HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

Happy birthday to me, happy birhtday to me, happy birthday to meeeeeeeee, happy birthday to me!!!!!LOL
Incase you didnt guess today is my birthday. I've had a good day. In the way of pressies I got some money, bath stuff and I asked for vouchers for GetKnitted.com but they havnt arrived yet. Sam says there is a parcel on its way to me, plus one from little Sis in Canada, plus I ordered 2 knitting books with my money so I'm awaiting Mr Postie with excitement this week!!!
tonight we went out for an Indian meal which was lovely. Earleir in the day hubby and I took Sam back to Uni. He's been home for 4 days. it was lovely having him home amndmade the Jewish hols seem like a proper family time.
Rachel made me a bonkers card with a picture of me and Bono on the front (in my dreams!!!) The verses and silly phrases she put inside were hilarious. she definitely cheered me up!!!

Knitting
I'm spending too much time on Ravellry to actually Knit!!! Though I'm on the way to finishing my v neck top. About time I finished something. I'm good at casting on!!!!

FM

I went with hubby and Rach to a shopping centre the other day. I managed to walk into Boots, up 2 isles and then Just about into George and had to turn back and go to the car. I've definitely deteriorated since this last flare up. More hard work is ahead to try and get me back up to reasonable level. But this hasnt happened since 2006! I've just gone down hill since Aug '06.
Today I woke up and felt quite down for a while. Its my b/day and yet it was the same old thing. I woke up stiff and in pain. Hubby had to go and get my cereal so I could take my pain killers as he always does every morning. But then Rachel came in with the mad card and made me laugh so I cheered up again!
I went with to Leeds, via Ikea. my disabled parking badge is coming in handy. we had to hire a wheelchair to go round. Tommorrow there is a lady coming to assess me for my own wheelchair. I want a top of the pange-Porche type model!!!!!

GL On the GL front I'm not bothering at the mo. I'm just trying (jewish hols excepted) to try and eat sensibly. Tonight I had a poppadum and then a veg Dansack so it was veg with lentils, no rice, no chips, a tiny bit of Naan.

RAVELLRY-I'M IN!!!!!!!

Yeeehaaa! my invite came last week. I've been soooo engrosed I've not had time for anything else.!! I still havnt put anything in my own file, I've been too busy oggling everybody elses lace and socks and dyed yarns!!!
Now to my own knitting up dates.
Camisole from Beads Buttons and Lace is bering frogged as we meet and is going to be turned into The Edward from Magknits- will see if this link actually works. They dont usually!!!!
I have been making a mess of my lace so I decided to follow the advice of my fellow Angels at the Angel Yarn forum and go back to bsics. I'm doing the Forest Canopy. I'm loving it. I found some Lana Grossa MegaSocks sokc yarn in my stash and I'm away. it knits really quickly. its taken me 4 days to get up to the final pattern repeat before I cast off!!!!


I've also been dying some yarns with Koolaid. I wanted to see if I could get pastel shades with them. it worked quite well Me thinks!!












This is my last purchase from WoolyWorkshophref="http://www.woollyworkshop.co.uk/">


Its Cherry tree Hill Apple Blossom. In Merino and Possum. its a special colourway from a competition. I liked the Possum bit and was keen to try it. Plus it was in the sale.

My V neck tank is amlost finished


I'm not sure the photo is clear.
phew I've been busy, but loving every minute of it!!!!

Family news
Sam left last Sunday for Uni. I do miss him terribly. I know you have to cut the apron strings and let them go, but its really hard! We went up to see him on Wednesday. he's only at Leeds. its 50 mins away. Infact it takes less time to get there than if he's been at manchester uni on the other side of town!!

Friday night and Saturday was Yom Kippur, another Jewish holiday. its a 25 hour fast . I'm not allowed to fast thankfully because of all my meds. I was never very good at it anyway!
yesterday we put up our Succah,Ready for yet another jewish Holiday of Succoth. You have to live in what is basically a shed without a roof. its to demonstrate your trust in God . Ours is a 3 walled chip board creation by Hubby which sits on the back of our house like a cheap conservatory!!!!! We dont live in a Jewish area and the first year we put it up the neighbours were intrigued. One of them wasnt to sure if I was being serious or not when I said it was our new conservatory and was up to stay!!! You're supposed to live in the Succah for 8 days. but we just eat our meals there although Hubby and the kids did sleep out in it one night. it dpepns upon the weather. So this week will be yet more eating asnd More food as we do the equivalent of Xmas day and boxing day again!!!! No wonder I'm not loosing any weight!!!

Josh's High school career has got off to a flying start and he's not surprised us by getting 5 detention points!!! he only needs 1 more to get a detention. he's been in school 3 weeks!!!! mind you they give them out for breathing in class!!!! he got one for Farting in class!!!! I couldnt get cross infact I burst out laughing!!! he wore this detention point like a badge of honour!!!!

Jewish New Year

We've just celebrated Rosh Hashannah, the Jewish New Year and what a hectic time its been again. Our New Year is not like the British get pissed and throw up on the pavement type of new Year. it is a time for reflection and asking God for forgivness for all your sins during the year. Mine make a very long list!!! particularly when it comes to breaking Jewish laws!!!!Complicated. I managed to get to the Synagogue one day as the kids pushed me in the wheel chair. That was an unpleasant experience, being pushed up and down streets. There were some steep hills that I had to get out and walk coz the kids couldnt push me!!! the pavements are uneven. What a nightmare. We ate 5 family big dinners in all and then it was straight into the Sabbath Friday night, but luckily We were invited out for dinner Friday night.I'm bursting with chicken soup and chicken dinners!!!!
In years gone by I used to feed the 5,000. having guests for every meal, but those days are gone and just my parents came for lunch Friday.
This weekend sees the fast Yom Kippur, a very solemn day for repenting. I cant fast because of all the meds I take. I would get very severe with drawal if I didnt take them for 24 hours. I wont be going to the Synagogue either as I'm not allowed to be pushed in the wheelchair. Complicated jewish laws!!!!!

Sam has just in the last 15 mins left for Uni-Boo, Hoo,!! I dont feel tearful! Theres a revelation. I couldnt go with as theres no room in the car but he's home Friday anyway for Yom Kippur so I'm going back with him next Sunday to see his accomodation and the Uni etc. I think he's releived that I didnt go with incase I cried and showed him up!!LOL

Fibromyalgia
I cant find the colour changer ! its dissapeared. anyway I am having a very serious set back. I knew I would. I've really overdone things big style. I am totally wiped out. that is why I've not managed to blog for so long. I am in terrible pain and my legs wont take my weight . I can hardly walk. I've been in bed alot sleeping feeling very tearful and overwhelemd and vulnerable. i've been upset about a few things. One was the fact that whilst Michelle was over from Canada we never all got together to eat like indays of old. In the past when she came home we all ate at mum and dads or my house. This time my parents didnt eat with us once and Mich and the kids ate there a few times and I was releived to have breathing space. The fact that I havnt been able to entertain over the Jewish holidays and walk to the synagogue has upset me. its at times like these that I realise just how drastically my life has changed from this disability. And people still beleive its a made up illness, all in your head!!!! I'd like them to live in my body for 24 hrs and see how 'made up' it is!!!
Apparently its been national Fibro awareness week? Afraid its passed me by in a fug of pain and exhaustion.
I live from hour to hour from when its time for my pain releif to the next time. I wake up in the morning feeling like I've done 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali and it gets me down.

Knitting
One of my few joys in life. There hasnt been too much lately. My left arm has been very weak and aching so I've had to knit in fits and starts. I'm working on the front of my V neck top and also Talias lace blankie . I'm trying out the heart pattern which seems to be going better than the crest of the waves pattern!!! I'll try and photo some piccies and put them up.
I still cant work out how to uypload buttons to my blog!! Grrrr.

GLing
Ho Hum. I've given up with all the celebrations lately. i keep trying but failing miserably. I dont know quite what to do at the minute. I'm not in the right frame of mind to tackle my weight seriously but I dont want to get any fatter.

Cats
Naughty Cinders tried to piddle in my hat box yesterday!!!! I left the huge hat box out with the hat and tissue paper in it on my bedroom floor. Cinders went in it, started to rip up the tissue paper and Josh caught her trying to squat in the hat box!! she got ejected rather quickly.

Family Musings

Josh started High school on Monday. He seems to be very excited and happy at present with it all. he's plaguing big sis by following her around! I think the novelty of having a big sister in year 11 will wear off pretty soon. he gets the school bus home and crosses the main road by himself. very grown up. So far he's done his homework ewnthusiastically! We shall see how long that lasts!
As said Rachel strated year 11. How time flies. she's settled in very quickly. probably because its just an extention of last year.
We'er busy sorting out pots pans and bedding etc for Sams move to uni on 16 th, sniff wail!!! My big boy. There'll be a family trip up to Leeds on that Sunday to settle him in his halls and see him off. he doesnt want me to go incase I cry and hug him infront of his flatmates!!!! As If ....

FM
I am still totally knackered and in pain. The only good thing is that I'm sleeping longer at night so I dont need pain releif in the night so that I have an extra dose for daytime if that makes sense. I know what I mean!!
CATS
The other day I actually managed to walk to the corner shop and back-TA, DA!!! Sox followed me a good part of the way, incase my legs buckled and I needed him to prop me up LOL!!! he sat waiting for me and meowed at me as I was coming down the street. he then , silly boy, rolled over in the road for a tummy tickle! and followed me home. Its so long since I've made it the 60 or so yards to the corner shop, it really was as though he was following me to see if I was allright!

Knitting
Not too much happening. I'm still knitting 'blankie mark 2 for my neice . I'm using it to practise my lace patterns and not correcting the mistakes so it looks..er..interesting to say the least!!
I really want to do some socks but I MUST finish all these UFO's first.

Phew! A Hectic 2 weeks!

I feel like I've been run over by a bus! What a hectic time its been. Firstly hosting the extra visitors. A mixed view here. I loved seeing my sister, neice and nephew, but I'm not used to the noise of little ones any more and I'm sensitive to noise these days with the FM. A great combination!!! Plus I hadnt figured on the rest of my family being so un generous! I was brought up in an open house, anyone could be fed , watered or housed at a minutes notice so I carried this on until I became ill 4 years ago. Then we became very insular. I couldnt stand noise, I couldnt cope with the extra cooking and I didnt have the energy to make conversation with people. The kids are more used to this than the old me feeding the 5, 000! Rachel gave me constant earache because the visitors were in her room. She was kicked out for 2 weeks. She keeps her room spotless and very tidy, unusual for a 15 year old! and she couldnt stand the mess of 3 extra people. But the worst was Josh! he was an embarrasment. He took exception to Zak who is 9, a lovely sweet kid but a bit goofy and prone to doing daft things. partly it was jealousy with Josh. he's the youngest, he hasnt had to share his grandparents for years . We unfortunately dont see alot of Hubby's brother and family,(Not for want of trying on our part-we gave up) so he's not used to cousins being around. As I said we've been very insular for years. But it came out of him eventually that he didnt like his cousin because he thought all the extra work was making me ill, (which was true, but I was trying and often failing to hide it). so he took exception to their presence. He's like a lioness around her cubs where I'm concerned and deeply protective. It wasnt too bad when we were in St. Annes , but once we got home he was murder and actually reduced me to tears twice because of his selfishness. he refused to share any toys, the computer etc. so life when we were in the house was one long battle of shouting, arguing and me sending him to his room. The rest of the time he chewed my ear off about my guests-'the'yre using it just like their own home'_ moan, moan. That is the idea, I replied.

On to the positive stuff. 4 days in a lovely hotel by the sea. 3 parties for mum and dads golden wedding and one for Sams 18th, though that was combined with one of mum and dads so there were still 3 parties!Phew! food and more food.

Fibromyalgia
I'm totally exhausted. my back is in agony. I've really suffered these last 2 weeks. Partly it was a concious decision. I knew it was going to be a hectic time and that I would over do it and suffer later. some times you have to make these decisions. The bit that upset me and everyone else was using a wheelchair to get around outside. it was fab in the sense that I could actually participate in outdoor social activities, but it was heartbreaking all the same. I was mixed in St Annes. I was very tired and stiff and in pain as the bed was like a brick, plus there was a different routine. I managed a few hours on the beach. One day I couldnt move I was so bad. that was the day the rest of the gang went to Blackpool Pleasure beach. In a way I was glad to be leftin peace and quiet. The kids brought me some breakfast to the room. I slept. Then I managed to hobble to the cafe in the hotewl for a sandwich for lunch and even made it across the road to the gardens on the front where I sat next to an elderly lady , did my knitting and nattered to her for a while. The 2 celebrations for Mum and Dad were hectic especially the one we had at our house which was also sams 18th party, but a friend made the fingers, we bought the deserts , so I supervised the setting up of everything. I did suffer in the week and Michelle and her 2 went out one day and left us and the next day she took her kids and Josh to the science museum. I couldnt have even sat in the wheelchair to be pushed round I was so knackered. Fri I really pushed myself as it was the last day and went for a pizza and bowling. I even managed 4 rounds of bowling before my body gave out! That was a business. when it was my turn I hobbled onto the bowling are with my stick, Josh carried the bowling ball and we swapped at the edge of the lane!! Then I handed over the rest of my games to the kids! I won !!! Amazing what you can acheive by not doing very much!!!LOL. My back is total agony dunno what I've done.

GL diet
Oh dear, am I still doing this? Oppps! I started out very well, being careful at the hotel, no deserts etc but it went down hill with each meal and each party we had so I think I'd better restart!!!

knitting
Not alot of activity I'm afaraid. I finished the back of the vest top and cast on the front. I managed to tink the lace that I did wrong but havnt tried again. my neice who is 6 has a beloved 'Blankie' which is worse for wear . it is pink and white and did have a lace pattern to it . Now it looks rather holey and tatered. I'm going to knit it a background so my sis can sew the tattered remains to it. I thought I'd try out my lace pattern on it and use it as a trial run so I dont keep needing to tink my shawl.

Oh dear