Wednesday 31 October 2007

Big Smile

As I posted on here a few weeks back. I have finished my first ever patchwork quilt. I used the step by step idiot proof "lessons" online at Sew a quilt, and when you have finished, you can send in a photo of your finished quilt. So mine's on there. Amongst all the USA ones. It's a lovely little quilt, the only complaint I have had from daughter about it is....."It could do with being bigger so you could snuggle under it when cold". At the moment it's on the back of the rocking chair, it makes leaning back a little comfier. So, I suppose that is another thing to be added to my list, the mental one, bigger quilt to snuggle under when cold.
At the moment I'm making t-shirts, the pattern isn't quite as straight forward as I would expect a t-shirt pattern to be, it's got a fancy over lay on the bodice top, looks nice though.
I think my next project will be making something for someone extra special to me, for his Xmas present.
The link to the quilt site is at the side.

Monday 29 October 2007

It was a honest mistake

I don't know if TV in the USA is snowed under by "reality" shows, but over here it seems to be.
The other day Sam was telling me about the new series of "Prison Break", how good it was, and had I seen it. (She works lots of evenings, so doesn't know what I watch on TV.)
I told her I wasn't into reality shows, as they bored me to tears. She then explained that "Prison Break" is NOT reality TV, but a serial.
Whoops!

Why did I think it was a reality show? I think because it appeared when there were lots of others appearing, like a rash. And there was something about a challenge, about people "escaping" from prison, and to see how far away they got within a set time. It may have just been a local thing run by the Rotary or Round Table, to fund raise, but this had got lodged in my mind, so when I saw "Prison Break" advertised, I just presumed that was something similar.
Am I missing something really good, or should I carry on, watching very little TV?

Saturday 27 October 2007

oakyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Am sitting here munching my way through some yoghurt coated raisins.
Why? I hear you ask.
Ok. In April last year, I met my soulmate in Eastbourne, (I already knew him,) and I went on a tour with him. [That is love, I hate, normally being driven by anyone else but myself!] I don't know if he knows of my distrust of other drivers, stems back to my ex falling asleep whilst driving. (I bought the raisins in Battle.)
Anyway, the tour for the day was to go to Battle and Hastings, and he added on a trip to Beachy Head at the end of it. We'd been there the evening before, and what I'd thought was just chatting, was my soulmate collecting information, so that his passengers would know a little more about the place they were visiting. [He totally knocked me for six with this!]
I wish he knew how much I care for him, things are difficult for us right now. Him being a tour coach driver, and me being a high school technician, signed off, cos I can't do my job right now.

I won't add the fact his son is currently in his year 11, and can't move schools, [OK, I have done,] but you get the picture.
Without adding that I have an ankle injury that means I am very limited in my movement, you'll see how hard it is
I love my soulmate, with all my heart, soul and body, I know he feels the same, we will get through this

Friday 26 October 2007

Strange adverts

They are currently running an ad on TV here, and every time I see it, I end up laughing my head off. The first time I saw it I couldn't tell Sam why I was laughing uncontrollably.
You might not think it is funny, but it's a really serious advert about looking after your hair, and this "new" haircare product, that is this years, "simply must have" , if you care about your hair. Straightforward enough I hear you say, trouble is, after showing models with shining tresses, shaking their hair in time honoured fashion of hair adverts, it shows the "brains" behind the new product, and that just makes me laugh.
Should I put it politely, in PC terms, or just be blunt?
He follically challenged, yes, that's right, the brains behind this product is BALD!
Might be being picky here, but I'm not sure that a follically challenged person is the "right" person to be advising people on their hair care. Now, every time this advert comes on, I just start falling about laughing. Well, at least it brightens my day.

Wednesday 24 October 2007

Jelly dog?

Well, it was a bit late, but I took Spark for his annual booster today.
What usually happens is the vet checks him all over, says he's healthy then promptly sticks the needle in him, and it's all over so quickly, and he's usually a shivering mess by the time the injection comes.
We have a new young vet though, and today it was her who saw to Spark, she was even gentler than the male vet, that I prefer to see. (Long story.)
However, she gave Spark a good all round check, and said he was a lovely dog and then she noticed his ears, she was checking them anyway, but they have been a bit tender, I just thought it was because Shadow nips at him when she wants to play, but have noticed once or twice he's yipped when I've ruffled his ears. He has an infection in his ears, so she cleaned them out with a warm saline solution, then she put drops in each ear, and massaged the ears, he loved that and was pressing his head against her to help her massage his ears, which is probably why he sat as good as gold for his injection, not even whimpering.
I've to take Spark back next Wednesday for a check up. Shadow, however, sulked at me for going a walk and not taking her with me. Yes! she sat on the settee, curled up on the elephant cushion, with her back to me! Little madam!
Then Edwin came back from Scotland and the dogs were happy.
And I think I had 4 calls from Oliver, he was making curry, and wasn't sure about things. It goes like this, my mobile rings, it's Oliver, and his Mexican Tomato song, he says, "ring me back", I do, usually it's about cooking, or best buys when shopping.
If you want to listen to the song, go to http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=111404406

Tuesday 23 October 2007

Appointments all done

Went for my appointment with the consultant again yesterday. He was running late, so I was in late, didn't ask him about pain relief, but he has put me on the waiting list now,he also sent me for x-rays, there were 4 of them. There was no indication how long I may have to wait.
I went in on the bus, as I didn't want to drive through heavy traffic on my way home, as it would be "rush hour", and I didn't want to put myself through driving in heavy stop-start traffic with my ankle as it is.
Today I'm paying for it, as I have been in pain all day, and haven't been swimming, just been relaxing, either lying down reading my book, or sat on the settee with my foot up.
It's been quiet all day as well, cos Sam has been at Barrow, sorting the bar out there, and now she's working the evening here. She is supposed to be getting the bar in Barrow sorted out, so it can make money, cos by the sounds of things it is only just breaking even.
Edwin isn't back until tomorrow evening, so it's very quiet here.

Sunday 21 October 2007

Challenge from Blue

Blue challenged myself and another of her friends to do this.
The idea is find one of each item that begins with the first letter of my "real" name, aren't I glad I'm not called Zoe?
Anyway, here's my list. Originally the sport team and place were to be USA one's, but as I live in the UK, I used UK ones, until I couldn't find a sport team starting with J in the UK, so I looked for a USA one. (ok, that might have been cheating, but I'm not sporty.)

. Famous singer/band: Jean Michel Jarre
2. 4 letter word: joke
3. Street name: Jepson Way
4. Color: Jaune J (French for yellow ;) )
5. Gifts/presents: juggling balls
6. Vehicle: Jaguar XJS
7. Items on a menu: jumbles
8. Girl Name: Janine
9. Boy Name: Justin
10. Movie Title: Jumanji
11. Drink: juice
12. Occupation: janitor, (or site supervisors are they are laughingly known as in the UK, pc gone mad I tell you.)
13. Flower:jasmine
14. Magazine:Just 17
15. Celebrity: Julia Roberts
16. UK City: John O’Groats
17. Pro Sports Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars
18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Jam, traffic was bad
19. Something you throw away: Junk
20. Things you shout: Joy?
21. Cartoon character: Jerry, (from Tom and Jerry)
22. TV Show: junk in the attic? (or have I made that up?)

Yawn

Here's something I didn't know, pain raises your blood pressure.
I found that out on Friday when I went for my preoperative assessment at Kendal. I don't drive too far at the moment, it was a lovely drive, but once I got there and parked it was a fair old walk in an unfamiliar hospital before I got to where I needed to be. (Oh, didn't find out about pain putting blood pressure up, until my friend B told me on Saturday.) When the nurse took my BP it was high, for me, and I was shocked, started to worry, which probably didn't do me any favours.
Anyway, that is one appointment out of the way, another one tomorrow. Then just wait for the actual operation appointment to come through, which they are saying is likely to be December.
I'm still sewing, reading, and cross stitching, so keeping well out of mischief.
My youngest, Edwin, has gone with his girlfriend to Scotland, to see her Dad, for a few days. So, it's really quiet here, just me and Samantha, and the dogs.
Shh!

Tuesday 16 October 2007

Stuff

I know it's a while since I wrote anything here, but when you can't go so far your world shrinks.
Mine has shrunk from as far as I could walk, cycle or drive, to as far as I can hobble, and bear to drive. Driving to the city, a mere 4 miles away, (if that,) daunts me. Going to the supermarket for shopping fills me with dread, on two levels, the trolley won't behave, and steering is a chore. Then will some plonker have parked in my spot by the time I get back? Meaning I have to trail my groceries from wherever I have parked.
I hate how my life has been restricted.
The worst of all this is, no-one has offered me a disabled parking disc, let's be honest here, if walking around my house causes me pain, then I am in essence disabled. To think the stupid event that brought me to this!
All this is very self indulgent.
I haven't had much to write, cos my world has shrunk, I can't believe how swiftly it has, and I think it might shrink even more soon, as I am getting cramp early on when I swim now.
Apart from all that, this last week, I've read 2 and 1/2 books, made PJs for my youngest, top and two bottoms, finished a cross stitch project that someone drew, and I translated, (so no-one else will ever have the same thing,) and re-started a cross-stitch UFO, (unfinished object.)

I've done a little knitting as well, I'm determined I won't get bored, frustrated, yes, bored, no.

Monday 8 October 2007

Still reading and sewing

Not much happening here right now.

Friday 5 October 2007

Wonderful Wool

Well the wool I found yesterday, looks lovely, BUT it is a complete and utter pain to knit, as it has "popcorn" pieces every few inches on the yarn. No wonder the pattern suggests just knitting it!
Anything more complex would be lost in it, and would cause the knitter to use many strange sounding adjectives.
The pattern supplied with the wool is far from clear, and I had to pull it back, as it just kept getting wider and wider, and when I was struggling to keep all the stitches on the needle at the start of the row, when I'd only strarted off with 12, I just KNEW something was not quite right.

Thursday 4 October 2007

Busy!

I seem to have been busy doing stuff all day today.
Doctor's this morning for another doctor's note, as he says I can't work until after my operation.
Then I went to the cheapy supermarket, they had some wonderful small packs of wool, so I bought some, and am going to knit a scarf as a pressie for someone.
Then I went swimming, and after I ate, went to the supermarket. In the middle of that I wrote up my latest book, that I've read, in the book blog, and my friend came across for a chat and a brew.
Now it's getting towards teatime here.
My friend took the dogs on the beach for me, while I went to the shop. I wish I could make it down to the beach. I will do soon.

Wednesday 3 October 2007

Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Things are beginning to move, re my op.
I have the pre-operative assessment on 19th October, but instead of it being at the local hospital, it is at another one, a good 30 minutes drive away. So, I guess that is all I will be doing that day.Not much else happening, apart from sewn a top, that I altered to how my daughter wanted it as I went along. Now it looks nothing like the pattern. She likes it.