Knitting fun.

This is the book I ordered from greenmetropolis. It still had its original price of £8.99 on it and was in perfect condition for £3.75! Looks like fun! I also got my two Reiki books but they are over on my other blog . Not a lot else to report today.

Sock wars, reiki & vampires.

Well it is happening again........SOCK WARS!!! I missed out last year but have signed up for this year, hopefully my hands will be healed by then. I'll have a good 2 weeks recovery time. The details are here and you sign up here. Come on you lot, you know you want to!!!

Boo hiss, bad postie!! No amazon books yet, and no business cards either. I did get a copy of Reiki news magazine on Saturday though. I have been wondering whether to get a subscription from the USA but wanted to see a copy first. Someone on ebay was selling a copy from 2005 so I bought it. Coincidentally there was an article in it called Reiki and knitting!! Anyway it was pretty good so I think I will probably get a subscription. There are a couple of back issues I wouldn't mind reading too.

I eventually finished Sandstorm last night. It was a good read, a bit of a supernatural slant and supposition about the city under the sand protected by the queen of Sheba. I have just started Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan. Yeah, yeah, I know its a kid's book but who cares as long as you enjoy it! And its got vampires in it.

Hooked on Art

As much as I enjoy getting emails, there is nothing like the anticipation of waiting for the postman, especially when you know there are things on their way. My postman comes around about the time I leave for work. Sometimes he gets to the house and posts the stuff through the door, sometimes I catch him in the street and he hands me the post through the car window, and sometimes I don't see him at all and I have to wait all day until I get home. And sometimes he just doesn't come at all.

This morning he managed to beat me to it and two packages landed on the mat. The first contained a set of pretty crochet hooks that I ordered from eBay a couple of days ago. Aren't they nice? I think they will encourage me to have another go at the crochet. The sizes range from 2mm to 8mm so something for every thickness of yarn there.

I was nosing through etsy the other day for pictures of ATCs (artist trading cards) because I thought I might have a go at making some. However, the standard is very high, and I'm not very artistic. Anyway during my search I found this seller who had listings for ACEOs ('Art Cards, Editions and Originals') which are the same size as ATCs - 3.5in x 2.5in, but are miniature prints of larger art works. I thought that her work was beautiful and decided to order one of her pictures. I chose this one:

It is called Night Ride. It is #15 of a limited edition of 50. The colours are more vibrant in real life. Anyway, enclosed with it was this one as a free gift!! It is a new design of hers called Dream by the River and it is #1! How lucky am I? I'm just trying to work out how to leave feedback on etsy as I want to say how pleased I am with them.

I forgot to post a picture of my final set of bookmarks from the swapbot swap, here they are, from SweetJewels. The moon one is lovely and colourful.

I am now waiting for the lovely postie to bring me some Reiki business cards from Vistaprint, some books from Amazon and another book from greenmetropolis.

Last night we went to the pub quiz with Mel & Stu (who are so loved up, ahhh cute) and Phil. These are all people I used to work with in the bookshop about 5 years ago. In the shop we had a mediaeval crypt, so we were going to call ourselves Tales from the Crypt, but then Stu suggested Snails from the Crypt because it used to be REALLY slow in the shop on a Sunday. So that was our team name. We got 35 out of 50 which was joint 4th and we won a box of Jaffa Cakes!!

Crochet - away!!!!!!

My attempt at crochet. The first row is a real bu**er, I don't think I like it. And it takes AGES! I was using very thin wool (sock wool) and a small hook (3.5mm) I suppose. And it still made my finger hurt, the thumb wasn't too bad. The instructions are hard to understand too. I don't know, I can't decide. I'll give it another go later.

I have gone over to the Dark Side!!!

I just wondered if it would be easier to do, what with my thumb and finger. I'm having a read through at the moment, it only arrived yesterday. I have a couple of hooks already from doing a bit of edging on my knitting, and I'm sure I can find a few odds and ends of yarn around somewhere - ahem! I have crocheted some granny squares in the past, but that is about my limit really, oh and the flap on my mum's felted bag.
Ulgh, I've got so many things i want to do, and I'm not getting round to any of them, sigh!!

Dee Reiki

Check out my other blog here

I am The Master

On Friday morning the two books we ordered from the Book Depository arrived. Colin has already started his but I am still getting through Sandstorm, so I can't read mine yet. We also bought another 4 between us today. We were in town, and because it is a Sunday there is a small market in the townhall square. The paperback bookstall does 2 for £5, so a tenner later we happily walked away with two Stephen Kings for himself, and two Phil Rickmans for me. What is it about the allure of books for us? We have LOADS already and yet the chance of going to Borders or Waterstone's or anywhere that sells books is just irresistable. It's like an addiction to cigarettes or something. But why??

I also had my Reader's Delight exchange book arrive Saturday morning. It is not a book I would choose at all. I am going to try it, but I'm wondering if perhaps it might be something my mum would like, even though she is not a big reader and prefers biographies. I'll see. It came with some cute sheepie notepaper, and was from GrannySmith.
Yesterday I became a Reiki Master! I went off for my training, and am now qualified to practice as a Reiki Master and also attune others. That is going to take some practice though as the attunements are quite complicated. I'll have to follow the manual for a bit. I don't envisage that I will do a lot of that side of it, but i do now feel qualified to offer treatments on a more professional basis. We'll see how it goes. I'll maybe get some business cards done with the address of the offices on them. I will need to get insurance first though, don't want anyone falling off my couch and suing me!!!

Last night we arranged to meet a couple of friend's in the local pub. When we got there we found them at the back shouting at each other. Not having a row, but trying to be heard over the noise. The pub had some really old footage of horse racing on the big screen and customers were betting on the horses for 50p a go. It was all very loud so we stayed for one, and i went back and got my car (don't panic, I don't drink - ever!)and we went a bit further afield to the pub where my knitting club meet. It was much quieter and more civilised. We are going to get together again on Thursday and do the pub quiz, which should be fun. Haven't been to the quiz for ages. We'll have to think up a good team name in the meantime, any suggestions?

So Big Brother came to an end on Friday night. I was kind of leaning towards Ziggy or Liam near the end but it was always going to be either the twins or Brian. And the show wasn't even over before Davina was gining details of next years auditions. Will it never end???

Thanks for all the encouragement about the writing BTW. Much appreciated. I just hope I can pull it off!

Tree

When we were on our walk on Monday we came across this oak tree, and I just happened to have my camera with me for a change. It's incredible that it is still alive with such a huge hole through the middle of it, but it seems to be flourishing.

I think I can incorporate this into my story somehow. I have begun reading back over it, to get my head around the story again. And do you know, it isn't half bad. For those of you who don't know, I had a mad writing fortnight about 18 months ago, following the principle of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and the book that accompanies it "No Plot, No Problem" except that I didn't do it online through NaNoWriMo because I did it in February!! I managed to write 25,000 words of a children's novel in that time, then got writer's block, and made the fatal mistake of stopping. I haven't written another word of it since. The two people I have allowed to read it have said it is really good and that i should finish it. Last week in the Saturday Times, there was a competition to submit a children's novel by a first time writer, with a chance to be published by Chicken House. The deadline is November. Hmmmm, could I finish by then????

Postponed

My op has been postponed until 28th September, so another no-knitting month ahead. To be honest, I am getting used to it but will be happy to do some when I eventually can. I can't wait to use the Opal Neon that Blossom sent me for my birthday. I am not in as much discomfort as i was so i think the rest has done it good but I still can't bend my left thumb or right little finger.

Back at work today after the week off. The phones seem to be working fine. I was in late though because i had to wait for our new mattress to be delivered. We don't have the bed to put it on yet though, that is still being made. We went out and bought some new quilt covers and sheets in Next on Sunday though. We are going down from a super king size bed to a normal double. I do like my big bed but I think we will have a bit more room in the bedroom when we get rid of it.

Yesterday we ended up going for a walk near the river on the English/Welsh border at Holt/Farndon. Holt is in Wales and Farndon is in England and they are separated by the bridge over the Dee. Pincess Diana's ex-butler Paul Burrell had a shop in Farndon but we noticed yesterday that he has moved across the bridge into Holt. As it was bank holiday the little cafe in Farndon was closed so we headed back towards Chester and somehow seemed to drift off course and end up at Borders for a Starbuck's. Hmmm, now how could that have happened?? We had a good old mooch around the books but managed to escape empty handed, only to come home and order the books we almost bought from The Book Depository instead, saving ourselves about £5 in the process. Colin is getting the new Thomas Eidson and I spotted an interesting novel called The Angel Makers. Not that I NEED any more books!!!!

I am going to do my Reiki Master level on Saturday. I will then feel qualified to treat people officially. I'm still getting great results on my distance healing, my step-dad had a backache for a couple of weeks and when i sent the Reiki it was better the next day. Spooky!!

A poorly titled post!

Blimey, a whole ten days without blogging. You'll all be abandoning me!

Well my new computer is now up and running. Lovely and fast although it does sound as if it is doing something in the background all the time. Maybe it is, who am i to say how the magic works? I got a new keyboard and mouse too which i am getting used to. I keep hitting 2 keys at once.

We have had a week off from the office so hopefully it will still be in one piece when we get back on Tuesday. We haven't been away, just "pottering". On Monday afternoon we popped up to the zoo, and were very priviledged to see one of the Red Pandas

(not my photo) on the ground for a change. They are usually asleep at the top of a very tall tree. And I don't know how they managed it because we thought the 2 panda's were sisters, but one of them has produced some babies which can just about be seen as blurs on a video monitor near the enclosure. These are maybe my second favourites after the orangutans.

On Tuesday we went to the cinema in the afternoon. Quite odd really, I kept thinking I'd forgotten to have my dinner! Anyway, we saw The Bourne Ultimatum. A great action film, non-stop. I will have to try a Robert Ludlum book at some point. I reckon Matt Damon might be able to play the part of Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield if they ever get round to making the film of Ice Station. Oooo I've just looked, and Hugh Jackman has been suggested on the Matthew Reilly website. Good choice.

I am currently reading Sandstorm by James Rollins. A good old adventure story concerning strange artifacts and goings on in the Oman desert. Pretty good. Similar to Matthew Reilly but not quite so break-neck. I am also still reading Various Haunts of Men but it got a bit dull so I left it to one side for a bit.

You will never guess what came in the post last week................

Oh yes, the infamous Galm Rock Ski Suit Socks have returned home at last. They've only been away for 6 months!!! They did return with a free pattern book though, which was a nice gesture on the part of Simply Knitting. Unfortunately it was all baby patterns, so no good for me but I may be able to use some of the stitch patterns in something else.

This morning we went to the Wirral Food & Drink Festival. It was very similar to the Chester one but was held on a farm in a big field. I got to have my second Hog Roast bap of the year which was delicious. We bought a few odds and sods including some big halibut steaks which we polished off for dinner this evening.

I had my second lot of bookmarks from the swap-bot swap.

These were from Violette. Just one more to come now, and a book from the CTnY bookswap. I was wondering whether to do a disposable camera swap. You get a camera, take photos of various things and then send it to your partner to get processed. So you don't know what pictures you are going to get until you process the film. Hmmm, I'll think about it a bit more, the closing date isn't until Saturday.

Anyway, back to the last week. On Wednesday Colin's brother Niall came over from Ireland for a quick visit, and also to sort out the office phone system which hasn't been quite right since it was put in. He was in the office for the best part of a day but it is now working fine and i know how to transfer and get back calls without losing people!! Always a bonus! He headed back to Ireland on Friday. We did go out on Thursday night to the fish restaurant The Foxcote Inn. Delicious!

Saturday was our usual trip into town and then today was the food festival. So that about brings us up to date. Now to think of a good title for this post. That's the bit I'm poor at. Oh, okay, I know.......

Fenina

I have managed to upload the picture of Fenina, in the end by taking a photo of the photo!! This is a pic of her when I first started sponsoring her, she was 6 then and is now 8.

At last, the wait is over.....

Ok everyone, check out THEARTOFIT. It's well worth a look, and well worth the long wait. Go Nina, go Nina, go Nina. Wooohoooo!

(PS. This post has now got pics.)

Yesterday when I got home I had a package from Denmark. It was from one of my swap partners in the bookmark swap. She only had to send 2 bookmarks but she had sent a shop bought one, FOUR handmade ones and a handmade booklet of a Hans Christian Anderson story to go with the shop bookmark. The HCA bookmark is one of those magnetic ones that goes over the page.


I gave her a 5 rating and a heart for going the extra mile. I felt a bit bad that the ones I sent to my partners weren't as good but I have had 2 ratings and one of them even gave me a heart!!

Op date, Nia, & Nina

I had a call this morning from the treatment centre. They have given me an appointment for my op, 29th August. I'm not sure if they are doing one or both together, I'll wait for the letter with all the details. Think i'd better call my Reiki teacher and get some advice on whether it is still ok to do the Master level with bandages on!

The barbeque yesterday was good. Met some nice people. There was a woman there who is going to be running classes in the Nia Technique. She has just trained in it and was very enthusiastic. Its an exercise class involving a bit of yoga, martial arts, and dance. It sounds quite interesting so i told her I might give it a go and to let me know through Mandy when it is starting. I can go once and see if it is for me anyway.

Apparently, according to the comments on my last post, Nina's blog is imminent.........watch this space!!!

No pics today, my computers gone away....

(Note: Now edited to add pics. Couldn't get the scanner to work at home for the pic of Fenina!)

I found this blog today, a great idea. Try to change something small for the good of the environment every day and then keep it as a permanent change, so that you are gradually becoming a greener person.

On Thursday I went for my appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon. I found the hospital (not my local one) with the help of the TomTom (GPS). Its a new treatment centre so it was all clean and sparkly, and they claim MRSA-free. I was shown through on time and saw the surgeon who agreed that surgery was the solution. On both. So I was basically then given a pre-op assessment, loads of medical questions, MRSA swabs taken to make sure i didn't bring it in with me, blood tests, wee test, heart trace, blood pressure, weight, height, blah, blah, blah. They were going to give me a date there and then but by the time all that was done the office had closed so i am waiting for an appointment in the post. It all seemed very efficient and i got the impression i wouldn't be waiting that long. I've got a feeling I might just be doing my Reiki Master level in bandages after all.

It is now Saturday and I have had birthday cards in the post every day since Wednesday. I think the last one came today as it was from my step-aunt which is always the last one i get. So I had a total of 11 cards this year, not too bad. On Wednesday afternoon I had a huge plant delivered from the florist from my mum. Its called a Tulip of Thailand.

My step-sister sent me some essential oil infused heat pads for my hands, they smell gorgeous.

I put T's Boosh head in the back of my car. It's the nearest I'll get to a Boosh Van but there you go, I can show my fan status off to other drivers.

And I had a card from my friend Mark who I know from when i worked in the path lab in Bangor between 1991 and 1996. He has eventually got onto the internet so I can now email him. We will probably be in touch a lot more now as it is so much easier. And he is threatening a blog too, which should be good. (Come on Nina, you have to start yours before he does!!) Mark and I did a creative writing evening course back in 1995 and have both threatened to write a book since. I think I have made the most progress with my 25,000 words but neither of us has finished anything.

The footie season has started! Colin is a long time Leeds United fan from since he was about 4 and now that they have slipped down into League 1 they are playing at Tranmere Rovers on the Wirral today. So he has gone up with a friend to see them for the first time ever. I think he's a bit excited but he didn't show it, hahah. Growing up in Ireland he used to pretend he was Billy Bremner (cos he's a redhead) and those were the days before football went all commercial and replica shirts weren't available. But his mum, who was the perfect housewife, made a big number 4 and sewed it onto the back of a white T-shirt for him. How cute is that?

Tomorrow we are going to Mandy's for her son Tom's 18th birthday. These are the family that we usually spend Boxing Day with. Although a lot of Tom's friends are going to be there, he said he also wanted some adults there too and asked us!!! Hmmm.

I have my new computer, but I am writing this on Colin's because mine isn't connected to the internet yet. Some kind of network thing isn't working yet, so we have to wait for the IT guy to sort it out. It looks pretty cool though, and all my files appear to have been transferred over from the old one. I think I should have enough hard drive space now with 320Gb!!!!!. The old one had 60 I think and I'd only used half of that!!

Right, I'm off to write to the little girl I sponsor in Nigeria. I decided to do it after watching Live8 in 2005. I do it through ActionAid, and have had several messages from her during the 2 years i have been sponsoring her. She is 8 years old, and very cute. I'll try to scan in a picture.

It's my birthday and I'll knit if I want to.....

Well no I won't actually cos I'm not allowed but I wish I could cos I got some knitting goodies I want to use NOW!

This was my CTnY Summer Birthday Surprise package from Blossom (I had guessed right!).

Some Opal Neon sock yarn in wonderful shades of purple, blue and green. I just want to start knitting it RIGHT NOW!! There was also a rosette kit, some Heaven chocolate, a lovely card and these stitch markers which are gorgeous.

Thank you Blossom. It's lovely when a complete stranger sends you such wonderful things. I hope my partner likes what I am going to send to them.

Here is the Mika CD from my mum. She also sent some money, choccie and some fancy shampoo!

Colin got me this lovely card that looks a bit like Podge! And the My Chemical Romance CD. He is also getting me a spanking new computer, which will be ready on Friday.

And look what T sent!! Hee hee heee heeeeeeee!! Made by her own fair hand. It's fabulous, dahhhling!

Colin took me out for a meal last night cos he will be a bit late home this evening. This is what we had and we went to Moules a Go Go...........

King Prawns for Colin, and Red Pepper Hummus for me,

Rissotto for Colin & Sea Bass for me,

followed by Rhubarb & Ginger sponge with cream shared between the 2 of us. Yummy!!!!

Today I have the day off so I am going up for a mooch around Borders and have a lovely frothey decaff cappucino. Ahhhh, and the sun is shining too, couldn't be better.

14697 people are ahead of you in line!!

Another little parcel was waiting for me this morning when I got into the office. It was from T, who has sent me a lovely birthday card and a little present which is very squishy, but I'm not opening it till tomorrow. Aren't birthdays fun, the anticipation is the best bit!

I have added my name to the invite list for ravelry. When I go to check where I am on the list this is the message I get..........

You signed up on August 4, 2007
You are #22998 on the list.
14697 people are ahead of you in line.
654 people are behind you in line.
34% of the list has been invited so far

I think I will have a long wait as they are inviting about 300 people a day. Fine by me though, because hopefully by the time mine comes through I will have had my op and my hands will be back in full working order ready to upload all my knitting projects and get on with them. I am off to the treatment centre for my assessment on Thursday afternoon.

I finished Salem's Lot last night. I was warned that it was very scary but I didn't think it was too bad. I don't think I would like to watch the film though. I have picked up The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill to read next but I also got The Artist's Way in the post yesterday so am hoping to work my way through that in the coming weeks too. It was recommended to me by my physio actually.

Swapping Monkeys

Ooo, I had a mystery parcel arrive on Saturday. It was my CTnY Summer Birthday Surprise package. I opened the outer envelope, and inside were several little parcels wrapped in tissue paper. Can't wait till Wednesday to open them. I will post pics then. I think I know who it is from, because there was a postcode on the envelope, but I'll wait to see if I am right.

There was also a package from my mum, which contained the Mika CD. Not going to listen to it until Wednesday either! Aren't I good?

I sent off a book to my partner in the Reader's Delight bookswap on Thursday, but I haven't heard whether they have received it or not. As this is my first swap, I don't know if you get an email when they acknowledge receipt of it or not. I put in a couple of my sheep stitch markers and a notebook and a bookmark too. I now have the names and addresses of my bookmark swap partners, 2 in the US and one in Australia. I wonder who is going to be sending to me. I managed to find some bookmarks in town on Saturday and I've made the handmade ones already so I'm ready to send those off too. I also have to wrap up the things I have for my Summer Birthday Surprise partner, and that has to go off soon.

I have just heard The Arctic Monkeys on the radio which reminded me of a band featured in Q magazine this month. They are a tribute band called The Antarctic Monkeys. But they are also a support band called something else, and they are the support act for........... The Antarctic Monkeys. In other words, they support themselves! That way people going to see them as The Antarctic Monkeys see them as themselves too so they get a bit of promotion. What a good idea.

Poor old Podge!

My poor old dog. His back legs are getting a bit weak and wobbly, and he keeps falling down the stairs and making me scream as he lands in an upside down heap at the bottom. Two days ago I screamed AND burst into tears. He just gets up and walks away! Anyway if this is what he does when we are in the house, how many times does he do it when we are not there?

The solution? Colin went to Argos yesterday and bought a stair gate. The dog is not happy. Usually at night he comes up with us and sleeps on the floor beside Colin's side of the bed. Last night we shut the stair gate and he couldn't come up. For at least an hour he prowled back and forth, back and forth, from the bottom step out into the dining room (where his feet clippity clop on the laminate floor) and back like a caged jaguar at the zoo. I think he eventually jumped onto the sofa in the living room and slept. We already bought a carpet runner for the dining room because he started to slip while he was eating his dinner, until all 4 legs were splayed out under him and he couldn't get up cos it was too slippery. Bless him! I have left him at home today sulking cos he can't go up and lie on the bed all day.

We have started thinking about a Christmas meal for the people who use The Consulting Rooms. We are probably going to go to moules a go-go. We have been before and the food is great.

I have now joined a third swap on swap-bot. I am in the CTnY's summer birthday surprise and reader's delight bookswap and yesterday I joined a bookmark swap where you send 1 handmade and 1 shop bought bookmark to your partner. I am ready to post off the first two swaps, and am waiting for a package to arrive for my birthday next week. The third one hasn't been allocated yet but I have made my bookmarks already. For the bookswap I am sending this book, which I really enjoyed. And I'll put in a little something extra too!

Films, TV, books etc

I have now had 3 sessions at the physio where she has done ultrasound on my little finger. Results? No change. I have one more session before I go for my assessment at the ortho's. But the physio seems to think I will have to have the op on both my thumb and finger. They don't do both at the same time though. I'm hoping they don't do it the last week in August cos I'm doing my Reiki Master level on 1st September and it wouldn't really do to turn up with one hand swathed in bandages.

Charley is OUT!!!! Hurrah!!! Trouble is the house has gone a bit quiet now. Maybe she should have stayed in. Ah we are so fickle. New housemates not really floating my boat either.

Something very rare happened in our house on Saturday. I did some tidying!!! Major tidying of the bedroom. All the dusty shoes came out from under the bed, all the old bags came out from where they had been stuffed in the wardrobe. All the cr*p on top of the drawers is gone (apart from the 50 or so books that constitute my "to be read" pile.) So after that we decided to get a new bed. Our current one is an IKEA bigger than kingsize and is rather big. We are going for a normal double so we will have a bit more room around the bed rather than in it. We are getting it from the same place we got our other bedroom furniture so it will match. They make them up from scratch and stain them too. Just have to find a good mattress now.

My alliums came out finally, and the bees absolutely love them. They are very tall though and all the rain has mostly flattened them to the ground, which is a shame.





Harry Potter now seems like a distant memory. I've just got the the middle of Salem's Lot and it is getting a bit scary. The vampires in it are the nasty type, not the suave, sophisticated types from the Anne Rice books. The book was written in 1975, and it is good not to have the presence of computers and mobile phones. However, it seems every single character smokes!

Talking of spooky things, I have become a recent convert to Supernatural.



I started watching part way through Series 2 but didn't really know the backstory, so I bought the full set of series 1 DVDs which I am trying to plough through. I like it because it is a bit X-file-y which was my favourite programme for the whole of its 9 series. I think Dean Winchester may replace Fox Mulder in my affections. (Wink to Colin who is convinced I only watch TV programmes where I fancy one of the characters - and he's probably right, but that doesn't explain why I watch Corrie!!) There are some great in-jokes like the episode which stars Linda Blair. At the end, Dean says to Sam, "Did she look familiar? I really fancy some pea soup right now."

Last week there was a lot of hype about Heroes so we watched it. Can't say it really grabbed me, it was a bit of a cross between X-men and 4400, both of which I like. I'm not sure if it is going to draw me in but I'll give it another episode or two. Watched The DaVinci Code on Saturday night and it was okay but the book was better.

I sound like a complete TV addict - probably true, but look at the weather!!!

Daemons

A friend just pointed me towards the website for The Golden Compass film based on the His Dark Materials books by Phillip Pullman. I can't wait for this film. On the site you can find out what your daemon is like. I can't seem to get it to embed in this blog, but mine is an osprey. Have a go!

Addiction

65%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Free Online Dating from Mingle²

Hmm, that's a bit worrying!!

Quick thumb update

I have an appointment for a pre-op assessment on 9th August, eek! A day after my birthday :o(

HP, art, thumb, floods

Last Wednesday we took advantage of Orange Wednesdays and went off to see Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix. Hopefully I am not spoiling anything as I am assuming that most poeople have now read this book (although that is a huge assumption to make!). The film was good, and the 2 hours 10 minutes flew past, but I'm afraid there were some omissions which just brought back "Winkiegate" all over again. By "Winkiegate" I am referring to the fact that although the house-elf Winkie was an integral part of the book HP & the Goblet of Fire, she was completely omitted from the corresponding film! So, some of the omissions from this film included:

Tonks' hair was not pink and didn't change colour; Although only Luna and Harry could see the Thestrals, no one mentioned this fact when they all jumped on them to fly to the Ministry of magic; There was no portrait of Mrs Black in the hallway of Grimauld Place screaming abuse; and although Kreacher was there, his part in the book wasn't covered in the film. There were others which I can't remember now, because I've read the new HP since.

So, go and see the film, but be prepared to come out saying "Where was the bit where.....?"

(I currently have Radio 2 on in work, and they have been trailing a programme about the songs of Noel Coward. I think a much funnier and popular programme would be "the Songs of Noel Fielding" - "crouton, crouton, crunchy friends in a liquid broth", "I am electro boy, I am electro girl"!! Genius!)

Well we had an interesting time on Friday. We had arranged to go and visit a friend near Reading for the weekend. As he was going to be working all day Friday we thought we would take our time going down and take A-roads instead of just hurtling down the motorways. So off we went in the rain. After stopping for some lunch we headed on down towards Redditch and Stratford. Well, you know what the weather was like. The puddles got larger, the roads got wetter, the traffic got slower, and we ended up in a VERY slow moving queue, while watching the water outside the car getting higher. And we were heading downhill. Not good, when there are floods you really want to be going uphill. In the end we turned round, and abandoned the trip. I had visions of the car floating away and us wading through waist deep water with our bags over our heads. All I could think about was that there were no floods north of us so that was the direction to go in. So after a seven and a half hours round trip we ended up back where we started, at home. And what a good job we did, because all the places flooded on the news were exactly the places we were heading towards. I am very sorry for all the people who have been flooded but am also very relieved that we didn't get caught in it. It was a shame we didn't get to see Dave though.

Of course it did mean that we were home on Saturday morning so Colin went off to do the weekly shop as usual at 7am. He went to Tesco where you had to spend £50 to get Harry Potter for a fiver. So he got one. Then on his way back, he popped into Morrisons just to see how much they were selling it for, and it was £4.99 with no minimum spend so he got another copy so we wouldn't have to fight over it. We spent the weekend racing each other until we both finished it yesterday, with me winning by a couple of hours.

There was some time off of HP though. Sunday morning we decided to go out for breakfast because we would have if we'd been away. We went down to the Blue Moon cafe by the river in town, and had two cooked breakfasts. Phew, I didn't half enjoy it, I could have eaten another one straight after. Then we went to B&Q for some boards for the loft, and after went to a garden centre on the Wirral where the National Exhibition of Wildlife Art was on display. We bought these two.

They are very nicely framed too. We can't have them for a couple of weeks as they are still on display, but then they are ours. Ah, I wish I was that good at drawing.

Well yesterday I went off to physio. The physio I saw was very nice and easy to talk to. She didn't yank my thumb back but gently stretched it to its limit. She thinks that the little finger may respond to an injection but the thumb will probably need surgery. I have now been referred on , (although I do have to go back to see her a couple more times in the meantime,) to be assessed for the next stages. So another appointment to wait for.

Well I think that's everything caught up.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows - done!

Phew, 600 pages in 3 days, what a marathon, but its all done and dusted now. I'll say no more, don't want to spoil anything!

Nothingness, books & swaparama

Do you have one of those phases where absolutely nothing happens, and you just plod along one day to the next? My mum phoned on Sunday and I had nothing to say about the previous week! The only things I had to say she already knew from reading this!

I finished The Cold Moon on Saturday and then hummed and haw-ed about my Harry Potter dilemma. I had a go at Fantastic Stories by Terry Jones but didn't think they were fantastic at all. A bit pointless actually. So I'm afraid I fell for the lure of Tunnels. During breaks for eating and a bit of "dropping off" I managed to get through half of it on Sunday and am now about two thirds through. Well on target for finishing before Saturday. I should get a bit of time to read it tomorrow as I am off work to wait for the cavity wall men to come and insulate us. They are going to do the loft too as apparently we have to have 26cm and we only have 6. Its all part of some council scheme to save energy. Hopefully it'll warm us up in the winter cos our bathroom is absolutely freezing.

So Tunnels is okay, not earth-shattering but an interesting concept, a whole other world beneath us that we don't know about.

I have also been swapping away on readitswapit. I have 3 swaps on the go at the moment. Its funny how it goes in waves, nothing for months and then 3 in one go. Just like buses!

Oh, my alliums are out now but I haven't been able to get out and take a picture in between downpours. Isn't it getting on your nerves?

And gawd help us, but Charley has escaped nominations AGAIN this week. Typical that we managed to get her out last week only to have her sent straight back in thinking the whole world loves her and that it was all done for her. I would really like to know how she developed her opinion of herself, its all like water off a duck's back. I thought last night's naked nominations were quite amusing though, and Brian just gets funnier every day. So, Jerry or Nicky, Jerry or Nicky, hhhmmmmmm????????

Literary Limbo!!

I am currently in a literary limbo. I have a book on the go, still The Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver. It is trundling along nicely, and I should get a bit more read this afternoon, as I am not at work (but then again, there IS ironing I could be doing, sigh!). But what do I do if I finish it? Is it worth starting another book, or do I wait for Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. It is still a week away, but if I get caught mid-book, Colin will jump in and read it first and then he'll know what happens before me!! It is going to be very difficult as it is, to not find out what happens before I read it, cos somewhere someone is going to mention it, aren't they?

I shall also be bumping HP up the TBR pile, and recklessly discarding everything else once it is here in my hot little hands. This is my list of books "to be read", and not all of them are registered on here either. And what did I go and do last night? I suggested we go to Borders "just for a Starbucks" but of course it didn't end there. I came home with a "buy one get one half price".

The first one was "Tunnels", which is rumoured to be the Next Big Thing in kid's fiction. I almost didn't buy it because I don't want to be disappointed if I don't enjoy it after all the hype. The other one was "Grave Doubts" by Elizabeth Corley which sounds good. I don't read a lot of UK set thrillers, but I was drawn to this one.

I'm getting fed up with Simply Knitting magazine. I have sent a couple of emails now about my competition socks and have had no reply, and I want them back!! I can't seem to get any response. I did have an email at least 6 weeks ago saying they were all being returned, but I haven't had mine, and Sweet Camden Lass hasn't had hers either. Gggrrrrrr!

I want doesn't get!

I want to KNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaarrrggghhhh!!!

I haven't really been that bothered for the last few weeks, but all of a sudden I want to knit, badly. I want something to do while I'm watching TV. I want the satisfaction of making something with my own hands and wearing it. I want to buy lovely yarn but I can't justify buying it if I can't do anything with it. My two boxes of yarn sit mocking me in the corner of the spare bedroom. The cats on my knitting bag are grinning at me maliciously.

How much longer am I going to have to wait????????? Sigh!!!

Oooo, gotta tell you this! Spoke to my mum yesterday and she told me that when I'd been writing the entry about our adventure on the rocks in Cornwall, they had been out with friends telling them exactly the same story, at almost exactly the same time. She said they hadn't even thought about what happened for years. Spooky!!! (Cue doo-doo doo-doo music!!)

SURPRISE!!!!

My ex-boss from the hospital lab, Gilbert, has been retiring for the past fortnight. Let me explain. Two weeks ago, I went to the lunch in Llangollen which he had organised as a do for his retirement. I posted about that before. A week ago, on the Friday afternoon, was his actual retirement day and there was a buffet and speeches and presents at the lab, which I went down to in Wrexham. Then last night there was another party, hence the fact that he has been retiring for a whole two weeks!!

Last night was really great because he didn't know it was happening. He thought he was going to an engagement party for someone his wife works with. When he walked in the door, everyone stood up and started clapping and it took him a while to work out we were clapping him!! He was absolutely made up!! He said it was the kind of do he’d wanted but thought that the time had passed to organise something. Little did he know that all his staff had been organising it for months!

Most of the microbiology staff were there and some people form the other pathology departments. And some ex-members of staff and other friends of his. There was a speech from Dai and then Danny Williams, from Wrexham Football Club came and presented Gilbert with a football signed by all the players which he was well chuffed with, being a huge Wrexham fan. There was also a painting of Snowdonia from all the micro staff.



Here is a pic of me and my friend Becky. Like my new hair colour?


And I couldn't believe it when Gilbert arrived and his wife Mary was wearing the same dress as me!!! Hahahah.

It was funnier because when I was getting ready I'd said to Colin, does this look a bit mumsy? Ah well, shows we both have good taste. This is the second time this has happened to me at a microbiology do. A couple of Christmas's ago, I went to the staff party and someone else was wearing the same skirt as me. They weren't from our department though, somewhere completely different.

On a sadder note, we had to leave just as the dancing was getting started because Colin had to get up at 5am to fly to Ireland. One of his uncles, Peter, died on Friday and the funeral is today. (They certainly are on the ball when it comes to these things in Ireland!) So he flew out from Liverpool at 7.15am and is due back later this evening.

So I have a day of pottering, food shopping and ironing ahead of me. The supermarket should be just about opening now, so I'd better get that out of the way first.

Dangerous waters

We are all moaning about the rain, and how it is unusual, and is it climate change? etc. Don't get me wrong, climate change is very real and I totally believe it is happening. But to have rain in July isn't unusual. After all, it is Wimbledon fortnight and it is very rare that there is no rain during Wimbledon. And two years ago I was on holiday in Cornwall for the first week in July and it rained every day, so it's nothing new.

I do feel terribly sorry for all the people affected by the floods. Seeing your house up to the windows in water must be so upsetting, or seeing your car swept away. In a slightly related subject I got to thinking about the time I could have been swept away by water.

I was probably about 8 or 9 and was on holiday in Cornwall with my mum and step-dad. We were at a beach called Trebarwith Strand, which had rocks that you could climb onto and sit on. We sat on the same spot each day. When the tide was out you could climb down to the sandy beach and play in the rock pools, and as the tide gradually came in, you moved up and sat on the rocks again. On this particular day we were sat watching the tide coming up higher and higher, when all of a sudden there was a huge wave that crashed up and reached where we were sitting. Everyone jumped up and grabbed all their stuff as another wave came up even higher. We had to squeeze under an overhang to crawl along the rocks and around the corner. When the rocks get wet they get extremely slippy and someone actually started to slide. If anyone had gone into the water that would have been it. My step-dad was quite a hero that day because he caught hold of the woman who was sliding and dragged her back up. Thankfully there were no casualties and we all managed to get round the corner and off the rocks.

A bit later in the evening the tide had come up so high that the water was crashing up higher than where we had been sitting. We can only think that on that day it was a spring tide when the water goes out and comes in much higher. Something to do with the moon.

To answer a couple of recent comments......I do like vampire books, especially the Anne Rice ones. She makes being a vampire sound very attractive, I mean the immortality bit of it, not the having to drink blood on a nightly basis. I have tried the Reiki on my thumb a couple of times. I wonder whether it hasn't been effective because you need 2 hands to do it properly. Anyway, when I am trained, I could attune Colin as a level 1 and then he could do my hand for me!! No suggestions for Nina's blogname, come on get your thinking caps on.

Physio, reiki & books

It seems my thumb has been assessed by the orthopaedic triage system and they have decided to send me to see the physiotherapy department. They will then assess it and see if they can deal with it, but if they think I will still need to see the orthopaedic surgeons, then there is a 3 to 4 month wait!! Can I go that long without knitting?? That's nearly Christmas!! I'll see what they say at physio on 23rd July and then decide what to do. I hope they don't start pulling it about and bending it cos that is going to HURT!!

I have decided to spend some of my backpay on getting my Reiki Master level. I will then feel as if I am fully qualified and able to charge for my services. Not that I will probably do a lot, but at least I'll have it done. I have just spoken to Yvonne, my Reiki Master and I have booked for 1st September. One of the girls I did the level 2 with is going on the same day so that will be good. A couple of weeks after that one of Colin's colleagues is running a workshop called "How to Charge What You are Worth" which I'm going to be helping out on, so i can pick up some tips!

I finished reading The High Lord at the weekend. It is the final story about Sonea, a slum girl who discovers by accident that she has magical abilities, and is trained by the magician's guild. In this book she has to help save the city of Imardin from attackers and has to also work out where her loyalties lie with regard to the high lord, Akkarrin. There is a welcome return for many of the characters of the previous books and the storyline is good and partly left open if the author were to consider another sequel.

I have now moved onto the latest Lincoln Rhyme book by Jeffery Deaver, The Cold Moon. What fascinates me is all the forensic stuff that goes on in these books, and also how the author comes up with such interesting ways to murder his victims. I have read all the previous books in the series and from what I've read so far, this one is going to be just as good. I swapped a Patricia Cornwell on readitswapit last week and got Salem's Lot by Stephen King in return, which I didn't realise was a vampire story. If I'd known that I would have got a copy sooner. I think that will be next on my list to read, and I've also got 5 of the Anne Rice ones to read too. I do like a good vampire story.

Bloggers

This post is about fellow bloggers.

Since I've been doing this blog, I have met some lovely bloggers through them leaving comments on my blog and vice versa. So I was quite sad at the weekend when I had an email from one of them to say that she wasn't going to blog anymore. This is a shame, she is such a caring, genuine and entertaining person. I know that the internet can all get a bit mad and addictive, and I think she needs a break, but it can also be a great outlet and social place if you are a bit isolated. I just hope her withdrawal doesn't mean that she loses this function of it.

Another of my internet friends needs a bit of help too. She has joined blooger but has yet to create a blog, despite threatening it for months and months. I think it would be absolutely brilliant, because she is an absolute whirlwind and writes in the same way. Have a look at her profile for a start and you'll see what I mean. She claims that what is holding her back is finding a suitable name for her blog. Can anyone give her a hand on this because I'm useless at it. If we can come up with a great name, we can get her blogging sooner rather than later. Please help!!!

Apart from that, I'd just like to say hi to all the people who look at my blog and thanks for popping by. (And you lurkers, go ahead and leave a comment, you know who you are!!!)

Travelling nephew

One of Colin's nephews, Rory, is doing a bit of travelling overseas. He is currently in Egypt. You can read about his adventures in his travelblog.

Getting there....

I had a little surprise on Saturday morning. Backpay from my job which I left 18 months ago. It was all to do with the NHS Agenda for Change that was going on, (and still is). New pay scales were being sorted out and it was all supposed to start in October 2004. But because it was such a major task it has only just come through for my ex-colleagues. Because I left in November 2005 I had a year's back pay, and that's what came on Saturday. I'll probably save most of it, it wasn't a huge amount. But I thought I would treat myself to an official Mighty Boosh T-shirt. However, checking the site today, everything is sold out!!! I am very sad :o(

Girly shoes and lunch

As you may remember I am going to a "do" in July. I have shown a pic of my dress already but here is a reminder...........

It is navy and grey. As you may also remember I have the problem of small narrow feet, size 2.5UK. And I don't do heels. So I have been having trouble getting shoes to go with the dress. My sister in law lent me a pair when we were in Ireland but they are 3.5 and were my back up plan just incase I couldn't get any. Friday, Colin had an appointment in Bolton for an hour so I went along and waited for him and had a good old read of The High Lord. I am about half way through now. Anyway, after that we went to The Trafford Centre to look for shoes. After trying a few shops with no luck, we were directed to Debenhams, and tah-dah.................


I got some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They do have a small kitten heel but it is fine. They do look a little bit more bluey in real life. And they have an ankle strap so they WILL stay on! The front is all beaded and sequined and they are the most girly pair of shoes I have ever owned! I don't do girly!! Or shoes!! But that may have something to do with my shoe size. Maybe if I had normal feet I would buy more shoes. Who knows.

My old boss from the hospital is retiring next Friday, and he invited me to a lunch yesterday in Llangollen with all the old gang. It's lovely because I haven't worked there for 18 months but he still asked me to go. He said I was still thought of as a member of the group. It was in a hotel called the Chainbridge Hotel right beside the river. We had huge windows overlooking the river and when the little steam train went past on the other side we were all waving and all the people were waving back. It was lovely to see everyone, and sorry to anyone I didn't get to talk to much. I had a good old natter with my friend Bex though, who was already a bit tiddled when I got there. I left at about 4.30 when they all moved on to another pub, but I had a text this morning to say they didn't leave until 9pm so goodness knows what state she was in then!! I am going to pop down to the lab for Gil's last day next Friday so will see some more people then.

And we are out for lunch again today. Colin has just had a call from a psychologist friend who is coming to Chester for the day so we are going to meet them in town for a light lunch in Swanky's coffee shop. This has become quite a regular haunt for us recently, very friendly staff and the food is pretty good. I think it is open into the evenings too, and I had thought of maybe using it for a knitting group meet-up, but that was before my "terrible knitting injury" caused by "thirty years of knitting, man and boy". (If you are a Fast Show fan, you will get that reference, if you are not a Fast Show fan, why not????).

Frankenstein was right!!

I have unequivocal proof that the Big Bang theory is true, and that spontaneous life can be created out of nothing..................................

Last night we had a great thunder storm with several big bangs, and today I found these in the lawn. And I swear they were NOT there yesterday. What more proof do you need??

I think you will also find that this is proof of fairies too, this is where they live isn't it?

Also in the garden, we are waiting to see what these are going to be like when they burst open. We bought a load of bulbs from a market and forgot what they were. These are definitely alliums, because they smell of onions which are the same family. Colin was convinced we'd been sold duds and that they really were onions when they first started coming up.

I was fascinated by this bee on our lavender. Can you see the bright yellow pollen sac on his leg? It was huge, and he had one on each leg. I don't know how he didn't crash to the ground under all the weight. (Sorry if its a bit blurred I was on full zoom and he kept moving!)

And finally, HOW ON EARTH DID CHARLEY NOT GET ENOUGH NOMINATIONS TO BE UP FOR THE PUBLIC VOTE?????????????????????????????????? Someone explain to me, cos I just DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Groovy patches

Look at these, Groovy Patches Pity they don't make them for the insulin infusion sets I have with my pump.

Thumb, books, BB8 & Boosh

(Lots of book links contained within....)

I thought I'd have a bit of a change, so have chosen a brighter template for the blog. Hope you like it. It feels a bit more summery!

So, I'm sure you are all dying to find out.......... ;o)

I was right all along, it is probably Trigger Finger (Thumb). I spoke to the GP on the phone last week and the X-rays and blood tests were clear. But he is going to refer me to the orthopaedic surgeons to have a look because it is restricting me from certain activities ie knitting! So I now have to wait for an appointment letter from them. Listening to the MRSA discussion on Jeremy Vine this morning puts me right off having an op though, but I should know better being an ex-hospital microbiologist, and the fact is the media blow it out of ALL proportion.

I finished reading The Divide a few days ago. It seemed to speed up towards the end and I did enjoy it. It was a shame how Abbie ended up in the situation she did. It is now packaged up ready to go to another bookcrossing person. In the meantime I read a quick little book called The Present by Spencer Johnson. It only takes an hour to read the whole thing, and is all about not worrying about the past or future, just living in the present. Easier said than done. Reading T's blog, I have ordered a copy of Nothing Special:Living Zen, which I think is in the same vein.

I then started another bookcrossing book I had called The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore. I got to about page 100 and abandoned it. It was all a bit bizarre and I just couldn't be bothered with it. A shame because I really enjoyed another of his books called Bloodsucking Fiends. I had never heard of Christopher Moore before I read that one. I have read 2 others, Practical Demonkeeping, which was similar to Stupidest Angel, but which I did read to the end, and Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, which I really enjoyed. So this author is a bit hit and miss with me I'm afraid. 'Angel is now off to a bookcrosser in New Zealand to keep it moving because it had already travelled quite a bit before I got it.

I am now reading The High Lord which is the third of the Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan. I'm not usually a fantasy fiction reader but having read the first one I really wanted to read all 3, which I will have done when I finish this one.

The only knitting related stuff I've been doing lately is reading blogs and putting together a package for my "CTnY" Summer Birthday Surprise recipient. If my "sender" is reading this by the way, please feel free to send me knitting stuff as my hand will get sorted and I'm determined to get back to knitting again soon.

Well, car crash telly-wise I am sorry to report that once again I am watching Big Brother. Every year I say I won't but I do. I didn't watch the one with Nadia in it though, and everyone told me it was so good I think I'm afraid to miss another good one. This year it has been ALL arguments. It does seem to have changed a bit in the last couple of days now that there are another 4 guys in there. Not sure I have an opinion on them yet but I thought the YMCA was very good!! I'm also wondering if Billie has been to Naboo's shop and bought one of Vince Noir's wigs!

Talking of the Boosh, the latest news I got was that series 3 is written and it is in pre-production, with filming due to start in July, woohoo!!

Edit: How spooky that I mentioned bookcrossing in this post - I just got an email telling me about this book I released a year and a day ago. But how did it get to Orlando, Florida?????

Ireland, cat & phones

Phew, what great weather we had this weekend. It was almost like being abroad.

We kind of were abroad, we popped over to Ireland to see Colin's dad for a couple of days. He is doing really well, the only difference really is that he forgets he has asked you something and asks you again later. But for goodness sake I'm sure there are many people of far less years than 88 who do that.

While we were there we did a bit of tidying up in the garden, at Colin's dad's and also at his sister's. Well actually I sat in the sun at Fiona's and a local cat came along and sat on my lap until it got too hot and hid under the table for some shade. I also went looking for some shoes to wear with my dress but no luck there.

We came back Sunday evening and had Monday off work too. It was rather hot though so we went into town and just pottered about the house. I called the doctor but my Xray results aren't back yet. The blood tests were normal though so I'm guessing that means its not arthritis. I haven't knit for well over a week now but there doesn't seem to be any improvement at all.

Now I am back in the office. I have to take photos of the phone system and email them to Colin's brother. There have been a few glitches in the system since it was set up and Niall is a telecom engineer in Ireland. He seems to think he can sort it out for us. I have to work out how to get the cover off the box of tricks beside my desk first!!

Visit, zoo, BFL & book

Just a couple of things I forgot to write about earlier in the week....

On Friday, Chris came to visit. We talked about her course for Burton Manor which is going to be called Knits Fit to Flatter. I think she has done a really good job on it, and I'll definitely go to it. She brought me presents too. A couple of crystals for my thumb, a moonstone and something else which I'm embarrassed to say I've forgotten the name of. And some carded wool for spinning. We had a bit of a go at it later on, and it was fun. I've tried raw fleece before but this was lovely and stranded so it spun easier. The 3 hours just flew, and at the end my living room looked like this........


On Sunday we popped up to the zoo to see the new Orangutan house. It is so much bigger than the old one.


This is only part of the outdoor bit. That is a running water feature at the front. And look at this orang.....


standing completely upright. I've never seen them do that before.

This arrived this morning from Natural Dye Studio. 100% Blue Faced Leicester sock yarn. But alas, it is not for me but I can't say who yet.




I'm a ways into The Divide now, and it isn't what I thought at the beginning. It's not about the murder really, it goes back to before that and the relationships going on in the family before it all happened. So yes, it has turned out to be a bit like The Horse Whisperer after all.

X-rays and books

This morning I went for my X-rays and blood tests. I have to wait about a week and then go to my GP for the results. I had some knitting on the coffee table which kept tempting me so I have now put away all my knitting out of sight so I can't be tempted to do "just a few rows to see how it feels".

I finished "No Humans Involved" by Kelley Armstrong. I enjoyed it, but prefer the werewolf ones. She is gradually getting through all the characters in her previous books and giving them a book of their own. This one was about Jamie Vegas, the necromancer.

I have now started "The Divide" by Nicholas Evans. He's the guy who wrote the Horse Whisperer. I thought this was going to be a bit like that, but not so far. There has been a body found in the ice on a glacier and it is a girl who was on the run for murder. That's as far as I have got. Colin bought me this for Christmas and I have bypassed it on my shelf for a couple of other books since then, but I felt guilty about not reading it because he bought it for me.

Whilst I was at the hospital I released this bookcrossing book, so if anyone is in the area and fancies it, go, go, go!! I didn't actually read it so I can't tell you if it is any good or not, sorry!

A bit of handy information

I trotted off to the doctor this morning to tell him I had trigger finger. However, he wasn't convinced. I said I'd had it before in another finger. He still wasn't convinced. He said trigger finger was caused by a trauma. I find not being able to knit quite a trauma.

So he poked and prodded and squeezed and bent (ouch!). I have to go and have both hands X-rayed and some blood tests done on Monday. And then go back and see him. In the meantime I have to try Voltarol gel (anti-inflammatory) and NOT KNIT!!!! Arrrrggggghhhhhh!!! Actually, that is a good idea because I did about 10 rounds of a sock yesterday and my thumb was very painful afterwards. Ah well, I might make some headway into the pile of books on my "to be read" shelf now.

This afternoon Chris is coming to visit. I met her on the knitting day at Burton Manor. I guess I'll just have to chat and watch her knit, to add insult to injury. It will be nice to see her though, and we can discuss her impending fame as the new knitting expert at the Manor.

BB8

Oh my God, tonight it starts all over again!!!

Trigger thumb

I think this is what I have..........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_finger

I had it about 5 years ago in my little finger but it resolved itself, so I'm guessing I now have it in my thumb. It is one of those things that can be related to having diabetes, which I do. It does say not to do things where you have to grip, errrrr!!??? Now what do I do?