Saffron cables blanket

I have now reached half way on granddaughter's blanket. The picture show the blanket at a few rows into the second pattern. There is a total of four patterns to knit for the blanket.

I bought the wool for it at a deceased estate sale and the whole blanket will cost not much over $20.

Nothing was done over summer, too hot, or autumn, too busy with other projects. At the rate I'm knitting it at the moment, it will take at least another couple of months.

Holiday

Next month my aunty and I are driving about 1200 kms (each way) to visit my sister and husband. Date chosen. Dog booked into boarding kennels for at least 12 days. Need to book car in for service. I was debating about getting cruise control but I've decided to get a GPS device instead. I hope my knee can survive the trip.

I've planted some white onions seedlings and some red and brown onion seeds. I hope I have better luck that I had with the last lot. A multitude came up and the birds demolished them all. I'd planted them too close to pine log edgings and the birds dug them up while trying to get to whatever they were after under the logs.

The assorted lettuces are going well - covered with bird netting. That keeps the little blighters off! Some beetroot up and I've planted more seed. Coloured silver beet seems to be going OK. The birds haven't attacked that as yet.

The potato plants are looking good, but I have to keep checking the dirt over the base of the plants as the birds - yes, them again - dig the dirt away and expose the potatoes. Consequently, if they are not recovered with dirt, they go green. I've put some scraps of shade cloth around some and straw around others. The little b.... will probably still removed the straw.

Planted a grapevine and prune the existing one. I have to attack the peach tree next.

Meanwhile, I have actually knitted half of granddaughter's blanket. Yeh!

Lunch

Some of the ex members of the Aussie Safari Caravan Club met for lunch today, as we do every third Wednesday of each month. One of our group turned 80 years old last Sunday, so we had birthday cake and candles for him. The founder of the Club has attended the last few lunches and is doing remarkable well for a 93 year old. His wife died last year after a long illness, so he wasn't able to come to the lunches before.

While we were there, we heard that another couple, who usually come to the lunches but had gone to Queensland for a couple of months, had the axle of their caravan break on them. About $500 to have it fix. It's bad enough to have to pay exorbitant petrol prices, so caravan repairs are something caravanners don't need.

Sunny Sunday

Today was a lovely sunny day but a bit windy. I spent sometime this afternoon weeding the front lawn and planting more mondo grass. That was followed by the pruning of the roses in the backyard. July is "prune the roses back hard" month.



I have been knitting about 4 rows a day on Alison's blanket. At that rate, I should be finished in about three months. The middle joint in my right thumb doesn't like the heavy wool and thick needles so four rows a day is enough. Only a couple of rows today though as I went out for dinner tonight.



I am also knitting myself a cardigan to go with socks I knitted previously. It's being knitted with Regia 4 ply sock yarn. I called the socks Joseph socks.

Socks and dog.

I finished my Left Over socks yesterday and I rather like them. A combination of Patonyle, Opal and Regia yarn. I wasn't sure about these when I started, but I wore them this morning when I took Ned to the vet for his annual vaccination.

Ned is fine except that he has to have some plaque removed from one of his top teeth on the left hand side of his mouth in the near future. Had his toe nails trimmed, too. This is the first time that he has had them done. I guess it is a result of not getting as many walks as he used to. He didn't get one today either as the weather was too wet. Maybe tomorrow as the weather is supposed to clear a bit in the afternoon before another cold front descends on us.

Ned's a bit soppy tonight. He wants to sit on me. I had him on my lap for awhile, but I put him down because I wanted to get on with my granddaughter's blanket. He just sat there looking at me for about an hour. Perhaps the vaccination has some affect on how he's feeling.

When I finally put the knitting down and came up to this cold room and the computer, he came too, but he didn't stay long as the other room is so much warmer. Comfort before attention:-)

Birthday excursion, Murray river mouth,

Left about 9:30 am to visit my sister. It's her birthday tomorrow, but her husband is taking her out for a special lunch, so I went today. It's about 110kms from my place.

I picked up our aunt on the way down. She will be 94 in August - she certainly doesn't look that age.

We arrived about 11:45 am after stopping to buy something yeasty to have after lunch. After we arrived, we were informed that we were all going to a hotel for lunch. So off we went. The other three had fish which looked quite nice, but I had chicken schnitzel which was overcooked. Vegies were good, though.

After lunch, we drove to the river Murray mouth. Dredging has been going on there for about two years to keep the river mouth open. The river Murray needs another flood desperately, but it won't be this year. We could see and hear the breakers of the ocean against the mouth.

We also had a look at the place in Goolwa my sister live in 20 odd years ago. The area has certainly change. So much building going on.

I gave my sister a pair of long socks. She seemed pleased. She gave me several bags of books and magazines. They should keep me going for several years, as I don't read as much as I used to. I do a lot of knitting instead. I've never managed to do both at once.

Left Over Socks

The blanket has been temporarily abandoned again. I started another pair of socks yesterday using the remainders of other pairs I have knitted. I'm calling them "Left Over Socks" for the obvious reason. I think I may have enough for two pairs.

The weather fined up a bit this afternoon so I took Ned for a walk. I don't do it as often as I used to as my feet (toes actually) have arthritis in them and, because I tend to favour them when I walk, it plays havoc with my right knee at times. So walks are now down to about twice a week instead of every second day.