Speaking of horses...

This horsey is a beauty!

Nature Makes Me Mad

Don't you hate it when this happens?

Nice Day

We had a great afternoon yesterday. We went to Hatfield Farm for a pony ride, then went swimming at Kearney Lake. Good times. We got home at 5:30 and Ian promptly went to lie down. He woke up at 7:30 am.


Whew! Thought he would be up at 4am, so lucky me!




Anyway, here are a few pics of my little horseman.


Safety is everything:

Getting feet in place:

Underway:

Having fun, holding on!

Ice Cream Face:

(edited to add advice: flip flops are not good horse farm footwear. Not even if you weren't planning on riding a horse)

What I Did On My Summer Vacation. By Leoal

I know what you are thinking. "FINALLY!!!"

Well, the truth is, I am a procrastiknitter. (totally swiped that term from someone on Ravelry). In all honesty, I don't usually do stuff until I have a deadline looming, and if I don't have one (for example, when it's my own blog and I can do whatever I darn well please) chances are it isn't going to be done promptly.

This may have something to do with why all the presents are always late. I don't forget birthdays. In fact they stress me out quite a bit.

(procrastinating again. sorry)

Anyhoo.

We went to Ottawa. The end. Good night.

I'm yust tiddin.

It all began on a balmy summer afternoon. The sun was high in the sky as our Dynamic Duo headed to the Historic Via Rail Station, in Beautiful Downtown Halifax, which is home to Theodore Too, as well as Alexander Keith's fine ale....

Yust kidding again. I couldn't keep this up for long.

The truth is, to me, the train was very romantic. I felt a little like I was in a novel. (A novel where it is always my turn to be Percy, but never my turn to be Thomas. Also, I have to wipe other people's butts in tiny bathrooms) Seriously, though, it wasn't too bad. The seats in Comfort Class were pretty comfy, and there was a ton of leg room and storage space. The windows were big and scenic. After we left the train yard and were underway, we did see a lot of pretty sights. Also, we got the chance to eat in the dining car, which didn't hurt my over all sentimentality. I was thinking about how these rails helped tie our country together, and people have been travelling them for over 100 years, and here I was, following in their.....uh... footsteps.

I even kept thinking of Ma bringing Laura, Mary, Carrie, and Grace on the train when they moved....

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and my romanticism was wiped out pretty quick by seats I couldn't figure out how to recline, blinding lights, a sweating toddler thrashing all night in his sleep, and a train whistle that WOULD. NOT. STOP. BLOWING. ALL. FRICKING. NIGHT. I thought they should change the name to DIScomfort class.

Ahem.

Anyway, we survived the trip, travel weary and tired. I had a great time with my relatives. It was really nice to see them, and it really brought home to me what family is supposed to be...welcoming people that you can feel comfortable around, even if you haven't seen them much in years. My aunt and uncle have a very nice house, comfortable and well-appointed, but not so fancy or perfect that it makes you feel awkward. I never felt like I was in the way or intruding at all, and I feel that way in my own house sometimes so that is saying something. They have cute pets, a dog and two cats, and a cool dohickey that makes great coffee.

Ottawa is a really beautiful city. It is very clean, with nice wide streets and amazing architecture everywhere you look. One thing that amazed me was how bicycle-friendly it is. I wish Halifax was more like that. I got to see Parliament, the Byward Market, Saunders Farm (strange place, that), and the canal, and we glimpsed Rideau Hall, the PM's House, and Gatineau. (every time I saw the word Gatineau I wanted some cake. You know.... Gatineau. Gateau...... uh, never mind.)

I have to say, however, the highlight for me was the art gallery. I forgot how much I liked art. I am not artistic at all. My photos are often blurry and have fingers in them, I can't draw, and I have no patience for most crafts. But I sure like other art. And up until now, every art gallery I have been to has been a bit of a disappointment. Edmonton and Halifax have pretty good galleries, but there is not a lot of internationally famous art there. Mostly a lot of local people. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but when you like Rembrandt, Picasso, Franz Marc, Toulouse-Lautrec, etc, huge Maud Lewis displays are kinda disappointing.

The sad thing about my art gallery experience was that we went too close to closing time, and I only had an hour and a half. I felt I was racing through the whole thing. I honestly didn't have very high expectations. I guarantee I will be back there one day to take my time.

One funny thing though. I believe that art galleries have different rules. As far as I am aware, you can take pictures in some, and in some you can take them as long as you don't use the flash. And some, you can't take pictures at all. So as we were entering, I looked for signs indicating the rules. I looked in the little pamphlet. I went into the exhibit swinging my camera dramatically, hoping someone would stop me. Nobody said a word.

But the second I took a photo, I had three security guards on me faster than a 12 year old girl on Zack Efron.

So I only have one photo. And out of respect I won't post that pic online anywhere. I will, however, always enjoy my Purloined Picasso.

But alas, all good things must come to an end, and so too did my visit in Ottawa end. I boarded the train home with trepidation. I trod to my seat, and waited for my trip to start. The train began to trundle down the tracks....

Ahem. Sorry for the cheesy interlude and alliteration. I will continue.

The trip home wasn't too bad. I didn't have such romantic feelings this time, and I was a bit more prepared. I slept better for the most part, (in part because I figured out the seat back... Mwa ha!) and I brought a better selection of Small Boy Entertainment.

The only really bad part was that we didn't get back until supper time, and Ian was getting really fidgety and cranky. Well, that's not the right words. Psycho, jumping, random screeching, jumping into the aisle, kicking the seat, and climbing the walls while whining and crying is a bit better. He started this around lunch. He fell asleep just outside Bedford. So I spent the last 20 minutes of my vacation trying to wake him up. Figures.

If I had to post pictures here, this would never get posted. NEVER. You are lucky you got links. So here are some links for you to look at if you want. Of pictures. Please enjoy responsibly.

Train Ride

Random Ottawa i

Random Ottawa ii

Random Ottawa iii

Parliament

Swimming

They are telling us now that the harbour is safe for swimming in. They have even opened beaches in Point Pleasant and the Northwest Arm.



Don't believe me? Look here: http://www.halifax.ca/recreation/beachparty.html



Ummm.....Ewww



Seriously, ew.



I don't think running a sewage treatment plant for a few months makes up for 250 years of raw sewage, chemicals, and everything else you can think of being dumped in that water.



I am wondering, out of all the other Haligonians reading this (and I know there is only at least one, are you willing to go swimming in the harbour? Would you even take your shoes off at the beach? I will try and put a poll up and find out.

Battle to the Death!

I am getting a big post ready about my trip, I promise. I got the pictures up on Facebook yesterday, but I am still working on the narrative.

In the meantime, here is a funny story from yesterday.

Ian was napping, and I was sitting on the couch knitting and watching Oprah. (I know it was Saturday. I have a DVR.) All of a sudden this humongazoid wasp comes flying into the living room! I mean this thing was huge, it was about an inch and a half long. It comes soaring in the living room like a helicopter and I freaked out. I ran into the kitchen and got the fly swatter and prepared for battle. But then I realized I couldn't bring myself to get close enough to kill it with the swatter, so I went back for the broom.

I went back in the kitchen, grabbed the broom, and ran into the living room on the right side just as it flew into the kitchen from the left side. So I went to run back into the kitchen the way I came, but this thing went all the way around and came right for me! I backed up, tripped over the bathroom door, and fell on my butt as the vile beastie flew right over my head and back into the living room. It was winning!

It flew over to the window, and I followed with the broom. It landed on the curtains so I whacked it. Still alive! I whacked it again! And again! And again! And again! By now it was trapped in the curtains (sheers) and it couldn't escape, so I just kept hitting it. But it was not dying! I was hitting it so hard I began to think I might break the window. And clearly, if I let it out of the curtains it would just start flying around again. So I took the broom and began mashing it into the window, through the curtains. I had to mash it about five times before it fell, stunned, to the window sill.

It was down, but not out. It was still trying to crawl away, and it looked like it may make a recovery. So I got the fly swatter. (Better leverage, not so fluffy) I came back and beat it with the fly swatter about five more times before it was clear it wouldn't survive. It was still twitching, and it was weakly flexing its stinger, but it had mortal wounds.

So I took it outside and took pictures. Keep in mind this is after I beat it between 30-40 times with a broom and a fly swatter:

(I wish I put something in for perspective, but trust me, it was as long as two knuckles of my pinky finger.)

So I came back and looked it up online. It took some searching, but I discovered it is a mud dauber wasp. It is not aggressive. (figures... I could have just shooed it out) They do sting when extremely provoked (ie stepped on, mishandled, beaten to death with a broom) and I guess it is really painful. They are lone wasps (so I don't have to worry about hundreds of them at least), and they build a little nest, catch spiders, paralyze them, and put them in their little mud nests. Then they lay eggs on the stunned spiders and seal them in their little horror tombs of death.

Nice.

Foreshadowing

Holy Smokes! 7 comments! I am popular!

I just wanted to pop in quick to say sorry, no knitting pics. I could never quite manage it. But my uncle got me with my knitting battling the spider outside the Art Gallery. Maybe I can get that forwarded along and post it up here. Sadly, I wasn't battling it with a sock. It was a mitten. But a sweet mitten.

Anyway, more on that later. I just spent 24 hours on a train with Ian The Human Whirlwind. I really wanted to duct tape him to his seat, and tape his mouth shut for good measure. Then he fell asleep right before Bedford, so I spent the last 20 minutes of the train ride trying to wake him up. Figures.

So I will try to get a really good long post in tomorrow! Everybody hold your horses sheep. All seven of you.

PS. I have my pants on now.

I am off!

Ian and I are taking a Train Ride to Our Nation's Capital today. So I won't be posting for a while. That's not unusual, I know, but what is unusual is that I know ahead of time. We will be gone for just under a week. I may post during that time. But I might not. I will try to take pictures. Then I will try and put them up in a timely fashion. Who knows, knitting might actually occur.

Anyway, who thinks I should go all Yarn Harlot and start a sock and take pictures of it everywhere? Anybody?

(listens to echoes in empty blog)

Anyway, since I am alone in here, I might as well take my pants off.

Super Anger... and Super Happiness!

Anger: Elton John tickets are $163. Bastards. And I can't even win them because I will be out of town for the next week. Let me tell you I will be calling the radio all morning. I would tell you what one but I don't want more people in my way.



Happiness: Conversation with Ian at bed time last night:

Me:Come on, I will help you get your pajamas on
Ian: I do it myself.
(gets his pj's on FAST)
Me:Come brush your teeth.
Ian:OK
Me:All right, I will tuck...
Ian:Hurry! (gets in bed)
Me:Ok what story do you want.
Ian:No story.
Me:What?
Ian:No story. Turn off the lights.
Me:Don't you want a kiss and hug.
Ian:(in this eye rolling, get on with it manner) Yes.
Me: (smmochy huggy cuddle cuddle)
Ian: Go away now (rolls over)
Me:...
Ian:Turn off the light.
Me:....
Ian:And shut the door.
Me= Luckiest. Bedtime Mom. Ever.

And this is not even unusual. (Although he usually likes a story and wants a hug, I think he was excited for his train ride today. I told him it was one more sleep yesterday, and he kept trying to go for naps.)

I love my little boy.

Some more info on knitting.

Some of you non knitters may be wondering just what it is I do. Well here are some articles to help you out:

This article explains what knitting is:
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Knitting

Knitting is a good hobby. Here is an article explaining hobbies:
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Hobby

This article describes a commonly knitted item:
http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Sock

This article will help you decide if your colour choices are appropriate or not. If not, it could be an actual physical problem, not just bad taste!

http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Are_you_colour-blind%3F

Clearly if you have problems accurately viewing colours, either genetically or because of viewing the last article, you should consider a new hobby. Perhaps a musical instrument?

http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Cowbell

Yippee! My Birthday Present is here!

Actually, they called me last week, and I was going to wait until I got back from my trip to go pick it up, but when I was deciding what to bring, I realized some of the yarn needed to be wound, including the rest of my Anty Beryl Sweater yarn. So I went and picked it up. Here follows a stunning display of super yarny fun-ness.

 

My packages:

Ball winder:

Swift:

 

Out of the bubble wrap:

Clamped to the end table:

 

Poof!

Ball winder clamped in place:

The Whole Getup:

The devices are for when your yarn comes looking like this:

Just stick it on the swift and connect to the ball winder:

 

Turn the handle:

The ball winder spins:

Which spins the swift!

Whiz!

Ian finds it fascinating:

Finished product:

Pops off into a cute little yarn muffin. The yarn pulls right out of the centre.

The ball winder is also useful for taking balls like this:

And combining them into a ball like this:

Which knits up into this stunning and classy bit of fabric:

(Maybe I should have started with this):

At any rate, I have plenty of ball winding in my future. This is just the beginning!

Some Nice Pictures

A face only a mother of a cannibalistic axe murder can love:

<3

<3

<3

Tummy full of cherries:

My son the comedian:

No idea where he gets that from:

"And we ruv eatudder?"*

*"love each other".... for those who don't speak Ianstanian.

Yard Sailing the Seven Seas

Well we had our yard sale today. Relatively successful. It was a nice day and there were a few others on the street which helped business I think.

Travis had this box of magazines kicking around the last few years. It had some Car and Driver type things, Mad, etc. Mostly it was Maxims. There were some Playboys from when friends of ours gave him a subscription one year. I have been telling him for two years to take this box to the ship for the guys but here it was, still being booted around the house. So I stuck it outside today for my yard sale.

Along comes this lady, takes a look at the box,(mostly Maxim) and says "are those dirty magazines?" and I go "oh no, not really!" To my shock, her face fell in disappointment! She says "that's too bad. I really wanted some dirty magazines to send to my son"

Well, I was surprised, to say the least.

I told her there were some Playboys in there at the bottom, and dug them out for her. (Feeling sheepish for even selling adult magazines at the same yard sale as part of my vast collection of Fisher Price) and I gave her all 12 for $1. And she was thrilled. So I asked her where her son was. She told me he is in the navy, posted overseas.

Can anybody guess which ship?

You got it. The Iroquois. She bought these magazines, to send half way across the world. To the same ship as my husband. Who could have just brought them on board like I asked and saved everybody the trouble, not to mention involving this poor guy's mother.

Happy Yard Sailing, folks!

Will it blend?

Obviously, I am developing a serious YouTube addiction.

Today's Ian Quotes

(while listening to The Scissor Sisters - Don't feel like Dancing)

"This song is NASTY!"

***

Me: "I have an idea!"

Ian: "A dangerous idea?"

***

Ian: "I am five!"

Me: "No, you are still three. Then you can be four. Then five. Then six. (continues) Then 18, and you can get outta my house."

Ian: "I can go to Mommy Grandma's house?"

Me: "Sure. Whatever. You better get a job. What job will you do?"

Ian: "I will go on the garbage truck and pick up all the garbages."

Me: "Are you going to get married?"

Ian: "Yes"

Me: "Will your wife be pretty?"

Ian: "Yes."

Me: "Are you going to have any kids?"

Ian: "Yes.

Me: "How many?"

Ian: "Five"

Me: "Five kids?"

Ian: "Yes."

Me: "Boys or girls"

Ian: "Boys"

Me: "So you are gonna be a garbage man with five boys?"

Ian: "Yes. It will be lots of fun."

Me: "Good thing you are gonna live at Grandma's kiddo, because, you are gonna be poor!"

***

Ian: "You are cool, Mama. And you are pretty. And you have a fat tummy. It is yiggly." (At which point he proceeds to demonstrate)

 

(I think I will be sending him to Mommy Grandma's a little early. )

On further research...

I am actually pretty sure they are snail eggs, since the tetras were different, and I heard snails are asexual. So we will soon have a tank full of Larrys and Larrelinas. Goody.

We got a replacement Darrell today. He is yellow. So now we have Original Darrell and New! Lemon Fresh Darrell!

If any more Darrells die, I am not replacing them. I would suggest any relatives I have do the same.

On the plus side, I didn't get any housework done today! Woo Hoo for Fun Excuses to Not Clean!

Darrell Update

We lost one of the Darrells today. I went in to feed them and found him floating upside down with his tail eaten off. (lovely) Ian wants to go to the pet store for another Darrell. He wasn't too upset when I flushed the dead one down the head.

Luckily there are some kind of eggs growing in the tank. So maybe one of them was a Darrellina! And maybe soon we will have a whole bunch of little Darrells and Darrellinas swimming around! Or maybe they are snail eggs. Either way, Catnip is going to eat whatever hatches.

The fun of owning a fish tank!

The Last Week In Wordy and Dull Form.

I know my posting was a bit lax lately, but I have an excuse, I was really busy. I guess when I have something to write about I have no time to write, and when I have time, I have nothing much to say.

So here are the main events lately:

1. Camping. We had a great time camping. We got everything packed up in the car, very carefully so it all fit, and drove out to our campground right near the PEI ferry. Our site was great, enclosed and private, lots of trees, and right near water and toilets. (Outhouses. Yuck. Ian was afraid of falling in, and just stood in the corner with his eyes big shaking his head. Eventually he had to go bad enough so he went.) We got everything set up and had a hot chocolate by the fire, and tucked Ian in. When time came for us (my friend Beth came along) to go to bed, I fell asleep ok, but then I woke up because I had to pee. And I never got back to sleep. But I made it through the night anyway, although extremely tired. We got up, started breakfast, and Ian started wandering around saying his tummy hurt. I asked him if he was hungry, and he said yes, so finally we got some food in him and he said he felt better. (Camping breakfast, BEST. BREAKFAST. EVER.)

Then we went for a walk along the beach. The beach was about the grossest beach I have ever seen. There were drifts of seaweed full of dead shellfish all over, and they were full of flies. The stench was amazing. The weather was pretty cold and foggy. We thought we might come back later when it warmed up. (it never did. Probably for the best, the smell couldn't have been better in the sun)

We went back and had lunch, then Ian wanted a nap (!?!) So we put him to sleep in the tent. After a while, we decided to go to a nearby Museum of Industry, so we packed Ian into the car and drove into town. The museum was pretty cool actually. Lots of old steam engines and stuff. Ian liked it at first but then he got crankier and crankier. Then just as we were leaving he barfed. He barfed just inside the exit, all over the table with the guest book and the pamphlets and stuff. (I didn't sign the guest book.) I helped clean up as best I could then I skedaddled out of there when the janitor showed up.

So we went into town to find some medicine. The town seemed small, they had an itty bitty Sobeys, so I went in and got some Pepto Bismol because they didn't have a pharmacy. Then we went outside and gave him some medicine and wiped him up, then he barfed again. So we cleaned him up again. I had barf on my pants and he had no clothes on by then, so we went all over looking for a Salvation Army or whatever, and then we found a consignment shop that was just about to close, and got him all kitted out for $3. Then we had to go to Zellers because they had nothing for me, and I got all kitted out for $30. Then we went back to the site. Ian was much perkier. He even ate the chocolate Timbits in the car.

We stopped back at the wood pile to get some wood and just then, Ian barfed. Again. Only this time it was runny and dark brown. I freaked out because I couldn't figure it out at all. Then Beth came running over and reminded me about the timbits. So I felt stupid. So we decided no more wood, and went back to the site, where we started supper. Ian barfed again. So we decided to eat, and if he asked for a marshmallow then we would stay, and if he didn't we would go. But we never got that far because he barfed again, so we decided to leave. We laid Ian in the tent, finished our supper, and packed up. Then we put Ian in the car, and packed up the tent and blankets. I was still pretty tired, so Beth drove home, and I slept in the car the whole way. We got home about midnight.

All in all, a pretty fun trip! And I took zero (0) pictures!

2. The next day, it was pretty rainy, so we slept it off. too tired to blog.

3. I don't know what I did on Monday.

4. Tuesday was Canada Day. It started off pretty foggy. We went to the parade in Sackville. Ian really liked it. We went to the Citadel next. They had free admission. We walked around a bit, then the sun burned off the fog, and the temperature went up about 20 degrees. I was wearing jeans. And just then, the entire population of Halifax decided to join me. So we couldn't leave and go change, we would have been stuck in a line forever trying to get back in. They had Oh Canada and a flyby from Shearwater and a cool pipe and drum band. I didn't get to see that. Ian decided to go to the bathroom just then.

We left the citadel just after that and went to the commons, which was a bust. It was way too hot by then. Ian played in the spray pool a while then we left. We went home and had a nap, then we went to the fireworks in Bedford. They weren't as fun as the ones the other day.

5. Wednesday we had errands to run. We went and did all the things we had to do, and I just got tireder and crankier. Then after supper (which I didn't eat, I had no appetite), I had to mow the lawn. I was really cranky by then, and had no patience left. I put Ian to bed, then I tried to go to bed, but that was when I started barfing. I guess I got whatever Ian had when we were camping. It sucked, because I never get sick. I don't even remember the last time I got barfed from being sick. I think it was about 15 years ago. (I have barfed since then, but it was usually alcohol related, and even that hasn't been in years)

6. My room is in the basement, so yesterday I turned on the fan and laid in bed all day. I did get up at mealtimes to feed him, and I managed to make him supper. Ian hung out with me in my room, and we watched movies, and sometimes I put on Treehouse and I napped. He was pretty good all day.

7. Today I feel much better. I really should be catching up on the house, but instead I am writing a novel about the last week for the 8 people who read this. (Hi 8 people! You are my closest friends and family! Leave a comment!)

8. I guess I better go clean up. I have run out of things to say. Please check Facebook for pics from Canada Day. I will post a link on the right at some point.