Finished socks,started shawl and trips away.

Our weekend away was wonderful. We both enjoyed the break and felt very relaxed coming home. We managed to put all the problems behind us for a few days which helped. Still have them when you get home of course but I think I may be able to cope more(fingers crossed)
We started out by visiting Willowpool garden centre in Lymm. If you ever get chance to visit do so, the place is incredible. Lots of old reclamation stuff, garden plants and ornaments and the best tearooms around. You can sit in the cafe or do as we did and sit in one of the wee huts with thatched roof. In winter they have heaters in so you can eat outside any weather. They do Dutch food and do it very well. We had dutch meatballs with carrots, cauli, broccoli, peas, new potatoes and mashed potatoes. This came with red onion gravy. Way too much for me although Mr Mog managed to clean his plate. No room to sample any of their yummy desserts this time. From there we went to our hotel.
Ellesmere port was great, the hotel was overlooking the canal so lots for us to watch as we sat on the terrace with our beer. The boat museum was close by so we naturally had to go and visit it. We went into Chester for a look round but it was way too busy for enjoyment. We did have a browse around and we do have pictures of all the stuff we saw its just they are on the laptop so you will have to wait:)
On our way home we visited the Anderton Boat lift
We didn't ride in it as neither of us fancied the heights:) We were going to have a trip on the boat on the river but would have had to wait around for nearly 3 hours. Too long in the heat for us. The weather was very hot all the weekend so being able to sit by the canal was great, there was always a breeze to cool things down and of course the boats going through the locks, the birds and the jumping fish to watch.
I visited Stash
while in Chester. I didn't buy anything as we had gone in on the park and ride and I didn't want to carry too much. Yes I know Jo I could have carried a shop full with me but I will be going back there. They are moving and it sounds as if there will be much more room for stock. It was great to see so many named yarns in the flesh as it were, I wanted them all of course:)
I did some knitting while I was away and you can see the finished items
The spearmint chew socks are finished. Don't they look lovely? Very pretty for whoever gets them at the end of the year. My hospice total is creeping up each month. I'm going to be having a contest shortly to guess how many pairs of socks I'll have done by the year end. Good prizes to be won. More details soon.
I've also started the purple shawl. Purple passion I think as the yarn feels so so soft and touchable and it is of course very vivid:)

This is going to be a gift for someone, not sure who yet but much as I want to keep hold if it I won't. The mobear yarn marries well with the silky chic don't you think? Of course it will look much better when it is finished and blocked. I'm not worrying about a pattern as it won't show within the yarn and the yarn speaks loudly enough by itself:)