Meet Me on Monday

Java over at Never Growing Old posts 5 questions that are fun to answer, and a good way of getting to know some bloggers.

Just click on the link above if you'd like to join in the fun!

Here are this week's questions:

1. What do you put on your hot dog?

mayonnaise. But I don't really eat hot dogs, maybe once a year at a BBQ.

2. Do you play Sudoko?

Not now. I have played it a few times, and found it quite addictive and not as simple as it seems. But I'm into knitting right now!

3. What is your favourite vegetable?

This is a really hard question to answer. I love all vegetables. Really.

But I suppose if pushed, I would probably say potatoes. I'm a real Irish girl!!

4. Do you colour your hair?

Yes, for many years now. I've had a bit of fun with it in the past year too! I started doing my own colour last year (recession- money-saving-ugh!) so now I try out different colours sometimes. I'd love to go a little bit mad, but it would probably be during school holidays. We have a "no unnatural-looking hair colour" rule.

5. What is your favourite brand of clothing?

Mmmm. Hard one!

I love Zara, Avoca, In Wear, Part Two, some Marks and Spencer but not the dull colours, and J Crew, which I discovered at Obama's inauguration, and shopped in when I was in Florida last year. I suppose that says that I don't go for brands but for stuff that I like!

Meet Me on Monday

Each Sunday, Java over at Never Gorwing Old posts 5 get-to-know-you questions that you can copy and paste into your Monday post. I'm enjoying this meme:

1. What is your favourite kind of fudge?

(Photo from Whatscookingamerica.net)

Chocolate, only chocolate! But I don't object to a few nuts in it too.

2. Is there snow outside your window?

Unfortunately not, you'd need to have been here in December for that!

3. What is your favourite meal of the day?

Breakfast. I just love that first sip of tea, there's nothing like it. And toast? Oh, just love it!

4. Do you text on your cellphone?

Yes, but never while driving.

5. Waffles or pancakes?

Pancakes, I'm an old-fashioned girl, who calls muffins and cupcakes "buns"!

(photo from Seattleweekly.com)

To me, it's the same mixture in waffles as in pancakes, but waffles are bigger and I think that's not necessarily a good thing.

For more Meet Me on Monday, or if you'd like to join in this meme, click on the button at the top to go over to Java at Never Growing Old.

No fear of heights!

When I spotted these three this morning, it struck me how tiny they are, perched on top of that huge tree. So I grabbed my camera and took this out of the attic window.

We've spent a lot of time indoors this week, and now that the weekend is here, I want a long walk beside the sea.

Spring is definitely in the air, but winter is holding on with all its might too. We're having frost every night, and some (a postman in Donegal who watches traditional weather signs like movement of animals and birds) say that the snow will come back.

So I'm off for that walk now, and hope you're all having a great weekend!

Finished Product

Finishing off took a bit longer than I anticipated, but the alpaca scarf is finished now. The colours are really beautiful- the light in this photo doesn't really do them justice at all.

I enjoyed knitting the scarf so much, and had some yarn left, so I made matching mittens

s.

I had completely forgotten how to use double-pointed needles, and how to make a thumb, but it all came back very quickly. I decided to do a deep cuff to make them really cosy.

So eldest daughter is proudly wearing them, and I'm now started on a set for younger daughter, with son waiting in the wings for his scarf. This knitting is addictive, I may not have time for blogging now!!

This is the yarn I used: it's alpaca, DK, imported direct from Peru

by a friend who used to live there.

I'd say it has lived in my attic for about 16 years!

I wondered if it would still be available, and I went on Google to see- it is!

This is probably bad news for me, cos I'm fairly sure I'll be on that site buying up more.

Anyway, here's the link to the site, just click on either of the yarn pictures here.

Llacta

Ruby Tuesday

Guess what has come down from the attic?

and along with that, this too made its way down,

and, in the wintry January evenings by the fire, clickety clack, something is being created, and it is almost finished. I love the colours, but the feel of that alpaca is also wonderful. And I had forgotten the satisfaction of feeling something grow between my fingers, something unique, something that is moulded and changed as the mood hits, that I am creator of.

Tomorrow I will post a picture of the finished work, when all the loose ends have been (tied up) darned in.

For more RUBY , or to join in , go to Mary T by clicking on the ruby slippers at the top of this post.

Meet Me on Monday

Ok, it's Tuesday, but it's been busy, being back at school and all that. Last night was a rescheduled band night out that had been cancelled before Christmas cos of snow. A good way to start January, and much more relaxed and enjoyable than in the hectic run-up to Christmas. Lessons to be learned!!

I'm not organised enough to prepare posts, but didn't want to miss out on the fun! Java hosts MMOM, and if you want to join in, just click on the link/picture above.

So, to the questions:

1. Have you (only you ...not a group) ever won first place in anything?

I think I won first place in my class when I was 12. I definitely remember the prize - "Around the World in 80 Days". I treasured that book for years, but it has now disappeared.

2. Are your toes always painted (sorry guys...this question for girls only)?

mmm, the truth is no, definitely not in winter, but then I cheated and painted them (used the opportunity!!) so here they are, and I'd say they look even worse without colour.

3. What colour eyes do you have?

For this, I took 27 photos, and some of them are really weird. I have blue eyes, but they came out grey/green, then I tried putting a blue scarf balaklava-style to show the blue..anyway, here are the photos, including one weird one!

4. Look to your left....what do you see?

?

and I didn't put ANY of that there.

5. Soft cookies or crunchy cookies?

I don't really mind, so long as they're chocolate cookies!

Meet me on Monday

Java at Never Growing Old hosts this meme, and I thought I'd give it a go this week.

It sounds like a great way to meet new friends, and this week's questions were very easy. Next week? we'll see..

1. Do you have any New Year's resolutions?

No, I hate them and I never keep them anyway. Because I'm a teacher, I tend to think of years in terms of school years, so sometimes in September I set a goal or two, nothing too elaborate.

2. What food item are you craving right now?

Anyone who knows me already knows the answer to this - chocolate.

But I'll abstain tonight as it's almost midnight, I'm off to bed in a few minutes and I've already had the most delicious mincemeat and almond slice, a Christmas/New Year gift from a friend (box of 10, home-made) this evening, hot from the oven! Delicious! Yum, yum!

3. When is your birthday?

24th November.

4. What were you doing an hour ago?

Watching "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" - it was the Monday Movie on tv here. Brilliant film; I thought the book was brilliant too.

5. Last thing you cooked?

Rack of lamb and roast veg yesterday.

I ate out today, as I was meeting my sister for lunch. I hadn't seen her since early November, we were supposed to meet for lunch for my birthday, but loads of snow here meant that her birthday, 25th December(!), has also come and gone. So, we had a joint birthday lunch, and we left 5 hours later! Avoca, where we met, is a restaurant and shop, similar to Cracker Barrell in US, so there's no pressure to leave. It was wonderful to see her and to chat without watching clocks. Avoca also have the most beautiful clothes(see right), but I didn't have time to shop today, as I was meeting my friend (see No 2) afterwards, so I had to dash.

If you'd like to go meet other people, especially the lovely Java, who started modelling at 40! just click on the link above in the Meet Monday picture.
Been nice meeting ya!