Secret Santa - in November

At work on Friday we realised it was time to do our 'you have to make it' Secret Santa in Autumn. I think last year we did it in August. Only Anna and I took part last year. This year we managed to convince the rest of our table, Hannah, Rosie and Bethany, to join us. That was after we said 'making it' could include a cake or a pie or a quiche. It'll be interesting to see what turns up!

I looked through a few books and came up with a great idea, and was very excited about it until I met a friend of Hagos's on Friday night. She is a knitter, and after chatting with her I immediately went out and bought some wool and started making a project for the Secret Santa using wool instead of material, which had been my original plan. Now I'm not sure which present to give. Maybe I'll make both and see how I feel. Anyway, unfortunately I can't divulge what either project is at the moment in case someone reads my blog beforehand.This friend (I never know how much personal information I should give out on a blog that's surely only read by good friends and crafty women), is currently working as wardrobe mistress for Erasure and they played at UEA in Norwich last night, so we went along to see them for a wee while. I stupidly didn't take my camera and wished I had when I got onto the tour bus. I love tour buses, never going on them myself anymore. This one was very sparkly and well-maintained. I particularly miss sleeping in a bunk. For anyone who hasn't been on a tour bus - there are bunks lining either side of upstairs, usually one up, one down, with an aisle in the middle. At first it feels like being enclosed in a coffin but when you share a tour bus with twelve other people for a couple of months it soon feels very spacious and welcome because it's the only personal space you have on tour. And the movement of the bus driving overnight to the next destination lulls you to sleep. There are also usually two lounges in a tour bus, one with a TV/DVD/music system in it, the other with a games console and a little kitchen. If I ever win the lottery I think I'll hire a tour bus and get a bunch of friends to travel round Europe with me like that.

As our friend arrived in Norwich a day early, we met her at her hotel and went to Wagamama's for dinner. I absolutely love Wagamama's. I always have the same thing, Yasai Chilli Men (sp?). I get a craving for it sometimes. It was a really nice evening. Her and Hagos were able to chat about tour stuff/people they know, and her and I were able to chat about knitting and embroidery and sewing. We have some of the same books and like the same wool!

I still haven't got round to making my present for Joyce, for being a good friend to me recently. Hagos is going to London this week so maybe I'll get it done one of those days after work.

In the meantime, here is some ribbon I recently bought from Panduro. I always feel Christmassy when the seasons turn from summer to autumn, then I'm thoroughly fed up with it by the beginning of December!

I've been enjoying reading some children's fiction recently. I think I like it because I read so much when I was a kid, and it brings back that feeling of absolute safety/being completely absorbed I felt then. I must read more now.