Charlie's Christening

Today I went to baby Charlie's christening. He is the son of my niece's best friend. He screamed the church down and sobbed uncontrollably all through the ceremony which is unusual for him as he is normally such a placid child. We is teething and being weaned from the breast so I think he was hungry and frustrated at not being put on the boob. His dad tried to console him but he was having none of it until after his christening ceremony when they lit the candle. He stared at it for a few seconds and fell asleep. As the person near me remarked - I wish they had lit that candle earlier!

I didn't know I was invited to the christening until the middle of last week so I didn't knit him anything. I bought him 3 little long sleeved T shirts instead. Charlie looked very dapper in his christening outfit.It was made by his paternal grandma. She had some material left from the beaded wedding dress that she had made for his mum and made him a little waistcoat with it. From the back he looked like a miniature Elvis Presley with his bit of shimmer and his white trousers. He refused point blank to wear his sailor hat.

I think I am coming down with a cold. This is a surprise to me as since I started having the flu jab I haven't had a cold for the last 5 yrs. I think I am due another jab.

I have finished the main bit of the black shawl. I have the border to crochet but that takes quite a bit of crocheting as it is a couple of inches wide. I am hoping to finish it off tonight all being well.

More stash for the Christmas Wool Pile

Brr - it's cold and winter is not even here yet. Yesterday Vicky came for me and we sallied forth to see DKY at Bolton market. I picked up the colours for the men's socks I have planned for Christmas. We met up with Sylvia and Kath and had a coffee in Cafe Nero. I finished the last premature baby blanket and gave it to Vicky for the Bliss appeal. I am going to concentrate now on my Christmas knitting. Charities will have to wait now for a while.

I wasn't going to start any of my Christmas projects until I had finished the purple crochet cardigan but I thought I would make the black shawl as when Buster comes he sheds hair over everything I am knitting or crocheting and I didn't want a Buster hairy black shawl. I am missing him not being here but at least my work isn't hairy. I am making it in Woolcraft Crepe DK which my niece bought from Bury market and it is really nice to crochet with. Quite firm for an acrylic.

Last night I joined Facebook as I seem to miss out on any news and photos that the Kings Arms Knitters post. I just hope that it is not another thing I get dragged into like Ravelry otherwise I will never get anything done!

I need to do a bit of housework today but the windows will have to wait for another time. There is no way I am going outside with wet hands in this weather. There is only me looking out of them anyway and I have learned to ignore the marks.

Vicky has just e mailed me better photos of the Blue Curacao shawl I made a couple of months ago so I will post some tomorrow. She took it on her holidays so you can enjoy a bit of sunshine albeit in photos!

Busy fingers from now until Christmas

My niece is off work this week for half term so she has been busy shopping for wool for the family for Christmas. The grey is destined for her sister's long aran cardigan. The red is for Cinnabar for herself, The black for Auntie Claire's shawl and the blue and orange for some Moroccan style slippers. I will certainly be kept busy from now until Christmas.

My niece also got some T shirts for baby Charlie as I have been invited to his christening on Sunday and wanted a bit of a present to take with me. I asked her to get them for me as I didn't know which size to buy for him.

I am hoping to finish off the half finished premature cot blanket to go with the other two in the photo. I will give them to Vicky tomorrow as she is collecting blankets for Bliss Charity which is the charity nominated by National Knitting Week. I have already given her two to post off for Bliss. The Noras also raised about £40 from Vicky's Knit In at her house last week. Well done everyone.

The Breast Cancer charity night at the Kings has raised approx £400 but I haven't got the exact amount as yet. Well done everyone there as well.

I had a lovely surprise phone call last night from my eldest great grand daughter. She was telling me that she had used her 3rd birthday money from me (along with some other birthday money) and she had bought Baby Annabel and she cries. Her little sister wanted to chat and her speech is really clear for one so young. She is only 18 months old. I will try to see that Father Christmas brings some clothes for baby Annabel.

Tomorrow I am going back up to see Janet from DKY at Bolton Market to collect some sock wool. Something else to finish off before Christmas. Has anyone got any matchsticks for my eyes? I am going with Vicky and hopefully meeting up with Sylvia and possibly Kath for a coffee.

I had better rediscover my knitting and crochet mojo PDQ )pretty damn quick) as I have so much to do before Christmas. Off for a strong coffee to give me a bit of caffeine.

Fungi on the lawn

Not much to report yet again today except that I am freezing. The heating is on so I don't know why I feel so cold. The cars in the street all had ice on them this morning. I was up extra early as I woke with cramp in my right calf. I never used to have much sympathy for my ex when he got it and was hopping around the bedroom. I used to find it rather funny. The laugh is on me now as I keep waking up with it and it's really painful.

My fungi have reappeared on the lawn. I hesitate to call them mushrooms as I have no idea what they are. Someone once told me that they weren't poisonous but if Buster was here I would move them just in case. One looks like something has taken a nibble out of it. Perhaps my squirrel? I must put some nuts out today for the squirrel as it is so cold.

My crocheting hasn't progressed. I do this from time to time. Slow down and don't do anything for a couple of days and then resume the pace again a few days later. I don't push myself anymore as I know my crochet mojo will return again soon. It might even be today - who knows. I just hope that I don't get another of these lay off spells when I am in the midst of my Christmas projects.

Time for a cup of hot coffee I think - now where are my thick socks as my tootsies are cold!

Knit Out on a Sunday

Not much to blog about today. I have been trying to do some housework as the house is getting rather tatty - well I should say tattier than usual. I foolishly pegged the bedding out on the line but of course if rained all over it and so indoors it had to come. I put the tumble dryer on as I cannot abide wet bedding drooping about.

My niece came this afternoon and did my hair to banish my Bet Lynch dark roots once again. She browsed through a few patterns and has come to a pencilled in decision as to which pattern she would like for Christmas. She is on holiday this week so plans to visit a couple of markets and shops in the hunt for wool.

My little cat friend Oscar, from next door, came to visit me again today. He is still very timid about coming in as I think he expects Buster to appear from somewhere and chase him off as he has done in the past. He ate the remnants of the turkey leg, had a drink and left when the rain stopped.

On Sunday I went up to the monthly Knit Out of the Noras. We had quite a good turn out. I had hoped to finish off the peach prem baby blanket whilst I was there but I finished up giving a guy crochet lessons instead. The blanket is now finished and I will give it to Vicky when I see her next. I will try to make another before Thursday. I have not done much in the way of crochet (or knitting) these last few days so not much to report.

Breast Cancer Raffle Night

1.15am
I have just got back from the Kings Arms where Rachael had organised an evening of entertainment and raffle in aid of Breast Cancer. I don't know how much was raised as it hadn't all been counted up when I left. I will post it on here when I find out.

We had a good evening with the mixing of the two knitting clubs. A few of the Knitting Noras plus the Kings Arms knitters. The best bit of the evening was the raffle where the compere made it all great fun.

The young woman who got my granny square shawl was thrilled with it and the guy who won the willy warmer thought that I should make them to sell and not just give them away as they were such a fun item. His girlfriend won the pink curly whirly scarf. His mate looked a bit funny in my pink lacy crocheted scarf. Sylvia won the pink sweet pea shawl. The lady who won the pink baby matinee and hat is hoping that her brother's partner's expected baby to be will turn out to be a girl. She said it it's a boy it will have to wear it anyway, even if it's only in bed, as it's so pretty!

Before the raffle was a duo of girls dressed in red satin elasticated shorts - reminded me of babies romper suits - who shouted/screamed, way off key, through several numbers very loudly. Apparently they have a huge following but most of us thought that they were truly awful. So bad that we were having hysterics at their singing. If that is what passes for music these days I am glad that I am old! I think most of the people seated near me would have had a whip round and paid to get them off. I would have stuck a fiver in the hat to get them to shut up. A couple of the Noras wisely went outside for a ciggy. I almost took up smoking just to go and join them! My ears were ringing and they started hurting - I was deaf for a few minutes when they stopped screaming. In their final song they massacred one of the Beatles songs. I bet John and George were spinning in their graves. I wish I had recorded them for Simon Cowell - I bet his face would have been a picture of pain when he heard them.

I came back home by taxi as I couldn't face public transport and the trams would have stopped running anyway by then. I am glad that I don't have to pay for a taxi very often - it cost me £8.80p to get home. I think I am getting tight as well as old!

Trip to Bolton market

I decided to have a trip to Bolton market today. One of my fellow Ravelry members had decided to bring her wool stall to Bolton. As she normally stands Chorley market which is a little too far for me to travel I took the opportunity to visit her at Bolton.

She had lots of bargains on her stall. A lot of them were out of bounds to me as I am one of those peculiar people who finds it really hard to wear anything pure wool or with a high wool content - unless it is on my feet. I come out in a red rash and itch. I came away with a bargain of Patons Zhivago for 60p ball in my favourite colour despite my promising that I wouldn't buy anything else for my stash. I had gone up for some sock wool but I didn't think that my brother would appreciate the bright rainbow colours of Noro for a pair. He is in his 70's and quite conservative. Janet has some St Ives sock wool in dark colours and will bring me some for next week.

I met up with Sylvia and Kath whilst at the stall and heard from Janet that a couple of the Noras knitting group had also paid the stall a visit. If you want to see Designer knitting yarns DKY and can't get to either market stall then click on my blog title and it will take you to her website. Janet also does mail order so you could still see her stock and find a bargain or two online.

I got very wet whilst in Bolton as the rain was quite heavy. I managed to crochet 2 small squares and start a third on my trips on the bus and the tram. It was a 2hr round trip plus waits for bus and tram. At least I kept one small child amused on one of the journeys. I got some fresh fish from the market and a turkey leg which is roasting in my oven as I type. I have just rescued my washing from the line as that is also rather wet.

On the way home from the metro I finally got my prescription for my painkillers and guess what - the GP has given me a double amount. Made me smile. One minute they must think I am in danger of overdosing myself so won't prescribe because I had 10 tablets left from my last prescription and the next minute they give me a double amount.