Ishbel scarf

 There are over 10,000 Ishbels on Ravelry. I'm not saying I'm the last person to cast-on but I'm happily behind the trend.  I finished the st-st section very quickly, only getting confused at the end as odd numbered rows were WS where I'm used to them being RS.  I just managed to squeeze out chart A using the grey I had left from the hat.  Now, I'm using red and have finished Chart B. I can't really tell how big it is as the needle I'm using is short.

 I've had two parcels in two days and two trips to the post office depot to fetch them.  One reunited me with Bob, a blanket which I'll show you again tomorrow.  The other was some rainbow coloured yarn for a new commission.  I'm looking forward to winding it and swatching it this afternoon on the train to see my friends.

Did I mention:
わたし　は　じゅいちがつなのか　にほん　に　いきます！！！！

Wimbledon is distracting me from my knitting

Here's a picture of a 30 year old.

Here's a picture of some knitting a 30 year old is working on.

Here's a picture of a birthday present for a 30 year old.

Today I left work to come home and work.  I had very good intentions but the Federer and a-Tomic matches thoroughly distracted me. Such exciting tennis, I kept flipping between matches.  By the time they were over, I was emotionally deflated and only tuned in to watch the last game of each of Murray and Nadal's victories.

I did write up the pattern for Bob (yes, shame faced, didn't do that before the holiday) which leaves me free to concentrate on working hard and catching up with the work that is at work.  Having a holiday might be more fun if it didn't mean all the extra work either side of it.  I suppose that would only encourage more people to be irresponsible slackers and actually have holidays ;) Work, work, work.  I enjoy my dayjob which is useful because I would be really miserable otherwise.

Greece here I come!

Bob's winging his way to the magazine (or perhaps sitting in a royal mail sorting office) and I've spent the morning in the bathroom primping and preening so I can be reasonably ready to be seen in public in a bikini. I've also spent time with the tablet but I still can't get my films to play with sound so I'm disappointed.  I contacted the seller and they suggested that I'm using the wrong file types or wrong resolution but they didn't specify which I should be using.  So, I've emailed them again. I tried downloading moboplayer, an app for androids but that hasn't fixed it.  If I can't get it to work I want to get a refund as the main reason I bought it was to watch films on. I does play music (yes, I have the sound turned up, I'm not that dumb) and I can put books on it but these were only secondary functions for me.  Regardless, I will enjoy my holiday. I just need to buy some reisen chocolate chews and a killer sudoku puzzle book at the airport and I will feel properly in the mood.

See you when I get back!

So long, bob, and thanks for all the fish

Bob is finished and just needs taking to the post office tomorrow morning.  I'm worn out and hungry and grumpy with my little tablet toy as it doesn't want to play films, or rather it will but without any sound.  I'm going to keep trying to make it work and then I will sulk. I left it a bit late to sort out but I've been working overtime and finishing Bob and, yeah I did go to the cinema twice, want to make something of it? So I could have sorted the tablet already and then I wouldn't be flustered now because tomorrow I am going on Holiday! I'm not at all prepared, and don't even know what knitting to take but I bought a bikini and some tops and mini toiletries and a book from a charity shop so I'm sure I'll be fine. I need to do many things before I go including important things like packing and escorting Bob to the post office and less important things like playing on the computer.

Hooray for summer holidays when the weather here is cold and miserable!

Training for September #4 and a new toy

Pre run munch: salt and vinegar crisps
Post run munch: dinner - I think it was sausage pasta
Time of run: 5pm gogo go ji
Distance: not far
Time: 20 mins
Category: hurty leg
Feeling: weepy

Tuesday's run was a bit upsetting as I already started in a bad mood and then my leg seized up and I came home and internally raged and wept at my miserable luck. I had hoped running would cheer me up but I had to fall back on The Big Bang Theory and my lovely knitting group. By the end of the evening I was feeling much better.

On Wednesday, I had to suffer the indignity of working for almost the whole day but I did get to eat cake at my Mum's for lunch.  Big sister came round in the evening to finish off a lovely new bag for me.  Really it was too late at night for sewing in a straight line and everything seemed rather difficult but I gave her a big bowl of ice cream.  We also talked about our trip to Japan that is due in November and we freaked out a bit at how expensive it was becoming.  I went to bed and had nightmares about knitting Bob wrong, as I'd also had a wobble over how close the deadline is.

Thursday was a busy, busy day.  I'm deputy at work and this week I've been in charge which mostly means pretending to tell people what to do. And staying late. And sometimes getting in early. I did manage to sneak out in time to get to town and have dinner and go to my lessons. I didn't have time to open my NEW TOY which is also a BIRTHDAY PRESENT and actually WORKS!

It's a

Tabtech M009S 2GB Google Android Tablet PC - Cheapest 2.2 Android Tablet works with Flash 10.1

 

and it was cheap and it works! I was worried it might all be in chinese or really confusing but it was fine.  I charged it up for a few hours before I became suspicious it wasn't charging properly so I turned it on and had a poke around.  It came with a stylus but I was also a little suspicious the stylus would damage the screen and my finger works fine.  At first the tablet wouldn't recognise my wifi so I turned the wifi off and on again (basics!) and then it detected it and I put in the password and then I went on the internet.  Simples! I've downloaded a few apps and need to check it plays music and films but that will have to wait as Bob is getting jealous again.

Training for September #3

Pre run munch: cereal and half a banana
Post run munch: other half of banana, chocolate cereal bar from my 10k goody bag
Time of run: 10.30am gozen ju ji han
Distance: 4ish km
Time: 37 mins
Category: Roses in bloom
Feeling: hot and sweaty

I'm typing this at 5.50 - I can barely type I'm so excited about the mid season finale of Doctor Who that's on in less than an hour! I'm normally at my sister's so can't watch it as it's too scary to have on around the children's bedtime so I record it.  Today I'm at home, I've just polished off a smoothie, I've been to the supermarket, I've got Bob with me and I'm all twitchy with anticipation.

This morning's run wasn't entirely planned but I woke up early and it was quite cloudy but not too warm.  I really enjoyed seeing all the roses in bloom.  I saw at least six different colours but maybe more like ten.  It helped me keep going for further than I thought I could manage in the warmth.  I think I'm going to have to start going either earlier or in the evening.  I was fairly dripping with sweat when I got back which must be good and cleansing and all that but I spent a long time in the bath to feel properly clean.

Last night I was looking through all the films I've recorded and was very surprised and happy to see I had Princess Mononoke. I had just been reading Haikugirl's post about the Ghibli museum in Tokyo and mentally adding it to the must see list for my upcoming trip.  I thought, it's a shame I haven't seen any Studio Ghibli films, I must try harder, then, Boo! there it was, along with My Neighbour Totoro. Animations aren't the best films to knit to as the artists have spent a long time creating a world they want you to immerse yourself in but Bob was at a st-st stage so we both managed to enjoy it.  I really enjoyed it! The story is full of conflicts and noone is simply good or bad.  It's very different from a Disney film.  The progression of the story wasn't (for me) guessable.  It reminded me of the books I've been reading by Diana Wynne Jones which almost brings me full circle because she wrote Howl's Moving Castle, adapted into an animated feature film by... Studio Ghibli!

Bobogamy

I'm being monogamous with Bob and while that means the deadline shouldn't be a stress issue, I'm lining up projects for when it's done. I've signed up to go to a uni reunion at the beginning of July and plan to wear the dress below but though I could knit a new top.

I've bought the pattern for Simplicity cardigan which ties at the front but now I'm wondering if that will fight with detail on the dress. I'm excited about the reunion although I only know two other people who are definitely going and I'm a bit concerned there might be people there I don't want to see but all in all I am excited about it. I need to book train tickets and a hair cut and might try to see friends and their new baby on the way back so it will be a full weekend.  I'd also like to knit something for the new baby so if the reunion is awful, I can always hide in my room making tiny booties.

I don't remember when I put my dinner in

So I don't know when it will be ready but it's probably about now.  It's beginning to smell good so must be nearly there. I think I'll curl up with Bob in front of a film tonight.  I'm spending a lot of time with Bob and am pleased with my progress so this is a very positive relationship ;) I might have to do some ironing and ds playing instead for a little while but they aren't best done in front of films.  I thought about going for a run but left it too late and didn't really want to go anyway.  I've learnt that I'll go if I want to and won't if I don't and not to worry about worrying about it in between times. There's no point being a grown up if you have to do things you don't want to do all the time!

Saturday restfulness

I've decided I definitely don't like any of the buttons I have for Flossie's cardigan so I'll have to go to another shop with a broader selection.

I've been watching the Cheyenne Social Club while working on Bob. It's a gentle comedy starring James Stewart as a cowboy who inherits what he thinks is a saloon and ends up, with the help of his friend, Harley (Henry Fonda), shooting all the mean cowboys in Cheyenne and riding back to Texas together. A precursor to all the bromances we have now.

I'm feeling better today but I've mostly been sitting in bed reading or sitting on the sofa knitting.  It's gloomy looking outside so a perfect, restful Saturday so far.

Training for September #1

Pre run munch: pb&h on toast
Post run munch: fish and beans
Time of run: 6.15pm gogo loku ji jugo fun
Distance: 3km
Time: 25 mins
Category: trying out a new app
Feeling: super sleepy

I downloaded an app to track me on gps and tell me how far and how fast I ran.  It was interesting reading. Apparently I travelled 3km. I'm pleased it seems to work but taking my phone and my ipod out made my armband heavy so that's probably why I didn't run for long ;)  I'm glad to have just broken the psychological barrier of my first run after the race and a break.  I still enjoy running which is good to know.  Bob is coming along.  I'll start another section tonight. I'm a bit concerned about having enough yarn so I'll knit a different section and make some more yardage calculations. That's if I can stay awake for much longer - the run turned me super sleepy which is great, as I don't always sleep very well. I'm also relieved I booked my car MOT as I kept forgetting to do that.  

Knitting, knitting everywhere, and not a stitch to blog

I've noticed that now I'm knitting something for the magazine, and on a little running break, I've far less to blog about.  Annoying! So I guess I'd better start running again before I turn into a blob or repeat myself too much. I"ve signed up for another 10k race.  It's in the same venue, but this time it's for charity and I'm doing it with a friend.  It's in September so I've got plenty of time to leave all my training until the last minute.  I might treat myself to some trail shoes but we'll see.

I'm working on the magazine project, let's call it Bob, and it's going swimmingly so far.  I'm enjoying the yarn, a blend of alpaca and wool, but I wonder if it's irritating my eyes a bit.  I love alpaca but my eyes are particularly sensitive at the moment from mild hayfever. I'd prefer to be able to blog it as I go along but I don't think that's ok.  I'm trying to take pictures as I go along so I can show how it progressed when it's published.

Keeping me and Bob company are many tv programs.  The walking dead finished (brilliant) and Smallville season 10 will start soon.  Desperate Housewives is good to knit to as there's so much dialogue.  Action films and Doctor Who are no good for knitting.  I love the 11th Doctor! Next Saturday's episode is the last one for a while and I wonder if it will be a total cliffhanger ending or a partial one.  Where is crazy Eye Patch Lady from? I treated myself to a boxset for my birthday and now I'm debating about preordering another one.  It's not available until September but it's only £1 more with a whole extra season. That's possibly a downside to blogging more - I sit and look at Amazon and although I don't have 1-click, it only takes a couple more clicks to have spent a ton.  I suppose I shouldn't buy any boxsets until I've watched all the ones I already have.  Hmph.