Friday, August 26, 2005

can I go home yet?

It's being one of those days. Lots of emails flying everywhere, trying to fix stuff with no time. Roll on Bank Holiday weekend.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

knitting update

Time to show off some of my handiwork. I've been doing quite a bit of knitting lately.
UPDATE: fixed the big blank space.
Here is my Clapotis, the product of knitting every night on holiday. The silk is actually a bit pinker than this, but I can't get it to look right. She's beautifully soft and I can't wait to have a good exuse to wear her.
jolly clapotis
Originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.
collinette

colinette
Originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.
One of the places where we went while on holiday was the Colinette mill shop near Welshpool. They had soooooo much beautiful yarn, gorgeously soft, wonderful colours and a large section of sale stuff. So I bought various shades of pink point 5, my mum bought some grey, black and white Shimmer 5 and HP got point 5 in garish shades of green.
This is the beginning of the jumper I'm knitting. It knits up so fast, I've not spent much time on it, but I'm 2 thirds up the back already.
jumper in progress

jumper in progress
Originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.
flamingo to be

flamingo to be
Originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.
But what I ought to be knitting is this. It's going to be a flamingo costume for HP (she's going to an Alice-themed party). The Fizz is going to be a shrug, with big floppy arms made from Sassy to look like feathery wings.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Simpsons clouds

Simpsons clouds
Simpsons clouds
Originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

I remembered I had a digital camera in my desk and I wasn't afraid to use it.

To prove what I said about the clouds, here's a picture.

ooh, fluffy clouds

I just looked out of the window and the sky looks just like the beginning of the Simpsons. Small white clouds in a blue sky. :-)

Easily amused, me.

Of course, I had to find out what sort of clouds they are. This cloud index suggests fairweather cumulus. Sounds good to me.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

well done our kid!

It's A-levels results day and nervous teenagers up and down the country are gingerly opening the envelopes whose contents will determine their future. Or at least which university they're going to this autumn.

My sister HP is among them and I'm pleased to report that she's got 3 As (Chemistry, Physics, Biology) and one B (Maths). Congratulations!

It does mean she's just missed out on her Oxford offer though. So she might be off to Exeter. Or she might not. We'll see. God has a plan, even when we don't.

UPDATE: Exeter it is.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

can of worms

I seem to have managed to hijack a discussion of Harry Potter over on Intellectuelle into a discussion of parenting and obedience. Obviously not something I'm an expert on, not being a parent. I'm trying to work out what it is about the model of parenting I get from US-based blogs that makes me squirm. I don't think I'm alone in this one. I know other people who find ideas like a boy asking a girl's father if he can go out with his daughter odd and out of place. Perhaps it's that sort of idea I'm reacting to - the continuation of parental authority into adulthood when most young people have moved away and taken responsiblity for their own lives. The discussion's also poking a few sensitive areas for me, the titular can of worms.

I shall think some more and blog something in time. In the meantime, go and add your 2 penn'orth/2 cents. It's just me and Ellen at the moment.

Monday, August 15, 2005

and some news

The scary thing was a job interview for a job I really wanted. I've not been happy where I am at the moment, and although I wasn't actively looking for something new, I was asking God to show me whether I should stay put or look for something else. Then this job came up. It's in a field much closer to my heart and the odd mix of skills required sounded sort of like me, so I applied.

The interview was the day before I went away and they rang me up that evening to say they wanted to offer me the job! That gave me the two weeks when I was on holiday to think and pray about it, but really I'd already decided! I'm writing my letter of acceptance today.

The job's in Cambridge, which initially put me off. I love living in London and moving away from my current church will be a wrench. But the prospect of moving out of my parents' house and being properly independent is exciting. I don't start until January, so I've got time to plan and find somewhere to live. It will also make my current job more bearable knowing it will come to an end in a few months, plus I think explaining where I'm going to next might lead to some interesting conversations with my colleagues.

I realise I'm being a little cryptic about what exactly I'll be doing. My job offer is conditional on the approval of a committee which next meets in September. Provided that goes through, I'll be able to say more about it then. Suffice to say, I'm very happy and thanking God for His answer to my prayers.

The pig wot flies was on holiday

It's been a gorgeous couple of weeks away with my family. The weather was beautiful most of the time, although it poured with rain on the day we travelled home.

This photo was me leaving my mark on the beach at Ynylas, a few miles up the coast from Aberystwyth.

Memorable things:

Watching 30 or 40 Red Kites circling above a lake in the rain in the Rheidol Valley.

Fantastic sunsets over Cardigan Bay

An evening meal of chicken and chips and wine in the ruins of Aberystwyth castle

Endless knitting (and the purple fluff produced by the silk yarn)

Going down a silver-lead mine and posting postcards underground

Climbing up and down steep steps to see spectacular waterfalls at Devil's Bridge

Sitting on the beach doing nothing in particular, except perhaps the Guardian crossword.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

I'm back

Just got home after two weeks in sunny Aberystwyth. I would be feeling relaxed if it weren't for the fact that I seem to have picked up some sort of lurgy and I'm coughing and spluttering. The books were read, Clapotis completed, but my lomo broke a few days into the holiday, so not many photos.

The scary thing wasn't so scary in the end. It fact, it went rather well. I'll tell you about it tomorrow, but right now, I'm off to bed. Night night!