Some Dog Owners !!!

I took Buster out for his usual walk this morning and as we went into the park I was battling with the swing gate and had Buster on his lead ( I never let him off the lead until we actually get into the park due to the fact the entrance is on a blind bend) when this dog came at us and starting biting Buster.Totally unprovoked as Buster hadn't hardly set foot in the park. I was in the middle of undoing his lead clip so that he could at least run away from this dog and trying to fend the dog off when it started attacking my arm. Luckily I had a padded jacket on but it still hurt like mad even though, fortunately, the bite didn't break the skin. The owner had walked off whilst all this frenzy was going on making no attempt to call her dog. She called back to me from about 50yds away "Is your dog OK" I said "Yes it is but I'm bloody not your dog has bitten my arm" She carried on walking and shouted back over her shoulder in a totally insincere way "Oh Sorry"

I had witnesses who came over and asked was I OK and they agreed that neither Buster or I had done anything to provoke the dog. The dog just ran up to us with it's teeth bared. I admit Buster growled at the dog but wouldn't you growl if something ran up to you snarling and biting? I am going to look out for her in the park next time. That dog is dangerous. It could bite a child next time. My arm has two blue bruises on it and is quite sore.

My niece and I went to Ramsbottom to the craft shop and got some yarn for her crochet jacket out of "Stitch n Bitch" I don't think she was really all that keen on the colour she picked but maybe it will look better once it is crocheted. I am going to start it later tonight.

A little thanks

Sorry if anyone is following this blog but I have not posted anything for a few days as I have still not replaced this slow as a snail pc. I do attempt to post but get so fed up waiting for the link to open that I go off the whole idea and decide not to bother!
The guy who was going to advise me on the pc buying has had a family crisis and so now is not a good time to ask him so I will wait until the problem has resolved itself and then hopefully I will get a new pc. Yippeee this pc is almost as old as me !

On Thursday I had been to Asda after my water aerobics lesson and as I was putting my trolley away in the trolley shelter ( good public citizen here I NEVER leave my trolley to roll into other people's cars) I noticed an expensive leather handbag which had been left in a trolley at the back of the trolley stack. Of course I took it back into Asda and gave it in to security and left my name and address in case the lady came back to claim it. The security glanced inside and said there was an expensive mobile phone in there as well as a leather purse plus other personal possessions. I rang Asda today and got told that the lady had rung the phone and when Asda answered it they told her where the bag was and she came in to claim it. They gave her my name and number but I am still waiting for a thank you. I don't expect a reward. I handed it in because I was always taught by my parents to be honest but I feel quite miffed at the owner for not phoning me or sending me a thank you card. That bag was something that I could never afford so if that had been me that had lost and then recovered something like that ( as well as the phone, purse and possibly money or credit cards) I would have been on the phone like a shot saying thank you thank you to the person who had handed it in. So much for manners these days!! So if you know a lady who lost and then recovered a handbag in Radcliffe's Asda on the 22nd tell her she is a very lucky lady that I found it and not someone who would have kept it!

The dog and I are getting along a lot better and today we went for a walk with the 2 dogs who live next door (plus owner of course) so it was a nice change to have a chatting companion on the way around, Buster seemed to enjoy the company as well. Hopefully we can meet up another day for a walk.

I abandoned the 4 needle sock knitting but have made 3 pairs of dog walking socks on 2 needles. I managed to borrow a Baby Annabel doll from the girl who lives next door so am crocheting some outfits and writing my kind of instructions down as I go along. I crochet far better "around" the doll than I ever do trying to follow commercial patterns for crochet doll designs. The doll knitting patterns are fine but for some reason they make the strangest designs for dolls in crochet! Or is it just me that thinks that way? I am still persevering with the 4 needle knitting for the upside down daisy hat in the Itty Bitty Hat book by Susan B Anderson (from Amazon.co.uk) and although I am very impressed with these bamboo needles from Angel Yarns I am so very slow when I can't tuck the right hand needle under my arm. Knitting "free" with the needles on my lap plays havoc with my tension and speed! I guess it's the way I was taught to knit and at 61 am a little old to change my knitting technique.

Tomorrow I am off to the yarn store in Ramsbottom with my niece so that she can buy some wool.She has bought a crochet book with a cardigan in it that she has fallen in love with and as she is a novice crocheter I have said I will make it for her if she buys the yarn and now is a good time as I have not got any large projects on the hook. Tomorrow is also the Knit out day at the Cafe Nero Bolton for the Bolton Knitting Noras (http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/boltonknitters/ - if you would like to join us)
but sorry girls I will have to miss this one - see you all next time.

15 minutes of fame (part two)

Update on my 15 mins of fame ( see previous blogs) my water aerobics instructress today presented me with one of the "hard to get a hold of " leaflets. The leisure centre probably didn't do a re-print in case my face scared the kids! If anyone is following this blog and sees the above photo and laughs - well all I can say is I am glad I amused your day. I have no idea why the photographer had to choose a photo of me with my eyes shut and I also have no idea what I was finding so amusing at the time. Before you ask - no they don't have mirrors on the walls so I hadn't caught sight of myself in a swimsuit!

Today I went to Lidl as I had heard they had some yarn on sale. It was very basic acrylic DK as you would probably guess but I thought it was good value for the money and bought some red, white and blue (very patriotic!) and some grey random cotton for yet another pair of socks for the dog walking ( for me that is the dog doesn't fancy home made socks). They had some cotton that looked rather like 4ply but I didn't buy any of that as I could not think what I would use it for. I did a bit more on 4 needles welly sock for son (previous blog) but I did divert onto a pair of 2 needle boot socks for myself and am positively racing along with those. I would imagine though that I shall have to be very neat on the seaming of them or them could prove to be a very uncomfortable pair of socks even with another pair underneath! I shall let you know once they are finished and modelled on a long dog walk.

The dog is turning out to be part otter. Once he gets his feet in the stream with his stick he is proving very difficult to get out again. He will play Pooh sticks all day without getting bored. Even the exciting prospect of passing dogs doesn't distract him from his water!

My books turned up from Amazon today and at first glance I am very impressed. Candy Tots and Candy Babes by Candi Jenson. If you are a baby crocheter who likes the unusual then take a look on Amazon uk. Unfortunately you can't see the designs inside the books ( always a minus on the site I think I am sure they would sell more books if they gave a taster of contents) I suspect they will be US crochet terms and yarn but I feel sure that with a bit of tension swatching I will be able to improvise. There are some very cute garments, funky hats and gorgeous animal type baby bootees. I feel the urge to get the hook out but really must stick to the boot socks as I really need them. I will let you now when I have really read the book later tonight.

Socks on 4 needles

I decided to have another try at knitting socks on 4 needles. This is quite a feat (feet - get it?) for me as I am a tuck the knitting needles under the armpit kind of knitter so it's completely alien to me to have to knit free with the needles waggling about. It slows me down to a snail crawl knitting pace whereas I am used to zipping along the row much faster. I have just turned the heel on first sock. Let's hope I make it to the second sock! These are the long welly boot type of sock. I doubt if my son will ever wear them but he might get desperate one day and have no clean ones to put on. I read with awe and envy the sock knitting blogs of the US ladies who ream off socks by the dozen on circular needles. This pair might be my first ( well for a long long time) and last.

The dog and I went for a long afternoon walk as per usual but we varied the route and I was very shocked to walk past a fishing pond I had visited last year and found it was all dirty, snarled up and covered with plastic bottles and litter. Such a shame to see broken fences etc. It really makes me so angry that people have so little respect for wildlife and countryside that they have to make such a disgusting mess. makes me wonder what the inside of their homes look like. Last year at another pond some scutterbug shot the male of the nesting swans. They have nested there for a few years and have never done anyone any harm.

Why do parents allow kids to have air rifles etc. if anyone wants to learn to shoot then they should go to a licenced gun club although quite why one needs gun skills in Manchester eludes me. It's not as if there are any bear or elk about. All guns lead to violence in my opinion. I would hate that the UK follows the US in gun ownership. There are far too many illegal guns in Manchester as is all too apparent in certain areas of the city.

Fifteen minutes of fame

Andy Warhol once said everyone has their 15 minutes of fame. I had mine the other day when I was told I had featured on a programme for the local leisure centre advertising water aerobics and also on a poster in the foyer! I asked my friend to pick up a leaflet for me (I use the nearer pool) but they had run out of them and taken the poster down! Guess there is no point on my having an autograph session under the poster then (smile). I will have to find something else to be famous about. As long as I never become infamous!

I finished the 4 piece doll outfit as you can see. It is supposed to be a 5 piece outfit but I have run out of yarn for the doll's dress sleeves ( maybe it could be sleeveless?)

I found a web site today called Loop - d - loop and it featured some really openwork shrugs. If anyone would be prepared to buy anything like that maybe I could make my fortune crocheting something similar. More holes than a colander! I suppose if I was a designer then maybe people might pay a small fortune for any of my garments as it is I guess I will just stay with giving my modest efforts away as per usual.

I am still waiting for more benefits of my dog walking. No weight lost yet which amazes me as I thought that was the missing part of my attempts at dieting. I attributed weight loss failure to my lack of exercise. I even had diet pills from the doctor and even with a low fat diet nothing happened. I lost 3 stones without much effort but this last stone has defeated all attempts. It did start to move when I was given Lipotrim but I was so ill I lost the will to live. They don't tell you that you are constantly cold,feel sick all the time, have no energy and lose all your friends because you have such chronic halitosis. Plus the clinic was full of people who had gained all the weight back again once they tried to resume any form of normal eating and were on their 2nd attempts. Not exactly an incentive chatting to them!

The power of negotiation

Yesterday I received a phone call from the C.I.S regarding my bathroom claim ( see previous blog) and they have now decided to give me an ex gratia payment which is roughly 3 times the amount first offered. Just shows folks it pays to be firm and ask for what you think is a fair amount. I am now awaiting a quote for a new bathroom and all being well I will be able to have the bathroom back to normal soon.(Well hopefully better than normal as I want a few extras in the new one)

The crocheting and knitting has taken rather a back seat lately but the dog is settling down into some kind of a routine and although I have far less time than before at least the day flies by and I am no longer as bored as I have been of late. Plus the fact that the exercise is hopefully helping to strengthen my back muscles. I can't improve the spine, only my eventual surgery can hopefully do that, but maybe if the muscles get stronger I won't be in such intense daily pain. At the moment some days I can cope with the pain (with the help of the painkillers) but some days I have to drag myself to walk the dog wincing at every step. But hey no pain no gain. I have had the dog for 2 weeks now and I think the good days outweigh the bad.

The knitting and crocheting in progress is doll clothes at the moment as I am awaiting a set of 4 needles to be delivered so I can start one of the baby hats from the Itty Bitty Hat Book, There is one particular hat that is like an upturned flower and I really want to make one each for my 2 step great grand daughters. I have been knitting and crocheting small garments in the hope of dwindling my stash of yarn but of course usually the things I want to make I have all the wrong colours for so I finish up buying yet more yarn!

I am hopefully buying a new pc shortly as this one is rather geriatric. I might have broadband but it's more like a rubber band with this one. By the time the web site has opened I have forgotten what I was looking at it for! It would help if I got some ink for the printer as well. I am a bit technophobic really. I never did master how to programme the video and as for DVD well I just haven't bothered with one of those! It takes me all my time to set the alarm clock to the right time. Technology passes me by.

New for old !! What the insurance don't tell you!

I am still having an on-going wrangle with the C.I.S insurance over my claim for my bathroom. I have just spend another frustrating half hour with them on the phone and am still no nearer resolving my problem.

I have mobility problems and before my carpal tunnel operation I was rinsing my teeth and dropped the ceramic toothmug into the washbasin and cracked the basin. After cursing myself a few times I then thought no problem I have insurance. That was my first mistake! Yes I do have insurance but apparently it will only cover for the accidental damage and replacement of the broken article which is fine if you can actually find a match for the said article.

My bathroom suite is a discontinued colour ( yes I have searched on the net without success for a replacement) and it appears that my insurance company finds it perfectly acceptable for me to have a white washbasin fitted plus mis matched tiles in a turqoise colour co-ordinated fully tiled bathroom and cannot seem to understand why I am not over the moon with this suggestion. All I get told is to read the print on my insurance policy which states this. When I asked why it was not pointed out to me at the time I took out my policy that they will only pay for the chair of a matching 3 piece suite or one dining chair of a matching set of 6 I was told Oh we haven't got the time to spell out all of that if you had asked specific questions then the insurance salesman would have answered them. Sorry I didn't know that was one of the questions I should have asked. Is there anything else I should know I wonder?

Today I got a call from the first building contractor they sent saying they were ready to start the work. What work? I have not agreed to any work. I said what have I allegedly agreed to and the girl said oh a replacment washbasin. What colour I said. Oh I don't know she said but could I be sure to have the cheque for £50 ready when they called ( the excess payment I am liable for). Apparently the C.I.S has agreed to pay £145 (less my £50) making it £95 in all. I said I haven't agreed to anything and phoned the C.I.S to be treated like some kind of nuisance by the young woman on the end of the phone. I have been referred to the non standard claim dept now as I won't accept the first offer made apparently! The last time I phoned to ask about my claim all C.I.S did was to send a 2nd builder out who was told I had a dispute with the first builder accusing him of overcharging with his bathroom quote!! Not only am I being passed from pillar to post I am being wrongly branded a trouble maker amongst the builders!

If anyone is reading this please double check your insurance policies to find out what you are covered for or you might find yourself in the same plight as me. I am now being railroaded into accepting a totally inadequate payment for a replacement washbasin when I am going to have to foot the bill now for a whole new bathroom plus tiling out of my meagre savings ( I am now living on pension as I had to retire from work on ill health)to bring my bathroom back up to the standard it was before the accident.

New for Old policy my arse! How can it be that when all they will offer is a mismatched washbasin and tiling? My bathroom will look nothing like the old if I settle for that. All it will do is de-value my property and upset me every time I walk into the bathroom.

The crocheting and knitting has been totally sidelined lathough I did manage to knit a 16" Doll coat in a 3 coloured fair isle pattern.

I wonder if I can complain to my local newspaper. Hmm I wonder if the C.I.S will appreciate that kind of publicity. Just a thought!

Slow pc hence no blog for a few days

There has been no entries for a few days as for some reason my pc would not let me access this blog. I am sure no one has missed me cos I don't think anyone but me is actually reading this site!

The last few days have been a dizzy whirl of dog walking (haha sliding in the mud more like), hoovering dog hair up and generally coping with the dog adoption. He is settling down a bit now and I am actually managing to get some knitting and crochet done in the evenings, finishing 2 knitted baby cardigans. I finished the crochet newsboy hat but either I have a small head or the yarn was a bit thicker than the pattern (US pattern so difficult to decide) but it came out big enough to tuck a rastafarian's dreadlocks in. Too bad it is in beige, not exactly a rasta colour!

I was watching the tv the other day. A programme on how this asian lady was trying her culture's method of husband finding on this white unmarried woman of 38 by enlisting her family to search in their friends and friends of friends for a man who matched up socially and mentally and was actually looking towards marriage. The woman in question didn't finish up with the man the family chose but she did employ the same methods of asking relevant questions with her next boyfriend and it worked! I have tried asking my friends to search in their friends but all that happened was that they all laughed and declined. Guess they could not think of anyone whacky enough ( or daft enough) to want a date with a size 18 divorced blonde (courtesy of Belle Colour) dog and cat owning retired old bat with a dodgy back! I have tried the Yahoo Personals but all that did was give me some rather dodgy men ( mostly married guys looking for a bit of "fun" as they put it) and charged me a lot of money for that priviledge. Do I want to join another web site at £25 a month. No thanks! I would rather buy a couple of bottles of rum and bemoan my spinsterhood ( or get drunk so I don't care about it!) Far better value for money.

I have resigned myself to the fact that if I can't get the kind of relationship I want then I just can't be bothered. The guy's I have met that I have fancied recently have either been commitment phobic, nerdy or superglued to their wives. My days of paying for my supper are long since over. I have decided to place a higher value on myself but unfortunately for me no one seems to share my opinion of my value. They place me somewhere on the bargain rail! My mother used to say one day your ship will come in. My answer to that was with my luck I will be waiting at the airport when it does!