I liked the colours and patterns of my neighbours children’s swing set. Although there is something quite dystopian about an empty playground, like in Terminator. This is ink over oil pastel using a resist technique. It’s good for doing a strong background without having to colour round everything.
Success! After many hackneyed and leaden romcom film offerings I really loved The Jane Austen Book Club. A group of women (and one man) form a book club to ponder their lives and discuss Jane Austen's books. Each character is allocated one of her novels to discuss in the club, which seems to reflect their life. Through their reading and discussions they come to understand their lives and relationships better.
A varied group of characters, witty dialogue and great actors make this a satisfying watch where you really care, there’s also the book by Karen Joy Fowler which I might have to read too.
My favourite Jane Austen is Persuasion, with a close second for Pride and Prejudice. I’m not sure what that says about me....
Completed: my first macrame project. it’s a wall hanging about 60cm long. It’s a bit wonky but I really enjoyed making it and am very pleased with it. Macrame was a very popular craft in the 70s and I remember doing it at school.
Macrame is a rather pointless hobby but very soothing and obsessive. I can even do it during zoom meetings.
My next project is a plant holder kit I got for my birthday. After that, definitely some more.......
Front and back views of my weird shrug. Basically a tube knitted from two different colour schemes of wool, each ball of which is fairly different in itself. I like it though. I might knit some more variants of this, it seems useful. Wool used is a Japanese hand dyed called Noro Kureyon.
On Wednesdays Alistair does online wargaming. So I have a project, following on from my christmas films project, of watching things he wouldn't enjoy.
Currently this is romance/romcom films. My favourites so far are ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, which is more of a romantic drama, but a bit of a Jane Austen style set in Singapore. Beautifully produced film in amazing locations.
And ‘13 Going on 30’ with Jennifer Garner (from Alias) and Mark Ruffalo (from Marvel). Jennifer is a 13 year old girl who suddenly wakes up and is 30, in the future, and sees her life has gone off track. It’s very funny.
Popular films I didn't like included The Proposal: leaden and obvious humour. And The Holiday: great female cast but the least appealing romantic male leads ever gave it zero sex appeal.
Anyone agree/disagree or have any recommendations for my project? My favourite romantic comedy is When Harry Met Sally. Genius.
We took a week off to rest and replenish. During the week off I have:
Tried new wines
Revamped front garden with large pots and shrubs to relieve the expanse of tarmac.
Progressed new striped knitting project (pictured). I have a line up of knitting projects plus wool ready: three jumpers/cardigan, one gloves, one socks.
Made jeans
Read weird and interesting novel: ‘Piranesi’ by Susannah Clarke, I feel I should get back into reading novels and am enjoying travelogues in lieu of actual holidays: currently Empires of the Indus by Alice Albinia.
Made cat linocut
Went for some different walks
