Winter is not good for me

Winter is nice, but it is not good for my chest. It isn't even all that cold today, but for some reason my asthma is really playing up. Usually it has to be really cold before I have to start using my inhaler more, but it seems to have kicked in early this year. And don't tell me to breathe deeply, because I do, and it doesn't help. Keeping my chest warm helps.

I am also trying to use the cross trainer a bit more. I am hoping that by using it, both my chest and my hips will improve - I can try can't I? I am limiting myself to only a few minutes on the trainer, and that is because I overdid it the other day, and paid for it. Aging is not fun, especially when you have bad hips. Losing weight is not and easy thing to do, not when one like eating. I know, eat right. Easy to say, not so easy to do. Pity the good food is so expensive, if it weren't so dear to buy, I would eat more of it. Plus, it doesn't always taste the best. 

Another of my UFO's

I did say that I have multiple projects on the go. This is another of them. It is interesting to work and is charted. It is a reversible scarf pattern - yes it is cabled on both sides. Called Bain scarf by Lucy Hague. She is one of my favourite designers. Her patterns require knowledge of cabling, and I find it better to read the charts - for the cables, anyway. I can't remember when I started this pattern, but guess I really should try to get it completed this winter.

 These two pictures show both sides of the pattern. The stitches that are cabled on the other side, are slipped wiyf. It really is an easy pattern to do, once you get started. Because I can pretty much read my knitting, I can guess which stitches are slipped.

It's my birthday

 And I am officially a senior citizen today. Hard to believe I am now 65 years old, and a pensioner!!!!  I am still going to work, because I am not ready to fully retire just yet. I know my husband would like me to retire, but that will happen when I am ready. I will continue to be my annoying self, does age really change that? I am grateful that I have my health, can still read a good book, can still do my knitting. To be honest, I would be totally lost if I couldn't read or knit anymore. I am trying to get back into my walking, but the weather has not played a long these last few days, and I am not feeling like walking. I know I should, but that doesn't mean I do. I have to wonder if my back would improve if I did more walking. Having a broken back that never got treated does rather spoil things. Makes going for long walks a little difficult, but we keep going. 

So, what do I plan on doing today? Not a lot. Will put a load of clothes in the dryer, it's not dry enough to hang them out, then we plan on getting something nice for lunch. Have already ordered food from a really nice Mexican restaurant. I also plan on working on my log cabin today. I am doing the last panel, so really want to get that done. Can't say I really have much planned for today.

Edging problems

 I am working the last panel on my Log Cabin Blanket, and am pondering what edging to add. I really don't know whether to knit one or crochet one. If I knit it, do I pick up all the stitches, or do I attach as I go - and how wide to make the edging? If I crochet it, which in all honesty is a much easier option, then how many rounds to I do? Should I do a log cabin type of edging, which does appeal to me, again, how wide? I may even end up not doing an edging - horrors I know. I guess I will just have to see how I feel once I have this panel finished, and attached. I may even leave it to sit for a few days, while I look at it and decide.

Ten Stitch Blanket.

It's not that I really need another project on the needles. But when it comes to knitting, I just can't help myself. And this project uses up small balls of wool just nicely. I have no idea how big it will grow, but we we will see. Being only ten stitches means I don't really have to concentrate too much on it. I am using my 4-ply yarn, but that is because I tried it in DK, but was not happy with the result. I have plenty of DK to use up, and have another blanket pattern that has lots of cables that I will enjoy knitting up. I may even do the American Afghan, that also is a good way to use up wool. 

I really don't need any more blankets, either; but just can't resist doing them. 

Think this is now finished

I know, two posts in one day. That is not gonna happen very often. I think I have finished the bedroom now, and I am feeling rather proud of all the hard work both my husband and I have put in to it. I am hoping this makes the room look inviting. My husband says you only sleep there, but, I still want it to look good. It may only get used as a bedroom, but it can still look nice while doing that - can't it?

 I have added a couple of little plants to either dressing table, they aren't real plants. But I think they actually really finish the room off.

Feeling tired, but good.

 We have accomplished quite a feat over the last couple of days. I wanted to set up a room as a guest room - not totally guest, as it still has my yarn, and some books in it. But, it can now be used as a bedroom for when/if family  come to stay. Just don't look in the wardrobe!!! I don't want to attack everything at once, as I know I will start to make decisions not based on logic, or because I really don't want to keep things. But more based on 'I've had enough of this, and really just need to stop'. That way lies regret - for me, anyway. 

Anyway, here is a picture of the room we have been working on. The bed will look much better once it is semi made up, and we have a dresser to move in to it, to be used as a bedside table. 

No name post

I can't think of a title for this post. Today was supposed to have been a rest day, but that did not happen. We are in the process of setting up a spare bedroom. Queen mattress' are not the easiest thing to move - the base was easy in comparison. Everytime I said that was enough - for moving things - I sat down for a little while, but then ended up going back to it. Now we just need to move the base into the bedroom, make up the bed so it looks nice; and moving a few roller bins out and into the other room. Of course, there will be things that will need to be rearranged, but that will come with time. The main thing is, if we have guests, then the room is ready to be used. I really feel like we have accomplished something today, I know my back is telling me I might have overdone things a little bit. Hey, does that mean at work tomorrow will be my rest day?!?!? Being the last day of a long weekend, who knows how busy we will be. If it rains, then people are likely to go shopping - don't ask me why, I'd rather stay home. 

In a couple of weeks I become a senior citizen!!! Hard to believe that I will be collecting the pension. I will still be working, and want to cut back to two days if possible, but for now will stay with the three I presently work. I'm not ready to fully retire - not yet, anyway. I know that will come, but not yet. 

Annual checkup

 Went to the doctor this morning for my annual checkup. Jeepers, it's expensive!!!  No wonder I don't go all that often. It's been a year since I was last there - not bad aye. Anyway, other than blood pressure that remained stubbornly high, I am in good health. So, my medication for BP will be increased. Need to go for blood tests in a couple of weeks as well, but that is due to another issue. I know I need to be more active, but sometimes it seems to difficult, especially when my hips and knees don't like me very much. Getting older sucks sometimes.

it is finished.

 I still need to block this beauty, but that will have to wait until the weather is a tad warmer, or drying weather is here. It has turned out a lot longer than I thought it was supposed to be, but I promise I followed the instructions, and haven't added any length to it. I am looking forward to wearing this, as I know just how much work has gone into knitting it up. I am not going to tell where the mistakes are, but there are a few. Anyway, here is a picture of the Boteh shawl done in lace weight yarn. It is actually an easy pattern to follow, as long as you like charts, as pretty much the whole thing is charted.

UFO's, WIP's and FO's

So, I have decided that I really should get one of my UFO's off the needles. It is all because I was talking to one of the girls at work, and was telling her about my lace knitting that I am doing. She asked me to take a picture of it, and show her at work the next time I am in. When I had a look at it I suddenly realized just how close to the end I am. So, why not actually make it a WIP, and then it really can be an FO. So, that is what I am doing. Pictures will follow once I have it finished, which should be this weekend, all going well. Blocking will have to wait for a nice day when I can be sure it will dry nicely. Being a lace project means it really does need to be blocked.