Tuesday saw Lucy going to her first interview at De Montfort University at Leicester. I had been entrusted with getting her to Derby station, but with my time keeping, this was not an easy feat. We hardly got past the village shop before we were caught in a queue of traffic. Having made it over the first roundabout, we were met with a second crocodile of immobile vehicles. "I knew we should have left at 8.00am" Lucy threw at me (we left at 20 past), but I resisted reminding her that I was actually ironing her clothes to wear at that time. As we sat there wishing we had started earlier, a minor miracle occurred. It was as though a blockage in a sink was removed and suddenly all the traffic drained away. In fact we arrived at the station 10 minutes early. I shooed Lucy out of the car, expecting her to go without a second glance, but she was clearly feeling insecure and I began to feel very guilty that I had insisted that I was far too busy to accompany her. So I posted the 50p required for 20 minutes in the machine and made my way over to Platform 6 and waved her off knowing that one more of the apron strings that attaches mother to daughter was being severed. I had made the decision not to go to Leicester as I didn't want to cramp her style or embarass her. She who became Head Girl in Year 11 and spends a lot of time organising fund raising events and teachers at school. Her latest one was a life size Cluedo game in aid of The Faso Fund. She who at 5 years old had come home from school and announced that, no, she didn't want to read through her reading book with me at home, that, she had stated with authority, was for school time and home time was for play. I have to admire anyone who can stand up for their beliefs. I just wish that I had the same conviction. I also wish that home time now had not become 'Friends' and MSN time. Sometimes, just sometimes there is a chink in her armour, but Lucy, don't change, we need more people like you.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Just a quick word about the magic of teaching piano especially to 'littleies'. Sophie is 6 and has been coming since September. She's progressing really well and practices enthusiastically at home. She came in yesterday, eyes shinning and announced: "I can play 'Happy Birthday'" and sat down and duly performed and I clapped. It's just such a thrill when you've worked hard and your achievement makes you feel ten feet tall. We all need to experience this feeling once in a while. I hope her grand-dad appreciates her efforts on Thursday (his birthday), I know it makes me feel proud to be a part of it...
Friday, November 24, 2006
Today's start was very promising. A cheque in the post for a knitting commission I did a few weeks back. The story began with an email I received through the website, asking if I knew of anyone who could knit a bag for a wine bottle. Not your average email...Usually I hear from people looking for knitters. This, I thought, was more 'up my street' and took on the challenge myself. The request came from a wine merchant in London who wanted to promote a certain type of wine with a knitted bag. If the design was accepted then it might be displayed at Selfridges. (sorry, bit of name dropping here) I used to write for Crafts Beautiful, Popular Crafts and other craft magazines (more name dropping), so I thought I was well qualified for the task. The wine in question was called Fresita
and they sent me a free bottle while I worked on the design (no, it is still intact). It comes in a beautiful red bottle and if you hold it up to the light you can see real strawberries floating about in it! I soon discovered it's very difficult to buy red yarns at the moment, but as luck would have it, I did have a gorgeous chenille in my 'stash' and a trip to see my parents (and a yarn shop nearby) yielded a couple of balls of just the right shade. I wasn't quite sure what was meant by 'knitted bag' and having seen the bottle I wanted to design something that was a bit more classy than an oversized willy warmer (apologies if shocked). I did three samples in the end, one using organza fabric to show the beauty of the bottle, one in chenille, and one in the fur yarn. The two knitted ones were very tactile and shaped to accentuate the shape of the bottle. It was great using my knitting machine again and all the old excitement returned of starting with nothing and ending with something. I haven't found out yet whether the design will be taken further, but in the meantime the cheque is safely in the bank...
and they sent me a free bottle while I worked on the design (no, it is still intact). It comes in a beautiful red bottle and if you hold it up to the light you can see real strawberries floating about in it! I soon discovered it's very difficult to buy red yarns at the moment, but as luck would have it, I did have a gorgeous chenille in my 'stash' and a trip to see my parents (and a yarn shop nearby) yielded a couple of balls of just the right shade. I wasn't quite sure what was meant by 'knitted bag' and having seen the bottle I wanted to design something that was a bit more classy than an oversized willy warmer (apologies if shocked). I did three samples in the end, one using organza fabric to show the beauty of the bottle, one in chenille, and one in the fur yarn. The two knitted ones were very tactile and shaped to accentuate the shape of the bottle. It was great using my knitting machine again and all the old excitement returned of starting with nothing and ending with something. I haven't found out yet whether the design will be taken further, but in the meantime the cheque is safely in the bank...
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Jane's card for new baby. If you want one for a girl, contact me.
Originally uploaded by Geraldine Curtis.
Onto the good news and not so good news. I went to see Jane last Thursday. After six years of trying to conceive, (this being the second IVF treatment), she was now two weeks over due and going into hospital the following day to be induced. Nothing keeps Jane down, she was still driving and had even been to have her bikini line waxed that morning. (I was tempted to ask the merit of that, but instead marvelled that the waxer managed to find it!) Anyway, the plan was, that once she'd had the baby, Tom, her husband would text everyone to let them know the good news. Friday passed and then Saturday and I began to get concerned. When I was induced it took 12 hours and ended with Keeland Forceps, so by Sunday I was hoping that it was just that I was on the end of the list. The text eventually arrived on Monday morning. "Baby fine, Jane in ICU". It took me ages to work out that ICU meant Intensive care unit. Tuesday evening, there was another text: " Jane now moved to High Dependancy Unit". I counldn't help wondering what had happened and wished there was something I could do. It's difficult showing you care, so I set to and made the card in the picture. I went round to deliver it this afternoon and although all the curtains were drawn, when I saw Tom's car outside, I couldn't help but knock at the door. Tom opened the door in his dressing gown (I've always wanted to say that - not best timing !) he said that Jane had lost three quarters of her blood and for a time it was touch and go. It took me all the way home to work out that that's 6 pints, so for all of you out there who give blood, thank you, thank you, because you helped save her life. We are all thinking of you Jane and willing you a speedy recovery... and then I'll take you to task over what you named the poor baby!!!!
Tuesday
Ever been contacted by two namesakes in one day? It all started last night when I discovered a second comment on my blog (from another Geraldine). I can't hide my excitement - more than one person has read my blog!! Seriously though, when I began this blog, in a way, I was trying some self-help. I'd just spent a year of my life only just surviving from one day to the next. I'd had test after test, but noone actually talked to me about what the problem, it was as though the NHS had a new game, you can come and see the doctor, but if it isn't obvious what's wrong with you we don't want to know and by the way, please don't come back. Well, call me old fashioned, but I had faith in doctors that together we could come up with a diagnosis and treatment and that I would eventually be able to get on with my life. After blood tests (I had to beg for them) and scans (three) nothing showed up to give any inclination as to why I had 'Unexplained Chronic Pelvic Pain
.' The consultants first diagnosis was "it must be endrometriosis
" I was sure it wasn't, so I phoned the help line and discussed the help person's pain as opposed to my pain, which only confirmed (to me) that it wasn't. In the mean time the consultant prescribed Provera
which acts to shut down your monthly cycle (in theory reducing the symtoms of endometriosis) It had no effect on the pain I was experiencing except for making things worse as ProVera does work and gives you severe PMT into the bargain. So however bad you were feeling before, it just served to make things worse. Everything made me dissolve into tears; newspaper articles, songs on the radio, even doing the food shopping (Robert was very puzzled) and it got to the stage when I began to plan my own suicide. I began to pin my hopes on a laparoscopy and again when nothing was found (i now have some very neat scars) things took a nose dive. perhaps what was inferred - that it was 'all in my head' was true. I went back to the doctor's and asked for an early appointment with the consultant which came in 2 weeks instead of the statutory 6. What I hadn't bargained for was to be seen by someone I'd never met before. I stuck to my plea of "Please help" and all he could offer was: " We can take out all your bits (I'm sure those were his precise words), but there's no guarantee it will take away the pain you have" Great, final appeal and no farther forward. However and this is the bit where fate stepped in. The nurse who accompanied me in the see the consultant had made 'small talk' by mentioning that her second name was Geraldine, almost an ally then... When she saw how upset I was as I left, she took me on one side and explained that she too quite often suffered from a pain in her side. At last I'd found a person with a similar pain to mine, it was as though someone was saying that I hadn't imagined it after all. She didn't have much time to spend with me, but what she did say made perfect sense; unexplained chronic pelvic pain is very often due to Irritable Bowel Syndrome
. With this person, if she indulged in very rich food, she knew that her intestines would go into spasm and she would suffer with severe localised pain. My only problem was translating her symtoms/cause/treatment to my own. As I walked back to the car in the rain, hope, as they say, sprung eternal. What was wrong with me? It wasn't caused by rich food, but something was making my intestines go into spasm. OK I was tense and now severely depressed and had been in constant pain for a year. Was I just stressed- was there a way of relaxing? I thought about my ante natal classes and how I'd been taught to breathe deeply- would it make any difference - and that was it. I get stressed easily, this causes my intestines to go into spasm and I feel severe physical pain. It had been a vicious circle, stress-spasm-pain and once you're there it's so difficult to break out. I spent the evening trying to keep my breathing regular and read up on anything that could help - peppermint tea, ginger, milky drinks, comfort of hot water bottles. By the next morning I could definitely feel an improvement. I still have twinges every day, but now I know what causes it. It's not a cure, but understanding what's wrong is a major step forward. If only I could have talked to someone before...
The future looks bright, the future is...
Ever been contacted by two namesakes in one day? It all started last night when I discovered a second comment on my blog (from another Geraldine). I can't hide my excitement - more than one person has read my blog!! Seriously though, when I began this blog, in a way, I was trying some self-help. I'd just spent a year of my life only just surviving from one day to the next. I'd had test after test, but noone actually talked to me about what the problem, it was as though the NHS had a new game, you can come and see the doctor, but if it isn't obvious what's wrong with you we don't want to know and by the way, please don't come back. Well, call me old fashioned, but I had faith in doctors that together we could come up with a diagnosis and treatment and that I would eventually be able to get on with my life. After blood tests (I had to beg for them) and scans (three) nothing showed up to give any inclination as to why I had 'Unexplained Chronic Pelvic Pain
.' The consultants first diagnosis was "it must be endrometriosis
" I was sure it wasn't, so I phoned the help line and discussed the help person's pain as opposed to my pain, which only confirmed (to me) that it wasn't. In the mean time the consultant prescribed Provera
which acts to shut down your monthly cycle (in theory reducing the symtoms of endometriosis) It had no effect on the pain I was experiencing except for making things worse as ProVera does work and gives you severe PMT into the bargain. So however bad you were feeling before, it just served to make things worse. Everything made me dissolve into tears; newspaper articles, songs on the radio, even doing the food shopping (Robert was very puzzled) and it got to the stage when I began to plan my own suicide. I began to pin my hopes on a laparoscopy and again when nothing was found (i now have some very neat scars) things took a nose dive. perhaps what was inferred - that it was 'all in my head' was true. I went back to the doctor's and asked for an early appointment with the consultant which came in 2 weeks instead of the statutory 6. What I hadn't bargained for was to be seen by someone I'd never met before. I stuck to my plea of "Please help" and all he could offer was: " We can take out all your bits (I'm sure those were his precise words), but there's no guarantee it will take away the pain you have" Great, final appeal and no farther forward. However and this is the bit where fate stepped in. The nurse who accompanied me in the see the consultant had made 'small talk' by mentioning that her second name was Geraldine, almost an ally then... When she saw how upset I was as I left, she took me on one side and explained that she too quite often suffered from a pain in her side. At last I'd found a person with a similar pain to mine, it was as though someone was saying that I hadn't imagined it after all. She didn't have much time to spend with me, but what she did say made perfect sense; unexplained chronic pelvic pain is very often due to Irritable Bowel Syndrome
. With this person, if she indulged in very rich food, she knew that her intestines would go into spasm and she would suffer with severe localised pain. My only problem was translating her symtoms/cause/treatment to my own. As I walked back to the car in the rain, hope, as they say, sprung eternal. What was wrong with me? It wasn't caused by rich food, but something was making my intestines go into spasm. OK I was tense and now severely depressed and had been in constant pain for a year. Was I just stressed- was there a way of relaxing? I thought about my ante natal classes and how I'd been taught to breathe deeply- would it make any difference - and that was it. I get stressed easily, this causes my intestines to go into spasm and I feel severe physical pain. It had been a vicious circle, stress-spasm-pain and once you're there it's so difficult to break out. I spent the evening trying to keep my breathing regular and read up on anything that could help - peppermint tea, ginger, milky drinks, comfort of hot water bottles. By the next morning I could definitely feel an improvement. I still have twinges every day, but now I know what causes it. It's not a cure, but understanding what's wrong is a major step forward. If only I could have talked to someone before...
The future looks bright, the future is...
Monday, November 20, 2006
Saturday saw the return of out intrepid traveller, arriving a little later than scheduled due to car park ticket being in lost wallet. It was unfortunate that as Graham arrived, I was backing out of the drive to take Lucy to work, but we caught up over a piece of toast 20 minutes later. As is normal on 'return days', Graham spent the rest of the day alternating between being asleep and being awake. We did manage lunch out at Denby Pottery and an afternoon of having fun with my 'new, take pictures anywhere, anyhow' camera. There's always a scene that you ride past in the car, wishing that you could capture - this being the farm in the picture. Just for once there was time to stop and walk back along the road, wait for the sun the reappear and fill up the memory card!
For my other autumn scenes see Flickr
For my other autumn scenes see Flickr
Friday, November 17, 2006
Today, was the big day...a trip to Bradford, posh lunch and game of putting faces to names I'd only previously seen on emails. It was great going somewhere different, I even stopped reading my magazine to look at the countryside. The colours of the leaves on the trees were more beautiful than I'd seen in a long time, surprisingly the train was going too fast to capture any on film! Having changed at Leeds, it seemed quite appropriate to be passing through 'New Pudsey' on Children in Need Day. (I looked out for the spotted yellow bear - but nothing!!!) Bradford was cold and stepping off the train, I had a strange urge to break into a broad Yorkshire accent and come out with phrases like 'eke thump' and 'ee by gum'... but I resisted. I did had a lovely time, they all complimented me on the website and made me feel very welcome. How I love being 'part of the team'...
Thursday
Busy day trying to get everything ready in time, and because I'm so busy the fridge has decided to to pack up. We've had this problem before, so I put my fridge mending hat on and rolled up my sleeves. All I had to do was empty the freezer, crawl inside and take the back off(inside), remove all traces of ice, put it all back together, then switch on and cross fingers, toes, eyes etc, and hey presto, it works again! It might be worth you knowing that if you bought a fridge freezer that is meant to be self defrosting, it isn't. The freezer makes all the cold air which is then transferred up to the fridge by means of a fan. The important hole is next to the fins making the cold air, which can get blocked by ice. If this happens the fridge gets no cold air and you think it has stopped working. Then you phone the number in the instruction booklet and find that it's going to cost you £50.00 just for someone to come out and look at it. It's much cheaper to get the hair dryer out and do it yourself. Yes, a 'girl' of many talents...
Busy day trying to get everything ready in time, and because I'm so busy the fridge has decided to to pack up. We've had this problem before, so I put my fridge mending hat on and rolled up my sleeves. All I had to do was empty the freezer, crawl inside and take the back off(inside), remove all traces of ice, put it all back together, then switch on and cross fingers, toes, eyes etc, and hey presto, it works again! It might be worth you knowing that if you bought a fridge freezer that is meant to be self defrosting, it isn't. The freezer makes all the cold air which is then transferred up to the fridge by means of a fan. The important hole is next to the fins making the cold air, which can get blocked by ice. If this happens the fridge gets no cold air and you think it has stopped working. Then you phone the number in the instruction booklet and find that it's going to cost you £50.00 just for someone to come out and look at it. It's much cheaper to get the hair dryer out and do it yourself. Yes, a 'girl' of many talents...
Wednesday
It's reassuring when you know things are meant to be. I've been agonising all week about my attempt at being in two places at once on Friday. I'm desperate to go to Bradford for a meal out but at the same time, I didn't want to cancel my class as it's an important routine for those with learning difficulties who attend. I thought that I'd have time to start the class off and then leave , but even Google maps said I'd be pushing it to arrive in time! It turns out there's a train that leaves Derby at 9.42am and arrives 11.42am, which leaves me just enough time to get there. This does mean taking all the things for my class to one of the helpers, but she just happens to be on a training course at the same place as me tomorrow, coincidence or what?
Lots of activity on the website today. The Speed Challenges in knitting and crocheting will take place in New York next summer and emails have been batting to and fro all day trying to agree on size of needles/hooks and type of yarn. Seems bizarre that Americans do not have an equivalent yarn to our 'age old' double knitting. (OK , you have to be a knitter to understand this one) Enough said. ..Also today we've have contact from a Craft Trade magazine wanting to use our main story - trying to find someone to knit Noel Edmonds a jumper - there's going to be a special show to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Swap Shop. So if you know of anyone who could design and knit a jumper in less than a month, deadline 8th December...
It's reassuring when you know things are meant to be. I've been agonising all week about my attempt at being in two places at once on Friday. I'm desperate to go to Bradford for a meal out but at the same time, I didn't want to cancel my class as it's an important routine for those with learning difficulties who attend. I thought that I'd have time to start the class off and then leave , but even Google maps said I'd be pushing it to arrive in time! It turns out there's a train that leaves Derby at 9.42am and arrives 11.42am, which leaves me just enough time to get there. This does mean taking all the things for my class to one of the helpers, but she just happens to be on a training course at the same place as me tomorrow, coincidence or what?
Lots of activity on the website today. The Speed Challenges in knitting and crocheting will take place in New York next summer and emails have been batting to and fro all day trying to agree on size of needles/hooks and type of yarn. Seems bizarre that Americans do not have an equivalent yarn to our 'age old' double knitting. (OK , you have to be a knitter to understand this one) Enough said. ..Also today we've have contact from a Craft Trade magazine wanting to use our main story - trying to find someone to knit Noel Edmonds a jumper - there's going to be a special show to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Swap Shop. So if you know of anyone who could design and knit a jumper in less than a month, deadline 8th December...
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Today has been a very lonely day. It's a funny thing about Sunday's being a family day, so if three quarters of your family are missing, it's bound to feel lonely! Lucy went to a school friend's 18th birthday last night and we'd arranged I'd pick her up (for my peace of mind). Unfortunately, she was wearing her Florence Nightingale hat, so when one of the girls turned up having downed half a bottle of Ouzo (I've learned a new spelling) Lucy seems to have arranged to call an ambulance and found a place for her to stay for the night as the girl's parents were staying in London (how inconsiderate). The situation was further complicated by the fact that she (the girl who was severely ill, not Lucy) was also seen to be kissing the wrong boy, who has a perfectly lovely girlfriend, who wasn't there as she was at work. I've tried being sympathetic and saying things like: it will all blow over, but it clearly upset Lucy. At least it has put her off any contact with alcohol. It sort of reminds me of my first 'brush' with alcohol. My sister and I were staying in France during the summer holidays when I was 17. We went with our hosts to a wedding reception, where some young lads were showing amitié towards the girls from Angleterre. One of the boys challenged the younger of the two to a red wine drinking contest, (you can see what's coming) but it was he who put a stop to our contest after what I think was four glasses. I don't remember feeling the slightest bit drunk at the time, but I do remember the next day when I spent the majority of it poised over the toilet. I thought it was something I ate! It did help to put me off alcohol for the next 23 years, though...
While waiting up for Lucy last night, (I gave up at 1.00am) I worked out how to set the time and the date on my new replacement camera - no mean feat at 00.21 hours, so have spent the afternoon putting it through it's maiden flight. Not the best day for taking photos, hope you like the 112th out of 118!
While waiting up for Lucy last night, (I gave up at 1.00am) I worked out how to set the time and the date on my new replacement camera - no mean feat at 00.21 hours, so have spent the afternoon putting it through it's maiden flight. Not the best day for taking photos, hope you like the 112th out of 118!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Last night, I went to The Assembly Rooms in Derby to see Derby Opera Company perform the musical "Jekyll & Hyde". From the programme to the orchestra, it was a professional performance and I feel privileged to have been able to see it. Luckily with Graham away, ( will he ever come back, perhaps I should rename him Bill Bailey...?) someone from my tap class jumped (there's a joke in there somewhere) at the chance to come with me and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. It made me feel that being currently 'between musical companies', (as opposed to jobs) I really should find another one soon, will anyone have me...?
Alison Murray's World's Largest Knitted Christmas Tree. Read how she is raising money for charity on ukhandknitting.com
Originally uploaded by Geraldine Curtis.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Lest we forget...
Today Water Orton was no longer one of the anonymous train stations situated between Burton on Trent and Birmingham New Street. This morning it became the scene of a fatality. For whatever reason, someone pushing a bike stepped in front of a train and as a consequence of that conscious decision, ceased to exist. It's a sad fact of life that people commit suicide and that accidents happen (or is it more about being in the wrong place at the wrong time?) From that split second moment in time something so incomprehensibly awful happened, and hundreds of people were affected in some way. Those who were on the train, those who had to deal with the situation, those who were delayed on later trains, those who will hear about it on the news, or read about it in the newspapers. From the driver who was said to be hysterical to the business man on the train who was made late for his meeting. We all stopped and thought 'how dreadful'. But worst of all, tomorrow we will have forgotten...
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Why are there highs and lows and no 'even' days? Monday was very busy, teaching all day and pianos lessons in the evening. The diabetic pills we'd posted to Graham on Saturday, were returned without going via America (which would have helped) ' low', but a cheery delivery man handed me my new replacement, 'never been touched by human hands' Canon IXUS 800 'high'. Even the battery behaves and went green when charged unlike the previous one that started red then always turned itself off when you weren't looking before it had fully charged. Very sneaky! I have yet to take my first photo, just in case it doesn't live up to my expectations. Tuesday was promising, an invitation to a special lunch in Bradford on 17th and joy of joys, someone left a comment on my blog, someone read my blog...or does she only look at the photos?! Then things began to go steadily downhill. A trip to the dentist resulted in the decision for a root filling which needed so many files of anaesthetic that it took 5 hours for my face to return to normal,(don't say anything). Then the pain set in... I won't go into too much detail, but I need sympathy and someone to kiss it all better. After not a very good night's sleep, another emergency appointment at the dentist (we're on first name terms and I think I know his inside leg measurement) and a comment about it being all in my head, ha, ha, I have faith that I like Donna Summer (I will survive) and I might even be able to chew food by next Friday....
Monday, November 06, 2006
On Saturday I caught the train to London to spend the day with Robert, having dropped Lucy off at work. I was still reeling with the thought of where Graham's wallet might be, so it was very comforting to see a familiar face waiting to greet me at St Pancras. The sense of security didn't last long when we managed to lose each other on the way to South Kensington on the Underground, I jumped on the train and Robert didn't. It didn't matter, in the time it took for Robert to catch up, I was engaged in trying to explain to a Japanese tourist how to get to Leicester Square. First we headed for The Victoria and Albert museum as I wanted to see 'At Home In Renaissance Italy' having seen a write up of it in the Sunday Telegraph magazine. Unfortunately the most interesting bits were those reported and there was little else of note. Robert took more interest in the strange squeeky noise caused by the square floor tiles rubbing together when people walked on them, than in the exhibition.
After lunch across the road, Robert got to choose the next venue. He'd not looked anything up, but assured me he'd had an email about an interesting exhibition at Whitechaple Art Gallery. It took two changes on the tube and a long walk via the Gherkin, but we had high hopes. Inside, the doors of the tiny foyer opened into a cave like gallery, it was so impressive. The collection of huge drawings hung on the wall beckoning us to move forward and take a closer look. Pity Robert hadn't taken the trouble to read his email more thoroughly...the drawings were of men pleasuring women, life size. We decided to move on when we found the artist had gained confidence, lost the plot and started drawing women with men's bits, or as Robert explained the correct description being 'transgender'. Next we found an intriguing box to play with. You opened little catches and inside were black holes with a series of mirrors. You placed your hand inside and then had to figure out how to retrieve it as it seemed to have disappeared. This part had the title: "I am anagram", there was a full explanation of why, but it will be more interesting for you to work out your own! In the last gallery, another artist out to embarrass mother and son viewers (that's viewers, not voyeurs). By this time we were consumed with the giggles, not helped by the constant ringing of a Nokia mobile phone - it just made the experience funnier. Anyway, this artist was so clever, the small drawing lured you in to view the seemingly innocent picture of a lady with an elaborate hair do. Once your face was pressed up to the glass examining the detail, you became aware of the fact that what you were looking at was in fact different body parts arranged in a bizarre fashion. (even more giggles!) Time to find the nearest exit...
Graham, on the other hand, did not have the best of week's. I think it all began to go wrong from the moment he left English soil. The flight into Newark was really turbulent - made worse by being at the back of the plane. He managed to twist his knee badly on the first day, then they told that they could only work on the track during the night and on the first night they were turned away as something else had taken precedence. So having completed their first not very successful night's work the following night, Graham had to go and see someone after he'd had only three hour's sleep and when he got there he realised that he not longer had his wallet with him... Since then, however, things have got better!
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Thursday was another good day, virtually pain free till the evening; I sorted out Friday's lesson, did some digging in the allotment, made four new Reflection bags (see Etsy website) and took Lucy late night shopping at the Designer Outlet. During the afternoon, I had a phonecall from a local school wanting me to do a taster session in card making towards Christmas. If they have enough interest, I'll be able to run a five week course after Christmas. It's such a boost to get a phonecall offering you work and just what I need. I also sent an email to Colinette, just in case I can persuade them to buy some of my bags. The ladies on the Colinette stand at Alexandra Palace were so impressed when I showed them one of my bags I'd made with Colinette yarn, that I just hope that something may come of it. Finger's crossed...
Much of Tuesday morning was spent trying to sort out sending my Canon IXUS 800 IS back, as the exposure has been faulty ever since we bought it in June. Instead of being able to 'point and shoot' as is my female prerogative, I've had to 'press and ponder', although I have to say that on the whole I have been happy with the eventual images. (See flickr) I didn't know whether I should send it to Canon or Amazon (where it came from), so I thought I'd check with both first. Canon didn't really want to know, but Amazon on the other hand were amazing. I looked up their contact details on the website and you get to click on a button and they ring you! and then you speak to a 'person'! The French Lady I spoke to was very helpful and promised I could have a replacement. Being slightly sceptical, I thought I'd better send an email and get written confirmation and the address to send it to as it isn't on the website. An email came back after a few hours, so if you're thinking of buying anything, buy it from Amazon and you won't be disappointed. I can't wait to have 'my' Canon back and in the meantime I am holding my breath...
Friday, November 03, 2006
Tuesday and Wednesday seem to have been taken up mostly with working on the website, ukhandknitting.com. I won't go into too much detail, but there has been a some gnashing of teeth this week, but that's normal. There are loads of new Press Releases and lots of odds and ends following on from all the recent Knitting and Stitching shows. I love it really...
The photos are from Alexandra Palace.
The photos are from Alexandra Palace.
If you've been wondering why the photos I've put up haven't exactly matched my diary, it's because I've had to wait until November to put up any more images on Flickr. It's very kind of them to let me put up any images on their website, but sometimes I wish I could say: "I didn't use my quota in February, please can I have it now?"! So to catch up, first a photo to show how wet it was when we went to see Robert and how Cambridge can look.
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