I leave for Banff soon. Yippee!
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Tuesday
Tuesday
So I'm taking an online class through the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver. It's a nifty arts and media school, and I thought a creative writing class would be fun. I got an email today from the instructor with information about the syllabus and accessing the course website, and a reminder that the first two classes are in person and that readings will be distributed, and a project started.
Uh-oh.
So the email has gone back, asking how I should go about collecting the information and getting the project details from Calgary. Shouldn't be a problem, though, because the instructor gives information on how to contact her if we can't make the in person class.
I'm still watching the coverage of the hurricane, and it's really quite astounding. CNN is showing live footage of people being airlifted off the roof of their home. Wow.
Uh-oh.
So the email has gone back, asking how I should go about collecting the information and getting the project details from Calgary. Shouldn't be a problem, though, because the instructor gives information on how to contact her if we can't make the in person class.
I'm still watching the coverage of the hurricane, and it's really quite astounding. CNN is showing live footage of people being airlifted off the roof of their home. Wow.
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Hurricane watch
Hurricane watch
You know it's going to be bad when Aaron Brown is on CNN to talk about the hurricane.
What really astonishes me is the 100,000 people left in the city...because they didn't have transportation out: people who didn't have cars, and nobody to drive them. Why on earth aren't city buses moving them out? Why haven't evacuees volunteered to take somebody with them and drop them at a shelter further out?
Instead, they're spending the night in a stadium, where they're told that the floor will most certainly flood, and that they won't be evacuated out until Tuesday. I can't imagine what their night will be like.
Pray for the people who are left, and the essential workers that have to stay behind. I will be.
I'm starting mom's cocoon shawl from Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls by Martha Waterman. I'll take it with me to Banff, which pleased mom - she likes to think of part of it being made in the mountains. I leave pretty soon...can't wait!
What really astonishes me is the 100,000 people left in the city...because they didn't have transportation out: people who didn't have cars, and nobody to drive them. Why on earth aren't city buses moving them out? Why haven't evacuees volunteered to take somebody with them and drop them at a shelter further out?
Instead, they're spending the night in a stadium, where they're told that the floor will most certainly flood, and that they won't be evacuated out until Tuesday. I can't imagine what their night will be like.
Pray for the people who are left, and the essential workers that have to stay behind. I will be.
I'm starting mom's cocoon shawl from Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls by Martha Waterman. I'll take it with me to Banff, which pleased mom - she likes to think of part of it being made in the mountains. I leave pretty soon...can't wait!
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Link to buttons - on sidebar!
Link to buttons - on sidebar!
I've posted a link to the CBC protest buttons in my sidebar - please keep posting them! Geoffrey of Aurora, ON, says that I'm as 'fricken' pathetic as the state run broadcaster' (betcha didn't know I could track your IP address, Geoffrey!), but I rather think it's cowardly to post nasty remarks on people's blogs and not leave an email address. Guess it's easier that way, huh? Good on ya, Geoffrey.
By and large, the feedback has been pretty positive - a lot of people missing their CBC, and a lot of locked out staff who want to go back to work. We all want the lockout to end!
So. Day one of the vacation! I think I'll head out to pick up a crochet hook. I'm taking knitting with me to the Banff Centre, and one of the things I'll be working on is the Soft Cables Möbius pattern. It has a provisional caston, and I don't have the right hook size. It certainly looks like a scarf that would be perfect for an Albertan autumn.
By and large, the feedback has been pretty positive - a lot of people missing their CBC, and a lot of locked out staff who want to go back to work. We all want the lockout to end!
So. Day one of the vacation! I think I'll head out to pick up a crochet hook. I'm taking knitting with me to the Banff Centre, and one of the things I'll be working on is the Soft Cables Möbius pattern. It has a provisional caston, and I don't have the right hook size. It certainly looks like a scarf that would be perfect for an Albertan autumn.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Vacation!
Vacation!
A non CBC related post (although, really - give us back our CBC! I want Peter Mansbridge back!) today.
I'm officially on vacation for the next three weeks. I managed to stick it out through the summer, with minimal time off - two days (and one day where I left an hour and a half early) off since December. I cannot believe I made it with my sanity intact. Err. Mostly intact. There were many workplace discussions on the subjects of zombies, office monkeys (we think a macaque would work best, since they have little fingers), zombie ninjas...I think banking up the time was as hard on my podmates as it was on me.
But...here I am. Three weeks off. Leaving for a writing residency in less than a week, and plenty of knitting to do and reading to catch up on.
I'm officially on vacation for the next three weeks. I managed to stick it out through the summer, with minimal time off - two days (and one day where I left an hour and a half early) off since December. I cannot believe I made it with my sanity intact. Err. Mostly intact. There were many workplace discussions on the subjects of zombies, office monkeys (we think a macaque would work best, since they have little fingers), zombie ninjas...I think banking up the time was as hard on my podmates as it was on me.
But...here I am. Three weeks off. Leaving for a writing residency in less than a week, and plenty of knitting to do and reading to catch up on.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
By request...
By request...
Some more buttons by request. These little suckers are really getting around. Keep it up, everybody! Let the world know that we miss our CBC!
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
More!
More!
More buttons. The first is courtesy of Pary Bell:
And these are by request:
I'm moving the buttons to flickr.com for space.
All we want is our CBC back. Please...give us back our CBC!
And these are by request:
I'm moving the buttons to flickr.com for space.
All we want is our CBC back. Please...give us back our CBC!
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
And the traffic continues (and ps: Jurgen, I'm sorry!)
And the traffic continues (and ps: Jurgen, I'm sorry!)
Holy moly - there's some serious traffic coming through here, and I'm mightily impressed.
Jurgen. I'm so sorry I spelled your name wrong on a button. Can you ever forgive me? I've replaced it with the correct version.
Spread the word, everybody! Let's keep the blog support going. End the lockout! Give us back our CBC!
A few more buttons - Matt Watts was good enough to make me a transparent copy and email it out (thanks a million, Matt!). By request, there is a new 'I miss Tom Allen' for Jeannie, who's missing her regular CBC Radio 2 broadcast. Caroyln writes in that she is missing her CBC, and doesn't like waking up to grating so-called music. Boy, I hear you. And for Mark over at electricsky.net, there's a new 'I miss the CBC' button...just for you, Mark, it's solid and transparent. A girl without her CBC is a girl who...well, who makes blog buttons. Clearly, I need Peter Mansbridge back in my life.
Am I missing your favourite CBC personality? Email me and I'll make you a button.
Love,
A girl who really, really, really misses her evening Newsworld.
PS: end the lockout!
PPS: If you can, please put the button on your own web space so the bandwidth doesn't get scarce around here. Email me if you need help...I'm happy to oblige.
Jurgen. I'm so sorry I spelled your name wrong on a button. Can you ever forgive me? I've replaced it with the correct version.
Spread the word, everybody! Let's keep the blog support going. End the lockout! Give us back our CBC!
A few more buttons - Matt Watts was good enough to make me a transparent copy and email it out (thanks a million, Matt!). By request, there is a new 'I miss Tom Allen' for Jeannie, who's missing her regular CBC Radio 2 broadcast. Caroyln writes in that she is missing her CBC, and doesn't like waking up to grating so-called music. Boy, I hear you. And for Mark over at electricsky.net, there's a new 'I miss the CBC' button...just for you, Mark, it's solid and transparent. A girl without her CBC is a girl who...well, who makes blog buttons. Clearly, I need Peter Mansbridge back in my life.
Am I missing your favourite CBC personality? Email me and I'll make you a button.
Love,
A girl who really, really, really misses her evening Newsworld.
PS: end the lockout!
PPS: If you can, please put the button on your own web space so the bandwidth doesn't get scarce around here. Email me if you need help...I'm happy to oblige.
Monday, August 22, 2005
The PM is reading!
The PM is reading!
I received a reply back from the Prime Minister's Office (the first reply, in fact, to all the various emails I've sent out about the lockout):
Dear Ms. C:
On behalf of the Prime Minister, I would like to acknowledge receipt of
your recent e-mail correspondence regarding the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC).
You may be assured that your thoughts on the CBC's contribution to
Canadian culture have been carefully reviewed. As the issue you have
raised falls within the portfolio of the Honourable Liza Frulla,
Minister of Canadian Heritage, I have taken the liberty of forwarding
your e-mail to the Minister so that she may be made aware of your views.
Thank you for writing to the Prime Minister.
Everybody write in! Somebody at the PM's office is reading!
Don't forget to grab a button for your blog!
If you want your button to point back to the CMG or the CBC site instead of cbcunplugged.com, go right ahead. The goal is to end the lockout with public pressure.
I'll be making another one tonight that says 'I want my CBC!' Still trying to figure out how to make them transparent. Once I do, I'll post a new subset.
Dear Ms. C:
On behalf of the Prime Minister, I would like to acknowledge receipt of
your recent e-mail correspondence regarding the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC).
You may be assured that your thoughts on the CBC's contribution to
Canadian culture have been carefully reviewed. As the issue you have
raised falls within the portfolio of the Honourable Liza Frulla,
Minister of Canadian Heritage, I have taken the liberty of forwarding
your e-mail to the Minister so that she may be made aware of your views.
Thank you for writing to the Prime Minister.
Everybody write in! Somebody at the PM's office is reading!
Don't forget to grab a button for your blog!
If you want your button to point back to the CMG or the CBC site instead of cbcunplugged.com, go right ahead. The goal is to end the lockout with public pressure.
I'll be making another one tonight that says 'I want my CBC!' Still trying to figure out how to make them transparent. Once I do, I'll post a new subset.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Step 2: make some blog buttons
Step 2: make some blog buttons
Okay. So I'm getting more and more upset about the CBC lockout. I've been emailing them, I emailed my MP, I tried phoning the switchboard at the CBC (closed on weekends).
So now I'm moving on to stage two.
Blog buttons.
The image comes from a picture at Yvan Eht Nioj's blog, but I don't know who actually made the banner. Sorry about that - props to whoever thought that up.
Just right click, select 'save as' and upload it to your blog. You can also set it to link back to cbcunplugged.com. Show your support - and let the CBC know that we want the lockout to end!
(and yes...I'm a fan of Peter Mansbridge. If you have a favourite CBC personality, email me and I'll make you a button).
So now I'm moving on to stage two.
Blog buttons.
The image comes from a picture at Yvan Eht Nioj's blog, but I don't know who actually made the banner. Sorry about that - props to whoever thought that up.
Just right click, select 'save as' and upload it to your blog. You can also set it to link back to cbcunplugged.com. Show your support - and let the CBC know that we want the lockout to end!
(and yes...I'm a fan of Peter Mansbridge. If you have a favourite CBC personality, email me and I'll make you a button).
Saturday, August 20, 2005
End the lockout!
End the lockout!
To my horror, I watched a CFL football game with no announcers. Just the shrill sounds of the fans and the occasional thump as something was banged on a wall (it wasn't my head...at least, not yet).
It sounds like nothing is happening with the CBC lockout...management is sitting around, the staff are locked out, and us poor slobs are left watching reruns of the Antiques Roadshow and trying to figure out if the chick reading the BBC world report is a robot or not.
I just don't know what to do. So I thought I'd start by emailing CBC every day to ask them to end the lockout. Then I thought about emailing the union, to tell them that I hoped they went back to work soon. Now I'm emailing my Member of Parliament (the union has a handy form letter, but I wrote my own). Tomorrow, it'll be the Prime Minister (why the heck not?).
cbcnegotiations.ca - management website. Includes updates on negotiations (or lack thereof) and information on alternate programming.
cmg.ca/ -Candian Media Guild site. Includes updates from the union, analysis, and pictures. Also has that handy template letter for your MP.
cbcunplugged.com - for those of us who are seriously jonesing for a little bit of what's right with the world. Locked out staffers and producers provide podcast news.
Your Member of Parliament. Get their email address. Consider sending the following, or some such thing:
Dear Honourable So and So:
I am writing this letter in support of the front line workers at the CBC who are out on strike. I support their position - all Canadians deserve the opportunity to have permanent, full-time work, and to have a public institution like the CBC try to do otherwise is shameful.
I am deeply concerned that the future of the CBC is being put at risk by the lockout. I miss the regular programming. I miss not having an objective view of what's going on in Canada. More than anything else, it feels like we are being cut-off from the rest of the country by a lack of information and news.
I urge you and the Canadian government to intervene and help the employees of the CBC get a fair contract, and to bring a speedy end to the lockout. Please help!
Signed,
Your Name
Your Address
You might even want to add the following:
For the love of all that's holy, bring back Peter Mansbridge! Give us back Evan Solomon and Carol MacNeil! And Anna Maria Tremonti. Wendy Mesley. Ian Hanomansing. And Adrienne Arsenault. And of course, Jurgen Gothe. And all the dedicated staff who are just trying to earn a living and give us great media.
It sounds like nothing is happening with the CBC lockout...management is sitting around, the staff are locked out, and us poor slobs are left watching reruns of the Antiques Roadshow and trying to figure out if the chick reading the BBC world report is a robot or not.
I just don't know what to do. So I thought I'd start by emailing CBC every day to ask them to end the lockout. Then I thought about emailing the union, to tell them that I hoped they went back to work soon. Now I'm emailing my Member of Parliament (the union has a handy form letter, but I wrote my own). Tomorrow, it'll be the Prime Minister (why the heck not?).
cbcnegotiations.ca - management website. Includes updates on negotiations (or lack thereof) and information on alternate programming.
cmg.ca/ -Candian Media Guild site. Includes updates from the union, analysis, and pictures. Also has that handy template letter for your MP.
cbcunplugged.com - for those of us who are seriously jonesing for a little bit of what's right with the world. Locked out staffers and producers provide podcast news.
Your Member of Parliament. Get their email address. Consider sending the following, or some such thing:
Dear Honourable So and So:
I am writing this letter in support of the front line workers at the CBC who are out on strike. I support their position - all Canadians deserve the opportunity to have permanent, full-time work, and to have a public institution like the CBC try to do otherwise is shameful.
I am deeply concerned that the future of the CBC is being put at risk by the lockout. I miss the regular programming. I miss not having an objective view of what's going on in Canada. More than anything else, it feels like we are being cut-off from the rest of the country by a lack of information and news.
I urge you and the Canadian government to intervene and help the employees of the CBC get a fair contract, and to bring a speedy end to the lockout. Please help!
Signed,
Your Name
Your Address
You might even want to add the following:
For the love of all that's holy, bring back Peter Mansbridge! Give us back Evan Solomon and Carol MacNeil! And Anna Maria Tremonti. Wendy Mesley. Ian Hanomansing. And Adrienne Arsenault. And of course, Jurgen Gothe. And all the dedicated staff who are just trying to earn a living and give us great media.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Skanky coffee pot
Skanky coffee pot
Ever closer to the vacation. The vacation which has eluded me all summer, dangling the promise of itself in front of my weary eyes. I sooooo want to be on vacation. Everybody else has gone and come back. There's only me. With my 'I'll wait 'til the end of the summer' plan.
Stinking plan.
We spent the day in customer service training. At the end of the day, there was an announcement that we won't have to pay for water cooler water, and we may - be still my heart - get a coffee machine. That services good coffee. For the breakroom!
Goodbye skanky coffee pot*! Hello free water and good coffee!
Um...so it was a long day. It's been a long summer. I'll have my vacation soon. I promise.
* how many Google hits will I get for skanky coffee pot? Lessee..
Stinking plan.
We spent the day in customer service training. At the end of the day, there was an announcement that we won't have to pay for water cooler water, and we may - be still my heart - get a coffee machine. That services good coffee. For the breakroom!
Goodbye skanky coffee pot*! Hello free water and good coffee!
Um...so it was a long day. It's been a long summer. I'll have my vacation soon. I promise.
* how many Google hits will I get for skanky coffee pot? Lessee..
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Getting there...
Getting there...
I'm getting ever closer to my residency at the Banff Centre. The account statement arrived today, proving that I am, indeed, all paid up. Pre-arrival information appeared in my inbox.
I know that I'm definitely looking forward to going. But I regret not having more time off this summer - I had to save it all up to be able to leave work for nearly three weeks. I will be nineteen days away from the office (including weekends). I keep saying it...I haven't had this much time off work since high school.
I know that I'm definitely looking forward to going. But I regret not having more time off this summer - I had to save it all up to be able to leave work for nearly three weeks. I will be nineteen days away from the office (including weekends). I keep saying it...I haven't had this much time off work since high school.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Tweedy vest finished!
Tweedy vest finished!
Here it is: another 'it's going to be cold this winter, so I'd better get knitting' project. I finished the tweedy vest that's been back and forth to the movies with me.
The pattern is from Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, and the yarn is Garnstudio's Angora-Tweed (colour 04). It's a blend of 30% angora and 70% merino wool, and I really enjoyed working with it. No splits, no knots, and the shedding wasn't a problem.
The pattern is from Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, and the yarn is Garnstudio's Angora-Tweed (colour 04). It's a blend of 30% angora and 70% merino wool, and I really enjoyed working with it. No splits, no knots, and the shedding wasn't a problem.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
the hat
the hat
Now that I have watched it, I must say: Jayne's hat is cool.
I may just have to make one.
I may just have to make one.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Wednesday
Wednesday
Well, I'm starting to feel better today - still a bit wonky, but I had a good sleep and actually made it to the bus stop on time. That is always a good way to start the day. It's raining - quite a bit, actually - and I'm starting to get the feeling that summer is just about over. There might be a bit more hot weather, but there's a different smell to the air in the morning, and it's getting very cool at night. As my pod neighbour remarked, 'the weather has turned.'
Sadly, I wasn't able to make it to the Yarn Harlot's appearance in Calgary last night. I just didn't have the get up and go to do it. But I do hope that she enjoyed herself, even though the skies opened up and started to pour right around the time she would have been finished with her talk.
I've been working on the tweedy vest this week. A few more inches of arm and I'll be ready to start dividing for the neck. I'd like to finish the vest up so that I can move on to the holiday knitting (or at least start looking at it). A bunch of yarn from Ram Wools arrived last night. They're a good store to deal with, and I love that they send yarn in zippered plastic bags for shipping. It arrives in good condition, and those zippered bags are really useful (I send my Secret Pal stuff off in them, and I bag up yarn and the such at home with them). Besides that, there are good deals to be had - a lot of the yarn is available with a 10% discount if you buy a bag instead of individual skeins.
Sadly, I wasn't able to make it to the Yarn Harlot's appearance in Calgary last night. I just didn't have the get up and go to do it. But I do hope that she enjoyed herself, even though the skies opened up and started to pour right around the time she would have been finished with her talk.
I've been working on the tweedy vest this week. A few more inches of arm and I'll be ready to start dividing for the neck. I'd like to finish the vest up so that I can move on to the holiday knitting (or at least start looking at it). A bunch of yarn from Ram Wools arrived last night. They're a good store to deal with, and I love that they send yarn in zippered plastic bags for shipping. It arrives in good condition, and those zippered bags are really useful (I send my Secret Pal stuff off in them, and I bag up yarn and the such at home with them). Besides that, there are good deals to be had - a lot of the yarn is available with a 10% discount if you buy a bag instead of individual skeins.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Tiiired
Tiiired
Tiiiired. That's my word for today. Not the short, well known version. This is the lesser known cousin that describes a feeling of lassitude that has you rolling out of bed fifteen minutes before you should be leaving to catch the morning bus, and leaves you shuffling around the office all day trying to make it to the 3:20 pm coffee from the machine down in the lobby.
Oh, me.
I am tiiiired.
PS: SP6 is starting up. I'll be a volunteer host this year, along with some other great people. The signup info is at secretpalsix.blogspot.com. It's gonna be fun!
Oh, me.
I am tiiiired.
PS: SP6 is starting up. I'll be a volunteer host this year, along with some other great people. The signup info is at secretpalsix.blogspot.com. It's gonna be fun!
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Sunday
Sunday
The folks are enjoying Firefly as much as I am. We've decided that Jane is our favourite character. I liked his 'ten percent of nothing' bit in the first episode.
For some reason, I slept in until eleven this morning (!!). I was pretty tired yesterday, so I guess I needed it. It's made for a slow start to the day, though.
I finished a pair of socks last night, and washed them this morning - all went well. Here they are, enjoying the view from the balcony:
Very comfy.
I also took some better pictures of the Trellis sweater for G's baby. Here's a closeup of the buttons we chose:
and the hat I made to go with:
and the completed ensemble:
That's not a mistake in the right cable - it's me, needing to learn to stage my pictures better. Oops!
For some reason, I slept in until eleven this morning (!!). I was pretty tired yesterday, so I guess I needed it. It's made for a slow start to the day, though.
I finished a pair of socks last night, and washed them this morning - all went well. Here they are, enjoying the view from the balcony:
Very comfy.
I also took some better pictures of the Trellis sweater for G's baby. Here's a closeup of the buttons we chose:
and the hat I made to go with:
and the completed ensemble:
That's not a mistake in the right cable - it's me, needing to learn to stage my pictures better. Oops!
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Sock Garden review
Sock Garden review
Should be another quiet weekend here. It's supposed to get pretty hot today, but things will cool off tomorrow...that's definitely a relief. I'm not a hot weather girl!
I'm still knitting my sock. I've been using KnitPicks Sock Garden for this pair, and I've been very pleased. Very soft and pliable, and the colours are lovely. It's developing into a self-stripe, but not in the traditional sense....you get these diagonal blocks of colour. I'm especially appreciative of the fact that sock number two is striping the same as sock number one. They're not identical, but very close.
Aside from the iffiness of the exchange rate when ordering with KnitPicks (not their fault), and the lack of package tracking features when it's sent (would be nice but would probably increase shipping costs), I'd say that I approve. It does take a while for the yarn to arrive - but it's awfully nice to have it arrive by Canada Post. No need to worry about customs and GST. It usually takes about two full weeks for a KnitPicks shipment to arrive, but I think it's generally worth the wait.
It's always nice to find a decent quality sock yarn to add to the stash. It'll take two skeins of the Sock Garden to make my pair of socks. After that, I'll move onto the July Sock of the Month club offering from Red Bird Knits. I usually have two or three things on the needles at any given time...I like to be able to put something down when I'm bored with it, and come back when I'm ready.
In other news - quite exciting news! - the Yarn Harlot is coming to Calgary! She'll be at McNally Robinson Books on August 9, at 7pm. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it...busing in and out of downtown after 6pm gets a wee bit, how shall we say, interesting. It's an experience that generally smells of urine, beer, and fast food, and involves at least one person telling me about their plan to dominate the world with bus shelter bench signs (yes, that really happened) or creepy looking people getting a little too close.
Sigh. I can't believe I'm bemoaning the fact that she's reading at an excellent independent bookstore and wishing she was at a big box store in the 'burbs.
I'm still knitting my sock. I've been using KnitPicks Sock Garden for this pair, and I've been very pleased. Very soft and pliable, and the colours are lovely. It's developing into a self-stripe, but not in the traditional sense....you get these diagonal blocks of colour. I'm especially appreciative of the fact that sock number two is striping the same as sock number one. They're not identical, but very close.
Aside from the iffiness of the exchange rate when ordering with KnitPicks (not their fault), and the lack of package tracking features when it's sent (would be nice but would probably increase shipping costs), I'd say that I approve. It does take a while for the yarn to arrive - but it's awfully nice to have it arrive by Canada Post. No need to worry about customs and GST. It usually takes about two full weeks for a KnitPicks shipment to arrive, but I think it's generally worth the wait.
It's always nice to find a decent quality sock yarn to add to the stash. It'll take two skeins of the Sock Garden to make my pair of socks. After that, I'll move onto the July Sock of the Month club offering from Red Bird Knits. I usually have two or three things on the needles at any given time...I like to be able to put something down when I'm bored with it, and come back when I'm ready.
In other news - quite exciting news! - the Yarn Harlot is coming to Calgary! She'll be at McNally Robinson Books on August 9, at 7pm. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it...busing in and out of downtown after 6pm gets a wee bit, how shall we say, interesting. It's an experience that generally smells of urine, beer, and fast food, and involves at least one person telling me about their plan to dominate the world with bus shelter bench signs (yes, that really happened) or creepy looking people getting a little too close.
Sigh. I can't believe I'm bemoaning the fact that she's reading at an excellent independent bookstore and wishing she was at a big box store in the 'burbs.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Friday, friday, friday
Friday, friday, friday
I swear, it's going to take me a couple of days to come off the yarn high from Sharbean's trip to the farm. I'm feverishly working on a sock so that I'll be ready to start on Makenna's sweater. I'm thinking of a swing coat with cables along the edging...?
Thank goodness it's Friday. I think I say that just about every Friday there is, but here you go: hurray! Friday!
Tamara, you'll be happy to know that I'll spend it watching Firefly - the complete series. Zip.ca delivered all four dvds at once...how I love them for that!
Thank goodness it's Friday. I think I say that just about every Friday there is, but here you go: hurray! Friday!
Tamara, you'll be happy to know that I'll spend it watching Firefly - the complete series. Zip.ca delivered all four dvds at once...how I love them for that!
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
If you can't get there yourself, send somebody ahead of you!
If you can't get there yourself, send somebody ahead of you!
Sharbean has been in Nova Scotia, visiting family. You remember them - Makennabean was the recipient of the Padawan Jacket.
Sharbean said to me that she thought there was a place near where she'd be that sold yarn, and did I want her to send any back.
Hmm. Did I...did I...well, let's see...
Why, hmm...Yes, please!
I've been reading the vacation posts with interest, but I kept waiting for the details of the visit to Gaspereau Valley Fibres in Wolfville. And today, oh boy, today...there is a post. I was so excited I had to put away the sock I was knitting lest it sprout unwanted buttonholes.
Cotswold sheep are considered a heritage breed in Canada. The breed is thought to be two thousand years old, and they arrived in Canada in the early eighteen hundreds. There are very few breeding ewes remaining today, but from what I've heard, the yarn is practically mythic in quality and lustre. So the idea of having somebody stop in at a farm that has its own flock of registered Cotswold sheep was pretty incredible. If you can't get there yourself, send somebody ahead of you! Sharbean was armed with instructions on what to look for, and away she went.
So says Sharbean: "I'm not a knitter but I found the shop absolutely divine and I am now crazy for wool. I'm sure for someone who knits the experience would have been purely orgasmic!" (follow the link for her full account)
I am so freaking excited. There are even pictures!
These are courtesy Sharbean:
A wall of what looks to be handspun yarn. Oh, wow...
Not to be outdone by a bathtub of fleece rovings...
Future knitter? I think I would have had the same expression on my face. Holy cow!
And here's what made me squeal with even more delight:
Says Sharbean:
It's almost as good as having gone there myself, but even better to be getting yarn that somebody carefully picked and looked at. And even better...oh, yes, it keeps getting better...Sharbean says that she wants to take up knitting now that she's been there. Hurray!
Um, so, yeah. It's pretty exciting. An incredible haul of yarn, amazing pictures and a story of a visit to a really cool farm, and the prospect of another knitter in the making. Thanks, Sharbean!!
Sharbean said to me that she thought there was a place near where she'd be that sold yarn, and did I want her to send any back.
Hmm. Did I...did I...well, let's see...
Why, hmm...Yes, please!
I've been reading the vacation posts with interest, but I kept waiting for the details of the visit to Gaspereau Valley Fibres in Wolfville. And today, oh boy, today...there is a post. I was so excited I had to put away the sock I was knitting lest it sprout unwanted buttonholes.
Cotswold sheep are considered a heritage breed in Canada. The breed is thought to be two thousand years old, and they arrived in Canada in the early eighteen hundreds. There are very few breeding ewes remaining today, but from what I've heard, the yarn is practically mythic in quality and lustre. So the idea of having somebody stop in at a farm that has its own flock of registered Cotswold sheep was pretty incredible. If you can't get there yourself, send somebody ahead of you! Sharbean was armed with instructions on what to look for, and away she went.
So says Sharbean: "I'm not a knitter but I found the shop absolutely divine and I am now crazy for wool. I'm sure for someone who knits the experience would have been purely orgasmic!" (follow the link for her full account)
I am so freaking excited. There are even pictures!
These are courtesy Sharbean:
A wall of what looks to be handspun yarn. Oh, wow...
Not to be outdone by a bathtub of fleece rovings...
Future knitter? I think I would have had the same expression on my face. Holy cow!
And here's what made me squeal with even more delight:
Says Sharbean:
- Three 100% wool skeins (175m) of hand dyed country wool. This wool is from Nova Scotia. It is bulky weight and perfect for a baby sweater. It is variegated though mostly purple, burgundy and brown.
- One 100% wool skein (900m) of hand dyed lace weight yarn from Blueface Leicester sheep. This is also Nova Scotian.
- The last skein comes from the Gaspereau Cotswold flock. The wool is from the farm and is hand dyed and spun right in the shop. There wasn't a lot of this which kind of surprised me. It must sell quickly.
It's almost as good as having gone there myself, but even better to be getting yarn that somebody carefully picked and looked at. And even better...oh, yes, it keeps getting better...Sharbean says that she wants to take up knitting now that she's been there. Hurray!
Um, so, yeah. It's pretty exciting. An incredible haul of yarn, amazing pictures and a story of a visit to a really cool farm, and the prospect of another knitter in the making. Thanks, Sharbean!!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Only one hundred and forty-four days until Christmas, pretties.
Only one hundred and forty-four days until Christmas, pretties.
A new neighbour is moving in across the hall. He tells us he's going to medical school. All that really matters is that a) he's easy on the eyes and b) he doesn't appear to have five foot television that will make the toilet in the apartment vibrate.
Oh, and c) he's going to medical school. So maybe he can hook us up if we're struck with bird flu or the plague. You never know.
In other news...
The last of the Christmas knitting yarn has been ordered. That's it, family. You're getting knitted goods. Except for the niece, who will get some manner of noisy toy. Or a toy that gets underfoot. Or both.
I wish I could list out the Christmas knitting patterns, but three out of the four intendees occasionally peruse the blog, and it's not much fun if they know in advance. Sizes have been procured. Patterns have been carefully selected and checked. Yarn has been carefully selected for each of you, so I don't want to hear about it being scratchy or too wooly or any such thing (at least not until January. Then it's okay).
I have even gone so far as to obtain the yarn for the office holiday secret/steal it gift exchange (there's a long standing tradition of being able to steal somebody's present for something you see that you already covet). Now all I have to do is start working.
Last year was a bust. I started far too late, and by then, I was mired in the endless stocking that was, unable to see the end of it. But this year...this year, I'm planning ahead. There's gonna be a spreadsheet. Or at the very least, a chart I can put little stickers on (I'm leaning towards the latter of the two).
Only one hundred and forty-four days until Christmas, pretties.
Oh, and c) he's going to medical school. So maybe he can hook us up if we're struck with bird flu or the plague. You never know.
In other news...
The last of the Christmas knitting yarn has been ordered. That's it, family. You're getting knitted goods. Except for the niece, who will get some manner of noisy toy. Or a toy that gets underfoot. Or both.
I wish I could list out the Christmas knitting patterns, but three out of the four intendees occasionally peruse the blog, and it's not much fun if they know in advance. Sizes have been procured. Patterns have been carefully selected and checked. Yarn has been carefully selected for each of you, so I don't want to hear about it being scratchy or too wooly or any such thing (at least not until January. Then it's okay).
I have even gone so far as to obtain the yarn for the office holiday secret/steal it gift exchange (there's a long standing tradition of being able to steal somebody's present for something you see that you already covet). Now all I have to do is start working.
Last year was a bust. I started far too late, and by then, I was mired in the endless stocking that was, unable to see the end of it. But this year...this year, I'm planning ahead. There's gonna be a spreadsheet. Or at the very least, a chart I can put little stickers on (I'm leaning towards the latter of the two).
Only one hundred and forty-four days until Christmas, pretties.
Monday, August 01, 2005
Holiday Monday
Holiday Monday
I'm onto my second John Glick afghan square. I bailed on my fancy design. It's too hot to figure out the details, and when I realized I was casting on for the fourth time it was time to give up. So...plain garter stitch instead, but it's a nice colour. Hopefully, Annie will be able to find a place for them.
I think three day weekends should be mandatory for the summer months. It's just so nice.
I think three day weekends should be mandatory for the summer months. It's just so nice.