Still kicking

I certainly been lax but its just being so busy,helping in family business,working full time and the upcoming return to study after a brief break has being hard to find a few minutes to relax and write.
Son 3 is into the finals with his team,Norths,hockey has become the sport here,I couldnt even watch rugby last night though the Wallabies were  being slaughtered anyway. Pat had an awsome game today and the Mummy inside cheered quietly(Im not one to yell and carry on) while knitting ferousally on "Pretty in Pink" in the gorgeous" Merlot" Seranade from BMW
I think Im up to 4 inches into the first peice with 4 to go before dividing for neck...anyway there were enough ladies calling his name ot in encouragement,lol,he was quite spectacular today though,nipping in and out stealing the ball and foiling goals
The weathers warming up nicely,I expect to start harcvesting peas shortly and another sugar loaf cabbage soon as soon as I can find an evening  to cook a decent meal to go with it.The last one was like butter,sooo nice. The broad beans are developing well too!
Next weekend DH is helping me mark up the oval for the annual sports day though this year we marking the posts so it ll be easier next year. Should only take about four hours,this time Im not going to argue how he does it,just let him go ,lol...last years was probably the most accurate it ever been marked,lets hope it doesnt rain. Wednesday week I have a PD,two days worth on stuff thats been covered before but im going just incase something has been changed and as usual Im the last to find out.The Firday is taken up nursing son whos getting all four wisdom teeth out,my only day off for sometime too,atleast we getting things done at last,
This week I aim to get front yard cleaned up after work of course,and play around with some water colours,I have the water activated tape at last to stick the wet paper down,aiming to get at least two paintings done for the art exhibtion at school,otherwise they have to put up with some of my earlier scrappy uni stuff...
Lets see how I go...
Something Id like to be doing right now though,going home....

Something....

Taffy and cabbages but Fluffas hiding...

Wordless Wednesday

I havent time for my own pic but you get the idea...................

Another Bday gone

and looking forward to a fresh year. Beautiful Wishes..

This years Bday was quite good,i worked on my own with no one to annoy me,I felt great,it was a lovely day,what more could i ask for..this year I was part of a Bday swap and received the said parcel a day or so,cant remember now,so being a good patient person I am i took it to work and after a boiling the kettle tuning into the news ,ABC of course, I opened it,there was little parcel one after the other and each one carefully wrapped,soo much fun,the gorgeosu Swappee picked the right bits,new needles a wee bit of wool (great as I have enough to start a shop,hehehe) a huge block of choccy and few other bits,including a wonderful eco platisc bag that folds into nothing,a new all weather knitting bag,lol..

The birds arrived to share the event

There 7 butcher birds and four magpies now who visit each day,I talk to them and they talk to me,lol maybe Im becoming the mad Bird lady,cackle cackle
Anyhow My best Friend also sent a beautfil parcel a few days later  and i dont how but she picked the just right things!!! im collecting sheep and there was one in the parcel,he resides on my desk with the ones she found year,I can see a trend happening here,lol and on top of that there was also a Willow Tree in there too,I was given a couple of these a few years back but this one is my fav,"Beautiful Wishes",I havent had the right sunny day and time to photo it or the baa baa,but next time Ill add them,
Editedgot camera out and the flash wasnt too bad!
 One of my beautiful boys also did his usual and Im the proud owner of a gorgeous dress ring,its simplicity is all me,I dont like garish loud jewery and and love the more vintage type.When DH was looking at getting me an Eternity ring ages ago the shop lady gave me one to try,it was an Argyle Pink Diamond,it was gorgeous in the box but on my hand it looked ostentatious and when she told
me the value it went back into its little box quick smart but I am happy I tried it on...Id rather the big back yard shed in which Im to have my studio,she wasnt impressed I didnt like it (on my hand) and bamboozled about my preferance!
The new baa baa to the flock!

Ive moved onto a braid of Churro from Charley though no spinning for the last three days due to work and simply too tired but theres an over flowing plastic shopping bag to show for the spinning achieved in the last 6 weeks,its a lot for me and I havent even gotten to measure them,soon they will bathe and then onto the needles!

One more week of half days before in theory Im supposed to go back to full duties but arm is not as it should be,grab an electric fence and thats what its like....a new boss may help though!

Wordless Wednesday.. A Splash of Orange

A different day

After a gorgeous warmish day yesty I woke to an over cast delightfully Sundaish Day with cool showers drifting over creating a perfect knitting /spinning movie day,well if I ignore the mess created by a burnt vacumm cleaner and two broken down computors (boys are banned from mine, especially since that warning about 6000 odd Australians are going to lose their internet this Monday due to the hacking thingy)
A coal or something rolled out of the door of the firebox a few days ago and as the vacuum cleaner was parked over on the wall behind the fireplace,thats where it had to wander unnoticed til flames appeared,boy plastic can light and burnt fast,I doubt the poor thing can be repaired so Im up for another $210 Petlover which Ive found is the best for picking up two bunnies and one dog fur.
I was pretty p... off but had to concede at least the house was still whole and all the damage was confined to a bit of melted plastic on the from porch and a buggered cleaner...
Patrick played with the seniors yesty on the grass field and they won with a 4 to nil if I remember the score right,he was exhausted and had to come home and help at the shop as the Goldfields Giants were playing here in Kambalda and we got an order for 50 yes 50 pizzas to be delivered at 9.45 at the end of game. It was a big night for us and although I just picked up the loose ends today Im shattered,lucky for me short days at work for the holidays will help..
Im speeding away with the rest of the Twinkle Bunny "Teddy Bears Picnik", up to five skeins with at least one and a half left to spin which i should get done today,ill work out the meteridge and although I was aiming for the Honey cowl if theres enough for another top of some kind it may well be the go too!
In the rain this morning Taffy was not sure but knew something was amiss

And when she realisied by gum it was something falling from the sky,she head for the chair...

a bit different to this day earlier this week!

On the shopping list

1. AKL am ordering this week for Bday,the 20" one!
2. 5 skeins of Malabrigo Silky Merino Yarn  in Smokey for the Imogen pattern already have three(though it was four so should search cupboard)

To do list

1. finish teddy bear picnic
2. crochet a flower or two and start the Honey cowl
3. Finish gigantic cowl
4. the first sock in Darling and start second

This last week saw the arrival of a destash of Wolleise lace garn from the lovely Catlin which is going to be a quick scarf to see if I like it or not and am adding another ball of the sock weight to stash from an update,bright yellow wow never had that before... also another ball again destash in a multi for this hat.

FOF

Thats what it feels like!!! I would love to be packing bags and driving off to some place where we can relax and unwind ..its not to be but I can dream.
I resisted the Wollmeise update today,the" La Gitane" (linked to a lovely pic of this) has me but so do the other wondoerous colours!! I think I may visit next update if Im a awake tonight to see if theres any lace weight but other than that I may wit til next week and indulge for Bday!! Also hope to order the loom too!!! Late at night Im dreaming up ideas for the colours and patterns for the weaving projects and find my self wandering off into an artscape of weird expressive things that I fear only I could love...
Am considering a career change as soon as possible to try to lift the income bracket so we can buy a house someplace else,I like Esperance but dont think employment is very good there,Kalgoorlie has an aweful spate of breakins and smashing of car windows etx and get a place thats safe and secure means a value of over $450,000 something DH would never consider unless we sell here and I really want o keep this place and rent it if we do go. Thought Dubbo would be great and had the nod for a job there tjough I seriously think it was out of my field anyway.Id love to buy a day buiness not one that runs at night,a nursery with a art gallery and cafe would be ideal but the logistics of moving is horrifying.
Australia Post made my day today with a little parcel from a beautiful lady destashing a half skein of Wollmeise,already ahve a pattern picked but the thing is this parcel also contained some extras just as though she found out it was my Bday,it was a real lift of spirits and I shall try to return the gesture for later!!
Now Im thinking this or this  :)

Scary!

Have you noticed the number of sick people around at the moment? The oldest is coughing and was fluey when he came home last week and I truely thought we were in for it...Ive been a bit slack and havent taken zinc or triple horseradish vitamin c etc, only yesterday did I swallow a handful,thought I finally had it but it was just a reflex after being close to a very sick friend,its weird but if my boys get sick I go out in sympathy and a lesser extent if its other people..
maybe Im holding it off..I hope!
Latest fibre transformations

Gotland Scorched ,top from a destash out of Caitlins coffers, its was quite fast to spin though felt very strong, once plied it feels more Gotlandish! Im packing this away until Ive got the loom and will work on the natural grey I was spinning on my favourite spindle until theres enough for the wrap shawl thingy.Im aiming on warping the loom so theres a few of the coloured strands for the length and the remaining as an end piece.No Im not up withe the terms yet..
finished skein

and

pretty close to the true colours.While spinning I found the undyed sections quiet a bit softer,I think the rest of the natural baby gotland I have will also make it onto the wheel as its much faster! Hope to order that lom by the end of the month as a belated Bday pressie!
And also this is nearly half way done,Twinkle Bunny,"Teddy Bears Picnik"

Its sooo fluffy I could die I shriek!!!!(from Despictable Me)
excuse me as I run off to play!!

A cold morning

Its Sunday,no kidding, its quiet  sooo soo quiet,no ones awake yet,its dead still outside and absolutely freezing,even the rabbits refused to venture outside,I think its frosted,in fact looking outside the window to my right I can still see ice on the windscreen of my Tarago,as it waits for parts,its going to greener useful pastures so maybe I ll have more room on that side.
I finished spinning up the Scorched Gotland last night and have a stiff back but it was for mediation purposes as we nearly had a house fire(only little ) that opened up the minds of the two youngest to how careful one must be,somehow a coal or a piece of lit bark must have flipped out of the fire door and landed under the vacum cleaner,its virtually brand new and it really took off,by the time No 4 alerted me it was well alight and putrid acrid smells were emulating enough for Son 5 to clear off outside due his asthma,he couldnt breathe easily for a wee while. I simply grabbed the thing and run outside and threw an old towel over it to extinguish the flames,there went my virtually new Petlover Cleaner,just when I could least aford a new one,bugger and damnations,at least it wasnt any worse and also a good lesson for youngers boys..
Feeling lost and lonely today for some reason,Im swaying between cutting losses and moving away from this nasty rumour mongering town or becoming a recluse and ecentric person. Still battling with Sons school,this time there was a school ball that we werent told about ($50 a head I was told,too late) as my son has to be managed it would have been nice to have been informed so we could talk to him and discuss the possibilty of him at least attending for a short time,hes socially isolated enough as it is. Going to a bigger HS next year when hes basically illiterate means he dosent have much chance of getting in with a good bunch of school minded students and most likely will have to contend with those who dont want to be there .When one of his brothers attended there was  stabbing but he didnt know anything about it due to his classes being in the higher levels.
What do you do with a boy who is intelligent but has a learning disabilty but is surprisingly cluey about computors and has the most indepth insight to human behavior but  cannot not learn in a normal class structured way. Starting year 8 most of the staff including the Teachers assistant regarded him as lazy and talked quite openly around him to that affect including the TA. Now when its nearly too late they have revisited their mistake but spend more time covering their butts than doing something about it. Thank God theres an old teacher coming back shortly,he understood him and hopefully may help even in a small way
Hes declares school is a waste of time that hes not learning anything,hes bullyied (indeed he sits with the same crowd each day but they do disappear deliberatly some days leaving him to wander around at break time) and as hes been the fogotten student with very little duty of care in safety as well as learning  shown towards him. Im at my wits end given the run around with unsupportive uneducated staff,unreliable admin and a total disregard for the well being of him as  student.Oh and on top of that despite havin several meetings recently with outgoing and ingoing Principals we were even  denied the chance of attending a parent meeting with the District Director who visited recently. So any ideas???
On a brighter note for I have to look for them this morning,I bought a VD yesterday with the intention of using it for a mixed medium art book,it will be my outlet in the form of anything goes,I need it,no one to talk to,with my weird circly mind I dont blame them so I can bury myself in this art Journal and find solice that I am not mad,just individual. Being invited to participate an a small art exhibit again so this will help form some ideas,a bright spot in the future to look forward too! Plus I have to remember to join the Golden Mile Art association (I think thats it title) so I can gain some experience there too,having the little car also helps as I can actually get there ,lol
heres a nice pic of  Lake Lefroy to finish, ps it was freezing cold and windy at the time.........

A little bit excited

This has come home to live with me!!!!!!

My very first new car bought soley by me! I have to get used to being close to the ground after driving a Cruiser for a while and really I dont feel as safe but it means Son 5 can have tutoring after school and hockey trips dont have to be budgeted,also DH wont object to the extra drives I need to make from time to time even its just for sanity,hehe also if sons miss bus its not a biggy to run them in,,,,,,,,,also speaking quietly a quick trip to see special friend is now possible,shhhhh
I am  a little alarmed at the hot smell emulating from it tonight after a trip to the other side of town and back with DH driving but no alarms etc so think its just running in still (if not then the dealer will be hearing from me...)
PS this pic is proably the cleanest it will be be being brand new and everything
lastly I think I made the Wollemeise update tonight too,I did promise myself savesavesave for the AKL but it was sooo pretty!

Cold Cold Cold

It was my turn to stay home as Docs has me on 4 hours a day for three days for two weeks,I find out Friday where I go from here..
Meanwhile I have got through this
Pink Elephant from SCF

Very happy with this,its only two thirds of the braid so when I wash it there will be bloom and hopefully a more DK weight to knit,its very light and airy propbaly cause I used the Wee Peggy (70's era) and try as I might cannot not get it to spin and draw in at a rate wher I have a stronger single so when Im chain plying it is quite tender,hoping this wont lead to too much felting,thinking either this pattern or this or this as Im calulating I will have at leaast 800 to 100 metres
oh these are current spindles ....

These last two are the lastest,well I was saving for a Golding but hoping a AKL will move here soon!

And all from Spinningwoodie on Ravelry (except the nice one with the back fleece I refer to as my production top from Angeline in Perth)
The big one is beef wood and the new ones are sassafras and other woods I cant recall!,Gorgeous spindles but I havent tried them out properly yet,too many things and not enough time! They are very pretty though!!

Finally its Winter

The last few days has been bone searing cold,at last Im up to taking two hot water bottles to bed as that end of the house was like a rabbit chiller.............
Back at work on short hours/days and I suspect the insurance peoples are sitting there watching and even eavesdropping on my phone like they have with DH.Cant wait for holidays,the most peace I will have had for months..just me and the birdies!
Spinning ive been treddling along and have finished the third braid on the set for the knit I have in mind,taking a break and just started on Pink Elephant,I much prefer Charleys batts/braids to the fine merino,still fast but the stickyness is annoying,three braids should produce close to 600 metres...

Just a few added to the handspun list,the blue Ixchel Fibres Cashmere Bing will be the Banksia cowl from Toodyays Retreat this year,especially designed by or lovely talented AnneIm rather keen on the KAL shes talikng about too but trying to get other projects out of the road first!
The second is the last skein in production so far off my Bunny,cared with about 75% merino,it gorgeosuly soft and I hope to get a bit more done next summer for a hat or vest,he has the most superb fleece at moment but I cant obviously shear him now,that would be insane! However he grows it every year and every year I get to clip him,the last two years are stashed,if I could find the bag Id have abit more done! I keep threatening to find a German Angora...
The last is the first of a few EGMTKs Aurora,got another 150 or more fibre yet to be spun on the Angel spindle!
Anyhoo,speeding along on the first sock of that rainbow Katia Darling yarn I bought last month,a bit splitty and it feels very strong woll or downsy,hoping it wont be slippery to wear inside a boot etc,I found with this yarn I had to knit 75 rows befoe the short row heel could be started,seems a good fit now,up to above the ankle and am increasing to 72 sts,two sts every ten rows,not sure how Ill cast off yet.

And another treasure Ill have to start soon too,hoping theyd have the wool version but no its cotton wrapped wire but it ll be interesting ! Love the colour and as I seem to wear a lot of balck now it should be great!
The garden hast grown...

Peas,flowering like theres no tomorrow

peas podz

Silverbeetie,love those deep crinkle leaves,Fordhook Giant!!

and cabbages....hearts are ahappening

Thats all..........

Sunday too Far Away

How many know this movie? well, I think its applicable as I go back to work tomorrow on very light duties for a few hours and a few days,I am seriously worried about my the arm,it still sore to touch which is expected but every now and then it also fels disjointed and tingly as though the blood flow is affected. Dipite this it is better in the numb fingers etc and the fingers themselves are so loose and springy.The lovely Doc suggested I may need something similar to right hand ...yikes,lets not think about this now
Did some more spinning this last week,very hard and not as much fun but Im delighted with the result,also round off the black Aurora into a skein, havent taken pics yet but if I think of it tomorrow ill get them tomorrow,fingers crossed its a nice day!
Just a pic or two for interest sake
Fluffa likes to rest his head on my foot or leg and often goes to sleep as I ruffle his fur

Just look at that fleece,found an old bobbin with some of his cashmere/merino and plied it off,oh so soft anf yummy,cant wait for the warm weather so I can trim him again for another skein or two,thought a rib warmer might be interesting in this resulting yarn,again pics to follow.As soon as I finish this Cashmere Bling from Charley Im tossing up between the blue BFL from Mosely Park(Christmas parcel) or the Corriedale Pink Elephant from Southern Cross Fibres,been behaving and havent added to spinning stash from David for soo long,missed his update this week which is probablya good thing though Charley may have hit the nail on the head with a spot of my current fav colour this week,Ill give it a few days before I ask, need at least three.

Lastly,this weekends Sunday was spent watching No 1 on the track,being coached by a former MX racer helps.

Stress

The last year has been ,well not good,all our dreams are slowly slipping away not out of reach,not entirely but certainly not right there as before, some days I just pretnd its all cool that it will fall into place,that we will soldier on,or even divert for a while.
Going back to work I think soon I hope with the Docs permission that the nerve moving house has worked and most definitley the hand is so much freerer now,the elbow where the ulner nerve has been so rudely interupted still gives me trouble,typing this post gives starp pings and reminds me to take care,the buried stitch in the wrist wound/scare is itchy well the whole darn thing begs for a good old scratch...
I almost envie those who work from home or have children too young to leave but know that what ever the day throws or aims at me at least Im earning an income.
Ok enough of that
look at my yarnz

One more skein to add once I navjo the bobbin,waiting for that parcel from Charley with the brilliant reds and black that I hpe I can meld into pattern,theres only roughly 370 to 400 metres in the coloured lot above including the fourth,I thought id start the top cardie with this lot and gradually bring in the red in ever increasing lines finishing with it at the bottom,might even have enough for longer sleeves!!
We went wood cutting yesty,I took the opportunity to take some pics,some are good some or not so but I enjoyed it...theres spiders at the very bottom but Ill put space in there for anyone not keen on them  ")

 

and below was this gorgeous creature,do not look if spiders arent your thing

Look at the rain drops on her!! Golden Orb Spider,there were heaps of them,i kept walking into the webs and lots of smaller ones I presume were the daddy ones keeping a safe distance from Mother dearest!

Wordless Wednesday