Last week of heat....for a while.....

So its finally come around that we go back to the UK on Friday (well with it being a 2.30am flight I think its probably technically Thursday night!!). I have to say I am really looking forward to seeing the kids. I speak with Flo at least once a day, but Fred is often too ' busy' to talk to me! However he did speak to K on Friday night and I could hear him telling his Dad that he missed Mummy very much.........was too much for me and I let the tears flow for the first time in the two weeks since I had seen him! K of course was not so impressed - he did not mention missing his Daddy!!

I was a bit sad this morning to see a dead baby bird hanging out of the nest in the garage - I suspect it got caught trying to get out of the rather less than accessible nest its parents have built for it. I think we had about 4 babies originally as the parents bring them into the back yard to feast on the worms in the garden! I hope one of the kind guys that look after the compound will dispose of it for me.

I have managed to do a LOT of knitting and reading though whilst the kids have been away which has been really nice.

I have really got on well with the Ishbel and am on the C section - so not long to go now. I tried to use a lifeline, but to be honest found it to be more trouble than its worth - have been knitting a long time now so I pretty much know how to rectify my mistakes and when something looks like it has gone horribly wrong! So far I just had to back knit half a row - so am pleased with myself. I had not knitted lace for such a long time! I remember when I was in my teens (the 80's!!!!!) I knitted myself a couple of lacy cardigans and cute 40's style short sleeved sweaters (a la Madonna!!!!) - but since then had fallen into a bit of a trend of 'easy' knitting - interspersed with some occasional cables! Now I realise that I really like lace work - its very rewarding. Happy also with the Malabrigo Lace - feels incredibly soft and am sure it will block really nicely.


I also indulged in last weeks Posh sale and managed to bag 5 skeins which are waiting for me at my Mums house - so excited by that. I rather think that the Sunday sales will become a bit of an addiction (well until the money runs out.......ha ha as if I had any in the first place!!). I feel more lace coming on.........

Anyway I was talking about reading too.............am currently reading The Host by Stephanie Meyer. Not my usual sort of thing, but enjoying it a lot. Its an easy read and certainly so far away from 'normal' that is very relaxing. I think that the book at the lace knitting have shown me that I have been in a bit of a rut in terms of sticking to what I know rather than trying something new and exciting. Now I just need to find that new and exciting sport which will tone up all the flabby bits I have managed to acquire in the UAE! In London I walked for about an hour every day by the time I had walked Fred to the childminder and then walked across Green Park to work - all in my MBTs! Here it is almost impossible to walk further than from the door of the house to the car without expiring...... lets hope I can shape up a bit in winter!

This week I am mostly listening to:

Podcasts - Knit Picks and Lime n Violet
Albums: Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of Understatement (Standing Next to me - great song!), The Smiths - the Singles and of course lots of Ryan Adams............as always!!

Films I saw this/last week:

Duchess - love that film!!
Spiderman 3
Casino Royale - Daniel Craig.......what more can I say!!
August Rush - who had the right to make that so sad!!

Still need to upgrade the firmware on the Blue Ray player so that I can watch Quantum of Solace - stupid Samsung.......................................