Nearly 2010!!

Nearly another year gone by and I'm wondering what next year will bring?

Not able to sleep, usual things and bit of insomnia - it's also dawning on me how close my operation is, just a few days away now. Think I'm beginning to get nervous now..

The past few weeks have flown by! I'll add some photos to tell the story of Family Christmas and birthday get togethers. It's been tiring but good fun :)

Wishing you all a healthy 2010 and may you have all you need to be happy xx

Time flies!

Life has been rather full of news lately! I will not attempt to try and remember it all!

The best news lately is the arrival of our 2nd grandchild last week, mother and baby fit and well :)
Baby Kai has given his mum and dad no end of false alarms and worries before his birth by c section - and we are all relieved both mum and son are well.

My baby knitting is completed for Kai's arrival and ready to give to them this week.

My health status: Tired, foggy, happy ;)

A Headline of Hope..

The front page news on todays The Independent newspaper brings fresh hope for a lot of us..

Have they found the cause of M.E / CFS?

Struggling so much..

I'm struggling with my energy and symptoms so much lately, I'm trying hard to follow the Gupta Programme - with some hesitation while I wait for next weeks ENT appointment. I hope after some treatment - I will make good progress to better health.
Last week I had very little oomph, very under the weather. I paced through the week so that I would have a good chance to enjoy our dinner out with the family to celebrate everyone's birthdays, our son took us to a buffet Chinese restaurant - it was a lovely get together, I'm glad I made it.
Over the weekend I started to look through my craft cupboard, thinking sadly how I hadn't used any of the card making craft gear I'd amassed previous to my ME/CFS relapse in 2005. Well it's now 2009 - so common sense told me to sort and get rid. With limited room in the house, it takes too much to set up to do, and then put away again. In a sudden fit of determination I started to sort through it - and then felt overwhelmed by it all when it was all over the living room! So much stuff! I realised that so much money had been spent on this 'stash' of card making stock and rubber stamps (some unused and still with price tickets on). I was sad when I couldn't remember buying a lot of it, or what some bits were used for? Why couldn't I remember?
It made me realise that with my current hobbies of knitting and spinning - building up too big a stash would not be good for me.
I'll end by adding a few animal photos from the Fibre Fest in August this year - that was great fun going there.

Some photos..

Here are some images from the past month..



(photo above) Since going to Fibre Fest - this is what I keep dreaming of... :) Kromski Sonata!



1. Grandaughter at the picnic. 2nd photo is of my heap of 'to sew up' baby tops and new sewing needles for the job, a microwave bedwarmer in the shape of a Lamb from my hubby, and my knitty reads for the month ahead.



1. Breakfast in Devon :) 2. Queuing up to go to 'Fibre Fest' at Coldharbour Mill Uffculme



1. Bobbins at t'mill 2. Purplegem! I've gotta badge ;) (incase I forget my name..)



1. One of the many stands 2. My purchases from the day :)

We took loads of photos - next time I'll blog photos of some of the animals..

More to add later, but in the meantime..

Everything is catching up with me at the moment - energy is low. Taking it very easy now and paying attention to pacing. The past month has been challenging, and I've pushed myself to do things that have been probably more than I could afford to use in energy terms. So a lot of 'things' are not done, my list of priorities is fluid and changing - but trying very hard not to let negativity creep in.

My hubby made it possible for us last month, to go to 'Fibre Fest' at Coldharbour Mill in Devon!
Fantastic time there. My first Fibre Fest! Took loads of photos etc. Must blog a few of those.
Came back with some lovely spinning related purchases and buttons, and more ideas than I could ever afford!

My mum is mending slowly after her operation, and thankfully results of biopsy are 'benign' (big sigh of relief!) My Dad has been brilliant - although I did worry for him too.

I'm waiting to go to ENT to sort out my breathing difficulties - now have an appointment and looking forward to that being sorted! With that sorted, who knows what else healthwise it may improve?

DIL false labour pains are being kept an eye on - baby happily has decided it wants to stay in the warm and cosy spot for longer - another phew! to the list there.

We recently went to a 'Kiwi Picnic' and took our little grandaughter. We all had a relaxing time there in the lovely countryside and woods. Was fun to watch gd enjoy the straw bales climbing apparatus! And the food was lovely! Lots of home made goodies for the table from everyone who came. Hubby made Apple Cake, Treacle Bread and Soda Bread. (I buttered them ;) .. )

My shopping order of some sewing tapestry needles (to help me sew up the seams of the little baby jumpers) have arrived, so I need to choose an appropriate time to get on with the task of 'Mattress stitching'! It's one of those things that sounds daunting, when you've got a lot to do, but once you throw yourself into it - it's quite therapeutic! Especially if you reward yourself after each seam, i.e with nice bit of cake and a cup of tea, and some dreamy music in the background!

Will add more to this post later (if I remember!)

Dreaming of Ewe, said sheepishly..

Hubby has treated me to a new book called Folk Bags and some very agreeable knitty related nightwear! ;) I think I like his sense of humour!
I also received yesterday my two subscription mags, so I've plenty to look at :)
My small spinning collection has a home in a shoe box - hoping it will protect the spindles until I can find another way of storing them.

Amused..

Having a little break from the spinning for a while - we have our grand daughter staying a couple of nights whilst our son and daughter in law are at the Magic the Gathering in Brighton.

Our grand daughter is now settled down for the night, so I'm looking on Ravelry. There's a nice v neck jumper I have my eye on - it has cables, and is a top down jumper. It's a free pattern that can be found on Knitty.com - so I'm considering making this one. I can imagine wearing one in an aubergine/maroon colour.

Amused by Jordana Paige

I'll be pondering on this one..

Things are going around in circles..

Well things are going round in circles - my head's in a spin as well as learning to spin! lol

My health is fluctuating, as is my attention span and concentration to most things - but I'm trying..
I've had a grumpy few days, but it seems to be passing now, must keep positive! I'm teaching myself to spin at the moment - and it's fun but is affecting my joints and muscles so it's something I need to pace at sensibly and not go hammer and tongs at! It's very addictive though! My first 'yarn' isn't perfect - but I'm chuffed that I'm slowly getting the hang of it :)

Had a lovely morning yesterday with our grand-daughter and my parents, all playing 'bubbles' outside :)

Really looking forward to my hubby having a week off work - will be so nice to spend some time together, even if there is stacks of DIY and house stuff to do and sort.. that's life ;)

Retraining my Amygdala

Re training my Amygdala - well I thought I knew roughly what to expect, and I was vaguely roughly right. After doing this programme for less than a week, the effect on my 'being' feels somewhow indescribable? Maybe in time the words will form, this is meant in a positive sense, not negative.

So far it feels worth the money - and I do believe I will get great benefit out of it and achieve better health. There's loads of information to take in, watching and participating a session a day - and needs commitment to the programme to get the best out of it. I'm on day 5, after a bit of a down day yesterday I am encouraged by todays session. There will probably be more days like that and that's accepted.

I have a link to the right of my blog page under ME/CFS for Ashok Gupta's retraining programme if you are interested in finding information. Ashok also had ME/CFS and has fully recovered!

Baking, Spindles and thumb!

Hubby by trade is a baker and does not often bake at home, but this week he baked some Soda Bread and some Beer Bread, and they tasted delicious! Exceedingly better than shop made! He's hoping to make some drop scones tomorrow. Home baking aromas are lovely!

I was delighted that my top whorl 'learn to spin kit' arrived so fast! I also ordered a back issue of Spin Off magazine which front cover showed top and bottom whorl spindles - I've yet to read it, I'm interested what the differences are?
Also today in the post came a book I ordered titled, 'Spinning in the Old Way' by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts.

Today I had a bit of an accident with a sharp knife and some lettuce - so instead of knitting or spinning as I'd planned, I will be reading instead! (Note to self: Remember to use chopping board next time!)

Testing times and nice times

Yesterday, I was seriously fed up with myself! Don't know why - but I had a serious case of the blues and grumps!
Yes, I had a flare up of symptoms and my joints were giving me jip (also no thanks to the damp rain and grotty weather!) - but quite what was bothering me I couldn't figure out - completely stumped!

Thankfully today, I must have got out of the right side of the bed, I was relieved that yesterdays mood had passed.

Family members health is weighing heavily on my mind at the moment, myself included. It just seems crazy that so many of us are having health concerns all at the same time? Fingers crossed all will be well in good time.

Hubby has been good to me, watching out and taking care of me, he's a real diamond. I've enjoyed the chances for us to go out to a few country shows in the past couple of months - we don't really get much chance to get out together because of this ME/CFS condition. The last show was really demanding on the energy - so much walking, we left early because I ran out of energy and the warning symptoms were flaring. I was so exhausted and just fell into bed when we got home and crashed!

Adding a few photos taken in the last couple of months.
'Honeymoon' roses in full bloom
Alpacas at the Mohair Centre (Sussex)
My new Elm wood Drop Spindle and fibre
Other purchases

Let's see if I can add more photos..

Why is it when I see sheep now - I wonder about wool, and my hubby thinks of lamb chops ..

We laughed when we saw this little dogs lead - we'd not seen the like before! LOL!

We went to the Heathfield Show and the Steyning Country Fair in May, which were both lively and interesting, loads of good natured people all gathering for a good time. It was lovely to see so many youngsters getting involved too.

Baaa for now..

One photo

Our  poor pc isn't coping,  can  only upload one photo and type one letter every 4 seconds

ttfn

Onward and Upward..

I can't believe Firefox has crashed twice and lost my work! Wahhh!

As I said twice before..

A challenging couple of months has been full of health issues and family - and I am so very tired but looking forward.
Won't labour over reasons, but hopefully with this lately change of medication I shall be leaping cartwheels by August?? LOL! I wish!

My hobbies are all on hold as I use my energies for every day living - I have a list of things to do and can't wait till energy and mojo merge so I can get to finish them.

I have managed to get out a few times into the lovely sunshine - could this be summer?
Hope I haven't spoken to soon..

The Bug's caught me!

Yep! I got the bug! Sitting surrounded by tissues and about to put my head under a towel over a hot bowl of steaming water with menthol and eucalyptus - oh joy! I didn't appreciate being woken in the night by sneezing and bunged nose - but looking out of the window now there is a colourful misty sunrise, oh my the sky is so gorgeous - I must grab my camera! I wouldn't have seen this if it hadn't been for the sneezles..

I've taken these photos, but as I sit here looking out of the window, there continues to be amazing changes in the sky and clouds, can see what looks like aeroplane trails lit up by sunlight, streaks of peachy pinks. Oooo, preetttyy :)

Can't remember now what I was going to write about! lol! Easily distracted, that's me ;)

Ahh, knitting.. yes.. my latest knitting project is coming along well, it's a baby's hooded cardigan in Sirdar Snuggly DK. The pattern is in Sirdar First Steps 292 booklet, Project number 19.

Back to the steam inhale now, sniff sniff..