View from the Rocks

Blagged some online time at the very part time South West Rocks Library.

The blanket for The Old Flame's mother is done - I'll block it when I get home.

Also done, TOF's 4ply socks. Don't have time to go into details about why they were not knitted last year when I first cast them on - detailed updates will have to wait.

The remaining WIP is a jumper that's been on the needles for 4 years. Should be finished by the weekend.

Days here are warm, and there has been much op-shopping and unravelling of old hand-knits.

I'm off to South West Rocks for the last few weeks of Mum's winter sojourn.


A bag of books went up with my brother a fortnight ago and I've been mostly packed for a week.


One medium suitcase of the miniumum of clothes and maximum of DVDs and one smallish suitcase of knitting and associated paraphenalia - viz.

• 1 set Knit Picks nickel interchangeable needles
• 1 set Knit Picks Harmony interchangeable needles
• 1 set of mix and match DPNS,
• 1 niddy noddy,
• 1 ball winder
• usual pins, tape measures, stitchmarkers, scissors, sewing in needles etc.
• 1 blanket WIP (should be finished on 12 hours+ train ride on Monday and will be posted back)
• 1 jumper WIP (should be finished in a couple of days and will be posted back)
• 1 pr socks for TOF WIP (my carry around project for the trip) and an emergency ball of sock yarn just in case these get finished too quickly, which is looking likelyall associated patterns
• 1 coffee plunger because 3 weeks of instant coffee is no holiday.
• 1 new project's worth of yarn because the rest of the WIPs are mostly unravelling or little scraps of things that will not take any time to knit and because this "holiday" is the only time I'll get for ages to do some serious big project knitting.

The posting back is necessary because Mum's cousin is there now and I'm told he brought down another two suitcases full of hand-knits for us to unravel so I'll need the space. And that's why he deserved these socks, and why he'll probably get a few more pairs.

Back in late August.

I'm almost with you

TTWC 2007.80-81.

The one on the right was last seen here. Isn't the little fairisle bit sweet. Lyn did most of the hat but I did the starting and finishing so I'm claiming it. And, Kate - no, I've never spotted one of the beanies in the wild, but I don't spend much time in Civic or at the meth clinic.

***

The coundown to South West Rocks is well and truly on.

WORK The only work related thing left to do is present a hastily prepared seminar tomorrow. All over by lunch time.

SEVEN THINGS I said that was over, but the last of the TTWCs and Mum's wrist-warmers must go to Stasia; the women's refuge is in need of all sorts of clothing but particularly clothing for larger-sizes so I've had a clear out and they need to be dropped off, and many books have been pre-released in anticipation of leaving them behind at rest stops along the route North.

DAD had his first lesson in using the digital camera tonight. The argument over whether to buy an adaptor for the battery recharger or to take the pack of 20 for $1.99 "ultra mega heavy duty" non-rechargable batteries was resolved when the camera chewed through the first two cheapies in less than 3 minutes. He's going to buy an adaptor tomorrow. We will repeat the digital camera lesson over the next three nights and I have engaged my niece to reinforce during the day as necessary.



I still have to pack his bag for him. Yes. Jaw drop moment - he can't pack his own suitcase. God only knows what box he will tick on the customs form about who packed his bag.



MUM sent home a list of requirements to take up to her, so those nee to be gathered up. She has asked me to bring no wool for her to give her hands a rest. If there is wool, she will knit it.

PACKING

• clothes are packed
• toileteries are packed as far as possible
• Supplies are packed - just the essentials: 1k coffee*, bodum, wool and silk handknitted bodum cosy, 1 x tin Heaven dark hot chocolate, 1 x eensy weensy balloon whisk to get the right amount of creaminess in hot chocolate, 1 x pkt teeny weeny marshmallows for hot chocloate*, 4 blocks Lindt 85%*, 2 x 4 litre casks of Morris of Rutherglen dry white*, 20 little tins of salmon*, breakfast cereal for fruity porridge*, 1 litre soy milk*.

* = Cook from the Cupboard. I caved and bought the hot chocolate mix (on special this week at Coles')


My HOUSE is still a tip. Sunday will be spent in a cleaning frenzy, no doubt. I'll be realistic - strip the bed, clean the bathroom, kitchen and fridge and have a general tidy up rather than a full on purge.

Also, the fibre/knitting decisions have not really been made. Developments up North mean I might not be able to take the spinning wheel and that changes everything.

Still behind with email and blogs. Sorry.