Thursday, August 14, 2008

is a bell on a bicycle - yes she is

is a bell on a... yes she is!

Above above is a photo of me reflected on the bell of my new bicycle.

Nothing has threatened my knitting output more. Not moths, not a cut on the bit of my right forefinger I use to guide the end of a needle, not the boredom of deadline-knitting the last few days before christmas. None of these come near. This is because I generally knit on the bus to work, and come the start of term in October, I plan to be cycling in at least a couple of days a week. That said, I am yet to master cycling down-hill without getting scared of the increased speed and simply wheeling it down the road.

And as it happens, I'm off to the world of the bicycle (also known as the Netherlands) for the next week. I've got five(ish) days in Amsterdam holiday-time, then five(ish) days in Rotterdam for a conference. Any yarn-y (or un yarn-y) recomends?

Because I've not blogged for a bit, and won't for at least another week and a half, I'll finish with a small photo-matrix of some other bits and bobs I've been up to.

Computer Case: step 10 ours!
uptown socks - toes Portal to New World

Clockwise, from top left-hand corner: 1) Sewing in ends for a quilted computer case I made for a friend (full photo-tute when I'm back). 2) The 'let' sign outside the house we're going to be moving into in mid-September (front view and agent's details). 3) View of the Mersey from Liverpool (taken from just behind the Tate). 4) FO shot of the uptown socks I did for the IW sockalong (my ravelry notes here).

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

As someone who would much rather climb that descend, I would say that there is nothing wrong with wheeling your bike down the road, rather than panicking that omg you're going to die, every time you commute.

Descents where there are roads joining on to it, and thus the chance that traffic is going to pull out in front of me while i'm whizzing along scare the crap out of me.

luckily my nearest down hill road is a cutting, so nothing can turn onto it until you get passed the bottom, and have slowed way back down.

but regardless: \o/ yay bikes! You're looks great. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm still yet to get hold of a bike, and I really should soon so I can build up my confidence for riding on the road. I am totally envious of the flat though! It's gorgeous and pretty reasonably priced too. Hope you have fun on your holiday and enjoy moving in to that beautiful flat!

Anonymous said...

Yay for bikes! I love mine so much, and although I never, ever go fast down the hills (in fact I brake almost permanently, and have even been known to shut my eyes in terror - oops), it's still a really speedy way to get around. There are some lovely places to go for bike rides in London too, especially the cycle lanes in the parks.
The new flat looks lovely and I'm oh-so-jealous of your terrace. Wonderful! That's a fab bit of London too.
Have a lovely holiday :)

Anonymous said...

Enjoy Amsterdam! Be sure to rent a bike there, there are lots of bike rental shops around, ask at your hotel / b&b which one is close by. And then cycle along the canals, but above all: cycle out of the city. There's some pretty decent countryside around Amsterdam, ask at the bike rental shop, they'll know a nice route (I'm dutch, but I'm not from Amsterdam so I don't know anything by heart). Oh and please do me a favour and don't wear a helmet. It's flat. The cars will stop for you. And nothing screams 'I'm a tourist. Please rob me' as much as wearing a helmet :)
Oh and the 'Jordaan' is a nice neighbourhood to stroll around in...have a good time!

The A.D.D. Knitter said...

I have an irrational fear of the front wheel falling off while I'm riding down hill--crazy!

Please eat at least one meal of chips and mayonnaise while you're there, it is pure heaven:)

Anonymous said...

I love bikes - yours looks lovely. Yey for cycling in london - I cycled from Stoke Newington to Battersea last year and completely fell in love with cycling around london.
Your new house looks very lovely indeed - I'm planning an autumnal move also and hopefully we find somewhere also lovely.

Anonymous said...

Wow - that flat looks awesome! I am suitably envious.

Hope you have a lovely holiday!

ames said...

the anne frank huis is the obvious don't-miss, we go every single time we are over there. it never gets old, or less moving.

check out albert cuyp markt if you like street markets. the flower market is on the singel in front of the jolly hotel amsterdam (we stayed there once...picturesque with the clock tower right outside our window and the flower market below... until you have to listen to the trains squealing around the corner late at night ;]). vondelpark is wonderful for relaxing on the grass and taking in the surroundings.

oh, and i highly recommend dubbelfrisss, a fruit drink you can buy at the supermarket. =]

Liz said...

de afstaap is a nice little yarn shop about 5-10 minutes walk away from the anne frank huis en route to the university aula (which is how I managed to manouevre my boyfriend past there). It's at 12 oude leliestraat. Lots of Rowan as I recall and some nice solid Regia but I think there might be some other stuff too.

Have a great trip!

spajonas said...

oooh, so jealous! i love amsterdam and so want to go back. great city. alas, last time i was there i was not yet a knitter (gasp!) so i can't help you with yarny goodness.

felinity said...

That is a beautiful house! As a fellow Londoner I am deeply envious. Firstly because I worked in Peckham when I first moved here, and often daydreamed about living in some of the gorgeous houses around there. And secondly because I now live in Earlsfield (SW London), in a teeny-tiny one-bedroom flat because the prices here are nonsensical!

Have a fantastic time in Amsterdam, it's a brilliant city.

Anonymous said...

maybe sometimes it's a good thing to have a istraction from knitting--otherwise you could miss summer entirely. enjoy the biking weather

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