ATTIC ACTIVITIES

I'm not actually in the attic but this top bedroom does have a ceiling which slopes at each end to match the steep roof. B the builder is coming round next Wednesday to install an attic ladder and some basic flooring in the space above, so that it can be used for storage. DJ and I have both had long lives so far and have need for space to store the treasured remains.
BUT... I am in the upper room because the boiler is still not working. G and J, the cheerful plumbers, turned up as promised this afternoon and started by pressing a few buttons to reset the gadget. A great WHOOOOF of sound indicated that the boiler had lit. We celebrated the hot water gushing from the tap and the rapidly increasing warmth of the radiators. The temperature of the thermostatic controls went rapidly from 10 degrees C to 10.5 degrees.
They left jubilantly but still slagging off "Ideal" boilers as the plumbers' worst nightmare and arranging to price a new "Baxi Platinum" to install with the new bathroom.

So, I got out some wool and settled down to start a new project. I have five WIPs. A throw, a scarf, a hat, a sock and a jumper. But a new pair of socks was the most inviting. Sue
has planned to knit the equivalent of a pair of socks a month this year so I took on the challenge to join her, mainly because I had this enticing ball of Noro in the stash. I haven't ever knitted with Noro before.

Anyway about ten minutes after the plumbers had left and I had phoned DJ with the good news and sorted out the Noro, the house went deadly quiet again. The boiler had lost another life. If it was a cat it would have four left but I will definitely put it out of its misery before the rest run out.

I didn't spoil the plumbers' day by calling them back. I can press reset buttons and an "Ideal" engineer is booked for Saturday and anyway I'm in a warm room.

I haven't ever knitted with Noro before and was a bit concerned about its harshness and its lack of resilience, but others rave about it so I carried on knitting and the purple shade is just starting to appear now. It will be quite a surprise if the socks look anything like a pair.

I have played with the Windows Photo Gallery software to alter the colour of the photos so that the yarn colour is as realistic as possible and it has changed the background remarkably, indicating how much manipulation has been needed.
I shall knit on and hope to get some nice dark stripes soon.

I'm here on my own so the lack of a bath or shower is not a problem to anyone else. DJ is having horribly similar problems with his boiler but he would need his own blog to tell you all about them and the b---dy gas cooker!
Perhaps Spring will be early this year.
Cheers Gillian