Knitchenette

Rocking and Rolling

2011-02-15T18:26:00.001-04:00

He took long enough about it, but Jamie rolled over front to back on Sunday, and then back to front today! Time to start keeping the floor tidy!

We are all suffering from massive stomach flu here. Hopefully we can all feel better soon. I feel particularly sorry for Ian, who is just crying and saying he wishes this day would end. Poor baby.

Car update.

2011-02-01T16:13:00.000-04:00

I decided to go start the car early yesterday so that I would have time to deal with it if it wouldn't start. But it started just fine. I let it run, got Jamie ready, and went to leave. It stalled at the end of the driveway and wouldn't start again. And it was blocking the driveway so I couldn't get the van out. Luckily, I have good neighbors. One neighbor was getting her kid from school so she offered to pick up Ian, and another neighbor helped push the car into the centre of the court so that I could get the van out.

This morning, I decided to go try the car again to see if it would start, and magically it did, so I very quickly moved the van and put the car in at the top of the driveway. So now I have both vehicles parked in the driveway, with the van accessible. We are expecting a lot of snow over the next couple days, and I figured the plow wouldn't take kindly to my car being parked in the centre of the court. So I am pretty happy with the situation. Ok, happy isn't the right word. But at least I can just drive the van until Travis comes home and then he can deal with the situation.

Cars are stupid and expensive.

2011-01-31T09:10:00.000-04:00

Travis is sailing as of this morning. He's going to be gone for 10 days or so. I dropped him off last night so I wouldn't have to get up too early today. Before he left, I told him to fill the car up with gas but not to fill the van because I will drive the car around while he's gone because it's better on gas. So I have a close to empty van and a full car.

This morning I got up, got everybody ready, started the car, loaded the kids in, and got ready to go. The battery light came on. It's a new battery, we just changed it this spring. I drop Ian off, then the radio shuts off. And now the check engine light is on. I parked it when I got home and turned it off then back on. It started, but reluctantly. So I left it there, in front of the van. That was probably a mistake. Anyway, when I go get Ian today, I will probably move it to the back of the driveway and take the van instead because I don't trust that car at all. Hopefully it starts. Anyways, it sucks because all the gas is in the car and I was hoping to get by on $40 worth of gas while Travis is gone.

Not a good start to the week. Not at all.

So how am I doing?

2011-01-24T13:52:00.000-04:00

My eighth post in 2011! I am going to beat my post count for 2010 and January isn't even over yet!!! I don't have much to say today, though. Really searching my empty head.

Oh, I know! Yesterday we went to the Museum of Natural History because there is a tyrannosaurus skeleton there. We thought Ian would like to see the bones. He did really like it. I like that the beast is exactly the right size to eat Ian in one bite. Also, it looks like a fried chicken. I bet it tasted just like chicken. Maybe a little gamier. Although chances are that nothing ever ate a t-rex....

Anyways, Ian was really good through the whole museum until we went to the gift shop and he wanted me to buy him a colouring book that cost $14 and I was like "no way are you getting a $14 colouring book" and he got all sulky and whiny and started telling me he didn't love me and didn't want me for his mom, so I told him it was time to go and he started howling. Total meltdown. Kinda ruined the good family afternoon mood.

Then we came home and had chicken soup for dinner. It tasted just like t-rex....

Cloth Diapering IS For The Faint of Heart!!

2011-01-23T14:17:00.001-04:00

I have been cloth diapering Jamie about half the time. So I guess I have been saving money. Let's think so far. I figure I have gone through about 5 cases of diapers. I haven't bought that many though. I received some diapers as gifts. So since he wears cloth diapers about half the time, I guess that I saved myself the same number of diapers as what he's worn. So about five. If I had bought the diapers, at about $25/case, it would have been about $125.

Not counting the diapers I had from Ian and ones I recieved as gifts, I have spent about $175 on cloth diapers. But I received $100 as a gift which I used towards the diapers, so I actually only spent about $75 of my own money. So the diapers have really paid for themselves already, and the baby is only about four and a half months old. I still have roughly two years of diapering to go!

I have six diapers left from when Ian was a baby, flannel ones that require a cover. I have four Mother Ease covers which I really like, and several other covers which I don't like at all. I have six pocket diapers my awesome friend Shelley made for me, three FuzziBunz diapers which are nice, and then I have four "Babyland" all-in-one pocket diapers which you can get at Bliss and Klassy Kids. I like them the best, mainly because they are about half the price of the FuzziBunz.

I use disposables at night, mostly because they hold more and I don't have to change him until morning. But that is only one diaper at night or maybe two depending how wet he gets. I use disposables when I take him out, because I am not keen on carrying dirty diapers around with me. But the main time I use disposables is when I need to wash the laundry. I probably shouldn't wait until I have used every single diaper before I wash them.

They really aren't that much extra work, although the diaper pail can get a bit stinky. And the poos are going to get a bit more interesting with the food, but hey. I'm tough!!

Whoot!

2011-01-20T14:00:00.000-04:00

I am making bread today in the stand mixer. As my Faithful Facebook Followers (FFF's) know, my beloved bread machine kicked the bucket (pan?) last week. I have been putting off making bread since then but since we have been reduced to eating freezer burned bagels and raw flour, I figured I better bake.

I didn't have enough flour for whole wheat bread, and my usual cracked-wheat bread wouldn't work as well without the timing apparatus of the bread machine, so I just kind of winged it. I put 2.5 cups of water, 2 tbsp of sugar, and 1 tbsp of yeast in the oven to proof, then Jamie woke up so I left it there for an hour. It was nice and foamy when I came back to it. Then I put that in the mixer bowl with about half a cup of flour (it was about 1/2 whole wheat and half white, mixed together), and two teaspoons of salt. Mixed that for a bit, then added 1/4 cup of oil and a glob of molasses. I don't know how much, maybe two tablespoons. Then I just kept adding flour. Just over six cups of flour, until it was pulling away from the sides in a ball. I let the mixer run on 3 while I farted around on the internet. (way to knead... whoot!) Then I put a splash of oil in and let the hook move the dough around so it was covered. Then I stuck it in the oven to rise.

I always rise bread in the oven with the light on, and a pie plate full of boiling water to get the perfect warm, steamy environment. I set the timer for an hour and called my sister. Then I got the dough out and noticed it had stuck to the top of the oven. (way to rise... whoot!) So I punched it down, made loaves, and put it back in the oven with a new pan of water. I will take it out to preheat after I get Ian, and bake it at 375 for 30 minutes. I will let you know how it turns out, since I didn't use a recipe and it may be total crap.

I went to the dentist yesterday and he had to stick me with way to many needles to get it to go numb, then he found an extra cavity next door, so I got two teeth filled. My jaw really hurts today and my gums look all chewed up. So hopefully I don't get a gross abcess and die of a raging infection. Luckily, the painful jaw bone has made me all optimistic today and junk.

I was going to vacuum and mop today but instead i did nothing at all. I didn't even have a shower. (way to procrastinate... whoot!) My excuse is that my mouth is making me grumpy. But I guess I better go change into real clothes now and get the boy. Campbell's soup and grilled cheese tonight, and then I am going knitting. I can clean another day I guess.

Meh.

No More Mr. Rice Guy

2011-01-19T10:14:00.000-04:00

I'm such a hypocrite. I had all these grandiose plans to make all of Jamie's baby food, including cereal. But truth be told, I'm a lazy slacker. So I got him some baby rice cereal. He's been looking hungry lately. I feed him and feed him and feed him and he's still hungry. Anyway, I gave Ian rice at four months and Jamie is four and a half months old so I figured I would just go ahead with it.

The result? OM NOM NOM NOM NOM!!! He ate the whole tablespoon or so I gave him and cried for more. But I didn't give him any more. I just sat down and nursed him a whole bunch of times until bedtime. Basically, he ate the mush for supper and then guggled milk for the next hour and a half until bed time.

And then he slept until 5:15! Go baby!!

I am now looking forward to New and Improved Diaper Contents. Yay!

I can haz pablum?

Om nom nom nom!

Mastering his swallowing technique.

I hope you are all aware I AM handsome.

ayeEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

2011-01-18T13:12:00.000-04:00

I was in a bit of a tizzy yesterday because I confirmed a dental appointment for Wednesday with no clear plan as to what I was going to do with the kids. But luckily Travis's cousin pulled through for us and will watch the boys while I get things repaired in my mouth. I have a hole in one filling and I am also getting fitted for some kind of bite thing. The last time I went to the dentist they said my teeth looked quite a bit worn and I must be grinding them. And I was all like "no way I grind my teeth" and they were all like "yes way" and I was all like "no way" and then we all decided to agree to disagree.

Anyway, I spent the next few months noticing how much I grind my teeth. Like, constantly. I grit my teeth after every sentence. I grit my teeth after I yawn. I grit my teeth every time I swallow. I grit my teeth while I am sitting doing nothing at all. But I am doing it just once and not very hard, so that's why I didn't notice. I have been making an effort not to do it, to the point where even when I was in labour, half of my mind was like "OMG I'M GOING TO DIE WHY DID I THINK THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA!!!" and the other half was like "FOR GOD'S SAKE DON'T GRIND YOUR TEETH!!! HOW WILL YOU EXPLAIN IT TO THE DENTIST?"

So yeah. Dentist tomorrow.

In Jamie news, he has discovered the ability to create a loud, high pitched squealing noise that causes the hair to stand up on the back of my neck as well as several minutes of ear-ringing. It's cute. He does it when he wakes up and then keeps going until he falls back asleep, unless I shove something in his mouth. The problem is that he has replaced all vocalizations, both his happy babble and his normal "fix it, Mom" cries with this squealing noise. So now, I can never tell if he's mad, happy, sad, hungry, wet, or just trying to hold a conversation. No matter what, I just hear "eeeEEEEE!!! AAAyyyyEEEEE!!!! WEEEE!!!!"

My response?
:::gritgritgritgrit:::::

Three Minute Post

2011-01-17T14:01:00.000-04:00

I have three minutes until I have to go and get Ian, and I wanted to share those three minutes with you, my faithful blog followers.

I am going to be making some changes to this blog in the upcoming weeks. I want to change the look, focus, appearance, and title of the blog. I am also thinking of changing the title. I may also move the posts from the food blog over and close that one out.

If anybody has any suggestions or input, now is the time. I value each and every one of my readers, (especially since I can count them on one hand) and would like to know what you think. What would you like to see more of? Less of? Leave a comment and let me know!

Oops... that was four minutes. Gotta run!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T22:10:00.000-04:00

My friend bought us a Tassimo for Christmas. My caffeine intake has tripled since then. It's a wonder Jamie sleeps at all. I'm going to have to seriously cut back. But at least I'm getting stuff done. I'm like, three quarters of the way done the hat I am knitting Travis for Christmas. That's Christmas 2010. I'm not really getting a head start.

My New Year's Resolution is to try and get a little more organized. Specifically I want to try and stick a little better to my schedule, thereby preventing the full-blown decline of the house into a slovenly mess; stay on top of people's birthdays, thereby preventing gifts arriving over seven months late; and stay on top of finances thereby preventing Christmas from causing a cascade failure in my bank account.

So far? Well, not fabulous on the housework front. I was supposed to mop the kitchen and clean the upstairs bathroom today, and those didn't get done. We had an insurance SNAFU that I had to resolve today, and that took up a lot of my time. So I have an excuse. In the end it was probably for the best as we now have a different carrier and rate and are saving about $50/month. Which is good. Travis is going on course in May and will be taking a pay cut for the duration (about a year and a half), and we will be losing the $100/mo we get for Ian being under 6 so every bit counts. I will be most likely going back to work then as well to make up the shortfall. I'm not looking forward to it but that's life I guess.

Gift wise, well, I have to finish Travis's hat, then I have something nice in mind for my sister (birthday was in November....eek!) and then mittens for my cousin-in-law, who is going to babysit for us in exchange. I am hoping to be done by Valentine's Day. I will try to get some pictures up as I complete the projects. After all, my many faithful readers are waiting with bated breath....

As for right this second, I have big plans to make a cup of tea and sit down in front of the TV to get a few rounds done on the Hat of Doom. Go Me!!!

Here I am!! I even remembered the password!

2011-01-01T22:48:00.000-04:00

I guess that is the longest stretch of non-postiness yet! But I had a baby so I guess that is a good excuse. But new year, new beginnings, bla bla bla.

James Malcolm was born on September 10th 2010 at 7:28 and he was 7lbs 12oz.Jamie is a pretty good baby all around. He's starting to sleep through the night some of the time (which makes the nights he doesn't seem all the worse). His favourite person in the whole world is Ian. Ian was the first person to make him laugh!

Jamie has had his first smile and his first laugh, but hasn't rolled over yet. That is actually a relief because part of the reason I keep this blog is to record those kind of milestones and my posting has been pretty shoddy.

So, today we took down all the Christmas stuff, but the tree is still in the living room. That is mostly because of my unwillingness to nag. But Travis is still off tomorrow, so I hold out hope.

This is just going to be a short post today to get back into the swing of things. But here's a few pictures from the last few months. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Sunscreen at the beach:

Jamie's room

First Day of School

My tall boy and my giant tummy.

Really tall boy...

Newborn goodness

So tiny!

Brothers meeting for the first time:

I can't believe how little he looks here!

Family picture. I'm a bit loopy.

Snuggle bug

Brothers

Daddy snuggles

First day home from the hospital

Loose tooth.

Cousin cuddles

Learning the fine art of tv watching.

Meeting our new dog. Ok, it's a tv dog.

Spit bubbles!

Bedtime Brothers

Handsome boy with Grandma

Me and my meatball

Snoozing

Baby investigation

Grandma with Yelly McScreamypants

Calm now

Ready for Tae Kwan Do

Baby's bones are showing!

Feeding llamas

With Grandma.

Cactus Jammies. Oooh! Poky!

Sly dog

Thanksgiving dinner in the Bone Suitie.

Attempted family picture. But Ian was too grouchy, Jamie was too floppy, and Travis was nowhere to be found!

A cat nap

My autumn harvest.

Brothers

I had a picture like this of Ian, and I was trying to get one the same to compare babies. In the process I got a cornucopia of Jamie expressions:

Halloween... Ian is Mario

I'm a beekeeper.

This is my bee.

Smiles!

Go Riders! Grey Cup 2010 (although he didn't make it through the pregame before bedtime. But hey, it's the thought that counts.

My little bruiser

ooo

Ready for Ian's first Christmas Concert.

Head growths.

Oooops....

Chilling while I pack parcels.

Ready to see Santa.

Velcro wall.

A holiday surprise!

Ramblin On

2010-08-19T08:41:00.000-03:00

1.Peach jam. That's the plan for today. I also think I should make bread, cookies, and blueberry muffins. I bought some blueberries at the store the other day but they aren't super awesome so I think I will bake them into something before they go to waste. I think we will go blueberry picking on Saturday as well so I can make some jam and syrup for Christmas.

I also need to take some pictures of the baby's room. It looks great! You all should see it. And I need to take a picture of myself as well.... I look great, you all should see me!

2. We've had an interesting week. Ian got in a fight with a kid, and got punched in the side of the neck. He was still stiff a few days later so I took him to the ER but the doctor said just to exercise it. Nothing broken. Plus, I had some kind of allergic reaction that got so bad I took myself to the ER. They said to take some Benadryl and suck it up. That resulted in several sleepless nights. I'm feeling much better now, although I am not 100 percent itch free.

3. We have had some mix ups with regard to the due date. Originally they set the date at September 25th. I was referred to get my ultrasound but there was a mixup in the paperwork and they had my first doctor's appointment set as the date of my last period and so they didn't call me in until I was 21 weeks. So then I measured big, and so the date was changed to the 18th. (I am not a fan of this because I want my 3 weeks while Ian is at school, dammit!!) But anyway, I finally saw the obstetrician and she said that since I was a) sure of my date and b) late for my ultrasound, we are going with the original due date of September 25th. So this puts me at 34 weeks and 5 days as of today. So I pretty much have 5 weeks to go. AAACKKK!!

4. Ian starts school in exactly 2 weeks. My baby! I'm getting kinda panicky about leaving him there for the whole day. I mean, he's just a little kid!!! We went to Walmart to find a Super Mario back pack for him but they didn't have any. Someone was saying she took her kid to every single Walmart in HRM before finally getting the last one hidden behind some other ones at the last store. Good thing I didn't do that, I just bought him a generic back pack. I did get him a Super Mario shirt, though. Even those were pretty picked over.

We are planning on getting his room done sometime in the near future (next year or so) and he wants a Mario Bros. theme. I have been looking for Super Mario wall stickers for him but so far, no luck. Except for these super expensive ones online. So I will keep looking. Everybody's job is to let me know if you see them somewhere, preferably not on the internet.

5. Procrastination is my game, baby!! But eventually I do have to stop playing on the computer and go do the chores mentioned in 1. Above. TTYL!

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

2010-07-22T13:02:00.000-03:00

Har har. Actually, yesterday was my last day of work. I'm excited! I plan on getting some things in order around here, spending time with Ian and Travis, and trying to get some sleep while I still can. So who likes my new blog look? I figured for a fresh start, a new look was in order. I really like the new options Blogger has for personalization. It's easy to use and there are way more options.

It's a nice day today, it is only 18c and cloudy/rainy. It's a nice change from boiling hot and humid. People keep asking me how I mind being pregnant in the summer but in all honesty, I don't think I am any hotter or more uncomfortable than usual. After all, Ian was born at the start of the summer, and I felt like I spent the whole summer trapped inside with a hot, sticky baby stuck to me. I find Just Me to be a lot easier to cool off. We have been swimming a lot. Besides, our bedrooms are downstairs, and I have a ceiling fan. It's pretty comfortable.

It's been so hot lately, we went to the Valley for a drive last weekend, and we didn't end up doing anything because it was too hot to get out of the car. Eventually we decided to go to the Aviation Museum in Greenwood. It was nice. Not big, but admission was charged by donation, so we paid about $5 and feel we got our money's worth.

Since it is wet out, I'm letting Ian play Wii while I do housework. (Except I have been goofing off on the computer and not getting any housework done. Mom fail.) That kid loves Wii so much, it's insane. He loves Mario more than anything on earth, I think. He has posters and everything. He asked for a Mario shirt but I couldn't find one yet. What's really irritating, though, is that he has Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2, and he just spends all his time playing the first few levels OVER AND OVER AND OVER until my head wants to explode with the repetitiveness of it all. Argh!!! Back in my day, the game forced you to do the next level when you were done. And you couldn't save it, so you had to keep going. But hey. Back in my day, you also had to carry your Koopa Shells on your back uphill both ways. In the snow. And we didn't have Helicopter Suits. Just fireflowers and a bizarre flying raccoon. And it was all, like, 8 bit.

I'm such a dork.

My last day....

2010-05-23T22:48:00.000-03:00

Today was my last day as the Mom of a four-year-old. It's a little bittersweet. He's done being a baby, toddler, and preschooler (even though he still has about six weeks of preschool left). Now the next stage: Big Kid. Big kids go to school, have sleepovers, and form memories that will last the rest of their lives. People spend the rest of their lives trying to recapture the feelings they had as a Big kid, by doing things that bring back memories of things they did prior to being a teenager. Being a kid is in a lot of ways the most perfect time in someone's life.

Up until now, I could more or less rest assured that he would probably forget most of what we say and do together, but now, anything we do together could be his first, strongest, or most defining moment in childhood. There's no way to know. It's kind of daunting.

On the other hand, I am not worried that his first, strongest, or most defining moment in childhood is going to be bad. After all we love him, give him everything he needs, and spend time with him. Ultimately, I think that is what really matters.

A Rock It Man...

2010-05-15T16:48:00.000-03:00

Family Guy has soooo many layers. I thought Stewie was just making fun of Elton John.

(sorry about the quality)

Until I came across this:

Just about died.

Conversation with Ian over lunch.

2010-04-19T14:21:00.002-03:00

(for reference, B is a kid in our neighborhood, one Travis and I don't particularly like)

Ian: B's blood is all over the court.
Me: Why, did he hurt himself?
Ian: Nope. He puked blood. He puked it all over the court.
Me: Did he hurt himself first?
Ian: No. He just puked blood.
Ian: He puked blood and I rode my bike over it and now his DNA is on my bike.
Me: (laughing) What's DNA?
Ian: It's something in your body that makes you go or something.
Me: OK.
Ian: B said that his DNA is on my bike so it's his bike now.
Me: (not laughing anymore) Well next time he says that you tell him that he's full of baloney and it ...
Ian: (interrupting) And then I should kick his ass?
Me: (trying not to laugh) NO!! You shouldn't hit other kids!! Just tell him that's a load of baloney and it's your bike.
Ian: And then just ride away.
Me: Right! (and then I came over here to transcribe before I forgot. My lunch is still on the table so I better eat it!)

Someone's poking me.... and it is not on Facebook!

2010-04-13T09:04:00.002-03:00

I'm at 16 weeks now. I've been thinking I might be feeling some movement for the last week or so, and I have now decided that that's what it is. Just a little flutter here and there but still pretty cool!

I have a doctor's appointment today. We are all going to go together because he is going to try to find the heartbeat. I am pretty excited! I have been having a lot of nerve pain in my rear end as well, so I am planning on asking if there are any recommended ways to alleviate that. Sometimes I can hardly walk, and it is getting worse all the time. I find walking helps a bit, so I try not to sit still for too long. But bending or squatting makes it worse, so I try not to do any housework (that's my excuse, anyways.)

I have also been getting ginormous. I haven't really put on much weight.... I lost 5lbs or so after the holidays and then put it back on, so I am pretty much breaking even there. However, I only have one pair of jeans that fits. I went to the mall yesterday to try on maternity clothes, because I wanted to not feel fat for a few minutes. I will go shopping next week probably and pick up a few things, and then I will take a picture. I just can't put a big fat picture up right now. I don't mind looking pregnant, but I hate looking fat.

Ian seems pretty blase about the whole situation. When we advised him he was going to be a big brother, his response was "but Mom, you can't have a baby! You don't have any milk in your boobies!" Travis and I just looked at each other and laughed. That was the last thing we expected him to say!

We are planning on getting the spare room cleaned out first, then painting it green with some bug decals (caterpillars, dragonflies, butterflies, ladybugs etc) I want to do kind of a meadow theme. Maybe some birds and frogs too. This is a huge ongoing project as we have been using that bedroom as a storage room since Ian moved into the bigger room. I don't know where we will put people now when guests come.

So I think for right now, I am going to eat some breakfast and then do a few things around here. It is green bin day, so I think I should clean out the fridge. Exciting way to spend my day off!

Recieved via Email today

2010-03-25T14:01:00.001-03:00

Canada Post has created a stamp with a picture of the Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The stamp is not sticking to envelopes. This enrages the Prime Minister, who demands a full investigation. After a month of testing and spending of $4.1 million, a special commission presents the following findings:

1. The stamp is in perfect order.
2. There is nothing wrong with the adhesive.
3. People are spitting on the wrong side of the stamp

Things are going to change around here.

2010-03-23T11:19:00.003-03:00

November, eh. That was a while back. I think this has to be some kind of a record for me! However, I was crazy busy. My mom and my sister Jenni came out for Christmas. It was a short but fun visit. Add the craziness of the holidays to the craziness of trying to find space for everyone to stay and it adds up to UBERCRAZINESS!!!

In January I went to Edmonton to surprise my Mom for her 50th birthday. We surprised her with me, a spa day, a suite at the Hilton, and a huge party with tons of family there. It was a great weekend! I got to see cousins I hadn't seen in years, and it was so nice to get together on a happy occasion. I also had a chance to see my sister Adrienne's new house and her new baby Tyler. Both her kids are cute as buttons and she certainly has her hands full. I also got to meet Jenni's boyfriend Lonny. I can absolutely get along with him, and he seems like a lot of fun.

Then I found out I am expecting a baby on September 25.

In February Travis went to the west coast to help with harbour patrol for the Vancouver Olympics. We really missed him here, especially since the babysitter took my whole paycheck while he was gone. Ugh.

But he made it back alive and now we have a major house-rearranging project to occupy us for the next few months. Plus I am trying to work some extra hours to make up for February and also save some up for the future.

I will try to keep everyone updated!!

Sincerely, Leoal!

(ps: did you see how I just snuck that in there?)

John Coltrane

2009-11-17T09:35:00.003-04:00

I put the whole music list on and now Miles Davis and John Coltrane is on. I don't listen to much Jazz music, but I like this. It makes me want to learn to play a bass so I can play in tiny dingy clubs at night and wear sunglasses and hang with really cool artsy people.

Except I can't read music. Or play the bass. And I don't really want to start smoking, because if you are going to play jazz music on a bass in tiny dingy clubs, you have to smoke while you are doing it.

Oh hey.... Finger 11! This makes me want to......

On growing up

2009-11-08T02:37:00.004-04:00

When I grow up, I am going to bake cookies whenever I want.

Even when I really don't want to make cookies. Even when I actually just want to eat cookie dough and watch tv. And the baking part is just kind of an annoying inconvenience to me, so I just make two pans full of big cookies and stick them both in the oven at the same time and take some dough and go watch the tv. And I forget to set the oven timer and burn the whole batch.

I wish I could be a little girl forever.

When I grow up I am going to drive a car wherever I like. Cool places like road trips and holidays.

And places like work, and home, and grocery shopping, and work, and home, and grocery shopping, and the ga$ $tation, and to the dealer$hip for tire$ and oil change$ and oh, it needs a new tran$mi$$ion you $ay? And how about the battery dies and I decide to jump it with my van and set both vehicles on fire at once?

I wish I could be a little girl forever.

When I grow up I am going to buy cool things like cups and plates to put in my own kitchen cupboards wherever I want.

Only it seems like the only things I buy go either in the laundry room or the fridge. And in order to put stuff in the fridge I need to clean the icky stuff out of the fruit drawer. And then I look down at my tubby self and decide that this week, I will definitely eat the fruit I bought.

I wish I could be a little girl forever.

When I grow up, I will be able to read as long as I like and nobody will tell me I have to stop to go to school or eat supper or do the dishes or anything.

And every time I read for a while the boy gets cranky because he's been watching TV all day long and the husband gets cranky because I am not paying any attention to him and sometimes I wonder if I aimed this book just right if I could knock them both out with one shot... but it doesn't matter anyways because I have to go to work.

I wish I could be a little girl forever.

When I grow up I am going to have a baby just like my doll that I can dress up and lay down in its crib and cuddle and burp.

And I can change his diapers and poo will squirt all over the place and he can cry all night for no reason. And as soon as he learns to walk he can knock his teeth out on a window sill and then one night he can puke all over his bed so I clean him up and put him in my bed and he pukes all over my bed too so we go sleep on the couch and he pukes all over that too but it's ok for daddy because he's sailing that week. And when he's bigger he can push the hazard button in the car which causes the battery to go dead which prompts me to try and boost it with the van. And then he can natter on endlessly about what's 8 plus 2 and doesn't a 2 look like an upside down 5 and also doesn't a 6 look like an upside down 9 and how do houses turn into rocket ships and please stop talking for five minutes please. And then he snuggles up to me, and winds his arms around my neck and says I love you mostly all the way to the whole sky and gives me a kiss right on the lips.

I wish he could be a little boy forever.

Productive Day!

2009-07-08T20:04:00.001-03:00

Yesterday I received the RHSS Whip box from my wonderful friends at Post Mortem over on Ravelry:

Included was one (1) RHSS (Red Heart Super Saver) Whip:

I removed some lovely vintage craft magazines* from the box:

And scored some awesome yarn. Phoebe has marked it as hers, so now I can’t give it back!

I then restashed the box with this stuff:

Ian chased Phoebe around with the whip:

She made it down the stairs to safety!

And the whip was a little tangled, so I modified it a bit to make it more useful for actual whipping.

And despite the whipping and drama, I still managed to accomplish one maple leafy strawberry-rhubarb pie, 16 jars of strawberry jam, and one caved-in loaf of bread.

All despite having an aching back and a sunburn from picking the strawberries the day before. Stupid strawberries. Why hasn’t Monsanto genetically modified some high bush strawberries yet?

Anyways. I also froze a bunch of them and dried another pile. Altogether 12 quarts of strawberries passed through my house yesterday.

Today, I am so tired, I sat down to knit. But I finally had to accept the fact that the sock I am working on would not fit any human foot, so I had to frog it back about 4 inches. And it is in this irritatingly fiddly herringbone pattern too. So I actually got a negative amount accomplished today! Woo hoo!

*I haven’t read through them all yet, but I have to say I enjoyed the recommendation in the one I have read to apply DDT to keep moth larvae out of your pear trees…. YUMMY!!!

Homemade Bread.

2009-06-27T22:13:00.000-03:00

I make most of the bread around here. I got a bread maker for Christmas, but before that, I did it the old-fashioned way. Many people have asked me for my recipe, and I have to be honest, I didn't come up with it on my own. I actually got it from the internet. And so, for the first time ever, here is my bread recipe. Enjoy.

Stress Fracture

2009-06-27T16:59:00.003-03:00

I have been so stressed out lately, I feel like I am holding on by the skin of my teeth. The staying home thing has not been working out, and we came to the decision that I have to go back to work. I got a job at an amusement park but the hours were unreliable and it was only for the summer, so I looked for another job. Looking for work is never fun, but luckily I did get a job.

So I am dealing with starting a new job, dealing with child care issues, and then quitting another job. That part was hard because the park owners are really nice people and I hate leaving them in the lurch like that.

I have been working but as of yet, no paychecks. And we have things all over the house that need fixing, the car needs repairs, and now the new washing machine is not draining and I can't figure out why. Which particularly sucks because I now have dirty work clothes!

Plus on top of all that, we have a spare room that is basically a storage depository, and a whole bunch of guests coming in August. Now, I don't want people to feel bad about coming, it is great that they are and we are looking forward to it! The room would not get emptied without this prompting, so it is a good thing, but still, that is a lot of stuff to get rid of. Maybe I need the Clean Sweep guys to come....

Canning season is about to start, and I don't know how I am going to find time to do that. And my potted deck garden is getting big, but I haven't put it outside yet. Ian needs to get into swimming lessons, and we need to find the cash for that. And we need to go to the dentist as well.

Even my knitting is stressing me out because I seem to be acquiring yarn at an unheard of pace (surprisingly not by me purchasing it; I am just surrounded by wonderfully generous people!) and I don't have the time to knit it!

I also have parcels to mail out that I haven't gotten around to preparing, let alone mailing. And so on and so on and so on....

Whew. I don't think I mentioned everything.... but I feel better for getting that off my chest! I really need to get back into posting here more often. I like having the record of events available for perusing later on.

Now... what to have for supper?

Funny Quotes Of the Day

2009-05-08T09:23:00.003-03:00

Ian (walking into the laundry/bathroom where I am folding laundry): "It smells like men in here!"

Me: "What men??"

Ian (accusingly): "YOUR husband!"

Travis (from other room): "That better be the only men you smell!)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Me: "What kind of cereal do you want?"

Ian (making a thoughtful face and tapping his chin while observing the pantry): "Let me think about it........... I think, Raisin Brand. Only you can take the cereal out and just give me raisins."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

In other news, Ian's preschool had a Mother's Day party yesterday. It was lovely. We sang songs like "The More We Get Together" and "Hokey Pokey" and then played Duck Duck Goose, and then we had a "nack" of cookies and juice. Then we got a card and present the kids made. Very sweet. I had been hoping for frozen margaritas but I should have realized it was unlikely at a preschool party at 10am.

I got to have a chat with Ian's teacher. She said he is really smart (he spelled my name for her on the card. I only told him once!) but has issues with sitting still and he also is a little single minded. If he sees something he wants he will step over anybody and anything to get it. He also has problems with keeping his hands to himself.

But that is what preschool is for, to get the issues out. He will be going back again next year for three day preschool. And then the year after will be Primary! Crazyness.

Appearances are everything.

2009-04-17T10:34:00.003-03:00

If you haven't already seen this video, you are missing out. I can't embed it but you can click this link and watch it.

After that read this article, which sums up how I feel. I couldn't put it better myself.

We really need to start turning this around, and teaching our children the value of ACTIONS over APPEARANCE. But you know, it sure is hard. Our first instinct is to judge, despite our best intentions.

Forgot the camera....TWICE!

2009-03-31T12:37:00.002-03:00

Despite the previous post, it has actually been pretty nice around here. Springlike, in fact. On Saturday, we had a picnic in Shubie Park. It was a little nippy out but not unpleasant. Most of the path was still iced over, but there were squirrels and chipmunks out and about already. We had the unique experience of feeding chickadees right out of our hands! One of them even landed on Travis's shoulder. Quite amazing. I was, of course, kicking myself for forgetting the camera.

On Sunday, we went to an Easter Party. They needed a volunteer to man the Bunny Suit so of course I stepped up to the plate. Ian figured it out because of my sneakers. Clever boy. Guess what I forgot to bring... You guessed it... the camera.

I have to start keeping it in my pocket with my phone and chapstick.

As you all can see, I have updated the place a little bit. I haven't been happy with the way things look around here, but I am too cheap to buy Photoshop, and my knowledge of HTML is, shall we say, limited. But I found a free banner website today, so I was at least able to dress it up a little. Let me know what you think!

I have been doing tons of knitting but I need to take pictures, so hopefully a post about that shall be forthcoming soon. In the mean time, please subscribe, I added a link! It will be much easier than checking back here all the time, especially as I am very unreliable.

Spring in the Maritimes

2009-03-31T09:49:00.004-03:00

(I didn't think he was going to need a helmet)

Cheerful despite it all. That's my boy!

Ian sees the world through rose-coloured eyes

2009-03-05T11:35:00.002-04:00

I sat the boy down for breakfast this morning and noticed something a little... off. His eyes looked a bit red. Well, a lot red. (the shade of this blog or thereabouts) (Also, the second I thought it might be infectious my own eyes started itching) So I had to keep him home from preschool. I took him to the walk-in clinic, and was thereby advised that he does indeed have the Dreaded Pinkeye. (I only have psychosomatic pinkeye)

We were given a prescription for eyedrops, and we went to the drugstore to pick it up. We had to wait for it for 20 minutes, most of which Ian spent advising strangers that his Mommy and Daddy think he has a pink and red eye.

Sigh.

I took a picture:

He wouldn't hold still, and the pink eyes didn't really show up. So I digitally enhanced it:

Then I found out the hard way that he can shoot lasers out of his eyes:

Hopefully the eyedrops will help both conditions.

Maybe I am just a little too uptight.

2009-03-04T09:35:00.002-04:00

I don't think Jason Mraz knows what "godforsaken" means. "Godforsaken" means basically that God doesn't want it, so it is horrible, unwanted, and wretched. As in "I feel sorry for my sister living in a godforsaken northern wasteland."

I like this song. I really really do. But seriously? Every time I hear this I want to stick a knitting needle through my speakers.

He needs to find his godforsaken dictionary.

(anyway, I am sure he did his bestest)

Epic Mom Fail

2009-03-02T17:55:00.002-04:00

I took Ian to the pool yesterday. We went all the way out to Spryfield to swim in the (weak) wave pool. Ian had a great time.

Sadly I forgot his swimming trunks. I decided to let him stay in his undies instead. They were pale blue cotton undies. We were having a high old time in the waves, then he noticed the slide. He swam like mad to the ladder, climbed to the top, and ran to the slide. That's when I noticed it.... His undies were practically clear.

All I can say is thank goodness for Lighting McQueen. He was very...strategically placed.

Where have I been? What have I been doing?

2009-02-27T17:56:00.002-04:00

Who knows? I don't know. I guess I have been really busy lately. I am doing volunteer work, which keeps me busy. I feel like I am running around 24/7. But nothing I am doing seems interesting enough to write about. I guess because it is all routine day in day out stuff. I haven't even been taking pictures. As far as knitting goes, I have been doing some, but it is all reruns. Socks, mitts, etc. I really need to get out of this rut.

We did do something interesting today, actually. (But I forgot the camera) We went to see the Reptiles out at the Exhibition Park. Very cool. Ian got to pet an alligator. I think it was the same alligator as last year. He liked that part the best. Travis liked the big pythons. I liked the turkey vulture. I think a house just isn't a home without a turkey vulture and am planning on getting one forthwith.

I think I shall head out to the SPCA right this minute!

25 Random Things about Me

2009-02-03T09:25:00.002-04:00

This is going around facebook. I figure if I put it on here, it will import to facebook, and I will get a blog post done as well! Two birds with one stone!

1. I like to knit. I like expensive yarn. I know my stash is not big by some standards, but I am starting to feel the need to reduce it in size, and I am currently on a Yarn Diet

2. The first time I had sushi I hated it. But I tried it a few more times and now I love it. A lot.

3. I hate getting impractical or useless gifts. I would rather get a vacuume than jewelery or perfume. The only exceptions are books and movies.

4. I love movies. I love everything about movies. The trailers, the studio logos, all of it just fill me with a sensation of anticipation like nothing else.

5. I used to read all the time, but since my son was born, I hardly read at all. I am disappointed in myself for this.

6. I spend way too much time on the internet.

7. I am a terrible housekeeper, and nothing anybody can say, and no resolves I can make will ever change that. But at least the How Clean is Your House ladies are never going to show up.

8. I want to have a little farm, with u-pick apples and blueberries, bees, and chickens, and a huge garden. I don't want a big house.

9. I love my son, and I want another child. But I am not sure I can do the first 3-6 months with a newborn again. That was hard for me.

10. I started dating my husband when I was 16 and he was 15. We had some breakups in the early years, but we are pretty solid right now. In 2 years, it will be half my life.

11. I don't mind being 30.

12. I live in Nova Scotia. I love it here so much, I never want to leave. Sometimes I think it is the place I was always meant to be.

13. I have been all over Canada, but I have never been anywhere else.

14. I think cheese is one of Mankind's Greatest Accomplishments.

15. I can't stand margarine. That s*** is foul.

16. I also can't stand turnips, and they put a nasty flavour into everything they touch.

17. I don't believe in ghosts, but I am afraid of them. I don't find slasher movies scary, but ghost movies scare the hell out of me. The Ring is the scariest movie I ever saw.

18. I really REALLY like TV. I think there are some fantastic shows out there.

19. I like some things about camping, but I never want to go for more than a day because I don't like being cold, wet, or dirty. I hate sleeping in a tent.

20. I make all my own bread. I love my new breadmaker.

21. I know how to spin yarn. I am not good at it, and it isn't my favourite hobby, but it is fun sometimes for a change.

22. I drink more coffee than water.

23. I love my cat but it is an entirely one sided relationship. Unless you consider creepy stalking to be love.

24. I rarely wear makeup. Only for special occasions.

25. I have always wanted someone to throw me a surprise party, but nobody ever has.

ROFLMAO!

2009-01-27T19:02:00.001-04:00

Kinda cute, if you are a total dork. (But don't bother watching after the song ends.... LAAAYYYMMMMEEE!!!)

Starting from Scratch.

2009-01-26T13:48:00.004-04:00

I know it has been a long time, but hey... at least I warned everybody in the banner above. So no complaining!

(nstead of going over everything I have done over the last few weeks, (and it was a lot... you all should be jealous) I am just going to start over as if this were a brand new blog. Maybe I will change the colours as well. Any thoughts?

Ian is doing pretty well. Awfully mouthy, though. He seems to have some trouble distinguishing himself as a child as opposed to one of the parents. He enjoys talking back when I tell him something almost as much as he enjoys ordering us about. Luckily, we are both still bigger than him.

We went swimming yesterday. He really needs swimming lessons. He is very confident in the water but can't actually swim. I should be putting him in soon I think. I think I ought to take a swimming class as well. I can swim, but some stroke improvement probably couldn't hurt. I try to get away each time we go to the pool for some actual exercise. Yesterday I swam 4 lengths of the pool, then did 6 more with a kickboard.

I am starting volunteer work at the MFRC tomorrow. I will be going skating with the daycare kids (more free exercise). I am really looking forward to it, actually. We will see how it goes.

I have several knitting projects on the go right now, which I am to lazy to photograph today. Maybe on Wednesday. I am making a pair of ribbed socks for Ian out of leftover yarn from Travis's socks. I am kind of stalled out on that right now because I am not sure if I have enough yarn to finish. I may need to make the feet out of a different yarn, but I don't really have anything that matches. I am also making a pair of pink-striped ribbed socks. I have one finished but haven't started the second because I can't find my notes from the first one. I need the notes to make it match!

I am also knitting a blanket. It was supposed to be a wedding gift but the wedding was ages ago, so we gave them something else. It is going to be a big blanket. It takes a long time to do each row. It gets boring. That is why it isn't done.

I am also making a pair of honeycomb mitts for Ian. I found some Briggs and Little in the exact colours of his coat. This project is currently the most likely to be finished. Also on the needles is the long-suffering Anty Beryl Sweater. The ants are long gone, but the sweater remains. It is awaiting sleeves and a collar. I am also considering adding a zipper and some embroidery. Also, maybe a hood depending what I have left for yarn when I am finished.

I think I may be getting a destash box from a Ravelry group I am in sometime soon. I am kind of excited. Small things amuse me I guess.

And my plans for the rest of today?

1. Remove 9 miles of train track from living room floor to allow for vacuming.

2. Clean fish tank, currently home to only one Catnip and one Darrell (the original Darrel... New! Lemon Fresh Darrel sadly passed just after we returned from holidays. We are just glad we got to see him...(sob)...one last time. :::breaks down and cries... recovers... catches breath::: Anyway, we flushed him down the toilet to be with the first dead Darrell, plus both Larry and Larry 2...THE REVENGE)

3. Somehow finish dishes, despite having no dish soap. And I was just at the grocery store yesterday, DAMMIT!

4. Wash more laundry in the new washer. (the old washer went the way of the Darrels the day we got home from AB...which rocked when we had all that suitcase laundry to do. We got a fancy-pants new front loader instead.)

5. That's about it. It's too cold to take Ian outside (shut up Alberta. I know it is only -15, but it isn't a DRY COLD. You just don't get it.)

Oh yeah. I know. You don't have to tell me.

2008-12-01T13:30:00.001-04:00

At first, it was just that I was busy getting ready for Travis to come home. Then he got home. Then we did all kinds of fun family things together. Then it was just so much to put and so overwhelming that I just kept coming up with excuses to not blog. But Trav is back at work again now and I really can't think of anything better to do. (Plus I need to make bread today and this is better than that.) So here I am. I will try to get everybody caught up. After that, I can't guarantee anything because we are going on holidays and will be bouncing from house to house. But we shall see.

Anyway. Here goes. First of all, here is about two thirds of the canning I did. The rest is in boxes because I couldn't get it all in the pantry:

Ian and I went to the Maritime Fall Fair, where he went for a pony ride:

And another pony ride:

And a Dragon ride:

On Thanksgiving we saw a monstrously huge spider:

There was a witch/little girl battle:

We saw a King and a Princess:

Then I made a toque out of the yarn I spun. I sent it to my sister, who will hopefully post pictures on her blog of the toque in action.

Ian took a bath:

We got ready for Daddy to come home, which involved a poster:

And a cake:

It was cold, so we put our shirts on over our coats...Sexy!

Ian was very excited to see Daddy:

Big hugs!

We went for pumpkins in the Valley:

We stopped and saw some kitties:

Ian shared a meal with a Deer friend:

We met an irate owl:

Ian and Daddy made tracks. Daddy was impressed enough that he wanted lots of pictures:

We saw a raccoon brushing its teeth:

I made snotty faces while knitting hats:

We dressed up the cat for Halloween (it made her really happy):

We dressed Ian up as a python, and look at the nifty Jack-o-Lantern:

The lady says: "My, aren't you a cute lizard!" and Ian replies: "I am a nake, actually."

Trick or treating with some random kid:

I learned to decorate cakes (a little.)

And I made this flower out of playdough. Yep, I was proud enough of my playdough flower to take a picture:

I went to a craft show, I did pretty good with the dishcloths, hats, and syrup. Nobody wanted the coasters, though. I think Auntie R did pretty good with her stockings and Papier Mache kitties too!

A closer look at the hats: I made them out of Bernat Alpaca, from my own pattern:

Ian and his cousin got a new house:

And we got a new TV and assorted accessories totalling $Way Too Much$. But it was Trav's deployment present to himself (and Christmas and Birthday too!!) so it's all good:

It snowed once:

Then it snowed again:

I knew husbands were good for something:

And Ian wrote a letter to Santa. I helped, but he signed his own name!

Yes. My boy is brilliant!!

You know, that wasn't so bad. I don't know what I got all worked up about. See you later!

Sorry!

2008-11-16T23:09:00.003-04:00

I know I haven't posted in a while and this is a total cop out. But this video kicked kabootie and I wanted to share. I will post something soon I swear.

Ok, I have some good things to post...

2008-10-23T23:50:00.004-03:00

...And I promise I will tell you all about Travis coming home, the stuff I knit, and my spinning. But before I get to all that, I wanted to post something funny that happened while I was waiting for Travis:

First I Kinneared Peter MacKay:

Then I got him to hold my sock:

(I know I look like I am smiling because I am happy to see him, but really I am just happy he held my sock without any explanation. Plus my husband just got home.)

HELLO, CANADA!

2008-10-14T14:29:00.002-03:00

Hey everybody! Make sure you get out and vote today!!

Doesn't Ian look good in his little Election Day Getup?

(Ian isn't happy from voting, he's happy because I gave him ice cream after. I will subconsciously cause him to have good feelings about voting.)

Ummmm....

2008-10-09T19:10:00.000-03:00

Just so everybody knows, pineapple = financial.

(just say it quietly to yourself)

Too much tv?

2008-10-08T21:48:00.002-03:00

I have been watching the news a lot lately. That's why I have not been posting so much. But have I been watching the news too much?

Maybe.

After all, even Ian is talking about the "pineapple crisis"

I'm having a party...

2008-10-01T12:30:00.002-03:00

... on Thursday night. A drinking party. Who's in?

Yeah. I bought a bag of hair. So what?

2008-09-27T21:28:00.000-03:00

We had a good time at the alpaca festival (Pacafiesta) today. Well, actually not so much. Ian liked the alpacas for about five minutes, then he was bored and acting crazy, climbing the decorations and trying to kick spinning wheels. I had to chase him to stop him from scaring the baby alpacas. But despite all that, I learned a lot. I got to see a spinning wheel in action (it was like oooooooohhhhh! I get it!) and a loom as well. No interest in weaving at all folks. Don't fret. There was a lady with a llama as well, with a baby. If you could milk a llama, it would be the perfect animal. I asked her about it, she said they have small teats. But she also said it is really close to human milk, and probably really good for you.

Hmmm.

So I got some nice stuff for spinning. I got this superwash merino custom blend (which I started already):

It is 100 grams, I am hoping to get enough for socks. At least that's the plan. I know to knit socks, you need 100 grams, so in theory, if I manage to spin it at about a sock weight, I should be able to make socks. Most sock yarn is blended with nylon, however. So I don't know how I will get around that. (ply it with Phentex, maybe? KIDDING!!!) Anyway, we will see how it goes.

I also got this, Pat's Colours hand dyed feltable Merino roving:

Which I actually don't think I am going to spin, I want to make thrummed mitts. It's hard to show the colour right, but it is like green and yellow and brown.

Finally I got a pound of this:

Which I forgot to find out what it is. But I think it is also superwash merino. There is A LOT of it. A pound is a lot of fibre. I don't know what it will be for. Maybe a sweater? Or a scarf? The colour is not quite right in this picture either, but it is dark grey with a hint of brown. They called it Earth.

All together, I spent $17. (well, $26 with admission) That's it. Cheap!! The big bag was only $5. I have spent more than that on regular sock yarn! Like, a lot more! Now if I had a spinning wheel and could make yarn, you know, efficiently, it would actually be quite a bit cheaper than buying sweaters ready made! Surprise! Who knew knitting could be cheap if you make your own yarn! Too bad I suck at it. Hopefully practice makes perfect.

Now, off to practice!

Last night at supper:

2008-09-27T17:10:00.000-03:00

Ian: This is my baborite supper in the whole..... oony-berse!

(We were eating fish sticks. Sigh.)

Playing catch up. (click any pics to embiggen)

2008-09-26T21:06:00.003-03:00

Ian's artistic photography:

Kitty wants to knit:

My plied yarn! Woo hoo! It took forever, but I finally washed it today, and it should be ready to knit when it dries!

Ian at apple picking. Pretty big, orange, apple!

The sun was in his eyes:

Tree swing:

Apples:

Me and my boy:

Views on the wagon ride:

Yummie!

My tomato crop. Not bad for a first try I don't think!

You would think he grew them himself:

Queensland Beach, Thursday:

Then we went for a walk in the woods:

Stopped for a bite to eat. Ian had some cheese with his whine:

Mood swing!

This is his angry face. He stomps around and says "I'm Mad!"

My mad face:

I don't know how he took this:

Sometimes wrong is just right!

2008-09-19T19:15:00.002-03:00

Hi folks!

I got the carpet cleaned today, and I just got my computer set back up again. I managed to ply the singles yesterday. I will get pics up as soon as I can. I still need to wash them as well. Anyway, I couldn't do a thing today with everything I owned in the wrong rooms. I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow!

Anyway, I heard this on the radio this morning and it made me laugh! I think the lady took it very well when she decided to stay!

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b3f2600b-a2a8-4c78-9d38-1fba45df7f0a

Hope it brightens your day, and tides you over until I get my yarn pics up!

A good day

2008-09-16T20:51:00.001-03:00

My spinning is getting better. Hopefully I am not boring anybody with all this, but at least I am posting! I am getting a lot more proficient with practice, and I am also becoming much less afraid of the wool, as in, not so scared I am going to tear or ruin it. Plus I am doing more prep work, which I think is helping. Here is a pic of the last bit I spun:

And just for reference, here is a pic of the other stuff, from oldest to newest, so you can compare quality:

(sorry the pic is blurry. It's hard to take pictures at night)

I still have a little bit of the roving left, I will probably finish it tonight, and tomorrow I will have to figure out how to ply it. Then wash it, hang it, dry it, measure it, knit it, etc. You never know. Anyway, it is sort of satisfying to see all that fuzz smooth out into threads, right before my eyes. But I am running out of wool! (she says as she eyes the cat and the hair clippers...)

Anyhoo. That is not all I accomplished today. I made bread, tidied the kitchen (for me, that is an accomplishment) and most importantly....

Took Ian to his first day of preschool! Yay!

Look how super cute he is, and such a big boy!

Happy to be there:

Hat and bag off...

Hung in his cubby...

And off playing without a backward glance!

Last night when I reminded him it was his first day of school, he was so excited! I asked him what the teacher would teach him, and he said "about vacuums!" and the first thing he did was run in to the toy vacuum. No tears (not even me), just happy to be there. He was one of the few, though. You could hear the heartbreaking wails from the other kids at the other end of the building!

Later on, when I went to pick him up, he runs up and says "Mama I PAINTED! And my FINGERS WERE CLEAN! I painted NICELY!"

I am glad we had a good day!

All Spun Out

2008-09-15T23:08:00.004-03:00

I spun a bit more tonight, couldn't wait to post it. Here are my new singles on the spindle:

They are a lot more even. Not perfect by any means, but better. I believe it is about the same amount of fibre as the first batch, but it only took me about an hour, not three. I learned a lot from Youtube, I will post a link tomorrow to the most instructional videos.

You can see how much better it is than the first batch in this picture:

I guess I can go to bed happy:

New Skillz. I haz them.

2008-09-15T16:02:00.004-03:00

So I bet you are wondering why I posted a picture of a tiny ball of Yarn of Questionabl Quality (aka YQQ) yesterday...even though if you were wondering, you didn't comment. Well, maybe I can explain by showing you this:

Yep, it's a spindle, and some furry fur. Which should shortly be spun into more YQQ, and plied together to hopefully be slightly less questionable. Then I will make it into something. Something sucky, no doubt. But it will be mine. And I shall be proud. And I will be one step closer to Little House in the Big Woods.

That isn't the only skill I have added to my repertoire... I also learned to cut hair! Observe Experimental Subject A:

I don't know if he is enjoying his HQQ (Haircut of Questionable Quality) But look at the heap o hair that came off the child: (foot included for perspective)

(hmmmm.... I wonder if I could spin that?)

At any rate, he looks pretty good for his first day of preschool tomorrow (yay)

And amidst all the spinning and haircutting, I stumbled across this half knit sweater, and what with fall approaching, I thought I had better get cracking. So here are the latest pics of my Anty Beryl Sweater:

The ants are gone, but the sweater lives on!

Big post later today...

2008-09-14T14:05:00.001-03:00

But while you wait, sit back and have a glass of wine or two:

Something to think about.

2008-09-05T19:03:00.000-03:00

Yum!

2008-09-04T18:10:00.000-03:00

Me: MMM! This corn is sure juicy!
Ian: And I don't like corn juice.
Me: You don't ?
Ian: No. I just like sucker juice.

The Slacker Strikes Again!

2008-09-03T12:48:00.001-03:00

Not only have I not been posting, I have not been taking very many pictures of my various adventures and projects, either! Yay! But today, I planned to spend the day cleaning up, so this is more appealing.

To my credit, I have been out to the valley three times, and I have made, since summer started, three batches of strawberry jam, three batches of blueberry syrup, one batch of blueberry jam, one batch of peach jam, two batches of dill pickles, and one batch of bread and butter pickles. Proportionately to normal, I haven't been knitting all that much. I gave up on the spiral rib for the fingerless mittens, and instead went with a cable pattern from Ravelry, with the end result being these:

(Only one pair, but two pictures) I am desperately in love with these mittens. I only wish I had thought to knit the second one from the other end of the yarn to make symmetrical colour patterning, but hey, it's minor. I have some yarn left over as well. Not enough for another pair, but I am trying to come up with something, like maybe a headband or something. I figure if I am going to knit part of mittens, I can knit part of a hat.

I am also procrastinating on starting a blanket and some other things. For me, procrastinating means I am knitting dishcloths. I won't put pics up because really. You all have seen them all before. I also wanted to show off these weird cookies I made. Sooo yummy:

Yep, they are two tone cookies. I have Baby Giraffe there guarding them.

And of course, Ian is cute as ever:

Bizarre self portrait:

He got really sandy, so I stripped him on the deck, and doused him with water, then wrapped him up and brought him in:

And just for fun, here is a pretty, yet fruitless zucchini flower:

What's next here on the slopes of Mount Weedmore? Apples. Specifically applesauce and dried apple rings. I got one of those apple peeling/coring/slicing dohickeys, so I plan on getting me a bushel of apples and just going to town.

So stay tuned, everybody! (And may I suggest putting my blog in your feeds, if you haven't already... that way you don't have to come back all the time if I flake out for a while again)

Isn't this cool?

2008-08-22T20:51:00.002-03:00

So, like, just so you know, I really don't talk about one little thing. Here is the pattern:

Another really long post with numbers because I didn't feel like writing anything all week.

2008-08-20T22:32:00.003-03:00

I suck. I know it.

1. First off, I sent like a dozen people over here to have a look, and then didn't post anything for several days. Hi new people! Hope you stay a while! If I don't post, then just feel free to look through the archives. I wrote some good stuff. And some junk too but just ignore that.

2. Anyway, I finished the little brown socks, and they are in an envelope. And the envelope is in my purse. I forgot to take a picture first, though. So yeah. I frogged that mitt thing, back to nothing, and I have restarted it, but I am still not happy with it and I am starting to worry about wearing the yarn out. It is really nice, (plus pricy) and so I don't want to wreck it.

3. I baked brown bread, it turned out GREAT. Even better than the white. So I have the bread down now. I also baked these awesome cookies. They are chocolate with white chips on one half, and the other half is regular chocolate chips. I even took pictures, but I don't feel like hooking up the camera tonight. Actually, I haven't felt like hooking up the camera for the past few nights, and that is mainly why I haven't posted. Maybe I will do the pics in a separate post.

4. Travis's birthday is coming up very soon. I asked Ian what he wanted to get Daddy for his birthday, and he said "a special car shirt". This is the first time Ian has ever come up with something on his own that he wanted to give someone. So I took him to the mall. We went to EVERY SINGLE STORE and the only one with a car on it was bright blue with a pink hatchback. I could have driven out to Bayers Lake to go to the little store that sells model cars, but I decided to check Zellers first, and I found this t-shirt that you are supposed to put hand prints on. It says, "World's Greatest Dad Hands Down" So we did up the hand shirt, and I drew a car on it with the paint. Plus it is white, so he can wear it under his work clothes. Mission accomplished! Daddy will get a VERY special car shirt for his birthday.

5. I told some people this tale, but I don't think that I wrote it in here. You all remember I got a new computer ? Well, I cleaned out the old one and got it all geared up with Windows XP. Then I put an ad on Kijiji. This woman called me, and she wanted to know if her hard drive would work in it. She said she builds computers, so I assumed she knew what she was doing. So she puts her hard drive in. Doesn't work. Then she puts mine back. Doesn't work. She fiddles with it for a while, and then it doesn't work, so she says "I can't deal with this right now, call me when you get it working" and leaves. Of course, I don't know what is wrong with it, so I got ahold of a guy I know to have a look at it. But he has been busy, so he didn't fix it until today. Luckily, it works again fine. Good as new. So I guess I have to put the ad back up now, anyway. Anybody want to buy a computer?

6. That was my good news, my bad news is I am an idiot. An idiot who sucks. On Sunday I was out at the CO's briefing for the ship, and when I left, I got my sunglasses out of my case and put them on. I then put my glasses in the case, went to the car, and put the glasses on the roof. I then proceeded to put the kid in the car, then I got in the car and drove home.

Do you see the problem?

ANYHOO...

So I went in on Monday, and $203 and 4 days later, I will have new glasses. Hopefully, by 4 days, they mean Thursday (tomorrow) because I reaaaally don't want to wait until Friday. I am currently wearing glasses from 1998, with chipped paint, a broken nosepiece that stabs me, and a big crack in the arm that is threatening to come loose at any moment. Also, the prescription is off a bit, and I have a headache. (another excuse for not posting)

7. Last but not least, I am supposed to have the Day Off tomorrow! Woot! Ian is going to Uncle and Auntie's to play with his little cousin and spend the night. What will I do? Well I have BIG PLANS! I plan to go to the MFRC and drop off Travis's birthday parcel, and order my Homecoming T-shirt. I plan to go to the stitch n bitch in Dartmouth, and I plan to SLEEP PAST 9am! Sooo excited. Hopefully it all pans out for me.

Anyway, I am aware I could have done a post a day for the last few days and gotten all of that in. But isn't anticipation more fun? Stay tuned tomorrow (or not) for the above pictures. With all the comments and new readers, I have an OBLIGATION to keep my word, don't I?

Thanks for TMI, Ian!

2008-08-14T17:12:00.003-03:00

Running by me on his way to the loo:

"I have to go pee, Mama! But poop will help too!"

This n that. (Plus knitted stuff and lots of links to old blog posts)

2008-08-12T19:01:00.001-03:00

First off, I want to thank everybody for the well wishes. I was having a lousy day and needed to vent. It's not all bad around here. We have good times as well. Besides, I broke down and asked the local relatives, and Ian is going away over night a week from Thursday. And I heard rumours of a Knit Night in Dartmouth....

I know my posting has been a bit scarce as of late, but honestly, I have been really busy. Here are some highlights:

1. We went for a walk. Here is a picture of Ian and our cat. She is not allowed out, so we were a bit surprised to see her:

Want a previous picture of Phoebe? See here, and here.

But then she turned around and I was all like "wait a minute..."

OMG! That's SO not my cat! It is just an eerily similar lookalike! Here it is standing on its little hind feet because it WANTED to be petted. (clearly not my cat at all)

2. We drove out to the valley. We stopped at Hennigar's, of course. Ian was a little short for Corn:

But just right for Pepper!

You can see previous pics from Hennigar's here. (It's the one with the tractor)

Eventually we reached our destination:

Some of Ian's even made it into the bucket!

Successful Picture Of Nature! (It was bound to happen sooner or later... previous attempts here)

We picked about 13 pints of blueberries, which cost me $11.75 (plus about $985,678,987.87 for gas to drive to the valley, but still) They are running about $3/pt in the city, more or less, depending where you go. I worked my tail off and made jam, syrup, and pies. I also baked bread. My busyness has probably contributed to Ian's misbehaviour, as he has not been the centre of attention.

It may have been worth it. Pancakes with my own syrup! This plate is in my own kitchen!

3. I have been knitting. Fantastic, wonderful things!

I finished these a few weeks ago. They have been gifted already:

I threw out the ball bands already, but they were knit with DGB Confetti and a plain sock pattern.

The following projects are gifts for people. If it is for you, you will know it when you see it, please forget you ever saw it and/or act surprised.

I finished this scarf:

When I got this yarn, I started a spiralling rib pattern but the scarf was curling badly, and I was really unhappy with it. So I ripped it back and did this instead. It was knit using James C. Brett Marble, shade MT6. I used one ball, 100 grams, but the scarf could have stood to be a little longer. The pattern is based on the Swelligant Scarf from this book, which I have made before here and here. I modified it a bit, I took out the middle cable, and I made the second cable twist in front so it would be symmetrical.

Then I did this:

which was supposed to be done about a month ago, but isn't. And yes, just the one. It shouldn't take long to do the second one, because it is little, but I a) don't really like socks. I feel like a bad knitter, but it's true. And b) it is knit using the remnants from this, and I am terrified of running out of yarn. The pattern is the same as above, just a basic sock, only littler. Maybe I should try another pattern, and I would enjoy socks more. But I had a lot more fun knitting the scarf, let me tell you.

I also noticed while looking for the post about the original socks, that I never blogged about them. I guess it just goes to show I knit more than I let on. A lot of the time stuff I knit is meant for gifts, and I don't like posting it until they get it. But then I forget to post at all. So that being said, from now on I will post when I finish stuff, and if you like being surprised, you just need to get over it. This goes hand in hand with my other vow for Low Stress Knitting. What I was doing was to have a birthday or whatever coming up, and I would work my tail off to get a project done, and I wouldn't, and it would be late. Sometimes, so late, they wouldn't go out at all and I would end up buying something. So instead, I am going to knit whatever I feel like, and if it is for someone, it will go in a gift box. Then if it is their birthday, I will just look in the box, and if there is nothing for them in there I will go buy something. Before the birthday.

And so, since I don't feel like knitting a second sock right now I am going to work on these:

Which are going to be fingerless mittens or wristwarmers from the uber yummy yarn I mentioned here and here. I couldn't find a pattern I liked so I am just kinda winging it. I love how the yarn is striping in the opposite direction of the ribs. I am doing a spiralling rib, and I am currently stuck because I need to increase for the hand, but I can't quite figure out how to do that without disturbing the pattern. As I said, I have never made this before, so it is taking some thinking. But I know when they are done they will be awesome. And they will be MINE ALL MINE!!! Mwahahahahaha!

The Results are In!

2008-08-12T11:00:00.001-03:00

Five people voted on whether or not they would swim in the harbour. Sheesh, people! Five votes? You should have been telling all your friends!

Of those five, two said Ewww! No!, one said Yeah For sure!, and two said they were coming to visit.

I am really looking forward to having the both of you, but.... ummm... I don't really have a guest room any more, you know!

The poll is closed (for like a week, I know. But hey, I suck) and I will be removing that feature. Because it reminds me of my laziness.

Rope: At the end of.

2008-08-09T20:41:00.002-03:00

You know, I had all kinds of cool things to say, because we got a lot of stuff done this week. Not only the bedrooms, but we drove out to the valley and picked blueberries, and then I made about everything you can think of with blueberries, and then canned it. I sorted my yarn, and organized my projects, and I wanted to post some pictures of it and actually write something about the knitting I have been attempting.

But really, I am just fricking tired. Ian is driving me crazy. Now don't get me wrong, he's a good kid. But he has selective hearing. He is completely unable to hear the sound of my voice. When I say something, he either ignores me completely or actually laughs in my face. Sometimes, I will ask him to pick up his toys and he cries as if he is being horribly, painfully tortured. And this is not just sometimes. It is all the time. At home, in public. I had to drag him out crying half way through a birthday party today because he was deliberately trying to wreck things and knock over drinks, and he ignored me when I asked him to stop. I had to buy one of those backpack harness things because he likes to run away and hide in stores.

I.
Am.
Going.
Nuts.

Seriously.

I counted. Since Travis left, I have been away from Ian a total of six times. That's it. I don't get to go to work and think about something else. I don't take him to preschool yet. I hate wasting money on a babysitter, and I hate imposing on people.

This is really getting to me.

My temper is running out with the kid too. I usually have a lot of patience with him when it comes to stuff. I will just keep telling him, show him, whatever. But I am losing my grip. Plus, I don't have a lot of friends here, and I don't get to talk to anybody BUT Ian most days. And believe me, the endless "Thomas has six small wheels" conversation is wearing thin.

That's not to say he is all bad, he doesn't throw temper tantrums, he goes to bed good. He eats like a pig, but he isn't picky. I would just like to be able to say "here's your clothes, put them on and come upstairs" without having to hold him down and dress him after telling him 80 times.

Is that too much to ask?

I also had a solo vacation for myself in mind for November, or so, but that is looking like it is going to be kiboshed as well. So it is looking like no end in sight for me.

Oh well. Only 76 more days until Travis gets home. Then I am going to get a job and let him deal with this.

Large Job...Done!

2008-08-05T12:42:00.001-03:00

So I had one large room, which was my "spare" room aka huge junk depository, and one small room, which was Ian's room. I decided to swap, because Ian is getting too big for a little room and a toddler bed.

I started off the day when Ian pointed out that I had an "owie"

Freaky, eh? I don't even know how it happened. It doesn't hurt or anything, but its a pretty big, dark bruise to not know how it happened.

Anyhoo, here are some shots of Ian's room before (the small bedroom):

And this is the old spare room. It was getting seriously out of hand, and it seemed like such a big job I was afraid to tackle it. I couldn't even close the door anymore!

I moved all of Ian's stuff to my room, and scrubbed the walls and vacuumed, then started putting the spare room stuff in Ian's old room. Here's how things looked at lunch time:

Small bedroom:

Big bedroom:

I gave Ian a huge pile of stuff and told him to put it in the laundry room. Then he kinda disappeared. I found him in the dirty laundry trying to take a nap:

Yeah, that is a LOT of laundry.

I finished all of the work about 4pm. Here are Ian's old room (new spare room) finished:

I know it looks messy, but it is very tidy, and accessible. When Travis gets home, we need to go through it all and get rid of a lot of it. Also, no yarn in there, I took it upstairs to be sorted out.

Ian's new room, (old spare room)

The bed wasn't made yet because all the double size bedding is in the wash. I did get a foamy mattress topper and a vinyl mattress protector. I didn't buy any special bedding for him because I haven't decided if I want to get him a twin bed or bunk bed yet. I am kinda waffling on that. In the mean time, I am looking for a free or next to free dresser so I can use that shelf for something else.

This was such a huge job, I have been meaning to do it since Christmas, but I just couldn't get started, and it wasn't something I could do in bits, either. Once I started, I had to finish that day. I am sooooo glad to be finished. Sorry to say, though, if anybody comes to visit, I am not really sure where I will put you. At least the couch pulls out, ha ha!

Amidst all the kafuffle, Ian found his carefully hidden drum set. (Thanks again Chrys) So I set it up for him, and he treated me to a Job Well Done concert. Beats Elton John any day! (Ok, it doesn't, but if I keep telling myself that, maybe I will start to believe it)

(The video is taking forever to process on YouTube... if it isn't working, check back later. If it is not working by tomorrow I will upload again and edit the post. But the post is ready except for the video so I am going to go ahead and post it.)

Speaking of horses...

2008-07-31T16:01:00.000-03:00

This horsey is a beauty!

Nature Makes Me Mad

2008-07-30T12:50:00.005-03:00

Don't you hate it when this happens?

Nice Day

2008-07-30T12:41:00.009-03:00

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

2008-07-29T00:04:00.002-03:00

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.

Swimming

2008-07-27T14:26:00.004-03:00

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!

2008-07-27T10:18:00.003-03:00

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

2008-07-24T23:56:00.003-03:00

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!

2008-07-18T12:05:00.001-03:00

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!

2008-07-18T07:24:00.004-03:00

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.

2008-07-17T12:02:00.002-03:00

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!

2008-07-16T18:42:00.001-03:00

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

2008-07-14T00:43:00.002-03:00

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

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

2008-07-12T20:11:00.003-03:00

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?

2008-07-10T23:14:00.001-03:00

Obviously, I am developing a serious YouTube addiction.

Today's Ian Quotes

2008-07-05T18:47:00.001-03:00

(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...

2008-07-04T19:25:00.003-03:00

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

2008-07-04T11:37:00.002-03:00

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.

2008-07-04T10:13:00.003-03:00

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.

Beauty is in the eye of the land holder.

2008-06-29T18:56:00.002-03:00

Having a steep, weed infested hill for a back yard isn't all bad!

Ian is set for a brilliant musical career!

2008-06-25T16:11:00.002-03:00

Check out Ian's debut musical performance:

(just in case you can't tell, he's singing Wake Up Call by Maroon 5)

Also I have added a couple of albums on the side so go check them out!

A little randomness.

2008-06-25T13:39:00.002-03:00

1. I have the Prize Dishcloths done. I will post pics soon and also mail them. But I am pretty lazy so "soon" is really relative.

2. Evidence I am an Idiot: Exhibit A: I was at the drive in bank machine and dropped my bank card in the slot where the parking brake is.

3. The weather has been really nice the last few days, hot enough to swim outside but not so hot as to be uncomfortable. I was thinking of taking Ian swimming but it got a little breezy. But tonight is the Bedford Days Kick Off Fireworks, so I think I might take him to that. We will go early and bring a picnic supper.

4. Evidence I am an Idiot: Exhibit B: I ordered pizza the other day and then I went and got my wallet and waited for the Pizza Guy to show up. When he finally appeared, I opened my wallet and no bank card inside. So I was tearing my house apart looking for it, dumping my purse, digging in pockets, etc and it was nowhere to be found. So I got the brilliant idea to jump in my car and drive the 100 metres to the mail box, with the pizza guy still standing there on what passes for my lawn. I got the mail, and lo and behold, a replacement bank card! Whew!! (the one I lost was the temporary one.) Good timing on the replacement card, there, Bank!

5. We are going to go camping this weekend, out by Pictou. It will be Ian's first time ever camping. I will be sure to take lots of pictures. I may even post them!

6. Evidence I am an Idiot: Exhibit C: I bought some camera batteries for the old Advantix camera. I swapped out the battery, and finished off the roll of film. Then I thought to myself, "well I don't want to run out the battery just sitting there, those little mini camera batteries are expensive!" so I opened the film drop in loading thingy and put the battery in. Then I shut it. Then I noticed the lens hadn't retracted so I was going to put the battery back in but try as I might, the door wouldn't pop open. I guess the battery was blocking the latch or something, but I don't understand because the battery is pretty small. Anyway, I thought maybe I could see how it opened if I took the back off. So I took the back off. and alas it wouldn't open, but it did give me a shock so bad it burned my finger. I ~~threw~~ dropped the camera and since it had no backing on, some pieces broke off. And I was very very afraid of picking it back up again so I sorta slid it into a ziploc bag. Maybe some day I can get it repaired. Who knows. Anyway, little camera batteries are NOT as expensive as overpriced, obsolete, panoramic cameras. JUST LEAVE THE BATTERY WHERE IT BELONGS, PEOPLE!

7. Verdict: Should I really be taking a small child camping?

It's really just an episode or two after supper folks, I swear!

2008-06-20T23:59:00.004-03:00

I may have been watching too much House.

Ian has been telling his toys: "I'm sorry, there's no treatment."

And the winner is...

2008-06-17T15:06:00.004-03:00

...Jillian! Who guessed Newhart! I put all the names in a bowl and let Ian pick. Also, all the names were great and I couldn't decide between them so I put those in the bowl and let Ian pick too. And he picked....Jillian! Woo Hoo! Only one parcel to mail!

It was completely random. I swear! If you have an issue, take it up with the Independant Review Board (aka Ian) although I have to warn you the conversation will go something like this:

Sore Loser: Why didn't you pick Me?
I.R.B: And Thomas goes on tracks?
Sore Loser: Wha? What are you talking about? Your choices were not fair!
I.R.B: And battery power Thomas wants to hang out with me? And that's a great idea?
Sore Loser: Are you even listening to me? I want to speak with your supervisor!
I.R.B: I want a snack. I want yogurt for a snack.
Sore Loser: AAAAAAAARRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

So the name chosen for my sweater is "Beryl". Who is my aunt. (Hi aunty!) But since I reserve the right to alter things to suit myself, I am going to alter this name. I am still battling ants around here, and although I have yet to find ants actually ON the sweater, I will hereby dub the sweater "Anty Beryl"

I will be shortly emailing my lucky double winner to discuss colour choices.

In other news, I got Ian registered for preschool this fall. I have to say, I didn't think I was a sappy, sentimental person but when I was looking around the school, and I saw the little classrooms and the little cubbies with the coats and backpacks, and pictured Ian on his first day with brand new sneakers on, bringing me home artwork to stick on the fridge, I got all choked up.He's not a baby anymore. He isn't even a toddler. He is preschool age! He's gonna have a cubby! I just brought him home from the "hopsital" yesterday! How can he be ready for a cubby?

He can't even get his pants on frontwards!

Time flows swiftly past.

2008-06-16T17:05:00.004-03:00

So the questions have been flowing in... what the heck is a swift. Well folks, I have the answer. This:

is a swift. It clamps on a table, you put the skein of yarn on it and it spins around so you can wind it from a pretty but useless skein to a much more managable ball. Used in conjunction with a ball winder (which I also ordered because I decided I like centre pull yarn muffins best) you have all you need to prevent either a) trying to find a willing victim to hold yarn while you wind it, such as a husband, who seems to be conveniently absent (possibly avoiding holding my yarn? we will never know) b) putting it on the back of a chair or your feet and spending about 4 hours swearing and untangling the resulting mess or c) driving 25k into town to get them to wind it at the yarn store. Of course I could have avoided all this mess if I just bought all my yarn at Wal Mart but I am a complete yarn snob and I have a weakness for stuff that still smells like sheep.

Anyhoo!

I had to take Phoebe to the vet today. She hasn't been in several years and was due for a shot. She spazzed out and bit me. (I'll live. Although it was my yarn hand, it was conveniently not where the yarn goes.) We took her in the room and the nurse came in, and we coaxed her out of the case. Then she growled and hissed while she was weighed. (10 1/2 lbs. What a tubby tabby!) The nurse or whatever was starting to look nervous, and Phoebe jumped off the table and went and hid under a chair. There were literally clouds of fur coming off her. It didn't help that Ian thought it was hilarious and was banging and thumping to scare her worse. Then the actual vet came in and took one look at her and said, "well that's your problem. I can see why she is grumpy right there. Look at her colours. She is a tortie. They have behavioral issues"

So I guess she is genetically predisposed to being a psycho homicidal loony. Nice kitty!

Anyway, he said "no way I'm giving her this pill. You take it home and force it down her throat."

So looks like I am in for a fun evening!

(Someone better call me in the morning to see if I survived.)

World Wide Knit in Public Day

2008-06-14T20:14:00.003-03:00

1. Theodore was full. So we will do it some other time in the summer. Maybe on a weekday. But WWKIP Day was fun, we went to the Spring Garden Library and sat on the lawn and they gave out prizes. I didn't win any. Because I suck. I mean, I seriously suck at draws. I have bad draw karma. I think there is a black hole with my name on it and when I enter draws it sucks away my entry.

Well maybe I shouldn't complain. I did win that LCD TV in a draw last year. But that doesn't count because it wasnt YARN and it wasn't TODAY.

Anyhoo.

I donated some hand knit dish cloths to the Byrony House, they were collecting food and household items. Then a lady was trying to show me how to do stranded knitting with two hands using my dishcloth-in-progress and I knit continental and honestly don't know how you right-handed folk do it because every time I try I have dropped needles sliding all over the place and my hands get all tangled up in the yarn and so on. Plus I think there is a good chance I knit weird because when other people do it, it looks really weird. So I couldn't tell what she was doing. But I pretended I did. Because I am socially clever that way. And then I went and sat quietly under a tree and tried to frog it back but that doesn't work well with slipped stitch colourwork and so I lost about 8 rows of knitting before I could get it back on the needles and then I broke the needle.

So I luckily had my sweater there and took it over to the crowd of people and I was knitting away and gabbing and I noticed my stitch marker had disappeared, the open ring one for marking the rows. I was like "great. I need a stitch marker now" then suddenly like a beam of light from the heavens above, the owner of The Loop was sauntering about handing out free stitch markers and percent off coupons! I was disproportionately excited! I went "woo hoo I REALLY needed this!" and marked my row and then I noticed the coupon and got even MORE excited because OMG I HAVE A SWIFT ON ORDER AND NOW IT WILL COST ME 15% LESS!

Could life be any more grand???

Plus I bought some hand painted wool/kid/nylon/silk blend from Lismore today but we don't need to talk about that do we?

Ahem.

I told the lady at the Farmers Market that I am officially CUT OFF FROM NOW ON, OK?

2. I ~~never bothered to look it up~~ chose the Darrell spelling as an homage. I didn't want to COPY. That would be bad. But who else thinks I should get another tetra and name it Darrell (pronounced da-RILL)? He could have a pony tail and be a really pretentious fish and a bad waiter.

Anybody?

No?

Ok, then.

(that joke was really hard to write out. It would be funnier if I said it to you.)

5. Who likes my evil plan to get more comments? Mwahahahahaha

6. I know I skipped 3 and 4 but I really didn't have anything further to say about those subjects.

Stuff to do...

2008-06-14T09:29:00.003-03:00

1. Taking Ian downtown today. (fun to park!) We are going to the Farmers Market then I think a Theodore ride then it is World Wide Knit In Public Day so I will find a place to knit in public. Preferably eating my yummies from the market.

2. I got a bigger tank and a couple tetras and a snail. The snail is orange and is named Larry. Since I got the tetras at the same time, and they are orange too, they are all brothers. I named the tetras Darrell and Darrell. (not after your hubby, Adrienne) So if anybody comes over I can introduce them as such: Hi, this is Larry, this is his brother Darrell and this is his other brother Darrell. Whoever guesses what I am talking about could get a free dishcloth!

3. I got a gift card to The Loop and also some Birthday Money so I got all worked up and went down to buy a swift. But they had to order it in. I won't get it for a couple weeks. I have no idea what I will do until then. (Ok, lets be honest, I am going to make dishcloths. Plus I have a sweater to work on. I need to quit getting ahead of myself here)

4. Speaking of the sweater, it is about at my belt now. I need a better name for it than Sweater. Any suggestions? Whoever comes up with the best name for it wins....well not the sweater. How about a free dishcloth?

5. So I guess I am having a blog contest. Leave a comment on this blog, or on the Facebook note. (I think a feed goes to Ravelry too but I am pretty sketchy about checking that so I wouldn't recommend leaving a comment there) I will draw from correct answers for the fish and I will pick my favourite name for the sweater completely objectively. Contest closes, well, lets say Tuesday. I am gonna be all casual and junk. I will personally knit a dishcloth for you in the colour of your choice if you win and then mail it to you.

Well now that I got that off my chest, how about some pictures.

2008-06-10T10:04:00.001-03:00

Sorry about the maudlin post. I really make an effort to keep this upbeat and positive (and honestly for the most part, that is how I feel) and I don't usually open up on here a whole lot. I have a lot of respect for the bloggers out there in bloggoland who do open up in their blogs. But I did have some good things to say so here we go.

Friday Ian and I went to Lawrencetown Beach. A bit nippy out, even though it was a warm day. Not a lot of wildlife there. We saw this:

And that was about it. One crab leg. Oh and about a dozen hot surfers. (I know Travis doesn't read this so I am allowed to write that, mwahahahaha!)

Actually, I don't know how anybody can call surfers at Lawrencetown "hot". After all the water was probably about 2 degrees Celsius. They had wetsuits on but still, their faces had to be freezing. And you can find them out there any time of the year. Yep, even January. Crazy.

Here are some more pics from the beach:

Ian pondering the infinite Atlantic:

Me attempting to be artistic. I thought the colours were pretty. But I couldn't see because of the glare on the camera. At least my finger isn't in the picture.

I also have a pic of a humongous boat we saw on the waterfront. Yep, it took me 3 pics to get the whole thing:

That was the day we took the Dartmouth ferry into the town, and spent my pennies bumming around. Halifax from the ferry, featuring the back of Ian's head:

I spent the first half of that ferry ride frogging a dishcloth and the second half trying not to throw up. Yep, I have major problems with seasickness. It is my only weakness. My kryptonite, if you will. I got queasy in a display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic once. And one time I almost barfed PARKED NEXT TO the ocean. And one time Travis took me for a day sail on the Freddy and I was sick all day. So sick in fact, that I drank water and when I barfed it was still cold. :::shudder:::

Ahem.

Back to the pics.

Here are some shots of Ian, who just learned to ride his tricycle. Pedaling is fun!

And for those of you who wanted a better look at a June bug (because I know there are millions), I trapped this one between the window and the screen and in the morning caught it in a jar. It was a little stunned, and it just sat there for a while and then it died. I threw it in the driveway and the next day some ants were eating it. Here is my Buddy:

Sorry it is so blurry. And yes, that is a quarter.

Here are some uber-hot pics of me modelling my sweater. It is actually about 6 inches longer now but I don't feel like taking more pics.

I actually posted these pictures as a warning, people. These are examples of how to not:

1. Model

2. Photograph a model

3. Decorate

4. Do your hair.

Oh well. At least I had pants on.

And finally, here are pics of me and my friend Beth all gussied up for my birthday.

I actually had a lot of fun. I stole the kids menu from Bubbles Mansion (That place is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING how I expected, also be careful of the link it has a loud song that isn't really workplace appropriate.); the oldest anybody guessed my age was 23 (go chubby girl who never ever goes out in the sun and is too lazy to wear makeup most of the time!) and I discovered that drinks cost a HELL of a lot more than when I started going out to the bar. Like, frig, dudes! WTF?

So that was my week (give or take) in Pictures. Hope you liked it!

What a week.

2008-06-09T21:31:00.001-03:00

I know I haven't been posting much the last few days but the weather has been really nice and we have been enjoying ourselves immensely. I had a BBQ on Wednesday, which was my very uneventful 30th birthday. Then on Saturday a friend and I went out to celebrate. We had a pretty good time but I have to say it is bothering me a lot that nobody else came. I have friends and family back home who would have come if it were closer, and I totally understand that. But I have lived in Halifax for six and a half years now and I could only find one (1) person to come out with me on my thirtieth birthday. That really says a lot about me I think. I don't know what it says but I do know that some changes have to be made.

I don't think I am a bitch or anything. (I hope I am not) I think I am just way too timid. Weird to imagine, because people who do know me know I never ever shut up and also I can be very loud and obnoxious sometimes. But when I meet people, I don't know how to take it from small talk to actually hanging out and becoming friends with people.

What I would really like is a group of about four or five people I can get to know and hang out with and be myself around. But it seems like everybody already has their group made up. Even when I do meet people and hang out it always seems like I am kind of inviting myself along and so I spend most of my time feeling like they just let me be there to be polite. It doesn't help that nobody ever calls me or calls me back, and most people don't follow through when they say they are going to do something. And I don't want to be that person who has to call all the time and say "Hey, you said you wanted to go do such and such did you still want to?" because most of the time the answer is "no my cat died" or "my sister has her practice for her wedding hair that day" or whatever. I hate nagging people and feeling like a stalker.

Anyway I really am sick of not having very many friends or any kind of a social life. I need to do something about it, before I lose my mind. Because at this rate, the only party I am going to have will be a pity party.

An open letter to the Weather Guy

2008-06-02T11:58:00.003-03:00

Dear Weather Guy

Are you just trying to make yourself look better? That is the only explanation. Why else can I look at the long term forecast for a particular day and Lo! It is Sunny! But as the day draws closer and closer the it becomes slightly cooler, then partially cloudy, then the day before my long-awaited outdoor event, it is showing storm warnings, tornadoes, hail, hurricanes, and 37cm of snow. By then I have already packed the car full of camping equipment/waterskis/beach umbrella and have got my kid all excited about Having Fun.

I can understand that you can't really predict the weather more than a few days ahead, but couldn't you just put rain on the forecast? That way we will all be pleasantly surprised when you are wrong instead of plotting your downfall.

Thanks.

Your fair-weather friend,
Leoal

I love Nova Scotia

2008-05-31T21:46:00.000-03:00

I had to take the trash out just now. It has been raining and it isnt just now, just foggy and still. A little chilly. I have to say, when it is just a little dark and/or foggy here I just love it. I love the way the rocks and trees and (if I am out and about) the coast line are all slightly sinister and mysterious, and a little bit tragic. I love the way the air smells here. Fresh and green and a little salty.

I stood out on the deck, breathing in the air and the fog and thinking I should get my coat and some tea and come sit out on the deck, when suddenly it hit me.

A big fat June Bug.

Yep, it's time to lock myself in the house and turn off all the lights for My Favourite Month In Nova Scotia.

:::shudder:::

A picture is worth a thousand words

2008-05-30T13:07:00.000-03:00

I think I will take the words.

Seriously. A lot of the time I don't post because I have pictures that go with the post. And I am just too lazy to find the camera, dump the pictures, put them in blablabla. Sooo lazy. We went down town the other day (yarn store and Value Village, remember?) and we ended up goofing off on the Waterfront all day. So I will post about that and put the pics up later. Promise.

Yesterday, we went to Hatfield Farm to ride a pony. The pony was Closed for Repairs. (Actually it isn't peak season yet so they only have it on weekends, but wouldn't it be funny if it really was closed for repairs? How would you repair a pony anyway? Where would you put the screwdriver? Oh wait. I forgot. Ponies take nails.)

Right. Off track a bit there.

Anyway, the petting zoo was open, so we paid $1 for petting zoo got $2 in quarters for the Oat Machine and we fed oats to goats. They also had a big donkey who just stood there and stared, two llamas, and a massive wild turkey who was guarding one goose that was sitting on eggs. The llamas weren't alpacas but they still had some nice fleece. I was thinking of asking if they ever sheared it but I forgot.

We also got to pet the big draft horses. I can never get over how monstrously huge they are. They pull wagon rides in the summer and sleigh rides in the winter. The horses were very friendly and Ian was not afraid of them at all. I think he will do well when I take him back for a pony ride later on this summer. Hatfield Farm is only about a ten minute drive from us. I may decide to bike out there later this year if I can get in a little better shape. The farm also does trail rides, but kids need to be eight so in a few years we can go as a family. Maybe we can do riding lessons as well. It's good exersise.

I did have the camera in my pocket but I forgot to take pictures. Maybe next time!

Oh plus...

2008-05-28T17:27:00.000-03:00

I wanted to put this in the last post but couldn't figure out how to work it in logically. Not that the last post was logical, but hey. Whatever.

I went in to tuck Ian in the other night and tripped over this:

Believe me. That wasn't there when I put him to bed. I was pretty aggravated about that until I saw this:

He was just so sweet I had to take pictures. And the flash made him roll all over so I tucked him back in and took the opportunity to (finally) take a picture of the WGB:

How many other knitting blogs do you know that wait until the finished object has been peed on three times before posting a picture? And how many of them heroically take said picture in the pitch dark, relying entirely on the flash for illumination? That's right! None! So tell your friends!

Random thoughts that flit in and out of my head while blogging.

2008-05-27T17:26:00.001-03:00

Well, Ian's party went well. Not a lot of shower uppers but better than last year for sure. We had Thomas Cake and Lemonade. Ian made out like a Railway Bandit, he got plenty of Thomas crap to spread all over the house. I have train tracks everywhere. However, I would fight tooth and nail to keep them, since today when we were at the library and it was time to go, he did not have a tantrum. I advised him that he has some trains at home he can play with, and he very cheerfully left the building. Woo hoo!

The weather was really nice for the first part of the day, warm and sunny, but by 3 or so the sky clouded over a bit and it cooled off, so we nixed the water fight I had planned. I gave away a few of the water guns I had purchased and we didn't get a chance to use the new Diego Sea Splash Waterslide, but we have all summer for that.

I have been working intently on my sweater (with only a few dishcloth breaks, and I have this lovely example of an acre of stockinette to show you:

I know a lot of people complain about stockinette but I really like to be able to sit and knit with my hands and not with my head, and at the same time read or watch tv. It makes for much more relaxing downtime. I am about a third of the way through the second skein and I am going to The Loop tomorrow to get a couple more wound (since I don't have a ball winder of my very own. Yet.) and also I have some questions about the pattern. Since it has mistakes. Mistakes I didn't make. I will try and escape the store with no more yarn. I will also take that opportunity to pop into Value Village, as I have 3 bags of clothing to give away. I could wait for my yard sale, but honestly who buys clothing at a yard sale? Nobody. I would rather spend my time making the mountain of other ~~junk~~ items I have seem more enticing. This yard sale is planned for some time in June, unless my street holds a yard sale again before then, in which case I would rather get in on that action.

Wow, that paragraph was all over the place, wasn't it?

You know, I really wish I posted here more often. I have all kinds of Head Blogs I think of all the time, but they are usually at inopportune times, such as bedtime, while I am in the shower, or while I am driving. Then I can't think of anything while I am sitting here.

Who wants to hear bloggy good news? The Yarn Harlot came here! Woo Hoo! I am Knitting Celebrity Style now! She tried to comment but doesn't have a Blogger account. So she sent an email! She says my stash is not too bad. Awesome! Take that, Travis! Also, I found another blog I really like, Tales from the Den of Chaos, to which I have added a link on the side. I read all the archives first and it was a really good read. I recommend everybody go take a look. Right now. Do as I demand. Anyway, it took me like two weeks to read the whole thing and since I only have a kitchen chair at my computer I ended up with a really sore neck. I think I better add Office Chair to my list of things I need for the house. Only, since reading that blog, I think I better check the secondhand stores first.

Well sorry about the long rambling post folks. But I better go now, I have a stinky little butt to wipe. Yay for Mommyhood! I will leave you with some great party images:

Mack Truck received the day of his actual birthday. He already has two of those cars. I told him it was from Phoebe (and the slip and slide was from Catnip) and so he has been telling everybody about how the cat went to the store and got him a present:

The toy Mommy liked to play with the most. I Extruded for over an hour that night!

What are you looking at?

Henry! And he's Green!

So! Exciting!

The slightly disappointing Thomas cake. The icing is just globbed on. And you would think for almost thirty dollars they could at least get the train track straight. I really really can't decorate cakes at all but I think I am just gonna suck it up in future.

Whew!

Top Ten Fascinating Ian Facts

2008-05-24T21:20:00.000-03:00

10. His favourite colour is green. And he's jealous of green. He gets mad when I say I like green too.

9. He is very mellow, easygoing, and agreeable. He is always ready to go and see something else. Unless he is at the Library/Toys r Us/Baby store/Edumacational Toy Store playing with the Thomas and it is time to go. Then, be prepared for Hurricane Ian. Today, he tried to physically force me back into the store, wailing as if his life were ending the entire time.

8. Not a big meat eater. Likes broccoli. Go figure.

7. Likes to make me coffee. As in "pot of". I have to supervise a bit but he has it down, from draining out the dregs and rinsing the pot (if necessary) right through grounds and putting water in the tank. I accidentally joked about him making me a pot of coffee once and he took it WAAAAAY too seriously.

6. Messiest. Eater. On. Planet. Earth. I swear, he could lose in a Neat Eating contest with the Tasmanian Devil. I have no clue where he gets this from. (She says as she tries to wipe coffee off her shirt and crumbs out of her bra)

5. Freakishly tall. He is the size of a 5 year old. No kidding. Thus making the attempt to press me back into the toy store a very real possibility.

4. Will become a famous chef. I am certain. Between the coffee making, bread kneading, risotto stirring, and flour sifting, he has the makings of a fine cook.

3. On the other hand, has no taste in yarn whatsoever. I can't go to the craft section in Zellers at all without having to pull ball after ball of Discount Gag Me Green Acrylic out of the cart afterward. (throws up a little in mouth)

2. Can spell his own name. And type it on the computer. And spell it on the fridge.

1. Is the most amazing, brilliant, funny, adorable, energetic, free spirited beautiful new three year old on earth.

Happy Birfday Ian!

Love, Mommy.

Seriously. No. Seriously.

2008-05-23T21:38:00.001-03:00

Does Timbaland have to be in EVERY SINGLE SONG on the radio? I mean, I don't think I could possibly go 15 minutes without hearing the dude. The only possibly explanation is some kind of deal with the devil. It's not that I don't like him. It's just that, well, I would like to hear something else once in a while.

(Yeah, I know I could change the radio station to something other than C100. Shut up.)

My Stash. An Overly Descriptive Essay by Leoal

2008-05-23T20:27:00.000-03:00

This started out as a comment here and I noticed it was getting way out of hand and decided it would be a post of its very very own. Ooo, fancy!

I don't usually buy yarn just because I like it, I usually buy yarn because I go to the yarn store to buy yarn for "a sweater for hubby" or "a hat for my brother-in-law" or what have you. So all yarn is bought with a purpose.

I then have Upstairs Stash (my living room) which has yarn in ziplock freezer baggies for two or three (or eleven) projects on the go or soon to begin, along with the needles and if small enough, the pattern needed, as well as any notions particular to that project, such as stitch holders. I keep all of that plus all the loose patterns in a big wicker basket under the end table and I have a smaller basket full of all the other odds and ends, and the circular and dpns. Also a Glenfiddich Can full of the straights. That is all on top of the end table. Then when I go, I can grab one or two appropriate WIP's and put it in my (very large) purse.

The Downstairs Stash (Spare room (yep, my house is all topsy turvy)) has two large plastic containers. The one that is easy to get at has all the stuff that I plan to knit sooner or later, generally WIP's or sorted baggies with the pattern in. This bin is an extension of the Upstairs Stash, and is in rotation with it when the upstairs basket gets too full.

The other bin holds leftover yarn, plus a lot of stuff from a friend who gave away a lot of stuff to me when she moved away, and generally all the things with no specific plan. It is a good place to look when I am struck with the urge to make something not in queue but it is midnight on a Sunday or something. That's where the little striped poncho came from.

I also have a large basket of Handicrafter Cotton downstairs as I am addicted to Dishcloths... they are comfort knitting for when I am mad at my current project, undecided, nervous about trying something new, or just want something small and portable and patternless. I even have dedicated dischloth needles.

I am such a dork.

Anyway, I often find that my bags get all disorganised so I have to go through and re-sort everything into projects, and sometimes that involves changing my mind on the projects I had planned.

Also, the whole thing is getting way too big for me to handle. I need to go on a yarn diet.

So no more yarn for me. Unless it is for a specific project.

Hey, I Posted this Without A Title! Yay for the Edit Post Button!

2008-05-20T15:42:00.000-03:00

The sweater is about 3/4 of an inch long... and extremely nerve wracking. The increases started right off the bat and the pattern doesn't say how many I should have after each row so I am very paranoid about what has been going on. Also, my usual method of knitting is to memorize the "gist" of the pattern, then just sit and knit it. So that I don't have to pay attention. I have no idea what I am doing here and so I am following the pattern to the letter.

I went and bought some stitch markers, especially for the occasion. I had some open-ring stitch markers but they kept getting caught up in the knitting. So anyhoo, I bought these little ring markers and then I took my knitting to the library. I cast on the first stitches and then realised I forgot the stitch markers and therefore was only able to cast on. Not to be deterred, I created stitch markers from paper that was in my pocket. 40 stitch markers to my name and I am using scrap paper.

I went on Kijij yesterday morning, and I put an ad up for my swing set which has been languishing in my shed lo this past year. By 11:30 am it was gone and I was several $20's richer. I also answered some ads for a babysitter. I have 3 girls left to meet, and I met one this afternoon. She seems really nice. I have never really had to find a babysitter before (Ian has been babysat, but he was with Chrys's kids, and she was the one to find the girl)

So this girl brought her mom to the interview. I took it to be a good sign. She has first aid and cpr, and a babysitting course. She plays sports. And she is in grade 10, so she isn't like a baby or anything either. She was tidy looking as well... she wasn't wearing pajama bottoms and a bra or anything. So I think I will call her for Friday just to see how she does, and maybe this will mean I will be able to get out of the house once in a while. Woot!

Today was Garbage day, and last night my neigbours a couple houses down put a table and chairs out for pick up. The chairs are in great shape, really sturdy wood and they don't look too bad with my set (although they in no way match) So... SCORE!!!

So all in all we had a pretty good weekend. Other than the incessant pouring rain. And freakishly itchy bug bites from the 1 hour it wasn't actually raining and we could go outside.

So tomorrow I have a massive huge chore to do. I need to move Ian's room to the spare room and vice versa, and sort all the stuff to be Yard Sold at some point within the next few months. And I really should check Kijiji for a dresser for him.....

Busy busy busy here!

Hey! Guess What? I've been Knitting!

2008-05-17T08:49:00.001-03:00

Hey folks. I am sure some of you come her for the knitting. You never know. Anything's possible.

Despite the lack of knitting related posts (and posts in general) I have been knitting away. I just haven't been doing anything terribly dramatic. I made these:

(Don't you just love the patterns the variegated yarns make when they are used as the background colour?)

Here is a closer pic. It goes from left to right in a rainbow. They always do that.

I have also knit a few of these:

They are my own design. They have a very rough texture. I think they will be good for scrubbing.

I am currently working on this:

Which are the reverse of the mittens from here. The skeins make two pairs of mittens.

I also bought myself a sweater. It is still in yarn form:

Ain't it purty?? It is Cascade Yarns Heathers colour 8401, 100% Peruvian Highland Merino wool. I have more than what shows there. I even did a swatch!

However, I am terrified of actually knitting the sweater. I have never made a sweater before. So I am finding all kinds of other things to knit. Like a ream of dishcloths. And a pair of mittens. In May.

So maybe soon I will finish the mittens and since I am out of dishcloth yarn (erm... at least in the upstairs stash) I will have no excuse not to sit down and make the sweater.

Although I do have a few ends to weave in....

New Family Member

2008-05-14T13:54:00.000-03:00

Introducing Catnip, the newest member of our little family. Ian named him. He is so clever.

This is a test

2008-05-08T23:28:00.001-03:00

I have this funkadelic thingamajig for typing on my blog without actually going to it. I wanna see how well it works, particularly since I hate the way I have to put pics on blogger. It takes forever. So this doesn't count as a real post, k?

To practice on, here are some pics of the Iroquois leaving which I never got around to posting. PS If you go to that link and sign the guest book the boys (and girls) will see it! Plus if anybody wants to write to Travis, send me an email and I will give you his email and/or mailing address, or you can mail it to me and I will take it down to the MFRC for free posting, or put it in my care package I am putting together. PPS it is really hot where he is going, nothing that will spoil, please. That includes chocolate. You can just address the chocolate to me thankyouverymuch.