Well, it’s twenty-ten now. Farewell old decade, don’t let the door hit you in the arse on the way out.

Changes are afoot for me – my job is changing, and things are happening health-wise.

As hubby said – here’s to a new decade without any nasty operations in it!

Cheers everyone!

Woken at fearfullyvearly time by evil cramp in mybright calf, Bryon slept through the screaming. Limped around a bit then back to bed for a bit more kip. Up again at 9, dragging Bryon up with me.

Spent a peacefull morning playing with felt again. I cut handles into the felted bag, and attached 3 cherry blossoms to either side. Bag now finished, complete with sporty lining. I am very chuffed with it, Bryon – as usual – asks when I will sell it.

Off to Ventnor Boranic Gardens because we habenever been there, and it’s also at the opposite side of the island to all the ferry terminals – no doubt they are full of sweaty festival goers on their way home.

The gardens were beautiful. We had lunch in the Palm Court then wondered around forcsn hour or two. Many people tucked away in corners reading, how lovely.

We think we saw a triffid.

We drive back to the van via the centre of the island, getting delisciously lost in the green heartland. Managed to navigate our way through the leafy lanes and up to Brading Down for a final Minghella’s ice cream. Mint choc chip and rum n raisin. Mmmmmmmm.

Back to the van at 5 to pack. Mostly done by 7 ish and off for a last meal out at the Culver Haven Inn, which perched on Culver Diwn among the windswept trees, looking firmly rooted while the flora seems to be hanging on for dear life. Portions were huge, and we were full to the point of explosion when we were done.

Back to the van to catch the last few bits of the ITV2 festival coverage then to bed just after midnight. Alarm set for 8 as we are on the 11:30 ferry and there is van-cleaning to be done in the morning.

Woke up at 7:30, went to bed at 2.30. Oh dear. As I has cunningly planned ahead I got on with wet-felting the bag. I think my arms fell off at one point. Stopped fir a rest, a banana and a cup of OJ as my body is craving vitimins and minerals after 2 days if festival food. More rolling, rubbing and thumping of felt. Also chppwd up some felt rolls into lityle peacick coloured beads. Stuck The Hobbit on the iPod and tried to teach myself to spin yarn with a drop spindle. Hmmmm. Practice us the only answer I fear.

Dragged Bry out if bed at 10, he made sausage sandwiches and tea. I do love him.

Earlier into the festival today. Goldie Lookin Chain up first for us. They definately have a sense of humour. From Newport, Wales to Newport, IoW – a but different. The Script were excellent, they hadn’t slept for 2 days apparently.

Pue and madh for lynch, Bry was quite happy with his, he even took a picture. Absolutely scorching by 2 in the afternoon. It was during this hour that we discovered that I’m a vampire as I was melting, and Bry us a lizard as he moves much faster in the sun.

Bass much higher in the mix today, which makes me a happier girl.

Sun went in at 5, just after Pigeon Detectives finished. They were good, then Simple Minds. Ah, the 80s. I’m so old. Excellent set. We discovered Bryon’s sunburn about then, we also discovered cake. Simple Minds reminded us both if being very drunk in the Top Rank in Southampton when we were teenagers. As far as I can work out Bryon wasn’t dancing around handbags, but I was.

The dad-dancers were our in force again, and Bez and Churchill were right next to he. I fear they are stalking us.

Atmosphere was sadly lacking for the Pixies, I think most of the mosh pit had no clue who they were, nor Neil Young. We decided to cut our losses and set off home before the cold really set in.

Back in the van I had a glass or wine or two, and we watched the ITV2 coverage of the festival with our feet up. Nice.

Bryon has sunburn, and can apparently “use the force” to play Sudoku on his psp even if I cover his eyes. On that giggly note I went to sleep

Spent the morning adding yet more felt to the vessel. Mild finger damage but all relatively minor.

When Bryon finally woke up we had croissants for brunch. Bry rarely sees morning on holiday.

We set off for Shanklin and the sunny beach for our traditional holiday feet photo, and a stroll around the Chine. The chine is a channel/gorge type thing cut into the rick by a river. It is a beautiful place; green, shady and tranquil. We love to take photos here.

Stopped fir lunch at the tea shop in the chine, then off to the beach for a paddle. The sea is always freezing and Bry refuses to swim in it, so ankle deep is as good as you are going to get.

Back down to Shanklin again fir dinner, curry the day before the festival, never wise. Hanging around outside to get wireless signal was a highlight!

Today started in the usual holiday manner, Bry asleep and me very much awake. This morning a seemingly apocalyptic flood was pouring on the caravan roof. Well, that’s the way it sounded, it was a passing downpour at best. I woke Bry up at ten, and he made sausage sarnies for brekky.

Mum had arranged for an ariel man to come and sort out their tv reception. Good job I was dressed. After several re-tunings and moving to point at a different transmitter a time or two the signal was declared better. We’re not convinced yet.

We set off bravely in search of lunch, and stopped in Ventnor at a lovely little cafe. Yummy again. I spied a haberdashery shop, but as Bry had spent the last cash we had on lunch, and the shop didn’t take cards I was thwarted. Damn.

We set off again, along the roads that are slowly slipping down the cliff to Isle if Wight Glass. I love watching the glass being made onto all sorts of shiny things. It’s so interesting to see them doing similar things to my lampworking, but on a bigger scale. I always get torch envy here.

Isle of Wight Glass - making shiny things

Usually we don’t get through a visit without Bry bashing his head on the low beams. This time he escaped unscathed in the head department, although his wallet was not so lucky.

Just along the coast is Isle of Wight Pearl. I could spend a fortune in there, but I never do. I shop for ideas.

Newport next, and a quick stop in Wightcat Crafts. Lovely shop, I’ve been twittering with them this week. Really friendly guys with a loyalty scheme, now that’s the way to do it.

Home via Costa and Tesco for the constituent elements of a cream tea. More felting tonight, the last of the cherry blossom is done, just a few buds to be made now, think I will make a necklace and a vessel.

Feet up in front of the fire now. Ahhhhhhhh, nice.

Bry surpassed himself by sleeping in till 10.45 on Tuesday. Made getting to the garden centre cafe by the 11.15 stop-serving-breakfast deadline interesting. While he slept I started to turn the pre-felt I made yesterday into cherry blossom.

Wet-felted then needle felted cherry blossom

I also finished embellishing the vessel I made last year in the van – man ,how slack am I? A year?

Finally finished piece

Also at the garden centre was a craft shop. I bought stuff. Stamps that will help me cut out flowery shapes if I want to.

Then into Shanklin proper. We hung about on street corners grabbing free wireless to download the second half of the live Perfect Ten podcast that we went to in May. We went to Hyacinth’s Hobbies. I bought stuff. I bought wool to make knitted moustaches. The guys from Stitch and Bitch London are doing a knit crawl wearing false moustaches for World Wide Knit in Public Day in aid of prorate cancer charities, I can’t be with them but I can knit at the festival and wear my moustache with pride.

Manly moustaches

We walked up the hill towards the old tea room, Bry spotted a shop called The Stitches Coven and foolishly alerted me to it. I bought stuff. Embroidery silks which I’ll use to embellish some felted beads I have planned.

Mum and dad nipped over with a table and chairs to go on the decking of the van. They also bought fish and chips. And washed up. Don’t you just love that when I’d happens?

An evening of further felting and only mild finger stabbing and eating minty chocolate wafer things. Mmmmmmmm.

Bet you didn’t know that? Mr P was born on the Isle of Wight y’know.

Anyway, we arrived for our annual IoW pilgrimage late on Sunday. On Monday morning, after spending 2 hours making pre-felt while Bryon slept we went to Newport. We always park near Quay Arts, it’s a wonderful little gallery that has lots of local artist’s work, usually most affordable. This time we stayed for lunch (Bry had the last bacon in his bacon and Brie baguette, the fiend.) In a planter next to the river, a duck was nesting. She even had her own cup full of water.

Pre-felt - in cherry blossom colours

Arty Duck

We ambled around the galleries, some nice oil paintings of local beach, docks and fishing. Upstairs had melted vinyl offerings, and a room full of what appeared to be dead sock puppetts. I bought a ceramic pot and some earrings, plus a little something for Jude’s birthday.

Melty vinyl art

Well, it’s been a while.

Today the great and good of HCC sent us countless emails about weather, traffic and icy roads. They were sensible and let a lot of us work from home, and others go home early. I suspect tomorrow will be worse, we can’t cope with ice and snow in the soft-shandy-drinking south. Hey ho, we’ll see in the morning.

OK, we are still watching old X Files episodes. The following exchange made us both laugh out loud:

(after what appeared to be a spate of killings by a religeous nutter)

Scully: I was bought up to believe God has his reasons

Mulder: Well he may have his reasons, but he seems to have an awful lot of psychopaths doing the footwork for him.

Not saying anything about any religion in particular, just loved the script.

By the way, did you see in the news that a bus driver in our fair city has refused to drive one of the atheist message buses? Well, the last man from our bus company that hit the news wanted to wear a skirt to work, so I guess this is a small step up.