That Was the December That Was!

Clearly I'm a craptastic blogger, I've not said a thing all November. I barely had anything to say in December either...

This is partially work , partially a hectic social calendar and partially because I didn't want to let my Harvest Sock Swap partner down. I wasn't on time with the sock, but I got it sent out, and I know that she received it.

Last Christmas I allowed work to completely rule my life ... to the extent that I didn't participate in any of the the normal Christmas parties and social events. I was working in Belgium at the time, so a lot of evenings were spent alone in a hotel room, either reading, knitting or reading and knitting! Everyone else working on the project in Belgium lives there, so after work they have their regular home life. I don't think they realised how cheesed off I became, knowing that I am missing party after party, with no one recognising the sacrifice to my personal life. This year, I decided that there'll be none of that! I was going to every. single. thing. to which I'm invited: I'm pleased to report that I did exactly that. On top of all of that, my birthday is late in November, and I decided to throw a party. I hadn't had a party since I was 13, and I decided one was past due! The net effect was that I was partying each and every one of the six weeks up to Christmas.

Then I went to Denmark for the annual family get together. Three generations of my family in one house. Play with the niece and nephew; play with the dog; try to knit but end up spending more time tinking than knitting; collapse in bed exhausted each night... you know how that goes.

During all of these shenanigans, my Chinese colleague David came to visit whilst he was on a business trip in the UK in early December. He had previously given me a traditional Chinese tea set (photos to come). On this visit he brought along some tea, some special fish seasoning (which I've yet to use), and a traditional Chinese game called Wéiqí (aka "Go" in Japan). It is an ancient game of strategy, the rules of which are easy to learn, but take a lifetime to master. So during the visit, after playing me and then my father, we all agree this would be a fantastic game to take to Denmark to play with my brother-in-law (BIL). David suggests that since my sister and BIL are returning from a three year stint in Japan, I should get her to buy a "Go" table. I forgot to say anything to her, but remember whilst in Denmark, saying "damn, I think we've missed an opportunity". Yeah right, my smarty-pants sister proceeds to tell me how she got the bargain of a lifetime, purchasing a valuable antique "Go" table and some virtually heirloom "soldiers"! Grrr... Then we had a whole big debate about how the game is played. I'm not sure who won that one.

On the knitting front, well, apart from the Harvest Swap sock, there wasn't any real progress. I've joined the centre for the Seraphim inspired wrap that I'm working on, but I just cannot get it right. I have tinked back the same five rows over and over and over again. It's gotten so bad that I started knitting the Woven Cables scarf in a bluey-green Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran for some relief. I haven't done cables in years; I find them very easy, but super tight on the needle on the following row.

I received a fantastic package from my Harvest Sock Swap "spoiler". Note how I'm using terms like "spoiler" as though I know what they mean. That's the subject of a whole 'nother post! I just love the Koigu yarn she chose. If that wasn't enough to put a grin on my face just before Christmas, I also received my first parcel from the Socktopus Yarn Club. And what a parcel. I am so glad I joined this club, Alice has included some truly lovely extras in the "Bells and Whistles" package that I signed up for. I only wish I'd gone for the "Humdinger" package now...

Start of Autumn - The Proms

We are just about to go into my favourite season of the year - autumn. I like the slightly cooler weather. I like smell of autumn. I like the mistiness we sometimes get in the morning, the way leaves turn gold and russet, and I love the smell of bonfires (not that many people burn bonfires any more). September is usually a much more reliable month weather-wise than June, July or August. I think that because school is restarting, and the family summer holidays are now just memories for another year, people think that the summer is over and no longer have any great expectations of the weather, and so are always pleasantly surprised when we get a warm day in September.

Yesterday evening was the Last Night of the Proms. I went with a group of friends to have a picnic and watch/listen in Hyde Park. I am not a huge fan of classical music, so the lighter classical stuff you get in Hyde Park, together with a bit of easy-listening pop is great for me. I think that you need to be a genuine season ticket holding Prommer, or at least very organised to buy tickets for the Albert Hall. What stood out for me this year was that I got a real sense of the Proms being celebrated all round the British Isles. I'd always considered it a London event, so it was great that for the finale, we had choirs from Glasgow, Belfast (I think), Cardiff and Teesside signing songs/arias that are strongly associated with their part of the UK. This is the second time I've gone to this event in the park, and it felt like a great end to the summer/start of autumn.

Halcyon Days

My family has always been international. My extended family lives all over the world, and my nuclear family is rarely all in the same place at the same time. At one point we were all in completely different places, several time zones from each other. For example, when I worked in Thailand, I used to call my parents early on a Sunday morning, and they would be answering early on a Saturday evening.

Right now my sister and her family are living in Japan. So we don't get to spend much time together. We tend to meet up in the summer and at Christmas. As I sit here on a dreary weekday morning, I am remembering the fun times we had this summer...

For almost the entire two months that he was here, my nephew insisted on calling me "Ganma". I would say, "Aunty", encouragingly. He would just look at me and repeat "Ganma". When I asked him if I looked like grandma, he nodded emphatically, "Yes". As though I'd asked the world's most stupid question. Okay, then...

AuntyTS & the "Ferocious Beast"

WARNING - picutre heavy post...

"Man proposes, God disposes" or so a Muslim friend told me when we worked together in Thailand nearly 10 years ago. I've never forgotten it. Remember a plan about finishing clue 3 of MS3 and reading this month's book club choice on holiday? Yeah, well you actually need to bring the knitting and the book with you for that to work. Not leave them prominently positioned on the sofa where you are sure not to see them as you bound through the front door at the last minute.

Where did I go? Center Parcs Sherwood Forest (NAYY). Center Parcs used to have an ad campaign that said "the holiday the weather cannot spoil". Most of you will have seen the weather reports over the last week in the UK; boy, did it rain! We still had a good time despite the weather. "We" were a big group - my parents, my sister, her husband, two children and yours truly. We hired a 15 seater van for the journey, which I drove. My normal car is a small, low two-seater sports car. From this to a honking great bus? It was different, I can tell you that! Unfortunately I didn't think of taking a picture of me driving said bus. Suffice to say it wasn't easy to begin with - my five-year old niece kept referring to us as "AuntyTS and the Ferocious Beast". The thing was so damn big that I couldn't park it in any covered car park. I couldn't park it in a single car bay at motorway service stations either. One time I parked it with the HGVs!

Anyhoo, here are some pics of the niece & nephew having fun, and some of the wildlife that was just outside our villa. Interestingly my nephew (2 years old) generally had no problem with live animals and birds, e.g the falcon in the "The Robin Hood Experience" (we was robbed, I tell ya!), but he didn't like the statue of the horse. Good thing he didn't see the strange cat that I picked up with my camera in the gloom...

Kindness of friends

I have recently had a major operation which has meant that I am off work for several weeks. The nature of the operation has had me house bound for several weeks already, and being pretty limited about the things I can do for myself. It is at times like these that the people whom you least expect step up to the plate to help you. For example, a male work colleague whom I don't know very well, but who lives in my area has volunteered to do small local jobs for me; another friend from my previous company has visited several times to help me with household chores; the ladies of the book club has been keeping me stocked with great books; and the nicest thing of all...

I received a care package from one of my oldest friends. It was so unexpected! I saw the card last, so I had no idea who it was from, but as I removed each item from the parcel, I kept saying to myself "Whomever sent this REALLY knows me!" A couple of things are missing from this photo - Heat and O (Oprah) magazines, and the chocolate which was scoffed in double quick time! I have great friends, and I don't mind saying so...