I have decided, reluctantly, to stop blogging until the new year. FIL is still in hospital and likely to be there for a while. On Monday MIL goes into hospital as well for treatment and further tests. Unfortunately they are 2 different hospitals 12 miles apart!!! In the interests of everyones sanity DH and I are cutting out anything we can time-wise, so the blogging has to go. They only have DH and I. MIL is an only child and FIL is the last of his line so its us or no-one. Its so sad when age and illness creeps up on people and they have so little family for support. I am sure many of you have been there, or are there now.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Avoiding Burn Out
I have decided, reluctantly, to stop blogging until the new year. FIL is still in hospital and likely to be there for a while. On Monday MIL goes into hospital as well for treatment and further tests. Unfortunately they are 2 different hospitals 12 miles apart!!! In the interests of everyones sanity DH and I are cutting out anything we can time-wise, so the blogging has to go. They only have DH and I. MIL is an only child and FIL is the last of his line so its us or no-one. Its so sad when age and illness creeps up on people and they have so little family for support. I am sure many of you have been there, or are there now.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
A Glub
I got my first yarn from the Glove Club at www.theyarnyard.co.uk and I couldnt wait to cast on for these. The pattern is in 'Not Just Socks' and the colours will be just right to go with my new black duffle coat : ). I'm casting on the second glove today. Its been a hectic week so its great to get some knitting time this weekend.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
My Favourite Mug
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Back to the Knitting
I made a totally frivolous mobile phone cozy for myself. It was a great way to get some practice at fair-isle knitting on dpns. I also did the 3 needle cast off for the first time. This new love affair with pink, lilac and other girlie colours is getting out of hand LOL
Monday, November 12, 2007
My Son's Birthday.
My miracle baby, the one doctors said I could never have, is 13 years old tomorrow. If I still kept up my fathers faith he would be having his Bar Mitzvah. A trainee adult.
He is a sweet natured child. Sometimes wilful of course, but always open to reason. He is a cheerful person with a very good sense of humour and a strong artistic streak. I love him so much and he is very precious to me and DH.
I cant imagine him as a man at the moment...he is small for his age and still very much a child....but one day soon he will shoot up and his voice will break and he will be trying out his wings.
It is as it should be, but he is the last baby, my youngest child (3 surviving children out of 11), and I feel quite ambivalent about it all. I have enjoyed the last 13 years and hope he will have a happy future as he begins to slowly find his independence and make more of his own decisions over the next few years. Here's to the next 5 years of puberty and arguments !!!!!
Friday, November 9, 2007
A bit more spinning
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Next Generation
Firstly - this is my son on a church organ. It isnt any old organ however.......this one was donated by, and played by my son's Great-grand Father nearly 80 years ago.
My son is the 4th generation to use it, now that he is big enough to reach the pedals. It was quite a weepy moment when the tradition moved on another generation last Friday.
And this is the knitting shot - a simple hat for said son. Its the basic hat pattern by Anne Budd.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Strawberry Sorbet
Monday, October 22, 2007
New chickens, a cat.....and a sock
Yes, we have 3 more chickens. They are minature bantams, and tiny as the gratuitous foot shot shows. Their eggs are the size of quails eggs and the chickens are very tame. A neighbour got them for his son but they were a bit too much for him, so he came round with these beauties in a cat basket and gave them to us : )
These are Silvia and Cocoa - our full sized bantams. I know you have seen them before, but I didnt want them to feel left out of the photo-shoot LOL
This is Pompette - our black Silkie bantam. Her brother (see posting a few days ago) had to go back to his breeder as his crowing was a bit too loud, so we just have her now.
The front minature bantam is Twilight, the middle one is Dawn and the one at the back is called Stormy.
My boy cat - Ebony - he is a rescue cat and very soppy. Can you tell I love him ???? He lies down in the chicken pen and the hens just come right up to him and shoo him away.
And finally, a knitting shot. I have finished one of my pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness month. And I have checked my breasts.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
We have Eggs!!!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Alpaca For Sale
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Ryton Organic Gardens
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Green Tomato and Onion Chutney
Monday, October 8, 2007
Lazy Kate Cover
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Body Hair - Unfeminine?
The words used to describe normal female hair growth were 'disgusting', 'revolting', 'unacceptable', 'dirty' etc. These are WOMEN talking about normal, natural female bodies as nature intended.
Are periods disgusting, unacceptable, dirty or revolting? Is it 'unfeminine' to menstruate, sweat, pass wind, get dirt under ones fingernails?
We fought for our daughters right to equal opportunities and access to the jobs of their choice. Our mothers and grandmothers fought for the right to stop damaging their bodies with corsets, stop wearing hampering skirts and restrictive clothing, and the right to compete equally with men on every level.
Where have we got in 100 years if the basic human female form - hair and all, is decried by women themselves as 'unfeminine' and 'dirty'?
ALL women are Real Women, no matter how fat, thin, tall, short, hairy, etc. and are acceptable. I wonder how European women watching this program feel to know that their culture of natural body hair is seen so negatively. Hopefully they have the sense to dismiss the premise that natural womanhood is somehow 'unwomanly'. IMHO!!
A Look Can Say It All
Monday, October 1, 2007
Lollipop Socks
This is my latest venture into sockdom. The pattern is 'Slouch Socks' by Sue Morgan - but modified for my more shapely (fat) ankles. The yarn is a discontinued Opal Lollipop. I wish I could get some more of this shade as it is beautiful. Anyone out there with some shade 1015 they would like to sell or swop?
I really MUST invest in a new camera. Mine is one of the earliest digital cameras and only has 2.1 mega pixels. My 12 year old son will be advising me on my next purchase. Any suggestions of a good one out there?
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Cascading Colours
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Green Tomatoes
Monday, September 24, 2007
All Better Now
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I have the Lurghy
I have the dreaded lurghy (Goon show fans will know what I mean), and Colonel Bloodknock (AKA DH) has insisted on my having bed rest and copious cups of tea. While I recover, to keep you all amused, I have put up a photo of one of the knitted Daleks I made for my son. I'm hoping it will exterminate the germs LOL
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Back from the NEC
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Mohair De-stash - 3p a gram plus postage!!!
I have 8 x 25g balls of this in jet black. It is 75% mohair and 25% wool.
I have 2 x 25g balls of pink, 2 x 25g balls of yellow and 4 x 25g balls of blue. It is the same type as the black above.
I have 10 x 50g balls of this. It is 100% mohair.
All these yarns are the same weight/needle size/ gauge and are 16sts x 22 rows on 5.5mm needles. I am selling them for 3p a gram, plus postage.