Love. . . getting back into study

There, I've admitted it. I've come out as a study geek!

I completed my BSc(hons) way back in 1993, and since then, although I have done loads of courses through work and in my own time, I have never done any further academic study. 2011 promised to be different, when I signed up for a post-graduate e-learning course in "dysphagia" (swallowing disorders) with the University of Auckland.

I was looking forward to gaining some much-needed skills and knowledge from the course, but never expected to enjoy it quite so much. . . that has been something of a surprise, and has earned me the nickname of "Hermione" at home!

Today I handed in my third assignment in as many weeks and what a great feeling that was! During the last few weeks I have written my first academic essay in 18 years, created some dysphagia resources for children and done my first ever piece of "Reflective writing." Phew! There is still a written exam and videofluoroscopy interpretation to do at the end of June, and then I will be finished.

It's amazing to see how much study techniques have changed over the last 18 years. When I was at Newcastle University back in the late 80s and early 90s, the internet was in its infancy. E-learning was not commonplace and searching for academic papers involved lengthy periods spent in the University library laboriously searching on a microfiche reader and thumbing through hefty bound volumes of academic journals and finally photocopying the most pertinent articles at a rate of 5 pence per sheet. Mind you, at least the library was dry and warm and spending time there saved on our student heating bills!

But this time around, it never occurred to me that I might be able to access the University of Auckland's library online. I am embarrassed to admit that I did the first half of my course without using the Uni library once, relying on the hospital's library instead. Finally, when I was bemoaning my lack of academic papers in preparation for essay-writing, my up-to-date (and also post-grad studying) Wifie suggested that I simply must be able to access the Uni library online and so I investigated, after protesting "But they didn't tell us anything about that!" Sure enough, times have changed and now I can sit in the comfort of my own home and "slurp" interesting looking academic papers right off the internet version of the Uni Library and have them download onto our home computer. What a revelation! It seems "they" didn't tell us this was possible because it is common knowledge amongst studying types, and fair enough too. I have not been the "studying type" for 18 years, but I certainly am now!

I feel like a dinosaur. But a dinosaur who is happily sampling the marvels of all the technological advances in the last 18 years and really appreciating exercising the grey matter! I even enjoyed writing my essay - which I was kind of dreading.

So there you have it. I admit it. I really am a study geek, even if a rather pre-historic one. . .

Knit. . . Milo vest two different ways.

Milo made from handspun merino, silk and Romney

Have you ever come across the Milo vest by Australian knit-designer Georgie Hallam, a.k.a. "Tikki"? It's an extremely versatile pattern and covers a range of sizes, from newborn to 6 years (and beyond if you play around with different yarn choices and/or have a particularly slim child). If you are not familiar with the Milo, I really recommend you check it out - in fact, try anything designed by Georgie Hallam and you won't go wrong! All her designs are test knit many times over and the patterns are very clearly presented. Her blog is here and both free patterns and a "paid pattern" section are available over there as well as ravelry. There's a May Milo KAL (knitalong) on the "Tikki Love" group on ravelry at the moment, and I was helpless to resist! I have finished knitting two Milo vests in the last week.

 First up, a 3 month size handspun Milo vest using yarn I spun by hand back in the early days of  my spinning adventure - a couple of years ago. It is an absurd mixture of coloured silk and merino (soft as a cloud) with white Romney (coarse and durable), which looks nice but is quite "rustic" to the touch! I didn't know in those days that I would have been better off mixing soft wool with soft wool, nor did I even know that Romney was coarse! Not sure who this vest will be for, but as long as it is worn over a bodysuit or other long sleeved top it will be just fine. I love the colours, and they somehow remind me of a misty lakeside in Scotland or New Zealand.

For my next Milo, I decided to branch out and do a spot of embellishment using a chart from the Digger Jacket by Sam Godden. That pattern was originally published in a UK knitting magazine, but is now available by email. The charts for the construction vehicles were almost illegible in the black and white .pdf I received, so I set about recreating a digger chart using photos of the finished Digger jacket on ravelry. This is the result. . .

Above and below you can see how the chart looked once I had Swiss darned/duplicate stitched it onto the Digger Milo vest, and outlined it with grey chain stitch.

I missed out the cable panel and did stocking stitch for the whole body until the garter stitch border, in order to allow a blank canvas for the digger and mud. The last 10 rows of the stocking stitch section are knitted in "mud" colour, and then I embroidered the hole and the mud piles as well as the digger. This Milo vest is for a certain little boy who turns three years old next week. His mum says he loves diggers, so I hope he likes it :-) 

I got a lovely comment on ravelry about this Digger Milo from Tikki/Georgie Hallam, designer of the Milo vest. It went something like this: "LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! (1000) My son would love love love this too!" So that made my day :-) and made me love Georgie's designs even more! 

Eat. . . green pea and feta soup

Pea and feta soup I made last week.

This is one of my favourite soups and the whole family love it too - even Sonny Jim, who refers to it as "Swamp Soup"! It is loosely based on a recipe I found in my Jamie Oliver iPhone app. How 21st century! As always, I adapted it to suit our tastes and pantry. Best served with fresh crusty bread - last week I served it with olive and garlic French bread from the bread-maker.

Here are the instructions:

3 sticks celery, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

Splash of olive oil

3 or 4 large potatoes, grated

1 litre vegetable stock

500 g frozen peas

1 cup natural yogurt

Salt and pepper

Feta cheese and olive oil to garnish

Sauté the onion and celery in a large pan. Add the grated potato, frozen peas and veggie stock. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 mins or so, adding more liquid as necessary. Stir in the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Whilst still in the pan, attack with a stick blender until the soup is more-or-less smooth. Pour into bowls, and crumble feta cheese over the top, then drizzle with your best quality olive oil, in random squiggles (or even a heart shape as above!)

Fold. . . how many paper cranes so far?! COMPETITION

This is the replacement version of the post I published on Thursday - cos blogger ate that one! Luckily only one person had posted a comment before the post disappeared, despite a large number of people having a look. So come on people, get those guesses in the comments below. . .

All the cranes so far. . . except five.

You remember my plan to fold/collect 1000 paper cranes for Christchurch and 1000 for Japan? (See this blog post if you want more info). A steady stream of paper cranes have flown in over the last few weeks. Some from the UK, many from around New Zealand, and I have kept folding too. All folded with love for the people of Christchurch and Japan.

But, the big question is: 
how many paper cranes do we have so far?

I haven't done a crane head-count yet, but if you would like to post your guess in the comments section below, I will award a mystery prize to the person/people with the closest guess. The prize is a mystery, cos I haven't decided what it is yet! Just a hint, in the photo above you can see all the cranes so far (except 5 which I managed to miss out of the photo - sorry E!) but although I didn't deliberately hide any cranes, I can't guarantee that they are all visible either. . .
To enter the competition, post your guess in a comment below by midnight on Saturday 28th May, New Zealand time. I will announce the winner(s) by midnight Tuesday 31st May.

Huge thanks to the following (in no particular order)who have supplied contributions towards the first 1000 paper cranes:

S-L in Christchurch
S in Waitakere
K in Palmerston North
M in Red Beach
C and helpers in Auckland
L and J in Tasman
C, M, C, K, and A in Nelson
E in the UK

Hopefully I didn't miss anyone off that list - but if I did (oh, the shame), then please let me know and I will fix up the list right away.

Blogger stole my post!

The one called "Fold. . . how many paper cranes so far?" That post has completely vanished, along with its solitary comment!

It seems blogger has been having some issues globally and they managed to lose all posts and comments published after a certain date, and my latest was one of the ones that went down the ethereal toilet!

Later today (after doing an acceptable amount of studying!) I will try to put that post back up more-or-less the same, (thankfully I subscribed by email to my own blog - how self-indulgent!) but for now my 2nd of 3 Uni of Auckland assignments awaits my attention!

Ka kite ano (bye for now!)

K

Love. . . the bringer of "free positive thoughts"

. . . who just so happens to be my boy - 10 year old "Sonny Jim". Yes, this post is really just a great big "Proud mum" moment!

Ever since I first found the free downloadable positive thoughts and compliments at Kind Over Matter in March (see my previous post), and put one up on the village notice board, Sonny Jim has taken it upon himself to make sure there is always a poster of free compliments or positive thoughts there. He makes it his daily business to see how many strips of paper have been taken and to replace the poster (anonymously) when necessary. We both love thinking about the people in the village whose day might have been brightened by one of these happy thoughts, and I am so proud of my boy for wanting to spread a little happiness and kindness around.

Just as an aside, I have to say that young Sonny Jim has been providing "Free positive thoughts" to me ever since he was born . . . no, in fact since the day he was conceived all the way back in March 2000.
Love you son.

Knit. . . Hungarian Snowflake Slippers

These slippers were knitted by special request from my mother-in-law (also known as the "Countess of Hungary"!) In the middle of May, she is heading off on a trip back to Hungary, the country of her birth. Apparently a pair of these Snowflake Slippers by Diana Crossing is the essential accessory! I finished them on 29th April, but didn't get round to putting them on the blog till now. They are knitted from 8 ply/ DK wool in one piece, on 3.75 mm needles. They start with a garter stitch sole, continue on to a fisherman's rib side section, topped by a stocking stitch snowflake section and garter stitch instep. This is the 4th pair of these slippers I have made over the years and I have adapted them by adding extra length to the instep and extra rows around the ankle to improve the fit. Nothing more to say really. . . simple slippers, quickly knitted up.