Buttons and Ballistics in Britain

I’m in North Yorkshire, staying with my sister, and today went to a shop that has long been on my ‘to do’ list – Duttons.  The most wonderful selection of buttons at really good prices (certainly compared to Australian ones) and they do mail order all over the world. 

And I read in a British paper today of a hospital in Cheshire where for three years, they’ve kept a box of wool and needles at reception so that visitors and patients can knit blanket squares while they wait.  They’ve now had to remove the box as it was thought that the needles could present a danger (to whom, and how, was not explained).   At this rate, teaching a small child to knit will be considered in the same light as encouraging children to play with guns.  I had never realised it was such a dangerous pastime. 

Confessions

Pompom declares itself to be the Confessions of an Upside Down Knitter.  And confession is supposed to be good for the soul.  So here goes:

1.  I’ve never knitted a pair of socks (except for bed socks when I was a child).

2.  I’ve seen only one Harry Potter film (and read 2 books).

3.  My mobile phone doesn’t take photographs.

4.  I don’t own an iPod (or any other sort of portable player).

5.  I hate sport, whether watching or participating.

And for the next 4 weeks I won’t be Upside Down.  And I won’t be a Pom. I’m off to England tomorrow so things may be a little quiet around here for a while.  Look forward to catching up when I get back.

Ramblings

1.   Seen in a shop window at Carlingford Court  -  “Japanese Lifestyles.  Imported from Japan.  $2.50 each”.  Unfortunately the shop was closed so I have no idea what they’re selling or whether I want one (or, at that price, two or three).

2.   George W. arrives in town on Tuesday with a team of 655 people (No, sorry – 654.  Laura has a pinched nerve and won’t be attending.)  Who are all these people?  Presumably the other world leaders who’ll be gathering here will now increase the number of their hangers-on.  They’d lose face if they turned up with only 100 or so.   George is bringing teams of dog handlers and sniffer dogs apparently.  Do all the leaders bring their own sniffer dogs?  How do you get a sniffer dog past the sniffer dogs at Sydney Airport?  Do the Americans think our sniffer dogs are inferior to their sniffer dogs?

3.   An Australian man, Andrew Johns, who is apparently a sportsman, was last week caught in London with one ecstasy tablet in his pocket.  As a result, he confessed on TV this week that he’s been taking drugs for most of his career.  Who would have thought it, eh?  A sportsman taking drugs. This seemed to be the most important news story in the world on Friday as one of the Sydney papers had the front page and FOUR OTHERS entirely devoted to it.   

4.  In the last couple of weeks, someone has come to my blog having searched for “What do newborn pompoms eat?” and another person (or maybe the same one?) searched for “Swaziland maternity beliefs”.  I’m sorry I couldn’t help with either of these queries, but welcome to all who come and read, however you got here.