Speaking of new bookshelves...

A progress report.

The pile of cardboard for recycling is almost as big as the pile of boxes still to be opened.

We can now assemble a Billy bookcase in less than twenty minutes.

We have no more Billy bookcases to assemble.

We are becoming more effective at assembling Effectiv.

We think we have made a couple of minor ordering errors and will have to return to IKEA Bristol to make an exchange soon.

So far, every package has been complete to the last small screw.

Some assembly required

The pile of boxes means that we will be occupied for quite some time, getting our new studio up together. Somewhere in that corner is a wall of shelving, a few cupboards, filing cabinets and my two large worktables.

We made a start by assembling our desks, which were surprisingly straightforward. Phew.

There is going to be some recycling to be done, I think - those desks alone produced this.

But it's looking good, and will all come together in the next week or two, which will be a relief.

And help is at hand. Edward is home!

Four seasons weather in one day

Looked out around 5pm yesterday afternoon to see this amazing light. It's been a weird day as far as the weather is concerned, starting out fine enough, but by 10am, this was the outlook.

Ten minutes later, it had all gone and the sky was a brilliant blue. Wouldn't you just know it, but by the time I'd got my camera, the sun had gone in, the clouds had overlaid the blue and it was starting to rain.

By the time we'd had lunch, the rain had changed to hail and a vicious wind was whipping up. Finally, by tea time, the thunder clouds rolled in and there was much ominous rumbling and a few flashes of lightning; enough for us to run and turn computers off!

I wonder why we British people talk about the weather so much?

Mothering Sunday

Celebrating Mothers everywhere today, Mothering Sunday, especially mine!

Time to catch up

I seem to have had little to blog about of late, and yet now I sit down to post a couple of photos, I've come across some other small finished things which I haven't mentioned. I think this is the best part of blogging - charting small achievements which would otherwise go unmentioned, forgotten within a few days.

Firstly, I don't think I mentioned the "Wine and Roses" mitts (Interweave Knits Winter 2006), which I decided to knit using the February Posh Yarns Sock Club yarn. I finished one of these and felt underwhelmed by the end result, somehow. Maybe they're not quite my colour, perhaps a smaller needle would have given me a more satisfying finish? Anyway, I did one and left it to one side until my Mum arrived and enthused about it enough to encourage me to complete the pair for her.

There was enough yarn left over to knit a quick "Misty Garden" (Scarf Style) to match, though the colours in the two photographs are so different, you'll just have to take my word for the fact that they do!

What to knit next? Though I am still spooked by Ene (another Scarf Style pattern), I'm umming and aaaahing and cast on a pair of socks instead. When in doubt, cast on socks! I had a great skein of FleeceArtist merino in Cosmic Dawn and started a pair of Pomatomus. Great pattern - but better in a plain or self-coloured yarn rather than this flashy multicolour job! So, after a bit of ripping, a second pair of Jaywalkers is on the needles.

Yes, I can hear Sue saying "but I thought you swore never to knit another pair of those?" The difference is, that this time I'm not trying to do them on two circs!

Other stuff around here: it's a glorious Saturday afternoon, the sun is shining and the birds are singing. We have more frogspawn in pond and anyone would think it was March.

Oh, and I have a new favourite flower in my vase.

"In fairy tales frogs are apt to change into princes and it was an Asian prince in just such a story who gave his name to this flower, which grows naturally in swampy ground. The prince was so good-looking that he was loved by everyone. He also had a beautiful voice but this was his undoing. He loved the open country and sang delightful songs in the presence of nymphs. He did not have the courage to declare his love to them and this haunted him so much that he died. After his death he was changed into the flower with delicate tissuey petals which bears his name." From The Flower and Plant Association website