Strolling, serendipity and the seaside ...

I'm feeling very pleased with myself this week.  Many months ago, when I could just begin to see the end of the daily school run, I promised myself that when Youngest Child left school I would walk to work and back (I work a few hours three days a week on the other side of town, about 3 miles away).  So this week that is what I did.  On Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings I plugged in my radio headphones and, to the soothing tones of the Today programme, walked to work.  The pluses of this are obvious - more exercise, less petrol,  less wear and tear on an already failing motor car and no guilt when I have a piece of the cake that someone has brought into the office.  Can you see my halo gleaming?

Now for the serendipity.  This week I was visiting Niki's blog, as I often do, and reading her post about how the downturn in the economy is affecting her in particular and small, independent shopkeepers in general.  The post generated a huge number of comments most of them supportive.  One of the comments came from Holly  at Nicholas and Steele and, after reading it, I checked out her blog.  It is a delight.  I am constantly amazed at how clever, talented and inventive people are out there in blogland and Holly is an excellent example.  I shall be visiting her blog and shop often

Have you noticed that every summer all the magazines have a feature with a beach or nautical theme to them?  Well, I thought I'd have a go at doing my own.  Eat your heart out Country Living ...

And for all those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the next instalment in the knitted bird saga, here is my knitted seagull which, as you can see, has eaten all the fish pies.