Administrator

We take on a new member of staff next week, a professional at handling much of the company's administrative work that I seem to end up doing.

Now, what was that software stuff about? that thing that I learned about when I was young?

Sewing is not woodwork

I have always managed to get by with a needle and thread, mending clothes from time to time, but faced with shortening two pairs of curtain by hand, I decided to buy a sewing machine.

Sewing with a machine is fantastic! You can get intricate, accurate stitches (in a straight line), quickly and easily.

My new curtains are the perfect length, and an old pair of trousers are also mended (because I can...).

How did people ever make any non-trivial items of clothing/linen/curtains before the computer-controlled sewing machine was invented?

I liken the experience to the first time that you use a circular saw - perfect straight cuts with no effort.

However, there are two important differences compared to cutting wood.

1. Fabric stretches. Draw a straight line on a piece of wood and you know what you have. Draw a straight line on a piece of fabric and depending on how you happened to place the curtains on the bench/floor, you could have drawn any piece of modern art.

2. You can un-pick stitches a lot easier than you can undo any kind of woodwork.

Babysitting relief

We went out last, intending to leave Jonathan in the capable hands of two terrified friends who kindly offered to babysit, even though they knew that they would have to put him to bed.

As it happens, he was so tired (aka grumpy) that we put him to bed before we left. I'm not sure whether our babysitters were quietly relieved or disappointed at having missed the opportunity.

Personally I'm just shocked at how (after having a child) I'd forgotten how refreshing the Guzzler is.