Snow. Only a dusting, really. Quite pretty though, and the cat got excited and played sliding for a little while. Here’s a picture of our back garden. You can see on the patio the marks where the cat played sliding!

I’m very interested to see that people in the Ukraine, Germany and the USA have looked at this blog – amazing! How on earth did you find it? And is it of any interest? Goodness me. If I had any German or Ukrainian I’d say Hello in those languages, but hello to you all anyway.

Thought I’d talk about operating systems today. I only use Windows (XP) on my laptop upstairs, and the only reason I have for using Windows at all is my iPod and my knitting software (Design a Knit 7). If either or both of those worked in Linux, then I wouldn’t bother with Windows at all.

On my main computer, the one I use in the study, I use Linux Ubuntu. I built my own pc, and my husband’s. He uses Windows XP for his iPod and Linux Ubuntu for everything else, and his machine is dual boot, so he chooses each time he switches it on. By default his computer will go into Ubuntu, which I think is just wonderful.Not that it goes into Ubuntu by default, I just think Ubuntu is wonderful.

Everything is free, it’s safe, stable, secure, and no licenses or viruses to worry about. It comes with its own firewall, antivirus (not that it needs to really, but it is reassuring), email, internet browser, office suite (OpenOffice) and games. Anything you want a computer for really. I suppose if you played a lot of games, like Doom, that might be more complicated, but I do believe it’s possible to set it up on Linux somehow or other.

Knitting. Yes. Am a keen hand and machine knitter. I have two knitting machines, one is a Brother 891 (punchcard) with no ribber, but a garter carriage, the other is a Silver Reed 840 (electronic) with a ribber. Both standard gauge (that means they knit from 3 ply to double knitting – which I think is 8 ply or something in America). On the electronic one I use my laptop and Design a Knit 7 to design and knit garments – there is a special link between the laptop and the knitting machine to tell it what to do.

At the moment however I have been unable to hand knit for the last four weeks, because of my wonky wrist. I think it’s tenosynovitis (tennis elbow). It’s driving me crazy. Maybe in a few days when the wrist has settled down.

Next time I finish a garment or baby blanket, maybe I’ll put a photo up, depending how it goes, how I feel about it, and whether it’s good enough for global viewing.

Today my back is absolutely dreadful. I have an ice pack on it (the good old frozen wheat bag) as I sit, and I do think the Panadol plus (soluble paracetamol and caffeine) are helping a bit. Moving around a bit helps, and I used my collapsible shower stool so I didn’t need to bend awkwardly. I slipped a disc thirty-odd years ago, they removed said disc surgically seventeen years ago, and for about ten years it was great. Now it’s not so great, but no more surgery (it would destabilise my back), so it’s pain management.

The shopping is being delivered this afternoon, so I’m hoping Vic will be awake to help me put it away. Things at waist level are fine, anything that involves bending down is a bit of an issue. Maybe it’ll be better by then.

This afternoon I’m going to watch Ugly Betty, which I recorded on Wednesday night. Not Vic’s sort of thing really, but I love it. Love America Ferrara, she’s just fabulous.

Will stop now. Lunchtime.