Catsize

The Times they are a Changing

2009-11-24T11:28:00.003Z

My goodness, how my life has turned upside down!
Firstly I went back onto the full dose of the Seroxat and have felt much better ever since. I don't regret it at all.
Plus, Jenny had her baby really early, on 3 November, a lovely little boy called Tom who is just adorable. He seems to be very sweetnatured and laid back, although very hungry.
I am undecided about my next Open University course, as I would like to get going again, but I really don't see where I am going to find the time. I think I am going to postpone starting again until either next October or possibly even the following February, as some courses are ending and updated versions starting during that period and it might be better to wait for the new ones.
rafts seem once again to be taking over my life; I am knitting for Tom, trying to get a Birth Sampler done by Christmas and I also have a couple of things to make for Christmas as well. I have no idea where I am going to get the time from! I love the run up to Christmas though....

New blog

2007-12-07T10:50:00.000Z

Please note that I have moved my blog to Brought to Book, to reflect my new interests in life...

Catching up

2007-11-30T14:21:00.000Z

Like Joy, I spend a lot of time roaming round everyone else's blogs wishing they would post more, and yet sadly neglect my own blog except as a gateway to my blogroll. I gather blogrolls are now a thing of the past - everyone subscribes to 'RSS feeds' is it? I have no understanding of this technology at all, but if someone cares to give me a crash course, I would be more than grateful!
So what have I been up to? Well, I have confirmed to myself that I have given up stitching, and have sold all my Chatelaine kits. I still have a lot to sell - Judy Dixon's, Just Nan's, and lots of Dimensions kits and stockings. As I have no scanner and my digital camera is a little erratic in it's operation just at present I will have to wait awhile to put it all on E-Bay, but I'll get there sooner or later.
I'm still reading and going to the theatre..I went to see The Giant at Hampstead Theatre this week, which was most enjoyable, and I am off to see a RSC production of a Comedy of Errors tomorrow in Bath. I've read all the books mentioned previously and am currently reading Pride and Prejudice. There have not been many cinema visits as in the last four weeks there have only been two captioned showing, both of which were Ratatouille which I couldn't bring myself to go and see. Next Monday, though, is American Gangster, so I will be off to see that with my son.
My birthday was last week, and I had a delightful weekend with the family, including lunch with my sister-in-law in Bracknell. (SIL and her husband live in Epsom, so Bracknell is the halfway point between us). I had some really nice presents and everyone was very kind. I'm not too keen on the number connected with this birthday and think I will count backwards from now on.
I've just come to the realisation that Christmas is only 3 weeks away now, and am beginning to feel a mild sense of panic. We have far less money to spend this year than usual, and although I have now completed the present shopping I feel as though I've bought nothing. It's very depressing - I like to be generous at Christmas and penny pinching doesn't induce festive feelings in me. We are tight this year because we have a savings account for Christmas and car expenses, and the cars have cost a fortune this year. Citroen charged Ken £698 for the last service on his C5!!!
After a lot of thought, I have decided to sign up for two Open University courses for next year. Michelle has been an inspiration, and I have decided to follow in her footsteps. I'm going to take Making Sense of the Arts and Shakespeare:An Introduction. It's quite risky for me, I know, as I tried to do a course before and fell by the wayside, but that was when I was coming down with CFS, and it hadn't been diagnosed and I fell apart with anxiety and loss of confidence. It will be hard for me to work for two or three hours a night after work, but I really want to give this a try. When I chose my 'A'-levels back in 1971, I chose Biology, Physics and Chemistry, as I felt that they were more likely to lead to a job than the 'Arts'. Although I was studying science I also had compulsory General English lessons once a week. A few weeks into the first 'A'-level term, I was hauled up in front of the headmistress and strongly recommended to switch to English 'A'-Level. I refused, as I couldn't see any future with a degree in English. Needless to say, I was a complete failure at the sciences, got poor 'A'-Levels, and never got a degree. I just want to have a crack at it now. If these short courses go well I will start a full course with the OU. Please wish me luck - I will need it to prevent my anxiety getting out of control, and to find the strength to work hard after so many years of not using my brain.

Halloween

2007-11-01T14:40:00.000Z

Last night my grown up-children* came home for the evening for our usual Halloween movie-fest. We always rent a couple of horror/scary movies, have a takeaway and sit in the dark hoping to be scared. I’ve come to the conclusion that nothing on the big screen scares me now, but my eldest daughter usually ends up watching from behind a cushion which provides half the entertainment for the evening.
This year the films I rented were ‘Them’ a Romanian subtitled film, and ‘Vacancy’ a recent US offering. As it turned out, they were very similar in their storyline – a couple being pursued through a building and underground tunnels by threatening masked/hooded anonymous intruders. In style, they were very different; the Romanian film was shot in colourless, film noir style, while the US offering was in the usual glorious Technicolor. I much preferred ‘Them’, I felt it kept up the suspense and tension far longer, and when you found out what was actually going on, although it was prosaic (no supernatural forces here) it was still disturbing. 'Vacancy', however, bored me after a while, although it has the potential to be far more shocking, dealing as it did with snuff movie making. There was no sense of menace; it was just a cat and mouse game between the couple and the snuff movie makers.
Not a bad evening though and we had half a dozen well behaved and nicely costumed trick or treaters with responsible adults in tow, which was nice to see.

* Why the heck, don’t we have a word for grown-up children? My husband insists on calling them ‘the kids’, which I hate, but have to agree that there is not much else you can say. You can’t really suggest that ‘we invite the grown up children round for Sunday lunch’ and it’s tedious to say ‘let’s have Jenny, Debbie, Ben and Chris round on Saturday evening’….Suggestions anyone?

Stardust

2007-10-30T14:50:00.001Z

I have mentioned this before but I have been making a point of going to my local cinema each week to see films that have been subtitled, or otherwise a foreign film with subtitles. I’m trying not to be judgemental and to see whatever is available. So far I have seen Atonement, Superbad (yikes!!), Day Watch and The Counterfeiters.
Last night I went to see Stardust. It didn’t start too well from my point of view as it took about 20 minutes to get the subtitles up and running properly, but as I already knew the rough plot outline I didn’t miss too much. I wasn’t expecting much, but it was a lot better than I thought it would be, albeit a bit girly. There were some good lines in it, the special effects weren't completely overwhelming and the story was simple but interesting enough. It certainly looked good, and there was fun trying to put names to faces made up as to be almost unrecognisable. Robert de Niro stole the show as Captain Shakespeare as did someone I didn't recognise, Mark Strong, as Septimus.
I'm glad I went, despite Jonathan Ross’s constant plugging.

Heck. I've just seen next week's offering is Ratatouille. I really don't want to see this. Please may I be excused?

Amazon

2007-10-14T22:33:00.000Z

Am I imagining things? Amazon looked completely different on Friday, and I showed a couple of other people its new layout. Yesterday and today, it's back how it was. What happened?

2007-10-10T12:30:00.000Z

I think lots of things have happened since I last blogged, but of course I can’t remember them!
An unforgettable experience however was my eldest daughter’s wedding. It was fantastic, a perfect day. My daughter organised it, and everything went very smoothly with the help of the De Vere hotel and the wonderful photographers. The one slight dampener on the day was an hour before the wedding; the photographer was taking photos in our garden, I was walking across the lawn to go back into the house, when my shoe caught into a hole that the dog had dug and I was flung forwards flat on the ground. When I was helped up, there was a large grass stain on my cream skirt. We rubbed Vanish into the stain and it did start to lift a bit, but we ran out of time, and I ended up turning my skirt round and wearing it back to front. I was told that the stain had completely disappeared by the time we got to the hotel, so a possible crisis had been averted!
My ex-husband made a wonderful speech giving credit to Ken as a Stepfather; Ken made a very sentimental speech that reduced both my daughters to tears. The Best Man made a great speech using photos to illustrate Chris’ (the groom) life history, thus causing maximum embarrassment! All in all, a wonderful day was had by all. If you like, there are some photos here.

I’m still not stitching. I have no inclination whatsoever, and I am quite happy not stitching. What I have done, however, is try to wake up my brain. I shan’t go into what initiated all this, as it’s silly and you wouldn’t find it the least bit interesting or understandable. I decided to read a ‘proper’ newspaper once a day, and have settled on The Times. I don’t think I agree with its political slant, but I find it interesting and witty to read, plus I love that it’s available in the new tabloid format. I read it for my lunchtimes, and usually only manage to get through half of the paper as I only take half an hour, but I am hoping to train my brain to start taking in more information and start to understand more easily what is written. I have also started to read the ‘classic’ novels, and hope that this too, will get the ‘grey cells’ working. So far I have read Trollope’s ‘The Warden’ and ‘Barchester Towers’, Beryl Bainbridge’s An Awfully Big Adventure’ and have just started on Dicken’s ‘Bleak House’. I have also read
Bill Bryson’s biography of Shakespeare. Waiting in the wings are ‘Sense and Sensibility’, ‘The Kite Runner’ and ‘The Time Travellers Wife’ for a change of pace. You will note that most of the titles I have read are available in either a film of a TV production, but I thought this might help interpret the books. Certainly I have just finished watching Bleak House on the BBC, and having seen it, it’s certainly helping me persevere with the book, although I am finding the book a delight to read and hard to put down.

Another resolution I have made is to patronise the local cinema when they show subtitled films, even if they are not films I would normally watch. Consequently I have been to the cinema for the last two weeks, and am going tonight to see a Russian language film ‘Day Watch’, and next Monday to see ‘The Kingdom’. Neither are films I would normally go for but I want to widen my experience. I think my mind has become very closed over the last few years. I don’t think I will ever be able to share Ken’s love of Westerns and martial arts, though!

Whilst I was researching the availability of subtitled films, I came across something called Stagetext, and found to my amazement that some theatre production are captioned! I immediately booked myself and a friend in to see ‘Othello’ at The Donmar Warehouse in January, and was lucky enough to get a last minute seat at the Bath Theatre Royal to see ‘The History Boys’ last week. What an amazing experience! I just love theatre! I can’t wait to see more productions and wish I could do more to promote the facility and enable more performances to be available. Oh, I wish I lived in London still! When I think of all the years I lived there and couldn’t contemplate going to the theatre because of not hearing anything; it seems such a shame!

I have also completely changed my TV viewing, with the help of Sky+ - what a wonderful invention! As Ken complained so much about them, I have ditched my soaps. I have recorded lots of films that I had hitherto only heard of and not seen, documentaries that Ken would not allow on, and various other bits and pieces that are on late night or that Ken wouldn’t watch. So far I have discovered ‘Withnail and I’ (what a gem), ‘The Beach’ (beautiful and thought provoking), as mentioned before, the TV series Bleak House (which I adored) and a TV film called ‘Sean, A Life Backwards’, which moved me to tears. Oh – and ‘Primo’. I would never have thought a monologue could hold my attention as this did. There have been others too – I can’t remember them, so I think I will have to keep a diary of what I see. I’ve also been watching documentaries that I normally wouldn’t have watched or that Ken would have objected to; this week we have had ‘The Cult of the Suicide Bomber’, the incredibly moving ‘China’s Stolen Children’ and I still have a programme about Windscale to see. Oh, and of course, Stephen Fry’s ‘HIV and Me’. I am so enjoying seeing something different to the usual interminable detective/forensic shows. BBC4 is a real discovery, as is More4 and Film4. As you may have gathered, we have only just moved onto Sky digital, we only had terrestrial before. There are more of these digital channels subtitled than I had imagined too. I am thinking of asking Ken to get the movie channels as well, given my new interest in film.
So this is where I am today. Please don’t laugh at my efforts to try and ‘improve my mind’ or ‘widen my outlook’ whatever you want to call it. I am having fun, which is the main thing, and it’s certainly something I would never have tried to do whilst I was so preoccupied with my stitching. Maybe soon, I will try stitching again, but perhaps to a lesser degree, not as obsessional.

I love my framer!

2007-08-24T20:58:00.001Z

Hasn't he done a brilliant job?

2007-08-15T13:43:00.001Z

It's been a long time since I posted. I didn't have a colonoscopy in the end, I had a barium enema which was an experience to say the least, and I go back to see the consultant next Monday. In the meantime, my guts have been behaving progressively better and better, and while things are still not normal, they are vastly improved.
I have been on holiday for the last two weeks, our annual pilgrimage to Swanage, where we were fortunate to have what looks to have been the only decent fortnight of weather this year! I had a very relaxing time, but it was hard coming back to work last Monday after nearly seven weeks away.
I didn't take any stitching with me on holiday and I didn't miss it at all. In fact I found it a relief to be away from the boxes of stash cluttering up the study. I did take some aran knitting that I am doing, and I worked a couple of rows a day usually. I have had no urge to stitch or knit since I arrived back home, which leads me to this: I think I am going to give up stitching. I seem to have no interest any more; I have to force myself to stitch, and that's not what it should be about is it? I'm not going to do anything in a hurry, I shall sit on my stash a little while until I am sure I will no longer want it, and then I will get rid of what I can on eBay. Most of it I won't be able to do anything with. I have WIPs that I won't be able to sell, and lots of things kitted up that won't be saleable either. I am also going to sell some knitting yarn that I have, for whatever I can get for it. I feel quite sad about this, stitching has been a big part of my life for the last 18 years, and I have the credit card bill to prove it! However, I am too tired in the evenings to do anything other than slob out in front of the tv, and despite having given up the Olanzapine, I still need to sleep weekend afternoons in order to get through the following week.
What I am not sure about is that the communities that I visit are all stitching related, and I won't really fit in as a non stitcher. It will leave a gaping hole in my life not to interact with these communities, and I have nothing else to fill it. Watch this space.

Update

2007-07-09T21:22:00.000Z

I saw the consultant today, a very handsome and charming man. I have got to have a colonoscopy, and hopefully, if I get the paperwork through OK it will be done at the Winfield Hospital in Gloucester. I doubt if it will show up anything, but will just eliminate some possibilities. The logistics are going to be difficult, as I need someone to take me, someone to pick me up and I am supposed to have someone with me for 24 hours after the procedure, which is impossible. I'm feeling guilty about all the time off work too - I don't feel confident about going back but I feel I ought to, as who knows how long this is going to go on for? All in all I am feeling anxious this evening. I am glad it's my night for taking the Olanzapine - I have now managed two lots of one tablet every three days now and apart from this evening I've been fine. And I think I can be excused feeling a bit anxious this evening.

Health issues

2007-07-07T20:54:00.000Z

I write this blog as much for me in the future to look back and remember things and when they happened rather than for an audience, although I know a few people do read it, as I get comments from them (which I love). This entry is specifically for this purpose as a couple of things are happening to me healthwise at present. Firstly, when I saw my psychiatrist in early June, he okayed for me to start reducing the Olanzapine, and I am pleased to report that so far I am coping OK. I have just reduced to taking it every three days, and so far I've had no adverse reaction. The dreaded anxiety has not reared it's ugly head. The second thing is a bit embarrassing, but it's affecting me quite a lot. I have had persistent diarrhoea since 30th May, that's over five weeks now. I have been signed off work for nearly three weeks now, as I am not confident about when I will need the loo and whether the loos will be vacant right at the moment I need them. My GP has tried me on Immodium and also treatment for IBS, but neither has had any effect. I have now been referred privately to a specialist through a scheme at work, Benenden, and my appointment is Monday. I am sure it will be something simple, like having developed an allergy to a foodstuff, but I will be so glad when it's all over.

Stitching Weekend

2007-06-14T11:42:00.000Z

Last weekend, me and my stitchy friends from a UK stitching BB descended on Derbyshire for two days of fun. We stayed here, and what a wonderful place it was. The cottages were extremely clean and equipped and furnished to a very high standard. The surroundings were delightful, and as a bonus there were alpacas and mini donkeys in the fields next door. There were 16 of us, and I thionk I can honestly say we all had a fantastic time, and got along very well.
Basically we all sat, stitched and nattered. Around 10pm when it got dark we moved from the garden into the conference suite and carried on there. On Saturday there were forays into Bakewell to Wye Needlecraft and a nearby patchwork shop by various groups, although I stayed behind and enjoyed the garden and the company. There were the occasional raids to Tesco to get supplies and on Sunday Kitty held a dyeing class which was such a lot of fun. We had loads of chocolate and other sweets and nibbles, and there was plenty of wine flowing, especially on Saturday evening when I certainly got a bit piddled (I escaped a hangover on Sunday though). One or two others got a bit tipsy as well, so I wasn't the only one showing myself up!!. I was the last up each day, I didn't wake until about 11 am each day, so I can't say what went on in the mornings! I can honestly say I haven't felt so comfortable in a group of people before, and I felt welcomed and accepted and dare I say it - liked.
Thank you to everyone there who made it such a special time.

Blog? What blog?

2007-06-06T12:32:00.000Z

Why do you read the blogs that you do? I have three types of blog on my blogroll. The smallest group are non-craft blogs; I think I have just four of them. I read those because they are usually amusing and have an off beat view of life. Diamond Geezer I love because despite having not lived in London for many years, I still consider myself a Londoner, and DG keeps me in touch.
The largest group of blogs I read are stitchy blogs, although some have recently morphed into baby diaries as the stitchers have become mummies. I have met some of the stitchy bloggers IRL which adds another dimension to my compulsive blog reading. Some stitcher's blogs do just talk about stitching, but most have snippets of daily life in them too, which I enjoy as it makes me feel as though I really know and understand the blogger. Some are beautiful to look at as they take gorgeous photos of their work. Many are inspiring and enable me to find more even more things that I want to stitch. Not sure that's a good thing though.
Then there are the knitters blogs. For some reason knitty blogs are a completely different style to stitchy blogs. They tend to be more humorous and flippant, but I'm not quite sure why. Or perhaps it's just that I have only found the offbeat ones? Maybe it's because knitting is so much quicker. You can knit a jumper in a month but a piece of stitching can take months or even years in some cases, so knitters are getting their happy dances more frequently than stitchers. And many knitters are into sock knitting, and you can knit a pair of socks in a week quite easily. So definitely more satisfaction there. I'm a knitter as well as a stitcher but I don't do much of it, and I'm completely in awe of all the knitters whose blogs I read. However, I'm not into all these weird unwearable Knitty patterns and fancy yarns. And look at me - completely lacking a sense of humour!!! No offbeat blog for me! Maybe thats what it is - you have to have a good sense of humour to knit some of todays patterns and yarns....

So stitchy blogs for inspiration and knitty blogs for grins. How about you?

Stitching Plans as @ June 4 2007

2007-06-04T12:20:00.000Z

2007: Complete Debbie’s Stocking

Complete Ring Pillow

Complete Cameo Silk

Complete Cottage Garden

2008: Start and Complete Jenny’s stocking

Complete Sleigh Ride

Continue St Petersburg

Start Majestic Lace

Complete one JD design

Start and keep up with Celtic Mystery XI

2009: Complete St Petersburg

Start and Complete Chris’ stocking

Complete Majestic Lace

Complete Mystery VI

I’m too depressed to do any more….

Grrrrrrr

2007-05-31T07:12:00.000Z

When I started Ben's Christmas stocking I bought a Daylight lap-light to help me see the holes in the navy blue aida. It was a godsend as, while the 'white towel on the lap' trick worked in daylight, as soon as I had my magifying lamp switched on, it didn't work. At that time, you may remember, we had two kittens and a puppy in the house, and the inevitable happened - the flex got chewed, I didn't notice and when the lap-light was next switched on, the bulb blew. That was when I discovered that I couldn't get spare bulbs. Much to my annoyance I had to buy a whole new unit, and at almost £50 they aren't cheap. I couldn't manage without it though. When Ben's stocking was finished, I put it away in my craft shelves, and there it has stayed, not being moved since last November. I got it out again last night to start Debbies stocking (also on navy aida) and found that the bulb had failed. It just flickers like a flourescent tube that won't light properly. So once again I have had to order a whole new unit. Fortunately Siesta Frames have an offer of 20% off, but it's still a lot of money. So everyone - if you are going to buy one, try and find a different one to the Daylight company's brand. I know they are around as I've seen them at shows, but I couldn't find one online last night.
So now I can't afford to get those ghd hair straighteners :-(

Yeee - ha!!

2007-05-30T13:38:00.000Z

I finished it!! I finally finished the Wedding Sampler!! It's had a bath and is now drying on my ironing board. What a huge weight to drop off my shoulders! I just now have to choose which framer to take it to. Thre is a so far untried framer who I know stretches and laces and this need to be stretched because, as feared, the long back stitches have gone a bit wobbly with the washing. Or I can try my old reliable guy, if he is still working, that is. Or I can use the place I used last time, although I am not sure about them for this project.. I think I'll try my usual guy. I'll just ring and see if he is still in business.
No answer, was the stern reply. I have left a message on his answering service....

So now it's onto stocking number 2. I have sorted all the threads and will make a start this evening. I am stitching the ring pillow at lunchtimes and will take it to the GTG next week to work on there. Not too much to do until the cutting. I aim to have it finished by the end of June.

Update. Mt Hodgeson is still in business so I am taking the sampler round tomorrow lunchtime for him to frame. Cool!

Mojo - no no

2007-05-14T13:41:00.000Z

I have lost it - my stitching Mojo. I have looked all over for it but can't find it anywhere. It's all the fault of that stupid wedding sampler, I hate it!! So I am going to start the ring pillow tonight. Maybe doing something new will get me going again.
I have also fallen in love with a very old design that I haven't paid any attention to in the past, Mirabilia's Deco Spirits. Now if I could get that kitted up and ready to go I think I would be stitching like a wild dervish, but I mustn't, I really must get the wedding sampler and ring pillow done. Not forgetting this years Christmas Stocking. I can't afford to lose my Mojo really can I? Imagine if I never got it back? What would I do with all that stash? It doesn't bear thinking about.
I am also dieting again, but I am not going to classes this time. It didn't work before did it, so what's the point of spending all that money? I have therefore spent even more money and bought some rather flash bathroom scales - I can't work them properly but I can at least weigh myself every week. I have lost 3lb since last Wednesday, so that's not too bad. Only a hundred or so more to go....
I have bought my Dad's 35mm SLR camera from him, not a digital as I prefer proper photos for things other than my stitching, but now I am too scared to even take the camera out of it's case!! I have a film ready and a new battery (which cost a flippin fortune) but it's all just sitting on the coffee table waiting for me to get my arse into gear.
Speaking of which, progress this week. I set the alarm clock and got up between 9 and 9.30 on both Saturday and Sunday, plus I didn't take my afternoon nap! Miraculous. I'll have to see how I cope this week; if there are going to be any effects I will feel them around Wednesday, I would guess. It was nice to feel I actually had a weekend and time to do stuff and I hope it continues. Just hate using an alarm clock on a weekend :-(

Oh well..

2007-03-15T09:09:00.000Z

I was saving posting until I had some pictures to put up, but I never seem to get round to taking any and I thought I had gone far too long without posting.
First - a confession. I have crashed out of the challenge with a bang. I was just making myself miserable and my Chatelaine obsession has gripped again, so I am now in for St Petersburg. I am using some silver grey fabric I had, and my part kit arrived yesterday, but as this is such a huge piece I need to block off some time to cut the fabric to size, zig zag the edges and tack it onto the frame I have ordered for it (42" scroll frame). I have also ordered the chart for Margaret Sherry's Calendar Cats - I'm a bit disappointed as I expected it to be shipped right away but t turns out that the charts have all sold out and the seller as to wait for another shipment which could be 'several weeks'. I told her I will wait as you can't get the chart over here. I am closer to finishing the Wedding Sampler, much to my relief, and hope to get it done in the next couple of weeks. I am currently stitching a quilt square for a baby who is having a difficult time in hospital ( it's more to cheer the poor parents really) so everything has been put on hold until thats done.
Other news, my mum has been diagnosed with a cataract and will have surgery in the next couple of months. She's a bit nervous as it's done under a local anaesthetic..<<>>
And it's looking as though we shan't be going on holiday this year. Ken was relying on his usual annual bonus to pay for it, but with the difficulties that Airbus are having at present it's unlikely that he will get a bonus this year. I should be grateful he is keeping his job, but I am really disappointed.
Apart from that I am doing OK - in fact I would go as far as to say I am quite happy these days, which is a big thing for me to say. My job is OK, I have good friends , a great family and my stitching (in no particular order) .

Disgusted

2007-02-21T07:47:00.000Z

Yes, I'm cheesed off, I found I had put on a pound and a half at WW last night. I really wasn't expecting that. Over the last two weeks I have had two takeaways, one meal out and one birthday tea but the rest of the time I stuck to the diet, so I knew I probably wouldn't lose but I really didn't expect to gain. Well I obviously have to be stricter from now on if I want to lose this weight.

Still getting up earlier and stitching well in the evenings. I stitched on Sleigh Ride for 3 hours last night but I don't seem to have got much done. I don't like doing half cross stitch - while it should be quicker I find it harder to plan routes and end up carrying thread across the back far more than normal which worries me. I don't much like the fabric I have either. I'm not sure now what it is - it feels like Monaco but I can't buy Monaco from SewandSo, which is where I got it, so it must be something else. I have just checked SewandSo and the only 32 ct evenweave they do is Murano so it must be that. I'm now anxious that I have bought the right count fabric so I will check this evening. See how the anxiety gets a grip!!

Had another e-mail from Debbie this morning; They are enjoying Phuket and getting ready to leave for Singapore on Friday. I've been amazed at how easily she has been able to keep in touch; modern technology does have it's upsides!

Jenny has settled down more into her new house now. We are on the lookout for two male kittens but it seems hard to find any. The RSPCA and Cats protection only have adult cats, which J doesn't want because they are out all day. She want two kittens to grow up together and keep each other company, and male as they are cheaper to neuter. The vets tell me there will be more around come the spring so I shall be phoning up the vets more often then!

I'l try and get some photos of the wedding sampler and Sleigh Ride up soon, I just need some daylight!

Wow!!

2007-02-20T08:28:00.000Z

It seems my new positive attitude is working well! I got loads of stitching done on the Wedding Sampler; I stitched from 7 until 10, I'm so pleased. This morning I managed to get up at 6; while it was a struggle to get up it was nice not having to rush and I was able to empty the dishwasher and washing machine before I left. Yes, I'm tired but I'm not dwelling on it - I'm sleepy as opposed to that dreadful physical weariness that I feel most of the time. There was an interesting prgramme on Channel 4 last night about hypochondriacs and treating them with therapy. The power of the mind cannot be underestimated so I think I am doing the right thing by trying to take an attack attitude rather than a passive attitude. Lets hope I can keep it up - no, I will keep it up! Weightwatchers tonight - I won't have lost but I am hoping not to have put on.

Update

2007-02-19T14:25:00.000Z

Della asked how I got on with the Occupational Health doctor last week. Well it was OK. She was quite sympathetic, and listened carefully to what I was saying. She says the lack of concentration and forgetfullness is undoubtedly down to the CFS, and she said what Sara said, that the beta blockers would add to the fatigue. Not sure what to do about that - I would rather get more migraines than feel so tired all the time, but I don't think work would be happy!! She is going to put in her report that they should expect that I would have more sick time than someone in normal health, and she suggested various therapies that might help, most of which I have had previously; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Graded Exercise Therapy. With the former the therapist and I had agreed together that it wasn't worth pursuing as I was coping with the anxiety using medication. The GET was used when I was off sick with the CFS, but I can't really go off sick again and do it all over again.

However, I spent most of the weekend asleep, and feel much better today. I even feel like I want to stitch tonight. I have decided to try and sort things out myself. I can't do much about the fatigue except fight against it, so I am going to get up a quarter of an hour earlier each week until I am rising at 6am again. That way I can get home and cook dinner for a reasonable time and have an evening to stitch. I am going to start walking the dog on the days Ken is working away, it's much easier to do this now that the evenings are lighter. I am hoping that getting a bit of exercise will energise me rather than making me even more tired. I shall build it up gradually, doing one walk this week, two next week and three the week after.

After reading what Paula has said, I think I had better go and see my GP, but I'm going to wait until after I have received the report from the OH doctor, then I can discuss everything. I'll also know how well my attempt at fighting this off is working by then. Hopefully I will have lost a little more weight by then too.

I have no stitching news to report this week apart from saying that I didn't put in a single stitch in anything last week, I was just far too tired - I was in bed at 8.30/9.00pm every evening. I have got some good news though - a friend tracked down a Glistening Snowman for me!! Isn't that fantastic???!!!

I have had some photos today from Debbie on her travels - here are two of them...

Flippin' frustrated

2007-02-08T13:38:00.000Z

Ages ago, well, a couple of years, I saw a stocking kit for sale - it was a Dimensions Gold design , Midnight Snowman, the same as the one in the petites range. Now I really love this but I didn't buy the stocking at that time as I was short of funds, and when I was ready to buy it I couldn't find it. I have had a search set up on E Bay for it for months but no joy. I began to think I had dreamt it. Then yesterday I saw a pic of it on the Dimensions website!!!! I e-mailed them to ask about availability and they said it was a current design and I should be able to get it through their UK distributor, Coats Craft. So I e-mailed Coats Craft who said it was available through their retail outlets and gave me the product number. I was so excited to think I would be able to get this stocking ! I gleefully e-mailed Sew and So but today they got back to me saying that that product number was for the Petites kit. I now reckon that neither Dimensions nor Coats read my e-mails properly and have been talking about the Petites kit all along. I am so disappointed. And just to prove I haven't been dreaming that the kit ever existed here is a pic.

Update: Dimensions have now acknowledged that they were talking about the Petites kit :-(

Whinge alert

2007-02-07T14:35:00.000Z

Next Monday I have an appointment with an Occupational Heath doctor arranged by work because I had so much sick leave last year. Most of the sick leave is due to migraines, although I did also have time off for a virus and on a separate occasion for a heavy cold. I'm not disputing that I've had a lot of time off, but having to go through official channels about it all is making me worry and depressed.
I am currently on Beta Blockers for the migraines, which so far seem to be working. Since mid November I have only had one bad one (last week) which is brilliant considering I used to get them almost fortnightly. However I have noticed that I seem to be getting breathless more easily - I can't even walk to the car park without getting out of breath, and while I know my weight probably contributes to that, I've only noticed it since I have been on these drugs. I didn't mention it to my GP when I saw her last week - maybe I should have, but it's seems an odd thing and I am too embarrassed to mention anything that could be weight related.

Now for the whinge. I feel horrible at the moment. I am tired, tired, tired, I can never seem to get enough sleep, I'm too tired to do anything around the house and am too tired to stitch effectively. ( I started Sleigh Ride last night and you would laugh at the pitiful progress!) I am feeling edgy and anxious, I feel panic rising up every time I am given a new task at work. I'm fed up with swallowing pills; Beta Blockers morning and night, sedative and anti depressant in the evening. (I know it's not many compared to some people, but I am not ill!!!) I dislike my job, I hate Ken having to work away from home all the time. And I'm tired - did I mention that? I feel like I am on the edge and that if I'm not careful I will fall off again.

There are people I know who have things far worse than I do, and I feel guilty for feeling like this but I can't seem to control this anxiety and depression even with the pills - it is really threatening to overtake me again.

Oh well. Dwelling on it isn't going to help. Thanks for listening. :-)

2007-02-01T08:59:00.000Z

I have just surfaced from a three day migraine, and today I am feeling great! I dragged myself to WW on Tuesday evening and found that in three weeks I have now lost 8 1/2lb which is fantastic. I am feeling loads better now I am dieting; all the bloating has disappeared and I already am feeling like I have more energy. I have also stopped putting salt on my food and use as little as I can get away with in cooking, and am making efforts (not yet very successful) to drink more water. I am keeping my portion sizes smaller than I used to, trying to educate my stomach to need less food, and of course I'm eating loads of fruit. A healthier diet in general.

Poor Jenny is having a rough time; the house they have bought has got loads of problems, the latest is the discovery that the roof is leaking and they need to have a new roof. The problem is tyhey are completely broke. Jenny is like me, prone to anxiety except that she fights it and doesn't succumb to drugs like I have. Well she is a wreck, poor thing, very depressed about the house to the extent that she doesn't want to go in it. She can't cope with being on her own in it and comes to me a couple of evenings a week when her DF is out.However, one bright spot in all this was that we went wedding dress shopping on Saturday which was great fun, although I don't think we have found 'the' dress yet. One came close but it turned out to be discontinued and the only size they had was too small. We are off to another shop this Saturday so who knows what we might find?

Debbie phoned me yesterday and we are keeping in touch by texts. They have completed their two week tour of North India - sounds like a mixed experience, very beautiful aspects but also rather dirty and squalid parts. They are currently in Bankok and start travelling down to the beaches and islands of Thailand today. Sounds wonderful, although I am glad I am not having to carry her rucksack - it weighed a ton! Stitchingwise I am plodding along on the wedding sampler. I can't say I am enjoying it - I'd far rather be stitching something else, but it will get done. My progress is slow so far, so I have determined I must speed up otherwise it's going to take me nearly four months to do it and I want to be doing other stuff as well! So I must work harder at it. Here's a picture of where I am at so far....

Apologies for the strobing effect - I'm not quite sure why that has happened. I think if you click on the pic it takes you to a bigger one without the strobing effect.

Progress

2007-01-10T14:35:00.000Z

I know it's a little early to be reporting much on my NY resolutions but I must record that I went to WW last night as promised. I did get a shock, I have gained loads of weight from when I went last time and am the heaviest I have ever been. No wonder I am having difficulty moving around and am getting breathless at the slightest exertion. I'm not going to say that I hope next week to be recording a weightloss - I WILL record a loss. We are supposed to be having a takeaway curry Saturday night but I am going to get some cold chicken breasts in and have a salad instead. The week after we are going to an Italian Restaurant for my in-laws diamond wedding anniversary, so I'm not sure what I will do about that; I will have to try and save some points from during the week for that.
Oh, re the other resolutions - I'm writing more stuff down at work to try and keep track of what I'm doing, I've dressed properly and worn make up each day - although my feet are protesting at having to wear proper shoes all the time! And I am sticking to my 25 project challenge so far!

New year

2007-01-05T22:43:00.000Z

You can now find my NY resolutions and details of my 25 project challenge on my old blog Sheepish Stitcher I completed a very important WIP today, my Cottage Etui from the CA Wells class. Pictures follow, although apologies if they are all over the place - blogger seems to have trouble putting them in the right place....

The Stocking

2006-12-20T09:19:00.000Z

The Stocking is done! My mum has made a terrific job of putting it together - she is such a wizard at sewing. I am so pleased that it has been done in time and also that it looks so good. It is backed with midnight blue velvet and lined with a blue material with gold stars sprinkled across it.

Next up is the Ring Pillow for Jenny's wedding and then the wedding sampler and after that I shall start the next stocking and maybe a bit of a rotation? I will be stitching 2000 Years ago by SB for my lunchtime project. I must get that done pretty quickly as the shop has the mount and is waiting to frame it.

In a few minutes I am off to get some nail extensions done - my Christmas treat. I do so love having nice nails. Apart from that I am in a bit of a Christmas frenzy trying to get everything done in time! I'll get there though!

Photos at last!

2006-12-13T21:22:00.000Z

Photos of two of my finishes anyway. First up is The Bookmark for Jenny...a real pain to stitch, but as always mum has turned it into a lovely finished object!

The second pic is Three's a Crowd, a Heritage kit that was a pleasure to stitch.

At least this proves I have been doing something!

2007

2006-12-08T09:11:00.000Z

I've never been much for New Year celebrations - for me, the change to another year is just another day in the normal cycle of things. This year, however I seem to be slightly infected with the idea of a whole new year where I can make fresh starts. And boy, do I need them!!
So, whats on the agenda? A diet of course...I want to be less of a blimp for my daughter's wedding than I am now. I don't want to spoil the wedding pictures. So far I am still gaining weight despite all of my intentions. So 2007 will be the year where I start to get it right. I want to have lost 3 stone by 15th September.
I also want to make a new start at work. I seem to have lost my marbles and am forgetting things all the time. I will start to keep a list of things to do at work, and most importantly, will try to keep my desk tidy.
Stitching-wise, I intend to keep sticking to my challenge and buy no new stash at all next year.I will stitch a ring pillow and wedding sampler and have them finished by September 15th. I want to get at least two Christmas designs done and on the wall by next Christmas. I want to finish my first Chatelaine and my first CA Wells project. I want to complete at least four Judy Dixon projects.
I will make more effort with my appearance, and try and get into the habit of wearing makeup every day. I intend to have nail extensions done again and this should spur me on.
All this is acheivable with a bit of effort from me. I'll keep you posted next year about how I do...

Achievement

2006-11-29T13:07:00.000Z

I managed it!! I have finished stitching the stocking!! I have also finished the Humphrey's Corner bookmark for Jenny and it, and the stocking, are now with Mum for making up (I'm rubbish at sewing). I will post some pictures as soon as they are available. I'm so excited that I got it done though - and in such good time too! Of course I have now started another design to give Mum and Dad for Christmas so I am under another deadline, and my stitching mojo seems to have disappeared. I will have a good go at it tonight though and try and resurrect my enthusiasm.
The CA Wells class was quite an experience. I can do the stitching OK, but it is the cutting out of the stiffening material and interfacing that I have a problem with. I have bought a rotary cutting mat and ruler and the cutter itself is on order as JLP didn't have one in stock. I'm looking forward to making up the cottage during the Christmas break, but I need to practice all that cutting out. We went to Harrods for afternoon tea at one point during the class, which was an experience, and I was introduced to Laduree, which is frightfully expensive confectionery, and I was singularly unimpressed with the product. I had to buy a box of sugared almonds in order to make one of the CA Wells designs that I already bought, and it was a quite extortionate price for rather disappointing sweets. The box is nice though, and the finished item will be lovely :)
Ken has settled down to his night shifts now, although I don't like it very much as he is so very tired at the weekends, as he finds it hard to adjust to being awake during the day. He is dozing on the sofa most of the time, and certainly doesn't have the energy to do his usual chores. He will be putting up the Christmas lights this weekend and next, and I'm hoping he doesn't fall asleep at the top of the ladder!
Yes Christmas, my favourite time of year, is now on the horizon. I have bought most of my presents now, with the exception of Ken's - I really don't know what to get him. I have got my wrapping paper but I don't have my cards yet. I am going shopping to Cribbs Causeway tomorrow evening and hope to get one or two more gifts then.
In the meantime - I have to get through another three full weeks at work then I have two weeks off!!! Yipeeeee!

Optimism

2006-11-13T15:19:00.000Z

I think I may have a chance of finishing the stocking in time. I seem to be getting quite a bit done, so I am optimistic, I have four weeks to get it done, which would give Mum two weeks to put it together. Although I will not get any weekend stitching done for the next three weeks as I am doing other stuff. This weekend coming is my CA Wells class for the cottage etui. The week after is a day trip with my Mum to Oxford Street for some Christmas window shopping - it's years since Mum has been. The weekend after that is the Judy Dixon Christmas class. So I am limited to evenings. I should be able to stitch from 7-10 pm every night so that gives me 60 hours altogether. I should do it. Not looking forward to the couching though :-s
Work has been getting on my back about the amount of sick leave I have had this year with Migraines. I've been back to my GP who has prescribed some Beta-blockers which should reduce the frequency of the attacks. Work are going to arrange for me to see an Occupational Health doctor to see if there is anything s/he can suggest to help. I am hoping that the Beta-blockers will help, I am really pleased that for once I am getting something to try - for years now there has been nothing that has helped.
Dieting has gone out of the window, and I can feel I am gaining weight once again. When I saw my GP she said it was inevitable because of the meds I am on which didn't exactly make me feel dieting is worthwhile. So for the moment I am trying to just eat normally instead of swinging about between feast and famine. My daughter suggested a programme run by Boots the Chemist, but it's frightfully expensive. It does sound good though. I might consider it in the New Year.

Stitching progress

2006-11-06T13:50:00.000Z

I have been working away on my cottage etui, but on Saturday I rasn out of the vareigated silk so I carried on doing what I could with the solid silks. I needed to chage colour so felt for them at the side of me on the settee where I was keeping them, and discovered they were gone!! After turning the whole place upside down I had to conclude that Jess, the cheeky mutt, had sneaked then away and eaten them!!! So I am temporarily back stitching the on stocking and enjoying every moment of a simple unchallenging project. I'm not too please at running out of the silks though..not only was I short of the variegated silks, it was also looking like I was going to be short of one or two of the solid colours too. I contacted Susan at Hanging by a Thread and she has said she will have some more available at the class, but as I want to get as much stitching done beforehand as possible, I have ordered my own supply. Hopefully I will get it before the end of the week.
Ken went back to work on Fiday, but was home again by the afternoon. Airbus have changed his shifts from '4 on 6 off' to permanent nights. This is not good news for us as nights are very hard going and it's less money too. Ken is talking about trying to find a job nearer home. I think it's unlikely he will find anything but I suppose he will have to try. I think his loyalty to Airbus has disappeared...unless there is something he hasn't told me, like redundancy next year??

Another finish!

2006-10-31T12:21:00.000Z

Here is the second of my projects finished from my 15 project list. It is a class piece from Judy Dixon called Daydreams. It is a pretty poor picture, I think I should have used a flash but I was in a bit of a hurry.

I started taking the tablets again yesterday - I was in a bit of a state really by the late afternoon. I still woke up jittery this morning but maybe it will take longer to kick back in again. I just hope I haven't done any permanent damage by stopping. Maybe I'll have a better night tonight.

Not good

2006-10-30T14:26:00.000Z

I am feeling decidedly twitchy today - I was fine this morning apart from waking early at 5am feeling very nervy, but as the day has gone on I am feeling a more and more on edge. It was lovely to wake up feeling so awake today but I can't afford to go down with the anxiety attacks again. Taking on board the comment that Darlene left for me I have decided I will take half a tablet tonight and for the next week or so then dropp down. they are tiny tablets so it will be difficult but I'll try...

Taking a risk

2006-10-27T13:09:00.000Z

I have stopped taking one of my meds. I have been wanting to stop for ages but the psychiatrist keeps saying wait and see. It's going to be March when I next see him, and I just think I have had enough. I'm sure it's this particular drug that is making me so sleepy and tired, and I am fed up with feeling like this. I actually forgot to take both my meds on Wednesday night which prompted me to take only the anti-depressant last night. The drug I am stopping is for controlling the anxiety and panic attacks, so if I start geting jumpy I'll start taking it again. We shall see.

Thank you

2006-10-24T12:58:00.000Z

Thanks to everyone who commented on the cushion - I had no idea so many people looked at my blog! I just wanted to point out that the front is all stitched - the flowers on the left side as you look at it are what gave me such a headache lol!
I am still plugging away on the pre stitching for the cottage etui. I won't be able to do anymore tonight as Ken and I are off for dinner with Jenny. I might get an hour in though. In my lunch hours I am stitching Judy Dixon's 'Daydreams'and have now done all the stitching - just the cutting and wrapping to do now.
I have fallen in love with The Twelve Days of Christmas design in the World of Cross Stitch magazine, so that is going to be the first thing I kit up and stitch after my 15 project challenge. I also have to choose which ring pillow I am going to stitch for Jenny - Either Colly's Creations or Lori Birminghams. It depends how much time I have available. It seems clear that because the etui is taking so long I won't get the stocking done for this year. I'm very disappointed but I only have myself to blame - I took on far to much.
Poor Debbie is in a lot of pain with her wisdom teeth. She managed to get to the dentist yesterday and she is going to have all three extracted on 1 November. In the meantime she is on high dose antibiotics and painkillers. Debbie is a real stoic but this has really knocked her for six. The dentist said there is a massive infection there.
Some bad news is that Ben was let go from his Saturday job as they were not happy with his performance. I am not surprised as he hated the job, but I hope he has learnt a lesson from it. He knows how hard it is to get work so should have made more effort, but I think this may just have been the jolt he needed. I must admit though that it shook me up and I had to take some valium to stay calm.

I present..

2006-10-22T10:58:00.000Z

..the Tatty Teddy cushion! Hasn't my mum made a lovely job of it!!!
And here's a close up of the teddy...

Progress

2006-10-20T12:36:00.000Z

Mum has given me back the Tatty Teddy cusion all made up and it is gorgeous! I will take a pic this weekend so I can show you - it's really lovely :) I am seeing some pprogress in the pre-stitching for the cottage etui - I have done all the four-sided stitch outlines and have started filling in some of the coloured threads. I am having trouble with the charting you have to do for yourself, my initials just looked a mess blended together so I have just done one letter per piece. I will get the date on the bottom somehow. Trying to get the colours in sequence from the variegated threads is a bit of a pain too, and isn't working too well - the colours seem to 'slip' within one skein of silk. It's all taking so much longer than I anticipated, and I am starting to panic a bit. I'm clearly not going to get the stocking done for this Christmas now :-(
I'm thinking of moving my blog back to Sheepish Stitcher Much as I love Catsize, I can manipulate Sheepish Stitcher myself and update stuff in the sidebars. I can't do that with Catsize as I had it made for me at the outset, and Gemma doesn't do blog work anymore.It is still stitching that I blog about most, and I use the sheep as an icon on the BBs, so maybe I should move back. The format just looks a bit bare really, and I think nowadays I would prefer to be associated with cats rather than a sheep, so I don't know.
I have messed up the diet again big time. I am so useleass. I will start again next week - I have set myself a mini challenge together with a lovely lady and we are both determined to lose 7lb by Christmas. I should be able to do that....

Feeling blue

2006-10-17T07:30:00.000Z

Thanks to everyone who responded to my last post. I hope the knitters and papercrafters amongst you didn't take offence, none was meant. I have to say I agree with Scully - I don't have the patience or the skill for papercrafting - give me a pair of scissors and a sheet of paper and you will get a mess!! LOL! I did take a rubber stamping course once but I couldn't line up the stamps correctly, they were all over the place!
I'm feeling very low at the moment. I think the worry of Ken's continuing headaches is getting to me and of course now they are talking about job losses at Airbus, which could affect us as well, especially as Ken has been off work for so long. Hopefully he will be back before the talks start in earnest (I believe they are to start in the New Year). Also like others have mentioned, the days are rapidly shortening which causes many people to start feeling the blues, and I hate winter anyway. I can't seem to get going properly on the diet, even though I have every incentive to get going, and that is getting me down too. I'm worried about other family things too - my Mum and Dad, who are struggling on their pension, and Jenny and Chris who are taking on a huge mortgage, and I know this is going to put them under massive financial pressure.
And one last thing to worry about - what am I going to wear as Mother of the Bride next September?? I didn't think it would matter too much but people are beginning to mention it and it seems to be quite a big deal. I watched 'What Not to Wear' last week which was about this very subject and it scared the life out of me!
I have money problems too, I seem to need to spend more than I have available. The only scope I have is to cut down the food bill, but I buy Jenny and Chris some meat every week and I don't want to stop doing that as it makes a lot of difference to them. I'll have to tighten the belt in other ways I suppose - maybe give up Petplan for the cats? I'll have to see how it goes after Christmas.
I think I'd better take another Valium. LOL!!

Popularity contest

2006-10-12T09:10:00.000Z

It would appear that Cross Stitching is no longer as popular as it was a couple of years ago, certainly in the UK. There is certainly a resurgence of knitting and papercrafts (mainly cardmaking) judging by the magazines appearing on the racks in my newsagents. I am expecting at any time to start to see one or two of the major stitching magazines disappear. Even in the US, the stronghold of cross stitching, it seems that one of the major stitching shows (CATS) may possibly be no more after this year.
It seems curious that people should turn away from a craft that offers so many endless possibilities. After all, cross stitching is only one, very simple, form of needlework. If you like plying a needle and find cross stitch gets boring and tedious, you could move into needlepoint, canvaswork, hardanger, free style embroidery, stumpwork, goldwork or crewel work to name just a few. There are umpteen designs available that use an assortment of specialist counted stitch work. You can stitch pictures, boxes, pincushions, needlework tools, footstools or bags.
I think it boils down to a lack of confidence. Many people liked cross stitch because it was simple and straighforward - you followed a chart that told you where to put each stitch, the holes were there in the fabric, there were no decisions to make about colour or texture, no real judgement was required except to keep the tension correct and to ensure no loose ends were on the back of the work. It was a realxing hobby that produced artwork for the walls and gifts for friends and relatives. Then of course, the walls would get full up, and friends and relatives would be saturated with gifts. So what to do next? You could move on to another form of needlework but it looked so difficult and intimidating, and looking at magazines didn't give enough confidence to move on to that next step. And suddenly all the shops seemed full of lovely fluffy knitting yarn and rubber stamps and other papercraft tools. Even the stitching shows had some and made it looks so easy! And so people moved on.
I, on the other hand, and many stitchers like me took an alternative route and tried new methods of stitching. I stitched a couple of samplers that used specialtity stitches, tried some needlepoint, tried some canvas work, and gave myself a bit of variety. I was very fortunate to be introduced to Judy Dixon and her classes, who took me into the realms of hardanger and freestyle embroidery, and lately into stumpwork, and in the future, goldwork. Thank you Judy!
Cross stitch is still my main love, but I am also gradulally learning to love and get better at other forms of stithing. I am not tempted to desert my sewing needle for papercutters. I admit I dabble in knitting, but I don't forsee it ever replacing my stitching.

Success!

2006-10-10T08:06:00.000Z

I have finished the Tatty Teddy cushion, and it is now with my mum to make it up into the cushion itself. I have started the bookmark for Jenny, which if anything is even worse - the backstitch is horrible again (same manufacturer). Also, it's difficult to stitch as it doesn't fix into my Q-snap very well. I have also started the pre stitching for my CA Wells class (Cottage Etui) in November and that is going to take me much longer than I had anticipated. As I am having to stitch it in hand, my hand cramps up after an hour or so, and I have to stop. I can see I am going to be fed up with four-sided stitch soon as well as there is loads of that for the Cottage Etui and also on Daydreams. I also managed to get a couple of hours on the stocking last week between all the other things. This 15 project challenge has really inspired me, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Ken is loads better and will be goiing back to workin two weeks. I am just hoping the headaches don't return once he is back there. I'm a little concerned that it was his shift pattern that was stressing him.

Backstitching

2006-10-03T13:03:00.000Z

Now I have never particularly minded back stitching - I have found it boring and not particularly challenging, but never so bad that I felt like giving up on something. That is until the Tatty Teddy cushion. OMG that has been a nightmare.It's not the amount of it, it's the way it is drawn on the chart. The lines indicating backstitch are so thick that you can't tell where to start or stop a stitch and many of the lines are actually slightly curved, which you can't reproduce with backstitch. The Tatty Teddy cushion has these backstitched flowers, which are supposed to be identical but in fact vary slightly, plus the lines are not exactly positioned on the chart. I have dreaded doing them, all six of them, but last night I finished them all. So it's a mini happy dance even though I still have more to do before the piece is actually complete. I'm therefore looking to have one of my projects from my 15 project challenge completed by the end of the week.Hooray!! 15? Yes, I had to add a couple in that I forgot about - the Michael Powell Wedding Sampler for my daughter, and Margaret Sherry's 'Not Fat'.....

I have been looking at kittens from the breeder I got Hagrid and Sirius from. They have some adorable red kittens....I doubt if Ken would allow me to get another one though.

TGIF

2006-09-29T12:58:00.000Z

I have been a little distracted lately as Ken, my DH, has been home sick for the last three weeks. He is getting blinding headaches - which went on continuously for a fortnight, and which are now on and off - mostly on. His GP reckons it is stress, although Ken is one of the least stressed person I know. I'm not happy with that diagnosis and would prefer to have had other options ruled out with scans and tests. Inevitably my mind has been lingering on thoughts of tumours and aneurysms, although I am trying to be sensible about it and not think the worst. Ken has another week to go and then he will go back to the GP, who said he would not sign him back to work until he has had a week free of headaches, which looks unlikely. However, if Ken is not fully recovered he will be referred finally for some tests.
Stitching wise, I am working away on a Tatty Teddy cushion to give my DD Debbie for Christmas. It's a real pain to work on, as there is a lot of bakstitching, and the chart has really think lines for the backstitching so it is hard to see exactly where it should go, but I am managing. It will look very pretty when it is done :-) When this is finished I will do a bookmark for DD Jenny to give with the mousemat, and then hopefully get onto the stocking. I would be nice to have that ready for this Christmas but I fear that is a bit unrealistic.
I have joined in the 10/25/50 project challenge, where we commit to not buying any more stash until we have completed the chosen number of projects. I have chosen 13 projects and they are as follows:
1 ) Tatty Teddy Cushion
2 ) Christmas Stocking
3 ) Bookmark for Jenny
4 ) Daydreams
5 ) Cameo Silk
6 ) Indian Summer Reflections
7 ) Dove shawl
8 ) Clapotis
9 ) 2000 Years Ago
10) Cottage Etui
11) Cottage Dreams
12 ) One piece of 'proper' embroidery
13 ) Just Nan Mermaid Heart

I have two exceptions - class projects and wool

Speaking of class projects I am really scared about the CA Wells class. I think I have bitten off more than I can chew.....

Stitching

2006-09-04T08:18:00.000Z

I finished Jenny's mousemat this weekend
Here's the stitching

and here is the finished mousemat
The actual mousemat looks better IRL, the top of the holder is slightly frosted so at an angle it obscures the inside a bit, but it looks fine up close and personal. It's only a small finish I know, but it's so long since I have finished anything it means a lot. I have now started on Debbie's cushion, and that is going quicker than I thought it would. When that is done I will go back to the stocknig and see if I can possible get it finished for Christmas. Ben has already had his Christmas present - he had the money for the Reading Festival, so it would be nice if he could have a stocking that I can fill with small bits and pieces.
Work is very slow again at the moment although I thnk it will pick up a bit towards the end of next month. I am really hoping a voluntary redundancy/early retirement package will come up in the next year or two...

Stitching

2006-08-29T13:04:00.000Z

I have put all my WIPs away and have started something new - a 'Mr Men' mouse mat for my eldest daughter. She is very fond of Little Misses and this design features Little Miss Sunshine and Little Miss Naughty together with Mr Tickle. The design came from one of my stitching mags and so far is looking good and is a quick stitch. I should have it finished by the end of this week. After this I will be doing a Tatty Teddy cushion for my youngest daughter. If I get time I will also do a bookmark for my eldest as her mouse mat is so much smaller than the cushion...
Those I have to get done as they are for Christmas presents, also the Wedding Sampler for next year, so I might move onto that afterwards. I have decided, however, that I must catch up on some of my languishing WIPs so I think I will allot one or two evenings a week to try and get some of them done. I am thinking particularly of my embroideries that don't take a ton of time but are worrying me. I also want to get some of my hardanger peices done. I have a lot of WIPs that wouldn't take a lot to get finished so I thougt an evening or two a week devoted to those might be a good idea. I have also committed myse3lf to doing a Just Nan one evening a week, so that will be for a new start which should also keep me happy. That means I will have four evenings a week for my cross stitch obligation pieces. Not sure if that will be enough. I haven't done a Tatty Teddy before but have heard dire reports about the backstitching, so I can't tell if four evenings a week will be enough to get it done by Christmas. I'll make a final decision once I start it.
Of course - I should finish that stocking as well....
As you can tell I am a bit overwhelmed with everything I need to do. I haven't had a finish all year apart from the Mermaid Box in January - I had planned to do three stockings a year, if you remember. Well it seems now that it will take at least 7 months of concentrated stitching for one stocking, so heaven knows when I will get the others done. Maybe doing different things at the same time will work for me - I think I get bored, so the rate of stitching slows down. I think it's a good plan to get the obligation stuff out of the way though, especially as I don't want a last minute panic near Christmas.
Apart from stitching, not a lot has been happening. My in-laws came up on Sunday and we all went out to lunch. There were 10 of us altogether so it was good fun. Ben went to the Reading Festival last week, and arrived back home yesterday - very tired, but he had a good time. Jenny is fretting a bit at the moment - she takes after me in that her anxiety can get out of control. There is a lot going on for her at the moment - whet with the wedding, selling their flat, worrying about money and so on..I have gone over a few things with her today and I hope she is feeling a touch calmer. Ken is suffering with neck and shoulder pain at the moment - he is getting treatment from the osteopath who has recommended glucosamine capsules as well as the manipulation she is giving him. I hope something works for him - he has been very uncomfotable. As for me - nothing new - still battling tiredness and bouts of depression. I am seeing the psychiatrist soon so maybe I can come off the meds which are making me so drowsy.

Darn it!!

2006-08-24T13:15:00.000Z

Far too long since I last blogged. As usual nothing much has happened round here. Been on holiday to Swanage for two weeks - best holiday in years! Been back at work nearly two weeks - not good. Ben got A-level results - pretty poor - about the same as I got. No job on the horizon for him either. I am in deep do-do financially - have taken out bank loan to pay off credit card and overdraft and wedding dresses for next year. Will cut up credit cards. No more ginormous stash spending. Have resolved to stitch only from my stash for the next twenty five years. Stopped stitching on stocking - fed up with Navy blue aida. Started stitching two christmas presents for DDs. Worried about cats - seem to need lots of grooming which they hate. Books say they have easy care coats that only need grooming once a week. Vitiligo getting worse - now on hands and face so I look horrible. Can't get back onto diet and am swelling up alarmingly quickly. Back to WW next week.
Feeling soooooo tired all the time - depression getting to me too. Why do I have to feel like this?

Whew...

2006-07-18T14:31:00.000Z

If you have read almost any British blog at the moment you will no doubt be aware that we are in the middle of one of our rare heatwaves, with temperatures of over 90F in the south of England and similar even in Scotland. So I'll say no more except to comment that in weather like this it's no fun to be overweight. Although I am happy to report I have now lost over a stone, although I don't expect to lose much over the next four weeks due to evenings out and being away on holiday.
I am truly truly tired of stitching on the stocking, and as I know that I am not going to be able to do more than one a year I have decided to have a break from it. I'm going to stitch a smallish Margaret Sherry for a bit, and start Fairy Flora so I can take her on holiday. I have been knitting on my clapotis, but it's too hot to work on that at the moment, plus the hanks of yarn need winding into balls, and as I have a yarn swift and wool winder on their way to me from E-Bay I am waiting until I get them to wind more yarn.
I've attended two GTG's for a BB I belong to, and they really have made me so happy. I feel so pleased to be part of such a great community of ladies who make me feel so welcome. My confidence has had a terrific boost. Plus I also managed a longish drive to one, the first since I came down with CFS, so although I had to sleep most of the next day, I am thrilled that I managed.
I've also enrolled for a CA Wells class in November to make a Cottage Etui. A bit of a luxury, but should be handy as I want to improve my finishing skills. I am looking forward to this, although I have to sort out accommodation. I daresay I could stay with my in-laws but then it would be a problem getting into the centre of London.
As mentioned earlier, I'm off on my holidays on 29th - we are spening two weeks in Swanage, and I'm really looking forward to it. I am not into sunbathing anymore, due to the vitiligo, so I intend to read, stitch and knit. Heaven lol!!

Mermaid Box

2006-06-30T09:42:00.000Z

Finally I have something to Happy Dance about! I received my Mermaid Box back from Judy Odell this week!! I did the cross stithing but Judy did the really skillful bit and made the stitching into a box. Isn't it beautiful?

I'm so pleased I have finally got this, and it's something people want to see. I realised at a GTG last week that I never seem to have anything special to show off. I just do plain ordinary stuff, I'm never up to date enough to do a brand new design that people are keen to see, and I don't use overdyed fabric which makes stuff more interesting to see, and I don't do clever finishing for people to admire. I suppose I am feeling a bit inadequate really - the chip on my shoulder is showing!!
I have a Judy Dixon class this weekend, which I am really looking forward to. I am taking a Fireside Cat with me, and I just know we will have a really enjoyable day with Judy, who is always so lovely.

In other news, the kitchen is finally finished, the loo is almost done, and the doors will be going up in the next couple of weeks. The carpet on the hall, landing and stairs will be laid next Saturday too, so it's all finally coming together.

I have been asked to post more pictures of my cats, so my next project after this weekend will be to try and get some pics of them. They are doing fine - enjoying the freedom of being allowed outside. Hagrid can use the cat flap but Sirius won't have anything to do with it - he much prefers to have his humans open the door for him. Sirius gave me some worry on Sunday and Monday when he didn't come home, but he eventually turned up, soaked to the skin and looking very sorry for himself. The rainwater has made his fur nice and soft though!

Debbie is moving out this weekend. I will be very sorry to see her go - the house will feel very empty.

Stocking progress

2006-05-30T12:13:00.000Z

I promised a pic of the stocking, so here it is at it was last night. Sorry I haven't posted more recently but waork has been really busy, and I ususally post from work. Today I am on leave - it's an extra days leave that I get for the Spring Bank Holiday - it used to be the Queens Birthday holiday but it was moved a few years ago to tag on to this Bank Holiday.
I have spent most of my BH watching 'Lost' - I caught a couple of the second series and then just had to buy the first series on DVD. So Ken, Debbie and I have been watching it since Sunday. Trouble is I am so scared of missing something important I can barely bring myself to stitch!!
The kitchen is out of bounds again - the floor has been skimmed with cement/concrete today ready for the new lino to be laid next week. But after that, the kitchen will be finished!!! It has been useable , of course for the last week or two but it will be great to have it completely done. Then it's just a case of finishing decorating the new downstairs loo and the other jobs Ken has to do.
Big meetings at work this week, the climax to the last few weeks of intensive work. I reckon I am going to be very busy for the next couple of months then it should calm down a bit.
Anhway - off to stitch!

2006-05-12T07:58:00.000Z

At last the builders have finished and our house is getting back to something like normal. Ken is busy tiling the kitchen, and the floor will be lasi in a couple of weeks and then we will be done! It will be good to have the house back to ourselves. It has all cost a lot more than we expected as lots of problems with the existing wiring and plumbing were encountered as the work went on (things like power sockets coming off lighting circuits, for example, and the main drain outside found to be broken into a hundred pieces below soil level) I am pleased with the end result and I love my new kitchen!
Last weekend I went to a GTG (Get Together) of stitchers in Nuneaton who all post on the Aion BB. I had a lovely day and enjoyed meeting lots of new people, but I especially enjoyed meeting Chris, who I used to go to school with many years ago! Heres a pic of us both (I am on the left).

ALthough I think we both felt a bit strange at first, we soon settled down and had a good chat. Chris is actually a successful designer of needlework now, designing under the name Aion Designs.

I also have couple of pics to share, one of Jess (thats the cat's bed she has hold of there)and one of Hagrid. Sirius wasn't around at that time.

The cats adore going outside, and didn't seem at all fazed by the huge thunder storm we had the other evening.

Stitching wise, disaster struck last night - my uplighter stopped working. Ken found a break in the wire, but it didn't work even after that was repaired. Ken reckons that the bulb must have got shorted out. As I have so much stitching on dark colours to do I have no choice but to get another - I couldn't find the bulbs anywhere. So for the moment work on the stocking has come to a halt - I am most dischuffed as I was getting into the swing of it again...I will post a progress picture soon.
The GTG last Saturday has made me feel a lot more confident, and so I have agreed to go to a few more this year. In fact, what with the GTGs, the shows and Judy Dixon's classes I have a packed schedule!
I still don't have my car - Allen Ford have been very slow to do anything about it - it wasn't even looked at until the day before yesterday, when they had has it over a week. Ken has been putting a rocket under them every day to get something done. They have promised it for lunchtime today - I'll believe it when I see it. I am not at all impressed with them.

Eventful day

2006-05-02T19:22:00.000Z

This morning I took Hagrid to the vets to have the mats in hid fur clipped out. They promised that they would remove as little fur as they could - I was worried that he would come home with a bare tum. Then this afternoon I had an appointment with a therapist to see if Cognitve Behavioural Therapy would help with my anxiety attacks and depression. We ended up talking about the general tiredness/sleepiness I feel and whether it is due to the medication, CFS or my weight, and agreed a plan of action. Following this I went to Sainsbury's so I could get some shopping before heading off to the vets to collect Hagrid then going to WW. As I was driving around the carpark, however, my clutch pedal went bang and I lost all movement in the pedal and therefore the car ground to a halt. I had to struggle with the public phone to contact the AA, and arrange for someone to pick up Hagrid. After an hour the AA guy turned up and towed me to a nearby garage then took me home. Apparantly the hydraulics have gone - I didn't realise cars didn't have clutch cables anymore. The carpets of the driver footwell are soaked in hydraulic fluid. So tomorrow I have no cae - I have no idea how long the repair will take but you can bet your life it will be expensive!
And the vet hardly clipped any fur away from Hagrid - they combed most of the mats out.

2006-04-30T13:11:00.000Z

Yesterday I met Jenny for lunch in town - she wanted to buy a couple of things out of her birthday money. That didn't take very long, and then, with a little bit of subterfuge I managed to get her into a wedding dress shop and to try on a couple of dresses. One was absolutley perfect, and she looked so very lovely, it brought a tear to my eye. It's way too early to buy though, and Jenny wants to lose a little more weight, so I am hoping that a similar style will be available early next year when she will be seriously looking.
Today we went to a Toby for lunch - very nice even though I generally don't like carveries. It was just me and Ken; Debbie is working and Ben has gone to Brighton to hear a band play. Afterwards we went to a pet store and bought a new cat flap which Ken is fitting now. Hopefully Jess won't break this one....

Gross!

2006-04-28T12:37:00.000Z

I just made the mistake of going to Marks and Sparks in my lunchbreak and trying on some clothes in their plus range. It's Jenny's 26th birthday today and I thought I might buy something for her birthday dinner tonight. Big, big mistake...I am almost 3 sizes bigger than I thought I was and the mirror was very unforgiving - I look truly and awfully gross. I am so looking forward to starting dieting again, and I am thinking of signing up for swimming classes. I was going to leave WW until the kitchen was fitted and I could cook again, but I have decided to go this Tuesday. I can live on salads next week.
This time I am going to count points rather than No Count - I drink far too much milk and eat too large portions I think for No Count to work. I need the restrictions of counting points to make me feel like I am actually doing something. So roll on Tuesday!
Tonight we are going to Pizza Hut for Jenny's birthday. I have never been to one before, but Jenny thought it would be fun. I have bought a cake and 26 candles and we are going to ask the staff to bring it in after the meal. There are 12 of us going so it should be a laugh! If I remember I will take my camera and get some pics.

Bureaucracy gone mad?

2006-04-27T13:44:00.000Z

My hole puncher broke today - you know, the thing which punches two holes in the side of a sheet of paper. The little rod that you use to make sure the holes are in the right position on the paper broke when I dropped the hole puncher. So my assistant went off to HR to order a new one. She cam back accompanied by a very nice lady from HR who informed me that I couldn't have a new one as they could cause RSI. I pointed out that I only needed to punch holes in a few sheets of paper - no prolonged use, just for 19 uses today at the most. The nice lady from HR countered that by saying that as I had complained in the past of pains in my arm due to mouuse clicking ( which have now been resoved and I don't get any more) I was at risk and they wouldn't let me have a new hole punch. I have to send my 19 screen dumps down to repro and get them to punch the holes in, which will take 24 hours at least. How totally ridiculous.
Oh - Hagrid went out yesterday and made it back home on his own. Time to install the catflap I think!!

Yes, I'm still here

2006-04-26T10:31:00.000Z

Having not blogged for a while, it seems even harder to do so than it was when I first started. At least I could blather on about why I was blogging in the early days. So I will just update the minutae of my life at the moment.
The big thing happening right now is that we have the builders in. A small utility room and downstairs toilet have been constructed, and the kitchen has been ripped out and is currently awaiting plastering and fitting out. As is usual with building projects, conforming to builders regs coupled with finding out just how bad the existing wiring and plumbing were has increased costs and delayed matters, and also caused the utility room to be smaller than we first hoped. The house is full of dust and boxes and currently we have no cooking facilities and the washing machine and dishwasher will soon be unavailable. Great. I can see that soon I will never want to look at a plate of fish and chips again.
In the middle of all this upheaval, the weather has improved so we have taken the opportunity of allowing Hagrid and Sirius to venture outside, under supervision. The first day or two they stayed in the garden, but yesterday discovered they could get out. Sirius is able to manage to get back by himself, but Hagrid seems to have no sense of direction, nor cannot work out that he can come back via the same route that he went. We therefore have to watch him and wait for the piteous mewing that tells us he wants to be lifted over the fence back to the safety of home. No easy task I might add as he is one heavy chap!!
I am horrified to discover that Hagrid has developed mats in his fur along his tummy, and it looks like Sirius is also growing some. I have booked Hagrid into the vets to have them clipped out under sedation, but I don't want to have to do this regularly. I have been brushing both the boys each week with one of those metal rake whatsits, but it seems I have been missing important parts. Neither of the boys is keen on being brushed so I am at a bit of a loss as to what I should do to prevent more mats forming. Any advice anyone? Maybe I should use a comb instead?
Jess is calming down as she grows up, and is much easier to deal with. She does like rolling in fox poo however which means frequent baths as the smell is disgusting. She also has a fetish for dirty socks and knickers and pulls them out of the washing basket and eats them. Oddly enough, when they pass out of the other end (usually aided by me or DH) they are still recognisable. I'm amazed she hasn't got one stuck in her intestinal tract so far. We haven't had an accident for around 5 weeks now so I really do feel that, like British Rail, we are 'getting there'.
Debbie is still living at home with us but will be moving out on 1st July to go back into a house with her friend Becky. The two of them are going travelling in the New Year; they plan to go to India, Indonesia, Borneo and Australia (not necesarily in that order). Debbie was promoted a few weeks ago and is now a fully fledged sales manager for Debenhams. She really deserves it as she is very conscientous and works bloody hard. I am proud of how well she has done.
Jenny has also been promoted, although it is only for a temporary post. Hopefully something more permanent will eventually come her way. Again, Jenny is a hard worker and is also very bright, so she deserves to do well. A lot hinges on her getting promotion - it would mean that she and Chris will be able to buy a small house and have a baby after the wedding next year.
Ben is still pottering along doing his A-levels - he is thinking of staying on an extra year and doing more history modules. He knows he has messed up over college and he wants to repair the damage he has done. He passed his driving test last month and is now driving around in Kens old car. He rarely speaks beyond the odd grunt now and again, and spends most of his time in his room either playing his guitar or computer games. He seems to have lots of friends and I am hopeful he will turn out to be a normal human being one day.
Ken is working hard as always, both at work and at home doing various bits for the building work. He has ripped out the old kitchen himself and will be tiling out the new kitchen. In between he does bits of washing and housework - I know - he is a gem :-) His mum is a lot better but will never get back to her old self - she has lost far too much confidence and mobility during her spell of ill health. She and Kens dad seem to be managing though, with help from Kens sister. I know Ken feels bad that he doesn't do more, but it's hard when his folks a two hour drive from home, and Ken lives a further two and a half hour drive away when he is working.
My parents have had to cancel their annual holiday to Turkey as Dads health is not brilliant. He seems to have some kind of heart problem but is in the middle of tests and hasn't yet had a diagnosis. It seems his heart is beating too quickly. Mum has the usual aches and pains that come with old age but manages well enough. She is stitching a handbag at the moment and is looking for a new project to start. She was inetrested in a design from a magazine but has decided it isn't for her after all.
I am still stitching my stocking and I will post a picture at the weekend. I am also working on a Judy Dixon sampler in my lunch hours but an hour a day doesn't get much done. I'm still frequently too tired to stitch in the evenings and I haven't stitched at the weekends for ages. Part of this is down to a nasty chest infection I had - I have only really felt better in the last couple of days.
My weight is really a huige problem. I am gearing up to going back to WW once the kitchen is back, and this time I am going to have a really good go. I am determined now.I can't move around comfortably and I am getting all kinds of physical signs that my health is starting to suffer. I really must do it this time.
OK - if you are still here, well done!! Wake up at the back!!!

Latest update

2006-03-14T17:03:00.000Z

Stocking Progress

2006-02-23T21:41:00.000Z

Here's the latest pic of my Rooftop Santa stocking.

I'm doing quite well overall, although I haven't stitched much the last couple of nights - a combination of being busy being Mum's taxi service, chief dog walker, food aquisition manager and just plain tiredness. I'll try and post a pic of my Judy Dixon piece at the weekend. That's the one that I stitch at the lunchbreaks when I am not dog walking. It's progressing very slowly.

5 Things that Make Me Happy Today

2006-02-20T14:34:00.000Z

I saw this on Christine's blog and thought I would have a go...

1) My Husband - I love him dearly.

2) My kids - I am proud of all three of them

3) My cats - I love going home to them

4)My stitching - to paraphrase a stitchy friend - I have got the Stitching Mojo back and I am loving every minute I stitch.

4) Spring and summer are on their way!!

Some pictures

2006-02-19T16:01:00.000Z

Here are some pictures to fill in spaces until I can think of something worthwhile writing about! First, this is Jess.
Here are some pictures to fill in spaces until I can think of something worthwhile writing about! First, this is Jess.

This is Hagrid

And Sirius

And finally my stitching as it was last week - The Rooftop Santa stocking

I had finished the sack and toys at that point.

Here they are

2006-02-16T17:28:00.000Z

This was taken by my Dad at Christmas. Excuse the mess in the background!!

2006-02-16T15:11:00.000Z

Someone has requested that I show some updated photos of Hagrid and Sirius. I decided a few weeks ago that it was time, and have been trying to get some pics. I want some of them awake, however, and for some reason can't quite manage it. I get one of them framed perfectly in the viewfinder and looking ruggedly handsome, and then as I depress the shutter they immediately look away so I end up with a shot of the back of their head. Their timing is impeccable. I am discouraged. The air turns blue. I give up until another day. Whats so annoying is that they pose perfectly, tail wrapped around their feet, inquisitive look on their face until that shutter goes down. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

He he he

2006-02-09T14:26:00.000Z

I found this quiz and did it and guess what I got!

You are a Maine Coon! You are larger than life, a

gentle giant. You are independent, but very

affectionate with your friends and family.

What breed of cat are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Of course I only got it 'cos I am so preoccupied with my size, but still....

No Catch up

2006-01-11T08:50:00.000Z

I'm not going to attempt to play catch up on my life since my last post. It would just be a boring list of things and wouldn't be intersting to read. If I have to refer to stuff that has happened I will do so as I go along. I made no New Year resolutions, as I don't really subscribe to the whole New Year thing - it's just another day after all.
Ken is home at the moment - goes back to Chester on Thursday evening - but he has a stinking cold. He has been really good though and has continued to take out Jess for her walks and keep the house ticking over. I think I am coming down with it now so will have a few miserable days ahead if so.
Jess is doing much better - she has had no accidents since Boxing Day and seems to be calming down a bit. She is still a terrible thief - if it isn't nailed down she will have it. She did the whole Andrex puppy thing this morning - arriving at my computer chair with the end of a loo roll in her mouth, with said loo roll all unravelled around the lounge and dining room. Trouble is, she isn't as little and cute as the Andrex puppy any more!!
Hagrid is still as devilishly handsome, and getting bigger all the time. Sirius is beginning to develop the longer fur, and is as long as Hagrid but much thinner. Hagrid is just plain fat!! Sirius seems to like to sleep in the most unlikely places - the bath and bathroom sink are current favourites followed by a glass fruit bowl that I keep in the kitchen. Both of them have a preference for sleeping on hard surfaces rather than cushions.
As for Bandy - he was finally put to sleep on 3rd January. The steroid treatment for his teeth was no longer effective, and one of his back legs became paralysed. It was just all to much for him to cope with and I felt he was really unhappy and his quality of life was compromised. I do miss him, but am relieved that his suffering is over.
Our main worry at the moment is my MIL. Ken's parents, sister and BIL were in a head on collision in France a week before Christmas. MIL was in hospital in France for a week then discharged, but has since come down with a chest infection and emphysema. She was in hospital for over two weeks with this, including over the Christmas period, and she is a changed woman. Her chest is now better, and there is nothing really wrong with her now, but it is as if she has just given up on life. She is hardly eating, won't eat anything solid that requires chewing, getting very little sleep, refuses to try and get about. She is currently staying at SIL's bungalow and SIL is taking unpaid leave to look after her. The way things are looking I can't see SIL ever being able to return back to work. Ken and I are very worried but there doesn't seem to be much we can do living so far away and with Ken working so far from home. He is supporting his SIL as best he can over the phone, and visits them during his spells at home. I really don't know what the future holds for MIL and SIL.
One good thing is that I am stitching well, getting in at least two hours a night at the moment. I am about halfway through the last side for the Mermaid Treasure Box - most of the boring stuff is now done, and I am hoping to get it finished in a couple of weeks. After that I am planning to stitch some Christmas stockings for the family. If I keep up my current rate of stitching I should manage but if I fall into a slump again it will fall by the wayside. I intend to set up a mini rotation with the stocking and Lanarte's 'Night'. The following year I want to make serious inroads to my stash. Space is really becoming an issue i.e. how much space it is all taking up!! Frankly, it is becoming embarrassing.
Oh well - time to do some work!

2005-11-24T14:08:00.000Z

Suddenly it seems very appropriate that today is Thanksgiving in the US, even if we don't celebrate it here. I feel a bit of a renaissance has happened to me today. I have spent an hour and a half with a therapist, going over my life history, or so it seemed, and have come out realising how much good stuff I have in my life, even though, of late I have been concentrating on the bad. I have a wonderful husband and three great kids. I have a warm and comfortable home, no real money troubles, four beautiful pets, and am able to do a craft I love. I realised today that, although I have felt sorry for myself because of having to work when I really want to be a housewife, I have in fact actually chosen to work in order to have the benefits that the income brings. I have good health, I am losing weight and becoming fitter. My parents and parents in law are all still living and in fair health. I have some very very good friends. I have survived fifty years, and still have much to look forward to.

Cheers everyone!!

2005-11-22T12:56:00.000Z

I'm feeling very much in limbo at the moment. I have been coming off one type of antidepressant and moving onto another type and the experience has been less than positive. It's my 50th birthday this weekend which is depressing me more than I care to admit. Jess seems to be completely resistant to the idea of house training which is scaring me. I have given up on letting the cats outside - Sirius doesn't want to go out, and Hagrid has no sense of direction - he has been outside twice and got lost both times. Maybe next summer.
A depressing post. I'm sorry - maybe I'll recover my equilibrium after the so-called birthday 'celebrations' are over this weekend. There will be 21 people at the lunch on Saturday, 14 of whom I didn't want there, but everyone seems to want to make a fuss about what, at the end of the day, is just another birthday. Who cares if it has a 0 at the end of the number - I don't.

One thing that did cheer me up was a very nice lunch with some UK Stitchers, and discovering that they had made a sheepy afghan for me, with much gnashing of teeth from what I can gather! I don't have a pic to share, sadly, but will try and post one another day.

SBQ

2005-11-03T14:32:00.000Z

Okay, I am going to try the SBQ of the week...

If you have stitched for a while, can you usually pick out the DMC colors you need from memory when you go to your LNS? (For example, you know that 610 is a brown.)

Good grief no!! I know that Blanc is white (duh!!) and that 310 is black, but apart from that I have no memories of colours and numbers at all. I do know that 3045 is a TW colour but is it a gold or a purple?? It's quite nice really as when I get the floss for a project I am always surprised by which colours are being used.

Catching up

2005-11-01T16:07:00.000Z

Sorry for not posting for a while. Life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it!
My big news is that my stitching slump is over - I have re-discovered the joys of stitching!! Hooray!! I am ploughing on with the mermaid box - I want to get it done by Christmas if possible. I'm not getting much chance to stitch, what with the dog, the kittens and my general tiredness, but I am doing my best. I plan to start stitching in my lunch breaks soon, at least when Ken is home. I've got the new Mirabilia Christmas Elf Fairy and I think I might make that my lunchtime project as it's easy stitching. I think tonight I will zig-zag the edges of the fabric and get the project ready to stitch. I have run out of my Lo-Ran cards so will need to think of some kind of substitute. Knitting is also taking a back seat at the moment, but I do want to finish my Dove shawl. The last ball of yarn came in - there is a dye-lot difference but it can't be helped, it's either that or not finish it. What I really need now is some mindless plain knitting to do when I am watching TV - maybe it's time for another pair of socks?
Hagrid and Sirius are growing fast - Hagrid is noticeabley fluffier than Sirius and has the more placid temperament. We did have a scare with Hagrid last week - he got out through a window that was left open and disappeared for the night. He turned up in a neighbour's garden early the next morning. It's lucky my son heard him miaowing otherwise I wouldn't have found him. We are planning our Christmas tree for this year - no glass baubles I think - they would be far too tempting for the puss cats! I am sad about that as I love my tree and all the ornaments I have collected over the years, but I really think it is not practical this year. The dog will probably chew the light flexes as well, so I suppose no lights either :-(
One thing Hagrids disappearance did bring home to me was the need for good photos of the kits. So thats another thing I must do in the next day or so - assuming I can get them to stay still long enough - usually the only time they are still is when they are sleeping!
The other thing happening to me is that I am changing anti-depressants. This means that I have been on a half dose for the last week and will continue for the remainder of this week, then cut down to none at all for a week before starting the new type, which will be Seroxat. The reason for doing this is because my existing anti-depressant (Cipralex) is not controlling the anxiety very well, and I want to get off the Olanzapine, which I am taking for the anxiety, as it makes me very sleepy.
So far, I have coped well with the reduced dose, but yesterday and today I have been very irritable, and today I am a bit weepy. I'm hoping things won't get any worse. A good friend met me for lunch today which cheered me up - thanks, you know who you are!

Chaos!

2005-10-19T09:55:00.000Z

Well, Jess (the pup) has certainly turned our lives upside down. To be honest I have felt so negative about her I really didn't want to post. She doesn't seem to be responding very well to the housetraining, so life has been one long round of cleaning up pee and poo, and watching Jess like a hawk to try and spot when she about to go. However, it's impossible to keep an eye on her all the time so accidents are happening. She certainly isn't 'holding on' to go in the garden even though we are praising her a giving her a treat when she does go in the garden.It's all proving very stressful, and I am not coping very well at all. I am having to take valium in the evenings as I am getting so stressed and upset with it all.
This week is the first time Jess has been left during the daytime, as Ken is at work, and I also have to work. I am having half days this week though, so she is only on her own for the mornings. She seems to have been coping so far but this morning as I left she started to cry. I think she stopped after about a minute though, from what I could hear outside.
Last night I took Hagrid and Sirius to be microchipped and they were so good! I managed to get them both into the cat carrier but I don't think I will be able to manage that again! I hadn't realised how much they had grown!!It was a horridly big needle that was used to insert the microchip but neither of them batted an eyelid. Cuddles with my cats are what keeps me going at the moment, even though they are climbing all over my stitching and knitting!!
It was an expensive day yesterday - I had to buy a stairgate to stop Jess going upstairs, a new kettle as mine stopped working, the microchipping, and the flea treatments. I must have spent £100 in one day!!
My DD is getting very upset about the debt she and her DBF are in, and she spent yesterday afternoon with me getting a lot off her chest and having a good cry. I think she felt better afterwards, so I do have my uses!!

2005-10-06T12:40:00.000Z

More pics of our new family members....

Cosy

2005-10-01T12:13:00.000Z

I love this pic of the two kittens curled up asleep.

2005-09-30T10:39:00.000Z

I have literally nothing to do at work - this worries me as my predecessor always seemed to be busy, but doing what I can't imagine. So I have been surfing the net most of this week, and of course when you are doing nothing, a kind of inertia sets in and you don't do anything even if you come across something you can do. Hence no blog so far this week, I am in a state of terminal laziness lol!!
I have been reading other people's blogs, so a big thank you to all you active bloggers out there - you are saving my sanity!!
Last Saturday I went to an Old Girls reunion at my old school in Fulham, London - Lady Margaret School. I met up with my three best friends from those days, Claire, Hilda and Penny, and we listened to speeches, ate some lunch and then wandered the buildings and grounds. It was a very strange experience as it is now over 30 years since we left, and there was a curious mixture of the changed and unchanged. I came away realising just how privileged I had been to be able to attend that particular school and I just wish I could have fulfilled that early promise I had.
The kittens are really feeling their feet now - they are into everything. Oddly enough, whereas Sirius used to be the cuddly one, he is now the lively one and wants to treat your hands as a toy, which means lots of scratches and bites. Hagrid is now the quieter one and is quite happy most of the time to have a cuddle. Bandy still doesn't like them, and will swipe if they go near, but the kits are learning to keep out of his way. Poor Hagrid did try several times to make friends, but Bandy just lashed out at him. I forsee some battles when the kits are bigger.
Life is going to change even more tomorrow as we are off to pick up Jess, our puppy. Poor Ken is going to have a tough time over the next couple of days. He finishes his night shift at 7 tomorrow, and will get home around 10.30. He will go straight to bed, but I have to get him up at 1.30 so we can go and get the pup. He then faces a night of crying from the pup on Saturday night. It's a good job he will have five further days off to recover!
Dieting wise I lost another two pounds this week, and have now lost half a stone altogether since the beginning of July, and four and a half pounds in two weeks. I am sure I can stick at it now - I feel so positive. I am increasing my activity levels very slightly by using stairs instead of the lift at work, and each week I am parking on a higher level in the work's multi-storey car park and therefore walking up an extra flight of stairs each week. I am also walking into town a couple of lunchtimes a week, which doesn't sound a lot, but it involves a bridge over the railway which has 51 steps up and down it. Thats an awful lot for me, and I sometimes feel quite ill after I have climbed them, but I am determined to persevere! I am not expecting to lose much next week as I had a bad binge last weekend, and the two pound weight loss was despite that, so I expect it will have it's effect next week.
I think thats all I have to report. I can hear snoring from the back - you can wake up now!! LOL!

2005-09-20T07:54:00.000Z

We are seeing very distinct personalities in the two kittens now. Hagrid is the bolder of the two, and most of the time can't stay still for very long unless he actually falls asleep. He isn't keen on being petted, and doesn't like being brushed, although I think that is all more to do with his boundless energy and wanting to be doing other things. Sirius is half the size of Hagrid, much finer boned, and is a much quieter personality. He is quite happy to be petted most of the time and is easier to brush. They spend a lot of time play fighting, and poor Sirius usually comes off the worst as he is so much smaller. They quite like the toys I have bought them, but much prefer to use the house as a gymnasium and racetrack. Bandy is spending much more time outdoors now he can come and go as he pleases, and I do make lots of fuss of him when he comes in. If the kits get too close he will snarl and swat them, but he keeps out of the way most of the time. His mouth was playing him up again, even though he had a steroid injection 10 days ago that was supposed to last him a month, but I am giving him the steroid tablets and it seems to have settled down once again. It seems to need a higher dose of steroids to keep his mouth under control than the vets would like, so I think I will have to take him back again soon.
I seem to be getting the urge to stitch again - I am messing about with a couple of things and am feeling more positive about it all. Watch this space!!

2005-09-16T09:24:00.000Z

Two peaceful evenings on the trot now. Bandy was in the house - the kittens were loose and Bandy just kept out of their way.I kept him well fed and so he just slept on the dining room table all evening. Ken has had official confirmation of his new job and will be starting on 27th September. Co-incidentally that day would have been my 30th wedding anniversary had I stayed married to the my daughters' father. I'm so glad I didn't, and I had the guts to end the marriage otherwise I would have been so miserable now. My ex and I are on civil terms and always have been for the sake of our daughters, but I really can't stand him, and I daresay the feeling is mutual. He insists on staying in close contact with my parents, which I resent, and I believe my parents encourage him, which I also resent. The girls make their own arrangements for seeing him these days, but I don't enquire too closely as I'd really rather not know how often they see him. I just wish he would move up to Derby where the rest of his family are, then I wouldn't have to be bothered with him at all! LOL!
Last night my eldest daughter, Jenny, celebrated being with her DBF for 4 years - they met on 15th Sept 2001. On 15th Sept 2007 they will be getting married - it's all booked now. Also in 2007, on 3rd Oct Ken and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary.
Just thought I would throw in those few useless facts!!
Of course, the wedding raises those awkward choices about who to give away the bride. At the moment Jenny favours both of them walking her up the 'aisle', but I think she will look like she is being frogmarched along if she has a man each side of her. I have volunteered to do it myself, but I don't think she is keen on that idea. And then there are 'The Speeches'. All very difficult....

2005-09-15T08:17:00.000Z

I had a nice peaceful evening yesterday, following a rather frantic couple of hours following hometime. I had an electrolysis appointment at 4.30 and as I needed to pick up a couple of items from Tesco (including the all important cat food) I left work at 3.50 which should have given me plenty of time to pop into Tesco and get to Becky, my electrolysis lady. I hadn't bargained on falling into some kind of hypnotic trance in Tesco however, and sloping around in there for 20 minutes instead of the required 5 minutes. In my defence, they are renovating the store, amking huge 'improvements' that no one really wants, adding an optician, jewellers, DIY section and more. I think the food section may actually be getting smaller but that's maybe just my cynicism showing. I seemed to wake up as I exited the store with no memory of where I had been or what I had bought, although I discoverd on arriving home that with the exception of the cat food I had bought what I didn't need and not bought what I did need. (A coffee-less evening yawned ahead of me). I suspect Tesco are spraying a gas into the atmosphere of their store to send us all into a trance that helps with the removal of monies from our bank accounts. Anyway I was therefore 15 minutes late arriving at Beckys, so instead of having my usual 30 minutes of electrolysis I could only have 15, so I have a week ahead where my face will resemble a hedghog's backside.
After rushing home, bunging a quiche and oven chips into the oven for me and Ben, then eating whilst still too hot (and I have the blisters on my tongue to prove it) I managed to get to Weightwatchers on time. I told the lady at WW that I didn't want to know my weight, so she didn't tell me, and I now have a couple of booklets to read and a journal in which to record my consumption. (I did peek at my weight this morning though). The Diet starts in earnest today!!!!!!
Back home I go, let out the kittens from the pen, and fed Bandy, and then discovered that Bandy can now exit the house through the cat flap. Result!!! Hence my nice peaceful evening - no worrying about what Bandy was up to. When I went to bed, I did call hime, but he didn't come in. I found him on the doorstep this morning, very wet and bedraggled - it seems that although he can go out through the flap he hasn't twigged that he can also get back in.....

Catching up

2005-09-14T07:47:00.000Z

Dear, oh dear, oh dear! What a long time it is since I last blogged! I have had two weeks off work so I can't say I haven't had time! However, the beginning of my fortnight was marred by a migraine that went on for days, and the second week was spent helping the kittens settle down. Yes, they are home at last!!

I can't say it has gone smoothly; Bandy really doesn't like them. In the beginning, it was OK as he kept himself away from them, and they only got swiped if they wandered too close. However he is now actively looking for them to give them a swipe, so I have to watch whats going on very closely. I don't intervene if I can help it, as I feel he needs to establish that he is boss, but I don't want the swipes to escalate into something worse. I haven't seen any blood yet so I guess that's something. The kittens are spending most of their time in a pen - I let them out when I get home from work and leave them out as long as I can, usually until I go to bed. Last night I put them back in the pen early - I was getting very anxious about watching Bandy and decided that I needed a break from the tension lol! We have also installed a cat flap which I thought would help Bandy if he knew he could get away from the kits if he needed too, but it's now four or five years since we have had one, and he seems to have forgotten how to use it. This means I have it propped open, but of course have to take the prop away when the kits are loose which kind of defeats the object. I am sure it will all work out in the end but I am finding it all rather stressful. Of course, what doesn't help is that we have my parents dog, Amber, as well - the kits have adjusted to her very well, but she is another body to have to watch as she keeps pestering the kittens and Bandy.
I'm a bit upset with my parents anyway. I have heard from one of my daughters that Mum and Dad have been talking to my daughters about the kittens, saying I am irresponsible and that it is cruel to Bandy for me to have the new kittens, and how 'poor Amber' will have to be shut away to protect her from the kittens and that is isn't fair to her.
OK - so Bandy doesn't like the kits, but he will learn to tolerate them in time. I don't think I am being irresponsible - I have taken advice, read books and bought the pen, all with the intention of helping Bandy adjust. He used to be one of three cats so it's not a new situation for him. As far as Mum and Dad are concerned, Amber can do no wrong - I have looked after her for a fortnight each summer for the last 13 years, and have held my tongue about how, in the past, the cats more or less left home while Amber was with us, as she would not leave them alone. My eldest cat, Tessa, left home permanently last summer because of Amber. (She is still around and is being very well fed by someone but is not our cat anymore)At least Bandy hasn't left home. I really could do without Amber as she is adding to the stress on Bandy, and I could do with Bandy settling down before the pup arrives. Still, there should be a couple of weeks between Amber going and the pup arriving so hopefully more progress will have been made.
Anyway - sorry about the moan!! What else has been happening in the last two weeks? I went to a family BBQ, where I met some of my husbands rellies who I haven't met before, and got a bit squiffy. (Thats what led to my four day migraine)We went to Millets Farm one day and had our own BBQ the day after for the kids and my Mum and Dad which was good fun (I got a bit squiffy again but no migraine that time!)Then we picked up the kittens and life hasn't been the same again.
Of course, now that the kittens are making it almost impossible to stitch, the urge has struck again and I want to stitch or knit something! I would have a go tonight, but I am off to WW this evening. I have decided I can't cut it on my own and I need the help a class can give. Please wish me luck - I have had so many false starts and I really, really need to lose weight for my physical and mental wellbeing!!
Ken hasn't started his new shift pattern yet. He though he would have started by now but it's looking like it won't be until the beginning of October. Of course, we can't get the pup until he starts, so this is another complication to our plans lol!
Best laid plans and all that....

Times they are a-changing

2005-08-25T08:48:00.000Z

So, lots of changes ahead. First change, is that I have two weeks of leave starting this weekend. Hooray!!! Then after a weeks leave we bring the two kittens home. They will really keep me on my toes! The week after that, I am supposed to be looking after Mum and Dad's dog for two weeks whilst they are on holiday. However, there's a possibility that may not happen, as Dad is getting a lot of pain in his hip and they may not manage to go away. Also that week, the biggest change of all - Ken is changing his shift patterns from working Mon-Fri and being home at weekends, to working 4 x 12 hours shifts then having 6 days off. This means he will be home loads more than he is at the moment.After 7 years of only seeing him at weekends it's going to be quite a culture shock. I won't have the big double bed to myself for 5 nights out of seven and won't be able to watch just what I want on TV, but thats the only 'downside' to it. It will be so nice to have his company in the evenings, and to have someone else cook dinner now and again. It will just be so good to have a nearly full time husband again!! Ken will have more time to do his stuff in the garden and around the house, so there will be much less pressure on the time he has at home. And of course, this is why we have decided that having a dog again is a feasible proposition, which of course is the other change ahead. We are reading up on how to train a dog - Molly was such a good girl that we didn't really train her as such, she just seemed always to behave. We can't expect this from another dog, so my couch is littered with cat and dog books and magazines at the moment! The favourite names for the dog at the moment are Jess and Sasha. (Yes, it's a bitch) I plan to take her to obedience classes, and Ken and I are planning to meet up at lunchtimes and take her out for walks. With the cats there is not really any training to do except to encourage them to use the scratching posts I will be providing, and, as they will be in a pen for the first few weeks, I will take them out one at a time so that I can 'bond' with them individually. I want to get them used to being groomed as well, as I think their coats will be prone to matting. Oh, and it looks like I will be going to a cat show at the NEC in November, which I am really looking forward to!

2005-08-24T07:38:00.000Z

It hasn't been a pleasant few days for me really; I was ill with a thumping migraine from last Thursday evening, which resulted in my not being able to go to a stitchers get together and letting down quite a number of people. I was very upset about that, and have really only just crawled out of my pit of despondancy. I think the heat set off the headache and also having a lot of stuff going around in my head, most of which I don't want to discuss here. I will show you one thing that was on my mind though..... The black one is ours, and we collect on 1st October. I think we have gone quite insane really, but there are lots of reasons for getting the kittens and the pup at more or less the same time, not least that they will grow up together.
This is turning into a long slow week, but I shouldn't complain as I am off work for two weeks from Saturday. We have to go to a family barbecue on Saturday which I am not looking forward to one bit as I hate eating outdoors and I won't be able to catch up with my sleep as normal. Ken wants us to go out and about a bit next week, but I feel that all I want to do is sleep. I can't think of anywhere to go either! Maybe Blenheim?

2005-08-15T17:47:00.000Z

I have got the new piccies of the kittens!! They are stunning! The only bad news is that I can't get them until a week later, so it's going to be the 3rd September before I have them at home with me. I'm disappointed about that, but I believe it's something to do with their vaccinations. Anyway - the pics. First, here is Sirius:

And this is Hagrid:

2005-08-15T12:07:00.000Z

This stitching slump seems to be getting worse. I'm avoiding reading the stitching BBs, as they just create a slight sense of panic, and for the same reason, I'm not reading the blogs where stitching is the prime focus. Knitting holds no charms for me at the moment either, I could have started my clapotis this weekend, with the gorgeous Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb, but I just never felt the will to pick it up. I'm off to a stitching GTG this weekend, which I am looking forward to very much, but I have nothing to take for a show and tell, as I have stitched nothing this year really. I have the top of my mermaid box and my almost finished Dove Shawl but that's all. I just don't understand it, I have tried to analyse what is wrong, and all it comes down to really is just feeling too tired (again). Have I still got ME/CFS? I have no idea. If I have, it is very low level, as I manage to go to work every day, even if thats all I can do. I don't know whether I should rest more, or whether I should bump up my exercise levels a bit. This is where I am missing Molly (my dog) so much, as when she was alive I did at least take her for walks most days, and now I don't even do that. Seems pointless walking round the streets or round the rec without a dog, and I would never get round to it anyway.
So back to stitching - whereas I was feeling guilty about not stitching 'cos of all the piles of stash I had, I now am not feeling even that. I have moved away from it all as if it is something in my past. I feel like shoving the whole lot onto E Bay, but I know I shouldn't move too quickly, in case I change my mind.
Maybe getting the kittens will brighten me up - It's possible that depression may be creeping in again and causing this lack of interest and fatigue. I suppose I will have to honour the doctor with a visit again - I am due to see her in November and I should have a better idea of where I am then - I will have lost a reasonable amount of weight by then as well, which I am hoping will improve things
I am still sticking to my diet, by the way - I nearly lapsed yesterday though - I had a '99' from the ice cream van in the afternoon, but I was so full from that I didn't want any tea so I am sure that cancelled out most of the damage. I have lost 5lb this month, not too bad really when you consider I had a binge week in the middle there somewhere!
I still haven't had any more photos of the kittens from the breeder, so I shall e-mail her this evening and ask if she has got any - they will have changed so much by now!

2005-08-11T07:36:00.000Z

Welcome to my new blog. I hope you like it as much as I do, Jane from Design-a-Blog has done a lovely job hasn't she! My new blog refelects the new turn my life is taking with my two new cats Hagrid and Sirius. As loyal readers will know it is now less than three weeks until I pick them up!
Last night, my youngest daughter, Debbie, and I went to an event that had been organised in our our local park, Coate Water It was called 'Lanterns on the Lake', and was for World Peace day. At the park you could make a floating lantern holding a nightlight candle, or bring one ready made, and at dusk the candles were lit and set afloat on the lake. It was a beautiful sight - there were hundreds of lanterns taking part and it was like watching a flock of brightly coloured fairies hovering on the surface of the water. I am so glad I went, it's a night I will remember for a long time. I did try to take some photos but I developed camera trouble and the pictures were dreadful which was disappointing. There is a pic here which gives a small taster but doesn't give any idea of the magnitude of the whole thing. My ex-husband works at Coate Water as a volunteer ranger, so he will be busy with lots of others tomorrow, helping to clear up the burnt out boats. Sadly, there is a planning application to build a university campus, a housing estate and an 'employment zone' at Coate, which is likely to destroy the beauty of the place. How very sad.