Knitting

When 2015 rolled in I sat and thought about what my crafty goals were for the year. Now while there was a few, the big one for the year was to knit (or crochet if I get the itch) everyday! Yep, everyday! I don't care if it is only a handful of stitches but I must knit something. My thought process is pretty simple - if I knit everyday not only will my lovely knits get finished but it will also give me something to focus on each day which (I hope) will transfer to getting other plans for the year done!

First up for the year was completing this pair of wool soakers. In toilet training the little man we switched him to cloth nappies for both his day and night sleeps and no cloth nappy is complete with out a wool soaker. Using up my stash yarn and THIS fantastic pattern by Kelly Brooker I finished my first knitting project for the year (even if I did start it way back in November)! The little man LOVES them and asks to wear them all the time and lets face it they looking pretty darn cute on!

Escape

Living with a shift worker is hard. Living with a shift worker who also studies full time is harder. Living with a shift worker, who study’s full time who is also a ghost writer is my crazy reality. It is totally nuts, while I do see my lovely lady every day, actually being able to kick back together and just chill is a rare occurrence. Trying to get away for a weekend is near impossible when you only get 1 weekend off a month, but don’t make plans because someone might call in sick and you might be needed – crazy huh? So when we finally got the chance to escape we took it – 3 nights camping in our new Marlin Camper at Cundle Flat Farm.

 

It was windy and a bit fresh. It was out of the way and totally isolated. There was no wi-fi, no phone reception and no power. There was no traffic, no neighbours and no harbour glow. There was however hot showers, flushing toilets and fresh air. There was open fires, a gorgeous river and pecan trees galore and best of all we had the place to ourselves. It was perfect. Just me and lady kicking back – no uni to do, unable to be contacted in the event someone did call in sick and no current writing gig. We chatted, we enjoyed the autumn sun, she read and I knitted. I chopped wood (and looked like a lumberjack to match) and cracked pecans as requested. We cooked on the open fire and created wind breaks when using the stove (hence the table laying on its side). We got to just enjoy each others company with out the distractions of modern life. We took time to appreciate this precious time away as we know all too well how sacred they have become.

 

       

Time

Time is funny thing. It can feel like it moves oh so very slow at times and other times you blink and a new day is upon you. In just a moment it can stand still and a moment later change you forever. It heals wounds and makes memories. It is always moving and never stops, even if you want it to. It defines your first and last breath and ages you before you know it. It is a constant in everyone and everything’s lives. To some it seems meaningless but to others they would do anything to stop it, go back or fast forward through it. Time is so many things but ultimately it is nothing more than a measuring tool. Something that defines how long or short something or someone is here or there or everywhere. So why talk about time? 4month, 13 days. That is how long it has being since I posted here. I have wanted to, I really have. There has been so much I have wanted to share with you, teach you and experience with you. But things have got in the way. There is always a way to use time more wisely I know, but I didn’t have it in me. For 4 months I didn’t want to add something else to the day, when there was just days of wanting to get by and nothing more. I know this makes it sound like 4 months of sadness, but it hasn’t been. It has been awesome at times, plenty to celebrate and rejoice in, but there was sadness, much sadness.

 

In this post I mentioned a tiny little fighter. She was so strong and fought so hard but at 3 months her little body grew tired and she never got to go home. She was a gorgeous and cheeky little one who has left a massive footprint on this Earth. These were the hardest and some of the most beautiful days I have ever been part of. There were tears and hints of laughter, there was reflection and reminders of how fragile we really are. But most of all there was support. We supported each other and our friends and held out our hands for her parents. Parents who will never stop grieving and know all to well how time does not discriminate.

 

There were happier times though. My lady secured another ghost writing gig (I will reveal about the 1st ghost writing gig real soon I promise), which came with an all expenses paid trip to Bendigo, VIC. I wasn’t keen on being left behind so I tagged along as I really wanted to go to the Bendigo Woollen Mills. I have only been once before but this is like yarn Mecca! So worth the trip. While she spent her days interviewing and writing I took in the town – the architecture, the parks and of course the Mills (no pic sorry). 

 

   

Another big time consumer was I participated in my 1st, 2nd and 3rd triathlons and joined an awesome local training group. Doing a triathlon was always something on my bucket list but I never felt I had the “body” for it. Now I have never really suffered from body image issues but having only seen women running along in swimmers competing in triathlons I always thought “I would knock myself out within 5 metres of running in just swimmers”. But upon doing more research sports bra under swimmers is the done thing so when my friend asked if I would compete in one I was quick to jump at the chance. Result? I’m hooked! These are the pics from my last triathlon, the first the lady was able to attend. She wasn’t too pleased about the 5am wake up but she took awesome pics – she even spotted me swimming the harbour – that’s me in the centre on my own! I having another one coming up in just under 3 weeks and can’t wait! (Oh check out the man in front of me in the 2nd pic – his swimmers are inside out. It cracked me up the whole way to the swim start lol)

 

       

Last but not least. Master B’s parents have gone their separate ways. My lady has been a tower of strength to her best friend and I have looked after Master B so she was able to return to work. He is such a funny kid and though not yet 2 (almost) he natters away to you in full sentences, counts to ten and will point out his colours. I am loving the time I am spending with him and when it comes to nap times at “Nomi’s” house he gets to sleep on the big bed. He gets pretty excited lol.

 

So these are the big things (there is one more thing but it will get a post on its own shortly) which took away time but there was also a few other things along the way. Before I go any further – MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Better late than never right? lol.

 

In brief -

• I gave it an earnest go at trying to get full time work. No joy there.
• The lady’s grandma passed away. While unexpected at the time she had been unwell for sometime.
• I took the lady to her first live cricket game in Sydney.
• I had a pressure test done on my calves for compartment syndrome which all came back negative.
• A trip to Coffs Harbour for a week.
• Sewing, knitting and crochet which I’m giving its own post shortly.

 

Lastly, I want to say a huge thank you to a lovely lady who emailed me to ask how I was and if I was going to revive this blog. I was in two minds about whether I was going to not because I didn’t want to, but more so I wasn’t sure people actually read it. So thank you. I am really excited for what’s to come and time is no longer going to be an excuse I need this blog. It is my connection to a world of awesome people who don’t live nearby.

Playing Tourist

You know how no matter how long you live in a town you never really get to know it? That been you live day to day, the work grind, the groceries and catching up with people but never really stepping out of the home life and onto the tourist trail? Well that was us until we decided to play tourist for a day. Now here in Newcastle there is 1 ferry, it doesn’t go very far literally back and forth across the harbour total trip time would be less than 5 mins. However, the lady had never been on it and nor had I and while I only moved to Newcastle some 2.5 years ago, the lady has lived here pretty much since she was 10 so we decided it was time we caught that darn ferry!!! So we did and played tourist as well. We even walked from home carrying a backpack with snacks, the camera around my neck, hats and sunglasses on and very fashionable runners with 3/4 pants. Yep tourists!

 

     

 

 

 

There was cool 3 story terraces, the Town Hall and Customs house.

There was the ferry and the tug boats – it is a working harbour after all.

There was the awesome view of Newcastle from Stockton – The Brewery, the cathedral, the arts centre, the tower and Nobby’s headland.

There was perfectly flying flags in the afternoon sunlight and my crazy lady.

And last but not least the best find of the day – there was a 4 leaf clover (there is definitely nothing wrong with my lady’s eyes!)

 

Have you done it – played tourist in your home town?

A Lazy Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some day are just meant to be slow and lazy and today seems to be one of them. While I was up 7am for a blood test I was home and back in bed within the hour to sleep the morning away finally rising at 1035am. Why 1035am? You see, I have wanted a knitting machine for awhile now and was bidding on one on ebay that ended at 11am so I wanted, for once, to watch the auction to the end. It wasn’t meant to be however so the search continues but I digress, a slow and lazy day was clear from the outset. When the girl woke up at 1130am she was not well and rolled back over and went back to sleep while I ventured to the couch where I turned the tv on and kicked back with my latest crochet project.

 

After awhile the girl joined me and it was obvious she was not going to make it to work for her afternoon shift. As we ventured into the kitchen to make my lunch and her breakfast it made me smile as I love sharing the kitchen. Most of the time it is just me in there cooking or baking away, but occasionally she joins me to help with dinner prep or just absent mindedly stir a pot on the stove and it makes my day. Today as sick as she was she made her breakfast and watched my toast (it was a simple lunch) as I explained to her what my plans were for the day. It was simple, after my lunch I was going to go to Spotlight to get some fabric and elastic giving her sometime at home on her own. With me home all the time she rarely gets the “me time” she often craves, so I like to get out and let her have time. It got a smile from her.

 

Spotlight was disappointing as usual but the sun was shining, the birds were tweeting and the air was warm so returning home I grabbed my camera, the last 2 banana, blueberry & oat muffins from Wednesday’s baking and took the girl outside to enjoy the last few moments of the afternoon. I honestly believe the sun and fresh air can do wondrous things when one feels poorly and if nothing else it makes the day seem a little brighter. As she sat on the steps I captured the moments (as did she) and looked at my garden. Try as I might mine never seems to grow to much, seeds sprout and die and weeds move back in. But I had to smile for there was a tiny capsicum hanging on for dear life on the long abandoned capsicum vines. Nothing grew on these vines all summer (or on my tomato, zucchini or eggplant vines either for that matter) but there it was one tiny capsicum. Funny how now in the middle of winter it was there. It will see out its days on the vine but maybe, just maybe there could be home for the gardener in me yet. Mind you my garlic I planted at the beginning of May appears to have started to die off and I picked one that had completely died back just to  have a look what was going on. It was cute and appears to be in perfect condition, so I don’t know. I really really wish I was better in the garden as I dream one day of eating what we grow, for now it looks like parsley and perhaps some rocket are it.

 

As the sun dipped behind the building across the road our day moved back inside where I through dinner into the slow cooker, the girl napped on the couch and I typed up this post before I move to the couch to finish my crochet project. Dinner will be ready without effort and the clean up will wait till tomorrow, the heaters are on warming the house and day 6 of Le Tour De France will grace our tv screen till the early hours of the morning. It has been slow and lazy, perhaps there should be more days like this?? (but with a healthy girl.)

High Five

Happy 5th anniversary to my lovely lady!!! I didn’t really know how to start this post and as sad and simple as it is that was the best I could come up with. You see I want to share my girl with you just for a day because I believe good things should be shared and I’m not selfish. Now before you think this is some kinky, once in a lifetime proposal, it’s not, it is simply me sharing just how wonderful she really is. So let me introduce you to Naomi (this is no typo we really do have the same name).

Naomi truly is one of the funniest people I know. She makes me laugh everyday even when I’m down, frustrated or annoyed as hell with her. She listens to me go on and on and on and on and one and on about sewing, knitting, crochet, blogs, baking and instagram pics I love. She is a sounding board for ideas and will always listen when I ask “do you think this fabric will work?” even though her answer will always be “I don’t know.” She really does have no idea when it comes to colours but I always love asking her cause sometimes, just sometimes she really does have an opinion or suggestion and it is AWESOME!

She is never short of a word to say, and to say she could talk anyone under the table is an understatement. The girl loves to talk. To anyone. About anything. She truly could hold the attention of a room of people for hours. She really has a way with words, tone and description, which is probably why she is a writer and an editor and a proofreader. (HERE’s her site!)

  

She truly makes me feel like the luckiest girl’s in the world. She works 2 jobs, while studying full time to keep the bills paid, the car in the drive, food in the cupboards and the roof over our heads. She loves me playing housewife and loves seeing me happy. She lets me buy more yarn and fabric even though there is a whole cupboard of it in the spare room. She lets me take over the dining room table with sewing projects, pattern making and fabric painting. She lets me try new recipes even though it would be cheaper for us to eat out. She lets me put spike curlers in her hair just because I wanted to (above). She lets me be a control freak even though it drives her nuts and she lets me take photo after photo of her just cause I can. She is animated, hilarious and a total poser! She is a big kid when faced with a camera and there is always a face, or a series of faces pulled. She knows how to make me smile. ANYTIME. EVERYTIME.

   

   

She is my rock and my best friend. It is hard to imagine life without my anti-pants, tea loving, tongue-tied goddess. She has taught me so much about loving me, self respect and just how awesome I really am, but she has let me teach her things too. How to have fun, how the earth moves, what rocks are what and how cool life is OUTSIDE! She has now seen snow, gone camping, owns a push bike, done a fun run and swam in an estuary. She got her drivers licence, learnt to cross stitch and got the courage to start her own business. It’s all a balance – give and take, learn and teach. We balance each other out perfectly. Hard to believe when I love sport, being outside and always on the go where as the girl loves sleeping, curling up on the couch and generally being at home, but we do. We are perfectly balanced.

 

She always takes time for me even though she really is a busy lady. She loves to go for drives with me, dream of houses we would build and places we will one day see. She calls everyday to say she is on the way home from work even though it is 7minutes up the road. She always kisses me goodbye in the morning and goodnight when I go to bed. She holds me when I’m down and lets me cry when I’m sad. She comes running when I scream in pain (this happens more often than it should the klutz I am) and looks after me after surgery (again this happens a little too regularly).  She washes the dishes when I have cooked up a storm and will go get take away when I just can’t be bothered. She rolls her eyes at me when I say “lets go for a walk’ but will do it anyway if the sun is out, only a zephyr is blowing and her chakras are in alignment or if I beg. She is thoughtful, considerate and extremely patient. She will be a mum to our future kids and is God-mother to Master B. She is simply awesome and only for today I am sharing her with you. After 5 years together it is time to share but tomorrow she is mine again.

For my lovely lady,

Thanks for 5 awesome years babe! You are wonderful, make me smile everyday and are truly worth your weight in gold (and we know that is a lot of gold)! Thanks for everything you do and for just being you.

I love you yesterday, today, tomorrow and always.

MWA!!!!!