Avoiding Burn Out

First - the knitting: Slouch Socks by Sue Morgan of GK knitted in an Opal sock yarn thingy who's ball band I cant find LOL. Then the real reason for posting:

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.

I hope you all have a Joyful Christmas-time and wish you a peaceful and happy new year : )

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.

My Favourite Mug

I have noticed in Blogdom the interest shown in one's favourite mug and what it tells others about oneself, so I thought I would put a photo of mine up. It seems to sum up my view of dieting, and life in general somehow LOL

Back to the Knitting

I finished by Summer Fruits socks on Monday and still had some yarn left, so..........
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

My Son's Birthday.

OK, soppy mother alert here!!!

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 !!!!!

A bit more spinning

A bit more spinning on my drop spindle. The pencil rovings in the jar are from the Yarn Yard and spin like a dream. It is 100% organic merino and I have 1 spindle full already. Very soft with a gentle lustre.

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.