Happy New Year!!

Posting disappeared by the wayside towards the end of last year, and then I was away for Christmas. There are advantages and disadvantages to keeping your families on the opposite side of the country. One of these is the travelling you do to make sure you see everyone and another is that at least their rows are kept on the opposite side of the Pennines when you escape.

In this instance, Christmas was spent with the BF's family where everyday could have been spent more peacefully in Basra. There's a lot of family tradition that to be followed... this translates as a lot of work that MIL and especially FIL ('cos he doesn't do any of it) view as essential to the true Christmas experience...that no-one else expects. When help is offered, it is always rejected and then there will be several rows to rival anything seen on 'Eastenders' as everyone is criticised for being unsupportive and ungrateful.

From there, we went to my Mam's (both of us breathing deep sighs of relief). My Step-Dad turned 60 on the 28th and, for eight months, my Mam has been planning a surprise party. She hired a small room at Lumley Castle (on the banks of the River Wear at Chester-le-Street for you cricket fans) for a family party.



For the first time (in six years) my brother and I (and our partners) met my Step-Dad's sons and their partners. It was a fantastic evening - everyone hit it off. My Step-Dad was stunned when he caught sight of his sons and my brother sat together in the bar: "But how do they know each other?" The food was delicious, the wine was free-flowing and the birthday cake (completely chocolate) smuggled up from "Slattery" (http://www.slattery.co.uk/) in Whitefield went down a treat.

In other news... my second Christmas neice was born on the 15th December - Talia Rose. My brother sent me a text message: "New baby is here. Smaller than Lois - 6,10. She's got massive feet!" I love his sentimentality... and she really does have massive feet. :-) My brother and his wife loved the things I had knitted, as did her sister...who disappeared with the moon and stars blanket.

My Step-Dad was really grateful for the socks I knitted for his birthday - it was quite a reaction for someone who doesn't usually say much.

The BF loves "Saranac" though some blocking is required for better shaping. I'm a little disappointed with that, and I have made a further rod for my back. He loves the socks "and wouldn't mind some more if you're knitting them."

Meanwhile, my nephew has finally started wearing a hat. The "Sirdar Bamboo DK" paid off. Once the gift was opened (including the two jumpers which his Mum loved, but he wasn't much impressed by) he made off with the hat. He spent all night rubbing it against his head and face. So the softness works - that and the fact that we've fasted it to his head. (I previously suggested stapling, but for some reason, this wasn't a popular idea).

Some of my fab presents included "Bags Two" and "More Sensational Knitted Socks" - which I'm going to need some help with... regarding how to follow the instructions! Basically, I made out like a bandit.



Anyway, Happy New Year to you all - I hope the coming year is everything you want it to be.