Latest Knits

I have knit the following recently.

Bamboo Green Cardigan from "Beautiful Baby Knits" in "Knitting Issue 53". This was a quick knit and took approximately 1.25 skeins of Tivoli Cruise DK.

This is a blanket I knit for my sister's birthday. It is made with two skeins of yarn from Avoca Handweavers and is just a garter stitch border and then stocking stitch. Not sure of the yarn. It is yellow with gold flecks and was like chenile and then the other skein I mixed with it was pure alpaca in cream. A really nice warm blanket for cuddling up in these winter months.

Wedding Bliss

My good friend D got married 2 weeks ago and I had an absolutely great time at her wedding. It was what every wedding should be about. She was absolutely radiant on the day and I would like to thank her and her new husband D for a great day out. I was lucky to have been part of her wedding from day one from the picking out of the dress, the highs of lows of invitations, giving my advice on bits and pieces to having also having my very talented, arty, niece Gill taking her wedding photographs on the day. The day went without a hitch and we danced until early morning. The wedding took place at the Station House Hotel, Kilmessan, Co Meath and the staff could not have been friendlier. The food was excellent, as was the company, and the music brilliant. I even won the bet as to how long the speeches would take give or take 30 seconds. Needless to say I had inside information and it all rested on the Priest and how long he would take. All in all a great day out. They are happily enjoying their honeymoon now and can't wait to see them when they get back.

Books that get the Thumbs Down

Here are some books that I have read recently, just because I had them in my library at home. I would give these all 3 out of 10 which is really poor.
"The Gift" by Cecelia Ahern, "The Flowers of Ballygrace" by Geraldine O'Neill and "Thanks for the Memories" by Cecelia Ahern. Of the three "The Flowers of Ballygrace" was the best and I would possibly give that 4. I think Ceceila's books are more for the teenage audience and that is probably why I don't relate to them. I think Ceceila has great ideas for stories but not credible when I read them. I think they need to develop more. I have to give 10 out of 10 for Ceceila's ideas and I think she is really creative. This is the second book I have read by Geraldine O'Neill and whilst she is a good writer I think I am just looking for something more to get my teeth into. This is not to say that a good majority of readers out there love her work.

Mary O'Sullivan - Inside Out

I was delighted to see another book by Mary O'Sullivan on the shelves "Inside Out" and was not disappointed when I read this. I love her style of writing and there were so many elements and twists and turns to this book it was great up until the end. I would give this book 8 out of ten, which is very high on my scoring. Well done Mary, keep up the good work. This is a nice thick book but such a page turner. Mary combines chick lit with thriller, drama, passion and. Meg is the central character to this book and is just about to turn 40. She has two children, one in America and one just starting college and a husband who is going through somewhat of a mid-life crisis or maybe not. She also has a close friend Lynn who is also a key character in everyone's lives. I won't give the plot away, but needless to say, somthing is going on in everyone of these characters lives which will keep you turning the pages.

Latest Reads

As you will be well aware by now, I love dogs and I received this book "A Dog's Life" by Martin Clunes as a pressie from my sister. The book is really easy to read and is a biography of Martin and his dogs and how they came into his life. He also embarks on a journey worldwide to get closer to animals and to see how dogs have evolved. Martin had not got an easy time with his dogs, especially Mary. I think he did not quite understand how the pack leader concept worked and therefore he was quite troubled along the way. I would give this 5 out of 10.

"The Great Connection" by Arnie Warren is a one night read. Excellent book on how to connect with others. It describes four styles of behaviour in people but it first guides you through how to connect with yourself. I would give this book 6 out of 10 and you will read it in a night. Good for people new in management or just trying to understand how people in general tick.

"The Night Watch" by Sarah Waters is an okay read set in wartime Britain about four people living in London through the war with all its air raids black outs. It is not a particularly exciting read but is readable. Would give it 3 out of 10. Did not keep me engrossed.

Latest Knits

I have just finished this baby cardigan. It is from the book 101- Designer One Skein Wonders and it is called the Feather and Fan Baby Sweater. It is knit with Sirdar Washh 'N Wear 4 ply Crepe. I thought this was going to be an easy knit but I ended up ripping it when I got to the sleeves as I went wrong. Glad it is finished.

This is a pair of socks I knit for a birthday present for my niece. These have cotton in them and I bought the yarn in Stitch in Santry and it came with the pattern. Kaffe Fasset Regia sock yarn with cotton. Really pleased with these and I hope she will be when I give them to her in September for her birthday.

More Book Reviews

My sister gave me the "Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs. Having heard differing views on this book (none that great by the way) I thought this was going to be a bit of a drag but I quite enjoyed it once I got into a few chapters. The first part of the book is introducing all the characters and you start to get a bit mixed up with them all but once I was half way through the book it was plain sailing for me. It is about a single mother who was always interested in yarn and sets up a yarn shop in New York and then quite haphazardly a Friday night knitting group emerged. It is about friendship and love and forgiveness and it is a nice read. Nothing exciting but quite enjoyable.

This next book I read by Lynwood Barclay "No Time for Goodbye" was a cracker. I stayed up half the night one night just to read this. It is exciting, fast, riveting and you just cannot put this down. The prologue starts with this fourteen year old girl telling her parents she was going to a girlfriend's house to study and ends up in a car making out with her boyfriend. Her father finds her and drags her home. She is quite drunk and falls asleep and wakes up the following morning and her whole family has disappeared, her brother, her mother, her father and all the cars without a trace. Chapter one is 25 years later. I cannot tell you the rest as it is all uphill from here and I would ruin the whole plot, but definitely a page turner and full of excitement. I will be looking out for more of his books to read in the library.

Recent Visit to the Botanic Gardens

Took a trip recently to the Botanic Gardens with my sister Ger one nice Saturday morning. Started off with lunch in the restaurant, which I can highly recommend and then spent the rest of the time wandering the gardens. Ger should me how to use some functions on my digital camera and hey presto I think I have taken some lovely shots, close up.

This photo is taken in the Rose Garden. Another lovely purple flower.

This is an orchid taken in the Orchid house.

This is just a tiny flower taken close up on my hands and knees using the "macro" button. You need a stead hand.

There was a maze of sunflowers and this is just one shot.

If you like these photos and want to see the entire collection just click here.

The Divide by Nicholas Evans

I got a present of this book for my birthday. Having read all of Nicholas's previous books I was delighted that there was another one published. If you like Nicholas Evan's writing, you will love this book. A body of a young girl is found buried in the snow one day and it turns out she is from an upper class background but wanted by the FBI for murder. The book goes back and forth between the present and the past and centres about the girl growing up and the rift within the family. This is really a good read and does not disappoint.

Holiday Knits 2009

I have knit three things over the holidays. Two Paxton (Preemie & Newborn) Jackets - free Ravelry download. The first one I knit was in Tivoli Cruise DK and it turned out really well. The beauty of this pattern is that there is no sewing.

The second one was knit with Rowan Denim and also looks fab. These were a present for my friend's grandchild and she looks cute in them.

The third thing I knit was a lovely pair of socks for my friend called "Blue Bell Socks" from the knitting book 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders. This is a great book for little knits. The colourway in the sock yarn is yummy and is Regia sock yarn.

Summer Holidays - 2009

Well just back from a two week visit to Schull in West Cork. Weather was glorious and there was loads to do. Stayed at the Schull Holiday Cottages which are about a kilometer from the Main Street in Schull which is just a nice walk and a quiet spot at night. You can just stroll down to the village along the foreshore walk which is very scenic. This is a small view of the harbour of Schull and the next photo is a view from the house.

Highlights of my holiday were the food and the peace and quiet and the lovely fine hot weather. I would highly recommend a trip to hear David Syme play the piano during the summer months near Castletownbere. He does Sunday afternoon recitals in his home and his wife bakes lovely deserts for the interval. His house overlooks the Beara Penninsula and it was just bliss.Here is a picture of the inside of his sitting room with the Grand Piano in the middle of the room.

Another highlight of the holiday was taking a trip to Baltimore. This is a harbour village where all the boats go to the islands.If you are looking for a nice lunch or afternoon tea in Baltimore please do go to visit the Glebe house and Gardens just as you enter the village. We stopped there one afternoon and had scrummy scones and also this lovely raspberry and strawberry roulade.

As you can Daisy also enjoyed her holiday and was playing in the sea every day and relaxing on the sofa in the evening.

Another highlight of my trip was to visit Fastnet Rock. This is supposed to be an entertaining cruise to see the lighthouse and takes approximately two and a half hours. We engaged a dog minder for Daisy and were really looking forward to the trip. All started out okay until we reached the most southerly part of Ireland and entered the Atlantic Ocean and then the small boat let rip and we were swaying from side to side. The skipper called it rock and roll which lasted approximately one hour and nearly half the boat was sick. I luckily felt sick but more terrified but was determined to get some photos of the lighthouse, which did not disappoint me.

The scenery was really enjoyable on the way back and the sky was amazing. This is well worth a trip to, but only if you have sea legs otherwise strap yourself in for the ride.

All in all I had a great time in West Cork and if you want to see any more photos of my trip you can just click here.

My Summer Holidays 2009 - Books I Read

I read a selection of books on my holidays and I will give a brief synopsis and rating for each as summer reads. The first one is by Sheila O'Flanagan, "Anyone But Him". A really good light-hearted read where two daughters start interfering in their mother's life as they think she is paying a gigilo to stay with her. Definitely one for the holidays. The second book I read was by Fiona O'Brien "None of My Affair". This is another great read. It is about a super-model's wedding of the year on a yacht in Marbella and all the problems that entails with the family. Definitely one to bring on holidays with you.

"The People Next Door" by Roisin Meaney is excellent. This is about the intertwining lives of three neighbours and how happiness can be found on your own doorstep.

"The Empty House" by Rosamunde Pilcher is a very short read but also quite good. This is a very descriptive poignant book about a woman who loses her husband and decides to take a house with her two children for the summer beside the beach and falls in love with her childhood sweetheart. The next book by Douglas Kennedy "The Woman in the Fifth" will not fail to entertain. Where Douglas gets his ideas from, I do not know, but he is such a credible writer you feel as if you are with him all the way. The character Harry loses everything, his family, his child, his job, his reputation, his money and ends up in Paris to try an recoup his losses, ends up getting really bad flu, loses most of his money and I won't ruin the rest of the book for you. This gets the thumbs up from me.

The "WWW Club" by Anita Notaro is not a great read but is funny. It is about a weight watchers club set up by a group of female friends where they very rarely lose weight. A bit like Sex in the City. Not great writing but an okay summer read.

"A Little Help From My Friends" compiled by Melissa Hill is a compilation of short stories by a host of Irish female writers about the value of friendship. Most of the proceeds from the book go to the Irish Hospice and the book itself is brilliant. A real girly friendship book.

I think that was a good list of holiday reads for all you girls out there. The only one I could recommend for the boys was the "Woman in the Fifth" by Douglas Kennedy.

Update on Daisy Doo

Daisy is doing really well and a quietened down a good bit - although not so quiet. She is now 18 months old (how time flies) and I love her to bits. She is so big, but I don't notice it until a smaller dog is up beside her. I am bringing her on holidays for two weeks to West Cork where she will have plenty of time to swim and walk.

Below is a picture of her for the first time when she let me tuck her in as she was feeling poorly. She soon recovered after a week's dose of antibiotics. She is terrible now at the vets and just hates it as she remembers being left there before.


Look at these eyes, you forgive her most things when she looks at you like that.

New Finished Knitting Projects

Finished these lovely alpaca socks called "Anne's Magic Stripes" from "Knitting Circles Around Socks". These were knit in the Alpaca Yarn Co. Classic Lite and on 3 mm circular needles using the magic loop method. These were a birthday present for my sister and she loved them.

I finished this lovely 111-7 Drops Jacket with Raglan Sleeves from Garn Studio Designs. This is a free pattern and it was knit with Mirasol Tupa Yarn - a lovely cotton with sheen. This is knit all in one piece and finished off with two nice buttons. I find the Drops Designs quite small fitting and knit the larger size.

I bought these gorgeous buttons in Avoca Handweavers, back in February and they suit it perfectly.

Reading - Latest Books

"Nothing Simple" by Lia Mills is about a couple who leave Ireland to follow their dream in America. They settle in Texas but nothing turns out as simple as it would seem. Recession hits 10 years later and when her daughter disappears Ray looks back on her life and comes to a decision. This is quite a good read.
"The Other End of the Leash" by Patricia B McConnell. This was an okay book but really for people who are into the total psychology of dogs. The book promotes an increased level of understanding of human and dog behaviour, in the hope that it improves the relationship between people and their dogs. It suggests that even the slightest change in body movement can have a huge impact on what your dog does next. I would only recommend this book for the serious dog owner on the level of the dog whisperer. "The Hat Shop on the Corner" by Marita Conlon-McKenna is an excellent read and is set in Dublin. Ellie, the main character, inherits a hat shop when her mother sadly passes away and decides to carry on the tradition, much to the upset of some property developers, who do everything to change her mind. This book is warm and uplifting - if you like Katie FForde you will love this. Through the book Ellie finds her own happiness and brings joy to a lot of people through her millinery.

Just finished "Love, Life, Hate Adore" by Deirdre Purcell but would not have been a favourite of mine. This was a good story but quite disappointing in terms of how the author portrayed it. It is about a girl Angela who took on the responsibility of looking after her brother when her mother died, only to be accused of rape when he was 19.

"Flying Without Fear" by Duane Brown. Yes I am afraid of flying and thought that reading this book might help. It did and it is very well written but nothing that I have not learned before from yoga classes. It goes through the whole aviation industry and how it is easier to be killed by driving your car. It is all about American Aviation and how planes are put through rigorous testing, as well as the pilots. Would not get you over your panic of flying but would certainly help in terms of relaxation methods of dealing with your stress.

"Bones Would Rain from the Sky" by Suzanne Clothier. I cannot rave about this book enough - but only if you are into dogs. An excellent book in terms of understanding the minds of dogs and how to get a better relationship with your dog. Suzanne is brillaint and though provoking. One chapter relates to how a dog never lies. When you come home from work, they are always glad to see you. When you leave a room and come back a moment later, they are still wagging their tail. Perhaps we could apply this to our human relationships. It provides a humane way of training and interacting with dogs and is the best insight I have received into dog behaviour, and I have read quite a few books on the topic. Well worth a read.

"After the Rain" by Thomas Christopher Green is a story about two brothers working in their family restaurant and have always had a very tight bond until their father commits suicide. A lovely easy read with lots to think about.

Art Exhibtion

Have not been blogging for ages but hopefully back on track. Have been really busy. Had my first art exhibition a couple of weeks ago which went really well. There was eight of us exhibiting in the Mount Pleasant Tennis Club in Ranelagh. Mairead, our teacher for six weeks was brilliant and inspired us all and gave us such confidence in ourselves. Special thanks to her. A big special thanks to Dara who helped me through the day and set up and to everyone in my class and all my family and friends who came to support me.

The picture above is some of the works by the other members of the exhibition. This is just a snapshot. I don't want to bore you.

This is called "Anenomies" and it sold at the end of the evening. I was a bit sad letting this one go but it means that I can continue painting with the proceeds. This was an oil on canvas.

My sister Ger brought me back some postcards from her visit to Monet's garden in Giverney. He has to be one of my favourite artists and it is my dream to visit these gardens - hopefully next year. This painting was done in wateroils on canvas and I was really pleased with it. My brother admired it so I gave it to him as a present. I called it Water Lilies.

This is the second one based on Giverney and I called it Flowers in Giverney. This was sold on the night and I had the pleasure of seeing it hanging in its new home and it looks great. This was oil on canvas. These two paintings were done entirely with a pallette knife - my favourite way of painting.

This painting caused me nightmares as up to the Sunday before the exhibition it was totally different. It is called "Midnight Poppies" and is acrylic on canvas. This also is hanging happily in its new house - hopefully loved.

This is called "Purple Flowers" and is oil and canvas. This was sold also and is happily hanging in Joan's house.

Unfortunately this one didn't sell and I called it "Purple Sunrise". It is wateroils on Canvas.

My First Pair of Socks

I have been putting off knitting socks for years but bought some yarn at This is Knit in Blackrock just before Christmas "Brown Sheep, Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn" and finally finished my first pair of socks thanks to some help from my sister when it came to shaping the heel and toe.

The pattern is from "Knitting Circles Around Socks" and is called Anne's Magic Socks. Loved the yarn and pattern and used approximately 1.5 skeins and hey presto - my first socks.

Wish You Were Here and Tell Me Your Secret

Just finished these two books. The first one is by Mike Gayle "Wish you Were Here". This is similar to a Chick lit but from the male perspective. I really enjoyed this book and finished it in two days. It is about a guy in a thirties whose girlfriend dumps him after 10 years and his other two mates decide that they will bring him off on a holiday to Greece for a week. It does not take him long to get over the love of his life and it is fun all the way. After been on an 18-30's holiday when they were 18 they decide to go on another one and once there, decide again that it is about time they actually grew up.

The second book is by Deirdre Purcell "Tell me Your Secret". Nicely written but a little far-fetched. A girl falls in love in the 1940's Ireland and her parents lock her up for 35 years in an attic, she has a baby and they just take it away to be adopted. Can you imagine.

Oriel Scarf

This is the Oriel Lace Scarf from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders which I am really pleased with.

The yarn is scrummy and 100 per cent baby marino wool and was a very welcome present from a fellow knitter friend in the Rathmines Knitting Group.

I knit this on 5 mm needles and is a laceweight yarn called Malabrigo Lace Yarn. I knit this in less than 2 weeks and then just steamed it with the iron to flatten out the edges. I am delighted with it.

I will certainly knit with this yarn again, perhaps a cardigan mm.... mmm.... mmm....

"Disgrace" by JM Coetzee

Picked up this book in a Charity Shop one day just for the cover, yes a dog on the front. Yes there is a subtle theme about dogs in it, but more an anology of what is going on around the author. It won a Booker Prize and I can see why. It is a straight forward short read and you feel that you just cannot put it down. Lurie is the main character who is unable to relate to women, having married twice and then turning to prostitutes and then one day has an affair with one of his students and is disgraced and exiled from the university where he is working. It is set in South Africa where Lurie spends time with his daughter Lucy on her small holding - post-apartheid where thugs get away with rape, robbery and attempted robbery.