Travelling

This weekend was the weekend I met up with Sarah to hand over the Kromski Sonata. No, I don't have my Rose yet, nor did I pick one up this weekend. But, just because I'm having to wait for my wheel shouldn't mean that Sarah does too!

I met her in Cheltenham, gave her the wheel, we wandered around Pets At Home (I bought Isis some food and a new toy) and then we had a quick cuppa in Sainsbury's.

Then I drove to Bath to visit with Helen and Iain. I stayed there overnight and Helen and I talked about loads of stuff!

I called Hedgehog while I was there for an update, they sounded very annoyed as apparently they've had a stock parcel go missing on it's way to them and they still don't know when they can expect more stock in! I've been waiting over 4 weeks now.

Helen and I have agreed to start a new project in the new year. We are going to make Sleeves In Your Pi. This is a Pi shawl with sleeves worked in.

But we're adding a little extra, we're going to spin the yarn for it first, then knit it.

We will start spinning on New Years Day and we're aiming to be finished by Woolfest which is June 25th!

You're more than welcome to join us. I will be posting regular updates here and Helen will on her blog and we also have a thread going on Ravelry's UK Spinners board.

I stayed overnight at Helen's and came home today.

I walked in and immediately blitzed the kitchen! It looks loads better and I'm very pleased with it.

Matt and I walked the dogs together this evening and we got chatting about his catering & hospitality course at college. We've decided that we're going to upgrade a lot of the stuff in the kitchen. I'm going to look into buying an oven with a couple of extra burners and an extra oven and we'll also look into new crockery and other stuff!

Great American Aran Afghan

I've been working on the Great American Aran Afghan for over a year now.

Today I finally knit the 20th square.

Now I've just got to sew it together!

Typical

Well, I caved and went for the phone.

This morning I had an e-mail from T-Mobile telling me that the phone is out of stock!

Yeah, figures.

Oh, this is gorgeous

If I was stupidly rich or stupid and rich I would buy one of these

This is a Martha wheel and is made by Watson Wheels. Unfortunately, it's costs $1500 and that's not including postage, customs and tax *sigh*

Cut me a break

I seem to be having one of those days, you know?

The Majacraft dealer got back to me and said not only had I missed delivery for UK before Christmas but apparently there's a backlog on orders to Majacraft anyway.

So I've had to cancel the order.

A woman complained on our local fibre crafts group on Ravelry a couple of months ago. She had attended a village fair that a few of us were demonstrating crafts at. This is her post:

"I was at the festival on Saturday and managed to get to see some spinning.

I was rather upset by the language and manners of one of the demonstators - a ‘lady’ in her 40’s with black hair and very long nails.

I assume that events like this are intended to improve awareness of your group and encouage new members. Foul language and attitude will not achieve this, and I hope that whoever is responsible for this group thinks carefully before future demonstations." This was posted when I was away camping for the half-term week - something everyone on Ravelry knew as I'd been talking about it for weeks.

First off, I'm 34! Secondly, i only spoke to a couple of people, I was polite, well-mannered and didn't even swear when my friends and I were alone.

Today this woman posts that she has a Majacraft Rose for sale with 12 bobbins and she wants £300 for it, but only to someone who doesn't already own a wheel.

I PM'd her and she messaged me back asking if I had a wheel. I said yes, but it was living in the camper and the Rose would be my only at home wheel. She replied that it was only to go to someone who doesn't already have a wheel, then miraculously; the wheel was marked as sold!

When someone else queried it; she claimed that I hadn't been the first person to enquire about it so I wouldn't have got it anyway.

This woman has no profile, no picture, no links to anything and has only posted 6 times on Ravelry, once on Joy's board, twice concerning this complaint and three times today concerning this wheel.

I'm beginning to think this is someone I know with a personal vendetta and I think I know who it is too - get over yourself hon, all you're doing is pissing me off!

I called T-Mobile again today and asked if I could buy out my contract, then upgrade.

No, I can't. I can buy off my contract and take out a new one, but I can only keep my number if I take it to another network and then transfer it back. I can't take out a new contract and take my number with me unless I wait until 6th January to upgrade!

I'm badly in need of retail therapy to cheer me up, but it'll mean running two contracts for a couple of months and having to use a new number on the blackberry for the next 18 months. I've had this number for years! Since I was with Simon which means I'm approaching ten years with this number!

On one hand, it's easy to keep a number, but on the other hand it'd be nice to have a mobile number that certain people definitely haven't got...

Decisions Decisions!

This has been one of those awful rotten days where nothing seems to be going my way.

It would be nice to get an e-mail from Hedgehog now to tell me I can go get my wheel this weekend - I've made arrangements to meet Sarah so at least she will have a new wheel for Christmas!

On top of all that, I bought 4 tickets to a raffle and I didn't win a single prize

Majacraft Rose

It's been four weeks since I registered interest with Hedgehog Equipment.

Needless to say, I'm a bit pissed off with the wait.

Last night someone suggested looking into importing direct from New Zealand where Majacraft are manufactured.

I found a dealers website, contacted HM Revenue & Customs to find out the import duty and VAT payable on a wheel and because it worked out as cheaper than Hedgehog; I ordered one.

I went off shopping and when I got home I was greeted with an e-mail from Paypal confirming payment, an e-mail from Vintage Purls confirming my order and a second e-mail from Vintage Purls informing me that the Majacraft Rose is:

"currently out of stock. This may cause a slight delay in delivery. Please accept our apologies and rest assured that we are working hard to rectify this."

I was baffled as the site had listed them as 'available' only a couple of hours before.

I went back to the site and now every single Majacraft model is 'out of stock'

Not impressed!

It hit the fan - again

You may remember my son, Kyle, having a break down in August.

Since then, he has been thrown out of college because they can't assure the safety of other students and the staff.

On Monday we saw a psychiatrist for an assessment. It all seemed to go well, although it was obviously upsetting for Kyle to discuss losing his temper and people being hurt as a result of his actions.

After we left, Kyle saw his friend Sophie and went off with her.

Everything seemed fine, so I went off to knit night as usual.

I didn't even make it to the pub! I got a phone call 15 minutes after I'd left; Kyle had flipped out and yelled in Alex's face. Matt intervened in an effort to stave off a fight and Kyle attacked him.

He caught Matt in a headlock and during the struggle; Matt was thrown against the doorframe. He banged his head and blanked out for a second or two.

He was shaken by the time I made it home (Kyle was nowhere to be seen), but appeared fine. I considered calling the hospital but decided it was unnecessary after Matt consumed half the kitchen without vomiting!

Operation Craft Room - Complete

As I reported earlier today; I have finally finished the Craft Room.

I have spent the day tidying, sorting, vacuuming then washing then vacuuming again and finally finally, it's done!

Here are some pictures for you (click em to make em bigger)

This is just inside the door:

This is opposite the door, you can just see Eric (my wheel), my stash and my chair:

This is the rest of my room, there's you guys next to the chair, my clothes rack with all my skirts on, my chest of drawers with printer, router, TV & DVD player on and in front is Isis in her bed:

It's FINISHED!

I have finished painting the craft room!

It looks great and I'm just letting the paint dry now before sorting it all and getting it exactly how I want it.

It should be an hour before the paint is dry.

I'll post pictures for you later

I have an announcement

I just thought you'd like to know.....

THERE'S A FLOOR IN THE CRAFT ROOM!!!

I found it today!

Amazing what you find when you tidy up LOL

Moan

I feel like having a moan.

I still haven't heard about the Majacraft Rose! I'm getting so pissed off with waiting and I realise that I couldn't have gone this weekend because Sarah wasn't available, but at least it would've been there and mine!

I decided that my breadmaker wasn't up to the task of making bread for a family of five and that I was going to get a food mixer and make bread in the oven instead. After much deliberation, I have chosen one.

Only to find out that it isn't in stock in the Island's one and only store, or the nearest one in Portsmouth. I guess I'll see if there are any available nearby when I'm ready to go and get the Rose.

I phoned T-Mobile to see if they would upgrade me early. I'm due to upgrade on 6th Jan and I thought 'I've been a good customer, I've been with them a few years. I pay at least £35 a month for my contract then 3 of the kids have contracts at £20 each...that's nearly £100 a month!"

But no, if I want out of my contract six weeks early, it's going to cost me just under £69!

Our X-Box 360 broke. It couldn't be repaired by the local whizz-kid and I certainly wasn't going to pay Microsoft £90 to repair it. So we decided to buy a new one. I found a good deal on Game's website and went to the store only to find out that they don't do the same deals that their online store does and they weren't willing to either! I really hate that!

Thankfully, Curry's said they'd do the deal!

My new blu-ray player, the one I bought in August and have already exchanged once due to a fault, has broken again and I've had to send it away for repairs. I'm very annoyed about this as I've just bought my first blu-ray DVD - Star Trek - and I wanted to drool over the quality!

I got outbid on a pair of moon & stars curtains that I really wanted for the craft room.

The craft room still isn't done and I've had enough of painting - the gloss is giving me a headache! I just want someone else to finish it off, move all the furniture about and sell my books so they're not taking up space anymore!

I'm doing a Secret Santa on Ravelry, I got told who my giftee is today. I searched, she doesn't have a blog, a wishlist and she hasn't answered the questionnaire so that people know what to send her! C'mon people, if you're going to participate, give a gal a clue!!

I feel very sad for my friend. She's going through a tough time at the moment and I feel really sad that things haven't worked out for her and her husband again. I can't tell you any more because it isn't my place to and I don't have her permission.

I know you read my blog Sweetie, I just wish I could help you both but I can't. But know that my heart bleeds for you and I'm angry at how unfair life is to some people! I am going to give you a big squishy hug when I see you next!

Moan over, go about your business

I would just like to add (a few hours after originally posting this) that I have just discovered a leak in Matt's room - just what I don't need!

Happy Birthday p/hop

Did I mention I hate waiting?

I sent Hedgehog a polite e-mail on Thursday requesting an update on stock, but have had no response.

I was seriously considering phoning P&M Woolcraft and asking him if he'd price match, but there's no point now as Sarah isn't available to meet next weekend so I'd have to wait until the following week.

Of course, that probably means I'll get a call tomorrow telling me it's in stock! If I do, I might just pay for it on my credit card then go up and meet Sarah in a few weeks, get the money for the Kromski from her and pay it back onto my credit card.

Ten Hours Later

I keep going in and looking at that skirting board...

I've completely changed my mind now, it looks awful - plasticky and tacky (I mean cheap, not wet paint).

Thankfully a big chest of drawers is going there (which is why I experimented there) and I won't bother with the rest of the woodwork; I'll just leave it white for now.

I'm going to start moving furniture around in there tomorrow in an effort to get some order in there and maybe even start moving the stash in there!

Entering another giveaway

Jackie is doing a giveaway on her blog for a pattern for these fabulous glovies

Aren't they great? It's very easy to enter this giveaway, details are on Jackie's blog here but hurry up, the offer closes at midnight tomorrow night!

Operation Craft Room - Update

I have been working on this, but it's taking forever and I'm so fed up with it and I just want it to be done already!

I've done about 70% of the walls (I'm having to do it in sections because the room isn't empty and I have to shift stuff around) and I wanted to see what the room would look like once I painted the wood.

So today I painted a skirting board.

The walls are white with a hint of pale blue and the wood is dark teal.

I really wasn't sure at first...

But I love it now! I just wish I could find someone quicker and with more stamina to finish the damn room!

Majacraft Rose

As I told you here, I recently had a chance to play with a Majacraft Rose.

I didn't get very long as it was the day I was leaving Karen's, although I did try and talk Karen into swapping hers for Eric's WooLee Winder - but she refused *sigh*

So I decided I would advertise on Ravelry to do a swap; Edward (my Sonata) with his 4 bobbins, his WooLee Winder and the WooLee Winder bobbins for a Majacraft Rose in as good a condition as Edward.

I got no response although I'm not really surprised; I don't think I've seen anyone advertise a secondhand Majacraft Rose!

But two weeks ago Sarah contacted me and scolded me by saying "Now you know I want a Sonata!" We teased back and forth and before either of us knew it, she'd agreed to buy Edward and we have made plans to meet at Hedgehog Equipments which is exactly halfway between us.

She can pay me for the Sonata and I can give that money to Hedgehog for a Majacraft Rose.

I chose Hedgehog because they're selling them for £50 less than anyone else in the UK! Unfortunately, they have none in stock.

They said stock would be a couple of weeks (that was from 13 days ago). I called them last Friday and they said that they hadn't even had the stock list in yet and didn't know what they would be getting in or when it would be arriving.

I hate waiting!

This is now turning into a monumental event. I'm going to go up on the Saturday (after they call to tell me there's stock) and as I'm driving right past Helen's house in Bath; I'm going to collect her and she's going to accompany me to Wales. There we're going to meet Sarah and possibly Gemma for what we're now calling "The Great Wheel Swap and Spin In." I'm hoping that anyone local to us will fancy meeting somewhere for a coffee and a Spin In too!

I shall stay at Helen's on the Saturday night and on Sunday I shall pop in to Karen's. When I left, I inadvertently stole her torch! Also, Jessica's moneybox elephant that she painted when we went to Bournemouth Stitch N Bitch is ready and Karen will collect it for me (from Donna who collected it from the shop!). I shall drop by, show off my Rose, give the horses a quick cuddle, trade a torch for a moneybox, probably have a cuppa, then come home!

Of course, this is all pencilled in - because we don't know which Saturday it's going to happen; we have to wait for Hedgehog to get stock.

Did I mention; I hate waiting!

Bake your own

I'm finding that as more and more time passes, I'm really beginning to dislike the taste of commercial bread. I much prefer the bread I make in the breadmaker - it's certainly more filling!

But, my breadmaker only makes loaves about a foot long. There are five of us and once we've all cut a slice, there's usually none left!

So I thought it would be better to bake bread in a loaf tin (or two) in the oven - that way I can make longer loaves that will hopefully last a bit longer.

But, I can't stand in the kitchen beating up dough (I remember my mother dented the top of the washing machine by thumping dough on it!) because of my back. So I thought about getting some kind of electrical mixer.

There are sooooooooooooo many!

I don't know what to get, do I need a high motor because I'll be using it to mix dough? What size bowl will I need? What else do I need? If I get a fancy one, will I use all the other bits?

I have an Argos store card and a catalogue which I can order one from, so have a look here and here

Which one would you recommend?