New Month New Skill

Knitting has always been a great pleasure, but I've never yet managed to conquer crochet.
A book on 'granny squares' arrived today so I searched out some suitable wool from my stash, found a couple of hooks in an old drawer and set to.
I had planned to sort out some shelves in our dining room today, but learning a new skill trumps housework.  The shelves can wait. 
After several hours and a few false starts I'm quite proud to have ended up with a recognisable classic square.  As the book shows seventy-five possible variations I may need more wool!

I've reached the end of the introductory chapter of Y180.  No word from my new tutor yet though.  Do I wait for contact, or do I plough on into the main body of the course?

Moving On

I've now received the mark for my final eTMA.  It was a big improvement on the first one.  Astonishingly my tutor gave me 91%.
Maths was never my strongest point, but I think that means I have done well enough to achieve my much coveted excellent pass for the module as a whole.

I feel that is encouragement enough to enrol on the year long Creative Writing course, which starts in September.
Until then I shall content myself with Y180.  Course work for for that short module arrived a couple of days ago.  On first sight it looks quite interesting.

Waiting Again!

A174 is finished!!  My final eTMA went about a week ago, so I'm waiting now for the result.
I've not been idle, though! 
I've launched into a massive re-organisation of my lounge and dining room.  Both are looking much better as a result.  The only downside is that I now have a garage full of stuff waiting to be re-distributed. 
I've booked my next course Y180 - Making Sense of the Arts.  As a confirmed scientist, I'm not sure that the arts are supposed to make sense.  But it is a short course and will fill in the time until my Creative Writing one starts in September.

New Year

New Year.  New beginings?
My Dad died on Dec 22nd. 
He saw the shortest day, which was always an important time for him.  But he didn't make it to Christmas.
He passed away, passed over, passed on - however you like to express it.  He spent a few days in hospital and then just fell asleep and stopped breathing.  We didn't visit.  The doctor who was tending him said he could 'keep him alive', maybe even send him home. Dad had other ideas!

So we didn't see him in hospital hooked up to a drip and oxygen.  Mum was the only one who went in to visit and I suspect she would have been the only one he wanted to see at that stage of his life. 

Finally!

Finally my tutor has returned the results of my first eTMA.  I sent it in on Dec 2nd, so it's taken him ten days.  Could be worse, some other tutor groups are still waiting for theirs.  74% a good pass.  I'm pleased with that, although it could have been better.  We need 85% for an excellent pass!

While I've been waiting I've completed Block Three and done enough of Block Four to allow me to write answers to our second tutorial task.  That came as a nasty shock.  I wasn't expecting to have the second tutorial set on the same day that our eTMA was due.  But everything is completed now.

I've caught up with my present making too!!

Now I can relax.

I've finished Block Two and posted everything on the forum.  I've also finished my first eTMA! 

Cut off date is not until late next week, so I shan't send it yet.  Nice to know I have a bit of breathing space.

I shall spend some time catching up on my present making.  The knitting and sewing have been a bit neglected in recent weeks.  I have embroidered cards half finished and bits of knitting to be sewn up. 

When I've done all those I can start on something a bit more challenging.

Two things completed.

Our sale of the house has now been completed.  Keys have been handed over to the new owner.  Nothing more to do, except look back and wonder if I could have done more for my parents.
Answer, yes.  Technically you could always do more.  Practically though it's not that simple.

Also completed is Block One of my OU course.  Now I've moved on to Block Two.  I posted my first assignments up on the forum today.  I've finished a couple more, but I'm not ready to show them to the world yet.