castles in the air

[kbk]

I'm trying to apply for jobs, but I'm just all, Do Not Want, and I am lazy and blah and whatever, y'know? But I did just finish a sock, so I have achieved, and tomorrow... um, this evening, I am going for a climbing lesson, which should be fun. But, yes, lots of DNW, so I started thinking, well, hell, what DO I want?



I want an earth house, with one big glass wall (but a whole bunch of that would be put together like stained glass, to keep the costs down; bits and pieces of other people's broken windows, because I could totally do that, and it would be fun; but idk if it would be structurally sound; I guess a couple of big columns, for loadbearing - ooh, the top half would be like a Diocletian window - and, y'know, it would be cool.) and the other walls curvy, and grass on the roof. I saw these "wild meadow" seeds one time, with different types of grass and a bunch of different wildflowers, and that would be awesome. And also a herb garden up there, right outside one of the windows, because wouldn't that be cool? Oh, and some of those vertical windmill things, along the top of the roof, and maybe a brick chimney, because I think I would feel safer with a non-flammable hearthpiece.

Inside depends on whether I'm living there alone, because if I am, it's a big open space, unless I also have a little shop in which case it's split into the shop and the private quarters, but if I did have a shop I think that would be a separate building in the same style, connected by a little covered corridor because if I'm living in Scotland I'm not going outside to get guests a cup of tea. But if I have someone else there, then a pretty big space, and a private room on either side, because everybody needs their own space. And towards the back, where the plumbing is, an open-plan kitchen. The hearth in the middle, I think. And bookshelves all the hell over the place, naturally. And I want a loom, because I've been wanting to learn to weave for ages, and that could divide the space some.

And to go upstairs, a spiral staircase - I'm thinking architectural salvage - and it's a, whaddyama, mezzanine, with the bathroom at the back, and rails and shelves along the walls for clothes, and plenty of storage for all my assorted shite, and a big comfy bed.

I'd keep some goats, too, I think. I've heard they're annoying fuckers, but they seem like more fun than sheep. And maybe there'd be a friendly local dairy farmer who'd swap me goat milk for, like, butter and cheese. Maybe not, though. But if they were the right type of goats I could spin my own yarn. Though that sounds like effort.

Oh, and chickens! I would totally have some chickens. I might never eat meat again, though. And I'm not all that fond of eggs. But they're useful. And barter-worthy.

And I would do the sustainable living thing, with a composting toilet and everything, even though from here I go "ew" because, actually, I've done that before, and it's fine.

And I would weave and knit and write and bake and volunteer at the local museum one or two days a week so I didn't forget how to talk to people (and that would probably be most of my knitting time, actually). And I would cycle to close places and to the train station for far places. And it would be awesome.


Alternatively, a flat and a cat and a job that didn't actively suck would be great.

Comments

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

Oooooooooooooh. Like a hobbit hole without the ghastly decor. Or like Badger from Wind in the Willows would have if he wasn't a tiny bit monastic.

I am with you on the loom thing. A friend of my aunt's had a cottage where everything was stuff she had woven or tapestried herself and I craved it like mad because it was the most real place I had ever been in.

*tries not to cut 'n' paste your castle into own brain*

[kbk]

My castle has room for two, I think. Or you could live next door.

Looooom. I was at Sma' Shot cottage a few weeks back and there were looms and I was quite, quite impressed.

Your aunt's friend's house sounds excellent, yes.

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

I shall be Mole and live in the burrow next door. Excellent. Twee, but excellent.

I askedteh nos to write me fic where Ten takes Donna to see Sma' Shot Cottage and becomes "excited" by the LOOOMS therein, but she has inexplicably yet to do so.

Tapestry is clearly the way to go in insulation terms. Apart from quibbles like being laborious and a fire hazard. And the inevitable Judgement when people recognise one's fannish subject matter.

[kbk]

Yes!

Loooooms. There was a cage hanging on one with a stuffed bird, because apparently they would keep linnets to sing for them and entertain them, because of course they didn't have radios.

I think I would go for weaving rather than tapestry due to said laboriousness. It takes me long enough to do a daft little cross-stitch kit. But I am definitely considering calling my first two chickens Fruitcake and Baby Jesus (after the chicks from an epic SGA kid-fic set on a farm.)

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

I am with you re: goats, by the way. Goats are people. Bolshy mentals, but that's clearly to the good. I slightly want a llama or so but that is a bit too mad. Or alpacas maybe, for knitting.

Weaving is a good thing and yields wearable/usable cloth which can do things other than hang yeoldenly on the wall. Both would fulfil my current craving for wovenny things rather than knitty things, though.

I should do some knitting that reminds me. I want that cardigan a fair bit.

[kbk]

(and you know a bit about bolshy mentals, don't you?)

But llamas are awesome! They're so cute!

You could have alpacas, and I could have angora goats, and we could sell "handspun luxury fibres" for exorbitant prices and, on the label, put a picture of the actual animal that the hair came from!

I am on a second sock and getting bored with it. And I still have to block and finish a garment, which is not huge effort because it is only two pieces, but still.

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

This sounds like the Crazy Cat Lady Deluxe Edition. Loud cheers.

The Second Sock. [*scary Casio-keyboard sound effect*] It is a phenomenon all its own. I have somewhere a second sock that has been unfinished for over ten years because it is (a)knee-length and (b)too itchy to wear anyway. I've made one so I know I can do it (toesocks yay) but there's little incentive to finish t'other when they ITCH.

I have seen and craved actual-animal wool from alpacas, so I know that it works as marketing. Now I just have to try spinning again. I think I could if I tried cadge a spinning wheel off my aunt, which is a hell of a start. Then I just have to get past the thing where it's really hard. Luckily, people will buy terrible wool if it's "homespun" because of that thing where crap equals arty. I hate it but I am more than happy to exploit it.

I've been making a wishlist of activities instead of thinking about things that seem sensible or viable. It is quite cunning. And makes me look like my ambition is to be a rich Victorian lady being indulged in her wish for a little toy farm. Which is sort of is.

[kbk]

Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

You could finish it and sell them on ebay. Or etsy. Toesocks are awesome (and you could just not mention the itch).

Spinning wheels are 'spensive! (yes I was looking don't judge me) And people buy things like "thick and thin" wool for certain effects as well as the crap-arty correlation (which I do not deny exists and is eminently exploitable).

Oh, oh, if you'd been a rich Victorian lady you could have been a suffragette! or, y'know, one of the fore-runners, depending on exactly when you were.

I am done the heel and on to the gusset. I made the first one a bit too big because I know G is the shoe size above me but I may have over-compensated somewhat. Oh well what the hell, though, right?

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

Someone's feet will always fit into any given sock. It just requires a Cinderella-like quest.

I like knitting socks. No seam, no bits I can't do, just fun shaping. And they're a reasonable size for crappy concentration. And grafting the toe feels slightly like magic.

I believe my aunt still has the old spinning wheel of a friend of hers. I am sure she would be persuadable. Probably. I could explain that really i do need it as it's the essential spinster accessory, and then she'd give me it to avoid an awkward conversation. Mwa ha.

[kbk]

With my luck, it'll be Kate's husband. I suppose they're not Terribly lacy, and they're a muted purple, and Rich is pretty laidback...


Grafting is rather magic, but it feels like it takes so long! Not much longer than sewing, I suppose - certainly not longer than binding off and sewing combined - but still. God, I hate it when I get to the end and then I have to sit and bind off, it's so sloooow. And oh, crap, my shawl's gonna be hundreds of stitches by then. Maybe I could just run a string through them and knot that off, it would totally work.

Or you could tell her that your assorted boys are making a film of a fucked-up version of Sleeping Beauty.

[kbk]

Dude! Thought! Is cat hair spinnable? Because I know people do dog hair and human hair (both blended with wool, though) and angora is from rabbits, so... long-haired cats, obviously, but... Hee!

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

I think that the Other Angora Animal is a cat. People have also managed dog jumpers but I suspect it isn't easy. or nice.

[diarytypething.livejournal.com]

Sheep are awkward buggers as well, but far less interesting than goats. Goats at least put effort and something that passes as creative thought into doing things like stealing all the clothes on your washing line and cunningly hiding them inside its own stomach, whereas sheep just headbutt things. Angora goats are fantastically hairy, and their hair grows in *ringlets* for added coolness, and it even has special smell-repelling properties so that socks made from it only have to be washed about twice a year (there's farm up the road from where my parents live that keeps angora goats and has a fantastic goat-themed shop and tearoom).

[kbk]

Hee! Ringlets! That's awesome.

I would definitely not have sheep, because they're pretty dull - no offense to... huh, what's latin for sheep? oh, ovine. Huh. Anyway, goats seem far more entertaining.