Somethong different

Where are we up to?

DIY – I mentioned DIY things going on, didn’t I? Well, the hallway is finished and so is the cloakroom. Curtains have gone up today and a new sleek chrome shaver socket has replaced the horrible old fake brass one. Work is now beginning at the front end of the house.

CRAFTING – I now plan to make some polymer clay finials for the makeshift curtain rod that we have created in the cloakroom. Trying to decide whether or not embedding them with beads would be too far OTT. Maybe a bit too 1980s ?

KIRKWALL – I went to town on Thursday, though almost didn’t when the news came out that Orkney Ferries were operating a two boat rota and that we would be going on the Grand Tour, via Stronsay and Eday on the way home. Happily, I went anyway and it transpired that the Stronsay part of the itinerary was left out until after dropping us on Sanday.

KNITTING – Gill was going to town as well and so we did our bit for Knit in Public Week. I worked on my scarf on the way to Kirkwall and got out my doily on the way home. In town I bought some sock yarn because I had suddenly recalled that we now have a tradition of sending Mr L off to Manc with new hand-knitted socks on his feet. The socks have now been started and are looking v smart. The Manchester trip  is the 15th July, so there should be time to complete the socks… if I manage to keep focussed.

MORE KNITTING –  well, knitting plans anyway… over at Sanday Spinners I have blogged my thoughts on the new Twist Collective and the new Knitty. There is a small handful of patterns that I  have added to my To Do list.

SPINNING – There has been spinning again – and I now  have two bobbins of singles to ply later on today, if I can find the time.

COOKING – When I was in town on Thursday I bought a new book of curry recipes. A Chicken Madras is in production for our dinner.  I need to go to the kitchen soon and do my part of the meal.

SNAIL MAIL – Mail from Annie in Malaysia this week and this morning saw the arrival of a package from Emily in Alabama. Emily sent a wonderfully interesting letter, and enclosed a gift of a Book Thong, which I appreciate very much. Also in today’s mail, my new Herbin roller ball pen. I immediately loaded it up with some pretty grey ink and penned a reply to Emily. This was bad of me, because there is a backlog of correspondence. I had enjoyed her letter so much though, that I felt the need to make an immediate response. Heaven only knows when I shall get it posted!

Sorry to keep things brief – there is much to do! I hope to restore normal service soon but things feel really weird to me at present. I think it is the unsettling notion that we are to be moving away from the island. So large a part of me wishes to deny the prospect – and I am feeling tense, irritable and stressed right now.