Cars, Knitting and British Weather

Well, it's been a strange fortnight, were things just have not gone quite how they should, It starts of with about four weeks ago, the lock on the boot of my car got stuck and stayed locked, impossible to open manually with the key and the only way to open it was to climb through the hole with the back seat down, and open it from the inside and then of course as soon as you locked the car with the central locking, it locked and stuck again, talk about inconvenient, so we took it the local garage and was told that a complete new boot lock would be needed and as it is a fairly old car, the part would need to be ordered specially and would take approx a couple of weeks, now at the end of June, the car was ready for its MOT, so rather than take two days holiday off work, I asked them to bring the MOT forward and put the new lock in at the same time. So in the morning of the day the car was booked in I dropped the car off and was told it would be ready mid-afternoon, but when I went back to collect it. I was told it had failed its MOT, due to a bad earth on the back lights, so in effect, when the lights are on and you apply the break, the lights flash alternately, a bit like a disco! and then they said they couldn't fix it, as they couldn't open the boot, and they were still waiting for the boot lock to arrive, as it was in back order and they couldn't say how long it was going to take, days or weeks! I was not at all happy ;-( not only had I wasted a day's holiday, I was left with a car with no MOT and still with a boot that couldn't open. I really need the car to travel to work, as work is approx ten miles from where I live and I would need to catch two buses, which never run on time. So then DB got home and managed to sort the boot lock, as he discovered it was the central locking bit that had ceased, so removed that bit all together and now the boot can be locked and unlocked manually with the key, he also sorted the bad earth on the lights too, so the following day I left work early, and took it back to the garage and all is well as it passed, we tried to cancel the new lock, but was told we couldn't as surprise, surprise it had finally arrived that day . So I've ended up paying for a lock, that no longer needed, eh That's life! Talk about if you want something doing, do it yourself!

Then, last Wednesday, when driving to work, I was giving way at a junction, when another car went into the back of me, luckily for me when I got out, she had hit my tow bar and hadn't caused any real damage, just slightly bent it, but the other car had a cracked number plate and bent the sill underneath, the girl was very apologetic though and said her flip flop had got stuck on the clutch and had made the car surge forward into mine, she was upset, as she had only got the car the day before, I did suggest to swap details, but she was very reluctant and when I went to my car for my pad and pen, she just drove off, I did manage to note her registration and have informed my insurance company, just in case she should change her story and try to blame me!

I did not make my knitting deadline with the socks for DB's birthday, and even now, they are still not finished, SSS definitely set in, but I'm getting there slowly and am now about half way on the foot, so another couple of evenings should do it! DB had a lovely birthday though, I bought him a new pair of motorcycle boots, hence the hope for the socks to go with them, but never mind, he got to try the boots, as we went to Sutton on Sea on the Harley for Fish and Chips. We waited practically all day for the rain clear and then set off and had a fantastic meal at a little restaurant there called Waldo's! Then when we got back, we shared a bottle of wine and watched the film Apocalypto, DB's choice, as I honestly thought it would be too violent for me, true it did have a lot of brutal gory violence, and some bits I did look away, but all in all a fantastic action adventure film about a young tribal Indian's escape and fight to save his wife and son and his way of life! Well worth watching if you haven't seen it already, even I sat through start to finish without getting bored!

My sock knitting did get spurred on by the arrival of these little beauties

Yes, you guessed it more STR yarn, another skein of In the Navy, which I ordered in case I ran out for the Hearty Plaid Socks, not really needed now, but will come in useful when in the distant future I make another pair of socks for DB. and the other skein is Knitty Rocks, it really is gorgeous as there as so many different colours in this skein, can't wait to see it knitted up and just because I like it so much here is another picture on it's own

I have finished the back on Flirt and now started the left front, although something very strange has happened with my tension, it seems to be tighter than usual, and I'm not sure why, as I have not changed the way I hold the needles or anything, I pleased as it looks a lot neater than before and the stitches do look more even with each other, but I worried that the fronts are going to be smaller than the back, and to frog the back and re-knit it daunts me, but I can't see any other choice, I am trying to loosen the tension a bit, but it feels awkward and slow and I practised with other yarns too and the same thing's happening with them, the work is definitely a lot tighter and smaller, has anyone else experienced this to happen, or is this unusual? I'm not sure whether it because I'm knitting more or whether it down to the tighter gauge I have been doing lately, with the Monsoon sock and the Hearty Man socks. I don't mind as my stitches do look better, but I am bit concerned if its not consistent and I go back to the old way and then have very odd looking garments, I'd really appreciate any advice!

Well that's all my happenings of the last fortnight and I shall leave you with a picture of Tess, waiting patiently for the rain to stop, so she can have a good run around the local fields, this look, is pretty much how she's been all week, Fed Up!

I personally quite like the rain, what better excuse than on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, settling down with some knitting and a cup of tea, listening to rain patting on the window, whilst your back turned on the pile of washing that you should really be doing instead, but can't because it just too wet and miserable to dry outside ;-)

In the Navy Progress

Well I am half way there with the Hearty Man's Plaid socks, and have managed to complete one sock,



The pattern itself is superb, and I am very pleased with the result that I am getting, the combining of two skeins is working really well and I just love the lighter brighter random stripes. the pattern is easy to follow with enough interest with the slip stich rib to prevent boredom setting in.

Crikey though the heel is so strong, not much chance of these wearing out quickly, it is worked by alternating rows of one row being knitted with the two skeins together and the purl row alternating each skein, like a check board effect, the result super strong and perfect for men's heavy feet. especially as it is the heel which seems to get the most wear, The toe is worked the same with the check board effect making these super strong too.




Just before I got to the toe-shaping I did ask DB to try the sock on, just to check the length was right. so I left him briefly with the sock whilst I went into the kitchen, to be interrupted by cries of "this is a bit tight, I'm struggling to get it past the heel" my heart sank; the thought of ripping it out and starting again just did not appeal, and certainly would dash any hopes of them being finished for his birthday, so I plucked up the courage to take a look, and when I saw horror of horrors to see he was pulling and stretching the sock on upside down and he had the ribbed cuff covering his toes, I had to laugh at the look on his face though, whatever next, maybe I will need to resort to writing the letters L and R on his boots too ;-) lol. So we managed to pull the sock off and tried again properly and it fits, maybe still a little too tight getting it past the heel but it does go on and DB is very impressed with the thickness and warmth, will be excellent in the winter with wellies or make great winter house socks. DB has even asked me what colour will I be making his next pair in, Steady now....

Apart from the sock I have not really done much other knitting, just a few more rows on Flirt. I, however ordered yet more STR, one skein again In the Navy, as I was at first a bit unsure if I would have enough to complete both socks, looking at it now, I maybe was being a bit too cautious, but I think every knitter's nightmare is running out of yarn at the crucial moment of finishing. also another skein in (Knitty Rocks) somehow got ordered too, a girls gotta have a reward sometimes you know ;-) I just hope they arrive soon. and can post pictures next time. I also re-newed my Rowan Subscription too.


Its just a short post this time, as time is getting a bit crucial for these socks, I have ten days to knit the second sock, note to one-self never set a dead-line, it takes some of the fun away from knitting.

So that' s all until next-time and hopefully I shall another pair of Socks That Rock for Big Feet!