Stage 6: Semur-en-Auxois - Bourg-en-Bresse

Poor Bradley Wiggins - how must it have felt to look over his shoulder and see the pelaton aproaching and getting nearer and nearer. When I started watching yesterday he was some seventeen minutes ahead - and he finished last!


At one point I remember wondering whether the pelaton would catch him at all, but they gradually pegged him back and the chase had an air of invariability about it. The hare and the tortoise all right. The question is, was he very brave or remarkably foolish? Today will tell I think, but it takes courage of a sort to ride the way he did yesterday.

Stage 7 today will sort the men from the boys methinks. Will Mark Cavendish have his day of glory? Bourg-en-Bresse - Le Grand Bornand is 197.5 km and the going for some will get tough.

I know how they feel. It has been a manic busy week, culminating in an unsuccessful job interview. Not to worry - at least there has been some progress with my Canapé. Nine and half pattern repeats completed now, but could someone please explain to me why I still have as much yarn left as when I started. I just don't understand. I am so enjoying the Tour de France KAL as it has rekindled my interest in the Tour - I haven't enjoyed a Tour so much for years.

Crash Bang Wallop

Forest Canapé

At last I am up and running with my knitting. As I said yesterday, for the duration of Le Tour the Forest Canopy Shawl has been renamed Forest Canapé. Knitting with a French flavour. And thank you Susan, how nice of you to visit my blog! And not to mind! I think I am going to enjoy this KAL

I am knitting this in a lovely sock yarn which I purchased from Natalie at this year's Woolfest - I'm afraid the label didn't have a colour, but as is always the way with Natalie's yarns it is a joy to knit with. I started last night, and have done the sixteen set up lace pattern rows and four pattern repeats.

I am going to Knit and Natter tonight with my friend Hilary, which usually entails more natter than knit, so don't expect progress any time soon! Oh and it's not a 6mm needle by the way it's an "old" size 6 which is the same as a 5mm needle, very few of my needles are metric and most of them are older than me! I'll be transferring to a circular soon.

Wasn't yesterday's stage dramatic! I shall leave you with a photo of my man to watch, Geraint Thomas the Welsh Wizard from Cardiff.

Le Tour de France

Le Prologue

Isn't summer wonderful! So much to keep me entertained now I have no football to watch. There's England's mixed fortunes against the Windies, (cricket for the uninitiated) The Grass Court season culminating in Wimbledon - did you Rafa glisten yesterday - and now, to entertain and inspire us all, the Tour de France. Oh, how fabulous. I just love the tour, we were even lucky enought to see a stage in France one year while on holiday.

This year The Tour kicked off in London which was marvellous. Natalie alerted us on the Crafty Threads 'n' Yarns board to the existance of the Tour de France KAL and I just HAD to join in. I may not have (Super) Mario Cipollini or Abdoujaparov ( what a sad end to a career ) to cheer on any more, but there are BRITS though who knows for how long.

I have a Maillot Vert in the KAL, competing for fastest "finisher". Well that's a laugh, I seem to have been at work ALL weekend, and due to staff sickness this included both a morning shift then a night shift Sunday so maybe slowest starter would be more appropriate.

With Many apologies to Susan Pierce Lawrence I am knitting a Forest Canopy Shoulder Shawl which for the duration of the Tour I shall be referring to as a Forest Canapé. Watch this space, who knows I may actually start something! Bon chance mes amies! There will be much "Ah non, je me suis lache une maille" which roughly translated means "oh buggrit I have dropped a stitch"

Here are some photos that DS1 took on Saturday, He was on the edge of Hyde Park, and had a fab day.

And now, as someone once said, for something completely different. I can kill a flowering plant just by looking at it! So what is so special about this phalaenopsis? I'll tell you what - it's last years!!!!! And for the very first time I have a phalaenopsis flowering for a second time. It's a miracle! It was a Silver Wedding present last year and I am thrilled that it it flowering again.

Alan Johnston

As I'm sure you all know by now, Alan Johnston has been released from captivity, and it is the best news I've heard for yonks! I shall have a big smile on my face all day.

I'm very very pleased and relieved for Alan and his family, and I hope he gets some time and space to recover some semblance of normality.

Woolfest

I feel that I know the M6 intimately. Having taken 6.5 hours to travel the 250 miles to Cockermouth, I was so pleased to arrive at Six Castlegate, my B&B. It was everything a good B&B should be, friendly and welcoming and comfortable and homely. It was a lovely evening despite the forecast, but I had arrived later than anticipated, so nowhere open to browse in, but I did find a little Italian restarant, and yes, indeed, senora DID want another glass of Pinot Grigio with her penne arabiatta! By the way, do you know what the most welcome word is on a motorway? No, not services, END, in big orange letters, when you've taken an hour to do 3 miles, END is a very welcome word indeed!

I had an early start on Saturday - 4:50 to be precise! A combination of light mornings, traffic noise and anticipation. So I knitted and I read, and eventually went down for a FABULOUS breakfast. They also packed me a wonderful lunch - honestly, it was very good indeed.

So I drove to Woolfest, parked, got in the queue and heard a yoohoo and who should it be but Badger and Alicat, and also a little further down the queue Wye Sue, Badger and Alicat very kindly offered to share their day with me, and great company they were too - thank you both, I had the best day. Badger was so busy with her photos, I almost forgot to take mine, but I met Artyfartykat, Acrylik, Woolly Wormhead, and loads of lovely people. My photos aren't the best, Badger has fab photos on her blog, but here are a few.

Fun on Felt

Mr and Mrs Yarnyard

Chrissy

Some lovely bright stuff


The Natural Dye Studio

Ohhhhhhh

My modest S.E.X!

It was a fab day - and thanks again to everyone for making it so special. I had a lovely evening of Dr Who, followed by anther Italian, but a different restaurant this time - I am of an age where I can't walk into pub on my own, not even to eat, a restaurant seems more proper somehow.

Another early wake up this morning - a disturbance over the road, but not to worry. Breakfast was HUGE and wonderful and off I set. I REALLY wanted to get home and see my family.

And now to home, because while I was spending today trying to get home my two DS's were running for Acorns children's Hospice in the Great Malvern Triple Run DS1 ( on the right ) in the half marathon and DS2 in the Spring Run. Conditions underfoot were dreadful by all accounts, some of the course was still under flood water and in the end the half marathon course was shortened slightly but they did it and I am very proud of them.

DS1 and DS2 - 9 years between them, but aren't they fab!

On the move

DS 2 is there somewhere!

And here!

All in all a great weekend, but tonight I feel like Dorothy - there's no place like home!

Too Cold for Strawberries!

It's June - isn't it? We've had the longest day, the nights are drawing in and and it's flipping cold! Mr A and I went to Wimbledon yesterday and I can at least say that my tootsies were warm in my razorshell socks, but very little else was. I needed every single one of my layers, and even added the pashmina I had popped in my bag too.

We woke yesterday morning to a detour - Upton on Severn was closed due to flooding, so we couldn't make for J1 of the M50 to get to the M5 South, Worcester was inaccessible from South of the city for the same reason so we decided, along with a great many other people, to head for Ledbury and J2 of the M50 which happily got us where we needed to be in the end.

We arrived later than planned, but all things considered a little travel disruption compared with what some people are enduring is nothing really. We were just in time for the first rain break, but when play did resume we saw a very tightly fought match on Court 13 between Safina and Bondarenko, 7:5, 7:6 ( 8:6 ) then a quite one-sided match with Martina Hingis.

Mr A went to find a up of tea and I remained in the stand, and watched the first few games of the Lubicic match. We had planned to drink our tea and make our way to Henman Hill. However, that was when the deluge started, and although it brightened once or twice it never looked like picking up and we called it a day t 6:00.

Martina Hingis

It was damn cold, and I had to wear my pashmina for extra neck warmth in spite of having a scarf. When the sun did make a fleeting appearance though, it was lovely.

There's no sadder sight at Wimbledon than covered courts

Every picture tells a story

We had some cracking good fish and chips on the way home though. I do hope the weather improves this weekend as I am driving up to Cockermouth tomorrow for Saturday's Woolfest.

A finished project and friendship!

At last - a finished project! I have had the knitting grumps these last few weeks, I have completed and discarded two knitted presents for friends' babies ( why is it that when we knit for someone else we are never satisfied ) so it is somewhat of a relief to have actually started and finished something and to be pleased with it!

Montego Bay

Yarn: Knitshop Mulberry in # Peacock

Needles 5.5mm Millwards

The pattern for Montego Bay can be found in the Summer Issue of Interweave. Now I know this wasn't the yarn called for, but I had this beautiful skein of Mulberry Silk ( 50% silk 50% merino wool which I had received from Chrissy in a Secret Santa swap, and I really wanted to use it to knit this with. I think it's a DK, but I really like the way it has knitted this pattern. And I think Peacock is just the right colour to call it - beautiful isn't it?

If anyone is thinking of knitting this - a word of caution if you are knitting in a finer yarn than I did. The pattern says US8's or 5.5mm, it wasn't till I was half way through I realised that a US8 is a 5mm not a 5.5mm - no problem for me with my yarn, but it may be with a finer yarn, depends what you want your stitch to look like I guess.

And now on to frindship! Now then, let me tell you that the on-line knitting community is by and large a wonderful place. If you had told me that I could be blogging away intermittently a few months ago I'd have laughed at you and yet here I am. And blogland takes you to some wonderful places I can tell you! And yesterday it led the postman to my door with these wonderful surprises.

This is what was written in the card.

Dear Joy,

I decided to have a "prize draw" for the regular commenters on my blog, and your name came out of the hat ( or rather bowl! ). I hope you like the contents of your parcel.

All the very best, knittyinpink

I can't tell you how overwhelmed I am by her generosity! Thank you!

And finally, another act of friendship here from Carolinne on the Crafty Threads 'n' Yarns forum. Carolinne does the most amazing sewing, and has introduced us all to ambigrams which are fascinating, and last week, when she knew I needed cheering up, Carolinne sent me this beautiful ambigrammed needle case, with an ambigram of Joy on it - isn't it beautiful

So, here's to the on-line knitting community and friendship, and long may we all go on with support and encouragement of each other!

Race For Life

There's nothing like the Race For Life to give you a reality check. I've been out of sorts this week, tired, emotional and very sorry for myself. I've had little motivation for anything really, just managing to do the bare minimum to get through the day.

Well Race day dawned and what a fabulous day. Blue skies with a cooling breeze. Not too hot. Perfect. And silly old grumpy me, prowling around this morning, I so did not want to do this. Mr A came with me ( a first ) and do you know the minute I stepped foot on Worcester Racecourse my spirits lifted a little. The carnival atmosphere was infectious, and I got generally caught up with all the high spirits and positivity.

I am so pleased I was wearing sunglasses, no-one could see the tears in my eyes when I was reading all those messages people were wearing on their backs. I had to make a difficult decison today though, sadly I wasn't able to run. Being post-viral I walked, I am tired and my dropped foot isn't working properly, and I really didn't want to fall. So my time was rubbish really, just under the hour, but not to worry. I'll run next year!

Here I am before the race

Progress

Getting over 5,000 runners organised well done to all the marshalls and organisers - a difficult job fantastically done

Never been so please to see the High Street - the end is in sight!

A lovely spot to rest afterwards, on the bridge overlooking the Cathedral


And for Jo and FatCat, a garden pose minus water butts, compost heaps and garden sheds!

All in all a great morning! A very uplifting morning too, and I've given myself a very good talking to. It's been my privilidge over the years to nurse some remarkably courageous people who have faced cancer with great dignity and spirit. And here am I allowing the minutiae of day to day life get me down. Well I'll tell you this, I have my health and a wonderful loving caring family and today I feel like the luckiest woman on earth.

And I know this isn't knitting - it's far more important than that!!!!!!!!! But it deserves a place on my blog. And I want to say "thank you" to everyone who has helped so much by sponsoring me, to Chrissy for her auction, Terri for the virtual encourgement, Noo for doing so well yesterday, and to everyone who has supported me recently. I'm still on virtual holiday, and I have the knitting grumps, but I'm recovering, and from today onwards I intend to enjoy every single minute of every single day!!!!! Starting now!!!!!!!!!

And buggrit - this is MY space and I'll post about what I jolly well please! And as long as people want to reply to my posts without any hidden agendas they will very welcome! After today, let me tell you that there is FAR more important stuff going on! Seeing a young child, no older then ten, with "In memory of my mum" on her back say it all. I'll remember her for a long time.

Aknita's Knits

I've made a couple of minor alterations to my blog. Firstly, the "other stories" has gone, my blog will now go by the highly unoriginal name of Aknita's Knits. No more little family references or anecdotes I'm afraid. From now on my blog will feature my knitting exploits only, which will probably make it a much less interesting place to visit, as these days not as much knitting takes place as it should! However, I will try to knit faster!

Secondly, sadly I have had to go along the lines of approving all blog comments before they appear.

I do hope you will still continue to pop in from time to time! I do enjoy your company and your comments.