turtleknits

It's New Year's Eve, I can't believe how the year has flown. I've really enjoyed blogging and meeting new blogging friends especially through some of the swaps I've participated in. We have kept in contact with each other also which is lovely. I've had many emails from them too and have learnt lots. Just before Christmas I got a surprise package from my Treatee, Lucy at www.zebraknits.typepad.com . Some lovely turquoise mohair yarn and a copy of the winter Interweave knits magazine. I'm really thrilled with it and there are at least three patterns in it that I will definitely knit. Well a big Happy New Year to you all and Happy Knitting 2008.

Happy Christmas everyone! I hope its a great one this year. Have not been blogging since November. Ah well more from me in the New Year hopefully. Have plenty of pictures to post and some knitted projects too. Just taking a little time from preparations now and looking forward to a lovely Christmas dinner with all the trimmings shortly. Got great gifts today and Christmas is just as great as ever.

I have been doing some knitting lately. Some items I just forgot to take photos of before I gave them as gifts. This is the shawl I knit for my daughter's debs back in September. Its knit in Kid Silk Haze and I was really pleased with it. Its light and floaty and rolled into a ball to fit in a bag, all with no creases. I would recommend this yarn for a shawl anytime.The pattern is called 'River' from Rowan mag No 38. A pair of 'Fetchings'. Pattern from Knitty.com, tried and tested by me and lots of others. This time I adjusted the pattern to suit some Rowan 4ply wool and was really happy with the result. I have also knitted some socks for a gift. I used lovely Jaegar 4ply Matchmaker wool yarn in pink and they were lovely. I also made another pair of 'Fetchings' in a double knit sock yarn in shades of blue, cream and beige. I'm really annoyed with myself as I took no photos before I gave them.

My Theme Swap partner Judy sent me a great package which arrived yesterday. What my parcel contained, yarn, rock cd, knitting needles, magazine, tattoos, stickers, book lover's knit, a toy car, lovely card. Beautiful Koigu merino yarn and GGH 'Apart' Tattoos and stickers The theme she chose for me 'Rock Star', because of my interest in rock music. When I opened it there were 2 cards one of which was to be opened first, and when i did lots of great glittery stars fell out to surprise me. 'Rock star for a day'! Lovely presents, Judy.

Ever have one of those days? I just can't seem to get my knitting projects done! That's the story for the moment so I just did not need what happened today. It was an incident waiting to happen too, and it would happen to me. I put unleaded petrol into my DH's DIESEL car. ( my car takes unleaded). OH MY GOD what a thing to do. Luckily (if you call it lucky) I realised it half way through the fill. I was on my way home from visiting my Mam and stopped for petrol, I mean diesel. Well for anyone who's interested this takes ages to remedy. Firstly I had to contact insurance co, then they advised at least a two hour wait for a tow truck, next tried my local garage near home and from where the car was purchased and they were very helpful,but I still had to wait, and the tow truck would only take the car to the nearest dealer, so that meant a hire car also!! to take me home. You see the tank will have to be drained and this takes time, obviously. We'll deal with the cost t...

Intermittent blogging for me lately. I've had a very busy time for the last 2 months, and so have not had my mind on blogging. Have been doing some knitting, photos later, but only small projects which is only using tiny pieces from my stash. Thanks to Isobel and Diane who suggested 'flashing your stash' a while ago, I had to look the stash in the eye and feel guilt ridden for having so much and so little time to do anything with it. And then I won and got a cake of beautiful Rowan yarn to add to the stash!!!! My daughter had her debs at the beginning of September, DH graduated with his BA in Psychology, then my Mam took sick and so no knitting much Then on Thursday last, I got my invitation to Ravelry. Oh my God what am I going to do with this? Now fellow bloggers I've copied you all in setting up the blog in the first place and I've really enjoyed it, so I just had to apply also to join Ravelry. Hopefully this will be a smooth ride for me, cos I'm not great ...

I was at the Police concert at Croke Park, Dublin last Saturday night. It was amazing and the band really were good. They played all their old numbers and even updated 'jazzed up' some of them, which I really enjoyed, though I've heard a few complaints that they did. However if you can't move with the times,nobody will listen. Guitar playing by Andy Summers was amazing, drumming by Stewart Copeland was great, but for me the guitar playing and the voice of Sting really does it. He looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His looks, his figure (oh if I could look like that, female version of course) in skinny jeans. A night of pure rock enjoyment. You can see I'm besotted. ( however i would take a seat rather than stand in future)

Some hats I've knitted for the Simon community for Irish knitting week which takes place this month. A good way to use up some of your stash if you have the time. Thankfully I could not add to my stash while in Wexford recently. This was the state of the Wool shop. I think its been derelict for years by the look of it. I have been doing some other knitting lately. But no photos yet. Perhaps in my next posting. Meanwhile don't depend on filling your stash in Wexford town!!

Just spent last weekend in Gorey in Co Wexford with DH and four friends. We stayed in a great hotel and between great company and great food/drink we all really enjoyed ourselves. Added to that was glorious weather, warm, dry and sunny!! The morning sun on the sea from the little pier at Cahore point. Idyllic. A view inland from the same pier. Could have stayed here for a week. DH's Tart tatin, dessert after a really delicious meal on Saturday night. And my sticky toffee pudding which was absolutely yummy. And what about the presentation? All of our food at this meal was beautifully presented. Overall we had a truly lovely weekend and am looking forward to the next. (goodness knows when)

This photo is of some of the stash taken from the back Same stash from the front. And all these little bits and pieces are taken on the trunk which houses most of the stash. I honestly had no idea that there was this amount of yarn here, it just goes to show that you need to keep track of your purchases. I think I'll make a listing of what I have and the projects intended. Some of the yarns were such good bargains that I could not leave them behind. (That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it) BTW I forgot all about some sock yarn stored away somewhere else. Here is my listing: Marlen 6 x 100g Cotton/viscose mix Pink Debbie Bliss Aran 4 x 50g Wool Rowanspun DK 3 x 50g Wool Sirdar Luxury Cotton 4 x 50g Cotton Noro Silver Thaw 9 x 50g Wool/Angora/Nylon Cotton s...

I've been so busy lately and have not had time to blog. Will get back to it shortly. In the meantime: Once again - Prague. While enjoying a coffee in a riverside cafe, our notice was drawn to some repairs being made to the river wall with some very heavy granite blocks. There were three men working on this task, the 'boss' the man 'dressed' in what look like 'Speedo' swimming togs and open toed sandals. This man was older than the other men and the example he was setting was less than safe. Imagine if ............................... A large crane was lifting the blocks from another barge and these men were directing where it should be placed. Mind your toes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as well as...................................... Now safely landed but not quite in the final position. This work made for some interesting viewing while having our coffee. Could our government save money on Health and Safety in the workplace by supplying Speedos and sa...

Did I find any yarn shops in Prague? Well I found two of the three recommended by http://www.alltangledup.com/ . (her posting of Jan 17th 2006). I googled Prague yarn shops before I left and this blog came up. It was very informative and the directions and addresses were good. Anyway I took a morning to myself and found these two: GALANTERIE and MAR LEN. Galanterie was a small drapery shop, quite old fashioned by our standards and they had a selection of yarn on half of one wall, and most of it was on sale, however when I chose some their stock was so low that I could only get 2 balls of one yarn and 3 balls of another. It was an amusing experience as I had no Czech and neither of the two ladies had any English. I moved on then to Mar Len which is like an Aladdin's Cave. At first I thought there was no yarn as when I entered the shop there were the most beautiful array of fabrics, lots of silks, tapestries, etc, lots from the East. Then I spied the Yarn walls. Two short walls of ya...

We had relatives for dinner recently and my s-i-l brought me these gorgeous flowers from her garden. These had flowered despite the rain!

I don't usually go to Starbucks, as I prefer other coffee houses in Dublin, but this morning having parked the car, in the pouring rain, myself and DH went into Starbucks on Dame Street. The queue was short, but seating was limited and so we found ourselves around the back on two armchairs, facing two couches, one directly opposite to our seats. On each of the couches was one male individual. Age does not matter but both were old enough to know better. And I'm not sure if they were together. We paid no attention to either, but as we enjoyed our coffee, the person opposite proceeded to untie and then take off his trainers, leave them on the floor and then sprawl his two legs across the length of the couch. Disgusting I thought, until the other guy proceeded to untie his trainers, and not only did he take off his trainers, but after a minute or two his socks. Now he did not put his feet up on the couch.!! When another seat became free we moved, and then looked around and noticed ...

I promise I won't bore you all any more. These are the last pictures I'll post of Prague for now. I'm just too lazy to write anything at the moment, and my knitting is slow too. I think its a combination of post holiday blues and making the most of the dry weather we've been having this week. My next post will have some knitting and pictures of the yarn that I bought in Prague!! (not a lot).

St Vitus Cathedral within the grounds of Hradcany (the castle district) in Prague. This is an absolutely fascinating building with beautiful stained glass windows. On the exterior it is Gothic in style and there are many carvings and statues all around, many of very peculiar gargoyles. This is the view from the top of the spire. It is well worth the climb of 300 steps, which was very arduous as it was so crowded and hot. But the view!! Amazing. And this is the front door of the same cathedral. One of the many courtyards within the castle. Highlights on the hour are the changing of the guards.

Just back from a few days holiday in the beautiful city of Prague. Here are a few pictures. Will write a bit later. Just enjoying the little teeny bit of sunshine here in Ireland while I can. These particular ones were taken either inside the castle area or the view from the top. Glorious sunshine!!

These are views of Glenmacnass Waterfall between Sallygap and Laragh, Co Wicklow. So much rain has fallen in the last few weeks in Ireland that the waterfall and indeed the river is chocolate brown. I have visited this waterfall many times in my life and never have I seen the water this colour even in the winter. It usually is a lovely sight with creamy white froth flowing over the rocks so I was really taken with the colour of it. This is the river at the top of the waterfall before it goes over the rocks and down into the valley below. These pictures should ideally be at the top of this post, but 'Blogger' won't let me do it no matter what I do!! So they will have to be viewed out of order!

On Sunday last we had a little bit of sunshine, so we took a drive to Co Wicklow. We visited the lovely Mount Usher gar dens in Ashford, near to Wicklow town. We had a great take away lunch from the little bakery, run by Avoca and it was really delicious. I found this little ladybird basking in the sunshine! Some waterlilies in a little pond to the side of the river In the palm garden, found this 'totem pole'! Because the bottom part of this palm plant had been trimmed, I thought it looked just like a totem pole. Unusual shaped tree with great weeping branches A view up the river from near the bottom of the gardens. Beautiful Acer trees with the red foliage. If you look really carefully to the right of the picture beyond the gate, you might see the artist at work. What a great place to spend the afternoon painting.