jenwren's blog

I still have my head cold but it is much better than it was.  It would help if the weather was a bit cooler.  Friday was particularly miserable with 35°C.  Still, I've managed to very slowly get my next project on the loom and I'm mid-way through tying onto the front beam.  Nothing worth a photo yet.  So what's with that photo?  It's my eldest brother Tim, photographed by my nephew, Harrison (son of my other brother Chris) with my digital camera on Boxing Day 2004.  And Tim and Jenny B are arriving today to stay with me for a few days.  Yay!

When Tim and Jenny B arrived yesterday, they said they wanted to visit some of the waterfalls in the area.  I said they'd perhaps be a bit disappointing, because we haven't had much rain lately.  I should not have said that.  I definitely should not have said that.  Soon afterwards, the heavens opened, complete with plenty of thunder and lightening.  It was so spectacular that the TV transmitter for ABC and SBS went offline for a while.  And it brought an end to the hot weather.  Yippee!

Problem is, the rain didn't stop.  So after another good thunderstorm this morning, we set off for Dorrigo anyway.  We had to give Point Lookout in New England National Park a miss because of the rain and unsealed road it would have involved.  So we went straight to having lunch in Dorrigo.  Then we headed to the Rainforest Centre in Dorrigo National Park, where we donned rain ponchos and umbrellas and braved the Skywalk above the rainforest canopy.  Tim and Jen laughed as I battled the wind, juggling my camera and umbrella to photograph them (left).

As you can see (left), the view was just great, but I couldn't quite make out anything that the informative sign believed I should be seeing...  Tim took some suitably embarrassing photos of me on his digital camera, to redress my posting the photograph of him here yesterday.  But as he left behind his computer cable and it's not compatible with mine, we can't download the photos.

We retired to the coffee shop as it was far too wet to do the rainforest walk (shame, because it's very nice).   Then we visited the gift shop, where I fell in love with, and bought, a lovely pewter bug brooch made by a local craftsperson.  If I recall correctly, the blue stone is polished Tasmanian glass, and the purple stones on the wings are faceted antique glass.   Very cute.  The drive back to town was just as wet and misty as before, but we stopped at Ebor Falls for a fix of waterfall watching.

Yesterday, Tim, Jenny B and I did some more sightseeing, despite the weather still being miserable, wet, and very foggy.  First, we went to Guyra and visited Black Sheep Wool  'n' Wares which passes as my "local" yarn shop since it opened last year and  the Armidale wool shop closed in late 2003.  Jenny B bought a pattern, and I ordered some slubby "purple mist" hand dyed wool that I liked the look of, but not the colours they presently had in stock.  Then we drove back to Armidale and visited the New England Regional Art Museum, for a good look around and some lovely lunch.  We did a little shopping and took a scenic drive around parts of Armidale as the sun finally showed itself, ending at the University of New England, with the intention of having afternoon tea at Booloominbah.   Unfortunately, I'd forgotten the place closes at 2.30pm.  So Jenny B and I posed for photos (left) instead.

Tim and Jenny B left this morning for a winery in Pokolbin, and late in the morning I went into town to pick up a newspaper and my mail.  The Jenny Jeep wasn't sounding particularly happy when I started it, and I wasn't surprised.  Since I returned home after Christmas the car has only been doing short journeys around town, and with Tim and Jenny B here, I'd shifted it between my carport, a neighbour's carport and visitor parking a few times, but no further.  I had intended to drive to Tamworth last week, but due to my head cold I had to defer those plans until next week, once the Country Music Festival ends.  I decided I'd better go for a drive after collecting the mail, to charge up the battery.

I got to town all right, but the Jenny Jeep did not wish to go anywhere at all after that.  All I got was clicking noises when I tried to start the car.  I called NRMA road service, and spent some time attempting to communicate my location to the young man in the call centre.  We had already established what "suburb" I was in (so I thought) but he seemed to have a lot of trouble with the street name, even after I spelt it for him, eventually asking "could I perhaps be in Old Toongabbie?" (which is a suburb of Sydney).   No.  Armidale, Northern Tablelands of NSW, postcode 2350, opposite the Post Office!  Geez.  Then he wanted to know the street number.  I told him I was in front of Westpac, and I'm sure the road service guy would know where that was.

After a 20 minute wait, road service arrived and I explained I probably had a flat battery (after all, the battery dates from August 1998 - that's three calls to the RACV in one day I'm not likely to forget).  I told him about the call centre and their difficulty with my location and he said all he needed was "outside Westpac" - he knew exactly where I was, but the best he'd had was when the call centre told him that a woman was broken down at McDonalds, but was refusing to tell them which McDonalds - he'd had to explain that there is only one!  He jump started the car and checked the battery - it was running on four cells instead of six.  Perhaps not fully dead yet, but it owes me nothing after more than six years.  I have been expecting it to die both Winters since I moved here, so I'll probably replace it this weekend while my parents are here and my Father can help.

So I went for a drive.  I decided to do a loop from Armidale to Uralla, and back via Gostwyk and Dangarsleigh (about 85 km).  I've been to Gostwyck before, so I knew it was a pretty drive.  The main (only?) attraction there is the Chapel.  Unfortunately, I don't know when it was built, but the sign gives a little bit of history - it was dedicated in memory of Major Clive Collingwood Dangar, who died in WWI and was grandson of one of the Dangar brothers who purchased Gostwyck in 1834.  The chapel is covered by a deciduous climber, that I think is probably Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata from the grape family, Vitaceae) or something similar (I didn't actually go and examine it closely).  It apparently looks quite spectacular in Autumn.  I also passed a horse riding place I hadn't known about, a couple of farmstay/bed & breakfast places and Peterson's Winery on the circuit.  Nice.

The snow last week was quite unspectacular in the end – apparently it was quite good at 2 am, but funnily enough I was tucked up in bed asleep and missed it.  On Thursday morning, very little remained on the ground, but there was some to see on any cars not left under cover and on roof tops.  It continued to snow off and on all day, but did not settle.  Not very conducive to school work either…

On Friday I flew to Sydney for another day of professional development.  Unlike last time, I stuck to buses this time to get around town.  I stayed at Tim and Jenny’s again and celebrated Tim’s birthday that night with Kath and Damien (and ‘Strawberry’) as well.  On Saturday I managed a spot of shopping before heading for Newtown and SSK.  Due to my flight back to Armidale, I couldn’t spend very long at SSK, but it was lovely to catch up with them.  I took a few photos but haven't yet put them up on the web.

This time, I allowed plenty of time to get back to the airport, first catching a bus to Central then intending to catch a train to the domestic terminal.  Since I had caught a bus very quickly, I dawdled at the Devonshire Street tunnel, browsing in the bargain basement bookshop, and picked up a cheap hardback copy of “Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction” by Sue Townsend.  I finally reached the other end of the tunnel, only to find that as well as City Circle trains being cancelled due to track work (which I had known about), the airport line was also closed!  Eeeeek!  Once I established where to get a bus to the airport and bought a ticket, I dashed up the stairs, and caught a bus within five minutes, so I still reached the airport terminal in time.  I could have done without the extra stress!

Sunday was spent with Peter and his Mum, who were visiting to look at properties in the Uralla area.  We spent a leisurely morning at the monthly markets in the Armidale Mall, followed by a lovely lunch, before returning to my place and chatting and knitting all afternoon - quality catch-up time.

Monday was a do-very-little day, mainly spent cleaning the house, surfing the internet and reading, while on Tuesday I drove to Mum and Dad’s place at Port Stephens.  On Wednesday morning we went to Mum’s Spinning and Weaving group in Nelson Bay at the Arts and Crafts centre.  I had the chance to see their craft display – or what was left that hadn’t yet sold from the display!  There was some very inspiring stuff.



Mum’s scarves had already sold, but some of her other items were still there.  Downstairs where the group meets, Mum started to teach me to spin on my wheel, starting with plying some ugly purple and orange acrylic yarn together.  When I finished that, I went back to knitting the Patonyle socks, which are now past the heel and coming along nicely.

After lunch we went home briefly before setting off to Sydney (yes, two trips to Sydney for me in one week…), again staying with Tim and Jenny.  The reason for visiting Sydney was to go to Virginia Farm Woolworks on Thursday morning.  I have been in need of a warping board for some time, and as the price of the Ashford one was ridiculous, I’d decided I wanted one from Virginia Farm.  Problem was, they are glued and screwed at the corners (the Ashford ones dismantle), so it would have cost a small fortune to post it to Armidale.  I couldn’t have flown it back to Armidale either (and hadn’t had my car in order to get out to Annangrove).  So it was a good excuse to make a trip to Virginia Farm and do some damage to both our credit cards.  After about an hour and three quarters, I came away with the warping board, a skein of 4 ply Touch yarn in a lovely purple and deep green-almost black colourway, and some silk-merino blend in deep reds and purples for spinning.  Mum bought some brown fleece, fawn fleece, carded corridale sliver, the silk-merino in pink, and some wool dyes for a friend.  We drove back to Port Stephens in the early afternoon, and I started to learn how to spin singles on some carded merino I had bought from Virginia Farm via mail order back in May.  At the moment I’m getting the hang of drawing, but I need to pedal the spinning wheel more slowly, as I’m putting too much twist in the yarn.

I’m staying here at Port Stephens for my birthday tomorrow, before heading home on Sunday.

When I arrived in Sydney on Tuesday, I went to see my sister Katherine and go for a swim, and I finally had the opportunity to give her Strawberry’s Surprise.  I can now reveal the pattern was Kate Gilbert’s “Samantha”, which I knitted in Bendigo 8 ply cotton in “snow”.  I also gave Kath a couple of other baby items I’d knitted - “Daisy” (the hooded version), and a little jacket with a lace border I’ve made a few times now and is quite nice.  I think I have photos of them somewhere but I can’t be bothered to go in search of them just now.  I hope to get some photos of “Strawberry” wearing them before too long...  The bub is due on 13 January.

It took a bit of effort to get my laptop onto my brother Tim’s wireless network - many hours of stuffing around with security settings to get it to work.  I don’t bother with the same level of security at my place.  My next-door neighbour’s network is not secured, so I figure if anyone wants a connection they’ll use theirs before trying to break the encryption on mine (I also regularly check my router’s log for suspect activity).

I’ve been visiting folk here in Sydney as well as doing a fair bit of shopping.  Not present shopping for Christmas, as I did all that before leaving home.  This has been shopping for all the little things I don’t get to buy in Armidale.  Like walking into a shop of just earrings (Starfish Earrings).  And I did my usual drop in to Tapestry Craft (sale!) and Haighs in the city.  Calling into the Gardens Shop at the Royal Botanic Gardens was particularly damaging to my credit card - the fifth and final volume of the Horticultural Flora of South Eastern Australia was there, and I needed to complete my set with it - at $160.  I like books too much!

A little more shopping tomorrow and SSK on Saturday...

Only about 5% of babies are born on their due date.  My latest niece is among them.  Charlotte was born at 3.53 am this morning, weighing in at 3.625 kg (8 lb).  Good work Kath and Damien!

There will be no paraskevidekatriaphobia around here!

I'm back from a quick trip to Sydney to see Katherine and baby Charlotte.  I made it to SSK at last too!  There are photos from SSK up at the blog or at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/ssknewtown/.  Or there's a Flickr badge on the side bar down under "Links".  As you can see in the picture here, the Flower Basket Shawl is getting larger.  I believe I'm on what will be the last pattern repeat before I switch to the edging (and pray the yarn doesn't run out before I cast off!).

Charlotte is a lovely baby.  I got some good pictures on Friday (and a cuddle), and yesterday I handed the camera to my nephew, Harrison, and later to one of my nieces, Madeleine, and I have 59 pictures of family in varying levels of blurriness as a result.  Great fun.

I appear to have transferred the sock bug to my Mother.  My parents have been here for a visit since Thursday.  On Friday we went looking at cars for me.  I decided what I'm buying, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen immediately.  Anyway, on Saturday morning it was very cold, and we were going to Guyra - partly to see the new Devils Pinch deviation of the New England Highway that opened just before Easter after about two years of construction, and partly to go to Black Sheep Wool n Wares, my LYS.  Guyra is colder than Armidale, so I told my parents to be warmly dressed.  My Mother asked to borrow a pair of my hand knitted socks because her feet had been cold.  She liked them a lot so buying some sock wool in Guyra became a goal.

I bought yarn to make up for not buying a car - Madil Kid Seta (kid mohair/silk blend) in a variegated blue.  Mum bought the same yarn in a multicoloured variegated colourway - we've both admired the shawl patterns in the latest Yarn Magazine issue, so this yarn is likely to end up in something like one of the patterns from there.  Mum picked out a Patons Patonyle sock yarn in a self patterning colourway.  With some needles borrowed from me, Mum has made a fair bit of progress on the first sock, and is enjoying the magic of the stripes appearing and changing with the progress of the sock.  I had ordered some cream Patonyle before Easter, but it hasn't come in yet - I intend to over dye it in my own choice of colours with inspiration from the Yarn to Dye For book.

My own sock project, with the Lorna's Laces has made progress over the last week.  The first sock is now finished, and I've started on the second.  As the picture shows, the striping of the second sock is not quite the same as in the first sock.  So these will be fraternal rather than identical socks.  We had a BBQ lunch today and Mum and I sat in the sun knitting away on our respective socks.  Tomorrow, Mum, Dad and I will head to Nundle to visit the woollen mill before they continue on home.

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.

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.

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

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.

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...