why Brent Cross stresses me out

I went to Brent Cross before Shabbat to get a charger for my new phone. For updates on my attempt to read the 211 page user guide for my phone please see Facebook-I need all the support I can get.

Anyway. On Friday the new Apple Pad thingy came out and the centre was full with a figure 8 shaped queue from one end to the other all waiting to buy one. Why? Did those hundreds of people have a big Apple pad whats-it-called gap in their lives? Could it not wait? How many of them could actually afford it?

It took 40 minutes to get served in the O2 shop and the guy actually attempted to make me pay for the phone charger-it did not happen.

In Waitrose a women in her 30's and her mother were arguing about who and when a chicken was to be cooked. The check out woman waited, they were unable to argue and take their groceries out of the trolley at the same time. It was a tad bizarre. I told them I only wanted to buy one thing and went ahead. For a moment the argument was forgotten as they united in their horror at my audacity. I paid and as I left they were still arguing and not unloading their shopping.

I really do not understand how anyone can enjoy shopping that does not take place in a yarn or charity shop.

Good and really really bad

Above is an update on my fair isle commission. When I began knitting this a small quiet sensible and truthful voice said swatch the fair isle. Did I listen? Fair isle knits to a tight tension compared to stocking stitch. When I measured I was way way out. I can blame no one but myself. Even the husband expressed sympathy. Before I could begin the unpicking (including the carefully sewn in ends) I coped by stomping the approximately 3 miles to my friend Mandy for tea and sympathy. She was fabulous and she is not a knitter.

Still life is not all bad above is also the fabulous vase I got for £8 in Howarth. Charity shops outside of London are indeed treasure troves.

Skip North 2010

what complete and utter fun is this annual jaunt to Yorkshire and how simply wonderful are the women there. It is really weird-some of them now really do feel like really good long term friends yet we see each other once a year-this year something must be done about this.

How do I give the sense of how good this weekend makes me feel.

The put put train into Leeds only went as far as Skipton then we had to go on a replacement bus. The late afternoon sun gave a softening light, the driver had a slightly out of tune radio and Radio Two was playing Neil Young's Heart of Gold and everything, yes everything was good in my world.

trauma

This is my latest commission. Fair Isle is oh so slow. I feel like I have been knitting forever only to realise I have done two rows.

Still let us be positive. We went to Norfolk Broads yesterday. An aside: People a bog is a bog not a Fen, a lake is a lake and a lake surrounded by bogs is still a lake not a Broad. Weird country.

Anyway I did not feel I could do this knitting in the car and after doing this Clive's 4ply grey V neck jumper was easy, fun and satisfying.