From the top then.

I think sometimes it's easier to start at the beginning so I'll go back to last week. The week began with a trip to WLOS's latest production - Jekyll & Hyde. I love going to see the Wexford Light Opera performances, they are a truely talented bunch of people. We had always planned to go but when my husband got invited by a client company, getting complimentary tickets and a drinks reception made it all the sweeter. Last year's production Sweeney Todd was still fresh in my mind and the shrill and haunting title song will probably never leave me. So, that said, this years performance had a lot to live up to. Housed temporarily in the Dun Mhuire theatre whilst the Theatre Royal is rebuilt, this years production was no less serious than last year. This musical is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's story about a doctor whose experiments with human personality create an evil and murderous counterpart. Tony Carty as Henry Jekyll/Edward Hyde was spectacular. Whenever I see these shows I am amazed that they are amateur productions. Tony 's day job is head chef at the Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford. I'm sure it's quite the challenge balancing the leading role and a career during show time. On stage his transition from Jekyll to Hyde and back again repeatedly in one of the closing numbers was so rapid the poor lighting technician couldn't keep up. It would be my only negative comment on an otherwise excellent show. Roll on October for the next Hits from the Musicals session. Wednesday brought the much anticipated First Steps event, at which I was due to speak. It went very well. My fellow speaker was up first and he told of the ups and downs of setting up his industrial automation business over 9 years ago. The contrast between our business sectors and models couldn't be greater, but I guess that is why we were both asked to speak of our experiences. I mentioned my background in sales and marketing during my presentation and in the Q&A session afterwards I was amazed at the amount of questions on this topic. I quickly realised how much I take my knowledge and experience in this area for granted. It seems to be a business function where many would be entrepreneurs need some help. Food for thought!! Back to knitting. I finished off the Cotton Wool Sweater in the duck egg blue I made for the newest arrival. I mentioned in my post of 8 April "One more baby girl" about the wisdom of knitting a blue sweater for a baby girl but surprisingly her mother assured me that it was not the only blue garment she received as a gift to welcome her baby girl to this world - and I thought I was being different!!! I travelled up to Dublin on Saturday for this months Stitch N' Bitch session - Sara has it well covered so there's not much for me to add. Except these, which are the start of many more squares to come.Mine are the red, white and yellow squares. I had planned on metred square rug using the Interweave pattern but Isobel very kindly gave me her pattern and I'm going to use that one instead. Of course that means a lot of sewing up, but for the moment I'm in denial and am happily knitting away. On Saturday afternoon I got to meet the new arrival and finally give my friends the gifts I'd made and bought. I have to admit, the Green and Black chocolate didn't last in our house and (ok, it was me, I ate it) and in the intervening three weeks I had to go and buy more (just one bar though- that's not so bad is it?) So, here they are finally, a pic of the new family. I know I've only just got to Saturday afternoon but here I must leave you for the moment. In those immortal words "I'll be back".