dolly dimple knits

2 posts in one day ? - Ambassador, you are spoiling us !

Easy seen I've had a day off today isn't it ??

Some of the blogs I like best are the ones where people give you an insight into who they are along with the knitting but I'm not good at that. I tend to be all about the knitting as I'm essentially a very private and fairly shy person - so much so that a number of those who know me well are gobsmacked to find out I blog at all - but I'm happy to share bits and pieces when the mood takes me :0)

So here you go : 48 things you could care less about

1. First Name Heather

2. Were you named after anyone?
No. Until my generation almost everyone was named after someone - in my Dad's family there are SEVEN John Wilkie's and on my Mum's side, Ian's and Janet's run amok .... My parents deliberately decided to be different. They wimped out tho' and gave us family names as middle names. Mine's "Morag" after my Mum's sister :0)

3. When did you last cry?
The last proper crying was when my Dad died this summer. Minor sniffles happen all the time. Usually when watching a film !

4. Do you like your handwriting?
Not particularly.

5. What is your favourite lunchmeat?
Peppered smoked ham

6. If you were another person would you be friends with you?
I'd try but I'm not very sociable. It takes most people a long time to get to know me at anything other than a superficial level.

7. Do you have a journal?
You're reading the closest thing I have to one.

8. Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes.

9. Would you bungee jump?
Not on your life. My Dad was a physiotherapist and told me too many horror stories about the potential damage to your spine and ankle joints.

10. What is your favourite cereal?
Honey Nut Cheerios

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Not usually - too lazy.

12. Do you think you are strong?
About average I would think for a 40 year old slightly overweight unfit woman.

13. What is your favourite ice-cream flavour?
I'm not a big ice cream fan - probably vanilla or pistachio.

14. Shoe size?
UK 3 / 3.5

15. Red or pink?
Both if possible

16. What is the least favourite thing about yourself?
My tendancy to not share problems but worry about them silently instead and to put things off to the last minute.

17. Who do you miss most?
My Dad.

18. Do you want everyone to send this back to you?
As I nicked this off someone else - No. But happy to read others if they want to :0)

19. What colour pants, shirt and shoes are you wearing?
Black skirt, navy top, black shoes. God I sound so dull !. My pants (in a strictly British sense) are white - but that's probably too much information ? ....

20. Last thing you ate?
Chocolate crispie cake made by my 8 year old daughter - it's an in-service day so they've all been off school and nursery today.

21. What are you listening to right now?
My 4 year old daughter singing a made-up song as she gets her paints out.

22. If you were a crayon what colour would you be?
Cherry red. Or teal.

23. Favourite smell?
Vanilla or orange

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My husband - to ask him to pick up bread on the way home.

25. The first thing you notice about people you are attracted to?
Their eyes and smile.

26. Do you like who you stole this off?
I don't know them but I enjoyed reading her blog

27. Favourite drink?
Very dry white wine if we're talking alcohol. Tea if not.

28. Favourite sport?
Gymnastics. I was an East of Scotland schools under 12's gymnastics champion many moons ago - feels like a different life !

29. Eye colour?
Green - same as my maternal Grandma, a redoubtable woman.

30. Hat size?
Your guess is as good as mine. Probably big !

31. Do you wear contacts?
Yes. Blind as a bat without them. One of these days I may get them lasered if I pluck up the courage.

32. Favourite food?
Hard put to choose between eggs and cheese.

33. Scary movies or happy endings?
Happy endings.

34. If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be?
Fremantle in Western Australia. Or Wester Ross if thinking closer to home.

35. Summer or winter?
Both. Long hot summer days and crisp frosty winter ones.

36. Hugs or kisses?
Kisses every time.

37. Favourite dessert?
Sticky toffee pudding with cream

38. Who is most likely to respond?
Pass

39. Least likely to respond?
Pass

40. What books are you currently reading?
Currently I'm going out like a light as soon as my head touches the pillow but I recently read Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Recommended to me by my 11 year old daughter.

41. What's on your mouse pad?
Don't have one. The one at work has an advert for SureStart on it.

42. What did you watch on TV last night?
Most of Lord of the Rings 'til I crashed out on the couch.

43. Favourite sounds?
The wind. Especially when I'm warm and cosy indoors.

44. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
Neither does much for me but of the two - the Rolling Stones.

45. The furthest you have been from home?
Australia

46. What's your special talent?
Eh ? I used to be able to sit with my feet behind my head (all that gymnastics training !) if that counts ? Tho' I wouldn't fancy trying it now !

47. Where were you born?
Edinburgh

48. Who sent this to you?
No - one. I've seen it all over the place and finally lifted it from here.

Chemical Warfare

I have been a very bad blogger of late - but I have a good reason. I have been indulging in some full-on suited and booted chemical warfare. The g"£$%^m cats have FLEAS !! Yup. The bitey kind. So I've been hoovering and spraying and combing and bathing (they were less than amused but sadly I forgot to take pictures !) like a mad woman.

As the vet's receptionist said "just take a pure benny at it - hoover like you've got Kim and Aggie coming round to tea..." Before you ask, I have NO idea what a pure benny is or where the expression comes from ??? Hopefully tho' we have managed total annhilation. The house certainly looks like some form of blitzkreig has taken place - but on the bright side it hasn't been this clean since we moved in !

In between hoovering, I have actually done quite a lot of knitting but I'm going to dole out the FO's in bite sized chunks - human bite size not flea bite size :0)

My favourite FO for ages is

Juno - in Malabrigo Merino, Damask Rose. I LOVE it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. And one day I may even get someone to take a picture of me wearing it to let you see !

Actually that would probably be a good idea as I can't seem to get a decent one myself - is this any better ?

The stitches perhaps have a little less crisp definition than if I'd used the suggested doubled Rowan Wool Cotton but the softness and the bloom. To. Die. For.

I even love my buttons - which I made by covering buttons in single sided VV Rouleaux velvet ribbon in the same rose shade. Honest. They're not as bright as they look in the photos but are almost the same shade exactly. ( VV Rouleaux has to be one of my favourite shops. Unbelievable range of shades. It's never failed me yet.)

And hold onto your hats - I'm still alive in Sock Wars !! Scroll down to 22nd September if you want the pattern for the Socks of Doom - they're really quick to knit and take about 180mtres of dk weight.

As I forgot to show the original pair I sent off here's my second "kill".

I had to sub for the toes as the knitter who sent me the yarn hadn't sent quite enough for the pair but I think they work pretty well :0)

Next time up - a whole lot of baby FO's. No. Not for me before you get all excited. But now, getting in the mood for Panto season I'm off to dream up ideas for Purlescence's latest competition .....