It's time for LOOT!

(Grrr Blogger for losing this post, which took me ages, and for not letting me upload photos. You are a poo-head.)

Yes, loot time!

First of all, Secret Pal stuff. My giver was Audrey from Pixie Sticks. She sent loads of yarn, loads of yarn-in-waiting and the tools to make it yarn, and HEAPS and HEAPS of Reese's. The Trouser was pleased by the yarn, intrigued by the spinning (I think I may be able to convince him to spin some, since it requires a special "tool"!), and horrified, truly horrified by the Reese's.

I know it's immature, but I love to horrify The Trouser with candy (he also thinks that candy corn is evil). What you can't see from the photo above is how truly massive the Reese's pile is (hint: he's covered it in yarn). Thanks, Audrey!

While we were in Sydney and Gosford I had a look around very few knitting-related stores. There weren't many around, and you've already heard how dire it was in Woy Woy. However, my brother there recommended a stop at Kinokuniya to look at books, and I found knitting book nirvana:

Three whole shelves, all with knitting books! Knitting books are expensive in NZ, and get here relatively late, so I'm always on the hunt for something new. (Yes, I can use Amazon, but really - with the rotten exchange rate and the sloooow shipping - think it's possibly the US postal service - it's no bargain.)

Now, I was good, but I'm no saint. I got two books (which, upon my return, I've seen cheaper in stores in NZ, grrr). Here they are, along with the fruits of the trip to the weird Woy Woy store - 2 skeins of recycled denim and some 2 1/4mm needles, quite possibly from the 60s:

And before I forget, thank you to those who have commented and emailed me so supportively over the work drama. I seem to be one of those people destined to have work dramas, in spite of all my efforts for a quiet life, and I'm spending a lot of time thinking about why this is, and what I can do to change things. In this latest case, I befriended the instigator at a time when no one else would, and it seems that they were smarter. I need to remember that some lonely people are lonely because they are nasty, and no amount of kindness will change their attitudes (though therapy might!).

At any rate, it has been great to be able to blog about this and to feel so supported by people I've never even met, and I thank you all for your kindness.