Journal Entries
I am the Alpha Geek
Posted Nov 15, 2004
We were watching Jools Holland on Friday night, and during MC Solaar's performance it was noticed that I was practically glued to the screen. No, I was not suddenly struck with a deep love of French Rap or even French rappers. It was the sweater worn by one of the performers. I couldn't work out how it was knitted and was absolutely mesmerised. At the time I was also holding on my lap a piece of lace knitting made with yarn nearly as fine as sewing cotton that will take me several months to finish, under the chair we have half a crocheted slipper-sock, in the basket over there was a cotton sweater in diamond patterns, in the bowl over here a half-finished woolly jumper, and in the study a whole trunkful of wool and half-finished projects. And I realised, just as the most computer-literate person in any given office is the Alpha Geek, I am the Knitting Alpha Geek of my entire family and social circle. Just as well that geekiness in all its manifestations is becoming cool, as is hand-knitting. Or I'd be a nerd. Which wouldn't do at all.
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Latest reply: Nov 15, 2004
Aren't babies fascinating?
Posted Nov 1, 2004
Halloween was also my little niece's very first birthday. Bear with me, I am in a very soppy mood as a result. This time last year she weighed 7lbs, had no control of her limbs and though she was (of course) remarkably pretty and charming for a newborn, her social repertoire was limited to yelling and sleeping. Now she weighs a stone and a half, has just taken her first unaided wobbly steps, giggles beautifully, makes 'nanananana' noises when she sees her Grandmother, and 'dodododododododo' noises when she sees cats, dogs, birds or cows. She has learned to kiss and kisses everything, including pictures in books. She likes putting things into things - her fingers into her cup, a lego brick into your tea, her dinner into your mouth (she loves feeding people). In playing tickle, her parents made growly noises at her, and she picked it up and now growls at people when she wants a cuddle or a tickle, which is just the cutest thing ever - imagine this dear little dot in her best pink jumper going 'rowrowrowrow' in a deep base voice. Aww, petal.
*sigh*
I must go and finish knitting her birthday jumper. It seems the more I knit the more there is to knit.
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Latest reply: Nov 1, 2004
Rain in my heart.
Posted Oct 12, 2004
Having spent my last few Journal entries burbling on about mice, we now move into serious mode.This was going to be a long lively rambling entry about my visit to Barcelona, covering the 370 steps of the Sagrada Familia, heat, sunburn, Catalan gothic, bedsprings, 13 geese, orange juice, pet tortoises, palm-trees, grilled squid, mosaics and the baffling fact that I spent a week in one of the chocolate capitals of Europe and DIDN'T EAT ANY.
But while we were abroad a dear friend of the family finally succumbed to the stomach cancer that had been killing her for months, and we spent yesterday at her funeral.
She was a lovely woman, with a heart the size of the sun. We will miss her so much.
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Latest reply: Oct 12, 2004
Four down at least one to go
Posted Sep 20, 2004
As you may know from my earlier journal entry, we have been plagued by unfeasibly intelligent and versatile mice. At last, we have made a dent in their alas sizeable population. On Friday night, the round brown mouse was out and about and went trotting by us as we sat watching telly, utterly unconcerned at sharing her route with two whacking great humans. We leapt up, we were cross, we chased her down the stairs and out of the front door. Aha! We said. We've blocked up the entry point behind the washing machine!
Scrumph was woken up at six am on Saturday morning by a rhythmic rattling noise in the kitchen. One of our long-ignored traps was actually rocking back and forth. So we got up and dressed and escorted the trembling trap to the park and released therefrom a very small grey mouse. We speculated that Round Mouse's banishment forced her offspring to come forth and forage unadvised and that is why one finally went into the trap.
Scrumph was woken again at 2:30 am between Saturday and Sunday. This time both traps were clattering away and as Scrumph picked one up, yet another tiny grey mouse sprinted under the fridge. He decided he couldn't sleep with these plastic boxes going 'eek eek clunketty clunketty', even if he shut them in another room out of ear-shot, and went out into the cold night to release two - you've guessed it - small grey mice. I slept the sleep of the girl who knows her fiance is dealing with the wildlife.
Fifth mouse shot across the floor again this evening, and doesn't seem to interested in the nice traps freshly baited with yummy peanut butter. So the Summer of Mice is very close to extending its run into the Autumn of Mice (or possibly Mouse). This is the price you pay for living in a converted Victorian laundry. Ther emust be another entrance hole somewhere, and WE CAN'T FIND IT.
I shall go and make myself some rice pudding and comfort eat infront of Mastermind and University Challenge, cheering myself up by shouting 'It's KEATS, you moron!' at the competitors.
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Latest reply: Sep 20, 2004
Agh! My back!
Posted Sep 8, 2004
I woke up this morning with the uncanny sensation that someone had rearranged my vertebra and with my left shoulder in spasm. Damn damn damn damn. I'm far too busy to waste time being sore and stiff. Blast. Hellfire. Heck. Hecketty hecketty heck.
If, this afternoon, you should happen to see a relatively young woman hobbling around the supermarket with a ridiculous sideways hunch and a face like thunder, please offer to help her with her basket. You'll make a devoted fan for life.
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Latest reply: Sep 8, 2004
Agapanthus
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