Clearing Away Cobwebs


And wasn't that a hellova storm last nite??? I got out of bed around 3AM & moved a couple of my outside plants that were sitting on bricks about a foot in the air so they wouldn't get blasted across the drive!! I even closed the window - which is amazing since it's open all year round - but the constant smacking of the aluminum blinds drove me crazy!!! Too bad the wind didn't blow all those rain clouds away with it - some sun would be nice out there!! I want to get my fingers in the dirt, put up some more lattice, fill some of my hanging baskets & sit & spin outside on the patio!!!

I know it's tax season - you should see my desk!!! But, it must be spring - I also want to clear the unloved furniture out of my living room & get my stash organized. I need to know what I have in all those bags, boxes, bins & baskets.
I intend to fill the corner where the couch is now with a stack of giant bins. I got a good deal on the really BIG ones. Since I tend to be a Visual person - which is short for 'if I can't SEE it, I don't know I have it', I buy stuff, throw it in the bin, forget I have it & buy another . . . People think I work in chaos - I have my stuff OUT where I can SEE it.

I should have transparent bins but I they're too expensive so I got the BIG green ones for the bulk stuff & bought small see-thru ones for the stuff I need every day, sock yarns or Current Projects. I just want to de-clutter my life somewhat.

The truth is, I want His crappy old couch, that I never wanted in the first place, to go away. I found a home for the microwave cabinet that HE was supposed to take years ago & the rocking chair I bought on a whim, that doesn't even have enough room to rock in my place. Once all this is OUT, I'll fill the bins, stack them in the couch corner - and make room for a nice lounger or recliner in which I can sit or nap or knit. Sounds like a Plan, eh???
I won't even tell you about the 'Walk Off The Pounds' CDs which I can't use because I have no room to move side to side never mind back & forth . . . .

Waaaaaaaaaaa . . . .

As some of you know, I'm a bookkeeper with a home office. I often commute from the bedroom to the office via the kitchen for a cuppa. I have 5 printers in my office - FIVE!!

Yesterday, I had none that would print a two page report! Not one measly printer to print anything. I only own TWO laser printers, TWO 24 pin Ravens - they use fan-fold paper & ribbons AND ONE Cannon Bubble Jet! My new color laser ran out of ink mid document! The 24 pin Raven - the noisy bugger - seized mid document & the Bubble Jet wouldn't stop spewing sheets of paper, then made a terrible noise & died when I hit a couple of buttons after I plugged it in. The old black laser will run but won't print . . . . and I just know I have to crawl under the desk to find the correct cord to unplug one of the dead machines to be able to plug in another machine which will probably end up seized or dead since it's been in the closet for 10 years . . . .

My Techie friends cheered when I told them about the 24 pin printer! They've had a running bet going & apparently it outlived even their wildest guesses - I suppose, after 11 years of printing tax returns & financial statements, it deserves a decent burial. They hooted to find I actually HAD a Bubble Jet & told me I had to do some tinkering in the computer BIOS(mysterious master set up where you tell the computer what to do) to make the old laser printer work. I wrote down the directions but can't find the screen that tells the dumb printer how to print since apparently it didn't come with memory back in 1991 when it was manufactured . . . . All I want is one printer to print 4 whole pages of a report. Is that too much to ask???

I'm sitting here on Monday morning sending out faxed estimates & peering bleerily out the window - I'm bleery because this is MY Saturday. But I still have to work - it's TAX SEASON - usually a time of celebration for such as I. The deep Mysteries of Taxation leave most people terrified to their bones. Not me. I look upon it as a challenge. Me against the Taxman. I intend to squeeze every last nickel of refund out of HIM. So there!!!

I gave my Olympic Smoldering Hearts socks away last week. My knitting friend Karen was anoyed with me for doing so. I know I worked hard on them but it isn't like I NEED another pair of socks! I mean, here's a pic of the line of socks on laundry day - & this didn't even empty the sock basket!! These are only the WINTER socks too . . . I need to start knitting something else for a change, I guess. Maybe I should finish a sweater or two for myself instead of constantly knitting a new pair of socks - LOL!!

Speaking of sweaters, I still have one in the car that I'm working on - the purple Marble Top-Down cardigan. Funny how your mind works. I woke up in the middle of the night last night, thinking about that sweater. Don't laugh, but I was wondering if some pears were in the same bag with it. I bought a couple of pears that needed to sit & ripen. I've lost them. I hope they aren't rotting in the bag under the Marble sweater . . . . and I'm almost afraid to look!

So Spring has sprung - my rhubarb is almost big enough to eat!!! The Hostas are not only up but are unfurling leaves! The Clematis is sending up new shoots - I chopped them back to the ground since they'd become so spindly & gave them a shot of fish fertilizer. And my baby Pink Lady apple tree is busting out all over. I want to get dirt, plant seeds, move pots & put up new lattices around my patio. And I really want to drag out the spinning wheel, a big bag of Shetland fleece or Brown Sheep mill ends & spend the day spinning yarn! I want to see Great Big Fluffy Skeins hanging to dry in the breeze . . .

Teeny Tiny

I've been having so much fun knitting infant socks from all the sock left-overs in my THREE big zip locks! I could make infant socks for the next several years from all these! One of the new gals in our little knitting group had a baby girl a couple of weeks ago. It's her first & they expected a boy. Since they have nothing for a girl - can't see WHY infant wear has to be sexist myself - I took to knitting wild little socks as a surprise. Apparently, most of her sleepers are footless - they all had feet in them when I used to buy them . . . . but that's good for me & my crazy little socks!! I've knit several pairs so far & will carry on since the little one needs socks. The BSJ is finished except for buttons - didn't think about them very much but now I have find something to go with the holes in the sweater front!! I have some lovely Ladybug buttons but they're too big & I know I have a stash of infant buttons in all kinds of colors & shapes but gawd knows where they are . . .

I've turned the heels on both pairs of the Ex socks. I have only the toes to finish off in one pair & a half a foot on the other. Since we've had snow showers off & on this week - yeah, the flowering trees are not particularly happy about that - he's been waiting with bated breath to put them on.
And the snow?? Well, I guess we had our spring for the Olympics - I was out several times over the couple of weeks in shorts & a summer tee during the day. It was too cold at night! One day, while knitting at Starbucks after 2 in the afternoon, I got a sunburn!!! But, we're back to fingerless gloves, wool socks & jackets for sure!!! It's a bit warmer today - we got torrential rain instead of snow showers.

Our knitting buddy Gail left for Hawaii with her family yesterday. Her daughter Lisa is marrying Mattie on the beach with Mom & Dad, brother Mike, his spouse, Jane & daughter Freya in attendance. Then they're all working on their tans for a week. Lucky them.

The was this big bag of baby yarn . . .

I needed a break from lace, charts, socks & everything else that took effort & thought. And I noticed I still had this big bag of baby yarn I was given before Christmas. It was part of the yarn collection of an 80 something lady who's been knitting for charity most of her adult life. She decided it was time to clear out the yarn because her hands just hurt too much to knit now. She knew I was knitting hoodies & infant socks for charity so she decided to give it all to me. Bags & bags of it. I think I got 5 or 6 bags that weighed approximately 30 pounds apiece & a couple of smaller bags of baby & novelty yarns!! I kept the big bag of baby yarn for some reason & decided to make something simple & fun. And there's always a baby around who needs bright little goodies!! Right???

I dug through the bag & found mostly yellows, whites & a couple of balls of green. Oh there's a little bit of left over multicolor & a tiny ball of lime but mostly it's yellow & white. But, there isn't two balls of anything that matches & it's all slightly different weights. The only option is the Baby Surprise Jacket! The BSJ is soooo much fun to knit & as you can see from the picture, it's gonna be a wild one!

And while I was at it, I knit another pair of infant socks.

It's All Over

I've finished the damned charted lace socks! I bound off the toes with the three needle bind-off last nite while watching the tube. When I worked on the first sock, I wondered if I'd ever finish it, never mind the second one BUT the second sock was a lot easier than the first. By the second sock, I understood the chart & could see the pattern & find mistakes before they got out of hand. I tried to get a picture of the heart shaped detail in the closeup here - hard to do on your own feet while balancing on a stack of magazines!!! I now understand the value of a life line if you have to rip back several rows. Those YOs do all kinds of strange things when they're free to move. It's hard to 'read' the pattern in the knitted stitches when some of the rows repeat & others do not in each motif when you aren't used to charts or lace knitting. I have knit a lace sock before but it was a small repeating pattern stolen from a sweater. It was a simple K2, YO, K1, YO, K2 that went on & on. Not a chart to follow. I thank my friend Karen for her lovely 'Counting Bracelet' which also helped me keep track of the rows on my chart. Sixteen days for a pair of socks is almost unheard of for me - unless they're BLACK. Have you noticed how black socks take a very long time to knit???

But, as I said, it's all over. Will I knit another charted lace sock?? Probably. But not right now. I need to knit mindless, plain socks for the Ex who's having problems with athlete's foot & nail fungus again. I told him he has to stop wearing boots or shoes ALL THE TIME. I had him wearing sandals when he was in the house so his feet could dry out. And he has to wear wool socks. He wears cotton socks & as we all know, they get wet & stay that way inside boots. Since he won't wear commercial wool socks - they itch!! & won't fit in his shoes anyway - I am knitting several pairs for him. He likes the hand knits - they're thin, they keep his feet warm - he's complaining of cold feet all the time too, and they don't get wet & stay that way.


I just had to cast-on SKEW from Knitty! Have you SEEN that sock?? It's wild and crazy so I just had to try it out. I think I'm more excited by Arcitectural sock design than pattern right now. Of course, I'll have to wait to see how I feel after I've played with SKEW some more.

On with the Games!

I entered TWO categories in the Ravelympics - the WIP Dance - you saw the Big Blue Hug afghan in the previous post & Sock Hockey - I knit a LOT of socks so this one's a no brainer, right???

Nope. I just realized today that I grabbed the wrong yarn. I was going to use the Berroco Sox yarn but ended up grabbing the Regia by mistake but I'm finally into the THIRD repeat of the lace pattern so nothing short of torture is gonna make me rip that thing out again . . . . .



I decided to take on a Challenge. I mean, that's what the Ravelympics are all about, right??? I decided to knit my first charted lace sock - on circs. I normally use 4 bamboo DPs. I've always used 4 DPs. I learned on them & prefer them. I can knit a pair of socks in no time. Not this time.
I cast on during the Opening Ceremonies. Ribbing takes no time & you normally don't have to even watch it much - not this time. The pattern called for a K1P1 with a twisted knit. And then the pattern I chose - Smoldering Hearts - is a charted lace pattern. My first. I decided the pattern was best done on two circs because it's charted in two parts & I didn't want to keep moving stitches around to accommodate the pattern. So far, so good but it's slow.

I ended up tinking about 8 rows because I put a YO in the wrong place twice in the pattern but didn't notice until I was several rows past . . . sob. I did use my Counting Bracelet - made by my pal Karen - but got my rows mixed up anyway . . . so I tinked it back to a recognizable point & started again. You can just see the heart shaping in the pattern in the picture. I'm TWO HEARTS into the pattern & just getting ready to do the third repeat. I'm not sure if I'll even knit the second sock at this rate but, who knows . . .

Oh What Have I Done??

I've signed on for the Knitting Olympics on Ravelry. I am finishing a WIP begun as a house-warming gift for "he who won't be named" in 2005. It's a giant granny square afghan in blues & greys. Half finished & stuck in a bag. HE wanted a plain blue one but I wouldn't make one because plain blue is so boring . . . so it became blues & greys. I hate sewing things together so it became one giant granny - it got so big that I couldn't tote it around with me as 'car crochet' anymore. So it got stuffed in a bag & neglected. And then HE got the boot. So it sat in the bag - unwanted. I even thought about taking it apart but didn't. So, I entered it into the WIP catagory in the Olympics. I will finish it before the Olympic flame is extinguished or else. It will then go to a new home where it will be loved & appreciated.

And as if I don't have enough to do, I've entered into the Sock catagory too. I am making "Smoldering Hearts". It's a charted lace patterned sock - I don't have the luscious red yarn of the original but do have some yummy purple & pink Berroco Sox that should do the trick very nicely. And I've entered the very same sock into the Harlot's Knitting Olympics too. This is my very first charted lace & a rare patterned sock. I usually make plain vanilla socks in wild yarns. I'm thinking the sock may take longer than the granny square . . . .

The moving needle knits


I've been in a flurry of sock knitting again. It takes the pain away from unfolding little squares of paper in boxes . . . but the Ex wants some socks. His heart medication has slowed his metabolism down so much that he's cold all the time. He used to work outside in a tee shirt & still be warm to the touch! Now he's wearing a down vest even in the summer. Since he loans me money whenever I need it, I'll knit as many socks as he wants!! And, thanks to Gladys, who shops daily at the Dressew yarn sale, I have sock yarn up the wazooo at $2 a ball!

I got some nice greys & blues for the Ex. Now, he'll wear just about anything if his feet are warm but I got nice yarn which will go with anything so he can brag to his buddies as well. Since I was too lazy to divide the big ball of Regia into two balls before I started to knit, I started two different pairs of socks. One down - in a variegated grey and one in progress. I've made the leg a little shorter & used my 2.5mm bamboo skewers to knit them just a little looser so they have lots of stretch when his ankles swell a little. I always leave sock knitting outside in the car to work on when I'm waiting around but bring them in to turn the heels when I'm watching tv while another goes outside as car knitting. So I ended up starting two pairs of socks at the same time. I think I prefer the darker Regia grey yarn. It seems to be thicker somehow with more of a cushiony feel. It might be the dye but I hope it stays that way when it's washed.


I actually got the new spinner out on the weekend & spun yarn. The new machine - a Majacraft Susie Pro - is brand new this year. It's my first new wheel since I bought the Indian Head spinner in the early 70s when I first learned to spin!! I've spun just about everything on the old wheel from silk to camel but really wanted a wheel that would travel a little better. The Suzie folds in half & has a handle to carry it but Rimu wood is heavy!! Gail, Doris, Karen & I all got together at Gail's house to spin away the day on Saturday. It's been too long since we had one of these get togethers!! I didn't get to spin much because somehow I managed to kink my neck & it looks like I may have a pinched nerve. I'm still having some difficulty turning my head to the right, raising my right arm & bending in that direction. But, it was really nice to spend a whole day spinning & yakking it up with the Girls.

I have another Hoodie on the needles even though I'm knitting up two pairs of socks at the same time. I found some pink & pink variegated yarn & decided I just HAD to knit a pink hoodie! I have quite a lot of variegated yarn that doesn't really go with much because of the odd colors. But, in the meantime, I'm working my way through the solids I have & trying to make reasonable combinations. I'm not sure it really matters to the kids in the War Zone, but it matters to me.

As the dust flies . . .

So I spent the last few days preparing for the new tax year. One of the clients dropped off 4 small boxes of paper. What is it about men & paper anyway?? I prefer the guys who save everything as opposed to those who show up with an invoice book & want me to file a tax return! But, why do they take every piece of paper & fold it into a one inch square?? I get boxes of folded, one inch squares to unfold. I think unfolding paper is the worst part of doing a tax return for a small business! So, after two evenings of unfolding in front of the tv - instead of knitting!!!! - I now have ONE box of organized receipts. And 10 bucks, Four Popeye dollars, a SLAB card with several stamps on it, a McGavins card with a full set of stamps & two Canadian Tire dollars . . . I've found uncashed cheques & once, a hundred dollar bill in the boxes of paper! The Canadian tire money is MINE, MINE, MINE but the rest goes back, dammit.

And what, if anything, have I knit?? Nothing. Haven't even finished the socks for the Ex. But I did spend an evening looking through 6 or 7 years of Interweave Knits, Knitters, Cast On & Spin Off. I was looking for a pattern for the next pair of socks. I like my basic formula for socks. I can knit them from memory without any problems but now & then, I like to vary them for fun. I like socks because they're simple, fast, take little yarn, comfortable & fit everyone. But, even with the wild yarns I prefer, it's nice to have a challenge. Yes, I could knit one of Cookie A's patterns but I like the Queen Kahuna heel with no stitches to pick up - I can't SEE in the evening to pick them up!! And until Opticana gets my reading glasses prescription right, I can't read the fine print, neither!! So, I was trolling for something to catch my fancy which I could incorporate into a new pair of socks.

You know how it is, you start looking for one thing & find several others that you want to start, NOW! I love going through piles of craft magazines. But the sheer volume of reading material in magazine collections adds up as quickly as the magazines themselves. I wish there was a simple way to put them all on disc!! But, I digress . . . I found oodles of things I wanted to knit. And crochet. Amazing how your interests & preferences change over time though - I found things I hadn't even noticed before. And I found things I hadn't considered before. I haven't knit any lace patterns since I made my friend Pat a gold lace cardigan in a fine mohair/wool blend about 25 years ago. I planned on making myself one in cherry at the time but never did. I find myself taking a closer look at lace patterns these days.
I've knit several aran sweaters for friends in the past as well. I liked the challenge of the cables & bobbles & collected very complicated patterns at one time. I bought Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown Reinsel because I loved the simple, basic designs but never knit one for myself as I had planned. Did I find a pattern for my next socks? Nope. But I found my next sweater . . .

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!

And the Stash Grows Again


Funny how a couple of bags of discount yarn causes a feeding frenzy at a sock knitter's group! My Wednesday group has been deluged with $2 a ball yarn from the annual sale of a local shop which one of our members visits almost daily these days. This year for some strange reason, the shop has managed to snag some very nice yarns and a lot of sock yarn! We've seen bamboo, silk, alpaca & nice merino yarns in the sale. While I've picked up a few balls, my stash was already full to overflowing! I have no interest in silk, cotton or bamboo sock yarns because they have no "memory" & stretch out of shape. I hate shapeless socks!!

I will admit I just had to have this yarn! I thought the fuzzy bumps in the yarn were a hoot! But it isn't easy to knit. The bumps are a pain - they get knit into the stitches, they get pulled off & they just get in the way. I am sooooo glad I only picked up two balls of it to make one pair of socks. And, of course, the balls are 50 gms - which includes the weight of the bumps! There's only 133 m in a ball instead of the 210 in other balls of Regia. They'll end up as short summer socks, I guess.


I did get some lovely merino/alpaca in Plum & Hot Pink from the sale for another sweater for myself. I thought it might work for a Kimono from the Knitted Kimono book I bought last spring. This blue one with a lace yoke & plain body I thought might work with two colors. I would've made it in one color but I couldn't get enough of it so . . . I'm hoping it may work.

Busy, Busy, Busy


The orange & pink socks are finished! I haven't had them on my feet yet but they're going to be mine! Sometimes you cast-on for socks that you think you like because you liked the ball of yarn. And then, like that, poof - the sock turns out to be something totally unrelated to the ball of yarn. I'm usually sure by the time I hit the heel shaping but sometimes, I have to finish the pair of socks before I know for sure. Sometimes I have to wash them & then feel them to make sure they're really for me. I've had socks that I even wore a time or two that never really were right. Sometimes it's the color but mostly it's the feel of them. I have a pair of lovely pink & green socks that I made for myself years ago that have only been on my feet once. I hate the feel of them. They remind me of Phentex yarn - you remember the stuff?? Tough, never wears out, feels like crunchy plastic?? When our descendants do an archaeological dig on OUR dumpsites 5ooo years in the future, they will find plastic waste, disposable diapers & Phentex! After occupying a place in my sock basket for eons, those socks have been removed to the BUM basket!!

I've been doing a little more knitting on Wallabies for kids in Afghanistan. I have enough navy to knit another wallaby like the one on the left. The body is knit almost to the armholes & will get the same variegated blue yoke & hood. I found about 6 8oz balls of dusty pink which will get variegated pink & green yokes & hoods. The pink & green color is a little strange - actually, ALL the variegated yarns are a little OFF in color - maybe this is why they've wound up in the donation bin!! But, with solid bottoms, the Wallabies don't look too bad & certainly will keep a kid warm! The Wonderful Wallaby by Cottage Creations is really a fun sweater to knit for kids. I think I've knit close to a dozen for the Boomer Project already & have enjoyed knitting them once I learned to put the underarm stitches on STRINGS so I have a little more room to join the arms & body to knit the yoke!!

Got a Steam Tek for Christmas!!! It's sort of like the Swiffer WetJet only it uses steam to clean the floor instead of liquid chemicals. It only uses plain water! I've wanted one for ages but didn't want another gadget that might not work!! One of my friends bought one & didn't really like it while another raves about hers, so I was hesitant. I was never really happy with the WetJet, it leaves my floors sticky & pushes the dirt into the corners!!! And it only uses expensive bottles of cleaners which I don't like . . .

I tried it out on the bathroom floor first because it's where the kitty litter pan sat on the newspaper that stuck to the bathroom floor when I had the last flood . . . . And the thing worked like a hot damn!! That triangle head really gets into corners. And boy, does it steam!! It really blasts that steam out the bottom. It got out the newsprint stains on the old tile. It blasted the mold out of the corner between the toilet & tub where mushrooms grow in summer. And it got the ground in dirt on the tiles in front of the sink . . . It worked so well that I took it out to the kitchen where I dropped a jar of marmalade the other day - there's nothing like dropping a glass jar full of stickiness on a cement floor! Well, after scraping up the worst of it, the Swiffer couldn't handle the sticky spot even after three tries & fresh pads. The Steam Tek not only killed the sticky spot but it got out the ground in dirt in the high traffic areas that normally had to be attacked with sudsy ammonia!! I'll probably still have to take a knife to the corners where the Swiffer pushed the dirt, but I'll be able to loosen it first with the Steam Tek & I'll bet I don't get it in future. I have to admit when I filled the reservoir, I thought it was a shame it was so small . . . . well, I did the bathroom floor, the kitchen floor, part of the hall & still had some water in there to be emptied!! I'm hoping it will really help with my allergies to hair, dander, dust & perfumes.
Apparently I can surface steam my carpets with this thing too. I am not opening the Little Green Machine I bought to do the small stains in my carpet until I've tried out the Steamer. If it works on carpet like it did on the floors, I'll be returning that Little Green Machine!! I guess you can tell, I love my Steam Tek!!!

I took some pictures


I spent the first day of the New Year knitting socks. Not a bad occupation when you really think about it! When you consider the alternative was a corporate tax return, well, the sock was my preferred choice. I got this weird orange/pink yarn, Confetti, I think, sometime in the last year. I'm not even sure when but when the days were really dreary & grey, it kind of called to me. Orange is not my usual color but socks should be wild & fun - especially in the winter!!

I bought this yarn for my mother. I like Invicta. My first two pairs of socks for myself were knit from Invicta about 9 years ago & I've only JUST put a hole in one of them!! Mom isn't as adventurous as I am when it comes to color but will wear socks with a fair amount of it. She's an avid gardener, likes to shop, knits for the greatgrandchildren & was once quite a rockhound. Since my stepfather died last year, I'm hoping she takes up the rockhounding again & gets out with a bunch of new people. So with adventure in mind, I intend to knit this yarn up for her! She mentioned cold feet last time I called . . .


I got a little extra surprise for Christmas for myself. I was slipped a bag in the dark in the parking lot outside the Pool Parlor where my group knits on Wednesday nites & told this was for ME! No drugs folks but I'm assuming this is sock yarn & will proceed accordingly! A lot of pink & orange is entering my life lately - is someone trying to tell me something?????


And here's the Marble sweater so far. It's knit from the top down in comfy garter stitch & I'm at the armhole stage right now. I've put all the body stitches on one cable & both of the sleeves are on their own cables. Surprisingly, I've used almost two balls of Marble to this point I think I bought 10 balls all together so if there's a ball left, I'll add a hood!! The Kyler's Kardigan pattern does have a triangular pocket knit into each of the fronts just below waist level - I haven't decided if I want them or not. While it's nice to have pockets, you just end up stretching the whole front when you use them. Something else to think about when I get there.

I've been hanging out at the same Starbucks location a lot in the last few years so I've gotten to know the people behind the counter somewhat. This year, I found several balls of wild acrylic yarn in my odds & ends basket so I've been knitting fun fur scarves again. I knit them for all of the Girls & have a couple more to go. They sure are fun to make AND wear!! I made them about 5 feet long & 3 inches wide . . . to be worn as a scarf or a fake feather boa!

It's all over


I'm glad it's all over for another year! The craziness gets to me. I had errands to run on New Year's Eve day - payroll books & a box of paper to buy, I realized suddenly that the next biweekly pay period overlaps two years so I must get new books for three companies before payday on Jan 07!! So I had to go into the strip mall where Office Depot is located. Unfortunately, the liquor store relocated into the very same mall, about a 100 feet away from both the entrance, exit & Office Depot! Had no problems getting IN but getting back OUT was an ordeal. I had the same problem on the way home from work on Christmas Eve, I wanted to hit Safeway but the Liquor Store seekers had the entrance blocked for about TWO blocks in all directions!!!

I have TWO Resolutions for the New Year. I Resolve to get that damned leak in the furnace room fixed for good THIS time around - it sprung a leak last nite again . . .
And I Resolve to lose those 30 pounds that I was supposed to lose LAST year with one change - I'm aiming for ONE little pound a week. Just ONE. If I fix the 30 in my mind, it all turns to crap. I found a Walking with Leslie freebie - It's the 5 minute walk - it's designed for a coffee break to get you out of your office chair! It adds 500 steps to a day each time you do it. I've reset my pedometer for 5000 steps in my on-line program instead of the 10,000 it usually comes with. I've found that 10,000 is unreachable & discourages me. Yeah, I'd rather sit & knit or spin but creaking joints & an aching hip are killing me. Back to Curves on Monday. I have to make sure I can still move to TREADLE that spinning wheel!!!

I haven't done much knitting other than my Marble sweater & two pairs of socks over the holidays. My old socks still fit & they still look good but I've been wearing most of them for more than NINE, yeah that's 9 years!!! I'm getting a little tired of the oldies. Why do they last so long?? Well, last time I counted, I had 19 pairs in the basket . . . . so I've tossed some into the BUM bin & will knit the next few pairs for the EX or the BUM BIN instead of me - no, I am NOT giving away sock yarn, I will let it age until I feel like a new pair.
And then there's all those hoodies to knit!
When will I get time to spin??? Dunno - guess I'll have to go to a Retreat! LOL

So, I had sushi for Christmas dinner & Curried chicken Chow Mein for New Year's! And watched the Home & Garden Channel marathons instead of Scrooged, A Christmas Carol, A Wonderful Life & the Grinch this year. And had Feeneys in my tea. There's nothing so fine as a non-traditional Festive time!

Back to Work


No one quite knows what to do with the few days between Christmas & New Years, including me. I sat in my favorite chair most of yesterday watching the Home & Garden Channel marathons & knitting on the Marble sweater. I watched my favorite, Peter Fallico, buy, reno & flip a house! I think my favorite Fallico series is still Home to Go, where he made simple renos & lots of design changes for renters which could go with them when they moved. Some of the best were the apartments with the smallest budgets - the man is a marvel of makeover!! Sarah Richardson is my second favorite. She favors the simple pallet with expensive elegance but I remember when she made her own slip covers & installed her own light fixtures in Room Service. My favortite episode was the one where she took the old leaky shed & turned it into a simple Beach Cottage for kiddie sleepovers . . . that girl's amazing. I enjoyed watching her do her 2008 flip all over again. And ate turkey soup.

Got into the big discussion of Stat Holidays with a friend over a cup of java at 'Bucks yesterday too. He told me all the Government & Bank offices were closed because they got Monday in leiu of the Boxing Day stat which fell on the weekend. I told him Boxing Day is NOT a statutory holiday - unless negotiated for in a contract. There are only 10 stats & Boxing Day is NOT one of them as most people think. I have this arguement every year with somebody on one of the payrolls I do so I've actually bookmarked the Labor Standards page on the subject! And why did this topic come up anyway??? Well, we were trying to figure out if we should put out the garbage Monday nite for pickup on Tuesday morning. I put mine out last nite because the City may be on an extended holiday but I was sure the contractors who pick up the garbage are not! I'm at the beginning of the route these days - by the time you hear them, it's too late - they come barrelling down the alley just after 7AM & don't stop for anything but a can - on the curb, not in arms . . . . And sure enough, just after 7, they roared down the alley . . .

Sushi & Starbucks

I knew both would be open today in Newton. And as a regular customer, it was my Duty to show my support by showing up. Since the house is feeling a little empty - I think I actually miss that damned cat more than I missed the BT - I packed up my knitting, bought some California Rolls & encamped in the comfy corner chair at Starbucks with Sushi & a mug of coffee. As I sat, two little girls ran over & jumped in the other chair. I told them they'd have to share since the one behind the Sushi was MINE. We had a nice visit, talked about clothes, colors & all our favorite things before their mom took them back to Gramma's house for dinner. And then the crowd came in . . . . I tried to get a refill but the line just kept getting longer until one of the Barristas had to turn people away. The store was supposed to close at 4 but had a full house & a line to the door . . .

I'm knitting another version of Kyler's Kardigan - a simple garter stitch, top down cardi - in the purple Marble yarn I bought last year at Knitopia. I was going to knit a Wonderful Wallaby but decided I would prefer the cozyness of garter stitch to the stockinette of the Wallaby. And I like knitting from the top down since I need a bigger front & back with smaller sleeves to fit my Apple shape. I can try it on occasionally to make sure it'll fit this way too!! I find I tend to wear my recycled yarn Kardigan to work constantly & I throw it on to work in my home office in the mornings too - so I thought something machine washable & dryable would be a better option for work. The Marble goes a long way even in garter stitch so it may become my yarn of choice for other simple sweaters that need washing often. Yes, Virginia, there are times that acrylic is the fibre of choice even when you spin your own yarn.

I know it's a blessing not to be tripping over the cat, cleaning up barf or picking up all the half eaten chicken on the kitchen floor, but it doesn't feel natural to go to the bathroom alone anymore. It didn't matter when I headed in that direction, the cat would have to be in front & get there first. Sometimes I'd fool her by going into the Office or the bedroom on the other side but it wasn't often. She liked playing in the dripping water in the tub & bitched at me till I made it drip. She used to use the litter box & then head for the water to play & leave dirty paw prints . . . The tub & toilet are actually CLEAN for the first time in a couple of years! It just ain't natural!!

Its been a rather busy couple of weeks since the last post. And, I just haven't felt like posting for most of it. I know, I know, I get cranky when my favorite posters haven't posted in a while but sometimes, well, you just don't feel like letting anyone know how crappy your life is. My cat had a stroke last week & died. She got a little peculiar when I took a short term job & was away all day for a couple of months & took to peeing in the corner of my office! Then she started throwing up on everything. That behavior stopped & things were almost back to normal when she had the stroke. She died several hours later cuddled up in her favorite blanket.


I finally paid off my new spinning wheel!! It's a Majacraft Suzie Pro. I had great fun trying out two models at Knitopia last week. I've had mine on Lay-away for almost TWO years! I had no money for most of the time & put little dribbles on it as I had them. He, who will not be mentioned, sucked up most of my income until last Christmas when I had my melt down & gave him the boot. I was finally able to pay it off this year when I got some birthday money that didn't have to go to some bill!! Whoooopie!! The top picture is Suzie set up to full height & the second shows Suzie folded for transport. She takes up much less space than my Indian Spinner & comes with a handle!! She should travel well to Spin-Ins & Retreats. My only complaint is the size of the bobbins - my old Indian Spinner has magnificently HUGE bobbins while Suzie needs a half dozen to even approach the capacity of one of the old ones . . .

That being said, Suzie is sleek, shiny & new. With double treadles!! Now I won't get cramps in my right shin when I spin for long hours!! Suzie travels a whole lot better than my Indian & takes up less space in the car. I just have to design a padded bag for her.


I finished the socks for the Hairdresser's Boyfriend. I have the horrible feeling I'm going to be the Official Socknitter for a while . . . . He suffers from cold, swollen feet & managed to snag HER pair of socks which he's worn out in the heels. He says they're the only socks he can wear & have warm feet. I suppose I can swap for perms for a while. Or she can bring me Bailey's when she crosses the Border.

I've also been knitting tuques for some of the Bum Bags. I usually fill the bags with Dollar Store goodies but I have another box of Buffalo wool - I should never open strange boxes - I thought I might as well use it up & knit warm head coverings. Knitting Buffalo wool is really hard on my sore hands but it's such a good way to use it up. It keeps the head warm even when wet & the wind can't blow through it like the finer wools so it's a good choice for people who live outdoors. I can't imagine sleeping outside or in a unheated place in this weather!! Hopefully, these will make life a little warmer for a couple of people.

Oh, I fell into SIN today


Yes, I sinned today. I promised my bent & broken credit card I would use it no more until the balance was severely reduced. Today I wrestled with Temptation & Temptation won. I had the card out to pay for my old Douglas College transcripts - it seems after 15 years of taking part-time courses at the Open University, I'm required to submit a really old transcript so they can check to see if I actually completed the courses they checked 15 years ago when they let me in. They even have the courses on the computer but they aren't "Official" for Graduation. So I had the card out to pay for the Transcript to be sent by "Snail Mail" - they mustn't be touched by human hands between being sealed by one Institution & opened by the next & only a physical copy will do.
And then this email came in from Amazon . . . And I took a look. Danger, Will Robinson, Danger! It was already too late. I got a deal X3. And free shipping, too! And what did I get?? Well, EZ's Knitters Almanac which I've been wanting but it was too expensive when I saw it - do you know that a couple of On-line shops are selling USED copies for up to $86!!! I got it new for under $9. I got Arctic Lace - Knitting Projects & Stories Inspired by Alaska's Native Knitters - I've read about this one but hadn't seen it anywhere local - got it on sale at 40% off!! And I got Jane Slicer-Smith's new book, Swing, Swagger, Drape - Knit the Colors of Australia - I love her designs & wanted to see how she does it.

This is my present to myself this year! When I'm snowed in this time around, I'll be happily reading, listening to the latest audio books & spinning. I almost can't wait!!

Blue Skies over the cold Streets of Vancouver

I love this weather! The sky is blue, there's just enough wind to blow the leaves around & give you hypothermia if you don't watch out. It's good weather to wear your Cowichan sweater or handspun bulky knit with thick socks, mitts & a hat while you race your dog across the park. It makes you appreciate the hot toddy when you come in to a nice warm house!! As a kid I loved to be outside in this weather & still do, if I'm warmly wrapped. And that's the secret. Be warmly wrapped. It's too cold, when the sun goes down, to be out there without wool or good fleece, if you must. Time to donate blankets, good used coats, heavy wool sweaters, mitts, socks & hats to those who have not, folks.

I finished the red & pink socks last evening. And I've cast on for the Hairdresser's boyfriend socks. I found some blues, white & black Confetti yarn in the bottom of the sock yarn pile which should be good enough for him. I am ensuring good perms for the next year by doing this - I really don't give a damn about the boyfriend, who is another aging bum. Amazing how independent women attract the helpless men of this world . . . Maybe independent women need weak men, at least they stay out of the way when we're doing things.

My mother also made some "cold feet" comments the last time I called her so I guess I should get off my butt & knit some more socks for her too. I have one pair in the basket & should get another knit up quickly - maybe Santa will arrive this year for a change!!! hahahaha

Have you ever had an oil sprayer explode??? I got one for myself several years ago because I wanted to just spritz a little oil on things. Fewer calories that way! I bought the most expensive one with the classy brushed aluminum finish that you pump up every time you use it . . . So, I decided to spray just a light bit of oil into my pan to cook some fish. I pumped it up but it only drizzled so I gave it another two pumps & it exploded. Everywhere. I only hope I can get all that oil out of the front of my favorite purple shirt!! And I'm still cleaning up little blobs of oil after a week! The kitchen floor has never been so clean. Thank gawd for Watkins Degreaser.

I've been puttering away on the Wonderful Wallaby in the purple Marble yarn but my fingers have been so sore in all the damp weather, especially since I'm a Thrower - this year's extremely sore fingers appear to be my thumbs & right index finger. Hooray, lets have all the useful fingers messed up at once!!! I have to finish two sweaters for me before the old hands give out!!
I still have my heavy jacket-in-progress in the Anniversary Blue Briggs & Little yarn to finish. It's done to the armholes in the back & the shoulders in the front. If you remember, I knit it in one piece to the armholes & intend on picking up the sleeves from the deep armhole & short rowing the shoulder a la EZ's Tomten while knitting them to the cuff. I'll pay for that operation since the jacket is quite heavy. I had to quit working on it in the early spring when it was so damp because my hands just couldn't handle the weight. Nice project for the cold & dry days we have right now though - the old fingers are not as sore when it's dry!

So, maybe I'll just finish the sock projects & the pooch cowl for Christmas. I'd like to wear the heavy blue sweater but it's something to work on if I get snowed in again - if the Ice & Snow tires I just got installed don't get me out. The Famous Farmer's Almanac is making nasty, cold predictions for us this winter - apparently we're going to be 6 degrees colder than normal this winter & should get another big dump of snow.