Monday 1 June 2015

Winter, and the imminently oppressive need to get updated.

It is cold. Well, OK, Sydney is not really a cold place. The heat is more of a problem than the cold. However, I have acclimatised, and recently have needed hot water bottles. And it is the first day of winter. The night sky is cloudless and there is a gorgeous full moon. Periodically I go out onto the balcony and check its luminous progress across the sky. I do love the full moon. Ooorrrooohooo...

My computer has been misbehaving a bit, and I could not print out my gmail. However, having tried this and that, and downloaded something or other, suddenly what had not printed now has done so. I do not understand. Computers can be very aggravating. They tell you that this version of Safari is no longer supported, and suggest you try another one, without giving you the least idea of what might work for my increasingly out of date computer. Surely this need not mean I should buy a whole new computer? I have to confess to using the computer less and the iPad and iPhone more. Except that these devices have such tiny keyboards and thus far more needs to be corrected than is necessary with the computer.

I went off to Apple for a workshop which was recommended as a way of working out what the hell the problem was, and how to fix it. However, I was misdirected and when I joined the workshop it turned out to be all about the new you-beaut system, AKA operating system, which is many years more advanced than mine. Now I am booked into an appointment with the Genius Bar. They are the geniuses, certainly not me. I came away from all this in a rather grumpy and discombobulated temper. However I was cheered up by finally getting very good and kind service about camera battery chargers and their ilk. Naturally, somehow I have lost the original charger, and had to buy a generic one, the use of which was not blindingly obvious. Sigh. Note to self, label everything as soon as you get it. and try to be tidier and better organised.

Next I went to the wool shop which is having its latest mega-tempting sale. So far I have not succumbed, notwithstanding all my attempts to make myself succumb. If they had had two packets of the rather gorgeous 10 ply wool, instead of only one. I might have succumbed. Not that I have any patterns for 10 ply wool! As a penance for considering wilfully succumbing to temptation I had another look at my stash of yarns and came out of the room somewhat thoughtfully abashed and daunted. As I seem to have developed some tendonitis, from being too much in a hurry to finish a blanket, it is obviously an extremely stupid idea to think of tackling another pattern. Instead I am slowly and cautiously doing a scarf, from a couple of balls of yarn picked up for less than a song at our latest group get-together at the local Spotlight shop. I never use synthetic yarn, as it feels rather yukky, but this yarn though synthetic, is rather silky. However, it has changed its colour in the ball, despite being allegedly the same. Perhaps this was why it was reduced to $2 a ball. (They give us a discount on wool, knowing full well just how easily we all succumb to temptation.)

If I could remember how to load photos on to the blog, I would load photos of (some of) my wool-in-waiting. The good news is that finally, after a mere two years or so, they have again stocks of a light blue wool, which I need in order to complete the other half of a blanket. When my wrists are better, I shall tackle this (and a few other) works in progress/waiting.

Perusing the large collection of patterns acquired over many years, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that years ago I was much better at making complicated things. All this making of blankets composed of granny squares has rotted my brain, it seems. Never mind. I still have some rather complicated shawls, and jackets. If I did it then, surely I can have another go!

Never mind. I am still better at reading nice big books than at understanding devices.