Saturday 14 July 2007

Lots of fun stuff

This week has been a good week, first and foremost because I've finally found a job. As of Monday I'll be starting 30 hours per week in the Admissions department at the local hospital (same place of employment as DH-to-be). I feel like a massive weight has ben lifted from me, I was getting despondent that I'd never find anything. Not to mention that I was refused benefits since I have a partner (as £11,000 per year is obviously more than enough to support two people) and couldn't claim contribution-based benefits since I had the nerve to get a good education and thus haven't been able to work for long periods over the past few years. Ahem.

Where was I? Oh yes, good week... Thursday was the start of the fortnight of Potter, and what a start it was! The new film was fantastic in my opinion, such a good job of fitting a bloody huge novel into under two-and-a-half hours. (OotP is probably my favourite of the books - or jointly with Azkaban - though all the reviews I've seen seem to insist on calling it the most "miserable and bloated" of them all. Tsk!) Naturally things had to be dropped or changed (films and books are two very different media after all), but by god was it a very elegant adaptation IMHO and I'm more than happy that David Yates has signed up for Half-Blood Prince. Can't wait to see it again... and again!

Yesterday Scott and I went to a booksigning with Jasper Fford in Sheffield; I haven't read any of his books myself, but Scott's a big fan. Standing in the queue, I saw a girl knitting and reading at the same time and was deeply in awe. I wish I could do that, it would be the perfect solution to my knit/read balance conundrum. I felt very humbled by comparison, working as I was on my simple granny squares:

Gothic granny squares


This really is about the limit of my crochet skills. I truth, I'm to scared to learn anymore in case my knitting knowledge gets accidental dislodged in the process and that would be tragic. My current square count is nine and since I'm aiming for about 150 I guess there's still a fair way to go. I have found them to be great for working on when I just have a few spare minutes, though.

This week I've also cast-on my shawl for the Spun Stitches KAL. I've been a bad blogger recently; since I mentioned my intent to join this KAL a little while ago I have left all the work I've done on it unreported. Bad Laura, no, er, biscuit! I decided on natural black/dark brown Sheltland fibre in the end, which my dad brought me as a gift for my degree results. I've spun up a fair bit so far and yesterday started work on the Luna Moth Shawl. My handspun is approximately DK weight, and though I was a little worried it was too inconsistent it seems to be knitting up okay. This is both my first project with handspun and my first real attempt at lace so I'm not expecting miracles (a lot of cursing would be more accurate), but so far I'm having fun.

WIP: Luna Moth Shawl


And just to save the big, exciting news til last, I HAVE A SPINNING WHEEL! Or rather, I've brought a sinning wheel, since I won't be able to collect it until the beginning of August, a wait that I'm sure would drive me mad it it wasn't for Deathly Hallows next week to distract me. My wheel is an Ashford Traditional placed on eBay, along with various other spinning goodies, by a lady would is having to give up spinning due to poor health, which made me sad to hear. I'm glad I'll be able to give the wheel a loving home. I'm paying for it with some money my grandma left me in her will and hope to do her proud. She was a very crafty, creative lady who I still miss very much.

1 comment:

Hannah. said...

£11,000 a year to support people isn't too unreasonable when you live with parents, when I first started my job on a relief contract we lsot all our benefits despite me having no set hours a week, rent and bills to pay and no other income.

The benefit system isn't very good at all though, I hate how they assume partners will/can support each other. I'd quit my job on health grounds right now only I wouldn't be entitled to any benefits at all and one income isn't enough when we have to pay rent etc.. So I'll just have to stay and go gradually insane. Woo hoo.

Sorry for the ranting, it was good to read a post from you and thank you for your letter, I'll try and reply soon but at the moment everything seems to have gotten on top of me so things are taking a while to get done.
xxx