I blinked.......

........and there it was, well into the second week of September.  So I suppose an update is called for.

The pancreatitis settled down, my op is scheduled for the end of November.  Up until yesterday I had had no problems, just a dull ache occassionally when I ate a little too much and nausea every morning. I've missed cheese so much, i searched and searched around the shops for a low fat one and ended up buying a packet of kraft low fat cheese slices to stick on my toast.  One of my comfort foods is cheese on toast - thin slices of tomato, topped with a slice of cheese and a liberal dash of HP sauce after its melted.  Yum. Occassionally I'll use mashed avocado instead of spread, mixed with vegemite and then the cheese.  I've cut down on bread, one loaf lasts me longer than a week, I use Shape No Fat milk and a litre lasts me over a week, I haven't had red meat since the first attack, chicken maybe twice and it didn't agree with me despite being careful and fish I now have twice a week, I'm consuming my 5 and 2 with ease.   I've been mainly eating no fat cottage cheese on rice cakes for lunch and snacks and I've discovered SunRice apple and cinnamon rice cakes with less than 1g of fat and low sugar and low calorie so I can get my 'sweet' fix every now and again. I make a weeks supply of pumpkin, sweet potato and carrot soup with added pasta and Borlotti beans - no fat and low cal and delicious. I weigh everything out and I have been surprised just how much food is in a 'serve'. I reckon I put back a third of what the packet says is an average serve and still have enough.   I've lost a total of 5kgs so far and with this latest attack  and continued no/low fat diet I should lose a bit more, I thinks the docs will be happy with another 7kgs at least and I would be over the moon if I could do it by the end of November.

I have noticed with eating less bread and dairy and meat and more veggies and fruit I have had extra energy, I've even been jogging out by the lake and have started jogging on my treadmill.  Though I think I am going to have to invest in a sports bra before I do anymore.  I take the dog for a long walk by the lake in the mornings or the early evenings and can walk further and further each time, I have been sleeping better and deeper despite having to get up three or four times a night to go to the loo.  I can mow the lawns in one hit rather than three or four, when I get restless i go out and rake leaves or weed.  I'm taking advantage of all this extra energy very opportunity I can.

Craft wise I discovered an  artist (Margaret Oomen) who covers river rocks with crochet and as I was so bored I decided to do a few, I'm happy how they turned out, all made up as I went along.  They don't really do anything for me and yes they are pretty but now I've done them I think that will be it. 

 I was so bored with the tele on tuesday night that I decided to recover my footstool (hassock, pouffe, whatever!). I set to crocheting and it was gone midnight when I looked up from my work, I finished it the next day, bunged a flower on top and there you have it. I also made half a dozen ducks/chooks/mutant birds in bright colours, I sold four of them in purples, yellows and blue. I won't make anymore unless asked.  I want to get back to my embroidery, I have half a dozen designs sitting in the craft room just waiting to be stitched up, they were for submission to the mags but I just couldn't be arsed.  So many crafts to do and the time is running away from me.  I won't be working again or looking for work this side of christmas and I have all this time to fill in but before you know it it will be next year and the stitcherys and dolls will still need making up.  I've decided to just go with the flow, to stand still and just BE, I'm not going to fight it, if I want to just spend a day doing nothing but staring into space then that is what I shall do, I have no one to answer to except myself, no one to please except myself.  I have let go of the need to be doing something or going somewhere. I enjoy my own company, my solitude but I also realise that sometimes friends need to be with me, they need an outlet for their thoughts, or just someone to listen to them, so I make time for them and hope that they in return respect my need for solitude every now and again.

Isn't my footstool bright and cheerful, it was so good to actually make something for myself. Just a circle made bigger by increasing 8 sts each row till it fitted the top and then just stripes of closed shells with no further increasing.  Once it was the right length I just decreased for a few rows, slipped it over the footstool and then made a large flower in the stripe colours and stitched it in place.  Two evenings work. The footstool did need filling a bit more and since I didn't have anymore of the filling beads I just used the fill from an old clean pillow. It should have a cord around the middle but I might just leave it as it is.  It would only take me a few minutes to whip one up if I decided to put one on.

Okay, I think thats everything brought up to date now, oh yes, I had a email from my late fathers oldest brothers daughters.  I'm now back on track in my search for my dads ancestors, they remembered me as a little girl but I don't remember them as they were a lot older than me.  It was so good to get in touch with them and we have shared photos and memories of our family.  So I am back time-travelling when I am not day dreaming or hooking.  If you need me I'll be in Yorkshire around the mid 1800's.

Uhru

Jan

Oh dear, there was me full of energy at last and nothing to do. I decided to take the car in early this morning and get new tyres. Okay so maybe the universe had other plans for me today.  I had a flat battery. Where was the battery charger.  The inside of the shed looks like a cyclone has gone through it (well one did a few months ago but I'm sure it was tidier after that). They (the sons) will put things above my eye level and they know if they put things on the high shelves I just ain't gonna see them. Phone call to a friend to tell her I wasn't going to meet her in town, phone call to son to ask where the charger was.

He directs me through the pile of stuff in the shed to the corner where the snake is always seen and there under two doors and a few picture frames, in the toolbox under a pile of tools is the charger. Now as i am getting the charger out an ocky strap fell down across my arm - it wasn't just the car that needed charging at that moment.  So I have the charger but no extention lead, only the short ones. That was another phone call to son, they are hanging up in the shed, I can't see them anywhere, nother phone call, look up they're hanging from a ceiling hook, get the ladder out. Okay now I am all ready to go. Grab new neighbour ask him how to I do it, he knows less about the inside of cars than me. Phone call to friend, she phones her partner he relays message to tell me which lead to stick on which terminal. Okay got all that, which is the pos and which is the neg, more calls, look for the pos sign, can't see it, look at the wires, find out neg is the black one with the yellow stripe down the wire casing, okay, neighbour escapes while he can. Everything sorted, switch on - nothing, needle doesn't move, more calls. Unplug everything, clean the terminals and leads and reconnect. YAY, we have lift-off.  It is now 12.30, I'm covered in oil and grease and sawdust and other stuff, theres a few spiders webs in my hair and probably a few spiders as well, the shed is even messier but I did learn to do something new, wasn't quite what I was expecting but least I can do it now.

I am going to sit down now and craft, my energy has disappeared. The picture has nothing to do with messy sheds or flat batteries, its just a pretty piccy of my crocheted daffs, it cheers me up. I think I will just chill out in the garden, have a read of the Better Homes and Gardens, catch up with a few blogs and then sit and sew or hook. 

I forgot to mention my birthday, I'd forgotten all about that, quiet day, trip to the garden centre with a friend, coffee with another friend, grandkids came over, lots of hugs, risked a piece of cake, so far so good, no adverse effects, early night cuddled up with the dog, a hot water bottle and a good book.

Perhaps next birthday I will make up for this quiet one.

I see the surgeon on Tuesday, I'm feeling really good so hopefully we can put off surgery for a while.  Okay, theres a seat with a comfy cushion in a patch of sun calling my name. Toodles.

J

washing frenzy

Having what seems like endless days of drizzle and grey skies, yesterday we got blue skies that lasted from sun up to sun down. Since the weather has been so unpredictable of late I worked myself up into a washing frenzy - off came the sheets and doona covers and into the wash, I scoured the house for things to clean. Five loads of washing blowing in the breeze, what a sight.  Now I am sitting staring at a humungous pile of clean washing requiring folding, ironing and putting away.  Funny, I don't seem to be as enthusiatic over washing as I did yesterday.

The washing machine has just finished the stray things from yesterday, I'm off to peg out again - I'll take my camera down with me again. The King Parrots are in the bananas and if I sneak up on them I might be able to get a shot in. Typical, I did all my camera settings before I went out of the house and not one parrot was there, there are a few bananas that they have left but the friar birds are finishing them off and they are not a very photogenic bird.

I seem to be in a bit of a slump with my crocheting - I sat down yesterday and tried to recreate a couple of small amigurumi's I had made off the top of my head a couple of years ago and as usual I hadn't written the pattern down, so using the photo as a guide I had 1 attempt that turned out quite cute but bigger than I wanted and two attempts that got frogged twice each.  Rather than push myself I'm going to put away the hooks for a few days, I think its just overload. I've lost track of how many flowers and hearts I have made recently, plus all the snowdolls and the curly top dolls for a shop in town.  I have enough stock now to be going on with, perhaps I will put all my yarn away and clear my work bench and work on making the little stitchery kits. 

I know her ears aren't right, looking at the photo of the others I think I did them in a circle for a couple of rows and then shaped them with decreases and increases.  But somebody will love her I'm sure and she can go in the basket of pigs.
While searching for the pattern I came across a basket full of body parts, heads, arms, legs but no bodies. They make up two of the long legs and curly top dolls. I might just get them finished cos I'm sure the bodies are somewhere and then they can go in the pig basket. 

Okay less talk and drivel, I'm off to get creative, the washing is out, the sun is shining, the painkillers have kicked in......oh yes, I forgot, doctors appointment - lots of gallstones, moderately acute pancreatitis and a fatty liver. Now waiting for an appointment coming through to see the surgeon. 

Jan

Rain...no, sunshine, no, Rain, no, sunshine........

I wish this weather would make its mind up. Blue skies one minute, grey and drizzly the next. I definately did not feel like sitting around a muddy car park where the markets are held.

Thanks for all your comments.  Thinking back over the years I think this problem has been going on for a while, even before the heart by-pass.  Certain foods have always creased me up and I have noticed the past couple of years I've had to tone down the curries and the spicy food. Pastry always makes me feel ill and I know when I get stressed my stomach goes haywire. Probably because I've been eating low fat food and always eat lots of veggies I've kept it at bay, but last weekends little pig-out obviously affected me. Now I have a problem which came first the heart problem, the diabetes or the gall bladder problem and of course don't forget the thyroid. Oh well, never mind, I'm still here and kicking, obviously I'm too hard to get rid of.  I saw a sign somewhere and it said somewhere along the lines of - too bad for heaven and the devil couldn't handle me, can't remember the first line of the last.  What sort of foods are best to eat apart from the obvious no.no's. I've have no appetite what so ever and I'm a bit wary to eat anything anyway, I'm managing a small bowl of porridge for brekky and I had a small bowl again for supper, nothing in between.

Sally, I was thinking of you the other day, I'm getting back into the family research and sorted out what I know, I've got all the families in a muddle so I'm sorting out my lot and the other lot into seperate files, I found the piccy of the couple with two little boys, I had sent it to my hubbys aunt but she never confirmed wether it was a reli or not, she's keeping all the information close to her chest and despite me helping her to remove a few bricks from the wall she's very reluctant to give me information that shes found that would help me.
 
The opening of the art exhibition was wonderful 4 young girls sang acappella (?sp), close your eyes are you were listening to angels. It was beautiful.  A wonderful spread of drinks and nibblies.......and a great big strawberry chocolate gateau. Life can be so unfair sometimes LOL.  I met up with people I hadn't seen for years, I'm all hugged out after catching up with everyone.  I've been invited to put something in next year, the theme will be migration, a few ideas floating around, knowing me, rather than actually try out a few of those ideas I will wait till the month before, get myself into a panic when nothing goes right and then chicken out.  Perhaps this will be the something new to try.
Now we have blue sky and rain. The verandah is full of wet washing and more needs doing, my dryer needs a new belt. I could fit it myself but when I took the back off there was no way to get to the belt, it seems that you have to take the drum out and thats above me, I could take it out but then it would be putting it all back together again.
I've got some paperwork to do (I've been putting it off all week), 2 hours should see it all cleared up and then I'm going to get settled into some serious crafting.  The crocheting seems to take up all of my time, I've found another outlet for the brooches so need to get a few made up and packaged nicely to show her.  I really, really want to get back to embroidery, I had all those stitcherys designed to submit to the mag and never got them done, so I am going to make up each one as a little wall hanging for display and then make kits. 
I'm gonna go read blogs for half an hour,  then get this damm paperwork done.

Jan

Bugger

Haven't I been saying I am enjoying my life, haven't I recently said I am happy with life, things are looking good............Okay, not so good news first thing this morning. Wednesday night and the early hours of thursday morning saw me practically on my hands and knees in pain,  just when I decided to ring the ambo's I threw up and what a relief that was, the pain went away. I managed to get a few hours sleep in. When I woke I could taste blood (something I have been doing for a few weeks) and I spat up a couple of little clots.I wasn't hungry so didn't have breakfast, I had a discomfort in my abdomen so I decided to phone the doctor and see if I could get in - I had to go in straight away, had a whole heap of tests and they booked me a ultra sound for this arvy.  Doc phoned me first thing this morning and said all the blood tests point to it being the gall bladder, the pain was probably coming from the pancreas which also showed up as something wrong.  The ultra sound will confirm what is going on.   If I get the pain that bad again over the weekend, its straight to hospital, do not pass go, do not collect $200.  I have had the pain in my shoulder blade for a while, my doc usually sticks me on the heart monitor and says every thing is fine  since I had no other symptoms, I've been on a good diet, no fatty foods, restricted my dairy for ages, I'm always careful what I eat because of the reflux. But sunday on our day out I had a steak sandwich loaded with fried onions and a passionfruit custard slice,, I felt a few niggles Monday but nothing out of the ordinary, I've been feeling sick after meals for a while but nothing that much that it would concern me. What really p's me off is that for the diabetes and this gallbladder thing weight loss is one of the symptoms - its the only symptom I haven't got. What concerns me is how everything is moving along quickly,  they don't seem to be wasting anytime, most people I talk to have waited ages to see doctors, have tests etc.
Oh well, as long as I've got my hooks and plenty of yarn it won't be too bad, I won't be feeling guilty about cro'ing all day then.

Jan

How does your garden grow.....

 

......mine is finally coming to life. Flowers on my zucchini and my eggplants - vegetables that I am not particularly fond of but I seem to grow very well, at least I can swap them for veggies I like later.

Bits of colour finally showing in an otherwise colourless garden.  My fault really, I haven't been too interested in getting the garden going, just half hearted attempts to fill pots up with bedders, but once that sunshine comes out its a mad rush to get everything in.  I had some seeds where the packets had got damp and had all stuck together, it was impossible to see what was in the packets so I have scattered them willy nilly all over the garden, it will be interesting to see what comes up. 

It might be hard to see these guys - red-browed finches. I was going to scrap this photo as I thought there was nothing on it, the king parrots I was originally intending to photo flew off, as I approached the bottom of the garden a cloud of finches rose up off the ground and took off after the parrots. These ones must have been brave and stayed behind to see what was going on.

Birthday parties and choo choo's

What a busy weekend I have had and two very contrasting days they were too.

Saturday, my beautiful grandgirls joint birthday party, was grey, windy and miserable - not that the kids noticed, they were too busy having fun, I wish I could bottle their energy. My son ended up lighting the big fire pit and all us sooky adults huddled around it while the kids ran themselves ragged.

Sunday was the Tumoulin stations 100th birthday.The day was warm bright and sunny from sun up to sun down. A friend and I played at tourists, ate steak sandwiches with heaps of fried onions, walked along the railway track, bought plants from a market stall and throroughly enjoyed ourselves. I noticed a pyrex dish (the oval ones with the seperator in the middle) - it was turquoise with a star design, two japanese girls grabbed it, turning it over and getting excited over it - the price was two dollars, I hung around in the hope they were going to put it down but no, they bought it. I think that was the only downspot of the day.

 

 Indiginous dancers preparing for a dance display.

 We watched how to boil a billy at the fettlers camp.

The track towards Ravenshoe,  now only used for the restored steam train as a tourist attraction. We've promised ourselves a ride one day.  Doesn't look bad for the middle of winter.  Wanting to make the most of this glorious day we headed off towards Ravenshoe for coffee and cake, despite being about 50 miles away from where we live the area is so different, dryer, more open. Ravenshoe is the highest town in Queensland and boasts the highest pub in queenland, I suppose since the towns second pub is only a couple of hundred metres down the hill from the first pub its the second highest pub in Q'land.  

                                                                                 The highest railway station in Queensland, nearly 3000 ft above sea level.  This is at the end of the railway track at Tumoulin. I love Ravenshoe, it has a reputation though of being a bit of a ferally town, it has a wide main street and lots of clues to its history of being an old timber town, it just has this wonderful  atmosphere, its like stepping back in time.  Its set right at the top of the Great Dividing Range.

I love this picture, a lot of americans were stationed here during WWII, I can just imagine them gathering here, waiting to catch the train, the young girls of the town in their pretty dresses all waiting to go to a dance in the next town, blushing and giggling. The old railway station is a museum now, the outside area littered with relics of the old days, its so pretty and we found a little second hand shop nestled away in one of the old carriage sheds, Barb bought a cute sundae dish from the 30's or 40's, it would be nice to think that one of the G.I.s and his 'girl' shared a sundae or a banana split before being shipped out 'up north'.

We weren't ready to go home just yet and still had plenty of energy left so we drove out of town and head towards the Millstream Falls - the widest (when in full flood) in Q'land, if not australia). A few years ago it was possible to walk down a track and walk across the top of it a short way (in the dry season) but now you walk down a winding bitumened path and have to view it from a special platform, despite being a fair way from the falls we could still feel the spray on our faces.  This used to be a popular swimming place as well. I seem to be obsessing about those american soldiers, can you see them diving off the rocks in the middle, giggling girls spying on them  from the bushes.  I was obviously born in the wrong era and the wrong place. This place seems to hold onto its past and occassionaly glimpses are caught of a bygone age.  Can you imagine living in this house overlooking the falls, on top of the world.

Well the scenic tour of my weekend is over. It will probably be a while before I get to have another day like this.  Its back to a normal week now, job hunting and cleaning and sorting out my life.  I feel rejuvanated though, ready to tackle anything that is thrown at me - wet kippers and bricks aside though LOL.

okay, thats it I've had it with Blogger

I've been trying to post comments, but it won't let me, I have to log back in everytime I come back to my blog, I am seriously thinking of moving somewhere else. Perhaps WordPress or Typepad. I am so sick of having to keep logging in to post anything. C'mon blogger get your act together.

Teased by the sunshine

It did it again, bright light shining through the bedroom window, a blue sky with little fluffy white clouds. By the time I had filled up the jug, made my coffee, put my porridge on and opened all the curtains and windows it was grey again with a smattering of rain.
Big family birthday party today for all the people with birthdays within a few weeks of each other. All us oldies will be huddled round the fire pit if the sun doesn't come out.  The kids won't be still enough to get cold.
Wild dreams again last night/early morning - being attacked by a wolf in a footy jumper (Cowboys). Now I think of it the wolf did look a bit like Jonathan Thurston (the only footy player I can name !), I was running along a busy highway the wrong way to what I wanted to go, falling out with a close friend over buying a victorian bungalow covered in graffiti which turned into a warehouse when I got inside, everybody wanting what I had and trying to take it off me, forgetting where I had put my car, forgetting my mobile (in the car I couldn't find),  trying to get to a dump to get rid of all my rubbish.  Just realised the front of the house was the front of the little school I used to go to back in the UK (something which is in my dreams quite a lot).  I lucid dream, I know I am dreaming and it would have been easy for me to let go and release, especially with the wolf attack, I knew I should submit and relax but I fought everything in the dream, i felt hopeless, angry, overwhelmed, intimidated,
I was running towards a town, everyone else was leaving, they were all waving at me telling me to go back the way I had come, I had to get to that town, I would be safe there.  Then I was in a room and the wolf was trying to get me, it was behind a door I was holding closed then the door turned to rubber and the wolf got in, I started to beat it as it circled close to me, I could feel its rough fur on my legs, it was getting smaller and smaller as it circled, then i got behind something and it couldn't get me. A woman came in and asked if I had seen her dog, she said it was a gentle dog and wouldn't hurt a fly, I felt guilty cos I had hurt the dog and I told her it had run off somewhere else. She offered me a lift which I refused.
No wonder I am always tired when I wake up.
Better go do my hair and get ready, yes I know its early but if I don't get my hair right at least there will be plenty of time to start again.

Okay who turned the sun off

I awoke from weird dreams to the sun streaming in the window, I snuggled down under the covers for 15 more minutes in dreamland and when I resurfaced it was dark, miserable, windy and drizzling with not one little itty bitty patch of blue to be seen anywhere. Oh dear thats means I won't be able to mow the lawn or clean windows (like I was going to do them anyway LOL).
Looks like I'll have to stay in the warm and crochet lots more lovely flowers, after yesterdays depressing mood and post I need to brighten up a bit. 

This is the bunting I made after I was inspired by the wonderful and talented Alice at Crochet with Raymond, this is definately top on my blogs to drool over list, she has a great way with colour.  The tie-backs on the drapes are my design, just a rose attached to a white crochet band with a button and loop at the back, I found some silk leaves and wove the stems around the stitches on the band at the back. The bunting doesn't live in my bedroom, its just that the light was better on that side of the house. I might put it up in the guest bedroom when I finally get it painted and new drapes put up.
But first before I can get back to creating I have to scan the jobs, I wish I could make some money at this crafting lark, I think I would have to hook and stitch my fingers to the bone though to make a living at it.  I thought of an etsy or madeit shop or even on facebook, Is it possible to actually make a living doing it that way.  I need at least $250 in my hand after tax a week to be able to continue the way I am. I have no mortgage to pay and the usual electric,gas, rates, petrol, food and other living expenses which I have pared down to a minimum.  I am cleared to work 14 to 20 hours a week, no heavy lifting. As soon as I mention the health problems prospective employers aren't that eager to take me on.  I can't lie about it and I am always upfront and honest.  So short of finding a rich man (or any man) or winning the lottery its up to me to get out there and find something.  My housekeeping job is coming to an end this week as the owners of the house I clean have decided to rent it out short  term out till the holiday season picks up, the mystery shoppy job  is only a few hours a month if that. 
I suppose rather than talking about it I better start looking and getting some resumes sent out.

Jan

July Update

 July is nearly at an end and I am proud of what I have achieved this month.  I'm on top of my bills, everything is falling into place, my family are all ok, I'm sleeping at night and I'm busy creating pretty pretties. I'm happy with my life as it is.

So what are my August goals:

1) To continue to create - flowers, hearts, pigs, dolls and      whatever takes my fancy.
2) To continue to keep those bills under control.
3) To find a job.
4) To start some new volunteer work.
5) Walk more, eat less and get out more into the garden.
6) To socialise more, meet new people.
7) Do one thing that I would not usually think of doing - climb out of the square box I've been hiding away in this year.

8) To get my stash down
9) Make something different, try a new craft
10) and best of all - Be Nice to Myself, I'm not to feel guilty when I treat myself.

A few of these things go hand in hand, I'm starting to be reclusive again, I like my own company and sometimes I get a bit stingy with my time and resent other people wanting it. I need to get out there and share.  I need to look at new ways of doing things and new ways of thinking.  I'm not exactly in a rut but I know if I let myself it would be very easy to dig myself into one.  This year has been a year of looking at things differently. Two new hair cuts and a colour change in 4 months, a new wardrobe, wearing purple nail polish (even on my toes), playing the pokies (only once and I found it boring) and spending money on myself - its all been an eye opener year so far.
I have always marched to a different drum than every one else and yet these past couple of years I got 'normal'. Or did I finally grow up.

Jan

Purple pigs

I ran out of pink yarn and I was soooo into making pigs.  I might even make a green one.
My bedroom is bedecked with garlands and bunting and my very tidy craft room is starting to creep back to being a mess again as I search for colour combinations for triangle grannys. I wasn't going to buy anymore yarn but looks like I will have to, oh dear what a shame.
I have the banner to make for the market stall, well the banner is made, Jude dropped it off yesterday now I have to do my part and decorate it with crochet chain stitch wording and crochet flowers. I have to clean next door ready for the new tenants next week and see a friend for her birthday and then rush into town for an appointment.  No rest for the wicked aye.. So I'm taking five and writing up a post before I start the big rush around.
The sun is shing so as the weather is so unpredictable at the moment I stripped the bed and now have lines full of bedding blowing in the wind.  I love the smell of line dried sheets. I just hope the cockies leave me out of their flight path. They are currently stripping the orange and kumquat trees of what fruit there is left.  Its all right the council getting rid of them out of the Mabi rainforest but where do they go - the towns, wrecking havoc there and destroying trees.  I'm all for nature and the wildlife but I wish the council would think about these things before they do them.  Now we have the flying foxes - so much of their habitat has gone thanks to the  recent cyclones and storms.   The Hendra virus has raised its ugly head again and thankfully there has only been one horse dead from it up here in our area. I noticed there are more and more flying foxes coming into the towns for food.  I had bat poo on my car roof which means they are in the kumquats and bananas at night.

Well better get off and make a start before the afternoon runs away from me.

J

OKay so I hate cleaning the oven more than anything.....

..........I buckled down and sorted all my yarn out, tidied my desk and table and crammed every nook and cranny with yarn. The next few days will see me finish a couple of orders then I'm going to tackle more brooches and garlands.  Winter will soon be over here such as it was, I'm already thinking of spring garlands and light colours.
The portuguese chicken is sending out the most delicious smells, lets hope its tastes as good as it smells. 
I feel very satisfied that the craft room is tidy, lets see if I can keep it that way, though for those of you that know me I can hear you you know, i can read minds......... ROTFPML.

I had a break from the cleaning and went and mowed half of the back lawn until I ran out of petrol, pulled a few weeds, raked up a few leaves.  Its amazing what a bit of blue sky and sunshine does for one. 

You know, I think I'll go and sit on the back verandah now with a glass of wine.

J

My name is Janet and I am addicted.........

.................to yarn, threads and crochet.  Here I sit in my chair, surrounded by my addiction, this is actually quite tidy for me.  The TV remote close at hand, my coffee cup hidden by the arm of my chair, the biscuit crumbs vacummed up by the dog.

My big table and my desk , again I had a quick tidy up, see the long cloth covering the table, hahah - thats hides everything underneath. Which reminds me of a little story when we first came here - we lived in a half built house in the middle of the rainforest, wooden floors with big cracks in between - perfect for sweeping all the rubbish through and since it was a high set all the dust and everyday muck went back to where it had come from in the first place, the only problem being if there was someone underneath at the time of sweeping.  Nowadays in my little low set I just sweep everything out the back door and hide the big stuff under tables and beds.

 Under the table is 4 boxes full of yarn from my stash.

This is also quite tidy, bags of yarn still to be unpacked, boxes - I also have an addiction to boxes, I buy them and just throw stuff in, then stick the lid back on and I don't have to look at it.  All my embroidery threads, beads and findings are in these boxes on the shoe rack and would you look at that, another bag of yarn bits and a box full of yarn and hidden behind it all is another bag of yarn and unfinished projects.

Oh dear, this is what happens when you just don't think.  All this yarn is what I bought after I had made a vow not to buy any more yarn till I got my stash down, this is all the stuff that won't fit in the boxes (yes Boxes).  I have a 50 ltr box that is crammed full of yarn or I did have, I now have 4 20 ltr boxes full as well and will have to buy a few more to accomodate all the new stuff.  Considering the 50 brooches I've made, the 6 flower garlands, at least 15 pr of mittens and hats in the past two months I've got it down a lot else i would have had to take 4 pictures to get it all in.  Now my friend tells me there is a yarn sale on.  Please, please someone come and tie me to something heavy, take away my car keys and wallets, hide my cards, put a restraining order on me forbidding me going anywhere within 10 klms of a yarn shop.

Helppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp.........

J

Little things that give us pleasure....

For me - its a new pruning saw, such a pretty little thing, unfortunately they didn't have it in pink (but I'm going back for the pink secateaurs next week) so I had to get the green. Its blade folds up into the handle and it is so light to use.  Needless to say yesterday  I pruned every stray little branch in sight. I'm eying up my neighbours garden now. I wonder if the council would mind if I just pruned these trees a little!

My craft room is a mess, no - that is definately an understatement, it is a terrible mess, its the worst its ever been. I am ashamed with myself. I go in to grab some yarn and then beat a hasty retreat.  Today is Show Day, everywhere is closed, there is nothing to do, I shopped yesterday, I'm about to put a chicken casserole in the slow cooker, the rest of the house is clean, the plants are watered and I am sat here reading blogs. I've even cleaned out the microwave and the kettle.  This is avoidance tactics at their best - the oven really really needs cleaning and it is a job I hate but I would rather do that than venture into the craft room.

Everywhere is sooooo quiet, tooo quiet.   I know what we need - Meatloaf, Bon Jovi, Guns and Roses, Metallica. If I've gotta clean then I might as well have some loud music to go with it.

J

How very strange......

I wrote a post complete with piccys the other day and it has disappeared. I'd updated rantings and thought I'd better update here as well.  Gremlins again.

Oh well, I can't remember what I said so I'll make a new one.

Its showtime - for the first time ever I went to the Malanda Show, the rain held off (which is very strange). I really don't know wether its me being jaded or just everyone, the craft exhibits seemed lack lustre, nothing jumped out and said WOW, it seemed like no effort was made at all to do something different, it was the same old same old. Its the Atherton Show on Monday and I don't know wether to go to see if its the same, its usually bigger and a bit more showy.

Flowers are all over the house, blossoming their little hearts out, I just love making them or am I actually addicted to  making them - just a couple more before bed, just one more  to balance out the arrangement before I go to the shops, perhaps we'll see what this colourway will look like..............

They have brooch backs added, they are sewed onto hats and scarves, the lie scattered amongst the ornaments on the book cases, the bedroom curtains are adorned with them, my grandgirls wear them in their hair, my snazzy new market apron wears them, I might not have inherited my mums green fingers but I certainly inherited the love of flowers from her.

So what to do today, the day is quickly passing and only one pig made, my fingers are itching to do something new, winter doesn't last very long up here so I don't really want to make any more hats and mitts, though the mitts have been doing very well. I know the craft room is in dire need of tidying up, despite uttering somewhere in blogland that I would not buy any more yarn I have bought more yarn in the past 3 months than I have ever bought.

I do have three hats on order that I have to make and a couple of pairs of mitts, maybe I should do those this weekend and then thats all the winter stuff out of the way and I can start thinking about what to make next (and can I stick flowers on it)

Okay so I think maybe I'll go be creative for a while , uploading all these piccys has whetted my appetite, maybe just a few more for another garland, maybe I'll sew a couple on a pair of mitts...........mmmmmmmm, wheres the dog gone!

Long Weekend.....

....and I'm being lazy.  This long weekend we have had the Tour De Tablelands, bikes and lycra everywhere.  The roads are always horrendous with rolling road closures all weekend so I stay home and vegetate.  We also had the Peeramon Pig Hunt and the Tinaroo Regatta, so the last thing I wanted was to be sandwiched between a ute full of dead wild pigs and a heap of boaties which has happened in the past.
The weekend has been beautiful weatherwise, not too cold and not too hot, a bit overcast on saturday.
I've been busy crocheting flowers for garlands and earrings.  I bought more yarn from Spotty - I think I hit my record in there, 2hrs and 40 mins but I only spend just over $50. I treated myself to a couple of those cute cake tins they had in the sale. 
I also bought in a second hand shop a very cute telephone table, its been crackled in an off white with beautiful apple blossom flowers painted on. I tried to haggle but it didn't work, I'm happy with it anyway and now after 19 years the telephone finally gets a place to live (its been on a stool, before that it balanced on the arm of the sofa or on the floor)
We had out craft fix, our bling fix and then our kitchen fix and yes, I walked out of Robins Kitchen without buying one thing.  We actually made it home in daylight and had time to go food shopping (with what money we had left).
I forgot to ring up about my blood tests and I reckon if they had found anything they would have rang.  I'm not worried, I'm actually feeling quite good, I mean the memorys still full of holes and I have to write notes to myself all the time but otherwise I'm sleeping a lot better and I have more energy than I have had for a while - perhaps that could be due to the fact I'm actually cooking proper meals for myself again.
I cleaned out two cupboards yesterday and tackled the spare room which seems to be the junk room at the moment, it can't be used as a bedroom again till I get the floor fixed so we (me) just open the door and throw things in. I've sorted a few of the things out in there and stacked them in a pile and I've also put the girls toys in there, I've put stuff over the broken floorboards so the girls can use it has a playroom for the time being and my walking machine is in there.
Well, I have these two pretty cake tins empty, just crying out to be filled. Do I bake this arvy or do I sit and crochet and ignore their plea's?  Decisions, decisions.

As Usual........

yesterday my mind went off on one of its little jaunts. I was supposed to be working, I wanted to make an early start so I would be finished by lunch time and have the rest of the day to visit a friend.  Lunchtime saw me still in my jami's, hook and yarn flying furiously, sink of boiiling water ready and the carpet littered with multi-coloured orts.   The felted flowers have been a great success, the big and bold flowers with vintage bits added have been a success and hopefully the felted bird brooches that I have just created will be a success.
The flower swags/garlands are growing like, well, like a garden.  My mind refuses to stop creating, while I'm hooking away another idea pops in and I have to stop what I am doing and create whatever it is that needs to be created.

I really just want to be left alone with my hooks and my yarn stash, but unfortunately the world keeps creeping in and people and things demand my time.

I forgot my hospital appointment way back in April and had remade it for last week, I thought I was on top of things, it was in my diary, on my calender and then I lost a day, I had rescheduled everything that week to fit in this appointment, then the hospital phoned and asked where I was.  I showered, dressed and got to town in 30 mins.  I got the full ultra sound on my heart - working fine, grafts still holding up, blood pressure fine.  She was concerned about the breathlessness and tiredness and fatigue, so I had a iron store test, considering my memory (or lack of it) as well, I could be a bit low on iron. We'll see hopefully later today when the results should be back.  I think the memory worries me the most, I'm forgetting words in the middle of a sentence, forgetting peoples names, I know my mind is otherwise engaged at times but its gone beyond a joke now.

I had an unusual burst of energy yesterday afternoon and got the work I had to do finished in record time, I even had enough energy left over to make a 'proper' evening meal with enough left over for dinner tonight as well.  I put the washing away, I tidied up, watered the garden and sat down with the tele and my hooks and got started on making more birds.

Today the washing is done already, the house is tidy and nothing needs my attention. I do have to nip down to the chemist to get my script but that can wait till I go over to Malanda on my way to my friends.

I managed to get side-tracked yet again before I finished this post.  Felted 5 birds, checked the post, made the bed and looked for some yarn. 

Now at 10 a.m. I am having the porridge I cooked for my breakfast 3 hours ago.

J

Stash Busters

Since breaking my resolve and buying all that extra yarn I've been looking for quick and easy projects to use up some of the yarn that maybe was a wrong choice.  I've been doing mobius cowlettes (neck warmers).  I love mine, it was made in Spotlights Marvel 8 ply which is a thin 8 ply and not what I wanted for the amigurumi dolls, it works up beautifully using a 6.50mm hook, nice and lacey and drapes well.  No pictures yet though, I'm waiting for a model who doesn't have a double chin and turkey neck.  I've also made a few pairs of fingerless mittens, another quick and easy project, using a crochet rib and a smaller than usual hook and using Big W's 8 ply these cro up nice and firm and stretchy.  Then with all the left over yarns in my stash I've made small flowers and attached them to headbands, they look so pretty. I decided not to make all the felted and larger flower into brooches but will sell them seperately with a couple of leaves and people can make up their own minds where they stick them.  The girls claimed two - Stacey wanted the hugest pinkest rose and Jessica-Rose chose a dainty black rose with pearl centre. I'm waiting for them to come round so I can use them to model the headbands for a photo shoot, the photo I took yesterday doesn't really show them at their best.
For the past two days I have been creating, totally oblivious to the time.  I missed breakfast and lunch on both days, its been a long time since I've done that and yes I did enjoy it.
My craft room which I had finally managed to lick into shape is back to being a mess.  'A place for everything and everything in its place' seems to last for only a few days. Perhaps I should do a cross stitch or applique wall hanging to have hanging up so I see it every day.  Knowing me though somehow I really don't think it would work. 
July will be chilly Cheryl.  You might need some fingerless mittens and a neck warmer.

Excuse the bad quality of the photo, I'd forgotten to change the setting on the camera then the batteries died. 

Well my fingers are itching to get hooking again, funny the carpal tunnel hasn't played me up at all, my elbows a bit stiff though.  Just had another idea so off to get it into action.

J

Rosy Posy

In my quest for the perfect crocheted rose I have ended up with a rose garden blossoming all over the house, 60 roses in just over a week have graced my craft room.  I have perfected the rolled rose and the irish rose but my favourite is from the Hook Hound. I had made something very similar when I was designing the amigurumi dolls but couldn't quite get what I was looking for. I had made the base of the flower in a spiral but not into the back of the stitch.

I intend to make all the roses I made into brooches and am now searching out broken vintage jewelry to adorn the roses.  I cruised round all the Accessories shops looking at how the fabric flower brooches that they sell were finished off, they were all pretty tatty looking on the back, so I am not worried at all about the backs of mine, they look exceptionally neat compared to those in the shops.  I have felted some of the roses using a varigated yarn from Big Wand gives lovely look to the roses, especially as the colour runs. The outer edges of each petal tends to darken while the inner petals fade slightly.  The pink roses below were all done from the same ball.  I used up a fair amount of yarn from my stash, I found some gorgeous vintage kid mohair which I managed to make three roses from.   My stash, which at the start of the year I vowed to not buy any more yarn till i could get the lid on the box has now tripled to three boxes and if I buy more of the varigated yarn today will quadruple. I knew I couldn't do it. But the wool is so pretty and soft and it spoke my name, I couldn't leave it there.

My fingers are itching to get hooking but I have so much to do today.  Thursday I had a hospital appointment down on the coast, everything is okay, nodules on the thyroid have only grown a little bit and my thyroid is not misbehaving so I have a reprieve for another year. We hit Spotlight after the hospital and we spent over two hours in there, we certainly made up for the previous two visits where we only had 30  mins at the  most and came out spending under ten dollars, this time I went mad and spent over 50 dollars - well it was stuff I needed (honest).

I've been snuffly for the past two days, got lots of lemons ripe on the tree so I'll be making myself some hot lemon and honey - might even go to the Bottle shop and get a small bottle of whiskey (even though I hate the stuff).  It was 8 degrees at pre-dawn on thursday - I was out standing around in my jami's and sheepies looking at the planets......and yes you can say 'and you wonder why she has a cold'.   Not sure what it was that hurried past my feet as I was scanning the sky, it was dark coloured and definately not a cane toad.

Well I have a couple of hours work this arvy over in Mareeba, so better go get out of my jami's and get presentable. I want to get some shopping in as well while I am over there.The new fridge is bare as are the cupboards, the dog and I have been on left-overs all week.

Love and Hugs

Jan

potholes and speed bumps

Thats what my life feels like at the moment, not only is my path through life full of detours and dead ends but its also strewn with pot holes and speed bumps.
The new fridge scheduled to be delivered two weeks ago got badly damaged so I had to wait for another to be shipped up to the tablelands.  Then the thursday before easter they rang to tell me the new one was in but they couldn't deliver it till the next wednesday because they had sent all their trucks back down the mountain.  Finally today it came, the poor young man delivering it couldn't get the trolley over the edge of my kitchen step, slipped and the fridge fell on top of him.  No damage to him or the fridge but I had to go out the front door and round the back and push while he pulled and we eventually got it into the house.  I said I would unpack it and he went on his way.  New fridge in the house, half unpacked but I can't get it off the little pallet it is on.  So my old fridge chugs merrily still, dripping water everywhere and clunking and rattling every so often. 
One lot of guests checked in on friday and left early sunday,then new lot of guests were due to arrive at 2, which would give me plenty of time to do a full clean ready for them.  Sheets and bedding everywhere, washer going, dryer going, mop bucket in middle of floor, beds remade apart from one, towels in a wet pile waiting for the dryer. 10.30 and I stop for a coffee with my son and his family and share easter bunnies with the grandgirls, then i hear the door close next door, I rush over and there standing in the middle of all the mess is two new guests - You are not ready for us No.  "Does it look like it" I reply (how rude I sounded). I explain that they are not due to check in till two, they say 11.  Apparently they are not the ones who booked, I am expecting 4 adults and 1 child, No he says, its 7 adults and 1 child, No she says, its 8 adults and one child.  We don't have beds for that many. HELPPPPPPPPPPP.  I send them off for coffee and promise to get the house clean in an hour.  They come back within the hour with two other guests and sit quietly on the verandah waiting while little old me totally oblivious to them being there is muttering under my breath and cursing all and sundry because the damm king size feather doona refuses to lie still, a bulge appears in the middle like a dead body minutes after i made the bed, i push all the feathers to the bottom and put the towels on top in the hope that they will wait them down and keep them still.  As I leave the room I can see them gradually creeping up to the middle of bed. At this stage I really don't care anymore.
I phoned the owners who were holidaying down south and let them know what is going on. They have only paid for 4 guests, this is not on, I mustn't let the other guests in till they have paid up. I hand the phone to one of the guests who agrees to pay the extra money, the original bookee arrives with a face like thunder and demands to know what is going on. I say take it up with the owner and hand her the phone number.  All sorted, I agree to let them in and will go back and do the final cleaning and make up the futon bed in the office when they are out later that afternoon.  All happy, I smile and say if there is anything else they need just let me know - my customer service training finally getting used (Believe me despite being top in the class for customer service I hate dealing with the public)
I checked all my booking details the realtor sent me and it definately said 4 adults, checking in at 2.  I still haven't a clue how many stayed there. 
So today I have washed 20 sheets, 30 pillowcases, 20 towels, 16 washers, 4 bathmats, 10 t-towels and all my own stuff, I've had two washing machines going and one dryer. I now have to phone the owner and let them know that a wooden chair has been broken by the guests. 
After all that kerfuffle on sunday morning I went off later that afternoon for a cooked dinner at my sons new place, roast lamb cooked in a camp oven outside, the grandgirls and one of their uncles took off on the quad bike and motor bike, they have no fear. The eldest grand girl was disappointed grandma would not get on the back of the quad bike and go for a ride round the paddocks with her. She even promised to go slow - I've seen her go slow and its still to fast for me.  Afternoon turned to evening and we watched the stars come out, listened to the stone curlews and put the world to rights before my youngest took me home.  It was a nice relaxing end to a very hectic day.  I crawled into my bed still stinking of smoke from the fire but I didn't care.
Tomorrow I have one lot of washing to dry, fold and put away and that is that, the house is ready for the next lot of guests, I have to pay a bill, do a customer service assessment, fill a report out, report my earnings, shop, try and get the fridge off its pallet, weed, visit a friend, submit my invoice, and somewhere try and have a life.
I met a man - yes, you heard right. A MAN.  Only once, though we talk on the phone and text and email. We never seem to get free time at the same time. Lots of itty bitty things stop us from meeting up again. Is he the right one for me - don't know yet, we are opposites, he doesn't understand my sense of humour and I think he gets to uptight over simple things.  He's cute, blond, slim, hardworking and loves his dog, is that enough.
Saturday I did a market stall with my friend, didn't sell much but that didn't matter, it was a good day still.  I realised that the money i would make had no purpose, I had no intent for it, no bill to pay or shopping to do.  It was mine to do what I wanted with with no guilt attached.  So, I bought myself a pretty vintage apron, some honey  and a fancy tea infuser. 
So the pot holes and speed bumps are there to slow me down, to make me rest, to take stock of where I am and where I am going. I need them.  The detours make me see a different take on things.  I know I need patience in some things.  I handled the mix-up at the weekend well, I didn't panic. Despite me joking about it I think I handled it diplomatically.  At the market I didn't get upset that very few people wanted to buy what I had made, I enjoyed the day and the experience, sounds and colours of a very busy country market.  I got my kitchen clean ready for the new fridge, I washed walls and threw out old stuff from the cupboards.  I learnt that its okay to change my schedule, I can say No and not feel guilty. 
A long post - I know, but its probably going to have to  do you a week, read it slowly, in bits.  I'm now going to go make myself a cup of tea and a slice of toast, put my pj's on and curl up in bed with a book and the dog.

J