Community Award for Charity Knitting

In my previous post I wrote about the Clr. Robert East Community Award that my work gives to an employee from outdoor staff and indoor staff.

After having last monday as an accrued leave day, I return to work Tuesday morning, dressed very casually, no stockings, sandals on feet, no earings as one had broken while ripping off my helmet on the sunday at the scene of a quadruple fatality and I had forgotten to replace it, my makeup ran out and I was nearly going to go to work as me, no makeup, but luckily I managed to shake enough out of the bottle to make myself a bit decent looking. Only to be told on arriving at work that I had to go to the Council meeting that night. Shit.

I knew it was because I was nominated for the award, what I didn't know was that I was the recipient of the award. Another thing that really made my heart sing was the fact that even though my family are always making jokes about my knitting and how much time I spend knitting, they were really proud of me for being given this award. And it was great that my family are all at home at the moment to share it with them.

I was so proud to receive an award for community work and I was even more touched that I had won it for my knitting I do for different charities, here in Australia and overseas. And to top that off, I also received a cheque for $200, I thought seeing as DH isn't working at the moment it came at a great time for Christmas, but he and the boys told me to spend it on myself. I might save it and get some nice yarns (as if I need any) and knit myself a nice cardigan/jumper or something for next winter. I will add that to my very very long list of things to knit.

I love my knitting and do some every day, usually at night, I continually knit every chance I get. As for my charity knitting, I haven't been doing as much as I usually do, so I have been feeling a bit guilty, but I do have ideas to start on as soon as I get my Christmas knitting done and some show knitting done which usually goes to charity then anyway.

I even knitted yesterday even though in the sun it was over 50 and in the shade 40 odd. Last night at 11pm it was still 32, thank goodness for air con and swimming pools, of which both got a very good workout yesterday, can't say the same for me, but I did do some gardening in the morning early till about 10am, I am slowly getting the front garden to a more me type of garden, then into the pool for a quick dip and cool off.....over 1 1/2 hours later I dragged myself out of the pool, I did try a few times to get out, but it was way too hot as I approached the top stair, so I just got back in. Once dry I went to the local garden nursery to get some more lettuce and strawberry seedlings to plant.

By 5pm I had to water the garden as a few things were starting to head south, all is good today. The thing I have noticed is that in the heat my Roses that are just really nice buds, burst open and nearly start losing petals as if a week old in a matter of a day. I quickly cut some nice buds for inside so I can enjoy them a while longer.

Christmas knitting...

Is a go!
I have been doing my Christmas knitting, I have completed 3 cotton carry bags with another one on the needles. I have a lot to go. And did you see my Christmas Tree on the bottom right hand corner, well be sitting down when you do have a look at it, because it says 42 days to Christmas. Now that is scary.


I have made up a sheet with a list of what I want to knit for charities in 2010, and what I would like to knit for Kiama and Albion Park Shows in 2011 as well as personal knitting. The list is quite long. I have made up a sheet so I can do a stocktake of all my stash, that way I can match it up with things on my list and as it has been a goal for the last 2 years to knit all my stash, hopefully it will become a reality in 2010.

My work has an Award which is given to an indoor staff member and an outdoor staff member each year for volunteer/charity work. This year I have been nominated for the Robert East Award. Robert East was a Councillor at my work when he died of Cancer about 3 years ago, he did a lot of volunteer work in our community and outside our community. I am so happy to be nominated for my knitting I do for charity, which most of you know I love doing so much and is probably the majority of the knitting I do.

Some of the girls I knit with had been knitting some "Gorilla Knitting" for Viva La Gong Festival held last weekend in Wollongong. Here is some pieces around the tree. Most of it was displayed on the light posts in the mall. It all looked very affective. It will be displayed for about a month, then taken down and made into blankets for charity.

A busy life

Things are really busy around here, not photos of knitting... yes I have been knitting. I am knitting some string shopping bags for Christmas Gifts.

I am going to try to mostly do a homemade Christmas Gift for family and friends this year, and probably only buy something for my own children their partners and our grand-child.

As DH is still out of work it is more of a need to do this than a want, although I must say it is something I think about doing every Christmas, but never actually get around to it.

I have made a list of people and a list of gifts, so hopefully it will all come together. I also want to go through my stash and stocktake a list of everything, then try to use what I have for the gifts. Although I don't know how much of the same colour cotton I have that I need for all the string bags. Another item to go with the bags will be dishclothes, then some homemade biscuits, slices and maybe mini Christmas cakes, time will tell.

I hope to get some pictures of knitting done soon, but a very special thing is happening on Wednesday and that will take up a fair bit of my time, my youngest son and his fiance are coming home for a while, in between jobs. We haven't seen them for 2 years coming this Christmas, they have been working in WA for 2 1/2 years. The next job is in NSW about a 5 hour drive, so that will be a good thing, just a long weekend trip to visit them, I can make some long weekends regularly out of my accrued leave time banked up. Everyone is so excited, our eldest son is excited as he can't wait to introduce his daughter to his brother, and he is going to pick them up from the airport. Wish I could be there to see them together, but I will be at work and will have to wait until I get home (I am going to finish a bit early and get home as quick as I can).