Regular service is resumed

I haven’t got any new photos to show this week, as I have finished nothing, bought nothing, done…pretty much nothing.  I do have last week’s pictures though, which I’ll include as appropriate. 

Firstly, the Spanish authorities have still not released my Grandmother’s body.  Hence, no funeral as yet.  My Grandfather, Gavyn, is back at home and determined to stay there.  My Dad said one of my uncle’s was planning on Gavyn moving to his house, but Gavyn is a determined and stubborn man, and has decided to live in his own house by himself.  Good for him! 

A memorial service has been arranged far Sat 28th March, so I guess I won’t be around to write next Sat morning. 

It’s still very sad, but seems very distant at the moment. 

In health news, I’ve been for 2 hospital appointments in the last 2 weeks.  Firstly I saw the gynae consultant…again, not the man himself, but one of his team.  This man was very helpful, very patient, explained everything I wanted to know including answering a couple of questions no-one had managed to answer until then.  He has booked me in for a laparoscopy again, hoping that will help. 

This week I went to see consultant at the gastro clinic.  He asked lots of questions, examined me, and decided this is probably a gynae thing.  Which is what I expected to hear.  I may have a slight tendency to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but he doesn’t think it worth investigating until he has the results of the laparoscopy.  He did give me some new painkillers to try, so fingers crossed I can start to reduce the dose of co-codamol I am taking at the moment. 

On to happier things, I have been knitting plenty, what with all the hospital waiting room time.  I have finished my Malabrigo hat, apart from casting off and blocking it.  The pattern instructions don’t give a suggested cast-off, and my first attempt was far too inflexible, so I’m looking out for a really stretchy one.  I’m sure the answer will be on Ravelry.  The photo below is obviously not of the almost-finished hat, but I’m too lazy to take a more up-to-date one now…

I started a pair of bedsocks – 2 at a time on magic loop – for myself, which I haven’t really made much progress on as yet.  They’ll have my full attention though, as soon as I’ve finished the hat. 

Apart from knitting, I have also been cross-stitching.  I designed, started and finished the cross-stitch picture for my friend to give to her daughter as a wedding present.  I’m pleased with the finished result, and Ali seems really happy with it too.  She is planning to get it framed professionally, probably in a box frame with shiny confetti in it. 

This weekend my friend T from work is off to Newcastle, and has promised to track down a yarn shop and bring me back something pretty.  It’s really sweet of her to even think of it, and I’m looking forward to seeing what goodies she finds. 

I think that’s it for now.  Catch ya later.

Not so happy

So I burbled on last Saturday about how happy I was, how all the pieces were fitting together, how much I was enjoying myself. 

Then my soon-to-be-ex-stepmother turned up, just as our lovely but unappreciated roast dinner made it to the table.  After crying and ranting for a while, she insisted on calling my Mum, from the privacy of my living room.  When she had finished on the phone she came back through to the dining room to tell me that my grandmother died Saturday night/Sunday morning. 

My grandparents (who I have always known by their usual names of Anne and Gavyn) had gone on holiday to Spain.  While checking in to their villa, in the reception building, Anne slipped or tripped or something, on her way to the toilet, and fell down a flight of stairs.  She didn’t regain consciousness and died in hospital a short while later. 

Gavyn is elderly (in his 80’s, as was Anne), slightly senile, and now very confused. 

One of my uncles was also on holiday in Spain, and flew over to Gavyn immediately.  My Aunt also flew over from London.  They are all now back in England, at Gavyn’s home in Berkshire.  Some time today, my aunts and uncles are all gathering along with my Dad to discuss the future. 

I’ve never been close to Anne or Gavyn, they were very young when we all came along, and I suppose they just didn’t see themselves as grandparents.  That makes me sad now, I wish I had made more time to get to know them. 

My Dad is obviously very upset, but we have talked on the phone about what’s happening, and he has been round to see me as well.  Apparently they are thinking of holding a small family only funeral then a much grander memorial service.  Anne was a very active vice-president of the Women’s Royal British Legion, as well as various other organisations, so there will be a lot of  pomp and ceremony to get through. 

It’s a sad story.  I can’t cry just yet.  Sooner or later it’ll all burst out and I’ll sob for hours, but for now I’m dry-eyed but very sad. 

There are knitting photos, and other stories to tell, but I just don’t feel like it right now.

Photos because it’s Saturday

This week I have a lot to report, and I’m feeling happy.  Let’s see, starting with…

Knitting news:  I finished my lovely Malabrigo gloves, and they truly are a joy to wear.  Even though the weather has turned a lot warmer, what with it being spring and no longer winter, so I probably won’t wear them until autumn now, but hey, at least I have them. 

 

So pretty, so warm, so going in a drawer for a few months. 

I’ve also finished the second Think Pink sock for my Mum.  I’ll see her on Tuesday, and give her the pair and hopefully even get a photo of her wearing them. 

 

I’m really pleased with them.  These were for the sock knit along on Ravelry, for February.  I finished them a few days late, but posted them anyway.  I think I’ll be giving the March KAL a miss, as the theme is lace and I have too many other things to do to start more lace socks at the moment.  I might join in late if I get time later in the month. 

I know I really shouldn’t have started anything new knitting-wise, but I couldn’t resist casting on for my Malabrigo hat, to match the scarf and gloves. 

I’m using the magic loop technique for the first time, and finding it quite straight forward so far.  This was why I chose the longest length of circular needles I could get, when I ordered all those Knitpicks needles, because I had read that for magic loop it was easier using long cables, and I figured that for 2 circs it wouldn’t be a problem having the extra length.  Now I can say I can knit in the round with DPNs, 2 circs and magic loop! 

Finally, and most excitingly (seriously, I’m still dancing in circles in my head), I won the monthly Violet Green yarn raffle in the VG group on Ravelry.  £10 to spend on anything at all from the Violet Green online shop.  I spent most of Wednesday browsing, ordered Weds evening, and received my lovely freebies on Friday morning.  I chose 2 yarns, one of which was Stellar sock yarn:

This is called Minchinhampton and I love the colours – the blue is actually more purple in real life. 

My other choice was a cobweb lace yarn, which is so fine and soft…I think I’ll make a stole from it.

Again, it’s more purple-y than blue, so pretty. 

And, even though I spent a bit over the £10 voucher I won, the lovely Violet Green lady refunded the extra and sent it all as my prize!  Lovely, lovely, lovely. 

On top of the knitting happiness, I took Friday off work, to use up my last day of annual leave.  I’ve also got Thursday and Friday of the coming week off.  I had a lovely lazy morning yesterday, while A was at work, posting on Ravelry, messing on the ‘puter, reading.  Then we went for a really long walk all afternoon, followed by a nap before dinner. 

Today I have to make a start on the cross-stitch I promised to make my friend for her daughter’s wedding.  I sorted out my cross-stitch supplies last night, organising my threads, updating my project book, looking for colours.  Weirdly, even though I have 6 boxes of threads of various makes and types, I don’t have a single on in the right shade of pink!  I’ll have to ponder down to the craft shop at some point, see if I can get something shiny or sparkly, or even just plain cotton in the right colour.  For now, I should get on with the design work anyway.  It has to include something representing Epsom Downs race course, as that is where the wedding is.  Hmmm. 

In reading news, I’ve just finished the 2nd of 3 books by Louis de Bernieres, in the ‘War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts’ series.  I love these books, even more than the first time I read them.  They are so clever and subtle.  Simply written while still being complex stories. 

Now, what else?  Oh yes, I have a variety of hospital appointments.  There’s the gynaecology consultant on Tuesday, which my Mum is taking me to as A has to work.  Then there’s A’s annual kidney checkup on Weds, and I have to see another consultant next week.  The another pain clinic appointment the week after that.  I’m just hoping someone will come up with some answers soon.  In the meantime, the pain clinic methods are working well.  I forget to do the exercises every day, but I am following instructions about stopping before it hurts.  For example when we go out walking, I stop and rest from time to time.  We usually stop for a coffee somewhere before the long walk home from Tesco/Sainsbury’s/wherever.  I’m able to get through without causing too much extra pain, which is progress. 

So, all in all, positives all round.