In retrospect...

I went on Ravelry and looked at the other slippers. Mine are not so bad actually. They just don't have a certain something I was looking for. I will tweak my plan and see if it improves. The main problem is the strap. I don't understand how to crochet it and maybe I could switch it to I-cord? I don't know.

Sunday funk

I spent today running some errands and knitting. the knitting was a let down actually because what I tried didn't work out so well. I was attempting an EXTREMELY easy slipper pattern and all was roses until the end. I am not in love with the yarn (eeeew acrylic) but thee slippers are for kids so A) they will outgrow them fast and 2) they need to be easy care and ALSO) cheapness is necessary when one has several pair to make.
Not happy. Stupid crochet trim and strap. Stupid crochet. grrrrrrrr I am very disappointed.
I started Mom's xmas gift (wrist warmers) in a lovely raspberry pink colour of machine washable wool. They are going ok though I keep losing my place even with the row counter.
Last night HM and I went out wityh the intention of food, shopping , and a movie. Well, we got the food (Calva in Laval VERY good) and we got the movie anyways. We thought Walmart would be open for xmas shiopping but it wasn't and neither was just about anything else though we did discover a Renaud Bray open on Fleury and purchased a couple of books for gifts.
They got snow back home last night I heard today. We have been way chilly but no snow on the ground yet.
GOOD NEWS: My nephew and his wife had their ultra sound this week and the baby is ok! This was welcome news after their last pregnancy and a real jolt of joy for everyone that got the word. I hear that its a boy and this is my sister's first grandson after 3 grand daughters. How exciting!
Anyways, I will go make myself be busy now that I wasted the day on a defunct slipper. DAMMIT!
Hope your Sunday is happier than mine.

Friday

I am feeling MUCH better. Slept like the dead last night once I finally went to bed. Awesome. Ready to try some holiday shopping actually. The laundry can wait again right? That floor doesn't need to be mopped soooo badly does it?
Actually it does but I want to buy me a new mop (ooh the excitement NEVER ends here at Chez Knitwitch). BeeMop has a new improved mop head with a scrubby side and yes my pretties my kitchen floor NEEDS a scrubby side for some reason. There are stuck ons that won't come off without a brush or scrubby and its very annoying.
Know what else is annoying? I went all antibacterial on the main floor bathroom yesterday with the SprayNine spray in an effort to kill some germs and viruses (cold, anyone?). Today?? There is toothpaste that looks like it was fingerpainted onto the countertop. I could just cry I'm so mad. I will NOT be the one cleaning it up either. Do you hear me Thing One?? Oh you will be hearing me come lunchtime don't you think you won't. And daddy is working from home today so I has BACKUP! Gods, i do not know what would become of us if I was single and had no Daddy to threaten my kids with cuz they sure as hell don't listen to me unless I let the crazy out to play.
I digress.
I will go buy a new mop today. The new improved Bee Mop with the scrubby side. I don't know how I have lasted this long without it because back home I always had a BeeMop. I moved to this place and I guess I thought it was built with Teflon? Or that I would suddenly become a good housekeeper and keep up with everything like Jessie does? It only lasted a few weeks and things started slipping.
Speaking of back home.
HM is exploring other employment opportunities again. It actually gives me stomach pains to think about it. I don't adjust well to change and it has taken me 2 1/2 years to adjust to this one. Now he is exploring other avenues and I feel the acids start to churn but thats just me. This time there is no desperation involved so its all good. He has the attitude of "I plant the seed, lets see what grows" and I think thats very healthy. There is no brooding or worry or angst involved.
He has been playing his cards pretty close to his vest because he knows I fret so he's been up to this for longer than I have been aware of which is really too bad because isn't it my job as life mate to support and be understanding and listen and be his rock? So now its out in the open and if he needs to talk about it I'm here and I can just make sure I have some Tums somewhere in the house that I can nibble on the sly. Because I am his support and foundation and I have strong shoulders. Just not such a good tummy with the worry. Not that there is anything to actually worry about. But change makes me worry and there we are.

I has decided

2008 will be my knitting Year Of The Cables. 2007 was Year Of The Sock I I have devoted much of this year to learning to make socks withs ticks and string. Now I am determined to embrace that mystery that is Cables. So may patterns I fall for have cabling and I just don't understand the concept enough to do it. I need a teacher or a class with lots of patience for my screw ups, cussing, and just plain "not getting it". When I learn the wicked mad cabling skillz I will be able to make very cool stuffs. Cabled socks, cabled gauntlets, cabled hats, scarves, sweaters....anything that can hold a cable. It is time.

Incoherent much?

That seems to be me today. On one hand its funny but on the other? Not so much.
I think its in my genes.
My mom suffers from cold hands. All the time she has the cold hands. I thought "why not make her fingerless mitts for xmas for try and help?" I asked Sister #2 what she thought. She thought it a great Idea. I asked sister number one. She thought I'd be wasting my time because mom is contrary and probably won't wear them. So there we have the vote split down the middle. I had to actually go to the Horse and have it from herself. I tried to be evasive and oblique about it but when sick, my sleuthing is not so strong. After a convoluted and very confusing conversation that ended up with me being crazy(er)I still had no answer! This I realised today when recounting the tale to sister one. 'Holy shit!" says I, "After all that she never answered the goddamn question!!!" Would she or would she not be willing to wear fingerless mitts indoors? I had to call again today. "Ma, you never answered my question yesterday!!" The answer is yes. She thought about it and with winter coming her hands would be even colder more often so yes, please make me some. Then came the discussion of favorite colours. Sweet Goddess save me. After another round of convoluted conversation she finally announced she liked pinks and blues.
So now the xmas surprise is gone but I know where I stand. I gotta track down some pink and blue superwash wool.

The mucus, it doth flow

I had a very restless night filled with much nose blowing and the feeling that if I lay down flat I would drown. Much decongestant and ibuprofen were taken for the sinuses. Now, however, I feel not too bad though still hugely congested. I think the drugs are still in effect so I admit feeling slighly better cautiously.
I missed knitting last night which sucked big time but I went to bed at 7 pm and crashed for a couple hours before the cold woke me for most of the rest of the night.
I made calls for foot sizes and colour preferences for the slipper marathon that will be xmas knitting which i said I wasn't doing this year but apparently cannot resist. Here is the pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knit-slippers-with-crochet-trim
They aren't fancy but they are cute and girly. I still need one girl's foot/colour information.
I am on the heel flap of jessie's sock and my scarf of no name is about 17 inches long now. Thats the good part of being sick. I sat on the sofa and watched TV and knit all morning yesterday.

Wednesday night sadness

I am still sick. Did not kick cold's butt. Did not pass Go. Did not collect $200. Drank Earl Grey rooibos tea with hunny all day. Tried to yarn shop but got confused. I know I am on a yarn diet but I found the sweetest wee slippers to make for my 5 girlies (4 grandneices and one practically a neice). When I got to the store (Zellers ACK!!) and started looking at the polyester/acrylics that might stand in for Lions Brand Homespun, I forgot the needle size that the Lions Brand took. Thus the confusion in the aisle of candy coloured petroleum based yarn. I have figured it out though! Bernat Harmony fits the bill. I think. I need purple, pink, and blue for sure, but need to check on two more color choices.
Now I must try to eat something for the first time today. I never lose my appetite when sick but I sure did today.

Its TRUE!!!

moar funny pictures

The ice cream lives in there and the ice cream is EVIL!! Thus Freezer IS portal to Hell!

PS to ice cream: I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean it. You know I luvs ya....

Did you hear?

Crazy Aunt Purl did an interview on Montreal radio! CJAD had a chat with our beloved drunken cat hair covered knit sib and she was just so cute and funny. The link is in her latest post.

Urrrrggggg

Children. Vermin. What do they have in common? They both carry disease!! Yes I have yet another cold thanks to my offspring and the other vermin..I mean children... at their school. It was only a month ago I had one!! ARGH. So I am super dosing the C and sucking zinc lozenges, taking EFAs and blowing my nose ALOT.
Gggggrrrrrrrr.
If I don't improve before midafternoon I will be staying home tonight from stitch and bitch. This is whats really pissing me off. That I'll have to stay home.

Oh Magaznes..how thou Tempteth me.

Is it wrong to want to knit those ornaments so bad and embellish them with sparkly sparkly beads? Is it??

The Backwards Yarn Over Scarf WIP Pic

I am so in love with this yarn (Mirasol Hacho. Its a 100% merino wool spun in Peru. The fact that one helps others buy purchasing the yarn is very nice, but seriously? I bought it for its YUM factor.
Let me explain the YUM factor to you.
When I see and feel certain yarns or knitted items, I salivate. I don't know why. Its how I am wired apparently. If I salivate over your choice of colours and pattern or the colours and tectures of a yarn, thats what I call my YUM Factor. Mirasol Hacho in the colourway Tutti Frutti does it for me as does the Yarn Harlot's Latvian mittens on her blog this week. As does Jane Mumbles colour selctions for the Latvian mittens for her swap partner. I literally drool for certain colourways, patterns, and textures. Scary, non? I think its a sensuality thing. Not SEXUALITY( some people confuse these terms), but how the senses all combine to create an experience that is so much richer. I feel the yarn and caress it...I see the colours and the patterns created...these are the two primary senses involved in knitting if a person is highly sensual, ie experiences things strongly through their senses, it can cross over and make for unexpected physical reactions. Like drooling over something clearly unpalatable to the taste buds.
I love my pattern...how the stitches pull what would be straight lines of colour in stockingette into those Vs and makes for a richer visual and tactile experience.
I'm just not sure how long the scarf should be. Long enough to be worn keyholed, as this is my preferred way to wear a scarf, and have the ends hang down nicely rather than stick out stiff.
Recipe For Alison's Casual Scarf to be named at a later date:
Yarn used: Mirasol Hacho in Tutti Fruitti Colourway.
Needles:4mm
Substitutions: if you are a supa-tight knitter I say go UP a needle size because you do not want a stiff unyielding fabric. I didn't work out guage but am not a tight knitter and went with the recomended needle size. Its a medium width scarf so if you use a much finer yarn then you may have to add another pattern repeat to your width and adjust Cast On Numbers appropriately. Pattern repeat on Right Side Rows is worked over 13 stitches Plus 1.
YObkwd = yarn over backwards (bring the yarn over the top and then to the back again)
Cast On 35 stitches.
Knit 4 rows.
Right Side Rows from row 5 onward as follows:
K4,**K1,YObkwd,K4,k2tog,SL1,K1,PSSO,K4,YObkwd..repeat from **,K1,K4
Wrong Side Rows from row 6 onward: K4, P27, K4
Repeat these two rows until the scarf is the length you want it.
Knit 4 rows and bind off.
Soak and block until fully dry. Wear with flair.

Head * Desk and repeat

ARGH. I gave in to the Startitis. I had to, y'know. Here I am with two squabblers that don't listen to me most of the time while SOMEONE is in Acapulco "working". I don't really consider golf and seadooing work even if it is with clients.
I digress.
After an great time at the Biodome, the kids got into it in the car. Then at Effiloche they were holy terrors until separated, one inside and one outside. They were much better after a stroll down St Hubert and the ride home was calm. Rented them each a game. All is well but it was just that bit of rambunctiousness that set my teeth right on edge. I needed something for ME dammit. I want my Mirasol Hacho in Tutti Frutti made into a scarf by golly.
So, I looked up a stitch pattern (chevron and feather stitch from Aug.31 in the stitch a day calendar), devised a pattern, and set to it after I wound two skeins into cakes. Its beautiful. I love it. The Hacho is lovely in the hands and on the needles. I have about 3 inches done.
Only to discover I have done every yarn over backwards.
Instead of wrapping around like a knit and over, I am bringing the yarn over the needle and then to the back again. Coming over the top as it were.
*K1, YO, K4, K2TOG, SL1, K1, PSSO, K4, YO, repeat from *, K1
Thats 4 YO on each RS row. I've done quite a few rows. I wondered why I wasn't getting the holes the picture on the calendar had but figured they just weren't showing up until I blocked it.
I still think its beautiful. I still love it. I will not rip out and begin again because I really like it.
Can someone tell me what a backwards YO is called so I can rewrite my pattern?

FRIDAY...woohooooo

PARTAY Y'ALL!
Today we will be going to the kick ass Biodome in Montreal. http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/biodome/site/site.php?langue=en
Its gonna be wicked. As sucky a parent as I am, I love outtings. I am all over the field trip. Sweeeeeet.
Sully asked about the puking punkin and as much as I would like to say I came up with it allllll by myself, I didn't. I saw one online and thought it was funny. Now, that said, I WAS gonna take it to a higher plane of funny by building my pumpkin headed man and have him surrounded by empties and puking pumpkin guts down his shirt, but SOMEONE didn't cut my wood for me and when I asked how to use the circular bench saw he freaked out. He said he'd cut the wood but he didn't. But i'm not bitter. Much. I had the clothes...had the punkin...had the chair for him to sit in and the empty bottles....had no wooden body frame...ggggrrrrr.
I told some kids that "Le citrouille mange trop beaucoups des bonbons!!" hehehhee. I was gonna put broken candy in with the pumpkin innards but thought that might be gross.
Thing Two was indeed a Ninja...again. The child loves ninja costumes. he was a red ninja 3 or 4 years ago and he wears that costume to BED!! LOL He likes the slippery material. He wasn't as geared up as I would have had him...there was this way cool apparatus to be worn like a back pack and it held two swords that he could have whipped out and I think it cam with plastic ninja stars and he coulda hung numchuks from the belt. But SOMEONE deemed it too expensive. Yes it waaaas getting pricey what with Thing One picking a pricier costume but we forgot to put a price cap this year (duuuuh..I blame it on my dizziness..thats the weekend it started). Every costume Thing Two picked was sold out in his size so Black Ninja it was. Man, I could SO make a ninja costume...I really should be a better mother. Two years ago I made him into a cool Harry Potter Playing Quidditch. he had burgundy robes with gold bias tape trim, glasses, a broom and a golden snitch attatched to it with a spring. Thats when I learned that gold spray paint melts styrofoam. Also, it took 5 latherings to get the black hair spray colouring out of his blonde hair.
My SIL and I have a competition every Nov 1st to kick off the Xmas season. Its to see who calls who FIRST to play Xmas music over the phone. I used to get her almost every year because A) I had wee'uns that woke me up early and 2) she was up getting ready for work with no time for this silliness. Then I moved here and with the hour time difference she has kicked my ass two years running. Last year she called at 5:30 AM our time and scared the crap outta us and woke the whole house. Pissed me off too because you know how I love my sleep. This year I was not fully in the depths of sleep since HM had to leave so early on his trip. The phone rang about 10 times before I could finally track down a handset that was working. I thought maybe it was HM and he'd forgotten something,...the time? 5:50 AM. Nope it was Marilyn...she got me again. This time I laughed because dangit I had been planning my revenge ALL FRIGGING YEAR.
Did I tell you this already?? It sounds familiar....hmmm. Ok if I did I am very sorry. She's going down next year though...I have it on the Calendar and everything.
Knitting stuff: I ripped the Pirate Mittens again...totally. I haven't the attention span of a gnat and keep screwing up the chart royally. I will try again soon. Oh and Project #4 is the thrummed mittens. Gotta get them done. Maybe tonight. They are so fast but i am procrastinatey.
Ok..so...next post is BIODOME ramblings. Maybe with pictures. If I remember.

Feels like Friday

Its Thursday night and nice and quiet. Almost too quiet. NAAAAAH. Never too quiet...hehehhehhh.
Watched Grey's tonight with no interuption...thats weird. I knit on Jessie's second sock of pair two which was started last night between trick or treaters. They will be pretty much Identical socks after all. I was thinking they'd end up more fraternal but the colour variation worked in my favor, so, yay.
I have the worst case of startitis. i thought getting that sock started would be enough but its just not. I can't have another project on the go though....thats just asking for UFOs galore. Yet there is yarn in my stash calling to me to start myself a scarf or hat because its getting cold out there. Be QUIET Mirasol..you bequiling Peruvian merino. sigh....
The only answer is to get something DONE. Socks, mittens, sweater, and...hmmm...I thought there were 4 projects...think think think...
Like I said its getting colder and yet we ordered no firewood. Haven't really discussed ordering it either. I think maybe with the over spending of summer and stress of this Autumn it fell by the wayside and we may need to rely on store bought logs like Javalogs or something.
Did I say it was too quiet...here comes a munchkin now!

Pics

We have a punkin who ate too much candy, the house, Anakin Skywalker, and a Ninja!

Apres Halloween

So...very...tired....
I pulled the plug on trick or treaters around 8:20 pm or so...after my guys got back home and needed their haul sorted. I had fewer than seventy t and t-ers this year and many many compliments on our decor efforts. Best house on the block I am sure. Not that I am competitive or anything. Lots of candies left over though. Blossom and I wore our hula skirts but her lei broke last night and mine was irritating so we were lei-less hula girls, me and my dog.
After candy safety check and bed times HM and I got to crash out on the sofa and watch Bones. I love that show. He left this morning on a business trip so while I was candy checking last night he was packing. Curled up on the sofa was our quiet cuddle time.
The news today has a sad sad sad story. In the community of Ile Perrot a 3 yr old was run down IN THE YARD of her caregiver in a quiet neighborhood by cars driven by possibly racing teenagers. The teens will appear in court today charged with dangerous driving causing death. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071101.waccident01/BNStory/National/home
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=a9573f1d-0eda-46cc-b544-0e1697ea97d1&k=231

Here are two news articles....note the discrepancies. Its the tragedy of it though that hits me in the stomach and makes me want to vomit. As parents many of us try to make choices that keep our children happy and safe. It just hurts and scares so bad that no matter what we do as parents to ensure the health and welfare of our children...some FUCKING ASSHOLE IDIOT can tear the family apart. Thats all it takes! Two kids with their heads up their asses, trusted by THEIR elders to operate a motor vehicle in a responsible way, made a really fucking stupid immature (enter your expletive and adjectives here)choice, and because of that a little girl lost her life. An innocent child in a "safe" place to play and be and innocent child. These young adults..not children..robbed this family of having their baby grow up and have her turn at having a life, maybe becoming someone that could save lives or make a difference to the world. Unfortunately we will never know because these guys that were out having some laughs killed her. Some fun eh? The sickest part? One driver was only (ONLY??) 17 and will probably be tried in YOUTH court. Y'all know what that means right? Can you say wrist slap?
I wish I could just gather that family up in my arms and hold them tight and make it all go away. That poor poor baby girl.

Heh heh

The Internets is ...

...a pain in my ass this week. Seriously...Interwhatsis Explorer is pissing me off. This week alone, I swear the "unable to display webpage" has come up about a jillion times. WTF!!! I am seriously perturbed at the shoddy operation of my Internets.

Happy Halloween, My Pretties

Its is a day of sugar anticipation and excitement here Chez Nous. Add to it that HM took Thing One to see the Habs play last night you can throw hockey thrills and overtired to the mix. I'm tired too. More coffee pls.
Ok..so as y'all know I am not a christian and this day is also a real holiday for those of us that don't subscribe to the Judeo-christian tenets. Its Samhain baby!
In actuality, Samhain (sah-win or sow-win) can be a rather somber affair even if it is the New Years of paganism. Its the end of the year and a time to say goodbye and also a time for remembrance of those who have passed or gone before us. A time to honour our ancestors and give thanks to them for preparing the way for us. Of course there is that whole "time of year that the veil between the physical plane and spiritual is thinnest" thing and those with the abilities may be able to make contact in some way. Here is more info from others more learned than I: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_np.htm
I was asked by a friend if I was doing the whole Samhain thing this year and for a minute I wasn't sure what the friend meant. Was I attending a gathering? Was I going to conduct a ritual? Was I going to eat lots of candy? All of the above?
As a green witch with Wiccan leanings but not entirely so(lets call me eclectic), I am pretty lackadaisical in observance of the sabbats. I do not perform a lot of rituals or work lots of magic or cast circles for the fun of it. I try instead to see the holy in every day when I can. I try to stir my cooking sunwise, for example, rather than widdershins, because I try to encourage the positive. I subscribe to the idea that "all acts of Love and Pleasure are My ritual" for observance and that the best way to daily honour the higher powers is to love, laugh, and encourage others to do the same. Sooo, no..I have planned no rituals to conduct in the back yard alone after my kids go to bed though I have lost my aunt in the last year. BUT I did decorate to celebrate that which is Samhain, in joy. My Jack O'Lanterns light my yard for the ancestors. Tombstones, though funny, symbolise that others have passed on. Ghosts, skeletons.....they also symbolise death and the mythology that The God has died but will Return with the Sun. All of this is done with a sense of fun, welcome, and humour underlying it. This year, that is my ritual.
Blessed Be to all who pass and many be your happinesses.
Mote It Be An' Harm To None.

Oh Gods...

My Barb posted kitten pictures for me....uuuunnnnhhhhhh...kittehs

Tuesday

The cat will be away so we mice shall play this weekend...mwahahahahahahaha. ahem.
Plans include but are not limited to: Biodome(Friday)since there is no school this Friday and we have never been..2 years and never been to the Biodome!!!, and a ceramics cafe outting, and a trip to Effiloche for my 3mm needle and some circulars, and a trip to Oscars candy store as a bribe to the kids to be good at Effiloche, and a trip to that jewellry store next to Effiloche while we are there, and movie/game rentals so the kids will leave me be the rerst of the time and as a bribe to do their homework.
I am freaking out about La Harlot's Latvian style mitten. I had considered the idea of a sock type yarn with intriguing colourways as the contrast yarn in a pair of patterned mittens but as we all know, mittens have been my nemesis this fall and so had not yet had a chance to test my theory. La Harlot is not only the Canadian wunderkind of knitology BUT has ESP as well! Oh...My....Gods...I literally salivated at the sight of the gorgeousity that is those mittens. MUST MUST MUST get a good patterned mitten book with charts I can understand. The one I have boggles my mind shamelessly and makes me sad. Need Latvian mitten books. And Here Be Wyverns lest y'all think I have forgotten that tidbit. I am gonna knit me som dragonny things, mark my words.
I could do it myself if I knew how to make charts on the 'puter like some very brilliant techy type folk I know (COangelaUGH).
Am dizzy from the mitten lust...or too much caffeine...or that ear thing...I think its the mittens....

I didn't know cat noses could do that

More Pics

We have pumpkin carving, and gravestones, and the last roses of autumn (in this case, the "Elle" tearose). OH and a newly-completed-sock munching Jack'o'lantern. Enjoy....mwahahahahahahahaha.

Pictures

I Am Officially

A RAVELRY-ER!!!!!! Whootwhoot! oh yeah Whootwhoot! I may be found under the name Knitwitchery. Whootwoot.
~happy dances to the left....to the right...and exit stage left....~

How Ya Like Me Now??

I worked on tweaking the blog...how you likey?
Last night was an impromptu knit night at the Second Cup at Victoria and Van Horne. 10 knitters and their projects with much chat and laughter. I 'heart' my Montreal Knitters. Here at home we are nearly done with decoratings. Two pumpkins are carved so far and only 4 more to go. I know, I know...SIX?? But they were only 99 cents and I got excited.
Anyways...thats it for today so far. I need more coffee and Laundry Mountain has returned to be scaled once again. Its like magic...only instead of Candy Mountain and Unicorns I get laundry Mountain and stinky socks. How apt.

Friday night

I did make it to Effiloche tonight. It was wonderful and busy busy busy. I stayed about two hours and then I just became so tired. I couldn't concentrate on my knitting anyway and I think Dana would have found it odd if I used her leg as a pillow as I found so tempting.;oD At that point I decided I needed to go home. Ginette asked me to wait and she would do the name ballot draw right away and who do you think was the first name pulled out of the vase!! Can you believe this. Soon I will be banned from all Effiloche contests and raffles etc because I win too often. My prize? A $25 gift certificate for the jewellry shop next door to Effiloche. The proprietor makes lovely hand made jewellry. Me so lucky!!!!
After my posting this afternoon, the doctor called with my blood test results: everything normal. This whole experience has been a huge relief. The BP, while high, didn't seem to concern the doctor since mt ECG was so good. The blood test results showed no cholesterol problems or diabetes or thyroid problems or anything amiss at all. Now I just wait for the PAP results and for this fatigue/dizziness to be GONE. So tired all the tiiiimmmmeeee. I know I am world champion sleeper but this is beyond sleep. I don't want to say weakness....its hard to explain. I'm just fairly drained and even though I took a good nap this afternoon by 8:30 tonight I was wiped. Annoying as hell more than anything. Not a cause for worry though and for that I am so grateful.

Friday

The dizziness is not gone but is also not as bad as it was last weekend. Today I had a doctor's appointment in Boisbriand at a private clinic. Wow...the CLSC this was NOT. Nice decor, lovely reception/lobby area with the receptionist/hostess at a nice desk at room center rather than behind thick plexiglass for her own safety. Chamber music played and lent a nice ambiance to the cozy comfy place. Receptionist was charming and offered me a bottle of water (Wha!!???). I still had top wait 15-20 minutes past my appointed time though. I had blood taken, peed in a cup, an ECG for the first time I can ever recall, weighed, measured, BP taken (high) and eyes tested 3 different ways. After the Blood and Urine were taken I was offered a coffee and snack (WHA!!!????)since I had fasted since the night before. I think I might have a girl crush on the nurse. She was sweet, took blood without pain and has the most amazing skin! After all this it was back to the waiting room for my time with the Dr.
He was charming, pleasant, and pretty thorough in his questioning. While examining me he was checking my sinuses and placed his hands before my face and started tapping on the forehead over my eyes. It felt like he was tapping pretty freakin' hard and then he says"Does this hurt?" as I recoil and glare.'Yeess!!" I said and only JUST refrained from poking HIM in the head and asking snarkily"Does THIS hurt? " I think he's a mind reader because he started to laugh. Then he did the lower set by tapping my cheeks and no that didn't hurt.
Anyways, my dizziness seems to be the result of a virus, Labyrinthitis I think its called. Something like that. Anyways, I am alive, my ECG was fabulousness and the good doctor will be calling me tomorrow with blood test results. How's that for service??? Wowsers.
Tonight is the 1st anniversary for Effiloche. I must go stitch and bitch a bit.

AAAAGggggggggghhhhhh! Bla!Gahk!(panicked screeches)

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Ravelry sent my invite out A WEEK AGO and it never came....the new one didn't either!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAgggGHhhGhhh. What do what do what do??? Poke computer with stick not work! Bang on it no work either!
AAAAAAIiiiiieieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
(runs around screaming and waving arms in the air helplessly)

Mittens

These are the mittens I made for Ben. Nashua Creative Focus superwash wool on 4mm dpns. They were so fast and satisfying to fisnish since y'all know how I have been wrestling with that which is MITTEN. For some reason I just don't want to follow patterns and want generic simple things that I can just make. Thats how I am with the socks now though I still need to look up my Kitchener stitch info with every toe or mitten in this case. So now I have a mitten that I do not need to follow a written pattern for and can just create!

I cast on 36 stitches and worked the cuff in 2x2 rib for 15 row. Then I increased by 9 stitches to 45. Stockinette for 15 rows and
place the thumb using EZ's thumb trick (knit thumb stitches onto waste yarn, then slip them back on the left needle and knit them again with the mitten's yarn. I used 7 stitches for thumb. For the LEFT thumb : On needle 1 knit one then plcae the thumb. For the RIGHT: knit on needle one until there are 8 stitches left then place the 7 thumb stitches and knit last stich on the needle plain.
Continue in stockingette for 17 more rows and on row 18 commence decreases by knitting 8 , k2tog. Knit row 19 plain. Row 20 is knit 7 ,k2tog.......and continue in this fashion until 20 stitches remain. Now, this is where my genius somewhat failed me. To accomodate decreases and the finished top of the mitten I had to move stitches on needles until the top edge was perpendicular to the thumb line and kinda fell at the midway point of the thumbline. If I could draw you a picture, I would. Anyways, it worked and I have mittens so what can I tell ya. At the 20 stitch point and AFTER adjusting your stitches, the mitten top was kitchenered closed. Very tidy. I am not fond of pointy mittens.
Thumb: While removing the waste yarn, pick up the thumb stitches leaving a nice long tail. There will be 7 bottom stitches and 8 top. Also pick up the one stitch between rows at either end. I moved stitches around for 3 needles as follows: 7 on the bottom and 5 on the other two. Bottom needle is needle one.
Knit the thumb for 17 rows and then on row 18 k2tog wherever there are two stitches together. So for needle one you get 3 decreases and 2 each for the other needles. Now you have ten stitches. Knit a row plain(Row19) and then thread the yarn through the stitches, cinch closed, and finish. Use that long tail of yarn to darn up those holes to either side of the thumb. I dunno how to prevent those yet. Turn your mitten back right side out and admire your mitten that will fit an 8 to 10 year old. Its lovely. Pat yourself on the back.

halloween approacheth

Ooooh scary, kids! Ben is in decoration mode, demanding trips to Dollarama that I am just not up to with kids in tow. So today I perused my new halloween magazine and thought "I'll get stuffs and we will MAKE some new decorations". Like, this wee spider decoration..its a styrofoam ball on a stick that you paint black, glue googly eyes on and make wee wire legs for. How cute is that? Cam is excited but Ben was enraged that I dared go to the dollar store with out him. Oh well. I also scored a big sheet of broken styrofoam insulation for 3$ at RONA. Its slated to become tombstones with names like I.P. Knightly and Didi Makit. heh heh. i am nothing if not juvenile. I could use some other fun names so if you know any give them here.
Still dizzyish and the pharmacy BP machine says my pressure is a bit high. I have an appointment on Friday morning for a physical(including the female stuffs) at a private clinic. Holy money Batman!!! It be expensive. Some will be refunded through insurance. Its a relief though to know that I will soon be checked out and most likely told its all in my head. This is what I am hoping for because then I can forget about feeling dizzy and shakey and tired. Woo Hoo. Send me some good vibes for a diagnosis of NUTHIN'!!
I finshed Ben's orange mittens today. I must learn how to pick up thumb stitches without having two big holes to darn up. Other than that I think they are pretty awesome. More of the same type to follow. Pictures ASAP.

Mornings in my house

I stole this from I Can Has Cheezburger. I heart ICHC big timez.

Sunday

My energy is up a bit today. Yay!
I was telling my sister Friday night about the fatigue and she commiserated and made suggestions which were very much appreciated. I really DO need a complete physical. Have not had reliable health care/doctor since I moved to this doctor forsaken place and it really does suck hairy rancid donkey ballz to jump through CLSC francophone hoops for everything. Back home it was so much easier...knew the receptionists name...could usually get squeaked in for a sick kid or make an appointment for under a week away, more than once back talked the Dr for assuming I am some backwoods hick idiot because of where we lived, which was funny actually. This was very important because of all our various issues : depression, weight, female things, ADD for Ben, Allergy for Cameron. HM is very healthy though he has had stress related issues in the past like heart scare and acid reflux.
Right now I feel like something is not right with me. Yesterday I had repeated dizzy turns from even before I got up. Who the fuck gets dizzy rolling over in bed??! Without alcohol I might add. It happened periodically through the day too so I kinda stayed close to home and did a lot of calming deep breathing.
Today so far I am less dizzy and less tired so thats nice. I am scared to say anything to HM because it sends him into a panic and makes him slightly crazy. He is in the insurance industry after all and is well versed in all the things that could kill me because of my large weight though he never ever judges me and knows how I struggle with it. He is the first to say that he's no slimmy either. :oD
So I must try and get to a doctor/clinic that can give me a FULL physical etc to determine if this is all in my head or not. Might as well climb Everest while I am at it.
~~~~~PS: I finished an orange mitten that I started Thursday night and it totally fits Ben(Nashua superwash on size 4mm needles). When I make the other (today?) I will post a picture/recipe. I also joined a new ball to Cammie's sweater but his double knit mitten is still in a time out for not behaving as I want it to. Maybe I will just rip it and make mittens like the ones for Ben. Fast and easy...thats me.

Saturday

I have been really wiped this past week or two. No idea why...just tired into my very bones with everything. Snappy at the boys and HM, barely enough energy to do the minimum required to keep the house from falling down around our shoulders in complete mayhem. There are occassional spurts of energy where fun is had or work gets done but even that has to be pushed for.
What is up with that??
I mention this so that if my posting begins to slacken you will know why.

Why do I listen??

I am a creative person. I come up with ideas...not so great at bringing them to fruition though which gives me a bad rap as a person incapable of following through but I think there is a place in the world for Idea People. Its not my fault I have a short attention span.
So...once upon a time when I had two babies instead of two almost male tweens, one of them was an insanely picky eater. He has improved somewhat but is still very adamant on his food opinions. I made it my mission to sneak nutrition into him at every opportunity and I had a great repertoire of sneakings. Then I thought Eureka! Idea! I should write a cookbook for moms of picky eaters to help sneak good nutrition into the kids diets! I had a title idea and everything : Camouflage Cooking (or something like that.) I was entusiastic as I am prone to be over a new idea and told a friend whose opinion I valued and also had small kids. She was much less enthusiastic as in noone would ever print such a cookbook let alone BUY one. Idea was crushed and swept into the trash bin. WHY DID I LISTEN TO HER!!?
Fast forward to NOW: Not only has someone written and had published such a book but there are TWO. One of which by Jerry Seinfeld's wife and mother of 3. Some are claiming that she copied but alls I can say is that great ideas come to more than one and she simply went with her's unknowing of the other book that came out last spring. Or that said idea had blossomed in my fat little cranium 8 years ago.
Other cool/"weird" Ideas I have had over the years:
~Comic Strip called Flamango....an unsuspecting environmental scientist is pecked by a radioactive flamingo and develops super powers and a pink costume :Its a bird its a plane its...FLAMANGO!! Dealing out natural justice to environmental criminals everywhere there is...umm..environmental crime? Unfortunately I can't draw. I did have his super hero pose down pat though. Tra la laaaaa...(thats from captain underpants).
~Cable or HGTV show called Guerilla Gardening: Garden ninjas/guerillas sneak into other peoples yards (permission would have been granted before taping) under cover of darkness to steal cuttings or seeds so that they could root them for their own gardens and/or develop gardens on the sly. It had great comedic potential and is based on actual events from my childhood. One of those cuttings, 20 plus years later, is a magnificent specimen in the current yard of one of the guilty parties. I name no names.
I am equally inventive when it comes to ideas for REVENGE against mean people. My favorite idea was to live trap a skunk, tranquilise it, and put it in the basement or apartment of guilty party.
But like I said...I am an IDEA person. I did not follow through.

Wednesday night/Thursday Morning again

Kadi and I were the last knitters knitting last night when the coffee shop started dimming the lights...LOL Its so easy to lose track of the time when you aren't wearing a watch and you are in good company as we were last night. And a large company as well! So many knitters...so many projects...so much chatter. It was awesome.
I got my yarn from Robyn and am most pleased. The peacock is brighter than I thought it would be but thats fine. The Violet and Pink is wonderfully coloured and will make such cheery sockses! I may combine all 3 colours into something since they really go nicely together...very vibrant.
Its important to remember that Briggs and Little is not luxury yarn. This is the kind of yarn grandmothers used years ago to make socks and mitts that were slightly scratchy but warrrrmm. The wool softens with washing and use and for the price is great stuff. Manufactured in New Brunswick too!
Projects I saw in the makings: Betsy is making the Moonlight Sonata lace shawl in alpaca laceweight. This girl is from Australia and attending McGill as an exchange student for a semester so we will lose her come January..BOO HOO. She is a serious fiber fiend with her Ashford wheel awaiting her return to Oz. She tats too! This is a fancy lace making technique that my aunt used to do and I have wanted to learn. It getting harder to find supplies and teachers for this.
Anna is working on something in the round for her very first knitting project.
Angela is making the most beautiful mittens for an exchange. The colours are plum and sage B and L yarn and she created a chart for a turtle with a spiral on its shell. It is to die for and these will be some serious hand warming art in my opininion.
Janet was working on another Eco Bag.
Robyn was working on a sweater for her wee'un.
Kadi worked on socks.
Marlene also a socker.
I worked on the other thrum mitten until I ran outta roving then I took up the sock again.
Anne worked on another scarf for a charity sale.
Madeline...ummm...I forget! Shoot.
This is all I know but there were many more knitters there. The problem is that we kinda have to sit in a row rather than in the round and its awkward to socialise with the other side of the shop! LOL
I got home after twelve, tired and talked out yet exhilerated. Lovely.

Small Falling Down

Robyn is such an enabler.
I declared myself on a yarn diet. And I was really SINCERE. But today I went on Robyn's Nest(http://www.robynsnest.ca) ..you know...just to see whats new and all...NOT to buy anything...and there was the Briggs and Little. What is a woman to do when there is 100% wool for socks at only 5$$ a skein? Now, this is NOT machine washable superwash so it requires that the sock recipient make sure they don't shrink said socks. But at $5 dollars a pair and cozy wooliness at that, it worth the risk. I got violet and pink and peacock and heather blue. But then I remembered that the B and L anniversary twist special is 1.50 a skein for the "anniversary twist" worsted yarn. Buy any two BL skeins and you can buy the anniversary yarn for the sale price....so I ordered two. Robyn makes delivery to our Montreal Knit night available so I don't even pay shipping or have to wait a week or so. This is how she enables...by being so damn efficient and courteous!!!!
I need a hiding place for the new yarn. HM has noticed the pile is growing............. When did he stop being so obtuse and oblivious????? sigh La Harlot is right...once you get hooked on knitting you begin to fear a world yarn shortage and start hoarding.
Ok...NOW I am on a Yarn Diet. For real!! Seriously...I mean it.....don't look at me like that.

I has invented....

....The Baco (TM) ! Is it a burger? Is it a taco? YES! Its a BACO.
Getting rave reviews kitchens all over my house!!
Those danged taco shells, delicious and nutritionally vacant as they are, can be a pain in the ass what with the breaking etc. I prepared hamburger as for tacos and ,with those toppings my kids will actually eat, assembled everything on burger buns rather than in shells.
Once again I was SuperMom! You may applaud at will.

M m m m Monday

"I aaaammmm sooo beeeyuuutifuuuuull to meeeeeee... What do you think you are doing with that camera! I never signed a release!! "
I am not for zee eating but for zee seed savings!! See affixed note plz!
Oh noes...she has de camera!!! If I close my eyeses she can't see me....












This is the mitten and Cammie's sweater on the needles as we speak. The sweater is Ultra Alpaca and the mittens are Nashua superwash wool so they will be way toasty being double layered and wool, but washable like an acrylic. Sweet.


I found out about the Montreal Knitters Guild and am tempted but holy cow they are far from me. Technically I am not IN Montreal but I don't think that'd be much of a problem. Meetings are on Tuesdays but way over in Beaconsfield which is on the other side of Montreal and with traffic? Oy. We are talking an hour or more depending. What to do what to do....?
Today Cam has another orthodontia appointment. Right now they are every two weeks and that coupled with regular detal appointments for Ben Cam and Me it seems like I F%^&ing live at this place. Its a pain in the arse but you gotta do what ya gotta do for your family.
On the plus side...Interweave Knits Holiday edition comes out tomorrow and me gots to have.
The double knit mitten is coming right along (see picture from this morning). I ripped it back because of dissatisfaction with the decreases (messing with the colour placements) and will attempt them again later. The yellow stripe is where the thumb will go. I picked up Cammie's sweater today and and almost at the end of the first skein of yarn. the colour pattern for the front starts in another couple inches. Gotta figure how I am going to manage that (colour work only on the front but the sweater is knit in the round. Also need to start the sleeves asap because they get added soon after the colourwork starts. This whole "winging it" method of sweater design is not recommended. If I knew how to design it right then I would but for now I can only arse around and hope for the best...then write down what works!! LOL I did chart out two alien designs from Knitty's bmp pattern and figured on a repeat of the two alien chart, counted the stitches, figured how many stitches at each end would center it on the front blah blah math math. My nerves are now about the raglan shaping and its effect on said colour work pattern. Maybe it'll be fiiine. But most likely it won't. Maybe only 3 aliens?? Oh well. If at first (second third 4th) it doesn't succced then I will rip rip again.
Ginette has Colinette Jitterbug 'Velvet" in stock now at Effiloche and today is payday which means that I may have a small falling down later in the week. Velvet has all the scruptiousness of regularly coloured Jitterbug BUT in a tweedy effected colouration rather than VERY colour contrasted. Not quite solid coloured but enough that say if one was to want to do a nice stitch pattern on a sock or something, the stitch pattern would SHOW rather than be hidden in the colours. I have wanted to try "Charade" and "Twisted Rib socks" plus I have an eyelet rib stitch pattern that I was thinging about attempting in a sock or something and they would all be stunning in these new Jitterbug colours.
I did mention Jessie recieved her sox right. She is in love with them!I mean, she picked out the colourway (Jewel) but this was in June! And her memory is not so hot! After a soaking in SOAK they were so incredibly soft and cushy and like a spa treatment for her feet. To those who say "eeeew" to WOOL because of scratchy itchy experiences all i can say is "go fondle Colinette Jitterbug superwash merino". Not your grannies bargain basement itchyassed wool that made you cry in discomfort as a kid. But ya gotta pay big for wool so fine which is why I am holding back.

Oh I forgot

Friday night knitting was excellent as always. I frogged the frigged up mitten (AGAIN) and started anew with two colours. I knit with two colours (one on the left hand one on the right) and it was slow going with many a dropped needle since I am not real handy with the continental style. I striped the cuff and salt and peppered up the hand.
This is a mitten for Cameron...and it was TOO SMALL!!!!! Dangit!!!!!! Yesterday I ...shudder...ripped it out again and cast on more stitches. I'm back to where I was with another inch or so to the thumb.
I hope this one works. If it does I will post the recipe since I am making it up with parts of patterns that I like without the parts that fuck me up. If it doesn't work out, oh well. Its not like I'm not getting used to THAT.

Big Night Out

Last night the man and I went out. As usual, plans did not go exactly as we had hoped.
The "Wine and Cheese" at the yacht club was more of of a sit down meal (wtf?? who calls a meal wine and cheee??). It was soooooo crowded with tables set out that my claustrophobia went into pretty high alert. I was chill though...controlled the hyperventilating and did not scream but the litany was rinning through my head "get me out getmeout gemmeowgemmeowgemmeowgemmow..." and I think maybe my eyes started bugging out. HM could see the panic in my face. Its different for him because he is taller than most of the people there wheras I am shorter so I feel buried in people. As in BURIED ALIVE!! in a jostling mass of people acrrying wine and bowls of soup. Me no likey. HM said "so what do you want to do?" I said "LEAVE??!" (gemmeowgemmeow..). So we did. So much for a nice mingley time meeting our fellow yacht club members. We booked outta there and went to Indigo on Ste Catharine's and perused books. Then we headed for our 8 PM reservation for dinner at Sho-Dan.
Oh My Gods...delicious. If you go you must order the "Lips". They aren't on the menu but are a house specialty as are the "Pizza"..also fantastic. If you like Japanese fusion and sushi make this a destination. Its not cheap but holy smokes it blows all other sushi I've had away. I think its on Metcalfe up from Ste.Cath's.
So then we thought "Hows abouts a movie?" and off we went to the former Paramount, now Baque Scotia cinema. He wanted Heart Break Kid...but it wasn't there though he had checked online earlier in the day. I wanted SuperBad which he did NOT. Elizabeth 2 wasn't starting for another 45 minutes...same with Stardust which i saw already... etc etc etc. So we thought...maybe try Colossus in Laval. There we totally struck out. Already started, full, or not wanted. Sooooo...we went home...
Big night out...home by 10:15pm. Typical.

Thursday

Supper tonight was reeeeeaaaallly yummy. I made it up as I went along and now present what I did:

Chicken Baked Pasta

Chicken thighs (boneless+skinless)
Garlic...2 tsp
Basil
Salt and pepper
cheese (cheddar and parmesan shredded)
Meatless Tomato pasta sauce "Fine Herb"? I think its a Catelli one.
Pasta (it was spaghetti )
Baking dish

Pan sear your chicken thighs with the garlic and a nice dusting of basil, and some salt and pepper.
Place it in the baking dish and spoon some tomato sauce over the chicken pieces with a wee bit extra between. Don't use TOO much.
Bake the chicken until you are sure its done inside. While its baking boil your pasta.
Remove the chicken from the baking dish. It should be swimming in sauce now! Put the pasta in and and place the chickes pieces on top ( they should have a nice coating of the sauce baked onto the top when you took them out of the dish for the pasta to go in). Now top it all off with cheese and bake it again intil the sauce is bubbling up through the pasta and the cheese is all melty and delicious.
Serve with a veggie side dish or salad.

I spent all of yesterdays knitting trying aghain to make a mitten.
Again I must rip. ARGH! Very frustrating.
Ben had an appointment with his play therapist Sheila Ostroff today. OH my gods this woman is go great. What a genius in working with Ben.
The travel to and from the appointment is fraught with stress as we are always trying to beat the clock...get there on time and get home in time for Cameron and lunch. The parking sitch at the Montmorency Metro Terminal is INSANE!!!!!!!!! As in there is nowhere near enough. They have a finished parking facility (full) and some road side spots and then the overflow FILLS to bursting a really big empty lot riddled with big trenches and rocks and humps and bumps and lakes (not puddles) and MUD. It was iffy as to whether I would be able to maneuver the car OUT of the lot when we got back from Montreal thats how much more crowded it had become while we were gone. Insane I tell you. I'm gonna have to start leaving at 7:15 or earlier and drive us in in the crazed traffic because the metro takes longer than it takes me to drive home afterwards and I just don't have the time at that end...or find a lunch time placement for Cammie so I can stop wigging out about my abandoned child waiting for me.
The stress exausted me further than my semi sleepless night had thus far. Once we got home (Cameron had been waiting for us for several minutes by then unable to get into the house), and I fed the kids ate lunch, took them back to school I crashed so very hard on my sofa. Then afterschool Cammie had a Dentist appointment. Yay no cavities. Its a wonder.
So I will veg tonight in front of the boob tube. To knit..or not to knit...that is my only question.

The Blues

When I was a kid I remember distinctly loving, with passion, the colour sky blue. Ask many kids their specific favourite colour and you will sometimes hear "sky blue". What is it about this colour that appeals to kids? I think its this: innocence and exuberance. This colour is all about openess and sunshine, yeah? and thats kids.
So I will stop with the !!BLUE!!. I am embracing the blue and how happy its making my guy to have his room the colour HE picked out. How he is owning his blue. How his room has gone from depressing cave to bright happy space. It actually looks bigger (duh..no surprise but still...)!

I'm not done yet. Like I said, trim needs doing and his blinds put up. HM wants to remove the carpet (The FINAL uninstallment you might say) to reveal the parquet underneath (I hope its the same as the rest anyways). Then Ben will be taken to pick out a new comforter and maybe some supa-cool posters. I also want to get him a nice big bulletin board for over his desk and maybe some kind of organiser thingies and shelving for all his junks (dictionary/pencils/etc..etc..etc)so that his desktop is accessible for his work or whatever. A new lamp may also be in order for the bedside. When we are done this will be HIS room...not just the place where he sleeps and keeps stuff.

ARGH

I had a cheery happy Wednesday posting and accidentally erased it. #$%^^%###$%^%^&*~
So, in point form:
Started green mittens ...had pithy observations about dpns and knitting in the round obsession but oh well for that....
Pushing Daisies: Quirky show...last night Emerson Cod PI was knitting on the show...had observations and giggles about that..oh well...also LOVE Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook.
Ugh...this just is so not as good as it was.

Tuesday

(Gratuitous cat photo since I have nothing new in the way of pictures. Meet Miss Kitty! )

Today I have already slapped on that second coat of !!BLUE!! paint. I can't help it...when I look at those walls its is so very blue in capital letters with many exclamation points. Ben loves it. Next comes the trim work but I can more or less put the room back together whilst waiting for the gumption/paint curing and painter's tape purchase.

I also folded 3 loads of laundry that I'd managed to get clean and dry while sick this weekend. More is currently washing and drying. There is this afternoons fun and games. Boo Yah.

Also gotta go get some soup veggies and stuffs to make the chicken goop soup I started last night by making the stock. Chopping and simmering in my near future as well it would appear.

I turned the heel on Jessie's On-Line sock last night and am on gusset knittingI must say I am very pleased with the heel. Hope they fit her.

Happy Thanksgiving etc

I am thankful that I am feeling MUCH better. Still some congestion but nothing I can't handle.
Yesterday I did the cutting in on Ben's room and then had a wee lay down to recover. i just couldn't rest easy though because I knew rollering would be so fast and I was so close to being DONE. So up I got and went at it again and am pleased to report that coat one of the Oh My Gods BLUE is on the walls of Ben's room. He picked this shade of blue that I swear is the same as the Crayola Crayon colour Sky Blue. A very....cheerful...colour to be sure but holy moly thats a lotta blue. I tried to coach him into a softer shade but no dice. At least its lighter than that danged terracotta dark rust colour that was on the walls so his room will be less cave like.
I was going to do the second coat today and still might. It won't take long at all but I also have a chicken brining in the fridge for supper. We are not big turkey eaters in this house. Usually only at Christmas.
Wanna make an awesome roasted chicken(or tutkey)? Start out by brining. I just use heavily salted water (sea salt) though there are many recipes out there for using herbs etc. I like to brine overnight but a few hours is better than nothing.
After brining, I then mix together olive oil, minced garlic (LOTS), powdered poultry herbs( don't be stingy), salt and pepper and rub it all over the bird inside and out and pour the left over in it and on it. I don't tend to stuff a chicken but if you do , save some of the olive oil mix for after stuffing and then pour it over the bird in the pan.
Tented with foil, roast breast DOWN at 350 until the 3/4 done point then remove the foil and baste the bird with pan juices a few times between this point and done-ness. You should end up with a juicy brown tasty chicken to serve. I find roasting a bird breast down results in breast that is really juicy and flavourful rather than dry. If this offends your bird roasting sensibilities you could do it your own way or flip the bird at the 3/4 point for the bastings and browning.
HM has declared he is super sick of chicken because we eat it fairly often (The kids like it) BUT if I make it like this he comes back for seconds. Cameron declares it "delithiouth" (he has a lisp) .
Happy Thanksgiving/Monday everyone.

Sunday and Human Again

I slept more this weekend than I thought I could. And I am GOOD at sleeping. Sleep and decongestant and hot baths with cold relief stuff in them and ibuprofen for the feeling that my head was going to explode from the sinus pressure...these all helped. Today I feel human. I am breaking into a bit of a sweat now from the effort of typing but that might pass.
I may even get to start painting Ben's room today if this holds up.

Friday

Today the kids have no school and sice its Thanksgiving weekend no school Monday as well. Thought "Ahh! Perfect day for the trip to the gov't run clinic for prescription renewals etc and not having to miss school!" Then I woke up sick. Waaaaaaaaahhhhhh...
Made it back from CLSC to say goodbye and mucho gracias to Marla. She should be nearing NS by now if not actually in the province already. After she left i went to bed until it was time to go back to the CLSC at our appointed time. Afterwards we all came home (oh yeah HM stayed home to help me with the francophones)and while HM did work related stuff and the kids Played I slept..and slept... Got up at 3:30pm and was back down at 5pm until 7:30 pm. Is now 9:42 pm and I'm getting tired again.
Stupid colds and flu season. This sucks.
No more news on Ben's room obviously but the primer is dry and paint is ready when I am.

Thursday morning/Wednesday Night Pikkies

Wednesday night with the Montreal Knitters!! Some got cut out of the picture because I suck as a photographer so i apologise...but I took a pic from either end of the row to try and get everyone.
Smiley gal in pink shirt on your right is Robyn of Robyn's Nest. She is smiling because she made money off me and Marla last night..hahahahaha She such a yarn crack pusher.

Smiley gal in white and grey is Sarah. She is such an amazing knitter it makes me sick...love her but really hate her. i so jealous.


The people at the very end of the row weren't actually with us (man and woman)....maybe they were there illicitly and having an affair and THIS is the photographic proof!!! Oooooohhh the drama. Good thing I suck as a photographer.
Knit designer Veronik Avery had time to join us tonight. I tried to find her new book at Chapters but couldn't find it. Will need to look at another store. I think its called Knitting Classic Style or Classic Knits or something like that. My fave pattern by her in Interweave Knits magazine is the NDG Sweater.

Last night I finished the Fake Isle hat!! This morning I soaked it in SOAK (Aqueous scent..I think that the name of the scent) and then worked the pointy bit the developed at the top and had me concerned because I didn't want the hat to make me look like I had a nipple on top of my head no matter how beautifully patterned. Now it is drying and hopefully will never again get the pointy bump thing at the top.
As you can see its a glorious sunny day here and Marla is already dipping into the primer for Ben's room. have a great day.
PS: Ben's red Betta fish, Fighter, died last night. His toilet bowlside funeral will be today at noon when Ben comes home for lunch.

Home Improvement Nightmare.....

Nothing ever seems to go smoothly when one decides to improve or change something in their home. We want to paint ben's room because I don't thing dark terracotta is a really fun kiddy colour. He has decided on a blue shade (hello Crayola Sky Blue like paint chip) and though its not a shade I would like its his room. At least I talked him out of red.
The problem is that the paint on his walls started peeling off. It began with a scratch from a bookcase or something next to his closet in this photo...
.......And some patches started on the wall next to his bedroom door thanks to his desk edges.
Then a couple of patches on the window wall.
Using razor blade window scraper Marla, Ben , and Cameron have peeled/scraped ALOT of the terracotta paint (and its PRIMER) off these originally horribly blue walls. Walls that are eerily almost exactly the same colour as we are going to paint the room. Freaky, non?
See the paint patch face on the wall? Those are patches of terracotta paint that have decided to stick and they make a face that looks like it is as horrified as I am about this Frakking mess.

I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!

Code Monkey by Jonathan Coulton http://www.jonathancoulton.com/store/downloads
I heard it on Cast-On Podcast and can not get it out of my head. Love love love.....
Go have a listen I swear you will NOT be sorry.

Another reason why I am a good catch

(cue Barry White voice) I can make a very sexy cappucino. Look at that head of foam...look at the cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top... yeah baby.

ssssslllllllllllrrrrrrrrppppppp
aaaaahhhhhhhhh


mmm-mmmmmmmm
Thats good sexy cappucino

Photos to Appease The Barb

First I shall mesmerise you with my glowy eyes and my stripey furriness.......
Follow me, human slave...To your DOOM...or to the cat dish whicever comes first...
Stinky goodness from a can...you must buy more stinky goooodddnnneeeeesssssssss............

Calls...

This morning, a day I went back to bed after shuffling the kids out the door, the phone decided to ring. First it was Marla. She announced she was packing up and hitting the highway today instead of two weeks from now, if that was ok. Alrighty...
This also meant that Barb wouldn't be able to ride shotgun on the trip here as we had hoped because of the short notice. And it also means that Ben's room may not get painted because the prep work still isn't done ( see above 2 week timeline).
So today I am refreshing guest bed linens and vacuuming and Febreezing and maybe bathing the dog ( she smells doggy and it doth offend some) and making the kids take their clean laundry to their rooms. I should clean the fish tank too but just because it needs doing and I have been putting it off.
Anyhoo, thats about it for today near as I can tell. Preparing for a guest and the usual Monday junk like laundry and vacuuming. I am so exciting.
A big shout out to Suldog too.....love your comments.