my goodness, how time flies when you're having fun ...

Spent a great deal of last week on the road, first visiting and helping look after grandson Luke. After that I went on to granddaughter Ellie, where I was privileged to visit her nursery on 'Grandparents' Open Day', a splendid notion which others could copy. She was as delighted to see me as I was her, rushing into my arms. I got a full tour indoors and out, including the 'Secret Garden', and shared tea. Altogether lovely. After that we went together to her home, and had tea with mum and dad.

The w/e was then spent going to Sheffield for a family 60th birthday dinner on Saturday night. The birthday boy, my sister's boyfriend and a chef and trainer of chefs, celebrated in a local restaurant whose chefs were his former pupils - no pressure then! It was an excellent meal, and occasion, and we all had lots of fun, in spite of the pouring rain outside. That continued into Sunday, but cleared enough for me to show Peter some of the lovely countryside beloved of my youth in the Peak District National Park. Didn't get any photos, but click on the link if you're interested. It is a most beautiful part of the world. At school we had a rambling club and would walk many weekends, and I went a lot with my parents too. We also ate Bakewell Tart in Bakewell before heading for home.

Anyway, sharing the driving at the weekend meant I was finally able to finish my Mystery Shawlalong, Etain, from Goddess Knits. This was on my conscience, because it was started a long time ago, and then put to one side. Now it is finished, I think I shall give it to my eldest daughter for Christmas. This is what it looked like on the needles, a crumpled heap:

Here it is before blocking:
After blocking (I used wires from Heirloom Knitting and T-pins.) It jumped all over the place, because I don't really have the space to block anything this large and this shape! ;) As you can see; it is spread across my bed, which is c. 6'6" by 5'3":

Lastly, a couple of detail shots:

I shan't do any more Mystery projects, as there are things I like and things I don't like so much about this shawl, viz:

Things I like: the yarn is lovely and I have learnt a lot of new things about how the stitches behave.

Things I don't like: the colours are a bit brash for my taste - I went along with the suggestion, because sight unseen I didn't know what else to do. Nor would I necessarily have used the stitches in that way, and I would certainly have made the colour band widths different. But all in all, I like it, and am glad to have knitted it. And I'm pretty certain my eldest daughter will like it too.

And saving the best until last: my viola Gossamer CashSilk for my Princess is winging its way to me as I write. I shall be interspersing this with a Rowan top, as I know that I shan't be able to take the Princess everywhere with me - although I'll have a good try! The top is Cabled Tank Top from Rowan Studio, Issue 10, using 7 balls of Rowan Cotton Glace in dawn grey - from my stash! That makes me feel awfully virtuous, which is just as well, because the CashSilk is costing a queen's ransom. But then, ain't I the queen! ;)