General Rambling – Page 3 – Enchilada Sunrise

Days of summer

Wow, and there goes another month – I did so well blogging all through June, started out in July…. and then Real Life took over! What a shock to the system that’s been ;-) Seriously though, it really has been a pretty good summer. The “busy day” to come that I mentioned about two posts / six weeks ago way back on 5th July was the day that I had an interview for a volunteering “job”, and I’ve been doing that ever since. Not every day, I mean. Just once a week. I’m really enjoying it! (I’d better not go into specifics just yet. I’ll check with them first if they mind me blogging about it a bit. I’ve been almost-burned with that before, when a manager at my job up north told me I should remove all references to work. And none of that was specific stuff about the company at all, if I remember rightly, and certainly didn’t name anything or anyone. Just occasional anecdotes about colleagues and work life. So, double-check first, blog later!)

Other than that, I’ve been going to the Bipolar Course, which is nearly over now. That’s also been really good. I hadn’t been going to choir for a while because I’d been ill, but I’ll be going again when rehearsals start back up in September so I’m looking forward to that. And I’ve also taken up Geocaching! What-y What-ing? Well, in case you haven’t heard of it, it’s a sort of a cross between orienteering and treasure hunting, done with GPS. In my case, I use the GPS thingy in my phone rather than a dedicated device, and it’s been spot on every time so far. It’s getting me out and about and giving me a reason to go for walks, and it was surprising the first few times how much glee and satisfaction I felt when I found the caches.

Right, I must be getting on. I’ll try to remember to blog more about geocaching, update my knitting and spinning stuff… um…. oh, and talk about Pirate Day, Promming, and how much I liked the BBC’s new “Sherlock” adaptation! I think that’s about it. Probably.

July ICLW!

IComLeavWe: Join the Conversation

Whoops, I’ve just realised that yester-today* is the start of IComLeavWe for July. So a quick hi to anyone who drops by – I am still here, but I’ve been so busy spinning and doing other Actual Real Life things (shocking, I know) that I haven’t remembered to blog. And now I’m off to make today’s tally of comments. Better get to bed after that – it’s late!

* technically yesterday, since it’s now past midnight, but still within the same “day” for me since I’m still up!

Productive day

I did lots today, and even managed to get in a nap this afternoon. Well, I’d worn myself out! Of course, when I say “lots”, that’s “lots for me”, but still. I’ve been to see the Flower Festival at Mum’s church with her. Technically it’s over, but she has the church keys and all the displays are still there. Then I went to the dentist (everything fine; see you in 6 months), did tiny a bit of shopping, came home and cleaned up a storm. Whew! And since I’ve also got some spinning and knitting done, I’m feeling quite accomplished.

Tomorrow is another busy day, so I’m off to bed now. I’m expecting to sleep well!

NaBlo-ing again

I’ve decided to sign up for July’s NaBloPoMo again, because why not? I won’t do the alphabet thingy again, even though it really helped me going, because I’ll have the Tour de Fleece to post about for a good part of the month. I’ll find other things to keep me going for the rest of the time.

The summer spring-cleaning is continuing on here in my flat. I’m on a roll! I’m also going to be doing some tidying of the computer. I haven’t done that for waaay too long. There’s a whole load of pointless old files that need deleting. Plus, I’m going to change my broadband provider to a better tariff.

I’m also ridiculously excited because I just found out that Question Time is going to be on in Bexhill in a couple of weeks. I’m so applying for the audience. I must find out if anyone else wants to go too, though. I’m not sure if anyone I know locally would be up for it, but I’ll check.

Y is for Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn!

The hot weather is continuing, and now it’s got to the point where it’s really too hot to sleep at night. Not so much fun. Especially with a cat who’s determined to plaster himself against you! Ugh. I didn’t even go out today, but stayed inside knitting (my Clapotis is very very nearly done, yay!) and doing housework, all while listening to podcasts.

I was really quite productive though, which is good. I’m tired now, yes, but the house is clean, and I’ve managed to file away (or recycle) a whole load of paperwork that had been lurking. I can even use the dining room table again – it had been covered in said piles of paperwork. I have every intention of covering it up again, as I want to finally sew up my Menace jumper. Now that I’ve got started with the filing, I’m planning to carry on tomorrow. Because yes, there is more. I need to go through my files, too, and shred all the older stuff. I should ask Mum to bring her shredder up when she comes over to help me consign stuff to charity donations. My filing cupboard definitely needs some paring down. Hah, so much for spending more time on the beach – I’m thinking up excuses to stay in out of the heat. I get a lovely breeze blowing through my flat most days. But I really must get out as well. Maybe later in the week. Too tired to think about it now. Zzzzzzzzz.

X is for X Marks the Spot

I can’t remember if I blogged about this already, but there’s a Pirate Day as part of Old Town Carnival Week at the beginning of August, where they’re trying to get as many people dressed as pirates gathered together as possible, with the goal of breaking the world record. I intend to to along and join in – should be fun! There’s going to be other piratical stuff going on as well. Food, and music, and so on. And of course a Treasure Hunt, though I suspect that’s for kids!

Of course, I’ve got to find something appropriate to wear. I understand there are certain dress code rules that you have to follow to be considered one of the official pirate crew, though I don’t know what that is yet. I must have some basics that I can wear, though. I’ll have to have a rummage through my things. I need to have a clothes sort-out anyway, and send some stuff off to the charity shop. I should call my Mum and find out if she’ll be free to come and give me a lift over there so I can take all my donations at once.

U is for Uninventive

Which is how I’m feeling today. I think it’s the heat – lovely as it is, I’m starting to get lethargic. I could just go for a nice snooze right about now! And I’m only just back from Knit & Natter at Carisbrooke House. I think I’ll go and find something relatively mindless to do that involves me moving around. Housework should do the trick! Not exciting, but necessary.

Q is for Q&A

I haven’t done any of the NaBloPoMo prompts for a while, so I think I’ll have a bit of a catch-up:

Do you owe an apology to anyone? Why?

Hmmm… not as far as I can think of. I hope not!

You’ve just been given a million dollars. You are not allowed to keep it or give it to anyone you know personally. What do you do with it and why?

Well, first of all I’ll convert it into pounds ;-) Or assume that it’s the correct equivalent amount already. I’ll then donate half of it to charity – preferably a Bipolar disorder one like the MDF. The other half I think I’ll do something fun with. Like going to the local supermarket and paying for everyone’s shopping, or at least picking people at random to do that for until I run out of money. Which could take a while, actually, so maybe I could buy some big purchases for places or people that need them. I guess the ‘rules’ leave me room to do something like buy a minibus for an old people’s home or something, as long as there’s no-one there I know.

If you could go back in time and meet your 16-year-old self, what three things would you tell yourself?

1) Break up with your boyfriend asap – really, you’re better off single. 2) When things start to go really weird in your head, yes, you should go to the doctor and no, the doctors are not part of a conspiracy. You’re not well, it’s not your fault that you need help. 3) A Levels. Do some work for them. You’ll get better grades.

L is for Lazy Sunday

I really have done pretty much pants-all today. I should make some kind of effort to at least get ready for doing things tomorrow – put the sheets in the washing machine so they’re ready to go, or something. We didn’t have dinner over at Mum’s today as we usually do on a Sunday, because we’ve met up twice this week already (and are therefore sick of one another ;-) ). I think the only other thing I really want to do this evening before I go to bed is catch up with yesterday’s Doctor Who episode. Also, I just realised that Casualty was on. I’d thought it wasn’t on because of football, but it seems I was wrong. I expect it’ll get cancelled at some point during the world cup, though. But anyway, that’s another show I have to catch up with at some time this week. I love a bit of cheesy hospital soapudrama.

I’ve also been thinking about changing the design for this site. I could just plonk a new theme (by someone else) on for a while, while I’m coding up my own one. It’s an idea. One which I shall have a think about! Some more. Yes.

D is for DIY

My brother is here today to do some DIY for me… which perhaps means it’s not strictly DIY since all I’m going to be doing is directing proceedings a bit. It’s going to be less stressful all round this way, though. Or at least, that’s the plan! At the moment he’s gone off down the road in search of rawl plugs and masonry screws (and a 9v battery) while I continue tidying up in preparation for Charlotte’s visit this weekend. Or, OK, while I sit here blogging. But I’m going to go and get on with the tidying in a minute!

Actually, I should probably do that now, since she’ll be here soon. Wish me luck, and firmly-affixed-to-the-walls mirrors!

A is for Ambition

I’ve decided that a good way to keep myself going with the daily posting is to do the meme / exercise that I’ve seen on some other blogs, and do a letter of the alphabet each day. Obviously that leaves four days, so I’ll do a week of alphabet then a day of either something random, or doubling up on a letter. I’ll decide that part when I get there!

So, A is for “Ambition”. Which can be broken down into both short and long term goals:

Maintaining the daily blogging through this month, and also doing IComLeavWe at the end of the month.
Possibly do 750words.com (depending on time).
Sort out the photo album on this thing!
New site design (also for here).
Finish at least one knitting project – try sewing up the Menace jumper, for example. And keep working on the Clapotis.
Make some blog posts updating my knitting progress – what I’ve been doing over the last few months as well as what I’m doing now, since I haven’t posted for so long.
Write up the patterns I’ve designed. Finally!

“Ambition” also works pretty well for the NaBloPoMo prompt for today – I may or may not do these every day, it depends what appeals to me. But the one for today is:

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a teacher. Boring, I know! Specifically, I think I wanted to be an English teacher, because I loved reading and writing. On slightly more mature reflection, I decided that the idea of dealing with a classroom full of teenagers was an appalling one, so I changed my mind to librarian. Needless to say, I’m in neither profession now, although I have done some one-to-one music tuition and enjoyed that.

And I’m back again

Oh dear, I haven’t posted for far too long! A billionty years!! Or to be more precise, just over five months. Whoops! I don’t know where the time’s gone to. I’ve obviously been busy doing… stuff. Yeah, that’ll be it.

One of the things I have been doing is knitting. I’ve actually got a bit of decision-itis at the moment. An inflammation of the decisions, oh noes! I’ve been feeling impatient to finish things, but having trouble choosing which one to pick up. For now, I’m mostly knitting on my Clapotis [Ravlink] and planning to sew up my Menace jumper… but not actually doing it.

Anyway, I’m going to try to blog more often, and to that end I’m going to try NaBloPoMo for June. I think I actually have some possibility of finishing it, because I have actually been writing regularly on 750words.com, and if I can manage that for a long streak, then I can do a daily blog post. My problem might actually be not going on for too long, in fact. Now, I shall go to bed so that I can get started properly tomorrow.

Merry Christmas everyone :-)

I’m just popping by to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from both me and the Xandermog.

Happy Christmas from Lou and Xandermog

I’m looking forward to spending a lovely day with the family¹, cooking together, eating til we feel slightly ill, giving pressies², and of course watching the Doctor Who special and other Christmas telly. I hope you all have an equally excellent one planned if you’re celebrating, and if you’re not, then have a lovely day regardless.

Do I have a New Year’s resolution? Try to post more often, of course! ;-) Probably also some others, but I’ll go in to that more in January.

In other news, if you’ve been here before you might notice that I have a new seasonal theme for the site. I was going to do a little bit of tweaking to get the Ravelry progress bars working with it, and change the non-blog pages a little, but I haven’t had time, and I think it looks fine as it is anyway. Hooray! Thank you to the Amberpanther team for making it available :-)

¹ Mum, brother and new sister-in-law.
² Which is more fun than the receiving to be honest, since I pretty much know what I’m getting already.

All Hands on Deck

I haven’t blogged much recently because I’ve been knitting. Which means I don’t have enough hands to type at the same time! I should at least be mostly done with the things I’m knitting as Christmas presents. Ahem. I might be completely done, who knows? I probably would have been fine, but Mum asked me for mittens which I then had to factor in… and it all went a little bit wonky. Not too much though.

Other than present knitting, I’ve finished my gloves (pictures soon), done a bit of spinning at the 1066 Spinners group, and of course have been Christmas shopping. There’s an open air ice rink in town for the festive season, so Jo and I are hoping to go down there at some point. Although it’s just started snowing today, so I spose it depends how bad that gets. I also did an hour of carolling at the local hospital last night with choir. I really love singing carols, so that was lots of fun. Even though I did have to stand in the front row where people can – oh no!!! – see me! Happily for my ridiculous stage fright, most people didn’t stop and stare: we were in the foyer, so the majority of the people just passed through.

Anyway, I’d better go and have dinner before KnitJam tonight. I’m sure there was something else I was planning to blog about, but I’m sure it’ll come back to me. If not, it probably wasn’t important!

Crimble Shopping

Yesterday, I went Christmas shopping with the family in Canterbury. I had some kind of idea in my head that I’d blitz through and buy presents for everyone. Uh, no. I managed to buy cards, wrapping paper… and a new dressing gown and slippers for myself, since my old ones had pretty much died. However, I think I do now know what I’m going to get for everyone. I’m just going to buy it online!

We did see some reindeer, though, in a pen outside BHS. Okey-dokey! They seemed quite happy with all the attention, though, and two of them kept pushing their noses though the fence and getting their heads rubbed by the people who’d come to see them (anti-septic hand gel was provided to use afterwards, probably because of that thing with kids catching E.coli after stroking farm animals). I just took a couple of photos:

Reindeer in Canterbury

Aww, look at the baby one!