Sarah Jane Humke

It is a rainy afternoon here in the not so lovely (currently) English countryside.  Actually, I don’t know if rain is exactly what I would call what it is doing outside currently.  It’s very misty and really closer to a drizzle than a full-on proper rain.  Let’s just put it this way, the dogs look at me as though I’ve gone daft when I ask them if they would like to go out.  They know what that sound on the conservatory roof means, they aren’t stupid!

So I thought that today would be a perfect day to sort out the attic.  We threw a bunch of random stuff that we had given-up hope of finding a home for up there before we had our guests this weekend and it was rather a mess.  We also had both lightbulbs burn out at the same time and a bunch of internet problems which meant that we were up there a fair amount, in the dark.  So, while I was at Homebase yesterday, I picked-up a couple of el-cheapo energy saving bulbs and put them up there.  Anyway, we had also decided to put the iPod player that Chris had picked-up cheaply while living here before I came up there as well for me to listen to when I go up to commune with my stash.  Thus, on this soggy, boggy day, I sorted the attic.  I know, my life is just riveting.  

The field across the road with the ewes is getting actually pretty thin of sheep.  The day that the ewe has the lambs the farmer comes and moves them to another pasture.  This daily ritual is actually pretty fun to watch as the farmer will pick-up the ewe and put her in the back of his pick-up/landrover.  As you can imagine, the sheep isn’t too keen on being picked up so some pretty hilarious struggles ensue.  The best, however, is the lambs.  For only being but a few hours old, they can be quite wily and quick.  It’s fun to see just how good of a struggle some of these wee little things really put up.  I’m sure that the farmer wouldn’t appreciate me cackling away in my 2nd story window at him trying to catch the little buggers, but since he probably doesn’t read this then I’m not going to sweat it too much.

I am nearly to the point in my commissioned blanket that I cannot go any further without the gold yarn.  I await the postman every day but he just keeps shoving bills and junk mail through the slot.  That is actually one of the things that I have been amazed at since getting here.  The amounts of junk mail and the level of sales calls.  It’s been so long since we had a landline telephone that I had completely forgotten just how many damn telemarketers really can call!

Cast on, a podcast made by an American that is living in Wales, has become my newest obsession.  Terri from Yarn Therapy mentioned it to me, ok, more like told me that I should really give it a listen.  So I have been and she’s right, it is a really great listen even if it is about knitting and not it’s fairer cousin.  Check it out for yourself.  It’s available for free at iTunes.

Today I also made a very grown-up decision.  I am not going to go to Wonderwool Wales even though I really, really want to.  Did you know that Wales has the highest density of sheep of any country in the world?  Neither did I until quiz night at the pub!  Anyway, Wonderwool Wales is the weekend that I am traveling home to Florida to graduate from college (not collage).  I could go on the 25th of April as I fly on the 26th but that just seems, well, fraught with possible serious calamities.  I mean, what could possibly go wrong with a plan that involves me driving, more than likely, alone all the way to Wales and back the night before an international flight?  So, Wonderwool is now on the list of things to do in 2010.  Sigh.  Oh well, can’t bitch too much given that I will be going to Maryland Sheep and Wool!  (I know, I know, I suck.  Love you too!)

Yesterday was a pretty major shopping expedition to Leighton Buzzard.  I got there ok (which is noteworthy as I feel that Leighton Buzzard is a suck of roadsigns and unnecessary traffic circles) and did the big Tesco and Homebase and then I decided to check out the Aldi.  Normally it is closed when I am there but since it was the middle of the day I was good to go.  I hadn’t been in this store before, and the stores that I had grown-up with in Iowa only really had frozen or canned items,  so it came as a huge surprise that it had stuff!  Stuff like clothes and plants and cut flowers and toys and well, you could feel this coming couldn’t you?  Yarn.  Yes, the Aldi had YARN in it.  Just plain acrylic, but it was good quality (think Vanna’s Choice) and cheap.  3 pounds for 5 balls.  500 grams of yarny goodness.  Of course, I had to buy it!  We need to encourage more grocery stores to carry yarn don’t you think?  It is part of our quest for world domination….

 

 

 

 

Another random factoid for you today.  The Union Jack is made up of the crosses of the patron saints of England, Ireland and Scotland but not Wales.  Interesting no?