Monday, February 24, 2014

" Two Lovely Black Eyes ... "

Today I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from each eyelid.  For a while I didn't think that it was going to be able to have them removed.  When I first saw the plastic surgeon I said that I wanted them removed under local anaesthetic.  However, he said that it would be better if I had "a little sedation" so I was booked in to the local day surgery place, fasted from midnight and turned up bright-eyed if not particularly bushy tailed, having missed out on my morning coffee.  After a couple of hours wait I was readied for surgery but when I spoke to the anaesthetist he wanted to know who was taking me home and who was staying the night with me.  The answer was that I didn't know that I needed anyone.  He told me that the law had changed and anyone having an anaesthetic couldn't be allowed home unsupervised.  Impass!

At the nurse's insistence she phoned D2 who was, of course working and couldn't help, especially as she was working a late shift.   The first option I suggested was that I should be admitted overnight to hospital but then I asked why was it not possible for me to have the procedure done under local anaesthetic and this time the surgeon agreed.  It took all of five minutes and two tiny pinpricks.  He said that most people didn't like having injections into their eyelids and that I was very stoical but given the alternatives it wasn't an option.

So now I have two black eyes.  The right one is more or less covered by my spectacle frames but the left one is a beauty.

I have started knitting up the scarf I intended making from my woollen spinning from rolags and it is turning out much better than I could have hoped.  The spinning is uneven but I am using a brioche stitch which is like a very loose rib and rather than give the scarf away to someone I don't like very much (my sister would have been a good candidate for that) I am going to keep it for myself although the colours are not ones which I normally wear.

Here is a photo of the progress so far.  I still have to spin a couple more skeins but that is a minor concern as I am having fun with the rolags, spinning woollen and doing the long backdraw.  Click on the picture to enlarge it.



Friday, February 14, 2014

Written in the stars

Yesterday, just for fun, I clicked on one of those ads offering me a 'shocking horoscope reading'.  I put in my details, and even gave my correct name and was told that I was about to enter a transit period.  This period is due to start on 3rd March and last for only a shortish time and if I am to take advantage of it the astrologer wants more details (for that, read money) to guide me through this period during which all the riches, fame and happiness which I have missed out on all my life will be mine.

In my dewy youth I did an astrology course with Adult Education and had my star chart drawn up and read.  I have multiple grand crosses in fixed signs which, for anyone who knows about such things, is about as bad as it gets.  Notwithstanding, I am happy with the life I have chosen and more than enough money to support it so I am looking forward to what will befall me on two weeks time.  The only thing I lack in my life is a partner but much prefer my cats to having a man mess up my life for me.  Being single I can do what I like when I like and that is the way I like it.

I am finally starting to overcome the problems I am having with E.Emma and between us we are now producing something reasonable if not particularly great yarn.  I have almost filled the bobbin of glitter singles and probably tomorrow I will ply it and see what my experiment looks like.  The trouble with that is that throughout my spinning on E.Emma since I got her up and running again she has very determinedly tried to spin with an 'S' twist and I am finally starting to get my own way (I have tightened her drive band by quite a lot) and am spinning with a 'Z' twist.  When I ply the two bobbins I will be doing an 'S' twist.  I am hoping that E.Emma doesn't take that as a sign that she has won this round.

I'll post a photo of the bobbin when I have finished spinning it.  The glitter doesn't really show but hopefully it will show up more when it is plied and will be contrasting with a darker single.  I have to go into Firefox to post photos  -  a nuisance!  Click on the picture to enlarge it.

In a spin

I have spent most of today spinning.  This morning I did battle with the recalcitrant E.Emma which, despite every encouragement, is determined to spin with an 'S' twist whereas I want her to spin 'Z' wise.  However, I am getting better with the long backward draw.  I need to relax my holding hand more  -  I still tend to grip the rolag too hard and it won't play out but when I get it right it is fun.  The yarn, when plied, will be thick because I can't control the draw enough to keep it thin.


This afternoon I spent about two hours on E.Roberta and I must admit that I enjoyed the 'no hassle' spinning on her.  Set the tension and spin rate and just feed the yarn in; it is so easy  -  except for the noils, of course,  which are ubiquitous to the tops and a pain in the proverbial.


I am a bit sore today and am not sure if it is the fact that I have stopped the cortisone or if I did last night's yoga a bit too enthusiastically but I'll keep on anyway and hopefully I'll stretch out any kinks.


The babies have recovered from their traumatic trip to the vet.  Yesterday Parsifal was very subdued but he is back to his old form again today, bless his little black heart.  Poppy took the whole thing much more phlegmatically but she is easier to handle than he is.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Up and running again


I can move; my joints are no longer stiff and aching; I think that the neurotoxins from the spider bites have finally disappeared, although I have been taking cortisone for the last week so tomorrow will be the crunch time.  But I have got back to yoga and am stretching out again.  It feels good.


I have spent the last few weeks spinning and am about to start the last skein of the beastly black corriedale after which I can start knitting the cardigan which I was spinning it for.  I have also been making and spinning rolags on my new blending board and that is fun.


Because Herself wants me to give a spinning demonstration at the school where she volunteers I have recommissioned my treadle wheel, Emma, and have spun the first of the rolags on her and have filled one bobbin.  I am now in the process of making sparkly rolags to spin and ply with the coloured rolags.  It should be interesting .. .


I took the babies to the vet yesterday to get their vaccination boosters.  Dr Sophie didn’t get bitten this time, not for want of trying, though.  I mentioned the clothes peg solution to her and she said that she had seen it done on New Zealand and that it worked so we will take along some wooden clothes pegs next time we have to pay a visit.  But I think that I’ll let Dr Sophie or a nurse to put the pegs on; I am not that brave.  She very wisely decided not to take their temperatures ...

My rolags.  Click on the picture to enlarge it.