Silly Things

First...an unstuffed alien in progress. I am using the only washable worsted I could find in the house, a lovely Red Heart, and trying out Knitting Pattern-a-Day calendar pattern for yesterday, Dolly Dorothy. So far, alien's got two legs, and a tummy (not pictured). I am about to decrease for the neck.



Second...who loves UK shoe sizing? Meeeee. Do you know I am a 6.5 in UK shoes? [I wear a 9 or thereabouts in US shoes.] UK sizing sounds so much nicer, and look at this supah-fab new shoe. Scored at TK Maxx today - a pair of Biostep shoes in electric blue that fit like they were made for me. They're a little loose all over without socks, which means they should be perfect for Crazy Sock Display. No?

Wordle

Check out Wordle to make your own - no registration, just a really nifty application. Thanks to Annalea at The Passionate Mind for the link!

Amazement

This is not what one expects to see when washing up after dinner.

Why, yes, that IS a peacock strolling down the lane.
He took a turn into our side garden, and hopped up on the game larder shed, before heading into the stableyard next door. Wow. And double wow!

Adamas: The Sequel

I've decided to frog the light blue cashmere Adamas I have started. It was only through Chart 1, and it's simply too fine for the needles I have. I will have to get a size 2 or 3 (US) lace needle.

Instead, I've begun an Adamas from this amazing wool - Seacoast Handpainted merino laceweight, in Sahara. Gorgeous, gorgeous color changes. I bought this from Sonny and Shear a few months back. This is MUCH, much easier to work with on a size 5 needle. I've already finished Chart 1, in about an hour's desultory knitting, while listening to a Miss Marple podcast.

Check out my LazyGirl technique here. I'm knitting straight from the swift, rather than skeining the yarn. This means the project isn't portable, but what the heck. Note the innovative use of cloth napkin to protect the coffee table finish. Heh.

A Wee Update

I know I've been away...sorry, all you Gentle Readers :)

The last couple of weeks have been indeed hectic. There was much backing and forthing to the theatre for dance rehearsals, and then we ended the week with FOUR performances. All of which went very well. Miss Lily was a fetching piglet, and ran around the stage doing her ballet thing, ignoring the audience like a pro.

There were tears of pride, I confess!

Here's a picture of our ballerina. I asked her to say "Cheese," and she struck a pose. Very Dance Artiste...



This week it's been recovery from Ballet Week, with some massive laundry, etc., and now we are into School Play mode. Dress rehearsal was Wednesday, opening night last night, and the last performance tonight. I'll have pictures, and if any come out, I will post one. No photos during, just after the curtain call.

The play? Romeo and Juliet, in musical form. A tad ambitious for a bunch of 8- to 11-year-olds, but they pull it off, sword fights, poisoning, ballroom scene and all!

David has his first speaking part in a school production, and is very pleased with all three lines of it. He's Gregory of the Capulets. Everyone sings, and it was just lovely to hear 40 children singing the songs we've been hearing in the car and around the house for months now.

Every year the Key Stage 2 children put on a play, always a musical since we've been here. The teachers do a fantastic job getting them involved in every aspect, and everyone is on stage as Greek chorus all the time, with characters stepping forward as their scenes come up. So even the littler ones with no lines are "performing" the whole time.