Crafty Little Rat

  As seems to be the yearly tradition I’m taking time to sit and contemplate 2012. As usual this involves forgetting things like housework, packing and cleaning out the animals and leans more in the favour of being absorbed by my knitting again in that last minute desperation to get that final project finished this year.   This year encompassed work problems, massive ear infections, a total overhaul of my cleaning habits (Looks around… might need to revisit that one), beginning teaching on a Saturday morning,  moving to a new city, starting a new job, leaving my wonderful companions behind at the wool shop, loosing 4 animals in 4 months, getting 5 new animals this year, Wonderwool and Ally Pally. Mixed bag of a year with some amazing highlights and some crippling downs. I have two major resolutions next year; First is to cut down debts (which is a really BORING resolution but necessary) and the second is to be a better blogger. I’ve completed so many projects this yea...

  I N.B- This post was written Friday 16th November 2012. Oh sweetheart, What can I say about you. How can I tell the story of the last 18 months without you? Because when you think about it that’s all it’s been, but it seems like a lifetime, and it’s honestly a struggle to remember life without you. I remember the feeling of anxiety over what would happen to you, the nervousness when Rhys finally agreed to let me get you “So we can look for another home” and that taxi drive to Innsworth. Standing outside that military built semi wondering what was going to be inside. Your last owners were nice, but not very knowledgeable about rats. Your cage was more suitable for a hamster and had a shelf, tube, wheel, food and a water bottle. You’d been left alone for most of the week with the neighbours checking in on you- though you still managed to pull the bag of Supa nuggets into the cage and happily stored them in a corner. You were described as a “huge” rat by the bloke, but you wer...

  When the start of the new Week of Projects year was here I heavily debated getting in on the action. All the way back then I debated waiting and running it through a calendar year from January to the end of December but in the end I thought I’d carry on with the program as intended and I think that would have worked wonders had it not been for the move and for the new job and everything. I’ve decided that what I’m actually going to do is have a good long think about what I want to do next year and start my own year of projects in January. It may or may not contain some of the things of this years list; and some of those I might get round to before January the 1st comes round; all I know is I’d like to have my list confirmed by the middle of December. There are obviously things I’m going to have to do before then; I’m pretty sure Rhys would like his jumper before the winter gets too cold and my sister needs her socks by Christmas. I’m currently working on a little baby jumper ...

  It seems I am not very good at this whole keeping track of things does it? I’ve not picked up hook or needle for a WEEK now. It’s getting a wee bit depressing, the problem being that there is *so* much to do. Most of my knitting is still in boxes scattered all the way through the house; we finally finished bringing the last bits home on Friday. Yesterday was filled with sorting things out at the house, going round and getting furniture off relatives while we still had the van (Cedar chest! Dining Chairs! I love my OH’s family) and then today is my nephews christening. Which probably explains why I’m writing this sat on the bathroom floor with hair dye in. After I’ve dyed and dried I have to find out which box exactly the christening present and card is in. I know where the jumper is, but not the book or the card. I need to convince the OH to help me re assemble the rat cage. Because the babies are babies they’ve taken great delight in wriggling through the vertical bars in the ...

  Things are very slowly starting to come together. Crappy late night pictures, and yes the walls will be painted before too long- I’ve even got my tester pots ready! There’s a clock above the TV unit   (which is now slightly off centre thanks to the virgin guy not giving us enough cable; we were out when he came and my FIL was here, so obviously he didn’t know where it was going to go. We also don’t have our phone number written down either!)   I’m itching to go for a jollie on my new wheels; it’s a Pashley Picador and really needs a name, that picture makes my heart sing as well. I have a new little nook to snuggle into for the evening- the blanket was made by a good friend- it’s a cornered granny square, an inside joke that makes me smile every time I see it draped over the back of my chair- suite courtesy of my mother-in-law. This little collection over the fireplace makes me so very very happy. I love my nauticals; and this way they can be part of the room...

  I apologise profusely that everything has been very slow around here. 3/4 of my stash is packed in boxes. The other 1/4 needs to be packed. What is packed is what I need and what’s not packed is stuff I can’t even remember buying! My life is currently and endless cycle of washing (why do you always have more washing when you move?) and packing things. My breaks are spent curled up with the IKEA catalogue; and I love it. Plus the addition of 4 baby ratties a few weeks ago. Esk- Solid Grey, Gytha and Magrat- Black and white hooded and Esme- Rowan Bager (Grey stripe)   I have a huge mountain of photos of F.O’s; it’s just finding time to put it all together. I’ve got an F.O Friday post saved to here that I keep adding too- and it’s been going for nearly 3 WEEKS now I’m just struggling to get it all finished and together.   Bear with me! Hannah

  I have 2 WIP’s left; and we were supposed to have someone round to photograph the house. My WIP’s were buried in the cupboard so I cast on some socks on Monday. Monday night I crocheted the Zpagetti bag;  Then today the commission guy came round and I seem to have cast on a hat and offered to crochet an Owl for someone for Saturday!   I have no photos of my WIP’s- so this is the Ravelry photo of the Whoobie Owl pattern which is the one I plan to do. I’m still very tired. I didn’t realise that I posted the WOP on Saturday not Sunday until just now! This week has been a 6 day stretch for me; combined with trying to sort things out for moving and the like I’m just dead on my feet! I’d say I’m having a rest Friday but we’re dashing off to look for houses. That is *if* we can get viewings for any! I phoned up 8 places today and we’ve got viewings for 2 because the other ones have gone. We've scraped the barrel tonight to find 7 more places we quite like and I’ll phone ...