Hi I’m Helen. Thanks to early retirement and the big freeze of 2010, I’ve developed a consuming passion for crochet, chocolate, coffee & craft which I plan to share with all you good people out there. Through here, I hope we can inspire each other, learn together, laugh together, giggle and gossip about all things wonderfully woolly, in a fun bright way which helps us get through the day.
I live in Cardiff, happily married to an adorable man named Richard who can still make me giggle like a school girl after 25 years together with our splendid autistic son Alex.
I’ve always said.. life’s natural tonic is laughter… big smiles to you all 🙂
helencrochet1 
Hey Helen 😀
So – being nosey here – what did you retire from? And how did the big freeze help you learn to crochet? You are extremely good at it so obviously have a natural aptitude – did/do you knit too? Other crafting stuffs?
Mo x
I spent the last 10 years working in Spain, helping my hubby run a telecommunications company, whilst I ran a bar and worked as a fitness instructor part time at the gyms with the ex pats mainly.
I came back last year when I found provisions for adults with autism were very poor out there… Alex’s needs came first before ours.
It’s a shock to the system all this cold weather you know!!! Brrrrrrr, so when I found lots of time on my hands for not working and staying in more than I was used to I took up crochet by accident after needing a hook to fix errors I made whilst knitting a pair of leg warmers!!!
I’m afraid knitting is not my best as its needs too much concentration and with Alex being around most of the time… need I say more? 🙂
Cross stitch I love… but again it’s the distractions which stop me from doing more…
And I guess I have a valid excuse for any typos you might notice on my blog too!
How aboout you?
H xx
Oh you poor things, having to come back to the, less than, sultry weather over here! But I completely understand why. There are many things to complain about in this country but there are, I believe, so many many better things than in many other countries. The general living conditions, average lifestyles, medical assistance etc more than make up for the lack of balmy weather.
I stopped working as an office administrator when I got full responsibility for my wee man. I am actually his granny, but he lives with me and my hubby and we’re raising him as our own. Due to some difficult circumstances our daughter felt she had no choice but to leave the area and it wasn’t possible for her to take him with her. He’s lived with us since birth (which I attended) as was our daughter, so I have never had a day without him anyway. He is 4 and a half and we have had him solely for 3 and a half years. He is MY wee man 😀 It is very hard and tiring most of the time and trying the rest of the time but my life would be incomplete otherwise.
Like you, he is my excuse for typo’s and things that don’t make sense (except that doesn’t work at times like this when he’s sleeping – have to admit that’s just my age then, hehehe)
I find crochet gives me quicker gratification than knitting and as for embroidery, my eyesight failed me on that score. I used to do only embroidery for a number of years – sigh – but C’est la vie, eh 😀
Well best away to the land of nod for a wee while before the shouts come from the next room – Is it time to get up yet – lol
Night night
xx
Hiya Mo,
Its lovely getting to know you so well…You really are an exceptional wonderful person.
Have a super relaxing weekend I hope x
Regards to you, Wee man and the rest of the family.x
What a lOvely thing for you to say Helen – Thank you! 😀
I’ve escaped for a bit of sanity (lol) after quite a trying day (so far). Don’t know what’s got into Wee man today but I hope it’s gone tomorrow – sigh. Bless him, the harder the day gets for us I have no doubt that goes double for him.
Thank you for allowing me to ‘talk’ on here Helen, but if I ever get OTT, just email me a big SHHHHHHH!. Do you like the Harry Potter films? I love them – you could send me a Howler, lol
Wishing you, Richard & Alex a splendid Sunday
Mo x
Hi Mo,
I’ve never seen or read any Harry Potter … sorry about that but if you explain what a howler is and if I can crochet one, then I’d be happy to send you one!
Hope things have settled a little more for you.
All my bestest of everything to you and all
H x
Hi Helen
”if I can crochet one….” made me chuckle, because a howler is a magical letter. Here’s a YouTube clip from Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets showing Ron getting a howler from his mum.
Wee man has had an excellent day today, and so have we all – yay! 😀
Now I really must go a spud peeling
Mo xx
Tut – would help if I added the link eh? Doh!!
Mo xx
Heheheh, now that was funny…. Happy spud bashing x
Hello there, Just popped in to share this blog with you, http://made-in-k-town.blogspot.de/
She is very talented and seems to like the same kind of fresh & colourful things you like to crochet too 😀 xx
Hiya Mo… yes I like the blog… I love the layout oo.. thanks for sharing x