Knitting Front:
Is it me? Have I made a bad pattern choice? Does this happen to everyone? Or just rookies like me?
This is my first sweater, Kyoto, you can find it at www.knitty.com . This is my trouble, or observation. I am having trouble sticking with the pattern. I want mine to be a better fit in the waist than the pattern calls for so I am blending the pattern sizes so that the bodice is a small at the waist and a medium at the shoulders. I am knitting the pattern out of order because it makes more sense to me that way. I am going to fit together the bodice, before making the sleeves or sash to see how it fits.
The pattern calls for the sleeves to be 16" squares and then seamed together. I think I will make mine 15" at the shoulder, narrowing at the elbow, and back out to 15" or 16" at the wrist. I may change the collar a bit too, I am not sure yet. Does everyone do this to patterns, or have I chosen a poor pattern for my body type? This seems to me to be a lot of changes for a rookie such as myself, am I having fun with it? Yes I am! I think I will wear the sweater more if I change it a bit to fit my body like I want it to. I will keep you posted on how it goes. I am having fun now, but there may be cursing later, stay tuned.
I have noticed another pattern. Every time I sit down to work on Kyoto somebody needs something. Quentin spent the night of the cast on sick in my arms, the next night glued to me because he was over tired from the night before. Last night PJ, feel out of bed and bumped her head as soon as I picked up the needles. After I settled her back into bed and calmed her down and settled myself back down on the couch with Kyoto my DH needed my help in the garage. After 'holding this here for just a minute' (or 10) I sat down again and the dryer buzzed. I am determined tonight to make some progress on the right front. The left front is finished. I will post a picture of the pair when the right side is done.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Saturday, January 29, 2005
G'sPot
We made it to G'sPot last night. It was wonderful. A Good time was had by all. The dessert was incredible, the best part of the meal. We had a dark chocolate pot with Grande Marnier and a milk chocolate pot with Bailey's in it. They brought fresh grapes, pineapples, brownies, strawberries, and rice crispie squares to dip into the chocolate. It was a really fun night, I would love to take my family there next time they come for a visit.
Afterwards the Linfields and Paul and I went over to Cactus Jacks and had a few to many. We had a great time, but I did miss my long run this morning (I could not run a straight line). I slept in until 8:30, I felt good all day, a good thing too, as I had to work today. I came home and napped while the kids had their naps. It was a Ouimet family miracle, everyone napped at once, even Paul. I can't complain, it has been a good day (in the spite of the fact that there has been no knitting or no running yet).
Prozy's are coming by tonight for a visit. I can finally give the twins the hats I knitted for them while we were in California for Christmas. I think I will drink water.
My DH fixed up my USB cord, you will notice the pictures on the blog today. That guy is something else, I sure got lucky in the husband department. Remember the yarn I did not want to hand roll into a ball so I could start my sweater? Well, Paul sat and held the yarn so I could get it all wound up nicely. I told him it was four-hundred yards and he was right there enabling my knitting habit, he never complained once. He doesn't even complain when I buy yarn, now that is a good man. How do I tell him there are two more skiens of yarn that need be wound up for my sweater, and that there is a yarn sale at Micheals this week?
Everyone reading please send out lots of love and good vibes for my Uncle Ray, who was taken to the hospital with breathing difficulties and suffered 2 heart attacks on the way there. He is in ICU now and you know as much as I do. Please send your love and energy his way, and to my Aunt Colleen. I wish I could be in California to support my family right now.
Anonymous, we do have furniture, honest we do. I was leaning on the back of the couch while I took the photo, so you are seeing the area we leave cleared so we can walk into the room. It is also the area where the kids receive their daily 'beatings'. Don't be alarmed, this is code word for a good rolling around on the floor tickle-fest. They are funny, if you ask them if they want their daily 'beating' they come running into the room...me first! Me first! I think it may be time for a beating now...Got to go!
Afterwards the Linfields and Paul and I went over to Cactus Jacks and had a few to many. We had a great time, but I did miss my long run this morning (I could not run a straight line). I slept in until 8:30, I felt good all day, a good thing too, as I had to work today. I came home and napped while the kids had their naps. It was a Ouimet family miracle, everyone napped at once, even Paul. I can't complain, it has been a good day (in the spite of the fact that there has been no knitting or no running yet).
Prozy's are coming by tonight for a visit. I can finally give the twins the hats I knitted for them while we were in California for Christmas. I think I will drink water.
My DH fixed up my USB cord, you will notice the pictures on the blog today. That guy is something else, I sure got lucky in the husband department. Remember the yarn I did not want to hand roll into a ball so I could start my sweater? Well, Paul sat and held the yarn so I could get it all wound up nicely. I told him it was four-hundred yards and he was right there enabling my knitting habit, he never complained once. He doesn't even complain when I buy yarn, now that is a good man. How do I tell him there are two more skiens of yarn that need be wound up for my sweater, and that there is a yarn sale at Micheals this week?
Everyone reading please send out lots of love and good vibes for my Uncle Ray, who was taken to the hospital with breathing difficulties and suffered 2 heart attacks on the way there. He is in ICU now and you know as much as I do. Please send your love and energy his way, and to my Aunt Colleen. I wish I could be in California to support my family right now.
Anonymous, we do have furniture, honest we do. I was leaning on the back of the couch while I took the photo, so you are seeing the area we leave cleared so we can walk into the room. It is also the area where the kids receive their daily 'beatings'. Don't be alarmed, this is code word for a good rolling around on the floor tickle-fest. They are funny, if you ask them if they want their daily 'beating' they come running into the room...me first! Me first! I think it may be time for a beating now...Got to go!
Friday, January 28, 2005
Sunshine
I wanted to be posting a picture of my sweater (just a portion of it, mind you it is far from done) for everyone today. It seems that the ol' Q Ball, my youngest at 16 months old, has been playing with my USB wire that downloads the pictures off my camera. The cord is no longer happy about this arrangement and has decided to let me know this by going south on me. It does not seem to be working today. No problem, I will distract with news about the sunshine and my Friday night plans.
The sun poked her lovely little smile through the fog today. We have been socked in for at least a week. And I must admit, it was dampening my mood. Today we had almost two whole hours sunshine. I feel like a whole new woman. I love the sun.
We are headed to G'spot tonight for dinner. Sounds wonderful doesn't it? It is a new restaurant downtown, a fondue place if you can believe it. It is supposed to be really good, I can't wait to tell you all how it turns out. With a name like that I am having pretty high expectations, I hope it lives up to it's name.
The sun poked her lovely little smile through the fog today. We have been socked in for at least a week. And I must admit, it was dampening my mood. Today we had almost two whole hours sunshine. I feel like a whole new woman. I love the sun.
We are headed to G'spot tonight for dinner. Sounds wonderful doesn't it? It is a new restaurant downtown, a fondue place if you can believe it. It is supposed to be really good, I can't wait to tell you all how it turns out. With a name like that I am having pretty high expectations, I hope it lives up to it's name.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
No Knitting Here
Yesterday was a sad day at the Ouimet house, no knitting no blogging...there was just no time. Therefore I have no great pictures of the left front of my sweater to post. I have dreams and visions of getting on the sticks tonight. Tonight is my DH's birthday so a dream it may be.
A good day yesterday, it is just that Wednesdays are crazy busy. I ran 10K in the wee hours of the morning and then got two of the kids off the pre-school. That was followed by the third Ouimet child and mommy running to Costco to break the bank with our grocery shopping. A quick dash to pick the kids up at school. Lunch with Debbles and LB, race home to get the kids down for nap time, so they could not nap. Unload the bank breaking groceries. Get the kids up and ready for skating lessons. Down to the office so Daddy can take them skating. I jet on over to Runner's Sole and lead my run group in another 10K run for me, then I race on over to Duffy's for beer and hot wings. Home, hot tub, bed. No knitting.
Busy, productive, fun filled...no knitting. I am going to go knit now. I must have a picture to post of the sweater soon, before I bore you all to tears with my pictureless blog.
A good day yesterday, it is just that Wednesdays are crazy busy. I ran 10K in the wee hours of the morning and then got two of the kids off the pre-school. That was followed by the third Ouimet child and mommy running to Costco to break the bank with our grocery shopping. A quick dash to pick the kids up at school. Lunch with Debbles and LB, race home to get the kids down for nap time, so they could not nap. Unload the bank breaking groceries. Get the kids up and ready for skating lessons. Down to the office so Daddy can take them skating. I jet on over to Runner's Sole and lead my run group in another 10K run for me, then I race on over to Duffy's for beer and hot wings. Home, hot tub, bed. No knitting.
Busy, productive, fun filled...no knitting. I am going to go knit now. I must have a picture to post of the sweater soon, before I bore you all to tears with my pictureless blog.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Piles of Progress
My piles are shrinking! Some of them have even disappeared all together. Some have just migrated. I am feeling lighter every time I banish one from its home. I now have enough room on my bathroom counter to lay down my blow dryer, I have more counter space than I have seen in months. I even cleared out my craft dresser and the kids art stuff. I still have to tackle a pile in my bedroom, the top of the refrigerator, and the pile by the phone.
Oh yes! Let's not forget that finally undecorated the Christmas Ficus-Tree. It seems I was able to put that off longer than your standard pine Christmas tree. It wasn't going dry and in the front window, where all the neighbors could note my laziness. Maybe they all knit too and would understand that knitting is a far better use of time than house cleaning.
I am still feeling the need to purge and organize beyond even piles. I have added my closet to the list, and of course the kids rooms, and oh yes, the computer armoire. I did Quentin's room this morning. I moved all my sewing stuff out of there and into the space that Paul built for me. Q's room now looks empty, did I have that much sewing stuff in there??? Who knew!
Paul built two closets for me, as pictured above and below this post. I have a 4 bedroom house with a microscopic linen closet. I could not fit all the linens for the house in my existing linen closet (and you can see by the picture I don't really have a lot of linens). Now I put all the linens in the closet that Paul built. This means the old linen closet was empty. Not for long. It is now filled with cleaning products, brooms and the vacuum cleaner. This means I had an empty cabinet in the kitchen. I moved the cookbooks up and off the counter...And viola! Less disorganized piles of crap! I am feeling better and better. Still lots of work to go.
I remember when I first moved into this house. I called my mom in excitement. 'Mom! Can you believe this, I have empty kitchen cupboards and I am all unpacked!' She laughed at me and told me that wouldn't last long. She is a wise woman, she would be proud to see me with so much crap. I aspire to someday have a stash like hers. My craft stash is nothing compared to what Mom has stashed away. I need to do more exploring next time I go to her house.
Knitting Front:
You will all be so proud. I cast on the right front of my sweater. I would post a picture, but I only have about 6 rows done and it doesn't look like much yet. I promise to post a picture when it looks like something. I did not get as much done as I had hoped. Q was sick last night, started throwing up about 9:00 and did not stop until about midnight. He is tired today, but keeping his food down and no fever. All is well. I may go running tonight with the Mnt. Goat so I don't know how much I will get done tonight either. I am going to try and squeeze in a few rows now.
Oh yes! Let's not forget that finally undecorated the Christmas Ficus-Tree. It seems I was able to put that off longer than your standard pine Christmas tree. It wasn't going dry and in the front window, where all the neighbors could note my laziness. Maybe they all knit too and would understand that knitting is a far better use of time than house cleaning.
I am still feeling the need to purge and organize beyond even piles. I have added my closet to the list, and of course the kids rooms, and oh yes, the computer armoire. I did Quentin's room this morning. I moved all my sewing stuff out of there and into the space that Paul built for me. Q's room now looks empty, did I have that much sewing stuff in there??? Who knew!
Paul built two closets for me, as pictured above and below this post. I have a 4 bedroom house with a microscopic linen closet. I could not fit all the linens for the house in my existing linen closet (and you can see by the picture I don't really have a lot of linens). Now I put all the linens in the closet that Paul built. This means the old linen closet was empty. Not for long. It is now filled with cleaning products, brooms and the vacuum cleaner. This means I had an empty cabinet in the kitchen. I moved the cookbooks up and off the counter...And viola! Less disorganized piles of crap! I am feeling better and better. Still lots of work to go.
I remember when I first moved into this house. I called my mom in excitement. 'Mom! Can you believe this, I have empty kitchen cupboards and I am all unpacked!' She laughed at me and told me that wouldn't last long. She is a wise woman, she would be proud to see me with so much crap. I aspire to someday have a stash like hers. My craft stash is nothing compared to what Mom has stashed away. I need to do more exploring next time I go to her house.
Knitting Front:
You will all be so proud. I cast on the right front of my sweater. I would post a picture, but I only have about 6 rows done and it doesn't look like much yet. I promise to post a picture when it looks like something. I did not get as much done as I had hoped. Q was sick last night, started throwing up about 9:00 and did not stop until about midnight. He is tired today, but keeping his food down and no fever. All is well. I may go running tonight with the Mnt. Goat so I don't know how much I will get done tonight either. I am going to try and squeeze in a few rows now.
Monday, January 24, 2005
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Chiropractic Chaos
What a busy day! I started my morning bright and early with a 6 mile run with the 1/2 marathon clinic. I had a great run, my pace was good and I had a nice strong finish. I then raced to work, arriving there with only 15 minutes to get myself showered and ready to go. I was seeing my first patient at 10:00, right on time. We were incredibly busy, I worked straight through to 2:30 with not even a break to breathe. It was wonderful. I did get a bit grumpy the last few patients...I needed to get some food into my body. I get VERY grumpy when I am hungry.
Mom, you would be so proud of me, I went to the movies last night with Mnt. Goat MacKinnin, I took my knitting along on a whim, I thought 'maybe I can knit in the dark too!' The good news is I got lots done on my knittyville hat and not one mistake. It may be done by the end of the weekend and then it is on to the Kyoto sweater. Good, good, good.
Well we are going out for some drinks and appetizer with some friends. I am going to go try to make myself look less tired. Wish me luck!
Mom, you would be so proud of me, I went to the movies last night with Mnt. Goat MacKinnin, I took my knitting along on a whim, I thought 'maybe I can knit in the dark too!' The good news is I got lots done on my knittyville hat and not one mistake. It may be done by the end of the weekend and then it is on to the Kyoto sweater. Good, good, good.
Well we are going out for some drinks and appetizer with some friends. I am going to go try to make myself look less tired. Wish me luck!
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Piles
Today I tried to fight the winter blues with housework. That sounds like fun doesn't it? I have just been feeling low energy the past couple of days, and bit overwhelmed by everything. I like to think everyone has these times...or am I looney? I keep up with so much all the time and then I will have a few days where I just feel beat. I could use two or three days to myself, to knit and get a whole bunch of things done that should have been done weeks ago, and knit some more and sleep...lots of sleep. Sleep until the cold weather is gone and the days are longer, just until it is sunny when I get up to run at 6 in the morning. Enough whining. I hate it when my kids whine. Instead of whining I cleaned the house (I looked for chocolate first, but there wasn't any.)
Piles. I have made a vow to get rid of my piles. We all have piles. Mine collect in about three or four places. You know them, you have them too. Papers from the kids at school, that Thank you card you meant to send last week, bills to pay, pictures a friend sent you, coupons, patterns you printed off the internet. You get the idea. I am going to attack one pile a day until they are all gone. Then I am I going to start new ones (I have to be realistic here, piles are a fact of life). My current piles are driving me crazy, the top of the refigderator, the area by the phone in the kitchen, beside my bed, my computer and my hope chest. That is a lot of piles, they will be eradicated by this time next week. Where are your Piles?
Knitting Front
I finished Mnt. Goats tote...Still not felted yet. I will do it tomorrow. I have not had a block of time long enough to give it the attention it deserves during the felting process. I plan to do it during lunch tomorrow while Debbles is here to help with the kids. I will post pictures I promise.
I have playing with gauge and how I want to knit up the sweater I am getting ready to start. Kyoto, the pattern is on Knitty.com for anyone who wants to take a look. I am trying to get the sizing right, I would like it to be a bit more fitted than the pattern is designed. Look at me go...my first sweater and I am already changing the pattern. I can not take credit, my mom is an amazing knitter and I have called her twice already with questions about fit, gauge and sizing. She rocks, check out her blog and her knitting I think the site is www.daeswork.blogspot.com but I will check that for you. My sister is out there in blog land too, and also a rocking knitter at www.knittinggeek.blogspot.com .
I am waiting for a knitting needle I ordered at www.Elann.com to come before I get started on the sweater, so I am keeping myself occupied with the knittyville kitty hat. It will be quick and fun a good one to go back to if I get knitters ADD during the sweater. I would love to have a swift and ball winder to help me with all this yarn, but alas! Woe is me, elann is out of stock! I have a gift certificate there burning a hole in my pocket (thank you Debbles).
Well its time to knit.
Piles. I have made a vow to get rid of my piles. We all have piles. Mine collect in about three or four places. You know them, you have them too. Papers from the kids at school, that Thank you card you meant to send last week, bills to pay, pictures a friend sent you, coupons, patterns you printed off the internet. You get the idea. I am going to attack one pile a day until they are all gone. Then I am I going to start new ones (I have to be realistic here, piles are a fact of life). My current piles are driving me crazy, the top of the refigderator, the area by the phone in the kitchen, beside my bed, my computer and my hope chest. That is a lot of piles, they will be eradicated by this time next week. Where are your Piles?
Knitting Front
I finished Mnt. Goats tote...Still not felted yet. I will do it tomorrow. I have not had a block of time long enough to give it the attention it deserves during the felting process. I plan to do it during lunch tomorrow while Debbles is here to help with the kids. I will post pictures I promise.
I have playing with gauge and how I want to knit up the sweater I am getting ready to start. Kyoto, the pattern is on Knitty.com for anyone who wants to take a look. I am trying to get the sizing right, I would like it to be a bit more fitted than the pattern is designed. Look at me go...my first sweater and I am already changing the pattern. I can not take credit, my mom is an amazing knitter and I have called her twice already with questions about fit, gauge and sizing. She rocks, check out her blog and her knitting I think the site is www.daeswork.blogspot.com but I will check that for you. My sister is out there in blog land too, and also a rocking knitter at www.knittinggeek.blogspot.com .
I am waiting for a knitting needle I ordered at www.Elann.com to come before I get started on the sweater, so I am keeping myself occupied with the knittyville kitty hat. It will be quick and fun a good one to go back to if I get knitters ADD during the sweater. I would love to have a swift and ball winder to help me with all this yarn, but alas! Woe is me, elann is out of stock! I have a gift certificate there burning a hole in my pocket (thank you Debbles).
Well its time to knit.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Sebastian's Birthday Cake
Yesterday was a wonderful day! My oldest son turned 4 years old, and a great time was had by all. I have to say that today, everytime I look at him I am thinking "my little boy is growing up so fast, 4 already!" I am just amazed at how fast the time goes by.
During quiet time yesterday I let Sebastian open his birthday present. I wanted him to have it to himself for a little bit before the other two got up from their naps and he had to share it. We got him a wooden train set. It is compatible with Brio, but more in my price range, I found it on sale a few months ago at Grand River Toys. They have a great web site if you want to check it out. Anyway, Sebastian and I played with it together for about an hour before the other two woke up. We had great time.
After quiet time the kids and I decided to bake Sebastian's birthday cake. I have this amazing chocolate cake recipe that my BIL gave me. He baked it up for my wedding cake and everyone loved it. The kids and I get all mixed up and into the oven 35-4o minutes later we take it out of the oven to cool. Sebastian, Quenitn and I go in the other room to play with the train. PJ stays in the kitchen to 'wash her hands'. She comes out of the kitchen with this little impish grin on her cute little face. I thought I had better go see what she was up to...she sabotaged Sebastians cake!!! She took the salt shaker and shook it all over both layers! Our chocolate cake, from scratch, was now covered with salty snow!. No problem, super mom can fix this.
I cut off the top of the cake, I need it nice and level to frost it anyway, Whip cream topping, the perfect compliment to this divine, super chocolate cake. I cut the top off, and lift it very carefully up to toss in the trash (what a waste) and discover...Lava cake. Under the top I have chocolate soup! I did not bake the cake long enough to begin with.
No problem, super mom can put this baby back in the oven and bake it some more. It's 6:00 in the evening by this time and we are sitting down to dinner. I take the cakes out of the oven 15 minutes later looking slightly crispy, but definitely done. I let them cool while we finish up our dinner and I whip up the whip cream frosting. In my mind there is something niggling at me...'this is just not quite right' I am thinking. The whipping cream frosting looks wonderful, nice peaks, a bit of sugar, at dash of vanilla...this will look great on my thighs (which is where it is going to land after I eat it)
I pile it on the first layer of cake, very gently and with great presicion I place the next layer on. I pain stakingly frost the rest of the cake...And viola!! Chocolate and whipping cream soup. Of course the heat from my crisp cake, melted my whip cream frosting and well...The picture posted is worth a thousand words.
We ate it all up, it tasted wonderful, but was not pretty. We had a good a laugh and spent a fun filled family evening together. Incredible that we had such a great day with so many mishaps,and we all kept laughing and smiling about it, I guess that is what being a family is all about.
During quiet time yesterday I let Sebastian open his birthday present. I wanted him to have it to himself for a little bit before the other two got up from their naps and he had to share it. We got him a wooden train set. It is compatible with Brio, but more in my price range, I found it on sale a few months ago at Grand River Toys. They have a great web site if you want to check it out. Anyway, Sebastian and I played with it together for about an hour before the other two woke up. We had great time.
After quiet time the kids and I decided to bake Sebastian's birthday cake. I have this amazing chocolate cake recipe that my BIL gave me. He baked it up for my wedding cake and everyone loved it. The kids and I get all mixed up and into the oven 35-4o minutes later we take it out of the oven to cool. Sebastian, Quenitn and I go in the other room to play with the train. PJ stays in the kitchen to 'wash her hands'. She comes out of the kitchen with this little impish grin on her cute little face. I thought I had better go see what she was up to...she sabotaged Sebastians cake!!! She took the salt shaker and shook it all over both layers! Our chocolate cake, from scratch, was now covered with salty snow!. No problem, super mom can fix this.
I cut off the top of the cake, I need it nice and level to frost it anyway, Whip cream topping, the perfect compliment to this divine, super chocolate cake. I cut the top off, and lift it very carefully up to toss in the trash (what a waste) and discover...Lava cake. Under the top I have chocolate soup! I did not bake the cake long enough to begin with.
No problem, super mom can put this baby back in the oven and bake it some more. It's 6:00 in the evening by this time and we are sitting down to dinner. I take the cakes out of the oven 15 minutes later looking slightly crispy, but definitely done. I let them cool while we finish up our dinner and I whip up the whip cream frosting. In my mind there is something niggling at me...'this is just not quite right' I am thinking. The whipping cream frosting looks wonderful, nice peaks, a bit of sugar, at dash of vanilla...this will look great on my thighs (which is where it is going to land after I eat it)
I pile it on the first layer of cake, very gently and with great presicion I place the next layer on. I pain stakingly frost the rest of the cake...And viola!! Chocolate and whipping cream soup. Of course the heat from my crisp cake, melted my whip cream frosting and well...The picture posted is worth a thousand words.
We ate it all up, it tasted wonderful, but was not pretty. We had a good a laugh and spent a fun filled family evening together. Incredible that we had such a great day with so many mishaps,and we all kept laughing and smiling about it, I guess that is what being a family is all about.
Sunday, January 16, 2005
What a Day
Today started out so innocently. 4 inches of fresh snow last night. Paul so excited to go ski patrolling all day long in fresh powder. I stayed home with the kids all day. We had a good day, but any day with three kids the age that mine are at is a lot of work. I was expecting Paul home between 5:00 and 5:30. When the phone rang around 5:30 I just knew something was wrong.
It was Paul "I just slid off the highway and smoked a light post."
Me, "Are you okay?
He is fine, the truck is a little worse for wear, but who cares as long as Paul is okay. It made our evening a little crazy. Paul waited for a tow truck and I feed the kids a quick dinner and loaded them into the car to go get Paul. The worst part about that was having to drive the icy roads that Paul just slid off of. I drove slow and steady and we are all home safe. I think the truck will be back on the road tomorrow with a new front tire.
Hugs all around my family is safe and sound. Slightly shaken, not stirred!
It was Paul "I just slid off the highway and smoked a light post."
Me, "Are you okay?
He is fine, the truck is a little worse for wear, but who cares as long as Paul is okay. It made our evening a little crazy. Paul waited for a tow truck and I feed the kids a quick dinner and loaded them into the car to go get Paul. The worst part about that was having to drive the icy roads that Paul just slid off of. I drove slow and steady and we are all home safe. I think the truck will be back on the road tomorrow with a new front tire.
Hugs all around my family is safe and sound. Slightly shaken, not stirred!
Friday, January 14, 2005
Hair of the Dog?
No, it's not broken, can you believe this? This is the lowest I have ever seen a thermometer, but remember I am a transplant, from California to the Great White North.
As a California girl, I am in awe of this! This thermometer is reading so low it ran of numbers. Is this mother nature asking me to move or to buy a thermometer with a larger range? Needless to say, no run today. Good weather to stay home and knit.
I had a great night last night. Paul was ski patrolling (-32 at Harper Mountain for skiing) last night so Mnt. Goat MacKinnin and 'Everything but the Kitchen Sink' Linfield came over to help me out with the kids and have a few drinks. The kids were great and went to bed well, and left that 3 women a 4 pack of Gunniess, a 6 pack of cider and bottle of Tequila, you do the math. We had a great time.
I did have a dilemma this morning though. I have a healthy, yummy protein shake every morning for breakfast. I throw in lots of goodies: super greens, Udo's oil, bananas, protein powder, you get the drift. Wonderfully healthy. This morning my blender was on the counter, with a bit of Margarita still in the bottom. The debate: a little of the 'hair of the dog' with my protein shake this a.m. or do I go purist and wash that puppy out? You will be happy to know I chose to wash it. I share the shake with my kids sometimes and while I can stand a hangover, not fair to pass one on to Quentin. Being a mom always wins out in the end.
Mnt. Goat and Kitchen Sink, in a drunken stupor last night , were kind enough to tell me that I am more attractive now than when they first met me. This made me think about about women vs. men. My women friends, tell me I am like a fine wine, getting better with every year (they are kind arn't they?). My husband (also in drunken stupor, on a different occasion) told all of our friends what a lovely wife I am. "She is just wonderful, dependable, strong, durable (yes he actually said durable), like and old burlap sack (yes he also said old)". I was laughing to hard to be mad at him. It is hard to be indignant when there are tears of laughter rolling down your cheeks. That pretty much sums up men vs. women in my book. I love my husband, but eloquent he is not.
This Burlap Sack is out of here, I am going to work on the Mnt. Goat. Tote. I would love to have it done this weekend. My Knitting ADD is kicking in, I am thinking a small Knittyville hat before I start my sweater.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
And so it grows
Will it be mini or a felted bag?
Mnt. Goats Bag is coming along nicely. Everyone thinks I should stop now and make it a mini-skirt. It has even been suggested that I knit up a pair of matching stockings to go with it. Well that would all be well and good until Mnt. Goat spills her starbucks down the front of it and hucks the mini in the -wash. Once felted this mini would fit my 2 year old! I just need to finish one repeat of the strip pattern, shape the bottom and make the handles and into the wash it will go. I love the process, but I can't wait to see how comes out. And of course I am already thinking about what to make next...
Running Front:
Oh yes, I have been running in this crazy weather. High of -16C today, are you kidding me! I did mile repeats my treadmill today, I wore shorts and tank top and sweated my bum off (21C in my house), it was wonderful. All while looking outside at the white, white world around me. I did take my running group out last night for a short 30 minute run, very cold at first but warmed up about 15 minutes into it. It took me two Guinness to warm myself up. The Guinness and the good company made the run worthwhile.
If there are any runners that read this (I did mention at the outset that although this is a knitting blog it would spill, pour, avalanche, into the rest of my life, you were warned) check out www.Nike.ca there is a great, FREE running log on there that I just started using. You can customize it to about any workout. It would work well for swimmers, weight lifters, yoga, it is pretty cool and worth a peek if you are into that sort of stuff.
A Question for the world out there, I am looking for a good book on blogging and on HTML any suggestions? Speaking of books, Anonymous, a book that helps me out with good easy instructions is Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'n Bitch. My mom, an amazing knitter, recommends, The Knitting experience I can not remember who wrote it, but she has book out the Purl stitch as well. They are on my wish list. (I may get them with the Gift Certificate Debbles gave me for www.elann.com )
Well, it is time to knit, before the kids quiet time is over. Sebastian is sweeping his room right now. I will enjoy that while I can, in a few years I will not be able to get him to do it, now he does it because he likes too! I don't ask him to, yesterday he said, "Mommy, can we get out vacuum?" of course we can!!
Am I the only one that finds it entertaining that when spell checking my blog, the spell checker wants to replace the word 'blogging' with 'flogging'?
Monday, January 10, 2005
Anonymous
The third sweater that my mom made. This one is Sebastian's (he's my oldest, will be 4 this month)
This post goes out to Anonymous, who posted a comment on Jan. 5. Thank you so much for being my first comment from someone I don't know...(now wondering if anonymous is my mom, keeping me honest). I have been wondering if anyone other than the three people who I have told about my blog read it. It is so cool to know that people are out there are sharing thoughts and ideas.
Running in the cold is fine as long as you dress right, and always listen to your body. I will run in any weather, but the wind is my least favorite, I don't like being blown around, and I swear here in Kamloops you have a head wind no matter what direction you run in. I do have 3 kids, I run early in the mornings before anyone is awake. Anonymous, you taught me something today...I read a few blogs, but I never post comments. You have made me feel good, just knowing that people are out there, so when I am I have a comment regarding a blog I am reading I will post it from now on. Thank you so much!
Can I keep it?
This is the bag I am working on for Mnt. Goat.
Knitting Front:
This is Mnt. Goats felted tote bag. Now that you can see the stripe pattern I decided to post a picture of it. I am a new knitter and for the first time I am experiencing a phenomena I have only read about on other blogs...I want to to keep it. I have given away many knitted projects in the short time I have been at it...11 hats and bags. I picked these colors especially for Mnt. Goat, the dark green is the color of her pixie and the fringe on the top, is the fringe from her pixie. I love this bag! I love the stripe pattern, the colors, I can't wait to see what it will look like felted! I have a ways to go, I think I am supposed to repeat the stripe pattern 3 times. (I think also that you can find this pattern for yourself on Knitty.com or in Amy's book KnitWit). I am coveting Mnt Goats bag...is that wrong??!! I will have to find a cool pattern and make a felted tote for myself soon. Oh Selfish Me!
Life is Good
A Black and White for you. We took so many great photos it was hard to chose which ones to show you. I live in such a beautiful place, this was taken somewhere behind the golf course on our snow shoe adventure.
I had a wonderful weekend. We had some friends visit us from Smithers. We went out on Saturday night and had a little to much to drink. Let's just sum it up by saying there was Karoke involved. Never a pretty picture.
Sunday, was a relaxing day, we were all slightly hungover, not real hurting, but moving through our day with caution. Around 1:30 Mnt Goat, Bonnie and I went for a snow shoe, it was wonderful! We walked to the golf course, put on the snow shoes and went for 2 hours, maybe more. It was crystal clear and very cold -16C, we loved every minute of it.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Feeling Frozen
BRRRRRR!
It's cold! I went for a run tonight and it was even colder than this thermometer says, this was taken during the warm part of the day, around 2:30 this afternoon. It was -18C during my run tonight, needless to say it was short and fast, 6 or 7 K I don't know, but I sure felt better afterwards.
I finished the last pixie yesterday. Yippie! I CO the felted bag for Mnt. Goat MacKinnin today. I would post a photo but there is not much to see yet, I only have about 4 rows done at this point. I am using my new Addi circular needle, and love it! I have been looking for a good circular and this one rocks. They are not cheap, but worth it so far. I have thought about buying the Denise interchangeable needles, they would be cheaper, but are they as good? Anyone know?
I gotta go take a hot shower and thaw out, my bum is freezing. I stay warm during the runs but it sure is cold when you are done. Sweat frozen to my face, weird.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Glitter Incident of '05
The beautiful yarn I promised I would post a picture of. I can't wait to get started on it!
Today, while I was cleaning up the front room, PJ and Cbass were doing some art work at the kitchen table. They were quietly having a good time together, everyone was getting along. They had even helped Q up to the table to share their apples with him. All was right with the world. All was to quiet in the world. I came in to check on them, only to find glitter EVERYWHERE! They dumped two containers of glitter all over their artwork. The first thing I noticed was Q eating an apple slice, that was covered in silver and purple glitter. The only thing I could think of...Wow, that kid is going to have the prettiest poop in all the land. Then we got out the vacuum and cleaned up the mess. A good time was had by all.
Debbles and Mnt Goat are still surprising me with their thoughtfulness. When we came home from CA we got into Kamloops around 6:00 in the evening. By the time our travel weary family got home we were hungry and tired. Debbles had a lasagne, Caesar salad and garlic bread ready for us. And Mnt Goat had stocked our freezer with homemade spaghetti sauce and another lasagne. Nothing could have made me feel more at home than those thoughtful actions by the people I love. Thank you both!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)