Perfect Timing

I took Luna Thursday night to visit her beau and she told him to **** off.

Not interested.

I took her this morning(Saturday) and she was a complete harlot.

A good time was had by all.

Due date is 5th October. (Now I think I know what my dream was about as it gave me that precise date but week sago so did not connect with this. I have an important show on the7th so .....)

Power - less

I have had particularly bad pain for many weeks. Last Sunday when John were out listening to a talk, I could have cried the pain was so bad.

I awoke Monday to find it had all gone. Oh, I still creak, snap, crackle and pop and can't walk far but the bad pain just stopped.

During this time my hands have been fine and I have knitted a lot. Now the bad pain in my hips and limbs has abated, my hands are acting up again!

I also discovered that my mood is definitely affected by my pain levels. DUH! Yes, well I hadn't really made the connection. Denial is not always a bad thing you know.

On Monday I noticed my mood was better and by Tuesday it was definitely up. So being relatively pain free improved my mood.

I also realised that when I am suffering a lot, there is no point in trying to figure out why or think about what I might have done to make it so. It just comes and goes and there is nothing I can do about it. I think by trying to find something I can pin on myself as the cause, is my way of not dealing with the fact I am powerless over this damned disease.

Thoughts For Today

My education finished at 15. On days when I feel pretentious, I fancy having letters after my name.

It occurred to me I still could:

Colin ****** CHD, RA, OA, FMS, OCD

(Edit: I thought they'd be recognisable so: coronary heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and obsessive compulsive disorder....the last condition just involves yarn....)

Looks good, yes?

When I was a teen and young adult, I was anorexic.

I wish I had known then that all I needed to do to be invisible was be in a wheelchair.

I'd have saved myself a lot of anguish and more to the point could have eaten what the f**k I wanted to.....

Sherman Heel

I couldn't wait to finish the sock before I showed the heel.

Each time I have done this heel, I did it differently, hoping to tidy it up.

I am really pleased with this one. I think it is my final recipe.

Not a great deal different from Mary's original heel. I do not have any wraps, I knit on one ML (tho as I am knitting back and firth for the heel that doesn't matter) and instead of S1 purlwise, I slip knitwise on knit rows and purwise on purl rows and slip the encroachments as directed.

Also when i first did this heel, I slipped the first stitch on the way back after the pivot row by mistake but I liked it. Later, I discovered that Janine does it that way.

I think it makes it look much neater.

Dribbling Idiot

Yes that would be me.

I am dribbling all over the place. I ought to wear a bib.

Last evening, I bit the inside of my cheek (well it would hardly be the outside now would it?) whilst eating. I have a fairly big sore bit there now that looks like a purple and white splat.

It isn't particularly sore but I can only assume it is the cause of this constant drooling....(well, Keanu isn't here so ....)

Interestingly, after weeks of bad pain, and so bad yesterday I thought I would cry, I have had very little today. In fact the best day I have had for many weeks. No pain does not mean I can walk any better but it does mean the day has been much easier. Thanks for that.

Grief

I have pondered about posting this and didn't know what to head it. Then it just came to me.

Grief.

Grief is a strange thing. It doesn't come and then go away. It comes and stays.

At first it overwhelms, completely covers, like a heavy overcoat. Slowly it disappears. Inside. Somewhere. Lurking.

There it stays forever.

Then one day, a little reminder, such a small thing that might even go unnoticed consciously, brings it out of lurkdom, it's warm but dark tentacles sliding over flesh , pressing down into the solar plexus till the only recourse is to curl into the womb and let it caress you till it's had it's fill and retreats back from where it came.

What the.....?

I have belonged to a list for many years. I have not once had any cross words on that list.

Someone other than the list owner complained about OT posts and subject lines.

I posted that it was the list owners job to tell us what what was what and that she had too much class to be heavy handed with us all.

Next came a public post from list owner which left me in no doubt that during the last 7 years my OT posts were not welcome. (edit: no I was not singled out or even mentioned only OT posts were.)

Okay so that made me feel really rather stupid, but not really a big deal. I just wish I had been told so years ago and I would not have sent such posts (which were about HK not MK). I would have appeared much less stupid too!

So I wrote and apologised to the list for my misunderstanding. The post didn't arrive. So I went into the group to post from there.

I then discovered I was put on moderation!

I can't believe it. Not a word said to me. Just swiped at like that. To say I feel hurt is an understatement. Talk about a very pointed 'you are not welcome'.

I don't deserve to be treated like this. If I had repeatedly done something I had been asked not to, fair enough, get heavy. I have done no such thing. Not once have I ever been asked to not post about HK or my pups and in fact I only posted about them because I was asked to and resulted in maybe 4 posts a year with a one line link and in usually in an on topic post! Plus anything about HK has not been more than a couple of times a month and again just a link, unless others asked questions.

I am not arguing that I ought to have been allowed to do this. Just that I should have been told years ago not to.

To add insult to injury, for several days, an OT topic has been generating many posts and is being allowed to continue because it as an approved OT topic.

EDIT: I have had an email from list owner and it was the usual friendly mail. This explained that I had not done anything wrong and that the whole list was put on moderated.
Yes I have considered deleting this post but as this is a diary of sorts, have decided not to.

Out And About

Yesterday was one of those unexpected days. We got up as usual and then went to the barber. We needed a big shop so we had decided to go to Morrissons some 27miles away.(Gives you an idea how awful Tesco have become when we are prepared to travel 27 m each way rather than 1m).

On the way we decided to drop into a place called Springfields. We had been here before but their disabled parking is crap and too far away. This time we managed to find a space up close.

Springfields is an open air mall. (I assume you'd call it). All the shops are 'outlets' of big companies. They only sell remainders/seconds/sale stuff.

It was great fun for me. I haven't been out for ages. I can't really do this sort of thing without someone with me.( Wheelchairs are handy but not always possible to manoeuvre on my own and besides which, getting them in and out of the car is too much. ) That someone is of course John and he doesn't like shopping at all. The only place he liked was the book shop.

Amongst other shops, there was a Denby seconds shop. I love Denby crockery. I tend not to buy expensive crockery because I break it easily. My grip is not what it once was. I did however buy two plates and two bowls from here and hopefully they will last some time before I drop them.

Then on to Morrissons and our main grocery shop. Now just why can't Tesco take a leaf from them? Really, our Tesco doesn't even sell green peppers any more!

A bonus was that they were selling these plastic sets of drawers at only £14.99 so I bought two. Ideal for keeping my needles and sock yarn stash in. A bit more tidy any way.

We ended up being out about 7 hours.

Going to a dog show is not the same thing. I love going. It isn't that difficult. I drive there, get my trolley out, sit by ringside all day, put my trolley back in the car and drive home. Shopping is much more of a challenge!

This is the one part of my disability I hate. Being dependent. If not for John, I'd have no days out. Now John turned 60 in April and also has COPD. I worry for the pair of us. To be blunt, am I destined to become house bound? Now I know why I live one day at a time and do not dwell on the future.

Our trip to Heidelberg, Germany is all booked up and we leave on the 22nd Aug.

By that time Luna will have been mated. In fact she ought to be ready next weekend.

Poor Micah is frustrated. His daughter is in season and of course Luna is. He can't have either of them. He is being really rather good in that he is not whining or otherwise kicking up a fuss.

I finished another second sock and am on another second sock. Only two second socks to go now!

Elle Sock

The yarn is Elle Sock Yarn, 80% new wool and 20% nylon, shade number 49. Made in South Africa. Lovely handle to this yarn.(Yarn from The Knitting Hut )

The sock is knit toe up. I very nearly abandoned it because it looked nothing on the needles(see below) but continued on until I had knitted to go over part of my foot. Then I liked it.

The pattern is very simple K1tb, p1, K into next 2 sts but do not take off and then knit into 1st of these two sts again and place on right needle, P1, K1tb and repeat all around.
It looks rather plain unless on a foot....
Turkish cast on(20 sts each needle tip-Magic Loop)
I think this is my best heel yet, done slightly differently to previous Sherman heels.

Jumping For Joy

It is yet another wet day. It has been wet wet wet for weeks weeks weeks now.

Thankfully where I live is like Holland and we have not flooded with all the dykes to take care of the water.

The only spanner in the works is the audible noise created by the Ecos and Religious Fundies as they jump for joy at the misfortune being suffered by their fellow human beings. In their mind this is righteous vindication.

In my mind it is wicked and moronic.

On a lighter note, whilst my hips seem to be much better and swimming still lovely, I feel like I been beaten with a bat all over. I feel really bruised when I touch myself, especially on my forearms...weird huh?

Brothers and Sisters

When the USA get it right, they get it right.

I really enjoy this show so far. Have just got to the episode where Justin is found unconscious at the end of it.

It is not often I am left wanting more.

The last time was with Desperate Housewives. And apart from The X-Files, which I have only just watched, the whole 9 series, for the first time, I cannot think of anything else that grabbed me like this. Oh, yes I can - SOAP. Now that was brilliant until the Religious Right got it taken off air.

Pillocks that they are.

Phillipine Prisoners

Heidelberg Visit

I have been trying to arrange our visit to Holly in Heidelberg, Germany.

We have decided on arriving there on Wednesday 23rd August and leaving Sunday 26th.

However, we cannot book up anything because the girl I am waiting to breed has not yet come in season.

Typically, the girl I do not want to breed, Shameless, started her season today.

Now this could be good because often this will encourage Luna to come in as well.

Now the boy I want to use may well be leaving the country so I have to use him now. I definitely want him to be the father of this litter.

I am just hoping that Luna plays ball and either comes in during the next week or waits until about the 18th because then we can still go and she will be ovulating when we get back.

It is a year since we went away(you may recall the awful situation we came back to) and it would be nice to go but if we can't, well we can't.

Perhaps we will have to wait until next year.

Chainsaw Massacre

I am about ready to go back to bed. I have only been up 4.5hrs.

Back to not sleeping that well because of the damn hips. I shifted over to John's side of the bed since that is vacant week nights. That gave immediate relief which last about 2 minutes.

I swam my half mile last night. This morning I took the dogs out for their walk, all 5 of them They are so well behaved. I have my walking stick in my right hand and they seem to understand they need to walk in an orderly fashion. Even Shilpa, and it was her first proper walk today.

I came back and was really fed up having to manoeuvre around the bloody bush outside our front door. John really ought to have cut it back by now. I went and borrowed the electric chopper from next door and did it myself. I might be artistic but I am no gardener. I have a feeling the bush is not going to need chopping for a long while. It might not even ever need chopping again.

Why is that some people feel they must insult/denigrate those who disagree with them? Apparently, if one doesn't believe Al Gore and all those other climate people, one is selfish, ignorant and too unintelligent to recognize the truth. mmm.

This attitude is really no different to the position fundies take if one disagrees with them - you are evil or possessed or you wouldn't disagree.

So no, of course the same words are not used to put one down, but the purpose is precisely the same.

Anyway, I do wish there more hours in the day. Or maybe more hours before I need to sleep. I feel as though I just don't get much done. When I awake later, I need to bath Nechung. Then I won't be fit for anything again but to sit and knit my sock.

Still, it could be worse and at least I can do what I do.

John and I are thinking of going to Germany in August. We will visit with Holly in Heidelberg. A major snag though may well prevent us going. Luna is due in season and her beau is all booked up. We cannot go if she is not in season and bred before we go. We will probably have to book up the Chunnel and hotels at the least minute if we do go.

Eight days!!!!

Last night I was back to not sleeping because of the pain in my hips. The steroid injection lasted 8 days.

I don't think I shall bother with that again.

Today though the sun is shining!!!!

No rain so far but more forecast. If you are not in the UK, dear reader, you may be unaware that almost all parts of the UK have been flooding this last month. The rain here has not stopped for weeks on end. So far we have not had summer.

Leeds 21st July 07

Micah was 4th of 9 and Shameless 2nd of 9.

Quiz time

You Are An INFP

The Idealist You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world. Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships. It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close. But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. In love, you tend to have high (and often unrealistic) standards. You are very sensitive. You tend to have intense feelings. At work, you need to do something that expresses your personal values. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist. How you see yourself: Unselfish, empathetic, and spiritual When other people don't get you, they see you as: Unrealistic, naive, and weak

What's Your Personality Type?

Below is my partner of 26 years, John.

You Are An INTP

The Thinker You are analytical and logical - and on a quest to learn everything you can. Smart and complex, you always love a new intellectual challenge. Your biggest pet peeve is people who slow you down with trivial chit chat. A quiet maverick, you tend to ignore rules and authority whenever you feel like it. In love, you are an easy person to fall for. But not an easy person to stay in love with. Although you are quite flexible, you often come off as aloof or argumentative. At work, you are both a logical and creative thinker. You are great at solving problems. You would make an excellent mathematician, programmer, or professor. How you see yourself: Creative, fair, and tough-minded When other people don't get you, they see you as: arrogant, cold, and robotic

What's Your Personality Type?

Micah and Shameless

Tantra's Micah won his class today and his daughter Tantra's Shameless was 2nd in her class.

This was at East of England Championship Show.

Regia Stretch

I still haven't come up with a way of doing socks I am entirely happy with though I do find plenty of yarn that I am enamoured by! This is Regia Stretch Color (no 84). It is 70% new wool, 23% nylon and 7% polyester.

I really like this colourway. I was in the shop with John looking for some black or navy or dark grey. They didn't have any but they had this and whilst I do not need sock yarn, I couldn't resist.

Anyway, knitted entirely on 2.25mm needles, ribbing too. I got 10st and 14rw to 1" I knit it toe up with a Sherman heel. I cast off using the EZ method(sewn cast off).

I do not finish the whole 50 gms per sock. I don't want socks that are very long up the leg. It seems that I have smallish feet at 9.75" long with the ball of my foot, along with the ankle, measuring the same.

Huge Disappointment

As you know, I have taken up swimming for pain relief and for exercise.

The saddest thing about it all is that I find Speedo's have gone out of fashion.....

Gaurdians of Democracy

The UK, The EU and The USA all say they are FOR democracy and will fight for it's preservation anywhere.

What they mean is they support democracy and will fight for it's preservation as long as they agree with the politics of those that have been democratically elected.

If not, well they will do what they can to bring regime change.

Or had you not noticed that Palestine elected a government?

In a legitimate, fair and free election according to all international safeguards.

Yet the Big 3 are doing what they can to bring it down and do not recognize it.

This is bit like finding out that Santa isn't real. These defenders of democracy are nothing of the sort.

It brings into question all they do and the reasons they fight wars.

Life and Limb

So the jab in my left hip has worked so well that I am back at the Dr for the jab in to my right hip.

Here I am standing with my trousers down, modestly holding part of my underwear down and Elizabeth says:

' You do know you can only have three of these in your life time? Three in each hip.'

'No, I reply. 'Why?'

'Because there is a high risk your leg will drop off.' Or words to that effect.

(What she actually said was that there was a risk of infection in the ligaments being treated which could lead to leg being of no use. I think my way of putting it was more succinct.)

Well, I pulled my trousers up faster than when I was caught behind the bike shed with Beckham...

I decided the pain in my right hip was not that bad after all.

So pain killing injections could cause my legs to drop off. Spinal surgery could lead to total paralysis. The drugs I take could destroy my kidneys, my liver, my bowel, my stomach, my brain or my heart.

I have total faith in medical science and it's practitioners.

Honestly, I do.

The Catholic Church's Evil Grip

So after years of silence in the face of child abuse, after years of hiding paedophiles, Mother Church has bought it's way out of court by giving away billions to a small fraction of it's victims.

It isn't just that the hierarchy of the the Roman Catholic Church was complicit in the sexual abuse of children by protecting it's priests and denying the victims.

No.

Not just that.

It's whole ethos is based upon abuse. The abuse of young minds. The rape of innocents.

'GIVE ME A CHILD UNTIL HE IS SEVEN AND I SHALL GIVE YOU THE MAN'.

Hence we have millions of people worldwide who were corrupted by nuns and priests in childhood. Who were convinced in childhood of the infallibility of the Pope and his cohorts. Who were convinced that to question their authority or their love was to be booking a one way ticket to hell and damnation for all eternity.

The power of such brainwashing is immense. Thus even with those who go on to get themselves a good education, the pull of the Church remains. Fear and guilt win and even the educated person toes the line. So effectual is this method of brainwashing that the person thus brainwashed more often than not does not even question it.

So in 2007 this evil empire still has it's claws into billions of innocent ones. Will continue to abuse children. Will continue to house and hide paedophiles. Will continue to wallow in it's riches.

And the world will allow it to do so and pay lip service to love and compassion for children and human kind in general, directing it's ire toward Islam or whatever scapegoat is found next.

Anything but clean it's own shit up.

Just A Little Prick

Okay so I went to the doctor again today because this night pain is really too much and is stopping me living during the day. I have kept up my swimming but am so exhausted all the time. I can cope with day pain but night pain is not on as it stops me sleeping and I need my sleep.

I refused the injection into my hips last week. Today I agreed to it.

In my mind an 'injection into my hip' meant a huge long needle into my hip joint which is the main reason I said no.

Today, I agreed to have it done. I was talking to John whilst Stuart prepared the injection and was waiting calmly for him to do it when he suddenly said. 'There all done'.

Turns out the needle is tiny......

Anyway, it could work and it might last a week or 6 mths ...no one knows....it could also not work.

OnLine Supersocke 100

The Yarn: Online Supersocke 100 Tropic-Color no: 927. This is 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon. There are 8 colours in this range and I have all of them-cos I got a really good deal on them. I knitted them with my new Hiya Hiya needles from The Knitting Zone. Love the needles too.
I cast on 44sts (22 sts on each needle) Turkishly.
On the increase rounds I moved the increase in one stitch every increase row. It gives a wonderful fit.
Sherman Heel adaptation as always.

Hate Crime

Aaron Hall Is Murdered

Aaron Hall is Murdered 2

YOU MUST WATCH THIS

I found this very moving;

Paul Potts 1

Paul Potts 2

Paul Potts 3

At The Show

A lady I know, Julia Warner of Snowtalia Lhasa Apso, took these delightful pictures of Micah at yesterdays show.

Eight Balls

The older I get, the younger I behave.

I have finished the complete pair for John and still only one sock of my pair.

However, the other day I got thru the post 8 balls of Online sookyarn, the complete Tropical set. They have been sitting quietly by the settee in full view making me drool whenever my eyes set upon them.

This evening, like a child not able to wait until Xmas day, I ripped open the bag and started another pair.

Not only that but I started toe down and this time got the toe I wanted, a nice rounded one.

Very simple.

I have done such shaping on a raglan and had seen QK's idea for what she calls 'fan shape'.

As I was casting on Turkishly, I suddenly realised what she was talking about and that it is what I do on Raglan seams only she was doing it on the toe. The picture completed in my head and I threw QK aside and did it.(btw why on earth does she make such a performance out of these instructions? What's with all those markers? I thought the idea was to make it simple? I can't imagine what a total novice ( the hills are alive) would make of it. I know what this ex novice (my knees hurt) one would have done had I seen this book when I had no clue- I'd not be knitting socks.How does one see the stitches thru all that rubber and plastic?

So this sock toe is looking good, the colours are scrummy and I have another 7 balls (call Mr McWhirter) of different scrumminess. Lucky me.

Micah

I went to the show today and am glad I did. Micah won his class. His daughter, Shameless was 3rd.

I have been in much less pain. Either because I have been taking the pills(tho not since this morning and I am still not in big pain) or because this rough patch is ending. We'll see.

It turned out to be an easy decision to not attend this weeks long distance show. John will be away with work near where his 90 odd year old mother lives so i told him to go see her and thus no dog sitter for me.

I have two major shows next week - one 20 miles form and one 140 miles from home. I'll be fit for those.

Now I am off to rip open a bag which contains 8, yes 8, 100gm balls of sock yarn-representing the full range of this particular scheme.

July 7th 1981

Twenty six years ago today.

Our eyes met across a crowded room. Literally. We spent that evening together. Three days later I moved my stuff in.

Twenty six years later and we are still together and we have had more than our fair share of tribulation. No support. Just us and our determination. We won and continue to do so each day.

We know what love is. Others are not so fortunate.

Hopefully we'll get another 26 years.

John's Socks (and mine)

John's socks. Regia Color. Shade 1933. 2 x 2 ribbing for 90 rows, 20 rows st st then short row heel then the rest of foot.

Fortissima Socks Cotton Color Shade 6538 45% cotton, 42%, superwash virgin 13% nylon.

80 rib rows(2x2), 10 rows st st and then the short row heel, then rest of foot.

Showing

I have had my dogs since 1972. It has always been my dream to breed and show them. I have not been able to until recently and this last year has been my first full year of showing.

I have enjoyed it immensely. The UK is the hardest place to show dogs as our competition is high in quality and numbers. We get on average 150 at a show.

I have shown three dogs that I have bred and have rarely gone unplaced (meaning in the first 5, usually in the first 3). All three have qualified for Cruft's.

Anyway, to the point of this post: I am getting very tired. I don't know if I am so exhausted because I am in the middle of a flare(bad pain/inflammation) or I am like this because I am doing so much. I am doing a show a week now, long distance driving, getting up at 2am and leaving by 4am and usually home again by late afternoon.

I have to attend the shows to find out for myself which judges are worthy of my entry and which are not. Also by keeping going, one becomes part of the show scenery.

I don't quite know where I am leading to in this post. I have another show, short distance, this Sunday and then next Thursday a show 250 miles away. I am thinking I maybe won't go to that one. Yes, I will lose the entry money but save more than that by not going.

There is also this to consider: if I just ignore how I feel right now and keep going, I might end up missing more shows because I wreck myself...

Between shows I do little. I swim half a mile at the pool at least 4 times a week. It gives me relief from the joint pain whilst I am in the pool and gives my a CV workout the only way I can.

I knit and watch tv all other times, apart from doing what I need to with the dogs.

So I don't think I am overstretched in any way, in fact written down it seems I don't do much at all!

Normally it helps to think 'aloud' and maybe if I read this again, I'll come up with a solution.....

Hip Hip ..... Oh Bother Or Words To That Effect

Unfortunately the duvet hasn't continued to help. The pain is back and not just when I am asleep now.

Just got back from the Dr who thinks I should now have steroid injected into my hips. I said I would think about it. He said it wouldn't hurt. Umm, right, I believe that. (My Dr is a her but she wasn't available so I saw John's Dr who is a he.)

I have a dog show tomorrow and if I have this jab in my hips, I'll have it Friday, not today just before a show in case it causes something worse...

He says it won't make me fat and hungry only oral steroids do that....

Hip Hip Hooray

I was speaking with Carole yesterday. Carole is the mother of my friend Vanessa. She gave me a suggestion - place a duvet over the mattress topper on top of my bed.

Couldn't harm so John got the single duvet out of the loft for me and last night I slept on top of that which was on top of the memory foam mattress which was on top of the mattress. (Perhaps I ought to have place a pea under it all too....)

Lats night I slept through with no pain in my hips, at least none so much it woke me. Just the normal stiffness.

Phew.

Hip Hip Boo Hoo

So now I am getting really pissed off. I can cope very well with pain. I can even take my mind away from it and I knit or even walk the dogs, if I can, or I go and swim or I meditate or I read or listen to music. Whatever, I can leave pain behind far enough to either not feel it or have it just rumble quietly .

Night pain is a different matter altogether. I can't get away from it. My hips are really painful at night and have been for a couple of weeks now. I thought maybe the Memory Foam Mattress Topper I bought was to blame. I took it off and last night the pain was worse.

I am getting about 3-4 hours sleep and then I am waking every 20 mins or so because I am in so much pain and have to move. I have to switch sides. This morning I took pain meds as soon as I was out of bed and it still took from 7.30 am till gone 2pm(after second does) before it eased off.

Anyway, I went to the pool and swam half a mile which helped in that whilst I am doing it, I am weightless and feel no joint pain. It also helps dissipate the ratty feeling.

Right now I just feel tired, not sore.

I am past the heel on John's toe up socks. They are okay but not the style I would have chosen. He doesn't like them tight so they aren't. The toe is too wide and I'd have the body tighter but.....they are for him so he must have them the way he wants them. It is just difficult to make something that one feels is not well made.

Full Moon

This was taken with my Sony Alpha SLR Digital. Using flash.This was taken with same camera, no flash. Shutter stayed open for ages. My hands were not steady of course. I think this one is much better. More drama here I think. In fact i could lie and say it was a UFO or an explosion or something.

Micah

This Tantra's Micah ready for tomorrow's show at Windsor.

Texture

My own design knitted using the Garter Carriage on the Brother 940. I used 2 x 2/15's Merino 50% Cashmere 25% Silk 25%. 375m per 100gms
Neck detail
Pattern detail

Mocha Gansey Style

My own design done on a Brother 940 with the GC. I used 2 x 2/15's merino 50 %cashmere 25%, silk 25%. In hand knitting terms this yarn equates to 375m per 100gms.
Neck detail
Pattern detail
Pattern detail

Sherman Heel Adaptation

Since I have been asked several times, here it is:

When you get to where you want heel: (my example is over 30 sts)

knit 29 turn

sl1, purl 27 turn

carry on this fashion till you have 10 sts in the middle unworked.

Then go backwards, doing the 'encroachments'.

You will have finished on a knit row bar the last and will now knit the instep row . Before you do, pick up the bar between the first two stitches on the instep needles and knit that together with the last stitch on the heel needle, then proceed. When you get around to the heel sts again, before you knit the last instep stitch, pick up the bar between the first two sts on heel needle and knit with the last instep stitch. Continue to knit as normal now.

Sherman Heel Instructions

Please note: i slip the first stitch on the way back as well.

How I Knit

Look here .

Choose SLIDESHOW and set to 1 second. That will give you an idea of how I form the stitches.

Tantra's Shilpa

This my little Shilpa. She is 11 weeks old this Monday(25th). She still looks very promising.

Knitivity Sock

There is a man in Texas named Ray who dyes his own yarn. You can see his stuff here.

This is my first Toe Up sock.

I split the 100gm hank (which was actually 105 gms) into two balls. I knit until I got fed up basically! Seriously, I did 160 rows for the cuff. I normally only do 70 when knitting top down and when knitting top down I get loads left over. This sock weighs in at 50 gms, the heaviest I have knit so far. It fits beautifully.

I did the foot on 2.25mm needles and the garter ribbing on 2mm.

Now, the yarn is soft. Out of all the sock yarns I have used, this is the softest by far.

Ray is very reliable and pleasant to deal with. There was a hiccup with the first order, which was not his fault at all. The post for some reason took a month to get to me. In the meantime he had sent a second hank. Now he doesn't know me from Adam yet he trusted me when i said the yarn had not arrived. Of course I ended up with two hanks, which is fine by me.

The yarn that chose is called Doberman.

Thank you to Lisa who was the first to tell me about the Elizabeth Zimmerman sewn cast off.

And here is my trusted adapted Sherman heel.

Blackpool Show

It was a beautiful warm day. Clear skies. All hell broke loose on the way home though. This is my friend Linda, the woman I sleep with when I go to Scottish shows. Linda works with the disadvantaged. She is what I call good people. I admire her greatly. She has suffered the worst grief possible yet she hasn't stopped giving.
Minor Puppy Dog class(the boys).
Now if my blog was not public(what would be the point?) and if people here didn't know who I was, I would say a lot more about this show. I choose not to! ;-)

Oh Pigs

Home safe and sound, just about.

Saw a funnel cloud form! Then it dissipated. Thankfully.

Torrential rain and thunderstorm almost washed my car off the A1 on the way home.

Dogs behaved really well but not their day today.

Hips been thoroughly told off and warned I shall replace them if they don't behave.

As regards the last para in previous post, I think the humour is more understood by Brits. Offence giving not on menu.

Pig's Bum

Pig's bum! * It's been that sort of day. Which started yesterday......

First off, our fridge freezer broke down. Okay, so I call the service centre. The computerised voice thinks I have a cooker. It keeps me hanging on for 20 minutes and then hangs up. I call back. Another computerised voice tells the centre is now closed. ARRGGHHH!!!!

Now I have show tomorrow 220 miles away in Blackpool. I am thinking I won't be able to go. One because someone needs to be here from early morning Friday to let the service man. Yes, John will be here to dog sit but he will not get here till 9.30am as he has to come from London, where he works Mon-Fri. Anyhow, got that sorted.

Then I wondered how I was going to take my food. Not being able to eat certain foods-mainly wheat- can be a real bind at times. The food I do eat, salads and meats when I go away, needs to be kept cold.

During all this quandary, sometime during the late evening, the fridge comes to life again. So no problem now as regards taking good food.

I opened my passes for the show and it says, amongst other things, Disabled Passes Nil. What???

So I go and look at the schedule. Under Car Parking it says FREE. Nothing at all about disabled drivers nor about special passes. Until you get to page five that is. Then it tells you. Now why is the information for disabled drivers not in the same paragraph, or at least on the same F****** page! ARRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!

Yes, and before you ask, I am sore today, hardly slept because of my hips and I have got the hump big time. Hence the bitching.

And it you don't like that, f*** off and read someone else's blog who is all sweetness and light with no sense of humour.

* PIG'S BUM - Oz expression.

Why Respect A Belief?

You know, I can see why we need to respect people. I do - and I expect them to respect me.

Respect is not like or love and I think it is what is meant when we say we ought to 'love each other'.

To me this means do no harm at the least and be positive in our regard of others and helpful where we can. Treat another well. Simple.

However, I do not, and will not be told to, respect people's ideas and beliefs. How can I? if I think a belief is stupid, silly or wicked, how can I lie and say I respect it?

On the other hand, how dare you demand that your ideas or beliefs be respected? Who are you to demand such a thing?

If you believe the Pope is infallible and a true mouthpiece of God, let that be your privilege to believe anything you want. You do not have the right to demand that I or anyone else join you in this belief. If we choose to ridicule this belief, we have that privilege.

Today it seems that people are willing to kill those who mock their beliefs or refuse to bow to them. It is these people who are committing the evil not those who reject the beliefs.

I think that eating only fish on a Friday, not eating pork or shellfish, dressing in certain clothing, not wearing certain clothing, not working on specific days, not eating during specific periods and many other such beliefs are stupid, ridiculous and silly beyond belief.

None of these things make you a better person and none of them make you any closer to God.

However, I respect your right to believe these things and to follow them. I do not respect the belief, obviously, and you do not have the right to force me or others to follow them.

World gone mad: now one way which beliefs are forced upon others. I enquired as to how (in London) the council run swimming pool was legally allowed to hold women only sessions when they did not hold men only sessions. the answer I was given fudged the legal issue. One reason though was this: that women of a certain religion were not allowed to swim with men so they needed these sessions!

This is an example of people forcing their beliefs upon others. If you want to believe something so daft, that is up to you, but do not force your ridiculousness upon others. How dare you dictate how others can live or behave just to suit your idea?

(The other reasons had nothing to do with religion but with 'women's sensitivities', not feeling comfortable around men!!! So these women only sessions are offensive to men, and offensive to women in that they demonstrated a belief that women are indeed emotionally weak and need protection because they are not adult enough on their own. Not to mention the offense caused to men by the acceptable, it seems, assumption that all men are a danger to women. Needless to say they do not have men only sessions for those of us men who feel vulnerable and uncomfortable around women nor for those men whose religious beliefs preclude being with women in such a circumstance. Interestingly, there are no 'children and guardian' only sessions, yet children are the group most needing protection!)

We are letting religious nutters destroy us. We have got into the stupendously stupid position of having to respect by law utter idiocy!!!!

Believe what will but do not force our schools to accept it, our workforce, our government. Keep your beliefs out of our daily lives. Keep them to yourself, live by then if you must, but do not take away the liberty of others to think for themselves and live as they choose and to decide for themselves.

If you want to believe unprovable ideas, fine. If you want to exercise your right to be stupid, fine.

Yet when you start to want your ideas forced upon others, it becomes evil.

And we must fight evil not bury our heads in the sand.

And once again, if we truly care for our children, we will protect them from this evil and not force our ideas upon them nor allow anyone else to. We must teach them how to think not what to think.

Kelso

Micah was 2nd in Post Grad and Shameless 3rd in MPB. Both qualifying again fro Cruft's 08. You have to place 1st 2nd or 3rd in specific classes in order to qualify. They both achieved it for the second time today.

Kelso was beautiful, I could tell, but the weather was crap so not seen at it's best.

Second visit to Scotland in my lifetime, the first just a couple of weeks ago. Crap weather the first time too.

Two old men in kilts the first time, none at all this time.

I have gone off Scotland.