9th Wonders!

If you have ever been into comic books or graphic novels, I hope you caught the first couple of episodes of Heroes airing on Channel 7 on Wednesday nights. As usual (and as happened with the awesome Firefly series by Josh Whedon) free-to-air telly's promotion of the show didn't reveal the super-cool geekiness that is going to make it another cult success like Firefly, with followers doing what they can to get episodes online. Hopefully, like Firefly, it will also eventually end up on DVD for the less net-savvy folk to pick up.

The show is airing on NBC in the US, and their website gives the most recent episode and a 2 minute catch up. Unfortunately they are well ahead of us, but you can click through the storyboards for the earlier shows to give you a basic rundown, although try to get the actual shows online or from someone who taped it as all the things that will get you hooked are in the small detail. It's also worth noting that the NBC site has graphic novels which seem to be spin offs from Season 2, and the Channel 7 site has some crappy recap videos for the current season.

I never saw it coming.

I'm 35 - unbelieveable but true.

It happened yesterday.

The folks at work were having an indepth discussion as to whether middle age begins technically at 35 or if perhaps I can stave off that little catastrophe another 5 years. Thanks guys Regardless, I had a pretty awesome day - lots of fun. A day filled with cake, wine, and good food....and balloons delivered to my desk at work! Thanks Carla!

My Bloody Valentine

This time last year I was getting squished by a truck on the way to work.

Here's a picture of me getting squished.

To everyone who got me through the following weeks - THANK YOU! You guys know who you are.

To the guy who took an illegal shortcut in front of me - Happy Valentine's Day, I hope the judge tore you a new one.

Edit: On a rather geeky note, it's interesting to see that the only piece left of my scooter is about the same size as the piece of metal they used to patch up my arm:

Nice booty

I've been a-purchasing again after a few months of trying to save my pennies. I guess it was a withdrawal thing - hysteria finally set in and I found myself being drawn to things I can technically live without. It all started with this bag I found at Midas - not only an awesomely scrumptious bag, but also the perfect size and shape for my knitting. A pair of needles can fit flat on the bottom and the base doesn't sag so no need to worry about bamboo needles breaking.

Perfect for knitting on your lap on the bus:

The second thing came from a trip to a new store I've been meaning to visit since it opened up a couple of months ago - The Funky Junk Shop on the corner of Sydney Road and Wanganella Street, Balgowlah. I've been hunting one of these down for ages - a grannymobile for shopping. I've seen a lot of the brown swirly 70s fabric ones but they're not really me. Also found a nice bit of pre-loved fabric.

The buying frenzy finished with a collection of subdued hues from my pusher in Dee Why. I'm think of turning the flowery stuff into a dress, so am now on the hunt for patterns suited to stretch fabric:

On the drawing board...

It's weeks since I posted but rest assured while I've been holed away in my den I have been up to some crafty things. My Mum gave me a pile of her old sewing patterns for children's toys at Christmas time. Things I remember her making when I was a little girl. Saggy-bottomed frogs with beady little button eyes. Stuffed rabbits and hand-puppets made from scraps of fabric that I recognised from my old worn-out dresses and in new quilts she'd also made from them. When it came to craft, and most things in fact, my Mum was nothing if not resourceful. And still is I might say. So it was no surprise to find her paper patterns cut from discarded architectural drawings made by my father years before.

It's going to be a challenge to make some of these though, to say the least. Most of the patterns have been designed by Mum herself, or copied out of magazines sometime in the seventies. There are no instructions for how to put the pieces together, and in some instances it's hard to tell whether something is a leg or an arm, an ear or a belly section, or what the finished product should resemble. On the phone to Mum I tentatively announced that I would try out the pile of pieces labelled "March Hare". Her response was "Yes, I found that one a little tricky". This coming from my crafting mentor is a foreboding message. Nevertheless, I'll give it a burl. The pieces are cut and ready to go - I just have to figure out which bit to start with first:

Now, to knitting. I haven't really been into it lately. A few months back I got myself into an absolute tizz trying to get through my first piece of lace. I've abandoned that now, and whilst I might one day go back to the complicated stuff, for now all I want knitting for is a bit of fun. Something mindless to watch telly by. And when I say mindless I really mean it. Here's the start of a tea cosy. It's just gonna be two squares stitched up. If I get really crazy I might shape the top but don't bet on it. For now I'm going to be the girl who makes stuff from squares.

I won't get much of it done for a few days though as I'm sick again - nothing serious, but just enough to make me curl up in a ball and feel sorry for myself instead of doing stuff. And enough to stop me going to Stitch n Bitch, which means noone egging me on to knit more. I'll get there in my own good time. But don't hold your breath.