Which is better?
Talking about knitting, knitting, or talking about knitting while actually knitting? (Or is it talking about knitting while knitting and eating brownies stuffed with dried cherries?) As I have no stitch and bitch group in my immediate vicinity, and very few people who either understand or share my knitting obsession I rely on my blog pals to fuel this particular interest.
Have had a great few knitting days. Friday was the visit from Jill the Super-cabler! And then yesterday I had a visit from the Knitting Knight’s road trip. A lovely day spent playing with yarn, talking about knitting and food and socks and yarn and knitting and children and gardens and knitting and stash and knitting and so on.
The Knitting Knight’s family is just lovely and supportive of their mother’s knitting prowess. I also received a gorgeous handcrafted sock knitting bag from the young male Knitting Knight (his first outing on the sewing machine – and mightily impressive – photos later). Kate made me highly envious with her Dish Rag Tag - so I think I will be forced to sign up next year.
It was a lovely weekend and great to meet co-bloggers (bloggista?) in person. She has, of course opened the floodgates and now can expect a return visit from Chez Tinkingbell at a future date!
OK
Here’s the ‘In, Out, Shake it all about’ list.
For sheer quantity, this one will be hard to beat!
Out:
4 tonnes (cubic metres) of firewood
2 trailer loads to the tip – this includes dead furniture, old guttering tiles sacks and stuuf including treated wood and wood with paint
7 bags of childrens clothes – sold on ebay
10 skeins of Rowan 4 ply – sold
2 balls sock yarn – sold
2 more bags of sheets and toys to the child care centre
4 (?)forgotten – patterns to Taph – evil laughter
3 toys – gifts
1 bag bibs and smocks – childcare centre
1 bag childrens shoes – gift
2 pairs boys shoes – gift
1 bag – lifeline
In
1 knitting pattern book
4 balls Jo Sharp Kid mohair
20 skeins of Rowan 4 ply
1 handcrafted sock knitting bag from a young friend of mine
1 apricot shirt from the op-shop
Shake it all about
8 cloth nappies turned into dusters/ wiper uppers
I’m very taken with the de-cluttering – but seem to have spent such a long time (and so much effort) cluttering, feel that a high level of de-clutter may take a while.
Off to survey the possibilities for round 4 of de-clutter. More later!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Short and to the Point
It’s OK everyone – I haven’t been hit by a bus – merely lots of visitations and social events!
Also had Princess return after a mere 7 hours sleep (instead of the usual 12-13) a little on the feral side – she slept well last night and should be OK by tomorrow. It’s been very social, with the lovely and blogless Jill visiting to carry out her threat of teaching me to cable without a cable needle. I have done one row of Juno using this technique and think that if I practice I will improve. She is quite right – once I have it organised I think it will be faster, and has the advantage of not needing a third hand!
Tomorrow the lovely Knitting Knight is visiting – so I’m looking forward to meeting her and her brood – should be great fun, and her children and mine will probably form a pack and run free!
It was going to be a very deep and meaningful posting today, but it may have to wait until Sunday!
Enjoy the fun of Friday and the 2 days of potential knitting stretching out before you!
Also had Princess return after a mere 7 hours sleep (instead of the usual 12-13) a little on the feral side – she slept well last night and should be OK by tomorrow. It’s been very social, with the lovely and blogless Jill visiting to carry out her threat of teaching me to cable without a cable needle. I have done one row of Juno using this technique and think that if I practice I will improve. She is quite right – once I have it organised I think it will be faster, and has the advantage of not needing a third hand!
Tomorrow the lovely Knitting Knight is visiting – so I’m looking forward to meeting her and her brood – should be great fun, and her children and mine will probably form a pack and run free!
It was going to be a very deep and meaningful posting today, but it may have to wait until Sunday!
Enjoy the fun of Friday and the 2 days of potential knitting stretching out before you!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
I've got the Clap, too! The Happy Clap, that is!
I’m in! I’m in!! I finally got my Ravelry invite this morning (when all my broadband for the month has gone – but DON’T tell the Accountant!)!
I’ve registered and Firefoxed and Flickr’d. I’ve added some of you as my friends (please don’t be upset if I haven’t added you yet – I will). I haven’t yet toured Ravelry or uploaded anything because I’m much too dazzled by the colour and movement! (Oooh – sparkles … Oh pretty stuff……. ) Excuse me – got a little sidetracked there!
I can see, that like puppies, kittens and babies, Ravelry has an enormous potential for time wasting. (Like I’ve got SOOOO MUCH time and I can afford to waste it.) But what’s a girl to do?
In addition, I’ve become a flirt – a flibbertigibbet (I’ve ALWAYS wanted to put that in a sentence!). I am officially a lightskirt. – I cast on for my Happy Clappy last night (joining Georgie in the KAL). I had a really bad back ache and really didn’t feel up to concentrating on Juno, so I cast on – and I can really see the appeal.
But I’m afraid that this is merely the beginning of a downhill slide in my moral knitting purpose! Last night just before sleeping I was thinking that it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if I were to cast on for another pair of feather and fan socks – I could make them in Happy Spider’s Pink Grapefruit colourway, and I love my others so much and they wouldn’t take long……
I can see I need to put a little more monogamy in my life. 2 WIPs is OK – 1 complex, one for travelling. Even three – 2 as above and one simple largish project to work on when brain not up to …what? Sorry, didn’t catch that – too busy justifying myself. Where was I? Yes – and then maybe another simplish one – like feather and fan socks or another swing jumper.
It’s thin end of the wedge stuff, folks. So, despite my inner urgings, I’m taking a stand. No more WIPs until something is finished. Collar or Clapotis or socks – one has to be finished before another is on the needles. (Let’s see how long this zeal lasts!). I’m sure to be finished with something in a week (aren’t I?)
In other news, the Princess has headed off to her first ever sleep-over. She’s staying with a little local friend in a house she knows well. It has the added advantage of being very close in case there’s a 3am call for collection. She’s so keen on the idea that she packed her bag YESTERDAY, and despite going to the friends at 1pm was up AND HAD DRESSED HERSELF AND WAS POKING ME AT 7AM.
This is the girl who often resists getting dressed until lunchtime and had one memorable rainy day when she was still wearing last night's PJs when she went up for her night-time bath because her mother had given up the fight at about 2pm!
It will be strange – the night-time ritual of bath, stories and songs without my Princess.
It’s a big step, your first night away from home. Hope everything goes well – and not just because I don’t really fancy getting up at 3am!
I’ve registered and Firefoxed and Flickr’d. I’ve added some of you as my friends (please don’t be upset if I haven’t added you yet – I will). I haven’t yet toured Ravelry or uploaded anything because I’m much too dazzled by the colour and movement! (Oooh – sparkles … Oh pretty stuff……. ) Excuse me – got a little sidetracked there!
I can see, that like puppies, kittens and babies, Ravelry has an enormous potential for time wasting. (Like I’ve got SOOOO MUCH time and I can afford to waste it.) But what’s a girl to do?
In addition, I’ve become a flirt – a flibbertigibbet (I’ve ALWAYS wanted to put that in a sentence!). I am officially a lightskirt. – I cast on for my Happy Clappy last night (joining Georgie in the KAL). I had a really bad back ache and really didn’t feel up to concentrating on Juno, so I cast on – and I can really see the appeal.
But I’m afraid that this is merely the beginning of a downhill slide in my moral knitting purpose! Last night just before sleeping I was thinking that it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if I were to cast on for another pair of feather and fan socks – I could make them in Happy Spider’s Pink Grapefruit colourway, and I love my others so much and they wouldn’t take long……
I can see I need to put a little more monogamy in my life. 2 WIPs is OK – 1 complex, one for travelling. Even three – 2 as above and one simple largish project to work on when brain not up to …what? Sorry, didn’t catch that – too busy justifying myself. Where was I? Yes – and then maybe another simplish one – like feather and fan socks or another swing jumper.
It’s thin end of the wedge stuff, folks. So, despite my inner urgings, I’m taking a stand. No more WIPs until something is finished. Collar or Clapotis or socks – one has to be finished before another is on the needles. (Let’s see how long this zeal lasts!). I’m sure to be finished with something in a week (aren’t I?)
In other news, the Princess has headed off to her first ever sleep-over. She’s staying with a little local friend in a house she knows well. It has the added advantage of being very close in case there’s a 3am call for collection. She’s so keen on the idea that she packed her bag YESTERDAY, and despite going to the friends at 1pm was up AND HAD DRESSED HERSELF AND WAS POKING ME AT 7AM.
This is the girl who often resists getting dressed until lunchtime and had one memorable rainy day when she was still wearing last night's PJs when she went up for her night-time bath because her mother had given up the fight at about 2pm!
It will be strange – the night-time ritual of bath, stories and songs without my Princess.
It’s a big step, your first night away from home. Hope everything goes well – and not just because I don’t really fancy getting up at 3am!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
When Ass Meets Class
I half watched TV last night, while doing one and a half repeats on Juno (I’m aiming for 2 a night – it MIGHT happen), and what I watched confirmed a pet theory of mine. I was watching free-to-air TV (as none of the movies on the multitude of Satellite TV Movie channels did anything for me) and ended up with CSI and Damages, as the best of a poor lot (this was on the basis that the ABC probably required more concentration than I was willing to extend). My theory is that when ass and class meet head to head, class will always be the loser.
The Ass/Class theory has been with me a while, and has almost always applied to TV – especially anything with Eddie McGuire involved. Anything with the word ‘Reality’ in front of it is also there and anything which audiences vote on is likely to be there too. All definitely cases of Ass beating Class. I mean – more people voted for American Idol than the American President – Oh my Sainted Aunt!
Barnum had a similar theory – he suggested that no-one ever went broke under-estimating the intelligence of the average punter. As he was also the man who came up with the whole ‘Never give a sucker an even break’ idea, this worried me.
What really worries me is not that the TV executives under-estimate the intelligence of their audience, but that they actively seem to be working to minimise their expectations and extend their stupidity. Journalism masquerading as ’60 minutes’, Morning television pretending to be current affairs, daytime TV purporting to offer political analysis. To say nothing of supposed quiz shows, so-called reality television and docudramas, all this stuff seems to me to work very hard at squashing any original ideas, critical faculties and insight out of their audience. And don’t even get me started on advertising!
This is NOT television reflecting reality, but rather television actively attempting to shape the world – or at least its perception.
Which is why I don’t watch commercial television much.
All of which brings me rather neatly to children’s television. (What a great segue!) I love ABC kids. I enjoy watching their offerings with my children. They never watch commercial TVs kid’s offerings (See above re advertising). But those of you with young kids are likely to be aware of the 4-430 line-up on ABC. We watch Peppa Pig, followed by the beautifully animated Bottle Top Bill. Then we have Shaun the Sheep (an Aardman animation, by the crew who brought you Wallace and Gromit) and then my favourite – Sitting Ducks. This half hour of TV (usually preceded by Playschool) is a joy.
It has no advertising. It has no suspicious content, it is perfectly designed for kids (and big kids who love good animation). Why is it, that when they make such crud for adults, they can make such joyous, original and intelligent shows for children?
My only concern is that after longer than I can remember, the ABC is changing the time of Playschool. For at least the last four years, the 3.30 timeslot has been sacred time in our house. 25 minutes of quiet, while I can organise dinner and do the washing up. I’m not sure how long Playschool has been in that slot, but I have a feeling that it’s almost as long as Playschool has been on the air.
For me, the main charm of crap TV will always be that allows me to do complex knitting! If I don't have to concentrate on the script, story or characters I can do lace and cables! (And go to the loo in the ad breaks!)
The Ass/Class theory has been with me a while, and has almost always applied to TV – especially anything with Eddie McGuire involved. Anything with the word ‘Reality’ in front of it is also there and anything which audiences vote on is likely to be there too. All definitely cases of Ass beating Class. I mean – more people voted for American Idol than the American President – Oh my Sainted Aunt!
Barnum had a similar theory – he suggested that no-one ever went broke under-estimating the intelligence of the average punter. As he was also the man who came up with the whole ‘Never give a sucker an even break’ idea, this worried me.
What really worries me is not that the TV executives under-estimate the intelligence of their audience, but that they actively seem to be working to minimise their expectations and extend their stupidity. Journalism masquerading as ’60 minutes’, Morning television pretending to be current affairs, daytime TV purporting to offer political analysis. To say nothing of supposed quiz shows, so-called reality television and docudramas, all this stuff seems to me to work very hard at squashing any original ideas, critical faculties and insight out of their audience. And don’t even get me started on advertising!
This is NOT television reflecting reality, but rather television actively attempting to shape the world – or at least its perception.
Which is why I don’t watch commercial television much.
All of which brings me rather neatly to children’s television. (What a great segue!) I love ABC kids. I enjoy watching their offerings with my children. They never watch commercial TVs kid’s offerings (See above re advertising). But those of you with young kids are likely to be aware of the 4-430 line-up on ABC. We watch Peppa Pig, followed by the beautifully animated Bottle Top Bill. Then we have Shaun the Sheep (an Aardman animation, by the crew who brought you Wallace and Gromit) and then my favourite – Sitting Ducks. This half hour of TV (usually preceded by Playschool) is a joy.
It has no advertising. It has no suspicious content, it is perfectly designed for kids (and big kids who love good animation). Why is it, that when they make such crud for adults, they can make such joyous, original and intelligent shows for children?
My only concern is that after longer than I can remember, the ABC is changing the time of Playschool. For at least the last four years, the 3.30 timeslot has been sacred time in our house. 25 minutes of quiet, while I can organise dinner and do the washing up. I’m not sure how long Playschool has been in that slot, but I have a feeling that it’s almost as long as Playschool has been on the air.
For me, the main charm of crap TV will always be that allows me to do complex knitting! If I don't have to concentrate on the script, story or characters I can do lace and cables! (And go to the loo in the ad breaks!)
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Rubber Ducky, You're the One....
Sssssh! Can you keep a secret? I sneak off for baths! That’s right – I slope off at early hours of the morning when I waken early and can’t sleep, and submerge myself amongst bubbles with a book, a face mask and my glasses fogging up!
Why do I sneak off like that? Well, much as I love my children, the only way I can claim a little time for myself is to sneak down to the bath very early on a Sunday morning and spend an hour floating in bubbles. Then I get back into my pyjamas and sneak back into bed. If I don’t get the timing absolutely right, I end up with a 5 year old girl – screaming (literally) down the stairs into the bathroom, stripping as she runs until she jumps in with me.
I really don’t mind my little girl joining me in the bath, and playing games and splashing. It’s just that my baths are a quiet and relaxing time, and always, by the time she gets there, the water is starting to cool off and I have to stay for another half an hour in increasingly cold water playing boat, bubbles or whatever other game she invents!
Yesterday was a lovely spring day – which can only mean one thing – spring cleaning! We attacked the courtyard, pulling up weeds, tidying the pot plants and planning plantings in the big bed against the wall. All winter, the courtyard gets no sun, then around now it starts trapping the sun, and the old red bricks of the wall start preventing frosts. So this year, instead of grass, I’m going to plant tomatoes and lettuces (and maybe a cucumber) in the bed to catch the sun. The warmth of the wall means no frost there as well, so even a late frost shouldn’t get my tomatoes!
On the Seven Things Challenge:
IN:
Well, the shoes – obviously – 2 pairs of Birkis (pls see previous post to admire their beauty!);
1 apricot top from the Op shop, and 4 patterns from same;
1 boys summer hat and 2 tops for children (winter sale at local children’s wear shop);
Vogue Knitting and Creative Knitting;
1 skein Marion’s sock yarn;
My Sublime lay-by paid off (plus the stash bag gift and 2 balls cheap Jo Sharp DK);
My Lay-by from Local haberdasher paid off - 4 balls leaf green Patons, 2 Christmas presents and buttons for the squatty sidekicks;
In: 17 balls of yarn, 15 other items
OUT:
2 bags cot sheets, baby blankets and ancillary stuff for the child care centre
1 toy also for above
1 bag of clothes for Lifeline
1 breadmaker (running) needs new washer and probably loaf tin – ready for Lifeline
3 Patons patterns – to Taph!!!
9 bags of childrens gear listed on Ebay (not yet sold – finishes tomorrow)
Out: 17 bags of stuff!
That has to be in front, doesn’t it?
I’ve also organised pram, cot, portacot, car seat and so on to be listed in the classifieds – though that will be next week.
We also attacked the wine cellar – although that does not qualify as de-cluttering because we work out what needs to be drunk, but organising it did mean removing and re-organising all the half empty boxes, so maybe it qualifies – 5 empty boxes gone!
Further to a post from a while back, I have seen two movies this week I really enjoyed – for entirely different reasons.
We watched 300 the other night, and I was very impressed. It was stylised and stylish, used lots of CGI as an integral part of the look, told an old story well (even if it did takes some liberties with Herodotus), and I really enjoyed it. Deeper than it looks – lots of allegory and poetry mixed with the mythology. I can see that it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was mine – and considering some of the pap I’ve noticed recently, a huge step up!
The second was ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, also a non-Hollywood production. This is Spanish (the Spaniards are making some noteworthy films) and set in the era of the Spanish Civil War – gorgeous, interesting, phantasmagorical, surreal. In the words of Molly Meldrum ‘Do yourself a favour’. It was beautiful, but not great for complex knitting (subtitles!).
Knitting. Here is one repeat of the cable pattern from Juno’s collar.
Why do I sneak off like that? Well, much as I love my children, the only way I can claim a little time for myself is to sneak down to the bath very early on a Sunday morning and spend an hour floating in bubbles. Then I get back into my pyjamas and sneak back into bed. If I don’t get the timing absolutely right, I end up with a 5 year old girl – screaming (literally) down the stairs into the bathroom, stripping as she runs until she jumps in with me.
I really don’t mind my little girl joining me in the bath, and playing games and splashing. It’s just that my baths are a quiet and relaxing time, and always, by the time she gets there, the water is starting to cool off and I have to stay for another half an hour in increasingly cold water playing boat, bubbles or whatever other game she invents!
Yesterday was a lovely spring day – which can only mean one thing – spring cleaning! We attacked the courtyard, pulling up weeds, tidying the pot plants and planning plantings in the big bed against the wall. All winter, the courtyard gets no sun, then around now it starts trapping the sun, and the old red bricks of the wall start preventing frosts. So this year, instead of grass, I’m going to plant tomatoes and lettuces (and maybe a cucumber) in the bed to catch the sun. The warmth of the wall means no frost there as well, so even a late frost shouldn’t get my tomatoes!
On the Seven Things Challenge:
IN:
Well, the shoes – obviously – 2 pairs of Birkis (pls see previous post to admire their beauty!);
1 apricot top from the Op shop, and 4 patterns from same;
1 boys summer hat and 2 tops for children (winter sale at local children’s wear shop);
Vogue Knitting and Creative Knitting;
1 skein Marion’s sock yarn;
My Sublime lay-by paid off (plus the stash bag gift and 2 balls cheap Jo Sharp DK);
My Lay-by from Local haberdasher paid off - 4 balls leaf green Patons, 2 Christmas presents and buttons for the squatty sidekicks;
In: 17 balls of yarn, 15 other items
OUT:
2 bags cot sheets, baby blankets and ancillary stuff for the child care centre
1 toy also for above
1 bag of clothes for Lifeline
1 breadmaker (running) needs new washer and probably loaf tin – ready for Lifeline
3 Patons patterns – to Taph!!!
9 bags of childrens gear listed on Ebay (not yet sold – finishes tomorrow)
Out: 17 bags of stuff!
That has to be in front, doesn’t it?
I’ve also organised pram, cot, portacot, car seat and so on to be listed in the classifieds – though that will be next week.
We also attacked the wine cellar – although that does not qualify as de-cluttering because we work out what needs to be drunk, but organising it did mean removing and re-organising all the half empty boxes, so maybe it qualifies – 5 empty boxes gone!
Further to a post from a while back, I have seen two movies this week I really enjoyed – for entirely different reasons.
We watched 300 the other night, and I was very impressed. It was stylised and stylish, used lots of CGI as an integral part of the look, told an old story well (even if it did takes some liberties with Herodotus), and I really enjoyed it. Deeper than it looks – lots of allegory and poetry mixed with the mythology. I can see that it wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was mine – and considering some of the pap I’ve noticed recently, a huge step up!
The second was ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’, also a non-Hollywood production. This is Spanish (the Spaniards are making some noteworthy films) and set in the era of the Spanish Civil War – gorgeous, interesting, phantasmagorical, surreal. In the words of Molly Meldrum ‘Do yourself a favour’. It was beautiful, but not great for complex knitting (subtitles!).
Knitting. Here is one repeat of the cable pattern from Juno’s collar.
I am enjoying it, but I can’t let my attention slip at all! Luckily, the pattern is written out, rather than charted (I’m not great at charts), and is a 16 row repeat over 38 stitches. I’m having trouble coping with the cable needle – which keeps trying to escape, especially on the cables at the very beginning of the rows – first stitch goes onto the cable needle! So far, I’ve only had to tink half a row (although I’m sure that will change).
I love the way the cables look, and I’m very proud of the 3D nature of the knitting, but I cannot see any way in which I am likely to become a FAST cable knitter. In one and a half hours last night I did one pattern repeat. 16 rows over 38 stitches- hour and a half! – even the monkey socks I could do 2 repeats at least! (11 rows over 60sts on DPNS)!
All tips on increasing speed and growing 3rd hand gratefully appreciated!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Heaven, I'm in Heaven
I certainly am in heaven – for lots of reasons! I’ve been getting some lovely emails from blogfriends; the new http://www.knitty.com/ for Fall 2007 is out; my kids have been (mainly) great today – they’re currently making glue on things from our local cheap crap shop – Chickenfeed – which occasionally has craft kits and so on that I buy up and stash for wet days; I’ve got the Interweave which arrived last week, supplemented by Vogue Knits and the massive downloads and print-outs I’ve just spent the last hour doing, working my way backwards through older Knittys; I’ve finished Juno’s second sleeve, which means that tonight is sewing and bands, and then the COLLAR is in sight!!
I also got some great yarn Karma – so I’m looking forward to that; but best of all, I finally paid off my Sublime lay-by – so I have that in my hot little hands!! The lovely ladies at my LYS have a loyalty scheme – when you have spent $100 dollars, recorded on your little card, they give you a present. It sort of depends what they’ve got around – so far, I’ve received a scarf looping thingie for making non-knitted scarves; a calculator (very useful – lives in my sock kit along with other useful items) and today I was given a bag of 6 balls of toning yarns – like a mini-stash – mine’s in blues and turquoises – one of my two favourite combinations (blue/green/turquoise/purple – water and sea colours, and orange/yellow/red – fire and autumn colours). The yarns are roughly the same ply, but different materials and just lovely – stash in a bag!
I really do like my LYS. The ladies who run it are experienced in knitting, needlework and cr*****t; they knit up all the yarns they stock, so you can see and feel them. The range is good (if conservative – I took in my silk and my A-maizing for them to play with), they stock most main brands and a few books, and have just started stocking Fibertrends patterns and Naturally yarns. The down side (such as it is) is that some harder to get and rarer yarns are not stocked. I discussed the Mission Falls 1824 with them, but because there is no call for it, they don’t stock it.
My fabulous sister-in-law (the one living in the ACT) adores this shop. She says that she feels welcome and not at all intimidated. They also stock a number of plus size patterns. All in all, it has a very low wank-value-quotient (WVQ).
Some yarn shops I have visited have a very high WVQ (I won’t mention Manuka in any way, shape or form, but some of you will know what I mean). Think of the shops you visit regularly. Is their WVQ high or low? Are the sales assistants rude or helpful; happy or miserable? Is there an automatic 25% surcharge on everything in the shop, simply for being sold from THAT shop in THAT location? Are you made to feel small, rustic, un-hip, or un-cool? Or welcomed, assisted and at home?
I find I have a lower tolerance for wankiness as I get older. Unlesss, of course I have been drinking heavily, when I am just as likely to roar with laughter and make loud asides about the tastelessness of certain articles.
I was reading Catsmum’s post, about style. I have none – or at least none that doesn’t go with being a stay at home mum. I’ve passed the vomit-on-your-shoulder stage, but not the vegemite and jam and chocolate on your shirt stage. I need a visit to a hairdresser. I need to lose more weight than I care to contemplate. I need a stylist and a shopper and a facial and most extremities waxed. I need a new pair of jeans, and a manicure. None of these things are likely to happen in the near future (except maybe the jeans if there’s a sale).
And you know what? I don’t really care. My daughter thinks I’m beautiful and my son thinks I’m soft and comfy and give great cuddles. I can throw most things I wear (except the jumpers) into the washing machine. I’m fat and happy and a pretty good cook. – I’ve got the new Knitty, Juno’s getting to the exciting stage and I’ve got blogpals – who are also the knitia – or knitsters – or kniterati – or kniternals.
I’m as happy as a clam!
Heaven, I’m in heaven!
I also got some great yarn Karma – so I’m looking forward to that; but best of all, I finally paid off my Sublime lay-by – so I have that in my hot little hands!! The lovely ladies at my LYS have a loyalty scheme – when you have spent $100 dollars, recorded on your little card, they give you a present. It sort of depends what they’ve got around – so far, I’ve received a scarf looping thingie for making non-knitted scarves; a calculator (very useful – lives in my sock kit along with other useful items) and today I was given a bag of 6 balls of toning yarns – like a mini-stash – mine’s in blues and turquoises – one of my two favourite combinations (blue/green/turquoise/purple – water and sea colours, and orange/yellow/red – fire and autumn colours). The yarns are roughly the same ply, but different materials and just lovely – stash in a bag!
I really do like my LYS. The ladies who run it are experienced in knitting, needlework and cr*****t; they knit up all the yarns they stock, so you can see and feel them. The range is good (if conservative – I took in my silk and my A-maizing for them to play with), they stock most main brands and a few books, and have just started stocking Fibertrends patterns and Naturally yarns. The down side (such as it is) is that some harder to get and rarer yarns are not stocked. I discussed the Mission Falls 1824 with them, but because there is no call for it, they don’t stock it.
My fabulous sister-in-law (the one living in the ACT) adores this shop. She says that she feels welcome and not at all intimidated. They also stock a number of plus size patterns. All in all, it has a very low wank-value-quotient (WVQ).
Some yarn shops I have visited have a very high WVQ (I won’t mention Manuka in any way, shape or form, but some of you will know what I mean). Think of the shops you visit regularly. Is their WVQ high or low? Are the sales assistants rude or helpful; happy or miserable? Is there an automatic 25% surcharge on everything in the shop, simply for being sold from THAT shop in THAT location? Are you made to feel small, rustic, un-hip, or un-cool? Or welcomed, assisted and at home?
I find I have a lower tolerance for wankiness as I get older. Unlesss, of course I have been drinking heavily, when I am just as likely to roar with laughter and make loud asides about the tastelessness of certain articles.
I was reading Catsmum’s post, about style. I have none – or at least none that doesn’t go with being a stay at home mum. I’ve passed the vomit-on-your-shoulder stage, but not the vegemite and jam and chocolate on your shirt stage. I need a visit to a hairdresser. I need to lose more weight than I care to contemplate. I need a stylist and a shopper and a facial and most extremities waxed. I need a new pair of jeans, and a manicure. None of these things are likely to happen in the near future (except maybe the jeans if there’s a sale).
And you know what? I don’t really care. My daughter thinks I’m beautiful and my son thinks I’m soft and comfy and give great cuddles. I can throw most things I wear (except the jumpers) into the washing machine. I’m fat and happy and a pretty good cook. – I’ve got the new Knitty, Juno’s getting to the exciting stage and I’ve got blogpals – who are also the knitia – or knitsters – or kniterati – or kniternals.
I’m as happy as a clam!
Heaven, I’m in heaven!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Let's talk about Spring, Baby!
Let’s think about spring for a moment. I love spring. The first day I can wear shoes without socks always feels as if we are finally on the way to summer. In this little piece of Tuscany we like to call Tasmania, spring is a fabulous season. Daffodils, jonquils and narcissus blanket gardens and grow wild in paddocks. The grass is so green it’s almost blinding. Little white lambs gambol and caper (gambolling is a thing only a little lamb can do) and run back to their mothers and bounce off again.
Fruit trees burst into blossom. They explode so quickly, I am always surprised you don’t hear a “BANG”. The deciduous magnolias put some real effort into their blooms and so do the camellias. Rhodos and azaleas look splendid. Trees start gearing up to put on leaves again. Spring is fun when you have four real seasons.
My major complaint about living in Queensland was that we were left very short of seasons. You really only had wet, dry and jacaranda (though I adored jacaranda and the way they stood in lakes of purply blue petals). The lack of proper seasons was reflected in the fact there were no proper spring flowers – if you wanted tulips or daffodils you had to put bulbs in the crisper of you refruigerator. No raspberries or currants, no good apples and pears, I missed proper summer fruit – although I was deeply in love with mangoes.
I adore all the seasons. Spring with its lushness; summer with its fruit and warmth; autumn with the crunchy leaves and harvest; winter with blustery winds and very occasional snow. I missed the seasons in Queensland and in Hong Kong. I love being back in Tasmania and watching the rounds each year.
Late spring brings the joy of lilac and crab-apple. One of my friends swears by checking the warmth of soil with her bottom – if the soil’s too cold to plant things, so is her bum!
Spring is done properly here. I saw my first bumble bee yesterday. I know that they were introduced to Tasmania, probably smuggled in by tomato and capsicum farmers. I know that they compete with native bees. But they’re so gorgeous and furry and buzzy and just too darned cute for words, how can you not love them!
Life is good and generally happy. Still de-cluttering – started a new bag for Lifeline last night, and I need to get some stuff listed on ebay (maybe tomorrow) and try to clear out another room. Currently 3 rooms of our house are junk rooms! This means they contain boxes and piles of junk that need to be sorted, housed or disposed of. Much of the junk comes from my Dad’s house. When he died I inherited most stuff, and when my stepmother moved out of the house 2 years later I got more! All of this needs to be sorted, and much will move on to new homes, one way or another.
Some of it has serious sentimental value and some has historical value. So it needs careful sorting and cataloguing (a task best accomplished without assistance from children! I plan to tackle the dining room at the weekend, then perhaps the big room the following week. Bits and pieces in between!
If I get this right, I’ll end up with more room for yarn, books, and shoes. A win all around, I think.
For those who are interested, the Birkenstocks came courtesy of ebay – just type in Birkis and your shoe size (European style). The cat ones also come in sheep, lion, cow, pig and horse varieties.
So here’s a toast to spring! Join me in a glass of something bubbly and alcoholic – oh it must be champers (let the appellation controlee lot deal with that one)! Yay, Spring!
Fruit trees burst into blossom. They explode so quickly, I am always surprised you don’t hear a “BANG”. The deciduous magnolias put some real effort into their blooms and so do the camellias. Rhodos and azaleas look splendid. Trees start gearing up to put on leaves again. Spring is fun when you have four real seasons.
My major complaint about living in Queensland was that we were left very short of seasons. You really only had wet, dry and jacaranda (though I adored jacaranda and the way they stood in lakes of purply blue petals). The lack of proper seasons was reflected in the fact there were no proper spring flowers – if you wanted tulips or daffodils you had to put bulbs in the crisper of you refruigerator. No raspberries or currants, no good apples and pears, I missed proper summer fruit – although I was deeply in love with mangoes.
I adore all the seasons. Spring with its lushness; summer with its fruit and warmth; autumn with the crunchy leaves and harvest; winter with blustery winds and very occasional snow. I missed the seasons in Queensland and in Hong Kong. I love being back in Tasmania and watching the rounds each year.
Late spring brings the joy of lilac and crab-apple. One of my friends swears by checking the warmth of soil with her bottom – if the soil’s too cold to plant things, so is her bum!
Spring is done properly here. I saw my first bumble bee yesterday. I know that they were introduced to Tasmania, probably smuggled in by tomato and capsicum farmers. I know that they compete with native bees. But they’re so gorgeous and furry and buzzy and just too darned cute for words, how can you not love them!
Life is good and generally happy. Still de-cluttering – started a new bag for Lifeline last night, and I need to get some stuff listed on ebay (maybe tomorrow) and try to clear out another room. Currently 3 rooms of our house are junk rooms! This means they contain boxes and piles of junk that need to be sorted, housed or disposed of. Much of the junk comes from my Dad’s house. When he died I inherited most stuff, and when my stepmother moved out of the house 2 years later I got more! All of this needs to be sorted, and much will move on to new homes, one way or another.
Some of it has serious sentimental value and some has historical value. So it needs careful sorting and cataloguing (a task best accomplished without assistance from children! I plan to tackle the dining room at the weekend, then perhaps the big room the following week. Bits and pieces in between!
If I get this right, I’ll end up with more room for yarn, books, and shoes. A win all around, I think.
For those who are interested, the Birkenstocks came courtesy of ebay – just type in Birkis and your shoe size (European style). The cat ones also come in sheep, lion, cow, pig and horse varieties.
So here’s a toast to spring! Join me in a glass of something bubbly and alcoholic – oh it must be champers (let the appellation controlee lot deal with that one)! Yay, Spring!
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