Updates etc

Holy snap! Life is so accelerated these days. Filled with knitting and kids and stuffs! Holy stink.
All is well. Actually all is pretty awesome. THE SUN IS SHINING! Thats a big one to the happyhappy mojo I am channeling today. Or maybe its the coffee.
Ok...where did I leave off..oy what a week of joys...
Ok: hmm The Sweater! I declare it will be done TOMORROW if i have to sit and knit all night.
I am inspired to recycle yarn. To do this one buys used (yes..USED..second hand) sweaters with non serged seams, takes them apart and the unravels them. Yes..I am serious. Tomorrow is Earth Day. Get inpired.
Uuumm. Ok..Today NO boat was changed to smaller trailer capable MUCH less expensive boat. Maximum fun, minimum pain in ass factor. I love this plan. MacGregor 26 is the current item of Husband Man's sailboat lust. I encourage this idea. He can trailer the boat and launch that baby almost ANYWHERE! how cool is that?
Hmmmm.....OH and this does not mean that I lose my kitchen Reno which was declared happening this year on Thursday night. Can I get a Hallelujah??!!!!!! My house is beautiful..not real clean and tidy because, hello!? I live here. But my kitchen and my bathrooms seriously suck. The kitchen drawers are literally falling apart repeatedly and I have been nearly brained by cabinet doors coming off the hinge. Oy!! So, HM had a drawer drop crap everywhere again and said Thats IT! When we know when he's getting his latest bonus I can commence to making reno plans. Right now I know that its pretty much getting gutted. That is all I know for sure.
HM is getting a newer car. His choice is a lovely and fuel efficientish 2002 Acura 1.7 EL Limited edition. Spoiler, front hood ding protector doohickey, tinted windows, leather upholstery.... and fuel efficincy not much different from the Echo! Sexay!!
The sundress for Hawaii formal event is being dealt with. Its top secret at the mo. Sorta. Secret from HM because he is all 'Buy one at a store'and I am all 'Having a dress made to fit me!' heh heh What he doesn't know and all that jazz. I can say it is '50's inspired and the fabric is a hemp/silk blend jacquard and will breathe beautifully. Color is as yet undetermined since the maker will be working on creating a colour that I want..either a darkish blue or aubergine. This sounds stuck up and snobby and expensive but actually may be same cost as buying a really nice dress and having it altered to fit properly. Always a challenge and I am just too lazy to search the shops.
Cameron is beside himself with joy because his bestest buddy is coming here tonight for a sleep over after having come here last Sunday for a play date for the first time. This is seriously awesome for him. I remember having sleepovers all the time as a kid and now its time for the guys to start. If only Ben could get along with someone long enough to have a sleep over bud. I had high hopes of two school mates but sadly this has been hampered by Ben's outburst of anger. Not conducive to close friendships. This will happen though. I have great faith in his abilities to become more in control of his temper. Eventually.
Ok..now I must vacumm my heart out and de dustify my maison. Tis sooo necessary. All THREE floors (basement, main, upstairs).
Happy Earth Day Tomorrow!!!!!!!
Earth day Earth Day Party Time Excellent!!!!! Woowoowoowoooooo

Benoit's Birthday

Today is Ben's 10th birthday. I can hardly believe that its been that long..then again somedays it seems like forever. This is Ben in Grade Primary with his teacher. She was so nice. Ben was 5. This is Ben in June 2005 and he was the FIRST one in the pool after we had openned it, got it clean and let it warm up. So, he was first born AND first in our pool at this house. There was a heat wave here that year and man, we made good use of 'er.
This is Ben last month. Almost 10 but not quite. He still likes the toys that come with Happy Meals.
Benoit Martin, you were my first baby. You taught me how to be a mother and broke me in for Cameron. I made more mistakes with you and sometimes I am harder on you but there is noone I love like you. Because of you I learned what selfless (and somewhat psychotic/ obsessive)love is. Thank you for being my child. Thank you for not breaking like we were so sure you would if they made us take you home from the hospital. US..who had no idea what the hell we were doing ...petrified of making a fatal mistake.... Turns out that while being a parent is the hardest thing I have ever done and ever will do, its also remarkably easy. The love keeps it going.
So even on those days that I'm screaming about how I understand why a wolf may eat her young, know that under all the Mommy crazy, there is a whole lot of love. A bottomless pit. All for you. And the drugs have helped with the psychotic/obsessive part so its all good.
Kisses, angel.
Love, Mommy xxxxxooooo

Lets go crazy..lets get NUTZ

It never rains but that it pours, wha'?

Now my appliances have decided to have break downs of a sort. My appliances that are only 2 years old..not EVEN 2. We bought them in March 2005 but they weren't delivered until we took possession of this house in May 2005. Ok..now that I see that in type, lets call 'er two years.
Thursday, washer decides its not gonna run. I fix it by draining it and cleaning the filter. Yay, Handyme.
Last night there is water on the laudry room floor. I did no laundry yesterday..whats up with that. Pulling out the washer shows a pool of water under the washer and dryer. We pull out both, wipe up water....pop of crap stick on tiles to see wet plywood with a bit of mildew. Heat goes up, fan is brought in, Lysol is sprayed repeatedly. It seems the hot water connection has been dripping. Today I cleaned intake filters (Yay, Handyme!) and we still are waiting to put the appliances back into place. Need some flooring or new crap tiles.
A while back a door shelf on my 2 year old beautiful Frigidaire came off. Yesterday it came off again.
This morning i slept in and when I got up I had the house to myself!! Wheee. then I saw the glass interior shelf of said Frigidaire is proped against the kitchen wall with the plastic framing of it all broken. My 2 year old Stainless Fucking Steel Exterior Frigidaire!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Breaking down like some old cheap ass piece of CRAP. Refrigerator people!! Oy! Put METAL framing back into your interiors PLEASE!!!!
There is seriously not enough coffee for this.

What a friggin' week........

Ben is still getting bad behaviour reports from school (except for today) and since this is going on HM decided in his infinite wisdom (sarcasm) that we should reduce Ben's meds rather than increase since his behaviour is still bad (anger issues). This after i spent 5 hours at the CLSC getting his prescription chnged for the higher dose... The new dosage helps his focus and attention for the school work but has no improvement on the hair trigger temper. Anyhoo, This creatyed a major rift in the ol' parental team yesterday but we worked it out and are seeking counselling/therapy for Ben and us for dealing with his temper outbursts etc. we found a learning disabilities association tooo!!!! YAY!!!! I can feel the hope rising..despair departing..
Also, there are summer camps for brats...I mean...special needs children like Ben. Cost a mint but the change of atmosphere and learning better social skills from someone else (might actually sink in???) may be of huge benefit all around. Which brings us to boats....
As in..Looks like this isn't the year after all. HM has been crunching the numbers..with needing to change his old beat up Echo for something more road worthy, needing counselling etc for ben, the fact taht the boats we looked at needed more work than we had hoped...its all adds up to him going mental trying to make it happen. I was willing to work in a strict budget for him to make it happen but he thinks its best to wait.
So, this year is no boat but less crazy man. Also, this year we can work at paying off more debt to loosen up the monthy coffers and maybe buy a NEW boat rather than a fixer upper next year.
I was wondering how he thought he was gonna make boat and newish car payments but didn't push the matter cuz he gets tetchy when I question his fiscal expertise. Its better for him to come to these realizations on his own.
Today I did a major grocery shopping in order to avoid trips to the market. I am trying to reduce our grocery budget to make Ben's help more affordable. Fewer trips means fewer unnecessary expenditures (in theory).
Also, I got a couple of new bras because my sister yelled at me for not using enough support. As if there is such a thing. Chyeah...right. Anyhoo, bought 3 nice ones at La Senza in an effort to boost these babies up where they belong so that unfortunate incidents like todays will not be so commonplace. What happened? you ask with concern...
Well, I'll tell ya what happened. I wore a blouse today. With buttons. Thanks to not enough boost in the bust the buttons were a bit strained...until they undid themselves without my knowledge. I discovered this at the check out. Oops a button undone..wait..another..and another...........
So, about 4 buttons in my blouse were undone in the boobular area at the grocery store. For an uncertain length of time....
I am sooo fucking cool.

I was Tagged....

Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog! OK, here goes:

1) For some reason people find me funny and the more they laugh the funnier I become. It might have something to do with liquor...I'm not sure.
2) I love my mother but she makes me crazy because I have no patience.
3) I consider myself fairly low maintenence but my husband does not. Baffling.
4) I love girly girl stuff like clothes, shoes, makeup and hair but am too fat and lazy to actually make an effort and use/do said girly girl things unless I really have to.
5) I drank an exhorbitant amount of alcohol in University. And not a giggly girly "Oh I am sssooo drunk after one beer" amount either. I drank like a longshoreman and I think I enjoyed it too. Its all a bit blurry....
6) I resent being treated differently because I am a woman but resent NOT being treated differently as well. IE) I like the nice stuff of being treated like a female but HATE the stupid stuff like the idea that I can't do something because of my chromosomes or won't understand something. Thats just gonna get you a whole lotta nasty from me. But thanks for openning the door for me, bringing me presents, or taking out the trash.
7) If ever I am single again I will NOT remarry. EVER. Seriously..never. HM feels the same way. Funny, no?

I tag noone but if those who swim on by would enjoy blogging their 7 factoids about themselves I encourage them to let me know so's I can read them.

Home Again Home Again Jiggety Jig

This is my weekend but the pictures are all out of order because I suck at this stuff that way.

This is me and my gurrrls Marla and Barb...Barb is in the middle. She is a knitter extraordinaire as well as homesteader that I became friends with when I had my shop. She was just starting to get into the animals then and I had disposed of my flock. She's oringinally from Poland and a former Canadian Armed Forces member.

Marla is a sailor girl since she is married to a thoroughly boat addicted man. And she can fix just about anything!!!!!! We hooked up in Bridgewater to gab and rummage through the bins at Frenchy's. I got a garbage bag load of clothes for the kids for 53 bucks. Gap..Ralph Lauren..LL Bean..
This is my latest stash enhancement. While on our way to Bridgewater saturday morning after seeing a boat in Chester, we stopped in Mahone Bay for coffeee and since we were there I had to hit Have A Yarn on Main St, the best yarn shop on the south shore. Heather had box of Fleece Artist seconds and I could have spent much much more than I did. You know, I really need to be independently wealthy some day....anyhoo, at 85 cents per 10 grams it was a savings of more than 50% and I have enough Fleece Artist sock yarn now for 6 pair o'socks.
How luscious is THAT?? And FA seconds skein is better than anything at Walmart. Seriously.

This is what we awoke to on Thursday morning, the day of the long drive East. Made longer still by.......

THIS!!!!!!!!! Lovely driving conditions we had as an April storm decided to hit Eastern Canada. Piss me offf.. It slowed us down considerably.
And going through New Brunswick was NO BETTER!!
Yet it was all worth it to sit at the table Friday morning, sipping coffee and gabbing with the mother of these gorgeous offspring Heather and Scamper.......
Scamper's favorite position is up on the shoulder so's he can be snuggled long time. He's no longer a youngster, being a much older brother to his human sister.
We basically vegged out Friday until Jessie called to say she'd returned home from an outting and then we descended on her and Harvey like fleas on a juicy juicy dog. All 6 of us. Jessie had handme downs for me and Julie and a lovely visit and wardrobe enhancement was thoroughly enjoyed. I got some kick ass stuffs and what was too small for my girth sometimes fit Julie. We are a similar build and size but my chest is broader.

Friday night we hung out at Julies sipping shiraz and eatting and visiting with Julie's Pal Dawn who brought he daughter samantha with her. Sam is Heather's best pal so all 4 kids had a blast together. Once the kids were abed us two mommies stuffed plastic eggs with candy and laid out the Saturday Morning Mommy Made Egg Hunt because Heather would be off with her Dad the rest of Easter weekend. These guys had such a fun time!! Too funny.

Saturday: egg hunt...in the car boat "shopping"....Frenchy's and Yarn shop...errands.... Dropped the boys at Jessie's for the evening so HM, me, Julie, and her friend Janice could go see 300 at the Imax. What an awesome flick I must say. I was rivetted. But while we were enjoying ourselves the snow outside that had begun late in the day had gotten much much worse. We retrieved our kidlets from the spoilings of Aunty Jessie who had taken THEM to a movie, and went back to Julie's to feast on DONAIRS!!!!! and discuss the movie. Janice stayed over because of the snow and because..well, who'd want to leave such scintillating entertainment and company??

Sunday.. the boys found what the Bunny left them, we visited my brother Ian and his wife, HM cooked supper for us at Julie's while I visited with my sister again. An earlier night was had Sunday night and Monday morning it was back on the road to come home. How's that for a weekend????????????????

Dontcha wish your weekend was fun like mine? Dontcha wish your weekend was as hot as mine??(channeling the Pussycat Dolls right now)

For Your Easter/Passover Giggles.

Peeps For Passover http://www.flickr.com/photos/17025280@N00/sets/72157600038845249/detail/

New Show Alert

Sunday April 15th on Fox the premier of Drive will be on starring the yummy Nathan Fillion, formerly Captain Tightpants of Firefly.
YAY!!!!!!!!!! yayayayayayayayayayayayayay

Tuesday

Two more sleeps! We are all getting so excited. The kids because they get to miss an extra day of school even though it will be spent in a car, and also they love staying with Julie and Heather. They have also expressed looking forward to seeing Aunty Jessie, my sister, as she is their favorite aunty ever. She loves them SO much and it really really comes through. Kids respond to that so well. Plus of all the aunties she is the one that is most familiar.
We hope to go out Saturday night and see 300, leaving the boys with Aunty Jessie.
From topstitchgirl's blog I got this home waxing recipe http://topstitchgirl.blogspot.com/2007/02/sugar-waxingpilation-au-sucre.html
I am trying to work up my courage and try it. Hawaii is coming fast and furious as is summer and it would be nice to reduce my razor dependency..especially since I am semi forgetful and during winter thats ok but not so much in summer when one goes sleevless and pantlegless, and in bathingsuits. The thing is..I have an aversion to pain. Razors only hurt if you make a mistake. Waxing hurts when you do it right...how is this logical or an encouragement? Another reason guys should treat us with tenderness because being a woman is not easy and is very confusing.
So, I talked big on Saturday and said I'd have that sleeve done. Its not. BUT I will knit on it in the car. HM likes to do a lot of the driving (doesn't trust me) so I should have several hours of knitting time if I don't fall asleep. The car does that to me.
I am happy about a discovery i made yesterday. Since I moved here the only place I knew to find a good selection of English Language magazine was Chapters..down town Montreal or out in Pointe Claire. Yesterday I hit the Laval Loblaws and while perusing their sad selection I asked a stranger lady where the good magazine selection was in Laval. She told me to try Archambault. I had no idea what that was though I had seen the sign for that store. Turns out its like a french HMV but with magazines and books too. Even english language ones! YAY! I looked but I ended up not buying, though tempted by the current issues of Simply Knitting and Vogue Knits. There are some great knit tank topes etc in the pattern books these day to whip up for summer in cottons and silks. Tempted I am...fat assed arms I have. Knitting sleeveless tops I don't think I will.
So that is it for me for now.
I am hoping that Ben has a good day today. The three of us talked last night after HM came home and has time to destress after avery bad day at work. We wanted Ben to know that he is understood and that we have those feelings too so we know where he is coming from...that said we emphasized how lashing out is something he can not do and we need to find ways to control the urge. He has been given ideas and tools over the last 9 years of tantrums etc and we continue to advise him to use them and refresh his memory. Deep breaths, walking away, counting to 10 or higher, plugging his ears and closing his eyes to ignore a pestering peer..... He lost his bike for a week, computer priviledges and today he has already lost TV for losing it with Cameron at the bus stop. Hello brick wall? Meet my head..repeatedly.

Parenting Abyss.... Not a happy post.

I love my children. I really really do. Unfortunately I find the whole parenting gig really overwhelming and spend much time escaping to my happy place.
My happy place is failing me these days with my first born. He has had anger issues since...ummm...oh I dunno...BIRTH?? No, actually more like from the age of one. He was diagnosed in late 2004 as A.D.D ( and no it is not just a label or an excuse to medicate a child to try and fix them. Come at me with that tired rhetoric and I swear to your Jesus, Buddah, or whoever, I will bitch slap you into next week. Seriously. Do not go there with me. Seriously.)
The child has major frustration with the world around him. It takes almost nothing for it to overflow. Lately this has gone into the the realm of smacking kids at school that are "annoying" him. Kids tease. They bug. You ask them to stop and they are gonna do it even more. This is his situation. And he does not handle it well. I see his side of it and I feel for him. I really do. We have talked about no hitting. No lashing out when he gets so frustrated and angry. No hitting unless someone is hitting you. Yes defend yourself but teasing and pestering is not a time for hitting. Since Christmas he has had a few hitting situations. He brought home notices and recieved what we thought were punishments adequate to the situation. We have talked, cajoled, taken away privledges, and yes we have even yelled.
Its ...not...working...
I just want to sit and cry. For my child. For me. For our family as we weather storm after emotional storm with this person who cannot seem to gain the upperhand over his temper. I am tired. Tired of shielding his father from it because the man has enough stress and tired of shielding my son from the big angry yelly man called Daddy when yet another notice comes home. We are fed up and have lost patience. I have days where I do not like this person I gave birth to because of how he speaks to us or how he loses his temper over small potatoes even here at home, his sanctuary.
I think its time for therapy. For him and for us. Because nothing else is working.
I really really really want a drink. And lots of inappropriate unhealthy food.

Musings.........

I did in fact have a rather sleepless night. The last time I got up and prowled was around 3ish AM. I camped out on the sofa in order to let HM sleep without my tossing or getting up repeatedly to wander around. BOY are floors squeaky at 3 am!!! Who knew.
So now I have some energy nectar known as coffee and am contemplating my day. I think I should venture to the wilds of Laval or Repentigny in order to visit a Loblaws which are almost EXACTLY like the Superstores back home. My favorite grocery store. HM did some grocery shopping on Saturday, picking up my slack, but he doesn't get all the right stuffs and in the right quantities. But thats ok because he does buy stuffs that I usually don't and variety IS the spice of life.
My 2 AM Poem that I kinda remember:

What made life grand for Mrs. Mimsy
Was infusing it with a touch of whimsy.
Things like: Twinklelights and fairies
For the scarecrows on the Prairies
And fantastical fish
Adorning her cat's food dish
Made her smile
And made a day worthwhile.
Yes, bits of whimsy
made life so joyous for Mrs Mimsy
But made the neighbors think her grip on reality
Was a little flimsy.

I had another that included a reference to Dennis Lee (poet) but I forget it. I don't make up good poems, I know but they are fun . I still remember a pinch of my Mrs Myra Mudbottom poem/story of about 11 years ago. I think I threw it out though in a fit of decluttering. I hate that I do that. I write a story, poem or lyric and then consider it worthless...only to need it months or years later. DOH. While I thoroughly enjoy my forays into rhyme most folk are not appreciative and tend to look at it as silly and lacking in proper meter or any other myriad of critiques. Alls I know is that I wish I hadda got up and wrote the Dennis Lee one down.
Something about how making rhyme is sublime blah blah and seperates us from species that fling feces...something something about cats yadda yadda And if you don't believe me, Just ask Dennis Lee. Thats the gist of the subject anyhoo.
Aaaah insomnia..the great inspirationer. (my blog..I am allowed to make up words)

Sunday Night into Monday Morning

I slept in so good this morning and now I am paying the price. I am still WIDE awake as if I drank coffee allllll afternoon which I did not. Seriously. Not ALL afternoon anyways.
Ok..so yesterdays freakfest of parenting ended well. Ben now has a new independence of movement ..he is now able and somewhat allowed to go to the park and to some kids house to play and the kid was here to play too. I am still freaked out and tummyachey about the whole dealio but the kid IS almost 10 and should be able to leave the range of my voice. Which is actually quite a distance if I stop to think about it. Which I will not. So...day one of the new limits was a resounding success.
I told ya all about Friday's shoppin's. I also hit the Dollarama yesterday and got lots and lots of stuffs. Plant pots so my poor hoya can FINALLY be repotted. I thought I would divide it so I got two pots but then I didn't bother so i had a big pot leftover. I got yarns and needles for Marla's little knitter Maranda. Ummmm....lets see. Jeez louise I spent like 30 plus bucks but thats all I can remember. Oh yeah..magazine storage doohickeys for my cooking magazines, boxes to starts sorting photos into, a binder for Ben to store his artworkings from school, Page protectors for said art, a wee storage box for wee things which i will use for stitch marker makings, beads for said stitch marker makings.... I love Dollarama.
Today I slept in late late late...11:30!!! The day was half gone!!! I jumped out of bed and was leaving the bathroom when HM handed me the phone saying "Call for you..." I answered the phone to hear "April fools day Mommy!!!!!!!!!" in Ben's voice. he was on the other phone downstairs. Aaaahhhhh yes...the April Fools Pranksing began. HM got Ben but Ben was NOT impressed. Cammeron got HM with a little help from me and was thrilled that daddy ..." He fell fow it Mummy!! He weally fell fow it!!!" which may not be the actual full truth but it made his 8 yr old heart glad so we will leave it go.
The prank was to go outside where Daddy was cleaning the cars out and tell him that Mommy lost her chequebook at the mall. Then just as HM's veins began to bulge and throb at his temples Cammie was to yell April Fools! I did not watch the show as I was in the basement laundry room potting up today's exciting find..a 10 dollar Gardenia plant from Rona. I went forth today in search of cheap garden soil and found no Cheap ones. So I got a Gardenia plant...my first!! Good thing I got that spare pot yesterday!! Its all potted up and looking good in the green room's window.
HM and I cleaned the cars today. 4 More sleeps to NS so HM figured we better get the Volvo clean for the ride and he cleaned his Echo too. Cammie and I washed the outside of the big V and I vacuumed a bit. The tempo was also taken down until next Fall. The driveway looks so open and tidy now!
I Vacuumed the house a bit too. Was sorely needed. The laundry was piled up again so thats been attacked with gusto. The washer is still running as we speak..I mean..as I type. The sleeve on the sweater is over 6 inches long now and my concern is that its not reducing in diameter fast enough. I will not worry too much though. It is meant to be nice and loose/baggy.
It was a busy weekend but also very relaxed.
FOUR MORE SLEEPS!!!!!!!

Milestones ...{insert sounds of anxiety here}

Ok..as a parent we have to prepare ourselves for milestones in our childrens lives and development. I know that. Everyone knows that. What i don't understand is why we have to have the stomachaches etc that go with it.
Today...sigh..oh this is so hard.....{more muffled groans and whimpers of anxiety and worry}
Ok.
TodayweletBengowitht2otherkidstotheparkonhisbike. gaspgaspgasp
As he left, joyous in his new found independence, we turn to each other with wide eyes and my husband was the first to say 'We are so not ready for this!!!" We held each other.
Oh Gods......

FRIDAY

We are less than a week to "take off" wherein we will be takin' off for the right coast (East). Yay!
So today I was very lazy. After the kids went to school I went back to bed. Oh Gods it felt SO good. The right thing to do apparently. But nothing else got done.
Lunchtime was the usual except I chatted with Barb which was very fun. Again, beyond feeding children, nothing got done. After I took them back to school I had the stroke of brilliance and decided to go to Walmart for Easter stuffs. On the way I thought..hmmm whats on sale at l'Equipeur and when i left there I had an outfit for Hawaii. Whhoooopsy! How'd that happen?? heeheee
Oh man I had fun. I prowled the sale racks but though there were HEAPS of things on sale I was on a mission. I tried on several things but what wowed me was these cute striped pants. They are light beige with fine faded turquoise and white striping, wide leg cropped pant. Cottony fabric. Even though they are a cropped pant I still need to shorten them. Everything else went back to the racks and began a hunt for stuff to go with these awesome pants. I tried several things but what was "right" was this white lightly fitted blouse. They had it in a great subtle turquoise too but the white is what did it for me..very odd. To get two looks I also got a white cotton lace trimmed camisole so i can go buttoned up or open. Then i saw purses. ooopsy. Well one needs a summery purse for hawaii right? Right. I got this cute beige crochet jobbie with a fake leather strap. Excellent shoulder bag. So..entire outfit that can have two looks plus a shoulder bag= Total....$99 and change. Not bad if I do say so myself. Man I love l'Equipeur.
I also learned something. I cannot wear a skort. "Nuff said.
I finally got to Walmart and began selecting candy and treats and wee gifties for the Easter bunny to bring the boys. Bike accessories for their new bikes and some books.
I also finally found a 16 inch 5mm needle and will knit the sleeve on to it ASAP. Should go muuuuuch faster when I don't have to switch needles all the time.
Lost another fish yesterday..the blue gourami was a floater when I turned on the aquarium light.
That is all. Have a groovy night.

Sweater progress- Wednesday

I gots me some shoulders in this sweater now!! My first ever seamed knitting. I used the backstitch technique to sew it up because nothing else was giving me the result I wanted. I think its ok for a first sweater. Now for picking up and knitting sleeves and the neck.

I am uncommonly thrilled with this. the anxiety is much less now. It actually is LOOKING LIKE A REAL SWEATER now. heeheeheeee

T'is Tuesday

9 days to going back home for a visit. I am getting antsy. It won't be long enough to see everyone that I'd like to see but its better than a boot to the head. I takes what I can gets.
I asked HM whether he had checked Nova Scotian job opportunities in his field and/or with his company lately. Taken by surprise a bit he said "uuumm no..Why?". Just wondering I replied and continued to look out the window at the passing country/city side as we drove. I think that got him to wondering if I was getting homesick again which I'm not...at least not anymore than usual. Its a great life here do not get me wrong but I am still not "home" here exactly. I AM trying and its very nice here indeed! For sure. Really.
Anyhoo that brought a discussion on how long he thinks we need to stay here..house equity etc and so forth. I listened and said ok in all the right places. This summer should take care of all the home longings. Then I will want to come back here (home)..LOL. Nothing like having a proper roof over your head eh? Home is where th heart and roof is.
On to other stuffs:
Its Tuesday and the snow is melting more and more now that it is truly Spring. I can see some of the flower beds and the neighbor's encroaching monster lilac has obvious buds. I am eager for my crocuses etc to poke their wee heads up. I planted enough of the little frigger's last Fall...there ought to be one or two what survived eh?
I did NO knitting yesterday. It was a day of laundry. I still have many loads to go before I rest but the baskets are towering and toppling so I guess some needs to be put away before I wash dry and fold more. Ugh. I also cleaned the aquarium. The fish were grateful. HM's angel fish is sooooo much bigger than when we got it in January. It was so small at the time... body the size of a nickle with fins on top of that. Now I'd have to say its at least the size of a toonie. All other fish seem healthy and happy too.Maybe we should get a couple more gourami fishes or something.
I just finished re-reading the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. I have changed my opinion of book 4 now. I thought it was a piece of crap compared to the first 3 but having read them altogether this time I find it does its job. The others just seem to have so much more happening and this one just seems to build up with little resolution. But doing a re-read is good because I picked up on stuffs I missed before.
Now I am reading an early kathy Reichs novel. Possibly the first one... Deja Dead. Its so much better than the one I read first which is a much later novel. I'm glad bookstore lady recommended I try her earlier stuffs before writing her books off completely. If you like murder mystery with a focus on evidence then try her on for size. Whats nice is that it doesn't focus on the grisly acts themselves in detail of the doing but the aftermath and the folk that deal with the bodies of the slain.
I find that books that detail the sick and freaky crimes the writer can come up with creep me out too much now as I get older. I was very disgusted with a particular John Grisham novel that detailed the abuse suffered by a character. Its like the atrocities just get worse and worse as humanity's threshold gets higher and higher. As if true tales of atrocity aren't bad enough ( and they aren't broadcast on a large scale because thats so horrible we can't show these TRUE things on Tv or in the newspaper), fiction writer's have the burden of imagining ever awfuller (its my blog I can make up words if I want) deaths and disasters just in order to get published because readers hunger for something to move them..and since we have all become so comfortably numb that calls for something horrific. Thats what i think anyways.
So,...Deja Dead is pretty good so far. Sweater not worked on yesterday. Laundry devouring my basement. Fish happier. 9 days to going home. That about covers whats in my brain at the moment.

Monday

Yesterday we had an appointment to take our first look see at a sailboat for sale. It was a Grampian 34. We didn't have high hopes since the boat is over 30 years old but the price was kind of high so who knew? Maybe it would be in awesome condition??! Well, guess what..it wasn't. What are some people thinking when the slap a price tag on something??
The interior was smelly and kind of dark. The centered cockpit, a design feature of the boat that we were curious to see meant a great deal of lost space. The cabins were not well laid out. Things were shabby and run down. Basically she would take a lot of work to make pretty and comfortable and obviously was not used for a lot of cruising...more for day sailing I think.
The sun canopy outside was shabby too with small holes here and there. Seriously, this guy is really looking for a sucker if he hopes to get his asking price. She may be seaworthy-ish but for that price on this boat one expects to see something really outstanding. Marla's man, who is my Oracle Of All Things Boaty so now we will call him OOATB, is a sailing enthusiast with LOTS of knowledge being a marine engineer and yacht surveyor. When I described to him the boat then gave him the price he let out a noise of surprise since the asking price, in his knowledgeable opinion, was DOUBLE what it should be for this boat. Besides the shabby factor, this boats design wasn't all that I had hoped. Getting around on deck was very tight, with little walking space on the sides..I am sure there is a technical term for this but I know nothing so i will call it the walky places on the sides.. There was barely space to put your feet!
So, one boat down, a few to go. We will be looking over a few in NS over the long weekend and are really looking forward to it since they are newer boats of better design (in our opinion).
The guys had neighbor boy overnight last night and it went surprisingly well. We really gotta let them have more sleep overs. My issue is that I can't communicate with the visitor very well so it raises my stress level. Last night was an unplanned spontaneous sleep over. Remember those? When ya beg your mom to let your bestest friend to sleepover pleeeeeeeeaaaase? I remember those. Man, I was always either at my friend's place or she was at mine. Good times. When I was really young is was my friend Sonya. Then in grade six it was Lisa. Later it was Lisa or Carrie Anne.
I wonder how they all are doing.
Sweater moves slowly since I have to purl each second row and I am an ambivalent purler. Had dreams about having my needles break and needing to return them because they were flawed or something. What I really need is more hands and a housekeeper because I cannot knit fast enough to satisfy my own need for getting it done and starting a new project. I refuse to fall into the trap that I usually set for myself..the one where I don't finsih things because a new idea steals my attention. The sock in my purse is for knitting while HM drives us somewhere and the sweater is for knitting on at home. But I want to knit other things too like a sweater for Cammie, for me, more socks, mittens, more sweaters, hats....
Know what it is? Its the yarn. Its so tempting and inspiring that it make syou itch to get something else on the needles. I refuse. I am being STRONG dammit.
But oh geez that new Colinette sock yarn at Ginette's is driving me crazy with its siren's song............

My Friday night

As I have mentioned before, I love going to Effiloche for their Friday night stitching gatherings. I only go every two weeks because thats when Andre Anne can go (we met there and have lots in common). Also, Danna comes when she can and she's a sweathgeart. They tell me they are reading this so please note the NICE THINGS I AM SAYING about them. And Ginette and Celine at Effiloche, my favourite Montreal yarn shop in the St Hubert Promenade (Shop Big!! Shop Often!!) always make me feel so welcomed. Its wonderful.
The very first night I went I won yarn. About a month ago I won another ball of yarn. Last night..I won a book. heeheee Friday Night Knitting Club is a novel making the knitterly circuits and is in great demand.
Since someone said something that triggered my "trivia" center thus making the answer of Musk Ox EXPLODE from me at great volume, I was the winner of the question round. Its a very embarrassing affliction I have that when the light goes on its accompanied by my loud voice. I startle people a lot. I don't mean to do it. I try not to. Its an involuntary reaction like, say, blinking..only louder and dangerous to those around me with bad hearts.
Anyhoo, so gal-I-don't-know said ox which made the answer musk ox blurt from me making me the official winner. I chose to make the woman the recipient though because I have won twice before and I don't want it to look like the contests are fixed or rigged or whatever. Plus she said "ox" which was part of the answer. Maybe they should start having the trivia contests when I'm not there.
I made a yummy hummus style bean dip/spread. You know me, I don't measure when concocting so do the best ya can if you try it. Recipe follows:
Mixed Bean Dip/Spread
can (s) of 6 beans mixed (or any number..this is what I used) :2
FRESH mint leaves :entire bunch
garlic: about 2 1/2 tablespoons
cumin: about 2 teaspoons or so
olive oil: about 1/4 cup or less
salt and pepper: 1/2 teasoon salt each
lime juice: 1/4 cup
peanut butter OR tahini: 2 teaspoons or so
Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Refrigerate and allow flavours to develope.
Remember that I didn't measure so these are estimated amounts..I may have used more so concoct to taste. Also, this made a biggish batch so feel free to half it. Its awesome on pita bread, with crackers or vegetables or any way you enjoy hummus.

I tried Ben's sweater on him for size now that the back is cast off and the back neck stitches on a yarn for holding. Its big..and long..But not ridiculously so. It will fit him for a couple years or so before becoming too small for him to wear. He is loving it. "Look at my sweater!' he cried out to his brother and dad. sigh...I wish they stayed that happy with Mommy made things. He encouraged me to finish it today to which I hooted with laughter.
Today was the test at Karate class for the menfolk. H-M is now a yellow belt!!! The boys are half yellow half white belts now. I am way proud. This class took so long that we are not skiing today and since they passed the class H-M promised a trip to the Movies today. TMNT here we come. I had discussed the possibility of catching this flick with AA and her kids next week but HM didn't know that and the promise was made. Sorry Andre Anne!!!
Tomorrow I must miss the Montreal Knits gandg at Cafe Castel because we are going to look at our first boat prospect. Its a Grampian 34 ketch. We will look at more boats in NS Easter weekend before any decisions or offers are made. There is something about this boat that appeals to me more so than the others but I am not the Captain, only the very inexperienced crew. Captain is experienced but rusty after so many years of not sailoring and since his stint at the maritime school in Rimouski. This makes going out on the ocean a very "eeek"-y prospect for me but adventure calls stronger than fear. On a boat I am like a dog hanging its head out a car window. I love it scariness and all. Except if seasickness strikes...thats not pretty. Always remember ..on a boat, throw up and pee facing DOWN wind. This is about all I know.

Pictures

Work continues on the sweater. I was all happy with it until I reread the patter and discovered neck shaping instructions..oops. Now the Front is the Back since they are the same until the neck and I went too far for the front neck shaping. Barb has been some help but the advice like " You know..most intructions advise you to READ the pattern before you start blah blah blah blah" has not been AT ALL helpful thanks very much! So here are pictures of the progress on the sweater AND a lovely Spring card I recieved in the mail from above mentioned unhelpful advice giover. Its sooo purty.

The Reveal........

Ok...the books aren't in the bookcase yet and there is still some tidying to do (moving a piece of furniture out and putting the ladder away) but this is the room after the painting and reaarangement..Taaah Daaaaaaaaah.