One Hundred And One Things

Originally this goal read 'Make a quilt for impending niecephew, and one to spare'. Fairly soon, things started to happen.

Firstly, we learned that my sister-in-law was specifically expecting a daughter. This galvanised me into action (because if the foetus is big enough to discern the sex, you know you've only got a few months left), and, three weeks after young Lily was born, I was able to present her with this.

About five minutes after that (well, that's what it felt like) one of my good friends from university announced that she was pregnant, and suddenly the 'one to spare' became 'one for K's baby'.

The baby in question was born on Thursday (two weeks early, I may say), and on Sunday afternoon I sewed down the last inch of bias binding around the quilt. There it is, tastefully draped over our washing line. On Monday I went to see them. It's getting better and better. Maybe I'll get the next quilt finished before the baby's actually born. (Next baby? I'm not actually sure whether that'll be along in the next few years, anyway.)

You might not hear about that though, because all I signed up to for 101 in 1001 was two quilts, and so this goal is

completed

My hundredth day is approaching at a terrifying pace. Yesterday, being my compressed day (the day off I get once a fortnight for working extra hard and extra long on the other nine days) I attacked some goals with vigour:

- I went outside in my dressing gown to get some photos of the morning sky and the bush at the corner of our garden. One of these was my picture of the day, and another will do for Smell in the Hundred Snapshots.


- I went swimming in the morning, for the first time since, erm, I completed my 'swim 50 lengths' goal last time around, not counting some splashing around in the sea. That was two and a half years ago.

I'm beginning to learn about what my body thinks it can and can't do. I hadn't even got to four lengths before my lungs were complaining, but I discovered that I can push through this, and actually managed thirty lengths in thirty minutes. Five hundred lengths is looking ambitious, yes, but just about manageable.


- I wild-released a book at the swimming pool, too.


- I spent most of the rest of the day in the kitchen, making Celery and Peanut Soup (from Best Kept Secrets of the Women's Institute: Home Cooking - not very exciting), Lime Muscovado Biscuits (pictured - from Cookies Galore - disappointing until iced, at which point they become very exciting); and Soufflé Pancakes with Cheese and Broccoli (from Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook - very tasty, but immensely fiddly, and I don't think I'd ever dare to cook it for anyone other than the Countertony and myself).


- Having eaten some of the above, I watched Shanghai Express (I must post a review) and did some patchwork.


Pretty productive all round, really.

What's this about? Why do I want to do it?

My sister-in-law is pregnant, so I want to make a cot quilt for that baby. Plus, quite a lot of my friends are attached and might have children in the next few years. It's good to be prepared.


How will I know I've done it?

I'll have completed two cot coverlets.


I'll record this in posts in this journal.