One becomes Two

So, whilst listening and crooning along to Deano, Sam and Frank over the weekend, my lovely socks have been finished. (So how much time exactly do you think I spent sitting on my backside!) The Rat Pack DVD was good - although I have decided that although Frank Sinatra was possibly the most famous of the three, I definitely prefer Deano's voice, and Sammy Davis Jnr was the most amazing performer! The DVD was in black and white and not the best quality but it was really good fun, and they sung a lot of the old favourites. A final thanks to Helen for my beautiful gifts - all knitted up now -except the alpaca - which is still being spun in between all my other projects. I've loved making everything THANK YOU!

Fame was good too - for a whole lot of other reasons! - It was really cheesy, and very 80's, but it was a good part of my childhood, and maybe if kids had more of these cheesy programmes to watch now, they would be more likely to take up sport/dance/anything!! I can remember dancing round the lounge and singing the songs. It was nostalgic fun. (And Badger. . . . . headband maybe. . . . . . but leotard - NO WAY!!!!!)



I had to include this little shot - Caption something along the lines of "Oh crap, I've been caught" Needless to say the tree my beloved spaniel is trying to climb is the plum tree! - it is mostly empty now (hence the need to climb it!) but she won't give up until every last morsel of fruit is gone! - she knows it's wrong - hence shot being slightly out of focus - if I had moved in closer she would have innocently and very gently climbed down and probably feigned sleep under the tree - "What me - NO - I've been asleep all this time"

Lazy Days

Well the second sock is cast on - and my lovely DVD rental company have sent me "Fame" Series 1 (well the first disc anyway) and The Rat Pack in Concert. - What with the Turkish GP tomorrow, I can feel a very knitting weekend coming on! - Obviously whilst dancing around the living room - firstly in legwarmers, and secondly in something far more chic!!!!!

One Sock!

First sock in Lorna's Laces finished!! Bit shorter than the pattern 'cos I like them this length for my walking boots!!!!!

Finished it last night whilst watching a DVD of Tenko - now that was a good series!!!!!!

Off to cast on the second one now!

The numbers don't add up

I have had over 1200 visits to my blog since it started, and on average around 30 people pop in to check me out every day! - But the most comments I've ever had have been 8!!!! - So come on, where are all the rest of you????!!!! I know there isn't always something to say - but never??? I also know that some of you are family members - now I wouldn't generally have you down as a quiet lot!!!!!



Today I have been rescuing plums from the jaws of Miss Spot!!!!! - She has developed quite a taste for them, even to the point of climbing the tree to get the one she fancies!! - Now I'm not sure but I don't really think plums are good fodder for dogs!?? So I picked as many as I could - in fact a whole sink full. . . . . . . . .

and because there seemed to be quite a few squatters in them this year - I have halved and stoned the lot, and they have been stewing on the stove top this afternoon. I will freeze it later and I will be able to eat plums (possibly forever!)

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My little arrowhead stole is finished and it is gorgeous. For a quick re-cap it is made of 1 skein of Hipknits Silk in the aran weight, knitted on 5mm needles, pattern in this collection from interweave.

Finally, I have started knitting socks in the lovely Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn (my colour is Iris) that Helen sent with the Silk. The pattern I chose isn't really doing the colours of the yarn any favours, but it is lovely as it's coming out quite thick and snuggly because of the cables (which you can't see too well on the photo. This pattern is from Sensational Knitted Socks and is a 3/3 cable with moss stitch panel. - Don't ya just love that gusset!!!!!!

Whooo Hoooo It's Raining. . . .

. . . . I mean proper growed up rain in big drops, that's lasted a hour so far with no sign of stopping! Yeeeeee HA!

I know you all think I'm mad, but in drought ridden Surrey, we haven't seen proper rain for ages. We've had the odd 20 second shower as the rain passes over on it's way to somewhere else, apparently scared of getting caught over Surrey, but not "proper" rain!!! I've missed it! - Yes I know, I'm a freak, but I've missed the way it makes the countryside smell so earthy and warm, and I've missed the way it's brings all the colours to life. I've missed the feel of rain on my face when I walk the dog, and the excuse to come in and have a nice hot, strong cup of coffee. I've missed gardening this summer as there has been no point with a hosepipe ban and an impending drought order, and I've missed cooking my own veggies. I have missed the rain!

Special Friend's Birthday & lovely dinner

So firstly, it is a very special friend's birthday today. A friend that has been around in my life since I was a teenager (ooooh so long ago!) and had a huge influence on the person I am now. I don't think he reads this, so I can be as schmaltzy as I like!!! I know he's going through a rough patch right now, and so I send all the love my tiny heart can muster, for a special birthday and strength on his journey.


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I am cooking veggie lasagne at the mo, and I was just wondering for all you cooks out there - how much do you like your own cooking?? I lurve mine!!!!!! (sad but true!) When OH cooks he often gets "over it" before it's served if you know what I mean. I guess the smell of it cooking and the effort means he feels like he's eaten it already!!! - Now me, ooooh I'm a different kettle of fish altogother! - I can now smell my veggie lasagne basting in half a bottle of red wine, with lashings of parmesan on top and it's driving me mad!!! - I have another 10 mins to wait til it's cooked and despite treating myself to a glass of red to savour the waiting moment it's not happening! - Screw the wine - I want the dinner!!!!!

Knitting's Back on!!!!

Finally the weather has eased enough for me to get back to knitting. I tried a lace ladder scarf in the beuatiful silk that Helen gave me as my SSS present, but it wasn't doing it any justice, so I found a pattern for a little stole/shawl (see page 5) that is giving the yarn much more of a chance to show itself off! More photos as it progresses!

Now the reason I found that pattern, was that the wonderful Piglottie gave me a little inspiration for some recycled Sari Silk that I bought. (Actually I bought it to spoil my SSS spoilee, and managed to find some for such a bargainous price that I got a Kilo of the stuff!) So Knitty Kitty got three Skeins, Mum got 2 and I have 5 left to play with!!! 4 of which are similar colours and could at a pinch be knitted together, but this lonely one was all alone in its multi-colouredness!!!! Now, I am currently growing my locks, and am at that awful stage of it not being long enough to tie back effectively, but it's too long to have draping around my fact (especially in this heat!) so this headband (page 4 of above linked pattern pdf) was the perfect solution! It's knitted up a little heavy really, but it's really lovely, and the photos will never do justice to the intensity of the colours. I have found in knitting with both these yarns that I am amazed at the colours that the silks produce. They have a certain quality that no other fibre can come near to. They are both like jewels, and I am loving knitting with them.

Go Jense!

Whhooooo Hoooooo

What a race!!!

Fabulous driving, overtaking, strategies and. . . . . . Jense won! - What a great way to spend a Sunday!!

Spiderman????

You Are Spider-Man

Quick and agile, you have killer instincts (literally).And that kind of makes up for the whole creepy spider thing.

What Superhero Are You?

Just because someone on the knitting forum asked - so here is my answer!!!! Actually I don't mind that - I don't have a spider phobia - but sister does so I could surely freak her out! - and OH would call my mood swings "killer" !!!!! LOL

No snot at the sea!!!

Answer to hayfever problems is go to the seaside. Wonderful, lovely, thoughtful OH had no work yesterday, so he took me to Hayling Island. We decided to leave Spot behind after her awful behaviour last time, and also so I could just sit and breathe!!!!! without worrying about her!

It was a really lovely day - it was sunny down there, but a lovely warm breeze was coming in off the sea. We sat on the beach for 4 hours in total - moving around a bit here and there - OH with a fishing rod out every now and then (no cathes though)! but generally just watching fish and birds and oh the ecstasy of being able to breathe freely!!!

Unfortunately within 20 mins of being home, the sneezing and snottiness had returned, but it was a break, and it was great!

I am trying HayMax as suggested by dear sister. It's a balm you put at the edge of your nostrils - apparently to catch the pollen instead of it going up your nose - worth a try, and it smells of lovely lavender! If nothing else the balm will help the red nose syndrome!!!

Today I have been spinning again - a little. I had loads to do today - not least some housework!! and putting a new hard drive in my new PC. None of it has happened! I have sat and watched the GP qualifiers for tomorrows Hungarian GP, and spun a bit - and that's about it! Oh well there's always another day for housework!!!

All bunged up

Yep the hayfever season is surely upon us. I always get it late - but now it's here it's here good and proper.

Trouble is I can't take any type of anti-histamine unless I am prepared to take a 2 hour sleep at some stage in the day - "May cause drowsiness" needs to be re-written for me to something more along the lines of "will induce a 2 hour coma" . Even the non-drowsy ones affect me! I've tried becanase nose spray for the first time this year - but it doesn't seem to work very well, so the nett result is that I'm snotty, grumpy and fed up!!

So if anyone has any other tips - I'm open to anything - dancing naked round the garden offering myself to the wood nymphs - really anything!!!!!

I'm desperately trying to finish one chevron sock so that my DPN's are free to start on the lovely sock yarn that Helen sent me. It should be finished tonight! I also managed to buy a copy of Vogue Socks 2, off the forum for a steal, so may get extra ideas from there before starting the new ones!

I haven't decided what to do with the silk yet - or rather I haven't finished deciding. My calculations reckon on around 200 yds in the skein so i am thinking a scarf. I can't decide whether to do a lace ladder type affair (like this sort of thing), or a thin clapotis looking scarf. - Most people seem to average around 500g for the clapotis - which is a huge shawl, so to use a fifth on a scarf in the same vein I think would be feasible, and the knitting between the dropped stitches would show the colours off beautifully. A lace ladder type thing would be more "floaty", and would probably make a better length/width scarf as I assume the silk would go further on a pattern that is mostly yarn overs!!!. . . . . .Any thoughts anyone!??