A Good Day was had...

which is just as well as I had a shit day and night yesterday - had to pay a parking fine (from January - I'd written a nice note explaining that I'd paid the car park ticket for what I expected to be a short visit at work and an emergency had arisen so please could they let me off the excess charge - but no, the b*****ds not only wouldn't but took three months to tell me so), AND I'd been with a client attempting a vaginal birth after section all the long night which culminated in a touch and go emergency section because she suffered a (thankfully rare) uterine rupture. I've never seen one before. Mec happens. Baby and mum both fine. Thanks whatever godesses were watching over us all.

As well as getting my camera back, the postie brought lots of knitting goodies. The first thing was Interweave Knits - I've just subscribed and the first (Spring) issue arrived. It's taken ages to get here but I immediately got immersed in an article about an artist that PAINTS KNITTING which is wierd because I'm thinking about doing just that for the decorations at a 'knit in' to celebrate Knitting Week this Autumn. Not much in it I'll probably knit but I'm excited that Eunny Jang is the new editor and I liked the layout and content very much.

Then, as I was leaving for work, my neighbours brought this out to me - they have a porch and the postie often leaves parcels there if we're not home. Yes - a parcel from my secret pal! Another Terri! who spent a FORTUNE on air mail! S'cuse all these exclamation marks!

I was tempted to rip it open there and then but I decided to excercise some self restraint and wait till I got home to savour the opening thereof.

Later that same day: First thing we see is masses and masses of sparkly green packing - like a lucky dip!

First to emerge from all that stuff was what his label proudly announced to be a PADDY O'LLAMA! He is oh so soft and fluffy and has a very solemn quizzical expression (bit like the real ones). He is apparently suitable for anyone over 18 months so that's alright then. He has made himself right at home next to the PC (climbed all over the screen inititally but I've taught him the ground rules and he seems to have settled down nicely). He no longer has the spotty ribbon. He was a bit of a naughty llama and ate it.

Then there was YARN from Cascade (which I've never seen in LYS here) - sassy stripy sock in oil on water blue green purple colours and the new (according to the Vogue Knitting that came too) DiVE Italian soft scrummy merino, tucked cosily into an organza bag which looks green in one light and red dwon in the bottom right of the photo. A Vogue Knitting magazine which I sat down and read with a cuppa - No - I haven't got this issue, Terri - in fact I haven't bought any knitting mags for a long time (Interweave Knits must be the first I've bought in years) so it was a real treat. There are loads of sock patterns - and I'm contemplating knitting Nancy Bush's traveller's socks. And a book by one of my favourite authors: John Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany" not bookcrossed but I'll register it this afternoon. There was also Burt's complete hand care kit. I'm not sure who this Burt is but he's provided some neat little white gloves to wear to bed. What DH is going to say about that little caper remains to be heard. Since my hands are suffering from the gardening I've been doing lately, and are so rough they are snagging on my ISE4 scarf this is a timely and thoughtful gift. And last, but not least, there was a lovely labrador bookmark with a non edible bone attached. Hear that, my faithful hounds? NON edible. No choccies. This is because both me and you are on a diet and my secret pal is thinking of my well being. I haven't had any chocolate since JANUARY! This is an all time record. I might be forced to have just a little this weekend. Or maybe not.

A fab parcel from my Secret Pal - but if you want to send any more parcels by surface mail, honest, that's OK by me, even if it does take years to get here. I feel well and truly spoiled.

Thank you so much Terri!