Spitting Yarn

So sorry it has been such an age since posting. This will be a no-picture-post, but I promise I’ll post something prettier this weekend. The internet silence has mainly been because work kicked off again, and DB and I are slowly trying to mend our social life. Hermit is not a good look.

I have stalled on Giotto sock # 2. Not because I have been struck down with S.S.S., but because despite having knitted the first sock without difficulty, I’ve now got stuck on the bloody gusset! I can’t work out which needle to use to pick up stitches and when to go to the next needle. I guess I must be thinking too hard about it, as sock # 1 is evidence I can do it! I have momentarily backed away from the sock. I’ll have another bash at working it out this weekend.

The knitting gap created by Giotto # 2 has been filled by a front of Kim Hargreaves’ Maggie cardigan, which is turning out nicely. It’s also a good mindless knit for my bus journey in the morning.

As part of this whole ‘social life’ thing, last night DB and I went to the launch of a book. The book in question is called Tales of the Decongested (you were probably wondering where that was going to come in) and it’s a collection of short stories. Lots of the writers featured in the book read their contributions or extracts from them. I was spell-bound. What a delight it was to stand in Foyles (an excellent London book shop) and to be transported away from my frenetic journey across town and my yukky day in the office.

I’d forgotten how much I like short stories. Having recently tried my hand at writing one, I appreciated how hard it is to bring together all of the elements of story-telling in so few words. It was a joy to have my imagination provoked in so many ways in a mere half an hour.

So, if you’re looking for some summer reading, you really must get yourselves a copy. It’s available from Amazon here, or through Gardners (details shown at the bottom of this page).

Apis Books, who published the volume, have also taken the step of recording some of the stories and making them available for download on their site – for free (go here). This is good internetting and they should be congratulated. So, if you’re too idle to hold a book open and move your eyes about, someone can read it in your ear via your ipod.

If that wasn’t fun enough for a Thursday evening, we then went to a new restaurant on Frith Street in Soho called Arbutus. We had an idea it was going to be good as our favourite food writer, Giles Coren, had given it a racingly good review (see here – there is a funny story about a strawberry tree thrown in for good measure).

I had the chicken sot-l’y-laisse with macaroni and broad beans and the saddle of rabbit (both of which Giles had, but I wasn’t copying, honest) and they were spectacular. Giles failed to mention the desserts on offer though, which was remiss. I had a floating island with *pink* pralines for crying out loud! I won’t wax lyrical any more, just go there when you get the chance and see for yourself.

Finally, I have to report a meeting with another fellow knitter blogger. I have left so long between posts, that Parikha of The Brown Sheep fame has managed to get back across the Atlantic and post about it before me. Anyway, we both failed to seize the obvious photo op, sorry about that. I blame it on the fact that it was a gloriously sunny day and I had a massive hangover (work summer ball at the Savoy the night before). Apologies to Parikha if I came across as a bit of a space cadet as a result!

Anyway, we met in Covent Garden and I found Parikha lovely, and even more beautiful than she appears on her blog. We found out we had some pretty random things in common, which was nice. I love meeting fellow knitter-bloggers! Speaking of which, it seems likely that I will be in Boston next Thursday evening and during the day on Friday. Yes, I am hopping across the Pond for one day only – the joy(!) So if any Bostonians are reading and can point me in the direction of good yarn stores and/or knitting meets on the Thursday night, do let me know!