Busy Weekend

Thank you everyone for your kind comments on the torrent of posts I've made lately - I've been trying to catch up - during my summer 'vacation' from the world of work I was quite busy with the finishes, wasn't I? I guess I don't really realise unless I see everything here, as so much of my stuff goes to other people! However, now I'm back gainfully employed, things might slow down a little!

Market Square, Nottingham

I did quite a bit of stitching and knitting on trains this weekend, though. Saturday I went to Nottingham, to a regular Bookcrossing meet. I like Nottingham - it has a bad reputation for crime in some areas, but the centre is nice and has some great shopping, if that's what floats your boat - it doesn't do much for me, in general, but I usually find time to visit Hotel Chocolat :o) The meet was great fun - my sock was duly admired, and we laughed hugely over plans for a forthcoming reading challenge, we really were getting silly! The only downside to the day were major engineering works on the line, which doubled my journey time there and back, but the network is repairing a Victorian tunnel.

Leeds City Square

Yesterday, I headed north on the train instead of south, and met my closest friend J in Leeds. It was great to see her, as we haven't met for a while. J had a personal tragedy early on in the year and has hidden herself away since then, much to my distress. We've known each other 21 years and it was horrible knowing she was hurting and being helpless ... we've seen each other through good and bad times before so I knew our friendship wasn't in doubt but ... Anyway, we had a lovely time in the sun, taking in an exhibition and eating lunch outside a waterfront restaurant and catching up on the news. J isn't quite her old self, but I'm feeling less worried about her.

Leeds is another city with a great reputation for shopping - it had the first non-London branch of Harvey Nichols, for example and it rather overshadows the other cities in Yorkshire - regional TV output comes from there, which I think is a factor. I'm biased but I think Sheffield is a nicer city - there's so much more green space, and a cosier feel, and anywhere in the city you can look up and see hills :o)

Stitching: Pumpkin by JBW Designs, worked on my sock and on my HoE Halloween Exchange