Mark and Jane (with sock in progress) in the queue for the Last Night of the Proms.  Both very full of wine, which included red wine, white wine, and fizzy wine of all shades (red, white and pink).  Note union flag rolled up on balustrade, and wine bottle.  I'm in ferrrock #1, and those aren't pearls, it's actually a rather nice scarf slung round my neck (since seen on a chav in  Hastings, who looked most put out as I clanged round the shop while wearing morris bells).  I'm not sure what Mark's bow tie is from, I shall have to ask.

xxx

 

 

Glorious Goodwood (not sure about the pic quality - but, if you click on it, you may get lucky and see the larger, clearer version.

Yup.  Sunglasses.  Classy).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Neville totally failing to be completely and utterly camp with his cup of tea.  Nice tin cup.  Very nice tin cup.

 

 

 

 

 

I had my photo taken next to the TARDIS. 

How Dr Who is that?

Who's jealous?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the fins on that Chrystler.  They had a whole batch of models, to match the cars.  On my way back to the train station, I got asked if I were one of them.  Highly gratifying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neville and I with the Crystler.  He isn't terribly tall at all, really.  Mind you, in those heels, I was about 5' 9". And, it was truly bizarre, being tall.

 

 

 

 

Jane and Morris Minors.

I still want my own Morris Minor, but there's absolutely no point while I live in central London.

xxx

I like doing nice things for people.

So far, today, I have knitted for someone else, and, visited a bridal gift registry.

Giggerty geggerty, I get my new-to-me bicycle today.

xxx

---

I have my bicycle.  She is called Beatrice (Italian pronunciation, since I have to get my innate pretentiousness in somewhere),  and is obviously female, since the concept of gears hasn't quite come to fruition "no, I won't change gear.  No, I won't.  I won't, I won't, I won't.  Hey?  Know what?  Wouldn't it be fun to change three gears at once!"  I have applied some oil, to try and get her to loosen up.  Drop handlebars are weird and great, and the pedals are longer and it's all very different, and rather nice.

xxx

My Mother spent an hour and a half on the phone to me last night, about Jon, and his ex, and his Mother, and his sister, and...

Look, I'm just not really in the mood at the moment, my Dad is sleeping on the sofa (he's doing DIY for me), I've left the camera at home, and the chain fell off my bike this morning.  Add to this litany of woe the fact that my computer rebooted for no apparent reason, and seems to have lost a couple of settings?  Well.

I think I got out of bed the wrong side this morning.

On the plus side, despite being knackered, yesterday's Morris Dance Out was one of the best yet.  I pulled an Australian in an RAF uniform on the train home from Goodwood (no photos of him, but there will be photos of the frock - so many people said so many lovely things about it), very gentlemanly, one gentle kiss before he leapt off the tube, he took my phone number but didn't do anything useful with it yesterday: if someone could translate "I'll phone you tomorrow" into English, that would be nice, because I know that the female translation of the phrase is not always the same as the male translation.  I'm not too bothered if he doesn't get in touch, but...

I am ashamed for being such a curmudgeon at the moment.  It'll wear off, I just need more sleep.

Oh, and the HESA return has been committed, with less hassle than the one that went earlier in the year, so I'm a bit less stressed.  I just need some time in.  There's also a pair of socks I need to photograph to show you (Eff's birthday present, so I may not reveal them until after her birthday).  And, in a rather stupid moment, I agreed to knit a banner for the Morris Team.  I thought Rowan lurex in silver on a black background - it's a rather detailed picture.  Where do I get knitters' graph paper?

xxx

p.s. background and border match the ferrrock.

---

Whatever it was that I require, I've run out of it.  Gone.  Nada.  Just.  Sorta.  Kinda.  Blah.  Or bleh.  Depending on your own personal preference.  I can't quite muster any enthusiasm for anything, other than the latest pair of socks on the needles.  I'm knitting Wendy's Generic Toe Up Sock, which makes a change from top-down socks.  It's got a short row heel - I much prefer the short row heel to the strange thing with a flap but I didn't do the last one terribly well.  I think I know where I went wrong, now, since the toe of these socks also uses the short row technique, and it looks bonza.  Mind you, I haven't knitted up all my provisional cast on stitches yet... so it could still go horribly wrong.  With forty minutes to go before I can decently depart my office, and the sure knowledge that there is plenty to get on with, this is not a helpful situation to be in.

I'm simply tired.  Stop the world please, I would quite like to get off for a while.

xxx

---

Your Inner Child Is Surprised

You see many things through the eyes of a child. Meaning, you're rarely cynical or jaded. You cherish all of the details in life. Easily fascinated, you enjoy experiencing new things.

 This is the knitting forecast issued by Jane, on behalf of the uncompleted items, at one five double oh on Thursday 15 September 2005

The general synopsis at 1200

Lows generally one pair socks expected during long car journey by 1900 tomorrow

The area forecasts for the next 24 hours

Socks brightly coloured
Some progress, twelve to fifteen rounds, fiddly knitting, good

Pompoms
calm, yet unprepared, poor

Doctor Who Long Scarf
calm without worry, one or two fringes, crochet hook ready, good becoming moderate

The other long scarf
calm veering frenetic, lost the chart, too big to transport, poor

xxx

Secret Pal Six

Now, I know this will make no sense to the majority of people who come round here, and it does have a very knitterly slant (and I can't wait to spoil someone).

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

I am, alas, a bit of a snob.  In that, it's got to feel nice, and soft, and snuggly, and therefore I like things with cashmere in them.  But, then, I adore Rowan Calmer too (oh. Rowan.  Yup.  Snob).

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I crochet, but I don't spin.  And I crochet very, very rarely, despite the fact that it's so good for the bus/tube/train.  I crochet in miniature, occasionally, if I'm feeling masochistic.

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

Wheat, pet hair, pollen, yeast:  I'm milk intolerant, but I will make exceptions for good milk chocolate (with the intolerance, it's how much I have that causes problems.  Wheat, well the reaction is as bad regardless of how much I eat).

4. How long have you been knitting?

'bout 20 years.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I have an Amazon wishlist.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Lavender, and other florals.  Chocolate.  Coffee.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Oh yes oh yes oh yes

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

I don't really, unless I'm doing something for Brownies or Guides (Girl Scouts), in which case, we get into the realms of glass painting, macrame, scoubi-dous, boondoggle, cross stitch and so forth.  I've got a 12th Scale Dolls' House, but I need some help with the lighting, which has gone a bit interesting on me.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD).

How much of an essay do you want?  My CD collection contains Musicals, Rock, some Pop (not much), English folk music: mainly ceilidh bands but some songs as well, European Folk-Roots Fusion, Celtic Fusion, English Folk-Rock, Bluegrass, Classical, some Swing, some Psy-Trance, various random compilations CDs from the 1960s and 1970s, Film Themes, Indie records.  I dislike Urban music, I'm not too keen on Soul or Gospel, modern RnB I dislike, also garage etc.  I like music that has a tune to it!  And, I can play MP3s.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

I love pink: in my Morris Dancing Team we have declared pale pink to be 'Tink Pink'.  I'm not too keen on murky shades.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

One flatmate, the delightful Jo, and a deep desire for a cat.  My parents live miles away from me, but I see them pretty regularly.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

Babies.  Happiness.  A house in the country.

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I go through phases.  Currently, I'm in a bit of a 4-ply (sock yarn) phase.  Then, I think lacey mohair stuff.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Anything that requires knitting needles that look more like spears.  Not keen on Rowan's linen drape, but it washes and wears so nicely.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Socks.  I'm in a socks phase.  I haven't found a decent knitting project tote bag yet, but I'm searching and searching.  And, I've suddenly got heaps of skeins, rather than balls of wool, and no winder - so I'm looking for a good winder.  Dishcloths are on the verge of becoming the next big thing.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks.  Fitted jumpers and cardigans.  It depends on my mood.  I like something that makes me think, and something for when I'm mostly brain dead.  And something small for travelling purposes.  And, occasionally, something 12th Scale.

17. What are you knitting right now?

Socks, an Alien Illusion Scarf, a socking great big Noro Kureyon throw.

18. What do you think about ponchos?

Not for me.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Straights, mostly.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

Bamboo, or aluminium.  Not plastic.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

Yup.  But, I'm not very good.

22. How did you learn to knit?

From my Mum, when I was very small.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

It's four or five years old: it's a miniature lace stole, and it's about 3/4 done.  I picked it up for the first time in about three years around a month ago.   Must be knitted with a magnifying glass.

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

Tinker Bell.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas.  All that planning and plotting and makeing people smile.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Embroidered patches for my Guide camp blanket, metal/enamel Guide badges, old fashioned school stories, Girls Own Annuals, dust.

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Simply Knitting, Rowan.

28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on?

For once in my life, no!  Well, apart from a dustjacketed copy of 'Prefects at the Chalet School', or a new copy of 'Life,  the Universe and Everything' - it was disintegrating anyhow, and then I dropped it in the bath (Heather will kill me now I've admitted that).  Nancy Epstein's Knitted Flowers. The Vogue Travelling Knitter Sock book.

29. Any patterns you have been coveting, but haven't bought for one reason or another??

The One Skein Wonder, by Glampyre, which I just keep failing to get round to buying (mostly 'cos I don't have anything to knit it up in, and no idea when I'd get round to knitting it).

xxx

And now, back to your normal service

Is it me, or is it incredibly difficult to upload photos, with the wizard not working properly.

This is me, with Jake (one of Fiona's friends) at Towersey.

He makes such a good girl - and that top really doesn't fit me properly (too baggy, which is ceasing to be a problem now, since I'm eating again).

So sorry he's not fully clothed.  More interesting was the polka we did later, when his bust slipped.

xxx

Move right on.  Nothing to see here.

OK, apart from the lunatic morris dancer, there is nothing to see here.  Could be worse.  Could be a full frontal of the fool, waving a pig's bladder.

xxx

---

Of course, the fact that I'm in a knitting slump doesn't help.  Finished one pair of socks just after Towersey, and the anklets I'm knitting for Eff's birthday have been cast on three times now, before the ribbing instructions finally made sense.  Grrr.  Progress to be made on the tube tonight.

xxx

 

Yes.  It's a pink kettle.  It is my pink kettle, and it doesn't have a water gauge, so it won't spring a leak.

Happy?

Oh yes.

xxx