Monday 20 July 2009

STUFF STUFF and more stuff

I went for another ride on my bike ................... did 5 blocks and did NOT wipe out. I even managed to relax enough to think about why I was breathing through my mouth .................... DUH ................ your asthma is not in good control you silly woman. This hot weather keeps all the air pollution and it makes breathing more difficult so I have started to use my inhalers again ................... I really don't like them but they do help me breath better so there isn't really an option here.

I took the sampler shawl to Lynne last Thursday and she was very happy with it. I was so surprised when she gave me the pattern to keep as well as two ............Yes TWO balls of oh so lovely Fiddlesticks yarn. I choose a greeny-blue colour and am going to knit the 'Queen of Earth Stole' again as it is such a lovely pattern. I am working on "tango' a shawl pattern I am helping to test as well as my bag for the KAL. My bag needs one more strap then I will felt it and TA DA it is finished. I have figured out the pattern I am going to make for my Janice Sister. It is from Elann but I can't remember the name at the moment.

WE HAD AN ABBA dinner on Saturday and it was so good to see everyone. I really have missed them as we haven't got together for about three months. I broke down and asked the gals to help with the ROOM. I find it very hard to ask for help so this was a major step for me. Anyway we need to figure out a day and "THEY WILL COME" .

Yesterday I had joined the cyber spin-in with the 'Wee Sock 'group on Ravelry . Then DGD cam over and we went to see DD Cory. We helped her plant sunflowers and DGD brought one home. I brought home more of the ground cover that DD dislikes so today I will have to plant it in the rockery.

Today I will do more spinning, some knitting, gardening and I will have to do laundry and dishes .................... the never ending things.

Tuesday 14 July 2009

Whaa hooo

Five blocks and I didn't fall off once................ whoopee......................I even remembered that the back brake was on the right handle.
You know learning to ride a bike makes me feel a little like I did when I was doing my once a year snorkeling. When the children lived at home we used to go to Parksville camping for a week every summer. Every day I would put on my prescription mask and my flippers .............................. OH and my bathing suit (it was a family camp ground). Then I would wade out until I was waist deep, put my face in the water and swim back and forth parallel to the beach. To help myself not to panic I would tell myself (in my head of course I would drown if a spoke out loud............ I know about drowning )............ "Yes your face is in the water but the snorkel goes to the air above the water ........................... Just breath normally and you will be fine............. Just breath." Bill always kept an eye on me or should I say an ear as he could hear me breathing on the beach. The next day I would go out again, only this time I would go out a little deeper and swim parallel to the beach. By the end of the week I was able to swim out over my head and I didn't have to stay parallel to the beach. Then we would go home and I would put my mask and goggles away until the next year.

I figure if I can go biking regularly I will be fine in a couple of weeks. I am in bad shape as after the 5 blocks my legs felt like jello all be it firm jello but still jello.

I am planning to do something I haven't done in 4 or 5 years .......................... bet you can't guess what ..............................
I am actually going to do some canning. Believe it or not today it will be mango chutney. Oh yah I also have to do laundry and vacuum as between the dog and the DGD the carpet is a mess.

I finished spinning my silk/merino fibre . Now to decide if I want to do some plying or spinning ......................... decisions, decisions, decisions. Which reminds me I have to make a decision about what to have for dinner. Maybe I will phone Gail and ask her what she is making for dinner.

Wednesday 8 July 2009

I have to do it

I really do have to do some housework today................. there is no alternative............................ it has become and absolute necessity ................................ the laundry has to be done TODAY ............... I have no clean underwear or casual clothes.
YES I know I could go commando and dress up but I really don't like dressing up unless I have somewhere to go. I am going to Wednesday night Knit night at the Pool Hall but that is hardly something you dress up for ........... So I am doing laundry.
It is raining again today and wonder of wonders I DON"T MIND............. The heat and the poor air quality have been getting me down. The rain has cleared the air and is watering the new planets my DD gave me. I really have trouble remembering to water things.I actually have 6 indoor plants that have survived for about 10 years now despite my neglect................. This is absolutely amazing. I do a little better with outdoor plants but not a lot some days. You know the garden I was going to plant this year .................... wweeeeeelllllll ................ I think it is waiting until next year. I guess I could still plant radishes and lettuce and maybe carrots ...............................

Knitting -------hum -------- the shawl pattern I am testing is going along slowly because this fool make a mistake and then couldn't seem to fix it right so 6 rows later............ yes I counted every painful row that had to be ripped out. Any way I am back on track and past the point I started ripping. The Bag Kal that I figured I could keep up with is BEHIND........I was finished part one in a day. Part two I started after part 3 came out, I now am 1/3 of the way through part 3 and today part 4 comes out. It is a fun pattern to knit and as you use two strands of bulky yarn it goes much faster than the cob web lace knitting. Hopefully I can catch up on part . it would be nice to finish a KAL on time for once
The socks I am calling "I don't like these colours" have become the car knitting socks and the next pair I plan to start will be with the hand painted yarn from Gail and the pattern on the front of the book "Knitting socks from hand painted yarns" .

DH and I were supposed to do some things together today and go out for lunch. NO GO................. He got called to work and then he got another trip after that. It is nice because we can sure use the money but on the other hand there goes our day together. After weeks of maybe one trip a week he has had 4 trips already this week.

Spinning - well I am not keeping up with the TOUR DE FLECCE but I am getting more spinning done than usual. I plied my green BFL with a commercial rayon and I don't think I like it ............... DARN DARN DARN .......... It feels a bit scratchy for a shawl. I was going to make the Dragon shawl with it but will have to see if it is nicer after I wash it. I am almost finished spinning my merino/silk braid. Now to decide if I will ply it on it self or ply it with something else.............. decisions.........decisions............decisions.

Well I have no photos today or do I hhhhhhhuuuuuuummmmmm

This is the Merino/Silk I am spinning.


This is a poor colour photo of my BFL with the rayon.


My finished "They are nice Grandma but I wouldn't wear them" socks


I have just had a bathroom break and decided while I was in there that I might as well have my shower and wash my hair. Then I actually got dressed. After all it is only 2:45 pm and I did have to get dressed at some point today.

More laundry is washing and drying .................. I am drinking a luke warm cup of coffee as usual ............ I think I am developing ADD ............... I am so easily distracted. Fortunately several of my dearest friends are in various medical professions:- two Physical Therapists, One Occupational Therapist and one Neuropsychologist.

Well I think the Rivers of Babbleon have flowed enough for today. So have a great day and hugs to you all.

Sunday 5 July 2009

No riding lately

I haven't fallen off my bike lately mainly because I have not been on it. I have been toooooooooo stiff and sore. I am not sure what is going on but it can't be just the biking.

I am working on the bag KAL, the Swallowtail shawl and Tango Shawl. I am having to rip out 6 rows on the Tango one because I can't figure out what I have done wrong......... any way it is fixed and tomorrow I will work on it again. I am trying to catch up to everyone on the bag KAL. Have almost finished part 2 and then on to part 3 before part 4 comes out on Wednesday.

I spent part of the afternoon with DD #1 and we worked on her garden. It was a very nice afternoon. Tonight's dinner was purchased at Safeway as I did not feel like cooking. The heat has been getting the best of me

Friday 3 July 2009

OH WOW, OH WOW, OH WOW

You should see the package I got in the mail this morning. It is absolutely wonderful......... I joined a "swap sock yarn from your stash" group on ravelry. Today my parcel from Cindy arrived OH MY GOSH ......... it's wonderful. She spoiled me rotten ......honest............. wait until you see it. THREE ........ YES THREE BALLS OF SOCK YARN and OPAL which I love......plus Double pointed needles for knitting socks, stitich markers, 2 cute buttons, a monkey egg, two little bags, a package of different teas, several different hot chocolate flavours, a copy of the local newspaper (she works there), her business card and a lovely note card.










This is the sampler shawl I have been knitting for Knitopia. The pattern is "Queen of the Earth Stole" by Anne Corcoran. The yarn is Zephyr Wool-silk from Fiddlesticks Knitting. It is being blocked, I will try to get a photo of someone modeling it before I take it to Lynn.





As you know I like to find sweaters in the thrift stores and take them apart to use the yarn for something else...........it's like going on treasure hunt. I look for natural fibres so you are looking at silk, cashmere, merino wool and combinations of the above. There is only one problem ........................ I just can't pass up a bargain.................... I think this is about half of my stash of re-cycled yarn. I have made two shawls and 2 pairs of mitts so far. I have a bag on the needles right now as well as a shawl. ...................... I do have patterns to go with most of the lace weight yarn.



This is the Swallowtail Lace Shawl by Evelyn Clark. My Dear Friend Gail gave me the ball of Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn.

Wednesday 1 July 2009

I did it

I did it............ Yes I did ........................... I rode twice around the block ............... didn't fall off or run into anything............... I even managed to ride on bumpy ground. I remembered that the brakes are on the handle bars and the right hand brake is for the back wheels.

It might have something to do with the amount of sleep I had last night and today. I got up at 7:55,...... took my pills .......
went to the bathroom and then back to bed. I got up at noon, had brunch, visited with Jill, Shelby and Jessie. At 3:00 I lay down for a nap............ until 5:00............... the phone woke me................. it was Bill calling to see if I was alright as I hadn't phoned him.
I have been working on the sampler shawl between sleeps and I am BINDING OFF............................................. Hurray. I will finish and block it tomorrow.

It is now 11:30 and I think I need to go to bed ..................... yes believe it or not I am tired.
Good night