That time of the year again

Guess who won the season opener last night???

Here's a hint: it wasn't Toronto! LMOL

Senators RULE!!

A killer week is over. I gave my notice at the sewing place. I am hoping I'll be able to recognize my kids now that I'll actually be spending some time with them everyday. It really sucks not seeing your kids except for when they're sleeping. During the summer it wasn't so bad because they stayed up later and we'd spend a bit of quality time together after I would get home from work.

Now go see David. Better than chocolate cheesecake!

And if you've ever wanted to know what goes on down in Antarctica, Jules has a seriously cool (pardon the pun!) blog, complete with penguins. Go see for yourself.

No knitting took place all week. How is that for dreadful??

...and in other news...

Bar-b-qued duck, anyone? A glass (or three) of home made wine was entirely responsible for the terrified duck. Honest.

Briggs & Little blanket. Wool. Crocheted. Coming along nicely, but still only about half-way done. Sigh.

And most recently, ten additions to the farm! Aren't they adorable? The mama hen pecked me yesterday when I tried to feed her! B*tch!

Other than that, I've been knitting on the Lopi sweater. I'm almost to the top of both fronts. I might actually finish it before the really cold weather hits. The white aran? It hates me. Yes it does. I have to rip back the sleeves (AGAIN!) and chart the damned things before I try again. The pattern for the sleeves bites the big universal one. Like it was written by someone who just didn't want to put any effort into it.

Good thing tomorrow is another day. Cheers.

Another work week Done

Yes. Amazing I survived. I worked well over 40 hours. I have been contemplating the sanity of working two such very different jobs. Don't get me wrong. This madness does have good points. For example, getting out of the house when the kids are being loud and obnoxious and keep terrorizing each other (and making me wish I worked even more hours!). One job pays a pretty decent wage and I get to sit down and I can wear reeeeally casual clothes, and I even like to sew and I get to gloat when I get three or four pairs of jeans hemmed in about half an hour and the customer is totally astounded and says things like: " I didn't think you were serious! You got them ALL done already??" and I say, "yes, of course, they're been waiting for you for while" (big, BIG gloating grin!!) Talk about your run-on sentences! hee hee

One the other hand, the diamond pusher job has great things going for it as well. Granted, the pay could be better, and same can be said for the commission, but you never work alone, there is a bathroom on the premises (you will never know how important that can be until you work five or six hours without a bathroom break!), you get to play with some really beautiful jewelry, the boss has a decent sense of humour, and the co-workers are a riot! Did I mention the beautiful jewelry? The unfortunate part (all in how you look at it, I suppose) of being well acquainted with the merchandise: one day (no, it wasn't a wet and stormy night!), a gentleman walked in the store and asked to see the most beautiful and best priced item in the store. Well. Me and my big mouth didn't take long to tell him, and at the same time part me from the one thing (not quite!) in the store I wanted for myself in a really big way. It was a very, VERY beautiful .50ct diamond solitaire discounted by 50%! Everything about it was beautiful: cut, colour and clarity, not to mention price. You know you're getting an incredible deal with the original price being equal to the full carat diamonds in the store, but being able to purchase it at half off. But that's how it goes. Inside, I was weeping, while I knew that once I told hubby, be would be absolutely overwhelmed with glee. There are things I must admit to enjoying. Such as the employee discount, the fact that I get to wear really nice clothes to work, I have an excuse to spend money on nice shoes (where before the kids were always priority one), and I get more bathroom time now because makeup is almost mandatory. I have to have good hair, which can be time consuming, but at least I get to spend time on my appearance. Before, it was always so easy to say, "hey the sheep and rabbits and chickens don't care if I wear pj's to the barn or if my hair isn't even brushed...".

A few last words since blogger won't allow me to upload pictures. If you haven't yet, you really should visit this very talented individual. Not only is he talented, but wears a kilt! Now, what could be better than that??

Places I've been

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

This map is tres cool. It reminds me that I have traveled to some really amazing places, but this map also tells me that equals out to only about 11% of the world. Now, that's not even totally accurate since the map highlights the whole country visited, not the city or area, and if that were the case my percentage would go down to about .001. Canada is huge. So are the United States and I've only been to one small part of Greenland. Maybe once the kids move out I'll become a world traveler again. Highly unlikely in this times of terror (bah humbug). I like to be able to brush my teeth with my own brand of toothpaste in a foreign place and not have it be suspected of an explosive! Good grief!!

A Day Off

It's Sunday, but the sun is hiding. Go figure, on my only day off. I just hope it doesn't rain. I have piles of laundry to catch up on, and I much prefer hanging it out on the line than using the drier, or making the house look like a chinese laundry. I do have lines strung in the bathroom a couple inches from the ceiling and I make use of them on a regular basis, especially once the weather gets cool enough that the wood furnace is going.

Hubby is gone salmon fishing on the Miramichi in New Brunswick, compliments of the kids and I. Out-of-province fishing lisences are expensive but that's what we gifted him for his 40th birthday. Not to mention the logistics of rearranging mine and the teenager's work schedules to accomodate his absence. I'll be glad to see him Tueday evening. When he's away, I find myself craving adult conversation. And all of a sudden I can understand Laurie's brand of lonely. I think, I can. I mean, the kids are here, and they're constantly in and out of my room wanting something or other, but I want the adult back. My long distance carrier is no doubt thrilled since I've been making calls to friends I usually keep in touch with through email. Ah, the cost of adult conversation. Why is the companionship of a mate so often taken for granted?

Empty

Empty. My house is empty. If you don't count the cats and the dog and the goldfish. I am the only human in it. For at least another few hours. Maybe I won't bring the rest of the residents back. Nah. That just wouldn't do. I sure can enjoy this silent empty house while it lasts though. Talk about a vacation! hee hee hee

Hubby is at his aunt's summer cottage in Charleston with the kids, the two little ones, building a deck onto the back. I am home with the teenager (who works during the day, leaving by
6:30 am). I would have stayed at the cottage too, but I had to work on a wedding dress to deliver today, and I have to work at the jewelry store, but not until this evening. Plus the animals wouldn't have liked me for abandoning them without food or water. I am starting to think that teenagers may not be so bad. When he got home yesterday afternoon, he said hi and then went about his business. And later when he saw me sewing on a gazillion beads on the wedding dress, he had sense enough to stay away and let me work in peace. Good boy. We ate leftovers from hubby's birthday party for supper so food prep was totally painless. I am sure enjoying this quiet. And I'm pretty sure that the dog isn't going to rat me out for letting her sleep on the couch. I'm thinkin' I might have to send them away more often...

Too Much of a Good Thing

Definitely. Too much of a good thing... is simply too much. And Too boring. This a sock for Colin, from the same batch of yarn as hubby's socks. Good grief, these are going slow. As much as I like the colours, I am bored out of my mind. I've been receiving packages all week of stuff I acquired on-line, and let me tell you, the pull is strong. Today I'll pick up another package from the post office, and get the privilege of paying duty on it. What is that free-trade crap about anyway??? Anyway. I don't want to turn this little post into a bitch session.

Hey... I started another job. Still doing tailoring 3 days a week, but now I am employed as a diamond pusher. That's not quite right. I am working in a jewelry store, helping people part with their hard earned money on shiny, pretty trinkets. I like it. The other ladies are great, and if it's a slow day, at least there's someone to talk to. And of course there's all that time I get to spend picking and choosing items to separate me from my money. I tell ya, the pull is strong. Didn't I already say that once?? I am so easily influenced. Gee.

This weekend is hubby's 40th birthday. I was planning a big surprise birthday party. Only to find out yesterday that he was talking to friends and inadvertently uninviting them. So I got mad and kind of spilled the beans. So now he knows and is trying not to interfere. Except for saying he won't there for it. Because he doesn't want a party. Liar. He'll love it.

Did anyone else notice that the days are getting shorter?? Damn. Once again I'm driving home from work in the dark. Double Damn.

Thank you

Thanks to everyone who sent kind thoughts about the bunnies.

Life goes on. Although I love raising animals and working this farm, although I might shed the occasional tear, I try not get emotionally attached to my livestock, be it bunnies, chickens, sheep, cow... Animals die. Period. Some of natural causes, some at my hand because their final destination is my dinner plate. I am a farmer. I learned a long while back to take the good with the bad. I don't cry when a fox or coyote thieves and kills my chickens or ducks (I am down to one duck and she's lonely; her mate got snatched in the spring.). I did cry when my milk cow died a year and a half ago. She was wonderful and very productive animal, and her offspring fed my whole family for better part of nine months. Now I not only have to spend money to buy milk and butter and cream, but also meat. I don't know if those animals that produce for the supermarkets are treated humanely. I would venture to say not nearly as humanely or as well as they would be if they lived on my farm.

Does anyone actually think about where their food comes from anymore? Or just complain about the rising costs? Why is it so expensive to eat healthy?

Fleece Artist Curly Locks

Forgive me the crappy photo, but I had major issues trying to photograph this Fleece Artist scarf/shawl thing. The colours are much richer in actuality.

On the bunny front, this morning marked their unexpected demise. The mama bunny isn't such a good mama it appears. I found the babies scattered around the nesting box, under the hay, cold as stone. Needless to say, she will soon find herself evicted from this farm.

Knitting in the Heat

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing with you something extraordinary. If you are a knitter, that is. Or if you find that you can never pass up a learning opportunity. If you haven't yet, go visit Mambocat's Knitting Asylum. In Fiberology 101: The Origin of Yarn, where she discusses the mating rituals of yarn, be advised that the associated photos should come with a "Rated R" warning.

Now some of my own Yarn P0Rn. Sock yarn that is. Latest acquisitions. Hopefully the colours from these batches will swirl around the sock like they did on my hubby's socks, which I find charming to no end.

I grafted the toes on these suckers this afternoon and he's already wearing them. Plus I started on a pair for my son, since there is more than enough left over.

GUESS what??? More baby bunnies! Three alive and well, one didn't make it. They arrived yesterday morning. I found them while doing the morning barn chores before we headed out to the cottage and the lake. That one rabbit sure keeps a low profile and she was early once again. Didn't have nest made or anything. So hubby and I hustled to move her to a bigger cage with a nesting box. One baby is a good size, the other two quite small. They're all wiggly, a good sign.

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Don't Come back 'Til I Say

That's my daughter's version of that song. I think I like it.

Spider webs. I don't know why there are so many considering all this & @%#$*! rain we've been getting. You'd think they'd all keep getting washed away. This year is proof you can't trust the Farmers' Almanac. Dry summer, my arse. The two holly bushes I bought and planted in the spring have actually drowned. I am SO not impressed. Seeing how I actually planted what I purchased in the same season, never mind year. Because I do have a couple currant bushes I bought last year (or was that two years ago?) and they're still in their original pots. Alive, though, and that's better than the hollies. Maybe if I didn't try to change and procrastinated with their planting, they'd still be alive. Hmm.

I am still knitting, but not so much today. Yesterday, I finished a pair of sock for hubby of yarn I acquired on ebay. And I still have a bunch left over enough for at least another pair. Picture of those when I got my batteries recharged. Slow knitting day today, just working a bit on that fuchia cardigan. My left-hand index finger is in a lot of pain. I am starting to suspect arthritis (sp?) because it hurts after a difficult sewing day too. Hubby thinks this bout was brought on by yesterday's marathon knitting. Besides his socks, I knit a scarf/shawl type thing of Fleece Artist curly locks mohair on, get this: size 15mm needles. They were a royal pain in the arse! Anyone want a pair of 15mm needles??? Never again. See, I knit the whole thing up as a triangle on 10mm needles first, didn't like it, tinked the whole thing, and started from scratch on the 15's in a rectangle. I think I cast on 22 stitches or so and knit until I ran out of yarn. It's a decent size, and I'm not redoing it again. Normally I wouldn't even have bought such impractical yarn, but my brain got befuddled by the beeeautiful colours. Very rich. Wait til I get that camera working again!

Lopi and Cats

Lopi. From Iceland. Really. Brought it back all by myself. Not by the postwoman. How cool is that? I loved Iceland. Wish I had spent more time there. The hot springs: wow! And Hot! Image, eh? Anyway, this stuff knits up pretty fast, pattern is not terribly complicated, and I love the colours. That's the back all done and a good start on both fronts. Yes. I will be wearing it this fall and winter and whenever. It's not gonne get to be 18 years old unfinished. Truly!

Apparently Thomas felt he didn't have enough room and HAD to stick his fat feet on James.

James on the other hand looked like he was going to bite his feet off for such an offence.

I could have sworn he winked at me!

There was Knittin' goin' On

I've been knitting. And then I've been finishing stuff I knitted and then I've been thinking about knitting other stuff. On the left are socks for my son, Colin, who will be turning eight in a few short weeks. Crazy stripes with navy for cuffs, heels and toes in 6 ply. They're nice and bright. He should like them considering that I caught him wearing Briggs and Little Tuffy socks earlier this week! And Wiktoria's socks are actually done now, toes grafted and everything. I think that's going to be a Christmas present. They look a little big, but my brother told me she's growing like a weed and just recently started crawling (and getting into everything!). Good for her!

I managed to seam one side of this skirt-wanna-be, to realize a definite problem. Apparently I can't measure, or count, or most likely both. One piece ended up about 2.5cm too long. I am trying to unpick one row (slow going, holy @#^%#!) to even things up. When that's done, I'll cast off and carry on like I didn't screw things up in the first place. A lot of that going on around here.

Good news: I found a home for the 18-year old sweater. I gave it to the woman I bought my sheep from. Not exactly forced her to take it to do with what she will, but close.

And for your amusement, sheep sheering outtake:

The (Mighty) Lahave River

"Dog-Breath" neverendingly fascinated by baby bunnies

Isn't it CUTE?? No name. But definitely showing angora. YA-HOOO!

FOs...

Trigger mitts, designed on the needles, knit from wool of a sheep that now resides on my farm. They fit me perfectly. I hope they fit the recipient as well!

Thomas (apparently I was disturbing his sleep during the photo op!) with a finally finished mohair-blend sweater that's over 18 years old. Kid you not. I bought the yarn when I was still in school (high school that is!), living at home. Granted, it was my last year at home but still. It was my first ever colour-work and first sweater and first mohair yarn, blah, blah, blah... And I don't even like it, and it's huge and makes me look even huger. It sat in a box waiting to be sewn together over 17 years. I didn't have a clue about finishing knit stuff back then, because let me tell you, it took many hours and MAJOR perseverance to undo those seams that I did stitch. And I was too ashamed to take pictures of the horror. Now the shoulders are grafted (can you believe it??!) and all other seams are done by the book and I can even get the darned thing over my head. Yes, I had MAJOR issues with the neck band being too tight. Don't ask any other questions. I should have taken the thing apart and reused the yarn for socks or something.















I leave you with pictures of Oscar, the Vampire Cat (who loves his picture taken!).

NB No photoshopping involved!

Fickle, That's Me

I'm catching up on blog reading tonight, and this is what I have to put up with:

I think she wants her belly scratched. You think? Can she possibly be any more subtle??
Annie is a pouter. Tough.

And while my dial-up takes its' time uploading pages, I am trying not to waste time. Actually, this is evidence of polygamy. I think. Is it still polygamy if the others are stashed who-knows-where and you are in the company of only one? Even if stash spies lurk everywhere, taking notes of your indiscretions? The spies are actually Jaeger Matchmaker Chunky that I scored on eBay (very cushy), destined for hats + presents. That nice cotton top I started? Where did that go exactly?? I dunno. Maybe I do, I don't want to think about it. So I'm knitting socks for Wiktoria with that pink Italian wool I bought in Kitchener. Wishing now I had bought more than just that one ball. It's LOVELY. I am cursed, not being able to stick to one project at a time.

I'm on a Diet

Doesn't it show???

(I figured cheap, no-name cookies don't count.) As if.

I'm exercising too (and I'd show you, but it's too difficult taking a picture of me sitting down doing nothing!!).

If Only

I WANT ONE. Get this: it's knit furniture!! Yeah, baby!

My thanks to Kim, Yarn Abuser for pointing this out.

And if you go here, you will find more of what I want.

IF I had that kind of money.

IF I didn't have a husband or kids that would destroy it within five days of it's arrival in the house.

IF this company could make their catalogue available in Canada.

That's a lot of ifs.

Please will excuse me now, for I am going to have a sitdown on my child/man-proof furniture and daydream of the possibilities.

Knitting, Crochet, and Kitty Cuteness

My latest knitted undertaking.

The top from the cover in a cotton I acquired during Carissa's destashing. I didn't do a test swatch (don't tell me you're shocked!), on needles 5mm smaller then recommended and I am pretty sure the weight of cotton I'm using is quite different from the one suggested. I'm hoping the finished product won't turn out to be as baggy as the one in the picture. Precisely the reason I'm following (gasp) the pattern for the smallest size. That's kind of funny since there is nothing small about me!

Briggs & Little Wool Blanket

Progress is slow, but I'm getting there. Somewhere between a third and half way done, I'd say.

Annie in a bonnet
Doesn't she look impressed?

A Rant, and more

I love my library. The staff is wonderful. Wanda and Crystal and the other ladies make the Bridgewater Branch of SSRL a really COOL place to visit. They're not only smart, or nice, or friendly, but they're also all honest-to-goodness helpful. With a smile. It's not that they have a huge collection of books over which they preside. But they will help you get access to practically any book you have your heart set on. Once I even got a book brought in from Manitoba, I believe it was. That's where they found what I needed. Amazing. Because of this kind of service, I try to donate money or books or movies whenever I am able. My small way to say thank you, and to help in any little way to make it a better place for other patrons.

(This is where the rant begins.) Recently I managed to borrow the above pictured book through ILL. Good book. Interesting book. Informative book. I found this through scanning it. Then Saturday night I sat down to read it from the beginning. I was really enjoying it until I got to page 18. Page 19 was missing. WTF??? Pages 20 - 22 were also missing! That really pissed me off. The whole section on motifs is missing. Destroying a book is wrong. Even worse because this book doesn't just belong to one idividual. It's not only the one individual that is deprived of the information of the missing pages but any future person wishing to learn about this particular subject. This book was published in 1985. Odds of finding a replacement copy are slim. And lets face it, any copy that may be found is probably going to cost more than the original. I sure hope it wasn't a knitter that could be so selfish or rude. I had hoped that knitters as a whole would be more principled than go ripping patterns from books for their sole enjoyment. It's not like the book couldn't be signed out again if the "thief" wasn't finished with it. I am not going to apologize for using that word. People don't like to think of themselves in such low esteem. But what else is it but stealing? What?? It's not stealing because that person only took a few pages? Give me a break. I wish eternal torment of conscience on the person with such low regard for public property! (End rant.)

James in the "Penthouse Suite"

...because everyone knows that the penthouse is the best, sleeping on wool socks makes it even better! (That'll teach my husband to leave his sock drawer open!)

I started these on Sunday, when I needed something to keep my hands busy while watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. On a 5mm crochet hook, and Bernat chunky, it makes for a project that practically crochets itself and lets my brain take a vacation. I was somewhat surprised when my daughter said she liked the black one better but not too much because "it's holey". I haven't decided how many of these squares I will join together to make something. May be a blanket, may turn into a couch cover, but I strongly suspect it will end up in the kids' rooms as a toy accessory of sorts.

RIP

PEPPER

Brianna's cat and loyal companion

May 2000 - June 7, 2006

RIP

A Good Day

Lookie what came in the mail today! I am a happy, happy woman. One of a few awesome things I scored on eBay from an Ontario seller.

My own copy, at last. I've been obsessed with lace knitting for a while, now, but I have been having a difficult time finding good pattern books at LBSs. However, if I wanted a book to show me in great detail how to make a knit or a purl stitch, there are dozens on the shelves. What's up with that??

My niece Wiktoria (pronounced Victoria), cruising through Niagara Falls. She's almost 6 months. Isn't she a cutie patutie? Gush, gush...

My goofy brother (and top of his wife's head):

Lately I've been watching "How Clean is Your House". Have you seen it? Two British women taking people's homes by storm with cleaning bucket in hand, and whipping the place into a sparkling abode? I must admit the start of every show ready grosses me out, but the cleaning tips are quite good. I am not a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but I tell you, this show got me off the couch, got me to put my knitting down, and shamed me into a cleaning frenzy! I could NOT HELP MYSELF!!

Something I don't see every day: I had just turned on the computer, the kids were coming through the door, and then I hear Mathew hollering "...there's a deer, there's a deer...."

"Where, where??!"

"..., just jumped over the fence, WOW..."

"....WHERE???..."

"...was in the front yard; LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW!..."

And sure enough, when I ran back to my room, and looked out, there was this gorgeous doe prancing through the small side field, not deterred but electric wire in the least. She was beautiful, and big. Unfortunately, a perfect specimen for hunting season. But such is life when you live with a hunter. She's safe enough for now. What a sight she was!

You should go...

...to Shubenacadie Wildlife Park and visit the many interesting birds and animals that call the park home. I would have had more pictures but the batteries died. Go figure.

Blueberry blossoms and Sheep Attack

I know it's been a while. A busy while. Class trips, knitting, working more hours because one of the bosses is away, knitting, taking care of my off-spring and chores, knitting, laundry, dodging black flies, knitting, picking rocks from my garden, laundry, dodging black flies... Is it just me or an I repeating myself?

On a positive note, it will be a fantastic year for blueberries. Two years ago, my husband bush hogged approximately 15 acres of fields. Last year, the fields were in recovery. Looks like we have achieved our goal. Pays to be patient if I am going to do things as earth-friendly and organic as possible.

This is for Lene. I know how she enjoys gore.

This past Tuesday I finally got the gumption to start shearing my sheep. I've been putting it off because memories of last year's shearing were entirely too fresh. Needless to say, this year didn't start off any better. After languishing in the barn for a few days (read: hiding from black flies), my woolly buddies were quite eager to get back out into the pasture. The moment I unlocked the gate, they started shoving past me and only at the very last I managed to swing my leg up to stop their progress which earned me a karate chop by an annoyed Dawn. I grabbed her fleece and hung on for all I was worth. How I got the gate locked again, I haven't a clue. Once she realized I wasn't giving in, she just lay there, faking indifference while I snipped away her precious fleece. She wasn't so easy going when it came time for me to flip her up on her rear end to deal with the belly and later clip her hind quarters. Good grief! For all the kicking and carrying on, I thought I was up again a wrestler four times my size!! But...

...I WON!!! I present you: one nekkid sheep. (three more to go, but never mind that now. I am still enjoying my victory)

I use the old fashioned shears so she suffered the odd nick around the legs, but overall, I believe wholeheartedly that I was the one worse for wear. Every single muscle in my body ached for a very looooong three days. And not so much as a thank you from the sheep for removing that hot, woolly coat!

If you'll excuse me, I shall go contemplate shearing another sheep...First, I think I will knit some to inspire myself.

Favourites

Will I sound like a horrible monster if I say that reading and knitting rank higher on my list of favourites than my kids and husband and family? Especially this particular night when the kids were less than cooperative with bed-time routines and especially when the husband is being a lot less easy to live with now that he is trying to quit smoking (again!)?? I love them all dearly, but they sure have their moments. That is not to say that you don't get bad moments with knitting or a lousy book selection. But you can toss those for other, better ones at your whim.

Not too long ago, a friend sent this to me:

I will go out on a limb here and say that maybe, just maybe, the girl that said "NO!" lived quite happily ever after as well!