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Welcome to Kerrie's Place 
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Archives CurrentAll words and images are Copyright 2002 Kerrie
Rycroft |
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Tuesday 25th June  I think it sounds like a great idea and I look forward to seeing the first issue in September!I started to watch Harry Potter on DVD last night, we only made it about 30 minutes into the movie before Wayne fell asleep and I decided that we could finish watching it another day. I'm not toooo impressed so far. I loved the books but apart from Harry - none of the other characters look like I expected them to. Hagrid is the most annoying so far, I really liked him in the book so I hope I get used to him in the movie. Its so disappointing when you enjoy a book and then feel let down by the film, I can't think of one example where the film has been better than or as good as the book. Although I haven't seen About a Boy which is supposed to be as good as the book. I've left it so long to watch that now that I might as well wauit for it to come out on DVD! I love reading my horoscopes in Metro in the morning, they are so trashy! Today's said "Putting a lot of effort in and not getting anything back is not going to happen. Put in as much as you can as you're getting ten times that back today." Wow - wouldn't that be nice! Then I could stop moaning that I'm always the one making all the effort while everyone else sits back and lets me get on with it - trust me I moan about this a lot, just ask Wayne. I think its got something to do with being a mum, for example this morning I ran around like a mad woman trying to get Brooke ready for school. She didn't want blue bands in her hair so I got the pink ones, she wanted her Bear in the Big Blue House socks on with her Bob the Builder jelly shoes - I persuaded her this was a bad idea. She wanted to wear her pink hat with her rabbit mask on over the top and to carry her baby and nursery rhyme book - I gave in and let her! After sorting out all of these complicated requirements she stood at the front door with her hands on her hips (hat and rabbit mask on her head and baby and book in her hand) and said "you not ready mum?" For the next few minutes while I found my keys, phone, travelcard and work id she was standing there like a little princess saying "come on mummy, bus coming. Quick mummy, you not ready yet?" It took me even longer than usual as I was laughing at her so much. She thinks she runs the house! Germany beat South Korea in the World Cup at lunchtime. I'm through to the final!! Looks like the payout frmo the Office Sweepstake will definitely pay for some serious wool and patterns now! Come on Turkey - give us a nice easy final! Bad news - I'm bored with knitting this cardigan. It seemed like such a good idea at the time and I am trying so hard not to condemn it to the half finished pile of projects that are building up at home. I'm going to start the sleeves tonight and hope that the new experience of knitting 2 sleeves at the same time will keep me interested for a while. I know once I've got the sleeves and the front finished I'll be more inspired to zoom through the back and get it made up. Still not sure whether it is for Brooke or my friend's little girl, I probably won't decide that until it is finished. Good news - I went into LIberty at lunchtime and discovered a whole new knitting section hidden away at the back! They have all the Rowan magazines going back to the year dot - I bought Number 21. It has some great patterns in it. Even better news is that the sales assistant spotted me sitting on the floor at the back of the shop surrounded by Rowan magazines trying to limit myself to JUST ONE and recognising a fellow knitter she came and sat down with me. We chatted for a bit about patterns and wool and then she told me not to buy anything other than the magazine as their sale starts on Thursday!! Apparantly there are going to be reductions on a lot of Rowan yarns as well as books and accessories. If anyone wants me to look out for anything - send me an email and I'll gladly shop for you.. I can't wait until Thursday now! More good news - My friend Mel discovered how we can get English translations of Rebecca sent over from the states! I emailed Muench Yarns and they are going to give me a quote but said it shouldn't be a problem. Hurray! I've got one of the magazines in German but I'm looking forward to an English translation. Makes life a lot easier! |
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Sunday 23rd June We got home just after lunch and spent the rest of the day in the garden. Wayne had a major tidy up mission while I cooked dinner and Brooke played on her roller skates. She is doing really well with them, didn't fall over once and she was going on the concrete as well as the grass. Very impressed! I finished both halves of the front of the cardigan, I think I'm going to start on the arms next. Both at the same time as suggested by Becky. I'd like to have them finished by the end of the week but that might be pushing my luck slightly. |
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Friday 21st June So England are out of the World Cup. Can't say I'm too interested in football but it would have been nice to go a bit further. I was hoping for a Germany / England final so that I would be happy whoever one. If England won then I would be patriotic and very proud, if Germany won then I would be £80 better off. It would have been a win win situation. Not to be though....At least Germany are through to the semis - that's £20 for me at least. £40 if they get through to the finals and £80 if they win. What a lot of patterns / wool I could buy for that... Try this News Quiz of the week. I only got 2 right "very poor, go to the back of the class and make sure you knit less and read the paper more" could have been the comments. Point taken, must start picking up the METRO every morning... I finished Love is a four letter word yesterday, it was OK. Not what I was expecting but OK for reading on the train. I've started Ian Rankin (writing as Jack Harvey) Blood Hunt today which so far is really good. I love his books, its been a few weeks since I read one so I'm ready for another episode. This is going to be more than a train book - I can tell already.. I FINALLY got my patterns from Rowan today!! When I spoke to them yesterday they told me that they weren't able to email them to me (I suspect they are sending them as huge pdf files - but the woman I spoke to didn't know) so they put them in the post. Fantastic! talking of getting patterns through the post, Becky and I are starting a European pattern swapping program. I sent a parcel to her today with some books that she was interested in and she is going to do the same for me. I can't wait to get them, its like being a kid again - all excited and waiting for Christmas! While I was in John Lewis at lunchtime (the store assistants there must wonder what is the matter with me, I spend most lunchtimes just looking through the pattern books!) I picked up a booklet on workshops they are running for the rest of this year. I'm planning on attending Beading and Embellishment on 25th October and Can't find it then design it on 22nd November. I love the idea of being able to use beads in projects and also learning some of the theory behind designing garments properly. I'm sure its worth 2 days holiday and £60. Maybe my World Cup winnings could pay for it..... |
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Wednesday 19th June Its been another lovely sunny day here. We got to eat dinner in our garden again much to Brooke's approval! She loves being outside, I don't even bother to take her shoes off now when we get in from nursery. We just walk in the front door and straight out of the back door into the garden. She does have some funny habits these days, she's turning into a proper girl as far as clothes are concerned. She knows what she wants to wear and won't entertain the idea of anything else. Sometimes her choice is a bit strange, for example on Sunday she was in the garden wearing shorts and T shirt, Bob the builder sandals, my sun hat and sunglasses (hugely big for her) and a pair of my knitted winter gloves!! Wish I'd had my digital camera at the time, it would have made a great picture. I kept creeping up to her and asking her if she wanted me to take the gloves for her but she wasn't having any of it! Stubborn little madam! Wonder where she gets that from? I'm not going to have much time for knitting over the next few days, I'm at the cinema tomorrow night and then out celebrating my birthday with some friends on Friday. I probably won't be in any fit state to pick up the needles on Saturday morning and then we are off to my parents Saturday afternoon. I get sick if I read in the car while we are travelling, I wonder if the same applies to knitting. It might be worth a shot. I'm going to see my gran while we are in the mood to visit relatives this weekend, she asked for a pattern that she could use some 4 ply wool for. I rarely knit with 4 ply but I found a good pattern for a cable cardigan so I'm going to drop that into her. Brooke is soon going to have so many knitted things she won't know what to do with them all. Roll on winter is what I say! I spoke to Rowan today about the mystery of the missing patterns and they seemed a bit vague. Apparantly they were emailed to me on 10th June - am I sure I haven't received them? Er, yes - I am sure. They were going to sort it out for me today but I still haven't received them. And I made sure they'd got my correct email address. I can feel another phone call coming on tomorrow... |
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Tuesday 18th June Other presents included some calf length black trousers from RIVER ISLAND and a white knee length skirt from Zara. We also bought a dress for Brooke from NEXT and these shorts and this T Shirt in red from GAP. I should really get shares in Baby GAP - I buy so much stuff in their sale. I've also got lots of books that I need to start soon, Phantoms by Dean Koontz, Dinner for Two by Mike Gayle (I love his books!) Fourplay by Jane Moore and The Innocents club by Taylor Smith are waiting for me to start them. I've just started Love is a four letter word by Claire Calman and recently finished The Nanny Diaries and Larger than Life as well as Warlock. I love to read almost as much as I love to knit! One of my favourite places to buy books on line is The Book People. They have some great bargains. I'm a sucker for a bargain! Really slow internet connection tonight - that's a pain. Just when I had enough quiet time for some serious surfing. Oh well, maybe I'll go and carry on with brooke's cardi instead... |
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Monday 17th June Tomorrow is my birthday - its also the day that Napolean was defeated at Waterloo is 1815 and on June 18th 1983 the first American woman went into space. How interesting! Its also Paul McCartney's birthday! What a busy day! I found all this information on www.historychannel.com/thisday Of course none of it is as important as the fact that its my birthday! Yipee! |
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Sunday 16th June I found this beautiful Japanese knitting website today. Some of the work there is fantastic. I particularly liked these dresses Beautiful. Anyone want to come to the Knitting and Stitching show 2002 with me? Its on in Alexandra Palace (beautiful location) in London on 10th - 13th October. Definitely worth a visit I think. |
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Saturday 15th June This afternoon we went to the park where Brooke ran around with her Tweenies football and generally had a good time. We saw lots of people with dogs which a few weeks ago would have had Brooke flapping her hands and saying its OK mum, its Ok while trying to get as far away as possible. Today she was running towards the dogs shouting "come here dog. Brooke stroke you" What a turnaround! Mind you she didn't catch any so I'm not sure what she would have done if she had, it may have been all talk! We did see one family out and Wayne and I commented that the man seemed to be teasing the dog a bit too much. This was shortly before the dog attacked another couple with a smaller dog. We promptly picked up Brooke and moved to the other side of the park explaining quietly about naughty dogs... I'm reading Warlock by Wilbur Smith at the moment and loving it. I've read a few of his and they are all equally good, I'm fascinated with some of his descriptions of Ancient Egypt. It sounds like a brutal place to live but his words are so colourful it makes you almost feel like you are there. Can't wait to turn each page and find out what happens next. If only I could persuade Wayne to read it to me while I knit then I wouldn't have to make a choice! |
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Friday 14th June 1. I enjoy interviewing people but I can't believe how many people blatantly lie on their application forms and do not know what they say they do. I don't understand this - surely they must know that they are going to get caught out? The two most important qualities I look for in people (in work and personal life) are honesty and timekeeping. So if you are late for an interview and then pretend to know more than you really do, don't expect to get the job!! 2. I don't have enough time to do half the things I want to do. For example knit and update this site. I must try and sort this out, I need to be able to relax at the end of the day and if I don't even have 30 minutes to do this before going to bed then I have to question if it is all worth it. 3. Work makes me stressed out and sick. Every single night I get home with a headache which fades as the evening goes on, I feel fine every morning but by mid afternoon I'm failing fast. Not sure why this is, I drink about 2 litres of water a day and make sure I eat properly (or at least fairly properly!!) and I've worked in stressful environments before. I need to try and decide what I need to change to make my life a bit more enjoyable. 4. The terrible 2s are as terrible as I've been led to believe and the fact that Brooke is not yet 2 doesn't make it any less terrible!!! We're having more disturbed nights, more tantrums and more displays of stubborn behaviour. On a positive note she is learning more and more every day - each night she comes out with a different phrase that I wasn't expecting. Love her! Again it makes me question whether I am doing the right thing with my life, its hard going to work full time and coming home tired and dealing with a difficult toddler every night. I need a holiday! On a knitting note, I joined Rowan.com and received my membership pack in the post this week. It included a kit to make a bag, which I thought looked nice, until I saw the wool and realised how beautiful it is. Now I've started making it into a cardigan for Brooke, I have bought one extra ball to add to it but it is worth it. Its gorgeous - my favourite is the All Seasons Cotton - Kiss but the All Seasons Cotton - Bliss is also lovely. I love finding new wool or patterns, its like being a kid again! Talking of Rowan, i'm really disappointed that the patterns I ordered over a week ago still haven't been emailed to me. The money was taken from my account on Tuesday this week and I've received a receipt in the post but still no pattern. of course their customer service hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday so I'll have to try and make the call from work next week, very disappointing. |
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Saturday 8th June If you are looking for any clever scripts to use on your website have a look at Scriptygoddess.com They are some clever women - if I ever get time I might borrow some of their work for this site. Yeah right - like I'm ever going to get time for that! I was just getting started to make the flat pants I talked about yesterday when I broke the needle on the sewing machine I borrowed from my mum. Whoops! Now I need to firstly go out and buy one and secondly learn how to fit it. Why do I get the feeling I won't bother and will wait until the next time my mum comes to visit instead? Even at my age I still rely on my mum.....how sad is that! I guess it means the harlequin hat can come back out again. |
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Friday 7th June My knitting and this site have both taken a major back seat this last week. We have completely lost our evening routine that used to see Brooke in bed between 8 and 8.30 leaving Wayne and I the rest of the evening to relax together : watch TV, knit (Kerrie), update website (Kerrie), play Tekken (Wayne), read emails (both). Recently Brooke has not been tired until 9.30 / 10.00 ish and has been really unsettled through the night. This means that by the time we manage to settle her into bed we are both exhausted and collapse into bed ourselves. Add to that a disturbed nights sleep and an early start the next morning and you can probably understand why I'm not capable of much in the evenings. It has to start getting better soon! Has anyone else got a child who likes Bob the Builder? I found these great knitting charts on Check out these flatpants that domestic sphere has made! How cool are they? I'm going to try and make some for Brooke. I popped to John Lewis at lunchtime and bought some pink chambray material. I've got some bits of flowery and denim material at home so I might make the middle section flowery and add denim patch pockets. I'm really excited about it. I get the feeling that the harlequin hat might have just suffered another setback. My friend Laura and I are planning on spending a day at one day soon. Doesn't it look lovely? |
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Tuesday 4th June Brooke is still refusing to sleep properly at the moment and has been awake for the last 2 nights at 2am for a couple of hours. Its beginning to stress us both out but I don't know what we are going to do about it. Apart from hope she sleeps through tonight. My sister bought her some really cool roller skates this weekend which she loves. She's worn them most of the day including at the fair at our local park. She is so unbalanced its really funny but I hope she gets the hang of them soon. She calls them her "feet cars" which I think is so cute. Other examples of cute are when I told her I loved her yesterday and she looked at me and gave a huge sigh nad said "I know that mummy". Do you think I'm boring her! I haven't had much chance to knit over the weekend but I'm still working on the harlequin hat I started for Brooke last week. I hope to have it finished by the weekend so that I can start my next project. I love starting new projects but I have to force myself to finish things. Shame really.... I've been reading some great books recently. The Only Boy for me was FANTASTIC and now I've started the Smoke Jumpers which is turning out great. I had a bit of a book buying frenzy at the weekend so i can't wait for that train journey into work tomorrow. All I need now is a seat! Wayne and I went to the cinema on Monday and saw the Panic Room What a great film! Even the credits at the beginning were impressive. I'd forgotton how much I dislike Jodie Foster's voice until she spoke which was a pity but it didn't spoil the film at all. I would recommend this to anyone wh ois looking for an on the edge of your seat type film that will make you laugh nad look away in disgust. Its got it all! |