Puddytat purr

Pair 5

2012-02-05T23:15:00.002Z

Here they are!

Glass Slippers

Pattern: Glass Slippers

Yarn: Yarnscape Dance in Icicle

Another easy pattern, although I didn't overly love the way the cables met at the top of the instep.

Yarn is gorgeous! It's 55% superwash BFL and 45% silk so there's a gorgeous shine to it!

Pairs 3 & 4 and a yarn bowl!

2012-01-30T13:34:00.001Z

I just haven't been able to get on the computer to blog about pairs 3 and 4 and blogging from the iPad is useless - blogger really need to sort the interface out!

Wavy Socks

So! Pair 3 were a design I was asked to test knit for Miss Elle and she's called them Wavy Socks (I can't post a link as they're not availale yet!)

Pattern: Wavy Socks

Yarn: Fluffosity Wight Walker in Fuschia

Nice easy socks to make and the pattern is very well written!

Blåthnat

I also finished pair 4, I chose to do the mystery sock being hosted on Sock Knitters Anonymous, but I wasn't majorly in love with the pattern. So I chose a colour yarn I wasn't that in love with either.

Pattern: Blåthnat

Yarn: Knitting Goddess 4ply sock in Topaz

The pattern is well written, but it's supposed to be a flower and I just don't see a flower! Everyone else in the SKA group seems to love it though *shrug*

On Saturday, I went over to Portsmouth and met up with Debs & Bryon. We went for lunch and then we drove to Lymington to Bea's house to meet with her, Bex and Donna. Bryon got to go and play in the shed with Bea's husband, Clive, and we got to sit and knit/spin and gossip like us women are wont to do!

Yarn bowl

Bea's husband, Clive, likes to make things out of wood and he's a very talented chap. I managed to steal away this gorgeous yarn bowl!

I also got him to drill a 5mm hole at the bottom of the bowl so that I can still easily work a pair of socks from each end of a centre pull ball like I normally do!

How cool is that?

If you want your very own yarn bowl - ~~you can't have one!~~ The best thing will be to message Clive on twitter, his account is here, or his wife Bea. If you don't have twitter, leave a comment and I'll pass your request on for you!

Number 12

2012-01-21T10:39:00.001Z

Outline done

At the end of session 1

The cover up of the ribbon and the armband below it started yesterday.

Andy started tattooing at around 12.30 and we kept going until just before 5pm.

Unfortunately, it's not finished yet so I'll have to go back for another session, but I'll have to wait for this to heal first.

At the moment my arm feels like a piece of steak that's been walloped with one of those wooden mallets and my bed is covered in ink LOL

But I think it looks awesome and I already know how I'm going to replace the tribute!

Number 11

2012-01-19T11:04:00.001Z

Tattoo #11

Tattoo that is!

Yesterday I went to see my tattoo artist; haven't seen him for years - he met a woman and moved to London with her several years ago.

Another guy took over his shop while he was gone (he did my tribute ribbon for dad).

Well, Andy came back a couple of years ago so yesterday we went to see him.

I came away with this tattoo - it's an ambigram of the words 'knit' and 'purl'

Pretty cool, huh?

While I was there, Andy had a good look at the ribbon I had done for Dad; he doesn't like it - he says the writing is all squished and hard to read, the ribbon doesn't look right and the tattooist has managed to scar the skin.

He has recommended I get a coverup done and have the ribbon redone.

Tattoo #12 is now booked!

Pair 2

2012-01-15T17:32:00.002Z

I've finished my second of 52 pairs!

Aragorn

Pattern: Aragorn

Yarn: Knitting Goddess 4ply sock in Onyx

These had an unusual construction in that you worked the heel flap along with the gusset increases (which are done right in the centre of the instep/front of leg) THEN you shift all the stitches around so that your increased stitches become the instep and the original stitches become the gusset which you decrease back down.

You really have to go on faith and follow the pattern with this one - if you do; they'll fit very well and be surprisingly comfortable!

Pair 1

2012-01-10T02:03:00.001Z

Pair 1

So, I've finished my first pair of socks for 2012.

I would've finished about a week ago, but I decided to cast on the next pair of socks and save the toes of this pair for when I didn't need to concentrate.

The pattern: Hermione's Everyday Socks

The Yarn: 'Birds of Paradise' in Lustrous Falkland from The Skein Queen

These were very easy to make and the yarn is just simply gorgeous!

Happy Birthday Dreaddies

2012-01-07T20:38:00.001Z

So, today my dreadlocks turn 6 months!

I can't believe it! I remember doing loads of searching online about the best way to get cool looking dreads, I learnt that wax and other so-called bonding products were to be avoided, I learnt about back combing, twist & rip and how to use a crochet hook to help develop dreadlocks.

I also learned that it's a lesson in patience and thank God mine locked up as quickly as they did because, as we all know; I'm not the most patient person in the world!

Loads of STUFF in my hair!

So, as a treat I decided to wrap one of my locks with a bit of handspun left over from the headband I made ages ago and I put some bells at the bottom of the wrap.

I like this pic on the left, it shows the wrap with the bells and it also shows the bead my godson, Mason, gave me for Christmas and the spider bead I bought when I started to dread my hair. If you look closely, you can also see a silver bead toward the top of my hair and a turtle bead near the nape of my neck and a hint of a gold ring too!

I love how they look and I have ordered some sterling silver bells to be permenantly sewn in, but they haven't arrived yet - the bells in there now were given to me by Natalie.

Get a load of them phatties!

I got Alex to take some more pictures of my hair, but the one I was most excited about was the one that shows the back of my head! LOOK at those gorgeous dreadlocks! They're proper phatties!

I've got quite a bit of stuff in my hair now; there's a snake bead, a skull bead, a silver bead with a symbol on, my blue cat bead, a metal ring, a yellow plastic ring, a 9ct gold wishbone ring (a gift on my 16th birthday), my father's gold buckle pinkie ring, a turtle bead, a starfish bead, a bead I bought in Norway, the wrap with bells on, a spider bead and the big bead Mason gave me!

I want my locs to grow really long so I can be a right magpie and have loads of stuff in my hair!

Think I might buy a load of embroidery silks and use those as wraps too!

I'm not an expert on dreadlocks by any means, but here are some tips I've learned over the past six months:

You are going to look like an unmade bed - how long for? Everyone is different!

Do NOT use wax, glue, honey or any other product that people say you should to make it lock - it will get trapped inside the locks & attract lint/dust...and they'll smell!
WASH YOUR HAIR! Greasy hair is slippery and knots can't form - clean hair will lock better
Don't use conditioners/conditioning shampoos, I prefer T-Gel but not for every wash
If you use beads from the beginning; move them around to prevent weak spots
If you use a crochet hook to create/maintain locks; be gentle, don't break the hair
When ripping apart your locks, move your hands right down to the roots to check separation
Let your hair MOVE! Wear a hat/headband for work if you need to, but let them down rest of the time.
Do NOT use rubberbands - they will get stuck inside your locks!
It's just hair, if you don't like how your locks are forming, brush out & start again!

I hope these tips will help you out, it's up to you if you follow them or not - it's your hair!

Argh! Bright light!!

Here is a shot of me from the front - excuse the no make-up squinty eyed look, I hadn't put any make-up on today (psoriasis keeps flaring on my face) and I'm photosensitive; I hate the flash going off in my face! It physically hurts my eyes and my head - took half an hour for me to get past the pain this photo caused!

So......erm......what else?

Oooooh, I remember, I'm off to visit my friend, Kerry, and her new baby next Friday and I've cast on sock 2 of 52. No, I havn't finished sock 1 yet, but all I have to do are the toes which are nice and easy so I've been saving them as 'something to do when a complicated pattern does my head in' socks - such as when we're at bingo or when I'll be on the car ferry next Friday morning!

The second pair is Aragorn and is being knit in Onyx - this fulfills the A-Z AND SolidSocks requirements!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T14:30:00.000Z

I was going to post yesterday, but I got distracted!

I was busy finishing up the socks I was knitting for Juliann so that I could start my first socks of 2012!

Oh....I was also watching Smallville. If you follow me on any social media thingy, you'll know that I'm currently working my way through the entire ten seasons of Smallville!

So, new socks!

I'm knitting Hermione's Everyday Socks which is an incredibly easy pattern! I'm knitting it in a gorgeous yarn I recently received from The Skein Queen. It's a beautiful sock yarn and the colourway is called 'Birds of Paradise' - no, you can't see it yet. Just wait until I'm finished! These socks fulfill my SKA requirements.

After this pair I'm going to knit Aragorn in a yarn from The Knitting Goddess in Onyx which will fullfill my A sock and black yarn requirement.

I'm considering the SKA mystery sock after Aragorn as it's called Bláthnat which will fulfill my B socks requirement, but I'm not sure yet - I'm waiting to see what the pattern looks like first.

Did you have a good New Year? I went to Mel's house as she was having a little party, there was food and alcohol and lots of catching up to be done. Mason and I exchanged presents as I didn't see him over Christmas.

Dreadlock bead

He got me a HOOOGE mug that says 'Big Mouth, Big Mug' on it, a couple of bingo pens and a thingy to attach to Isis' lead which holds poo bags and a torch.

He also got me this STUNNING bead!

I was so excited to get it and I love it! It shows up really well now my hair is black cherry again - I don't think it would've looked quite so good against the purple.

I gave Mason a chocolate tool set and a chocolate lolly maker which he's been asking for for AGES! He was incredibly pleased with this, ate one of the chocolate tools and then was promised he could make lollies another day.

I bet that will be messy fun!

I also received a text at 1.30 on New Years morning to tell me that my friend, Kerry, had given birh to her fifth child 3 hours before. A gorgeous little boy and I can't wait to go and get cuddles! Congratulations Sweetie.

I hope your New Year was as fun as mine, whatever you chose to do.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T20:44:00.001Z

Have you had a good day?

Sock patterns from Claire!

Mine has been awesome! I got up about 8.30, had a nice hour drinking tea and surfing the web, then I had a shower before we all opened our presents.

I got LOADS!

Claire gave me a sock pattern book and a CD with over 50 sock patterns on!

From Kathy

This gift alone will keep me busy this year!

I joined in two Secret Santas this year. One Santa - her Ravelry username is Kathycogs - gave me a shoe box crammed full of stuff. There was some lovely sparkly sock yarn, Cadbury's hot chocolate sachets, chewy lollies, Galaxy chocolate, 'Keep Calm, Carry On Knitting' cup mat and little itty bitty stitch markers!

From KTjazz

The other Santa didn't immediately reveal herself until I begged her too because she bought me some lovely gifts!

KTjazz bought me some bamboo sock yarn, some chocolate peanuts, some roving to spin up to make dread wraps, a bag she made herself and DREAD BEADS!!! How totally awesome!

She really did her research, I guess she came here LOL.

I also got some lovely angora fibre from Ambermog, can't wait to spin it!

Isis and her duck

Isis didn't get left out - she got a new toy; it's a duck that quacks. We squeezed it before opening it and she got SO excited! She has spent the entire day (when not drooling in the kitchen at the meat) using it as a pillow.

The kids had quite a few gifts this year - some we're not allowed to open as they're from Vicky, Matt's girlfriend, and she's not here until tomorrow.


Christmas Day

They seem quite happy and it took them until 8pm before arguments started LOL

After we had breakfast we sat down to watch Phantom of The Opera - no, not the crappy film version; the proper stage version filmed at the Royal Albert Hall! Mum bought it for me when we went to watch the tennis and I'd been saving it!

The kids LOVED it!

Tomorrow will be a day of gluttony as no one felt like eating - we had such a huge breakfast; no one had room for a full roast turkey dinner!

My new bag!

So tomorrow we are going to have cold meat, mash potato, pickled onions, cranberry sauce and lots and lots of cake!

There will probably be alcohol too!

Well, whatever you did and whoever you spent it with; I hope you had a good day and that the rest of the holiday period is a good one for you and yours.

Oh....I cast on socks too *embarrassed face* but they're not for me! I was asked to make some for Juliann ages ago, she even sent me the yarn, but I got so wrapped up in socks for me that I didn't get around to it. In this pic I've placed the yarn with the started toes in front of the bag Matt bought me for Christmas :D

Socks galore!

2011-12-24T12:56:00.001Z

Athena

'Athena'.

Pattern by 'Not An Artist' which was bought for me by Miss Elle last Christmas.

The yarn is 'Eldritch Voices' dyed by Wyndwitch.

Start Date: 1st January 2011

Finish Date: 8th January 2011

Blackrose

'Blackrose'

Pattern by Suzi Anvin and is free on Knitty

The yarn is handspun BFL, spun by meeeeeeee!

Start Date: 15th January 2011
Finish Date: 25th January 2011

Climber Cable Socks

'Climber Cable Socks'

Pattern by John Dunn-Ballam

The yarn is a Sushi Roll in Dusk also from John Dunn-Ballam (otherwise known as Easyknits)

Start Date: 29th January 2011
Finish Date: 10th February 2011

Double Basket Socks

'Double Basket Socks'

Pattern by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott

The yarn is from The Yarn Yard - it was a club yarn

Start Date: 12th February 2011
Finish Date: 25th February 2011

Escalator Socks

'Escalator Socks'

Pattern by Sara Amoroso

The yarn is by Krafty Koala

Start Date: 27th February 2011
Finish Date: 12th March 2011

Firestarter

'Firestarter'

Pattern by Yarnissima

The yarn is by The Knitting Goddess

Start Date: 12th March 2011
Finish Date: 24th March 2011

(The) Gardner

'The Gardner'

Pattern by Leslie Comstock

The yarn is by The Yarn Yard

Start Date: 26th March 2011
Finish Date: 14th April 2011

Hourglass

'Hourglass'

Pattern by Bev Elicerio

Yarn by Cherry Tree Hill

Start Date: 15th April 2011
Finish Date: 29th April 2011

In The Peaceful Forest

'In The Peaceful Forest'

Pattern by Sandy Moore

Yarn by The Knitting Goddess

Start Date: 29th April 2011
Finish Date: 23rd May 2011

Joe's Office Sock

'Joe's Office Socks'

Pattern by Anna Peck

Yarn is Zauberball

Start Date: 20th May 2011
Finish Date: 1st June 2011

Kalajoki

'Kalajoki'

Pattern by Tiina Seppälä

Yarn by The Knitting Goddess

Start Date: 2nd June 2011
Finish Date 8th June 2011

Lyra's Socks

'Lyra's Socks'

Pattern by DXM patterns

Yarn by Easyknits

Start Date: 8th June 2011
Finish Date: 13th June 2011

Mary's Garden

'Mary's Garden'

Pattern by Melly A. Mathews

Yarn by Krafty Koala

Start Date: 30th June 2011
Finish Date: 13th July 2011

Nasturtium

'Nasturtium'

Pattern by Kirsten Kapur

Yarn is Lang Yarns Jawoll Magic

Start Date: 13th July 2011
Finish Date: 18th July 2011

Owlie Socks

'Owlie Socks'

Pattern by Julie Elswick Suchomel

Yarn was dyed by me

Start Date: 18th July 2011
Finish Date: 5th August 2011

Plaited Points

'Plaited Points'

Pattern by Scott Dilley

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 5th August 2011
Finish Date 12th August 2011

Quickset Socks

'Quickset Socks'

Pattern by Megan Marshall

Yarn is Lang Jawoll Magic Dégradé

Start Date: 13th August 2011
Finish Date: 16th August 2011

Rick

'Rick'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 27th August 2011
Finish Date: 5th September

Sam

'Sam'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn by Violet Green

Start Date: 11th September 2011
Finish Date: 24th September 2011

Tatami

'Tatami'

Pattern by Judy Sumner

Yarn by Lang Jawoll Magic

Start Date: 23rd September 2011
Finish Date: 3rd October 2011

Unraveling Rib

'Unraveling Rib'

Pattern by Amy Tyszkiewicz

Yarn by KnitCave

Start Date: 9th October 2011
Finish Date: 16th October 2011

Vilai

'Vilai'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn by The Yarn Yard

Start Date: 23rd October 2011
Finish Date 4th November 2011

Wanida

'Wanida'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn by BB Knits

Start Date: 13th November 2011
Finish Date 18th November 2011

XOX

'XOX Socks - Hugs & Kisses'

Pattern by Wollhuhn

Yarn by Yarnscape

Start Date: 19th November 2011
Finish Date: 26th November 2011

You and I

'You and I'

Pattern by Torunn Elise Haugen

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 12th December 2011
Finish Date: 17th December 2011

Zig Zag Socks

'Zig Zag Socks'

Pattern by Donna Pye

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 17th December 2011
Finish Date 23rd December 2011

I also made a few extra socks which are listed below.

Claires Socks

'Claire's Socks'

Pattern: Just a plain stocking stitch pattern

Yarn is Crazy Zauberball

Start Date: 20th June 2011
Finish Date: 16th August 2011

Kai-Mei

'Kai-Mei'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 21st August 2011
Finish Date: 27th August 2011

Milo

'Milo'

Pattern by Cookie A

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 5th September 2011
Finish Date: 12th September 2011

Harold & Maude

'Harold & Maude'

Pattern by Rose Hiver

Yarn dyed by me

Start Date: 4th October 2011
Finish Date: 23rd October 2011

Textured Twists

'Textured Twists'

Pattern by Laura Jenkins

Yarn is Lang Yarns Jawoll Magic Dégradé

Start Date: 20th October 2011
Finish Date: 13th November 2011

Sophisticated Scribbles

'Sophisticated Scribbles'

Pattern by Elizabeth Rislove Etler

Yarn by Zettl Sockenwolle Treviso (grey) and dyed by me

Start Date: 26th November 2011
Finish Date: 12th December 2011

The last two pairs were test knits which I thoroughly enjoyed doing.

I enjoyed the whole challenge and I really can't wait to get started on my 52 pair challenge for next year - but first, I'm going to spend some time with my spinning wheel!

2011-12-23T17:24:00.002Z

Oh my god! I finished!

I have actually completed the A-Z challenge!

A - Z socks

There were a few moments where I wasn't actually sure if I would; I got a little bit behind when we went to Italy - especially as one of the pairs was so badly written, I must've undone and reknit it several times.

But, it's done!

So, for the next week - until January 1st - there will be no socks on the needles! I am going to pay some attention to poor abandoned Sherry The Cherry and work on a lace cardigan I started earlier this year. If I had any sense, I wouldn't start another sock challenge in the new year, but work on the two blankets I have in progress (especially the sock one - I have LOADS of wool for that now!) but I can't help it! I WILL be casting socks on in the new year!

The socks along the bottom are extra socks that I've made this year (not including the pair I made for Claire as they've been sent) so in total I've made 32 pairs of socks this year!

I'll do a post in the morning showing all of the socks

Bit of a rambly post for you...

2011-12-22T19:03:00.001Z

OK....sad news first.

Kim

Last week we had Kim put to sleep. He was getting very old, he was chronically arthritic and obviously uncomfortable. It seemed the best bet all round. I took him to the vet on the 14th and cuddled him as the anaesthetic was administered.

It was very quick and he was gone before all the medicine had been injected which tells me he was ready to go.

Unfortunately, he has not been the only loss. I got a frantic call two days ago from Mel asking me to take Auntie Ruth to the vet; Walter's mother, Midnight, had given birth and unfortunately suffered a prolapsed womb in the process.

By the time she had been found she was in shock, freezing cold and barely alive. There was blood everywhere and the baby chinchilla was dead - we don't know if it had been born dead or whether she just didn't bother with it in her pain. The fact that she allowed us to pick her up and wrap her in a towel and stroke on her way to the vets was all we needed to make the decision.

A very sad week really :(

So....complete subject change!

Look at all those presents!

How do you like my Christmas tree? It was put up on Dad's birthday which we now refer to as 'tree day' and there are lots of presents underneath it - some of them are even for me!! How exciting!

Bah Humbug!

As you can see; Vicky is very excited....Alex, not so much lol

We have lots of yummy food planned for Christmas Day and we're going to sit and watch a filming of Phantom of The Opera after breakfast on Christmas morning.

I've just passed the 5 month mark with my dreadlocks and wow it's all happening there! I started wearing a scarf when I went out as they were really quite messy and annoying, the scarf worked well although I think I looked like someone having chemo!

That's a wrap!

My hair was stiff and didn't move much - in fact it hurt to try and change the way the hair lay on my scalp.

What a mess!

Awesomeness

Then I got up one morning and all of a sudden I had this hair that was nice tight locs with blunted tips, the hair moves when I shake my head and it just looks so awesome!

Unfortunately, the purple had totally faded so I bought some L'Oreal dye called Black Cherry (which I've used before) and went over the lot. I love how it looks and feels and even though I bought new scarves to wrap around my locs today; I don't think I'll be wearing them much!

When I started typing this post, I did think it was likely this would probably be my last post of 2011, but I've just remembered that I've got to show you all the A-Z socks I have knit this year - I just have to finish the Z socks and then you can see them all together! It'll be about another day or two, so keep your eyes peeled!

Tree Day

2011-12-12T23:31:00.000Z

Christmas Tree

Dad

Today should've been my dad's 61st birthday.

We have a tradition on his birthday now. 12th December is the day we put the tree up!

I think Dad would've liked this tradition.

Today we have put up the tree and spent this evening watching movies and drinking spiced rum with coke.

Happy Birthday, Dad.

Snakes

2011-12-10T08:40:00.000Z

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been introducing Albert to Star & Frank.

It's very nerve wracking, because the younger two look so small next to him and the thought 'WTF do I do if he strikes one of them?' constantly runs through your head!

Star exploring her new home

Well, it all went very well. They waggled tongues at each other, then pretty much ignored each other.

We put them together daily (trying to hold 3 snakes at once is hard!) for a couple of weeks, then this week we took the plunge and put them all in together.

Frank climbing the glass

Well, Albert spent the day looking mildly affronted that these two young whippersnappers had moved in with him and sulked in a tube because Frank stole the hide within the first half an hour, then he pretty much gave in and accepted they were there!

Star & Frank spent most of the first day exploring their new home and seemed delighted that they had that much space!

I spent most of the first two hours anxiously watching as I'd put them in on a Thursday and Thursdays are feeding days for the snakes. I figured that if Albert was going to eat the interlopers; it'd be on a Thursday.

Eventually, I left them all to it.

When I went to get them all out 12 hours later for food, I was extremely happy to find that I still had 3 snakes! They all had their dinner then immediately went back in the viv together.

As of this morning; all 3 are crowded into the hide together!

2011-12-08T15:41:00.000Z

See that picture?

Do you know who that is?

THAT is George Lucas, creator of Star Wars knitting a SOCK!!!

Geekiness just hit an all new high!

Hello!

2011-12-07T15:10:00.001Z

My name is Sam and I'm a Sockaholic!

As you can see, the blog has had a makeover - well, you can if you come here, but if you read through an RSS reader; you won't notice a change LOL.

There is now a second bar down the side - I did want two bars together, but I couldn't figure out how to do that! So, the bar on the left is all the stuff you're used to seeing and the bar on the right is all my finished objects and the reason for my Sockaholic claim.

That is my sock queue. All the socks I have seen and want to make. There are quite a few, aren't there.

277 pairs of socks, I think. My eyes kinda glazed over while counting, so I may be off by a pair or two.

I've worked it out. It takes me on average, a week to make a pair of socks. If I knit nothing but socks; it'll take me over 5 years to knit them all.

And that's if I stop looking at all the gorgeous socks on Ravelry and adding them to my queue!

But I am going to work through them....well, try at any rate! I will cross off the ones I make and fill in the progress bar at the top as I go.

I'm still planning to start the 52in52 next year. I have two more pairs to make from the A-Z challenge this year first and finish a test knit I am doing too.

At least the 52 pairs I knit next year will make a small dent in the list on the right!

Photos from the tennis!

2011-12-05T11:04:00.001Z

So, I promised you lots of pictures from our trip to the Royal Albert Hall and here they are!

Blogger appears to have messed around with how things work since I last used it on a computer, so I hope this all shows up ok!

If you wish to look at the entire album of pictures (taken by Claire, Steve and myself) you can view them here

Andrew Castle practising

The scrummy Pat Cash

The funny Henri Leconte

Oh my......!

Congratulating each other

Claire & I knitting

Mansour Bahrami & Tomas Enqvist


Andrew Castle & Virginia Wade

Live on air!


Richard Kracijek

John McEnroe!

Tim Henman & Alan Mills

Mark Phillipoussis

Jeremy Bates

Bates & Henman

Nan had hot water bottle!

Wow!

2011-12-04T18:27:00.004Z

I didn't blog at ALL last month.

How remiss of me!

So thiis is going to be another one of those catchup posts where I ramble incoherently LOL. If you read my blog then you're used to those. If you haven't been here before; then I'm sorry!

So......let's start with the socks. I am up to speed with the A-Z sock challenge and I have two more pairs left to knit; Y and Z.

I have knit two extra pairs (I think) for myself, a pair for Claire, done a test knit and I'm currently test knitting another (knee high) sock.

I'm still planning on taking the 52 pair plunge next year - this is going to leave me with little, if any, time to knit (or spin) anything else! Which is a shame as the Double Knitting technique is trying to seduce me at the moment.

Have you guys seen this (rav link)?

It's totally amazing and I really really want to knit it! There's another one as well which is cats eyes that I want to knit too!

I was tempted for a while to blow the 52 pair plunge off for a year, but those rascally socks just keep calling to me!!

OK.......what else.......Alex is still battling his depression, he sees a doctor regularly and is on medication. The crashes are still bad, but he's trying his best to cope with them. He has recently decided to stay away from Facebook which I think is a really good thing as it was the root of a lot of his problems!

Kyle is now living next door with my mother - he had a huge fight with Alex and it descended into physical violence which left Alex covered in scratches and bruises and a slight concussion! We decided that him staying next door for a while would be the best thing for everyone concerned and him being there also puts my mind at rest; my mum turns 70 next year and I worry about her being on her own!

I got up one morning and went to turn on the vivarium light - which is the first thing I do every morning - and I noticed one of the vents on the back of the vivarium had been popped out. My stomach dropped and I immediately opened the viv and checked the hide.

Daffydd was gone!

We have searched the house, but we can't find him anywhere. I'm hoping that he has curled up somewhere and is sleeping as the house has been chilly, but now I've put the heating on he may still appear!

I am in the process of introducing Star & Frank to Albert at the moment, they seem completely uninterested in each other, so I shall put them all in together this week! Fingers crossed Albert doesn't eat them!!!

Dreadlock update: My locs will be 5 months old in a couple of days and are doing very well! The pink didn't hold so well, so I overdyed the whole lot with purple a week or so ago. I like the way it looks, but my poor scalp is suffering from the way I've abused it!

Forgive the state of me in this picture, I was shattered!

On Thursday; Mum, Alex, Isis and I packed ourselves into the camper and drove up to Kerry's. We camped outside Kerry's on the Thursday night then on Friday 2nd December, we left Alex and Isis with Kerry while Mum and I caught the train into London.

We met up with Claire and Steve and headed into the Royal Albert Hall to watch the Aegon Masters Tennis!

I saw Pat Cash, Henri Leconte, John McEnroe, Mark Phillipoussis, Andrew Castle, Mansour Bahrami, Peter McNamara, Fabrice Sontoro, Jeremy Bates, Richard Krajicek, Mikael Pernfors, Virginia Wade, Annabel Croft & Tim Henman.

It was absolutely awesome, we watched the afternoon session then Claire and Steve left, Mum and I stayed for the evening session which was originally billed to be John McEnroe vs Ivan Lendl, but Lendle pulled out so Richard Kracijek took his place. It was a really good match.

Unfortunately, the two matches in the afternoon both went to tie-breaks, so the invitational doubles with Bahrami (the main reason I had gone) was only on for half an hour as they had to prepare for the evening session. I was rather gutted, but got some fabulous photos.

I'll post them tomorrow when I can get access to the computer - it's one of the few things I don't like doing on the iPad LOL

But I did get this fab shot of Mansour Bahrami which I will post for you for now :D

So.......what've you been up to?

As bright as a bright thing

2011-10-30T12:01:00.004Z

So a few days ago, I decided I was going to dye my hair!

It's all Zaz's fault really; she's a woman with long dreadlocks from a website called Dreadlock Truth. Her locks are waist length and - due to her fascination with mermaids - she recently dyed her hair green. It looks A-MAZ-ING!

I knew I didn't want mine all one colour though and on a recent shopping trip to Southampton with Alex; I found what I was looking for!

So I roped Vicky (Matt's girlfriend - she started a Hair & Beauty course in September) in to help and we started off by dumping a load of bleach in my hair.

I will admit; I was absolutely terrified! I've put a lot of work into my dreads - I love them, they are getting solid and feel more dreadlockish. What if my hair all fell out, or the dye looked really shit? What if the bleaching process made my locs break? What if it set my scalp psoriasis off?

We sat and we waited and waited. After half an hour, I went and rinsed. A lot of the hair was still quite dark, but seemed to have survived intact. We decided to apply another load of bleach and wait another half an hour.

When I rinsed, this is what I got!

I duly posted a pic on twitter - some loved it, Claire hated it LOL

The next bit was going to be a bit more tricky as I was going to be applying 2 different colours and couldn't just slap it on as I was used to.

We started off by applying the colour to the roots - almost immediately it became obvious that this colour wasn't going to go very far and I started to panic - I didn't want a whole load of blonde hair underneath.

Then I remembered some dye I bought years and years ago and had never gotten around to trying.

When colour number 1 ran out, we added colour number 2 to the ends of the locks that had been partially dyed with colour number 1.

Once colour number 2 ran out we blanket dyed the remaining locs with the ancient dye I'd stashed in my bedroom - we had just enough!

I sat around with all that foil on my head, too scared to move in case something broke and all my hair fell out.

Vicky was exhausted and went to bed and I was left to sit and worry on my own - well, the teen boys were there, but you know what they're like!!

I waited about 40 minutes then went next door to use Mum's shower - no, I still haven't had an electrician in to wire up my fancy bath so I can get the shower attached!

I didn't look in the mirror until after I got out, but from the amount of colour that ran down my body - I knew it was going to be bright.

I had decided to hop into the shower and do it that way as colour 1 was a lot lighter than the other colours and I didn't want any bleeding effect going on.

Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared for colour 3 to do what it did!

So, first off, let me show you my hair!

Bright, isn't it?

Personally, I love it!!

Unfortunately, Mum's shower has now been stained blue - I used loads of cleaner on it and still couldn't get it back to white.

Then I saw my back - it was blue too. I could've cried!

I called Alex in and we scrubbed at it until we got most of it off. I got the hairdryer on my locs (it was gone 1am by this point) and dried them off.

Then I went to bed.

When I got up the next morning, the first thing I noticed was that my neck was blue again!

I couldn't believe it! I scrubbed again, I tried toothpaste, eye make up remover, handwash, perfume and T-Gel - I ended up with little more than a sore blue neck :(

We've come to the conclusion that this stuff is just going to leech onto my skin until it settles down, unfortunately this means I can't actually wear my hair down to show off the dye!

The first two colours - Flamingo Pink and Indigo Violet by Directions - are absolutely fine and I have had no problems with them at all. It's the Blue Velvet by Special Effects (the really dark bits) that's causing all the problems!

I'm going to go and wash it again in a minute then give it a good rinse in cold water with a bit of vinegar in to see if that helps at all.

Well....it works on fibre!

WBankers

2011-10-17T15:35:00.003+01:00

I bank with Lloyds TSB. I have banked with them for years! I have several accounts, the kids all have accounts and I have a credit card - all with Lloyds TSB.

Several years ago, Matt wanted to start using his account when he started college. Due to the fact it hadn't been used; the bank had registered it as dormant. All they required was us to attend the bank with some form of identification.

We went down, showed his passport, a button was pressed and Hey Presto! the account was working again.

Same thing with Alex a year or so later.

This year, Jess has started college and needs an active bank account. One Monday (about 3 weeks ago) I went into the main branch on the Island with Jess and her passport.

Naturally, we ended up dealing with the idiot who didn't seem to know what he was doing! He took a scan of J's passport and then spent ten minutes farting about on the computer and phone before telling us that the department he needed to speak to were busy. He said he would sort it and call us later that afternoon to let us know what her account number was for college.

He didn't ring.

I stormed back into the bank the following afternoon, he was chatting and laughing away with colleagues. I marched straight up to him and declared "You didn't phone!"

He had to go and find the paperwork and then spent another 35 minutes on the phone and computer (while dealing with other bank staff who kept dropping things off at his desk) before telling me that Jess needed to go back into the bank so that he could call the correct department! I stood and gaped at him for a bit before reminding him that she had been in the bank the day before and he'd told us he'd sort it!

But no, she had to go back in herself. She was told when she went in on the Friday that her account number, debit card and new PIN would be sent straight out and would be with her on the Tuesday.

Friday we went back in to get a print out of her account number and demand to know why her card hadn't turned up! He clicked a button then told me it was on it's way.

I was not at all impressed with this.

Today I received my credit card statement. My minimum required payment for last month was £159.54. I pay £50 a week and have done for years and years.

This month my last payment of £50 went in after the 'pay your money by this date'. So I was £9.54 short for two days.

They charged me £12!

I immediately called them and asked if it could be removed as it was last time the calender and my payments didn't match (about 2 years ago) only to be told "We don't do that."

"Oh yes you do!" says I and we argued for about ten minutes before he graciously, like he was doing me a fucking favour or something, removed the £12 charge - he said "We'd only do it once in a while though and we won't do it again for at least 6 months". I told him that it had been a damn sight longer than 6 months since this had last happened, he said that's why he'd removed the charge and that I must pay the minimum amount required each month.

I yelled at him and told him if he got a calculator out, he'd see that I've actually paid more most months (especially in a 5 week month) and maybe a big top bank like them should learn to be a little bit more flexible before hanging up.

I wonder if that £12 will show as refunded on next months statement......

2011-10-05T15:02:00.004+01:00

As you may remember from previous posts; I sleep on the floor.

I started doing this after going camping in Scotland and sleeping really comfortably all week.

That was several years ago and I have slept on the floor ever since. From time to time, I'll sleep on the sofa - usually when my back aches.

I have a theory that my back adapts to whatever treatment it is currently receiving - be it physiotherapy or medication and the treatment stops working after a while.

My back has been aching loads lately, I've had to sleep more propped up to try and relieve the pain!

A short while ago, I stayed at Debs' house and slept on a sofa futon in her spare room. It was really comfortable! Due to the fact that things got very uncomfortable, I decided to buy myself one.

I had a voucher for Argos that gave me £20 off if I spent over £200, so I went in and ordered. The next day Argos tweeted that they were doing a 15% off all indoor furniture on top of all other offers. So I bitched and moaned on twitter and within four hours I received a phone call telling me that I would be receiving a cheque refuding me £54 - 15%! Very happy!

I had a week to do some rearranging to make room for this sofa/futon in the craft room.

I started with this. I just stood and looked at it at first, wondering where the hell I was going to put everything.

I started out by moving my armchair out of the room (this photo was taken after I'd done that) - that's gone next door to my mum. Then I moved Sherry The Cherry and the new Joy into the front room.

As I no longer need to pack all my bedding into a chest in my room (the sofa/futon has underbid storage!) I packed all my fleece into that. This freed up a large tub (the kind you use in the garden) which I dumped all my sock yarn into. I packed and rearranged and shifted stuff until I had made enough space.

Then I washed the floor!

I knew the table would also have to come out - that was also destined to go to my Mum's; I stole it from her in the first place LOL, but I left it deciding I would do it the following morning.

When I originally ordered, they told me delivery would be between 12pm and 6pm, then yesterday I received a text telling me between 1pm and 3pm.

This morning, at 8am, they called and asked if they could deliver between 9am and 10am! They had woken me so I was slightly fuzzy, but said that was fine.

Then realised I had to get up, get dressed, move the table out and resweep the floor (I always sweep again after washing). I managed to get all that done in time!

It not only fits, I've even made a space larger than was required! It's very easy to fold it down to a bed, is quite firm but comfortable.

I'm looking forward to sleeping on it tonight!

Socks! Socks! Socks!

2011-10-01T17:56:00.004+01:00

I think I'm obsessed! I've thoroughly enjoyed knitting all these socks, even though I've knit nothing else and done hardly any spinning whatsoever! In fact, I've even knit extra socks!

So next year I'm setting myself a challenge and it's a totally bonkers one! I'm going to follow the theme of four different sock groups from Ravelry.

So, there's the 52 Pair Plunge - that's 52 pairs of socks knit in one year - one pair a week.
Then there's the UK Sock Knitters A-Z Challenge, the Sock Knitters Anonymous AND SolidSocks (I won't be actively participating in the 52 Pair Plunge as they start in July and signups are already closed, but I still aim to do 52 pairs in a year!)!

Now, the A-Z Socks cast on goes 'live' every other week, so either pair 1 or pair 2 would also have to begin with the letter A (the pattern, I mean).

As well as that at least one of the pairs I knit in January would also have to be Flora or Fauna Themed/Designed by Erica Lueder/January's Mystery Sock for SKA AND one of the pairs need to be Black/White/Grey or any mystery sock ever designed.

Luckily SolidSocks only change their designer every other month, but the colour does change every month.

So in theory the first pair of socks for January 2012 could be a pattern that begins with A, designed by Erica Lueder and knit in black! That way, all I would have to worry about is knitting that pair in the first week, so that I can get all other socks knit in time LOL

Clear as mud, right?

Anyway, the pic is a pic of the spreadsheet I've spent this afternoon designing for my sock challenge next year.

Yes, I know....I'm a sad muppet!

But I'll be a sad muppet with warm feet!!!

The one where I got asked to do a review!

2011-09-08T19:18:00.004+01:00

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Marianne, asked if I would be willing to review a new bag design she had come up with.

I jumped at the chance - after all, who doesn't love a new project bag, right?

Marianne calls it her Little Dumpling and you can see her photo stream here.

So, this bag arrived on the Tuesday after August bank holiday and I was immediately enamoured with the skull fabric she had used.

It's quite a nice sized bag and I wondered how much I'd be able to squeeze into it - I do like to carry a lot of ~~junk~~ stuff!

I decided I would take it along to bingo the following night.

The bag has a front pocket which closes with the two buttons on the front, and the top of the bag closes by 3 buttons spaced evenly along the top. The handle is turned which I had not come across before.

I must admit, I wasn't sure about the buttons to close the bag at first; I thought they'd be a complete pain - but they're surprisingly not fiddly, they do up quickly and easily.

Marianne has also put a pocket on the inside and it's absolutely HUGE! I can fit a blister pack of medication, my bingo card, some money and my bingo dabber pen in it!

In the main bag itself, I managed to squeeze everything you see on the right; my glasses case, two sock projects (200g of fingering weight yarn, 2 x 80cm circular needles), my row counter on the star keyring, my bingo pen, my bingo card, my pills, my scrunchie and the little doohicky I can hang my bag off!!

It stays done up nicely once it's full and is being carried - even with all my ~~junk~~ stuff in it!

At first I was going to suggest to Marianne that she offers this bag with a flat base as I prefer a bag to stand up, but I discovered this morning while taking these photos that it does stand up! Give it a little squish and the clever corner seams flatten out and it stands quite nicely. I've taken this last picture with my camera lens cap in front of it to give you an idea of the size of the bag and yes, it's standing unsupported.

I don't know how much Marianne is planning to sell these Little Dumpling bags for, but the cost will be worth it. The attention to detail in her work is amazing! The fabric for this bag has been doubled throughout, there's a fancy heart stitching across the top of the pocket, a large pocket inside (which would easily fit your iPhone or HTC in) all immaculately seamed and pressed, she's even included a little keyring to attach your carkeys/row counter/etc too!

I would heartily recommend this bag and if you'd like to buy it, it will be available in Marianne's etsy shop very soon!

I'm sorry.....

2011-09-03T15:03:00.003+01:00

I'm sorry I haven't been here, I'm sorry I haven't posted.

Things have just been SO hectic!

I'm still furiously knitting away on the A-Z Sock Chellenge - I'm currently working on my R socks and I've also managed to knit Claire a pair of plain socks and last week I knit Kai-Mei socks for myself!

It's becoming an obsession! Even when I've finished the socks we're supposed to be knitting, I just want to knit another pair of socks! I have 42 sock patterns saved on my iPad, several sock knitting books and some queued on Ravelry that I haven't bought or downloaded yet!

I haven't considered a shawl all year!

Things have been quite hectic here lately. I can't remember if I've ever posted about Alex and his mood swings, they're something he's fought with most of his life. They're a way of life for us and when something is a way of ife; you assume everyone knows about it!

Alex has always suffered from mood swings, this has affected many things - most noticeably his education and his ability to retain friends (kids just aren't emotionally or psychologically equipped to deal with a friend who goes bananas every couple of months!) He's seen doctors, paediatricians and counsellors. None of it helped and one 'expert' wrote a letter to our family GP stating that Alex did not suffer from depression!

Well, we decided at that point to just try and cope on our own and to the most part, we have. But as he's gotten older, it's gotten harder and several months ago it got a whole lot worse.

To cut a long story short; his latest crash didn't just last a week or so as it normally would - it started about a couple of months or so ago and didn't go away. He has had suicidal thoughts and fought with (and lost) the majority of his friends.

He's had an emotional breakdown.

I took him to our GP's office and they immediately referred him to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), as it was Friday evening and there isn't an under 18 crisis team here, the adult team was on alert for him all weekend until we could see our GP again and push the referral through on the Monday morning.

CAMHS saw him within two weeks. They have referred him for 'talk therapy', have confirmed that Alex is bi-polar and are debating what medication to put him on.

He has good days and bad days, on good days I can leave him, go out and life is relatively normal.

On bad days, I don't leave his side!

Chinchilla on the run!

2011-07-28T10:55:00.003+01:00

I've had Walter for about a month now and he's adorable! A right little character!

In the evenings, I have to remove his food bowl from the cage for the night or he pulls it off the side of the cage, throws it to the floor of the cage and then jumps into it - as it's a metal food bowl and the floor of the cage is bars like the sides; it makes a godawful noise!

He's very sociable and comes to me whenever I open the door, will eat from my hands and most of the time; I can stroke him (especially if I distract him with food).

But I can't pick him up!

He'll sit on my hands & chew my sleeve or jewellery or food if I have some in my hand, but if I try to hold him; he jumps away. I've watched Mel - she puts her hand in and just grabs hers, he struggles a bit, but then calms immediately. I asked Auntie Ruth how she holds hers (she has four), she puts her hand in and picks them up under their bellies - if I try that; Walter just jumps over my hand.

I can catch him, but it takes a minute or two of chasing him around the cage and then when I've got hold of him, he struggles. He'll relax for about 10 seconds, then struggle, then relax for a bit longer.

I tried giving him a treat when I've got hold of him, but he won't take it.

Should I just stick to putting my hands in the cage for now, or should I persevere with chasing, catching and holding him - when will I know when I can pick him up? If I persevere with catching him, should I hold him until he's calm (kinda like flood therapy) or just hold him for a few seconds?

As I've said, other than trying to hold him, he's adorable! He chitters to me and loves when my hands are in the cage, if I could climb into the cage, he'd be all over me - but I'm too scared to get him out of the cage unless I can hold him in case he jumps down and runs away!

Following in her mothers footsteps

2011-07-22T00:08:00.003+01:00

I was watching a video on YouTube today about using the Twist and Rip method of dreadlocing hair.

Jess was watching over my shoulder and was inspired, she went to work and several hours later; she looked like this!

I think she looks great and I hope she keeps them!

2011-07-18T13:13:00.005+01:00

I've got about 9 beads in my hair now, all the original ones I bought at Woolfest, then I ordered this lot from here.

The little white one, top right, was sent as a freebie along with the five that I ordered - isn't that fab!

I've scattered the beads throughout my hair and I love how it looks today - all wild and messy!

Got Jess to take a photo of the back of my head so I could get a good look at it - it's locking up nicely now!

The beads are holding well, there are loops and knots and it's still changing daily! If I'd known it was going to be this easy to dread my hair - I would've done it years ago!

After one week - or thereabouts

2011-07-15T02:39:00.002+01:00

So it was a week ago that I decided to stop brushing my hair. Then on Tuesday of this week, I decided to speed things up by backcombing it.

I removed the beads, backcombed, sprayed with sea salt spray and palm rolled.

Today I had a long soak in a bath with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda to my US friends) in it and this evening, I put the beads back in.

Even though I look like Sideshow Bob, I'm actually starting to like the way it looks! I can see dreading happening now, can feel the changes going on in my hair and I love it!

I've even ordered more beads!

Hmmmmmm

2011-07-12T14:38:00.002+01:00

So, I was told to spray my hair with a sea salt spray to help the knots form, which I did yesterday.

I washed it this morning and all the knots dropped out - not sure if it's because I actually submerged my head in the bath instead of gently pouring water over it, or what.

So today, I decided I would back comb it to try and hurry things up a bit and this is what I ended up with LOL

Of course, that looked ridiculous and I was trying to resign myself to missing bingo this week - no way would Mel take me looking like that! - when I had a brainwave!

On the dreadlock forums on Ravelry, someone posted about palmrolling while in the shower, so I sprayed all my new fuzz explosions and palm rolled them and ended up with what (almost) look like proper dreadlocks.

It feels very very different - like I've done a 'big' hairstyle and put loads of hairspray in it; there's movement, but away from my scalp.

It also feels quite dry because of the salt, but I'm going to leave it as long as I can before washing to give the knots a chance to get established!

Dreadlocks

2011-07-09T13:01:00.003+01:00

I finally took the plunge and decided to dreadlock my hair.

I spent a day giving myself a migraine by researching online.

There are several methods but I decided to just twist the hair, palm roll a bit and then just leave it! Jess helped me and did the back and I've got lots of little worms on the back of my head!

We spent several hours doing it and I was really pleased with how it looked when we finished.

Unfortunately, all that fiddling made my hair feel quite greasy so I gathered my courage and washed my hair this morning.

It didn't all fall out, although it does look really curly now! I am really pleased with it now and can't wait until it's loc'd properly!

Once it's all established I'm going to research bleaching and dyeing the locks.

Purple, naturally!

Lots of stuff

2011-07-01T22:43:00.004+01:00

Sooooooooo, let me see. It's been a month since I last wrote anything here and naturally, as soon as I get here; my mind goes blank.

So, as per usual, this post will probably be a bit rambly LOL.

First of all, Matt turned 18! I'm planning on taking him out clubbing tomorrow night - wonder how drunk I can get him LOL.

Then Jess had her high school prom, finished her exams, left high school and has applied for an animal care course at college! This is a pic of her in her prom dress, doesn't she look absolutely stunning!

Also, June is Woolfest month - I'd been looking forward to this for months and even missed out on being a bridesmaid so that I could attend!

I drove up to Ilford where Claire lives on Wednesday, I slept in the van outside hers on Wednesday evening and she filled the van up with all her stuff LOL. Thursday we headed for the Lake District.

On the way I met up with Dora & Kathy who bought my Majacraft Rose from me and paid me cash which was very handy as I was planning to buy another Ashford Joy so that I'd have a travel wheel and a plying wheel - I love Sherry The Cherry, but carting her about is cumbersome and she takes up a lot of room!

We arrived in the Lakes at dinnertime and Claire took me to a Chinese takeaway for a birthday dinner - it was very nice! China Garden in Ambleside if you're interested.

After that we headed for the Derwentwater Hotel - there's a little dead end road that the hotel sits on and the end of the road doesn't have any double yellow lines or 'No camping or overnight occupation of vehicles' signs so we parked up there for the night.

Unfortunately, a cockeral now lives in the field right there and started crowing at about 4.30am - I was not amused but managed to ignore it for the most part!

We headed into Cockermouth for Woolfest on Friday morning. It was awesome, I walked loads, spent quite a bit, saw loads of old friends, met some new friends, had an absolutele blast, but Isis was the hit of the show. Loads of people came up to say hello to her LOL.

Friday night was the Cumbrian Sausage Fest and the Spin In - it was delicious and gave me the opportunity to check the Joy was all in full working order.

That night a couple of officials were kind enough to let me park with the vendors who had chosen to camp there for the night.

We attended Woolfest again on the Saturday and spent most of the day with 'The Mogs' in the Interactive Area - they run the Interactive Area at Woolfest & Wonderwool, it's a meet up place, a demo area and an area where anyone can come and ask questions, learn a new skill, buy/donate yarn and fibre - all proceeds go towards the Air Ambulance and this year The Mogs raised £230!!

If you're interested you can view all my Woolfest photos here.

We went back to the Derwentwater Hotel road despite the cockeral for Saturday night and Sunday night we were invited to visit Damaris at her home - which is gorgeous and I want it! She even has a flat bit outside that was suitable for the camper!

We were going to visit The Mogs on Monday night, but they had a family emergency, we were both exhausted and decided to head back to Claire's!

I stayed at Claire's on the Monday night and Tuesday I went to visit Kerry for 2 nights.

I got home at lunchtime on Thursday, I was exhausted, filthy and dying for a shower.

Before I could do anything, Mel called and asked if I could PLEASE collect Mason from playschool and take him to her Mum's. After which, I came home stripped off, ran the bath and discovered that there wasn't one clean towel in the whole house!

Luckily, Damaris had loaned me towels when I showered at hers, so my towels were unused, but I was NOT happy!

On Tuesday, Live Foods By Post who I get all my snake supplies from posted this picture.

BABY CORNS! And they're black!!

Yes, I've already been in and reserved two :D

I also got a message over the weekend telling me that Matt had a job interview Tuesday morning at Arreton Barns. He went in today for a trial and by 2pm they told him they wanted to hire him! My baby is all growed up with a proper job *sniffle*

Today, Walter came to live with us, he's a little chinchilla born from the pair that Mel has so I know he's been cared for properly and I've definitely seen his parents LOL

He's had loads of fun, chewed hay, his cage, shelves & box, pooped, eaten and snoozed and I've held him a couple of times too.

Oooooh!

2011-05-31T22:51:00.003+01:00

I went to guild today - that's the Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers for those of you who don't craft!

We had our annual competition and I entered Mandala.

I won!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

What I've been up to

2011-05-27T12:37:00.003+01:00

Hmmmm, it's been a while - how are you all?

First and foremost, let me reassure you that I am going to Woolfest! My gorgeous friend Claire beat Rita and Rosanna to the punch by phoning me and squealing "MEEEEEEEEE!" down the phone at me LOL.

We've got it all arranged - we're going to make a week of it and see some of the Lakes too, so if you live in that area and send me your address; you may get a visit!

OK, so catchup time.

I was soooooooo ill at the beginning of the month! On the first Saturday of the month, Kaz and I go to Colonel Bogey's nightclub for 80's night and although she wasn't here (she went on holiday the day before, tut); I decided to go without her!

All day Saturday, I battled a migraine. Nothing I tried worked, I had medication, I sat with my eyes closed, I took another whammy pill, I avoided knitting and reading, I took another whammy pill, it didn't really go but got down to manageable proportions.

I must've been quite stoned though (I've never taken 3 whammy pills in a day before) because I decided, in my infinite wisdom, to go to Bogey's anyway - because, you know, I'd probably feel loads better after a drink in a really noisy nightclub.

I was fine! For about three hours!

Then the migraine punched me in the head and I spent the next two hours in the toilet puking with my eyes tightly shut because the light was hurting.

The bouncers finally threw me out once everyone had gone, I know they thought I was drunk, but I had only had a couple of drinks! I tried to call my mum, but didn't get an answer so I focused on the floor directly in front of me and started walking.

I made it home and went straight into the loo as I was still really suffering! Half an hour later, Isis woke me by sniffing my feet. So I staggered back downstairs, grabbed a blanket and lay on the sofa - Isis naturally lay on top of me *sigh*

The migraine was now raging, I couldn't move, I couldn't lift my head, I had to lie on my left because lying on my right made me feel sick. I knew I was dehydrated from being sick, but wasn't able to get up and get a drink.

It was lunchtime before anyone appeared in the lounge where I was. But it was another two hours before I was able to ask for and drink a cup of tea - although I was only able to drink about half of it because sitting up made me feel ill.

It was 7pm before I was able to sit up, at which point Alex forced more tea and a yoghurt down my neck. I also risked two paracetamol (but not a whammy pill!).

Oh that all did wonders and about an hour later; I was able to get up and get in the bath (which I really needed as I sweat when I'm sick so must've been honking LOL). The bath felt great so I ate some rice too.

It all worked to calm my head enough that I was able to function, but over the following week I felt like I was recovering from the flu! My head was spongy and being so sick had set my IBS off. It was a week before I felt anything like normal!

**********

I've done some more sewing! I finished it last night, I made a Kindle cover for Mum's Kindle.

I'm really proud of it - it's not perfect, but it's only my second ever project so I'm not doing too bad at all! I'm going to make a case for my iPad this weekend!

**********

I've started going to bingo with Mel, my first session was last Wednesday and I won £80.70! Went again this Wednesday, but I didn't win a thing - one of the girls won £4500 though!

**********

On Tuesday I saw a Medium. I really wasn't sure to expect, but Dad came through. This guy said loads of things that he couldn't possibly have known, I can't remember it all, but he gave me a CD recording of our session so I can review it later.

**********

Oooooh, I finally finished my latest spinning project! I started out with 500g of 70% Black Alpaca/30% White Merino and spun it to a 2 ply laceweight.

I ended up with a massive 3019.1m/3301.7y! I'm not sure yet what I'm going to make, but I'm seriously considering a featherweight cardigan.

Socks! I'm still knitting away on the socks, I'm currently knitting the J socks which I have to get finished quickly as K is currently live and have to be cast on before the 3rd of June. I'm not doing too badly considering the three weeks we spent in Italy, being ill and having to reknit the I socks three times due to a chronically badly written pattern! I can't wait until I've finished the Z socks - then I'll do a huge sock post - I've saved all the pairs; I'm not going to wear any of them until I've finished the challenge!

**********

Um....that's pretty much it, I think. I'm going to a spin in over in Southampton on Sunday, bingo again on Saturday night, but other than that, I'm still just plowing on with the socks!

My son Matt says "Hi"

What do I do about Woolfest?

2011-05-15T23:29:00.002+01:00

I decided ages ago that this year, I would be going to Woolfest - come hell or high water!

Nothing will prevent me from going - I've even turned down being a bridesmaid!

Then Mum came up with the idea of turning it into a mini holiday; we decided to go up a few days early and explore the Lake District a bit. She could go off and do whatever she liked while I was drooling (figuratively) over fibre!

Today she has informed me that, due to the Italy holiday costing more than we'd planned, she can't afford to go!

We were going to take the camper and wild camp, so I haven't booked a hotel which I wouldn't really want to do anyway due to the whole sleeping on the floor thing and it'll cost quite a bit to take the camper on my own.

Taking the car would be slightly cheaper than the camper, but I'd have nowhere to sleep other than the car - that would mean no toilet at night and no tea lol.

If I take the camper, I'll be alone at night - this obviously makes me slightly nervous, but it's a home away from home with all the conveniences.

I wonder if any of my friends fancy sharing my camper with me?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Addiction

2011-05-02T12:52:00.003+01:00

Addiction can be a terrible thing, the desire, the need for that one thing that will take the addiction away.

I'm not talking about alcohol, smoking or drugs.

I'm talking about Coca Cola! Beautiful, ice cold Coca Cola!

I am a cola addict. It started years ago, I can't really remember when but it was when the children were small. I could quite easily consume 3 litres of cola in a day.

I kept a bottle by the bedside so that I'd have a drink if I woke during the night and would often buy a 500ml bottle if out during the day.

So, why am I telling you this?

I recently read this post by a twitter friend of mine and decided that something needs to be done about the fact that the makers of Coca Cola don't tell people how addictive and dangerous their product is!

I developed psoriasis quite a few years ago, it was shortly after I went to Florida with the family in 2005 and was told it was stress related. I was even referred to a dermatologist.

I tried all different creams or potions, emollients and treatments, but one of the baffling things was that my legs (the worst hit places) didn't really itch much during the day.

But at night.....I would start itching early evening and scratch most of the evening and half the night too.

It was driving me absolutely bananas! I was also causing my legs to bleed and scar.

After a year or so, things got a bit financially tight and we had to cut back on takeaways and unnecessary purchases for a while. I also wanted to lose some weight, so cut out the cola.

I didn't really notice anything at first.

Until we decided to splurge one evening on a takeaway from the kebab shop. We all ordered what we wanted and got a couple of bottles of cola.

Within half an hour of eating the meal, my skin was crawling with itchiness!

I did some judicial testing over the next few months and discovered that Coca Cola was the cause of the itching! If I avoid it, I don't itch and my psoriasis calms right down. If I drink it, I can guarantee that I will be scratching later that day!

Now, thankfully my reaction isn't anywhere near as bad as Jackie's and I hope her headaches continue to improve, but as I told her in the comments section of her blog; I found coming off the cola quite hard.

There is a lot of sugar in carbonated drinks and that is what people get addicted to. I found that I suffered headaches for a good couple of months after quitting it, but eventually they did cease.

But I know the lure of the cola - it's strong, especially Cherry Coke! An ice cold can of Cherry Coke on a hot day, or after a spicy meal is just fabulous. I have to avoid Poundland as they sell 3 for £1 :(

Coca Cola is addictive and very bad for you!

If you drink it (or any other carbonated drink/soda - I can't drink Dr Pepper either!) and you suffer from something that the medical people can't explain or treat - try cutting the soda's out for a while...at least 2 months....to see if it helps.

Please spread the word too, these kind of sugary drinks don't just rot your teeth, they rot your entire body!

Sewing

2011-04-30T09:08:00.003+01:00

Anyone who knows me well knows I have this conviction that sewing machines are the work of the devil!

You press a pedal and the thing goes crazy! This little needle bounces up and down, you get a big tangle of thread and a snapped needle!

You do!

After telling Helen this on twitter; she decided to teach me how to use her sewing machine....she taught me how to make a little square lined drawstring bag. I thoroughly enjoyed it and decided I would add sewing to my list of craft hobbies.

I visited our local Singer distributor and picked out a nice looking machine that the assistant told me would suit an absolute beginner, like myself, but would also suit someone more experienced - good machine to grow with!

As they did a layaway plan, I went for it.

I took possession of my fancy machine just before Christmas 2009......and haven't even plugged it in since then!

Fast forward to this year.

I taught a friend of mine to spin and she said she'd teach me to sew in return. I was very excited about this and she took my machine away to give a service and to familiarise herself with it. She bought it back just before we went to Italy and declared it a good machine and ready to go!

I took some material and interfacing to Italy with me, deciding that if the feeling grabbed me I would make two carry cases; one for my Sony Pocket Reader and one for Mum's Kindle. Naturally, I didn't get the time.

On Tuesday I received this gorgeous purse from Marianne! I'd sent her the fabric and some cash and she sent this back with my latest fibre club parcel? There was even some material left over. Marianne even put an iPhone pocket in it for me!

So after watching Prince William marry Catherine Middleton on the TV yesterday (wasn't her dress stunning!), I summoned all my courage and with my trusty twitter running; I got out my machine!

I started off by pinning the lining tight around the reader.

When I was happy with the snugness, I took a deep breath and sewed the two seams. I SEWED!!

Then I pondered how to attach the interfacing. After a bit of quick discussion with twitter, namely andsewtoknit, I decided the best course was to unpick the two fabulous lines I had done and redo it, but with the interfacing in place too.

I also ran a seam along the bottom fold to make the fold a bit more tidy.

I was on a roll!

Then I spent the next several hours cutting, fitting and sewing the outer layer into place.

After about three hours, I had made THIS!

I am sooooooooo proud of this! I'm going to buy some of that Velcro on tape to make a closure for it (I forgot to add a button loop in my enthusiasm!), but that can wait. It fits and it fits snugly!

Now I've just got to make one for Mums Kindle!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Holiday Photos

2011-04-27T17:02:00.004+01:00

OK, I was going to do a post of each place and just fill it with photos.

But I took a lot of photos.......

So here is a link to the photos I took.

They're all kind of jumbled together and I'm sorry about that, but I'm sure you'll enjoy them anyway :D

Don't forget to click on the sub-albums on the right of that page!

Italy Week 3!

2011-04-27T16:49:00.001+01:00

We reached Tiber campsite before lunch and had a nice relaxing day doing very little.

Monday 18th April

We went to Roma again, purely to see the Sistine Chapel. We took up the offer of a guide and set off for the museum.

Unfortunately, you have to go through the Vatican museum to get to the Sistine Chapel and doing a tour was the easiest and quickest way...it also meant we got to skip at least 3 hours of queueing!

Much to my dismay, it was absolutely heaving! There seemed to be no limit on the amount of people allowed in at once and it was almost impossible to see much unless it was at least six feet up in the air! Our tour guide was a guy named Anton from London, he spoke far too fast, our group was too large and if he went beyond ten feet of me; his mic didn't transmit to our headsets properly. It was all very frustrating and hot!

After two hours and far too much walking, we reached the Chapel.

It was PACKED!!!

Contrary to what we had previously been told - and what is on the Vatican website - we were allowed to take photos and I took loads. The ceiling was, of course, amazing! Parts of it looked 3D and the nine panels in the middle told the story of Genesis.

Mum and I were in an awful amount of pain by then and were, frankly, pleased to get out at the end - the pain followed us all the way back to the campsite :(

Tuesday 19th April

I was very stiff when I woke this morning, but was soon able to move after some tea and a shower.

We set off for Venezia; Sean the SatNav said it was just under 500km and would take about five hours.

In reality, it took six and I was shattered when we arrived at Fusina campsite. We checked in and hunted for somewhere to stick the van - there's no organisation in Italian sites, you put your van wherever there is room and hope your electric cable will reach the hook-up point!

We ate dinner and read for the rest of the evening.

Wednesday 20th April
Today is my mothers 69th birthday and today she got to go to Venice and ride on a Gondola - something she has always wanted to do!

Venice is incredible - even when you disregard the fact that the whole place is slowly sinking - there is NO road traffic! A city with no cars! It's so quiet and relaxed and peaceful!

We only managed to explore a small section as we were still feeling the effects of walking around the Vatican museum and then driving for a whole day! But we had a lovely day and ended it with a lovely meal followed by a gondola ride.

Thursday 21st April
Mum went back to Venice today, the boys, Isis and I elected to stay at the campsite (which is a LOT quieter in the day - there seem to be nightly parties here unfortunately!) and I had a lovely day of sun ~~bathing~~ burning, reading and knitting!

Friday 22nd April
We left the Venice campsite at lunchtime, I have today, tomorrow, Sunday and until 3pm Monday to get to Calais which 1397km away - I need to travel approximately 350km a day!

I travelled 300km today, we made it out of Italy and across the Austrian border. As we're travelling along roads without tolls; there are very few places to stop overnight, so we've stopped in a little town car park for the night.

Saturday 23rd April
I've had to drive 400km today to get us to the halfway level. My right leg and foot really hurt and I'm hot and tired.

We've made it across the border into Germany - that means there are Rastenplatz! We found one on the A8 near Stuttgart - it's surprisingly quiet and there are toilets!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Europe

Italy Week 2!

2011-04-27T16:48:00.001+01:00

Forgive me if this rambles, my iPad ran out of battery and i didnt get it charged until the end of the week lol.

We found a lovely campsite near Rome - all green with daisies (daisies always seem so summery to me!)

We didn't really do much else once we had got there, except make use of the hot showers and sinks for washing dishes and clothes.

On Tuesday, we caught the free bus to the train station, then a train from Prima Porta into Rome. We then had to switch to the underground train to get to the Collosium - holy shit, that thing is MAHOOSIVE!!! we wandered around the outside of the Collosium for a bit, but decided not to go inside due to the massive queue.

Then we got on a tour bus and travelled around the city on that for a bit. We got off at St Peter's Square and ogled the Vatican for a bit.

Another huge queue put us off trying to visit the Sistine Chapel (which we all regretted once we were back at the campsite!)

On Wednesday we left that site and set off down the coast as we wanted to get to Naples and Pompeii. We stopped at a site near Vesuvius, but it wasn't very nice and we discovered after checking in that they don't accept dogs. We kept Isis hidden and left the next morning.

Thursday we drove round the base of Vesuvius and around the outskirts of Pompeii. By evening, I had no idea where we were, we had driven through some towns that had really narrow streets and completely insane local traffic. It was also a complete shit hole - rubbish everywhere and it was filthy!

Just a quick note - if you're planning to visit Italy and youure an animal lover; don't go to southern Italy. They let their dogs roam loose and don't pay any attention to whether they live near a busy road or not. Everyone on the road is a complete nutter - they pay absolutely no attention to the speed limit, other drivers or lines painted in the road.

I've seen ten dogs since leaving Rome, 3 in the local village, 1 on the beach, 3 on the campsite and four dead by the roadside.

But we found a gorgeous site, right on the coast with private (pebble) beach access and a fantastic view! Mum says we're on the Amalfi coast but we don't know the area - we're staying at Camp Nettuno; it's a small camp with all the amenities needed, but it's basic - the view more than makes up for it though!!

When we arrived, we had a quick walk around then Matt, Alex and I went to the beach, the water was cold and the pebbles hurt our feet, but Alex & I managed a swim. We spent the rest of the day sunbathing :D

That evening we agreed we would stay here another night and just spend Friday (today) relaxing, resting and sunbathing.

It started to rain at 6am and hasn't stopped ALL day!!

We've met several other English couples, one couple are touring Europe (they're off to Greece tomorrow) in their camper (they sold their house & bought the camper!) and they told us the best time to get into the Sistine Chapel is late afternoon, there are hardly any queues!

We've discussed it and we've decided that tomorrow we are going to visit Pompeii properly, then head back to Roma before going on to Venezia!

Saturday 16th April
We got up this morning and set off for Pompeii. It didn't take long to get there, we walked around the 'new' city for a bit then we discovered an information point where a lovely woman loaded us with free guide books and lots of information.

We then spent a couple of hours exploring the 'old' city - the archaeological ruins of what is left of Pompeii after Mount Vesuvius blew it's top in 79AD.

It was fascinating to see how well items had been preserved, although these casts of bodies were distressing!

After we left the old city we had some lunch at a restaurant with dreadful service and a waiter who tried to overcharge us by €20! After a lot of calculating, he adjusted the total, but it was still too much. He got the manager who then got all stroppy, ripped up the bill and told us to pay whatever the hell we wanted while muttering something in Italian about the English - I refused point blank to pay the 15% service charge for a waiter who had to be asked to bring part of our meal (which was shoddy at best) and who couldn't even add up with a calculator!

Then we headed for Vesuvius. We had been told that we would be able to drive to within a kilometre of the summit and from there we could walk up. To my surprise; the van handled the drive up really well!

Alex, Matt, Isis and I walked the remaining 1100 metres while Mum stayed in the van and had a coffee. The view was spectacular! You could see miles and miles of Italy and right at the top, you could look down into the crater of the volcano!

After we drove back down, we headed for Roma again. We're about an hour away from the campsite now, but it's nearly 8pm, I'm tired and it seems a bit daft to pay for a spot on a campsite when we can just sleep here in a truck stop for nothing!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Europe

Italy! Week 1

2011-04-27T16:47:00.001+01:00

Tuesday 5th April 2011

We arrived safely into Calais around 5pm last night, we have to see the vet in Belgium today so we can't go far.

We decided to look for a spot near La Plage (the beach) and headed for Cap Gris-nez. We found a car park behind a radar station/lighthouse and all went to sleep early.

Woke early this morning to rain - it's now lunchtime, we're in Belgium and it's still raining.

I also have a cold :(

We stopped for a cuppa and I discovered that iTranslate (which I downloaded for use in Italy) doesn't work without a poxy Internet connection! How stupid is that!?!?

We drove for most of the day and by Tuesday evening were in Luxumberg. We found a parking complex and got settled in for the night then a big 18 wheeler parked behind us and put his music on really loud, so we moved to another part of the car park.

Wednesday 5th April

The day has started out beautifully, sun is shining and it's warm - the only problem is that our water tank is empty!

Thursday 6th April
We eventually found a water source and headed toward Como. We got stuck in traffic and lost at least an hour.

As it was getting dark; we started looking for somewhere to stop - I ended up pulling into a lay-by. When I turned the lights off; it was pitch black and there were MILLIONS of stars.

This morning we woke to find we were surrounded by mountains - beautiful sight first thing in the morning!

We headed for Lake Como - as it was so hot, we were hoping for somewhere to swim, but that area is very touristy and built up. We pretty much drove round the lake and continued south.

So, we made it as far as Thursday before Mum and I argued about her completely crappy map reading skills - when I am among four lanes of busy traffic and surrounded by 18 wheeler lorries; she cannot be vague about which way to go!

We are in some little village just north of Milan. We've stopped for dinner and plan to drive some more into the evening, which will be cooler....I hope!

Saturday 9th April
We spent Friday night in a Autogrill motorway service station surrounded by lorries then headed south towards Firenze.

We headed for a campsite that was in the Caravanning & Camping guide, but were a bit annoyed to discover the pool won't open for another month and although the park is open; they're not exactly READY to be open.

But we stayed here last night, we're going to catch the bus into Firenze today and stay here again tonight before heading onto Roma tomorrow.

It's VERY VERY hot and the scenery is gorgeous! We've driven over mountains and through valleys! I'm looking forward to seeing the stunning architecture in the Italian cities though!

Sunday 10th April
Oh wow, Firenze is a beautiful city - especially the cathedral! I took loads of photos of it, it was just so immense! Unfortunately, we didn't go inside as the queue was horrendous!

We also walked across the Ponte Vecchio - it's a bridge with shops on it, mostly jewellery stores. Some of the jewellery was gorgeous and I'm extremely glad I left my credit cards at home!

We're heading to Roma via Monteriggioni today, I can't wait to see the collesium!

It's Sunday evening, we went to Monteriggioni - if you've ever played Assassin's Creed; you'll understand why. It wasn't what I was expecting, it was smaller and we couldn't find the Villa Auditore lol.

We are now stopped on a roadside near a Marina, Alex and I have been for a swim and we've had dinner. We're probably just going to sleep here tonight (hopefully no one will tell us to move) and head on to a campsite near Roma tomorrow!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Europe

Oh dear....

2011-03-24T12:57:00.002Z

So I woke up this morning....in absolute agony! It's either because of yesterday or because I sleep flat - I'm wondering if I need to sleep more propped up....

Mum came round yesterday and said the tax on the van is due to expire at the end of this month. She was concerned as we hadn't had a reminder. She showed me the paperwork she had for the van - she had the receipt and the registration document that the dealer was supposed to have sent to the DVLA when we bought the van!

I've just got off the phone with the DVLA, they say the dealer obviously did things 'backwards' and that we should still be able to tax the vehicle at the post office. Then I told him that the previous buyer of the van backed out right at the last minute, but the dealer had already written his details on the registration then used Tipp-Ex.

DVLA says that makes the registration null and void and there's a good chance the Post Office will refuse to tax it.

I asked what to do then, he said I would have to apply for new registration documents before I can tax it - this can take four to six weeks!

Mum is going to go to the post office in a minute and see if she can blag a tax disc, if not; I think she's planning on visiting the dealership and having a rant!

We go on holiday in eleven days!

It must be spring!

2011-03-24T01:34:00.001Z

Gorgeous weather today, so gorgeous that I sat outside in the garden for several hours when I got up!

Eventually though the memory of my messy house intruded so I had to go back inside and do something about it! I washed the dishes, wiped down worktops, then I vacuumed upstairs hall, vacuumed kitchen, cut Mum's hair, cut Jessica's hair, vacuumed kitchen again, vacuumed downstairs hall, then I tidied, rearranged and vacuumed the craftroom.

After all that; Alex, Jess, Andy (Jess' boyfriend) and I took Isis for a really long walk!

My new chair is now in the craftroom and tonight I'm back to sleeping in my room again!

I'm exhausted but I've had a very productive day......and I did it all with no painkillers!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ponderings

2011-03-20T15:22:00.001Z

A few things I've been pondering, I'm considering moving my blog to a different site - I could move it to somewhere like Squarespace and give it a personal URL!

I could also phone people for help with personalising it the way I want and I could add a page for shop stock with a shopping cart etc

I'd also love to figure out a way to have tumblr post to my blog - not as a sidebar widget, but in between the regular posts, so that when I see pics of stuff I can just load it to tumblr and know that you guys - you are there, right? - can see it too!

Although I've got this blogprees thing, it's not perfect - I'd much rather type straight onto the site, but blogger won't let me unless I use the HTML editor - and I don't know enough HTML to do that!

Anyone wanna give me lessons?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

2011-03-18T11:04:00.003Z

Wow, it's been ages since I posted. In some ways loads of stuff has happened, but in other ways it feels like nothing's happened - ya know?

My friend Debs came over for the day as were attending a talk at Shanklin Theatre by Chris Packham - remember him? He's the cute one from The Really Wild Show! He's much cuter in real life!

Debs & I headed back to Southampton after as the following day we were going to Unravel in Farnham Maltings! Unravel is a craft fair, dyers and sellers of yarn and fibre attend to sell their stuff.

I bought some gorgeous fibre - unfortunately, I found out later the stuff reeks of lavendar and lavendar gives me migraines. I'm avoiding it at the moment in the hopes the smell wears off! Once my new fancy shower bath is fitted and I get my craft room back (the bath was stored in the craft room!) then I'll open the batt and unplait the roving to air it out properly!

I really wish dyers wouldn't add scent to their stuff!

I also ordered a large project bag from The Bothered Owl.

I bought some more 70% Alpaca/30% Merino - another 500g - this time in black! It's absolutely scrummy and spins better on a Double Drive wheel than it does on a Scotch Tension one!

Look at this if you don't believe me!

Unfortunately, just after that; I found Daniela's stall. The woman is pure evil! She makes the most gorgeous, colourful, sparkly batts and I wanted them all! I had only recently received 2 in the post and ended up buying six more at Unravel!

The best bit about the whole day though was spending it with old friends - Debs and Helen - and meeting friends face to face finally; I finally got to meet Claire! We had our photo taken and you can see it in Claire's Flickr Stream.

The following day was Alex's 15th birthday - although to look at him you'd think he was a lot older. He's currently standing at 6ft 5in and has quite a heavy moustache!

We went to the cinema and then for a KFC afterwards and the following Saturday he had a party here at home while I went clubbing.

Apparently he was quite sick LOL!

I bought a new bath at the beginning of the year, one of those fancy curved baths so that you can put a shower in one end. Unfortunately, after buying it; I couldn't afford to fit it so it's been sat in my craft room. Kyle finally took pity on me and is paying for the plumber to fit it! I have to pay for an electrician to come and hook up the jacuzzi part of it though!

A few months ago I received an e-mail from a woman called Heather asking where our craft group meets, I sent her the e-mail along with my mobile number and thought nothing more of it. A couple of weeks later, we'd just arrived at The Chequers Inn and my old midwife walked through the door!

I said Hi, gave her a hug and asked what she was doing in that neck of the woods - turns out she's the Heather that had e-mailed me!

She's recently expressed an interest in learning to spin, so she came over this week and I taught her as best I could. I've let her borrow Trinity to practice on.

She's also taken my unused 18 month old sewing machine away to give it a service and has promised to give me sewing lessons in return for the spinning lesson!

In a few short weeks, we'll be in Italy! I can't believe it's come around so quickly! Mum and I got talking about it in Norway and decided we'd go this April. The ferry off the Island and the Eurotunnel have all been booked, we've just got to pack the van and get going! We'll be gone most of the month!

I've got a new chair! It's gorgeous!! Italian leather in cream, a recliner but it's all squishy and firm and soooo comfortable. As an added bonus, after it was finally delivered; I discovered it's the perfect height for spinning!

I can't wait until the bath is completely fitted, all the bits and pieces are out of my craft room so I can get in there, have a really good clean up and move my chair into the room!

I'm ploughing on with the sock challenge and have, so far, managed to finish one pair by the cast on date of the next pair! Unfortunately, I have managed no other knitting whatsoever; if I'm not knitting socks, I'm spinning Alpaca/Merino! I'm not sure how well I'll stay on track once we go away - I can't knit in the car as I don't travel well so I'll probably do most of the driving anyway and by evening I'm just too damn tired to do more than eat and sit! We'll see!

I have mastered knitting without looking now, this is excellent as I've really missed reading since I got back into my knitting. I did manage it while making Kyle's scarf, but that was just garter stitch in chunky yarn. I can now knit while knitting with sock yarn (as long as the pattern isn't too complicated) so I might have a go at knitting while in the van as a passenger!

Sounds like the plumber has finished moving the sink so I best go off and investigate his handiwork!

Speak soon and keep knitting, spinning, crocheting, dyeing, whatever it is that you do ☺

Socks, spinning, Unravel & a milestone

2011-02-27T02:03:00.003Z

So, let's see.

I finished my D socks, I did the Double Basket Socks from Little Box of Socks in some really bright yarn that came from Natalie (aka The Yarn Yard).

I really like them (even though I don't normally go for orange); they're bright and I smile whenever I look at them!

I've also had a massive plying session! I've finished both Still Waters and the pink tencel/merino I was spinning.

This colourway is called Madder Lake, I had 100g of it and I 2 plied the singles. I ended up with a whopping 948.7 m/1037.5 y.

Jess has claimed the yarn and I think I'll make her a Clapotis.

Then we have Still Waters, a 'Glitterball' from BabyLongLegs (who, incidentally, I got Sherry The Cherry from). Gorgeous colours and it has sterling silver in it too!

I Navajo plied this yarn to preserve the colours and ended up with 661.4 m/723.3 y.

Today....well, yesterday now as it's 2.15am....was Unravel at Farnham Maltings. I went with Debs in her car and met up with Helen and Claire when we got there. There was more there than I was expecting to see, but not as much fibre as I hoped for.

I did buy some gorgeous humbug stuff, black Alpaca and merino. I bought 500g of it and I started it this evening. It's so soft and luscious!

I also spent loads of money with Daniela from The Felt Studio UK - I think I might as well just give that woman the password to my paypal account. Have you seen the batts she cards? If not, go and visit for her etsy shop, just make sure someone is there to restrain you!

Now today is Sunday and it is also my daughter's 16th birthday.

I'm astonished when I look at her; she's a young lady now! When the hell did that happen? I love who she is (most of the time), but I miss that cute little girl that she used to be with ringlet hair and a cheeky giggle. Now she's a gorgeous young woman who wears revealing clothes and makeup!

Shocking!

;-)

Rambly post

2011-02-16T19:03:00.003Z

Sorry I've been so quiet! No excuse really, just one of those things.

I finally got over the flu, gawd I felt ill! It took so long for the coughing to stop, then it simmered down to needing to clear my throat every five minutes - it was exhausting!

I still haven't plied the fibre I showed you in my last post, I started spinning some merino and tencel that Josie sent me a year or so ago and am now trying to get that finished - looks like I have a huge plying session awaiting me!

I'm steaming ahead quite nicely with the sock challenge, we are currently on letter D, socks A, B and C are all finished. Don't they look fab?

I'm going to save them until they're all complete before I start wearing them - well, that's the plan anyway LOL.

Unravel is next weekend! I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be travelling with Debs and I'll finally get to see Claire face to face (I was so gutted not to go to the tennis tournament and meet her in December!). I'm also looking forward to meeting old and new friends too!

I'm back to sleeping in the lounge at the moment, I bought a bath last month, but can't afford to get it fitted and my craft room is the only room big enough to store it in *sigh*

I'm sure there's more to tell you, but my mind has gone blank and Alex is clamouring for the computer (the one I gave him for Christmas died a spectacular death in the first week, so he's now using my Mac and I use the iPad - it's just still quicker to type on a keyboard that gives you tactile feedback than a touchscreen!)

If I remember what else I wanted to say, I'll be back in true Swarzeneggar style :D

Message From My Sickbed

2011-01-29T02:12:00.003Z

I have the flu.

I spent last night shivering in pyjamas (which I never normally wear), under a blanket, duvet and Isis the Fluffy Puppy.

I managed to sit up long enough to drink a cup of tea, then had to go back to sleep as I had a chronic migraine.

I didn't really manage to sit up until dinner time this evening, but I did manage to finish the first bobbin on Sherry The Cherry.

This is fibre from Sarah, it's 63% SW Merino/20% Silk/14% Nylon/3% Sterling Silver! How fab! Now I just need to find something to ply it with to do it justice!

I'm supposed to be going to spinning guild tomorrow, but I have a temperature, am coughing and generally feel bleurgh - so I doubt I'll go. Quite bummed really, guild is only once a month and something always seems to get in the bloody way of it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sherry The Cherry

2011-01-20T13:54:00.002Z

This big box arrived today.

I opened it up and saw a glint of gorgeousness.

Pulled this out.

Loaded it up.

Then delved back into box and pulled out this!

Meet Sherry The Cherry Matchless! Isn't she gorgeous? She's a limited edition wheel - one of 150 in the world! She's marked as limited edition and she was created on 14th August 2009, the fourth wheel of the day created.

I am in lurve!

Placing beads in knitting

2011-01-13T23:07:00.002Z

I've made quite a few shawls with beads in and I've tried various methods on how to add the beads. I used a crochet hook when I made Moroccan Days/Arabian Nights and it took AGES!

Then I read a blog post on using a needle and thread instead. It was very fiddly and difficult at first until I got going and got used to doing it, then I found it a lot faster!

My friend, Megan, asked me if I could make a tutorial to show her how it's done and here it is.

Please excuse the quality of the video, but an iPhone 4 is the best video camera we've got LOL

A Hairy Experiment

2011-01-06T14:57:00.002Z

I decided I wanted a change and flirted with the idea of perming my hair, but then I remembered how much it pissed me off when I had it done as a teenager.

So I borrowed a curling tong iron thingy from my friend Natalie and had a play this morning and managed this:

Loved it loads and promptly ordered a curling iron.

I had to pop out (I took a brolly as it was raining). I was gone a couple of hours max, when I got home - it looked like this:

It's dropped a bit & looks a bit frizzed. Now, I use a frizz prevention shampoo & conditioner and I spray with Tresemme heat defense spray before using a hot iron appliance on it.

How can I help it stay looking like photo 1? Should I use mousse when it's wet or hairspray when it's dry or both? I don't know much about hairstyling (I live in a ponytail LOL)

How my new year started!

2011-01-04T23:57:00.002Z

Happy 2011!

Did you have a good holiday? Did you get lots of goodies and eat lots of cake?

Did you see the new year in? I was going to be all boring and stay at home as I had had a bad insomnia attack the night before, but Kaz, Ashley & Cara came and bullied me so I went up to their mum's house with them.

So, I finished the shawl I was working on, it's not as big as I would like but I ran out of yarn and as it was a dye mistake; it'll have to do!

This year I am participating in the A-Z sock challenge....wait, I've mentioned that, right? Hang on, there's a link I expect *scurries off* - *scurries back* yep, this is the link!

So, I have started Athena, it's going quite well. I turned the heels on both socks today and I'm just decreasing down the gusset to the toe now. I should be finished in another day or two.

The snakes are growing well and are now on two pinkies a week. This evening I was holding Daffyd and he crawled up under the lapel of my dressing gown. He was having a good old wriggle so I pulled him out to discover he was shedding.

I'm surprised he didn't bite me! I held him while he finished shedding and we measured the skin - he's almost 22" long! That's huge and I guess I better go shopping for a new, bigger vivarium!

Christmas isn't just for kids

2010-12-29T16:51:00.004Z

I was moaning on Christmas Eve about the TV showing utter crap nowadays on Christmas.

When I was a kid, we always used to watch Mary Poppins, ET, Star Wars, Sound of Music, Wizard of Oz.

But this year; the telly has come through. We didn't get it all on Christmas Day, but ET was on yesterday and I am watching Mary Poppins right now!

Hey, I'm not the only one!

My friend Ashley is 'fed up with waiting for his phone to arrive, but it's ok because Mary Poppins is on'. My friend Elle is also happy it's on and Stephen Fry is in heaven!

Well, she is Practically Perfect In Every Way :0)

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T17:19:00.003Z

It's now 5.20pm and - for most of you - the fun is all over!

The food consumed, the presents opened and all the shouting done LOL

Well, we've done all of that except for the food! Every year we plan meticulously for Christmas dinner, so we can eat at a halfway decent time and every year we starve all day long while the damn food refuses to cook at a decent rate.

Tonight we'll be eating about 8pm!

So, what did you get for Christmas? I got a toolkit from Mel, a little heart pendant from Mason and lots of chocolate from the kids!

But you lot, my online friends, you totally surprised me!

I tend to go through life very hard on myself. I know I can make people laugh, but I'm also incredibly pushy and I know I make people uncomfortable - especially when I lose my temper! I chat to quite a few people, but I often get it into my head that if I disappeared; I wouldn't really be missed on here...

Claire started it, I received 2 e-mails on the 23rd telling me that Claire had bought me Through The Woods pattern (Ravelry link) and Flying Cables pattern! Then Helen got in on it and bought me the Chandelier Fingerless Gloves pattern (Ravelry link) and a Damselfly Shawl pattern (Ravelry link)! Next thing I knew; Diane bought me Sweet Tees pattern! Then Elle bought me Athena pattern (Ravelry link) for my 'A' socks on 1st Jan! Rita also got in on it with the Owlsocks pattern (Ravelry link)! Then Kristina bought me this gorgeous pattern (Ravelry link) called Serenity which I'm very excited about as it's knit with two strands of KSH so will be a gorgeous warm sweater!

Eight presents! Some of them from people that I haven't met yet! I am so totally blown away by the generosity of my online friends.

Thank you so much!

Merry Christmas!

I challenge you!

2010-12-21T21:55:00.003Z

Over the past couple of years I've heard about the sock challenge.

The idea is that you guess how many socks you can knit in a year then go for it. You can do 52 socks in 52 weeks, 26 socks in 52 weeks, 12 socks in 12 months, whatever combination suits you.

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee - otherwise known as the Yarn Harlot - came up with a fab idea at the beginning of 2010. She decided to go for the 12 socks in 12 months idea and she made up 12 sock kits.

She explains here, but basically she got 12 bags and in each bag she put a skein of yarn, a pattern and needles. All she had to do was grab a bag to get started on each one.

I don't know why, but sock challenge on Ravelry starts in June - personally I think that's odd; if you're going to do something over a year, then start at the beginning of the year!

So on the 1st January, I am going to start my sock challenge. I'm initially going to go for the 12 in 12. I could do the 52 in 52 - I have knit a pair of socks in a week before now - but I wouldn't get any time to knit anything else or to do any spinning and I'm not going without spinning for a whole year!

I shall keep you updated on the blog, a few people on facebook have already said they'll join me.

As I was writing this post, Elle posted that the UK sock knitters group on Ravelry had planned an alphabet sock knit.

These are the rules:

Every two weeks a new sock would be cast on to relate to the current letter, which would be the first letter of the pattern title.
There would be no obligation to fulfil the whole years worth of A-Z, however there may be plans to have prizes for the people who knit the most socks
Each letter will have a two week cast on period, you would have to post during that week to say you have cast on and which pattern. The only finishing date would be the end of the year.
No baby socks, only socks for two year olds and above, with a leg of 3 inches will be eligible (it would be too easy to whip out a pair of baby socks every two weeks after all!). The idea is to challenge yourself :)
Have fun!

I think this sounds like great fun! So I've joined!

This will actually give me a bit of leeway as we're planning a 3 week holiday to Italy at Easter and I know from visiting Norway and Wales that I just won't get a lot of knitting time!

The weather strikes again

2010-12-21T16:06:00.003Z

After missing out on the tennis at the beginning of the month, I got myself into the mindset that if it was going to snow then so be it. I had ordered my shopping and I could just hole up here where it's warm and dry and look out the window and marvel how pretty it is!

On Sunday evening I was on my way home after taking Isis the Fluffy Puppy out for her daily walk - we have walked daily for over a month now! - we'd gone out on our own and were quite confident that we would be alright.

I was just coming down a small slope past the Co-op at the end of my village and I stood on a patch of ice.

I didn't even see it!

I fell - hard! I landed (narrowly avoiding Isis who looked completely baffled to find me suddenly on the floor beside her!) right on my backside with my left palm flat on the floor next to me.

After a minute or two, I managed to get back on my feet and head towards my house. I was so stunned and had scared myself so much I could barely move - a walk that usually takes a minute, took me 15 minutes.

By the time I got home, I was having a mild panic attack and shaking like a leaf. My left arm was alternating between agony and numbness, I had pins and needles in my left hand and couldn't make a fist, I had knots of pain on the inside of both thighs, my back was in spasm and my favourite jeans had split under the strain.

Alex rushed to make me tea and I took one of my whammy pills to help ease the spams and calm me down. I spent the rest of the evening hobbling around with my stick (which I haven't used it months!)

By the time I went to bed, several hours later, I had regained some use in my left arm and the pins and needles were easing.

I felt like I had been beaten when I woke, but I was able to move and the tingling in my hand had gone. I was ok providing I moved carefully.

Then I walked Kaz home after knit night. I do this every Monday. She comes to mine, rides with me there and back, then I walk her back to Sandown - that way I can still do my daily walk but not be too tired to go out!

I was doing fine, all the way to Kaz's house - we chatted about shopping, Christmas and tattoo ideas. I walked her to her door and kept going back towards town to come home.

By the time I reached the town centre, I knew I was in trouble. The pain in my left shoulder was intense! I also had pain in my back, all down my left arm and in the back of my right knee (that was new - I guess it must've happened as my right leg slipped out from underneath me). I couldn't walk very fast and basically shuffled along.

A walk that should've taken me half an hour tops, took approximately an hour and ten minutes!

I feel worse today than yesterday, my left shoulder is absolutely agony and clicks if I move it in a certain way (I'm pretty sure that's normal for an Ehlers Danlos sufferer like myself - I just hope it doesn't dislocate), my forearms ache, my back aches, my neck aches and I'm still fighting the flu I've had for three weeks too!

I've got a billion and one things to do, 3 fruit cakes, 2 almond slices and 2 chocolate cakes (at least) to bake and I feel like one huge bruise.

I've had enough of winter now :(

Doctor Kyle

2010-12-21T15:54:00.003Z

A year or so ago, I don't remember now, I offered to make Kyle a Doctor Who scarf. We decided to the Season 18 scarf, but we couldn't find the correct colours, so Kyle chose black, red and a sort of mustard colour.

I got knitting and I must've got about halfway through it before the garter stitch drove me absolutely batty with boredom and I put it away.

Kyle didn't say anything at the time as it was summer, but as Christmas approached and it got colder he voiced concerns to my mum that I wasn't going to get it finished. She nagged me and I got to work.

I forced myself to put down my current shawl, put my spinning wheel away, ignore my spindles and knit mindless garter stitch.

It went on and on and on and on and...well, you get the idea!

But, last week, I finished!

This thing is humongous! As you can see it stretches across the room and then some (the pic with Alex was taken while I was still knitting it!)

I've wrapped it and put it under the tree. I can't wait for Kyle to open it and model it on Christmas Day!

eBay - it goes on and on

2010-12-06T15:49:00.001Z

After the suspension of my account, I received this email from them:

Hello Sam,

Thank you for your reply to our email regarding the suspension of your
account "puddytatpurr75". I unDerstand that you'd like to know more
information about the suspension for High Risk and I appreciate the
chance to explain this for you.

Sam, I've personally checked your account and I can see it was suspended
due to several discrepancies in your registration information. We
reserve the right to suspend a member's account and ask for further
information if we have cause for concern.

Please understand we're not accusing you of fraudulent behaviour. Our
top priority is to ensure that eBay remains a safe and reputable place
to buy and sell, so we'd like to confirm some of the information you've
given us.

Kindly provide us with the following documents so we can review your
account, here are the following:

- Proof of the name and address you have on file with us

Please send us copies of both:

1. government-issued photo ID (your passport or driving licence)
2. evidence of your address (a bank statement or utility bill)

You can use our free document upload service, or send the documents
requested to us via fax or post. You'll find all the information on this
page - open a new window on your browser window and copy this link into
it:

http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/account/verification_request_documents.html

Please ensure that all your personal details match the information
you've registered on your account. Rest assured that eBay treats your
personal information with the utmost care and destroy it once reviewed.

What happens next?

Your account will remain suspended until we receive and review these
documents. Please bear in mind that while your account is suspended,
you're not allowed to use eBay in any way. This includes registering a
new account or using someone else's. If you do, you could be suspended
forever.

I trust this information is helpful and that I've explained things
clearly. We look forward to receiving your documents.

Kind regards,

Kate Pearse
eBay Trust & Safety

Well, I was doubtful that my registration details - which haven't changed so much as a comma since I joined eBay 8 years ago - were dodgy, so I photocopied the appropriate documents and followed the link to the document uploader.

That announced that I couldn't send my documents that way and my printer decided to refuse to fax, so I sent them by post!

Meanwhile, Mel had returned the item, seller refused it and it got returned to her and he didn't refund her money. She opened a case with eBay, he spent most of that time bitching about ME, and eBay saw in her favour!

I then noticed that my account went from being suspended to being unregistered and that the feedback which had caused all this trouble had been removed from his account!

Finally I received this:

Hello,

Thanks for sending us the documents we requested. I'm happy to assist
you in resolving the suspension on your account "puddytatpurr75".

I've reviewed the documents you sent and I'm pleased to let you know
that your account has been reinstated following your temporary
suspension. You're now free to use your account to buy and sell on eBay.

Thank you for complying with our rules for account reinstatement. We
hope your future experiences on eBay are pleasant and successful.

Kind regards,

Martin Singleton
eBay Trust & Safety

I waited a day or so, but the feedback didnt reappear! I was fuming by this point that this guy had behaved in this manner so I didn't let it go!

So I sent them another email!

I did report this before, but then eBay suspended my account
and I've only just got it reinstated (with no explanation or apology!)
The feedback I left for this seller has been removed - why? I left
honest feedback - on eBay's advice, he sent me a defective item &
demanded positive or neutral feedback before a refund. When I left
negative after receiving my refund, I received the email asking me to
change my feedback (only because I refused to answer the phone!) This
seller was reported to you by babycham77 too as he then sent the item to
her and refused to accept the return or give a refund while accusing me
of theft in the process! I have got my refund (although he has now
opened a paypal dispute to claim back £9 postage he paid me 'in good
faith' to return the item), but I don't understand why this man is still
trading when you have received two reports about misconduct and yet my
account was suspended (supposedly for discrepancies in registration
details that haven't changed since I opened the account!) The treatment
I have received from eBay over this one transaction has been
disgraceful!

Today I received this:

Hello Sam,

Thanks for your email about your feedback concern with "moons-cave". I
understand that you'd like to know why the feedback you left for your
trading partner so allow me to assess the situation and explain what
happened.

In your case, you ceased to be a registered eBay user shortly after you
left you Feedback. We therefore removed the Feedback.

If Feedback is removed, both the Feedback comment and the rating are
gone from your Feedback profile, and the rating no longer counts towards
to the Feedback score. Any Detailed Seller Ratings left by you are also
withdrawn - they no longer contribute to the average scores.

As for your suspension, we know from experience that certain items and
actions are more associated with fraudulent activity on eBay than
others. We reserve the right to suspend a member's account and ask for
further information if we have cause for concern.

It's our policy never to share exactly what gave us reason to suspend an
account as this could tell a fraudulent member how to avoid suspension
in the future.

Now, as for your complaint about you seller, I understand your concern
that they are still selling on eBay.

Let me assure you that we've looked into your complaint and taken the
action that was required. Due to privacy laws I can't share details
about this seller's account specifically, but the actions we can take
against poor-performing sellers include:

- Warning the seller
- Ending their listings
- Taking away their Top Rated Seller status
- Placing selling limits on an account to reduce the amount of items a
seller can list/sell
- Temporarily holding funds for PayPal transactions when the seller has
a high level of buyer dissatisfaction
- Restricting them from buying and/or selling
- Temporary or permanent suspension from eBay

If you can?t see what action was taken this doesn?t mean that we haven?t
taken any. Bear in mind that most of these actions can?t be seen by
other members.

We look at a number of things when deciding to take action, such as
their Feedback history and Detailed Seller Ratings, their trading
history on eBay and any complaints against them from other buyers. This
is why it's important to leave accurate, transaction-based feedback for
every seller.

I do apologise for the inconvenience this may caused, but I trust that
I've explained our position clearly. If you have any further questions,
please don't hesitate to contact us again.

Kind regards,

Ryan Davidson
eBay Trust & Safety

I have replied with:

Thank you for your reply.

I 'ceased to be registered with ebay' through no fault of my own! I did not close my account, it was suspended and then closed by eBay supposedly because there was a discrepancy with my registration details. Although your comment "we know from experience that certain items and actions are more associated with fraudulent activity on eBay than others. " confirms that that was not the real reason my account was suspended!

Unfortunately I cannot follow the advice: "This is why it's important to leave accurate, transaction-based feedback for every seller." because you have removed it, so there is no way of warning future customers that this man is a thief and a liar! I have PROOF that he is guilty of feedback extortion - which you claim is highly frowned upon - but nothing is done! What's the point of leaving feedback if he can make accusations against me which get my account suspended, yet nothing is done with hard evidence?

This man has now put in a claim with paypal accusing me of not returning the item in question - agaIn I have proof that I am in the right here. I just hope paypal make a better decision than eBay!

I shall think VERY carefully before I use your website again because you obviously fall on the side of the people you make the most money from and not against honest people who have traded with no problems, queries or negative feedback for many years!

Oh yes, he's put in a claim with paypal now for the £9 postage claiming that he never received the item.

Good thing I sent it Recorded Signed For!

I am livid with eBay and I shall be very very careful before buying from them again!

Please please take note! This seller is moons-cave, he is a thief, liar and swindler DO NOT BUY FROM HIM!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Shall we talk about the weather?

2010-12-03T13:19:00.002Z

Why not? Everyone else is!

See this? Click on it and make it bigger - I'll wait!

Those, my friends, are tickets to watch the Aegon tennis at the Royal Albert Hall and the ferry tickets to get me off this rock.

Go and click again and check the date, I'll wait again.

Yeah, it is now 1.12pm on 3rd December and I'm at home writing this blog post.

Why?

Let me show you!

Yeah, that's why!

£144 wasted!

To top it all off; I woke with a bloody migraine too!

My friend Claire is at the hall RIGHT NOW and I hope she really enjoys it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Not where I should be!

Soft and Snuggly

2010-11-22T11:50:00.004Z

Despite the sore elbows, I have managed to finish another shawl!

I used the gorgeous alpaca/merino that I spun during the Tour de Fleece this year. I was planning on using all 3 skeins, but my guage was off and I only used 2.

This is probably a good thing as it blocked out to just over 60 inches and I don't know how/where I would block something any bigger!

I love this shawl! It's so warm and snuggly. I'm definitely going to buy more of the fibre and make more shawls with it!

Pattern: Fir Cone Square Shawl from Folk Shawls
Yarn Used: Handspun Merino/Alpaca
Time: 16-10-10 - 19-11-10

The eBay saga continues

2010-11-15T14:46:00.002Z

When I wake in the morning, I usually check my iPhone for email.

There was one from eBay, so I opened it hoping it would tell me that moons-cave has been kicked off eBay.

What I got was:

Your account has been suspended for the following reason: High Risk Buying violation! During the period of suspension, you can't use eBay or Half.com in any way, including registering a new account or using an additional existing account. If you owe any fees, they will be charged to the billing method you have on file. We need you to take action. For more information about why your account may have been suspended and what steps to take now, please go to: http://pages.ebay.com/help/account/suspended-accounts.html Thank you for your cooperation.

MY account has been suspended!

I clicked the link and it took me to eBay's support page *snorts*, I got the merrygoround of crap again. Eventually a 'Call Us' button appeared, so I did.

"Press 1 for accounts" so I did
"If your account has been suspended; press 6" so I did.

Then I sat on hold for ten minutes! While on hold I investigated a bit, the feedback I'd left for moons-cave had been removed and he was still trading! I was absolutely gobsmacked!

Eventually, I got some foreign woman who then told me "we have a specialist department for suspended accounts"

"Erm, yes 'press 6'?"

"No you have to reply to the email you've received", she said. I said "but that's going to take DAYS!"

I asked if she could just tell me WHY the account has been suspended. She said no, you have to reply to the email. So I asked why option 6 was even there and that I was not impressed to be on hold for 11 minutes to be told to send an email.

Then I hung up.

Here is the email I sent (it rambles a bit - I was very pissed off!

I have received this email and I'm replying to it because I got absolutely no help from the people on the phone! I don't know what you mean by high risk buying violation, so how can I respond appropriately? Quite frankly I'm furious to receive this email and have my account suspended after being a victim of feedback violation, then I find out that the seller is still selling and my feedback has been removed! How can I possibly respond to 'high risk buying violation' as a reason for the account suspension? Please reinstate my account so that I can finish the transactions I currently have in progress. The amount of hassle I've had with eBay is making me seriously reconsider my account with you. I would also like to know why there is a choice 'account suspension' on the phone system when the CSR then tells you they can't give that info over the phone? I've just wasted 11 minutes on hold (at my cost) for nothing and I doubt you're going to refund the cost of the phone call!!! There is nothing in the email telling me what to do regarding the email you've sent me.

It was all paragraphed and stuff, but they don't like paragraphs obviously!

I am absolutely furious at eBay! I hope that the items I've won over the last few days have been posted to me and that eBay haven't sent out emails to everyone stating I'm no longer registered. I'll be furious if they've screwed anything up for me!

Yes, I know I've said 'furious' a lot, but I try not to swear too much on my blog (dunno why, I could turn a troopers ears blue IRL!)!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

But I don't PLAY golf!

2010-11-12T17:18:00.001Z

I've been experiencing pain in both elbows for a while now. I first noticed it on a trip away from home, while driving. My elbows hurt unless I was resting them on something.

The pain has gotten more intense over the past year or so - driving around Norway was hard!

It all came to a head a few nights ago wen I jarred the elbow getting in ~~bed~~ curling up in my nest on the floor - I felt unite nauseous!

I called doctors office this afternoon and managed to get a spot two hours later!

Well, after the obligatory poking and prodding, he asked me what I've been doing because he knows I don't play golf!

Yep! I have golfers elbow! In both elbows!!!

It's quite bad because I've let it go on so long. I have to treat it with heat pads/hot water bottles, anti-inflammatories and painkillers!

Then my world came crashing down around me - I was told I have to ease up on my crafting!!!!!

I'm only allowed to do a small amount of knitting, wheel spinning and spindle spinning each day.

Gutted!

Then again....how many people have 'extreme knitting' written in their medical notes?!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Why I rarely use eBay anymore

2010-11-11T18:25:00.003Z

Do you remember several years ago when eBay used to be an auction site you could buy stuff cheaper on? You know, before everyone started selling brand new stuff on?

I used eBay a lot then. I've bought ~~a gazillion~~ many many books, new kitchen crockery, utensils, storage jars, stuff for my home, second hand DVDs, etc

Just before I went to Wales; I purchased a wireless speaker dock for my iPod. This thing is great, you plug your iPod in and the speakers disconnect from the dock so you can carry them around the house with you! It looked amazing and was a good offer, so I bought one!

I bought one even though I was slightly sceptical because the seller declared it as compatible with all versions of iPod and iPhone and I know that very few electronic items work with the iPhone 4. But, I wanted it for my iPod Touch anyway, so wasn't worried.

It arrived four days before I was due to leave for Wales. I plugged it straight in and plugged in the speakers and my iPod Touch. I had to wiggle the speakers slightly before the charging light came on, but put that down to user error.

After a few hours I went back and turned everything on. There was a lot of hissing and interference through the speakers and my iPod wasn't playing via the speakers.

I investigated the manufacturers website and could find no explanation. Then I noticed that my iPod wasn't charging on the dock either.

I disconnected and reconnected it all a few times to no avail. So I contacted the seller, I informed him that not only was the item incompatible with the iPhone, but it was faulty as well!

He sent me a link on how to 'sync your phone' to the dock. What the video actually showed was the iPhone being put into airplane mode - this essentially turns an iPhone into an iPod - I mailed him straight back stating that this wouldn't work as the dock wasn't connecting to the device in the first place and the devices weren't registering the dock at all.

I then requested his address so I could return the item and stated that I would be leaving on holiday within 48 hours.

It was Saturday morning (the day we left for Wales) before he sent it! I was really angry by this point and decided this guy was obviously trying to screw me in some way - so I sent it recorded delivery!

He received the item back on the 3rd and it was several days before he contacted me to say he was awaiting delivery of an 'iPod phone' so that he could test one before sending it out.

That same day, I went to visit Mel and guess what she had sitting in her kitchen? Yeah, the speaker dock I had returned!!!!

I told her what had happened with me, confirmed that it seemed to be the same one I had returned then we emailed the seller stating what we knew and that we both wanted a full refund.

Two days ago he tried to call me, my phone was on silent as I was watching movies with Alex and I didn't see it ring. He called me again yesterday - he got my details from eBay

He demanded that I left positive feedback BEFORE he refunded my money. I told him that that's not how it worked and informed him he was breaching eBay policy (which he denied). Eventually I said I would leave neutral feedback and he agreed to refund all my money (including the £8.96 it cost me to return it to him).

I waited until he had sent me the money, informed Mel what had happened then reported him to eBay. Oh, I left negative feedback too!!!!

Today I went to visit Mel again. While there, my phone rang, it was his number and I declined the call. He tried once more and I declined it again.

After getting home, Mel called me in an absolute rage. This ~~dick head~~ seller had called her this evening and told her that if I didn't change or retract my feedback; he would refuse her parcel and he wouldn't refund any of her money!

We have both now informed eBay of this. Mel has opened a dispute and after receiving the following email from him, I have reported him (for the second time) for feedback extortion.

''We regret to see you have left negative feedback even though you gave your word to leave neutral. We request that the feedback is removed to either positive or neutral. As a consequence if this is not done we will chargeback the payment sent (in the next three working days), as this payment was made on agreement which has been breached. We will also take further action which you will hear about.'

Nice, huh?

I'm furious that anyone I have done business with can just get my phone number without my permission and that eBay has gone from being a cool place to buy stuff cheaply to a cutthroat company.

One company that I won't be doing business with again!

Oh and the seller? His eBay ID is moons-cave!!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wanna buy a Mac Mini?

2010-11-06T15:13:00.002Z

Yeah, I'm still using the iPad and I'm still loving it!

I disabled the auto lock yesterday and left it on with TwitBird running - which I would do with a laptop/desktop and it lasted all afternoon and most of the evening before the battery died.

I was quite impressed!

My only bugbear is that the twitter apps just don't do it for me! I use TweetDeck on my Mac and I used it on my Windows PC before that. The interface on the iPad is nice, but it has no Facebook integration and doesn't make a sound when new tweets come in! There's also no way to change the refresh rate which seems stupidly long on all Apple mobile devices!

It also pisses me off that the TweetDeck team don't answer customer queries! There's a forum on their site so you cam request new features, but they're basically ignoring all the requests and questions on there! Incredibly shitty customer service!

So! After much consideration; I am going to sell my Mac! I've got two people already interested, but if neither of those pan out and you may be interested, let me know and we'll chat about it!

I'm pretty sure I have boxes for it all (although I'm not sure about the monitor!)

All the info is below.

Apple Mac Mini
2.0Ghz Intel Core-2 Duo
2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x1GB
120GB Serial ATA Drive
SD 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD+RW/CD-RW)
iWork '09 Preinstalled
Country kit-GBR
Comes with iWork 09 and Snow Leopard on disc
Dispatched to me 2 Sep 2009

Price - £593

Standard Apple keyboard
Price - £39
Purchased approx Sep 2009

Apple Wireless Magic Trackpad
Price £59
Purchased - 20 Sep 2010

Hanns•G HW191A monitor
19"
Price - £119
Purchased September 2009

All cables to connect it all up are included

Total price £810 new. I'm asking £600 ono! All items (except for the Trackpad which is new) are in as new condition and just over a year old!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Saturday and Sunday

2010-10-31T22:19:00.000Z

When we woke, there were people everywhere!

We drove into the village to discover that there was a 'round Snowdon marathon' going on :( The village was heaving and we couldn't find anywhere to park so we gave up and headed south again to Aberporth so I could visit Kristina.

We camped on her drive overnight and had a good gossip. Her hubby, David, cooked us breakfast on Sunday morning.

Then we left to visit Kerry's sister, Sam, to collect the new additions to our family!

Snakes

Aren't they gorgeous? They don't have names yet, although I'm seriously considering calling one Daffyd as it's such a Welsh name and they came from Wales. Alex wants to call the other Albert(?).

Friday

2010-10-31T21:18:00.004Z

We've done quite a bit of driving about over the past couple of days. We spent last night in this quiet little car park and after a morning walk we headed for Portmeirion.

It cost us a total of £18.50 to get in and I'll be honest; I don't think it was worth it! It was cute enough,but it was just cafés, ice cream parlours and shops selling Portmeirion crockery! I wasn't impressed that Isis wasn't allowed in the village either!

I did pick up this gorgeous bag though! I wish now I'd bought the apron too though!

Tonight we're in a carpark at the base of Snowdon and tomorrow, we're going up the mountain in a steam train!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Snowdonia National Park

Wednesday

2010-10-31T21:17:00.003Z

We survived the night, it rained most of the night and was so windy; the van rocked loads, it was like being travel sick!

It finally calmed around 4am and I managed to get to sleep properly.

When we all got up; we did a bit of exploring and found what appeared to be an old slate mine! There were shafts, crumbling buildings and a tunnel collapsed on what looked like a mine cart. I must do some research about that place!

We drove about a bit, we were going to stop at a campsite tonight, but eventually decided not to bother.

We found one gorgeous picnic place which was surrounded by trees and was very quiet - would've been perfect for camping! There was a very steep hill next to it, so we climbed it.

This was at the top!

We're currently in a lay-by on a little road next to a river in the Elan Valley.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Elan Valley

Monday and Tuesday

2010-10-31T21:09:00.003Z

We woke to a stupendous 360° view on Monday morning, so we took a little walk after breakfast. It was a gorgeous day and I could've quite happily just sat there and stared at the surrounding view all day.

But we moved on and headed towards Brecon Beacons Visitors Park. We had a lovely walk there and after lunch moved on.

We spent Monday night camped in a lay-by in the Cambrian Mountains listening to army vehicles driving around and bangs as they practised their night manouvres.

Tuesday we woke to rain.....and fog so we decided to go grocery shopping. We went for a nice drive in a circuitous route (this gives us the opportunity to charge the vans leisure battery and all the devices we have with us)

We shopped in a Tesco then pulled into a nature reserve to eat lunch.

It's currently 5.30pm and we're back in the Cambrian Mountains in a different lay-by. It's still raining and it's still foggy and apparently there's an amber weather alert for the Brecon's. If the van starts rocking, we'll move on, problem is; we don't know if forward will take us down now, or further up lol

We do have some neighbours though!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:In the mountains!

Saturday & Sunday in Wales Post 1

2010-10-31T21:08:00.003Z

On Saturday, we packed up the van with clothes, food, toiletries, dog food and the like and set off for Wales.

We caught the 12pm ferry from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth and I started driving.

We headed towards Bristol and then across the Severn Bridge.

We ended up alternating between England and Wales as we drove along the border for a while, eventually pulling into Tidenham car park.

We took a dawdle along Offa's Dyke before settling in for the evening.

I went to sleep early, my back was absolute agony!

The next morning we ate some breakfast and walked along Offa's Dyke again.

By the time we got back to the car park; it was lunchtime. We ordered a burger from a guy with a mobile burger bar (it was scrumptious) then set off after lunch!

I got very pissed off with mum, she'll say "I want to go over here somewhere", but doesn't tell me where that is in relation to our current position, then gets pissed off if I go the wrong way!

Gospel Pass

Eventually we worked out where we were and where Brecon Beacons was in relation to us, but I made the fatal mistake of following her "this'll do" directions and ended up driving along Gospel Pass which goes through the Black Mountains!

Now, anyone who lives in Wales is probably already laughing, Gospel Pass is a very narrow one track road and I took the camper along there!

I did a lot of reversing to let people past, scratched the side of my van by pulling over into hedges to let people pass.

Sunset

But eventually we reached the summit, just in time to see the sunset! It was amazing!

We camped here for the night. It was cold and I entertained thoughts of stabbing my mum with knitting needles - she SNORES!

I didn't get a lot of sleep and I woke feeling achey and tired, so after breakfast we went for a walk and burned off some energy before heading off to look for somewhere to get water for the campers tanks!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Every animal should have an ode

2010-10-22T15:44:00.001+01:00

I'm a big Star Trek fan - I grew up watching it because of my parent and my kids grew up watching it too!

One of my favourite bits is when Data recites an ode to his cat, Spot.

If you've never seen Star Trek The Next Generation, then you probably won't know that Data is akin to Pinocchio; he is an android who dreams of becoming human.

His cat is a beautiful Ginger tabby that he dotes on and he composed the following ode to her:

'Felis Cattus, is your taxonomic nomenclature,
an endothermic quadruped carnivorous by nature?
Your visual, olfactory and auditory senses
contribute to your hunting skills, and natural defenses.

I find myself intrigued by your subvocal oscillations,
a singular development of cat communications
that obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
for a rhythmic stroking of your fur, to demonstrate affection.

A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
you would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not being utilized to aide in locomotion,
it often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.

O Spot, the complex levels of behaviour you display
connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.'

I think every pet should have an ode like this!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thought I'd splurge

2010-10-21T00:59:00.001+01:00

I thought this might be useful, I've just bought a blogger app which I can use on both my iPad and my iPhone!

This should make things easier!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Today I......

2010-10-21T00:33:00.004+01:00

...........have bought Christmas presents on play.com, made purchases and left feedback on eBay, sent a paypal payment, booked ferry tickets and done the usual Twitter/Facebook/surfing Ravelry all on my iPad!!

Surfing has been quick - not sure if that's because it's off my wifi or not. I'm waiting for my sim card to arrive from o2 - wonder if it'll be here before we go...

Ooooh! Hang on, have I mentioned this? On Saturday; Mum, Alex, Isis & I are going to Wales for a week in the camper!

Yes, I know; we're going to freeze to death!!!

But I've only been to Wales once and that was for Wonderwool! I want to see the mountains! I want to walk around the gorgeous countryside! I want to visit my friend, Kristina (if you're on Ravelry, you'll know her as Wyndwitch) and on Halloween I shall be collecting my snakes from Sam!!!

I'm very excited about this! I'm going to be bringing home two baby corn snakes and I can't wait! I've got a vivarium (complete with hide, water bowl, heat mat and aspin) and a box of frozen mice in the freezer - much to Kyles disgust LOL

We'll be going all over, so if you're in Wales and fancy a visit; send me an e-mail or message somewhere and I'll try and swing by!

So, the first day has passed

2010-10-19T13:04:00.002+01:00

Forgive me; I have NO idea what this post will look like; it seems blogger won't let me use compose mode, so I'm having to write this in HTML mode lol.

I didn't use my Mac yesterday, but that may have been more because I wasn't HERE yesterday!

Matt and I went to Southampton as he's being transferred from the paediatric team to the adult team this year and the adult team decided they wanted another MRI done *sigh* so we wandered over, caught the bus (which turned out to be the bus which goes all round the houses. By 1.10, I was starting to worry as we were late, so I called the department.

It wasn't until that moment that I realized the letter said 1pm on NOVEMBER 1st!!!

I ended the call in embarrassment after asking if there was any chance of being squeezed in (they refused), got off the bus and phoned home to rant.

Got back on the bus to go back in to Southampton and went straight to KFC for something to eat (ranting takes a lot of energy, you know!)

After we were both fed, I dragged Matt into Fabric Land to buy fabric for a new knitting bag that my friend Rachel is making me

Then we wandered around Southampton towards the ferry.

It wasn't until we were pulling into Cowes that Matt realized he'd lost his phone! We asked the staff at Cowes who called through to Southampton who confirmed it was there - this is what happens when you wear your trousers down so low 'teenager style'; everything falls out of your pockets!

Unfortunately, a ferry had just left Southampton, so we had to wait an HOUR for a member of staff to turn up with it.

By the time I got home, I literally had time to grab a few bits and head off to knit night!

We went to a different place this week after the debacle at Table Table and it was perfect - or it would've been if they hadn't had quiz night! Which we knew nothing about when we booked and is apparently held every Monday!

Shame really, it was quiet and very well lit. Oh well, the hunt is still on for a good venue and I'm still loving the iPad!

*edited to add* I took my iPad to knit night last night, I carried it in my bag with my purse, Mandala and a project bag with two support spindles, 100g of fibre, the 5 metres of fabric from Fabric Land and my new knitting project (I'm knitting up the alpaca/merino I spun during the TdF this year)

I pulled the project bag out and carried it independently but my bag was HEAVY! Giving the fabric to Rachel helped, but my bag was still heavy on the way home - the iPad weighs a lot!

To follow on

2010-10-18T03:03:00.001+01:00

I've actually been thinking about the last line in my last post and while it was said in jest; I actually started to wonder...what do I use my computer for?

I sit next to my computer when I'm in my craftroom and I have tweetdeck running so I can keep up with twitter and Facebook, I keep my files and pictures on it, I surf Ravelry and a few other sites and I type the occasional letter.

Well, I actually keep all my files, pictures, music, etc on an external hard drive, I keep very little on the Mac itself.

So, I have this fabulous Mac which, while I love it, I don't use it to it's full potential!

So can I exist without my computer and survive just with my iPhone, iPod Touch and my new 64g 3G iPad?

Let the experiment begin!

I am going to shut down my computer tonight and I hope to leave it switched off until I return from a holiday in Wales - I return home on Halloween!

We'll see how well I do!

I'll try to keep you informed via blog - but I refuse to pay for any of the blogger apps as I don't know what it is they actually do! Therefore, any updating will be done on my iPad via Safari!

You can also keep up with what I'm doing on twitter and facebook!

I succumbed

2010-10-17T17:12:00.000+01:00

Unless you're a hermit, you will probably have heard of the iPad!

I ignored the hype, what did I need an iPad for? I've got a classic iPod, an iPod Touch and an iPhone 4 - I don't need an iPad. It helped that, because there are no Apple stores here, I hadn't actually seen/touched one.

Then Matt had a cardio check-up in Southampton and we walk right past the Apple store! Of course, we went in and had a play with them and both decided that they were extremely cool. But unless one of the catalogues were going to do them, there was no way I'd be able to afford one.

Unfortunately, Argos sent me an e-mail a week ago and I couldn't help it. I resisted, I really did....for about 12 hours.

Then I accidentally clicked the buy button next to the 64g 3G model.


Ooooh Shiny!

This thing is amazing! I love it and I can even type on it, not as fast as I can on the computer, but that's just practise! I love it so much, I'm considering selling my computer!

Anyone wanna buy a year old Mac Mini?

Humbug Aeolian

2010-10-17T16:56:00.001+01:00

I also meant to show you this which I finished before Mandala - remember the humbug yarn I spun at the beginning of the year? Well, I finally knit it all up!

Isn't it gorgeous? I'm very very pleased with this!

There's about 90g of beads and a stupendous amount of 9 stitch nupps in this shawl!

Pattern: Aeolian
Yarn: Handspun BFL Humbug
Time: 11-06-10 - 31-08-10

Mandala

2010-10-15T19:02:00.002+01:00

During the Tour de Fleece, I spun up some SW Cheviot. I was extraordinarily proud of it as it came out super fine - the best I've ever spun!

I knew by the time I'd finished it that it was going to be Mandala. This shawl is fascinating to knit! There are four sections and on each section you can choose from four different charts, so the possibilities are endless. You get a different shawl everytime you knit it!

Labour of Love

I started knitting this shawl on 1st September and focused on little else - even my spindles got abandoned.

I got toward the end, started the edging and started to panic; would I have enough yarn to finish? What would I do if I ran out?

I made some calculations and reassured that I had more than enough; I plowed on with the edging border.

I got about halfway round and then suddenly had one of those lightbulb holyshit moments! I had calculated that I cast off 11 stitches for every repeat of the edging chart, when in fact; I only cast off 6.

I felt extremely sick!

So I went back and calculated again - apparently I would still have enough!

I finished today - I had 214cm of yarn left!!!

I set about blocking it - my mats weren't big enough, so I had to use Alex's kingsize bed. Blocking a circle evenly is hard!

Pattern: Mandala
Yarn: Handspun Cheviot
Time: 1-09-10 - 15-10-10

The one where I slag off Table Table

2010-10-05T00:00:00.001+01:00

Our knitting group has been meeting for two years now and for most of those two years we've met in Table Table in Newport, we meet on the first and the third Monday of every month. We even booked Christmas dinner in there the first year!

Over these years; we've seen staff come and go, but the current staff in there just take the biscuit. I swear they're all quite young except for maybe three of them.

Several times we've arrived to find people sitting at the table that we have reserved, the excuse is usually something along the lines of 'they've been here for a few hours, thought they'd be gone by now' to our bookings mysteriously disappearing from the diary. As it's never chronically busy in there, we've just shrugged our shoulders and sat somewhere else.

Last time we went in there we were actually asked to move to another table so they could set up for breakfast as the waiters 'are all students who have to go to college early tomorrow'. They start vacuuming around the customers at 10pm to try and force them to leave early.

Then there are the instances where Kathy & Fançoise will order coffee and it'll take 20 minutes to arrive, Kaz orders something and part of the order won't turn up, food may be cold because it's been sat on the bar for ten minutes before someone remembers to bring it round. Tonight was the final straw.

We got in there tonight to find that our table wasn't reserved - again. I ordered sausage & mash for Jake, chilli con carne, chips & a side salad for myself and took my drink over to our table. Kaz ordered some onion rings, dough balls and chips. She also order a pint of Best Bitter only to be told they'd run out!

My dinner arrived about ten minutes later, but I'd almost finished it before Kaz's dinner arrived! After we'd finished eating, we sat and chatted and knit.

After 20 minutes or so, deciding we were still hungry, Kaz and I both went to the bar and ordered some profiteroles and another drink each. When we got back to the table; there was already one portion of profiteroles there. Kaz told me to eat them as we assumed her's would be along pretty quick.

After 15 minutes I called the waiter over (who hadn't once asked if our meals were ok or cleared our table!) and asked when Kaz could expect her dessert. He went off to check. When he came back, he admitted that her ticket had 'disappeared' in the kitchen and they were just being "sorted now".

They duly arrived and were frozen solid in the middle, so I took them up to the bar and explained what was going on to the manageress. She was rather blunt, picked up the plate and prodded one of the profiteroles with the spoon then said "I'll get you some more" in an exasperated tone.

What we got back were - well, quite frankly - disgusting! The profiteroles had been placed in a microwave and nuked on a high setting! They were warm and the whipped cream inside had completely melted.

I was furious and demanded that Kaz be given a refund and also asked to see the manager. She claimed that she had apologised the first time I'd taken them back, yet neither Kaz nor I had heard her, I told her I was furious that I'd had to demand a refund and that I wasn't impressed with the level of service we get in there. The apology I eventually got was extremely half hearted.

Normally we're there until near on closing time, but I would still expect a restaurant to wait until all the customers had left before vacuuming the premesis. Last time they even asked us to move to another table so the staff could sort our table for breakfast!

The waiting staff rarely come and clear our table and hardly ever ask if everything is alright with our meals - the one young man who used to do this has been conspicuously absent over the last month or so!

We'd already been muttering about looking for somewhere else to meet and tonight has just made it all the more....urgent!

No Table Table, Isle of Wight Fibre Crafts won't be back in two weeks!

Spindles! Spindles! Spindles

2010-10-04T02:18:00.000+01:00

New spindle

Oh dear, spindles - support spindles - seem to be taking over! I now own a Mexican Bocote from Gripping Yarn and a Tibetan from A Spinner's Lair, I've recently ordered a gorgeous support spindle from Grizzly Mountain Arts too.

IST Spindles

Then a couple of weeks ago, Ian mentioned that he wanted to start making Russian support spindles, so I went over to show him the one I had and we talked about weight and how well they spun. Then he asked me to test a couple for him.

Look at these beauties! They both spin really well and I love them both! On the left is Kingwood and Mexican Bocote on the right.

I have projects on all of my spindles now - I think my wheel is a bit jealous!

2010-10-04T01:58:00.001+01:00

A few weeks ago, I was asked to write an article on dyeing yarn and fibre for Creative Crafting magazine, the magazine went live on the 1st October and my article covers four pages!!

How cool is that? You can go and read the Creative Crafting here - my article starts on page 54.

Sigh

2010-09-26T13:16:00.003+01:00

If you read my blog regularly; you'll know I don't really think much of Hampshire & Isle of Wight police - well, Friday really took the biscuit!

We decided to take the van up on the downs to have a cup of tea, see how it performed going up hills and whether it was comfortable to sit in while stationary and moving.

As there was no water in the tank; I pulled up outside the house and ran the hose round (no, I don't have off road parking right outside my house!) - I usually do this at night as I live quite near the lights and on a busy road. Not gridlocked, but constant traffic.

So, I pull up, Mum pulls the hose round and I stick it in the filling hole. Of course, 30 seconds later a police car went sailing past.

I watched it drive up the road and turn around - I thought 'Oh, here we go!' But it drove straight past without slowing or even acknowledgement from the people inside. I thought 'Cool! It's obvious what we're doing and that we're not going to be here long.' After all, I wasn't vacuuming it out or anything.

Then another police car comes down the road with three....officers inside. They pulled up next to my van, causing all the traffic going in both directions to stop as they could no longer get past so that the officer could wind his window down and ask:

"Do you have to do that here?" I blinked at him.
"Um, yes. I live here."
"Well, you can't do that here, you're causing an obstruction." UM...WTF?!?!?!?! I bit my tongue and asked how else I was supposed to fill it
"Take it to a petrol station or something." Yeah, cos that water's clean NOT!

I mean really! The only vehicles that wouldn't have got past me were buses or lorries, cars and vans were having no problem at all.

Well, not until that police car stopped right in the middle of the road, anyway!

WWSIP

2010-09-19T10:04:00.003+01:00

Yes, it's the time of year again when spinners all around the world come out of the woodwork and dare to spin where everyone can see them!

I met up with Rachel and made her sit right in the middle of St Thomas' Square, Newport where everybody could see us (that was the point, right?).

We were immediately accosted by these three:

But they let us go after seeing how fabulous we were. (I actually know the one in the middle LOL)

Then a bit later on, this guy turned up.

Then one of the other Rachels arrived (there are 3 in our group!) and we had our picture taken by the local newpaper photographer. Then the first Rachel left and the other Rachel and I settled in for an afternoon of spinning.

Then I heard a familiar sound and when I turned around I discovered that the stormtroopers and Jedi had been joined by Darth Vadar too!

They were all there collecting for the British Heart Foundation and they stayed all day!

There were a lot of families about and this little brother and sister act took a huge fascination with Rachels wheel.

The boy asked a lot of questions and the girl just couldn't resist helping the wheel to turn. They were adorable but the parents annoyed me, they went and sat at a table (quite a distance away) and totally ignored what their children were doing, they never asked if the kids were bothering us - never once asked if it was ok for the girl to touch Rachel's wheel and then never thanked us for entertaining the kids for over half an hour while they scoffed their lunch; just rounded up the kids and left!

The weather was sunny - if a bit drafty and I had a really good day. Unfortunately, I finished the day on a migraine (which I think I've managed to squash!) and I'm planning on going out again today. I'm debating taking the wheel - I might just take my Russian support spindle instead (the weather looks ominous and it's easier to cover a Russian support spindle than it is to cover a wheel when it's raining LOL)

So, if you're in Newport on the Isle of Wight today, come to St James Square and find me!

Support Spindling

2010-09-12T17:38:00.003+01:00

I have recently purchased a Russian Support Spindle and I love it, then I was nosing around Ravelry and spotted a Tibetan style spindle, so I bought that too.

I must say, I actually prefer the Tibetan to the Russian - it spins so effortlessly and for longer than the Russian!

Recently a conversation on spinning with support spindles started up between fleegle and myself. I'd seen a video on youtube showing a woman support spindling, but she wasn't even touching the spindle.

I just couldn't figure out how it was done, so fleegle made me a vid :D

This video is great and has already helped me immensely!

Nine Years Ago...

2010-09-11T18:00:00.002+01:00

I remember that afternoon very clearly - I don't remember what I did in the morning, or what film Simon and I went to see that night, but I remember the afternoon.

I was at home, Simon (my partner at the time) had popped back to his for a shower and a change of clothes and to do some shopping. I was tidying up as my friend Lou was bringing her two boys, Owen & Daniel, around for a play date.

Simon and I were texting back and forth discussing what film we were going to see that night at the cinema.

Then I received a text - most people found out the same way - Simon had written 'have you seen the attack on America?'

I sent back 'no, who's in it?'

He sent back 'turn the TV on...any channel'

I turned on in time to see the fires, the screams, the smoke.

I stood shock still in the middle of my lounge, phone in hand, staring at the TV in horror.

Lou arrived and as the boys raced upstairs I asked her: 'have you seen?' She nodded her face white.

I sent a txt to my father and I'm pretty sure I sent it to the majority of my address book (I don't remember) then Lou and I sat on the sofa, staring at the TV holding hands while tears streamed down our faces.

We watched in horror as the second plane hit and heard the screams and the stunned silence of the reporters. We heard the sirens, saw the smoke, the fire. We saw the stranded people jump...

We sobbed.

I didn't know anyone who was there that day, (but I had a friend who had a family member who should've been there. They had a tense few days before they heard that she was safe.) but I felt so much pain at what happened.

The World Trade Centre is gone now, there are few - if any - signs of what happened on that dreadful day that has become universally known as '9/11'.

But everyone remembers.

We won't ever forget.

Customer photos

2010-08-21T18:01:00.003+01:00

Do you remember the Salami Socks? Well, Tasha is getting married and her friend Emma offered to knit her some knee high socks for her wedding day.

Well, Tasha chose yarn from me and as they were knee high socks, asked me to dye up two skeins. I did this and sent them free of charge - my wedding gift - and Emma got knitting!

Look at these fabulous socks!

Aren't they great?

Emma had quite a lot of yarn left over so she made some mittens too!

After all that, she still had 50-60g left

and has sent the rest to Tasha who, apparently, is going to do something with them.

Can't wait to see what!

Some photos for you from Norway

2010-08-21T13:12:00.003+01:00

There were so many things we saw and I took a lot of photos. Unfortunately, the camera clock had reset itself and I can't remember what day I plugged the batteries back into it and the date on the photos reads January 2005!

So I'm going to through a whole load of photos at you for you to enjoy! If you want to see the entire album, the click here

We were driving along the road and suddenly spotted a lot of cars parked by the roadside, we had no idea why and I almost crashed when I rounded a bend and saw this gorgeous waterfall!

Which led into this gorgeous rushing river.

This lighthouse was very near to the bridges and tunnels leading into/outof Copenhagen

The freshwater lake where the 'Wikings' swim!

They have Lion Bar icecream in Norway!!!

"Hmmm? What tub of ice cream?"

Lakes, mountains, snow and waterfalls

It was all too much for some!

2010-08-21T12:50:00.002+01:00

We had a lovely relaxing weekend, even the kids didn't moan that they were bored!

On Sunday morning, we got packed up, emptied tanks, refilled other tanks and set off again. We drove for several hours then had to look for another site as our gas bottle was empty and we had no method of cooking except for our induction hob. The induction hob is powered by regular plug and the regular sockets only work if we have electric hook-up! I need to look into changing the regulator valve in the van to more European friendly, so I can buy a bottle abroad next time!

The site we ended up on was huge! But the map we were given for it was very informative and stated there was a beach right next to the site. Once we were all hooked up, we all went exploring. As it wasn't a dog friendly beach, Mum, Isis and I waited while the kids went investigating.

They came racing back to inform us that the beach stretched for miles - well 6km actually - and was just like beaches at home! We raced back to the camper, Alex and I got changed and went for a sunset swim - we were the only ones there and it was great!

On Monday, we drove down the rest of the Swedish coast, across the bridges and through the tunnels of Copenhagen and down the majority of Denmark before stopping.

The site we stayed on that night is lovely! Very clean and tidy, quiet and well spaced out. There are also free showers so we've all had a good clean up before tea.

Unfortunately, I then managed to knock a full, very boiling hot, cup of tea and the tea went all over me. I jumped up and ripped my clothes off before getting scalded, but in the rush to clean up, I kicked the metal leg of the pull out bed in the van and broke my little toe!

I'm fed up, in pain and exhausted. Going for a very early night tonight. It's raining....again. We're about 900km from Calais and we have 48 hours to get there!

Tuesday - the race is on, we have to be in Calais for the 8pm train through the tunnel, we have to get Isis passed through border control first and I have no idea how long that takes! My foot is absolute agony and disturbed my sleep a lot, but I've managed to get my boot on - I can't really drive the camper in flip-flops, the pedals are high and it's rather like driving a tank; my ankles and feet need the support that my New Rocks give me!

We got under way reasonably early and decided as we drove that we'd grab a takeaway this evening and crash in a resting place as we'd used sites for the past few nights due to needing the hook up.

The day passed in much of a blur to be honest, my foot hurt a lot and I was bloody exhausted. It has rained all day and now we're back below Sweden, the roads are busier, with a lot more lorries! That's terrifying to drive through in heavy rain!

I can't remember exactly where we slept (I'd stopped making notes by this point), but it was very near the Belgium border and we all slept in the camper as it was too bloody wet to put the tent up. It was cramped, but we made it through the night ok.

I drove all day and we made it back to Calais at 3pm! We got on the 5.20pm train and we were home by 9pm!

I had a fantastic holiday, I saw so much gorgeous scenery, I drove over mountains, through the longest road tunnel in the world and had a really good time.

But I'm so glad to be home!

Wednesday - Saturday

2010-08-21T12:22:00.003+01:00

Wednesday - Drove a lot today - more mountains! We're camping by a lake this evening off the 35. We're all tired, crabby and fed up with each other. We've agreed to go back to Oslo Fjord tomorrow for 2 nights so I can have a day of no driving before heading back towards Calais.

Thursday - We changed our mind and headed for a site near a fjord on the map. There were signs saying swimming, but when we got there; the beach was stony. By the end of the day; Alex had slipped and sliced open his hand and Jess had been stung by a jellyfish! Moving on tomorrow!!

Friday 13th - Groan at the date! Shortly after going to bed last night, a huge storm settled in above us for the entire night! It was still raining this morning and stuff in the tent was wet! The skies here lie! It was a very red sky last night!

We're heading towards Bremmen, we'll decide what to do once there. We're all a bit fed up of rain and want to go home - but even logic dictates that if I drove all day; it would still take a few days to get back to Calais and we still have five more nights to go before we can go back through the tunnel!

We found a nice quiet park in Sweden, very clean and tidy. A beach - with sand - just around the corner and a water slide in the park itself.

Perfect!

I need the rest badly! My legs ache and my calves keep cramping so badly, I can barely walk!

I added to that by standing on a bee while putting the tent up! I'm looking forward to not driving tomorrow!

Saturday - famous last words! The first thing mum said to me this morning was: "We've run out of teabags!" So, I had to get dressed and drive 4km into Lysekil and 4km back before I could even have my morning cuppa!

We went down and had a dip in the sea after I'd drunk my fill of tea and eaten breakfast, it was ok, but the water wasn't anywhere near as nice as Norway - probably because it was the sea and not a fjord or lake!

I then spent the rest of the day lying in the sun, while the kids made friends with a local Swedish lad and a German family camped next to us!

Monday 9th August

2010-08-21T11:51:00.002+01:00

I drove over a mountain today!

We had to stop on the way up as the engine was starting to overheat and then stop on the way down to cool off the brakes, but the camper made it up and over! I was gobsmacked! I honestly thought it was going to fail at the first mountain we came too!

Check out me knitting on top of a mountain!

How cool is that!?

We also drove through a lot of tunnels! The most notable being the Lærdalstunnelen which is just under 25km long and the longest road tunnel in the world!

That night we stopped at a resting place which had loads of picnic tables on all different levels and on the last/lowest level was a little circular area just the ideal size for a tent!

We had a good night sleep and in the morning we emptied the waste and chemical before setting off along the E13.

The E13 is a delightful little road! (Yes, read sarcasm there!) One minute, you'll be driving along an ordinary two lane road with a central line, then all of a sudden; you're on an extremely narrow road with no road markings whatsoever, lots of hills and sharp turns! We almost had a head-on collision with a lorry. Scared the crap out of me and I slammed the brakes on really hard!

The scenery was stunning, lots of water, tunnels and orchards! We bought cherries from a roadside seller - they were scrummy!

I wrote these notes that night:

I am so tired! I ache all over, my legs, feet, back and hips are agony! Although I'm enjoying this; the thought of driving for another week makes me want to cry!

We stayed at a site in Røldal that night and I slept like a log! We woke up to low lying clouds and another mountain!

We were starting to head back towards Oslo by now.

Oslo!

2010-08-21T11:31:00.002+01:00

We reached Oslo Fjord early on Saturday evening. We checked out Oslo FjordKamp but weren't impressed by it so we camped in the carpark opposite. We wandered down to have a quick look at the fjord.

It was awesome! The sun was just setting and it was beautiful! There were rays of light off in the distance and the water was sooo still!

We sat and enjoyed the scenery for a bit before going to bed and the next morning got up very early so we'd have the fjord to ourselves.....which we did, more or less. There were a few people fishing, who sighed and packed up their poles once we hit the beach!

The view was just as stunning by day as it was by night!

The sun was already warm, the water still and inviting - we just couldn't resist so we rushed down to the beach and plowed into the water. It was like bathing in silk and so clear! We could see crabs pootling along the bottom, fish darting about and starfish too!

Isis was not impressed by all this, barked at us madly for being in the water and then - determined to rescue her mummy - plunged into the water to save me! She swam very well, considering it was her first try, but shook like a leaf once she'd reached me and I picked her up, so I left the water and stood on the beach with her so she could dry off and calm down.

I cast on a sock while the kids swum! Then, regretfully, we had a late breakfast and set off.

I drove for most of the day, with the obligatory loo and food stops and that night, Sunday, we stopped in a site right on the E16 by a freshwater lake.

We had a brief swim, after some discussion with a couple who would periodically emerge from their caravan, jump in the water a few times, then go and sit outside their van in the sun. He told me the water was warm - he lied, but then he declared "We are tough! We are Wikings!" He was a lovely little man, not much taller than me, balding dark hair and a little round belly LOL.

We had an enjoyable evening playing Scrabble and Canasta - Alex loved Canasta and we played it almost every evening after that!

We didn't bother with the tent that night and we slept under the camper awning, it was cold but lovely as we were very snug with sleeping bags, blanket and a duvet! Even Isis loved snuggling under that lot.

I awoke next morning to a huge muscle spasm in my right calf - of course, I couldn't get up from under that lot and it was agony (a few days later; a huge bruise appeared on my calf). We had a lovely swim in the lake before leaving!

We're off on holiday!

2010-08-21T10:58:00.003+01:00

I am going to write a long list of posts about our holiday in Norway and I'm going to try and write them in chronological order.

This is post one!

We left home early enough to catch the 8am ferry to Portsmouth and we made excellent time to Folkestone. We arrived in time to catch the 12.50pm train through the Channel Tunnel to Calais. This was my first time through the tunnel.

It was.....weird. You drive your vehicle onto the train, then you just sit there while the train drives through to the other side. I felt slightly motion sick and my ears kept popping.

We arrived in Calais at 1.15pm and - while muttering 'drive on the right, drive on the right' - set off for our first campsite which is in Belgium. We got there around 3pm.

Everyone spoke passable English on the site, the oldest son spoke excellent English and I later heard him on the phone speaking Spanish. His mother managed to convey to me that he deals with most of the bookings as he understands a wider range of people!

We stayed in a little cabin that first night, it was quite cute really. Inside the door is the front half of the cabin which has two tables (one with a two hob cooker and one with a small fridge on) and a single bed with a pull out bed underneath. There is a partition and behind that was a set of bunk beds. The kids and I slept in there and Mum slept in the camper for the first night.

Isis was fascinated by the site and spent most of the evening peeking out from under the curtain which went across the door!

We left the site late the following morning after a good night sleep and drove along the A2 through to Germany. Unfortunately, there was a horrific 5 lorry pile-up and we were caught in a 3 mile tailback for a few hours. I hope no one was hurt badly. The Autobahns were horrendous, everyone drove so close to each other - I'd forgotten what it was like! - and nipped in and out of the lanes. I'm surprised there aren't more accidents to be honest!

We stopped in an A1 rastplatz for a dinner of bolognaise.

The rastplatz are great! We have nothing like them here! Some of them are just little alcoves off the motorway, with a lane for the truckers, but some are really elaborate and have another lane behind the truckers lane for cars, then behind that will be a green area with picnic tables, toilets, all sorts - one was even situated next to a lake! Some of them also have caravan fascilities too - you can empty your waste water tank, the toilet tank and refill with clean water! England is just so behind on this!

We camped in a few of those and although the traffic was loud, we managed to sleep once we'd adjusted to it being there!

The next day we drove for most of the day along the autobahns in Germany and through to Denmark and we spent Thursday night in another motorway resting place. Unfortunately, the traffic was very loud and it was a very busy resting place, so we didn't get a complete night sleep, then a noise (which sounded like someone jet washing a car) started up about 5am. Naturally, it stopped once we were all up!

We drove about 100 miles and stopped in Sweden for lunch at the side of the road. I was stressed and tired and Mum was snapping, so I took Isis out of the van and sat in the sun for a while. It was gorgeous! Fields of (some sort of) corn as far as the eye could see, it was a beautiful day and the fields smelled gorgeous!

I made these notes:

Corn files as far as the eye can see. No cars for the past ten minutes. I am sitting with Isis away from the van while they're eating lunch - everyone is snapping and yelling. I'm the only one doing anything tiring! I could just stay here for the next 10 days! The wind is warm, fields smell soooo good!

Of course, I didn't stay there all day and we set off again after lunch. We stopped at Bjorksgang (um, not sure on the spelling) campsite on Friday night so that I could get a decent sleep. A nice park, but very big! We saw hedgehogs!

Unfortunately, the sea smelled awful and the kids decided not to go swimming!

We reached Norway the following afternoon!

The Craftofax!

2010-08-01T16:10:00.003+01:00

After an inspiring conversation with Sharon on twitter recently, I decided to convert my old Filofax into a crafting journal. I wanted something similar to Ravelry; a place to list my finished projects, my handspun, make notes about these specific things along with pictures so that in future years I can look back at it and remember a bit easier!

I started last night and finished this afternoon.

I did this all in Pages on my Mac. First of all I went into Page Setup and I changed the size of the paper. Then I clicked inspector and I set all the margins to 0.63cm except for the edge that have the holes for the rings, they're set to 1.3cm.

Then I created a template - one for knitting, one for crochet and one for spinning - Start date, finish date, weight, fibre, size, needles/hook size and so on depending on which section it's going in!

The picture on the right shows the page about my felted bucket, on the left is the picture and on the right is the information I've written about that particular project.

I've also added a Notes section and I'm considering a calendar section to keep a list of crafting events around the country!

I won an award!

2010-08-01T10:51:00.003+01:00

In fact, I've won two thngs this week!

First, I won the Creative Crafting Blog of Month award from the Creative Crafting group. Go on over and have a look at their site.

A bunch of women got together and decided to create an online crafting magazine. This months magazine is only issue 6 and I'm very honoured to have been given a prize! I've also been mentioned in the magazine by Diane who's written an article about drop spindling. Go through to the blog and click the little magazine and it will open up full size, Diane's article is on page 22-23!

Then I got a message via Ravelry to say I'd won a prize in the Tour de Fleece! I've won 100g of 70% BFL/30% Silk!

Yay!

2010-07-27T12:00:00.002+01:00

I finished my Tour de Fleece spinning at 5am this morning!

I'm shattered and I've totally overdone it because I hurt now, but I really enjoyed doing it!

Here is everything I spun!

Top left: 70% Alpaca/30% Merino, 500g, 37WPI, 2468.432 meters or 2699.166 yards.
Top right: I added about 30g of Shetland to my Trindle
Bottom left: I purchased and learned how to use a Russian support Spindle, I spun about 15g of merino.
Bottom Right: Cheviot, 200g, 54WPI, 1992.757 meters or 2179.30556 yards!

As you can see, I've recently purchased a support spindle due to the back problems I told you about before.

It's lovely and today, my Spindolyn arrived too! I really want to practise on them both, but I haven't knit a stitch in 3 weeks and I'm desperate to get on with my shawl!

Back problems strike again

2010-07-19T01:00:00.003+01:00

As you already know, if you read my blog, I have a bad back. I am basically in pain 24 hours a day, it never doesn't hurt and if I overdo things (stand too long, walk too far, carry things, etc) the pain increases.

Due to this, I often walk with a stick - but not all the time; only when the pain is worse than my norm before I go out (I should really use it more, but as anyone who has to use a stick will say 'I hate that f**king stick!)!

A couple of days ago, I discovered that Isis will walk quite happily if I hook her leash to my belt. 'Great!' I thought 'This means I can knit or spindle while walking (if I'm not using my stick, that is)!'

So, I tried it today! I walked from my house to Mel's house.

Co-incidentally, one of the Tour de Fleece challenges is to spin a mile - that can be a mile long piece of yarn, or you can spin while walking a mile.

It is one mile from my house to Mel's house!

So I did it. It took me ages to get there! I couldn't walk too fast or I'd kick the spindle and holding my hands in front of me really caused my back to ache!

I do enjoy spindling, but I can't spindle while sitting down (makes my arms ache holding them up like that!) and I obviously can't stand too long and do it and now I know I can't walk and spindle.

I can't sit 'properly' on a chair for very long. I think the whole being upright with my spine straight must put pressure on somewhere because it hurts in exactly the same way as standing does. Anyone who knows me well, knows I fidget a lot!

When at home, I sit with my feet tucked up beside me. I know this means I am sitting twisted, but it really is the most comfortable position for me!

After watching this video by Lisa, I realised that I would be able to use a supported spindle in any position! So I sent her an e-mail and ordered one!

I'm quite excited to learn something new and I'm hoping my new spindle will arrive in the post tomorrow. I don't know what wood she's used, I told her I liked walnut and Mexican Bocote but couldn't decide which I liked more so I told her to surprise me!

The weird thing is that I can sit at my wheel for hours though - maybe the treadling shifts things enough that I don't get quite so sore?

ETA: I've just ordered a Spindolyn too!

Exhaustion at the End of Week 2!

2010-07-16T01:26:00.004+01:00

I am absolutely shattered! I haven't knit a stitch since this tour started and I'm really missing it.

But, I have finished my first Tour de Fleece challenge!

I have spun approximately 500g of 70% alpaca/30% merino into 2 ply laceweight!

I haven't measured the 3rd skein yet (it's just having a soak), but once it's dry I'll come back here and let you know the final yardage!

While I am sick of spinning the same colour for two solid weeks, I am also incredibly proud of this gorgeous, soft, fluffy yarn that I created!

Now, I just want something bright and garish to spin for a change LOL

OK, I'm back! I've measured the third skein and it's a biggun! Skein 1 was 781.812 metres/855 yards, skein 2 was 772.16 metres/844.44 yards and skein 3 was a mahoosive 914.146 metres/999.722 yards - that makes my total length: 2468.432 meters or 2699.166 yards!!!

Look what I got!

2010-07-08T11:14:00.002+01:00

My first TdF Skein

2010-07-08T01:19:00.002+01:00

This year I am participating in the Tour de Fleece. I decided to spin up the 500g of alpaca/merino tops I purchased at iKnit last year.

The fibre is gorgeous - well it would be at 70% alpaca and 30% merino, wouldn't it and naturally, it wanted to be laceweight.

I started spinning on Saturday, but only managed to do five or six hours over the entire weekend as I went out clubbing with Kaz and got very drunk on Saturday night LOL.

Anyway, I kept spinning and spinning and by last night; I had finished two bobbins worth. So today I got to plying.

My god, it went on forever! It took me all day to ply (minus eating, taking a break, playing with my new iPhone 4 {birthday gift from Kyle!} and taking Mum to B&Q).

Finally at 1am, I finished. So I wound it off onto the skeiner and I got 855 yards/781.812 metres, and 37WPI over 168 grams!

I am so proud of it and it's gorgeous. I reckon when I've finished the whole lot, I'm going to have over 2500 yards!