This might be a short post...

...as my fingers may close over in climber's claw, as opposed to crocheter's claw.  You remember the bet, right?  The lovely Lucy got up remarkably early this morning, given that she'd been out last night for Paul's, aka the knitter's birthday. Off we went to The Castle which is an exceptionally cool place, even if I spent the majority of the morning with my heart rattling somewhere around my windpipe thinking 'faaaaaaaaaaakkkkkk'.  Actually, I probably was only attached to a rope for about twenty minutes in total, it just felt like a lifetime.  The only thing preventing me saying really obscene words out loud was the presence of lots of kids.  Mostly scampering up the walls like earwigs, little bastards. However I got on better than I thought I would, mainly because Paul and Lucy are patient teachers and like a lot of things, the braver you are, the easier it is. That sounds daft but it's a matter of believing that you can keep the momentum going and somehow you do.  Hang on, breathe, relax, send your shoulders back down from around your earholes, keep going.  Then realise how high you are off the ground and in a somewhat high-pitched wail you tell your belay partner that you're coming doooooown.  I'll definitely go back, though the usual pattern for me is to get on grand at something for the first attempt and then screw it up the next time.  I'll have to put in a fair bit of time there if I'm to have any chance of fulfilling my side of the bet. The 5b level - imagine climbing a 12m wall by hauling yourself up little lumps of crap that are about the same size as half a flapjack.  Mnurgh.....

So, I was determined not to blog again until I had some crafting to show:

I got my new Moo cards and that was the perfect excuse to get back to some sewing-crafting as opposed to knitting-crafting, which was a little intense on the poor wristies.  With the new job comes a crackberry and while I'm actually quite glad to have it because I can leave the office but still deal with those late emails from California that I'm waiting for; I thought it could be dressed better than the ultra masculine leather carry case that ships with it.

Whoops, my camera is doing that really annoying thing where it automatically rotates the view of photos you've taken to that they're upright (looking) when they download, but then they come out sideways when you upload them anywhere.  Anyone know how to fix that??  I'm a bear of too little brain to remember right now.

In other VERY exciting news (to me, but then it's allllll about me) I now have curtains.  In all the rooms.  Lovely friends came and drilled holes in the wall for me before Christmas, but then the bloody curtain rail just wouldn't play along and jettisoned itself straight out the wall with next to no prompting. 

When my parents came to visit, Dad was only dying to be 'doing stuff' so he asked me where my toolbox was.   I do have a toolbox, but it contains equipment for silversmithing, like 2mm saw blades that Dad was eyeing up for sawing bits off screws. Eh, no. So I produced the 6" sq cardboard box (which originally contained a bonbon dish I believe, ahem) that contains all my 'tools' and somehow Dad did something magical, and lo and behold...

What other news... weddings to attend soon.  I sort of intended to make something to wear but realistically that's not going to happen now.  Still not totally settled into the new flat, but getting there.  I finally gave in a rejoined a gym to try to get a bit fitter. Cos I need to get a LOT fitter but slowly, slowly, eh.  Working, going out, knitting a bit.  Waiting for the weather to change from this...

to something more like this...

 

Comments

[Claire (not Bahrain)]

Its so good to see that you are doing ok. Well done on climbing the wall. Has the knitter kept his side of the bet?
Sounds like the flat is coming on a treat. Keep the pictures coming. ^_^

[Thimbleanna]

Wow -- I'm so impressed that you even attempted the climbing wall -- and lived to talk about it! Love the colors in the crackberry holder. Now your minions would like to see curtains LOL!

[Lucy]

Great to have you back and to hear things are going so well. Hope your snowman was bigger and better than anyone else's!