The times they are a-changing...

You, the more astute amongst you, will have noticed a distinct lack of posts. Tick VG.
There has been a bit of a shift around in Urine Towers and from one and a bit little "pin money" jobs. I now have a number of "clients" which I won't go into here and a new venture here.
Consequently, I have decided to give up the allotments as I just don't have the time.
If anyone has the need of seed potatoes, I have 30 (10 First Early and 20 Maincrop) that you would be welcome to for the cost of the postage.

In other news, downstairs neighbour has been sent away for some time ....

PS The Artist has just noted that the above sounds a little like I offer a very dubious variety of "personal services". If only life were that interesting.

... and one for the pot

Following a request from said friend in the wilds of Wales I found this on an old RNIB website and also found a pattern in the charity shop downstairs. I also happened to find a pattern book for Robertson 'golly' Sweaters for all the family, comme ca:












Bargain! Also found a Rupert book on ebay this morning and a Raymond Briggs the Snowman one yesterday.

But enough dithering; here is the pattern from the RNIB website, courtesy of 'My Weekly':

Two for the Pot
Size and materials
A delightful, easy to knit tea-cosy which can be made in two sizes.
Materials required:
Patons Beehive Tumble Dry Double Knit, 1 x 50 gram ball in each of two contrasting colours; for 1-pint size, one pair each of 3 3/4 mm and 4 mm (Nos 9 and 8) knitting needles; for 2-pint size, one pair each of 4 mm and 4½ mm (Nos 8 and 7) knitting needles. Quantities of yarn are based on average requirements and therefore approximate.
Measurements:
Small tea-cosy to fit 1-pint tea-pot; large tea-cosy to fit 2-pint tea-pot.
Tension:
1-pint size, 26 stitches and 38 rows to 10 centimetres (4 inches) measured over garter-stitch using 4 mm needles; 2-pint size, 24 stitches and 36 rows to 10 centimetres (4 inches) measured over garter-stitch using 4½ mm needles.
Abbreviations:
k = knit; st(s) = stitch(es); tog = together; ml = make a stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and knitting into the back of it; M = main colour; C = contrast colour.
NB
The difference in size between the two tea-cosies is created by using different tensions, therefore take extra care to ensure that your tension is correct before starting. Pleats are formed by each colour being drawn across back of colour just used and keeping all strands at wrong side throughout.
Figures in brackets ( ) refer to the larger size; where only one figure is given, this refers to both sizes. Figures in square brackets [ ] refer to both sizes and are worked the number of times stated.
Method
With 3 3/4 (4) mm needles and M, cast on 56 sts and knit 4 rows.
Change to 4 (4 ½ ) mm needles, join in C and work in pattern as follows:
** 1st row: K1M, *6C, 6M; repeat from * to last 7 sts, 6C, 1M.
Repeat this row 5 times more.
7th row: K1C, *6M, 6C; repeat from * to last 7 sts; 6M, 1C.
Repeat this row 5 times more.
13th row: As first row.
Repeat last row 25 (29) times more.
Shape top
Next row: K1M, *K2togC, 2C, K2togC, K2togM, 2M, K2togM, repeat from * to last 7 sts, K2togC, 2C, K2togC, 1M.
2nd row: K1M, *4C, 4M; repeat from * to last 5 sts, 4C, 1M.
3rd row: K1M, *[K2togC] twice, [K2togM] twice; repeat from * to last 5 sts, [K2togC] twice, 1M.
4th row: K1M, *2C, 2M; repeat from * to last 3 sts, 2C, 1M.
5th row: K1M, *K2togC, K2togM; repeat from * to last 3 sts, K2togC, 1M.
6th row: *K1M, 1C; repeat from * to last st, 1M.**
Break off C.
7th row: with M, K1, *m1, knit twice into next st; repeat from * to last st, ml, K1 - 30 sts.
Leave these sts on a spare needle.
Make second half in the same way, but reversing colours from ** to **.
Top
With M, and wrong side facing, knit across both halves - 60 sts.
Knit 10 more rows.
Cast off.
To make up
Join sides, leaving openings for spout and handle.
Cut 4 x 30 cm (12 inch) lengths of yarn (two of each colour if you would like a two-tone cord). Make a twisted cord, knot ends and fray them to form tassels. Thread through top and tie in a bow.
(Reproduced with the kind permission of ‘My Weekly’).

A nice cup of tea ...

.. goes to my neglected [blog] friend in the wilds of Wales. In fairness, she's not the only one I've neglected and I had resolved not to do the whole mea culpa thing again I've just been so busy and my juggling skills were never up to much in the first place.

So, sheepish waves to everyone. I'm out of the loop because when I don't write I feel guilty about lurking; I'll just draw a line and get on with it.

My small job has escalated and now seems to be breeding. The initial small job may well be in terminal condition though following a particularly nasty encounter at the weekend. However other associated small jobs seem lovely and cuddly at the mo.

Despite making several sales the artist has suffered what you might call a crisis of confidence - not helped by the uncertainty of the Urine Towers situation.

As for the allotment, apparently someone blithering idiot has cut down all our fruit bushes - I don't know, the artist went. It's just another of the things I haven't had time to cope with. On a brighter note I have 50 seed potatoes to chit: 20 Red Duke of York and 30 Desiree.

A Little Sheepish

... Yes, Harry Potter in sheep's clothing is LTB making his first stage appearance. Hoping he brings some light into the darker days of the year.

Need to get my bloglegs back on; I'm feeling a little rusty. The holidays are here though so maybe some time to enjoy the leisure of writing.

Happy Christmas and welcome to the haggis....

...hunting season here.

Many, many apologies to all my blog friends concerned that something even worse had befallen me. Generally speaking, I have been simply too busy.

In an attempt to summarise and allay any further fears:

I had a caravanning holiday;I am very busy in my current two jobs;

I have another two jobs; three if you count the Money Programme inspired foray into the world of Avon (oh and I'm now a parent governor again);

I have been to London with Surrealo Son on a course called Informed and Influential for "young people". He had a fantastic time, was interviewed by the local rag and I spent the day at the V&A;

There was another dogbite incident requiring hospital treatment and consequential putting down of old friend;

Subsequent interest from School;

Nativity and School Fayre and lots of meetings;

Not a stroke in sight.

Oh and a fight with an american woman over ebay but apart from that nothing much on.

To all my very good and faithful friends, sorry for worrying you: I'm a very lax and bad blogger.

1971 and all that: blast from the past 3

Well I'm sure no-one will have any problems with identifying this show ( the clue is in the song) and there is lots more info here.

Thanks to her and him for the inspiration. When you've finished expelling wet Alsation, Ally, I think it may be your turn.

Tories attempt to Hijack blogosphere

Having just been subjected to a tortuous piece on blogging on The Daily Politics Conference Special which seemed to involve talking to a lot of people who had heard of a weblog and one woman who had even "tried it once", oh and Iain Dale, naturally, I thought I would ponder the rise of the political blog in this country.

Then I thought that that would be equally tortuous and I would just say this. As a card carrying member of the Labour Party and possibly even a member of "renewed "New" Labour", or for that matter as a menber of any political party, I owuld prefer that they spent my money on proper policies and public meetings than more marketing shortcuts and guff.

Blogging is not a way to sell things or ideas to people, it's an invitation to a conversation. At least that's what I think. Anyone care to comment?

Say hi ....

.... to Jemima.
According to the blurb on Adtrader she is 16 weeks old. She seems to have a bit of everything in her but certainly a large bit of siamese. What they neglected to mention was that she had been mistreated and was VERY timid. She has spent the entire preceeding 24 hours under our sofa but seems to be coming around a little now.

It's oh so quiet ...

Bad blogger. Bad, bad blogger. Things at work have been, to say the least, a bit mental this week and the curtain finishing plan has not come to fruition. So If you happen to be in West Cornwall camping over the weekend and walk past a caravan and are able to see bare bums they might very well be ours, owing to curtain inadequacies.

I will try not to shock or offend.

As you may have guessed we will be off again for the weekend, escaping the delights of Urine Towers and communing with nature in God's country. I will probably bore you all into submission about it next week. By which time the whole work/mania dynamic should have settled down a bit.

Just to let you all know that I'm still here and that I'm thinking of you all but especially YOU just now.

END OF SEASON SALE NOW ON!!!!!!!!

The Artist is having an end of season sale of all his remaining stock. If you don't see something you like don't forget commissions are available and would make fantastic Christmas presents!

Leaving on a jet plane....

Parcel tracks

Date Time Location Tracking Event

13-09-2006 19:35 SYDNEY On route to delivery depot
11-09-2006 15:38 SYDNEY Arrived in destination country
09-09-2006 22:35 International Hub Despatched from hub
08-09-2006 04:25 International Hub Left origin country
07-09-2006 01:06 National Hub Sorted in hub
06-09-2006 18:46 Plymouth Depot On route to hub
06-09-2006 16:26 Plymouth Depot Export item accepted into network

Down to earth ... with a bump

So after returning relaxed and lovely on Saturday and having a very pleasant evening catching up with Arty Daughter the dog sitter, Sunday brought us down to earth with a bump. Chav Central, situated somewher beneath the delightful flat we occupy in Urine Towers, was busy all day with young men consuming (actually relatively small) quantities of Stella Artois and feeling only its detrimental effects accompanied by shrieking young women. I can only surmise they were quaffing fruit based drinks a la "The Pub Landlord", probably Bacardi Breezer or something similar. These were having a similarly detrimental effect and very soon even more shrieking ensued and accusations and epithets were being bandied about with vigour. Bottles soon started to be dropped on the ground and we were quickly reminded why we had had such a good time in the middle of the countryside. I thought they had set in for the day but about 2 o'clock it went quiet again. Perhaps they had gone home for a nice Sunday dinner with their respective families I hear you ponder. Well that would be the conclusion any usual person might come to but apparently this wasn't the case; they went somewhere else and got (allegedly) stoned and had a few more Stellas and then decided to go for a Sunday afternoon drive.

So all this seems a very long way away.

But it's not too far away really as we are going down at the end of September. yay!!

We're back!!!

0ur holiday could be described as bright with sunny intervals and intermittent showers and I will report in the fullness of time along with a couple more piccies but for your delight and edification I present Mullion Cove - ta da!

Caravanitis

In my quest for all things "vanny" I stumbled across probably the most fantastic ebay listing I have ever read: ebay add. The sale has now closed so I'm not trying to flog you anything and I have nothing to do with this guy. Although if he had a blog I think I might have to pop in to see him every now and again.

You Gov

Take part in surveys used in the national press and television news and get paid for your time. If you sign up through this link, I get paid too which will help me buy a Carver Cascade water heater for this:

Every woman, every man join the caravan ...

... of love.

As I eluded in the post below, since I last posted we have become the proud and ever-so-slightly mad owners of a caravan.

A 1989 Ace Rallyman to be precise. After weeks of trawling used caravan adds I have now found the very van (well the very model anyway) and can therefore post lots of lovely pictures without actually having to go to ours. That little pleasure will have to wait until the slider in the post below reads 0.


I have, it is true to say become rather obsessive compulsive about it all as we have stayed in this van before two years ago and all our camping gear is actually already in it. The fact that I thought I would never see any of it again may go someway to explaining elation and excitement.

Any how I have 2 weeks in the middle of August booked and am fit to burst. I have never been on a holiday where I have had to pay a deposit before so at the tender age of 38 (on Monday anyway) a grown up holiday is something I am grasping with both hands and wrestling to the ground in that kind of matey play fighting rambunctiousness that teenage boys have about them.

In true anorak"tin-tenters" tradition I will now give you the lowdown on our "outfit".
We have a 2.0 Renault Laguna estate which is of absolutely no use as I don't drive and the Artist is still a bit incapacitated in that respect. In fact we are a bit dubious as to whether it actually works at all. Not to worry we are going on the train.

Our 1989 Ace Rallyman is a 2/3 berth with either 2 single bunks or one extra large double.
It does look somewhat like the one in the picture though ours has the added convenience of having opening curtains!

In the picture above you can just see (on the right) a gas fire and (on the left) a built in three-way fridge and ice box. We also have a table which goes in between the two 'banquettes'.

To the rear of the van is an end kitchen and end/side toilet/shower/washroom.

For some reason blogger doesn't want to upload these pictures but we have a sink, a three borner gas hob and a grill, loads of storage, a shower, wash basin and porta-potti. We also have a large awning which attaches to the side of the caravan complete with large dining table and lots of chairs. This converts to extra bedroom space which is useful given the fact that Surrealo Son is now a bit of a long thing. He was 15 last week and is now about an inch taller than me. (6' 2"?)

As you can probably tell my excitement knows no bounds - wish me a happy one for Monday. I appear to have been given a caravan from an unlikely source.

Happy holidays

So many things have been going on since I last posted and I haven't really got the time to do it just it now so I'll leave you with a tiny smidgeon of information above and keep you guessing until I have time to do the whole subject justice.

Who'd have thunk it?

Thanks to Cheryl, who appears to be back to her normal (?) self, you can now stereotype me by drink.

You Are A Martini

You are the kind of drinker who appreciates a nice hard drink. And for you, only quality alcohol. You don't waste your time on the cheap stuff. Obviously, you're usually found with a martini in your hand. But sometimes you mix it up with a gin and tonic. And you'd never, ever consider one of those flavored martinis. They're hardly a drink!

What Alcoholic Drink Are You?

As you can see, any of you worried that I might be dead this is not the case, I'm just a bit bogged down at work which finishes soon for the summer. Yee hah as they say in my nearest Martini bar.

Oliver's Adventures at LTB's house

This week had to be the one where Lachlan had to look after the class "pet". Oliver came complete with a bag and a book of his adventures at all the other boys and girls houses (all written by other mummies). Just another thing to add to the ever increasing list of things to do. I should probably add that Oliver is a toy cat not a real pet at all.
I have just finished it and I must admit to being quietly pleased, so here for your delight and edification is the story. Are you sitting comfortably? Right, then we'll begin.

OLIVER’S ADVENTURE AT LACHLAN’S HOUSE

Oliver came to stay at my house for the weekend but he didn’t know that he would actually stay a week. On Sunday we went to Mount Edgcumbe. It is a long way away and we had to get a bus and a ferry. It wasn’t very sunny but we had a barbecue anyway and I played football. Oliver sat on the mat and watched. After lunch I didn’t feel very well. Mummy said I had a temperature and we would need to go home. So we got a ferry and a bus back home.
On Monday I still wasn’t very well, my skin was very itchy and I had a headache and I was very hot. Oliver helped mummy to look after me; he kept me company and made me feel better
On Tuesday I was feeling a bit better but still not well enough to come back to school and I did something very silly: I hit my old dog Jack, on the head. It made him very frightened and he bit me. My mouth was bleeding and I had to go to hospital. A nurse looked at my mouth and said the doctor would need to look at it. When the doctor came He got a special face doctor to look at my mouth. She told my mummy I would need to have an operation to mend my lip and that I would need very strong medicine in my arm to make me better. Oliver was very worried about me and he went home with my daddy to wait for me.
In the afternoon a special doctor put me to sleep and when I woke up it was night-time. I was only awake for a little while. Mummy was at the hospital with me and she had to sleep in the playroom! She was very tired.
The next day the mouth doctor came and looked at my lip and said he thought it would get better soon but I needed to have some more strong medicine in my arm. I stayed at the hospital until I had had all my medicine. When I finished having my strong medicine in my arm I was allowed to go home and I went with mummy and daddy on the bus.
On Thursday I went to see my doctor to make my skin better; Oliver stayed at home and did some colouring in. My skin is feeling much better now and mummy says I can come back to school on Monday.
Oliver told me I was very mean to smack my dog and I won’t ever do it again: operations aren’t very nice; I would rather play with Oliver instead.

Friday Picture

Some pictures from the Painter's exhibition on the Barbican, Plymouth last year.