Ups and downs

It's been a while since I last posted and I have to confess that I have been feeling a bit meh. I think it's a combination of feeling rather flat now that my fundraising has finished, getting over the flare I experienced after my 5th Covid vaccination and frustration that I find everything so flipping difficult! Welcome to my Pity Party, help yourself to a drink and some nibbles before they run out. 

My fundraising became massively important to me, especially throughout lockdown when I was shielding, as it gave me something positive to focus on as well as a link to the outside world. It also gave me some kind of identity which helped me; having lost my identity as a wife after Mr JK died, I then lost my identity as a teacher after I had to take ill health retirement, so fundraising gave me a sense of purpose again and I felt useful. Now that the fundraising has finished, I am feeling a little redundant once more so I need to find something new to channel my energy into. 

I had my 5th Covid vaccination in June and it caused a flare up of my myositis and my inflammatory markers, which had been consistently decreasing since I started my IVIg infusions, shot up again. I had the Moderna vaccine (all four previous were Pfizer) and from what some of my doctors have said, what happened to me didn't come as a surprise. I'm getting back to where I was pre-jab, but had Covid jab number 6 as well as my flu vaccine this week; sadly it was Moderna again, I did ask if they would be getting any Pfizer but the answer was no. As I'm going to be starting on a more heavy duty immunosuppressant very soon, I decided that it would be better to be protected from Covid and risk another flare up rather than refuse the vaccine. Fingers crossed that it won't happen a second time.

There are things that I want to change in the house but things take me such a long time or I'm not able to manage them that I just ignore them. I have friends who I know would be happy to help me; it's me that finds it hard to ask for and accept help and I guess that I need to change my attitude. It takes me a ridiculous amount of time to do the simplest things: taking things upstairs I have to put things in a rucksack to carry them as I have to tackle the stairs on all fours. I'd like to bring all my craft books downstairs and swap them for a couple of shelves of LP's but the mere thought of doing it is enough to stop me, even though I'll be really pleased to get things rearranged in a much more helpful way. Perhaps I should set myself a task each week and tell you what I have planned, so that I have to report back and be accountable! It might work...

I have had plenty of little moments of joy over the past couple of weeks to share with you.

*** Teddy Love ***

I crocheted this cute little bear for a friend of a friend's new baby boy and was delighted when she shared the lovely photo of them together. Apparently it is his favourite cuddly! (Pattern is Billy Bear from Emma Varnam, which you can buy as a kit or pattern only.)

*** Fundraising ***

I never in a million years imagined that I would raise so much money for Myositis UK. I am so grateful to everyone who donated a prize and to all the people who helped by buying virtual raffle tickets and sharing my fundraising to spread the word. Thank you so much. (See right at the end of this post how you can help me!)

*** Festive socks ***

Winwick Mum has designed some gorgeous new sock patterns to go with West Yorkshire Spinners new Christmas yarn, in the Gingerbread colourway. The patterns are all free to download. This is my favourite - Gretel - with the colourwork trees and snowflakes. I've got the yarn ready to cast on. I downloaded my pattern from Black Sheep Wools. There are four knitting patterns and one crochet pattern for socks.

Photo copyright West Yorkshire Spinners

*** Stripy Goodness ***

I finished knitting my stripy socks using the beautiful 'Twelve Days' colourway from Spin & Blether. I went for matchy-matchy socks right down to the heel as I had plenty of yarn and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out. The yarn is a mix of Blue Faced Leicester and nylon and has a wonderful lustre. 

*** Strictly Sockalong ***

I'm delighted that Strictly is back on our screens and have cast on my pair for the sockalong. I'm knitting my 'Tiptoe' pattern and I'm not totally convinced that the lace shows up well enough with the yarn. I think that I will stretch it out over a sock blocker to see how it looks before I knit any more rounds. I had to rummage around in my notions bag for my glitterball stitch marker!

Have a good week and I'll be back chatting away again soon. xxx

PS

There are still a few days left to vote for your favourites in this year's British Knitting & Crochet awards. I have been nominated in the favourite charity campaign for my Fibre 4 Fibres Fundraising which reached over £30,000. My page will close at the end of September, which is the same day that voting closes. You can vote here and you might be lucky and win an amazing prize!

You can vote here!