Wednesday 22 June 2011

Something old, something new...

I haven't been here for quite a while. I don't think I'll try to catch up, it's been a turbulent few months. Nothing major, just lots of wavy water.

So why tonight?

I find myself musing on plus ca change. Or at least I think I do. I only have a weensy glimmer of what that means. It might mean I've got a zit on the end of my nose. One thing's for sure, I have lots of clever friends who will know exactly what it means ;-)

Well anyway, once more to the point. New school, new teachers, new strategy, old problem. Today Young Master came home without his bookbag - doorkey, asthma pump, school books, pencil case - all gone. He ran away from a group of boys today and foolishly didn't think to take his three bags with him. When he returned, the important one was gone. Not in any of the bins, not handed in... "it'll turn up" is the concensus view. Well, enough is enough. The school is doing its best, we've no doubt, and the dry-cleaning bill for the blazer after the full-drink-can-thrown-at-his-head incident a few weeks ago has at last been paid - by the parents of the boy concerned. So why did one of his friends tell me tonight that there isn't a day that goes by without a group of boys descending on Young Man? Partly because Young Man himself is coping extremely well with it, and dealing with it in his own way; partly because I'm starting to think none of us know the full scale of the problem. Well, we do now. And it will stop.

And now for something completely different. No I don't have an original bone in my body, as my genetics course is busy pointing out to me. Nor do I, in any meaningful sense of the phrase, have good taste. I have just knitted the absolute shockers below, and am quite proud of the disgusting choice of colours - this is a bit of my stash that I didn't sell, but have quitely been pounding away at a row here and a row there. Not an original pattern, either - that comes from a rather brilliant book entitled "Thinking outside the sox" and no I can't be bothered to go downstairs and source the relevant info. I might tomorrow if I'm feeling energetic - and if I can remember...

With my knitty head on, I'm not that pleased with them. I experimented with a new (to me) technique for the heels and toes, I think it's called origami or somesuch, and I don't like either. The heel is too rounded and far too shallow for my taste, and the decrease ridge at the toes is far too pronounced. So I've tried the technique, and won't be repeating it. I've tried (and loved playing with) the openweave cable cuff too, and won't be repeating it because there's far too much sewing in of ends afterwards. But it was fun to do. I scanned rather than took a picture because scanning does bring the stitch definition out beautifully.

The sock blockers are the result of Youtube. Thank you Youtube. Unfortunately it's quite a lot harder to get certain crafting tools in the UK than it is across the water, so I made did and mended. Instead of the recommended craft foam, I bought a pack of two mice mats from The Works for 65p and took a pair of scissors to them. They're not quite long enough for the legs, but a snip of a bargain. Haha. I have no idea whether they would bear up to being used to dry damp socks in shape, as they're supposed to, but I just wanted to give the right shape to mine while I scanned them. Fine lace I will take the time to block; heirloom knits likewise - hell I might even start blocking out jumpers - but blocking socks is tantamount to ironing knickers in my book.

No, I don't iron knickers.

I have a kind of metallic ironic taste in my mouth while I type this. Does it show? Distraction can work where my own pain is concerned; when boredom threatens; when I look at my hands and see the knuckles doing things they ain't supposed to, and know deep down that my crafting days might be numbered; when my brain can't cope with "The Cat Sat on the Mat" and I kid myself that yes I am going to graduate, one long day. But it doesn't cut it when days that should - and generally are, to a large extent, if YM is to be believed - be really happy and carefree are marred the way this day was. And yesterday, and the day before...