Wednesday 24 April 2013

I've FAILED .. (so much for bragging ..)

ok.  I've sat in the naughty corner and had a good think about it and I'm ready to admit I've FAILED and I'm SORRY.  well. a bit.  well.  not really.  not completely not as SUCH.  ok, I HAVE failed to keep to my resolve to not start "new" projects while I have things OTN's but then I couldn't not.  (thats my excuse and I'm sticking to it).

Looking at the positives, I'm getting the hang of wielding a crochet hook and I've successfully completed a whole cowl project knit completely continentally left handed with Norwegian purl too AND I've knit a hat and a half .. I had to sneak them in amongst other legit projects so thats where the failure creeps in.
Also, I'm about to "fail" dismally as I still have sock 1 to complete and I've already signed up for the May/June sock kal on Coop Knits ravelry page to coincide with her lovely new sock pattern book - sigh - but what can one do?  I have to join in!  I've already discovered I'm very much a "process" knitter but also I'm a very "social" one too - I have to knit the in thing, I have to join in and do what everyone else is doing, I can't help it! someone drops casual comment about a beaded lace KAL and voila! I'm signing up too!  (I've not.  in case anyone is looking a KAL, although there are some from Laura Nelkin in her group .. sigh .. and thats another problem - I've signed up for all the knitting classes going in Craftsy, and I've also signed for Anniken's finishing course too - I can't help it! I wants to be doing something and joining in!).

Pictures.  before I bore everyone to death.  While sat in the naughty corner contemplating all my projects on the go, I took photo's and have updated my Ravelry projects pages and resolve to NOT fussing and losing confidence, I needn't ruin what I've got started by getting upset, I've got over myself and am now resolved to finishing SOMETHING.  anything.  just start FINISHING.



 First off, here's ME wearing the lovely Ripple Cowl which looks nothing like it does on the main page, but that might be my extra loose knitting as I was only using my left hand. 



This is North Lyme a hat I'm knitting using Rowan Baby Merino silk dk and its for no.2.son who requested a second hat!  I also received a voucher and invite to pre purchase a new ebook of hat patterns for babies and adults - Playful Woolly Toppers - and I also signed for Crafty's hat knitting class too ..

My foray into crocheting is coming along slowly, I've a feeling I've done a bit more on this since the photo and a FB pal noticed it seeming to come in smaller as I progress and I am now worried I've decreased by not going into all the chains, this is the difficulty in learning something by yourself without an expert to hand to look at it.
cough.  luckily for me I DO have an expert pal - cough - SALLY - I may bring this along for inspection!!
The pattern is lovely and straight forward - notice I didn't say EASY?  (actually it IS easy, its just I can't get the hang of it and have to keep stopping and backtracking and counting every few stitches).

Patchouli is designed to accompany a blouse I'm in the process of sewing.  I did say I was sewing again?   Not as much as I used to but I have missed sewing and dressmaking in particular, and I've bought a Burda blouse pattern and have almost sewn a toille to sort of nearly FIT.  And thats another failure.  After changing meds I found myself suffering the known and very common side effect of INCREASED appetite and weight gain.  And I have gained weight - lots of it!  The GP, however, refuses to switch the meds as he declares me the best I've been in years ... considering the last few times I've seen him he's been backing himself into a corner and/or slamming his fingers in his own drawers in attempt to get through the tedium of ME sat in his room this is progress.
I've got to put up with it and learn to deal with it.

 No.1.son has gone home back to his Uni digs for the rest of the term and I am trying hard to continue to knit his socks but with no deadline AND the added distraction of my new book purchase of sock patterns I'm going to have to be very strong to resist flinging this aside and diving into new socks!
The socks are actually knitting up quite fast - just "plain" knitting and the sequence of pattern and colour is nice, my son has confirmed he likes them so I must finish them!

The lovely Rachel has got a book out! hurrah! at last she's printed a sock pattern book where all the socks are immediately ones I want to knit!!  I pre ordered as soon as it was announced and this week it arrived! extra early she sent out the copies and mine dropped through the letter box on Tuesday.

As you can see, I've already picked out my sock yarn!  Rachel is proposing a sock KAL for two sock patterns May and June and I've got my eye on WillowHerb - do you think it would look terrific in lime green?  I bought this sock yarn last year and have waited for a nice pattern and feel this is it.

Knitting aside its been a hectic and stressful week all round.
First off our elder son had to return to Uni early for a dental appointment, his temporary crown then promptly fell out after 3 days and then he rang to tell his he'd been asked to present a talk at some Student "do" - the nerves are jangling ! I tried to convince him he'd do a good job and we've all got our fingers crossed for him for Saturday!  Least this way he's not got time to panic?
On what should have been his last day at home, spent with him in the evening before up early to drive back our other son announced he'd been having eye problems and had self diagnosed himself with a detached retina, after ten mins this had progressed to total blindness and the end of his life.
Of course I scoffed at this but when I saw how upset he was I phoned our local Opticians and got him an appointment for the Tuesday - our other son's last day - and arranged to leave work early to take him.
He was ages in with the Optician and then came out and advised the Optician was writing a letter and that he'd got to go to HOSPITAL. ... .  The Optician put the fear into us by telling me to not delay, to take my son immediately to the Eye Hospital .. "detached retina"  was mentioned .. when I asked for the tel. no. so I could get directions, the Receptionist kindly copied me a map and the Optician advised we go NOW!

DH was still at work so I managed to get hold of him and squeak down the phone that he was needed NOW and should leave work NOW and come home NOW .. not to PANIC or WORRY but we had to get to the Hospital before 7pm.  poor dh promptly got home in good time and I managed to calm him sufficiently to look at the map for directions while giving him the outline of the saga of the eyes and the appointments.  (he hadn't known about it as I'd not mentioned it, feeling certain that it was "nothing").  After convincing dh we had an emergency on our hands as being the best way to get to the appointment dh then reverted to type - he has a phobia about Hospitals and anything medical - and managed to somehow "throw" his car keys at the car and underneath!  I was practically howling at him for being an idiot after I came across him lying UNDER the car road side out without knowing he'd dropped his keys I thought the idiot had got himself RUN OVER!!  Poor son was shaking by the time we got to the Hospital and when the Receptionist asked what we were there for I managed to squeak that our son had a detached retina and we'd been told to attend promptly and without delay .. the letter, however, although mentioning vague possibilities was somewhat low key about it so I ended up looking like over fussing hysterical MUM.

DH and son were quivering wrecks while we waited the THREE hours to be seen - first by a Nurse - the same one we'd signed in with - this time she put the wind up us by saying the Dr would advise what operation, laser treatment our son MIGHT need and we waited for an hour to see him.  by which time we were all stressed and could just manage a squeak at him when he pronounced our son's eyes to be "healthy" and free from any detachment retina or otherwise ..  are you SURE? I asked .. quite sure he said - but added "if it doesn't improve, gets worse or you worry then return to us immediately" and we came away after spending four hours in a waiting room to face the hurdle of grocery shopping and food preparation.  The kids had fish and chips and we had a ready meal ours not until after 11pm!

anyway.  its sorted.  his eyes are settled and at least he has had an eye sight test too and these are fine!
families eh?  this is one reason I knit - its a great sress buster!



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