Will UPDATE

Spoke Dad del Will tonight.

As a surprise for their two girls the dada didn't tell them that when they got home from school this afternoon Mama and Baby Will would be sitting in the sofa waiting for massive hellos, smiles and cuddles!

So a millionty twelve thank yous to all in the blogoverse who sent positive thoughts out into the ether, he is home and hopefully will just keep getting bigger and better from here on out.






On a somewhat related note I need YOUR help.

I bought a knitting magazine sometime in the Winter and it had a pattern for prem cardigans. Having successfully knitted one I verrrrry carefully hid the pattern from myself and now my friend has asked for just such a thing to keep our boy warm. In complete good friend mode (who can resist a trip to the bestest ever shop in the world?) I bought some indigo and flax Sublime soya cotton to make a stripey cardi but have NO IDEA where iIhave extremely safely put the @*&$%% pattern.


Here's the bit where you come in - does anyone have a simple stocking stitch cardi pattern for prem babies? Please would you be so kind as to share it with me?

Thanks again blogoverse :-)

This weekend I was mostly ..... being proud mother.

Well... I got the costumes finished, except for a few small amendments, by midnight on Saturday. Sunday, during the ballet rehearsal, saw me attaching stings and wings and constantly reattaching dangling spider limbs. And do you know what? It was worth every second of stitching and sewing and cutting to see this face during the performance.

She had a ball being there, with her friends, doing something she loves and looking all glam and gorgeous. As for my little spiderman,despite a few minor stagefright moments he also had a ball.



He was the best dressed spider at The Mini-Beast Ball but not as shiny and bright as those bees. (Although I doubt the bees were wearing Spidey underpants to keep a theme going all the way to the enth degree!)



Look how glamourous they were. Please bear in mind these girls are only eight and nine and they all danced so beautifully and elegantly I think I may even have had tears!

At the end Miss Rose had a prize-giving ceremony for the child who has advanced most in each class. A few times she mentioned how 'this' dancer had only been in the class for a year and had progressed so much, blah, blah, blah. CK and I both thought it would be Babyman (not least for being the only boy in the ballet school) but no, it was one of the really big girls.

Then Miss Rose said she had had difficulty in choosing just one girl b/c a whole class was so fabulous and so talented and they had all progressed so much in the year that she had prizes for every girl doing Grade Two, especially Princess Curly-Wurly as she was also an outstanding assistant in the Primary class.

Do you think she was a little bit pleased?

HEY, HEY, SITS SATURDAY!

My SITSers are all about the weekend and boy do they celebrate!


Last week it was a fabulous bouncy castle and would you credit a lady with five million children in her house won!???? The gods are shining on the Queen Bee SITSers I do believe.

This week it is a rather wonderful bag that would look no less than fabulous up here on the hill at Trash Towers, I'm just saying is all. ;-)

Raiders of THE BOX update 1

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa.

I may have gone just a teensy little overboard on the whole box thing. Because I am extraordinarily pretty (and therefore not very clever - it is an inverse proportional relationship thing - why yes! I do live with a scientist!) I may have put just a little bit of stuff in the box.

You see b/c I am, as I say, not particularly clever, I figured that 10 people in the swap meant I had to put in three things per person. I know, I can hear you - three things only would have done!! but I am tooooooo pretty to be clever and so I have stuffed it to the gunnels. In my defence - the box is quite light, just, errr, a little big. So mea culpa to the international set and feel free now to metaphorically slap me upside the head and pull out of the whole thing.

I was in my friend's shop yesterday packing it all up and she was so excited about what was going in the box she has signed up for the swap.

There are a couple of places left if anyone wants to join in. I shall be posting out on Saturday.

**Will update** As of yesterday he is in a cot not an incubator and as of today he is spending the day in his mum's room and only bedtime in the NICU. So YAY! Team Blogoverse, the power of positive thought is not to be denied :-)

swaps, plans and posting and French Knots. (edited)

SWAPS

Kitty has received and posted pictures about the lil ol' quilt we made here at Trash Towers to send her. And luckily for us she remembered to take pictures (ahem, I forgot!).

Shhh don't tell her but I lifted one shot from her page. The quilt came up quite well, huh? Many thanks go to WonderWoman for her help in understanding binding. (Yes I really am that crubbish.)

I am still loving that little donkey. He just looks kind of happy and chilled. Did you notice his eye? French Knot. Yes, yes you all groan. French knots ((yawn)) they are sooooo easy who would even look twice at them? Well. Me! Because that is the first ever French Knot that worked for me - EVER. So once the front was all done I got a little silly on the back and French Knotted all over the place. My original plan had been to use seed beads to look like twinkly stars in the sky but once I got the technique, well....................... so there are teeny, weeny acid yellow and green French Knots dotted around.

I have begun Locket's quilt but we have a ballet recital this weekend and I have to make a spider costume and turn Pr C-W's tutu into a bumblebee outfit by Wednesday so I think it will all have to wait a day or two.


PLANS

I've been thinking some more on this BOX SWAP thing. And I am good for it. Yes. I am putting my hand up (and believe me, b/c I am sooo lazy, that is all my energy gone for the day) and becoming a swap organiser.



So, here are the swap rules
1. You may take ANY three(3) things out of THE BOX
2. You must replace them with three(3) things of your own choosing.
3. The replaced items do not have to be brand new or bought specially. You may choose items from your stash and charity shop buys are allowed. Naturally anything to be included will be in good condition.
4. Think outside THE BOX (hahahahaha! I am soooooooo punny!!) , the items you include don't have to be for a craft you love.
5. Once you receive THE BOX try and aim for a few days turnaround. In fact (oo!oo!) we could try and set ourselves a target to get it back all the way up here to Trash Towers within x weeks!

Or not.


With THE BOX in mind I went hunting today. Have raided through my stash, identified wants from my LYS, braved the snotty craft shop and trawled through the several many charity shops on our High Street to make a start. So far there are eight signed up for it and only one is international (I think) so....

POSTING

..... I shall start by sending THE BOX to WMK and inside will be a list of where to next so even though you know it is coming you won't know when!!! Kind of like a secret swap but not.

I am going to cap this at twelve(12) participants as otherwise it could get too long and unwieldy for my spongey, lazy brain to deal with. If this all works well then I will consider another one if people are interested. I would prefer to keep this within the UK if we can (WMK just got a little lost which is how she finds herself on the East Coast of the US - direction is not her forte, bless her) (Apparently Genevieve gets lost too!)

Feel free to publicise this on your own blogs and if you want to be a BOX RAIDER please email me your preferred contact name, address and if you are willing to post overseas. The email address is trashalouatgooglemaildotcom or there is a direct link over in the sidebar.

Everyone who expressed interest on the previous post is on my list and as we speak I am working on my terribly clever b-i-l to see if he will construct a button for us ;-)

Lastly - young Will. Not so great so up the power of positive thought for me y'all. We want him home soon.

Too lazy to play properly.

As one does I was sitting on the couch, blithely ignoring CK next to me, blog-hopping away when I saw this.

"AHA!" I thought. "This is perfect. A fabulous swap that requires no real effort but will result in getting interesting post, some fantastic craft goodness and blog love from the loveliest bloggers ever."


Because like everyone else I love the swap thing. I do, I really do. It is just that time management is NOT my forte. Things get done - eventually. But to be honest I am actually pretty lazy so having a box swap would be just about the best thing I could think of.

(see how lazy I am? I have convinced Babyman this IS proper snorkelling!!!)

As I understand it would something like this

Take one box (check. Michaela just sent me a cracker!).

Fill it full of crafting goodness. (I could get off the couch and manage that I'm sure... probably ;-/)

Person Number One TAKES OUT three things from it that she loves (b/c lets face it we are most likely all girls together here)

Person Number One then ADDS three things then sends it on to Person Number Two on the list.

And so on until the box ends up back here at Trash Towers and I can see what is left from the original package and just what the blogoverse thinks of my taste!

****NEWSFLASH**** Baby update****

******
Spoke with my friend today. All is going okay. He is spending longer off the c-pap machine (oxygen) and has been out of the incubator a few times for over an hour yesterday and today.

And most especially exciting - this afternoon we found out this wee little boy now has a name. With much love we welcome Will.
******

I thought you might all like to see a family portrait. Babyman wasn't allowed to join in - he wasn't smiling like the rest of us!

Not really. I had a parcel in the post yesterday.



This was the card.

I quite agree with the philosophy, no point waiting all day for your smile.


This was the beautiful, quite large, very heavy parcel.



I don't know why people are always saying mine isn't a real name because I tell you - it is!?!?!?!?

Having rescued Smiley Carol, our post lady, from the slavering jaws of my blackdog (he really doesn't like Smiley Carol) I brought this BIG parcel back inside wherein the 2y.o.terence present and I ripped into it .

We did try to be delicate but when a surprise parcel arrives from a mysterious real imaginary friend a girl can't be expected to exercise any great restraint.


When we finally got through the beautiful turquoise paper there was a box.


Taking off the lid of the box we discovered this -

Somebody somewhere has seriously depleted Britain's bubblewrap reserves!!! We unwrapped the bubblewrap and found some more. So we unwrapped the bubbles and found still more. But after four hours of unwinding and popping bubbles we found a rather fabulous pot of homemade strawberry jam from the very generous and kind Michaela over at the Stash Basket.





It is particularly yummy just raw without any of the trappings she had at her house -scones, cream, etc... I know this because once excavated from the bubblewrap monster which was trying to digest it, the 2yo and myself popped the lid and dipped our fingers in!!!!! There is something wrong with that kid, it took me several many minutes to convince her we should do that. Weirdo!





You may wonder what would possess someone to post jam however delicious ... sit down comfortably and I'll begin .......



Having written such a gorgeous post about the easiness of jam-making Michaela was obviously expecting comments and far be it from me to disappoint so putting fingers to keyboard I wrote -


Please make sure you wrap the jars really carefully before posting them. I don;t want to have lick such yummy jam off the shatds of glass ;-) (ibid)


Naturally having seen just what the fruits of my labor (pun fully intended) can return I was off to leave comments on the blogs of 'The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street', 'The Royal Mint' and 'The Jewel House @The Tower of London'.

I wait by the postbox in anticipation!

the ABCs of me. (***edited***)

I stole this from Katy's friend, Beth.

Accent- Only in this country. Or rather - I don't have one when I am at home!

Breakfast? - yes

Chore I don't like- washing and drying cutlery are my worst followed closely by dusting generally. Although let's be honest here - I don't like any of them. I decided over the last few weeks that I hate gardening. I love my garden but HATE gardening.

Dog or Cat- two dogs, HTW and Blackdog.

Essential electronic- something that gives me internet access. I am quite embarrassed to admit that in a house with four people under the age of 50 we have six computers!

Favorite Cologne- I like clean smells. Light florals perhaps. My 'if I had to choose one grown-up perfume forever' perfume would be Diorissimo.

Gold or Silver- Silver. Gold. Silver. Platinum. I'll accept all :-)

Handbag I carry most often- My monkey bag (will add pic later)

Insomnia- nope

Job Title- Mish/Pippa (seriously! These are the names my borrowed childer and now my own two use)

Kids- 2, one of each *girl - 9 years *boy - 6 years

Living arrangements- semi-detached up on a tall, big hill in rural Dorset

Most admirable trait- loyalty (even if it is self-proclaimed)

Naughtiest Childhood Trait- none - I was angelic ;-)

Overnight Hospital Stays- two as I remember, one as a child due to allergic reaction and the other after my girl arriving.

Phobias- none

Quote- "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt.

Reason to smile- I'm watching Billy Conolly while I type this. Eddie Izzard, QI telly programme, The News Quiz, I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue....

Siblings- 4 brothers, 1 sister.

Time to wake up- between six and half past most mornings

Unusual talent or skill- none known

Vegetables I Refuse to eat- not met any yet that I can remember.

Worst Habit- err... (shuffles feet, looks sideways) I bite my nails (shuffle, shuffle)

X-rays- arm at five, ankle at 20 something and again at 30 something. Each time they found that, yes I did actually possess bones in those places.

Yummy Stuff- crisp but sweet grapes (either colour), sweet, crispy apples. **it has been pointed out that memes about food seem to inspire virtuousness in the author; let me just state that the grapes and apples were b/c I had just bought some. If it were today it would have been sherbert, minstrels and foam ice-cream cones!!!!**

Zoo animals I like the most- don't really have one. Don't love zoos (yes I went to Longleat, yes I am a hypocrite). If I had to choose then probably penguins

updates on several things

Important Update One:


Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts for my friends' baby. Spoke with his dad this afternoon and he is doing well(baby I mean, not so sure about dad - he sounded a bit shakey still!).

While he is still in the incubator, the oxygen tube under his nose (I know it has a tech name but I can't remember it) is only on low and everyone is doing okay. And under the circumstances 'okay' is just fine!

He came in at 4lb10oz which, although he arrived a week earlier, is 8-9oz more than his sister was. Hoping to go see them soon.




Important Update Two:


Kitty's quilt is in the post and winging its way N.E.ward. I am really chuffed with it b/c (disregarding a few false starts)this is the first quilting project I have undertaken since secondary school. Let me just say I wasn't Mrs Robinson's favourite student (she had a great punishment for the girls who just wouldn't do what they ought in class - running up and down the two flights of stairs leading to the sewing room for two minutes [or more depending how not good the girl had been] - not that it was ever me, of course!!).

I love the colours & the content so Kitty, if you decide it isn't your kind of thing, send it back!!! The fabric may have been lifted from my Fortnums' quilt stash - I shouldn't like to say



Important Update Three:


With Kitty's quilt done and dusted I have turned my mind towards Lucy's (yes I am verrrrrrrrrrry late with all these things but I hope the gods will smile kindly on me). I have a background fabric and an absolutely flipping fantastic concept for it which both Pr.C-W and Babyman approve of most heartily.



Important Update Four:


I have been bitten most heartily by the Japanese fabric monster and may yet find myself offering Good-ness both my children if she will just let me have another fat quarter. Or I may have to move in myself b/c CK will most definitely be asking where I intend to live when he sees how the fabric stash grows!!


Sadly no more updates as I have to go and finish the homework that is due on Thursday. D'y' think I should have started it before now?!?!?

I am lucky to live in uninteresting times. (please note - photies come from Summer 2006)

Some many weeks ago we arranged to do a family meet-up with my god-family this Sunday just gone. It took a few days to figure out it was Fathers' Day but we thought what the hell! the boys could spend some time Fathering and we girlies could sit doing the chatting thing. But obviously there was no ulterior motive ;-)

It has been some months since I saw my god-daughter (actually Christmas - eeeeek!!!) and she is now a climbing, stroppy, chatty, funny 18m.o. So if anyone would like one of these please contact my friend b/c I think her patience has gone.

We met up here.

Yes, that's right. We went to the land of the movie star giant rabbits. I tried to get their autographs but their people weren't letting the general public anywhere near.......


There were also some very tall folks. Quite quiet but nice enough. Apparently mixed relationships are very much de rigeur here.

Having spent some many minutes laughing at these fellas ripping chunks off whizzy cars last time we were here, we didn't actually go through this rough neighbourhood. We were in CK's posh car and he was a tad worried about the local hoodies.



It is a colourful area; all the old hippies hang around in their tie-dye and long coats. For old folks they make a hell of a racket with all their old hippy music.




Over on the other side of town they are a much more pushy lot. It really is all about them or nothing!









There is a Chinese curse along the lines of 'May you live in interesting times' and it seems so many around me are. This morning I got an 8a.m. phone call from a friend asking if I could have her girls for the school run and until she got home. She is seven months pregnant. Well, she was.


After school this afternoon my friend's husband rang and spoke with the older daughter (8 y.o.) and, as I watched, her worried face cleared. She now has a brother! This family is practised in NICU (Neo-Natal Intesive Care Unit) - the younger daughter was just as prem and had a VERY touch and go first week. T.G. he is well, just early. To date he hasn't a definite name - Ck has put forward Agamemnon. I don;t thnk they are going for it somehow!

Tomorrow I get more information. Until then we just remain grateful he is doing well.

D'y'know? I think it is my natural state!

I stole this from 'Knitting in Red Shoes' and get me - I'm superior!!!!

67 As a 1930s wife, I am Superior Take the test!

Like I said - my natural state I think ;-)

I confess here and now....

.... I am a SITSer and I have laughed much since hanging out with my new SITSers.

Over at The Secret Is In The Sauce there is a rather triffic competition going on with a prize by this very clever lady and (b/c it really is all about me) I think I should win!

Waddya reckon?

Utter, bloody CRUBBISH

I spoke with a friend this morning. She was crying.

Her words said so much with so little. 'I thought we had a perfect marriage.'

Three children under seven.

Nearly ten years of marriage.

You would think that boys would have worked out that we know 'I don't love you anymore' is code for 'I've met someone else'.


This is the sixth time in five years I have lived through this with friends and I still don't know what to say.

I rang CK at work at lunchtime and told him that if he was thinking he might fall out of love with me then I would appreciate it if he would do it sooner rather than later and be honest and decent enough to say it straight out because I would rather just know. He asked me what the statute of limitations was on him falling in love with someone else - I told him I was serious. He then said surely the only reason to leave woud be if he found someone better so......

Bless him. We may not have a perfect marriage but I hope that it is all the stronger for being able to talk about these things.

Things you do on a warm, sunny day (or 'We have invented a new game.')

Hurrah! Summer is here (for this weekend only) and boy! did we make the most of it. (I feel a blog header coming on with that shadow section from the middle.)





But that was just today. Earlier this week I created a past time that will forever kill boredomness in the hands of any vaguely intelligent human being (I know b/c I road tested it on my terences) - ladies and gentlemen I give you

Donkey
(albeit in a 'slightly more crumpled than when first drawn' state.)

To encourage the childer in polishing off their Shreddies we drew
'Tea Party Donkey' .

Then, as happens, one thing lead to another and we had

'Picnic donkey'.


Breakfast was nearly done by this point so to get the last mouthfuls of Cheerios down their necks Team Trash came up with


'Scuba-diving Donkey'.


It was around about this point I realised that perhaps I was not fully in control of Donkey because the next thing I knew - Pissed Off Donkey was looking up off the page at me!



Fortunately for our ever-so delicate mental health we were saved more evil donkey glares by the fact that unless the Donkey drawing pen was put down we would
1) be late for school
and
2)fall victim to our own impending sense of hilarity.

So off we went with the entire trip taken up with Donkey possibilities - swimming donkey, dancing donkey and karate donkey to name a few. What the childer didn't know was inside each lunchbox was a sketch of Donkey doing stuff - Pr.C-W had Donkey dancing at the barre while Babyman had Kung-Fu Donkey. This in turn lead to us singing the Trash Towers version of 'Kung-fu fighting' all the way to school.

As I waited for my borrowed terences to finish their lunchtime babyswill we came up with

Tennis Donkey and (no picture currently) Juggling Donkey!

Quite sadly the black gel pen I had purloined from Princess C-Dub was on its very last legs so as the day wore on I found myself drawn to an uber-pen. Thick, deep black ink - check but even that doesn't make it my favourite. However setting a good example to my non-housemate children I smiled sweetly and donkeys began to pour forth from this bastard love child of a felt-tip and a gel pen.



Press-up Donkey!



Odd, weirdy, sad clown donkey.

And teeny weeny, tap-dancing donkey.


Teatime that evening saw us once again embroiled in the 'Walter Mitty stylee' life of Donkey.


A play around giving Donkey wings



lead to


which caused no end of hilarity and mirth to my obviously majorly disturbed children.

By this time the suggestions were coming thick and fast and my poor aching hand was having trouble keeping up with the flow of ideas.

World War II flying Ace Donkey

teeny weeny footballing donkey (please excuse my hands - I am an embarrassment to my mother!)

CK's contribution was Sweeney Todd Donkey (perhaps my kids get it from him - Do you think they need professional help?)

But my own personal favourite is an elegant and graceful creature who sheds light and joy with every swish of grass skirts - I give you



Hula Donkey!

It's the weekend!!!!!!

Ha! Ha! No work today so the dishes can wait, the washing is hung out and the dogs can sleep or whine or generally irritate b/c - I've been invited out for 'coffee'!!


(For those of you of a less than pure disposition - why yes Kityy and MM, I am looking at you! I have put coffee in 'air quotes' b/c I don't drink it and therefore shall be having something cool and refreshing. NOT b/c I am meeting some tall, dark and handsome ceature for an illicit rendezvous - although if Anthony Head would like to phone me, my number is 555-454321.)

*******NEWSFLASH*******

My friend, Mrs FruitTree (that's just what I like to call her) has finally started her blog. Go give her some of that blogoverse love we all have to share.

I'll be back later with some other stuff.

Dear Innernets, I'm just going out. I may be gone some time.

The nice Amazon man came to my house this morning.



He brought me presents.



I love them.


Wanna see?

Look! An embroidery party!

I have to make these!

I am going to make the kids make these!

And one of these.

But mean and horrid old CK, ably assissted by my own traitorous conscience, has said I have to finish everything else first.


So, despite the driving snow and howling gales, the great outdoors of my UFO/WIP pile beckons. Dear Innernets, I am just going out. I may be sometime................

Of course the original addiction still has a verrrrrry strong hold...

CK went to Scortln (this is the closest I get to spelling my atrocious Scottish accent. For those North of the border - if it is too nasty please forgive me.) last night which left me alone studiously avoiding my NVQ homework, watching a Johnny Cash biog and knitting the fabulous yarn the divine Miss K included in her swap parcel. I didn't read the label until over the halfway point and apparently I am supposed to crochet with it (oops! I don't crochet)!

So I was sitting there ignoring said homework (Child protection stuff - not nice) when I heard a very odd noise. Like a whisper, a callling. After turning down the sound a little on the telly it was more audible ' bUy ME. OWn mE. LOVE me. YOu nEEd Me.' I tracked it over to the laptop and when the screen cleared I could see Amazon laid before me like some wanton wench on a wild night out!

I did try and resist, really I did. But the pull was too strong. I must confess to you all here and now that I was weak. Oh yes. Mea culpa, mea culpa mea maxima culpa! Before I knew quite what had happened I said yes here and here.


After that it was just a small step to saying yes here.

Then in effort to expiate my guilt I said yes to this but Your Honour it is to be read by and with Babyman and Princess Curly-Wurly so I ask that my motherly fondness be taken into consideration when sentencing. For as you well know m'lud I am a sinner; I suffer from an addiction to books. The lure of the knowledge and information held within them is beyond the power of a mere mortal to resist.

Whe they arrive here at my house I shall burrow free from whichever prison cell I am incarcerated, take pictures (wiping off the dribble first) and share with the court.