28 March 2009

I'm a woman coming of age.
Of the age where one needs or already has reading glasses.
You've all seen my "normal" running around all day and be merry glasses, my beloved pair of Theo glasses, but I also wear reading glasses when knitting or typing away at the computer.
That is - if I remember to put them on.
Lately I noticed that my eyesight is getting worse again. I'm far sighted, always been, with some extra twist of having a prism (prism refers to a displacement of the image through the lens, and is used to treat muscular imbalance or other conditions - my depth perception is down the drain...).
This also means that bi-focals are out of the question. And so are lenses.

So - glasses have been my foe and friend since I turned seven. It was discovered in school, I could read best when basicaly moving into the back wall of the class. Every change in weather would turn me into a very sick child with the worst headaches. Glasses fixed this! Still headaches are a tell-tale sign my eyesight is getting worse.

I learned to love glasses!
I always check out designs, I like them unusual.

These are cute, I live the delicate design of the upper frame:

Design Betsey Johnson Eyewear

The hearts won me over!


Design Betsey Johnson Eyewear

I love oval frames. My next one might be something in grey or blue.

26 March 2009

I am many

Listening to Middle Eastern music on BBC3's internet radio.
Drinking mint tea from my Hamburg mug.

And showing off one of my treasures.
Yes, it's real, it's heavy and it's wonderful.
I bought it many years ago in Sana'a. It is a bridal headdress.

23 March 2009

The price for a life taken

14 months and a day after my oldest friend was brutally murdered by her husband he has been sentenced to 7 years.

The knife she was killed with broke into three pieces.

7 years.

It leaves me speechless.
While the self-defence argument was dismissed the judge lowered the initial 9 years sentence to 7 years, because of the fact that he has been depressed and was distressed by the ongoing divorce.

7 years.
7 years for a life.

It feels like a slap in the face all over again.
I can only hope for karma.

22 March 2009

"Neon-Victorian"

The above title is actually a bit of a conversation between my husband and me.
We spent yesterday in one of the two capitals this country has to offer. More the seat of the government than the official capital - go google it ;-)

So, we strolled here, we strolled there and we strolled to our favourite cosmetic store to stock up on some essentials. Like shaving cream for the barb wire my husband sports instead of a beard. A massage bar for my poor RSI-plagued shoulders. And some more essentials.
Then we went for more essentials: LUNCH! A wonderful Indonesian mixed plate, with the tahoe being my favourite. It's sort of like tofu, which I dislike, but better. Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't like it.

What did we do after lunch? Ah - we strolled down to ABC and raided the shop. We got a discount card after we learnt they are not only for students. Oh, there goes my money...
They are the only store carrying not only a large amount of English books, but also magazines. So the latest Interweave Knits is now in my possession as well as finally, after waiting for ages and being in awe:


OF course I started leafing through the pages on the way back and showing some favourites to Dear Husband. Who was impressed. And asked if I could do something like this.
"Yeah", I said, "but in different colours. You see, they are all rather mute and neutral. I'd like them to be brighter."
"Ah!", he said, "Neo-Victorian."
"No! More Neon-Victorian."

Because, you know, I like things different.

We stocked up on coffee - we support a little coffee shop selling a nice assortment of tea and coffee, including specials like Jamaica Blue Mountain. I might be living in the land down under, the only land really down under, but I haven't been to one of THOSE coffee shops at all. How shocking! How different ;-)

We sat in the sun with coffee and fresh mint tea and talked before we headed back home.

Talking about different - not only am I listening to Bronski Beat (hands up those who still know them. Hands even higher up if you can name one of their other band names. And stand up if you can name the song where the female singer had a lower voice than the male singer), this sort of left me speechless.
Because to me it's beautiful:


And I have no clue who photographed the ice queens, but it's a lovely shot.


by Patrizio di Renzo

Lace - and someone get them a coffee or tea to warm them up.

On the knitting front: finished a neckscarf version of the Josephinentuch today and added tassels to it. Very 80s. Must have come from listening to Bronski Beat.
No picture, maybe tomorrow
Have started a real version of the same pattern out of Fyberspates BFL in the most gorgeous lake colours. It reminds me of pictures I've seen of the well at Holywell, Wales.
I plan to knit nad crochet more shawls and wear them instead of coats and jackets. Do you hear me, weather???

Oh - and if you hear me sneezing - it's hay fever, not a cold. Which is a sign it's spring alright.

17 March 2009

Siuil go doras agus ealaigh liom

Go n-eirigh an bóthar leat
Go mbéadh an ghaoth go bhrách ag do chúl
Go lonraíodh an ghrían go te ar d'aghaidh
Go dtitfeadh an bháisteach go bog ar do ghoirt
Agus go dtí go mbúailimís le chéile arís
Go gcoinnófeadh Dia i mbos A láimhe thú

DSCF0047

Yes, there still is at least one snake in Ireland ;-)

13 March 2009

I am Warrior - Monica Richards

Anatu
Ariadne
Rhiannon
Diana
Kali Ma
Inanna
Ishtar
Branwen

I am Warrior!


I weave my own web.
I follow the strings of fate.


09 March 2009

Pixie Queen of the Berries!

Monday.
Indeed.
Stormy, sometimes rainy.
Infection where the wisdom tooth once was. Antibiotics. Argh - but oh well.

Elvis has left the building. I got tired of it. So I cut it off. The next step is to grow it an inch and dye it red. The question just is which red.

Something to match Ishbel and the never intended to be matching roll rim beret? The beret was there first, the yarn is handspun apart from the rolled rim, that is some leftover pink yarn I had. But Ishbel and the beret get along nicely, so who am I to complain ;-)

Beret and Ishbel

Or break up a blossoming friendship?
And yes - Ishbel is still not blocked. So she was worn unblocked. So, sue me!

Ishbel

And the eye shadow matches! Ha!