Last week we went to the library en route to the craft store. My hidden agenda was to find some of the jewellery making books to take out for a project I had in my head. Alas, for the umpteenth week there are no books to be had. [Though the necklace did get finished.]

Ruby on the other hand satiated her pallet with Asterix, Tin-Tin, More Murderous Math, Horrible History and Geography, and the piece de resistance are the books she fondly calls 'eye candy'.

While I was searching high and low for the jewellery books in the craft section, she set her eyes upon 4 knitting books in a series from Storey Publishing, that are indescribably wonderful.

They are:

Knit & Crochet Poncho's, Wraps, Capes & Shrugs

Knit Socks!

Knit Mittens!

Knit Hats!

I have never seen a book so colourful, interesting, and where the instructions are not written in that condensed-have-to-read-it-9-times-before-I-understand-it-knitese.

No, on the contrary, everything is spelled out here, which is a breathe of fresh air for the worn out knitter and so very helpful for the young knitter. There is even a great illustrated glossary at the end, which this seasoned crafter still learned something from.

As always the difficult decisions will be what to start on first, oh, and that 'right' yarn for the project (which despite the stash I invariably don't have!).

Thumbs up Storey Publishing!

Ruby suggested she'd like to go into town and check out the 'carnival'. What a disappointment! No stalls of arts, crafts or produce - only rides and not all going at that. So I wasn't tempted to let the girls on them and the boys hated the hydraulic sound. We did 'make a memory' and take a photo of the children all sitting on the concrete sheep sculptures in the centre of town.

Then on the way home I had a very special experience. The children and I were walking up the main street with many of the shops closed. A clothing store was open and as we passed Ruby picked up a blouse that had fallen off one of the racks. She couldn't put it back on the one it was near as it was overflowing so put it on the other. I thought nothing of it until further up the other end of the same block a woman in a car got our attention.

I went over to her car to 'help' her. She pointed to Ruby and thanked her for picking up the blouse! She was disabled and had wanted to get out of her car to do something about it but wasn't so nimble. She had seen 6 people pass by and do nothing. 3 of those had directly come out of the clothing store and walked around the blouse. She thought it was worth stopping and thanking Ruby for it- made my day and made me cry!

For some, their child's achievement in SAT's or on the sports field is a sign of success. For me it is this type of comment from a stranger about my child's character that focuses my attention back on what I value.

If I can raise my children to know what is right then they will do what is right. Teaching my children to think and decide for themselves is the pen-ultimate challenge.

And whats more - I wasn't nagging!

The last week has been great - sitting on the floor playing with the children, being able to give the older two the 'time of day' and really listen to them. This is what is was like when I had one child. I hope that it is more than a passing phase. Perhaps it comes out of my own sense of personal fulfillment. I have been working really long hours at night on various administration and financial projects. I am once again seeing more of the surface of my desk, the floor in our bedroom and other areas in the home.





We are still proving Agate's food sensitivity to amines. In the past couple of months it has been evident when she has eaten chocolate - behaviour is defiant and oppositional, speech is loud, and her poos sticky. It appears to take about 3 days for the effects to wear off. On one or two occasions we were anticipating a return to 'normal' which didn't happen only to find she had stashed a chocolate away in her bed that she had thence eaten. Argh!

Agate is due to go to Australia with her grandparents later this month and the last thing that I want is for them to have to put up with her behaviour and toilet requirements. I will give them a list of foods that contain amines but still are not 100% sure that these are the primary or only culprits.





Agate has officially finished pre-school and is now home with us all for 'school'. She is at the end of learning her phonics and beginning to read. It all comes down to the concentration - if she hasn't eaten anything 'bad' she is teachable, otherwise there is no point.





Ruby has decided to take up a knitting challenge from one of the stores to knit a layette for a premature baby. She has started on the back of the cardigan first and is making good progress. I admire her heart and her commitment to giving to other people. We thought that after she finished this project we would both start to knit sets of premmie clothes for the Multiple Birth Club to lend or hire out - like leaving a legacy. I just hope that other people still know how to wash wool! When I think about doing this I am reminded of the many other unstarted and therefore unfinished knitting projects I have as well. And in the middle of it all I could really do with a long wrap jacket to snuggle into myself.

I really like to look for new patterns online at bernat.com knitty.com and rebecca-online.com (although the later doesn't add anything to their free patterns often). I'm always on the look out for new modern patterns so feel free to post your favourites.





We have new neighbours on both sides now (not that I knew about one until the day before yesterday). It is a strange feeling. The day the big house sold it was like a grief - a knowing that the former owner (deceased) was gone and that we would have to learn to accommodate new people and probably a large family.

We have since talked a few times about being able to move but with the focus not on escaping the neighbours but on moving nearer our families. I really don't know how we could do it and keep that house we are in.