Loki

Here is my new baby

He look like a cross between a corgi and an ewok from star wars. Just look at the size of his feet, he is going to be a very big boy. I unlike a lot of people prefer grown dogs to puppies, however he is the fluffiest, cuddliest I have meet and I dare you not to fall in love with him.

Its like having a blank canvas and I know everything I teach him now will set him up for life.

I promise not to talk about puppies the whole time and get back to moaning about windows and spin driers.

The new moan is useless builders and the fact they seem to be unable to connect a drain pipe.

Any way off to the dye vats now - I have the bank manager visiting later and have to show him what I do.

Dougal & Loki

Dougal was my precious and I loved him.
He died very unexpectedly at the beginning of april, he was fine on the thursday, friday morning he wasn't quite right and was dead by lunch time, the vet thinks he had a heart attack. It was like losing a child, although I have never lost a child so I don't really know. I still can't think off him without crying, in fact I am crying now as I type.
He was a German Shepard rescue dog, we think he had been beaten quite badly and he was frightened of every thing, made lots of noise, but didn't have an aggressive bone in his body.

I gave him a home and loving life he gave me undying love and support, he was with me when I was first diagnosed with epilepsy and comforted me while I came to terms with it, he was there for my second bout of fits, he was there for me when Phil had cancer and I didn't know who to turn to as Phil didn't want any of our freinds knowing. He spent a lot of time being used as a hanky.

People were scared of him as he was a big dog and made lots of noise, I am sure a lot didn't believe me when I told them he was the gentlest dog I knew. When we brought Ted (bad poodle) home Dougie loved him like a mother, slept with the puppy and took him from the room if anyone new came to see him.

Being without him has left a huge hole in my life and by my side, he drove me mad at times, barked the whole time he was in the car, but when you have a dog at your side for 10 years, its difficult to come to terms with him not being there.

Anyway the reason I am writing this is beacuse I have a new puppy, he is a long haired german shepard, looks nothing like Dougie as I couldn't bear that. He will never replace Dougie, but will help fill the hole.

His name is Loki and he is 8 weeks old, I have never met such a well behaved puppy, half the time you wouldn't know he is there, asks to go out for a wee, only minor amounts of crying and chewing, doesn't bark and fell asleep in the car. I know its very early days, but he seems to be everything I want. He will come to the farm with me and I don't want him scaring my customers, so will be kept in the office, I think long haired GSD's are less threatening. He will be trained with love to an inch of his life. He has made me very happy.

I tried not to have a GSD, I know so many people who are scared of them and I certainly would be wary of one I didn't know as there are some out there who give the rest a bad name. But I couldn't live without one.

I am trying to upload a photo, but blooger won't let me, so I will publish this and try again.

The Big Chill

At last I have got round to updating....
Life is so busy, am dyeing like mad, trying to replace the sock wool which seems to gush out of the shop.
Knitting the dragon, writing the poncho pattern, knitting cushions etc etc
The dragon has been started 4 times, I just can't get the colours right, I want to use varigated yarn, but the colours are too close and there is either too much definition or not enough.

We had a great time at the Big Chill, I managed to relax, Phil was stressed because we weren't selling enough, but we earnt more than last year, covered all our costs and had a bit left over.
Apparently it was a really bad year for traders the nice jewelery lady next door said she had never known a year like it.
We slept behind the stall and struggled with ear plugs, I gave up in the end, trying to sleep between 2 stages was interesting, but the music stopped at 1.50 so it wasn't too bad. My internet connection only worked first thing in the morning so checking e-mails was a pain, but I managed to communicate with Val and the business at home ran smoothly.
My high light was listening to Bent, who I have loved for a few years to see and hear the music in person made me cry, as you can probably tell I don't get out much - lol
The kids enjoyed themselves and the business paid for our only holiday of the year.
And I meet the Wooly Wormhead who makes the best hats - it was great to meet you Ruth.

I would love a holiday, I want to drive my zoom over the Alps like Micheal caine in the Italian Job. I know its not an Aston martin, but its mine and the only sports car I am ever likely to have. After the Alps I think we will drive down to Rome and then back along the French Riviera where I spent lots of my late teenage. My parents had a house about 15 miles from St Tropez and the area will always be very special to me.
BUT this holiday is a long way off, maybe for our 25th wedding anniversary, only 5 years to go - :-)

Snakes

Apart from the glaring mistake, I am quite happy with this.
Should I knit it again?
Or should I move on to the next design which is one of my Norse dragons.
At the moment I am knitting the back, which is taking ages I have only done one inch (8 rows), but is sooooo boring, never mind only another 17 to go - yipeeeeeeeee!!!!!

And Carina - I haven't forgotten you, just up to my neck trying to sort out stuff.

The big chill update is still to come.

Merino loop poncho

Ok - so I lied.
Just wanted to share the poncho, now all I need to do is write the pattern which will take longer than knitting the poncho.
Wish I wasn't so dyslexic and that I made more sense.

WINDOWS AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even though they are the wrong size and shape, they are windows, the difference they make to the dye room is unbelievable. It almost feels like a room and not a torture chamber, I am beginning to imagine working there, my dye vats will seem tiny, but I will have so much room.

Lots and lots to update - The Big Chill, Intarsia knitting, merino loop poncho etc etc
But have just started dyeing my first batch of wool in 3 weeks, feel like I have put on about 20 stone from lack of bucket lifting.
So will update later, when I am thin again (LOL- ok not thin, but a little less fat).