Bon Voyage, Bon Vivant!

We're off!

Or rather, we're about to be off. I can never keep track of imperfect tenses. Tonight we catch the big red ship known as the Spirit of Tasmanian (either SoT I or II - not sure which) and head off to the wide open spaces of mainland Australia.

The kidlets are in a frenzy of excitement - the prospect of sleeping in bunks on board ship, seeing dolphins again (maybe) and the fun of packing. I'm more trying to make sure we remember all the bits we have to remember, leave nothing vital behind, and remember to tell the housesitter that there are mice in the pantry.

I spent yesterday (for about 15 hours) trying to cram 2 work days into one so I'd be relatively free today to clean and tidy and pack and put away and wash and so on.

I'm looking forward to a holiday too. Although I had time off over Christmas, it didn't really feel like a holiday - what with the cooking for family and Kim's treatment (now finished and all looking fine - Yay!). So this will feel like a real holiday.

Of course, I have had my holiday knitting picked out and packed for weeks. I cast on a pair of socks last night (so I don't have to do any casting on in the car when I finish the Mojo socks which I am almost at the heel of). That sentence didn't make sense at all. I am almost at the heel of the second Mojo sock, and feel I will fly through it, so I have a second pair of socks all ready to go. That's better.

Because I have promised to be honest about certain yarny stuff entering the house, I feel I should let you know about January purchases. I mentioned a de-stash I had re-homed - 4 skeins of 100percentwool worsted in a purply colour and 4 skeins in an orangey brown have been tucked into the non-stash. The Princess immediately claimed the purple.

On a very sad note, the lovely local LYS is closing. This is the one run by Brethren ladies which just had its 30th birthday. The closure means there are no yarn sellers, between Burnie Doomlight of Spot and Launceston (with the exception of a tiny one at Ulverstone and a haberdashers which sells some Patons). The ladies were a wonderful resource, helpful and kind and will be sadly missed.

On a brighter note, everything in the shop is currently 50% off. I managed to get in there and headed straight for the good stuff at the back. The place was packed and many of the cutomers (which were more than 10 deep around the counters) were buying up big on needlecraft and embroidery silk. Some were hitting the dead muppet and baby wool and others seeemed to have no real idea why they were there.

I grabbed Sublime (10 balls of Pistachio, 14 of Denim blue), 10 balls of Jo sharp silk road aran in a green, 8 balls of apple green Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette and 4 balls of the Sublime kid mohair in Teal. It was obviously a mainly grreen day. Then I queued for 20 minutes in the really hot shop.

So, Rosered, I have increased my ummmm yarn storage by 54 balls/skeins.

I have finished the shetland triangle (big). I did 13 repeats and had 32gr left for the edging. I ran out halfway through casting off and pinched a bit from the Christmas sock club parcel - same yarn, similar colours - you really can't tell. It's beautiful.

I have almost finished the Mojos. So I have knitted 250gr of yarn and bought in about 3kg. Drat.

I also managed to drop off 3 bags of clothes etc at St Vinnies, and have 4 bags and 2 boxes ready to go. On the in, out, shake it all about scales for the year so far, I am ahead - more has gone out than came in.

Enjoy the rest of the school holidays, I may get to blog from South Australia over the next couple of weeks. Otherwise, enjoy the summer. See you when school goes back!

Wha' happened?

Forgive me blogpals, it’s been far too long since my last confession – sorry – posting.

I have sinned (a little) and my stash on Rav has needed some serious updating. I’m only going to show the most absolutely recent acquisitions here. I stopped admitting my non-stash because it all got a little overwhelming. So, I have not been either as brutally honest about what’s come in as Taph, nor as organised as Rosered. That is going to change.

I was feeling rather good about not having bought yarn this year – but then succumbed to the lure of a Ravelry destash. I have bought yarn, but by Zephyrama’s rules of stash, as it’s a de-stash, it is not stash, but re-housing. Some yarn has drifted in over the Christmas period.

I received some re-housed Cascade from Zephyrama in a wonderful Crimbo cheer parcel which involved presents for the children and a fabulous anti-cancer cookbook for the Accountant. The Accountant, by the way, has finished being Radioactive Man (but I still make him wear the costume), and all looks fine, His neck looks sunburnt and peely, but he is well, and hopefully will be staying that way. I put it all down to the power of knitting. He also managed to be the only mortal who has actually put ON weight during radiation, because he figured he had carte blanche to eat ice cream until it came out his ears.

There was an order from the Blue Moon sale at the beginning of December, but that only arrived a week or so ago. I ordered some more Twisted and some sock yarn (sock yarn – really? How odd!).

That arrived this year, but is really a purchase from last year. So this is going to be the year of mindful purchases. It’s no good saying there will be a yarn diet, because we all know they do not work. I’m just going to be more careful. And I’m going to knit – a lot.

The Shetland triangle is having its edging done, after 13 repeats (thank you Bells), I’m hoping to block tonight or tomorrow and will have piccies then. Donyale’s wonderful Mojo pattern is turning into wonderful socks (my first ever toe-ups).

Everyone is in a fever of excitement because we go on holidays next week. I have already packed the knitting bag (of course) and have been working furiously, trying to clean the house, get at least one week ahead at work and wrangle children. I am very over school holidays at present.

See - it doesn't look nearly as much if you spread it all out.......

Now you’re up to date. I will blog again before we go. Enjoy the summer which has finally arrived in NW Tasmania.