Hello (again)

I started my other blog back in 2008.  And then came to a halt, rather abruptly, in July 2010, for all sorts of reasons, not all of which were clear to me, never mind anyone else, at that time.

So whay start again now?  Well, I remembered why I started to blog in the first place - to have a record for what I was doing, and what I was thinking, with myself as the primary audience - I think I got disracted along the way, and it had started to become a burden rather than a pleasure.

So, without more ado, what is going on here at ZZ Towers?

As usual, I have far too much going on.  In patchwork / quilt terms, this is what I'm doing right now:

Two weeks holiday, I thought to myself - great, I 'll get loads done.  No. This is it - some rather sad looking bits of fabric - not even one block constructed yet.

This book was from my sister, SBetty:

In my stash (note to self - you must reduce stash this year), I found this jelly roll, so am going to make this quilt sometime soon:

And this book came from my sister-in-law (Mr ZZs sister) - I really like it when I get presents that relate to my interests, rather than what the giver thinks is more fitting.

Again, a random jelly roll that I'd planned to do something else with, but was sidetracked. I do wonder whether this red/black combination will be a little harsh?

I've also picked up my needlepoint again:

and resurrected my interest in all things miniature:

A yellow tinge as it's been photographed at work under the florescent lights.  It was a spontaneous ebay purchase, and Mr ZZ wasn't too happy.  It's a restoration project, so will be stripped down and redecorated at some point in 2013 - once I have smuggled it into the house.  What looked like intricate painting on the right hand side turned out to be a paper bag stuck on....

But this is what has also been eating away at my time over the last 2 years:

The way in which education is funded changed last year, with a massive hike in fees.  I'd started my OU degree in 2000 (yes, you can see that I'm not that great at finishing things anywhere in my life!), and done bits and pieces, but when I got a letter informing me that I would be liable for the higher rate of fees come 2016, unless I had completed by then, it was the spur I needed to get going again.

So in October 2011, it was back to the rigour of 2000 word essays once a month, along with all the associated reading. 
And my brain seems a lot more tired than it did way back.  I have to read and re-read the critical essays, and make notes and spend far too muchtime on Facebook, which wasn't around either in 2000 or way back in the Middle Ages when I did my first degree at a bricks and mortar university.  Still, one more year to go, all being well, and then I can cash in the last 12 years of on/off study.