The weekend after TLM came down with a vomiting bug (thankfully very short-lived), I was struck by the very same bug.
I spent all of Monday dozing, shuffling (to the loo, to the back door to gaze at the sunny day outside), and drinking Powerade. And finding out that my mum had finally been discharged from hospital, and that my brother had taken her to his place until she was fit enough to go home.
By Tuesday I was feeling a hundred times better than I had the day before. I was still cautious about eating and was avoiding caffeine for the time being, but definitely well enough to go back to work.
The same day, the boy complained of a bad feeling in his gut. You can predict how that progressed.
Also on that day, I called my mum to ask how she was doing. All she wanted to do was to go home.
"There's laundry that needs doing, and my bed is still unmade from before I went to hospital". But we didn't believe she was ready to go home yet - it took her five minutes just to get from sitting down to standing up, and she couldn't walk for more than a few metres (with a walking frame) without needing a rest.
I applied for an emergency couple of days leave to give my brother some respite.
I went in this morning and mum was already up. "Alright" I said, "if you want to go home let's see if you can make your own breakfast."
Mum got as far as putting the jug on before complaining bitterly at my lack of customer service.
The rest of the day went a lot better, especially once she realised we weren't trying to force her into a rest home - because in NZ you can't get into a restroom even if you really want to, unless either you are willing to pay unlimited costs to get into one or the local health assessor thinks there's no other way for you to survive.
And that assessor is coming over on Friday, so we shall soon see...
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
A bit going on
I've been a bit distracted lately, because my mum's health has been a bit of a worry. She's just spent the last few days in hospital, which frankly was a relief because that followed several days of her feeling miserable and very tired. Being at hospital meant we didn't have to worry so much about her.
Now that her discharge from hospital is imminent, my bro and I will have to figure out how to ensure that she gets all the support she needs without driving anyone insane. Seriously, she can be a terrible grump, bossy and an extreme micro-manager.
A place at her retirement village of choice became free, but the prices have all gone up so that the cost of a studio there is only slightly less than my whole house is worth - and that's not including the weekly fees and others besides. So we have to look around to see if anything comparable (and not to far from us) is available that is more affordable.
On a more pleasant note, I was able to attend my work Christmas do. We had an Amazing Race type of thing at the Botanic Gardens, and spent a good couple of hours walking about the place, trying to find clues and taking many selfies. We took more selfies yesterday than I have ever taken before that day, or ever will after that day. After lunch we had the Secret Santa gifts. Mine was a set of six handmade fridge magnets, made using a variety of surprisingly attractive recycled objects. Honestly it was the best Secret Santa present I have ever received. Thank you Santa!
Now that her discharge from hospital is imminent, my bro and I will have to figure out how to ensure that she gets all the support she needs without driving anyone insane. Seriously, she can be a terrible grump, bossy and an extreme micro-manager.
A place at her retirement village of choice became free, but the prices have all gone up so that the cost of a studio there is only slightly less than my whole house is worth - and that's not including the weekly fees and others besides. So we have to look around to see if anything comparable (and not to far from us) is available that is more affordable.
On a more pleasant note, I was able to attend my work Christmas do. We had an Amazing Race type of thing at the Botanic Gardens, and spent a good couple of hours walking about the place, trying to find clues and taking many selfies. We took more selfies yesterday than I have ever taken before that day, or ever will after that day. After lunch we had the Secret Santa gifts. Mine was a set of six handmade fridge magnets, made using a variety of surprisingly attractive recycled objects. Honestly it was the best Secret Santa present I have ever received. Thank you Santa!
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
It turns out that something which keeps your neck and shoulders warm is a capelet
I was thinking that it would be nice to knit an accessory that keeps your neck and shoulders warm - like a well-placed shawl (but which doesn't blow off in the wind) or well-shaped cowl (which covers your shoulders).
So I got out a couple of balls of yarn, looked through a bunch of knitting patterns, and decided to use a top-down pullover pattern to make it.
What I came up with is a caplet. Although if you'd asked me what I thought about making a caplet I would have laughed in your face before swinging my scarf around my neck and walking away.
So it will be interesting whether I actually get to wear this, as it's not the sort of thing I had in mind at the start. I call it the Counterfort Capelet, named after the pullover pattern.
So I got out a couple of balls of yarn, looked through a bunch of knitting patterns, and decided to use a top-down pullover pattern to make it.
What I came up with is a caplet. Although if you'd asked me what I thought about making a caplet I would have laughed in your face before swinging my scarf around my neck and walking away.
So it will be interesting whether I actually get to wear this, as it's not the sort of thing I had in mind at the start. I call it the Counterfort Capelet, named after the pullover pattern.
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Spring with a dash of winter
When I finished my Hitch pullover (from Interweave Knits Winter 2014), I thought I'd be putting it away until next April or May.
But no - I put it on this afternoon and it's is just right for today's chilly temps.
Please excuse the unnatural angle. TLM was taking the photos and decided to make like a fashion photographer (yeah baby year! Now you're a monkey!) so I indulged her with a variety of non-typical poses.
But no - I put it on this afternoon and it's is just right for today's chilly temps.
Please excuse the unnatural angle. TLM was taking the photos and decided to make like a fashion photographer (yeah baby year! Now you're a monkey!) so I indulged her with a variety of non-typical poses.
Friday, October 31, 2014
Spring hat
I started this hat because I wanted a project to take to the Knit World knit-in session a while back. But I only went a couple of times because it wasn't looking promising (four people turned up the first time, three the next).
Then I got bored with making the boy's denim surf top again and decided to finish the hat instead.
It's Kiwiyarns Knits' own Cafe Hat pattern (but I stuffed up the ribbing and used different types of yarns so it's barely recognisable). Hopefully it won't be cold enough again to wear it until next autumn!
I've also posted it on Ravelry.
Then I got bored with making the boy's denim surf top again and decided to finish the hat instead.
I've also posted it on Ravelry.
Vodafone gets to live after all
In case you'd had sleepless nights worrying about how my mum is doing without her only connection to the outside world (her landline phone), you'll be relieved to know that her phone was back on around midday yesterday. So you can call off the boys with the big sticks and knuckle-dusters.
It took me three long calls and an email of complaint (and possibly another call from the sister in law) to achieve this. While they were at it, they also put the phone account in mum's name.
If they'd only done this latter task when I first asked them to (at the beginning of this month), it would have saved us all a lot of stress, frustration, wasted time on hold and in hopeless conversation and me getting unwanted instructions from family (but not the boy because he was just lovely and supportive) on how to "fix" the problem.
But at last the problem is fixed (though I still have to check they aren't going to try and bill her for two phone accounts or anything stupid like that).
It took me three long calls and an email of complaint (and possibly another call from the sister in law) to achieve this. While they were at it, they also put the phone account in mum's name.
If they'd only done this latter task when I first asked them to (at the beginning of this month), it would have saved us all a lot of stress, frustration, wasted time on hold and in hopeless conversation and me getting unwanted instructions from family (but not the boy because he was just lovely and supportive) on how to "fix" the problem.
But at last the problem is fixed (though I still have to check they aren't going to try and bill her for two phone accounts or anything stupid like that).
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Shame on you Vodafone
Hyperventilating with frustration, I have just sent Vodafone a formal email of complaint. Do you want to know why? Because they disconnected my mum's phone which is her only way to get hold of anyone, even though she's done nothing wrong.
It's because I have so far found it absolutely impossible to get my mum's phone account transferred to her name, from my sister in laws. It was in the sis in law's name because they lived with her for a while (before they left with the relationship between her and my mum in utter tatters) and set up her phone at the same time. Before that I believe it was in my brother's name.
They won't do it unless they can speak to both the sis in law and my mother. The sis in law spent an hour on hold with Vodes before being able to do her half of the transfer (get her name off the account).
We had trouble with the next step though. My mum doesn't speak English, I told them (more than once). They were sorry to hear that, because after another long wait they told me that meant they could not transfer the account to her name.
Transfer it to my name then, I said. After 20 minutes or so they said no, they can't. Because I am already a Vodes customer and I'm not allowed to have two different accounts with them (wtf?).
Okay, I said. I give up. Please lets go back the way it was. Okay, they said, we'll do that.
Then they disconnected my mum's phone. My mum, who is 90 years old, fairly deaf, frail, only conversant in Cantonese and mostly illiterate, needs her phone to be working. Not least because her medical alarm is connected through it.
But it has been impossible so far to get her phone reconnected.
What I would like to do is to take our custom away and go start an account up with a competitor - but it's quite likely we'd have to get the sis in law to talk to Vodafone again to do the first part!
And one last thing - they were going to charge my mum an extra $1.50 each month for receiving her bill in the slow mail. Pretty shoddy, considering she doesn't do email and is unlikely to suddenly start.
Shame on you Vodafone.
It's because I have so far found it absolutely impossible to get my mum's phone account transferred to her name, from my sister in laws. It was in the sis in law's name because they lived with her for a while (before they left with the relationship between her and my mum in utter tatters) and set up her phone at the same time. Before that I believe it was in my brother's name.
They won't do it unless they can speak to both the sis in law and my mother. The sis in law spent an hour on hold with Vodes before being able to do her half of the transfer (get her name off the account).
We had trouble with the next step though. My mum doesn't speak English, I told them (more than once). They were sorry to hear that, because after another long wait they told me that meant they could not transfer the account to her name.
Transfer it to my name then, I said. After 20 minutes or so they said no, they can't. Because I am already a Vodes customer and I'm not allowed to have two different accounts with them (wtf?).
Okay, I said. I give up. Please lets go back the way it was. Okay, they said, we'll do that.
Then they disconnected my mum's phone. My mum, who is 90 years old, fairly deaf, frail, only conversant in Cantonese and mostly illiterate, needs her phone to be working. Not least because her medical alarm is connected through it.
But it has been impossible so far to get her phone reconnected.
What I would like to do is to take our custom away and go start an account up with a competitor - but it's quite likely we'd have to get the sis in law to talk to Vodafone again to do the first part!
And one last thing - they were going to charge my mum an extra $1.50 each month for receiving her bill in the slow mail. Pretty shoddy, considering she doesn't do email and is unlikely to suddenly start.
Shame on you Vodafone.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
On the occasion of my fiftieth birthday...
Astonishingly (and refreshingly), there is no McDonalds on the island of Rarotonga.
If I'd been told this at the beginning of our stay, I would have expected a very un-tourist-y family holiday.
We stayed at the Edgewater, which turned out to be the largest resort on the island. With hundreds of hotel rooms and villas (we stayed in a villa), it probably covered more area and had more inhabitants than Avarua - Rarotonga' downtown. So yeah, it is touristy - but not actually not all that touristy.
Some of the resort's more charming aspects, which made our stay all the more enjoyable, include: the super friendly staff; the very attractive floral prints they wear; the free range chooks that wander about unimpeded looking for tourist-borne snacks; the tropical fish-laden lagoon and the Ika Mata (raw fish marinated in coconut cream).
The boy introduced TLM to snorkelling, which quickly became her favourite daily activity (I myself took a couple of goes to get into snorkelling - breathing through a tube whilst under water freaks me out). TLM's second favourite activity was splashing me in the pool.
I painted my own sarong, TLM and I learned how to make a head garland from the gorgeous array of tropical flowers, and we all learned more than we ever thought we'd want to know about coconuts.
We also took a tour of the sights, on our last day. I was highly amused at the "sights" that we took in - the local hospital, several schools, the Cook Island house of parliament (which looks like a low-income boarding house) and so on. But there were some highlights too - the spot where the seven waka were supposed to have launched, carrying those who would become the New Zealand Maori hundreds of years ago; the beach at Muri; and the interesting but tragic story of a particular church built from huge chunks of coral reef (sacrilege, I know), whose builders died in the hundreds from lime poisoning.
And now we are back home. It's a relatively chilly 17 degrees Celsius but at least it won't be too hot to sleep tonight.
If I'd been told this at the beginning of our stay, I would have expected a very un-tourist-y family holiday.
We stayed at the Edgewater, which turned out to be the largest resort on the island. With hundreds of hotel rooms and villas (we stayed in a villa), it probably covered more area and had more inhabitants than Avarua - Rarotonga' downtown. So yeah, it is touristy - but not actually not all that touristy.
Some of the resort's more charming aspects, which made our stay all the more enjoyable, include: the super friendly staff; the very attractive floral prints they wear; the free range chooks that wander about unimpeded looking for tourist-borne snacks; the tropical fish-laden lagoon and the Ika Mata (raw fish marinated in coconut cream).
The boy introduced TLM to snorkelling, which quickly became her favourite daily activity (I myself took a couple of goes to get into snorkelling - breathing through a tube whilst under water freaks me out). TLM's second favourite activity was splashing me in the pool.
I painted my own sarong, TLM and I learned how to make a head garland from the gorgeous array of tropical flowers, and we all learned more than we ever thought we'd want to know about coconuts.
We also took a tour of the sights, on our last day. I was highly amused at the "sights" that we took in - the local hospital, several schools, the Cook Island house of parliament (which looks like a low-income boarding house) and so on. But there were some highlights too - the spot where the seven waka were supposed to have launched, carrying those who would become the New Zealand Maori hundreds of years ago; the beach at Muri; and the interesting but tragic story of a particular church built from huge chunks of coral reef (sacrilege, I know), whose builders died in the hundreds from lime poisoning.
And now we are back home. It's a relatively chilly 17 degrees Celsius but at least it won't be too hot to sleep tonight.
Thursday, October 09, 2014
So, a no to the Kobo glo
I went and bought the Kobo glo yesterday, thinking it would be just the thing to hold half a dozen novels for our holiday in RAROTONGA.
But by the time I'd spent a couple of hours trying to set it up, with a few restarts to fix the screen freezing on me, I was no longer very enthusiastic about my new toy. All this, and I hadn't even gotten as far as registering. Then it wouldn't turn on.
So today the boy and I took it back to the shop and got a refund.
And we got a Kindle instead. The setup was so quick! And nothing went wrong! I've already downloaded several free classics and can't wait to play with it.
But by the time I'd spent a couple of hours trying to set it up, with a few restarts to fix the screen freezing on me, I was no longer very enthusiastic about my new toy. All this, and I hadn't even gotten as far as registering. Then it wouldn't turn on.
So today the boy and I took it back to the shop and got a refund.
And we got a Kindle instead. The setup was so quick! And nothing went wrong! I've already downloaded several free classics and can't wait to play with it.
Monday, October 06, 2014
e-books by gum!
I've been on a fiction-reading binge, which is really quite a change from my normal diet of knitting books, knitting magazines and Frankie magazine. And Capital magazine. (Yes, many magazines in fact).
I have, in the last few months, read a whole 4 or 5 novels, and that's a lot for me.
The one I just finished was Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, which was really good except for the breathtaking glossing over of how the heroine, her baby and her sweatshop-worker mother managed to survive while the former gained a medical degree and surgical training.
The two novels before that were a couple of ghost stories set in Alabama (or thereabouts) by RB Chesterton (which I enjoyed except they were quite match-matchy).
The one before that....actually I'll stop here.
Because the point of this post that I have decided it might finally be worth getting an e-reader, now that I'm consuming a respectable amount of text-heavy product.
I know the Kindle is very popular, but I don't want to be tied into buying only from Amazon. I want to be able to support local booksellers and local writers. I also want to be able to borrow e-books from our public libraries.
So I'm think I will get a Kobo. The boy said he'll get me one for my birthday, but seeing as he has just forked over way too much money to send us all off on holiday to Rarotonga, I would be fine with buying it myself.
And then I will check whether it's worth buying knitting magazines in e-format.
I have, in the last few months, read a whole 4 or 5 novels, and that's a lot for me.
The one I just finished was Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, which was really good except for the breathtaking glossing over of how the heroine, her baby and her sweatshop-worker mother managed to survive while the former gained a medical degree and surgical training.
The two novels before that were a couple of ghost stories set in Alabama (or thereabouts) by RB Chesterton (which I enjoyed except they were quite match-matchy).
The one before that....actually I'll stop here.
Because the point of this post that I have decided it might finally be worth getting an e-reader, now that I'm consuming a respectable amount of text-heavy product.
I know the Kindle is very popular, but I don't want to be tied into buying only from Amazon. I want to be able to support local booksellers and local writers. I also want to be able to borrow e-books from our public libraries.
So I'm think I will get a Kobo. The boy said he'll get me one for my birthday, but seeing as he has just forked over way too much money to send us all off on holiday to Rarotonga, I would be fine with buying it myself.
And then I will check whether it's worth buying knitting magazines in e-format.
Thursday, October 02, 2014
My eye, my stye and I
Not much to say (I just liked the title) - a dramatic swelling on the inner corner of my right eye, followed a night of unparalleled gunkiness...then it was all over.
Just extremely impressed at how quickly it came and went.
Just extremely impressed at how quickly it came and went.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Post-election blahs
I am still a bit depressed today, that National are not only back in government, but won so decisively. It's not so much that I think Labour would have done a fantastic job, more that I hoped more people would have voted for the Greens - and that I really hate John Key's guts.
It's not personal - our lives have been pretty comfortable and this is unlikely to change because the election results - but because in my opinion the Greens were the only party that was willing to instigate big changes for the long-term good of the country.
Also, I've seen so much evidence of dirty dealings on the Nats' part that I don't understand why it hasn't affected their popularity. Like the fact the Judith Collins had to resign because of all her dodginess while she was Ministry of Justice, yet her electorate has put her right back into Parliament!
There's also the fact that evidently the vast majority of the NZ voting public seems to disagree with me.
Blah.
It's not personal - our lives have been pretty comfortable and this is unlikely to change because the election results - but because in my opinion the Greens were the only party that was willing to instigate big changes for the long-term good of the country.
Also, I've seen so much evidence of dirty dealings on the Nats' part that I don't understand why it hasn't affected their popularity. Like the fact the Judith Collins had to resign because of all her dodginess while she was Ministry of Justice, yet her electorate has put her right back into Parliament!
There's also the fact that evidently the vast majority of the NZ voting public seems to disagree with me.
Blah.
Friday, September 19, 2014
There's a lot going on right now
I was kinda excited at the thought that Scotland might vote for independence from the UK (seeing as so many clever people were or are from there). I don't know how well they would have got on without England, but now we'll never know.
And tomorrow is Election Day in NZ. Traditionally either my brother or myself would take our mum along to vote too, after giving her a brief run-down on the two major parties' philosophies (really quick, as our Cantonese doesn't allow for sophisticated political discussion, nor witty dissing of those I don't approve of).
I wasn't sure what we would do about helping mum vote this election, since I'm far more aware these days of the other parties. It turns out that our mum is quite content with how things have been going re: state of the nation, though that's not surprising since her focus is on the size of her superannuation payments and whether she's able to get free stuff from the government.
So if she votes National then I will not stand in her way (in fact I will drive to her house, pick her up and drive her around the corner to her polling booth. Then take her grocery shopping afterwards). Even though I disagree with her and even though she is not exactly well informed about the political goings on etc over the last few years. I figure, even with her narrowly focussed viewpoint, she is probably about as well informed as the majority of voters are anyway.
Also....we are going to Rarotonga for my birthday!! It won't be for a few weeks yet, and is only for 6 nights, but we're all looking forward to our first holiday (barring long weekends) since our trip to the UK back in 2011 or 2012 (I forget).
After that, I have to prepare for three days in Auckland for work, then getting TLM ready for her Brownie camp over Labour Weekend. It's all on!
And tomorrow is Election Day in NZ. Traditionally either my brother or myself would take our mum along to vote too, after giving her a brief run-down on the two major parties' philosophies (really quick, as our Cantonese doesn't allow for sophisticated political discussion, nor witty dissing of those I don't approve of).
I wasn't sure what we would do about helping mum vote this election, since I'm far more aware these days of the other parties. It turns out that our mum is quite content with how things have been going re: state of the nation, though that's not surprising since her focus is on the size of her superannuation payments and whether she's able to get free stuff from the government.
So if she votes National then I will not stand in her way (in fact I will drive to her house, pick her up and drive her around the corner to her polling booth. Then take her grocery shopping afterwards). Even though I disagree with her and even though she is not exactly well informed about the political goings on etc over the last few years. I figure, even with her narrowly focussed viewpoint, she is probably about as well informed as the majority of voters are anyway.
Also....we are going to Rarotonga for my birthday!! It won't be for a few weeks yet, and is only for 6 nights, but we're all looking forward to our first holiday (barring long weekends) since our trip to the UK back in 2011 or 2012 (I forget).
After that, I have to prepare for three days in Auckland for work, then getting TLM ready for her Brownie camp over Labour Weekend. It's all on!
Monday, August 18, 2014
Listening to Louise Nicholas
I knew I wasn't going to enjoy it one bit, but I needed to watch the dramatisation of Louise Nicholas' story. I felt like I owed it to her to sit through the entire, horrible series of events, that it was the least I could do. Because I wasn't any use to her at the time when she most needed to be believed - when that news broke years ago it was just background noise, only dimly acknowledged as something going on beyond the edges of what was going on in my life.
During that scene, when she retells what happened in that house with those disgusting examples of human beings - and policemen - my gut curdled. The anger kept me up all night and swamped my other feelings, which were of admiration at Nicholas' bravery in speaking up.
I'll never be able to understand why she couldn't run away when Scholum turned in his car to take her to that house, nor why she kept it a secret for so long, as though it was something that was wrong with her rather than something that was wrong with those men. But it doesn't make what they did to her any less despicable. And if I were a man then at some point I would probably have apologised for being one.
During that scene, when she retells what happened in that house with those disgusting examples of human beings - and policemen - my gut curdled. The anger kept me up all night and swamped my other feelings, which were of admiration at Nicholas' bravery in speaking up.
I'll never be able to understand why she couldn't run away when Scholum turned in his car to take her to that house, nor why she kept it a secret for so long, as though it was something that was wrong with her rather than something that was wrong with those men. But it doesn't make what they did to her any less despicable. And if I were a man then at some point I would probably have apologised for being one.
Nine
TLM turned 9 last week, and we held her birthday party in the weekend - at home. At our tiny little working man's cottage in which our living room also houses the dining table and the fridge (they're the overflow).
8 girls all in the house at once, making lots of squeaky noise and competing at who could perform the most entertaining death scene.
8 girls gobbling packets and packets of popcorn and marshmallows (and sundry other snacks).
It was a beautiful day (considering it's mid-winter) and we were supposed to have an outdoor picnic, but that didn't quite work out so we ended up with a floor completely covered in bits of popcorn, hand-made "smores", raspberry lemonade and hundred & thousands that fell of the fairy bread.
And I hadn't spent so much effort cleaning the house (both before and after the party) since last spring. Exhausting!
8 girls all in the house at once, making lots of squeaky noise and competing at who could perform the most entertaining death scene.
8 girls gobbling packets and packets of popcorn and marshmallows (and sundry other snacks).
It was a beautiful day (considering it's mid-winter) and we were supposed to have an outdoor picnic, but that didn't quite work out so we ended up with a floor completely covered in bits of popcorn, hand-made "smores", raspberry lemonade and hundred & thousands that fell of the fairy bread.
And I hadn't spent so much effort cleaning the house (both before and after the party) since last spring. Exhausting!
A hat plus two and a half sweaters
Just a check-in on my knitting progress...
 |
| This is not a skirt - it's the body of a stranded knit jumper |
 |
| a cowl in Zealana heron |
 |
| the back of a surf top for the boy. It is taking a LOT of yarn and time... |
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| A short, barn-red cardigan for me |
Sunday, July 20, 2014
winter white
Have you seen those personal style books which show how certain colours - or shades of colours - can affect your look, depending on your skin tone?
Well, I have. And although I can usually see the difference when I compare the before and after photos, I don't always find it very easy to apply to myself.
I've tried draping fabrics over my chest to see whether it's "my colour" or not, and a lot of the time I can't tell.
Not so with this cream coloured cowl/scarf I blogged about recently -
When I saw the photo of the finished product in Metropolitan Knits I felt an urgent desire to possess (i.e. knit) one just like it. When I found the cream merino cashmere yarn at the Knit World sale my fate was sealed.
But when I put it on one chilly morning before work, I realised that I had fallen for that old "it looked so great on the model" trick.
Not only is my neck far too short for such a wide cowl, but the colour somehow makes my face look...unwashed. One's hand knits should not make one look fat and dirty.
Then I took it off and replaced it with my multi-coloured shawl...
...and I looked SO much prettier. And cleaner.
Well, I have. And although I can usually see the difference when I compare the before and after photos, I don't always find it very easy to apply to myself.
I've tried draping fabrics over my chest to see whether it's "my colour" or not, and a lot of the time I can't tell.
Not so with this cream coloured cowl/scarf I blogged about recently -
But when I put it on one chilly morning before work, I realised that I had fallen for that old "it looked so great on the model" trick.
Not only is my neck far too short for such a wide cowl, but the colour somehow makes my face look...unwashed. One's hand knits should not make one look fat and dirty.
Then I took it off and replaced it with my multi-coloured shawl...
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Blood on the trampoline
Taking TLM to my mum's place this Sunday is going to be slightly awkward, because of something that happened last Sunday.
For some reason, my niece's best friend has accompanied her to mum's place most Sunday's for the last few months. She's not Chinese and perhaps finds it a novelty to spend time at an elderly Chinese lady's house and eat her food.
The rest of us don't mind, though it's changed the dynamics between TLM and her cousin - and not just because TLM is more likely to get left out nowadays.
When the three of them go on the trampoline at the same time, it's damned likely that someone will get hurt.
I should have been on the alert a few weeks ago when they all got on there in the dark (post-dinner) and someone landed on her face. But TLM was - amazingly - not badly hurt.
Last Sunday, someone decided to do a handstand while they were on the trampoline. And TLM's face got in the way.
There was so much blood coming out of her nose and mouth. Once we'd got her cleaned up and calmed down enough for a good look, we found a split lip and a gash across her upper gum (right where she was growing two adult teeth).
I was quite angry and worried, but not comfortable with telling off someone is not my child - especially as I didn't see it happen so I couldn't be sure who was at fault. (The lesson here, I think, is that you don't stand behind someone unless they know you're there and you're both participating in some team-building exercise.)
About a week later, I am ready to stop being angry. But it would help a lot if just this once, a certain person didn't accompany my brother's family to Sunday night dinner.
Tuesday, July 01, 2014
A couple of new knits
Recently I made a scarf and a pair of socks. Here they are:
The pattern is from Metropolitan Knits, and is suppose to have buttons at one end so that it can be worn like a cowl. I haven't gotten around to getting the buttons, but suspect that I don't have quite the swanlike neck that this kind of accessory is made for.
The yarn is a lovely soft merino and cashmere blend which I bought for $5 per ball at the recent KnitWorld sale.
It will keep my neck warm, once it actually gets cold enough for me to need one.
Speaking of colds, I am home with one right now. That's why I've got time to blog this...
These socks were a year in the making. Right after I started (and restarted) the first sock last June, I got bored with it and put it away. I only took it out again when I had to go to Auckland for work and wanted a small knitting project to take with me. And I finished the pair in five days.
Too bad they ended up too big for me - but they fit the boy's size 11 feet perfectly! The pattern is from Blendy Knits Socks.
The pattern is from Metropolitan Knits, and is suppose to have buttons at one end so that it can be worn like a cowl. I haven't gotten around to getting the buttons, but suspect that I don't have quite the swanlike neck that this kind of accessory is made for.
The yarn is a lovely soft merino and cashmere blend which I bought for $5 per ball at the recent KnitWorld sale.
It will keep my neck warm, once it actually gets cold enough for me to need one.
Speaking of colds, I am home with one right now. That's why I've got time to blog this...
Too bad they ended up too big for me - but they fit the boy's size 11 feet perfectly! The pattern is from Blendy Knits Socks.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
In another universe I'm a tech guru...
Unless you've been reading this blog for a long time, or know me personally, you'll know that in another life (but in this universe) I worked in IT.
And that I wondered often how it is that I managed to spend about 15 years in IT without ever becoming one of those really useful people who can help when your computer stops behaving.
I mean, until recently I couldn't even work out how to get a DVD to play in our Playstation.
And yet, when it comes to my mum's Freeview television set-up, I am the guru.
My brother, who is no techie, can't fix it when my mum suddenly loses her picture.
My mum, obviously, can't fix it.
The boy probably could do it with his eyes closed, both arms lopped off at the shoulder and only one working leg. But he doesn't have to, because I have always been able to fix it.
To be honest, there are only three "fixes" in my box of tricks:
But so far I have been able to get the telly going again every time. it does feel nice to be the guru in my mum's Freeview tv universe.
And that I wondered often how it is that I managed to spend about 15 years in IT without ever becoming one of those really useful people who can help when your computer stops behaving.
I mean, until recently I couldn't even work out how to get a DVD to play in our Playstation.
And yet, when it comes to my mum's Freeview television set-up, I am the guru.
My brother, who is no techie, can't fix it when my mum suddenly loses her picture.
My mum, obviously, can't fix it.
The boy probably could do it with his eyes closed, both arms lopped off at the shoulder and only one working leg. But he doesn't have to, because I have always been able to fix it.
To be honest, there are only three "fixes" in my box of tricks:
- press the input button in case someone tried to change channels with the wrong remote
- check that the Freeview box is on, in case someone tried to turn the telly on with the wrong remote
- turn the Freeview box off and on again, in case it's neither of the above.
But so far I have been able to get the telly going again every time. it does feel nice to be the guru in my mum's Freeview tv universe.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
This year's TLM knit
Elephant girl
This is what happens when you cut up an oversized sweatshirt for your imaginative daughter to wear, because her plaster cast prevents her from wearing her normal gear... (please excuse the poor photo quality - it was taken at night without a flash)
Wednesday, May 07, 2014
Flying off the flying fox
TLM has broken her wrist (well, not broken exactly because being a kid, her bone has sort of bent rather than cracked - but in effect it's a break).
It happened in the school playground, and I got the call while I was chatting to the members of the board at work (specifically, I was trying to explain that my eyes were pink because of allergies, not because they work me too hard).
Saved by the phone, only to be told that my darling was crying her eyes out in the school office. I was very kindly given a lift to the school, where I picked her up and took her across the road to the A & E.
About three hours later we emerged into daylight again (just). TLM has a plaster cast on her right (non-writing) arm which stretches nearly to her armpit. She can't get any of her clothes on over her right arm, so it's just as well it's not that cold at the moment.
The bummer is that she was going to play her first game of netball this weekend, and now she's only able to be a supporter for the next six weeks. Plus, she's got Brownie camp in a couple of weeks so I guess archery is going to be off her schedule.
It happened in the school playground, and I got the call while I was chatting to the members of the board at work (specifically, I was trying to explain that my eyes were pink because of allergies, not because they work me too hard).
Saved by the phone, only to be told that my darling was crying her eyes out in the school office. I was very kindly given a lift to the school, where I picked her up and took her across the road to the A & E.
About three hours later we emerged into daylight again (just). TLM has a plaster cast on her right (non-writing) arm which stretches nearly to her armpit. She can't get any of her clothes on over her right arm, so it's just as well it's not that cold at the moment.
The bummer is that she was going to play her first game of netball this weekend, and now she's only able to be a supporter for the next six weeks. Plus, she's got Brownie camp in a couple of weeks so I guess archery is going to be off her schedule.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
A bach by the sea
We had a lovely time at Waitarere Beach, in a bach (seaside holiday home) big enough for two families of three.
Expecting foul weather, we packed warm clothes, raincoats and enough board games to hold a convention.
But there was plenty of sun, enough to allow trips to the beach itself, walks to the playgound, and outside play on the back lawn. TLM and her friend had a go too.
There were swelter-y moments which convinced me to forget about propriety and just roll up my jeans and sleeves and show the world my manly hiking shoes - just for the sake of getting some airflow about the limbs.
I have no photos, alas. Because we were all there to relax and I was just too relaxed to get out my phone and take any.
I did learn something though. I learned that if I leave my fully-charged phone on for two days without using it at all (except maybe twice to check the time), it will go utterly flat.
Expecting foul weather, we packed warm clothes, raincoats and enough board games to hold a convention.
But there was plenty of sun, enough to allow trips to the beach itself, walks to the playgound, and outside play on the back lawn. TLM and her friend had a go too.
There were swelter-y moments which convinced me to forget about propriety and just roll up my jeans and sleeves and show the world my manly hiking shoes - just for the sake of getting some airflow about the limbs.
I have no photos, alas. Because we were all there to relax and I was just too relaxed to get out my phone and take any.
I did learn something though. I learned that if I leave my fully-charged phone on for two days without using it at all (except maybe twice to check the time), it will go utterly flat.
An experiment with pattern-printed yarn
Unfortunately I am not meticulous enough to knit two mitts which are the same size as each other - but they do fit my wrists and one day I will remember to wear them whilst knitting or typing (as a defence against OOS).
So what do you think? Is it worth trying again with something bigger? (I'm thinking no)
The yellow peril
I finished my Rosemary cardigan which is, in fact, mustard.
I'm quite please with it, apart from the fact that the top button has a tendency to undo itself. It's no biggie, but a bit annoying when it happens.
I've worn it a few times already, during our hot 'n' cold autumn, and people seem to like it as much as I do.
I've worn it a few times already, during our hot 'n' cold autumn, and people seem to like it as much as I do.
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Long tops made of very thin fabric
There's something I have learned to look out for, and that's when I'm thinking of buying a tunic-length top in one of those lovely sheer print fabrics, to wear over jeans.
For Gawd's sake take a good walk around in it before you buy it! Because if it's a few centimetres too long, that super-drapey fabric will somehow work it's way into that area between your legs and become a camel-toe flag!
For Gawd's sake take a good walk around in it before you buy it! Because if it's a few centimetres too long, that super-drapey fabric will somehow work it's way into that area between your legs and become a camel-toe flag!
Thursday, March 27, 2014
I made a shawl
When I told the boy that I was thinking of knitting a shawl, he muttered something about rocking chairs and walking sticks. No surprise there, since that would be the expected response from anyone who isn't a knitter (donnasoowho, I'm looking at you).
Maybe he thought I should be more productively spending my knitting time on his surf pullover.
But I started my shawl, and wasn't able to put down until it was all finished and needed nothing more than a blocking.
And now it's finished. For your information, I intend to wear it around me like a big scarf - not like an old-lady shawl (which only the young and hip, or the old and hip-replaced, could get away with).
Slightly more detail on Ravelry.
Maybe he thought I should be more productively spending my knitting time on his surf pullover.
But I started my shawl, and wasn't able to put down until it was all finished and needed nothing more than a blocking.
And now it's finished. For your information, I intend to wear it around me like a big scarf - not like an old-lady shawl (which only the young and hip, or the old and hip-replaced, could get away with).
Slightly more detail on Ravelry.
Help - caterpillars are killing our swan plant!
By the time I removed the mesh, the plant had doubled in size and - to my surprise - there was already a fat caterpillar there.
Not long after that caterpillar went through its cycle and left the nest, about a billion tiny new caterpillars appeared! (More like about 20 - but still a lot).
And now they have devastated our plant. I tried laying bits of pumpkin about because my hairdresser say they liked it, but that's had very little effect.
I just hope they'll hurry up and make like a chrysalis already, before every single leave is chomped.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
"It's easy" he said...
"...just press the top of the crack to turn it on or off, and press the bottom of the crack to get the disk out".
The boy has been trying to teach me how to use the new Playstation console, which he has hooked up to the telly so that we can play Blue Ray DVDs on it.
I'll freely admit that I'm not the geekiest person around, nor am I a total Luddite. What I am, is someone who suspects that someone is designing gear that makes us non-geeks look like utter fools.
Like, why the hell would you design a console with no visible buttons, unless it was clever enough to hear us tell it what to do?
The boy has been trying to teach me how to use the new Playstation console, which he has hooked up to the telly so that we can play Blue Ray DVDs on it.
I'll freely admit that I'm not the geekiest person around, nor am I a total Luddite. What I am, is someone who suspects that someone is designing gear that makes us non-geeks look like utter fools.
Like, why the hell would you design a console with no visible buttons, unless it was clever enough to hear us tell it what to do?
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Fingerless mitts for over-knitters and computer-bound folks
I made these for a work friend, who has OOS from too much computer use.
I'm always on the verge of OOS myself, because I spend all day on a computer and all my spare time knitting. So I thought I'd make her these. She'll probably find them too warm though, because she lives in balmy Auckland.
The pattern is by kiwiyarns knits.
I'm always on the verge of OOS myself, because I spend all day on a computer and all my spare time knitting. So I thought I'd make her these. She'll probably find them too warm though, because she lives in balmy Auckland.
The pattern is by kiwiyarns knits.
Relaxed
Sometimes it takes all evening. I just refuse to pick up other people's socks.
I guess I should be glad she has stopped taking off her leggings as well.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Is it that time of year/her life already?
Easter is a couple of months away, but - having looked at a couple of holiday accommodation websites - it seems that a lot of well-organised folk have already decided where they are going for the long Easter weekend.
At first it was looking quite desperate (bringing to mind our last-ditch attempt to book a weekend by the beach last summer, only to end up in a place absolutely miles away and with a terribly uncomfortable bed - though everything else about the place was fine).
But then I realised that it's just the places on one particular website which are all going fast. If I picked a less popular site there seemed to be more availability. So there is hope for fun in the sun with our favourite family-to-holiday-with.
The other thing I've been busy thinking about is the retirement village which my mum wants to move into. She's probably got in mind one of those one-two bedroom independent apartments which pretty much leave the resident up to their own devices (possibly even cooking odorous foods). She was looking at those a couple of years ago and very nearly went ahead (until a chance remark by a total stranger put her off).
What my brother and I have in mind is a serviced bedsit or smaller one-bedroom place which provides main meals and some housework, and is much closer to the communal areas. But they are much, much smaller ( and because they only have a kitchenette, there's no overhead thingy to whisk away the scent of salted fish and other "interesting" smells.)
It doesn't take much, but my mind is all full up with the above...
At first it was looking quite desperate (bringing to mind our last-ditch attempt to book a weekend by the beach last summer, only to end up in a place absolutely miles away and with a terribly uncomfortable bed - though everything else about the place was fine).
But then I realised that it's just the places on one particular website which are all going fast. If I picked a less popular site there seemed to be more availability. So there is hope for fun in the sun with our favourite family-to-holiday-with.
The other thing I've been busy thinking about is the retirement village which my mum wants to move into. She's probably got in mind one of those one-two bedroom independent apartments which pretty much leave the resident up to their own devices (possibly even cooking odorous foods). She was looking at those a couple of years ago and very nearly went ahead (until a chance remark by a total stranger put her off).
What my brother and I have in mind is a serviced bedsit or smaller one-bedroom place which provides main meals and some housework, and is much closer to the communal areas. But they are much, much smaller ( and because they only have a kitchenette, there's no overhead thingy to whisk away the scent of salted fish and other "interesting" smells.)
It doesn't take much, but my mind is all full up with the above...
Monday, February 17, 2014
Something I whipped up in the holidays
One of the first things I did when I took time off before Christmas was to let TLM spend all day on her computer.
This wasn't because she'd been particularly good, but because I had an urge to sew and knew it was going to take me all day.
And this is what I ended up with -
I used one of the boy's unwanted business shirts to make the front and back yoke and the centre front, some chambray for the sides and some scarlet bias binding to go around the neck, armholes and hem. I used a Vogue sewing pattern to make this, and modified it so that I could life my arms up without also lifting up the dress to disrespectful heights. Please excuse the batwings...
This wasn't because she'd been particularly good, but because I had an urge to sew and knew it was going to take me all day.
And this is what I ended up with -
Friday, February 14, 2014
Happy Valentines Day!
The boy is such a romantic, even after ....(I'm thinking...)...12 years together.
Last night he brought home a dozen long-stemmed pinky-orange roses (though one promptly beheaded itself while I was trying to get them into the vase), and a mystery present which he put in the fridge.
So I realised I had very little time to get him something back (eeek!)
Then, the universe helped me out. When I got to my lunchtime hair appointment, I was told (very apologetically) that my stylist was running 15 minutes late. Would that be a problem?
You bet it would! Well not really, except that I'd be late back to work. But I seized the opportunity to re-book for tomorrow afternoon instead - which meant that my lunch break was now free for present and card shopping.
So I got the boy a card that has a picture of a Star Wars storm trooper on the front and the words "Super Trooper". And for a present I got him a Hello Kitty Frankenstein - that's a Hello Kitty doll which is puce green and has bolts on the sides of her head. Super-cute in a geeky sort of way. Which he loved.
Love and kisses everyone.
p.s. the present in the fridge turned out to be a box of individually chosen designer chocs.
Last night he brought home a dozen long-stemmed pinky-orange roses (though one promptly beheaded itself while I was trying to get them into the vase), and a mystery present which he put in the fridge.
So I realised I had very little time to get him something back (eeek!)
Then, the universe helped me out. When I got to my lunchtime hair appointment, I was told (very apologetically) that my stylist was running 15 minutes late. Would that be a problem?
You bet it would! Well not really, except that I'd be late back to work. But I seized the opportunity to re-book for tomorrow afternoon instead - which meant that my lunch break was now free for present and card shopping.
So I got the boy a card that has a picture of a Star Wars storm trooper on the front and the words "Super Trooper". And for a present I got him a Hello Kitty Frankenstein - that's a Hello Kitty doll which is puce green and has bolts on the sides of her head. Super-cute in a geeky sort of way. Which he loved.
Love and kisses everyone.
p.s. the present in the fridge turned out to be a box of individually chosen designer chocs.
Thursday, February 06, 2014
The Chinese patient goes back to the drawing board
My mother's shingles (which sounds like an interesting title for a novel, don't you think?) has caused us all much anguish and stress over the last few weeks.
First there was the pain, which must have been excruciating (though of course I can only guess) - bad enough that at one point I think my mum believed she was going to die from it.
There were multiple visits to doctors - to her GP and to after-hours doctors. They variously prescribed her four different medications to treat the pain:
One acted as a muscle super-relaxant and nerve sensitiser, so that she felt as though she could hardly stand and walk - and it hurt her feet when she did.
The next two, prescribed in unison, gave her the shakes (like Parkinsons on the proverbial speed) and pushed her blood pressure to scary heights. (One of the meds is called Tramadol - a more appropriate name would be Tremor-dol.) This lot put her in hospital for a few days.
The last was a cream which apparently works by distracting the nerves with red hot chilli pepper. My mum had to wash this off quick-smart because it made her feel like her skin was on fire.
First there was the pain, which must have been excruciating (though of course I can only guess) - bad enough that at one point I think my mum believed she was going to die from it.
There were multiple visits to doctors - to her GP and to after-hours doctors. They variously prescribed her four different medications to treat the pain:
One acted as a muscle super-relaxant and nerve sensitiser, so that she felt as though she could hardly stand and walk - and it hurt her feet when she did.
The next two, prescribed in unison, gave her the shakes (like Parkinsons on the proverbial speed) and pushed her blood pressure to scary heights. (One of the meds is called Tramadol - a more appropriate name would be Tremor-dol.) This lot put her in hospital for a few days.
The last was a cream which apparently works by distracting the nerves with red hot chilli pepper. My mum had to wash this off quick-smart because it made her feel like her skin was on fire.
So she's back on the plain-Jane paracetamol, which probably does little more than shave a wafer-thin edge off the pain.
Boy, is she grumpy.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Her last day of freedom
TLM's new school year starts tomorrow, so I took yesterday and today off work in order to get some last hurrahs in.
The forecast for these two days was not promising, but I'd fully expected it to rain and blow- because I am apparently The Weather Jonah.
However it's turned out nice and sunny in the afternoons, which means I could stop bitching about the crappy weather I always get when I take annual leave.
Yesterday we went to the local library for Captain Underpants books (for her) and knitting books (for me), followed by sushi at Yummy Sushi, a walk around the green bits and then a quick visit to see my mum in the hospital. (She went home shortly after our visit and is doing very well thank you very much for asking).
Today we drove out to Petone to visit a new art gallery which a friend of mine helped promote. It was full of great paintings, photos and ceramic art themed around the local wharf - and I would have bought some if I wasn't so stingy. That was followed by lunch at Beanie (great place, loved how they serve kids' milkshakes in little half-pint milk bottles) with the friend, a walk along the Esplanade, and a visit to Chocolate Story (where I had to get us out of there quickly so as to limit our chocolate spend).
Then we looked and looked for the Holland Road Yarn Company, which for some reason is always hard to find. But of course it was closed - it's closed about 50% of the times I go there - which was really disappointing. I will probably just shop there online from now on because I only go there for the hard-to-get-elsewhere yarns, certainly not for the service.
I'm currently trying to repair a parasol which is a prop for an upcoming dance performance for Chinese New Year celebrations. Fortunately it's just a glue job, rather than one involving patience, thread and a pointy needle.
And then, before we know it, it'll be Tuesday evening and the end of the school holidays.
The forecast for these two days was not promising, but I'd fully expected it to rain and blow- because I am apparently The Weather Jonah.
However it's turned out nice and sunny in the afternoons, which means I could stop bitching about the crappy weather I always get when I take annual leave.
Yesterday we went to the local library for Captain Underpants books (for her) and knitting books (for me), followed by sushi at Yummy Sushi, a walk around the green bits and then a quick visit to see my mum in the hospital. (She went home shortly after our visit and is doing very well thank you very much for asking).
Today we drove out to Petone to visit a new art gallery which a friend of mine helped promote. It was full of great paintings, photos and ceramic art themed around the local wharf - and I would have bought some if I wasn't so stingy. That was followed by lunch at Beanie (great place, loved how they serve kids' milkshakes in little half-pint milk bottles) with the friend, a walk along the Esplanade, and a visit to Chocolate Story (where I had to get us out of there quickly so as to limit our chocolate spend).
Then we looked and looked for the Holland Road Yarn Company, which for some reason is always hard to find. But of course it was closed - it's closed about 50% of the times I go there - which was really disappointing. I will probably just shop there online from now on because I only go there for the hard-to-get-elsewhere yarns, certainly not for the service.
I'm currently trying to repair a parasol which is a prop for an upcoming dance performance for Chinese New Year celebrations. Fortunately it's just a glue job, rather than one involving patience, thread and a pointy needle.
And then, before we know it, it'll be Tuesday evening and the end of the school holidays.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
That was another one we didn't feel*
Yesterday afternoon TLM and I went out for a spontaneous walk-and-adventure - as in, we'd go somewhere on the coast for a walk to see what we would see.
We ended up at a local rocky beach - particularly handy because it has toilets (something you have to consider when you have a child whose bodily rhythms tend towards the late afternoon).
We spent an hour or so clambering about on the rocks. (Funny how a spot of rock-hopping can tire our your legs eh?) I was a bit nervous a lot of the time because I couldn't be sure TLM could handle some of those sharp rocks and steeps bits on her own. But I didn't want to cramp her style so I let her take the lead and go pretty much where she wanted.
Because I'd accidentally left my phone at home I eventually decided it was time to get home before the boy got worried.
On the drive home, I heard on the radio that there'd been a 6.2 earthquake in our part of the country. If the boy had known we were at the beach during the earthquake he probably would've assumed we'd been washed away in a mini-tsunami. eek!
**Of the three big shakes we've experienced since the start of 2013 I've only managed to actually "experience" one of them even though I was there at the time.
We ended up at a local rocky beach - particularly handy because it has toilets (something you have to consider when you have a child whose bodily rhythms tend towards the late afternoon).
We spent an hour or so clambering about on the rocks. (Funny how a spot of rock-hopping can tire our your legs eh?) I was a bit nervous a lot of the time because I couldn't be sure TLM could handle some of those sharp rocks and steeps bits on her own. But I didn't want to cramp her style so I let her take the lead and go pretty much where she wanted.
Because I'd accidentally left my phone at home I eventually decided it was time to get home before the boy got worried.
On the drive home, I heard on the radio that there'd been a 6.2 earthquake in our part of the country. If the boy had known we were at the beach during the earthquake he probably would've assumed we'd been washed away in a mini-tsunami. eek!
**Of the three big shakes we've experienced since the start of 2013 I've only managed to actually "experience" one of them even though I was there at the time.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Yet more hats
This weekend I finished two hats which are for a friend of mine and her partner. One of them is made from stash yarn that she gave me, which I thought she'd appreciate -
She's going back to the Northern hemisphere soon, so hopefully they'll come in handy! I used the same pattern for both (Washington Square Hat from Metropolitan Knits) but they look really different eh?
In other news, TLM is very unhappy about starting her school holiday programme tomorrow. When I pressed her, she revealed that it's because there's a mean girl who is is horrible to her - a bully who hasn't hit TLM yet but keeps threatening to. So when I sign her in tomorrow I'll have to have a talk to the manager about keeping an eye on them. I'll also have to reinforce to TLM that she'll need to be assertive and clear about telling the caregivers when the mean girl gets out of line.
And last of all, my mum has the dreaded shingles - at 89! I've heard it's a terrible affliction to get even if you're in the flush of otherwise-best health. For someone like her it must be intolerable. And the pain meds actually make her feel worse, so it's back to the doctor's tomorrow.
In other news, TLM is very unhappy about starting her school holiday programme tomorrow. When I pressed her, she revealed that it's because there's a mean girl who is is horrible to her - a bully who hasn't hit TLM yet but keeps threatening to. So when I sign her in tomorrow I'll have to have a talk to the manager about keeping an eye on them. I'll also have to reinforce to TLM that she'll need to be assertive and clear about telling the caregivers when the mean girl gets out of line.
And last of all, my mum has the dreaded shingles - at 89! I've heard it's a terrible affliction to get even if you're in the flush of otherwise-best health. For someone like her it must be intolerable. And the pain meds actually make her feel worse, so it's back to the doctor's tomorrow.
Friday, January 03, 2014
The colour pinky-purple
We had a lovely long weekend at Castle Point, joined by some friends who are similarly inclined to play boardgames on rainy (or not-so rainy) days.
There was a day of summery sunshine which allowed our respective daughters to frolic in the sea, roll around in the soft grey sand, and run around until they fell over.
This was followed by a day too windy for sea frolics, but it did clear up around 6pm so we went for a second walk up to the lighthouse.
In between, we played lots of board games. One of the games was Lords of Waterdeep, which - when we play at home - I often win.The boy should not have said this out loud though, because for two consecutive evenings I came last. I can only put it down to either performance anxiety, or the fact that TLM was not playing (and therefore not backstabbing her daddy).
I took my knitting with me, a hat. It took far too long for me to finish it, because I was making up some of the instructions myself. It's finished at last though. More details here.
And I also finished this super-cropped cardigan (just perfect for those days when the top half of your boobies are feeling a little cold, but the lower half is just fine). More details here.
There was a day of summery sunshine which allowed our respective daughters to frolic in the sea, roll around in the soft grey sand, and run around until they fell over.
This was followed by a day too windy for sea frolics, but it did clear up around 6pm so we went for a second walk up to the lighthouse.
In between, we played lots of board games. One of the games was Lords of Waterdeep, which - when we play at home - I often win.The boy should not have said this out loud though, because for two consecutive evenings I came last. I can only put it down to either performance anxiety, or the fact that TLM was not playing (and therefore not backstabbing her daddy).
I took my knitting with me, a hat. It took far too long for me to finish it, because I was making up some of the instructions myself. It's finished at last though. More details here.
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
Happy New Year
Welcome to 2014. I don't care about new year's resolutions but there are a few things I would like to happen (or not happen) this year:
no major earthquakes - we had two big ones in my town. It woke us up to the possibility of dying horribly under office rubble, or slowly from lack of earthquake-preparedness. But now that we have learned this lesson, no more earthquakes thanks.
no drought - while I have to admit to thoroughly enjoying the unusual event of no rain for three whole months (just glorious sunshine and warm temps), I appreciate that it's very bad for farmers and gardeners.
no major storms - our household was lucky because we're in an area which is relatively sheltered from severe winds, but others were not so lucky. Nelson, especially, seemed to suffer most from surface flooding and houses tumbling down newly-formed cliffs.
better health for my family - last winter was much milder than normal, so we didn't succumb as frequently (nor as intensely) to the usual viruses that got about. But TLM developed a chronic tickle cough which I hope doesn't turn out to be asthma or anything like that; and I developed bletharitis which is basically dandruff of the eyes. Which is okay if you don't mind looking like one of the more homely characters from True Blood - but not so much for me.
more exercise! I am definitely bigger that I was this time last year. I partly blame my boss, who got into the habit of plying us with chocolate and other sustaining sweets in the afternoon. Then, on the afternoons that she didn't do this, I started popping out of the office to buy myself a little something…
I will leave you with one of the presents which the boy got me for Christmas (the other being a knitting bag which is decorated with an image of two balls of yarn, and captioned with the eek-making title of "Ball sack"). It is a tea leaf filter and I call it Mister Tea Pants -
Please don't forget to read this blog from the Family Times website. Even if you don't bother voting, just the fact that you are visiting via their website increases my chances of winning a trampoline for TLM to bounce around in.
no major earthquakes - we had two big ones in my town. It woke us up to the possibility of dying horribly under office rubble, or slowly from lack of earthquake-preparedness. But now that we have learned this lesson, no more earthquakes thanks.
no drought - while I have to admit to thoroughly enjoying the unusual event of no rain for three whole months (just glorious sunshine and warm temps), I appreciate that it's very bad for farmers and gardeners.
no major storms - our household was lucky because we're in an area which is relatively sheltered from severe winds, but others were not so lucky. Nelson, especially, seemed to suffer most from surface flooding and houses tumbling down newly-formed cliffs.
better health for my family - last winter was much milder than normal, so we didn't succumb as frequently (nor as intensely) to the usual viruses that got about. But TLM developed a chronic tickle cough which I hope doesn't turn out to be asthma or anything like that; and I developed bletharitis which is basically dandruff of the eyes. Which is okay if you don't mind looking like one of the more homely characters from True Blood - but not so much for me.
more exercise! I am definitely bigger that I was this time last year. I partly blame my boss, who got into the habit of plying us with chocolate and other sustaining sweets in the afternoon. Then, on the afternoons that she didn't do this, I started popping out of the office to buy myself a little something…
I will leave you with one of the presents which the boy got me for Christmas (the other being a knitting bag which is decorated with an image of two balls of yarn, and captioned with the eek-making title of "Ball sack"). It is a tea leaf filter and I call it Mister Tea Pants -
Please don't forget to read this blog from the Family Times website. Even if you don't bother voting, just the fact that you are visiting via their website increases my chances of winning a trampoline for TLM to bounce around in.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Strange nature
TLM went for a walk the other day and stumbled across this fern with strangely regular bumps up and down the frond fingers (this is probably not the technically correct term but I'll just call it poetic license).
Don't you think it looks a lot like rain forest Lego?
There's a close-up below...
Also, just before I left work for the year, I made this mug cozy for a work colleague. He'd been needling me to make him one so I did - on the condition that he would make me something in return -
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Listening and reading
I'm sure you'll be quite relieved to know that my blog has been reinstated on the Family Times website, here.
The voting form is still where it was before, here.
I'm just loving The Christmas Album 2013 which I bought last week. It's the one which is a fundraiser for Starship Children's Hospital. Apart from the ho-hum rendering of Fairytale of New York (which isn't helped by the fact that I'm utterly over this depressing song), every song is a gem.
My absolute favourite, which I tend to replay repeatedly, is SOL3 MIO's cover of Have Yourself a Merry Christmas. It's just beautiful and I could listen to these boys sing forever. In fact, I'm going to go out later and look for their CD - even if it turns out to be a local Three Tenors type of thing.
I must tell you about two books I've been reading, both of which are set in China. The first is Jung Chang's Empress Dowage Cixi. It's a work of non-fiction, telling the story of how a young Manchurian woman made her way from being an emperor's low-ranked concubine to effectively China's ruler. If Jung Chang's research is to be believed, Cixi's intellect and cunning were astonishing. She's also forward-thinking and not at all the tyrant we know from history. It's not at all dry and probably the most difficult aspect is remembering who everyone is.
The other is Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement. I'm a Tan fan from way back, so even though I would not have touched this book if it were by any author, I bought it because it's by Amy Tan. Unfortunately even though it's well enough written, it is turning exactly as I'd feared. By which I mean that it's Memoirs of a Geisha with a Chinese setting and without the tiresome descriptions of kimonos. I will keep reading it, in case it gets better, but at this stage it doesn't feel like a keeper.
The voting form is still where it was before, here.
I'm just loving The Christmas Album 2013 which I bought last week. It's the one which is a fundraiser for Starship Children's Hospital. Apart from the ho-hum rendering of Fairytale of New York (which isn't helped by the fact that I'm utterly over this depressing song), every song is a gem.
My absolute favourite, which I tend to replay repeatedly, is SOL3 MIO's cover of Have Yourself a Merry Christmas. It's just beautiful and I could listen to these boys sing forever. In fact, I'm going to go out later and look for their CD - even if it turns out to be a local Three Tenors type of thing.
I must tell you about two books I've been reading, both of which are set in China. The first is Jung Chang's Empress Dowage Cixi. It's a work of non-fiction, telling the story of how a young Manchurian woman made her way from being an emperor's low-ranked concubine to effectively China's ruler. If Jung Chang's research is to be believed, Cixi's intellect and cunning were astonishing. She's also forward-thinking and not at all the tyrant we know from history. It's not at all dry and probably the most difficult aspect is remembering who everyone is.
The other is Amy Tan's The Valley of Amazement. I'm a Tan fan from way back, so even though I would not have touched this book if it were by any author, I bought it because it's by Amy Tan. Unfortunately even though it's well enough written, it is turning exactly as I'd feared. By which I mean that it's Memoirs of a Geisha with a Chinese setting and without the tiresome descriptions of kimonos. I will keep reading it, in case it gets better, but at this stage it doesn't feel like a keeper.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Knitting in the wind
I have decided, on a whim, to rename my blog again. The old one was still perfectly appropriate, but I've been knitting for too long now to call it a temporary obsession - it's more of a long-term commitment. But I will still throw in the odd post about other bits of my life, such as The Little Madam's exploits, the boy's goings-on and whatever's bugging me when I happen to be sitting in front of my computer.
It's supposed to be a cheeky re-imagining of the popular phrase "P***ing in the wind", which is sort of true in my case because I seem to spend so much time and energy making stuff that would cost me a fraction of the amount if only I would go and buy one sweatshop-made.
Plus, it does get blimmin' windy around these parts and I did just spend the last half hour doing exactly that. I couldn't see what I was doing half the time because my hair was in my eyes, but hey - that's what crochet hooks are for, right? (If you aren't a knitter, they are for fixing dropped stitches.)
Hope you stick around.
It's supposed to be a cheeky re-imagining of the popular phrase "P***ing in the wind", which is sort of true in my case because I seem to spend so much time and energy making stuff that would cost me a fraction of the amount if only I would go and buy one sweatshop-made.
Plus, it does get blimmin' windy around these parts and I did just spend the last half hour doing exactly that. I couldn't see what I was doing half the time because my hair was in my eyes, but hey - that's what crochet hooks are for, right? (If you aren't a knitter, they are for fixing dropped stitches.)
Hope you stick around.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
From one flurry of activity to the next
Before I start, I'd just like to apologise to those of you who followed the link in my last post, expecting to see my lovely blog (plus photo of younger TLM as a fairy!) but only to be horribly disappointed.
I don't know what happened - maybe they eliminate one blog every few days and I was unwittingly voted off. Maybe they found out that all I write about is knitting. I dunno. But I've sent them a gentle whinge and hopefully they'll put it back. Then I can update the link from here so it goes straight to my blog and not those other hopefuls'.
What this post was supposed to be about, was that this is TLM's last week of school for the year. Hurry for her! I had to ask my boss for leave for the period from then until early January, because for some reason none of the other children's parents were interested in pre-Christmas school holiday programmes.
It's crazy I tell you - what an opportunity to do some Christmas shopping, unfettered by your kids!
So I shall be working flat-stick till the end of this week, then be on holiday next week (except for a full day planning meeting on Tuesday (oh joy) and our work Christmas do on Wednesday (oh joy!) - while TLM hangs out with two of her friends and tests their respective mums' patience.
This weekend TLM starts her intensive Chinese dancing practice sessions, which are for a couple of hours at a time, every Saturday and Sunday (plus a couple of week days too).
So yeah, no rest for the wicked. Nor the obsessive.
I don't know what happened - maybe they eliminate one blog every few days and I was unwittingly voted off. Maybe they found out that all I write about is knitting. I dunno. But I've sent them a gentle whinge and hopefully they'll put it back. Then I can update the link from here so it goes straight to my blog and not those other hopefuls'.
What this post was supposed to be about, was that this is TLM's last week of school for the year. Hurry for her! I had to ask my boss for leave for the period from then until early January, because for some reason none of the other children's parents were interested in pre-Christmas school holiday programmes.
It's crazy I tell you - what an opportunity to do some Christmas shopping, unfettered by your kids!
So I shall be working flat-stick till the end of this week, then be on holiday next week (except for a full day planning meeting on Tuesday (oh joy) and our work Christmas do on Wednesday (oh joy!) - while TLM hangs out with two of her friends and tests their respective mums' patience.
This weekend TLM starts her intensive Chinese dancing practice sessions, which are for a couple of hours at a time, every Saturday and Sunday (plus a couple of week days too).
So yeah, no rest for the wicked. Nor the obsessive.
Sunday, December 08, 2013
Shamelessly campaigning for your vote
I've just entered this blog into a competition over at Family Times magazine and I stand to win a spring-free trampoline for our back yard.
All I have to do is to convince you to read my blog every week for the next 9 weeks - via the Family Times site - and vote for me every week using this voting form.
There's something in it for you too - voters go into a draw to win a lovely noticeboard which would be a stylish way to keep your household organised (there's a picture on the voting form link).
I'm not sure how long it will take for My Serial Obsessions to start showing up over at Family Times , and maybe it won't happen overnight (but it probably will happen). So visit there, read some blogs, vote for your truly and get some good karma.
If I win the trampoline, I promise that my voters will be invited to try it out…I'll also make an effort to be interesting!
News flash! The blog's up there now but under it's old name, Short and Sweet like me. Enjoy.
All I have to do is to convince you to read my blog every week for the next 9 weeks - via the Family Times site - and vote for me every week using this voting form.
There's something in it for you too - voters go into a draw to win a lovely noticeboard which would be a stylish way to keep your household organised (there's a picture on the voting form link).
I'm not sure how long it will take for My Serial Obsessions to start showing up over at Family Times , and maybe it won't happen overnight (but it probably will happen). So visit there, read some blogs, vote for your truly and get some good karma.
If I win the trampoline, I promise that my voters will be invited to try it out…I'll also make an effort to be interesting!
News flash! The blog's up there now but under it's old name, Short and Sweet like me. Enjoy.
Sunday, December 01, 2013
Accessorizing the family
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| A Forest Imp hat for TLM to wear during her forest journeys in her Nintendo DS games. |
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| and some Princess Mitts which I will probably give to my mum for Christmas. |
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| Handknits for Christmas really only work in the Southern Hemisphere though, I think. |
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
An unseasonable obsession
Style-wise, I always find it easier to dress well in autumn and winter.
But it's probably extreme to be obsessed with this duffle coat from Seasalt just as we are about to be catapulted into full-on summer.
What can I say? It's a gorgeous colour and has that je ne sais quoi which elevates it from being just another duffle coat (well it's a brighter colour and shorter and more A-line looking).
I shouldn't buy it because it's fairly expensive, because I'd prefer to spend my money in New Zealand than send it straight out of the country, and because I'd probably have to wait six months to wear it.
However - I just find it stunning and almost get that sense that if I possessed then I would want for nothing else ever again (though I know that couldn't possibly be true).
In case you're wondering, I did find a locally made item sort of similar to this on the Swandri website. But it hasn't got IT.
1/12/2013 - It's here!! It's lovely, though not quite as red as I was expecting - more of a brick red than the blood-red I thought it was. However everything else about it is perfect (expect I can't wear it for another 6 months).
But it's probably extreme to be obsessed with this duffle coat from Seasalt just as we are about to be catapulted into full-on summer.
What can I say? It's a gorgeous colour and has that je ne sais quoi which elevates it from being just another duffle coat (well it's a brighter colour and shorter and more A-line looking).
I shouldn't buy it because it's fairly expensive, because I'd prefer to spend my money in New Zealand than send it straight out of the country, and because I'd probably have to wait six months to wear it.
However - I just find it stunning and almost get that sense that if I possessed then I would want for nothing else ever again (though I know that couldn't possibly be true).
In case you're wondering, I did find a locally made item sort of similar to this on the Swandri website. But it hasn't got IT.
1/12/2013 - It's here!! It's lovely, though not quite as red as I was expecting - more of a brick red than the blood-red I thought it was. However everything else about it is perfect (expect I can't wear it for another 6 months).
Saturday, November 02, 2013
Getting top-heavy
I've made another hat - that's two in three days and gives me a total of 5 knitted hats to choose from in case Spring changes tack again and returns us to cold weather.
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| This one's called Yulie, by Grumperina. More pics on Ravelry |
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| This is the Oak Trail hat I mentioned in the previous post |
Thursday, October 31, 2013
A house of lurgies
I made it all through winter without getting horribly sick, so I'm not really bitter about getting sick now - just surprised at how bad this bug is. Muscle and joint aches, head like a door got slammed on it, and a phlegmy brick in my breathing passages -it could even be 'flu.
This is my second day off sick - yesterday I started and finished a knitted hat (from Oak Trail from Alana Dakos' Botanical Knits) which is lovely and warm and would have been really useful to wear yesterday when I was feeling bone-chilled (but today it doesn't feel cold so the hat goes straight into storage).
TLM is also sick, and the boy has a painful stye in the eye.
I had to make a block booking at the doctor's for this afternoon!
Happy Halloween to you too.
This is my second day off sick - yesterday I started and finished a knitted hat (from Oak Trail from Alana Dakos' Botanical Knits) which is lovely and warm and would have been really useful to wear yesterday when I was feeling bone-chilled (but today it doesn't feel cold so the hat goes straight into storage).
TLM is also sick, and the boy has a painful stye in the eye.
I had to make a block booking at the doctor's for this afternoon!
Happy Halloween to you too.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Naked sofa
My sofas are about 14 years old, and from the day they arrived in this house I have always kept them well-covered.
Yesterday I decided it was time to live with the sofas in their original colours, which is what I attracted me to them in the first place.
I could done the Cantonese thing and used thick clear plastic but I knew(from experience) that would not be comfortable...
So in the summer I'd cover them with cotton throws (until they disintegrated, when I replaced the throws with some awful navy blue covers), and in the winter I covered them with those furry synthetic single-bed-size bed covers (one in gold, the other purple).
Yesterday I decided it was time to live with the sofas in their original colours, which is what I attracted me to them in the first place.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Knitting injury
I've hurt my left wrist. Whether I stretch out my fingers, make a fist, lift something heavy or just twist and turn it, it gives me pain.
And I'm left-handed, which makes it worse.
Bah.
And I'm left-handed, which makes it worse.
Bah.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
A jolly good spoiling
I had a great birthday today. Initially I was bothered that I'd have to get up early to take my mum to the lab to get her quarterly blood test done, followed by what I was expecting to be a horrific hour at the supermarket (also with my mum). But then I thought "what the heck's wrong with spending a little time on my birthday, with the woman who made it all possible?" After that everything just got better and better.
The boy and TLM spoiled me horribly. Apart from two wrapped presents (a trendy polka-dotted knitting bag with matching needle case, and a set of Taschen fashion books), they also took me shopping at Kirkaldies.
Although TLM did get somewhat bored at that point - but that's probably because (if she is to be believed) she was so excited about my birthday today that she didn't get a wink of sleep last night. And in any case her mood improved considerably after the boy bought her a new game for her Nintendo DS.
So anyway one of the additional presents I got was a pair of leaf-green NYDJ jeans. They were so comfortable! It's all that industrial strength elastic apparently, which keeps your flabby bits in check and supposedly lifts and separates too (maybe not that last bit) - and makes it possible to bend and touch your toes without cutting yourself in half.
Having said that, when I checked out my rear view I really noticed how big my bum looked (no doubt it's true size and not an optical illusion), which I don't get with my Mavi jeans - so I guess NYDJ jeans don't quite work magic...
I so love the fit of the new jeans that...I now consider elastic waist pants as a viable style option. It's probably not the intended outcome of the jeans designers!
The boy and TLM spoiled me horribly. Apart from two wrapped presents (a trendy polka-dotted knitting bag with matching needle case, and a set of Taschen fashion books), they also took me shopping at Kirkaldies.
Although TLM did get somewhat bored at that point - but that's probably because (if she is to be believed) she was so excited about my birthday today that she didn't get a wink of sleep last night. And in any case her mood improved considerably after the boy bought her a new game for her Nintendo DS.
So anyway one of the additional presents I got was a pair of leaf-green NYDJ jeans. They were so comfortable! It's all that industrial strength elastic apparently, which keeps your flabby bits in check and supposedly lifts and separates too (maybe not that last bit) - and makes it possible to bend and touch your toes without cutting yourself in half.
Having said that, when I checked out my rear view I really noticed how big my bum looked (no doubt it's true size and not an optical illusion), which I don't get with my Mavi jeans - so I guess NYDJ jeans don't quite work magic...
I so love the fit of the new jeans that...I now consider elastic waist pants as a viable style option. It's probably not the intended outcome of the jeans designers!
Friday, October 04, 2013
a small clay nation
I found some modelling clay at Uncle Bill's (a shop for thrifty folks, like a cross between a 2 Dollar shop and the Warehouse).
So one afternoon TLM and I got crafty -
So one afternoon TLM and I got crafty -
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| This is my creation - an alien city mayor |
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| This is TLM's crocodile |
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| Also from the mind of TLM, a snake, a rabbit, a penis-shaped alien tree and a boob-monster |
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Thrift - maybe it's genetic
We all laughed when my friend's brother, at their dad's funeral, talked about how thrifty the dad was - how he refused to chuck out his favourite armchair, and bought toilet paper in bulk. I laughed because my mum is a lot like that.
My mum used to by loo paper in cartons of 72. They rested in her spare room alongside the equally bulk cartons of laundry powder and dishwashing liquid. (In a civil defence situation she might run out of drinking water but she'd have a spotless bum.) And she uses a pastry brush old enough to remember my first teen-angst tantrum.
So, if the new undies I bought for TLM turn out to be too small ( apparently Asian 7-8 year olds are the same size as Kiwi 4-5 year olds) - is it over the top to sew little scrap fabric inserts into the sides to make them big enough?
My mum used to by loo paper in cartons of 72. They rested in her spare room alongside the equally bulk cartons of laundry powder and dishwashing liquid. (In a civil defence situation she might run out of drinking water but she'd have a spotless bum.) And she uses a pastry brush old enough to remember my first teen-angst tantrum.
So, if the new undies I bought for TLM turn out to be too small ( apparently Asian 7-8 year olds are the same size as Kiwi 4-5 year olds) - is it over the top to sew little scrap fabric inserts into the sides to make them big enough?
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Attending the funeral of someone you don't know (well) - supportive or morbid?
This is an issue that I've been struggling with for the last few months, because three of my friends have lost a parent this year.
Even though I'd only met said parent a few times (when I'd known the friend for many years), I went to the funeral because it seemed the best way for me to offer support to the friend. After all, I can't whip up a casserole and I'm really no good at touchy feeling hugging (it's my Chinese upbringing probably).
Surely if they didn't want me to go to their parent's funeral they wouldn't have passed on the details to me? But when I was there I'd felt quite awkward because, unlike those who got up to speak, I had no stories about this person. There was little connecting me to them.
The boy thinks that it's morbid and not really right to go to a funeral unless you know them reasonably well.
But a couple of years ago when one of my workmates lost his dad, our whole office closed up for the afternoon to attend the funeral even though most of us (maybe all of us) had never met the dad. In that case, the colleague seemed genuinely pleased to see us.
I really don't know whether there's some definite protocol about this situation. Is it different depending on the country?
Even though I'd only met said parent a few times (when I'd known the friend for many years), I went to the funeral because it seemed the best way for me to offer support to the friend. After all, I can't whip up a casserole and I'm really no good at touchy feeling hugging (it's my Chinese upbringing probably).
Surely if they didn't want me to go to their parent's funeral they wouldn't have passed on the details to me? But when I was there I'd felt quite awkward because, unlike those who got up to speak, I had no stories about this person. There was little connecting me to them.
The boy thinks that it's morbid and not really right to go to a funeral unless you know them reasonably well.
But a couple of years ago when one of my workmates lost his dad, our whole office closed up for the afternoon to attend the funeral even though most of us (maybe all of us) had never met the dad. In that case, the colleague seemed genuinely pleased to see us.
I really don't know whether there's some definite protocol about this situation. Is it different depending on the country?
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
My new favourite sweater-I-knitted-myself
Slight more info is on Ravelry.
This might be my mostly style-y outfit right now - the sweater with a navy merino dress, black tights and studded cherry red ankle boots.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
My new favourite movie of all time
When I get asked what my favourite movie of all time is, my answer is usually based on the movies I can remember - which is probably quite a small proportion of the movies I've seen and enjoyed at the time.
At various times my answers has been either "Don Juan DeMarco", "Zoolander" or "City of Lost Children" (the latter mostly for the weirdness).
It has taken multiple viewings of "Bend it like Beckham" for me to decide that - now - this is definitely my favourite movie of all time. I saw it at the movies when it first came out and saw it again a couple of times when it was broadcast on the telly. But watching it tonight (on Maori Television) has done it.
It's got the culture-clash theme, of which I am an extreme sucker. But there's also the impressive football skills, the larger-than-life Indian wedding spectacle, and the very, very pretty Jonathan Rhys Meyers. (And of course Parminder Nagra is just great. Since this movie I've only seen her in a handful of ER episodes. What a shame, I'd far rather watch her than Keira.) All the characters are wonderful, even the narrow-minded mums. Oh, and the music!!
It's probably the most feel-good movie ever.
As an aside, right after the movie ended the next show on Maori Television was "Monkey" - a remake of the old Japanese tv series about a Chinese myth, which used to be on tell when I was a teenager. I used to think back then how weird it was that the characters were Chinese but speaking English with Japanese accents. But the version showing tonight was dubbed over in Maori. Excellent!
At various times my answers has been either "Don Juan DeMarco", "Zoolander" or "City of Lost Children" (the latter mostly for the weirdness).
It has taken multiple viewings of "Bend it like Beckham" for me to decide that - now - this is definitely my favourite movie of all time. I saw it at the movies when it first came out and saw it again a couple of times when it was broadcast on the telly. But watching it tonight (on Maori Television) has done it.
It's got the culture-clash theme, of which I am an extreme sucker. But there's also the impressive football skills, the larger-than-life Indian wedding spectacle, and the very, very pretty Jonathan Rhys Meyers. (And of course Parminder Nagra is just great. Since this movie I've only seen her in a handful of ER episodes. What a shame, I'd far rather watch her than Keira.) All the characters are wonderful, even the narrow-minded mums. Oh, and the music!!
It's probably the most feel-good movie ever.
As an aside, right after the movie ended the next show on Maori Television was "Monkey" - a remake of the old Japanese tv series about a Chinese myth, which used to be on tell when I was a teenager. I used to think back then how weird it was that the characters were Chinese but speaking English with Japanese accents. But the version showing tonight was dubbed over in Maori. Excellent!
Friday, August 30, 2013
Month-end catch-up
TLM's birthday was a couple of weeks ago - she turned 8.
8!
Still can't make her own breakfast in the morning and still takes a lot of nudging to sort out her lunch box, but then the bench is designed for tall adults and the girl takes a while to wake up.
Lately she hasn't been complaining as much about her friend-situation so hopefully this means she's getting along with everyone and isn't finding their games boring all the time.
We all went tree-planting last Saturday. I'd never realised digging grass-ridden dirt on a slope could be so physically hard...
Yesterday TLM did a face plant in the school playground. Thank gawd she's not smart-alecky enough to tell everyoneI beat her up - can't blame anything other than bad luck and inattention. Her face is like a mild version of Harvey Dent at the end of Batman II; pretty on one side, slightly scary on the other. Poor wee thing.
This evening I had an accident of my own, and learned that even if it's just a fruit knife - it's a Victorinox knife you don't clean it with your finger!
8!
Still can't make her own breakfast in the morning and still takes a lot of nudging to sort out her lunch box, but then the bench is designed for tall adults and the girl takes a while to wake up.
Lately she hasn't been complaining as much about her friend-situation so hopefully this means she's getting along with everyone and isn't finding their games boring all the time.
We all went tree-planting last Saturday. I'd never realised digging grass-ridden dirt on a slope could be so physically hard...
Yesterday TLM did a face plant in the school playground. Thank gawd she's not smart-alecky enough to tell everyoneI beat her up - can't blame anything other than bad luck and inattention. Her face is like a mild version of Harvey Dent at the end of Batman II; pretty on one side, slightly scary on the other. Poor wee thing.
This evening I had an accident of my own, and learned that even if it's just a fruit knife - it's a Victorinox knife you don't clean it with your finger!
Friday, August 02, 2013
Ups and downs
On the upside, I decided I was sick of pretty leather-like bags that rip to shreds after less than 12 months of use, then promptly found a really good fake Mulberry Alexa bag which I loved and bought, not caring whether it was real leather or not. I've always liked this style and it has lots of pockets and stands up when I put it down.
On the downside, TLM is apparently at that age when girls learn how to make friends and negotiate the whole alpha girl dynamic that you find in groups of girlfriends. She like to do what she wants, how she wants. Although there are at least 10 people she calls friends, she sometimes complains that she's lonely at lunchtime with no one to play with. We tell her that she should try going along with what the other girls want to play and maybe they'll play her games next time - but I've no idea how much she does this and whether it works. I do know that she does have fun wither her friends and classmates sometimes.
Then one day she will tell me she's lonely and just wants someone to play with her. We parents aren't suppose to try to 'fix' this problem for her, she's supposed to learn how to deal with it herself. But it makes me so sad because when I've felt lonely at times in my youth it was horribly depressing. I hate for her to be sad and lonely.
On the downside, TLM is apparently at that age when girls learn how to make friends and negotiate the whole alpha girl dynamic that you find in groups of girlfriends. She like to do what she wants, how she wants. Although there are at least 10 people she calls friends, she sometimes complains that she's lonely at lunchtime with no one to play with. We tell her that she should try going along with what the other girls want to play and maybe they'll play her games next time - but I've no idea how much she does this and whether it works. I do know that she does have fun wither her friends and classmates sometimes.
Then one day she will tell me she's lonely and just wants someone to play with her. We parents aren't suppose to try to 'fix' this problem for her, she's supposed to learn how to deal with it herself. But it makes me so sad because when I've felt lonely at times in my youth it was horribly depressing. I hate for her to be sad and lonely.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
a 6.5 earthquake, and I didn't even feel it
There's been a swarm of earthquakes and aftershocks over the last three days:
The one that hit on Friday made our office building shake and we all scamperd under our desks.
There were three early this morning, and I slept through two of them. The third rocked our bed enough to wake me up, but not so much to prevent us from going back to sleep.
The relatively big one was just after 5pm today, 6.5 on the Richter scale. I was in the car with TLM and we didn't feel a damn thing.
On the news it sounded like buildings in the city centre suffered damage here and there, and I heard that the power went out in a couple of suburbs.
But here at my place, and even at my mums place, there's little trace of the shake (except for my mum's nerves).
Lucky, I guess.
The one that hit on Friday made our office building shake and we all scamperd under our desks.
There were three early this morning, and I slept through two of them. The third rocked our bed enough to wake me up, but not so much to prevent us from going back to sleep.
The relatively big one was just after 5pm today, 6.5 on the Richter scale. I was in the car with TLM and we didn't feel a damn thing.
On the news it sounded like buildings in the city centre suffered damage here and there, and I heard that the power went out in a couple of suburbs.
But here at my place, and even at my mums place, there's little trace of the shake (except for my mum's nerves).
Lucky, I guess.
Sunday, July 07, 2013
A history of the artist
In another attempt to rid my sensitive eyes of whatever's making them go vampire-red every day, I did a total spring-clean of my bedroom. This meant shifting furniture, pulling bits and pieces from wherever they'd been wedged in between furniture, and removing the rug. I mopped the wooden floor with hot soapy water, wet-dusted everything except the clothes hanging on my garment racks and even cleaned the windows (frame and glass).
The only parts I didn't do were the walls, because I'd only be able to clean the lower 5 feet of them.
At some time in the past, the boy had decided to wedge in my old paintings and sketches in behind my tea chest. so I dusted off the plastic folders and took everything out to see whether I wanted to keep anything.
Amongst the self-conscious scribbles from my art classes and my attempts at abstraction were a number of nudes which I'd mostly forgotten about, as well as a couple of self portraits which were a revelation.
In the end, I was happy to chuck out about 80% of that stuff. But I kept my favourite painting and drawing.
The only parts I didn't do were the walls, because I'd only be able to clean the lower 5 feet of them.
At some time in the past, the boy had decided to wedge in my old paintings and sketches in behind my tea chest. so I dusted off the plastic folders and took everything out to see whether I wanted to keep anything.
Amongst the self-conscious scribbles from my art classes and my attempts at abstraction were a number of nudes which I'd mostly forgotten about, as well as a couple of self portraits which were a revelation.
In the end, I was happy to chuck out about 80% of that stuff. But I kept my favourite painting and drawing.
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Polar blast? Not today.
So I took a day of work today because I've felt a cold building up for the past week and last night I felt absolutely terrible (nose running like a tap, headache, stiff upper back, wheezing).
And I thought "It's probably a good day to stay at home, what with the gale force freez-ies predicted for tomorrow"(really - folks in the South Island have been shopping like the day before Good Friday, and preparing to hunker down for the next couple of days).
But...actually it's not been that cold. I turned off my heater just now when I looked out of the bedroom window, admired the lovely big rainbow in the sky, and noticed that I can't see my breath (there's no heating on in that room).
Also, I feel not too bad.Maybe it's the calm before the storm (cold-wise and weather-wise). I suppose I'll just have to wait and see.
And I thought "It's probably a good day to stay at home, what with the gale force freez-ies predicted for tomorrow"(really - folks in the South Island have been shopping like the day before Good Friday, and preparing to hunker down for the next couple of days).
But...actually it's not been that cold. I turned off my heater just now when I looked out of the bedroom window, admired the lovely big rainbow in the sky, and noticed that I can't see my breath (there's no heating on in that room).
Also, I feel not too bad.Maybe it's the calm before the storm (cold-wise and weather-wise). I suppose I'll just have to wait and see.
Sunday, June 09, 2013
Time on our backsides
You've probably read the news stories about how a sedentary lifestyle can be lethal - that is, even if you go to the gym religiously, the more time you spend sitting, the earlier you'll die.
The first time I read about this, I was on my lunch break. I spent the following hour bent over my workstation, trying to type whilst standing. Then my lower back started to ache, so I had to sit down.
Well, I've spent the better part of the last three days on my bum, all because TLM is sick with a constant cough and a forehead you could fry an egg on (but she wouldn't eat it because she doesn't like egg). She's been on her bum all that time too, except during those moments when she felt well enough to leap about like a well child. And the boy - he seems to have caught the lurgy, so is spending more time that usual saving the world through computer gaming.
I haven't actually minded this relative inactivity, because it's allowed me lots of knitting time - which I've needed, because I'm trying to knit a dress and have already ripped it back from hip to armpit TWICE after realising my sizing was overly optimistic. And I would really like to be able to wear it while it's still cold enough to.
I did go to yesterday's World Knitting In Public Day event, where there was a small but friendly group of knitters including a visitor from Cape Town and an art history professor from Idaho.
The first time I read about this, I was on my lunch break. I spent the following hour bent over my workstation, trying to type whilst standing. Then my lower back started to ache, so I had to sit down.
Well, I've spent the better part of the last three days on my bum, all because TLM is sick with a constant cough and a forehead you could fry an egg on (but she wouldn't eat it because she doesn't like egg). She's been on her bum all that time too, except during those moments when she felt well enough to leap about like a well child. And the boy - he seems to have caught the lurgy, so is spending more time that usual saving the world through computer gaming.
I haven't actually minded this relative inactivity, because it's allowed me lots of knitting time - which I've needed, because I'm trying to knit a dress and have already ripped it back from hip to armpit TWICE after realising my sizing was overly optimistic. And I would really like to be able to wear it while it's still cold enough to.
I did go to yesterday's World Knitting In Public Day event, where there was a small but friendly group of knitters including a visitor from Cape Town and an art history professor from Idaho.
Sunday, June 02, 2013
My weekend of exploded sinuses
I thought I was having my third cold in 4 weeks - when it suddenly dawned on my that my latest cold (at least) was in fact terrible hay fever. It's the kind that has me sneezing so hard that I almost hit my head on the floor, and kinda sounds like cannon-fire.
It wasn't helped by the fact that I spent a few hours cleaning the house yesterday and had decided to finally tackle the thick blanket of dust around the boy's workstation. It was blanketed, I tell you!
On the plus side, I went to a sock-knitting workshop in the afternoon, part of the Handmade festival this weekend. I went to learn how to knit socks, but also to meet fellow knitters. It turned out that the women I did speak to weren't quite as knit-obssessed as I, and I even had to help a couple of them with their stitching!
So now I can knit socks (at least, one miniature sock), which means I can finally use that beautiful sock yarn I bought two years ago...
Choo!
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