Best Laid plans

Well, when I signed off last week, I was waiting for the central heating to be fitted, going to be dyeing on the Sunday and hoping that nothing went too adrift...

I'd spent so long on friday/Saturday moving, shifting and otherwise organising that by Sunday I was exhausted and as it happened, nadine was tied up too so we put it off to this Sunday. Unfortunately, time constraints meant there wasn't an opportunity today either but we shared a nice lunch and knitted and chatted anyway. I'll try to make time to dye the stuff I've soaked this morning so the water doesn't go mouldy over the next few days.

The central heating was fitted with only a few minor hitches, the fitting which usually takes 3 days was done in 2, as many pipes as possible that could be routed under the floorboards were routed there and a very clean and tidy job was done too. They took the vast majority of the rubbish away with them and now we have warm rooms and a swanky wireless controller. I dread to think whet the next gas bill will be but it is a lot more relaxing to be in a warm home!

While they were here and with floorboards up, it was not useful for me to be moving about but the enforced stay in the lounge did wonders for my knitting...

Yep, I completed the Xmas Mystery shawl!

It hasn't been blocked yet, mostly because it's so BIG but I've decided against overdyeing it. The gentle sagey green kind of won me over as I knitted it and somehow looked much bewtter knitted up than in the ball. It was a great project to knit and I've even managed to get over the hurdle I had with Mystic star and am nearly on the last (very big) clue! Having no real access to alternative needle sizes or UFO's definitely forced me to carry on with it!

I also did a bit of spinning...

Started at guild and finished at Made on Thursday I really enjoyed the finished yarn. It was fractal spun and whilst the original fibre I dyed wasnt terribly soft the colours were very nice so I'm glad I spun it. Only around 3oom so I'll need to think what to do with it that isn't close to the skin.

I also got an extra surprise at guild last week...

My post - Xmas present from Susan. They're Fetchings in Knitpicks Heather and they're gorgeous! The metal heart says "made with love". Ttoally unexpected but very lovely anyway.

I got my Spinner's Swap Parcel on Monday too...

My first ever plait of Spunky Eclectic fibre, super squidgy BFL in just my colours, merino/silk hand dyed for me, a sweet knitters brooch with needles and a ball of yarn, chocolate, hand cream and a sweet little sheep chocolate shape that I might never eat 'cos it's too cute!

Oh yeah, and by Friday, I had another surprise...

These arrived from blogless Rosemary for helping her with an abortive shawl project. I LOVE Nancy Bush and have virtual fingers crossed right now that I'm successfully booked into her full day class at woolfest. I telephoned to check the letter had been recieved and the lady on the phone said that whilst she didn't have the booking details, she didn't think any of the courses were full up yet so it's looking good, YIPPEE!!!!

Being a bad influence, the poor woman's followed me into Sock Madness, I don't think she quite knows what hit her yet, I was explaining the basics and she was stunned! I hope she has fun 'cos at the end of the day that's what it's all about but it does make us all a bit crazy too (or in my case, crazier than usual!).

Speaking of the Madness, I stayed up 'till past midnight my time last Saturday to sign up and Friday night I scaled the left side of the eiger that constituted the back room right now followed by hours of winding to shortlist these beauties...

There are handspun, handdyed, dyed by others, commercial, self-striping and solid yarns in all the colours under the sun. I did toy with the idea of knitting all seven rounds in shades of red but I have too many pretty yarns so I decided not to limit myself and just go with whatever I felt.

In the process of unearthing this lot, I also happened upon these...

Four skeins of luscious Cashmere Silk laceweight in a colour perfect for a new knitalong I've joined, Mystic Roses. Serendipity or what? I'd totally forgotten it and with yarn like this, it's a crime. I shall enjoy knitting this one!

Of course, there has to be a bit of flipside and that is that since the central heating has been fitted, the noise it makes firing up in the morning is helping me to lose quantities of sleep. By Saturday, I realised I could put the timer forward and actually got a full 8 hours last night, that's much better than all week. Basically because they routed the pipes under the floorboards and joists, they need time to bed in and in the meanwhile, the cracks and thumps of the wood expanding and contracting as the heating courses through wakes me up without fail and I can't get back to sleep afterwards. I figure either I'll get used to it or need less sleep but in the meanwhile, performance is definitely impaired!

I kind of hope I've recovered some by a fortnight's time as I'll have to drive myself to Yorkshire for Skip North and I need my wits about me for certain stages of the motorway. I've still got time but not loads so I may need to resort to herbal or prescription tablets if things don't improve fast and keep fingers x'ed I'm not doped up for the rest of the day. Still, that's in the future and with the pace of life decreasing, it may not be necessary. I'm still glad for everything that's happened since Xmas and next thing after Skip North will be the arrivel of my NEW WHEEL! It's been ordered and a deposit taken and I've an estimate of the end of March for delivery. I will, of course blog on it's arrival ;-)

This week I've a dental check-up :( , a potential trip to Stash :) and plenty of knitting...with maybe a little dyeing and spinning too. I'm not doing any rearranging this week so anything packed away can stay packed away for the time being while I recover and get my circadian rhythms in check.

See you next week!