Friday, December 23, 2011

Change my picture

Well, it's been a busy week. Work has been really busy, and when that happens (and it's a GOOD thing) I get rather behind with the websites and blogs etc that I follow online. I don't get much chance to be online at home, it's almost rather a luxury when the housework is constantly calling me!

The Cog and I had a short weekend break to Copenhagen. It was rather cold (0-2 degrees) when the wind blew, but no snow. Food was 50% more expensive and alcohol 100% more expensive, luckily it was only a two day break, because my bank account was in the negative by the time we got back. We walked lots (they have the longest pedestrianised shopping street, Stroget) and visited the Tivoli christmas market, which is kind of a giant christmas theme park really. Picked up a traditional "angel wheel" - not sure what else to call it - it's a small propeller suspended over candles, and there are cherubs that revolve and strike bells. I put it up the other night and just popped it over the gas fire - no need for candles. It's a traditional Scandinavian thing I think, though I have seen small ones (that use a tealight) on the Brum xmas markets. We also popped to Malmo on the Sunday - Sweden and Denmark are connected by a railway line that runs below Copenhagen airport and the line then ascends up through the sea and becomes a bridge. It was a bit wet that day but we met an old friend of Greg's and we tried moose burgers. I suspect Sweden is even more expensive than Denmark but I was blissfully unaware of the exchange rate - only way to relax, haha! We didn't get to visit many attractions in Copenhagen, unfortunately - we tried to visit the church with the spiral spire on Saturday but it was closed because of a wedding, and when we headed to the Botanical gardens we discovered that Monday was the one day they shut. Pah!

I did pick up two skeins of some plain black Danish sock wool. Unfortunately, it was on our last day, so I didn't want to have to withdraw more cash, and the shop owner had a minimum on the VISA machine, so I had to put the dusky pink yarn I'd chosen for myself back. She had scads of Noro, Annie Blatt (?), angoras and merinos etc - and I'm sure I spotted the surprise jacket in the front window too. A proper yarn shop, and I didn't go mad. The Cog was checking my temperature afterwards, I think I shocked him with my abstinance.

Finished up another quick xmas knit present last night - only a little something - I'm not daft enough to start a major item three days before xmas. Photos when they've been gifted and when I can remember to actually bring my camera with me. Was kicking myself for making them in black, though - nightmare to cast off and sew up even WITH a daylight lamp.

So, what else? Ummm.... had two xmas meals to go to, the works one in a local pub was great but the staff got confused and I didn't get to eat the thing I'd ordered (salmon risotto) because they then brought out fish of the day (also salmon) and they thought it was mine. The Knitwits visit to Pizza Express was ok but I reckon the serving staff forgot about us because we didn't leave until almost 10 o'clock (and had to pay in the carpark - must be a time limit to the free xmas parking thing!). I've just won a pussycat money box in the works raffle - it looks kinda cute and Japanese and the cat apparently swipes your money (as long as you put some batteries in). Got two more things to wrap, and then got a big pile of ironing and some house-cleaning to do. But all in all, no last minute panic. The supermarket was rammed this morning at about 7.15am so a lot of people haven't planned at all it seems! :)

Merry christmas and happy holidays to all my readers, and here's to a peaceful, knitty, New Year!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas to you. Thanks for an interesting year's reading.
Joanna