Quick update...

I am spending far too much time on Ravelry. It's bad, very bad. I've spent hours today, uploading projects, and I'm not nearly done - and I haven't even really started on recording all my stash, and the needles, and whatnot... Oh dear.

I've been working rather hard recently, or rather, I've tried to. Other than academic work there has been a lot of dealing with fruit - yes, it's that time of the year again...

D has been doing much of the de-stoning while I was in charge of jam-making. We now have something like 40 jars of plum jam. Should be enough for a few years!

To treat ourselves, and also because with all the rain this summer it might well be the last nice and warm summer weekend this year, we had a BBQ and bonfire.


We also managed to go to two (!) car-boot sales this weekend - how I love them! I always seem to come away with something, but this time was special. Look what we discovered:


A set of handcarders, a flick-carder, three bobbins and, not pictured, a spinning wheel flyer!! The guy who sold it all to us clearly had no idea what he was selling. He kept looking at us weirdly, for buying the disgusting old hairbrushes! ;-)

There hasn't been a lot of knitting time but I am heading towards the end of a knitting project that I've had lying around for ages - some socks that I was knitting for someone else, that got left at the bottom of the knitting basket, neglected and forgotten, when the bean entered our lives. Recently, swept up in my newfound enthusiasm for finishing long-term WIPs I discovered the lonely half-finished first sock and finished it and a few days ago I cast on for the second one. I'm so proud of myself! ;-)

Ravelry

A few weeks ago I finally got my invite for Ravelry and today I found some time to have a proper look at it.

I'm so doomed.

That is all.

This crazy life...

I feel guilty for not updating the blog more often. Life is always so busy around here. Why is that? Is it the same for other people?

The flooding saga continues, but at least the tiles in the hall have now been removed. That means that hopefully the dehumidifiers don't have to be with us for much longer. The heat and noise are driving me potty!

I've also started work, which is wonderful. I'm feeling very positive about it all, I like the people, and am looking forward to working with them, but it also means a lot of lecture and seminar planning for the start of term and also a lot of frantic last-minute research and writing for yet another conference this summer and a book article due in next month. There are also the remaining 4 weddings to go to this summer, and our holiday, which I am determined to spend with my little family rather than in front of the computer, surrounded by books, frantically writing conference papers. We have trips planned - to the beach, to a few museums around here, and then we will spend a few days at the German sea side when we go over there for a wedding in a few weeks time. It's our first real holiday as a little family, so the last thing I want is to take work with me.

I have been knitting, but only on things started a long time ago. The drive to FINISH things is still strong, so I am going with it for now. Maybe, just maybe, before it runs out, I will get a finished Cozy out of it, and possibly another pair of socks.

The picture above is from another Gimme Your Stuff Swap, this time with the fabulous Malin in Sweden. She is the best kind of swapper - we exchanged a lot of emails beforehand and she is funny and interesting, and kind. And the parcel she has sent me makes me so happy. Can you see the gorgeous handmade bag? I love it so! And the quirky mushroom fabric? And I love the Swedish recipe book. I've long been fond of Saffron and Cinnamon buns... And the copies of IK, and the yarn! There is also quite a bit of stuff that didn't make it onto the picture - there was a yummy bar of chocolate with digestive biscuits in it (eaten instantly), and some rosehip soup with almond biscuits (also already gone). Thank you Malin!!