Some actual knitting

that I can actually show! So much of my knitting at the moment is 'secret'.
I've been working on a few small projects for me too.

Here are a pair of Fetching fingerless mittens, from Knitty summer 2006. I made them in a spare skein of Silk Garden I had left over from something else. They will be useful for holding a coffee cup outside at work in the winter (or summer, as things are going...)



Next up is half an alpaca hat. The flash has washed out all the colour - it's a pale lilac, not pink. It's my first attempt at adding beads, which was much easier than I had anticipated thanks to this tutorial on Debi's blog. I shall be using beads more often in the future.



Finally, a scarf in Handmaiden Sea Silk in the Woodland colourway. It's a simple lace pattern as so many I tried got lost in the colour changes. It doesn't look much now, but I have faith in the blocking process. A little of this yarn goes a long way.



I have joined another swap too: Harvest Sock Swap '07. Participants are asked to knit one sock and send it, with the rest of the yarn and pattern, to their partner along with some other goodies.

Brown

Every year we like to go to Danby Agricultural Show. Last year's August blog entries were full of sunny pictures of the dales and the livestock we saw at Danby.

This year's should really just feature umbrellas! To give you some indication of our summer, I'll tell you what my lastest wardrobe purchase is. No, not a new linen tunic or even a tankini - a new Berghaus 'performance' (read waterproof) jacket.

These are our pictures of Danby last week:







j forgo his nocturnal holiday existence for the day as well.

Add to the mud, the fact that the recent foot and mouth outbreak has resulted in a ban on the transporting of livestock, including attendance at country fairs, and you can guess how short our visit was.

There's always next year.

Pay it forward Exchange

A goodwill exchange based on the 2000 movie with Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey. I like the sound of this and leapt into an opening in the comments on Grace's blog. Having done that I have promised to post this here.
This is what the PIF Exchange is all about……(Taken from Grace's blog, which was copied from from JenW's blog which was copied from Megan’s blog, which was copied from…..you get the picture)
“Here is how it works! I’ll send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange! I don’t know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week…LOL… but you will receive it within 365 days, that’s a promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog…”

So the next 3 people who leave a comment on my blog - there are treats in store!

Finished object

Finished another Shapely Tank. I love this pattern as a Summer basic. This one is in Wendy Supreme Cotton in Desert Print. I've added a dozen mother-of-pearl buttons for a touch of interest. It will go with suits and casuals and works with black and brown.

My Knitted/Crochet Scarf Swap scarf arrived safely in Taipei with Flora today. I'm glad she likes it as I am in awe of the crocheted garments on her blog!

Respect for the elderly

I'm very excited about my find of the day:



Got any ideas? No? Here's another clue:



Yep! It's an American, 1920-ish Royal (10, I think) Typewriter. Complete with glass vision panels and spare ribbon.



It came from an old farmhouse out in the countryside. The owner was clearing out her attic and found it. It's mine now! I had intended to rip its keys off and use them to make jewellery. However, now I've met it in person, as it were, I'm a little in love and wonder if it might restore. It could look like this you see.

Knitting news:
I have finished my Ravenclaw socks and am beginning the hunt for the perfect pattern for a scarf in Handmaiden Sea Silk.

Sock-knitter's block

No, not an inability to move forward with my Ravenclaw socks (in fact I'm about to decrease for the toe on the second one!), but my current internal debate about whether I can justify buying a pair of wooden sock blockers.
I really want a pair of these, but also covet these.
Then I found this tutorial.

A couple of garden shots:



The white agapanthus we put in last year is flowering for the first time.



This verbena self-seeded from last year's crop. It's about 7 feet high!

Just a peek

The Hogwarts Sock Swap knitting is going well. I'm very happy with the socks I'm making. Hope Rowena agrees when she gets them! It's very frustrating not being able to show what I've done so far (I'm turning the heel of the second sock). So here's a sneak peek:



Don't think that gives anything away...

Mini Health-rant:
I saw my GP today as I want to stop taking one of the drugs I take to manage my FMS. It has done nasty things to my weight which seem impossible to reverse even with a really healthy diet and 40 minutes brisk exercise a day. My BP is elevated now too. And I have to have a full range of fasting bloods done in the morning. Aaarghhh.

Still, I'll keep going with the eating and exercise programme. I don't drink alcohol any more, I don't smoke, PLEASE don't make me give up my one latte (skinny) a day. What else is left to me? Actually - I guess I could become allergic to wool. No, surely...?

J update:
J is doing really well. It looks as though he's not going to have angina or any other after effects of his heart attack. His cholesterol is reducing, he's strong and healthy looking again. His skin is cold all the time now though as a side effect of one of his many daily drugs. He's managing to relax and not think about work. The really worrying thing is that he has developed a taste for Dickinson's Real Deal! As long as he doesn't decide to emulate the Duke himself and get an orange tan...

Knit 1 Tea 2 Color Swap

Knit 1 Tea 2 Color Swap Questionnaire


Do you like loose tea or bags, or both – something you want to try? - Either. I like teabags as they give me the chance to buy smaller quantities and try more types of tea
What is your favorite kind of tea (Brand, flavor, variety, etc)? - I like the English Breakfast & earl Grey kinds of tea. I've always wanted to try the Bush Tea that Mma Precious Ramotswe drinks in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books.
Favorite color in regards to tea or one you would like to try? (black, green, red, and white) (keeping in mind that this is how this swap is set up). I'm interested in exploring green
Would you say you were a tea pot kind of person or just a hot water heater kind? Both! On my own I'm a bag in a mug kind of girl, but for two or more...a pot
What tea accessories would you like but have never purchases for yourself? Anything - we're more heavilly weighted towards coffee things here at home
How do you prefer to be pampered? (examples: mani/pedi, bubble bath, yummy treat, etc). Love pedicures and reflexology/aromatherapy. Also love yummy goodies
If you were a kind of yarn what would you be and why? Hmmm... probably alpaca - soft and strong or maybe recycled sari silk - a mix of allsorts with some exotic and some grotty bits thrown in!
If you had to knit/crochet baby booties, a fun fur scarf, or a fair isle sweater, which would you choose and why? The fair isle any day. I love the interplay of colour in fair isle and the sense of making something really special
What other event would make you skip a tea party? (A garden party? A book club meeting? A yoga class? Opening night for a new action thriller? etc?) Garden party - any opportunity to poke around in someone else's borders...
What treat would you consider essential at your tea party? (Sweet? Salty? Scones? Those petite pastry trays with a couple of all sorts of things? Little crust less sandwiches?) cucumber sandwiches without crusts, warm scones with butter and home made jam, Nigella Lawson's lemoncurd cake
When buying yarn for a project how do you choose - do you buy the one called for or do you substitute? Depends what I like best
What do you carry your knitting/crocheting in when on the go? A small, portable project - like a sock
Favorite movie to watch while knitting/crocheting? You've Got Mail
Are you a traditional tea cup kind of person or a mug type of person? Do you care if they match? Both, but rarely matching
Favorite childhood birthday party? The one where I wore a white lace dress with a blue sash. I was 5, I think.
Favorite type of scone and jam? Fruit scones with just a hint of spice and home made raspberry jam
If you use candles, what is your favorite scent? cinnamon
If you could choose 3 people to have 'tea' with, who would they be and why? (famous or not, living or dead). Mum and Dad, both sadly dead - Dad never got to see my son. Mr Hislop, my Junior School teacher who pushed me to read interesting and challenging books.
You've been invited to a tea party, what 'props' will you wear (formal or casual)? Smart Casual - long skirt with a handknit stole or shawl
Any allergies/preferences you have or are willing to admit to? Nothing
Anything we missed that you want your pal to know?That I appreciate the time and trouble they are putting into this.

At last, some finished objects

Really hot and humid here (by North East England standards, at least) today. I feel swollen and irritable and achey :( But, on the up side, I finished blocking scarves to send off to swap partners in the swapbot Crochet/Knitted Scarf Swap.

So, if you're in Halifax, Nova Scotia and you like greens mixed with purples this will be on its way to you on Monday:



Seafoam lace stitch in Cherry Tree Hill yarn with a crocheted edging.

And if you live in Taipei, Taiwan and you like light grey-green this is coming to live with you:



It's Kidsilk Haze in Rowan's Froth pattern (second one of these I've made after swearing I would never knit a ruffle edging again!)



This evening feels a little cooler, but the sky is dark and it feels thundery. The boys are watching A Clockwork Orange downstairs and I just don't fancy it. I'm going to put my feet up and work on my Ravenclaw sock for Rowena Hopkirk. The sock is coming along nicely. I'm turning the heel and a little anxious about the yardage I'm getting from the yarn I've chosen, but won't worry too much yet. No pictures for obvious reasons.

Rievaulx Abbey - arch heavy post

Founded by St Bernard of Clairvaux in 1132, Rievaulx Abbey became one of England’s wealthiest monasteries before its dissolution by that architect of medieval destruction, Henry VIII in 1538.





We're very lucky in that, although we live in an industrial town, we have a wealth of North Yorkshire treasures within half an hour's drive. Today we drove to Helmsley, down to Rievaulx, and up into Rosedale.

Alice Cox

Heard some really sad news today. Alice Cox died suddenly on Sunday. Alice was my 'spoiler' in Secret Pal 9, a generous heart and a vibrant member of the fibre-blogging community.

Sneak Preview

My Ravenclaw sock yarn has arrived! It's been wound into balls and is ready to be cast on this evening and I'll be glad to put my feet up as they ache today. We have discovered lots of places within a short distance of home for a walk each day. Yesterday we walked around Hartlepool Marina (but I forgot the camera). Today we waked along what used to be the railway line at Wynyard Woodland Park.





I'm trying to explore other creative outlets in addition to knitting. I had a go at making ATCs. I'm a bit anxious about showing them or daring to swap them, but I've signed up for a swapbot swap with a newspaper background theme.



The article I picked was about deforestation, so I thought I'd add some recycled paper and an indian ink tree to each one. It's my first attempt.

I am knitting, honestly.

Been trying my hand at making stitch markers in preparation for that part of the Hogwarts Sock Swap - seeing that the muggle mail disputes are holding up delivery of my yarn. I hope it will be here on Monday so that I can get started on the socks.



Can't show you any of my other knitting either as all items are for swaps...

I know I said we wouldn't,

but how could we go to Gateshead Flower Show and not buy anything?

How could we resist puprple angelica?



Or this pelargonium?



We've been doing some more tidying in the garden yesterday and today. If we do an hour every day it will be manageable without J worrying that it's going to get away from him whilst he can't do everything himself.





Walking has settled into our daily routine. Today we were out on Seaton Dunes.
Warm and windy - great skies.

Did it rain on St Swithin's day?

Torrential rain again most of today. Only went out as far as the hairdressers with j. He's had about 10 inches of hair cut off! It's very nice now - quite odd to be able to see him again as he used to wear it completely over his face. However, I'm not allowed to take his picture.

Had a visit from J's community cardiac nurse specialist today. She was very helpful and was able to reassure him about all of his concerns and questions. She also managed to persuade him to join her excercise sessions at our local sports centre. Then she told me I could join too, so I will.

We're off to this tomorrow, weather permitting. I love flower shows. We are not planning to buy any plants this year as J isn't up to putting any in just yet. Hopefully there might be other nice things to buy!

We snatched this shot of the 'seaside' area of our garden as the last of the afternoon sun hit it yesterday

Nowt but muck!

This morning we found a farm shop we'd never noticed before. J asked, "Is it all organic?" The owner answered "Nowt but muck here!" Very reassuring. Brought home far more fruit and veg than we intended. It's easy to get carried away in these places - everything looks so good.

So... organic vegetable soup (butternut squash, leeks, potato, carrot, turnip) with organic bread; organic stewed rhubarb and custard (not organic - Ambrosia from a tetrapak, my home made custard is vile) for dinner. Everything is washed and stowed away. Only got a big bag of peas to shell now.

Increased our walk to half an hour before dinner. We walked along the new coastal defences in Hartlepool. Parked in the car park were two small camper vans, not the huge RV kind, this kind. Both were driven by couples in their 60s. One couple were drinking coffee, the man from the other couple was walking the same path as us and his wife was knitting in the van. At times that seems like an idyllic retirement to me.

I've got muscles

...in my bum that I haven't remembered in years! Nothing really exciting going on, I'm simply joining J on his daily walk and exercise. It's amazing how sedentary my life has become. Excercise is a difficult one with Fibromyalgia. I'll keep going while I can. If he can do it so can I!

Today we drove to Sleights and walked around Perry's Unusual Plants on the Riverside. It was a lovely sunny day - odly, down in the Esk valley, their plants seem a few weeks ahead of ours at home. Their phlox is nearly over and ours is just getting going.



Two slightly disguised tasters, just in case anyone from Crochet/Knitted Scarf Swap drops by:





I like swapbot, but I do miss the blog-along cameraderie of a blog-based swap, like International Scarf Exchange. I missed Round 4 but am watching out for Round 5.

On tenterhooks

The book is here, but I'm 3/4 of the way through another book at the moment! So, I'm trying to play it cool, but am thumbing my way quickly towards this one.

The lonely, empty needles are lying there awaiting the Ravenclaw yarn I've ordered to knit socks for Rowena Hopkirk in the Hogwarts Sock Swap 2.

I'm glad Rowena has smaller feet than these:





Home-from-hospital socks!

These were my hospital knitting. I don't think I've ever got along the length of a foot for J so quickly before!

School's Out!

It's finally THE weekend - the one after the children leave school. I'll still be in on Monday to oversee getting the building and resources ready for next year, but I'm hoping to restrict it to just Monday. (Ok, and maybe bits of the last week of the holidays...but that's it.)

So far this weekend, I have slept and cried. Combination of a lot of relief at holding things (mostly me) together for the past three weeks since J's heart attack, terrible pain in my left foot and ankle and a slight general flare that always hits me when the adrenaline drops.

I've joined J on his daily walks - we've been along the seafront at Seaton Carew and across the beach at North Gare. We would have been in the garden if it had stopped raining long enough to cut the grass :( The garden is wild and jungly. We may have to get someone in to labour for J for a few weeks before it gets away from us completely.

Hogwarts Sock Swap 2 questionnaire

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into? - I'm in Hufflepuff.

2. Shoe size? UK 6.5, US 9

3. Foot Length?9.5 inches

4. Foot Circumference?9.5 inches

5. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length.
a. Lantern Moon 7 inch Ebony 3.35mm
b. Brittany 5 inch Birch 3mm
c. Brittany 7 inch Birch 2.75mm

6. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length? - I'll try anything. Not really keen on bamboo for sock needles.

7. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference? - n/a

8. Allergies? Do you have any? Will your knitting be exposed to smoke or animals? No, none, no!

9. Are you an international participant (outside US)? Are you willing to have an international Hogwarts Sock Pal? - I'm in UK. I would love an international pal!

Glad it's the weekend

Recovery is going well. J is walking, exercising and getting through all those feelings of fragility that must accompany such an experience. It's amazing how cardiac rehabilitation has changed since I left nursing 7 years ago - not that I did much cardiology; I used to work on a surgical unit.

His daughter, K, came up to visit from Canterbury in Kent, where she lives with her partner and son. It was nice to see her - it's been a while. j enjoyed spending some time with her too.

My hospital socks are nearly finished. I must admit I put them asside a bit this week. I've decided to sign up for the Hogwarts Sock Swap 2 as I await the book and a chance to see the movie.



As we head towards the last week of term, I'm also planning for 6 weeks or R & R at home. I'm intrigued by chunky books. They seem to offer all the possibilities afforded by scrapbooking, but without the twee-ness of all that horrible stuff I've seen on QVC. Apologies, if you're into that, but I'm much more attracted by things like this. I'm hoping to join a swap, working on an Autumn-themed book, at swapbot, but if I don't get on it, I'll still do the book.

I'll finish with a picture of some wild orchids we saw this morning down at North Gare. Lovely!

Normal-ish service is being resumed

J has been home since Monday and is doing well. We have a heart attack recovery manual and a programme of increased activity each day. We're working on the stress issues in our life.
He's rescheduled all of his current work. All of his clients were more than happy to wait for him rather than get anyone else. (Even after he explained that he will not be working for some time). We're pleased by this - it's quite a touching testimony to his work and client-base.
I've been back to work this week, but working only a few hours through the middle of the day. That way I get to see J is ok, take j to school and pick him up again. I work for a Local Authority and the rule is: 2 days paid compassionate leave for the serious illness of a close relative. Big deal! If you need more you have to take it as unpaid or send in a sick note saying that you're stressed or something similar. I have had my two days plus much more - my boss is a man with a soul.

Time to sit back and smell the jasmine!



I'll post a picture of my 'hospital knitting' soon.

Mini-setback

After a very rapid recovery so far, J was due to come home today. Unfortunatley, last night he had some more chest pain - well he said soreness, but the Dr said it was either pain or it wasn't. :)

Anyway, he had to stay in and undergo a stress test - running on a treadmill. That would put me in CCU... The results are promising - he may have a narrowing of his coronary artery but no blockage and no more pain.

With a bit of luck he will be home tomorrow.

Doing well

J is doing well. He has been able to walk to the bathroom today, which is how he is measuring success :) He's pain free, but feels bruised. He has had an echo cardiograph which shows less damage than we thought. The clot has been successfully dissolved and we hope he may be moved from Cardiac Care to a ward tomorrow.

We are counting our blessings as a family and reassessing the way we live. J and I are 'workaholics', well, driven, he says. We need more family time and less hurry.

Today I went shopping and filled up a trolley with our new approach to eating. It looked fairly depressing, but I have no choice to learn to love it!

Thank you for the good wishes and prayers.

Positive

They have managed to dissolve the clot in J's coronary artery, which is really good news! This means we can move on to considering this a 'normal' heart attack!?
Thank you for the good wishes.

Frightened

Last night, J, my husband was admitted to our hospital's cardiac care unit, from the emergency department. He has had a heart attack.
If you read this and you are the praying kind, please do.
I'm writing here as I need to keep busy. I hope this will turn into the first of a diary of recovery, but I daren't let any optimism surface yet.