Its quiet around here..............

So, the children have gone back to the UK - and the rain! - and so it is very quiet around here! Speak with Flo every day, but often Fred does not want to talk to me as he is so tied up and busy with whatever a 5 year old boy is into! Keith and I have found time to talk to each other again and we have not squabbled as much as I thought we would!

Anyway the day before they left was Fred's Birthday so we threw a little party at home for him - with a Dinosaur theme naturally............

Work is manically busy, despite people saying that it would be quiet this time of year - not for us, we are selling cases like mad and although it seems very disingenuous of me, I wish we would lose a couple of cases so I don't have to staff them out of thin air! A Consultant with a pulse is all I need at the moment, don't care what practice area they come from........... I still hate Staffing, but my boss has agreed that I can have another member of staff early next year so that I can go back to being the HR Director properly (or should I say 'start'!!)

Anyway knitting is good for stress and so I have been doing as much of it as I can (amazing how much more time I seem to have without the kids!

I have finished the Liesl which I love, Initially I was a bit sceptical and actually I usually like to be different and not 'follow the crowd' but I like the sense of camaraderie that comes from knitting something that lots of other like minded people have done too. See picture below of me in it.........yes I know very rare for me to take a photo of myself, much less without makeup and with a large spot on my chin.

Also note that I went finally to have my hair done yesterday! Went to Sharinis Spa which is not far away and had highlights and a cut for 342AED which is a bargain in my opinion. I am useless at explaining what I want, but actually, although she straightened it much more than I am used to - I am really pleased with it.

Not entirely sure what to do next from my WIP. I thou gt I might finish the baby jacket I started ages (ages and ages actually) ago, so I re-cast on and knitted for an hour before I realised I had cast on for the back...........and I have already knitted the back!!! What I needed to be doing was knitting the fronts DOH!!! So now although I have cast on the front, I am less than inspired to carry on. Ishbel is still calling but need to get my head in the Ishbel 'zone' first. As I want something to take back with me on hols to the UK, I MAY cast on some socks for Flo with the Happy Socks wool I got from Jennifer...........decisions decisions.........and I STILL have not blocked the Mohair..........Then there is the lovely Noro that I got for my Birthday.........hmmn

Time for a Holiday!

So today is Thursday................hurrah! Except that up until now ie 4.00pm I have thought it was Wednesday! I need a holiday, but I did not realise just how much!

Was supposed to be finishing up my Mohair Bolero - but still have not blocked it!

Instead have been working on a few gifts - which I cannot reveal just yet as one is for my swap partner and one for my sister..........both of whom may stop by to read the blog!

I am really, really pleased that the booties pattern went down so well with everyone. I think my next pattern is going to be for a baby jacket with edging in ribbon yarn - just got to make it work now!

I went up to Dubai to work today and it was very dusty/hazy. Never seems quite so bad in Abu Dhabi so not sure why that is!

Only a few days until Freddie's birthday. We visited the Party Shop in Al Raha Mall and have got some fabulous Dinosaur party bits: plates, cups, napkins, hats, centre piece, pinata etc! Will only be a fairly small affair as there are only the four of us - but seeing K wearing a Dinosaur 'nose' should be quite amusing.

Then of course the kids go back to the UK the day after. I have mixed feelings as I will miss them for the 3 weeks we are apart, but if I am brutally and selfishly honest - it will be lovely to have some time to ourselves, although heaven only knows what we are going to find to talk about!!

Oh well back to the work I thought I was going to leave until tomorrow, until I realised that tomorrow was infact today!!

Funky Booties - here is the pattern!!

Funky Booties

These are super simple, cute little booties based on a pattern that I used years ago when my Mum and I used to make a ‘Box of Booties’ for each person we knew having a baby. I lost the pattern long ago and recently decided that I should try and remember how to do them as they are so simple and quick. So I do not present these as my own pattern – just my own version!

Sock yarn is especially suited to these little beauties, as they look great knitted in a variegated yarn. You can change the size as you wish by using chunkier yarn and or bigger needles.

The pair featured have a contrasting yarn for the toe area, but they look equally cute knitted in one colour or one yarn.

To use sock yarn you need slightly bigger than a golf ball amount of yarn – that should leave you with plenty to do the Booties and the ties – again they are cute with or without the ties – you decide!

Needles: 4.5mm for sock or a size suitable for your yarn.
Corresponding sized crochet hook for the ties (you could even experiment with and i-cord or French knitting cord or even ribbon)

· Begin by casting on 20 stitches

· Knit 40 Rows

· Cast of 10 stitches and knit to end – 10 stitches

· If you are using a Contrast colour attach it now (remember to carry yarn up as you go – although if you forget its no big deal as you are gathering the toe section anyway!)

· Toe section:

1st Row – Knit (in C)
2nd Row – Pearl (in C)
3rd Row – Knit (in Main)
4th Row – Knit (in M)
5th Row – Pearl (in M)
6th Row – Knit (in M)

· Repeat these rows another 4 times

· Then repeat 1st and 2nd rows once.

· Cast off remaining 10 stitches


To Make up:

The finished knitting should look like this:


Attach cast off row to cast on row as below:

Gather up the toe section at top and bottom


Sew up the sole and turn the right way around – Simple!!

Where do I live????????????

Now I live at 838..........is that right or left????

........... good job the sign is right outside the house...........only in the UAE...........!!!!

Happiness is a FO

So I have made a bit of a decision to finish all my WIP.............yes I know that is probably a very false dream as I am sure I am going to be tempted to cast something on before I have finished what's on the needles - but its an aspiration!


This week I have finised the Purplewurple scarf which I have knitted as a gift - initially for Sue - but now she has retired to France and I don't have her address yet, it might have to live in the gift box! I am sure if I can't find a home for it I will keep it myself!


So why Purple'wurple' I hear you ask............well or maybe you don't ask, but I will tell you anyway! I was watching the sublime QI one day and Stephen Fry asked if there was anything that rhymed with 'Purple'? Well in his usual style Alan Davies (bear with me non QI watchers...) thought he would be clever and shouted 'Wurple'........and to everyone's surprise it is actually a word in the Oxford English Dictionary. Wow you say, what does it mean - well to be truthful I forgot! But the name seemed apt for the scarf so there it is......PurpleWurple!






The other things I finished was a pair of booties made from the same yarn. These are working from the Funky Booties Pattern I have been working on (well 'working on' is a very loose term!). Bascially I remember knitting a pair of booties years ago, when Mum and I used to make a 'Box of Booties' for everyone we knew having a baby! It was an Australian pattern book I think and I have remembered it as best I can............not that its exactly difficult! So I am going to put the pattern together and publish it on Ravelry - I am not claiming to invent it of course, but this is just my version!!


They turned out quite cute although I am not sure if they look better with the tie or without???

Getting Back to Normal!

So we have been here for 4 months now - can you believe it!

I think we are pretty much settled in now:

1. The heat not longer makes me gasp for breath!

2. I have survived 4 months of Land Cruiser Grand Prix

3. I have already bumped my new car!

4. I no longer get stressed about calling contractors etc at least 6 times a week

5. I have bought white trousers!

6. Freddie can swim like a fish

7. Florence has FINALLY ditched her obsession with black opaque tights

8. Keith has found an excuse to eat curry 3 times a week - says if the Indians can do it - so can can we!


Some of the highlights of the last 4 months :



Our first off roading trip - foolishly with no back up and not enough water.........but we had fun!




My February Lady Sweater - cast on in the UK and cast off in the UAE







My first pair of socks - yes I know too warm for the UAE - but I will save them for trips home! Made from 'Harry Potter' yarn in the shade 'Dumbledore'............... ha ha!!






The Pool - small but very welcome!!






The kids...............aw how cute!






View from my office - not sure it lives up to Manchester Square - but at least I have a big window!! I am amazed daily when I see the traffic incidents on the Airport Road!!