Dad came home with five ducks yesterday.

He went off to the Caravan and Camping Show on his gopher because there was a Science Show attached to it, He wanted to see the Science Show. (Jane over on How Publishing Really Works will be too busy celebrating her birthday still so I can safely say that this is ALL her fault. Jane was the one who sent Bad Science and he has been reading it. He wanted to see what they were telling the kids at the Science Show.)
So, he came home with five ducks for me. Ducks? Fortunately they were not live ducks - and not dead ducks either. He knows me better than that. It was a towelling bath mitt in yellow - and each finger tip had orange beaks and black eyes. Rather cute. What was remarkable however was his comment, "I suppose you knitters could make something like that?" We could indeed. I plan to show one of those knitters who does not mind the fiddly stuff and the embroidery. I never sew anything. Knitting is definitely my limit. The ends get pulled through with a crochet hook. Kind friends sew on essential buttons. It is why my contributions to shows and exhibitions consist of shawls. (They also have the advantage of being one size fits all - sort of.)
I did housework, including washing floors, and then went back to work on the checklist for the judges. It is almost done. I also have a pattern to write for my friend Prudence Mapstone who does the most amazing creations that require 'an awful lot of putting together'. This is something that was delayed by the Shetland shawl - for which I am not writing a pattern - and the Shetland baby shawl - for which I am also not writing a pattern. There are limits.
Instruction writing is very good discipline. All writers should do a little of it now and then.