Goodies!

OOh lots and lots of goodies!

OK so 26th July, I go to my flat and start clearing some stuff out. I have a LOT of clearing to do, and threw out 10 bags of old clothes and various bits and bobs of rubbish. During the clearing out process, I'm bent over tying closed a bag. I pick the bag up, still bent over, and twist to move the bag to one side. As I did it I knew I shouldn't be doing that at all and yep, as I did so, I heard the inevitable crunch and felt the muscles in my lower back tighten.

I was OK though, it didn't hurt TOO much. Till Monday morning, when I woke up and couldn't move. I managed to drag myself out of bed, and onto the scales. Bent over on the scales I just couldn't straighten up. I realised that an old injury had decided to revisit big time.

So a week of absolute discomfort followed. I couldn't sit for more than a couple of minutes before my back started screaming. I'd then lie down, and my back would sigh with relief for all of a few minutes before it started screaming again, so I'd stand but I couldn't hold my own body weight upright as the muscles were in spasm.

Ice packs, boredom, more ice packs, more boredom. Mineral Ice - Ooh I discovered a pot of mineral ice balm for the body in one of the rooms upstairs, mum had bought it for herself some time ago and never used it.

I slathered it on, to find it smelt very nicely of mint. Oops... to Missy the mischievous monster cat I suddenly became the world's biggest piece of catnip. Not only was I the giant catnip yumminess I was the giant catnip that fed her! I can't describe well enough how she had this demented scratching at my t-shirt bottom, trying to get to the strong minty stuff underneath while drooling in this freaky way. My T-shirt became soaked not only in Mineral Ice but in cat drool. Lovely.

So no gym or exercise of any kind for two whole weeks. I'm missing the endorphins and I'm worried that the weight will whoosh back up. I know ultimately that it won't whoosh back up but it is annoying that I was SO close to getting into the next stone range down. I was really looking forward to being in the 11's I feel like I've been in the 12's forever! I know that's not true, and I know it is totally mind over matter, but deep inside there's a little bit of me having panic attacks over this.

The morning of the day my back cracked, I'd been getting my nails done. On the way out of the shopping centre I walked past Carphone Warehouse. They had a sign in the window; 8gig and 16gig iPhone 3g in stock. I've needed a new phone since my contract ran out in January and I've been eyeing the iPhone for a while now.

I popped in for a chat and about an hour later walked out with a new contract and shiny new and FREE iPhone 3g. At least while prone I had something to play with ;) Here it is next to my old Samsumg:




I gotta say, this thing is pretty damn nice. I've had time to play around a lot with it now, and I think my favourite thing (and the thing that makes it oh so worthwhile) has to be the stupidest thing ever. A picture of a lego Indiana Jones, which, when you flick the phone with your wrist, makes a series of whip cracking noises. Now I just need my boss to come back from Holiday at the end of August so the next time he yells "TEA NOW" I can say the usual "the kitchen is right there go make it yourself" and follow it with a Crrrrkkktshhhh from the phone ;)

So after a week prone, I returned to work on Monday 4th. At least when I got in I had a nice rubber cover for the iPhone waiting (I'd ordered it over the weekend).

I was on the verge of finishing Charade, and decided that I've wanted sock blockers for an age, now was the time to buy them. I ordered from Get Knitted and knew they would come fast. While I was at it I also ordered two books from Amazon. Big Girls Knits 2 and Knitting Circles Around Socks. I also got The God Delusion. That's a whole other post in and of itself.

So here are my lovely new books:





Here are my Charade Socks on the new Sock Blockers!



And a nice close up of the herringbone ribbing on the feet section:




I guess this means I got my knitting mojo back!!

Getting my head around the two socks on two circs has been something I've wanted to do for some time. An online tutorial I found was a little hard to get - so I got the book in the hope that would help.

The pattern in the book calls for thicker yarn, larger needles and two circs of different lengths. So I've adapted it - using the Simple Sock in 3 Sizes by Cat Bordhi from Socks Soar on Two Circular needles, and using two circs the same length (because that's what I have in my sock knitting needle case).

So far so mindblowingly good! I am LOVING this experience. I'm really excited to think that when I've finished learning this method, I'm gonna have a pair of socks! I won't have to cast on again to make the second one.

Here they are so far: