Original Carrollwood and the new Yost Estate

Part of my Florida Christmas was the annual Yost pilgrimage. She and all of hers has moved into the new residence and its lovely. The night I stayed was also the night that daughter had a sleep over and the next morning we had breakfast with the girls and their Mums. So here we are in the new chairs enjoying a sunny morning between Christmas and new year in The Original Carollwood.

Now the funny thing is about The Original Carrollwood is that if you grew up in north Tampa way back when. There was no need for the "the original" part of that moniker there was only Carrollwood. Then across Dale Mabry they built Carrollwood Village. That was where the 1970s nouveau riche lived. I was decidedly out in the regular 'burbs in Lake Mag. Anyway, apparantly The Original Carrollwood had to stake its claim as everything north of, say, Waters Avenue is now know as generic Carrollwood. So now its famous in a song and everything. Here's Piece of Paradise as sung on WMNF.

Note my Mum is a volunteer at WMNF so this is kind of a plug.

Sunday morning with papers and lace

sunday morning with papers and lace
Originally uploaded by sillewellyn.

Am trying to learn to knit lace because I found this amazing book; Victorian Lace Today. This woman from Oxford did all this amazing research on old Victorian patterns for knitted lace. Its funny, the actual patterns are fascinating, but not something I would wear myself. They do seem like they would be at home draped over a large overstuffed sofa in a crowded room.

But the challenge is really something I am up for! Plus lace weight yarn is so wonderful and light. Once I have put that much effort into something I'm not sure I would actually want anyone to wear it...

Of course its also just a big excuse to sit by a window and knit in the soft winter light.

Green Acres is the place to be...

green acres
Originally uploaded by sillewellyn.

At the end of October several of us went to the wilds of Kent to celebrate a birthday. We stayed in a renovated oast house

and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

On Sunday we took a long walk and I was delighted to pass by the Green Acres farm. Do you think they know they named it after an old American television program? As it happens, there wasn't another American on the weekend (three Australians and a Brit) so I didn't get to have a big giggle with anyone else - so giggle with me now, please.

snow on creampuff

snow on creampuff
Originally uploaded by sillewellyn.

Here is day 2 of the big London snow. Actually, it has not been that bad but I did have to leave creampuff at home for the day. I'm not that confident of London drivers, icy roads and my ability to negotiate both of them. It would have been cold but I am now getting used to dressing for the weather.

I still say there is nothing better to put an exclamation point at the end of your day than riding home through the streets of London. If its been a particularly harrowing day; I drive across town and go up through Regent's Park. Its dark and green and in the summer lovely. IN the winter its cold and dark and lonely but its still a nice end.

Hope your last Saturday before Christmas is not too busy.

4th Plinth - extreme knitting

http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Knitsib

I fogot to show a link to this fabulous article about planners in Croyden

The boys and girls in the band - or the future of planning in the UK

It's supposed to snow tonight

Yikes, travel tomorrow will be hell but hopefully there will be some good photo's to link too. Not much happening now - other than darkness but you know that don't you.

Left the office

Tonight I went to a great party at nla. With my new job I get to leave the office on occasion, now. The exhibit was interesting and there was a great model of London on display. I missed the talk given by Peter Finch, but had a lovely conversation with nla chairman Peter Murray, programme director Debbie Whitfield and Managing Director Nick McKeogh. I highly recommend that you go by the Building Centre if you are in London.

Good wine and I met some wonderful new London people; perfect pre-christmas open house. Despite the fact that it was raining and I had to get a proposal out the door, I still went with our new marketing director and it was great.

Note to self: leave the office.

gosh, I have let down the side and not blogged in an age

It's ridiculously dark in London by 3:30, so I am looking forward to my visit home. I'm scheduled to fly BA next week and on Monday BA flight crew scheduled a 12 day strike! Oh no, much gnashing of teeth and then I just said, "what will be will be." Guess what? Today a court said the ballot was illegal and so (hopefully) I fly on Christmas Eve as planned.

Makes me think is BA too big to fail? How many times have you heard that phrase "too big to fail" in the last year? So, I have decided to start thinking of myself as too big to fail.

I am toatlly going to cheat and retroactively post an entry about the ladies who knit!

Ladies who knit

ladies who knit
Originally uploaded by sillewellyn.

had to post a pipcture of the newest knitting group. barely holds a candle to the pub group when I first got here.

Yesterday we had the first domestic meeting of the Ladies "who all work together at an un-named place" knitting session. There were loads of tea sandwiches, I even made cucumber ones. I broke out the tiered cake stand, and made massive amounts of coffee. Of course, we all ended up drinking gin and tonics and then wine as the afternoon wore on.

We did get some knitting done though as can be seen in the photo above. Sarah's working on a sampler scarf (which she promptly left in a cab two days later!). Kirsty is working on a small house - she's an architect so I guess that explains it. Rachael is just knitting, we think it may be a scarf but mostly she's just learning.

We also had a roaring fire so it was a wonderful Saturday well spent.