Thanks for all the supportive emails yesterday folks I do appreciate it:) Today the sun is shining and it does help tremendously. We had a leisurely start to the day then went into Lancaster to pick up an old friend who has cvome to stay until Friday. Then when we got home the postman had been bringing treasures for both Mr Mog and I. Mr Mog doesn't often get mail, he says just bills, and his nephew sent him a wee gift from border fine arts today. Her name is bessie, isn't she grand? I think that when they visited they saw all the sheep around and thought they were Mr Mogs:))
Then from Shona
all the goodies you see here:) Including tablet:)) I love tablet Shona thank you. She also sent gorgeous sock yarn but also a finished pair of monkey socks for the hospice, aren't they lovely?
It did my heart good to open the package. I have to make a confession here.As I said most mail is for me especially at the minute with the sock yarn and I started to open Mr Mog's package before realising it said his name not mine. He almost lost the thrill of opening it due to my eagerness(VBG)
The pictures above show a group photo of all this months knitting, not a bad haul is it> Then the second pair of socks for the hospice using Wye Sues yarn
The single sock is for me when it gets finished. Enquiring minds may wonder what the tiny object in the group picture is? A pixie sock I'm experimenting with. The reason will become clear to some of you at some stage:))
Thanks again for the cheering up, I do appreciate it

3rd annual Brigid in Cyberspace poetry reading, cancer and friends+ yarn arrives.

On imbolc this year I'll be participating once more in the annual Brigid in cyberspace poetry reading
Deborah
has all the details on her blog. I've done this the past 2 years and always love reading everyones poetry. Even if you don't want to post one it is fun to read all the ones that people across the world have posted. I found some wonderful ones I'd never heard of and quite a lot that I already counted favourites.
I was thinking today about cancer, specifically Mr Mog's cancer and the effect it has had on our social life. For whatever reasons lots of our friends don't seem to be comfortable with it. By that I mean they are keeping away, they don't even phone. Now I know one person has recently lost a member of his family and maybe its too close to home. I don't know. But so many of our friends, especially the pagan ones have kept away. Its rather hurtful and upsetting for both Mr Mog and I.
Why am I specifying the pagan ones specifically? Well for me paganism, or the belief I have means I'm more aware of the feelings of others and try as much as I can to be there for people.
In sympathy with them if you will. I am not explaining my self too well am I?
There have been good moments. We have a few friends who are there for us all the time. Not in your pocket type of being there, but they ring, they call round as normal and I think that is what we want, some normality. It feels as if we have the plague, keep away unclean and it is a pity. We are struggling with the cancer lately, both depressed and low. The weather doesn't help either. Today was all rain. I'm not sleeping and I know Mr Mog isn't, we don't talk enough about it. He is quite a private person in some ways and not as talkative as I am. I usually tend to say too much, this comes from being kept under the thumb in previous relationships. With Mr Mog I was always able to say what I wanted, sometimes too much:)
On this subject I can't properly. I seem to pussyfoot around and maybe I need to go on the beach and scream, get rid of the tension not feel as awakward as I am.
Phew, what a mouthful.
I think really I'm saying that if you have family or friends with cancer, be yourself around them, don't stay away. They are still the same person, the cancer doesn't change that.
On a more cheery note , see the picture at the top of the post? It arrived today from Santa Clara in CA, from Hendrickson it says on the address label. I don't know who you are but thank you very much for this:)
I hope to have another finished pair of socks to show tomorrow:)
Excuse the dismals, I'll be cheerier tomorrow.

more socks finished:) more gorgeous yarn and oh yes a winner:)

Lots to post about today so lets get started:)
Shall we start with the pictures? I know you aren't in a rush to see who Mr Mog chose from the Spring contest(VBG)
First picture has yarn from the lovely Artis-Anne along with a picture of my favourite place in Wales Portmerion. Haven't been in over 20 years so this brought back good memories, thank you Anne.
Second picture is hand dyed especially for Hare and Harvest moons by Vicky and her daughter
Aren't they lovely colours?
I feel so lucky that I get to knit all these colours for the next year, thank you everyone for keeping the yarn coming.
I've actually finished my Dennis the Menace socks, for Mr Mog these not part of the hospice lot although I do have some yarn left and I'm thinking of maybe making a pair with it mixed with say black? I loved the feel of this yarn wish I knew what it was as I'd love more.
The next sock is also a me sock from some trekking I purchased after seeing Jane Yarnstorms marmalade socks:) Maybe I'll keep these as Mr Mog is accumulating a few pairs now.
In hospice socks I'm on with the second in the Admiral R Druck from Wye Sue. This will be 2 pairs for hospice for January which I'm pleased at.
Thoughts on sock yarn
Do any of you rewind it before using? I find that the balls of it ,like opal etc the larger balls, don’t sit in my knitting bag and flow comfortably while I’;m knitting.
I finally decided today that I’ll rewind them before using, after all I wind the skeins so its only the same but far easier:)
I NEED a swift, I keep looking on ebay but haven’t managed to get one yet. Its hard winding skeins without and both Mr Mog and I get achey holding the yarn.
Been quiet for a few days as I am having lots of pain and I’m really sore even with all the pain killers. It is keeping me awake which isn't good either. Mr Mog has been a little better today, not as depressed as he was. He is busy fitting out the dolls house for grandson #2 who will be 10 in March. He wants it as a car showroom and house so half will be showroom half living quarters. Plus he wants flat roof instead of normal roof to show off cars and a lift to first foor and roof for transporting cars. Not much to ask of a talented grandad:)) Mr Mog has made the lift, some teething troubles as we speak but essentially done. It has a chain pullet to move it from ground to first floor and roof. Now we need to figure out a large showroom window, think it will have to be something like perspex.
So enough already with the chit chat, you all want to know who won the contest?
The winner
chosen by Mr Mog
is


Jo from Freestyle fibre
Congratulations Jo, can you email me with your address please so I can send you your prize.
amber dot moggie at virgin dot net
Sorry I couldn't send everyone prizes but there will be another giveaway soon

The fruit is out there:)) and yarn, glorious yarn

A little rant first then some pictures or is it pictures first? I can never tell with blogger. Ah we have picture of sock first. Second pair for this month using the Admiral D Ruck from Wye Sue. Isn't it a gorgeous blend of colours?
The rant:-
last week my liquidiser/blender lost a blade. It was a great blender from Lidl 3 years ago and it has been used everyday since then. I make fresh smoothies each day for Mr Mog and I. Live yoghurt, a little juice to wet the mixture and then a variety of different fruits. I try to aim for 6 or 7 different ones every day. Bananas, apples, pears, blueberries, grapes, mango, kiwi fruit at the moment. Anyway I digress. The liquidiser broke. I thought it was an easy matter to procure another. Oh no it isn't, not if you want to do strange things like blend fruit and yoghurt. We tried Lidl/Aldi but none on the offers and no idea when they would have.
First off we went for cheap and cheerful at asda, took it home all unsuspecting and tried to make the smoothie. Large lumps of fruit left, banana at that so not exactly the hardest to blend. Took it back, got the nextup in price one from there. Same thing happened only more fruit left even after 3 minutes blending.
Back to shop for refund then off to Tesco. Try their blender, same thing. Took back and asked what did you try to blend? Excuse me?Why would that matter. Refund given.
We then took a trip to our local Argos, thought perhaps we were being too much of a cheapskate(bearing in mind the lidl one only cost something like £13)
This time we found a Moulinex Baileys blender. Was £39.99, reduced to clear £15. really that should have warned us, but the lady said it just wouldn't be in the next catalogue and I've had good Moulinex stuff before so we trundled off home.
Same problems, lumps of fruit you had to strain through your teeth.
Both getting totally frustrated now at the failure to procure exactly what we wanted.
Off to Sainsburys to shop and thought we would look around for? yes you guessed, a blender:)
Found a larger motor, 5 speed plus the pulse and ice crusher we had already had on the other ones. Popped all the fruit and yoghurt etc in this morning, crossed fingers, turned it on and super smooth gorgeous smoothy. Success at last but why did it take so long? The other thing that really niggled, after 1 minute they all said you should leave for a few minutes to rest, then blend again. Also no hot liquids to be placed in it,. Now I have always blended my soups at hot temps in the Lidl one and no probs. Too many instructions and poor workmanship
Hurrah for Sainsburys and they were cheap which was a bonus:))
Now to the yarn:) What fabulous stuff there came in today's mail:) Wollmeise, shades Paul Miss May Vincent and Bob Aren't they lovely and so bright on such a dull day. Not sure what I'll knit with these yet, maybe socks and a shawl. It is sock weight I ordered from Claudia last time she updated the shop.
This is followed by Opal from Dez for my hospice socks and red CP tweed yarn we traded for one of my elementals:) Thanks Dez love the colour.
Finally look at what Erica sent for my hospice appeal, such generosity and such colours. Yarn I've never seen before:) Thank you Erica.

A contest:)

I thought I'd have a little contest to lighten up the damp dark days we are having:) and also as a way of thanking you for the good thoughts.
The Prize will be
zitron loft merino 100% for felting in oranges/ambers
stitch markers
one of my elemental figures

What you have to do? Quite simple really just tell me why you are looking forward to Spring. I'll get Mr Mog to pick the winner on Saturday

yarn pron and FOs not just socks:))

A lot of pictures for you today:) Lets start at the top should we? Ladies and gentlemen I give you sock pair #2 for January. Well at least almost sock 1 of sock pair 2 if yousee what I mean? Using the Admiral R DRuck from Wye Sue and it knits up beautifully. Haven't tried this yarn before but will again. It feels so smooth working in this. As you can see I'm staying with the tried and tested simple sock:) It epitomises a UK winter for me, the ice cold, the blue skies on frosty days, the grey of the rainy days. Perfect for wolf moon:)
Following on from that is the felted ear flap hat. Hasn't it felted well? Size to fit a teenager I think, too small for me but I do have a big head:)) Modelled by Lydias part sister(VBG) Lucretia. Sadly Lucretia can only take on small modelling roles but she does it admirably.
She displays the latest Calorimetry
This was made in Colinette mohair because I wanted something warm and vibrant. I think you will agree with the vibrant?
Next picture is some yarn I purchased from Germany trekking. I'd seen some gorgeous juicy socks on Jane Yarnstorms blog
loved the colour and thought they would be really cheery for Mr Mog to wear, and trekking seemed so apt for his trek each day for radiotherapy:)
Somehow another colour slipped in there also:)
Next up we have 2 balls of Admiral be druckt , the orangey one, and Admiral R Druck the multi one. from Yvonne
Yvonne as you know was my last SP:)
Final picture is from Maylin
Tiger feet . I've seen this knit up and love it:)
THanks everyone for your most generous donations I appreciate it.
Bless you all for being so thoughtful.
Today it is raining once more so no promenade methinks. I'm going to get back to the sock knitting for a change:)
Seemed funny last night knitting something other than socks, must come up with a simpe felted bag pattern to do with the loft I showed you the other day. Any suggestions?

Warming food and knitting also book destash

We had the first bit of sunshine for a week today and it was lovely. Mr Mog and I went up to the promenade for a walk and a check out fo the beach. Great views across to the Cumberland hills, or Cumbrian as they are now known:))
He was very depressed all day, still is poor lamb. Very quiet and withdrawn. He got the letter about the postponed treatments today. The next scan will be 12th February and provisionally the radiotherapy starts 26th Feb. A full month later than we had hoped. No wonder he is depressed.
We had a lovely tea tonight, comfort food. Made yesterday because it always tastes better second day
Yesterday I browned some shin beef in oil, added garlic(lots) leeks, onions, carrots, celery and barley. To that I added tin of flagolet beans and a tin of chopped tomatoes. Added beef stock and some black pepper and a shot of lime juice. Brought slowly to the boil then turned down low and simmered for around 3 hours.
This evening warmed it slowly and ate it with mashed potatoes, yummy:))
I've been doing knitting that isn't socks:))
Here you see a very big earflap hat in mountain colors bearfoot I think? It is currently in the washing machine felting so hopefully pictures tomorrow.
I've also cast on for another Calorimetry for me in colinette mohair Florentina colourway I think?
I had my hair cut yesterday at the local college and my neck is cool:) It is quite short now as the long hair was getting me down. When it is long it just hangs there unless you tie it back so I decided a trimwas in order. Bonus is that my hair curls when it is shorter and scrunches dry which is easier with the RA as I can't hold my arm up to use hairdryer.
I love the local hairdressing college as you get a great hairstyle and for a cut and blow dry its just £5.50:))
I'm destashing some books also for those not on ravelry

All as new except the vogue

easy knitted socks jeannette trotman £5 I was gifted this then purchased it by mistake:))

Vogue guide to knitting, crochet and macrame An oldie but goodie:) £3

Colinette toast and marmalade patterns for cushions and throws£3

wrapped in comfort knitted lace shawls Alison Jepson Hyde £5

Victoria lace today Jane sowerby. £8

socks soar on 2 circular needles Cat Bordhi decided I prefer DPNs for my socks:) £5

postage extra

looking for harmony dpns orI am looking for the new Noro book

Lots of goodies, some bad news and some weird:(

lots of goodies to show you today:) In no particular order because I haven't figured out how to move them about.
Firstly the January socks for the hospice 1st pair are finished. Don't they look gorgeous? Such a great colour.
Thenstarting from the top we have 2 lots of beautiful yarn from Andrea Lum:) I especially like the skein of rainbow colour. Thank you Andrea
Next from Kathleen Rogers Wollmeise spice market. Isn't this rich and opulent? Love the card also, thank you Kathleen.
Next we have some yarn from a ravelry destash. Feltable no less. Don't know what to make with it as yet but no doubt something will suggest itself.
Then a mix of BFL and cashmere yarns and no idea where from? No address on the package but it is from Uk. I love the colours of these and would love to know who sent it please.
This leads nicely but not into the next thing. I have no idea who sent it because I've lost my emails and somehow all my emails were being forwarded to someone else as from last night? I logged on this afternoon to an empty mail box. I phoned virgin and they had no idea what had happened but all my mail was going to some person(female ) on BT here in UK?? I've stopped it now but they couldn't say why it happened. I've lost lots of yahoo/freecylce mail etc but mainly I'm worried that I have lost all personal email. I've emailed the address so we will see if I get a reply.
If you emailed can you please email me again? Also can Kathleen and Andrea let me know their websites so I can link in my hospice list thanks.
Now to the bad news. Specialist rang us today. Mr Mog isn't starting his radiotherapy now on Tuesday:( He has to take 2 weeks minimum of 3 x per day laxatives and 5 days starting tomorrow of enemas:( Apparently his bowel isn't emptying properly.
It is good in one way, at least they are taking steps to minimise the area that will be affected by the radiotherapy. But Mr Mog is dreadfully upset today as it will be at least 3 weeks til it starts and he has to put up with this other stuff. He got a dreadful migraine this afternoon, primarily I'm sure from the phone call.
Off to make him a cup of tea
talk later

finished sock, yarn and more

.

lots of pictures today:)
Finished the Dennis the menace sock, aren't the colours brilliant?
the yarn is Noro silk garden lite and not sure what to make with 3 balls of it? The colours are lovely and misty

Mr Mog is ok, has had a bad week but he is a little better now. He had his scan Wednesday and then Thursday they rang to say he has to go back for another on Tuesday. He was really depressed at this but once he realised that a lot of folks have to go back for a second one he picked up. He has been tattoed:)) 4 tiny marks to line him up when he starts the radiotherapy. I tease him that now he has these he will want more:))
We got the list of his appointment times for the treatment. Different on each day, lots of 9am which means leaving home around 7.15am with rush hour. Some at 6.30pm also rush hour times. The good thing with the early and late appointments is that we have the rest of the day free. There are some at lunch time but hey a few days out of the 8 weeks isn't bad is it?

Do you get the idea I'm going to be busy this year?

I think 2008 is going to be the year of the sock don't you?
Look what came in this morning's post. Hayley and Wye Sue thank you very much for the fabulous parcels:) I am going to have to teach Mr Mog to knit methinks(VBG) Some wonderful yarn here and it will be fun knitting it up. Mr Mog has just been in the garage and brought in a set of 4 plastic drawrs. He thinks the emptying of just one of my existing yarn drawrs was a little less than I will need:)
The other 2 pictures are progress so far. One finished sock and start of one in the Lisa Souza, and nearly ready for the heel on the Dennis the menace one. The two yarns are totally different to knit up. The red is more close knit. I suspect I could have gone down a size on the needles for the Lisa Souza but no matter. Don't the purple needles go well with the yarn?

Socks for hospice update and other stuff

Look at these fabulous pictures:) My first yarn donations arrived already:)
The top picture shows the goodies from Debbie (Sussex Yorkie)
Spring for sure on 1 set Debbie and possibly winter for the others?Thanks also to Debbie for the beautiful good luck card.
Secondly the package from Rosie
Not only yummy yarn but also chocolate with her card:) Mr Mog recommends the chocolate:)
Thank you very much, these have gone in the special hospice yarn drawer to await knitting.
I haven't put any pics of my Lisa Souza monkey sock up because there isn't a monkey sock. Sadly monkey and I didn't agree so we parted ways and I'm working down the foot on a simple sock. I'm thinking that I'll do the socks in the pattern I'm used to for now. I'll practice other patterns on something that isn't part of this lunar year and if it works out, then I'll progress to different patterns. Sound ok to you? Not chickening out honest:)
The other thing I found out from trying to knit monkey socks. Lisa Souza sock! merino didn't like my bamboo needles. I frogged several times:( I then cast on to the purple needles gifted by Yvonne and the yarn liked them muchly. I still had to frog the monkey again but still.
I've never had that problem before of bamboo and certain yarns not speaking to each other.
Next bit of news we got the appointment through today for Mr Mog's radiotherapy. He has to go this Wednesday for the CT scan to map out the exact area they will zap. They tattoo the marks on him:)) Indelible pen I presume, my moggy man has no tattoos and he isn't going to start now(VBG)
After that the radiotherapy starts 22nd January and he has to have 37 treatments. I foresee a lot of sock knitting don't you?
It put a bit of a downer on us this morning but we knew it had to come so this afternoon we went on the beach for a walk and it helped.
He is much more tired than he was and more prone to tears, this is the hormone injections and to be honest if I thought that would be the only drawbacks to the radiotherapy as well I'd be over the moon. Time will tell.
Hopefully I'll have a picture of the first finished sock for the lunar marathon tomorrow.
Lime and Violet did a piece on it on daily chum and I've had a couple of emails already offering to help. Mr Mog reckons I'll be doing nothing else but socks all year:)) Little does he know, I've a shawl in my head that I want to knit in Jo's fire mohair and that will be started soon.

Update on sock sponsorship

As it would appear more people are donating, thank you:)) it seems that the lunar year may not just have 13 pairs of socks. If I get enough sponsorship I'll do 2 pairs per month, one for the waxing and one for the waning moon. Yes 26 pairs are possible.

Happy New Year and I've started the socks:)

Hope everyone has a happy, healthy and very creative year. I saw the new year in by finishing a pair of socks. The yarn was a swap yarn and is from the yarn yard. Love the colour of them:)
I also started my first pair for the hospice year of socks. yarn is Lisa Souza Sock! merino I purchased from lime and violets destash sale. It arrived a couple of days ago and I love the colour:) A little like pistachios or sugared almonds isn't it? colour is spumoni. And as always I'm amazed at the difference when you wind it from skein to ball. I'm going to really enjoy knitting this up:) I'm trying monkey socks:) A big step after several pairs of simple ones isn't it?
I've had several kind folks offer yarn for the socks but still have vacancies on months as you can see(VBG)
If you would like to sponsor me by sending enough yarn for a pair of socks I'd be very grateful. They will all be going to the hospice same as the shawls did.
I am getting more and more nervous now about Mr mog's radiotherapy. They said it would be early January so could be any day now. I think it is the thought of the damage the radiotherapy can do with it being his prostate. I know they have to spell out the drawbacks but still I don't want Mr Mog having any more problems. I know I'm probably worrying needlessly but its the fear of the unknown isn't it?
We had a lovely quiet new year, watched a couple of episodes of Angel, glass of wine and sock knitting for me:) My brother phoned from New Zealand just before midnight and spent around an hour on the phone. He and my sister in law are coming over in September for a month which will be great. I haven't seen my brother for a few years and I haven't seen my SIL since they moved to New Zealand around 9 years ago.
And what about 2008? What kind of year will it be I wonder?