a stripey ambition

For some time it has been my ambition to get a deckchair. 'Ambition' - that's a lofty word isn't it? That's the secret of achieving ambitions, don't aim too high :-D. This one was a particularly achievable ambition as the deckchair I bought was half-price at the supermarket. And I love it! It's so comfortable, I can put my head back and shut my eyes, and there's plenty of elbow room for alfresco knitting. And it's stripy. Miss Mouse loves it too, as you can see - there may be squabbles over who gets to sit in it.

My cheap-as-chips folding picnic chairs are fine, but this is just designed for leisurely loafing around. And as my mother-in-law took the kids out today I had the chance to do a little bit of loafing, in between doing a tonne of laundry. Actually the pictures are from yesterday, but it was much the same kind of day - warmth, sunshine (intermittently clouding over but remaining warm), cats prowling around looking for patches of shade,

green things growing (that's the nepeta),

until it became too much for Cat2 who retreated inside to fall asleep on a bag-nest. She does love bags.
I spent some time yesterday afternoon winding a skein of yarn into a ball - this is one I'd been meaning to do for a while. It's a Colorimetry yarn by my friend Purplejen (she also sells her yarn at The Life Craft in Glasgow) - doesn't it look as if it's hovering there? I think it's because I used the flash! I've been hanging on to this one trying to decide what to do with it. I love the colours, they're so rich and happy. I just can't decide what to knit. It's a laceweight yarn I think (lost the label of course), finer than I usually knit with, but then I'm making efforts to break out of my knitting comfort zone. It'll be character-building!

Mr Borg's comment when he saw it was 'You didn't dye that.' No dear. Purplejen uses acid dyes which I'd love to try some day. I don't know how she keeps the cats out of it all - her cat Cocoa is my cats' mother. I'm sure my cats would be leaning over my shoulder, supervising. As would the kids. Maybe when they've all grown up..