In Codeine we trust

My back was better - loads better. I hobbled into the physio on tuesday and bounced out again, leaping about like a spring lamb. The at IKnit yesterday I happened to cuddle a baby and on giving it back to its mater something went boink and then continued to get worse and worse and worse and ... you get the picture. It climaxed about 11pm with me crying uncontrollably and writhing with pain on the bed. No position made it better. My right foot had pins and needles and the muscles in the rest of my leg were hyperventilating or whatever muscles do. The out of hours doctor faxed a prescription for codeine to tesco but they didn't open til 8 this morning. Fortunately after a few hours it had eased a bit and I fell asleep - but with the most awful dreams. Now, the painkillers have done the trick but I can see the muscles in my right calf pulse which is rather too much like a horror film to be comfortable.

The worst thing - worse than the pain - is that I've had to miss the second day of Iknit all together - including the workshops I'd paid about £50 to go to by Alice Starmore and Debbie New. The word we are looking for here is "bollocks".

The only thing cheering me up is that I did get to the Debbie New talk yesterday and have a good go at the market so I'm not empty handed. The talk was *brilliant*. Engrossing, fascinating, insightful, intriguing, inspiring and loads of other adjectives. Plus we got to look and feel the objects in her book.

The sunflower coat:

The swirl baby sweater - I love this.

This is genius. Cast on the neck and work down using miters. She used extra ones around the nexk to round it out.

Just beautiful - colour, pattern, shape, all perfect.

Beautiful oroubus.

I didn't take many pics of the market as I assumed I'd be back today but here's what I did snap. Beautiful diplay of natural dyeing from the vauxhall city farm.

I absolutely loved this scarf with the bobbled tassles.

The fluffiest alpaca ear muffs you ever saw. So tempted....

And then there was what I bought. Again - I managed to score some very nice things, and just as well since I thought I'd have another go today. First up, P/Hop patterns.

Organic natural dyed wool from Norwool.

Pattern books and an actual book from the Oxfam book shop round the corner.

Vintage polka dot buttons. (Red and white polka dot? They had to come home with me.)

And the good stuff - all dyed by our very own Liz and from the Woolly Workshop stand. This was where I made most of my purchases. The top two are for my Secret Pal.

Plus some beautiful sock from a new entrant to the yarn market. Sparkleduck.

And i did try to resist, but Gill was just too tempting.

Then there were Herdy xmas cards and Wibbo stitchmarkers.

Beautiful brooches (blue one for my Secret Pal) and felt buttons.

I couldn't resist the brooch with the dangly bits once I'd picked it up. This is why. Made me laugh.

And the piece de resistance.....

This last one is from Tilly Flop. I hadn't seen her things before but they are rather lovely.

Thought IKnit Weekender, the half day I managed, was brill and much kudos to Gerard and all. Just wish I could have been there for more of it. Meanwhile, let's just keep those painkillers coming.

I am in quite agonising pain.

My back has been worse this last two days than it has been during the rest of my life. This morning I could barely walk and was hobbling around. Lying down on front, back or side hurts, sitting hurts, standing hurts. I'm not at work because of the lack of movement and have been hobbling round the flat shouting "ow, fuck!" which has been surprisingly helpful although god knows what the neighbours think. I've had 3 physio appts and it def isn't any better so have an appt with a different one tomorrow to get another opinion. I don;t want the first one to be wrong as he's really nice but it doesn't hurt to be sure. Whereas it does hurt right now.

To cheer myself up I've been continuing with my crochet hexagon blanket. Crocheting puts the least pressure on any part of me. I'm about 100 down. I'm not sure how many I'll need but it did occur to me today that they will stretch so maybe I should start joining them sooner rather than later.

Apart from that I can at least be happy that my secret pal socks are done.

Very purty, Jane's pattern, Natalie's yarn and some Lornas Laces as the contrast. Love them all. I'll also been occasionally knitting away on the yarn my secret pal gave me in a pair of plain vanilla socks plus beads.

I added the beads for a little splash of something although in retrospect the yarn speaks for itself and doesn't need any addition. Once again, natalie's yarn.

Los Parentos were here at the weekend (another great piece of timing back-wise, wretched thing). I had to sit out most of the activites (or lie-out, wimpering with a hot water bottle on my back) but did make it for dinner on sat night. Dell Aziz's in Bermondsey square - thoroughly recommended for the food although the service was a bit touch and go even though they had a gazzillion waiters. The starter and main was delicious and from the set menu. The puddings had to be seen to be believed. Mater had the chocolate cake. This is your average sized piece with mater in it for scale. She is a mini-mummy but the cake was still enormous.

I can't resist finishing with this picture of a photographically dysfunctional family. Mum looks like she's heard a rude word, sian's scowling, I'm doing a muppet impression and there's Rob, (sometimes known on this blog as dad2) keeping it real. Pooch was there but was probably testing to see if there was wifi.