Ack!!

Ok, I'll have a go at a catch up but I am feeling a bit grumpy-bum! I've only gone and got ANOTHER ear infection! In the other ear! It is at the "getting really painful" stage but I'm not messing about, I've brought in the big guns straight away this time and am taking the painkillers that they gave me in A&E last time. Boy, they're good. Make you a bit sleepy though. Luckily my GP agreed over the phone to give me the same antibiotics as last time, I didn't need to make an appointment to see him, so I'm on those as well. (And I swear a cotton bud has not gone near my ear since the last time!)

Talking of GPs, did you ladies out there know that it is not enough now to just have a "General Practitioner"? They are far too general. No, now you need to also have an "aesthetic practitioner"! I discovered this by reading the small print on the screen of a TV advert for an anti-wrinkle cream last night. It told me to consult my aesthetic practitioner. No-one told me about this before, who are these people? I'm assuming they must be the faux "scientists" in white coats that congregate in the cosmetic department of Debenhams or Boots and the like. Maybe I should consult one on how to make an infected ear look aesthetically pleasing with goo dripping out of it?

It goes without saying that I have been reading a lot lately. But as for knitting........ I have a few things on the go. I am making another Vegas Sands neckwarmer because the June sock yarn I got from Wild Fire Fibres was too lovely to wear out on my feet. The Firestarter socks are on hiatus but I have started another project which I can't show on here but you can see if you are a Ravelry member here. I am making it using stash yarn that I have had for a while. I liked the colour combination when Ysolda used it in her Whimsical Little Knits book. I am doing random amounts of each colour. (Sorry non-Rav members but the person it is for is not a Rav member).

Colin has been off doing his thing for charity. Last weekend he went off to Scafell Pike with 7 others and they climbed it in about 7 hours up and down. When they got to the top there was SNOW! In June!!

On Sunday morning he was marshalling at the Race for Life in Chester.

So.... Big Brother is back for the summer. The same old bunch of usual suspects, the same petty arguments over nothing, the same silly humiliating tasks........ah we love it don't we? I'm going to put myself on the line here and suggest Rodrigo as this year's winner. He is in the background at the moment but I think he may come into his own once some of the loud mouths get voted off. Angel is a bit odd, she was sucking a raw egg the other day, that can't be healthy can it?

A necessary trip to the LYS

So I was looking for patterns for the Wild Fire Fibres sock yarn. I have been wanting to do something else with cables since finishing the Gathered Pullover. So I have decided to take on a bit of a challenge and make the Bayerische socks by Eunny Jang. I had wound the yarn into a ball and printed out the pattern and then I noticed that it calls for 2mm needles. I usually do socks on 2.5mm so I don't have any 2s. So that necessitated a trip to Stash! I had already been in on Tuesday with Becca after we had been out for lunch, and mentioned we might go back on Thursday as it was late opening. Becca couldn't come though so I went by myself from work.

Anne was there by herself and welcomed me in with a cup of tea, so I sat down and made myself comfortable. I got two 2mm circs and then turned my attention to the Rowan Scottish Tweed DK needed for the Tweedy Waistcoat from the Fall Interweave Knits. I looked at the peat and oatmeal colours that the magazine had used but I'm not really a 'brown person', so after putting together several combinations of colours we came up with these 2 greens, Apple and Celtic Mix.

Here they are together. It will be a change for me from purples and greys. Now I just need to think about which size is going to be best because I'm a bit in-between. Probably the larger one just to be on the safe side. Apparently the model is wearing the smallest size and she looks really slim.

Stash have also just received a shipment of something rather exciting. I'm not going to say what in case you go and snap it up and there is none left for me. It had only just arrived yesterday and hadn't been unpacked or priced so I couldn't buy it, but I will be back in next week and then its mine all mine, mwahaha!!

Oh yeah, just remembered - they want me to do a workshop on sock knitting!! One of my worst nightmares is talking in front of people but I do quite fancy the idea as long as the group wasn't too big. I know I would be a bag of nerves though. I'm going to put a few ideas down on paper on how it could be done and have a good think about it. What do you think? Should I do it?

Tonight is the final night of Big Brother 9. As usual I got hooked on it from the start, but to be honest there is no-one left that I would even imagine winning. I do have a feeling it may be Rex even though the bookie's favourite is Mikey. I know it is marvelous how he has coped in there being blind but I don't really think he is that nice of a person. Not that Rex is either, the way he treated people especially Nicole, his own girlfriend! And Darnell just gets on my nerves with his negativity all the time. Rachel? Hmm, I think her obsession with grapes is a bit worrying. Maybe Sara? Who wins.........you decide!

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!

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!!!

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????????

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!!!!!!!!!!!!

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?????

BB8

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