Just because

Look at that big nose and little pink tongue - so cute!
One very worried looking Loobles - did someone mention she was a bit stinky and needs a bathy? Maybe.

Sometimes

I wish I had more hours in the day *sigh*

Here is a quick catch up.


Triopy - died on Wednesday. Their life span is 8/12 weeks - he lasted about 8 and reached a size of about 2". He went into moult and didn't recover from it. J & M were sad but philosophical about it. We have enough eggs to try again at a future date.

Big Sis has come up trumps. She has time off next week and has offered me a J break. Like most home-ed parents, child free time is a rare treat and she has my gratitude.

Finished M's socks (no piccie as I can't be asked) they are in Lana Grosse (?) monochrome stripes - bog standard manly socks.

Spinning continues - slowly.

I whopped the families arses at Monopoly - bankrupted the lot of em *hahaha*

Decided to re-visit my bookshelf - need some literature. So, am going to re-read a few old favourites not visited for a while. The problem is now....where to start? Have you seen how many books I have? Scary!

It's been math week (have no idea why) but this week has abounded with addition/subtraction, rounding, < & > and improper fractions. J has been up for it and who am I to dissuade him.

Yay! Wank holiday weekend. Love it. M is not on call either. Raku firings are planned. We wanna chill and chill some more. I fancy a night in front of the chimenea with a big glass of something red and fruity, toasting marshmallows.

M booked his holiday time for Sept. We're not going away as such this year like we normally do. I have a suspicion we may go off and camp though ;)

Loads of other stuff - too much to catalogue. It's been a good (so far) I feel a lot happier - all good babe!

Missing pictures

Here are the links - sod Blogger!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/219866721/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/219866719/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/219866722/in/photostream/

Enjoy!

Puff n stuff

I have pictures to go with this post - but Blogger, yes s***t for brains Blogger will NOT upload them grrr.

Where has this week gone. Whoosh!

Here are a few highlights - too much to include everything.

Stephy from the Knittyboard phoned me all the way from the USofA. How cool - is that?It was her 21st birthday as well. She is a sweetie.

Blackberries and apples - yum. Our tree has moth again - but we managed to get a few gooduns from the top of the tree and I made a strudel style crumble - M loves crumble. Then the boys went blackberrying. In they came with long faces - telling me they hardly picked any, haha, they had picked loads. Says I, "What shall I make with these then?" The resounding reply was 'Crumble!" So apple and blackberry crumble with custard was the order of the day.

Inspired by the Daddy Long Legs and Volk, J and I have been looking at the history of Brighton. I remember doing a project on this at his age. He has all sorts of plans and ideas of places to go and explore..... I feel a busy week coming on. He finished his book and we finished the one I'm reading to him. We are now reading 'The Railway Children', I wasn't sure if he'd like this, but he's really enjoying it, which is cool. Friday he sprang an impromptu poetry afternoon on me. He read me his favourites and then I had to read mine to him. We ranged from Spike Milligan and Edward Lear to Stevie Smith and Wordsworth. He also wangled it that we rescued Monopoly and Cluedo from the attic - Cluedo has lost a lot of pieces - including Col Mustard - I am devastated. But the Monopoly is fine - he has yet to pin us down to play it. M and I always, always fight over it, hence it being put in the attic. I played the SpongeBob board game as penance instead. But I know we will not elude him for long!

Cycling and skateboards have played a large part of the week as has garden golf.

Knitting - Started socks for M. Completed one kiddie wristwarmer as a gift and that's about it.

Spinning - Yay! Got a new spindle (piccie to follow - when Blogger gets its head out of its arse). Got lots of new spinning fluff (fluff is not part of yarn diet). Spent good part of yesterday playing with aforementioned fluff and spindle. I can't wait to weave with this stuff.

Weaving - one reason for less knitting is I finished weaving a rug for the bathroom. Very plan and simple but perfect as a bath mat. I used dishcloth cotton and then starched it. I've never used old fashioned dissolve in the sink starch before, I can only say "Mundo weirdo". Gloopey stuff - but it did the business.

Animals - Poor old Phido lost a leg. He pounced on a cricket in an awkward position and off it dropped. Advice tells us to put Vaseline on the wound (which looked clean and is now healed) - no way Jose - he may be an old spider now but he is still feisty as fuck and I am not putting my hand in his tank!

Stick babies - we cleaned out all the eggs - but the buggers had hidden some under the greenery so we have another baby - and no-one wants them - so I now have (I think) 4 adults and 4 or 5 babies - how sweet.

Triopy has moulted again (really creepy picture to follow).

Today we are having a quiet traditional Sunday with a roast dinner (we don't normally bother with them in summer) but as it is cooler - it has to be done. I intend to eat enough that I have to waddle away from the table.

Well M's sock await my attention. Hopefully Blogger will stop being a fuckwit soon and I'll post the pictures that go with post.

Mittens and socks (again).

Sickie, sockie wockie doo-dah. Here is a close up (piccie courtesy of J) of my finished Pomatomus sock. The yarn is Opal dye your own - coloured with KoolAid.
J's wristwarmers/mittens made from scraps of Regia 4ply sock yarn.
One Geisha and one Pomatomus. Both are Opal dye your own - with KoolAid.

It's not that I'm sock obsessed or anything....it's just that I'm a sock-a-holic and I can't help myself!

Fruits de Mer

A bit of rock pooling seemed to be the order of the day. It was grey and rainy but low tide was just after brekkie and an expedition ensued. Isn't this pool lovely and clear - not really what you'd expect from a beach so near to Brighton.
Can you see the squarish slabs in the centre of the picture? Brighton used to have a kind of railway called a Daddy Long Legs (see link below).These are the tracks. It ran from the Banjo Groyne and the tracks were under water. It seems a weird thing to find when rock pooling. This is a view back to Brighton. The white cliffs are alongside the Undercliff walk, which runs from Brighton Marina to Saltdean.
Lots of lovely slimy seaweed.....yum.

http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/daddy_longlegs_images3.htmJ had dressed for Artic conditions (in August) I know UK summers can be a bit dodgy but this was a bit OTT. He had on joggers, waterproof trousers, socks and wellies. On top he had a long sleeved T, a fleece, a storm jacket, scarf and wooly hat!The view looks the other way and the buildings are Rottingdean seafront. We live 5 mins (by car) from this village and we love the beaches here.
Fruits de Mer. Crabs, Blennies and prawns - quite a haul. Rain eventually stopped play as it started to hammer down, but a good time was had by all. Today he has decided to research the crabs he found and to see what other crabs are native to the UK - that might keep him quiet.

Ahhhhh sweet boy.

I kissed his fluffy little belly - I just couldn't resist it.
Fingerless mitts or wristwarmers - (own pattern) HipKnits Cashmere sock yarn. Perfect for kite flying days!
A very superior looking kitty.
A lacey version of the wristwarmer - this is in Opal glittery sock yarn - courtesy of Gundel (Susann) from the Knitty Coffeeshop.

Feeling a bit more jolly today. I slept well the last two nights, which I'm sure has helped. I've also sorted out some stuff that was bothering me. I still feel restless and dissatisfied - but not as much.

On the knit front - I haven't knitted much in last 24 hours - but what has been accomplished has been sockish - a bit on my geisha socks and a bit on the lace ones - nothing earth shattering. Just ordered some sock yarn as well - starting to think of Xmas sock stylie presents.

Triopy has moulted twice again since I last mentioned it. We fished it out. It was all gelatinous.

J has been reading fit to burst this week - every time I turn around he's curled up with his nose in a book (I love it). He started this new book on Monday and by today he is on chapter 17 - which for him is brilliant. He also is reading a book called 'Oh Yuck' which is factual and covers everything from boggies to pus - lovely :)

We also say goodbye to the Russian girlies this weekend - the time has flown by. There was a tea party for them - which involved a lot of swingball. J and the cousins all made the girlies feel part of the family. I think it was good for him to interact with people who have such a different life/culture and to find ways to communicate without much spoken language.

M is on call - so we will have a quiet weekend - might toddle off to the farmers market tomorrow.

I'm enjoying having some quiet time (probably a good thing as well with the way I've been feeling) it's been nice but I'm starting to feel that I need more, just don't know what - I'd like a job but with M's call and J's home-ed finding one that fits with that might be a tad difficult. There's no particular hurry but still............I miss working sometimes.

Oh and I've busted another iron - how do I do this? What is it with me and irons? Married 19 years (almost) and I must have had about 15 irons - it's awful. This one was purchased in Jan this year and it's buggered! The steam system keeps disconnecting. It's not cleaning (I do that) I use proper ironing water - I coil the flex - I clean the plate. The plastic plate where the switches are keeps lifting and this disconnects the steam, Grrrrrrr I am fated to be the black death of irons. I have the receipt and warranty - but you have to post back the iron (with a receipt of posting) which will probably cost as much as the bloody iron itself. Why me? Why do I have bad iron karma?

Anyway better run - I need to find more electrical appliances to destroy on my mission to rid the world of ironing *insert evil cackle here*

Splish-splash

T'was a bit warm yesterday arvo, so the boys decided on a swim and a new round of lilo wars. You can see the lilo of dreams and desire behind M - at this time a truce was called in battle for lilo supremacy as J had climbed onto M and they'd both fallen off.....I laughed.
Lilo abandoned it was time for who can splash the most - you'd expect this from the 9 yr old, but the 44 yr old well I'm not so sure. I think M won this round - I departed before it got out of hand.
Apparently this is grass (?). It is all that remains of the lower part of the top lawn - a kind of rush/straw matting with the old bit of vetch, luverly.

I am just so bad tempered (still the same temper from previous posts) I don't know why I'm feeling like this and I can't stop it. It's like I have all this anger inside and it keeps spilling over and I don't understand it at all. All family members have had to re-attach their heads as I keep biting them off. I am one scary mama at the moment. I just want to snap out of it and for all this black despair (yes black Johnny) to pass.

Knit-wise. 2 pairs of wristwarmers. 1/2 pair of J sized wristwarmers. 1/3 of a lace sock and that's about it. I did spin with my drop spindle yesterday - it was ok-ish. All my get up and go has got up and gone at the the mo.

I'm not getting out much - I can't inflict my bad ass attitude on the world and as I feel close to tears alot of the time, it's probably best I hide away until I'm past this.

Right - better go and apologise to J as I grumped at him a while back - he did wind me up - but I snapped a bit hard.

Later dudes.

Under-rated and under-valued.

*Rant Alert!*

Some of you may remember that I toyed with the idea of a tattoo. Well I've made a decision I'm gonna get one....the word 'Mug!' right across my forehead. I have well and truly had enough.

The title of this post describes exactly how I feel right now. Add pissed off and angry to the mix and we're pretty much there.

No specifics, no details. But if the world doesn't stop shitting on me, I'm going to start shitting back - and that would be bad for all concerned.

I know others have it worse. I'm not starving, I have a roof over my head etc - but I am as entitled to be angry, pissed off and have feelings of being put upon as anyone.

No more Mrs Nice - no more favours, no more kind acts, no more giving a shit - it endth here.

It appears more and more people take advantage of those who are kind and who try to make a difference and they take advantage with less guilt than I've ever come across. It might be something small but I cannot abide being taken for granted. All my life I've always tried to think of others first. If I make wish (on a shooting star or a birthday cake candle) I try to never make a selfish wish - pah why do I bother? No-one gives a flying fuck. As the world is becoming such a selfish 'meme' place than that is obviously the path I need to take to keep up and not get shat upon.

I'll take my first step today. No I will not go to the family do just because I feel it's the right thing to do - I'll spend today doing what I want and fuck the lot of them.

*Rant over - normal service will resume when I've had a chance to cool down*

Pixelated no more.

Yesterday the last of the original cat gang of 4 passed away. Peacefully in her sleep, in her favourite bed after a good lunch.

Pixie was Mums cat, she was a 15 year old blue/cream British Shorthair.

We got Pixie the year my Dad died. Mum was down in the dumps (one of her dachshunds had passed away earlier in the year as well). I thought she might like a kitten to cuddle and love and she was persuaded. We trogged down to Hastings and there she was. A bundle of blue/cream woolly fur with massive amber eyes. Her proper name was Petavon Violet....that should have been Violent. Re-named Pixie because she had a little pixie face, she was kitten evil personified. She was not cuddly or cute, she was a cat with attitude. Her and Mum had a relationship of sorts, but it was all on the cats terms and she often used cat language unbecoming for a lady.

Over the years Pixie, always standoffish to some extent, did come to be more affectionate. She'd come up and see me and rub her smelly little cat salami on any part of me she could reach. She'd rub, roll and dribble whilst exercising her rusty little purr but always on her terms, when enough was enough she'd depart and go back to treating humans as if they didn't exist.

She hated Buster, he spent many happy hours looking at her, I swear just because he knew it would piss her off, she'd swear, spit and quite often scratch the hell out of his pretty pink nose. She ignored Kodo (the Siamese) and he ignored her. She'd beat up on her bed mate Poppy. She was happiest when being grumpy.

The day I bought Lou-Lou home was the best. Lou-Lou was 11 weeks and spent a lot of this time with her best mate Trevor a Dalmatian loving, massive grey fluffy cat. She saw Pixie thought she was Trev, bounded up to play and got a rip in her ear-flap, that she still has today. The battle lines were drawn from that moment. Lou-Lou would bounce, bark and chase Pixie. Pixie would swear, spit and lash out - happy in her grumpy-ness. This continued right up until this week. And although Pixie (riddled with seized up joints and vertebrae) was old, she'd still swear and hiss, but she could no longer run away. Lou-Lou no longer chased her but the game was still on.

The last few weeks Pix staggered, her back legs had terminal understeer and she looked like an out of control supermarket trolley on her good days, on her bad her legs would give out, she'd sit and wait, gather her strength, jack herself up and hobble a few more steps. Was it cruel? The vet said "No" she had meds, she ate well, she'd still attempt a toddle in the garden, sniffing the flowers, chittering at the birdies. She swore at Lou-Lou, hissed at Conner - I think she was happy. She slept an awful lot and snored like an old tramp, passed out drunk under the pier.

Mum didn't have to make that tough, awful choice this time (like we did with Buster and Kodo and she did with Poppy). Pix went her own way, as she always did. I think that was best.

We've lost the entire gang of 4 in just over a year. They were all born in the same year. It's sad.

If there is a cat heaven - I'm sure Pixie and Buster are happy to take up where they left off and he probably already has a bloody nose to prove it!

Me knit socks? Never.

Here are Hedera (pattern from Knitty) they're the yellowish lacy ones and the rib socks made from the luscious yarn from Helen. J took the photo - quite well I thought.
Not a sock...but Blogger published the piccies in a different order than I expected. Anyhoo, here is Triopy - following his previous moult - he has moulted again, yesterday pm, since this was taken.
J's yellow peril socks - cheese coloured sockies for cheesy little feet! This is some DK I coloured with Easter egg dye last year - I can't stand the colour and had buried it in my stash but he loves it - no accounting for taste - as the old women said as she kissed the cows bum!
Oh no....the dreaded 'C' word! Two crochet bags from 'One Skein' nice and easy, purty too. These were both made yesterday afternoon. Dinky.
What's in the box? Conkers McBonkers! Here he is subduing Chirpy - his chirping toy mouse who was inciting insurrection in the toy cupboard and needed swift chastisement. He was dragged chirping pitifully into the playbox where he received his just desserts.

Is it art?

Raku wall hanging.
Naku pot (Naked Raku).
Inside of a spider moult.
Sand sculptured crocodile.

Quick Catch-up.

Mega, mega, mega weekend of fun and frolics - swimming and bbqs.

Big play with cousins - more fun and frolics.

Chemistry set experiments - all around the house - it's like living in a lab!

Triopy has moulted 3 more times - he's a strange looking critter but oddly fascinating.

Knitting - finally finished Hedera (whilst listening to Persuasion on audio book - the time and the rows flew). Finished my rib socks in the yarn that Helen (Purlpower) sent got an adult pair out of just over 1 skein - so lots of yummy yarn left. Finished 1 geisha sock - 1/3 of its partner is done. Finished 1 sock for J cast on and completed the rib of its mate. Finished the left from of my cashmerino wrap around top - so lots n lots of knitting completed since Saturday.

We had long-tailed tits (boggle) in the garden. Never seen them before but they are very pretty - black, pink and white. The family must have been on a stopover - they had a bath, a quick scoff and off they flew. It was lovely to see them. I also spotted my friend the wren the other day, she is shy and elusive and I hadn't seen her for ages.

Sloworms were basking on the stone path the other afternoon and the Loppy (lop-sided frog) was boinging about near the pond. He is lop-sided because he got trapped under the winter cover of the swimming pool and must have been swimming in circles for weeks - now his head is on a permanent tilt.

Have raging and I mean raging PMT this week - feel sick, got a headache and am so bad tempered it's scary - so I am off to knit and read and get mega arse bound for a couple of days until the dam bursts.

Triop

*fanfare please - oh and a drumroll*

Here is the single remaining Triop (he ate the other two) known to us as ......wait for it......highly original name..............Triopy. He's an active little son of a gun, very hard to photograph but M managed this one. He has already had one moult (the Triop not M). J is ecstatic that one actually hatched this time and checks on him regularly throughout the day. We are using him for ease as I am informed by M that they are both - but as he has already turned cannibal I felt he had a more masculine energy about him *hehe*.

ps; the spell check wants to change Triop to tripe!

Knitting, kitties and new friends

Only a cat can sleep this soundly in such overwhelming heat - but why choose the computer chair?
This is my test scarf for the lace pattern I'm adapting to use in a shawl. The yarn is from BlueSky Alpacas and is 50/50 mix of alpaca and silk (I think).
Close up of the pattern and stitch definition. The lace weight shawl version in coming along but very slowly due to my inability to cope with the heat.

Earlier this week my SIL introduced us to the two girls who are spending the summer with them from Belarus. SIL does this most summers and spends a good part of the rest of the year fund raising etc for the charity that organizes this. We all did a sponsored walk for them in April. Anyway, I digress, the two girls who are 12 came for a visit. One speaks a little English the other doesn't. J and I had looked up Belarus on Google and also had found a Russian translator so we could say 'Hi' and 'Bye' in their language if nothing else (SIL has a good smattering of Russian as she is learning the language). I know these kids come from great poverty and suffer all sorts of health problems - Chenoybl, but I have to say these two girls are great. Sweet, pleasant and oh so polite. J was a stunner - he found ways to communicate which led to a riotous game of basket ball - he was helpful and friendly and made M and I very proud (yet again). The girls love animals and met the whole L family menagerie - spiders included - I had to draw a picture as SIL didn't know Russian for Spider (shame on her).

The next day J decided to make them a card and we found how to write the message in Russian - he worked really hard designing it so it had a picture of all the pets - including stick insects and Triop.

Hopefully, we will meet them again before they head home.

Other stuff.....................it's just too dang hot! I hate people who moan about the weather...but enough is enough. On the plus side saw the most amazing lightening storm last night, out over the sea. Never seen it like that before, spectacular!

Lots of swimming - lilo wars (supplemented with water guns) continues.

Lots of reading - me and J. He's discovered James Bond - films and the novels by Charlie Higson on Bond as a kid (Bloodfever), he is engrossed. As for me, I'm reading a book by Kate Hickson about Courtesans - from late 1700's to Edwardian era. Very well written and a fascinating read. I'd forgotten I'd bought it - found it hidden away - like lost treasure.

Very little else - housework is minimal - I don't do 'sweat/chores' in this heat. Still did the ironing though - phew I had to have a 2nd shower.

So that's me up to date. Life continues is a quiet phase, which is appearing to suit all 3 of us. J in engrossed in allsorts of stuff and seems quite content to potter about, interspersed with swimming. He and I have been playing Shuttles - he's very good - I struggle to out-think him these days and winning is not a foregone conclusion anymore. I also don't have to let him win - he does that all by himself ;0)

Picture catch up.

Blogger just won't upload picture for me today. So either go to Flickr thingy at bottom of blogg or use the following links.

Warning!!!

Cat, spider, and knitting content!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/196009473/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/196009472/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/196009468/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/196009467/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/196009466/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72153171@N00/196009474/in/photostream/

All up to date now.

Life abounds.

I've been weaving quite a bit recently. What is being made is still on the loom. So I thought I'd put up this piccie of the throw/wrap I made for Gundel (Susann) when she was my SP.

We have babies :0)

Baby stick insects. Two to be precise, number three has either escaped and Conkers has got it or the adults turned cannibal before we got them out into a separate tank. We have loads of eggs, I've put some by for Sis as she fancies some stickies but the rest will get flushed as we have decided that once ours live out their natural lives than it's a big bye-bye to stickies.

Baby Triops! On our 2nd attempt we hatched out some Triops (we can see 3 at the moment). J and M are over the moon as this has been a joint HE science project. We also hatched out some Daphnia and Fairy Shrimp (by accident - in 1st Triop attempt) these will become Triop grub. Once they are big enough to see clearly I'll attempt to post pictures.

It's been a quiet week. I just don't do heat. M sorted out the swimming pool (which has been abandoned for the last 2 summers) which is lovely to flop about in and cool down. Lilo wars have commenced - J & M battle it out for lilo supremacy.

J knitted his 1st complete object this week (with a little help) he made a little blue knitted fish - very cute. He's called him Fishy and he eats chips! This inspired me to knit a piglet (photo to follow) who I've called Figgus. I've also started on a new lace pattern - which will be for a shawl eventually - but I am trying it out on a scarf 1st to see if I've got the math right and the pattern works. So far so good.

Feeling a bit more cheerful -thanks to my Bunny - chief problem solver and shoulder-to-sob-oner.

Yesterday we went to friends for a long afternoon/evening scoff and socialize - very jolly, very good company. The boys played nicely and the grownups sat in the garden, eating, drinking and making music. Lovely.

This week is another a quiet one - they are the kind I like best.

Today is whiz through the chores then chill and knit.

Fan-bloomin-tastic!

Back from camping. The site we intended to go to was full. So we went further along the coast a bit and camped at a fantastic site in West Wittering. We got a pitch with lots of shade (phew). The site was CLEAN - so clean, great toilets/showers, clean level pitches and friendly people. There was a big play area (not slides and stuff) but just space for footie, frisbees and kites, safe space, the kidlets could run free and they did. There were farm animals for petting - goats and their kid, big fat piggies, wonkies, ponies and Dexter Cattle (I love them).

So where do you go on a very hot sunny Saturday with 3 kidlets? Here http://www.westwitteringbeach.co.uk/ all I can say is "Wow!" I saw fish in the sea, swimming around my legs - never seen that before in the UK. The sea was 3/4 of a mile away when we hit the sand (soft silky sand - not bloomin great pebbles) we walked down to it through the tidal puddles, fossiling as we went (found a few as well). The water was clear and warm......yes warm. We spent most of the afternoon swimming by the time we left the sea was about 15ft from our base up near the top of the beach. The kids and Mike made sand sculptures - including a very impressive beach crocodile. It was a bonza day and although we were sticky, sandy and hot the walk back to the site went quickly. We all indulged in refreshing showers and a huge hot chicken salad tea - yummy.

As we left the beach - all sorts of rescue crews - incl helicopters arrived. We later discovered a little girl had gone missing - it was busy and the current was deceptively strong. She was found still on her lilo at Hayling Island - she was alive. I don't like kids and inflatables on a beach - it's so dangerous. If J plays with something like that one of us is always with him and holding on to it so it doesn't drift. This kind of thing brings home the dangers found on the beach.

A nice early start Sunday - I love the quiet mornings camping when everyone else is asleep. We stayed on site and the kids played whilst we did a gradual pack - a large picnic lunch and then home. You didn't have to leave your pitch until 6.00pm. It was nice (as it was so hot) to do the pack up at your leisure and the kids enjoyed the extra time to rampage.

Not much knitting took place. I finished a sock and a wristwarmer and that was about it. Still it really was a great weekend. We fully intend to go back there soon - the beach and the site.

The cat and dog were pleased to see us and M did the unpack and started the laundry as he knows how I flag in the heat. Yesterday was spent recovering and chillin, today well who knows....

Clap hands for Clapotis

Here it is.........at last. It must be about a year since I cast on for this. I got fed up in the middle section and abandoned it for a good few months. Also although I lurve HipKnits silk, this particular colour sheds, like crazy. I wear a lot of black - so this project could only be knit on non-black days - few and far between.

It's a lot bigger than I realised, but I am pleased with it. It won't be blocked (I did block my smaller version) this one is too big for any blocking surface we have.

So, in 2 days I have finished 3 projects....not bad. This is due to having a week off from study (I need a break - have a large, boring essay looming in my very near future). And as I'm still in the doldrums. I thought I would utilize my down time into 'finish-it-off' time. What shall I tackle today.......packing actually *rolls eyes*. I'm sure I will still find a itsy-bitsy smidge of knitting time as well.

PS - the spell check just suggested replacing the word 'Clapotis' with 'slapdash' - hmmm is its opinion of my work? *hehe*

Here is the late news.

I decided a change was as good as a rest and now have red hair, bright red hair.
Here is the Snuffalator- still lop-sided after his ear infection in the winter. But he is healthy in every other way and is happy, squeaky little piggle.
Deep, down in a dark corner there lurks a newly moulted Boris. This is his 1st appearance in over a month. His colours are amazing, bright red layered with purple on his abdomen and legs and bright light green on his carapace or cephalothorax.

Knitting news. See Flickr at bottom of blog for two...yes 2 new FO's. Both completed yesterday. This was my Tour De France marathon knit yesterday.

We're off camping again, with the cousins, this weekend. Forecast looks good and we're camping close to the sea. I could do with some R & R as still not feeling just the ticket. Have decided to go and see Doc in the next couple of weeks, because this kind of 'down lethargy' is not normal for me.

Loving this years Tour. Robbie McEwan is sprinting like a dream, everyday out of nowhere he hits the line....wow. Tour moves to the mountains for the 1st time today, can't wait, love the mountain stages.

That's about it for now. Sonny Jim needs my attention. We are looking at monarchs this week with a local focus on George lV and William the Conqueror.

How to kill by Keith Douglas (1920-1944)

Under the parabola of a ball,
a child turning into a man,
I looked into the air too long.
The ball fell in my hand, it sang
in the closed fist: Open Open
Behold a gift designed to kill.

Now in my dial of glass appears
the soldier who is going to die.
He smiles, and moves about in ways
his mother knows, habits of his.
The wires touch his face: I cry
Now. Death like a familiar, hears

and look, has made a man of dust
of a man of flesh. This sorcery
I do. Being damned, I am amused
to see the centre of love diffused
and the waves of love travel into vacancy.
How easy it is to make a ghost.

The weightless mosquito touches
her tiny shadow on the stone,
and with how like, how infinite
a lightness, man and shadow meet.
They fuse. A shadow is a man
when the mosquito death approaches.