Finally its the weekend and I can sit down!! I just want to sit and knit and watch the shows I have taped (granny!), but I have other things to do as well. Its nearly Callum's birthday and of course christmas is coming at the speed of light. I haven't done my christmas shopping yet so I might go and do that this afternoon. I have no idea what to buy.

Work is still great. I am back in the funeral industry. I worked in it years ago and always knew I would go back. I thought I would wait till the kids were older but the opportunity came up so I took it. So far its been really good. I know this work isn't for everyone, I don't know why but that's fine, there are plenty of jobs I would never want to do. I find it a great privilege to do this work and everyone likes to feel that there is a point to what they are doing and I definitely feel that way. I loved it the last time I was in it and I am loving it again.

Apart from that, just the usual. I am looking after a little dog this weekend and this morning we went out to garage sales and went a little further afield than we usually do, and I suddenly remembered that I had my phone on silent, and sure enough, the guy had been trying to ring me. He was on his way to the airport, still had the dog with him and was in a bit of a panic because I wasn't home when he came out here and I wasn't answering my phone. I rang him and he turned around. I felt terrible so I said he could have the first night for free. I am pretty annoyed with myself actually, but no use dwelling on it I suppose.

Callum's daycare lady has expressed concern that Callum isn't talking yet. He's nearly two and doesn't really talk. She said we need to encourage him to talk when he wants something he has to ask for it. LOL, gawd. Its nice that she cares about him but seriously, the kid will talk when he is ready, I have already 'been there and done that' with the last kid and now he chatters away non-stop. I have kids who talk on the late side of normal. I do not have late talkers! there is a BIG difference and it kind of shits me that people are so hung up about it. Besides that, he sings at the top of his lungs and I can tell the difference between when he is singing "twinkle twinkle little star" and the Fireman Sam theme song, so what's the problem? He understands everything, he definitely communicates with us in his baby garble, and the odd word does come out anyway. Just not worth stressing about. If you can tell the kid is 'asking' for a drink or whatever, then just give him the damn drink.

Steve and I have been joking that if we don't make him talk then she might not let us have him overnight anymore, ha ha. But nah, she is lovely and she loves Callum to bits so she is just showing that she cares.

Sorry for the silence. Been busier than a one-legged arse kicker lately. Got a job and started on Wednesday. So far so good. I was very nervous before I started and was extremely close to ringing them and saying I had changed my mind, but I toughened up and faced it like a woman, with a little bit of help from some Rescue Remedy! I got myself quite wound up and I think that actually turning up was one of the most challenging things I have ever done and I am quite proud of myself. But, if I wasn't such a drama queen in the start then of course I wouldn't face challenges like it, ha ha ha.

Well, the little stray dog has gone home, his name was Spud and I saw a sign with his lovely mugshot on it up at the shops so I rang them and took him home.

Apart from that, just been busy busy busy busy BUSY!!

Not much to report, I have had my head stuck in a book for the past week but I had my exam this morning so now I am as free as a bird. I dunno how people cope doing four subjects per semester, I am flat out doing one, but I still haven't had a full night's sleep so that makes things difficult.

Callum is now sleeping for part of the night in a toddler bed beside my bed. He still wakes up a couple of times and comes into my bed to be fed back to sleep but at least it stops him kicking me in his sleep. That was the killer, he would be asleep but kicking me like a bloody donkey every twenty minutes, I couldn't stand it.

Not much knitting going on, still doing the Wonderful Wallaby and the teddy bear's jumper. After my exam today I went out for lunch with a couple of girls in my class, well, women I should say, they're 'mature age students' same as me. And then I popped into a little wool shop and bought some lovely Heirloom Colorado in the grass-green colourway that I have been thinking about since my last visit to that shop. Gonna make a little jumper for my friend's little bloke.

I found a little dog wandering on the road the other day. I called out to him and he came over. I was going to keep driving but it was a Westie and you don't generally find many Westies without a home to go to and as a Westie owner I felt the need to make sure the little fella was okay. So I looked around for anyone who might have been walking him, and talked to a guy in one of the houses but he didn't know where he was from. So he came home with me. I took him to my cousin who groomed him to within an inch of his life, he was so matted and his skin was a bit sore so the fur all came off, no Westie "furnishings" could be saved, so he's looking pretty fugly at the moment but probably feeling a lot better.

He's old. Probably twelve or so I reckon. Maybe older. He aint no spring chicken. Apple is actually on heat at the moment, I didn't even realise but when this little dog came into the yard she made it quite clear that she is on heat. She has been bugging him every few minutes. But he aint no spring chicken as I said. And he has made it quite clear that that ship has sailed so there won't be any little Westie puppies around here any time soon. I will still keep an eye on her though, just in case I missed a miracle, but yeah, don't think so. I don't know where he is from and don't have his paperwork or health history anyway so probably just as well. But what are the chances of an undesexed male being in my yard right when Apple is on heat. It would have been lovely. But yeah, probably just as well, I would have had to sell the puppies without papers and I have already decided not to breed Apple, she's seven now so I already made that decision about six months ago. I still want to be a breeder, I have my breeders prefix and everything, but it just never happened with Apple so maybe in a few years I will think about it again with another doggy.

So anyway, I decided to keep his McScruffiness for a couple of days, fatten him up a bit and then ring the pound to see if anyone has reported him missing. I am not taking him to the pound, he's so old and they will just put him down. I would rather he spend his last days here if we can't find his owner, but surely his owner isn't too far away. I don't know if he is chipped, going to go and get him scanned on Tuesday and put a sign up at the shops.

Poor old fella. I don't even know his name. He had no collar and was in terrible condition. He had burnt paws from the hot road, his coat was so long and matted. No fleas though. Surely somebody loves you little fella. Why were you walking on the road?

I will keep you posted.

Remember this? gawd, its taken ages and has been a complete pain in the arse to knit, wish I had never bothered!! next time I think I will just pay the eighty bucks, lol.

So anyway, knit in Bendigo Luxury 8ply. Very nice to knit with, lovely and soft. Its pretty small because it should have been finished at the start of winter and now its summer, but it hasn't been blocked yet so I can probably stretch it out a bit. Baden is skinny anyway, he grows up but he doesn't grow out, so he will probably still fit it next winter anyway. And if not, well, I have a spare son to grow into it anyway, lol. Callum has got so many jumpers, he has all of Baden's hand-me-downs plus plenty of his own because I love to knit for him.

Currently on the needles is a Wonderful Wallaby hooded jumper for Baden, knitted in about a size 8 to fit him next year, yarn is Lincraft Surprise which is an acrylic (I know, acrylic, but its actually quite nice, is quite warm and lovely and soft). Also on the needles is a cardigan for Baden's teddy bear. He has suddenly adopted a teddy bear, at the ripe old age of five, its just one from the pile of teddies, I don't even know where he came from, but he is now called "Buttons" after the other Buttons Teddy we had a while ago and he comes with us everywhere and sleeps with Baden every night. So I am knitting him a jumper.

I have been studying quite a bit, its hard when I don't get much sleep because my brain doesn't cope well, I can feel the gears graunching when I try to remember things, but I only have to pass, I don't expect great things, just a pass will be lovely.

Less than a week on the Lite n Easy and I can tell I have lost weight already. Not a huge amount but it's definitely working.

Not much else happening around here this week. Bit of knitting, bit of studying, bit of everything but nothing much else to report so far.

I should be studying, so I have cleaned the house and now I am blogging, lol.

I am really really fat at the moment, the fattest I have ever been without being pregnant. So I have started back on the Lite n Easy this morning. I am keeping track of my progress by weighing and measuring so I know when I have lost weight. I find it very motivating to keep track and every week write down the new numbers. I am going to test out my poor old arthritic ankles as well and hopefully do a bit of jogging.

No more news on the job front, things have slowed down in that respect but hopefully something will happen soon.

Baden had his school orientation last week, they went for an hour or so and drew a picture and the teacher read them a story. They go back for another session today and then there is one more next week and then that's it till they start next year. He was good, he was happy for me to leave and seemed pretty unfazed by the whole thing, he has been institutionalised by daycare and knows the score, and he's already five which I think makes a big difference.

On the knitting front, well, I have been trying to study and feel very guilty when I knit so I haven't done much. I am stuck in hood-land at the moment, its so boring, why is it going so slowly? Once its done there is a bit of seaming and then its finished, just in time for summer, lol, oh well. He won't fit it next year either. I took too long to finish it. I am too easily distracted.

Callum went to his daycarers house today, and the bus came to pick them up to go to the council playgroup while I was still there. I had to wait for them to leave because the bus was parked over the driveway. It was a very very odd sensation watching the bus drive off knowing my sweet baby was in there, driving away from me. It was just really really weird. I followed it for a while and then it went around the corner and was gone. With my baby in it. Very strange.

And in other news, the All Blacks won the World Cup. What a nail biter that was, it was bloody awful, they only won by one point. I was hoping for something a bit more relaxing than that but the french took us right to the line and played extremely well. Poor old Piri Weepu really didn't bring his A-game and after being treated like a god for most of the tournament he fell from grace and was eventually replaced. Stephen Donald saved the day and is now the new hero. A bit of a spunk too just quietly, if you're into that sort of thing. You know, the athletic good looking kiwi type...but each to their own, lol.

Actually I contacted them and told them not to rip me off and they put more money in, so that's allright. Now they are just a distant memory. I saw the job advertised during the week. Basically they are just full of shit. I feel sorry for the next person, I bet they quit as well, just like the person before me.

But, forget about all that, I have been doing some knitting this week. Above is a pic of an "In Threes" I made for Rivi who was born three weeks ago. This is my 'go to' pattern for baby girls now. I have made quite a few of them. The yarn is Sirdar Crofter which comes out in the fairisle effect without me having to do anything but knit but it always gets rave reviews, lol.

I have a few projects that are in the stages of needing to be finished off. I hate finishing off projects, I luff starting them, lol. But I finished a little duck jumper for Callum, I bought the buttons first (from Benji, my favourite button maker in the universe) and then bought the wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills. Its classic 8 ply which is nowhere near as splitty as the 12ply and comes in quite a good range of colours for kids so I will definitely be using it again.

I am also still knitting Baden's skull jumper. That is in Bendigo Woollen Mills yarn as well but its in the Luxury 8ply not the Classic 8ply. I am up to the armpits of that and heartily sick of it and its summer now anyway but I will finish it because he currently only has one handknitted jumper that fits him which is an unthinkable situation!

I have a lot of wool in my stash at the moment, all in quantities to make a jumper for either of the kids. I am starting to think about my next project, I have some beautiful burnt orange heirloom yarn that I want to use next. But first, the finishing, argh. I have to do the collar on another one for Callum and then that's finished as well. Actually that's a re-do because I already did the collar and it was too small. And then I can dive into the stash and start sketching some ideas. Basically I have abandoned the notion of using a pattern for the kids jumpers now. Its all just done out of my head and scribbled on the back of an envelope. I do unpick and re-knit things quite often because I stuff up the numbers so it would be much easier to knit from a pattern in some ways, but I like being able to make one-off things of my own design.

Ah, and just to top off a lovely story with a perfect ending, my pay just went in and they have totally ripped me off.

I have no recourse because we had a verbal agreement, nothing was on paper. The rate they have paid me is ridiculous and there is no way we agreed on anything near it.

So, good for them. I hope they choke. I am moving on with my life and will take the very interesting lessons I learned with me.

Well, I did like the job, quite a lot actually. Unfortunately the owners son is the general manager though, and there every day, and is one of the most unpleasant nasty and sarcastic people I have ever met in my life, ever. I found out that the person who did the job before me left after being constantly degraded and treated like shit for two years. I have no idea how she lasted two years, she must have the patience of a saint but she just upped and left one day recently, everything on her desk was exactly where she left it and she walked out.

I smelled a rat the first day, by the second day I knew exactly where the rodent was. The third day was UNBEARABLE, like mental torture. One of the hardest days of my life. And then I went back and knew I was going to quit. I can't do that to myself, nothing is worth that constant grief. So I told myself that if I could be mentally strong enough to last one more day (today) then I would reward myself by never having to go back there again, it was like a test of my fortitude, and I did it (so proud! lol), and then on the way home I pulled the car over and rang the big boss (who I had seen once since I started) and told him that I wouldn't be coming back.

The work was interesting but this guy made it boring. He was the most annoying, belitting, negative presence and was constantly whingeing about everything and everything was just SUCH a hassle for him. He would stand behind me watching me do something that I had just learned, waiting to pounce. And every time I needed to ask a question he would reply with "Well, I am very busy at the moment". He was so sarcastic, would ask a question instead of giving an answer, ugh. Just a really unpleasant person. Even on the phone to customers he was very offhand and short. If he wasn't the bosses son I doubt he would be still in that job. Ah nepotism, some people are so lucky and so undeserving!

Oh, I am not going to expend any more energy describing him because he has exhausted me in the last week.

So anyway. WOT-EVVA. I never have to go back there again and I am sick of looking for jobs and juggling the kids and the house and our lives so I am going to take a break. The kids are both in full time daycare and I need to address that situation before it sends us broke, but I don't have to do that right now. Or even tomorrow. I will think about it the next day!

I have been doing a bit of applique this week. Baden and I designed the top one, its supposed to be a dinosaur but ended up looking like a turtle, and the bottom one is actually a turtle.

Now, what was the last post all about then. Well, I got a job, and I wasn't really looking forward to it all that much, every time I thought about it I would feel quite depressed. It just seemed boring and I just thought it was a bit junior for me, and anyway, I lasted three days. It was boring and way too junior for me but mostly it was the boring bit that got me. I hate being bored. The first day was exhausting, the day just dragged. The second day was slightly better, but not much. The third day was full of messages from the universe, all the stars aligned to lead to the point of me knowing that I needed to be elsewhere.

The lesson that I thought I was learning that I think I have realised already is that I need to keep studying and get my degree so I can do what I really want to do with my life. But yeah, as I said, I have already figured that out so was a bit peeved that I seemed to be re-learning it. Anyway, I lasted three days and then I quit.

But I already had another job lined up, which I started today. I was looking forward to starting it, the set up reminded me alot of a job I had years ago which I really enjoyed. So today was the first day and it was really good, I think I am going to like it alot. So...good.