I am Lighting the Rayburn!!!

Well complaints are rolling in, about how cold it is,so it must be that time of year again!!
Last year we lit (according to my blog) on the 31st October.
In all honesty I would probably have hung on a bit longer this year, but poor 'ol' T really feels the cold and sits infront of the fire wrapped up in a duvet, in fact when she is in her room she is wrapped in a duvet too!!!!
So the 1st lighting has taken place, it usually takes me 2 goes, the 1st one seems to warm things up then goes out, then the 2nd one catches and takes off. I use anthracite which is a very hard coal and can't be lit with just firelighters or paper rolls like housecoal can. I have to use lighters and wood!!!



do you like my new kettle?




For this weekend it will be unbelievably warm in the house, so windows will be opened and tanks of hot water will be run off, well the tanks of water will be run off all through the winter season. I know its not very green, so if anyone has any idea on how we can 'green up' please feel free to contact me, bearing in mind, we only have access for coal at the rear and no space for a tank or storage at the front!!!???

I've just been to check and the things lit?????? I can't believe it???????? On the 1st lighting, I must be getting good at it????????????????? It probably means it will go out sometime this weekend and we will have to do it all over again!!! lol!!!Theres something very friendly about its warmth!!!

I can't remember if I told you

The bubblewrap insulation came, opened up the box, no rubber??? Stupid company forgot, so checked invoice, not on there, checked order???? Oh dear not there either!! 'Twit head' here forgot to order the rubber glazing strips????? Yep! Thats right! So phoned them up 5-7 days delivery, not on your nelly!!! Looked on Ebay- to expensive! Went surfing, found another company, phoned them up and was told if I ordered by 11am I would get it next day!!!! Yesterday was the next day and guess what? Yep your right, no rubber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The situation is getting desperate, look this was taken at 7.45ish this morning



Just look at my big 'Brug' these plants are supposed to be very tender, this one has amazing survival watchimicallits? It stands in front of a large baytree, I have not covered it and still it blooms? The scent is magnificent as you walk past. Amazing!



all my 'brugs' are under the fleece!

and this is the wheelbarrow this morning too



Yesterday, even with my headache, I cleaned out and wrapped up with bubblewrap the small greenhouse and put in alot of important plants, so the heater was on in there last night. I have brought just one plant inside, so far as I have been informed that it will not even survive in the heated greenhouse, its currently in the kitchen!


Colocasia Black Magic!

Right off to get some heart warming porridge, before I go out and see why the red car wouldn't start this morning and whether I need to phone the garage. Hubby has nicked mine!!!!!!!

I took some amazing sky photos last night, they are over on my sky blog, if you would like a peek!

Just a Quickie!!!

I cancelled!!! I'm not right. So I phoned and they said the anethetist would probably have cancelled it anyway!!!! The bad news is Mr P's list is full next week, he never operates on the 1st Friday of the month and he's full on the 9th Nov too????
I can see Christmas looming!!!!!

Back again!!!

No I haven't been in for my op? that was due to be this Friday, but could very well be cancelled, I've had flu!!!!!!!!!!!!! Me? Flu??? I never get flu??? I'm always the last one standing and usually get a bit of a headache, but this time I was floored, totally and utterly.
I was fine Sunday morning, got up had breakfast, then we decided to do a surprise visit to K, gave her a ring and left about 11.45ish. I was quite cold but over halfway there and I had 2 fleeces on and couldn't stop shivering. Ache, I have never ached in so many places at one time.
We carried on cos K was so looking forward to seeing us, didn't do too much, went for a slow wander along the river, had a bite to eat then told her I had a very bad headache and left!!! Fortunately she was pleased to have seen us and was quite happy and cheerful when we left. I came home and went to bed and stayed there..................... by Tuesday I was crippled, my back and bed for long periods of time don't mix, so I had to get up, so sat in the lounge, plenty of fluids and paracetamol a warm fire and a good film or 2 or 3!
Phoned the hospital who want me to phone back Thrusday!!!
Today I'm still headachy, but in need of fresh air so have been up and down the garden, how much can change in a few days.

We had lots of rain and the temp really tumbled last night! I'm thinking of cancelling my op for different reasons, 'twit' head here, forgot to order the rubber glazing strips for the greenhouse glass!!! So the 2nd hand greenhouse is still glassless!!!! not very good for the tropical plants!!! The temp last night, in the other greenhouse went down to 5C which means it had to be about 3C outside!!!!!!! Getting a bit close for comfort........

but

the brugmansias are going potty, it always amazes me how many of them flower so late, especially as it gets colder!

These are up on the patio next to the new water butt, it is quite warm here and they are on the side which gets the winter sun.




Then my big Brug, as you know its my favourite. I have never, ever seen so many flowers on it before, it has been well protected by my baytree but sadly I will have to be quite brutal with it as it will never fit in the greenhouse otherwise. but isn't it gorgeous and the scent mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!




then really great excitement, my variagated one is in bud, yeha!!!



then these are just a few of the rest I have that are also inbud






Both my red bananas are still outside (dangerous) but both seem to be happy as they are sending up new leaves, the 2nd one looks a bit erm! rude!!!! Sorry!!!




So I still have the cannas to get out but they are still flowering, dahlias too! Glaze the greenhouse, finish the floor in there, sort out the heating, clean and insulate with bubblewrap the small greenhouse, clean and insulate the big greenhouse, once the glass is in!!!! The pineapple lilies, need to be dug up, move my palms in, prepare the frame and chickenwire round the bananas for the straw winter protection etc. etc

So what to do? Well provided I'm feeling OK I shall leave the decision to the anethetist, (sp) the hospital said provided I don't have a temp or a tight chest?? I should be alright! I'm fairly fortunate not much slips to my chest! Its just my boobs that have slipped to my waist!!!!!

Oh! by the way, so far no one else has been 'got' by the flu!!!

and

Do you know where I think I got it? The hospital!! I was there Friday mid-day for my pre admission appointment!!!! 48 hours later I was down! Coincidence? or not?

Lovely Day!

OOOOOOOOooooooooo I had such a lovely day with my sister and husband yesterday! It was so lovely and relaxing! We sat, chatted, ate breakfast and chatted, drank coffee and chatted, went wool shopping and chatted, knitted and chatted, drank tea and ate biccies and chatted, ate dinner and chatted, then all too soon they had to go home and the chatting finished :o( But it was soooooooo lovely!

I helped her master the art of the 'Loopa' we both bought one awhile back and she had been trying to solve a problem she was having and I hadn't even picked mine up! So before they arrived I started, would you like to join me?

First gather all your ingredients............



The Loopa frame, pattern, 3 balls of wool for the scarf, 1 ball for the chain and sewing up!



First make a slip knot with the chain and sewing up wool,



through the loop put the ends of the scarf making wool, my selection had 3 strands do not tighten yet.



Then wind the yarns around the loopa in a figure of eight (just the once). with the sewing up wool form a chain at the cross over point to hold the loops in place



Repeat!

Showing how to make the chain




Once you reach the top of the Loopa you have to backstitch up the centre chain to secure the wool in place



Sorry about the pic! I'm using a different coloured wool so you can see where I've stitched!
Once you have backstitche up the chain which is held on the Loopa, you can slide it off



quite scary the first time you do this, but this is what it should look like so far,



Now you start again, so hold securely with your thumb



repeat all the steps again



and again and again until you finish!



This is soooooo simple to do, the Loopa cost under £2, the wool from Wilkinsons was about £2.50 and look at the cracking present you can make. Using different wools gives different effects! I will post pics of further Loopa scarves as I finish them!

I also finished the bedjacket for my mum which I am far, far happier with!



This time next week I shall just be home from my op! Whilst chatting with my sis, it dawned on me that I had only been feeling back to my old self in the last week or two! Which means we are looking at about 2 months for 'full' recovery! I think its the anesthetic that is 'fuddling' my brain cells! Now this panicked me abit as I still have alot of 'Crimbo' presents to do/make! So this week I shall make a list of all the things I need to make, for whom and sizes! I shall also make a list of everything I have already made, so I don't worry that I have forgotten anyone! What I know I can do is knit, whilst in recovery! But I also have some sewing to do to! So I think I will try and get that done this week!
I have also found the sewing pattern I shall be using for my 'select' few Crimbo cards I hand make! Last year I used beads, see here so this year I shall be using?????????????????????? ha ha its a surprise!!!
Right off to make some lists and attempt to get some amount of organisation to my Christmas Preparation!