Hello Dear Readers,
The 10th of February was a very special day for me. That's right, it marks ONE YEAR since I posted this about my troublesome trip to the UK. Well, I've been here for one year now and what a fun time it's been! It's so nice to be able to look back over my year of posts and pictures and see how far I've come, from no job to my dream of working at Kew to my new position at the British Natural History Museum. I was floored by a cold for the last week so I've been pretty lazy and have no pictures to post but I have been busy having fun and knitting up a storm, so many deadlines to meet. Chris and I went to see Totem which was AMAZING. Really inspiring, makes me want to kick up my yoga a bit. Then we went to a great vegan reesturant in South Kensington, dangerously close to my work..... I'm just relaxing at home today te shake the remnants of my cold, but plan to be back a the gym starting tomorrow.
Hope you guys have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it, and most of all hearing from you.
Here's to another good year of posting. I managed 67 last year, that's at least once a week, not too bad!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Knit-o-Rama
Hello Dear Readers,
I know, I know, long time no post. Been busy this month with working 6-7 days a week (plus taking Greek lessons on Thursdays, at last!) but I am feeling a bit rough today so I'm taking it easy and working from home today. Taking a break from work though I thought I'd update you on my craft activities.
You may remember this yarn from this post almost a year ago that Patrick gave me for my birthday. I have been working on this cardigan since August, designing, knitting, ripping, knitting, repeat and finally finished two weeks ago. It's so light and lovely, but still warm since it's cashmere and silk. Love wearing it, but I'm still a bit nervous that I'm going to snag it on something, or that I will spill sauce on it!
Here is another finished item, a little shrug made out of what was left over from Odie's sweater
And this fun little guy who is very naughty and keeps appearing all over the house; i.e. in Patrick's bed, in my closet etc....... naughty monkey! My mother sent me the yarn and patterns for making sock monkeys and I am loving it. After finishing this one I cast on right away for the baby version. They are going to a friend of ours in Cyprus who is having her second son in April.
Big plans this weekend as Chris and I are going to see Cirque du Solei's new production, Totem. It is at Royal Albert hall and we are going with our friends Molly and George from Graduate school. Afterwards we are going to a vegan resturant, hooray!
I know, I know, long time no post. Been busy this month with working 6-7 days a week (plus taking Greek lessons on Thursdays, at last!) but I am feeling a bit rough today so I'm taking it easy and working from home today. Taking a break from work though I thought I'd update you on my craft activities.
You may remember this yarn from this post almost a year ago that Patrick gave me for my birthday. I have been working on this cardigan since August, designing, knitting, ripping, knitting, repeat and finally finished two weeks ago. It's so light and lovely, but still warm since it's cashmere and silk. Love wearing it, but I'm still a bit nervous that I'm going to snag it on something, or that I will spill sauce on it!
Here is another finished item, a little shrug made out of what was left over from Odie's sweater
And this fun little guy who is very naughty and keeps appearing all over the house; i.e. in Patrick's bed, in my closet etc....... naughty monkey! My mother sent me the yarn and patterns for making sock monkeys and I am loving it. After finishing this one I cast on right away for the baby version. They are going to a friend of ours in Cyprus who is having her second son in April.Big plans this weekend as Chris and I are going to see Cirque du Solei's new production, Totem. It is at Royal Albert hall and we are going with our friends Molly and George from Graduate school. Afterwards we are going to a vegan resturant, hooray!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Last post about Cyprus
Hello Dear Readers,
Made it back from Cyprus last week safe and sound, but from the time the plane hit the ground I was off running, back to work, back to the gym, back to Kew on Sat's and teaching knitting on Sun so I've been too busy to post properly. Chris and I moved rooms over the holiday and now we are in the spacious upstairs room that used to belong to my brother (he's moved his huge stash of clothes, books, video games etc into the largest room, he needs it!). The upshot is that Chris has space for his desk and computer and I have a horizontal space for my sewing machine and crafting. Yay! It's the perfect amount of space for us, photos to follow. It also means we have lots more room for visitors, including a pull out futon in Patrick's room (Hint Hint HINT!).
Here are some of the last images I took in Cyprus. The Epiphany is a really big deal there, and the Archbishop of all Cyprus comes to Paphos (he's from there anyway) and throws the celabratory cross into the sea, which crazy young men dive in after. I have no idea what this is supposed to symbolize, but it's a rip roaring good time with a band, marching naval ensigns, cotton candy and popcorn sellers, the works.
In the afternoon Chris and I took one last drive in the mountains. We saw donkeys and goats, and this amazing waterspout over the sea at sunset. 
It's a little hard to see because the sunset lighting was poor, but towards the left of center is a dark bit of cloud that extended all the way to the sea. Pretty neat sight!
All in all it was an ok trip, but all the family obligations we had, not to mention staying with my mother in law for two weeks, meant I was REALLY glad to come back to my own house and my own space.
We may be going back at Easter time, we'll have to see. For right now I'm enjoying finishing off my blue laceweight sweater, making a prodded rug for Patrick's new bathroom, and knitting up some sock monkeys for some friends of ours who are expecting their second child in April. Never at a loss for somethin to do.
Cheers!
Made it back from Cyprus last week safe and sound, but from the time the plane hit the ground I was off running, back to work, back to the gym, back to Kew on Sat's and teaching knitting on Sun so I've been too busy to post properly. Chris and I moved rooms over the holiday and now we are in the spacious upstairs room that used to belong to my brother (he's moved his huge stash of clothes, books, video games etc into the largest room, he needs it!). The upshot is that Chris has space for his desk and computer and I have a horizontal space for my sewing machine and crafting. Yay! It's the perfect amount of space for us, photos to follow. It also means we have lots more room for visitors, including a pull out futon in Patrick's room (Hint Hint HINT!).
Here are some of the last images I took in Cyprus. The Epiphany is a really big deal there, and the Archbishop of all Cyprus comes to Paphos (he's from there anyway) and throws the celabratory cross into the sea, which crazy young men dive in after. I have no idea what this is supposed to symbolize, but it's a rip roaring good time with a band, marching naval ensigns, cotton candy and popcorn sellers, the works.
In the afternoon Chris and I took one last drive in the mountains. We saw donkeys and goats, and this amazing waterspout over the sea at sunset. 
It's a little hard to see because the sunset lighting was poor, but towards the left of center is a dark bit of cloud that extended all the way to the sea. Pretty neat sight!All in all it was an ok trip, but all the family obligations we had, not to mention staying with my mother in law for two weeks, meant I was REALLY glad to come back to my own house and my own space.
We may be going back at Easter time, we'll have to see. For right now I'm enjoying finishing off my blue laceweight sweater, making a prodded rug for Patrick's new bathroom, and knitting up some sock monkeys for some friends of ours who are expecting their second child in April. Never at a loss for somethin to do.
Cheers!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
More Holiday Fun
Hello Dear Readers,
Another whirlwind week in progress here at our holiday house in sunny Cyprus. After recovering from New Years, Chris and I took a fantastic hike on a trail in the north-west peninsula known as the Akamas region. There is a sort of nature preserve there with four hiking trails. We took a 7.5 km one that started out going pretty much straight up a hill, what would in Texas probably be classed as a mountain. It did afford us spectacular views of the bay of Lachi which this photo hardly does justice to (yay for dipping into my 2011 photos now, love that fresh feeling of a new year!).
It got pretty warm hiking and I was down to just a tank top - I know Chris will not like the plunge back into the London cold next week! We saw some pretty good flora, including lots of cyclamins which are my favorite.
We also saw this strange new bush with unusual berries.......(the picture isn't great so I'll tell you they are shells from shotguns)
We heard quite a few gunshots while we were out, and even ran into a jeepload of hunters. I was repeating "don't shoot don't shoot" as we were hiking but as I don't know how to say it in Greek it probably didn't make a difference one way or another..... When we got to the top there was a large stone structure and some ruins, it looked like an old church or monestary, with a few remnants of paintings on walls still visable. I took some of the stones that had fallen off the ruined walls and put them back on - every little helps as they say in England.
Another day we went to the little botanic gardens that is set up here, but to be honest it was pretty dissapointing, mislabeled plants and very small gardens. We were also the only people there, I think they were preparing for some big event because the tavern was set up with chairs draped in white fabrices, but no one seemed to pay us much attention anyway.
One of my favorite things to do in the world is to finish things, specifically craft projects. Chris's mom has had these needlepoint projects in her closet certainly as long as I've been coming to Cyprus, and most of them were started when Chris's sister was 5 or 6.
This time I decided to really get cracking on finishing some. We took a trip to the local habadashary to see if they had some of the same yarn, the woman said whoah those are really old, we don't carry that knid of thread anymore but you can try a shop called Evros. We went there and took a look and lo and behold he still had most of the colors I needed! I asked about the white for the background and he said evyerthhign I have is there because the factory stopped making that kind of yarn a long time ago. I may very well be the last person that buys that kind of tapeestry thread off of him.
As of the writing of this blog I'm just about done with the one with the girl in the white background....... no idea really what I will do with them but they were just calling out to me to be finished and liberated from their bag in the back of the closet. If you see anything you like feel free to call dibs! I can make it up into a pillow, or it can be framed, turned into a bag.... you name it.
Finally on Tuesdsay we caught some of the solar eclipse that was visable here. I tried to take a photo of it but it didn't turn out at all. Here is chris checking it out behind the safety of some polarised glass he has just for that purpose.
I never saw a proper solar eclipse before, even a partial one like this. It was pretty special.
Tomorrow is the Epiphany, the last day of Christamas and an important day here in the holiday calander. We are going to try to get up early enough to watch them throw a cross into the sea an see a bunch of grown men swim after it to try to catch it..... not sure what that achieves but it'll be a good cultural experience anyway. After that we are driving to the capital to see Chris's sister and her family, in the quiet of their own home instead of the craziness of the holiday.
Homeagain home again on the 9th....looking forward to it. I like being here on vacation and learning lots of Greek, but there really is no place like home!
Another whirlwind week in progress here at our holiday house in sunny Cyprus. After recovering from New Years, Chris and I took a fantastic hike on a trail in the north-west peninsula known as the Akamas region. There is a sort of nature preserve there with four hiking trails. We took a 7.5 km one that started out going pretty much straight up a hill, what would in Texas probably be classed as a mountain. It did afford us spectacular views of the bay of Lachi which this photo hardly does justice to (yay for dipping into my 2011 photos now, love that fresh feeling of a new year!).
It got pretty warm hiking and I was down to just a tank top - I know Chris will not like the plunge back into the London cold next week! We saw some pretty good flora, including lots of cyclamins which are my favorite.
We also saw this strange new bush with unusual berries.......(the picture isn't great so I'll tell you they are shells from shotguns)
We heard quite a few gunshots while we were out, and even ran into a jeepload of hunters. I was repeating "don't shoot don't shoot" as we were hiking but as I don't know how to say it in Greek it probably didn't make a difference one way or another..... When we got to the top there was a large stone structure and some ruins, it looked like an old church or monestary, with a few remnants of paintings on walls still visable. I took some of the stones that had fallen off the ruined walls and put them back on - every little helps as they say in England.Another day we went to the little botanic gardens that is set up here, but to be honest it was pretty dissapointing, mislabeled plants and very small gardens. We were also the only people there, I think they were preparing for some big event because the tavern was set up with chairs draped in white fabrices, but no one seemed to pay us much attention anyway.
One of my favorite things to do in the world is to finish things, specifically craft projects. Chris's mom has had these needlepoint projects in her closet certainly as long as I've been coming to Cyprus, and most of them were started when Chris's sister was 5 or 6.
This time I decided to really get cracking on finishing some. We took a trip to the local habadashary to see if they had some of the same yarn, the woman said whoah those are really old, we don't carry that knid of thread anymore but you can try a shop called Evros. We went there and took a look and lo and behold he still had most of the colors I needed! I asked about the white for the background and he said evyerthhign I have is there because the factory stopped making that kind of yarn a long time ago. I may very well be the last person that buys that kind of tapeestry thread off of him.
As of the writing of this blog I'm just about done with the one with the girl in the white background....... no idea really what I will do with them but they were just calling out to me to be finished and liberated from their bag in the back of the closet. If you see anything you like feel free to call dibs! I can make it up into a pillow, or it can be framed, turned into a bag.... you name it.Finally on Tuesdsay we caught some of the solar eclipse that was visable here. I tried to take a photo of it but it didn't turn out at all. Here is chris checking it out behind the safety of some polarised glass he has just for that purpose.
I never saw a proper solar eclipse before, even a partial one like this. It was pretty special.Tomorrow is the Epiphany, the last day of Christamas and an important day here in the holiday calander. We are going to try to get up early enough to watch them throw a cross into the sea an see a bunch of grown men swim after it to try to catch it..... not sure what that achieves but it'll be a good cultural experience anyway. After that we are driving to the capital to see Chris's sister and her family, in the quiet of their own home instead of the craziness of the holiday.
Home
again home again on the 9th....looking forward to it. I like being here on vacation and learning lots of Greek, but there really is no place like home!
Friday, December 31, 2010
The sweet face of success.
Hello Dear Readers,
Stuck on holiday where I don't speak the language well means lots of posts! I got to meet my nephew in person today and give him his Christamas (New Years) present in person for once. He got a little owl and a sweater vest. It fits! Hooray! Here is Theo Christakis holding him down for a photo.....
Way to guess on the sizing! I think I've trained him early enough that he won't be adverse to handknits or allergic to wool, but I'm not going to take any chances, sweater number two is all ready to be delivered for his second birthday and I see a sock monkey in his future....
Happy New Years Everyone! Drink lots of champagne and think of me, it's my favorite....
Stuck on holiday where I don't speak the language well means lots of posts! I got to meet my nephew in person today and give him his Christamas (New Years) present in person for once. He got a little owl and a sweater vest. It fits! Hooray! Here is Theo Christakis holding him down for a photo.....
Way to guess on the sizing! I think I've trained him early enough that he won't be adverse to handknits or allergic to wool, but I'm not going to take any chances, sweater number two is all ready to be delivered for his second birthday and I see a sock monkey in his future....Happy New Years Everyone! Drink lots of champagne and think of me, it's my favorite....
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Greetings from Cyprus!
Hello Dear Readers,
Chris and I made it to Cyprus on Monday with no difficulties, it was amazing to come here for the first time without being totally jet lagged! And flying into the Paphos airport (15 min drive from Chris's house) instead of Larnaca (2 hours drive). The weather has been really great, sunny and warm, a nice change from London and I get to give my summer clothes an airing, which is good since I'm tired of the winter ones now! So far we've spent our days visiting friends which means drinking a lot of tea and coffee and eating.
I did get a chance to take a walk around the village and see all the changes in the past 4 years since I last came. Here I am with Chris's aunt and his cousin Christiana. They are the two that are helping me the most with learning Greek. Today we worked on colors!
I get a lot of oportunities to pratice as well as listen when we go to big family gatherings like this one at his cousin's house. This was after we ate when about half the people had left or were in the other room! Of course after about an hour of loud Greek chatter I need a little break, so I always have my knitting handy for tuning out and unwinding. I brought my blue lace sweater and I think I'll probalby finish the sleeves by the end of the trip, especially as we'll have more big get togethers around New Years.
I have been trying to take photos for the blog, but we are just so busy! And it's hard to wrangle people in to photographs (here are Chris and I with his other cousin Valando, Christiana's sister. They live next door to Chris so they are more like sisters than cousins). I also have been taking many family photos to put in the digital photo frame Chris brought his mother last time he was here. He hadn't loaded it with pictures so I've put on a bunch I had on this computer but am trying to get some more current ones on. Tomorrow his sister should be here with his nephew and I'm sure I'll be snapping lots of photos of that. New Years, not Christmas, is the gift giving day here, and it's also the big dinner and celebration. It's nice because it's like I get two Christmases this year!
Chris and I made it to Cyprus on Monday with no difficulties, it was amazing to come here for the first time without being totally jet lagged! And flying into the Paphos airport (15 min drive from Chris's house) instead of Larnaca (2 hours drive). The weather has been really great, sunny and warm, a nice change from London and I get to give my summer clothes an airing, which is good since I'm tired of the winter ones now! So far we've spent our days visiting friends which means drinking a lot of tea and coffee and eating.
I did get a chance to take a walk around the village and see all the changes in the past 4 years since I last came. Here I am with Chris's aunt and his cousin Christiana. They are the two that are helping me the most with learning Greek. Today we worked on colors!
I get a lot of oportunities to pratice as well as listen when we go to big family gatherings like this one at his cousin's house. This was after we ate when about half the people had left or were in the other room! Of course after about an hour of loud Greek chatter I need a little break, so I always have my knitting handy for tuning out and unwinding. I brought my blue lace sweater and I think I'll probalby finish the sleeves by the end of the trip, especially as we'll have more big get togethers around New Years.
I have been trying to take photos for the blog, but we are just so busy! And it's hard to wrangle people in to photographs (here are Chris and I with his other cousin Valando, Christiana's sister. They live next door to Chris so they are more like sisters than cousins). I also have been taking many family photos to put in the digital photo frame Chris brought his mother last time he was here. He hadn't loaded it with pictures so I've put on a bunch I had on this computer but am trying to get some more current ones on. Tomorrow his sister should be here with his nephew and I'm sure I'll be snapping lots of photos of that. New Years, not Christmas, is the gift giving day here, and it's also the big dinner and celebration. It's nice because it's like I get two Christmases this year!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Happy Christmas All!
Merry Christmas Dear Readers!
This will be a pretty long post as I've been saving things up till I got around to posting! Busy busy week as usual, we had our work Christmas Party this week with a theme of "What I wanted to be when I grew up" (the English are obsessed with costume or "fancy dress" parties). I hadn't planned on going until the last minute so I'm not dressed but my two office mates did. Later I snapped a shot of them in our bay in the Cryptogamic Herbarium ("Crypt").
Hannah is wearing her "thinking cap" leftover from her Christmas party costume and Elina is gloriously draped in barcodes for our specimens. Just outside and to the left of the stone windows you see is our very own gargolye. I love this buidling!
Speaking of which, I made Patrick keep his promise of taking me to see Harry Potter (he had free movie tickets and Chris has trouble following the plots so we agreed to see it together) and as he had a half day of work Friday I made him come to the Museum so I can show him the behind the scenes tour.
These monkies crawl up the arch near the steps to our door, such detail! The museum was closed to the public Friday so we pretty much had the place to ourselves to poke in the neat corners, open the old books in the library and generally enjoy the place. Afterwards we had a snack at Carlucci's, a place I always see on my way to work outside the bus and wanted to get in. Then we saw Potter which was AMAZING! See it if you haven't already!
Later that evening we did presents via Skype with my parents and spoke to my sister this morning. She showed us her "Chocolate of the Month Club" gift from her boyfriend...... NOT!!! A few hours later she called us back from her boyfriend's parents house and showed us this:
The chocolate of the month was a decoy! (of course I'd prefer that to a ring but still) Congratulations Cat and Jeff! Now you just have to decide on a day! After having a traditional American Christmas dinner (Turkey, potatoes, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, stuffing and pumpkin pie) we sat playing with our toys, here is Patrick on Guitar Hero and Chris simultaneously playing with his laptop and his new IPAD which I gave him for Christmas, which we've all had a few turns on... it is SUPPOSED to be for him.
The most fun toy tonight has been the long paper roll from the wrapping paper we finished off this season, we are using it as a microphone, megaphone, telescope and giant comedy ear horn....... ah the simple things in life.
Probably the bottle of champagne Patrick gave me as part of my amazing Hotel Chocolate gift box of which I'm on my second flute of doesn't help....
Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you are all having some kind of fun or at least catching up on rest and relaxation! Off to Cyprus on Monday, will report on that soon!
This will be a pretty long post as I've been saving things up till I got around to posting! Busy busy week as usual, we had our work Christmas Party this week with a theme of "What I wanted to be when I grew up" (the English are obsessed with costume or "fancy dress" parties). I hadn't planned on going until the last minute so I'm not dressed but my two office mates did. Later I snapped a shot of them in our bay in the Cryptogamic Herbarium ("Crypt").
Hannah is wearing her "thinking cap" leftover from her Christmas party costume and Elina is gloriously draped in barcodes for our specimens. Just outside and to the left of the stone windows you see is our very own gargolye. I love this buidling!Speaking of which, I made Patrick keep his promise of taking me to see Harry Potter (he had free movie tickets and Chris has trouble following the plots so we agreed to see it together) and as he had a half day of work Friday I made him come to the Museum so I can show him the behind the scenes tour.
These monkies crawl up the arch near the steps to our door, such detail! The museum was closed to the public Friday so we pretty much had the place to ourselves to poke in the neat corners, open the old books in the library and generally enjoy the place. Afterwards we had a snack at Carlucci's, a place I always see on my way to work outside the bus and wanted to get in. Then we saw Potter which was AMAZING! See it if you haven't already!
Later that evening we did presents via Skype with my parents and spoke to my sister this morning. She showed us her "Chocolate of the Month Club" gift from her boyfriend...... NOT!!! A few hours later she called us back from her boyfriend's parents house and showed us this:
The chocolate of the month was a decoy! (of course I'd prefer that to a ring but still) Congratulations Cat and Jeff! Now you just have to decide on a day! After having a traditional American Christmas dinner (Turkey, potatoes, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, stuffing and pumpkin pie) we sat playing with our toys, here is Patrick on Guitar Hero and Chris simultaneously playing with his laptop and his new IPAD which I gave him for Christmas, which we've all had a few turns on... it is SUPPOSED to be for him.
The most fun toy tonight has been the long paper roll from the wrapping paper we finished off this season, we are using it as a microphone, megaphone, telescope and giant comedy ear horn....... ah the simple things in life.
Probably the bottle of champagne Patrick gave me as part of my amazing Hotel Chocolate gift box of which I'm on my second flute of doesn't help....
Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you are all having some kind of fun or at least catching up on rest and relaxation! Off to Cyprus on Monday, will report on that soon!
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