Ta-Dah! Introducing The Sock!

Last night at just about 11:30, I finished knitting my first sock. It didn't take me all that long to make it, did it? There are no holes in it that I can find. True, it could be prettier and less lumpy looking, but perhaps after I wash and block it, it will look better. And, ignoring that pose-for-the-camera "smile" which makes me look like a donkey chewing cactus, you can see that the sock fits my foot. I am really delighted to have learned a new skill at the age of 66. Thank you Kay for teaching me this wonderful new method of sock-making.

I haven't updated the blog for several days because I've been quite busy. Our meal at Hamish's on Sunday evening was really nice. The decor, friendly service, menu choices, and most importantly, the food, were all up to a good standard. Prices were quite reasonable. We will definitely be going back--and taking some of you with us when you visit.

The concert Sunday evening was smashing! Eddi Reader has been singing folky songs for 25 or so years and just seems to get better and better. She has absolutely no pretensions or airs. What you see is what you get and that is worth a lot. Her voice is beautiful and adapts well to many different styles of singing. She belted some out, she crooned some, she did some traditional Burns songs, and always she sang beautifully. Her back-up band is terrific too. She's a complete natural and very plain-spoken and principled. When she learned recently that a performance scheduled for later this month in Northampton fell through because the venue went bust, and that no one who had bought tickets for her concert would be reimbursed, she put out word that those who sent her their tickets for the scheduled show would receive a signed copy of any one of her CDs free of charge. We left the Perth Concert Hall on quite a high Sunday evening, unlike the previous week when we left the concert early because we were disappointed with the group.

Again we stopped at Tescos on the way home to top up with petrol and then to do a bit of shopping. It was after 12:30 am when we left the store. By the time we had gotten home, unloaded the shopping bags and put everything away, it was after 1:30. It seems we've been trying to catch up on our sleep ever since. We had what they call a "long lie" this morning and I think we're back to normal.

Don continues to play golf every day as well as prepare publicity materials for the upcoming Strathearn Music Concert. In addition, he's gone to St. Fillans Music Circle and to his Probus meeting.

I've been spending more time in my studio. The log cabin quilt blocks are finished now and all joined together. I am now working on the Art Nouveau design to be floated on top of the blocks as a transparency. I also met yesterday with Margaret, my friend whom I will be tutoring in quilt design and surface techniques in the coming months. We've whittled down the original prospectus of 10 lessons to 5 or 6. Now I must create a detailed lesson plan as we start next Thursday.

As if I needed something else to do on Mondays (besides So and Sews and chorus), I have joined the Crieff Writers' Group. It meets two Monday mornings each month. My friend Norma has been working on getting me there for a year now and I'm glad she did so. I received a warm welcome, recognized a few faces, and actually know 2 of the people. I listened to people read their truly moving memories of living through World War II which was their assignment for that meeting. Our next assignment, which I too am working on, is to write two poems (one rhyming, one blank verse) to be critiqued by Perthshire's Writer in Residence, Ajay Close. I have read a collection of her short stories and her first novel for she was a new writer to hit the Scottish literature scene about a dozen years ago. We're to send our poems to her by February 26th and she will meet with us on March 5th. I have begun the rhyming poem but still have no idea what the blank verse one will be--right now it's, well, a blank!

After 2 weeks back on the most restrictive Phase I of the diet, I lost only 2 lbs, so I am now on Phase II until I've gradually lost another stone or so. Meanwhile, I've lost a total of 15 lbs and feel able to resume my Pilates class, beginning next Tuesday. Now, though, I must go into the studio and draw some fantastically tall lady with billowing skirts and lots of fabulous hair.