2paw

It's Beret Clear, Our Love Is Here To Stay

I knitted myself a beret: On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being abysmal and 10 being OK) this was rated by MrsDrWho as maybe a 4. It didn't last for a year, or even for a day. My beret wasn't here to stay. I am working my way up through the numbers until I reach the dizzy heights of a hat I can wear. I used Jet, green variegated Jet that I love so much. I wore The Beret inside and my head was so hot I felt slightly faint!!!

Harki has been to The Vet for her annual check-up. She was declared very fit and well and happy but on an upward spiral weight-wise. Poor Harki. She's not desperately overweight, but soon she will be Nine and she needs to be slim so her hips and joints can cope. So now, instead of a cup of rice or pasta, they may have a tablespoon. The rest is boiled cabbage, celery and other green vegetables. Poor babies, but it is for their own good and sad as it may seem, they will happily eat a bowl of vegetables with just a small amount of proper dried dog food. We are feeling very virtuous and we are going every fortnight so they can both be weighed. Not much guilt and pressure for me, but it works!!!

Peri has been rather a good girl lately. We met two people on our walk, and she neither ran like a Pamplona bull, nor leaped like a thing-that-leaps. She came when I called her and had her lead clipped on like a very good girl. Then we all went to The Black Spot of DoomLight (TM). The car park is an exciting place for Labradors. I just needed a reel of cotton but they wagged their tails at everyone!!!

I had been trying very hard to post more regularly, but my Gerogette Heyer slight decline after my mum's visit turned into a bigger Florence Nightingale sojourn and I spent a couple of days in bed. Poor MrsDrWho: poor me!! I missed her Regeneration dinner and she missed out on Regeneration paraphernalia till last night when I rallied. I had been doing Secret Knitting and Sewing for her, and here is some of the Secret Knitting........

One: The Imaginary Husband Felted Bag (Rav Link) This is made from Bendigo Rustic 12ply in Midnight Tweed and some Woolbale in reds, oranges and yellows courtesy of the very kind Katt!! I knitted round and round till I'd used up a ball and then I split the bag at the back and knitted back and forth in plain and purl so I could do the logo, then I rejoined and went on knitting in a circular fashion. I added i-cord handles and edging at the top and duplicate stitched on the words. It felted so well!! I lined it and gave it away very sadly, because I really wanted to keep it. I think that makes it the best kind of gift. A true sacrifice!!! I am thinking of making myself one in Green Tweed with a TARDIS and K9.

Two: Rat Rat Ratties Rug (Rav Link)  I made the 'Mouse Mat for a Cat' for the Kittens. I knitted it in acrylic so it could be washed without fear of felting and I lined it with some lovely fur that matches their Cat Tunnel I made for Christmas. Both Cleo and Caramello road tested the rug and it seemed to be approved. Like a credit card, it had already been pre-approved by The Labradors.

Samsara has tagged me, and I haven't really completed this tag before (trying to avoid saying 'done' and I do try and avoid 'nice' and definitely 'got'):

1. What was I doing ten years ago? I would have been packing up and leaving my classroom after the first week back in the Winter term. Harki wasn't living at our house, and neither was Peri. It was Vundy the German Shepherd and Tori the Crippled Labrador back then.

2. What are 5 things on my To Do list today? The first was a sleep in, as I didn't have to take The Labradors for a walk, secondly I went to The Library, thirdly I wanted to add things to my Ravelry projects, fourth would be taking up the hem on my new jeans (didn't do that) and fifth was to blog, which I am doing now!!

3. Snacks I enjoy?? I like cheese in all its many forms and a platter of fruit and cheese is even better. Crisps- plain crisps.

4. Things I would Do If I were a Billionaire? I would have a lot more Labradors, a circular gravel drive and a Library with those slide-along ladders, green leather chairs and a fire. I would buy MrsDrWho a Nubian Slave.

5. Places I have lived? Well I have only lived here on The Apple Isle.

6. Jobs I have had? I was a teacher. That is all I have done. I did teach dancing too. Do not laugh MrsDrWho, nor picture in your mind the Hippos from Fantasia.

7. If you would like to be tagged, knock yourself out!!!

This picture of Peri shows her about to leap off the side of the hill onto the path. I have my heart in my mouth!! Her back legs are all muscled up and ready to spring. She jumps on and off things all the time and shows no fear at all. We've had lots of rain, which has made the bush nice and green. Other than that, there's nothing much to tell,  though I think people should prepare,  because I plan to take pictures of the small quilt I made for MrsDrWho and her Madonna Hat. I shall exercise my terrible photographic skills once more!!!  We watched more Doctor Who last night and we have the two Library episodes to watch tomorrow. The we are off to see the Narnia movie before it disappears from the cinema.

I Need A Lover With A (Lindsay) S-Lohan

  It's quite chilly in the morning when we walk, I mean zero is cold, right?? I took a picture of a river of mist: very LOTR. I wear my warm jeans, but still, my legs are cold. I am thinking, god help me, of buying some leggin's (I think it is compulsory to omit the 's', so I've used an apostrophe of omission. Like in Scrapbookin') The How What Not To Look Like site has made me wary of Leggin's. Look at Lindsay Lohan. Look some more. The girl spends almost her entire life in leggin's. I just want to reassure the World, that though I make you gaze in awe (pious fear) at my knees and upper arms in Summer, you will never see the leggin's. All legs will be safely concealed under my jeans. I wonder if they make green leggin's?

Yesterday my mum came to visit for the day. We had a lovely day!!! She came on the bus in time for lunch. We bought twelve green buttons for $1-10 in total: what a bargain!!! I bought her the book she wanted, and some delicious Clarnico peppermints and dusted jelly babies. We found a new wallet she really liked and she only nearly lost her old wallet once: it was under her arm. We went to visit MrsDrWho and her kittens with afternoon tea from the french patisserie and then at 5-30pm she was off home again. I am having a little Georgette Heyer decline today. My mum won't visit my house because she doesn't like The Labradors. Kittens are OK. MrsDrWho is very kind to let my mum visit at her house!!! My mum and my aunt are coming to visit again in August. Harki and Peri weren't unhappy, they had a special bone and then we all went to bed early and they had an extra treat or four!!! MrsDrWho ran interference for me this week on the dog front: there were three or four frantic phone calls to stop me watching the NCIS episode with the German Shepherd. I can't bear to watch when a dog is hurt or badly treated on TV. MrsDrWho saved me, and then furnished me a pain-free precis of the episode!!!

Last week I lost my Library Card. This is my fourth card in about 10 years, but I use my card a lot and sometimes I put it in the bag with my books and it is lost forever. Until I ask for a Replacement Card. Then the old card turns up straight away. Yesterday I found the card before last!! So I logged onto TALISPlus and to my horror my carefully chosen and cultivated Wish List had disappeared!! Thank goodness my Holds List seemed OK. I emailed The Library and they replied saying that they had never come across this problem, there was some kind of anomaly that had never arisen before, but they would try and retrieve my Wish List of books and fix the system so no-one else would lose their List when their card was replaced. This morning they found my List and restored it!! Well done State Library. Now, if only they would let me have a card for Harki and Peri...........

Due to the Maternal Visit and the Time Lady's Regeneration I have been quite busy. There are two pictures of the Secret Knitting projects. It's a good thing I am feeling quite pink at the moment. I do like to reply to my comments, and no doubt there will be some witty and amusing (not!!) missives winging their way through the ether soon. I should aim to do this in the night time as tomorrow is the Shortest Day. I think tonight is the Longest Night, at least that's what the astronomer on the ABC was saying this afternoon. Thank you for all your hat advice. I even found a thread on The Ravelry for People Who Do Not Look Good in Hats!!! While we were looking at hats, MrsDrWho found a few she would like, and my mum liked the Laminaira shawl and she'd like it to be green!! I have been knitting for other people lately and not very much for me so there has been a distinct lack of green. Speaking of greem it's twenty years ago today that we said goodbye to the two dollar note. Where did all the time go?? It seems like only yesterday the $2 coin arrived on the monetary scene. I still don't like them as much as notes, but at least our new coins and polymer notes don't disintegrate in the washing machine!!!

Tonight I am going to an MS fundraising evening just a few houses up the road. I can have a glass of wine and then just walk past one house and I will be home!!! This post may be in several shades of green. For reasons known only to those 'improving' Typepad, it insists on highlighting everything and making it Chartreuse, not just my clicky links. And last, but not least, The ABC has started to show promos for the new season of Docotor Who, and they are giving away spoilers. Shame on them, shame, shame, shame!!!

Smoke me a (WW)KIPper, I'll be back for breakfast!

WWKIP Day was ace, not Ace Rimmer, but ace!! There were more than twelve knitters but very few Real People seemed interested. I don't mind that. I like knitting, I don't need to proselytise, and I'm happy to follow my own knitting destiny. Here are some of the feet of the KIPpers. I'm not there, neither is Magdalene or MrsDrWho. Not sure if I have missed anyone else. It was deathly cold to start with and I was scarved, mittened and cardiganed but the Sun soon warmed us all. It was a very happy knitting outing and we all enjoyed ourselves immensely!!

Speaking of cold, it was zero degrees yesterday when we went for our walk at 8-28am. Did this give Peri pause? No, of course it did not. She raced about in the frost and then dove, not once but twice, into the little creek. Then she ran about like a mad thing!!! Harki is much more sensible and didn't want to have cold water shaken on her. She looked at me in askance, hoping that I wasn't expecting her to swim!!

It seems that some children and youths were still on holidays today, and they spent quite a lot of the day yahooing up and down the street. Harki was very cross. They banged the railing on the footpath and shouted. They weren't technically doing anything wrong, but they disturbed the house. Harki kept having to go out onto the veradah and once she was very cross and barked and all her hackles were raised up. What a brave girl she is!!!

There has been knitting: I made Unravelled's Time Thief Watch Cap in Vintage Hues. I call it The Howard Hues Hat, it certainly feels like a million dollars when you wear it. It's so lovely and warm that I decided I need a hat too, but I definitely don't suit a beanie. MrsDrWho, who suits all hats, says that when I wear a beanie you see the outline of my head. This is not a good thing. Usually I have wavy sticky-outy hair, and so I look funny with no hair and a fitted hat. In her venerable opionion I need a sticky-outy hat that mirrors my hair. Any suggestions???

Give a woman a hat and she has, well, a hat. Teach her to knit and before you know it she is saying that she's buying some Vintage Hues of her own and making herself a hat. I had to stop MrsDrWho right there and say I had already bought some extra and I was doing secret beanie knitting. Not so secret anymore, but there is other secret knitting, with a bazillion ends yet to be sewn in!!!!! My aunt loved the SwallowTail Shawl I knitted for her and now my mum would like a small shawl as well. I had another search and I think I will make the small version of Laminaria from Knitty.com.

This morning I had to read The People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks. I stayed in bed till almost 10-30am or when The Labradors were so hungry that they sat on me and the book. It was a quick read, and since it has just won a prize I reckoned that other people would want to borrow it soon.

I have neglected my comment replying, I will catch up over the next day or so. I have also neglected to take a casserole photo. I'll do that too. Meanwhile, I have managed to take a picture of the inside of the little Star Wars trinkets for StarWarsBoy!!! Got to get my priorities right. They are so cute: inside each is a tiny figure in a tiny setting reflecting the outer head. So cool!! I have arranged them in the same configuration as they were in the last post. Darth Vader keeps collapsing, as you do when you are an evil doer!!

I'm  nearly at the end of North by Northwest. Cary Grant is ubercool, though a bit old at 55 to play the youngish romantic lead. He almost has Harry High Pants happening and Eva Marie Saint just can't play 26 at 35. The film is still great and keeps me on the edge of my seat. The dialogue is quite risque, and it's not just me thinking that!! I can't believe it is almost 50 years old.

So next time: recipe for a casserole and maybe even another hat!!!

We-e-e-e-ear: Is Love?

Does it come from skies above? No, The Love comes from my Green Is The New Black (Ravelry link) cardigan. It is so warm and soft and it fits really well. I sewed on the buttons this morning and I have had it on and off all day. On and off because it is so warm and it's just not really cold enough yet to wear it. I will persevere though!!! The GITNeB, or Basic Black Cardigan by Glenna, knitted on 4.5mm needles in Grundl Dolce. It is variegated greens and so it goes with everything.

I sewed up the fronts and back in less than an hour last week: far less time than I expected. I put it off, and it wasn't as bad as I anticipated at all. In the meantime I finished the Harry Hat (Country Silk) and the It Ain't Half Hot socks (Buttons) for my mum and posted them off. I loved knitting the hat and  the socks took just two separate days to knit. Harry is modelled by MrsDrWho. It was either her, or my round sewing basket balanced on top of The BareNaked Lady. I wanted to buy my mum Sally Wise's new book: A Year in a Bottle, but it hasn't been published yet. The Saturday morning radio announcer raised my hopes that it would be available for Mothers' Day and Agfestm but alas my hopes were dashed. Luckily my mum is fine with delayed present gratification!!!

Harki and Peri just love the cooler weather. They are off up the side of hills, and down the face of almost-cliffs and there are so many new smells and things to see. We met Chocko and Jessie/Jazzie, not sure which is right, and their mum today and Peri was so excited. She ran about with the two other dogs, around in circles and even off up the track with them. Harki is less effusive and likes to keep an eye on things. Just when I thought Peri was going to run away with the other dogs, back she came at top speed, ready for a big pat and a treat!!!  They have some new Kangaroo/Lamb treats from MrsDrWho and they will turn inside out to earn one.

I went to MrsDrWho's classroom this week to help make Mothers' Day gifts. We made mobile phone covers from felt, decorated them, and added a drawstring to the top. You can see some of the finished ones here. The children are quite well behaved and have learned from Easter time how to thread a needle and tie a knot in the end!! I came home and sat on the couch and I was totally overcome with tiredness. My head kept dropping and I could barely keep my eyes open. I had to go straight to bed for a long nap. I am feeling quite well, for me, at the moment and I have to be careful not to do too much. I am wont to try, and then I am worn out!!!

I am Apron Sewing Along, with Sew Mama Sew.  They call it a smock, but it is an apron to me. I have  cut out the paper pattern and Harki has surveyed it for me, making sure everything is A-OK, and it is!! I have to choose some green material and then sew away!! This will be the third apron I have sewn this year and I saw there are patterns on sale at The  BlackSpot of Doomlight, so I might buy a new apron pattern next week.

There has been much loud machinery noise lately. I looked out the window and I saw giant machines working across the highway. The area was once marshland, covered in bulrushes. Vundy and Tori would run and leap through the stalks and get all wet and smelly when we went for a walk. The Council has been filling the area with the silt dredged from the river. You can see how awful the river is: so narrow in the middle and then all choked with silt. No-one wants to accept responsibility for fixing the problem, so they fiddle while the river dies. It is also very smelly, though we can't smell it way up here. The big machines drone up and down and raise and lower their appendages. I will be glad when they stop.

This weekend there's an exciting Ravelry meet up here in town, and MrsDrWho and I may occasion the cinema and Iron Man!!! Now it is very dark and I am off to watch Friends, the expurgated version, and knit the back ribbing for my Chappa'ai cardigan, I am alternating with The Pop Tartigan to save my shoulder muscles, and I'll wait impatiently for The State Within.

Canoe Feel The Love Tonight?

I have less than no interest in the fact that The Apple Isle will host the 2009 Canoe Wildwater World Cup, but how could I pass up the chance for an Anna Coren segue to The Lion King???  I have never seen the film but MrsDrWho plays the soundtrack in her classroom in the holidays. We will be feeling the love in 2009!! Peri is feeling the Morning Tea love and hoping for a titbit from The GardyGardeners.

I've been meaning to blog for three days but the light has been bad, on Thursday I had my car lights switched on at 3pm, and somehow it always seemed too dark to take a photo. I have been a little busy, though not on The Pop Tartigan because I knitted a sleeve in the space of 36 hours and my shoulder was boogelly: those 5mm needles can be a killer. I have been doing other things. I have made my mum an Odessa. It is meant to reflect a crisp Spring day in Odessa, though I am not sure if that's Odessa Brazil, Canada or USA, but I like to think it's Odessa, The Film, which just makes me think of The Ipcress File, so I think I'll call this The Harry Hat!! Now if there was a choice of looking at me modelling The Harry Hat, or poking your eyes out with hot needles, MrsDrWho knows which one you should choose. So there is only a progress picture of said hat until maybe MrsDrWho models. It's on 4mm needles using almost two balls of Cleckheaton Country Silk in a blue you can't buy here anymore.

There has been sewing: a Sock Tote for Amanda from you-can-guess-where and a zippy bag for Kate:she's not keeping her Library pencils in it, but rather her socks-in-progress!!! There is also a backpack for me made from LoopyLouey's gifted fabric. I used Lotta Jansdottir's pattern though I lined it with lime green poplin. You can see some dog treats in the back pocket and also Harki's zebra striped toy. She's not very happy, I think you can see her bottom lip trembling in the picture: she's pretty sure I've taken it for good. I gave it back straight away.

My last post about The Flame Attendants et al seems to have elicited the same feeling from most people: we are very sad and disappointed at the politicisation of the Games, but supportive of our athletes. It's less than a hundred days till the Games begin: I suggest we all watch these Games instead and revel in John Howard's Apology.

There has been some cooking: a classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. I made it in a bigger tin and I really should have used more pineapple. I did buy more and was planning to dredge it with brown sugar and pop it under the grill, but it never happened. Recipe follows.... I have more to say - what a surprise!!, but I'm saving that for next time.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Topping

• 2 tins of sliced pineapple rings, drained**
• 90g butter, melted
• about 1 cup of brown sugar

Cake Batter

• 120g butter
• 220g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tspn vanilla extract
• 185g self raising flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the tin**

Preheat the oven to 180*C, and then line a 25-28cm spring-form tin with baking paper. Brush the base and sides with the melted butter and then sprinkle in the sugar. Finally  place the pineapple rings in the base of the tin. I didn't have enough. You can also put a glace cherry in the centre of each ring!!

To make the batter, cream the butter and sugar, lightly beat in the eggs and vanilla and then fold in half the flour and half the milk by hand. And then gently fold in the remaining flour and milk. Spoon over the pineapple and spread evenly. Cook for 45-50 minutes or until it is browned and springy to the touch and has come away from the sides of the pan. Invert onto plate and serve with lashings of custard or cream and ice-cream. A Classic.

PS The Jennifer Fallon series?? It's a set of four now!!! Just in case you were on a knife edge waiting for the next one. I am.

Hour: Mutual Friend*

Yes, at last Daylight Saving has ended and we all gained back the lost hour. This means, of course, that we are waking up an hour early. Sigh. The Labradors are all perky-eared and bushy-tailed at 6-30am and have to be very persuaded to lie down again until it is time for a walk. This morning it was drizzling and then raining hard so it was a very happy walk. There's not enough rain for puddles, or even the greening of the bush, but there's enough for hope.

The When You're On A Shawl Thing? Well I've stuck to it and it's finished.  Donna at Random Knits was so right: it is the blocking that makes a shawl!! This is just a little shawl, but I am still extremely pleased with myself. I couldn't believe how a little soak in some warm water could turn the crepey, bubbly knitted fabric into such a soft and smooth lacy swoosh. I left it all night and here it is, pinned on some poplin on the back of the couch, and badly photographed. I may be able to talk someone at Sewing on Wednesday night to do some stylish modelling!!! So, it's The Swallowtail Shawl from IK Autumn 2006, I used 2 and a tiny bit balls of Merino and 3.75mm circular needle. Started about the 28th March and finished 6th April. 

I was then bereft of a new handy project. I hadn't started any socks, I had sewing up to do, and you can't start a cardigan you're knitting a Stargate into, or The Sherlock Hemlock Blanket while watching the last episode of Life on Mars. So I started the cuffs of MrsDrWho's as yet un-named cardigan. I think I should call it The Pop Tart. Any other good Doctor Who names you can think of??? It is supposed to be knitted on 6.5mm, which means 7mms for me, but I am using 12 ply on 5mm for the cuffs and then Making up the pattern for the frou-frou black yarn.  In another handy way I'm making March Wife, or Annie Modesitt's June Bride, for my nextdoor neighbour. The picture in the book bears no resemblance to the actual pattern, so I'm a bit disappointed, but soldiering on nevertheless. They are in a burgundy or maroon colour to match the colours on her stall at the Market. They should keep her warm now Winter is coming.

Life on Mars?? Most excellent thing I have watched or read in recent times. Absolutely wonderful. Great ending, fabulous characters, writing, music, John Simm: Everything!!!

The passionfruit and lemon cake was delicious, served with some vanilla bean King Island Yoghurt and more fresh passionfruit squeezed over the top. However, I made a mixed berry topped brownie, more or less from Donna Hay's Chocolate book, for MrsDrWho. Recipe follows. There's not much green in this post. I had better get my act together and whip up some green things pronto!! Tomorrow I'm making Things Rhubarb: more Autumnal Harvests!!! (Karen Martini's new cook book: can anyone recommend it? It's a bit expensive to buy without the nod from someone)

Berry Topped Brownie

• 220g good dark chocolate, 70% is nice
• 250g butter
• 200g cups brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 200g plain flour
• 1/4 tspn baking powder
• 40g cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups berries: I used mixed frozen berries

Preheat the oven to 180*C (350F) and grease and line a 20- 23cm square tin. Melt the chocolate and butter together gently, cool slightly then add the sugar and eggs. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into the tin and then strew the berries over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until it is set in the middle. Take care, as all the chocolate will burn easily. Cool in the tin. I think it is nice, I can't eat it:-(

*Our Mutual Friend

Much Ado About Nupping

It was either this, or Sort Of Dunno Nuppin', and Shakespeare won out, mainly because Much Ado was first performed in Autumn!!! I did do cheating nupps: even though I knitted loosely (thanks Ann) and thought about slip 2 P3 together slip the 2 purls over (thanks RoseRed) in the end I found a tiny sock needle and used that for the purling 5 together. It was no more trouble than using a cable needle, so I was very happy. I do like my new camera which enables me to take much better close up pictures. Relatively speaking, you realise, as compared to a Labradors taking photos!!!

All the pieces of The GITNeB are complete and are waiting in the Sun to be blocked and then sewn up. This was a fast knit, I used 4.5mm needles!!! I have new wool put away at the Woo(l) shop in town: Vera in variegated green. It isn't cheap, but I can pay for it as I go. I am making a vest of some description. I don't know which vest yet, but the wool is beautiful!!!

Here is my Ravelry Bag Swap bag all complete. I knitted the String Green Bag pattern from YARN 8, designed by Lisa at PlainJane Creations. I used BlackSpot of Doomlight(TM) plain wool, and it took 8 balls. Of course I had no wool other than green in my stash so I spent most of the money limit on the wool. I bought lining and made a little zippy detachable bag and I spent some extra on beads to match. I changed the pattern: the size, the placement of the holes, the handle length etc and I also added a gusset by sewing across the bottom corners before I felted. The felting went really well and I was very nervous, worried, and then jubilant when it worked!!!

The weather here has been truly Autumnal. We had hurricane wind warnings, that's the highest you can go on the Beaufort Scale. There were no actual hurricanes, but roofs blew off houses, about 20% of people in the state were without power and there were 17 metre high waves on the West Coast. A house further up the road lost its roof. We hunkered down last night while the wind blew the torrential rain right into the verandah and onto the front windows- and that never happens. It is a bit worrying because the man over the road managed to undermine the actual road with illegal digging and blasting. The council put up a helpful, if badly spelled sign, but though it started on Boxing Day, there are still huge water filled barriers and no sign of a retaining wall yet....

Autumn is also the time for apples, and The GardyGardeners brought me some apples and passionfruit yesterday. I am eating the apples and making a passionfruit and lemon cake!! Harki and Peri like the apples but are not sure about the passionfruit. I know they would like cake though.

The B.A.G.

So, you're thinking this title refers to maybe The Ravelry Bag Swap, or even Roald Dahl and his BFG?? Nope, that would actually be Jerry O'Connell in Sliders. And the B.A.G. is The Beautiful Adorable Girl: Harki!! (Whose nickname as a pup was Giant Baby Harki. She was a big baby!!!)  But I digress as usual. There's an episode of Sliders where Jerry's character Quinn Mallory  is walking down some rickety wooden steps, his hands tied in front of him, towards a scaffold where he is to be hanged. MrsDrWho and I looked at each other and decided it was at this point we would feel self-conscious and silly if we were actors. Kind of Willing Suspension of Disbelief Jumping the Shark time. From that day, whenever we see an actor doing something really silly we refer to it as a 'Jerry O'Connell Walking Down the Stairs Moment'. I had one of these moments this week, sitting on the couch with half a plastic bag balanced on my head. A moment when I realised that if anyone saw me they would think I was mad!! In fact I was playing Harki's favourite game: Little Hat. To play Little Hat to its fullest potential the person on the couch should put on a hat, but hats are in short supply here so Harki brings me whatever she has handy, an ice-cream container or a toy, but usually a bag. The person then places said 'hat'; on their head, says "Little Hat' and then Harki delicately hops up on the couch and ever so gently removes said hat from the person's head. Et Voila: Little Hat!!!

The GITNeB is going along really well. I only have half a sleeve to knit and it is finished. This is good news as Autumn seems to have arrived!! We have had a  2*C overnight low and it was 12*C on Thursday and we have had rain, substantial rain, for two days in a row!!!! This makes Harki and Peri very happy and they are more alert and playful (Little Hat) and love their walks in the cold crisp mornings. They run far afield and their ears are all alert and their eyes peeled. Peri always has her eyes peeled for a way out. I'm looking at the gate and thinking that I might paint it green soon. I think this will involve dry weather, some sanding, primer and green metal paint!!!(Metal green paint??)

I have been led astray by some Horrible Bunny Cosies. Mine, not the pattern itself I hasten to add!!! I think I made their ears too far apart. They are cosying up to eggs here at MrsDrWho's house but I left them cosying the electric salt and pepper shakers and various other things!!! I helped her class make their Easter Felt Eggs too!!! I'm also making my Aunt the Swallowtail Shawl, or the When You're on to a Shawl Thing!!!!! It is easy thus far, I knitted 12 of the 14 sets of lace repeats yesterday but I am up to the Purl 5 togethers now. They take a bit of time. There are just 20ish rows to go. This is my first ever shawl and so far so good.  I have finished and sent away my Ravelry Bag. I felted it and lined it and it worked really well. I hope my Swap Recipient likes it....

I love the things that have been sent to me: some beautiful wool, some excellent pot holders and really truly Amy Butler fabric!! So far all I have done is wash the fabric and the Easter Eggs disappeared with me to a good home!!! The handspun worsted is to be a neck warmer. I need a pattern, anyone recommend one?? For 160 yards?  Thank you to everyone for their very kind words and thoughts!! I am feeling quite well at the moment, numbers stable and drugs juggled. I have been quite social this week catching up with all my friends. We have a ten day Easter Break here in The Apple Isle, which gives us Four Terms when You're Not Having Four Terms. We're philosophically opposed to Four Terms. Children here don't need more holidays in the colder times!!!

One of my friends from school has a blog of her own. You might like to say hello to The Highland Quilter!!!! So that's it for today, I'm keeping it short(ish) and sweet and I have saved things for posting again in April. "Cause that's just the day after tomorrow!!! Now I can read lots of blogs as I have replied to my languishing comments!!!

Corn Fritters

• 425g can corn kernels, drained
• 1 egg
• 3 or 4 spring onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup SR flour
• 1/3 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil
• Extras of sour cream and smoked salmon, a little freshly squeezed lemon juice

Whisk the egg then add the milk, corn, onion and flour. Stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in the pan over a medium heat and then add tablespoonfuls of the mixture. Cook till bubbles appear on the top or the underneath is lightly is browned. Then flip and cook for about another minute. They are nice eaten hot right away. Or, when cold, top with sour cream and some smoked salmon with a little lemon juice. they are delicious. Sadly my picture is out of focus, and I did take 3. Maybe it was that glass of wine???

Let Them Eat........Bread

I have been not busy, and busy, and definitely not Busy Phillips. Busy is her nickname, so she's not been given a virtue name: 'busy' is not on the list, I checked. Apparently 'busyness' is not a virtue!!! I don't have a nickname, and I'm not sad about that, but I do give extra names to all the dogs that live here. Could Harki's name* be any longer???!! I am being gradually taken over by Friends: assimilated, absorbed, whatever. It is on every weeknight at 6pm, and at first I was a bit lackadaisical with respect to my viewing, but as time has passed, I am setting the timer so as not to miss it!! We have just started Season 4. Setting the timer is so easy now, I press the green Guide button, scroll across or down the TV Guide and then press Return twice. I love my new DVR. Has there always been a spell check on The Typepad?? I just noticed it today. It may have been there forever. I have interesting perceptual abilities!!(View the Basketball video to test your perception)

So, things what I have been doing (Thanks to Morecambe and Wise whose memory was evoked in Life on Mars last week. I can't stop humming "Give me sunshine..." and doing the silly dance on the inside)........  Well, I had some very nice numbers from The Specialist and The Specialist's Immediate Superior last week, and this means that when the Clinic people from Melbourne visit they might not be so gung ho for action. Hooray!!! My Lump has also been given the Surgeon's all clear and we are watching it to see what it will do. (My mind boggles at that thought!!!) School started on Thursday, and I started a migraine. This year is the first year I wasn't feeling sad not to be going back to school, but maybe I was sad in my unconscious even though I didn't know it? Can't say, but I did have to go to bed for 2 1/2 days. I could sleep for Australia in The 2008 Beijing Olympics, and so could The Labradors. They slept on the end of the bed from Thursday night all the way through till Sunday morning. Then we had hot weather, and that made us all too hot, and not in a cool 'hot babe' way either!!! Thankfully it rained this morning (MrsDrWho wasted a wish there) and we went for a 20 minutes walk to the shop at the corner and got beautifully wet and cool.

I have been knitting my Bag Swap bag for The Ravelry (Bag disguised to protect the innocent) I have finished my Face Cloth for my swap. I have also finished my second attempt at The Tea Cosy Swap!! I would request a universal crossing of fingers and toes tomorrow as I plan to be posting some parcels!! I can't show anymore photos until the parcels have been received. I bought some delightful wool from Donni. It is so very beautifully green and so very soft!!! The Little Red Hen thought of me and sent me some sock wool she was 'de-stashing' How kind!! I am about to buy some wool from The Lovely Katie at Live2Knit as well.

At The Knitting Coven on Tuesday people laughed, albeit kindly, about the fact that I had a picture of bread and milk saved on my camera. It is special milk. Milk in a glass bottle that is not homogenised, only pasteurised. It is from a place about 40 minutes away. I don't like milk, after years of School Milk(there should be music to terrify you here) I have a hard time liking it any way at all, but at least this is not in a carton, and there is a refund for returning the bottle. They have yoghurt too. The bread is a cute little sourdough rye. It is crusty and delicious. It comes from the French bakery in town. You can eat it just with butter, and nothing else, it is so tasty. It was difficult to take this picture as Harki and Peri kept popping their heads up to see if there was any chance of some bread or milk for them. They had kangaroo bones instead. Yes, not only do we, as a nation, eat our Coat of Arms, but The Labradors do too. They love kangaroo, and it has little if any fat, so it's very healthy!!!

I have spent a few happy hours rearranging and renaming my lists of blogs. At one stage Typepad was showing every single recipe I had ever posted and this prompted me to try, unsuccessfully, to fix it. In the end it righted itself. MrsDrWho spent a few happy hours sorting things out too. I think her sorting might be a World Record though!!!!!!

*Harki-Parki-Parker-Posey

Don't Cry For Me Allen-Peter

The ABC, aka Aunty, has been showing woeful Summer programmes this year. But there have been a few shining lights, and Love is in the Air has been one of them. The last episode screened on Sunday: National Anthems. For someone who loves Frank, I found I knew all bar one of the songs. And I mean I could sing along and I knew the tune and words!! Someone from The Whitlams, and I only know that because I am a bit of a fan of Edward Gough, talked about Tenterfield Saddler by Peter Allen, and then Peter and The Whitlam man both sang the song (Obviously not together) It just makes me cry. I have no idea why, but play that song and I feel tingles down my spine and I cry.  I also cry at the end of You've Got Mail, during Assistance Dog ads, when someone has just died on Stargate Atlantis The Thirdly Season, at the End of West Wing, Nelson Mandela, when I think of Harki and Peri..... These are a few of my Teariest Things!!! I don't have to pinch myself with tweezers through my pocket or have an onion in my hanky either!!

There was a horrid rumour that the ABC was changing their logo to ABC1, and the Wave may be downgraded or disappear. I love The Wave. The Wave has survived, you can see it if you scroll down to the bottom of this page: it does look good. Mind you, the new logo is sky blue, red and white and it looks like we should all be singing The Marseillaise and eating snails, it's not very Australian. I have been told to move with the times, but let's face it: I love Frank, I am permanently behind the times!!! I love the station idents in the early 2000s when normal everyday people drew The Wave in the air with their finger.  I'm doing it now, and going 'La La La' in the ABC Logo Tune.

Truly it never rains but it pours and we have had flooding rains. I drove through a mini flood in town and a manhole cover had been shot out of the ground and asphalt was scattered all about. The Labradors are very happy, but when I came home in the middle of the storm they were both inside, not waiting faithfully out in the rain for me!! Clever and sensible dogs. It was Barry the GardyGardener's birthday yesterday, and it would have been my dad's too (well I suppose it still is really, he's just not here) and the anniversary of the bushfires too. A momentous day. I managed to finish The Shocker Socks in time. They look very strange, but I think that's because I have quite small sized feet. Harki and Peri love Uncle Barry. It may have something to do with the fact that he was giving them the mini pikelets I cooked for them for morning tea. The grown ups had banana pikelets and instead of mashing the bananas into the batter, I cooked one side of the pikelet, then covered the top with thinly sliced banana and then flipped it and cooked the other side. The banana went sort of caramelised and I sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar. MrsDrWho thinks that they need a nice dollop of cream or even a scoop of ice cream. They never last that long!!! Harki and Peri's breakfast didn't last long either. They had an very healthy breakfast of rice, carrot, celery, lean mince and a little dry dog food. They still prefer pikelets!!!!

I have been sewing some more bags made from strange things. I made a Crisp Zippy Wristlet and a Zippy Lab Bag!! I'm also experimenting with a new kind of small knitting bag. I'm making a prototype, it's green with white polka dots!! I have been doing quite a bit of sewing because it has been cool.

I'm participating in The Ravelry Bag Lady Swap. Here is a picture of the bag thus  far. The bag has been disguised to protect its identity. It is basically knitting round and round. A Lot. It is quite soothing. I needed pure wool, and not green, so of course I couldn't knit from my stash. The BSODL(TM) had pure wool on sale but the ball band said each 50g had only 55m. I knew this couldn't be right but the Girl-behind-the-counter-who-knew-better, knew better. So I said I would buy one ball, take it home and measure it. Later on during the storm I went back to buy the rest of the wool because, surprise, surprise, the ball had 93-97 metres, I averaged it out to 95m. The Girl-behind-the-counter-who-knew-better didn't really believe I would go home and measure the wool. What about me suggests in any way that I wouldn't be at home unwinding wool and measuring it against my metre ruler?????

When we go for our walk in the bush, we really are in the bush. There is a narrow track about 50 cm wide and the ground slopes sharply away to the right, to some rocks and a cliff that falls away to the Gorge. You can just see the water at the bottom. Does Peri care?? She does not. My heart is regularly in my mouth, but she is sure footed as a goat, leaping and running about. Harki is more sedate and prefers the topside of the track. 

I like today's date: 08-02-08 and Happy Chinese New Year too!!!

Banana Pikelets

• 1 egg
• 150g Self Raising Flour
• 150-250ml milk
• Optional: 1 tbspn sugar
• bananas, sliced into thin circles
• olive oil/ butter for cooking

Sift the flour into a bowl, and break in the egg and pour in a little of the milk. Use a fork or a whisk to gently combine the wet ingredients and slowly incorporate the flour as you go. I prefer my batter to be a bit on the thick side, so I use just enough milk. You can set the batter aside for half an hour or so if you like. Then heat a non-stick pan to medium, and add the oil/butter. Gently drop 2 spoonfuls of the batter, for each pikelet, into the pan and let it cook until there are many bubbles on the top. If you lift it up a little it should look golden or light brown on the base. Place some banana on the pikelet and then carefully flip it over to finish cooking. You have to just check underneath now as there are no telltale bubbles. Keep warm on a plate and then serve and devour.