This...

Inside






Outside (not my legs BTW)


nearly freakin' killed me!


Good news on the cat enclosure, it will be completed in a week and a half. The cat flap is now in and even if it is slightly uneven, it works and that's the main thing right?

The bad thing was that I had to cut into Asbestos. I had all the safety gear - respirator and filter rated for asbestos, complete disposable overalls to cover head to toe and safety goggles.
It was like being in a sauna suit for 3 hours! Bearing in mind today was over 30 degrees C. It took me over an hour to be able to sit up and walk again, I was stuffed.

I superglued the stanley knife to my thumb (don't ask how I did that), I siliconed half my hand, The PVC glue didn't stick to the plastic, only to me (again, don't ask). I popped a seam -lots of seams actually, in the disposable overalls, Miss A said I had holes in it everywhere and the respirator made me sound like Darth Vader. Of course, now I will worry that I didn't use enough protection and imagine that I inhaled the asbestos and will certainly die from Mesothelioma. Time will tell.

I will be disposing of the pieces of asbestos according to regulations. ie: wrapped in 220 micron? thick black plastic, taped with silver duct tape and delivered to a waste collection point. Phew!

What's the bet the cats won't use it?

Christmas was almost cancelled!

I hope everyone had a good Christmas.

We nearly cancelled Xmas this year as 6 days beforehand one of our cats went missing for 4 nights!

Miss A and I were very upset as it was really unusual for her to just disappear like that.
To add to our worry was that it was very stormy - the most rainfall since April this year. Our cats are never going outside again let me tell ya. Those heartbreaking
4 days were it. I am not going to lose another cat again.

I have enlisted the aid of secureakat and we have decided to enclose the whole side of the house where the 2 rainwater tanks are. We don't use this side at all and it is currently gravelled, all i want to do is move the gravel so that a strip down the middle will be grassed. Unfortunately it won't be done until end of Jan early Feb.

Have you seen the price of cat play equipment?! I intend to make a lot of it myself (any excuse to purchase a power tool) A nice man at Bunnings has cut a sheet of wood into bits so that I can glue and screw and make boxes for the cats to sleep in. Miss A will be in charge of the colour/painting part.

After a trip out today, I think the cat problem is sorted temporarily. It is actually a large puppy enclosure but with a few cat toys it's a cat enclosure. I intend to put them in here for a bit at a time so that they are not stuck inside. Maybe feed them the good tinned stuff as a treat so that they look forward to it.....cos they hate it at the moment.


Infernal human un-imprison me!


Puddy (who was on the missing cat list) realised she was locked in straight away and wouldn't stop meowing. Andy and Kitty went in together (they do not get along with Puddy very well) and they were like "ooh there's food, ooh there's water, look over here, a scratching thing, look a kitty tray, hang on ... what's this wall here? How do we get out? I want out!" Took 'em 20 minutes to work it out.

What did Father Christmas bring you? ... I was lucky to get some yarny goodness that was unwrapped many days before Xmas - Dream In Color Smooshy sock yarn in Gothic Rose and Dusky Aurora, some blocking wires in preparation for my forays into lace knitting.
Couldn't resist the Tapestry Craft sale ( ummed and ahhed for many days before committing to buy) I've ordered some Auracania yarn in Ocean and for Miss A Jewels for shawls.
What is it that I have a hankering to knit shawls?? The triangle shawl from the Knitting Olympics of 2006- I think it was - kicked my ass and that was/is a very simple M1 one st in from each end and once in the middle. Reminds me, that needs to be frogged.

Now I am not only on a yarn diet, but a money diet too. Can't wait to get back to work and earn some money or I'm gonna send myself broke!

Long time no post!

Oops, when I first started this blog I was very keen and couldn't wait to add stuff. Especially through the breakup as it was a way of letting off steam.

Life has settled down now and I lead a very boring life of work/study/sleep/raise a family etc as I am sure a lot of you do too.

This does not mean to say that I have lost the knitting bug. I still look forward to knitting time, and it still calms me down. I just knit really slowly and progress is not as fast as my kntting time is limited due to studying at uni. And the fact that I decided to take on 3!! units during my Xmas holidays. Goose!

Anyway, I am on holidays now and have settled into an acceptable studying schedule. (study in the morning/knit in the afternoon/ bugger the housework)

So I know that I owe pictures of the Shawl Collar Jacket - that was a joy to knit and I need to knit something else in the Shadow Tweed. I still need a photo of this, but I will get to it I promise.


I have been wanting to try lace knitting for a while now. Ravelry is a great place to seek out patterns and check up on yarn and I have spent several days checking out lace projects to find out how difficult they are.

So I have settled on three patterns:
Forest canopy Shawl
Diamond Fantasy Shawl or
Flower Basket Shawl

I think it will be the one that has the edging knitted as you go, if I remember correctly, that's the Diamond Fantasy. As usual any advise is greatly accepted. What is the best project for a wannabe/beginner lace knitter?

I had my heart set on a variegated blue yarn but do you think I can find something here in Oz? Nup. I was looking at the Araucania, but at around $20 a ball for a first time lace project I don't think so. I did settle on some country prints in the blue/green/purple but it has been discontinued and there is none to be found.
I know that is not laceweight but I reckon if I try lace with a more chunky yarn it will be easier for me and I really wanted a chunky shawl anyway. I can envision myself chucking the mess of fairy floss across the room if I stuffed up with a finer yarn and that would be the end of lace knitting. I should really call it lacier knitting as, you know, it isn't wuite laceweight if that makes sense.

I've even ordered a lace blocking kit from here as well as some Cascade 220 to try.
And I have some Dream in Color on it's way in Gothic Rose and Dusky Aurora from here.

I am currently kniting a vest out of Bendigo Neon which is going well so far, but very slowly and one more pair of Fetchings.

I have received some great news workwise recently: I have been made permanent! with a payrise and upgrade woohoo. (hence the spurge on blocking wires/yarn etc.)
This is amazing in itself, as people in my line of work know that to be offered permanency is a rare thing, as well as at a time when my school is closing to make way for the Super school and the department had said no permanency was to be offered at this time. So that relieves a lot of financial pressure as I know I have a job as long as I want it.

I've rearranged my knitting room - taken out my study desk, moved my stash to the small room next to my knitting room, crammed in a sofa-bed (still have both recliners in there) and added a TV. It is just a great place to sit and knit, with the fantastic natural light during this time of year.

I doubt I will post again before Christmas. But I will endeavor to update fortnightly in the future.
Merry Christmas.

Blocked, Barbecued and Blubbering

WARNING: Picture heavy post...You can tell when i'm on holidays can't ya?

The Shawl Collar Jacket in Shadow Tweed has completed fronts and back. I didn't try too hard to get the shadings to matchup. I just started knitting with the same strength of colour. Quite pleased at how the fronts do match though. Tried the 3 needle bind-off on the shoulders (again) and I just cannot get the whole wrap,pickup etc. I think I am wrapping the wrong stitch and when you go to pick them up, they are stretched across the stitch, making a little hole. It is not too noticeable.





Kitty says, "Now can I sit on it??"




After Mr Ex took our BBQ and the Webber Kettle that I had wanted, I really missed BBQ'd food, especially with the weather warming up. I took the plunge and purchased a BBQ a few weeks ago. It came in a big box with assembly instructions! Simple enough step by step instructions that were kinda easy to follow.


This lot.....











became this...






Also been adding to the garden we have...

Tomatoes






S'posed ta be Sweetcorn




Potatoes




Beans



Peas Oops about the bottom of the photo.




Cucumber





Experimental Oak Lettuce


Experimental because it was purchased to eat and we ate and then because it still has it's roots attached, I thought it might grow/turn to seed and we might get some more growing. It has picked up since being planted and is no longer wilting, so maybe it will grow seed for us. Dunno.


Miss A has gone away for the weekend (4 whole nights!!!) I hate it when she goes,I have a very hard time dealing with it, but she really wanted to go this time, it's the only time she gets with her father - he hardly contacts her any other time. Mr Ex has replaced me with another ( didn't want Miss A much at all until he got a girlfriend who could look after her for him) and she gets to go on what was our regular family holiday. After more than ten years going to the same spot for the October long weekend I now stay home alone. sniff. It kills me to send her on holidays, I was teaching her how to run the shower and how to organise stuff in the tiny shower cubicles, not put bare feet on the floor etc. and now I have to hand that over to someone that I don't know. *short pause to dry tears*
The song playing on the radio is "Big Girls Don't Cry", how appropriate.

Anyway the footy Grand Final is on today, the most footy I've watched is the last 10 mins of the preliminary finals this year. My team is in the Grand Final this year- GO THE POWER!- Really looking forward to this, I intend to sit and knit while watching the footy, and try not to cry anymore.

Tragic, I know. Luckily I have my cats to keep me company and with the fights I'm breaking up between Andy and Scrappy I won't get bored.

Oh, Mr Ex reckons he will take Scrappy next week, so then I'll be down to 3 cats. It will be better for Scrappy 'cos he can't even sleep without getting attacked. I have to wake-up several times a night to separate 'em. I've sprayed Feliway around the house so hopefully that'll help today.

Ravelry!!

I'm in, Tigerknits, add me if you wish.

After not feeling like knitting I am suddenly feeling enlivened.
Bendigo has, available for a short time, Neon (striping like Shadow Tweed/Vintage Hues but in an 8 ply) , I love it and can't wait to actually touch it. It is definitely a limted production and will not become a permanent addition (I know this because I asked/begged them to keep it)

I have picked up the Shawl Collar Jacket out of Shadow Tweed. I intitially wouldn't pick it up 'cos I thought I wouldn't be able to work out where I was up to, fortunately I found that it was only just started and just past the ribbing.

But I wanna play with Neon!

Fore!

I think that's how you spell it..
Miss A has taken a liking to golf and to encourage her we have purchased a putting thing that returns the ball if you get it in the right spot, an indoor model connected to the power point.

We needed something outside so this morning we created this...











Andy the cat loves it! Pokin' his paws in and scooping out the ball, to the dismay of Miss A.


Uni has kept me really busy these past few weeks. Boring unit I have to push myself to do. I am behind in the readings, my group of 4 people has only me contributing to it and the assignment is due in 2 weeks! I am the one sending emails and uploading to the boards, we have 3 members that I don't hear from at all this is very frustrating. I refuse to do everyone's work so I will only do my bit and if we fail then so be it.

Have not been knitting at all - it has taken me 3 months and I still haven't finished a scarf.
I have orders for Fetchings that I just cannot do - don't wanna. Need to order some size 2mm addi turbos for socks. I did cast on some lovely sock yarn, a present from Jessica but I think I need smaller needles. The fabric was just too holey for socks.

I have had Laryngitis for 2 weeks and then a slight head cold and have been feeling so drained. Thant's my excuse for not studying. So looking forward to summer.

One thing I have been obsessing over is coffee beans. I purchased a bean grinder and a plunger this week and have been brewing some nice coffee ( Have only started drinking coffee this year and now can't get enough)

Yep...

Your Theme Song is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

"There is no pain, you are receding. A distant ship's smoke on the horizon. You are only coming through in waves." You haven't been feeling a lot lately, and you think that's a good thing. The comfortable part is nice... but you should really work on numb.

What's Your Theme Song?

Sickness and secret projects

Urggh. What a way to spend the school holidays - sick. Miss A came down with something last Wednesday and on the weekend shared it with me. Although we did spend Friday to Wednesday curled up in bed hacking up our lungs ( and I intend to return there soon ) we managed to spend some quality time together. It was worrying - she had a fever for 3 days.

So much for seeing the new Harry Potter movie, going bowling, going to the park....

Been working on a new project, very fun and different. Will take some photos and share when I get better.

You Are Best Described By...

San Giorgio Maggiore, Twilight By Claude Monet

What Famous Work of Art Are You?

Seen better days

These curtains were made by my Mum over 30 years ago! The fabric was soo old they had started to disintegrate and some curtain rings were broken. I finally got the motivation to make some new ones.








Andy is the feline model for this shot... heaven help him if he runs up these curtains like he used to with the old ones.



I took out the small one in the middle as I wanted these to close over the door thus allaying my fear that I was secretly being spied on by the neighbours at night time (or the Boogey Man or some such creature that may be hiding out in my backyard)

Knitting Knews...

Two orders for Fetchings must be completed these holidays, funny how I couldn't stop knitting these until someone actually wanted me to make them a pair, now it's a chore to be put off until scarves are finished. Now ask me how many scarves I've made in the last 2 weeks ( the answer is 2 and a half)


Uni News...

Semester one is finished yay! Semester 2 starts on the 23rd July. School holidays are here next week and they end on the 23rd July so I have two whole weeks in which to solidly knit - that's the plan anyway.

Personal News...

Miss A goes to her Dad's for 2 whole nights - he picks her up tomorrow and will drop her back Sunday. I am still finding being parted from her very difficult. Luckily he doesn't ask her up very often. She is glad to be home too as I don't think he spends very much time with her. The girlfriend and her 3 daughters look after her more than he does. Roll on Sunday.

So what delights have I got planned for myself to tide me over?
I have Angel complete season one, Sixteen Candles, Duece Biglow 1, The Family Stone and all the Alien movies (That will go well with my new curtains cos I will wake in the night and be able to go to the loo without the monster from the movie watching me through my back door)

Oh and I have chocolate - Clinkers, Snickers Pods, Dairy Milk family block, Quatro biscuits, and Iced coffee. That should cover the five food groups ;)

Reminds me, I must set up the treadmill these holidays too.

Found It

Okay here's Miss A's Hoody...


Bendigo Rustic 12 ply in Pink Opal.


Shawl Collar Jacket in brown Shadow Tweed - the back... Go on click for the bigger picture that shows the pretty colours.



The left front...

You want pictures??

You can't have pictures!

Oohh, this morning I was motivated enough to snap some pics of Miss A's Central Park Hoodie and the back and left front of the shawl collar jacket out of Shadow Tweed, now I can't find the camera cord!!
As the camera's battery cover is split in halves and the batteries come loose, now may be a good time to think about buying a new camera - especially if I can't find the cord.

Now that my last assignment for this semester at uni is now finished ( have to submit it for assessment this Friday, so tweaking time is there) and I have only one unit left for my Cert 3 in Disability Work (lecture this week) it is much easier to breathe now. Funny that.

Life does seem good at this moment. All the crap we went through seems to have paid off.
Ahh for some prime knitting time this week.

Quickie update

Long time no blog.
Just can't seem to do anything interesting to blog about.

Miss A's CP Hoody is now almost finished with just the seaming to be done. Stuffed up the grafting on the hood and was too lazy to ungraft it and am now sorry I didn't take the time to fix it up. It has a few dodgy stitches right on top of the head!

I've taken a liking to the new Paton's Shadow Tweed and bought a whole lot when it was on special last week. I am currently making the Shawl Collar Jacket in the brown colourway, I went nuts and bought all but the orangey red colour. This yarn reminds me of the Point 5 from Colinette, it is soft but not even firmly spun so I'm wondering how well it will wear.

Another problem is that I could not for the life of me get gauge. They want 14.5 sts with 6.5mm needles and I can't get close to that with 6mm or 5.5mm so I'm doing the smaller size and 14 sts / 10cm with 6mm needles. (got 14sts with the 5.5mm too and I'm not going smaller as it will then be a too firm a fabric which I don't like)
Does that mean that I need to go down a size more when knitting the ribbing?? Hmm, will it then throw out the collar (knitted separately and sewn on later)
They want 6.50mm stocking stitch and 5.5mm ribbing so if I'm knitting my stocking stitch on 6mm needles do I then go to 5mm needles on the rib? Decisions, decisions.....It is very nice to knit with though, lovely and soft.

The teacher that I work with asked me, "Do you knit fingerless gloves?". "Why yes, I do", I replied, knowing what was coming....yep some more Fetchings, again with that lovely black alpaca. These I will knit mainly at school and still have some 'me' knitting time at home.

Not very happy today as I am sick, hit me like a brick on Friday. One minute I was feeling fine, then sneezed and within 10 minutes - seriously that is how fast this thing came on, no warning or anything!! - I thought uh oh, am I coming down with something? Just suddenly had no energy, felt dizzy etc. So Saturday was spent on the lounge knitting and feeling miserable.

Oh, I also caved and ordered some Knit Picks Needles -finally. Blame that on the fever/ PMS/ medication........

Knitting

The CPHoodie's left front is done and attached to the back.
I attempted the 3 needle bind off and when I came to bind off the last stitch I realised that I hadn't bound off any stitches as I went along. (can't blame the pain meds 'cos I didn't have any :p ) So a quick unpicking and a re-knit and the shoulders were finally attached. I'm pleased with the results, however, when held up against Miss A the part at the shoulders is not very wide....hmmmm... I'm thinking it will be okay after the hood and the ribbing is added - fingers crossed! No pictures as I am not hobbling around looking for the camera.

My ankle is starting to go down finally and my toes are looking more normal, the bruising is still a deep purple colour which is fine 'cos purple is my favourite colour. I'm off crutches and hobbling slowly and I don't need the office chair for moving around either. Yesterday I made it outside, down the step and back up again a big achievement that one.

I have lots of reading and summarising to do for uni and one unit is due on Wednesday for my Cert 3 in Disability and I just don't wanna do anything. I have to push myself to knit too.

Mr Ex is coming for some of his stuff today (not specifically to see Miss A for Easter, but to get his stuff!) I need to cut some ties there, he is no longer welcome in the house as his nasty comments on what I have bought/not done/my attitude/etc are not good to hear each time he visits. He is not happy about not being able to come inside, but I have rights and choices too.
Time to let go for good - not of him because that happened a long time ago - but of the sadness and the future that was planned but is not there anymore.

Easier typed than done sometimes :)

...grumble...

I had a bit of an accident Monday night, I fell over in the backyard - tripped over my rainwater tank pipe and then fell into the hole where my fishpond/bathtub was. Luckily the bathtub had been removed and I fell on the soft?!? ground. When I looked at my foot my ankle was at a funny angle, oooh :0 I popped it back in and called for Miss A to bring the phone out. My dear neighbour and her husband were there within minutes, they helped me up and took me to the doctors, ran around looking for crutches for me and bandages and medication. I don't know what I would have done without them....probably just gone inside and gotten out the frozen peas.

Xrays show a small sliver of bone broken off but no fractures.
So now I have the rest of the week off as well as the Easter break to recover.

Crutches are a big ol PIA - the computer chair is so much easier. The pain medication makes me feel sick so I'm not having anymore of that in a hurry (the pain isn't too bad anyway)
I won't post pictures cos it's just gross looking at the moment.

Thought of a whole week of knitting time was dashed when the pain meds made me dizzy/queazy/sick etc, I still cannot sit up for very long, let alone do anything constructive.

In other news Mr Ex now has a new g/friend and is pushing Miss A to meet her! Not happy 'bout that. I was not allowed to have anymore children I would have dearly loved to have two and now he's shacked up with a woman who has 3 girls. She has/is clearing out her youngest daughter's room so that Miss A can share the room and have sleepovers. Over my dead body!!!

What is it that now he wants to have more contact with her now that he has a g/friend??
Am I wrong to think that when I look after her 3 daughters then she can have a go at looking after my daughter?? I do not want to become the single mother from Desperate Housewives...remember her? But now I understand her so much more.

What would you do??

Where Does The Time Go?

Well not much has been happening here lately just the same old work and study routine.

University studies are going very well and I'm even enjoying it. Got some credit for my previous studies and have been successful in applying for exemption to two assignments for one unit. Phew - that means less work.

Even been allowing myself time off for knitting. No pictures yet as it's just the CPHoody for Miss A and is growing slowly. I haven't had the urge to knit anything so haven't picked it up for weeks now but it is there and this week I've been knitting a little, even if it's just one row after I've read my papers, it's starting to entice me back. I'd forgotten how relaxing it is for me. if I put it off much longer Miss A will have grown out of the Hoody!

Really - not much happening = not much blogging.

I got in!

I applied to go to University a while back and last Wednesday I got the letter.
I have won a place at Charles Darwin University to study a Bachelor of Teaching.
I'll be doing it externally which means it is all either online or posted. Yippee!

I have a fantastic learning support network and organised a wonderful mentor.

How I am going to fit it all in is something I haven't figured out yet.

At least this means that I don't have to:

• Drop 2 - 3 days work/pay to physically attend Uni. I can keep us in the manner to which we have become accustomed (late night chocolate binges and Iced Coffee always in the fridge)
• Get someone to look after Miss A while I attend. (she can sit right next to me and bug me play on the old computer while I study - yeah we'll see how long that'll last ;)
• Worry about being back in time to pick up Miss A. (As usual she'll be with me 24/7......)
• Spend $$ getting to Uni and back. (helps to pay for the new computer)

It does mean that I won't have as much time to knit, so I better get cracking on Miss A's Central Park Hoody before she outgrows it.

And because it is going to be mostly online, I've invested in Broadband which should be here by next weekend I hope and a new computer. My old one is totally full and will not stand up to the rigours of late night, long hours of studying. Can you believe I am only getting on average around 32Kbps! Damn slow. At it's worst my broadband will be 64Kbps twice as fast, kewl. Oh and have 4 connections so that Miss A can access it at the same time, Neopets here she comes.

So this weekend was spent setting up the old computer for Miss A (she has to earn her computer time mwuahaha) and the new one for myself. Vista sure is purdy. Guess what was easier....

I had a good idea to update the old one to SP2, all well and good but the installation went awry and I ended up with the computer not recognising the modem! What! no internet for 2 days!!! I have just worked out what was wrong and fixed it, phew, that only took nearly 2 full days. A quick reinstall of the Operating System and a few tweaks...

I tried to install Internet Explorer 7 and that went belly up too I think it has something to do with Windows Update ( which also went belly up but is now fixed after having half a day spent on it) So I will try again now that the updating program is working. (something about not being able to connect to the internet to update itself - I hope......)

I have integrated my antivirus, firewall and anti spyware into Windows Live One Care, not linking cos I've spent too many hours at that bl**dy website searching it for fixes, and that seems to be going well. One subscription instead of two, and it was cheaper than one subscription on its own.

So hopefully in a few days I'll be able to report a full thumbs up on the computer system here at Chez Bankrupt.

Oh my stars

Now who says that the horoscopes are all generic and broad?

How about mine, dated the 9th (Friday) which I just saw today:

Remember that material possessions are just that - material. At some point in your life, you are either going to lose them, ruin then, or throw them away. The only question is when and how. Don't put yourself through unnecessary emotional turmoil over the loss or damage of something tangible. Attach yourself to people, rather than material things. Good friends and loyal family members will be there for you until the end.

Spooky huh?
Bearing in mind a few days before it did say that my luck was going to change. Yippee I thought until I realised that luck can also change from reasonably okay luck - and you don't know that that is your good luck - to bad luck and not always to really good luck.

That scarf has told me it wants to try and be a Grape Hyacinth scarf pfft! yeah right have you seen the pattern for that? I've had three goes at just the ribbing so far. But it is looking like it needs to be this scarf so I will keep trying.

Anyway now I am sick as well as Miss A, we have a burning need for groceries and I am not feeling very well which means I have to push myself to drive the car (shudders - when I think of the car I get this funny twitch..... ) to the nearest grocery store for milk, iced coffee and more chocolate and cheese and cat food and kitty litter and...............

Of scarves and things...

Recently finished the Stress Relief Scarf, this was a kit available in stores by Patons, if I remember correctly. It came with a circular needle, a sewing needle, instructions, yarn (Zhivago) and a nifty zippered bag. I have made several of these now and from different yarns. This one is Velveteen and it was a quick knit.



I have decided not to fringe this one.

I liked being in between projects, that delicious time of choosing what's next. Maybe some Karaoke, or that nice Alpaca from Bendigo, Noro, hmm what else is in the stash?

I thought that I'd try the Irish Hiking Scarf but as I only have one ball of the Bendy Alpaca, I left off a cable repeat so this one will only have two cables. i like my scarves narrow and long, I'll see how it goes and if it likes this or wants to be something else - I was thinking of Coronet.

So far it's okay.

Oh an update on my car....
the leak is indeed fixed - a simple sump plug problem, now the skeptic in me wants to know if it was this simple to fix all along or were there really mega buck leaks.....we willl never know.

A bit sad on Friday after work when I went to my car to find that the idiot next to me had opened his/her door onto my car and taken some lovely chunks right out of my driver's door!!
Hmmm, white on dark blue does stand out terribly. So this morning was spent finding some touch up paint.

Thanks to the wonderful guy at the crash repairs who colour matched and mixed up a jar of paint for me and then asked if I needed help to apply it. "That would be great," I replied "then I can see how to do it"

After doing the door he then proceeded to check the whole car and spent some time touching it up - the car - and as he did we chatted and I told him how much bad luck I was having with it. When it came time to pay he said not to worry about it and that maybe that would help to change my luck....wasn't that nice of him? Phew something nice for a change, now if I'd just been able to get his phone number.....

Miss A is sick this weekend so we are in for a real quiet time of knitting and dvd's in bed.

Turning UFOs into FOs

I don't know what it is but lately I have felt the need to complete some UFOs.
Fetching number 3 for me is finished.
Doll blanket number 1 is finished...can't remember where or what Doll Blanket number 2 is?
Here's the pictures:



Completed blanket



Blanket in use


Here is the reason Barbie and Ken were not happy last night:



Kitty (top observation deck) and Andy (penthouse) decided they needed a room for the night.


In other news, remember that I bought a smaller, newer, modern, sleek, fantastic car in December??

Yeah, well fantastic car has had an oil leak, so after taking it back to the car yard where I bought it for repairs and being fobbed off, told it was fixed, nope nothing wrong, etc - it was still leaking so I decided to take it to the local dealer for independent tests and repairs.

After the dealer having it for 2 and a half weeks I just got my little car back on Friday. So Miss A and I took it for a drive to the beach and got a celebratory icecream, ducked into Foodland for some tea and when I came back there was a stupid A**hole parked 2 inches - I kid you not 2 inches!!- from the back of my car!!! I just got in and forgot to take his number and forgot to check for dings thinking that no, nothing would be amiss (trusting soul aren't I)....

Next day I remembered to check....yep bumper was scratched and lower down has some scratches and a chip of paint taken out of the lower bumper.

Not to mention how pleased I was on Saturday morning to find out that the car was still leaking in the exact same spot and worse than when I took it in to be repaired!! AARGGHH!!!
2.5 weeks and $1800 later I am back to square one.

They had the engine, transmission, Air Conditioner, everything, all out - rear main seal they declared - big expensive job, so everything they did to it was unnecessary because it still leaks, I paid for work that didn't need to be done because it still leaks.

They will be getting a call from me come Monday morning!
Is there no one that can find and fix an oil leak?
Is it because I am a woman they think they don't really need to fix it?
Did they just overlook it? honest mistake?

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I know it's just a car and worse thing are happening out there.
Mr Ex thinks this is funny and taunts me about it.
This is typical of my life anything can and does f*ck up like this. Constantly. I am tired of it. I want to cry. I can feel the depression monster stalking me so don't be surprised if I don't blog for a while.

Edited to add:
Okay I've had a bit of a cry and a lay down (and some chocolate ;) )and I am feeling a little better about the whole situation. Fingers crossed we can get it sorted out soon.

More Finished Objects!

Ripping out the first lot of Miss A's Fetching's was the way to go! These babies knit up extra quick - maybe due to the fact they are one repeat less and a larger yarn than I previously used. They have turned out slightly larger than the first ones.

I am itching to make another pair for myself as these are comfy. The first ones that I made for myself I didn't bind off loosely enough and it is slightly uncomfortable, but these ones....mmmm.

Yarn: Country Silk in Pink
Needles: Boye size 4 US


Another FO is this hideous scarf in something called 'Sparkle' - thin and nubbly and sparkly - I think came from Lincraft or Spotlight. I have had it on the needles for over a year and it is good to get rid of it. I asked Miss A if she'd like it and her face lit up she thinks it's great.



After rearranging my yarn stash I have found all my UFOs. The Vest with the yarn that made my fingers peel (as soon as I find it that is - it has some good circulars and a very nice stitch marker- can't for the life of me find the damn thing) and the Eyelet Baby Hat, that would fit an adult, have gone to the frogpond. Not too bad but I don't think I'm gonna finish the Mermaid toy from the 'Knit A Square Make A Toy' book or the family of guinea pigs Miss A wanted last year - I have the yarn for them though oh what was I thinking ?!?

Here's to knocking off some more UFOs hey?

Let the Renno's begin

While I am on holidays I have been taking the time to do some small repairs to the house.

Of course I only remember to take the 'before ' pictures afterwards! But not with the bathroom, I remembered so here are some before and after pics: Eww! yucky. Now bear
in mind that Mr Ex said it was too expensive to fix, can't be done etc and for less than $150 and a week and a half and much effort it is nearly completed.

I scraped out all the old grout, siliconed around the edges, re grouted, and waterproofed the shower.
The main thing was letting every step cure. Silicone needed to be left 72 hours, new grout 72 hours and 24 for the waterproofing. Can't wait till Saturday as the shower will be back in action yay! Bathing with a shower hose has been fun but give me back the shower!

I had to redo the bathroom because I had that part of the house restumped and lifted and

the consequences of that repair was lots of cracks to the tiles, tiles falling off and gaps in the corners of the walls. Not counting the gaps and broken tiles that were there already plus a leaking shower.
Such a blast doing this all by myself, oh but Miss A did bring me buckets of water on request for wiping the grout off. Who needs a man??

Here is a list of what I have done so far and a list of what needs doing, I am so proud that I did these things by myself (I am listing them because I need a record of what I have done because fixing a house up becomes so overwhelming and it feels good to look back on completed repairs) :
*Installed a doorbell

*Pantry cupboards - painted, reshelved, new door handles
*Re mortared the chimney - a lovely bricklayer did this for me

*Fixed leaky shower taps

*Backyard cleaned up, bathtub pond,orange tree and passionfruit vine removed - thanks to a great
friend and her husband who came down one day and backyard blitzed me

*Antenna - never had a proper working antenna and can now watch crystal clear crappy tv

*Laundry tap - fixed in 5 minutes after having no tap for the last 10 years, just a broken one

*Verticals in my knitting room - thanks Vista!

*Created a knitting room - see pics below

*Purchased two comfy recliners for knitting room

*Rainwater tanks fixed to stop leaks

*Checked smoke alarms - I have 11 foot ceilings and a heavy ladder, this was no easy feat!

*New outdoor setting all set up

*Bathroom regrouted, sealed and waterproofed

Here's my backyard...a bit of a blank canvas at the moment but plans for veggie growing and flowers abound. Oops probably shouldn't have emptied the grouting bucket right there. You should have seen it when it was an overgrown jungle, this pic makes it look good!

To Do List

-Clean the gutters

-Buy a lighter ladder

-Dig the garden and make a veggie patch

-mulch garden

-Rolladoor

-Replace bull nosed verandah

-Paint house inside and out

-Curtains for computer room

-New bathroom vanity

-Resilver bathroom mirrors

-Remove rubbish behind the shed

-New screen doors

-Restump other side of house

-Make a cat enclosure down the side of the house

Knitting Room

Here are some pics of where I sit and knit:

The recliners are covered in rugs because the cats like to climb up them and scratch them and I don't want them to. Therefore the cats are only allowed in the room when I am in there too.

Bookshelf with books

Yarn stash, yep this is all of it, all in the one place, so I can look at it and it can shame me into using it up.

Here's a pic of the completed Central Park Hoodie. Yarn: Bendigo 12ply Rustic in Damson

Miss A's CPHoodie now has a completed back. Yarn: Bendigo 12 ply Rustic in Pink Opal

Miss A's Fetching went to the frog pond and was restarted with 5 stitches less and on bigger needles and now it is way easier to knit. Yarn: Country Silk? in pink

Now I get to knit them while I wait for the grout to cure before being able to paint on the waterproofing at 9pm Thursday night (The sooner it goes on the sooner we can use the shower)