5 weeks

How To Enjoy Xmas

Enjoying Xmas is easy.

IGNORE it.

Years ago, we both realised that we did Xmas purely for other one's benefit. Niether of us enjoyed it. In fact we rather dreaded it.

I never did like Xmas except for when I was very little, before I was old enough to feel and see what was really going on.

Now, we don't do anything. No presents. Silly to buy presents when we get what we want thru the year anyway.

No decorations, no tree, no daft hats, no lights, no turkey( hate bloody turkey), no getting drunk, no arguing, no tears, no histrionics, no martyrdom, no prentending to like a really tacky present, no wondering about the cost. No insults. No family.

Xmas is BLISS for us every year.

BOTHER!

It still isn't right. On John, the hem is wonky. On me it isn';t cos it hugs my hips. John is skinny.

I have been playing around. On a test piece, the hem seems to work if I knit it then take off on waste and rehang but increase by 10 sts. I think for the body I' d have to increase by 20 sts.

I also figured out that it is not the design that is at fault. It is the yarn-merino/cashmere/silk mix. It has no spring....

Duh!

I was so eager to post that picture of the Norwegian that I failed to note that it wasn't dry yet!

Now that it is, the hem is fine.

Norwegian Attempt

This is my first attempt at a Norwegian style sweater. I did it on the machine(Brother 940).

The yarn is 50 % Merino, 30% Cashmere and 20% Silk.

It hasn't worked out quite as I had in mind. The hems are in doublejaquard, with EON in work on ribber. Although knitted much lower in tenison MB6 and RB 3, than the main part which is Tension 10 single bed, the hem is wider than the body and therefore doesn't hang correctly. I don't know why so will have to fiddle. I know it can be done because I have seen sweaters with such hems. I am pleased with the neck band though which is SB Fairisle with a st st backing.

28 days

Puppy Pile
Stormbreaker
Tenacity
Shameless
Bertrum Bear
Olga-the Russian Shotputter....
Finty, the mother is fed up! Now 2 years and a quarter.
Tilly is almost 5 years old now.
Not bad for a few months of 60 is he?(John) Nechung just turned 9.Life Behind Bars

Men In Tights

When it is cold, I have terrible trouble with my legs. The pain is much worse, mobility becomes even harder and they burn like hell.

Last winter a female person suggested I wore women's tights. I was not keen at all and didn't really believe they would help. However, after an especially bad time when out, I swallowed my pride and decided to give them a try. I bought some black 60 denier ones. They worked! Trouble is they itched. Really itched. I found them most uncomfortable. However, they did help muchly with my legs so I kept wearing them until the weather warmed.

This winter, I have avoided them but finally had to succumb yet again due to the cold. As I was putting them on, a thought occurred to me: How do women cope with these? They must itch even more. Although I tried to stop it, an image came to my mind....and then the penny dropped.....

You see, no one told me how to wear them and I had been wearing them Superman style - my underpants OVER the hose instead of under.

I am glad to say that I can now wear them without itching.

4.10pm sky today

I just quickly snapped this out of my bedroom window because I thought it looked beautiful.

Aran - incomplete

This is my own design knitted on 3.75mm needles using Berlaine by Bergere de France. It is a machine washable worsted weight yarn, 90m to 50g or 98yds to 1.75ozs.
I almost gave up with it. It has taken me ages to knit but only because I have not been able to devote much time to it. I have already started the first sleeve. It will have set in sleeves when completed.
I am especially pleased with this collar. Knitted in the round using 3mm needles and 2.75 for the st st roll.

16 Days

Boy 1

Boy 2

Girl 1

Girl 2

Girl 3

He is MY puppy!

And they are MY grandpuppies!

7 Days

Puppies at 7 days(01/12/06). Note that the two brindle pups and the brindle and white pups will be silver and silver and white as adults. The gold pup will be a paler gold as adult.

They are all doing very well and more than doubled their birth weight.