This Post Brought To You By...

"Whoa! Oh, hey! Um, right this is kinda embarassing... Anyhoo. So, Mom's been feeling poorly these past few days. Something about her stomach. She's been keeping a "low profile", whatever that is. She seems pretty much higher than me, so I don't really know what a "low" profile is."

"Auntie Brigitte feels crummy! Aw, that sucks... But I ask you - does she have to get these ridiculous haircuts, and have someone ::cough::Mommy Susie::cough:: make funnies behind her head? Oh, probably NOT."

"Eeeeeeeeeee! Heeeee heeeeee! Eeeeeeee! Hangie thingie! Heeee heeeeeee! Ah nuts, I'm stuck..."

"Such. A. Dork. Anyway, Mom has been knitting, she finished the front of Grace, and one whole sleeve! But, speaking of dorky, she keeps forgetting she has to block that shawl, Kiri. I keep telling her it doesn't count as an FO until she does. She's spacey these days... Anyway. She also is upset with Delores because she's already run out of yarn. So, to make herself feel better (you know how it is), and because I told her that Fair Isle is the cure to most ills (I know, I rock), she started "Laleli". You know, from Virtual Yarns. It's a cardigan with purples and greens, but the picture on the site is all funky, so it's kinda hard to tell what the design is. Seems all flowery to me...oh, tulips! Anyway, where was I... Oh right, Grace. No. Was it Fair Isle? Oh. I'm tired now."

"I'm helping too! Look! I'm typing on the computer while Mom drinks coffee and multi-tasks with the camera! I'm a star! Mae tells me I'm space cadet all the time, and this proves it!"

Normal blogging will resume, once we're up from our nap!

I Showed Restraint...Really

OK. So it's not as orange as it looks in the picture. Who knew orange was such a tough colour to photograph? And Korbis I am not... Just one of the lovelies I picked up at Saturday's Knitter's Fair in Kitchener-Waterloo. And this stuff is YUMMY. Some new Fleece Artist "Woolie Silk 3-ply" goodness, in a wonderful rust colour. AND - I got a freebie pattern called "Celtic Touch" from the shop "Linda's Craftique". *Note to self - rope Lorraine into going to this shop.*

We had a wonderful time... *sigh* And I was very good, all things considered. Getting there early was a good thing, it got very busy, very quickly. Lorraine, her sister and I did the rounds, saw all the goodies, and made a quick exit just as it was getting crazy crowded. We then headed to St. Jacob's for some more shopping, after a hearty (and I mean HEARTY) brunch.

Here are some more yummies!

Ooooo... Some Cashmere and Polwarth wool for a chullo (a funky hat with ear flaps - I have a lot of hair...). This was from a wonderful booth called "Rovings" out of Dugald, Manitoba. Wow. They had a lot of nice stuff. And this Polwarth wool has to be fondled to be believed! Unbelievably soft, and it's not just because of the cashmere either. Their 100% polwarth wool was just amazing. *sigh* It's going to make for one really warm hat.

And, to the back - some lovely 2-ply Shetland wool from Hopeful Shetlands (no website!). And the pattern to go with it. A simple lace pattern (oh please let it be so...) for a scarf. So, I should be ready to go and warm for another upcoming winter.

And that. Is all. I know. Let me give you all a moment to pick yourselves off the floor...

Alrighty? OK?

I WAS going to pick up some more stuff, but the retailer who normally brings in her selection of Peace Fleece decided not to bring it along.

*crickets in the background*

Not. Pleased. But, Lorraine and I swapped some yarn later in the day, so it was kind of like I received something new... My stashed Peace Fleece for some of her Aran Donegal Tweed.

In other knitting news... Grace almost has a front now. The pictures are black lace. Picture it, ok? I haven't touched Mermaid since I got home last week, simply because I want to make quick work of Grace before embarking on Fulmar in early October. My plan, which is do-able, is to have both done before then. *fingers crossed* ...

*and toes*

Speaking of Fulmar, I came across another Fair Isle knitter in the Fulmar KAL Yahoo bloglist! And she knits Dale of Norways AND Arans! So, go say Hi to Carolyn - how cool is this - she lives in Alaska!! (Well, I think it's cool, she can practically wear wool ALL YEAR ROUND! Ok, so it's pretty cold and snowy and dark in the winter, but she can knit and wear wool ALL YEAR ROUND!)

"Man, Mom's loosing it. She'd better not move us up to Nunavut or the Yukon because someone's gonna have poopers in places not meant for poops..."

(Knit and wear wool ALL YEAR LONG!)

OK, I'm off to make a pot of brown rice to go with my yummy ratatouille simmering in the crock pot. I love this time of year...

Adventures With A Dog

"All I hear is "Finnegan!" this, and "Finnegan!" that! All freakin' day long... Man, I'm pooped. So, Finnegan is now going to lie here, in the path of everyone, and basically play the cat. And look cute. Wow, hey! I am a cute little fellow... Look...at...me..."

Now I ask you. How great is a trip when one of your hosts looks like that? And greats you with tail a-waggin' and wet puppy kisses everytime he sees you? And I mean everytime. Getting up in the morning? At least five minutes of "I Love You" tail wagging and belly rubs. Coming home from a walk? More slobbery kisses. Went to the bathroom? Why, it's like you've-been-gone-so-long-and-wow-I-love-you-love-you-love-you-tail-a-waggin'.


I had such a cool time in St. Catharines! Relaxing, fun, and a great time as always. Let's see...we did all sorts of stuff - hung out, watched movies, ate like it was going out of style. Oh, and went on a Ghost Walk of Niagara-on-the-Lake.


And birthday pressies! Look!

Mmmmm...Fleece Artist...

And it came directly from Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, purchased at a lovely little shop there called Have A Yarn. Oh, look at all the goodies in the store! Apparently, a whole WALL of nothing but Fleece Artist. Which makes sense, seeing how it's produced in the area. *sigh* How wonderful would it be to be able to visit such a lovely yarn shop, in such a lovely area of Canada, and fondle Fleece Artist yarns to your heart's content? *sigh*

I think it's going to be super dooper exciting! Because I'm going to be able to do that in the future!!! Because my sister and SIL are buying a home in Nova Scotia!!! A "summer home" on the seashore!! With a guest room!! And Finnegan!! In the vicinity of Mahone Bay!!!!!!! And Fleece Artist!! And aren't you jealous?!?!!!! Am I excited, or what?!?!!!

Oh, I'm soooo thrilled for them! It's going to be fabulous, I'm going to LOVE coming out for visits.

So, what else did I do in St. Catharines? Why, knitting of course. I did get a good chunk of Mermaid done, I've almost completed the back. If you're thinking of knitting Mermaid ::cough::CarrieK::cough::, or have one in your stash ::cough::Chris::cough:: - trust me - Mermaid is nowhere near as complex as it looks. And yes Carrie, I pinky-swear it is!

And look what else I did!

"...*sigh*... Whatev... I'll sit here, model your damn jacket, pass out from heat stroke, just so you can go all "ooooh" and "aaaah" over me. Atticus warned me stuff like this happens. One minute you're asleep, and next minute they wake you up and doll you up like you're the next Canada's Top Model. All I want to do is watch "Dog the Bounty Hunter" and eat cheese...*sigh*"

Finnegan got a little jacket for the fall! Awww...although he's pretty much indifferent to it. All it needs is a bit of velcro to keep it snug around his chest, and he's ready for anything the fall and winter throw at it.

Isn't he just the cutest?! I shudder to think what the Little Dudes would do if I tried to put something like that on them...

Speaking of the kitties... They behaved themselves quite nicely while I was away, thanks to their Auntie Raven coming by to feed and play with them. Very little was trashed. That I've seen. So far. They seem to have forgiven me for having left them for a few days, and that I came home smelling like Finnegan. Greenies and new toys will that, you know...

"...she's a maniac! ma-ni-ac on the floor...doodeedoodoodoodoodeedoo...never dan-anced befo-ore..."

"All right Mom, I've got my report right here. Gandalf ate paper, knocked around some fridge magnets, and I'm pretty sure he gave me the finger once or twice. Mae was OK...try as I might, I have nothing on her, the Goodie-Four-Shoes."

"You guys are such dweebs..."

All is right with the world.

Vacation Time!

Have you ever heard the saying - "Some people are like Slinkies - they don't do a whole lot, but it sure makes you smile when you push them down the stairs."?

Much like my interactions at work this week.


But, all that doesn't matter! Because as of now I am on vacation until September 10th! Yay me!! And during that time, I will be visiting my sister and SIL in St. Catharines; turning 39 (on Sunday); and going to the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter's Fair with Lorraine (have you seen her new design, Guinevere?!) on Saturday the 8th.

And guess who I'm also visiting with in St. Catharines!

"What? Why's everyone staring at me...?" - Finnegan

Much to the chagrin of these fellows...

"So, I'm in charge? Right? While you're gone? Can I abuse my power? No?"

"Neener neener Atticus! Pffffttttt! Neener neen...oh hey, a hangie thing..."

But they will be in good hands, no worries there. Mae? She knows who's really the boss...

So, I've been happily knitting away on Grace:

Of course, black is not the easiest colour to photograph. Here's the back, in it's unblocked state. Once blocked, it'll bloom out nicely. I LOVE this pattern. LOVE. Dorothy Siemens is just a genius. Her patterns take all the guesswork out of absolutely everything - you don't have to figure out how to shape along the armhole and shoulder. It looks much more difficult than it actually is. I'm going to get a good head start on the front.

LOVE IT!

And here's another one I haven't posted about before:

Persian Tiles Blanket, from Virtual Yarns. It's from Jade Starmore's "A Collector's Item", and is going to be spectacular when it's done! WHEN it's done. Because you need to complete 10 repeats of the 50 odd stitch pattern (3 repeats per round, 179 stitches per round). Which is completely doable, however I finish this when I finish it. It's a project I'll work on when I can. I do love it - it gives me the satisfaction of stranded knitting, yet is only 2 colours throughout and simple enough to work on while watching TV.

I just can't think of the 500 rounds I'll have knit by the time it's completed. Or I'll never pick it up again.

My colours are Kittiwake (the light blue) and Shearwater. Both Michelle and I are working on this, although I think Michelle has a deadline...brave, brave girl. Because it's a long knit...

So, that's it! I'll be back next week, a bit older, a lot sillier and just as happy!

Nothing Says I Love You Like...

...kitty scratches.

So, our little friend Gandalf was dead to the world asleep last week - you know the kind where there are little kitty paw twitches and air-boxing moves. Snoring. On the couch, next to me, where I was minding my own beeswax, knitting and watching "Family Guy". Just out of the blue, something must have spooked him in his sleep, because he woke up, jumped 2 feet in the air, and landed feet first, CLAWS OUT, on my leg.

And then proceeded to use my leg as a springboard to the floor. OK, so it doesn't look too bad in the picture; this happened last Sunday. But let me tell you - the scratches on my leg bled, and those dots on my foot and leg are bruised, and gouged. Not scratches - gouges. And they HURT. Once he landed on the floor, tail all puffed out, he blinked, looked around, found Atticus, snuggled up with him and went right back to sleep. I needed Polysporin.

"...I'm a lil' tea pot...nananana...an' stout...lalalalalala...here is my spout...nananalalala..."

It's been that kind of week. Everyday I said "I'll post tonight!", and something else came up. Which is probably not a good thing, because that something else usually entailed knitting something not meant to be... So, I really haven't much to show for myself.

Except for making an even bigger mess of my WIP table.

But! I've been doing all sorts of cool stuff on Ravelry! It's amazing how much time you can, uh, spend on it, searching through a ton of neat projects, and seeing who and what's out there.

Let's see, in the last week I have:

* Joined the Clapotis Second Wave KAL (starting September 23rd).

* Joined the Fulmar KAL (starting October 1st).

* Not blocked poor Kiri yet.

* Started a Caped Crusader cardigan (link to Lorraine's completed one from last November).

* Started "Grace" by Dorothy Siemens.

* Reached the halfway point of Mermaid. I'm going to hold off doing any more until next weekend when I head out to my sister and SIL's for my birthday. I'll be there for 5 days, and I always get some good knitting in.

I know what you're thinking! But I came clean. It's the time of year, I suppose. I start to get antsy for the fall, and fall knitting. And I can't stay focused on any one thing as my mind begins to race when I start seeing all the new yarns and designs for the fall.

*sigh*

"Um, whoa. Back up the truck, sister! What's this going away next weekend business?? That is so not cool..."

Is Gandalf Really That Silly?

"Need the catnip...skirt's in the way...oh...catnip...come to papa..."

Catnip. The only example I can think of where Mae completely looses her dignity.

"Oh sweet, sweet catnip...oh! ...I see fairies..."

Atticus went off in a corner to contemplate the meaning of life after his roll around the catnip.

I couldn't find him.

So, I was asked recently - is Gandalf really that silly?

Oh yes.

He's a goof, but an absolutely loveable one. He loves being around others, whether it be Mae or Atticus or people. He's curious, sometimes to his own detriment - sailing down the stairs while sitting in the litter box lid; falling in the toilet (ok, Atticus did this too); getting locked in the shower stall because I didn't realize he had snuck in to explore. Oh, and of course the day he snuck out between my legs as I was leaving for work one morning and ended spending the whole day outside. Atticus sitting on his head in some kind of feline wrestling move when he was smaller. His way of saying - stop. sniffing. me. One time when I was puppy-sitting my sister and SIL puppy Finnegan, I turned around to find the two of them napping happily side by side in Finnegan's crate. (Of course, to get to this point, Finnegan had to generously offer up his puppy food, like some new kid at a new school. They were all great friends after they scarfed back his food.) He is the only one of my guys who will let me pick him up, and give him hugs and kisses, and he'll put up with. Mae will put up with only so long, and Atticus will only put up with if he wants to.

*staring into space*

"Lalalalalala...Ooooo, I wonder if Atticus will be ok with me waking him up...maybe I should go check out the food situation in the kitchen...yarn? Is that yarn?... lalalalalalala...Oh, wait, didn't I want to... cool, I think Mom's going to watch Animal Planet... I want to be a lion when I grow up... no, an elephant, no one messes with them... I wonder if Auntie Lorraine is going to come for a visit?... doodeedoo lalalalalala...Uh oh, Mom's coming over...she's gonna give me a kiss again...aw geez...! Mom!"

Meanwhile, back on the couch...

Mermaid grows. What you see there is the left front, underarm, and start of the back. And you know - it is nowhere near as difficult as it looks. As long as you pay attention, and trust the knitting wisdom of Hanne Falkenberg. I have also been making up some kitty blankets for the Annex Cat Rescue, which is why she's been a bit neglected. I am really enjoying it!

Thanks for all your kind comments about Kiri! I haven't had a chance to block her yet - I'm hoping I will be able to this weekend.

And then - pictures!

Lordy Lordy Look Who's...100...

(Hey cool! Just noticed this is my 100th post!)


OK. So hey! Guess what I did this weekend?!

I finished Kiri. OK, so I didn't block it yet, one thing at a time. I have a sinking feeling blocking the shawl will be HELL, so I'm in no rush. I'm really surprised at how big it is! And, the instructions indicate it'll block out to 6 feet?? Ugh, so where am I going to block it then? I suppose my bed, with the blocking wires I bought, and a gajillion straight pins!

Oh yay! *clapping hands*

See, there is a reason I stick to wool.

I will say, I really did enjoy this. But, I'm not going to rush out and do all lace from now on, but I do feel more confident working it. And - I know, it's soft and fuzzy and cushy, but I don't know if I like working with KSH though. I just never felt too secure working with it, you know? I need to be able to feel what I'm working with, and the KSH was a bit flimsy on a 4.5mm. And besides, KSH made Gandalf more nutso than usual.

"Hee hee hee! Hee hee hee! Look at me! Hee hee hee! Wheeeeeeeee!"

"Weirdo..."

Thanks to everyone who offered advice on what to do with my ivory Scottish Fleet ::cough::Anne & Lorraine::cough::, but rest assured that there is no way - none! - I am going to unravel yarn already wound into convenient balls and use it for my very first dye job. Because with my luck... It's why the Yarn Fairy invented Visa. Although I'm contemplating doing Sand Dollar with it... who knows? I don't know what I'm going to do with it. And I may use some Jamieson's DK to do Fulmar. Or not.

The beauty of knitting...you just never know.

OK. Off to peruse Ravelry (which I swore I wouldn't go near) and spend more time NOT knitting! Cool!

Speaking of cool - once the weather cools off a bit, I'll post a modelled shot of Amphora (which fits perfectly!). Now that I've sewn the facings, I also want to re-block her.

Oh, and I should probably go and feed the Little Dudes seeing how they're giving me funky looks, and Mae is sniffing at dust balls on the floor...

The Blob

Remember that campy movie from the '50's? I remember going to see it when I was a kid, then watching the 70's remake. I also remember being really, really grossed out, yet too fascinated by it all to not look.

Sorta like this.

This would be Kiri. I decided to get her done once and for all, seeing how I'm 4 rows (ok, 8 with the wrong sides too) to completion. I'm totally bummed about it too - I'm pretty sure it's going to come out all wonky and lopsided, mainly because KSH doesn't behave for me. That's right. It doesn't.

But, I am nevertheless proud off having at least finished a lace project, regardless of how it turns out. My new knitting buddy, the Serta Counting Sheep I've christened Luna, is helping me to show off the rumpled blob that is Kiri so far. I had to fire my last assistant (Gandalf), as he tended to get distracted by the fuzziness of KSH and wouldn't stop trying to gnaw on it.

I am so going to hug my wool stash after I'm done.

So, it's been a bit longer than I would have liked since my last post. Mainly because of the heat, and let's face it - I really, really don't like the heat. I tend to not want to do anything, least of all park myself in front of a computer generating tons of heat. But, I did knit. (Like heat's gonna stop me.) Mermaid? Heh, coming along quite nicely. I'm really enjoying this - much, much easier to knit than Diva was. This one has few surprises, and as long as you pay attention and follow the directions closely, you'll be fine. This isn't a pattern open to interpretation. And, I'm loving the effect of the apple green and turquoise together.

And, I finally got my hands on a copy of J. Starmore's "Sand Dollar", from Pacific Coast Highway. I have a ton of Scottish Fleet in my stash that I had intended to use for "Fulmar", but it's in ivory, and I really have my heart set on making Fulmar in pink. I've toyed with the idea of selling the Scottish Fleet, but finally decided to pull out this pattern, and put it to good use instead.

Did you know that you start off with casting on 540 stitches? And did you know that you work the first 26 rounds of Sand Dollar with every one of those 540 stitches, before decreasing to a more reasonable 504 stitches?

Well, you do now.

However! It will not deter me! It's still the pattern of choice for the Scottish Fleet, although I'm pretty sure I'll need a few more balls of it.

So, let's see... Mermaid. Delores. Persian Tiles. Arangenser. Western Seas. Amphora's done. Kiri's almost done. Um, that can't be all? Oh yeah, Gingko Leaf, but I figure I have another 2 years to finish that. It's only been 3 years on the needles, and the guilt has long since dissipated.

OK. Not bad... I'm hoping the bulk of Mermaid will be done by the time I'm at my sis and SIL's for my birthday in early September.

"Wow Mom, you should have seen it! That blue blobby thing you're working on? It just flew to the ground! All by itself! Weird or what? And I tried to stop it - "stop it I says"! But it just flew to the ground! You should have seen it..."

My big help. I really hope blocking will fix those little KSH "design features" Gandalf has left behind.

Despite being such a good little kitty for his auntie Lorraine and new bestest buddy Laura (Lorraine's DD) this past Friday, he has been a little weenie of late. His latest endearing habit? Chasing kibble around the floor. WOW! Talk about ANNOYING. Hard cat food on a ceramic floor. I must have a meal's worth under the fridge and storage shelf in the kitchen by now.

And it doesn't just annoy me.

"Lemme go!"

"NO."

"Lemme GO!"

"No."

"Lemme...go...MOM!!!"

Atticus has pretty much had it with all the precious food going under the fridge. There was a bit of a kitty smack-down where he let Gandalf know he'd pretty much had it, and then plopped himself down in front of it to prove his point. On Gandalf's legs. Although he has managed to squirm one of them out by the time I snapped this.

So - next post - Mermaid pics! And hopefully a finished Kiri. Hopefully.

Baby Ducks and Mermaids

Yesterday was a perfect day for sailing! Nice and cool on the water, the fabulous Toronto skyline, an onboard BBQ, and someone else to cook for me - who can ask for more!

And these to boot!

As the Captain BBQ'ed our dinner, this little family swam by. Awwww, there were 4 little ducklings with their Mom. I resisted the urge to scoop one up and take it home. Something about the Mom being super pissed, and the uh, Little Dudes not being too overly impressed with their new roomie. And the Captain had issues with the little guy possibly pooping inside his new car.

No fun.

So, thanks everyone for your laughs and giggles over my fun afternoon last week! And it was something to laugh about. I did and still am, that's for sure.

And I did start something new. Because I can. No, I feel no shame. No, I do not hear my other WIP's calling out to me. Lalalalalalacan'thearyoulalalalalalala.

Now, I won't ask you to guess as to what it is, because it doesn't look like much in the picture. It said to me - "Knit me! I've been in your stash far too long! And I'm so much easier than Diva!". Meet the Mermaid. From Hanne Falkenberg. Oh yes. She of the modular knitting in need of a Short Row Intervention. I love you Hanne. But let us discuss these never ending short rows, 'k? But, they do make for a lovely piece. Now, what you see above represents around 4 hours of knitting.

Four hours, because -

1. You start off with around 462 miles of I-cord, then pick up your required amount of stitches from there.

2. Watching "Apocalypto" while knitting Mermaid is not such a good idea. I switched to socks when I realised - damn, the Maya really didn't speak english...

3. Watching "The Bourne Identity" while knitting Mermaid is also not such a good idea. Jason Bourne does not just say "ah to hell with it", and give up trying to figure out who he is. Again, switch to socks.

Gandalf and Atticus insisted on checking out the finished product.

"Dude, check 'em out! They smell just like Mom! But...I don't get it Atticus, do they come off her feet?"

"Lemme check... (paw on my leg). I don't know... Weird huh?"

Some Lisa Souza sock yarn in the Mahogany colourway. Nice! I like them much better now that they're done, I was pretty meh about the colourway when I was knitting them up. They were worked on 2.25mm's, I think. I say "I think" because I use my Mom's old size 13's and they're around 50 years old. Anyway, they do the trick.

And a last shot of the Toronto skyline at night, heading back to the Marina.

3 Reasons I Can Start Something New

OK.

1. Shoes


See, I normally always wear a sensible pair of shoes while walking to and from the train, into work. Today I said "Self, just wear your pink and white sandals - you'll be fine." Besides, I had no room in my back pack this morning.

The straps on BOTH shoes decided to give out. On my way to the station. Going home. Don't ask me how I ended up getting on the train, but I did end up having to walk most of the way home from the train IN MY BARE FEET. Nice. Luckily, it's a short walk on side street, and no one had to see the spaz that is me WALKING IN HER BARE FEET on the dirty pavement.

Stupid Nine West shoes.

2. RBC ATM's

Thanks Royal Bank. Thanks so much for dispensing a bill with a chunk ripped out of it! Hey! And you know what?! NO store will accept it!! I can't use it!

And oh hey! Guess what else Royal Bank?! I get to STAND IN LINE at a branch just so I can get you to exchange it for me! Wow! Cool! Because the whole reason for me GOING to an ATM in the first place is because there are NO branches close to work, or home! *clapping hands*

3. Bird poop

Yes. Bird poop. Because at some point between leaving work and going to the ATM where I was dispensed the bum $20 bill, and my walk to the GO station where my sandals disintegrated, a bird crapped on my head.

So. I'm going to look through my stash, find something (oh, that'll be hard) I don't have to wind up into balls and start something new.

Just. Try. To. Stop. Me.

"Nuh-uh, no way I'm gonna try and stop her! Does it look like I wanna argue with Mom?"

(On a happier note - thanks everyone for your wonderful comments on Amphora! Aw, shucks!)

Presenting...

... Amphora.

And a closeup of the motif, and bottom edging. You can't see the whole of the edging, as the facing, which I'll tack down once she's dry, is rolling up a bit.

Phew! She's done! I loved this knit. Nowhere near as difficult as it looks, I look at it and am amazed that it's worked with only 4 colours.

What: "Amphora" tunic, by Jade Starmore from her book "A Collector's Item", size Small.

I Used: 2-ply Hebridean 100% wool, purchased from Virtual Yarns.

Using: 3.25mm and 3mm needles

PITA factor: None. If you're a fan of stranded knitting (and this is NOT a Fair Isle), you'll love this one. The repeats are very easy to remember, as are the colour sequences.

Once I've sewn down the facings, I will post a modelled shot.

Hee hee! So happy!

And now... on to something else! No, not Cicely of York just yet... Another one, which I'll post a picture of next time around.



How Things Go Around Here

So, every evening, the Little Dudes get their dinner in their own bowls. And they line up the same way every time - Gandalf, Mae and then Atticus. I have to place their bowls in exactly that position, or they won't eat out of them. They'll just stand there, and stare at me until I place it in the usual order.

However. Within, oh, 5 seconds of me placing the bowls down in the order above, this happens.

Atticus muscles in on Gandalf, who in turn eats out of Mae's bowl, who has already moved over to Atticus' bowl.

Every. Time.

And, if I were to place the bowls in the order they end up in, they wouldn't touch them.

The bowls must be served to them - Gandalf, Mae, Atticus - in that order. They'll nibble for a second or two, then comes the switcheroo above.

Atticus. Gandalf. Mae.

Every. Time.

They are so funny!

Whoa!

So, I'm working at home today. I decided at around 11am that I'd have a "wee" snooze, I figured for an hour or so.

Guess what time I woke up?

3:30pm.

I didn't think I was THAT tired! Fibromyalgia can do that to you; your sleep becomes so disturbed and you wake up so fatigued all the time, you soon don't pay it much attention. It becomes a way of life. When you do finally decide on a "snooze" - you then realize how tired your body really was! Yikes! I usually have periods of time where I seem to be in remission, when the aches and pains and fatigue don't seem to affect me as much. Then there are times, like mid-summer, where I get smacked upside the head. Oh well... Heh, no worries about tonight though - I should have noooo problems falling asleep! All this little nap did was catch me up on some long needed zzzzzz's.

Anyway.

I've decided! I think I know which Starmore design I'll be making with the recovered 3-ply Hebridean - "Cicely of York", from Jade's book "A Collector's Item". The colour is "Summer Tide". For those of you with the book, it's pretty much the same colour as the blue example of "Cicely of York" in her book. But, not until I complete Amphora. And I'm going on record here to say that she'll be done by the weekend!

Have you read Lorraine's latest post? She explains quite clearly the differences between Fair Isle designs, and stranded ones. She even goes a bit further to explain how even a Norwegian is different from a Faroe Island design. Yay Lorraine! There is a huge difference. Fair Isle is as unique a colourwork style as an Aran is to cabling.

Today's Lesson

"Gandalf, you must learn that just because you are "cat", you are unique."

"Yes, Sensei."

"Your manner is different from others. You may have 4 legs, a small brain, and a tail and be called "cat", but you are "Gandalf"."

"Yes, Sensei."

"Although she is a "cat", you are not your sister Mae."

"Gross, she's a girl! I mean, yes, Sensei."

"If all cats were alike, would we be still as fascinating?"

"No, Sensei."

"That's our lesson for today. Now get off my blanket."

Atticus makes sure Gandalf learns his lessons well...

So little time to knit all that we (I) want...

OK. See that blue thing sticking out of the green and black bag (my knitting bags are so classy)? It's one half of "Scalpay", started eons ago, and never finished. I was going through some of my stash, and came across it. I never finished it for a couple of reasons - firstly, it's done primarily in seed stitch. Brigitte came to the conclusion that there is nothing like seed stitch to make her want to bang her head against the wall (as opposed to intarsia or entrelac, which just makes me want to be sick). And secondly - it's got a funky, "80's" shape to it. Kind of poufy, with a tight ribbing (and my tension is accurate). Just the right kind of shape to cut you right across the middle. Flattering. So, I now have a bunch of beautiful 3-ply Hebridean in the "Summer Tide" shade. I'm trying to figure out what I could do with it. And there is A LOT.


Any suggestions?


Other than that, I've been plugging away working on Amphora's sleeve, and the Kiri shawl. I really, really want to pick up something new, but I will not allow myself until I finish a couple other things. Why? Just look at the picture above! OK, so my bike bags and my needle drawer are on the table too. But the rest are stuff I still love, but just can't get to. I still love my Gingko Leaf tunic, and I have been working steadily on it - it's simply that ours is a love that benefits from taking a break... Which is probably why it's taking me so long to finish it. But finish it, I will!
And lately, I've been comforted by Western Seas' straight stocking stitch. Go figure.

Thunderstorms and Kitties

Gandalf? He's cool with it.

Mae? Barely bats an eyelash.



Atticus? Can't be found. He can sense the rain and storms well before they start, and hides. Don't ask me where. Or how a 19 lbs cat can even find a good hiding place. Little funny face...



Mmmmmmmmmm

My haul from last Thursday's Farmers Market at work. It's berry season! I confess I'm not the biggest berry fan - this is the only time of year that I really indulge, most likely because they're so fresh and yummy looking. What I really love - peaches, pears and apples. My favourites, and their season won't start until August/September here in Southern Ontario.

And some yummy cauliflower and brocolli. When it comes to vegetables, I love to eat pretty much all of them. I also picked up some new potatoes and more of the organic guacamole, which may or may not still be in my fridge. Most likely "not"...

So - have you visited Lorraine's new site? Her Twisted Traditions designs are now available for sale! She has her Fair Isle patterns up right now, and her Aran design "Kilkenny" is going to be available soon. I'm excited!! I've knit "Ophelia", I have the "Windsor Waistcoat" kit in my stash, and that would be yours truly wearing "Delphine" in the picture on the site. Oh, and I believe Marina is ready to knit "Fair Rosamund", another coveted pattern of mine...

So little time to knit all that we (I) want...

How To Fix Those Knitting Blues

So, I grumbled to Lorraine last week about how I can't seem to stay focused on any one project for more than a few rows, and then my mind wanders and the ADD kicks in.


Oooo, look it's the ice cream truck!!



No, but seriously. With the exception of my Gingko Leaf sleeve I'm working on, and here it is:

I haven't been to overly productive. Speaking of ADD, Gandalf decided playing with the end of the needle was much more fun than modelling for Mom. This represents about half of the sleeve, believe it or not. Of course, much more would have been done had I not chosen to work it while watching "Blood Diamond". And - wait for it - I LOVE this pattern now! Wow, and it only took me the entire body, and about 3 years to get to that realization! *patting myself on head* But, I have to say that the fact the sleeve is going so well is thanks in no small part to Dorothy Siemens' brilliant instructions. The sleeve is practically idiot-proof, follow the chart and you don't even need to think about when to increase, and how to incorporate it into the pattern. My kind of lace.

And I've also been working on socks:

Atticus is much more obliging. Then again, it is July... So, one half of the Lisa Souza Mahogany socks are done, and the second is well on it's way! I have 4.5 hours of "Das Boot" to thank for getting a lot of it done. No worries, I haven't tired of Kiri, I have worked on her, only it really looks no different than last time... And no, I haven't forgotten Amphora. I'm just in no rush to finish it, as it's still a couple more months before I can wear her.

All that to say... I decided to use this I-don't-know-what-to-knit phase to get a head start on my volunteer knitting for the Annex Cat Rescue. This year I'd like to make a pile of kitty blankets, and Wendy was very sweet in letting me use her Kitty Bed pattern from her book to make some kitty beds for sale as well. And a few other things as well.

I don't think I need to worry about not having any spare feltable yarn.

These are just "remnants". Some stuff I have NO IDEA how I got it.

Thanks everyone for your kind words for Jen. The funeral and wake was held last Wednesday here in Toronto, and I think she would have been mighty pleased at how it all turned out. Also with me at the wake was blogless Rachel H., who kindly showed me that yes in fact I CAN turn off my stupid new Motorola Razr.

"I don't know about this phone Rachel, the battery dies awful quick."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm recharging the damn thing every 48 hours."

"Well, aren't you turning it off when you don't want it on?"

"See that's the problem! I don't think you CAN turn this thing off!! I doesn't tell you how to do it in the manual!"

*silence* *crickets in the background*

"No, really!"

At which point she takes the phone from me.

"Oh hey Miss Brigitte-I'm-installing-a-new-server at the datacentre tomorrow. I JUST TURNED YOUR PHONE OFF."

"Oooooo..." *Edith Bunker voice*

Rachel H. and I work together. I'm a techie systems person. She's in Customer Operations. And she had to show me how to turn off my cell phone. What? I just find it so funny now!

If you can't laugh at yourself...!

"Man, vacuuming is HARD work! Gandalf, next time you're carrying the hose, and I'm pushing it around."

"OK Atticus. But maybe I'll use my superpower glowing eyes to make it move itself! Go go Gandalf-Ranger!"

"Oh for cryin' out loud..."

The Trouble With Thinking

Sometimes when I have time on my hands, and all I want is to rest, relax, de-work my brain, and think of nothing but knitting and cycling and the flowers on my deck...I end up twisting a thought in my brain, and ponder things far longer than I should.

On Friday of last week, I received a call from an old friend telling me how one of his closest friends had past away. She was young - only 41. Not much older than me. Funny how at 13 or 14 years old, anyone who was a couple years older than us seemed like decades! However, at 38 - 41 is pretty much the same. I knew her, had met her several times, and knew a lot about her. I'm sad she was so young, and I'm especially sad for her family and friends. I suppose I started thinking so much about her because I began to wonder if, at 38, I'd lived my life as best I could? Had I faced all challenges put in front of me? Or had I run away, looking to sweep it under the carpet? Had I lived in the moment, or for the moment? On and on my brain went. I thought about her family, and her friends, and wondered how they felt after the initial shock of her passing. I don't feel old, I've never been one to be bothered by age, but I suppose it was just me taking stock of myself up to this point in my life. The reality is I have to be satisfied with my life, because no one is more responsible for me than, well, me. And, if there is something that isn't working as it should - it's up to me to change it.

At the end of the day, I hope she's in a good place now. I'm sure she is, and is happy. I know those in her life should take comfort in that.

But, it hasn't all been gloom and sadness these past few days here! There has been some scattered knitting -

There have been socks, or at least the start of some. This is some Lisa Souza sock yarn, in the "Mahogany" colour way.

And the start of a sleeve for the Gingko Leaf Tunic.

AND - (wait for it) - LACE!!! Me! Lace! It's the start of the Kiri shawl. Lorraine gifted me the Kidsilk Haze last year for my birthday, and suggested the Kiri shawl would be a good intro to shawl lace knitting.

So far.

So good.

The instructions indicate that the whole shawl, including the edging, should take around 24 hours to complete. Oh, wait for that one. Once I picked myself off the floor laughing at the mere thought of that occuring, I pinned it out and took stock of what I'd done so far. Not bad! I think one of the issues I have with lace is the blobbiness of it all. You know - the fact it kind of resembles, um, nothing until you block it. Unlike Fair Isle or cabling - it all unfolds before your eyes, and you get a good picture of the finished results, not to mention your mistakes.

So, I've tried different things these past few days, and although at the time the thought was that I hadn't accomplished a whole lot, I know see that I have! Yay me!

Oh, and of course, the leave it to the Funny Faces that are the Little Dudes to remind me that I'm THEIR human girl!

"No one can see me! Hee hee, I'm So. Clever. Hey, look Mae! Neeneer neeneer! Oh yeah I'm sticking my tongue out at you! Pfffffttt! Uh oh. Crap, you can see me..."