Talented Friends

I am always aware of the immense talent I surround myself with when I count my friends, both on- and offline. Today I found a "new" talented friend - or rather, I was delighted to find out something I didn't know about her.

Jordi and I met Lisa Daehlin at the NYC SnB last summer, when we met in a very hot, sticky cellar one Tuesday evening. We chatted and I have noticed the occasional message from her on the NYC SnB mail list. Today, Lisa posted a message about some knitting classes she offers, adding a link to one of her designs; coincidentally, the lace wrap I am currently knitting and feeling very pleased with.

Nice work, Lisa. Thank you!

Phew!

Last night, I knit until I finished the wristlets. Yay!!! Done. Fanny's birthday today, so quickly wrapped them up and wrote her birthday card ready for Mark to deliver this morning on his way to a meeting.

Happy Birthday Fanny. Hope you love your wristlets!

Only just now, do I realise that I forgot to photograph them before I gave them away. Oh b.......bother!

In London for a day

Had "business" in London yesterday. Can't say where, with whom, or what about yet, but the organic biscuits were delicious.

As I walked down Bond Street, I passed this statue of Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt. I always admire it for the characters it portrays so well, but seldom do the two gentlemen have the seat to themselves - there is usually a tourist of some kind sitting in the middle. Yesterday morning, however, they were able to chat face to face, and I was pleased to take their photograph.

Over in Great Marlborough Street, I finally got to take a photograph of the art deco facade I've meant to have a close look at for ages, having seen it in a book but never noticed it whilst walking past. Of course, my eyes are normally fixed on Liberty's window! But look up above the Caffe Uno shopfront and a beautiful architectural feature is revealed.

Finally, standing in a doorway in Jermyn Street, having come out of the back door of Waterstones bookshop, I stood in the doorway of a shirtmakers to put up my umbrella and spotted these two sights (sites), which stand next door to one another. I thought the contrast so great that it was worthy of (two) photographs! With hindsight, I should have taken one of the join as well.

Update on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 at 9:53AM by Gill Thomas

Returning to my blog entry several years later to remind myself that of course, I was at St James Palace, enrolling a new member of the WI.

The tulips progress

Monday morning and the sun has just struggled through some pretty dense cloud, so I rushed to take today's tulip picture.

Had been to Swindon and back before 9am and had hoped to get a great deal done today.

Note the phrasing "had hoped".

Just another concert

We set out a bit earlier than usual for Birmingham yesterday afternoon, to allow time for a bite to eat in Bank before the concert. Whilst waiting for our table, who should come in but friend, textile artist/embroiderer and WI colleague, Lesley Wilson, wearing the wrap she'd begun to knit whilst we co-chaired at Denman College last summer. Wonderful!

I suppose that not every concert can be a great concert. Last night's was fine, but not quite as memorable as others. Anne Sofie von Otter was "indisposed" but I'm not sure that even she could have redeemed Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde" for us.

Walking back to the car park following the concert, however, we thought how attractive the canal looked, with the reflections of the bridge in the water.
This part of Birmingham is really buzzing, and at 10pm is really only just coming to life!