Hockey

Ruled my weekend,Son no 3 and his team flogged the opposition so its feasible they ll make the finals this year!! It ll be a good thing seeing it might the last time he plays with them,big things are at foot for him and although I wish him the success and full life with it if it goes through,as a Mum Ill be sad and lost without him around.
Its come to my notice that some comments Ive made previously have been repeated,Id like to just add what I spoke of, was truthful but not in any way nasty,it was factual and at the time I was hurt and disappointed with those involved,I shall remember but I wont hold it against them.Life moves on but I will say the viciousness Ive seen and backstabbing and so on shocks me and am glad I dont have to deal with it other than to support family affected. If those reading this want to know anything just call me.
This is my journal where I communicate my ideas ,projects and enjoy the act of writing although via keyboard and not the old fashioned way,that which I leave here is open for interpretation even,and that it will remain on the wide world of cyber space. This page is also the only connection I have with some precious friends,you know who you are,I have no compunction to blocking people on Facebook if they prove disagreeable and I can understand some people not even going near the thing,its useful but here all I can do is delete. I led a pretty lonely exsisitance through a lot of my life, all my schooling I did alone without help or even supervision from grade 3, people I could and still do trust were very few but worth more than anything.Now I work long hours, study and be there for my boys while trying to make sense of why things have gotten so much harder.This last trip I think some people have had theirs noses out of joint because I didnt see them but just think, I drove over 3500km to get there,I put out a call to contact me if anyone had time to meet up,as it was the one person who did I hadn't seen for so many years and gave me the understanding that I've missed out all these years simply not being happy in my own person.I give no apologies for I am, and if I end up an eccentric of lady with colours in her hair and what ever else sets me apart well then at least Ill have lived. If the rest of those only get excited when they think they have a nasty bit of gossip to throw around about each other ,go for it but dont involve me..
Now on the bright side,i picked up Atiliar again last night,cant see myself finishing before the end of month bt oh my, Skeins Silk Merino is simply gorgeous,Envy is the colourway

Finished right sleeve last May and just couldnt pick it up with study etc, now Im onto last sleeve which ill fifnish this week then that funny body part,need to read instructions again
The end result with longer sleeves and finer yarn curisy of http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/atelier

Wool Jumpers and wool things

Now I love to knit my own but this shop is my dream,classics that will last for ever,Im ordering a thick navy v neck from the mens section as a work jumper, possibly a vest (I havent had time to knit one) and cant make my mind up with the ones in the ladies section,think I ll go with  a good basic fine wool in navy or black,worn with jeans boots and a white long tee or cotton shirt and its all go, no fashion chains!!!
http://www.woolovers.com.au/special-offers
and its the Australian shop too, this what we should see our own wool being supplied through,we grow it here why cant the product be available at a reasonable price too

Off to Hockey tonight,taking my knitting with me,,,,

Son no 1 again
:)

Its Friday again

How many times have I posted a heading like that ,lol,anyway Im strangely looking forward to this one,the last day of peace at work,this afternoon Im off into Kalgoorlie to take bunnies and Tilly to the animal doctors,she has the most awful grass rash that i thinks getting infected,shes moping and although shows a spark of life when she gets a walk spends teh day asleep and stalking people with food. I put ointment on her tummy but I wasnt quick enough so expecting a sizable bill at teh end of visit.
Mz Bunny has been sneezing too much and although seems healthy Im taking her in in case its the start of myxomatosis,better to be safe and sure,the vet last week actually said it was a waste of time to do anything with them if they had it but I successfully brought Fluffa through it,he had a course of antibiotics and seems fine now.hes coming in for the ride just to keep Mz Bunny company.
Ive gotten a way into finishing two projects,the featherweight is nearly to arms though Ill do front bands first before starting them so make use of remaining yardage. i think Ill have a bit left over too! The scarfy cowly thing is nearly done too and I should have it done mid next week considering its my work project.Just need buttons there so have been surfing Etsy for some,I saw some gorgeous shell ones in the shape of little flowers but havent been able to find them again,I need 6 in a mid pink and the same in a chocolate brown
like these perhaps
or these
the later I could use for two projects but the pink ones look lovely though maybe a bit bright
and isnt this divine I pinched the pic I love soo much!

Etsy you sinful place

Oh so long!

Things have been and gone,its been a while but Ill try to make amends!!
First up,yep I managed to get that drive to the east coast (nearly) and back,took me three days to get there to Cobar where I stayed with SIL,then to Dubbo next day.
Day 1, drove the  8 or so hours to the WA Border,I couldnt have made Ceduna but wild dogs camels and wombats etc wouldnt been healthy for little Kia Rio,as it was when we left(had youngest son with me,14yrs going on 60, next morning we found a lady had wiped out her Ford ute hitting a tricoloured dingo nearly 80 ks out from the Border Village,on further a sad discovery that a cyclist had had a run in with another traveler thank heavens it was being dealt with before I came along

at one of the look outs,

 The walkway to lookout!Unwitting star of pic was fello travelers who also warned us about accident ahead

 Looking back at designated car park

Ben posing,unwillingly,discovered his aversion to being photographed and even worse having them posted on FB
We saw three live dogs and few emus but not the number warned about,a lot of dead wombats unfortunately I wonder if theres many left in the wild in that patch through Ceduna to Kimba.
Second night was at the Poinsettia Motel on the highway through town,perfect location though road noise might be annoying to some on the road side of the complex,they know me well enough now so it was the convenience,old family feel to the place that brings me back there.
A bit late starting next morning (teenagers are hard to move along..)
On the way up into hills toward Peterborough

A very windy track that is scary when you first get there but old hands like me tend to rally drive,oops did I say that?? most corners were 30 to 45km ones,with high rock walls and dead drops on some parts,it was hell going up through there in the Cruiser before towing a heavy trailer! First and second gear but without a turbo or V8 couldnt expect more
No more pics til we arrived in Dubbo,an unwilling passenger to stop and use camera was the most common reason and time,leaving the right time to avoid early animal activity to arriving to a destination that is full of them,was a constant factor.The wild goats coming into Cobar were a huge issue,most just sat there to looked as they mowed down on the grasses along the road side,there was a band of rain just before McCullouchs Range (a few pics of what we saw,dry of course) and into town,so devastatingly dry everywhere else. The high point on that evening was a lone Echidna truddling over the road just on dusk,wished I could have got a pic but he moved a bit fast for me,lol
Cobar the third night,catch up with family and onto Dubbo the next day.
At Trangie we passed a huge group of riders on mostly Teneires,(Yamahas) going on a outback trek,lol,they looked like there was purpose in mind as they literally thindered by,that point in trip remains in my mind as although watching speed etc i think I just over going to the dogs hind leg things road and dont know I got my photo done by Traffic peoples.
We spent a couple of days catching up with family and bit of shopping as Grace BRos there is the only place i can usualy buy very nice underwear,this time?? nothing,very disapointed,not ben he wasnt impressed but after finding the Husband chair left there by staff he was a bit happier,must be embarrassing for a teen to be with Mum on a bra hunt,lol
My main aim this year was getting to the Warrambungles,(Coonbarabran, a day trip,we left at 9.30,spent two hours in park and got home at 6pm)I have a little dream of doing an art project about the devstating fires that roared through there a few months agao,although I was a bit late getting there for the shots I was after,the raw aftermath I did get enough to start,Im hoping prints paintings and mixed media
heres a few pics

 The danger of falling dead trees was very real and even though I know my way around in these sort of areas I didnt take the risk

 The heat must have been really out there, even back in close to town the tops of the trees showed the signs of how this monster fire created a weather zone all on its own.

 White gum lookout,you can see the burnt out valleys and craggy tops

 Bens not good at taking photos but just to say Ive BEEN HERE!!!

Tenacious life!

Grass trees,the reason I went there,got a good number of pics but wont over load Blogger today!
The Telescope

 As we wind our way up the tall hill with Ben complaining its scary,dead drops along side what appeared a bitumen goat track,I questioned whether it was open,no signs blocking our entry to road as other side ones did, but we were lucky,its had been open for two weeks

 And I snuck past the no Visitor signs and scrambled down the hill side,Ben complaining again and prancing around like a collie pup worried Id go bum up!!

Back in Dubbo,this was our last day but we managed to catch up with a few people including a cuz I hadn't seen for more than 20 years and came across another and an Aunty with similar years of invisibility  this time as we waited for coffees at the divine Mr Beans Coffee shop in Macquarie St,I turned and wow, It was instant recognition and smiles all around despite one of them had deliberately distanced herself many years ago,must have over come her disagreeance of my large family having end up with one herself,lol The family has some horrible history and they need to sort it out,being the only sibling left in my own immediate family i hold family to me heart,you never know what may happen.
Unfortunately there was something amis and I didnt catch a few other despite putting out calls to call me,theres always next time!
On the way home we stayed in Cobar again though miss-communication meant a motel stay,a great catch up with family and friends again then off to Port Augusta,then the Border village again,WA/SA border,a pretty non descript trip til we fueled up at Cocklebiddy where we found out we were travelling in famous company,Jon English was heading to Kalgoorlie apparently to visit family then onto Perth for business,I snapped this for fun pretending we were in hot pursuit of an autograph,it was also fun describing to a 14 year old who this famous old Aussie icon was etc...

Well they did say white van.. only down the raod did we actually see him,hed pulled over for a rest,presuming it was hime,anything to alleviate the long drive....
I actually enjoyed the drive,I only find the section this side of Eucla,a 18 stretch that follows a range,flat roo country and another section on either side of Broken hill,roughly an hour or so drive, having a grumpy son who didnt like stopping in the middle of no where for various reason ,we might roll down hill ist getting late etc,did not get the pics I was planning for,theres a bird lookout near Cocklebiddy, theres the pics of the Mucullochs Range for which I was flat to find any for reference on the net for example,I didnt pull into Ceduna this time for lunch of King George Whiting or a look at the sea... as I said theres always next year when it will be me..on my..own...
Oh to add lastly I left in such a disorganized rush I left the knitting bag behind( lucky I had a scarf cowl thingy still on the back seat) and the Windmill painting didn't make it either...sorry Cuz!!

So Tired

It was a long day yesterday,flew to Kal for Hule Dash test,up at 5am to get lunches ready for boys school and work,drove into town,65kms,in time for a half hour sit before boarding,they were running a bit late,hit Perth,had something to eat,grabbed a couple of balls of sock wool,the NZ one,a ball of very bright blue Noro sock,I might get another one I think later,at first I thought I might knit a largish shawl mixing this new one with a brownie pink I already have,we ll see
Had Hule dash test,headed back to Subiaco for a coffee and resisted a visit to Susans,there was a gorgeous,purple peasant top,hopefully there ll be one in Dubbo next week,lol
Back to Airport at 3.30pm to confirm late delayed flight,sat around for three hours and finally got home last night at 9pm,today I cut back the sports oval,the one they wont water..and boy I am totally trashed...
did I say i visited art shop and picked up four more brushes and also some touch up super soft pastels,in the pale yellow grey blue and red,they hardly look any different,at least im working my way to a decnet collection of AS pastels.
Only linkys tonight..
Only a few days and Im officailly on holidays,diving back to Mothers on Wednesday at this stage,not sure if I have passengers,it will be at least a two day maybe a three day trip to get there...

Pondering

I have three skeins of moorit spun with at least two more tops hiding to be spun up,Im thinking what pattern can I use them
Brooklyn tweeds patterns using the 4ply Loft look fabulous
Waterhouse http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/waterhouse
Breckon http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/breckon
Boardwalk http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/boardwalk-2
Im taking the tops with me to spin at Mothers so I can get them out of stash and into usable stash
I originally bought them for a plain vest of some kind but also added a large skein of mill spun in the same color to my basket cause the lovely lady didn't have the one I wanted (rich dark black corriedale)

Very soft and a delight to spin,I will have to dig one lot out and start very soon..as soon as I finish a couple UFOs

Easter saturday

The grocery store was quieter this morning,a lot and I mean a lot of people have headed to the coast or to Perth for this break,I dont know if everyone's got the Good Friday through to Tuesday off but the schools have here locally,Bens Catholic College has for religious reasons but the Public ones have been given it to replace the day usually given of for the Kal Fair...
Me,well il not feeling on top as there's a nasty bug lingering in the house,seems like a cold but glandular fever is around and Im feeling as though Im just holding off something,been like it for four days,dragging feet,no enthusiasm  I also think my consumption of the Nyall Cold and Flu Fighter tablets might also have an effect,they do work and normally without that awful feeling that accompanies the usual chemical flu fighters.
The Bike ride has been put off til Monday as firend hubby will be home to watch their progeny,Im thinking I wont make it due to this bug,hopefully I can fight it off but I also have to fly to Perth on Wednesday for a hull dash test whatsit on hand,the insurance people are not being very nice but at least theyve given me the flight times I requested,I just hope I make the return flight.
Management aren't particularly interested either.even the new boss who did say he wanted to discuss how I was going etc hasn't broached the topic since that comment,its just been me and my GP and as hes left town and there's no Doctors here now its just me,myself and I.
The operation at this stage hasn't really worked and am left with an aching elbow and a stiff wrist that has shooting pain occasionally,I have a very high pain barrier and this nearly floors me,Ive told the Specialist that as long as he could fix me up to ride a Yamaha 660 across the Nullabor Ill be happy, soo comes the question if the test comes back to his satisfaction but not mine,do I sign off and hope for best??
No picks to day,most of my SD cards are either full or damaged but I did pick up a new 4 GB at Woollies today for $6 so maybe later I will do something..
Beautiful weather today and I think its the nicest time of the year,I love my jeans and the longer sleeves I like to wear especially with my scared arm,the need for a scar is not there really yet but the wool socks get an outing. Knitting and spinning at this time of the year is very enjoyable too.
Edited to add pics,got my lazy butt and got the new SD card out of packet

 Something Tuscan

got to love new brushes,these Ive found on various trips over last month

 Son inspecting new Suki

The start of the Long Weekend

Its another weekend though this time its a bit longer with work declaring no work from Friday to next Wednesday,however I can leave my gardens that long so i shall sneak back on Tuesday and do a little string lining in a class room and mowing the big back lawn,Wednesday i fly to Perth for a Hull dash test on my hand then two days of work,car service Monday week,a day to see if they've buggered car and then head off to see Mother on the Wednesday,oh that's right my hair gets done on Friday next so Mother cant pick ,"what  has the hairdresser done to your hair"
At the moment though Im praying I haven't picked up Bens tonsillitis as Im supposed to be going to a ride to Widgie for a Widgie burger with another Bike chick...on Saturday

two hours sleep last night,no guessing where Im off to now..........

OMG!!!!!!

A couple hours on my own,everyones elsewhere for a reason or other so Im home alone from work,still in my dusty greasy(serviced ride one mower) but the peace is unbelievable
yes Im still spinning that orange yellow,yes Ive finished a painting, and as soon as I get down and pay the phone bill and post son ADF papers ill be able to start on the next one,a still life of a large shell I picked up at the coast,liquid graphite I think then an oil  The windmill has gone to framers and for $178 Ill have a master piece all done,yikes not remembering that bit

Its only little, 5 x 7 inches but Im going to do a series of six so small ones are easier and more personal
Although Ive signed it I may revisit it yet as I picked up some divine tiny oil brushes in Perth ,(Subiaco),Ill be able to get back there in a couple of weeks so will add to collection again then.I also picked up some Bamboo paper for painting,acrylics oils and most media, rather excited to try it, I also picked up a few more art Spectrum Pastel there plus another few at Black Crow Studios in Kal on Sunday
Its warm and sticky today though the breeze is wonderful when it does appear,the Doctor wind will be favored tonight
It was quite close(muggy) in Perth,flew down on Saturday to see specialist and managed to find a beaut coffee shop where if I get the chance next trip to try the delicious looking Asian foods they were also providing,I dont eat during the day,well meals that is,I nibble on small things and these were feast proportions,served in wonderfully large round soup like bowls with Chinese inspired spoons.It was right next to the Crossways Wool and Fabric shop, the art shop was just down the road and ten minutes to Doctors. In fear of missing flight I dashed back at 2.30 to sit around for nearly 3 hours before flying home. Saving for trip home so it was probably good thing.

Up on top of Donkey Rock last weekend, I discovered how to use timer,lol

Lovely to find some color,it was a lovely spot especially after the rains we ve just had,the frogs are breeding every where and the water was still trickling off the dam that sits at the edge of the rock.I was so tired but it was worth getting out away from town for a morning

The damming walls made up of pieces of local plate rock to capture the rain and guide to the catchement

there were mosses and ferns down there

Looking down! It was a fair hike to the top!!
Looking forward to another trip to another place of discovery

Autumns here

Although muggy its pleasantly coolish and beautiful breeze is blowing through,at lunch today I managed to cast off the first in two pairs of Cleckheaton country in pink withe fleck, a boot sock,my own pattern,the other one is a pink variegated bamboo,cast on the toe for the second but have to find the other ball for the country sock,I can believe however that i got one sock from a ball,I need to weigh it though but I cant see a join,its been in the making for some time so no memories attached
I do have to get some spinning done,its a thank you for a lovely person who went out of her way to help me in Perth after my operation, unforgettably I wasnt able to return that favour when she came to Kalgoorlie as I was up to me ears in a heavy assignment and wasnt even in town that day,I hope this will be a offering worthy of her wonderful help,she showed me a honey cowl and how it was made so there should be enough in this top for her to make another
As for spinning,check this out!!

From here

I love the Modern Metal Batts too,so tempting to get them!
Starting to freak out about the next couple days,Im training another person as assistant but so worried it turn out like the last 4 years, nastiness,exclusion,and total outcast in what is normally a great place to work.Ill just lay low and go with the wind,with hubby and his situation I cant leave the job
And just interest sake
Check out the colours in this fello,hunting froggies for breakfast,not hard to see I love blue!

One Project done Now with pics

Im finished that cowl,got most done last night but finished this afternoon,a bit in Coffee Cluband cast off when I got home,I went in to drop second son at a friends place to catch train to Perth to go to Soundwave,Im trying not to think how he ll be,hes 19 and usually has commonsense but I still worry with all those drunken idiots and one hit stuff.
Pics tomorrow of cowl,its currently blocking!!Seriously nice stuff,Ive been looking for buttons and think Ill go with pinky dark purplish shell ones in 14mm size. I think after its dried i will have a double wrap cowl that buttons just like the pattern illustrated.And I can confirm it wraps quite well twice around my neck and it would appear it will button up beautifully!

While looking for spare glasses tonight I also found the two other cowls I did while away in January,Ill be sewing ends in and blocking tomorrow
On the finish list

• abalone
• pink cardigan,cant remember name,oh thats right Harvest Dawn,dont think colour is going to suit me but its so pretty
• handspun cable vest

To start (while not studying)

• Bendigo vest by two,just the basic pattern,if I can find the blasted thing
• Cleckheaton vest for work
• Serenade v neck jumper
• Wollmeisse lace shawl,kit 7 I think it is

Of course I have so much wool that I could start heaps more but these are the ones I would make use of this winter

After the Rain,I took this yesterday morning early

Cyclone Rusty

Well we were lucky to have Cyclone Rusty visit us yesterday,it started raining gently on Friday morning early and dint stop til around ten that night,we had some mild flash flooding which put the Council  on edge after the last time,quite a few people had their homes flooded with many copping great cost to repair.
This time after extensive ground works out behind town it was a lot less but I also think the water coming down was a gentle build up not the massive storm dumping its load in a short time,last time it cam within a few inches of he front door this time it out in the gutter, about 4 inches according to our Council man who was around this morning!!

The weathers beautiful,coolish in that damp sort of way,if I wasn't a little tired Id be flapping away on the sewing machine
Im nearly finiahed another cowl scarf thingy,pics as soon as Im done,the yarn was from a destash, Zen garden Tencelicious,a limited Aussie edition,its quite squishy and Im looking forward to wearing it,chasing up buttons will be fun too

A little trip

Back a few years..times were better though not problem free at least there was a happier stuff,I wasnt tired,there was more time for family stuff,lizards featured highly, bush walking was it.

Enforced

holidays....idiot me didnt look and read properly and enrolled History unit for SP2 not 1 for which it wasnt even available,well it looked availbale when i was doing it...whinging and crying wont cut so am ramping up to do two units next SP3 when the daylight hours are coming in after Winter

Until then its painting sewing drawing spinning and reading in my free times

Had a look at this designer,Ive followed her for a while,beautiful designs. I still haven't started Manu ,well I do have time now for three months..idiot,MUST wear glasses when doing important stuff like enrolling

List to do this week

• sew up tops,just the gathering bands and hems
• clean up vegie garden
• mow lawn
• knit on at three projects

And just for something different a pic of where my biggest baby works,I nicked this from his page! Hes doing nightshift at the moment,7 days 7 nights and 7 days off.