Secret project revealed - and a new reading blog

The secret project was a version of the Irish Hiking Scarf (two cables instead of three made in super bulky Patons Husky wool from my stash). It was a birthday present for my friend Phill. His birthday isn't until next week but it has been a very cold (by Melbourne standards) and sudden introduction to winter and it seemed cruel and unnecessary to hold it off.


I presented Danica to Jess, Phill's wife and also a good friend, whose birthday is also next week - last year I gave her a hat made out of the same yarn, so it worked out well. I'm very happy to say that like most knitting, Danica improved markedly with blocking but I think I forgot to take a post-blocked photo of it (Do'h!).

Introducing The Readaholic
I have decided to start a new blog for writing about the books I'm reading. This should keep things a bit more organised and allow this blog to focus mainly on the knitting. I was inspired to start The Readaholic by Juli who is knitting a scarf for me as part of ISE4. Juli's set herself a reading challenge; I'm already doing a lot of reading because I spend 2 1/2 hours a day on public transport and it is getting too crowded to knit en route - I can read standing up with one hand holding onto a seat back using the book as a barrier between me and my fellow commuter's armpit. Plus I love reading anyway. So check it out if you are interested.

The illusion of knitting something new

The secret project is now finished; I'll post a photo later this month once the recipient has received it.



I have finally started to dip my toe into illusion knitting. After a couple of false starts I decided on Ysolda's skull illusion scarf. I've slightly altered the pattern - added two extra garter stitch rows at the start and an extra three garter stitches at the start and end of each row; this stops the scarf curling at the sides and ends; it also makes it a bit wider which I prefer. Assuming it turns out as planned and I can finish it within a month, it will be another birthday present.

The prophecy of Philip Dick

The Secret Project is now half done - how I love big bulky wool!

 

Danica is looking a lot happier now that I have steam-blocked it but I still hate the seam-look.

 

I have a disturbing number of project ideas either on the needles (no dear socks, I haven't forgotten you) or spinning around my head or in print-offs and photo-copies of patterns.  I've extended my borrowing time on Big Girl Knits and obtained a new interesting stitch idea from my ISE4 partner Beth. And I'm only committed to four more birthday presents within the next two months.

 

So of course I have chosen this time to interrupt my knitting to catch up on some long missed reading.  I am currently going through a Philip Dick stage - he was the twisted mind behind the ideas that created the films Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report.  Apparently he took a lot of drugs which probably led to his early death (just a few weeks before the release of Blade Runner) and I suspect that reading some of his books may be a way of accompanying him on his drug trips without the nasty side-effects.  They have the internal logic of some of my bizarre dreams that make perfect sense while I am having them but make no sense at all once I've woken up.

 

His books explore the two philosophical ideas that obsessed him and that he never resolved during his life - "What is reality?" and "What is an authentic human being?"  What I find most fascinating is that he explores concepts that have become the reality in our world, decades after his death.  He never lived to see the growth of the Internet or creation of virtual worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft  - but more than 40 years ago he described the issue of people becoming obsessed with a virtual world to the exclusion of the real world.

 

I fear that it is only a matter of time that science and technology catch up with some of his ideas about the role machines play in our world.

Secret project

No photos today as I am working on a Secret Project for someone I am fairly sure reads this blog...

 

Hints:

• It is using up some super-bulky (16-ply) light grey wool from my stash
• It incorporates cables, now that I realise that cables are really, really easy but look impressive to the uninitiated
• It is a birthday present
• It is not being sent offshore

Tantalised yet???

Shameless photo stealing

Not only is Beth a really talented knitter, she is a much better photographer than me. Here are her photos of the scarf and chockies I sent her as part of ISE4.

Danica - the close-up

OK, it still needs blocking but as you can see from the close-up, even that won't solve the problem of the wrong side from looking like it is full of seams.

Apologies for the lack of photos but the rechargeable batteries in my camera have a half-life of approximately 3 seconds and are currently in their usual place (the recharger) instead of in the digital camera.

(Yes, I realise that photos are essential to a blog; it's a sort of modern-day version of Lewis Caroll's Alice who has no use for a book with pictures or conversation. Maybe my links are the modern version of conversation?)

I have finally finished Danica. It was a fun knit but in retrospect probably the worst possible technique for use in a scarf as the 'wrong' side looks very wrong (as if one has sewn together a whole heap of little squares and you are looking at the seam side) and a scarf is the one item where you are guaranteed to get a good view of both sides of the knitting. So 8/10 for the fun of knitting but not so high a score for the wearability of the final product. Mind you, the way fashions are nowadays with raw seams often on the outside of clothes, maybe it does work. But not for me. I will inflict it on a friend who is already the recipient of a jester-style hat made out of the same yarn - she's got the quirky personality to actually carry this off.

I haven't posted for a few days. I finally got over my cold and returned to my job on Monday to find that exactly none of my work had been done by anyone else in my absence. I wasn't surprised but this week has been a bit of a huge catch-up game for me.

And today I got an email from my ISE 4 pal Beth who has received my scarf and says she loves it. Plus of course the obligatory Australian chocolate which was included. Most Americans, I've noticed, go nuts over Australian chocolate whereas we go nuts over the Swiss chocolate. I wonder what the Swiss go nuts over (or do they merely acknowledge their superiority in chocolate-making as part of the natural course of things?) Beth is an amazingly talented spinner and sock knitter who produces beautiful items at an incredible rate. Mind you, I envy anyone who can knit a hole-free heal. LOL.

My other partner has been in regular contact and I am confident of receiving my scarf from her, probably towards the end of June (which is the official due date).

Favourite photos

These are my favourite photos taken in recent memory. From a knitting perspective, I am wearing 3 items of handknitting (the hat, scarf and jumper) and don't look completely ridiculous (although I do look like I'm dressed for the snow; it was a very cool Sunday morning but not snowing). And both Jeff and I are smiling and look like humans (as opposed to Shrek and Fiona body-doubles). The little boy is Joshua, the son of our good friends, Phill and Jess. He is so cute and adorable and for some reason really likes us. Last time we visited he was plotting ways for us to move into his house and allocating a space for our car in his parents' garage.

Can't knit... must sleep

The problem with being a basically healthy person is that I tend to get very grumpy when I get sick. It's nothing serious; just a head cold that needs lots of fluids, vitamin C, over-the-counter pills and rest.

I knew things were wrong on Tuesday night when I spent more time unravelling mistakes in my knitting than actually achieving anything. So knitting is out. The TV is annoying me so it is off but surprisingly I can still read. Well, for about 10 minutes before I fall asleep with the book on my face.

Smudgey, who has recovered well from his surgery, is setting an excellent example for me; he can sleep anytime, anywhere, including on top of me for company. He has become such a calm cat since his abscess was removed! I'm feeling really guilty as it looks like his klutziness and grumpiness was not just the result of middle-age (as we assumed) but probably related to the abscess - and he may have had it for years. That's the problem with our four-legged friends, they can't tell us "I have a sore butt". Smudgey is still lazy but not half the klutz or coward that he was; in the past he would just let his (smaller) brother dominate but over the past week he's shown a tendency to stand up for himself. Hopefully the boys will re-establish their territorial boundaries without hurting each other. We can't afford any more vet bills.

Jeff's being a good Yiddishe mamma and has put on a big pot of chicken soup for me. He's trying to take care of me and fussing around and I'm responding like a big grumpy cat that just wants to be left alone to sleep.

Monday 14 May 2007

Currently knitting: I've been gradually working my way through Danica. I think this scarf will be a birthday present for a friend in June.

I've been dying to try out illusion knitting. Except instead of a DNA helix I'd like to slip in a a reference to the original subversive knitter, Madam Defarge (Dickens). Must remember to finish projects before starting another! I still have a partially started sock and I want to knit another jumper for my friends' 3-year-old and maybe a jumper for myself...

On the Amazon wish list: My favourite blogger Crazy Aunt Purl is releasing a book in October. I am addicted to CAP as she is affectionately known by her readers. Her writing is hilarious and touching and sad and meaningful (often all at the same time) and so true that it just rips your heart out and is just begging to be made into a Bridget Jones-esque style film. After 10 years of marriage, CAP's husband walked out, telling her he needed to get his creativity back. Two weeks later he moved into a new apartment with a new girlfriend. CAP had a few girlfriends of her own who stood by her, coaxed her out of her house and into a knitting group and put up with some really bad cooking as she went through the ups and downs of rebuilding her life and becoming a self-actualised person. And she kept a diary of the process.

We never find out what happened to Mr X, but CAP found her own creativity, built up a readership of 10,000 people and got a book deal, all to the cheers of thousands of women and some men from around the world. She's now campaigning on all the other important issues like why do stores turn up their nose at stocking a basic collection of women's clothes in a wide range of sizes. Anyway, go to her site and read her blog from the beginning. And I bet you end up putting her book on your wish list too.

Book that should be burned: As a reader and book lover I don't generally advocate destruction but this particular volume is an insult to readers, knitters and human beings in general. It's a collection of photos of has-been and never-were so-called celebrities and their scarf "patterns" nearly all of which are "cast on X stitches and knit every row". Yep, we really need a book to tell us that.

Although if they did another volume and it included photos of Paris Hilton accidental strangling herself with a garter-knit scarf... well, I could be tempted :)

Look what I found at my local library

The knitting blogosphere has been buzzing with positive reviews and comments about Big Girl Knits ever since it came out (April 2006) because there are very few examples of figure flattering designs aimed at larger women. As I live in Australia, I thought it would be months or years before I saw a copy; yes we can buy anything from Amazon but that also involves swallowing the international postage costs.

I've never really thought of looking to my local library for knitting books; I just assumed there would be a few dated volumes from the 1960s, 70s and early 80s and nothing worth considering. But I wanted to find a particular Elizabeth Zimmermann pattern and thought that as her books are more than 25 years old there was a chance it may be at the library. As it turned out the library did not stock any Elizabeth Zmmermann books - but it did have some surprisingly recent knitting volumes, including Big Girl Knits.

I'm not sure I'll actually knit any of the jumpers but there is a really interesting section on design and fitting. And it has been really great to be able to have a look at this book before deciding to hand over my hard earned cash.

The indignity of it all!

Smudgey was released from hospital this morning and as you can see he is not impressed with his new neck-ruff (which stops him licking his wound). He spent some time walking backwards today (in the mistaken belief that he could walk out of the collar). Jeff put his food on a flat platter so he can eat. While Smudgey prefers an outdoor toilet, he's going to have to get used to his kitty litter for the next fortnight.

Despite being annoyed with us for abandoning him at the hospital for 2 days, he's decided he wants our company - on his terms that is. He is currently sitting next to me on the good computer chair while I'm on an old chair.

Visiting the Lort Smith Animal Hospital is a rather surreal experience. In many ways it is just like visiting a normal hospital; the same sterile look and plastic waiting chairs and a triage nurse who explains that your appointment may be moved back if an emergency comes in. Then the PA announcements come - the pet's name and your surname; "Coco Smith to room five... Smudgey B---- to room six..."

The vet, who must have seen some pretty bad things in her time, winces as she looks at Smudgey's backside and tells us "This is serious" and that she is going to have to admit him for surgery. We're given the option of contacting a private vet at goodness knows what cost for doing surgery on a Sunday or leaving Smudgey at the semi-socialised not-for-profit hospital for an operation some time over the next two days.

We have seen how the truly ill and injured animals always take priority at the hospital, and are confident that they will operate on Smudgey before he deteriorates any further. We don't have a regular vet and would have less confidence in one picked at random from the phone book than one working at the Lort Smith. We book Smudgey into the hospital.

On Monday afternoon Jeff gets a welcome call from the Lort Smith hospital. They've operated on Smudgey, it wasn't as bad as expected and he will be ready to be picked up on Tuesday morning. The final bill, while not cheap, is a lot less than we expected and probably half that a private vet would have charged.

Get Well Smudgey

No wonder Smudgey is looking annoyed in this picture. He probably already had the abscess on his anus that burst over the weekend. Poor cat! My own backside is sore even thinking about it.

Smudgey is currently at the Lort Smith Animal Hospital, recovering from surgery and we can pick him up tomorrow morning. YAY!!! Apparently he is doing well, taking his medicine and drinking, but is quite grumpy. Now wouldn't you be grumpy if an abscess burst on your anus and you had been injected, shaved, cut and sewn up again?

If only he was covered on our family health insurance...

Here is a photo of Smudgey looking much cuter but still regal. It's the wallpaper for my computer at work and home.

Maybe it is something about the cooler weather kicking in but I felt compelled to start another pair of socks. I had bought some plain black Opal yarn earlier this year and decided to team it with some leftover Trekking to create colourful toes and heels. It's my favourite sock pattern - simple but very comfortable to wear. It's basically a plain toe-up sock with 2X2 rib on the foot top and around the calves. I love this pattern; I feel so good wearing socks I've knitted myself from it.

The Trekking is definitely nicer to knit with than the Opal but I'm glad to have the plain yarn so I can make these socks.

Irish Hiking Scarf heading for the post office

The Irish Hiking Scarf is knitted, washed and ready to head overseas. It ended up a little longer than I expected, which is good as I was terrified it would be far too short. I hope my pal enjoys wearing it as much as I enjoyed knitting it. This has been a great experience - I have never knitted cables before so this took me out of my comfort zone, but it turned out to be much easier than anticipated. I'll head off to the post office tomorrow with 27 pieces of identification and documents to ensure the USA will let the parcel in. I've popped in a couple of Australian souvenirs which I hope get through.

Both my pals seem really lovely; I just hope my most recent emails have been getting through as I haven't heard for either of them lately.

Adultery at the Green Grocers

"I feel like we are committing adultery," said Jeff as we walked into Toscano's on Saturday. I knew exactly what he meant. We were entering an orgy of middle-class mothers squeezed into a respectable Kew shop front. And the feeling was compounded when we bumped into the parents of a friend of mine. "I didn't know you shopped here!" they exclaimed.

"It's our first time," I said weakly. "We normally go to Greythorn."

Toscano's is an institution of the leafy eastern Melbourne suburbs, a hugely popular large green grocery store that combines fine produce with reasonable prices. It is always full and always bursting with parents with prams and toddlers and smug little smiles because they know they are buying from the best value best quality fruit and vegetable store in Melbourne. It is insufferable. Jeff and I love good quality fruit and vegetables but we can't stand crowds, especially not smug-faced 4WD driving middle-class parents - hence we normally shopped at a smaller local store with friendly staff. But over the past few months the quality had been dropping and the prices had been rising. We had no choice. We had to find another option. Earlier that day we had tried the supposed Farmers' Market, but found the choice fairly limited. Hence Toscano's.

I wish I could say that the produce was no better than Greythorn; that the prices weren't lower - but I can't. There was a huge choice. Everything was of excellent quality. The prices were reasonable. The fruit and veggies fresh and tasty. No wonder the place was overflowing with people. It was surely worth 30 minutes of jostling with crowds and we would be foolish to not return next week.

I just wish I didn't feel so dirty for changing green grocer stores.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Lego

Jeff's urban camouflage scarf

Specifications:
Yarn: 4 X 50g Mondial 'Bizarre' 100% fine merino wool colourway 625 (plus tiny amount of other black wool for final triangle)
Needles: 4.5mm straight bamboo
Pattern: Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf
Length: 185cm/74 inches
Width: 15 cm/6 inches

Irish Hiking Scarf finished

Posting a picture requires me to find the camera and I don't think that is going to happen tonight.

I've finished the knitting for the Irish Hiking Scarf. I'm not sure how it happened but it finalised at about 70 inches which is a bit longer than my knittee requested. Hopefully she can live with that. It's certainly not ridiculously trip-up-your-feet long, and I'd prefer the extra yarn in the scarf rather than cluttering up my stash because it is too good to chuck out but too short to do anything useful with.

I'll make up the package to send out this weekend. I'm not sure whether I'll do the cruel Australian thing and include Vegemite (the most repulsive spread on the planet). Tim Tams are delicious but a bit bulky; maybe Caramelo Koalas.

One of the evil enablers on the Melbourne Stitch 'n' Bitch list (hi Larissa) posted details of a 20% off sale at Cleggs last week. I decided to use the opportunity to try some new yarn, the deliciously soft Lane Mondial 'Bizarre' 100% pure fine merino yarn. There was an interesting black/grey/tan/beige mix that made me think of wolves and I decided to get this colourway and knit a scarf for Jeff. He quite likes plain garter stitch which is not the most exciting thing to knit. I decided to use the Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf pattern which is a bit more interesting way of knitting garter stitch and is generally great for show-casing variegated yarns.

I'll have to post a picture of the scarf. Overall I am not overwhelmed by this yarn and doubt I will buy it again. It knits up into a lovely soft fabric and feels great. But unfortunately the yarn tends to split as one knits and I'm not impressed with the way the colour pools. It's also quite pricey ($8.40/ball on sale - $10.50 full price). Still it is great to try a new yarn and it is good semi-mindless knitting for in front of the TV.

Best version of Star Wars Episode One

YouTube clip of the day: Weird Al Yankovic 'The Saga Begins'
Spoof of Star Wars Episode One (the first of the new ones) set to the music of 'Bye Bye American Pie'. Defintely more entertaining than watching the film.

Halfway through Easter long weekend...

Irish Hiking Scarf is now up to 48 inches. No point posting a new photo because it is just a case of more of the same. I think it'll make it to the 55 inch mark (she says nervously chewing her acrylic fingernails).

Ivy that somehow managed to grow over the next door neighbour's fence and up the side of the house has been cut down. Only destroyed one pair of gardening gloves in the process and managed to get almost half of it into the green waste bin. Resolve to ensure it does not get so out of control again. Remind myself that I made the same resolution18 months ago.

Horseradish roots have been replanted with the hope they will grow in time for next Pesach. I enthusiastically scooped several shovels of compost-dirt and earthworms into the garden bed and mix with several buckets of water. Will try and remember to water them at least one more time before next Pesach. I have not so much a green thumb as a brown and grey one. Even weeds die on me. I cannot explain why the Ivy is so virulent. Maybe it is because the roots are in the neighbour's yard.

Returned to the gym for the first time in a week. Am relieved to discover that despite Easter (eggs and hot-cross buns) and Pesach (2 eight-course meals and enough matzo to feed an entire African village for a week) that I have only re-gained a kilogram. Resolve to be more careful over the next few weeks and make more effort to get to the gym and walk to work. If I can achieve two out of those three I at least should not regain any more weight.

Discover Weird Al Jankovic on YouTube. Yes, I am a geek behind the times - this gem was first posted in September 2006.

Knitting site of the day. Harry Potter and the Book Seven KAL (Knit-along). Of course. Makes perfect sense. The scary thing is that I relate to this and may have even joined had I discovered it earlier. Re-read all six previous books, discuss them and knit Harry Potter - themed scarfs, hats and jumpers while waiting for the final book to be released. Someone has even created a Quidditch jumper. From there I found a link to a very good Sorting Hat quiz.

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Star Trek and the Holy Grail

Question: What happens when geeks have too much time on their hands?
Answer: This
A must for Monty Python and Star Trek fans.



I have been wasting way too much time and broadband on YouTube over the past week but it is just absolutely compelling. I think I dropped my jaw to the floor last Saturday and it is still there today.

It started with me looking for an old 1980s music clip. Before long I was watching a Lego-animated movie of Star Wars versus Star Trek. The voice-over from the trailer to Pride and Prejudice set to scenes from Harry Potter. And noticing at least half-a-dozen re-edited Harry Potter clips implying a homo-erotic relationship between arch enemies Harry and Draco.

There are versions of 'Brokeback Trek' for fans of The Original Series and Next Generation - the love that dare not speak its name with the added intergalactic inter-species twist.

Final Fantasy may have been the worst movie ever made but it is being redeemed on YouTube where geeks have re-edited scenes and created an amazing film clip for the classic David Bowie song from Labyrinth. Then there are the geeks who have spent God-knows-how-many-hours creating Sims versions of famous music video clips.

Yes, there is a lot of crap on YouTube and it is very easy to waste a lot of time there. But there is some very funny stuff there too.

Scattered thoughts

Irish Hiking Scarf: 94cm (38 inches) and well into my second skein. Hoping and praying there will be enough yarn for my knitters request for a 55 inch scarf.

Preparation for Pesach: Expensive. Spent $230 at the grocery store and then realised we had forgotten to buy eggs, potatoes and Chicken Maryland (for soup). Spent $50 during our second visit to the supermarket. Discover Coles and Safeway supermarkets no longer stock Chicken Maryland or have in-house butchers who actually prepare the meat - everything arrives prepackaged from central warehouse. Chicken shop at Doncaster Westfield closed down due to shopping centre renovations. Damn! Third shopping trip, went to our favourite quality butcher in Hawthorn - no chicken Maryland on display but staff obligingly go out the back and track down the wretched pieces. I love proper local businesses. It seems that few people make soup using actual chicken anymore. Soup currently cooking on the stove.

Condition of the bitter herbs: Two scraggly roots have survived the drought - enough for display. Bitter lettuce and pickled horseradish in the jar will have to do for the meal.

Pesach gift for 7-year-old second-cousin: There is so much badly-made crap around. Jeff finds a Slinky on sale in a bookstore (naturally). We have been playing with it all day. I have the horrible feeling that it will be a present all the adults will play with while the 7-year-old looks on in bewilderment.

House cleaning: Cats are in shock. We moved all the furniture out of the main dining room and hall in preparation for the carpet cleaners coming tomorrow. Scraped approximately 500 cobwebs from around the corners of the ceiling. Blackened two clothes wiping down skirting boards and window sills. Notice that the house-shifting (from the drought) has led to the creation of several more cracks. Foundations still sound so will resolutely ignore the cracks - everyone in the neighbourhood is in the same boat.

A timely discovery: Bag of old t-shirts and hiking clothes in garage in my current size. Yay! T-shirts to wear at the gym that won't reveal my bra-strap.

State of the nation: Depressing. I think history will judge our current leaders very harshly. The case of David Hicks is beginning to resemble a Kafka novel - after five years of imprisonment without charge he has pleaded guilty to a crime that didn't exist until 18-months ago - and is now being threatened with being jailed for a further 7 years for perjury if he claims he only pleaded guilty because he didn't think he had a hope in hell of a fair trial in Guantanamo Bay. Conveniently for Howard it appears Hicks' sentence - agreed to in a plea-deal - means he will remain in jail until just after the Australian Federal elections. It's enough to make anyone sick. Hicks may be stupid and racist and unworthy of sympathy, but the treatment of him and the abandonment of the rule of law or any semblance of due process is bad for us as a society and nation.

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Some people have way too much time on their hands. If you type "Harry Potter" into YouTube you will find Lego versions, a Sims version and even a re-edit of footage suggesting a homoerotic relationship between Harry and Draco.

The Australian made New Zealand yarn Irish Hiking Scarf

Yay!!! Finally a photo which captures the colour of the yarn. Isn't it just so, well, GRAPE???

Don't tell anyone but this is one of those patterns that looks way more complex than it is to actually do. You only have to use the cable needle three times every eight rows. It's knitting up very quickly.

As can be seen, the posmerino is taking the cables very well. It is extremely warm - I hope my knittee lives in an area with cold winters!

It's certainly an international scarf - the pattern is Irish, the yarn is from New Zealand, it's being made in Australia and will end up in the United States.

And the cables continue

It's really hard to capture the colour of this yarn. The official colour is grape. It's a sort of browny purple which makes sense as it is a natural brownish yarn which has been over-dyed.

I started having a panic attack about whether the colour and style would suit my secret pal. Then I found this picture on her blog. I think it is safe to say that she likes grape and cables :)

The cables are coming up quite nicely. I knitted most of this on the tram this morning. It's a lovely thick yarn that knits up very quickly. It is incredibly warm - a jumper made out of this would just be too much for Melbourne. I hope my knittee is in an area which gets cold in winter.

Blonde moment

I have been spending a fair bit of time reading American websites and knitting patterns, which refer to everything in terms of inches, rather than centimetres. So I am used to automatically multiplying and dividing everything by 2.5 as I switch between American and Australian measurements. (1 inch = ~2.5cm)

I needed to buy a 2mm circular needle for knitting socks and through experience have found the 100cm-length needles are best for the Magic Loop technique. So do I buy a 100cm-length 2mm needle? No, I absent-mindedly automatically divide 100cm by 2.5 and buy a 40cm-length 2mm needle instead. And don't notice until I am home, miles from the store.

American cultural imperialism strikes again!

Scarf pattern chosen - Irish Hiking Scarf

While browsing through the links of the other ISE 4 participants I stumbled upon the Irish Hiking Scarf, a classic simple 3-cable scarf that looks seriously cool. I fell in love with it at once and decided to try the pattern with the posmerino yarn.

While I'm only one repeat into the pattern, I'm happy to report that the stitch definition is holding up fine. And it turns out to be one of those patterns where the end result looks far more complex than the knitting actually is. I may have to make one of these for myself as well as my knitting partner...

Scarfs, scarfs, scarfs

Well Danica is going along nicely - as I suspected it showcase the beauty and variety of the Noro Kueryon very well. It's one of those patterns which is just complex enough to not be boring and simple enough to not be frustrating. It would be great for using up scraps of yarn also.

Pictured on the left is the Posmerino yarn I have selected for my secret pal. I haven't decided on a pattern yet. Apart from the fact is is a lovely soft yarn, being a combination of possum fur and merino yarn it is probably something she hasn't yet encountered. I am tempted by Illusions but will need to test if the stitch definition is sufficient. A simple rib would probably showcase the yarn best but that seems a little simple for the scarf exchange.

I received a lovely email from the person knitting for me with lots of questions about my likes and dislikes. This is the email I sent back.

Hi Juli,

Thanks for your email.

I want you to have fun knitting the scarf so please make sure you choose a pattern and yarn you enjoy.

Do you want a winter weight, or lighter scarf??

I live in Melbourne, Australia - home to four seasons in one day - but we don't get snow or temperatures below freezing. So maybe a lighter scarf (I've knitted way too many too warm scarfs for myself LOL)

What sort of scarf do you really enjoy wearing -- more plain, or interesting patterns like lace, cables, textured, etc???

The only thing I really dislike are short scarfs - I'm a long and skinny scarf kind of girl. I don't do much lace or cable knitting myself, so either would be a treat, but I also love nice simple ribs - please choose a pattern you enjoy knitting.

Fringe or no fringe?? It's something that a gal either loves or hates, it seems. lol.

This is really something I think depends on the yarn and pattern - I used to love fringes and I think they look good on simple rib scarfs, but they can be a bit excessive on other scarfs. Probably no fringe - unless you think the pattern calls for it (I'm not being very helpful, am I?)

Do you prefer a more bulky or thinner type scarf??

I'd probably prefer a thinner scarf - but if you fall in love with a soft bulky yarn I won't complain!

Beads??

Sounds absolutely gorgeous. However as I am a klutz and occaissionally have to wash my scarfs it's probably best to not include them.

Any other details you can give me so I pick the perfect yarn and pattern???

I prefer strong 'gem' colours and a soft natural yarn (wool, alpaca, cashmere, silk blend, etc). Please pick something you enjoy knitting with as I suspect that will also be what I enjoy wearing.

All the best

Marg

Interesting...

Well I heard back from my exchangee and I have the funny feeling we have a lot in common. You see she already has a number of scarfs knitted out of Noro already in her wardrobe, but she doesn't tend to wear them as much as the softer scarfs. She told me to just knit whatever I felt comfortable with (nice exchangee!)

So I have decided to save Danica for another friend and put in an order for some Possum merino yarn. Not only is it super soft, but it is unlikely to be a yarn she has ever encountered before (she lives in America)

Now I just have to find a pattern that showcases the beauty of the yarn. I suspect a simple rib would be best but is it complex enough for the exchange?

I haven't yet heard from the person who is knitting for me but I am not panicking... there was a hiccup with the mail-out for the group I am in, so I emailed the hostess to let her know I hadn't yet heard from my partner. Or maybe she's just away from her computer for a few days.

International Scarf Exchange 4 - let the knitting begin!

The International Scarf Exchange 4 is finally off and running. I received details of my exchangee, including the following:

7. Colours you like. Turquoise, Purple, Red, Orange, Green, Black

8. Colours you hate. Yellow, Gold

9. Fibres you like. Soft wools

I looked at my just started Danica scarf which I am knitting out of a Noro Kureyon colourway that seems to incorporate every "liked" and none of the "hated" colours.

Hmm...

I checked out my exchangee's blog which included lots of photos of brightly coloured socks. There is no doubt that the colour of the Noro yarn would dovetail nicely with her knitted items.

But... she specifically said she liked soft wools and Noro can be a little prickly. Except I also love soft wools and still love Noro.

Noro is a funny yarn - people either absolutely love it (like me) or just don't 'get it' (poor souls).

I decide to email my exchangee and ask her if she likes Noro. If the answer is yes, the Danica scarf will be for her. If she doesn't, I just might have an excuse to purchase some extra-soft Possum fur yarn to play with.

Either way, it's a win-win knitting scenario for me!

(PS: Apologies for no photos - the camera batteries are currently being recharged.)

A Stella irony

Unless you happened to be blind, deaf AND living under a rock, no-one in Australia could have missed the story this week about shoppers going into a frenzy over the sale of a range of Stella McCartney's clothes at Target. Fashionistas who would normally die rather than admit they shopped at a budget chainstore queued for hours and broke into fist fights over the clothes. Within hours some of the key items were being listed on eBay for over-hyped prices. Read more here.

Today, five days after the shopping frenzy, I popped into Camberwell Target to check out their homewear sale and was surprised to see racks and racks of the Stella McCartney clothes on display. Clearly many of the items had either not been sold on the first day or had been quickly returned by shoppers. While there were no coats, there were plenty of the beaded olive dresses, silk tops, white shirts and black shorts, skirts and crop pants. Most of the small sizes had disappeared but there was ample choice for anyone sized 14-16.

The clothes attracted little interest from the regular shoppers beyond a curious "oh that's what all the hype was about" look. Many raised their eyebrows at the prices that may be a bargain by designer standards but are still more than double the regular price of clothes at Target. All in all, most showed more interest in the homewear sale.

For a moment I contemplated trying on one of the size 16 billowy silk tops that just might have fitted me. Then I looked at the colour (salmon pink) and fabric and thought about what I liked to wear. I decided to try on a regular Target brand purple cotton top instead.

Entrelac scarf

When in doubt, knit a scarf. It seems to be my motto. Having salvaged the equibalent of about 3 1/2 balls of Noro Kureyon from the unworn vest I decided to try Knitty's Danica Scarf. I think it will showcase the gorgeous colour repeats. And I like the way it gives the illusion of the bands being woven together.

One piece of knitting that won't be frogged

Grandma Purl finally received her blanket and from the photos posted I can absolutely definitely confirm that my green square edged in red made it into the final item.

It really gives me a nice warm and fuzzy feeling to know that a little piece of my knitting is somewhere out there being appreciated and doing good.

Knit one, frog one

I have resisted posting a picture of the merino cardigan because I have to admit there is something not quite right about it. As well as being too tight and too short for me to wear comfortably now, it also pulls up oddly in the front. It simply does not do justice to the gorgeous yarn it is made of.

So I have made a decision. I am not going to waste the wool. I am not going to hide the cardigan away forever. I am going to frog it. And try again.

This is a painful yet liberating decision.

I've been having a lot of fun frogging knitting lately. While cleaning up around the house I found a half finished garter-stitch (!) blanket that was never going to be finished. In a lovely purple wool. I decided to have a go at unravelling it to see if the yarn was salvageable. Hours of entertainment in front of the TV. And I now have plenty of purple yarn to re-work into more hats.

I also found a gorgeous Noro Kureyon vest that I have never worn because although the knitting is perfect, it just doesn't sit right on me. At $14.50/ball I decided this was too good a yarn to waste. So I am very carefully unravelling it now. It's better off being reworked into a scarf than being tucked away on a shelf forever because I never liked the finished garment but couldn't bear to part with the previous wool.

In de-cluttering news, I spent the long weekend investigating a pile of assorted wool, sewing and papers that had accumulated next to my computer. This pile had archaeological value, with the bottom layer including projects and papers from my previous job (which I left 15 months ago).

I am pleased to report that there was carpet underneath the ruins and that all the objects have been sorted and catalogued. Important papers were filed, unimportant papers were thrown out, useless horrible yarn (cheap acrylic and odd balls I would never use) donated to the Op Shop and the yarn half-sorted into three large boxes and a spare shelf. I would post a photo but a square of clean carpet is very boring and I was too ashamed to take a before picture.

My cat, Smudgey, however is distressed by the loss of his lovely soft bed.

De-cluttering de blog

So there I was innocently trying to add in the button for the International Scarf Exchange and I somehow manage to lose half my blog. Thus demonstrating that I don't really understand how blogger works. I think it has something to do with the upgrade from the old version of blogger to the new version.

I have my posts, which is the main thing, and I was able to get the most important Australian and NZ knitting ring code back up, which means I shouldn't be kicked off it. However it appears that I must have somehow fallen off the International Knitting Blog ring some time ago... I've sent an email requesting I be reinstated but I'm not holding my breath. If it doesn't happen, it's not the end of the world.

This all seems to fit in with my period of de-cluttering. Many of my links were a little out of date anyway. So I selected a minimalist template and decided to just worry about the current and important stuff.

And looking at the positive side - at least I am finally officially part of the International Scarf Exchange.

Having had to face up to my stash (think 4 large boxes - excluding what I've put up for sale on eBay), I have decided that whoever I am knitting for will get a scarf knitted from the stash. Considering I have some very nice merino wool and mohair, they will not lose out by this decision. I even found an unused ball of Noro Kureyon in my clean-up!

Stash reduction bargains on eBay

As part of my on-going project to de-clutter my life, I am listing some of my stash yarn on eBay. It was yarn I bought with the best of intentions but in my heart I know it is never going to be used by me and it is time to find a new home.

Item 1: 12+ balls of rich burgundy 5-ply machinewash crepe. 100% pure wool. Great for socks, gloves, children's clothes. Enough for a size 12 women's jumper.

Item 2: 19 balls of bright pink Charisma mohair - 8ply. Enough for an adult jumper or maybe a blanket. Great for scarfs and hats.

Starting price for both lots - $1/ball. Click here if you are interested.

De-sizing my life

One thing I've posted very little about is my attempts to lose some of my excess weight. One, because I don't want this issue to define who I am and what I've achieved in life. And two, because it is so damn boring.

But a few weeks ago I reached a major milestone - 10kg lost over the course of a year. Nothing that will get me a spot on The Biggest Loser or Dieter of the Year, but a definite measurable success.

One thing that had really frustrated me was that although I knew the weight was coming off, it seemed to have very little impact on my actual size. I was constantly wondering where exactly the weight was coming off from because aside from a very slight loosening of my skirts, it wasn't noticeable. So I went out and bought all my autumn clothes in my usual size. A week later my butt shrank overnight.

I probably wouldn't have noticed except the gym decided to refurbish its rowing machines. I used the newly refurbished rowing machine and thought "I'm so glad they've put on these new bigger seats". Two days later I used the bike in the gym (which had not been refurbished) and noticed that the seat seemed bigger than I remembered. And then I realised that the gym seats hadn't grown; rather my butt, against all expectations and history, had shrunk.

And I had a wardrobe full of clothes that were loose around the butt as well as the waist. I had finally gone down a size.

Now I still have a butt that most people would consider supersized. Even if I get down to my healthy weight, I will still be too big for a lot of fashion. I can deal with that. Because all I have to do is drop one more size and I will be able to buy clothes in a lot of normal stores again. That is achievable. And too bad if that is not good enough for anyone else (especially talentless so-called designers who are incapable of making clothes that look good on anyone above a size 12 - may they all go broke).

Jeff, who can be incredibly supportive, knew what to do to help me celebrate the milestone. He dragged me clothes shopping and talked me into buying a skirt and three tops in my new size. Even though this wasn't budgeted for. Even though in theory I could (and would) continue to get away wearing my old clothes.

Because if I only wear my old clothes I could easily fall into the trap of feeling that I had achieved my goal - it's hard to feel that you have a heap of weight to lose when you are swimming in your oversized clothes and using safety pins to keep your skirts from falling off your hips.

I don't know if I will ever be a size 14 again, let alone a 12 (my skeleton alone is bigger than a size 10), but I know I need to lose a bit more weight for my future health. I'm going well in the exercise stakes (I'm one of the few non-triathletes at my gym to have rowed, stepped, treadmilled and biked more than 1100km) and have so far warded off many of the diseases commonly associated with excess weight, but I deserve better for myself.

And this time, when I get to a size 14 or 16, I will be proud of who I am and not let anyone undermine me. Because anyone who judges me on my ability to wear a size 10 designer outfit is clearly too stupid and shallow to be worthy of my attention.

In knitting news

The merino wool cardigan is almost finished - just the collar and buttons to go. Like all my knitting projects it didn't exactly turn out as expected - it's a bit shorter and more fitted than planned. I'm not sure yet whether it will be wearable outside the house. It certainly feels very comfortable. I'll post pictures at some stage.

I'm still waiting for my official blogger invite to the International Scarf Exchange. I will be so annoyed if I miss out due to a technical hiccup. It's all supposed to be starting this week. I have about 5 balls of the pale pink merino wool left over, so I might use this for the project - depending on what my exchange pal has listed as likes and dislikes. Knowing my luck I'll end up with a male who wants a solid black scarf.

What dust problem?

All that fluff, cat hair and dirt was under the keys of the computer keyboard. Not a single wad of muck was added for this picture. Jeff decided to pop the keys off to see if he could find out why the keys were a bit sticky.

I can't believe it was working at all.

De-cluttering de-life

For some time I've been trying to quietly rid myself of some of the excess baggage in my life. It's not just my yarn stash which is out of control. I have at least an entire room of stuff I don't need and which is weighing me down.

I decided at the start of this year to try and work through this using the incremental "baby steps" method. It would be way too easy to throw up my hands in the air and declare "it's all too much" but that doesn't solve the problem. So I set myself little achievable goals. Like trying to fill one supermarket shopping bag with stuff I don't need and getting it to the Op Shop.

I tried the "if I haven't worn it in 2 years, it's going" method of going through my wardrobe, and while this wasn't entirely successful, it was a start. Then there was the "if it's too worn out to wear to work and not comfortable enough to garden in, it's going" method. Another few garments hit the road. My wardrobe began to breathe. Enough space to fit in the new autumn clothes.

I still have a way to go with the clothes.

I then turned to my books. It kills me to get rid of a book but even I have to admit there are some which don't deserve a second read. And there are some which I never started, cannot recall buying and on multiple occasions have picked up, couldn't get into and put down. Out, out, ye damn space wasters. Life's too short to be surrounded by crappy books. I still have more books than most other people I know (excluding my husband) but now at least I'm confident most are worth reading. And I have nearly enough bookshelf space for them.

This morning it was the hats. No I haven't got rid of the excess knitted beanies. At least not yet. But I had three straw hats, only one of which was good enough to wear in public. The other two are gone. Then there was the cloth sunhat too small for my head. Bye-bye.

This evening I turned to my knitting needles. This is really embarrassing. How I managed to accumulate no less than six pairs of size 4.5mm needles is beyond me. Especially as it is a size I can recall only ever using once. I didn't want to overdo it, so I just cleared out all the excess needles above two pairs of each size. A huge handful now gone and I can close the extra-large toolbox that houses my knitting needles.

I really hope that a new knitter picks up those needles at the Op Shop. I think I picked up some of them at the Op Shop originally. But I am learning. Just because it is a bargain, doesn't mean I need to buy it. I can't knit with more than one set of needles at a time. And cheap plastic needles make knitting a chore and are not worth buying.

I've been really good not buying more yarn this year as I can and will knit my way through my stash. I'm almost at the point of being able to say "If I'm never going to use a particular ball of yarn, it's going". No matter how much money I foolishly wasted on it two years ago.

Because once I rid myself of all this unnecessary stuff encroaching on my life I will have the space and time to fill it with what I want. Which will probably include a few skeins of possum merino yarn.

Bookmarking the Posmerino

I'm getting a little excited about this International Scarf Exchange. The odds are that I will be assigned an American knitter (since they dominate the exchange). I have already bookmarked The Knittery's Posmerino yarn as I think this would be something they haven't encountered before. Providing, of course, my partner isn't allergic to natural fibres and the available colours aren't all on his/her hate list.

International Scarf Exchange 4

I'm plodding away on the sleeves of my cardigan... yawn, yawn... sleeves are SO boring! Thank goodness I am doing both at once or the second one would never be finished. It's a lovely warm yarn (Cleckheaton Merino Supremo) and my stitches are neat and it may even look good when I wear it BUT as a knitting project it is just a little dull :( I don't even feel inspired to post a picture as how exciting can five miles of stocking stitch be? But all attempts to introduce eyelets, etc just led to tears and rip-backs. As for cables - well it's not a very flattering look for a larger lady, especially in 10-ply yarn. My aim is to create a garment I can wear in public without shame.

Anyway, I'm itching to try another scarf but I really can't justify making yet another for myself and I have already inflicted too many projects on family and friends. Then I found out about the International Scarf Exchange. The idea is that you knit a scarf for a complete stranger who is knitting a scarf for another complete stranger and then we all end up with a scarf. I know these things can go pear-shaped (I believe Grandmother Purl is still waiting for her blanket) but this project is now in its 4th year and I'm willing to take a risk.

I might even be able to reduce the stash a little further. Unless I'm tempted to use it as an excuse to purchase some more yarn.

Vale Trevor

Last Friday Trevor, one of my colleagues, failed to turn up to work. That afternoon we discovered that he had passed away during the night. He was in his 40s.

Trevor didn't enjoy good health but his death was completely unexpected. Prior to last Friday he had been one of the oldest (if not the oldest) surviving Australians born with cystic fibrosis. But if you didn't know he had it, you would never have guessed it. What you noticed was his passion and energy and determination and utter commitment to unionism. If you noticed he was aged beyond his years, the immediate assumption was that maybe he had partied a little too hard in his youth. But the only drugs Trevor took were prescription.

Trevor could be overly direct and abrupt but, as one of my friend's put it, this was because he always knew he didn't have the same amount of time as everyone else and he wanted to fit it all in. Last week he was campaigning against one of the most recalcitrant employers in Australia and negotiating with his builder over a major Art Deco renovation of his home.

Everyone was in massive shock when they heard of his death. Yes, we all knew that he had lived 20 years longer than most people with cf and that he had been in and out of hospital several times over the past months (during which time he sat up in bed writing union organising plans) but there was no warning that his time was coming now. When someone has spent their entire life beating the odds, you expect them to keep doing so.

Trevor died as all good people should; suddenly and hopefully without pain, after years of doing what he believed in. He always wanted to do more but those of us left behind know that he fitted more into his shortened life than many people twice his age with perfect health.

His legacy lives on in the many people he touched over the years.

Still alive and knitting

It's been 35+ for the past four days (hottest February weather for 40 years) but prior to the heat kicking in, I finished the back and front of my cardigan. In the end I unravelled every attempt at eyelet holes and cables, deciding that the simple look was ultimately the best.

I'll knit the sleeves at the same time, which has three advantages. 1/ I won't suffer from second-sleeve syndrome (where one gets so bored with the knitting that the second sleeve is never knitted). 2/ It guarantees they will both be the same length and shape. 3/ If I run out of blue yarn (very likely) I will have a pink segment in the same position on each sleeve.

Merino Supremo

I bought this Cleckheaton Merino Supreme yarn on sale at Cleggs last year. Being an end-of-season sale and half price, there wasn't enough of any one colour to make an adult-sized jumper, but the yarn was just so soft and screaming "knit me" and it was an absolute bargain ($3/ball) that I couldn't resist. I figured the grey-blue and soft pale pink went well together.

And for once this is one impulse bargain buy that I don't (yet) regret.

It's been another mild week, so I cast on for a jumper and have been really impressed by just what a joy this yarn is to knit with. You can feel the quality in every stitch. And being 10-ply it knits up very quickly.

Even though I was initially planning on making a jumper, the fabric has more the feel of a lovely cozy cardigan, so I'll probably go this way. It also means I can use the pink yarn for the front bands as well as the ribbed bands and collar and cuffs.

I'm finding knitting the plain stocking stitch rather dull and boring but don't want to add even more bulk with cables. Maybe I'll introduce an eyelet pattern towards the top of the garment.

Two more hats

Ignore the colour of the hat on the left. It is actually the lovely deep rich purple which I used to edge my Lizard Ridge blanket but the camera was being very strange this morning. As part of my stash-reduction plan, I decided to use the last of this yarn to make myself a hat.

I'd pretty much given up on trying to knit hats for my husband - every hat I've made him to date has been too big, too small or somehow not quite right. But Goldilocks decided that my purple hat was just the right size and style for him, so I relented and did a black version.

Here is the really simple pattern for anyone else who has a Goldilocks in their life (and so I don't forget it myself). While all the ribbing is mind-numbingly boring, it solves a lot of sizing issues as it can expand and contract. And it is the sort of knitting you can do to justify watching Babylon 5 or Midsomer Murder episodes on TV or DVD.

2 X 50g balls of 8ply wool (any brand) - you'll only use about half of the second ball

3.75mm 40cm circular needle (optional)

set of 3.75mm DPNs (Double Pointed Needles)

(Tighter knitters may need to use 4mm needles - just use whatever size you normally use for 8ply knitting; the ribbing is very forgiving if your guage is a little out.)

Cast on 120 stitches onto the ciruclar needle (or DPNS, 40 stitches per needle if you have a set of 4; 30 stitches per needle if you have a set of 4). Join ends, being careful not to twist stitches.

(The most difficult part of the hat is now complete).

Put on a dialogue-heavy DVD or BBC radio play (Lord of the Rings or the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy are good)

*k2, p2 (repeat from *) until you have a ribbed tube measuring 25cm in length.

*k2, p2-tog (repeat from *) for one round.

*k2-tog, p1(repeat from *) for one round.

Change to DPNS

Knit one round (placing 20 stitchers on each needle)

*k8, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (54 stitches remaining)

*k7, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (48 stitches remaining)

*k6, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (42 stitches remaining)

*k5, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (36 stitches remaining)

*k4, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (30 stitches remaining)

*k3, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (24 stitches remaining)

*k2, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (18 stitches remaining)

*k1, k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (12 stitches remaining)

*k2-tog (repeat from *) for one round. (6 stitches remaining)

Cut yarn, leaving a 15 cm tail. Thread the end onto a wool needle and draw through the remaining 6 stitches. Pull tightly and sew end neatly into the wrong side of the hat. Sew in the starting end. Roll up brim to desired height.

How to buy size 14 clothes on sale (really)

Once upon a time when I was a size 14 and thought I was the biggest blob on the planet (now of course I wish for those heady skinny days) I used to get really irritated in clothing stores that seemed to sell out of their size 14 or large items within a day and were filled with extra small and small sized clothes (sizes 8-10) that inevitably were heavily discounted at the middle or end of the season. It just wasn't fair!

Now that I am a little larger I buy a lot of my clothes at stores that specialise in sizes 14+. I went to the sales last week and while I did reasonably well (3 skirts and 4 tops from Taking Shape for well under $200 in total), I noticed something else. Like all clothing stores, most of their sale items were in the “extra small” and “small” sizes which in the plus-size world generally translates as sizes 14 and 16. So if you happen to be a size 14 and visit a plus-size store, you can not only pick up a good bargain in clothes that actually fit but you can also have the satisfaction of walking around wearing a genuine “extra small” labelled garment. (Very silly I know, but also satisfying on a superficial level.)

For instance, the MySize clearance store in Richmond had good work shirts that I paid $60-$70 for a few months ago for only $9.95 – if you happened to be a size 14-16.

I can't wait until I am a tiny size 14-16 again and can take advantage of such bargains.

Lessons from the summer of 2006/07

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of drought and flooding rains,

I love her far horizons,

I love her jewel sea,

Her beauty and her terror -

The wide brown land for me.

Dorothea MacKellar

That just about sums up this year's summer - and we're only just over halfway there.

What with the 40+ degree temperatures, power outages, 50 days of continuous bushfires and now flash floods (the international tennis players at the Australian Open must wonder what surreal hell they have fallen into given that the weather has been extreme by even Melbourne standards), the climate over the past week hasn't exactly been conducive to knitting. I think I might have done a couple of rounds of a ribbed beanie in front of the fan before my husband screamed that I was making him feel hot. I might get a bit more knitting done next week given the weather bureau is predicting cooler temperatures - providing of course we don't get rain leaking through the cracks that have appeared in the house from 3 years of extreme drought.

Welcome to Australia.

But I am not going to whinge about the rain or the monsoonal steam that is creeping in everywhere, no matter how irritating or how much mould it is forming. "We need the rain"; this is the Australian mantra. I just hope some of it is putting out the bushfires and/or falling into the dams. Too often we are mocked with just enough rain to be irritating but too little to do much good. We need good heavy rain in the right areas right now.

A lot of people say this is all part of the climate change from global warming; others claim it is just an extreme blip on our always erratic weather patterns. Australia has always been notorious for extreme weather; the above poem was written in 1906. But this year has definitely been a wake-up call to remind us that even if this is not the result of climate change we, as Australians, simply have to be wiser and more sensible about our use of water.