dottyspots

My Barefoot Books site is now set up: http://dottyspots.mybarefootbooks.com. There’s also an opportunity to enter a free prize draw for £10 worth of product (drawn twice a year).

Or rather she was on the 27th. We had a party and Sarah & Co. and Kris and Co. came.

Nin’s princess costume.

Nin’s fairy costume

I made a gluten and dairy free brownie cake with dark chocolate ganache (plus loads of gluten and dairy free fairy cakes to decorate).

Also a none gluten and dairy free cake (for those who didn’t want to OD on chocolate - the brownie was VERY rich!)

And a bonus Nin pic:

It really is a fabulous book and really helps when I feel like I might be ‘missing out’ by not having dairy or gluten!

Yay! My first pressie has arrived (always a nice moment, receiving something in the post).

One Skein from my wishlist on Amazon, some bamboo circulars, some lovely yarn, some fabric that R. wants to have for his own use, some light green yarn that I have just the project for (when I’ve finished my Noro cardi). A rose scented candle (that I had a good smell of ) and some beads to add to me stash of beads and other ‘little bits’ that I periodically look at and they make me smile Thank you Secret Pal!

It’s been a really busy time. My grandmother had a mastectomy on the 13th and is recovering well. I’ve been involved in various childminding things - no work on atm, but I like to ‘be involved’ with general happenings on a local level. Nin is 3 on Friday so I’ve been trying to organise a (rather last minute) party and we spent time making decorations for the toddler group’s Halloween party, whilst also trying to remain organised to do something for Samhain in the evening.

My gluten and dairy free bread is slowly getting better:

Only a short blog, as I’m still really rushed off my feet but I will take time to sit and blog at the weekend.

Because at the moment that’s mostly how I feel, I have a cold which is giving me a permanent headache (not helped at all by R. spending most of the day complaining…)

My grandmother went in for a mastectomy today (she was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago). I desperately wanted to go over and see her before she went in, but as she’s in Norway and Ned doesn’t have a passport, there was no way of organising it quickly enough. So not particularly happy atm.

R. going back to school (not that he’s there yet) has really knocked me for six. He says that he wants to be there but we (Rik and I) have severe reservations about whether this is the best thing, not least the fact that it wouldn’t be our first choice of school for him - but every concern we had was hushed down by the HE ‘advisor’ and the SEN bod at the recent multi-agency meeting, because local provision for young people on the autistic spectrum is ‘excellent’ (cough, cough).

I know what they said was bollox (to put it politely) and this has been backed up by a number of people (not just HE-ing folk, anyone with an ounce of common sense who knows R. will be rather cynical about school for him).

However, the fact of the matter is that I have reached the end of my tether with him here (and part of me wonders whether he is being so incredibly obnoxious atm to drive home the point that HE wants to go to school). TBH as he is atm I’m rather thankful that he is going because I certainly don’t want him here 24/7 (not least as he winds up and thumps his little sister, which is very far from acceptable and there’s barely anywhere I can take him where he won’t end up throwing a screaming tantrum or shouting very loudly at me, or other people for that matter). Of course he doesn’t see at all that we are simply very worried about him and just rants and raves louder.

If he was my partner, I’d leave.

Not kidding. We’re talking a certain level of abuse here and I am really at the end of my tether.

But he isn’t my partner, he’s my son and regardless of the fact that he is convinced that he is ‘head of the household’ and that everyone should do what he says and if they don’t they are contravening his human rights - of course, he spares little thought for what anyone else might feel or need - I have to keep on trying.

So the headache continues and I’m very cynical as to whether it’ll improve once he is at school - I have grave doubts that it will - still, I’ve been proved wrong before… All we can hope for is that it is a welcome break and that he really enjoys it and that maybe he might come home a bit happier.

Isn’t that the best that any parent can wish for?

Saw this at Jax’s and Tech’s

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink - nope, never had the money to do that
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain - yes, my mum lives on the side of one
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive - no driving license
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables - it just tastes better
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars - not my own
20. Changed a baby’s diaper - I’ve 4 children, so more than a few here
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne - although I’m not that bothered by it - cheap bird me
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment - this was a real big bad too
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb - well, my mum does live on a sheep farm!
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking - it’s called vodka!
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day - various stories here, from having my own eclipsed whilst at a Teddy Boy do in Skeggy (because pretty much everyone I was with was from around Sheffield and without realising it I was copying them *blush* and also regularly when I was on the streets to sound like I was from somewhere else than I really was - don’t ask (rolls eyes).
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk - and then some
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs - actually our vinyl used to be in chronological order within alphabetical…
57. Pretended to be a superhero - not pretended, I am, all mothers are.
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football - what’s this?
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight - what’s this?
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children - well, raising
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking - I always sing loudly in the car, drives everyone mad
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds - how much is 100pounds in English money?
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback - of the LSD kind, yes
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours - but not ‘naturally’
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - almost, but keep losing interest
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions - so far
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

… is gearing up to go. Below are my answers to the SP9 questionnaire:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
ATM I is mostly loving soft, soft yarns like cotton angora I like all sorts of yarns save for plasticky squeaky ones. I’m not a fan of novelty yarns either.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
A cardboard tube that formerly held hazelnut coffee.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I learnt to knit when I was 17 – that is, I learned to do a knit stitch, not purl or cast on or off or anything… In 2003 I finally learned to cast on, off, knit and purl and haven’t looked back!

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Oh yes, yes, yes: my wish list

5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
Roses – I love the smell of roses and ???? arrrrgh, can’t remember the name of the flower.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I like chocolate (I’ve met very few people who don’t) but I shouldn’t really have any dairy, so it needs to be dairy-free/suitable for vegans.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I do a bit of sewing. Recently I made a Waldorf doll for my daughter and I now want to expand on that and make some dollshouse dolls. I keep meaning to sew up the pieces for a shirt for my son - I need the sewing machine practice, years ago when I used to make clothes I made them by hand, but I don’t have the time to hand sew everything with 4 children. I’ve also been collecting bits to start making jewellery again (something I haven’t done for quite some years).

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
Trash/garage/garage punk (NOT the dance stuff, proper trashy guitars garage), 60s/Texas Punk and psychobilly, but I also like various things in the charts, think the Killers and stuff like that. Soul – gotta have a bit of soul in my life . I play the recorder (and can play a few other related instruments) so also like listening to renaissance etc. music, but I’m a bit of a philistine, so if anyone wants to educate me

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?
I love greens (not peppermint green though – y’know the particular ‘baby yarn’ colour), deep pinks and browns.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I have 4 children: ds12, ds10, dd3, ds8mnths. I also have two cats, an Ocicat called Fern and a Korat called Gilbert.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear scarves and mittens, occasionally hats, never ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I don’t have any particular favourites, I just knit what I fancy.

13. What are you knitting right now?
My first ‘proper’ attempt at a simple lace shawl. I’m also knitting a cabled jumper for Ned.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Yes.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I prefer things with some points to them, so although I do like the smoothness of my Addis, I really would prefer a bit more point (especially with the lace!) I do like the bamboo needles I have – but only have some 4mm in bamboo. I do need to expand on my collection and have thought about buying some plain wooden ones and prettying them up.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
I frog UFOs older than a certain amount, because if it’s a UFO for long enough then I’ve lost interest in knitting it.

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I’ve got a handle on the US terminology now I don’t have a particular favourite holiday, I have a bit of a block over holidays which I struggle to get over, although I’m getting better at them now.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Yarn I also like buttons (as in the ones you do up in button holes) and beads – I think it’s a ‘treasure chest’ thing, it gives me a joyous little girl happiness to have ‘sparkly things’.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I need to renew my sub. to Rowan (must get around to that), aside from that I’m not subbed to any knitting mags, not for any particular reason, it just never occurs to me (although I do enjoy looking at friend’s mags).

I do want to expand and buy some more bamboo needles and some pointier circulars.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?
I’d like to learn to crochet, but need to pin someone down to teach me that (I’m not very good at learning things like that from a book). I’d like to expand on my sock knitting skills, but again, I’m a monkey see monkey do sort of person.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I have knitted socks. Yea, I have enjoyed knitting socks. I can’t remember my foot size – and they are very wide.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
Not until next Spring.