I've been making erratic progress on the hat. I keep getting distracted from the football.
Monday 17 June 2024
Half a Millimetre
Sunday 16 June 2024
The Car is Fixed
Around £700 later, with new brake fluid and pads, a full service and an MOT, the car is good to go. I'm somewhat relieved. It's frustrating because the brake fluid change was scheduled to happen with the service and if everything had held out a few days more then it wouldn't have been so unnerving or expensive! Still, the garage (Leeds In n Out who are awesome), got it all sorted.
I couldn't move very well yesterday after all the extra running around but I'm moving better today. I've not really done much. I've done a load of washing and watched a lot of football. I undid a scarf that wasn't working in yarn that had been thoughtfully donated to me and decided to turn it into a hat. So far I have this.
That's with intermittent knitting during Germany v Scotland and Hungary v Switzerland, a few rows when Spain were playing Croatia and a couple of rows during Italy v Albania. Two by two rib needs far more attention than I'm willing to give when the football is on. Tomorrow I'm switching back to a blanket, at least for the England game.
Hugs and good health to all.
Thursday 13 June 2024
I Didn't Crash
I went to get an x-ray on my hip today. I thought about all the different ways to get there. In the end, I decided to drive. On the way, my brakes failed, but in the least dangerous way. I was about to turn across traffic, so I wanted to slow down. Nothing happened when put my foot on the brake. As it was, I had slowed with the gears anyway and nothing was in front of me and eventually I slammed my foot down and the car stopped. Fortunately I was near the hospital and I managed to limp to the multi storey car park. Most of the time, the brakes responded normally but every now and again they were so soft and while it was maybe a few hundred yards or so, it felt like miles.
I went and got the x-ray of my hip done. It was really quick. I was in and out in a few minutes and had practically no waiting time. As I was finding it tough to walk, I had plenty of time to notice the interesting things around when I had to pause. There's some beautiful art in the Bexley Wing of St James Hospital.
And on the way back to the car park, I noticed this black grass and I was fascinated.
Wednesday 12 June 2024
Cold for June
The cold weather continues. I'm unimpressed. I feel very down in the dumps and it's hard for me to get motivated.
Bear's preparations for his Duke of Edinburgh continue. I swear that they're never going to end. I think that the only thing remaining is the food which is being discussed with his friends tomorrow. I am so looking forward to him getting out there and the whole preparation thing finally being finished. Then all we need to do is to stash everything away somewhere that we know we'll find it next year.
I watched the Sewing Bee last night and I was a little lukewarm about it. It seems a little flat. I don't want to be too much of a hypocrite. I can sew anything like as well as the contestants and I still don't trust my sewing machine, but I just wish that there was more that I could drool over. There have been some amazing creations this season, but they seem to have been more spread out. Of course, it could be me as I'm definitely more grumpy than normal at the moment.
Writing stuff - I've started a new story on Royal Road called Cookies and Carburettors. As I'm not brilliant at baking and I don't know a gasket from an oil pan, I may be over reaching. You can read my excuses on my blog here.
Hugs and good health to all.
Monday 10 June 2024
Herding Cats
Writing stuff - I should be doing all sorts of writing stuff but Royal Road issued a challenge with the theme of Grannies and Goblins and I couldn't resist the idea. The first instalment is herehere. Eventually I'll get around to putting it on my blog as well. And this week's instalment from the White Hart is herehere.
Thursday 6 June 2024
Today Was a Win
Monday 3 June 2024
Long Weekend
Saturday seemed to go on forever. First there was the boiler service. The plumber that does that is very different from the plumber that put in the bathroom, and they are awesome. Of course, the kitchen needed to be moved around so that they could get decent access, which was a nuisance, especially as I'm still struggling to walk more than a few paces. However that was done and dusted easily enough.
Then there was the performance of bear's bed. Bear has needed a new bed for years but has resisted the change. However I finally wangled consent and booked a delivery from IKEA for a single bed, mattress and underbed storage for Saturday. They let me know that they would be delivering between 9am and 1pm. At 1.30pm I rang to ask if they were going to be very late. The very nice man at IKEA central told me that the delivery was postponed, probably until the next day or so. At this point I channeled my inner ice queen and asked where he thought my son was supposed to sleep tonight, and by the way I had arranged this to fit in with exams. He said he would ring back. And he was a very nice man from IKEA who rang back when he said he would and said that the bed had been sent to a central depot, then for some reason it sent back for the local store to deliver. He explained that he had been told that there was now no room on the van and that the local duty manager would ring me back. The manager didn't ring back. Instead we had a rather flustered delivery at 4.45pm and bear put his bed together. He's very pleased with it.
I've absolutely no idea what the bed looks like in situ as bear's room is still as well guarded as the Forbidden City, but bear is happy and hopefully will get some good sleep on it.
The yarn that I shouldn't have bought came as well.
It should end up as a baggy sweater. I want to try and get it finished in the next two weeks as I'll be back on blankets when the Euros24 starts.
Writing stuff - another chapter from the White Hart is here.
Hugs and good health to all.