Sheepish Stitcher

2006-12-31T00:36:00.000Z

New Year Resolutions

For the first time ever I am making some New Year resolutions. Don't ask me why I am doing it this year - all I can say is that I feel I am on a threshold. It's now or never. There are things I must do for the sake of my family and for me.

1) First and foremost, I will go back to WeightWatchers and stick to the diet properly. My goal is to lose at least three stone by September 15th.

2) Become organised. I will keep a proper appointments diary, and make use of lists for work and for running the home. I will accept I have a poor memory and take action to deal with it. I will keep my desk at work tidy.

3) I will stick to my 25 project challenge this year as outlined in the post below, although I reserve the right to change the projects in my list provided they still come from my stash.

4) I will take more interest in my appearance and attempt to wear make up to work, and not turn up in jeans and t-shirt.

2006-12-31T00:29:00.000Z

25 Project Challenge

Here follows my list of 25 projects that I currently have in my stash that I must complete before I buy any new stash. The only exceptions are class projects and magazines, and I am allowed to have one treat when my first year is up, i.e. on 27th September 2007.

1-Tatty Teddy Cushion - Done!!
2-Judy Dixon's Daydreams - Done!!
3-Bookmark for Jenny (Lunchtime) - Done!!
4-Ben's Christmas Stocking - Done!!
5-Michael Powell Wedding Sampler
6-Lorri Birmingham Ring Pillow
7-Judy Dixon's Cameo Silk (Lunchtime)
8-Majestic Lace
9-Sharon Miller's Dove Shawl - Done!! 13th February 2007
10-Margaret Sherry's 'Not Fat'
11-SB 2000 Years Ago
12-CA Wells Cottage Etui - Done!!! 5th January 2007
13-Judy Dixon's Cottage Dreams (Lunchtime)
14-Judy Dixon Embroidery
15-Just Nan Mermaid Heart
16-Another piece of 'Proper' Embroidery
17-Stumpwork piece
18-MVS's 'Day'
19-Judy Dixon's Christmas Class project
20-Ed the Hedgehog Christmas design
21-Indian Summer Reflections
22-Debbie's stocking
23-Twelve Days of Christmas
24-Another Judy Dixon 'Proper' embroidery
25-'Three's a Crowd'- Done!!

2005-08-11T08:00:00.000+01:00

I have moved!!!!

You will now find me at Catsize. Please join me there and update your links and blogroll!

2005-08-04T09:55:00.000+01:00

I'm pretty bored at work at the moment; no deadlines, no last minute panics, nothing to motivate me in short. I'm therefore spending a lot of time illicitly surfing blogs and BBs, waiting for people to make new posts so I have something to read. I feel disappointed when there is nothing much new to read and sometimes feel quite put out. But of course, what right have I to expect everyone else to post when I don't post very often myself? It's all very well thinking that everyone else has a much more interesting life than I do, but I have come to realise that it's just the way they write that is more interesting. Many people find humour in the most mundane circumstances and can write in such a way that it becomes amusing and interesting. Others have a focus that guides their blog entries; they might be pet lovers, prolific knitters, stitchers or photographers. Some are suffering from a illness, diagnosed or in the process of being diagnosed. Many have children, are pregnant or living with a newborn. All have a theme that colours their blog entries and makes it interesting for their readers, and these are the blogs that gain larger and larger audiences. So why do I write a blog when I fall in to none of those categories? Mainly I think, because I like to look back to old entries to see what I was doing and thinking in the past, but also because I know some friends read it and it is a way to keep in touch. Also, I just like writing stuff down. My family don't read this, I doubt they even know it exists as I am the only real internet user in the family, and I would be embarrassed for them to read it as they don't understand my various obssessions LOL!
Anyway, back to more mundane matters. I haven't stitched or knitted for the last two nights - I have simply been too tired to do much more than veg out in front of the TV. It's a little disappointing after feeling so good on Monday, but as usual, the increased activity on Monday just wiped me out for the rest of the week. I have to do my shopping tonight, and Jenny is coming round for the evening, so I doubt if I will do anything tonight. Debbie will be coming round tomorrow for a curry, so there will be nothing doing tomorrow night either! Speaking of curries, that is a treat I am looking forward to as I have been keeping very very well to my diet for two weeks now and have lost 4lb in total so far. Not a lot I know but it's a start and I really do feel I have got into it properly now!
I am getting so excited about the kittens! Only three and a half weeks now until I get them, but it seems like eternity! I check the breeders website two or three times a day to see if any new piccies have been put up, which is stupid as they said they would e-mail me any new pics. I am so looking forward to getting them home, and although I am still slightly worried about how Bandy will react, I am sure the pen will help a lot. I have definitely decided on the names being Sirius and Hagrid, Sirius being the silver tabby and Hagrid the tabby and white.
And now I had better go and do aome work....

2005-08-03T13:16:00.000+01:00

Your Birthdate: November 25

Your birth on the 25th day of the month (7 energy) modifies your life path by giving you some special interest in technical, scientific, or other complex and often hard to understand subjects.

You may become something of a perfectionist and a stickler for details.

Your thinking is logical and intuitive, rational and responsible.

Your feelings may run deep, but you are not very likely to let them show.

This birthday makes you a more private person, more introspective and perhaps more inflexible.

In friendships you are very cautious and reserved.

You are probably inventive, and given to unique approaches and solutions.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

2005-08-02T19:06:00.000+01:00

A couple of people have asked why I am not choosing a 'cute' name for my kittens. The reason is because they are Maine Coon cats, one of the largest breeds of cat. You can see a pic of how big they can get here. I think you will agree they are too imposing and dignified to have a 'cute' name.....

2005-08-02T08:32:00.000+01:00

I think I have finally got over my stitching slump! I stitched for two hours last night and I am so happy about it! I even stitched on the mermaid box, the project that set off the slump in the first place. What a relief!! And I can't wait to get back to it tonight. I also spent an hour sorting out a pile of stash that was sitting in our back room, as I have realised that with the two new kitties arriving in a few weeks, I need to be a bit tidier! I can't fit it all into my stash drawers, but it is all stacked up now. I just need to stitch and stitch and whittle that collection down a bit lol!! I also managed to knit a row on my shawl just before I went to bed. Only 17 rows left to do then it will be finished. I then need to work out how to 'block' it, which I admit I am a bit scared about.
I think I have solved the problem of kitty number two's name - how about Sirius? Does that sound OK to you? And here is a pic of the little guy himself

I am hoping to receive some more updated pics from the breeder soon, and I will post them as soon I have them. I'm getting excited now about the kits - only four weeks now and I will have them, and have two weeks off work as well! I can hardly wait!

2005-07-28T11:37:00.000+01:00

Thank you for the suggestions for kitty #2's name. I like Padfoot best, I had thought of that but I actually, for some reason, find the word hard to say, and I just know it would end up being shortened to Paddy. That in itself isn't so bad, but my parents used to have a parrot that I loathed and despised and it's name was, you guessed it, Paddy. So not good connotations there. Another one I thought of was Rubeus, Hagrids first name, but again I can see it becoming Ruby, not very dignified for a boy. So this leaves Norbert, Norris, Hengist, Merlin, Draco or Albus. Norbert and Norris seem the most appropriate if I can get supress my association of Norris to the Norris in Coronation Street. (Norris comes from Mrs Norris in HP, Filch's cat, which incidentaly is a Maine Coon, so really is a perfect name). And of course there's always Harry...
I will have to think a little longer I think.
I have a small acheivement to report - I actually wanted to stitch on the Mermaid box last night, and stitched for almost an hour! It doesn't sound much but with how I have been lately it's very encouraging! I am also looking forward to stitching on it tonight, if I am not too tired.
Once again, tiredness has been a problem this week. I had a late night on Monday at the cinema and I walked into town for Tuesday lunchtime, and the two things combined have really knocked me for six. I am trying to keep to my diet plan, but I seem to have frequent lapses so I must tighten up. I really, really want to lose a stone by the time I go to my school reunion in September. I don't think I can realistically increase the amount of exercise I take until I lose some weight, it's just putting too much strain on me.

2005-07-26T16:16:00.000+01:00

I thought I should post a picture of Bandy as I have been talking about him so much - so here is the renegade himself.....

2005-07-26T09:11:00.000+01:00

Last night I went to the flicks with DD#1 and DS to see War of the Worlds. Nothing exceptional about that it would seem except I rarely go to the cinema, as my deafness makes it hard for me to follow the film. This time, however, WotW was showing with subtitles, so I went along to try it out. It was wonderful. The subtitles were so well done and as they were translucent you could read them if you concentrated on them, but if you didn't need them they weren't at all intrusive (or so DD and DS said). I really really enjoyed the film, it kept us all on the edge of our seats, and the SFX were excellent, they were not overdone and were very convincing. The happy ending was a tad hokey, but forgiveable. I am over the moon this morning - these subtitles will make all the difference to me and I am looking forward to see what will be the next subtitled film.
More news - we have decided to get two kittens. Everything I read about new kittens and Maine Coons in particular has convinced me that it is better to have two so they are company for each other. I don't know which I will end up having, there are two more males available from Hagrids litter, but someone is going to view them this weekend and will reserve one of them, so I will have the one that is left. I will have to think of a second name. Anyone got any ideas? Neither of their 'pedigree' names lend themselves to adaptation (Jimbilang and Jalawuk). Maine Coons are very large cats, semi-longhaired, and the new kit will be tabby and white.
Knitting - wise, I am on the last repeat of the Dove shawl before the final edge rows. I don't think I will have enough yarn, so I have ordered another ball from Peachey Ethknits. It's unfortunate, as it will be a different dyelot, but can't be helped. I am certainly not going to discard it now. The only comfort is that I don't think I would have had enough anyway, even taking into account the yarn that got sucked up into the Dyson...I am hoping that the diference will not be too pronounced.
Stitching wise, I feel the first signs of interest again, so I hope I shall be stitching again before long. I am due to start Max in the Adirondacks today, as a certain Cat has challenged me to a 'Get back into stitching' SAL. I am not sure whether to start Max or whether to go back to my Mermaid boxwhich is the thing that put me off stitching in the first place. I feel a stirring of interest in Mermaid, and I know I will feel completely better when it is done. We shall see tonight. Mind you, I may not get any stitching done at all, as it is DS's band practice and I will have to run him around.

2005-07-21T13:28:00.000+01:00

As you can see, I have junped on the bandwagon and added some blinkies to my blog. I understand some folk find them irritating, so apologies if you are one of them. Maybe I'll get fed up with them too later on and take them off. In the meantime I like them.
I had yesterday off, and spent it shopping, cleaning the 'fridge and messing about with these blinkies. I feel very trired today, so I am hoping I am not going to crash with the ME/CFS. The reason for all the cleaning is that my in-laws are coming to stay this weekend. It should be pleasant, as we are going out for lunch on Saturday and having a takeaway Friday evening. We were planning to have a BBQ on Sunday but the weather forecast is for rain and cold weather so I think we will give up on that idea. Having said that, I just checked the bbc website and the forecast is now for dry with sunny periods. Typical British weather - can't plan anything!
Bandy is still worrying me. After four days of eating like there is no tomorrow, he is now losing interest again. I am not sure what is going on. Yesterday morning he just licked up the gravy, but an hour later went back and finished the rest off, and seemed to eat normally for the rest of the day. Today, again he only licked up the gravy but I had to go to work before I could see if he will eat the rest. It does look like he has eaten some dry food overnight, so maybe that it at the bottom of it and I am worrying too much
Speaking of cats - here's why cats are better than men....

- Cats may watch TV all day but don't hog the remote control.

- If cats spend 3 hours in the garage they usually have something to show for it (even if only 2 mice and a piece of string).

- Cats do not steal the duvet.

- Cats chase, torture and kill spiders, instead of standing there saying "it's more frightened of you than you are of him".

- Cats do not complain about your family. They might ignore them, but they do not complain.

- Cats go out of their way to greet you when you come home. Admittedly they see you as a tin opener.

- Cats do not bring all their friends home for dinner with no warning. If they do, they usually help themselves from the dustbin.

- Cats really do love you.

- Cats consider leftovers a delicacy.

2005-07-18T12:56:00.000+01:00

My weekend seems to have disappeared in no time at all - I spent it cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom, and reading Harry Potter and the HBP. I feel slightly disappointed with HP. It didn't seem to draw me in like the previous books have, and I missed the detail of life in Hogwarts that we have had before. Hagrid had a very small role to play, and Hedwig was hardly mentioned, neither was Neville LOngbottom. But anyway, it looks like the final part will be different from anything that has gone before, it even seems as though Hogwqarts itself will not feature much in it. Despite all that I will still look forward to the last part, even if we do have to wait some years for it.
I am hoping to start 'Max in the Adirondacks' tonight. I have sorted the floss onto the holders provided in the kit, and I have the fabric all ready to go. It isn't the kit fabric, as that was too small, only 1 1/2 inches border at the sides, but I bought some more from good old Sew and So. It is 18ct Aida in beige - I needed to get the same as the kit fabric as some of the design is unstitched. I can't remember the last time I stitched on Aida, let alone anything as fine as 18ct, so this is going to be challenging. I have my size 28 piecemaker needles ready, and I am actually looking forward to stitching tonight, so maybe my slump is over!!
WIth regard to another Wysocki design, over the weekend I received my E-Bay win, All Burned Out. I was a bit disappointed with it at first as I hadn't realised it was printed on canvas, I assumed it would be worked from a chart. I love the design though, so I still want to stitch it. It will be yet another challenge, albeit of a different kind.
I had a bit of an accident with my Dove shawl...I was hoovering and, to my horror, sucked up a loop of my Kidsilk Haze. By the time I realised, and switched off, about a quarter of the ball had got itself wound around the beater bar of the machine, and had to be cut out. Fortunately Dove itself is unharmed, but I am now unsure whether I have enough yarn left to finish. I might do one pattern repeat less just to be sure.

2005-07-15T13:58:00.000+01:00

Report from the vets...because the last steroid injection only lasted half as long as it was meant to, the vet has now prescribed steroid tablets for Bandy to take every day, for the rest of his life if they work. He had two injections last night, one for a steroid to last 48 hours, and one antibiotic, and I came away with a bottle each of steroid tablets and antibiotics. This morning Bandy was able to eat a whole sachet of Whiskas so the injection have worked very fast. Tonight I will discover whether I will be able to get away with crushing the tablets and putting them in his food. I know I can do it with the antibiotics by keeping them in the 'fridge, which apparantly takes away the bitter taste. I hope this will work with the steroids, as there is no way he will let me get them in his mouth!
At least he is eating again, and hopefully the continual dose of steroids will keep the condition under control.
And now for another quiz that I found on Vash's blog...

This one was fun to do!I would like to know the answers to the questions, but there doesn't seem to be a way to get them, which is a mite annoying.

I've been delving into knitters blogs - there are some really interesting ones out there and I will be adding them to my sidebar later on.There is a whole network and community of knitters here in the UK of which I have been unaware, and they are talking about yarns and patterns of which I have never seen or heard. I am going to have to find out more :-) Now it's cooler, I feel inspired to knit on Dove tonight - we shall see!

2005-07-14T09:19:00.000+01:00

Well I had to do this one didn't I!!!

Which flock do you follow?

this quiz was made by alanna

Well I managed 75 stitches last night! However, it really isn't the weather to be sitting under an afghan, even if it is 100% cotton. Thats my excuse and I am sticking to it :-D Instead of stitching I am wasting time sitting at the computer waiting for people I know to come on msn. Then if they do come on I am struck with an attack of shyness and don't call them up, but wait for then to call me up first LOL! I end up just playing spider solitaire and getting frustrated with not being able to win at it. I really need to get my arse into gear and stop time wasting. Maybe I should knit for a while. I want to start my clapotis, but I need to make my stitch markers first, and I need the needles on which Dove is currently residing, and it is still too hot for Rowan Kidsilk Haze. So I am stuck. I could start the old lady cardigan I suppose....
Bandy is at the vet tonight, so watch this space.

2005-07-13T13:56:00.000+01:00

I've had to make another appointment for Bandy at the vet as once again he is not eating properly. He can eat some very soft food but in limited amounts and cannot manage anything that needs to be chewed. I've been giving him 'luxury' type food as this tends to be softer, but I am worried that he will get fussy, so tonight I will try mashing up his normal Whiskas in gravy. I'm worried as the vet said that the steroid should have calmed his mouth down for a month, and it has only done so for two and a half weeks. I really don't know what the next step is. We have eliminated any underlying cause for it, and so far different vets have mentioned further tooth extractions, more antibiotics and more steroids. I am wondering if he will have any teeth left after all this!
I have managed to keep to my diet this week, which has resulted in the loss of two whole pounds. That doesn't seem much for a first week, where you usually get quite a dramatic loss, but it is two pounds nontheless and I refuse to feel downhearted about it. I shall keep plodding along - I don't have any deadline to meet although I would like to be more 'comfortable' by Christmas. I am really feeling my weight in this heat. I have so few clothes, nothing really cool, and I refuse to go and buy any more in my present size. Tonight I might see if I can squeeze into any of last year's holiday clothes. I doubt it somehow as I think I'm at least a stone heavier than I was then, but it's got to be worth a go. I'm praying for elasticated waistbands!
I did try some stitching last night. I though something new might get my juices flowing, but alas it wasn't to be. I started an afghan; I had the great idea of sewing all the Calendar Cattitudes onto one afghan. However, it's more difficult than I thought, as the threads keep slipping behind the weave of the afghan. I'm therefore going to have to do the one full stitch at a time method, but first I have to finish the one row I have started. Yes folks, that is the sum total of my stitching last night - 35 stitches (blush, blush). Lets hope I have more success this evening.

2005-07-11T15:35:00.000+01:00

Well, it's Monday and I haven't had an anxiety attack today, so I am fairly confident things are on the way up and the meds have kicked in again. I am a little cheesed off that I clearly still need to take them,and it does make me feel a failure, but I would rather feel like I do today than like I did last week.
It's hot today, and like most offices in the UK, our only air-conditioning is an open window, but I have just had to close mine as all the papers just blew off my neighbours desk. I was planning to knit a couple of rows on my Dove shawl tonight but I think it really is not nice to knit fluffy yarns with damp hands, so I think it's going to have to be some floss sorting....

2005-07-10T16:39:00.000+01:00

Well, Ken and Kate put all my anxieteies to rest, and today we went to visit the kittens. Here is a pic of mine, isn't he gorgeous? He is a blue silver mackerel tabby, and I am probably going to call him Hagrid.
I feel so much better when Ken is around, I hope I am going to be able to stay calm this week.

2005-07-08T08:28:00.000+01:00

I am still in a state of controlled anxiety, even though I have been taking the Zyprexa again since Monday night. I am worried that missing those three doses has completly screwed me up again. The main focus of my anxieties seems to be the kitten. My latest worry is a cat flap - because Maine Coons are so big they won't fit through a normal catflap, and you can't get a big-cat cat flap to fit in double glazed units. I can't somehow see Ken agreeing to replace our uPVC kitchen door with a wooden one, and we have no area of wall suitable for fitting the flap. So I don't know what we can do. Although we don't have a cat flap at present, we did have one when Bandy and our other cats were younger, and I suspect they would have been much more destructive around the house had they not been able to get out for exercise. As Bandy is that much older now he either stays in all day or if he is feeling energetic he will go out for the day. Whichever he chooses he has to stay that way until I get home. I don't think a young cat would be safe outside all day with no means of getting back inside.
After talking to some friends last night I am gradually coming to the conclusion that I shouldn't get a kitten at this time. One of my friends tried to introduce a kitten to her neutered adult male cat and the older cat became violent towards her and the kitten. She had to return the kitten. Another thing to worry about. I will be terribly disappointed not to get the kitten - I really want to have another cat, but maybe it just isn't the right time.
And yet, even having more or less having taken that decision, I am still left with the anxiety. I can't win. I am not sure whether my worries are justified or whether it's my anxiety state getting out of control. Maybe things will seem clearer when Ken gets home tonight and I can talk over things with him.

2005-07-06T10:43:00.000+01:00

Well, obviously the meds have kicked in again, 'cos today I feel fine. I think I have probably had the worst few days for a couple of years. Thank you for all the support everyone, and the helpful suggestions, which I have taken on board. Karen, I can't use your nutritionist because I can't use the phone, but I am thinking of finding one locally.
I have also pulled myself togather enough to properly start a diet again and have weighed myself. That was enough to make me weep LOL! Still, I will not give in this time, I feel really positive about it!
I actually did some knitting last night on the Dove shawl and have had a splurge at Sew and So, I thought some retail therapy was definitely in order the way I have been feeling.
There are some new pictures of the kittens posted at Rumtumtugger. Mind you, the lady at Noynarock sent me pics of her Norwegian Forest cats today, and they are wonderful. I would love one but Ken has made his mind up now.

Anyway, in the spirit of my new cheerfulness today, here are some Tommmy Cooper gags....

1. Two blondes walk into a building..........you'd think at least one
of them would have seen it.

2. Phone answering machine message - "...If you want to buy marijuana,
press the hash key..."

3. A guy walks into the psychiatrist wearing only Clingfilm for
shorts. The shrink says, "Well, I can clearly see you're nuts."

4. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn't
find any.

5. I went to the butchers the other day and I bet him 50 quid that he
couldn't reach the meat off the top shelf. He said, "No, the steaks
are too high."

6. My friend drowned in a bowl of muesli. A strong currant pulled him
in.

7. A man came round in hospital after a serious accident. He shouted,
"Doctor, doctor, I can't feel my legs!" The doctor replied, "I know
you can't, I've cut your arms off".

8. I went to a seafood disco last week...and pulled a muscle.

9. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly. They lit a fire in the
craft, it sank, proving once and for all that you can't have your
kayak and heat it.

10. Our ice cream man was found lying on the floor of his van covered
with hundreds and thousands. Police say that he topped himself.

11. Man goes to the doctor, with a strawberry growing out of his head.
Doc says "I'll give you some cream to put on it."

12. 'Doc I can't stop singing' "The Green, Green Grass of Home"
"That's like Tom Jones syndrome".
'Is it common?'
"It's not unusual."

13. A man takes his Rottweiller to the vet. "My dog's cross-eyed, is
there anything you can do for him?" "Well," says the vet, "let's
have a look at him" So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then
checks his teeth. Finally, he says, "I'm going to have to put him down."
"What?, Because he's cross-eyed? "
"No, because he's really heavy"

14. Guy goes into the doctor's. "Doc, I've got a cricket ball stuck up
my backside." "How's that?"
"Don't you start!"

15. Two elephants walk off a cliff...boom, boom!

16. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.

17. So I was getting into my car, and this bloke says to me "Can you
give me a lift?" I said "Sure, you look great, the world's your
oyster, go for it.'

18. Apparently, 1 in 5 people in the world are Chinese. There are 5
people in my family, so it must be one of them. It's either my mum
or my Dad, or my older Brother Colin, or my younger Brother
Ho-Cha-Chu? But I think its Colin.

19. Two fat blokes in a pub, one says to the other "Your round".
The other one says "So are you, you fat bast**d!"

20. Police arrested two kids yesterday, one was drinking battery acid,
and the other was eating fireworks. They charged one and let the
other one off.

21. "You know, somebody actually complimented me on my driving today.
They left a little note on the windscreen. It said, 'Parking Fine.'

22. A man walked into the doctors, he said, "I've hurt my arm in
several places" The doctor said, "Well don't go there anymore"

23. Ireland's worst air disaster occurred early this morning when a
small two-seater Cessna plane crashed into a cemetery. Irish search
and rescue workers have recovered 1826 bodies so far and expect
that number to climb as digging continues into the night

2005-07-04T08:47:00.000+01:00

This is going to be a whinge, so please don't read any further if you are likely to lose patience with me.

I feel so low, I am on the verge of tears almost all the time. I feel like I am caught in a trap I can't get out of. The trap is caused by my weight and the medication I am taking. I am so tired of being overweight, I am tired of my clothes getting tighter every day, I am tired of not being able to do anything cause I get out of breath and my joints hurt. I am tired of feeling guilty everytime I eat anything. And I am sick of being sleepy and drowsy all the time, which is caused by my meds. I have to get around 10 hours sleep a day at the moment or I don't function well. I have trouble getting out of bed in the mornings, in fact I don't want to get out of bed in the mornings - I don't want to face yet another day.
Going anywhere is a nightmare as being the size I am I don't want to face people, as I am so embarrassed. I have no clothes - the ones I have are getting too small and are falling to pieces anyway.

I take two meds - Cipralex and Zyprexa. Cipralex is an anti-depressant, and Zyprexa has been prescribed to prevent me waking in the nights with acute anxiety attacks. It's the Zyprexa that causes the drowsiness, so on Friday I stopped taking it in the hopes I would feel better. I did for two days but last night the waking with anxiety attacks came back, so I am tired because I haven't slept well. I think I will have to start taking it again, and I feel guilty anyway as the instructions say not to stop taking it unless the doctor says so.

I know I should diet, but it all seems like so much effort, and as I can't get out of bed in the mornings, I don't have the time to make up the salads that I should be eating if I am dieting. In the evenings, I am just too tired.

It's a vicious circle. I know I would feel so much better if I lost weight but I am too bloody exhausted to make that effort.

Yes I know I need a kick up the backside, I know other people have far worse problems, but I just needed a pity party today. What use is a blog if you can't have a vent now and again?

2005-07-01T09:33:00.000+01:00

I was all over the place yesterday about this new kitten. I started worrying about whether Bandy would accept him, being as Bandy has so recently become very attached to me, and then horror of horrors I realised that I had to have Mum and Dad's dog, Amber, for them while they went on holiday. I have to have Amber every year in September, and she doesn't like cats very much. Bandy usually ignores her but in the past Tessa left home whilst we have had her. However, someone who is becoming a very good friend to me, Kate has come to the rescue and is lending me her kitty pen, in which I can keep the kitten when I am not in the house. This will help Bandy adjust, keep the dog at a distance and the kit will feel secure and not freaked out. So I am now very very relieved! I can't thank Kate enough, she has been marvellous in helping me with all things feline!

2005-06-29T20:18:00.000+01:00

I've just had the phone call from the vet - Bandy is negative for Feline AIDS so I am all clear to get my new kitten! Bandy behaved very well - not a mew or a struggle when the needle went in, he's such a good boy!
I have made an appointment to view some kittens at a breeder's house in Somerset the weekend after next. They will be ready to go to new homes on 27th August. You can see a picture of the litter at Rumtumtugger. I think I want the silver classic tabby male, although I would be happy with any of them really! Aren't they sweet?
I'm still not stitching though.....

2005-06-27T15:37:00.000+01:00

I have decided to get another cat. My dear DH, Ken has agreed to it, which is pretty wonderful of him really as he isn't a cat person, he's more of a dog person. I have had three cats up 'til now, but only one of them has really been affectionate; Tessa came from the Cats Protection League and was 5 months old when I got her. She was always spiky and idependent, not liking to be stroked or brushed, and rarely deigned to sit on your lap. Her son, Bandy, is sometimes affectionate, but has always been a bit lazy and aloof. My third cat, Tom, another rescue cat, was very affectionate but sadly, he died two years ago. As I am looking for companionship and affection from my next cat, I decided I would get a pedigree rather than a moggie, so I could select for temperament. My first choice was Ragdolls, as they are apparantly very affectionate and soppy. However, an online friend told me that due to the breeding practices they often suffer from brittle bones. My friend recommended Norwegian Forest cats, as they are very close to their natural state, and are not inbred. Her 'wegie' is extremely affectionate and the breed type states that they are affectionate cats. I was delighted to hear this as I had fancied a wegie for a while, but because they look quite firece I assumed (wrongly) that they would not be affectionate. However, Ken spoke to a couple of breeders who said that they should be kept as indoor cats as they don't have much traffic sense. Ken is now quite adamant that I shouldn't have a wegie as he says he doesn't want me getting attached to a cat only to lose it in a car accident. One of the breeders he spoke to recommended a Maine Coon, and this seems to be what we have settled on now. My friend has a Maine Coon as well so I think it's probably a good choice. I now just have to find a breeder who has kittens ready when I have some time off at the end of August. I think I have found one, but I will visit in the next week or so to check her out.
Before I commit mysefl though, I have to get Bandy checked out, as his mouth problem could apparantly be caused by Feline AIDS. I have made an appointment for him to be tested on Wednesday; if he has got AIDS then of course I will have to put plans for another cat on hold. I am sure he will be fine though, he seems in very good health apart from his mouth. I'll keep you posted.

2005-06-22T12:05:00.000+01:00

I am so relieved! Bandy has started to eat again. It happened last night literally in the space of half an hour he went from refusing even a saucer of milk, to eating his usual whiskas. I have even begun to introduce the special k/i diet that the vet has recommended for him, to keep his teeth in better condition in the future. This has to be because of the steroid injection the vet gave him - the effect is supposed to last a month, so hopefully I can get his weight back up in that time.

Last night, Debbie came round for dinner, and had to take Ben to and from his band practice, so not much stitching got done, I did manage to knit a couple of rows of my Dove shawl, but thats all. Tonight I have the evening to myself, apart from picking Ben up from work at 10pm, so I should be able to get stuck in to my mermaid box. I am determined to get it finished!

2005-06-20T18:21:00.000+01:00

I've just come back from the vet - it seems Bandy is not out of the woods yet. Following his dental work last Tuesday, he was eating like a horse and was becoming more and more affectionate. However, on Saturday that all stopped - he started only licking up the gravy of his food, and hasn't eaten anything solid since Friday. Today the vet showed me how is mouth is still inflamed, and there are splits in the corners of his mouth. His gums are a really dark red although the vet says they are better than they were. It seems there are three possibilities here, either he had feline AIDS, feline flu, or else he just has a bad mouth with no underlying problem. He has received a steroid injection, which should calm the problem down for a month, but then if he gets poorly again I have to take him straight back. Otherise I go back in October. I am horrified that Bandy could be in this state without me realising it, but the vet says it's not surprising, cats put up with an awful lot without symptoms being apparant, so she made me feel a bit better about it all.
Other news - I had to miss the Elton John concert last night as I was unwell with a migraine. Ken took Debbie along, and they both had a fantastic time. I am really gutted that I had to miss it.
I have actually stitched today! The first time in about three weeks. It's far too hot to knit, with temperatures reaching 23 today and over 30 yesterday. I love warm weather but at my size, it's no joke. Oh, and I started my diet again today. (At last).

2005-06-15T08:32:00.000+01:00

I had two things to do yesterday morning - take car in for service at Hartwell's and pick up courtesy car (08.00 am), then take cat to vet (08.30 am).
I arrived at Hartwells at 7.55, cat was at home in cat box. I waited in queue for 20 mins while they took their time booking everyone in. When it got to my turn, they didn't have a courtesy car. I promptly had a hissy fit as the only reason I had booked yesterday was 'cos they said they had a car availble. After a great deal of fuss they said I could have a vehicle, an small escort van, would I accept that? I said OK, as I was desperate by now and should have been at the vet's. Then they wanted my driving licence, but stupidly I had decided to leave my handbag at home, and my licence was in that. Fortunately they said I could bring it in later. I then went out to get the van - it turned out to be not an escort van but a HUGE transit van, with no windows in the back! AAaaaarggggghhhhh! After a bit of dithering I decided it would be wimpish not to drive it and eventually managed to find reverse and get the van going.
After driving for a couple of minutes I discovered a flashing light on the dashboard - I had no petrol!! I managed to limp it into Tesco, just got there in the nick of time. Did I mention I didn't have my handbag? Thus no money!!! Threw myself at the mercy of Tesco who kindly agreed to let me have a couple of gallons so long as I promised to come back and pay, narrowly managed to avoid putting unleaded into the diesel engine, and finally was on my way. Got the cat to the vet half an hour late, back to Tesco, and finally got into work at 9.30.
Whew....
Fortunately work was uneventful, but there was more fun in store for me! I took the van back to Hartwell's, whereupon Hartwell's discovered they couldn't find my papers or my car keys. I had to sit and twiddle my thumbs for half an hour, watching the two receptionists work themselves into an ever increasing state of panic until eventually everything turned up 'on a colleague's desk'. Hmmmm. Of I go to collect Bandy the cat, getting stuck in every bit of traffic jam across town. There I paid the bill, collected Bandy in his pet carrier, and drove off accompanied by the sound of plaintive mewing. I gradually became aware of a smell....
Of course, Bandy had soiled himself in the cat carrier with copious amounts of diarrhoea.
The next hour was spent emptying and washing out the cat carrier, trying (unsuccessfully) to bath Bandy, and washing the floor and carpet where he had walked and sat. I did manage to give his bottom a good wash but he is still smelly. Has anyone got any tips on how to clean up a cat after an accident like this?
Lying down in a darkened room seemed very appealing after all this but it was Ben's band proactice so I had to ferry him around Swindon. I was glad to get to bed last night. Then I couldn't sleep....

2005-06-10T10:22:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I received my Lorna's Laces yarn for my clapotis. Oh my!! It is stunning, so silky and such a wonderful depth of colour. I need to find more stuff I can knit using this :-) MInd you, with the price of it, maybe not!!!!! I also received some Sirdar 4-ply wash and wear for a standard cardigan - I wanted something easy to knit that I can take around with me when I go to my daughters, which I seem to be doing at least once a week. I can't stitch at either place, but I hate having nothing to do with my hands.
My stitching is being sadly neglected at the moment. I have been feeling under the weather all week, and my evenings have been either with my daughters or catching up with people on msn. I am feeling guilty about my mermaid box and all my chatelaines, but I am sure I will get back into them soon. I just wish I didn't feel so tired all the time.
Dieting wise, I am a disaster. Again, I feel so tired most of the time I can't seem to muster up the energy I need to cook properly and to make up my salads for lunches. What was working for me before was to make up a fruit salad in the evening and a pasta salad in the mornings and take both to work, but honestly, its taking me half an hour just to drag myself out of bed in the mornings. It's a Catch -22 as I know I would feel so much better if I shifted the weight, but I am too tired to cope with it all. I think I maybe need to go back to my CFS recovery days and work out a schedule and stick to it rigidly. I am on flexi at work and I am losing time on the clock as I arrive at work later and later every day. Just getting showered in the morning is a major effort at the moment, and I have to confess, to my shame, that I sometimes even skip that.
On the pet front, I now have a poorly cat, Bandy - his teeth are very bad and he is having trouble eating. He will be going in next Tuesday for his teeth to be cleaned and for some to be extracted. I'm a bit worried as he is 15, and as Molly died after her anaesthetic I am not sure how Bandy will do. However, Debbie is adamant that she wants him to be treated and she will be helping me out with the cost. Ken hates cats, so he wouldn't be keen on paying out for the surgery. As for me, I find I am getting fonder of Bandy now that I don't have a dog to steal the limelight, and am seriously considering getting another. Not at all sure if Ken will allow me to do it though.

2005-05-26T15:09:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I received my order of yarn from Angel Yarns. It was beautifully packaged with a lavender sachet and a small free gift. This isn't a terribly good photo, the colours are washed out as usual. I am going to knit this into a hooded jacket.

I'm hoping the design isn't too young for me, but my colleague Jane assures me it will be fine.
I have had the last few days off which haven't been terribly productive. As you can see from yesterdays entry I have ditched a piece of work. I feel uncomfortable about doing it, but I also can't face all the unpicking, and I would have to order more silk. I just want it out of my life, I am so disgusted by the mistake. I eventually worked out I would have to unpick more than three quarters of the stitching in order to correct the error. I also feel huge relief at having one less WIP.
I have started the Noro scarf, and am a quarter of the way through, and I have also got back to my mermaid box, and I shall be stithing that this evening.

2005-05-24T20:00:00.000+01:00

For the first time ever I am giving up on a cross stitch project. I am abandoning my Italian Renaissance box. I had already made one error on the sides but decided it wasn't major so left it. I have been working on the box top, which is assissi style work with a solid stitched background. I have just finished it all with virtually no silk left over, and then discovered I made a major counting error right at the beginning. I will have to unpick nearly half of the stitching I have done, and I have no silk left over to re-stitch it. I just can't face it.

2005-05-19T12:40:00.000+01:00

This is a test. I am trying to see if I can work out how to ping people that my blog is updated. Apologies for the breakdown in service!!

2005-05-17T18:57:00.000+01:00

And here's another Happy Dance - my socks!!

These are knitted in Opal sock Yarn in Lollipop. Great fun to knit!!

2005-05-17T12:46:00.000+01:00

I have been reading Hazy's new craft blog and have been smitten with the Clapotis and have decided to make one myself. Thanks to Hazy I have found a UK supplier for the yarn, and also a US place that sells it at discount, so it shouldn't be too long before I can start knitting! I feel quite inspired! I am also watching, on E-Bay, some Noro Iro yarn that I want to knit a spring/autumn jacket. It's the colour that I want , so I am quite anxious that I should win this auction, as it would be considerably cheaper than buying it through a retailer. I will have to set E-Snipe onto it as it finishes at 4am UK time.
The big news yesterday was that Teresa Wentzler is taking a leave of absence from cross stitch design to pursue her art. I have suspected from comments here and there that she was falling out of love with designing cross stitch, and although she will be a great loss to the craft world, I am happy for her and wish her well. I suspect the leave of absence will be permanent, so Illuminata and the Olde World Map may never appear, which is sad.
I am still missing my Molly.....

2005-05-16T21:00:00.000+01:00

I've been tagged by Lorna

Choose 5 and complete the sentence and then tag 3 other bloggers

If I could be a scientist . . .
If I could be a farmer . . .
If I could be a musician . . .
If I could be a doctor . . .
If I could be a painter . . .
If I could be a gardener . . .
If I could be a missionary . . .
If I could be a chef . . .
If I could be an architect . . .
If I could be a linguist . . .
If I could be a psychologist . . .
If I could be a librarian . . .
If I could be an athlete . . .
If I could be a lawyer . . .
If I could be an inn-keeper . . .
If I could be a professor . . .
If I could be a writer . . .
If I could be a llama-rider . . .
If I could be a bonnie pirate . . .
If I could be an astronaut . . .
If I could be a world famous blogger . . .
If I could be a justice on any one court in the world . . .
If I could be married to any current famous political figure . . .

If I could be a painter, I would paint fairy gardens, and elvish groves.

If I could be a writer, I would write about ordinary people and their lives

If I could be a chef I would create wonderful diet meals that didn’t take an age to cook.

Everyone I know has already been tagged, so I'll have to leave it here.....

2005-05-15T14:02:00.000+01:00

For a change, here is a knittting HD. I haven't felt much like stitching since Molly dies so I decided to have a change and finishe some knitting up. Here is the fruit of my labours!

This is a Kaffe Fassett design for Rowan, using Kid Classic, Kidsilk Haze and Lurex Shimmer. The colour is washed out at the moment, not sure why, my digicam seems to take the colour out of lots of things. I swear I will never ever again knit anything with multicoloured stripes, it was just like confetti stitching, as many of the stripes were made using multiplpe strands of yarn. And all those ends!! I cheated and knotted them all off, there was no way I could contemplate sewing them all in... smacked wrist time I know.

2005-05-13T17:02:00.000+01:00

I have sad news to report - my much loved dog Molly died on Wednesday. I had to rush her to the vets on Monday night, where she was admitted for tests. On Tuesday morning pyometra was diagnosed, and she had immediate surgery. She was apparantly quite bright after the surgery, but during the early hours of Wednesday she died. I wasn't expecting this to happen, and feel quite devastated.

Kens interview for Filton went well, but the job is for less money, and with the likelihood of compulsory overtime starting in 18 months. We both feel that this would lead to Ken having even less time at home than he does now. I have of course left him to make the final decision, but I suspect that if it is offered he will turn it down.
I havne't the heart to post any more, so will close for now.

2005-05-05T12:30:00.000+01:00

Well it looks like someone else has been upset and hurt on the BBs. I, of course, know nothing about what has gone on, but I really don't understand why some people find it impossible to live and let live. If someone bothers you it's easy not to read their posts, and frankly, although I have formed a low opinion of one or two people, so what? To whom does it matter that I don't like someone? It only matters to me, and so I keep my opinions to myself, apart from a couple of close friends that I trust. My all time favourite BB was destroyed because of a history of bitching and sniping between people, something that never should have happened, and wouldn't have happened if certain people didn't seem to think their opinions were more valid than anyone elses.
Onto more cheerful matters,I have a Happy Dance to report!! Seems an awful long time since I finished something!

This is one of the pieces I started at the weekend workshop I went to, taught by Judy Dixon. It uses Pearsalls silks and Eggshell Caron Watercolours. The stich filling the four squares is Four sided stitch (pulled). According to some comments it looks 'knobbly' in the pic hence the clarification.
Tomorrow I take my pooch back to the vet. She is very poorly still, worse than last week. She is refusing to eat and I really don't know what we can do next.
Thats it for now - I am off to vote after work; I am very interested to see the outcome of this election, no one seems very clear as to what the result will be. I wish I could stay up to watch the coverage, but it's too late for me.

2005-04-29T12:01:00.000+01:00

Once again I have left it far too long to blog. I offer no excuse except that I don't seem to have a lot to say. That's not really an excuse because it seems to me that the more regularly you blog, the more you can talk about.
My current obssession is Heaven and Earth designs. I am very much in love with Linda Ravenscroft's artwork, and would love to stitch at least one of them. I have bought the charts of a couple, Phoenix Rising and Mystic Moments I (Mystic Moments II isn't available yet) and also the chart of a Sheila Wolk design, Wind. However, I have discovered that I can buy prints of Linda Ravenscroft's designs quite cheapy, in fact I can get Mystic Moments I and II for the cost of kitting up Mystic Moments I. I am also worried about how good the stitched version will look. The conversions I have seen are good, but don't have the detail or crispness of the print, and look hazy. And still, knowing all this, I still want to stitch them! How contrary can you get? I don't understand myself sometimes.
In the meantime I am still plugging away on my Italian Renaissance box. I am a bit bogged down it it at the moment - I really don't want to stitch on it anymore. I am almost decided to stitch on something else for a bit of a break and go back to it, but I am now running out of time. I'll try harder tonight and see if I can muster up some enthusiasm again. Once the box is out of the way I am going to start up a rotation again, with the Mermaid box as a focus, as I will have to get those parts stitched up by October. I have decided I am not going to stitch the 'smalls' - the scissor fobs etc - I don't use things like that, and I won't be using the box for stitching anyway.
Other news: my pooch Molly hasn't been herself for a few weeks now - her food and water intake is all over the place, which isn't good for her diabetes. DH took her to the vet today and they have said it is her hormones causing the problem and she will have to be spayed. Of course, that isn't cheap! Poor Molly, she really is having health problems, and it's not doing our bank balances much good either! This weekend I will endeavour to take some photos to share of the various things I have been wittering about!
DH has an interview for the post at Filton next Thursday - have I mentioned this before? (Runs off to check on blog entries). Yes I have! So fingers crossed for next Thursday. Mind you, it will be a huge adjustment to make having Ken home all the time - no more spreading out in the bed!
Yesterday I took my eldest DD to Cribbs Causeway, the nearest large shopping mall, to buy her birthday present. She chose a very nice turquoise blue jacket from Marks and Spencers. I tried to find some lightweight trousers to wear this summer, and was so disgusted with what I saw in the mirror that I am spurred on to start my diet again next week. It will be Tuesday that I start again, when I go back to work after the Bank Holiday MOnday. I am actually looking forward to it!!!!
I hope that when I blog again I will have resolved my issues over the HAED deisgns!! Fingers crossed!

2005-04-11T08:44:00.000+01:00

Ooh, it's far too long since I blogged. What has happened since my last entry? Well, firstly I am ashamed to say the diet has fallen by the wayside. I am struggling to try and start again, but not quite making it. I have put on all I lost, and probably more (blush blush). My weight is a real issue, I am convinced that most of my tiredness is down to my weight and being so unfit. I know the CFS will still be a factor, but until I shift the weight, I know I will not see any further improvement. Why is it so hard to do? I know what I should eat, I am not hungry when I am dieting, but the craving for stodgy comfort food just gets so strong. I need to just get on with it.
What else can I report about? Oh,my stitching! I got both the short sides of the mermaid box finished apart from the crystals and I am now stitching for one of the Designing Ladies boxes, the Italian Renaissance box. It's fun to stitch and is stitching up quite quickly. I have also been having a go at 'real' embroidery and have made a kind of envelope bag. I'll try and post a pic.
I am actually sinking fast when it comes to WIPs. I have taken on far too much this year. I am concentrating on my boxes as once they are done it will take some of the pressure off. But I really want to start Chatelaine’s Egyptian Garden on the Nile mandala, and as the kit arrived this morning and I am the moderator of the EZ Board forum, I have to start don't I? I also desperately want to get Mystery VI finished so I can have at least one big HD this year. I would need two months off work to get this all done I think! And that's not to mention my Judy Dixon designs, which I am also pretty desperate to start.
The other news is that our hopes were raised when Ken saw some jobs advertised for Airbus in Filton, which would mean he could move home. However, he heard nothing from his application, and when has contacted Filton to ask he was told they were 're-evaluating their recruitment requirements'. Pity they didn't do that before they advertised the jobs. So for the moment he is still with Airbus at Broughton and living away from home.

2005-02-07T15:18:00.000Z

Work is really boring at the moment - thats because I haven't got much to do. There is a limit to how long you can keep yourself occupied by surfing the net. I am yearning to stitch some things in my stash but somehow have no inclination to stitch what I should be stitching - the first side of the mermaid box, or part 1 of Mystery VIII. I'm therefore taking some time out from my stitching and have gone back to my knitting. I'm finishing off a jumper I started a couple of years ago, a Rowan sweater designed by Kaffe Fassett. It is too small for me, but by the time I have finished my diet it should fit. Have I mentioned that I am dieting? Looking back on my blog entries it seems not. Three weeks now, and by this time last week I had lost 7lb. I am off to be weighed again after work, and hope to see another steady loss of a couple of pounds. I'm doing the new weightwatchers diet, where you can eat anything off a list of food without measuring, counting or weighing. So far I am managing it rather well. It's a bit expensive as I am getting through loads of fruit, but I am *just* keeping within my household budget. Mind you I expect that now I am feeling confident about the diet I will find I have hardly lost anything this week!
I had to miss a GTG this week of a stitching group to which I belong, as I had a horrid migraine. I was so disappointed as it sounds as if they all had lots of fun. Maybe if I had gone I would have been inspired and dragged myself out of my stitching slump.....

2005-01-28T09:17:00.000Z

For the first time in quite a while I feel I have accomplished something! I have finished the Mermaid Box Top. This part was a stumpwork shell, which then had to be covered in treasures, as if they were spilling out of the shell. My shell went OK, but was only average, but you can't see it anyway under the jewels I have sewn on. I used freshwater pearls, aquamarine chips, rose quartz beads and swarovski crystals. Here's a pic:

I am now working on Part 2 of Christmas Mystery II, and then I hope to move on and work on the Judy Dixon piece I started in the class last weekend.

Something that happened, I haven't mentioned yet, and that was that last Saturday, DS came home with a friend of his, L, who had been thrown out of his home by his mother. It was snowing and very cold, and the poor lad had nowhere to go. We put him up for three nights until he arranged to go and stay with his Nan. I find it shocking that a mother could behave like this towards her son. DS tells me she has done it a few times before, with no reason - she just gets 'fed up' with L He seemed a nice enough lad, not very bright possibly, but certainly not into drugs or stealing or any of the other vices that a lad of that age could have. I remain very disturbed about the whole affair, and have told Ben that if it happens again, L can come and stay for a few days, but that I would contact Social services.

Apart from that I have nothing more to report. A quiet week.

2005-01-24T08:33:00.000Z

On Saturday I had a wonderful day - I went to a class with Judy Dixon of Sew to Be Seen Judy is such a lovely lady, she makes everyone feel welcome and at home. Her designs are exquisite, and she is a really good teacher. I don't really need the tuition for hardanger, but I go because I enjoy the classes so much. I have two more classes to go to - one in February and one in March and I can't wait! The only trouble is that I now have even more WIPs! Something is going to have to give, especially asz I haven't touched my stitching for days now. The abscess on my tooth flared up over the weekend but has now settled down, but I do wonder if it's the abscess that is keeping me feeling below par. I have decided that enough is enough and the tooth needs to be removed, so I will go to the dentist after work and book myself in for an extraction (Owie!!)
I had best be off now - I am posting at work. There has been no heating in the building as the boiler broke down over the weekend - it has now been rectified and the radiators are getting warm now, but I have been too cold to concentrate on work and have been blogging instead. Time to do something useful!

2005-01-20T13:22:00.000Z

Today I'm feeling depressed, tired and weepy and I don't know why. I seem to be surrounded with people who get on together and have a laugh, have best friends and a social life, and I always seem to sit on the outside looking in. I know I have some good friends and I know it's hard to follow whats going on in an office when you can't hear most of what is being said, but that doesn't stop me from feeling very low and miserable today.
So today, I am just a depressed miserable blimp, and I am not going to write any more today. Sorry to inflict this on you if you have read it.

2005-01-18T08:59:00.000Z

I still am not being updated in peoples blog lists..I haven't a clue what to do. My usual blog guru is unwell at the moment, so can't help. Is anyone out there???
I had a very nice weekend - met MIL, FIL, SIL and BIL for lunch at Bracknell, which is kind of midpoint between where we all live. I got rather tipsy, but I don't think I got embarrassing! LOL! The only downer is that DH has been asked to do night shifts again - and not so much asked as told from what I can gather. I am so fed up about this as I think nights at his age are too much, and anyway he is such a bear when he is on nights as he is permanently tired and grumpy. I am a bit annoyed as all the other Team Leaders have apparantly said they won't do nights and somehow DH seems to feel that he has to do it. I can't see why he can't just say 'no' like everyone else. There has also been talk of going to China for 4 years - I have flatly refused to go. No way am I leaving my family for four years, even though the financial incentives are very good.
DD#2 came round last night and spent the eveining with me. We have just found out that she won a prize on her premium bond seven years ago, so we sorted out the paperwork for transferring control to her and getting the prize money. Its only a smal prize, £50, but it will help her pay for her holiday!
I actually stitched for an hour or so last night - the first time in over a week. I am looking forward to stitching tonight as well so I think I am getting back to normal.
Oh yes, and I started a diet again yesterday and this time I am determined to do it. I want to lose at least 70lb this year. I didn't go and weigh myself yesterday so I will do that on my way home tonight....I have also seen one of thos ticker things on Kittys blog so I want to find out how to put one of those in my template. ....

2005-01-14T13:25:00.000Z

The ballet last night was wonderful. I had a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and my soul feels refreshed! Speaking of refreshments, I notice that my blog isn't showing up in other peoples blog lists as having a new post in it. I have seen one or two comments about people not pinging their blogs. I assumed this was all done automaticaly by Blogrolling; can anyone tell me if I am not doing something I should be doing?
DD#1 has just been on the phone in tears - they haven't been able to draw money out of the cashpoint as they are over their overdraft limit. I think they are in a real mess moneywise, most of which isn't their fault - they have had a run of really bad luck. DD#1 is distraught and really scared. I wish I could do something to help but our finances are not robust enough for me to be able to offer any financial help. I have asked them over for tea tomorrow, so we can at least give them a couple of hours refuge from their worries.

2005-01-13T08:55:00.000Z

Hello everyone - I'm glad to see you are still with me! I've been feeling very odd over the last few weeks but I think I am beginning to get back to normal! So, whats been happening?
Firstly, I am not going to comment on the tsunami, except to say that like most people I have been gathering items to be airlifted out to South Asia. Enough has been said, and I cannot add anything useful. My workplace has decided to concentrate their long term efforts on helping to rebuild a couple of schools, and events are being planned to help with this.
Getting the bad news over with first, Ken's Aunt Joan died on the day after Boxing Day. Although she had a brain tumour which was terminal, her death was sudden and unexpected as we thought she would be with us until the summer at least. She died from a pulmonary embolism (or maybe it was a thrombosis - I'm not sure) - quick and merciful, and I do believe it was a blessing. I think Joan would have found it very difficult to cope with losing her physical and mental faculties, and she had already started to deteriorate slowly. The funeral, held the day before yesterday, was lovely. There was a horse drawn hearse, and the whole event was dignified and moving. I think Joan would have been proud of my SIL who organised it all.
What else has been happening?
My eldest daughter, Jenny, has had lots of crises to deal with, with her and Chris' car and their flat - things breaking down and going wrong - all costing lots of money. I really don't want to think about how much they must have on credit cards. I just wish I could help. They came round for their dinner last night, and I got some drinks and nibbles in so they could have a relaxing evening and a bit of a treat. I think they enjoyed themselves. Jenny's good news though is that she has a new job, back here at the Research Councils with me and Chris, which will make things a lot easier. She has lost quite a bit of salary however, but I am trying to help make up the shortfall by paying her to do a bit of cleaning for me - this will help both of us.
My younger daughter, Debbie, is still just ticking along quite happily. She is very happily single and unattached and seems to spend a lot of her time letting various men down gently who want to take her out! She works hard at her job, and is saving hard for her safari holiday in May.
My son Ben managed top get a temporary part time job in Virgin for the Christmas period. We did hope it might continue after Christmas but alas it was not to be. He has earned a nice little bit of money though, so has been able to get himself a few treats which is nice for him.
Christmas was a happy time for us all, quiet and peaceful, and it was lovely for the whole family to be together again. I was very lucky and was given some Gift Certificates for European Cross stitch and also a book on stumpwork that I really wanted. I was pleased that the presents I bought everyone were received very well - I seemed to have got it right!
As I mentioned at the start I have been feeling odd - quite antisocial regarding the internet for some reason. I haven't been communicating properly with my friends and haven't been reading or posting on the BBs that I normally frequent. The symptoms of my ME/CFS have been back in force and I am now firmly convinced that the ME and depression are linked. When I am feeling depressed the extreme fatigue and aches and pains return, which of course make me feel even more depressed. It seems to me therefore that I have to try and break this cycle somehow. The first thing I am going to try to do is get up properly in the mornings. At the moment, I set my alarm for the time I need to get up, but then spend about 45 minutes dozing with the snooze function waking me every 10 minutes. I find it so very hard to get out of bed. So my first objective is to retrain myself to get up when the alarm goes off. I succeeded in a small way this morning - I set the alarm to go off half an hour later and then just stayed in bed for another 15 minutes. After all, everyone has trouble getting out of bed on these dark mornings don't they? I can't mustn't give in to it anymore. My second objective is to participate in my online communities again. So here I am!! Wish me luck in my baby steps! Tonight I am off to the ballet - Swan Lake by the St Petersburgh company. I saw this with Jenny in Oxford a couple of years ago, but Debbie hasn't seen it so I am taking her with me. It will be a late night, but I am not going to worry about it. Usually I would plan to take a half day off work after something like this so I could sleep in, but I am determined not to let it get the better of me. I must fight it!
I don't think I have mus else to report except to say that I hope to make more frequent if shorter entries in the future! Bye!

2004-12-13T09:50:00.000Z

I've had a bit of a nudge about it being time to post a blog entry again. Quite flattering really, to find that someone out there does in fact read my witterings! However, I am in a reclusive mood at the moment, and have been withdrawing from internet interaction. I can't explain why, except that I am feeling very pressured with Christmas preparations - and even my stitching. I want to finish Christmasz Mystery, and I am sooo very close but have been either too tired or too busy to stitch on it for the last few days. Which is frustrating, as if I had finished it over the weekend there was a chance it could have been on the wall for Christmas.
Apart from that all I can say for the moment is that Molly, my dog, seems to have stabilised her diabetes now. My job seems to be going well, and I am adjusting to an emptier house, and quite enjoy the peace and quiet.
I shall take my leave now, and see if I feel better after Christmas.
And very best wishes to you all for Christmas and the New Year!

2004-11-15T09:41:00.000Z

It seems I am only going to blog once a month! Very remiss of me :-) Whats been happening? Well, my dog Molly still hasn't stabilised her diabetes. She is on two injections a day now, and whils she seems more like her old self she is still drinking far too much water. She got herself in a state last Friday though LOL! The house was empty all day and when I got home in the evening I found that she had trapped herself in our loo! Boy was she pleased to see me and be released from her prison. From the state of the room I would guess she had been in there most of the day :-s
As for me, I have started my new job and so far I love it! The ME has kicked in a little though, no doubt because of the change in work but also as a result of getting up in the night to let Molly out. I will have to be careful for a while. I have been going to bed at 8.30 in the evenings for the last week or so, but still feel permanantly tired and achey. The abscess on my tooth is still there and flares up occasionally but its generally no trouble so I am going to leave well alone fornow. I really don't want to lose that tooth!
Christmas is well on its way now and I have started Christmas shopping. So far I have got most of it from the net, but I must go shopping sometime soon. I think I will go with my DD and my mum to Cribbs Causeway - I'd love to do Oxford Street but I don't think I am really up to it. So far I have got an X-Box for DS, GHD hair straighteners for DD#2, a music box for my mum, and a framed photo of the DDs and DS for MIL. I have given DH the link for European Cross Stitchso I am hoping to receive a Gift Certificate for them for my Christmas presents.
I am busy stitching the Mermaid Box at the moment - I should post a piccy here but I am at work. I will do so tonight or tomorrow though. I am really into my stitching at the moment - I just wish I could do more, but as previously mentioned I am getting so very tired, so I only manage an hour or so each evening.
Its weird at home at the moment now that both DDs have left. I am enjoying the peace and quiet, and I feel a lot of pressure has been lifted, but it feels like there is a gaping hole in my life. And its odd when they come home for dinner or just a chat -I go into 'visitor' mode, and I'm not sure that is how I want to be when they are at my place. I daresay I will get used to it soon. We had fun on Halloween and Bonfire Night though - they both came round on both nights and we watched horror films on Halloween and had some magnificent fireworks on Bonfire night! Great fun!
Anyway - back to work!! LOL!

2004-10-20T13:52:00.000+01:00

Oooh - aren't I naughty - no blog entry for ages! Well I'm back and I am sorry I have left it so long. Lots of thing have happened in the interim, though. Firstly, I still have the abscess on my tooth, but it isn't hurting, it just swells up and bleeds occasionally, so I am leaving it alone in the hope that it will eventually heal itself. Wishful thinking no doubt, but I think it's worth a try. The next thing that happened was that my dog, Molly, was diagnosed as diabetic 10 days ago, so all my spare cash is now having to go and pay for her insulin rather than be used to save for a holiday. The choice was either the insulin or have her put to sleep, and much as my purse was screaming in agony, I just couldn't bring myself to have her put down. However, so far the insulin is having little effect, she had a blood sugar curve done yesterday and her blood sugar is unchanged. In addition, because of the huge amounts of water she is drinking, she has started peeing during the night, and insists on doing it on the upstairs landing on the carpet rather than going to the kitchen and doing it down there. We haven't worked out how to get round this yet. I think I will have to put down some layers of old towels where she pees with some plastic underneath, and maybe put newspapers in the kitchen in the hope she gets the message.
Now onto something a bit brighter. Lat weekend I went for a stitching class with Martina Weber of Chatelaine. We had a brilliant time, although I came away feeling that my stitching wasn't as good as I thought it was, which is a bit of a downer. Nontheless, I enjoyed the weekend, and it has re-charged my stitching batteries so I can't wait to get time to stitch. Here's a pic of me and Martina. Martina is the glamorous one!

This weekend my eldest DD will move out. I have to admit it, I will be so sad. It's good to see her start her own life, but it really is the end of an era. I will miss living with my best friend.

2004-09-28T08:48:00.000+01:00

Hello again. I am on top of the world today - it's the first morning I have woken up with no pain from my tooth since the whole sorry saga started. I still have 3 days antibiotics to take so I am hopeful that I won't have to have the tooth extracted. :D
Stitching wise, I moved my Lowery and all my bits and pieces from the corner chair to the sofa at the weekend to see if I was comfortable there. Alas, I wasn't - so last night I moved the whole kit and caboodle back to the corner. I am quite disappointed as while I was on the sofa I felt closer to the people in the room with me, but I really couldn't get comfy. I am back stitching MVI, and loving every minute of it. I regret falling behind now; I stopped stitching on it as I found part 6 really got me down - it seemed so drab and dreary. I should have stuck with it! Still I used the break to start a couple of new things so I didn't waste my time.
I'm also getting excited about the Chatelaine Workshop which I am attending on the weekend of 16th October - less than 3 weeks to go now! Martina has posted a picture of the needle case we are making, it is just what I hoped for, a Mandala based design.
Still no news of when I start my new job. My section head is on leave, so discussions cannot start until she is back tomorrow. I am guessing it will be the first week in November. As I have prectically nothing to do, I just don't know how I am going to get through the time. Never mind, I'll get there eventually!
My eldest DD is back at work - we can't tell yet whether the procedure has helped. She is in some pain when she sits down but we are hoping that is just residual bruising from the maipulation.
OK - thats it from me now until next time!

2004-09-23T13:51:00.000+01:00

I am really miserable now. I had an hour with the dentist on Tuesday, and he drilled down for a root canal, but he couldn't get to the abscess to drain it, and as far as I understand it, couldn't do the root canal filling either. Unfortunately he had a really strong South African accent so I couldn't understand everything he said, although I could tell he was really apologetic. I now have a prescription for another week of antibiotics, and an exceedingly painful tooth, cheek, lower jaw, cheekbone and ear. I am not sleeping well either, as the pain keeps waking me up. Moan, moan, moan :-D If the pain hasn't gone by the end of the antibiotics I have to make an appointment to have the tooth extracted. I kind of wish the dentist had extracted the tooth on Tuesday, but I know he is hoping to save it.

On a better note, I have a Chatelaine kit winging its way towards me from Kathy at European Cross Stitch. Receiving one of Kathys parcels is like Christmas and a birthday all rolled up in one. In a sense it is, as I have called in all my birthday and Christmas presents for this year to pay for my current stash splurge (plus a little bit on my cc).

I have almost finished the first house on HoHRH, and as soon as I am done with that I will be stitching on MVI until the Mermaid Box starts in a few days (1st October). I am so excited to be working on a box!

My eldest DD and her bf have got a date for completion on their flat - 30th September. They won't be moving in straight away - they will have to wait until the bed is delivered on 21st October. She was getting a little weepy last night, she says she will miss me. As I told her, she will be too wrapped up in her new home and with living with her bf to miss me badly, but it's nice to think she still cares for her mum. I know many people aren't so lucky.

2004-09-20T09:57:00.000+01:00

I've been pretty miserable the last few days with an abscess on one of my teeth. I've been taking antibiotics and lots of heavy duty painkillers and today I feel that it is getting a bit better. I have an hours appointment with the dentist tomorrow and he will either remove the tooth or do a root canal filling depending on how well the abscess is responding to the antibiotics. Unfortunately the abscess is on a crowned tooth, which complicates matters. Fingers crossed.
The housing association has contacted DD#1 and told her the flat has been handed over from the builders, so completion isn't far off now. The bed she has ordered won't be delivered until 21st October, so she won't be moving out before then. Just four weeks left! I am going to miss her so much, but I am happy she and her bf will finally have a place of their own.
I have been pretty naughty re stash. Although I am already at SABLE, I have ordered another Chatelaine! I have NO self control!! And I have fallen for the Lanarte Mucha. Hold me back someone!
Speaking of self control, I really must do something about a diet again. Looking back I can see that serious dieting was one of my new year resolutions, but I haven't got very far with it. I fancy another go with the detox so I must get myself gee'd up a bit more.
Thanks to everyone who left congratulations in my comments - I didn't realise so many read my blog. I was quite overcome!

2004-09-16T15:11:00.000+01:00

I just got a phone call......
I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!

2004-09-15T17:28:00.000+01:00

I had *the* interview today, and although the interview panel were very kind and did their utmost to put me at my ease, I have blown it. Nerves got the better of me and I just waffled about rubbish and didn't present the information I needed to. So lets draw a line under that particular episode!
Tomorrow my eldest daughter is having treatment at the local hospital. She will be having deep sedation so will be unable to eat after midnight tonight. The treatment is for an inflamed coccyx that has been causing her a lot of pain for almost two years now. They are going to do some manipulation and a deep steroid injection, which is a last resort apparantly. The only other treatment they can offer is surgical removal of the coccyx which could lead to nasty after effects such as incontinence, so that really isn't an option. I am really hoping the treatment tomorrow will help.
I am battling severe temptation to get a couple more Chatelaines.....I have 'slept on it' for three nights now and think I will have to sleep on it again tonight. I am so very tempted...

2004-09-13T13:39:00.000+01:00

Here I am back again! I had a wonderful holiday in Zakynthos (Zante); very relaxing, all we did for two weeks was laze around the hotel pool and read. I managed to get through 9 books in total, all very light stuff though, thrillers and such. I read all of Dan Brown's books, apart from the Da Vinci Code which I had read previously, although I wasn't too keen on Deception Point. I also read a Kathy Reich, a Minette Walters, a Robert Crais and some others I can't remember off hand. One outstanding book was 'A Gathering Light' by Jennifer Donnelly. Well worth reading.

I am now back at work, and on Wednesday afternoon I have an interview for that job I applied for. I have been doing quite a bit of research and am fairly well prepared, but I know nerves will get the better of me. My line manager was kind enough to spend half an hour giving me a mock interview and I just went completely blank, then wittered on pointlessly for a bit. Ah well, it will soon be over. :-)

DS did much better in his GCSE's than I was expecting - he got 7 Bs, a C and a D (the D was in D&T so is hardly earth shattering). He needed to get a C in maths in order to do the subjects he wanted at college, and he managed to get it, so we are all rather relieved. If he had actually put in more effort into his revision who knows what grades he might have got? But I am content.

2004-08-13T09:12:00.000+01:00

I can't believe it! I just spent half an hour writing a blog entry, used the preview button and then lost it all! Grrrrr!! This entry will probably not be as long as I intended as I don't think I can face writing everything out again!
Yesterday I handed my little Ford Ka over to the dealer who is buying it. I felt quite sentimental about it - it's been a good little car, and with it's distinctive styling I felt it had a lot of character. I am buying my daughter's car from her - a Fiesta. It's only a year old and it makes sense all round for me to buy it from her, as she can't afford it any more. I take it over on Monday.
Stitching-wise, I have kept to my rotation. It ground to a halt for a couple of days as I didn't have a scroll frame big enough to hold the 27" wide fabric for Regal Holiday or for Houses of Hawks Run Hollow . As usual though, Sew and So saved the day, and got a 30" frame to me within 24 hours. I have bought an easy clip frame, and can't waork out quite how to get the fabric on with a good tension. My friend Miz is coming round on Sunday to show me how by putting the fabric for HoHRH on the frame for me. It's 40ct - I think I need my brains testing!
I have decided to apply for the new job, and after I have finished here I shall be taking the application form round to Personnel. My line manager and countersigning officer have bothe given me glowing references, and before you make any cracks about wanting to get rid of me, I know they are meant genuinely lol! The only problem is that I have heard on the grapevine that the head of Particle Physics wants the job to provide a promotion opportunity for someone. Quite understandable as promotion opportunities in this organisation are rarer than hen's teeth. Anyway - I can only give it a go. The shortlisting will be done while I am away on my holidays, so I won't know if I have got an interview until I get back. The inetrview will be horrible - I hate interviews anyway, like everyone, but being interviewed by people you work with on a day to day basis is ten time worse I think.
Thats all I can think of for now, gentle readers! I go to Greece on 23rd, so if I don't get round to blogging again before then, I will write a report when I get back!

2004-08-04T08:31:00.000+01:00

Staceys little boy, David, has been found! I rejoice that Stacey has him back and I hope David hasn't been traumatised in any way. There were a lot of people out there holding their breath and waiting for news!
I have a decision to make. For quite a while now I haven't has enough work to do for my job, to the extent that a couple of half days work have been found for me in the Electronic Research Administration of Grants (ERAG) section. This is somewhere I would quite like to work eventually, but there are no guarantees that the little bit of work I am doing for them now will in fact lead to anything more. Now a vacancy has arisen in the grants administration section, fairly routine work but lots of it. I have to decide whether to apply for it (I think I have a reasonable chance of getting it - its the same grade as I have now) or whether to stay where I am, be bored to tears most of the time and hope that the work in ERAG expands....
I don't know what to do for the best.

2004-08-03T06:49:00.000+01:00

Please, if you can pray, pray for Stacey and her family, especially for her son David who has gone missing. I can't pray but I will be holding them all in my thoughts throughout their terrible ordeal.

2004-07-26T09:42:00.000+01:00

I've done the detox for 14 days now and have decided it's time to bring it to an end. I have enjoyed being on it and am fairly certain I feel benefit from doing it, but it's just too darn inconvenient when you are trying to run a family as well. I am broken a few bad habits and am hoping I won't succumb to them again. From here on I will be careful until my holiday and then after my hols I may well give the South Beach diet a whirl - it depends on my domestic arrangements i.e. whether or not DD#1 has left home.
Stitching wise, I am having break from the Chatelaines. In fact, I am giving up on keeping up with the mysteries. It was just too demaning and I found I was feeling the same about the pieces as I feel about obligation stitching, so I have removed the pressure. I am starting a rotation again, with the mysteries as part of it, so I will still work on them now and again, but I won't be keeping up with the parts. I feel so much better having made that decision - I was feeling really jaded. The pieces that will be in the rotation with the mysteries are MVS's 'Day', which I started yesterday, Mirabilia's Regal Holiday and Carriage House Sampling's Houses of Hawks Run Hollow with the recommended silks. The latter was very expensive, but I wanted the recommended threads as I can then be sure the colours are right; I have paid for it with the money that was going to pay for the Chatelaines class that I have now withdrawn from. Why have I withdrawn from the class? I was feeling overwhelmed by all the Chatelaines and decided to pull away a little bit. So I won't be doing another mystery, I decided not to do the mermaid box, as I didn't like it when I saw a pic of the finished top, and I am not doing the class because when I saw a pic of a similar class piece by Martina I didn't like that either. All in all I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I do want to ask Julie about making another box - I really, really do want to make a box.....

2004-07-15T08:13:00.000+01:00

I have left it far too long to blog! Time seems to be a problem just lately as I haven't been feeling too good and tend to be in bed by 8.30 most nights. Needless to say I haven't touched my stitching for a while - since last Friday in fact. I really don't feel motivated to stitch on MVI, especially now that I have realised that due to my summer holiday next month I won't be able to keep up anyway. I have decided to start a mini rotation, with Regal Holiday, MVI, Houses of Hawks Run Hollow and MVS's Day. I am letting go of the Chatelaines, much as I like them, because I really can't cope with the amount of stitching required to keep up. I have therefore dropped my plans to do the Mermaid Box and MVIII, and I am now unable to go to the class in London in October, so I am freeing up my committments. I don't think I function well when I 'have' to stitch something - I've never been any good at obligation stitching.
I am now on Day 4 of the detox, and it's going quite well. I am finding lunches quite difficult as most of the recipes are for cooked foods and the food preparation required in the mornings when everyone is getting ready to go to work is awkward. But I am still sticking to it, and most of the time, am enjoying the variety of new foods.
I am not going to make any comments about the demise of JPC on the TWBB except to say I am very sad that it had to happen.

2004-07-07T13:10:00.000+01:00

I took the most accurate villain personality test
created by: The Arch Villainess Gracie

2004-07-06T10:34:00.000+01:00

I mentioned a couple of entries back that I had a plan about my eating problems. Well, after a lot of reading around the subject, and looking at various options, I have decided to follow Carol Vordeman's 28 day detox, after which I am going to seriously review my eating patterns. I have read the book about this detox from cover to cover several times over the last few months, and have finally decided to take the plunge. Over the last few weeks, I have read up about detox, the South Beach diet, vegetarianism, and the book accompanying the recent TV programme, You Are What You Eat. Nearly all these sources boil down to the same factors, and are remarkable in their similarity, but the Carol Vordeman programme is much more detailed and provides a shopping list, menus and recipes so is by far the easiest to follow. I am determined to keep to this. The kind of things that detoxing is supposed to help with are excessive fatigue, depression and joint pains amongst other things, all of which are a problem for me. Weight loss is a possible effect as well, although it is not the principle reason for detoxing. PLease wish me well in this endeavour. I start next Monday....

2004-07-02T11:30:00.000+01:00

Well, I went to see DD#2's flat last night, and to use her words - it's lush!! It's brand new, very private and quiet, and fitted out beautifully with cooker, washer/dryer and fridge freezer; a very nice bathroom and good sized bedrooms. I think they will be very comfortable there, so long as they can make ends meet. We will see. I found it really hard to say goodbye last night, leaving her on the doorstep - I shed a tear or two. I went to bed quite early then found I couldn't sleep for thinking about my little girl flying the nest. So I got up and had a chat on msn to a very good friend and we had a mutual support session!!
At present I am having a quiet day at work, packing up my desk ready for the office accommodation res-shuffle happening this weekend. The appointment for my new line manager has been made, and the successful appointee seems to be very nice, so I am feeling quite optimistic about how things are going. I just need more work to do now and I will be a happy bunny!

2004-07-01T13:25:00.000+01:00

I am back!! Now that the UKGTG is over and I have done my work trip to Cambridge, I feel free again!! :-D

I have quite a bit to chat about too! DD#2 is moving into her new flat today! She and her flatmate Becki picked up the keys this morning, and Becki's dad is using his van to transport the beds and a few other bits and pieces. I don't know exactly what is happening as I haven't been around much for the last few days, but I understand a friend is giving them a sofa which I assume is also being moved in today. I am going round this evening to have a look as I haven't seen the inside yet. I am buying a vacuum cleaner for them as a moving in present.
DD#1 is also moving out shortly. Last week she and her DBF were told they had a flat under a co-ownership scheme, and they arranged a mortgage yesterday. All being well they will move in about 6 weeks. We are just keeping our fingers crossed that the date for excahneg of contracts won't clash with our holiday at the end of August. If things go smoothly there should be no problem, but you never know with new properties....

Last Saturday was the UKTWBBer's GTG. It was a lot of fun, although I didn't get to chat to as many people as I would have liked. The acoustics in halls makes hearing people especially difficult, so I avoided getting into conversations in order to avoid the embarrassment of not hearing properly. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves - I didn't realise how worried I was about it until it was over. I have never seen such a large display of stitching in one place before - there were some really wonderful pieces to be seen. I was especially taken with a beautifully finished needleworker's companion piece Julie had stitched (sorry I don't know the proper name nor who designed it, although I would love to do one myself), and of course the Mirabilia Queens, and Dimple's 'To Embroider'and Dragon Dream's 'Not Forgotten'and Chatelaine's Taj Mahal, and, and, and.....
Miz did a wonderful job of organising the shop, one of the big success's of the GTG, and propping me up during the run up to the day when I ran out of ideas and energy - Thanks Miz - I don't know where I would have been without you.

At work, things are not going too well. I really have very little to do still; although I have been promised some extra work it hasn't materialised yet. We are packing up our desks tomorrow, as because of some extra staff moving in we all have to 'budge up' a bit. I am moving 6 ft eastwards. Seems a lot of disruption for such a tiny move.
I am filled with energy for stitching MVI now that part 7 has been released - it looks quite a small part so suddenly it all seems doable! Maybe I will get some time to stitch something else this month! I really wanted to stitch yesterday, but when I sat at my stitching station, all the enthusiasm left me. I must have been tired I think. I doubt I will be able to stitch tonight as I will be at DD#2's flat!!
I have decided I need to take drastic action with food. I have a plan....more later....

2004-06-07T13:47:00.000+01:00

Hi hi, hi ho, it's back to work I go. You would have thought that with a whole week off work I would have found more time to blog, yet oddly enough I never did! I did post a pic of my completed CCM Part 6 but that's all. I felt fairly poorly most of the time, and I spent some time catching up with friends on msn, but didn't get a lot of stitching done.
Today we get to hear if my youngest daughter will be leaving home. The friend that she hopes to share with needs to convert the garage of the flat into a salon for her clients (she is a beautician) but a door must be made between the flat and the garage. If this can't be done, they will not be taking it on. Both are waiting on tenterhooks today as the builder will look and see if it can be done. They are both so excited, they will be terribly disappointed if the builder says 'no'. As for me, I am on tenterhooks too - I will miss Debs so much if she leaves. My eldest daughter has also announced that if she and her fiance are not in a position to buy a home at the end of the year, they also will look at renting. I could have an almost empty house this time next year!

Last week, DH managed to redecorate most of the hallway, landing and stairs. The walls have been painted a pale yellow, with white woodwork, and we have replaced the horrid sixties varnished banisters with white painted spindles. The downstairs hallway now has a laminate floor instead of cork tiles. There is still a lot for DH to do before it is finished, but I am very pleased. It's a bit of a shock first thing in the morning, though, as it is so bright and it used to be quite dark!

2004-03-29T20:07:00.000+01:00

I have moved! You can now find my blog at www.sheepishstitcher.co.uk

See you there!

2004-03-25T12:32:00.000Z

The last couple of days have been kind of hectic. On Tuesday DD2 was asked by her employer if she would take part in a Princes' Trust development exercise for 20 days starting yesterday. The girl who was going has left her job, so someone was needed to take her place. This involves looking after some teenagers from deprived backgrounds whilst they take part in various activities. Next week they are going to Dartmoor where they will be doing abseiling, caving, gorge walking, canoeing and rock-climbing. DD2 and I have spent the last two evenings pulling together suitable clothing, sleeping bags and so forth, as she has to have her rucksack ready to hand over tomorrow morning. DD2 spends another week with them in May where they will be doing some kind of conservation work. We have managed to buy fleeces, track suit bottoms, socks and t-shirts from Tesco and Primark very cheaply so that DD2 doesn't have to ruin her good stuff. I think this is going to do DD2 such a lot of good - I am hoping it helps her build up her confidence again after her love affair went wrong.
DD1 is having a job interview today. she has not been happy in her current post since the department was re-organised, and this job would be very similar to what she has been doing. I am hoping she will do well, but it's the first job interview she has had in four years, and I am afraid that nerves will get the better of her.
I have had part of my job appraisal today, and my line manager has noticed that I am not as with-it as I was a few months ago. I am not sure how much is due to the meds I am on, how much is due to the ME or how much is due to just being plain bored with the job. Maybe I should consider something new, but I am loathe to move on until I feel I have done the very best I can at this job.
I think that is where we are at now. Stitching wise I am plugging away at Mystery VI but I haven't stitched a lot the last couple of days - there always seems to be another call on my time. I haven't settled into a new book yest - just as I pick one up to read, either my Mum or DD1 has lent me another book with a deadline to return to the library, so I am juggling deadlines. I think I have settled on a new Greg Iles, Dark Matter. We'll see!

2004-03-19T12:24:00.000Z

I'm still here...I don't seem to have a lot to say really. It's really silly because I love reading everyone else's blogs, and my favourite ones are the ones that deal with everyday life or stitching rather than trying to make deep or clever pronouncements on life, the world and the universe; yet I assume that if I wrote things like that I would bore the pants off everyone!!
So whats been happening since I last posted? My youngest daughter was 21 last week, and we went for a lovely meal on Saturday to celebrate. I had fillet steak with stilton and prawns, but my son was very adventurous and had 'A Taste of the Wild' which was ostrich, kangaroo, wild boar and venison! Wouldn't fancy it myself but it was apparently very tasty! Work has been pretty mundane and boring, and I have found it hard to keep up this week - I'm feeling very tired a lot of the time, and my hips and knees are tender.
Stitching wise I am plugging away at Mystery VI, and starting to suffer from 'Eyes Bigger than my Belly' syndrome - I want more and more Chatelaines but can't possible cope with more stitching!!I reckon I will finish MVI just in time for the next part of CCM, so Taj Mahal will have to wait until next month. I'm very excited to hear that Martina will be giving a class in London in the Autumn! I haven't been doing very well with my diet just recently so I don't have to worry about Nova just yet - whew!!
Sometime in the next week or so I will start to organise the kits for the scissor fobs and christmas baubles that some of us are making in our get-together this summer. I am just waiting for a last catalogue to arrive so I can get the best prices.
Here is another silly quiz - I quite like the results though - very flattering!!

you are camomile tea......you are very calm, and
you like to be warm, relaxed, and cozy. You
tend to have a calming effect on people, and
your friends often come to you with problems.

(with pics) what tea are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

2004-03-08T13:50:00.000Z

Just a quickie to say thanks to everyone who encouraged me when I was on a downer last week. I'm pleased to say I am feeling much better now - better than I have for a couple of weeks, so normal service has now been resumed :-D
Stitching wise, I haven't been able to do much, but I will be 'Full steam ahead' now on Mystery VI parts 2 and 3!

2004-03-05T13:06:00.000Z

Feeling sorry for myself
Sorry about this, stop reading by all means as I am just so fed up. As you know I was off work for 7 months last year and working part time for a further 3 months because of ME/CFS. I have been coping fairly well since I have been back working full-time, but these last few weeks I have felt myself slowly going downhill again, until yesterday when I really had a hard time getting out of bed and moving around. I was too tired to stitch or read. I had to miss work, which is a pain as they are just beginning to build up some confidence in my being there and working up to my ability. Now I feel thiat nothing has been acheived and I am back to where I started. I am going to have to take it easy this weekend which has meant I have had to cancel a class with Judy Dixon that I was really looking forward to.
I am fed up with feeling so tired and all my aches and pains, and most of all not being able to do the things I want to do.
::::end of pity party:::::

2004-03-01T10:39:00.000Z

Here are my February Targets. I think I was a little ambitious!
Finish Chatelaine's Christmas Mystery part 2 (around 10 hours left to do) Finshed part 2 and part 3.
Start Vine Bouquet (a class project - the class is tomorrow) Finished
Stitch 30 squares on Nova (around 25 hours) Decided I couldn't cope with this amount so have reduced my target per pound to one square per half pund lost. Up to date now with 24 squares completed.
Start Mystery VI (assuming I receive the materials in time) (10 hours?) Finished part 1.
Start and Finish Italian Ice (10 hours?) No
Pick up knitting again Yes - finished the front of my Kaffe Fasset sweater
Start Karneval (a beading project) No

I had better not be quite so ambitious this month.
March Targets:

1) Start and finish Mystery VI parts 2 and 3
2) Start and Finish Chatelaines Taj Mahal part 1.
3) Start Christmas Mystery part 4.

2004-02-29T17:50:00.000Z

Yesterday I was busy organising my stash into a plastic drawer system, and so far, it seems to be working for me. I was going to buy a lovely waxed pine chest of drawers but decided I couldn't justify the price, and it wouldn't have looked right in the room where I keep my stuff. Today, I met a friend for a hot choccie at Starbucks and while we were waiting for it to open we went into the nearby DIY store and I bought a shelf and brackets that I think will be ideal for my lever arch files of charts. So gradually, I am getting organised. I still get to buy the waxed pine chest of drawers, but it will be for my bedroom, to replace the tatty cheap MFI flat-pack dressing table I inherited from my sister-in-law.
Today, I also finished part 3 of CCM, which I am very glad about.

I think I have kept to most of my February targets although I need to look them up to be sure. March targets are to get up to date with Mystery VI and Taj Mahal. I think it will take all month to do that!

2004-02-26T20:57:00.000Z

here is a pic of my completed Mystery VI part one. I have to say I did begin to wonder if I would ever finish it!! I think it must have taken me the best bit of 30 hours, much more than I was anticipating. I hope the next parts don't take quite as long!

2004-02-25T14:05:00.000Z

Oh what a mess. I apologise if you can see various versions of this entry. I got in a bit of a mess with adding the photo and then realising I shouldn't have my address on the web for all to see. I then brushed out the address but then couldn't get it up on my website properly. In addition to which I don't get to see my blog entry until the next day, so apologies if you can see entries that I have subsequently deleted. Anyway, the point of all this was to tell you about what I received in the post yesterday. A BB friend was posting about a Mail Art project she had been involved in and I asked what Mail Art was as I didn't quite 'get' it. To my astonishment I received this beautiful example through the post this morning. I am overcome that someone would stitch this especially for me....

2004-02-25T09:48:00.000Z

Another quiz!! Interesting questions in this one....

You're The Mists of Avalon!

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

You're obsessed with Camelot in all its forms, from Arthurian legend
to the Kennedy administration. Your favorite movie from childhood was "The Sword in
the Stone". But more than tales of wizardry and Cuban missiles, you've focused on
women. You know that they truly hold all the power. You always wished you could meet
Jackie Kennedy.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

2004-02-22T23:21:00.000Z

Saw this on Haze's blog and just had to do it!!!

	Friend Bear You are everyone's ideal friend because you are sincere and genuinely kind. Sometimes you worry about your friends' problems so much, you forget about your own responsibilities, which can get you into trouble. For you, it's the little things that really count. You also happen to be the main driver of the Cloud Car. No speeding!
*Take the Which Care Bear Are You?* Quiz!**

2004-02-21T22:35:00.000Z

You may remember that I was planning to stitch 4 squares of Nova for each pound in weight that I lose. I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that the arthritis in my hands will only allow me to stitch one square per half pound I lose. So here is a bad pic of Nova to date - 24 squares.

This has been a terrible week for me in respect of weight loss - hotel food is not designed to help anyone stay on a diet and I have gone off the rails a bit since I have been home; I'm not sure why, but I promise to get back to it next week - honest!

2004-02-19T17:32:00.000Z

Just got back from my work trip to Liverpool. I am really quite chuffed, as it's the first time I have represented my Council on my own without one of my bosses with me. I think it went well; it certainly went better than I expected. While I was in Liverpool, I simply had to visit 'The Beatles Story', an exhibition set up in the redeveloped Albert Docks. It was wonderful. They had reproduced the cavern exactly, and at the end of the exhibition was a reproduction of the White Room from Imagine. I ended up wiping tears away, soppy so-and-so I am. I got a T-shirt of course! I didn't have time to do the Beatles tour or to ride a ferry on the Mersey, but maybe one day!

2004-02-16T12:33:00.000Z

A strange few days
I don't know whether I am happy or not! I woke up on Saturday to find my DH had got me a very romantic card and a fantastic pendant as a gift - it's a replica of the Evenstar Pendant from LoR and is gorgeous. It was a huge suprise as we don't normally do anything for Valentines. I went out later that morning to the hairdressers and ended up with all my hair cut off - I only have an inch of hair all over! It looks nice, but I am not sure it suits me, and the subsequent responses of my family were mixed so I am still none the wiser. After the hairdressers I did some shopping, buying a birthday card and birthday cake for my son's 16th birthday. When I got home the atmosphere seemed a bit odd, then my DH took me by the hand and led me into where we keep our PC. To my shock, there was a brand new PC sitting there. DH knew my old PC was slow and also had spyware on it I couldn't get rid of, and that I had planned on getting it upgraded later this year. I know he meant well, but he has spent money that we haven't got - he has put it on his credit card. We are supposed to be reducing our credit card debt. I didn't know whether to be happy or cross! In the end I decided just to enjoy the new PC, accepting that he meant well and let him live with his own credit card debt. I didn't want to make hime feel bad.
The rest of the day was spent transferring files across and installing the software I needed. Later that evening, DH disappeared and when I went to see what he was doing he had downloaded KaZaA onto the new PC which seems to have brought with it a plethora of pop-ups. So my new PC is contaminated already!! When I complained (mildly), I was told that DS needed it to get his music and it wasn't fair not to let him have the software. Fortunately a friend at work has found something called Diet Kazaa which apparantly sorts all this out, so I will try downloading this later on tonight.

I'm sure you understand why I feel so churned up about this all. Even though I am now largely recovered from my illness and breakdown last year I still have a problem dealing with change, and even without the complications over the downloads I would have found this hard to deal with!

On a happier note, my last baby became 16 on Sunday. Its brought to me a realisation that I no longer have a child in the family. I am privileged that all my offspring still live at home with me, and we all get on well. Although I sometimes wonder if they will ever get homes of their own, I treasure the noise and liveliness they create, as I know one day I will return home after work to a silent house.

Stitching wise, I have not stitched since Friday - there simply has not been an opportunity. I am looking forward to a good session tonight !

2004-02-12T15:41:00.000Z

I have been feeling low with a migraine the last two days. Its not a full blown 'lie in bed in the dark' affair, but it has been hanging about being exceedingly uncomfortable. Anyway, I have been able to put in the last few stitches to Vine Bouquet.....

What a joy to stitch. I loved the Pearsalls silks which were amazingly forgiving once I got used to the slippiness. The South African silk perle is really special, far superior to the soie perlee I have used before. I will have to get some more I think.

2004-02-10T11:02:00.000Z

Yesterday didn't quite work out as expected. I had the day off work to take Debs to the hospital for her biopsy, and I was supposed to be going there with Jen in the evening for her MRI scan. What actually happened was that the consultant decided he needed a scan of Debs' lump before he would do the biopsy, and the MRI machine broke down over the weekend, so Jen's appointment was cancelled. So we are waiting for more appointments now! I did get a fair bit of stitching done though - I reckon to finish Vine Bouquet this week. I'll post a pic when it's done!
A bit of luck for me as well - I was chatting to a woman at work and it turns out she is going to the Olympia stitching show the same day as me, and will give me a lift!! Saves lots of ££'s and gives me a chance to get to know her a bit better :)
I have decided I need to get a couple of my finishes framed. I want to get Chaca II and Michael Powells Mini Cottages framed. Both are too nice to be languishing away in the dark!

2004-02-08T18:07:00.000Z

I finished Part 2 of CCM!! Here's a pic....

I'm not sure what I am supposed to do next - I can't work on Nova because after the drive yesterday the arthritis in my hands is playing up. I got a copper bracelet today - I feel a bit silly about it but we shall see if it helps at all, I gather it is supposed to help arthritis. It's a bit big, so I have it halfway up my forearm so it isn't visible to anyone else.

2004-02-07T19:23:00.000Z

I have just had a fabulous day!!! I went to a class by Judy Dixon from Sew to be Seen It was a hardanger class using a very pretty design called Vine Bouquet, and Judy is such a charming lady! There were five of us taking the class, and we sat in Judy's conservatory under blue skies, and when we weren't stitching we were chatting, watching birds and Judy's guinea pig in the garden. I will be going back in a month to learn some surface embroidery techniques, and I am really looking forward to it. I have therefore acquired another WIP....

2004-02-06T12:22:00.000Z

Everybody seems to be listing what they want to achieve stitching-wise in February, so being true to my sheep-like nature, I am following the herd and doing the same :-)

In February I intend to:
Finish Chatelaine's Christmas Mystery part 2 (around 10 hours left to do)
Start Vine Bouquet (a class project - the class is tomorrow)
Stitch 30 squares on Nova (around 25 hours)
Start Mystery VI (assuming I receive the materials in time) (10 hours?)
Start and Finish Italian Ice (10 hours?)
Pick up knitting again
Start Karneval (a beading project)

This probably looks ambtitious, but I am having a week off work at the end of the month where I intend to do nothing except work on my crafts :-) The spring cleaning can go hang.....

So there you have it - amazing how influenced you can be by people you have never met in the flesh!

There are limits to how effective electronic friendship can be, though. Nothing can replace a real live hug, a smile, or a certain look in the eye. There are a couple of friends of mine who I wish I could really reach out to at the moment instead of through mysterious waves in the ether! With BBs, instant messaging and e-mailing it is sometimes easy to give offence where none is meant as there is no visual signal to accompany the message. I do love my BBs, but often feel sad to see how much hurt they cause simply because of the restrictive nature of written communication. However, I am so very grateful for everything the internet has given me, especially the TWBB through which I have made some very dear friends. My life would be so much duller and colourless without my window on the world!!

2004-02-05T11:15:00.000Z

My son Ben was not the easieat child. He had a fearsome temper when he was small, and often reduced his older sisters and me to tears of frustration. At one point I was in despair and convinced he would grow up to be sociopathic. However since he was around 7 years old, he has slowly but surely improved, and is now a gentle, thoughful and sensitive 16 year old. One of his difficulties has been his complete lack of sporting ability; he is terrible at football which, as you can imagine has made it hard for him to fit in with other boys his age. Ben became a video games buff, first with a Sega and latterly with a Playstation. He was very good at them too, but it isn't the most social of activities. Then the Christmas before last, at his request, we bought him an electric guitar. We got used to the noise of ear-shattering chords penetrating throughout the house, but accepted it (albeit often with gritted teeth) as we could only afford a cheap amp which didn't have the facility of headphones or a very controllable volume. To our delight Ben worked really, really hard at his guitar, and gradually more tuneful sounds come out of his bedroom. He asked for lessons which we arranged, and for this Christmas and the birthday coming, we managed to give him a decent guitar and amp.
Last night he asked me to take him to a jam session in a local club, and took his guitar with him. I dropped him off and saw him welcomed into a group who were clearly pleased to see him. When he came home, he was so exhilarated and happy - he had played lead guitar for a couple of songs and received applause, and been told his playing was excellent. His friends had supported him and persuaded him to have a go. It made me so happy to see him getting pleasure from an accomplishment, and fitting in with a group of friends. It's moments like that that make being a parent the most wonderful experience in the world.

2004-02-03T16:51:00.001Z

Here's pic of my CCM Part One now it is complete.

The colours are not too good as I had to use a flash; the colour of the fabric is in fact exactly as in the earlier pic, almost identical to DMC503, which is what I used to attach all those beads! Tonight I am going to have a go at getting as much of Part Two done as I can. I am ready to tackle something else - Nova I would think.

2004-02-02T16:49:00.000Z

I weighed and I have lost 4lb - so I have lost the 3 I gained last week plus another. That makes 10lb altogether :-)

I have realised I have something weird going on with my PC and this blog. Of late it has taken a day for my published blog to show up when I view it. I just thought there was something going on with BlogSpot. However, today I posted from work and saw my post come up immediately. I just thought BlogSpot must be feeling better, but when I got home, I can't see the post. I keep refreshing but I still can't see it. Anyone got any ideas?

2004-02-02T09:00:00.000Z

I have almost finished the first part of 'CCM' (Chatelaines Christmas Mystery), and I am stunned by how beautiful it is. It reminds me of those old Russian Icons, a small portrait in a rich and lavish frame. I just have a few more beads to put in and I will then move on to part two. My laying tool arrived, so I will be able to get back to Nova once I have done the second part of 'CCM'.
Now the confession. You may remember that I lost 6lb the first week of my diet followed by a 3lb loss the second week. What I haven't admitted up 'til now is that I gained 3lb the third week. I don't really understand why - I was away on a work trip for three days, and the menu was the most diet unfriendly I have ever come across so I didn't expect to lose much, but I honestly don't think I ate anywhere near enough to gain 3lb. So today is the crunch - I am weighing again today and I have been very strict this week, but I don't feel like I have lost anything. If I have only lost a small amount I will try to keep motivated for this diet, but I have to admit it will be very hard. The only good thing about all this is that I am not as behind on 'Nova' as I could have been! I will post this evening after weighing, whether the news is good or bad. Promise.

2004-01-30T11:16:00.000Z

I feel I made some progress with the Christmas Mystery last night. I will finish Part Two and then move on to do a bit more on Nova, assuming I have received the laying tool I have ordered, and have received my own copy of the chart (I was borrowing a friend's, but understandably she needs it back!) I reckon I should finish both parts of the Christmas Mystery over the weekend, as I have a quiet weekend ahead IIRC. Before I became consumed with Chatelaines, I had every intention of making this year a Christmas stitching year, but that has gone by the board now. I must finish Ed the Hedgehog and my tablecloth though. Now I have a lapstand I will get myself set up for stitching in my lunch hours.
I haven't mentioned the health of my two daughters up until now. My eldest has been getting a lot of pain from her coccyx for over a year now, and has had physiotherapy and steroid injection in a bid to cure the inflammation that is causing the pain. However, she is to have an MRI scan next week and then after that a final injection and some manipulation under general anaesthetic. This is the last step, after which the only other recourse to get rid of the pain is surgical removal of the coccyx. However this isn't recommended as it could affect her ability to carry a child to term and could also leave her partially incontinent. So fingers crossed that the manipulation and the last injection will help.
My younger daughter has a fast growing lump in her neck. The GP says it isn't a 'swollen gland', but doesn't know what it is. So Debs is to have a blood test and a biopsy. I'm sure it will be a harmless cyst on the gland, but again, fingers crossed.
The girls seem to have inherited my tendency - I have always said, I am never ill but I always have something wrong with me!! LOL!

2004-01-29T20:47:00.000Z

I'm finding I need to make a blog entry even if I don't have much to say. Blogging has really become a very important part of my life - reading other peoples blogs and posting mine makes me feel part of a community far more than any BB has (with the exception of a small private one I happen to know about). Making a post and knowing one or two people read it is a great feeling and a good way of communicating. I am quiet by nature and very shy, so I get intimidated easily in a big BB. I know people keep saying that everyone is welcome, but if you are not used to making small talk, and don't have small children or pets to brag about it's often hard to participate. I keep seeing advice to just e-mail people off a BB to tell them something nice, but again, I just can't find the words and would probably just look stupid. Here, however, I can just 'talk' without being drowned out, even if it sometimes means no-one is listening!! I am hoping as well that writing stuff down will help me to think things through and maybe feel more able to speak up in a more public arena.
Ah well - back to Christmas Mystery. It seems to be going very slowly at the moment ....

2004-01-28T13:46:00.003Z

I am at home today in order to rest after the drive to and from Bristol to see the ballet. I meant to stitch all day but slept late, went to the PO and have been meesing about on here, I am just about to go and do some more on Chatelaines Christmas Mystery, but here is a pic of what I have done so far....

It's a bit blurry as it's a digiphoto, but I will scan it in later when I have finished this part. I made some changes to the face, as I have a fairly fixed idea of what the Madonna should look like!

2004-01-26T15:16:00.000Z

I found a colour quiz on Lorna's blog today, and took it, and the results below cheered me up. Maybe I do have something to offer.

BLUE

You give your love and friendship unconditionaly. You enjoy long, thoughtful conversations rich in philosophy and spirituality. You are very loyal and intuitive.

Find out your color at Quiz Me!

Thanks for the lift Lorna!

2004-01-26T12:53:00.000Z

I'm feeling very low today. I am back at work and I don't feel too bad but my mood is depressed. It just seems all I do is upset or inconvenience people. I can't really think of anything positive at all just at the moment. I think I am probably just in hibernation mode. It seems so unfair to me that we can't hibernate through the winter months.

2004-01-23T13:45:00.000Z

Here's a pic of my Nova:

As I have broken my laying tool I have had to leave square A10 halfway through. I shall pick it up again when I have finished the first bit of Christmas Mystery, by which time I hope I will have found somewhere to get a laying tool.

2004-01-23T13:08:00.000Z

I'm very tired. In fact I feel dangerously tired so I have taken the day off sick. I got back from a business trip last night, and it took just a little bit too much out of me. I am in fine form for breaking stuff as well and just causing inconvenience to people. I find I have been confused over the date I am going to the ballet - its next Tuesday, not Monday as I thought. Because of that I now have to cancel a training course at work which has cost my section's budget a £97 cancellation fee, and worst of all will be unable to attend my son's teachers evening. I have also just written a cheque for £60 to the magistrates court for my speeding fine, and managed to snap my laying tool so I have had to stop work on Nova. Not a good day so far.

2004-01-19T16:37:00.000Z

Just thought I would see if I could post a pic of the pesky iris here....

And it worked!!

2004-01-19T10:31:00.000Z

I'm tired today. I shouldn't be because I took last Friday off to protect me from the worst of a cold, but Ken wanted to work in the garden over the weekend, so I didn't get much help in the house. For those that don't know, I have ME, or as its called these days, CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). I have to confess that before I got it, I was very dubious about whether these 'modern syndromes' really existed, but I know better now! I fought very hard against it last year, and am now back at work after 7 months sick, but I am still restricted in what I can cope with. Just going to work takes a lot of my energy, and I cook three or four evenings a week and do some washing and 'taxi runs', but thats about as much as I can do. Fortunately I get lots of help from my wonderful daughters. I wouldn't have got through the last year without them. I have quite a busy schedule over the next few days so I have booked Wednesday next week off work as well, so I can rest. This week I am off to Southampton for three days for a work visit, then next Monday evening I have to drive to Bristol to see 'The Nutcracker', then on the Tuesday I am in Chippenham for Advanced Excel training and there is a parents evening at Ben's school. Not a problem for anyone else, but I will be very tired.

I have finished 'Black Cross' by Greg Iles. Quite enjoyable although not the kind of book I usually read. It was about a commando raid into Germany towards the end of WWII to convince the Germans that the UK had a nerve gas weapon. There were a few twists in the plot, and the inevitable doomed romance, and was very readable. I am now reading John Humphrys book in which he discusses the direction society is moving. So far , I agree with everything he says, and feel a sense of relief to know that someone else thinks the same as I do and put it in print despite not being very PC!

Stitching wise I have started Nova and have almost completed the first 4 squares. They take a little longer than I expected, but I still aim to stitch four squares for every lb lost on my diet. I just have to make up lost ground - so far I have to stitch 24 squares for last weeks weight loss alone. I will work on that until my Christmas Mystery materials arrive. I am finding it very enjoyable to stitch - i's so nice to be stitching something other than lttle crosses!

2004-01-17T23:51:00.000Z

I have finished it!!!!!!!!! The iris is done!! My family have chosen this time to tell me they don't like it, so I don't think it will be framed, but at least I can move on. Tomorrow - Nova here I come!!!!

2004-01-15T13:18:00.000Z

Thoughtful or Thoughtless?

I received quite few kind gestures from people from the stitching boards I frequent while I was ill - cards and small gifts, and I would find it hard to verbalise how much it meant to me. I've also been the recipient of kindnesses for no reason at all. Yet I am incredibly bad at doing the same for others. I have always thought of myself as a good friend for someone to have - I flatter myself that I am a good listener, am discreet, and aim to be supportive. And most of all I like and value my friends. And yet, I never think to send a small something through the post to say 'Thanks for being you', and I am bad at remembering important dates like birthdays. Does that make me a thoughtless person? I would hope not, but I know I could easily cause hurt because of my poor memory. I am trying to be more aware of things like this, and over the last few days I have thought to send a small something to a couple of online friends who are both having a rough time, and I think this has pleased me as much as I hope it pleases them. So to all who count themselves amongst my friends, I will try to do better!
Oh - and the end is in sight for the pesky Iris. I think I will get it finished at the weekend, and will then move onto Nova and my Judy Dixon piece.

2004-01-14T14:07:00.000Z

I'm still so excited by all my stash purchases. I have spent quite a bit of money and it's probably the first time I have indulged quite so much. After the year I've had I think I deserve it! I can't wait to start stitching - I think I will start the Judy Dixon Sampler first while I am waiting for Christmas Mystery to arrive, and the the Mystery will be the pace setter for everything else. I also hope to be able to start Nova in the next couple of days - as I have lost 6 pounds in my first week I have a fair few squares to stitch!!

So far I am finding it easy to stick to the diet . I know difficult times are ahead but I am determined to do it. Although I am not going to a class to weigh in, I have realised that the only person it really matters to is me, and if I cheat, I am cheating myself. I have no ambiitions to be skinny, well padded will do, but I do want to be healthy.

2004-01-14T00:09:00.000Z

I'm still awake despite going to bed an hour and a half ago, as I have been fondling the stash I got in the post today. I have Chatelaines Watergarden and Judy Dixon's Antique Fancy from European Cross stitch, and an Open Heart and Toccata Number One from The Drawn Thread - all beautifully packaged and presented. I'm now so excited I can't sleep. I have to decide what I am going to stitch first, but what a wonderful choice!!