diamond geezer at the beach

diamond geezer at the beach
Originally uploaded by celestine_e2

Isn't this a fantastic pattern?

(Please keep looking at the sock, and not my lily-white legs, thanks)

So, we're home from Cornwall, well-rested and looking forward to whatever adventures might come our way.

I have been made redundant from my job, and this time next week will be a lady of leisure. There is always a silver lining though, and it means that I can get some knitted gifts racked up for our early Christmas (I'm not travelling to and from Northumberland when there's any chance that his sprogness might arrive en route).

Oh, and the lovely Jasmine tagged me, so here are 6 random things about me:

1. A doctor in A&E once told me that the insides of my ears were the cleanest he'd ever seen.

2. I once watched the same episode of Buffy 3 times in 24 hours, and didn't tire of it.

3. Tracey Emin was convinced for a while that we knew each other. That was odd.

4. The saddest part of my food intolerance fiasco is that I can't eat brussels sprouts anymore. I love them with a passion bordering on scary.

5. I hate buying full-price books, but make exceptions for Jeffrey Deaver and Stephen King books, which I buy in hardback as soon as they come out. I know, I know.

6. Maps confuse the hell out of me, but if i've been somewhere once, I can navigate there easily again.

I'm not tagging anyone specifically, do as you please ;-)

Holiday supplies

the non-yarn haul
Originally uploaded by celestine_e2

Off to Cornwall, for a much-needed week of knitting, swimming, trying to find gluten-free scones, and reading.

No guilt, no shame

Easy Knits haul
Originally uploaded by celestine_e2

How could anyone feel bad about buying these beauties??

I only bought 6 skeins of yarn at the I Knit Day (all sock yarn, because it doesn't count), but I went for quality over quantity.

The skein on the left is already balled, and the Diamond Geezer socks have been started for my FIL. MIL will be getting a pair too, from the gorgeous blues and pinks skein.

The other 2? Well, they're for me because I'm worth it.

Oh, almost forgot to pimp the yarn - www.easyknits.co.uk

So, this knitting thing is catching on?

waiting for the yarn harlot
Originally uploaded by celestine_e2

This was the question put to me by my co-worker yesterday, when he heard how i'd spent my weekend. And what a weekend it was.

Catrin arrived from Stockholm on Thursday night, at the end of what had been a pretty intense week for me. (In summary, the baby is a boy, and I have been made redundant. One of these things rocks, the other not so much)

Friday, we did necessary things like trying on silly hats and lusting after lipstick - in the rain- before heading home to change for dinner.

Dinner was a Ravelry event, which I had randomly suggested as a way for out-of-towners to spend an evening with other knitters. Funny thing is, meeting new people makes me incredibly nervous, but if I have a role, then I'm fine.
10 people showed up, and it was a lot of fun. Cassandra, Gail, Lisa, Hailey, Kayla, Sarah, Catrin, Suzanne and Sandy are all excellent people to spend a rainy Friday night with!

Saturday was the big day itself, I Knit Day 2008. We woke up excited, got more giddy and almost peaked when the Ravelry badges turned up in time.
I know that Craig, Gerard and their fantastic band of helpers are amazing at organising events, but it was a sight indeed to see that word had spread enough that we had to queue for 20 minutes to even get into the venue.

Once inside, I realised just how many people I've met through knitting, as the whole day was a whirl of hellos, hugs and "oh my, look at your bump".

There may have been some squealing when I saw the Easy Knits stall, but dammit, that man knows a good colour combination.

It was a lot of fun to flit between stalls, hang out with Howard at the Pom Pom International table, and meet old and new friends, but soon it was time to get in line for the main event - Stephanie Pearl McPhee.

She was hilarious.

I had tears streaming down my face, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one to ponder the practicalities of actually putting on a McGyver Arts Retreat.

Back across the road fort he book signing and more shopping. I'd already decided to skip the former, as standing for long periods isn't great right now, but there was a common-sense rule that those who needed to come to the front of the queue could do so, and all was well.

By the time we got home, via the local Indian place, we were dead, but incredibly happy.

Next time, the haul...