BOO!!

So this is my first Halloween Blog; do you think I'm into Halloween?

I painted that cat about 17 years ago and is filled with Candy Corn or Harvest Mix every year; I love that stuff. The 'Tradition' at our house are the 'Fingers' (nut free version this year and I like it better!). Did you know about Halloween Whoppers? They go great AFTER the Pinot Grigio that went with the hardboiled eggs, toast and sliced tomatoes with olive oil and Pear Balsamic Vinegar...a fabulous Halloween Feast if there ever was one!

Wine, Wool and Whoppers...it's a theme that carries through for every holiday!

You know, dressing up is NOT just for kids anymore! I went to a Murder Mystery last weekend with the Red Hot Mama's and we invited our fella's to play along. There was some duplication of characters which proved quite interesting...

We're both Lady Good Two Shoes; quite a different interpretation don't you think?
This is one of the hosts, and I just had to post it because, well it is soooo not the guy you see before you and isn't that what Halloween is all about?

I've got another quiet alone time right now, because the kids have each gone to a part of town where they're with their favourite friends and there's many more houses to go Trick or Treating at, and M has gone out to finalize a business deal.

We don't get very many Trick or Treaters out our way and now that kids are older it's even less! When we first moved out here we didn't get a sole and I took Candy to the bus stop the next day to try to get rid of it. I complained so much that the kids finally started to come up our way, but now that my kids find the pickin's better across the way I guess it will die down here again too. I like seeing the costumes and I especially like it when the kids say THANK-YOU!!

These two better say Thank-you, that's all I have to say! (See how nice the window turned out?!)

I am thankful for a warm Halloween, and for the reminder to live in the Moment, because that's ALL we know for sure!

Boo!

Creative-ness

The Creative Festival was FANTASTIC!!! Ruth and I met at the GO bus and decided that we would be fine just taking the one very substantial bag on loan from KGB. Ruth also had her knitting bag and her purse; I had my KNITTER'S backpack and a lightweight wallet to carry over my shoulder. The weather was nice; so we only had light jackets to worry about and we didn't anticipate spending much time outside anyway! We were able to knit and catch up on each other's lives on the way down, because we didn't need to worry about traffic or getting lost (Ruth can be directionally challenged at times) and we just sat back and enjoyed the ride.
Ruth had never been to the Creative Festival...mmmmm...(picture me rubbing my hands together)...I had a 'newbie'! And I am the perfect 'enabler' for a newbie. We were hoping to get there for the gift bags they were handing out to the first 500 people, I know, stop laughing; we did see some of the bags, but you know I really do have enough bags already! That's one.
So we start making our way around the show, starting at the back with Alpaca; OMG!!! A lady was spinning it and we were fondling, heaven on earth, I tell you, heaven on earth. Now, as I said, Ruth is a newbie, and we're on a bit of a time restraint; even though we got there first(ish) thing, our plan is to catch the first train out of Toronto to make sure we're home in time for our family obligations; there isn't time to linger at each booth, we have to keep moving! We had everything (except my wallet) stashed in the wheeling tote, nice and sturdy too, not tippy and some of the booths were so crowded it was hard to maneuver so we would spell each other off and let the other one have a fondle.
There were a couple of celebrity sitings and being the stalkers that we are, we went up and accosted Lucy Neatby and Fiona Ellis! We chatted with Fiona, got her to sign our books, (now we have a matched set!) and continued on our way
We worked one side of the hall and stopped for lunch. Ruth was getting concerned because I wasn't keeping up with her in the purchasing department. We had to reorganize the tote and we thought about calling KGB to see if she had another one, because we weren't sure that it was going to keep up with our Stash Enhancing Xcursion. So far I had bought a book, one SweaterKit, a few patterns and a little bit of fabric, because I
really do have enough already. That's two.
We had a couple of hours left to "do" the other half of the room, but that wasn't where the knitting and sewing supplies were highlighted; so we were able to make good time there. We met up with Transitknitter who was working the room in her usual fashion of 'once around to scope and then return for the things you love'; I think this is an admirable choice, but I've been burned using that method too many times. You scope, you ponder, you decide it's a must have, you try to find the booth again, and when you do....it's gone. So I share my wealth of experience with Ruth, whose been talking about making a quilt and getting back into sewing, but (mostly) she resists and sticks only with buying yarn, and books, and nighties (that one was painful. It takes more than a warm body to man a booth at the Creative Festival people! Get help from someone who knows what they're doing! It really is in everybody's best interest!), and a little something for her grandson.
Shopping at the Festival is like drinking at a party; once you make that first trip to the bathroom, you're done; and you'll be making trip after trip to the ladies room. Once you make that first purchase (or two) well, the flood gates have been opened and while I was a little slow out of the gate; as the clock ticked ever closer to the end of my time at this years show I quickly grabbed a few last minute, must haves! That's three? Nope, that's a strike!
By previous years standards I showed amazing restraint; we were able to just take the one bag, we made it to the train on time (Thank-you Transitknitter for hoisting the thing up and down those stairs!) and we have another Cast Off memory to share for the rest of our lives.
And Christine? Hello...I made Ruth stop for a Lemonade. Cheers!

Today is my mother's birthday. And I have something that I want to share with all of you, that played a part in the decision to name this blog. Last year at this time I had just started my Chemotherapy and was scared out of my mind! It was a special birthday for my mom and we celebrated with lunch at the CN Tower. I wrote a poem for the day.

HANDS

Our hands introduce us to so many wonders...
They are strong; yet soft,
They are small; yet all encompassing.
Our hands can tell stories...
Each scar holds a memory---something held on something that holds!
The work we do can be seen through our hands.
The choice we make to care for ourselves or nurture others can be seen on our hands,
Do we worry about our appearance?
Do we choose ease and function?
From Extravagance to simplicity and back again, using only a file, lotion and polish!
Our hands are sensitive to all that surround us...
They let us know if it is safe? Is there danger?
Is it hot? Is it cold?
Is it dry? Is it damp?
Our hands give us knowledge to go forward in our lives yet with one slight brush of a hand take us to where we once were.
From tiny, soft, defenceless newborn hands that grasp only a fraction of it's mother's fingers...
Our hands grow to chubby, sticky, dependent sources of amusement!
They come along and reach for us to explore our world---and all its creative wonder!!
We use them to taste, to draw, to build, to clean, to hear, to play, to see---they provide one of our senses, but assist in so many others!!
They allow us to CREATE!!
They take the hand of another to begin a family together.
And then the hands that were once so defenceless, now cherish the grasp, as before.
And these hands continue to give love, to teach and to learn.
These hands share the past and the future.
Then the hands, once so nimble, don't always perform as they once did.
They move more slowly and they become more fragile.
They've done good work and served you well.
There's so much still that they want to do---but maybe another day.
But the hands of time keep moving on with much to celebrate!
We gather to hold hands,to clap, to cheer, and to fold our hands in prayer.
We come together with our hands to share...
Share our hope, our memories, our wishes and our dreams.
Our hands can bring and give the comfort like no other.
And when I look at my hands, I see the hands of my mother.
That wonderful feeling is always with me---wherever I go, she is with me.
Whenever I recreate Hot Chocolate for my children and bring comfort to my family---she is with me.
Whenever I stroke a family pet; that's what two hands and a lap are for ---she is with me.
Whenever I knit and sew a gift for a precious, new baby to cuddle---she is with me.
And I will always, always cherish the hands of my mother.

Written for October 28, 2006

I'm thankful for all the friends and family that I got to spend time with this past week and look forward to sharing many more great stories!
Keep on Knitting!

This is Thursday!

Yes, today is Thursday! I love Thursday; by far my favourite day of the week! It's knitting night! It's a night that both the kids and I look forward to; I get to spend time with some of the finest women on the planet! And the kids get pizza for dinner! Everybody wins! And when I'm really lucky I get to meet these wonderful women for dinner too; woohoo!!

How much do I love Thursdays?

I plan my life around Thursdays!

I look forward to Thursday more than any other day of the week!

I miss t.v. shows because I'ld rather be knitting!

I can think of very few things that I choose to do other than knitting ( I may do other things out of guilt, but my heart is at knitting!)

I even have a cat named Thursday.

And her sister is called Friday. And everybody loves Fridays! So I've got a lot of love flowing around here. I didn't choose their names, they came with them when I adopted them from the SPCA.
This is Kenny; wanna belly rub? His real name is 'Kenny C the Cat from Collingwood'; quite the handle eh? I was going through a Kenny G phase when this grey tabby kitten found his way to my home. He's such a neat cat. Doesn't pay too much attention to us in the house, but outside? He's just like a puppy, running up to us and loving the company!

So those are my three cats, all with their unique personalities and needs.
Kenny likes pink.
Friday is a talker and enjoys being combed ~ relatively speaking.

Thursday? Thursday is special.

Her Nickname is The Purrminator; she has the loudest purr that I have ever heard! She is very loving and all you have to do is look at her and the purring starts!

She has some, well, hygeine issues though; she's extremely fluffy. She has a bit of a belly and some joint stiffness which makes it a little difficult for her to keep up with 'cat grooming duties'. Ehem. She does not enjoy the whole combing experience...when done by me. And really who else is going to do it?

Well, Pam the groomer, that's who!
Here is Thursday; doesn't she just ooze love?

This is Thursday after a few hours with Pam, our local groomer.

Every three months or so, I take Thursday in for her "Lion Cut" and she loves it! No, really! She just lays there as Pam cuts, and combs and cleans away all the 'nasty bits'. When she comes home, she's light on her feet and she just looks sooo much happier (don't let the miserable look fool you; she had just gotten home and wanted to hit the dog!)

If only people would stop laughing at her.

So yea, we all win on Thursdays...I get to go out, the kids get pizza, and after Thursday gets a hair cut there's less cat hair on the furniture, our clothes...everywhere!

Five things I'm thankful for:

1) Dinner at Kings

2) Both kids feeling better today

3) Talked to my mom today

4) The Cast Offs

5) My plan to go to the Creative Show (or whatever they call it now! Sorry it's late and I don't want to look it up or link it, but you know the one, at the MTCC in Toronto and it's HUGE!!) tomorrow with Ruth! That's a big Woohoo and a Yipee! I missed it last year.

Tea it was!!

Well I stuck to my plan and did have a quiet evening with tea and lace. It was quite a lovely time and everybody got home safe and sound.

Since that time however, it has been non-stop! Kids here, kids there, what's for lunch; what's for dinner?

And so the Saturday wine and stocking stitch (while watching Hockey Night In Canada---what's a week without Don Cherry?) didn't really go as smoothly as I had envisioned. The stocking stitch part was fine; it was keeping track of the four measley decreases after 9 rows that apparently is too much for my Pinot Grigio accompanied knitting time and so one row had the first decrease and the next row had the 3 (I'll continue counting from the first one -- where it was supposed to be).

It's a skirt and there's a mistake in it and as my dear friend Carole used to say, "A blind man would be glad to see it!"

It's a dreary day here and Chloe has an upset stomach again (code for ewww!), but so far (knock wood) we've (Chloe and I) have managed to keep everything under control (code for outside!)

Five things I'm thankful for:

1) Internet computer stuff---I've found a lot of helpful information and kept up to date in what's going on in people who I care about lives.

2) Pepto bismal tablets (Chloe)

3) Mario put up a t.v. in the basement for me.

4) A chance to have a little nap after everybody went to school because I was soooooooo tired.

5) My friends and family.

Alone...

I have but a very small window of alone time right now! My son has just gone to a dance; "no, mom you don't need to walk with us to the door." This sentence was quickly followed by a pleading look of, 'don't ask me to kiss you good-bye. PLEEEAASE!!' I didn't, but this kids growing up thing is harder than I expected. He went to his first dance last month and I basically avoided the whole thing by going out with The Red Hot Mama's!---More about them another day. (trust me, it's worth the wait!) So really, this, is the first dance for me, the mother!
My Friday evening mantra: "he'll be fine, he'll be fine, please let him be fine, he'll be fine, he'll be fine."
My daughter has her visit with her BFF extended for another hour or so and my husband is playing poker with some guys.
So I've got quiet time to let you know that it has been a good week. I got a 'good to go' from Princess Margaret Hospital for another 6 months. (I'm not going to dwell on this point, so keep going)
I took my daughter to see CATS this week at the Princess of Wales Theatre and it was a really great day. We took the Go Bus down to Toronto, rode the subway (this is a big deal!) and took the Go Train home. Another success for me! I got to the city --- and home again--- maintained my sanity; I even got some knitting done. Commuting does have some perks!
I finished reading Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair last night, glanced over the patterns at the end of the book and...
started reading it all over again. And this was in the middle of the night using a flashlight! I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to...anyone, she's a funny young lady.
O.K. so that's about 15 minutes of my alone time devoted to blogging; my plan now is to make a cup of tea and work on my Mystery Stole (because nobody is here to interupt me). Yup, that's my plan.

Have I shared with you my two favourite wines in the world?

Yup, I'm planning on tea and knitting lace.

Or maybe, wine and stocking stitch.
It really doesn't take too much to keep me happy; stocking stitch is just fine, if there's wine. ;o)

Looking Out For Number One!!

No guesses; I'm thinkin' that means no lurkers. Well, it's only been a few weeks, so I'll keep trying.

By the way, it's the Travel Skirt from Ram Wools and I've got about 1 1/2" done and therefore was not able to wear it last Sunday. Oh well, there's always Christmas!

O.K. I had a few things to get off my chest.

But before I start, I just want to say that this is not going to be a Breast Cancer blog. I had it, and since this is Breast Cancer awareness month the subject may come up a time or two.

What I do want to talk about, however, is the continued need for all of us to act on our own behalf when dealing with our health.

If you find a lump (doesn't matter how old you are!), get to a doctor! Make them; yes I said, MAKE them, follow up with a mammogram and/or ultrasound.

Next, it is YOUR responsibility to find out the results; do NOT use the, "if I haven't heard from them, I guess there's nothing to worry about" line. Ask when the doctor expects to have the results and then phone or make an appointment to follow up. (this applies to any test, really)

Here's a biggie, and for some reason, I just keep having to learn it over and over again. If something doesn't feel right, keep going until you get answers! You know your body best, you are not bothering anyone; it's their job and it's your life! Speak Up! Nobody can help or know there's a problem if you don't Speak Up! And don't be afraid to ask for help.

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in July 2006 and since then, while I have been very lucky a lot of the time, it still surprises me how often I've had to act as my own advocate and I had a pretty good idea how the system works! But what about all the people who have difficulty with the language, or are stuck thinking that, "the Doctor will look after me" and don't know how the system works?

It's an overflowing system, manned by people; people who are capable of missing something, of having a bad day and not picking up on all the details that are "your life"! It's a system, where you are sent from specialist to specialist, who only look at the little part of you that is their specialty; guess what? There's more to you than that little part!

Keep looking until you find someone who looks at the 'whole' of you and puts all the pieces together to find the answer that is right for you!

In the past year and a half I cannot tell you how many people have had a look at my chest; (not terribly glamorous) asked the same questions; seen the same thing and offered very little advise for any complaints/concerns that I had and just kept encouraging me to move forward. And this was good too, but I still had questions and since I pretty well got the same answer with each person I asked...I thought that this was just the way it was going to be forever and you know, that didn't feel too good.

So, I went to a barbecue in September; chatted with a lady about Lymphedema (hers) and she told me about a clinic in Cookstown where the physiotherapists deal with Lymphedema and by association, many breast cancer survivors; so I got the number.

I was sure I didn't have Lymphedema, my arm wasn't swollen and I had been assured time and time again, that my risk was virtually next to nil, having only had a few axillary nodes removed. What I was looking for, was someone to give me some direction on moving forward, because, while in many parts of my life I had moved on; I didn't feel like it. Because I was still uncomfortable and didn't know what was too much to do or not enough, ie. looking for balance. Sigh.

The lovely lady at Cookstown Centre for Wellness took a short history, reassured me that my risk was decreased for developing Lymphedema (again) because I did not have radiation as part of my treatment, asked a few questions and before she saw my chest told me that I had Lymphedema. And you know, I didn't quite follow what she was saying, because I didn't have Lymphedema, I had a discomfort under my arm, some aching, some throbbing some times, some puffiness under my scar that got red sometimes from the heat; that I thought was fat, and some funny fat deposit above my scar, under my arm where, "that's just the way it healed".

But that's not Lymphedema---uh, yea, it is!

She re-educated me on the lymphatic system, she taught me how to perform self massage; she gave me a massage---no deep muscle, very light touch---she gave me forms and reference material to get set up with compression sleeves in the hopes that this will not get worse.

And she listened.

And when she was done (one short hour) I felt fantastic (and verklempt).

And when I got home and had a look...I could not believe the difference!! I was smooth, I was comfortable, I could reach up and not think I was pulling something apart! And all from a few simple hand movements!

And all because I didn't give up looking for somebody that would have the right answer. It wasn't a mission, but it nagged at me and that's when you should pay attention!

This is not about blame; everyone that was involved in my care did the best job that they could, but not everyone knows everything that there is to know and so, be vigilant and find your answers!

My Granny's life advice was, "Look Out For Number One!" Yea, because if you don't; nobody else is going to!





Have you ever noticed mushrooms?



The leaves are falling and life is slowly fading on this season and up from the ground a mushroom pushes forth; lifting the earth out of its way!
And there they are; up from nowhere...actually from something dead under the ground...leaving the pieces of earth that were in their way laying upside down.
Where pansies, just look at you with a funny look on their faces!



FYI: It took just over an hour to write this, dad. Chloe wasn't impressed.

Clues!

So much for taking pictures with the camera you're not supposed to touch and not getting caught! That's my girl!My son, on the other hand, leads in with this comment, "I know I shouldn't have done this mom, but look, she's soooo cute!"
Now, I bet you thought that I was going to share with you all the progress that I've made on the Mystery Stole (you know, "clues"..."Mystery Stole") since the Yarn Harlot has finished hers and (in my mind) I was racing (and going to beat) her.
Yeah, well, no.
I have good reason though; just can't seem to come up with too many right now, but I will show you what I have been working on...

Yup, more Noro! It's Silk Garden that I bought up in Haliburton at Marty's this summer when we stayed up at a cottage for two weeks. (It distracted me from the Mystery Stole up there too!) It's a pattern from Knit Simple, with mitred squares building on I-cord; it is A LOT of fun! The sleeves are supposed to be just garter stitch; I don't see that happening. I think I've come up with an alternate plan incorporating the mitre detail all up the sleeve with the point over the back of my hand. My mom says that I never leave a pattern alone; always change something!
Now, because the MSIII is definately a 'work alone' kind of project and the Mitred Squares are fun, but not entirely 'group friendly'; I am still in need of something that I can work on when I'm with people that I actually want to talk to (aka Cast Offs). Here's a clue:

Any guesses?

Give the lurkers a chance Cast Offs (haha).

I hope to post again this weekend; I've got a few things that I need to get of my chest! And yes, that's another Clue!

I'm thankful for:

1) Sunny Days

2) Tracey

3) Hayley

4) Janet and her church friends (I sure hope it works out!)

5) PVR - Phyllis was denied!

Yes, I'm Thankful AND it's over!

Well, that's that for Thanksgiving Weekend 2007. It was a beautiful and jam packed weekend!

Last night after everybody left our house, my son went upstairs to do his homework...the homework that he put off from Friday, promising to complete Monday morning; with the understanding that "I" would not nag at him for the entire weekend; that he knows what has to be done and that it is his responsibility to complete it. But of course, things happen; something unexpected and way more fun comes along and the homework did indeed get left until the last minute. (again, truth be known, he comes by it honestly :o)...

So, after a fun, family filled day, there were some strong words exchanged between those who have finished grade 6 and those who have not. Rules, schedules and expectations were reviewed (again) and everybody went on with their evening.

This morning when he asked me to sign his agenda, I saw what his homework assignment had been.



To complete a Gratitude Journal.



Which he did, sighting that he was thankful for water, shelter; not living in a war zone.



Now, do I feel like a schmuck.



I want to send some thanks out there as well...

Thanks to Sue for the Whoppers on Murder Mystery Night.
Thanks to Sheila, who thinking we were sticking to the "M" gift theme, managed to turn this into a "F"our glasses hostess gift.
Elizabeth, for "F"all towels (very handy) and apple pie candle.
KGB knit me a beautiful bracelet with beads and this isn't the best picture that I ever took; I'm guessing the "F" factor is....fabulous!!
And Nancy, for the Pink Ribbon, magnet memo holder..."F"unctional!



I am thankful to have been able to spend time with so many friends this past weekend!. I managed to get out with the Cast Offs for Dinner on Thursday. My family and I met with our old neighbours/friends for dinner on Friday night, came back here and enjoyed a bonfire in the back yard and had a lot of fun with them.

Sunday was a very special day as I went to Hamilton to share in a 50th Wedding Anniversary Church service with some friends that I've had since grade 9! Actually, it's the parents celebrating the 50th (I'm not there yet!). Anyway, it was a wonderful service, with 8 members of their family singing in the choir! We all went back to the family home and caught up with what everybody's up to these days. And you know what?

Girls Rock!!

The women of the group took over the kitchen, ie. we sat down with our wine in the kitchen and called for the men to look after the cooking. :o)

We shared, we joked, we laughed; well, I may as well own up...there was snorting. It was just that much fun relaxing with all these loving and intelligent women who share so much history; even when our lives have taken so many different paths. I loved every minute of my time with the whole family and look forward to sharing many more celebrations.

Monday was our family's turn and we all met here. The weather cooperated (here, at least) and we got to see pictures from Alaska, where my brother had just been for work, we got to show my dad the house in progress...he likes that kind of thing, we got to show off our dog to everybody that hadn't met her yet and the kids got to play together and on the Wii! (Dad's and Grandpa's are included in the last part there) One of the things that I liked best was seeing my nieces. One is nine, and growing more confident each time I see her and the other will be two in January; she's so little and cute and fun. She has a special place in my heart because she was starting her life when I wasn't sure what direction mine was going and she was a baby to cuddle and babies? Well, they just always give you hope.

I think I'm going to take a lesson from my son's homework (and the Simple Abundance path) and try to end my posts with a Gratitude Journal...can't hurt can it?

1) Children (mine and yours)

2) Extended, warm weather.

3) No dog mess to clean up this morning (yea!)

4) Leftovers for tonight's dinner

5) Loving family and friends...it was great to see you.

Books and their Stories

A couple of years ago, my dear friend Christine moved away (I would post a picture, but I haven't asked her permission) and I missed her very much. We kept in touch by phone (isn't unlimited long distance wonderful?) and sent emails (it was because of her I figured out how to get pictures onto my computer and out into the world!) but that's never quite the same as getting together is it? We planned and tried to get together at Stitches West this past February, but she wasn't able to make it (I, however, got to experience one of the highlights of my life; it could only have improved if Christine and all my knitting friends were able to go with me!)

It was with joy and glee that we were able to coordinate a meeting place, Isle La Motte, VT. On the July 1st weekend we made the 7 hour drive to spend time with my friend and her family. (they only had to drive 5 days)

It was wonderful to see them and to share knitting and yarn stories. One of the things she showed me was the book that her husband and children had given her for her birthday, The Natural Knitter (see above, I couldn't get the picture to move). I spent quite a few hours pouring over her copy and when I got home, I still thought about it whenever I was in a bookstore or yarn shop; even made some special trips to these kind of stores with just that book in mind, but it never really appeared when I was looking for it. Strange. I thought they would be everywhere; it's just such a beautiful book and VERY informative.


So, last Saturday, after I dropped my son off at hockey, I decided to check out a little shop not too far from us called Gemini Fibres to see about a second hand spinning wheel. (I'm beginning to hear the call of fleece!) Luckily, she did not have a spinning wheel, (because I really have no place to put it!) but I'm not about to enter a lovely shop such as hers and not purchase anything...please.



My daughter and I watched the spinners; listened to all their preferences and advice, but I really feel I need to study that whole hobby and it's vocabulary before I commit...mmmmm. I remembered that I had read about using Silk Roving, in No Sheep For You, for Thrum mittens or socks and liked the idea. But Silk Roving is not so easy to come by; and I suddenly thought, hey, if there's gonna be Silk Roving someplace, well then, this is the place! And it was! So I bought some of that...OMG it is incredibly soft!! I also, picked up my 2008 Knitting Calendar, again, who knows how fast they're going to fly off the shelf! I had purused her book shelf --- WOW---but didn't see the book; so I asked and guess what? It was there and now?... it is here.



Now, I have quite a number of knitting (and various other craft related) books, and have spent these past few months trying to justify buying another one and came up with a beaut!



I sold some of my stash. Gasp! What? No!



Yes!



I had made the Dream In Colour Tulip Cardigan using Smooshy double stranded because I couldn't wait to get the Classy...it was a weak moment. It was Knitting In Public Day, I was doing a Yarn Crawl and my last stop was Unwind; I was tired, high on yarn fumes and as I said, weak (to be fair, I'm always weak in a yarn shop). I bought the full skeins of Smooshy and when the sweater was done, I had plenty left over. A dear friend of mine found out that her daughter was expecting her, I think, first grandchild, and wanted to make this sweater for her and offered to buy my leftovers and we came to an agreeable arrangement. She paid me the cost of the yarn without tax; I agreed with the understanding that there was a book that I wanted and if there was any money left over I would give it back to her. It was an even-steven trade! Some of my stash went to a very good home and I got the new book that I wanted...guilt free! L O V E I T!!



I've also been looking forward to another book for quite a few months, and it came just the other day. I don't have any long winded, incredibly thought out rational for buying this book; I just wanted it.

The first book by Crazy Aunt Purl. I want you to notice that the staging of the book for the photo shoot includes cat hair (upper right corner).
There's never any shortage of it here either; so I thought it fitting!

So those are my two newest books and their stories....and as far as stories go...there's plenty more where that came from!

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving everyone; we really do have a tremendous amount to be thankful for. And for today I want to thank Connie at Pick Up Sticks for showing me how to link! :o)

Oh yea, Knitting!

I've talked a lot about my 'knitting friends' and showed you some pictures of some wild and crazy people, but we actually knit too! I thought I'ld show you something that I've finished and one of my WIP (works in progress).

Here is the Noro wrap that I've finished; this is the one that I had to go buy more yarn to complete. I went to Unwind in Newmarket to get the finishing yarn, because that's where the original yarn came from---tell me why a pattern would call for 100g of a specific yarn and have said yarn available only in 40g skeins; can anyone tell me? Anyway, Wendy and I had a good time playing with all kinds of greens to become the ruffle, because you can put any of the greens together, whether they have a blue hue to them or a yellow or dark or light---it's a rule! You know why? Because it happens in nature! All of us colour co-ordinating people got a Free Pass on Greens...put 'em all together, mix them all up, love or hate 'em; they all go together and someday I'm gonna do that! But not today...

The gold just brought the whole thing to life! This wrap was worked using Noro Silk Garden; working double strand on 8mm and when the called for Contrast Colour yarn wasn't available we had to get inventive,(Oh darn it all anyway!) and found a wonderful gold in Cascade Yarns - Cascade 128. This is a chunky/bulky weight yarn and to heavy too be worked double as the pattern called for, but still needed a little something; so we found SWTC - Vickie Howell Collection - Love (Bamboo fibres and silk) it brought a lovely sheen to the Peruvian Highland Wool in the Cascade AND it was 30% off! Woohoo!!

{My knitting friends know about 'the incident' with Bamboo, but I persevered and lived to tell the story!}

So, I'm kind of a swatcher, or at least occaisionally consider the possiblity that what I'm knitting might give me an idea of how the finished project (if ever) might look. But really, if the idea of swatching is to get a perfectly proportionate and fitted item; then I don't swatch correctly. I've had more luck just going with the flow and if it doesn't look good on me? Well someone out there is in for a lovely surprise someday, that's all.

Anyway, how this all relates to the above picture is this: I AM a Blocker!! And thanks to my husband and our construction business I have found the coolest blocking board! It's Insulation...Mitten Levelwall Insulation! It's a styrofoam product that takes the pins well. It's available in a large enough size to handle even our bigger projects, folds up for easier storage and has a grid already marked; including angles!! It's a neat treasure of mine!

Here's the wrap all done along with the photo that inspired it and even though I worked the ruffle 4 times and followed the pattern...I'm not getting the ruffly action, but it sure is pretty. I love Noro yarn; I could work with it all the time. I love how the colour changes and the unlikely combinations that they put together, and I have to say the Silk Garden is indeed my favourite.

Now that this is one more completed project off my list it's time that I turn my attention to some of my neglected projects. And therein lies the problem; which one?

Well, it's quiet here right now; it's kind of dreary and cool... and now that The Yarn Harlot is finished her book she may pass me in completing this project that is soooo her fault for me starting!!

The Mystery Stole III (not so much a mystery now, but still fun!) By last account I was just a bit behind her; if I'm lucky she'll get distracted and leave her stole alone long enough for me to catch up and...(dare I say it) pass her?! It really is a lovely project to work on and there's a lot of significance even in it's materials. The yarn was purchased from Pick Up Sticks (now a retail store in Bradford) and waiting in my stash (always a plus to find a project and have the yarn there waiting for you), the beads were found (much too easily; didn't have to spend much time there at all :o( at That Bead Lady on Davis Dr. in Newmarket, and the Addi Lace needles were from Serenity Knits in Newmarket. I had the most difficulty, though, finding a crochet hook small enough to fit into the beads. I looked in all the most likely places (and even some unlikely ones), but nobody had a 0.75mm crochet hook available on its own. I was getting quite anxious to get started, because all these other knitters were getting ahead of me on this knit along...I guess I AM more competitive than I thought.

I went into Unwind and asked Wendy if she knew where I could get one...she had it in the back, because they offer it with their bead knitting class (duh) and I was good to go!!

The theme of the Stole is Swan Lake and it came (is coming) to be with the support of many wonderful, caring 'crafty' people. Thanks everybody; back to knitting before Stephanie gets back to hers!