Something else to get excited about.

Thanks to the Olympics I have a very sore head–but not from drinking too much wine while watching the closing ceremony. Oh no, for once, the sun shone on the streets of London so my husband and I decided to join in with the festivities and go along to Blackfriars to watch the men's marathon. We got there early, to be sure to get a good view, and patiently waited for the race to start and the runners to impress us. They certainly did that, every single runner was marvelous, and the atmosphere was both exciting and joyous. The only downside is that after standing for nearly 4 hours in the sunshine (why couldn't we have chosen a shadier spot, and why didn't I bring a hat?), I ended up with a sunburnt head and face. My head is still tingling and the only thing that seems to soothe it is rosemary and mint shampoo. But, as the runners were willing to run for 26 miles on one of the hottest days of the year, the least I could do was stand and cheer them on!

It's funny how an event such as the marathon can open up your world view; until yesterday East Timor hardly registered on my radar, today it's near the top of my wishlist of places to visit, simply because the people must surely be among the loveliest on Earth if Augosto Soares is anything to go by. The runner, smiled and waved to the crowds, and generally looked delighted to be taking part, despite always being last to finish the lap. By the final lap, although he looked utterly shattered, Soares still tried to acknowledge the crowd's enthusiasm and attempts  to rally him on as we shouted 'East Timor, East Timor!' For me, he was the star of marathon.

The trouble with all this Olympic excitement is that it has seriously affected my sewing output as I decided it was much too dangerous to applaud athletes while holding sharp needles. We've been warned about the post-olympic hangover, whereby everyone sinks into a trough of depression once the party is over and it's time to face the hard grind of real life. Fortunately, I've got something else to get excited about and that's the upcoming Festival of Quilts at the NEC.

I am ridiculously excited about this as I've never been before. I've drawn up a list of all the things I want to see, top among them are quilts by Kate Dowty, Sandra Meech and Pauline Burbidge. Of course, I'll be buying lots of lovely fabric too, but with the number of items on my shopping list so far, I think I'll need a wheelbarrow to bring it all home.

If you're also going to the Festival of Quilts, have a wonderful time!

Elizabeth,
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