Sunday 21 June 2009

Longest Day of the Year...

So, it's 9pm and I'm sat here with a cup of tea, a burning candle and Bat for Lashes on the stereo. It all feels very.... ethereal, I guess. I don't feel depressed when the longest day has been and gone; I quite like the nights slowly drawing in. I'm not genetically built for summer- pale skin, red hair and freckles equal sunburn paranoia. I love autumn. But I guess by November I'll be wishing for summer again. I'm never happy with what I have..!

Benn is due back from cricket soon and I'm glad. The intense pain I get in my side is back and I hate being on my own when it hits me :( Seriously, it's like being stabbed in the side and the pain is so intense, I go all hot and cold. It's worse when I'm teaching and it happens; it's hard to keep my face straight. Thankfully I'm going to the hospital to have it checked out on Wednesday. I'm a bit nervous, as I don't know what they'll do. *Sigh*. The pain has been with me on and off for nearly three years and it's only now it's being taken seriously. We'll see.

So, I spent the longest day of the year knitting and watching season 2 of Buffy. I like to say it's for the new unit I'm writing for Media Studies (a study of how the changing faces of Batman/the Joker or the presentation of Buffy show changing attitudes of society) but who am I kidding? I want to finish my socks and relive my teenage years.

Oh, and my sweet peas have flowered! I don't know if you remember the fiasco of last year, but today a bright red/pink flower bloomed and cheered me up no end. I need to get a little posy vase to put them in. I'll have a look when I venture on my hunt for tea caddies at the weekend (don't ask!)

Sunday 14 June 2009

Well, I'm back!

I suppose I better un-neglect my blog! I don't know where the last two months have gone, life has been both hectic and dull... School has been very busy and I have been just using my downtime to knit, read and potter.

However, on the other hand, I have actually been on an aeroplane! We went to Ireland for five days back at the end of May. I discovered an *amazing* tea shop in Dublin: http://www.palaisdesthes.com/en/ One criticism I would have of Dublin is that, despite its literary heritage, there is a distinct lack of good bookshops.

Whilst in Ireland, we visited my great grandad's home town, Cork, and I did some very interesting research about his life there. I found out about the Irish War of Independence and the Civil War and I'm chasing his involvement in the latter and WWI. It's absolutely addictive and brings out the history geek/journalist in me. It was even worth the 4 and a half hour coach trip from Dublin and back again. We visited two prisons and I now have a collection of books on the Irish fight for independence... I'm so rock n roll!

My knitting and reading have been steadily pottering along, I've been working on my blanket, I finished a pair of Hedera socks and now I'm knitting some hot pink ribbed numbers.

I also had a piece published by the Bookseller and it's looking like a website I've been working for might be going online soon, so my writing is coming on. Hopefully I will get more and be able to build my portfolio (and who knows, maybe become A Real-Life Writer!)

Right now though, I want to sit down with my knitting (after nudging Balders out of my place on the sofa..) with a cup of tea and the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I should be working on some Wuthering Heights stuff...