Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Lunar eclipse & now an earthquake.........

We had a lunar eclipse 2 mornings ago, apparantly it's the first on a winter solstice for 400 years,

& it's when the shadow of the earth crosses in front of the moon, this is a photo whilst it was 1/2 way across, difficult to see but it was quite amazing.

If that wasn't enough we had an earthquake last night, 3.5, didn't feel any shaking, although our neighbours did, but just a tremendous sound, like a Hercules plane flying really slowly or a large articulated lorry - quite bizarre - awaiting the plague of locusts next............

Sunday, 19 December 2010

Hound Trailing

In our village we are lucky enough to have The Melbreak Hounds, which is a kennel for hound trailing & although we don't go out following them, we do like to show our support! And today there was a coffee morning & these were the hounds very patiently waiting to go out....

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Having a better week, so far....

Well, the plumbers have been twice & the engineer once & we can use the boiler, yippee! Not fixed but usable. Apparently it's a design fault, a condensing boiler can't take low temperatures! Brilliant, how useful is that? Labour pushed through a change in boilers so that they'd be more eco-friendly, however, they don't work properly, how eco-friendly is that?

Also, the builder very kindly came on Sunday which was a really frosty day & removed the bag from our chimney so we have a wood burner too, so only wearing 3 layers now!

Bring on next lot of snow....

Have a new outlet for my knitting, The Cockermouth Craft & Gift Shop, which is in a fantastic position in Cockermouth opposite Wordsworth House (where William Wordsworth lived for a good part of his life-was very badly flooded, but open again). I have some of my kits there as well as some different things that I don't sell at The Woolclip as it overlaps with other people. Corsages & felt Christmas Decorations. Fingers crossed they go well.

Friday, 10 December 2010

What else can go wrong.....

Well, car service yesterday, not too bad but needed work we hadn't expected.

Then boiler was leaking in the morning, turned out the outlet pipe was frozen & cracked so the condensation was freezing in the flue & then running back into the heat exchanger & leaking - I sound like I know what I'm talking about, but just have a very good plumber - of course it's the weekend now & won't be able to ring the engineer until Monday & goodness only knows when he'll come!

I daren't say we still have running water (through taps as opposed to walls) & electricity, at the moment anyway!

What else..... oh yes, the builder covered our chimney pot over a month ago as it was leaking & we were trying to work out where it was leaking & then it snowed & he hasn't been able to get up there to take the bag off, so now we can't use the wood burner either!

Oh yes, ordered some oil, can't deliver for 2-3 weeks.

Tax bill.......

You want more, diagnosed with pernicious anaemia & have to go to the hospital for more tests with the cardiologist.

If I survive until Christmas I'll be lucky!

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

-12 degrees at 10am!

Oh my goodness, it was so cold last night when I let the dog out, but this morning we were driving into Cockermouth on frozen ice covered roads & the temperature gauge on the car was
-12 degrees, I don't think I've ever seen temperatures that low in my lifetime. Even when I've been abroad ski-ing in France or Italy or Switzerland, it's cold but not that sort of cold. I looked up on our local weather station for the village & it said it got down to -16 last night, no wonder the dog didn't want to go out!

Have ordered some crampons, which are due in next week, guaranteed to arrive on the day the snow melts!

Anyway, made it into town for a very important appointment - hair cut - if I'd have missed it I wouldn't have got another one this side of Christmas, so glad I struggled in.

Work on teeth was finished yesterday, so am the proud owner of 2 crowns, next one is booked for April, will take me that long to save up for it, £290 a go. A friend was calling me Your Majesty today as I've got 2 crowns not just 1!

Unfortunately our Gardening Club Christmas Party was cancelled because of the weather, as some people literally haven't been able to get out of their drives for a week because of the ice & the roads generally are dreadful. It's a shame as it's an absolute hoot, everyone brings a plate of food & the club supplies the wine & the bar is usually drunk dry by the end of the evening & there are silly games to do, mainly plant-related, which sounds really naff but when you've had a drink or 2 is quite good fun, even the husband admits to enjoying it!

Thursday, 2 December 2010

Advent Calendar, more snow, Christmas tree & knitting!

Got my trusted advent calendar out for another year, really must get a new one, but still like this.
And we had a virtual white-out yesterday afternoon....

But what a difference a day makes........
Put the Christmas tree up & did the wreath, so house is feeling very festive along with the weather
My i-pod/mobile phone covers feature in The Woolclip's newsletter this month, unfortunately though the shop's not been open for nearly 2 weeks now as none of us can get there! Ho hum, roll on summer....

Sunday, 28 November 2010

It's Snowing........

Woke up to snow yesterday, this was the sunrise....Which turned into a beautifully sunny day

And a gorgeous sunset.....



Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Stressed Out.....

Don't think it got above freezing all day today, certainly the frost didn't defrost, if that makes sense & snow's forecast for tomorrow. Am stressing out, as meant to be in The Woolclip tomorrow & am worried about getting stuck going over Caldbeck Common, which is quite high & exposed with no mobile phone coverage, so not the place to get caught out!

Was at the doctors & dentist again on Monday, another blood test at the doctors for B12 deficiency, might be anaemic; then 1 crown being fitted at the dentist & he prepared another tooth for a crown (only 4 more to go). Unfortunately the new crown he fitted was sitting a bit proud & he was pressing & pressing it down with all his weight to get it to go lower by which time the cement had set. It was excruciating, having a 6' 3" 30ish dentist pushing with all his might on your tooth hurts! So he's having to order another one as he filed the new one down so much it's useless! Am going to get an injection next time...

As for knitting, have started an order for someone; my Falling Leaves Shawl in some cashmere/metallic yarn from Fyberspates in grey & silver. Have done a lot of knitting today & only have the edging to do, which will take a while as so many stitches on needles now. Then have another order for a shawl in a navy merino which I must start as soon as. So busy,busy,busy.

Oh & I was in a local paper, The Cumberland Herald.

Saturday, 6 November 2010

MacMillan Coffee Morning

There was a MacMillan Coffee Morning in our Village Hall in Lorton today & myself & some friends had a couple of stalls selling knitted, crocheted & embroidered articles.

Sunday, 31 October 2010

My journey to work in the shop, The Woolclip

Thought you might like to see how awful my journey is to work in The Woolclip, in Caldbeck is.









This is the view from just outside my village on a bad day!

The view of Skiddaw from Embleton.
For the last 3 weeks I've been lucky enough to meet the Hunt, can you see the Master with Hounds? Fantastic.

Labour eat your words...........







New display in the Woolclip.
And on the way home, across Caldbeck Common, looking towards the Solway

That's Criffel in the distance.

Thursday, 28 October 2010

I'm falling to pieces!

Well, I've been at the dentist this week to plan future treatment; I need 1 filling, 1 root canal & 5 crowns, how did that happen? I hardly eat any sweets, I blame it on 60's/70's dentists that were paid for every filling they did, I had so many fillings as a child but never had any toothache, so now my teeth are literally falling to pieces!

If that wasn't enough, was at the optician's this afternoon as I noticed over the last few weeks I can't thread a needle anymore & yes my eyesight's going & I need glasses for close work.

If I was an animal you'd put me down!

Anyway good news re. our bridge in the village, it's getting there, hopefully by the end of the month the 2 sides of the village will be connected again, no more wading through the river or driving 40 minutes extra.

Saturday, 23 October 2010

Sparkly Wool...





The wool has metallic thread through it, so it sparkles.

Also, made some wrist warmers in the sparkly wool too - think I'm in a Christmas mood with all this cold weather!

Friday, 15 October 2010

Wool Week

It's been Wool Week this week, highlighting the wool industry, supported by Prince Charles & The Campaign for Wool. In The Woolclip we've been running demonstrations all week & I did knitting this Wednesday.
I'm teaching long-tail cast on - we got there in the end!



I use long-tail cast on all the time for lace knitting as it's elastic, so when you're blocking it's stretchy & is less likely to break. It's also really great for the tops of socks & any ribbing, try it & see!

Thursday, 14 October 2010

I'm Back!!

Well, been a while since I blogged as we've been on holiday, in Spain. Best weather we've had in years, missed the Gotta Fria by days. This is a tremendous storm that they have in October every year in the Valencia region. The rain goes on solidly for about a week, rivers burst their banks, people are swept away & roads are washed out. Last year it came in September, when we were there & it washed away part of the mountain & motorway to Alicante. But, after the storm's passed, that's it for the year & normal service is resumed, warm, sunny weather. The Spanish don't know how lucky they are.
Typical view of what I've been looking at for a month! 30 degrees + each day too.

Spent the month eating either fish, shellfish or salads - so nice - so stodgy food, soon changes once you're back in the UK though - need the carbs to keep warm!
My favourite meal of the holiday was a skewer with monkfish & prawns, wonderful. It was in this restaurant above, Republic, which overlooks the marina. Husband, son & friends, Ocho Platos & Boozio are pictured!



Sunday, 5 September 2010

I won a Cup at The Loweswater Show!

Well, am very surprised & delighted that I won a cup for the "best exhibit in knitting". I also won 3 firsts & 2 seconds! All for my knitting, sewing & drink-making capabilities, nothing at all for baking & jam/jelly/chutney - that really does sum me up! Would far rather be making things than cooking!
This is the shawl that won first in the double knitting category & "Best Exhibit in Knitting".

Then I won first in the 3/4 ply category with another shawl, unfortunately the socks I knitted for my husband didn't win anything - he's now allowed to wear them!
And in the knitted scarf category I won first prize for my curly-wurly scarf, which I designed myself, so am very chuffed about that!
These were all the entries in just the knitting & sewing categories! This was my cushion that came second, in the "home made cushion" category & then finally my elderflower cordial came second in the "summer drink in a jug" category.
I'm not even going to bother putting pictures of my jam/jelly/chutneys as they've been deemed "ungraded"! Must try better for next year, shame about my cheese scones, as I thought they turned out were rather nice
There the ones on the far left - look nice don't they? Think maybe they weren't big enough....

Anyway, it was a sunny, warm if windy day & thankfully the Show went ahead after being cancelled for the last 2 years because of wet weather. Looking forward to 2011!

Could do without the Morris Dancers though..........

Wednesday, 25 August 2010

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me!!

Well, I've had a lovely & unexpected day with lots of friends dropping by with pretty cards, pressies & flowers.


Ooh, what could it be....
from a favourite shop in Penrith...
a lovely bracelet.



It's so thoughtful, I was there on Monday with friends & rather coveted this & wished afterwards I'd bought it, so it was a really nice surprise to be given it by the friends I was with, so very lovely. You know you should have bought something when later you're thinking about going back to get it.


Then I got some flowers and tonight my husband's going to cook me 1 of my favorite meals, Scallops & Chorizo by Nigella,



Monday, 23 August 2010

Loweswater Show

Well, my entries are in for The Loweswater Show, 5th Sept, I do hope it goes ahead this year as it's been rained off for the last 2 & if it doesn't go ahead this year I'm not sure whether it can take another year's cancellation.

I've entered loads in knitting, 3 cheese scones, victoria sponge & then jam, jelly & chutney, so fingers crossed!

Monday, 16 August 2010

Had a lovely day today in Penrith with friends, mooching around wool & sewing shops! Bought some wonderful Rowan Kidsilk Haze, the colour matches my glasses perfectly,
Have written up a pattern for a Shetland Inspired Scarf, it uses a basic lace design, which in Estonian lace knitting is called a small strawberry or in The Shetlands is called a roundel, for the body & has a scalloped lace edging grafted on afterwards, am quite pleased with it, have knitted it in 100% lambswool, which you could dye a different colour maybe...


or you could knit with a different yarn such as mohair
I learnt the grafting technique on a lace knitting course at Higham Hall, which is so easy & I now use for everything, so much easier than kitchener stitch.