Sausages!

Three weeks old today. I rushed to get my camera when I saw them sleeping like this and prayed they would not move until I got the picture. They moved within seconds of me getting the shot.

Bang Goes Prague

John is just about to arrive home from Prague where he was sent to without warning on Friday.

We were driving to Prague last May but at the last minute I decided we would go to Munich instead.

Anyway, John has now seen Prague.

It is a beautiful city but it is out of the question for me to visit.

No disabled facilities.

Metro inaccesible. Streets steep and cobbled with small cobbles so would make even walking with my sticks and plenty of pain killers dangerous. On top of that, loads and loads and loads of people!

I am disappointed as I really would have liked to see this city.

I am thinking of Tallin in Estonia now......

WELKS 2007 28th April

Beautiful day, beautiful setting.
Linda and Luka in the ring.
Luka-he won his class.
Luka by the head.
Micah, my boy. Not his day.
Merlin, Carolyne's dog. Not his day.
Me caught in the act.
My friend Carolyne caught unaware.
My friend Linda and her boy Luka.
It was a beautiful setting, in the Malvern Hills.

Who Is The Idiot?

There is a story doing the rounds now about Japanese people sold sheep they think are Poodles. Supposedly, they don't know their dog is a sheep until they take it to be clipped or to the vet.

Funny, yes?

It might be if it wasn't so blatently racist!

Just who is the idiot here? I would suggest it is those that read this story and think it is true. Those that a think a highly successful, inventive and technoligcal people are so thick they do not know the difference between a sheep and a dog.

Oh, but i forgot, these people talk funny, look funny and have a funny coloured skin therefore they must be retarted. Most of all they are not us so...it must be true, musn't it?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

A man was sentenced to prison today(only 2.5yrs) for abusing boys in the church choir back in the 80's.

The Church of England, for whom he worked, knew he had been abusing boys and they 'hid' him, supposedly away from children, and did not report him to the police.

He was only reported when one of the boys he abused went a residential course to find this man worked there-with children!

Mind you, the parents of the one boy who reproted it to the Church in first place also hold blame for not having gone to the police.

The C of E and RC Church are both very well known enablers of child abusers.

Disgusting. no excuse for it at all. A Spokesman for the C of E , a priest, said on the news that 'we did what was considered right for the time'. This was in 1990 not 1890!!! He really ought to be ashamed of himself and how dare he call himself a man of God when he can lie to us and to himself like that?

Simply Knitting

I wrote to Simply Knitting because they leave a vital piece of information out of their patterns-the yarn fibre content. The response I got just shows a lack of understanding of our craft, imo.

Hi Colin

Thank you for your email. Currently we do not list the fibre content on every pattern as this can be impractical in terms of space, especially when lots of different yarns are used. However, this is something we will certainly look at in the future.

Best wishes
Debora

AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

I have just been trawling thru some knitting blogs. I came across one which made me want to slap the person silly!

Why o why o why would anyone spend their precious time knitting a garment to then just cobble it together?

Finishing and sewing are a vital part of knitting. If you don't like it, then don't bloody knit! ( Or only knit stuff that doesn't need sewing.)

This garment I saw was striped. Not teeny tiny stripes but HUGE ones, in fact the whole thing only had three large stripes.

One picture showed the side seam. The seam was dreadful. Not str8 and the stripes did not match up.

I have seen this in magazines too. It really lets us knitters down and no wonder hand knitting has such a 'homemade' down class reputation.

If you are going to knit, then take your time to sew it up and finish it properly. If you don't know how to, LEARN.

If you can't be bothered, then find another hobby where you can be lazy and not think much of it.

It seems to me this might well reflect what is going on inside the person.

It does not take talent to sew up a garment properly. It just takes time and a desire to complete the job well. You do not have to be a trained tailor to do it!

Edit: 2.46pm

Comment left: 'I think "all" of the statements you make says MUCH about you and only you.'

by a person who didn't leave any identifier-ie no blog or email addy. In other words an anonymous sniper.

Yes, 'sharon' it does say much about me.

It says I believe that if a job is worth doing it is worth doing well.

It says I believe that learning and effort are well rewarded.

It says I have no time for deliberate incompetence or carelessness.

It says I care about our craft.

It says I think our craft is WORTH the effort.

It also says I have the courage to write what I think without hiding my identity.

It says that I believe in people and that knitting can be completed well by anyone who wishes to learn and put in the effort.

It says I believe that people DO have what it takes.

I says I believe that people have the ability.

You're Terrible, Muriel

Okay, so i was out this evening and I was listening intently to a very sad tale form this man who was in a really bad space. He had tried to kill himself last night. I was moved by his story as were the others present.

Then he said, by way of explanation as to why he was still with us:

'I was sitting on the edge of the bridge and these two policemen came and pulled me off.....'

I know, I know but it took a lot on my part to not laugh.

(And if you haven't seen the film, you won't get the title of this post.)

John's X-Ray

John's X-Ray came back normal. So it seems he just has asthma. That's bad enough but it could have been worse.

I called this morning and they told me. They treat John and I as a couple and will give either of us information about the other. It is me who makes sure we have our drugs, makes the appointments and even tells the Dr what is wrong with John as he tends to leave the important things -like he can't breathe- out.

I had deep reservations about signing on with this practice as all the doctors are Christian. It is a Christian practice. However, it seems they truly are Christian and are not the rabid bigoted fundy kind.

Elizabeth, my doctor and Stuart, John's doctor, are both excellent. They treat us like people and intelligent people at that. They explain everything. If we are both at home and one of has an appointment, we both go and are welcomed. No telling us we can't go in together.

This last few years is the first time John has ever been to a doctor. However, for me, I have been loads of times throughout my life. Elizabeth is the first one I have had who has taken me seriously. She treats me with respect and doesn't make the assumption that all previous doctors have - that because I have had mental health problems in the past, all my complaints stem from that. It was Elizabeth who took my chest complaint seriously and I was diagnosed with angina whilst my previous Doctor told me it was panic attacks. It was Elizabeth who noticed I had neurological problems and also realised I had Osteo Arthritis. It was Stuart who realised I had fibromyalgia. Both sent me to see the relevant specialists, heart surgeon, neurologist and rheumatologist.

It is a relief to have such a doctor. I no longer worry about my health. I know Elizabeth will take me seriously and deal with it. Oh and it was she who first realised that lack of light is what was causing my depressions because she studied my health records and noticed that all my hospitalizations and depression periods were in winter!

Breaking Down?

I had to telephone a call centre early this morning to cancel an insurance call out to fix my fridge.

Well for some unknown reason my fridge was working again last night so no point the engineer coming.

So this is how the phone call went:

I dialled the number. Pressed the right numbers and waited. And waited.

A woman answers. She asks for my details. I give them.

'Pardon? ' she says.

I repeat what i said.

'Could you speak up, sir?' she says

I repeat loudly.

'I got that. ' she says. 'It must be a bad line.'

At that moment, I realised her voice sounded distant too. I looked for my remote for the tv to switch it off. As I was looking I saw my phone lying on the couch about 18 inches away from me.

I found the tv remote in my left hand against my ear.....

Why oh Why?

On Thursday evening, my BB connection went from 2mbs to 16kbps!!!

I called BT (British Telecom). I am connected to Technical Support, somewhere in India. I spent a good deal of time repeating myself. I spent a good deal of time asking for them to speak slowly and repeat what they had said.

The person on the end of the phone wanted to 'take over' my pc to 'fix' my PC! Now at 16kbps this wasn't possible, I said. I said it again. And again. And again.

The following morning I got put thru to a UK man who told me that my house telephone wiring must be old and had disintegrated and therefore my BB connection was bad. Strange that I could talk on my phone....

Anyway, he said he would send me a new router.

Later the same day, the tech support called me...from India. After a few minutes of 'pardon?' (I am so very very sorry for you. Thank you for choosing BT Broadband.(from the TS person). Now I didn't choose them. There is no one else where i live. If I could could have chosen I would not have chosen BT. I detest them.

I digress, so this person tells me that they will send someone to my exchange and see what the problem is. Weird I thought.

Later I get a call telling me there is no problem with the exchange. Would I take my PC and plug it into the socket in the kitchen? (Bear in mind this is what I deciphered after many minutes).

No I said, I cannot do that.

We can't help you if you don't, was the reply.

I informed them that it was physically impossible for me to do this.

I am very sorry to hear that, sir. Now will you plug your PC into the socket downstairs?

NO I F*****g can't!!!

Alright, I didn't say that but...

Oh I am very very very very very sorry sir, thank you for choosing BT BB. Now take your PC and plug it in downstairs.

By this time I want to shove my PC up his ****.

No, I cannot physically do that. I am disabled.

Oh, sir, I am very sorry to hear that. Thank you for choosing BT BB. Please plug your PC into the socket downstairs in the kitchen, sir. The extension in your upstairs doesn't work.

Huh?

I give up.

Now we are into Saturday. I am out for the day to Hereford and Stratford Upon Avon(Yes where that playwright lived a long time ago).

I get a phone call on my mobile.

Hello?

I am very very sorry sir, thank you for calling BT BB.

I didn't call BT BB.

Oh I am very very sorry for you sir, thank you for choosing BT BB. We have the engineer and he says your line is no problem sir. I am very very sorry sir.

Do remember that the above is only what I translate after 5 hours of listening....

I get home and there are 3 messages on my answering service from....yes...you guessed it...BT tech support in India. And no, I can in no way decipher what was said.

Sunday-after the same nonsense, I go and buy a 20m long extension socket and plug my modem into that. No deal.

On Monday, tech support from India call me several times more.

I tell them that my new router has not arrived yet. That no I still have a very very very slow connection. Nothing is fixed.

I am very very sorry to hear that, sir. Thank you for calling BT BB.

My new router arrives at about 4.30pm. With dread in my heart, I decide to install it. Before I do so, I see what my modem is doing and lo and behold it is back to normal!

So nothing was done my end at all. Nothing was wrong with my PC. Nothing was wrong with my extension, I wasted money on the 20m long cord. Yet I am happy to be back online. I install the new router and.....it is fine!

This morning I get a call from tech support in India.

Good morning, sir, and how are you today sir.

About ready to commit a henious crime is how I feel but i say:

I am fine thank you. My problem is fixed. My connection is back to normal.

'I am very very very very sorry for you, sir. Thank you for choosing BT Total Broadband .'

And then......I called Amazon. I have just tried to place a LARGE order.

'I have just made a large order but your system is telling me I don't have an account.'

A voice from deepest South America says to me in very heavy Latin accent.....

'You don't have an account with Amazon. Would you like one?' (I am paraphrasing cos it would take just too long)

'I DO have an account with you. I rent DVD's from you and buy stuff. In fact I have 2 dvd's here that belong to you. I have an account. I pay money to you every month'.

'No sir, you do not have an account with us'.

'I just told you, I DO have account with you.'

'What is your name and email?'

30 minutes later, after repeating and spelling and repeating again,'You do not have an account with us sir. The computer says no'.

No I did not call him account. I just curled up into a ball and sucked my thumb...

No, actually this person hung up on me!

I then got an email telling me my order will be delivered tomorrow.....

I think it shows a gross lack of respect to both the employees and the customers that companies are doing this. The employees must get fruistrated because they are doing their best. The customers are trapped because there is no one else to deal with and if you do say you cannot understand to anyone, you run the risk of being labelled a racist. I did call today to speak to customer services to lodge a complaint about my 4 day runaround. I got put thru to...yes you guessed right.

Regia Cotton

This is Regia Cotton Java Color (yes USA spelling). Colourway I used is 1176. 400m per 100gm

It is 41% wool, 34% cotton and 25% nylon. It weighs 46gms.

I used 80sts. I knit 18 rows in 1x1 rib using 2mm needles and then 70 rows using 2.25mm. I did the heel and then knit 70 rows. I started to decrease on row 71 and then on row 74 until row 96. Knit one more row and cast off. 97 rows in total after heel. I got approx 36s x 48r per 10cm.

I used one long circular needle using Magic Loop method.

If you look below you can see why I prefer the Sherman Heel, with my minor adjustments.

15 days

The puppies are 15 days old today. Fat slugs doing very well.

Garter Rib For That Dull Man in Your Life

If your man is anything like my John, who has conservative taste in clothing, this would be considered daring but wearable.

The yarn is Italian. 50% Merino, 25% Cashmere and 25% silk. 2/15 weight used double.

This approximates to 375m per 100gm. This could easily be knitted by hand, using approximately 3mm needles.

It was knitted using the Brother Garter Carriage on tension 10, on a Brother 940. The gauge was 27sts and 46 rows to 10cm AFTER washing and tumble drying. The completed seater was washed and tumble dried. From now on it will be machine washed on a 30c delicate cycle and dried flat.

Zimmer

Garter Rib

I have just started the first sleeve of this sweater. The back and front and neckband have been done. It is a simple garter rib pattern using the garter carriage on a Brother 940. The yarn is 50% merino, 25% cashmere and 25% silk.

Luna and Her Puppies

Luna and her 5 day old puppies.
Sable girl.
Brindle girl.
Brindle boy.
Sable and white particolour boy.
Brindle girl.

Phew!

My scan was fine. I get to keep my balls.
I am exhausted and off to bed now.

Opal Feeling

This is Opal's Feeling, colour number 1704. The colour shown here is very close to reality.

Anyway, 24 rib rows on 2mm, 60 leg rows on 2.25mm and then the gusset and heel, picking up 20 sts either side and then decreased. Once decreased, start row count again and finished on row 86. Weighs 34gms. Tension was 10sts and 14 rows to 1" or 2.54 cms.
Dutch (square) Heel.

Scan Day

I have the ultrasound scan on the lump tomorrow morning at 10.15am.

I will have more to say after that.

Suffice to say that for now meditation has really been of great use. I have remained calm and slept well.

I am also now a non smoker. 3 weeks today.

Comment on The Secret

"I AM a childhood victim/survivor, and I DON'T think "The Secret" is pushing that if you only think positive, no bad will happen. They also said to examine negative behaviours/experiences for the lessons you can learn from them. Maybe you missed that part, it was near the end of the part with the young woman with money troubles.
I do believe in "The Secret" and I don't think what happened to me happened because I thought bad thoughts. I'm also not a millionaire, happily/lovey-dovey married, perfect family, etc. But I use my life experiences to teach me, and I believe that when we project positive energy, we are much more likely to receive positive energy back. I've thought that for a long time, almost as long as Oprah's been on the air (since 1785, LOL)."

I listened carefully to all of the program. Also I have been aware of this New Age 'philosophy' for about 30 years. I think it is dangerous precisely for the reason you give. You only heard the part about positvie thinking, it seems from your comment. Perhaps that is all many hear. What about the part where we 'attract' stuff to us by our thinking? This is a very important part of their 'message'. That the bad stuff in our lives is there becasue we brought it into being by our thinking? THIS is where the lie is and where the danger is and where it is no different from other Fundy forms of thinking. The Secret is indeed pushing this type of thinking and we ignore it at our peril.

The Secret - Oh NO Oprah!!!!

The Secret was the subject of Oprah today, probably a while ago in the USA.

Now I am one of Oprah's admirers but I really do not agree with her on this subject . In fact, I am pretty much appalled to hear her pushing this New Age rubbish.

It is no different in it's message to that of the Westboro Baptist Church and other Fundamentalist religions.

HUH???!!! I hear you choke.

Okay. The Westboro Baptists and other Fundy belief pushers, believe that bad things only happen to bad people. If you get cancer, or murdered, or go broke or whatever, it is a sure sign that God is angry with and you will rot in hell.

Now the pushers of The Secret say that if you are good enough, nothing bad will happen to you. If bad things do happen to you, it is because attracted it yourself.

How?

By your thinking.

Your thinking was negative so therefore negative stuff will happen to you.

So when Oprah was sexually molested as a child, it was her thinking that caused this to happen.

When a parent watches their child die of cancer, their thinking brought this upon them.

Okay, maybe I am dense but I cannot see the difference between the Westboro Baptist message and that of The Secret.

One thing we as people are fearful of is lack of control. If we feel we can control events, we tend to feel happier and more secure. So victims of abuse, for instance,hang on to the guilt for what was done TO them because it is less painful than realising how powerless they were.

We tell ourselves that if we think right, eat right, pray right, or in short are good enough, we will not get cancer and die.

We will not get divorced, will not lose our children, jobs, money, homes. We can convince ourselves of this and walk around with that annoying smile those who are certain have.

Until the day something bad happens.....

Then what? Well, we either blame ourselves-

we weren't good enough, didn't pray enough, didn't think positively enough, didn't pay enough for enough seminars run by these people with The Secret

OR

we examine our thinking and belief system.

We might come to realise that bad things happen to good people all the time.

Much happens that is random. People die because we are have physical bodies that malfunction and do not live forever. People often suffer at the hands of others. Many times we can do nothing about it. Did the victims, yes they were victims, of Sept 11, attract that appalling death to themselves? Was their thinking to blame? Or were they victims of circumstance?

So do we just cower in the corner and fear to live? NO!!!!

What we do is love ourselves, value ourselves and realise that we have the strength within in us to cope with whatever life brings us. We can tap this strength thru prayer and meditation. You do not have to have a religion or even a belief in a God for this to work.

Yes, we can change our lives and much of that change can be brought about by changing our thinking. but do not be fooled into thinking you can think way EVERYTHING. You cannot.

It reminds of this prayer:

GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY
TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE
THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN
AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

I think Oprah and these pushers of The Secret could do worse than to look at the meaning of this prayer. I really am disappointed to find that Oprah is pushing a belief system that ultimately blames the victim.

Socks , Pups, Plants and Friends.

Okay, I think this colourway is odd. It is Opal 625. From the ball band, it would seem that socks can also be knit sideways. There are instructions for this but in German so...
Being concerned I would not get a man sized pair, I ended up having loads left over! Anyhow, I used 2mm for the cuff, and 2.25mm for the rest. I knit 22 rows in 2x2 rib, then 50 rws st st, then did the heel, then knit 100 rws for the foot, including the decrease rows.
This is the Sherman Heel. My own adaptation of it anyway. I think it is neat.
Luna and her 5 pups born lst night between 10pm and midnight. 2 boys and 3 girls. Her first litter. Micah is the father (Shameless' dad)
Shameless at 18 weeks. Still hates the camera being pointed at her.
This Amaryllis was given to us by Leive. It has had nothing done to it at all. Just sits on the window sill. This is it's third and best flowering. It went from nothing to this in 2 weeks. It has 4 heads this time.
Dawn-50 something. I have known Dawn 20 years. We hated each other on sight. After about 6 years we became very good friends. She really was there for me when the shit hit the fan and my other 'friends' disappeared. Dawn is President of the Manor Park Spiritualist Church (SNU). Moon has gone to live with Dawn and Ron.
Ron, 60 something, Dawn's husband. Has a droll sense of humour. Needs it living with Dawn.....

Westboro Baptist Church

(This 'church' was the subject of a Louis Theroux documentary on BBC2)

THE CHURCH OF HATE

Having watched a documentary regarding these people, I cannot decide if the adults are evil or insane.

What I really want to know is why the mother of those 11 children has not been charged with child abuse? Why have the children not been removed to a place of safety?

This group pratices the worst aspects of child abuse: they destroy their minds and spirits.

And the authroities are just letting them get away with it.

No matter how they protest that they are preaching God's word, they are clearly not. All they are is vile child abusers with hubris so intrenched in them they are beyond anything loving or sane.

Their leader, Phelps, oozes evil. Just his eyes leave you in no doubt at all of the vileness swilling inside him.

OF COURSE, THE ONE THING THEY DO NOT REALISE IS THEIR FAITH IS NOT IN GOD'S JUDGEMENT BUT IN THEIR OWN!!! THEIR FAITH IS IN THEIR OWN INTERPRETATIONS. THEIR FAITH IS IN THEMSELVES. THEY DO NOT DOUBT THEMSELVES. THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE CAPABLE OF BEING WRONG. SO DO NOT BE FOOLED, THESE ARE NOT RIGHTEOUS GOD LOVING PEOPLE. THESE ARE PEOPLE ROTTEN WITH SELF LOVE.

More Men Behaving Badly

Just been to the supermarket.

As John and I were leaving the checkout, I looked up to see John was being verbally harangued by a shaved headed thuggish looking man. I was in my wheelchair. I caught just a word or two and realised immediately that this was the husband of the woman I had sworn at outside the chemist!

I told him to leave John alone, and that it was I who had the run in with his wife.

So he starts on me.

Of course his wife had told him a pack of lies about what had happened. I told him that the incident was over and that I had apologised and that was that. I did not expect his wife to apologise for her appalling attitude. He got really narked at that and related more of what his wife had told him. Of course she didn't tell him anything that resembled the truth. He demanded that I go with him to apologise to her which I of course refused to do. I told him I had already done so - twice - and that was the end of it.

I pushed myself off to customer services and when I turned around I saw this man was still haranguing John. I pushed myself back and told him to go away. It had nothing to do with John, and he did not need to be bullied by a thug. He of course spluttered thru his red angry face and the security guard came and told him to leave us alone.

Hopefully, this is the end of the matter.

300

....gay s&m porn comes to mainstream cinema.......