Language - so much more than words

Speaking a language is not just knowing the words and what order to put them in to make other people understand what you want. Language is cultural and historical. A lot of expressions that makes sense to all the natives could be gibberish for a newcomer, even though the newcomer know the words.

I've come to accept that I won't get all the cultural or historical references in English. If someone tells a joke and everyone around me laughs, I'll smile politely and try to remember it so I can ask someone later. I won't ask in a group, that will give me too much of the spotlight and make me too self-conscious. But I'm not embarrassed to ask a friend what something means when we're alone. Friends help each other and I sometimes need help with this foreign language they speak in my new country.

Last Friday we went to see Spamalot. Even though I know the story and am fluent in English I knew that some jokes would be lost on me through language barriers, both cultural and in pronunciation. I was right, I got 95% of what was happening on stage, but every now and then a word or a reference would fly past me without me realising what it meant.

The show was still highly amusing and I don't feel like I missed out on the lost jokes. The same goes for the stand up comedy show we went to a couple of weeks ago, I had to ask A on a couple of cultural references, but I didn't feel like I missed much. The part I understood was hilarious!

A visit in the Blues Garden

This past weekend we went to Gothenburg, Sweden, to participate in The Blues Garden event. A whole weekend of blues dance and catching up with friends. It felt a little weird to be on a visit in Sweden, but good at the same time. So far I don't miss it that much, only the people.

The weather was cold compared to what we've had in London lately and we wrapped up warm in sweaters and coats. Gothenburg tried its best with sunshine and a warmish early spring day, A got to see a little bit of the city. We enjoyed two evenings of blues dance and lots of friends to catch up with. The venue was transformed into a garden with lots and lots och flowers and it felt like spring even though it was a bit chilly outside.

Today I experienced the weather difference again. I went out for a run, in shorts and t-shirt, the chestnut had started to get leaves. It's lovely with spring and the park is turning green. I saw tulips flowering and I feel happier for every sign of spring.

Spring time

Spring is certainly here, flowers are showing off their petal skirts and the park is full of people enjoying the sun. I've been knitting outside and realised that the sweater I finished Sunday is too warm to wear in this weather! Luckily I'm going to Sweden over the weekend and need warm clothes so the sweater can be worn.

When I went to the weekly knitting group the other day I was greated by a grin and a neon pink skein of Alafoss yarn, straight from Iceland. Lovely C saw the yarn on her vacation and thought of me. I'm pretty sure she read my mind because the other day I was planning a new project in neon pink and charcoal grey. And now I have the perfect yarn for it, thank you C!

Today I got two skeins of Blacker Yarn Blends 4-ply wool in the mailbox so I have all the yarn I need for a pop spots shawl. But it has to wait until I've finished the Firefly shawl I started Sunday.

Unravel 2014

Last weekend I went to Unravel yarn festival in Farnham with some of the ladies from my knitting group. I've never been to a yarn festival before but realised the danger of letting my debit card too close to yarn sellers. I made a list of projects I'm planning to do and listed quality and quantity of the yarn needed. I also made sure I had cash and could avoid using my card. It worked...more or less.

I bought yarn for the projects I had intended, just one skein of lace yarn that wasn't planned. And some needles.

I came home with a beautiful yellow yarn from Jillybean Yarns, intended for a Siri cardigan. A skein of lovely pink lace yarn from Easyknits. At the Easyknits stall I also met the lovely Visalisa, so nice to meet the person behind the blog and instagram that I'm following, lots of beautiful knitting there.

After a couple of hours walking around the stalls I made my way to one on the knitter and natter rooms where I found some of the others from our knitting group, tired and happy with lots of new yarn in the bags. The afternoon was spent mostly knitting and looking at the others purchases. Almost all of us came home with at least one cone of yarn from Uppingham yarns.

My finds from Unravel 2014

Shiny brioche

The last few months it's been a neon fashion trend and of course in knitting fashion. I've been planning to join in the neon game but haven't figured out what I want to do.
Another trend I've found in the knitting world is the brioche technique. I must admit it didn't appeal to me in the beginning but then I saw a couple of really cool cowls and hats on Ravelry and thought I'd give it a try and throw in some neon while I'm at it!

A trip to John Lewis resulted in white and neon yellow chunky yarn to knit a cowl in brioche technique. If I'm hooked I might make a pair of fingerless mittens to make a set. So far I've just knitted a few centimeters to learn the technique and it's looking good! The bright neon colour combined with the calm white is coming out really nice.

My hood

I thought I'd post a few photos from the last week. I've been to an interview at the Jobcentre Plus to apply for a National Insurance number, I've taken walks around Brixton and Herne hill to get to know the area where I live. I love living next to a park and it feels like spring in the air.

Urban wildlife in the park

First hayfever of the year after capturing this bumblebee in the tree

I'm wondering how much time I spend underground in this place?

Needles at work

My needles have really been working this last week. I've finished the cowl I test knitted, my January socks from the sock knitalong and a Winchester hat in reflective yarn.  It feels very inspiring when finishing several projects within a short period of time. But now I don't know what to knit now. I have my Sprig sweater that needs arms and the February socks in the sock knitalong. I've decided on a pattern but wasn't very excited about the heart pattern on them so I've been drawing replacement ideas. So far non of my ideas has worked out with the numbers of stitches I have. Even A helped and drew some ideas! Hopefully the inspiration will come soon!

A pair of Nutkins

Hat in Schachenmayer Lumio without flash, only missing a pompom

Hat in Schachenmayer Lumio WITH flash, only missing the pompom on top