Tuesday 27 March 2007

Year Ends Suck!

Hey Folks!

Just to let you know I'm still alive!

End of year in shop - stocktaking, payroll year-end, accounts-up-to date, blah blah! Wall still not down - getting a bit p'd off with that - want to get new bit sorted NOW!

I'd like to have the new bit called 'The Designer Room' with a door bell and 'By Appointment Only'. Nice tables and chairs with a coffee machine and nice thin biscuits individually wrapped, soft music in the background and try me samples. Lovely and warm with a big thick carpet. Somewhere to relax and enjoy a truly marvelous knitting shopping experience. (Gorgeous yarns, books and notions etc goes without saying!) 'Away man, woman. Dream on' TB

Feel I will be entitled to a bit of Not Nagged2k knitting after the next few weeks.

Catch you when I can.

Byeeeeee.

Thursday 15 March 2007

Extreme Knitting (or Kill Two Birds With One Stone)

Ola!

Just a quickie - got paperwork to do and can get on the internet just now while Newcastle is on the telly. Must get broadband networked for the house - The new pc with internet is in the spare bedroom and the old pc without internet is in the kitchen. I like the kitchen one for my paperwork because there is loads of room to spread all my stuff about but I can't access the internet on it. Will check out AOL when I finish here.

Have got a few rows done on my New Lanark slipover and another new project has prompted TB to conduct a little survey in the shop. It goes along the lines of 'Do you finish one item before starting another?' 'Do you have more than two projects on the pins at one time then?' 'Do you always do a tension square?' ... and finishes with 'I don't understand you women.' while I just stand there with that 'look' on my face. Well ... have you ever tried to look at more than one person at the same time with a different look on your face for each one? For example, during TB's survey. I am trying to look at him with the 'I told you so' look while looking at the customer with the 'I know exactly where you are coming from' look. I usually end up looking like I'm one ball short of a jumper.

Haven't had to use foldy up stick yet. Could always buy another, take the rubber feet off them, sharpen the ends and use them for one of those extreme projects. Mind you .. I would have to make a gigantic stitch holder in case I had to use the stick for walking. Oh dear, I now have an image of me walking up Quarry Street with a walking stick with 'big' knitting on it flapping about in the wind and all the wool tucked into a bag. I suppose I'd have to knit it up pretty quickly or people would be shouting 'Have you not got that finished yet?' if they saw me a few times. Hope TB doesn't read this or he will get me to do it as a good advertising stunt.Watch the local papers. lol

Oh dear - Newcastle being beat 2-0 at the moment (4-4 on aggregate, but losing on away goals). Tears at bedtime. lol

Okey-dokey artichokey - off to visit AOL Broadband. May be visiting from the kitchen soon!

Wednesday 14 March 2007

I'll Get Stick For That.

Hello and how's yer bum fur lovebites?

Got Tofutsies socks back on track and they are coming along swell. MWM has her eye (cos she only has one eye that kinda works) on them. We'll see. She is MWM after all.

New Lanark Aran is 100g ball - yippee! Enough for slipover. Couldn't be bothered getting the postal scales out so I just got out the 30 year old Weightwatcher scales I have planked at the back of a drawer in the back shop. I wonder if the new WW scales would tell me how many points a ball of wool would have if I fancied eating one. I know someone who has a set and I am going to try it next time I visit. Might have to enter it as lamb though.

Went to shops for Elsie's replacement pressie. Can't tell you what I got her yet but I hope she likes it.

Was hurrying back to the car (yes I took the car!) and it did it again. The leg thing. I wish someone would tell me what it is - I hate surprises! Anyway, was doing the dragging thing up the shopping centre and spotted Boots. 'Right', I thought. 'That's it. I'm going to do it while the bloody thing is on my mind.' The fact that it was on my leg escaped me at that time. I wandered about Boots like the proverbial fart in a sieve and finally had to ask at the counter. 'Do you have a folding up walking stick?' Didn't have any. Drat! Tried to walk away like I was Marilyn Munroe (thinking about the item on walking on the news in the morning) while pretending it wasn't for me because I am far too young for such an aid but failed miserably. Looked more like Jake the Peg with his middle leg missing (remember Rolf and his wee dance?). However, was passing Moss and popped in there and got one. A folding up one to keep in my bag for emergencies. It's huge folded up! Will have to start using my knitting bag for a handbag to carry it about.

To add insult to injury, my toe was giving me jip. I had a look when I got back to the shop. Not a pretty sight - shoe and sock off in the back shop trying to examine the middle toe of my right foot. It looks like the nail of the next toe is digging in and that is why I can't put wight on it. So much for getting my toenails cut by the chiropodist last week!

My life sucks!!

So, just going to treat myself now - coffee, digestive, hottie (no cover!!!!! that image will haunt me forever), telly and a few rows of my New Lanark Aran slipover. 'What? Another thing started before anything else is finished?', I hear you ask. Oh yes indeedy. And, I don't care if I get stick for it cos I have foldy up one already!

See ya!

Monday 12 March 2007

Felting Is Not An Exact Science


This is the picture of the knitted garden at the SECC. Isn't it cracking? It was all knitted (with a bit of crochet) - the grass (and daisies), the flowers, the rocks, the crazy paving, the deck-chair , ..... It looks better than my real garden. Hmm .. wonder if I could knit one for the summer.

Here's an interesting story. TB went home to Geordieland this morning. He got off the train and went into the pub for a pint and a bite to eat. There was a deal on for a pint and a burger for £3.50. So he ordered politely asking for no relish or coleslaw and was asked for £4. 'Way no, bonnie lass. It's £3.50,man' (... so you can imagine the accent.) 'It is, but it is 50p extra to take the relish and coleslaw off.' He was gobsmacked. I am gobsmacked. Have you ever heard the like? You don't expect to pay less when you ask them to hold something but now they expect you to pay them for taking something off the plate that they haven't put on to start with. Guess who went to Marks for lunch.

I think I must be ultra naive - is that burger thing normal? Am I missing something? Someone put a dodgy new member on the SnB and was looking for something more naughty than knotty. Who are these people? On a knitting meet-up site? Come on. Am I missing something? Is that computer generated like the spam crap we get on the shop e-mail addresses (and, btw, more is getting missed by the Norton junk mail thing) or is some sicko/perv/bored teenager/etc going in and intentionally doing things like that? Now, I know a few folk who need a reality shot but I am beginning to think that I might I might be one of them. Heavy bit over.
Finished the 'need to know' project last night. Yippee. Actually, not yippee. More 'oh for f..' Oops. 'oh my giddy aunt!'
Since I can't get the hang of putting more than one photo on, you will just have to wait until tomorrow to get the full sp. Let's just say that 'felting is not an exact science' and I will now have to find time to go birthday present shopping.
Leg is not so bad today. Socket is a wee bit tender. I like to amuse MWM by letting her her see it now and then but I amused her more tonight by showing her the 'need to know' project. Found a pattern for a plain v-neck slipover for my New Lanark Aran. Just going to weigh it to see if I bought 200g or 400g. Did I ask at the time? No. Will I have enough? We'll soon find out. No bets on this one! If I can get a hat or a pair of fingerless gloves out of one ball of the Jamie Possum wool, I am going to give Lynnette the other one cos she held back when she was at the SECC on Saturday and I think she wished she had got some. Fingerless gloves, methinks.
Off to get the scales out. Might bake a cake while I have them out. lololololol Fat chance!
See ya later alligator.
ps If the blog shows a big long paragraph - it wasn't like that when I was typing it. Forgive me?

Sunday 11 March 2007

SEX at the SECC

Was at the SECC today and met up with Fiona, Catherine and Mhairi from the SnB. We had knitting with us but didn't get any done - too busy having SEX (stash enhancement experience).

I spent a FORTUNE (that isn't a knitting acronym - just a big load of money spent on wool and stuff). But I also made some contacts for the shop so I feel it was money well spent. (Just in case TB reads this!) Got contacts for Jamie Possum and New Lanark wools. The Jamie Possum wool is a mixture of Merino and (have you guessed yet?) Possum and comes all the way from New Zealand via Kilbarchan. Gonna knit a hat .. or gloves .. or a scarf .. or something with it. The New Lanark wool I got is pure wool and I would like to have it in the shop because it is spun locally (er .. Hamilton is in Lanark - shire plus I was born in Lanark which isn't New Lanark but ... oh stop now and put in a link).

So I nearly didn't have any SEX - can you feel a story coming on? Called in at the garage on my way to the SECC. Filled up with petrol, got some goodies and went to pay. What did I have? No purse. Rid neck. Delved into bag to hunt out emergency £20 note, into pocket for car-park money (£3.50. Yes, £3.50! Always keep it in pocket in case I over-indulge) and found some snash in bag and just made it. Thank you for not being completely empty you lovely little petrol tank you or I would have been most embarrassed. Back home for purse and into SECC. Thank Goodness I had to go for petrol though, I would have been really embarrassed if I had got there and zilch in the pot! What would have been the point of going and just window shopping - I was there for SEX!

Anyway, after we had lunch (mm tuna salsa melt and coffee - oh and I had also forgotten my insulin which I didn't notice when I went back for my purse but I did notice that there was a Diabetes UK conference going to be on there - hah! an omen?) the consensus was that it was all over bar the shouting. Stood up to go and put bags in car before checking out the wee hall and one last look at the big hall and - eeeek! leg thing!!! So, I hirpled out to the car dragging my leg behind me and like a sensible person I got in the car and went home. But wait ... I am not a sensible person. Put the bags in the car and dragged my leg all the way up to the middle of the SECC, limped around the wee hall which was really busy and full of card-making stuff in which I am not at all interested and should have known better than to go there anyway, limped back up to the big hall and went round there again then headed for home.

My leg is now gowping like a really gowping thing! Anyway, there was a display of a knitted garden and I got a picture of it so I will post that tomorrow.

Met half of my customers there, btw, so I guess it will be quiet this week. We will all be recovering from SEX at the SECC. lol

Catch y'all later.

Thursday 8 March 2007

A Vision of Lovliness - Where?

Hey folks!

Well ... it has gone. Or rather, they have gone - the tooth and the temporary thing that wasn't a temporary crown but looked like a deformed stump. Was quite calm about the whole thing and even managed a few witty comments. What a horrible job. Imagine the gobs that dentists have to deal with. No way! I like my dentist. She is young and pleasant and probably the best dentist I have had the pleasure of being numbed by. Boy, have I been treated (and I use the term loosely) by some butchers in my dental past. Er .. eg ... root treatment without anaesthetic? Not nice!

Anyway, I got the day off because there was no way I was going out of the house without my plate (had to leave it at the dentist yesterday to get the new tooth put on). So .. long lie. Grabbed joggies, t-shirt and fleece and wrapped my big Rowan Tuft scarf round my face to take TB to the shop. Remember, this is straight out of bed - unwashed, sleep in eyes and hair like straw hingin oot a midden (at least the make-up was off). Idea was drop him at corner and head straight home for breakfast. No contact with anyone. Ah ... no!

Got to shop and who was waiting? Tom, the Lanartus/Lang rep. Oh dear (or words to that effect). TB 'You do the till and speak to Tom and I'll go for milk' Me 'That'll be right' (Or words to that effect.) TB 'Well, you go to the shop and I'll speak to Tom and do the till' Me 'That'll be right' (Or words to that effect.) Guess who went to the shop. Big riddy.

Could hardly scarper and had to go back and see Tom. TB thought it was sooo funny to tell him why I looked like I had been dragged through a hedge backwards. (Which reminds me - I will get my own back, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day). Tom thinks I am mad anyway and I have a feeling today confirmed it.

However, nice new yarns but waiting until wall is down. It would get in the way and covered in stoor. I know what I am defo gonna get though. Lang have Addi needles in Lang packaging. They are Addis but I understand they are cheaper than Addis in Addi packaging. Have to check price lists to confirm. Yippee.

Had ordered 60cm 5mm Addi Turbo circular needles so I could use them for my 'need to know' project. Well, what's the point in having a wool shop ... you know ... They came when I was at the dentist so I grabbed one and as soon as I got home I put my knitting on them. You know, they are sooooo good. They don't stick and I didn't mind working with them. Usually I hate using a circular needle, or any needles shorter than 35cm for that matter, but these are heaven. Yep, defo for the shop.

Looks like I am getting absolutely no sympathy despite my petted lip and little whimpers, so I am going to do some ironing. Will give myself an hour and then do some knitting. Newcastle seem to be winning by the sound of it so TB will be in good humour.

Catch ya later.

Wednesday 7 March 2007

Cable Needle Holder - don't do this at home!

Oh, the things I was going to do today. My day off. Did I get any of them done? No, I didn't. Ended up in Kwik-Fit. New catalyst and tyre for the car. That was good wool money too! Will just have to go rummaging about in TB's piggy bank for Sunday at the SECC.

The only thing that I did do that was planned was go to the dentist. Back tomorrow to get the temporary thing and tooth removed. Boo-hoo. Mind you, every cloud has a silver lining ... I'll have a great place for keeping my cable needle when I am not using it. It will beat putting it behind my ear and losing it down the back of a cushion.

Managed a few rounds of the 'need to know' item when MBN came up. She gave me a sample packet of Fruitellas and a sample tub of the new Mentos chewing gum (really yummy, btw). No wonder I have to go to the dentist.

TB has started nagging me to knit a few things up in our tastier yarns (Rowan, Debbie Bliss ...) for display when the shop is rearranged. Think I will research knitting with feet!

Off to bed to prepare for the jags up the front of my mouth tomorrow. My life sucks! (And that is pretty much what I will have to do with my tea tomorrow night. Soup anyone?)

Toodle-oo fur noo.

Tuesday 6 March 2007

Days Off Are For Knitting - We'll See!

Howdie Doodie!

Was contemplating my navel tonight (as you do) when a text came. Ooh, who can this be? It was TAH. What's the volume of a cylinder? Jings! Who'da thought I'd be using my degree while contemplating my navel. It's one thing knowing what it is but have you ever tried to text it? Sent it off. Then ... lack of confidence tapped on my shoulder. Looked for a maths book. Up the loft. Phoned SB (the 1st year Physics student). He said half what I said. Half it? That's not right as I thought of a drum of Glenmorangie. Shouted up to TB. He said the same as me. Meanwhile, the texts were flying. But ... I was right and Elsie had got the right answer. Yippee. Treated myself to a few more rounds of my Tofutsies socks. Dementia, maths degree and canny count. Who ya gonna call? Wee Minty's a better bet.

Elsie (as she will forever be known) is TAH's daughter, LC. Well, it's Victoria but I won't bore you with the details (not now anyway).

So, so much for not starting anything until the UFOs are done. Since I started nagging myself I have got four, yes, count them, four new things on the pins. Grace slipover, Filorosa scarf, Tofutsies socks and another project (no details yet - need to know basis). Not to mention the crochet bag to be finished. Mmmm - might do that tomorrow before I go to the dentist. Eek! Extraction on Thursday.

Kathleen was in the shop today. She brought in a book for me to borrow which was really nice of her. Will study that tomorrow and tell you a bit more about it then.

Went in next door to see the new bit again. The room that is going to be part of the shop is a lot smaller than I remember. Sort of like seeing TB again after he has been away home. (Tsk. I mean because he is a wee midget!) Anyway, it is still going ahead. Just hope we can get all the sewing stuff in there. Should do with a bit of jiggery-pokery.

Was in Mhairi's blog (flavaknits) and she has a picture of a beautiful salad with a lovely free-range egg. Hmmph! We had egg, chips and beans cos I haven't managed to get the messages yet. Another wee job for tomorrow.

Looks like I've got a few things to do tomorrow then. Plus I've got paperwork too. Holy Moley. Better get to bed so I can get up early.

Night, night.

Sunday 4 March 2007

My Aunt is Aff Her Heid!

Hello bloggers and blogees. Howzithingin?

Not been doing much blogwise this week - too busy hypoing and sleeping. However, having a wee blog now to break me back into the swing of it.

Have put on the picture of MBN, MB and SB wearing their lovely Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles jumpers that I did for them way back. Aren't they gonna love me for that!! lol If they only knew the trouble I had to go to for that pattern book (which has long since gone and, like soooo many others, I wish I still had) and plan them all (the TMNTs) so they would fit on their sizes of sweaters and knit them for Christmas. It would bring a tear to a glass eye.

TB is dising (is that you spell it?) the customers as usual. (eg 'Nan, the Chief Bitch is here' when our interim GSnB Organiser came to visit the shop for the first time!) BTW, that is her blog at the side, dollydimpleknits. And you should see the stuff she does! Check out Kedkrafty for her finished items. Mmmm! (Guess who has learned to do links now! lol)

My voice is getting a bit croaky with the added bummer of a sore throat. Yippee, maybe I will lose my voice and get a few days off work. Aye, right!

The wall is coming down in the shop between us and next door so we will have a bigger shop and that is happening this week. Yuck, all that stoor! Will have to go and beg, steal and borrow some sheets etc. But .. it will all be worth it.(?)

TB is making the tea, so I am off to prepare for the gastronomic feast.

See ya, wouldn't want to be ya!