First Posting from my Laptop!

Yup, I've gone really techified and got a laptop. Actually, it's Sir's businesses laptop, but as he'll only need it for training future clients on the software they'll be renting through him, to all intents and purposes, it's mine - and legitmately tax-deductable too!

Thanks a lot for all the lovely compliments on my stumpwork finish. Dunno if the recipients liked it or not yet as it wasn't opened in my presence, but I can find out next week when they get back. Need to get on with designing and stitching the next gift, then I'll sew up the cushion cover I stitched in July. After that, it's only nice, relaxing cross stitch for the rest of the year! If I do anything other than that, it will be someone else's design with lots of instructions to follow!!

Not much needlecraft going on as I'm in the thick of serious lesson planning. I got a nice order through from SewandSo today with the #8 pearl cottons needed for the bedding, which will be our gift for the next wedding on 22nd. Mercifully, I'm keeping this one very simple. As you can see though, I bought one or two extra items....... I know some don't like these 'scrap bag' things, like I've got here from Kreinik or that Weeks Dye Works at least used to sell, but I think they're great and am looking forward to using this one.



On the musical side of things, I played a simple piece that I hadn't touched for about 3 months yesterday and I can honestly say that all the work on bowing is paying off! No problems catching strings on the crossings now and even the B, which always sounded strained, is clearing up. That's a 'too close to heel of bow strain and scratch' problem, so I need to think about where to bow that one in order to get it to sound good. The joy has come back to viola playing though and I break from uni work and play Violette for a few minutes a few times per day, so progress should be much faster for the next few months whilst I'm slaving over a hot laptop.

OK, let's see if I can get the photo to upload as I'm still quite uncertain about what's where on this new machine as it's software that's 7 years newer than the packages I'm used to!