Friday, November 30, 2007

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

It’s been extraordinarily busy around here, for some reason. Yes, you-know-what is on the horizon (altogether now, fingers in ears ‘Laalalalalaala’), but it’s really all the other things that go along with the end of the year and the end of the school year.

In the last week or so, we’ve had the election, we’ve had the Small Schools Sports Carnival (try saying that 3 times quickly, especially after a couple of glasses of wine – or summer evening G&Ts), where the Princess came second in the sack race and in the relay, was given a sticker for participating in the obstacle race and the running and everyone had a wonderful time. In 10 days we have the playgroup break-up and visit from Santa and before that the Circus show in the park – Princess will be in this – as a clown (it’s pretty funny just watching 10 five year olds try to do anything – they don’t even need to do anything overtly ‘funny’) and on a trapeze – yup – one term of circus school and she’s going to be on a trapeze – I will try and remember to take photos – I generally forget – I’m such a bad mother.

Yesterday, I ditched the editing and took the plastic kite from 2 dollar shop which ‘Santa’ left in a stocking last Christmas and has never been out of the packet and flew it outside. I ditched the editing (sorry, Amy), and ran outside and we flew the kite (it flew really well – let me recommend the crappy plastic kites which look like octopi and jellyfish to you), played ‘Grandmother’s Footsteps’, swung the children dizzingly around in the air, spun them and chased them and generally had a great parenting time!!

We’ve also had swimming lessons and general madness (from the children – I just yell when the decibels reach unacceptable levels.). I have nearly all my postable Christmas presents ready to go, and have to write overseas Christmas cards to assure those people we only contact at Christmas that we are actually still alive. This means that they should be awake to the possibility that we will descend upon them at some unspecified future date and act like a plague of locusts, while lolling on their best furniture and asking them to peel grapes for us.

The In/Out/Shake it all about Challenge continues (in a scaled down form – but just you wait for a couple of weeks).

IN
3 Knitting mags – Interweave Holiday (Yes, it finally arrived), Simply Knits – with attached calendar and the new Vogue Knitting
I’ve already admitted to all the Op-shopping and the Lush package
A Rowan Studio brochure
A Red Bird Knits sock kit for November. This is absolutely gorgeous and consists of 2 balls of Lana Grossa Meilenwieit yarn – wool, silk, cashmere and polywhatsit. Yum!! And the pattern is great – highly textured and detailed – pop over to the website and check it out!

OUT
8 military books (eBay)
1 Parcel children’s clothes – eBay
1 box of china and stuff - Lifeline
1 magnadoodle – binned
1 Large pile children’s artworks (sshhh – recycled or binned depending on materials)

To prove that I am, indeed, the sad and tragic person the Accountant believes me to be, I acted in an uncharacteristically organised way yesterday. All day I’d had a really bad pain in my abdomen. ‘Goodness,’ I thought ‘What if it is appendicitis? I should do something.’ So I pulled out some sock yarn, matched it to appropriate patterns, popped each kit into a ziplock bag and all the bags either into a big project bag (4) or the downstairs stash cupboard (6). Into the project bag I also popped my knitting essentials bag – DPNs, darning needles, tape measure, scissors, etc. etc). This took around half an hour. At the end of that time, I looked around and thought, ‘There, if I need to go to hospital, I’m ready!’

The more perceptive of you may have noticed that here is no mention of underwear, toiletries or changes of clothes. That is because all I need for a hospital trip is KNITTING! Apparently.

To round out today, I would like to thank Raven from Trampled by Geese. She has nominated me for the Nice Matters Award – oi! You down the back – stop snickering – the Award is ‘for those bloggers who are nice people; good friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspirations. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world.’ Thank you so much Raven, I’m very honoured. I promise to use my awesome powers for good - and I'm really very chuffed that she thought about this blog that way. Thank you again!

I also get to nominate seven people for this award. Here they are, in no particular order.

Taph, for Unravelled. Her knitting for the homeless and efforts to declutter her life and live better are an inspiration;
Bells, cooking and knitting and inspiring all those people with the Southern Summer of Socks (especially the newbies we have caught in our (knitted) sock net)
Jejune for living her life caring for others
Rosered, for the SSoS and for initiating Shoesday (and sending me telepathic vibes forcing me to buy footwear
Alwyn, for her knitting lessons and philosophy and ‘can-do’ attitude
MadMad Housewife – for her sharp and witty take on life and always making me laugh
Nora, for sharing her aesthetic, and proving that a thing of beauty is a joy
And (because it’s always worth overdoing)
Happy Spider, because she inspires me and got me into this whole blogging thing anyway!

I’d love to nominate Raven back, but the rules say the love flows outward – so there you go – have fun with it!


7 comments:

Rose Red said...

arrrr, thanks Tink! You've nominated a great bunch of people!

TrampledbyGeese said...

You deserve that award.

What a fantastic day with a kite. I miss summer, but to make up for it being winter here, the weather man promises snow! 10cm at least! I'll just have to wait an see if he really means it or if this is just another one of his cruel tricks.

It's a good idea about the knitting bags for hospital visits. It is actually something I've been thinking about doing for some time. I can't imagine going to hospital without knitting.

MadMad said...

OK, first I was laughing so hard about the knitting packing, (though I'm happy you didn't need it!) and then I saw the Nice award, and thought, oh, that is so appropriate. She IS so nice. And how I would never be able to win one of those. And then, lookie! I did! Cuz *^&)$@@, I am #$^^$$$ nice. Aren't I? Thank you. And if you ever want to have your grapes peeled for you outside Boston, you just let me know!

Bells said...

it's no laughing matter that pre-hospital packing - the night I miscarried, I was in great pain, but paused to think about what I should knit. I gave the idea up immediately, but I did think it!

And thank you! I'm honoured to be among such other great bloggers and friends!

Amy Lane said...

Aw... so wonderful!! And do, definitely take a break from the editing... (I, on the otherhand, have started--and I must say, you rock out loud.) I needed a huge break of niceness, and your blog about did it! *g* Thanks, Tink!

Nora said...

Thank you for your sweet words. Believe me when I say this post was very well timed. x

Nora

Taphophile said...

Oh Tink, thank you - and I have such nice manners that it's been over a week since I blog read. I certainly don't deserve the award, but I'm grateful that you think I do. :)

Nothing strange in being appropriately packed for hospital. Due to Mum's health situation there is a bag of yarn and matching needles in my boot at all times.

I love that the important things like kite flying were taken care of.