Big Bang

Woke up this morning and found a post it on my keyboard from j. He often leaves me notes - usually about not turning off his PC or an explanation about who ate the last brownie. This morning it was different. It said: "In case you don't know, ICI exploded last night. I watched it.' That was all. Slight panic - ICI is what most local people call the connurbation of chemical and petrochemical industries that centre in and around our town.

The morning news explained it all. Terra Nitrogen who inhabit one of the bits that used to be ICI around here had an explosion, fires and a full scale emergency in the early hours of this morning. The news footage showed flames taller than the cooling towers and eye witnesses could hardly be heard over the noise of sirens, helicopters and the emergency services shipping in heavy duty equipment.

J and I slept through it all. Admittedly, we both felt like we'd had quite a disturbed night, but J put this down to the fact that he'd been 'doing the job in his head' all night, which often results in me having a bad night too. The explosion, according to the TV news, rocked people out of bed up to 20 miles away. Perhaps I should mention, at this point, that the Terra plant is tastefully screened by small landscaped hillocks and some nice flowering shrubs 0.63 (I checked on multimap) miles from our house. Never again shall I complain about being a light sleeper.

(Photo from BBC)

When j finally got up - as we're on holiday, he's mostly nocturnal - I got the full report. He'd heard the bang, seen the fire ball, told everyone on Ventrillo and MSN, been involved in emailing photos to the BBC, had started and updated a thread on one of his fora ... but did he think to wake up his parents in the next room???? NO!

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Other news:

Finished second Jaywalker and am disappointed to find that the weather is suitable for wearing them today.



I like them in this yarn, but have frogged the Shepherd Sport ones I started as they are too thick. Isn't it hard to take pictures of your own feet? I'm leaning so far over that my toes are gripping the carpet and making my feet look deformed and the socks lumpy.

Bought some Wendy Supreme cotton and started a swatch square for my San Francisco Shirttail sweater.



I think this yarn (which doesn't show up very well, it's a variegated mushroom and cream colourway) will work out well, although my sizing is out - need to come down a needle size, I think. Which is a shame as I don't have a 3.5mm set of wooden needles. It's my first attempt at a mitred square, so I'm quite pleased that it turned out squarish altogether.

Got some Fimo Slice 'n Bake off eBay in the post this morning. How clever is this? It's like Blackpool rock, with the design all the way through. I think this stuff might make really interesting buttons, sliced up and baked and if it doesn't work out I've only lost £3. If it works, that's a lot cheaper than some fimo buttons I've seen around.