Lurkers

What a surprise to see so many people posting comments Thank you all for stopping by. It is nice to know that so many friends and famliy are out there reading what we are up too.

It was one of two things that brought you all out of hiding and I am not having birthday everyday, I am aging far to fast without that nonsense. So I am going to assume (and we know where that gets us) that is bad photography that brought you all out to say hello.

So here is another bad picture for you:



Ewww. Close ups of brusied fingers are ugly arn't they? We all value our hands so much that hand injuries seem to make everyone cringe a bit. Worry not about this one, it is badly bruised and slightly swollen from last nights softball game but not a bit sore, just Fugly (if you will pardon my language) Oddly enough my hand was in my mitt when I caught and dropped the ball. I think the ball just struck a blood vessel and caused the bruising. Like I said no pain and the finger is working as well as it usually does. I think I will go knit just to prove it.

Damn!

I do look older!!! Granted, I would look better with a little lipstick and a smile, and better lighting, and airbrush and cosmetic work of some kind, maybe even if I had just combed my hair before I took the picture?



Lace knitting 101. First cast on 3 times and mess up the lovely yarn you plan to knit with.



Then wise up and use some waste yarn and make a mess.



When you think you have it figured out sit down in your favorite knitting spot, turn off the TV and the radio, duct tape the kids mouths shut and pour yourself a glass of tea. Now take a deep breath and drop your shoulders pick up your knitting and knit a row, count your stitches, have a drink of tea and repeat. When you finish the first pattern repeat fold a load of laundry to relax and refresh yourself, use the washroom and try again. One hour of knitting time=16 rows of knitting (26-30 stitches on the needles) I am assuming I will get faster as learn the lace pattern. I will keep you posted.



I am so spoiled, my wonderful in-laws sent me these two beautiful bags for my birthday. I love the colors, Judy is known for her style and taste and she has out done herself here. What a perfect gift, I can't tell you what a treat it is as a mom to have outgrown the diaper/snack filled bag and toss a beautiful Coach bag over your arm and scoot out the door. Spoiled.



Just for good measure: a box of kids. Aren't they sweet (duct tape removed for photo)

Running

I took these pictures last Wednesday. Here are some of the folks in the beginning run group from Runner's Sole. To call this group beginners is a bit of misnomer. Everyone in this group has been running for at least a year and they are a strong and talented group of people.



I knew the run was going to be pretty so I brought my camera along and I was right. We did a workout called "Swedish Mile" We all run in a line at a steady pace and the person in the back has to sprint by Everyone in front of them to take the front of the line, once they get there whoever is the now the back of the line takes their turn in a sprint. I had not done this workout with this group before group, we all had a great time and a good workout.

It's Been a While

There has not been a quote of the week in ages, today Sebastian cracked me up so hard I had to share it with you.

"Dad if you are all covered in hair, how can you be allergic to animal hair?"

The kids has a point. The question was almost as funny as listening to Paul explain the difference between 'hair' and 'fur' to a 5 year old.

Craptastic

I don't know what has been going on but I have been feeling very sore and tired for a least three weeks, in a word I have been feeling CRAPTASTIC. I have had terrible headaches for a while and this is unusual for me, typically I get a headache about once a year and I usually have done something to earn it. I am also feeling a bit homesick and my mood has been as low as my physical energy. This is also unusual for me.

Don't worry this is not a pity post I am working to pull myself up by the boot straps. I have stepped up to the plate and I have increased my mileage and have added some more challenging runs as well as increasing the weight workouts. I am hoping that this will make me feel better and will help to increase my energy and shake off the blues.

I am also trying to drink more water and eat more protein and less sugar. I don't eat a lot of sugar but just a little of the stuff seems to mess with my energy levels. Sugar, sugar, typing the word kind of makes me want a cookie, sugar.

Here is some craptastic knitting for you: it looks all good to start a new project doesn't it?



Look, I even get gauge with the suggested needle size: No one comment of the size of the swatch, size doesn't matter and neither does row gauge.



Here is where is all goes south: Even the lego knights can't figure out this lace pattern. Don't to worry, I am practicing with some durable sale yarn, no alpaca/silk yarn has been harmed in this experiment.



It's not all bad, in fact I have a lot to smile about.

A 2nd birthday card from mom and Darryl. Knitting a sock from the knitting book that was just a small portion of the knitterly gifts from them.



Two pairs of finished socks: one for Shannon and one for me. (Shannon I will put these in the mail for you with Taylor's birthday gift.)



Love:



Roses in my own backyard thinking very hard about blooming:



One of a thousand smiles I get everyday:



Kamloops is a lovely place, anyone in California or Las Vegas want to move here???

Husband Replacer

Paul came home from work on Friday night to find this set up on the kitchen counter:



Paul: "Hey, a husband replacer, I like that, where did you get it?"
Me: "Shannon had 2 and she gave it me when I was in Ca."
Paul: "Between that thing a good set of batteries what do you need me for?"
Me: "I'm not sure. Why don't you go mow the lawn and I will get back to you on that."

Storms a Brewing

The thunder rolled at our house all morning long. It is humid and the air has an charge to it today.



I like this kind of weather but I am longing for hot summer days. I should not complain, it is 21C so we are still wearing our shorts.

A storm of a different sort: (the first picture shows the texture better, the second the color)





This big @$$ bag of roving accidentally landed in my house. Occasionally Paul brings home the Buy and Sell, I always steal it from him so I can have a look through the craft/hobby section. You never know what you might come across, like a 10lb bag of roving for $25.00.

What the heck am I going to do with 10lbs of roving? Great question.

I bought it simply because I could not pass up a good deal regarding anything wooly (I talked her down to $20). The woman was selling it because of its color, she is now into dying wool instead of spinning and the roving is a chocolate. I am thinking I could send this to Darryl and it might keep him out of trouble for a while (fathers day is right around the corner). I figure this would be a win/win situation as Darryl could spin it up and Mom could knit it. They would certainly be singing my praises in Patterson.

Paul was with me when I went to check out the wool, I did one of those "honey as long we are in neighborhood, there is a sheep I would like to look it, you aren't allergic to wool are you??" After purchasing the wool, I climbed into the truck grinning from ear to ear, Paul looked over and said, "That $25 worth of wool is going to cost me a spinning wheel isn't it?" I guess I can't pull the wool over his eyes can I? (Ewe, that was a baaaaad one)

The truth of the matter is this: I would like to learn to spin one day, but right now I have neither the time or the wheel. I think I will send 90% of the roving to mom and Darryl and hold a little back for myself. I will keep checking the Buy and Sell and one day, when the time is right, a wheel will fall into my lap. Okay, maybe I will pass on 80% of the wool...

Double The Fun

Okay, yesterday I wrote a post in the morning and Blogger ate it. Like a good blogger I wrote a second post in the afternoon and it posted successfully. It looks like Blogger went ahead and got the first post up so I see now I have two very similar posts up for yesterday.

And hey look, two posts for today. Don't get used it!!

Beauty

Here are some pictures that are bound to make you smile. They are of Debbles, Layne and Buttercup (Buttercup is the name Layne has chosen for the baby)





I love this picture of Deb, I don't know if I have ever seen her look so beautiful and I always think she looks gorgeous.

Randomness

We did a bit of golfing on Sunday. We being the Linfields, Paul and myself. It was my first game of the season and Paul picked the longest course in Kamloops. We went to the Dunes, it is a beautiful course with lots of sand traps and spent plenty of time in them. We had a great time and took a photos for you.

The largest mushrooms I have ever seen:



We had some Canadian geese play through:



They ran for the water when they saw I was teeing off, it is a good thing they did not head to a sand trap, I might of hit them then!



I was very excited to learn today that Bonnie comes home in only 10 more sleeps! Ben came in for an adjustment and I got the scoop from him. I have to say Bonnie, your sweetie has grown even more hunky since you left. He has planting trees for the past month or so and tree planting seems to be treating him well. He so excited to be seeing you soon, I think 10 more days of waiting may just do the poor man in.

Count Down

10 days until Bonnie comes home!!!! WHHOOOTT!

Bonnie, we just can't wait for you to come home. I saw your sweetie Ben today, he came for an adjustment. He is excited and counting down the days until you come home. Your man has always been a hunk but sister, wait until you see him now. That boy has turned into quite the hunky man while you have been away.

I have been trying to post some beautiful pictures of Debbles for you, you should see how wonderful she looks. She has about 5 weeks to go in the pregnancy and then we will have a new baby to snuggle. Rumor has it that a baby girl is brewing in there, but I am not so sure about that. I have not knitted a stitch for this baby yet, I am afraid I will knit up a big pink blanket and out will pop a baby boy.

Here are some picture of my first golf game of the season. I was happy with my game considering we played the longest course in the world (it felt that way anyway). We played the Dunes (Practically your backyard Bonnie) here are some golf photos for eveyone.

The largest mushrooms I have ever seen growing in the wild (golf ball placed for scale)



Canadian geese playing through:

Two Wheelin'

Sebastian learned to ride without his training wheels. He is thrilled to death about it and wants to ride his bike everyday. He wears the mittens so he doesn't scrape up his hands when he falls, smart kid.



Quentin is 3 wheeler kind of guy.



PJ, like her mum, prefers her own two feet. I bet she can run faster than me!

Heavy Stuff

I feel the need to apologize for not blogging over the pat few days, it seems the Winds of the West were strong enough to knock me on my @$$ for a bit. It was a good weekend.

It seems a bit dreary to share but it is something we must all deal with eventually. We spent a lot of time this weekend dealing with death, both our own and those in our families that have gone before us.

We did an interesting/scary mediation in which we were told (rather unexpectedly) that we would not make it to lunch that day, that there was a meteor screaming towards the planet and in 2 minutes we were die. Sounds a bit hinky doesn't it? Well let me tell you when you are feeling calm and open and someone tells you are dying soon, there is a small part of you that can believe it, that can imagine that your moment is now.

While I was in the moment, a moment of really believing, some hard questions were put me. How do I feel about my own death? Are there things I have always wanted to do that I never have? Do the people I love know that I love them? Have I lived my life honestly and followed my true path? Should I have lived my life differently than I chose to? It all sounds terribly morbid doesn't it?

It was heart wrenching and wonderful. For many of us it was a kick start, a realization that we still had business to attend to. An opportunity to re-evaluate and reset our priorities. I realized that I am okay with death, I would be very sad to miss this life and to miss the lives of my children. I am not ready to go but if today was my day I can know that I have lived my life well and honestly doing my best to follow my true path. Powerful stuff!

I also saw the other side and over the rainbow bridge that connects this life to the next there is guidance and there are loved ones. It is a journey that none of will go alone.

Okay Shannon and Mom and Dad too if you are reading this I know that we all feel grandma in our lives. I know that we all feel very strongly that she is still with us. I know how often she is on our thoughts and how often we feel her supporting hand in our lives even now. We all miss her so very much.

I wanted to know from her if we were holding her here with our need and our love for her or if she chooses to be with us. I feel her so strongly sometimes that I feared that she was unable to move on to her next journey because we as a family held her here with our own love and our own need of her so strong that she could not go. When you see her, when you feel her presence so fierce in your life, know in your hearts that she is with you by her choice and comes to you from love not duty.

Okay then, everyone have a deep breath and wipe your eyes. I know that was a little out there and a bit heavy, but I thought you would appreciate the insight as much as I did. I have more about my west journey to share but I thought I would get the heavy stuff out of the way. You can see why I waited so long to blog about it!

I wish I had some knitting or something to show you, but my evenings have been eaten up by softball and running this week. Somehow we said yes to a softball tournament this weekend too, how the heck did that happen?!?! I have turned the heel on Shannon's second sock so it is almost done I just need a couple evenings to sit and get it finished up. I have so many projects I would like to start and just not enough time in the day.

Here are some pictures that Deborah emailed me. The first is the exchange of Niclole's leg to mine and the second is the exchange from my leg to Jim's.




I need to nag Mike about some great wildlife pictures he took at the race. I will post those for you when he emails them to me.