You wanted pictures?

Actually I don't know whether you did or not but I have been promising them for a while so fear not, this post won't be just yards of text.

I have just been through all the blogs in the 'Blogs I read' list and caught up with what's been going on. I like doing that kind of thing at the weekend because it's like catching up with old friends and hearing their news over a mug of hot orange squash. I actually made a list of the bits that appealed most to me this time. Top of this list has to be this story of enduring friendship. Actually I haven't written where I saw the link to this but I think it was stitchymcyarnpants. I'm going to be adding this blog to my list for future weekend catch ups.

Nownormaknits had a good one. There seems to be some sort of avatar war going on but she had this site and her own icon from it. I tried making one of my own but got all confused and overwhelmed by the silliness! Plus I've got one digi-icon and have been thinking of going back to an actual photo sometime soon. But hell, enjoy yourselves!

This is what I should have joined, if only I hadn't missed the sign up date (curtosy of WendyKnits). I got 10 skeins of maya in reds last year when on the first Pooch-Byrne holiday to Blackpool for a, then, astonishing £4.50 a skein. Now loads has been reduced and I never did knit any of mine and it's just not talking to me. I'm not going to get agitated about it though. I have resolved to leave it in the stash and wait til its day dawns. There are one or two stash bits on ebay at the moment though in case anyone is interested. Plus the stitchmarkers of course.

Yummy yarns feature here thanks to yarnstorm. The loveliest colourways I've seen since I was last at silkwood but too pricey for me this month.

As you might have guessed I only started writing things down when I got to 'N' in my list so sorry for the earlier blogs I haven't commented about. I did wonder about doing a podcast about blogs and letting people who do not have time to catch up an overview of what is going on in blogland. What do you think?

Anyway....where are these pictures I hear you mutter.

The monkey was what I did first. It is about 12cm high and I do really like it. The tail is supposed to be longer but I made it this length as I just thought it looked better. The pink blob next to it is the mp3 holder - a view of what I am thinking of as the front. The monkey followed a pattern but I 'designed - ahem' this myself.


Here is the back of both - I love the little heart on the monkey's bottom! It serves to cover up where the tail joins. I'm not so keen on this side of the cover but I always think of these things as learning tools so I still think it's great really.


Very simple and only about 4cm tall, pig, panda and cat. I had enough of doing the animals in 'real' colours hence the cat is purple.

I have really enjoyed making the felt bits - expect more soon although I'd love suggestions for what to do with them. I have also progressed a little bit on the petal shawl.

Slowly but surely - and I'm really looking forward to having it as it's freezing at work - another woman near me is menopausal so having the radiators on is rather unfair on her.

Lastly, this is a catch up from a few weeks back now - the final felted bag.

I am *really* pleased with this as it feels like I've finally found some use for Noro kureyon. I won't be knitting noro myself again. This is destined for Charlie. I am longing to find out how little Yoshimi (the baby) is getting on. Vitas, the brute, promised to send me photos but hasn't so I must ring them this weekend.

Sean got back to the office about 2.45 yesterday and we had our meeting. Got through the main business of Monday and a few outstanding queries before I beat my little fists upon the table and demanded more wok to do. Sean looked a bit shocked and my first thought was 'oh shit, he's going to tell me he expected me to self-start' (which was in the job description but then I have already occupied myself for weeks if not months already) but then he went off at what seemed to be a tangent and after some shillyshallying...friends....I am destined for great things, apparently. All this stuff about succession planning got said and The CEOs vision of the future and stuff and it turns out asking for more work is a good thing. It was one of those conversations I seem to have had at regular intervals in the last couple of years where you get to see a little bit more about how real-life is. During these conversations I tend to say at least once 'but that's terrible' and the person I'm talking to says something like 'listen, babe, that's just how life is' only without the babe-bit. I recall a description in a book about the scales falling from this bod's eyes - might even have been the bible - and that's an excellent description. And in summary what it all goes to show is that when you think you've got a handle on office politics, there turns out to be greater, more devious depths to be plumbed.