Great afternoon of knitting at Vicky's house

I spent a great afternoon knitting (or in my case crocheting) with friends at Vicky's house. Vicky had kindly offered us the use of her house for a Bliss baby blanket knitting session and a raffle in aid of the Bliss charity. I finished off Sarah's hat to match the shawl I finished earlier and I gave her the shawl and all of the hats and I think she liked them. She has had one lot of chemo and it gave her a rash.

I was fortunate enough to get offered a lift up to Vicky's but in the last minute packing of my things in the bag I forgot my purse. How embarrassing. I will have to make my donations to Bliss when I see Vicky the next time. Luckily I got a lift home as my bus pass was in the left at home purse.

The hat is made from the leftover wool from Sarah's shawl. I decided to make her a matching hat. I finished it off at Vicky's and so left the placement and stitching of the flowers to Sarah. She can either stitch them both on one side of the hat or one over each ear and look like something out of Star wars. Click on the blog title to get the free crochet pattern for the hat but the flowers are my own addition to add a bit of trim. If that link does not work then try
http://www.rheatheylia.com/index.php?page=patterns&id=0

I took up a couple of prem baby blankets for the appeal but I will try to make some more before the deadline of the end of the month.

Gretchen brought her spinning wheel and had us all spellbound watching the wheel turn. She was spinning some roving that she had dyed at the workshop held at Touchstones by Debbie Tomkies in Rochdale yesterday. Kath brought her drop spindle and is doing very well considering she has only had it for a short time. Debbie Tomkies also came to knit with us.

I came home to be greeted by two of my neighbours children who wanted to donate the ladybird to the raffle for Breast Cancer at the Kings on Friday. I have sent a photo to Rachael to see if she wants it. They won it at a raffle and I think they consider themselves to be too old for a stuffed ladybird. Unfortunately they were swinging it down he street by it's antennae - boys will be boys - and so the ladybird now needs a stitch or two to stop his antennae waggling.

I fed my squirrel today but he would not pose for a photo. Look really hard in the plant pot and you will see his tail as he dives in the little white pot to get some nuts that I put out for him.

Thank goodness my dinner is already made. I made a thick soup/stew with the chicken carcass and vegetables yesterday and there is plenty left over for my dinner tonight. My bedding is washed but still wet in the washing machine so I think I wil go mad and use my dryer as I really hate wet bedding draped about the house. Clothes I can put up with - but not bedding.

Camera shy squirrels

I think my squirrels have been reading my blog. They paid their usual visit this morning, announcing their presence by coming right up to the patio windows but the minute I aimed my camera at them they disappeared across the garden and over the fence. Once they realised that I had put down the camera they both came back to chatter at me. I went to get the camera again and whoosh they had gone again. A pity because they were looking really cute this morning.

Instead I have 2 photos of my slow progress on the sleeveless top. There is something about ribbing, It takes longer to knit than plain. I have managed to sit on my sofa today for the first time since my operation. It is still rather low but I can knit a lot better than on a chair with arms. I discovered though that leather is very cold to sit on and had to find a throw. I will definitely have to make some crochet throws for the winter. I can't stand having a chilly bottom and back!

Speaking of winter I had a letter from the council tax saying that after my visit from their officer (she came unannounced just after my op) they found out that I had been paying too much council tax and they have reduced it. They can't, of course for some small printed gobbledygook reason, refund me any of the overpaid money from the last 2 years and advised me that in future I should inform them of any changes in my circumstances. I have always done things to the letter and every year they have had copies of bank statements and pensions so how can I have been not telling them of changes in circumstances. Just when I was thinking I would have a wee bit more money per month in the same post came my gas bill and despite the fact that I am £76 in credit over the summer months they have hiked up my monthly payments by £20 a month to cover the increased use over the winter months and the price rise of the gas. No wonder people are leaving the country for warmer climes.

I haven't been out for a walk today. I can't seem to be bothered unless the weather is nice (ha ha) or I need something from the shops. I seem to be incapable of walking up to the village without popping into some shop or another and I then spend money on something that I really didn't need. For the sake of economy I only venture anywhere near M&S or Iceland if I have run out of something. I won't walk in the Clough without Buster it's too lonely in there to be alone. My son says I can't have him back until I am fit enough to walk him properly and I must admit that I am not ready to walk him every day just yet. I miss him, of course, but I can't face the daily trudge of his walks just yet. Maybe in another few weeks.