This winter's project


Somehow (must have forgotton how difficult knitting patterns are!) I offered to knit a cardigan rather like the one worn by Starsky in Starsky & Hutch, the 1970's Cop Thriller series (see: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072567/ and http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/
Series/StarskyAndHutch). 
It's the sort of design which has been out of fashion for several years, whilst everyone wore plain knitwear and distained pattern of any sort.  
But, possibly since the famous jumper worn by Detective Sarah Lund in the series The Killing, Nordic-type patterns have become all the rage (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_(Danish_TV_series).

Wool has arrived, all present and correst

The time-frame for this project is five weeks: 35 days.

Day 1:  The wool arrived yesterday and I've made a good start.  The rib was pretty straightforward - but the pattern, oh dear!  It's so complicated and requires lots of concentration.   The pattern was so difficult to read that I've written it out again, just noting down the size I'm doing. 

Pic shows my home-made instructions in the background

Starting the pattern has been time-consuming but I'm confident that it'll get easier.







Interest from the cats doesn't help at all.  But of course they love in playing with all the yarn.  After all, what other reason could there be for buying so much wool?!

Day 4:  Have had to undo it all as the tension square was inaccurate (only number of stitches was given, not number of rows as is in more modern patterns) and started again, here is the first sleeve so far.



Day 5: I've knitted quite a few rows on the second sleeve today, then did some more of the first sleeve, pattern complicated and rather mind boggling so I prefer to do a few rows at a time.



Day 8: Didn't do much over the weekend as had guests, so am very pleased to say that now one sleeve is finished, with the other one more than half way through.

Day 13:  Two sleeves finished, one of which has an error, will see how much it shows.  Have now started the back and front left.  The pattern at the bottom is far simpler than the one shown here, perhaps should have started with one of these, but never mind.

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Incidentally, whilst I'm knitting this cardigan, David's busy kntting a blanket for a new member of the family.  Here's a photo of the first few rows.  As you can see it's quite a challenge, not an activity which can be carried out at the same time as watching TV!

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Two sleeves (middle and right), with nearly completed back  (on the left)

Note that the bottom part, nearest the camera is just colour B!

Day 18: Back nearly finished when - catastrophe! - the bottom part was knitting using only yarn B (brown), instead of including some yarn C (chestnut)!


Day 27: After a few days away, I'm back to grindstone!  Have found some of the pattern confusing, cut out the different parts of the cardi and gone through them very carefully with a patient friend.  

Sometimes it seems that the writers of knitting patterns often assume things they don't write down.  In this instance it was because it was time to make the pocket but this wasn't given in the pattern until after several rows had been worked beyond where the change took place.  Here is the latest photo:

This pic shows the two sleeves (finished), back (nearly comleted) and the left front which has been worked up 'til the pocket.

This is a photo of 'our' guide dog. Tilly is growing up very fast.  At present she's attached to a family who will get her used to people and basic discipline, ready for the real training to be a guide dog.

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And the baby blanket is coming along apace - probably something to do with my being away for a few days, so David could get on with knitting in peace.  It's now nearly 16" long! - and very, very wide:

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Day 28:  Two fronts have now been knitted up to pocket level.  It's the first time I've knitted such a pocket and it's really straightforward: 

rhs and lhs both knitted up to the pocket level

Day 29 (Monday): Right side now completed!  Yipee!! Only the left side to finish, then the collar -  oh and the dreaded sewing-up - and the project will be done!  

rhs nearly complete

It seems to be using far less yarn than the pattern specified, so perhaps I could buy a little more and make a second cardi.  Anyone interested?!

Day |?? :  I've lost track of the time. We've had a week away, cruising around the Red Sea which was lovely and warm and it was great to be looked after for a week and not have to lift a finger!  but it was hard to come back to chilly England.  

Anyway, the cardigan is coming along apace.  Back, both fronts (complete with pockets) and both sleeves are now completed.  Now to block out these, then start sewing them together and then start knitting the cowl neck.  The garment seems to be amazingly big, so I hope the recipient is pleased!

Day?? plus 2: Now the neck band is nearly half finished ...  (A very experienced knitter told me yesterday that she used to knit the band at the same time as knitting the front sides - more complicated but saves sewing up later, and means that the band is the correct length.  )

Day ?? plus 3: Neck band half sewn onto the cardigan front side.  It's starting to look good!  Must put a photo on here soon.

Day ?? plus 5: Neck band more or less finished and sewn on to sides and neck.  
I decided that it would look better to graft the two sides together, rather than finish them off and then sew them together.   Grafting's something I've never tackled before but I found a helpful article at this site: http://www.learn2knit.co.uk/knitting/joining.php

?? plus 6: Malcolm is helping me grafting the centre back collar: 

?? plus 10:  Cardigan all finished and sent off to lucky recipient.  Hope it doesn't get lost in the post after all that hard graft!

Black Rocks, near Wirksworth in Derbyshire

10 January 2013

The Black Rocks, after whom the area is known - they're dark, rather than 

It was a beautiful sunny day, following a very chilly, frosty night - such a great combination to produce interesting photos.

Overlooking the High Peak Trail

Lots of moss add interest to the structure of the trees and rocks

Part of the High Peak Trail

For more info see: 
* http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/countryside/countryside_sites/wildlife_amenity/black_rocks/default.asp

Overlooking the nearby quarries

Fit for Life

Taking the excess out of Christmas

Too much food and drink, fatigue and family stress?  To ensure that your celebrations are full of good cheer, here are some ideas on how to survive the festive season.

1   Love your heart: To avoid becoming a statistic, try not to get stressed (not always easy!) and don't overdo the rich food and drink. If you already have heart problems, don't forget to take your medication.

2   Avoid accidents: More than 80,000 people a year end up in hospital being treated for falls, cuts and burns during the festive period.   To help avoid becoming one of those, follow these obvious tips: 

• Give yourself plenty of time to prepare Christmas dinner, keep guests (apart from helpers), especially children, out of the kitchen ... and save the tipple until you've finished cooking (shame, when cooking the meal is the best time to enjoy a glass of wine!)
• Mop up any spills immediately.
• Keep decorations and cards well away from open fires and other heat sources. 
• Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Falls are the most common accidents, so keep on top of clutter and make sure stairs are well lit and free from obstacles.

3    Beat loneliness: Christmas can exacerbate feelings of isolation,so in order to beat the holiday blues:

• Stay busy and don't let Christmas dominate your life to the exclusion of all else.  Make time for other enjoyable activities, such as a trip to the cinema, a walk or reading.
• Try volunteering: if you're not spending the festive period with friends and family, consider giving some of your time to charity, visit the national volunteering charity Time Bank (timebank.org.uk).
• Call a friend: if it gets too much to bear, organisations such as Samaritans (samaritans.org) and Mind (mind.org.uk) have befriending services as well as offering support.

4     Keep moving:  Having so much to do often means you don't get any proper exercise, so don't sink into an 'it doesn't matter' mode.  Try to stay fit and flexible - and avoid piling on the pounds - it's vital to do some kind of activity every day, preferably something you can incorporate into your daily life.   Even ten minutes is better than nothing.  Why?  it helps to push down levels of triglycerides, harmful blood fats that rise after a rich, heavy meal, which can do untold damage to your arteries.

5   Eat, drink and be healthy: A typical Christmas day's food can tot up a colossal 6,000 calories - two to three times the recommended daily amount for most people.   Trying to eat rather less than that will definitely be beneficial in the long run.

6  Avoid the morning-after misery: The only cure for a hangover is prevention.  However, follow these tips to increase your chances of greeting the morning with a clear head. 

• Know your alcohol limits.  What you drink is as important as how much: purer, clearer tipples such as vodka and gin contain fewer chemicals that can exacerbate hangovers - compared with red wine, whisky and cognac.
• Slow it down as the body absorbs alcohol fastest when drunk  on an empty stomach.  Combining it with food results in slower absorption and less alcohol reaching the bloodstream.
• Stay hydrated because drinking water between alcoholic drinks as well as before bed will help to combat alcohol's dehydrating effects, which are responsible for many hungover symptoms. If you've overdone things Vitamins B and C can help to ease the pain.

7   Want to throttle relatives?  Families are not an automatic recipe for harmony, especially as we all have our own idea of what makes the perfect Christmas.  Remind yourself that Christmas comes but once a year and remember these tips:

• Stop trying to be the host with the most and learn to delegate.
• Short and sweet wins the day.  some of the most successful family get-togethers are just two hours long.
• Try to settle differences well in advance of the festive period when you're feeling calm.  If you feel a family row brewing, defuse it as fast as you can.  go for a walk to take some time out.

8   Trouble dropping off:  You may be physically exhausted, but if you're wired up with a to-do list as long as your arm, sleep can evade you. The answer is to allow at least 45 minutes to set the day aside and relax into the night.  So enjoy some downtime before turning in. Read a book, have a relaxing warm bath, listen to some music and drink a arm milky drink or chamomile tea.  The object is to chill out before your head hits the pillow.

9  Useful ways to beat the bloat:  Although I'm still not sure what 'bloat', here are some ways to avoid getting it:

• Eat little and often.
• Sit down to eat, chew food well and hold back the chat to avoid swallowing excess air.
• Sip rather than gulp at least six to eight glasses of fluid a day.
• Avoid eating too much 'windy' veg such as peas, beans, lentils, onions, cauliflower, sprouts and cabbage.
• Limit intake of foods containing the sweetener sorbitoil, which can trigger flatulence.

10   Joints playing up?  Overdid it on the dance floor and now your arthritis is giving you gyp?  Music can act as an analgesic and help to get you on the move again.  Apparently music travels along the same neural pathway in the brain as pain, so it can help to block the twinges.  Dig out a favourite CD or put your iPod on and see what a difference it makes.  If pain persists, try taking a glucosamine supplement.  This stimulates the production of substances needed for the joints to mend and move more easily.   Also, taking omega-3 fish oil with glucosamine works more effectively than gluc. on its own, so up your oily fish intake or take an omega-3 fish oil supplement too.

11   Don't get cold feet: Freezing feet after Christmas shopping?   A hot-water bottle or bath may seem tempting but the brain needs time to register that the ambient temperature is warming up. Heat causes blood to flow too fast for the surrounding blood vessels to cope with, pushing up the risk of chillblains.  It's far better just to rub feet briskly or don thick socks and slippers and let them warm up gradually.

12   And relax!  Try this quick neck and shoulder relax-er (these are also good exercises during and after using the computer)

• Gently look over each shoulder.
• Slowly bring an ear down to each shoulder in turn.
• gently tuck your chin in towards your chest and feel the stretch in the back of your neck.

... And not forgetting

Watch who's coming to dinner:  Christmas food can be a minefield if one of your guests has allergies or food intolerance. Common culprits include sulphites and other additives (found in alcohol), histamine (found in cheeses such as Brie, Roquefort, Gruyere and Parmesan, as well as chicken, sausage, chocolate), lactose (found in milk products), wheat and gluten (found in cereals) and yeast (found in breads, ripe fruit, stock cubes and salad dressings to name but a few).

Check with your guests well in advance what they can and can't eat so you can plan your menu accordingly.  Visit allergyuk.org for ideas and advice.

Fight fatigue with aromatherapy:   A sweet-smelling environment can be hugely beneficial after hectic days of planning and Christmas shopping.  Put a few drops of energising essential oils onto a electric aromatherapy burner or into a bowl of hot water or a bath, relax and enjoy their therapeutic powers.

Alternatively sprinkle a few drops on a tissue or handkerchief and inhale.  Try:

• Pink grapefruit and juniper berry to energise.
• Frankincense to keep you calm.
• Geranium and ylang ylang for an instant energy boost.

And, three ways to wind down fast

• Dab a drop of lavender essential oil on your temples and wrists.
• Rn up and down the stairs a couple of times.
• Physiotherapists say to try and stay loose, roll your shoulders regularly to prevent tightness developing in the neck and between the shoulder blades.

iPod, GPS, credit card, microwave oven, bar code, light bulbs, telephone,  - what do all these have in common?


They're amonst the list of 25 inventions that have changed our way of life, see:  http://list25.com/25-inventions-that-changed-our-way-of-life/.

And to think that, for instance, when electricity was discovered people couldn't think of many uses for it!

This is a very interesting website which lists 25 best of all sorts of things.  A proper time-waster but fascinating at the same time.

As it's towards the end of the year, I'm sorting out the computer bookmarks.  I thought it would be fun to put all the youtube links on here - for others to enjoy - and so I can find them when in a hurry.

Bullterrier vs Cat
In memory of our dog Sooty, here is the first one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw1Aes8jmV8&feature=related

For all who love Downton Abbey (and Red Nose Day): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3YYo_5rxFE&feature=relmfu

Going back to being a mother, here are two favourites:

Baggy Pants (my nickname when I first went away to school and all my clothes were far too big!) and the Nitwits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwWUtoLnUjo

Wacky Races (remember Muttley the dog, Dick Dastardly and Penelope Pitstop?!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C6QVnDCrVw

Rowan Atkinson (telling the Gospel of John in 'We are most amused' in a concert to mark Prince Charles's 60th birthday): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umRRCkspaQU


From The Secret Policemen's Ball, 1979: http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=-hJQ18S6aag

Igudesman & Joo with Rachmaninov had big hands: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKKlhYF53w&feature

more to follow ...

We live in an age in which we are saturated with images. They stare at us from posters and the pages of magazines, they flit across our television and computer screens, they adorn our food packaging, our clothes and accessories. Whilst many of these images are purely commercial, the ubiquitous image has not left the art world untouched. Andy Warhol declared the death of art and stood for the democratization of painting – advertisements can be high art, art can be advertisement. The widespread nature of images has only increased the demand for art in peoples’ homes. Cheap full color reproductions and posters of paintings can be found from student rooms to hotel foyers. In the decades after the explosion of mass-produced images, many artists moved away from traditional formats and embraced a broader and more all-inclusive package of subjects and mediums. Art lovers followed suit, buying ever more extravagant pieces that moved further from the traditions of yesteryear, constantly searching for the newest sensation. Where then does this leave painting? Contrary to the popular view of contemporary art, many of the newest and brightest young artists have fully embraced painting, reviving it and transforming their canvases into extraordinary works of skill and talent. This renaissance of painting can be seen in galleries worldwide. However, when one can buy a very pleasing colour print for £5, why should one buy a piece of original art? A painting is unique – you are the owner of a work, the only one of its kind. So much more substantial than a print, you have a piece of heritage. When buying paintings, you must only choose that which you truly love and can imagine yourself living with. Paintings come at a price, but a high price is no guarantee that your painting is a good investment. As with all things, fashions and tastes change. Paintings that were once immensely popular can fall out of favour rapidly, whereas unknown artists can shoot into the spotlight overnight. A painting you love can be treasured by you and your family for generations to come, irrespective of monetary value. The qualities that an original painting possesses cannot be replicated even by the most advanced print technique. An original is so much more vivid, more alive than any reproductions they've seen, but often they can't put their finger on why exactly this should be. Perhaps the ephemeral superiority lies in the details that come together to make the whole: The look of the paint - a soft translucent sheen or the crystallized pigments that change subtly as you move through the room; brushstrokes, the textures of the paint, the surface created by movements of brush, palette knife and sponge; The three-dimensional quality of a painting on canvas or board, which gives it a tremendous sense of presence. When displayed, an original painting will transform a room, altering the space around it. A painting is so much more than just an image. It is the unique mark of an artist, a document of their creativity and energy. In a world full of reproductions, watered-down visions and genuine fakes, an original painting stands as a capsule of authenticity – a direct link to humanity and the spark of creativity of another human being. Paintings are personal in an impersonal world, a token of love and passion that reconnects us to ourselves.

We live in an age in which we are saturated with images.  They stare at us from posters and the pages of magazines, they flit across our television and computer screens, they adorn our food packaging, our clothes and accessories. 

Whilst many of these images are purely commercial, the ubiquitous image has not left the art world untouched. Andy Warhol declared the death of art and stood for the democratization of painting – advertisements can be high art, art can be advertisement. The widespread nature of images has only increased the demand for art in peoples’ homes.  Cheap full color reproductions and posters of paintings can be found from student rooms to hotel foyers.

In the decades after the explosion of mass-produced images, many artists moved away from traditional formats and embraced a broader and more all-inclusive package of subjects and mediums. 

Art lovers followed suit, buying ever more extravagant pieces that moved further from the traditions of yesteryear, constantly searching for the newest sensation. Where then does this leave painting?

Contrary to the popular view of contemporary art, many of the newest and brightest young artists have fully embraced painting, reviving it and transforming their canvases into extraordinary works of skill and talent. 

This renaissance of painting can be seen in galleries worldwide. However, when one can buy a very pleasing colour print for £5, why should one buy a piece of original art?

A painting is unique – you are the owner of a work, the only one of its kind. So much more substantial than a print, you have a piece of heritage. When buying paintings, you must only choose that which you truly love and can imagine yourself living with. 

Paintings come at a price, but a high price is no guarantee that your painting is a good investment. As with all things, fashions and tastes change.  Paintings that were once immensely popular can fall out of favour rapidly, whereas unknown artists can shoot into the spotlight overnight. 

A painting you love can be treasured by you and your family for generations to come, irrespective of monetary value.

The qualities that an original painting possesses cannot be replicated even by the most advanced print technique.  An original is so much more vivid, more alive than any reproductions they've seen, but often they can't put their finger on why exactly this should be. 

Perhaps the ephemeral superiority lies in the details that come together to make the whole: The look of the paint - a soft translucent sheen or the crystallized pigments that change subtly as you move through the room; brushstrokes, the textures of the paint, the surface created by movements of brush, palette knife and sponge; The three-dimensional quality of a painting on canvas or board, which gives it a tremendous sense of presence. When displayed, an original painting will transform a room, altering the space around it. A painting is so much more than just an image. It is the unique mark of an artist, a document of their creativity and energy. 

In a world full of reproductions, watered-down visions and genuine fakes, an original painting stands as a capsule of authenticity – a direct link to humanity and the spark of creativity of another human being. Paintings are personal in an impersonal world, a token of love and passion that reconnects us to ourselves.

So Why Buy Art?

• Original art is unique.  As a personal expression, art reflects emotions, experiences and individuality of the human experience.  In a home original art is a powerful statement.  If we are able to connect with the impact of original art, the expression of personal identity is enhanced in our living space which adds to the quality of life.  
• Original art improves our environment.  Imagine bleak, bare walls or walls covered with factory produced reproductions compared with one filled with emotionally charged original art that reflects the taste of the art buyer. 
• Art connects people in a real way.  People reflect on and comment about original art. 

A Householders Guide to Self-defence in the Home

From an invaluable article in the Sunday Telegraph in 2004 and hopefully still relevant - unless the law has changed radically.

If an intruder confronts you in the kitchen:

1. Take the intruder by surprise and seize the initiative from him/her by reacting instantly.  Grab items within your reach - the heavier the better - and hurl them one after the other.
2. Do not throw a kitchen knife - it could be dodged and retrieved by the intruder.
3. If the intruder continues to advance, use a kitchen knife as a defensive weapon.  Take it in your hand and hold it 'upside down', with the blade pointing towards your elbow and the unsharpened edge of the blade pressing against your wrist.  Use it to 'block' the intruder; if he attempts to assault you, the blade's cutting edge will wound and deter him.

Turning a wooden spoon into a lethal weapon:

1. Grip the spoon's handle tightly.  the bowl of the spoon should point towards you; the length of the handle should point away from you, with just an inch of it protruding from your fist.
2. The handle, when wielded forcefully and used as a stabbing tool, is like a stiletto heel: a lot of force concentrated in a small surface area, that can cause a great deal of pain.
3. Aim for the most sensitive 'points', or areas, on the intruder's body,for maximum effect.  These include the eyes, nose, ears, upper lip, throat and solar plexus.

Fighting back with a bunch of  keys:

1. Grab the key fob in the palm of your hand and allow the key=ends to fall between your fingers, to create a spiky 'knuckle duster'.
2. Grip the key fob tightly and wield it as forcefully as you are able.  If the intruder comes close, go straight for his eyes to disable hi.  Or scratch the keys down his face, to distract him.

While you are watching TV:

1. Once again, throw what you have.  In a sitting room, typical missiles are vases, paperweights and the TV remote control.
2. Keep pokers and other fireside irons within reach.
3. If the intruder continues to approach, throw your arms around his neck, pull him to you and do what you can with your teeth.  Bite his ear off.

If an intruder confronts you on the landing:

1. In the absence of a sharp-ended object such as a wooden spoon, poke and jab with your fingers.
2. If you do not know how to punch properly, hit with the ball of your palm for a better result.
3. If he lunges at you or pushes you, step to one side.  It is a chance to put him off-balance - he could even go sprawling.
4. If he falls, or you are able to push him to the floor, pummel him with our elbows, which are sharper than fists.

If an intruder confronts you in your bedroom:

1. Regain the initiative by reacting instantly, and use what is close.  If you keep a torch make sure it has metal ends, not capped with rubber, as this can be wielded with better effect.
2. If you sleep with your arms below the covers, it is easy for an intruder to pin you to the bed.  If this happens, you can use your head to butt and your teeth. Spitting will not do you any harm;it will distract your intruder.

Not sure that I could manage some of these, as a short person, but would certainly be prepared to fling things at an intruder.  Tins sound an especially good idea, or some of my late mother's collection of paperweights!

See also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13957587 and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19886504