I nearly forgot I have a blog

I must update more often, I must update more often, note to self!

Today the sun is shining and we went on a little adventure to the Kymin. We have seen it from the distance at the bottom of the hill from Monmouth and we knew where the turn off was but it is on a steep hill with narrow lanes and sharp bends. Not the sort of turn you can make without planning it.

The little road up was far longer, steeper and narrower than we expected with little passing spots and hairpin bends. There were glimpses of the view on the way up but nothing had prepared us for the vista ahead. As we left out car in the little car park there were only two other cars there. Then the view over England was revealed.

We turned to see the back of the monument,

and the explanation. Though locally the emphasis for this is Lord Nelson and his association with Monmouth.

From all four sides

Then there is the castellated dining hall. It is available to rent for small occasions. They suggest wedding but as it only has a capacity for 20 people it would have to be very small weddings...

The view of Wales revealed at the top is incredible. To drive to the hills in the far distance is about an hour and a half just to give you some idea. In the foreground below is the town of Monmouth.

The last of the autumn colour through the trees and a little pond, itself getting full of fallen leaves.

So that was our little outing today. I had planned to do the ironing and then get back to drawing more feathers for the book..... but I had a nap on the sofa and watched the tennis. It couldn't have been too exciting as I woke just after it ended.....

I have ordered a new machine!

This machine excites me in a way the last 800 series Berninas didn't. It's the 710. I played with it at the Festival of Quilts and loved it. It was quieter at the Autumn Quilt Show yesterday and I played some more. It even behaved wonderfully with Bottomline in the top and bobbin (with no adjustments!). I haven't ordered the one with all the bells and whistles as I just don't use them or the BSR (though if you are new to machine quilting, I would recommend you go for that extra). It has all the stitches I use and ever need to use for my work, plus more than a few extras. It won't be arriving until January so I will just have to contain my excitement until then. Will I get much quilting done whilst the kitchen is going in? I hope so! If it were a car, it would a hybrid between a Mercedes and a Ferrari.

I will be partially funding it by parting with my beloved 440s. The reason I held back was I am used to running two machines so I am not without one whilst the other is being serviced. Frank Nutt offers to let you go shopping and they will service the machine whilst you shop in Birmingham, so that shouldn't be a problem and if anything more major would need doing I will still have my 1260 as a very good back up machine. He will also do it by courier if necessary (so I will have to keep the box for that purpose).

The autumn here this year is wonderful, as I am driving most of the time when I go out I don't get a chance to take photos so I have stolen this one taken by my daughter. It is unbelievably beautiful round here. I get such a kick crossing the border in and out of Wales when I go to the shops.

My sister made a whistle stop visit this week so plans I promised to announce has been delayed a little bit more.