Time to be flat

Well life is a funny old thing, as those of you who know me life has been a bit of a trial lately well in fact since my house burnt down last year.........

So I am lucky to have had no pain from my gall stones for 12 hours and that should make me really happy and I am on one level I promise but I have always tried to be positive so why is it today I have felt sore but not in bad pain, but miserable to the point of tears... I have cried over and over today.  Now none of you need to worry I tend to use these times as an indicator that I need to do some introspection so I have set aside my tears and sat with myself in a calm and kind way and tried to see what my body and mind is telling me....



The answers are varied... from you are allowed to feel rotten you have been suffering pain now for most of the time in the last 3 weeks... so dont worry just accept... to its due to the lack of taking pethidine for the last 12 hours... I suspect that both are correct in a way along with many many other reasons, I am tired from all the pain and when very tired I can get emotional... so yes today has been a rotten day emotionaly and yes I wish it hadnt been like that but no I dont regret it and no I dont think it was an unreasonable set of feelings to have..

BUT thats it today was misery day but tomorrow is another day and one which is full of potential so I intend to find the potential and enjoy it to the full....

Today was not a productive day either knitting or spinning but did skein the yarn spun last spin Saturday and got 165 yds of lace/3ply yarn and the colours are lovely here are the photos

not great photos but hey ho cant be perfect all the time lol

visitors and singles

Well technology is awesome and sometimes I even manage to work out how to use it properly... today I am proud that I have moved whole posts from one forum in Ravelry to another and they seem to have worked wonders will never cease...lol


So I was lucky again today the weather was brilliant and our lovely friend Moira came over this side of the Clyde and spent some time with us.... Jo and I met Moira at Seasons for a wee lunch and tea and then came back to the flat and sat on the balcony... we were lucky to have Brahan with us for company and he was charming as ever.  Brahan has his own Facebook page and well if you come from Paisley you will understand him better than I do lol here is a wee photo or two of Brahan today










Now please don't think that Brahan was squashed for room at all he was determined to lay on the blanket that Moira's mum did for me a few months ago for Vinnie...and well I couldn't resist letting him...


So what fun we had laughing at rubbish stuff really but think it was sheer relief as Moira's daughter had been really unwell this week and was in hospital having major surgery and this was our way of lightening things for her... Must remember to apologise she legged it back along the front for the ferry she and I saw coming but in fact it was a wee fishing boat and she could have stayed for another 15 mins.... but am so glad we spent the time together it definitely helped me and I hope it helped her.... Once she was gone Jo stayed for a wee while trying to help me as my meds weren't really working too good... Any way decided to get out the new wee drop spindle I had received from the lovely Susannaknits on Ravelry and spin some of the nice silky tops that Jo brought back from England.... I did the first wee amount and wound it off to see how much yardage I was getting and in the fiddly doing of this remembered something the Knitmore girls said about placing a straw over the spindle and winding onto the straw and then just whipping the straw off after and wee amount and storing ready for plying so had a go and well other than one disaster it worked really well and 65 yards later here is what I got..

Don't they look pretty along with the spindle and wow look wee Vinnie in the back ground....bless

However the next picture shows you the right fankle I got into when I wound on too tight and the straw wouldn't come off and the yarn did.... erm not nice but hoping to use in some weaving for texture....lol

it doesn't look so nice.... most of the yarn was recovered slowly and added to the wee straws above but this last tangle is well a mess quite frankly..


So the sun stayed out today as well which well is amazing not sure how much longer it will last but definitely longer than the petrol around here... For some daft reason people have started panic buying petrol because of a possible delivery drivers strike... how silly can people be they have caused the shortages now before the strike in anticipation of the strike... I do wonder at the sensibilities of some folk.... Says the woman who thinks riding a tandem mountain bike at the age of 54 is sensible... so who am I to talk...lol

And I must say although the flat isn't Milton having the balcony and being so central is very nice and it does mean I am getting lots of company at the moment and that is always good especially when I am now not driving and most days feeling really rather unwell... Still each day brings a new experience I just need to keep my mind open to see it....

inspiring moments

Today, I was in the company of a group of woman who have a common love. A love of a hobby which each one has arrived at from a different road....... But today we all came together to share our time with each other Knitting together...

I had thought I would only be there for a short time, with my wee ailments dictating a short vistit, But my soul/heart was fare singing as we tore across the clyde today.  Seeing the sun out and the first passengers risking cold winds just so they could sit outside was very inspiring and I was wondering why I hadnt gone up the top as I nearly always do when the sun is out and realised I was conserving my energy as I wanted to be at Once a Sheep so much this morning and being warm on the crossing was one way of having a bit of energy left for enjoying my knitting with the girls... Sadly it is only girls if I go in the day on a Wednesday as Lewis our lovely gentle giant of a male knitter is usually at work and so cant make it... I have really stopped going on a Thursday evening due mainly to the tiredness I experience by evening but I am more aware at the moment of the people who I just don't get chance to be with by only going on a Wednesday.... perhaps soon I will make Thursday evenings again.....

Anyway my blog today is about inspiring moments and well there was a lot of those while sitting in the back room of Once a Sheep knitting today, firstly the sun was streaming through and Karen just kept leaping out of her seat and taking pictures through the big windows at the views on the Clyde... Karen along with a few of the others do a daily photo blip and Karen's is always of what she sees out of her window looking over the Clyde. http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/1863247

The photo below is not one of Karen's photos but one from the flat balcony this morning and well was the inspiration to get me out of bed, dressed and over on the wee ferry to Once a Sheep

Another was just being with the girls and Moira, whose darling daughter was in hospital and having an operation, and well it was so nice to be part of the group holding her in a fibre hug while trying to keep her mind occupied... it was a mammoth day for her but glad to say her lovely vibrant daughter eventually came out of theatre in the early evening and is now starting life of less pain... Hugs Kirsty you are in all our hearts along with your mum and dad...

I sat there and was just looking round absorbing all the ladies with all their tales of husbands, children and knitting of course and it came to me how much this group of ladies mean to me.... I had not really felt well enough to be out today but well I needed a distraction from pain and they were giving me that by the bucket load and we all were there for something comforting and our love of fibre was giving us all the opportunity to be together and be supportive and be friends....

Of course this wee introspection didn't go unnoticed by anyone and I caught the eye of a couple of ladies who nodded asked if I was OK and just helped me... thank you ladies you really rock...

This was also the case later on when I started to fidget with pain and a quiet word of support came from a couple of more ladies and I was able to take my meds and carry on knowing that I was in a kind and thoughtful group....

When home at the flat later on and thinking over this wonderful day I noticed more wee inspiring moments from Eileen sharing some books that she had read and really enjoyed to Karen's Mitten, up on the drainer drying. Not all of those moments were met with gushing praise at the time and thanks but they warmed my heart and I carried them with me to my quiet contemplation times and well thank you all.

So as the evening wound down and my lovely hubby was due in from work I was in a lovely comfortable caring place in my mind and spirit and I was awake and cosy and happy and I know that meant a lot to Rob too so all these little inspiring moments went on to inspire him too...

I now wonder what tomorrow will bring and if I am going to be open enough to see it all ....................

Old friends and comfy slippers

Well a dear friend made a passing comment the other day about her catching up on listening to http://knitmoregirls.blogspot.co.uk/ , and this got me thinking, when did I last listen to them or any other of my old favourite podcasts and I realised I hadn't since "the Milton fire".  So I went and downloaded some of the back podcasts and have been happily sitting on the balcony with my knitting and being drawn back into their lovely mother and daughter knitting adventures... So a big thanks to Liz who reminded me about this pleasure and its nice to be back listening... its just like slipping back into a comfy pair of slippers... bliss



this is not actually how I looked knitting today but it was as relaxing with the clyde the sun and a cup of tea while listening to the knitmore girls....

So what with this lovely weather and having a balcony I am fulfilling a childish dream....

As I grew up I always thought having a house with a balcony would be the bestest ever... well at this moment I can concur with that memory it is the greatest and I am loving getting my washing out to dry and sitting with a cuppa and just being outside in the sun with the world going by and my knitting, I have said on Facebook if it wasnt for the pain of the gall stones this would be perfect at the moment just perfect...

So the weather is unusual its official even if you didnt know it the Met says so :

March temperature records broken again in Scotland.

Scotland has broken its March maximum temperature record for the second consecutive day. The March record, set on Sunday at Fyvie Castle of 22.8C, was surpassed on Monday at Aboyne which reached 22.9C. The previous record of 22.2C was established in 1957 and was equalled in 1965. Elsewhere, the warmest spot in England was 20.9C at Keswick. Wales recorded 21.1C at Porthmadog and Northern Ireland reached 19.4C at Giants Causeway. Issued at 1937 on Mon 26 Mar 2012.

So I believe this weather will continue of a couple of more days and I for one am very happy that this is so... I have my sunscreen bought and applied numerous times today and it will be again tomorrow for breakfast on the balcony...... lunch......and even afternoon nap possibly... so if you are passing and fancy a wee balcony break feel free to come up and join me all welcome.

And on that note I am off for a wee look on ravelry to see what I am going to be knitting next

Spring is here

wow, the last two days have been amazing, the sun has come out to play and in honour of this all us living here in Scotland have dashed outside as soon as possible...

I have spent the last two days in rather a lot of pain but have worked out a medication regime which means I am not rolling about in agony but will have to contact G.P. on monday as he wanted to know when I needed to medicate full time...

So what did I do on Saturday.. Well the sun was out and I got up with the plan to just sit on the balcony and enjoy it however plans are made to be broken and well it was just not possible to sit with the pain so I took a wee wander down into the town along the shore.  It was so pleasant the birds were crying and you could hear all the noises of families spending time together outside and well it fare made me smile...

In dunoon I sat outside Seasons and did a few rows of my Later Gator Cowl in the gorgeous Debbie Bliss Andes until time to go to the supermarket for a good shop.   Again the plans didnt quite go to plan  lol quelle suprise.... I was supposed to go do the shopping and be waiting in the car park for Rob to come round with Halle to transport me and enormeous shop back to the flat.... LOL I forgot to put in my money so after the shopping was in the basket had to wait till he came in to pay....ops

Now some of you will think that that is a good thing but NO it means man packing and one thing I cant stand is man packing of shopping..... to me it so logical you unload the trolley onto the conveyor belt with the items you want to sit together in the bags, ie tins and sharp hard items together, soft items together, washing detergent cleaning stuff together, raw meat and fish together, and fruit etc together.  Then it can be packed in a bag together making it easier to carry/load into the car etc.  And not a chance of the packet of couscous being poked and split by the edge of the .. say corn beef tin...  So you get the drift Rob being at the supermarket before check out means stress for me... Now the wee beastie of a hubby knows my anxst about packing and I well it was too big an opportunity for him to miss and yes you can guess he kept moving bits and pieces of shopping from various places on the conveyor belt just for fun.... Gosh it is a good job I adore that man isnt it.... but shhhhhhhhhhhh dont tell him...but it was fun

So it was back to flat then a wee trip again to Seasons as the lovely Liz was sitting doing work but had done it all and wanted a wee knitting break, always happy to obigue of course, and a walk back to flat when finished means that I had managed two walks and two knitting in public times so not as restful as planned but much more fun lol

So the clocks sprung forward and we were supposed to have an hour less in bed.... well no we just got up when we woke up no alarms just sleep.... And we awoke to more sunshine woohoo, So it would have been wrong not to

Eat our breakfast outside nom nom,

That set the pattern of the day for me, I sat and sewed in some ends and finished a couple of nice projects

The colour is very bleached out of this photo so sorry not to do the Andies justice will get a better photo soon

Then I got a couple of photos of Later Gater I made for a friend once again the sun is bleaching the colours again.... just not used to all this bright sunshine

As you can see the sun was out and the clyde still had some mist in the distance.... the wind was just rising and not long after this was taken I decamped back into the flat to prepare my first Chicken dinner in 25 years.... it was an organic free range corn fed wee chook and boy did it taste good along with dry roasties, carrots and parsnips..........nom nom

So it is now nearly bedtime after a really sunny weekend and I not only had some nice fresh air but managed to finish two projects sew in the ends and update my ravelry project pages....I think the upside of my medication not totally killing my gall stone pains means I have to keep moving and doing stuff....lol

Excitement and Surprises

Well what a lovely couple of days.  It started with a lovely sporran from Susanna my spoiler.  This was my fifth swap with the lovely ladies from Ravelry Outlander Group.  The swaps are based on the wonderful books written by Diana Gabaldon...
This was based on A breath of snow and Ashes

Book 5 in the series.. 

I was wonderfully surprised by my sporran arriving, it came on wednesday and as I was feeling so rotten with pain I left it till later in afternoon to open and was it worth having pain in control to enjoy opening such lovely goodies....

Here is a copy of what I posted on the sporran received forum and please dont be afraid to drool because I was truely spoiled...

so here goes, got in from visit to OAS my lys and look what I found waiting for me…

Then I opened it up and was blown away by the jam packed pile of goodies look

wow I hear you all cry out and yep that is really a wee drop spindle you can see…

but first was my wee note from the lovely susanna, its contents made me very happy and also cry and I am truely touched that she wanted to get so much in she made almost everything so she could keep to the budget and she was inspired by my positive attitude and had found it inspiring that she decided to emulate me …. wow how awesome and thanks for such an accolade… ok will get on to the goodies now…. lol oh but the note was on a lovely wee notlet with a pic of a shaker stool and yarn filled carrier …just saying…lol

So the amazingly light wee drop spindle, its hand made by susanna herself and its awesomely light and the colours are so gorgeous… 

and well its does what it says on the label its a great wee spindle look at the fineness of this very first wee spin ….. havent done any more coz well there was other presents to open….lol but here is a close up of the very very fine stuff I managed just like that while sitting on the floor surrounded with lovelies

its thinner than my finger nail, and yep they are acrylic a present for my birthday as hands had taken a real beating with ill health… but still that is fine yarn its a spinning…

Well the biggest bag shouted at me to look in me… and its a gorgeous hand made wee bag with the cutest lace top and inside was these…………

lovely snickers squares and reis cups …………. I have died and gone to …………… heaven (though not had one even sniffed one as gall bladder yuky again so they are waiting for my recovery)… how ever there was these in here too and I have already had a stick of it and its totally nom nom … teaberry gum..

for those who may remember Germoline it smells like that and tastes like I thought that would taste and I love it… oh and susanna also explained that the teaberry though not mentioned in the books by DG they did grow readily in the mountains so would be something Claire would use in her herbals…

So next pressie, I could smell something gorgeous and in a lovely wee hand knitted bag was a home made soap with instructions not to use before 21/3/and wow its the 21st today so thats so awesome… the soap is lemongrass, geranium and rosemary scented and well smells devine

Then there was the cutest orifice hook made again by susanna and it was a blue dyed agate with a silver hook and is so so lovely, she is worried it may not fit my orifice but it will hun I promise….

And well then I was blown away by the next item, as a beginner weaver myself she said she had made this beautiful laptowel for spinning, dark oneside and light on the other so I can see the fibre…. and to forgive any imperfections… well for starters with handmade things there are no imperfections only the beautiful handmadeness or what I call artistic variation, and there was none anyway amazing… i aspire to weave as well as you one day….

and here are a series of pictures of the cutest stitch markers, 3 sets, one which reminds susanna of the wee silver fishes that jamie catches the wee trout… one which the crystals sparkle like the dew on a spiders web and wee gemstones, and the last set I opened was a set which has wee flowers in the glass just like claires herbs… can I say that these stitch markers are totally adorable snag free and well darn cute….

now on to the lovely fibre…. Finn sheep roving got from the shepherdess that week and susannas favourite fibre to spin…. didnt know this sheep not native here and all I can say is its really lush… cant wait to spin it… thanks

And some absolutely fantastic yarn, lace weight merino purple gorgeousness, the photos not done most of the colours justice (really ought to learn how to take photo’s of colourful items) but it certainly hasnt this yarn.. its a make I also dont know so all the better to try woo hoo Ella Rae and italian….

now ladies I think you can all say that I have been the receiver of a truely amazing sporran. The wee bags that the items came in are all beautifully knitted and make awesome presents in themselves and wow what a neat idea, wish I had thought of that one… (stored away for next swap)

I am not sure yet what the yarn will be exactly I am thinking it might have to be something to wear around my shoulders because yesterday I also bought a lovely summer dress with that exact purple shade in it.... serendipity or what...

Another lovely thing to make me very happy this last two days was to hear that my gorgeous, clever and talented daughter Lindsay has been selected to carry the olympic torch somewhere in Inverness on June 9th.  Great excitment and what a brilliant opportunity for her...

She has worked hard with sport and is a wonderful ambassador for woman and sporting opportunities, in fact she inspired me to take up skiing again after being of the slopes for 40 years... 

And that is a nice wee lead into the last wonderful surprise and great excitement of the last couple of days... Skiing

I went for my 3rd lesson at xscape Braehead on Thursday, this was miss booked by them so it meant that I had an instructor to myself.  Stevie was lovely talented and well she was so enthusiastic, I managed to begin parallel turning and though not always as stylish and elegant smooth I would like to be... I can now sweep down the slopes with a wee bit of panache a wee bit of luck but a huge amount of pride.... I have taken myself to outside my comfort zone and beyond but now the zone is bigger and more fun.... so if anyone of you is wondering should I do this, dont let age/ health or your lack of confidence be what holds you back. 

I am no able to go skiing with out an instructor and get some practice on the slopes before I do the rest of level5 and 6... 

I have been wondering what else I would like to do this next year of my life... the last one has been eventful to say the least but this one is going to be such fun and have many more surprises and excitement

lol a wee aside post here....

Tatting is harder than I thought but have managed to get the thing to flip wooohooo one day hope I can make something like this

And not all steamers are the same doh I know but for goodness sake I am used to putting one layer on then the next and the last when its time for each one...this only needed some for thought not a mountain of headaches... my new steamer has 3 different size baskets which stack, and for some reason the smallest basket goes on the bottom..... OK I am no engineer but I thought if you were stacking things for stability you put the biggest at the bottom and moved up..... nope... so not only did it take for ever to get the stuff in the baskets and them to slot together properly I didn't realise that I hadn't got the correct veg in the bottom one... so some is too soft and some is a bit too al dente.... oh the joys of cooking


The offending steamer

Oh and so we are having romanesco tonight....

not had it before but looking forward to the experience... do you like it?

spring has been and gone

Spring is with us so we are lead to believe so what does spring mean to me?

These

Beautiful daffodils nodding their heads in the sunshine...

However today we have this

Not quiet stormy but it could be soon or is that a wee glimmer of hope trying to peak through?

Well this grey sky image with the possible storm or on a more positive note the glimmer of hope is how my day feels today.  I have had a very stormy evening night last night and its left me feeling very tired and a wee bit sad but as ever I work and look for positive in all things and maybe its a start of something more healthy and good I can only hope that this is the case.  I am a wear my heart on my sleeve lady and well I am a little bruised but stronger and wiser for putting my heart out there and allowing life to give it a wee tug... 

So today what did I do when I woke after my unsettled night I sat with myself and absorbed, investigated my feelings and the motives behind these feelings and how to move forward so today is one that I am taking my time with and just trying to approach things with compassion and honesty two things which are not always good bedfellows but which I am striving to live my life with.....

So my plan of action today is to make some homemade soup with metta for my poorly body, visit a friends dog and let it have a bit of fun while its owner is else where, go see another dear friends children dance with all the children in this area within an age range.  And finally my creative juices are itching to warp my borrowed loom and master a new skill or at least double stitch in tatting....

Go forward with love in your heart and honesty 

Brilliant Birthday and Mothering Sunday

Wow what an awesome day... So much kindness and such thoughtful gifts. So what does my family think is the appropriate day out for a 54 year old ( yes I am that old), who has M.E. is in the middle if a rotten gall stones attack .... A quiet stroll and lunch, or a day of rest with feet up being waited on hand and foot ..... OH NO they know me so well... A session at excape sledging. So on our first sunny day we head off on the ferry in convoy and don our crash helmets hats scarves gloves waterproof trousers and climb the slopes with the tiniest wee sledge to launch ourselves down again. What fun, was I the oldest yep did I have the mist fun MOST definitely... After the first run and crashing in an almighty pileup at the bottom I realised you need to place you not so small bottom on the tiny plastic form central. Lol easier said than done but I am sure my squeals could be heard as far as greenock lol. Thank goodness the sessions last 30 mins coz I wouldn't have made any longer. This was the best workout my body could have had, every muscle was used many times and well how often do I get chance to career down a mountain holding on to a mans thighs squealing for my dear life crash end up face planting in the snow and be able to get up and do it all again... Result thanks rob for such a great me present and fit being my stoker for a change on a downhill pursuit.... And a lively soft landing zone at the bottom lol. The rest of my special day was awesome with the family, food and tea and new gardens to sit in .... Just what the doctor ordered. Now some photos of my awesome presses

Musings from a 54 year old

Well today starts my 54 th year on this wonderful planet. And I am unable to sleep.
Is it excitement due to all the fun things happening tomorrow? Possibly.
Is it because my gall bladder is playing up again? Probably

Am I really such a child who can't sleep if something exciting or different is happening the next day? Absolutely lol

So my birthday has started with a pain and hubby sleeping and me wide awake .... :)

So how long do I need to wait till fun and more fun ? 3 hours

So what shall I do now? Go to sleep else you will be too tired tomorrow, I here now just as I did 50yrs ago my mums voice ... Lol don't ever think you forget the voice if reason when childish behaviour rears it's fascinating head coz you won't lol

So goodnight from me and catch you later with my cards and pressies woo hoo