I’m back

It’s been a while. Where was I. Oh yes, Chilton Pullover knit-a-long.  That’s not going so well. I had to back out. I have no idea what size I’ll be by next summer. I’m already up a few sizes…

Apparently it’s not just food, it’s a baby.  Due early February, we will not find out the sex and we’re excited yet shocked in a good way – is this really happening?

Knitting wise it’s been an OK summer. I finished a Rock Island Shawl and it’s gorgeous. I used a small part of a skein of Auntie Boo Laceweight (I have nieces and nephews that call me Auntie Boo, so it’s weird to have that be the name of Claire’s company!).  The colourway is Clockwork Orange and it’s GORGEOUS yarn. Not solid, but not too variegated.

The colour is more accurate in the first picture. Must go back and tweak the second photo to get the colour right.

I also did some SISC (Self Imposed Sock Club) knitting, but the socks turned into armwarmers. They just wouldn’t go over my ankle and I’d been knitting for so long!  I need pictures for them and a few other projects.

What else. Been to France, been camping, been cottaging, avoiding storms at cottages and camping… a typical summer.

We have been biking, but the midwife allows only 1 hour of exercise at a stretch – 15 minutes warm up, 30 minutes at 140 bpm max then 15 minute cool down.  Not the 2-3 hours averaging 175 to 185 bpm that I’m used to. We’ve found a few short flat loops for me, then D does some rides on his own or bikes home while I drive over the hills. The interesting thing is that these short slow rides are really improving his fitness. He’s noticed a big change in his harder rides from the slow rides. We’ve been reading that low heartrate training really helps for years, but it was really hard to do. This was a hard lesson to learn, but we’ve learned it. Definately a slow and steady wins the race kind of thing.

I have no kitten pictures, but I might have to start referring to them as cats now – they are 5 after all. They both seemed to know I was pregnant before I did. Fred has become uber-snuggly and Ginger is fascinated with my belly. I can’t wait for the day my belly punches her back!  Fred has let us try swaddling him in blankets we were given. He’s so mellow!

 

I got MAIL!!!

I like getting mail. Fun mail is better than bill mail, but I even like getting bills because it’s a form of communication with the outside world. If something’s really urgent these days, I get an e-mail or a call, so mail is gentle.

Recently, I’ve had really good luck with the mail.  All the presents I ordered online showed up in time for Christmas and I was able to intercept them before D found his (some of the mailing labels were very descriptive!).  I also got a box ALL FOR MYSELF!!

I joined a secret swap on the knittyboard and was paired with FoodieKnitter. She sent me a box full of goodness.  I want to try crocheted amigurumi and she put together quite the kit for me.  I got a lot of odds and ends of yarn.

I  know – who sends odds and ends of yarn? Well, amigurumi uses small amounts of yarn, so I can use all sorts of colours and weights in these projects.  She also included a bunch of patterns to get me started. I also have my eye on a few books at the library. They’re what started this idea off.

With a name like FoodieKnitter, she also baked biscotti and spiced nuts. I’d show you a picture, but they are all gone.  They were delicious.

I’m doing a SISC (Self Imposed Sock Club) this year. A friend went through my stash of sock yarn and paired up patterns from my Ravelry queue with yarn. She then printed out patterns and put the yarn and patterns in sealed envelopes. I know which yarns are used, but not which patterns were chosen or what is in each envelope. Foodie Knitter added a pink skein and pattern to the club, so I took a picture of the skein – I haven’t looked at the pattern though.  The colour of the yarn is gorgeous. Very me.

I don’t have many crochet hooks, so she also sent hooks, needles and stitch markers to get me started. The little maroon bag is eyes and noses for animals.

The cats also recieved presents – a whale and a mouse stuffed with catnip and alpaca. They are hits!

Note the tongue in the last picture!

Thanks FoodieKnitter! That was AWESOME!

Mid November Wakeup

Holey Moley, It’s November 15th.

Where has the month gone?

I’m typing while eating ice cream. Well, I guess I stop typing when I go for the spoon. What strikes me is that it’s Christmas ice cream I’m eating.  My SIL recommended Candy Cane Fudge Crackle from Mr. President. It’s pretty good. I put it in the basement freezer so I have to walk to get to it. I was trying to hold off as D’s away tonight, but it called me and I answered.

We’ve had some lovely days around here lately. Yesterday we did a hike on the Bruce Trail.  My family and friends love this trail and I have an aunt who has done end to end, not in one go, but hiked every step of the way.  The trail runs through my grandfather’s property where my father was raised and I can’t imagine not having it in my backyard. Yesterday we were the only people on the section of trail we went to and it was a beautiful fall day.

The leaves were off the trees, blanketing the ground.  We were up and down the ridges of the escarpment, wondering which way the trail would turn next. It was lovely.

After a 45 minute hike up and down a rugged path with rocks and roots and logs across the trail, we came to this sign.

That’s one HECK of a time trial bike. Used on the road for speed, very had to control. No WAY you would use that in the woods…  Those wheels wouldn’t deal with the rocks or roots very well!

It’s definitely getting cooler. Gingerbear has moved into her kitten condo.  Note the heat register.  We can’t put shoes in that one opening.

ps. Convocation on Friday! I’ll be “hooded” and officially a DOCTOR!! WOOHOO!

Supermodel

I finished a baby vest.

I had to find a model.

Fred to the rescue.

Actually, I think this calls for his full name.

Modelling Debbie Bliss’ Cable Tank Top in Baby Cashmerino is Fredward J. Snugglesworth III.  I think he has a future in modelling.

I needed more than the 2 balls I had to finish the vest as the pattern is written. I made the arm bands significantly smaller (3 rounds instead of 6) to not run out of yarn. This was a quick knit and very cute.

Long overdue update

It’s been a long time since I posted. I need to get back into the habit of posting more often. I get to the point where I want something big to post, then things pile up and it looks like a really long list.

I also didn’t take many pictures in the past few months. I looked back through my memory card and found these ones but they’re mostly old and very disjointed.

Remember last year I did a big bike ride with Derek (the bottom of this post)? We did it again, but my parents and uncle came along. They turned ff and did a shorter loop, but it was very nice. I got a good picture with my mom this year (at the start line so I’m less sweaty this time!). This was September.

Also in September we went to the cottage for a week to get my thesis written. 9 days, cold weather, biking, eating and writing (and for D, canoing and fishing) . D was plied with many beers to give it a first read through. I came back with the guts of the thesis written and I started waiting for comments from my supervisors. This is biking by the cottage. I was WAY TOO HOT this day in a long sleeved jersey. The next time I wore a short sleeved jersey and was WAY TOO COLD!

In October we dressed up for Hallowe’en, but that posts’ been up forever.

November had a truce declared between the cats. I don’t know what brought it about, but on a few occasions since then, this has occurred.

December I knit Christmas presents and sent off the second thesis draft at noon on Christmas Eve.

Two Christmas presents to show.

First, for my brother who lives in Manhattan (barely!), the brooklyn tweed two row noro scarf. Noro Silk Garden in colourways 245 and 234. He put it on and didn’t take it off on Christmas and then later in the week as well. I think that means it was a hit.

Second, the Whirly Rib Cap by Woolly Wormhead for my mother in law. I’ve had the Mountain Goat by Mountain Colors in night sky for many years, since the first knittyboard SP round I participated in. It looks lovely on J.

So that’s getting you all up date. I hope to post more often now.

Another BSJ Done and a New Project Started

I have to post again. I’ve gotten out of the habit.

I finished a BSJ this weekend for D’s coworker’s baby. I used Cascade 220 superwash paints. It’s pretty. I needed 1.7 balls (by mass!) that’s about 375 yards of worsted or aran weight yarn.

I only made 3 buttonholes because I don’t like a lot of buttons on my clothes. I hope the babys belly doesn’t get cold! The chest circumference is 19″ so is won’t fit the baby for a while, but hopefully it will be next fall/winter so it gets worn.

I started the woven bands pullover for D from interweave knits.  He bought the subscription so he should get a sweater!  I will say I’m using the pattern as a “suggestion” as the smallest size is smaller than D, I can’t get the row gauge right in a fabric we like (the sweater is knit side to side so row gauge is very important), it’s got 3/4 length sleeves and a boat neck.

I’m about 8″ up the right sleeve now. At this rate it might be done while it’s still cool enough to wear sweaters to work (or he’ll broil one day to wear it because it’s done).

I’m using the suggested Cascade Ecological Wool and it smells a bit farmy when wet. Fred can smell it when it’s dry. He took off with one of the skeins when it arrived here and has adopted the swatches as his own. He’s a very picky cat – only alpaca and ecological wool. Maybe something about south american yarn? He really did like the stuff my mom brought me back from Peru as well.

Anyways, pictures of the swatch in action

Maybe I’ll have a pair of socks done next?

It’s getting nice here so we got our second bike ride of the year in today. The BBQ also came out.  Finally the sun has some heat to it!

7 things I love

I was tagged a few weeks ago by Kim, a fellow sketchy knitter.  I was asked to write about 7 things I love.  I could do the cop out and tell you about how much I love D ( my husband and best friend) and how Fred and Ginger (the cats) are the cutest.  But I’d like to tell you more. I already told you 3 things I love last year.  I need 7 new ones…

Lets see where this goes.

1. Blob.

What is blob? It’s a snack around here. If we’re a bit peckish in the evening, we make a batch of blob. It’s really just some rice krispie squares that underachieved. They didn’t become square. They embraced the entropy of the world and became a blob.

Really, the truth is that we don’t want to wait, so we eat it while it’s still warm and gooey.

2. The couch.

I should have fluffed it better and made it look good for the picture.  D and I are both small people. We live in a small scale house. We looked long and hard to find a couch that fit us and that didn’t overpower the room.  We ended up with this one.

I love the couch because it’s comfortable and it does a lot of good stuff. When I can’t sleep, I come out and read or work on it, then sleep out here.  The other night D couldn’t sleep so he came out to read and sleep and his comment was that the couch is more comfortable than our bed. I think that describes it perfectly.

It also doesn’t stain and the cat hair just wipes off. Horray for microfibre!

3. The Cottage

My grandparents purchased this cottage in the 1950s and we are lucky that it is still in the family.  Currently my Aunt owns it, but we can use it on several occaisions in the summer and fall. It’s so peaceful, a great getaway and gets me back in touch with my family and my childhood.  There are several traditions about the cottage (and D’s trying to start one about jumping in the lake straight from the car!), but my favourite is trying to avoid doing the dishes by going for a canoe paddle right after dinner to “see the sun set”.  It works about 75% of the time (shhh!).

4. Sequence

It’s a board game. It’s got very easy rules. It can be played by 2 to 12 people (OK, numbers that aren’t multiples of 2 or 3, like 5, 7 and 11 don’t work).  It’s great when some players are 3 sheets to the wind.  Get a copy. You won’t regret it.

5. Keens

I have 4 pairs of Keens right now. One pair is only good for wearing in the garden now.

They are so comfy and have a style all their own. Kinda like me?

6. The basement wall.

Without the basement wall our bikes and snowboards would be all over. Yes, those are bikes and boards for 2 people. No, not all the bikes are pictured.

7. The internets.

I’m addicted. That is all.

Have you seen I can has cheezburger? Fred and Ginger now talk like that.

Phew. That was 7. If you read this, consider yourself tagged and leave me a comment to say you’re doing it!

Darned Springs! A photo essay.

We have two adorable cats. Well, they are adorable to D and I and that’s what counts. You’ve seen Fred starring in the alpaca love thread and Ginger being cute and putting up with Fred. Just to remind you, This is Fred.

And this is Ginger.

They have favourite toys – Lightweight plastic springs that skitter and bounce across the floor.  These are some examples.

Unfortunately, the spring size is less than the gap under the stove…

and under the fridge.

Yes, I’m due to vaccuum under there.

The problem is that I’m currently studying for my comprehensive exam. Lots of books, concentration needed.

Because I’m at home, Fred and Ginger think I’m available to pull out every spring that gets under the fridge and stove.  I’m trying to convince them otherwise.

I soon put Fred to work.  I pull out the stove pot drawer and this happens.

Note pink spring in mouth and whiskers in “walrus mode”.  This is one happy cat. I’m happy too, because I don’t have to reach in to get it myself.

Now to put the fridge on a jack so I can lift it to send him in.

Phew.

In other news, we’ve been riding a bit. Last weekend we did a charity ride and  I was able to fit my new camera in my pocket.  This is us post ride, waiting for the BBQ.  I married such a  cute guy.

Thanks to D for the technical support on this post. Ubuntu is based on Linux, so the file extensions are case sensitive.  My new camera files are not case sensitive.

more knitting

This is a really old FO – you’ve seen the start, it’s been done since the spring, but I didn’t wear it much in the summer due to it being warmish here this summer.  Really rainy summer though.

It’s the Ivy League Vest from Interweave Knits, Winter 2007. I purchased a kit with the suggested yarn  from The Yarn and Fiber Company. The amount of yarn called for could have made 2 vests. In fact, I weighed the left overs of the colour that had only 1 ball and had more than 1/2 left, so I sold it as a kit. Hopefully I’ll see the other half vest made soon.

My gauge changed as I knit, so the top is much looser than the bottom.  I do like it though.

Pardon the hair in the first picture – It was after a  long day at school.

Here’s a Ravelry link for those of you over there.

Gotta go, Fred’s attacking my new project. It’s the Tusacany Shawl from Gloss, more later!

Best part of today

When we bought our house it was listed as having a pool sized lot.  We’re not really swimmers, but having a nice lot with a small house is often enjoyable.  Not so much when mowing, but when it comes to spreading out, we really like it (and Batty, D mowed the little maple trees on Canada Day, so if someone’s having their passport taken, it’s not me!).

As cyclists, we’re often hot and sweaty when we arrive home and there is a theory that to sleep well, you need to get your core temperature down.

One way to do that is a shower, the other a bath – you get the picture.

A few years back, while I was working at the bike store, D made a surprise purchase for me while I was at work one day. I biked back to the house and found he had full filled our house’s destiny – we now have a pool.

Sure it’s a wading pool, but it fits our lifestyle perfectly.  We drain it once a week to water the flower gardens, it is deep enough that I can get in up to the arm pits if I slouch, the sides are sturdy enough to lean on and both of us can sit in it.  The black is 1/2 of a garbage bag as a solar blanket. Heats the pool AND keeps the water from evapourating.

After dark we’ve been known to go skinny dipping (just remember to bring out a towel!) .  Sometimes we sit out with dessert or a drink after dinner and soak our feet.

On days like today where the humidex has the temperature into the high 30s (Celcius!) there is nothing like getting in the pool right after getting off the bike.  I did change out of my ike clothes and into my bikini.

No pictures of me in the pool as D is off biking right now, but I can guarantee he’ll be in it tonight!

On the knitting front, I’m making good progress on the Bliss Baby Blanket. What a great knit. It’s in a Bernat acrylic so it’s uber washable for the mommy and daddy to be.  With the TdF on right now, I should have it done by the end of the week.  Then it’s onto the Apres Surf Hoodie in Cashmere. Seriously. I even ended up with FREE cashmere due to the niceness of Richard at Colourmart.

While getting the pictures off the camera, I found this one from a few weeks ago. It had hailed, the sky had cleared and a goldfinch had come to our feeder.  It was amazing light.  I wish I had the skills to take better photographs.

OK, gotta run. Someone’s saying “rub the belly, Rub the Belly, RUB THE BELLY”!