Freedom tastes so good!

Finally, after 6 weeks and one day, I am off Jury Service. I appreciate that people need to do it, and that we need a cross section, rather than those for whom it may be convenient, and that everyone charged has the right to a fair trial, but sometimes, you wonder who is on trial. I have had 6 weeks at right angles to my life, with things going on as normal, but where I have been sitting with different priorities. Without going into details, the trial has been complex, and we can't forget that this is not a logic puzzle; that the people accused, giving evidence, and referred to are all real people, and all have a lot hanging on what the Jury eventually decides. It's taught me a lot about myself - I thought until very recently that I was quite good at dealing with things, that I could divorce myself from what was happening, but that has proved impossible. I became emotionally involved, and have really felt under a strain. I have spent a lot of the afternoon crying, which came as a surprise to me.

Now I am finished, I need to pick up my life and put the pieces back into place. It's going to be hard to click back in. It's as if I have to forget about this, and let go of the last 6 weeks of my life, where I have eaten, slept and breathed nothing but this trial, shared with 11 other people who I became close to, but will now probably not see again. It's Jon's birthday tonight, so we will be celebrating quietly, free of this hanging over us, which is good. The support I have had from Jon, my family and my friends (both "real world" and "online" has got me through this - so thank you - if you are reading this, you probably count in one of those categories).

So - I can let all the detailled data ooze out of my mind, and get on with making honey and lime glazed chicken for Jon's Birthday Tea!

Confessions - from right at the bottom of a rabbit hole...

Oh dear. Please will someone stop me, tie my hands, hide my purse, anything to stop me from buying even more yarn? After a quick enable from a couple of members of the North East Yarn Fiends on Ravelry, I visited Woolaballoo in Crawcrook. It is amazing - they have beautiful yarn. They are lovely people. They have Colinette, Noro, Regia (including the new Galaxy yarn), Artesano, Ranco. They are good value. The displays are lovely - I can see what things look like, and feel the luscious yumminess of the yarn. They are sitated 5 minutes in the car from my house. They are too near...

5 Skeins of yarn, 2 circulars and a book later, I am at home, and I am torn. I have a Local Yarn Shop which is local, and beautiful. I also need to discipline myself, else I may as well ask for my wages to be paid to Woolaballoo each month, and I can then just go and pick up my goodies! I shall be back, and I shall be buying. Again. What a lovely shop!

Knocking one off the list

So - I can prove that I have tackled Magic Loop. I've decided to use it with a couple of old favourites - Monkey Socks by Cookie A (although I have done the version without purls), and Posh Yarn Emily in Pretty Young Thing.
This is the second sock - the first is all done:

I'm nearly there, and can't wait to wear them - and there is nothing to fear from Magic Loop - I used a You Tube video to see how it was done, and it took a few rounds to "click", but when it did, I found it straightforward. I will use it again - probably for socks with a regular pattern, until I get a bit more used to it.

And my Marilinda, again by Cookie A are finished.
I used Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Sock in Imagine for this, and for such a complex looking pattern, it was really straightforward to knit. I loved the pattern, and really recommend it. The "sock blocker" is actually half a dozen carrier bags - I wanted to be able to show the pattern, and this was the best option I had!

Still in court... but nearly halfway there now!

It's oh so quiet....

I'm sorry I've not been posting much, however these past two weeks, I've been on Jury Service. And shall remain so for the next four weeks or so, unless something unforeseen happens to the trial I've been assigned to. As I'm not allowed to say anything about the trial (but what I will say is that thankfully it is not one which is upsetting to sit on), and I am shattered each day, and I have to fit the rest of my life in sideways around the court, there's not much to blog about at the mo - although I am ploughing through some good socks - Melanie, at http://pinklemontwist.blogspot.com has a new sock pattern out - well pair of sock patterns, as she has bundled one complex sock with travelling stitches (Scarborough Fair) with a more straightforward pattern (Caledonian Mist). I love the concept, and I'm loving the pattern - two for the price of one! I'll post some progress pics soon...
And, I am confronting my fear - I have tried looping the Magic Loop - one No-Purl Monkey down, one to go (and yes, proof will be forthcoming). I still love my dpns, but have confirmed that there is nothing to be afraid of, and will be using it again - especially when travelling about.
Off to court to be one of the 12 good men (and women) and true....

Being Fearless

So. I have signed up to Knitting Daily's Fearless Knitters, as I am guilty of sitting in my comfort zone. Too many projects have passed me by because "I could never..." 2008 is going to be a year where that is banned. I can be fearless. I can! I hate heights, yet have abseiled down both the Dental Hospital in Newcastle (100 feet) in the snow - including ending up hanging upside down on the end of a rope because I was listening intently to what the very nice gentleman at the top was telling me, and he hadn't said anything about moving my feet - with a medial ligament injury to boot, and also the Baltic Art Gallery in Gateshead (150 feet). On the Baltic, it actually didn't feel as scary - there was scaffolding up on the edge, so I climbed on that, then I could hold onto that, and feel the rope take my weight before I went scooting down (and scoot I did - Jon has the video evidence that what goes up, does come down - fast!). The Dental Hospital was a leap of faith - stand on the edge, and lean back, and go. The funniest bit of the video evidence is when Jon doesn't realise our camera does sound - on the Baltic, there is "Don't die on me" which is sweet, until you realise the batteries were low, and, more like him, over the Dental Hospital is something about needing a wide angle lens as I drop into view, bottom first.

But, you see, I am avoiding the topic. So. How am I going to be fearless?

• I will "do" a sock with Magic Loop. Never tried it before, and been avoiding it, just in case I can't.
• I will knit something ambitious from A Gathering of Lace, which so far, has been a "look book".
• I will design and knit a pair of socks - and show the results on this blog.

I have just received the right yarn for this as well - 2 skeins of delightful "Fearless Fibers" sock yarn, one each of Lust and Imagine. Anne Hanson often mentions it, and wow - it's worth waiting all of one week for it to arrive from the USA (a WEEK - it can take longer for stuff to be posted from the next town - does Deb use a tardis for a post office?). And I also have some lovely sock yarn in "Wicked Vampirella" from Gemini Knits, and also some Blackcurrant Lacweight - again from Gemini Knits. The lovely Piglottie enabled me here - she has mentioned Gemini Knits before, and I went to look - and I KNOW you look with your eyes, but I ended up looking with my credit card... Both Gemini Knits and Fearless Fibers are on Etsy, which I love.

So - hold me to my fearless pledge - or make me take the button off my blog!

FO Eye Candy

You know I've been a busy little bee lately - well I finally got a Round Tuit (feel free to groan - this is a reference to many holidays in the Lake District...) and got busy with the camera...

First, we have Jaywalkers:

Yarn - Posh Yarn Lucia 4 Ply/Sock
Colour - Garden Party
Needles - 2.75mm DPNs
And a quick edit - I have "fluffy" ankles (12" when measured around from the point of my heel in a diagonal) - I knit up the "large" size Jaywalkers, with a cast on of 84 stitches, and they fit me perfectly.

Next, we have Nutkin:

Yarn - Posh Yarn Laura 4 Ply / Sock
Colour - Gypsy
Needles - 2.75mm DPNs

Then, we have a Bonfire Night Scarf in Noro Blossom...


And in more Noro loveliness, a Felted Ruffle Bag in Kureyon:


Clapotis in 100%Wool's Merino Worsted:


And Jared Flood's Koolhaas in Posh Yarn Victoria Aran, colourway Cavern (yes - I finished it, in secret, for Christmas for Jon!)


Finally for now, a WIP - the wonderful Jon bought me Victorian Lace Today for Christmas - what a beautiful book that is. And I couldn't resist. I have my Knitpicks Harmony Interchangeables, I have a ball of Cherry Tree Hill Merino Lace, and I have a photo of the Spider's Web Shawl (Half Hexagon) in progress:


It looks a little scruffy at the moment, however it will block beautifully.

I had a lovely Christmas - I spent the week before running round frantically, before heading down to my Uncle's in Cheshire for a family get together the Sunday before. We headed back on Christmas Eve, and I got my Mince Pies baked and Carols from Kings watched.

Christmas Day was quiet - we spend most of the day together, just the two of us, opening presents, cooking and eating a mountainous Christmas Dinner, and listening to Christmas music. Jon excelled himself with knitting related goodies for me - VLT, Interweave Scarf Style, and a teddy and a Shaun the Sheep kit. Plus lots of little surprises. All good. No stinkers (there never have been, in nearly 15 years). We went to my Dad's in the evening, for a warm cuppa and a natter, then relaxed for a couple of days.

Saturday 29th was Jon's Mum's birthday, so we headed down to the West Midlands for a tour of his family, which lasted through until 2nd January, when we headed back up via Salford, so I could visit the family grave on my Mum's anniversary.

In short, I've done everything I wanted to. We've relaxed, and had a warm family time, which is what I wanted from Christmas this year. Last year was shocked, upsetting, confusing and most of all, busy, with me never being in the right place at the right time - my Mum was seriously ill in Atlanta, so I flew out there at the last minute, booking and changing flights like a professional Travel Agent, then flying back into Paris, on the last leg, I found out Jon's mum had been taken into hospital. All the plans we had were swapping and changing, and neither of us know if we were coming or going. It got sadder, however, we're through it now, and have been able to celebrate and commemerate this year, and spend some time with Jon's mum as well (although she was home by the time we got to Walsall, she wasn't well, and so we didn't want to add to her woes by staying over).

I shed a tear this New Years - mainly because this year has to be a better bet, and I was wrapped up safe and warm with Jon's family.

And - he'll probably kill me for this - but this is he - "posing" in his Christmas present...

Seasons Greetings

Seasons Greetings to you, if you happen to be reading this. May you have a safe and happy holiday period.

The presents are cast off, and wrapped, the mince pies are out of the oven, and Carols from Kings is on the television. Compared to last year, when at this time, I was on my way to Atlanta airport, hoping the flights would go smoothly, and I would be back in Newcastle on Christmas day (I made it back onto UK soil at 16:05) it's been a calm period of preparation, and all is back to normal - or as normal as things can be round here.

Looking forwards to waking up in my own bed on Christmas morning, and sharing the day with Jon and my family.

Here's hoping 2008 will be a good year.