Welcome to the family Snuffles(?) 

So

it's pissing with rain and blowing a hooligan - well what do you expect in May? It's also bloomin cold - but I have been told by the guru grapevine that this bank holiday weekend will be hot and sunny. Now two things strike me about that 1) Brighton will be packed with sad-sack day trippers and 2) It's funnier when it's packed out on a bank holiday and it's crap weather - hahahaha.
I find peoples weather obsessions really funny - I love the fact that as soon as I walk into a local shop someone will mention the type of weather we are having ,then they analyse it and finally they predict the weather over the next few days. I swear I have to fight to keep a straight face!
It is only the fact that it's raining that I have to time and inclination to post here today - if it was dry you wouldn't see me here for quids.

I'm reading a really interesting book called My Life in Orange by Tim Guest about his childhood growing up in a (religious?) commune. Fascinating stuff. There are parts of it that link to a lot of home education issues and questions especially about limiting children's learning. It's also interesting reading it from a parenting perspective - it is refreshing to see that not every parent believes that over-mothering and mothering via material possessions is the only way. On the other hand it can too far the other way and become neglectful. Take from the book what you will - it's good to read of a childhood so different from my own and from J's.

Other stuff,

Some people are so cool. I was offered a gift of kindness from a home-educating family this week. It was just a call to see how I was. But it shows that there are people who still care and understand how debilitating agoraphobia can be. Cheers guys - you rock!

Ali (Faerynuff) posted piccies of her new guinea pigs - I showed Jakob. Doh. Guess what happened next? (No prizes). Mike came home with a self coloured little pinnie gig - currently called Snuffles (this name is subject to change - as I keep referring to him as Bubbles, Snuggles and Truffle - why can't the name Snuffles stick in my head? But it's better than Igor which was Mikes suggestion!) Anyway, this new pet actually replaces Fudge the rabbit who passed away a little while ago. I had said "no more small animals" but J really missed his bunny - so a piggle was a compromise. He is very cute by the way.

Very little on the knitting front as I have been busy with loads of other stuff - including weaving and crochet - just for a change. I don't why I've been so busy but there you go....perhaps I making up for all the time I normally spend studying mmmm?

We also booked to go away for a couple of days in June. This is instead of a birthday party for J, though we'll probably still do something on the day. We are going to Chester .... why Chester I hear you cry? Well it's like this. I am obsessed with Komodo Dragons (an obsession I passed on to my son) and Chester Zoo has a 12ft male one ----- I never thought I get to see a live one. I can't wait, it's so exciting.....what you think me strange and a little sad? Well poo to you. But seriously, the zoo looks amazing, we're booked into a really cool hotel and the break will be an adventure for Jakob. So we are doing a family *happy dance*.

Also on the subject of boy birthdays - how much Dr Who and Dalek stuff can one kid want/need? Mind you he likes look of the books - so anything that encourages his reading is good. Not that he needs much encouragement to read - I can't keep up with him, first person I've ever known who outreads me. At this minute he is reading Spike Milligan and giggling the whole time - that's it I can't resist - budge over son lets read Sir Nobonk.............

A plethora of postcards! 

Here is the lastest construction - it's a base with a bomb disposal arm. It's a top secret H.Q designed by J - it had lots of secrets and booby traps - so I am informed. 

BIG scary decision!

Well I did it - made the big scary decision - and now it's a done deal - *gulp*

I quit my last degree course today - phew! I couldn't stand another second of postcolonial theory, marxist theory, feminist theory or psychoanalytical theory either. It was doing my nut!

So, what now? Well I have a straight ordinary BA and the university has said that as I only need 60 credits to have an ordinary Hons degree that if in a year or so I want to come back I can convert my straight dull BA to a slightly more glam BA Hons by doing 1 more course of my choice at level 3.

You cannot know the relief I am feeling. It was not an easy step as I have spent 6 years on this, but you can only hit your head on a brick wall for so long before you burst your brain, and that is what I have been feeling for the last couple of months.

So now I can put more time into home educating J - which has always had to fit around my study schedule and for the 1st time in 6 years I can spend the summer with my family, not hunched over text books, revising or writing long and tedious essays. That sounds soooooo good.

I can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning without that dread in my belly that I have a child to educate, a home to run and a 2000 word (god awful) essay to churn out. I will be able to stretch, relax and fit stuff in as it comes. Truly a liberating sensation.

Other - stuff.

I did refelt my fuzzy feet - as suggested by the wise sages on the Knittyboard and now they fit a dream.

Nicole from the board sent me the most glorious Cascade 220 - in return for some stuff I sent across the pond. She chose a lovely autumnal palette - I'm still swooning and plotting what it will become.

I hate double seed/moss stitch - it is an invention of pure evil.

I'm going to Ali (Faerynuffs) party - *happy dance* - I am so looking forward to seeing her and meeting her hubby and girls.

And instead of hitting the books this afternoon - as all other stuff is done - I think I might indulge myself with a nice long walk for the dog and a little knitting - shucks ain't life tough - hahahahahahaha.

I decided to change my hair colour - that's what a boring weekend does to you! I like it though ;0) 

After felting - there is still some stitch definition and they are a tad too big for me - I may well re-felt them but they sure are cosy! 

Before felting! 

Sunday

It's Sunday, I'm fed up. I'm fed up and it's Sunday - what more can I say?

Here are my little ankle socks made from my koolaid yarn - because the colours remind of strawberries, I call them my strawberry bobble socks. 

Peeved!

Anyone (if there is anyone) who reads my blog regularly will know that my blog is a personal journal and that I'm not a crusader or a political animal. There are things I feel very strongly about, I campaign for the NSPCC and I am an advocate of children's rights - but they are in another part of my life. But I'm about to be a little political and use bad language, so if you are of a sensitive disposition please .... move on.

I am so fed with this poxy general election - like you would not believe. I hate politicians and I hate their campaigners even more. Why does the fact that I can and do vote mean that some knob can knock on my door and question me? Why do they even have the right to ask me what I voted last time and what I'll vote this time? That is totally between me, my conscience and the ballot box. And this happens not just once but 3 times! Then these campaigners have the audacity to look miffed cos I won't tell them.....bollocks! I know things like this effect the statistics and the opinion polls - but I don't follow them anyway as I like to make a personal informed choice when I vote and not follow the flock. So I am now ruminating on a 101 ways to tell people like these to fuck off (politely of course). This is such personal stuff they might as well ask me how often I get down and dirty with hubby! I know it's a free country and they have the right to do this but they must also respect my right not to put posters in my windows and not to tell them anything other than to 'sod off'!'

Ok that's better - I just needed to have a little rant....normal service will resume shortly.

Here's MaryElla - made from the goodies sent from my SP. 

Ali sent me a parcel as well. Cabana boys for my drinks - cool. The lip balm tastes yummy xxxx want a kiss? 

I received a RAK today from 'Mamafeenix' these lovely stitchmarkers. So purty! 

Catching up

Well it's been a strange week in some ways. I've hurt my knee (playing basketball with J) and have been in extreme pain. I've tried resting it - that hurts, I've tried gentle exercise - that hurts, I've tried a mixture of both - that hurts. So now I've decided to take painkillers and moan about it to all and sundry. It's called nagging it into submission - Ha!

I've been busy hitting the books all week and got loads ofwork done - I'm actually two weeks ahead - but there is so much work to do this month, that every hour is precious.

J's postcards are arriving in a steady stream - we are so impressed with peoples kindness. We are all enjoying getting the post. It's so exciting for J!

We have a female blackbird nesting right outside our kitchen window. We watched her build her nest, god it looked such hard work. Now she's sitting on her eggs. We see her turn them and preen and nip off briefly to feed. Can't wait for them to hatch.

I've knitted MaryElla - thanks sp! I really enjoyed knitting with beads. I am also designing some socks for my Koolaid yarn - big fun.

This week has also been mystery fruit week - each day M has bought in a new fruit for us all to try but especially J - we give him clues and he has to try and find out what it's called mainly via google and then we all try the fruit. We've had lychee, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit and today a grandilla. It's healthy, fun and educational -what more can a home educating parent ask for.

Last Saturday I helped at a needlework fair on a guild stall - OMG! I'm not ageist......but....OMG!
These poor ole biddies got a bit of a shock when they saw me, piercings and all. We'd only communicated via email and phone - I don't think that I was what they expected. Thank god a friend was on the next stall or rigor mortis might have set in over the 4 hour period. Don't get me wrong they were very nice women but we came from different worlds. They had never heard of Noro or knitting straight on circs. One of them was the same age as my Mum but miles older in character - so I give thanks here for a Mum who is VERY young at heart - go yoga girl!

Got a busy weekend - new yarn shop to investigate tomorrow. Dinner invites and a picnic party for J and us. So fun and frolics all round. Will post pictures MaryElla and socks soon as - I can be asked to do it - hahaha. xxxxxx.

J's postcards so far. Thank you all! 

Woohoo - SP 4! Look at my goodies - stuff to knit with beads to make Maryella on Knitty - ohhhh so excited I can't wait. A pretty card and some yum-tasties (low fat ones) as well. Thank you SP!!! 

My beautiful Fifi has just moulted and her colours are vibrant and fresh and she's a lot bigger. What a pretty baby! 

I went to London and...............

I met a fantabulous group of ladies from the Knitty board in the flesh! (A couple of pictures are already posted below.) It was so refreshing to meet people with a common interest, that have a good sense of fun and are down to earth. No posers, no boasters and no tosspots either.

I had been itching to meet Yorkie as she was my SP in the last round and had spoilt me rotten - what can I say - she's great and as funny in reality as in the virtual world. It was also great to meet Glittr as we have chatted on-line, another genuine person - who is as nice in reality as on the boards.

M came with me, as I have problems travelling and took it all in his stride. He's a lad! I just wish I could have stayed longer and had time to talk to Jackie (who I only really said 'hi' to) and to Faery - who lives closer to me than the others and who's blog I read regularly.

I wouldn't have missed it for the world and hope it happens again and again. Roll on the the Big Knit In in Brighton on 5th June 2005 - hopefully I can persuade some of the UKnitty girls to come down to the coast!

M's pressie to Yorkie! She took it in good fun - Helen (Purlpower) in foreground, Anne (Pebbles) in background. 

Here are the UK Knitty girls at the British Library - if I miss anyones name - sorry. At the front is Yorkie, Skitten, Glittr, Little My, Woolymind. At the back Pebbles, PurlPower, Lainch Jackie, Isobel Faerynuff and Louise(?)- woolymind's sister.

A message & some musings.

YORKSHIRE GAL IS THE BEST SP IN THE WORLD!!!!

Yep that naughty girl from the North is my sp and she has delighted me with her thoughtful gifts, humour and sense of fun!

However, not so sure about Corp. Cuck Camo-Bear came into the lounge this morning and the place was trashed. The whiskey and port bottles had been tampered with , the wine glasses had been licked clean of any dregs. The chocolate stash was trashed, my wool was all tangled and in the middle of this mayham - sat a very fat, wool wrapped, booze stinking little camo bear! Oh dear. He has the most awful hangover and is looking a bit sorry for himself. He's promised it will not happen again, but I'm can still see that glint in his eye!

Right...... I realised that this week is the anniversary of us home educating J - it's 3 years since he was deregistered from school. We have been on such a journey of discovery in that time. A journey that has shown us that learning doesn't need desks or classrooms, that conversing with your child is a great learning experience for all involved and that above all I really do enjoy spending loads of time with him. He has such an active mind, he challenges himself and both M & I daily. He now reads as well as any 12 year old and chooses to read as an activity throughout the day, from factual books, cereal packets, comics, fiction, poetry and puzzle books. He now is happy to write stuff (he has terrible hand writing but then so have most doctors!) but he no longer is afraid of criticism because he's written the wrong kind of 'S'. He's using his mind to reason stuff out, he's negotiating for the stuff that's important to him, he has a huge vocab and amazes me with the words he can spell and the facts that he knows.

I have over the last 3 years spiralled between the dizzy heights of "yes this is so the right thing for us" to " how can I do this to my child?" I now feel confident that he is happy, he knows that if he wants to go to school he has only to ask and he can go but at this time he doesn't. He has a great group of pals and a better social life than me. I can't remember the last time I saw a friend from school. So three years on we're happy, it's working for us and life is good!

Corp. Chuck the camo bear finds a place to rest after his long and arduous trip from the North Lands. 

J modelling sp delights and goodies - I'm sure he will be a big help in eating all the sweeties. 

A bumper box of sp delights and goodies! 

I was waggling a knitting needle at my much happier and livelier Buster - the treatment seems to be working - this is his first play in ages. 

Buster my baby boy of naughtiness is feeling better but sleepy - he's such a cutie!! 

A little peace and a lot of toboggan.

Yesterday I had the whole afternoon on my own. I'd spent the whole morning studying, so had little guilt about indulging myself. I pottered around and finished up my chores and then spent 30 blissful minutes meditating - do you know how rare it is to get a whole half an hours silence in this place? - Hens teeth my friends, hens teeth! Then armed with a cuppa - I settled down and watched video of 1 of Pride and Prejudice (the only thing that Colin Firth looks fanciable in) and knitted. No kid, no hubby, no phonecalls - just me. A little piece of heavan. But where were my maurading males you might ask? At a birthday party - a toboggan birthday party no less.

At 7.15pm they arrived back - a bit soggy - regaling me with tales of daring-do, stunts and speed. They're the toboggan masters! It seems that J-NO-FEAR - super lava power boy went head 1st, feet 1st, backwards, in a chain and on a giant doughnut. While Husband of daring-do beat all the kiddies in a race and spent a lot of time play fighting with his younger brother. How could such a wonderful be topped off - well I'll tell.

1) Boy went to bed - well satisfied and tired.
2) M & I had a romantic (M cooked) dinner for two.
3) We lit the candles and listened to music whilst polishing off a nice bottle of wine.
4) M then popped the cork on some fizzy-poo, ran me a candlelit bath and sprinkled rose petals in the water.
5) We retired - with the rest of the wine and some Green & Blacks pralines ............................

What a perfect day! I am a very lucky Peri.

Japanese patchwork. 

Just stuff.

I had a dawning realisation today (thanks to a thread on the Knitty forum). I really do like who and where I am right now. This probably means a nerfing great ball of doo-doo it about to plop right in my lap...but what the heck, lets tempt the fates - I am happy in the here and now.

There are silly niggly bits n bobs I would change but on the whole - it's all good babe!

I have a great respect for time and since my Dad died have tried to live for now. He worked his butt off all his life (though he always did the stuff he wanted to) and died before he could kick back and truly reap the benefits of his labour. But it's taken until now to accept me with all my little foibles. Maybe I am finally a grown up? Nah.....don't think so

Other stuff.............
We bought a basketball hoop for the garden - now I just want it to stop raining cos I wanna go play in the garden. (Did I mention before that I might have grown up - lol).

Buster is responding well to his tablets. He goes back to the vets tomorrow, so fingers crossed.

I got my last essay back from my tutor - got a good mark - well better than expected - phew.

Do my first research interview for this course this week - am a bit nervous/excited.

Bought more Noro Silk Garden - I am a Noro-ho.

Can't think of anything else right now - so TTFN.

A yarn to dye for.

Friday p.m - the kitchen, Debbie Bliss 100% merino wool - dk, packets of kool aid, a determined woman, a potting husband and a child who moaned about the smell! I had so much fun. I made so much mess (which I cleared up). I made pretty wool! Yayha! It was great, we all had a laugh with it - though how anyone drinks that stuff is way beyond me.

Saturday - time not specific. Study up to date. Children (J's friend K came for the day) being entertained by M, housework - ignored. A woman, a need to create and complete an item, a book, some yarns and needles, peace and quiet? - well you can't have everything. I made a bunny - don't know why - but I made a bunny.

Sunday - p.m - the lounge, M on a call, J building Lego, housework complete - study complete - I have yarn, I have needles, I have fornicating pigeons on the roof and what am I doing? Sitting typing this load of old drivel............byeeeeeee knitting calls!

I wanted to knit yesterday but something I could complete - so here's Bunn-dee-arbit. His jumper says 'U Knitty'. 

My first attempt at kool aid - using cherry, grape and strawberry - I also wanted to keep some the yarns cream colour as well - so it had a faded, patchy effect. I had fun! 

Nice and bright- like strawberries! 

Lemon/lime & orange kool aid - I wanted to use the base colour of cream to get a splotchy random effect.