Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Grumpy McGrumperson

Sorry about the unintentional blogging hiatus. Didn't mean to worry anyone.

Basically I've been feeling blecch from the infection, taking penicillin because I react to sulphinamides and some of the related ones as well BUT Cephalexin gives me a nasty stomach ache so still not great. Then of course there was the four+ hours spent Clogging [appalachian tap ] on Sunday at Daylesford . Illadvised when one is not at peak fitness, but I'd made the committment to be there and no way I was going to miss it. Plus I had a great time - no camera though so you miss out on the sight of a middle-aged Catsmum tapping her feet into blisters. Got to cue for the first time in ages and proved I haven't lost that particular skill. David spent the time alternatively watching the dancing and DVDs and eating enough junk food to last a month so a good day in his book I think :] I pretty much fell in a heap yesterday - then turned around, blisters and all, and drove back last night for the usual monday night class - got told I can cue as much as I like in future :] - and today I have David home with a cold which he seems to have shared with me, so I'm taking full advantage and staying in the jammies in front of the teev and the fire with only occasional forays to feed said fire or the livestock.

and speaking of livestock as I believe we just were:





Ms Caramel is still living in the linenpress most of the time, still not happy, and I have to say she would have to be the single most unlikeable cat I have ever met in my life. Oakley and Sophie share that view. Every overture is still being met with claws and/or teeth. She is a nasty, vicious little piece of work and she'd better settle down soon while I still have a few shreds of skin left unscarred.



the rest of my life in bulletpoint:
  • [Re]reading HP and the Order of the Phoenix, to be followed by Half Blood Prince before Nadie brings up Deathly Hallows next week. Also reading Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature.

  • Knitting - well nothing really because the wrist was still sore but I'll get back to the current baby cardi that I haven't posted about in the next day or so -

  • crocheting STILL on the ripple baby blanket for friend Robyn to give some friend of hers I've never met. She thinks that she's doing me a favour by giving me something to 'keep me busy'. LOL Little does she know!!

  • quilting? Well I'll probably get back to finishing the binding/hanging on the current rock thingy and I've decided to hang it sideways after all and bugger the text. Upside down just looks flat out wrong but sideways not so much. I did even consider chopping it into three or four 'fragments' but decided against it.

  • I've finalised the design for the quilt that I have to do within the next month or so for the Johnstone collection and I'll fill you in on that next time. Not something I'm doing willingly but one makes a committment - or rather gets nagged into one - so I'll do it. Can you tell me why do it is that people think I have nothing to do in my life except their own particular pet little project? Yeah, yeah, I've already heard the one about how I should take it as a compliment. Today I'm not buying it... and for some reason I feel like I have to apologise because I'm having a negative day. What is this major flaw in my character that I can't admit to being bummed when I'm not well?

I'll leave you with these: an oilslick on the wet road in town yesterday morning - who WAS that mad woman crouching in the middle of the road with a camera? - and my quilt Oilslick [ made in 1995 but some of you won't have seen it ] I'm giving you two photos because neither of them is really true for colour.


19 comments:

crazyhaberdasher said...

I was wondering how you were, nearly rang. Hopefully Caramel will realise soon how good she has it a Chez Catsmum, and I never knew that is what that quilt was called, fabulous!

crazyhaberdasher said...

..should be - AT Chez Catsmum....

Val said...

Your "oil slick" quilt is beautiful!

I'll be looking up the word "cue" in relation to clogging...

Denise said...

I really love the oil slick quilt - beautiful design and colours.

I hope you're on the mend soon, and that Ms Caramel settles down, or at least is happy to swallow the tranquiliser tablets (although I suspect that the old dart gun treatment would be more satisfying!).

catsmum said...

Clogging 101: Cueing
I suppose you all know how square dancing is 'called'? Some guy in a western shirt up the front with a microphone calling out 'do si do' or whatever, a couple of beats ahead of the dancers needing to know what to do next? Well clogging is Called too, except we term it Cueing... with the huge difference that the person cueing is also dancing, so it's a slightly schizophrenic skill to have because you need to have part of your mind on what your feet are doing now while keeping track of the beat to give the next cue in time for the dancers' brains to interpret what their feet should be doing next. It needs to be well timed and it needs to be very very clearly enunciated.
To teach clogging one needs to be able to cue but not all cuers teach - well at least I don't at the moment... but I have in the past. I could use that as a 'random fact' if I ever get around to posting on that one :]
So there you are Val. More info than you probably needed or wanted.

Val said...

No, NOT too much info at all! You don't say anything though about needing a tremendous amount of aerobic ability to be able to produce more than a squeak while dancing!! That is impressive. I often wonder how my aerobics teachers can give us instructions (far less frequently I'm sure than cueing)while doing the workout themselves.

Anonymous said...

Oh, how beautiful Susan. You really are ahead of your time! Hope you feel better soon.

Alice said...

I came here to ask about 'cueing' and see that Val beat me to it, and you've already answered in detail. Sounds like quite a challenge - a bit like being an interpreter at the EEC in Brussells, listening to the conversation and translating into another language at the same time.

All this dancing must keep you pretty fit, and your reading and quilting keeps you mentally and creatively fit, too.

Your oil slick quilt is quite beautiful, and I have no idea how it's done.

Sorry your medicine is maker you sicker before it makes your better, but I hope your wrist gets better soon. You may need it at full strength to strangle bloody Ms Caramel!!!

Rose Red said...

I know exactly how you feel - not for the same reason as you though. Oh well!

Your oilslick quilt is so clever!! You've reproduced the look so well!

Hope Ms C. Cat settles down soon.

Sheepish Annie said...

Poor Catsmum! I think you've earned a bit of a grump since you're not feeling all that well and are still doing quite a bit. I'm more of a "lie around moaning for attention" type when I'm sick. I highly recommend it!

Rest up and feel better! And thanks for the "cue" definition. I'm very impressed with the multi-tasking on that one!

Diane said...

I love your oil slick quilt. So pretty.

Antibiotics always on a full stomach and make sure you eat yogurt every day for a few weeks after you complete your treatment. The antibiotics kill bad bacteria but they also kill the good ones too.

Donna Lee said...

I am prone to nasty skin infections and have just finished another round of cephalexin. It upsets my whole digestive system and makes me feel generally crappy. And then, after all that, the "feminine infection" that follows antibiotics.
Your oilslick quilt is really beautiful. Quilting is a hobby that I am just starting to dip my fingers into, doing research and stuff. I think I could like it...

MadMad said...

Wow on the oilslick quilts, wow, wow. Amazing. Feel all the way better soon!

mehitabel said...

The oilslick quilt? Lovely lovely! The nasty cat? Not nearly so good! I have one who's thoroughly unlikable, from his grating rusty yowl, his scrawny body, his foul breath (he's FIV positive and always going in for tooth cleaning and antibiotics for the mouth, but it only takes a few days and he's bad as ever) and demanding begging. Oh well, The Daughter loves him (except when he drools all over her)! Wanna trade?

Tan said...

Hi, Susan, I'm glad to see you're another Harry Potter fan. Can I get your email address for my blog contest at Vortex of Chaos? You can email me at tanasay AT comcast DOT net. Thanks for entering my contest!

Meow (aka Connie) said...

The oil slick photos are amazing ... never would have thought to photograph something like that !!
The quilt is even more stunning ... I wish I had the patience for it ... I bought some cute fabric squares yesterday, though, in a wonderful Quilting and Patchwork shop in Ferntree Gully !! There are 70 x 3.5 inch squares ... all in Aussie / Aboriginal style prints. Might make a cushion or two !!
Hope the cat eventually settles down, or at least stops injuring you all.
Take care, Meow

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Aaah, so you know Ferntree Gully Mountain Gate Shopping Centre !!! The Swiss Bakehouse has some yummy stuff, and I do know the Bienenstich you referred to. They make nicer ones at the Bayswater Cake Kitchen, though !!!
Did you grow up in the outer suburbs ?? I grew up in North Blackburn, and moved to Wantirna South in 1987, with my hubby ... been here ever since.
Hope you like the CD ... I still need to post out the rest ... time has gotten away from me !!
Take care, Meow (Connie)

Meow (aka Connie) said...

OMG, small world alright !! We live just off George Street, down near Cathies Lane, and my daughter went to Knox Gardens Primary (now she goes to Highvale Secondary). We must have seen each other around sometime !!!
In Blackie North, I lived in Sheila Street, which was off Surrey Road, near Koonung Creek !!
Small world ... lol.
Take care, Meow

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Hahaha, seriously freaky is right !!
No, never walked that way ... I'm one of those terrible mums who always drove her daughter to school !! I may have driven past your house hundreds of times though !!
But, I was a Betterware distributor for awhile, so I may have dropped catalogues at your place !!!
If I had've met your Smokey, though, I surely would've stopped to talk to him ... how could I resist !!
Funny .... Meow