A Bag and Works in Progress

Can I distract you with my new bag? It is the Namaste Monroe and it is meant to be a knitting bag, but I am using it for work. It is a gorgeous colour and looks very leather-like. I have had several compliments at the office!

It is big enough to fit in A4 documents and the straps are just the right length to go over the shoulder comfortably. Loads of pockets inside with zippy bits and magnetic closures.

I bought mine from Purlescence - thanks for finding it in the back of the cupboard, Robynn! It was a necessary purchase - a pen leaked all over my home-made Hummingbird bag - sob! I am feeling very grown-up at the moment, with lipstick and a handbag!

In sewing and knitting news... I will have so much to show you soon!

I managed to do a lot of sewing at the weekend, and had made most of a pair of Bella trousers when I ran out of matching thread. Just before I reached all the top-stitching! So FL has been dispatched to the local fabric shop with the almost-empty spool and I hope to finish them one evening soon. Now that we have daylight in the evening - woo hoo!

The Busy Lizzy baby cardigan is still in pieces, all pinned out on my exercise mat. I just need to sew it all together and knit the collar.



And in the meantime I have been knitting away on the Helleborus Yoke and reached the centre back last night.

And FL?

He managed 9 holes of golf on Saturday, practically jogged off the course, dumped his clubs in the boot of the car, drove straight home and collapsed straight into bed where he slept for 6 hours solid. He said he knew if he didn't come home immediately he would have had to ring me to come and collect him, he was so tired.

But that didn't stop him - he was off again on Sunday and managed 8 holes this time. Anyone would think he was in training for a golfing holiday!

Sneak peek

My second Knit Love Club parcel arrived.

Sssssh! It's still a secret til everyone else's arrives!

I didn't blog about the January package because I wasn't sure about the colour. But lots of others have knitted their socks now, so I am feeling a bit left behind!

I am definitely going to be knitting THESE socks! But they are a HUGE challenge - a whole set of new-to-me techniques. I am going to pack them for my caravan holiday, which is coming up soon - eek! I have so much to do before then!

Vintage-style blouse pattern

Back to sewing talk...

I came across this blouse pattern at Gertie's blog. I have to say that her inspired choice of gingham fabric was what caught my eye. Otherwise I think I would flicked past this pattern in the catalogue. Their styling does nothing for me at all.

And then I realised it was the pattern Green Apples used for her ladylike lumberjack blouse- really? Confirmation that it's a good pattern!

There are definite possibilities here!

I rather like View C, with the cute bows, but maybe taking the longer sleeves from View D... if they are not actually completely froth-tastic like in that photo - shudder! And I need to satisfy my craving for a tie-neck, puff-sleeved blouse with a dip in at the waist by taking the sleeves from C and putting them on body D!
I am thinking polka dots, or even the coral gingham I have in the stash, intended for a child's dress when my daughter was little.

The fitted waistband will work with my new high-waisted trousers, or even to wear over low-waisted ones, while still looking kind of "1940's".

And the pattern was half-price here!

But I have a second pair of Bella trousers to make first! In airforce blue this time.

Hand round the cupcakes

So once again I have to thank my bloggy friends for your support. It is, after all, why I blog - to say what I have to say and hope that it maybe resonates with someone out there enough for them to say "I understand. Don't worry - it's OK to feel that way."

Please, have a blueberry lemon cupcake, each one of you! (Sorry the icing "split" but it still tastes good!)

Yes, you are right, I probably do need to talk to someone about all the stuff that's been going on. And I am a bit short of real-live-people. There's... my mother. Err yes. I ring her once a week and she tells me I have annoying speech habits and could I stop saying "Oh well", please? (I don't.) So she's not a candidate. And then there's... um. That's my lot I'm afraid. No brothers or sisters. No girly pals. I am not so desperate that I would ring my ex with my tales of woe. Even if he was still speaking to me. So it can feel a bit lonely. Mostly it doesn't bother me, 'cos it was ever thus, but lately it has been gnawing away at me that I really really need to find some friendly human beings, because once FL is gone, I will be A-LONE. Gulp.


The thing that tipped the balance this week was my son's University application. He hadn't shown me all the correspondence he had received and he hadn't realised he needed to acknowledge an invitation to submit his art portfolio. It had to be done by 17 March and I was shown the letter on the 23rd. Blind panic! I rang his school. The Social Ed teacher took the reins and got the Boy to ring the University from her office and grovel. He was allowed to email back the form. The University had just that morning made the decision not to accept any further forms because they are over-subscribed this year. Skin of his teeth.


But it also became clear he has just 2 weeks to submit the actual portfolio... and he hasn't got one. He has a whole heap of rough art work, and partial animations on dvd, but none of it is finished or mounted or in any way ready for presentation. He thought the school would tell him what to do and when to do it. Wrong. So he will be spending the first week of his Easter holiday in the art department under the wing of the Head of Department... and I will be ordering a courier to speed the resulting package to its destination before the deadline.


I feel like I dropped the ball. He is only 17. And yes, it is HIS future, but I do have responsibilities. I thought the school would guide him through it, but clearly they assume that parents are more... controlling. That they see letters coming into the house and ask their kids what was in there. Have files for their applications. Have calendars and "to do" lists. Considering my own post gets submerged in FL's newspapers and then thrown into the recycling bin before I have even seen it, what hope do I have of monitoring my son's mail?!

So... BLAH! Control has been regained once again. He "just" has to do the work now.

FL saw his GP yesterday and asked for a referral for an ultrasound. And he got an anti-spasmodic drug out of them too - hooray!

And he went to the optician too! But refused glasses - he took the prescription and walked out. But it's a start!

I just had a sudden vision of myself as an old-style air-traffic-controller, waving flags around my head in the hope that the pilots are watching. This much I can do. But I can't fly the damned planes for them.

What a "to do"!

Tuesdays are fast becoming FL update days!

I wish I could tell you he is feeling much better and that the effects of the Velcade are wearing off and he is on the golf course every day potting birdies (or whatever it is he does!)

Actually, he is a bit of a mess. Sorry FL, your secret is out! After last week’s post, he did make an effort to draw up a “To Do” list, to give himself some focus. I took a photo of the list for your viewing pleasure, but sadly it was blurred. It began something like this: “(1) Dig up earth from molehills; (2) Take molehill earth to broken beehives; (3) Dig holes by beehives and fill with molehill earth; (4) Soak trees; (5) Plant trees.” Somewhere in there was also an instruction to “Make deer-proof fence round beehives”. Even to an untrained eye, there is an awful lot of physical labour in that list of tasks. He had broken it up into manageable chunks, but at this rate (a week to summon the energy to write the “to do” list) the trees (our anniversary orchard) will have wizened and died in the Bothy where they were put “for a few days” at New Year.

He is very very tired. Oh, so weary. I cut his hair and beard at the weekend in an attempt to boost his self-esteem and stop him being tracked by Security in the supermarket for looking like a vagrant. He now looks cleaner but thinner. Much thinner. The bushy beard and shaggy hair were hiding a few months’ worth of weight loss. He is stooped and has a staggering, shambling walk. He said that yesterday it was a real effort to get back into the car after he had bought his newspaper – it was too low down to negotiate without fear of falling. He got back from town at noon and went straight to bed, where he stayed until I woke him at dinnertime (8pm).

He is in constant pain. At least he admits it now! But he still forgets to take the paracetamol. Every bone aches and he has a cramping pain in his abdomen. He is going to the GP today to request an ultrasound, as instructed by the hospital doctor two weeks ago. He also complains about failing eyesight. He has never had an eye-test in his life, but I have instructed him to make an appointment with an optician TODAY! His hearing loss continues to be an issue for the whole family, but he has done nothing about it.

I can hear you asking – yes, but what have YOU done about it Roo? You, his carer? And I have to admit that I have done nothing much about anything. I crawl into bed beside him when I get home from work and I hug him and tell him my stories about the day. Then I leave him to sleep while I get on with the household chores - cooking, dog-walking, cleaning, washing. We sometimes have high-volume exchanges with the kids over dinner, and then all too soon he is nodding off in his chair again and I am back out with the dog. We have mini-conversations all night long, but by then I am half-asleep. Then suddenly it’s morning again and I have to go to work and leave him to his lists.

He used to call me “the organisation woman” because I ran the family’s life with military precision. Now, suddenly, I seem to have let it all slip. I failed to nag my son to get his University applications in order, with the result that he may have lost out on his back-up-plan. I am complicit with the children’s lack of interest in their homework – beyond asking them if they have done it, I let them get on with it… or not. I leave FL to organise his own GP appointment, despite the notable disaster of his last attempt to get painkillers. I even suggest he sets up an optical appointment, knowing he thinks all opticians are charlatans, out to make money from poor fools who accept what they say – he believes glasses should be bought off the shelf for £2 at the pharmacy. Clearly, I am not facing up to my responsibilities. Maybe it’s ME who is depressed.

FO: Kalajoki socks

My first pair of socks for 2010. (I can't really count the Mulled Wine socks, considering they were begun in 2008!)

And some serious spring sunshine!

Stats:

Kalajoki socks from a free pattern on Ravelry here. I used Socks That Rock mediumweight in the Lucy colour and size 2.75mm dpns.

There are only 54 stitches round these socks, and a lot of those are plain knitting, so a quick project.

I really like the twisted rib "river".

This is my first outing with Socks That Rock and I can see what all the fuss is about - or was, before Wollmeise became the "hot" sock yarn! It's a lovely firm twist, beautifully dyed. Fabulous to highlight twisted stitches.

I was really happy to see it forming stripes as I knitted - there is only one "pool" on each sock and they are pretty much identical.

I have a LOT of yarn left over. I could have made these at least 4 inches longer.

Verdict?

I love the yarn and the pattern and the finished socks - woo hoo!

FO: BurdaStyle Bella Trousers

I finished my Bella trousers last Sunday, except for the buttonholes and bottom hem. I decided I needed daylight for both. They turned out to be the fiddliest part, so I am glad I waited!

There was a moment when I thought the corset-shaped waist panel was going to come up too high and cause a "boobs on the balcony" situation, but all is well. I did not make any adjustments to the sizing of the pattern, other than to shorten the legs.

The only things I changed were the front pleats, which I removed by pleating the paper pattern flat before I cut the fabric, and I also stitched down the sides of the front pockets. The front pockets are very strange. The actual "pouch" is only about 2 inches deep, and until I stitched it down, the side-on view gave the illusion of a baggy dungaree-front, which wasn't very flattering. However, I can see this non-pocket will be useful to clip my work ID card to.

I wasn't sure what style of button to choose. I want to wear these trousers for work, so they need to be more smart than casual, and the Bedford cord was already conspiring against me. The colour of the fabric is more grey-green than gold-green, so if I went for a metal button it would have to be silver / pewter rather than gold / brass. I tried a grey vintage plastic but it looked a bit fussy. "Bone" might work... but I went for self-fabric-covered buttons so that I could wear them with my Tara Starlet jacket.

Stats:

Bella trouser from Burda Style, a pattern you download and print at home. Sticking the various pages together in the right order was surprisingly complicated. (Maybe that was just me.) The English instructions were pretty good with only two strange turns of phrase which confused me momentarily. The diagrams required a magnifying glass, but then were clear.

Size 38 fits me well - I usually think of myself as a "modern size 10".

The fabric is 100% cotton Bedford Cord from Croft Mill fabrics, described as "light olive" on the site: "rather splendid cotton trousering from Germany, an overspill from a trouser maker of immense repute". It was only £4.50 a metre and these took exactly two metres. It is a really high quality fabric - firm and yet soft. I would absolutely recommend it. They have it in burgundy too - I am tempted.

Verdict?

A very sharp style, which would be easily adjusted for a perfect fit, due to the large number of seams around the yoke. I really like the unusually-shaped back pockets which my photographer couldn't seem to capture without blur. You could add fake "corset-lacing" at the back to funk them up a bit for evening wear. Or braces for a vintage menswear twist.

They have super-wide legs, which appear to go on forever due to all those diagonal seams. The pleats on the original scared me - too much detail on the upper thigh for my taste / shape. Other sewers have left them in, but stitched them flat.

All in all, a wearable, flattering cut.

Yes, I like them a lot! And I plan to make another pair in blue.

Swing Dress Plans

Swept along in a rush of spring fever, I have ordered two 1940's sewing patterns from Etsy.



This dress is similar to the one I liked so much at Tara Starlet, but with a higher neckline. Much more sensible for a girl without much boobage.



I was impressed to see that the 1940's body measurements are identical to mine - maybe I have found my era!



I am thinking of polka dots or a floral print. I might even take both together with this fabric from Croft Mill but I think cotton might be too stiff. Maybe a viscose?




And from the same Etsy seller, a pattern described as being for a teenager. I can't imagine my daughter wearing this!



The short-sleeved version of the blouse called to me. I might mess about with my vintages and go for a 50's-style cherry print on a black base. Although I found some gorgeous 1940's turquoise heart-shaped buttons which are crying out to be sewn onto a cute puff-sleeved blouse, so I might have to make more than one...!


And wouldn't that pinafore be fab in black cotton sateen? Like the stuff I already have in the stash?


Poor FL doesn't know what to think.

Going Vintage

Image credit: Tara Starlet

No sooner do I get my hair cut, than I develop a passion for repro retro fashion. Typical. No fancy rolled fringes for me (thank goodness!) My style icons at University wore their Oxfam 50's frocks with punk haircuts and DM's and it worked. Not that I think I can get away with that particular combination at the office...

But I have a plan:

Wide trousers: material purchased to sew three pairs, first pair done except for buttons

Neat jackets: I bought one from Tara Starlet and obviously need to make another!

Fitted blouses: Come on Roobeedoo, you know you can make them yourself!

Tea dresses: still in my head/dreams

Neat cardigans: first up will be Audrey in Unst in sloeberry Sublime merino from the stash

I also had a bit of a binge on 1940's / 50's Stitchcraft magazines at Ebay. There was a lot more to choose from than I expected. I even recognised one (December 1957) from my mother's long-lost collection. I used to love flicking through these as a child! But she sent hers to landfill many years ago after the attic flooded. Sniffle. I managed to control myself and just buy a few, but I might have to go back for more. I really want to try knitting from the original patterns. Of course, I could just have bought Jane Waller's book, but I wanted to "discover" a pattern for myself, if you know what I mean.

Image credit: Dead Men's Spex at Ebay

Still unresolved: lipstick and glasses. I am seriously considering the purchase of some red lipstick, well reddish, oh my! Lipstick is a shocking enough concept for a scruff like me. And I really rather fancy some vintage-style glasses...!

How much of this will come to pass? Who knows - but is fun doing the "research"!

A week on: FL

It is a week since FL was at the hospital, so I thought I would do a little catch up post.

The first thing to say is that he is not very happy. I wouldn't call it "depressed", but he is certainly "low". In his own words, he is feeling sorry for himself. He deals with this by projecting it all on to me: "If you had known this would happen, you would never have come North to be with me", or "You should never have married this old man". So then I have to deluge him in reassurances, that actually I love him and I am glad that I was here when he needed me, to look after him. At which he shakes his head sadly and says "No, no no." Sigh.

He managed to do 4 holes of golf on Sunday. That's his first time on the course in months and he was shattered afterwards. But he did it. It's a start! He is still sleeping a lot during the day, but is making the effort to be getting up when I arrive home from work, rather than just going to bed.

His diet is erratic. He gets through an alarming number of tins of soup in a day! He used to make his own vats of broth but can't be bothered at the moment. Tinned sardines, oatcakes and chocolate biscuits are also popular. My main worry about his diet is that he fills himself with processed, pre-packaged food during the day (which he buys himself as I don't even go near those aisles in the supermarket) and then doesn't want the freshly cooked main meals I cook. I have suggested he re-heats his portion of dinner the following day but it never seems to interest him. Fresh fruit is not as appealing as tinned syrup-laden peaches. The more I think about it, the more I think he is reverting to the food of his childhood - maybe it is a comfort thing.

He has been taking Paracetamol more regularly. His back is painful all the time. He cannot feel his feet, so they get very cold without him noticing. He has started to get headaches, which he has never suffered from before. He gets up twice a night for about an hour each time as he finds lying down too uncomfortable. However, I think the "electric shocks" are less frequent.

And then we had an "incident" which shook us both:

On Friday night, he took my daughter to her dancing class. The phone rang, and a young woman said: "Is that Mrs [FL's surname]?" Yes. "This is the National Crime Bureau... giggle giggle giggle". I hung up on her. The number was witheld when I dialled 1471. When FL came home, he was raging. Someone had smashed up the heavy wooden fence which surrounds the wheelie bins at the end of the farm road, and thrown the bins around. Two were broken: lids and wheels off. It would have taken quite a concentrated effort to do all the damage that was done. We rang the police. They refused to accept that the two incidents were linked, even though we explained that FL's name is not in the phone book, so it had to be someone who knew him who rang me. They seemed to think that a fence to enclose rubbish bins was insignificant and without value.

So now we are paranoid. FL is convinced someone is out to get him. There have been other incidents down by the bins: they were set on fire last year, and our bin stolen a few months later. When my car was parked down there during the snow, it mysteriously ran out of oil, coolant and brake fluid, all within the space of a week.

I suppose it gives him something to think about. But it's not pleasant.

Blog fodder

MMMM - dark chocolate cupcakes, allegedly made for the kids! If you have even the slightest interest in baking, my latest library find is for you! Until this book, I thought "cupcake" was just the name for a muffin with icing on top. Not so! I made these because it was the only recipe I (almost) had the ingredients for, and it happened to be vegan. Seriously more-ish!

I had to make a few changes: brown sugar instead of white, cider vinegar instead of wine vinegar, SR flour instead of plain. But they worked. And this is the last one, so be quick FL!





And I finished the first Kalajoki sock. This is the right foot.




See that crazy "anatomical toe"?











But most of the weekend has been about sewing. I am determined to get on with my Burda Style Bella trousers today.

The self-print pattern was a bit of a fiddle to put together and most of yesterday was spent cutting and sticking. But hopefully today I will get to the stitching stage.

I do fear that this fabric is too casual for work-wear. But I've started, so I'll finish... eventually!

All Talk, No Trousers

While my knitting has been going smoothly, with several Works in Progress and a concentrated attack on the stash underway, there has been no sewing to show.

It is not down to a lack of inspiration. Or fabric. Or pattern books. But somehow it feels like such a major undertaking to clear the table of its daily detritus, that I lose my energy before I begin.

My three trouser-lengths arrived from Croft Mill Fabrics, and I am mightily impressed by the “handle” of the material. However, I pre-washed all three together, which may have been a mistake, as I suspect the black has seeped dye onto the other two. I need strong daylight to be sure.

The khaki Bedford cord is first up. I am considering a high-waisted trouser pattern, to shake things up a bit. I printed one out from BurdaStyle, the Bella trouser, and just need to sellotape the A4 print-outs together to check I have enough fabric. Why do I always buy fabric in one- or two-metre portions? I may not have long legs, but I still need a few spare inches for facings and waistbands! I am slightly wary of the high-waist thing, but I saw this pattern made up here and thought it looked fab, so we'll see!

In shopping news, the Tara Starlet tea dress sadly had to go back. I ordered it in pink, which made me look washed-out. I exchanged it for black with tiny red flowers – but it was made of different fabric which caused a major static storm. I just don’t “do” synthetics for this reason, but the pink had a “cold crepe” feel and was fine. Since I can’t go to work with my hair standing on end and my frock stuck to my knickers, it has had to be returned. Sob. So there remains a hole in my wardrobe for a 1940’s dress. I ought to make one… or buy an anti-static underskirt. Yuck, too much polyester!

Meantime, I haven’t ordered any of the patterns or books I showed you. The exchange rate has been conspiring against me for Japanese imports and I can’t bring myself to pay almost £20 for a book which might just languish under the bed beside its cousins. I think I need to plan an entire outfit, sew it, and wear it, and take it from there. Instead of fiddling about making single items which don’t go with anything else, so sit in the wardrobe, staring at me accusingly every morning. Some sewing bloggers have been doing a “Me Made March” where they could only wear clothes they had made themselves, for the whole month. I think I might have been a little chilly if I had tried this. But it is a great idea!

The Waiting Room Sock

When I wrote that I knitted "a quarter of a sock" in the Waiting Room you probably weren't all that impressed. I actually meant a quarter of a PAIR of socks - i.e. half a sock. I do hope my daughter isn't relying on me for help with her maths homework!

It is the Kalajoki pattern (free on Ravelry!) and I am using Socks That Rock mediumweight in the colourway Lucy, 2.75mm dpns.

This is my first time knitting with STR. I had been saving this skein for the right pattern. Kalajoki is a good match, I think. Most of the sock is plain, but there is that river of twisted stitches meandering down the front to break up the pooling and add direction to the sock. I considered knitting Marina Piccola again, but it would have been too busy.

The sock-at-rest looks a tad wrinkly, but evens out on the foot. I love the firm, even fabric which STR produces. This is a substantial piece of hosiery.

As for the colours - ah, I am such a sucker for a colourway to match a cat! (Lucy is Wendy's siamese.) It was the Cheshire Cat in the new film of Alice in Wonderland which inspired me to dig out this yarn. Turquoise stripes - mmm!

AND THANK YOU!

Thank you, once again, for all your good wishes. FL is still getting used to the idea that he is "normal"! He was just on the point of cancelling his golf club membership and now he thinks he might hang on to it.

He is frustrated by the continuing tiredness / pain, but at least he now has some hope that things might improve. I have been granted permission to knit him another pair of socks, on the grounds that he might get a chance to wear them before he pops his clogs - such optimism!

Hospital Update - NORMAL!

I knitted a quarter of a sock today. That's how long FL's hospital appointment took!

But really I am not complaining. It was a much more positive visit than most. It was the Italian lady doctor, who always listens to us - and that makes such a difference. She started by asking FL how he was feeling: "Dreadful!" he said in his best lugubrious tone. And so she went through his symptoms one by one: stomach pain, constipation, lack of appetite, weight loss, "electric shocks" (especially at night), dizziness on standing, "concrete boots" and overwhelming tiredness.

And she called up his numbers on the computer and pronounced that, actually, he is NORMAL!

The Free-Lite result from 8 February shows: Kappa 7.8, Lamda 8.7, ratio 0.8 = all well within the "normal" range. Compare this to September 2009 (Kappa 690); November 2009 (after 2 cycles of Velcade, Kappa 75) or December 2009 (after 3 cycles, Kappa 12.7). That evil evil drug actually works, people!

His Haemoglobin took a hit from the Velcade but is increasing. His Potassium was low the last time it was checked, and she ordered another test today, in case a deficiency is adding to his tiredness. I asked about vitamin B12 (something many myeloma patients lack) and she agreed to check that out too. She examined his abdomen and could find nothing unusual, but has suggested he get an ultrasound test in a couple of weeks if the stomach pain does not improve.

In summary, all he has to do now is recover from the treatment! She reckons that all of his current problems are probably due to the Velcade (as we thought) and at his age (sorry, FL!) it will take a while for his body to get over it completely. He needs to try to eat properly, get out and about, and generally get on with living. In other words: "Pull yourself together , man, there's nothing wrong with you!" Well, not quite, but certainly a vote of confidence that he just needs to be patient and improvement will come with a gradual return to normal activities.

And then it dawned on us - she was saying NO MORE VELCADE! We had assumed we would have to do battle today, to avoid two more months of treatment, but this was not even on the agenda. What a relief! FL asked her, just to be sure, and she was very clear: "Oh no! Your side effects were becoming too severe, so we would not consider continuing treatment. Particularly since your Free-Lite results are so good." YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I sat beside FL as he had his Zometa infusion. I usually sit in the waiting room, but he had held on to my hand as he was ushered into the treatment room. I sat there, working away on my sock while he read his book. Every seat in the room was occupied. There was a woman across the room crocheting a blanket while her teenaged daughter slept through her chemo. I had assumed the mother was the patient when I saw them outside. How awful that must be.

We are entering another phase now. No more doctors scheduled for 3 months, unless he falls ill. The Myeloma will come back, we know that, but for now, we have a reprieve. It is a good feeling. I think we will sleep tonight.

Knitty Works in progress

First up:

Busy Lizzy from Rowan's Tadpoles and Tiddlers book.

I knitted this for my daughter in primrose yellow Wool and Cotton 14 years ago. I must see if I can find a photo. It was my favourite baby knit at the time.

I am using Yarn Yard Bonny this time round, and the variegated colour "Trente et Un" hides the criss-cross-iness of the smocking at the yoke.

But it's a great colour and I think it looks more modern than a plain pastel. It is a slower knit than I expected, but I am about halfway there.

And here is the current state of the Helleborus Yoke. I haven't touched it this week due to my dedication to the baby knit.

I must get back to it before the snow melts!


Today I am casting on some waiting room socks. Trying to decide between another pair of Marina Piccola's, Kalajoki or something using my only skein of Socks that Rock in the shade "Lucy", which I now see as the Cheshire Cat colourway - loved those turquoise eyes!

Yes, I took the kids to see the new Alice in Wonderland yesterday. Some terrible editing and excruciating "dance", but I love, love, loved the costumes! :)

Frivolous and Macabre

A quiet week on my blog.

Frivolous

This has been made up for by shopping!

• A Tara Starlet jacket - the one I showed you the other day



• A Tara Starlet tea dress (this is a link to a piece about them rather than to the shop itself)



• Circular knitting needles ready for Audrey in Unst



• Several vintage copies of Stitchcraft magazine from the 1940's / 50's for inspiration



• Siri Hustvedt novels: I am reading The Blindfold and so far I don't regret it, but it is definitely creepy



• A pair of half-price Eco Sneaks in purple satin - too small so they had to go back. Drat.

Health

FL is still tired and out of sorts. His bowels are still acting up and he rarely wants to eat at mealtimes. In fact, it seems that he needs to go to bed almost immediately I get home from work, so I have a new routine of putting the dinner on to cook and walking the dog before I even take my coat off. Wellies go so well with workwear!

Then, while he sleeps, I change into "home clothes", catch up with the kids, and settle down with my knitting. Sometimes he gets up for dinner, but most often not. He usually surfaces around 9pm, just as my daughter is going off to bed. We have an hour or so of "how was your day" and then it's my turn to sleep.

Somewhat macabre but practical

FL rang the Anatomy Department and offered them his body. It seems there are two ways to do this: for parts, or as a whole. Obviously, there are issues of... ahem... freshness and condition in respect of "parts". Nobody is likely to want dodgy second-hand kidneys, for example. So he is thinking he would prefer to be used for educational purposes rather than research or transplants - along the lines of "What did this man die of?" classes for medical students.

This will also mean he won't need a funeral, as such. I have to admit I was rather afraid of trying to arrange a burial at the farm. He had drawn up a list of pals he thought might carry his (ecofriendly cardboard) coffin to the proposed site, and not one of them would have been fit enough. We joked that he might need a bigger hole so his Bearers could fall in beside him!

N.B. He isn't ready to go yet!

This weekend

• Taking the kids to see Alice in Wonderland?
• Knitting a baby cardigan - very cute so far!
• Sewing trousers - and then I can show you my jacket!
• Casting on some waiting room socks - back to Haematology for a review next week.

My weekend

Photo credit: TaraStarlet.com

My snowy weekend was productive. My poor car now has an oil leak (It is possible that this is linked to my encounter with a gorse bush on the way home in a blizzard last Wednesday. Just saying.) so I was "stuck" at home - shame!

• I gutted out my wardrobe... again



• I ripped out FL's Zur Lederhos'n sock... completely, all gone.



• I started knitting a Busy Lizzy Cardigan for an unidentified 2010 baby



• I finally printed out the pattern for Audrey in Unst



• I ordered some clothes to try on from Tara Starlet



• I did my Clubland Workout... twice!



• I cooked complicated Leek Cassoulet with Biscuits (US definition - think scone topping) from the Veganomicon

Quite apart from reading two heavy newspapers each day, washing clothes and cleaning the house - woo hoo!

Health:

FL was tired and did a lot of sleeping. I took his photo but it was a bit scary-looking, so I will spare you. He has developed several food phobias recently, much to my daughter's amusement, since he always complains about her "faddy eating", when her list of dislikes is limited to anything slimey (mushrooms, aubergine, fish).

FL now cannot face: carrots, tuna, coleslaw, chicken, prawns on the same plate as anything meaty, bagels, pitta bread, white wine, white fish, risotto... so far. However, anything and everything can be drowned in salsa sauce and he is addicted to almonds. Bizarre.