Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia Day everyone,

Today is the day when family and friends get together to celebrate living in our wonderful country. Commonly people have BBQs or go to the beach. Many people take this day to become Australian citizens and usually no matter where you live the day is finished with a firework display.

Unfortunately where  I live we have had a few days of torrential rain and are still expecting more today. Many roads are flooded and driving within the city is complicated and dangerous due to road closures. Many Australia Day celebrations have been cancelled due to the unpredictable weather. Fortunately we will be spending the day with good friends with a bbq and swim in their pool...yes we will swim as it is still quite warm.

 Many schools were closed yesterday. My school wasn't and we had a very difficult day  trying to keep the students dry ( What is it about teenage boys that makes them want to get saturated in the rain only to come into a classroom to smell like 'wet dog' for the rest of the day). Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit better as it has been a rather mixed up start to the new year for the students. The students I care for do not like 'change' and this year there have been some problems that directly affected my work area and their 'safe place'. Next week may be an interesting, challenging week as we try to settle everyone back into new routines. Busy but certainly never boring.

Have a great day everyone, wherever you are and whatever you do.

Anny :)

Good result!

Yay my week of anxiety is over.

 In my mail box this afternoon was my letter from Breast Screen Queensland to say 'they are pleased to inform me that no sign of breast cancer was found in my recent mammogram'. Another year until my next check.

I had my first mammogram at 40 years of age. This was a very stressful time as my mother had passed away from breast cancer. They did find a lump that day and it was biopsied. My family and I (I have 3 sisters) had a very anxious weekend waiting for the pathology results. They returned as inconclusive and I was sent to a specialist for further consultation. He went on to take another biopsy (OMG I had that bruise for a month) and more days of anxious waiting. A few days later my husband and I returned to the doctor to be told the lump was benign, however atypical and it would be best removed. A week later I had this lump removed.

So far 10 years later I have been lucky and had no more lumps but each year I have to endure that week of waiting and hoping that all is well for another year

Please never be deterred from having a mammogram. Yes it may be uncomfortable but it is really important for early detection. Breast screening is free for women over 50 in Australia and if you have a family history or have a concern it can be as low as 40 years.

So please if you are overdue for your next mammogram  make that tomorrow's job to do...make that appointment!

Anny :)

























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My own Stylecraft Special DK

                        

When I first started reading blogs...long before I started this one, I was intrigued with the variety of yarn available around the world. One yarn that popped up many times that people always enjoyed working with was Stylecraft Special DK. The colours people were using were so bright and colourful. The range was so diverse and I wasn't able to get anything near it here in Brisbane Australia.

So I just had to have myself some!! Much to my husband's protests of "Oh no you don't need more wool, what about all that wool in the basket, what's the difference with this one?" So I found myself a good distributor here and sent off my order.

To say I was excited was an understatement and each morning my kids thought I was mad as I waited to see if my package would arrive. Luckily it only took seven days to get here from the UK. I had ordered the set lot of 17 colours so it was a big package and I really didn't know what I was going to do with 17 x 100gm balls of yarn at this stage (I did have a very large project in my basket at the time that did have a time limit on it as it was a gift)

 Anyway I laid out the colours in a range of different combinations, humming and hahing, this way that way until I decided with inspiration from here what I was going to do.

One night I just had to have a quick go of using the yarn...just to feel how it felt on the hook , how it looked crocheted, the density, the softness, the smoothness!!! Yes that's right I couldn't stop, yes I started a ripple, yes I have become obsessed, yes every spare minute I have is spent rippling...I know, I know I shouldn't have started.....Oh but I'm so glad I did!!

PS. pictures to come when I find the camera!!!!

Anny xx

Today is the day!

                       
Today I have the yearly appointment I dread the most but is also the most important.

Yes, it is Mammogram day. Please don't get me wrong I fully support this campaign and would never miss my appointment. My Mum passed away 15 years ago at the very young age of 57 due to Breast Cancer...so as you can see it is non-negotiable.

The actual process is not what bothers me it's the next ten days of anxious paranoia waiting for the results!

Wish me luck

Anny

Knitting

I will always remember as a small girl watching my Mum knit. She seemed to do it so smoothly and effortlessly. I was desperate for her to teach me and struggled with the tight tension of an anxious learner. With practise I mastered garter and stocking stitch until when I  was about 10 years old I wanted to make my first jumper!! Mum took me to our local haberdashery shop and I chose a blue variegated Patons Totem. Luckily this local shop would store your required amount and you could come in and just buy a ball or two as you progressed (we certainly weren't a wealthy family and I now realise with five kids to raise this was certainly an extravagance that my Mum found the money for). I never did finish that jumper but knitting was something my mother and I shared for all the time we had together. Mittens, scarves and jumpers were constantly on my needles in my youth all becoming more complicated as I became more experienced. I can remember finishing Uni early on Fridays and meeting my Mum for lunch on her half day. First thing we would do is spend half an hour in the Wool shop under the building she was working in. Our passion for wool was shared and Dad was always complaining about our communal stash!

My first pattern book

A jumper I made for my brother

Oh how we loved knitting.....until a friends grandma taught me how to Crochet........................

Anny

Hello,

Well I managed to publish my first post and include a photo woohoo!! I am slowly working my way through the intricacies of blogging. I love the liberty of late nights when on holidays!!

So a bit more info about me:

• I'm currently on holidays as I am a teacher...10 days left until the start of term aaah (don't panic that date is for teachers)
• I love craft. I originally trained as an Art teacher but over time I have moved into Special Ed so all kinds of craft satiates my creative urge
• Crochet is my current obsession. I have two ripple blankets on the go at the moment (one for my sister's wedding present and the other 'just because'). I know other crafters will get that but unfortunately my family don't.
• I was born and grew up in Sydney Australia but 10 years ago this week my hubby, 3 daughters and I moved to Brisbane....better lifestyle and more affordable place to live

 It's been a really hot day here today....fortunately we have a pool and have spent many hours in it today cooling off. We have switched the air con on for a few hours now which means I can sit back and enjoy a bit of crochet time....

I'm going to have to get used to taking more photos for this blog!!!

Anny

Hello

Hi and welcome to Rainbow of Life. I chose this name as to me the blogging world feels like many rainbows criss-crossing the world connecting people that would never have the chance to ever meet. Yet this is what we are doing daily, touching in on other peoples lives.

My name is Anny and I'm from Brisbane, Australia. My husband G and I have been married for 25 years this year. We have three daughters all living at home and my 'blonde boyfriend' Cooper our golden labrador.

Please join me on my journey into the blogging world.

Anny

Cooper