Nothing drastic going on, I've got dry eyes so the optician recommend Viscotears, simple - you think?
Doc A listens to me and gives me script for said viscotears and for three months all is fine.
Doc R listens to me and changes my script to lacri-lube and now I have sticky eyes! I told her that the viscotears were working great and she took me off them! Is it just a simple case of the lacri-lube being cheaper than the viscotears?
I will not rush back to DocA and ask for the viscotears, I WILL give the lacri-lube a decent chance (and then I'll go back to DocR and see if she will change it back before I speak to DocA LOL.)
Grumpy moment!
Friday, July 03, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
European Computer Driving Licence
I finally feel like posting something to my blog :-)
I started doing the ECDL course a few weeks ago; I'm doing it locally rather than at college, I've been going to at Ormiston Learning Centre which is part of this company.
I love it there, the staff and clients are friendly and it's a really relaxed environment to study in. There is no pressure, you work at your own speed and the staff are always very encouraging.
Anyway, when you start along at Ormiston you have to do a bit of preparation before starting on the ECDL. This is just so they can assess your current level. The first thing you do is the Equal Skills programme. Having years of computer experience makes no difference, you have to do it. I managed to do this in just two sessions and I even got a certificate :-). Then you have to do an in-house exercise called The Six Countries, this is six word processing exercises leading you through a variety of tasks. At the end of this you have a test to sit and I passed that and got another certificate :-)
I then chose to start my course with Word Processing (Module Three). I worked through the book and then did some extra work on mail merge (something I've never done before) before sitting a mock test.
Before you can sit any proper tests your funding has to be in place so while waiting for my ILA token to come through I started on the Internet unit (Module Seven). I worked through the book and I then sat three mock tests.
My funding was still not in place so I started my third unit – Spreadsheets (Module Four). This is not so easy for me. I've never worked with Spreadsheets before. I did lessons 1-33 in about two hours but that felt like really slow going for me.
My funding came through on Tuesday 16 June (the learning token was waiting for me when I got home) so the next time I was at Orimiston I booked my tests for Modules Three and Seven. While along there I worked on spreadsheet lessons 34-52, again it felt really slow but the staff were pleased with my progress so I'm not worried about it.
To finally get to the point….
I sat my tests this morning (19/06/09)
Word Processing – passed with flying colours (100%) – I was gobsmacked! It's not everyday I get that kind of mark!
Internet – passed with colours flying just a tiny bit lower (98%) – gobsmacked again!
To say I'm delighted with these results is a bit of an understatement! Hope I can keep it like this, I am working hard because I really do want to do well.
Right, that's it from me today, I wonder if I'll manage to keep blogging about this??? I might try using Twitter, I've signed up for it and I follow a few people so maybe I'll start tweeting too!
UPDATE - I've added a twitter link in my sidebar and have sent out one tweet so far! But I only have one follower :(
I started doing the ECDL course a few weeks ago; I'm doing it locally rather than at college, I've been going to at Ormiston Learning Centre which is part of this company.
I love it there, the staff and clients are friendly and it's a really relaxed environment to study in. There is no pressure, you work at your own speed and the staff are always very encouraging.
Anyway, when you start along at Ormiston you have to do a bit of preparation before starting on the ECDL. This is just so they can assess your current level. The first thing you do is the Equal Skills programme. Having years of computer experience makes no difference, you have to do it. I managed to do this in just two sessions and I even got a certificate :-). Then you have to do an in-house exercise called The Six Countries, this is six word processing exercises leading you through a variety of tasks. At the end of this you have a test to sit and I passed that and got another certificate :-)
I then chose to start my course with Word Processing (Module Three). I worked through the book and then did some extra work on mail merge (something I've never done before) before sitting a mock test.
Before you can sit any proper tests your funding has to be in place so while waiting for my ILA token to come through I started on the Internet unit (Module Seven). I worked through the book and I then sat three mock tests.
My funding was still not in place so I started my third unit – Spreadsheets (Module Four). This is not so easy for me. I've never worked with Spreadsheets before. I did lessons 1-33 in about two hours but that felt like really slow going for me.
My funding came through on Tuesday 16 June (the learning token was waiting for me when I got home) so the next time I was at Orimiston I booked my tests for Modules Three and Seven. While along there I worked on spreadsheet lessons 34-52, again it felt really slow but the staff were pleased with my progress so I'm not worried about it.
To finally get to the point….
I sat my tests this morning (19/06/09)
Word Processing – passed with flying colours (100%) – I was gobsmacked! It's not everyday I get that kind of mark!
Internet – passed with colours flying just a tiny bit lower (98%) – gobsmacked again!
To say I'm delighted with these results is a bit of an understatement! Hope I can keep it like this, I am working hard because I really do want to do well.
Right, that's it from me today, I wonder if I'll manage to keep blogging about this??? I might try using Twitter, I've signed up for it and I follow a few people so maybe I'll start tweeting too!
UPDATE - I've added a twitter link in my sidebar and have sent out one tweet so far! But I only have one follower :(
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
HUGS - a poem
Hugs
It’s wondrous what a hug can do
A hug can cheer you when your blue.
A hug can say,”I love you so”
Or,”I hate to see you go”.
A hug is;”Welcome back again!”
And “Great to see you !” or
“ Where’ve you been?”
A hug can soothe a small child’s pain.
A hug can soothe a small child’s pain.
And bring a rainbow after rain.
The Hug! There’s no doubt about it,
We scarcely can survive without it,
A hug delights and warms and charms,
it must be why God gave us arms.
Hugs are great for Fathers and mothers
sweet for sisters, even for brothers.
And chances are some favourite aunts,
love them more than potted plants.
Kittens crave them ,puppies love them ,
Heads of state are not above them.
A hug can break the language barrier,
And make the dullest day seem merrier.
No need to fret about the store of ‘em,
The more you give the more there are of ‘em.
So stretch your arms without delay ,
And give someone a hug today.
Anon.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
I think you could consider this blog closed for now
I haven’t felt like writing anything on it for months even though there has been plenty going on.
I don’t want it to turn into a long list of
“I spun this today”
“I spun this the next day”
“And then I spun this on the third day.”
You get my drift?
Okay so I could write about my trip to Woolfest but right now all I feel like saying is that:
I stayed with friends in Edinburgh on the Friday night so that I’d have less travelling to do on the Saturday.
I went to Woolfest on the bus that Doreen of Scottish Fibres organised. It was about a three hour trip but it was well worth it.
I got to see all the suppliers I usually only see online and I was able to choose the colours I wanted without having to trust a seller to send me the right ones (for instance, if I ask for a selection of blues and purples with absolutely NO green that’s what I expect to get – so why did one supplier send me green stuff when I specifically said that I don’t want any! Grump over!)
I was able to handle fibres, spindles, etc and get a real feel for them.
Talking to people who are enthusiastic about what they are doing (suppliers and shoppers) was fabulous, way better than on the phone.
I managed to bring some of my fibre budget home with me (even though I spent a lot on dyed silk caps/hankies) but that was only because I couldn’t find the fibre I wanted at the right price. (I got it by mail order right after I came home).
I met lots of lovely people at Woolfest but not a lot of chance of remembering names and faces. When I’m that tired my memory goes to pot :-) So if I met you there and now don’t recognise you I hope you will understand why :-)
The bus trip back to Edinburgh was more tiring but I had expected that and I was glad to be staying with my friends again because travelling all the way home that night would have been a nightmare.
All in all a fantastic day and I will be going back but there is so much more I could write about Woolfest. I could even add links (but no pictures because my camera was in for repair at just the wrong time!)
I’ve still written more than I intended when I started this but that’s just the chatterbox in me, once I get started I can write/talk for ages, it’s just that most of the time I don’t feel like writing to the blog. Maybe it’s just a temporary thing and for that reason I’m not deleting it and if anyone leaves comments I’ll do my best to answer them.
Bye for now :-)
Lesley
I don’t want it to turn into a long list of
“I spun this today”
“I spun this the next day”
“And then I spun this on the third day.”
You get my drift?
Okay so I could write about my trip to Woolfest but right now all I feel like saying is that:
I stayed with friends in Edinburgh on the Friday night so that I’d have less travelling to do on the Saturday.
I went to Woolfest on the bus that Doreen of Scottish Fibres organised. It was about a three hour trip but it was well worth it.
I got to see all the suppliers I usually only see online and I was able to choose the colours I wanted without having to trust a seller to send me the right ones (for instance, if I ask for a selection of blues and purples with absolutely NO green that’s what I expect to get – so why did one supplier send me green stuff when I specifically said that I don’t want any! Grump over!)
I was able to handle fibres, spindles, etc and get a real feel for them.
Talking to people who are enthusiastic about what they are doing (suppliers and shoppers) was fabulous, way better than on the phone.
I managed to bring some of my fibre budget home with me (even though I spent a lot on dyed silk caps/hankies) but that was only because I couldn’t find the fibre I wanted at the right price. (I got it by mail order right after I came home).
I met lots of lovely people at Woolfest but not a lot of chance of remembering names and faces. When I’m that tired my memory goes to pot :-) So if I met you there and now don’t recognise you I hope you will understand why :-)
The bus trip back to Edinburgh was more tiring but I had expected that and I was glad to be staying with my friends again because travelling all the way home that night would have been a nightmare.
All in all a fantastic day and I will be going back but there is so much more I could write about Woolfest. I could even add links (but no pictures because my camera was in for repair at just the wrong time!)
I’ve still written more than I intended when I started this but that’s just the chatterbox in me, once I get started I can write/talk for ages, it’s just that most of the time I don’t feel like writing to the blog. Maybe it’s just a temporary thing and for that reason I’m not deleting it and if anyone leaves comments I’ll do my best to answer them.
Bye for now :-)
Lesley
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Well worth the needle in the arm
Yay!
I'm anaemic
Not exactly cause for celebration but I think it's better than being diagnosed with diabetes (that was the Doc's first thought). So, iron pills for a few weeks and see how it goes :>)
Now this bit of silk.....
fankled itself so many times it's a wonder I still have it! I spent about 2 hours on this tiny skein. There is only about 3g of it but it fankled when I was spinning it and then it did it again when I was plying it - so much so that I had to run it through the wheel a couple of times to try to balance out the twist! It has finished up as "mostly usable", I'll probably only lose 30cm or so when I come to use it - that's if I ever use it!
Yesterday evening was obviously not a good evening for spinning, maybe tonight will be better :>)
Some more fibre therapy
Blue Silk
This skein took about 10 hours to make. I don't know if that's fast or slow (compared to other peoples spinning speed for silk) but I certainly enjoyed the spinning.
It's about 20g of 2ply (I don't know the length or the thickness right now, I'll measure those after it's washed)
I'm pleased with this skein, it's soft and well-balanced and while that's not exactly a first for me it is still not common place so I still get a little bit excited when I produce yarn like this!
This skein took about 10 hours to make. I don't know if that's fast or slow (compared to other peoples spinning speed for silk) but I certainly enjoyed the spinning.
It's about 20g of 2ply (I don't know the length or the thickness right now, I'll measure those after it's washed)
I'm pleased with this skein, it's soft and well-balanced and while that's not exactly a first for me it is still not common place so I still get a little bit excited when I produce yarn like this!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Need a nostepinne? Got an inhaler handy? That'll do instead :>)
I was enjoying spinning this silk so much that I sat up till about midnight to finish the skein. Then I needed to ply it and that was fine while I had silk on two bobbins but one ran out before the other (a common thing with me) so I had to make a centre-pull ball to finish off my plying. When I've only got a little odd yarn left I don't bother getting my ball-winder out I just use my nostepinne (well, a substitute noste cos I'm too mean to buy one when a fat knitting pin does the job just as well). Anyway, I can't be bothered going upstairs just for that so I look around to see if anything else will do and, sitting right beside me, is one of my inhalers so I use that instead :>). It worked great and I've always got at least one inhaler with me so I guess that will be my substitute noste from now on.
Here's the pictorial proof, first pic is the finished ball on the inhaler, second pic was while I was plying from that ball and the last pic is the finished skein.
The colour is really off in these pics, it's most like the second pic (well, on my monitor anyway)Thursday, February 21, 2008
Textile postcard
This postcard (from Helen over at Textile Goddess) arrived a couple of days ago, it fair brightened up my day! (This is just the first time I've had time to upload it). Also, I had fogotten about this swap, click on this link to see the card I sent Helen and all the others she got too (Mine is the tenth one down) It's lovely to take part in things like this, you end up with a collection of mini-artworks :>)
Honestly??? I just haven't felt like blogging
There has been plenty going on but I found that I needed to use my free time to relax with my spinning rather than sitting at the computer.
I have been quite busy with work, the modelling is still going well but it does leave me exhausted. All the normal life stuff – housework, (ironing today – OH JOY!), seeing (or chatting with) friends and days out to spinning and embroidery groups all contribute (in a good way) to my not having time for computer stuff.
I went to the Doctor because of a sore arm but I broke down while there because it turns out I've been kidding myself (and everyone else) that my depression is under control but one word about it from the Doctor and I was in tears. I'm now waiting on blood test results because the Doc thinks that if I can get the extreme tiredness sorted out I'll at least be part-way to really getting the depression under control. (The tiredness could be due to any number of things, the blood tests are just a starting point). Doc also advised me to find more time for myself (she wanted to give me a sick-line but I don’t want to be off work) and I've to stop doing so much for other people – ie learn to say "NO" more often and stop blooming well offering! So, don't be surprised if I don't offer my help as much as I used to but also don't be offended, it's not personal, I'm just trying to follow Doc's advice.
I have been quite busy with work, the modelling is still going well but it does leave me exhausted. All the normal life stuff – housework, (ironing today – OH JOY!), seeing (or chatting with) friends and days out to spinning and embroidery groups all contribute (in a good way) to my not having time for computer stuff.
I went to the Doctor because of a sore arm but I broke down while there because it turns out I've been kidding myself (and everyone else) that my depression is under control but one word about it from the Doctor and I was in tears. I'm now waiting on blood test results because the Doc thinks that if I can get the extreme tiredness sorted out I'll at least be part-way to really getting the depression under control. (The tiredness could be due to any number of things, the blood tests are just a starting point). Doc also advised me to find more time for myself (she wanted to give me a sick-line but I don’t want to be off work) and I've to stop doing so much for other people – ie learn to say "NO" more often and stop blooming well offering! So, don't be surprised if I don't offer my help as much as I used to but also don't be offended, it's not personal, I'm just trying to follow Doc's advice.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas
Happy Boxing Day Eve
Happy Holidays
Happy 25 December
Happy Winter
Happy Summer
or, last but not least
Happy Chocolate Day
and for anyone interested in putting a smile on my face at any time of year - dark chocolate strawberry creams are a particular favourite :>) and it's all Allison's fault for giving me a box of them about 20 years ago!
Happy Holidays
Happy 25 December
Happy Winter
Happy Summer
or, last but not least
Happy Chocolate Day
and for anyone interested in putting a smile on my face at any time of year - dark chocolate strawberry creams are a particular favourite :>) and it's all Allison's fault for giving me a box of them about 20 years ago!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Long time no blogging
Sometimes life just gets on top of me.
I've had a decent amount of modelling work and that leaves me exhausted and sore so my time off has been spent recovering.
I had a fab workshop to go to - cloth dolls - lots of pics taken but they are still on the camera and the doll is still under construction :) She will get finished though.
I've been to a couple of spinning group/guild meetings and they were good, a nice chance to relax and chat with like-minded folk.
I had raging toothache for a week or so, anti-biotics cleared it up but the dentist isn't sure of the cause (it might be due to the TMJD) so wants me to see a consultant at Dundee Dental Hospital - one of my least favourite places on earth!
Gotta keep this short, friend is at the door and I'll be off to her house for a weekend of tidying and packing as she is moving house next week.
I've had a decent amount of modelling work and that leaves me exhausted and sore so my time off has been spent recovering.
I had a fab workshop to go to - cloth dolls - lots of pics taken but they are still on the camera and the doll is still under construction :) She will get finished though.
I've been to a couple of spinning group/guild meetings and they were good, a nice chance to relax and chat with like-minded folk.
I had raging toothache for a week or so, anti-biotics cleared it up but the dentist isn't sure of the cause (it might be due to the TMJD) so wants me to see a consultant at Dundee Dental Hospital - one of my least favourite places on earth!
Gotta keep this short, friend is at the door and I'll be off to her house for a weekend of tidying and packing as she is moving house next week.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
about wrist distaffs
Over on Spindle and Wheel blog there is a prize (already won) and a couple of commenters have asked about the wrist distaff so I've taken some pics of mine - hope they are useful.
When I first learned to spin on a drop spindle I was told to wrap a length of the wool tops around my arm to keep it tidy and ready to use. It's easy to do and the tops feeds easily into your hand. But..... while at a spinning meeting I saw a woman using a 'thing' hanging from her wrist so I just had to find out more. She showed me the wrist distaff she was using, a bit of cord with a dangly thing on the end of it and she had some silk tops wrapped round it. She (her name has slipped my mind) told me that it can be easier to control the fibre supply this way and it also makes it easier to put your spindle and fibre down without getting it all tangled up.
So, I decided to try this method and started looking for things I could use. Cord was easy enough, plenty different types of that and dangly things - what a choice. The first pic shows some of my wristaffs, amber-like resin, a snowman for winter, shell, turned wood, shell.
Photo upload is playing up again! It worked earlier this afternoon so maybe it's just a temporary glitch this time. I'll try one more time and if that doesn't work I'll upload from flickr instead. Right, done that, photos below - if you have any questions just ask :>)
When I first learned to spin on a drop spindle I was told to wrap a length of the wool tops around my arm to keep it tidy and ready to use. It's easy to do and the tops feeds easily into your hand. But..... while at a spinning meeting I saw a woman using a 'thing' hanging from her wrist so I just had to find out more. She showed me the wrist distaff she was using, a bit of cord with a dangly thing on the end of it and she had some silk tops wrapped round it. She (her name has slipped my mind) told me that it can be easier to control the fibre supply this way and it also makes it easier to put your spindle and fibre down without getting it all tangled up.
So, I decided to try this method and started looking for things I could use. Cord was easy enough, plenty different types of that and dangly things - what a choice. The first pic shows some of my wristaffs, amber-like resin, a snowman for winter, shell, turned wood, shell.
Photo upload is playing up again! It worked earlier this afternoon so maybe it's just a temporary glitch this time. I'll try one more time and if that doesn't work I'll upload from flickr instead. Right, done that, photos below - if you have any questions just ask :>)
Constellation Lesley
A great drawing by Siobhan Clark. (It got its nickname from the tutor I was working with that day) Thanks for letting me put it on my blog Siobhan :>)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
My computer isn't working......
......and I don't know when it will get fixed :(
I'm using a friend's comp to access my email today but, in general, my online time is going to be very restricted in the next couple of weeks. I had promised a couple of people that I would put pics of their work on my blog but I can't do that from this comp cos I only just know how to use it (it's a laptop and I'm used to a desktop and my pal hasn't got the same software as I do.)
See you soon - I hope!
I'm using a friend's comp to access my email today but, in general, my online time is going to be very restricted in the next couple of weeks. I had promised a couple of people that I would put pics of their work on my blog but I can't do that from this comp cos I only just know how to use it (it's a laptop and I'm used to a desktop and my pal hasn't got the same software as I do.)
See you soon - I hope!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Nae chance o' remembering everything but here's a wee catch-up post
It's been a busy time here
There was a new Guild to go to – East & Central Scotland Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers. A friend from Angus Spinners goes to this and thought I'd like it, well, she was right. The first day I went was at the house of one of the members and I wasn't sure how welcome I'd be. It can be hard for me sometimes, being shy, I don’t always integrate easily with a new group of people but that wasn't a problem with this bunch. They are very friendly and welcoming, I felt like I belonged right away.
This was a dyeing and felting day and I had such fun dyeing wool tops, spun wool and spun silk that I never did get any felting done :) Also, just because the day is labelled "Messy Day – Dyeing & Felting" you don't have to do that, you can take your wheel and spin, do some knitting, needle-felting, etc and no-one is left out. There's none of the "I'm not going to that meeting because the theme doesn't suit me" that I've found at other groups.
I came home exhausted (via Twist Fibre Craft Studio cos a little retail therapy goes a long way and there are all those lovely fibres to spin and dye) and it took me two days to recover so it's just as well I didn't have much planned (she says with just a touch of sarcasm) It went like this…….
Saturday, Activity Day – new guild – great fun etc
Sunday, Recovery Day One – wiped out, I don't remember much of it at all, I know I rinsed out my dyed fibres and I think I ate cold chicken for tea but the rest is a blur…….
Monday, Recovery Day Two – go to Allisons's house to wait in for a guy to come take her cable box away. I sat around all day, read a little, surfed the net a bit, watched a movie that made me cry (Pay It Forward). I let the guy in, let the guy out, set-up her Freeview box (not very many channels but also not £25 per month so she is saving a fair bit there), had my tea cooked for me – great lasagne, nattered for a bit and went home to have an early night. That didn't quite work out, I still had to sort out bus times for Tuesday, getting to Pittenweem from Dundee only involves one change of bus but I wanted to plan it so that there was as little wasting time in bus stations as possible.
So, Tuesday, Activity Day 2 – Pittenweem Arts Festival, I could only spend one day there this year so I fitted in as much as I could. My Mum fancied coming to it too so I had good company for all that wandering in and out of peoples houses/garages/gardens/sheds/stairwells. It's a fantastic festival, art of every kind everywhere you look, we barely sat down all day, just had little rests quite often. I found so many things I liked but only brought one of them home with me, a beautiful clock, made from a piece of Purple Heart which just happens to be one of my favourite woods, the simple woodturning that highlights the grain is just my kind of thing.
Good lunch – hot sausage roll and a sair heid, sitting on a bench in the sunshine – cannae beat it :)
Braw tea as weel – pub grub at Jolly's Hotel in Broughty Ferry followed by a quick nip in to a supermarket for some ice-cream to round off the day.
Wednesday, Recovery Day Three – wiped out again, a friend phoned me and I nearly fell asleep while talking to her – it was only about noon!
Thursday, Activity Day Three – trip to Glasgow with Allison, I was only really going along to keep her company and it was only meant to be for a few hours, to do one thing and come home. Nah, didnae happen like that. First of all I had to go to the Doctor at 0840 because my face has been so sore that I had finally given in and made an appointment. It turns out that I have arthritis in my jaw – go on, say it, "from nattering too much" – anyway, it's called temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction and the only things I can do are take painkillers when it's at it's worst and try various topical treatments. The Doc recommended Pernaton Gel or Arnica Gel. I've tried them both and they help a little. I'll try anything, so if anyone has any suggestions please do let me know, it's horrible pain, but, like all the other pain problems I have, I expect I'll get used to it.
Back to the Glasgow trip…..a little lunch and then a walk around town for a while, killing time before Allison's interview. We stuck together for a while but I wanted to go to the Collins Gallery and she wanted to keep shopping so we split up for an hour or so. (We have been friends long enough that we understand each others passions, so even though she didn't want to come with me she would never prevent me from popping in to a gallery and I'd never stop her from shopping). I had a great time at the gallery, current exhibition is good, I don't want to do 3D weaving myself but I do love the structures, shapes and patterns.
So, back to meet Allison in time for her appointment and we had plenty to talk about. On to the interview….we had a little difficulty finding the place but we got help from a guy who I just can't praise enough. He spent ages with us giving us detailed directions but then he pulled a masterstroke – we had just made the first turning when he flashed us down (he had been on his way to his car when we asked for directions), we thought we had gone wrong already but no, he was doing a very good deed. He had decided that it wasn't that far out of his way and he would lead us there – how fantastic is that? We followed him for about 20 minutes and he got us there with no problems. Allison did get a bit worried though so I phoned the company and spoke to a very nice girl who confirmed that he was leading us the right way. That guy earned some karma that day, can't thank him enough and I'll not forget that favour.
The interview was good but took ages so I was sitting around a lot but that's just the sort of thing you do isn't it?
After that we were going to go home but we needed something to eat so we popped in to a shopping centre, one that was open till nine o'clock – bad idea, we were there till almost nine but what's worse is that Ikea is open till ten o'clock and was just round the corner so we went there too! Happily wandered round there till almost ten and then had a coffee break before heading for home this time. The roads were quiet so the journey was good but just to put the icing on the cake – when we got to Dundee we stopped at Tesco and did a bit more shopping! Sensible stuff this time though, Allison was having guests round on the Friday so shopping then meant she didn't have to get up early in the morning. Home about 1am and boy was I exhausted so I was glad I didn't have to get up too early either. All I had to do on the Friday was collect my new specs (pretty purple ones) and get my Field Vision Test done. That went okay but tiredness did make me muck-up a little and I had to repeat part of the test. All okay for another year though and I could go home to relax and that's pretty much what I did for a few days. I did clean the bathroom but otherwise I just did a bit of reading, spinning and watching TV.
Slipped back into normal mode (well, what passes for normal around here) on the Monday. There was a quick nip in to the Dentist to get a scale and polish and a quick nip in to the post office before lunch. I spent the afternoon thoroughly waxing my spinning wheel and getting some spinning done. I'm using dyed silk hankies just now and I'm not quite sure I've got the hang of working with them so a fair bit of my time has been spent searching the web for info and looking at spinning blogs.
I had a great week of making things :) four cushion covers (two for a pal and two for myself), a cover for my diary, a cover for a friend's sketchbook and an apron were the main things. I've still got a long list of things to make and I'm hoping to find time for at least some of that list this week.
I had one day of breaking things, well thing, my drive belt for my spinning wheel :( but, luckily for me, Joyce's had broken just the day before so I knew that I could at least try sewing it back together. That worked fine and I got to the end of the evening but I still got on the phone to Peter at Twist the next day, service from him is fantastic, I had a new drive belt the next morning (I haven't used it yet, my stitched one is still holding).
I had a play-day at a friend's house last Friday (24 Aug). I got to try her three spinning wheels – an Ashford Traveller – great, a single treadle Lendrum – also great and a "no-one has a clue what kind of wheel" – absolute rubbish. The general feeling about the last one is that it is someone's botched attempt to make them self a wheel.
I got to meet all her animals – great fun :) rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs and terrapin. I even got to felt some of the fur she had clipped from one of her angora rabbits just a few days earlier, that was nice, it felts beautifully. I showed Joyce my method for cobweb felt and she was just as impressed with my tidiness as she was with my felt :)
I came home with some fleece to try, Joyce has so much she felt like giving some away – how nice is that? Kudos to you Joyce :) Glad I've got something to give her too, I found out she would like to try using soluble fabric so I've looked out some of that and will get it to her next Sat as we have a spinning guild meeting.
Right then, I think that's it for this humongous catch-up, I make no promises to keep up to date with my blog but I hope it's not so long before I feel like posting again.
There was a new Guild to go to – East & Central Scotland Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers. A friend from Angus Spinners goes to this and thought I'd like it, well, she was right. The first day I went was at the house of one of the members and I wasn't sure how welcome I'd be. It can be hard for me sometimes, being shy, I don’t always integrate easily with a new group of people but that wasn't a problem with this bunch. They are very friendly and welcoming, I felt like I belonged right away.
This was a dyeing and felting day and I had such fun dyeing wool tops, spun wool and spun silk that I never did get any felting done :) Also, just because the day is labelled "Messy Day – Dyeing & Felting" you don't have to do that, you can take your wheel and spin, do some knitting, needle-felting, etc and no-one is left out. There's none of the "I'm not going to that meeting because the theme doesn't suit me" that I've found at other groups.
I came home exhausted (via Twist Fibre Craft Studio cos a little retail therapy goes a long way and there are all those lovely fibres to spin and dye) and it took me two days to recover so it's just as well I didn't have much planned (she says with just a touch of sarcasm) It went like this…….
Saturday, Activity Day – new guild – great fun etc
Sunday, Recovery Day One – wiped out, I don't remember much of it at all, I know I rinsed out my dyed fibres and I think I ate cold chicken for tea but the rest is a blur…….
Monday, Recovery Day Two – go to Allisons's house to wait in for a guy to come take her cable box away. I sat around all day, read a little, surfed the net a bit, watched a movie that made me cry (Pay It Forward). I let the guy in, let the guy out, set-up her Freeview box (not very many channels but also not £25 per month so she is saving a fair bit there), had my tea cooked for me – great lasagne, nattered for a bit and went home to have an early night. That didn't quite work out, I still had to sort out bus times for Tuesday, getting to Pittenweem from Dundee only involves one change of bus but I wanted to plan it so that there was as little wasting time in bus stations as possible.
So, Tuesday, Activity Day 2 – Pittenweem Arts Festival, I could only spend one day there this year so I fitted in as much as I could. My Mum fancied coming to it too so I had good company for all that wandering in and out of peoples houses/garages/gardens/sheds/stairwells. It's a fantastic festival, art of every kind everywhere you look, we barely sat down all day, just had little rests quite often. I found so many things I liked but only brought one of them home with me, a beautiful clock, made from a piece of Purple Heart which just happens to be one of my favourite woods, the simple woodturning that highlights the grain is just my kind of thing.
Good lunch – hot sausage roll and a sair heid, sitting on a bench in the sunshine – cannae beat it :)
Braw tea as weel – pub grub at Jolly's Hotel in Broughty Ferry followed by a quick nip in to a supermarket for some ice-cream to round off the day.
Wednesday, Recovery Day Three – wiped out again, a friend phoned me and I nearly fell asleep while talking to her – it was only about noon!
Thursday, Activity Day Three – trip to Glasgow with Allison, I was only really going along to keep her company and it was only meant to be for a few hours, to do one thing and come home. Nah, didnae happen like that. First of all I had to go to the Doctor at 0840 because my face has been so sore that I had finally given in and made an appointment. It turns out that I have arthritis in my jaw – go on, say it, "from nattering too much" – anyway, it's called temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction and the only things I can do are take painkillers when it's at it's worst and try various topical treatments. The Doc recommended Pernaton Gel or Arnica Gel. I've tried them both and they help a little. I'll try anything, so if anyone has any suggestions please do let me know, it's horrible pain, but, like all the other pain problems I have, I expect I'll get used to it.
Back to the Glasgow trip…..a little lunch and then a walk around town for a while, killing time before Allison's interview. We stuck together for a while but I wanted to go to the Collins Gallery and she wanted to keep shopping so we split up for an hour or so. (We have been friends long enough that we understand each others passions, so even though she didn't want to come with me she would never prevent me from popping in to a gallery and I'd never stop her from shopping). I had a great time at the gallery, current exhibition is good, I don't want to do 3D weaving myself but I do love the structures, shapes and patterns.
So, back to meet Allison in time for her appointment and we had plenty to talk about. On to the interview….we had a little difficulty finding the place but we got help from a guy who I just can't praise enough. He spent ages with us giving us detailed directions but then he pulled a masterstroke – we had just made the first turning when he flashed us down (he had been on his way to his car when we asked for directions), we thought we had gone wrong already but no, he was doing a very good deed. He had decided that it wasn't that far out of his way and he would lead us there – how fantastic is that? We followed him for about 20 minutes and he got us there with no problems. Allison did get a bit worried though so I phoned the company and spoke to a very nice girl who confirmed that he was leading us the right way. That guy earned some karma that day, can't thank him enough and I'll not forget that favour.
The interview was good but took ages so I was sitting around a lot but that's just the sort of thing you do isn't it?
After that we were going to go home but we needed something to eat so we popped in to a shopping centre, one that was open till nine o'clock – bad idea, we were there till almost nine but what's worse is that Ikea is open till ten o'clock and was just round the corner so we went there too! Happily wandered round there till almost ten and then had a coffee break before heading for home this time. The roads were quiet so the journey was good but just to put the icing on the cake – when we got to Dundee we stopped at Tesco and did a bit more shopping! Sensible stuff this time though, Allison was having guests round on the Friday so shopping then meant she didn't have to get up early in the morning. Home about 1am and boy was I exhausted so I was glad I didn't have to get up too early either. All I had to do on the Friday was collect my new specs (pretty purple ones) and get my Field Vision Test done. That went okay but tiredness did make me muck-up a little and I had to repeat part of the test. All okay for another year though and I could go home to relax and that's pretty much what I did for a few days. I did clean the bathroom but otherwise I just did a bit of reading, spinning and watching TV.
Slipped back into normal mode (well, what passes for normal around here) on the Monday. There was a quick nip in to the Dentist to get a scale and polish and a quick nip in to the post office before lunch. I spent the afternoon thoroughly waxing my spinning wheel and getting some spinning done. I'm using dyed silk hankies just now and I'm not quite sure I've got the hang of working with them so a fair bit of my time has been spent searching the web for info and looking at spinning blogs.
I had a great week of making things :) four cushion covers (two for a pal and two for myself), a cover for my diary, a cover for a friend's sketchbook and an apron were the main things. I've still got a long list of things to make and I'm hoping to find time for at least some of that list this week.
I had one day of breaking things, well thing, my drive belt for my spinning wheel :( but, luckily for me, Joyce's had broken just the day before so I knew that I could at least try sewing it back together. That worked fine and I got to the end of the evening but I still got on the phone to Peter at Twist the next day, service from him is fantastic, I had a new drive belt the next morning (I haven't used it yet, my stitched one is still holding).
I had a play-day at a friend's house last Friday (24 Aug). I got to try her three spinning wheels – an Ashford Traveller – great, a single treadle Lendrum – also great and a "no-one has a clue what kind of wheel" – absolute rubbish. The general feeling about the last one is that it is someone's botched attempt to make them self a wheel.
I got to meet all her animals – great fun :) rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs and terrapin. I even got to felt some of the fur she had clipped from one of her angora rabbits just a few days earlier, that was nice, it felts beautifully. I showed Joyce my method for cobweb felt and she was just as impressed with my tidiness as she was with my felt :)
I came home with some fleece to try, Joyce has so much she felt like giving some away – how nice is that? Kudos to you Joyce :) Glad I've got something to give her too, I found out she would like to try using soluble fabric so I've looked out some of that and will get it to her next Sat as we have a spinning guild meeting.
Right then, I think that's it for this humongous catch-up, I make no promises to keep up to date with my blog but I hope it's not so long before I feel like posting again.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
