This Pixie is broken

We have a flu epidemic here in the Netherlands and after being able to resist the bugs my dear colleagues spread around the office one bug was finally stronger and knocked this Pixie off her feet. My husband took refuge on the sofa in the living room as my rasping breath and coughing fits keep him awake at night. Poor him :-(
It's not quite the real thing yet, just a very nasty cold, and I'm doing my best to keep it from getting worse.

I'm trying to ignore the headache, listen to BBC Scotland and BBC Wales Radio online - Celtic music is very relaxing. Our downstairs neighbour is trimming the hedges and that noise makes my head and ears ache even worse.

I want to be up and running again next weekend - I've been invited to the shop opening of a friend and I really want to go.

I can't concentrate on knitting at the moment, so spinning it is.
And tea
And fresh fruit

This Pixie will report back when she is fixed and almost as good as new in a couple of days.

And it's not even spring yet...

A lot of new things. And I managed to get them all summed up into one picture:



New hair! I went to my favourite and trusted hairdresser in The Hague on Wednesday and went away with my Mini-Mo freshly trimmed and dyed in the same colours as the last time. What is new is that I now sport an amazing spiral design on my right side, making the pixie in my violently happy. It's just a pity that the hair grows back so soon.
I have - as usual - a little story to go with this haircut: my husband picked me up at the hairdresser and we went to dinner in this amazing place called Java House. Delicious Indonesian food is served and we feasted on Gado Gado and Nasi Rames, plus taking some eggrolls, Risolles and the most delicious new favourite of mine, Terong Balado/Belado with us.
Anyway, we had just left the premises when a gentleman biked past us, heavily laden with grocery bags. He saw me and started singing a Dutch song, translated it would say "Girls with red hair - they can kiss!" Dutch people will recognize this song as Meisjes met rode haren. He turned around once and that's when he almost fell offf his bike - he spotted the spirals ;-) I bowed into his direction with a deep bow - hey, I know how to take a compliment :-)



New glasses! I'm officially old now ;-)
These are my brand new reading glasses....not only for reading The Graveyard Book, but also for sitting in front of the PC or knitting or crocheting a stitch or two. I have trouble focusing with my normal glasses, yet it's not quite time for serious bifocals yet. They are the same strength as my normal glasses, but with extra support for desk work. I can tell the difference...

New shirt!
I saw this shirt a couple of weeks ago when strolling around with my husband. We both liked it, but it wasn't available in my size. Since the place I spotted it is a SALE shop, selling leftovers and last season stuff from their regular chain (again, the Dutch will know Miss Etam Restanten) I wasn't too hopeful it might appear in my size. It did! Since Monday it's mine.

And it isn't even spring yet....

Accessorize your hobbies

This idea is blatantly stolen from Sassa's Etsy Treasury Blog, a wonderful source of treasures as well as one of my favourite Etsy sellers.

I ordered a wonderful chunky cotton in rusty burnt orange from her

to match it with this:




from SpindleFrog


Okay, but now it's time to accessorize my hobbies:

Writing! I wouldn't know where I'd be without my fountain pens and diaries.
You mean, what about online blogs?
A wonderful evolution, but I adore calligraphy and ink and the old fashioned style of writing, with a cup of hot brew next to me. I'm sorry, that's something electrons can't offer.



Journal Entries - Pendant Featuring Fountain Pen Nib, Hammered Colored Copper and Raw Brass Patina'd Chain



NECKLACE - Leather bound DIARY JOURNAL French inspired WITH BEAR TOY

This one is obvious and very fibre related. Knitting or crochet (and soon broomstick lace, I got a lace fork or however you call this thing):



stash earrings

Reading has been a hobby of mine ever since I discovered letters. That was about the same time I discovered writing. Kindergarten - curious little me taught herself to read and write before school. But to the very day 1 and 1 is 11 for me and not 2. At least - not necessarily.



Miniature hardbound book, 1700s France

Music. I again started at the very age of unborn to listen to music. My Mom always used to go to the church across the road when the organist would practize and I picked up my love of J.S.Bach already at the tiny size of a couple of centrimeters. The taller I grew the more music I liked and I'm still discovering stuff...



Music Between Classes - Serial Spoon

Another favourite past time of mine is coffee. Having coffee (or tea in case of mood striking) and reading a book...heaven for me. I also have a fable for hand-made soap (no more mass production soap for me, so far the only resolution stuck to I ever made).
I adore Latte and I love my Mocha Latte and my Caramel Latte equally. I can't stand Vanilla, though.



Caramel Macchiato

My husband is a chocolate fan of the first hour and I got him chocolate soap ;-) I just need to remind him not to nibble that stuff. And he smells divine! Sorry, he's mine, but you might borrow the soap.

I could go on for hours...the cats are not included yet and neither is cooking, spinning, dancing, history, mediaeval especially, witches, folklore...

Unfortunately, not all sellers ship to Europe :-(
But then again - probably better for my account ;-)

Pale moonlight

The perfect song for tonight - if you have the chance, go and look at the moon.

Sister moon will be my guide
In your blue blue shadows I would hide
All good people asleep tonight
I'm all by myself in your silver light
I would gaze at your face the whole night through
I'd go out of my mind but for you

Lying in a mother's arms
The primal root of a woman's charms
I'm a stranger to the sun
My eyes are too weak
How cold is a heart
When it's warmth that he seeks?
You watch every night, you don't care what I do
I'd go out of my mind, but for you
I'd go out of my mind, but for you

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun
My hunger for her explains everything I've done
To howl at the moon the whole night through
And they really don't care if I do
I'd go out of my mind, but for you

Sister Moon

Let me tell you how I love you...

Alba by Pixie Redhead

Can you guess where I'm going to spend two wonderful weeks in August? It's not very obvious, but at least the country should be guessable ;-)

And when you guessed it I will also tell you that I managed to get tickets to an event my husband has been dreaming of going to for years. It's at the same time of another event that I always wanted to go to. I would wear something like this - I'm planning of at least make some mustard coloured armwarmers and a nice headband for some warmth. My husband't dream event is in the evening, starting at 9pm and though in August, given the geographical location the weather is not predictable.

All this in spite of the thundercloud over my professional head. I have wellies and I'm not afraid to use them! Hell, I live in the low lands of rain and wind, I can make it through another downpour. And if it gets really bad I might consider getting myself a red rubber boat and a ducky to keep me company.

Winter was cold....

2009 started as 2008 ended...interesting, to say the least.
Four hours before midnight I had to read in the press that the company I'm working for might file for Chapter 11 in the US - as of yesterday this is a fact.
Structure is far to be found, it's a wild guessing game at the moment.
A perfect situation for someone trying to come out of a burn-out to return to.
I don't trust anything that is management in the slightest and take everything with a spoonful of - no, not sugar, it's the other white grainy stuff...ah, yes - SALT.
I'm holding on to the bottom of my pants, it's going to be an interesting ride.

I currently work the mornings only and I'm adjusting. I tire easily and concentration is difficult. It got better throughout the week, though I could curl up and hibernate:



Mornings at train stations waiting for the train into town are cold:



Afternoons aren't much warmer, either:







Pictures by me, art by Mother Nature! Gotta love her!

So, to not be all red-nosed and sniffy I knitted my first ever handspun yarn into a superthick Urchin and a superwarm scarflette/cowl thingymabob. I got the wooden buttons I ordered today and finished everything off:



And it smells wonderfully sheepy!

I love winter, don't get me wrong! My second favourite season (the late summer, early autumn is my favourite) and this year I'm in for a treat. Usually it's above freezing and raining, this year it's cold, icy, little snow, some fog and sometimes windy. The windy part is where I go and hide - inside a warm coat with knitted goodies to build a fabric igloo around me. At 7:30 am the platform is not only an iceskating ring (well, lane is more fitting), but also somewhat nippy.
At 1:30 pm it's still nippy, but you get to wear sunglasses ;-)

Which hid my oh so 80s outfit today:

For a glittery experience I suggest the big picture. It's always good to have the big picture, right?!?!