I love my mittens, and am really excited about finally getting my hands on the first copy of Sew Hip!
I'm hoping to be finished my second mitten this week.
The phone rang while I was working in my shed just now, and it was only when I took the handset in to Hagos that I realised how dark and quiet it was outside.
I remember when we first moved here from London, and coming home in the evening after being at university, pulling up into our drive and being amazed at the clarity of the stars through the darkness. And how one winter afternoon I took a walk down to the Station (a converted shop/cafe) to browse and drink tea, later emerging into complete darkness and wondering how I was going to get home (about a 15 minute walk). Because, there are very few street lights in the village. Which I like. After living in London it was a surprise. Buses and underground trains every five to ten minutes, street lights everywhere.
I live in a very sweet little place, and I really like it. I just wish we had our best friends living nearby.
I woke up early this morning, just in time to hear (or perhaps because of) my cat at the bedroom window. I haven't seen much of Meg over the last couple of days with work and socialising, so I was happy to get up and see her. Then I decided to carry on knitting my mittens. 
I'm really enjoying knitting them, and watching the pattern emerge. I'm so in love with the colour combination of green and white now. So hopefully it won't be too long before my winter accessories are fully matching. The pattern is from the Folk Mittens book. It's the third time I've knitted them. Sometimes I have the urge to knit with big, chunky wool and needles, and sometimes I love the feel of 4-ply and small needles.
Of course, no photo session would be complete without Mrs Ginger Haggarty getting involved. I love how she plonks herself right in the middle of whatever I'm doing. She sits on top of my laptop, on top of books I'm reading. She's great.
I really miss Meg when I don't see her for a few hours.
Hagos and I have colds at the moment. His is worse than mine, which is unusual. Still, it's frustrating. However, today we'll be having our usual Haggarty Saturday: town, Ha Ha's for lunch, home, pottering, and in the evening a friend is coming over for dinner and a movie (and Strictly Come Dancing, of course).
It seems surreal that Obama has won the election. How amazing. I normally resist mentioning someone's ethnicity or sexual orientation in relation to their success as I believe people should be judged on their own merits and not in relation to arbitrary factors. However, it is hugely significant and comforting that America has voted to have a black President, and a black First Family.
And it gives the world an optimistic outlook for the first time in eight years.
Hagos and I went to Edinburgh on Friday to stay with our friends Pete and Lynsey and their children, Nate and JJ. Above are the boys opening their Halloween bags I made them, after they'd performed their Halloween entertainment for us. JJ sang "We will rock you" very well. His tuning and timing were amazing. And Nate ran around like the superhero Batman he was dressed as. 
On Monday, while Nate was at school and Pete was at work, Hagos, Lynsey, JJ and I went to IKEA for the day. I used to go to Ikea all the time when we lived in London. It was a fun day out. We went round the entire shop and had meatballs for lunch.
On Saturday Lynsey and I went to Loopy Lorna's, a new tea shop in Morningside. It was really lovely: quirky decor, individual knitted tea cosies on every tea pot. I really meant to take photographs, but before we left the house we gave the boys the option of coming to the "very boring tea shop" with us, or staying behind with Pete and Hagos and having "great fun at home". They chose to come to the teashop with us. And we could only get a table for two so we each had a child on our lap, so it wasn't quite the girly, extravagant experience we'd envisaged, though I have to say the boys are really great and JJ and I took a particular shine to each other and were like conjoined twins for the entire four days we were there. He is the sweetest, sweetest, sweetest child and I absolutely adore him.
It's really nice to be home again, and to see Meg. I missed her while we were away.
This is Katie examining her make-it-yourself Secret Santa present, made for her by Jo. I had a piece of the chocolate pistaschio fudge and it was delicious.
I think by the end of the day Katie had had eight pieces! She couldn't stop going to the fridge.
This is what Katie made for Jo. Jo is mad on elephants. Her computer screen has many drawings of elephants that we've all done for her. Above is a pen holder. Below, a magnificent photo frame. 
I was really pleased with what they both produced as, though they were eager to take part, they both started off saying they couldn't make anything and only had one idea each.
