:(

I've had a bit of a down day today. First one since I got back to Boston for school and Kolya left. I don't even know whats wrong entirely. I think I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with the amount of school work I have on a the moment. I spend all my time running betwen classes, work and the studios, and any free time is meant to be spent on homework but when I get home I'm often so tired I fall asleep without dinner. Even if I dont do that and manage to get food, I really don't feel able for the homework I have. My brain stops functioning, but then I stay up late doing stupid time wasting things or, even worse, I worry about the amount of work I have to do but can't get done because I am so tired!! It's a bad cycle and I don't know how to get some perspective on it at the moment.

I was also sick today which didn't help, and I'm really missing Kolya too. Also, and this really bugs me, is that I'm not entirely unpacked into my new bedroom yet. My suitcase is half unpacked and my desk is covered in all sorts of rubbish so I can't work on it. It's really annoying me that I don't have a beautiful, tidy, organised place to come home to. Kol and I promised that we'd get it done before he left but with his time here limited we always let slide...'We'll do it tomorrow!'

I shouldn't be moaning too much though, because today I received my parcel from Rachel, the sockret pal hostess, sending me my winnings from the online competition. I never win anything so it was really exciting and I never get an real post to my school postbox so it was a really lovely thing to find there and did help to brighten my day. I got Lion Brand self-striping wool in denim shades and the Yarn Girls knitting book, hardcover(!!). I can't believe how generous she was to me. It's really touching finding thias knitting community that I never really knew existed. I was considered the nerd at school for knitting and now I'm part of a friendly, energetic, giving community of truly amazing knitters!! LUCKY!!!!

In other knitting news, while queuing for THREE HOURS at school to book studio time for our next round of homework project (yes, that is standard practice, I wasn't alone) I made great progress on a pair of bright orange and blue socks I'm making for my flatmate. I'm using the flat knit pattern that is in the current knitty mag, just to see what I thought of the change. It's a nice way to knit socks but I think I prefer my double points best. Also I'm going hunting this weekend for my sockret pal, to find the perfect wool to grace her worthy feet. Any idea or tips would be greatly appreciated :)


And lastly alittle something I found online this evening to salivate over!! Isn't it gorgeous. Maybe this is shameful but I just found it on the Lisa Souza website, it's her handpainted sock wool and it's called 'Emerald City' and, I swear to God, just looking at it reminds me of home!! The colours and how they mingle, merge into each other. It's like someone photographed the Mourne Mountains (the mountains surrounding my village) and transfered the photo straight to wool! So if anyone *eh hem* (I'm talking to you Mothers, Boyfriends, Secret Pals,...) have any doubts about what to get me ever, this would be a fine place to start...wow, this probably is pretty cheeky of me. Well, either way I will own a skein of this come hell or high water, I'm going to start saving from now...hopefully I'll be able to afford it by my next birthday, LOL!!! I'm off the treat myself to a cup of tea the size of my head and an episode of Sex and the City before bed. Promise to be in better form tomorrow, nighty nighty all!