More Knitting to Undo

Had to undo 10cm of knitting last night because I read the pattern wrong. Good job it was only 33 st wide so not too much knitting involved. It's still annoying though.

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I love this band.

I love this band so much I might wee myself if they tour again.

Check them out.

http://m.rollingstone.com/?redirurl=/music/news/soundgarden-prepare-live-album-plot-return-to-studio-20110218

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It's fun being disabled

Talking about my scooter on the last post made me remember the ridiculous challenge I set myself last year.

My challenge is to take photos of my scooter or my wheelchair in stupid places.

Getting fuel at The Black Country Living Museum.

Parking up at Download

My personal favourite.
Yes...this really is me going through a speed camera at a massive
4 mph!

I tried to do another one at a red traffic light the other day but I was too slow, well at 4 mph you would be wouldn't you!  I'm still working on other places so stay tuned.

This can be a dangerous sport and not for the faint hearted.

Surgery is due

I received a phone call last week from my orthopaedic surgeon's secretary.  (Orthopaedic came up as orgasmic on my phone, work that one out!)

She offered me a date for my hip replacement.  It's the 5th April and obviously I accepted.  Only 42 days to go!

I'm starting to get stuff ready and trying to get organised for the big day.  Here is what I have done so far.

·         I've ordered a few gadgets.

·         I've been getting some practice in with gadgets I already have, i.e. putting underwear, leggings etc on with a grabber.

·         Sorting out clothes, pyjamas etc.

·         Knitting is already sorted, but would a bit of crochet be easier?

·         And the biggie is that I'm changing my car in the autumn. I have to order by July so really I need to start test driving now just in case I can't drive or don't feel comfortable enough to drive for a while.  I know you have to be very careful getting in and out of cars when you’ve had a hip done so the last thing I want to be doing is looking at cars.  I had a test drive in a Peugeot yesterday and I am trying another on Thursday.  I'm also considering a hoist for in the boot. It's electronic and lifts my scooter into the back of the car. Very exciting stuff.

·         Oh, and the even bigger one is that I will hopefully be an aunty by the time I go in. I really don't want to know that my sister-in-law is in labour while they're putting me to sleep because I know I'll be so worried. Also I may have to wait a while to see it and I can't wait to meet him or her.

Being a volunteer

I love my job, I love Arthritis Care and I love the people I work with but I'm bloody shattered after my meeting.

It's going to take me several days to get over todays meeting. I hope it's worth it.

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Can't sleep now!

I've been asleep since about 9 and woke up at half 11 but now I can't get back to sleep. Brilliant, this fatigue thing is great. You just fall asleep wherever, whenever and without warning, but then you can't sleep at night.

I'm supposed to be at a meeting tomorrow and have to get up in 4 hours. I hate arthritis. It's Arthritis Care's regional committee and it's my first meeting as vice chair. I'd totally forgotten about being vice chair until someone reminded me the other day! I'm hoping I won't have to do much as I don't really know what to do (but I certainly don't think I can sit on play on my phone when I'm bored like I used too!)

In other news I have bought a few gadgets over the last few days to help with the problems I'm having showering because of my shoulder. They were so expensive, I couldn't believe it. Never mind, if they work I could wash my OWN hair for the first time in months which would be nice.

In knitting news. My mystery project is nearly finished. I'm hoping to have it all done by weekend and then one of the ladies at knitting has kindly offered to show me how to finish it off. I really can't say any more but I can't wait to show you.

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Boing Boing!

West Brom v Wolves. Need I say more.

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UFO update.

Time to update my UFO's.  I have finished finished finished my crochet shawl and have also added another couple of projects.

1. Noro Legwarmers. (Almost done but went a left one needle at my friends house!)

2. Regia Sock Yarn Goves

3. Rowan Cardigan.  I can't face it...I really can't, I've had to unpick it twice.

4. Sirdar Extra Chunky Tank Top.  I don't like it anymore, I think it will be frogged.

5. The baby thing I will probably undo and then knit a hoodie if we have a pink baby in the family.

6. Sirdar Big Softie Scarf.

7. Surprise Knitting.  It's almost time to reveal what I've been working on all these months.

8. Blue Baby Hoodie...Will only finish if we have a blue baby in the family.

9. Sew buttons onto baby surprise jacket.

10. Regia Shawl. Photos to come, I promise.

And the two new ones...

11. Waterfall cardigan from Let's knit.  I got the yarn yesterday and cast on last night.  It's a really simple pattern for when I have my operation and I don't have to concentrate.

12. Some gloves.  A pressie for my friend.

Coming down with a bit of a bang....

The holiday was just brilliant and just what I needed before my operation.  I came home lovely and tanned (well, as tanned as I ever am) and very happy.

The day after I got home I had to go and see the shoulder surgeon.  He did quite a few tests on my movement and then did something to it which made my shoulder make a massive, but very impressive crunch sound, to which the surgeon made a worried face and then apologised for hurting me.  I told him that he really didn't need too and that I wanted him to see what I was going on.

He said I needed some xrays to confirm what he thought and then he could make a decision.  So...I had the xrays and then went back and he showed me where the problem was and said 'I can't do any manipulation, I can't do any keyhole surgery, I think you know what I'm saying Sally.'

Unfortunately I did.

I've only ever cried once in front of a Dr and I thought that this was going to be the second time.  I managed to keep myself together by focusing on the job in hand, which is...What joint do I have replaced first?  A thought that most under 30's have!!

It's sunk in now and I'm getting used to the idea.  To be honest, I have no choice.  I'm just glad the hospital can help me.

Our rock and roll valentines

Me and the fella met for valentines coffee tonight. We are so rock and roll.

The fella said he doesn't really like valentines and doesn't see the point. I agree with him to be honest, you don't need one day to tell someone that you care.

Because of this conversation we had I didn't get him anything but what does he go and do?

That's right you got it, he got me a box of chocolates and a card. He said he wasn't bothered about my failings as a girlfriend as he's used to it. He then pointed out that I didn't get him anything last year either. Whoops!

Thanks fella, sorry I'm so rubbish and I didn't get you anything. I'll buy you a curry or something!

This is a pic of the coffees we got.

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Holiday Delays and much much more...

When we last met I was all excited about my trip to Maldives with my Mum and Dad.

On the morning we left I had my pre op for my hip replacement at the hospital which went well.  I rushed from the hospital and got the airport in good time only to find that our plane was delayed 24 hours.  Ironically our plane was stuck in Barbados where we were delayed last time (it sounds amazing but it really wasn’t).  This always happens to my Mum and Dad so I felt really sorry for them.

We were put up in a hotel in Manchester and it was nice, the food was good and it was a decent room (we asked for an accessible room), but it wasn’t like being on an island in Maldives.

We were eventually delayed for 24 hours and 17 minutes which is rubbish when you only have a week’s holiday to start with.  We had loads of room on the plane though so I lay across a load of seats and went to sleep.  I’ve been listening to old XFM recordings of The Ricky Gervais Show.  I’m a big fan and have all the podcasts and have loved An Idiot Abroad. (So much so my brother had to buy me the DVD because we’ve not got sky and I was bugging him to watch them at his house!)  So...I was listening to these programs on the flight and everyone was really quiet or asleep.  I was laughing so much at Karl Pilkington describing his girlfriends new hair cut that I thought I was going to burst.  He said ‘she looks like Dave Hill from Slade!’ Amazing! My fella said that to me once.  My brother said my hair looked like Lego man hair and my boyfriend said I looked like Dave Hill.  Aren’t they lovely!



Says it all really doesn't it!


Anyway after an 11 hour flight we landed into a storm but it was lovely and warm.  The airport assistance people were giving me some strange looks when I was cringing at the thought of being rained on as I was expecting it to be freezing cold, but of course it wasn’t.  We had a 30 minute speedboat transfer and it was really uncomfortable because of the weather.  It was so painful that I was dreading the journey home.  I think this is one place I’m glad I’ve been to as I don’t think it would be suitable after the hip surgery.  Having said that the transfer on the way back was really calm and it was very comfortable so the rough journey was probably a one off.

We got to the resort eventually...and it was lovely.  The rep reminded me of Helga from ‘Allo ‘Allo! which made me smile.  She was always getting things wrong but this just added to the amusement.

One of the best things about Maldives is the snorkeling. I saw some amazing and very colourful fish.  We saw lots of angel fish, butterfly fish, blue stripe snappers, some humbug damsel fish and loads of others but I can’t remember the names of the rest, or identify what they were.  We didn’t find Nemo though!  My Mum said there were some fish guarding the coral and they were chasing her, and no she hadn’t been drinking!  I found the swimming really difficult and I’ve realised how rubbish I am at it.  My Dad had some flippers so he kept towing me around so I could see the fish and it was great fun. 

There were huge craters in the sea and we went to have a look in one of them.  The water was up to my knees at one point and then a couple of metres away from me it was so deep you couldn’t see the bottom.  One little fish which was a bright electric blue was after me and trying to chase me, he tried to peck my chest the little monkey.

Even though I only snorkeled for a short while, and to be honest I was only floating most of the time, it really took it out of me.  They say swimming is good for you but I’m guessing that’s if you can manage to do it. 

We were told by our holiday company that I probably wouldn’t be able to use my wheelchair as it is all sandy paths so I didn’t take it with me.  I was really struggling so we asked if there was any way we could borrow one from the hotel.  Immediately they sprung into action (this was at about 7 in the evening) and by 11 o’clock the next morning a wheelchair was delivered to our room.  You can’t get much better service than that.  Having the chair meant that if I wore myself out snorkeling then I wouldn’t have to worry about walking to dinner, and in the mornings when I can’t move it didn’t matter because my Dad could wheel me to breakfast.  I feel this was good self management.

We always play this game when we go on holiday.  The Look Alike Game.  The rules are that they can be famous people or people we know it doesn’t matter.  This holiday was slim picking.  A couple of years ago we saw the best Joan Sims look alike ever.  In fact I wouldn't have been surprised if it was her daughter.  She was so good I found myself staring at her whenever I saw her because I couldn’t believe it wasn’t Joan Sims!  Therefore, I have decided that because of Joan our standards are pretty high now; the only good ones we saw this year were Yoko Ono, Miles Davis and Gordon Kaye.  (I know what you’re thinking a Rene look alike and a woman who reminds me of Helga!)

Every night at 9 o’clock the hotel staff bring scraps of food to feed the fish off the jetty.  We saw some sharks and some rays and loads of other little fish.  I tried to get some photos of them but they are not very good and the water looks rather murky so here are some pictures my Dad took for me while I was having my afternoon nap.



Smile Ray!



The food was great; considering it was a buffet and its mass catering I thought it was excellent.  I ate fish almost every day and I hate fish so my Mum and Dad almost fell of their chairs when I kept asking for more.  I was a little disappointed with the roast dinner on the Sunday, who goes half way round the world for a Sunday roast eh?  Come on...bring on the curries?

All in all it is a lovely place to see before it is gone forever and I would encourage anyone to go and have a look as it is paradise. 



My ideal knitting spot for when I was too sore to go in the sea. This was taken just
before I realised I was stuck on the sunbed and my Dad had to come and rescue me.
 I never learn!