So much for blogging regularly

A few weeks ago, we were teaching a workshop for Avon Guild (lovely day, had a really good time, by the way) and I was roundly taken to task for not blogging enough. I promised I Would Do Better.

Yeah, right. That went well, then.

But I am not going to give up. I like the "sound" of my own voice too much to do that. I could make a load of excuses, indeed have done. They are sort of true. But that gets boring for us all. All I can do is refocus and try harder, ok?

After Bristol, we went on to Cornwall to see the DSM's mum &etc. We took my sister with us - she is in a really good place at the moment, so is trying to get out and about as much as possible while she can. A gorgeous few days, the weather was fabulous and the cottage we stayed in a really nice one. We visited a few favourite pubs for meals as per usual, and did a run down to St Ives because my sister wanted to go to the Hepworth house. We are definitely not averse to doing that!

We left on the Friday to go to London for the Association AGM. These things are much better these days, and it is always good to catch up with people. We ran into an old Guild friend that we hadn't seen in years, which was lovely; and indeed, the meeting wasn't too bad either (although the very expensive sandwich lunch was rubbish. A pack-up next time.)

Meanwhile, my sister was spending the day with a very old friend from her childhood who she hadn't actually met in over 40 years (P doesn't exactly have a formal bucket list, but this sort of thing is figuring in her thinking.) Apparently, they had a wonderful time, a full day of chat and exploration, which may even be repeated. And she still had the energy to go to a nearby Turkish restaurant that we had found on a previous trip and like very much. Seems most odd having a "regular" eating place in London!

Since then, life as usual. I am still working on the same things, so nothing of any great interest to report. The Vortex shawl is very nearly finished, I am actually casting it off, but as I am doing a picot cast-off, it is taking quite a while. I have cast the lace pygora scarf on again, and the DSM has very kindly volunteered to talk me through the four rows of pattern to get me established, because being me, and even though it is a very simple patter, I do my usual lapse of concentration thing and go wrong almost immediately. Once the pattern is established and I can"see" it, I can either put mistakes right or fudge - but I have to get to that point first! I do though need another easy or tv-watching project, but I have no inspiration at the moment......

Studio time is still somewhat of an endangered species, but again, there - Must Do Better. There, I mostly work on Summer School stuff and spinning for the sample of colourwork that I have in mind, which is kind of the same thing.

I am trying to resist distractions - I am getting a yearning to try tapestry weaving again , but that must definitely wait until after SS. And, when at Avon Guild, a friend introduced me to a wonderful book of crocheted animal toys called Edward's Menagerie. With a new great niece coming up fast not to mention the already very much with us great nephew, I want to make a zoo full of these, and I think maybe I can be allowed that small diversion, eh?

Oh - and I have done something rather daft. All my own fault, I got myself in to it, no-one else to blame. I signed up for a drawing class. The DSM and his lovely art tutor have been trying to persuade me to do an art class for the last couple of years, and I really didn't want to. But drawing would be useful in a number of ways in fibre work, plus I did used to rather enjoy it many, many years ago. The first class was last Thursday, and I nearly turned and ran within the first five minutes. But I forced myself to stay by sheer will power, and actually managed to produce something that whilst not brilliant is not total rubbish. Considering I hadn't touched a pencil in that way for over 25 years. Next week though I have been threatened with charcoal, which I am really not sure about. But I will do it.

Yes, I will.