Capital Afternoon Out

Hi there!

Not long back from Edinburgh and what a beautiful afternoon it was. Sun was shining and it was warm. In fact, it was warm enough to sit outside for lunch and then again for a light refreshment on the way home. Lovely!

Popped into HK Handknit.co.uk. What a lovely shop! They didn't have the Addi Turbos I was looking for so I'm afraid I didn't buy anything. However, every cloud has a silver lining - I manged to get a panda at last!! In fact, I was so exited about getting one that I bought two. One big and one small. I have done every shop in Hamilton to no avail and was even considering Ebay but - yippee! - job done. All I have to do now is give them names and I can get them knitting and posing with the bamboo yarn in the shop. Little one posing and big one knitting. (Will have to cast on for it though!)

We were heading home and I decided that, since we were in the vicinity, I would go back the other way ie via the airport. It was rush hour but didn't seem too bad. We had seen a nice wee pub on the way there and thought we would pay it a visit going home so that we could miss the traffic but since the route was changed we thought we would stop somewhere else.

The traffic was getting heavier and heavier and by the time we had reached the Gyle, it was necessary to stop for a comfort break. I was driving (and I'm not drinking these days anyway) so I was happy with a coffee but someone wanted a pint. The guy at the Information Desk (hee-hee) pointed us in the direction of The Ritz across the way from the shopping centre. So it was there we sat outside in the sunshine having a wee drink (and me doing my knitting).

Time to leave, traffic all gone and a quick jaunt over the M8. Wrong! Roadworks! Onto the M8 and a quick jaunt home. Wrong! An accident at Harthill and a tailback a mile long. Football traffic.It took an hour and a half to get from The Gyle to Hamilton. Guess we shouldn't have stopped but then don't think TB could have kept his wee legs crossed all that way. Mind you - could have popped into TAH's. Ah well, it was a lovely afternoon until the journey home.

So, up to armhole shaping of first sleeve of LH cardigan. It was meant to be the right front but when I was decreasing the ribbon stitches to start on the angora, I discovered I had cast on too many stitches. However, luck being on my side for once, the number of sttiches I had corresponded with the sleeve pattern, so the right front became a sleeve. Will finish that tonight and sew up what can be sewn up. I'm now looking for a wee black velvet dress for the lucky dummy that is going to be wearing it. (It's going to be too small for TB, too bad!)

Actually, HK .. had some beautiful ladies garments on display. Must ask Carol if they borrow them or have them knitted up. I tend to stick to baby/toddler things because they knit up so much quicker but ... I know some suppliers lend display garments but I like to knit with the yarns and wash them etc so I can give a better account. I have had people knit for me in the past but it's not the same. Well , for a start it's not my knitting! (Does that sound .. hmm .. d'you know what I mean?) I do have some customers whose work I really admire, but they are always busy doing other things and then there is the horrible, horrible issue of how much to pay. Aaaarrghhh!

Getting tired now. You can tell, cos the garbage is even more garbage-y than usual.

Night, night. Sleeve will just have to wait!

PS Kathleen - you can start the C&G course any time and take as long as you like. Don't wait for us to finish, jump in and have a couple of study buddies for morale support.