Knitting stuff and going on and on.

Echo, echo, echooo...

2011-05-09T21:59:00.002-05:00

Anybody out there?

Long time no talk!

Look a pretty!
Pay no attention to the bad blogger behind the screen posting last summer's photos.

A furry pretty!
Bad blogger had many words. Bad blogger wrote them occasionally, but didn't post them. Honest!

A floating pretty!
Bad blogger was playing outside, listening to frogs sing at night and having fun with kidlets. Also work and laundry. So. Much. Laundry.

A pretty handsome man.
How could bad blogger say no play to such a fun little face? Bad blogger could not. No words could replace this.

Gasp! A knit pretty on a pretty girl!!
Bad blogger did make the hat but, did not write the words for the hat. Bad blogger meant to, but see above and it is getting warmer outside!

Bring on warm! Someone is diligently searching the yard for dandelions and daisies.

Another New Year

2011-01-01T23:17:00.002-06:00

We wish you many good things this year.

Natural beauty.

(Christmas Morning 7:00 am)

Fun Projects

(My leaf is two pieces of fabric hot-glued to a piece of shaped memory wire with a long stem that anchors it inside the top of the pear. My stem is a piece of grey Briggs and Little Durasport stuffed into the top of the pear and glued into place.)

Plenty of tasty food.

(My UnChristmas Family Dinner - Boxing Day)

Fabulous critters be they human or non to keep you company. Even better if they entertain you with music and cuteness.

(Girly got a thumb piano from Santa and Boyo is discovering fun stuff in stockings on Christmas morning.)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T22:14:00.002-06:00

From me and mine

to you and yours.

May you have a classic Christmas complete with good food, good friends, family and plenty of smiling.

Whew, was that Summer?

2010-08-28T20:39:00.005-05:00

Time flies when you're standing there checking out the scenery. - The highway not far from home.
Children grow and change so fast it's hard to believe they were so small and helpless when you first met them face to face. - Our new toy.

Before you know it they are running off to climb to heights you weren't sure they had the courage to try. - Family Safety Night

Just when you think you just might have to carry them around forever, they try out their legs and run. - Staff Association trip to Osprey (Riss) Island.

They see things with new eyes and their imagination takes flights of fancy. - Salmon Cove Sands in Newfoundland as seen from Flat Rock.

They get into something new and there's just no getting them out without a fuss. - The Atlantic Ocean at Salmon Cove Sands

Even the most laid back of days out are more fun with them to keep you on your toes.

Soon it's school time and life is off and running again. We can only hope to keep up long enough to remember the good times and enjoy the calm times.

Goodbye Apollo, my dog.

2010-07-04T12:03:00.002-05:00

Go gently into that great good night. Run freely to the setting of the sun.

May there always be a diner to drop bits on the floor for you.

May you never need another bath.

May you run free and fast, never leashed again.

May there always be a toy for you to chase, a bubble for you to snap and a balloon for you to pop.

You are missed. Life is too quiet without you. Until we see you again, Momma loves forever and always.

Boyo Turns One. Family is shocked!

2010-04-21T12:38:00.004-05:00

Where did the year go? Who said the boy could start the path to growing up?

My boy isn't a wee baby anymore. He's still little and sort of snuggly at times, but no more wee baby content in Momma's arms. He's fun to watch though! I am liking watching him grow and change. He's quite a little man.

Girly is growing and changing fast. Too fast for Momma's comfort. Off to have her own interests. Good thing she's still young enough to want Momma to be part of her interests and especially to "watch me".

She's beginning her path away from us and as much as I miss having her as my baby girly, it's pretty cool seeing how she thinks and what she comes up with next.

What new tricks she learns and how proud she is of learning them.

Momma has a knitting funk going on so no photos of progress or projects to be found. Not much brain matter left at the end of the day.

I'll leave you with a quote that's been on my mind a lot lately. Too many people thinking they can make everyone live the way they want them too without thought of how the other person thinks or wants. I've changed it a bit though.

"To ban something, anything because irresponsible or criminal people misuse it is to tell the responsible, innocent and law-abiding that their privileges, rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the thoughtless and the lawless, and that the law will permit them to have only such rights and liberties as the irresponsible and criminal will allow... For society does not control misconduct or crime, ever, by forcing the responsible and law-abiding to accommodate themselves to the expected bad or criminal behaviours. Society controls misconduct and crime by forcing the irresponsible and criminal people to accommodate themselves to the expected behavior of the responsible and law-abiding."

-- Jeff Snyder, Oct 20, 1994 -- Edited, to make it more generic, by me.

Johnny Appleseed celebrates St. Patrick's Day!

2010-03-17T09:57:00.002-05:00

It seems a little Appleseed has managed to get two MacKintosh seeds to sprout in this pot and apparently they are joining in the celebrations for St. Patrick's Day today.

Another little Appleseed is 11 months old today. Don't tell him it's pink. It's for a friend's baby. He is growing like a little tree too.

Sweet and smart! Super genius, I tell you.

Sweet Baby Cap in Paton's Cotton Top. The smallest size on the recommended needles. Gauge: 6 sts & 8 rows = 1"

Another cap in Super 10 Multi

Back to work for me on Monday. Not happy. I really do not like having to send Boyo to daycare. I love my caregiver and I love that Girly will be there with him, but I hate having to miss out on most of his waking hours. I hate that I might miss out on his first steps and so many other little firsts that make babies so fun to watch. I hate that I won't be there for him if he falls down or bangs his limbs during the day. I especially hate that someone else will be his biggest influence during these most crucial growing and learning years. She'll get most of his time and I will have to make do with a couple of hours in the morning and a few at night.

Pardon me while I sit here and feel sorry for myself. Once I get back to work, I'll do what must be done and make the best of it, but I won't quit hoping for a miracle!

Gold!!!

2010-02-28T19:48:00.003-06:00

Canada is amazing!! I am so freaking happy right now! Not only did we break the record for number of gold medals, but we smashed it for the Host country! If I was still a drinking woman, I'd be sloppy right now.

I even managed to finish my hat! I am so happy I am mental for exclamation points!!

Curling inspired. Some of the design is lost due to the crown shaping though.

There are a few "design elements" I didn't have the heart to pull back and fix or make better. Like the mini hacks making the U look weird. Who knows, I may yet unpick it and rework it into a sweater. The design is too big for a nice rounded crown and it's large enough around to be a sweater for Boyo.

Must go now. I have a child to drive home and another to put to bed.

Closing Ceremony Looms

2010-02-27T10:50:00.003-06:00

Knitter may be screwed. By a hat. Sadly, me thinks the eraser has been the biggest obstacle to the completion of this hat. That pattern has been reworked so many times, I'm surprised the lines on the chart paper are still intact!

Also in the way of completion, lack of knitting forward. There's been way more tinking and ripping due to not being able to follow my own chart than knitting. It's not even a complicated pattern.

Ah, well. The laundry pile is teetering, the children are hungry, gymnastics is soon and I must go slog on. Wish me luck. Maybe next year I'll set my sights lower. If there is a lower to achieve! Oy!

Knock, knock!

2010-02-12T13:55:00.003-06:00

Who's there?
Knitting.
Knitting who?
Knitting Olympics!

Okay, so it's not much on the funny side, but it might be funny if I fail to complete something so basic as a hat.

Not a challenge you say? I wouldn't think so either, but it seems that with everything we have on the go now, it just might be a challenge to design and knit a hat in 17 days. I still have to keep the mountain of laundry from turning into an avalanche, feed the children, take the Girly to all her activities, take her sliding on weekends that it's nice and occasionally clean. The Mr. is working until next Thursday too. It might be down to the wire.

Girly would like to show you her teeth. The tooth fairy showed up with two golden coins (loonies/$1.00 coins for those in other countries) and let her keep a tooth for the keepsake box Nanny sent her. We left a note for the tooth fairy asking nicely for that favour. She left one for Ruth. The kids at school were impressed more by the note than the coins. One kid said her tooth fairy left her blue five dollar money. I would like that tooth fairy to show up at my house.

There has been a bit of sewing around here. The Rag Blanket still has my minuscule attention span.
Girly's. Just right for in the car.

Boyo's. Perfect for his car seat or for a visit to a friend's.

I haven't abandoned knitting completely. I have one project I am working on right now, but I'm keeping it under wraps for now. If it works out, I have plans for the pattern.

This little neckwarmer was for Girly. I started at the bottom and did the decreases by knitting 2 through the back loop. It creates a left leaning stitch so once the decreases were done, I kept the lean by cabling 2 stitches. Makes a nice waving grain type look.

Waving Grain

If I had time and or energy, I'd examine it and write out what I did. Since I don't, if you want to make one, give'er. You'll have to figure it out on your own though. :) You can do it.

More as the Olympics progress. I think.

"Girly's having fun! Is it my turn next Momma?"

A very Big Thing!

2010-01-04T23:46:00.003-06:00

Sometimes being a spectator at an event in a small community has it's advantages.

Little ones like Boyo aren't completely overwhelmed.

Your Mother gets to sing in the choir, front and centre in a nice white shirt.

But best of all, your kid gets to hold the 2010 Winter Olympic Torch without waiting in line for more than two minutes.

Politics aside, the excitement and bigness were palpable and awesome. I loved being there and getting to have my family up close and personal to something that momentous.

Happy New Decade!

2009-12-29T23:11:00.004-06:00

The old year is leaving soon and with it, another decade. I am looking forward to the future on one hand, but sad for it to come on the other hand. I can't wait to see how my babies grow and what changes they will go through, but I am sad that I have to go back to work in March and will miss out on so many things while another person cares for my babies. I like my job and the people I work with, but I sure do love being home with the kids.

First tooth!

Ah well, who knows, maybe we'll win the big one and I'll get my wish! In the meantime, I plan to make the best of the life I have and be happy I get the full year at home rather than the 17 weeks my Mother got with my sister and the 15 weeks she had with me. Also way better than the 6 weeks my Grandmother had and the no time off or job loss my Great-Grandmother got. We've come a long way, baby! Maybe my daughter will be fortunate enough to have even more time at home with her baby once her time comes. In thirty years. When she is allowed to date.

First wiggly tooth!

This year I plan to try harder to be the kind of Mother my kids will looks back and remember fondly. I've been working on the cleaner, tidier house thing. Tidier is going alright. Cleaner is coming along, but I sure wouldn't be hurt if a maid showed up now and again. I've been doing a bit more baking and have added sewing to my repertoire. Knitting has suffered a bit, but I think the challenge of a new skill has been good for me. The needles will be picked up more often now as there is a new challenge for me in that direction. No new babies. Just a possibility of an outlet for creativity. Not a book.

Anyway, a recipe for you as my going away to 2009 and it's decade. I hope you enjoy your new decade as much as I enjoyed these muffins.

Cran-Raspberry Muffins with Pistachios.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
0.5 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
0.5 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen without juice)
0.5 cup unsalted, dry roasted pistachios (pecans or pralines would be awesome too)

Method:

Line two muffin pans with paper cups or lightly grease and flour. Preheat oven to 190*C (375*F).

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder and flour (in that order).

Gently fold in pistachios, cranberries and raspberries (if using frozen, do not thaw first as that will discolour your batter).

Fill your muffin cups about halfway and bake for 16-18 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Move immediately to cooling racks.

Makes about 24 medium sized muffins (pictured) or about 12 large ones.

Merry Christmas to all!

2009-12-26T22:26:00.002-06:00

It's been white and beautiful. The air is crisp but not bitter and there has been snow every day since Christmas Eve.

Our yard is pristine and the trees are covered. There has been pageants and dinners. Rushing here and food prep there.

Happy Girly with her new blankie made by Momma. Santa was good to her and she has declared this the best Christmas ever.

Excited Boyo with his blankie. He has been having a grand time trying to tear the paper, eat it and shove ribbons in his mouth. We've been loving every minute.

I hope all of you have had a great Christmas season and the remainder of the 12 days are peaceful and fun.

Forgive me, Reader

2009-11-16T22:01:00.004-06:00

It has been 35 days since my last post and I have been cheating on my knitting. I haven't meant to, it just happened! I would like to say that I am sorry and it won't happen again, but I'm not sorry and chances are, this just may be another ~~addiction~~ ~~problem~~ ~~fixation~~ hobby and will happen ~~all the frickin' time~~ ~~often~~ every now and then.

A friend has a Rag Blanket for her son that I loved so much, I wanted one for Boyo. I bought the fabric, thread and some cutting supplies (I already owned the sewing machine I just hadn't used it since I made Girly her Daphne costume last year.). Everything is ready to go, but I am waiting on a feeder foot so my seams won't pucker when I am sewing it all together.

Halloween drew near and I decided to make a Trick or Treat bag for Girly this year since we bought her costume. I really should learn to use a pattern. It would make for neater finishing and easier sewing!

Boyo needed a costume too so I bought even more fabric and made him a Tam O'Shanter. I had almost finished the stuffed bagpipes, but almost is a far cry from done and it is still not done. Apparently if you are going to start a new hobby, you also need a new stack of UFO's.

The kilt is a Feileadh Mor and isn't sewn, but I did make the wee Sporran. I used a length of black elastic for the belt. Leather isn't so much practical on a baby nor does it do well in and out of a car seat on a waist that is larger than the hips.

Now ordinarily nothing is worn under the kilt, but seeing as it was -3*C and snowing we figured pants were the thing. Also, puddles in the car are not on our "Fun Things to Worry About" list.

Then I decided that Boyo's Rag Blanket would make a good Christmas gift for him and Girly would love one too. So I bought more fabric and cut the squares (still waiting on the foot)

But just to prove that I still love my knitting, here is Boyo wearing a sweater I finally managed to finish. Again, I really must learn to read the pattern. The sleeves are a scootch short. Not enough to worry about though.

Maybe someday I will have another update and it might even have more than one picture of knitting!

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

2009-10-12T10:31:00.005-05:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Big flakes of snow. It isn't supposed to stick around. I like how pretty this kind of snow is, but I should could wait for winter!

I've been knitting a bit here and there. There's been a good bit on the go so the stick wiggling as been largely ignored. Fortunately, this was a pretty quick knit and someone even likes it enough to request another with a different order for the colours.

Surround Warm

Materials:

3 Balls Paton's SWS or any worsted weight that has some nice body to it. You will need 1 ball of each colour for a total of 3 (You will have lots leftover so you can make at least 3 in this size - child size small)
1 set of 3.75mm/(US 4) DPN's or one 16" circular needle.
Tapestry Needle

Pattern:

Cast on 66 or any number divisible by 4+2 with your first colour. Join to work in the round.

Work in double moss stitch (round 1 - k2,p2 round 2 - p2,k2) for 4 rounds then switch to k1,p1 ribbing for 2 rounds. Change to your second colour and work 2 rounds in ribbing. Change to your third colour and work 4 rounds in ribbing.

Begin increase rounds as follows:

Round 1: (k1,p1)x4, kfb, m1, p1 (You will have to juggle the last couple of increases in order to get them as evenly spaced as possible - you should have a total of 16 additional sts).
Rounds 2 & 3: k1,p1
Round 4: (k1,p1)x6, kfb, m1, p1 (You will have to juggle the last couple of increases in order to get them as evenly spaced as possible - you should have a total of 16 additional sts).
Rounds 5 & 6: k1,p1
Round 7: (k1,p1)x8, kfb, m1, p1 (You will have to juggle the last couple of increases in order to get them as evenly spaced as possible - you should have a total of 16 additional sts).

K1,p1 for another 2 rounds then change back to your second colour for 2 rounds of ribbing and back to your first colour for 2 rounds of ribbing.

Switch to double moss st (same as above) for the final 4 rounds. Bind off (I used the sewn bind off) in a stretchy method and weave in ends.

It makes a close fitting neckwarmer that is finished in no time. You can add more increase rounds if you prefer to cover more of your collar. You can make it larger by adding to the number of stitches, you can even make it so you don't have to fudge the increase rounds by changing the first 4 rounds and the last 4 rounds to single moss stitch and making sure that your number allows you to increase in the first knit stitch after every 4th k1,p1 rib, then work a purl stitch before beginning the next set of k1,p1 rib.
I even have another sort of pattern for you.

Them Socks Have Holes!

Materials:

1 ball Durasport sock yarn (sportweight). Not sure how much I used. The whole skein was 430yds and this is what I had left after making a pair of size 8 women's socks.
1 set of 3mm (no US use a 2 for tighter gauge and 3 for looser)
Tapestry Needle

Cast on 40 sts or a number divisible by 4 and join to work in the round. Work k2,p2 for as long as you can stand it or in my case, 10 rounds. Begin pattern rounds.

Round 1: Yo, k2tog, k2 to end.
Rounds 2, 3 & 4: Knit

Repeat to desired length and prep for heel after the first plain round of the repeats. Work your favourite heel and once you've picked up enough stitches and rejoined the front of the sock, work your decreases while continuing the pattern on the top of the sock and knitting plain for the bottom. (I'm not good enough at heels yet to give directions on how to make them - there's a good tutorial here).

Slap on your favourite toe once the foot of the sock is long enough to make you happy, in this case, long enough for a child's size 9ish. Not quite big enough for Girly, but I'm working on another pair for her.

As usual, both patterns are copyrighted property of Dorothy Broderick and all rights reserved. I don't care if you want to make a pair or three for sale, but please consider donating a few dollars of your profit to the Heart and Stroke Association.

New and Improved!

2009-09-18T08:37:00.004-05:00

Okay, not really, it sounds better than older and still cranky though.

Life has been good here. Girly started school and so far, so good. She has already been told that one of her classmates is going to marry her, but it's okay because he'll still be her friend.

She likes her new teacher and being in SK, but the best part of school is getting to ride the bus.

Boyo is growing fast and changing every day. He loves his sister and if she is talking to him and playing with him, he's in his glory.

Saturday one of the women in the knitting group gave this beautiful sweater to Boyo. It's soft and amazing also, fortunately just a touch big on him so he should be able to wear it for most of the winter. She is Boyo's favourite person to look at on Saturdays too. He just barely takes his eyes off of her. It's hilarious!

I actually have some knitting stuff of my own to show too. This is going to be a sock for the Mr.'s stocking this Christmas. Just one. I'm determined that will be an every year thing. One sock in the stocking and the other done sometime around New Year's.

A stealth project. This is going to be his surprise gift. Since I finally managed to get into my head EZ's way of making sweaters and adapting patterns to fit, I hope to have it finished before hunting season is over or Christmas.

Finally I even managed to finish these. Socks for Girly. Unfortunately they are a touch too small for her.

She loves them and wore them all day and night. I've started another pair for her that should fit her properly.

Pattern and some cool stuff next time.

Seven Years...

2009-08-17T22:47:00.003-05:00

...ago to day I was late for a very important date. You knew I was on my way and never once doubted that I would show up. You've known that I will be there every day for the past seven years. You know that I will be there for the next seventy years. That I promise and I am so glad you trust that. We made each other a promise in front of everyone we knew who could come and listen. I am so glad I can trust your promise and you can trust mine. That my dear, is the best part of being married to you.

Happy Anniversary, my Love!

P.S. Thanks for being such a great Dad! I love how much we laugh together. That's what makes us so good together.

Sad but true.

2009-08-05T23:18:00.004-05:00

This is the type of summer we've had so far.

Quote: [A curious fellow died one day and found himself waiting in the long line of judgment. As he stood there he noticed that some souls were allowed to march right through the pearly gates into Heaven. Others though, were led over to Satan who threw them into the burning pit. But every so often, instead of hurling a poor soul into the fire, Satan would toss a soul off to one side into a small pile.

After watching Satan do this several times, the fellow's curiosity got the best of him. So he strolled over and asked Satan what he was doing. "Excuse me, Mr. Prince of Darkness," he said. "I'm waiting in line for judgment, but I couldn't help wondering, why are you tossing those people aside instead of flinging them into the Fires of Hell with the others?"

"Ah, those," Satan said with a groan. "They're all from Ontario.................. They're still too wet to burn."] Unquote. - Authour Unknown to me

Fortunately while it has rained nearly every day, there have been many days where there is a smidge of sun between the storm clouds. Apparently our pea plants feel that is sufficient. There are a couple of tomato flowers too, but they are waiting for sun and heat to really get going.

Also fortunately the Best Start Hub (there is a .pdf brochure for the one in Sioux just scroll down a ways) is a place in town where I can take Girly to go play that I like and Boyo does too.

Boyo is growing like crazy and beginning to teeth. Poor sweet boy, his little shirt fronts and bibs are usually soaked through. He is just a few ounces shy of double his birth weight which is really good since many babies don't reach that milestone until closer to 6 months. He's such a patient baby too. Once his limit is reached though, he can let out a holler like Girly never could.

We've managed to wander out on the few days where the rain isn't constant and even got in an entire afternoon at the beach. Girly is trying to find a plane in the sky. Seeing things that are up close look far away was more interesting though. Boyo loves to watch kids play in the water. He can't wait until he's old enough too.

The Mr. even got to take Girly, her cousin and Grandma out fishing for a few hours. The minnows were the most fun part of the whole trip. The Mr. caught a fish and so did Girly's cousin although her fish got away when Grandma accidentally set the hook in the Mr.'s finger while he was trying to get the line clear of the boat after taking the fish off of it.

There has not been much in the way of knitting. The grey days, bored Girly and teething (which makes Boyo want tons of snuggle time) means that Momma can only look at the needles and maybe get in a row or two late at night. Sadly, some of those rows must be taken back due to mistakes. Ah well, soon enough I'll be wishing I still had my Boyo snuggling on my lap and Girly snuggling next to me with a book. There are a lot of years left for me to knit. :)

One

2009-07-16T10:55:00.003-05:00

Already??!!

Storkbites.

Blackfly.

Belly!

Helping.

Knitter?

Cozy.

Souvenir.

Busy Daze

2009-07-04T20:28:00.003-05:00

My new toy. I LOVE IT!!!! Yes, it is purple and yes, it is that good. The number of tumble furs around here have all but disappeared. Of course having Apollo shaved might have something to do with that, but all the fur he dropped before was gone within two passes of the carpets. My Bissel couldn't do that. Everyone who has tried it out now wants one. It's light, easy to use and the suction. Holy cyclonic action, Batman! The part that really makes me love it though is the thoughtful feature they added. You can take the brushes out of the powerhead and the mini power brush attachment to clean off the hair and or yarn that gets wrapped around them.

Even better, these are all the attachments that come with it. The mini power brush has been well worked already. My couches haven't been this fur-free since we got them. Happy, happy! It's the little things, really.

Girly's new toy. She spent most the day in there the day she got it, and then the rain started. Poor girl. Ah well. It has warmed up and the sun appeared yesterday and part of today so it got a tiny bit more action. She can't wait for all of her friends to come and play with her on it.

Of course the beach still gets top billing. Not for swimming, oh no. My Girly is not a water baby. She just loves to wade and slash.

T-Ball gets billing too. Girly is doing well and as long as she can get the ball at least once while out in field, still thinks it's loads of fun. I love watching her play and cringe every time the ball gets thrown at her. Kids this age don't always wait to see if the person is looking before they throw. Cute, but scary! She's still in soccer too, I just haven't remembered to get the camera out the few times she got to play. It's been cool to cold and rainy. Hopefully that's changing now.

Between the eating, pooping and spitting up, Boyo is growing fast. He's bright eyed and raring to snuggle most of the day. He's a sweet and patient little guy but, watch out once his patience is done. He talks up a storm to anyone willing to smile and talk to him. He does a Mama proud.

I've managed a stitch or two on this little sweater and on Boyo's other knit. Not much though. By the time the day is done and the odd household chore type thing is done, it's time for me to fall into bed and pass out for twenty winks.

Still not much in the noggin.

2009-06-09T20:02:00.006-05:00

I am tired most of the time now and often just barely coherent. Apparently tired, nursing brain is worse than placenta brain. Absentminded doesn't quite do justice to my state of being right now. Thankfully this too shall pass. In a blur of barely remembered snippets of consciousness. Thank God for cameras.

Boyo is growing like crazy. He will be two months old next Wednesday and has already added two and a quarter inches to his length. He isn't a huge lot heavier than at birth due to some difficulty with breast feeding. We managed to get through it though and he has come around beautifully. I cannot stress enough that women should have someone check their baby's latch both at the start of breast feeding and if the initial pain isn't starting to ease by the end of the first week.

He loves just hanging around in the crook of Momma's arm while I do stuff.

Girly is still doing pretty well with him and he adores her. He watches her as soon as he can see her until she moves away from his view. He gives her his best smiles and yammerings.

Girly has a new pet. Her name is Grass and Girly loves her. She is a Virginia Ctenucha and she now lives at the school with some butterflies that the teacher ordered in and is trying to get to their adult stage. Hopefully they all live well together. Girly wanted to share her with her school friends as soon as we saw that Grass had made a furry cocoon.

I have managed a bit of knitting here and there. This is a Garter Stitch Baby Cardigan (Ravelry link). Simple yet interesting and in these colours (Black tweed is Paton's Classic Merino and I've forgotten what the red tweed is but it's in the box by the counter in the yarn store. The lovely nurse who caught Boyo's head was commenting on it recently if someone remembers what it was called.). I decided to use Stockinette Stitch instead of Garter to better show off the tweedy-ness of the yarn. I'm thinking once I've done this one, I'll upsize it and make one in the same colours for Girly too. Although I may change the contrast colour stitch pattern just a bit.

I also managed to finish this scarf. I've only had it on the needles for months. It was a bit embarrassing since I was nearly done with the Nashua and that was the yarn that determined the length. I used one ball of Nashua Creative Focus Worsted and most of two balls of Wisdom Yarns Poems. A very simple 1x1 rib with the colour changes every fourth row. It ended up being about 81" long. Just shy of 7'. Not bad at all and it feels quite nice. The Nashua gets better with wear too.

The Mallards are back again, but I think they forgot to bring summer with them. This was one of few warm and sunny days with little wind. It's been another cool and wet spring.

The Canada Geese are happy about this and so are the MNR's firefighters, but the rest of us miss warmth and sun.

More another time. I'm falling asleep at the keyboard. Hopefully it won't be this long before I can string together a few pictures and words.

Seven Days

2009-04-24T16:02:00.002-05:00

One week old and already it seems he's always been here. He has nearly gotten back up to his birth weight and is doing quite well. I am finally over the birth euphoria and into tired. So today the Mr. took the MIL and Girly to the neighbouring town so Boyo and I could have a day of quiet and rest. It has been just what we needed. I feel so much more peaceful today. I think he does too.

There has been no knitting as I don't have any concentration yet, but we did receive a beautiful crocheted blanket from our potluck Wednesday group. Such beautiful people! Yep, he's sleeping in a laundry basket. I lined it with some blankets and now I have a portable crib that's just right for a tired baby. When it's on the gliding stool that goes with the gliding chair, it's a rocking crib. It worked for his sister too.

The Public Health Nurse dropped by and Girly helped her run Boyo's hearing test. While she was fascinated with the test, she was a little disappointed that the ear pieces weren't big enough to let her try it out. Girly's been holding up really well considering how much time I don't have to spend with her anymore, but she misses her Momma. I miss her too. Soon we'll have settled into a routine and there will be a bit more time. Poor sweet. I'm so glad that she is old enough for me to try to explain that I still love her just as much no matter what. I have a great admiration for those mothers whose children are much closer in age I can't imagine how hard it must be to try to balance siblings who are too young for hot chocolate and a conversation on a little outing with just us girls.

Thank you to all for your well wishes and congrats! Maybe someday there will be knitting content again. I do have a project on the needles I'd like to finish up before the Boyo gets too big.

Hello Boyo.

2009-04-19T19:30:00.003-05:00

Momma is awfully glad to see you.

So is Girly.

Daddy is proud and so is Grandpa. They both have their names in there along with Daddy's Grandfather (who has been gone for a good while).

He was in a hurry to come too! I was given a low dose of inducing gel on Friday, April 17 at 12:45pm and before long it was time to go to the hospital. We nearly didn't make it. I got there at 3:40pm and all was said and done by 4:04pm. He missed Daddy's birthday by 4 days and arrived on my oldest sister's Birthday instead.

Rent's been up for Five Days

2009-04-15T09:34:00.002-05:00

The kid still hasn't come out yet and there hasn't been much sign of anything happening as yet. Little beggar is trying to stay in long enough for Squatter's Rights to take effect. Too bad there are no such rights in Canada and the docs are going in on Monday if nothing happens before. At least that's the plan thus far. Just in case, I checked back and I gave the kid notice at least 30 days ago so all my bases are covered. No lawsuits!

Easter was a good day here. Except for the still knocked up part. Girly had a blast looking for eggs and the cat followed the basket every where it went. He really wanted that string type stuff at the bottom. Apparently it makes a lovely snack. No worries, he went without, but he gave it the old college try!

It's also been finishing time around here. I finished another Flapper Girl's Twist and a couple of other little hats. I ripped back a couple of old projects too. I just wasn't happy enough with them to finish the knitting.

This is one of the projects that got finished. I like! A simple scarf using the Porcupine Stitch from Barbara Walker's Second Treasury. Reversible and very easy to memorize. The yarn I used is gorgeous! I'm going to have to get another skein just for me.

Here is "Silk Spines".

Materials:

1 Skein: Colinette Yarns Taos - 100% Silk in their Madras shade. Chosen by Girly while at Threads in Time in Thunder Bay.

3.25mm (US 3) needles - also selected by Girly from my needle collection.

Stitch holder or one extra 3.25mm (US 3) needle

Pattern:

Cast on 28 sts.

Row 1: K2 *Yo, K2tog* repeat from *to* to last 2, K2
Row 2: K2, purl to last 2, K2
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Row 5: K2, *S1, K2tog, Psso, K4, Yo, K1, Yo, K4* repeat from *to* to last 2, K2
Row 6: K2, *P3tog, P4, Yo, P1, Yo, P4* repeat *to* to last 2, K2
Row 7: Repeat Row 6
Row 8: Repeat Row 5
Row 9: Repeat Row 6

Repeat these 9 rows for 12 full repeats and end the 13th repeat on Row 2. Set this half aside and cast on 28 sts for the second half.

Repeat the steps for the first half also ending the 13th repeat on Row 2. Graft the two halves together (Knitty Tutorial) then weave in ends and block.

Someone liked. She pretended not to for a bit, but once I threatened to keep for myself, she changed her mind, posthaste.

She wore it the next day too. She decided that it needs to be worn like this since it isn't really a scarf. It's a skinny top.

My little fashionista.

At least something is done-ish around here.

2009-04-07T11:49:00.003-05:00

While I do like being pregnant, some of the time, all the scrutiny is starting to get on my nerve. I can't make a few biscuits for dinner without the MIL saying that I'm going to start labour any second now. Apparently if you want something fresh and homemade to eat, its a sign of nesting and labour is imminent. If my stomach twitches, someone is on me like beggars on a coin. If I have an itch or rub my belly, labour! My SIL is phoning nearly everyday all wound up even though we've tried to make it clear that she will be phoned once the baby is born. Promise! I love her, but, she is very excitable and it shows on the phone. Loud, speed talking should be in the Winter Olympics. She'd win for sure.

Sigh. I suppose I shouldn't complain because it is really nice not to have to worry about getting my mother here to stay with Girly while I go off to the hospital once labour does start and my SIL does love us, but still. You know.

Anyway! On to better things.

I managed to finish something I can show you. This is the Norwegian Star Earflap Hat by Tiennie Knits As you can see, there are no earflaps. In fact other than the star pattern, there isn't much that is the same. Girly loved it. Especially the pompom.

I have to shrink it so it fits her better, but I really love how the colours look together and the pattern was really easy.

My Mods:

I added stripes above and below the stars. I also added a few rows of garter stitch at the top because I like how it makes the pattern stand out more. This meant I had to omit all the plain rows during the crown decreases which made the crown turn out a bit star shaped. That may be fixable though since I have to shrink it a bit and block.

Rather than thread the yarn through the remaining stitches at the top of the crown, I moved them all to one needle, changed to my contrast colour and knit some I-cord. Then I made a two colour pompom and tied it to the end of the I-cord.

Since the hat came out as big as it has, I haven't added the earflaps. Once I shrink it, I'll see where it stands and add them then if needed.

Listen here, Kid!

2009-04-04T15:01:00.004-05:00

Me: Time to get out!

The Kid: You said I wasn't going to be born until spring. This doesn't look like spring to me.

Me: Your room is done and sister supervised and approved.

The Kid: Let's see.

Me: The walls are painted and trim is up. Daddy did a pretty good job. He also scraped that popcorn paint crap off the ceiling for you.

Me: You even have a carpet. That's more than your sister has in her room.

Me: See. She got a "new" to her dresser and we re-arranged her furniture, but no carpet.

The Kid: Sorry lady. My rent is paid up to the 10th. I think I'll hang out here until then.

Me: No, come out now!

The Kid: Don't count on it. I'll see once the rent is up. [mutter,mutter]squatter's rights[mutter, mutter...]

Me: Crap. Must have gotten the stubborn from his father.

Hey, kid...

2009-03-26T13:02:00.002-05:00

Time to come out. Momma is ready. Maybe.

There's some pretty colours to stare at around here.

A nice ice storm and a good bit of snowfall with more on the way. (Worked for big sister).

Your sister wants you to see her at Gymnastics.

She's a fun kid and she can't wait to meet you.

Daddy nearly has your room ready.

Come out. Please? Momma hasn't got any room left in there.

No baby yet.

2009-03-14T08:57:00.004-05:00

Still here! Still big, uncomfortable and totally spaced out. Now on vacation which will turn into Maternity/Parental Leave though. I am finally beginning to feel semi-rested which is helping a great deal. With March Break here I'll actually have a week where I don't have to go anywhere unless I decide getting out of the house would be a good thing. So nice!

Why we don't call March Break - Spring Break. Not much spring like yet especially since we also got nailed with some bitter cold along with this snowstorm.

She can use the snowbank from having our drive plowed as a sledding hill.

I'm hoping there will be a few indoor pursuits this week as well as some of the outdoor ones. Like knitting...

...and gardening?! Apparently you can get a pumpkin vine to get quite large inside.

I did managed to finish a scarf in all the time since I last blogged. Not much else until I finished working though. Apparently even a desk job can really take it out of you at this stage.

Here is "My Eye's on You". This was designed for my ISE 7 Pal. [Click to enlarge so you can see the cables.]

Materials:

240 m (264 yds) Worsted Weight yarn - in this case, Brown Sheep Handpaint Originals
10 mm (US 15) knitting needles
9 mm - N Crochet hook
Tapestry Needle

Pattern:

Cast on 20 stitches and work in stockinette the entire scarf. Add cables here and there. Wherever strikes your fancy.

The Cables:

Row 1: Cable 4 Front (hold 2 sts in front, knit 2, knit the 2 in front)
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Cable 3 Back-p (hold 1 st in back, knit 2, purl the 1 in back, Cable 3 Front-p (hold 2 sts in front, purl 1, knit the 2 sts in front)
Row 4: Purl the purls, knit the knits.
Row 5: Cable 3 Front-k (hold 2 sts in front, knit 1, knit the 2 in front), Cable 3 Back-k (hold 1 st in back, knit 2, knit the 1 in back)
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: Cable 4 Front (same as Row 1)

Once you are at a length that makes you happy - in this case - 2 skeins worth (160 m - 176 yds), bind off and weave in all ends.

Using the crochet hook, single crochet two rows on each side of the scarf. Weave in ends.

Then cut fringe to length - I wanted a long fringe so that's what I did. I forget how long each piece was now. Add to each end of the scarf and enjoy!

From my ISE 7 pal, Allison (so sorry, I don't know if you have a blog), I received this lovely. So light, so pretty!

She also included these little cuties and treats. I love the booties so much! They are a pattern I've been looking at trying myself. They are in a beautiful blue green that is perfect for either boy or girl. The blanket they are pictured on was made by a lady I've known since childhood. She's 96 and she makes blankets like this in nearly no time at all. She's one of the ladies you hope to be at that age. Active, sharp as a tack and can still make lovely things like this blanket. The blanket was part of the gifts from my co-workers as my Baby Shower. A really great and generous bunch. Next time, I'll show you what they gave me.

There was a postcard with a picture of a cardinal sitting outside her window and a cute card with a cross stitch insert too, but apparently my Placenta Brain struck again and I forgot to include them in the photo.

Me again.

2009-01-19T21:04:00.004-06:00

My favourite Christmas gift! I have to really sit down and play with this one since it's a bit more complicated than the Pentax. Once I get it figured out though, I think it will really rock! Although the Pentax will still feature quite a bit due to it's Macro capabilities and pocket size.

The husband's favourite gift. One sock. I was almost finished the other one until I realized that I had not done any of the decreases after turning the heel. Perfect, if he had a club foot.

Fortunately these are a quick knit. Brigs and Little's Tuffy (sock pattern by B&L written for that yarn). He got the second one just after New Years.

Girly's Birthday party was a total success. Skating was fun once Daddy started pushing her on a chair. She had a ball and so did all the kids who came. The gift grab was the best part and I think there may be more than a few parties in town doing the same thing. There's just something appealing about not having to haul home a ton of stuff and trying to find more room in a house bursting with toys for yet more they'll only play with now and again, if at all.

Girly also discovered Rock Band at a friend's party. She played the guitar (even hit a few of the notes) and the drums (did a bit better there). It was great fun.

The most fun we've had lately though, was on Saturday. We hit the local sliding hill and Girly found the courage to give it a try. A lot. Momma had to call it quits due to not being able to make it back up that hill one more time with her sled. Next time we go, Daddy's going to be off work and Momma is going to stand at the bottom of the hill.

Even the little dog is finding his niche. The cats have decided that while he bears watching closely, he might not be completely scary. I think it helps that he is more leery of them. Unless Momma is right there.

Hi! Hello.

2008-12-27T11:55:00.004-06:00

It's been a while! Things here are good and finally slowing down enough for me to blog before my mind turns into a dull fog of tiredness. By the time dinner is over and the rest of the stuff is done, about the only thing I can manage is to sit on the sofa and stare off into space. The pregnancy is going very well so far. This little one is quite a mover. I sit and my waistband gets beaten to bits until I get up. My due date has been updated to April 10th (three days before Daddy's). We are starting to get excited and I am starting to get big. So fun!

Here's a quick update on the busy-ness that has been us for the past month. We went to Thunder Bay for my ultrasound (it was great and yes, we know but we aren't telling) and took my sister, her daughter and my Mother out to dinner. The kids enjoyed themselves.

Someone came with us, but did not like having to stay in the room while we hit the pool. Poor thing.

The snow came and outside got cold. Really cold. How cold? So cold the Catholic school cancelled the last school Mass of the year since the kids couldn't walk the four blocks at that temperature. Fortunately it warmed up yesterday and is still halfway decent today.

We got a real tree this year and as soon as the tree skirt went down, someone decided that we had bought it just for him. He slept there, played there and even marked there. Ah, the joy of pets. Note, washing a live tree trunk and branch is not an easy or tidy undertaking.

Girly had her very first Christmas concert. It was fantastic and to the surprise of all the other kids, she took her bows at the end of every song. It was perfect. My little diva. :)

Our office gift exchange happened and this is the scarf I made for the person I got in the name draw. A super bulky white with two strands of purple Durasport (Briggs & Little) held together knit on 12mms (US 17).

It's my Under Water pattern and does it ever look different knit up at this gauge. It turned out well and the recipient loved it.

Our staff Christmas party happened. I will not speak of it. Although fun, apparently you can't tell people how much fun a Christmas party was due to negative assumptions and people jumping to conclusions then vilifying you. I will not attend another staff function. I do not do the kind of events that must be treated as clandestine affairs.

Anyway, back to the positive and fun stuff.

We declared that we would not go nuts this Christmas. That we didn't need all that much and there wasn't that much room in this house for loads more stuff. So we went nuts and are now trying to weasel room here and there for loads more stuff. It was a great Christmas. I'll show you my absolutely favourite gift next time.

Girly has decided that this has been the best Christmas ever and is now looking forward to her Birthday.

We're going to have a skating party again this year and she has attempted to invited everyone she has ever laid eyes on. Is it weird that I had to put Parental Supervision Required on all the invitations? Is five the age that kids get dropped off at a classmate's house and the parents take off? Am I odd in thinking that is way too young and a bit of an imposition on the parent throwing the party? Girly was invited to three parties and two of them were at someone's home. The majority of the kid's parents left their kids there and took off. I was a little weirded out and started wondering if I was just a crazy over-protective mother.

I also got two surprise gifts that I loved. I bought a bulb set a while back hoping for pretty flowers by March when the grey is beginning to wear heavily and I won't be able to travel. This narcissus opened much earlier that I had anticipated. The smell is wonderful and yes, those are pumpkin vines behind it. They were a class project. I am planning on repotting them and seeing if it is possible to grow a pumpkin indoors. Who knows, it could happen.

The other was this Easter Cactus. It hasn't bloomed in three years. The Mr. bought it for me for Mother's Day one year and although covered in buds, it never bloomed. Instead the buds dropped off and it languished in it's pot in the corner until the MIL and the Mr. took down my hanging ivy to dust. They discovered that the entire interior was dead and the only living parts were the ends. So they cut and rooted a few of the ends. Since the hook in the ceiling was now empty, I moved the Easter Cactus there and was almost immediately rewarded with a bud. A few days before Christmas it opened. A very pretty gift indeed!

I hope all of you had a great Christmas (or whatever you celebrate)!

Sort of Ribbed.

2008-11-15T17:50:00.002-06:00

A simple hat that has great texture. The lighting isn't all that great so you may have to click to enlarge in order to get a better view.

I used Jameson's Shetland Wool in worsted. I think it's colour number 65 on the Jumper Weight colour card. It's knit in 5mm (US size 8) needles and takes one skein or less depending on the size you want. This one fits a woman's size medium head.

Cast on 80 sts (it needs to be an even number if you are making a larger or smaller hat). Divide over 4 needles and join to knit in the round.

Round 1: K1, P1 around
Round 2: Knit

Repeat those two rounds to desired length. I knit to about 5". End with a knit round.

Begin decrease rounds. You will be decreasing on the K1, P1 round. Divide the number of stitches on each needle in half. The middle four stitches will be the decrease stitches.

Work until you get to the first two of the middle four. If the last stitch you worked was a purl stitch, you will want your decrease to look like a knit stitch. Do this by cabling the two stitches so that the knit stitch stays in the front, then knit the two together. The next two will be a purl. Cable the two stitches so that the purl stitch stays in the front and purl the two together. (If the last stitch worked before the decrease stitches was a knit, you will need to keep the purl stitch in front for the first decrease and the knit stitch in front for the second decrease.)

Knit the next round.

Repeat those two rounds until you have four stitches left on each needle. Break yarn and thread tail through remaining live stitches, draw up tight and weave in end to secure. Weave in cast on end.

Enjoy new hat!

A Good Find.

2008-11-12T21:56:00.002-06:00

I often hear people saying that the difference between living together and marriage is a piece of paper. Maybe for some that is the only difference but for me this paragraph I found in a book sums up the real difference and the reason I told the Mr. that I wouldn't live with him unless he married me.

[Quote]

(Mrs. Antrobus speaking to her husband of many years): "I didn't marry you because you were perfect, George. I didn't even marry you because I loved you. I married you because you gave me a promise. (She takes off her ring and looks at it.) That promise made up for your faults. And the promise I gave you made up for mine. Two imperfect people got married and it was the promise that made the difference."

[Unquote]

"The Skin of Our Teeth" - Thornton Wilder

There may be some knitting some day. I actually managed to finish a project for the first time in many months.

We have forgotten.

2008-11-10T22:19:00.002-06:00

Once upon a time many people knew exactly what Remembrance Day was for and why we needed it. Now many are complaining because it is a holiday for some people and not for others. They think we should all be at work if they have to be there.

I understand that it is difficult to find childcare if their Daycare is closed and their place of work is not. But don't get mad and say that the Daycare should be open. Get mad and say that your place of work should be closed.

Too often we take for granted the reason we have the half day. Attendance at parades and ceremonies is minimal. Of course the cold doesn't help with that, but if it was warm and sunny, would they then come?

Remembrance Day is not about war, it is about the end of war. The atrocities are brought out to remind us why ending war is so vital. Why no more soldiers should suffer through them so we can live in our ease surrounded by our comforts.

Peace to you on this day. May it be peace for all someday when we as a human race remember that war has more losers than winners. More grief and suffering than joy and celebration. That even those who lived to see the end of a war, never stop living the deaths and destruction.

A Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T22:15:00.002-05:00

Someone got to be Daphne Blake from Scooby Doo. This is a version of her dress in some of the cartoon episodes. I figured it would be the easiest. Not sure why now, All that trim was a heck of a lot of sewing! Yep, I made this and I am very pleased with how well I did considering I haven't sewn anything since I decided that Home Economics was not the class for me. Of course, I got partway through and figured what the heck, why not buy a sewing machine!

My stab at Martha Stewart type decorating. I printed a few pictures of bats and ghost drawings off the internet, cut them out and taped them to a tree. No worries, this is one of the trees that are growing along the back of the trailer and have to come out when we redo the siding and skirting to prevent them from ruining the new siding.

The Mr. carved his very first pumpkin. This is the first Halloween since we've been together that he has been off work and able to do it. Before that, he just never had one. A house full of single guys don't usually bother with decorating and handing out candy.

We used Girly's school projects to decorate our windows. She liked that idea and so did we.

Sadly, no kids came around (not a popular area for trick or treating) and I have a few left overs to ~~eat~~ get rid of before Christmas comes.

Hope all of you had a fun Halloween!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-10-13T20:47:00.002-05:00

I'm stuffed. Also feeling well, just tired and little to no concentration. Pregnancy brain.

Now, a little Thanksgiving trivia for you.

In 1578 Martin Frobisher held the first North American feast of Thanksgiving for surviving the long voyage from England to Newfoundland. Forty-three years before the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in 1621. However, Newfoundland didn't join Canada until March 31, 1949 so we can't really claim it as a Canadian event.

Thanksgiving didn't become an official holiday in Canada until 1879 though.

We don't dress up like pilgrims for Thanksgiving. That's a US thing. Canada doesn't have pilgrims. We were settled by fishermen, furriers, loggers and farmers. Also by slaves escaping the harshness of their "owners" and draft dodgers who wanted out of the US civil war.

Happy Columbus Day to those south of the border!

Whew.

2008-10-01T16:59:00.004-05:00

So this month, we've had Nanny come to stay and taken a road trip to Winnipeg to spend a weekend with some friends as well as get me some maternity type work clothes.

It was a blast and Girly took quite a shine to the friends. She insisted on snuggling to watch tv and of course their giant chocolate lab thought that it was great fun to have a small fry around to sniff. Girly loved him to bits too. There's just something about kids and labs, I tell you. Troy on the other hand, was a little weirded out by this huge dog who wasn't scared of him at all. It all worked out though and they got on alright.

We came home to find fall had arrived.

There are colours everywhere sometimes all on the same plant.

Oddly though, the days have been quite warm for this time of year and my Easter Lily has decided to give it another go before the year is done. Hopefully the 0*C predicted for tonight doesn't hurt it though.

Along with fall comes the cold and flu season. We got hit pretty hard this year. Nanny was really sick for a day or two and although she is on the mend, she is still pretty wiped out. Girly got a bit of it last night and the washing machine was going steady until about 2:00am this morning. She is on the mend already, this little nap is just to make up for all the sleep lost last night.

Needless to say we are all hoping the Kidlet and I don't get hit. That could get pretty rough.

There has been very little knitting. I've been learning a new position at work (Payroll Clerk) and it's been taking every bit of concentration I have, not that I have much lately. Maybe next time. I hope. My attention span can't stay this short forever right? Right?!

Goings on in these parts.

2008-09-11T13:40:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all who left congratulations! We are pretty excited and a little nervous. Although I feel fine for the most part, I am tired often and sore. Apparently I got so big with Girly (from a size 2 to too big for a womens extra large overall even with the side buttons undone) that there is a good bit of internal scar tissue that has to move and stretch too. It's all good though and in the end will be well worth the fuss. Girly has put in an order for a sister. At first she wanted a sister and a brother, but we told her one at a time, please!

She has other things on her mind though. A new daycare and JK. My little girl is growing up. She loves school and her teachers. One of the Teachers Assistants is a friend of ours too so I get all the inside information. It helps.

She's still young enough to love helping Momma though. She used a little ratchet with a screwdriver bit to help tighten all the screws on this little shelf. She did a really good job. Momma got them started and she got them flat enough I only had to give them a twist or two to finish them off.

Gymnastics has started up again and I am noticing quite a difference in her this year. Last year I often had to remind her to listen to her coaches and encourage her to try some of the things. This year she is doing really well at paying attention and even trying some of the lower high things without having to be asked. Still not keen on the uneven bars, but who knows by the end of the year even that could change.

Someone else is settling in pretty well. He was tired after a long walk and a little warm. Apparently the floor was nice and cool. It's been interesting trying to teach him the basics. At six years old he has a solidly built stubborn streak. He's my shadow though and cuddles a good bit every chance he gets. He's coming along nicely and will be as good a boy as Apollo before we know it.

One thing hasn't changed though. I'm still knitting. This is the hat that was on the Knit Simple Fall 2007 cover. I needed something fast and easy to remind me that I can finish something. I can! It's cute and it fits her well. I used Nashua Equinox Stripes for this. Although it does have some ackrylic, it still has a nice stretch and feel.

I changed a few things about the pattern. I wasn't big on the cast on parts for the stitches between the earpieces along the back. They had you cast on four then knit them and the earpiece cast on for the front, knit the other earpiece then cast on the last four for the back and join then. I could get it to look nice it always had a bit of a jog there. I know I could have fixed that with the crochet edge, but I didn't want to have to because I didn't want to start my crochet at the back of the hat. Instead I cast on all eight then knit around. For the crochet edge I did a chain, attached it to one earpiece then continued around the hat. The second tie had to be done separately. I also change the decreases at the top. I did a basic spiral crown so I wouldn't get that peak. Girly doesn't like them and truth be told, neither do I. I prefer a nice head shaped crown on a touque.

It's fall here and hopefully I'll have time for some colour changing photos. My MIL is here though and with everything else that is going on, it may take me a bit.

7 weeks!

2008-08-27T18:13:00.002-05:00

I like.

2008-08-19T21:29:00.002-05:00

This stay-cation thing rocks. I really like the no fuss, no rush of staying home for two whole weeks with no other kids running around, no work and a paycheck.

We've been walking, (See nice brand new pavement! The roads in our loop have been bad for a lot of years so we are all enjoying the new smooth ride/walk.)

Hanging out at the beach watching balloons float up to the sun,

Smelling the flowers,

and relaxing at home.

Sunday was our sixth anniversary and we celebrated by getting each other a family gift. His name will be Troy. The cats are not impressed yet. Sam came out fur up, growling, but wouldn't get close enough for a good sniff. Jezzie investigated his kennel, hid and is now refusing to come out. Apollo (Caught the name connection?) figures he's okay and may have to accept yet another boss of him. Sam being the main boss. Troy is a five year old Havanese. He came from Jomarans Kennels in Saskatchewan. So far, he's captured Girly's heart and has become my shadow. The Mr. is charmed by him too. Nothing like a man who is secure enough to love a little dog.

The Bearskin cargo person moved pretty darn quick to get him out of cargo as soon as the plane landed too. He's a real prince of a guy and has a Jack Russell so he was as gentle as could be and I could see him chatting Troy up while he was driving him in the baggage cart.

All of our pets now have a literary connection.

Sam Spade - Ace Detective

Jezebel - (the Mr. liked the name and had never heard the story)

Apollo - I choose to ignore that the Mr. was thinking of this man when he chose the name.

Troy - may he come to a better end after a long siege-free life.

Feel the love/luck.

2008-08-13T10:32:00.006-05:00

So I never did get a scarf from my original pal in International Scarf Exchange 6 and got a very generous angel instead. My angel was someone I already "know" the lovely Kathleen and this is the amazing package I received from her. Along with a gorgeously soft scarf, she sent me two skeins of the yarn with which it was made. Perfect since I just got a copy of Vogue Knitting with the Green Autumn (Ravelry link) mittens featured on the cover. The yarn will be perfect for them. She also included some Altoids mints (one tin is chocolate covered, so good!) and a baby toddler sock pattern. There's a bookmark but, it isn't in the photo since I'm already using it to mark the mitten pattern in my magazine. It has the perfect saying on it; "The best part of waking up is knitting and a cup." with a picture of a teapot, teacup, and tin of Tetley Tea beside a lace project.

The pink yarn is Cascade Yarns merino/nylon sock yarn and it feels amazing! The beads are perfect since I signed up for Mystery Stole 4. The rainbow yarn made my Girly very happy too since she's been asking for a rainbow top and I haven't been able to find a yarn I like and want to use. Now I have some. Girly also loved the colouring book and crayons.

The scarf is the cream of the package though. Luxuriously soft and I love the colours! Thank you Kathleen! You are a beautifully thoughtful woman and I appreciate how much time and effort you put into this angel package for me.

Kathleen had sent me some sunflower seeds (Hope's grandbabies) earlier this year but the poor things drown in all the rain we got in June and July. Which is why there haven't been any pictures of lovelies in my ~~weedpatch~~ garden.

Now that our local Blueberry Festival is over, the local businesses have been drawn the winners for their prizes and I won the Bank of Montreal's prize. Pretty darn good one at that. Everything is blue and or blueberry even the BBQ sauce (really good). It came in a basket, but that got repurposed right away.

I also won 2nd in the Blueberry Muffin bake-off category. Girly is quite happy with the prizes especially since she did help with the mixing of the muffins. There was another thing with these but, it was opened and taken away to be used right away. So I had to go outside to get a picture of it.

Here it is. Gigantic sidewalk chalk. Girly had a ball decorating the sidewalk with them.

Going, Down?

2008-08-05T21:47:00.002-05:00

The water, while still high is slowly beginning to go down. The beaches are reappearing and we are enjoying them as much as we can without getting too raisin-y.

The seeds are ripening and now and then a hint of fall can be felt in the air.

We are keeping Girly as occupied as possible for her last summer as a pre-schooler. Our annual Blueberry Festival is helping. Here she is being entertained by the local mascot, Blueberry Bert.

Here she is with a ton of excited children ready for the ride on the fire truck. My Girly doesn't much care for loud noises, but she loved this ride.

There was a sale on at a nearby greenhouse and someone took a shine to the little yellow flowers on the sides. So to keep Momma occupied, we designed a pretty for our house.

I have startitis so bad right now that I could show you a ton of knitting type stuff, but most of it is less than an inch or two. The one thing that is nearly finished I don't want to show off until it's done. Maybe I'll get a chance to do a bit more since I am taking a stay-cation for two weeks starting next week. I can't wait until Friday!

A new trick for me.

2008-07-27T15:15:00.003-05:00

Socks! I've been working here and there on different types of socks with this Briggs and Little Durasport that I had dyed a long time ago. It's been about four different patterns until I found this one. It's Wendy's Sport weight Toe-up Socks with Gusset Heel (link in this post). I added a cable to them since I thought they were turning out a bit loose for my liking.

I am very happy with these socks! I wore them to the Relay for Life in June and they kept my feet warm even in the midst of the rain and puddles. You can't ask for more than that.
The pattern is easy even for a beginner especially since there is no picking up of stitches on the heel or kitchener stitching. Just a slip stitch short row heel cup. This kind of short row involves no wrapping and no holes!

The pattern is so easy that I cast on for another pair right away. Girly put in an order and picked out the yarn. I'm taking my time finishing them though since they are a touch big for her. Apparently I still have a way to go on the pattern sizing mods.

Another view of the heel. Short rows with no holes!

Another of Wendy's patterns. I joined the Summer of Socks and got the pattern as a freebie. So far, so good. It's slow going though since I have so many other things I'm working on as well as socks.

Just to round out the fun. I discovered this along with all the yarns for it's mate at the Salvation Army a couple of weeks ago. No second sock syndrome possible when you have an unknown knitter making the first one for you. I scored some pretty good yarns that day. I'll show you them another time.

Ark Wanted.

2008-07-20T19:59:00.005-05:00

So it's been raining and pouring some more. There haven't been many days or nights this summer without any rainfall. The hand print is hanging in there, but fading now. This was taken on Friday (the 18th).

Saturday was a fairly decent day so we ran some errands in the nearby town. This is an underground spring. I remember stopping here when I was Girly's age for a nice cold drink of water. There are years when it is quite dry that the water is just a small stream coming out of the pipe. This is one of those years where the cover over the top of the spring is bursting water nearly all the way around.

Our back yard is looking much like it does right after the snow melts on a year with a lot of snow. The lakes are extremely high. I wanted to go out this afternoon and take some pictures of the local docks and walkway under water, but guess what.

It was raining this afternoon.

One thing the rain does bring about is indoor time to knit. The baby sweater is now finished. I used a baby pattern with a collar and just didn't knit it as long as the pattern called for then, made up the difference with a cabled band knit separately and sewn on. I really like how it turned out and the buttons (from my LYS) are the perfect finishing touch.

This sweater (Strax - Lopi 25) started so long ago had been out of hibernation too. I took it out, looked it over and decided that since the Mr. has lost so much weight (he went from a 43" waist to a 32" waist - just stopped eating junk and drinking Diet sodas), it isn't going to fit him anymore.

Also, I never liked this obvious change in direction that going from knitting through the back loop in the round to knitting through the back loop flat made. I really need to remember to wrap my yarn differently to avoid this.

So, you know what happened next. I refuse to waste perfectly good yarn on something that will look like crap once done. I will cast on again, I just need to find a smaller cable needle this time and remember to wrap differently. Must remember that.

Fireworks, Knitting and Weirdly Cool.

2008-07-08T21:19:00.009-05:00

The Canada Day fireworks (day after - due to rain) were spectacular this year. Our firefighters did an amazing job with them.

The sky was lit up with a lot of the classic fireworks and even a few I haven't seen before.

Girly didn't notice much due to covering her ears and burying herself as far into Mama as possible. Although I thought I saw her take a peek or two. Poor sweet. She really doesn't like things too loud. Fireworks photos courtesy of the Mr. My arms were busy with the comforting thing.

Pity too since she missed quite a bit. These were my favourites of the night. Who knows, maybe next year Girly will be able to find it in herself to look up and watch even if she does have her ears covered. If not, it's all good. Mama gets a good 1/2 hour to 3/4 hour of snuggle time this way.

At home, the needles have been busy too. I've nearly finished the baby sweater I started eons ago. My friend is due in a couple of weeks and I need to get this done so she can have it! I've got a lot of scarves on the needles. Why, I don't really know, but I seem unable to knit much else lately. The pink one is Daintier Chevron from Barbara Walker Treasury II the other is Pillar & Web also from Treasury II. I really like how it takes a drapey yarn and gives it a lot of body. There has been more knitting than this going on around here, but I am hoping for a sunny day with no where to go so I can take some good photos. Of course a sunny day, period, wouldn't be turned down!

Although the rain has brought out a pretty weird but cool thing. This little handprint showed up on our front step on June 27th. We can't figure out what Girly could have gotten into that would make a completely dry handprint on a wooden step. Sunscreen doesn't quite explain this. It had rained a good bit before we noticed it too.

Plenty of stormy days and some plain out rainy days...

... the odd hot and sunny/hot and cloudy days here and there...

... and it's still there today. I took this during some light rain. This isn't the best photo of it. The rain is beading off the handprint and is soaking into the rest of the step. I am taking it as a sign that it's time to try and have a baby. I'm really not sure what else to think of it yet other than "Weird, cool, but weird."

Happy Canada Day!

2008-07-01T22:48:00.003-05:00

When last I wrote, I was off to the Relay for Life. It was amazing! Wet, but crowded and fun. It evoked many of the same feelings as last year along with a little more awe of how many people would ignore a pounding rain and high winds for the chance to try and change how cancer is viewed by those who are affected by the disease. Morning saw the sun break through the clouds and bring hope of a nice day along with hope of a cure. Sometimes in the moment, it's the small things we remember most. Thanks go out to all of you who pledged me! I really appreciate them and the hope they help to bring.

So far, it's been a pretty wet month. We continue to believe that there will be sunny weeks coming though. Or at least a sunny weekend at the same time the Mr. is off work so we can go camping with Girly.

Girly is enjoying her summer thus far though. She is growing so fast and learning so many new things. She's got a pretty darn good swing on her too. Things here are pretty busy with all the working, knitting (next time, I promise) and activities.

The best though are the spontaneous activites. The Canada Day kids activities on the beach here in town were rained out and as there wasn't an alternative place to hold them, we decided to drive to the next town since we had heard that they had moved theirs indoors. It either hadn't rained much there, or had cleared up a while before we got there since the park was busy. Girly got her face painted and a flag, which was what she had really wanted out of the day.

So, Happy Canada Day! I hope your day was as fun as ours.

Burnt out and Good times a' comin'.

2008-06-06T00:03:00.005-05:00

So lately between work, life and some lovely peri-menopause symptoms, I am burnt out and utterly disorganized. I've always been a cold person and at bed time it seemed to take forever for me to warm through and go to sleep. Not anymore. I'm warm most of the time (I like this) and at night, a furnace. In winter that part will be very welcome.

Not so much now that it isn't as cold at night anymore. I wake up feeling like I haven't slept much at all and by the time I get a chance to blog, my eyes are burning with tired and my brain is sluggish and dull. Tonight isn't much different, but I said I'd say why I've been burnt out lately this time and so I have.

Life is an ever changing thing and sometimes it takes us places we aren't ready to go yet. I am very cool with going through menopause. I just wasn't ready for it to begin so darn soon! So, time to begin not trying not to have that sibling for Girly. Hopefully it will happen within the year. That should slow down my system too and put off the "Change" until I am more ready for it, I hope. If not, ah well. I'll just have to suck it up and deal. I may still whine.

Meantime, soccer continues. Here she is in goal. She was doing alright until the blackflies started swarming her. She began the "Northerner Wave" (both arms moving in circles that cross in front of the body) this didn't help much and as she brushed her hands down her face to wipe off a bug, the ball went into the goal. Tonight Girly had her first T-Ball game. She did quite well. Although she did forget why she was on Third and go wandering off to see what all the excitement was about on First. I love going to her games. She and the other children are so fun.

There has been many presentations of dandelions. I love these little beauties. I know so many people don't love them and often even hate them, but I think they are beautiful. Why insist on a plain green lawn with only a splash of colour in orderly type of places when you can have colour everywhere in a bright sunny yellow?

Tomorrow the Relay for Life! If you wish to pledge me you can click on this link. I would go the Paypal route again, but I can't afford the fees this year. Also, this way I can leave the link up until July and you can donate anytime between now and then.

Send good weather, please. The forecast is calling for Rain and Thunderstorms. The Relay goes on regardless of the weather so sun and clear skies are good! We'll even take cloudy so long as the clouds don't leak.

A week in a few words.

2008-05-28T17:32:00.003-05:00

Because I have many things to say and no time to say them, a quick update on my life this past week.
Storms, rain, and just plain out grey and cloudy days. They finally began to clear.

Not before they laid a little snow on us though. Thick and heavy too. It came down most of the day, but was gone by nightfall.

There was a bit of knitting on some stuff. This is the edging on one of them. I really like how this stitch pattern came out. This is the back.

I also really like how the mohair/silk blend Ovation glints in the sun.

What's next? Why the Relay for Life! I will be registering on the Relay website only this year. As much as I would love to go hard on the fundraising like I did last year, I really can't afford the Paypal fees or the prize mailing this year. So if you would like to pledge me, stay tuned and I will be posting the link to my pledge page as soon as I get it done. Also, please tell friends!

Now supper is ready and I have to go finish grating the cheese. More on why I'm a little burnt out next time too.

Ah... Monday, lazy Monday.

2008-05-19T12:25:00.003-05:00

Thank God for long weekends and funny kids. It's Victoria Day weekend here and we are hanging out and relaxing today. It's been just what I needed. I've been feeling pretty burnt out lately. I'll tell you why another time. I'm not ready to put it in writing as yet. It isn't a completely bad thing, just not what I was expecting to happen this soon.

I don't have much I can show you right now since nearly everything I am working on is a secret. But there is a knit thing in here, even if it was done a while ago and I still can't remember what I did other than cast on a bunch of stitches (smallest needle size), seed stitch for a few rows (change to biggest needles) then YO, K2tog around. I think the second row was K2tog, YO and I think I did those two rounds changing needle sizes willy-nilly (biggest at the top, smallest at the bottom) until I nearly ran out of yarn then decreased at the bottom. It looks like a round of k2tog then a plain round another k2tog and another plain round then break yarn (leave a long tail of course) and run the tail through the live stitches. Draw into a circle and weave the end in so that it makes a star shape across the circle, or just do another round of k2tog and draw the end up tighter. Make a couple of I-cord handles and sew them on. Voila. ~~A beach type bag~~ A hat.

It takes one ball of Lily Sugar n' Cream and a bunch of DPN's/Circs in different sizes. Easy-Peasy as the child has taken to saying. I think she may have a bit of a crush on Jamie Oliver. Smart kid, who wouldn't love a man that can cook like that!

Not a bad beret, no? It helps to have a cute model who loves to pose for the camera too. ;)

I'm a Soccer Mom?!

2008-05-12T20:23:00.002-05:00

It seems so. We signed Girly up for soccer this year since she was finally old enough to play. Tonight was her first game and it seems the Butterfly Train didn't fall far from the tree.

She did calisthenics and nearly forgot why she was in line. At least until she noticed that the other kids were holding a ball to kick.
She jumped while in line and nearly forgot why she was there until she remembered that the other kids were kicking a ball and she would get to eventually.

She jumped some more during the game. She had no idea where the ball was most of the time.

Oh right, soccer! Note that all the kids in the picture are wearing the same colour. That's because they are all on the same team. The other team's players are just out sight. It was every kid for the ball the whole game.

My Girly is awesome and so fun. She even kicked the ball a time or two.

Knitting will eventually show up on this blog. Not sure when. Someday. I may get a bit of time when I am not tired or spaced out to actually work on something I can show you.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T19:08:00.003-05:00

I hope it was a good one. Mine was. I got some flowers at work on Thursday to start things off right, I remembered far enough in advance to order flowers for my mother and MIL without getting an annoyed overworked look from the florist.

My whole weekend was a good one. We had some friends over for a BBQ on Saturday and it was a blast.
The children stuffed their little faces (I made way too much food!) and ran amok to their heart's content. The neighbour's dog even got in on the fun.

Today, we roasted a few marshmallows after a BBQ at my parent's house. Someone really loves them.

It was cold to cool, but fun and now we are ready for an early night. I can't wait to do this all over again.

Gone again.

2008-05-07T13:20:00.003-05:00

So the snow is gone again. Hopefully for the season this time. The trees are beginning to bud. My lilac a little more slowly than others, but it's coming along.

The water is mostly gone too. There was enough there the other day for the ducks to have a swim now it's not even an inch deep. I'm glad things are drying up though. It may make it easier for my crocus bulbs to survive. The stalks are green and so far, healthy.

The flowers didn't fare well once that snow hit. Poor things.

The daffodils seem to be just fine. They were slower to come up and it may be they knew it wasn't time to flower yet.

The ants came through all right too. I think the hill grew at least two inches since last year. I hope we don't have to get rid of them. The Mr. says if he doesn't see any ants in the house, they can stay. If he does, bye-bye ants. Me, I think they are just fine where they are and they aren't hurting anything as far as I can tell.

We even have a little bit of green grass here and there.

The best green plants though are these little babies. Hope's grandbabies to be exact. I had sent some of Hope's babies to Kathleen during my fundraising campaign for the Relay for Life and it turns out they did well in her yard. So she sent some of her seeds back to me. Thanks Kathleen! I gave some to a friend and these are the ones I kept. All but three have sprouted. I can't wait to see them grow and turn into big beautiful sunflowers.

The Snowflakes.

2008-04-27T20:04:00.002-05:00

Hitchcock, eat your heart out. They are way scarier than the birds what with all the speeding drivers and dwindling hope of spring time.

They'll eat your dog,

bury your trees and

leave mysterious marks around your stuff.

Background music, Christmas carols.

Left the critics shivering.

Yesterday & today.

2008-04-26T08:14:00.003-05:00

Sometimes yesterday just seems so far away. Like that idyllic part of childhood you always seem to drift back to when you speak of "Back in the Day".

Where things were slow and easy, times weren't so crazy and hard. Ducks swam in your front yard and you had just seen a deer down the road a bit ago.

Then you wake up to today.

Two feet. Overnight.

W. T. F?!

It's here!

2008-04-20T14:18:00.003-05:00

We are incredibly happy that we can wander about in just a sweater but for me, true spring isn't here until these little pretties start popping up. I bought these bulbs from Brecks three years ago. They spent two years in my fridge since I forgot to put them out the first year, then I forgot they were even there the second year. Last fall, I finally thought to give them a try. I didn't hold out much hope that they would even sprout, never mind flower.
They have proven to be even tougher then I dared hope and beautiful as well. The main reason I love the crocus so much. Of all the flowers available today, the crocus is my absolute favourite. Herald of warmth to come and first spots of colour in the brown of earliest spring.
The snow is mostly gone from our yard now and the lure of deep puddles has been heard by the pair of ducks that come every year. I heard them then saw them flying nearby yesterday. A most welcome sound as was the song of the waking frogs last night.
Of course the lure of a nice, big puddle has been heard by another little critter. She spent a good bit of the day and three pairs of pants in there. But, hey, why else did they invent rubber boots?

With the disappearance of the snow, come the rock collections which Jezzy is firmly guarding from that moving thing up there on that screen.

Surfacing from the Murk.

2008-04-14T13:39:00.004-05:00

Did you know that if you make a baby sweater and seam up the sides first, chances are very good the child will not have a place to put his/her arms.

Specs:

2 balls Yarns Brunswick (discontinued) - Ecru
1 ball Lily Sugar n' Cream - Green
4mm (US6) needles

No real pattern. I just used a standard baby sweater pattern and shortened the length as well as making the fronts just a touch narrower than half of the back so that I could add the cabled sections. The bottom band is a 4 stitch cable worked over 6 8 stitches (still can't count past 2) with an extra two on each side for the garter stitch edging. Rather than just crossing the cables I moved them out by one stitch until they touched the sides (on the wrong side I purled the purls & knit the knits) then moved them back in by one stitch until it was time to cross them. Not a complicated or uncommon cable. I'll do the same for the fronts with buttonholes in the open part of the cables. That way the button flaps will overlap and give baby more coverage even if the cotton stretches out a little during wear.

The big ball of Fleece Artist Dreadlocks is becoming a nice looking scarf. It's going to be a long one too.

I'm doing a basic lace type thing with double yarn overs so people can actually see that I'm doing more than garter stitch. Because if you are going to make things more complicated than they need to be, people should at least notice a bit of it.

Specs.

Fleece Artist Dreadlocks
10mm (US15) needles

Abbreviations:

K2togtbl = Knit 2 together through the back loop.
K1tbl = Knit one through the back loop.
PSSO = Pass slipped stitch over stitch behind it on the needle.

Pattern:

Row 1 & 2: Garter Stitch.
Row 3: K1, K2tog, yo(x2) K2togtbl, K1, K2tog, yo(x2) K2togtbl, K1
Row 4: Knit all stitches except the yarn overs. Work the first double yo as P1, K1tbl & the second one as K1tbl, P1.
Row 5: K2, K2tog, yo(x2) S1, K2tog, PSSO, yo(x2), K2togtbl, K2.
Row 6: Same as Row 4
Row 7: Same as Row 5
Row 8: Same as Row 4

Repeat Rows 1-8 to desired length

Repeat Rows 1&2.

Bind off and weave in ends.

Someone had a Birthday yesterday. He says he can't believe he's 21 already. *Snort!* I caught me a man with a funny bone. Good thing for me!

It's been one of those weeks.

2008-04-06T19:48:00.004-05:00

In a good way that is. I got some yarn in the post. Fleece Artist Dreadlocks (discontinued) from Threads in Time. Beautiful stuff and I see a very skinny, exaggerated lace, warm scarf in my future. Although it may end up in a parcel off to somewhere sometime soon. Soonish. Before the end of this year. It makes for a very big ball of yarn! How big?

This big.
Then there is supersized snack. Someone wanted to have a few grapes. She gets her own snacks from the fridge now. I was in the potty when she asked. Funny kid.

The snow though. That is making me both happy and antsy. It's going away and fairly quickly. Relatively speaking for our area. It's that time of year though. The fruits and veggies aren't that great, the weather is warmish but the ground is soaked and what snow there is, is mostly slushy and wet crystals. This means even the outdoor enthusiasts can't do a whole heck of a lot outside. There's grass showing through though! Hope is still holding strong.
If you have a kid, entertainment can be found nearly anywhere. Even indoors at 7:00am in pyjamas and without coffee.

Girly [holding Barbie's top so she can see her chest]: "Momma! Eeeeuw! Barbie has poops on her!"

Momma [snickering like a ten year old boy]: "Those aren't poops. Those are her breasts. All women have them. You'll get some when you get older too."

Girly [patting Momma's upper chest]: "Where's yours Momma?"

Momma [near to tears laughing]: "Oh, they're hanging around here somewhere."

Knitting. For Real!

2008-03-29T11:13:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I posted anything remotely yarn like, so here they are. Girly's scarf got this far. I kept making mistakes and having to rip back and redo. Needless to say, she hasn't worn it yet. It may be done by the time she gets Confirmed. At thirteen.
This is a chemo cap for a friend. She's in stage three Uterine Cancer. Everything has been taken out that can be taken out and she has had her first treatment. Thing is, she doesn't have the bloom of youth to help with the healing. She is a very strong woman though. So if you happen to say a prayer or send good healing for/to Lil, it probably wouldn't hurt the process.
This is a scarf I am working on. I haven't decided yet whether or not it's going to be sent to a scarf pal or someone else who could use a lift right now. I love how at this angle it has a vertically striped appearance and
at this angle it's a horizontal stripe. I also love how it feels and that even though it is super light weight, it's pretty warm.
Someone is really coming along well since his meds have been changed and are nearly adjusted to the correct dose. He's bright and energetic again. His fur is thick and silky too. Even his tail fur which was always a bit on the rough side feels softer. He was a little annoyed that he didn't get to eat any of the chocolate that the bunny left around though. Being the poor sick kid in our house doesn't get you far.

Whoa, Nelly!

2008-03-25T19:08:00.002-05:00

Wow! There's quite a time lapse between posts around here. Yeesh. I gotta get back on track!

Life has been a bit busy the last little while. Someone got all fancied up on Saturday for the big day. She loved "Getting her nails changed."

Then came the big moment. After kneeling by the little pond watching the water trickle down the waterfall, Father poured a bit on her head. She was a bit surprised at first, but then she thought it was great fun and after standing up, she shook her head like a little puppy. The entire church full of people got a good chuckle. She was in her element and pleased as punch with herself. It was beautiful.

Easter morning found us in a bit of a chill.
Fortunately that hadn't scared off the Easter Bunny. Girly scored bit time.

She even got to go find Easter Eggs at a friend's house in snowbanks. Note the haute couture of the north. Dress and pants.

Knitting? What knitting? We won't mention the fact that the child doesn't have a pretty beaded lace scarf for her Baptism. We won't mention that I am behind on things people don't even know they are getting yet. Fortunately, I should have a bit more knitting time now. I hope. :)

Hope is such a simple thing.

2008-03-18T18:42:00.002-05:00

It's a highway without ice build up to drive on.

It's a bit of sand showing in the drive.

It's round edges on a long ago shoveled path.

It's water dripping into the porch.

It's knowing that soon the child's extra curricular activities will end and Mama might get to have a bit more knitting time.

It's people who come and say nice things and generally remember that I am here in my little world.

Awhile back Sus gifted me with a "You make my Day" award and I have yet to pass them on. So today I would like to say that all of you who come here even with my sporadic blogging and very little to say make my day along with these 10 people who have kept me sane and going during my busy time.

I am supposed to pass them on to 10 bloggers who make my day but I think there are two people who don't blog that completely deserve them right now.

1. My husband, corny I know, but for the small bits of time we get at home together, he has been very patient with the amount of it that I've been spending online getting ISE 6 together, opened and started.

2. My 65 year old aunt whose name I love enough to give it to my Girly. She had back surgery a couple of days ago and has suffered from osteoporosis for years but woke up from anesthesia asking when she can go back to mountain climbing. She is more concerned about all the hikes she can't lead while she is laid up than on having back surgery. Amazing woman.

The next eight women are the wonderful volunteers helping me run ISE 6 and keeping the workload fun and light.

3. Margaret - also our Taiwanese translator,

4. Charlie,

5. Bernie,

6. Ana,

7. Andrea,

8. Victoria,

9. Tami

10. Kelli

Of course I would be remiss in not mentioning Leslie the lovely lady who makes the pretties for our group blog.

The Sky Danced

2008-03-09T22:18:00.002-05:00

While the people slept, the sky awoke.
The stars stood still, the cold night spoke.
A woman stood just by chance.
Honoured was she by the dance.

The dance of the sky was amazing. The Northern Lights were bright and strong. My camera, not so much. If you click on the picture you might get a vague idea of a small part of them.

Realism vs Delusion

2008-03-08T10:43:00.004-06:00

As one of the hosts of my favourite t.v. show is fond of saying; "I reject your reality and substitute my own."

Although I have made little to no progress on this scarf, I am positive it will be finished and blocked by Easter Saturday. Positive. If I have to make it knit itself!

I am positive that going to the senior's centre for soup and sandwiches and walking out with knitting needles and a pair of slippers for Girly is not a sign of an obsession. It is smart buying since these are not only vintage needles, but they were very well priced and in sizes I don't already own. Plus the slippers are cute.

I am positive that these will get to their destination even though a parcel I sent to the UK ended up coming back to me after nearly two months of wandering aimlessly around the seas.

I am sure that the vague smell of skunk outside means that spring is arriving slowly. The wind, snow and cold just haven't heard the news yet.

See, my reality is so much nicer.

Begin again Finnegin.

2008-03-03T19:12:00.003-06:00

Although the astute among you will notice that this new version of Girly's pretty has slightly fewer than 332 stitches. I scrapped the stole version until I get it to look the way I want and decided to go with a more realistic view. Scarf.

Ever have one of those weeks that you would just like to yell Mulligan? I don't know what's up with me, I can't seem to quit trodding on people's toes lately. I went round apologizing today and hopefully managed to smooth things over, but yeesh I sure hope I can be taken out in public safely soon.

It must be a tired of winter thing. I'm ready to not be cold when I walk out the door in the morning. Ready to not scrape ice off the windshield and snow off the step. I've found myself staring at a picture I took last summer wishing that when I opened my eyes I would be back there with the sun beating down on my back and the sweet smells of summer all around.

Bring on the heat! Bring on the sun. I promise not to complain about being sweaty and stuff. Much.

Alas Poor Yorick

2008-03-01T11:13:00.003-06:00

I knew him, Knitratio; a pattern of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me to tears a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those stitches that I have knit I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now?

As it turns out, I didn't write the first part of the pattern correctly. Also, 6' of unblocked stole would probably turn out to be pretty darn close to 7'. 4' child. A wee bit of overkill. She would have been mummified, not dressed up pretty.

Ah well, I'll cast on for something else faster and written a little better. Perhaps I may get something done yet.

Flower for your thoughts?

2008-02-27T21:32:00.002-06:00

I have none of my own right now.

Still chasing my tail through number land and attempting to get a ton of copy and paste type stuff finished. Let us not mention the large white knitting with many holes in it. The child will likely be wearing it with the needles hanging off one end for her baptism. Must go knit.

Psst....

2008-02-24T20:02:00.000-06:00

Guess what else I have going on!

Peaceful mornings.

2008-02-23T09:35:00.002-06:00

I find that I really treasure these mornings where I don't have to jump out of bed and rush myself and Girly out the door. Very nice. Of course we have to go in a bit, but we got to sleep in for a while and we don't have to start rushing right away.

Gives me time to do things like take pictures of a beautiful blue sky on a day where it isn't way-too-frickin-cold*C. It's only -17*C/1.5*F you know, warmish.

With a forecast of some more snow this afternoon. The lakes should come up pretty darn high this spring. Though there are places that have had more snow than we have. That's just over 10 feet for those who don't use the metric system or are not familiar with metric measurements.

This stole is coming along nicely. Although I am beginning to think that I won't get it done when I want. It just may take a good bit longer than I had thought it would.

Changeling

2008-02-20T20:57:00.005-06:00

A pattern of a sorts.

You'll need 2 skeins of worsted or aran weight yarn. I used Twilley's Freedom Spirit (worsted) and Classic Elite Wool/Llama (aran) they are each about 190m/205yds or more. I used about 7/8ths of the Freedom Spirit skein and 3/4 of the Classic Elite skein for women's medium mitts. Mine are fairly narrow and long so they just fit my hands.

I used 4mm needles on the hand and 2.5mm on the thumb. I would have preferred a more tightly knit fabric though since I can feel the wind a bit. Once the inside felts with wear they'll be perfect though so no worries there. The windy part may also be that the Twilley's is so much lighter in weight than the Classic Elite and if I had used two aran weights I might not have this issue. I didn't take gauge so you'll have to go with a gauge that will fit your hand. You can do a gauge swatch and the math or you can just start knitting and try on as you go. One guess which route I took.

I used a generic mitt pattern that was divisible by 4 (cast on 40 for my hands) in colour A. Knit the cuff as long as you like in 2x2 ribbing or whichever stitch you prefer. My cuffs are fairly long. I really hate it when your sleeves move a bit and you get that gap at the wrists.

When you get to where you want your hand to start, add colour B. For the first row of the repeat you will be stranding and the following two rows you will be mosaic knitting. If you are making a thumb gusset, you will need to increase by four stitches on each stranded row (I made mine 12sts) in order to maintain the pattern. I also cast on 4 in the row above my thumb to help with the laddering above the thumb gusset stitches and to keep it nice and loose there. If you are not making a thumb gusset, you'll need to increase a few stitches (again, divisible by four) just above the cuff to help the mitt fit your hand better. You can do this easily on the first round of the repeat once you've added the second colour, or you can just knit a plain round right after the ribbing and add them evenly then.

Repeat

Row 1 - Colours A & B - K2 with A, K2 with B. Repeat to end of round.

Row 2 - Colour A only - K2, S2. Repeat to end of round.

Row 3 - Colour B only - S2, K2. Repeat to end of round.

Row 4 - Colours A & B - K2 with B, K2 with A. Repeat to end of round.

Row 5 - Colour A only - S2, K2. Repeat to end of round.

Row 6 - Colour B only - K2, S2. Repeat to end of round.

Repeat Rows 1-6 to desired mitt length from base of hand to tip of fingers. Follow a generic thumb pattern for either a gusset or an afterthought thumb. That's about what I did. The colour pattern will blend on the hand no matter which route you choose as long as your thumb stitches are divisible by four. That way it doesn't interrupt the pattern on the hand.

Once you are at the top of the fingers, you will need to decrease by four on each side of the hand every time in order to maintain the look (total of 8 sts decreased each round). Best done on the stranded row in order to make things easier. I did this three times then Kitchenered the last 16 sts. I think next time I would finish the last repeat before the decreases (I did 9.5 full repeats) and seam the top since the Kitchenered top lets in a good bit of wind and a seam would be more solid and therefore more wind resistant.

Weave in your ends and all that stuff once you've finished and voila! For once, a Changeling a mother would love to have gotten.

My little sweet loves her new hair by the way. She still asks when it will grow back, but then she fluffs her sides and declares that her short hair is so pretty. Naturally, we agree.

Ahh. It's been good.

2008-02-18T14:10:00.002-06:00

Today is Family Day and we sure needed it this time around. Between skating lessons, gymnastics and work, a whole day at home without having to go anywhere has been just what the doctor ordered. Peaceful and pyjama'ed with a bit of knitting to make everything right.

I am liking this project. It's looking as good as I had hoped. With over 300 sts per row, it just may kill me though. I did not realize how long it would take to purl one row nevermind work lace on a row that size. Good thing I started it fairly early. I hope.

Just for fun, this is my need-a-break-from-teeny-tiny-yarn project. Because you might as well go from one extreme to the other. Laceweight on size 3.25mm to chunky weight on 38mm needles.

Someone else has decided that she would also like to try out extremes. Her hair was beautiful long. Yesterday morning, she decide that since Momma had been on about taking her to a stylist to get her hair tidied up a little, she would help out. It's going to be a heck of a first haircut at the stylists.

So far, it works.

2008-02-11T18:35:00.000-06:00

Knock wooden needles. I managed to come up with something I like and cast on. Way too many stitches. I managed to make it work for me though and the first row of the pattern worked out just so. I'm happy. Which means disaster is peering round the corner waiting to fall on my head. If I keep shooting the evil eye off in that direction and counting stitches compulsively I may manage to get through this without hurting myself. I hope.

White out and in.

2008-02-09T12:47:00.000-06:00

This morning the snow was falling thick and fast. I'm very glad that we didn't have anywhere to go or anything to get done out of doors. The perfect kind of day to stay in and ~~clean~~ knit.

I have the graph paper ready to go and some needles picked out. Let's hope this works as well as I am hoping that it will and I can get it done by Easter. Let the ~~delusions~~ games begin!

Not quite a week.

2008-02-08T21:12:00.000-06:00

Still not much to show. I worked a bit on this scarf and oy. I need to stick to basic stuff for a while. I wanted the cables on this It Ain't Plain, Jane scarf to wave rather than cross but I seem to have gotten confused.

Often. It's an utter mess or it was before I pulled it back to the part before I started turning it into a testament to a confused mind.

It seems that the more new skills I learn at work, the more old skills fall out my other ear. Soon I will be unable to speak in coherent English, but by damn, my spreadsheets will be gorgeous and balance everytime!

So before I turn into a blithering idiot, I will post this to remind me of what charms me.

"Your exact moment of the day is always changing, because the sun never sets at exactly the same time. You are the romantic moments just after sunset when it's still light enough to see your way around outside, and the sky is a blend of reds, pinks, purples, and blues. At this time of day, the light has a special way of making even rundown buildings looks like works of art. You're like that, too – you're always finding beauty and magic in unexpected places. Not only will you wish on the first star you see, somewhere inside, you actually expect that wish to come true." - I do, you know. It's why I try to wish things that really could happen someday and don't add time limits.

Thanks for the quiz Suzanne, I needed this little bit of winsome poetry to bring the magic of everyday back to mind. Darn cold season.

Off to dream in bank rec's and tab delimited files. I really hope the dreams that don't contain numbers and Excel come back soon. I miss the pretty flowers and weird yarn/knitting photos that used to creep into the mind's eye at night. Hanging upside down from a tree limb to get the right lighting angle on that lace shawl I whipped up in a fortnight while the children teach the dog how to join to knit in the round without all those annoying ladders seems like a normal type of dream now.

Okay, who took last week?!

2008-02-02T09:25:00.000-06:00

It seems when you start adding stuff to do after work, time just vanishes in a whirl of learning new stuff, meetings, skating and the sleeping thing. It seems like yesterday I was telling all of you the exciting news around here, but the date on my last post says Monday! Oy.

So today, it's back to Saturday Sky especially since there is little to invisible knitting going on around here. I know it's Sunday, but I did take the pictures on Saturday before all the life stuff got in the way of the blog. Ah well. Eventually I will get the hang of this working outside the home and only having a bit of time to do the house stuff. Thank God for a husband who doesn't mind helping out and doesn't have to be hounded to do so.

Light snow flakes are falling. Yesterday and today the weather has warmed up and we are out of the deep freeze for a little while anyway.

Even the post is letting up on the hail of bills and letting little pretties like these stitch markers I won on Kate's blog a while ago, through.

Hopefully it won't be a week before I have something knit to show.

Coming up Roses.

2008-01-28T13:27:00.000-06:00

The air is smelling mighty fine in these here parts lately.

I've got news so good it's making it hard to concentrate on things like new knits (It Ain't Plain, Jane! - Twilley's Freedom Spirit),

how my stitches look very different when I switch from in the round to flat knitting (Must remember to change the knitting style for sweaters and the like in the future.),

how I only have a couple of side pieces to add to Girly's vest then it's done,

how the snow looks so pretty and

how the sky looked amazing for about a 1/2 hour last night.

You see, there are three parts to the good news, but the best in Girly's opinion is that she gets to learn how to skate and that she is now registered for school! She's getting to be so grown up.

The best of the best though, that is what has me so happy. I am now a full-time employee! You are reading the words of the new General Accountant for the Municipality! Yay me and yay for a totally new skill set to add to the noggin. :)

Remember when.

2008-01-23T20:39:00.000-06:00

You were happy that you could knit and purl. You thought it was so fantastic that this new thing you could do made such beautiful things.

Then you learned to knit with more than one colour. Then in the round. Shaping followed and lace was next. The cabling though, that captured your imagination. Imagine making stitches travel all over the knitting and meet up wherever you want.

Now, the knitting and purling, no shaping, no colourwork, no lace just aren't the same anymore. So you are slapping in a bit of this and a bit of that because your attention span has shrunk that much. Like a toddler always looking for the next bright light and shiny new toy.

Sigh. I have some more knitting and purling to do before this is done. I am whining and it is a small project. Whatever will I do when I have a big one to get through?

Tips.

2008-01-21T18:22:00.000-06:00

Give your kid a skating birthday party. You will be the bestest parents, ever!

Colour co-ordinate and fibre match your knitting to your outfit. You will look so put together.

Don't watch The Day After Tomorrow when it's -38*C/-34.6*F and you are sitting in a draft, also known as your living room. You will be planning how you are going survive the new ice age all night and in the morning at work, when someone calls with a basic question that a chicken with it's head cut off could answer, you will have to call them back. After you look it up and or ask someone because you couldn't think where to look it up.

Row upon row upon snow.

2008-01-17T14:59:00.000-06:00

Okay, so the knitting isn't actually on the snow, but it is getting a row here and there.

I am getting a little nervous about this one. I may not have enough of the purple to finish it and I don't have anymore of it or the label. Plow on, and pray desperately that it will hold out long enough seems to be the order of the day.

Girly's vest is moving along well. I am about halfway through the back and then I need to add sides since it isn't wide enough. Ah well, I'll get it right and by the time I do, it will be nearly unrecognizable from the original pattern. Which means I can post it. Once I write it out. If I get that far.

I've added a bit to this scarf too. Not as much though. I am drawn more to the warm and cozy knitting lately rather than the light and spring-like stuff. Which is odd since it's been such a mild winter this year. Not that I'm complaining, mind. Bring on the mild!

My mystery project is growing little by little. The first part of the pattern is done and I am nearly at the second part. I really love how it's coming out and it's going to be hard to let it go. I may have to not make it in the shape I had had in mind originally. It's coming out really large and I don't know how much it's going to shrink in the felting. Hopefully, a lot. You should see how huge this thing is already and I have two more pattern sections to add to it. Still love it though! Love. It.

I had started this a while back and tucked it into one of my bags. This morning I pulled it out to add a row and behold! I could not.
The ladder wouldn't come out no matter how many stitches I tugged. So out they all came. It's all good though. I wasn't really sure that what I had in mind would work as well as I was hoping it would. On with new ideas.

The snow has been falling. I took this yesterday during yet another snowfall. My poor little garden wells are nearly buried. They aren't real wells. These kind of wells are non-existent around here. At least that I know of. It would be kind of cool if there was one especially since our well water gets so cold.

Weekend Review

2008-01-14T21:28:00.000-06:00

We took the road less traveled and ended up in a really nice place to spend time.

The yarn store. The best kind of LYS is one where little girls can eat snacks, drink juice, play with toys and make beautiful pictures with crayons and stickers while the knitters pass around knit stuff to feel and magazines to check out that pattern.

We went sliding at a friend's house and made snow angels on the lake. It was great fun and Girly has been inviting everyone and their dog over to our house in the hopes of reciprocating. Yet another reason to get this house in an order I wouldn't mind others seeing.

Who's a pretty boy?!

Speeding.

2008-01-11T12:43:00.000-06:00

I have two minutes to write this post.

Tree covered in snow. There is a lot of snow by that poor tree and more coming.

Look! Knitting! In the snow no less.

I love the colour intensity and halo of Nashua Creative Focus. Even better that it's soft and warm.

I discovered a new trick my camera can do. I may try this out again soon.

More distraction

2008-01-10T12:38:00.000-06:00

I have no knitting to show you. I cast on one thing and that's as far as I got. I'll show that another day.

In the meantime, proving the crazy to even more people. It was not very warm last night, but I was determined to catch what little daylight I could.

Not bad, although the photos are a little fuzzy in spots.

Just don't look too close and they're perfect.

Sort of like me.

Getting there.

2008-01-09T07:14:00.000-06:00

The cable part is done. It looks okay, but either my chart reading is not accurate or these charts are not clear enough. The top part is much wider than the bottom part. Girly says it pretty and she will be the only one to have a blue top with a flower on it so it stays as is and I borrow this book again sometime to give me more time to study the chart. It's curling like mad thus the oranges.

It's cooling off again after our little warm spell. We were thrown completely off by having temps like -1*C in January when we are more accustomed to -40*C. Good, but weird.

Did you know...

2008-01-07T07:36:00.000-06:00

If you start a complicated cable pattern wrong, the entire damn thing will be wrong and you will have to rip it out and start all over again. Twice. This is my third shot at this, so far, so good. Knock wood.

Sometimes a guy just has to snuggle a dolly.

Knit!

2008-01-05T10:13:00.000-06:00

I have been knitting in all this not talking and or not showing pictures of knitting.

A pair of adult size F!@ F*# mitts. Standard mitt pattern with thumb gusset and an extra long cuff. Sadly, they are not quite the same size due to not writing down what I did with the first mitt and it being nearly impossible to count stitches in fur. I used SRK - On Your Toes wool/nylon sock yarn and Rave polyester F@! F*# on 4mm needles.

Then there are these mitts. This is the second one. This is Twilley's Freedom Wool and there is a second colour in Classic Elite's llama/wool. Basic mitt pattern with thumb gusset and some fancy stranding/mosaic knitting. I'll share when they are done and let you in on the fancy work too. So far, so good though!

I even have one more Christmas gift to share. Our LYS owner gave each of her regular knitters a gift! Awesome and the gift is pretty damn good too! I really like this bag. Stiff enough to keep things from getting mushed and light enough to carry everywhere. She included some sock patterns and an awesome ball of yarn.

SRK - On Your Toes sock yarn in Bamboo. I've been wanting to try some bamboo yarn and now I can! It feels really nice and cool to the touch. I am thinking of making a shorter, narrower version of Jeanie. It would make a gorgeous scarf. You've gotta love a generous yarn store owner!

Girly had a great time on her birthday and says thanks for all the Happy Birthday wishes. She's getting to be such a big kid now or so she tells me. ;)

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby!!

2008-01-02T21:49:00.000-06:00

A sort of List.

2008-01-01T15:55:00.001-06:00

So I've been thinking of the things I'd like to do and be this year. So far I can't come up with 10 completely unrelated things.

Everything ties into my one things I'd like most of all this year. So here is my list of one thing.

List of Things to do in 2008

1. Stop waiting.

I've been waiting until we have money so we can rearrange, reorganize (our closet/build storage for seasonal stuff and for my yarn), redecorate. I have a job for now, time to start one thing/shelf at a time and hopefully the job will turn into full-time or another will crop up that's full-time.

I've been waiting until the last possible minute to start anything/go anywhere. Time to be more realistic about how long it takes us to get ready to go and get out the door and how long it takes to do something.

I've been waiting until the house is just right so I can have friends over. I need to get off my arse and get the house just right because a maid isn't materializing. Dammit.

I need to stop waiting and start doing. Life can't get better until I make it get that way. So that's it for this year. Stop waiting, start doing no matter how much I am not in the mood. Wish me luck. This is going to be a hard one.

Recap and Relist.

2007-12-31T07:25:00.000-06:00

So I dug up last year's things to do this year list. Just to see how I did.

Ten Things to do in 2007

1. Carry my camera everywhere. - Pretty good on this one. I only lost momentum when my good one had to be sent away to get fixed.

2. Quit wearing men's sweat pants in public. Not even to the mailbox or the grocery store. Giant Sorel's don't disguise what they are. - Success! I haven't worn sweats in public all year. I am proud of me. My standards for pride may be a touch on the low side. ;)

3. Start a knitting/crafting group. - Tried it didn't work out. People are too busy not interested in going out in the cold once they've come home from work. Ah well. I didn't flake on it. Good enough.

4. Get outside more often. Unless it is really cold or really wet. Don't feel like it isn't an excuse since I never seem to feel like it. - Um. I parked the car more often and walked from place to place even in the cold. That counts, right?

5. Keep up with the charity knitting. - Not bad. Not as good as I did in 2006, but not bad.

6. Try harder not to put things off until the last minute. This would ensure that I am on time more often. - I've been good about getting there closer to on time or right on time. Partial success.

7. Quit glaring at things and waiting for them to do themselves. Sitting on the couch knitting and getting annoyed at the laundry and dishes for not doing themselves hasn't worked thus far, it probably won't work in the future either. - Apparently hope lives eternal. Although I have spent less time glaring before doing.

8. Try to bake a bit more often. - Not bad on this one. Not as much as I had envisioned when I wrote this list, but a little more is better than less.

9. Try to exercise once in a while. - I parked the car more often. I'm counting it.

10. Start knitting small gifts now so I have a backup stack of stuff for birthdays and Christmas. - This one is pretty damn funny. I was busy knitting other stuff. Someday I will be prepared. It wasn't this year.

Not a bad job on the list.

Tomorrow the new list. I wish each of you a very Happy New Year and an excellent night.

Christmas was lovely.

2007-12-28T12:34:00.000-06:00

The snow fell and the area is a postcard from the North Pole. If the North Pole had trees, that is.

I didn't get much showable knitting done. What little I did manage irritated my mouse hand. I thought that I was on the computer a good bit from home. Apparently I click a heck of a lot more at work and I am feeling it. Hopefully it won't last long, but in the meantime I am keeping the knitting to a row or three and switching mouse hands often to prevent it from getting worse. Who knew F@! F*# and wool/nylon sock yarn could be so warm?!

My favourite Christmas gift from my parents. 9 skeins! Enough for a sweater for me! Now for the hand to heal so I can get started.

Next, the New Year's List.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2007-12-24T12:33:00.000-06:00

May you be blessed with sweet memories,

Good friends and

Great peace.

Spirit lifting.

2007-12-21T07:16:00.001-06:00

So the other day, I'm at the local fresh-ish market buying some cabbage rolls for lunch when this lady walks up to order some chicken. We got to talking since, apparently I am rather yappy, and she told me that she makes cabbage rolls every year and gives a tray of them as gifts to her friends and family. Jokingly I told her where I work. We both laughed and wandered off in our own directions.

Yesterday, she stopped by the office with a beautifully wrapped, very cold gift. It was a tray of cabbage rolls for me! I was very surprised and more than a little touched. Our Christmas spirits have risen around here and things are getting merry and bright.

Some spirit.

2007-12-18T21:05:00.000-06:00

This is not a Christmas story although there was a gift given. It is not about presents, but the feeling of having chosen perfectly is there. I saw this on the internet and though to share it with all of you. My Christmas spirit is flagging this year and I am a little burnt out with all the changes and missing my baby. So when I see things like this, it reminds me of why Christmas is so great. Sometimes it's the things we think aren't that big a deal that mean the most.

Like with ISE 5. We needed an angel knitter and it's one week to Christmas. Within minutes I had many people offer to step up and make a gift for someone who may otherwise have been left out. It only took that to raise my spirits immensely.

This helped raise them even more. I hope it helps one of you who may not be feeling the ho-ho-ho thing.

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe, that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

So little to change so much for just one person.

Hello, hi!

2007-12-17T07:13:00.000-06:00

Things here are still well. Busy, but in a good way. The snow has been falling nearly everyday. Hopefully I will manage to get out for some pictures in the daylight. I get up to go when it's just greyish out and by the time I'm off work, it's back to twilight.

Then there's the Christmas stuff. Someone fought the cats off for a chance to hide in the box.

Apollo is still going strong and scrapping Sam for a chance to climb the tree.

I've managed to get a bit of knitting in here and there, but nothing like before. This is requiring some expectation adjustments on my part. It will come though. It's just very different.

I love this little lace scarf. I'm using some leftover SRK Ovation. I'm going to do this until I run out and see how far I've gotten. I think I have a total of one whole ball of each colour.

I've written down the three people who joined me on the Pay-It-Forward bandwagon. I hope you have as much fun as I will!

So there's this thing...

2007-12-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's going around blogland lately. I happen to think it's a great idea and of course hopped on the bandwagon as fast as I could. I am nothing if not a joiner. Lead on MacDuff! Not to mention blog fodder as I have nothing new on the needles.

The first three people to comment will receive something handmade by me within six months. There's a catch though. This game is along the Pay it Forward lines. In order to accept you have to promise to make something for three people within six months too.

The first three people to comment may leave their colour and fibre preferences in their comment and I will do my best to come up with something good for them.

I was fortunate enough to catch this on Suzanne's blog. Let's hope I can match her skill with the colour wheel. Check out the scarves she just finished. Pretty!

Now, some Figaro.

Biggun.

2007-12-10T12:28:00.000-06:00

Wow! It's been a while since I last posted. Apparently when you have a job and a family and cleaning and stuff to do, you need a crapload more organization than my current level of very little. I am still here, still working mostly full time. Let's hope it lasts a while. We could use it.

All this time and I've only managed to finish a hat.

I'll get some better photos and post a pattern a while. I don't normally go for bobbles, but these ones don't bother me a bit. The Strawberry Shortcake bigness of this hat on the other hand, does. I may be letting it boil to see if it shrinks a little. The good thing is that it hasn't given me hat head. I may not shrink it if that keeps up and it doesn't blow off.

I've gotten some knitting in on my mystery project too. I really like how this is turning out.

My Birthday went very well. Thank you for all the well wishes!

The smoke alarm didn't go off, but if we'd let it burn a bit longer it might have. The frosting was nicely caramelized though. :)

Suzanne, 17 years ago, I was living in Winnipeg working at a little cafe in Winnpeg Square underneath the city centre. I was dating someone and had been for a year, but living alone and liking it. Life was good but damn poor, sort of like now only I have a Mr. and a child to show for it all. When I was 2, life was good but also poor. It seems my prime factors are often very similar to my current factor. Maybe the next time I hit a number with two prime factors, I will be enjoying life, but damn filthy rich. Or not. :)

Cold, much?

2007-12-04T12:39:00.000-06:00

I can almost see the shivering.

The roof is well insulated now though.

So you wanna know do ya?

Suzanne: Yes, the Balance bag is the same swatch as shown on the Barbara Walker Treasury site. I knit another swatch, a long side/bottom piece, some handles and seamed 'er up.

Yes, it is my Birthday on Thursday. I will be 34 years fabulous. ;)

Rhonda: Yes, I am still working and the combination of work and internet issues are causing my blogging to be a bit spotty. Ah well, ces't la vive.

Finally! Internet ready again.

2007-12-03T20:42:00.000-06:00

For now at least. What a weekend for my internet to crap out! We've been having issues on and off for a good while now and if we had a choice of "high" (we pay for 2MB and on a good day we think we are lucky to get 1MB) speed internet providers, we wouldn't be working with our current one anymore. We would have kicked them out a long time ago for that matter. Sometimes it really sucks living in the middle of nowhere. I hate not having any good choices in services like this. We can put up with the crap we already are with the hope that eventually the company that rhymes with haw will replace the lines they should have replaced the first time around or pay a frickin huge fee for the company that rhymes with well to upgrade the telephone lines so we can use that method of high speed. Anyway, you didn't come here to read a rant on my frustrations. You came for the ...

Snow! Loads of it. The swings are getting covered and if this keeps up, they may end up buried.

You probably also came to see if I've managed to knit anything in between rants. The secret project is going well. I had to tweak the pattern a little due to it not showing as well as I would have liked, but now it's all good.

It working up huge on my "Xena, Warrior Knitter!" needles too. Sweater hand purchased.

Balance is finally done and felted. I am still working on the pattern though. It may be a while. Things have been crazy lately and I like it.

The side. Gives it a nice shape. All that's left is some stiffener for the bottom and maybe a lining. Maybe.

Meantime, a new project! See I kind of accidentally threw my Flapper Girl's Twist in the wash and it's a wee bit tight now. The wool was washable, but not the kind of washing it got. Whups. Ah, well. I needed something new to work on and I wanted a quick project.

Grey

2007-11-29T09:59:00.000-06:00

Today's knitting is mostly grey. The secret project has been designed and started. Hopefully it won't need too much tweaking during the knitting part of it. Lopi knit at this gauge is actually quite soft. Not wear-on-the-neck soft, but much nicer than at a tighter gauge.

Outside is grey too. The snow keeps coming and coming. I'm cool with that. Once it stops coming and the sun shows up, the temperature really drops. In the meantime, we'll enjoy what we have and hope for a warmer winter.

Even the shovel looks nice today.

Jack Frost has left his pretties on the door.

White

2007-11-27T09:32:00.000-06:00

The knitting is white.

The moon is still hanging over the snow covered trees.

Wind carvings create tiny shadows.

Snow glitters everywhere.

The bitter cold has arrived and the snow is powdery dry.

The sun's glow warms nothing but the colours.

Fur, snow and more fur.

2007-11-26T08:36:00.000-06:00

It's cold out there and we need fur. Like this mitt for Girly. Wherein I discover that picking up the top stitches will not be fun so I try out a fix. Once the waste yarn is threaded through the four thumb stitches on the bottom, I thread it through the four on the top too. Worked fairly well if you don't pull the join about the thumb gusset too tightly. I may do this for all mitts since it made picking up the top stitches a breeze.

Girly likes her new purple hat and mitts. Although she wasn't happy with the size of the mitts at first. She seems to be now.

Saturday was our Santa Claus Parade. Early, but if we left it to just before Christmas, we might be standing out in "too frickin cold for human and dog" weather as opposed to just cold. Girly was happy to meet Santa and ask for a Barbie. She was sad that the goody bag didn't have a Barbie in it. We are having issues with the whole you have to wait for it thing.

Having trouble getting into the Christmas knitting? Not feeling the whole white Christmas mood?

The snow began on Friday and fell on and off all weekend. There is more coming now.

For me, the white Christmas has begun. Now, where did I put those dishcloth needles?

It's soon time for that love your family thing.

Knitting? What do you mean?

2007-11-22T10:07:00.000-06:00

Was I supposed to?

Here, look over her a contest!. Sounds like a fun one too.

I am NOT old. I think. Although I really suck with Lyrics. I should've known so many of these and just couldn't think of them.

Happy Thanksgiving to my US readers!

Snowfall

2007-11-21T12:50:00.000-06:00

The snow began yesterday in tiny flakes. It fell all day and night. This morning the sun has come out to see how it looks.

The path is buried under a light layer of snow.

The trees are glittering. The air is crisp and coldish. Not yet very cold, but no longer just cool.

Is it weird that the Mr. gave me heck for using a paring knife to carve the ends on these just enough for me to be able to fit them into my sharpener? He said, "I got you a Leatherman with a knife on it so you wouldn't use the kitchen knives anymore."

The Postman cometh.

2007-11-20T10:07:00.000-06:00

To droppeth offe my International Scarfe Exchangeth 5 package. A lovely package full of good things. Two skeins of Yarns Brunswick's Crafty Cotton. Nice stuff. Two skeins of Bernat Handicrafter cotton, a couple of tree ornaments (Girly claimed the angel for her very own.), some nice smelling Sea Island Cotton body lotion, a lighthouse calendar [The Mr. wants it for his toolbox at work, he misses The Rock (Newfoundland).], some sticky notes (Girly has also claimed the snowflake stickies.) and a pretty blue shawl pin. Shawl pins are hard to come by around here.

The star of the package though is the scarf. Handspun, B.C. grown, alpaca yarn. Beautiful and soft. Also warm. I thought mohair scarves were warm. Nope. Alpaca beats it hands and feet down. Also the furry doesn't get itchy after wearing it for a bit like mohair does.

The lace pattern is perfect for this yarn. I already have a person trying to steal it from me for those days when the mercury is shivering at -40*. My pal was Marylin and she did a great job spoiling me! Thank you Marylin. Also thanks for giving me knitting stuff to yap about today since I had nothing of my own to share. Nothing that I am going to show anyway.

It's snowing again today so maybe there will be snow type pictures tomorrow. Winter is at that in between stage right now. Sort pretty, but not quite as pretty as it gets. I can live with that since it is also not as cold yet.