Knit Your Square To Give Your Share - Part 3

dpixie

hi everyone

well i am back in blighty and can report that i now have a functioning phone and internet connection in our french house. however, i left the phone and the "livebox" plugged in, and that might have been a mistake.

have read all of the posts from the last two weeks as didn't make time for it in france, was too busy cleaning, trying to empty boxes, chat to the neighbours and watch the bats that found a temporary home behind the shutter to my study. i loved that, especially when i realised that it was bat poo on the floor and not mouse poo - that frightened me!

shez - so sorry to hear about your mum - i wish that i could offer more support as it must be devastating, but all i can offer is to be an ear if you want to rant at someone. should you wish this, please pm me and i will send you my phone number. also, tried to look up the pattern for the (easy) burial bunting, as i would like to make some as i have discovered a few balls of light coloured wool in france - could you let me have this pattern as i could not find it on the website.

isom - you shame me with your lovely creations - i love the blanket and have bought yarn to make the bag, but that has not even started yet. the knitted top is also beautiful, cannot wait to see how that turn out. well done you!

may - lovely to hear from you. we have not seen the last of the moths, i had a day of attack again yesterday, but think they are nesting in the base of the beds in the flat we are renting. all i can do is clean, spray and leave millions of mothballs everywhere. i am sort of at my wits end, and have been told in no uncertain terms (by our french neighbours) to make sure that i dont take them over there as they are very difficult to get rid of (well, you dont say!!!!!!). our moving date is in 44 days time. i am madly trying to organise stuff for the move and sort out a whole load of things as well as help my OH with some stuff for work - i think its going to be quite a trying 7 weeks! you are right about the sounds you hear out of the city - i love opening my window first thing in the morning (in france) and hearing the cuckoo and the other birds, the cows mooing (there is a birthing parlour near our house) and the horses and all the other sounds you hear, including the occasional mirage (military plane that travels faster than the speed of sound). it all makes such a wonderful background for crochet/knitting and the views just blow me away. i love looking at the pyrenees, i just cant get enough of them.

chalkey - the blankets are absolutely stunning. there are some crocheted blocks in the last blanket that have inspired me, so when i have finished the (5) hexagonal jumpers that i am in the process of finishing, i will do some more blocks for you. by the way, the cooking club is an inspired idea - would you mind very much if i copied it? i have so many recipe books, its about time that i used some of them, although our neighbours are still struggling with the idea that we are .... vegetarian!

kathy - sounds like you like living on the edge (of the table, ladder etc). please be careful, i know that the need to get things done can make one rather reckless, but, you are important to us, so look after yourself. by the way, do liveboxes "blow" a lot? i have left ours plugged in with the phone and would be rather annoyed if it was not working when we got back in 3 weeks time!

salome - the orphans that you spoke about (from africa, i think) where are they from? that sounds like an interesting cause either way. by the way, good luck on your course, it sounds like a very worthy thing to do.

anyway, i am suffering from finger ache after all that typing. i suppose its time for me to start my day with another coffee and some work.

have a fab, sunny day everyone


dpixie

mioliere

Hi DPixie - great to hear from you but sorry that you still have the moth problem. Hopefully, you will leave them behind in the UK when you leave. Your description of what you wake up to sounds exactly like ours - including the Mirage! Don't they make a noise?! I'm getting used to them; it's only about once a month and the local livestock don't seem at all bothered, but I tried to run for cover the first time I heard one! I do love it here (for all the reasons you describe) but still miss the family a lot and wish either that they were here with me, or that I was back there with them! That's the only thing that spoils it, but having Skype really does help. Have you got that installed? It's great for keeping in touch for free (with others who are on Skype) and, if you have a webcam, you can see who you're talking to - the next best thing to being there for real!

As far as the Livebox is concerned - as Jean will tell you, (she's been here sixteen years and is on Livebox number 14, I think!) it is best to unplug them if there's any risk of a thunderstorm or, as I have found out, near+100 mph winds! If you get back and find that yours has died, here is the English-speaking helpline number for Orange: 09693639000. You'll need to quote your landline number plus they may ask what sort of Livebox it is (look at the side of the box for the sticker which will tell you; mine's a Mini Sagem) They are very helpful. If it turns out that the box has died, they will give you a special number to give to your local Orange shop for a free exchange. I've had that problem once, but the other day I had a different problem - the box just need re-activating (don't why it became inactive, though!) and the chap on the phone just talked me back on over the phone. He has promised to send me instructions so that I can do it myself if it happens again. I will email them to you as soon as I get them, just so that you are ready! It's so frustrating to lose the connection but at least it's relatively easy to get it back now that they have a good helpline! I always unplug mine at the very first hint of a thunderstorm (I have become a bit paranoid about it!), when we are going out for more than an hour or so and, definitely, when we go away. Hope I haven't scared you!

Hope all the packing goes well - those forty four days will whizz by, I expect! Good luck with it all! I've pm'd you, by the way.

KathyXX

OnlyGirl

Hi everyone,

sorry for not being around this week, with having the boys home I don't get any time for myself. They are watching tv quietly at mo which I'm sure will not last long.

Shelley so sorry for your sad news, I can't imagine how you must be feeling. ((hugs))

Mrs MP great bargain with the wool, they never have anything like that around here, either that or I'm too slow.lol.

Chalky Big OUCH! Hope you ok now.

Sorry if I've missed anyone, boys are calling, so best go sort them out.
Will try and pop in again later.
((Hugs)) to all.xx

roamin_in_the_gloamin

dpixie - I don't want to worry you either, but we even bought and use a UPS (uninterupted power supply) with a 20 minute shut down and still we melt the deadboxes!
Oh I bet there isn't any reason for you to worry, you probably don't have the dodgey electricitiy I get out here in the sticks! Still cutting grass only 3 fields to go, then that's it for a wee while. I need to get sorted quickly as DH has invited his sister and her new beau for a holiday and the place is strill a tip - he loves that angle grinder to bits, I would love to chuck as far as I could!
Cuddles for everyone, hope the sun is shining in your bit of the world
xx

chalky_75

Hello to one and all --- Well after the adventure of being home alone all was well this morning the tip about the toothpaste is amazing and worrks brilliantly for me -- looks a bit strange and feels a bit crusty but no lumps,bumps or constant itching!!!

Well I have started Reiki Level Two today -- Not used to 4+ hours of studying and fear my brain has turned to mush but will read it all up again before my next lesson!!

Dpixie -- Thanks for kind comments about Lappys I am looking forward to "Operation Stitch Up Part Two " when we return. I reckon it will keep me out of mischief for most of the summer!!
Please feel free to copy the Cookery School Idea . It worked so well. Perhaps for some of the following reasons --0--

One guest was my sister in law who I have known since I was 16 ( eons ago!!!) and her partner ( my brother died a while ago ) was our Best Man and we have known him since College Days . So we know them both really well

They really enjoyed looking for recipes none of us have ever cooked before.

We only did it for 2 meals each in a fortnight so it wasn,t a bother

They felt they were looking after us as well as the other way around. We relaxed completely, as the rules were they served nibbles and pre-dinner drinks on the terrace and then we relaxed and they cooked,served and washed up on the 2 nights they were in charge and vice versa

They were glad to share the financial load as they did all their own shopping for their meals. Saved any arguments at the Check out -- which I hate!

It saved them having to think of an appropriate !!! Gift at the end of the holiday.

The one downside as always was that some of the meals we had out were nowhere near as good as the ones we cooked in but hey ho!!

So all sounds busy in France jean I have pm'd you. Kathy -- So glad you have Skype. Dpixie Hope moving preparations continue to go well --- Will you be living in France full time ?

Will look forward to piccie PSSO

lOTS MIA at the moment but think half term is keeping ecerybody busy -- Hope days are happy ones!

Well must get on -- Just going to relax this evening--- indoors!!!

Lots of Love to one and all xx

In_Search_Of_Me

Evening all!
Had a lovely day with mum, best mate and my two godaughters! Went to St Fagans;
http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/
and had a good walk round, had a go at throwing a pot (I did a rather wonky candle stick but I love it!) and the girls both did wonderful ones! Then had nice lunch (free) and ice cream in the sun! yummy! Popped to swap wool in hobbycraft on the way home and got some nice linen/bamboo on sale and will use that to make a baby jacket for friends baby due in Aug! Very exciting!! Its a light grey col so can be unisex in case its not a girl that pops out!!
Ok off to finish basket...one last time! If its wrong this time (#3) thats IT!
Chalky sorry you had traumas!
Happy packing dppixie! Houses all sound blissful...unsure if you are moving 100%?
Nice to see you PSSO...look forward to a piccie of the munchkin!
linedancer ann...prayers for you all up there...what an awful couple of weeks youve had. So many people affected...wonder if we wil ever find out what pushed him over the edge to go from a mild mannered man to that...incredibly sad. I also feel for the families - so sad that they have to not only manage teh trauma and greif but in the media spotlight. Unimaginable.

dpixie

hi there chalky and isom - yes the move is going to be 100%. to be honest 95% of our stuff is there already, but its that last bit that has to be moved over and then its sorting out change of address and all of that stuff as well as trying to sort out a spinning lesson (want to spin my own yarn one day in the future) before i go. also, am tired of hiring cars in france, it costs a bomb, so am going to drive my car over in a couple of weeks time in order to have a car while we look for a french one. my car is 15 years old, so will probably become scrap when i get a "new" one, but who knows.

hope everyone is well.

night night

d

In_Search_Of_Me

oo lovely dppixie! How exciting! Best mate is moving to Italy for 3 years in july and you have my sympathies with the packing/shifting and the worst bit, saying goodbyes!
Just watched the news...so, so sad...

mioliere

Hi everyone

Having watched the news yesterday, twenty-four hours after the awful events in Cumbria, my thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those whose lives were stolen from them. Now that they are all being named, it brings home the reality of what happened; how can such a normal day in a lovely little town turn into such a nightmare? Sometimes, there are just no answers.

Jean - angle grinders, eh? Don't you just love 'em? How many fields do you have to cut? Our neighbouring farmer does ours for us; we have to force some euros and a bottle of whiskey on him, but he does a brilliant job. We have a big old newly-serviced petrol mower but it just can't cope with that much grass! Hope you get a chance to rest - you're always busy!

DPixie - like you, we had a lot of stuff already here when we moved but we still managed to fill a 7.5 ton truck with the rest of it! OUr next move will need an artic! Good luck with the spinning - perhaps you can have your own sheep here when you move? I would love to have some alpacas - their fleeces are gorgeous. Good luck with the car, too. I drove mine over - an adventure in itself but a great way to get to grips with driving on the other side of the road! I don't really want to change my car out, but it's a bit nerve-wracking driving a right-hand drive, especially as French drivers don't seem to know what the white line in the middle of the road is for!

Chalky - glad the toothpaste did the trick!

Only Girl - hope you and the boys are having a great half term!

ISOM - your day out sounds lovely!

Well, a preemie hat made yesterday while waiting for the dinner to cook, and a few more rows done on my throw so I achieved a little bit yesterday, besides going out to buy bags of plaster and call in at the vets to get a quote on getting Louis (the cat!) 'fixed'! A bit pricey so I'm looking for an OS way! No, not really. We've also chosen and ordered the tiles for the kitchen. We found a lovely little tile shop with great staff and even got a good discount, so we will go back there to choose the floor tiles when we are at that stage of the project.

Anyway, the sun is beaming away already, so I'm off to have a shower, then later we're going to mow the lawns at the holiday home; we didn't get round to it yesterday. They have two lawns so I've suggested that DH does one of them with the mower that belongs to the house, and I shall do the other one with our mower - might be a little noisy for the neighbours, though, but they're only small lawns so it shouldn't take long.

Hope you all have a lovely day and lots of (((hugs))) to those who are unwell, worried or MIA.

KathyXX

dpixie

hi all

isom, it is very exciting, but as you say, saying goodbye is a bit tricky, but i believe that as we have a guest room, people should make use of it.

kathy - it is my dream to have alpacas, but in the short term, i know someone who "gets rid" of his sheeps wool every year, just gives it away or throws it out as he has no use for it - what a waste! i thought that if i could spin some yarn, i could save some money and also give some to his wife (english) who knits. are you planning on moving soon? i do hope not, as i like to think of you as living out there with jean and me, and chalky in spain and all the others who live out there, its a great comfort knowing that others have been through what i am experiencing.

oh well, as there are almost no haberdashery shops in hammersmith, i am going to john lewis today to buy some buttons in order to finish some of these hexagon jumpers that i have sitting here. i am doing my utmost to use up all the wool that i have not been able to pack yet and send the finished stuff off - it sounds crazy, but i am trying to empty the flat asap so i dont leave it to the last minute.

enough rambling, have a fabulous day everyone, may, i hope that you are okay -my thoughts are with you.

hugs to everyone


Dpixie