August Bank Holiday Weekend!!!

Well what is everyone up to? Will this be a typical bank holiday weekend and rain? Maybe we could get seasonal weather and we'll have sunshine and warmth.....hmmm....shall we take bets!!!?

It is my weekend off - which is great news!! Will we be doing anything? I'll let you know later...I'm rather sore after an incident at work involving me, a kid and a body slam into a door. (Just so we're clear I was the one body slammed....I don't tend to do that to the kids!!! ;) ) Ouch.

I was thinking yesterday that I haven't been posting any of my knitting/crochet. I will have to remedy this and also put up some more of my free patterns. Don't hold your breath though! I do forget and then get caught up knitting. But who wouldn't, eh?!

In my absence from blogland I have mainly been making things for charity and working on my 2nd granny stripe blanket (from Attic 24 - thanks Lucy! My 1st one can be found on my blog). In fact I was doing charity knitting and my blanket yesterday. The blanket only comes out when it is cooler as I have to sit with it draped over me as it is so big. I think I'm on my 65th stripe. I'm aiming for 80 like my 1st blanket but Darren seems happy with it as it is - and this one is for him! I made the original one so big because we were going to share it...but I selfishly decided it was all MINE!!!! I love wrapping up in it!!! So I started on one for Darren and the deadline is autumn/winter. Which of course it will be ready by then (I hope!!)

So my aim to to take pics of what I've been doing and type up my patterns. I still haven't taken pics of inside my storage boxes....Remind me and remind me till I do it!!!

Take care and have fun!!

Great News!!!

Some people may know that I am a student social worker - my employer is paying for me to do this with the Open University. Well last March I went off sick with horrific migraines and sickness just a few weeks into my final year - bummer!

Work were unable to let me re-do my final year this year (my social work courses run Jan-Oct) due to ALOT of changes at work and financial situation....To be honest I'd pretty much given up hope of doing it. Let's face it...it's been a while...I'd boxed up my books etc. Dismantled the big table in spare room. Was looking at doing something for me - maybe a history degree or Theology masters...

Then last week I was given some hope. My managers manager rang me. Am I still interested? Of course I said yes I am!!! Some issues still - would I be able to go on placement for 6mths with all the stuff going on at work. Is there the money to split my final year over 2 years as UK uni fees are going up...

My hope was to do the non-placement course in Jan 2012, so I can still be at work. Then go on placement the next Jan. I was also worried that as it's been a while since I did anything - would I be up to speed for the placement - ie being in a fast pace social work team and doing full time uni!! The thought did scare me and screamed FAILURE!!!!

Anyways...as this post suggests - GREAT NEWS!!!

I got an email sent to me at work- it had been sent last Friday but it was only cos my supervisor forwarded it to me at home yesterday that I knew about it (we have no office time in hols just busy working with the kids!)

"Liz,

We will support your registration this year to complete one (Non Placement) module which I believe starts in January 2012. The recommendation from the university for each module is to offer 18 days study leave and you will have a further 6 taught sessions at Leeds. This will therefore give you a total of 24 days. As I would suspect the work will become more involved after a couple of taught sessions I would propose that you take one day off per week from March (Inclusive of taught sessions) which will give you sufficient study leave prior to your hand in date around September.

We will then support your final placement specifically in a local Safeguarding team (As previously agreed) of 100 days the following year (2013)."

 

YIPPEE!!!! I can finish my social work degree!!!! It's gonna mean alot of hard work and catching up with previous work to re-fresh myself but I've got ages til it starts - just checked and the course I'm going for KE312 Working together for children starts beginning of Feb 2012.

 

Then I'll have from Oct - Jan to prepare for my placement!

 

Yay!!! I'm so happy I had to share!!!

65 today!!!

No not me you cheeky devils!! It's my dad's 65th birthday today and he is officially an OAP!!!! He did take early retirement a few years ago due to job cuts, so he is well into the life of leisure and gardening...but now he will be better off because he will recieve his pensions (state and private)!!!

My parents have gone away for a week to Scarborough - escaping the possibility of a party perhaps??!

I do feel old knowing that my dad is a pensioner! Better start looking for nursing homes eh dad!!! ;)

Seriously though - Happy 65th Birthday dad xxx

New storage reveal!!!!

So here are the pics of my lurvely new, slightly obsessed with, knitting storage unit! It fits perfectly along the wall - you can just make out the door frame. There is the perfect amount of space on top of it to store boxes with the items I have made....really need to organise a craft fair to sell them!!!

Here are some pics of some of the items....

I have loads of magazines. Files with bought patterns and printed from the internet. Boxes full of gadgets. My knitting looms.

The wool by the light switch - thank goodness it is still accessible, even if now within the unit!!! - is free stuff from magazines.

My knitting books.

Why did I buy the kits here? Cos they were cheap!!! Will I ever make them?? Probably not!!!

A crochet bag with my WIP blanket. More magazines.

Speaks for itself!

Clothes, bags, gloves, hats, scarfs, purses, ipod/mobile phone covers etc that I have made.

Toys that I have made.

More clothes, hats and scarfs.

I did think about taking pics of inside each box too but decided that was a tad excessive...or should I???! Maybe a bit too sad really!! Needless to say they are full of wool. One box has some UFO's.

So I love it.

Have I mentioned that I love it?

My stash has a nice home.

No longer scattered to the four corners of the house.

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!

...help...there's still more to squeeze in!

Bed time yet??

Is it sleep time yet? Don't you hate it when at 5.50am the alarm cruelly wakes you up....Nooooo I wanted to scream but I wasn't even awake enough for that...I HATE mornings!!!!!

I hasten to add that for a morning shift this is later than normal - thank goodness for school holidays when we start at 7.15am rather than between 6 and 6.45am!!!

I actually don't think I even have the energy to knit.

More shockingly is that despite being giddy all day at work about the thought of arranging the contents of my last stacker box of wool into my lovely new unit; (I also have my needles, knitting looms, boxes of buttons and other such necessities to find a spot in the unit.) I'm too tired to do this :(

I know that if I started to do it I would get frustrated if it didn't fit/look right (I'm gemini and everything has to be just right!!!), then it would ruin the whole fun of this...so I will put some clean pj's on after my shower. Go downstairs and snuggle on the sofa with my doggie and a book...then probably fall asleep!



Shhh don't tell but it's my day off tomorrow!!!

New storage!!!!

Look at my wonderful new storage unit from Ikea normally £129 but I got it for £96.75 - it's on offer this month with the Ikea family card! Really glad I waited to buy it!! Only found out it was on offer the morning we decided to go to Ikea to get it!! It is fantastic!! We built it in an hour yesterday. I then started to fill it with my knitting books, magazines, packs of wool etc!! I have also bought 8 red plastic boxes which go in the unit, I will use these to neatly store my single balls of wool.

Darren commented that it looks like a wool shop in our spare room now - in a good way. Before everything was piled up in a corner or in stacker boxes. I'm soooo excited and happy - it finally feels like my knitting has a proper home and is valued! How sad is that!! I will take a some pics when I have built the flat pack boxes and arranged everything properly.

Go now and buy one - you know you want to|!!!

Riots

What is going on with this country - 4 days of riots and looting! Shame on you all. Is it your community you are destroying? You'd all be pissed off if your home or business was destroyed. I hope you are all caught, charged and receive appropriate sentences. Shame also on those who protect these scum by not reporting them to the authorities!

London Baby!!!

On Saturday Darren and I went to London for the day. We got up early (6am), caught a direct train, which was great cos we usually have to change in Leeds, we got there about 10.15 am. We spent the day with our friend Pete but met up with my brother for the last hour at Kings Cross before leaving at 7.30pm, again on a direct train!

Pete is an FX bloke too so we did the shops for Darren. We stopped for a coffee at Monmouth Coffee which Pete loves. Which I have to admit was beautiful!! The chocolate brownie was to die for...Mmmmm

We had lunch out at a fantastic pub called Waxy O'connors Amazing interior, reminded me of Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree. Food was lovely too!

Rather disturbingly, Pete took us to....M & M's world

 The question is why????

After we had done the shopping thing...we did the tourist thing!!! We headed out for a walk along the Thames.

 I took 61 photos of us in London, Darren filmed far too much!! But the last photo was of me and my baby brother in Kings Cross station!!

We had a great day out, mainly because we were together with a friend and my brother. The weather was perfect too.

Not a strand of wool was found for me to buy, but I did see some very cool horror/sci fi knitting books in Forbidden Planet, which I did resist...I'll check them out online for cheaper prices!! Cheeky aren't I!!!

Been a while - heck it's been ages!

So I'm still here. Didn't realise just how long it'd been since I last blogged. I won't go on about stuff but life has been complicated and unsettling. Alot of heartache and pain.

My brother has been very poorly since I last blogged. In and out of hospital. Only home now cos they have given him IV medication to take at home. These make him sick. He has isolated himself and as he is in London it isn't easy for us to help him. His wife (oh the things I could say!!!) is being horrible to him. He has had to move out of home. He hardly gets to see his son. He is only out of hospital so he can still work and provide for them. All he does is have his meds, work, meds and sleep. We just keep hoping that he will beat this virus without it destroying him and his health. The meds have nasty side effects and long term issues from the virus itself.

Our beloved cat Charlie was run over by a speeding car on our normally quiet street. Our neighbours heard it and came knocking at 11pm on June 14th to tell us. He died quickly thank goodness. Our dog Lady has been greatly affected by this. Lady and Charlie were really close. Seeing him in the road though is something I will never forget and really wish I could. Love you still Charlie xxx

Then a few days later our guinea pig died of old age, leaving our rabbit all alone. They were very close too, always cuddling and grooming each other. Ted is an old rabbit who has had lots of strokes. He has really gone down hill since Becks died and I wouldn't be surprised if he went soon too. x

Job uncertainty with the country in the state it is in. We all got letters re redundancy but were then told at a meeting a few days later that our jobs are safe for the moment. Whilst we do need to lose staff, as we have vacancies, they are just not filling the vacant posts.

There's more but heh that's enough.

Thank goodness for Darren. He is my rock. x

Thank goodness for knitting too!!

Hope all is well for everyone else and for those who are having problems xxx

Remembrence Sunday

It felt strange posting about this on 11th November as it is now Michaels birthday. So I thought I would say my thanks to our nations heros, past and present, today on Remembrence Sunday. This morning we have been listening to the radio and their special programme. At 11am we observed the 2 minute silence. I always give thanks that my grandads returned from WW2. Without their return I would not be here. Thanks to both of them for their service, in the army in Africa and in the merchant navy xxx

When I was about 13/14 I discovered the poetry of Wilfred Owen. A soldier who served and died during WW1.

These are my 2 favourite poems:

ANTHEM FOR DOOMED YOUTH

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? 

Only the monstrous anger of the guns. 

Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle 

Can patter out their hasty orisons.

No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells; 

Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, –

The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; 

And bugles calling for them from sad shires.

What candles may be held to speed them all? 

Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes 

Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes. 

The pallor of girls' brows shall be their pall; 

Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds, 

And each slow dusk a drawing-down of blinds.

                                      September - October, 1917

DULCE ET DECORUM EST

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots
Of tired, outstripped Five-Nine that dropped behind.

Gas! Gas! Quick, boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling,
Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;
But someone still was yelling out and stumbling,
And flound'ring like a man in fire or lime . . .
Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light,
As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,
He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

If in some smothering dreams you too could pace
Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin;
If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud 
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,
My friend, you would not tell with such high zest 
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie; Dulce et Decorum est
Pro patria mori.

8 October 1917 - March, 1918

Poems copied from http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/owena.htm to save me typing them up from my book. There is also alot of information about Wilfred Owen at this link.