Midnight - One more night without sleeping

For those of you old enough to remember the late Frankie Vaughan you will understand today's title. It's from Green Door one of his biggest hits. I kept humming - Midnight one more night without sleeping. Watching until the morning came creeping. Green Door what's the secret you are keeping.

I was lying in bed last night sleep eluding me even though I am tired to the bone. I just could not find that magic formula that would tip me over the edge into sleep. I dozed for a few minutes at a time. Tried all the yoga tricks like focusing my mind on happy thoughts, holidays and waves gently lapping. I tried counting sheep and thinking of clouds. No success. I tried putting on headphones and having music gently playing. One minute I was freezing cold and the next raging hot and to make matters worse I developed a cough in the middle of the night. Probably through my constant trips in and out of the duvet!

My back pain has been good today I am just so tired.

I am still in the unravelling stage of my crochet. The Cinnabar that I had started for Vicky J would have fitted a size 0 when I reached the part where it joins together. Normally I crochet on the slack side and always automatically tighten my hook sizes to compensate but I must have crocheted to tension with the Colinette Lasso. I got up this morning from my restless night and pulled it all back again and restarted it. It is now looking the right size although I have had to add a couple of extra rows before I joined the jacket together for the body as I felt it was far too tight. It is now measuring 36" across the bust line so I hope that with the addition of the borders that it will fit. The next size on the pattern is 40" and I thought that would be too big. The pattern is very stretchy and could be blocked out if necessary to give a bit more ease. I have to do another couple of rows before I do the short rows to give the bust ease at the front. I don't want to make it too big as I think the style is more fitted than large and loose.

I will try to do a bit more on it tonight but I must admit that the tiredness is catching up with me big style and I find I am crocheted 3 rows and pulling one back as I have made a mistake on it.

Yesterday Charlie came for a visit and discussed whether I would be well enough to go to the Knit Out on Monday as the Manchester Evening News is coming to take photos of us and the knitted chandelier.

Caroline F came later to pick up her shrugs. I was giving her a bit of a crochet lesson. She mastered chain and double crochet and I got an e mail from her today to say she has progressed to trebles today. She is finding it difficult to find which hole to put her crochet hook in but it is more a question of tension as like most beginners she is gripping her crochet hook like grim death.

I do hope that I manage to get some sleep tonight. It is getting worse the longer this sleeplessness goes on and when I start thinking that I might stay awake then that doesn't help me to relax long enough to fall asleep! I lie awake worrying about why I can't sleep. Arghhh.