A word for lovers of Ye Olde RPG Dungeon

 OED word of the day

cryptoporticus, n.

[‘ An enclosed gallery having side walls with openings or windows instead of columns. Also: a covered or subterranean passage.’]

The OED doesn't say that it's 10 foot wide (or some multiple thereof), but it sounds as if it ought to be.

Traffic-watch, morning report

I'm going to try to keep an eye on this, see if my subjective gut feeling is borne out by more detailed observation. So, from home to work this morning, mostly down the A1

Cars observed: too many hundreds to count. Examples of bad driving noted: one case of lane hogging (staying in the fast lane when not overtaking anything, blocking cars behind). Percentage of bad drivers: perhaps 0.5%, and that was discourtesy, not danger.

Vans observed: a few dozen? Examples of bad driving noted: one case of snow on the roof flying off at speed. Percentage of bad drivers: 5%?

Lorries observed: again, a few dozen. Examples of bad driving noted: none.

Bikes observed: two, both in Biggleswade. Examples of bad driving noted: one. He was riding on the pavement, not the road.

Motorbikes observed: one. Examples of bad driving noted: one (yes, 100%, but of a small sample). He came up behind me, and the next time there was a gap, I pulled in to let him pass, then came out again. He then carried on up the road weaving in and out, undertaking, inventing an extra lane for himself, and generally acting like an entitled, suicidal idiot. He never used any signalling for anything that could even in the most rose-tininted view of his activities have been a change of lane. Average traffic speed at the time was about 70 mph.

Traffic-watch, evening report

OK, that's twice, but bet I won't keep this up long enough for any statistical significance.

Cars observed: too many hundreds to count. Examples of bad driving noted: five shortages of indication, one lack of courtesy to people trying to pull out at a junction, one parking on the footpath.
Lorries observed: about a dozen. Examples of bad driving noted: none.
Buses observed: four. Examples of bad driving noted: one failure to keep to his own lane on the approach to a roundabout.
Vans observed: about a dozen. Examples of bad driving noted: none.
Motorbikes observed: one. Examples of bad driving noted: none.

The difference in numbers of buses between morning and evening, by the way, is because on the way to work I go down the A1 to Stevenage South, on the way home I go to Stevenage North via the town centre.

Sewing update

Today was a working day, so didn't get a lot done in the way of sewing.

This morning, pulled out the real fabric, took off a 5" wide strip (so 45" long) that will eventually be the skirt waistband, intending to iron it to the right shape. Sorted through the fastenings drawer, found some big skirt hooks that will do to fasten said waistband, and a strip of hook&eye tape that may get used if I really run out of time - buttons can be decorative.

This evening, put on the corset, put the blouse body mock-up on over it, tried to sort out what was wrong with the yoke to put the shoulder seam several inches down my back. It seems that the sizes they give are fine for around me, but less useful when scaled by the same amount up and down. I've shortened the front by a couple of inches and lengthened the back by the same amount, while keeping widths the same, and the body now fits, with join between yoke and pleated body in the right place.

Tomorrow I make sure the sleeves fit (I expect they will, the armhole looks fine and gathering sleeves to fit the hole is easy enough), and check the cut of the neck hole and collar. Then on to the real fabric!

One other important step taken today: booked Thursday as holiday. I think I'm going to need it.