bathrooms. I've not had a lot of time but have managed 4 more crochet squares.
A 'Lupin' glove and a bit.
Just the window ledge and a bit of skirting to go and we are there - oh apart from a tip run. It is a very difficult room to take pictures in though. Above is the shower cubicle and heated towel rack.
The basin unit.
The basin.
not the novelty yarn.....yes it's the novelty yarn *shock,gasp, horror!*
In my defence it is Louisa Harding and it is soooooo pretty I couldn't resist it and it was reduced.
Not from GK this time either. We were walking around Wells and M saw an 'A' board sign with an arrow that said 'Wool Shop', the angel that he is, he pointed it out to me and offered that we should go looksee. It was like stepping back in time to the local wool shop (Perrings) of my childhood, right down to the fact there was a wooden drawer for a till and nary a computer in sight - she wrote down on a stock sheet what I bought....using a pen!!! The didn't even have the chip and pin facility and advised customers to pay by cash cos they had to charge for other methods of payment.....timewarp or what.
They had a lovely mix of yarns from the horrible to the lush, very little lace weight, but a good mix of fibres from Llama to Angora and a nice sock yarn corner. But I fancied this ribbon stuff, I have a future project in mind for and as I said 'it is so pretty'.
I couldn't resist jumping on this particular wagon. Opal Harry Potter sock yarn Lupin and Harry. One for me and one for M. The Lupin, which is mine, is destined to become gloves - cos I have two pairs of socks on the go and honestly so much sock yarn and so many pairs of socks, that gloves seem like a good idea and I need another WIP, honest I do.
*rousing rendition of the 'Hallelujah Chorus'* - I have a new 'bog'. The stack and pipes will be boxed in later, the last big job is the basin. I have a loo, a new shower tray, 75% of tiles (grouted) 25% of the floor tiles, the plumbing & electrics for the shower and a heated towel rail. M worked to 11 the last two nights and was grouting at 7 this morning but it finally feels like progress. He'll need a holiday after this lot and he'll deserve one too!
Finally on the knitting front, the event that I'm organising in November- 'The Dog, Chicken and Aardvark Safari Knitters - Knitting Safari' Nov 8th, 12-4pm Woodingdean Methodist Church Hall (details on Ravelry and other places) - needed some knitted toys for a brantub that one of my brave volunteers (waves to Sue in Worthing) suggested and is now running. Here is the tally so far -I hate knitting toys, I hate knitting with squeaky yarn so this truly was/is a labour of love. The two mice at the back were knitted by Ma, I kinda volunteered her and she came up trumps. The others are my attempts - I have a mini teddy on the needles - but I've hit a brick wall at the moment - maybe next week he'll get some arms and legs.
The bathroom of doom continues.....1 step forward, 10 back, or that is how it feels. Honestly, we've always known that this place was the last house built in the close and the builder used all the odds and sods he left from the other properties, but it is ridiculous -we found out yesterday that half the pipes in the house are in imperial measures and the rest in metric - just at a critical point when all the local plumber merchants were shut (they don't open Sat pm - which is so strange in our 24/7 world) lucky for us B&Q had a compression joint which fitted but delayed the work. Then the weird heating system developed an airlock which would NOT clear or allow the system to be back filled - at about 9.00pm, after a day fraught with plumbing problems, we switched on the immersion for hot showers (we are using Ma's bathroom downstairs) and M left it to this morning - he is currently wrestling with it - but it is delaying all the other stuff which needs to be done!! I could have screamed with frustration on his behalf yesterday. This is a lovely house, but it is such a jerry build!
More goodies from GK visit. Manos Silk blend in the most delicious concoction of colours. I love this yarn - am making Tilly from 'A Fine Fleece' in the blue colourway and the softness and texture the yarn gives to the cables is amazing. It's one of those knits that every few rows I stretch it out and look at it, just because it is so lovely.
Bathroom update - I loose my lav this weekend - I feel bereft already. M has promised the new one will go in the same day - so now I just have to pick out a nice new loo seat - the one I want is about £50 - who knew taking a comfy seat could be so costly or have so much choice! He also hopes to have the new basin & unit in and the new shower by Monday - yay.
some tiles in my builders yard bathroom.
I has some pretty flowers from M.
I has some crochet from my new book.
I has one of these. Not quite sure what it is, but it sure is naughty!
with all the chaos and rumpus. He has taken to the high ground in a fit of pique. Actually, it's been a bit more serious than a kitty with the knock, last night he pulled a Houdini at around 10.30pm in all that rain. Ma didn't realise she'd shut him in the conservatory, M let out Loobles and Conkers slipped out through the open door - all M saw was a black tail disappearing into the hedge!!
He came home at about 1.30am again, M was camping out in the conservatory waiting for him, we wanted to close the cat flap so he didn't head back out again after scoffing his supper. He's slept most of the day, downstairs - this cat does not like DIY. He is most sniffy with us all.
Envy!
More Lorna's Laces S & S from my GK expedition. I've had my eye on this colourway for ages - and have never got around to buying it. When I saw it in real life I could resist its lure no longer - it had to be mine!
The wonderful Wibbo http://wibbo.typepad.com/wibbos_words/ has awarded me this - thankee.
The Get Knitted Shop is totally, and I mean 'totally' fab! So much yarn, so many opportunities to over spend. I was told that I was very quick in my choices, but I did an online pretend shop before I left home, so I did know what I wanted to buy. And of course at the top of the list was some Lorna's Laces S&S - they didn't have a huge amount left from their last shipment so I choose two lots, this is the first of them 'Embers' - lovely mix of red, maroon and grey. It will be socks.
About 9.00am this morning - one scruffy, hairy little Border Bugger-lugs.
In need of some expert grooming.
1.00pm same day - my, my who is this well groomed, sweet smelling, young lady?
Could it be the same scruffy dog?
Started 06/09/08 finished today - 'Hey Teach' from Knitty.
Needles 5mm. Yarn 6x50g RYC Wool, silk DK in Scallop.
A lovely pattern and an easy knit - whizzed through it and it's a good fit. Perhaps this will be a finished garment (other than hats/socks etc) that I might actually wear.
J really wanted to go to Cheddar Gorge, he had researched all about it before we left home and was eager to see the skeleton in Gough's Cave. He spent the whole time listening to the audio commentary and really enjoyed himself. We also went in the Cox's Cave and the picture above is from there - coloured lighting and classical music didn't really seem necessary IMHO.
Yep I finally infected M with sock disease. He was so taken with all the sock yarn at Get Knitted he decided he want to learn to knit socks (he can already knit). He bought some Opal Bee colourway and some dpns and spent the evenings knitting - it was fun, he's getting close to needing to turn his 1st heel....I wonder if he'll suffer from S.S.S (2nd sock syndrome)?
Also in Cox's Cave is the Crystal Quest (robbed from J.R.R Tolkien methinks - well a bit) aimed at kids but J was unimpressed. What did impress him was the cheese factory, shop and tasting! My boy loves a good strong mature cheddar, it was great to see the cheese maturing in the caves too. He tasted 3 or 4 types - all strong - then choose his favourite as a souvenir - the Cave Matured Vintage was his final choice whilst M went for the Blue. Cheddar Gorge is a bit touristy and not a cheap day out - but it was gorgeous weather and we had a lovely busy day there.
Finally - the other goat, Woody, from the farm. He's the one that I wanted to bring home, such a sweetie who loved to have his ears scratched and would lean into your hand with his eyes shut whilst you fussed him. I love goats!
I love Wells. Lovely place. Great market, lots of nice little places to eat, good shops including a little wool shop hidden down a side street - kind of quaint and old fashioned but friendly with loads of yarn and the bestest button selection I have ever encountered.
Here are my boys cooking - or M might be about to brain J with that ladle! We had some amazing dinners on that stove. It cooks 3 pots (plus we took our gas stove for quick kettle boiling for early morning T - an essential in our household). M made the best ever veggie stew and dumplings on the wood stove - seriously the aroma alone was glorious. We had massive plates of scrambled fresh eggs, bacon and toast, chilli con carne and rice - wonderful warming grub.
Replete from stew and just before lighting the candles - my sock in progress - tis now finished and awaiting it's mate. I liked knitting by candle light whilst listening to the crackle of the logs and the hooting of tawny owls.
View from the front of our tent.
And finally.....yes....it's the toilet of doom! There is a small porcelain toilet bowl under that lid and an overhead flusher - but it's more like a boats loo. The varnished wood was freezing cold, especially at night (the whole back end of the tent was really cold at night) and I am funny about loos when away from home at the best of times - this was not a comfortable place to 'go' - plus it was bloddy dark as well and had its own residents!! I missed my own loo, more than anything else - including the animals.
We're home safe and sound after a break 'glamping' at a http://www.featherdown.co.uk/ site in Somerset. We had really good weather.
Fresh eggs collected from under the chooks every day - they truly were the best any of us have ever tasted.
We paid huge amounts of money to visit quite a few local attractions, including the Roman Baths at Bath. I even tried the water in the pump room - think hot limescale blah and you'd not be far off the mark.
I made friends with the locals! This pygmy goat (I think it is Buzz - the brother is Woody) thinks it is a mountain goat and spent many happy hours (when not terrorising the chooks & butting his brother) on top of a chook coop. The sheep is an undercover wool smuggler and therefore has remained nameless.
I also went to the Get Knitted shop in Bristol - oooooooooooooo!!!! The S. E. X. report will follow in a separate post.
animal sleepytime.
They'll be nice and comfy whilst we're gone and Grandma will spoil them.
" Well it's only what I deserve, a cosy throw and cushions for my new beanbag bed."
"Soooooooooo comfy and warm."
"Go away you pesky pink monkey thing, I am trying to chill here!"
