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	<title>The One About Inori</title>
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	<lastBuildDate>Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:46:32 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>My first time!</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/08/28/my-first-time/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/08/28/my-first-time/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Aug 2010 10:46:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Chubbs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sunshine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=821</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Well, for the very first time in 27 26.5 years, I saw this: A couple of a couple of years ago (that is, 4 years ago), I went up a mountain in Victoria and saw COMPACT ICE. Which is very different from snow, thankyouverymuch. The biggest difference is when you have snowball fights? It hurts. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well, for the very first time in <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">27</span> 26.5 years, I saw this:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="snow!!!!!!!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4934488602_8667a384b6.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>A couple of a couple of years ago (that is, 4 years ago), I went up a mountain in Victoria and saw COMPACT ICE. Which is very different from snow, thankyouverymuch. The biggest difference is when you have snowball fights? It hurts. Real bad. Take my word for it. Don&#8217;t try.</p>
<p>It has been <em>precipitating </em>for the past few nights and I was delighted to see snow on the mountain! So of course, we decided to drive up!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="cake with frosting" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4934488034_32e3258845.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /><em>(taken on the way up)</em></p>
<p>The snow on the rocks remind me of frosting on cakes&#8230; don&#8217;t they look like it?</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="snowfield" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4933893603_5c7bae6e2e.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>I&#8217;m amazed at how soft the snow was. It felt so good to lie in it. I even did a few face plunges. (No face plonks were attempted at the 2006 compact ice mountain trip, thankyouverymuch.) The snow was knee deep and we had to try very hard not to stay in one spot for too long. Otherwise we would find ourselves sinking in!</p>
<p>I loved how the icicles had formed on the sparse vegetation.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="icicles" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4933893707_3543300c44.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="icicles" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4934488282_3a941d2c0e.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Err&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;. the kids did not enjoy it very much. <em>*Sigh*</em></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="snow" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4934488434_e0903aab36.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Chubbs cried as soon as we put him on the snow. He only stopped crying when we gave him some clean snow to chew on.</p>
<p>Sunshine was okay at the beginning. We had snowball fights and she helped build part of our snowman. She was also busy ingesting snow bunnies.</p>
<p>But later, snow seeped into her boots and although she had double layer of socks on, she must have felt cold and wet and she too, started to cry. Don&#8217;t worry, we brought 3 changes of clothing. Haha. Talk about being prepared!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="grumpy" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4934488364_0e24ff94b0.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>You can see how GRUMPY Chubbs looked. I can explain the cowl on his head &#8211; I left the car with Sunshine first and Nad came later to join us but he couldn&#8217;t find Chubb&#8217;s hat. So I put my cowl on his head as a temporary measure while I went back to the car for his hat.</p>
<p>And yes, I notice his boot had fallen off. Don&#8217;t worry, we picked it up. (He also lost a glove, careless boy&#8230; Nad had to<span style="text-decoration: line-through;"> get on his fours on the snow to sniff it out.</span> go back to look for it.)</p>
<p>So&#8230; yeah!!! This was Nad when the trip just started. All smiles.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="flog" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4933894241_c8cfa012a9.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Us and Flog. Flog the snowman. Get it? Ha ha. <em>Flog</em> the snowman? Heheheheheheh <em>*Demented laughter*</em></p>
<p>Ahem.</p>
<p>The wind was blowing mercilessly into our faces so it was a feat to keep our eyes open.</p>
<p>We then decided to walk to Antartica:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="antartica" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4934488790_9d2b39c1c1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>It was a long and treacherous and arduous  trek and winds were a-blowing and babies were a-howling and noses were a-dripping and frost bitten.</p>
<p>It was a bleak, desolate landscape with not a soul in sight.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="UFO" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4934488516_1b66b9b0f7.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>In this strange land, we heard weird whirring noises and felt electric currents through our body. Wonder what caused it?</p>
<p>We stopped at a stupendous rock to have sourdough rye ration. We named the place sourdough-rye-on-the-rocks.</p>
<p>Then we blacked out for a few hours and when we came to, we had weird unexplained rashes on our arms and body.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="grouchy" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4934488904_c12d17e0e3.jpg" alt="" width="323" height="500" /></p>
<p>This is Nad at the end of the trip &#8211; tired and sick of the babies&#8217; crying. I think we woke up on a different planet&#8230;..?</p>
<p>Disclaimer: Not all of the anecdotal evidence are submissible facts. Use your own judgement. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>One last picture of another mountain seen from the ground:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="mountain!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4934488842_5258186d20.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Bai bai.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hello strangers!</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/08/25/hello-strangers/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/08/25/hello-strangers/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:50:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Chubbs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Knitting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Soap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sunshine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=817</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is gonna be a long post. It&#8217;s like a blog debt that I&#8217;m paying back. Sometimes I have so much to say and it&#8217;s all written in my head but when it comes to typing it out, I don&#8217;t know where to start! I&#8217;ll just ramble along and insert the appropriate/ matching pictures. They [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This is gonna be a long post. It&#8217;s like a blog debt that I&#8217;m paying back.</p>
<p>Sometimes I have so much to say and it&#8217;s all written in my head but when it comes to typing it out, I don&#8217;t know where to start!</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll just ramble along and insert the appropriate/ matching pictures. They may or may not appear in order of the events that have happened. So much has happened in the past month that I cannot remember what happened when exactly.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s been rather cold lately. Snow fell on the mountains which we can see from our front door/window. It only stayed a couple of days before melting. This winter hasn&#8217;t been as wet as the last. I&#8217;m worried because our backyard badly needs rain. We&#8217;ve been carting out bath water and since there&#8217;s a fly screen on the bathroom window,  we can&#8217;t pass buckets of water through the window to the backyard so we have to cart bucketloads out of the bathroom, through the length of the living room and through the kitchen/backdoor, walk the entire length of the house before we&#8217;re able to douse the lawn with water. Very exhausting.</p>
<p>And yes. Grass is dying. Especially the spots where Chiyo pees on. Grrr.</p>
<p>However, Sakuras are blooming all over town. We love the white ones most but the pink ones are more common. We even cut some branches for our kitchentop!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="Sakura!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4877844976_d52f172471.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>And yes, we don&#8217;t have a vase so an ex caffiene bottle would have to do.</p>
<p>The buds opened after a few days and it really brightened up the room. Unfortunately, it also started to shed the petals like ezcema and I had pink petals in my food. So the flowers are sitting on our front step now. Most of them are gone though.</p>
<p>The reasons why I&#8217;ve not been updating my blog is because of the mountain of homework I have to wade through. I barely get much sleep nowadays, averaging on 5 to 6 hours a night.</p>
<p>I know to some people, 5 hours is a luxury. But to me, I need sleep. I become very cranky when I don&#8217;t have enough sleep. But yet the wee hours of the morning is really the only time I can do any form of study without interruptions. Sometimes I would hear my neighbours starting their car and going to work at 5 or 6am and I&#8217;m still struggling with my essays. All these and I&#8217;m still very very behind especially with my Biology.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m 3 chapters late for Bio!</p>
<p>When I&#8217;m not up in the weird hours of the night doing school work, I&#8217;m busy preparing updates for the store. My recent fibre update went really well and most of the braids were snapped up within a day or two!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="fibreee" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4867772215_1e0460df5e.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>I also enjoyed designing the labels of the braids.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="spinning ewe" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4868385888_1cd4be4deb.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Like this ewe is spinning wool from her back so her top is naked. Tee hee hee.</p>
<p>Now I&#8217;m busy sewing bags. Expandabags and smaller project bags for the store. Progress is painfully slow though.</p>
<p>I enjoy sewing and knitting and dyeing yarn/fibre a lot. I love bright and saturated colours. I love being creative and I love my yarn store (mainly because I get the first pick of the lovely Malabrigo yarn that arrives!!!) Thoughts have passed through my head if I should just sod (pardon the french) the whole school thing and just relax and enjoy my hobbies. I have one less issue to deal with in my life.</p>
<p>However, I cannot see us surviving on the yarn store. It started as a hobby business and it will always be a hobby business. It can support my stash acquisition and perhaps pay for some groceries here and there but it will never become a main source of income for my family. I am more than happy for it to be a hobby business and I like it the way it is right now. It&#8217;s not overwhelming me (it&#8217;s the juggling of my multiple lives that&#8217;s killing me) and I like that I can &#8216;work&#8217; any time I want to.</p>
<p>To have foresight, my studies is the only way that I can support my little family, inclusive of my dearest mum. To have foresight, we really really want to eventually own a little farm. To have foresight, would mean that I have to plod on with my studies. I don&#8217;t want to earn &#8216;big bucks&#8217;. I just want to earn enough to afford the kind of lifestyle we want. Not that we are lavish or anything like that! A simple, humble little farm would be great!</p>
<p>So the only thing other than whine about my lack of sleep to my poor husband now is to bite on my lower lip and plod on. 5 more years. I hope I make it till the end.</p>
<p>Not all of the month was bad for me though! I got quite a bit of knitting done:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="donkey" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4855495175_51d78062d9.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="donkey" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4856112950_49c5ddf822.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>I casted this on when Sunshine was a little baby. It hibernated for a very very long time and I finally decided to get on with it or else it won&#8217;t fit either kid.</p>
<p>Horror of horrors, this wool was discontinued. It&#8217;s Cleckheaton country 12 ply from Spotlight and I had 7 balls each of white and black. I needed just ONE more ball of each to seam the jacket up. Lucky for Ravelry, a very kind lady sent me a ball of each so I could complete this jacket.</p>
<p>Then I got a shock when I saw this:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="yellow" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4855494409_a570272e67.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Can you spot the colour difference? There&#8217;s a line running through which you can see- one side is whiter than the other.</p>
<p>At first, I was really shocked. &#8220;WHO PEED ON MY DONKEY JACKET???&#8221; But I realised the &#8216;pee line&#8217; was tooooo straight to have been a pee line.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve actually run out of wool for this project once before. I ran into Spotlight few years back to grab more balls of yarn but I must have failed to look at the colour. I must have grabbed a few balls of off-white instead of white.</p>
<p>Never mind. It&#8217;s the lining of the jacket and unless I point it out, people don&#8217;t notice! <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Ohh, check out the cute carrot buttons!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="carrots" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4856112570_4885412887.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>How apt for a donkey jacket!</p>
<p>We also went fishing with our close friend and her teenage sons one very nice day. I took my knitting of course.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="fishing trip" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4902962475_b88e9bff53.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>We enjoyed ourselves. Especially the little ones.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="chubbs" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4902962647_7c03e7cc0e.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="fun with water" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4903548876_2742c0b721.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>The waters were so clear!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="stick" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4903549406_b8a765350e.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="throw" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4902965183_297070b9cf.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Nad was teaching Sunshine how to skim pebbles but it looks like this one would land on his head&#8230;&#8230;..</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="throw!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4902964881_8682611764.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>We seldom ever get a family portrait so I love this picture to bits:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="love" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4902964527_38b8a38048.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>I was wearing my favourite hat:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="hat" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4903551054_4f71e5abb9.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Knitted with Malabrigo Twist, Paris Nights and Malabrigo Worsted Oceanos. My two favourite colourways from Malabrigo. I wear it everywhere I go now! Not at home though.</p>
<p>Sunshine also had a lot of fun as she tried her hand in baking.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="baker" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4903551472_5ec091282d.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="baker" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4902965975_17549c25d3.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="baker" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4902966249_d37385fc90.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>All under tutorage from our close friend, Lena. (The same one we went on the fishing trip with.)</p>
<p>She enjoyed herself and I would, one of these days, bake with her too. Only I&#8217;ve never baked muffins in my life before. I&#8217;m sure I can follow instructions though!</p>
<p>I also squeezed some time to make some soap:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="soap" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4925590735_16a889ec88.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>The ones on the left are Oatmeal. My favourite scent! The ones on the right are Aussie flavours &#8211; Lemon myrtle, Tea tree and Eucalyptus. They make the house smell lovely.</p>
<p>The oatmeal was made hot processed so it could be used immediately. The Aussie one was cold processed but I don&#8217;t think I can wait a month before using it. It smells too nice! So shhh, I&#8217;m going to use it tonight (it&#8217;s been curing for a week now).</p>
<p>The oatmeal batch was made with a swap in mind. I&#8217;ve sent out the soap and scrubbie yesterday to my partner.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="swap" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4925590909_64a1a68cb5.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>A few weeks ago, Chubbs started to have purplish and flakey toes. We didn&#8217;t know what to make of it. Applied Eucalyptus oil and aloe vera cream on them and changed fresh socks for him everyday. Then, his ring finger on the left started to become red/purplish and swollen as well. We thought it was an insect bite.</p>
<p>Then 3 nights ago, the swell spread to his middle finger and his pinky. That prompted a call to the after hours service and the nurse advised us to bring him to the hospital.</p>
<p>A hospital trip it was, at midnight! Both Chubbs and Sunshine slept blissfully through the whole time we were there. We waited about an hour or two and he was finally diagnosed with fungal and secondary bacterial infection &#8211; cellulities.</p>
<p>He was given a course of antibiotics and fungal cream. We reached home at 3am and crashed into bed. That was the earliest I&#8217;ve slept the entire week.</p>
<p>For the first two days, Chubbs willingly drank his medicine. Now, we have a huge struggle and our wardrobe has been updated to &#8216;retro pink spots&#8217;. Most of the pink, nasty liquid ends up outside his mouth! Urgh.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s still no marked improvement on his fingers although his toes seems a little better. Pray that he gets well soon. Sigh, poor boy.</p>
<p>We have been constantly amazed at his level of understanding lately though. A few days ago, Sunshine was sitting on the toilet and she said to Chubbs to bring her the &#8216;Hungry Baby&#8217; book.</p>
<p>He walked past my sewing room into the living room and walked past again holding the correct book!</p>
<p>A few moments later, I saw him wearing the kitchen slipper (one side) so I said to him, &#8220;Can you put the slipper in the kitchen please?&#8221;</p>
<p>He looked lost for a moment until I bent over and pointed, &#8220;Slipper&#8221;. He immediately took the slipper, walked the length of the house and dropped the slipper into the kitchen, over the baby gate!</p>
<p>Ho ho ho&#8230; this little boy knows more than he lets on!</p>
<p>He&#8217;s starting to say Eh Pa (apple), Nana! (Banana), Bye bye! and he&#8217;s also responding to our questions.</p>
<p>&#8220;Chubby?&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Ya ya!&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Do you want water?&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;Ya ya!&#8221;</p>
<p>Sunshine has been a good girl. She is toilet trained now (like, finally!) and we only put her diapers on when she sleeps. She is reading new words with little difficulty now. The other night when I was ironing on interfacing unto fabric, she read the words on the iron, &#8220;Slip Stream!&#8221;.</p>
<p>She doesn&#8217;t get it all correct though as she has an idea of phonics. So she pronounces the first few letters if she is unsure of the new word. Sometimes she gets the word right. Sometimes she only gets the beginning of the word right. But she&#8217;s getting there! She&#8217;s also writing most letters in the alphabet now.</p>
<p>There was once I read on a forum (not Ravelry!) and some parents have very adverse criticisms on babies who can read and write (aiming the attack at the learning program that we use for both Chubbs and Sunshine). They believe kids should be playing and not be forced to read or write.<br />
Well, little do they know that kids are NOT FORCED to &#8216;study&#8217;. Learning can be fun and enjoyable too! Both kids of ours love their learning DVDs and Sunshine regularly (read: everyday) wants me to put the disk on for her.  She takes out her exercise book on her own free will and writes in it.<br />
We ASK if she wants to do &#8216;some writing&#8217; or &#8216;some reading&#8217; and only proceed to do so when she replies in affirmative. I don&#8217;t think anyone can force a young child to study or to learn. But one can always make learning a fun process.</p>
<p>Our kids still get to play in the sun, go for walks in the park, play in the playgrounds, feed the ducks etc&#8230; but rather than spending time at home watching mind numbing TV shows, why not encourage them to learn something? A good foundation and a boost at the start is always a good thing.</p>
<p>Yes, while most kids would reach the same level of understanding when they reach a certain age, there&#8217;s nothing wrong with giving the kid a boost at a younger age, when their brains are most like sponges and when whatever they learn stays in their memories better. We&#8217;ve never forced any learning upon the kids. They are happy, healthy children who do not neccessarily have exceptional IQs. I believe all children have this same potential in them and it&#8217;s up to their parents whether they want to unleash it or not. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>On the knitting front, I&#8217;ve casted on a Huntington Castle Pullover with Rowan Summer Tweed which is a Cotton/silk blend. I&#8217;ve never smelled such strong cottony smell from yarn before!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="huntington castle" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4926185638_d63ff531ba.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>It&#8217;s one of my first stranded (a kind of knitting with 2 colours.. not that it&#8217;s stranded on an island or anything like that) projects. I casted on the second size but it was too huge so I ripped back (I was about 5 rows into the pullover) and casted on the smallest size. I know this is cotton and won&#8217;t be as stretchy as wool so I have to be careful that it&#8217;s not too small or I won&#8217;t be able to squeeze in! It&#8217;s looking good, though!</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve also wound 3 Malabrigo Sock yarn into yarn cakes, ready to design my first shawl/stole. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="mala sock" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4926185302_b2dd191f1f.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>From top to bottom: Caribeno, Impressionist Sky and Abril. What lovely colours. No wonder I&#8217;m keeping Yarnandkisses alive. Hehehehe.</p>
<p>Alrightio&#8230; off to take a warm shower! Thanks for hanging around.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Mid year exams</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/07/23/mid-year-exams/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/07/23/mid-year-exams/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:43:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sunshine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=814</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Blame it on the above for the lack of posts. I just sat for my Physical Sciences mid year exams yesterday. It was 2.5 hours long with 2 sections. One physics and one chemistry. I haven&#8217;t done an exam in a while and my brains felt like they were about to spill out. We were [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Blame it on the above for the lack of posts.</p>
<p>I just sat for my Physical Sciences mid year exams yesterday. It was 2.5 hours long with 2 sections. One physics and one chemistry. I haven&#8217;t done an exam in a while and my brains felt like they were about to spill out. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>We were given 15 minutes to read and underline/highlight any important points before the exam started.And whaddaya know? My highlighter chose that time to die on me. No more ink!</p>
<p>My pencil case was chocked full of writing materials. Pens of different brands and colours! BUT, only one mechanical pencil. Which of course, chose that day to die on me.</p>
<p>It was when I switched over from the chemistry paper to the physics paper that it died. I didn&#8217;t want to do the &#8216;tictictictictictictictictictictictictictictictictictic&#8217; thingy with the pencil for fear of incurring the wrath of other fellow students so I had to contend with using a pen and using a short and blunt Ikea pencil I found at the bottom of my pencil case to draw diagrams.</p>
<p>Inori has to be more prepared for exams, ya?</p>
<p>I have a Biology exam on Tuesday which I&#8217;m afraid I won&#8217;t do very well in (it would be a miracle if I even pass it) as well as the medical university entrance exams (UMAT) on wednesday.</p>
<p>The UMAT is a major one. If I fail this, I can kiss my doctor dreams goodbye. It&#8217;s more like an IQ test&#8230; very similar to Mensa. I hope I do well for it!</p>
<p>Then my Chemistry exam would be sent to me and Nad would be my invigilator. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>I have been busy with the store, making items to spruce up the inventory. I&#8217;m hoping to launch the new items in August.</p>
<p>Before I go, I&#8217;ll post some pictures of a playdate Sunshine and Chubbs had with my friend&#8217;s kids. They were all SOOOOO cute together. Chubbs was awefully shy though and hid in the bedroom for a while! He only warmed up to them when they were about to leave. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif' alt=':(' class='wp-smiley' />  And this is the 3rd time they&#8217;ve seen each other!</p>
<p>I got a very shy boy in my hands!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="sunshine n friend" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4820063882_9ae7176f29_z.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="640" /></p>
<p>On Sunshine&#8217;s pink car. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="yummy book" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4819442253_9b82f14919_z.jpg" alt="" width="425" height="640" /></p>
<p>My friend&#8217;s son who is sooooo adorable. He&#8217;s just learned to crawl!</p>
<p>And the sweetest picture of all:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="reading" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4820064098_9bc45fdf40_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="425" /></p>
<p>The girls were so quiet that we thought they were up to mischief. But noooo! They were sharing a book in the privacy of the yarn room! How cute is that?!?!?!?!?!?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Kupo?</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/22/kupo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/22/kupo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:43:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Knitting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=810</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Before I fall off the face of the internet again (buried by a mountain of school work &#8211; mid year exams coming up!), I&#8217;m popping in to show you my latest FO! I made this pattern up and this hat is knitted from the top down to its brim so sizing could be adapted for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Before I fall off the face of the internet again (buried by a mountain of school work &#8211; mid year exams coming up!), I&#8217;m popping in to show you my latest FO!<br />
I made this pattern up and this hat is knitted from the top down to its brim so sizing could be adapted for bigger/smaller heads.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="kupopo" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1396/4722834001_dd388072c5.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>This character is called a Moogle. Mog (as he is often named) is a permanent special guest in Final Fantasy games.</p>
<p>His pom pom is fixed on top of a chenille stick/ pipe cleaner.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="kupo" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1015/4723486674_fdba822365.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>The hat was knitted with 2 strands of 4-ply wool as I initially wanted to use an 8-ply (DK) but couldn&#8217;t find one in moogle-colour. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="kuuupppoo" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1145/4722834507_2a37c55bf0.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="kupo!" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1031/4722913913_8ea12705ec.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Okay I got to go back to my studies. I have other FOs to show but really would have to finish my school work first.</p>
<p>If I get enough responses asking for a pattern of this hat I&#8217;d write it out. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, this is its <a href="http://ravel.me/inoriz/mh">rav link</a>. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Kupo!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="kupo" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1230/4723487148_6df270e899.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Reading at 2.5 years old</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/07/reading-at-2-5-years-old/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/07/reading-at-2-5-years-old/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jun 2010 01:56:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sunshine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=805</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here are two videos of little Sunshine reading. And here is a picture of her representation of Nad and I. She claims that the person on the left with a dewdrop shaped mouth is me and the one on the right with vampire fangs is Nad. My question is&#8230;. why do I have 3 legs?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here are two videos of little Sunshine reading. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dTy3s27DIl4&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;rel=0&#038;color1=0x006699&#038;color2=0x54abd6&#038;border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dTy3s27DIl4&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;rel=0&#038;color1=0x006699&#038;color2=0x54abd6&#038;border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></p>
<p><object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/irECIrqBK-o&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;rel=0&#038;color1=0x006699&#038;color2=0x54abd6&#038;border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/irECIrqBK-o&#038;hl=en_US&#038;fs=1&#038;rel=0&#038;color1=0x006699&#038;color2=0x54abd6&#038;border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></p>
<p>And here is a picture of her representation of Nad and I.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="picture" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4673579285_fc10a548a4.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>She claims that the person on the left with a dewdrop shaped mouth is me and the one on the right with vampire fangs is Nad.</p>
<p>My question is&#8230;. why do I have 3 legs? <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>12</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>On a 9°C day, in the backyard with a halter top</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/06/on-a-9%c2%b0c-day-in-the-backyard-with-a-halter-top/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/06/on-a-9%c2%b0c-day-in-the-backyard-with-a-halter-top/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jun 2010 08:17:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Knitting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=803</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Why? Because of this: So it&#8217;s finally done &#8211; the handspun shawl that used handspun-from -scratch-fleece-to-yarn. This is how it looked like, fresh off the needles. Not very good looking. While blocking, I fell in love with it. I really thought it wasn&#8217;t going to look good since it was always so scrunched up. Today [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Why?</p>
<p>Because of this:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="shawl" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4674199222_06188ca646.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>So it&#8217;s finally done &#8211; the handspun shawl that used <a href="http://www.inoriz.com/2009/10/30/from-sheeps-back-to-yarn/">handspun-from -scratch-fleece-to-yarn</a>.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="unblocked" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4664703613_5f0a023c56.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>This is how it looked like, fresh off the needles. Not very good looking.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="blocking" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4664703303_e3a6cf3437.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>While blocking, I fell in love with it. I really thought it wasn&#8217;t going to look good since it was always so scrunched up.</p>
<p>Today was a dark and dreary day. So what was I doing out in the backyard with only a halter top on? (I was wearing pants too, just in case you misinterpret my meaning.)</p>
<p>This:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="cold!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4674199060_9f535bfbc5.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>I had no dress or long sleeved black tops so I had to chatter in the cold wind while snarling at Nad to hurry up and take the picture already!!!!!!!</p>
<p>I also had to photoshop 3 or 4 pieces of doggie nuggets (poop) from the grass. -___-</p>
<p>I understand that the lighting is not very nice but I have to send out this shawl by tomorrow. And even then, tomorrow&#8217;s forecast is an overcast sky.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t think my pictures did my shawl any justice. I need a better place to take photos. Like an emotionally charged, by-the-window-with-sunlight-filtering-through and light bouncing off the seed beads making them seem like diamonds shining.</p>
<p>Think I can commission this kinda photo on etsy&#8217;s alchemy? Lol.</p>
<p>So it&#8217;s now folded neatly and awaiting to be packed in some tissue and hopefully I can find a decent box to contain it before it takes it&#8217;s flight. I hope the recipient would be obliged to take a photo of herself wearing it and I can post it here! <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="folded shawl" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4674199316_efa24c9884.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Name of Project: <a href="http://ravel.me/inoriz/ps">Photosynthesis Handspun Beaded Shawl</a><a href="http://www.justjussi.com/Roaring%20Meg.htm" target="_blank"></a></span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Yarn: Handspun from scratch<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Needles: Knitpicks Harmony. Can&#8217;t remember the size.<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Cast On Date: 1 November 2009<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Cast Off Date: 2 June 2010 (with a HUGE hibernation period!)<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Learned: 1st time beading a shawl!<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Modifications: Did two extra repeats of chart B.<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #800080;">Mistakes: Nil</span></p>
<p>Ok. I&#8217;m still cold from that ordeal. Everyone else is napping now and I&#8217;m very sleepy but I shall continue to knit!</p>
<p>Thank you for your comments on the bag. I will reply to everyone soon! (I&#8217;ve already replied most of you though I think!)</p>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Expandabag</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/04/expandabag/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/06/04/expandabag/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 03:01:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=801</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve been working on a bag for WIPs. You know how when you knit a sweater/jumper/jacket/blanket/shawl&#8230; it starts off really small but grows and grows? Before you know it, your tiny project bag can&#8217;t hold it anymore. I usually resort to using huge ziplock bags. I looked up a few tutorials and put together this [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I&#8217;ve been working on a bag for WIPs.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="bag" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4665326612_414e3f18cf.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>You know how when you knit a sweater/jumper/jacket/blanket/shawl&#8230; it starts off really small but grows and grows? Before you know it, your tiny project bag can&#8217;t hold it anymore. I usually resort to using huge ziplock bags.<br />
I looked up a few tutorials and put together this bag:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="bag bag" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4665326736_f1511976e7.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>It grows as your project grows!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="bag bag bag" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4664702399_961198fcaa.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /> (expanded once)</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="bag bag bag bag" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4665327312_78b17079b5.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" />(expanded twice)</p>
<p>This is how it looks like when closed:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="baggggg" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4665326880_39785e9d6d.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>And with your WIP in it:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="wip in bag" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4665327558_b8e12a14cc.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Plenty of space!</p>
<p>The bag was put together using a few tutorials from online as well as from my Japanese bag pattern books.</p>
<p>Main fabric is from Japan and contrast fabric from Spotlight. Buttons are very old ones from my mum.</p>
<p>It measures about 33cm across (66cm all round) and 40cm tall when fully expanded so it&#8217;s a very roomy bag for big projects!</p>
<p>I&#8217;m wondering if I were to make these to sell, will any one be interested? I reckon it&#8217;d cost about $30 to $35 because the fabric isn&#8217;t very cheap!</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been carrying this bag around as a replacement for my handbag. Hahahaha. I love it and would probably make another (or three or four) for myself!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="wip bag" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1282/4664703005_47b2aff06c.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>The tops can be folded down as well as you sit and knit. I may improvise on the handles too.</p>
<p>Anyway, the wip pictured above has become an FO and here&#8217;s a sneak peek at it:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="shawl" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4664701813_66bd9bd7b5.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>I&#8217;m done blocking it and waiting for Nad to be home so that we can take a few pictures of it in action. Then I will pack it off to it&#8217;s recipient and blog about it! <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Meanwhile, thoughts on the bag please? Would you want one? Would you buy one? Fair price for it? All comments much appreciated!! <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>9</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>A big boy now</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/05/30/a-big-boy-now/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/05/30/a-big-boy-now/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 May 2010 05:41:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Chubbs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Photos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sunshine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=796</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[About a week ago, I gave Chubbs the bottle. Usually he screams and refuses to take it. That morning, he took it, chewed on the teat and was happy to hold it. I walked away for awhile and when I came back to him, he was sucking from the bottle! He had never done it [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>About a week ago, I gave Chubbs the bottle. Usually he screams and refuses to take it. That morning, he took it, chewed on the teat and was happy to hold it.</p>
<p>I walked away for awhile and when I came back to him, he was sucking from the bottle!</p>
<p>He had never done it before and has always refused the bottle until that day. He was 13 months and a few days old.</p>
<p>I refilled his bottle with more formula and he drank everything again. And another. And the 4th.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="bottle" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4634230061_57d6ec090b.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>That day was the day I stopped breastfeeding my little baby.</p>
<p>Sunshine wanted to join her brother in the happy bottle session so I made her more milk too that morning:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="two babies" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4634230151_91c56785ac.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>It feels a little weird and sad not to breastfeed anymore. But yet, I&#8217;ve been tired and his teeth hurt me from time to time. We didn&#8217;t expect it to last for more than a year. We thought we&#8217;d breastfeed till he turned 8 months or so&#8230;. so these 13 months has been quite an achievement! Sunshine was only boobed for 2 months (I had to return to work then).</p>
<p>Anyway, I&#8217;m relieved as milk supply had been dwindling due to infrequent feeds and I was worried that Chubbs wasn&#8217;t getting enough calcium. Sure we give him lots of veges but children this age need much more calcium for their bones to grow.</p>
<p>So it&#8217;s a bitter-sweet moment for me. I don&#8217;t know if we will be having anymore children so he might be the last baby I&#8217;ll ever breastfeed. And I&#8217;m glad I did it. It helped us to form a strong bond and I&#8217;ll miss his snuggling up to my body every night. He still sleeps beside me but because he no longer drinks from me, he prefers to place his foot in my face instead of snuggling.</p>
<p>:/</p>
<p>Anyway here&#8217;s some pictures of the kids.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="apple" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4634229299_bbedfe9724.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>We gave him an apple to gnaw through church service. It really helped in keeping him quiet!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="footie" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/4634829104_c0cef29dc8.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Look at his big eyes!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="peek" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4634229399_112be55ba2.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Peekaboo mummy?</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="ball!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4634229707_7d99764347.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Chubbs understands what &#8216;ball&#8217; is. If you tell him to get the ball, he would. Notice Nad running away in the back? Lol.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="where daddy go?" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4634829874_56198fdb3a.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Huh? Where daddy go?</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="under and over" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/4634829946_851643f01a.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Hi from my butt!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="hehehe" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4634830034_3e6b0008f6.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Cheeky bugger.</p>
<p>Chubbs is rather agile for his age we think. He&#8217;s able to climb up and down our bed with ease. A few days ago, I turned my head for a few moments and imagine my shock when I turned back to see him sitting on the dining table!</p>
<p>He had crawled up a stool, up the chair and then up to sit on the table! Amazing.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve sewed a kick-ass bag which I love so much but the sun is hiding behind the clouds now so I&#8217;ll take pictures another day. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>I will leave you with a link to a funny video of my heartthrob, Kimura Takuya. The guy who I&#8217;ve been in love with for about 15 &#8211; 20years!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmk0SWo1XI4">Donguri Korokoro</a></p>
<p>It&#8217;s funny because everyone thinks he&#8217;s going to sing an emotional song but the song he sang, Donguri Korokoro is actually a children&#8217;s song. It&#8217;s about an acorn which rolled down the hill and fell into a pond. A loach (carp) then says hi and invites the acorn to play. The acorn is happy and plays with the loach but after awhile, starts to miss the mountain. He embaresses the loach by bawling.</p>
<p> <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<item>
		<title>Fog and frost</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/05/24/fog-and-frost/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/05/24/fog-and-frost/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 May 2010 06:42:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=794</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our daily temperatures now average from 0 to 15 degrees celsius. We do love the cold and use heating sometimes which can be quite painful on the pocket. We (all four of us) usually just huddle together under 3 thick quilts, each wearing 3 to 6 layers of clothing and socks to sleep. That way [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Our daily temperatures now average from 0 to 15 degrees celsius.</p>
<p>We do love the cold and use heating sometimes which can be quite painful on the pocket. We (all four of us) usually just huddle together under 3 thick quilts, each wearing 3 to 6 layers of clothing and socks to sleep. That way we don&#8217;t need heating while we are asleep! <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>My school requires me to travel quite a bit to their campus for my Chemistry practicals. The campus is about 4 hours drive away from where we live.</p>
<p>I dread going everytime because although Nad is the one driving and he never ever complains, I dislike long car rides. I&#8217;ve had car sickness since I was young. My mum had to time my meals &#8211; no food within an hour before going in the car or bus&#8230; either that or bring lots of plastic bags to catch whatever I throw up!</p>
<p>Because of this, I cannot knit and I cannot read in the car and I find it a waste of time, just sitting there, doing nothing.</p>
<p>I dislike driving as well&#8230; because it comes with a huge load of responsibility. The lives of your husband, your kids and yourself in your hands. *Shudder*.</p>
<p>I would cast on a project that requires only stockingnette stitch or simple stitches so I won&#8217;t have to look at the pattern or the knitting just so I can knit in the car but I already have SO MANY WIPs going on&#8230; urgh.</p>
<p>Anyway. I digressed. As usual.</p>
<p>These few mornings have been so cold that we have had frost on our garden beds, our lawns and even our windscreen!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="frost on screen" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4634229135_7469e95d97.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Nad was wiping/chipping off a layer of ice from the windscreen with a rough glove.</p>
<p>Most of my friends just pour warm water over their windscreens.</p>
<p>Almost the entire journey to school was covered in fog.</p>
<p>This was what it looked like from afar:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="afar" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4634229219_115d797507.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>And when we&#8217;re in it:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="fog" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4620355442_7814088f63.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="fog" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4620355520_9b0c06cdef.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="fog" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4620355598_5cf9f900b7.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Some parts look like scenes from a creepy horror movie.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="3degs" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4619741745_160d0f1ef2.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>It&#8217;s been much colder than this nowadays. I&#8217;ve had it flash 0 degrees for the past two days.</p>
<p>We also saw something interesting&#8230; well.. not REALLY interesting but I thought it gave the term &#8216;Moving House&#8217; a whole new meaning.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="move house" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3349/4620355820_84b0dbf4c7.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Literally.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="move house" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/4620355920_1394140805.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Moving. House.</p>
<p>This is the 2nd time we&#8217;ve seen people move their houses this way. The first was an old weatherboard house and we could look into the front door as the truck past us and see kitchen cabinets still attached.</p>
<p>Haha, why don&#8217;t they just build another house instead?</p>
<p>Maybe they like their old house too much?</p>
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		<title>Keep-out-of-your-hair-activity &#8211; Doh!</title>
		<link>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/05/19/keep-out-of-your-hair-activity-doh/</link>
		<comments>http://www.inoriz.com/2010/05/19/keep-out-of-your-hair-activity-doh/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2010 00:50:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Inori</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kids Craft]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.inoriz.com/?p=792</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I needed to get some homework done and desperately needed Sunshine and Chubbs to leave me in peace. Nad brought Chubbs out to the library that day and I thought of something to keep Sunshine occupied. With these ingredients: I made play dough! If you google around, you&#8217;ll find heaps of recipes for making home [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I needed to get some homework done and desperately needed Sunshine and Chubbs to leave me in peace.</p>
<p>Nad brought Chubbs out to the library that day and I thought of something to keep Sunshine occupied.</p>
<p>With these ingredients:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="ingredients" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/4620354592_f888090660.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="349" /></p>
<p>I made play dough!</p>
<p>If you google around, you&#8217;ll find heaps of recipes for making home made play dough. McKenzie&#8217;s cream of tartar also had the recipe printed on the back! How thoughtful of them! <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>So I mixed the ingredients together:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="mixed" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4620354702_fc156f97a7.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Set it on medium heat.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="pink!" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/4619740851_b19d30962d.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>Sunshine chose the pink food colouring.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="coagulated" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4620383552_8c529c200d.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p>This is how it looks like when it&#8217;s ready. It will congeal and become rubbery-ish.</p>
<p>QUICK, what do you think of when you see the word &#8216;PINK&#8217;????</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>I think of  &#8216;elephant&#8217;.</p>
<p>How many of you think the same? Lol.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="elephant" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4619740913_d5784e4161.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="111" /></p>
<p>I made a pink elephant to test the new dough. It was great to work with!</p>
<p>Sunshine had fun:</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="sunshine " src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/4620355012_a88e954196.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="sunshine " src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/4619741115_a8f82ff353.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>So I managed to do some homework with her occupied with the pink dough. But oh! The temptations!!!!</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="piggy" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3236/4620355216_941f4bbabe.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="332" /><br />
I started to play with it too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>(Pardon the horrible picture. The sun goes down very early nowadays and it was dark when I took this photo.)</p>
<p>I also made a spastic person which reminds me of Lulu.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="lulu" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3411/4619741325_792c08bb7d.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>Just kidding.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" title="peas" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3415/4620355404_dc55aea111.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="500" /></p>
<p>And then I made peas in pods. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Yeah.. I had fun.</p>
<p>I did manage to complete my homework though&#8230;. (at 1am). T___T</p>
<p>Sunshine rolled some of the dough into fat strips and proudly declared, &#8220;Mummy it looks like poo poo!!&#8221;</p>
<p>Funny little woman, that girl&#8230;.</p>
<p>I also gave her a plastic knife and spoon so she could practice her motor skills, cutting strips into tiny pieces. She puts them in her toy teacups and pretends that she&#8217;s cooking. (Please supervise your kid when they handle knives! Plastic or not!)</p>
<p>Because I&#8217;m nice, I&#8217;m going to list here the recipe for the dough:</p>
<p>- 1 cup plain flour<br />
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar<br />
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil<br />
- 1/2 cup salt<br />
- few drops of food colouring<br />
- 1 cup water</p>
<p>Mix all ingredients into a pot and put over medium heat. Stir until mixture congeals. Bring it off the heat and leave to cool. Err.. then you play with it.</p>
<p>There you have it &#8211; safe, cheap, homemade play dough for your little kid/s!</p>
<p>However safe it may be though, I don&#8217;t reckon you should encourage any child to eat it. :S   Chubbs isn&#8217;t allowed to play with it as he is only interested in putting things into his mouth right now.</p>
<p>I store the dough in an airtight food container and it&#8217;s been keeping well for 3 days so far. I reckon, like PlayDoh (the ones you buy in stores), it would dry up over time and all you have to do is to moisten it with some water.</p>
<p>Or make more in another colour. <img src='http://www.inoriz.com/wordpress/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif' alt=':D' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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