Men!

Pretty quiet here on the island apart from the goings on at the building site next door. The lady who owns it is quite frustrated over the treatment she is getting from some of the workmen. This is a topic I was discussing with a friend just the other day - in this day and age it continues to amaze me how many men still treat women as though they are stupid and incapable of doing things that men can do. I've been having trouble with my mainland car, the battery has been flat twice since my alternator was replaced. Each time I've had to get the autoclub to jump start the car for me, then I've driven the to the battery shop and this week to the auto electrician. It's supposedly fixed now, but we'll see. The auto club man was talking to me like I had no idea what would flatten a battery, and actually said "are you sure you didn't leave the door open just a little bit? That could drain the battery." Duh, like I didn't know that. I park the car in a public carpark on the mainland which is not at all secure, so of course I shut the door properly!



I know this doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is the most recent of a number of similar incidents - if I was a man, do you think the guy would've asked him if he left the door to the car half open? No, I didn't think so. I'm a single woman who owns a house (paid for by me, not through a divorce settlement or similar), I have a job, 2 cars and a boat, and manage to live life without a man - fancy that? In fact there seem to be a lot more women around who are managing quite well on their own. I was in a relationship a few years ago which I ended, and truly, when all was said and done the only things I had to do after he moved out (which I had to arrange) was mow the lawn and take out the compost - 2 things I was doing before he came along. Oh and much less housework! 

BTW the arrival of the house next door is still a few weeks away.  I've been getting up in the morning and having a look out the window half expecting it to have arrived in the night.



Anyway, off my soapbox now, sorry for that but I had to get it out!  I spent half the day yesterday on the computer looking at all sorts of things, especially knitting and crochet blogs and sites now that there is a hint of coolness in the air.  For the crocheters among you I enjoyed reading this colourful blog by Sarah London, and absolutely love this Flickr photostream by Eclectic Gipsyland - the colours! 

Anyway while I was trawling through Ravelry I saw a bag that was made out of a rectangle of knitting so I thought I'd try it with fabric. This is a prototype which turned out a bit big I think, and would benefit from some interfacing or something. Everybody else probably knows how to do this, but it was a revelation to me!  Bit hard to see the diagonal seam across the front.  I'll try it with my library books which have to go back today.

Speaking of library books, I borrowed one about tatting.  My Mum knows how to tatt, so I thought I might make the effort and learn.  It does have its limitations, but I saw a photo of a tatted cuff which was made out of a gold coloured thread, and just made me think about how to make something out of a craft that to me just screams doilies doilies and more doilies.  Crochet has been a bit like that, so it's nice to see some of these crafts traditionally used for handkerchief edgings become a bit more relevant.  So much to do, so little time, right?