Oh dear.....

Well, here I am, a little late and with almost too much news for a single post.
News of my demise has been greatly exaggerated - I have just been suffering from computer fatigue, due to assignments, required tutorial postings and general fighting and scrapping with administrators and bureaucrats. And then there were exams. Sigh.

I have however, been knitting ('I knit so I don't kill people' has become a mantra).
There has been knitting. Here is A Little Something (Sundara Silky Merino Aran - from a Ravelry de-stash):


A second Tempest (longer - in Somoko)


A Transverse Cardigan, in Classic Elite Renaissance (also from a Ravelry de-stash)

A Tea Leaves cardigan in Sanguine Gryphon Traveller. This may be my favourite cardigan yet. The pattern is lovely and the wool is gorgeous.


There is a bit of a selfish knitting theme going on here, partly because most of my cardigans and jumpers are too large on me this year (happy dance!) but also because it is comforting to be making oneself something pretty when wading through a pile of assignments. I have also been trying to shop heavily from my non-stash (as it is well known that I have NO STASH).

Partly this is motivated by the rather large quantity of - ahem - insulation which appears to live in our spare room (amongst other places), and partly because, while organising it, I discovered how much beautiful - ahem - insulation - I appear to possess. So I am using it, rather than merely patting it and admiring it.

I seem to have actually knitted more than I have acquired over the last few months. This is A Good Thing, especially with the Bendigo Wool and Sheep Show on the horizon, and the near certainty that I may acquire at least something knittable while I am there.

But it hasn't all been slaving over a hot computer and forcing the family to eat what ever I can throw together in 20 minutes.

No, no.


Just after Easter we escaped to Coles Bay for a wedding. The Accountant's God-daughter married her beau, in a most beautiful ceremony held practically on top of a mountain, overlooking Moulting Lagoon, the Swan River and across toward Swansea. Beautiful day, stunning bride and amazing location. Because of this, we had a lovely weekend away and the weather was perfect, as was the wedding. (I love a good wedding.)


My lovely Step-mother came with us, and looked after these two monsters while we attended the wedding, and the reception later.


After the stress of the assignments, and my practicuum (which was wonderful and exciting and took place in a 'challenging' school, with a very experienced teacher, and a fun and very lively class), we took a holiday. In fact, I actually truanted from my course for the final week. I made sure all assignments and tutorial work was done, packed the lightest text book for exam study and we headed off for two weeks in Fiji. I studied and knitted in a hammock, snorkelled every day, taught the Princes to snorkel, saw sharks and rays and lots of lovely fish and coral, kayaked and found 2 lost Fijian Crested Iguanas while knitting in my hammock.

The finding of the escaped iguanas then gave me an excuse for spending as much time in the hammock as possible. When people asked what I was doing, I could reply that I was looking for iguanas, with a perfectly straight face. I basically finished some Vesper socks (still have to put in afterthought heels), started some Duckies socks, and almost finished a Citron shawlette (hate that word).
The Citron would actually have been finished - had the Knitpicks cable not broken - grrrrrrrr!

So that's it really. You are up to date. Now I am on holiday (as much as a mother ever is!), the kids are back at school. The Princess still has her 4 Fijian beaded braids in and is resisting all attempts to remove them. Destructoboy is missing his splashes in the pool and unlimited access to pineapple and paw paw. The Accountant is missing the warmth and relaxation, and I am missing my hammock.It is the shortest day today, and utterly freezing. We had a hard frost this morning. Fiji seems very far away.

Excuse me, I need to go and knit something.......

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat

Yes, the Christmas knitting is complete (no, there are no pictures, some readers of this blog are to be recipients!). Mind you, I had pared it down to the minimum, but apart from knitting, it also needing felting, which has also been done. So I am currently feeling an enormous sense of accomplishment.

And, it is not often that I beat the Yarn Harlot onto a bandwagon, but this time I have done it. My French Press Slippers have just been waiting until the Christmas knitting was put of the way (seeing that I am currently feeling the felting love). Zephyrama initiated me into the slipper fold, and I am so ready. I seem to have the perfect buttons, too.

I currently feel so swamped with WIPs, with books (I request books from the library, and then all the books I have requested for the last 6 months all arrive at the same time. There is never a possibility of renewing them, so I have to try and finish 10 books in three weeks. Makes me feel under pressure.), with Christmas preparation, that any little thing I finish fills me with a great feeling of achievement. Anything.

Done the washing up? Warm glow.

Finished one sock? Yay!

Posted all overseas and interstate Christmas presents? By crikey, you're a good 'un.

Done Christmas knitting? Bursting with virtue.

Finish a book? The best, baby, the best.

Now all I have to do is finish some more WIPs, the pile of books by my bed, cleaning the house, the Christmas cards, wrapping presents, de-cluttering, losing 10 or so more kilos, the laundry, the vacuuming, the bathrooms, the dinner, commenting on blogs, the stuff needed for the end of the school year, organising the holidays and keeping the children gainfully occupied, and I'll be right. Everything will be under control.

How about you?

Post-Holiday Blahs

We're back, and I have a severe case of the post holiday blahs.

We arrived back late on Wednesday night, and the house-sitter had done her usual wonderful job. The first day back was a beautiful sunny winter day, just right for all the post holiday washing.

But since then it has been cold and grey and drizzly. The kids are in quarantine because we passed through the swine flu capital of the universe (Melbourne Airport) and after running around on a sub-tropical island, have a severe case of cabin fever.

The holiday itself was grand. We spent a week on the Gold Coast, where the children sampled the delights of the theme parks and the Princess adored Rollercoasters and the Giant drop. She made the 120cm height restriction by 2cms - and then insisted on repeating the experience. Destructoboy preferred merry-go-rounds, although he did like river rides and flume rides and the associated wetness.

Club Med Lindemen Island was lovely - although the swimming pools were freezing, even for a Tasmanian! The kids club was next to the circus school, so they had high trapeze (yes, both the 4 and 6 year old loved this), bungy bounce, their own swimming pools, and enormous climbing fort, tennis, archery, putt-putt golf, beach stuff and lots of other activities, including starring spots in the nightly shows.

I put the cocktail list to the test, was hugely active in order to be able to eat a reasonable sampling of the food which someone else had cooked - and which other people were going to wash up after. Other people cooking, washing up, cleaning and tidying up is a mothers' dream holiday!

But since we've been home I've had a severe case of blahness. There is no real reason for this, except perhaps the winter weather and its greyness. So I have been catching up on blog reading (but not commenting much, my apologies). I have cast on another jumper (of course) and pecked at the holiday socks (one done and most of one to go). I haven't done much more on the half done holiday Clapotis.

But currently it's all about the colours of a tropical sea. All my current knitting is blues, greens and turquoise. The socks are in Fleece Artist Trail Socks in Angel Fish, the Clapotis in Touch Yarn in gorgeous turquoise washed with greens and blues and the Jumper is Fleece Artist River in Nova Scotia. So maybe it's about the Fleece Artist, too.

I had all four sock club packages get into my hands either the day we left or the day we arrived back, and they are all lovely, but now I have to wait at least 2 more months for the next packages. Sigh.

It's a good thing that I have the thought of Bendi to sustain me - and the thought of my lovely kids being able to see their friends at school on Tuesday when their quarantine ends. No Hamthrax so far!

Winter sneaks in on cat feet...

OK.

I have to admit that winter has arrived (either that or it's suddenly late autumn and winter is around the corner). We have had 2 frosts in a row, and it poured with rain all weekend. Drought breaking rain - we had 76mm of rain in 3 days. Farmers were dancing.

I have turned over the clothes, the children are in their winter uniforms for school and I have rediscovered my spencers and skivvies. I may have to do some knitting.

This is my first proper week of unemployment, and yesterday I went to the Sheffield spinners and weavers with my wheel and started to learn to spin. They were lovely and welcoming ladies, but strangely, most of them didn't knit (or crochet). I didn't actually ask them what they did with their handspun, but I will next time. I now have 3/4 of a bobbin of rather overspun alpaca and merino (90/10). Apparently the overspinning was only partly me. The tension on the wheel wouldn't stay set, so running repairs were carried out by a little old lady with fishing wire and a red Post Office rubber band. I also found I am a much better spinner if I don't look at what I am doing.

I spent the wet weekend teaching the Princess to sew, and we made this:

Here is the proud creator.



So, that is the wet Saturday. On Sunday, Princess made a chocolate cake, mainly by herself (under supervision), so she is inordinately pleased with herself (and I am very proud of her).

I have been cooking more exciting wintry type food too. Last night I attempted to recreate a lovely dish I had at Brown Brothers Epicure restaurant, chorizo, potato and tomato. I used the roasted tomato sauce (will it see out the winter, or should I try and make just one more batch?).

I fried off the sliced chorizo, and drained it. Cooked some dutch cream potatoes then fried them in a little olive oil with sweet paprika, smoked paprika and hot paprika. Returned the sliced chorizo to the pan, added the roasted tomato sauce, tasted it, added a little more seasoning - nom nom! Not a bad recreation - maybe a little more hot paprika next time!

It's nice to have a bit more time for cooking and meal planning.

I have almost finished the body of the gathered pullover, and hope to start the sleeves in a day or two. Still need to finish Cherie (just not feeling the lurve), and the plain toe-up socks. then I can get on to some more things. Winter is coming - we need to keep warm!

Indian Summer

The lovely Kate at Kiss My Frog gave me this award a little while ago (and it's not that I forgot, I just kept getting distrac....look - a bunny!) Sorry - and I was very happy to get such a nice award. Now I have to pass it on. Kate has already mentioned some of the people I would have named, so in order to spread the love a bit I thought I'd try and link you up with some new names.

Miss Cindy2paw and her gorgeous labby friends is an obvious one - crafty, friendly and always something wonderful in her blog
QuiltingMick - Crochet liberationist, crafter and enabler - always one to watch
Zephyrama - not posting as much these days, but always interesting when she does
Yarning to Write - with Amy you always get something unexpected - bits of a new book, children, cuteness and cussing - all in one great package
A Little Bit Crafty - can you believe someone can knit THAT small!
MadmadHousewife - the glories of yarn, wine and children (not necessarily in that order)
Last but definitely not least, Julie the Samurai Knitter - I never come away from reading her blog without having learned something surprising!


I even have an FO to blog

Here is the Raglan Jacket
Adapted from the topdown raglan cardigan recipe (but turned into a swing jacket)
7 skeins of Manos del Uruguay wool I scored in a Ravelry de-stash
The 5 buttons were 5 cents each in one of those button bargain tins in haberdashery shops where you trawl through to try and find some that match

Love it - lovely and warm and gorgeous selection og colours.

Obviously, monogamous knitting on Wips, instead of Knitlottotm means you actually get things finished.
Next stop - Cherie Amour and the last sleeve and a half

In other news, by the end of tomorrow I will be unemployed and I'm quite looking forward to it. I'm excited and already thinking of all the things I will be able to do.

This weekend quinces will be becoming both jelly and paste (a great recipe which boils the quinces and then turns the liquid into jelly and the pulp into paste - and the paste takes ages and needs welders gloves because it spits sugar and quince which sticks to your skin and burns the way toffee does.) Paste takes around 3 hours.

I will also pick walnuts - we usually end up with between 35 and 50kgs of walnuts - we have 21 mature trees - and pick over the apples and think about making another batch of roasted tomato sauce. I'm not sure if I have squirrel (hoard hoard hoard for winter) or bear (eat store eat) tendencies at this time of the year. Probably squirrel - I'm too much of an insomniac to be a bear. I use the harvest to feed us and try and capture autumn and summer in the depths of winter.

So far, we are having an indian summer. It is balmy and gently breezy and the breeze is warm. I know that there is only 1 month till winter officially begins. I must think about knitting......

Golden Apples of the Sun

In honour of Amy and her wonderful blogging of a poem a day, I thought I would share one of my favourites, by W B Yeats.

I love Yeats' work and visited his grave when we were in Ireland - forcing the Accountant to drive miles out of our way so I could go there.

The Song of Wandering Aengus

I WENT out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

Of course, the `golden apples' of mythology were thought to be quinces, which came from possibly Persia, and perhaps even further afield. The picture above is of our quinces, just now ready for picking. In fact, just after I took this, I picked them and baked them with port, white wine, a cinnamon stick and some honey (and a little water) and we ate them with clotted cream. Yum!

I decided to give the Knitlotto tm a miss for a few days after I finished the Lighthouse Gansey socks (and told Anne Hanson of Knitspot how much I liked them - she says she may be coming up with some more gansey type sock patterns) and monogamously knitted on these.




These took 6 days - can you believe it! They are BlackRose socks from Knitty.com, and inspired by how gorgeous Bells' were, I cast on some Blue Moon Fiber Arts STR in Thraven. The bottom pic shows the colour better, I think. These were such fun to knit and grew so fast because I would be waiting for something or standing still for a few minutes and think`Oh, I could do a quick pattern repeat'' and I would. It was also Easter and not much was going on, so I could actually knit a bit during the day!

They were a lovely knit, perfectly matched to the yarn and I may make some more because I loved them so much!

In other news, I have organised my flights and accommodation to the Bendigo Wool and Sheep Show, so I now, with Zephyrama, the Knightly Knitter and Donyale, form part of the Hustler Street Posse (Hustler St is the address of our house in Bendi). So exciting!

This morning there was a mammoth storm, with wind gusts of up to 114kmh (that's 70mph in the old money) and much lightning and thunder. And rain. Lot and lots of rain. This is the first decent rain for a long time and the first thunderstorm. There are likely to be one or two more before winter.

We have had Easter and I did eat some chocloate, but was reasonably restrained. We took the kids to the nearby National Park, Narawntapu, and visited the bird hide which is usually on a lagoon, but there is no lagoon. Hopefully, some reasonable winter rain will bring back the lagoon and swamps. Currently, kangaroos are grazing where the lagoon usually is.

We were lucky enough to be there for a snake demonstration and talk. Tasmania has only three types of snake, all venomous and occasionally difficult to tell from each other. In fact, if you are close enough to undertake accurate identification of species (from a single scale between the eyes) you are almost cetainly too close.

The Tiger snake is the 4th most venomous snake in the world and the Copperhead the 10th, but the White lipped snake is small (and just as venomous). Tasmanian snakes should be treated with great respect. They are also protected, but killed nontheless.

It is only 10 days now until I finish work. I have lots of plans, and am quite looking forward to my approaching unemployment. I have decided to try and have spinning and sewing days once a week, and to do some small moves towards further decluttering, and making the house look less like a bomb site and more like a place where people can actually live, and find their possessions!

Off to play snap with Destructoboy, and attempt to wrangle him into some clothes....

And another thing....

First, an apology. After reading Alwen's blog for, well, forever, I still managed to spell her name incorrectly in the last post. Sorry, Alwen.

And for some reason, no kid's books (juvenile fiction) went onto the list - so here's a quick rundown - authors only:
Phillip Pullman (His Dark Materials series),
Tamora Pierce - anything at all,
John Flanagan - The Ranger's Apprentice series - particularly good for boys;
JP Martin - the Uncle Books;
everything by Nicholas Stuart Grey (sadly currently out of print, despite a barrage of emails to Penguin);
some Enid Blyton;
Susan Cooper - the Dark is Rising sequence;
anything by Diana Wynne Jones,
Rudyard Kipling, the Just-So stories and Jungle Book - and Kim and lots of others;
Cornelia Funke
CS Lewis, the Narnia Books
JK Rowling Harry Potter
all the Graeme Base books

Oh - lots more! So I'll stop now before I get carried away!

Destashing:

In:
5 books
3 mags
4 pairs of shoes

Out:
4 pairs of shoes (2 binned and 2 to Lifeline)
Pile of Mags - lifeline
1 bag clothes - lifeline



In: Stash
3 sleins of sock yarn (1 replacement for sub-quality; 1 club; 1 prize) = 300 gr

Out: Stash
300 gr ( Cherie Amour - not yet finished)
100gr (socks) = 400gr!!!

For the first time my knitted stash outweighs in incoming. I feel very virtuous.

I spent the weekend doing the job of a 19th century skivvy. I swept, mopped and scrubbed, then swept again, our verandah prior to painting. Our verandah is 3m wide and 12m long, plus a return of 6 metres. It took a long time. The outlaws were here on Sunday and I made the gorgeous choolate and dried pear brownie desert from this month's Delicious magazine (except I used cherries instead of pears) - utterly gorgeous and swooiningly rich.

In fact, this months delicious only arrived last week and has already been used for 4 recipes and I intend to cook some more out of it this week. Obviously a particularly useful isse!

Off to play snap with the 4 year old and think about what to cook for dinner.......

First. The knitting news'

The show off stranded socks are finished - a fun knit and I adore the Blue Monn yarn - Socks that Rock mediumweight - makes great boot socks ready for winter.




Next, a WIP

Cherie Amour from Knitty.com, in Shadow tweed from Wangaratta and what should be a bulky and quick knit. Folks, this took 5 tries - either I didn't leave enough tail in the cast on, or I couldn't count to 12 - 5 tries - Finally fixed the problem by using stitch markers. I like the pattern and I think it will be a nice autumn jumper.



This gorgeousness is the Shetland triangle (finally, you all sigh, better pictures!)

Isn't it gorgeous?

13 pattern repeats, Wollmeise 80/20 in Indisch Rot ran out of yarn halfway through the cast off! Had to raid the Christmas sock club yarn which was similar (though darker reds) - a very lucky save! I was not looking forward to frogging the edging.

Currently on the needles are 2 pairs of socks - the self designed toe ups in Lorna's laces (more details to follow at some point) the first of which is almost finished.

Have just cast on the Lighthouse Gansey Socks. I went to Princess's Milo cricket on Saturday WITHOUT MY KNITTING! Luckily I had both the emergency knitting and the car knitting, o I was safe, but it has made me a little paranoid.

I am about to cast on another pair of socks, the Blackrose socks, because I saw Bells version and fell hopelessly in love. I just happen to have some Thraven sock yarn wound into a yarn cake. Fancy that!

I also have a Gathered Pullover, for mindless stocking stitch knitting, a scarf and a stash. I think I need to knock over some WIPs. I want another Clapotis and the Long Lacey Summer is almost over. Most of my lace ahs been socks (apart fromt he Shetland Triangle and Cherie. There's always time for shawls over winter.

Other news.

I finally get to see my dentist tomorrow after 5 weeks of intermittent agony due to biting down on something on the second day of our holiday and doing something nasty to a tooth. It would convice me it was OK until a weekend, or at night. i was glad to get home and call my dentist, but an emergency appointment was for 2 weeks in the future. I am tired of pain and painkillers and will be pleased to have it fixed.

Thanks to the positive vibes and good wishes of you all, the Accountant is OK. He needs to have regular 3 monthly check ups for a while, but I am considering him OK, for all intents and purposes.

The munchkins are back at school and enjoying it. Destructoboy loves kindi and the Princess is happy with the new male (gasp) grade 1 teacher.

We spent Sunday de-cluttering 1 room! So we are well and truly into the decluttering stakes. I have bought no yarn since my last post (although I have got 3 books incoming) and am continuing to find things to love in my stash. Alwen is right, all those yummy yarns inspire me no end and I remember all the plans I had for them. But like all addictions, I'm taking it day by day!

Honeeeeey!!! We're Home!

We're back.

Tasmania is back to it's normal sort of summer weather. South Australia was sweltering with 6 days in a row of over 40 and one of those days registered 49 where we were staying. That sort of weather would kill a brown dog.

I did however get time to both knit and drink wine - two of my favourite hobbies! Bleow we have (top to bottom) Waving Lace in Socks That Rock Seastone, Mojos in Yarn Pirate BFL and Circle Socks in Cerry Tree Hill Supersock Champlain Sunset. This was a chance to bring out my inner colour tart - not a difficult proposition.

I have 2 other socks also, but will post them when they have friends!


I have fallen behind on blogpost reading and am frantically trying to catch up. I'm also waaaay behind on Ravelry but am trying to catch up there too.

The Princess starts grade 1 tomorrow, a week behind the rest of the class, and Destructoboy starts kindergarten on Tuesday. My big grown up children.

The SILs pool was a very popular place while we were staying there - she and her partner are both incredibly patient and prepared to be assaulted by small people on a regular basis.

I go back to work on Tuesday, with new clothes from a certain incident involving a sale and will post more later. The cake is cooked and I am just about to do the next layer of a cassata!

Ciao!

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!

So, this is Christmas!

Look at us - running down the slippery end of the year and into a new year in 2 days time.

All that anticipation and excitement for Christmas over and done with, and the strange, disconnected week between the big day and the year's end almost over. We had a very busy Christmas. We cleaned all Christmas eve, because of the gathering on Christmas day, including doing some preparation for Christmas dinner, were woken at 5.50am by a very excited Princess, who had found the stocking Santa left her (Santa does the stockings and mum and dad do the big presents under the tree in our house. Everyone who stays under our roof on Christmas eve gets a Santa stocking. They follow the rule of 'something to eat, something to read and something to play with' as an absolute minimum.)

Then it was stuff the turkey and get it roasting, get the pudding organised, open presents, get back to the kitchen, wash up, tidy, move furniture, get organised. I think, apart from wolfing lunch, I didn't sit down until after 4pm. Rosered - I was also wearing gold espadrilles with 4 inch wedge heels and ankle straps - and I admit I was glad to take them off when everyone finally left.

It was busy and fun and we had batteries and the Princess adored Dougal and he is her new favourite toy. She didn't even seem to notice that she hadn't received the Baby Born which was on the top of her Christmas list.

Santa managed to find the blue necklace and golf bat requested by Destructoboy (whew!) and he adored a remote controlled robot chosen by his sister (and paid for by his parents). All good.

It's been pleasant having everyone home and not really having anywhere we have to be (apart from the Accountant's radiation appointments). We have finally finished the last of the leftover turkey (in fritters last night) and now have to get to work on the ham (pasta and peas and ham tonight I think). We had cherries (lucky I ordered early, because they sold out - and I gave half my order up to a distressed lady who had promised some to her daughter). I had champagne and the Accountant and I both enjoy the Mighty Boosh DVDs - we've been laughing ourselves sick!

Christmas is over for another year. I am more thankful than I can say for all my blog and knitting friends. 2009 is on the horizon, and I'm back to work on Monday. Sigh.

I've managed a sewing day - project bags and skirts for the Princess and me; finished 2 pairs of socks from the WIP pile, done 6 repeats on the shetland triangle and had a play in the stash.

New Years Resolutions? Knit more. Learn to spin. Spend more time doing fun stuff with my family. Knit more. Buy less. Have fun. Knit more. Eat less, exercise more. More of the same, really. What about you?

Happy New Year, everyone!

Sssh! Nobody mention the `C' Word....

Yes - it's 2 sleeps until the fat man arrives - no, not the Accountant - he wouldn't be caught in a red suit - the other one - the one who comes on C.. C... Ccc... - in 2 sleeps - December 25 - that one.



I have finished the stealth knitting. Please meet Dougal, from the Magic Roundabout (for those old enough to remember). He is for the Princess, and is the first knitted toy I have ever made. It's an Alan Dart pattern and was not too much of a stretch. I'm quite proud of him. I even made the pompoms - luckily I remembered a little gizmo in the Princess's french knitting set....

I have also finished one Holidazed sock, the December kit from the Rockin' Sock Club '08. I am still havering about whether to rejoin next year. Maybe if the dollar improves....

I have managed 2 body repeats on the Shetland Triangle - my very small Contribution to the Long Lacey Summer. I love this, but haven't had much time recently....


And in the spirit of Christmas, a beautiful package from Bells - some Kaalund lace yarn - sooooooo gorgeous - and a lovely knitted handtowel - thank you so much Bells - beautifully chosen - and Princess has already attempted to steal it!



So, just in case I don't get back to do another post before Cccccc - ccc - Christmas! Have a merry and safe Christmas, and a happy, and healthy 2009. My the fat guy - no NOT the Accountant - the other one! bring you all the things you desire, but don't forget those who are doing it tough over Christmas - and make sure you help out the groups who help them!

Merry Christmas, one and all!

You may be experiencing some breaks in transmission....

I can’t believe how slack I am (or perhaps it is how busy I’ve been). So here is a pretty FO – Mr Greenjeans in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Twisted (colour – Space Dust)

Utterly love it. The button isn’t quite perfect, but will do until a better one comes along.

It has been worn quite a lot, because it is still cold around here. I don’t think we’ve made it to 20 degrees C yet. Cherries aren’t ripening (there is a rumour there may not be cherries for Christmas – criminal), and neither are raspberries. I’m still wearing socks and haven’t put sandals on yet. We’ve barely seen the sun, and did our entire average November rainfall in about 3 days at the end of the month. Ptui!

However, this has meant that knitting is still a joy. Knitting WIPs – first, a second gathered pullover (acres of stocking stitch – wonderful for drag-along-with-us mindless knitting) in scarlet Allegro from Bendigo. Nice, if a little splitty.

I am making the Princess a Dougal toy (from `The Magic Roundabout). This is a stealth project for the hours after kidlets are in bed. It is also in acrylic, (Magnum 8ply) so it gets a few rows every night – I am almost finished the body.

The December socks from the Rockin’ Sock Club – the final shipment. It is utterly gorgeous yarn (Socks that Rock Mediumweight) and the Holidazed pattern is easy and fun – this means I have knitted the first shipment (Serendipity – now finished at last) and the last – I must have a go at a couple from the middle!

I seem to have slaked my cardi lust, just for the moment. Nothing has happened on the Shetland triangle for ages, because I have rediscovered the unutterable joy of socks, and plan to knit lots of lacey ones – and even a pair for the accountant (Hallo, Opal 6ply).

The Accountant continues with the daily 200km round trips. This is getting old really fast, but apart from a doozey of a cold, he seems tired, but OK. Again, thanks for the good wishes.

In much more exciting news, we received a wonderful parcel yesterday from the remarkable Elizabeth of the Postcard Project. I saw a link to this on Jejune’s blog, followed it and read about this incredible person and her wonderful postcards. Apparently we have postcards coming too, but the parcel beat them!

Please, visit her blog and read about this amazing project.

Some of you seem rather surprised by the downstairs sock stash. Rosered, it is downstairs, because that is where I mainly knit – and spend most of my time – this allows me to play with, fondle and generally appreciate the sock yarn. I think of it more as a retirement fund (one which has not lost its value in the current economic upset). It probably won’t get large amounts added anytime soon (except possibly from Bendi) due to the fact that the AUD is so awful at present (Why? Why is this? Why is the US worse off than we are and yet our money is worth less? I don’t understand – and that is probably why I am not an economist.).

A little bit of Malabrigo snuck into the house, as did a teeny bit of Cascade. This is only because I know prices will have to go up soon because of the exchange rate. This is financial prudence and has nothing to do with the fact that I am a yarn pig. So there.

I am feeling vaguely virtuous, because I posted my interstate and overseas parcels. The feeling wears off when I remember that I have not yet done the Christmas cards at all.

I have callously importuned the wonderful 2Paw and her recipes will be appearing in our paper next week. In between, small amounts of cooking and even smaller amounts of house work are being done.

I will try very hard to Blog again soon. The Lovely Knightly Knitter and her family are coming to visit for the weekend, so hopefully I will have pictures and fun stuff! Thanks again for your good wishes, enjoy the weekend!

One or two skeins or sock yarn.....

Ahem.

In the interests of nearly full disclosure here is……

Most of my downstairs sock yarn.

I say most, because it doesn’t include the 30ish packs I’ve made up, of paired pattern and yarn to make my very own sock club (sort of).

It doesn’t include downstairs WIPs, or some of the sock yarn which has been whisked away to become something other than socks (there’s a couple of scarves, a shawls and so on in this category).

It certainly doesn’t include the UPSTAIRS sock yarn, which is predominantly ‘commercial’ – that is – Patonyle, Miami, Regia, Arwetta, etc etc etc. There is some hand dyed/hand painted up there, but after collecting the downstairs stash together, I had to put my head between my knees and breathe deeply for a while.

So there it is.

Yet another guilty secret exposed.

More random stuff:

I should have mentioned that an Australian size 14 is around an American 10-12. Just in case our trans-Pacific friends didn’t appreciate the magnitude of my feat! (LOL)

Georgie’s system is still working – it’s just a pity I didn’t get organised this week to use it properly!

I went to the Princess’s last swimming lesson through the school today and was mightily impressed by all of them actually swimming the full length of the 17ish metre pool – 3 times!

I have finally (around 6 years after the rest of the world) finished watching the first series of 24. In case you’re wondering – it was great! I must try to catch the second series sometime before another 6 years goes past. Next on the list? The Sopranoes, Desparate Housewives, Dexter, and Lost. No, I haven’t seen any of those. I only saw my first episode ever of House about 2 weeks ago. I have missed all these because I loathe commercial television. I wish SBS still had the 5 minutes of commercials at the end of their programs. It was a decent length of time to make a cuppa, go to the loo or feed the cat.

I am itching to knit socks again. I have been stealth knitting on the Serendipity socks – the first kit from the Blue Moon Rockin’ Sock Club this year. I am nearly at the heel of the second sock. I think I may have enough sock yarn, just for a while.

Thanks you all for asking and for your good thoughts. The Accountant started treatment this week. He’s tired, but seems fine. He’s rather put out that he’s not allowed to lose any weight. I think he was rather hopeful of dropping a few kilos of cuddliness, but the dietitian has told him that’s a big nono!

I’ve been an insomniac for 37 years. I think it’s starting to catch up with me. Maybe I need more coffee.

That’s it for the moment – I hope to bring you some knitting next post.

Ciao!

Random Stuff

Random Stuff

We’re still waiting for news after another round of tests and so on – especially wondering when the radiation therapy will start. I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful comments and good thoughts. I want you to know how much we appreciate them – and you!

So I thought I’d follow Bells lead and blog some random stuff.

1. Suddenly, for the last couple of weeks, all the security letters when I leave comments are ALMOST words – today’s examples: ‘siting’, ‘yvolene’, ‘begest’. Very strange.

2. I’ve been loving knitting with Blue Moon’s Twisted. There’s 500m to a skein – I will finish Mr Green Jeans with less than 2 skeins. It doesn’t split at all, and the dark thread, so obvious when you look at the yarn, magically disappears when you knit. The knitted fabric shows no dark thread at all – weird.

3. My children are part of a conspiracy to drive me insane by ensuring a constant noise level of around a million decibels which never lets up unless they are asleep. I’m wise to them. When I can find the industrial ear-muffs I’m wearing them all day.

4. Watching little kids play cricket is hysterical. They had such fun and I laughed so much my stomach hurt.

5. I’m feeling smug because I am fitting into size 14 trousers. This is a good thing.

6. If you have enough caffeine, you don’t really need to sleep.

7. People are wonderful and kind. The Accountant’s step-brother and his girlfriend decided to ‘pay’ for the accounting work which the Accountant does for them by spending several hours mowing and whipper-snippering for us. There is a place reserved in heaven for them.

8. I’ve been to two sports carnivals in the last fortnights. The commentator said ‘ we take kindergarteners who are just developing coordination skills and tie them to other kids who are only just developing coordination and call it a 3 legged race, and then we watch them fall over and they laugh’. He was right. All the kids fell over and they all laughed. And so did we. And at least 2 pairs never made it to the finish line because they were laughing so hard they couldn’t get off the ground.

9. I have a lot of sock yarn. So I just bought 2 skeins of Malabrigo sock because I thought they needed some company.

10. I love the colours of Malabrigo. I love them so much I even like colours I don’t like.

11. Georgie is a genius. I’ve been using her meal planning and shopping method. I get out a cookbook, try to pick 5 recipes which I believe will use up some of the enormous pantry store I keep in case zombies attack and we have no food for a month or so, use only that cookbook for the week, make the shopping list and record the reactions. This stops me just buying vegetables I might as well throw straight into the compost and skip the intervening step where they go urgh in my crisper drawers.

12. I have startitis. Bells tempted me and I cast on the Shetland Triangle with the Indisch Rot Wollmeise. I have done the 20 necks rows. I will finish this cardigan before I do more.

13. I have managed 18 rows on the socks I started at Easter. I now have one and nearly a half socks. This is the first sock club kit from the Rockin’ Sock Club. It is also the only one I have cast on and the only sock knitting I have done since we returned from Fiji. In June.

Enough randomness. I’m off to feed lunch to Destructoboy, before heading out to the kindie information session. My the Lord have Mercy on their souls. He is looking forward to ‘big school’. So am I.

The Reasons

Well, just to get you all in a good mood, here is some pretty knitting.

Meet Sprout - Growing Roots. She's made of the Gedifra merino/cotton I bought in the big WEBS sale way back at $2USD a ball. and took 2 weeks and 9 balls. She is currently blocking and just needs buttons added.

In other news, it's not all sunshine and roses. The Accountant has been diagnosed with cancer and will be starting radiation therapy in 2 weeks, He will have to travel 100km each way each weekday for 6 weeks - he will however get Christmas day off. All this has been a huge shock to us, but we feel very lucky that he was diagnosed early, the lump in his neck was removed, and as yet (fingers crossed, toes crossed, Om Mani Padme - positive thoughts) there don't seem to be any other lumps or bumps.

He has to have an MRI and PET scan (in Melbourne) and will be tired, sore, knackered and grumpy - but hopefully well and with us for a long time to come after the treatment.

The cancer is aggressive and he is very young for this type, but we are being very optimistic. Prayers, positive thoughts, good vibrations and all other good things gratefully accepted.

So life will be very topsy turvy for some time. We have cancelled the Christmas holiday, but are hoping for a family trip later in January.

Usually I don't discuss personal stuff in the blog, but I figure lots of positive thoughts can do no harm - and I will take all the help I can get at this point!

Take care - and look after the ones you love.

Transmission will be interrupted in 5,4,3,2,......

Here is my first Summer of Lace FO. It's a Liesl in Lamb's Pride Cotton Fleece in and unreleased peacock colour. It took 2.5 skeins (around 500 metres!) and 10 days. I love it

On another front, I apologise for not being a good blogger. There's been some very bad stuff happening at present in our lives. All my energy is going into trying to appear normal on a day to day basis, and not screaming, crying or being sick.

We are waiting for news, but in the interim, blogging will be spasmodic. Knitting is happening. I have also been reading blogs, but lurking, rather than commenting. Things are just a bit overwhelming and I can't seem to get it together to write more that the occasional comment.

In the meantime, I'm still here, I can still be emailed (I love to be emailed!), I am still reading all your doings and general excitement (it's all that is keeping me sane), but I may not be commenting and/or blogging much. Forgive me.

Normal transmission will resume as soon as possible.

A Life......Interrupted.

Sorry about that.

I have just had my witty and incisive post wiped by Blooer so I am cross. We'll try again.


I have been enjoying work and as a community paper journalist I get to talk to people about the things they love, and about gardens and food and prizes. This si great because it means I can come home at the end of the day and tell the kids about gardens and food and books, not car accidents, blood and crime.

I ahve been letting the washing up pile up for the last couple of days and seves it right. SWick of it. People are fed but the stuff which won't fit into the dishwasher is still stacked beside the sink.

I have been enjoying the few days of spring we have had. The trees are in blossom and the tulips are flowering, happily naturalised in the middle of what is now lawn and used to be a flower bed. The apple, pear and quince trees have been wrapped in vaseline smeared greasefproof paper in order to ERADICATE THE SCOURGE OF CODLING MOTH FROM THE UNIVERSE FOREVER!!! EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE!!

Ahem.

Sorry about that.

Kids are going spring crazy - and I have dug over what will be the tomato bed, so maybe I am a little crazy too.

I am still trying to catch up on all your blog posts - because you are all doing exciting fun stuff - and then you are writing about it! You are likely to only get a comment every few posts. Sorry, but otherwise everything else just falls apart!

I have done a big order to take advantage of a discount from a certain US enabler - I did this when the Aussie dollar had slipped, but before it tanked completely. Given the parlous state of world currency, it may be the last non-Aussie order for a while. However, Bendi is having a sale. So maybe it's not so bad.

As you may be aware, I do have a few skeins of sock and sweater yarn, so that should see me through until the economic situation improves. And the credit card is paid off.

Off to pick up the Princess and sweep her and Destructoboy off to circus school.

If my life were any more exciting, I'd burst!

Unclean! Unclean!

Well, it’s a return to plague house conditions here, that’s for sure. I referred to the condition of Destructoboy and myself as Mucusfest – and really, that’s very apt.

We are not nice to be around at present, what with the coughing and the trails of tissues and the assorted leaks and swearing (from me) and complaints (from Destructoboy). I have the attractive pink-eyed and -nosed look of a rabbit with myxomatosis and the IQ to match. I can’t get through a whole senten…. Sorry? What were we saying? Oh, that’s right, how I can’t get through a whole sentence without being…something. Or other. Sorry, my train of thought just de-railed. Again.

So we’re a plague house and not taking it very well either. Princess swanned off to a Party Day at Vacation care in the Accountant’s car while those of us left behind snuffled and coughed. I really think she’s getting the best of it. Being sick tends to make me cranky. And grumpy. And more untidy than usual.

Luckily, I had a visit last night to cheer me up. The lovely, but blogless, Jill dropped in and we discussed nice adult things like knitting, and patterns and the Divine Norah (Gaughan). She was also there when my Rowan 44 finally appeared, nearly a month after everyone else’s. I am not sure whether it is the original or the replacement sent by Rowan – but it is certainly lovely.

Apart from a small amount of yarn acquired from a fellow Raveller’s de-stash, I haven’t bought any yarn for a whole 2 weeks. I think this may be some kind of record. Or it may be prompted by the dire state of my yarn budget. Or the fact that I’m saving up to do a big order in a few weeks. After all, I’m hardly deprived. I have the odd skein to keep me busy.

In knitting news, the end of Flair is in sight, and I have decided to frog Wicked. I adore the green Malabrigo, but the shape is unflattering for me. So it will become something else – hurrah for seamless top-down construction, which should make it easy to unravel.

Work is going well and I am thoroughly enjoying it (especially seeing my first proper story in print). There’s another week of school holidays to go. My survival is possible – though not assured!

And now, back to our scheduled programming....

I apologise for the break in transmission. Life has been topsy-turvey and I am trying to be super organised. I have always admired those women who had children, held down jobs, blogged and crafted (you know who you are), but now my admiration knows no bounds!

I would also like to point out that I work only 2 days per week in the actual office (which requires clothes which do not shriek ‘Mum at home with kids!’; and make up to hide time’s worst ravages, and because I really like lipstick!), and one day equivalent from home. This requires me to make 4 lunches and get three other people organised and dressed and out the door and dropped off at school and childcare and read to and kissed and goodbyed and ensuring I actually have the stuff I need and stories and notebooks and so on – is it any wonder I didn’t make it to the gym on Friday and Monday?

And that is just for TWO days a week. Imagine doing it five days a week? As I said, my admiration knows no bounds. I also said ‘women’ because, although I know some men do this – or share perfectly equally in this morning madness, the burden seems to fall much more on women.

In addition, there have been circus rehearsals (for the big show on the 5, 6 and 7 September), birthdays and various others bits and pieces to keep me occupied.

There has been knitting.

I finished a cowl and Le Slouch beret from the American Beauty Malabrigo I received in a de-stash.

The Gorgeous Francis is finished – in Crystal Palace Crème (a lovely wool silk blend).

I have increased my sock stash (because I have SOOOOOO much time on my hands – LOL!

I have worked. I love the work so far. I love planning stories and organising to interview people and then thinking about the best questions to ask them and sniffing around for things which might be interesting and trying to come up with more ideas to start the whole process again.

My boss is great – and also a knitter!

In addition to the madness that life has become (and which will soon, I am sure, fall into a routine), I spend most of any time at home fighting with Destructoboy over the computer. We gave him some really good educational games for his birthday, and he adores the Noggin site, and I can hardly get at the keyboard.

I also rather rashly, and in a spirit of optimism but expectation of disappointment, threw my hat into the ring of insanity which was the Wollmeise Sock Club lottery. And I got in!!!!

This means that unannounced parcels of Wollmeise will appear for me at regularish intervals. It also means that my credit card went into cardiac arrest - but hey!, that's how it is sometimes!

This is not stash because:

1. Wollmeise is too beautiful to be stash;
2. Sock yarn does not count as stash;
3. International yarn never counts as stash;
4. By the time the second one arrives, you've forgotten how much it cost, so it transmutes into a gift - and gifts are never stash

Have I forgotten any rationalisations, Zeph?

So hopefully, normal transmission will resume as soon as possible. Until then, blogging may be a once a week activity!