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.