Mother Of All Computer Crashes

Our holiday in St Ives was lovely. Some fabulous hot & sunny weather, lots of shopping, dining out at different restaurants each night........no wonder we didn't want to leave. Sometimes you don't realize how much you need something till you're doing it. This break was just that. So what we needed and so perfect. We even had some hot days where we could wander round in just a t-shirt!

Unfortunately the holiday feeling didn't last that long as my computer froze late on Sat last week and Sunday found after rebooting that everything was gone! Oh my, it was not what I needed. So I spent the whole of Sunday reinstalling and trying to get everything up to date. I lost a months worth of stuff and 2 of my calendar. I always back up monthly though for some reason missed the calendar. Of course I was due to back up while I was away........its been a hectic week though I think I'm finally up to date. Phew!

So of course blogland and Ravelry have had to be pretty much forgotten, as has knitting pretty much. I've done bits here and there, but nothing major. I'm working on a blanket which I took with me to St Ives so there's very little to show really. I started it last year and have just picked it up again. Hopefully I'll get to finish it this year. At least now its big enough to have on your lap whilst you knit ;)

Though I did manage to get all my yarn out on a lovely sunny day and photograph the bulk of it to list on Ravelry. It was quite enjoyable really. I hadn't thought I'd enjoy it, but it was a great chance to reorganise it all in to weights and label the boxes. And won't having all the colours to view be brilliant? Clever Ravelry ;) I have to wait for another sunny day to photograph the rest though.....

In all the holiday rush I forgot to mention that poor Thunder is on a mini diet and exercise plan. The evil vet thought he needed to loose a little weight so now he runs up and down the stairs to his hearts content. He doesn't eat much anyway but he's a darned lazy bunny and will sit for hours and hours just laying in between your feet. Very cosy and friendly yes, not particularly healthy though. He had another vet visit though and has lost a little so the vet is happy.

The Knitting & Stitching Show starts next week and I'll be there on Thursday. Can't wait. Funny how it seems ages away and now is just days away. Where does the time go?

Work has been pretty crap for a while now and I resigned a couple of weeks before our break. Though my boss was hoping I'd come back having changed my mind and asked me not to tell anyone. Though whenever I thought about work it just made me miserable, even when we were away. Now my boss has asked if I could stay till Christmas then come in on an ad-hoc basis as needed. I might be able to manage to last till then, its not that long away now is it? At least I feel better knowing I've got an actual finish date at last.

This was the only knitting related item I bought when away. A cute organic sheep kit bought in Penzance. Then a mad hunt to find the right size needles in bamboo. Which are too long and will go on Ebay no doubt. Then I decided the wool was too rough.........and promptly frogged it. I will make the sheep, though in something much softer. I'm happy to support local organic yarns and I can always felt it or use in a needle felting project.

Yes, I have a new hobby. Needle felting. This is just a sample of wool tops. Look how pretty the colours are. This is a nice inexpensive hobby that is great fun. The book I ordered is stuck in the post office strike so I'm just trying different things out. No actual plan, just see how it goes.

And here are a few practice bits and pieces that I played around with. Just grabbed some wool tops and started needle felting.......the tomato pin cushion is really handy. Now I know where my main sewing up needle is ;)

So I was really pleased when my sheep landscape picture came out so well seeing as I just made it up as I went along. Its the width of a credit card, just a little taller. It's my first proper design and I love it. In fact we'll have to get a frame for it.

I wished I hadn't mentioned credit cards, its reminded me that my stupid cc company has taken a fraudulent item off dispute and charged me interest for not paying it. What a joke. This is for a July transaction and they keep telling me it will get sorted and each month it gets worse. Looks like I'll just have to close the account. No way am I paying for a transaction I didn't make nor the interest.

And if that isn't enough, a savings account of mine that are useless have managed to lose £50. I don't want to go into it. It just makes me so mad. So when the money reappears that will be another account closed.

With that and the crash its no wonder there has been little knitting done is there really? And of course a nice calming project is just what I need. Maybe next week then ...... as the Drops headband I knitted this weekend looks awful and was promptly frogged. Oh dear. No wonder needle felting is so appealing right now. Easy to pick up and put down and no frogging involved;)