The Strangeness of Being

The last week was strange..yes, strange. In absence of a word to exactly describe this week, “strange”is about as close as it gets. We are in drought yet we drown, Labour lost in the way of pure Labour seats but won, nostalgic memories and loss, healthy but not quite there yet and last but not least the Relief of Acceptance.

So….. we have a government ! I thought we were doing just fine without one but at least we proudly have a first elected female prime minister and an opposition leader who says that the opposition actually had the most votes. I am guessing that if the liberals would have had Mz Bishop as a party leader the fight might have been decidedly different, but hey, maybe we can have an all female political battle next time. Anyway the losers win….the meek shall inherit the earth in other words: it was a biblical match. Hoorah for Julia! Hopefully "they"know now that independents and minorities make a difference and yeah! for the Greens (I do love Bob..lol)

Other strange happenings on a more nostalgic level: As you know I have lived this life in different worlds, worked in very different interesting ,and sometimes I must admit, less interesting fields of work and play. I have met and worked with hugely interesting people. For some reason or another I thought back on the music and poetry I loved so much from a friend in the past when I was studying at Uni in the Netherlands. There was a lot of political activism as usual in those times, protests and most of all lots of song and cabaret. I was singing in bands, having a great time and had the immense luck to meet this shy guy with a magnificent brain and performing as well: Bram Vermeulen. This was in the late 80s when he was performing with his band De Toekomst (the future). It was years and years later that I saw him again, more grown up and absolutely brilliant in his poetry and songs, paintings and piano playing, performing in Belgium when I was working there as well. For some reason or another, I mean it is not that you hear his songs played on the radio here coz they are in Dutch ofcourse..lol, I thought of him and looked him up in Wikipedia: shock-horror-he died in 2004 on the same day I was thinking of him! How bizarre but most of all what a loss. I have not stopped listening to his songs on YouTube… in his words: “ dood ben je pas als jij me bent vergeten” Or in English: “ I’m only dead when you have forgotten me..” He lives on!

Bram

On a more joyful note : after a month of anxiously waiting for my test results from the oncology department I finally received a letter saying all is “normal” see you back in 6months….then I received a phone call from a woman saying “this is the hospital oncology……) and my ears stopped hearing properly because my mind went into this frantic thought of “oh my gawd they made a mistake something IS wrong..” …. and my heart stopped…only to get my hearing back when she started saying “…..would you like to buy some tickets for the childrens oncology fundraiser……….it was not even the oncology department of the hospital! It was a third party cold call ! yep, strange week indeed.

All this did trigger something BIG, something huge, something life changing for me and for Paul: with me not getting a clean bill of health yet for another three years at least!, the chances of adoption are not only slim but dismal. I mean, even with a positive outcome of good health (of which I am sure by the way..fingers crossed lol) there is a loooong waiting list to adopt. We talked, cried and were honest with each other and made the decision that we would walk on the road less travelled and would not pursue the years of relentless agony of the waiting game, keeping our lives on hold but instead move on, stronger and wiser and happier in the knowledge that we can be a family together. I cannot tell you how much of a relief this decision has brought about. Moreover, how much it means to be able to acknowledge, accept and be a stronger person because of that. There will be emotional times: friends having babies, friends becoming grandparents and knowing that we will never have that. Accepting loss is the first step to healing and becoming stronger and I am so happy that we, as a family, have taken that first enormous leap. Now, if only the rest of the world would see that families do not consist of a mum, dad, a son and a daughter , this world would be much more “realistic”..lol

And now, in the words of Monty Python, for something completely different: the rain still keeps coming down which is transforming this part of the world in huge mudslides and wetness…We still have not built an ARK but if it keeps coming down I am thinking we might have to think about building a houseboat with enough room for all the fuzzy wuzzy members of the family as well. It is spring by now but my body and mind still thinks it is winter and has a tendency to hibernate because it is so dark and wet and cold. I have not given in though and dyed up a storm with heaps of yummy new batches of Twinkle bunny tops and cashmerino laceweight yarn and some very special hand spun and hand dyed yak bunny and angora cashmere. I have seen that YARN magazine nr 19 published my energy wave wrap ! yeah! Thank you so much! It looks absolutely stunning in print being worn by a great looking model. She is wearing the wrap made in the Woodstock colourway so in honour of that I have been dyeing some Woodstock and some very happy variegated laceweight for a happy summer wrap! I am also working on a summer circular vest in the cashmerino but more on that later when I have finished tweaking the pattern and taking photos etc.

Also some hand spun and hand dyed angora and yak bunny ! the yak bunny has an amazing yardage by the way and works great for socks as well !

Here are all the new fibres and yarns waiting for a good home :) Message or email me with your wishes and I will get right back to you with all the details !

Hand dyed Twinkle bunny (70% 18micron merino organic, 20% tencel, 10% angora bunny) AU$24 /100grams

Wild Things

Kangaroo hop

Dollhouse

Sunshine

Happy days -1left-

dark clouds -1left-

Fairytale

Smileyface

hand dyed Cashmerino laceweight yarn AU$18/50+grams

Woodstock

Red Earth

Funny Face

Woodpecker

Indigo

(naturally resist dyed with Indigo, so it will have gorgeous white and blue patterns when knitted or woven!)

Raspberry Beret

Bush essence

Plum

Barossa

Forest Spell

Opal

Steel

Daintree

Coral

Kingfisher

Please email me when you want me to custom dye some cashmerino for you : anything goes!

Hand dyed and handspun Angora and cashmere Yarn (8ply) 25+g/AU$14

Playtime (159grams available) -sold-

Forest berries (123grams available) -sold-

hand spun and hand dyed yak bunny merino plied with cashmere

(50+grams/AU$18) +/- 10ply 183grams available in three skeins

Hierophant

Hand dyed Yak bunny merino sock weight yarn 4ply +/-500meters/100grams
AU$26/100grams

Autumn (1 akein available 106grams)

Pink Penguin (2 skeins available : 110+104grams)

Pink ! (2 skeins available : 103+102grams)

Rivendell (2skeins of 54grams available)

Rembrandt (3skeins available: 67+90+50grams)-sold-

Galadriel (2 skeins available:103+103grams)

Coral (2 skeins of 102+103grams available)

Plum (2 skeins available 105 and 104grams)-sold-

Party Pete (1skein available 104grams)

Ocean storm (1 skein available 101grams) -sold-

If you would really like to adopt some of the new fibre babies listed here today or need some custom dyes or batts done: Just email me on ixchel@rabbit.com.au or message me on ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny and I will get back to you asap!

have a wonderful week !

just in case here is the information for the club sign ups again:

Ixchel Batt, fibre and yarn club sign ups open now!

Funky Bunny Batt club #7
sign up for the funky bunny batt club is now officially OPEN :)

Here are all the details and just pm me when you have any questions or want to be part of the funky bunny batt club Movement ;-) Welcome to the *blingy* dark side ;-D

The subscription is for a period of three months (october november december!) and you will receive one special hand dyed top/roving per month to the value of AU$32 . The batts will range in weight from 100grams to 150grams with luxury fibres like camel , angora, cashmere, silk, yak, llama even buffalo and WOLF this time ! is on the cards for the next funky bunny club!! )

All the batts will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of **Ixchel funky bunny Club** ! Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed , super luxurious funky bunny batt in oct nov and december 2010!

Price to join the **Ixchel Funky bunny #7** :)) for three months is AU$96 + postage (parcel post or airmail). So in short:

For Australia : $96+$15postage (parcel post)

For USA + Canada: AU$96+AU$32 (Airmail)

For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$96+AU$38 (airmail)

For Asia: AU$96+AU$28 (airmail)


If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FUNKY BUNNY Batt CLUB#7 now. **Numbers are strictly limited** ! Deadline for signing up for the funky bunny batt club #7 is September 28th! And the first installment is going to be shipped out mid october2010:)

Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me : ixchel@rabbit.com.au


Fibre Club#7
here is all the info for the fibre club sign ups :
The subscription is for a period of three months (october november and december) and you will receive one special hand dyed top/roving per month to the value of AU$20 !
All the tops will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of **Ixchel Fibre Club** !

Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed special top for three months!

Price to join the **Ixchel Fibre Club #7** and receive your special hand dyed top + surprise :)) for three months is AU$60 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND double and triple serves are available !!! So in short:

For Australia :
single serve $60+$15 postage (parcel post)
double serve $120+$18
triple serve $155+$18

For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$60+AU$32 (Airmail)
double serve AU$120+AU$50
triple serve AU$155+AU$50

For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$60+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$58
triple serve AU$155+AU$58

For Asia:
Single serve AU$60+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$39
triple serve AU$155+AU$39

If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #7 now. **Numbers are strictly limited** ! Deadline for signing up for fibre club #7 is september28th ! And the first installment is going to be shipped out mid october:)

Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))

Ixchel Sock it to me yarn club
sign ups are open now! ** :-)

What is the deal? hmmm it is sooo good and fun and *sockaliscious* you just will HAVE to join :)

Here are the details:
Every month for three months 9october, November and December) you will receive:

1. enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks; (the hand dyed yarn will be exclusive for the **Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB** and will range from a sockweight yarn or a 3ply or a 4 ply);

2. Every month a new sock pattern, tips and instructions ! Now is that GOOD or is that GOOD ??! :) I will even offer a double serve for those of you who like their socks extra long :)

Here is the nitty gritty:
For Australia :
single serve $78+$15 postage (parcel post)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +$18


For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$78+AU$32 (Airmail)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$49


For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$78+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$57


For Asia:
Single serve AU$78+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$42


Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the **Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB!** is september28th! And the first installment is going to be shipped out in the last week of October :)

Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))

By the way: you don't HAVE to knit socks if you don't want to.. the hand dyed yarn is amazingly nice for scarves, cowls, beanies and even tops ! Anything goes :)



Thanks heaps for your support and have fun!

RABBIT ON!!


Dates to Remember:

Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm…

Saturday 18th of September and Thursday the 23rd of September