Supermom

Before my baby was born, I tried to mentally prepare myself for how much my life would change. No more going to the movies every Tuesday night. No more sleeping in until I woke up on weekends. No more crafting until I dropped. Naturally, nothing could really prepare me for the real thing until it happened but it was a good mental exercise just the same.

As Iain and I move through his first seasons together, I am learning as I go. Many, many things have changed and, yet, some things have not. For example, the lawn still has to be mowed, baby or no. For the past couple of weeks, I have been doing what I’ve been calling ‘patchwork lawn mowing’. I would choose a section of lawn and hope to complete it until Iain, from the confines of his stroller, began to fuss. Once the section was finished, I would take him out of the stroller to crawl around and play while I raked. Luckily, Iain’s favourite tool is a rake! As long as the weather stayed good, I could get the front and one of the side lawns completed in, say, six days. And then start all over again. And did I mention that there was still the larger side and the whole back of the house lawn left?

For three weeks, I diligently kept up my patchwork mowing. I only occasionally stopped to swear when I ran out of cord length (we use an electric mower for environmental reasons. We have a push mower as well but, with just under an acre of property, the push mower is too time consuming. Eventually, we hope to go back to the push mower meaning that most of our property has been changed to flower beds and garden. I think I’d rather weed. Feel free to quote me on that when I start complaining about weeding in a few years). However, once DH directed me to a longer electrical cord stored in the van, I am doing better in that department. Still, once I got the lawn mowed, there was no energy or time to do anything else in the garden, such as weeding, and I knew something had to change.

DH has been looking at a child carrier from MEC ever since Iain was born. I have resisted the idea. I find them heavy without a baby in them and did not want to spend money on something I felt I would rarely use and DH would only use when we go hiking. After all, we do have three slings to choose from. One of my friends has the same carrier that DH was looking at and offered for me to borrow it and try Iain in it for a lawn mowing stint. I still wasn’t convinced. The child hates to be confined (right down to refusing to wear a bib, for heavens sake!) and I choose my battles with him very, very carefully. He is so small and I don’t think it’s fair to him to force him to do something he dislikes so vehemently on a regular basis.

After a short fight regarding the straps and how long it was taking for me to get him ‘locked down’ and into the carrier, an unconvinced Patty headed out with baby Iain and the lawn mower.


Guess what? The kid liked it. He hardly made a sound – unusual for my chatty boy. He liked it so much that he fell asleep while I worked. I thought that was so cute that I marched right into the house and got out the camera, with Iain on my back and asleep the whole time.

I also took some garden shots and you can see the unfinished mowing job in the background.

Amazingly, I also managed to get the whole front lawn with all the side bits completed. In. One. Day. The next day, I completed the back yard. That’s the whole lawn in two days versus seven to ten. This carrier may be a new modern day miracle.

While I was starting on the first bit of the lawn, two young gentlemen drove by and I waved at them (you do that in small towns). I was turned around and mowing another section so didn’t hear them stop and come over to speak with me. They yelled out from behind me,

"Um, do you need some help?"

I turned around and smiled and said "No thanks." Both were wearing name tags from the Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints church so I can only assume they were young missionaries. One of them said,

"Yeah. We were, like, driving along and there you were with a mower and a cord and a baby on your back and a dog. You’re, like, supermom!"

Supermom? Darn tootin’!

Happy Two Days After Mother's Day!

It was a wee bit cold this Mother's Day here in Nova Scotia. We were lucky enough to have company Saturday night and, after they left on Sunday, DH and I decided to bring Iain to the playground. Here he is enjoying his very first time on the slide. Can you tell that Para wants to join in? (Note: make sure the volume on your computer is turned down. It was a very windy day so the sound of the wind is loud. All I’m saying is "Hello, Daddy!" "Here goes Iain on his very first slide." and "Whee!")

We used to take Para to playgrounds and, when no one else was around, get her to go up and down the slide (and for anyone who is concerned, Para never ever did her business in the sand on a playground. That is unacceptable for any dog owner to allow as far as we are concerned). One time, DH took her to the playground behind the military quarters where we lived in Cold Lake, Alberta. The jungle gym there had a tube slide. DH gave Para the command to go up the stairs and then down the slide. However, once she got to the slide and looked down, she hesitated. DH kept saying ‘Okay, Para, down the slide!" But, she continued to hesitate – unusual for her. DH said that finally, she looked at him, seemed to give a doggy shrug and headed down the slide. To his surprise, two teenagers popped out of the bottom of the tube slide before the dog came out! I don’t know who was more surprised – the young couple caught necking in the tube slide or DH!

Unfortunately, the arthritis in Para’s back is now too bad to allow her to use a slide anymore. She usually twists her back coming down and that is too much twisting for our old dog. It is really hard to see her slowing down.

I was going to say, ta da! An FO already in May but then I looked at the calendar and noticed the date. If anyone can help me find the first week of May 2008, I’d really appreciate it. Either way, though, this is another FO for 2008!

Well, the cross stitch portion is completed. It also needs to be washed as I’m sure you can tell from the stretch marks. As I’ve decided not to frame this project at a framing store, I now have to get sewing in order to hang it on the wall. Unfortunately, that means this project will have to join the sewing queue in the basement. Still, it takes me forever to complete a cross stitch and I consider this project complete despite the eventual sewing it will have to endure.

Details: This cross stitch came in a kit designed and produced by Paradise Stitching Co., Paradise, Newfoundland. This company can be contacted on the Internet here. The name of this kit was ‘Basilica’. Finished stitched size 7.4" X 5.2"

Once Upon a Time...

I haven’t posted a book review in ages and, amazingly enough, I actually have read a couple of books recently.

Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. This is a great read for, I’d guess, 9 – 10 year olds, as well as those of us who love children’s literature like me! It is fast paced, a little gross (to please those girls and boys who might like the thought of eating worms…), with strong male and female characters. This is the beginning of a trilogy based on the idea of "what happened before Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie?" I highly recommend the first book. I am halfway through the second in the trilogy (it’s called Peter and the Shadow Thieves) and am equally impressed although I have to admit that I keep having to put it down as the lead ‘bad character’ scares the crap out of me.

Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw. Okay, I admit it. I bought this book in board book format for Iain because I liked the name. For a change, you can judge this book by its, well okay not its cover, but its title. It is a great book. The ‘Oh dear, the driver sheep forgets to steer’ cracks me up every time! This would be a wonderful addition to a hand knitted gift for all those new babies in your world.

Crewel World by Monica Ferris. This is the first in a mystery series based on a lead female character who owns a needlework store. DH was laughing at me for picking this up from the library. I was a little dubious at first. I love Ian Rankin’s Rebus mysteries and comparing these two authors would be like comparing apples and oranges as Rankin’s books are much darker and grittier. That being said, I quite enjoyed this book and intend on working my way through the series. They are a quick read but not too quick (e.g. like I find Janet Evanovich’s novels to be) and the characters fairly well developed. I was a bit thrown by the needlepoint information contained in the book – I’m not sure the level of detail needs to be there for the plot line, however, I still enjoyed it. If you like mysteries and want to add something fun and light to your repertoire, than these books are for you.

The Diaper Free Baby by Christine Gross-Loh. I wrote a blog post about us using elimination communication with Iain awhile ago. I saw this book at the library and thought I’d have a boo. It’s a great read and is a great addition to Ingrid Bauer’s book. The Diaper Free Baby also has suggestions about starting an EC support group in your area, which is an interesting concept for me to consider. I returned my copy to the library and intend on buying one of my own.

Sorry, I haven’t bought any new knitting books (!) recently to comment on. I did receive my Summer 2008 copy of Interweave Knits magazine though. I really like the articles but, believe it or not, none of the patterns speak to me. That happens to me about once a year with this subscription. That’s not too much of a bad thing, however, seeing as most magazines have 5 – 6 patterns that beg for me to knit them (my pocket book only goes so deep and my time is so limited!).

Off to stitch – cross stitch that is. My WIP is almost complete!

Ten Months Today!

How time flies! Happy, happy ten month birthday, my little Iain Bean!

Fun in the Sun

This morning didn’t start off so well. Unfortunately, it started last night. Come to think of it, it all really started a few weeks ago when Iain started biting when he nursed. Hard. While nursing. Shall I say it again to highlight the painful importance of what has become my nursing life? OW! The night before last, he bit me once on each side. Sort of a sick cosmic balance thing, I suppose. I’m a nursing mother who has her child sleep with her…up until last night. As I now need to be awake to protect myself while nursing (if I keep a sharp eye on him, I can get my finger in his mouth to intercept his teeth prior to contact), I needed to ensure I’m good and awake while nursing him at night. Therefore, I said,

"Self, why not leave Iain in his crib (where he sleeps for naps and at night up until he gets up to nurse around 11:00 PM and then we go to bed together)? What a brilliant plan! Why didn’t I think of this before (um, cause he wasn’t in the habit of biting me at night before? During the day is another matter…)?"

So, after the tenth time (no, I am not exaggerating) of getting up and seeing to Iain last night, I realised exactly why I had not put this brilliant plan into force before. He ended up in our bed again. I’m happy to report there was no biting but I did wake up with him (when he woke me up, naturally!) at 7:22 AM feeling a lot like I did eight months ago while in the depths of sleep deprivation. Amazingly, my body isn’t used to that routine anymore. How time makes a body forget! Like, forgetting that whole labour business. Actually, its probably a good thing time lets us forget things like that or the human race might not have done so well …but, I digress.

Yes, the morning didn’t start off well. I got up tired and it was a grey, grey day outside. I wasn’t happy about that as ‘they’ had promised good weather for today. The fact that I managed to not be grumpy was no minor miracle.

After being up long enough for DH to join us from his sleep, I got to go back to bed for an hour and a half (thank God!). Then it was up again to watch Iain because DH and a friend from up the road (actually, the friend from up the road did 99% of the hard work – gotta love those friends with great gardening tools! Interestingly enough, this friend is related to the nice gentleman who shovels our driveway. We love this small town!) turned this (taken last summer. I forgot to get a 'before' shot this morning. Blame is on the biting induced sleep deprivation).

into this. And, the sun came out while they were working on it so ‘they’ were right after all!

We received our Veseys berry order (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and one blackberry cane) this week and DH really wanted to get them in the ground. Now that this rather huge garden plot is ready, I’m thinking of adding onions, garlic and pumpkins. You know, the things we tend to buy a lot of during the year. I want to store them in our cold room. DH will also be putting in his usual tomato crop for a tomato sauce and salsa extravaganza in the fall.

Here is DH planting the strawberries this afternoon.

All done!

Naturally, Iain and Para helped.

Iain checked the soil’s PH and other chemical compositions,

while Para supervised.

You can never have enough good supervision, I say.

Me? This was what was in front of me on the deck before I made supper.

Life is good in the Annapolis Valley. Wanna visit?

Whew!

Whew! Hi there! How are you doing? I’m doing fine, thanks. Things have been a little crazy around here these days. I imagine you are experiencing something similar. After all, life seems to be busy no matter who you are. Hopefully you're doing something you enjoy, wherever you are.

Here’s a glimpse of some of the things that have been keeping me/we busy.

Visiting Cottage Cove and the Bay of Fundy this past Sunday evening for my ocean fix.

Para liked it too!

Sunset shot. Isn’t it lovely? Sigh. It only takes us seven minutes to drive to the shore by car and it still isn't close enough.


Our two cats are becoming grand friends. This is singularly spectacular particularly if you are one of the chosen few who saw these two together the first year. It was tough. They must be siblings as they still fight sometimes too…

Our little boy is becoming quite the bookworm.

What fun is a dishwasher if you can’t play in it?

I really think Iain has the right idea here; I’d much rather play in the dishwasher than load/unload it any day. Mind you, I have a feeling the dishwasher door wouldn’t appreciate my weight placed on it like it's tolerating Iain's.

My Daddy wears combat boots (and I am too bloody busy to let my mother put my pants back on after a potty break – thus the à la diaper shot).

The only stitching going on around here this week (but, hey, I have made progress!).

One More Sleep!

DH gets back tomorrow, thank God. Although he was home over the weekend, he’s either been in Halifax (last week) or in Toronto (this week) during the weekdays, leaving Iain, the four legged critters and I to fend for ourselves. In general, we do fairly well. I attend regular baby programs with Iain and managed to get together with girlfriends and their children each week. I get a bit lonely for adult conversation in the evenings but tend to make up for it by being fairly productive (cleaning, sewing, untangling yarn or reading). DH and I learned early in our fifteen year relationship that we simply must hear each other’s voice every day. Between email and the telephone, we are now in contact several times a day. That’s all great but it just doesn’t make up for the times when Daddy is home!

Now I’ve vented – thank you – and we have only one more sleep left before Daddy is home. I can’t wait to see the look on Iain’s face!

In knitting news, I must thank you for your positive vibes because, this is what happened to my large tangle.


When a friend of mine saw the tangle these were in earlier this week, her comment was "I’d never have the patience to do that [untangle the mess]." I just smiled. She did not realise that it was impatience that was the fuel I was working with. I’m very impatient to have Iain’s sweater finished before he grows out of it, if he hasn’t already.

Despite appearances, these yarn cakes are the same weight. Well, as ‘same’ as my kitchen scale allows. I have enough yarn to not worry about them being a little off. One was wound using Chase’s sock bag as an assistant (I do not have a swift) and the other wound freely from the kitchen scale bowl. Therefore, one is a little looser than the other. I think I can live with the end result.

You think I’d be casting on and re-starting sleeve number one tonight, eh? Yes, I should. However, I’m just too darn tired! Perhaps Iain will let me in the morning while he naps. In preparation for DH’s arrival around lunchtime, I already have soup made and in the refrigerator to be re-heated tomorrow. Carrot and herb biscuits are also ready (wet still separated from dry) to be made up for lunch. I figure this halo deserves a little knitting time!

My Own Fault

It is really my own fault. Writing a blog entry with "knitting miracle" in the heading incurred the wrath of the Knitting Goddess. This is what I’ve been dealing with this weekend.

This,Turned into this.

Iain (Boy Wonder) and Checkers (the cat) further exasperated the whole mess. This is as close as I got to knitting all weekend. Sigh. The skein was tangled when I bought it (I asked to have it wound into a pretty yarn cake but it was not cooperating. Naturally, it was the best matching skein!).

On a happy note (I like ending with a happy note!), the family managed to get out into the gorgeous sunshine and garden this weekend. How can this not make you smile?

How about this?

Iain Daniel tasted his first dirt yesterday. A neighbour cautioned me not to introduce him to the worm I found hidden underneath the leaves. Proabably wise…

And, I haven’t shown one of these in awhile. Here we are in our kitchen yesterday.

PS I have finally put myself on the waiting list for Ravelry. It took me awhile to get on the blogging band wagon and it is one of the best things I’ve ever been involved with. Now I’m excited to see how Ravelry pans out.

This Knitter’s Miracle

On Wednesday, Iain had his 9 month doctor’s check up in Wolfville. I cannot believe that he is nine months old already. I have to plan a first birthday party in only three months – eek! Iain is now 21 lbs, 29.5" long and is sporting five teeth! He is growing so quickly. While DH was away this week – Monday to Thursday – Iain cut two teeth. You’ve got to be with him every moment to catch these quick changes! He has two more coming in while I type and I sure wish they’d hurry up. Even the most contented baby would be fussy with odds like that.

Wednesday was a gorgeous, sunny day - capri and sandal weather. Not that that was what I was wearing. No, that would require foresight, planning and the ability to use finite personal time to search the Internet for weather information versus knitting information (not to mention a trip down into the depths of my storage area where I’m a little scared to go).

After his appointment, Iain and I headed off to Gaspereau Valley Fibres, my LYS, for a wee shopping trip. This time, Iain and I also visited the chickens, llama and sheep that are located close to the building that houses the shop. Iain was particularly taken with the chickens - probably because they were smaller than the other animals, some were black and white and they were conveniently located close to the fence. The sheep and friendly llama were a bit further away so they didn’t catch his eye. Do not despair, he’ll be a knitter yet. He had to be safely ensconced in a sling during my whole yarn store visit so as not to tear the yarn apart. He has a huge attraction to fibre; I just do not have a huge pocketbook with which to feed both of our addictions and, lets face it, I’m still bigger than him so I won.

I specifically went to the yarn store to pick up an extra skein of organic cotton for my nursing sweater. I already have plenty, according to the pattern, but I do not want to tempt the Knitting Goddess further and wanted to make very, very sure. Additionally, as I usually add at least 2" to the sleeves for a sweater for me or any member of my family, an extra skein in that particular dye lot is probably not going to go astray.

I was also on the hunt for something else very special. Something hand-painted special. Something ‘one of a kind’ that was on sale last summer special. Yes, I was tempting the powers that be to see if I could find something that would mean I could complete the sleeves on Iain’s chevron sweater without having to rip out the project and start a vest.

How do you think I did?

The only real fibre difference with the new skein is that the fibre blend includes 10% nylon (it’s Hand Maiden’s Casbah 80% Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% nylon sock yarn) instead of just a cashmere and merino blend. I figure the nylon could help if Iain, you know, starts wearing the sweater out in the elbows. That is if he gets to wear it before he grows out of it.

Either way you look at it, I figure this find has got to be a knitting miracle! Now, if somebody can tell me how to evenly split a skein into two equal balls, I would be eternally grateful. I’m serious, how would I go about doing that?

A Little Bit of This and A Bit of That

Thanks so much to everyone for your helpful answers to my knitting questions! It’s so nice to have a group of experts to call upon in times of need. I have used all of your suggestions and am busily working on that organic cotton swatch. I have yet to cast on for that project as next in line for the swatch is to bind it off and wash it. My excuse was that I was waiting for our laundry sink plumbing to be installed; an outstanding project from when we put in new counter tops. While Iain and I ran errands today, DH got some quality fix it time and the sink is now in working order – yeah! Not only can I wash my swatch but also all those other large items that I don’t like washing out in the kitchen (rubber boot mats, screens, etc).

Things have been a bit strained around Chez Fibreholic I’m afraid. All three (well, the three that are out of the knitting closet…) knitting projects on the needles needed frogging. I have just managed to get to Chase and fix his heel flap. I’m now turning his heel. I decided earlier this week that, as my knitting was going so badly, I would go back to something I know how to do without thinking too much about it. Remember this? Well, it still needs to be backstitched – my second most disliked portion of cross stitch only beaten by my first dislike - working with metallic filament thread. However, this project is not at a stage where I can mess it up easily so back to cross-stitching I went. It’s been quite cathartic.

I have also been sewing a bit in my basement (I made a path through the boxes down there…). There’s a birthday coming up that I’m using as a deadline to get motivated. The project is working up nicely (thanks for all of your help with it, Aunt J!) and I will post pictures once it has been properly gifted, received, exclaimed over, etc.

I realise my posts about home have been rather ‘Iain-centred’ recently. Here are our cats to even the score a bit.

Here’s Tobi enjoying my mohair shawl.

This is a new hiding spot for her. She’s right next to the heady scent of 100% wool and organic cotton stored in the basket next to her.

And here are both Tobi and Checkers enjoying some gorgeous sun beams on our dining room rug. It’s 100% wool too. There seems to be a theme in this house ;).

The weather this week was amazing in the Annapolis Valley. I managed to garden and raked leaves out of the front garden (I use leaves in the fall to act as a protective winter cover for low lying plants). I also raked most of the leaves from the three gardens next to the house and shed (the lawn and back garden have LOTS left to be done). One of the shrubs has been pruned (my first time doing this and I am ridiculously proud of myself), the crocuses are up and in bloom and the tulips are on their way. Iain, Para and I have been heartily enjoying the chance to be outside in lovely weather. I have gotten back to hanging out my laundry in the spring breezes – only stymied today by the rain – and ate my lunch on the back deck once this week as well. It will soon be time to put out the deck furniture.

Here’s hoping this weekend finds you knitting up storm! I am sending out positive knitterly vibes through the Internet…

Knitting Questions

I’ve been swatching. Yes, for a new project. I feel the need to have another one on the needles despite the, ahem, other WIPs. Don’t worry though. I hold too much guilt to really get a good start on a new project. In fact, I was so over zealous about Chase’s heel that I knit too much and am now frogging it back to size. I used the eye of the partridge heel flap (thanks, Renée!) from Yarn Harlot’s Knitting Rules book and I’m finding it a wee bit tedious to take back with all of those slipped stitches so Chase is hanging out on the dining room door at the moment. I’m also moving along on Iain’s chevron sweater. I’m going to run out of yarn, there’s no doubt about it. I’m still on sleeve number one but cannot figure out how I’m supposed to knit 10" of sleeve times two out of the yarn I have left. However, the eternal optimist in me is not going to rip it out and knit a vest until I first head off to my LYS and casually inquire as to whether or not there’s anymore of that once in a lifetime yarn left…from the summer. I doubt it but you never know. The Knitting Goddess might be smiling on me that day. It’s worked once before for me regarding some special quilting fabric. Let’s try my knitting luck.

I’ve been swatching in preparation for my Queen of Hearts nursing sweater from Natural Knits. The organic cotton (I'm using 'Sage Colour 83') from Blue Sky Alpacas is GORGEOUS! Like other cotton I’ve used, it has no ‘give’ but that’s where the similarity ends. You know those lovely pictures you’ve seen of cotton blooming in the fields and how soft it looks? Well, that’s how soft this yarn IS. I’m not kidding. It is amazing. I cannot wait for this sweater to be done. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve rubbed my swatch against my face, exclaiming over the wonder and softness of it. It’s going to be so lovely to cuddle my little boy in!

Speaking of that swatch, I have a couple of knitting questions for you knitters with lots more experience than I. Here goes. Seeing as this is somewhat revealing, I will start properly.

Forgive me, fellow knitters, for I have sinned…

Question One: How much extra yardage do designers allow for knitters to get gauge? I’ve only just realised (seeing as people have been asking what others do with their swatches. I, um, ripped them out and re-swatched and/or knit that part back into my project. Bad Patty!) that I’m not supposed to re-use the yarn I used to swatch. However, I’ve been known to knit up to five swatches to get gauge. The Natural Knits book suggests casting on 30 - 40 stitches and then knitting 4" from the cast on edge. If I knit several swatches at that size (the cotton is worsted weight), I’m afraid I’ll run out of yarn! Are designers allowing enough yardage for the likes of me? Can I re-use the yarn I’ve used for a swatch that isn’t to gauge? Yes, I understand that reusing the yarn might be difficult if I also, gulp, washed the swatch like a good knitter should…Should I be doing that too?

Question two: Regarding ‘checking your gauge as you knit’, I have to admit to not having done this before either. I’ve only knit one adult sweater in recent memory and I’m afraid to knit another one without understanding this concept. In general, I’m a very loose knitter (stop laughing) and am often a couple of needle sizes below what is called for in the patterns I’ve used. Therefore, I’m fairly sure my knitting loosens up as I become relaxed with a pattern. If I am keeping track of gauge and have noticed that, indeed, I’m loosening up, what do I do then? Go back and swatch and change needle sizes as per the new swatch? Do I then frog back until I hit a section where I was knitting to gauge? Help!

I will now immediately return to a WIP until someone is able to provide some answers. I’m afraid to start this lovely sweater without starting it properly!

Yours headed for (hopefully) knitterly purgatory,

Fibreholic

A Rare Night Indeed

I’m sitting here at the computer, alone. Yes, you read that right: alone. DH and baby have gone to bed. DH attended a Mess Dinner last night (that’s a fancy dress event where military members wear the equivalent of a tuxedo, get to eat good food and, usually, drink a bit too much). He strolled in around 0230 hrs this morning (self-reported – we were not up to greet him, thank goodness!), which means he is a wee bit tired tonight. Iain is off to bed a whole two hours earlier than last night. Hopefully this means he has fully adjusted to the time change – yeah!

Therefore, with a bit of an evening to myself, I have to admit to being at a loss. This is the first time this has happened in, oh, about nine months. Likely I’m going to spend so much time thinking "Well, I could do this. And I have enough time to do that…" that I will while the evening away without much to show for it. I have already spent an hour downstairs working on a quilt for somebody special. That time bit was supposed to be my hour ‘off’ and then I was going to take Iain for the rest of the evening. I’m getting a sitter in tomorrow so that I can sew more so I’m thinking I’d like to do something else tonight instead. Iain allowed me to bake cookies earlier so the baking urge has passed. The housework is at a point where I do not feel pressed to do anything tonight (egad!).

What to do, what to do?!? Oh! I know! There’s a television with Season Three of Battlestar Gallactica primed and ready to go plus a couple of knitting projects waiting for me upstairs…

Ain't life grand?!?

The Truth About Naps and Other Stories

The truth about naps is that you can wait and wait and wait for one all day long and it never comes. Or, you can just go along with your day, as if normal (whatever that is), and then "Holy Crap! I think he’s tired! He’s, he’s going to sleep! Woo hoo – free time!" And, then, what do I do with that free time? Do I sit down immediately and knit? No. I think "I’m sure I can get such and such (insert any variety of house work here) done before he wakes up." And then, when that job is finished and he’s still sleeping, I think, "Okay, I’ll get another such and such done (same insertion) and, if he’s still sleeping after that, then I’ll knit." Which, often as not, results in another chore done and four stitches (yes, I typed stitches. Not rows) knit. And those four stitches had to be frogged as I’d started on the wrong side rather than the right side and messed up the pattern. Sigh.

The past few days have been rough. I have been, admittedly, spoiled with Iain. He is a pleasant boy and usually only fusses when he’s hungry, has to pee, or needs to sleep. The past three days have been whiney, whiney, and, oh yes, whiney. In fact, the week has been full of all sorts of whining from Iain, Para and myself, compounded by runny noses, receiving blankets being turned into giant hankies (more environmentally friendly and MUCH easier on wee Iain’s skin), etc, etc. You get the picture. Some of you are there right along with us as I type.

Now, let’s see what else we might have in common.

Everyone does this, right? You have been living in a place for months and then, just before you go on a flight, say, across Canada, you decide that that window simply cannot remain without a blind for a minute longer. I mean, really! How did you survive that long (since moving in August 1, 2007?) without one? It screams for a blind! You haven’t been able to let in natural light for ages because the brown paper solution (a great one from one of my SILs that I highly recommend if you’re in a bind and need some privacy by the way) has run its course. You must get sewing now! This despite the fact that no packing is done, laundry needs to be washed, let alone sorted, and there is every indication that the twitch above your eye may be affecting your eyesight.

My MIL and I had a discussion about this when we were in British Columbia. She’s wise, that one. She said that humans seem to need a deadline to get things done. Therefore, travel, company, etc act as that deadline for those of us who don’t have them set for us by a 9 – 5 working environment. Hmm. Perhaps I should be setting up for more company because we have many, many things needing doing in this house. The windows are just the start…

So, here’s what I was doing two nights before we left. Our trusty ‘before’ shot:




Here’s me last night.




It’s done. I just need to find a cleat to fasten the cord to. That might take weeks. Or, at least until the next time we have somebody over. Mind you, I found the ingenious way my engineer husband found to keep the blind up rather useful.



Anyways, what’s to whine about? Looky what I found in my backyard yesterday afternoon!?!


They’re Nova Scotia hostas so I assume they know what they’re doing even though I’m very concerned about them right now.


They are coming up despite the fact that it’s not yet the end of March (spring doesn’t come to this end of the country before the end of March. It’s the rules) and they have snow on them again from this morning.

Why Yes, Yes I Did

Yes, I did complete my Booga bag and, thus, the DH Challenge. I completed the project shortly after my last post and managed to get it fulled and dried before we got back on the aeroplane for Nova Scotia.


I also managed to photograph the several feet of knitted I-cord that I’d completed before beginning to full this project.

I can’t tell you exactly how long it was because, erm, I just knit it until I ran out of wool. The Knitting Goddess was smiling on me though – I had exactly enough for my bag without trimming off even a wee bit. Whew!


Why yes, that is snow on my completed Booga Bag photograph taken just this morning on my back step. It’s hovering at 0 degrees Celcius here right now. It is also snowing. Before we left Saanichton, FIL mowed the lawn again. Sigh.

I’m also proud of my 2008 record. That’s two FO’s in three months. Not too shabby!

I had hoped to have more lovely spring in Victoria (Saanichton) completed (fulled and all) Booga Bag pictures for you but, alas, a couple of days before we left BC, Iain and I came down with a bad cold. The kind of cold that means it’s a good thing I don’t do podcasts as I sound like a frog. And there’s a Humidifier going at all hours in this house. And both Iain and I (or DH for that matter) do not sleep through the night as one or the other is up coughing. That kind of cold. And we still have it.

Due to feeling terrible the last couple of holiday days, I didn’t get a chance to grace the inside of any of the lovely little fibre shops in the Victoria area of Vancouver Island. Oh well. There is always the next time. I have something lovely in mind from my LYS anyway (just have a peek here. I’m sure I can be tempted by something…).

I can proudly boast to having completed the DH Challenge. Now I just need to get Iain and I healthy enough to head out to my LYS to shop. Give me a couple of weeks…

Happy Spring!

Knitting Like The Wind!

One Booga Bag completed. Check.

To complete the requirements of the DH Challenge, I now need to knit 5 to 6 feet (yeah, I said feet. God. Help. Me) of I-cord. It's only comprised of 5 stitches though. I think I can, I think I can! Actually, I've got two feet already knitted. I'm pretty sure I can.

In case you were wondering what I'm up to, I'm knitting like the wind!

Here are Iain and I enjoying another type of wind on the ocean side of Esquimalt Lagoon in front of Royal Roads University (where DH went for two years as a cadet when it was part of the military college system).

Fibreholic in British Columbia!

Yep, we made it! In one piece! Actually, as DH and I now travel with an almost eight and a half month old, we made it in several pieces. One piece (of luggage that is) didn’t make it so well so DH and I have to go shopping for a few essentials. Darn bag. I don’t remember giving it permission to go gallivanting around Canada without me. I mean, we were bringing it from one end of the country to the other after all. Apparently, it was not satisfied with that. I do hope we see it again.

I think Iain did an admirable job traveling yesterday. We barely made our first flight and we were all very, very tired. We flew direct Halifax to Calgary and then onto Vancouver, without disembarking in Calgary. Then it was a short hop to Victoria, Vancouver Island.

Naturally, Iain developed a cough the day before we left. We gave him a wee bit of Infant Tylenol before landing in Calgary. He seemed to be in a bit of pain on descent but the medication kicked in and he was able to nurse and never did win the "Loudest Screeching Baby on an Aeroplane Award". He was in fine company with a ten month and sixteen month old also in the seats around us (they were excellent too). And, for those curious minds, Iain does not mind using aeroplane toilets one little bit.

As for the knitting, well, trying to entertain Iain and ourselves considering how little sleep we had had meant my knitting performance was mediocre to say the least. DH has challenged me to finish “ONE WIP THIS TRIP!” and win new project yarn! I have until o’dark early on Easter Sunday when we fly off into the blue yonder once more. Knit, Fibreholic, knit!

Here’s a progress shot on the one WIP that might make my challenge deadline. I wonder does it have to be fulled (made into felt) too…? Let’s just keep that part a secret between you and me, K? Although I did remember my zippered pillowcase, just in case…

Maggie, the cat, was helping me with my Booga bag photo shoot. She is one of my cat-in-laws. She is one discerning cat - that's 100% wool Noro Kureyon, Col. 166 that she's so interested in.

Small Successes and Big Steps!

I tell you, you really have to take this parenting business in small steps. Let me summarise. For the first three months, it was survival. The shear act of ensuring I ate and drank enough was a full-time job. When you consider that wee Iain ate (nursed) every 45 minutes and did not sleep (I’m not exaggerating. The child would be up for 12 hours at a time without a nap and be very pleasant about the whole experience. Unlike his mother…). Luckily, he didn’t mind mommy eating when he was having a snack too. Month four saw me regularly able to shower once a day without one of us going in to hysterics. Month five found us experiencing our first Christmas with a child in fourteen years of togetherness as a couple. Month six saw me dreading yet another set of vaccination needles and both of us surviving the whole experience just fine, with a little help from our friend infant Tylenol. Month seven found me feeling more and more confident that I just might be able to pull off this whole new life changing experience…with a little help from my good friend Chocolate (it’s so important that it deserves to be ‘capitalised’. Now I’m into month eight with a crawling boy who has two teeth and a few more coming if the occasional bout of fussiness is anything to go by.

Now, let’s summarise Iain’s travel experience. Week three saw him travel from Ottawa to Middleton, Nova Scotia by Volkswagen Vanagon and one three hour ferry ride – that would be about 1000 km’s. In October, he went on his first aeroplane ride - to and from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. That was a 1.5 hour flying trip one way. In December, he made a driving trip to Moncton, NB and return. In February, Iain was back on the three-hour ferry again as we were en route to Sugarloaf, Maine for his first ski trip. Well, in Iain’s case, his first "being pulled along behind us in the toboggan" trip. And now, on Friday, Iain embarks on his first across North American tour.

Iain doesn’t seem to do anything in small steps does he? He’s only 8 months old, he’s already grown out of his size 6 – 12 month Robeez, he started crawling at age 7 months and one day, and he’s going to go on a 7.5 hour aeroplane trip on Friday.

One of my friend’s told me that her biggest challenge when her children were at this age were the quickly changing stages. Even if you didn’t like the current stage, you got used to it. As soon as you did that, it changed again. Iain is at the moving stage. What are the chances that there will be over a hundred sympathetic parents on this direct Halifax to Vancouver flight who are really interested in entertaining a very mobile 8 month old? Fellow passengers who are willing to give up aisle time (for the crawling baby) and prioritise the bathroom (for the infant potty trained baby)?

I’m hopeful though. Although I haven’t started packing, I have started the laundry. I figure that’s step one. I also have my knitting projects chosen. I have one ‘quick and dirty’ (see here), Chase is coming with me as is Iain’s chevron sweater.

You’d think I’d stick to one, say, Iain’s sweater to ensure it was finished before he grew out of it, right? Unfortunately, the chevron sweater is rather like a very, very good book that you keep putting down because it’s so good you want to postpone the ending as long as possible. Knitting with the yarn for that project is so gorgeous that I don’t want it to end. That and I’m also sensing a train wreck off in the distance. You know the one. The one that’s screaming in a tiny voice "you have just started the first sleeve and that really doesn’t look like enough yarn to finish the project. Not only that, the hand dyed yarn you bought was ‘one of a kind’. There’s no possible way of getting more." One could say I’m postponing the inevitable due to the train whistle in the distance. Have faith though. I have a great vest pattern picked out…

Chase, The Sock

Wassup? I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Chase. Chase the Sock. On her way to a ski trip, my knitter cast me on in a moment of shear desperation. She was worried that the lighting in the condo she and the other feet had rented would not be good enough to work on the wee ripper’s sweater at night. So, here I am.

You can probably guess why I’m called Chase. In fact, you can probably see the wee ripper in the background. That’s what my knitter and I do. We chase the wee ripper around.

Now, I wouldn’t tell just anyone this but the wee ripper makes me feel vulnerable. He just plain scares me. He grabbed me by my sensitive parts once. Yeah, that’s right, by the needles. I shudder just thinkin’ about it. With him too close, I always feel like I might come…I hate to even say the word…unravelled….

Luckily, while my knitter was on her ski trip, she found this real cool bag (purchased at the Gold/Smith Gallery) to hold me in.

It’s a sock bag. You gotta problem with that? It holds me real good and secure, like.

Gotta go. The wee ripper is on the prowl again. I like it when he’s on the move. After a nice crawl session for the wee ripper, I feel like I’ve grown! With any luck, my knitter and I will be chasing the wee ripper around until I’m completed. After that, get this, my knitter has promised me a lady love to hang around with. Crawl, baby, crawl!

First FO for 2008!

I am very pleased to have an FO to show you - my first FO of 2008 and I am very proud. These pictures were taken by my talented SIL. They are just gorgeous and I have her permission to use them on my blog. Lucky me!

I am so very proud to introduce our one and only niece to my faithful blog readers. Isn’t she gorgeous?


Yes, I am also very pleased with how the hat turned out and equally pleased that it seems to fit her so well.

Details:
This design is the "Birthday Cake Hat" from Susan B. Anderson’s Itty Bitty Hats book – I highly recommend adding this book to your library!

Yarn: Lano Wool Gatto in colours White (8000) and Pink (13262). The yellow yarn for the flame is from a ball of Rowan Pure Wool DK in Yellow (032). All of this wool was gorgeous to work with.

Changes to Original Design: Not many. My niece just turned three and the two sizes in the book are for ages one and two. However, I just increased the same amount again as the difference between ages one and two and voila! A three year old birthday hat! And easy math for a math challenged knitter such as myself.


Future Improvements: Although I really like how this hat turned out, I think that the pink yarn I used was too high of a contrast against the white. Therefore, when I knit this hat again, I will look for a much lighter pink/blue contrast yarn.

Yup, she's a doll!