Easy Riding...

I am sitting here reading blogs of the people I knit with, whether that is often of once a year, I have them listed on the SNB site: www:stitchnbitchwollongong.blogspot.com so it is easy to check who has updated and I can see what people are doing.

I have been getting my ipod ready for the ride tomorrow and now sitting here listening to born on the bayou (??spelling) (now that is hinting at my age), I love this music. I should be going to bed and getting a good night sleep, but I never seem to be able to the night before going away.

DH is in bed, Ruby (dog) is on the lounge asleep under her blanket, she gets spoilt in cooler weather and before we go away as she has to look after herself overnight and outside.

I have all my warmer clothes ready to go, the unflattering dry rider pants and jacket, as it will be damn cold riding down the coast then over Brown Mtn to Cooma. We ride back via Canberra and this year a bit out of our way to have lunch at Gunning (my dad was born there - not why we are going there sunday though), then ride the old road home through Breadalbane, Goulburn, Robertson and then down my favourtie riding mountain Macquarie Pass. There will be about 35 of us and we always have a great time together. I will get photos and put some up here.

Listening to my favourite of all favourite bands INXS. This is my riding music so I had better turn it off before it is out of battery and I really need to go and get some sleep. Well just after this song - Bitter Tears.

A camping we shall go, hi ho the merryo a camping we shall go.....

well knitting retreat we shall go.
It was a great weekend being the 4th knitting retreat held and the 4th I have attended. Arriving just before dark on Friday afternoon, to an already nearly full lodge with people knitting, chatting, and looking at all the lovely yarn on offer.

This has been the most enjoyable of all the knitting retreats, and I have enjoyed each and everyone, but this year was so much better. A great mix of like minded people, of all ages and from varying background and occupations. It is wonderful that so many people can be together for 2 1/2 days and enjoy everything happening on the weekend.

People are so keen to talk to others about what they are doing themselves or what the other person is doing, some enjoyed dyeing yarn on the saturday, some enjoyed sitting outside in the beautiful autumn weather in a beautiful location. Everyone enjoyed talking, knitting, eating and getting to know a little about one another. You could sit and knit while chatting or just sit and knit, no-one minds if you are silent for a while.

We had a great theme night with dressing up in op-shop formal, it was so good that I didn't even notice while eating dinner on the saturday night that the table runners were old newspapers, I did notice that at breakfast sunday morning. I think I was so busy taking in all the different outfits that the newspaper went un-noticed. The trivia was one by "anyone who is anyone"??? and an enjoyable time we all had during trivia.

It is great that we have such dedicated people who own our local yarn store CR & K Daisy Designs, Daisy Street, Fairy Meadow (NSW), who each year have put on such a wonderful knitting retreat.

Many new friends were made and old ones enhanced. Shades of Grey, Bellsknits and a room of my own have written very nicely about our wondeful weekend and have some great photos. I did take my camera, I didn't take any photos. Too busy have a great time I guess.

I learnt something new also, for a very long time I have wanted to learn how to knit socks on one circular needle, I usually use two circulars. And thank you so much to Kylie, Jodie and Fiona for showing me how to do the cast on, invisible increases (grandmother and great grandmother), and knitting the socks on one circular.

And that is what it is all about, people getting together enjoying each others company, knitting, showing people how to learn new things, and having a good laugh, chatting, and the anticipation of the next knitting retreat.

Jumper all done....

and I am very happy with the way it turned out, just hope it fits OK. I will know next weekend when we visit.

I am going to have to rinse it as I must not have rinsed the yarn enough when dyeing as the darker border yarn did turn my fingers purple while knitting. I just have to remember if I use vinegar in the rinse to stop it from running. I did the 6 - 12 month sizes in number of stitches but the 1 - 2 year size in the lengths.

I have started a plain stocking stitch cardigan for my self from stash (not old stash) in Country Silk in the dark grey colour, it will go with most or any colour I wear. It is coming along nicely, at first I thought this plain knitting isn't growing very quickly but after 2 days since starting it I am just past the armhole cast off on the back, so not too bad. Although I am finding that all this plain knitting is making my wrists ache, not sure why that would be, maybe that few seconds longer for pattern stitches is enough rest for the wrists while knitting.

Had a great Easter away with DH and friends, 5 days away from home is a pretty good break from normal everyday stuff and it was nice and green, so nice to see they are getting some rain out south west.

Next weekend we will be visiting #1 son, daughter-in-law and grand-daughter, we can't wait until Thursday after work when we fly up there.

The beanies were really well received at the place I sent them, they were in their own words "blown away" by the beanies made with such care and love. They like the fact that there were different patterns, colours etc used as the homeless are individuals like us, and as they said it is the small things that matter. So you know me, even though I have a hectic knitting plan this year, I am thinking of different patterned beanies I can make and send in the near future. I will keep to my knitting plan too, I am a few weeks ahead of schedule with my knitting. Who knows by the end of 2010 I may be able to see the floor in my craft/computer room.

I am trying a new outlook on my housework this weekend, usually I bust myself up about doing a bit each night eg. dust monday night, clean kitchen tuesday, bathrooms wednesday, you get the idea, well it never seems to work and if I get behind, I think well there is next monday, tuesday or whatever. So now I am going to try doing all the housework on the saturday that DH is at work, I think it will work pretty well as with just the 2 of us at home now we don't seem to make much mess....well I don't make much mess...you know what DH's are like.....don't know how to close doors, toilet lids etc etc. And this new plan will leave time then just to dust over floors and tidy as I go through the week and have time to sit and relax and no more busting myself up over not feeling like doing housework each night after work.

This morning I have alreay nearly washed all the washing and hung it out, I have written all our addresses into a new address book, this time in pencil as the old one was such a mess with so many family/friends moving, changing phone numbers etc. and now updating my blog, then I will go dust and vacuum for the next lot of housework to do. Hopefully all will get done before DH gets home around 2pm and I can sit and knit. The only temptation is each time I went out to the clothes line I was tempted to pull some weeds and get stuck into getting the vegetable patch ready for winter plantings. I have to stop myself from gardening this morning until all housework done. Gee this is going to be hard for me.