Learning something new

One of my failings is that I do not like to do things I am not good at (another way of looking at it is that I am good at everything I do - I just don't do much!*)

However I do like to learn new things and when you learn new things there can be quite a long period of frustration before you become good at it. If you do at all. I have to admit I often give up before I am remotely close. Also there can be quite a long time lag between the thought "I want to learn xyz" before any steps are made towards that actually happening. I don't even want to think how long I have wanted to learn rock climbing with nary a rock being climbed.

So. In May 2007 I decided I wanted to learn to knit. And I wanted to learn to knit the Norwegian way from Mr T's Tante Wenche. Earlier this year I bought some wool. Then borrowed some knitting needles from Mother in Law. And then... TODAY Tante Wenche visited and I started knitting. The wool was not good for learning apparently - too dark and a bit too soft and fluffy (so comes apart a bit), and the needles are not good for learning either - too thin and the round attached ones. So as per usual I have managed to make it harder for myself from the very beginning!

But I am excited and I have realistic expectations of what I can do at this stage. I am being kind to myself and not expecting a masterpiece - perhaps a blanket for the cat or a work scarf for Mr T. But it is a start and I am proud that I have (finally) started.

In other news, our first winter storm this weekend. About 6 degrees today and has been raining really hard with hail and lots of wind. So an inside day but productive (by my standards) - I baked double batch of incredibly chocolate cookies which I will freeze for when they are needed (they are not Everyday Cookies but Special Occasion Cookies), as I cannot always be bothered at the times that incredibly chocolate cookies are called for. Also a pot of carrot, orange and ginger soup which will be frozen for my work lunches. Mr T doesn't eat soup so this is how I get to enjoy it and work has only a kettle and a coffee maker, no microwave, so I can take soup in a thermos and have a hot lunch. Though I made curried pumpkin and chickpea soup last week and the chickpeas wouldn't go through the funnel into the thermos and that was A Pain in The Arse. Sorry Mum, A Pain in The Bottom. And some did laundry and cleaned the bathroom and tidied the lounge and Mr T vacuumed. And had visitors for a few hours and then dinner with the In-Laws. I'm a bit tired now actually. And all that baking has left a pile of dishes...

* Obviously I don't really mean that really