Saturday, January 26, 2008

Australia Day

Happy Australia Day, folks! I'm celebrating in chilly-style, AIR-CON WAS INSTALLED ON THURSDAY!!!!!

Nil knitting, due to very sore arm, numb fingers - I think something's pinched somewhere, I had the same thing about 6 months ago, and a few trips to the Chiro sorted it, but it's back with a vengeance. Good thing I have some Mersyndol on hand, or there'd be no sleep either, very uncomfortable and sore....whine....whinge....sob....!

Elly is great - she's quite interested in the cats, but other than that, she's the perfect girl. We're taking it slowly with the pusses, she doesn't want to eat them, but she does want to get closer than they'd like!! I'm not at all worried like I was (just quietly) with Connor, because she's doing exactly the same things he did, and he lets the cats (literally) walk over him...Just takes some time, and gentle training. There's a big difference between a dog that wants to eat a cat, and a dog that wants to have a look/sniff/play!

Are the cats down the hallway?? (she's tethered, with three leashes, to my bed, so she can move around, but not go too far!)

Man, they're taking their sweet time....

I'm tired of waiting...I'll just have a quick snooze (that lasted three hours)....

mmmmmmmmmm......Lopi.......let me felt it for you.......

So, do you think Connor REALLY likes me, or just likes me?

Kisses,
xxxxx

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Day One

...because yesterday doesn't really count, does it?
Lovely evening out on the verandah, cats well in sight (and tauntingly within reach!) - it's amazing the difference in how they are with Elly, compared to how they were with Connor. It's almost as if they know that I won't let anything happen to them! Last night, Lucy the Scaredy sat on the table next to me, and Elly was sitting on the other side of me, interested, but relaxed enough to lay down and look the other way!! WHOOO!!! All will be well soon enough if this keeps up! I've been giving Elly a little treat every time she looks at me or away from a cat, so hopefully she'll associate good things with them....

A couple to start the day:

"where's the rest of my tail?"

"The lighting's all wrong, I want another photographer, someone who knows what they're doing...."

xxxxxxxx

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

AND there's been knitting!!

I've made quite a bit of progress on my Ravelry Australian Bag-swap bag - I'm loving how the colours are coming out (using two strands of different yaaaaaahns) - have been making another cotton shower-mitt, for my aunty, and am nearly finshed a red sock with a lacey panel up the front and the back (only 10 stitches wide, it's coming out nicely!). So, clearly it's not all about the slacking!!!

Okay Katy, this is for you....

Here she is, after a day of napping and exploring and napping and tail-wagging (boy, she's a wagger and a half - and she's only got half a tail!!!) - Elly the Very Beautiful Girl (she told me her name after we'd all had a nap):


(please note, it is very hot - seabreeze is just in though - Elly wants me to tell you that she usually smiles much more than this!)

She has arrived....

Oh, and she is beautiful. I love her. Connor thinks she's okay, as long as he's the favourite handsome-boy (he's the only handsome-boy, so of course he will be the fave!). Will take pics tomorrow, too busy gazing.....
xxxxxx

Monday, January 21, 2008

oooooooooh......!!!!

I am typing this very slowly, because I am very excited and I don't want to make spelling mistakes in my haste....
I am picking up Patches tomorrow.

Of course a name-change may be in order, I don't think "Patches" truly expresses her beauty and loveliness.... 'Penelope' is the fave at the mo, but I think I'm going to wait until she tells me herself......!

How on earth are Connor and I going to be able to sleep tonight??

xxxxxxxxxx

Friday, January 18, 2008

I give you....

TWINKLE-TOES!!!!!! Oh,the gloriousness that are our sparkle-arkely toenails....such glamour, the likes of which has n'ere been seen before.....

It's a complex and time-consuming procedure, the Twinkle-toe-ectomy - first, a day must be set aside. The purchase (and consumption) of crunchy snacks, chocolate, vino and a healthy array of luncheon items must be made. Any hint of scaly heels, dry skin or unsightly cracks must be removed from feet prior to Twinkle-age, dry heels are not a good look with glitter. The lovely Kristin then conducts her own special brand of sadistic torture (after all, beauty IS pain) - filing the surface of the toe-nail so that the gel can adhere. She does this with a finger or two in-between two of your most ticklish toes. A layer of gel is applied, then your tootsies go into the UV box for the gel to set. They come out sticky, whereupon a fine layer of your chosen twinkles is applied (we had a choice of 8 colours of glitter, and about 6 different shaped glitter - stars, hearts....). Another coat of gel, another dose of UV, and voila! Perfect piggies!!!

Jules - with the bling - went for an orange to match her car (keep an eye out for a car set to cruise control, and the driver with a foot out of each window), my Mummy (we convinced her that she needed sparkly toes) chose an elegant pale gold, Fee opted for a brilliant blue, Kristin modelled the set she gave herself the day before, and my fuschia fabulousness!
Aren't we special??

Oh, and I've been working on my Bag-swap bag, and a red sock of my own design. And a Noro-sock sock. And I made three cotton shower-exfoliant-mitts - essentially just socks without heels, and a few ridges thrown in for extra scrubbiness.

xxxx

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

slacker....

Oh my goodness - I haven't shown you the bag that Cynthia made for me yet, have I?!!! How slack am I - but in my defense, I have been busy USING the bag, so how could I blog about it.... Ok, that was a crap excuse - I'm forgetful, absent-minded, have a brain like a sieve..... I'm also not feeling well, my tummy is grumpy with me, and I had to stay home, instead of join Jules and her family for her birthday dinner tonight....saw her today (and did presents and foot spas, in preparation for the Inaugural Twinkle Toes event on Friday - more on that later), but it's not the same... I've had a horrible head/funny tummy thing on and off for a few days now, and I'm not happy about it - also missed my local "Fibre Arts" group's FIRST meeting last night. Maybe it's the heat? Maybe it's the Universe's strange way of telling me that I should win Lotto, give up work to stay home and knit and watch The Days of our Lives every day (my life-long dream, I don't want much...)?

Anyway, back to the bag...it's beautiful, and I love it! It's PINK, and it has a massive felted flower on the front, and I love it! It had the Terry Ross book inside (I nearly bought it the day before I received my parcel!), a box of chocolates, a beautiful hand-made soap, and some patterns for crocheted embellishments! Lovely!!! As luck would have it, Cynthia is as bad as me with deadlines, and it turns out we sent each other's bags within a day or two of each other, and we received them on the same day!!! Knitter's luck....?

More news on Swaps.....I'm an idiot. I was all upset, because my International Mystery Swap partner hadn't contacted me yet (5 days after the contact deadline). I'd even gotten myself a "secret" email address to use (yeah Lisa, real secret - WHEN TRYING TO GET AN ANONYMOUS EMAIL ADDY, DON'T USE YOUR REAL NAME AS THE DISPLAY NAME, LOSER!!!!!!!!!), and had made contact with the person that I am knitting/buying for, and we've already had a bit of back and forth banter and laughs. So, I get in touch with the hostess, like we're meant to, and let her know I hadn't heard anything yet, that I'd even checked my junk mail, which is fine (she emailed and asked if everyone had contacted everyone). She replied that she had checked with my partner who had told her that we'd exchanged several emails already....... I didn't know that we were swapping with each other, I thought that I was giving to Jesi (who promptly sent me an email apologising - for what? It's ME with the mis-firing brain cells), and someone else was giving to me (you know, the whole "upstream/downstream" thing....). Anyway long story (that makes me look like I don't have the brains I was born with) short, I sent sheepish emails declaring my lack of brain function....and haven't heard back from either of them, they're too busy shaking their respective heads at my sheer lack of cleverness.... gee, I used "brain" a lot in those two sentences....
So now I have just made a very impressive impression on two very nice people. Not. Who now are probably wondering what they did to deserve being lumped with such a nincompoop. A well-meaning, yet slightly dim nincompoop.
Why does Blogger pick up "recieve" as being misspelt, but not "nincompoop"? Is that the correct spelling???

Back to bag-swap. Where are the pictures, I hear you wearily cry....haven't taken any yet. Will do it tomorrow. It's still 35 degrees C, and it's 9.45pm, and I'm sitting outside, typing in the dark, so I'll take photos tomorrow.

I promise.
xxxxxx

I leave you with Connor in a reflective pose, he's very sensitive and artistic....


Oh, and I've finished the base of the bag I'm making for my Australian Knitters bag-lady (or man) swap, although I'm not sure if my partner will actually get it - I'm really liking it, and will be tempted to keep it for myself!!! Also, I've bought a tonne of Valentine-y stuff for my International Valentine's Day swap, and had a lovely email from my partner!
I love this stuff!!!!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

hmmmmmmm.....

I'm sitting on my bed with my lappytop, watching Connor lick my tv....

weirdo

Swap-o-rama

Ooooh.....this swapping malarkey is fun!!! I've managed to sign myself up to three swaps - an Australian Bag-lady Swap; an International Valentine swap; and Mystery Swap 2 (also international) - all via Ravelry! Loads of fun - my lovely Bag-lady has been in contact already, and I've been swapping emails with my Mystery Swappee - still waiting to hear whether my Bag-swappee has received my messages..... I've already started the bag for her, she's at Uni, and so it's going to be big enough for books etc, and I'm using some beautiful Kureyon from my stash, and will felt it so it's lovely and sturdy. Will post pics when it has progressed a little more!
Better go, Connor's looking at me pathetically, apparently he's at risk of starving, because his dinner is 23 seconds late....
xxxxx

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Dear Stalker

Dear Stalker,
Hmmmm....what sort of bag do I like.....?
Okay then - here are some ideas.....
- I like strap/s - long ones, so that I can carry the bag across my body if I need to be hands-free
- I like to either carry a lot of junk with me (including at least on pair of socks-on-the-go!) OR just my money, phone, keys and sock
- I'm not a fan of the draw-string
- I can never find my mobile phone when it rings
How's that? I feel a bit demanding now....!!!!
Ooooh, this is fun!!!!
xxx

(I'm sure I'll love anything that you make for me - the thought that someone is planning and making something for ME makes me grin like a loon!!!)

THE DOG IS ALIVE, KATY...


hehehehheee...this one's just a piss-take....!!

Monday, January 7, 2008

I love my postie....

oh boy....
Sex and the City - seasons 1-6
- and Noro sock yaaaahn......
Enough said, methinks....

Connor doesn't mind....
xxx

Saturday, January 5, 2008

....another delivery....

....nearly too embarrassed for words....pics instead....another delivery yesterday....

Banana fibre....

Lorna's Laces, super wash stuff for a baby blanket, Aslan colourway (for the sophisticated baby), ....

Shiny bamboo stuff...

Socks - lovely cottony-goodness - for Ezz (Cascade Fixation Bulky - because she's not)

Connor in the black sand - gotta get a move-on with the yard reno....

I'm off to hang my head in shame now. At least the postie doesn't come on the weekends....

x

Friday, January 4, 2008

....maybe I shouldn't post about the yaaaaaahn delivery I got yesterday - the DK-weight Opal, and the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Fire-engine red......?
....maybe people will REALLY think that I have a substance-abuse problem if I do....

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Call me Lindsay Lohan....

...because I have a substance abuse problem, and I may need to go to Knitting Rehab - will there be knitting there...?
The postie just came, and I was embarrassed....
He had for me:

Knitpicks Sock Needle set, and Knitpicks Options interchangeable needle set (Donyale, you're evil....)

Donyale Bruised Bloodwood 4-ply

Kitty Knits - 100% Pure Australian (machine washable) - 2 x DK Buggsy; Sock, Buggsy; sock, Leather and Lace; sock, Choc Orange + very cute stitch markers (free!)

3 x Claudia Handpainted, Short Sport 100% Merino, 'Red Wagon', from The Loopy Ewe, plus cool knitting needle inventory cards (free!! And a beautiful hand-written note, I love it when people put a note in!)

Techno Fleece for a my cousins' baby blanky -not due till July, so HEAPS of time! (an eBay purchase, soft, washable)

Sock kit - Opal and needles and pattern! (eBay again, I heart eBay...)

Goodness me, I'm going to have to wind all this bounty into balls now...before it's too late (for what, I don't know, but you understand my urgency....)

..some of the haul....wound while waiting for pics to upload.....

Did I mention that I'm on holidays? Till the end-ish of January? Yes, I know, it'll be tough....I'm starting the way I mean to continue, sitting on my back verandah, much yaaaaahn within reach, icy drink on one side, lappytop in front of me, latest knitting project in hand, ipod on in the background (courtesy of lovely speakers, gift from the lovely Jules for my Birthday a couple of years ago) blaring knitting podcasts. Every few hours I haul my stinking carcass (too tired to bathe some days, you know how it is) off for a nap, then come out to resume the slothing....

Kisses and yawns and sweat from between my fat rolls,
Me
xxxxxx



I wondered where Connor's Christmas toys were - he doesn't wreck anything, but he hides them up in the dirt - I oncefound an unopened jar of olives there....and my school keys (just to my desk, don't panic!)....and the adapter for my mobile phone charger....again, now do you see why I need a gardening man? An ARMY of gardening men?

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

and more many things...

Hello my Darling,

I have to say this bit first, because I am angry. There is an old couple who have two untrained Red Cloud Kelpies that frequent the dog park (fenced, big, lovely for my boy to run like the wind without the threat of being hit by a car). We rarely bump into them, on purpose (luckily they go the same time every day), because the male - who has the biggest nuts I've ever seen, not that I'm an expert on dogs nuts - has a penchant for peeing on me if I stand still. (yes, I have commented - LOUDLY - that the nuts need to go...). Nice enough people, (except for that time the old fart told me that I shouldn't be sitting down, that I had the same problem he has in the weight department (excuse me? I don't look eleventy-ten months pregnant, you old bastard)- I went and looked into buying a gun straight after) their dogs quite possibly have FITH disease* or something, and very definately the wrong type of dogs for a suburban couple in their mid-70's who think that a run at the park is all the exercise they need..... (oh no, I've become a scathing dog-owner....scathing of dog-owners that aren't me....). Anyway, we've been there with them a dozen or so times before, incident-free (the male wants to be the boss, and barks a lot, but Connor's awesome, he just ignores them and does his sniffing-and-dripping-from-the-nose thing), until today:

Yes, that's my sweety's schnozz after we bathed it with warm salty water. And gouges out of his side. "Oh, I hate it when he does that," says old fucker, referring to her male dog's love of hackle-raising and pursuit of lovely boys who mind their own business and sniff the 'tyres wot dogs jump through'. And then high-tailed it outta there before the dust settled - I've never seen two old fat people move so fast in my life... Connor hadn't even started to bleed.... I didn't see all of what happened, it was very quick and I was busy snuggling with a puppy belonging to a sweet old lady - the exact opposite to the old bag who lets her dog eat other dogs.... Not going back there. Unless it's 6am. It used to be lovely, but lately....

Right. Onto the ball-winder.
My fiance-to-be (I sense that C0nnor may dump me after my failure to protect him today, he's been quite distant....)...he's quite delightful, I'm spending a lot of time with him...
I present you with (yep, lost all the labels in my hurry, I think I can remember most of the details though):

Lime and Violet sock yaaaahn, by Lisa Souza

Something that had 'Toasty Toes' on the label, and 'Interlacements'? I'll find out...
Lorna's Laces, Lion and Lamb, in 'Bittersweet' colourway - was going to be a Clapotis, not so sure now...

Lots of other stuff (I haven't got the patience to be arty-photo-shoot-girl) - so there's some Koigu (palest of pale pinks), some more Lorna's Laces (creamy cream sock yaaaahn), The Knittery (cashmere + merino sock), more Lime and Violet Lisa Souza, a bunch of stuff ('Fresia' Bamboo DK - a bastard to knit with, but the prettiest green you've ever seen- 'Earth Sky' Polwarth Merino 12ply, 'Rinn' Merino DK) from The Yarn Cafe, some Cherry Tree Hill sock, Seawool, bamboo stuff, and some variegated pink Aracanuianananananaauna (can't remember how to spell it...).

Lucy helped with the styling for the shoot..

Some Habu - wanted to see what all the fuss is about - thought it might make some nice coaster-y things for my new outdoor setting:

A sock I started this morning for my sister-in-law, in Patonyle

AND - a finished sock!! Modelled by Lucy Bell..tell her it doesn't make her bum look big...

Do you remember me whining about my cousins and their girlfriends/wives, and how I try to love them but I just don't? Well, they outdid themselves in their own special looking-down-their-noses-at-us-plebs way this Christmas, so much so that Mum told her sister that they (the 'kids') aren't welcome at any more family gatherings (in the nicest possible way)!!! We had a sing-a-long this year, my brothers' last-ditch attempt at something resembling interaction, but they sneered at us, and didn't hold up on the eye-rolling for one minute! They moved the chairs to the other end of the patio, and proceeded to not look at or speak to anyone there. When offered Mum's very special Clootie Dumpling, "No, I've already had pudding today...." - I think it's that they can't even be bothered to pretend to be glad to see us - there's never been a falling out, in fact we all used to be quite friendly when younger - it's since they've gotten older and acquired the womenfolk that things have gone pear-shaped (well, the boys were always socially awkward, but now they're downright rude and sullen, I can forgive awkward!!)....Mum was so upset, and is of course now worried about THIS years' Christmas, but I for one am a happy camper. I hate having to fake joy and happiness at seeing them.... (just tried seventy-twelve times to upload a short video of the "Lighting of the Christmas Clootie", but Blogger wouldn't co-operate....I'll try again later, it has a very professional-sounding narrator...)

The view from my back verandah - I give you Jungle Cat!! Are you starting to see why I need a gardening man???

He's hot. And appears to be headless.

Well then, I appear to have outdone myself this evening!! This blog-post was brought to you by the brand-spanking-new outdoor setting on my back verandah, and my sweaty brow - oh yeah, looking at 38 degrees tomorrow, then 40 on Thursday. Friday will be a positively chilly 35. Degrees. Celsius.... Toby the air-con man is supposed to be ringing me tomorrow, and they are looking at next week for the installation -WOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!! Icicles, here I come!!!!

I'm off to my beddy-byes now, it's been lovely

Oh, and before you think I've forgotten, Happy New Year!!! May 2008 be everything you need it to be!

Kisses,
xxxxxxxxxx


* Fucked In The Head - honestly, I've never met dogs like them, they have a crazed, glazed look in their eyes, and completely refuse to interact with people, or to "play" with other dogs - mind you though, I'm spoiled.....