Look at me!

I'm Frasier, I'm 10 weeks old and get to go home to my new family in 2 weeks time, hopefully they will be ready for me. I have just found out that I will have an adopted sister, the same age as me! Charlotte's black shorthair kitten Layla has been accepted into the family, today she went to the vet to make sure she has no nasty bugs - the vet fell in love with her, she is cute and smoochy and talks a lot, just like me.


Justine is still running around like a crazy woman - Flash is off on work retreats - lucky bum, but it's all good, moving day is next tuesday - they better have my room ready!


Here's another photo for you to be going on with, to show you all my cool spots (excuse the lack of cropping - the mouse died - thats my breeder Mum holding me, she has the coolest house, full of Bengals and Maine Coons)

an apology

I feel so bad, I haven't replied to commentors or emailers - my situation at present is that I get 30 minutes on the internet A DAY! the first 20 is spent checking my work email, and orders, checking the shopping cart has no manual orders waiting, that sort of thing, then and only then can I check other things, bank accounts, bills and finally blogs, so I am still popping in to visit some of you - but don't have time to comment, or reply to comments.

This exile will be over very soon, I am learning patience

best wishes to everyone

wheeeeee!!

and finally - it came out today, even more page space than I expected, in the "Family" pages, nothing will shake the smile on my face today.

The Knit Rangers

Living in a motel is great, the wet towels disappear, clean ones appear...cooking is limited to ham and cheese croissants and salads, all cooked meals are prepared by someone else...laundry too disappears and returns freshly pressed.

My new (to me) machine is set up in the lounge of our suite (Flash and I share a 1 bedroom suite with courtyard, the girls share a room in the main building) it chatters through the day, but I turn it off late afternoon so as not to annoy the neighbours, I am learning a lot and can see how this contraption will be like having a workmate, although I will still have to make my own coffee! I have seed trays lined with jiffy pots on the patio, merrily getting greener as the oregano, coriander, basil and various other herbs and basic veges sprout and grow.I have cut off the bottoms of water bottles and planted cuttings from my Mum's collection of herbs, the warm, humid weather will ensure they take. I am not at home, but am preparing for it, this quiet time will not slip through my fingers.

My whinge yesterday arose from a common complaint - the indifference of LYS owners. I had organised for some very nicely priced Noro Cash Iroha from Little Knits to be sent to my Mum, in preparation for my arrival, I had my photocopied-from-my -copy- of- the- book- pattern for the Hourglass sweater (including the corrections from the website) and just needed the needles - 4.5mm in 80 and 30 cm lengths, I also needed a ball winder, as in my dumbass-ness I had forgotten to pack one.

I arrived at the first LYS, quite big, a national chain, nice selection, but nothing out of the ordinary. I found the 80cm no problem, and asked for the 30cm - none in stock, but I can order them in, no ball winders - once again we can order them in. No problem, I got some long dpns instead of the 30cm circ, and said "don't worry, mine will be here in a couple of weeks" but just trying to chat, ask about local knitting groups - no real response, there was no one else in the store who was demanding attention, so I felt a bit flat, on the upside, they were unpacking the latest issue of Yarn magazine.

I then went to another, an Auckland chain, a few more interesting yarns in skeins, but still very old-fashioned (what do want Justine? Purl, Loop?) asked for the 30cm circ, "they don't make them" was the response, and I couldn't help myself - I advised the assistant that yes "they" do make them, that I have 4 in my collection on the way from Sydney, but that it would be really convenient to have some now - her response was that "of course they have them in Australia" but not in NZ - how ridiculous! it's a global community, and I want to buy locally.

I have heard good reports of a small shop which opens a few hours a week, in someone's backyard studio, and I may have to continue internet shopping, but as far as knitting groups go, I am not close to the 2 I have heard of...so have decided to start my own, in Titirangi - not quite sure of the venue as yet - but I have a couple of places in mind...anyone who lives in the Waitakere Ranges or central or West Auckland (or anywhere else!) is welcome to contact me at my gmail address (top of the sidebar) once I have a place organised I'll contact everyone and the Knit Rangers will be in action!

I am envisaging a lively group of opinionated knitters, young, old, experienced and novice, all enthusiastic, all up for a challenge, willing to teach and be taught, the chatty and the quiet, but all with something to contribute - meeting on a weekday evening. Let me know your suggestions, what do you want in a group? (merit badges have already been suggested!)

catching up

The Bate’s Motel

Our flight into Auckland was delayed, thus arriving almost an hour late, so it was almost 10.30 when we met our cab drivers, who had waited patiently for us.

We should have found it strange that neither of our Corporate drivers had been to these serviced apartments before, they are situated in a nice part of town, 2 minutes from the city.

On arrival at the apartments we found our keys had been taped to the office door – the owners left every evening. The drivers unloaded our bags and left them in the carpark, watched on by numerous curious residents, we then hauled all 16 bags up a flight of stairs and gasped as we saw our rooms…breeze block walls (cinder block) stained ceilings, furniture that had seen much better days, covered in numerous dubious stains, rotten boards in the bathroom…we showed the girls how to lock their door, and then we pounced upon the Yellow pages, and made a list. Next morning (after replacing their pillowcases with our own…) we awoke bright and early and started phoning around to find a replacement motel (unfortunately the PA who had found the motel in the first place, was fooled as we were by the photos which had obviously been taken 20 years previously) eventually we booked ourselves into a nice, clean centrally located motel, sighs of relief all round.

That was then a week ago, this is now…
Just Jussi garments are a prize in the NZ Woman’s Weekly on sale this week ! this is major advertising for the cost of 8 garments, I am very happy.

We did an inspection of our new house yesterday, and are even happier than we were when we bought it, I cannot wait to move in, and after days like today in Auckland – the pool is looking very inviting.

especially after the high temperatures today, we spent the day at Piha - photos to follow.

I am working on a new blog for Just Jussi knitwear, then I can concentrate on my other knitting, making, family and friends on this blog.

I am in a kind of limbo at present, tomorrow I will tell you all why I am feeling like "I am the only knitter in this village"

we're baaaaa-ack

we are home, safe and well, we have had some adventures in the past few days, and I will enlighten you when I can. Internet access is very patchy at present, but will improve shortly.

Many stories to tell, so will try to organise my thoughts and give each the time it deserves.

The first motel...horror story

The vehicle...romance

Frasier...our new baby

ok, I'll show you a couple of photos of Frasier's Dad, just to give you an idea.

His name is "Rebel" he is a brown spotted Bengal - here is what the International Bengal Cat society have to say "The Bengal is a medium to large domestic feline that originates from crossings of the small Asian Leopard Cat (ALC) to the domestic cat in an attempt to create a companion with an "exotic" look but a domestic temperament. After four to five generations of Bengal-to-Bengal breeding, the breed is recognized for championship competition by most international domestic cat associations including TICA, ACFA, GCCF, and AACE."

Frasier is just 7 weeks old, and while we spent 2 hours playing with 6 baby bengals, I completely forgot to take photos, even of our little one, after he chose us. His markings are pretty much the same as his Dad's, even down to the red around his head and legs. He will come home a couple of weeks after we move into our new house (at the end of the month) and I will finally be able to post kitty porn!