Days off, Planning a Trip and Creative Adventures.

The rhythm here at Chez Heron has finally settled back into something resembling normal. Mr. Heron returned to work yesterday after his Christmas break — though only for four days, because then we’re off! At long last, a proper break for me too.

I don’t have to be back at work until Monday the 19th of January, which means a lovely stretch of time ahead. Today is only the 7th, so I have five days at home to play, potter, relax, or do absolutely nothing at all. Bliss.

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After that, Tony and I will hop into the big red car and make the seven‑hour drive to the very top of the South Island, where we’ll tuck ourselves away with friends for a few days. There will be plenty of relaxation, a bit of fishing, and of course I’ll be taking some sewing along. I’m more than ready for it.

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And when we get home, I’ll still have two quiet days to settle back in and do the laundry before returning to work on the 19th. The best part? The phone coverage up in the Marlborough sounds is… well, let’s just say it’s delightfully unreliable. Which means no unexpected calls asking me to work. LOL

So what am I going to do with my five days at home? First on the list is the garden — it needs a bit of a tidy. There are plenty of deadheads out there waiting to be snipped away, and the tomatoes are coming in faster than we can eat them. I’ve got a huge bowl on the bench ready to be turned into something tasty. Tony has a fried tomato with breakfast every morning, and we have sliced tomatoes with tea every night, but we still can’t keep up.

The courgettes have also found their stride. I brought two in last night, and there are many more on the way… so I suspect I’ll be spending a fair bit of time in the kitchen as well.

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Of course, I’ll want to make progress on the latest jigsaw puzzle. Another small puzzle with only 500 pieces. Meet Bambi. 

You could be forgiven for thinking this blog is turning into a jigsaw puzzle record, but I assure you stitchy things have been happening behind the scenes. I’ve added a few more hexies to the scrappy hexie project, and — would you believe it — I’ve finally started cutting for Jiffy’s quilt. 

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Here you go, photographic evidence. 

My lovely pile of blue‑green fat quarters has begun its transformation into an untidy pile of four‑inch squares, with a growing pile of off‑cuts beside them. Hopefully this week will see all the cutting finished, and maybe even the first seams sewn. My little “fifteen minutes before work” routine has been brilliant for making steady progress.

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It seems Tony has been thinking about the fifteen‑minutes‑a‑day idea too. Last night he announced that he might like to start a new after‑work routine — heading straight into his happy room for a while instead of settling into his chair with the laptop, which is his usual habit. He did say he was going to work on his fine scale model project over the Christmas break, and to be fair, he did put in a few hours… maybe two whole afternoons, out of his entire two‑and‑a‑half weeks off. Perhaps seeing me dive into a new start has stirred the urge for a new start in him as well. Though of course he will want to complete his current project first, — the one that has been sitting on his desk for a whole year, quietly waiting between bursts of attention.

Tony can’t understand how I can have so many projects happening all at once, but isn’t that part of the charm? Crafters operate on geological time. Some projects are quick little sparks, some are slow burn, and some wander through the years with us.  We’re not slow — we’re simply working on a different timescale. 

And speaking of timescales, today’s is looking nicely balanced: a quick trip into town for a haircut and the groceries, all while keeping a weather eye on the sky — it went from beautifully sunshiny to dull and overcast in the time it took me to peg out the washing this morning. Spag bol for tea, which won’t take long at all, leaving plenty of time for more cutting… and maybe even the first few seams. Perhaps if I am busy sewing when he gets home, it might encourage Tony to do a little of his model when he gets through the door.