By popular request.....

.....I'm back. My public has been baying for an update (well one person asked what had happened to my blog) so I thought I'd better do me a post.

I've actually finished off a project that had stalled; to whit my second pair of slippers from the Fibretrends pattern I bought at Get Knitted.

You may remember that I'd knitted a pair using the yarn double but thought I'd try a pair using it single too. It's worked pretty well, certainly shrank more than the first pair, not quite as comfy to wear as they're thinner but I'm happy with them.

I did make them in the Mary Jane Style but cut the straps off after felting as my ankles are a bit too thick for them to be comfortable (particularly the left one, which is full of metal).

So now I have a pair to wear at home and a pair to wear at Ro's. She has made a pair too which she gave to a friend but alas I have no picture of them.

I took the picture last night but when I looked at it my legs looked a bit unshaven and bristly and I wasn't going to post it then I had the idea of going over it with PhotoFiltre Studio. I downloaded this for free (for thirty days I think) and it's very good. So I can now airbrush my photos!! (wish shaving my legs was as quick and easy as airbrushing the stubble away!)

The second project that was on hold was my second pair of Dublin Bay socks which I'd started with the remainder of the Cherry Tree Hill "Fall Foliage". I'd completed the first sock, started the second and then hit a wall. I take them along with me everywhere but never get them out!! Poooh!

So on Wednesday I had a delivery at HMP Bla******st (official secrets dontcha know) and I rolled up at nine fifteen, booked in to deliver and was told to queue up behind the Hovis truck and wait. Of course because of security they can only let one vehicle in at a time so I was in for the long haul. Out came the knitting and I sat and waited. I waited about three quarters of an hour so I got plenty done and have carried on since then. Second sock should be finished very soon. watch this space!

I've never done a delivery to a prison before and wasn't sure what to expect. I got patted down, had a very nice (if slightly dim) spaniel hoiked into the truck to check for drugs or something, which went something like:

Handler lifts dog onto back of truck;
Dog (staring out of the back of the truck)- I wanna get down!!!
Handler - Good boy go on.
Dog - I wanna get down!!!!!
Handler - go on, find it.
Dog - I wanna get down, let me out!!!!!!!!!
Handler - Go on, I'm not coming up there.
Dog - let me out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rachel helpfully points out the pull down ladder, handler gets up onto the truck and attempts to enthuse dog.
Dog - okay I've pretended to be interested NOW will you let me get down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Handler - come on then!
Rachel - Do you want to look in the chiller unit?
receives dirty look from handler.

I then handed in my mobile phone and penknife (didn't tell them about my knitting needles) and was admitted to the inner sanctum. I didn't actually see any prisoners whilst unloading which took about ten minutes. Still at least it kick started my knitting again.