Shrove Tuesday

It's Shrove Tuesday today or in other words Pancake Day. As I am such a rubbish pancake maker so I chose the easy route of 'ready made just add water and shake' this year. My ex husband was a whizz at the pancakes. Not much of a cook but pancakes were his speciality. When he left my son took over the pancake reins. I was about to say that they were both expert tossers but somehow that sounds rather rude! I have never had strong wrists and I think the knack to pancake tossing is strong wrists and a firm steady flip. I made a couple of pancakes for lunch but mine stuck to the pan and I had to prise them loose with a spatula so I finished up with broken wrinkly pancakes. They tasted good though sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with lemon juice. Not as good as the homemade variety but I can keep the rest of the mix in the fridge and have more tonight. I think saying the mix makes 6 pancakes was rather over optimistic as the amount that they said per pancake was less than the size of a saucer no matter how much I tried to spread it about in the pan!

It felt so good to get to the Kings Arms for a knit and natter last night. I hadn't realized just how much I had missed going. Once the weather gets better and the nights get lighter I must try to make more of an effort to get there.

The amaryllis flowers are starting to close up and die now but there is a third shoot starting up from the bottom so it is indeed the Christmas gift that keeps on giving. I will look forward to yet more flowers on my kitchen window sill.

I woke up to snow this morning but thankfully it was just a light dusting and has now melted. I am starting to sleep better. I still wake up in the night but manage to go straight back to sleep instead of tossing and turning for ages as I did before. The downside is that I am sleeping much later than I ususally do but at least I feel better. I think it is a combination of things that is making me feel better but whatever it is I am glad not to be feeling the way that I did.

I rang the hospital yesterday just to confirm that I am once again back on the waiting list for the op but the lady who dealt with me on Friday is off for a week's holiday. No-one else seemed to know anything about it. I will write myself a note to ring next Monday to double check. This is how I slipped through the net last time. Although I informed them and my GP faxed details to them they forgot to put me back on the list so I am understandably nervous this time.

My knitting is still progressing slowly. I have now got about half way up the first sleeve. I am still thinking what to make with the She mohair for the Knitting Noras challenge.I did start something last night but am not altogether happy with it but cannot undo it as it seems to have welded itself together as it is fine mohair.I might just have to run with the first idea that I had otherwise I will have to waste the wool that I have already worked with.

I looked at my calendar today and realized that yesterday was the anniversary of the start of this blog. Happy belated third birthday to my blog.

Ready To Go

The bags are packed and ready to go. I am lucky enough to get the offer of a lift from my niece to the Kings Arms Knit Club tonight. Marie will hopefully be there tonight and as she works near by the Big Issue in Manchester she has offered to drop in the hats and scarves that I have made for the homeless. I haven't finished making them but I am taking a wee break just for now. It is an ongoing project so I will return to it from time to time and just keep the hats until I can get them delivered to the Big Issue. I haven't, as yet, made any gloves so maybe that will be something that I can make next.

The Kaftan knitting has moved on a bit. I now have a back and two fronts knitted. I don't think that i will be taking a sleeve with me to the Knit Club as I will probably go wrong as I am knitting and nattering,. I haven't been for such a long time that I am sure there is a lot to catch up on. I will take something simple with me.

Today is miserable, dull and rainy and so I plugged in my SAD light. I can't tell as yet whether it is the lamp, the usually better weather or the anti depressants but I am feeling better. Perhaps it is a combination of all three.

Next door's cat Oscar has come in out of the rain. He has settled upstairs somewhere but no doubt I will disturb him when I go up for a shower shortly. He is a nervous cat and even though he knows me well he still jumps a mile if I go anywhere near him. He only allows me to stroke and pet him if I am feeding him.

I am looking forward to going out tonight. Being in the company of other people always lifts my spirits and the Kings Arms knitters are usually a lively bunch.I have put a link to the photos that Rachael has posted showing some of the members of the Knit Club. Click on the blog title.

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day to everyone. A special Valentine wish to Bev and her husband who celebrate their Ruby wedding today. How romantic is that getting married on Valentines Day. I hope that you both have a happy and romantic day.

The reversible hat didn't shrink in the wash or in the dryer. I should maybe have tried putting it in the washing machine but I was scared of it felting as I wasn't sure if it was all mohair or not. I have made a smaller version. It is still doubled but as both sides are the same colour it is a little hard to see. I was given 5 x 25 gram balls of Listers Shalimar which is fluffy but mostly acrylic with just a bit of mohair. I also made a matching scarf. Although I am modelling the hat it isn't for me it is another hat and scarf destined for the Big Issue homeless.

I am back to my knitting again and have started the second front of the cream Kaftan cardigan. I think that I might try to finish this off before I start anything else off. It all depends on how my wrists and the back of my neck fare tonight. I might just have to work a couple of hours on it and then swap to some crocheting.

Reversible Crochet Earflap Hat

I decided to give the wrists a break from the knitting last night and crocheted this reversible hat. I am not sure that a homeless person will appreciate it being in mohair or the rather unmanly colours but as I am working with the yarn that I got donated I am making the best of what I have got. The wool was some kind of mohair or mohair substitute. It was unlabelled and in part balls so I can't give you a clue to what it is.

To make it just choose a top down crochet beanie pattern that is appropriate to the thickness of the wool that you are working with. Try it on and then add ear flaps on either side. I try it on at this stage to ascertain where the position of them should be. In this case it was 8 UK trebles and 2 plain rows and then one decrease row to make the ones on this hat. Make another beanie in the same manner in a different colour. Pin them together, one inside the other, with the wrong sides facing and then work a couple of rows of UK double crochet all around the edge going through the edges of both hats to link them together. I finished them off with a crocheted chain with tassels to fasten.

The hat came out a bit on the large side and as it needed washing I have hand washed it but put it in the dryer to try and shrink it in a little. If it is mohair then hopefully it will felt and shrink a little making it an ultra warm hat. I always forget when I am trying on hats to remove the hair clip that sits on top of my head so whilst the hat fits me when I am wearing the clip it tends to fall over my eyes when my hair is down. I must remember to take out my hair clip when I am making hats in future unless they are for me.

I hope that those of you who are in relationships get at least a Valentines Card tomorrow and hopefully some flowers. I won't be looking for any cards this year, As far as I know I don't have any admirers, known or unknown, and as my aunts have long passed away no one in the family to send them to me. When I was a teenager I always got a couple of cards. I found out much later that it was my two unmarried aunts who didn't want me to feel left out on Valentine's Day as they presumable did when they were girls.

My plans for today are few. Just a bit of food shopping and then settle down with my knitting once again. Last night, before I settled down to a night of CSI, I watched 'Fools Rush In' DVD with Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek. A suitably romantic comedy for Valentine's weekend. I still have a few loaned DVD's to watch so if there is nothing exciting on TV a couple of those will be on tonight's agenda.

Back On The List

I am once again back on the hospital waiting list. I got the all clear from the GP this morning which means that the antibiotics worked and my water runneth clear. I phoned the Pre op nurse with the good news but of course she wanted official confirmation so I had to ring the GP back and get him to fax the test results over to her.

I am still progressing slowly with the knitting, I have finished off a front. I am getting a little crochet crazy so have the urge to pick up a hook once again. Knitting makes my wrist and fingers ache so I find it best to alternate the wrist actions from time to time and switch from knitting to crochet and visa versa. I will probably have a look in the donated wool bags and see if there is anything suitable for crochet. A lot of the wool is textured and loopy which makes it almost impossible to crochet with so that will have to be knitted up. I am sure I can find something in there that isn't mohair or textured.

The morning was bright and sunny once again so that is lifting my spirits. I hope that it means that it is going to be a nice weekend. I don't have anything planned except a bit of food shopping but as it's Valentines Day on Sunday there is always the unlikely event of my getting a card although as I don't have any gentleman admirers in the offing I think that is highly unlikely. My ex husband was never the romantic type and although I did get a card he gave it reluctantly as he knew that his life would not be worth living if he forgot ;) If I was lucky he took me out somewhere for a meal but never on the actual day unless it fell on a weekend.

I think that I will put my feet up and settle down to a bit of hat crochet this afternoon although I still have to decide what to make with that ball of pink She mohair. The Knitting Noras are having a sort of competition as to who can make the best or the quirkiest item with one ball of this mohair. I keep thinking about it but as yet have not settled on anything. I keep hoping that inspirations will strike me soon as it is our Knit Out on the 28th of this month.

I need to go and change the channel now on the TV as I cannot stand Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen and I think that the programme where they have to buy someone a house gift is scraping the bottom of the barrel as far as styling programmes go. I still have some unseen DVD's that my niece lent to me so I might just settle down with one of those.

I spoke too soon about the weather. It has now started raining!

The Sun Is Shining

For the last two days I have woken up to sunshine. No I haven't been using my SAD light this is the natural God given sunshine. it's amazing how the sun lifts my mood. The minute that I walk into the bathroom first thing in the morning and see the sunshine streaming through the window my mood is so good. It doesn't matter what the day has to throw at me I don't care - not if the sun is shining. I am looking forward to the day when I can throw open the patio doors once again and sit outside with my breakfast.

The amaryllis continues to bloom. I took these photos in the electric light last night as the bulb seems to come to life after dark. The colours were so beautiful when I came into the kitchen this morning. Sunshine and an amaryllis flowering. The day can't get any better.

I have still not got my body in tune with my mind yet. I am now noticing that the housework needs doing which is a big improvement but my body is a little slow at responding with the cleaning. Slowly but surely I will get there. One day soon I will be in sync again. I have stripped the bed this morning and will change the bed and clean the bedroom and bathroom so that is a start on my cleaning regime.I don't want Kim and Aggie coming in and holding up their hands in horror. They would do at the state of my kitchen floor. I haven't yet got the enthusiasm for a couple of months worth of ironing as yet! Yes I know that proves that I have too many clothes if I don't miss what is in the ironing basket!

I am progressing with my knitting slowly but surely. It seems years since I made a raglan sleeve for myself and I had to stop and think out how to work out the lacy pattern as I shaped. At least it proves that my brain is still functioning in some respects. Now I am re-knitting a pattern that I last knitted in the late 70's or early 80's it takes me back in time to the last time that I knitted it. I can remember that I knitted it in pale blue. It's funny how our taste in colours changes. My mother used to despair when I was a teenager as everything I wore was dark. I had a passion for dark olive greens and purples (purple still lingers on) She would point out dresses in pretty summery colours and I would find the one drab dress on the rack.I think I was into grunge long before it became fashion.

Thankfully my taste changed and I went into the brighter colours eventually. My favourite colours are the dark jewel colours but if pushed I am torn between red and purple as my favourite colour. One colour that I never wore was pink but since my colouring has changed with age I find that I quite like myself in pink shades.

Time to push on with the chores or I will be bedding less tonight when I go to bed. First of all though it is Loose Women on TV and a cup of coffee.

SAD Light

I have bought a SAD light in an effort to combat these dull dreary mornings when the sun doesn't shine. My niece went to Argos to pick one up for me. I have used it this morning. It is quite a small lamp but it does give off a bright light. Only time will tell if it works or whether I am the SAD person for buying it. As I paid for half of it with a gift voucher that I received for Christmas I won't feel too bad if it doesn't work. Roll on summer. I always feel better when the sun shines and I can sit outdoors.

I have taken the last of my antibiotics and am off to the GP to give another sample for testing. I hope that this one is OK and I am back on the waiting list again. I just hope that this feeling of well being doesn't disappear now that the medication has finished. I still think that I had an infection after my last operation despite the hospital saying I didn't. I hope that the excessive swelling in my knees doesn't come back again. It has been nice to be able to have more mobility and be able to bend my knees more.

I have started knitting with the vintage Kaftan yarn. Kaftan was a yarn that I used to sell and dates back from the late 70's or 80's. It was donated by a man whose late wife was a knitter but like me had a stash at times bigger than her needles.I had equally vintage patterns in my stash and decided on a cardigan pattern instead of a sweater as if I am running out of wool then I can always have short sleeves. It has been ages since I knitted anything lacy and so I have to keep count of my rows as these days I can't seem to follow patterns by eye as I used to in the past. Too many years of crocheting I suppose. I am having a little break from the hats and scarves although no doubt I will get bored with the knitting and sneak in a couple more crochet hats before I hand them in at the end of the month.

The amaryllis now has 3 flowers and a bud. The second lot of flowers seem a bit darker coloured than the first set. It is a lovely cheerful sight on my kitchen window bottom to greet me each morning when I am making my breakfast or washing the dishes.

My neighbour brought and installed my new PC monitor. I have been borrowing his since my monitor decided to keep switching itself off in the middle of doing things. He has got me a reconditioned Dell so fingers crossed that it stays working as long as the PC does. My printer is now having one of it's moments and refusing to print or let me change the ink cartridge. I will just have to manage without a printer for now as I can't afford any more expenses for a couple of months.