Recently in Family Category

It seems every post of late explains yet another absence. Unfortunately, it's more of the same. I didn't make it to the Craft Fair or WWKIP day at Darling Harbour earlier this month - I did in my left foot again the day before. No prednisone this time (and never again - I told my GP that I never ever want that stuff again and it was duly noted on my records) and several uncomfortable days in which I did as little walking as possible. Going to Darling Harbour just wasn't an option. Mum had been meaning to come down to Sydney and also come to the Craft Fair and WWKIP day, but she was still recuperating from a nasty bug caught while on a bus trip to central and northern Australia.

Last Monday I began to come down with a cold. By Tuesday it had me feeling dreadful and I didn't make it to school. I rang my sister, Katherine, that evening and left a message telling her she better not have her baby just now as I wouldn't be much use in minding Charlotte. (You know what's coming, right?). The call came at 2.55am on Wednesday morning, and despite feeling like death-warmed-up, I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed (because Kath said I had plenty of time), grabbed a few things and went up the road. I'm glad I didn't dawdle much longer - they left for the hospital about 10 minutes after I got there, and Benjamin was born at 4.25am after a 2.5 hour labour, 3.53kg and 12 days early! (His sister was a 24 hour labour). So I'm an auntie again for the fifth time. Congratulations to Kath and Damien.

I was relieved from Charlotte-minding duties by Mum coming down to Sydney that morning, but no doubt the early morning did not help my cold and I did not make it in to school for the rest of the week and am now on antibiotics horse pills for the wretched secondary infection. And the cruel part is that I'm under my GP's orders not to see baby Ben until the end of the week (wahhhh!). I'm told he is beautiful.

I have been managing to knit and finish the Josephine Top. I'm very happy with how it has turned out. I had Mum take some photos of me wearing it earlier today before she went home. Lots of details on Ravelry (tough cheddar if you're not on Rav!). I'm sick to death of socks and have got a real buzz out of completing something much larger for a change. I expected to take longer to complete it, so it will be a few months before it is warm enough to actually wear it. Stash enhancements of the last couple of weeks include the yarn for three more big projects...

I have one week of holidays left. I wish it was more, but I start work a week before the kids go back to school, so hopefully that means I'll be ready when classes start. I've been getting a lot done. The new book shelves are complete and installed and have made my home tidier than it has been in a long time.



I received my Noro Kureyon sock yarn last week, but have managed to resist the temptation to cast on another sock, and the beaded rib socks are progressing well, with the heel of the second sock imminent.



I went to Rubi & Lana knitting group on Saturday, which was at Sally's house. It was a lovely day, and I knit more of the beaded rib sock while entertaining Inigo, Lara's six week old bub.

My favourite fairy turned two on Sunday. The book I ordered for her failed to arrive in time. Hopefully it will be in today's mail.



And I attempted my first amigurumi crochet - a turtle from one of the books in the previous post. The first try was on too large a hook, so I tried a smaller hook and I'm quite happy with the result. And I thought I could only do simple crochet chains so I surprised myself. I'm still waiting on an amigurumi book that has been translated to English - it's in the post along with Charlotte's book. I was too impatient to wait.



And the Flannel Flower bag picture have been added to the finished items album in the left sidebar, as well as to my projects in Ravelry.

Charlotte (aka "Strawberry", hence the magnificent cake) celebrated her first birthday in style.

I’ve finished blocking, stitching bits together and sewing buttons onto Anouk and I’m pretty pleased with how it’s turned out.  I was very pleased to find some suitably bright orange buttons without much difficulty.  Charlotte should look good wearing it over the coming Summer.  I’ve had fun catching up with friends and catching up on some shopping (clothes, books, chocolate, various notions including the orange buttons etc.).  Today I picked up some Anchor Magicline cotton in a nice bright orange/pink colourway from Lincraft in the city.  I have various ideas about what it will become.

In my sister’s absence I’ve been enjoying the company of Oscar, her puddy tat.  He and I are best friends, though we weren’t on the first night after my sister etc. left.  See, he’d been being fed at 4 am when Kath or Damien were up because of the baby (or World Cup Soccer), and Oscar tried to persuade me to feed him at 4 am.  Suffice to say he failed, and hasn’t dared to try again.  Since the second night he’s been coming and sleeping on my bed.  He’s slowed down a lot in his old age, and has been seeking out my attention to “unscrew his ears” (give him a good scratch around the ears and under his collar) - I’m such a softie that I always oblige.

I’ve also taken the opportunity while in Sydney to go and see the movie “Wah-Wah” (since it still hasn’t opened in Armidale), which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I’m currently reading the accompanying book by Richard E. Grant, “The Wah-Wah Diaries”.  Not only is the film a remarkable story, but the story of getting it filmed is also quite something.

I’m on holiday and have been on school hols for over a week now.  I’ve been away from Armidale since last Thursday, firstly at my parents place, then I drove them to Sydney and deposited them at the airport (they should be in England by now) before arriving at my sister’s home.  Here I found the delightful Charlotte has grown a fair bit since I saw her in January.

I’ve actually found some time for knitting again, after a dreadfully hectic school term that had me too exhausted to bother with pointy sticks in the evenings.  I had dyed the yarn (8 ply Bendigo cotton) and started Anouk from Knitty.com for Charlotte during term, but most of it was finished while I was at my parent’s place over the weekend.  It is awaiting blocking, various little bits of stitching and buttons to finish it off.  We’re playing musical homes for the remainder of the week - I’m staying here in Sydney with Oscar the puddy tat, while Kath, Damien and Charlotte go to stay at Mum & Dad’s in their absence.

Kath had been knitting a black Feathers (hey, forget what the yarn is and don’t knock the fact she’s actually knitting...) scarf some weeks ago and had finished, but needed help learning how to shape the end into a point to match the start.  So I demonstrated how to knit two stitches together and told her to do that at the start of each row and she happily finished it off within minutes.

As well as Anouk to finish, I brought with me the second sock of the hand-dyed Patonyle to finish, and the Kiri Shawl in Madil Kid Seta (which I haven’t touched in ages) to keep me busy.  The Strawberry Bobble Cardigan ended up frogged - there wasn't enough yarn for what I intended to do.  Being away in Sydney, I sadly couldn’t participate in the Le Tour de Fleece  which neatly fit with my school holiday dates, but my spinning wheel couldn’t come with me since I was taking Mum & Dad to the airport and the car needed to carry three people and all their luggage.  And I won’t get to SSK on this trip since I missed last Saturday and will have gone home by the 22nd.

And I’m primarily on dial-up while away, so there probably won’t be many updates here.