Visiting my sister

Sorry for my slight absence, I've had a busy few days driving up to Birmingham to visit my sister.  It's a three-hour drive up from Kent so plenty of motorway time to crack on with the ripple blanket I'm making for Lillia's 4th birthday (next month..where did those four years go.?)

Lots of lovely ripples to take my mind off the lorries and the numpties on the m25...

This was the first time we have seen my sister's new house, which she bought with her boyfriend last year...

It was very flattering to see some of the things I have made for her scattered throughout!  I mosaiced this mirror for her at the beginning of last year...or was it the year before.?  Anyway, it was for her birthday some time in the last couple of years.

I remember really enjoying making this one, I love working with ceramic and china.

For her birthday this year though I made something very special indeed, which I was pleased to see had been given pride of place...

Yes, every toilet needs one.

Gertruda is also very happy in her new home on the fireplace...

Gertruda is the chubbiest of my matryoshka dolls so far so I am glad to see she has some cake to keep her going. (Incidentally the cake and the donut were knitted by our very clever mother!)

It was very exciting to see all these things on display. But my excitement was nothing compared to that of my sister's and Lillia's about the arrival of some new residents...

Rescued from slaughter, these ex-battery hens will now live out their days in my sister's garden.  They will reside in this chicken palace and have the run of the garden...

This one, "Chico", is quite the poser...

And on their first day in their new home they even provided some eggs for breakfast!

My sister has always been a bit animal nutty and these chickens aren't the only tenants of her garden, meet Wilf and Caster...

And inside there are numerous tropical fish.  My favourite is Harry, he has Irritable Bowel Syndrome and gets stuck upside down when he gets wind...

Bless him.  There are also guniea pigs but they were too quick for my camera I'm afraid!  One fellow who wasn't too quick though...

No not in my sister's garden (though I wouldn't be surprised!) but at the local animal centre.  Lillia loved this Lemur, who she thought was the actual King Julian from Madagascar. 

We had a great time visiting the animals but thanks to a few inches of snow overnight the cold soon beat us and we had to retreat to the warmth of the cafe and hot chocolates before indulging in some light snowball fighting, which Lillia was quite frighteningly good at...

She has a very accurate shot!

We finished off with some stargazing. My sister's boyfriend has a proper telescope and treated us all to incredible views of the moon.  Here's Lillia having a look...

Check out her ladybird mittens!  Crocheted by yours truly and soo very cute, but more importantly warm and washable!

We drove home today via the Cotsowlds, which was utterly beautiful, like detouring through a winter wonderland.  We are now all cream-crackered, so it's a glass of wine and a homecooked pizza for me then a very early night!  I will wish you goodnight with my, not so incredible, photo of the moon...

Night night x

Oh and by the way thanks to everyone so far who has entered my giveaway!  Thanks so much for taking the time not only to comment but to say such reassuring things.  The names being suggested are fantastic!