Blessed cool, bracelets and Lively

So much cooler today, and tomorrow more so.  Last night we had lashing rain and high winds with thunder and lightning. 

I looked out to see the solar lantern swinging wildly back and forward as the Japanese maple was whipped about.    Both looked fine this morning.

I even got a bit of gardening done, pulled out and disposed of a lot of vines which were choking shrubs out front. Evidently the torrid weather just suited them. 

And I made a little bouquet.

Daisies, lemon balm, wandering dude, English ivy.  The daisies are a bit tired after the heat. But there are plenty of zinnia buds, and the hibiscus looks promising, with multiple buds. Out front the little patch of black eyed susans is budding up. And the daylilies are about halfway through blooming.

Today's reading is a great, if harrowing, Penelope Lively. Note you can choose your spelling.

It's thoughtful, unsparing, analytical and prime Lively.

And I am determined to get the hang of the bafflement of the easy, easy, beginner, your cat could do it, knotted bracelet.

I have finally found out what's getting between me and succeeding. These are points none of the videos mention. I think they seem so obvious they don't think about it.

One, you need the right thread. My weaving cotton wasn't very knottable. Now I'm trying a mixture of perle cotton and embroidery floss, working better. If I had more perle thread I'd use it. Paracord, of which I have none, might be even better. 

Two, nobody shows exactly how to tighten the knots. I made the mistake of tugging both ends equally, which made the knots lopsided and pulled the wrong color to the surface. Once I grasped that you hold the anchor thread firm, and slide the other thread up while tightening it, things improved.

Three nobody explains the path of the thread as it travels across, in the candy stripe design. Does it go over or under the last thread?  I got this eventually, on bracelet three, which you see. 

Four, this was my own mistake I invented, I kept forgetting which was the traveling thread and started moving the wrong one before I realized this. This is how threads get all out of order and you can't make stripes, and you get a lot of practice in unknotting.

I have developed some expertise in unknotting at this point and I'm bloated with pride that I have, by George, finally got the candy stripe design, more or less.

Wobbly but more recognizable. Diagonal stripes are emerging. And I'm finding knotting isn't hard on my hands, a big plus.

Happy day everyone, it's okay not to get it right away. Anyway that's my story.

She's right, you know, sez Ted and Big Ursy and Pony and Ursula.

Persuasion and the unpersuaded

Also Happy 89th Birthday to Handsome Partner. Still in mind, ten years after you peacefully left us.

Last night was Persuasion time. I had planned on watching one of the library DVDs, but on the way got sidetracked.

Watched part of a 70s BBC miniseries 

As you see, sets full of more or less accurate furniture, very well organized and nice to see. Costumes lovingly made to fit by someone who knew how and had the fabrics and budget for the job. 

A far cry from the low budget costumes of the more recent productions such as the Romola Garai Emma, poorly made, ill fitting, just a sad show, pulling down great acting.

Moving along, the hairstyles here were created by someone who seems to think Austen was writing about the later 19th  century rather than the early 1800s of the Regency period. I guess they had a good time getting carried away, so there's that. The simpler Regency styles wouldn't have been as much fun. 

Alas, the production itself was pretty much local repertory theatre, sloooow,  inexpert, actors suddenly starting to act on command at each scene change, not being already in persona. Actors clearly feeling they were in costume rather than the good actor who's just wearing clothes. It was worth checking out, though, just to see what Austen inspired in different producers and actors. 

And I did love the settings. And the horses. Wonderful carriages. I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying it.

Then I stumbled onto a truly inspired production, a Saturday night theatre BBC radio version, just cracking along, very intelligently acted, just as full of life as I think it oughta be. 

Saturday Night theatre was a regular BBC offering before TV was really a thing, and some great actors and playwrights can be spotted there, some before they got famous.

When I started this summer Austenfest, I though there might be enough productions for a few nights' viewing fun. Now I realize that it was a bit naive, like going to the library and thinking maybe there will be a couple of books in here.  Spoiled for choice, moi.

Summer got here. Woke at 2.30 am, to switch on a fan. Checked the weather. 90% humidity, temp high 70s. That's as cool as it got, after daytime heat index in the 90s f.. No wonder I get tired in this weather. Just breathing takes work. But all's well. I have air conditioning.