hodder_boing

Poo.

Happy Yule" 
We are picking emails too, answering phone messages, and well, drinking spice tea and serving chocolates to customers. You know, it's a lovely. And it's everyone who makes it possible. In the spirit of Tiny Tim, God bless us all, everyone.Thank you for your support, to all our wonderful customers and friends.
Christina and all at Treadwell's

           ------ HOLIDAY HOURS ---------
25-27 Dec Closed
Mon, 28 Dec  12-7pm
Tue, 29 Dec  12-7pm
Wed, 29 Dec 12-7pm
Thu, 30 Dec 12-7 pm
Fri, 31 Dec  12-5 pm
Jan 1-3 Closed
Jan 4 12-7 PM
Back to normal

Tarot Reading is available on our open days in this period. Appointments not always necessary. Just ring or email. 

And, terribly importantly, HAPPY YULE! Christina and all at Treadwell's

Hi all. I must have the worst immune system. I catch every cold that goes around, and since I work in an IGO, there are a lot going around. Every month, I get at least one cold that clings to me for 5-6 days. Is there a natural way to build up resistance? I wash my hands, I take vitamins and multi-vitamin brausetabletten, I eat lots of veggies. Right now I have a vicious cold which is all in my sinuses. I am taking RhinAdvil and my vitamins and trying to sleep (not working so much). I would really prefer not to take RhinAdvil if I can help it; but more importantly than this current cold is the fact that I catch everything. How do I build up my resistance to cold viruses? Does anyone know?

Hmm... I'm supposed to be going out to an apointment today at either 11.00 or 11.30. Not sure which. Have called the place and their going to call me back.* It's not totally my fault I don't know, I did write it down. I then spilt tea on my diary.**

Then, after that, it's back home for a shower, shave and a splash of bruit (I WISH!) and off out as tonight is the Amnesty International Christmas party! Sadly, I'm such a social misfit that I just do not do well in party situations. It is for that reason that I am working the bar tonight. Not as self sacraficing as it might first appear. For a start working menas you can't get drunk. I don't drink so not getting drunk isn't that big a sacrafice. Also I find that a bar creates a plesent sense of barrier and protection between myself and other people haveing a good time while nto making me the sole focus of their attention. Other things that create a good barrier are DJ booths, cubical doors and tow or three tables turned into a make shift den.

The phone still hasn't wrung and I'm going to have to leave in ten minuets to make an 11.00 apointment. How anoying.















*It's an NHS set up. I'm not hopeful.
**OK, so it is totally my fault. I was hoping you wouldn't notice. How very clever of you sher-bloody-lock

I'm about to do a radio interview about the incinerator protest that's happening tomorrow. (County Hall, Midday. Come along!)

I always find myself speeking to fast during these things.

Other than that things are going well. Tonight is the Amnesty Christmas party which should be a giggle.

I'm going to go now, but I'll probably jump on line at work so will update a bit later maybe.

Tata!

I am almost always recommended by knitters to use knittinghelp an online resource with videos on how to knit. It is, in fact, very helpful; but I really prefer Angel Yarns Rowan Yarn Store, which, although the focus is not on how to, has very clear instructions with pictures for basic steps. This page of the how to cast on is a good example. It struck me as strange that I would prefer the non-video version since I have always considered myself a visual learner; the difference, I think, is that videos go quickly, and the explanation is auditory rather than textual, while Angel Yarns is textual plus pictures so there's no such thing as it going too quickly. I also really appreciate the ravelry website where you can log your projects and look at other people's. The only thing I don't like is sometimes you can't access other people's patterns, which makes me sad when there's something I really want to try.

It has also struck me as interesting how tricoter in Paris is such a great conversation starter and also seems to be a common thread through the childhood experiences of many French people, women and men included. Since I do most of my knitting on the public transportation system, I always hope for a seat. When I whip it out, I get friendly and interested looks, like it's entertainment, and several people start a conversation with me. One woman spoke to me for 10 minutes about the different kinds of knitting, English, Continental and another that she called the German style. She tried to mime the action of the latter but it just looked confusing. Another thing is that men seem to have been exposed to knitting more than I would expect. Maybe this is also true in the United States; I wouldn't know since I have never knitted there, but here it seems to be a very common experience across genders. Pierre, my current Couchsurfing host, told me he used to do it as a kid, when his grandmother taught him. This German guy I met on my last train trip from Paris to Stuttgart (via Mannheim) also knew how to knit, and actually knitted a few stitches for me when I got into trouble. I don't know why I assumed that men would be shy, embarrassed,or discouraged from such a "feminine" thing but that just shows you 1) my assumptions can bite me in the ass and 2) French machismo and sexism is much more fluid than I thought.

I saw this image in a book and became really enamored of it. I did some quick research and it seems to be the healing goddess Unkatahe, protector against disease. When I tried to find out more, however, I only get google results that seem very suspicious, saying things like the "Indian or Native American goddess" from websites that seem to be superficial and not terribly knowledgeable. Does anyone know which tribe(s) this is from and any reputable online sources about this goddess figure or NA religion in general?