do this post justice but AM did it for me…

 because I went crafting at her house for the evening when our friend’s birthday curry was cancelled. In her lovely post you can see I span some of the alpaca, which I dont have any photos of at the moment. Oh and I’m not so perfect as she says, it’s all smoke and mirrors.

Anyways I’ve got other things to write-up now, so go and visit my lovely friend and her very expressive and funny blog.

still catching up on blog posts I should have done in the last month or so. Nearly there though so bear with me.

*gurrrr*

Sorry. That was my best bear impression.

So, I had a visit to my brother’s house and Scotty did not come with because he was feeling the cold after I had it. It was the weekend of the clocks going back so we all gained an extra hour. I brought a pumpkin over to carve for the kids. It was a stunning day so first we went out to pick sloes and enjoy the nice but slightly cold autumnal day. We saw a barn owl swooping through the field we walked through moments before. The twins were great and held the tubs nice and tight and picked leaves out whilst we filled them with Sloes. Then when we got back I carved a ghostie in to my pumpkin and my brother attacked a blue squash which was very hard indeed and managed to carve a really good face in it. They were both set up outside on the patio and had little nightlight candles in them that we could see from the dining room window. My brother has taken photos but he’s not sent them to me yet. The whole evening was topped off with reading Dr Seuss Fox in Socks to Izzy. Them words completely made my tongue tingle!

So after a thoroughly beautiful day I got in to the car, cranked up classic FM (yeah, my car just kind of suits classical. Wierd but the Honda civic just does not sound right with most other music) and started to pull out of my brothers driveway, fully relaxed and happy. Lights on, because it’s in the deep countryside with no street lights. Just as I pull out of the drive a dog runs past me. OK slightly worrying, I stop the car turn off the engine and another dog zips past the car. At this point I’m a little worried and wind down the window to check there are no other mad creatures dashing about in the dark. Except I didn’t wind the window down fully. Then tried to stick my head out of the window. OH dear. My nose had a bruise for two weeks and I still have a little scar on the bridge and I swear I must have broken it on the sharp(ish) edge of the window. Made me just a little bit dizzy and confused. I drove on slowly, lights back on. Then saw the neighbour who thanked me for watching out for his dogs. I did not stop or say anything, just waved.

The good thing with all this is I did have Monday as holiday. I planned to go with my lovely big sister to Sprowston Manor for a spa day with massage. Except on Sunday she did not turn up for the family get together and when calling her I could hear exactly why. She had a nasty case of fluey cold and she was no way in any fit state to ”pamper” herself at a spa. Except when I found out it was Sunday night and there was no way I was going back to work on the Monday to re-arrange my holiday. So instead I had one of those very rare treats indeed, a whole day to myself.

The only issue was I was hiding two rather bruised eyes near the nose area and hid indoors all day, but I did make full use of my time off. I made curtains. Firstly I took down the blind in the bedroom because it was starting to fray at the edges. I then tried to fit the curtain rail we bought a while back and amazingly it fitted JUST RIGHT including using the old screws and raw plug holes that were there for the bar that held up the blind. Hoorah no.1

Then I pootled on down to my crafting room. I just LOVE having a crafting room. Set up the sewing machine and completed a pair of curtains I started some time back. I did it all back to front as usual. Because I found an old sheet that had already been used as curtain lining before in mums massive stash of fabric, I also found some lovely plain curtain fabric too and just the right amount, even the right width too. Because the lining was already hemmed I seamed the hem level in to the curtains and left the top of the curtains till last. I also found in the bountiful stash that mum left me, just enough curtain tape for gathering the curtains properly. One quick measure and a few more lines of straight sewing and they were done. I then found one of the other things mum gave me at my last house, a small packet of curtain hooks. It was all there every single bit I needed under my nose, exactly the right number of hooks that matched the rail we bought months back. That day sewing she was completely with me, watching over my shoulder. Still nagging a little as I chose to do it my way instead of hers but thoroughly with me when I got it right. Now I go to bed every night, and just before climbing in I draw the curtains that I made, that mum tought me how to make and all those years watching her bent over the sewing machine has rubbed off. It reminded me that I am still very much a part of her, let alone her being a part of me. I’m proud to have picked up even an ounce of her skills.

Apart from that I spent the rest of the day spinning the very beautiful grey black and white marled alpaca floof that AM and I got at the knit and stitch show. I nearly did half a bag, approx 100G but not enough to ply. Still a very highly achieved day over all and the smugness still abounds me now, months later!

The joy of picking up our cats was sadly not as lovely as it should have been. I caught a cold on the way back from Edinburgh on the plane. I was suffering and not feeling at my best. We went and got our little darlings and huddled up as soon as possible but not before someone stopped our car and said “did you know you had a flat tyre?”

I’m sorry to say my reply very candidly was “Oh shit no!”  We pulled around the next corner and whilst I was huddled in the car trying to stave off a case of the shakes, Scotty did the manly thing and started hunting around the boot of the car. Scotty: “does this car have a spare?” me: “no, there should be some sort of kit in the back there to keep us going” followed by lots of rummaging, “oohh a can of emergency tyre repair” me: “eh? whats that?” him: “Oh it just re-inflates the tyre and fills it full of foam to keep you going” me: ” how come you know all this and you don’t drive?” with no reply but I suppose it’s because he’s had enough flats on his bicycle, he knows. There was also a compressor and cables and things so after re-inflating said tyre with the compressor plugged in to the lighter thingy, the can of gunk was not needed. we got home, the tyre was still up so we didn’t bother sorting it straight away.

Then I realised it was Sunday and I had a day trip to Cambridge on Monday or Tuesday for work. Plus we were out of food cos we’d just been on holiday. I much-needed visit to kwikfit was in order, cos I know where it is and its close enough to a supermarket. I dropped off the car and got it confirmed. I knew I was due two new tyres because of wear. These were the two front tyres. The back passenger side (uk style) was the one with a dirty great nail in it also requiring a replacement. Because I pay for this car on HP and did replace it every 3 years or so, and only had this one 2 years I thought to save later I must get like for like tyres. Queue 3 Bridgestones later and a lovely bill of £340. OUCH. I left the car and staggered still slightly cold woozy to the Morrisons on the inner ring road. Did my shopping, deposited the shopping in one of those trolly lock things and went and got the car. Paid up, then went and got the shopping to get that in to the car and go home. By then I was almost fit to cry, and said so when I got in. Luckily Scotty is lovely and does listen when I moan and promptly cooked up a top class Sunday roast dinner.

So after the Friday at the knit and stitch show we saw the family on Saturday whilst delivering kitties to their holiday destination of choice Country cats of Briston. It was a brief trip but lovely.

Sunday late we flew from Norwich to Edinburgh, jumped on a bus and wheeled our shared suitcase round to the posh hotel. Arriving after 10 ish we settled in to the big 42 inch telly, the king size bed and relaxed ready to see the sights the next day.

Monday was lovely. The weather was great and we started out very early and took a long walk down princes street. One minor issue is the entire upheaval of princes street to install a tram system. Still we found Pret, one of my favorite places to eat and got ourselves some breakfast underneath the view of the castle.

We walked and walked, all around the back of the castle and up to the castle and as we had tweeted where we were a friend contacted us and said meet up for lunch. We realized it was too late to start a tour of the castle if we were going to meet our friend. So instead we walked back down to the park and grabbed a cup of tea in the national gallery. Met up with CA and went to fishers for lunch. Their Fresh fish is divine. After a lovely lunch we went back for a nap and out to veggie restaurant for dinner David Bann’s.

Tuesday we stomped up to the castle nice and early to take the tour. Got to see the Scottish crown jewels and lots of cool castley stuff. We stayed for lunch and listened to the gun fire at 1pm, and watched the Nelson monument ball drop which entertained me more than the gun. After walking around for hours we headed back to the hotel for a  swim sauna and steam. We had the pool to ourselves so it was rather nice indeed.  The evening was filled with the cinema where we went to watch UP in 3D. I loved it, its well worth seeing and I’d go and see it again, but I think I’ll just buy it on Blue Ray.

After the movie the weather outside turned a bit nasty so we hunkered down in the hotel bar which had a good chill out area a few cocktails were quaffed (MOHIITOOO!) and we retired to our chambers.

Wednesday we were already tired out. So to take it easy we headed to the Edinburgh bus tour.The explanations via the audio were great and quite entertaining. Scotty chose not to listen but to take photos, so I kept updating him with little potted items that probably didn’t make much garbled sense cos I was still trying to listen. After a good route around the city avoiding princes street we got back to the beginning and stopped in town for a pizza lunch and some shopping. I managed to get a new pair of trousers, a new dress for work and a shirt for work too. HOORAH! I’m not the best at clothes shopping and need female company usually to get it right.

Thursday we visited what I like to call folly central. Calton hill. It was quite a steep climb but well worth looking around the monuments.

Enjoying a cracking view of Edinburgh from Calton Hill

Next on the must see list was the National Gallery of Scotland. Beautiful art in a great building. I’m sure we didn’t see it all but we enjoyed what we did see. A quick trip to the shop was in order to buy haggis for the family. A bus ride back to the airport and our short trip to Edinburgh was over.

Lovely. Oh and one last thing: Scotty’s panorama from the castle in LARGE. watch out its very big indeed.

AM and I went a hunting for floof.
linky to AM’s lovely blog
It is not the natural activity of a mid 30 something ladies, as most of the coach was over 60. We got up early and got ready for the long haul bus to London and a stomp around Alexandra Palace to go to the knit and stitch show.

Firstly we got on the coach and picked up a suitable project to see us through to the point of leaving the coach. I decided my mittens are not quite what I wanted and found some cashmere posh yarn in my stash ready to make Scotty a lovely soft scarf for on his bike. So, we knitted and nattered and generally tried to get an idea of what we wanted before we started walking around cooing and oohing and aaahhing smooshing everything within arms reach. Then AM took a photo… I should be banned from having my photo taken if I’ve gotten up before 9am.
So we got there in one piece and I forgot to bring my camera, or forgot to use it. I cant remember which now, but we dived in like two slightly possessed devils enjoying all the fruits of the sheep, alpaca, silk, mohair, and any other fibery animule you can think of. AM does a much better description of what was there.
I agree with her though there were a lot of things missing: carders, spinning wheels, niddy noddies, lazy kates, swifts, fiber in general, Oh and SOCK BLOCKERS. Damn them all to hell for not having a single sock blocker for sale not even a plastic one.

There were wooden and circular needles and a HUGE line in over size needles. The standard needle gauge thingies but I still could not find a needle gauge pendant. Although I did find a lovely clover yarn cutter which has since been on an aeroplane with me. I love the little cutter, it makes me feel like a knitting ninja with my own throwing star.

Oh and yes I bought yarn… only er.. One skein of silk, One of sock. Then 4 bags of 200g Alpaca carded fiber ready to spin in a lovely mixed grey black and white. I cant wait to start on that but I do have to clear out my bobbins first. I spent a good time looking over the Habu stand wanting anything and everything they sold but was slightly disappointed that everything was either in tiny tiny skeins or balls because the gauge was finer than lace weight on all items. I only found one sock weight and it was £50 for 400g which would be a good buy but I didn’t want to part with all that at the time. There were lots and lots of interesting stands but over all I’m glad it was half sewing and not half spinning because I would have completely lost all ability to keep my credit card in my wallet.

Over all an amazing venue with not nearly enough toilets for all the ladies in one go. We had to use the ones at the skating rink side to avoid the queues, but then had the dilemma of when to use our hand sanitizer due to all the doors and the not so sanitary conditions of the ice rink.

There was just so very much to look at. I also did not find any long shade yarn. By that I mean a skein that travels from one colour to another throughout its length and not just change every few rows. A nice gradual change that I think looks very good on shawls or socks. Noro almost does this but not in long enough sections for me.

We were completely pooped and worn out by the time we were all due back at the coach. Everyone looked excited like they had just scored the best bargain in the place but we all know AM and I did that by using it to find items for us to make on our own and not to buy. I’m still very impressed by the large needles her husband has made and cant wait to commission my own from him too. I’ve already got the idea of a giant square poof for our front room.

Anyways, I cant think of anything more from the Ally Pally event now. I’ve got lots more things to update you on instead like Scotty and me going to Edinburgh for our rather late summer holidays. ta ta!

not entirely in that order. This post is approximately two weeks too late but heh, you’re getting it anyways.

loco roco 2 : I have been addicted since I bought it. I’ve no where near completed it and it is getting to the frustrating point where I cant get to the very last few items but it is most enjoyable rolling little blobs about the place.

Hancock: Not quite what I expected but I did go: “hey she knows something” catching on before it all lets out. Still worth seeing once. I’m very much enjoyning the lovefilm.com package we’ve got.

colour of magic: Film version of Terry Pratchett’s first two books. Loved it. could have done with a little more whiz and bang of magic spells but you cant expect wizards to do magic now can we? that would upset the balance of things. Overall very good.

katamari! : Scotty and I both loved Katamari on the playstation portable and were gutted when they did not bring out a ps3 version. They have now and its fab. Still always fun rolling up things and getting bigger.

I made a very nice currif and Scotty made pasta. Not the same meals but the same weekend.

I de-frosted the elderberries previously picked. Then took out the big saucepan and made elderberry cordial. Point 1 its VERY RED, as in it stains but washes out of almost everything. I’m sure it would make a great natural dye if there was some mordent added. The main recipes I followed said to add around 5 cloves per litre of cordial. *YUCK* so instead I did 2 cloves, one star anise, a cinnamon stick, some sliced ginger root and finally a small bit of vanilla which mellows it all out nicely. I managed to make a litre and a half. I love it and will deffo be making it again one day.

Oh and of course we cleaned the house. Probably not worth writing up, but the other bits were.

I think I forgot to say when I got all excited about a listing on gumtree for a spinning wheel in Norwich.
I got rather excited and had to go and get it right away. I’ve been hiding it since.

I was fortunate to find a slightly dusty but fully working Ashford traditional wheel. Something simple to get started on.

With the wheel I gained 4 potato bags full of fleece, mainly alpaca and one that seems to have had the staple cut far too short. There is also a small 400g bag of corriedale which still needs carding and probably washing again. More fleece than I care to look at but it all came free. Anyways I firstly tested spinning on what I was given and I really was not getting the hang of it. I took some of the fleece to Norfolk Yarn shop for some assistance. They said it all needed to be fully prepped first. Makes sense. Still it’s not something I’m looking forward to doing.
So then I grabbed some of my felting fiber

and specifically the 100% merino made by YoYo as requested for my wedding flowers. I so did not have time to make as many flowers as I wanted so I’ve got a ton of these prepped batts remaining which are very good indeed for spinning.

so I set up my wheel and spun this:

and another one I forgot to take any photos of. But I fell in love with it and plied it all together and got this

which was skeined

and looked like this when finished.

I am super happy and now have something very personal to me with which I can make something nice for myself. It looks like rustic mittens will be coming!

Well I got as far as last weekend didn’t I? ah yes.

Saturday we layed about and watched FILMS!!

kungu fu panda. Love it! and Ratatouille. Loved that too. The whiskers in HD are just frabulous.

Sunday we had a birthday party at my sisters house. We got to meet slobber dog, well Shumba but because I forgot to get up from sitting down in time he managed to wipe his jowls all over me. Slobbertastic.

My brother brought over some more Plums and my granny and auntie supplied apples on Friday. So on Monday night Scotty and  cooked plums and apple sauce. We now have a glut of this too, some of it frozen.

I got to knit night and it was lovely to see just the few stalwarts seeing through the quiet season. Work was busy all week but it’s not worth writing about. It pays bills and really its still a good job even when busy. At least I dont watch the day going by and wish I was elsewhere. I do sorta but not really wish I was doing something else.

I nipped in to town one lunch time in the week and got hold of loco roco 2 which is fab. I loved the first game and now the second is even better.

 knitting progress is almost non existant but that is because I have a new spinning wheel. I’ll do that on my next post.

as in, I’ve had such a busy time with work and home stuff that I’m almost there catching up with myself. Next week will be busy at work but at least its all in Norwich and I can get to grips with my normal local routine.

Lets go back to last weekend to catch up. Saturday We went to my brothers house and delivered birthday presents for my sister and niece. Everyone helped stir some boiling plums on the stove. We were meant to have a bbq but the weather was not so hot so it was all cooked in the oven. we all played with the kids and generally had a lovely time.

Sunday Scotty and I decided to go looking for the ring of puff ball mushrooms out at whittlingham lane. But we went late on Sunday after lots of people had been there all day. Plus they’ve recently imported a ton of sand to make a fake beach on one of the lakes. This and lots of people meant no mushrooms what so ever. I was not going to go home empty handed so I picked a load of elder berries instead. Got them home and ran out of energy to sort them out. I managed to get them cleaned and did jump a few times from the creepy crawlies we brought back. All de-stemmed and then put them in a box in the freezer. Now I need to make either cordial or some boozy concoction with them.

Monday to Wednesday I had 3 days of work in my local office but I had a bit more than 3 days of work to get done. Now I’m not proud of my actions but I did snap at my boss because I really don’t think she fully understands what the pressures are at the moment. We’ve got new systems coming in for us, for the customer and graduates start next week. Then there’s PC replacements, the last two weeks before I completed my review, every other day in Cambridge and then a bit of project work on top of all that. The list goes on. Plus I had a training course in London on Thursday I was sort of dreading.

I should not have dreaded it. It was a nice day out in the end. Traveling is rather tiring but just given the chance to attend a training session meant I had the chance to meet some of my team mates which I have not done for some time. One of them for the first time too. Plus it means we all feel like we now know how to use the new system. After training I went for a late lunch with two of my colleagues and had a glass of wine. My only aim after that was to get home so lots of time on the train.

Train time means knitting time. I managed on Thursday to turn both the heels on a pair of socks for my SiL and half a mitt to go with my Nieces scarf I made her for her birthday. She will hopefully be getting a matching set of mitts and hat for Christmas. Oh and on the train home two people sat next to me discussing magazines. I was not listening in but they mentioned one, which Scotty used to do the web site for in an old job. I mentioned this and they both said “Oh Scotty we know him!” Even better one of them stayed on the train all the way to Norwich and we picked up Scotty at Diss and they had a quick catch up.  Quite a strange moment.

Now finally on to Friday which was grandma’s funeral.

My family offered to drive me there but it would have been a 30 to 40 minute drive to them in the first place. I decided to take the train to Nuneaton from Norwich. YAY! more knitting time. So I packed my bags, put on the black clothes and headed to the midlands. Now I’m sure you don’t want all the details but the service was lovely. The vicar was top class and made everyone feel comfortable and said just the right things. Must admit me, my sister, my  brother and Dad all stuck together and were deeply moved by the service but happy we were there. Definitely my sister and I cried streams for mum which is give or take a day or two, a year since that happened. It felt like more of a closure for me, letting me attend a beautiful funeral where as my mothers was given by a vicar who screamed hell and damnation because he wanted to preach and not give us solace. This was the opposite, heart felt and caring. What I was not aware of was the church we went to used to be an abbey. It was beautiful church and it was lovely to learn my gran had been christened there, married there and now given back there too. The day was beautiful. The hottest day in the midlands they told us. we informed them that Norfolk has had a beautiful summer. It was lovely to catch up with my aunt and cousins. Plus to give my only left living matriarch my dad’s mum a big big hug and let her know we all want to hold on tight to her.

It really brings home how families should stay close because sharing the good and bad makes you whole. Today Scotty and I have no plans and its nice. Tomorrow we’re back to see the family again to finally have a birthday party for my sister and niece.

Ohh on the good sharing things, Dad suggested we don’t spend enough time pampering ourselves so I bought my sister a pamper day for her birthday at Sprowston manor in late October when she’s on holiday. The good thing is I get to go with her for free, or we both go for half price. I’m looking forward to that. I’ve also booked myself in to the knit and stitch show bus trip from knit group. That will be worth looking forward to too.

Because we went away at the weekend AM came over and looked after Jasper and Otis for us. This pic were taken the night before we went. They both came up for a cuddle in the middle of the bed.

AM informed us that Jasper was a star and purred for her lots. Otis on the other hand was slightly standoffish mainly because it was not his normal routine. Although when given the choice to eat some very expensive food he meowed with vigor. They looked smart and well looked after when we got back due to lots of good brushing.

Well they were happy to see us back and seemed ok early in the week returning to the standard routine. Then last night they decided it was fight night. Probably something to do with the massive rain storm we had nearly all night. They were not settled and woke me several times. This is why no matter how cute cats are they’re just like kids and will wake you up in the night and require “sorting out” In this case luckily the sorting is just a “SHHHHH!” and return to slumber. Next time I’ll be shutting the bedroom door and squirting them with water if they scratch. Still they don’t do it often. Still love them even though I could have strangled them both at 4am.