This.

It was my birthday this weekend, on the summer solstice. I can't remember it ever being this hot. Or this summery. Or this lovely.


Oh, and I was thoroughly spoilt. We were supposed to go up-country to visit family but alas plans had to change last minute and we ended up staying in summery London for the weekend Summery London. Have you ever heard it called that?

There was a boat trip up the Thames, an exciting day out at the National Gallery, a trip to Borough Market, adventures past the Royal Guard and of course - cake.

And best of all, I received phonecalls and messages and cards and parcels from around the world.

Living in London can be tough: the skies are perpetually grey and clouded over, travelling underground can be charming at first, but quickly becomes tedious when you have to squish in with the rest of the population at rush hour, and it's difficult to see the beauty of this ancient city when you're dealing with hail, rain and sleet.

But spring.

Oh.

It more than makes up for it.


The skies are blue and the oldest buildings lose their grey coats and take on new summery wear in pale yellows, greens and pearly whites. They no longer fade into the distance.


The new buildings bounce the light playfully across the brown Thames which now looks decidedly blue, and illuminates the office blocks and apartments in autumnal reds, rusts and oranges.


People may still be wearing their winter warmers, but now they flock to the beaches of the Thames and build sand castles and sand art. There are buckets and spades, and mothers waiting with wet wipes.


The trees have lost their winter frost and have started sprouting patches of green - tentatively testing the warm spring air and creating a fortress of greens and silver outside of the imposing Tate Museum.


In other places, the trees thrown caution to the wind and have done with winter completely. Here, tiny pink blossoms create candy floss trees worthy of carnivals and country orchards.



Oh I know. I'm taking Spring all a bit seriously right now. Still, the Globe Theatre is out to perform and I can think of nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon in the spring sun. Now, I just need to convince my husband that he feels the same way so I can book tickets.

Ha.

By the time you've wandered around London Bridge, bought essential South African supplies from the Savannah Shop, had lunch at Borough Market and gazed up at the enormous glass shard towering up into the cloudy skies ...


By the time you've knitted your way through two movies (one back panel, and two fronts: done!)...

It's all very festive in London at this time of year.


There are lights, there are trees, there are giant baubles.


There are even reindeer, if you know where to look.


And so, with Liberty's gold paperchains, and a bevvy of festivity, we say goodbye to 2012. It's been real, yo.


And next year is going to be amazing. 2013 is a year of possibility. It's a year of bouncing back. It's a year of things improved, and targets achieved. For me, 2012 was a year of progress and process: a means to an end. While we enjoyed and appreciated every day, I always knew it was a way forward towards something else.


And, as a final goodbye, 2012 (in exactly the fashion I'd expect from such a year) has left me with a bit of a sniffle. As I write, I'm sipping on Lemsip. With every slurped sip, my face involuntarily shapes-shifts, like I'm making my way through a bag of sour sweets.


... but that's okay. Tomorrow is a new day, a new year, and it's the start of a lot of amazing things. The last day of the year is supposed to be a day of resolutions. What are your resolutions? This year I plan to sew more, and to learn how to properly sew clothes (starting with a dress for me!). This year, I plan to do more and spend fewer late nights at the computer working. This year, I want to see Venice.

And so, until tomorrow - goodbye, 2012.

Yesterday was frantic. In fact, this week has been frantic and hectic and all things -ic. But sometimes, in amidst all the frenetic to-and-fro you have a moment.


This was my moment. I was walking to our Knit & Natter, a little late, had just come off of the sardine-packed tube, and was being pulled along the pavement with the crowds. The sky was lit up like a lightly toasted marshmallow with a roasty spires and trees burnt into the bit where you've gone too close to the fire. The twinkling car lights and street lamps instantly reminded me so much of the glow worms we used to get in the bottom of our garden when I was very little. It was like looking at the world with warm, rose-tinted glasses.

I stopped to take a picture and lo! somehow, everything just stopped for a second.

You'd never know that there was a queue of buses behind me, that people were shoving and shouting as they competed to get on first. That I was just a little late for the start of the natter. That my phone was frantically ringing. That the taxis were honking and stopping willy nilly on the side of the road. Sometimes photos are nice like that - they leave off things you'd rather not have in a picture.

As you may already know, my mother-in-law is visiting from South Africa, and it was also her birthday this week. She's under strict instructions that there will be "no touristy activities" (she'll share them with her husband when she returns next year, we hope) and so what's a girl to do when she has a birthday and a whole city to shop explore?

















It may have been raining, but we had a fabulous time.



It started in the haberdasheries of Walthamstow Market as we chose ribbons, braids, ric-rac, cotton and zips. We dashed between shops in-between heavy showers of rain, and we all got quite wet. But, oh!, the choice! The ribbons! The trimmings!

















Then, we enjoyed the stalls and shops of Covent Garden. We watched a string quartet belt out party tunes, and we hastened from bag shop to bag shop comparing red bags and leather satchels.






















We arranged old printing blocks on a tray, and got covered in ink.



Then, onwards to the Charles Dickens Tea House where we escaped the rain once more for tea and shared pecan nut pie with a side of brownies (I know) on Drury Lane.

















... and what is a good birthday without an impromptu miniature ice cream? We completely agreed and popped into Fortnum & Mason's on the way past Picadilly Circus.

















We may have shared scones there, but I'm not confessing to anything.

















At some point, we stopped to admire these beautiful measuring cups at Spitalfields Market. Aren't they amazing? I would put them on my wall to admire them, but I suppose that defeats the purpose of having measuring utensils, doesn't it?






















And, believe it or not, the rain did eventually clear and we enjoyed a few moments of summer colour.






















All in all, a jolly good time. I'm particularly pleased that we bought ourselves travel cards: we hopped on and off buses all day, we scooted between Covent and Garden and Kensington a few times as we somehow lost our brolly (and found it again!), and we took full advantage of the trains that zipped us around in no time at all.

I chuckle every time I see the East End Women's Institute abbreviation: EEWI. It's a long story, but basically - you say it 'ee-wee'. And that rhymes with 'she-wee'. And that, dear bloggy readers, is a funny story that goes way back to The Aunt Who Does Not Like Camping who invented the 'tee-pee' - a wraparound canvas shield that prevents people from seeing you if you need to piddle in a hurry and you're shy. Mostly for campers and road-trippers, the teepee was an ingenious invention that dealt with the less savoury aspects of The Lack of Public Toilets when out and about.

But I digress. Again.

















The EEWI strikes again! Come to think of it, they strike fairly regularly, delivering delicious baked goods to those in need in the East End of London Town. They strike with brownies and bakes, lemon drizzle cakes and chocolate courgette creations. I partake in this cakey tomfoolery (naysay! "Hard Work" is more apt!) as often as I can. The title, then, should read, "The EEWI [with Stacey on Team] strikes once again".






















We were at Stepney Green Park celebrating the arrival of the Olympic Torch. The locals gathered in their masses for a day of celebrations, shows and activities - and, of course, tea and cake.

These are my summery cupcakes with edible rice paper bunnies.






















And my vanilla cupcakes with fudge topping. Mm, Fudge.

















These are my chocolate-covered crunchies which are a South African treat. Who knew that they were only South African? Ha! They are similar to flapjacks, but they're more solid - and are filled with delicious goodies like wholegrain oats, coconut, dates and walnuts. You can add anything you like, like raisins and cherries - but I like dates and walnuts. Best of all, they're eggless and Low GI.

















There were some incredible contributions from the other bakers - lemon cake with lemon icing in generously-sized slices.

















Colleen's famous strawberry-topped cupcakes.


















Diane's extraordinary cherry cupcakes (with jam).

















Chocolate kisses, anyone?

















Here's the team that made it happen! Diane, Elizabeth, Karen and Colleen. Oh, and me - I'm holding the camera.
















Just in case you didn't believe me - that's me on the left. Thanks to Diane and her iPhone for this photo! And an extra special thanks to Graeme, aka Mr Bakercourt, for carrying the cupcakes, putting up the bags and fetching the sugar. Phew.