A Trying Day

Mum and Dad are having some work done on the house, which is fine, I don't have a problem with that. However, today two men arrived with a lorry load of scaffolding and they have been banging and tapping ALL day. They are putting scaffolding up over the garage, from the front of the house to the back.

IN MY GARDEN!!!

How is a boy supposed to get;

1. Any privacy as he is going about his business and
2. Any sleep, with all this banging and tapping going on!

Now I am normally not one to complain, but this is a bit much. What about my handsome sleep? I expect this will continue for the next week or so as the builder is coming tomorrow to knock off all the stuff that is coming away from the wall and put up new stuff. More interruptions to my schedule! Added to this is the increased security risk, meaning extra work for yours truly as I have to step up perimeter control, and surveillance! There had better be a bit extra in my dinner bowl this week to compensate for all of this.
Little Mummy and George have slept through all of this, typical! The burden of responsibility is squarely on my shoulders!

Below is a picture of me showing you the progress on Mum's Feather and Fan scarf, it's not looking too bad is it? Mum likes the way the colours are coming up in solid bands at the edges and more speckled in the centre. This will probably show up more when it is finished and blocked (so she says!).

I think I may have a new friend, I use the term friend loosely as I haven't met him. I guess he is more of an 'e' friend. Kazza Mum's blog friend has adopted him (or rather he has adopted her). Yes, he is a cat but I am fairly open minded, as long as he doesn't want to visit and stays at the end of an e-mail I think I can cope.
I'm not too good with cats up close. If they dare to come into my garden I give them what for, but they are such scaredy cats (ha-ha) they climb up on my fence and shout insults from there.

Sorry I have to go now because Dad wants to get on the computer. Back soon with more news.

If My Friends Could See Me Now -------

----- they'd find it more than slightly amusing! I tell you, the things a dog has to do.

As you can see this is me reluctantly modelling the completed Forest Canopy shawl. It has actually been finished for over a week but Mum has only just talked me into looking like a complete lemon! She had to bribe me with a pizza slice and a share of a Cappucino! Even then it was touch and go, as you can see by my face, I am not overly impressed.

Mum is a bit worried about the size that this has turned out, it looks very small. As you can see if I were the type of dog to wear a shawl (which I'm not) it would be just big enough for me.

She has got to block it yet, (whatever that might be) but has got to buy some pins to do this. If she was more organised she would have bought these in readiness and would have been able to show you a before and after pic. She is hoping that blocking will produce some sort of miracle but I don't see it myself.

Below there is a close up pic of the pattern, I am proud that Mum picked it up and carried on after the great disaster.



When Mum finished the FC shawl she had some wool left over so she has cast on this Feather and Fan scarf. This picture was taken a while ago too so the scarf is much bigger now. Mum is going to give it to someone for Christmas (she doesn't know who yet and I haven't put my paw up to claim it!!!). Mum says this is easy peasy and may do some more if time allows. She is taking a leaf out of Kazza's book and starting to knit for Christmas.


While Mum was looking around the forums at Angel Yarns she found this Scotch Thistle pattern available at The Woolly Works (third pattern down)and has bought it in readiness for her next lacy knit. Dad's family are from The Isle of Lewis so it is appropriate. Dad is going to buy the yarn for this now instead of for another Forest Canopy. What a kind daddy he is! Mum has sort of decided on Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in Purple Iris from Get Knitted, what do you think? Comments please.

Apart from all of this knitting news things have been fairly quiet for me. Still no sign of my blonde Afghan but I'm not one to settle for less. It's been quite cold here so the only time we all went down to the beach I had to snuggle up with Mum under a blanket, to keep her warm you understand. This is the view from under my blanket. You may just be able to see one of the tiddlypeeps down by the sea.

When it is better weather I will get mum to take some more pictures, maybe some of me in the water! Won't that be a treat!

The House of Flying Knitting Needles!

Hi everyone!
Sorry I have been away for a while but it has been due to circumstances beyond my control, namely Mum not being available to type for me.

Firstly because she had to go back to work last week, so hasn't had as much time and secondly because of the 'great knitting disaster'! Notice the title of my post!!
Read on and I will explain.

One evening last week, all was calm in my house.
Dad was watching TV, so were the tiddlypeeps and myself. George was dozing and Little Mummy was deep in sleep land, which is nothing unusual, she sleeps most of the time!
Mum was knitting her Forest Canopy shawl, muttering things like yarn over knit one, yarn over knit two, which doesn't mean much to me but seems to keep her happy!!! Now and again she glanced at the TV but wasn't really bothered about it.
So as I said a calm, peaceful evening, until .................... all of a sudden this yell and a rude word, which I can't repeat, came from my Mum (who is normally the calmest of all of us).
Everyone looked round and poor Dad was the one who dared to ask what the matter was (silly man, I kept my mouth shut). Apparently Mum had accidentally caught her left hand knitting needle and pulled it out of about a dozen stitches (at this point she had about 180 something on the needles and was getting close to the end). Dad tried to comfort her, but made the mistake of saying 'just pick them up again' (even sillier). Mum screeched that she couldn't just pick them up and tried to explain about the yarn over things making the holey pattern and the leaf pattern. Dad still trying to be helpful (I tried to tell him) said he couldn't see the leaves and (trying to be more helpful but failing miserably) what difference would a few more holes make anyway! (Has he got a death wish?)
At this point Mum went a bit purple in the face, (I think she may have called Dad a name but I was trying to run for cover), and wrenching the needles from her knitting threw them across the room! (Narrowly missing piercing my ear!) Then she left her mangled knitting on the floor and stomped off to bed. Not being one to miss a bit of comfort I curled up on the wool and went to sleep, until Mum came down again and put it all back in her bag, then stomped off again. That is a lot of stomping for my Mum!

Hence, the name of my post, very witty I thought and now Mum can see the funny side of it (just) so she agreed to type it.
She knew she should have put some lifelines in, but didn't (she has now)!!
I think she's remembering the pattern better after all that practise with the first attempt.
Anyway, due to this all other knitting has been abandoned and Mum is on a mission to finish the shawl. Dad has even agreed to buy her more wool for another one (to keep the peace I think).

Thank you to those people who made suggestions for the next sock wool to be used, I decided on the Peacock, but did laugh over the Crazy Frog and Crazy Peacock idea. Mum has put the progress bar up but hasn't started yet.

This knitting business is a bit dangerous sometimes!

A Trip to the Doctors and Some Knitting News

Today Little Mummy (TJ) had to go to the Doctors in the car. She doesn't go in the car very often because she doesn't travel very well. Unlike me who loves the car and goes on long expeditions with Mum, Dad and the tiddlypeeps. Anyway back to Little Mummy, she had to go for a stingy needle thing and a check up. The Dr said that her heart was very good for her age, which was very good news. She had her toenails cut, which she hates having done, so she was very, very wriggly and slightly cross. She has also lost a bit of weight so has got to have more carbohydrates with her dinners, good job she likes rice and pasta!
Then it was time for Lightning Jack (Mum's rabbit) to have his teeth trimmed, he was very good too. Lightening Jack is a wild rabbit (who is now very tame), Dad found him paralysed when he was a baby so he came to live with me and my family. Now his legs are all better and he can run very fast, that's where he got his name from.

Now on to my Mum and her knitting. She finished the Dreamcatcher socks, seen below with me. More of me than the socks, but hey, you've seen three pairs of Mum's socks already and there could be more to come!




Because look what I found in Mum's stash cupboard!!!!!!!!

Five, yes FIVE , balls of sock yarn!!!!!!!

From the left,

• Opal Rainforest Frog
• Opal Rainforest Peacock
• Opal Rodeo
• Opal Dreamcatcher
• Opal Crazy

I didn't know peacocks lived in rainforests, so I think that is a pretty silly name. The colours are good though.

So, which one do you think that Mum should knit next? Anyone out there please comment because Dad is getting fed up of being asked to choose one and Mum saying 'Oh, I didn't want you to pick that one!'

After my trying to sneak off with the Lorna's Laces the other day, and Mum being ashamed of not starting it, look what is now on the needles. Mind you Mum keeps muttering about not being sure if she likes the way it is knitting up.



Something about the strong contrast of the cream with the other colours!!! Don't ask me, I'm just the model. What do you think? Since taking the photo Mum has knitted a bit more and is still ot sure!

I'm off for some handsome sleep now, one day that blonde Afghan may come along and I need to be ready for her!

The Unwanted Scarf

Let me tell you the sad tale of the above.

One weekend George's boy came to visit, he very kindly drove Mum to the LYS where she purchased Freedom Spirit wool in the shade Storm to knit a multi-directional scarf. George's boy looked at and FELT the wool and said that he LIKED the colour.

So Mum thought that without George's boy knowing she would knit the scarf for him and leave the fringe off. Then she would send it off to Bristol as a surprise.

Mum worked devotedly on the scarf, and I should know, seeing as how my favourite spot in the whole world is next to my Mum on the sofa, and seeing as how I was under that particular wool while she was devotedly knitting it!!!

When the scarf was finished she wrapped it very carefully and sent it off on it's way to George's boy, thinking all the time how pleased he would be and how warm and snuggly he would be.

Aaaaahhh! I hear you all think, what a lovely story.

NO! NO! NO!

George's boy rang up and said 'I don't really like the colour Mum'
(What! Thought Mum, you told me you liked it.) then he said 'It's a bit itchy too' (What! Thought Mum, you felt it.)

So then my poor Mum started to weep uncontrollably into her lace trimmed handkerchief (she didn't really that's to add to the drama!), while George's boy apologised profusely and begged to be forgiven (he didn't do that either. Well, he did apologise but didn't do the begging bit, more drama).

My poor Mum is still traumatised by the whole thing and has not knitted a scarf since. She hasn't even got a picture to post as it was done before I started my blog. But maybe somewhere out there George's boy will see this and send it back so Mum can post a picture, and I will wear the scarf!!
(You will then have to ignore the answer to the random question in my profile.)

A Little Unfinished Business

Hi there, I thought I'd show you a bit more of Mum's knitting, or rather Mum's unfinished knitting. She is very good at starting projects and then getting sidetracked by other more enticing items that come along. She doesn't agree with me on that though, how strange.

I think I'll let her explain this little pile of goodies.

The Freedom Spirit tank (on the right, shade Bliss) is the second one I'm doing so it's not quite so exciting as the first and it's just stocking stitch. However it was going along quite nicely until I got caught by the sock virus.

All knitters know about the sock virus.

• Stage 1 Me, knit a sock, why? Who knits socks these days?
• Stage 2 Everyone else has got the virus why haven't I.
• Stage 3 OMG I've caught the virus, I want sock yarn NOW
• Stage 4 I haven't got any socks on the go, PANIC

So the moral of that is you should always have a pair of socks 'on the go'. (Opal Dreamcatcher socks)

The baby cable sweater I had to start before the baby was no longer a baby. Even now I have done a larger size so I will get it finished before this happens. Also most people knit first sizes and I wanted to do something for when she was a bit older.

(Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, Pink) My first ever go at cables!

See, there is logic behind my bits of unfinished business!

Not sure if I believe all that, sounds far too like excuses to me, but if it keeps her happy, I'm happy.

Just one more thing though, what's this? Obviously yet another project in the making!!!!

Think I'll sneak off with this before Mum notices.

Lorna's Laces sock wool shade Seaside. very gorgeous!!

Apparently that's for a Forest Canopy Shawl, that was supposed to be started at the same time as Kazza's (look for the post on the 15th Feb)and obviously wasn't!!

Mum says that she is still going to do it!!

I should think that will be round about the same time as I take up knitting!!!!

Just thought you'd like to see one more pic of yours truly, pointing helpfully to the project I think needs to be finished first.

A Hard Day's Night

This is a short post as I am preparing for a night shift. Dad is working nights this week so I am in charge at home. Mum has been knitting while I have been catching a few zzzzzzz's on the sofa in preparation for the long night ahead. I am very experienced in security work which is just as well since Dad often works nights, mind you I do have plenty of backup!

It would have been a better rest if I hadn't been draped in pink Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino! Pink isn't my colour at all, more Little Mummy's thing, and it keeps making my ears twitch as mum pulls the yarn from the ball. However I am not about to give up my favourite spot on the sofa so I put up with it.

Mum's also been watching Bones on the TV which is one of my favourite programmes, I also enjoy Dog, The Bounty Hunter but I don't think he's much good, I've never seen him find a Bounty yet!