My first reaction was 'cool, I didn't know that pigeons could sneeze.'  My second reaction was 'well, duh, if birds can have flu, then birds can sneeze.'  My third reaction was 'eek!  Bird flu!', tempered by the fact that I was in the middle of the road when the rotten, fetid creature sneezed, and it was facing a kerb stone and had its back to me.  I suspect that the ricochet effect is negligible at that angle.

In other news: the end of the SSJP is actually in sight.  I have promised myself that I shall be throwing the circular needles away when I am done.  Or, at the very least, reminding myself with a little note that they are not suitable for lace weight knitting.

Oh, and you remember that loopy scarf I knitted and hated?  Mum needs a scarf in a browny sort of colour.  Notwithstanding that I have a whole heap of nice browny scarf stuff in stash, I'm going to knit her a loopy scarf.  And maybe something else with the nice stuff in stash.

xxx

What did I do this weekend?  Well, I missed a train, and forgot my morris bells.  However, I did meet someone on the train. This is Sadie.  On her hen weekend.  Sadie and I were at school together.  We didn't like each other much, I've got no great desire to rekindle the friendship.  However, it's nice to know that she's doing well, even if she isn't quite so horse obsessed (her hands weren't so roughened by stable work as in days of yore).  I was lacking lippy.  She wasn't terribly sober.  It could be a lot, lot worse.  Note to self.  Do not drink any alcohol just because you're being polite.  I had tummy ache all day, and I'm only just getting back on kilter again.

 

We danced in Sheffield City centre.  I sprained my ankle.  Guy found it too much, and hid under a coat to sleep.  We danced with Lizzy Dripping, who were quite sweet.  Scadloads of photos:

Guy is looking pleased with himself because his introduction "This is Lizzy Dripping, a fine body of ladies," worked properly on the second attempt, when his straight guy announced "With fine ladies' bodies."  The first time round, it failed miserably.  Someone needed a script.  I love the way their silk scarves float.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then, well, it's about the yarn:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the left, yumminess from Stash Yarns.  On the right, my favourite colorswap parcel.  The moose munch is sustaining, the baby pink alpaca is on my pillow, to gaze at, and the whisk makes me want to hold a wheat-free pancake party.

And, the book: check it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My collection of Guidey books now has a Girl-Scouty book to go with it.  I'm a happy bunny.  Thank you!

 

Even happier: saw this on the way home on Saturday. 

A genuine Routemaster, in service.  Not often you see one of them.  I was quite tempted to leap aboard, just to have a go.  Then I thought better of it, given the lateness of the hour and all.  And the fact that I didn't really want to go to Finchley.

As weekends go, it was all a bit bi-polar really.  Forgotten bells, meeting Sadie, drinking alcohol, spare kit (the spare kit was much nicer than mine), spraining my ankle, getting the last ticket to 'A Number', and realising I couldn't go, seeing a Routemaster, going to Stash, sorting out laundry (good and bad points there)and Samfish seems to have swim bladder problems.  I'm giving my fish peas for brekker tomorrow.  Apparently it can help them fart the issues out.

xxx

 

 

Try #2.  Because any morning which begins with boiling potatoes dry in a saucepan while eating two years out of date puffed millet (My advice?  Don't do this.  It tastes like soggy, stale polystyrene balls and is about as filling as air) before cycling into work on an ever-flattening tyre is bound to end with a fatal error in IE.

The summer in pictures:

 

 

 

It was so warm, Regent's Street melted.

 

 

 

 

 

My fish are not the only ones who are good at making kissy faces.  Daddy's not bad either.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four cousins.  Anne, Angela, Mum and me.  Anne and Angela are my first cousins once removed (Mum's first cousins), and Angela is my Catholic Godmother.  My CofE Godmother died some years ago.  No-one asked Angela what religion she was...

 

 

 

Note that I managed to get the ball in flight.... this is our glorious leader pitching (badly, but better than I could).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jo-my-flatemate, Moira, Clare my Tawny Owl and Catherine's knee.  Making balloon animals on Guiders' camp.  Catherine's knee has run the London Marathon.  Be impressed.  It was accompanied by the rest of her (out of shot.)

 

 

 

 

Mutual sanity supporters Liz, Heather and Kirsty.  They all have better cleavage than I do.

 

 

 

 

 

This was my back garden after downstairs decided to have a bit of a tidy.  They didn't bother to mention that this was on the cards.  It's much lighter in there, but it looks awful.

 

 

 

 

Oxford is very photogenic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And occasionally the natives have some odd ideas about parking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very Adamsian.  This is a doorway in the Natural History Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, it's a coke bottle bong.  In a museum 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was some crochet, but I didn't see any knitting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Genuine witch inna bottle.

Honest.  It says so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mini spinning wheels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is why the concept of my father being Headhunted always terrified me when I was a child.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boney looking museum to house boney bones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are invited to touch the shetland pony.  Gently, like it says on the note.

 

 

 

 

The Last Night of the Proms is an excuse for silly hats.  Bonus points if you recognise the flag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boring socks.  They later got hoisted up a flagpole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A wonderful wedding party in Fregene.  Sara and I both achieved stunning in the face of Italian chic and Italian panic.  It was very Italian.  With friendly, lovely people, fantastic suits, lots of speeches, and lots of smiling.

 

I love this photo.  I love the people in it.  I think they'll hate it, because neither has their eyes open.

 

 

 

 

Oh.  And I finally finished the socks.  Next up are going to be day-glo green and purple.  Life is too short for boring socks.

Even if they are for a colour-blind guy.

 

xxx

I coughed so hard at morris last night, my stomach muscles ache.  I have a list that is stupid long to deal with today, too....  This is not helpful

xxx