January End


I can't believe January 2010 is almost over! Where did the time go?? But, I have to admit I'll be totally thrilled when February 2010 is also over! Why? Well, you have to live in the Lower Mainland, a little closer to the Olympics, to understand completely. I'm afraid I've become a NIMBY(not in my back yard) about the Olympics. I'm thrilled that I live 20 kms from most of the road closures, detours & chaos.

I can't believe how ugly I've heard it is for those who have to travel into the heart of downtown Vancouver or drive a Truck to Whistler these days. One of my clients does small package delivery downtown. He picks up from across the Border before 6AM & then drops off all over downtown every day in a small truck & trailer. Every day another street is closed to him & the traffic is more congested. At some places, he can't even park to deliver his packages even though he's licensed & permitted to do so. He's reporting that he may be picking up cargo across the Border & delivering it after midnight because he won't be allowed into the downtown core during the day in February.
Some of us cannot stop working for even a day, never mind the three weeks the Olympic Committee are suggesting. Most of us cannot telecommute. Some of us DRIVE for a living! And some of us do 'hands on' work that cannot be done any other way. We live in one of the most expensive places in the world - and Yes, we had several years to save & prepare - but few of us expected the terrible market conditions & the scramble for survival in the past couple of years. And market conditions or not, how do you tell most people they have to live without a paycheck for several weeks?? If you want us to stay home or take a break or volunteer to work for the Olympics, why can't you pay us?? The bills don't take time off. I'll be glad when it's over!

Having said all of the above, I hope it's really the Opportunity that everyone is hoping for. It seems a lot of practical things have not been addressed before inviting the World to party at Our Place. How do we get them there?? How do we get around when we get there? Oh yeah, we have SkyTrain but it covers a limited area. And it stops running before the clubs & bars close. And the transit system is only really good in the New Westminster to Vancouver areas. Coquitlam buses mostly run before & after school for kids. What if you're staying in Langley or Abbotsford?? So if you have to drive, where do you park?? And how do we get out of town when we want to leave? Apparently some of the transportation runs one way or only early morning & late evening. If you miss it, can't be there at that time, want to leave early, stay late or even stay over - well, there isn't any other transit, you have to hitch hike . . . Oh well, like I said, I'm glad I live outside the immediate area & don't have to go there any time soon!!!

So, January has flown by & I have little to show for it! I did finish another Hoodie. I do love these navy & variegated blue Hoodies!! The next one is already on the needles. I did start a pink one but the pink yarn had a different feel to it & didn't really work well with the original yarn donated by Knitopia so I raveled it. I cast on a greenish yarn with will work nicely with the pink/green variegated yarn from the same manufacturer. I hope the kids in the Middle East don't have a sex color bias like they do in North America.


I can't report much progress on the spotted yarn socks. The yarn is very hard to work with & I guess I'm just not looking forward to turning the heels. Both socks are knitted to the heel shaping & remain sitting in the work basket by my chair. I sigh whenever I see them. Maybe I'll finish them & maybe I won't!! I did really love that yarn in the ball - good thing they only cost me $2 a ball!


I have progress to report on the Ex socks though. It's really a pain knitting for large feet as some of you well know - whenever I feel frustrated with the Ex's size 13WWWW socks, I think about the poor women who have kids with size 15 feet who've talked about knitting socks on Canspin. I just can't imagine! I could whip off a pair of size 10s for the BT without a second's hesitation, even when he wanted boot length ones but the size 13s really depress me sometimes. Maybe it's the third ball I need to finish them. I suppose I could just invest in some neutral solids to finish off the feet instead but I never seem to have the 'right' solid. But, these ones seem to be moving along quite well considering they're the "car knitting" that stays in the car for those moments when you can work in another row or two!