Real life (tm)

Have I said already how nice it is to be back home with not too much travelling in prospect, and time to catch up on the things I really like doing? Yeah, I thought I had!

Like opera - we went in to Leeds to see "The Queen of Spades" by Tschaicovsky last night. Went by train, to save energy, stress and the environment one step at a time. Which proved to be a mistake, as when we rang the theatre to check when the performance ended, we were given the wrong information, so had to leave before the final scene to make sure of catching the last train home.

This did not prove to be such a great mistake at least for me, as I was slightly underwhelmed by it. I'm not sure if that was because of the opera per se - although it was one I had really wanted to see; the performers - I wasn't too sure of the soprano; the story - although totally daft stories don't usually bother me in opera if everything else is ok. I think I will have to see it again in a different production!

Our next Opera North is not until in the new year, but our next opera foray is a Met relay in Cambridge with our good friends there. I know - I'm glad to be and want to stay home, but Cambridge and L&M are different!

Fibre stuff. I finished the skein of multi-bright mohair. Which turned out not to be quite as in your face bright, not surprisingly, and the mohair is a little harsh. But it will make a warm and hard wearing hat.



And remember these batts?



Spun and knitted as singles, they have become this:



I am not quite sure why this cowl appears such an odd shape in this pic, although it was taken before washing and blocking. It could be because it is singles, but I was pretty pleased with how consistent a yarn I managed (not always so easy with batts involving different fibres and colours. And I ensured that it wasn't too twisted by both care in spinning - and a judicious run back on to the wheel in the opposite twist direction and no, I do not consider that cheating, at least in this instance!

I used all but the last few yards of the yarn to make a really big cowl - I was somewhat in fear and trembling that it would be too huge and bunchy on my neck. But it isn't, and it does exactly what I wanted it to do, which is to come up over my head as a snood should the weather so dictate.

Now I am slightly stuck for a next project (the mohair is washing and drying.) So I have cast on with a ball of handspun just lying around to try out the very simple lace scarf pattern for which I bought a yummy skein of yarn when on holiday - this is so very fine and fluffy that frogging would be horrible, so, best to experiment and learn the pattern with something else, eh?

And finally, a quick update on my mother. There isn't one, really. She is hanging on, but every time the phone rings, I think - that's it. Bit stressful, but there you go. All part of life's rich pattern.

I shan't go on too much about it here, at least for the moment. Just needs to be mentioned from time to time.