Then one foggy Christmas eve,...

So after saying in my last blog entry that i'd rather stay in London for X'mas, my wish might actually come true what with the delays at Heathrow caused by the dense fog. From the view in my office on the 14th Floor, the whole of London looks eerie, like it's just shrunk and the fog's closing in - wasn't there some ghastly Stephen King novel once about an evil fog that was made into a movie? Before I spook myself silly, I'll just try to pretend that the whole town's become a giant sauna (ok, it's freezing in London at the moment I know but the whole object of the exercise is to pretend.....)

Am suffering a hangover from hell today as I got smashed up with P last night and then rolled up to the Alaska X'mas party where highlights of the night were these rappers and musicians jamming,.... something about 'South West Connection', my memory of the party is slightly hazy (or should I say foggy?) I think I might have embarassed Gruff a little by being the drunk, stumbling, shuffling girlfriend who's trying to dance (cringe factor 10). P and I went to a number of fine Soho establishments and tried unsuccessfully to look like discerning 30-somethings and drunk ourselves silly because we felt old amongst the trendy, nubile youngsters but it was good - P and I once used to stagger around Soho most nights of the week when we were also young and firm. I like to think that we'll still be carousing around in Soho when we're saggier and have surrendered to gravity.

But I was in Liberty's picking up yarn for Gruff's Knuck gloves and the yarn sale started before my very eyes! I couldn't believe it when the nice Rowan ladies started dragging out bags of discounted yarn and unpacking them in front of me. My eyes must have been popping out as I tried to peer through to see what goodies were in store and whether the full-price yarn I was holding in my arms would be in the discount bin. One of the Rowan ladies must have seen the naked greed in my eyes because she shoved a bag under the table away from me and gave me a sharp look before hurrying off to attend to a customer at the till. She was probably afraid of tempting the woolly animal inside of me that would have pounced on the bags, tearing through the plastic with my teeth and wildly delving through balls of yarn. It was pure serendipity, a magic moment- 40% off lovely yarn and no other shoppers to wrestle with - I'm sure my bank balance agrees. I was so spoilt for choice and trying to contain my urge to buy everything in sight and conscious at the same time that every ticking moment was making me even later for my appointment with P. It was 15 minutes of pure and agonising bliss - will try to post photos of my spoils soon.

It's a quiet day in the office and someone has just brought me the loveliest chocolate brownie cake I have ever tasted - it's from Borough Market and it feels as though I've just died and gone to heaven,... hmmmm,..... that maybe explains the fog.... and the Liberty's yarn sale..... ah, well - life despite the stupid delays is still pretty much good - I will try not to worry too much about the folks being disappointed should I not make it back for X'mas, it's all a bit much for my tender head at the moment.

Bedales, Cakes and Yarn

Met up with the lovely ladies of the Pat Val knitting group after the longest time. Was really good to have a catch up and get pissed although I discovered that Alex's hoodie has now got a very strange row. Ah well, he's little and probably won't notice or mind. Am panicking slightly about getting the X'mas woolly presents completed in time. Have culled my list so drastically to realistically reflect that only Alex's and Mama's presents will be delivered - everyone else's including B's fingerles knucks gloves and grey scarf will have to wait. Next year, I'll start knitting Xmas presents in August! Managed to finish Freddy's aran jumper and Susan's scarf in time though, plus Martina's red beret and Diane's birthday bag were finally completed and delivered last Saturday. Phew,... I hate it when projects hang around for ages - way past their completion dates - I will try to be more organised next year and maybe less ambitious!

Since my last blog entry, I've had some lovely knitting adventures. Watched 'Casino Royale' at Knitflicks with Sofia who came down for my birthday, then I brought her to the lovely and cosy I Knit shop in Vauxhall so that she could buy me my present - poor Sofia was dragged along in my mad knitting obsession. Then when I brought B to the National to watch 'The Seafarer' I met Craig who owns the I Knit shop with Gerrard and he got us fantastic seats which was really very kind of him. It was B's first time in the theatre and I was so glad it was a good experience. Have also been asked to help out with a friend's final year fashion show at Saint Martin's. Her final project is going to be knitwear and I've been making little mohair, lace hats which has thankfully gone down really well.

Will be flying home for X'mas this Saturday, i'm slightly worried that there will be massive delays due to fog etc and kind of wished I was staying in London for X'mas this year, will miss the telly too much. How sad am I? Booo....