American Gods

American Gods by Neil Gaiman


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I had heard good things about this book before i read it and when I first started it I thought it was going to be just my sort of thing. However i have abandoned it at page 240. I still had no idea what it was about at this point and had no empathy with any of the characters. If someone wants to tell me what happens after this feel free, Maybe i have missed out on something wonderful or maybe Gaiman just isn't my thing.

I wild released this copy (www.bookcrossing.com) of the book on the Ambleside to Bowness lake cruise boat if anyone wants to look for it!!

View all my reviews >>

iKnit

Colin and I have just had a couple of days in London. I can't believe how quick and easy it was to get there from Chester - 2 hours 5mins with only 2 stops and no changes!

I'll do another post about the touristy stuff we did, but while we were there I went to visit iKnit. It is literally out the back door of Waterloo station and round the corner. The lady in the shop very kindly said I could take pictures inside the shop.



As they have a liquor license Colin settled down on the leather couch and had a beer while I perused the shelves.




I thought it would be a lot bigger seeing as they have a big event there, which I missed by a week!. Apparently there is a big room downstairs for that. So what did I get - sock yarn of course!!!



Schoppel-wolle Zaueberball in Cranberries, Malabrigo sock in Lettuce, Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in Glacier Ice and Cherry Tree Hill supersock in Jade. I also had to replace my Harmony 2.25mm circ because I snapped the end off on the way down pulling it out of my bag roughly!. The lady also threw a load of iknit badges into the bag because I'd told her about the knitting group, so I'll dish some of those out next meeting.

Knit for bees!

I've just seen this post over on Eskimimiknits blog. If you like knitting scarves but have too many, why not donate them to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

This is from their blog:

Go Knit! 2009 is well underway and we are so pleased with the response we have had from those of you who want to support The Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Not only are we regularly receiving packages of lovely scarves, kindly donated by you, but we are also getting great coverage! We have so far seen a fantastic response from online knitters (many thanks to ‘Stitch and Bitch’ and everyone else who has made our campaign heard throughout the online world!). We will also be having an interview with BBC radio Cornwall which will be broadcasted next weekend, and have just been told that our event has had a shout out on Atlantic FM! So thank you to everyone who is helping to make this project a success!

Want to join the buzz?
-We’d love you to!!
If you can donate us a scarf to sell (with all proceeds going to The Bumblebee Conservation Trust) we would really appreciate it! Scarves can be dropped into your local Seasalt store or sent to us:
Kathryn Wild
Seasalt
1 Church Street
Falmouth
Cornwall
TR11 3DN

If you have any questions or would like to request a press release send us an email at chloe@seasaltcornwall.co.uk or call us on 01326 312478 (ext 1007)

If anyone from my knitting group wants to make a scarf to donate, I don't mind collecting them up and sending them all off together.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have just finished reading this after taking several weeks over it. I felt that it was dragging a bit at the beginning but once I got about half way it picked up and moved quicker.
It started off with one story and then this was left behind while the main story played out and then returned to and concluded at the end. The two stories were linked though.
The main story was the search for a missing girl who disappeared at a family gathering 40 years earlier. Her uncle believes she was murdered and wants to know who killed her.
There were some interesting characters, some of whom are continued in the next book which I definitely want to read.

View all my reviews >>

The diabetic handbag!

A few days ago I found a couple of posts on some diabetes blogs (Kerri's post, Leanne's post and Karen's post) that I look at, where the girls were showing the contents of their handbags, highlighting the stuff that we have to carry around with us. We can't just grab our keys and go like you "normal folks". We have to BE PREPARED!!

Inspired by these ladies I decided it was time to have a go myself. I have never video-blogged or "vlogged" before, and haven't even actually been on video before so this is a first for me! I managed to get the webcam going and recording so this is my effort.



If that takes too long to load, try this link.

I would be interested to know what a male diabetic has in his bag, or pockets!

The Woman in Black

Woman in Black by Susan Hill


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is an old fashioned ghost story but written by a modern author in 1983.
She has captured the style very well. At one point last night I was reading a creepy bit and a text alert came through on my phone. Did I jump? Not half!!
A quick read, you could probably do it in one sitting if you put your mind to it. Well worth giving it a go.

View all my reviews >>

First shawl

Here are the pictures of my Multnomah shawl. They aren't great as they were taken inside Borders last night!!





Pattern : Multnomah by HelloKitty
Yarn : Gem sock by GreenEyedMonsters on etsy, colour Maiden's Blush. Used 95grams
Needles: Addi lace 3.5mm, 60cm long.

Meeow!!

Phew, another week gone! But I have done quite a bit of knitting.

The first project I have made this week is a Multnomah shawl. My dilemma a couple of posts ago was which yarn to use for a pair of Glass Slipper socks and I eventually plumped for the Green Eyed Monsters Gem sock yarn.

It was most strange. As I used it it was quite greasy feeling and was sticking to the needles really badly, I was having to physically push the stitches along the needles. After two pattern repeats of the leg I couldn't bear it any longer and ripped it out, deciding that the yarn needed bigger needles and possibly something lacy. So I decided I would make my first shawl. I haven't made a shawl before because I wouldn't wear it but having seen other ways of wearing it rather than just draping it over the shoulders I thought I'd give one a go. I didn't want anything too fancy so I went with the free pattern of Multnomah. It is a lot of garter stitch followed by feather and fan. The same thing happened with the yarn, it was ok to start with but the more I knit the greasier it got. I think it was the heat from my hands bringing out whatever it was. It stuck to wood, bamboo and aluminium needles. But I persevered and eventually invested too much time in it to rip it out. I finished it yesterday, and there was probably enough yarn for a couple more pattern repeats but I just couldn't work with the yarn any longer. I have given the shawl a wash and blocked it and it feels fine now. I made a comment on the ravelry listing for this yarn and the etsy shop owner said its the first skein she's heard of like that. Just unlucky I guess. (I'll get someone at knit group to take some photos.)

Oh, just so you know, I have restarted the socks in the Malabrigo sock yarn........ooooh, much better!

The next thing I have knit is a Knitted Kitty.


This has turned out really cute. It is supposedly for a gift but I may just keep it myself. I was just worried that I would spoil it when I tried to embroider the facial features onto it.

And finally I have almost sewn up my red cardigan. I just need to set in the sleeves and knit the collar.

All this activity at the weekend was possible because I spent it on my own. Colin went off to a school reunion in Ireland for 3 days. Well the reunion was only for one evening but he visited his dad too. So I had the house and dog to myself.

Nature

Just a couple of photos I took yesterday............

This is a moth that landed just next to me on the path we were walking on above the beach at West Kirby on the Wirral. Did you know that the difference between a moth and a butterfly is that a moth has its wings open when it is resting on something and a butterfly keeps them closed?


And this is a rainbow from our back window yesterday evening.

400th post!!! - The dog with.................

............................the dirtiest face in the world!

............................the longest tongue in the world!!!