"Don't they make pink ones?"

A lovely day out - Rhug Farm Shop, Betwys-y-Coed, Trefiw and Conwy.

Neither of our children has a regular commitment after school on Wednesdays. That means we are not required to produce a meal by any particular time or to provide a taxi service. Able to take a day off, my husband suggested a mid-week excursion pottering along the North Wales coast - the sort of gentle day out which we enjoy occasionally - and our kids hate!

Passing the Rhug Farm Estate, not encumbered by the kids, we stopped to stock up the campervan fridge. Organic beef, pork and lamb shoulder - they usually have burgers from their bison herd!

We stopped for a cup of tea on a lay-by with this view:

On to Betws -y -Coed, where I spoilt myself by the purchase of a new waterproof - my so-called waterproofs - really only shower proof had always been a disappointment. I had bought my son a more suitable (and expensive) version for his recent Scouting trip to Sweden, and he persuaded me I should have one. We also bought a Trangia meths bottle for his sister - hoping not to have any future arguments caused by her borrowing his.

On to Trefiw Woollen Mills - producing lengths of cloth featuring traditional Welsh tapestry patterns. I bought a hank of recycled sari silk yarn from the mill shop. The craft workshop in the grounds was closed for lunch. We retired to the van for a picnic lunch. My husband offered to brew a pot of tea whilst I 'popped back' to the workshops. Fifty minutes later, my tea was cold, he was more than a little fed-up, but I had enjoyed a chat and purchased some silk rods; mixed packs of hand-dyed silk and mohair fibres, a bag of carded sari silk and two small twists of hand-dyed silk and wool yarn.

We arrived at Conwy much later than expected - with me feeling more than a little guilty, and parked in the shadow of the castle. There was still time to have a stroll around the shops and the harbour. 

We phoned the kids to check that they were home and safe. I mentioned to my son that I now had a waterproof like his. 'What exactly like mine?' Well - yes. That brand really only does that version - in black - at that price level. I didn't want to pay more! 'Well now I'm going to keep grabbing yours off the rack by mistake!' A fair point - and the reason why I was warning him - his shoulders won't fit into mine!  I did begin to wonder how well he knows me, on several counts, at his next question - 'Don't they do a pink one?' Me?? Pink???

The lovely fibres I purchased, blended with some from my stash have given rise to this embroidered brooch and embroidered barrette: