Tuesday, May 31, 2011

In the garden at the moment




The garden is a real avian nursery at the moment. Somewhere out there is a baby thrush, two baby blackbirds, hosts of baby dunnocks and eight baby blue tits.

It's been almost impossible to catch them on camera, but the blue tits have started to spend a lot of time around this old plant saucer recently:





Sunday, May 22, 2011

While you were sleeping

and I was up, waiting for a plumber who didn't turn up, I:

- vacuumed the whole house
- baked two trays of crustless quiches
- cleaned the microwave
- did four loads of washing
- tidied the spare room - including cleaning up all the grout that fell out of the booby-trapped bag you left there for me
- reorganised my iTunes
- prepared bags of bargain strawberries and raspberries
- tidied out the cheese drawer in the fridge and grated up all those left over bits to cook with
- threw away all the out of date things in our fridge


We've started calling into Lidl once a month to have a browse and see what they have got (ok, I'm really checking out the sock wool...) and have been really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fruit and vegetables in our branch. Today's tomato haul:

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Brit Floyd

I've never been to see a tribute band before. In fact, I would say that we probably avoid the idea like the plague. It brings up images of Creme Brulee for me.

So, when we won four tickets to see Brit Floyd at The Sage this weekend, we weren't expecting much. (In fact, it felt like a sad irony, given that we failed to get the tickets we wanted for The Wall next week)

We arranged to meet J's sister and her husband up there and headed off, planning to get there early and have a drink and something to eat. Unfortunately, we got snagged up in the fallout from an accident on the other carriageway of the A19, so things felt a bit frayed by the time we got there.

So, it was a pleasant surprise to find we were in the fourth row from the front and to find that the quality of the musicianship was spot on. We got a 'greatest hits' type set that you would never get from the real thing, even if they were still performing together (or were even all still alive for that matter). I really enjoyed Comfortably Numb, The Great Gig in the Sky, Wish You Were Here and Echoes.
The guy in the seat next to me fumbled around in his little stash tin for a square of blotting paper and proceeded to take that during Shine on You Crazy Diamond - just for a bit of added atmosphere.

My only real issue with the band was their lack of stage presence. I'd like to see a little bit more personality. (Maybe it was just the fact that the guitarist looked uncannily like my first husband!)



Overall, a good night.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Pass it on

Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down

Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns

Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Modular knitting
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn

Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items

Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting: knitting items on, or to be left on the street
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments

Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns

Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit

Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting

Norwegian knitting
Household items: dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…
knitting socks- or other small tubular items- on two circulars
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding

Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Christmas etc related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles

Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn

Steeks
Knitting art

Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads

Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting and purling backwards

Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys

Knitting with cashmere
Darning
JewelryKnitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen

Knitting for prem babies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Cushions
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Monday, May 02, 2011

Make over



I've been using the old Blogger basics since I started this. Unfortunately, It won't let me update some things any more without changing the whole template. So, this is my new look for the moment. I'll spend a bit of time tweaking it and probably changing it over the next couple of weeks. Blogger reassures me it has saved my old blog look somewhere, just in case.

Last day off for a while today. Intend to potter, knit and watch some TV. After I have been shopping and planned next week's meals. Good intentions! How long do you reckon that will last?

In the spirit of planning ahead. One for the veggies:



Edamame bean and veggies-that-are-slightly-drooping-in-the-bottom-of-the-chiller balti.



Scented lillies, still going strong from my birthday last week.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

To do



I'm starting the day by rationalising my 'to do' list. Lists always make me feel calmer and, hopefully, some of the things I had on my list at the start of the Easter break will have sorted themselves out anyway. Most of the stuff I have to do is related to work. I must admit I haven't done any of the work-related things I had planned to do over the holidays yet. Maybe I won't. It's been tough at work recently and I do feel like I have needed a rest. To be truthful, I feel a bit overwhelmed by going back. Lists are the only way forward!