Yes, Victor, I believe it!!!

It has just been one of those mornings, the kind that would have Victor Meldrew frothing at the mouth.
The kind where the world conspires against you???

I am submitting my final math assignment this morning, well while it's still very close to morning.

Today is also the first day of my holiday and today I am doing the baking I have been meaning to do for the last three weekends. It's just that time of year, when sitting at your computer with your cup of tea wearing a jumper, mittens, scarf and a hat, that you just fancy something with your cup of tea while you cruise Ravelry finding even more things you want to knit.
Can you guess who is refusing to admit it's cold enough to need heating yet??? Heating?? I don't need no stinking heating! Especially if the hydro prices go up, mines all electric.

In answer to the Greenwoman's comment, yes that is the yarn I meant! How delicious is it???

Speaking of Delicious has anyone else seen this months issue??? Lots of tasty things this time around.

Late evening edit!
I have submitted my maths assignment, now we just play the waiting game. I got no knitting done today, I was running late from the word go, so knitting just got pushed to the back burner. Maybe tonight, park myself on the couch and watch some episodes of Rising Damp - an about 1970's(???) British comedy.

Well well well, it's been an interesting day. My afternoon class finished 50mins early when everybody but me had had to dash off early...
We were only about half our usual number to start with, so rapidly losing nearly all the other half kind of brought our lesson to a halt.

In that time I have been working on my afternoon classes assignment and doing some more of my morning classes work.
Oh and now writing a blog post, multi tasking at it's best baby!

You may remember me starting Ysolda's Lace-Up Opera Gloves awhile back? The pattern temporarily had me flumuxed when I had to pick up stitches. What? What stitches? It got sidelined because I got impatient. But thanks to Ravelry, (yes I got my invite look out for me DarksideKnitter) I found a discussion about it and apparently someone else had the same frustration I had. They also took it back and retried it like I did. I feel much better about them now and think they may have to come out again.

I am tempted to buy new yarn, pretty yarn, fantasy yarn! I'm after some Cherry Tree Hill in a colourway called Tropical Storm, it looks lovely but do I really need more 4ply? More socks? No, maybe armwarmers I am good at those, I actually make two.
I site Whitewater Wristwarmers and Funky Punky Armwarmers (aka as the Emily's) as two examples of my capability to knit a second.
And after I finish winding my yarn up I will knit the second of my "Bratz" Gauntlets aka Swinging Gauntlets from Punk Knits.

The first "Bratz" needs the ends put away and some ribbon threaded through but it will be fantastic when it's done.

Anyway links will be provided later, three things I can do on school time, even if class is technically over, but hunting for links when I don't have my bookmarks will have to wait.

I am 7th in line for the new Anticraft book from my library! You know, I wouldn't at all be surprised if I didn't know who the some of those other 6 were...

And to you all I say, Hurry Up With It! It has things in there just begging me to knit them! Speaking of things being begged to knit, Bad Juju from the Anticraft site is made with Lionbrand Woolese which I spied in the latest BlackSpot mailout, I must pop in and see if there are any suitable bad colours.

That'll be on next week's list of things to do, when I'm on holidays, somewhere in between assignments and homework for school.

The Who was amazing, I'm still trying to get over the descriptive "nice" used with the phrase "rock band". But 1970's filming technique aside - that really dated it - would it have been better with all the bells and whistles of a modern tour???
Hmmm, well some things aren't going to be better no matter how much bell or whistle you throw at it.

Prime example Joan Jett's classic I Love Rock n' Roll


Now everybody and their dog has had a turn at doing their version, but this is Britney's version...

Music video or audition for a gentleman's club??? I'll let you be the judge.

I had a day out socialising with "real people" to borrow a phrase from a friend. All study and no play has not just made me dull, it's bored me senseless.

There was a much run debate about whether to organise a night out and get out and have a good time, but realistically given how dark and cold it gets by 5pm at the moment, not even I'm keen to be out and about! So I promptly shelved the idea for later use.

After much discussion I have re-requested an invite from Ravelery, I requested one which we worked pout must have been almost a year ago and heard nothing. But others have requested invites just recently and had invites issues quite quickly. Oh, well if you first don't succeed!

The Who are on TV tonight, a showing of their Isle of Wight concert I am very much looking forward to it.

I have another week of study then holidays! Oh yes! Things I will do? Finally rent Resident Evil 3, and after much discussion this afternoon I must track down Monkey!

Lookie Lookie I Got Hookie!

I'm flahing back to Hook, what a movie that was, it had pirates in it. But really the point is I wanted to show off my new ice block tray today, there was only one of this design left on the shelf and I just couldn't take a chance of going away and thinking about it.

But a far better a photo than I could take is one here on the manufactures website. Look Here!

Hello, My Name is The Daft White Cat!

TDWC had the privelidge of coming out for an outing to my parents house to meet my grandparents while they were here staying, alas he choose to take up residence behind the toilet - don't ask nobody has an answer only theroys about small spaces!

The only time he deemed worthy of coming out and along the hall was to greet my grandfather and give him the full treatment and receive a pat in return before returning to his new residence. He did later venture just outside into the hallway and I managed to snap a few pictures of him.

Upon his return home he settled back into his routine of sleeping, sleeping, sleeping, eating, playing with Mousie (a handknitted blue mouse made by myself!), sleeping and finally sleeping.

It's a hard life staying home all day, I just wish he'd learn to cook or iron. He'd make such a better house mate, he dosen't contribute financially at all either. He is a kept male of the first order!

While I am no Jane Austen fan, I am a huge fan of quizzes and when I saw this while reading through Melinda's blog I had to hop off and have a turn.

Take the Quiz here!

Also thanks to Melinda I am madly in love with these mittens - Daisy Stitch Handwarmers. They look amazing I am so going to have to make myself a pair.

Two new recipes I have tried recently, my Grandparents have been up visiting so we have been having a dinner and lunches and making desserts. The first is Treacle Puds, a very handy stand by. And the other which we had for the first time ever came from my mothers cookbook and she couldn't remember when she'd last made it (if ever) was Raspberry Trifle.
Which was another simple one made with frozen raspberries and was delicious, in future we should make double.

I need to search through my delicious magazines since it was in there I am sure I saw a recipe for Scotch Eggs that were baked as opposed to the quite often method of frying.
Something I am keen to try from Good Taste magazine is an omelette in a bag. It was featured in an outdoorsy-camping menu feature but the prospect intrigues at home on the domestic front as well.

Today I am off to sit a math test, not exactly a fitting way to end the week, I'll have all weekend to worry how I did...

I don't like maths, I like maths with letters even less, I really don't like maths with letters that require working out future values! Blah!!!
But my teachers seem to think I do know it, hence the math test this morning!

To atone for disappointing the Green Woman yesterday I have found the Count! Highly appropiate since I am about to sit down to some math.

I thought it was about time to update my blog, but when it comes to sit down and write something...fizzle...puff of smoke....lingering smell of something burning in the air.
That'll be my brain overheating and catching fire. Far too much to think about at the moment, I actually found myself slumped on the couch watching Home and Away the other night. I don't even like Home and Away!

So I have decided to take a leaf out of Amanda J's blog and her Sesame Street winners.

With no further ado I give you a video blog!



Enjoy mon amis!

Done minus pockets!

Funky Punky Armwarmers done in Woolbale - solid purple no stripes on this pair!

I have knitted up and blocked (read put under a towel and ironed) my first pocket and begun sewing it on, however aside from aesthetic of being all matchy-matchy I am debating if I want a pocket on both arm warmers or just the one???

While I debate about it, after the first pocket is done. I'm throwing Ysolda's Opera Gloves onto the needles and getting them underway in some Angora Supreme which should be lovely against the skin.

Make Mine Mitered!

I popped over to MagKnits to check out some patterns and was thrilled to see a new issue up, and I am so loving these arm warmers with the mitering.

On a particularly high note I have passed my first two tests, you know what this means? I actually know stuff! I have learnt/retained important useful information.

Following up on the 2paw's comment, I love Abby! How can anyone resist! Mind you it is an improvement of the pink hair and snotty attitude in CSI. Get a load of this! Goth Sterotypes! If I had to label myself I'd start with a dash of Perky-Corp hybrid and add in a good measure of rock n' roll.

Now has so become Agatha Christie time, it's just the right weather for a sampling from her huge collection of novels. The little grey cells mon ami! If I remember Poirot always objected to the cold and was usally done up with coats, blankets and mufflers when traveling!

What are pockets for????

Well aside for keeping stuff in on my arm warmers they are a attempt at being trend setter. I tried this in high school with hair sticks it never took off though I don't understand why not??? Hair sticks are immensely cool!

And with winter creeping closer, I figure having a pocket I can stash a bus ticket in means I do not have to juggle purse and umbrella on days when it is wet to get ticket out and hold umbrella or once on the bus fiddle around to put it away all the while either brandishing a wet umbrella or trying to prop it up so it dosen't slide away.

Besides without pockets all you really have is some long stocking stitch tubes, they need help to look more impressive!

I finished the first one while watching Gladiators last night, did anyone else watch??? Ah how cheesy was it? I'm hooked, an hour of valuable knitting time with bad acting to boot.

I've been doing homework and I just couldn't be bothered doing anymore so I thought I know I will go write a blog post and then I can come back and finish it. This will not turn into Bernard on Black Books with his tax....

Which means my plan to sit and knit after it was done has been pushed further back and looms dangerously at not at all tonight Josephine.
Bah! And double bah - why is there always more pink than white marshmallows in a packet I ask you? What is with that????

I decided I should attempt to whip up some fabric arm warmers for my self, Miss Stash thought this was very brave of me since the sewing machine would blow up.
Not, you understand because she doesn't have faith in my sewing skill more she thinks its been so long since the sewing machine has been used.
Oh well I might have to settle for knitting a pair of delicious over the elbow alpaca ones. And there was this Dragon Scale one I saw and quite fancied in something metallic or shiny looking yarn.

Anyway back to the homework. Bah!

Heaven is a pair of purple arm warmers!

Currently underway on the needles is a the first in a pair of arm warmers, they are purple and are knitting up wonderfully. Once there all done they'll just need some pockets added, their in the round so no sewing up yeah! But I will need to sew the pockets on after, boo!

I've ordered some new yarn to re-attack the gauntlets I wasn't entirely satisfied with, I've got a bit extra so I can tweak the pattern some more.

Now I am planning a slightly less than conventional camouflage print for the next pair after that, I was going to go with blue. back and purple. Then changed my mind and decided I'd like to do different shades of purple so they appear to meld more.

It's all purple at the moment, purple, purple and more purple! Makes a nice change from my usual urban camouflage (black, black and more black!)
Now would be the time to go all out, as a student you can get away with a lot more, purple hair? Yeah baby!

Son of Stitch n' Bitch arrived much to my delight! It's full of things I want to knit for myself to wear, the Pin-Up Illusion Scarf will have to be one of the first! But I am loving some of the hats a lot as well....oh decisions decisions!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Batman???

Here is my new pride and joy! Is it a scream or what? I adore it very much and am looking forward to an outing befitting it.

No surprises which of the Dishcloths got finished first, Skully is going onto the needles after I finish this blog post. You can find Batty here.

Speaking of bats I was very excited to find out about this organisation, Bat Rescue. I'm going to sponser a bat later in the year but will be making a donation before then.

Two of my favourite things are the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Emily the Strange so when given the chance to combine the two I couldn't say no!

And a favourite thing I am regretting saying no to, I love belly dancing. For years I have always been keen to learn and many many years ago I tried to teach myself from a instructional video (for you youngings out there a video was the big thing before DVD's where even thought of. Kind of like a film version of cassette tape. Don't know what a cassette tape is????)

Not only where they running a belly dance class this year through Adult Ed but also a Tribal Style! I like it a lot, no more or less than other styles. I am loathe to use the word traditional here as I have seen to differ this newer style from others because I personally think unless you have your own personal time machie or are good friends with Dr Who and are able to pop back to the time and place where it all began and learn there, anything going today my be in the traditional style but exactly the same as it started after it's traversed the world, blended with other cultures along the way???

Which made me think of knitting, what is traditonal knitting?? Who is a traditonal knitter??? Can we ourselves within our own yarn community's prove that what we do today has never changed one iota since it first was born??? Knitting without knit and purl isn't knitting but it's how people have used these stitches and what they've added that makes what we have today as knitting.
Do we all think that at the birth of knitting someone thought hey I can take some purple yarn and knit a dishcloth? Or better yet take some purple yarn and knit a dishcloth with a bat on it??? Well......

At the first knitting guilds ever organised, a boys only affair do you think they sat around discussing colour choice? Pattern choices? Had they seen the latest Vogue/Jo Sharp/Creative Knitting?? Fondling yarn????
I don't know but I wouldn't have put the yarn fondling past them a bunch men alone with yarn???

Just a quickie!

Mostly because I have nothing exciting to tell anyone, my life has become very dull since becoming a starving student again.

Monday afternoon I had a maths test, I have no idea yet how I went, but I came up with an answer for every question, and that's half as important as actually them being the right answers???
One of my fellow students handed in their test shortly after starting, no not finished in record time because they were a math whiz, but because they decided they couldn't do it so there was no point in trying.

The fact I got enough right on my maths assignment I handed in the other week to actually pass means surely I must know something maths related, fingers crossed it was enough to get me over the finish line on the test.

There was indeed an assignment due yesterday, but I am bolstered that most people hadn't got it finished either and so we can have until Thursday to hand it in. Mines all finished the end sums don't quite add up equally, Miss Stash is getting the job of reviewing it and explaining just where exactly I am going wrong this afternoon.

I was optimistic about getting to town early this morning and fitting in some important errands before going to class alas I just missed the early bus I wanted so popped into my corner store for an iced coffee and a fruit bun. Not quite the treat I had promised myself for making the effort to get to town extra early, no designer coffee today!

Has any one seen the latest Better (than yours!) Homes and Gardens magazine? I always get the Christmas one, and occasionally their Easter one usually if it has some really good chocolate recipes in it.

I started work on some new arm warmers last Monday and they need a bit of tweaking before I will be totally be happy with them.

I have started a dishcloth! It was no good trying to fight it any longer, I have made a start on the Mason Dixon Ballband one, I'm aiming to finish it before I start ones with bats and skulls!

Somewhere in amongst all my notes is a schedule for my classes that list what each lesson is and when assignments are due. I must check and make sure there isn't an assignment due for tomorrow afternoon's class I got a little bogged with the last one because I didn't realise how long it was, this next one is longer!

I bought myself a new bag and was optimistic that it would arrive in time for my outing to the Crustys, alas I went on the Saturday and the bag arrived on the Monday. Look for a photo soon it is an absolute scream! I couldn't resist it.

I went, I saw and they conquered!

I am so excited! I am home after a night out at the Crusty Demons!

The pre-show according to my ticket was due to start at 7pm, if what we got at 7pm was meant to be their idea of a pre-show - it sucked!

While I was sitting in my seat waiting for it to start I noticed a man standing under one of the ramps, I dubbed him "Ramp Man" and then speculated why he was there. It amused me greatly and helped pass the time, is this where naughty Crusty's get sent for punishment? Had he dug a tunnel from the little tents out to under it? Was he attempting to secure himself a good spot to view from? He was wearing normal clothes unlike the crew roaming around who were all in Crusty t-shirts - like most of the crowd were wearing. Which later in the show confused me because it looked like about a dozen members of the audience had wandered into the performing area.

However the pre-show consisted of making up a gross cocktail and getting suckers willing participants from the audience to drink it - the winner got a t-shirt, it was hilarious. However I seemed to have landed a seat in the conservative section of the grand stand because after it was over their was a collective (female) announcement of "How disgusting!".

But moving on, they started on time always a good sign - we got an introduction to who everyone was. One poor guy's bike came out and his bike wouldn't go so he had to get off and wheel it behind one of the screens marking their "pit" area.

Watching them do their tricks individually was pretty cool, but where seeing them live really comes into it's own is during the free for all session where their all out all going at once. There's three ramps so theres usually at least three of them flying at once, sometimes four if two come off the same ramp. Theres so much happening that it is hard to take it all in but it is incredible to watch.

We had to endure two irritating hosts, I think the show would have been better is someone had unplugged their mikes for about 90% of it. Could have done with cranking the music up a notch or two as well.
Crusty Babes, well, what can I say? I've seen the Crusty Babes we're talking muscle tone, and they dance. The ones at our show here mostly seemed to wave their arms around a lot. But after intermission when people had a chance to drink some more beer and they came back in smaller outfits this apparently made it all better.
I wasn't convinced.

Scott Murray who attempted the Double Back Flip for the first time outside the US as all the ads proclaim, and who you may have seen in the news attempted it in Canberra and came off the ramp.
He pulled it off tonight, they interviewed him after and he took his helmet off. I was like OMG it's Ramp Man! Ramp Man! One of the irritating hosts was going on about Scott Murray had been psyching himself up for this. Yes I saw him! I actually saw him!
Of course I didn't actually shout it out loud, although by this stage people in my vicinity thought the Crusty Babes dancing was exciting so I probably could have shouted anything I liked.

The Space Cowboy was their guest in their "Freak" spot, he was on Sideshow at least twice I think I saw him? And then there was the talking skull that announced the upcoming riders and segments! A talking skull!!!!!
How cool is that????????????????

Your results:
You are Dark Phoenix

Dark Phoenix 77% The Joker 66% Venom 66% Poison Ivy 63% Riddler 63% Apocalypse 61% Mr. Freeze 50% Juggernaut 48% Catwoman 48% Mystique 44% Magneto 44% Two-Face 44% Dr. Doom 39% Lex Luthor 36% Kingpin 35% Green Goblin 24%

A prime example of emotional extremes: Passion and fury incarnate.

Click here to take the Super Villain Personality Test

For your perusal....

A very Merry Nigella Christmas from her Living Kitchen range. Here is a sample of the Christmas gifts Sandra D and I recieved... The tea tin and the tea mug (came as a set of 4) were Sandra D's presents, I'm sure there must have been a mistake, so I am kindly letting her have them on extended loan!
The cake stand is mine, can you believe all my life I have had not one cake stand and in the space of 3 months I was gifted 2! Piled artlessly up on it is the Marshamallow Crispy Squares and Rocky Road Cruunch Bars from Nigella Express which can be seen in the background along with a glass of chardonnay...
Miss Stash received the Salt Pig in Cream, which alas was not here for the photo shoot. It resides with pride of place beside her stove.

Here is what I have been doing for the last 3 weekends, making apricot jam! This picture so does not do it justice, it is a beautiful jewel-like shade of orange and tastes superb. When making a batch last week and letting Miss Stash know was I inundated with offers of help? Told how good it was of me to slave over a hot stove in this hot weather? No all I got from her was - "Will you bring me a jar when it's done?"

We had Linguine with lemon, garlic and thyme mushrooms and it is divine also perfect for this weather the only compnent needing to be cooked was the pasta and lets face it pasta doesn't need to be stood over and stirred, the rest is just marinated for lack of a better word.

Some of the other things I can reccommend as worth trying are her Pea and pesto soup and Curry in a hurry.
Tomorrow is Rapid Ragu - kind of like bolagnaise really but sounds quite delish. I am a huge fan of making my own bolagnaise sauce and usually use the tried (maybe tired?) Leggos one from about 30 years ago.

We had our first knitting coven meet-up for the year last Tuesday it was good to be back and catch up with everyone and where they were at, alas my lunch came in a "trendy" serving size. Noooo!!!! After I've eaten my lunch I want to realise I've eaten it!