Feeling loads better today - cut my anticonvulsant dose in half which seems to have worked.

I've finished spinning the lovely merino mix roving I got from Chimera on Etsy called 'Chica'. I was a bit worried when I opened the bag as its not really soft like the BFL I have spun so far but it was a dream to spin and has made a lovely sturdy yarn. The colours are just beautiful.


I've also finished my Ribbon Lace Scarf! I love it and are delighted to have finished it. Photos to follow when I've blocked it out.

really nauseous and vomiting again today. its been miserable. Think it may be my anti convulsants unfortunately so going to taper them down then up again slowly cause I can't spend the rest of my life feeling this unwell. hopefully will start to feel better tomorrow ...

got an awful migraine Wednesday evening and was awake all night with it. Then spent most of yesterday in bed or the bathroom as couldn't stop being sick.

Unfortunately there was no one around to have poor Luke so he had to spend most of the day entertaining himself - I managed to go downstairs a couple of times to lie on the sofa for the odd half hour during the day and to give him some food. Makes me feel really guilty.

I'm still in bed today - Luke is spending the day at his friends house so I know he'll be having a great time. Thank God as I just wanted to sleep today. and I did. Mike is home now. Luke says he'll kill him if he ever goes away again lol!.

Received my lovely Shunklie's roving through the post this morning. They are as beautiful as they look in the photo below. I need to crack on with spinning for my swap partner then will start on this ..... when I am well enough.

had a lovely friend to stay on Sunday night - she is a knitter too so we had a fab time talking yarn and spinning amongst other things. And Sparky didn't run away from her either which is a miracle 'cause Oskar (ex-ginger tomcat) hated her at first sight. Lol!
She and I are going to the yarn show run by iKnit in London in 2 weeks time.

I've spun up all the purple/ gold coloured yarn and hopefully can ply it tomorrow. Then I will have a bobbin to finish the yarn I am making for my swap partner on Ravelry.
I've just got these two lots of extra fine merino roving from Shunklie's at Etsy I'm hoping to make a shawl as it total 8oz. or a very big stole:



I took Luke to get school shoes this morning. What a NIGHTMARE! I could have killed him. In fact, I almost did. He hates shopping at the best of times but really played up today. But we got some in the end that cost £35 (gulp!)

Still having migraines but the pain seems to be a lot less on 2100mg of gabapentin. Still getting the overwhelming fatigue and nausea etc but not unbearable pain so thats a step in the right direction.

Mike is still in Greece. He rang to day to say that its 36 celsius in Athens today. grrr.

Started spinning the fibre I bought from Etsy today. The colours are absolutely stunning and I'm hoping to make myself some socks. I have some other roving I can dye dark purple for the toes and cuffs if more yardage is needed.



had a quiet couple of days but no migraine since Wednesday thank goodness. The weather has been lovely and sunny. I had a look at the fleece I bought and filled the sink with hot water to start washing it - and then couldn't face doing it and put the fleece in the bin. Just can't face having to card it all once its washed. Lesson learnt to buy pre-prepared fibre only in future.

Rosie is back from her mini-break at Grandma's. She is exhausted and snoring heavily on the floor after having the paws walked off her. She gets a lie in there though as Luke is always up at 5am here and gets her out of bed. The only bad thing about her staying there is that she sleeps in the lounge with three cats. I bet she doesn't dare move a muscle all night in case she gets pounced on.

We managed to get to the Priddy Sheep Fair today! The weather was damp and warm but not torrential rain. There were lots of travellers selling horses which was fabulous to see. Some of the mares had their foals with them (is a mother donkey called a mare?). One of the foals was really new with very shaky spindley legs!





Then we went down the road to the 'sheepy' bit. No wool for sale that I could see but some shearing going on and sheep for sale. Couldn't convince the boys to bring a sheep home with us. The ladies from the Avon Spinning Guild were there spinning away and were very pleasant to meet.

Had another migraine overnight but luckily the worst had passed by this morning so dosed myself up and didn't feel too bad.
We stopped at ToysRus on the way home and Luke scored some Star Wars lego much to his delight. He hated the Sheep Fair lol! He said 'this is the only time I ever have to come here in my life, isn't it?'

I made an apple pie the other day with some of the apples off one of our trees. They are truely laden this year. Unfortunately we haven't got our free range rabbit this year to scoff them all.

Managed to get some spinning done today for my swap partner and bought some more roving to ply it with. Its been really hard for me to decide on a colour to ply it with so fingers crossed I've chosen the right one.
I also received half a Mule sheep fleece in the post. Rosie almost fainted with delight when I opened it for a peek and gave it a through inspection. I've parceled it back up again until I can wash it properly. And I'm a bit scared of it truth be told lol.

Its been really, really wet here the last couple of days (weeks? months?). Luke's cousins came over to play this afternoon and they have kept themselves very busy with Lego and the Wii Fit. Rosie got a bath so she is all shiny and gorgeous. Sparky got flea'd so he is more pissed off than usual and stomping around rather than floating as normal.

I've been reading more about NZ colonial life - I read this book today out of the corner of my eye while supervising the kids. Its called Station Life in New Zealand and is by Lady Barker. She sounds like she was a game old chook - you can read more about her life here. She sure got about considering it was all by sailing ship. And theres me moaning about a 24 hour flight home.

I'm really hoping the rain stops as we're hoping to go to Priddy Sheep Fair tomorrow. I wonder who in this family want to go to a sheep fair? ;0)
Apparently its been held since the 1300's and was moved from Wells because of the Black Death. I might try to convince the boys to go to Wells for a gander at the cathedral too. Luke loves cathedrals which is useful.

Mike and his sister have taken Luke and his 2 cousins to Legoland today - its been really wet on and off so think they are probably drowned rats but as its Luke's favourite place on earth they will enjoy themselves (well, the kids will) ;0)
I did warn Luke to watch out for the pink lego in case it dragged him over to the dark side - he is very wary of anything pink. He calls his cousins the 'pinkinators' as they love it.

Not feeling great. think I've got another migraine coming. feel really tired and yawny but no sign of it yet. Got letter from cardiologist saying he'd be delighted to stuff a catheter into my heart and plug the hole for me so on waiting list (the 5 month waiting list.) wouldn't want to be sick, would you?

Found a fab online site for NZ history documents called the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre . I had a dream I was on a whaling ship off the South Island last night (who knew?) so thought I'd read more about it.

I've also been looking for another module to take towards my never ending Open University degree. I've got to get another 60 points at level 3 and I'll be done. I'm hoping that by Feb 09 I might be up to starting something. There is two 30 point courses I'd like to do: Infectious Diseases; and Senses (vision etc not common) so fingers crossed for a complete cure by Monday next.

This arrived in the post for me last week from a lovely etsy shop DragonFibers . Its called Free Range and is blue faced leicester roving

Luke has had a friend to stay overnight so they've had a great time doing boy stuff and turning the house upside down. Luckily the rain stopped long enough for them to renact StarWars on the trampoline.
Had a migraine last two days. grrrr. I've increased my anticonvulsants for the second time this week. I'm going for the kill or cure option this time. Good news is I have a neurology appt. on Sept 12th so fingers crossed.

Managed to buy something lovely for my Ravelry swap partner on the fabulous Etsy.
I bought this for me this week too from Chimera @ Etsy:





I've had to cancel my alpaca fleece purchase unfortunately. I had to buy a load of stuff for the cat at the vet so can't afford it now. But I'm sure I'll survive this setback lol.

Going to spend the day watching the Olympics and taking the hound out walking. Mike off all of next week so planning some day trips.

Feeling so much better today.
Have been doing some more crochet on Bender's shiny metal ass - about half way up his body now. I think I am the worlds slowest crocheter as well as the worlds slowest knitter. who knew I could be so doubly talented?


Mike been put through his paces in new job - 10 hour days in the classroom and then out at night. He is knackered but says job sounds like it will be really interesting. He will be back from Belgium tonight.

Luke and I are having a day at home today - he spent the day at Grandma's with his cousins again yesterday as I had a migraine. He went swimming, played lego and had a great day. Rosie got the legs walked off her again and is also knackered. I've just put the fire on for a while as it is cold and wet here today and she is snoring happily in front of it. No sign of an appearance by Mr Sparkles yet today. He is usually first on the scene when the fire goes on.

I'm taking part in a spinner's swap on Ravelry so need to crack on with my spinning offering soon just in case I get taken down by migraines closer to the sending date.

I heard from the lady about my baby alpace fleece - she has one from a little chap called Assam she is going to sell me. Here is a photo of him with his Mum Whitesox. Cute or what?


And I've also managed to acquire another half Mule fleece from a lovely lady on Ravelry so that should be dropping through the postbox any day. Mike is going to have a stroke when he sees all this fleece arrive.

well, I went to the Doctor on Friday. Just as well Mike was with me as I just cried. and cried. and cried. So she stopped the Lyrica (thank god, I've had a miserable month on that drug) and restarted me on Gabapentin which I was on before. Worked wonders for my herniated disc pain anyway. Had a couple of miserable days over the weekend but really starting to feel better now.
Mike went camping with his sister and her family, and Luke, his Mum and Rosie. They had torrential rain and Rosie has done nothing but sleep since she came home. I think they broke her with too much exercise. Poor dog.
Mike goes to Belgium tomorrow for training for his new job. He is still an ultrasound engineer but with cardiac catheters. He's threatening to close the hole in my heart on the kitchen table if they don't hurry up and give me a date.
Actually did a bit of spinning today which was lovely - some lovely shiny, deep green merino. and then I went back to bed for the afternoon. Story of my life.

Just stayed in bed today - my head still really hurts. Had very long, painful night.

Luke went to Grandma's with his cousin so I had no reason to get up. He had a lovely day - went swimming and other nice things. He is such a lovely little monkey. I am really proud of him (when I don't want to throttle him, that is!).

Mike's taking his racing bike to a track day tomorrow so Luke and I have a whole day together. We're planning lots of films and popcorn. Fingers crossed my head will be a bit less sore.

Still not able to spin, knit or crochet and can't even look at stuff on the internet as my eye strings are killing me (yes, thats a medical term - eye strings. They really really hurt when you turn your eyes when you have a migraine). So its just me and the BBC World Service for another night.

had the most awful migraine today. Luke home so had to stay up most of day as not fair for him to be alone all day - found some earplugs and wore sunglasses which helped. Its been a very long, long day. I havne't been able to spin or knit for days which is really frustrating.


I rang the hospital in Bath where I was referred to the neurologist about 8 weeks ago by my GP to find out where my appointment was only to be told they have no record of my referral. So I've had to chase my GP to get another referral. I know they sent the original as they told me they had done so. So its going to be months before I see the neurologist now.

And did I mention my head really really hurts, I can't stop being sick and I'm going to bed now Mike is home. Poor man has started a new job this week and has to come home to this. I did offer to get Luke a new Mummy today but he said he'd prefer to get the old one fixed. God love him.


Anyway I going to go to sleep - Rosies come up for a cuddle and has designated herself todays 'migraine cat' so can't keep her waiting

feeling really unwell the last few days. Really fatigued and just yuk. Don't know what to do about it really. Fed up with feeling like this. We are supposed to go camping this weekend with Mike's relations but really can't face it at the moment. Feel like a 90 year old today. Had Luke's cousins for the day. Managed to get them to the town Museum for an hour this morning and luckily Mike came home from work early so I could go to bed for a sleep - I was almost crying with fatigue when I saw him. I really really don't want to do this chronic illness business anymore.