Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Life and other stuff update

I didn't really intend for it to be so long between updates. Thanks to everyone who commented on my recent finishes and also to those who gave me get well wishes. I'm fully recovered from the icky flu that I had and since my last post, I've been vaccinated for both seasonal and H1N1 flu.

Part of the reason for the gap in posting is that I've been very busy preparing for a big life change. In just over 2 weeks, I'm starting a new job. During the whole flu episode, I applied for a office based Nursing role working with a private medical insurance company with Cancer patients. To my great joy and relief, I got the job so I'm about to go from working shifts and lots of weekends to a Monday to Friday job with no more public holiday working. The role is also much lighter as its office based so will be much less stress on my back compared to my current job. Of late, I've struggling with back pain a little more frequently because work has been very physically demanding so this has been a very welcome piece of news. So for the past few weeks, there's been lots of form filling and buying clothes - I've always worn an uniform to work so I didn't really have anything suitable.

This week, I have some time to catch up as I have a weeks holiday. I've come down to Harrogate to spend a few days away and to attend the Knitting and stitching show. Kate of www.sparklies.co.uk is attending the show as an exhibitor so that's really exciting as Kate has been a friend for some time. If you are at the show, please check her lovely fabrics out in Hall A stand 540.

To relieve some of the stress I've been under, I have been knitting a fair bit and have even finished some things.

A Grey Odessa hat for someone's Christmas

Grey Odessa

Another pair of socks in Regia Bamboo yarn

Bamboo socks

And Veyla fingerless mitts by Ysolda Teague in some Malabrigo sock leftovers.

Veyla mitts finished

I have quite a few more things on the needles - I've promised to knit one of my current colleagues a pair of Cranford mitts as she has admired one of my pairs for a while. I also have a few Christmas knits in the works too. With my new job, I will be commuting daily by train for 20 minutes each way so I shall gain a little knitting time each day.