Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes – unless you’re very unlucky – life is good.
The last few days have been particularly good here at TheTwistedYarn, (which no doubt means that everything will go catastrophically wrong tomorrow). The Toddler Twinnage have played adorably, the stoic spouse has spent happy evenings preparing to lay model railway track in the back garden of our brewery home (don’t ask), and I have had some peaceful knitting moments in the spring sunshine. The other day, on a whim, I decided to knit the entire world. (Pattern on Rav, here.) Progress is good, and I’ll show you the finished object soon. It’ll look better once I’ve stuffed it. It’s been fun to think about each country as I knit it. Here’s where I’m up to, accompanied by a mug of green tea and one of the cookies I baked for our work away day. (Had to test the cookies before inflicting them on esteemed colleagues, obviously.)
That cookie was good. There’s a lot of chocolate in that blighter. Rich, 85% cocoa solids kinda chocolate. 🙂
So we had the worky away-day, and the cookies were demolished, and the day finished earlier than a normal working day so I had a rare and blissful entire hour alone before I had to collect the toddler twinnage. And so I found a beautiful old pub on the banks of the Thames in rural Oxfordshire, and spent the hour sitting happy and alone by the river with a pot of green tea and my knitting.
So I knitted, and I watched the occasional narrowboat chug by, and I watched the mayflies enjoy their single day of life, and the swallows swooping and plunging to catch them, and the thuggish coots busying themselves on the water, and the superior moorhens paddling disdainfully past, and a crotchety crow harrying a red kite in the sky above. And then a ridiculous man launched a sail-boat from the opposite bank, despite the fact that there was absolutely no wind, and after sort-of floating listlessly and vaguely downstream for 20 minutes he begged a passing motor-boat to tow him back upstream, at which point he fell over-board whilst trying to tether his boat, then, soaked-through, he hauled his boat onto a trailer and drove away.
The housey yarn-bombing has not been forgotten, by the way. Over-excited ‘ta-da’ post coming very soon…
Oh, cool! You’ve got the whole world in your hands! (Do you know that old folksong?!) Sounds like a lovely interlude in your busy, busy life.
Yes, we used to sing that at school! I’m not going to be able to get it out of my head, now….. 🙂
What is your project by the Thames?
A vest top for the toddler twinnage. I’m making a whole pile of them. Easy, quick, project. 🙂
Two beautiful WIPs there. Love those colours. Now going to check out that world pattern on ravelry ?
Thank you. I recommend the pattern.
I love the image of the man falling overboard while sailing with no wind …… definitely an optimist!
Yes! I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing.
What a wonderful and entertaining hour you had – many thanks to the man in the sail boat for his contribution 🙂 The knitting is all so very NEAT! I am quite in awe of your ability to not shred the yarn and to not make random odd loose stitches that mar the symmetry…… and despite your last post on how easy it is I remain obstinately unable to attempt fairisle!
And applauding the chocolate cookies!! 🙂
Awww, thank you! And no, I’m not that neat.
Your world is looking good. 🙂
I really like your account of the sailboat. I am laughing so hard right now. I also love that another commenter (Jennifer) called him an optimist…I would have called him something unkind, but “optimist” is perfect. 🙂
Yes, Jennifer’s right! I couldn’t quite believe what I was watching…
Sounds like a great way to spend an hour… And the antics of the guy on the boat really made me laugh! Your woolly world is fab too ☺
Thank you. 🙂
I’d be reclining on the mosaic tabletop, I think, with the world at that angle. Sounds idyllic indeed: quiet time, fantastic pastime, much on view to entertain, green tea and a choc chip biscuit. Could life be any better?
Yup, there have been some pretty blissful moments this week. 🙂
Your post just really cheered me up. Happy twins, entertaining man on boat, great knitting (I will definitely knit that world too), and a promise to show us soon the yarn bombing. I am really looking forward to that
Thank you. I do recommend the world pattern. If you go to the English version and look at the charts, there’s a modified one that shows the countries more accurately – that’s the one I’m using.
thanks for that tip
Blissful! And the knitting in the final photos is such lovely colours
Thank you. 🙂
I’m so jealous of your knitting by the water. It’s the one of the things I miss most about living in Indiana, getting to spend weekends at the lake crocheting by the water.
Oh that must have been lovely (when you were in Indiana, I mean). And now I’m jealous of me, too, cos I had to go to work as normal yesterday: no more riverside knitting!
Such wonderful knitting goodness here! I look forward to seeing the finished world!
Bliss, amusements and bemusements; what more could you want?
Wow! Fabulous colours and awesome designs of your in progress creations… 🙂 Good to know that you are enjoying the good spring days 🙂
Regards,
Sindhu
Tantu
The Arts & Me
Thank you. 🙂
Just read the part about the man and the yacht – so funny! x
Such a lovely day! Love your pic of knitting by the Thames 🙂 ❤ <3