Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Back to the Plague House

Yes. It is still winter, and around here that means lurgy time.

I have been ill. I have been aching all over, unable to swallow, running a fever of 39 degrees (that's 102.2 for Fahrenheit users) ill. I have been exhausted, dropping asleep in chairs ill. And let's not mention almost nodding off while driving the car yesterday, shall we?

It's been two weeks since I posted. I have been alive (just) and have organised 2 further birthday parties since we last spoke. On the weekend between the children's birthday, we have the grandparents to a party for both of them, so they don't have to travel twice in two weeks.

Then we had the seven kids from kindergarten for a PJ party after school on Monday. We had fairy bread, sausage rolls and little red sausages. We had pass the parcel and musical cushions. We had a supervised trip to the top of the tower and a birthday cake with bright blue icing and sparklers. It was lots of fun, and I was totally knackered afterwards.

You really can't have a party without fairy bread. In case there are people reading who don't know the glories of fairy bread, I'll explain.

You take really good quality, really really fresh white bread, spread it with butter or margarine.

Then you tip 100s and 1000s (a type of multicoloured, tiny, round sprinkle) into a plate and press the spread side of the bread into it. Then you cut it into 4 triangles and stack onto plates. Every self respecting Aussie kid loves fairy bread. I've been at a 40th birthday party where the crowd demolished 4 loaves worth of fairy bread at 1.30 in the morning - and asked for more.




I've even had a couple of days when I was too sick to knit - despite being home alone. Now that's sick. I have also been a very bad parent, and stuck on a 150 minute Spongebob DVD and instructed Destructoboy to watch it while I dozed in the chair. A very poor mother indeed.

I've also been avoiding buying yarn. I counted my indie sock yarn stash and what I discovered made me put my head between my knees and breathe very deeply for several minutes. In fact, the next project ready for my needles is the Vine Yoke Cardigan from the latest Twist Collective, and the yarn was shopped from stash (it's green Naturally Sensation - a merino/angora mix I bought while on holiday for $2.50 a skein).

That's the next project though. Before that I need to finish the second sleeve on my Tempest, do the bands and sew in a million ends.

Other than the plague (or 'tonsilitis' as the medical profession call it), the most exciting thing to enter the house has been this:
The first fibre and yarn sampler pack from Ewe Beaut. Lots of pretties in there for a convalescent to play with.

I'll get back to more regular posting soon.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm in awe of your energy levels despite the list of obligations of love and necessity.

Our two are 3 years and five days apart and even at 28 and 25 we have a joint birthday for them and the rels. When they were little (up to about 16 or so) we had one party one weekend and another party the next weekend and somewhere a grandparent's one as well.

And the stash! Good luck.

MadMad said...

You poor thing! I think the stress of two (three) birthday parties would have done me in completely. I hope you're all better soon.

That fairy bread looks awesome! (I love learning about all these traditions!) Love the pack from Ewe Beaut, too - that would be tons of fun to play with! And, I, too, plan on making that Vine Yoke first thing - well, first after the three other sweaters I promised myself I'd make!

Bells said...

I had tonsilitis last week too! Brought on by a secondary infection from the flu. Poor you. Poor us! Hope you are on the mend now too.

Taphophile said...

Oh what a bugger of a plague. Hope you are back to health soon. And fairy bread at birthday parties is surely the law. There should be if there isn't one.

knightlyknitter.wordpress.com said...

I'm much better after one day in bed and another loafing around the house - I hope you speedily feel the same!
Love the pretties - how come I haven't heard of Ewe Beaut before? Scratch that, I probably don't need any further practice at resisting temptation :)
Love and antibodies!

amy said...

Oooh, I've been there. Doesn't matter if Mama is sick, everything else must go on. Mamas don't get sick days! I hope you're feeling better soon. And you are most definitely NOT a bad Mama. I use TV sparingly as well, but what is it for if not to give you a chance to doze when you're sick???

Leonie said...

Oh I hope the Winter lurgies move on and don't return for you. Not what you need in the middle of Birthday season at all.

I've just spent a good half hour looking at the Ewe Beaut stuff and oh you are sooooo evil. I'm sooo stalking them from now on.

Alwen said...

I'll just send the feeling-better mojo your way - it sounds like you need it!

Geek Knitter said...

Hugs and hot tea (with whiskey) to you!

Donna Lee said...

How did you manage birthday parties while being so sick? Wonder woman has nothing on you!

And thank you for the explanation of fairy bread. I'd heard of it before but somehow thought it would be sweet.

Rose Red said...

Gah, sorry to hear you've been unwell lovey, hope you are feeling better soon - am sure the pretty yarns will help!!

And really, an almost panic attack on yarn - I never thought I'd see the day when that happened to you!!! (tee hee!).

That Naturally Sensation will make a fabulous Vine Yoke cardi, yum!

Oh, and Fairy Bread!! (are you sure the 40yos hadn't been smoking the funny weed??!!). I LOVE fairy bread. Do make sure to tell Donna Lee it is pretty sweet though!!

Lea said...

I have been there - tv on and a pack of rice cakes next to my bed to hand out to cries of hunger. I think not bad - but resourceful.

DrK said...

oh gah, flu and birthday parties. at least you got the fairy bread - im sure its a food group all of its own. feel better soon, too ill to knit is a really bad space!

Melinda said...

You poor thing! Rest up - and drive carefully!

Amy Lane said...

Wow-- baby get better! I hate being sick! (And I feel you on the stash issue. It looks like we're competitive with the stash...I'm shopping from the stash for a while...)

Fairy bread looks great--my family would probably snarf it up!

Tanya said...

My gosh - it's almost worth being sick to play with all that deliciousness. I think anyone would come down with various ailments after three birthday parties! Hope you are completely recovered now :)

Five Ferns Fibreholic said...

I learnt about Fairy bread from a visit to the National museum in Canberra. When I came home, the kids went gaga for it.

JustJess said...

Hope you get better soon! Fairy bread really is wonderful, as are chocolate crackles! Stash injection surely has to help, or did it CAUSE the fever?! xx