ravelling

And we thought we were in the clear!

2012-02-05T13:07:00.001Z

It snowed quite hard last night.

When J went out this morning, the garden was full of fox footprints. We played CSI Fox tracking where they had been - there was more than one. The garden has a secret life all of it's own at night. I seem to spend so much of each night awake but still miss it.

Reshuffle

2012-02-05T04:00:00.000Z

We've been playing musical cars recently. j bought himself a car of his own so we are cramming three into a space designed for one and a half, really. As J is obsessed with (amongst other things - he really likes to work a good obsession!) the newest car being stolen or damaged, he has instituted a complex hierachy of parking in front of the house. As I leave for work earlier than everyone else, I now take a different car from the one I was driving, in the interests of sanity and a getaway that doesn't involve moving three cars.

In the resulting reshuffle, I ended up separated from my loving collated mix CD collection this week. I find it hard to convey my horror at finding I was trapped in a car with a choice of Roger Whittacker, Frank Zappa or Smooth FM for company.

Catchup

2012-02-04T06:42:00.002Z

Every week I have good intentions about blogging and every week those intentions seem to fall by the wayside as each week is just as manic as the previous one!

A quick catchup:

I spent a lovely couple of days hiking around Gibisde with a group of kids and some hardy colleagues. We had a great time, but slept little! Gibside is a great location and the stable block, where we stayed, is a really interesting building. I had regular periods of feeling watched, though. I know the chances of that are pretty high when there are 37 of you sharing the space, but it wasn't that. Regular readers will know about my insomnia and night time wanderings, and it was the times when I was on my own that were most interesting. Need to investigate that a bit more, I think. Maybe not. Maybe I'm better off not knowing.

I've been finishing some small, knitted items as I haven't had much time/stamina/wakefulness to invest in a bigger item. I have cast something on in anticipation of my forthcoming half-term holiday, though. My plan is to sit on the sofa for a week and watch all the films the blokes won't watch.

Shivery!

2012-01-21T18:36:00.000Z

Well, after wondering if we were going to get away without really having a winter, the weather starting to deteriorate a bit over the past week.
J and I got up early one morning to visit the RSPB Saltholme reserve in the hope of seeing short eared owls or marsh harriers. We didn't find them, but watched a flock of Barnacale Geese land on one of the lakes. It is very beautiful at this time of year.

In knitting news:

I finished a pair of socks for my brother, P, while on the train to and from the BETT show in Olympia. I enjoyed the show and it was a good day out with a colleague, but I know I couldn't do a really long commute like that every day (or even every week)! I did enjoy explaining how I got the socks to (more or less match) to the chap sitting opposite us on the return trip.

Then I finally finished my Hitchhiker scarf, in Sanguine Gryphon Bugga. This is gorgeous yarn. I was aiming for 42 points, but managed 36 - not quite the ultimate answer.

Next, I knitted up another hat - need to keep the wind off my ears these days. This one is in my hand-dyed, handspun yarn (merino, alpaca and silk). If I look wrinkly and knackered, it's because I am wrinkly and knackered all the time these days.

Stormy

2012-01-04T11:43:00.003Z

J has gone off to repair a friend's fence, which blew down yesterday. Good to see he is getting such early use out of his new Christmas drill/driver!

Yesterday was so stormy. There was a brief lull in the wind and rain in the early afternoon. We headed out to the beach - I was feeling a bit stir crazy. It was deserted except for us and the sea birds. We watched a little colony of turnstones fighting to stay upright in the wind.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T06:07:00.000Z

Belated, again.

I ended last year determined to reduce the number of knitting projects I have on the go. I was trying to get my Fiddlehead Mittens finished, but didn't manage to get them completed, lined, trimmed and blocked until yesterday. Surely these will keep even my frozen fingers warm.

They are made in Rowan Rowanspun 4 ply and Mini Mochi. The Rowanspun was a delight to work with, but the Mini Mochi was horrible. It split, caught on the tips of the bamboo dpns I used to make these and was very 'thick and thin' in places. I love the colours, but won't be using this again. I've come to the conclusion that I don't really like singles.

J and I went to Whitby yesterday morning. The White Horse and Gryphon is for sale. Were we tempted? Only briefly. We've seen too many episodes of Three In a Bed and The Hotel Inspector!

We walked for a bit and then drove up the coast to Sandsend and had a lovely latte in the Wits End Cafe. Great little place. This is the view back across to Whitby.

So, with only one work in progress on the needles, I felt the need to cast on something else:

Socks for P.

Mug is full of Mocha Matarri from Pumphreys. I love the smell when I open a new bag.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-27T18:25:00.000Z

Yet another belated Merry Christmas!

December is always busy for me at work. Then, when I finally get to the holidays I'm too tired to even get a post together, but - finally - here I am.

We had a lovely Christmas. I thought all the gifts went down well, and I got some lovely things.

I've been catching up with some knitting:

A Gaptastic cowl for me in Twilley's Freedom Wool.

And one for J's girlfriend, J, in Merino, Alpaca and silk.

Here I am wearing mine. It's very warm.

I finally found a sweater that was a good match for the King Cole baby alpaca I bought on impulse in the summer. I have started three different sweaters/cardigans with this and not felt the love. This is Margot, and I really like it. I wondered if it might be a little short, but it's intended for wearing with skirts and to come just below the waist. So it works well.

I started a scarf for me. It's Hitchhiker and I'm making it in Sanguine Gryphon Bugga. The colour is a lovely mix of coppers, blues, greys and greens. It feels wonderful.

I have also picked up work on my long-languishing Fiddlehead Mittens. More of them to come later.

Oh me, of little faith!

2011-11-28T05:30:00.000Z

Oh boy - I was a bit nervous about this yarn! I had three smallish pieces of roving with some blueish tones and some orangish tones in each. Not enough to do anything by themselves, really. I like to knit larger projects best of all.

So, I fractal spun them together onto two jumbo bobbins and then plied the bobbins together.

The result:

To be honest, I didn't think it would work, but I like these rather a lot! I'm going to call this North Gare.

Aftermath

2011-11-27T13:42:00.001Z

We had quite a storm last night. The wind came from the west and was so strong, gusting onto the back of the house, that we wre very glad we'd taken down the eucalyptus tree in the garden this summer.

Our morning walk took us along the beach at Seaton Carew, this morning. The wind was still quite wild, blowing onto the sea.

The sand war eroded so far back by the storm that this section of rocks was exposed. We don't see these wooden piers very often.

These mature and barnacle-encrusted mussels were ripped from their mussel beds and devoured by herring gulls.

On the way home we stopped off at North Gare. It's a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Today it was festooned with plastic that escaped from the nearby landfill site.

This is where it came from:

It doesn't normally feature in my pictures of the area, but today it does in an attempt to shame the owners/authorities.

Bizarrely, we were reminded of the prayer flags and rubbish that are on Everest.

Reconnaissance

2011-11-20T16:08:00.001Z

J and I went on a recce to Gibside, where I am planning a residential visit, this morning. The fog was thick and really unpleasant on the A1. It's unnerving how many idiots continue to drive around with no lights on. It's always idiots in silver/grey cars too. Impossible to see until you are almost on top of them.

Anyway. We got there safely and emerged from the gloom into a crisp, bright November morning, to be shown around by Melanie, who could not have been more helpful.

After we'd sussed everything out, we went for a wander. The grounds are lovely.

Back home again, this afternoon, I took the opportunity to do a bit of spinning. What with one thing and another, I haven't done any for ages.

I'm spinning three lots of top together to add to my collection of blue/brown/ginger yarns. Eventually I will have enough for the project I have in mind.

Hedonism

2011-11-15T17:40:00.001Z

J and I went to The Sage at Gateshead last night to see Bellowhead.

Wonderful show! I love their sound.

Unfortunately, because we dithered about booking we left it so late that there were only seats left on the third level.

Eeek!

Another challenge to the heights/edges 'thing'.

Moving on

2011-11-14T05:52:00.000Z

I've been thinking a lot about the weight loss 'journey'. Ugghh. Sounds like I'm auditioning for the X factor! Nevermind. I can't think of a better way of expressing the process at the moment.

Anyway, I've finally realised that I'm ok. Honestly.

I actually feel like I'm moving into a new phase.
I'm not stressing about losing more weight, I'm not worrying about putting it back on. Over the past six months, my weight has hovered around the same mark. I may put a little on if I eat more carbs than are good for me and neglect my protein, but it comes straight back off when I work the programme.

Sometimes my 'fat head' rears up, but most of the time, I'm ok.

It's time to move on.

I'm leaving my surgery support groups, except the one on Ravelry, which has people at the same stage as me and seems healthy. While we have knitting, we're not all obsessing about the surgery and targets and outcomes. I need to be away from that.

I've stopped weighing myself so often. It's how I feel and how my clothes fit that guides me at the moment.

I'm also discontinuing my ticker/tracker. This is it. It marked my progress for a long time. ITo be honest, I stopped filling it in ages ago and I'm not even stressed that it doesn't show the last 3lbs I lost! For a mad moment I debated adding (subtracting?) the final amount before I deleted it, but sanity won out.
I don't think I need it any more, but I'm posting it, and the stats that sit behind it, here for posterity ;) It's not that I need to hang on to them, but just that they were important to me and it's ok to acknowledge that. It's like putting them in a memory box or time capsule, which I guess is what this blog is.

1	05/26/2011	143.0
2	05/18/2011	145.0
3	05/13/2011	146.0
4	05/06/2011	150.0
5	04/08/2011	152.0
6	03/25/2011	153.0
7	03/12/2011	154.0
8	03/03/2011	156.0
9	02/10/2011	157.0
10	02/03/2011	160.0
11	01/27/2011	162.0
12	01/20/2011	165.0
13	12/23/2010	172.0
14	12/17/2010	174.0
15	12/09/2010	175.0
16	12/02/2010	177.0
17	11/25/2010	178.0
18	11/17/2010	180.0
19	11/12/2010	182.0
20	11/05/2010	183.0
21	10/29/2010	184.0
22	10/14/2010	186.0
23	10/08/2010	189.0
24	10/01/2010	190.0
25	09/24/2010	191.0
26	09/17/2010	193.0
27	09/09/2010	195.0
28	09/03/2010	199.0
29	08/31/2010	200.0
30	08/27/2010	202.0
31	08/20/2010	205.0
32	08/13/2010	206.0
33	08/08/2010	208.0
34	07/22/2010	213.0
35	07/16/2010	216.0
36	07/09/2010	219.0
37	07/02/2010	221.0
38	06/25/2010	222.0
39	06/20/2010	224.0
40	06/18/2010	226.0
41	06/17/2010	227.0
42	06/11/2010	230.0
43	06/10/2010	231.0
44	06/04/2010	235.0
45	05/28/2010	236.0
46	05/14/2010	240.0
47	05/07/2010	243.0
48	05/05/2010	244.0
49	04/30/2010	246.0
50	04/23/2010	250.0
51	04/16/2010	253.0
52	04/09/2010	255.0
53	04/07/2010	256.0
54	03/28/2010	264.0
55	03/25/2010	265.0
56	03/23/2010	266.8
57	03/22/2010	269.8
58	02/18/2010	271.4
59	02/11/2010	273.4
60	02/06/2010	274.8
61	02/04/2010	275.8
62	01/27/2010	277.4
63	01/21/2010	280.0
64	01/16/2010	283.0
65	11/05/2009	279.0
66	10/17/2009	283.6
67	10/08/2009	284.2
68	09/26/2009	285.8
69	09/15/2009	286.4
70	09/11/2009	287.4
71	09/04/2009	290.2
72	08/30/2009	290.2
73	08/22/2009	292.4
74	08/15/2009	291.8
75	08/12/2009	294.0
76	08/03/2009	294.6
77	07/31/2009	295.6
78	07/25/2009	296.4
79	07/20/2009	297.2
80	07/11/2009	297.4
81	07/05/2009	299.0
82	07/04/2009	300.0
83	06/27/2009	300.8
84	06/26/2009	301.2
85	06/24/2009	303.0
86	06/20/2009	305.0
87	01/01/2009	325.0

Daily constitutional

2011-11-13T15:12:00.001Z

It was a horrible, grey, damp day today. Typical November in these parts.

Dropped j at work this morning and decided to have a walk along the Tees near his office.
The path took us over the Infinity Bridge,

along the North Shore,

across the Tees Barrage

and past one of my Alma Maters,

Two-faced

2011-11-12T07:24:00.001Z

I;ve been reading some new blogs recently, and followed Sadie's link to Franca's post on make up and the not wearing of it.

It's interesting. I wear make up for work every day. It makes me feel 'finished'. Maybe it's an age thing. It feels odd to put on workwear without adding my 'face'.

I also feel that I look haggard quite easily these days and without a tan, my skin quickly moves from pale to blue-tinged and anaemic-looking with dark circles under my eyes. Not the look I'm usually going for.

At the weekend, though, I usually don't bother during the day (although I do feel a bit naked without mascara, so often wear that).

My clothes are quite different, too. It's almost like I have two identities!

So, to add to the online list, here's my make-upless photo.

Step by step we climbed the stairs in search of something faraway,

2011-11-11T18:44:00.001Z

eventually making it to the top of the clock tower at the Christchurch Art Gallery in Hartlepool on our school visit to take photos.

I was very proud of myself. Not breathless, coped with the heights/edges 'thing' I have and led from the front. I wish I could post the photos of all our triumphant faces at the top, but for obvious reasons I'll stick to the views.

Delicious autumn

2011-11-06T05:58:00.000Z

A lovely cold, crisp morning. Hardly a hint of a breeze for a change.
J and I headed off to Saltholme bird sanctuary for this morning's walk.

Not a doily

2011-11-01T05:44:00.001Z

I finally got round to making a cover for my Kindle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not embracing the Victorian belief that everything should have some decorative and flouncy covering or be draped with an antimacassar. I'm not planning to start making toilet roll covers or tea cosies. Admittedly, I do like the look of some tea cosies, but as we're put-the-bag-in-the-cup people, we have no use for one.

No, this is to stop my Kindle from getting scratched by everything else in my bag. I didn't want to buy a leather one as the ones I looked at add weight and volume that defeat the object.

So:

It's based, very loosely, on this free pattern, by Norah Gaughan.

If Ikea made knitting patterns

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000Z

Can you tell what it is yet?

Fold flap A to meet tab B....

Sew up and add hood.

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket, for C&T's baby, N.

Made in Marble, so that it will be easy to wash and dry. I do like this yarn, but I did have a few ‘squeaky acrylic’ moments with this. Running back to the sanctuary of real wool.
I must admit, I got bored with all the garter stitch really quickly. When I made my first one of these, I was intrigued by the magic of how it would come together, but I think it’s out of my system now. Makes me wonder if I will ever be able to face tackling Pagode.

Cold light of morning

2011-10-30T07:07:00.001Z

Bracing sea air!

Whitby Goth Weekend

2011-10-29T15:06:00.001+01:00

I love Whitby at Halloween.

Wish I was brave enough to dress up. Maybe next year (although, I think I said that last year...). I think it would probably take that long to make the costumes. I think J would be up for it.

From start to finish

2011-10-26T08:27:00.002+01:00

A finished object to report.

First I dyed the top:

Then, I spun the yarn:

Finally, I knit the sweater and designed it - ok, made up a pattern as I went along)

Today, I'm wearing it:

The label in my nightshirt tells lies

2011-10-24T17:16:00.002+01:00

I'm afflicted by insomnia at the moment. Still, it's allowing me to be very productive and I'm ploughing through the titles on my kindle at a rate of knots.

It has been a busy day today.

As it's half-term I try to fit all my moveable appointments in. Some, I have no choice about, but some I can get into the holidays. Today it was a routine review with my GP. I was quite pleased as my bloods are ok and I am going to try without my blood pressure meds. On the down-side, they are still 'keeping an eye on me' in case I'm pushing the weight loss further than I need to. I don't think this is a worry, really. My weight has been steady for ages. I'm a size 10 in most things, 12 in others and happy with it.

Had coffee with some friends at lunchtime and explored the candle shop nearby. Any excuse, but I was looking for something nice for a friend's 60th birthday. We may go to Whitby at the weekend and I'm sure I'll get something there.

Filled with a sense of purpose, after sorting out all my yarn this weekend, I'm nearly finished the cardigan I'm making. I'm planning to frog another I started as I just don't really like it at all. I have a plan for the yarn, though. It isn't these, either. This is the full extent of my hexapuff collection so far. I must get moving. Although, I'm only aiming for enough to make a cushion cover, I am only making slow progress.

Step One

2011-10-23T12:30:00.001+01:00

I came to believe that I was powerless over my stash - that it had become unmanageable.

Decided to photograph the yarn I have and add it to my Ravelry stash database.

Home made Saturday Kitchen

2011-10-22T15:53:00.002+01:00

I love the Autumn. Autumn half-term is probably my favourite of all the school holidays (except the long one, of course, although I think I'd rather have that in the Autumn).

I love the range of produce available at the moment. We've been getting organic veggie boxes delivered each week and I've been challenging myself to use all of the vegetables in our meals.

This is tonight's dinner - beef and root vegetables in a Rigwelter gravy sauce. It smells wonderful.

Veggie soup with haricot beans. For lunches.

I really need to find something to do with the ruby chard that is still in a bag at the bottom of the fridge. I shall consult River Cottage Veg Every Day later on.

Went to the knitting group at Nature's World this morning. Had a relaxing time working on this:

It's a top-down cardi/vest I'm making from the yarn I spun from the top I dyed back in the summer.

I'm pleased with how it's working out so far.

Browsed through a couple of charity shops in a reasonably affluent area near us this afternoon. Best buy has to be this dress. Still on the website for £97, but hanging, with tags still on, on a rack in Age for £9.99. Did think I was going to have to wrestle for it as another lady came up behind me as I picked it up.

"Are you having that?"

"Yes, I think so."

"It's just that I really like it."

"Yes, but so do I and it's in my hand."

Into the forest

2011-10-16T17:27:00.000+01:00

A wonderful day in the woods, courtesy of the West View Project.

Indian Summer

2011-10-01T18:22:00.000+01:00

It's been unseasonably warm. 29 degrees and October! I sat on the deck to do some spinning, getting sunburned while the leaves fell from the trees around me. Very surreal.

This is some of the Falkland top that I dyed during the summer holidays. I'm really happy with the way the colours are emerging.

Sheepish

2011-09-24T19:18:00.000+01:00

We had a sheepish family day out today.

Masham Sheep Fair.

We started the day with a tour of the Black Sheep Brewery

and finished with a wine tasting.

In between, I bought some fleece and we looked at sheep. I had a lovely day out :)

If you're too young to die

2011-09-23T17:09:00.000+01:00

A busy few days.
j had his 20th birthday. Where do the years go?
J and I went to see Squeeze at Gypsy's Green in South Shields. A real blast from the past. All the greatest hits. I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the torrential downpour you can just about see through the tent flap (sorry, marquee door) above.

Lousy phone shots, but it's still cool for cats.

Three days later we were at The Sage to see Ian Anderson's acoustic performance. Probably one of the best shows I've been to. Florian Opahle is an amazing musician and Ian still has it.

I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils

2011-09-05T18:09:00.006+01:00

It's probably a teacher thing, but I think I've always felt this way. I have always loved September. For me it feels like the real 'new year'. It isn't just about the start of a new school year. Who would really enjoy returning to the real world after six weeks of personal time? Although, I do have to say that I, and the majority of my colleagues, do.

For me September signals change: weather, harvest, garden changes, starting to clear the overblown things and fresh starts.

I love the cooler weather and the excitement of new knitwear. The favourite phase of my wardrobe starts in Autumn. I love the colours of Autumn. It's my favourite palette of the year. I love browns and greens and plums and teals.

I always feel refreshed when I go into the shops at the end of August and the racks and manequins are filling up with the Autumn ranges. I like cardigans and opaque tights. I love boots and jackets. I love tweed and corduroy and merino and cashmere. Dare I say it? I like coats!

Happy New Year!

Here's a bouquet for you.

I want to live a Salvager lifestyle.

2011-09-04T06:49:00.000+01:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2011

Clearing the decks

2011-08-29T06:40:00.003+01:00

Wailey, wailey! My holiday is nearly over and, as usual, I don't seem to have got all the things I planned done. Nevermind. I have enjoyed the things I have done, so it's all good.

Spent yesterday evening plying up the yarn I have been spinning. It's Corriedale from My Heart Exposed. Helen called the fibre 'The Magic of Rhubarb' and 'Seasons of Change', which I love. I've spun them together, fractally, to make a larger amount of yarn. I'm very pleased with the finished yarn, which I'm calling Mellow Fruitfulness. There's about 290grams here. (Helen is always very generous with her weights.)

It's a dk weight yarn. Some bits are still thicker than others (hey, I'm still a beginner!) but it should balance out overall.

I can't really express how much I love spinning. It's something I always wanted to learn to do, from being a child. I've always been drawn to making things, particularly from scratch. I really love the scope to play with colour that spinning affords. And I'm enjoying challenging some people's preconceptions that anything handspun has to by lumpy and oatmealy. (See high visibility cowl from yesterday's post).

On the knitting front, I'm trying to resist starting any more projects until I have cleared some of the four that are on the go at the moment:

1. Turmeric sweater. This is in very fine yarn and I've restarted it four times now for one reason or another. Hopefully, now I've got guage and it's starting to look a bit more like it should, I'll crack on with it. My hands are still struggling a bit with the 2.75mm circulars it's done on and my brain is struggling with the madness of knitting a sweater in such a small guage, to be honest.

2. Fiddlehead Mittens. In Rowan 4ply and Mini Mochi. These have been on my 'want to do' list for years. I really have to be concentrating and to be in good light to work on these.

3. Vitamin D cardigan. (Rav link). I'm furthest on with this and the yarn isn't too fine, so I think this is what I will tackle first.

I'm making this in King Cole baby alpaca, which is lovely. I love the colour. It's called Plum, but is really more a gunmetal grey. I love grey, but am wary of adding too much grey and black into my wardrobe after a couple of years of trying to move towards brighter things.

4. Plain vanilla, toe-up (because I can do these now!) socks for J. This is my hospital and appointment project for when it looks wierd to be sitting playing Angry Birds at my age. I can't believe I just wrote that knitting socks seems less wierd than playing Angry Birds on my phone...

A little moment of calm

2011-08-28T15:25:00.004+01:00

Twinings Moment of Calm, chamomile and spiced apple, tea with home made cheesy oatcakes. The perfect thing for the person who can't have sugar, doesn't tolerate bread very well, but sometimes still feels like a little home-baking experience.

225 grams wholemeal organic porridge oats, blitzed a bit in the food processor
1 large heaped tablespoon butter
A quarter of a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
A quarter of a teaspoon of salt
Handful of grated cheese
Teaspoon mixed dried herbs
150mls hot water

Mix all together
Panic because it all looks too wet and sloppy
Relax as it starts to firm up into a loose dough
Roll out thinnishly with some wholemeal flour to stop it sticking
Bake at 180 degrees C until firm and starting to crisp
Leave to cool or until you can't wait any longer.

***

Bit of a rough night last night last night and not much better this morning. Can't decide whether it's related to (what I'm worried is) a return of the old fibromyalgia or just to being a perimenopausal old bag. Both feel very similar sometimes.

Got up quite early and sewed the ribbon and buttons onto this:

Very happy with it - I spun the yarn! Bring on the winter! Oh, yes, it's still here isn't it?

The spirit of autumn takes a first stealing flight

2011-08-27T05:38:00.000+01:00

After all the renovation work, I finally managed to bring my spinning wheel down from j's room, where it was living in relative safety, and find it a home where it's easy to access. So, I'm spinning again.

I bought two pieces of wool top from My Heart Exposed, in sympathetic colours and broke them down into lengths for fractal spinning. I'm doing one of each in turn. I'm trying to create yarns in larger quantities than the 100g batches I have been spinning so far, so combining the colours of some of the fibre I have accumulated so far seems like an interesting idea.

I like the way it's coming out, so far. The colours remind me of the end of Summer and beginning of Autumn. The greens are still vibrant, the roses and poppies are still in bloom, but there are plums and apples starting to ripen and the leaves on the hollyhocks are starting to rust.

It's not a set of colours I would normally choose, especially for clothes, but I'm trying to experiment a bit.

Must...wear...less...black...

I can't decode whether the singles will be best plied together of each Navajo-plied on it's own. I've yet to start practising Navajo plying, but have been watching this video.

I got a new Wold bowl. Perfect for handspun skeins. (Or apples, I guess.)

There were these tree fellers

2011-08-26T06:18:00.004+01:00

Actually, most days there were just two.

But the Eucalyptus that was leaning towards the house, in a menacing way, is down now. It got to about 60 feet tall a couple of years ago, so J and a couple of friends (the tree fellers, say it with an Irish accent) took the top and most of the big branches off it. Last winter is developed a diagonal crack down the trunk, so it had to go. They cut it down to 30 feet to minimise the risk of it coming down on the house, but the weight of the ivy that covers it and the shallow roots meant that it continued to loom at the house - pointing directly at my new bathroom and living room!

So, down it came in three sections.

The ivy stems are as wide as my wrist.

No wonder it was so heavy.

It's just lying here now, waiting to be chainsawed into moveable pieces and turned into plant stands and a series of really aromatic bonfires.

The residents of the pond are a bit disgruntled, but J managed to ensure that nothing came down into their home.

We're not usually people for cutesy garden ornaments, but j chose this when he was about 4 years old. It came to light somewhere under the tree. Can't help worrying that it might have marked the grave of some small pet (fish or hamster). Anyway, he's sitting, eating his sandwich, in one of J's deck pots now. Somewhere out there is another of j's gnomes. It's a 1950s painted plaster job, given to him by the old lady who lived out the back of my mum. I wonder if that survived the tree fellers.

Up the Creek.

2011-08-22T07:16:00.000+01:00

When I was a child, in the 1970s, there was the last vestiges of a community of houseboats down on Greatham Creek. My Grandad's uncle used to have one - probably in th 1920's, so it was a well-established little place. Most of the homes were swept away by a violent storm in the 1950's, tearing apart the community. After that, most of them were used only as holiday cottages. There are only the remains of the wooden footings visible now.

I was trying to find some information about them when I came across this amazing exhibition. I really didn't know anything about Ian Macdonald, peviously, but his work is stunning.

Yesterday, J and I went for a walk along the creek to see the colony of common seals that has made the area it's home now.

My pictures aren't in his league, but it was an interesting walk.

Meadow Brown butterfly, probably a female.

The Creek towards Greatham.

The view back over Seals Sands petrochemical plants.

Seals with the Transporter Bridge in the background.

Wooden footings of the houseboats still visible.

Woke up this morning and I got myself a

2011-08-21T07:00:00.005+01:00

Sorry, Jim, not a beer, actually. A Pumphrey's Daterra Bruzzi. Not as Rock and Roll, but much better suited to a Sunday morning.

Maybe when I drag J to Masham Sheep Fair at the end of September, I'll tag along on the brewery tour and pick up a couple of bottles.

Despite falling asleep, exhausted, at 9pm last night after a day of moving ivy, bits of tree and thorny berberis (which has left my arms looking like I self-harm) I was awake early, as usual.

A pyjama-clad, make-upless shot to show how much my Propello hat, knit in handspun from Jacqui at Spinning a Yarn, improved with blocking.

More tree shifting on the agenda today. What fun! So, I'm grabbing 10 minutes while I drink my coffee to work on this:

More handspun. Details to follow when I have more progress to share.

Yesterday, before I was on labouring duty, I unpacked the contents of the living room from their temporary storage in boxes in the dining room into the new cupboards I assembled for the living room. I say assembled rather than built, as I don't want IKEA to feel under-appreciated for their role in the whole process. I can't believe they (J and j) have so many dvds and cds. There's hardly any space left for hiding my stuff!

After that, I sorted out the, now dry, wool top I dyed the other day. I'm very pleased with the outcome!

Bottom L: Dusk to Dawn spotted, top: Dusk to Dawn dilute, bottom R: Dusk to Dawn saturated. I have 300gms of this Falkland fibre and I may fractal spin it all together to make enough yarn for a waistcoat/vest/cardigan if I get it fine enough.

75g of left-over needle felting (I am so never going there again!) shetland. I like this a lot. It's not unlike something I bought at Woolfest.

110g Blue Faced Leicester. The colours are not really true in this shot. It's more subtle and less turquoise. The grey is also really dusky pale purple.

100g alpaca. This has come out much better than I ever hoped. It was looking a bit sad and frightening during the drying process. You know what cats look like when they get wet? Well, the alpaca is the wet cat of the roving world.

I learned how to plait the fibre from this handy video.

What's that sound?

2011-08-20T20:04:00.004+01:00

While we were in the garden today, cutting up the ivy that was clinging to our dead eucalyptus tree before it comes down, I heard a tapping noise in the undergrowth. It was this mother thrush, breaking open snails on a 'thrush's anvil' stone to feed her two babies.

Lovely to see.

Pictures are rubbish as it was so gloomy and she moved so fast.

And Life is Colour and Warmth and Light

2011-08-18T13:24:00.004+01:00

I've had a wonderful morning! Inspired by the work of other local crafters, I dug out the dyes I bought at Woolfest yesterday and prepared them into bottles of dye stock. I'm glad I did this yesterday as it took longer than I anticipated, especially as I was completely paranoid about getting the kitchen covered in multi-coloured splotches. Everything was carefully covered in polythene and old curtains and it went without mishap.

This morning, after J had left for work (he really doesn't need to know how messy this could be. It wouldn't be good for his stress levels ;)), I prepared my working area again.

I dug out our old vegetable steamer and some new microwavable bowls I bought from Discounts UK (99p for a set of 3).

I set my wool top (some Falkland, some Blue Faced Leicester and some alpaca) off to soak in a mix of water, white vinegar and a little washing up liquid.

I wrestled with a new pack of cling film and eventually laid out two lengths on a damp surface. I put the wet, but squeezed out, fibre on top, snaking it backwards and forwards and poured on the acid dyes.)

Then I wrapped it up in cling film, massaged it a bit to spread the dye and put it in the steamer for an hour. I did three lots using these colours in various ways; one deep, saturated batch, another lighter, more dilute batch and a spt dyed batch.

Then I did it again with a different set of colours.

I put this lot in the microwave for 5 minutes.

Yesterday, I did some more prep. I had a cone of wool and silk yarn from Alexanders of Selkirk. Can't remember where it came from (eBay or charity shop). It was a bit grubby on the edges and had the spinning oil still in it. So, I skeined it up and washed it in hanks.

It bloomed nicely and feels much better.
I soaked half of it and dyed it a kind of variegated grey colour.

The other half, I left natural. I see more stripes in my future.

After all the fibre had cooled down, I rinsed it until the water ran clear and set up an improvised drying rack in the garden.

It's all still out there and seems to drying nicely. Pictures of the finished product to follow when it's all dry!

Outrage

2011-08-10T06:41:00.004+01:00

The TV news provokes feelings of fear, outrage and terrible upset this week.

Interactive map of incidents

Why are there so many children and young people on the streets? It's the bigger picture of the micro-issues I face at work most days. No respect, large pockets of poor parenting. Are we powerless? I really feels like it. Our government can't do anything, the police force can't do anything. There are no social controls on the rioters.

These people are not rioting as a protest. If you want to make a political protest, you don't do it by setting fire to Miss Selfridges or by stealing mobile phones.

I'm sickened by the whole business.

ETA:

Just found this picture. Don't know where it came from originally.

How I spend my days

2011-08-08T12:46:00.003+01:00

Lately, my days have been spent, largely, shopping for building and decorating materials and then trying to find space to shoe-horn them into the rooms that are not being refurbished. I am currently squeezed in the dining room between a pile of new curtains, rolls of wallpaper and an oak fire surround. Some of the temporary changes, I like and they will be here to stay. I've grown accustomed to the comforting glow of a small table lamp that has been rehomed onto the dining table that is my desk. I'm going to keep it.

Other temporary changes are a bit wearing. All the downstairs windows are open and, despite it being August, I'm freezing. The weather is grey, overcast and rainy. It's about 11 degrees outside and feels the same in here.

To combat this, I'm wearing a sale purchase intended for the Autumn.

Except mine is shiny black and has a detachable fur hood (which I am also wearing). I was very pleased with this. Thought I looked sort of stylish, yet warm. It's a far remove from the bodywarmers advertised in the Sunday supplements for people of my age, in what j describes as 'paedo-beige'. Don't ask me why, but I know what he means.
Anyway, in the hour and a half I have been wearing this I've weathered 'funny looks' from j and his girlfriend. "ok, is that a gilet you are wearing?". Not as bad, however, as J's response when I passed a mug of tea up the ladder to him.

"Why are you dressed as Eno?" Honestly, some people have no sense of style!

As I can't get on with any proper cleaning, housework or work work at the moment. I have fallen back on knitting. I've got an acute case of startitis and have cast on two new projects:

Fiddlehead mittens:

and Turmeric, in the thinnest yarn imaginable. This will keep me busy for a while!

All I got is a photograph

2011-08-07T10:04:00.002+01:00

I have an android phone and am trying to get good use out of it. Recently I downloaded the Vignette app. I love the vintage effects. They remind me of our old albums and boxes of photographs that I have in the wardrobe from when we were kids. I must spend some (?! who am I kidding? Weeks!) time putting all the loose pictures into albums and scanning them onto disc.

During the current reorganisation, some loose snaps came to light in strange places. Mostly dropping out from between the pages of books. Here are a few.

Mum and Dad's wedding, Rotherham, in 1961. I remember her glasses and (really expensive) suit from my childhood dressing up box. Mum felt she was too old for a wedding dress. I've had two weddings and no wedding dress for either!

My maternal grandad, Joe Ashley, in his garden in Billingham, early 60's I would guess. I still remember the smell of that garden.

My maternal nana, Nora Ashley from the same day. Lovely lady, who died when I was 18. Great sense of fun, loved lurex and ric-rac braid.

1980, I think, judging by the posters. I know there is a purplish filter over this, but my hair did have pink and purple highlights. (And a perm!)

1994 probably. Mum and j at Beamish Museum (one of his favourite childhood haunts), the year before she died. Looking in the mirror now I see a dark version of her looking back at me.

A couple of finished objects

2011-08-06T13:18:00.005+01:00

It should be too warm to have either of these on today, with it being August, but it isn't! 14 degrees and lots of rain. Not good. Especially as I spent yesterday clearing up the deck to make room for sitting in the sun!

Anyway, Hollyhock:

Made from a Winged Knits pattern in Rowan Pure aran.

and handspun socks:

Made from Wendy's generic toe-up sock pattern in a yarn I spun from My Heart Exposed.

Home improvements

2011-08-03T06:14:00.004+01:00

After what seems like years of putting off, we're redoing our living room. The reasons for procrastination were many-fold: the lizards are difficult to move and rehouse, even temporarily, we still quite liked the paper, we could live with the fireplace, the sofas were still comfy even if they are starting to be a bit worn in places.

Well, this week we took the plunge. The old fire has been removed.The surrounding tiles are being more resistant to change than we had hoped (J never puts anything on as a half measure, so what did he expect?), so there will need to be some replastering. The paper came off to reveal a salmon pink paint job we had completely forgotten about! I don't think we ever had the walls this colour, I think it was to stabilise the old plaster.

Of course, the knock on effect of clearing one room is that everything needs to go somewhere. Our dining room now homes ~~four five~~ six, can't count, lizards and piles of furniture. Our dumpy frog is now living on the landing at the top of the stairs and our bedroom is only navigable by sidling around the edge of the bed. God knows what I'll do if the new mattress we ordered arrives this week.

Could be worse. j is faced with having to explain to any visitors he may have, why there is a spinning wheel (with some yarn in progress) sitting at the foot of his bed.

Sunderland International Airshow 2011

2011-08-02T05:30:00.001+01:00

One of J's sisters lives very near the sea front in South Bents, Sunderland. It's a really convenient location for watching the airshow. Unfortunately, it gets so busy and unpleasant on airshow weekend that they usually go away instead!

This year they were at home and another sister, her husband, J and I went up to have lunch and watch some planes.

Photographing them was difficult because of the speed, light levels and the three glasses of wine I had during the course of the afternoon.

The weather was the usual for this part of the world. Freezing winds and high levels of UV. Everyone got burned, whilst simultaneously being chilled to the bone. J took refuge under his hood in between spitfires. (Pictures of which, I managed to delete this morning by accident!)

Unfeasibly large vegetables

2011-07-29T18:06:00.002+01:00

When we were kids there were lots of Leek Shows around. there don't seem to be so many in the area now. They were big business, too, with large cash prizes causing unparalleled rivalry and dirty tricks. Look North abounded with stories of sabotage and leek rustling. God, how I miss Mike Neville and George House!

Anyway, today we went to Gateshead Summer Flower Show, as we do every year. There was a reassuring large range of vegetables on display, along with a pitiable selection of handicrafts and jam tarts that always make me swear that I will enter something next year. I never do, though. Part of the pleasure is disdaining other people's efforts. That's why you have to queue to walk around the display tables, like you are filing past Lenin's tomb.

Loved this collage of the Tyne Bridges:

Daily intake

2011-07-28T08:05:00.004+01:00

Yesterday, someone asked me what I ate. It almost seemed an odd question, as I don't really think about it much any more. I'm 16 months post op and my weight doesn't change much at the moment.

This is an honest recount of what I ate yesterday.

Up early, enjoying the quiet:
Skinny latte

Breakfast:
Skinny latte
(small pause)
1 and a half small crustless cheese, tomato and spring onion crustless quiches
Handfull of blackberries

Lunch:
Hard bolied egg
Small serving of salad from Morrison's deli counter

Knitting group:
Large skinny latte

Dinner:
Small bowl of beef casserole with green vegetables

Snacks:
Small packet Kallo rice cakes
Four Foxes wholemeal crackers with a banana on top
Two half glasses of wine topped up with water (have to really pace myself these days as get drunk really quickly!)
Muller rice

Greater spotted garden visitor

2011-07-27T07:37:00.001+01:00

Recently, we were at Saltholme RSPB reserve, and one of the wardens was rounding everyone up to go to the scopes to look at a woodpecker that had landed on the feeders.

Ok, we thought, but we've got one of them at home.

Escape

2011-07-24T17:58:00.003+01:00

First weekend without any lesson-planning in ages. Can only mean one thing - yes! Summer holidays.

So far, in my two days of leisure, I have:

- read the Guardian weekend from cover to cover

- walked on the beach (does it count if I gathered two bags of driftwood for a school project?)

- cooked all sorts of real food (no take aways, no tins or packets, although I didn't make my own pasta)

- Prepped some yarn for spinning

- did some spinning

- cast on a sock in some yarn I have spun

- cleaned the cupboard under the sink in preparation for the plumber coming tomorrow to fit a new sink and tap

- ordered a new mattress for our bed

What next?

With me little ukelele in me hand

2011-07-11T05:43:00.004+01:00

Yesterday, I was one of 250 people, the vast majority adults, who gathered at The Sage to take part in a beginners' ukelele workshop. Managed to persuade two friends to come along, as we have work-related plans for this new skill!

It was great fun and, even though I remain unccordinated, I have great optimism about this now.

On the Tour, I decided to challenge myself by trying to spin on a spindle. I've never managed this so far, having learned my basics on a wheel. I feel as though I've missed an evolutionary step in my learning, so I'd like to fill in this gap. I'm finding it really quite hard.

Comfort reading

2011-07-10T07:56:00.000+01:00

I have a pile of new paperbacks on my bedside table. However, in times of stress I tend to fall back on comfort reading.

I've just finished:

I adore Tiffany Aching. This is one of my favourite of TP's stories. It isn't a book to be given, unmediated, to children.

Next I'm seeking refuge in:

Probably my all-time favourite. I'd love to book my next holiday with Three Witches Airborne.

Uphill racing

2011-07-08T17:41:00.001+01:00

I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with daily blogging about the Tour de Fleece! To be honest, although I have managed, keeping up with the spinning has been difficult enough.

So, this week I have:
- spun, plied, skeined, washed and dried my Nowhere to Hide Falklands top from My Heart Exposed. This is my best effort so far and I'm very proud of this yarn. It will actually be suitable for socks, according to my reckoning, but I think it might be a component of some mittens I want to try.

I also finished the baby camel I had started. I love the feel of this, it's so soft - like baby alpaca. It needs to be something close to the skin. Maybe a cowl.

Now I am working on some merino from My Heart Exposed. It's trickier than the shetland and falkland I have done so far, but much less sheddy than the camel and not quite as slippery. I'm working slowly and carefully to try to get a thinnish, consistent yarn from this. I love the grey, pink, bluish colourway, which is quite different for me. It's called Eye Spy.

Stage 2

2011-07-03T17:02:00.003+01:00

Stage 2 - Les Essarts to Les Essarts 23 km

Today I spun up 100g of Black Shetland with bleached tussah silk. It's everywhere!
The white silk is all over me, the living room; it’s in our food and I’m pretty sure I saw some on J’s leg earlier (which means it’s also in the very black interior of his new car! Shhh!!!)

I will have to pace myself better for the rest of the Tour. I've given myself back ache today!

Stage 1 update

2011-07-02T16:07:00.005+01:00

stage 1 - Passage du Gois to Mont des Alouettes (191.5 km)

This is what I have managed on the first leg. I'm very happy with the way this is turning out.

On the blocks

2011-07-02T06:32:00.003+01:00

The 2011 Tour de Fleece starts today. (There may be another Tour going on, but that's secondary ;) )

From the Ravelry group pages:
his year, the Tour de Fleece starts Saturday July 2nd and runs until Sunday July 24th, 2011.

Guidelines (NOT RULES):

Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible. Saturday July 2nd through Sunday July 24th. Days of rest: Monday July 11th, Monday July 18st. (Just like the actual tour)
Spin something challenging Friday July 22nd. (The Tour’s toughest mountain stage over the Col du Galibier for the second time, and finishing up on Alpe d’Huez.)
Wear yellow on Sunday July 24th to announce victory. Why not wear yellow on any day you feel particularly successful? (Yellow is the color of the race leader in the Tour - but here we are all ‘race leaders’)
Other colors if desired: Green (sprinter - think FAST), Polka-dot (climber - as in uphill), and white (rookie)

Later today I will be starting with the appropriately yellow Nowhere to Hide from My Heart Exposed. Can't wait, but it will have to as the regular Saturday morning stuff is getting in the way.

Who can sleep in this heat, tonight?

2011-06-28T04:46:00.004+01:00

My body aches and feels slightly swollen. My head is throbbing and I feel dehydrated. It's 4:47am and I've been up for an hour.
I've printed off 20 copies of j's CV, as requested, done the laundry, sorted through the freezer to see what we should eat today and tomorrow, updated all the software on my laptop and plucked my eyebrows.

I tend towards early waking as a matter of course, but it's always worse when I'm a bit stressed and the weather is warm. This is always a busy time in my line of work.

I did debate doing a bit of spinning, but I don't know yet whether I need to be relaxed to do it or whether it will help me relax.

This was waiting at home for me yesterday:

Gorgeous colours from Helen at My Heart Exposed.

I'm doing it!

2011-06-27T06:21:00.001+01:00

Some yarn that I have spun:

and made into a (albeit horrible) hat:

(crappy phone shot, sorry)

I went shopping and I bought...

2011-06-26T06:51:00.007+01:00

...frankly, a ridiculous amount of stuff...

...at Woolfest!

I have vowed to stop buying (much) yarn and fibre throughout the year and save my budget for Woolfest next year. Had a really good day and got so much inspiration from the wealth of colour, texture and design on display.

Loved the sheep and alpacas too. And the rabbits! And the funny little depressed-looking dog I kept running into. He looked just like J when he has to come shopping with me. (Except smaller and hairier)

My haul:

Fibre from Philippa Joad (who taught me to spin) at Wheeldale Woolcrafts.

Gorgeous yarn and a pattern for a crocheted scarf (will need to relearn crochet!), which may become a throw instead, from The Natural Dye Studio.

Sock yarn and fibre from Freyalyn.

Acid dye starter kit and some fibre from DT Craft & Design.

Lovely buttons and a flexiband for my wheel.

Waste not

2011-06-25T06:17:00.001+01:00

I'm worried about the amount of food we seem to throw away as a family. I also always seem to be at Tesco. We spend a fortune and it needs to stop - it's all so wasteful.

To this end:

Found-in-the-fridge-Mexican-Chicken

and:

Lurking-in-the-chiller-drawer-veggie-and-halloumi-tart.

Ups and downs

2011-06-18T13:55:00.001+01:00

Saw my surgeon for my (belated) one year post-op check up. He told me I had hit the point that they were 'concerned' about my weight and asked me to see Maureen, the dietician. She seemed ok about my food intake. I then had 9 vials of blood taken, so must have been screened for just about everything.

I told him about my plastic surgery plans for this summer and he said he would be much happier if I waited a bit until my weight had settled and I proved I could maintain a weight. He also offered to refer me for NHS tummy tuck at our next appointment in 6 months, if I can gain a little weight and keep it stable.

Today I got a copy of a letter he has sent my GP, which states "She cannot afford to lose any more weight."

I was seeing my GP today about something else anyway. I told her I think I will probably be seeing her regularly throughout the next year to address the things that are wrong with me - things I put down to being due to being fat. Now I'm no longer fat, the issues remain so I'll start to pick them off one by one

We talked about the 'too thin' issue. She agrees that, although my BMI is within the normal range, if you take the loose skin and my bone structure into consideration, at 10 stones I look a bit thin in places. I talked about my panic at being told to gain weight. After the initial funniness of the concept had passed, I had started to get really worried about regain. We have agreed that she will refer me to a psychologist for some CBT around my food issues.

Other than this, I am well and healthy. Yesterday I took my class on their summer trip to an eco-centre and we did the healthy living trail. There was a big zip wire and I spent a long time running up and down, supporting the more timid little people, before having a go myself! Then I went down the big stainless steel tube slide down the hillside! I have not been on a slide since I was a small child. I was so proud of myself. The children cheered me and one of my colleagues who has supported me through the WLS journey was in tears. Quite a special moment.

Weekend stuff

2011-06-04T17:10:00.007+01:00

I've had a busy day, given that I had put the day aside to do some work-stuff (most of that completed too!)

Finally managed to get a haircut today. It's still short as I'm still trying to deal with the aftermath of losing so much hair in the first year after my surgery. At least it's shiny and not red again now :)

I have reached now, I feel, a weight I'm happyish with. Actually, I'm 11lbs under my last revised target and at the lower end of the 'normal' BMI range. Full face shots like that make me feel that I'm maybe a little too thin now, which is ironic. J has asked me to stop losing weight. It's not something I'm doing wilfully any more; it's just what my body is doing. Advice has been to increase my carbs and add more things like bread, cereals, pasta and rice. Pasta and rice, I can tolerate in reasonable amounts. I like risotto a lot. Bread and cereals are trickier. I can no longer tolerate bread easilly and most cereals have far too much sugar in them for me to risk. So, I'm adding extra nuts and proteins and taking each day as it comes.

I love these crustless quiches:

There are lots of recipes around, but mine is:
4 eggs
1 tub cottage cheese
4 spring onions
a handfull of grated cheese
some chopped chives
a glug of milk
salt
black pepper

Mix together and throw into silicone muffin cases
bake in a medium oven until set.
Cool in the cases then turn out and store in the fridge.

Good for packed lunches and breakfasts.

Finally: my new baby:

She's an Ashford Traditional. Needed a bit of tlc, which is complete now. Works beautifully. Wish I could say the same about the quality of my spinning ;)

I'll get better with practice. That said, I'm so pleased with myself!

Sun spot

2011-06-03T18:56:00.006+01:00

Today, I got caught out by the sun on our frozen coastline.
J and I drove down to Staithes and then out to Grosmont. Despite the factor 30, I am pink in places now. Admittedly, some of it could be wind burn!

Staithes was quiet when we got there at 10ish. We'd called into Loftus on the way, as I wanted to look in Brigantia. As I may have mentioned before, I have a real thing about Wold pottery and I wasn't disappointed today. J bought me a new mug (see below) and a beautiful swirly green bowl.

We called in at the Staithes Heritage Centre and Captain Cook Museum, which has to be one of the strangest museums you can find. It is crammed full of Staithes and Cook-related artifacts and seems totally untroubled by the bother of labelling or display conventions. They do have some lovely pieces of fishing community knitting:

We had something to eat at the Station Tavern in Grosmont and then had a look at the trains. I love the smell. It brought out a touch of nostalgia in J, but I'm not really old enough to have vivid memories of steam trains.

(Don't look now... It's behind you!)

Below: progress on my Hollyhock sweater, being knitted in reclaimed yarn from something I made that is now too big! Beside it, my lovely new Wold mug.

In the garden at the moment

2011-05-31T10:52:00.002+01:00

The garden is a real avian nursery at the moment. Somewhere out there is a baby thrush, two baby blackbirds, hosts of baby dunnocks and eight baby blue tits.

It's been almost impossible to catch them on camera, but the blue tits have started to spend a lot of time around this old plant saucer recently:

While you were sleeping

2011-05-22T16:29:00.004+01:00

and I was up, waiting for a plumber who didn't turn up, I:

- vacuumed the whole house
- baked two trays of crustless quiches
- cleaned the microwave
- did four loads of washing
- tidied the spare room - including cleaning up all the grout that fell out of the booby-trapped bag you left there for me
- reorganised my iTunes
- prepared bags of bargain strawberries and raspberries
- tidied out the cheese drawer in the fridge and grated up all those left over bits to cook with
- threw away all the out of date things in our fridge

We've started calling into Lidl once a month to have a browse and see what they have got (ok, I'm really checking out the sock wool...) and have been really pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fruit and vegetables in our branch. Today's tomato haul:

Brit Floyd

2011-05-21T11:40:00.002+01:00

I've never been to see a tribute band before. In fact, I would say that we probably avoid the idea like the plague. It brings up images of Creme Brulee for me.

So, when we won four tickets to see Brit Floyd at The Sage this weekend, we weren't expecting much. (In fact, it felt like a sad irony, given that we failed to get the tickets we wanted for The Wall next week)

We arranged to meet J's sister and her husband up there and headed off, planning to get there early and have a drink and something to eat. Unfortunately, we got snagged up in the fallout from an accident on the other carriageway of the A19, so things felt a bit frayed by the time we got there.

So, it was a pleasant surprise to find we were in the fourth row from the front and to find that the quality of the musicianship was spot on. We got a 'greatest hits' type set that you would never get from the real thing, even if they were still performing together (or were even all still alive for that matter). I really enjoyed Comfortably Numb, The Great Gig in the Sky, Wish You Were Here and Echoes.
The guy in the seat next to me fumbled around in his little stash tin for a square of blotting paper and proceeded to take that during Shine on You Crazy Diamond - just for a bit of added atmosphere.

My only real issue with the band was their lack of stage presence. I'd like to see a little bit more personality. (Maybe it was just the fact that the guitarist looked uncannily like my first husband!)

Overall, a good night.

Pass it on

2011-05-13T20:38:00.002+01:00

Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Modular knitting
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting: knitting items on, or to be left on the street
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Household items: dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…
knitting socks- or other small tubular items- on two circulars
Dying with plant colours
Knitting items for a wedding
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Christmas etc related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
JewelryKnitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for prem babies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Cushions
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Make over

2011-05-02T07:54:00.004+01:00

I've been using the old Blogger basics since I started this. Unfortunately, It won't let me update some things any more without changing the whole template. So, this is my new look for the moment. I'll spend a bit of time tweaking it and probably changing it over the next couple of weeks. Blogger reassures me it has saved my old blog look somewhere, just in case.

Last day off for a while today. Intend to potter, knit and watch some TV. After I have been shopping and planned next week's meals. Good intentions! How long do you reckon that will last?

In the spirit of planning ahead. One for the veggies:

Edamame bean and veggies-that-are-slightly-drooping-in-the-bottom-of-the-chiller balti.

Scented lillies, still going strong from my birthday last week.

To do

2011-05-01T09:27:00.003+01:00

I'm starting the day by rationalising my 'to do' list. Lists always make me feel calmer and, hopefully, some of the things I had on my list at the start of the Easter break will have sorted themselves out anyway. Most of the stuff I have to do is related to work. I must admit I haven't done any of the work-related things I had planned to do over the holidays yet. Maybe I won't. It's been tough at work recently and I do feel like I have needed a rest. To be truthful, I feel a bit overwhelmed by going back. Lists are the only way forward!

Newts!

2011-04-30T17:15:00.005+01:00

On our walk this evening we passed several ponds where we have seen the odd newt in past years. J climbed down from the path, but I wasn't sure it would be worth the effort.

He started counting and as he got to 8 I scrambled down. I counted 15 greater crested newts but J reckoned there were lots more. They were just swimming around, feeding and impersonating sticks on the bottom of the clear pond.

I only had my phone with me. Must start carrying my camera everywhere.

Fiddles on Fire

2011-04-30T15:36:00.005+01:00

Fiddles on Fire festival started at The Sage last night. We went to see Martin carthy and Dave Swarbrick play in Hall 2 and appear in some pictures on The Sage's Facebook page.

Not featured in the photos, but did I see Mr Swarbrick wearing hand-knit socks? Looked like a self-patterned Opal/Regia type yarn.

The highlight, for me, was the duo playing in the concourse at about 7:15ish. Didn't get their names or manage to bring home the programme, which was a shame.

Not the Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T15:24:00.001+01:00

Instead, I went to a spinning workshop run by Phillippa Joad of Wheeldale Woolcrafts in Marton.

We learned the basics of using an Ashford Traditional wheel (and now I want one, of course!)

I'm incredibly proud of my lumpy, uneven, first yarn!

Never ending stocking stitch

2011-04-28T09:32:00.001+01:00

I have come to love fine knits. Obviously, as a knitter, there is a down-side to this. I have 300 stitches on the needles at the moment.

The pattern is Goodale by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. I love her patterns.

the yarn is Hero from Flamboyance.

Completed Cloud Chaser

2011-04-25T14:16:00.001+01:00

I finished Cloud Chaser in Ethical Twist from Kemps.

It's a really interesting knit and took hardly any yarn (two and a half skeins). Unfortunately, I still haven't got to grips with my actual body size now and it's a bit big. Should be ok for layering in the winter, though.

Garden update

2011-04-20T11:20:00.001+01:00

It seems a while since I posted any garden pictures - probably because the winter has been so long and depressing. Anyway, here we go:

Happy Mothers' Day

2011-04-03T14:57:00.005+01:00

Mothers' Day and it feels quite springy here, but still cold. I don't believe the temperature sensor in the car when it says that it's 15 degrees out there. Must be wind-chill.

The garden is starting to wake up:

j gave me this brooch. I love it. It's hand made from an old domino.

For lunch:

Mozzarella and roasted veg tart. I found some really tasty mixed coloured part-dried tomatoes in herby oil in our mini-Sainsbury's. They taste wonderful. It's a real sign of the times, though.

Winged Knits

2011-04-02T18:19:00.001+01:00

I'm a big fan of Cecily Glowik MacDonald's knitting patterns. I have already made Idlewood (see post from 27th February 2011), have the yarn for Goodale, Hollyhock and Streamside.

This weekend she has 20% off buying the patterns online through Ravelry. Go, quickly, now!

A little piece of Havanna

2011-03-21T18:22:00.001Z

Last night we were at The Sage to see The Orchestra Buena Vista Social Club. A wonderful night!
Omara Portuondo was inspirational - and still breathtakingly beautiful - at 80.

I now know that I must learn to Salsa dance.

She shoots, she scores!

2011-03-12T17:22:00.002Z

Today I reached my target weight.

I got weighed this morning and realised I’d shifted those last couple of pounds and met my target. My BMI is now officially ‘normal’!

While I do feel a real sense of achievement, I’m also surprisingly nervous. I guess it’s because I have focussed on my fat all my life and then became totally absorbed by the wls. First it was worrying about being fat and wanting the surgery, then it was surviving the surgery, then losing weight and working towards my target.

Now I’m here and I’m going to have to start thinking differently.

Balanced energy or closed mind?

2011-03-01T05:11:00.003Z

Have I mentioned my Monday night evening class? A friend and I are doing An Introduction to Holistic Therapies. It's a taster course to help us decide which therapy we might want to pursue in greater depth. So far, we've tried aromatherapy, Indian head massage, basic massage techniques and decluttering our lives (actually, I missed that one as my life was so cluttered by the threat of Ofsted that I couldn't get there in time).

I've enjoyed all the massage-related sessions and have really felt positive effects, both as giver and recipient, but I'm struggling with the 'Energy Therapies'. As you might be able to tell by the use of inverted commas.

Last night we were introduced to Colour Therapy. Hmmm. It started badly. Our tutor put down a crystal angel ornament on a pulsating, flashing coloured light source and turned the lights off. I started to laugh to myself. Couldn't look at the people I sit with as I could detect shuddering shoulders and supressed hysteria all round.

'Look, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to turn that off! It's like being in some kind of mystical Studio 54 - almost as bad as the whale music from week one!' K again. I've mentioned her complaining before.

The laughter just errupted from there. The tutor knew she'd lost us.

Sometimes I feel like I'm living in an Alan Bennett play.

Instant gratification

2011-02-27T16:55:00.003Z

A very quick knit: Idlewood

Made in (shhh!!!) acrylic. This is James C Brett's Marble.

What I did on my holiday

2011-02-24T19:53:00.004Z

I found this on eBay:

and this:

So I spent this afternoon doing these:

When did we become old?

2011-02-23T18:11:00.000Z

My best friend (of 43 years - we met at infant school) and I get together regularly and chat, ok, gossip. We take an evening class together on Monday evenings (strangely enough) and usually talk and text through the week.
K's the only person exactly my age I'm still this close to, a bit like being a twin, separated by only 6 weeks. So, it's a bit like holding up a mirror to myself. I see my fashion choices, grey hairs, wrinkles and opinions refected back at me. Usually.

Recently, however, K has taken to complaining. About her partner, Revenue and Customs, service in restaurants, anything and everything.

This week alone, her partner wore a sweatshirt when he took her out to dinner at a pub - it was 'inappropriate'; the waiter had Doc Marten boots on with red laces and bad tattoos; the waiter leaned across her to pick up empty plates; in the building society, service has gone to hell - 'The teller was wearing Ugg boots with her uniform!", another teller had a 'hermaphrodite' haircut. Gentle questioning reveals this to be an assymetric bob, cropped at one side and long on the other.

I murmer, sympathetically, whilst trying to remain the voice of reason. 'It was a pub, not the Ivy.' 'I wear Ugg boots, they keep my feet warm.' Nothing placates her.

Do I do this? I hope not. When did we become our grandmothers?

Finished object update: Nuss

2011-02-21T10:56:00.001Z

I finished my Nuss cardigan in the Kingcraig silk/merino aran.

The neck isn't a brilliant fit, to be honest. It's a bit low and wide at the shoulders and as I hardly have any now, it tends to slide off a bit. I can't face altering it, though.

Created a monster

2011-02-02T05:33:00.003Z

J has turned into a gym Nazi!

Got home from work yesterday at 6pm. Felt a bit under the weather, to be honest and he's standing there in his tracksuit, water bottle in hand... 'Well, come on then! We said we'd fit a mid-week workout in!'

So, off we went, me dragging my feet in their trainers and muttering under my breath - you know what's coming, don't you? - and I actually felt quite good afterwards.

Maybe my own Mr Motivator in his Marky's sweatpants and Pixies T shirt (no lycra, thank you very much) was all I ever needed

Gym bunny

2011-01-30T17:27:00.004Z

Well, not really. But J and I have started to go to our local gym!
It's nice and friendly, with very few size 0s in hot pink lycra. None actually. There are lots of people our age or older mixed in with the guys who wear combat trousers and keep their hoods up who cluster together in the serious weights corner. They don't seem to actually do much training, but are there all the time. It was j's gym first. I have promised not to speak to him if we happen to be there at the same time.

So far we have an introductory regime of 30 minutes cardio: 10 mins treadmill, 10 mins bike, 10 mins cross-trainer. Then we do 30 minutes of weight machines and finish with another 10 minutes on the treadmill.

I have aches in muscles around my upper back and shoulders that I didn't know I actually had and my arse hurts. Must be doing me good!

J took this slightly manic-looking photo after this morning's session. Just taken my headband off - that's my excuse for the hair, anyway :0

No amount of weight work is going to lift my bingo wings. I'll just need to get longer sleeved T shirts ;)

For your pleasure

2011-01-28T19:22:00.001Z

A busy week. So, what's new?
Went to see Roxy Music at Newcastle Arena on Tuesday. Had a really good evening, even if they didn't play Both Ends Burning, a personal favourite. I shouldn't moan; I did get The Strand.

Terrible phone pictures:

Edit this setlist | More Roxy Music setlists

Retro

2011-01-15T17:15:00.004Z

I love the new Orla Kiely re-useable bags at Tesco at the moment. Apparently there are going to be four designs throughout the year. Bought one to add to the collection of bags in the car boot - you know, the ones that get left in the car boot when you go into the supermarket resulting in the need to buy more, and one to use as a knitting bag.

I really like the pear design. reminds me of some curtains we had in the 1960s. And it reminds me of this skirt I have. Make mental note not to carry that bag with that skirt!

Yarn Swap

2011-01-14T21:09:00.001Z

A lovely parcel arrived in the post this week - my swap package from Vikki.

Can you feel the excitement?

Ta-da!

Look at that gorgeous yarn!

My favourite has to be the Mirasol Akapana. It's a gorgeous colour and I love the philosophy of Mirasol.

Thank you, Vikki :)