Sewing, fitfully and without enthusiasm, with a growing sense of panic about deadlines. Self-imposed deadlines, mind, not anything that I have been ordered to make. There's a cake sale and sort-of craft sale in a couple of weeks in the village, and in a fit of enthusiasm I agreed to have a stall there. So of course, I need some stuff to sell. It's very strange making things that other people will look at and then decide if they want them enough to give me money in exchange. Previously when I have made things for people it has either been as a gift, when they respond politely, or on commission, when I know that what I am making is what they want.
Knitting, whilst watching TV and complaining about the programme I happen to be watching. I'm about halfway through Mrs Jones' scarf, and I am pleased with how it looks so far. I've never tried making anything that involved short rows before, and I shall definitely be using them again. Perhaps for a charming hat.
Watching TV, usually criticising whatever is on loudly, whilst looking stuff up on IMDB to validate my assertions. Unless it's MasterChef, in which case I just shout at Gregg Wallace and his odd shiny head. Oh, and make monstrous "gnnaaaaaaaaarghkkkk!" noises whenever he opens his cavernous maw to devour a huge forkful of whatever the sweating terrified contestants have produced.
Cleaning the house. The place looks like some sort of bizarre show-home, one occupied by wild animals and someone with a baking fetish. And Davy Crockett. And a Medieval robber baron. And a Victorian seamstress who likes cushions.
Grocery shopping. The high spot of that particular achievement was getting a discount on diesel because I spent more than £60. Which meant when I filled my car up, I saved almost £7. It all adds up. I did go to the Frome Farmers Market yesterday, though. I bought mild goat's cheese from a tousled and attractive young man, and a horseshoe-shaped load of olive bread which is delicious
Dicking about on the Internet. Obviously. I've been trying to get my head round Twitter again, giving it a rather longer period to win me over than I did last time. I think I gave it about 48 hours last time, and then gave up on it, deciding it was a sack of arse. Oh, and playing World of Warcraft with a friend in America, which has been terrific fun. Yes, I know. I can't get my head round Skyrim, I find the look of the game rather depressing, and that limits my desire to play it.
So yes, I've been reacquainting myself with Twitter. It's a process of trial and error. It's been great for finding some interesting new blogs to read but I get very bored with my feed when it's full of the same two or three people saying much the same thing over and over again. There are a few very funny people out there, and I am enjoying their input, but I'm afraid anyone who just constantly pushes their website, or re-tweets stuff I'm not interested in gets removed from my feed.
One gem I found, and which has been making me cry with laughter, is the Star Trek - The Next Generation Series 8 feed - @TNG_S8 if you're inclined to take a look. It runs as-yet unfilmed plots for the 8th series of TNG, and whoever is writing it is inspired.
Examples:
A transporter error quickly fills the ship with hundreds of excited dogs. Worf calls them "fools" and "disgusting".
A world with a terminal plague tries to attract the Borg as a cure. Geordi's visor falls off into the toilet for the millionth time.
Alien minstrels trap Riker in a 90's dreamscape, only Picard can swashbuckle him free. Data and Geordie tie the hula hoop competition again.
If you're not a Star Trek nerd, I daresay you will merely sigh and move on, but if you are (like me) you will love it. Take a look.
Cooking. Actually, the last entry on the list of non-achievement reminds me that we had some friends over for dinner last weekend. More or less on a whim, which is something that I like very much, and I spent much of Saturday making a variety of Indian dishes. Nom nom nom. I even made coriander flatbread - from scratch - which worked reasonably well. I made (brace yourselves):
- Lamb and aubergine curry, with a home-made spice mix, which was fab, though I say so myself
- Tandoori chicken, basically chicken pieces marinaded in yoghurt and spices, then baked till tender
- A red lentil daal, with loads of ginger and black pepper. It tasted lovely but looked like workhouse gruel.
- Sag aloo, with potato, spinach and spices, very nice
- Plus the afore-mentioned flatbread and rice, and some little samosas which I bought from the supermarket and which we had as an appetiser.
My excellent mate* brought a pudding. I love living in a village.
There were a couple of pieces of sad news, unfortunately. One of them involves our mates with the mad spaniels. They had to have one of them taken to the vet for the last time as she was - in addition to being a venerable old spaniel lady - quite poorly. I remember when she was a teeny tiny puppy, I spent an evening in the pub with her flopped bonelessly over my shoulder like a rag doll, completely comfortable, sleeping. She was a sweet-natured character and will be missed. On the plus side, she probably had about the best life a dog could ever wish for, and it was a long one too. And she got to be a bridesmaid a few months ago.
*Hello Jo!
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