Friday Miscellany

Fashion Disasters R Us

Thankyou everyone for your supportive and sympathetic comments on my pathetic shopping trip this week, especially in the face of my self-indulgent rant. Ms Spider and Jejune, thankyou for your extraordinarily generous offers. I will be discussing these with you sometime soon! I've gone from down and frumpy to angry - angry that the fashion nazis force us into such crap choices, whilst totally removing any actual choice. Bias cut skirts might be your thing, but if they're not in fashion, too bad. Sadly, I do indeed sew, as Tanya suggested, but very badly with the end result that I have spent squillions on fabric and have a massive Pile of Shame and very few wearable things.

RoseRed is so right on two fronts: 1) I totally ignored the "rules of shopping" by going out with something in mind, ipso facto meaning I would never find it. (see next section for irrefutable proof of this rule). And 2) Trinny and Susannah do indeed know their stuff, and I hereby vow to seek out their literary works.

I think that's what upset me most - is that I can't seem to find my own sense of style. I do have a very nasty streak, however, that makes no hesitation in pointing out how badly other people dress (by that I mean strangers, and certainly not to their face - not that brave or silly!!). Beloved is always rousing on me for being mean. I guess I am a little; but hey, I might be daggy, but at least I wear clothes in the right size for me!

Shopping Goddess Smiles Once More

In complete proof of the rules of shopping, when Pirate Jim and I got out to the shops yesterday (he was an Angel of the highest order, bless him; little did I know he was working up to today, but that's another story!), we were on our way home with a full trolley, and on a whim I took the exit to the carpark that goes through the major department store at our local plaza / mall. I noticed a nice looking cardigan on a sale rack and .....30 minutes later, I tried on half their range and found 2 fabulous (well-fitting!) pairs of casual, not-black pants (dark brown cords and dark blue brushed cotton), the cardi (mid grey, very fine, below hip length with waist tie), a cinnamon brown polo neck pullover in the same fine wool and a beautiful teal-green scoop neck long-sleeve top.

So I have somewhat redeemed myself, although somewhat wounded the credit card in the process. However, all the items were on sale (the cardi was reduced by 40%), and I don't mind paying a bit more for quality stuff that fits properly. I think I've done my dash for winter though!

Namesdays and Fairy Cakes

Wednesday was Pirate Jim's Namesday (namestag). If you don't have a catholic or european background, you might not be familiar with this concept - I wasn't before hooking up with Beloved, but any culture that lets you celebrate and receive gifts twice each year is fine by me!

It goes like this: most names are directly, or can be derived, from a saint. As one who shares that name, you get to celebrate on the day for that saint. Think St George's David's (edited because Im a dunderhead; thanks Tinkingbell!) day in Wales, St Patricks day in Ireland....you get the idea. In Germany (the Catholic part anyway), you usually host an afternoon tea with lots of yummy cakes, everyone brings a small pressie, then after a suitable period of restraint (about the time it takes to clear the coffe pot and cakes plates) you get into the beer and schnapps.

So Wednesday was St Pirate of M'Hearty's Day. We didn't make a big fuss of it for PJ, but we did send him along to childcare with some fairycakes, inspired by the recent post on Mouthfuls of Heaven by RoseRed.

Mine didnt rise quite so well, but there wasnt even a crumb left in the cake box when I picked up PJ on Wednesday arvo.

Yay, some Good Mama points!

Dayflower KAL
As Kuka reported, she, Bells and I are having a little min-KAL for our first lace (or almost first - lace with training wheels perhaps). We have choasen the Dayflower scarf.

I cast on when PJ went to bed, and after one false start and about half an hour, I have a just a tiny something to show.

It's only about half a pattern repeat, but so far so good - once I realised that keep 3 sts at start and finish of every row in garter stitch for the edge meant EVERY row, not just the RS ones. Der. The yarn is a much paler, softer green than in this pic.

I'm off to knit more. With wine - not sure how advisable this is when knitting lace, but since today has been One of Those Days, as Tinkingbell so eloquently put it yesterday, wine is definitely the answer!

G x