Murphy's Law

Yes, it was inevitable.... today my dear hubby bought (with some guidance) a set of replacement tools for my lost knitting kit. I'd called Starbucks - nothing in the lost property bin - I'd scoured the bedroom, car, office, living room. Nothing.
But purchase replacement tools? An instant solution - the kit turned up within 2 hours. It had been squished down the back of our couch. Sigh.

But I'm really glad I've got it back, as I had some nifty cool things from an American friend, which would be difficult and expensive to replace!

Bugger it

My lovely little Olympus mju:300 digital camera has died :(
So no photos until I can get a new camera (it's an allowable business expense for me, so hopefully won't take too long).
Timing, hey?

Still no sign of my knitting kit - and this time I've actually cleaned up (don't faint, it's rude) my bedroom and office.

Well - have a lovely Christmas everyone! At least it shouldn't be too hot :)

Oh where, oh where...

Bugger it, I can't find my knitting tool kit! It's getting really annoying now - I've looked in all the usual places (side of my bed, living room, knitting stash box, office) AND all the unusual places (fridge, on hubby's side of the bedroom, bathroom cabinet, washing machine, car) to no avail :( So if anyone's seen my little black make-up bag full of lovely (and some expensive) knitting tools, please let me know. I haven't seen it for over 2 weeks... Hopefully in the end-of-the-year house cleaning it will come to light. I'm starting to suspect Lulu of hiding it away somewhere stupid.

Have been flat out with work, which is NICE in that it's great to have work, and ANNOYING in that I'd wanted to close the business a week ago... so now my holidays are 2 weeks instead of 3. But come what may, I'm on holidays as of this afternoon!

And for those Lulu watchers amongst you (you know who you are), here are her antics from the Thursday night SnB this month. I don't know, stealing roving, and cuddling with B-B. Tsk tsk!

Ben's thank you

Remember the cute cabled scarf for my nephew Ben? Well, it arrived in London, and my sister wrote :

THANK YOU for the nifty scarf for Benny! He was very delighted with it when we helped him to rip open the paper - grinned at it, and held it up and had a bit of a munch. He looked pleased as punch when we put it on and he said 'arh!' in a clearly appreciative way. It kept him toasty on the walk we took him on that afternoon, with our friend who was visiting from Devon for Ben's birthday. We had made a cake so it was nice to also have a present for him to open that day. Have pics, will send in due course, when I get a chance to sit down at a computer at home (our new one, that is!) some time.

But then Ben (being Very Advanced For His Age) has just emailled me this very special thank you note :

Dear Aunty,

Ben here - I know mum said she'd email you, but I don't know if she conveyed my appreciation adequately. That scarf you knitted is bree bab bab dowh, thanks. I love the colour and the way the ridgey plaited pattern feels and the fluffy taste it has. The other kids around the posh new area we are moving to thought I looked the business wearing it, I could tell. It is just as well mum put it on as the wind out there was as bitey cold as that compartment of the big white applicance in our kitchen where the olds keep the ice-cube portions of my dinners. I can open that compartment by myself now so I could do with having the scarf on at home too.

Love,

Your smallest nephew

******************************************************

Life's looking a little better today, although the news is still the same (my teenage daughter has diabetes) - we're just getting used to it. Seeing the diabetes educator and dietician at the hospital tomorrow, where we'll have to learn a whole new way of cooking, and about blood tests, and heaps more besides. Sigh.

Something nice

Life is REALLY shit at the moment... so here's something pretty to distract us all from real life.

Off to paint a bowl of cherries (even though I feel like I'm in the pits at the moment)...

(I gave this painting to Taph for her birthday :)

Sublime and delicious

Dotter and I just had a little fibre-fondling jaunt at Stitch'n Time in Mawson... the Sirdar rep was there, showing off his wares, so we eavesdropped shamelessly. Eventually Dale let us fondle the new yarn samples, too :)

Basically, she will be stocking 2 new bamboo yarns from Sirdar, and the Sublime range - amongst this range is a delightfully soft cashmere / merino / silk blend, aran weight. This web site (amongst others) shows more. The Sirdar web site doesn't actually give any details about its yarns, you have to look further afield.

Ow!

On Saturday we got a phone call from my mother-in-law - our 6 year old niece Jacquie had broken her arm very badly, and been tranferred to Canberra Hospital by ambulance overnight. She had surgery on the compound fracture, and needed to be in hospital for a few days. She'd lost feeling in several fingers (nerve damage). Her mum (my hubby's sister) was with her, but had no transport, phone etc... so we went over to visit in the morning (poor little Jacquie was doped and asleep the whole time), and I took my SIL some recent knitting magazines, a ball of purple wool, and some needles. SIL had studied textiles at the School of Art many years ago, and was a very good spinner and knitter, so she really appreciated the mags etc.

Later on in the day I sat with Jacquie (who was awake, and gradually warmed to having me there - we watched silly things on TV together), while her mum went back to our place and had a shower and some dinner. While I was sitting with Jacquie, I started on a purple blanket for her unicorn 'Snowy' - a simple small blanket with a moss stitch border. I did about 1/4 of it, and handed it on to my SIl when she got back.

So once again knitting was a restful and lovely thing to have on hand in times of stress... who'd have thought?!

Jacquie is back home now and making good progress - I've just spoken with her mum, and her fingers are getting some sensation back now, thankfully, but it could take up to 6 months to get back to normal.

Sheepy shenanigans

The day started well - a tea party, with roses from Bells!


Oh dear, pink champagne with strawberries... Lulu isn't used to this kind of stuff!



Who is this mysterious tall dark stranger? Lulu was caught out whispering lamby nothings in B-B's ear.


Uh oh... nicking bottles from the kitchen, and the veil's off - what next?!



Oh my! The first kiss! Where will this end? With such a naughty drunk lamb as Lulu, anything's possible!


Beeee beeeeeeeeeeee! Hic!