Not good news!

​Yesterday I went for my twelve month  post op check up at The Royal London Orthopaedic Hospital, and the result was I probably won't ever drive again.. I can keep up with the physio to free my shoulder some more, but I won't be able to lift my arm up.  I cried when he said, but the truth is, it probably won't get any better. He has suggested to take pain killers through the day so I will have it easier to do the exercises,  I 've said I don't want any further appointments can't see the point of them.

Yes, not news I wanted, but it's not just being not able to drive, it's all the other things I can no longer do. I am inhibited cooking because my arm won't reach forward and I certainly can't lift stuff in and our of the oven.. gardening is limited, you can't really dig one handed, washing and dressing isn't easy, even getting in and out of bed is painful, so I am looking at a duff painful arm and the future looks bleak to me. I hate the loss of my independence. Although I could walk to the library its just 3/4 mile but it takes me a while with my walking stick for balance so, I am getting a mobility scooter in the new year, at least then I am not so dependent on DH, which I hate. There is also the possibility of an automatic car and a steering system for only one arm. We have the money and can't take it with us so might as well spend it.

Unless you have this, no one knows how my life has changed since breaking my arm now 3 years and 9 months ago! 

No need to say I have felt very down and weepy all day. 

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100 YEARS

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A day in my life.

I haven't given up blogging but have just been busy. I couldn't give up, I hate it when I read someone's last post to say that they won't be writing anymore. I am so selfish to think, how dare they when I have faithfully followed them for years and now I won't find out if they achieve that wish, or saved that money, or got that dream home?
 I know you can't always write something every day. Do you want to know, what housework I 've done today? (actually none, we have a cleaner) or what we had for our evening meal, it was a SW recipe of Hunter's Chicken and was rather delicious, (DH made it) and this morning we had our Spanish Class. Hola! I've  read the 'i' newspaper, cover to cover and also finished my 88th book for this year, ' The Death of Mrs Westaway' by Ruth Ware, a really good read! And I have made a Christmas Pud, started it yesterday and is now in the slow cooker, and one waiting to go in. 
So a full day, in fact DH and I have said what a busy week we've had, something on every day, next week I have my appointment at the London Royal Orthopaedic Hospital at Stanmore, it will be at the newly built hospital. I think I will be signed off ,as it's 12 months since that last operation. I still have pain and certainly haven't got100% use of my arm. ( I made that Christmas pud, left handed)
I am making stuff for friends for Christmas so can't show, but these wools and bits are what I am using. 

I don't think you'll guess what it is I am making; here is a clue it can be hung on a tree and will have something with it that can be eaten?? ( Have you any idea?) Have you started your Christmas makes?

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A perfect fit

On wintery evenings, with the curtains draw, what can be cosier than knitting? I am still knitting my cardi ( the undone jumper) but I needed a quick knit. And here it is, a pair of fingerless gloves. Two evenings and they were done. The wool is left over from some socks and nearly matches!
What do you like to do on a winter's evening?

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What am I like???

I have struggled to sew this for #2 GS and I hate it.

SO...

I am ripping the whole lot out and making a simple chevron design.

I have found a super you tube and so off I go with my seam ripper, if I can find it!! 

I seem to be spending an awful lot of time re-doing stuff but if I don't like it before it is finished, I know I will never like it.
Am I mad?? Are you like this, and have to put things completely right and as you like it, even if it means undoing days of work?

Jumper/cardigan progress...its coming along nicely.

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What to do???

For the last three weeks I have been busy knitting this jumper

I 've knitted a big size as I am big and I wanted it lose. It's knitted in the round from the bottom up and here I am where you join on the sleeves. I 've watched several 'U tubes' on how to do this and am confident I know what to do, but.... I 'm not happy with it so shall I undo what I 've done and make it a cardi instead??

Yes, the key is I don't like the fit. I have threaded some of the stitches onto waste yarn and tried it on and it looks like a baggy horizontal striped jumper on a fat lady!! Also if it was a cardi I would start each row at the front edge; in the round the change of coloured wool shows as a row below and I wasn't happy with that.. so out it all must come and I will start again. Watch this space for a cardi in about 4 weeks time, or longer!
Has anyone else undone so much knitting to start again?

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And a thank you for all the comments for my scarf/shawl, I can't wait to wear it.

Ta-da.. YEH!

 I have loved knitting this, even though the stitches grew to over 250! It is going to be glorious to wear in the winter, the wool is very soft and feels warm.

As I was sewing in the ends last evening my knees were being kept cosy, as the evenings are definitely cooler. The cast off edge was a roll stitch so looks chunky and very nice.
So now on to my next knit, where the back and two sides are knitted as one, I expect one row will be as long as an episode of East Enders??
I have also started the quilt for #2 grandson. It's made up of jelly strips and although there are some dark colours, it is very blue!
Happy days of sewing and knitting, but I am missing the sun already!
Do you hate winter days too?

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Am I mad??

I saw this jumper in The Stitcher Mag and loved it, however the wool suggested was Ewe Baa Ram at £17 a hank!! Wow you needed 9 altogether, at that price it was right out; however I search around for a yarn I could use and looked at Drops. I found this Drops Flora which is a mixture of wool and alpaca and bought it from Purple Sheep costing £1.90, 10p less than Wool Warehouse. I even worked out how many metres (yards) I needed and so have only bought what I need.. 

I have finished the socks,  annoyingly having wasted a good length of the wool for the second sock, to make sure they matched which they did,  but then after the heel turn, the colours mis-matched.

I shall post these off with a note tucked in the toe of one, just so he can buy himself a Costa coffee and cake, which he does love. 
I am back to knitting my lovely shawl/scarf for which I did buy the recommended wool, which did cost me rather a lot but I think I deserve a treat!  
And then that lovely jumper will be my evening knitting joy It will keep me on the diet straight and narrow because I don't want to find that having knitted it, it will be too tight!!
Happy knitting or what ever you enjoy doing, what is your evening joy?

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