Sunday, July 20, 2008 at 10:00AM 
Last evening, as we sat watching an episode of The Gilmore Girls that we felt sure we'd seen before but didn't remember* (the one before Laine's wedding) Otto took shape.
He's quite a character, even with just the one and a half limbs and no face....
*we think we must have fallen asleep
Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 1:54PM 
I bought a couple of balls of Cashsoft Cotton in John Lewis yesterday - on sale at 70p a ball, so a bargain to boot. But of course, when I got home and read the pattern (good idea, eh, read the pattern!) I realised I'd bought 4ply, not DK. Oh well, set to on 2.5mm needles and I am perfectly happy with the size and tension.
I've read the comments on Ravelry about Otto and was concerned at the "anteater" comparisons. I took someone's advice to shorten his nose a little by decreasing every row and was pleased with the result. As I stuffed his head, I took care to shape it nicely and took the opportunity to mark the eye position as I finished the thread end off from his nose.
But as I started to pick up his neck stitches it became clear that all was not right. Yes, his head is upside down! Am I bothered by this? Is Otto bothered by it? Not in the slightest. In fact, I think that his bear-like profile is rather grand!
Ysolda has written a great pattern to follow, easy to understand and clearly explained. quite why I've managed to go so far off piste I have no idea!
Friday, July 18, 2008 at 3:45PM 
Today we went to Weston-Super-Mare, where this part of the beach was full of children building sandcastles. It was great to see so much enthusiastic activity on the beach, for it wasnt the warmest of days.
We spent a happy hour wandering about taking photographs and marvelling at the work
trying to decide which we liked best
Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 9:39PM We've been in London overnight, at an awards do at the Dorchester (which explains yesterday's photo of the day). As we drove home earlier this evening, we heard that Fairford Air Tattoo had been cancelled due to the weather, which surprised us, for it's not been too bad up there in the capital. Seems as though the car parks were waterlogged though, and I imagine that would have caused a huge problem.
Mind you, so might have this...
As we approached Swindon, I could see this huge thundercloud looming in front of us. Maggie, it looks like it's coming from your house - hope it's not Robin's frustration!!
It started to rain heavily for a very shrot time indeed - probably less than five minutes, and then the sun came out as we drove through and out the other side.
By the time we reached Cirencester, the sky was blue and you'd never have imagined it had been any different.
Whilst we were in London, I dropped into the Nokia shop to ask for help sending photographs to my blog from my N95 phone. You wouldn't believe how helpful and patient the response was - I was in there over an hour and am so nearly there. I think what remains is a Vodafone problem, but those guys in the Nokia store in Regent Street deserve huge praise for their tenacity and determination. At one point there were five phones and three pairs of hands on the problem - I sat back and let them get on with it - you know how fast those thumbs and fingers can fly around those little keypads!!
Thursday, July 10, 2008 at 4:11PM 
When I drive in a westerly direction from home, my journey often takes me along a wonderful stretch of Cotswold stone wall. It's a particularly special wall, for not only does it run in a single stretch for more than a mile, the design is unusual with a ridge running most of the length about a foot from the top. When, as often happens, a stretch collapses due to a collision or maybe just the weather, it is repaired almost immediately by a team of stonemasons who work inside a specially constructed tent. When they are finished, it's nearly impossible to see where they have worked, so fine is their craftsmanship.
One end of the wall begins at this unassuming gateway, set at right angles to the road with two fine pillars.
The other end is the entrance to the park itself, and a small lodge at the gateway.
Apart from knowing that this was the boundary wall for Lypiatt Park, I knew little else about the place. Some time ago, we had a talk at my WI from someone who'd been a housekeeper, but at the time I made no connection with the grand country house where she had worked and my favourite wall.
But lo and behold, in this month's Cotswold Life magazine, the owner of Lypiatt Park is profiled and it would appear that exciting things are happening somewhere behind that wall as a Sculpture Park is planned. Formerly the home of internationally renowned sculptor, Lynn Chadwick , it appears to have also been won in a bet placed by Dick Whittington. Not only that, but it might also have been the location of a fateful meeting between Robert Catesby and his co-conspirators (inlcuing Guy Fawkes) when the plan for the Gunpowder Plot was finialised.
Who'd have thought it?
