Saturday, December 24, 2005

Christmas...

After dashing madly round in circles all day I've sat down with a festive banana (?!) and mug of tea to listen to Carols from Kings and update the blog.

Christmas knitting is complete. Phew. It's even been blocked, labelled and wrapped. These are groovy labels to use, with various wording for Christmas/seasonal eventualities.

Two pairs of socks done. One for my brother and one for my SIL. Both were fun to make, as they used different techniques (DPNs for the blue and 2 circs for the stripey). One of each pair has already been seen by the recipients as I was far too scared to trust to measurements alone for the sizing!


I've just carried the ****** Christmas tree into the flat. It was meant to be in the main house, but we've had it sitting at the bottom of the garden for about 10 days now waiting to be brought in. We can't work out how Dad always got it to stay upright in the pot. We always get one with roots so it can be planted outside afterwards and Mum planted this one in its pot about a week ago. But it was quite wobbly. Then I couldn't carry the whole lot up to the house in one go so had to take the tree and pot separately and replant it outside my conservatory! It's still very wobbly though, even with plenty of earth in the tub, which is why it's leaning drunkenly against the wall. I also haven't got the foggiest idea where the lights are for it, and I don't really want to approach it again to put them on as it attacked me on the way up the garden and I'm now covered in pine needle scratches (yes, I know I'm a wimp). Maybe light-less trees are the way to go this year? Mum's put the fibre-optic tree up next door, which is SO much easier, although not quite the same (remind me I said that when I'm moaning about pine needles all over the floor).

Anyway, Christmas this year is going to be WEIRD. Very WEIRD. Dad died in April so it's the first one since then. We (me and Mum) are not going to Midnight Mass this year, although I might listen to it on the radio if I'm still awake. We've also decided not to go to our normal service tomorrow morning cos it's big and impersonal, so I'll think we'll go to the service in the hospital chapel (I know that sounds bizarre but we live next door to it!), as that's small and friendly. (Oh and it only lasts half an hour and they have heating!). Then for the first time ever we're not having lunch at home, as Mum and I have been invited to my SIL's parents for lunch (that's the part I'm looking forward to).

Hopefully there will also be plenty of time for knitting in all this... I've just been and photocopied three patterns to highlight. I want to knit all of them, and have the yarn already, just can't decide which to start!

Things I'll be listening to (and probably knitting to, although I've still got a pile of ironing to get through):
JK Rowling talking to Stephen Fry (who recorded the audio version of the Harry Potters).
The latest from Cast on podcast.
Debbie Bliss interview on Knitcast.
New podcast called Knitting News Cast.
And a whole new world opened up by Fibre Cast...

Hope everyone has a peaceful and knitty Christmas!

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
You are 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing'. You take
Christmas very seriously. For you, it is a
religious festival, celebrating the birth of
the Saviour, and its current secularisation
really irritates you. You enjoy the period of
Advent leading up to Christmas, and attend any
local carol services you can find, as well as
the more contemplative Advent church services
each Sunday. You may be involved in Christmas
food collections or similar charity work. The
midnight service at your church, with candles
and carols, is one you look forward to all
year, and you also look forward to the family
get together on Christmas Day.


What Christmas Carol are you?
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2 comments:

happyspider said...

you're welcome to my knitmas carols daisy, and a very merry knitmas to you! :) xoxo

Anonymous said...

Hope your Christmas was wonderful (and not too sad)!