Lt Pigeon, reporting for duty, Sir!

I love obscure titles. This one comes from have the tune 'Mouldy Ole Dough' by Lt Pigeon in my head for the last 10 days - tres scary. Even scarier I can visualise them on TOTP all those years ago - must have caused a blip in the grey matter.

Other waffle - I have a bloodshot eye - goodness knows how but I have. Colemans is all sorted by is still too difficult to photograph. Xmas knitting continues. I have designed an amazing monochrome embossed style scarf for Ma - if i say so myself - it is so cool. Now I just need to tie my ass to a chair and knit.

To finish off here are a couple of handy hints from my current favourite book.

Breath, offensive, or onion tainted.
In case of offensive breath from stomach disorders take 6 drops of concentrated solution of common salt in a wineglass of water during the morning toilet.
If the cause is decayed teeth, rinse mouth well with a teaspoon of salt solution in a tumbler of water.
For breath tainted after eating onions, eat a few leaves of parsley dipped in vinegar.

Iced Cherry Soup.
1lb of cherries
1 pint cherry jelly
1/2 bottle of Chablis
1 grape fruit

Stew cherries gently to draw out the juice which pour over the cherry jelly, hot, not boiling. Add the Chablis and the juice of the grapefuit. Mix well. Stand on ice. Serve in glasses.

(You have to wonder what this would taste like!)

NOW....pay attention...this is a recipe from 'the book' that we do actually use!

Rock cakes.
(Honest my Ma has made this since time in memorial and they are wonderful - I just never knew they came from this book.)

1/2 self-raising flour
3oz (butter/Stork) the actual wording says - dripping
3oz sugar
3oz currants
1oz peel
1 egg & a little milk
pinch of salt

Rub butter (dripping) into the flour; add all the dry ingredients. Beat up the egg (lol) with a little milk and mix to a very stiff dough. Place in rough heaps on a greased baking sheet and bake in a quick oven about 15/20 minutes.

For quick = hot = 180c or there-abouts.

Bon appetite.

Household encyclopedia.

As a home educator a good 80% of what we end up doing springboards from passing questions and conversations for example, J and I spent a happy morning last week reading and finding out about the history of Easter Island, both of us had fun and came away knowing more than previously. This leads to this post by way of explanation. Picture the scene - family sitting around the table letting a delicious M cooked Sunday roast go down and J pipes up "What disgusting things did you used to eat that you don't eat now?" Now as a lapsed veggie I do consume meat but never offal *blech* so that is where the topic started - I haven't eaten liver since I got pregnant 10 years ago, but as a kid loved liver and bacon for tea....you see where I'm a headin? No?

Well it got a bit more disgusting and then M mentioned 'dripping' (beef fat) and the discussion moved to why people eat this type of stuff and issues of poverty and cost of food joined in. This led me to mention 'brawn' (never eaten it but read about it) "What's brawn?" asks J "Aha!" says I "I bet it's in this very old household encyclopedia that belonged to my Nana." See, it's starting to make sense now.

I love this book. It's old and smelly but it reflects bygone age when thrifty was a way of life. It has recipes (including brawn - which is gross and follows in a bit) household hints including how to make yourself vomit following mercury poisoning, guides to veggie growing and how to clean your windows and so on. The section on enemas made even me squirm though! We found many (what we consider) gross recipes like calves foot jelly and stuff using brains and other bits - J turned a bit green - but I think he was even more grateful for this Sunday roast.

The conversation was very interesting and J was having a history lesson that was fun and informative and he never even twigged. I spent the rest of evening dipping into this book and have it beside me now. Some of the tips like how to keep flies out of your home in summer are eco friendly and sound and I've actually found more useful stuff than I ever imagined.

Now for you peoples of sound constitution here is a recipe for 'Brawn'.

1 sheeps head
2 carrots
2 turnips
1 onion
1 oz flour
1 oz butter
1 gill milk
3oz rice
chopped parsley
salt & pepper

Thoroughly cleanse the head, take out splinters, wash in salt & water, put the head in cold water and bring to the boil; pour away the water, add fresh water, boil removing the scum; cut up vegetables and add rice, simmer gently for 3 hours or till meat will leave the bones. Put brains into a small piece of muslin and drop into the the stewpan about 15 minutes before head is done. Cut the meat off the head, place in the centre of a hot dish, put a border of rice and vegetables round; slice the tongue and chop the brains; make a sauce with the butter, flour and milk adding some of the liquor; season well and add the chopped parsley. Coat the head with with this sauce and garnish with sliced tongue and chopped brains. Et voila! (I also have a pigs head alternative brawn recipe - but this one was grosser!)

I know what we WON'T be having next Sunday.

Now I'm sure that there are those among who will thank me for this culinary delight and dash off to try this recipe and it may well become a firm family favourite - well you are a better man than I Gungadin!

I may make this this a regular blog feature - tips and recipes from a bygone age....watch this space.

Yay!

Colemans has moulted (safely) - he's quite a lot bigger but not easy to photograph. He's a lovely fluffy, mustard yellow and browny colour. He's still pumping himself up - they kind of deflate when they moult. Their exoskeletons and fangs are all soft and it takes around a week before they are hard and hungry again. But I'm so relieved he's OK - he took us by surprise and made a huge web overnight then crawled under it, flipped onto his back and BINGO!

Wouldn't to be wonderful to just shuck off an old tired skin as the seasons change - get a thicker one for winter and when that was all weatherbeaten and knackered - shuck that off- for a fresh shiny new lightweight one for summer. Spiders are just so amazing. I feel honored to share in their strange world.

Right-E-O - teatime at teddies - mmmmm homemade chicken pie, mash tatties, greens and gravy. I love traditional stylie winter food - so does the size of my arse ;0)

Later.

A sort of post script.

Of other stuff knitted and dyed etc mentioned in an earlier post - the piccies of them are on my flicker thingy - so you can go looksie :0)

Lets get fuzzy.

M's fuzzy feet pre-felt.
My scrap fuzzy feet pre-felt.
Mine after felt.

M's after felt and soled *woohoo*

All I have to add is this;

Oh Theresa, you're such a pleaser
A diamond geezer of fuzzy feet.
My feet are toasty
And I can boasty
It's cos your pattern
Is so dang neat!

It's all down to you dear,
That chilblains can't get near
And that my tootsies are warm
And sweet.

So cheers Theresa
A knitting Caesar
I thank you for
My Fuzzy feet.

(Fuzzy Feet are a pattern published in Knitty and if you haven't made them yet...you should!)

Knitting news.

Well, knitting has been occurring in tits and farts ;0)

Ma's Xmas Pomatomous socks - completed *yay*
J's 2nd pair Xmas socks - 2/3 done.
M's fuzzy feet - completed just awaiting suede soles from Get Knitted.
My fuzzy feet - will be completed by end of today.
J's knitted snake - hum about 1/2 done.

Of the Xmas knitting if I have time - I want to make Mike a new Chullo and a scarf for Ma.


Other knitting;

My own sock design - 2/3 done - they are so lovely.
Wavy scarf - 1/2 done
Own design lace stole - 1/3 done.
Secret lace - hardly touched cos of all the Xmas knitting!!!

Yesterday I dyed some Debbie Bliss 100% Merino DK weight - trying to replicate some favourite colours ways from other yarn houses (which I managed quite well). The best bit was the use of some wonderful beetroot juice - thanks to my SIL. I diluted this and added a good drop of vinegar and got the most delicious bluey light pink - just the tone I needed. I had such fun - I love to dye.

Piccies of stuff to follow - when I can do a bonanza of all the FO's at once.

Have a good one.

A lightbulb moment.

I realised yesterday, whilst sitting in the Brighton equivalent of a Mall, that it's not that I'm strange or different to everyone else it's just that I walk to a different rhythm to most people. The world plods on, happily blinkered by consumerism and materialism, whilst I am samba-ering to my own internal music. When did the majority of human society morph into sheep? Actually, that's an insult to sheep! People do so such much stuff because it is expected - my question is - by whom? No-one really judges us, the judgments people seem to worry about are in the mind.

I like to people watch in places like this - being agoraphobic - a trip to a Mall is a novelty - I normally avoid them like the plague - they give so little and want so much. But yesterday needs must etc - a trip to the Mall was needed. As I waited for M - I sat and watched the world go by. I am definitely not in tune - it stands out a mile and more - and that made me so happy. People scurry and hurry and spend on stuff they think they need. It's even worse cos it's near to the dreaded 'C' word. Gosh an eye opener indeedy.

I noticed another strange thing. I was watching this middle aged, obviously (by dress style) middle class, Mum stylie woman shop in a Xmas shop - she dashed in, pick up a berry wreath, looked at it, put it back and dashed out of the shop. I noticed her because she looked well groomed etc. It wasn't until later that I realised whilst I was assessing her that I still look at older people through teenage eyes (so to speak) and that I was probably the same age as her if not older - bizarre - I forget that I'm middle aged so often on the outside because on the inside I still feel so young. It was a very strange thought process and a bit disturbing - perhaps that's why I can feel intimidated in shops - I feel young and inexperienced inside so think that is what people see - hmmmm maybe. Other days I feel like Methuselah - ancient and on a good day all knowing ;0)

Anyway - I like lightbulb moments - these gave me cud for the next few days - I do so enjoy a good mull.

P.S - The trip was worth it because I got an amazing knitting book in Waterstones (I love book shops - they are the only reason I really ever go into to town, I can spend hours browsing and now they have squashy sofas - there is no reason to leave) this book has over 900 knitting and crochet stitch recipes - I am so inspired and excited I might have to break my yarn diet, face the world and go to Shoreham today - I need to experiment before all the designs and ideas in my brain fog out.

R.I.P

Poor little Phido (Fifi - that was) has shuffled off this mortal coil. Here is a photo of him in his prime, it bears no resemblance to what he became. He lost most of the hair on his abdomen, a complete leg, his abdomen shrunk and became withered and his wonderful colours faded away. This is, sadly, the fate of male spiders. In his prime he was magnificent, he was quick and to crickets - deadly. I know lots of people don't/won't understand attachment to something that doesn't even know you exist or much less care, but I loved his wildness and detachment. I am honored to have shared my time with such an awesome wild creature and that I've been able to see how they live - fascinating.

I have lots of other spiders but Phido was bought for me and was the 2nd spider we owned (Fluffy already passed away was the 1st), so he has a special place in my affections and will be missed.

Is it November?

I know 'with all theeeese posts I'm really spoiling you' but *sigh*.

Well is it November where you are? Because it sure ain't down here. Today is a day of fairly warm hazy sunshine. I have all the windows open - including the large one in the lounge. There is NO wind at all. Yesterday was a day of brilliant sunshine and it was so warm I wore a vest style top and had to take my socks off cos my piggies got too hot..........in November!

I've checked the BBC weather for the next 5 days and until Saturday they are giving temps of 50 to 59f, sun and hazy sun with light winds......................in November! Most strange.

I saw a butterfly yesterday, a couple of bees, the trees are still leafy and the gulls are still singing like it's summer. Most bizzare!

I want my winter! I like cold, windy, wet days - I want frosty mornings. I want it to get cold NOW! I like to snuggle under the quilt with a hottle-bottle and sip hot choccie whilst the wind howls outside. I wanna wear my thick pulleys and handknitted socks. It's sooooooooo not fair. I've suffered all the summer, longing for winter and winter isn't here yet. Get me some winter! Please, pretty please with sugar on top.

*big sigh*

Tweek and Twonk

I told J the story of my cousin and how when we were kids he had this stylized bird thingy called Crow and that Crow used to attack stuff and have all these adventures. I described what it looked like and J was desperate to obtain one - but we're talking 70's stuff and I'm sure Rob found his in junk even then. I promised ages ago to attempt to make something similar - and today I finally got around to it *sigh*.

So here are Tweek (the blue one) and Twonk - J helped in their creation and they are currently perched on the bookshelf waiting for their glue to dry. I just hope they are not as naughty as Crow was - he regularly wrecked my dolls house! OK I no longer have a dolls house (well I do - the same one but that's in the attic) but I have other stuff and these two sure look naughty to me.

November sunset.

Sometimes Brighton can be a beautiful place to be.

Bonfire night

15 years ago today I lost my Dad. I miss him still. He'd been ill for a few years - but I don't think any of us expected him to die so quickly and at that moment. I didn't get to the hospital in time. I never got to say goodbye - he never told me he loved me and when I told him, the previous night, I don't know if he heard.

Every year on Guy Fawkes we send up a big firework for him (he loved fireworks and bonfires) last night (a day early) we sent up a 48 shot firework and I took the time to think of him.

We had a wonderful firework celebration, J and the cousins helped stoke the fire, played with sparklers, cooked marshmallows on the chiminea, ate home-made soup and sausages and generally 0hh-and-ahhed at the wonderful explosions. The adults ate too much, 3 of us drank to much, we made very merry and laughed loads. I think my Dad would have had a blast. I'm sure he was there in spirit.

Rocket's Tail (For Rocket).

That November night, looking up into the sky
You said "Hey wish that was me up there-
it's the biggest rocket I could find
And it's holding the night in it's arms
If only for moment
I can't see the look in it's eyes
but I'm sure it must be laughing."
But it seemed to me the saddest thing I'd ever seen
And I thought you were crazy wishing such a thing -

I saw only a stick on fire
Alone on it's journey
Home to the quickening ground
With no one there to catch it.

I put on my pointed hat
And my black and silver suit
And I check my gunpowder pack
And I strap the stick on my back
And dressed as a rocket on Waterloo Bridge
Nobody seems to see me
Then with the fuse in my hand
And now shooting into the night
And still as a rocket
I land in the river.

Was it me said you were crazy?
I put on my cloudiest suit
Size 5 lightening boots too
'Coz I am rocket
On fire
Look at me go with my tail
On fire
Hey, look at me, look at me................

(Kate Bush - from 'The Sensual World).

Spooky spiders - mwahaha.

Yes I know - two in one day - I spoil you. But what could be better for Halloween than spiders - big hairy spiders? Here is the newly moulted Humbug - in all his stripy legged glory - Pippi Longstocking eat your heart out! M had great fun moving him to his new tank - he's an aggressive little fucker.
This is our 1st picture of Tiny - the spider with the potential to grow to 10 inches. At the moment he's about 2 inches across and very hairy. He has a voracious appetite and looks for a 2nd helping almost straight away. I shall be watching this ones growth rate with great interest.

Colemans - the other new spider is a bit small to photograph yet - but never fear- the minute he's big enough he will make a grand debut.

Now sleep well on on all hallows eve - no nasty dreams about gert big hairy spiders crawling up your legs under the bed clothes now.

Things that go bump in the night!

So, we love Halloween. J and I have been making scary pictures all day. The spider cake is cooling in its tin as I type.

We, as a family, are also all writing scary poems and stories to tell each other tomorrow tonight, after our special ultra scary tea. J sneaked a peek at my poem and wants me to share it with the world so here goes........enjoy.......remember it was written with the idea in mind to entertain a 9 yr old (ghoulish) boy.

Supping on little boys is what I like to do,
Crunching on their knobbly knees and skinny elbows too.
Custard mash made from their brains and strain their innards through,
Washed down with a pint of blood mixed well with snotty goo!

I quite like a brekkie of little girls as a cereal that is sweet,
Their flesh is soft and tender as are their cheesy feet.
Their long hair makes spaghetti of which I am quite fond,
It tastes even better after a soaking in the pond.

My mid-day snack is normally quite light
If I spy a passing Granny - then I might just take a bite.
Although they are more chewy and their bones more brittle too,
Where their brains are old and soggy makes a lovely soupy goo!

Oh yes, I do like human food, it tastes so very nice,
Who'd want to eat Chinese food, all bamboo shoots and rice.
I'll stick to little humans and the odd Granny too,
There is no waste, so good they taste, I even eat their poo!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Chock full of yarny goodness.

I kind of broke my yarn diet (oops) but my Darlin man said "You've not bought much yarn lately. Why don't you treat yourself?" And I wasn't about to decline that kind offer now, was I? So here we have some Handmaiden lace weight silk in Rose Garden. I bought to make a shawl - the pattern for which I also purchased but it's a secret at the moment ;0) I still have a passion for pink and green colour mixes - the pinks are really dusky edging more toward a minky beige than pinky pink - very subtle.
Here in some yummalicious LL sock yarn in one of my fav colourways Irving Park. I made a curly-whirly scarf in this colour last year and the mix of the purple, red and orange has just grown on me. I love this sock yarn - it keeps it colour and is so very soft and I've found durable.
Two skeins if LL DK weight merino wool (superwash) in my all time fav colourways Sherbet. I made a wrap using this in Worsted (Aran?) earlier this year. It is soft and snuggly and always makes me feel warm and cheerful. So this is destined to become a scarf (for me) a thick snuggly scarf to warm and cheer me through out the winter. My passion for these colours all stem from having Gundel - http://suse.dentatec.com as my SP - she mentioned she loved hot pink and orange mixes - I initially thought yuck - but when I started shopping for her - well the rest is history - I was completely hooked. I have dyed and bought so much yarn using this mix of colours - I loves it I do!

I shall be employing my winder today and will no doubt have a severe case of start-it-tis over the forthcoming weekend. Which will be spent predominately at home because on Sat M has a studio booked and is off jamming with his band until the evening and as I have Aunt Flo visiting I will be taking it easy at home. Sunday - well we have plans but it's all dependent on how my body behaves etc.

Jasmine

Our household includes my Ma and her animals as well. As I posted earlier this year she lost here old cat Pixie. At the time she felt she didn't want anymore cats. Well, time moves on and she read about the Brighton & Hove Cats Protection League needing people to offer homes to older cats (people don't want to adopt older cats for some reason). She met a lovely B & W boy called Rufus who she wanted to home....but sadly Rufus became unwell and needed further vet treatment and to stay where he was. So, Ma offered a home to..........

Jasmine or Miss Fluffy Pants aka a Tribble on legs or possibly a Wig-wig. She came to live with us on Saturday and she is a lovely, gentle, friendly, fluffy (did I mention she was fluffy?) girlie of 10 years.
She is settling in well. She has met Ma's dachshunds and tolerates them but has yet to meet Loobles (she has seen her through the patio doors) or Conkers properly (Conkers did get into to Ma's lounge the other day - his tail fluffed and he peered over the sofa at her and they have conversed briefly through a glass door - he mews, she hisses!) We are doing the introducing slowly as I don't want a repeat of the Kodo/Poppy warfare and the Buster/Pixie swear-scratchathons this time.

It seems a shame that this little girl was going to be put to sleep by her owners (allegedly) because she no longer fitted their lifestyle. She has so much love to give as do so many older cats who need homes. Anyone thinking of getting a kitty or if you know someone who is....please think about/get them to think about adopting an older cat. I know our local cat rescue is full to the brim -and is trying to squeeze in emergency rescues and has to put cats in need on the waiting list. They never put healthy animals down - but because of people breeding kittens for sale and then not being able to sell them and then dumping them on the rescue people, people kicking out pets they've grown bored of or are too old etc - the older cats people don't want are taking shelter places and the shelters are out of spaces. Just think about it - older cats are loving and full of fun too.

"Beret good, Mr Bond."

I love my Debbie Bliss beret and wear it loads - so I decided to make another one in a different colour. Sweetie boy - unhappily agreed to model this so I could get a shot of the stitch definition. He'd just woken up and agreed to this picture before he realised it would go on my blog...haha!
Loobles wasn't much happier about her modeling assignment either but ever hopeful of some of Conkers dried cat foot as a reward, she posed - briefly - she didn't get any fud either!

The hat is made in Alpaca silk (Aran weight) and is knitted back and forth in moss stitch - and can be completed in an afternoon. The cravat that goes with it - I never wear - so made a pair of Fetching instead to match this, as I am more likely to wear gloves than a scarf.

As for the rest of my knitting - well my mojo has been a bit underwhelming this week. I have had the time to knit but have chosen not to - I have been so tired in the evenings that early nights have been the order of the day. I am working on plain socks for J, a lace shawl, a silk version of Cozy and Ma's never ending Pomatomous sockies. The beret was a quick fix knit for me - that hopefully will re-spark the ole knitting juices back into overdrive.

Shhhhh

Humbug is right in the middle of his moult - as I type this. It is exciting when a spider moults, much like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. The spiders colours will be brighter, the spider will be bigger and there is always the possibility that we will be able to determine their sex. There is also the moment of dread when you see them still on their backs, unmoving, the fear that the spider may be stuck in its exoskeleton and will die. The relief when they start to move and slowly emerge - is like letting go on a long held breath. So we are being quiet, no loud noises, thumping around and subdued lighting - until little Humbug has re-emerged. He will be fragile for a while. They need to harden and to pump themselves up as they shed everything when they moult - their fangs and even the lining of their mouths. No food for him for a while either. Though unusually for a spider he ate 48 hours before he started his moult. I post piccies of him once he has obtained his full moult.

The two new babies have been re-housed and fed and are now tromping about exploring their new domains.

I know people find spiders scary - I understand - I used to be terrified of them too. But they really aren't anything to be scared off and are fascinating creatures. Like any creature that has venom - if you scare them or encroach on their territory - you could get bitten and some give very nasty bites - but if you are careful and respect them then you should be ok.

Ahhhh babies.

I was attempting to put up a picture of Conkers loving his cuddly duck but Bogger (no spelling mistake this time) is giving moi gip!

I'll put them on Flickr - looksie at the box thingy a bottom of blog.

We've got new babies - cute ickle spiderlings.....ahhhhh.

We've bought a Salmon Pink Birdeater currently about 2" across with the capability of growing to 10" - J has christened it 'Tiny' - great name or what :0) - for those of you who like proper names this tarantula is known as lasidora parahybana.

Whilst there M also acquired a tiny (less than an inch) Chacoan Mustard Tarantula - also known as Chaco Goldenstripe/Golden Knee - proper name grammastola aureistriata. That one can grow up to 7.5 - 8" leg span - so another weeny one. This one has been christened 'Colemans' - yet another great name!

So we now have 6 eight legged babies - the family just keeps on growing.

Oo-Oo just found these.

Firstly 'Ha' this illustrates some of previous rant re word meaning

http://purlpower.blogspot.com

Far more humorous than my OTT rant (I feel better now, by the way) but very interesting and in its way illuminating.

Secondly, if you don't already read this blog - you should - one of the best on the web.

http://www.glittyknittykitty.co.uk

Todays post made me laugh out loud - which I needed.

Read, enjoy, revel!

NB: Blogger (I just typed Bogger - whoops) spell checker is not working on this post. I can't spell for toffee. I have attempted to check my spelling the old fashioned way - using a dictionary - but excuse me if I've fluffed up - thank you.