Frustration and Impatience

I am my own worst enemy! Well, anyone who knows me well knows that!

I have no patience at all. If I want something; I want it right now! If I can't do something, I get absolutely furious with myself and shout at everyone!

I get frustrated so easily too, which I guess ties it all in together.

Someone I follow on twitter summed it up perfectly, her twitter name is Bahtocancer and as you can guess she is currently going through chemotherapy. She said: 'It astonishes me that I can 'do' cancer but am reduced to tears by a problem setting up pages on my website.'.

I know exactly what she means for I'm that way myself. I can cope with injuries to the kids, pets, emergencies, whatever - but stupid things drive me absolutely WILD!

I started selling yarn this week. I spent a happy couple of afternoons throwing dye around and ended up with 19 skeins (two of which were a custom order from Kerry). It was great and I loved the results.

I then spent hours uploading everything to my Folksy shop (Folksy takes aaaaaaaaaages!) and announced that the shop was ready to the masses that were waiting - ok....not 'masses' exactly....more like Kerry, Diane and Rita! But they were there waiting on twitter and it was all sooooooooo exciting!

Well, they each bought something - thank you, ladies, loves ya! - and I packaged it all up for posting this morning.

Then today, I decided I really should create a spreadsheet detailing my incoming and outgoing where the shop is concerned. I fought with the damn thing for two hours! Everytime I entered in the SUM formula thingy, I just got a red triangle!

I went and yelled at everyone on twitter and the troops rallied and we eventually got it sorted, but the fact that I swear I entered that stupid forumla countless times and it didn't work for two hours enraged me!

So, this afternoon, I sat down and did some spinning to relax. That all went well, then the announcement came out that advertising slots were available on Ravelry. I thought that would be a really good idea so went along to have a look.

I had to register for advertising and then upload my banner - it refused my banner because it was the incorrect size. I've finally managed to adjust it to a different size, but it didn't load as I was looking at it - I just had a box with grey and white stripes!

My banner is naff anyway. I can't design for toffee and I just don't understand how to manipulate the image for different websites - why the hell can't the sites just change the banner automatically for you? I can't even get the Folksy one to not look all warped and stretched!

I'd love to have my own site - but last time I even considered it, I got so angry at all the technical babble the 'build your own sites' sites threw at me, that I gave up with a pounding headache!

Someone said 'go to college and learn what you want to know' but it doesn't stay in my head! The kids think I'm hysterical; I'll sit and play a game on the x-box and I'll spend an hour going round in circles totally oblivious to the fact that I'm actually lost!

If I don't write it down, I forget it! Everything goes into my phone with an alarm to remind me. I've been known to look at my diary at 10am, see there's an appointment at midday and then promptly forget about the appointment.

I'm clumsy and I knock things over all the time!

But I get soooo frustrated at myself and my limitations!

It's taken me over a week to get over Wonderwool. I was so exhausted, then I had the vertigo attack and fell on the stairs. I finally recovered and got on with the dyeing. I spent a couple of hours at a time in the kitchen, but it still made my back ache!

Yesterday, I sat down to reskein the yarn. Unfortunately, Mum's skeiner didn't want to play and everything kept tightening as I turned it, so I gave up with that and decided to wind the yarn around the legs of my largest table from my nest of tables.

I wound 17 of the skeins. It took all day and by the end of it, I was exhausted and my back was in agony.

Some of the muscles under my shoulders are still in spasm today.

That's not right. None of it!

I'm 34 years old! Not 68 like my Mum (who is probably more physically able than I am!), I shouldn't have to rest for a couple of hours after running the vacuum around downstairs. I shouldn't suffer pain from standing for more than ten minutes.

I shouldn't spend a week or more recovering from being on my feet for a couple of days!

I'm amazed I remember how to breathe!

Wonderwool!

This weekend is Wonderwool!

I am very excited about this. The last fibre festival I went to was Fibrefest and I had a blast! Fibrefest was also where I met Helen for the first time and we've become firm friends since then!

Well, this weekend I am staying with Helen and we'll drive to Wales on Saturday and Sunday to drool over the fibre (not literally, because vendors get upset if you cover their fibre in drool!).

I'm planning on buying a couple of spindles too. I'm also collecting an upright swift and two fleeces from Mr & Mrs Mog, I've agreed to teach Kristina how to do TAAT socks using ML, go and say hello to Sarah from Brownberry Yarns, Nic from Nicsknots, LongdrawJames from Ravelry and countless others - I've even started a list on my iPhone, but I'm bound to forget someone!!

I have also had a chat with Andy at bluefaced.com about picking up a bulk order of yarn.

That's right! Fluffosity is going to start supplying yarn! It'll take me a week or so, but I plan to have a lot of yarn in the shop in the future!

I also contacted Hedgehog Equipment at the beginning of March - remember them? They're the people I initially ordered my Rose from, but I gave up after a few months of waiting and not being kept up to date on my order and ordered from NZ instead. Well, I contacted them right at the beginning of March and told them I wanted a plying kit and a box of plastic bobbins for my Majacraft Rose (thinking that would give them plenty of time).

I e-mailed them last night saying it was just a gentle reminder about our conversation. Here's their reply:

Hello Sam
Thanks for your message. I hadn't forgotten your order but I did need reminding to email you to say that so far unfortunately nothing has arrived from NZ. I was hoping they would come this week - I know stuff is on its way but it looks as though it might have been disrupted by the volcano. I can save you as many bobbins as I have in stock - I'm about to go & pack up all the accessories so I will check exactly how many - & other than a miracle in the next 24 hrs all I can say is sorry & I will send you the order (free of P&P of course) when it comes.
Any way, I really am sorry , we can discuss it at the weekend.
Best wishes, Sarah

Needless to say, I'm pretty pissed off about this! I gave them plenty of time to get this order sorted and they've just let me down again! I think I shall give up with them and order from somewhere else from now on, it might be more expensive, but at least I can guarantee when I'll get my stuff! I was banking on that plying kit this weekend - I've filled my bobbins up (very full thinking I'd be getting a jumbo bobbin) and was banking on plying it all off!

Never mind eh?

I'm pissed at Royal Mail too! I did some handspun yarn for my friend Claire, I sent it first class on Monday, she has just received a card telling her that she has to pay £1.49 (£1 service charge and 49p because 'apparently' I didn't pay enough, yet according to their website, the £1.72 I did pay should cover it up to 250g!) to receive the parcel! Money grabbing shits and they wonder why couriers are stealing all their business.

On the other hand, I'm very excited to be going tomorrow, I need a holiday! On my way to bath, I shall be popping to visit a friend in Lymington who is giving me a whole load of home educating stuff for Alex - she also has horses and lambs and has promised me bacon and freshly laid eggs for breakfast!!!

When I get to Bath, Helen and I are going to visit Elle who has bought Eric from me.

Eric will be her first wheel and I'm really pleased he is going to someone who will love him as I did!

Unfortunately I'm booked on the 6.55am ferry which means I need to get up at about 4.30!!

People

People are strange and completely baffling!

I've discovered over the last few years that people I thought I knew well, are a bit of a mystery to me.

I discovered that one person is actually quite prejudice and another is very shallow. I've discovered another is all gob and doesn't follow their declarations of "if I have a problem with you, I'll tell you." Apparently they'd rather ignore you completely, imply to others that you are ignorant and if addressed directly will bite your head off and be rude. I've discovered a person who'll slag other people off behind their back, but will be perfectly nice and friendly to their face. There are people who'll give you shitty news on your kids 18th birthday or when you are ill. I'm sure you know the type! The ones that'll use you for everything you can give them, then drop you when they find a new bloke or something.

I really don't get it!

Then you get other people, the one's that you don't know well, that live thousands of miles away but will bend over backwards to help you - even if they have their own problems and it's not convenient for them! The ones who'll call you every day to see how you are when you're ill or going through a tough time. The ones that seem to be on the lookout for decent people to be friends with. The ones that everyone seems to be looking for as a friend!

We need a way to differentiate between these two types because unfortunately, you can't tell just by looking at people and you don't usually find out until later!

Sigh!

Today is one of those days, you know?

My brand new DAB radio has developed a fault and appears completely dead! So I can't listen to the radio today and of course, today is the day Sky is being turned off!

I've got a bad case of "startitis"; I want to start loads of projects, but not work on any of the WIP's I've already got!

After some discussion with Joy on Monday night; I've decided not to make Mojo for Alex, I'm going to make him a basic rib sock. Partly because rib is soooooooooo stretchy and partly because they'll be flatter than Mojo so he'll be able to wear them under his boots!

I bought some fiber from Natalie, it arrived today. The postman felt it necessary to ring the doorbell, hammer on the door then ring the doorbell AGAIN! I think the problem is that they can't hear the doorbell, I might stick a note on the door saying something like "The doorbell DOES work, there is no need to hammer the door down too!". Anyway, I'm in such a slumpy mood that I haven't even opened the package and it's been here over an hour!

I took Jess to get her eyes tested on Tuesday; she's a bit longsighted (which is apparently quite normal for teens and they grow out of it) and he's arranged for some reading glasses for her. Then we wandered around town a bit. I was on the lookout for a broach as I just can't get on with the two gorgeous shawl pins I have - they're too bulky and won't go through my KSH shawl.

I found this little gem in a jewellery store.

It's about an inch and a half high, has sparkly bits on the wings, can be worn as a pendant or a broach and is real silver (I would've loved her in gold, but I dread to think what the cost would've been!).

Funny, everyone on Ravelry and twitter says it's "me!" LOL