I have a date for the Magical, Mystical, Sydney Memorial- Spinning a yarn Tour - Yep! This year will see me on my way to Australia! I was dithering between ferry ports - should I go from Portsmouth - to get to Paris? Then I arranged accommodation with a friend in the 53rd arrondissemont - which is 93km from St Malo - and there appeared to be a ferry from Plymouth. Seemed straightforward and all set. Then came the New Year - WHAT? no time, no time (like the white rabbit) - and with a renewed sense of urgency I went to book the ferry online - only to discover the Plymouth-St. Malo ferry only runs in the winter. Looked elsewhere and noticed Condor Ferries sail form Poole to St. Malo. On a fare comparison site cost appeared to be £42.50 - but no mention of bicycle. So I thought I ought to check with the Condor ferry website direct - YES! There's a sale on - all fares reduced if booked by 23rd Jan. And I wondered why the crossing was so much shorter on Tuesday than Monday - because it goes via Guernsey is why! So not only did I save on the fare, but I also get to start my textile explorations by looking for my favourite fisherman's sweater in its birthplace. Never been to Guernsey before! I started to get excited! Ferry booked for 5th April - which gives me a leisurely 3 days to get from home to Poole. St. Malo looks to be a beautiful Britanny port also - with a walled town and medieval architecture.
In another incidence of things falling into place in the right way - I was considering having my leaving bash down the pub on April Fool's Day (which seemed apt). Not long atter this thought crossed my noddle. my neighbour Sara approached me with a proposal - she hasn't hosted a party in a while, how about we have my leaving do in her garden (with it's amazing green oak studio to shelter in if the weather is true to form). Fabulous! So there's an open invite to my leaving do on April Fool's day.
All of a sudden the trip starts to look like it's really going to happen. Another friend Poppy said I would probably find all sorts of reasons not to go, over the next few months - and that's started to happen. Young friend's first baby due June, another young friend (who I watched grow up with my son) is getting married in August. But these things will always happen. Life won't stop while I'm away.
The wonderful, the stimulating, the creative knitting club at Ruth Knowles' house for example... What a fabulous group of women come together! Conversation last Wednesday ranged from waxing upper lips (ooo the pain!) to shaving legs and murder and how fast technology is changing the way we all relate. (Well I can see the connections). This group has been getting together for just about three years (really?!) and I love it and shall miss it terribly when I go away though I'm sure it will grow and change and flourish whilst I'm gone (as all things must and will).
To change the subject from maudlin' , I have begun cultivating a daily drawing habit - in a bid to get into shape for the recording of the bicycle tour. Today is the 8th January and here are the first several drawings for this year, some good, some bad and some indifferent - practise makes perfect!
In another incidence of things falling into place in the right way - I was considering having my leaving bash down the pub on April Fool's Day (which seemed apt). Not long atter this thought crossed my noddle. my neighbour Sara approached me with a proposal - she hasn't hosted a party in a while, how about we have my leaving do in her garden (with it's amazing green oak studio to shelter in if the weather is true to form). Fabulous! So there's an open invite to my leaving do on April Fool's day.
All of a sudden the trip starts to look like it's really going to happen. Another friend Poppy said I would probably find all sorts of reasons not to go, over the next few months - and that's started to happen. Young friend's first baby due June, another young friend (who I watched grow up with my son) is getting married in August. But these things will always happen. Life won't stop while I'm away.
The wonderful, the stimulating, the creative knitting club at Ruth Knowles' house for example... What a fabulous group of women come together! Conversation last Wednesday ranged from waxing upper lips (ooo the pain!) to shaving legs and murder and how fast technology is changing the way we all relate. (Well I can see the connections). This group has been getting together for just about three years (really?!) and I love it and shall miss it terribly when I go away though I'm sure it will grow and change and flourish whilst I'm gone (as all things must and will).
To change the subject from maudlin' , I have begun cultivating a daily drawing habit - in a bid to get into shape for the recording of the bicycle tour. Today is the 8th January and here are the first several drawings for this year, some good, some bad and some indifferent - practise makes perfect!
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