I am ready to flash!

Piccies taken. Not artistic though -with all the illness etc - I just couldn't do more than lay it out on the floor!

Below are a couple of items that missed the flash so I've posted them to wet your appetite.

I will be 'flashing' tomorrow am - gmt.

How many April fools will there be - or is it just one large zib leg pull all round? You gotta be suspicious!

(ps - bit better today - my chest is really bad still. I am so looking forward to the sponsored walk on Sunday - might need oxygen and a wheelchair to complete though.)

I bought me some Louisa Harding Kimono Angora. Scrummy! 

I dyed somemore yarn last Saturday - mainly pinks, reds and oranges. It's superfine merino and I am very pleased with the colours. 

J was in a hurry to get dressed I guess. He had no idea of this until M pointed it out to him. 

You may think it's funny bit it's snot!

So....we're still ill. J is better. Ma is slowly getting there. But M and I are still in the throes of snot, coughs and feeling like shit.

Drowning, as I slowly am, in ginger tea and my own mucus. I can honestly say that I've had better days.

I need more painkillers. I ache. I smell of vick. I am eternally pissed off with life, the universe and everything.

To top it all the kitty has been poorly too. A stomach upset (another visit to the vet) just what you need when you feel ill - cat diarrhoea. All I need now is for someone to vomit somewhere and my week will be complete.

Can't study, brain is mush. Need to write essay - pah and poohey!

Had to frog half a sweater front yesterday as I cocked it up - I reknit it in the same day. But I am so fed up with sitting on my arse but am to ill to do any different.

Dyed some more yarn at weekend and took stash/flash piccies ready for the 1st. Will post more etc when more human feeling (never then!).

I have never drunk so much tea in my life as I can't face coffee.

I want normal back "wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" *stamps foot*

An intermission picture and a get well soon wish to J McMischief. 

Out of the loop.

An intermission will take place until further notice as the L household succumbs to illness. J is poorly and in bed (unheard of), Ma is the staggering wounded and me - well - I'm fighting it off - so I either haven't got 'it' full on yet or my body is going round to round with Bug Tyson. M is fine but having to work and take on more of my stuff as I ache in every fibre of my being.

I will return, as and when, we have full recovery. Try not to miss too much *Ha*

ps - any spelling/grammer you-know-whats ....today I don't care!

A knitted cuff with fanceee buttons. 

Great minds and all that.

I decided to knit a cuff from RYC Classic-art book 10. It took a blink of an eye. Then I saw that Ali (faerynuff) had made one too (very pretty).

Then on my blog hopping adventures I saw that Clerdy-yarner and Raeknits had also been dying this weekend - there must be something in the air.

I had some Jo Sharp undyed DK wool and I got me some Koolaid and the results are posted below. I had fun!

UPDATE.

Two more survivor's from the cricket massacre - 1 more than half dead crawled out from under the TV on Saturday and we have one hiding in the spare room - we can hear him but can't see him. We may have to send in an elite squad ....... guess who ;0)
We have bought new crickets and have them in a safehouse - on top of the wardrobe in J's room. It should be too high for a small and adventurous kitten.

And as for the kitten - well he's really found his paws - up to maximum naughty now. He's been scat-catting all around the house. My lovely rug has been killed - at least 3 times a night. He found his way onto our bed this morning and marched up and down our bodies purring his little whiskers off.

Apart from that, well life toodles along quite nicely at the mo. Too much stuff to do and too little time - but that's normal.

Guess how I spent Saturday afternoon? 

Dyeing tonight? 

Just had to post this! 

The morning of the day after the event.

Just so you know only one other survivor has been recovered. Late last night he staggered out from under a drum and sat stunned and bemused. Lucky for him ninja boy was busy dispatching a feather duster, so we were able to remove the cricket without running interference.

This morning all was quiet on the lounge front. Just a couple of dusty paw prints on DH's amp (which we overlooked as youthful frolics). However, on his morning preamble, downstairs where the evil ones live. Connor came face to face with a Winnie dog - who in his spaced out, drug induced state walked straight past him. Ninja boy was ready, fighting stars drawn - but to no avail, the dachshund ambled past, oblivious. Feeling thwarted by this lack reaction the aforementioned feather duster copped it big time. The duster is now suitably chastised and ninja boy has retired to the kipping spot of all champions - the patchwork knitting bag. His claws are sharpened, his coat glistens and his little shitake mushroom nose shines. He dreams of his next battle with the grey speckled evil one (Killer Pixie) who he met yesterday. There was an exchange of language that turned the air blue resulting in a mega hiss from ninja boy and a (hasty) oops I mean dignified retreat upstairs - the old adage 'he who fights and runs away.....etc' applies.

I'm now off to stick the feathers back into the duster as I'm sure it will be needed for hit and run kitten strafing practice later.

The great cricket massacre at No 5!

Aye, t'was a dark and stormy night.............well it was night, so therefore in this part of the world it was dark, and the stormy was more like, a bit breezy. The clouds scudded across the sky, playing hide and seek with the moon. (We're going for a bit of drama here!)

High in their fortress, atop the tallest bookcase in the lounge, the new brigade of crickets were settling into to their new billet. They pinged, chirped and rustled, making themselves comfortable and enjoying a feast of dried cat food. Little did they know that unexpected terror lurked, and not the 8 legged variety this time. Terror came on little cat feet, clad in black velvet and a ninja mask.

Nothing was heard. No crash. No screams as the massacre took place. Swiped from their cliff top abode and scattered across the lounge floor. Those that fled could. The others, well, all that remained was the odd limb. The ninja caused no other damage and well satisfied with his nights work, curled up in his lair, on the patchwork knitting bag and slept replete and nourished.
-----------------------------------

Now in the morning, in came the human male to find the carnage and remains of last nights banquet. He went to rouse his mate (who had hardly slept more than 2 hours all night and was not of a jolly disposition) to spread the tidings. Ah yes the tidings (to she who hates crickets - cos they give her the willies) that the survivors were most likely behind the furniture and could emerge throughout the day. Also, alas and alack, that he needed to dismantle the behind the sofa yarn stash as that seemed a likely cricket bolt hole. "Nooooooooooo!" she screamed "Not in my yarn."

The sofa was dragged out. The precious, luckily bagged and sealed yarn, gently removed and shaken and underneath there they were. A few stragglers, no luggage and no hope in their eyes and they were quickly hoovered up by the whirling Dyson. Twelve was all that remained of that happy band of brothers. The other eight - well who knows - are they lurking? Were they eaten alive?

Gives a whole new meaning to the term 'a cricket tea' though.

Very quick update.

I am extremely grumpy!

J is very annoying.

The kitten is an adorable cutie-pie! (He's settling in very well).

We have a two legged - but winged stick insect - life is sometimes just too bizarre.

Some people are wankers!

PMT sucks!

Yesterday sucked - today sucks too.

This post sucks - but I don't (hehe) ;0)

Life's a bitch.

Study is good - did loads today.

Ran 2.3 miles - now my legs ache.

Made chicken soup.

Now will read my book and knit some socks.

Later.

Isn't he a cutie! 

Here is Connor having a little nap on the sofa. He looks like a little black fox. We love his black nose and his little black beans (pads). 

Here is a lovely picture of Dolores (Dolly-dots) having a drinkie-poos. 

Here is Connor our new kitty boy from the Cats Protection League. He's 8 mths old and very purry and cute. 

I got me some goodies.

Yarn pR0n below!!!

Look at what Stick Chick sent me in a swap...all that Knit Picks yarn. I is one happy, drooling and petting little bunny today. I have the biggest smile.

And on Monday my new secret pal sent me giftees via Amazon. Three books, 'The Time Travellers Wife, Spin It (no more excuses for avoiding my drop spindle then) and Writers Block. Excuse me whilst I wax lyrical. I love Writers Block - it's a open anywhere book for inspiration. I haven't written creatively for a long time but since receiving this I have completed 4 pieces of prose. And I've enjoyed doing it! So a big "Thank You" to my secret pal.

Winnie is a lot better today - he's even woofed a bit.

We passed our CPL inspection and go to meet a little kitty boy tomorrow evening - keeping everything crossed.

Lookee - I swapped some soap for Knit Picks yarn with Stick Chick. Ever since Skip made me a beautiful lace bookmark I have coveted this yarn. It's Alpaca Cloud, lace weight in Tide Pool. It is so scrummy and delicious and scrummy and delicious and so scrummy...you get the picture. 

2 skeins of Knit Picks Shimmer (baby alpaca and silk) in Flower Garden. 

Two yummy skeins of Knit Picks Alpaca and Silk - sport weight. 

8 balls of Knit Picks Andean Silk in Pool 

2nd Airy Scarf (from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts) but I adjusted the pattern slightly to make it more holely. Modelled by Groucho the bear. I do so like this pattern - I just my family wore mohair because they would make perfect gifts, but all my lot find it too itchy - even KSH! 

A little crochet neck/hair tie made from the same yarn as my curly-whirly. 

Ohhh a curly-whirly

Not a very flattering piccie (ugh!)
This scarf is a design by Sue Morgan and is knitted in Lorna's Shepherd Worsted. It took about 3 hours to make but I decided to add the flowers the following day. Great pattern - total bummer on the wrists casting on 700 stitches!

I have been so busy and life is manic, chaotic and hectic that I the only time I'm really knitting is at weekends. I have noticed that with these spurts of knitting time has developed the need for instant gratification knitting. I have WIP's a plenty of larger items, which are being neglected, as all I want is to whip up and complete a new project. I don't think it's too much of a bad thing and is probably just a phase.

I also made a little neck/hair tie that matches this and finally took a photo of my green Airy Scarf - that I adjusted the original pattern to make.

Non-knitting stuff.

I have been hitting the books big time and finishing the final edits of my essay. Life was smooth and then on Tuesday Winston one of the family dogs, suddenly screamed with pain and collapsed. He was rushed to the vets, who gave him many injections but had no idea what was wrong. I cancelled meeting Yuvee to go to the Hove SnB and mounted dog watch as the vet said if his gums and mouth didn't warm up and gain colour in the next hour then it was off to ITU in Lewes. We made it through the night, went back next day and he is slowly recovery...sort of. He's back at the vets again this morning. His abdomen is all tight and they don't know why...I'll keep you posted.

All this bought home the loss of Buster and I'm sorry to say made me really depressed. I became more aware of the emptiness of the house and missed having a furry little lap warmer. My boys were worried. I don't often do 'depressed'. So I called the local CPL (Cats Protection League) and enquired about rescuing a kitty. The lady has been very helpful. We have had a reference given by our vets and she's coming to do a home visit today. So I'm feeling a little more chipper and hope to have a new kitty friend soon.

I also felt fed up because my SP went AWOL. The wonderful sp gourdesses have reacted with lightening speed and solved my problem there and I have a new sp. who got in touch straight away *yay*. The problem was/is I feel awful for ratting my old sp, I have a feeling it was circumstances beyond her control that made he go AWOL and I didn't like feeling like a whinger but....well you know.

J has been a total arsehole the last week - he's 8 going on 15 and how I haven't kicked his peachy little butt I do not know. Talk about attitude and a clever (in his opinion) mouth. I have explained to him that he cannot win and my mouth is a 1000 times cleverer than his but he's still undetered. *sigh* He'll learn, he can't yet laugh at himself so I have ammo for when he becomes intolerable.

M is good and has been a kind bunny coping with his misery of a Mrs.

All the pets (apart from Win) are cool. The sticks have moulted and are big. The spiders are eating well. I had a little cuddle (sort of) with Dolly-dots the other day. She is such a cutie.

The veggie patch hasn't been touched yet and I have no idea where I'll find the time to do it - it may lay fallow this year.

I walked/ran 10 miles this week on my treadmill. Today is my rest day so that's why I have the time to blog.

Now it's time to hit the ole books again..............let us hope that this weeks topic is a bit more interesting....I actually feel asleep over one of them last week.

Later gators.

You Are Animal

A complete lunatic, you're operating on 100% animal instincts.You thrive on uncontrolled energy, and you're downright scary.But you sure can beat a good drum."Kill! Kill!"

The Muppet Personality Test