Happy Easter!

Well, as the long weekend draws to a close I thought I'd better post! I meant to post on Saturday but that didn't happen. Or yesterday, or today, until now! In my defence, I've been busy!

On Friday we went to the Royal Easter Show (Sydney's version of the state fair, I guess, for you US folk). It's the time every year when the country comes to the city - or at least, that's the marketing blurb. It is that time, but it's also a great time to gouge huge chunks of money from the wallets of (un)suspecting parents. My goodness, the show can be expensive. But if you don't go on rides, or buy showbags, or buy yukky food from the usual suspects (dagwood dog and fairy floss anyone?), you can go to the fancy-schmancy "fine dining restaurant" (Jamieson's) which overlooks the main arena and have a silver service lunch including wine and cheese platter. All very refined and something we didn't know about until this year. Yay!

And you can look around the Arts pavilion (I shan't review the knitting competitions - Ailsa has done a fine job already and I can't top her efforts!), look at the animals - here's some alpackys for you fibre lovers:

(nb: "alpacky" not "alpaca". Why? Because it's The Rules!)

And we always check out the District displays. Each state district (there are 5 or 6 I think, including one from Queensland although I've no idea why) does a sort of life size diorama type display every year using only produce from within their district - fruits, vegetables, wool, grains, preserves etc. They are really quite amazing to see, both for the imaginative displays and ways of using the produce, and just to admire all the effort which obviously goes into them.

This year, one of the districts had moving parts - an emu which went up and down on it's (I imagine, increasingly rickety) legs, a kangaroo which bobbed up and down and a frilled neck lizard whose frill opened and shut (sorry the pictures aren't great, only took the little camera with the hopeless flash):

Not sure if this is the first time moving parts have been used, but if so, no doubt they'll all have them next year. This next one is from the district where my home town is (can't you just see how it could be improved by legs that actually run!):I loved the use of the black images in this (can't remember what that is called now, but I'm sure one of you will help me out):And the lights shining through the preserves in this one - an old trick, but a good one nonetheless.And there was some yarn - not much, which was somewhat disapointing, although good for my stash balance. I did buy this cone of Belisa cashmere - the colour was just so lovely that I couldn't resist. And I'm doing my bit for local growers/suppliers (at least, that's what I tell myself), and it's a souvenir as well which will give a lot more pleasure than a huge stuffed toy...(see, I'm good at this justification stuff...).
I did not purchase any alpacky yarn from here ... although I was extremely tempted and nearly went back - for a gorgeous gorgeous red in their 4ply. But they are upgrading their website shopping, so I can always buy some another time.

Alas, I was less restrained at the Alpacky shop at Berrima yesterday (on our Southern Highlands road trip). See that packet of yarn behind the cashmere cone up there...that's 10 balls of 5ply (sportweight) alpacky for only $50! Woo hoo! Except for the whole "I just bought another 10 balls of yarn" deal. But it's the holidays, and it's souvenir yarn and...and...and. Ok, I'll stop now!

Hope you all had a great Easter and a lovely long weekend!