Icy Steps

My wonderful DH has put chicken wire on the decking to make sure I don't slip on it again when going to my studio. This worked wonderfully yesterday when it was very damp and I was able to make beads all day. No slippiness whatsoever! After the non-beadmaking-ness of virutally the whole of December, I really need to build my business back up again.

When we got up today, there was a sprinkling of snow that has frozen. Here I am, it's nearly noon and the landscape is still an unthawed out whiteness everywhere. The new concrete steps going down haven't got a handrail (yet); call me a coward but I am really nervous of that ice, I am so worried about falling down again without anything to hang onto. Come springtime and some decent weather, the steps will be finished, handrail installed, the gap will be filled and it will all be much safer.

So with discretion being the better part of valour,  instead of beadmaking, today, I am cleaning yesterday's beads, making up renegade sets from my extensive stash of leftover beads. This afternoon, I'll be photographing and listing them on my Etsy shop.

Wherever you are and if you've got the snow worse than we have - stay safe everyone. xx

The saga of the pre-dug hole

At the back end of last week, we had some very windy weather but it was mild so I decided to put some washing out. It managed some shirts and trousers fine but when I added the second load (sheets) within a couple of minutes the big sail area almost completely collapsed the rotary drier which was only anchored by a hammered in stake rather than being properly concreted in. I didn't take a picture of the sheets half trailing on the ground, I was too busy washing them again (and swearing at whoever it was that didn't put the dryer up properly first time!)

It has taken said person a little over a week to get round to remedying the problem, claiming that B&Q, Jackson Shipley and the Co-Op had all run out of pre-dug holes to put the concrete in! But anyway, here he is all kitted out in his site safety gear.

Taking the p*** a bit with the hard hat ....

Getting down to business now

"What do you mean I've put the hole in upside down?"

Make sure it's upright. (Ooer, his hat has come off!)

Ta dar!

What a clever chap! Thank you DH xxx

Whilst I had the camera out in the garden, I snapped this one of the snowdrops just opening up to remind us all that winter will soon be over!

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.