Elaine - you were right.

 

It's getting very embarassing - I have lost mastery over technology. I couldn't work out the self-service tills in a supermarket the other day. And it was only after a conversation with Elaine yesterday PLUS the arrival of my new iPod Shuffle, that I realised that the Shuffle indeed has a fast forward mechanism.

I', SO embarrassed.....

..and even more!

 

I think that it was a fair point that was made - a balance of male/female parenting is needed. However, this can still come within the wider family of same-sex couples. I was a single mum and my son did not lack suitable male role models in the form of his grandfather, uncle, family friends - included amongst the suitable male role models is a gay couple that we know. Had I remained in my marriage my son would have had a very unsuitable role model - his own father, who was (and probably still is) violent and abusive.

Loving parents/parent is what a child needs - but preferably ones who knit :0)

And furthermore

 

I had a conversation with a colleague at work today about beliefs and values that is similar to that which Alison has noted on her blog. Here is my response - BTW, Alison and I aren't having a falling out over this - we're just not posting possibly controversial comments on each other's blogs :o)

I understand that there are people who genuinely believe that placing a child with a gay couple is sinful. But this doesn't make them right. I can't understand why 'religious belief' is trotted out as the reason for all sorts of discriminatory and unreasonable behaviour. I believe in the faeries at the bottom of the garden. They tell me that it is sinful when my employer expects me to earn my wages....

Seriously, I am not knocking religion. Nor am I belittling those who have a deep and abiding faith. I'm just wondering where the Christian charity and understanding is in all of this....

Eat that!

 

As if! It's already gone, Baby! This delectable little morsel is the 'Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cupcake with Coconut Buttercream Frosting ' From the Cupcake Bake Shop blog.

But what I really like (apart from the taste, obviously) is the neat frosting on top. As in 'not messy'. Amazing what a piping bag and a big nozzle can do - and mever mind sniggering at the back there. Dolloping frosting on with a knife just wasn't doing it for me anymore, so I had to visit Brenda's idea of heaven, good ol' Lakeland. And when I say 'had to', I really mean it. I couldn't sleep for thinking about row upon row of perfectly frosted cupcakes.

(Weird thing about me number 5 - I can't sleep for thinking about row upon row of perfectly forsted cupcakes)

Matters of conscience

 

Some discrimination is laudable. I think that rapists and muggers should be discriminated against. They wouldn't be welcome in my home, nor the organisation where I work. I don't think they should be allowed to adopt children.But since when did being gay = unsuitable parent?

There are many children in want of a loving home. There are not-so-many kind, caring and very suitable adults wishing to give them a home. What bearing does one's sexual orientation have on one's ability to parent? Am I the only one to know that there are damaged, vulnerable children brought up within a marriage that is loveless and wrought with violence. A marriage certificate isn't like an MOT , it doesn't guarantee the 'child-worthiness' of the couple.

stranded colour work

 

Forgot to say - the only thing I really didn't like about the mits was working the rib. I am not so hot at working purl stitiches in the continental fashion, so it was really hard to work with one strand in each hand, so part this was a real pain.

The working main body of the mit is great, since I can work stocking stitch with the yarn in both hands - yay! All I can say is that if you have to do this using one hand, picking up and dropping each in turn - well, you have my sympathy....

If I knit fast enough....

 

We've all been here, right? You ? know that you haven't enough yarn left/it's too big/too small - whatever - but if you just keep knitting and don't look close enough, it'll all be ok in the end. Right. I've been ignoring the fact that I jusy started shaping this mit way too soon. It's gonna be too short.

Close your eyes....here goes.....
There, that was excrutiatingly painful not too bad. And if Blogger didn't feel it was just way too bad to share, I'd show y'all the evidence. As it is, just take my word for it. The.Deed. Is.Done. Oops. Blogger was behaving. Seems that I wasn't paying attention. If I was a cat, I'd be sitting grooming myself right now, paying particuluar attention to that hard to get to place bewteen my paws, pretending I hadn't just made an ass out of myself <

So, these are the anemoi mitts by Eunny. I'm really enjoying making them, specially as I have now figured out the mistake I made right back at the beginning. Fortunately, I can live with said mistake. I may do a bit of Swiss embroidery to fix it. On the other hand...

Knitty Gritty:
Yarn: Jamiesons 'Spindrift' 2 ply yarn
Main Colour, Willow
Contrast, Rosemary
Needles: 2 Addi circulars 2.5mm

Knitters of a nervous disposition, look away now

 

This is a bit of a car crash - fortunately the only victim, other than the kniitting, is my finger. Ever stuck a seam ripper in your index finger at 90 stitches a minute? - Not pretty.

Still, this had to go. The only question is - why did it get so far? That this wasn't meant to be was knit large quite some time ago - I don't know how many times I frogged, re-knit, frogged again. And still I wasn't happy with it. So, it has gone.

It will be reincarnated as an EZ sweater. Copy knit that I am, it's the same as the one worked on by Tigerlilith and Brooklynn Tweed. Mine, as you can clearly see, will be navy blue. The inside seam will be pink - both yarns in Rowan Felted Tweed DK. I think that for the cuffs I'm going to knit the turning row in the pink, so that there is just that little flash. Neat, huh? Ok, ok, I know I'm not setting the heather alight here, but I'm trying.

I'm knitting the jumper/sweater on 3mm needles, as I find the recommended size gives me a fabric which is too open for my taste. I have to admit to some nerves - my swatching and garment knitting rarely give the same gauge....

Animal welfare - if you could only do ONE thing.

 

Stop buying battery eggs and chicken. Here's a website to go visit - The Hens House seems to have some really useful information.

I personally try to buy organic free range. I do buy products made from free range eggs, such as food products from M&S. One of the reasons that I buy there from time to time is that I don't have to worry about 'sneaky' battery egg. And I only ever eat organic free range chicken. HAve to say it was only a couple of years ago that the penny dropped - that the chicken I was eating must be coming from battery hens. Doh!

I know that some people think that organic food is a lifestyle choice. Maybe for some people it is. But if for no other reason than animal welfare,if you change nothing else about your diet, please stop buying battery hen products

India

A miserable song and a guitar...

 

Mr India's definition of Country & Western music. Not much more to add, really.

Meme virgin no longer

 

yah boo sucks to visitors expecting something a little more salacious...

So, been tagged for a meme - never happened before. If you want to know who the culprit is, she's here

Here goes
1. Whilst I tend to avoid like the plague each and every child who doesn't belong to a relative, or a friend, I work full time as a nursery teacher. And I really love it. And the kids - but strictly 9.00am - 3.00pm Monday - Friday term time.(Come to think of it. that's not wierd. I mean, if you worked with littl'uns all day, wouldn't you do the same?)
2. I am turning into Howard Hughes. Well, not quite, but I go kind of loopy when anyone at work uses my mug or cutlery. It's not that I'm 'afraid of germs', but strong tea and coffee usage leave everything stained, and then I can't bear to use said items without recourse to lots of scrubbing and cursing
3 I listen to Radio 4. OK, that's not weird, but tell me that listening to The Archers isn't.....
4. I laugh when other people get hurt. Now, I know that this affliction is shared by many, so fellow sufferers will know that it isn't due to amusement. Some kind of nervous reaction. But try telling that to someone who has just squished their thumb with a mallet. Got me into lots of trouble over the years. 5. Coming soon to a blog near you

Friends international

 

Look what put a great big smile on my face today:

OK, you're gonna have to use your imagination for a while. My computer is seriously in the huff with my camera, so I can't show you the gift that Misty and Andrew from Geek Farm Life have sent me.

While you are waiting, go visit them. But just a wee word of warning - if you use earphones to listen to their wonderful podcast, the goats and geese ARE NOT IN YOUR DINING ROOM. OR YOUR ATTIC. OR EVEN YOUR GARDEN. So don't look over your shoulder. They aren't there. They are across the pond. At Three Elms Farm. Honest.

So, Misty and Andrew - a big thanks from me to you, your kindess has left its mark. India

An ambition for 2007

 

Most of you have seen the fabulous work that Eunny Jang produces with such little effort. Well, effortless is how it seems to me ... I've decided to perform a spot of stash reduction/colour work and what better way to do it than with Eunny's Anemoi mittens.

Weather update

 

That was some weather north of the border on Old Year's Night. Certainly took my garden bench by surprise. There it was, huddling under the cherry tree, keeping it's back to the wind and rain, when - pow! one particularly mischevious, some might say downright nasty, gust of wind grabbed it by the scruff of the neck, tossed it about a few times then tossed it into what might loosely be called the shrubbery.

There was evidence of fairly extensive damage to local trees and one garage roof was removed in its entirity and thrown against a block of flats.

Thankfully, we are all in one piece - see y'all later.