My BIL once said, upon turning 31 himself, that 30 was one thing. But now he was into his thirties. I'd say that's pretty accurate. Still doesn't bother me though. Just still seems rather shocking or surprising that I could actually be advancing in age when most days I feel about twelve. Same with this whole impending parenthood gig. Some days I'm like, 'They're going to just let me have a baby??? But I'm 12. 12 yr. olds shouldn't have babies.'
Anyway...it's my birthday. And it's not dismal or blustery or blizzarding outside. It's sunny and bright and not at all harshly cold. I woke up feeling refreshed rather than dragged out. In fact, I slept the whole night through pretty much, except for the requisite middle of the night trips to the loo. My hubby's present to me (well, one of them anyway) was one of those wedgie pillows for pregnant bellies. I didn't say anything, just thank you, but secretly I thought to myself, 'Um...something other than a baby item would've been nice.' Now however, after trying it out and waking up feeling half way normal, I worship him. He is the smartest and most compassionate human being I know. I had resisted this purchase myself for the last while since a) I wasn't convinced I really needed it and b) money was needed to be spent elsewhere for baby. But I suppose the tossing and turning, waking up with sore hips, cranky morning demeanour, middle of the day fatigue and retreating to the pull-out couch when all else had failed may have convinced him. Not that his sleep was ever disturbed. Like that line from Christmas Vacation, my husband could sleep through 'a dump truck driving through a nitro-glycerin plant.' He just felt pretty badly for me and wanted to help. I'm one lucky chickadee.
His other gift is a yarn swift, to be picked up at my leisure. I spied one in Mahone Bay the last time I was there, and really, just should've grabbed it then. I kept buying skeins of yarn only to get home and realize that they were just squishy, colourful, decorative twists of fibre that I could only admire until one of my comrades in yarns took pity on me and allowed me to use theirs. Which is sorta silly. I'm a serious enough yarn consumer now to justify owning a swift.
So no real plans to speak of. A massage this afternoon, dinner later this evening. Should try and get Hank out for a play. It's been a few days and he's starting to get a little squirrelly. When the weather is bad or we're busy and we can't get him out for a proper run, he eventually gets what we lovingly refer to as 'Crazy Eyes'. The next stage after Crazy Eyes is maniacal running around the coffee table in the living room until he tires himself out a bit. This is not unusual dog behavior. The Jack Russell who lives in Ontario is quite fond of this activity himself. But he's fifteen pounds. It works really well for him and there is little or no risk of grievous bodily harm either to himself or any object in his path. Hank is a different story. He's 95 pounds. He's half way around the table before he even gets going. I'm just pleased the tv hasn't toppled over yet.
Anyhoo, until later. Off to enjoy the rest of my day.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunny Days...
Modified Drops Eyelet Baby Cardigan by Jennifer Little knit with Tanis Fiber Arts 'Buttercup'; started Jan. 12/09, finished Jan. 24/09.
The yarn was meant for the pattern, the pattern was meant for the buttons (in the stash...awesome) and the sweater is meant for miss Pinta. I had more than enough in one skein for the sweater. I might just have enough for a simple pair of booties. Only mods I made to the pattern were plain sleeves instead of lacy ones. I like lace, but I tire of it very quickly.
Anyhow, I enjoyed this knit. I think it's a sweet, sunny little sweater. Looks to me like a 6 month or so size, which will be perfect for cool late summer/early autumn nights.
Until later...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A Little Something Extra...
Debbie Bliss Pompom Beret, Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in Navy and White, started and finished Jan. 18/09.
The vest needed a beret. It's very wee. Way more wee than I had anticipated. I don't know when or if it will fit but I don't care. It's adorable.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Hoarding...
I watched this rather disturbing documentary last night about this Swiss film maker and his brother who had to contend with the contents of their mother's apartment after she had passed away. She ended up being a hoarder in her later life, and long story short, it took 7 dumpsters and four weeks just to clear out and clean up her flat. After that was finished, they had the vacation home in Greece to contend with, not to mention the 20-some odd cats that were congregated there as well. Then there were two storage lockers filled to brim. Yikes. Anyhow, it got me motivated to finally face the growing number of boxes that have migrated from the garage into my craft room that I told the constable that I would 'deal with later.' I don't want to end up being crazy cat/ 7 dumpster lady.
It was a sit down and plunk away at it kinda job, which is perfect for me in my present condition. The first garbage bag I filled was easy peasy...all stuff that I instantly knew I didn't want or need. Just accumulated stuff. The daunting part of the task was the first of two purple totes that I've been avoiding for not just months, but years. Years and years and years. I had carefully packed it's contents and thought to myself, 'There. I'll deal with that when I'm old.' Letters from friends long phased out of my life, notes passed in various school hallways, love letters from childhood sweethearts. This part was a little more difficult. These were all parts of me, parts of my life at one time. To keep or not to keep? That is the question.
But I found as I perused the seemingly endless pages of kindly written (and some, not so kindly) words was that, more than anything, I needed to make space. These things that I had been holding onto were good and great and wonderful in and of their time. Which has passed. So I winnowed. Considerably. That which is still relevant stayed. All else did not.
I think the funniest thing I re-discovered about my adolescent self was that I
wrote...a lot. I desperately wanted to be a writer back then. Somehow that just slipped quietly away. But there are volumes of random thoughts, (very deep ones mind you...wink) bad poetry and false starts at short stories. Some of it wasn't all that horrible either.
All of this was in my highschool notebooks. Gives you an indication as to how studious I was. I flipped through each trying to sift out any kernel or nugget worth keeping. I did end up keeping most of it. My most favourite find by far was the following.
Ya know when you're young and you're thinking about someone, you tend to write their name down? I was hurriedly flipping through one of my history notebooks looking to see if there was anything other than notes on medieval feudalism and my current last name happened to flash by. Which was a bit unusual, as I didn't posses it back in 1995. So I found the page. The date in the top right hand corner was Dec. 6, '95. Below that, written in large letters, was my first name, my middle initial, my maiden name. Below that, in equally large letters and a much fancier font was my husbands first name, middle initial, surname. We went to highschool together, but we never dated. Well, we had one sorta date, which I think was later than '95. We traveled in different circles. But on Dec. 6, I must've been thinking about him. Must've had a little crush, even back then. I had to show him. He thought that was pretty amusing. He strutted around for the rest of the afternoon. I don't even know how I knew his middle name back then. Anyway, it was fated I guess.
Debbie Bliss Cabled Tank Top in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in navy and white, sized 6 months-ish Started Jan. 5/09, finished Jan. 12/09.
Enough of the jibber-jabber. I finished another one of these DB Cabled Tanks, this time for miss Pinta and it's as cute the second time around as it was the first. I love this little thing. It's so adorable.
And here's what I might do with it...hehehe. Needs pants though.
What I am currently working on. Not so bad so far. I wanted to use my Tanis Buttercup for something baby, and this seemed like a good choice. I think the pattern calls for almost 400 yrds., which is what the yarn label states, so hopefully I'll have enough. It's nice and sunny and looking like a 6-9 month size or so. May I rave about the yarn again? It's wonderfully soft and stretchy. Great for baby knits methinks.
That's about it. Until later...
It was a sit down and plunk away at it kinda job, which is perfect for me in my present condition. The first garbage bag I filled was easy peasy...all stuff that I instantly knew I didn't want or need. Just accumulated stuff. The daunting part of the task was the first of two purple totes that I've been avoiding for not just months, but years. Years and years and years. I had carefully packed it's contents and thought to myself, 'There. I'll deal with that when I'm old.' Letters from friends long phased out of my life, notes passed in various school hallways, love letters from childhood sweethearts. This part was a little more difficult. These were all parts of me, parts of my life at one time. To keep or not to keep? That is the question.
But I found as I perused the seemingly endless pages of kindly written (and some, not so kindly) words was that, more than anything, I needed to make space. These things that I had been holding onto were good and great and wonderful in and of their time. Which has passed. So I winnowed. Considerably. That which is still relevant stayed. All else did not.
I think the funniest thing I re-discovered about my adolescent self was that I
wrote...a lot. I desperately wanted to be a writer back then. Somehow that just slipped quietly away. But there are volumes of random thoughts, (very deep ones mind you...wink) bad poetry and false starts at short stories. Some of it wasn't all that horrible either.
All of this was in my highschool notebooks. Gives you an indication as to how studious I was. I flipped through each trying to sift out any kernel or nugget worth keeping. I did end up keeping most of it. My most favourite find by far was the following.
Ya know when you're young and you're thinking about someone, you tend to write their name down? I was hurriedly flipping through one of my history notebooks looking to see if there was anything other than notes on medieval feudalism and my current last name happened to flash by. Which was a bit unusual, as I didn't posses it back in 1995. So I found the page. The date in the top right hand corner was Dec. 6, '95. Below that, written in large letters, was my first name, my middle initial, my maiden name. Below that, in equally large letters and a much fancier font was my husbands first name, middle initial, surname. We went to highschool together, but we never dated. Well, we had one sorta date, which I think was later than '95. We traveled in different circles. But on Dec. 6, I must've been thinking about him. Must've had a little crush, even back then. I had to show him. He thought that was pretty amusing. He strutted around for the rest of the afternoon. I don't even know how I knew his middle name back then. Anyway, it was fated I guess.
Debbie Bliss Cabled Tank Top in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in navy and white, sized 6 months-ish Started Jan. 5/09, finished Jan. 12/09.
Enough of the jibber-jabber. I finished another one of these DB Cabled Tanks, this time for miss Pinta and it's as cute the second time around as it was the first. I love this little thing. It's so adorable.
And here's what I might do with it...hehehe. Needs pants though.
What I am currently working on. Not so bad so far. I wanted to use my Tanis Buttercup for something baby, and this seemed like a good choice. I think the pattern calls for almost 400 yrds., which is what the yarn label states, so hopefully I'll have enough. It's nice and sunny and looking like a 6-9 month size or so. May I rave about the yarn again? It's wonderfully soft and stretchy. Great for baby knits methinks.
That's about it. Until later...
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Disgruntled...
WARNING: This post contails course language and zero knitting content. This post contails the angry musings of a pregnant woman. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
An Open Letter to the Asshole who Soaked Me with Slush While I was Patiently Standing at my Rural Mailbox, Waiting for you to Pass so that I Could Safely Waddle Across the Road;
You, sir, are and asshole. And clearly driving too fast.
And since I've started the ball rolling...
An Open Letter to the Old Man Who Told Me to 'Smile' in the Grocery Store Parking Lot;
I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt and try to be reasonable when blogging about how much you pissed me off, but then I got slushed, so all bets are off.
I don't find it necessary to walk around in my every day life with a dumb ass grin on my face, do you? What you interpreted as perhaps an angry face was the intent concentration of an 8 month along pregnant woman walking, and not comfortably mind you, on wet pavement, making sure that with every step she didn't fall.
How about this for the next time you encounter someone who you feel might need some encouragement to lighten up; try smiling at them and giving them a standard greeting such as 'Hello, how are you today? Lovely day, isn't it? My, what a pretty hand-knit hat. Did you make that yourself?' Barking orders to 'SMILE' from 20 feet away just ain't gonna cut it, mister.
Now if you were someone that I know but didn't recognize, which is unlikely, but is sometimes the case, then, hey, my bad. Try referring to me by name next time and I'll be less likely to give you such a dirty look.
Continuing in this vein (this feels kinda good);
An Open Letter to the Superstore;
You never have what I want or what I'm looking for. Why is this? You're a grocery store. As a quick example, here's three options for bananas that I can look forward to upon entering your establishment. Which one on what day is a complete mystery. Part of the intrigue perhaps?
--Violent green bananas
--Diseased mostly brown bananas
--No bananas. Yes, we have no bananas today...apparently.
What happened to small jars of salsa? Why don't you carry peameal bacon? Why do people who want to chat congregate at the end of isles? Why are chicken breasts ten bloody dollars? Why do I spend twice as much money on groceries nowadays and get a quarter or what I used to in my cart? Why were the little pink baby pea coats on sale and not the little navy baby pea coats? I would've bought a navy one ya know.
*sigh*...now my dog just about bit me for trying to reprimand his barking. This day sucks.
Until later...
An Open Letter to the Asshole who Soaked Me with Slush While I was Patiently Standing at my Rural Mailbox, Waiting for you to Pass so that I Could Safely Waddle Across the Road;
You, sir, are and asshole. And clearly driving too fast.
And since I've started the ball rolling...
An Open Letter to the Old Man Who Told Me to 'Smile' in the Grocery Store Parking Lot;
I was going to give you the benefit of the doubt and try to be reasonable when blogging about how much you pissed me off, but then I got slushed, so all bets are off.
I don't find it necessary to walk around in my every day life with a dumb ass grin on my face, do you? What you interpreted as perhaps an angry face was the intent concentration of an 8 month along pregnant woman walking, and not comfortably mind you, on wet pavement, making sure that with every step she didn't fall.
How about this for the next time you encounter someone who you feel might need some encouragement to lighten up; try smiling at them and giving them a standard greeting such as 'Hello, how are you today? Lovely day, isn't it? My, what a pretty hand-knit hat. Did you make that yourself?' Barking orders to 'SMILE' from 20 feet away just ain't gonna cut it, mister.
Now if you were someone that I know but didn't recognize, which is unlikely, but is sometimes the case, then, hey, my bad. Try referring to me by name next time and I'll be less likely to give you such a dirty look.
Continuing in this vein (this feels kinda good);
An Open Letter to the Superstore;
You never have what I want or what I'm looking for. Why is this? You're a grocery store. As a quick example, here's three options for bananas that I can look forward to upon entering your establishment. Which one on what day is a complete mystery. Part of the intrigue perhaps?
--Violent green bananas
--Diseased mostly brown bananas
--No bananas. Yes, we have no bananas today...apparently.
What happened to small jars of salsa? Why don't you carry peameal bacon? Why do people who want to chat congregate at the end of isles? Why are chicken breasts ten bloody dollars? Why do I spend twice as much money on groceries nowadays and get a quarter or what I used to in my cart? Why were the little pink baby pea coats on sale and not the little navy baby pea coats? I would've bought a navy one ya know.
*sigh*...now my dog just about bit me for trying to reprimand his barking. This day sucks.
Until later...
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Giggle Worthy...
Whale of a Tail #103 Cabin Fever pattern, size 1-3 yrs., knit out of Patons Classic Merino, started Jan. 3/09: finished Jan. 4/09.
Hehehehehehe...
I had originally planned to give this to my neice but I'm pretty sure it'd be too small at this point. I should've knit one size larger. Good news is that I might know someone who could use a whale tail hat in about a year or so. *wink*
Sunday, January 04, 2009
With Great Difficulty...
**Thank you to everyone for your comments and best wishes on the Jeep rollover post. You're a thoughtful bunch, you are. I passed along your thoughts to the constable and he was quite appreciative.**
That phrase would best describe my ability to engage in most activites of late. Particularly knitting. I seem to have developed pregnancy related carpal tunnel, and in addition to my hands swelling at times (mostly in the morning) my fingertips tend to go numb and my finger joints won't co-operate. It doesn't stop me from knitting entirely, but it does hold up the process quite a bit. Especially when I still have quite a few things I'd like to finish before Pinta Bean arrives. Ah well.
Classic Cardigan from Top Down for Toddlers by Linda and Deb Gemmell, Bernat Jr. Jacquards in Big Deal Teal size 1 year.
I did finish the top down cardigan though. I think it's sweet. I spent most of the day yesterday hunting down a sleeve of white buttons that I knew I had but could not find. It drove me nuts. Finally found them and there were only four instead of the five I needed and thought I had. Thankfully, I had these pink ones in my button stash. Kismit.
In addition to the yarn for the cardi, this is the sum total of my knitty Chritmas booty. The Yarn Harlot book was a gift from the constable and he had intended to include the Never Not Knitting page-a-day calendar, which was in stock when he ordered it. Then he was informed by the almighty Amazon that they wouldn't be able to send it with his order. Huh? Anyhow, there isn't one to be found online as of this morning. Weird. Cool that it's sold out, but sucky for me. I picked up the pattern guides myself after cashing in some Sears points for an Amazon gift cert. The yarn, buttons and the Jean Greenhowe Christmas pattern book were also a gift from me to me picked up at Have a Yarn the day after the constable's rollover. It was the calm me down purchase...hehehe. More Tanis there, this time in Buttercup. Not sure what I'll do with it, but I've been covetting it for a while now. I think I'm well on my way to amassing the entire collection.
And what I'm working on now. Another Cabin Fever pattern, this time the Whale of a Tail hat in Patons Classic Wool. Not sure who it's going to be for yet.
That's about it. The Jeep situation has been resolved and now the negotiations (between the two of us and then the dealerships) begin over if, when or what kind of new vehicle might be in our future. Meh. Not my most favourite thing to spend money on.
Until later...
That phrase would best describe my ability to engage in most activites of late. Particularly knitting. I seem to have developed pregnancy related carpal tunnel, and in addition to my hands swelling at times (mostly in the morning) my fingertips tend to go numb and my finger joints won't co-operate. It doesn't stop me from knitting entirely, but it does hold up the process quite a bit. Especially when I still have quite a few things I'd like to finish before Pinta Bean arrives. Ah well.
Classic Cardigan from Top Down for Toddlers by Linda and Deb Gemmell, Bernat Jr. Jacquards in Big Deal Teal size 1 year.
I did finish the top down cardigan though. I think it's sweet. I spent most of the day yesterday hunting down a sleeve of white buttons that I knew I had but could not find. It drove me nuts. Finally found them and there were only four instead of the five I needed and thought I had. Thankfully, I had these pink ones in my button stash. Kismit.
In addition to the yarn for the cardi, this is the sum total of my knitty Chritmas booty. The Yarn Harlot book was a gift from the constable and he had intended to include the Never Not Knitting page-a-day calendar, which was in stock when he ordered it. Then he was informed by the almighty Amazon that they wouldn't be able to send it with his order. Huh? Anyhow, there isn't one to be found online as of this morning. Weird. Cool that it's sold out, but sucky for me. I picked up the pattern guides myself after cashing in some Sears points for an Amazon gift cert. The yarn, buttons and the Jean Greenhowe Christmas pattern book were also a gift from me to me picked up at Have a Yarn the day after the constable's rollover. It was the calm me down purchase...hehehe. More Tanis there, this time in Buttercup. Not sure what I'll do with it, but I've been covetting it for a while now. I think I'm well on my way to amassing the entire collection.
And what I'm working on now. Another Cabin Fever pattern, this time the Whale of a Tail hat in Patons Classic Wool. Not sure who it's going to be for yet.
That's about it. The Jeep situation has been resolved and now the negotiations (between the two of us and then the dealerships) begin over if, when or what kind of new vehicle might be in our future. Meh. Not my most favourite thing to spend money on.
Until later...
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