In Lurrrrvvv

With SmarieK patterns http://smariek.blogspot.com, and they're free to download, stash busting here I come. Sorry can't get links to work on my blog. Also on Ravelry as SmarieK

Trying to get back into it

Haven't touched the cross stitch since it was signed, thinking of knitting - have been looking at plently of patterns for inspiration. But a bit distracted , hubby had a knee operation this week ,so have been ferrying him around to the physio etc.

Have had the week off , not looking forward to going back to work even if it is for
2 and half days, then off again to 5/1. Need to pick something up my mood is down.
Hubby had to quit his job so could get his knee sorted, so even if I have said to myself not worrying about being down to one income till after Christmas , think it's playing on my mind.

Did check out the new Patons Pattern books in Spotlight this week , very nice.

Weight Lose 5.5kgs - yay

Autographed

Didn't quite complete it, but it is signed (even if it was through an uncompleted bit). A great day had by both father and daughter at the last ever V8 round at Oran Park. A track that was great for spectators and drivers alike. Dad survived getting dragged around all day on a signature hunt, even with a torn knee cartilage.

Now to find the motivation to finish

3.5 kgs gone and counting

Still Stitching

Been gone awhile getting closer to finishing cross stitch but won't meet weekend deadline, so it will have to be signed unfinished. Keep forgetting to charge camera batteries to take a picture for an update, it will explain where I've been.

And the other thing I was meant to be tracking here, my weight lose. 2.6 kgs in 4 weeks, so slowly but surely.

Received Interweave Knits today, was hoping for something to inspire, that I can knit
when I've lost another 20kgs or so. Nothing takes my eye, like the shorter length of things (being only 149cm tall) but they don't seem to be very figure flattering.

Under The Pump

Sad news of Mark Skaife's retirement, has made the finishing of the cross stitch vital as Oran Park on the 7/12 , will be the last chance we know of to get it autographed, have resorted to taking it to work to get a few stitches done during the day. Getting itchy fingers for knitting, must resist

Bit the bullet last week and joined weight watchers, 18kgs to lose just to get into a health weight range, so that is another thing to report progress of , first weight in tomorrow.

And lastly our Elliot doing his favourite thing

I Can See Progress

Yes I can see progress, might even be able to say I'm half way , unfortunately I can also feel a couple of kilos through lack of activity, must take more calories to knit. Definitely considering Weight Watchers, need to lose about 20 kilos I think.

The roses are coming out, here is a Teddy Bear minature rose, named for it's browny shade of pink.

Another week gone past in a blurr

Got some goodies in the post today from my Aunt who recently visited , she is into card making and teaches classes in it in Tasmania. We spent a day touring the scrapbook shops around the area when she was here which was quite enjoyable. I want to give quilling a try and couldn't find any tools up here, this is her version of I'll send you a couple when I get back. She also sent me an e-mail about a new Craft show coming up in March 2009 in Sydney, and later in the year for QLD and VIC, website is www.craftfest.com.au (sorry can't get links to work).

And last but not least the cross stitch progress photo for this week, have a deadline of early December (doubt I'll make as you can see even doing some each day progress is slow) , my daughter wants to take it to Oran Park to be autographed. So no fibre action at all

Another Update

Slowing making progress , have had 2 lots of visitors from interstate in the last 2 weeks, but have managed to get a bit done each day.







My Aunt and Uncle came to stay from Tasmaina for a few days. It was lovely to catch up with them again. Took them to Mt Tomah Botanical Gardens on Sunday and escaped the heat a bit. All the waratahs were out, had no idea they grow on huge trees. It was a bit hazy, apparently due to the eucalyptus oil from the gum trees in the heat.

Xstitch Update

Moseying Along

Seven panels complete of the road scarf.

An update of the cross stitch , have decided to do a regular picture update to prove to myself it's progressing.

Misty

Misty who we adopted two months ago. She is really coming out of her shell, the stitches and craft show inspired me to pick my Mark Skaife Car crosstitch. Guess who been running off with highlighters and skeins of cotton.She likes to help knit too!

Had so forgotten what it was like to have a young cat around full of mischief.

So I think I made it about 3 weeks without knitting, but after a week of cross stitching and seemingly not getting anywhere ( the pattern has 30,000 stitches) needed some thing that noticably grew. Started on Lionbrand's Road Scarf in Tweed aran by elle (found in The Warehouse and out of the stash) a wool/acylic/viscose blend but quite soft. It consists of panels of basketweave, mesh, sugarcubes and moss stitch repeated 3 times, but I have decided to get out the Reader's Digest Needlecraft book, and attempt 12 different stitches. Felt a bit silly doing a scarf at the beginning of the week when spring seemed to sprung to it's full glory, but weather has now turned miserable cold and wet. Good excuse just to be crafty, not at all miffed that it's the start of my leave. Can't garden in rain & mud.


So for a moment I have found a balance of reading cross stitch, knitting and reading. Maybe because I'm not under pressure to complete anything , thinking I will keep the scarf for myself. Hubby is just happy I've picked up his cross stitch again as he has been waiting 4 or 5 years for it's completion. I have discovered my WIP for cross stitch is bigger than I thought with at least two more major projects(no little quick one's for me):-\\



In two weeks I've only achieved the top right hand corner tyre wall and a bit of grass. I had a colleague who I gave the pattern, it took her nine months of constant stitching to complete. My own fault I like things to look realistic and I suppose if I wasn't so lazy I would have learnt how to use the software properly so maybe get rid of individual stitches of just one colour, there is heaps of those. It has 100 colours in it. But I know from the finished piece, it does turn out well. I have a second one to do, in my wisdom I thought a set would be nice. If I ever get to it, the background will be half stitch for sanity's sake.

Stitches and Craft Show

Was feeling a bit disappointed , but nearly missed a whole building worth of stuff. Instead of being over a couple levels in the same building like last time I went, it was in 2 buildings. Not as much yarn and stuff that I'd like, so did a lot of looking at cross stitch. And of course there was heaps and heaps of scrapbooking stuff. Mostly it was just Noro yarn, in a couple of stalls. Was hoping to find some stuff for quilling and glass painting or etching, or some yarn dyes but nothing at all that I came across.

The second building provided a bit more fruitful, did get the chance to check out some pure Alpaca yarn. There was some 4ply, but only in 4 colours, that weren't very nice, so wasn't tempted to add to the sock stash. Also the Mi Alpaca brand which was very soft, had seen it on the net, so good to see it in the flesh, would consider buying it now.

I was very impressed with Biggan Design's yarn, they only have a 100% DK merino at the moment, but 64 bright colours and it is REALLY REALLY soft. They plan a 4ply within the next 2 years, so will keep an eye out.

And did I buy anything, yep a heat pack for my husband's bad knee, heats up automatically through a chemical reaction caused by flexing a small aluminium button in it, so no microwave and stays hot much much longer. Just what you expect to find at a craft show!! Oh and some Aida cloth.

Stitches & Craft Show

Going on Saturday, hope there is more knitting related stuff this year, or maybe not, no money to spend :-((.

Have polished the spinning wheel, so feeling more inspired to give it ago, just ran out of time last weekend.

Ravelry - CoppaTop

Yes have joined , mainly because a lot of surfing the web has bought me to it and I've been locked out and missing out. Can see why people get absorbed in it.

Still resisting the needles, but have all these possible projects going through my head , must be strong , must read at least one more book.

The Spinning Wheel is back in working order thanks to Mandie at http://www.ewegivemetheknits.com/store/Default.asp.

Now to actually learn to use it.

That's a Big Wagon Wheel

That's a bread & butter plate , not a dinner plate so don't freak out, but it's pretty awesome. As somebody who remembers that standard one being so much bigger when I was a kid it bought back memories of Friday tuck shop at primary school. It's from the Berry Bakery, a lovely little town in the southern highlands of NSW. We went to a dog show today and it finished early so we played tourist for a little while, also visting The Berry Bon Bon Sweet Shop, which was also very good.

The Baby Beanie was finished on time and fit perfectly, so didn't get a chance for a picture, may get one of the little man wearing it, if I ask his Mum.

Taking a break from knitting to read a little at the moment, my book stash is getting as bad as my yarn one. Can't seem to mix the two, it's all or nothing

Not Much Happening

Life just speeding past. Working on a baby beanie with earflaps, it is getting annoyingly slow, but will aim to try and have it completed by tomorrow night, so my stretch class teacher can try it on her little boy on Tuesday. Have started another sock and still adding a few rows here and there to the rock crevice rug.

Otherwise we have a new little cat (misty), a girl adopted from the Animal Welfare League, wow they look after the animals well there. She was ten months old at the time, don't think she had been there long as was quite frightened of anything and still had her stitches in from being desexed. And what a bargain $70.00 desexed immunised microchipped and wormed. She is sweet thing and has grown heaps in the 4 weeks she has been with us and developing a cheeky character. Although she still hides most of the day when there's noise around. Think it will be a long while till she wants to venture outside.

We have finally got a backyard fenced off so the dogs will be have more room to run and be closer to the house when we are home, they have a big yard, but it's a little way from the house and they sit forlornly staring down at the house as they just want to be near us. So hopefully there will be less fence destroying & escaping now.

Presents

The mittens for my daughter's Godfather turned into a rib textured scarf in Patons Inca (Pattern no.14 Book 1232 Inca for Men)


And completed Baby Cable socks for her Godmother, the first ever handknitted socks she has had.

We had a very nice visit with them today on the central coast. And as great minds think alike I got these. Probably machine done , but all the the way from Germany.Some stash busting ideas to be had from them.

Only One Left

The Slipper Sock Thingees are completed, just a big chunky socks really, in the end only taking a few hours to complete, pretty ugly though. I am considering a suede sole for longevity. This leaves only rock crevice rug as a long term WIP. Working on more socks Baby Cables Socks from " I Can't Believe I'm Knitting Socks" in Moda Vera Fun. I needed a quick knit as a gift for my daughter's godmother as we are going to visit next week and need to try and gets some mits done for her Godfather, thinking in Patons Jet to match the beanie I made him last year as still have a few balls left over.

Picked up some Moda Vera Socks and the Fun yarn for 30% off a couple of weeks ago at Spotlight, so it will be socks for a while. The only thing I've noticed with the Socks yarn is the colour runs a bit when washed, but they seem to be wearing well.

Not a Good Start to the Week

We had to put our old cat to sleep on Sunday, I've had to do this a few times before but never a cat, it was the worst. He had been with us for 16 years, our first pet as a couple and my daughter's life long protector. He came down with a bladder infection last week, but also a blocked bladder, he had suffered from kidney disease for 8 years, so this was an added complication. He was arrogant in the true cat way, he was known to chase dogs, and would sit quietly while a stray tomcats would curse at him, then just slam them down in one go. A larger than life character. Unfortunately this was his down fall as well, we could have attempted to treat him (with no guarantees), but he was near impossible to give medication to, and in the end we figured having to battle him everyday would not have been a good ending for any of us. He battled to the end, making it very hard with the vet having to give 3 needles, a true fighter. RIP HARRY CAT

In My Forties

<
Yeap, not just forty anymore but in my forties. Above some pressies.

Was surprised that the online sock wool wasn't that soft, the Spotlight Moda Vera is softer. And on that subject, here at last completed wave rib socks, quite happy with the final result like how the yarn has knitted up. And I think I have enough left for some fingerless mitts, or maybe socks for a little person. So thinking this yarn is good value.Will have to see & compare how they wear.

.

The Online Cotton/Wool sock yarn feels very nice though, and different to what I expected from the picture , did not expect to have so much white, will be interesting to see how it knits up.



And my first top suffering from odd sock syndrome, not from me not having knitted a partner , but me losing the other, I know 2 came in from the line, but when I went to put them away there was only 1. Sure it will turn up somewhere. I don't like the heel, prefer a gusset heel so will have to learn that top up. Possibly the yukky acrylic doesn't help, but seems to side easier off the foot. But they pass as house socks.



Supposing now I should put some more time into finishing the rock crevice rug.Will have to start on a simple sock though, as need something for my breaks at work to work on.

And looking out my back door, why is nice to have a nice sunny winter's day off, all sheltered from the wind that's supposed to be happening here today in Sydney.

Don't Know what Possessed Me

After not wanting to bother with toe ups, going through some downloaded patterns, and found a top up pattern which seemed OK, so here it is my first toe up. I had never grasped the concept at all that this did not involve grafting the toe. So I maybe a convert, haven't attempted the heel yet though. Yes it is cheap acrylic, pretty colours though, like to try out new things on cheap yarn first and it only involves 40 stitches. Had a bit of trouble with releasing the original stitches from the crochet chain, and don't know how right I was picking up the wraps as the acrylic hides heaps.

And lastly but not least Dad in his Inca Jumper. A little big but - hey

Up to 50% off Sock Yarn

Simply Sock Yarn Co. has a sale on, couldn't resist although postage is a bit steep, have saved about $20.00 on 3 skeins of Online Sock Yarn compared to buying it here in Oz. Have been dying to try some out. Luckily my birthday is coming up and I can use that as an excuse.

FFO

Finally finished object, yes my Dad's Ince jumper is finally complete , no without having to get a remedial massage though, went all out this week to do the front and think the weight of the jumper really did my shoulders in. At 88 hope my Dad's up to putting it on. My husband finally wore his Inca jumper last night, think he likes my Dad's better as it's more clingy so doesn't feel as heavy, he said his feels likes it's stretching, Inca is very heavy. Oh well, he just have to deal with it, his jumper would be much too big for Dad so there's no swap going to happen. So a tip if you're thinking of knitting an Inca jumper , go for the ribber type. I went a looser fit for my husband as not to accentuate the belly , but the slip stitch rib doesn't look bad on him even with the stretcher finish. No more Inca jumper's for a while even if I do come across for $1 a ball again. Have started a sock in Moda Dea Socks yarn to see how it knits up, it is finer than I've done before, band says 3mm don't have any DPNs that size so going with 2.75mm which I think will be better anyway. Going to do do a fancy rib , have decided yet which. I was going to try toe ups or two at once on circs but looked at the instructions and decided I didn't really want to think that much at the moment, so sticking with the so far tried and true top down. Pics soon , just thought I'd drop a line before June.

Busy getting ready for the Schipperke Specialty Show tomorrow , I have the job of getting all the prizes together and putting ribbons and labels on. Must Go

Don't know it's Good or Bad

Spotlight in Penrith is moving on the 6 June. Bad - because I won't be able to go over there at lunchtime if I'm having a bad day and chill out amongst the yarn, I'll have to go to the book store instead and that can be much more expensive. And the possibility of missing out on some really good bargins may pass me by. Good - less temptation, but I'm hoping for some really good deals closer the moving date, they are advertising a moving sale now, but I didn't really see any specials too much out of the ordinary. Picked 2 balls of Moda Vera Socks (didn't know it existed and was only 2 in the whole shop and don't know the normal price ) $4.99 a ball of 100g 75% wool 25% polymide, not the softest I've felt, but a $5 pair of socks is Ok by me, and maybe it won't felt as much as Patonyle.

Love the look of these scarf to throw patterns and they're free.

http://www.jimmybeanswool.com/freeKnittingPatternScarvesToThrowMonth6.asp

Finally

It's a bit big, room for development, may revisit it, the last section with the biggest needles ended up a bit floppy. Might redo the last section with smaller needles. Can't face it now though.

Hope everybody had a nice Mother's Day, not into it myself, so was happy to stay at home and do a bit of gardening for Mum and get some knitting done. Dad's jumper nearly has one sleeve in a day. I had forgotten how quick Inca knits up.

So now only two major projects going , have to refrain from starting anything new at least till the jumper is done.

Viruses - Computer & Human

Have been off air for a while, had problems with the computer with some malware thing, it was AVG version 8 to the rescue in the end. Spyware Doctor just did not do the job, luckily they are happy to provide a money back guarantee.

The family has had a virus - throat, headache & sore eyes, which has now turned into an annoying cold for me. Not bad enough to take time off , but enough to really wish you didn't have to go to work.

Knitting hasn't progressed to far, the green top has about an inch and half to go. Haven't touched the blanket, I shouted Mum a massage yesterday, so that will cover Sunday. The jumper I will have to get back to as it's getting quite cool and I'm sure Dad could make use of it. Need to also get onto onto the slipper sock thingees, as I need them and that will be the last UFO from last year. Just have to remember what the hell I was doing, making it up as I went along I know that much.

It's nice to know you're knitting is appreciated, I knitted a scarf for my Daughter's godmother and beanie for her Godfather, they have just returned from a European river cruise (absolutely wonderful trip they said) and they came in very useful in the cold and were much appreciated.

Have taken a bit of time out to read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, very enjoyable, even if it's meant for teens - romance/vampire genre. It's a popular series, so now I can't get the next book anywhere - ughh

Rock Crevice Lap Rug

It's coming along, in hindsight probably should have used bigger needles, label says 4mm and I've used 6mm but is still really thick and is going to be quite heavy. It will be warm though. Just hoping it will be wide enough. I was thinking 23 balls would be heaps , but I'm only getting about 4cm from each ball

The green cotton top is progressing at about 2-3 rows a day, as I'm only working on it at work in my little breaks.

Dad's jumper has seen no action at all.

Read Paul Coelho's "The Alchemist" yesterday, it supposed to be great and inspiring, don't think I got it. Did nothing for me at all.

All home today with a throat lurgy.

Crochet for a Christening

Here's the card I made.



I had a christening to buy a present for, then a girl work asked me to show her how to crochet, as it had been about 20 years, I came home and had a practice. Then it stuck me I had a kit for a crocheted baby blanket in the stash. I had not previously done it due to not being able to make sense of the instructions.On inspection I still couldn't but thought why not the good old granny square. So in 4 days I crocheted up 9 32cm squares and whalah a blanket. So that's my crochet bug tamed for another 20 years. I really did not enjoy it as much as knitting.

Textures

Moda Vera Manor - the yarn for my Mum's Lap Rug, going to call it "Rock Crevices"as the colours remind me of the mountains , making it up as I go along, it seems to want to be a rows of moss stitch with 4x2 rib in between.



My Dad's jumper in slipped rib - Patons Inca



My daughter's cotton blend top, finally past half way and gone from 2x2 rib to 4x4 - Caro

Still Here

Have been busy with some urgent crochet and card making. The green tank top for my daughter refuses to grow, no matter how much I knit. I have started a lap rug for Mum for Mother's day and still have only completed the back of my Dad's jumper.

Getting myself a bit strung out as I keep thinking of things I can make for occasions coming up in the next month, will need to settle and get some perspective. Knitting is not meant to create stress.

Haven't been able to get to the computer for days due to all my daughter's school assignments being due together. I love it when teachers just happen to forget to hand them out on time and expect them to be done in a shorter timeframe , and instead of being spread out , all come at once.

Oh and just for the record , I hate the Commonwealth Bank. More time wasted dealing with their crappy service, I thought quitting my job with them would free me , but they still haunt me and I can't escape till my low fixed rate loan expires. Can go elsewhere with my credit card though, will have to consider this , just to make me feel better. That's my vent , Ahhh feel a bit better now.

Pics of completed projects soon

2000 visits

Who'd of thought I get this many in twelve months, admittedly at least 3oo are mine, but I also didn't put the stat counter on right from the start, so I'm impressed. Thanks to everyone who drops by.

Just surfing around and came across this http://www.elann.com/freepatterns.asp and thought there was some really interesting free patterns.

I have finished the back of my Dad's Jumper and slugging through my daughter's cotton top with about 6 inches of double rib so far, 3 to go then a swap to bigger needles. Feeling crap like a cold coming on, so don't know if anything much of anything will get done this weekend. Must be reaction to trying to start being healthy this week and drop a few kilos :-/

A blogthing

You Are An ISFJ

The Nurturer You have a strong need to belong, and you very loyal. A good listener, you excel at helping others in practical ways. In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music. You find it easy to be devoted to one person, who you do special things for. In love, you express your emotions through actions. Taking care of someone is how you love them. And you do it well! At work, you do well in a structured environment. You complete tasks well and on time. You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist. How you see yourself: Competent, dependable, and detail oriented When other people don't get you, they see you as: Boring, dominant, and stuck in a rut

What's Your Personality Type?

Not far off.

Received the latest edition of Yarn Magazine, I have decided it's just my sort of mag.I like lots of new patterns to look at, this issue has about 3 non exciting ones.I was getting put off before, but this issue has sealed it for me. Perhaps it's because I'm a knitaholic not a fibreholic. I wait with baited breathe for the next Interweave Knits.

Don't think I like it

Think it's the yarn , a cotton blend, just has no bounce to it, and does not hide any mistakes. The original pattern was for cotton. Not sure about the actual garment, although I can see it's practicality and that drew me to it in the first place. I will post it next week, even it it just gets used around the house. I would probably do it again but in something thicker & bouncer to make it snuggly.

One of my other projects is in the same yarn , but a summer top in a rib for my daughter, hopefully that will suit better. It's cast on and I was doing it in the round ,but I got it all twisted and had to frog, so will probably settle for one seam instead and still use the round needles. My Dad's jumper is also on the needles.

The lolly buttons and crocheted loops were last minute extra. I have about 100 of the lolly buttons, won them on Ebay , there was supposed to be about 20, but I think they just wanted to get rid of them, there are a few different colours but they all have green spots. I use them and any other bright coloured buttons as decor in the craft room, I have them in a big brady glass shaped vase on a shelf, that way I remember I have them to use.

The top shot is the truer colour.

3 Projects

I have started a Slip Rib Jumper in Inca for my Dad, and a Tank top for my daughter in a cotton blend. Then I find the Lions Brand Poncho in the bottom of my knitting basket. This is second time I have forgotten about it, it happens to be it's recipient's birthday this week, she will be turning 2, luckily I'm working on a size 3, I must have known something when I started it some time last year. Last mentioned in my blog September 07, it was meant to be a Christmas present - I wonder what happened there? I think it bores me (not that I'm up to anything fancy), also I suspect I will run out of yarn, I have different colours, so hoping I can get away with a contrasting front pocket, but it may end up being the hood as well. I will have to read the WIP in this blog more often to see what I should be up to. I did complete the back, so have now cast on the front, this maybe my longest going project yet. But wait there's the Slipper Sock Thingees, think they're at the bottom of the basket somewhere too.

Question

Has anybody mastered the art of reading and knitting at the same? Ahh to be able to do that, or maybe I just need a 48 hour day, no more 8 hours working though.

Socks

Very Happy with the single cable rib, it made a very snug sock which returned to nearly to it's original state after being worn for nearly 24 hours. My daughter put them on soon as the last thread was sewn in. So I suppose she likes them. She wanted a flap hat but doesn't want one in Patons Jet. I have the yarn and the pattern and they would match her fingerless mittens, but no not interested. So looks like a bigger project will be on the cards, like the jumper I owe Dad and the lacy top I swatched for quite a few months ago for my daughter. Also picked up about 24 balls of Moda Vera Manor at spotlight for $1 a ball, thinking a lap rug for Mum for Mother's Day.

Coping with work a bit better now, don't know if it's the stress vitamins I started to take, or I've just stopped bashing myself up over it all. Our last trainer was very motivational. Still a month to go before out of probation though, will be able to breathe a bit easier once through that.

Knitting Knitting

Since last post, I have revisited the dropped stitch shawl from last July/August and added another ball of yarn on , it's now a wearable size.

Daughter has requested a pair of socks & earflap hat for school camp to the Snowy Mountains in early March, so it's back to the stash for some more Patonyle. I've tried a cabled rib for a bit of variety and making them nice and snug so the pattern shows, 2 thirds through the first one and looking good.

A Pair of Uglies

Finally done, I did not have quite enough yarn, and couldn't get the same colour, so frogged the toe on the first and made the toes varigated. I also did them in stocking stitch. I found a slightly different way of doing kitchener stitch in Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook, and I'm much happier with it. This has also been an issue for me finishing off the toes. Of course they are big on me, hope hubby will wear them. They bag a bit at the ankles after the increasing again, but the decreasing seems to keep them up, which was the plan. I'm also happy I remembered the second one from memory.

Some Retail Therapy

Friday lunch time, I was in need of losing myself in a really big bookstore ( I used to do this when I worked in the city for a brief escape from the world). Since Penrith doesn't have one , Spotlight seemed like the next best thing. Well to my pleasant surprise, it seems all last year's leftover stock was selling for $1.00 or at the most $1.99. So I indulged and spent a whole $20.00 , no need to even feel guilty. A pair and of socks and jumper for my dad. Dad's birthday is tomorrow, so it it will have to be a IOU. I had the Billy Elliot DVD on order, but it seems no local suppliers have it.

We saw The Golden Compass yesterday, really didn't grab me, the effects were fantastic but the characters were not really developed, I suppose it seemed like a child's picture book version of a more detailed original book. I'm trying not to let it put me off the book.

Not Much Happening

Back in the classroom last week for more training for work , which has been quite intense, but I got most of it, just have to retain some of it now (that's the hard part). Even so have done as promised finished another Isobelle Carmody book and the Ugly Sock has seen some attention.

Went to the movies with my best buddy and saw "I am Legend" - the story line is fairly weak, but Will Smith does a good job with what he has to play with. If you're a bit of a scary cat , I wouldn't go, it is very good at giving you a fright at regular intervals. My friend was getting close to the fetal position in the chair. It left us both feeling quite tense. So if you're tossing it up with something else to see, I'd say see the something else.

Tossing up whether to start another knitting project, but thinking I will make myself finish the second "ugly" sock. My Dropped Stitch shawl (back in July or August)need revisiting, in my eagerness to finish it, it's not big enough and I know I won't wear it. I have another ball of yarn , so think I will add it on.

Still Around

I'm still here, just got busy the last few days of 2007, catching up with people and travelling about.

Have since been preoccupied with work, still way out of my comfort zone, but definitely not alone there. I'm also trying to find a new school for my daughter.
Have now decided, she is not impressed, but it was her idea to change, but where she wanted to go is not where I want to send her. Fingers crossed now, they will have a vacancy. It has so many advantages , heaps cheaper, same education, I drive past it on my way to work. The bus in the afternoon goes right past here. There are other kids a few doors up that go there (she can make local friends, bit hard when it's all acreages, don't see people in the street very often). Till now it's still been before and after care and relying on her grandparents. Not that they mind, but my Dad is 88 this month and may not pass his licence test. Her other grandparents are planning an overseas holidays. So it is the ultimate solution I think, and will also save on childcare expenses, as interest rates are starting to bite. So toes crossed as well, I'll be on the phone as soon as the school office opens on the 21st.

Just other niggly things , such as sorting out super and such. My daughter is going away for two weeks to visit her Aunty, Uncle & cousin in Wodonga and attend a summer dance school at the studio her cousin attends. I think this will determine if she wants to become more serious with her dancing, as it's will give her idea of how a performing studio runs. So there has been shopping to extend her wardrobe a bit while the bargains are on , fortunately she still fits in some kids clothes, so I can pick up things for under $10 on special. The biggest bargain I think though was pair of black knee high boots for $12.95, very plain, but she has reported them very comfortable, which has got her over the look of them. There is still some sense in her teenage brain.

One of our visits was to meet these little guys , as we hope to get my husband another dog later in the year. They are Welsh Springer Spaniels. We had read alot and heard they were lovely dogs , so wanted to see them in the flesh. And, yes they were all that was expected.This was a brief moment when the puppies stopped for a breather and tummy rub.




So knitting has consisted of about an inch on the ugly sock, reading, about half a page since Christmas. Hope to improve these stats over the next few weeks.