Stash Enhancement!

OK, so I succumbed....
I was having a bad week - I thought I deserved a treat... and I've got no-one to answer to but myself, so I went yarn shopping.
It started off just being about maybe a scarf to knit while away, and then there's a simple top that I've been thinking about knitting for ages (not that I ever finish anything involving more than 4 balls of yarn, but we live in hope...)

So I walked into Clegs, and they were having a sale! First off I got the yarn for this scarf:

And yes, I've started it already, the yarn is 8ply merino and cashmere blend:And then there's the top I wanted to knit, it is this one.
I was going to make it out of black, as per the cover picture, but then the brown was on sale, and I do seem to be wearing an awful lot of it lately....











And then I saw this:
And I just *had* to have it. I'm thinking of a silly, floppy hat. It's French! Ooh la la!

2 weeks to Tassie - and counting!

Andrea.

Am I, Aren't I.... (revisited)

So guess what? I am. Coeliac that is, or perhaps more accurately pre-coeliac. Which is why they didn't pick it up initially. But the result is the same: a diet 100% gluten free = no more illness. Been about 6 weeks now and I'm already feeling heaps better. I actually have the energy to read books again! Next thing you know I'll be picking up my knitting and all!

The other most noticeable change (apart from not being physically ill every-day) is that my fingernails are stronger and not breaking anymore. Weird the things you focus on...

The month that was....

OK, not actually a month since I last posted, and it's really only been a fortnight since life got ultra-hectic (and I thought I had no time before!...)

I do promise to get back to holiday updates sometime soon - if anyone out there is still interested... I might even be finished in time for the next holiday in Feb - here we come Tasmania.

But the last month.... well I got back from my birthday weekend to the normal busy working week that I have, plus playing catch-up for having a day off... And I also went straight on-call, so also a working weekend (and these are by no means light-weight weekends! and then on for another week of work.
Friday saw a good friend of mine get re-married (same wife). Their first wedding was in Las Vegas in July, so this one was for the family and friends. It was a wonderful, laughter-filled, layed-back re-commitment ceremony. The event took place in Geelong, so B and I had to leg it home from work and rush just a tad to get down there in time, B more than I, as he is traveling further and had to stop off at home first to get changed.

We arrived back after midnight and collapsed in a heap (well I did, but then I'd had a few wines and delegated driving duties to B). We had a nice long sleep in on Saturday and I awoke refreshed and began contemplating the possibilities of another weekend together. It wasn't until after our showers that I realised something was wrong. B was taking even longer than normal (I'm 15 mins in and out and hair dried - he's more likely to take an hour and still be wandering around half dressed...) He finally came out of the bathroom and was shaking and looking faint. He pointed down at his leg and there was a large, angry, red rash on his left calf. He said it hurt quite bad, he couldn't stand on it and he'd thrown up a number of times. I immediately thought spider bite, so rushed him off to the doctor, pausing only to get fully dressed first - although I did threaten to call an ambulance as he was.
The doctors put him straight into a treatment room and then called an ambulance. He finally stopped shivering (after being put on oxygen - his fingernails were quite blue...) And so off to Sunshine Emergency he went.

I then stopped to have breakfast, before heading over to join him.

We spent the day in emergency and then he got put in overnight and on an IV drip. On Sunday I went back to collect him, but the rash had grown so they were going to admit him. He finally came home a *week* later! He had a skin infection called cellulitis. His was an aggressive, severe infection that required rather large doses of IV antibiotics to get under control. He came home last Friday (I think the hospital were short of beds) and stayed with me for 5 days for more rest and broadband access.
If you click on the cellulitis link above, you can read more about it, and if you scroll right down that page, you'll see some pictures, the first one looks remarkably like B's leg.

And here's a pic of his actual leg. So as not to scare off the easily queasy - click on the pic of the hospital blanket to see his entire calf in all its redness....



He's doing much better know, but you'd better believe I'll be watching his leg like a hawk!

A Sign of the Times

So it was my birthday on Monday. I have a policy of not working on my birthday - saves no end of stress and heart-ache. Ever noticed that emotions just run stronger on your birthday? The day before, or the day after the world could come crashing down and I'd handle it with a smile, but on the day itself - nope, I'm a wreck if forced to deal with anything involving even the slightest bit of mediation or compromise.

B also took the day off and with just a little bit of prompting, arranged a weekend away for the two of us. He wouldn't tell me where we were going, although given I was driving, the options narrowed the further we went.

And we ended up in Ocean Grove - that's Seachange Country. So close to home (only an hour), but I'd never been there. We had wonderful weather - if a little windy on the Ocean side.
As is our want, we wandered around lighthouses and beach paths, investigated little towns and long piers, and ate great food!






We traveled by foot, horse and cart, and steam train.










We took in some exquisite sunsets.....


And we saw these signs, which had me rolling in the sand dunes in hysterics....
I have to wonder whether the designer of the graphics is sitting there having a giggle, or do they take themsleves very seriously....

I'm Just an Old fashioned Gal

The other weekend, a merry trio set off towards Ballarat to visit Kryal Castle and to partake in the Ballarat Medieval Fair.

We saw men in armor trying to dissect each other:
We saw jousting:
We tromped around Kryal Castle engaging in conversation with purveyors of fine wares such as hand beaten armor and bows and arrows....











We saw eagles flying, and I even got to hold one....


And did I mention the jousting?

External Brain

My computer has an external hard drive, but no, that's not what I'm talking about....

I've been getting so stressed with work that my life was getting ridiculous... I was spending all my time remembering things I needed to do at work and forgetting things I needed to do outside of work. This was getting a tad frustrating as I'd always had a near perfect memory... I came up with a solution however - I got an external brain.....



Now I can take notes on the train, both about work and home stuff, and never forget another thing - unless it doesn't make it in there in the first place - then all bets are off. It also plays music - Yah! No more listening to loud teens on the train, and plays games. Woo hoo!.

Where am I?

People are asking.... Sorry - I've been sick and busy working, and trying to save my relationship.... OK, a bit dramatic, but I've had issues - probably because I've been sick and busy working ;)

I have updates planned, and *promise* to put some real updates on soon!

Andrea.