Oh what a sky!

The sky is very heavy with rain out there - well, it will help me when I need to get around to washing my car later.

I shocked my poor husband yesterday - I actually cleaned the inside of my car! I haven't done that in far too long. Sorry, but housework, and cleaning are really not my "thing". I now need to get the windscreens and other glass surfaces cleaned today. Then I can wash the car - with the help of the rain that looks as if it will arrive later today.

What has brought about this madness? Well, I have been sharing my car with my younger daughter. At long last, she now has her own!! Yesterday, I had great delight in emptying the boot (trunk?) of all her paraphenalia. Now I can really make my little car my own. It is a Ford Fiesta. Quite fuel-efficient and big enough for my needs, I really should look after it a bit more than I have been. I must own up to looking after my sewing machine rather better than this faithful mode of transport.

It has been rather a hectic week. I have really not got very much of my own "work" done. School has kept me rather too busy.

Firstly, I am now on to the third attempt at starting my cowl. I have kept on getting it twisted. Infuriating. This time I have started knitting it on dpns (doubled pointed needles). Hopefully I shall get it right this time. What is it they say? Third time lucky............

When I went into town yesterday, I was lucky to find a second copy of the Therese de Dillmont classic "Encyclopedia of Needlework." This copy was rather more expensive than my first. This one still has it's dust cover and must be around forty years newer. The photos on the cover seem to date from the fifties and early sixties.

Madness to buy another copy of the same book? Well, perhaps. The newer copy is one I would feel happier actually using. It is a little bigger and is in excellent condition. My older copy - well, that has such character. It has clearly seen a lot of use and I love it for all of that. However, some sections are a little fragile and I would be worried about using it out of the house. Will I ever actually use these books? Of course I will. There is so much valuable information and such a range of techniques within these pages, I shall probably not get around to trying everything.

I told you I had had a crazy week. Well, it all started last weekend, when I was asked to repair my younger daughter Rosie's favourite dress. The zip had broken and the zip needed some reinforcement since the dress also has lacing to both side seams - probably the cause of the zip breaking in the first place. It was needed for Thursday evening. A rush-job in a madly busy week................................... It got completed on time. I added a flap behind the zip with a strip of velcro as an extra reinforcement.

Rosemary arrived home on the Thursday after visiting her elder sister, Liz. "Mum...."

Yes, big sister needs me to replace the pocket zip on her favourite jacket. The jacket is leather. Not a project I have ever tried before. I bought replacement zips for both pockets yesterday, not having been able to match the zip which had originally been used. Luckily, there is no immediate rush to get this done. Just as well, since I really don't have the time.

I am extremely lucky. Both daughters are great friends, and very appreciative of my efforts.

Oh yes, I made the mistake last week of asking my elder daughter what she would like for her birthday. There was a list - she has recently moved into a flat with her boyfriend. Amidst the list was a request............ could I make her another jumper? Blue and cream this time. No hurry.

So of course, I had to go and get some colour charts. I shall have to ask the question - which blue? There are several these days. We are so lucky as knitters and stitchers to have such a wealth of colours we can add to our creative palette.

In sympathy, the rain has really started outside. The sky has gone very dark and I do not think I shall venture out until it stops.

As I edit this post, the rain has just stopped and this is the sky outside my window. I think I am being urged to get off this chair, away from this computer to get on with things! I have a feeling that the rain will not have stopped for long.

Bye for now.