A good excuse

This time, anyway - I've been away for a few days and was unable to get onto the internet; not because there was no connection, but because the connection was hijacked by my darling daughters onto Lucy's laptop and she appeared to be operating a "strictly no mums" policy. We were staying at my mum and dad's and although they have a broadband connection, it is never active when we are there as the computer has to be moved to accommodate the girls and there is no phone point nearby. So, my brother had the bright idea of disconnecting the modem from mum's PC and re-connecting it to Lucy's laptop which could be sited near either of the phone points. Voila! We have connection! At least, anyone under the age of 19 does, but not me, or mum, or brother. I hardly saw the girls after that except for mealtimes as it is apparently impossible to be a proper teenager unless you spend at least 12 hours a day "talking" on MSN. Hey ho!

Anyway, this lack of virtual communications meant that I had time to do a fair amount of knitting so we now have one back, two fronts and one sleeve of the rock star cardi completed as well as a ball-band wash cloth (not that actual one, mine is a very sickly fetching combination of pink and green) and a couple of cushion covers. No pictures yet as for some reason, I have made one circular piece and one square piece so they can't be assembled until I've knitted another circle and another square. I'm off work for the rest of this week so hopefully Rock Star will get finished and the cushions may be ready for plumping.

I also managed to buy another book (what really? wouldn't be another knitting book, would it?)during an evening visit to Borders - a very civilised idea, going to bookshops in the evening. The Vogue Stitchionary part one. It just sort of slipped into my basket as I was browsing, honest, and I didn't even realise until I was at the till, paying. A preliminary look through has set off all sorts of ideas in my yarn-addled brain so I may have to get yet more cushions to knit for.

It was a short trip to the parents this time as both girls had made plans for half-term, but I will be back up there next weekend to attend the funeral of my Grandpa's second wife - Gladys died suddenly in her sleep on 7th October at the venerable age of 93. If only we could all go like that, just slip away peacefully with no suffering, no fear.

Another week

gone by and not much in the way of posting.
I have knitted the back, one front and most of the second front of the rock-star cardi so progress has been made but the finish is stilll some way off.
Yesterday I bought cushion pads (five of them) and intend to knit or crochet covers for all of them. This will serve two purposes:
a) use up some of the SOMP (stash of mountainous proportions)
b) create a warm, homespun look for the window seat (hopefully).
One cover is half done and there are lots of ideas for the others, which have been inspired by my latest accidental purchase. How can anyone possibly make an "accidental" purchase? Surprisingly easily if you are browsing the well-know bookstore site and wonder what the "One-Click purchasing" does. I know, I know, the clue is in the name but I had forgotten that it really does do what it says on the tin.

On Friday, I received an interesting letter ( on headed notepaper from a rather nice hotel in Suffolk):

Dear Anne,
I just thought I'd let you know that I'm spending a few days with T*** and
R**** in the lap of luxury among rich old people taking their leisure.
Everyone thinks I'm so cute in my little uniform. T*** is disappointed that
my namesake here does not wear an identical outfit. I told him "Look but don't
touch - you can't have it all!" He's wondering if I will turn into flesh and
blood as Pinnochio did..... only you and I know.
Love from
Barry the Bellhop
X X X

(names have been disguised to protect the guilty innocent).
Barry was only allowed to go and live with T*** as a reward for behaving well during his stay at the "Up Knit Creek Residential Home for Recalcitrant Bellhops" but I'm now of the opinion that he will have to be recalled and suffer some sort of punishment as has obviously been acting in a somewhat teasing and provocative manner and has probably caused a few heart attacks and fits of the vapours. What is the point of me teaching bellhop etiquette 10 hours a day if it is just going to be ignored the minute those miscreants are released?

Oh dear

Where has the time gone? I swear it's only a couple of days since I last posted and yet here we are over a week later.
The chat room and map have gone as I decided they took up too much space for too little return and in their place is a new improved photo gallery - check it out.
I have spun another couple of little skeins of yarn, from merino roving this time, one multi coloured strand and one natural strand plied together. Looks very pretty and is quite even but I have yet to see how it knits up.
I have turned my attentions to the rock star cardi (scroll down a bit, 5th row) again as I will need to wear it soon. This is, as mentioned previously, my second attempt at this pattern, the first one having turned out waaaaay too large owing to an unforseen reaction of the yarn (of unknown parentage) to the iron. The result was donated to OH's mum, who has not yet worn the cardi despite professing her delight with it; mind you, the weather has not really necessitated cardi-wearing until very recently.
I also made a start, like many others, on the Swallow-tail shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2006 and was using two strands of very fine cashmere yarn that came from heaven-knows-where. All was well until I forgot which row of the chart I was on (which may or may not be linked to the amounts of alcohol imbibed). I was frogging and tinking merrily away but could not spot the mistake, or how to fix it. Then I dropped a stitch and thought enough was enough. The whole lot has been frogged and will be started again when hell freezes over I can be bothered and am completely sober.

I am pleased to report that the Bellhop met with great approval and the birthday celebrations look set to continue well into next week, having kicked off promisingly last night with several rounds in a local pub followed by delicious Italian food and wine (and liqueurs) and lots of presents. Turning 50 obviously isn't all bad.