Friday round up

last night I'm in the car ready to take Blaise to her belly dancing class (along with Pilates and Ballet) all very good for the congenital spinal stuff as they all build core strength, I always wonder that if we had known about Blaise's condition earlier would we have expected as much from her? is her inate core strength and mental toughness the result of just having to get up and do it? but that is for another time, so my Mama phones...she is in Hobart...at the wool shop..."there's some Gragnisco...something" yes Mum, I like the Bambi... "hmm, no Bambi, theres Jo Sharp...can you get Jo Sharp?" yes Mum...mostly, oh what about georgette, do they have the silk georgette? "(calls to assistant) do you have silk georgette?" and then proceeds to describe the colours to me...I say, Mum I have a couple of balls of light grey, do they have the mauve-y grey there? I mean, I freak out enough (inside) when yarn shopping, so much to choose from, how much to buy? and now I have someone putting the pressure on and I'm NOT EVEN THERE!!! I am laughing so much, poor Blaise is hearing only half the conversation - but figures it out quickly... "Zara? what about Zara?" yes Mum I love the Zara!

Txt this afternoon..."found the bambi"

I love my Mum.

proof of Frasier's addiction...I hid the good stuff...so he is making do with the cheap crack

I am constantly discovering more reasons why I love Ravelry...yesterday I uploaded a lot of my free patterns to my Ravelry store, finally they are (mostly) all in one place, also seeing the interpretaions of my designs is wonderful - in particular a delicious variation of the Fairytale dress...so pretty!

Knit Rangers is growing like topsy, we had a fantastic meetup last sunday, and are planning occasional meetups at Dida in Herne Bay - as the "irregular winos" (so named for the location and the infrequency of meetings)

Knitting news:

1 x ribbing raglan sweater with interesting raglans is in the making (made the body up to the armhomes - just starting a sleeve)

3 x linen washclothes finished, more to come, (even more if I can find those cones that Frasier took off with)

1 x size 2 spirited jacket 1/2 test knitted by my good self (not that I can ever find the mistakes in my own instructions - too close to home) just the sleeves to go.

3 x patterns on the drawing board (no knitting yet) and more trying to eat their way out of my brain...

we are finally getting a touch of rain, the garden desperately needs it, should be a good weekend to curl up with the knitting and a movie.

Friday round up

I came out of the shower this morning to a still unmade bed...Flash is usually so fastidious about these things, but he is a bit of a sook* when it comes to this guy...

after removing the cat to his own bed, I went to clear our postbox - where I found the copy of Alice Starmore's Celtic collection that I purchased on ebay a few weeks ago, I can't wait to sit down with a coffee and dream over it. However, dreaming has to wait, as there is knitting and pattern writing to be done - Ravelry has changed my life in many good ways - one of these is the Testing Pool...a group of knitters who will test knit patterns!! I asked for help and they swamped me with kindness, I've had to start an excel spreadsheet to keep up with who is knitting what - it is fantastic, I'm not asking for the garments - just feedback and improvements (I have told them though that I am in NZ - so everything is metric and NZ English spelling!)

Some of them are knitting my Organic merino hoodie and pants set (not necessarily in organic or merino!) and next out will be the Liam pattern with cotton pants, and a cute intarsia tattoo sweater.

Unfortunately it hasn't all been raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens around here lately, remember babies grow into teenagers, and teenagers are basically hormone transportation devices, we've had our moments with Charlotte in the past but currently it is Maria who is testing the boundaries of parental sanity, she is 18, and now that school has finished and exams are over Flash and I have had the "if you want to act like an adult you have to behave like an adult" lecture - if you want to live with your boyfriend, live with your boyfriend...stop sneaking out every night, get a job and stop expecting pocket money, yes we will help you out if you study animal sciences at University - no we won't help you out if enrol for a 6 hr a week animal care course at Polytech, have some respect for your Dad and yes, we found that tequila you were hiding in your toybox.

But, for now the house is quiet, Blaise has been away for a week, staying with friends on an island and will be away for another week yet ( with her delightful friends, boy and girls - but worry not, just think Famous Five, they are writing plays, reading for hours and drinking lashings of kiwifruit flavoured fizzy water (sorry no ginger beer)) I must finish the tattoo sweater and start on Blaise's new curtains - the dark green Ikea fabric I bought prior to leaving Sydney, sew buttons onto Flash's shirt, and play with the fake eyelashes I bought for tomorrow...and tomorrow involves partying with some of these people and will be post of it's own.

Happenings:

Trelise Cooper workroom sale on in Lyon Street Newmarket today and tomorrow - Mum bought me buttons, I love her.

Knit Rangers last meetup for the year (last meetup for a whole month!) this sunday at the Packing Shed, 2pm. I'll come dressed up as a hangover.

* sook: (rhymes with "took")kindly description of someone who is being silly, or behaving like a softy or scaredy cat. As in:- "you're being a sook"... "just a big sook" and so on... More often than not the phrase is used as a term of endearment.

Friday round up

Roses in progess

another beautiful day? fingers crossed for the weekend to remain the same.

Problem: fledgling birds falling out of nests all over the back yard - parent birds screeching, cats fascinated - these things don't run away, and our bells don't scare them away...luckily there haven't been any casualties, yet - now the cats are locked inside with a litter tray, the laundry door is kept closed because Frasier (aka Houdini) has learnt to undo the catches on this side of the cat door, and then bash the door over and over until it flips up a little, he then hooks his paw under and lifts the cat door so that he can escape, he then undoes the catches on the outside so that Layla can get out too...scarey.

I'm out in the garden every time I hear a screeching parent bird, and using an old towel to pop the babies back into the branches. I'm also making a note in my calender to book the cats into the cattery for a visit this time next year!

Knit Rangers this weekend - yay! I am loving this group!! Come and join us - see the blog for details.

The denim pants are 1/2 finished (jeepers must go load them on ravelry) I'm using the machine knit pattern of my own design, but adapting it for handknitting. I can't wait to see them teamed up with the sweater, then I suppose I'll have to make bootees and a hat...and then there are 3 more babies to knit for (so far)

The one where he is in trouble - again...

I came home to find Frasier burrowing through Charlotte's clean laundry...I won't tell her if you won't.

I have just finished the "Liam" sweater and am so pleased with it, I love garter st on babies, and learnt a lot while making Inigo's jacket of many colours - mostly that I had to trust my swatch, and not freak out if the garment was looking a bit bigger than I had expected.

This sweater is for a friend's baby-to-be, I'm knitting some denim pants to go with it, and the patterns for both will be available when they are finished.

I was thinking of calling it the "one black sheep" sweater, but the black sheep is looking more and more wolf-like...maybe I should have called it "wolf in sheeps clothing"!

Hanging with my homie

Mornings I am patted on the face until I wake up

Sleeptime is from 9.30 until 2.30...corresponding with my work hours

talking is constant

I cannot move without being followed

Knitting is now ignored so long as he can sit in my lap while I do it

if I am out of sight - screaming ensues

has trained Flash to give him treats every night when he returns from work, and knows the sound of his car

no, we haven't adopted a toddler - Frasier turns 1 today

and no, there were no presents, extra treats or catfood cakes!

Designer shopping

There's nothing this girl likes more than having a spend up at Trelise Cooper or Liz Mitchell, their shapes fit me and make me feel good, their fabrics are always exciting and the styles intriguing and the cut always fabulous.

However - with multiple children in the "expensive" years, multiple houses, a part time job, and a business which pays for itself (apparently this is a positive) I am more likely to be haunting Hartley's sales than shopping in Ponsonby Rd.

Today though I managed to buy a colourful delight from Trelise and a little black number from Liz daaaaarling.

That's right - the designers are doing their bit for cat charities in New Zealand - that's $10.00 per bowl to help felines in distress, and they chuck in some free fancy feast too.

It's bon nuit from me, and it's bon what? from him...

Mother duck and ducklets in my garden - for Lara...who knows that while I am often late, I never ever forget.Our big boy who went to the cattery for the first time today





and the Monet yarn...that will be a story to tell on my return...

So, we're off in the morning...I'll be back with tales of castles and Cath Kidston, palaces and Patricia Roberts, yarn, art, museums and history, until then sayonara, see you and good night!

Friday round up

Before she goes here...I have a list...the orange plastic spoons from T2 ( they're handy ok?) Green and Blacks with caramel and seasalt, the scent of Pentimento...(she offered to go in with a jar and capture some air!) did you guess?...Blaise is off to Sydney for a week.

As a gift to the friend she is staying with, Blaise is knitting a scarf...but in true Turner tradition it's just not that simple.

First buy your yarn....cream Naturally felted lambswool

skein it and soak it

then paint it with a variety of purples (your best friend's favourite colour)

cook it, wash it, dry it, re-ball it...then knit it!

Some Knit Rangers are meeting up with KiwiChick this sunday morning at 10.30 outside Wild and Woolly, we'll have tea and cake and talk knitting, join us if you can!

it's over

The Hourglass sweater....she is done.

excuse the 80's ensuite - but Frasier was in the shot and I couldn't resist
cos I loves him

stats: 12 skeins of Noro Cash iroha (beautiful yarn even if it is a single)

perfect when I tried it on prior to blocking, after blocking the sleeves are perfect for a gorilla, and the neck is most definitely flashdance, I was reminded of the Yarn Harlot's story of the sweaters that grew. I will shorten the sleeves with surgery, the neck is not so bad that I can't wear it, and my collarbones are one of my favourite features - so the neckline can remain. The cosiness of this yarn is beyond belief - no itch on my itchy-scratchy skin, heaven!

Friday round up

the despised cat tree has finally been shifted from the lounge, to the landing - where it is out of sight, but also much more fun for the cats - as they can run up the stairs and then up the cat tree - like screaming meemees. They are well trained, when they hear Flash's car they race to see who gets to the top of the tree first, because he always gives them a treat when he gets home - the top kitty gets the first treat - Layla wasn't moving last night.

- These kiwis do not want to fly home - so much so that they are hunger striking on the rooftop of the Villawood detention centre in Sydney - where they have been incarcerated awaiting deportation.
One of the 2 gentlemen is being deported after serving a sentence for armed robbery, the other for common assault.
I fully support their cause, we have enough criminals here in New Zealand.


- I hate duck season - I forgot how much...we live in an area surrounded by native bush, with lots of little streams and creeks leading to wetlands, it is all very beautiful, and it is all full of ducks, they wander our streets and forage in our gardens, silly people who think "oh cute!" feed them, and then have a monkey on their back forever more, as they open the door each morning to 10s of birds wanting a feed.

I hate that they pair up, and when one is inevitably run over (don't mix bogan petrolheads and ducks) the other one sits beside the body - I feel the weight of our collective human guilt heavily on my shoulders, and I haven never hurt one.

I hate that some of them have babies in the middle of winter - stupid ducks, and that I will see a local mother with 15 babies in the morning - and only 6 left by the afternoon.

This year we have a new duck challenge - despite our refusal to feed them, our cats who chase them, and our 6 foot high fences...this morning a duck found our pool, and very happy he was too, swimming around and quacking like a class of 3 year olds singing "Old Macdonald".

I will be buying a pool size net.

- there has been knitting - but if you are not a Raveller, then you do not know the extent of it...I have finished one sleeve of the blue blob, and attached it to the body stitches, now I am halfway through the other sleeve, looks like I will finish it before we go away!

mutant kitty

Frasier and the mutant kitty eye off

I wanted to make a baby toy - there are many things to consider when making anything for a baby, safety is paramount, then there are the aspects of visual and tactile elements, elements a baby will appreciate, but that a parent may not, baby aesthetics are quite different to those of adults - we want harmony and balance, babies need some jarring and contrast. Shape is important too, something that is easy for little hands to hold, and nothing long or thin to go into that mouth, fabric ranges from soft and cuddly, through smooth to more heavily textured.

Taking all of that into account I made this touchy feely kitty, it has a face (important) is a shape babies can hold, has bold visual statements, (and a more restful back) is securely sewn and stuffed with sheeps wool, has securely attached ears and feet made with interesting fabrics, big enough to hold, but not big enough to choke on. The front is made from a cashmere suiting -so is smooth and soft, the back from that printed linen tablecloth I showed you last week, nice and tactile, the ears and feet from printed fabric - cotton and flannelette - interesting and cuddly.Eyes and nose are needlefelted into position, they have become one with the felt of the face, and the pupils are embroidered in wool.

You can make your own touchy feely kitty, the pattern is here. Mine is being parcelled up with a couple of other items as a surprise for a wee girl I've never met, as a thank you to her Mum.

(he has no tail - he is a Manx cat)

Knit Rangers

a very successful meetup yesterday! see here

thanks for the comments about Frasier - he has bells on his collar, so hopefully won't be dragging any dead creatures back home, if he does we will have to re-think his liberty.

Masters

What a wicked look! Our boy is certainly getting big.

Holly - thank you darling for reminding me! Fanny is from France and is studying wine at Lincoln for a semester, she writes the most delicious blog, beautiful photos, gorgeous recipes, and delightful prose. Holly tells me that Fanny's course of study involves patisserie for a year, then cheese for a year etc, I must ask more questions, so it is a tribute to Lincoln that she has chosen to attend their wine science programme.

Speaking of food blogs - I was looking for a baked ricotta recipe recently (we are deprived I tell you!) and yowser! found my new favourite food blog! We are having the beetroot pesto spaghetti for dinner tonight, I slow roasted the beetroot to deepen the flavour, and best of all, it's vegetarian, so Blaise will be smiley!

Kaffe was wonderful, he looked no older than the last time I saw him, the hour was inspiring, and reassuring, the evocative photos of his work and inspiration, this time I took away the feeling that I am still heading in the right direction as far as my creativity goes, it wasn't the "ka-pow!" I felt last time I listened to him, more a comforting knowledge that what he does is right for him, and what i do is right for me. Brandon Mably was there, which I hadn't expected, gah! if I had known I would have taken my book to be signed, but as it was they were swamped with quilters at the book signing! To answer that question...I love his fabric designs, but I doubt I will ever take up quilting! I also did not get any photos, being the diffident kiwi girl I am I thought cameras would not be welcome - slap my hand!

a numbers game

we have a winner:

Frasier was born on the 15th of November 2006. MohairPink - email me with your postal address and the book will be in the post.

I am reading a beautiful book "The nine emotional lives of cats" Jeffrey Masson lives in Auckland, and goes for walks on the beach with his cats (he is a "dog person" too)the book is very good for counteracting those "it's just cupboard love" comments. I thought I knew a lot about cats, but have learnt so much from his gentle observations.Frasier loves me so fiercely, won't leave me alone, squawks when I leave the house, know that I am leaving by the jangling of my keys...but when I feel like a cuddle...he'll just glance at me and keep on doing whatever it is he wants to do...and now I understand why.

the latest addition to my wardrobe - the Georgia Hoodie from Threadless, how could I not? I need some knitting themed doubleknit to wear to a knitting festival - not this one I'm afraid - the only attraction is James, and lovely and talented as he is, it's too far and too much money for what it is. However I am thinking about attending this one - the machine knitting festival, there are some interesting and talented speakers attending, and some great field trips, however I really should be head down saving money for our trip in October, it's another of Flash's work trips, and regretably involves a lot of rugby - which I am trying hard to tolerate, but apparently I won't be allowed to take my knitting to the games...(we'll see about that)to make the rugby side more palatable to me (I don't really have a choice of wether or not I go...we like our lifestyle...as the boss's wife there are sacrifices I have to make) we are having 3 days in Singapore alone together (our next favourite goodtime town after Sydney)then the 10 days in Paris and the Loire Valley with 40 of Flash's customers for the Rugby world cup (the trip is called "Rugby and Romance" - we are in Paris for the rugby and the Loire Valley for the romance - from the look of the schedule the events co-ordinator obviously has romance confused with wine) then 3 days alone in England - 2 in London, and 1 in and around my home town of Gloucester for a spot of nostalgia and 2 more days in Singapore on the way home. I have had expert help putting together an itinerary, now we are just working on Flash's french (he had to call me from the Metro last time he was there, he couldn't get out! he was on his cellphone - I'm saying "sortie, sortie" poor baby!)

The blue blob update - I have reached the yoke, and have taken your advice Mary, I no longer have the chiselled collarbones required for the wide neck look, I'll be increasing the decreases to end up with something slightly more discreet, loving the calmness of the stst, something that I can't stuff up...(there have been monumental stuff ups)

2 days early 5 days late

(for Friday round up - I realised I missed last week - what can I say, I broke my bottom)

- Knit Rangers - once again small but perfectly formed, 2 attendees, 2 apologies, and 4 apologies later from people who assumed that I, Jussi. would.miss.knitting.because.I.broke.my.bum

never, never, never assume.

We are meeting again this Sunday between 2- 4 pm at the Packing shed.

- I spent last week sleeping, and knitting on the Hourglass sweater, I now know just exactly how many rows of stocking stitch it takes to drive me to despair, and then round the corner into agony and regret...and it is a surprisingly low number.

- Speaking of agony and despair, I have a copy of "Friday night knitters club" which I would like out of my house, I paid good money for it, so don't want to put it out with the rubbish, the first person to tell me when I will be off crutches can have it, and like the delightful Donna, who gave me the book recycling idea, I'll even pay for the shipping. Ok, so I can't expect you all to be p-sychic, in the comments tell me when Frasier's birthday is instead, the first correct guess gets it (it's sometime in November)

- my bottom isn't really broken, I can't remember the technical terms (the 2 very wonderful physios were explaining it to me as they tag teamed me, I nodded and "yupped" a lot but was in too much pain to take it in) something in my L sacro-iliac joint has rotated, and the relevant muscle has gone into spasm, the physio is working extremely well, as are the exercises I have been given. I am back at work this week, and enjoying not sleeping all day.

- Just Jussi, is just lovely, I have decided to go with an evolving range rather than " 2 collections a year plus resort wear" I just don't design within that structure, I start with a barrage of ideas, modify and work with them, follow them to other places, then refine them, I think most are reasonably classical and prefer to work with a continuous long term range. I have worked a lot with de-structuring, and have a couple of nice garments come out of that exploration, but the thing I was really looking for, the draped, pleated neckline, is not working at a commercial level, I have acheived what I wanted, but the time it takes is unworkable, still it has led me into other directions. I have a couple of sweet tunic style dresses which I hope to have up soon, and a funnel neck sweater which is the perfect vehicle for the naturally dyed organic merino.

- If you would like a Frasier fix, go here, I am too ashamed to put this on the blog - yes, he is the "Posterboy for "pathetic"" and no he wasn't taken away from his Mummy too early.

- Finally, a big smile to my husband...background - I don't like tattoos, never wanted one, and didn't really like Flash's, but they are part of him, yadda yadda.

While escorting Blaise to the tattoo parlour to have a small ladybird etched onto her upper thigh (the thigh that grew in my womb for 8 months and 12 days, the thigh that I fed, clothed and sought medical treatment for for sixteen years - can't keep that Jewish ancestry down) anyway, that's another post.

One of the main problems I have with Flash's tats, is that two of them were done to celebrate his previous 2 weddings (yes I'm the lucky third Mrs Flash) and have his ex-wives names on them, one was acided out, the other inked over, but I can see the names, particularly the inked out one, and that bit. He has offered in the past to get a new tattoo over his heart with my name in it, I always refused as I didn't want him to have any more, it wasn't that big of a deal.

The dear man decided to share Blaise's pain, and had the offending tattoo touched up in pretty colours, and a change made - thus:

he's a keeper.

knackered

this is what I found when I came home this evening, a little boy asleep on my bed, obviously plum tuckered out from the taxing job of "protecting" my knitting. (isn't he getting big, and long, and shiny! - his coat is like velvet, short and sleek)

does anyone else have a cat who carries knitting needles around the house?

the view from here

There are cats, and then there are Bengals...I had been told this, I believed it, I had met some adult Bengals and some teeny weeny baby Bengals, and they were everything our family wanted in a cat - talkative, intelligent, different, just like our kids.

As a child I showed my cat "Mitzi" she was a stunning Silver Tabby British shorthair, her cage was always covered with ribbons, and I made good pocket money out of the sweepstakes, the judges loved her pliant good nature, she was the smartest cat we ever had. My family has always had cats, except for our stay in Oz (where I had to cuddle the cats on my walks) so I have had plenty of feline experience.

Frasier has rocked my world, he is demanding, and unrelenting - he is the cat version of a toddler, he cries when someone leaves the house, has very clear ideas (which clash with mine) about what he is going to eat, loves his toys...and Layla's toys, and Jussi's toys...(read my green chibi holder - not the pink or the white, only the green, and my photolink cable)

Frasier walking off with my chibi again

and my cable...

and climbing my leg when I take them away...my view looking down

This happens a few times a day,we are getting better at anticipating his next move, just like a toddler he gives you clues, he vocalises to himself and paces when he is about to do something "naughty", so we have warning. He learns new "words" everyday, and chats with us constantly - "where are you?, where are you going?, what's that?, can I eat it?, no I want meat - I said meat not biscuits!" oh and he definitely has a word for "no"

Having teenagers has made it a lot easier to train Frasier though, everyone in the family helps - if he jumps onto the table everyone responds the same way, by saying "down" and placing him on the floor, so even though he is full on, he isn't being spoilt too much.

I am so glad that we decided to keep Layla, if I had known that Bengals really need another cat around I would have bought two. He is busy all day long and Layla helps to relieve him of some of his boundless energy by chasing him relentlessly, she has taken on some of his behaviour too, they both follow me throughout the day, and she has learnt his words as well. Unfortuantely I have had to seperate them at mealtimes, Frasier vomited 2 mornings in a row, I called the vet and had a chat, and we worked out what was happening, Frasier vacums his meat and then vacums Layla's, then of course the inevitable happens and it all comes back up. Yuk.

In other news, I have a FO that I can show you for a change, a simple garter st scarf for Blaise, long and skinny (30 sts on 3.5 mm needles until the skein of Koigu ran out)

and finally a word about Lichen.

A couple of eco-nazis, sorry, concerned citizens have emailed me anonomously (chickens) to advise me of my evil ways, apparently Lichen is endangered in some places and my suggestion that people use it dye wool is abhorrent, and I should be pilloried for the suggestion.

I would like to make a couple of comments in my defence.

1. I live in New Zealand - little country in the South Pacific, not part of Australia, lot's of sheep.

2. In NZ we are quite good at conserving flora and fauna, ok we aren't great, but we're up there, our government has just spent 10 million dollars to save some snails.

3. The upshot of this is that we don't have the huge populations, acid rain and deforestation issues that North America and Europe have, so our local lichen population is very healthy, thank you. I agree that dyers should act responsibly when gathering plantstuffs, and should be aware of their local environment. In my local environment I was able to gather a small pot of lichen from pruned branches and windfall, this is more than enough to dye 2 kilos of wool, and will last a year or two if stored correctly.

I would suggest that if anyone wants to use plant dyes ensures that the plant is not endangered locally, gathers a small amount, or grows plants for their own use.

A day in the life...

secret knitting, so here is Frasier's typical day: Love bites on Jussi's foot "help" with the knitting "help" Layla with her tailEnsure the wheels on Flash's briefcase are spinning freely
keep Flash warm

trail mix?

today I returned to Hands Ashford - and this time I could purchase whatever I wanted, no quarantine this time! The little bags in the picture above are neither spices nor trail mix ingredients (I was teasing Holly) but madder, brazil wood, cutch and cochineal (beetles-shhhh) I have had enough of not being able to source coloured organic merino, so have decided to have a go myself. Years ago when I lived on Waiheke I dyed yarn with eucalyptus leaves and lichen, using baking soda, and copper and iron cooking pots as mordants instead of metal salts, I ended up with ranges of pinks, apricots and purples, some of which I still have in baby garments knitted back then - and they are still colourfast. In later years I grew rose madder for pinks, yarrow and coreopsis, and used alum - in tiny quantities, to fix yellows from the coreopsis and yarrow. I am going to experiment with my purchases, as well as walnut shells and onion skins - hopefully I'll end up with a range of subtle elegant, colourfast shades, which I know to be safe. The organic spinners I have spoken to are wary of commercial "organic" dyes, and fair enough, I only need to dye a moderate amount of yarn, they are responsible for a lot more than that.

I purchased some Touchyarns 4ply merino in the "Blackwatch" colourway , it is beautifully soft, and very reasonable at $15 for 100g.I have started on a wee basket stitch cardigan of my own design, I think this stitch pattern should bring out the colours well.

Tomorrow I plan to drive out to Akaroa - a French settlement on the coast an hour from Christchurch, I have a copy of the "Crafty girls road trip"book, new batteries in the camera, and a whole day to myself, I plan to explore the galleries and shops, especially the Paua pearl gallery (blue pearls) but somehow I don't think I'll be buying anything there! The book has a few a few glaring holes: Geoff's Emporium of Dominion rd, and behind the new library in Henderson are legendary, but missing. I would thoroughly recommend the book to anyone planning any travel in NZ, especially those from overseas, it is wonderful to have all of those resources in one place, the author has done a lot of work.

All sounds well at home, Flash has not continued with the demolitions (the fridge didn't fit in the kitchen, so a couple of cupboards had to go...the dishwasher pipe was behind the back of the glassware cupboard...so that had to go) the girls are mucking in well, even cooking dinner and making his lunch for him, however they did lose Frasier for a few moments...I wonder if they checked his favourite hiding place? better not tell him about the local Indian restaurant nearby my motel...it's called "A taste of Bengal" hmmmm.

The Layla and Frasier show

yes it's me again,broadband still not in residence but getting closer...we now have a dedicated adsl jackpoint thanks to the lovely telecom man who visited last thursday, now we are awaiting delivery of a new router which will not happen while I am here in Christchurch, and the final "switch" to be thrown to actually connect us ( it has got to the point where whenever I imagine that moment I see a bearded man in coat tails brandishing an outlandishly large pair of scissors as he awaits the moment - when he will cut the red ribbon fluttering in front of him and the assembled crowds - hurrah! the Broadband is connected - hurrah!)

Flash has coined a new pseudo-medical term for this semi-connected, semi-delusional state I am currently inhabiting, my feelings of being slightly lost and disjointed, the feeling that there is .something. missing. he says that I am "unplugged from the matrix" and he is correct, I miss my cyber social life, wandering the virtual neighbourhood visiting my friends - has the cold cleared up? how was the first day of school? the baby must have grown a lot, how did that green wool knit up? how was SSK? It is wonderful catching up with family and friends, but half my life is unreachable at present except for the slightest of contact - I am thankful that I have been able to maintain my business suring this time - but there is a lot of updating work to do there.

Holly and I returned to Christchurch today, she starts Uni tomorrow, and I am here until wednesday, when she will move into her flat, this time we know what to do, where to go, what to expect. I am looking forward to spending some quality hours in secondhand bookshops and antiques shops tomorrow, wandering the unspoilt goodwill stores with their treasures of hand embroidered tea towels and candlewick bedspreads. I will be searching for "The Loving stitch" which has been been discontinued, but should be available somewhere in this country! it will make a good companion to my copy of "Thrift to fantasy" a beautiful and expansive book describing domestic crafts from NZ's history. Christchurch still provides good hunting for those of us on the lookout for vintage treasures.

I was going to post photos of my workroom, I am so happy with it, the light, space and wonderful views, but unfortuantely it is presently marred with a 7 foot tall "cat tree", as this is Frasier's "quiet" space for when he needs time out - hopefully it will move to a less conspicuous part of the house soon! oh I can't wait until our lives are just slightly quieter - just for a bit...my mum says that the drama only stops when you die...and even then it continues, but you no longer care! but have i told you about the washer and dishwasher? hmm yes I think so... the brand new bed which broke the first time we slept in it (don't think those thoughts, we were just sleeping...too tired!) (1/16th inch steel - should have been 1/8th used to make the centre brace and slats with huge knots - not a good combination)the flooding dishwasher? the fact that the house had obviously not been cleaned for a long time and I still keep discovering pockets of "ick"...but have I told you about my new herb garden, the fence Flash put up to keep the kitties safely in the entertaining areas, the evenings spent languishing in the spa with a wine, the stars, and my dear husband, the native tuis with their beautiful liquid song, (see one here at youtube)the utter quiet and peace after living on that intersection on Parramatta Road, the big blue LandRover Discovery sitting in my (steeeeeep) driveway, and those aforementioned kitties:

Layla

(yarn? what yarn?)

Frasier

I'm not really biting the zombie baby...