No idea, really...

So, Friday night, kids are (nominally at least) in bed, 15mins till the movie of Pride & Prejudice begins, quite some time since I blogged, but no idea, really, what anyone would like to know about!
Monday was a public holiday here in Hobart, so we day-tripped - stopped in Dunalley for morning tea with an ex-coworker of the MOMD, then went to Port Arthur for a belated picnic lunch and an afternoon wandering around the the lawns, gardens, ruins and displays. I took the current sock(s), but completely forgot to photograph them. Major moments of excitement included the sight of my DS liberally smeared with mud from right shoulder down the sides to the shoelaces of both sneakers. (I'm allowed to show the grandparents the pic, but not blog it, apparently) We are trying to indicate to him that checking the state of the ground ahead of him is advisable before hurtling down a hill at full speed. Failure to do so instantly causes an enormous mud patch to invade the grass at the base of the slope just as he approaches it at top speed.
Port Arthur Historic Site is a fascinating experience of the convict and colonial history of the early European settlers. We have a two-year pass, and hope to use it several more times before it runs out - DS particularly asked to go back again next school holidays!
Wednesday was an historic day for Australia - the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised to the victims of past laws which separated full-blooded and half-caste children from their Aboriginal families, with the aim of forcibly 'assimilating' them into the dominant white culture. I sat with my oblivious children and listened to the promise of governance within an ethical framework, of politics that seeks to reflect the wishes of the population, and to the hope of a concerted effort to stop the dreadful statistics of infant mortality rates, abuse of too many kinds, economic isolation, and health and education inadequacies. It gave me some hope that there are those who would govern for the benefit of the nation, rather than for the thrills of playing the games of politics.
This week, I also read books (one till so late last night it was well into this morning). I did not do much socking, however I made a yarn muffin (like a yarn cake, but hand-wound and much more rustic) and a swatch. The MOMD is making eyes at my swatch, disregarding the hot-pink flashes, and I may have to resort to devious strategems (a whole-family sock-dyeing adventure day) in order to keep my beautiful Las Vegas to myself!

***the next day***

I got caught up last night watching the movie of Pride and Prejudice, and am still fighting my own prejudices so that I can try to make an objective judgement! I have seen the BBC series, and read the book, so many times that it is really difficult to appreciate the movie without making negative comparisons. That said, some aspects were very good - the scenery, the Bennets' house... I'm not convinced that Keira Knightley was the ideal Lizzie, and I'm really diappointed that Dame Judy Dench was given so little opportunity to rampage around as Lady Catharine de Burgh!
My Roseleaf socks are growing apace, and I am ready to put the heel in the second of Mum's Salty Toes. This morning saw the sock yarn box opened up and plans made for finishing socks for DD#1, making socks for DD#2, dyeing yarn to make (gasp!) socks for the MOMD (gasping over both his interest, and that he wants the leg to be as long as the foot - 11 1/4 inches!!). Now however 'tis time to get on with posting this, loading the car with progeny and provisions, and heading off to the nursery - small birch trees on sale at $11 apiece!
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Sometimes Bad is Good

I was A Bad Girl last night.

I didn't go to bed until after 1 am.

That was because I was having a Pride and Prejudice (see notes at end of post) festival. I enjoyed the first episode (and a little of the second) the night before, so at 8.30 I sat down in front of the Genius of Jane Austen, and watched the rest of that so excellent BBC series.
Of course, once I finished my dinner, I did not sit there with idle hands, oh no!

I was A Good Girl.

See the completed tea-cosy for my MIL (an amazingly tolerant and patient woman who has been dropping such hints as "I'm really looking forward to that teacosy, my old one is falling to pieces"). It has taken me forever to get back to this, because I really didn't like the first version, so this week I decided that if I disliked it that much, I should frog and start again. Three nights later, et voilá! I think that this will be sent with extras, to apologise for my incredible tardiness.

I also finished Roseleaf #1 - so pretty!

Can you see the cuff? I did my first Tubular Cast-off! Although the first few stitches are a little wobbly, as I learnt the rhythm and worked out the right tension, the rest of it is fine, and sooo s--t--r--e--t--c--h--y!!!!

I immediately (insert five minutes of admiring my bee-yoo-ti-ful sock!) cast on the next sock, using the Easy Toe at the end of this Knitty article on toes (nb lots of pictures, loads a little slowly). It is so fabulously simple! I love this toe. It is my dearest friend (at least where toe-up socks are concerned. If it were a choice between this technique and chocolate, things might be different). I started with 12 stitches picked up through the crochet chain, worked 4 rows stocking stitch (beginning purl), unzipped the crochet, put a needle through those 12 stitches, and began working in the round, picking up two stitches along either short edge, and then doing paired increases up the sides of the toe every other round. And look at it now! 5 rounds into the lace-patterned foot already!


Notes: doing a little search for P&P, I found this website: Pride and Prejudice - an e-text which is hyperlinked to annotations on the characters, themes, historical information etc etc which is a treasure trove for Austen fans!! I clicked on a link to Regency fashions and was lost for quite some time - for instance, this fashion plate on shawls - don't you just want to go grab one and start playing???
The whole book, free on Project Gutenberg.

Oh, and for those who wondered (2paw!) I found my sewing machine presser foot.............................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................
in the cereal cupboard.
Of course, where else should it be??

ETA: Grey's Anatomy is back on! Thrills!! (though strangely low key first episode, I thought)

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