I'LL JUST KEEP TALKING, SHALL I ?

For anyone that still reads ! I do feel that I'm running to keep up, so this will be another multi subject post.

My Secret Pal sent me a wonderful, colour co-ordinated package. It gave me a real lift.

There's a hank of handspun singles,that smells deliciously wooly. I think that will make a nice, lace scarf. She started a scarf for me in an unusual knitted ribbon tape. You poke the tip of the needle through the tape when making the stitches. Easy to decipher from the knitted piece. Easy yet very effective. Fab colours.

I love the fab pink, bark covered notebook. Some nice candles and really great, vintage looking, postcards.
Thank you so much. I do feel spoilt. A good thing from time to time. :0)

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I'm knitting another pair of Sock War socks, despite not receiving either finished socks or socks to finish. My assassin deserted right at the start, but forgot to mention it for a while.
My victim said she'd send her unfinished socks...
I'm knitting a pair of socks for her victim, as she has knitted socks for others. She'll still be alive by the final date so can compete in the knit-off,if she wants. I'm not going to bother. The knit-off will result in the ''organiser'' receiving a lot of socks, whose knitters will not get a pair. Not at all well thought out, organised or remotely fair, in my opinion. That is just my opinion. Other people have kept track of things,done spreadsheets, etc., via the forum. I'm not bothered that I won't get socks. The whole thing has left a nasty taste. I'm amazed by how many people signed up, got socks, then deserted. Call me naive !

These socks are made from Sweet Georgia's Speed Demon sock yarn. The colour is ''fondant'', and really does put you in mind of iced little cakes ! Nice yarn to knit with.

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Our second week away from the builder's yard [!] was spent in a converted ''barn''. More a converted byre, attached to the owners' very large converted barn. Strangely overlooked, but nice and peaceful anyway. It was in Brompton-on-Swale. Next post I'll tell you about some of the things we saw.
Here are some photos of the chick, enjoying his half term holiday.

WHERE WERE WE ?

The auctions have ended. I've no idea of the results,but thank,most sincerely,everyone that placed a bid,donated yarn or worked to set the auctions up.

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So,we went away for two weeks to avoid the building chaos,noise and dust. It wasn't a rest as we were feeling quite stressed,and Oliver had to be ferried to and from school for the first week.
We stayed here,just down the coast from us. The closest,and cheapest [!] place we could find with disabled access. The ''disabled'' rooms were quite a bit bigger than the standard rooms,with plenty of room for free-wheeling,a double and a single bed. So we set up camp.
This was the view from our window.

A stunning view,but wet and dreary for most of the week. Oliver loved being in a hotel,going to the restaurant for breakfast,or any other meal ! We did have three,very enjoyable but a tad expensive [for every day life] evening meals at the restaurant. The food was fantastic. All locally sourced produce,very well cooked. The room service was cheaper,but just as good !
I think Oliver found it very stressful. Being away from home,feeling that he was missing all the fun by going to school and the new drive to school. He coped very well though.
Allan kept stopping by the house to keep an eye on things. He managed a round of golf,and got drenched. It rained all morning.

Ten minutes after he came off the course the sun came out !

Me ? I got iller and iller as the week went on ! I kept sneezing,got a constant headache and ached all over. Seems that,having been very recently built,the block that housed our room exuded paint fumes and solvent fumes from the carpets and furnishings. Seems that as I get older these things affect me more and more. A few hours away from the hotel,on the saturday we left,in the company of some of my knitting friends,and I felt human again.
I did a pitiful amount of knitting. I finished the socks.

And made a pair of Fatching mitts to add to the gift.

These were made using Noro Silver Thaw [scroll down]. The angora adds a soft fuzziness to the yarn. I used a size smaller needles so that they weren't too big for my slim handed friend. Also added a stitch to the picots,to make them more pronounced. They look fab on. I think I need a pair. I have some Kureyon that would look great...

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I received a most fantastic package from my SP9 secret pal. I shall try and get some decnt pics tomorrow,ready for my next post. Thank you so much, dear secret pal. I am delighted with everything.
I posted a package to my recipient today. Hope she's as happy with what I sent her.

DID I MENTION ...

That there are some great auctions for mini stashes ? Any money raised will go into the Oliver's fund account and will be used for a hoist to lift his electric wheelchair into the car.

***Edited to add: I wasn't sure about writing this,but have decided to do so. Since I wrote my last post,and mentioned the stash auctions,my blogline numbers have plummeted like a broken lift down a shaft. Does it really cause such distaste and offence ? I didn't instigate these auctions [ if you look in my archives you'll see that I didn't instigate any fundraising], but gladly and gratefully accept the generosity and help of others. I don't have expectations. You don't need to donate to be my friend. Just keep in mind that I would give anything, ANYTHING,including my life, if it meant that our precious and beloved chick didn't need any of this expensive equipment.
Just saying. ***

***Another addition: I just posted this reply in my comments,and think it will do just as well here.
"Please don't anyone apologise for not bidding,or anything else ! I seriously don't expect anyone to bid. Really ! I value greatly the emotional support of my friends above material things. I was just shocked that so many should un-sub ! I'm not upset,personally,just astounded that it should make people leave. Oh well.

:0)"

***
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So,what's wrong with this auction? The lovely [!] Jaeger Flamme,in a sexy blue,is rather nice ! ;-]
It's left over,as is a lot of my stash,from my days of designing and knitting for commission. Well,I say ''a lot'', but quite a bit has made it into these auctions. Some has gone to friends and a bin bag full went to the school craft club. Anyway,if you feel so inclined,there's not long left to bid on these auctions. The donated yarns are stunning. Some real treasures there. How do I begin to thank thise who have contributed their yarn,time,efforts and money ? Thank you seems inadequate.
Thank you all,so much.