Let's take a walk...

It was such a glorious day in Melbourne on Sunday I decided to take the camera with me when I went for a walk to the supermarket.

So, out the door and I couldn't resist the roses in our front garden.

About half-way down our street the council has renovated the playground.

It's so much nicer than it was. It's funny but you don't actually see a lot of kids in the area, although I'm sure they're there. Maybe it's because we're only just coming into summer now and the weather's a bit better. Dunno.

Anyway, we're not far from the station, and I had to stop at the level crossing when a train came out of the station.

I actually had to stop on the way back from the supermarket for a train heading in the other direction too.

Our street is lined with beautiful Jacaranda trees and almost all of them are now in bloom - such purple gorgeousness!!

The thing that surprises me somewhat is the proliferation of olive trees in the area - they're starting to fruit now and I think they'll be picked in about April of next year.

And then back home.

There but for the grace of god ...

(or whomever your chosen deity is), go I.

My partner declares that the world's gone mad (again), and I think she's right. With the goings on this week in Mumbai and Bangkok, and the ongoing dramas in Zimbabwe, I'm incredibly grateful that I live in Australia.

We complain about having to go through checkpoints at the airport and the stadium, but these are necessarily 'evils' put in place to try and protect the nation of Australia, and each person who can claim citizenship, residential status, or happens to be here on holiday.

I don't complain - I understand that a small inconvenience now and then will, hopefully, prevent a much more serious disruption. I'm not naive enough to think that terrorist attacks aren't possible in Australia, but the small things we can do to try and stay safe shouldn't be dismissed as being a nuisance or inconvenience.

And while we may not all agree with the decisions made by politicians, we have the opportunity to protest, or to remove them at the next election. And we know that the election will be fair and the result a true reflection of the will of the people.

I can't imagine the pain, both physical and emotional, being suffered by those in Mumbai in Zimbabwe. And I don't pretend to understand the reasons behind the extraordinary protests in Bangkok. But I do know that what we have in Australia is special and should be protected as much as possible, so long as human rights are not trampled upon.

Enough doom and gloom, except for one small in-memoriam. I heard on the news today that this man died:

Who is he? You may not recognise his face, but you may know his name, and you definitely know his work:

Yes, Joern Utzon, the dead-set legend that designed the Sydney Opera House has died at the ripe old age of 90. It's too much of a long story to talk about how the NSW government of the time totally screwed him to the wall and bastardised his plans for the interior of the House, but it's a travesty that his grand plans were never totally fulfilled.

I'm honoured to be able to say that I've performed at the House - both in the Opera Theatre and on the amazing Concert Hall stage. It's a magical place and today I take my metaphoric hat off to Joern for his vision and for giving Sydney, the nation and the world one of the most recognisable and amazing buildings we'll ever see.

Something to talk about

So it's been an eternity since I last posted.

I've just been soooo busy after moving interstate, and getting back to Uni and blah blah blah.

I copped a serve from a Ravelry friend about my lack of blog action, so now that I have something to mention I will.

Sunday just gone (19th), the missus and couple of close friends went off and did the Melbourne City Romp which was an absolute hoot! We finished way back in 935th place (out of 2000), but the point wasn't to win, 'cause that was soooo not likely, but just to have a noice day out and explore Melbourne a bit.

Here's the happy crew just before we enjoyed a quiet bevvy after the big day

We're already considering our strategy for Romp '09....

Moving makes you sick

They say that moving house is right up there with death and marriage as far as stressful events go.

Oh yeah!

Making the move to Melbourne is absolutely huge on the stress-o-meter. As it turns out, it's so stressful that it gave me mumps.

Yep, at the age of 40, I get so stressed and run down that I manage to pick up mumps from god-knows-where.

Normally I just shrug illness off after taking a couple of nurofen - not this time. I went down like a sack of spuds, and my face blew up like a balloon. I seriously looked like John Travolta in Hairspray, or Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - seriously puffy.

So I've ended up with 6 days off work - I think that's the same as the total number of days I've had off work in the past 2 years!

But the good news is that all the balls have finally dropped.

My job.

The missus' job.

The removalist's been booked.

And we finally have a house in Preston.

Yay!

Long time, no post

So it's been, like, two months since I last posted; and there's been waaay too much going on to catch up - so here's the heavily edited highlights.

The missus and I spent two weeks in Melbourne over Christmas/New Year for a holiday and reconnaisance for the big move which is coming just after Easter.

We had a great time - with one of the highlights going to Carols by Candlelight at the Myer Music Bowl - mainly 'cause these guys were performing:

Yep - it's the Choir of Hard Knocks - after an amazing year including a Platinum album, sold out concerts at the Melbourne Town Hall and Sydney Opera House, they get to sing to thousands of people on national television. Awesome!

I've been accepted into La Trobe University to continue my law degree, so I'll pick that up in 2nd semester once we've settled in our new abode (yet to be finalised).

And over the Australia Day weekend we spent a couple of days in Canberra to witness this event:

Ladies and gents, I give you Australia's Local Hero for 2008, Jonathon Welch. It was a fantastic weekend - one of the most emotional of my life. Not only being present at the Australia Day Awards, but then attending a citizenship ceremony was a fantastic way to spend our national holiday.

Now, the focus is totally on getting moved to Melbourne - it's looming very large on the horizon and things are starting to fall into place nicely. The missus remarked that it's a bit like a really huge game of Tetris. Yep, and it's starting to feel like the pieces are falling REALLY quickly!

THE Stash Conversation

Yep, the missus and I had THE stash conversation yesterday (and continued today, albeit tangentially)...

First, some background. We're moving to Melbourne - it's like a micro tree/sea change. We're swapping the in-your-face craziness of Sydney for the not quite as bad Melbourne. We really want to live in country Victoria, but without having jobs to go to, it's totally unrealistic. Then of course, I decide to go back to Uni, so that's put another spanner in the grand plan.

But in any case, we really want to be in Melbourne 'cause it's way more arts-focused than Sydney and that's really where our hearts lay - notwithstanding that I'm a public servant in law enforcement and she's (currently) in hospitality.

And we have some good friends there that we really want to spend more time with - and they're in the arts too...

So we're off to Melbourne at the end of March 2008. Yesterday we had a 'meeting' about what we need to do when we're south of the border at Christmas - like sussing out the suburbs and what's available for renting etc. Of course, I mentioned Bendigo Woollen Mills and that's when it happened.

"Why do you need more wool?!" Ummm, because I'm an addict? I only have 7 plastic tubs (I think they're 44litres), and that really isn't very much, is it? And that's what I said to her today. And she's like "by compared to who?" And I said not much compared to other people (read: addicts).

So I guess BWM is off the itinerary until we actually relocate. And I promised myself not to buy any more yarn until we relocate.

And then this arrived on the doorstep:

Uh oh....

It's a meme

I saw this meme on a couple of blogs that I read regularly, and 'cause I've never done one, I knicked it. I've whipped off the last two questions about why I answered it and tagging others.

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night
Well, not my partner who was sick, but I think I got a laugh from Judge John Deed at some point.

2. What were you doing at 0800hrs?
I was asleep

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Pretty sure I was watching Kevin Rudd on Rove

4. What happened to you in 2006?
I decided to go back to Uni to study law and convinced a good friend that doing a TV programme about a homeless persons choir was a good thing.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud?
"No thanks darl" in response to a question as to whether I wanted a cup of something.

6. How many beverages did you have today?
Mmm, I think 3 cups of coffee, 2 glasses of diet coke and a couple of glasses of water.

7. What colour is your hairbrush?
White

8. What was the last thing you paid for?
Groceries (boring!)

9. Where were you last night?
At home, enjoying the fact that I didn't have to study, and not enjoying the fact that my partner was throwing up (totally unrelated to each other!)

10. What colour is your front door?
Maroon and cream

11. Where do you keep your change?
Usually in my wallet, but I have a mug on my desk at work for overflow.

12. What's the weather like today?
It was very warm and sunny which was good for drying the washing, then it cooled down around 4-ish.

13. What's the best ice-cream flavour?
Only one?! I had sour cherry gelato yesterday which was nice, but I think my favourite would have to be rum n' raisin.

14. What excites you?
Singing with my choir, seeing my 2nd best friend (see Q4) and his partner, the prospect of making a huge life change in 2008 by moving to Melbourne (scares the crap out of me too!)

15. Do you want to cut your hair?
Yep - it's driving me mad. It's quite long and dead straight and boring. Although my partner loves it long. It's getting the chop at some point, but probably only to shoulder length.

16. Are you over the age of 25?
Oh yeah!

17. Do you talk a lot?
Depends on the situation. I'm actually quite shy and don't do small talk with strangers very well, but when I'm with a group of friends I'm quite gregarious.

18. Do you know anyone named Steven?
Yes - a work colleague, actually, a couple of work colleagues!

19. Do you want up your own words?
No, at least no intentionally.

20. Are you a jealous person?
No - I was quite jealous of my partner's ex early on in our relationship, but not anymore.

21. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter "A".
Amanda and Angela

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter "K".
Kathleen

23. Who's the first person on your received call list?
My partner

24. What does the last text message you received say?
"Oh - I thought I may have left my brain there" - don't ask.

25. Do you chew on your straw?
Yep, and pens and pencils

26. Do you have curly hair?
Nope - straight as it comes.

27. Where's the next place you're going to?
Work in the morning.

28. Who's the rudest person in your life?
I don't think there are any - they've been culled.

29. What was the last thin you ate?
Barbecued steak, potato in its jacket, onions, salad.

30. Will you get married in the future?
Hopefully one day the federal government will wake up and allow same-sex couples to get married.

31. What's the best movie you've seen in the past 2 weeks?
I don't think I've seen a whole movie in the last 2 weeks - I've been too busy studying for Uni exams.

32. Is there anyone you like right now?
It depends on what you mean by "like" - as in, got a crush on etc? In which case, only my partner.

33. Did you cry today?
Nope

Amazon, how do I love thee

I've been a bad blogger - but there's just been waaaay too much going on, like doing very important work things like getting ready for the Ombudsman's visit, getting my transfer to Melbourne approved, making an application to VTAC so I can continue studying law in Semester 2 of 2008, having godparents visiting, friends winning ARIA Awards, spending way too much time on Ravelry, studying for my exams in three weeks (yikes!)

And getting really nice things in the post from Amazon.

Behold!

Like I need more knitting books.

But Amazon brings me fabulous books that I either can't get here or have to pay vastly inflated prices, and with the dollar being so perky at the moment I couldn't resist.

And I've finished pair number 2 for SSS and am up to number 3.

Oops, gotta go and have some dinner before I head off to singing rehearsal!

Success!

Hurrah!

Thanks to Judge John Deed again, I've finished my first pair of SSS socks.




They were supposed to be for me, but when I tried on the first one, it was a little small, so I've passed them on the missus.


And I've now started swatching for pair number 2 - Monkeys with The Knittery's merino sock yarn.



I'm not sure what colourway this is - I've had the yarn in the stash for a while and so the label's long gone.


Spent a considerable amount of time yesterday in the library at Uni catching up on some Contract reading.


After the bitter disappointment of Criminal Law on Monday, I picked up my Contracts paper on Wednesday and scored a credit which I'm happy with 'cause: (a) I find contracts really boring, and (b) I left it to the last minute to write.


I've now come to the realisation that I set high expectations of myself and that unless I want to be studying 24/7 I'm going to have to be satisfied with credits and passes.


And I'm totally fine with that :-)

But wait there's more

I thought I'd be safe from anything else going wrong yesterday when I went to bed - fool!

My partner finishes work late (10.30pm), so I'm usually in bed when she comes home. And to try and reduce the noise factor, I close the bedroom door.

So last night I'm in bed, asleep, and something wakes me. Then I hear something that sounds like tapping on the front door. I ain't going nowhere at that point, just packing death that it's a burglar (yes, of course burglars knock on the door before coming in and stealing your DVD).

But then I'm very much alert. So I get up and open the bedroom door and I can hear my phone ringing - aha, maybe the tap on the door is friend and not foe.

And then I hear my partner calling my name - she's lost the house keys and has been trying to wake me for about 15mins without waking the rest of the street.

So that just topped off a day of mega highs and lows - sheesh, I don't remember killing a puppy and I don't think it was a full moon...

Days Like These...

What's that song - Mum never said there'd be days like these?

Mmm...

It all started so well - I got to work and before I had to head off to day 5 of the course I've been doing (and the last day) I got an email confirming that my relocation to the Melbourne Office had been approved. Of course I then got up from my desk and did my happy dance - much to the amusement of my co-workers!

Then I realised I'd lost an earring somewhere between home and my desk - no big deal - they were just plain silver hoops that I bought from Diva. But I feel a bit naked without them.

Off to day 5 of my course - the big day where we all had to deliver a 20min training session on which we'll be assessed. Went okay, so I'm happy with that.

During the lunchtime break I checked my emails and got my Ravelry invite - WAHOO! This is me!

Then I had to go to Uni for 3 hrs - two lectures back to back AND I got to pick up my Criminal Law assignment which I didn't do so well on. I passed but I'm VERY disappointed with the mark and I honestly think I've been jipped :-(

Ah well, tomorrow's another day and I'm on Ravelry and I'm moving to Melbourne next year. Yes, focus on the good stuff!

Task avoidance syndrome

I can be easily distracted and this week's been a doozy!

I've become a bit obsessive about the SSS - wanting to buy up all the sock yarn that I can possibly find. BUT I've shown remarkable restraint and on Thursday managed to come home with only two new sets of Knit Picks needles and one ball of sock yarn.

But, there's some coming that I won on ebay from The Knittery, and I'm eyeing off some Tofutsies from another ebay seller.

Yesterday morning I'd reached the foot of sock number 1 and was feeling rather pleased with myself.

I'm sooo loving my Knit Picks - they're nice and sharp and sturdy! The Tulip bamboos were bending and I was so worried one was gonna snap and that was totally slowing me down.

So thanks to 'Wire in the Blood' on Friday night and 'Judge John Deed' last night, I've now finished sock number 1.

Of course, what I really should have been doing was homework for the 5day course I'm doing at work - a Train the Trainer course, or studying for Uni.

Uni exams are in the second week of November, so once they're done it'll be all about the knitting, oh and getting ready to move to Melbourne. But more about that later...

And we're off!

In a perfect world I'd have all the time I wanted to knit. Yeah, like that's gonna happen!

Last week was mid-semester break from Uni - an opportunity for me to catch up a bit on my reading - partially successful, but I've got more to do before I'll feel reasonably confident about the exams that are looming large on the not too distant horizon.

So, not very much time for knitting. And the long weekend was a bit of a write-off 'cause my mother-in-law and sister-in-law lobbed at lunchtime on Sunday as we were off to see Josh Groban at the Sydney Opera House - he's such a noice boy and a fantastic talent!

And the in-laws didn't leave until about 3.30pm yesterday afternoon. And of course by that time the missus and I were absolutely knackered and all we wanted to do was have a Bex and a lie-down.

But, I did manage to cast on for Socks number 1:

It's a pretty shonky picture, but I wanted to get one done at the beginning. I've put the WIP aside (the baby cardie) for now to make sure I get going on the KAL! So we're off and running.

Preparing for the KAL

So last weekend I finally finished a jumper for the partner of the recipient of an earlier jumper in Melbourne, and I shipped it off on Monday morning - then immediately cast on a baby cardigan to refresh the palette after doing two man-sized jumpers back-to-back.

It's just a good old fashioned stocking stitch polo, knit in the round ('cause I detest sewing up) with Bendigo Woollen Mills' Mystique (wool/mohair/alpaca).

The recipient rang me before he'd even tried it on to gush about how beautiful it was - god love him.

Now, on Thursday I woke with a woeful headache - probably as close as I get to something resembling a migraine, but without the incapacity. Eight hours at work and 6 ibuprofens later I decide to try some retail therapy - the theory being that there was nothing physiological wrong, just a stress headache.

Off I trot to Lincraft to see if they've got the winter yarn on sale - yes they do, but it's really only the most crapulous stuff so I bypass it to the back of the store where they keep the 'good' stuff during the off season. Espied the Lincraft and Sullivan versions of sock wool at $12.95 a pop, but decided to forge on to Tapestry Craft and try my luck there. And apart from anything else, feeling guilty about even contemplating buying more yarn...

Mmm, nothing much to get excited about at Tapestry Craft. No, that's not quite right - LOTS to get excited about at Tapestry Craft, but my mood for shopping is flagging and I decide to head home instead, with the mistaken belief that I have heaps of sock wool in the stash.

Search through the stash today and discover, shock horror, that there really isn't enough to get me excited, but enough to get started.

So, I've decided that first up for the KAL I'll go for a nice plain pair of socks for me from this ball of Opal.

And just because I could, I took a photo of the first socks I made over a year ago - a plain pair with a skein of yarn I got from Happy Spider via ebay!

They're looking a little sad these days, and I didn't get the gauge quite right so they're a bit baggy, but I love them!

My First KAL

In a bid to be a bit more than just a reader in the world of knitting blogs, I've signed up to the Southern Summer of Socks knit-along.

Of course, as soon as I did that I headed off to the stash to see what I had in the way of sock yarn. And naturally enough I had to do some searching and found that I've probably got enough to keep me going. I haven't quite got to the stage of being overrun with sock yarn. Although if I had my way, I'd have waaay more than I do. But I'm trying to be a good girl and go on a Knit From the Stash programme at the same time as my partner and I are moving to Melbourne and the last thing I need to do is bring more yarn into the house that I'm going to have to pack and truck down the Hume Highway.

Anyway, during the sock yarn search I experienced something that I'm sure all knitters do on a regular basis - the reacquaintance. You know, you pick up some skeins and try hard to remember when you bought it, whether you bought it, and why on earth you bought it.

I went through a stage of buying up on ebay and that's the stuff I really don't remember buying and some of it I think I may never knit up, but I don't want to part with it just yet...

Next up I'll hitting the patterns books searching out sock patterns.

On turning 40...

At the end of July I hit the big 4-0. Not that I feel it - I feel the same as I did in my 20's. Except of course for the obvious, like a spot of grey hair, and not being quite as physically able as I once was!!

How did I celebrate? Well I originally wanted to have a big party with a DJ and playing all my favourite 80s and 90s music. But then I decided I really couldn't be arsed and opted for the much more mature (and sensible) option of having a dinner for a dozen or so friends at our favourite special restaurant.

Gifts? Of course there were gifts, even though I specifically said 'no gifts'. Lucky me scored lots of lovely things like books, scarves, bags, a hand-made necklace dripping with gorgeous purple Swarovski crystals, and the piece de resistance....







An autographed CD by my favourite all time band - Duran Duran. And yes, it's the original line-up from the 2004 tour - yippee!!! A friend was able to procure it for me and was under the impression that I'm 2 years older than I am, and has been sitting on it for 3 years in anticipation of my 40th.

And then of course, the other half outdid everyone by taking me ballooning! What a hoot!





Mmm, it's the other half's 50th next year - I've got something up the sleeve....

What a week!

It would be an absolute truth to say that the past week has been one of the most rewarding and hectic periods in my life (so far).

Singing at the Opera House

It's not everyday you get the opportunity to sing at the Sydney Opera House. It's even less frequent that you get the chance to perform in three shows on two days in two theatres. On Sunday 15th July at 2pm and 6pm in the Opera Theatre, and on Tuesday 17th July in the Concert Hall, I was among 100 very privileged choristers to join the Choir of Hard Knocks on stage for a finale that will stay with me, and I suspect the audience, for a loooong time.

For those who don't know, the Choir of Hard Knocks is a project administered by RecLink in Melbourne, and which was the subject of a 5 part ABC documentary aired earlier this year. The Choir Director, Jonathon Welch, is the most genuine and giving person I think I know, and I'm blessed to be able to call him a dear friend. He's taken a rag-tag bunch of homeless and disadvantaged people with little or no singing experience and turned them into a singing sensation.

I got the opportunity to visit the Choir at rehearsal in January, and the improvement in their skill since that time is phenomenal. Not only are they sounding wonderful (and better than some 'regular' choirs I've heard), they sing with absolute passion, enthusiasm and feeling that shoots you right in the heart. If I wasn't singing with them at the Opera House, I would've been in the audience, weeping throughout the performance as did my partner and friends.

Above is a picture of my choir backstage at the House.

Finished Object

I also finished a jumper I'd been working on for a dear friend of mine - being a Melbourne boy he appreciates the warmth of a handknit. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a decent picture of it - this is the best I could manage.

It's Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic in 8ply in Graphite - the pattern is Sue Flynn's Shawl Collar Jumper from "Australian Yarn Art".

Uni Results

And then, at 1am on Wednesday morning after the Opera House I log onto my Uni account and find out that I scored Distinctions for Legal Process & History and Legal Research. What a blast!

It's really reassuring for someone who hasn't studied for nearly 10 years to come back to it and find out that the amount of effort you're putting in is being rewarded - maybe this semester I don't need to work quite so hard. I think my other half would appreciate that...

Opera House Debut

One of my passions is singing and to feed that passion I'm a member of a community choir here in Sydney - we specialise in popular music, so there's no Bach or sacred music to be seen anywhere in the repertoire.

We've been invited to form part of a massed choir finale at the Choir of Hard Knocks shows at the Sydney Opera House in July - wahoo!!

The Choir of Hard Knocks is a wonderful group of disadvantaged and homeless people in Melbourne brought together by Jonathon Welch, who dead-set deserves a medal for what he's doing down there.

Anyhoo - that's why there's the counter at the bottom of the page. I've never sung at the Opera House, and now all of a sudden I get the opportunity to do three shows over two days in two different theatres.

Too cool for school!

Fun, fun, fun till Daddy takes the bus keys away...

Some people shouldn't be allowed on public transport.

Let me tell you a tale.

Yesterday morning was a bit of an adventure on Sydney's buses into the city. It's a wet morning - not a good start - so you know that the bus will probably leak and there will be wet umbrellas galore. So, the bus is due at 7.43am - I'm at the bus stop just before 7.40am. Bus arrives at 7.50am - it's late but you tend to expect that when it's wet 'cause people take longer to get on the bus, and there's more passengers than on a nice sunny day.

So I get on the bus - the driver is engaged in conversation with a female passenger in the front seat - and they're not discussing the weather. She wants to make a complaint because the bus is always late. Unfortunately the bus driver buys into the situation and starts to 'discuss' the issue with the passenger.

Then the driver decides he's too stressed to drive the bus and makes everyone get off and get on the bus that just pulled up behind. No happy passengers - and most of the anger is aimed straight at the pain-in-the-you-know-what woman who seems to think there's some personal vendetta by this bus driver to make sure her bus is always late (which it isn't - I get the same bus every day).

So I try to calm the waters and suggest to Mrs Dumbass that perhaps the earlier bus had been cancelled and this bus was on time. Her response "Shut up!" So that's the last time I try and mediate!!

Ah well, had a nice chat with some fellow passengers who agreed that Mrs Dumbass needs to get a life.

And behold - who was on the bus this morning. Yep - you got it. At least the bus was on time today - it's not raining. And can you believe she's putting on her make-up on the bus. What's the deal with that??? I don't understand women who do that - the bus bumps along and I know I'd end up with lippy all over my face.

The whole trip into the city this morning all I was hoping was for a bit of a bump and for the goddamn brush she was using to poke her freaking eye out!!!

Procrastination...

So what do you do when you want to blog, you know you should blog, but you're not sure what to blog about?

You avoid it. You do Sudoko puzzles, you study (which you should be doing anyway), you generally procrastinate.

If there's one thing I'm good at, it's procrastinating.

So, let's talk about my blog title - The Singing Knitter. Why did I pick that name, well I'm glad you asked.

If there's two things in life that I adore it's singing and knitting. Not necessarily at the same time, but hey, if the opportunity comes up I'm there!

I've been knitting since I was about 8 I think - you'd think I'd be good by now, but hey, you can't have everything. My other half thinks I'm good, so that's fine by me.

Same with singing - I started in the primary school choir at about the same time, skipped it in High School and recently got back into it. Nothing serious, just community choir stuff - but I've had the most wonderful choirmaster for the past few years and it's changed my life.

Oh, and of course the odd trip to the karaoke bar with work colleagues to belt out some Anastasia, Stevie Wonder, and whatever else comes along.

And this year I've picked up the law books and started my undergraduate degree - it's been a while in coming but I figure I should start now or I'll never do it - aha procrastination in action again. Mmm, maybe I'm getting over it at last?