RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY!...............

The weekeend started off beautifully, with a warm breeze, sunshine and a BLUE sky. That was yesterday! Today.... strong wind and RAIN, RAIN, RAIN! No point planning to do too much today then. Still, that means Sunday afternoon spent in hibernation mode on the sofa. My schoolwork is done, housey jobs complete and so that just leaves a little bit of blogging and knitting time :)

 I've tried to make sure that I have completed at least a little knitting each evening this week. That's manageable, as long as I don't also spend time browsing on the internet. There is always some schoolwork to do in the evenings, however organised I try to be. This weeek there was the added excitement of knowing that the 'Through the Loops' sock KAL would be beginning on 1st October. Yarn and needles were at the ready................ click and away we go. Only the first part of the pattern has been released thus far; the cuff! It's quite strange to be knitting an unknown pattern, but also quite exciting to see what appears. Here's what has appeared so far....

I've gone as far as I can go until the next pattern release. I have to say, I just love the yarn. It had sat in my stash looking rather dull and dark, for quite a while. Once knitted up though, the lighter, brighter touches of pink and purples really show through.

I 'bit the bullet' and ripped back the 'Pomatamus' socks last weekend. I knew if I didn't pick them up again this week and at least knit back to where I had been, they could so easily slide into the naughty corner and not be seen again for some time.

There we go! Looking much better. No snags and no unexplained hole! Smile! This yarn deserves the best!

My youngest 'lovely girl' has expressed a desire for me to knit her a warm 'coaty kind of cardi',  several times recently. Yesterday, whilst in John Lewis on a bed linen buying mission, we veered off course and found ourselves surrounded by wooly goodness. She found just the right pattern and yarn and Snoopydog thought 'yum!' So, without too much thought about the expense of this particular 'coaty cardi', my 'lovely girl' hurried right along to the 'Pay Desk'. It's 'Gayle' from Rowan's Purelife 'the British Sheep Breed Collection', knitted up in undyed Blue Faced Leicester. The pattern book has lots of warm, scrumptiously woolly jumpers and jackets inside it.

How times come around again! I remember knitting aran sweaters and cardis for Mr Snoopydog and myself, way back in the seventies. I'm secretly hoping to get a 'wear or two' of this one. I think it's lovely! Not quite so sure about the handwashing (to keep the lanolin in) though, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now I should be feeling much more concerned about actually managing to complete the knitting! There does look to be rather a lot of it!

Just to satisfy myself that I had been a little productive today, I managed to rustle up six jars of marmalde to stash. Okay, it's only made from a can of 'Ma Made', water and two 1.8kg of sugar, but it's still satisfying to produce.

It's that time of year, when Sunday evening supper calls for roast vegetables. Scrummy! Tonight, they'll be served with fresh broccoli and tender leg of lamb. Usually we add sweet potato as well. Chop them all up, dry them, chuck them into a large roasting dish, with several (quite a few!!!!) whole cloves of garlic. Add a little olive or sunflower oil and a slash of maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper before whacking in the oven for an hour. Delicious!

I wonder what's on your menu this evening? :)

Tomorrow, Oscar has to return to the orthopaedic vet, for further x-rays, to find out how he's healing. He needs lots of crossed fingers, toes and paws, as he is still limping and the shoulder is clearly still troubling him. There was no guarantee that he would be cured :( I feel rather pessimistic at the moment, but let's wait and see what tomorrow brings. He deserves to feel well again, so that he can run and play and enjoy life in true uninhibited labrador fashion. So, on that note, I'll take my leave and pop the lamb in the oven. Please cross those fingers and doggy or pussy paws!!!!!

BLUES AND GREENS...........

 Goodness, how time flies! I can't believe I'm back here chatting to you again. I posted on Saturday last week, as we had planned to race up to Manchester to see baby Sophie and for Mr S to see our son and daughter-in-law's new house. We left early on Sunday morning, returning on Monday afternoon. The view above was taken coming down off the Snake Pass. You can see Manchester in the distance. This isn't the shortest route from Norfolk, but it is most certainly the most scenic and the one that we almost always take.

Despite the long drive, we had a lovely Bank Holiday weekend, as the sun shone and we could walk the dogs and mooch around new haunts in Chorlton, where their house is located. Sophie was pleased to see us too!

It's been a busy and tiring week, as school resumed on Wednesday. The children don't return until this coming Monday, but even with NO children I felt shattered by Friday. We spent the three days in meetings, completing a First Aid course and sorting out our classrooms. It all seems so easy when there are no children around. The classroom looks clean and tidy. The shiny new stationery is out on tables, brightly coloured name labels are dangling from pegs and place names are awaiting their owners. Phew!

Needless to say, I STILL have to plan what I am actually going to teach next week, hence the reason for my post appearing on Saturday again this week, rather than the customary Sunday evening. Methinks I may well be a tad busy tomorrow!!!!!!!

The sun shone on and off for most of the morning today, so I made the most of it and sat in the garden to sew up the finished 'Artist' sweater.

 I'm sort of pleased with it, but also have some niggles. I don't make many large items for myself and maybe don't pay quite enough attention to the actual finished size to expect. I chose to make a size 12, but the sweater has ended up rathet roo wide under the arms for my liking. It is really supposed to be quite fitted. The same problem arose with the 'October Afternoon' cardi I made last year. I'll try a 10 next time!!!! My tension is correct, so I guess it's a lesson nearly learnt. I am pleased, however, with my much improved sewing up technique. I have to say, I almost enjoyed sewing up, as the seams were looking so flat. This was made possible by simply using 'mattress stich'.

The sweater has three quarter sleeves......just in case you were thinking, I must have very short arms!!!

I 've also made some progress on the 'Jules' socks. This is one of Kate Blackburn's patterns. The pattern is very easy and very effective. I love the heel detail!

They are taking rather a long time as I am used to knitting socks to fit a size 5 or 6, but these are to be a size 10! Think I'll need the third ball of yarn.

That's been my week! Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you about poor dear Oscar. He has had an intermittent limp for quite a few weeks now and we have been backwards and forwards to the vet, trying new diets, limiting exercise, anti-inflammatory tablets; all to no avail! He has now been x-rayed and has to have an operation next Tuesday at a specialist orthopaedic vet clinic about an hour's drive away. He has a problem with the growth of cartilage in his shoulder joint; it's something called Osteochondritis. I think he will be staying there for two or three nights. Poor Oscar!!!!! Hopefully though, the problem will be resolved and he will soon be able to run like the wind again.

I'll let you know how he is next time. I'm a little worried, but I'm sure all will be well. By this time next week, Oscar will be home again and I will have met and taught my new class for a whole week. I am always nervous before the first day.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everybody.