably prolific, but PINK??? In Autumn?? So, I removed some aged shrubs and popped these ones in the ground in the bed outside the doors, so I could see them from indoors. It worked. And I remember my uncle bringing me bunches of dahlias when I lived in Cape Town, so I have been cutting some and putting them in my orange metal jug on the table. Yellow. Orange. Red. Perfect. They don't last very long, however. Still, they make me smile. And also they make me remember my uncle. He died when he was just 55. I am older than that now and it feels strange to think I have lived longer than he did.

The garden bunting is still up on the fence, as you can see behind the flower. It is faded, but it has been so pretty - all multi-coloured and bright, especially on dull damp days.  I may take it down when the dahlias are over, but then, maybe it can stay till spring......

So, I am about to cut more bunting. And I have some Christmas projects in the pipeline. Remember all the embroidery I did last week? I need to get a move on. The latest ripple has one row to go. It was so frustrating last night - I was watching the Classic Brit Awards after the party, and Andre Rieu and his orchestra were playing - I love waltz music - and then the military wives were singing, and I tried so hard to stay awake to do one last row, but the eyes kept shutting. I gave up and went to bed. So that is on the list for today.

The Internet is going haywire today. One minute all is well and the next we get that grey box thing saying that there is a problem. However, I am slightly mollified, because a friend in a neighbouring village is having the same problem.  So I will go back to my pile of Christmas fabric and triangles instead for now. I am being creative, even if it doesn't look like it here!