Get a grip!

 

There's no doubt about it, my knitting has not been up to (my) required standard of late. To further prove the point, take a wee peek at this- A none too close inspection clearly shows that the two halves of Brier's back have not been created equal. And there's only one person to blame.....and as if that's not bad enough, when I redid the left back, I made it complete with right back shaping. Now, I may not be 'classically beautiful', but neither am I deformed. I finshed it for the third time, I hope, at Beanscene yesterday morning before my Gaelic class. And it not the only substandard item either - I still haven't worked myself up to correcting the sleeve on my Noro Blossom cardi. One thing at a time, eh?

I think I've simply got too much on the go - my brain is like an overfilled armchair, randomly shedding stuffing as I wander aimlessly about. It's got to stop. I'm trying not to take on anything else, but I cannot leave to one side commitments already made. The only other option in the meantine is - organise. It won't be pretty, but it has to be done.

I did give myself a mental holiday with a bit of very simple knitting - here it is - a cute hat for a very cute girl. Shucks, don't make me blush! Not me, Baby L - a gorgeous 4 month old. I don't usually knit for other folks but I make an exception for babies. This is in fact hat number 2. The first one is a striped variation of the same colour combo - pink and violety-blue Cashmerino Baby

In the meantime, when I need a mental break, I'm going to be knitting a simple lace shawl in Noro Silk Garden. But when that's not on the needles, it's Brier all the way.

The wheel is idle at the moment - the virus I had last week left me unable to summon up the energy, but I am quite pleased with the way the latest effort has plied. Not at all inconsistent - I planned it this way....

Here's a shot of another cute girl. Wonder if she'd like a hat?

so now what...?

 

toe curling toothache - check
dental-phobe - check
suffered (like a darn fool) for-way-too-long-convincing-self-it would-magically-go-away - check
finally plucked up courage to go to unimaginable circle of Hell dentist - check
waited 2 more weeks - check
had to put appointment back and give husband toothache of the ear due to my repeated agonisings over current real pain and future certainty of unholy agony at dentist due to ill health and suffer unmercifully put up with it a while longer - check
receive not nearly enough sedation this time around (ie I have vague memories of event) - check
pain gone
pain gone?
no check. Pain. Still. Here

Truths

 

Truth number 1:I am a really good patient. I know how to do it so well - feel like s***, moan like Hell, make sure the whole universe has heard the ruomour, stock up on a whole aresenal of just a couple of remedies: None of which have helped in the slightest, just goes to show - don't treat a virus and it takes X days, treat it and it takes X days....

Truth number 2: It really is possible to have too many WIPs on the go (YEP, you did read that correctly) Especially when one of them is this: Brier itself isn't too difficult, but there are two parts each to the back and both sleeves. I keep forgetting what I've done, which size I'm doing etc. This evidence of impending senility is forcing me to actually finish a few things and take note of what I've done.

Ttruth number 3: Blocking isn't just desireable, sometimes it's downright esssential - especially when faced with this: Various parts of the aforementioned Brier. The really skinny bit on the left is part of a sleeve - I think, Confirmation will (hopefully) come after the blocking. The markers are allegedly helping me to keep the shaping symmetrical (note to self - next time you want to knit a project with shaping, DON'T chosse navy blue - why do you think the model's one is in a light colour ?????)I know that I've knat more than this, I just need to locate it. Probably hiding with the two skeins of Colinette currently MIA.

Olbas pastilles suck....

 

And that's all I've got to say about that.

Odessa Number 1

 

As I read on someone's blog recently, Odessa is like a potato chip (crisp!!) - one just isn't enough. I originally planned to make one in a crushed raspberry/clear bead combo using Calmer. Unfortunately it is currently missing in action, so here it is in purple Cashsoft DK (It's not as lilacy as this, really). If you peer really closely, you can just see the beads. A whole wheen of Odessas can be found at the Odessa-along. Go on, have a peek. You know you want to.

I'm not knitting much at the mo - crocheting is taking over. I'm currently crocheting in Colinette Lasso. Despite the fact that it is 100% nylon(!) it's a beautiful yarn. It is intended to be a flowery wrap and is next on the agenda =for the class at K1 Yarns . It's for the begiiners plus class. We can do this. Yep. We can. I'm convinced...... Actually, I am sure. It's just that we will all need 3 extra pairs of hands....

Congratulations....

 

.....and celebrations!!!!!
Jill is tying the knot, getting hitched, jumping the broomstick - whichever way you choose to say it, she's GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!
As you can't have the best man in the world (Mr India, obviously) I'm so happy you have the next best one ;0)

When pain is good....

 

The Devil's right hand woman Dentist: Open wide. This will hurt like hell You won't feel a thing.
pathetic , snivelling creature Me: Arggh gurgle choke sweat
Dentist: The good thing is that your tooth is hurting for both hot AND cold.
Me:?????????????????????
Dentist: Yep. If it was only reacting to heat, that'd mean the nerve was dying
Me: ??????????
Dentist: Then you'd need ROOT TREATMENT
There's no 'me' - by this time I was legging it down the street. Well, maybe not, maybe that was just a little exageration. But I am terrified of the dentist. so than the Lord for IV sedation. This time next week, no more toothache - I hope. It's been a bit of a saga. I managed to scrape along fearfully for years before finding out that I could be referred for sedation, without much treatment needed. Now, for some strange reason, everything is going pear shaped and I haven't been completely pain free in the molar dept for about 5 years......

Hopefully some spinning might take my mind off things for a bit. As this pic shows, I am finally getting round to the fibre that I bought in December .(Sorry that I have only linked to the month, but my archive doesn't seem to allow me to pick out an individual page once the month has gone. Well, maybe it can, but I can't!). As I said at the time, Freyalynn's fibre is a dream to spin with , and this is no exception. I've changed my mind about the project and will be making a blue version of Chocolate lime , since I am enjoying the wearing of it so much. This will be my first full size handspun garment - hope I can keep the pace up.

I did manage to plant the plants - they're a bit pathetic looking now, but I have high hopes for them. There are quite a few pots, so it should be a reasonable enough display .

I did rather foolishly suggest to my husband that Valentine's is a ridiculous commercial piece of nonsense. Fortunately for me, he ignored me completely and bought me this. Mr India really does know me rather well. I had been browsing in the windows of Ortak when this little beauty caught my eye. Darn, was I ever wishing that for once I had kept my pert little mouth closed. However, I was gutted very noble and didn't say a word. Mr India has an amazing capacity for self-preservation is clearly psychic.

The courage of women

 

My God! Did you just see that woman on the Chinese team? - I can't bear to watch the replay of her fall, but she went on to skate with her partner for a silver medal.Hot diggidy!

And all that stash...

 

You know that stage you get to , you repeatedly reassure yourself that somehow it WILL all fit, that order once again WILL be restored? Well, I've been at that stage for several lifetimes. It looks as if the sorcerer's apprentice has been at work:

Some progress has been made but the pile in the first picture is proving somewhat recalcitrant. And there's more - two large bins of unspun fibre, various bits'n'pieces all over the place, some Kaalund missing in action......it goes on and on.

However, I've got an extra couple of days off, so I'm damned if I'll spend it organising stash, which I have to say I feel is a contradiction in terms. Anyway, yesterday I went to the garden centre and bought one or two (!) spring flowers. I think that the rain is off for the morning, so I shall don my extra elegant nitrile gloves, gird myself with a trowel and do battle with the pots (and creepy-crawly, slimy-sluggy-squishy things) in the courtyard.

WHISPERED CONFESSION - I fell off the Woolfest Diet. But it's only 2 skeins, didn't cost much, it's a beautiful crushed rose colour AND IT'S COLINETTE DAMN IT!!! Oops, sorry about that folks, normal service will be resumed in a moment. We've all been there, right? That yarn that you've just got to have, no matter what...still, I'm back on the wagon. I'll be strong. It'll be tough and I'll need a lot of support from you guys. Why ? Well, Katherine, my local supplier has just told me that a shed load of Colinette is on its way as I type. As if that wasn't completely amazing, unbelievably fabulous luck bad enough, said lady is going to Birmingham soon to see what other goodies she can tempt us with.

I've just been listening to a Radio 4 programme (I know, so middle aged) about step families. It made me so sad to hear what some of these children had to put up with (and some of the unfortunate step parents, too). My DH is a wonderful father to my son, more so than his own has ever been. It's not perfect, and I'm sure that my boy could pass his own comments, but Mr India really puts himself out for him. And the little tyke isn't averse to jumping on the bandwagon if DH and I have an, erm, minor disagreement - on MR India's side, of course, not mine. Think that speaks volumes.

Right, I'm off to persaude those flowers that they do want planted, then, hopefully, a spot of spinning.

Meet Norman

 

And a fine specimen he is, too. He's one of a number of Hebridean tups (yep, he's got all of his dangly bits intact) living the life of Riley with my mates G&J. Here's another of my mates, Conna (?Cona). Leastways, I hope she's a mate - she's more like a bear than a dog.... The sheep were not cooperating (!) so it's kind of hard to get an accurate idea of her size, but believe me, you would not want this pup to take a dislike to you.

I've been too busy working to do much knitting this week. I did find enough time to be childish, though. I don't like a certain organisation dedicated to recovering money from students. It's not that I object to paying, but the number of incompetencies beggars belief. The ultimate one (actually, there are worse but you might not believe me) was when they scared the hell out of my neighbour when they sent a private detective to find me. Apparently I was lost. Even though they had written to me the week before confirming that they had my new address....So, today, I felt it was only right that I tell them 'I may be recording this conversation for training purposes and fact verification'. They also get a bit phased when I respond to their threats by telling them to 'Go right ahead and take me to court.' They don't seem to have a response to that in their script. Well, what else can you do when you are bang up to date, in fact, ahead of the payment schedule but they still can't get things sorted out ? So, childish, yes, but the only way to keep some vestige of sanity when forced to communicate with them. I'm about to settle up early - wonder what I'll be threatened with when I do that ?

I'm hoping to see 'Memoirs of a geisha' over the weekend. A tad risky, having read and enjoyed the book a number of years ago. Still, nothing ventured. I'm also going to cast on Odessa -wish me luck.

Call me shallow....

 

but I got a wee buzz out of seeing my blog on the Odessa knitalong. It's a bit scary too - committing to finishing it by April 5th. What if I get sidetracked? I've got the yarn already - I opted for Rowan Calmer, shade 477 , which as you will see is a deep raspberry shade. Just the beads to locate now.Heather , I know you'll be a tad sceptical, but I am going to swatch...

It's been a bit of a busy weekend, all round. We whizzed down to this delightful little pub. This little Gem is in Yanwath, just off the M6. Believe me, it really is worth spending a few hours in the car for a meal here. As well as having great food it's reassuring to know that the chef can tell you exactly where the organic chicken came from, or that the lamb is sourced from a farm a few miles away. To my DH's acute embarrassment, I decided to share the meal with you, so here are a few pics - what a shame it isn't 'taste-a-vision'.. Now, I know that there shouldn't be any difference between my organic chicken and my DH's meal, but I couldn't bear to watch him eat Peter Rabbit. I could see the wee paws, complete with claws. Think I might be fighting my inner demons again along the vegetarian front.....

Desert was fantabulous - Bailey's Bread & Butter pudding, all topped off with a hot chocolate plus a shot of Tia Maria - mmmmmmmmm. I was trying to tempt you with a pic of the desert, but I seem to have reached my picture limit. So, make do with the hot chocolate and look forward to desert on the next thrilling installment, when you'll also get to meet Norman - big, black, hairy - not the kind of sheep to get on the wrong side of (and that's before you get to his sidekick, Conna....don't know if her pic'll fit on the page).

Having squeezed in the visit to Norman and my friends G&J on the way to Yanwath, we also managed to get back in time for my fortnightly knitting meet. No wonder I need a lie down. Still, it was great to meet up with fellow knitters and see what they're up to. TTFN

Bloggers silent poetry reading

 

Futility

Move him into the sun
Gently its touch awoke him once,
At home, whispering of fields unsown.
Always it awoke him, even in France,
Until this morning and this snow.
If anything might rouse him now
The kind old sun will know.

Think how it wakes the seeds--
Woke, once, the clays of a cold star.
Are limbs so dear-achieved, are sides
Full-nerved,--still warm,--too hard to stir?
Was it for this the clay grew tall?--
O what made fatuous sunbeams toil
To break earth's sleep at all?

-- Wilfred Owen

Idea by Reya at goldpoppy.blogspot.com (my link won't work...hence the longhand).