FAIL

After a promising start, the Lib Dems seem to have managed to ruin whatever kudos they had at their conference by being bizarrely incompetent. I'd say laughably incompetent, but it's not really funny, just incomprehensible. There must be some sort of leadership 101 which says "your colleagues, who are as democratically elected as you are, will not like to be surprised at your national conference". And yet? And yet.

Well, they did manage to unleash a nice attack on George Osborne. Which is always entertaining. Still, in the current turmoil, I do feel that they should be making more gains than they are. Although I felt the same way from 2003 onwards and they completely failed to capitalise on that, so I shouldn't be surprised.

In other news, I am thoroughly depressed by the success of some of the people I went to University with, even though my link to them is tenuous at best. One has just published a second book (I am still refusing to read the first one in case it turns out to be really good, even though it's trashy young adult fiction, and makes me want to fall on my own sword. Which sounds like a sexual innuendo but really isn't) and the thought of it makes me want to take to my bed and only emerge when I've managed to write a mind-blowing, feminist, literary bestseller of a first novel. Which is never going to happen. As I can't sustain writing a blog, a novel seems a bit of a stretch. Alas, the perils of being ambitious but terribly lazy. Being bitter and consumed by envy is my only recourse. That and crochet. Done in a bitter, envious manner.

Infinite Illness

July has so far been pretty crap. I managed to catch swine flu (how? Why? No-one knows) and have been off work for two weeks. Which would have been great, except I was ill and thus didn't enjoy it. So - the verdict on swine flu: I wouldn't recommend it. It's like normal flu, except people make lots of pig jokes. Getting into the spirit of this, I was about to send a colleague the reply "you won't be laughing when I'm dead" but the SO pointed out that this wasn't as amusing as I thought it was. He totally *wouldn't* be laughing if I was dead though. Yeah...

So the first week was pretty rough, with the aching, exhaustion and the nausea from the Tamiflu (thank god they don't give that stuff out all the time). I managed to finish Infinite Jest though. I was going to take part in the Infinite Summer, but it turned out to be more like an Infinite Weekend. Admittedly, I read quickly, but it was quite convenient as the book is too heavy to commute with. A period of illness was what was required. And it was a great book and well worth reading. In fact, I wish I'd read it sooner. Apart from the Days of the Incredible Headache, I then read Pride & Prejudice a few times, watched the BBC box set (again, a few times. P&P is comfort food for the brain). Then I reread American Gods by Neil Gaiman, which is a particular favourite of mine and crocheted myself a clutch bag for a wedding I'm going to. I think it really ties the outfit together (in a Big Lebowski, rug kind of way) but the SO think it just looks like I got bored and crocheted myself a rectangle with a flower on. Too bad though. It's going to get worn.

To be honest, I am not great at being ill and doing nothing. As you can probably tell.

This week I was mostly working from home/napping. And then a spot of vomiting mid week, but otherwise recovering gently. Apart from work, I achieved nothing. Which just goes to show that my motivation depends on me being told not to do anything. The one bad thing about working from home is that it encourages colleagues to dump on you, despite your weak and fragile constitution (ahem). Which is why I will have to work through this weekend. It totally sucks and I would complain that I need my rest, but it's not like I've actually done anything productive this week *but* rest and I'm trying to avoid having millions of sick days on my record. So I should really try and show willing. Who knows what kind of disease I could pick up in November after all? Maybe the Plague.

Back to normality again soon though. Although now I'm starting to feel well enough to enjoy my time away, it's not so great. Catch 22.

That Friday feeling

To celebrate the incoming end of the working week (and what a week it has been!), I thought I'd post some of my favourite creative websites. It turns out my shin splints are stress fractures, so I won't be doing any running or jumping for a while. Just a lot of fantasising about making wonderful things, crocheting and no doubt stressing about weddings.

So, here is a website I use when I'm pretending that I am artfully stylish and don't have the attention span of a gnat. Especially the Before and After section. If I started a project like this, there'd be unfinished, fraying furniture all over the house. I'm very good at starting things, full of enthusiasm, then getting bored once it turns out it's not going to be quick and or easy. Which is why I love crochet. Because it is both. I recently finished a pink crocheted bolero - not that I know when I might want to wear a bright pink crocheted bolero, but that is not the point.

Then, when I'm looking for presents, I like to turn to Etsy. And then usually end up buying a present for myself, whilst I'm at it. It's all so lovely and unusual! Speaking of which, today I found a great jewelery designer - Laura Baillie. You should definitely check her stuff out, because it is wonderful. I'll certainly be revisiting her website (and blog!) over the next few months.

I'm sure the urge to create cake stands out of vintage plates and glasses will pass (I would never use a cake stand, nor do I have anywhere to store it, but apparently this is not enough to stop me longing to make one). It's probably seasonal. In about 6 months I will be pickling, preserving and curding like a woman possessed. Then I will make hundreds of mince pies. Last weekend I made over 60 fairy cakes. This has all been a bit of a shock to the SO, as for the rest of the year I lie around, legarthic, watching the grand prix and occasionally motivating myself for a trip to Waitrose. Maybe I just need some wine and an horse tranquiliser...

ps - I shall add the websites to my blogroll...

The Travelling Circus

I am currently celebrating the brief interlude of nothingness before I start The New Job next week by spending a week with various different family members. All very nice. Apart from the rain, but I can't really complain about that - so far it's allowed me to crochet a shawl and two hats (I'm onto winter clothing now - it might be July but you just never know when the cold might hit...). I'm quite tempted to start a third hat, but feel I probably ought to learn some different stitches first - there are only so many tea-cosyesque hats a woman and her SO need. I quite fancy doing some crazy shell-like lacy stitching but it might be too mentally taxing to work out how to do that in the round (I'm supposed to be on holiday, after all - plenty of time for thinking next week).

Other than that, I've been enjoying the culinary delight that is thai curry with deep fried haddock - perhaps the finest dish ever invented, although I grant you it does sound weird. I've also been living the cafe lifestyle with a delicious brunch last weekend. Later this week, we're off here, which is a fantastic gastro-pub and well worth the visit if you're in the area.

So, besides crocheting a multitude of hats and growing to the size of a weather balloon, not much going on. We're hoping the rain might ease long enough for us to get out and walk some of it off this afternoon...