Wednesday, April 25, 2007

I am a mole.....


and I live in a hole.
Conkers latest game. He hides under the patchwork quilt as you make the bed and then tunnels all around - like a little black mole - until he reaches the edge, then he just peeks out at us for ages. It makes finishing making the bed more interesting, hence the rather rumpled look in the photo. The awful crochet throw of squares is his blankie - 'Mr Heatie' which I put on the bed to tempt him out to no avail.

Other stuff.

I caught M's bug. I was nowhere near as ill as he was, but I was ill enough that most of the weekend I felt like sheeeeet. We did manage to make the most of J having a sleepover though. It wasn't until he'd gone and we felt a bit odd that I worked out that this was the 1st night we'd had without him in 15 months! He had a great time to but I think Auntie Z's ear took a bit of a bashing as J can talk for England............hmmmmmmm........wonder where he inherited that from?

Seasick Steve was ace - nuff said!

Have not done a lot of spinning as my bad knee flared up over the weekend and I spent a good deal of time rubbing ibuprofen gel onto it. But managed a little on Monday and intend to finish the pink merino if possible today or tomorrow.

Knitting - have 3 completed socks - all from different pairs! I just can't settle to my knitting at the moment. Though I did manage to finished the back of Isabella http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTisabella.html

One of the socks is a new design of my own which I am very excited about - it's probably the best pattern I've come up with. It's partner, alas, is only 1/8 completed *sigh* maybe today will be the day to finish it.

Due to illness life has been fairly boring and uneventful - sorry!

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

It's been a bit of a week. Perplexing is the best way to describe how it's felt. So here is a brief (ish) catch up.

Cousins to play - and play they did beautifully, no fights or disagreements.

M ill from Friday evening - still ill now actually off work - which is normally unheard of.

Knitting - spits and spats - same with spinning.

Reading lots.

Triops - down to 2. Fully grown and mature and now laying eggs. They are such weird little dudes - most bizarre.

Shoreham Farmers market - Yummy - venison sausages *slurp*.

Humbug - just finishing a moult. Other spiders just hanging.

Other critters - Loobles has terrible wind - geesh does her arse stink! Conkers escaped last night - goodness knows how - he's now restless and mewy, though right a this moment he's akipping on my bed on a pile of hand knit throws......ah the life!

Swimming pool - emptied and de-bugged - ready to be cleaned and filled.

Veggie patch - dug and planted by M this year as I fancied a break.

J happy and full of beans. Looking forward to a sleepover at cousins this weekend - M and I are looking forward to it too :=)

Blog - up to date!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

I've got those happy feet.


*Does a little dance* - "I've got new shoes-ees, I've got new new shoes-ees!"
Those who know me well, know that before I developed a yarn habit, I had a serious shoe habit, which is now (normally) under control. But I couldn't resist these and neither could the 'ole hippy' part of my personality. Twenty years ago I wouldn't have been caught dead in something like these, but now I think they're 'perfeck Ma, perfeck.'
I do so love new shoes. Hate buying clothes, clothes shopping pee's me off. But shoes....shoes sing to the core of my being.
I am having a good day - it's sunny and warm but not too hot, the birdies are singing, the girls next door are out = quiet = no screaming and I've got NEW SHOES! Just in case you hadn't noticed.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Wizz-O

This is some fleece that I bought from Fair Isle Fibres http://www.fairislefibers.co.uk/ the colourway is called Wizz - and it's even more delicious in real life.
Angela, who owns Fair Isle Fibres, is a total wizz herself with colours. These are bright and vibrant and the Corriedale fleece is soft and airy. This will be such a treat to spin and knit.
'Oh me Darlin. Oh me Darlin. Oh me Darlin Clementine.' All finished and beautifully modelled by a bush in the garden. I love this pattern. I would happily knit it again tomorrow, it has a rhythm to it that is blissful plus it's lovely to wear.
After the family decision for a quiet Easter - which was quiet in all but noise (5 girls aged 9-11, one large trampoline, 9 hours of screaming - you get my drift?) J spent many happy hours in the garden, grubbin about, getting soaked with his super soaker and learning to Pogo. This Pogo stick was my older sisters and was purchased in the 1960's and it still works (only for kiddie weights - M tried it and it became a non-pogo - so he had to go back to his super-whizzy grown up pogo stick.) My holiday was spent - sitting on my arse, knitting, spinning and reading - wonderful. We did visit M's older sister for dinner but apart from that we avoided the traffic and crowds and just enjoyed family time at home - lovely!
Conkers decided to help M change the sheets - isn't he a good kitty?

TRIOPS ** 4 still living! 1 very large named Biggie-smalls, 1 slightly smaller named Smallie-big - the other two are a bit smaller and their names change though J insists one is called Tiny-small. Two fairy shrimp - David (don't ask) and Fish - are thriving also. The 5th Triop has mysteriously disappeared without a trace - hmmmmm me thinks Biggie-smalls turned cannonball ;=)

Now my attention is required for a vicious game of swingball with the aforementioned pogo whizz kid, let us hope that my sore inflamed knee can cope with it!

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Just a crazy mixed up post.


Finally finished my 2nd pair of Monkey Socks (from Knitty designed by Cookie). I love this pattern. Firstly it looks complicated but it isn't and secondly they stay up. I can't abide socks that go to sleep down your leg and Nora Batty around your ankles...ewwww! These are made in Regia Silk on 2.5mm ebony dpns. Please note - I was home alone (again - twice in as many days!!) and this photo is a solo effort invert on sofa!

I've started the 2nd half of Clementine - another lovely pattern, very satisfying. I have one other pair of socks on the go - an adaptation of Grumperinas IKSpring pattern Roza.

Finally on the knitting front, I brought some Rowan 4ply cotton to make 'Isabella' from Spring Knitty by Jordana Paige http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTisabella.html I know that I shall be casting on for this later today. Knitting ADHD strikes again!

Away from knitting now. I forget to mention in my last post that the boys - big and little - have, as it is warm and spring-like, hatched out some Triops/Aquasaurs...again. Last time we got one, named Triopy, this time we have 4/5, two of which are quite large already, the others look strong too which as good because apparently they can go cannibal! *mind boggles* We also have Daphynia nymphs and Fairy Shrimp. So my bedroom desk is now an aquarium and my sewing project (cool dress - groovy fabric from Sue http://knittiotherapy.typepad.com/ ) is on hold. *sigh* I can use my machine in the kitchen as it doesn't need a foot pedal but it's just too chaotic and I can't settle for any period of time. The only other option is to use Ma's in the sewing room but as she is in card making mood - chaos reigns there too. Oh well, Triops only live 8/12 weeks, not too long to wait.

Ok if anyone has survived this post with the will to live still intact. Please take the time to peruse the wonderful montage/horror show below.
Just felt like a blast from the past....groovy baby!

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Where has all the blogging gone.......

long time passing?

Well, it's been a busy week!

There has been knitting....1/2 a Clementine from IK Spring knit in HandMaiden silk/cashmere 4ply. Also Annie from http://anniesknit.blogspot.com/ popped over and taught me to spin. I spent the next day practising until I really felt I got it and got into it. Five hours later, one aching leg and hand later I thought I better stop. A big 'Thanks' to Annie she made it look easy.
Also this week I finally went the whole hog. This was my hair a year or so ago. It's gradually got shorter and shorter until....
This! Craptastic photo of me - J took it and really it's the best of a really rotten bunch. I always photo like a sick pig - it's cos I know this and that I never relax so each picture gets progressively worse. However, I am very happy with cut and novelty of hair that dries in 2 minutes.
Some of us had a relaxing week though..... look at those buttons - I kissed everyone of them and they may look strawberry flavoured but they're not - they are kitten boy flavoured!

And still there's more..... Glittrgirl http://www.glittyknittykitty.co.uk/ came for a visit *YAY!* She arrived in a glamorous fizzy bubble Wednesday, shouted us a curry, got nicely squiffy with us on fizzy poo and Sailor Jerry's then disappeared back Oop North to Greebo on Thursday. We had a laugh!

I've also been good and am still running every other day. Though you can't see it in the aforementioned abysmal piccie, I've been told that I've lost quite a lot of podge *YAY! - again*

Tonight is another social event - I don't know it's like buses, none for hours then 3 come at once. I will need a quiet one next week to recover.

Also, if you get the chance give the new Ray LaMontagne album -'Till the Sun Turns Black' - a listen, it's excellent.

J is happy - new Dr Who starts tonight and this series has Daleks in it - total boy bliss and euphoria.

As promised - happier post and piccies ;-)

Have a good weekend Peeps!

Monday, March 26, 2007

You make your own karma.

I know this sounds like a load of new age cods, but funnily enough, I do actually buy into this concept.

Yesterday I was grumpy (see previous post) in fact I was beyond grumpy, though I did try very hard to internalise the grump within and shelter those I love from my foulness of being. My little ray of light, my silver lining was that fact that I was getting 2 & 1/2 hours kid free in the afternoon. M was taking J to L's birthday party (which I am reliably informed was brilliant). I had my afternoon all planned it involved an hour with the very complex book I am reading and then the rest of the time in front of a fav movie with plenty of knitting....sounds good? What karma did my grumpy bring I hear you cry? Well, Mother decided to inform me she was going for a walk with her GBF - just a short one - leaving her neurotic, never stops barking and yelping when left behind, Dachshund at home. She wouldn't be long, and the dog would be shut in her room and therefore wouldn't bark. Yeah right!

He barked and he barked and he barked - from baying to yelping, to scrabbling the door to throwing himself against it and yipping, without respite for the 2 hours + that she was out on her won't be long, short walk! I went downstairs to check the dog so many times I lost count, he didn't need a wee or a poo, I put him in his bed with his blankie and soothed and fussed him, I shouted at him and in the end gave up because all he wanted was his Mummy!

This is what my grump bought upon me. I didn't read a single page, I didn't watch a fav movie, I did knit but very little because I was fuming, I was spitting chips. I get so little time alone, so little time just to have quiet and do what I fancy - and it got fucked up. I was incandescent with rage. And did I get an apology? - did I fuck! I wouldn't mind normally but this is almost a daily occurrence. Off she swans for hours and I get left with a constantly barking wacko sausage!

She and I had the Mother ('scuse the pun) of all arguments. I am still annoyed and she is as light as a feather acting as if nothing has happened. And guess what? She's booked another day trip with her God squad cronies that leaves at 8.30am returns around 5.30pm and guess who's left to dog sit? - Did she ask was I ok with this? Did she check that I was home before she booked it? Again I answer - did she fuck!

I know she looks after my animals when we go camping but Loobles is not neurotic and only barks when there is something to bark at. In fact at her age she spends most days moving from sunny spot to sunny spot and kipping. Mother doesn't even have to walk her because her creaking joints are so bad that she can go a couple of days without walkies and be ok - the rest does her good.

Anyway, I digress. Then to top off my perfect day I then learn that a family members house has burnt down, with my 92 year Grandma inside, luckily no casualties - all cats and humans got rescued. My Mothers reaction to this - was to tell the person concerned all about her week and suggest she keeps her chin up! By this stage I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. When did Mother develop the sensitivity of a rhino? She's getting a little scary these days - it's like living with a stranger!

Ok rant numero 2 over - phew I needed to get that off my chest or it would've started to fester!
Next post will have A) picccies and B) be bright and breezy.................yeah right!!!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

What do you get...(bad language warning)

every Spring when BST starts?

A very grumpy me!

Stop it now - I hate all this fucking about with the time. It totally messes with my body clock. Takes me at least week to adjust and get back on an even keel. And what is the point? That's a rhetorical question, by the way. I don't give a dustman's fart to be honest - I just hate it and want it to cease. In this modern age etc - why are we still doing something so fucking prehistoric? Another rhetorical question.

Every year this stupid custom fucks up my Sunday lie in. I woke up at BST 8.45am and realised that if I didn't get up and get at them then the whole day would be out of time - culminating in a late Sunday dinner and a late night for J - and his body clock getting fucked up. So at 8.45am BST I was up, in the real world this is 7.45am...on a Sunday....please and a WTF for good measure.

Plus before anyone mentions long summer evenings etc may I point out the following;

1) I hate the fucking summer!
2) I hate the fucking summer!

You can guess what 3 is.

On a more serious note though. Light summer evenings mean either a whining kid who can't sleep because it's still hot and broad daylight or having a kid have late nights - which I don't believe in. The sleep before midnight is the most beneficial and kids need sleep and after home-edding all day - with few breaks and respites - come 8.00pm I've had enough and it's then time for me to do what I'd like.

Then we all get used to long, long never ending, boiling hot sweaty days and evenings - when fuck me - they change it back again. What was the point of that then? It is just to fuck with your head, another control, another weird custom that is soooo past it's sell by date etc.

Make it stop.

(I do know why etc, I do understand the supposed necessity etc - but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it or like it).

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Bonko!

Look at my neat little paws and tail. Aren't I too cute for words?
The sun is glinting off my fur and whiskers and I am so much more lovely than you.

Oh yes! Adore the fluffiness of my belly. I am perfect and you know it!

Monday, March 19, 2007

Because it's so yummy...

Reggia Silk sock yarn. Pattern Monkey by Cookie - at Knitty.com.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

New toy.

Meet my new best friend Lewis. Actually it's a Haldane Lewis which I won on eBay yesterday :=)

M and J went to Kent to collect it this morning and M has spent all afternoon spivving it up with lots of finishing wax. It's such a lovely thing, the wood is beautiful. It came with a lazy kate, 3 bobbins, a niddy noddy, The Ashford Book of Spinning and some fleece.

So now I just have to learn how to drive it hmmmmmmmmm therein could lie a problem I'm much better at learning if someone shows me - who knows if I Google I may find a video tuition - or perhaps a local spinner (Sussex, UK) may take pity on a dumb klutz like me.

Anyway, I am a happy bunny - I got this at such a good price for such a lovely machine.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Sods Law.

Sometimes you get weary, really weary. You know you've been doing too much, too often and your body cries "Sleep!" Well I've felt like that for a couple of days, so last night my body and I plumped for an early night.

Now, lets go back a bit. Firstly, yesterday I was gonna have a quiet restful day - pah - I had the fidgets and ended up doing loads. I didn't run though because I knew that I was too tired for that. I collapsed on the sofa, yawning at about 6.30ish, fighting to stay awake because that was too early to sleep. 8.00pm comes around, J's bedtime, he's complaining of tummy ache. So we send him to the loo, rub his tummy, give him a warm wheatbag, supply him with a lecture about his Anaconda eating habits (again - mayhap for the 100th time) and send him to bed. I struggle on manfully with a glass of wine until 8.45pm, apologise to M and go off to bed. I manage 3 pages of book. By 9.00pm I am sparko zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

10.00pm my Mum comes home from a social. The dogs bark. She calls out, M answers that I'm in bed but up she comes anyway. I'm awake by now but laying doggo. She won a raffle prize of an electric food steamer which she wants to gift to us as we always steam (using a bamboo steamer) our veggies. That's so sweet, M thanks her, she goes. I wander in, zombie like, look briefly at steamer, kiss M, apologise for going back to bed and for snoring since 9.00pm *sigh*.

12.30am - J arrives. Tummy ache is worse. He's doubled over and crying and moaning. M and I do a bit of the good cop, bad cop thing to try and get a sensible answer as to where it hurts etc. It sounds like constipation (J has been prone to this in the past, it rings the right bells). Go down to kitchen, re-heat the wheat bag. Back upstairs, parenting stuff (you know - relax, it'll be all right, reassure, reassure). He can't go, offer Lacotolse - administer a small dose. Take him down to his room, tuck him in. Crawl back up the stairs, eyelids puffing and drooping...collapse zzzzzzz.

1.30am Hear downstairs toilet flush. Lay and listen...silence zzzzzzzz.

2.00am See light shine up the stairs, hear downstairs loo door slam. Lay and worry a bit. Get up and go see if it's J. It is. Talk to him through door, offer to wait til he's done, in case he needs me. Clear up downstairs loo. Re-heat wheatbag. Reassure, cuddle, settle. Find cat to make sure he's not shut in anyway. Go to the bathroom. Collapse, again, can't sleep. Listening, listening, dozing zzzzzz.

2.45am Bang! "Mum, Dad this is really serious!" (panic attack - imagining child shitting/vomitting blood) he's been ill again and managed to puke all over the downstairs bathroom floor whilst sitting on the loo. Thankfully, on one hand the floor is tiled - though he got both mats, on the other hand, it was a splatter bomb - walls, floors, pedestal - you name it, he got it. M manfully volunteers to clear up (gotta love him) I deal with a small boy, hunched on our loo with a bucket on his lap and in need of clean PJ's. The clean up took 45mins. I got boy settled, helped M, made tea. Went back to bed. Eventually we dozed off zzzzzzz.

4.10am I hear J up again. M goes to check it out. J feels better a bit, no longer feels sick. M comes back to bed, he zzzzzz. Me, I am so awake by now I can't sleep. I am lying there waiting for the next bout. The cat climbs on me purring and goes to sleep. The dog drops a fart bomb - that almost makes me throw up. I am awake. Last time I looked at the clock it was 5.30am.

Today, J is better, a bit weak and pale but essentially it's as if it has never happened. He has been given new rules about how he eats which I will enforce because Anaconda eating is going to stop. As for me it's as if I never had my early night. I ache, I am grumpy and I am even more tired.

I know it's not his fault, I'd never blame him in anyway. I blame sods law for this little beauty. Now I must away to wash PJ's and bathroom rugs etc and to look for some matchsticks to keep up eyelids up, at least until after tea tonight. I plan another early night tonight *sigh* I am wondering what will occur to fuck it up this time!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

A little update.

Spider update - Coleman's moulted last night - oooooo he's really grown. He's still pumping himself up and is very still - I'm worried cos I just saw a live cricket in his tank - he obviously didn't want his last meal. Spiders after moult are vulnerable because they are soft, they shed their fangs and mouth lining and can't feed. A hungry cricket could nibble on a soft tarantula and cause some damage. The cricket is, unfortunately, underground (Coleman's buried himself in a little chamber to moult) the cricket is trying to enter this chamber *sigh*......I am loathe to disrupt the earth as he only moulted last night....I can only watch and wait I suppose.

Caught up with an old friend today - very nice we haven't chatted in a long time. It wasn't awkward at all and it felt as it always has.

2nd pirate hat almost complete - I made a bigger size - which is a better fit for me (shouts of 'big head' ring in my ears) so J has the 1st hat as his. He's happy. In fact he has spent today doing French vocab, reading 'The Further Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat' and surfing around on Coolmath and BrainPop.

Went for a run - my knee is still dodgy - but managed a respectable 5 mins until pain stopped play - I find if I run little and often and stop as soon as any soreness occurs I can build up how long I run for. I've managed 4 mins yesterday so upping it a minute today was good.

House is tidy, laundry completed...just need to make a brew and feed the dog and I can fit in an hours knitting. So that's my plan for right now.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Knitting occurs *gasp*

Adapted from the Hello Yarns - Pirate Mitten pattern. Pirate wrist warmers with separate half length thumb. I can't bear to have my fingers encased so this was the perfect solution. I used two pattern repeats, a couple of stripes and 3 rows of rib on the hand. The thumbs were just worked straight in the checkerboard pattern for about 9 rows. I used the same yarn as the hat.
Oooooo more sockies - again adapted from others patterns. The maroon one is from Grumperina's pattern in IK spring called Roza's socks. I used a different heel and reduced the length so my stumpy legs got a good fit. Knitted in Lorna's Laces.

The other sock is an adaption of the Edelweiss Socks by Candace Eisner Strick in the winter Vogue Knitting (int). Another lovely pattern, knits up a dream - I adjusted dimensions for chubby legs and again changed the heel slightly. Knitted in Regia Bamboo. Both the mates for these are almost completed but I thought I'd post anyway just to show knitting does occur ;=)

I've also completed a bunny for the bunny KAL but not posted this yet.

Under construction is a lace wrap 75% completed and a lacy knitted camisole 10% completed. I now intend to knit a 2nd pirate hat for the boy, so plenty to keep me going.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Soundtrack to my life

Saw this at Suemoons blog http://knittiotherapy.typepad.com/ stole it ;=)

If your life was a movie what would the soundtrack be?

It works like this;

Open your music library - e.g. iTunes etc.
Put it on shuffle.
Press play.
For every question type the song that playing.
When you go to a new ? press next button.
Don't tell porkies and try to be cool.

Some are appropriate and some are just funny!

Opening credits - So Far Away - Staind

Waking up - One Last Chance - James Morrison

1st day at school - Click, Click, Boom - Saliva

Falling in love - Place for My Head - Linkin Park

Fight song - Man or Animal - Audioslave

Breaking up - Don't Forget Me - RHCP

Prom - Shiver - Coldplay

Life - When I'm Gone - Eminem

Mental breakdown - Seen it all - Korn

Driving - Last Remaining Light - Audioslave

Flashback - When I Come Around - Greenday

Getting back together - Tibet (A passage to....) - Tibet Project

Losing your virginity - Omega - Stone Sour (I peed my pants laughing when this came up for this one - you need to hear it - it's a political rant about life/society aimed at the US - great for losing your cherry to!)

Wedding - As You Are - Travis

Birth of child - Chop Suey - SOAD (system of a down) - another one that made me laugh!

Final battle - The Blowers Daughter - Damien Rice

Death scene - Invincible - Muse

End credits - The Days Have Turned - John Frusciante

Excellent!

Perfect, moi? NO!

What is it with perfection hmmmmm? Why do we crave it so? Perfect hair, perfect bodies, perfect parents, perfect lives? What is wrong with appreciating what we've got? In fact wouldn't it be great to celebrate our imperfections, the little things that make us different from the plastic perfect people.



I have a problem with people who aspire to perfection - or their warped ideas of perfection. Doesn't it get your goat when you see all these so called perfect bodies/looks, that women in particular are meant to emulate, and what are these models of perfection doing or what are they known for? Shaking their bits on TV, in music videos, splurging their bods in lads mags and shagging football players. Tragic, plastic, uninspired, insipid, and people aspire to 'achieve' that? Why? And why are we so scared of looking like we have lived? What is wrong with saggy bits, grey bits and wrinkles? Those people who are botoxed scare the shit out of me - I swear they are all escapees from Mdm Tussards! I like my lived in face, I fully intend in the fairly near future to embrace the grey in my hair, I like my laughter lines !



So, after that mini rant, I intend today to embrace my many imperfections with gusto and glee! They stop me from being a plastic-wannabe clone and allow me to be, well me.



I am chubbily curvy, with a body of a 40 year old c.section Mum - who has big thighs and legs and a fat arse. Today I also have a zit (a rare event - but hey - lets celebrate my big period induced zit -you can't miss it!)



I have a grumpy face and outlook - I can easily look like a bulldog that has swallowed a wasp. I sometimes even look that on purpose to stop weirdos from asking me to do surveys in the street - works a treat.



I am an arsehole. I can be loud, opinionated, bloody minded, stroppy.



I am intolerant of idiots. In fact I am intolerant of lots of things.



If I think I'm right, I'm like a terrier with a bone.



I am sarcastic.



I have a sharp tongue.



I have a caustic wit and love to use it - though often feel it is pearls before swine.



I swear like a trooper. I also fart, burp and hic-cup.



I like to wear unmatching underwear.


These, to be honest, are some of my imperfections. I have many more. But they prove beyond a doubt that I am not and never will be a plastic aspirational. I am sure that all this crap that our society deems as important is stunting creativity and individuality. People are scared to be real and our kids are growing with the weirdest ideals.

So, go on, make a list, Embrace all your imperfections........I dare you!

Monday, March 05, 2007

****SPIDER POST****



This is Tiny who is a Salmon Pink Bird Eater. Last week Tiny moulted and here he is all newly hairy and pink. This spider has the capacity to grow to about a span of 10" - hence the name chosen by J ;=)

Tiny made his moult web/mat right out in the open of his tank, in full view - we've never had this happen before. We awoke to find him sitting on this web - very still. He spent the whole day sitting. We made sure to kept quiet and as stealthy as possible each time we passed by and we subdued the lighting. Around 8.30 pm ish he flipped over and writhed about a bit and started his moult. It was very interesting to actually witness this so openly and closely. As you can see from the picture he has moulted safely - there are always some risks - but like so many animals that metamorphose they do it by instinct and it's an unstoppable process.

He has grown significantly in this moult and isn't much smaller than Humbug - but at the moment looks more spindly. He fed last night. He took the cricket with no preamble so was obviously hungry.

I use 'he' because as a juvenile spider we can't sex him yet - sexing spiders is not easy - without a good condition moulted skin and even then it's still not easy. As 3 of our spiders have turned out male, I find easier to refer to them all as 'him' - though as time goes on I am pretty sure Boris is now adult and Doris, but like many arboreal species she/he keeps the moult and decorates the web with it.

I'm pretty sure Colemans will moult fairly soon as he is normally a voracious eater and is currently ignoring all food that we've offered - his abdomen is so fat he looks like he will burst any second.

Diego soldiers on - following the route of all male tarantulas - he eats occasionally and spends his life clambering and tramping around looking for love.

Humbug - is an amazing creature - very rarely not in view and for a spider always appears to be doing something - digging, clambering - kind of spider housework - he's very active but is still juvenile so it's not the male thing. He and Boris/Doris are the most interesting spiders to watch.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Nearly a year ago.....


Connor aka Conkers McBonkers came to live with us - 9 months old, already twice rejected. mistreated and rescued by the CPL. Now he is a big, plush, black velvet panther in miniature, who prowls through the house looking for fun and mischief. He still occasionally hides away - if startled - under our bed, he still sometimes makes a nest in my yarn stash but most of the time he is friendly and loving and very much a part of our family. He took away our sadness at losing Busterboy and filled the gap.
I can't give enough respect and praise to Beverley who runs our local branch of the CPL (Cats Protection League) she and her workmates give so much - with very little help from the CPL main charity, they are self funded and rely on local support and fund raising. They always need people and donations - please if you love cats and can help them in way...do - thank you.
Pinkle Purr
Tattoo was the the mother of Pinkle Purr,
A little black nothing of feet and fur;
And by-and-by, when his eyes came through,
He saw his mother, the big Tattoo.
And all that he learned he learned from her.
"I'll ask my mother," says Pinkle Purr.
Tattoo was the mother of Pinkle Purr,
A ridiculous kitten with silky fur.
And little black Pinkle grew and grew
Till he got as big as the big Tattoo.
And all that he did he did with her.
"Two friends together," says Pinkle Purr.
Tattoo was the mother of Pinkle Purr,
An adventurous cat in a coat of fur.
And whenever he thought of a thing to do,
He didn't much bother about Tattoo,
For he knows it's nothing to do with her,
So "See you later," says Pinkle Purr.
Tattoo was the mother of Pinkle Purr,
An enormous leopard with coal-black fur.
A little brown kitten that's nearly new
Is now playing games with its big Tattoo......
And Pink looks lazily down at her:
"Dear little Tat," says Pinkle Purr.
A. A. Milne.
P.S - Thank you to J for the photo of Conkers - clever boy ;=)

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Conkers McBonkers!

"Take that f*****g camera out of my face women or I'll bite your frickin nose off!"

Actually he was yawning after a long, long kip hidden in his box with the feather duster of desire. He looks fierce though.

Last week got away from me a bit - I did loads, achieved little, blinked and it was gone. This week might be going the same way.

Today someone has stolen outside. I am in the little cream house on the hill wrapped in a blankie of thick fog. All sound is muffled and even the house is quiet. J is reading, M is at work, Ma has gone on a mystery tour (mystery is how soon they get lost in this fog!), cats and dogs are kipping and it is QUIET! Scary! I love quiet and get so little of it that it has great novelty value.

I did some knitting, finished one mitten of the pirate pattern - adapted to suit my needs - finger freedom etc. Must cast on for the second one but have found I don't like dpns for Fair Isle stylie knitting - circs are so much better, so am giving my hands a dpn break for a couple of days. Mind you, found Trillians sock pattern on her blog http://katydidknits.blogspot.com
pattern pdf in side bar - Jack Sparrows Fav Socks - (can't get the hang of linking using url - it never works for me), anyhoo, this pattern is excellent and has queue jumped my 'to do' list - yay!

Have loads of stuff to get on with - but can't be asked to do any of it. So what's new?

J has been busy too. We signed up for a free trial of a kids educational site - he loves it. He's absorbing so much stuff, loving all the quizzes and activities. He's also well into reading at the moment, whenever I see him he has his nose in a book - both fact and fiction - no harm in that. What with skateboarding every spare minute, swimming as often as he can and general charging about - I have to ask - did I ever have that much energy? Must have - want it back!

Now really should shift my arspect and get on.....don't wanna....but *sigh* needs must and the boy wants the computer. Time for chores, soup making, no dog walking in this weather though - she's old and achy and her joints don't like the damp. Perhaps an indoors day - maybe some knitting time later?

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Pirate Loulou reporting for duty.

I know, I'm silly! But I wasn't too sure about the previous model, very, very giggly! So I thought we'd go for the mad red eyed Noo-noo look and see if it worked better.
She is a daft old stick. She sat for ages with the hat on - hopeful of course of a biscuit. She is very guts motivated.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Ahhhh me hearties!

'We Call Them Pirates' from Hello Yarns.Here is the lurverly J modelling my new titfer! Two days knitting and look what I did. I normally avoid Fair Isle stylie knitting as it annoys me - but after mastering Continental knitting it was a doddle.
Not only was it a doddle - I didn't throw it once -but I actually was engrossed in and really enjoyed making it. I now have requests from M and J for their own - but I don't want to make another one straight off so they may have a little wait. I used Jaeger Matchmaker Merino in double knit - it knitted up very nicely. The hat needs to be blocked but I couldn't wait to take a picture of it.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Still VERY naughty at

40!

Had a brilliant birthday. So spoilt - lovely. Lots of yummy gifties - even though M had paid for our break at CenterParcs and bought me a new iPod, he hid little envelopes with clues for me to find until I had a £1 for every year of my life - each one was wrapped in a star with a special message for me. He also took me out to lunch and bought me a wonderful pendant and book that I wanted. J saved his pocket money and made me a voucher to buy two album downloads on iTunes - he made me a card from the animals as well. I had a lovely time wandering around the lanes, browsing and shopping, treated myself to some yummy perfume and body lotion - got some fudge from Roleys and just had fun.

I came home to a lurverly birthday cake with loads of candles.

Suemoon sent me choccie and sheepies.

M's older sister did me a posh dinner party - yummy!!

Z & co got me a knitting yarn voucher from my local LYS and a new camping toaster cos our one is useless - I almost cried with laughter when I open it - for me it was the funniest pressie of the day.

Ma gave me yarn money - hence previous yarn porn. M also had given yarn spending abilities.

We were jolly, tipsy and ............well you know - it rounded off the day to a high score of beyond excellent!

If this is what 40 means - then bring it on!!!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Guess what I knitted?

No prizes if you said "Socks!" Pair number one are plain with a twisted rib heel in Opal sock yarn (can't remember the colourway - but is was on sale last year at Get Knitted). I normally have a plain pair on the go as they are invaluable as travel knitting etc.

Finally, not a great piccie, but these Monkey by Cookie at Knitty http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/patterns.html . The yarn is the KnitPicks Merino sent to me by Tamara http://ladybean73.wordpress.com/. This yarn is lovely and soft with good bounce and these socks are destined for my walking boots and many camping trips this spring and summer. The Monkey pattern is brill and I look forward to knitting it again...soon!
Right all up to date...finally...so many posts in so many days *sigh*.
I need the weekend to recover. Some chance as I intend to PARTAY all weekend and in the words of Rowley Birken QC (fast show) "Get very, very drunk!" Cos that is the best way to see in the big 40!
Wish me fun and frolics all the way.

Yarn Pr0n - 1st for 2007!

A bumper load of yarn pR0n - with many recent additions not yet blogged about. First up is, freshly delivered today, Colinette Jitterbug in Castagna. I wasn't sure when I first saw this yarn online, but after seeing it knitting up at the weekend, I was converted. And it IS sock yarn and I DO lurve sock yarn.
Lornas Laces mmmmmmmmmmm more sock yarn in Tickled Pink - yummy, yummy, yummy goodness. Destined to be.....wait for it.....can you guess.....yep - socks!
This is berfday yarn from my Ma, purchased at the Knitting and Stitchcraft Show at the Brighton Centre at the weekend (I bought 2 balls of each). The grey one is Regia Bamboo (socks are already underway in this yarn) the multi is Regia Silk - yay more sockies!
Last but by no means least, another purchase from the weekend. This one is pure naughty indulgence - I present to you Hand Maiden 4 ply silk and cashmere is Sangria. This yarn is so yummy it is sinful. I have no plans for this yet other then to pet it and love it and secrete it into my stash and to revel in owning it for a while before it hits the needles.

I also got Vogue Knitting Winter - I feel a severe case of startitus in my near future as there is one pattern I adore and already have the yarn for. Lastly, got some new Brittany Birch 2.5mm sock needles - again I have a pattern in waiting that calls for this size which I can now start!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Handsup4homeed!

Jakob aged 9.
Peri aged almost 40.
Mike aged 45.

Heads up to Dani, Allie, Leo and Pearl at http://www.greenhousebythesea.blogspot.com for this wonderful idea.

The Gov in all its brilliance have decided to mess with something that isn't broken - just for a change. All home-edders in UK need to be aware and get ready to stand up and be counted. This idea is a brilliant way for the home-ed kids to put across their wishes too!

http://handsup4homeed.blogspot.com

Go on - make some hands, make a home-ed wish - let the dweebs hear our voices.

Monday, February 12, 2007

And there's more!

This Squirrel was so tame and bold. I know loads of peeps don't like em, call em vermin, but I love em!
Giant Redwoods. They have 14 of them in this one planting - all just over a 100 years old, so still babies but very impressive. We did a Ranger Ramble - the guy who took us made it very informative and we learnt loads about these amazing trees as well as loads of other stuff and he included a few Ray Mears moments - who knew that gorse flowers tasted like peapods!
Here is the brave little Roe Deer from my previous post - the green leaf emblem is on the patio doors, so you can see just how close he got!

Other News!

We got back to Brighton Friday afternoon and Friday evening heralded the arrival the the wonderfully sparkly Glittrgirl and the serene-but-funny Suemoon from the KnittyBoard to stay for the weekend. They bought us wonderful gifties (no piccies -sorry- remiss I know) I got sockies of rare beauty, a sushi bag of pinky glory for my sock knitting, yummy soap and a tres groovy knitting t-shirt. Glittr also supplied us with Sailor Jerry Rum - Ooooooo heaven in a glass and cocktail cuties for our drinks. We had a great weekend - good food, fun, knitting, a knitting and stitching show and plenty of booze. These two wonderful ladies are very good company and sitting around first thing Sat/Sun am in jammies knitting socks - was a treat :0) A BIG BOLD "Thank You!" to M for all his hard work. Me Darlin Man did everything this weekend - all cooking, cleaning, laundry, child minding, ironing, drink making and general host duties so I could be totally free to laze about and enjoy KnittyPal time - he is 1 in a million - I count my blessings daily - even when he drives me nuts. Without his work this weekend - I wouldn't have had as much fun!

Yarn pR0n piccies of Saturday purchases will follow later in the week - bamboo and silk sock yarn and .......wait for it....... silk and cashmere Handmaiden!

Catching up but not standing still.

We're home again, home again, jiggidy-jig. Had a great time. Did loads. Relaxed loads. Ate loads!
This is our view. We had many visits from Moorhens, Duckies, Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Long-tailed Tits, Bunnies and Squirrels. We also had a Roe Deer come onto our patio and look through the glass door at us - his antlers were still covered in velvet and he appeared to really enjoy the duck dinner!
A very brief snowy moment - all gone by lunchtime but very cold for all that.


Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Squeee - lookie!

Squee=happy excited noise! Look what I got today from M. I've been saying I wanted to update my iPod mini as it must be very near the end of its battery life etc. And here is my early birthday pressie- a new iPod Nano! I am a lucky girl cos he has already paid for us all to go away next week as my present - so this is bunce (an extra).
M also got it engraved - this is one of favourite sayings and is soooo applicable to how I view my life. I may appear aimless but I am not - I know where I am.
Size comparison to mini - which I am loaning to J - once I take off all the explicit tracks and my Jane Austen collection collection etc. Though he's told me to leave on Frankenstein and Harry Potter - weird mix! I can't believe how big the mini now seems.
Here is J - with his Wednesday 'squeee; a new Beano! He's also nagging me to sort out the iPod mini for him so that is my next job.

I am a happy bunny ;0)

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Still feeling a bit bleh.

So here are some pet piccies, which are much more cheery than me right now. I know this is a bit blurry, but who can resist a big, black kitty hooter!
A regal looking Conkers McBonkers - very unusual for him to sit still for a picture. He normally sees the camera and gets a wiggle on.
Jasmine Boo-Bear looking very fluffy and grumpy. She isn't - it's just her look.
An Lou-Lou looking worried (as usual) don't know why. Perhaps she thinks the little silver camera eats big spotty Dalmatians - just like the evil Dyson and ironing board do.

Oh and check out this guy - http://www.myspace.com/newtonfaulkner we saw him live on sunday at Joogleberry in Brighton. He is really amazing. Lyrically poetic, funny and insightful, musically - mind blowing. Really good show - got love him!

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Still itchy.

My shringles, as J calls them, are still with me but fading fast. However the more they fade, the more they seem to itch like blue blazes. Due to feeling like shite, it's been a quiet week - lots of sitting on me bum knitting and sewing - sorry no pictures. I've knitted little bits and bobs - nothing spectacular, though I did finish sock 1 of Cookies marvellous 'Monkey' pattern (Knitty Winter 2006) - Beanie sent me some Knitpicks Merino sock yarn - oooooooo it's so soft and bouncy (bouncy, bouncy, bouncy - I like that word) it knits up lurverly and the variegated pattern so suits the design of this sock. It's such a great pattern - looks so complicated - but is so simple - Wonderful, sock bliss even. Now I want more Knitpicks Merino - soft and bouncy!

Other stuff - oooooo me and M are off on a hot date tomorrow night - food, wine, live music all with my sexy man. He's so sweet, he knows how grumpy I get when I feel poorly, so on Thursday he'd popped out to get some milk from the local Co-op and bought me back a red foil wrapped heart shaped chocolate lolly and yesterday he came home from work with a copy of a DVD I wanted. Today he and J have taken over all, yes ALL, the chores, including the laundry - major brownie points being earned!!

Only a week till we go away for our family break - wheeeeee - I am very excited. And, when we get back two wonderful Knitty friends are (fingers crossed) coming to visit - YAY - bouncy, bouncy, bouncy (bouncy as in happy excited bouncy). THEN a week later it's my birthday the BIG 40 - M has stuffed planned - oooooooo - I know his sister is throwing me a supper party type thingy. So I have lots and lots to look forward to. I need to focus on this cos the shringles make me very down and depressed!

Oh and before I forget - limited posts this week - as my computer was unwell. M thinks it's all fixed now *massive sigh of relief* but I will never, ever buy another computer from PC World as their Performance Package (insurance/cover) is NOT worth the paper it is written on and they are one of the most unhelpful, cretin employing companies I have ever dealt with. It may just be we were unlucky on National Let The Moron Answer the Phone Day - that we got Mr Unhelpful followed by Mr Stupid - but I don't think so. Perhaps it's just a local thing and the rest of PC World employees are helpful, polite and intelligent - answers on a postcard please.

That's about it - apart from if anyone would like some pink-winged stick insect babies please let us know (obviously local to us) as we now have 11 stickies and a few new babies that we don't really need - free to good homes ;0)

Sunday, January 21, 2007

I just don't believe it.

After at least two years being shingle free - which has been lovely. I have got poxy (no pun intended) shingles again!

When J was a toddler I had a patch of recurring shingles on my back - right in the middle, on my spine, in line with my waist. Any bug or stressful situations and whoop - up they'd come - make me feel like shit and itch and burn like mad. Then when J started being home-ed etc - it just stopped recurring - major relief.

Well for the last couple of weeks, I've felt off parr. Nothing concrete just under the weather, full of aches and pains that nobody dies of. Beginning of the week I noticed a couple of little itchy lumps on my side, online with my waist - I thought bites? Pimples? Last night they drove me mad and when I looked this morning they had spread and some looked like little blisters and the 1st two had scabbed over - I also felt pretty ill this morning - so I got M to have a looksie - and yep - they're back fucking, rotten, poxy-eyed, bastorial, hat-ratting, snot-gobbling, spunk bubbling shingles! Happy is not a word I would use to describe myself right at this minute *sigh* well at least they'll be gone before we go away for our break.

I'm going off to sit in the corner and sulk them out if exsistance.

Just keeping all crossed that J (who has never had chicken pox) doesn't now go down with it in time for our trip away - murphys and all that - I'm not holding my breath.