its not easy, this knitting lark

I'd nearly finished the back rib when I noticed some major mistakes so had to pull it all out and start again. Now I've finished the rib and 2 rows of the beginning of the pattern and will have to work out and write down how the rest of it goes before I can complete the back - why don't patterns tell you row by row what to do, instead of a couple of cryptic lines about repeating a, most of b and miss out c? If I get stuck, I may just have to scan the pattern instructions and put them up here, for all you experts out there to interpret for me!

It snowed last night! There's a 2" blanket of snow everywhere and it has just started snowing again, very small flakes so far. Yeay!

One day later........

Back to the drawing board. I misunderstood the pattern just as I'd managed an impressive few inches of perfect fancy panels and had to pull it all out again because I couldn't work out which stitches to save. I'm writing the pattern out again, row by row, so it will be easier to follow. Sigh.

new leaf

Right. I have given myself a proper talking to and am going to stop feeling sorry for myself. Well until there's something to feel sorry about anyway. If! I meant if!

I have bought a pattern, wool and needles and I am going to knit myself a raspberry red waistcoat (for work). I haven't knitted anything since the children were small so that's at least a quarter of a century ago! I'm hoping it will turn out all right as I have a grand plan - to become competent enough at knitting that I can do justice to some of Annie's beautiful fibre. It will also give me something to do at mum's while she's off on one, must just remember to stick corks on the end of the needles.

Here's a funny thing, for the first hour or so of knitting, the thumb, index and middle finger on my left hand (I'm right-handed) went all numb/tingly. Seems to have stopped now. Weird.

miserable git alert

I think my subconscious must have already decided I'm on the way out/in dire need of major surgery. That's what happens when you surf the web for articles on heart disease. The rest of me has come out in sympathy, back are the sore eyes, itchy skin, eczema, dry cough. I am so tired I just want to fall asleep until 24 March. I'm supposed to be going to a ceilidh tonight. Groan.

next step

I have an appointment with the cardiologist on 24 March. Time sure is going to drag until then.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive.

It started innocently enough. Lovely daughter offered to go round to mum's today as she was off work, to save my having to go tonight. (I'll be going tomorrow.) I told her to tell mum I was tired, which is true.

LD told mum I had a migraine. Doh. So now my poor husband has had to answer the phone twice tonight and spin a story about taking tea and paracetamol up to my sick bed. Yes, twice. That's how much my mum believed my daughter (the cynical version) OR how terrible her memory is getting (hmm, maybe) OR how caring a mum she is (rofl).

Now I jump every time the phone goes. AND I'm going to have to perpetuate the lie tomorrow night. Sigh.

Make that four phone calls. The last one I answered, having made a miraculous recovery. I have to admit mum did sound genuinely concerned for my welfare, although the "you're all I've got left now" comment kind of hinted at why. Ah well. I can relax now.

stroppy Saturday

Mum was in a furious mood yesterday morning. As soon as I arrived she launched into a tirade against me, precipitated by a letter she'd received from the Sensory Loss team. She'd got it into her head that I had written to them and because their address included the town where my cousin lives, thought we were conspiring to get her into a care home because his mother is in one. No amount of my repeating that the social worker had made the referral, not I, to see if they could help her with her deafness, eg provide an amplified telephone, could convince her that I did not have some heinous plot afoot. She denied any memory of social worker's visit and accused me of "trying to make out (she) was potty". She even said she was starting to be afraid of me! She then went into the old "nobody cares" routine, said I didn't have to go round if I didn't want to - she'd manage on her own somehow. I decided to ride out the storm and sure enough, by the time we got to Morrisons, the sun had come out and the letter was forgotten.

I do think she's getting more confused, forgetful and paranoid. Is this the beginning of Alzheimers?

retail therapy

Saw my doctor again this morning. The gyno thing is nothing to worry about, doesn't need any treatment. The X-ray results weren't back, he's going to phone me when they arrive. He listened again to my heart as, last week, his colleague couldn't hear the murmur. He said it was loud and called the other doctor in to listen for herself - she had to admit she could hear the murmur clearly. Perhaps the fact that she first listened to my heart while I was lying down, made a difference. Anyway, I was relieved because it meant I wasn't imagining the lethargy, the chest pains after exertion, the dead legs after climbing stairs. I have to make an appointment with a cardiologist for more tests. Its starting to feel real and serious now. Which is probably why I treated myself to these today....

Gold pleated silk uppers, gold leather lining. Guess how much......

£10.97

I LOVE TK Max!!!