Traveling Again

Sitting here waiting for B to finish up what he has to finish up before we can leave. Yes, we are off again. This time to see LeAnne in Regina. We thought we would make the drive one more time this year before the snows fall and make the roads impassable. We could fly, I suppose. But there are some in this family that do not like to fly. And it's not me.

We bought Nate and LeAnne a milkshake machine! After hemming and hawing on my part Bruce finally bit the bullet and bought them the machine. I was thinking of maybe a pair of socks for her birthday.

Hmm. Which would you rather have? I guess it depends on whether you're not on a diet or whether you're cold. Could you have both?

Well. B found out I was all ready to go and found some things to keep me busy until he's ready!

Singing on the Beach

Our Siberian Tiger and an Orange Wallaby

He told us he wants to be a Siberian Tiger. We had just watched a YouTube documentary on the Siberian Tiger and he stole this yarn from the basket.  Just add a little orange to that black and white.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcWyyyms07w

Crash!

What do you do when your computer crashes? I guess, if you have unlimited funds, you go out and buy a new one. We don't have unlimited funds. We took our computer to London Drugs last week and had them check it out to determine whether it was worth fixing. We were told that it could be adjusted a little and maybe last a month or six months. At first, we didn't want to hassle with a computer that might or might not work in six months. This was important because this is not a fun computer even though we did "fun" stuff on it. This was a "Work" computer and had lots of important files (like pictures) on it. But in the end we bought a new laptop. After getting it home and messing around with it for a while we took it back because we really didn't want to spend the money at this point in our lives. (If it were up to me, I would get rid of computers and go back to the Stone Age - with my Kitchen Aide - but that's another story.) So, back to the original computer that might not last six months. It didn't. It lasted a week. Then crashed. Three times. In one hour. Grr. (In case you are wondering, I'm using my old laptop and haven't figured out how to configure Picassa on it yet. Haven't even tried). It's a good thing I didn't delete my pictures that I last uploaded to the old computer even though I did re-size, did brighten, did manipulate the pictures to make them as perfect as possible for our website.

The house where B was born and spent the first eight years of his life - in Winnepeg.

Just for fun - because there are no suitable pics for this post and because B will be home in a few minutes from picking up his glasses (another reason we cannot afford a computer today or even next week) so we can go over the border to buy yummy sour dough bread - and get a pizza.

Is it Spring Already? (A January Post)

I was having lots of fun making these little hexagons. At first I couldn't get the concept as to how they fit together so I tossed logic out the window and just did what the pattern told me to do. I thought I was knitting upside down and backwards but no, it all worked out.

When I finally got four together I tried it on my foot. Oops! It was way too big! I asked H to try it on her foot. Hmm. still too big. Then I did what i should have done in the first place. Measure. Sure enough; each hex diameter was too large by 1/4".  What to do with a lei of four hexagons?  I don't know, but I hope I won't need the yarn to finish the socks I'm going to restart. Just in case I do need it though, I'll leave the four hexes together for the time being.

I looked out the back window in time to see our yard full of robins! I wonder if they got mixed up because we had not had a cold spell yet here in the lower mainland until this week. Maybe they thought it was spring because the weather held up so well.

You can't really see but there must have been 15 robins in this tree.

And just as many on the ground.

Cats on a Hot Tin Roof

The girls thought it would be fun to see whether Felix would be afraid of tin foil. Not only was he not afraid he thought it would be good place to sit awhile and take a bath. I'm guessing they thought he would dance or something.

"Amazing"

When I first saw this yarn I thought it was beautiful but way too expensive. But when Micheal's handed me a 40% off coupon I knew just how I would use it. The pattern: One Day Beret. So simple even I had no trouble. (I would give yourself more than one day, though! It takes me at least two days to finish this pattern.)

Then! Micheal's gave me a coupon for 50% off. And another coupon! And another! Now I have four balls of the most luscious yarn in a green colorway. I'm thinking of making a "One Day Beret", some finger-less mitts and a cowl or scarf. Here's the yarn. Lovely, green, and so squishy.

A Visit From South Korea

When some brethren from South Korea came to visit last year we were privileged to go out to dinner with them. We were persuaded to order this after much cajoling from our host and Mr. Shin. One whole lobster, complete with "nut crackers" and pics. Bruce and I shared this meal, for your information. And it was delish!

Mr. Shin and his wife also got the lobster.

Hannah and Mr. J were a little more conservative with steak and fish.  

Rob, Peter and Walter flabbergasted by their meals. 

Kasia, Wayne and Jan digging in.

Some of us got dessert. Certainly not me!

I can't remember, but I think we rolled out of the restaurant.

Tea at Susan's

My List

The first thing I pack or even think about before I go on a trip is: What knitting project will I bring? Do I need to bring two? three? How long will I be away? Two nights? Two weeks? Do I need reading material in case my fingers get tired? Having settled that I need two projects for every night I'm away and two "How To" books and one current knitting magazine I am then ready to pack my bags for non-essentials like medication and clothes. So what if I forget a pair of shoes and have to wear my flip flops instead? Or if I forget my tennis shoes for walking (heh, heh) Or even if I have to wear a shirt two days in a row? (Won't happen. I always over pack when it comes to tops). As long as I have my therapy knitting...

I'm good to go.
BTW just looking at this yarn makes me want to knit this: mitered-baby-jacket. Oh, to have grandchildren.

It's Over

After days of shopping, cooking, directing, baking, washing, sewing, and planning, it's all over.

Briggs and Little

Forgive me if I have blogged about this before. My mind is becoming like my mother's - full of swiss cheese (by her admission! I'm not that disrespectful!) Only it seems my cheese is full of bigger holes or maybe it's older. In any case I'm thinking I need more B vitamins.

In the fall we visited the East, as you know. While there we took in a few conferences as well as made many side trips. After all, this is where I was born and Bruce had never been there. We took full advantage of our little rental car and made our way north, south, and west of Newark where we landed. One of the little side trips involved visiting our friends Cam and Judy.

Interesting enough they live quite near the factory where they make one of my favorite yarns. Since Cam and Judy live nearby they obliged us by taking us there. We were delighted! (I was, anyway - Bruce is not usually delighted by yarn shops). In fact Cam's mother used to work for Briggs and Little early in the last century.

On the way we stopped for a quick lunch where we enjoyed East Coast fish and chips. We all laughed when Cam told us that that West Coast fish and chips was what he looked forward to when he came to visit us.

Briggs and Little

No, this is not a statue of what his mother became. This is the front door mascot, though.

What we saw there just amazed me! We examined raw wool just shipped in and full of not only dirt but metal and other fun stuff to make it weigh more. The sellers wanted the best price! What better way than dropping in a horseshoe or two? They're small and they're HEAVY! (Cheaters)

Yarn spun and dyed waiting to be wound into skeins.


The finished product in cubby holes ready to be shipped.

One of the huge machines used to process the wool. What it does, I don't know. I was too busy taking pictures to ask. Dumb me.

Another machine that processes wool somehow, some way.

More machinery. Nothing was going on because it was summer and they hadn't started the fall run yet. We had to imagine the noise, the smell and the process of making yarn.