This week, and the weekend, and the day today

Much better weekend without the hideousness of the cold. I hate the feeling of not achieving anything but TV watching and hat knitting, so it was good to get some other Doings under my belt. By Wednesday I am completely dried out as well, which has made me extremely happy. Must be all the iced tea and rum I'm drinking (match made in heaven).

On Sunday afternoon I sat out on my verandah in the autumn sun, watched the street and ate a huge slice of quiche that I'd made the day before. I felt this enormous sense of contentment - what a fabulous lifestyle. I am unbelievably blessed to have what I have and live where I live, and to eat as well as I do with a person that I adore. Giving this weekend a 8/10 rating for awesomeness.

Making good progress with the Bolero Redux. My needle points broke again (bah) but replacing them necessitated a trip to Holland Road which was very enjoyable as there was a bunch of Twitter people there knitting, and talking about yarn while they knitted. Planning on going to Tash's knit night tomorrow, and shared cake today. Look at me get my Petone community hat on!

There is a yoga place around too that I'm planning to discover, and this weekend I'm hitting the big second hand store up the road. Living in Petone makes me very happy.

More yarn news: desperately want to make a knitted pouf like these Puff Daddy ones, and I even have a suitable duvet lying around. Just trying to convince Boyf of practicality of afore mentioned pouf.

I've learnt two chords on the ukulele thus far and am so close to being able to play Three Little Birds  I can almost smell it (synesthesia?). However, my difficulties with strumming that I had when I tried to learn how to play the guitar aged 16 are all racing back to me. Apparently I am still somewhat lacking in the rhythm department.

The plan was to play La vie en rose or non je ne regrette rien by the end of the month but it really doesn't look as though it's likely to happen as those songs have so many chords in them and I'm still learning! Something I aim for I guess.

FOOD:

• Soups: vegetable with split peas, red lentils, barley and a bacon hock; and French Onion Soup which I LOVE
• This Banana Bread Crepe Cake from Smitten Kitchen - made this today and it was simply awesome
• At present I am roasting pork and trying to make perfect crackling. Why is perfect crackling so hard? I do not know