North Sea Knitter

So I started sewing!

2012-01-23T08:16:00.000-08:00

Simplicity 1998

I finally got round to getting a decent sewing machine at the end of October 2011 as we had John Lewis vouchers we had received for our wedding back in 2010 and we had never got round to using them as being old buggers when we got hitched then we had most of the housey stuff you would get from JL. So, as long as I promised to get round to making stuff for my DB then a sewing machine was a'right. The rest of the vouchers went on a fridge freezer because we really know how to rock and roll!

Lisette 2059

Ebay has been plundered for fabric and patterns. A theme is emerging of loud and in your face fabric just ripe for the 50's to 70's patterns that seem to be attracting me!

Lisette 2245

There are mistakes (obviously) but everything is wearable in public!

Lisette 2211

The current pattern stash!

I'm happy with it all :-)

2011 wasn't as productive as 2010 but not bad considering the "stuff what happened"!

2012-01-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

It wasn't my most productive year but then I did also start sewing, albeit very slowly, which has slowed down the speed of production somewhat...

Lundish 1, 2. Jen's scarf, 3. Fruit Sherbet sock, 4. Botanical cowl, 5. Icing Swirl hat, 6. Regina Hat, 7. Obi socks, 8. Vignette Cardigan, 9. Asa jumper, 10. Drop Stitch scarf, 11. Retro Forest Jersey, 12. Que Sera, 13. Olivia, 14. Pembroke wrap, 15. Blankie Cardi

What I said...

2011-10-28T01:44:00.000-07:00

#147

Knitting is not the new yoga or other such trendy analogy. It is knitting in its own right and has been around for centuries. I’m not knitting to be cool, hip and happening. I’m knitting because I like making stuff!

Tags: knitting unpopular opinion submission

I am an Offbeat Bride!

2011-10-15T01:19:00.000-07:00

It finally happened. I submitted our wedding to Offbeat Bride and got the shock of my life last night when I wandered over to the site for a looksee and saw a very familiar photo in the sidebar. A tad surreal to say the least, especially as it all seems so long ago!

This two-part wedding had an intimate humanist ceremony followed by amazing seafood at a local restaurant and then a cracking ceilidh for the rest of the guests the next day. Though there were some hiccups with the liquor license, this wild bunch still managed to leave some blood on the dance floor from the "dance of death!" Wild, woolly, and amazing. Would you want it any other way?

It's been a creative 2010!

2010-12-31T05:42:00.000-08:00

I may not have blogged much but I certainly have cranked the needles more than I thought which is not bad going in a year in which I got married, changed jobs, took on a new family and still tried to have a life!

Knitting 2010

1. Raglan Ribbed Polo Jumper, 2. Damson Shawl, 3. Valiant (1), 4. Cute teacosy, 5. Betty (front), 6. Belladonna (1), 7. Marina, 8. Blume hat (1), 9. Wedding shrug (2), 10. Smock Top Sweater, 11. Little shells shawl, 12. Mum's gloves, 13. Ruadhan's jumper, 14. Teapot cosy, 15. Princess bunnyrabbit mitts, 16. Fad Classic (1), 17. Vintage summer top (1), 18. Pretty pink shrug (1), 19. Christmas cloche (1), 20. Owlie jumper (2), 21. Tatami socks (2), 22. Blackberry Wine, 23. Some Cloudy Day legwarmers, 24. Remembrance Poppy, 25. Shooting gloves

Just married...!

2010-08-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

Arbroath Abbey - 5th August 2010

Myself and Derek got married, humanist style, in front of 3 friends and our Mum's. It was lush :-)

The great spinning wheel build of January 2010...!

2010-01-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

It was an adventure. There was the odd moment of "that bit goes where...!?" But it is achieved and I'm chuffed!

Now I just need to learn how to spin...and we've set a date as well. Maybe I can spin myself some nice laceweight to make myself a bridal shawl..then again, perhaps not! I'll stick to the professionally done stuff for now...

Puddling aboot...

2010-01-09T13:14:00.000-08:00

I've actually managed to finish something this year already...but I did start it on my birthday last year so that means it took me 8 months to knit this...

Next on the list is finishing this - a smocked top turtleneck jumper.

Though if I was feeling really brave I could try knitting this from a booklet I picked up in a charity shop in Blairgowrie today...

But if you thought that was maybe a bit much then I could just go for these elements of the outfit...

On the other hand, I do actually like this and would quite like to attempt knitting it if I was feeling like having a neverending project...

Perhaps I could knit it while making tea with my new non-drip teapot...spot how good someone is doing the dishes in the background. He's a lovely boy and will make someone (me?!) a lovely husband :-)

And finally, it may make life a bit harder but it sure is pretty...

2010...we'll set a date eventually!

2009-12-31T10:55:00.000-08:00

Next year I should be getting to use one of these...a bride's cog.

Happy New Year

And then there was pie...

2009-12-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

Game pie for Christmas made by my DB...what a clever boy :-)

What next?

2009-12-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

At the start of the year I was still living in Aberdeen, trying to sell my house, working offshore and having a relationship with someone I loved very much but not actually staying full-time in the same house as him.

By the end of the year I have left Aberdeen, still haven't sold my house but at least it's rented out for now, retired from offshore working, got a postgrad qualifcation at Aberdeen Uni in coaching, have landed a new job starting next year helping young homeless to quit fags and hash, engaged to someone I'm very much in love with and staying in the same house as him.

Inbetween I took heaps of photos, did some knitting (an awful lot of UFO's), learned to crochet, dug out my sewing machine (made an awful job of it but it'll take practice, a lot of cooking and baking (especially for small boys), tootled off to some live gigs and a few festivals, had my first "family" holiday and started to get used to life not always being my own anymore.

1. Wiggly scarf, 2. Teva shoulder cosy, 3. Retro buttons, 4. Retro Bonnet, 5. Beach Sandals, 6. Rosamund's Cardigan, 7. Fluffy teacosy, 8. Tilly Mink hat

And George moved too...he's quite happy!

Twist Fibre Craft Studio - Kim Hargreaves Roadshow

2009-11-24T01:33:00.000-08:00

Sunday involved a visit to my Mammy and the Twist Fibre Craft Studio at Newburgh in Fife because they were holding a Kim Hargreaves roadshow. It was so fine to try on lots of the sample garments just to get an idea of what suited and what didn't. I already have the Heartfelt book so Mum got me Amber and Thrown Together as part of my Christmas. She's also got me a couple of hours of spinning tuition as well for next year so I'm happy.

These are all the ones I tried on...my Ravelry list has grown badly!

I made sushi!

2009-11-12T04:01:00.000-08:00

So pleased as I attempted sushi for the first time. I have a long way to go before I reach any decent Japanese standards but it turned out pretty good for a first go and the flavour of the rice was spot on. So glad we've got a decent range of fishmongers on the coast down here with fish still being landed in the harbours. I'm going to cultivate my wee mannies I've found now. So much cheaper than buying the same stuff in Aberdeen and a little goes a long way when you do it like this.

Sea bass and salmon nigiri

Gourdon Harbour

Things Granny left me...

2009-11-02T06:53:00.000-08:00

When I was about 7 or 8 me and my brother stayed at our grandparent's up at Africa Cottage.

It was a wee but'n'ben type place up the Kirbister road with no mains electricity and an

outside loo and it was always an adventure to stay there, especially as I slept in a box bed

when I was there.  A real princess bed.  Anyway, one night we were staying there and I was

in my sleepwalking phase.  My Grandad followed me through as I went and stood in front of

the mantelpiece and stared in front of me.  He asked me what I was doing. I said nothing.  He

suggested I go back to bed and I obviously didn't appreciate that suggestion as I put my arm

out and swiped everything off the mantelpiece in front of me including the clock that they

got years ago (I think it was a wedding present).  I then scarpered off to bed. I honestly had no

memory of doing any of this the next morning. Anyway the clock got fixed and from then on it

became known as "Maureen's clock" and Granny promised me that it was mine when she died.

So here it sits on my mantelpiece, ticking away in a comforting way, the sound of my

childhood. The inside of it still smells of Benson and Hedges even though Granny gave up

smoking 3 years ago!

I asked if I could have Granny's old baking tins and funnily enough no one else objected!

Some of the tins (2 bun (cupcake) trays and 2 sandwich tins) are from the wartime (she got

married to my Grandad in 1943) and on their last legs but I'll see how long I can keep them

going.  I spent an awful lot of helping Granny to bake and she would have probably got a lot

more buns out of the basic mixture if I hadn't been helping! She spent a lot of time making

nice things that brought a smile to folk's faces and I like to do the same.  When my other

Granny died I asked for her knitting needles and sewing box because that's what I remembered

her doing.  While an inheritance involving money can be nice and helpful it's not always a

relevant reminder of who it is that you've lost.  I find social domesticity inherently interesting

and the passing on of skills, knowledge and love is a better thing to leave behind than anything

else.

The one other thing she left me is who I look like and who I am now.  Through her I'm a Velzian,

Spence and a Brown mixed up with Heddle's and Rosie's on the other side.  There's a rake o'folk

that look like me and me like them.  I was mistaken for my Mum this time I was home because I

look so much like her. We're dark and small and "duggit" (stubborn) as hell.

Thomas Hardy says it best...

I am the family face; 
Flesh perishes, I live on, 
Projecting trait and trace 
Through time to times anon, 
And leaping from place to place 
Over oblivion. 

The years-heired feature that can 
In curve and voice and eye 
Despise the human span 
Of durance -- that is I; 
The eternal thing in man, 
That heeds no call to die

Cheerio Granny Broon...

2009-10-26T02:50:00.000-07:00

Proper waves!

2009-10-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Very occasionally you get a proper stormy sea on the East Coast...

I went somewhere...

2009-10-14T05:40:00.000-07:00

I left the joys of Laurencekirk behind last week to head to London with two aims in mind! One was to visit Ally Pally and the ace Knitting and Stitching Show - and to try and not overspend at it. The second was to see how far I could get down the route of finding frocks/finalising ideas on what my bridesmaids would be happy to wear.

I ended up buying a bit more than I intended to at Ally Pally but that was Habu's fault! Then I needed to get fibre for spinning since that's the newest hobby...really must put the spinning wheel together!

The rest of the London trip involved a lot of walking around, exploring vintage shops and the vintage fair at Hammersmith, visiting the Plinth to see what the latest individual was up to, a detour to the V&A and general catching up. Plus there seemed to be an awful lot of looking in the windows of cake shops!

I'm off...!

2009-10-06T02:09:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow that is. Today I must get a few last minute things to take down the road (Stornoway black pudding, rowies for Pauline), do my packing, tidy up the kitchen, iron a mountain of clothes, try and unpack some boxes and get finances ready to sort out when I get back!

S'easy!

Think I'm ready for lots of vintage shopping, Ally Pally, Japanese food and The Plinth! And not forgetting some Krispy Kremes...

Food and Fettercairn...

2009-09-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

A Masterchef inspired moment...all his own work!

A freebie from a fisherman in Gourdon harbour that was transformed into...a delectabel delight of fresh seafood goodness...heavenly!

Fettercairn in the sunshine

A'body...

Definitely going to learn to sew cos fashion is so crap at the moment!

2009-09-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

Ok - I know most of these were found in Top Shop but they are so pigging awful. Obviously none of the buyers/designers were around in the 80's to remember how hideous most of this stuff was then but they must have seen pictures of their mother's in this gear.

This sort of dress just makes your arse look about the size of a house which you can get away with if you're a skinny bint but I can't say that most Aberdonian lasses are that skinny...closer to the size of a whole tenement generally.

Flowery leggings and a big jumper...no!

And denim leggings? Not any better! Next the spiral perm will be back in fashion...argh!

Important things done!

2009-09-16T08:10:00.000-07:00

Wherever I go I always join the local library and today I made it up the road (a whole 2 minute walk) to the Laurencekirk Library.

I think I must have been a member of a library since I was about 7 and I remember Granny Heddle taking myself and my cousin into Kirkwall to join. It's the oldest public library in Scotland and was founded in 1683 - obviously its not in the same building now...or got very few of the books that were around at the time! I used to have a real obsession with the Drina books by Jean Estoril at one time but I can't really remember which other books I used to get out of the library. Then there was all the ones I persuaded Mum to buy for me or that I got with my pocket money - Enid Blyton's St.Clares and Malory Towers, the Chalet School series by Elinor M.Brent-Dyer, progressing onto the Sweet Dreams imprint in my teens. I obviously had a bit of a thing for book series - especially if set in a boarding school. Who knows what the attraction was at the time but I enjoyed them!

Now the obsession is with cookery and craft books - damned heavy when you're moving house!

Surprise...no excuses now!

2009-09-07T01:57:00.000-07:00

On Friday I received a housewarming present from my honey. I love him to bits anyway but especially when he surprises me with such lovely thoughts. It was totatally unexpected and did bring a slight degree of bubbling to my face. It also means I have no excuse after saying how much I've wanted to learn to spin...like about 5 years! At the moment it's in the state below...

Hopefully - later on today, it'll look more like this...
Then I have to learn how to use it...more stash enhancement opportunities await...!

You know you are Scottish if…..

2009-09-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

- You consider scattered showers with outbreaks of sunshine as good weather.

- The only sausage you like is square.

- You have been forced to do Scottish country dancing every year at secondary school.

- You have a wide vocabulary of Scottish words such as numpty, aye, aye right, auldjin, baltic…

- You have an enormous feeling of dread whenever Scotland play a ‘numpty’ team like the Faroe Islands .

- You happily engage in a conversation about the weather with someone you’ve never met before.

– You got Oor Wullie and The Broons annuals at Xmas.

- You can tell where another Scot is from by their accent – “Awright, pal, gonnae gies a wee swatch oa yur Sun ? Cheers, magic pal.” Or “Fit ya bin up tae ? Fair few quines in the nicht, eh ?”, etc

- You see cops and hear someone shout ‘Errapolis’.

- You have eaten lots and lots of random Scottish food like mince ‘n tatties, Tunnock’s Caramel Logs, oat cakes, haggis, Cullen skink, Lees Macaroon Bars, etc.

- Whenever you see sawdust it reminds you of pools of vomit as that’s what the jannies used to chuck on it at school.

- You lose all respect for a groom who doesn’t wear a kilt.

- You don’t do shopping… you ‘go the messages’.

- You’re sitting on the train or bus and a drunk man sits next to you telling you a joke – and asking ‘Ahm no annoying ye ahm a?’ and you respond ‘Naw, not at a’, yer fine. This is ma stoap, but’.

- You know that ye cannae fling yer pieces oot a 20 storey flat, and that seven hundred hungry weans’ll testify tae that. Furthermore you’re sure that if it’s butter, cheese or jeely, or if the breid is plain or pan, the odds against it reaching earth are 99 tae wan.

- Your national team goes 2-0 up again the Czechs in a qualifier in Prague and your mate says we’ll end up losing 3-2 here and you think “Probably”.

- You can properly pronounce McConnochie, Ecclefechan, Milngavie, and Auchtermuchty.

- Your favourite pizza is deep fried and battered from the chippy.

- You’re used to 4 seasons in one day.

- You can fall about drunk without spilling your drink.

- You can understand Rab C Nesbitt and know characters just like them in your own family.

- You know what haggis is made with and still eat it.

- Somebody you know used a football schedule to plan their wedding day date.

- You’ve been at a wedding where the footie results were read out.

- You aren’t surprised to find curries, pizzas, kebabs, Irn Bru, nappies and fags all for sale in one shop.

- Your seaside holiday home has Calor gas under it.

- You know that Irn Bru is an infallible hangover cure.

- You use terms such as “How’s it hingin’?”, “clatty”, “boggin”, “cludgie”, “dreich”, “bampot”, “bawheid”, “bawbag” and “dubble nugget”.

AND FINALLY….. You understand all the above and are going to send it to your pals.

P.S. And to add a few more...

- You can spot the tourist...they're the one using a brolley

- You can go out wearing only a short-sleeved shirt (male) or mini skirt, cropped top and nae tights (female) in December and don't end up in A&E with hypothermia at the end of the night

- You know if someone is fae Glasgow or Edinburgh depending on if they take vinegar or brown sauce on their chips

One last time...!

2009-08-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

Checked in. Waiting on the paraffin budgie to take me home. Put on the survival suit in 20 minutes. Walk up to the helipad and get on the chopper home. Probably fall asleep.

No more early morning starts. No more Bristow's breakfasts when I'm delayed. No more helicopter flights. No more having to share a cabin with some stranger. No more having to fit in with a bunch of strange men. No standing out just because I happen to be female and have been known to talk about testicles and bowel movements!

It's been interesting, exciting, boring, aggravating, annoying, enlightening, educational, useful, demoralising, frustrating, amusing and different.

No more offshore tigress...back to being a pussycat!

Career change awaits...I wonder what?!

Freecycle...yeah!

2009-08-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Freecycle is great! Just managed to get rid of 2 sofas, 2 telly's and some old darkroom equipment that I haven't used in the 5 years I've had it.

Now - if only I could strike it lucky and get a spinning wheel on there...

Offshore Tiger no more...!

2009-08-22T05:38:00.000-07:00

As of next Tuesday I shall no longer be an offshore tiger. I have my last trip to the Claymore on Monday and after that my sub-contracting days offshore are finito...for the foreseeable future anyway. After 5 years I've reached the stage where I've lost interest in what I'm doing out there and I've had enough of sharing my time with strangers when I'd rather be at home with people I'd want to be with.

I've got a new village and home to settle into. I've got studying to finish before Christmas. I've got a house to decorate. I've got a wedding to organise. I've got a honey to keep happy. I've got to work at getting a research job. I'm going to get back to my running. And I have some me-time to catch up on so I can knit and take photos and get some creativity going before I stagnate.

I'll miss some things. I enjoyed the helicopter flights - landing on this small bit of metal in the middle of a huge pile of water is exciting and the skill of the pilots is something else. I have met some really fine folk though I've also had to deal with an awful lot of ill-educated numpties...and educated numpties as well! It has probably increased my self-reliance and independence to know that I can do an awful lot of things if I have to turn my hand to them. It's given me the confidence to go and try a lot more different things. But it's also taken me away from people I want to spend time with and at the end of it all it's much more important to spend time with them than it is to work away all the time to pay for a lifestyle you don't need or want. Most importantly, it's taught me how to pack a bare minimum of stuff to go away with so that when I go on personal trips I can get off with carry-on baggage only ;-)

"9. Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

You may never reach the summit; for that you will be forgiven. But if you don't make at least one serious attempt to get above the snow-line, years later you will find yourself lying on your deathbed, and all you will feel is emptiness."

Gaping the Void

Fit's happening like?!

2009-08-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a wee bit busy these last few months to say the least but there is finally a wee glimmer on the horizon. So, to summarise...

1. Did the Baker Hughes 10k in May and managed it in 1:06:19 which was 2 and a half minutes faster than the Balmoral. Wanted to get under 1:05 but until I did the race I never realised just how pigging depressing those 3kms along the Beach Bouley are, especially when you look over towards Seaton and Pittodrie and see the fast sods heading on their way back. Ach well - got the Loch Ness 10k up in Inverness on the 4th October so I'll kick in with the training again in a few weeks and aim for a better time at that.

2. Went to Rockness and had a pigging ace time. ERol Alkan, Bassment Jaxx and the Prodigy were all ace. Was most happy that my honey took to the dance music in a big way. Roll on next year as I reckon Rockness will be the only festie we'll have time for. TUNE!

3. Went to TITP. 2 Many DJ's, Blur and Seasick Steve were all amazing. We even made it into the mosh pit and on the telly during Seasick Steve. Cool. My honey is working his youth in reverse ;-)

4. Holidayed in Orkney with DB and the boys and didn't end up killing each other. My first holiday in "Mum" mode.

4. Had someone offer to buy my house at a sensible price only for them to pull out on the day they were due to sign the missives...bastards!

5. Decided to rent out my house instead so that someone else can pay the mortgage until the market finally recovers enough for me to sell it. It went in a week! Now busy getting stuff ready for storage, packing up stuff to go to DB's house and chucking/sending to charity/Freecycling the rest.

6. Finishing off study for a Postgrad Cert in Performance Coaching. Assessments are due in 4 days after I move and we have to give a presentation on one of our papers on the 5 Sept!

7. Bought my wedding dress - or at least option no 1. If I see something else between now and next year I'll sell this one on Ebay.

8. Off to London in October to Ally Pally to collect craft stuff for the wedding - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Need to save pennies!

Think that's enough for now. I reckon I should be a lot more regular on all this once I've actually shifted. Think I'm going to collapse on the 6th September...! But it's all going to be worth it as I move to be with my honey and make a new home and a new stage in life.

Bonkers!

2009-04-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

I have decided that this week is the week of the numpty!

Numpty number 1 is the couple who came to view my house on Tuesday but weren't interested once they realised that the sale price didn't include the farm steadings across from me. Because of course you can get a 4-bedroomed house on the outskirts of Aberdeen with an acre's worth of steadings just ripe for conversion for a bargain price of £275,000...! They've been watching too many editions of Grand Designs (...love me some Kevin though...drool!)

Numpty number 2 is the individual that decided it was feasible to offer me £185,000 to buy my house...the house that's been valued by one of those proper people (who rip off a tidy sum for the Home Report) at the above mentioned £275,000. Because, of course, I am desperate to sell and I'm willing to do so for a 1/3 under my asking price. I suggested to the solicitor that they should perhaps "get tae f**k"...she worded that in a more appropriate and professional way to suggest that it wasn't a favourable offer.

My humble opinion on the numpties of the week is that they are officially bonkers...take it away Dizzee...

Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers

Balmoral 10k...done!

2009-04-26T02:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was time to head the South Deeside Road and the Queen's Summer Hoosie at Balmoral. It was time for my first ever 10k race. This one is reknowned for an evil little section in it known, to me anyway, as "that bastard hill". You get 3.5km in and are faced with a steep hill that goes on for 1.5km. I would love to say that I ran/shuffled the whole way up it but that wasn't the case. It resorted to run/walk instead but after the 5km marker it got a lot easier. In fact I found that it took me until 6km before I got into my stride and settled in. Derek should have been doing the race with me but unfortunately he ended up with a cold that migrated into mild bronchitis so if he'd done it he would probably have exhaled his lungs which might have made folk a bit sick!

I crossed the finish line in 1:08:36...position 1709 out of 1997 finishers...or 222 out of 300 veteran females. Or, to put it another way...people came in behind me!!!

A strange few weeks

2009-04-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a strange few weeks really and it's difficult to say why in some ways. The 1st of April saw a second helicopter crash in the North Sea but unlike the first crash in February there was no lucky escape for anyone onboard.

After we first heard the news about this crash there was the dawning realisation that a happy outcome wasn't going to be. Anytime you hear bad news from offshore now the first thing we do is check round the list of everyone we know that works offshore to find out where they are just so we can know that they're safe.

The next stage is to find out which installation is affected. If you've been there then you start worrying that there might still be someone you know involved in the incident. They may only be someone you know in passing but it's still someone you've had contact with whether it be only the one conversation or many more. A minor relationship in the grand scheme of things but still some contact.

If you don't personally know anyone affected then you generally feel a degree of relief that you don't have to deal with the loss. But this time it doesn't feel that way. This time it knocked us all a little bit. I don't think I've ever really felt the offshore "family" as my family before but this time around it got under the skin. Probably not helped by the fact that I had to fly offshore the next day. It wasn't that I was worried about the safety of the flight I would be taking, more that I was thinking of those people who had said goodbye to the guys who'd flown offshore 2 weeks previously but who would never make it home.

When you're heading back home your emotions and your heart are already heading home ahead of you. I have 2 personas - Derek calls one of them my offshore persona then as it disappears and my home persona comes back and only then does he know I've arrived home. My offshore persona protects me. It has to be professional and have a degree of distance. There's a lot of compromise as you're thrown into a world of strangers on a monthly or weekly basis. People you have get on with because you can't escape from them. The choice is to get on with everyone (or as many as possible) and let the trip go quickly or be an obnoxious t**t, fall out with everyone, and let your trip drag on. Your choice!

So...you know that your chopper flight is on its way out to the platform. You start to relax as you know your time away from home is coming to an end. You get your suit on. You hear the chopper on the landing pad up above you. Go upstairs, get on it, belt up. Watch as she lifts from the helipad and as the platform fades into the distance you put your going home head on. You feel yourself relaxing as you get closer to the Beach. You start thinking about what you're going to do, who you're going to see, who's waiting for you at home.

The guys on the flight on April 1st from the BP Miller platform will never come in through the door. You do feel it could so easily have been you. None of us are any more special than anyone else. There was no pick of the draw. Any of us that fly out there could have been on that flight. It didn't have to be that chopper that went down. There are 3 companies flying out to the North Sea. Any of them could have had the fatal accident and anyone with a valid survival certificate could have been on that flight that went down. All you can be thankful for is that it wasn't you.

I had to fly out the next day for an overnight trip. There was an atmosphere at Bristows with a hyper edge to it. Everyone paid more attention to the safety brief than they would do normally. Offshore conversation centred around the crash. Speculation as to what had happened. I watched the names and pictures on Newsnight Scotland when they were released...and promptly phoned home to get a cuddle over the phone from my honey. I was delayed for an extra day due to fog - not unusual. I didn't feel the same relief that I do normally when the flight was finally on its way and I got on the chopper. There was a degree of apprehension on the way in, more so than I had on the way out, and there was relief when we landed.

I was with the other girls when the memorial service was on. We did think about going up to Union Street to join in the service outside St Nicholas Kirk but we thought that might be too emotional. Instead we listened to it on the radio in the office and bowed our heads and stayed with our own thoughts when the 2 minute silence was observed.

I suppose I'm thankful that I've made it home everytime. The majority of us that work offshore do but over the years some of us haven't. I'm grateful that I have someone who loves me to come home to. I'm grateful that I make it home and I'll be grateful if I keep doing so.

Perhaps I should do as Hamish requests and retire from offshore...but not yet...

Some folk are just plain sneaky!

2009-03-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we (note the use of the royal "we" as in myself and Derek my DB) went up to Orkney for a long weekend. We really couldn't have scored better on the weather if we'd tried. For a start there was no wind - and that is not normal in Orkney!

We had to get up at 5am to catch our flight so I was a bit knackered but someone else was just a tad hyper for most of the day. He wanted to go and see and do absolutely everything he possibly could and it was starting to wear me out! We did a little bit of shopping in the morning but I didn't think too much of it as the item we would have to come back into town for in the afternoon was something that was going to have to stay in a drawer for at least a few more weeks so I wasn't that excited.

So we tootled about a bit more, saw more relatives, hung about while Derek did the majorly important thing (!) of getting his membership for the Orkney Trout Fishing Association, then wandered off to the Bay of Skaill to meet up with some pals as they were going to walk their dog there. It was really warm there (turns out Orkney managed to be one of the warmest places in the UK on Friday) and there were even kids paddling in the sea. They breed them tough up here!

So then himself starts playing about with some rocks...

And then he makes me a wee seat that looks out to sea and invites me to sit on it...

And I am totally gormless. I never twigged at all. He kneeled down in front of me and told me a few things i.e. "our pals aren't coming for a walk...that was just a ploy" and "my divorce came through on Wednesday...I'm a free man again" (and he'd been telling me that we were still waiting on that minor detail) and "would you make me very pleased by agreeing to marry me?"

Like duh!

I'll stop grinning at some point once the high wears off but at the moment I'm just very very pleased that my honey managed to pull it all together on the most perfect day you could have at my favourite spot in the whole world.

41!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-17T04:57:00.000-07:00

Don't know about this being 41 business. Wasn't too fussed for turning 40 actually but today is St Paddy's day and it's my birthday.

At least it's sunny...and I'm not working as such. And the wool I ordered had come into the wool shop so I was able to buy myself a little birthday pressie.

Time to make the most of the sunshine and go for a run down the beach. The dog will enjoy it and I'll collapse in a heap at some point...

Knitted stuff wot I finished in 2008...

2009-01-27T05:36:00.000-08:00

Finished Objects 2008
Originally uploaded by Made by Mojo

It's nice to look and see that I did actually finish some stuff in 2008 - and didn't just have a huge case of startitis without the secondary symptom of unfinisheditis and still sitting in my knitting basket!!!

Still got an awful lot of stuff that has been hanging about for absolute ages and trying to be good and finish off the majority of all that before I start casting on for new stuff.

There's an awful lot of temptation out there though...sometimes it's hard being a finisher when you're a true procrastinator at heart.

A peedie bit bumpy offshore this week...!

2009-01-25T06:13:00.000-08:00

We had 60 knot winds and a wave height of 7.5m on Thursday when I was offshore. It was fun watching the waves from the Control Room. Seasick...nah! I was absolutely starving and spent the day stuffing my face...oink :-)

It was all back to normal service the next day - shame I had to wait for the second flight on Friday to get home just because I had to test one guy. The joys!

The gayest fabric on earth...!

2009-01-12T05:20:00.000-08:00

Whee! Gay as can be! The liveliest, loveliest cloth of the year. "Gayella" - a new blend of fine cotton and wool - comes from Viyella House and you'll love its happy patterns for younger clothes especially. We should be delighted to send you patterns.

The use of the word "Gayella" (Regd.) by kind permission of Gayon (Gayon Fine Furnishing Fabrics)...

Ravelry fame continues...

2009-01-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

And now my fame continues on Ravelry..he he! I've just had my 3rd project picked to be on a main project page. Rather pleased with that and so is my honey as he took 2 of the pics.

The projects are...

Twinkle Dress from Vogue Knitting, Winter 2007/08

Design 23 from Noro Designer Mini Knits by Jenny Watson

Tabatha by Jenny Watson from Noro Catwalk Book 1

I also spent the first 2 days of the New Year adding my stash to Ravelry. That means I was able to download it all onto an Excel spreadsheet. Then I added up my totals...eek! Now I know I'm an amateur in comparison to many but I still manage to have 241 balls of wool (and other assorted fibres) which further equates to 21,000 metres of very fancy string...or virtually a half-marathon! Guess who's going to be stash-busting this year then ;-)

The other big thing for this year is to see if I can figure out the difference between "want" and "need". Too often I buy stuff on a whim and that can stop. Plus I need to stop hanging onto stuff for no good reason - bits of paper, books I read but didn't particularly like, clothes I never wear...the list goes on. I have to downsize at some point this year (when I eventually sell the house) and go from being one person spread out over a 4-bedroomed house (which I must admit has been great :-)) to being one of 4 people sharing a 3-bedroomed house. If it doesn't have a use then it's no point holding onto it just for sentimental value. Amazing how often that when something had gone that you no longer miss it (ex-boyfriends being a prime example?!). In all the years that I've been doing the good old wardrobe clearout I've only missed 2 dresses that I got rid of - however I reckon I might be able to get hold of patterns to make them again so...that leads onto the other resolution for this year. Time to learn how to use the damned sewing machine that I have upstairs. At least then I can stand a better chance of having clothes that fit from the off! And I want to make a big huge slouchy beanbag...he he!

New Year Resolution

2009-01-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

Thought I might as well go for something that was achievable in this instance. Having scored rather well at Christmas on more wool and knitterly goodies I had a wee look at my craft wall when I got back to mine and decided that it was about time that I started to use my stash rather than just keep adding to it so...this year's resolution is to use from my stash 90% of the time.

There is a lot of it. I've been adding it to Ravelry and I'm not finished yet. There are an awful lot of odd skeins so I think there will need to be a bit of jiggery-pookery for some items to enable the production of garments but if it makes me a bit more inventive and creative then that's not a bad thing now is it. There will be one instance where purchasing some new wool will be allowed but until the inspiration strikes there won't be any money leaving my hands. All part of the streamlining and downsizing in 2009.

Happy New Year from the two of us...love XX

MeMe time...

2008-11-27T07:51:00.000-08:00

1. Started my own blog - obviously!
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain - Ben Nevis might not be huge in mountain terms but it's still a mountain!
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning - twice...eugh!
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb - fed them and then sent them off to that place where they don't come back...
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon - working up to it - on the 10k's as we speak!
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person - and when at the top heard someone say "is there another way down from here?"...wtf!
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter - frequently, it's how I get to work!
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar - way over-rated
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job - and then had them offer it back to me after they'd been made to eat their words as it wasn't me who'd done the misdemeanour = told them to stuff it!
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life - may have done inadvertently since I used to work for a smoking cessation service and now I do health education
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Stuff...

2008-11-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

We had snow so we had to go and play in it...

And one small boy is getting much better at knitting...
Apparently he even copies the facial expressions I make when I knit! As long as he doesn't copy the swearing then we're safe enough...for now ;-)

They have absolutely no idea!!!

2008-11-08T02:56:00.000-08:00

When I was offshore this week I started working my way through all the remnants of the Sunday supplements, as one does while one is sitting around waiting patiently for what is known as the Paraffin Budgie

to transfer one from one installation to another. Anyway I came across this little piece of advice in the Observer Woman supplement from Sunday the 2nd.

" The thrift guide: How to stop shopping, Eva Wiseman

1. Knit

There's only one way to stay warm in these tough times, and it involves yarn. Learn to knit on youtube.com (there are hundreds of how-to videos), then join a knitting circle. It'll get you out of the house, at least. Go to castoff.info to find your nearest."

Now, Eva obviously doesn't know much about knitting or she would realise that learning to knit does not equate with thrift...well not in my house anyway. It's cheaper than foreign holidays (just) but I know I spend more on my knitting than I do on my car each year though, then again, probably not as much as I spend on my food shopping. Doesn't she know there are tools and gadgets to buy, books and magazines that are compulsory purchases, patterns to download (not all free) and all sorts of pretty wool with which to supplement the habit. No frigging idea whatsoever!!!

See exhibit A below...does this look like a cheap hobby to you?!

A cat would be a much cheaper hobby...;-)

School reunion...scary stuff!

2008-10-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

You go back home for the school reunion...

You look around at where you came from...

You look at where you are now...

You know you wouldn't want to relive it...

But it's nice to check it out...

Plus it helps when you know you've aged better than sooooooooo many others...but that's called "being bigsy" back home :-)

Findlay Farm, my house, is for sale...

2008-10-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

It's taken a wee while, to say the least, but I have finally got round to putting my house on the market. The "For Sale" signs from Stronachs went up at the top of the road and outside the house this morning and I already had one woman turn up who had been just driving past and decided to come down the road on the offchance! I do know she's unlikely to be my buyer as she hasn't even got her own house on the market yet but at least it gave me a chance to show someone round.

So who wants a tour of my humble abode...here we go! In case you hadn't guessed...here we have the front of the house. Cracking spot on a sunny day, south-facing, and the bit you can barely see at the end of the garden (to the left in left hand photo) is the sunken patio - complete with firepit for the boys to play with!

Come into the hallway and then settle yourself down in the sitting-room. The wood-burning stove is awfully cosy on a winter's night and throws out a fair heat. I have a tendency on leaving the door open and letting it throw the heat out into the rest of the house. It is a lovely spot to sit and knit on the sofa.

What else is downstairs...well my carefully designed kitchen for a start. 12 years in the hospitality trade mean I'm pretty damn fussy when it comes to what I want out of a domestic kitchen. I needed a good layout, loads of work surfaces to enable the use of all my kitchen toys (and I have many...my Kitchen Aid food mixer is my favourite...especially as I got for a 1/3 of the price and brand new - the guy selling it didn't know the true value!) and lots of storage. I also didn't want wall units cos they hem you in and I'm too short to get stuff out of most of them without using a step-ladder!

Then we have my rather good-sized bathroom...followed with a nice and cosy dining room...and the room that is classified as bedroom 4, though I use it as my home office at the minute...

And then we go upstairs to the bedrooms...1, 2 & 3...one of them I use as my craft room...well more of a craft storage room really but they don't use that picture as an advert for this. They obviously don't know about the power of knitting as a selling tool!

And what else do you think people would want to know...well, Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe and my house gives you an excellent location to make a bit of revenue out of said oil monies as it is next door to the AECC - the location for Offshore Europe, an exhibition which takes place biannually in Aberdeen. The next one is due here in 2009.

I'm in a real golfing spot as the field to the east of the house borders the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club for most of it and then blends into Murcar Golf Club at the other end. Both of these courses are only a few miles away from the proposed super-development of everyone's favourite bad hair tycoon of Mr Donald Trump...anyday now that planning permission will be coming through for his new place! (Ed. And now his permission is through...who knows what this will mean!)

I must admit that my only use of the golf courses is as a way to access what I classify as my own private beach. You launch yourself off the high sand dunes and run at full pelt down onto the actual beach. I tend to "surf" down the dunes. That didn't work so well one Christmas Day when the sand was frozen solid. A bit of a shock as I tumbled down to the bottom!

I'm going to be sad to leave the house as I've known the place for a long time (owned it for 6 years, knew it for 5 years before that as friends used to own it) but life moves on. Once it's been sold I'll trip off down the road to wee Laurencekirk to move in with my honey and his assorted menagerie (4 kids, dog and a cat - only 2 of the kids live there!) and I get to start the house thing all over again as his house is an homage to 1984...avocado ensuite anyone?!

I've been in Aberdeen for 17 years come the 1st of November this year - purely by accident! I arrived here with long-term partner number 1 and stayed on here with long-term partner number 2. I went back to University here. Had 10 different jobs while I've been here. Been ill and got better. Found someone who means absolutely everything to me and off to join him in defining and putting our dreams into action. Even more amazingly they involve the same dreams.

It may take a wee while (credit crunch and all that shenanigans...but then Aberdeen is very different from the rest of the UK when it comes to financial ups and downs) but I'm prepared to wait for a decent return on my investment. Need to fund a future after all...especially if it involves an awful lot of wool, a cracking house and my own alpaca herd!

London...part 2!

2008-10-16T01:01:00.000-07:00

And here's what happens when you go to Alexandra Palace! I set myself a budget of £250...carefully saved...honest...no credit cards were hurt during this expedition...cash only...once it was gone it was gone!

I was left with £3 at the end of it all. It was bliss! I made sure that I had plenty of space in my suitcase for my flight back up the road to get all my new stash back home.

London...part 1!

2008-10-14T01:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend meant a jaunt to London to visit Ally Pally. I still have to photograph all my goodies from that but that wasn't the only thing I did while I was there.

There was lots of emphasis on just wandering about...

Then there seemed to be an obsession with photographing food - especially in cakes!
And then there was the most amazing Japanese meal at Abeno near Covent Garden. It was fantastic!!! I am now totally in love with Japanese pancakes. Learning desperately how to make my own now because I'm a greedy wee sod!

And my baby did well too!

2008-10-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

And my honey got over the finish line in 1:02:44. It may not be a championship time but I was really proud of him. He still humped loads of other folk..he he!

Just wondering when the legs get back to normal. Thank hivvens its raining loads here today so we have a fantastic excuse not to run anywhere.

My first one...

2008-10-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

...5k that is!

This Sunday, for pleasure (!), I ran my first 5k race. It was part of the Loch Ness Marathon weekend but I do know my limitations. Next year might be a different matter!

Now we can't say it was the best time in the world but since I did no training whatsoever in the last month due to various reasons (loads of work, house going on market, just stuff!) then the fact that I got round the course and ran the whole way is doing alright I reckon.

Made it in 33 mins 44 secs so just over 6.5 minutes per km. Does make me wonder what I'd do if I actually trained for it!

"Manflu"

2008-08-23T05:27:00.000-07:00

For all those who have ever suffered the impact of this terrible condition...

My peedie brother...the philosopher!

2008-08-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

My peedie brother can be quite a little philosopher!

When up in Orkney myself and DB took him out for the morning out of the middle of the wedding preparation action. While waiting for DB to come out of the public conveniences at the Pierhead in Stromness (they're very pretty - just down by the harbour...and we all have to use them at some point!) he stood there with a pondering look on his face and we had the following conversation.

David (with a very serious exprression on his face): You really love Derek don't you?
Me: Yes
David: If he had to go away for a long time you'd really miss him wouldn't you?
Me: I would. I loved somebody before who didn't love me back in the same way and that wasn't nice. It's important to find someone who will love you back.
David: Yes it is because if you love someone and they don't love you back then you go to cuddle them and they don't cuddle back and that is a very big problem. Yes, that is a very big problem indeed (followed up with much nodding of his head as he considered just how big a problem this was...)

To say I was a little bit stunned at the deep thinking was an understatement. Having been in the situation (as has my DB) of being in long-term relationships with folk who did just that, pushing you away when you went for a hug, I would have to say he got it spot on. When you're the sort of individual who needs physical contact and affection in order to flourish and feel loved then it's amazing how it can deplete you and hurt you to be pushed away. It's why I don't take for granted what I've got now.

This last year I've found out what it's like to be with someone that places the same importance on physical touch and affection as I do. I can fall asleep on his shoulder and waken up still hugging and being hugged back. It makes me sappy as hell but I don't care. After 10 years with one, and 5 years with another one, that seemed to think it was a weakness to show any affection whatsoever then I want as much as I can get now. If I'm lucky enough to have found someone who loves me back and wants me to just be me (and that amazes and interests them) then I'm not going to tell them "go away, this is good!" I'm keeping them as close as they want to be and enjoy them being whoever it is that they want to be now and in the future. I'm going to make the most of being with my DB.

I have a new photographer...

2008-08-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

...and it makes life so much simpler now when I try to get nice pics of me in my FO's. I think he has potential as he has an interesting eye for a picture. Some of the finer techniques may need a bit of tightening up but he likes finding ways to make me look good so I am definitely not going to complain about that now am I?!

Here are a couple of examples.

This is Currer, a Norah Gaughan cardi from one of her Berroco booklets.

And then we have a little minicardi from the Noro book "Designer Mini Knits" by Jenny Watson. I'm not really a Noro fan (terrible I know - find the stuff too scratchy, don't really like the colours, the whole thing just passes me by!) so I made this in Lang Yarns Mille Colori which I do have a bit of an addiction for.

And then these are a couple of photos I took the other day that I just liked...

Who would've thought that clothes pegs could actually be quite interesting?

What my honey thinks...

2008-08-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

What is your least favorite thing about my knitting? Haven't got one - I love your knitting.

What is something I have knitted that you recall as being good? Castellated kilt hose (nothing to do with them being for you obviously!)

Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby? Oh no, I think it's very good value for money!

What are your hobbies? Fishing and you.

So, if we compared money/time spent on hobbies, who would win? You would always win any competition

Do you have a stash of any kind? Flyfishing and fly tying stuff.

Has my knitting in public ever embarrassed you? No.

Can you name another knitting blog? Probably

Do you mind that I want to check out wool shops everywhere we go? No, it's very nice.

Do you know what my favourite type of yarn is? North Ronaldsay? (It's one of them - Handmaiden Sea Silk is one of the others and Malabrigo if I can get hold of it...and maybe some Lang Mille Colori...the list goes on)

Do you understand the importance of a swatch? If you say you want one, you have to have one?

Do you read my blog? Don't know how to. (I'll show you)

Have you ever left a comment? Don't know how to. (I'll show you)

Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit? No, you'd have something wrong with you if you weren't knitting so you wouldn't tidy either. (Woo hoo - no housework required over and above what is necessary to keep a reasonable level of hygiene...I love you ;-x)

Is there anything else you want to say? When are you going to knit those long stockings with the lacey tops? (Patience is a virtue my sweet)

Would I make it as a 1930's housewife?

2008-08-11T03:14:00.000-07:00

As a 1930s wife, I am
Average

Take the test!

Offshore Lung Test...cough cough splutter splutter!

2008-07-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Turn the volume up as the sound isn't brilliant. An excellent set-up!

UK Swap: Week 6 Questions

2008-07-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

The topic is music this week:

Of all the bands/artists in your cd/record collection, which one do you own the most albums by?
That's a tie between Johnny Cash, the Chemical Brothers and Abba - how's that for an ecletic mix. If it hadn't been for my ex being a pain in the butt then the Pogues would've been in there too. He lifted the whole collection when he moved out but I figured they were cheap enough to replace so didn't panic. Still a pain though!

What was the last song you listened to?
The last album I consciously played was the Sound of Music soundtrack. I was having a tacky musicals day. That was preceeded by Evita and Cabaret :-)

What’s your favorite local band?
Don't really have one as such as not that involved in the local music scene. There used to be a band doing the rounds in Aberdeen when I first got here 17 years ago that were an institution - Bunion. Same banter every single time they played. Ah - the Malt Mill!

What’s the worst CD/record/etc. you’ve ever bought?
My Dad bought Joe Dolce "Shaddapa you face" - does that count!? I have taste and style therefore have nothing dodgy in my collection...

What was the first single/album you ever bought?
First single was Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin singing a cover version of "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to". Really can't remember the first album but I'm old enough for it to have been vinyl if that's any help!

UK Swap: Week 5 Questions

2008-07-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Choose one - don't think just choose...
1. Stop or go? Go
2. Going out or Staying in? Staying in
3. Small town or big city? Small town
4. Happy or sad? Happy
5. Straights or Circulars? Circulars
6. Red or Blue? Red
7. Seaside or countryside? Seaside
8. Fish or chips? Fish
9. Surprises or plans? Surprises
10. Wine or beer? Wine
11. Sweaters or cardigans? Cardis
12. Pizza or Pasta? Pizza
13. Chopsticks or fork? Fork
14. Early Bird or Night Owl? Night Owl
15. Knitting or crochet? Knitting
16. Hot or cold? Hot

I survived my survival!

2008-07-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Today I had to do something I really, really hate just so I can keep on working! Here's the video for it...

This time round it was only the one day refresher I had to do since I did the full 3 day course 4 years ago. It's amazing how quickly those 4 years come round again. Today was go number 2 at the refresher since I took a panic attack a couple of weeks ago while I was doing the rebreather (Emeergency Rebreather System to give it its full title) and didn't even make it as far as the simulator! That really wasn't helped by having a stinking cold so my lung capacity wasn't at it's best.

The divers were very patient with me today and got me through it (plus some betablockers...my pulse is way down at 60 at the moment - it usually sits about 78...way hey!). It wasn't pleasant
but at least that's it done now so I'm safe for another 4 years. Just gives a better range of choices until I get on with the next stage of my life.

Thank fuck it's over!!!

I've been home...and watched my Pa get married!

2008-07-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday July 12, 2008 St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney

My Dad, Ian, and my new step-Mum, Caroline (though I'm not allowed to call her that for reasons that are ours - mainly the lack of age difference!). My brother, Derek, was Best Man. My peedie brother, David, was Page Boy. I got to be Chief Bridesmaid (free frock...yay :-)) and the 2 little bridesmaids were Erin and Charley.

And then we have an integral part of any Orkney wedding...the Bride's Cog

And then I got to spend some time with my honey. He looked absolutely gorgeous and made a rather lovely speech. What a star! It was noted that he is well integrated into the family...

And here we have a couple of the speeches:

My DB and the toast to the bridesmaids

Ladies and gentlemen, Rev Max Fargus, Mr Heddle, and Wife.

I stand here today as one of the more surprised guests at the party.

My girlfriend, Maureen, is the chief bridesmaid and stepdaughter of the bride.

When I was invited to come along I thought I was coming for free dinner and a damn good ceilidh. Orkney weddings celebrations enjoy mythical status for those of us “from Sooth”.

That was until Ian phoned me with the interesting opening “Hello Derek, I hear you’re a great public speaker….” He’s a great judge of character obviously… and knew to start with flattery straight away!

And so here I stand to propose a toast to the bridesmaids! All princesses for the day!

They were, I think you’ll agree, particularly pretty and carried out their duties in an exemplary manner.

There are three of them:

Charley, the youngest, is 9 years old. She is artistic, loves the violin, dancing and horse riding. She looked stunning today, and I think she’s sure to break some hearts in the future.

In fact I’m sure I saw young David Heddle standing there earlier with both eyes and his mouth wide open!

Where are you young man? I think you’ll have to watch yourself there!

Erin is next, and she’s 11, and comes from Forres.

She hates worms, her brother, and being on boats, she picks her nose, can’t be quiet, and bites her nails.

OH SORRY, THAT’S THE WRONG LIST!

She's very artistic, very funny and a quite tomboy. This wedding will be one of the few time she’s been seen her in a dress!

Well what can I say?

I hear she’s going off to star in her own TV series later in the year. She’s always had a theatrical streak and was once an Italian flea in a school play, and a French Camel.

She’s very helpful too, Maureen says that she just couldn’t have got into her outfit today without Erin to lace her up – I’m left speculating now about how she’ll get out of it later on!

Any way, If this is the first time Erin’s worn a dress, I hope it won’t be the last, she looked very pretty today - Another heartbreaker in the making I think you’ll agree.

Maureen Anne Heddle; Chief Bridesmaid, Head Princess for the day and Senior Heartbreaker.

I first met Maureen about five years ago when we worked together.

I thought she was very funny, and I clearly remember noticing what nice eyes she had, especially when she wore green eye shadow.

And then she left, and we didn’t see much that much of each other for a few years.

After a while I found myself unexpectedly single. Then after another while I started looking around again.

I decided that I’d made some bad choices, and this time I was going to find somebody from a country background like myself.

A quiet, country girl that could cook and sew and liked gardening and stuff like that.

And my friends said, “Well, that Maureen Heddle is back on the market, she’s from the country”

I said, “Can she cook?”.

They said, “Oh she’s a trained cook. In fact, there’s not much you can do in hotel she hasn’t tried.

She likes gardening, and although she doesn’t sew much, some of the things she can knit are very, very inventive indeed.

She’s very quiet (in a talkative sort of way), and you are always saying how much you haven’t noticed how nice her nice eyes look, especially with green eye shadow”

So here I am, she’s the bridesmaid and I’m proposing the toast. (Well, you hope you’ll get something with your eggs and ham don’t you?)

Maureen talks a lot about her family! Many of you will not have heard much of me, but believe me, I will have heard about you! The Orkney ones, the Sutherland ones, the Aberdeen ones, the Canadian ones…and both wee brothers!

She talks a lot about her dad, I know that she’s very fond of him and very proud of his success in the construction industry. I know he’s very proud of her successful business in the offshore oil industry too.

She’s fond of Caroline too, I can’t count the number times she said to me “I’m so happy, Caroline is just the most fabulous step-mother I could’ve ever hoped for”

Maureen has really looked forward to this day, she’s taken her duties very seriously and systematically - a wee hint here, a wee prompt there…actually quite a big hint or two here and there as well. I know that Ian and Caroline have appreciated all her efforts.

I think she looks fabulous today, If you look you’ll see what I mean about the eye shadow and the eyes

And so to the toast - Ladies and Gentlemen, They have been so glamorous and so helpful today - Please fill your glasses and drink a toast with me to the Bridesmaids. ”The Bridesmaids!”

And then there's the one my brother Derek did as the response to my Dad. It was a cracker (putting on an Orcadian accent, if you can do one, adds to the speech!)!

SMILE, BE POSTIVE, SLOW DOWN

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen

Bride and Groom

Firstly I'd like to thank Derek for his kind words about the bridesmaids.

I take it you all know I'm Ian's son, so I was told anyway, but I don't understand how he still has a full head of hair when my hair has left me at such a young age. Maybe he's wearing a wig, but then again it can't be that because why would he pick a grey wig!

Me and fither have worked together in our business since I left school. Well, work is maybe a bit strong. Actually we sit at our desk looking oot the window speaking about whoever is driving past, or dicussing important issues like "why the North Isles ferries stay tied up to the pier all day". But we do work well together and he's lucky to have me there to keep him right.

You will probably no ken that fither and Caroline had a lot of trouble deciding the seating plan. But fither gave the room layout some serious thought and did what any normal person would do. Make an autocad drawing of it! You see everyone of you has been meticulously dimensioned to the millimetre just like one of his steelwork drawings! So don't start moving around or fither will be away back to the office to change the drawing.

Oh and Caroline watch oot, because when I peering over his shoulder the other day I'm sure I saw another drawing of the honeymoon suite. It did look very impressive but then he was drawing in millimetres!

But seriously I am delighted to best man for me fither. He's always been there for me and I know he will always be there for Caroline. Congratulations to you both.

Just while I've been sitting here the night looking around all the family, friends and work colleagues, all eating and drinking, it's made me a bit emotional. I wondered why and then it dawned on me...it's because I see my inheritance dwindling away.

I hope you have a good night. Thank you.

TV heaven and hell...

2008-07-06T04:19:00.000-07:00

Is there a TV programme you watch religiously?

That would have to be Grand Designs. I love Kevin McCloud with a vengence and would have his babies if I could!!! My favourites are always the designs which are done on a very limited budget and fantastic imagination. Got a real thing for Project Runway (US) and Project Catwalk (UK) as well. I love the campness, creativity and watching the design process in full flow. It's reality TV but something with an end product as the result of a lot of jhard work and talent.

What TV programme(s) do you avoid like the plague?

Big Brother I avoid. I hate the shallow end of the gene pool element and gratuitous fame-seeking for the sake of fame. There is no reward from watching it apart from thinking that you aren't as bad as the folk on it. I'm a great believer in using the off switch/channel change buttons on the remote. If I don't like it then I can always switch it off!

Is there a TV programme that you find works particularly well for knitting along to?

Music shows (Jools, Glasto/TITP coverage, live gigs) are good. Because I do a lot of lace knitting then I tend to listen to stuff rather than watch it.

What was/is your favourite kids TV programme?

So many to pick from. Dangermouse was a classic as was Grange Hill. Crackerjack. Tom and Jerry. Spongebob Squarepants. Ant and Dec on a Saturday morning. Chronicles of Narnia (BBC version was excellent on a Sunday). Any of the 5 minute cartoons you used to get at the end of children's TV before the news each day (on at 5.40pm) were good - Wombles, Barbapapa, Ivor the Engine, Ludwig, Paddington (he should not be advertising Marmite - that's just plain wrong!), the Clangers...I was a child of the 70's!

Play the Flickr game...

2008-07-03T02:36:00.000-07:00

How it's played:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name? Maureen

2. What is your favorite food? Raspberries - the perfect Scottish raspberry (no other will do) with a sprinkling of sugar and a dollop of cream is just perfection

3. What high school did you go to? Stromness Academy, Orkney - we were made to do Navigation as a subject in 1st year which involved going out in rowing boats and trying to keep hold of oars (in my case!). I was only about 4'6" at the time so the oars were generally longer than me. Never come across anyone else who had to do the same subject!

4. What is your favorite color? Red in its various hues

5. Who is your celebrity crush? Kevin McCloud - the presenter of Grand Designs on Channel 4. He's enthusiastic and comes across as intelligent, funny and self-deprecating. Plus he gets to be involved in lots of cool building projects.

6. Favorite drink? Earl Grey tea - though I am a heathen and have it with milk...shock horror!

7. Dream vacation? Iceland - if Bjork was playing at the time then I'd be in heaven!

8. Favorite dessert? Tiramisu - the perfect pudding when done well - abysmal when done badly. I'd rather make my own where possible but most recipes are for at least 6-8 portions so that's a lot of time eating tiramisu for a few days.

9. What you want to be when you grow up? Loved - and I'm feeling the love loads now. It's taken 40 years to get there but it's much easier to love yourself when you're loved for who you are.

10. What do you love most in life? Being cuddled up with my honey - he's the best thing in the world ever.

11. One Word to describe you. Playful

12. Your flickr name. Made by Mojo

1. Project 365 Day 9: Happy Birthday Maureen, 2. Blue Raspberry, 3. - red -, 4. again let’s do a panning…♫ black crowned night heron from bali♫, 5. We are not worthy!, 6. Sniff, Sip and Settle in all..., 7. A Golden Moment, 8. pick-me-up, 9. hugs are always needed, 10. i love my husband., 11. Bubbles, 12. Rhonda's wedding - Me

I've been tagged...!

2008-07-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

That's never happened to me before! I didn't think that many folk actually paid that much attention to me. Better not be rude so I'll play the game.

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?:

In 1998 I was leaving further education for the second time (an HND in hotel management the first time round, a BSc in Health Sciences the second time). I was with long-term partner number 2 and about to embark on a fabulous career in research. Didn't quite pan out that way in real life but hey ho!

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?:

What did I do today...?

put my car to an auto-electrician to get the windows fixed. I wish my windows were an old-fashioned window winder. Instead it's cost me over £200 to get the wiring fixed just so I can open my window and get car park tickets without having to open the door!

fed the cat (important when one is only at the house half the time - there are loads of mice but it's nice to top him up)

finished off some work for a portfolio for one of the oil platforms - and handed it in

cast on for the Hexacomb Cardi out of the Spring 2008 Interweave Knits

booked the ferry home to Orkney for my Dad's wedding next week and booked flights for me and my bloke to go back up to Orkney for the school reunion in Sept (we're all 40 this year!)

3) Snacks I enjoy:

chocolate/sweeties

tortilla chips and the really synthetic cheesy dip you get in jars out of Lidl's

Salad Cream sandwiches

summer fruits/dried fruit

toast with loads of butter

4)Things I would do if I was a billionaire

Give up work (somebody else would need my job much more than me) and buy a wee farm for my honey (not long-term BF no 2 - he's gone - we're onto sweetness no 3...I'm fickle!) so he can grow his heritage strain raspberries (is there any other fruit!) and have an orchard and then I can have my sheep, pigs, ducks and chickens. No goats though - that shows you up as an "incomer" around these parts!

buy a peedie traditional cottage in Orkney to use as a holiday home - preferably overlooking the Bay of Skaill

travel to the places I haven't made it to yet

give enough to my friends and family who need it so that they can be comfy

make sure that Women's Aid/Rape Crisis got the real financial help they deserve

5)Places I have lived

Orkney
Edinburgh
Stoke-on-Trent
Reading
London
Aberdeen
About to be Laurencekirk (I'm going to be a Sunset Song girl!)

6) Jobs I have had

Hospitality trade (waitress/chef)

Civil Servant

Library Assistant

Researcher

Health & Well-being Consultant

UK swap

2008-05-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

Here's my UK Swap questionnaire. I'm excited as I haven't done one of these for a while. It's like birthdays and Christmas all rolled into one...he he! My DB thinks I'm daft - but he loves me anyway :-)

Part One: Crafting
Do you knit, crochet, or both? Been knitting for 36 (!) years and now teaching myself to crochet. My Granny squares are improving all the time!
What do you like to make? All sorts of things. Lots of things for myself - generally the more girlie in form the better. Big fan of lacework and intricate stitch patterns. Finally succumbing to the sock obsession that most others have but like doing gloves/mittens/hats as well for little projects. Got a new bloke who wants me to knit for him as well so that will be fun - he is so much bigger than me!
Do you have a favourite project? Loved the Swallowtail Shawl I made using Handmaiden Sea Silk. It gets loads of compliments. Same with a Louisa Harding jumper and the Tree Jacket from Zephyr Style.
Do you have a favourite type of fiber or brand of yarn? Love Handmaiden Seasilk (not cheap though!), Malabrigo (impossible to get easily), Lang Yarns Mille Colori (have about 4 things made out of that stuff in the last year)...it's got to be soft and pretty. Not really into "sturdy" wool - apart from North Ronaldsay wool from back home. I'm well-stocked on that stuff!
Do you have a least favourite type of yarn? Good old eyelash, crinkly acrylic or anything that would squeak - or melt against your skin and cause really horrible burns if it was set on fire!
Do you do any other crafts? Learning to crochet, dabble in jewellery making (more for stitchmarkers nowadays), keep meaning to learn to sew (have a sewing machine - just neve gets used).
Do you knit in public? If so where do you like knitting and what is your "portable" project? KiP quite happily. Will do anything and everything though more likely to keep it to something that's done on circ's or DPN's.
What do you carry your "portable" knitting in? A Tesco hemp bag if there's loads of stuff being carted about (bought by my DB as a Valentine's pressie - so much nicer than the chocolates, champagne and flowers that were in it...though they were nice too...cos I can use it over and over). If it's a small amount then it gets heaved in a Ziploc baggie and shoved in my handbag!
Are there any knitting gifts (book, toy, yarn, item, tool) that you have been lusting over? Think I'm ok for most of those as I have a bad habit of buying the mags/books I want when I see them. Have a huge amount of gadgets - though the sheeps head has just fallen off my Lantern Moon tape measure, must sew it back on! Considering starting spinning as I have some spare cash left over from my 40th - spotted a wheel on Ebay.

Part Two: Your Favourites
What is your favourite colour? Varies. Sometimes it's shades of red, other times I like oranges (more rusty than lurid), teal/turquoise is good. Deep greens and purples. Chocolate browns. Mostly autumnal shades really.
What is your least favourite colour? Yellow - it just doesn't look good on my skin. Have moved away from pastels as well as they wipe me out.
What scents/smells do you like? What don’t you like? Citrus, chocolate, fruity, sea/fresh cut grass. Not fussed for anything too strongly floral (violet especially) and while I love vanilla to eat I really dislike that vanilla perfume that loads of girls used to wear when I was a student. Don't like anything too strong or musky either.
How do you like to pamper yourself? (bubble bath, hand creams, massage, manicure) Manicure! That'll be right - I only do nail varnish about once a year! I don't really pamper in that sort of way. For being a girlie it's my least girlie trait the whole pampering thing.
What goodies to you like to eat? (chocolate, biscuits, sweets,crisps etc) Now we're talking!!! Chocolate (but nothing liquer flavoured - especially rum...icky), shortbread (make fine stuff myself), luxury dried fruit - strawberries and rasps are fine, most sweeties apart from Turkish Delight, liquorice, aniseed or nougat. Like childish sweeties from the 70's.
Do you prefer tea or coffee while you knit? Any particular kind? I'm a bit of an Earl Grey or Lady Grey fiend though Red Bush is fine for those non-caffienated moments. Coffee is freshly ground and through my espresso machine (or the stovetop baby). Something with a nice chocolately aftertaste.
Do you listen to/watch anything while you knit? (TVshow-Along, movies, music, podcasts, audiobooks) I tend to listen to music or just yap away to my man. Have moved away from watching too much telly but do love Projects Runway and Catwalk. Bit of Hollyoaks from time to time. Otherwise it might be on in the background but not paying the most attention.

Part Three: About you, Living & Past-times
If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be (and why)? I'd love to say that I should be Handmaiden Seasilk but if I'm honest I'm probably more like the North Ronaldsay wool from back home in Orkney - a wee bit different, happy to be on the outside as an independent little sod but I'm warm and cosy when I'm happily surrounded by those I love.
Where do you live in the UK? (General idea not address) Aberdeenshire
Have you always lived here, or did you grow up somewhere else? Born in Orkney, lived there until I was 19, then Edinburgh, Midlands and London before landing up in Aberdeen for the last 17(!) years. That was an accident!
What is your favourite place in the UK? Would have to be back home in Orkney - though Edinburgh runs a close second, and Scottish West Coast beaches are pretty close after that.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? Iceland, New York and Argentina.
What other hobbies do you have? Photography, baking, cooking, gardening, indie films, music, going to gigs.

Part Four: The Theme
Born and bred 4 miles along the road from the Bay of Skaill. I think this is the most beautiful spot in the world and I've been a few places. A visit here calms me when I'm upset, makes me smile when I'm happy, inspires me when the creativity is missing and fills me with awe when I watch the power of the waves on a stormy day. It changes constantly - the sand disappears and comes back again, rocks are uncovered, the colours can be muted or vibrant. It's my centre.

Final Part:
Any allergies/preferences (fiber-wise or treat-wise)? None that I've discovered so far.
Anything we missed that you’d like your partner to know? Don't think so.

It's been a while...but I have been busy, honest!

2008-05-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

Seems like I've never hardly been in my own bed these last 6 months - and that's not just because I'm belting up and down the road between Aberdeen and Laurencekirk! Been offshore a helluva lot since last November (over 50 days in the Northern Assets alone - never mind the other trips out of Aberdeen or Norwich). So much so that I think George is starting to forget what I look like though as long as he continues to get food that supplements his diet of carrion then he doesn't really care I don't think. He continues to be a one-cat-killing-machine that enjoys decimating the local mouse/shrew/rat/pigeon/pheasant/deer population (delete as appropriate) on a daily basis...and I love him nonetheless. I am a sucker for a cute furry thing that still likes to snuggle on my lap when he gets a chance to do so.

Speaking of cute furry things...well big furry things that I find somewhat cute...! I'm in the middle of a pair of kilt socks for my man. Because I'm going to have bugger all to do on this offshore trip it looks like I might get them finished before I go home on Monday. Then I'll have to figure out how to do the flashes for the socks when I get home. He's mentioning something about a long ribbon that ties round the top of the sock and then finished off in a bow...I'm thinking more of a doubleknit tube with elastic in the middle to keep it up and then a two-coloured knitted flash hanging down off it. We shall see. Can't wait to see him in the whole outfit to be honest. Shame that we're going to clash at the wedding as my bridesmaid's dress is a darkish purple and his kilt is Ancient McGregor and therefore consists of an ancient red and black check. We are not going to match!

Get to try on my dress when I get back home next week. Hoping it fits ok (though it will need some alterations) as she ordered a frock under the impression that I had a 24" waist!!! The woman in the shop measured it - not me. I'm sure the last time I had a 24" waist was about 20 years ago. Ach - who knows. No point worrying about it until I try it on and if it's wrong then she's to blame since she measured me. Kind of looking forward to seeing what it looks like as it was a lovely dress when I tried it on beforehand. Need to order some shoes next - going for gold ballroom shoes as they'll actually be much comfier than normal heels. DB bought me some underwear out of Harvey Nicks (knicks from Harvey Nicks was his wisecrack) so that will be a suitable garment for keeping the undercarriage all neat and tidy. Just need some cracking stockings then and we're set. Earrings were bought with birthday money from Sheila Fleet back home - I've always loved her River Ripple design. Just got the plain silver with no enamel. Turns out Caroline has the same pair to wear but her's are going to be in gold. I just don't really suit gold jewellry for some reason. Already told Derek that when it comes to jewellry that I'm more than happy with silver and he doesn't need to splash the extra cash on gold - nae point!

Och - 3 and a half hours until tea-time...think I'll fade away from hunger before then...:-(

Made it to the front cover at last!

2008-04-09T02:03:00.000-07:00

Pictures!

2008-04-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

Actually finished the Twinkle dress last night...well, nearly. Still got to weave in the ends but it was finished enough that I could put it on. It's actually much cuter than I thought it was going to be. It's been so long since I knit anything on such big needles that I'd forgotten just how quick you can whack through something. Instant gratification. It also was a fascinating process for my 2 new wee pals who declared that they wanted to learn to knit. Not bad coming from a pair of 7 year old boys. We shall see if they still want to do it in a few weeks time though last night they were declaring to my DB that they wanted to knit jumpers from themselves. Ambitious...perhaps...but who are we to thwart ambition!

Other stuff on the needles at the moment include the Tree Jacket from Zephyr Style (I so love their stuff - think there's only 2 of their patterns I haven't bought...Rusted Root I've already made twice!), a cabled cardi from the Sirdar Eco Wool book (though I'm doing mine in some Jaeger Baby Merino that's bright orange :-)), and a 1940's jumper in some Kaalund that has been hanging about as a UFO for over a year now. About to cast on for a Clanger for my baby twin's birthday in March (he'll be 1...I get to be 4!) and for a pair of gloves out of my new mittens book that arrived from Amazon yesterday. Ravelry is forcing me to get my shit together so that I know what knitterly stuff I have and what else I want to do. Me likey loads :-)

I did have the experience this weekend of spending time with DB and his boys in a whole process of "this is Daddy's GF...time to get used to her and see what you think...and I really hope you like her because it will make life so much easier for everybody". That's right - absolutely no pressure there then was there! As you can imagine this is a fairly recent situation for me but then I did know that when I split from my ex and took up with anyone else then the likelihood of them having " a past" (brooding music and evil cackles abound) was pretty much going to be part of the deal. Especially when I have a soft spot for blokes in their mid-40's anyway - first crush was Harrison Ford and stayed with that age group ever since. Really didn't want to go down the toyboy route - early 20's or even 30's just doesn't do it for me. Like my men to be big, manly, hairy dudes...not those who still don't have enough facial hair to begin shaving and will be using "beer" as their means of filling out rather than having a good batch of muscle that just needs topping up :-( If you come across a bloke in his mid-late 40's who hasn't got at least one marriage under his belt and some kids then you do start to wonder what's wrong with them...especially if they still live with their mother...and she tucks him in at night...and bathes him...!

Getting acquainted with the older two hasn't been an issue, especially as myself and DD seem to frequent an awful lot of the same gigs and have an overlapping taste in music. Haven't had so much to do with DS as yet but that'll come with time. As far as those two are concerned they're happy as long as their Dad is happy which makes life a lot easier for me. It doesn't seem to be too hard to make their Dad happy - I have skills...he he he! Getting aquainted with the other two is harder as 7 year old boys are harder to crack. You can't be fake with them at that age as they can spot it a mile off. Luckily I have a secret weapon - it's called a David aka my peedie brother. The thought of me having a little brother just a few months younger than them has gone down really well so that gave me a head start. Being able to spin a baton, kickbox and knit also appears to have helped. It's the little things that amuse little boys...pretty much the same as what amuses bigger boys really...except bigger boys toys tend to cost more...and make more noise!

My mojo came back

2008-04-09T02:00:00.000-07:00

It's taken a while but I think my mojo is finally coming back. It's not like I haven't been knitting - far from it! More that I didn't feel like talking about anything I was doing. Privacy was paramount for a while. I needed the rest and recuperation as life was a bit difficult for a while...pants really! But fresh starts and all that jazz. Onwards and upwards and along the yellow brick road to who knows where with a bit of who knows why and some loverly jubbly fun on the way with a petal who makes it all worthwhile.

I've left my old blog behind as that was a different life. Time to start a new one I thought as the next stage kicks in and it fits in aptly with the whole concept of life beginning at 40 (even though I have, officially, got a month to go before that kicks in - eek!). At least, through it all, my creativity gene never deserted me. Knitting kept me sane. Well, it kept me from stabbing my needles into various individuals as I didn't want to blunt them or get blood all over the wool. Too messy and difficult to get the stains out...;-)

I am in the process of photographing and trying to remember exactly what I made and when. On occasion there may be a bit of "why?" too when things didn't quite work out as they were supposed to...oops! I got my invite to Ravelry yesterday which is looking pretty good. I've been playing with it, adding projects and books, attempting to put on photos (doesn't always work easily but getting there), even had somebody bung me on as a friend already...bless :-) It means I've also ended up upgrading my Flickr membership to a pro account just so I can play more with all my photos. It works out at only a £1 a month so it's hardly deadly is it!

Time to continue playing and updating...my life is so exciting! A Saturday night and a'thing. Who cares! Nae me...

Starting afresh...

2008-04-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

I've been out of the loop for quite some time but thought it was time to get back in there. It might take a wee while to get up to speed after such a long layoff but I'm sure I'll get there. Who knows what'll happen next?!

I've moved...

2008-02-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

...to a new blog.

A lot of change has happened and I decided it was time to start afresh - new life and all that jazz and malarky.

If you want to find me then come on over to North Sea Knitter and we can catch up - you can guess that the new name came from one of my Offshore Tigers as I was plonked down knitting a baby shawl while waiting for the chopper to turn up and take me back home. It's apt.

See you in my new home...

Love and hugs
Maureen
XX

Somewhere out there...

2007-05-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Waiting...patiently...well not perhaps totally patiently but have no option but to wait to be honest. On Magellan (a jack-up rig), which is currently attached to Shearwater, and waiting for the chopper to lift from the Beach to take me home. Up just after 5 this morning to do a presentation at 6 and struggling to concentrate on anything else now for the rest of the day. Have finished an evaluation report and almost finished another report but got a cracking sore head now so can't really concentrate on something else. Might do some more knitting in a wee while but I'd really love to just sit and sleep. Better wait until I'm on the chopper.

Still remember the first time flying offshore, all bundled up in my survival suit and other safety kit. Watching all these guys falling asleep before we even left the ground and thinking "I'll never be able to do that!" Funny how you manage within a very short space of time. There is a certain skill in being able to fall asleep very easily whilst flying on the choppers or the fixed wing flights. The benefits of the choppers is that they are so damned noisy that no-one can hear you snore or any of those snorty noises that you make when you nod off and your head drops to your chest. Whoever said flying was glamourous lied...profusely!

Thing is - this trip I get to see the chopper (aka the paraffin budgie) landing on Shearwater which I think is pretty cool. Even after 3 years of doing this I still find the whole flying thing pretty smart. Watching something come into land on such a small area of space. Watching the manoeverability of the machines and their pilots. Flying past these structures in the middle of the North Sea that people are working away on. Making a living. Getting on with people in an enclosed environment. Sharing your living space with no, or very little, choice in who you might end up sharing a cabin with. Who you share your free time with?! You just do what you have to. If you enjoy your time it's a bonus but for most it's something they do to provide a life for others.

And when it goes tits up, as it invariably does for a proportion? When the separation becomes too much? Divorce, relationships breakdown, don't survive...they just have to carry on regardless. Sometimes it's a good place to be in those times. An escape from all the shit that's going on at home. Other times it's the last place you want to be. There is no privacy. Can't make a phone call without folk listening in - it's not deliberate, just the soundproofing isn't always that great. Can't come back out of the phone booth upset or crying as everyone will see. Can't let that macho face slip. Can't let folk see the pussycat that hides behind the North Sea Tiger. Surrounded by folk but feel incredibly lonely and can't go anywhere to be alone.

That's when it's hard.

Food Pron...

2007-05-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

And another lovely wee jaunt was had to Londonium. I was there for a conference on the Friday - which was actually really good so no complaints there. Of course this did mean that I passed through Victoria which means that I was able to feed my crack addiction...also known as Krispy Kreme doughnuts...I only had 3 of them this trip which was slightly better than the last trip when I had 7 over the course of 4 days!

Then there was some wine on Thursday night - but only a glass each with our Chinese. We finished the rest of it on Friday night.

More drinkies on Friday night when we went to Galvin at Windows on the 28th floor of the Hilton Park Lane. A rather fine Bellini cocktail to start...followed up with some lovely Pinot Grigio.

And as to the food...we would have
liked to have this menu...

but instead we went for this one...

...which, truth be told was just gorgeous. Chicken to start and then there was some red mullet for me and some lamb for Pauline. Both were totally scoffed as elegantly as we could muster without picking the plates up and licking them clean!

And then there was pudding - and artistic combination of apples...not too sweet and not too sharp. As Goldilocks would say "just right".

And finally there were some delish petit fours to finish off. The chocolate jellies were sublime. Must investigate how to make them...!

And I did make a total t*t of myself at the stage where the coffee was offered. In my defence (weak, I know) please remember that I'm used to Aberdeen where proper coffee is still a novelty when eating out in a restaurant. They think they're making proper coffee but I beg to differ. It just doesn't match with Italy, Spain or Portugal. There are a few places who do a good job but overall they're the cafes you go to during the day rather than the places you go for an evening meal. Anyway I digress.

So, the waiter asks if we'd like coffee and I respond "do you do espresso?" Not a major gaffe but this is a place with wine waiters for heaven's sake and silver service - something I could still do if pushed after 12 years in the hospitality trade (though it's 8 years since I had to work in it). The waiter did just look at Ms P with a slight grin as I just twigged what I'd said. A bit "doh!" Of course they do espresso and any other decent coffee or tea you could probably think of!

And that's not the end of the food extravaganza. Saturday saw a trip to the Natural History Museum for the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. It was astounding - some fantastic images. Then we tootled off to do a bit of shopping which did entail some trying on of some very posh frocks in Selfridges (thinking ahead for the bridesmaid gig coming up next year). It was fun. Most impressed when the guy guessed my size straight off. Then we wandered down to the ground floor cafe and has some afternoon tea. Totally unnecessary but ever so fine.

I like my food...!

Photo a day - April

2007-05-01T01:42:00.000-07:00

Another month...

April 2007

As Sir Edmund Hillary said about conquering Everest...

2007-04-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

"Well, we knocked the bastard off!"

...and that's pretty much how I feel about this Aran jumper!

As we can see the boy is very pleased with the finished article, design enhancements and all, and has promised to take very good care of it.

It only took around 14 months to complete (with a few detours for other projects on the way when I got sick to the back teeth of it - which happened frequently) which I figured out to be about 200 hours of knitting overall.

If I ever offer to knit another one please shoot me. There were moments when it was a pleasurable experience but I would say that it was done more out of love for a very dear friend who knows how to give exactly the right amount of appreciation for all the care and attention that went into it...and for that I appreciate his response.

It's a well travelled jumper. As a guess I would say it was knitted on Arctic 3, Claymore, Solepit Clipper, Alba FSU, Captain FPSO, Auk, Judy and Norwich Airport. Haven't a clue where it'll go on the back of Mr D but we shall see.

I am never knitting a never bloody Aran jumper again - one is enough in a lifetime...!

March: Photo-a-day...

2007-04-08T12:07:00.000-07:00

And here we have the next eagerly (!) awaited instalment in the "Photo-a-day" project. If it wasn't for my adorable and lovely Sony Ericsson K800i this wouldn't stand a cat in hell's chance of being done...but it's certainly making me think about what I see around me!

March 2007

Still alive...just!

2007-04-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's been just a wee bit manic these last few weeks. I didn't mean to drop off the face of the planet but events conspired against me somewhat...mainly work!

On my birthday (17th March...thank you for asking!)I tootled off to the Gannet platform to spend a whole weekend doing health checks on the boys. It's one of the more knackering things we do as you have a 45 minute appointment with someone to go over various lifestyle issues and basic measurements (height, weight (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, body composition). Quite draining to tailor your advice and the information to everyone who comes along - especially the ones who come along year on year and still don't make changes based on your recommendations. They just continue to be heavy drinking, smoking, fat bastards! But I generally say that with a bit more tact than that - well depending on how well I've got to know the guys over the last few years. Then you get the guys who do take on board what you say and make changes and you see improvements. Those ones really lift your spirits and remind you why you do what you do.

So I was on Gannet the Saturday until Monday, home Tuesday, away again Wed (to Claymore), back Thursday, home Friday, away back to Gannet on the Saturday, home Monday, presenting onshore on the Wednesday, away to London Wednesday night for a course, back Saturday then back down to Norwich to come out to Clipper on the Wednesday which is where I am now - so I'm blogging from offshore as we speak! I'm due back into the Beach tonight for a night in a hotel before I go back up the road to Aberdeen tomorrow. Not a lot of hanging around!

Somebody did ask what I did offshore (surprised anyone was that interested). For the 3 people who are interested I'm self-employed as a Health & Well-being Consultant. That entails bringing out and delivering health information to guys (as it is mainly guys - like 99.9% of the time) to hopefully prevent them from suffering from lots of nasty diseases before their time is up! It's all about health education and prevention and avoiding having to have treatment and having loads of years of ill-health basically. We do do some onshore stuff as well but most of the work is offshore as, to be honest, the oil companies have the money to spend!

If you'd asked me when I moved to Aberdeen if I would go offshore I would have told to get right out. I found most offshore guys to be right arseholes and obnoxious. I've revised my opinion somewhat since those days. True - you get the odd one or two who are like that but most of them are a really likeable bunch of guys who are just out here doing a job. I've never been outside the British Sector of the North Sea - I have yet to enter the fabled land of the Norweigan Sector where you get lobster for tea...! It does mean that I have learned to enjoy the salubrious surroundings of the heliports at Aberdeen and Norwich and Scatsta Airports though - dead lucky me!

It's so easy to spot the difference between the guys who are going away and those who are heading home. Faces take on a certain hue of resignation and a look of "oh bugger!" when waiting to check-in or for your flight to be called. Survival suits are struggled into, lifejacket straps get all tangled, try not to fall asleep watching the safety brief before getting on the chopper. A total contrast to what happens when they land back onshore. Life jackets are off before you get back inside the terminal building and a survival suit can be whipped off faster than a stripper's knickers!

To be continued...

Finished a few things...

2007-03-14T03:42:00.000-07:00

...and rather pleased with them - even if I do say so myself!

The Swallowtail Shawl (Interweave Knits - Fall 2006) knitted in Handmaiden SeaSilk "Nova Scotia". I did go up a couple of needle sizes purely to get a slightly larger shawl. I finished this at 4pm on Saturday - in time for going out to a wedding on the Saturday night. I was working away at it during the Moto GP! Not the easiest to concentrate on at that point. Once finished I did pretty much press the f*ck out of it to get the lace to open up and then left it pinned out and drying on the bedroom floor until I was ready to go out. It went down well at the wedding - think I might have a few orders for a couple more!

And then last night I finished this rather cute little number - Rusted Root from Zephyr Style in some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in New Age Teal. I only used under 2 skeins for it so have one left over...got plans for that already. I fancy knitting another one in a different colour - it is just so cute! Me likey...

One may note that I am obviously adding another colour to the spectrum that is Maureen's wardrobe. Not only can I do reds, pinks, browns and oranges but I can do turquoise and green as well!

Visual DNA...

2007-03-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Only 7 UFO's...!

2007-03-05T04:55:00.000-08:00

So...I had a look at my knitting basket/chair/carrier bags/in offshore bag, etc and found all the following. (It is a nice cosy spot isn't it - this chair is so coming with me when I move.)

First we have the over-the-knee sock in the Opal Feelings. This might take a wee while! I've just reached the first decreases at the knee. It is slightly freaky when you have to reach row 240 (or something like that) before you hit the heel - especially when it's on 2.5mm pins and you have a second one to do but...

Secondly we have Flicca. As you can see I ran out of my main orange wool near the end but I kind of knew that was likely anyway so went for the contrast with some Paton's Bella Tape that I had. I'm going to use it to add an edging to the bottom of the coat as well - or pockets might be nice actually! All I have to do on this one is to knit the one edge and sew on the ribbon on the inside to firm it up. I know - just an evening's work at most isn't it. Considering it only took my about a week to knit the rest of it that is a real bit of procrastination. - my favourite talent I possess!

Thirdly - the Aran jumper! This has only been on the go since last February. Hope I get it finished in time for Dennis's 60th birthday in April. If I'd just stuck with this I would have finished it within a couple of months but because it's intricate you really need to the odd week or two away from it every so often. This is the final piece - sleeve number 2. I have reached the stage (quite a while back actually) that I no longer need to look at the pattern to know what needs to be done. Once the pattern is set then it's easy enough to know what needs to be done next. As long as I remember it's rows 5-7 in the middle section that I need to do fancy bits then I'm alright. I ever so slightly over-calculated on the wool requirements so I'm going to have about 7 balls left over which is more than enough for me to make a jumper as well - already spotted a suitable candidate in an older issue of Interweave Knits which will be pretty cute as a cosy jumper that won't look like a naff shapeless Aran.

And now we have the oldest UFO in the basket! This is some gorgeous Kaalund 2 ply in Magnolia that I got at Ally Pally a couple of years ago. It's a 3mm pins job - 2.75mm for the ribbing - which might partly explain the stagnation on this one. It's being knitted up into a cute little short-sleeved t-shirt from a 1940's People's Friend pattern booklet that my Granma gave me years ago (it's the same booklet that I use for my standard baby shawl pattern). It's a lovely pattern but it does seem to be one that involves "counting" and hasn't turned into an intuitive pattern as yet. I'll get there on it, especially as I know it'll be very pretty when I finally make it!

Another feather and fan pattern sneaking in here. This is my North Ronaldsay wool in the two natural colours of cream and dark brown. This stuff is so much softer than it used to be when they first started selling it. This is being made up into a nice retro styled slightly bat-winged (but not too batty) jumper with a roll neck colour. It's a "knit all in one-piece" job so it's going to get a bit big on the needles at some point - and I'm going to run out of wool! But since it's in Orkney I can easily send a friend or family member along to purchase a couple more skeins for me. Not exactly a disaster. I'd really like to get back to this one soon. Reckon it would look cool with a denim mini-skirt and big boots once done.

Nearly there! This is the Swallowtail Shawl in the Handmaiden SeaSilk that just kept speaking to me while it was in the skein. It told me to wind it up, find a pattern to suit and get it on the needles or else it would jump out of my stash box and strangle me in the middle of the night...perhaps not! I'm on the next section of lace where the nupps kick in. Again it involves a wee bit of concentration and there are a few design variations in it (aka "c**k-ups") but they're the sort of ones I can live with. It does feel lovely and will go perfectly with a purty dress I bought a month or so back specifically for the odd wedding and posh do that I occasionally frequent.

And then there was a small accident last week which involved a few cute patterns being downloaded (paid for ones no less - not just freebies) and then falling across the Get Knitted site (as happens on a frequent basis - wonder if they'll ever get round to doing a loyalty card...maybe should suggest it to them!) and then discovering Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in the most gorgeous colour of turquoise - the only type of blue that really suits me...all other types of blue make me look really washed out but if they have a touch of green in them then I'm sorted. The pattern is from Zephyr Style (love their patterns) and as it's an all-in-one, knitted from the top-down, in the round that means minimal sewing up and almost instant wearability once it's finished. Addi Turbos fell into my shopping basket online too (the pattern called for them!) and it's the first time I've actually used them. Call me a late convert!

So that's it...my knitting basket to date. Never mind that a baby shawl and a Clanger need to be knitted pretty damn sharpish for a mate who's due to pop any day soon as well. Oops!

The Jaffa Cake Story...

2007-03-04T06:34:00.000-08:00

Lunar eclipse 3 March 2007

Full moon...half moon...total eclipse...! Not influenced by adverts in the slightest (you kind of have to be British to get the reference...and love Jaffa Cakes...and have a weird sense of humour).

The eclipse was pretty amazing even if it was slightly cold outside. Nothing that a big fleece, hat and gloves couldn't stave off - plus a few mugs of fruity tea to warn up. Quite a few friends of mine were watching it so we were texting/calling each other back and forth as it went on. One of my friends had spotted a couple of shooting stars earlier on in the night but I wasn't lucky enough to spot them as well. I do think having Pink Floyd on in the background kind of added to the spectacle - especially when "Dark Side of the Moon" kicked in just as totality hit. Dennis had The Waterboys "Whole of the Moon" playing!

It is one of the things that I'll miss when the house sells as it's been a perfect spot for some amazing night sky revelations. Going back into town means more light pollution which we just manage to avoid at this spot. The Northern Lights a couple of years back were just amazing and the best I'd seen since I left Orkney years ago. At least Dennis has the same sort of interest in watching the skies as I do (though a much better knowledge than I have) and lives in a spot on the edge of Aberdeen which is just outwith the light pollution so we've already sorted it that whenever there's going to be anything cool happening then I can go up there to watch it all with him.

If you put the slideshow on at a fastish rate then you can get that same sort of effect as when you used to draw little stick figures on the corner of your jotter and then flick through them dead fast so it got an animated effect. The photos are hardly astronomy quality but I still think they look pretty cool.

So a good day overall - tickets for Rockness, more gardening done in readiness for house sale and a good view of the lunar eclipse.

Sometimes a mellow move through the day is throughly pleasant.

Photo a day - February

2007-02-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

February 2007

And the recurrent themes for February appear to be...offshore, food, cats, and really pish weather!

The Invitation

2007-02-25T10:08:00.000-08:00

The Invitation – Oriah Mountain Dreaming

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

Something new!

2007-02-21T02:47:00.000-08:00

I got bored. The Handmaiden silk kept winking at me, toying with me, saying "you want to play with me baby..." It was pleading with me to look out a pattern and start to knit. Something delicate and pretty. Not necessarily something that is going to be an everyday wear item. A bit more special than that.

So I started to look to see what I could find. And this seemed like the perfect option. The Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits (Fall 2006). I've already completed 7 repeats of the main lace pattern. It's pretty fast but as only 3 out of the 6 rows in this section are patterned rows it's not exactly difficult. I've actually upped the needle size to 5mm so I can end up with a larger, airier shawl but when one is considering using this as a substitute for a jacket on posh evenings out and one lives in a climate which is wet and not particularly warm then there is a logic hidden in there somewhere.

And now it's time to return to the work stuff - even though I so don't want to. This week I go offshore to present on Respiratory...while I have a stinking cold and so will be coughing and spluttering away in front of the guys. Yeah! Go me!

2007-02-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when you go offshore it's a bit of kerfuffle to actually get there in the first place. You don't always fly out straight from Aberdeen. Sometimes you have to go through the joy that is Norwich Airport. Don't get me wrong! Nowt wrong with Norwich (as far as I know - it's got really good shopping...as my credit card is now aware after last Friday's episode when dealing with a delayed flight!) but airports aren't good at the best of times and it doesn't help when Norwich really isn't one of the busiest. There's a wee bundle of flights that go out to the gas platforms off the Norfolk coast. You get a morning surge, mid-day surge and then a late afternoon surge. It's mainly small budgies heading out that direction (I think it's the EC155's but don't quote me on that). Last week I had the chopper all to myself on the way out - made me feel like quite the rock star...apart from the survival suit, 4 layers of clothing underneath it, trainers, ear plugs and ear defenders! So one ends up sitting in Norwich Airport bored out of one's skull for around 5 hours between the time of the flight arriving from Aberdeen and then heading out to the platform. All the staff are really fine and will actually speak to you which is quite fine so can't complain there. It's all a tad more relaxed than what happens in Aberdeen.

And then you land on the delight that is Clipper! It might not be the sexiest, newest platform on the block by any means but I will say that it has a really nice bunch of guys onboard who always make a trip there an enjoyable experience. They're chatty, they'll have a laugh with you, and they take the health stuff onboard and love to ask loads of questions - mainly in an attempt to wind me up but it never works...and they know that. It's a bit cramped onboard which made it interesting accommodation-wise when my flight back into the Beach (onshore) got cancelled due to snow (mainly because the rotor blades could ice up - nae nice!) as they had a full POB (personnel onboard) and bugger all space. There was a bit of hot-bedding going on as night shift bounced out and day shift bounced in. Meant the place was busy so I had lots of faces to yap to. I like the place. Most places offshore I like. The environment is strange and can be a bit claustrophobic but the guys make a real effort to compromise and get on with each other and that's what's important.

Must admit, don't think it would work out quite so nicely if alcohol was allowed offshore...!

Been finishing stuff...though some of it was ages ago!

2007-02-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd better show off some finished items and those that are progressing just to show that I have done something in amongst the other trials and tribulations that show themselves up as "life!"

This was a freebie pattern from Yarn Forward and used less than one skein of Hipknits silk. Think it took me at least an evening to produce. Haven't had a chance to wear it yet. I see it as more of summery cover-up and we are definitely nowhere near summer here in Aberdeen. It's February - nuff said!

The next wee shrug is from Vogue Knitting and it was a a strange one to to do. The knitting wasn't difficult but trying to figure out how to put the thing together from the diagram was a bit of a "eeh" moment. It made sense once the bits started to go together but it wasn't that intuitive. Not initially anyway. For something so little it's surprisingly warm when it's on.

And we have finally had success with the variegated Karaoke! I used the pattern out of a RYC book with a small alteration to take account of being totally boobless i.e. eliminating about 2inches off the circumference of the body! It worked. And it looks really cute on. Thank hivvens!

Nearly finished Flicca. I just have one front band and the ribbon stabilising bit to do and that's it. It's going to be so cosy and I think it could end up being a bit of slobbing around curled up on the armchair sort of cardi, interspersed with moments of not-quite-cold-enough-for-a-jacket-
but-not-quite-warm-enough-to-go-without-a-woolie type of thing going on. It was finished (up until this point) dead quick like but other stuff has kind of got in the way of finishing it and as our weather is going to be incompatible with wearing this outside the house for at least another 6 weeks I'm not panicking too much as yet!

An over-the-knee sock in progress...the f***ing Aran jumper that I've knitting for the last year (nearly finished the front - only a sleeve to go then)...a couple of books I bought the other day when I got stuck in Norwich waiting for my flight back up to Aberdeen...and some Handmaiden silk that fell into the shopping basket when I was buying the latest Vogue Knitting from Get Knitted. You know how these things happen. They don't mean to but they do!

My credit card has been so hammered lately that it's feeling just a tad poorly. I really need to rein in my spending before it explodes with overuse!

And this is what else has happened when you have a credit card and know how to use it. Maybe there's a little bit of over-compensationary spending going on but it's also part of the preparation for the next bit that's going to be happening. Gotta get the costumes ready for the parade after all. I have also got 3 weddings lined up this year as well so need to look half-decent for those. A nice frock helps...and we all know that I really, really like my nice frocks. Tis an addiction and I seem to be quite unable to stop it. Don't really want to either! Hardly as though I'm in the thousands of pounds worth of debt bracket. A few hundred that is paid off in a couple of months really doesn't count in quite the same way. Now I just need to go out and look purty in them...!

Photo a day project...January

2007-01-31T12:20:00.000-08:00

Photo a day: January 2007

I've actually found this quite interesting. It's a nice wee challenge to set yourself to record your day-to-day life. See what you see and figure out what's important to you. Recurring themes for January? The odd creative day followed up with puddycats, knitting and food. Makes me a bit of a sad basket case really...but that's really only the stuff I can show you...!

Offshore...on a big boat!

2007-01-31T11:58:00.000-08:00

Alba FSU

I seem to be having a total photofest nowadays. I blame my new camera phone. I'm in love with it. I think I want to marry it...!

Just back from the Alba FSU after a 2 day trip. A lovely bunch of boys...boys! Mmm...hardly any of them under 40 but they were fine and laughed at my jokes so I liked them. It was quite calm so just a nice gentle movement to help you get to sleep at night. Poor Looby was feeling seasick just for the wee while that she was sat in the chopper waiting to fly off to the Alba platform just across the way. Thank hivvens it doesn't bother me or I'd be stuffed.

Only nearly barfed twice. Once on the Sedco 711 as I was handing out evaluations at the end of the presentation. I had to do the old "swallow" trick as I didn't want to chuck up in front of 30 guys. It would have totally ruined my street cred! The second time was when I was on Captain FPSO last October in the middle of a Force 12 hurricane. I had to sit down to do the presentations and hold onto the edge of the table as the chairs had castors so still kept moving! Apparently we were being chucked up and down about 30-40 feet with the swell that was going on. The worst thing with the FPSO is that it's anchored around a centre point so not only does she bounce up and down from bow to stern and port to starboard (see that - nautical terms...I is special!) but she also wallows around the centre pipeline that goes out of the ship down to the seabed. Really not pleasant at all. The core crew appeared reasonably impressed that I didn't chuck my guts up. So was I!

Aberdeen beach...my "private" section...

2007-01-28T09:55:00.000-08:00

Beach shots January 2007

Design gone wrong...!

2007-01-26T10:38:00.000-08:00

Saw this in TK Maxx tonight. Isn't it absolutely hideous? Nearly barfed when I saw it.

It's like taking those horrible appliqued jumpers that were around in the 80's to another level...and not a good one at that!

If I ever contemplate wearing such a hideous thing please take me out and slap me for having such blip in the taste stakes.

And if anyone out there really thinks this is worth buying...think it might be time to get your eyes tested!

There's actually some knitting content...for a change!

2007-01-24T03:42:00.000-08:00

Flicca continues.

She's been sewn together. The collar is finished. One edging is finished.

Only one more edging to go, followed by the ribbon to stabilise the collar and make sure it doesn't go all floppy and shapeless. That'll be fun as me and hand-sewing (when cloth rather than knitted fabric) don't really go together that well. It can all get a bit messy!

Then we have the Soy Silk Karaoke saga! I bought this from Stash ages ago (although they no longer stock it) as I loved the colourway and really wanted to try it out. But...big but...this has been an absolute bastard to find something that works in it.

First we tried this Cornelia Tuttle design which was originally for some Noro (Noro Revisited). It involved a wee bit of jiggery-pokkery to resize it as the smallest size was for a 36" bust and I am not nearly so well endowed. It looked nice on the needles. It looked fine when it was sewn up. It looked absolutely shite when I put it on!

So it sat for a couple of weeks and then it went to the frog pond and got ripped back to it's original state. I liked the wool too much to waste it and knew if I didn't rip it back there and then it would be something that got shoved in a drawer never to see the light of day. Bummer!

So we then had attempt number 2 at finding something suitable and up popped this cute cardi from Knit.1 (can't remember which issue). This mag does have a habit of coming up with some of the more hideous designs in an attempt to be hip and trendy (!) but it does have a few gems in there. I liked the style of the cardi - quite 50's/60's in inspiration. So we knit this up, spent a bit of time on it, took out the side panels as they would have made it horrendously wide across one's lacking bosums', and sewed it up. Again, it looked good on the needles, looked fine sewn up, and looked absolutely crap when I put it on.

Starting to get a tad pissed off by this stage!

So last night I ripped that attempt back and decided to give this little baby a go in the hope that it really would be third time lucky! This is from a Rowan book (number 7 - Woman) that I picked up in John Lewis last week for £2.95 rather than it's usual £5.95. The designs are all knitted in Soft Lux and come out at a similar tension as the Karaoke. I like vest tops anyway so would hopefully get a decent wear out of it. Plus it only uses a wee bit of wool so I should have enough for a cute waistcoat that I've spotted in the book too.

Please, please, please...I hope this one works out otherwise I'll be just a tad pissed off. I am determined to make this sodding stuff work but if it gets to the "I must kill" stage then I'll give it up as a bad job and sell the stuff on Ebay!

I've won a gold medal!

2007-01-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

I did! Honest! Well, not quite...but, I did manage to get to comment first on Crazy Aunt Purl's blog today. Now most people would think I'm a bit more mental than normal to be pleased about this but you kind of had to be there.

I'm chuffed!

2007-01-19T05:40:00.000-08:00

Last night was Stitch'n'Bitch time. I just loved the way the Noro photographed. It's such a nice contrast between the felted hat and the unfelted scarf. Much as I love some of the colour combinations of Noro I've never fallen in love with the yarn the same as most of the others have. I've always been more of a Colinette babe myself as far as their colour combinations go. Plus their shade card is just so gorgeous - you almost want to eat it!

I did putter along with my SWTC Karaoke shrug from VK Winter 2006. It's nearly finished although some folk were a bit stunned at just how small it seems to be, but then, I'm hardly a big girl so what's the point of knitting something big! My other bit of Karaoke is going to have to ripped back I think as the pattern just hasn't done it justice. I did the green cropped cardi from one of the Knit.1 mags but it just doesn't fit or look right. Looks great on the model but absolutely shite on me! Thing is I adore the pinky shades of the wool and want it to be used for something I'll actually wear so don't want to waste it by it being all knitted up and then stuffed in a drawer. What a waste!

And tonight I'll aim for a good clear-out of the stash. I have loads of little balls of wool which are no use to me but if I bag them up within like colours then I can pass them onto the charity shop and they can either sell them or give them to folk to knit up into squares. I could do the whole charity knitting thing but that is not my thing to be honest. I'm selfish! I like to make stuff for me or people I know so I'll leave the charity stuff to someone else who enjoys it. At least if I pass on the unused/unwanted stuff then someone else can make use of it. Shame to waste and I really don't need it sitting on my shelves just because the different colours look pretty!

A testament to Tunnocks...

2007-01-18T09:33:00.000-08:00

There are certain things in life which, if they were denied, would make the world a harsher place. There are also some things in life which, whilst adding to the general well-being of an individual, really do nothing more than stuff up your system. Here we have a perfect example: the Tunnocks snowball...! A confection that is almost 50% sugar (47g per 100g to be precise) and god knows how many hydrogenated fats is not going to be good for us. We know that...like, duh! But do we care? As if!

So what if it rots our teeth and leads to heart disease if we eat loads and loads and loads of them (scientific disclaimer: in moderation they're fine...oh, they really are so fine!). They really are one of the finest Scottish inventions ever. Some may put the invention of the telephone or the TV ahead of this. Others may have a preference for the discovery of penicillin but not here. We're a country that tops (or comes pretty close) the league table in so many things - heart disease, lung cancer, teenage pregnancy - but we're also a country that delights in sugar and fat in wonderful quantities. And who can blame us - they taste fine.

If only we could learn to keep them in moderation but Scots don't tend to do moderation - why else do you think our Hogmanay celebrations are the best. If you're going do it...then go for it!

Camera phone in action...!

2007-01-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

Got my new camera phone on Saturday and I'm steadily working my way through learning how to work the damn thing. Feel like I'm turning into the gadget queen - might as well be a boy. It was a rather fine, frosty, iced-up puddles sort of day though so to prove that I can get off my arse occasionally I did take a few pics as I went up my road to pick up the post. I was good...didn't jump on the puddles to break the ice but that's only because I didn't have my wellies on and my trainers are a tad non-waterproof.

And to prove that I do still knit nowadays - and we are ignoring the Aran jumper that has been on the needles since last year - here is Flicca. My version is in some cheapo burnt orange non-wool/acrylic label-less blend of an unknown meterage that I picked up for just under £17 in Tait and Style when I was back home in Orkney for my Dad's 60th. It has a shiny strand through the woolly bit that's really nice and catches the light real purty like. There isn't quite enough to finish the collar and edgings but I have a cotton tape yarn which is going to be used for that. We'll just call it contrast and a design feature rather than "oops, that was a bit close!" I have lopped about 4 inches of the bottom of the card, and rejigged accordingly, purely on the grounds that I am a short-arse (5'4") so the full-length one would end up dragging on the floor by the time I'd worn it a few times. Still have to take the final decision on the button question - what a dilemma!? After all the other dilemmas I'm dealing with in life at the moment it's nice to have one that is relatively easy.

The other dilemma's are tales for another day...suffice to say, they have made life interesting for the last year...!

Not just the stork...

2007-01-13T16:57:00.000-08:00

...that brings babies! Did you know that you can order them at Boots the Chemists? I was quite stunned to see that this is a service now being offered at your local pharmacy. We all know that they provide the wherewithal to provide individuals with products that can prevent conception, tell you when conception is more likely, help make it a more pleasurable experience, and have those little sticks that can tell you if your baby-making experiements have been successful. But be honest...in your wildest dreams did you ever think that you could just go straight in and order a baby off-the-shelf?!

What's amazing is that you can even get them delivered to your home address. Which courier company do you think they use? Hope they give a specific time slot that you can expect your delivery. Do you think they would just shove a card through your door to say they'd missed you but that you would find your "parcel" in the bin as that seemed to be the safest place to put it...!

And myself and James were very philosophical last night on the whole conundrum of reproduction. As he put it - I, in the company of quite a few other women, are breaking the biological chain in choosing not to procreate in our own image. That whole evolutionary response that has been conditioned over the millenia is being stopped in it's tracks with the aid of some armour-plated contraception and free thinking. If we chose not to carry on with our biological destiny we are effectively breaking the biggest chain letter in existence! Kind of blew our tiny little brains with that one as we oohed and aahed over the thought. Daily Mail readers like to tell us how we're all going to hell and damnation in a bucket if we don't stick to our rightful place in the grand scheme of things (at least 2 steps behind your man!) so I wonder if it would freak them even more to know we're breaking a chain letter. Some poor woman is expecting to get 6 babies once her name gets to the top of the list and instead somebody else has chucked the letter in the bin. Hang the consequences!

You can't tell that that discussion didn't take place at one in the morning after five hour drinking sesh can you?! Ach - we enjoyed ourselves...shame the hangover in the afternoon wasn't so pleasant...

Where we went for Hogmanay...

2007-01-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

Kincraig Hogmanay 2007

One word meme...

2007-01-11T11:37:00.000-08:00

One Word Meme

Yourself: unhinged
Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): ditched
Your hair: dyed
Your mother: fragile
Your father: happy
Your favorite Item: stash
Your dream last night: relaxing
Your favorite drink: champagne
Your dream car: Mini
The room you are in: office
Your ex: history
Your fear: unwanted
What you want to be in 10 years? alive
Who you hung out with last night? myself
What you're not: nice
Muffins: lots
One of your wish list items: book
Time: lots
The last thing you did: cooked
What you are wearing: clothes
Your favorite weather: sunny
Your favorite book: cookery
The last thing you ate: pasty
Your life: complicated
Your mood: fractious
Your best friend: Mandy
What are you thinking about right now? love
Your car: Golf
What are you doing at this moment: procrastinating
Your summer: hopeful
Your relationship status: separating
What is on your TV? nothing
What is the weather like? stormy
When is the last time you laughed? today
Who do you tag? anyone

Starting to come back...slowly!

2007-01-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

And this is what is what I finished off on Christmas Eve, Eiffel from Knitty. I haven't bothered with the velvet ribbon trim but that's purely because I'm too lazy. I finished it in under a week, mainly because the only finishing off you have to do is a wee bit of grafting under the oxters (or in my case a 3-needle bind-off because I can't graft to save myself) and some sewing in of ends. I used up some Paton's 100% cotton DK in Foxglove that was in my stash from my brilliant sesh I had in Littlewood's when it closed down - 70p (35c) a ball (100g). Since it took 2 and a half balls that meant it has cost me the grand total of £2.10 to knit. We won't count the cost of the bamboo dpn's I bought to actually make it - that doesn't count!

When are you going to die?!

2006-05-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

Meme

2006-05-24T04:31:00.000-07:00

I AM here on this planet but want to live in this world not just be here.
I WANT get to where I'm going and enjoy the view when I get there.
I WISH I would do what needs to be done to move on to the next stage.
I MISS my mind.
I HEAR but don't always listen!
I WONDER if anybody would notice if I wasn't here.
I REGRET not following through.
I AM NOT in the realm of reality.
I DANCE with all my heart.
I AM NOT ALWAYS a nice person. I wish I was but I'm not.
I MAKE WITH MY HANDS pretty things, practical things, a mess...
I WRITE what I wish someone would say to me but they've gone and they're unlikely to reply in the way that would make me happy.
I CONFUSE reality and fantasy.
I NEED a kick up the fucking arse!
I SHOULD stop and think before I do anything.
I FINISH nothing unless I really have to.
I TAG anyone.

Having a little break...

2006-04-16T01:30:00.000-07:00

...for a wee while. Not quite sure how long the break will be but I have a lot of stuff going on over the next while so I just need to take a step back and refocus. Hopefully I won't be away for too long.

Later babes
Maureen
XX

Secret Pal 7 scores again!

2006-04-01T05:37:00.000-08:00

I had a very pleasant surprise when I got back from offshore yesterday - yet another parcel from my Secret Pal. I think we can safely say that I scored as in the parcel was a pretty card, some marigold seeds (which grow really well in our garden), a chocolate pretzel (now eaten), a Brittany crochet hook no less (just in time for me to learn to do some more crochet), a little notebook, a Lantern Moon sheep tape measure (they are so cute) and a skein of gorgeous Jaggerspun in a rusty orange colour.

The yardage in the skein is fantastic so I can easily foresee a nice wrap or shawl, perhaps even the Ene shawl from Scarf style could be a possibility. We shall have to think about it. The colour fits in ace with the way my wardrobe colours are going. Being a wool/silk mix it is very soft. A delicate 40's style camisole could be another possibility. Pondering...

Thank you very much SP for a'thing. It's been really lovely to get little treats from across the pond. I look forward to the great reveal...

P.S. And my SP was Mary Ellen from Webster, New York. You can find her at . She's been great. Thanks Mary Ellen.

When I go to work...

2006-03-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

...I get to go in one of these.

I get to wear this on the chopper...

I land on this bit...

...and in June I'm off to here for a couple of trips.

The sort of thing that thousands of guys are doing every day in locations all over the world...but hardly any women. It's nice to stand out - most of the time!

Abby?

2006-03-28T05:55:00.000-08:00

Abby is one of Robert's (many) nicknames for me - it's short for abnormal...

You Are 48% Abnormal

You are at medium risk for being a psychopath. It is somewhat likely that you have no soul.

You are at high risk for having a borderline personality. It is very likely that you are a chaotic mess.

You are at medium risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is somewhat likely that you are in love with your own reflection.

You are at medium risk for having a social phobia. It is somewhat likely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement.

You are at low risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is unlikely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer.

How Abnormal Are You?