What to do?

The eternal dilemma.

I came back from Cornwall with a mental list of things to get going with, and although I feel as if I have spent all my time sitting staring at the wall (and in truth have spent some) I have actually succeeded to some extent.

I have a hat finished - but as it is intended for the Sheep Thrill hat swap, I am not going to put a photo up.

I have dug some yarn out of the stash for a larger project - maybe a shrug - but on inspection it is badly underplied, so I need to bang it through the wheel again.

I have set down the bare-bones outline of a new course that the DSM and I could team teach.

I have reacquainted myself with both the Schacht and the Timbertops, and stalled spinning projects are now live again.

But the real dilemma - and how lucky am I? - is the growing mountain of fascinating books I have to read.

The DSM gave me the new David Crystal "By hook or by crook", and exploration of the English language, a subject I have been passionate about for most of my life. Before we went away, I had bought slim volumes dealing with Islam, Buddhism and Paganism because I want to argue from a position of some knowledge. And I had ordered a shipment from Amazon - the new Barbara Kingsolver on how she and her family lived sustainably for a year, and a tutorial on ATCs which I have already browsed through and it is great.

But the coup de grace came with the postman this morning. I had some money given me for my birthday, and after a lot of soul searching, I ordered Dominique Cardon's "Natural Dyes". Soul searching because in some ways I have been moving away from natural dyes (so why did I by Jenny Dean's new book at Summer School, then, eh?) and because of the price. I have never, ever before spent over £60 on one book. But am I glad I did - it looks wonderful, jam-packed with information and fabulous illustrations.

I also have a stack of novels and Judith McKenzie McCuin's book on spinning, which also looks well worth a lengthy perusal.

So, there is the dilemma. Do I install myself in my favourite armchair, stirring only to renew supplies of coffee or tisanes, and read and read and read? Or do I keep up the momentum on the spinning &etc? Or even - continue with the ironing, and other chores?

OK, so let us strike out that last option. That still leaves a decision to be made. If only I were in a position to put my running away plan in to operation - but himself isn't quite up to it yet. (I have found the perfect cottage on the internet, but the cost is very high, so he needs to be particularly stable to cope.....)

Mmmm. First, I need to go shopping, then I need to make a cake (coven tonight), then....I'll think about it.