Firstly, I got us a new washing machine - and it's great! Bonuses to appease my Green, anti-White-Goods conscience are: A+A class for efficiency/energy saving etc; I bought it from the Co-operative's online electricals site; the delivery guys took our old machine away for recycling.
I have written some emails trying to get some casual, temp proofreading work that I can do from home. One reply, from Mslexia, a women's magazine and publishing company based in town which promotes all kinds of writing by women. I need also to write to Tyne Bridge Publishing and Tyneside Free Press about getting my book published. I might actually get in touch with Educational Heretics, Hawthorn Press and Praxis.
As for my knitting.....
....Monkey socks are coming along nicely.
I finished one in an evening after a few days break. The pattern really breaks up the variegated yarn nicely - totally avoids colour-pooling. Although this isn't all that much of an issue with Chirapa, the contrast between the patternd leg/instep and the stocking stitch sole is obvious.
The second sock was immediately cast on to avoid second sock syndrome, and I've just started the heel flap rows.
As for the fabulous Cherie Amour, I have knitted about 20cm (in the round) I'm getting into it much more than I was at the start. I kept being tempted to frog and start again with a plain stocking stitch v neck with ribbing cuffs and waistband, but I kept at it and now I'm pleased 'cos I will have a totally unique and unusual sweater, and the 'holes' will allow any layered tops I wear underneath to show through. (Since I possess mainly shades of purple,blue and white, whatever I wear underneath it will look fab. I'm definitely not knitting the very fitted ribbed midsection; instead, I'm going to simply continue the lace pattern, but with a smaller needle sizeto bring the waist in a bit before going back to larger ones for the chest and shoulders.The sleeves will have a similar combination of large/small needles to vary the openness of the lace, but I haven't figured it out yet. Nor have I worked out the changes to the decrease rows for the V neck, but that should be fine,particularly as by then it will be side-to-side knitting.
For a bit of variation, I am starting some well-needed fingerless gloves, probably Knucks or Fetching, both from Knitty's HANDS Library.
Joshua has just received his new P.C. which he bought with birthday money, and having come home early from College today (due to skipping a non-compulsory class jaunt to the Careers Fair at the Arena, which he reckons is 60% Armed Forces recruitment), he is now installing the computer in his room. His old CPU is being brought downstairs for communal use. Some families have a TV in every room; we have a computer (or two) in almost every room! Priorities!!
Finally, Gordon Rayner - remember little Gordon Rayner? - has co-written a book about the process of exposing the M.P.s' expenses. I still find it difficult to believe that little Gordon Rayner who we spent so much time playing with (and signaling to from the garage roof!) when we were kids, is now the Chief Reporter for the Telegraph's politics dept. Thanks to him and his team, the whole country got to hear about the scandalous overspending on frivolous items and the misuse of the second home rules by most M.P.s. I emailed him at the time and he wrote me a really nice reply and told me what he's been doing and about his family etc. I intend to get back in touch with a congrats for this book publication. He really does write well. I guess he is going to go the way of Will Hutton, maybe?
Thom-Cat has just come in - yowling in protest at something or other - oh, and he's wet, alerting me to the fact it's raining....here we go, folks; Summer is definitely O-Ver - and of course, according to the old calender, since we had the Equinox - Mabon - a few days ago, Autumn is here at last!!
I've got hiccups.....
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