Windy, Rainy Tuesday

Here goes again - the post I just typed (luckily a small one) just vanished off into far reaches of Never Never Bloggerland.

Our beautiful weather has ended for now. For the past two days it has been raining, at times very heavily. Its been relatively warm still, however, so that's a plus.

Not much done on the knitting front lately. I am currently working on a 3x3 ribbed hat in about a kid's size 2 for the Dulaan Project. I am using yarn from my first try at recycling (see a post from a couple of days ago for more details). I should have enough left to do another one, but I may do a different style or add a couple of white stripes. I finished a shaker rib hat to add to the box the other night (FO #7), but I didn't like the top of it at all. I followed the instructions, but it looked like crap. So I made up my own thing. Now it's about a kid's size 8-10. I should be able to finish the ribbed hat tonight and maybe start a pair of socks next.

Must go be productive. Happy knitting!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!

The boys got up a little after 8 this morning and went out to see their loot (pictured below). Last night we dyed some eggs (also pictured below). I had to put the candy away, though. Logan wouldn't stay out of it.

Yesterday I tried recycling yarn for the first time. I went to the local Frenchy's yesterday and picked up a hand-knit tank top that I had seen in there the other day. It wasn't labelled, but I think it is a yarn I have used before, which is just an acrylic blend. Anyways, it was a pretty aqua-minty color with pinks, yellows, and blues through it. It unravelled very easy. I wound it into three hanks, washed it in mild soap, and hung it up to dry in my basement (there's a line strung down there from the previous owner). I put it out on my clothesline this morning, as it was still quite damp. I haven't decided what I will make with it yet. Maybe either a ribbed hat (if so I will use two strands held together, it's only DK weight), or I may make a baby jacket and booties with it (not sure if I have enough for a bonnet as well). There was another tank there the other day that was a nice dark orangey-red variagated with some white, but I didn't see it yesterday.

Today's knitting will hopefully see me finish the shaker rib hat for the Dulaan Project and maybe start something else, or work on Shane's scarf.

Well, I must get going. It is really nice out today, so I think I will take the boys for a walk. Making non-traditional chicken for supper tonight.

Happy knitting!

Easter eggs in the process. 

Finished product! 

Easter loot this morning. The Easter Bunny hid some plastic eggs around the house that were filled with different chocolates. They got coloring books, pajamas, socks, bubbles, play-doh & play-doh tools, dinky cars, Darren got Harry Potter lego, Logan got a new spill-proof cup, cheesies, and candy, of course. 

Finished sweater for Logan's friend's birthday on Friday. 

Pumba inside of a Spongebob hamper thing. He was laying down in it til I got down to take the picture. 

Decided he didn't want to stay in there once I got the camera, of course! 

Front of the sweater I am knitting for Logan's friend's birthday. 

Miss Prissy Nala. Doesn't she look proper sitting there with her little paws crossed? :) 

Like Christmas in March!

Yesterday I got my second package from my wonderful Secret Pal in France! I will take pictures to post, but the breakdown goes:

1. set of 3 Easter egg candles
2. ball of a really nice yellow acrylic/alpaca yarn
3. little change purse and notepad (which matches my purse!)
4. stuffed animal (which the boys have taken with them to Nanny's house today)

Hope I didn't miss anything. She also sent me a kitty card that I plan on bringing in to work (along with the one from the first package she sent) and getting them framed. I do love cats! Not sure what I will make with the yarn yet. I have a couple of ideas, but I'm not going to jump on anything yet. I want to wait for the right pattern or idea to come along!

I, in turn, mailed my Secret Pal's second package today. I hope it doesn't take too long to get there. It was waaaaaaay expensive to send this one air mail, so I had to go with surface. Trouble was the weight of this package (which still wasn't really heavy, just where it was travelling so far it drove the price up).

I started the first sleeve to the little kid's sweater I am knitting last night. I hope to get both sleeves done by tomorrow night. That way I have Thursday to finish it. I only have until Friday 2pm - that's when the birthday party is!

Well, must go for now. Happy knitting!

First Day of Spring

We had a beautiful day here for the first day of spring. It was sunny and about +5 Celsius but windy. We went to Bridgewater for a drive. We went to The Turkey Burger for lunch. Anyone who ever is around Bridgewater, NS, go out past the Walmart and you'll find this wonderful small restaurant after about a 5 minute drive. It's very small - we got the last booth today, and there were two other groups waiting to be seated when we left. It's always busy. Never been there and its been empty. They have the best food and very good prices. We both had cheeseburger platters (real burgers, big too), Darren had chicken fingers & fries (his came with pop and cookies), plus a dish of ice cream and two cans of pop, all for just under $20. If we go to McDonald's it costs us almost that much. Definitely worth the wait if you get there and there's no place to sit. In warmer weather you can always get take out and go back towards Bridgewater to the little picnic park about two minutes drive away.

Took knitting with me on the drive, of course. Just a scarf - simple two row repeat, nothing too complicated. I have the back to the sweater I am knitting for Logan's friend's birthday on Friday almost done. Maybe 30 rows left. I tried to post a picture of the front (along with some other pics), but Hello is in one of it's freak outs - or possibly it's my old machine - and they just go into "please wait uploading" and nothing happens. I'll try again tomorrow.

Must get going, it's getting late.

Happy Knitting!

Not Good Enough For Charity?

The other night I was flipping through sites in the Men Who Knit web ring, and I came across a site who had a posting a few days back about knitting for charity. I am currently knitting for The Dulaan Project (see sidebar), and this is the first time I've knit for charity. This person talked about a sock knitting charity with specific yarn and patterns to use. They (the charity) sounded very particular. In researching TDP, they have an "anything goes" policy as far as kinds of yarn and colors. This is a good thing, as in the small town where I live it's hard to get anything but acrylic or blends. In looking at some of the pictures of stuff sent in for the project so far, I have mixed emotions. The stuff is beautiful - can't believe some of it is being given away for charity. I am impressed by the beauty and craftsmanship - which makes me worry about my stuff. Is it good enough? Will they like it? Are they going to open the box for a peek and say, "What on earth was she thinking?" Etc, etc. I have been knitting for over 20 years but by no means claim to be an expert. Anyhow, this sock charity site stated that if it wasn't acceptable the donation would be sent back! Why not give it to the local Salvation Army or something if it wasn't "right" for the intended charity? (That was in essence what the blogger said, too.) I can see some specifics, like no itchy wool for burn victims, that sort of thing. But getting picky about the yarn and pattern used -- and returning stuff? Come on, your a charity for crying out loud! One of the commenters said that one charity organizer had actually asked for pictures of her stuff first to see if it was "suitable". She just went with a less particular charity. And as one of the other commenters stated, acrylic is machine washable and dryable so is preferable in some cases.

I'm sure my worries about my donations are unfounded. As I told one of the other ladies who posted a comment on Mossy Cottage Knits, the extreme conditions these people live in I think anything is better than nothing (she was concerned about using acrylic and blends). Besides, isn't it supposed to be the thought that counts?

Good News from the Tax Department!

I had to adjust a few things in my bookkeeping for the accountant last night and dropped it off to her today. She took me in her office and made the adjustments while I was there. I am getting back pretty much what I had figured I was getting (which is good - I got a good refund). Travis, on the other hand, I was worried about. But the news was pretty good. He actually owes a little over $2000 less than what I had figured out, so I am happy. Very happy! Too bad there was no such thing as income tax, but ah, well....

Here are a couple of new pictures. Simba looked way too comfy the other day in on Logan's bed to not take his picture. The other is of the six items I have finished for the Dulaan Project.

My anger at CTV has subsided. The other day the Star Wars Episode III trailer was made available to everyone besides Hyperspace members on the www.starwars.com web site. I am at peace now... Can't wait til May 19...

Gotta go make some Shake 'n Bake,

Happy Knitting!

My six items I have so far for The Dulaan Project (see sidebar).  

Simba sleeping on Logan's bed. Even had a rumple in the blanket for a chin rest! What a life! 

Snow's A Comin'!

Tomorrow it is supposed to start snowing in the morning and continue on into Sunday, complete with strong winds! Yuck! 20-25cm is in the forecast. It will be a good knitting weekend.

I was soooooo disgusted last night! I watched The O.C. last night for the sole purpose of seeing the new Star Wars Episode III trailer. Now this is not a show I normally watch, and I must say it didn't do much for me. Anyways, I figured it would be shown at the end of the show, but I watched it all just in case. It was on Fox, but of course in Canada CTV takes over primetime, so the trailer cut in for about 5 whole seconds, and boom - gone. Was I ever pissed off! Just long enough to see Yoda, lava, and the Emperor, then gone. I was waiting all week to see this. Coulda put my foot right through the television set. I was on some sites today looking for it, but so far I haven't been able to get anything to open it. So right now CTV is on the "top" of my Shit List.

Enough ranting for now, I can feel my blood pressure rising......

Happy Knitting!

Lodge Weekend Pictures

It was quite fun this weekend at White Point Beach Lodge. We got there about 8:20 pm Friday and left this morning near 11. We came home last night at supper time, as we went to a pot luck party. The boys stayed with Nanny, and by the time we came through Logan was asleep. So he stayed with Nanny all night, and Darren went back out with us. There were different crafts off and on all day and this morning in the games room (where the pool table and arcade games are). We also went in the pool and hot tub yesterday before lunch. We weren't there either night for storytime and marshmallow roast at the fireplace. They also show family movies at 7 and 9 pm. My sister-in-law works there, mostly nights in the bar. We didn't get up to see her because of the boys, but she was working breakfast this morning. Travis was in heaven - our room included breakfast buffet each morning, so he put a good dent in the bacon. They also have a person there to make omelets, so of course he had one each morning as well. Juices, toast, bagels, muffins, different kinds of pastries, dry cereals, pancakes, french toast, beans, scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausages, fruit salad, yogurt, omelets, and more. Plus there's the a la carte menu with the fancy stuff like planked salmon breakfasts, eggs benedict, etc. It is a family-oriented establishment, but still a little posh for me. Of course, being from town we know pretty much everyone who works there. Travis has 3 aunts that work there (we saw two of them), sister-in-law and her mother, cousins, etc. There were a lot of families there from down around Halifax. They have this club thing you can join, but you have to have a family income of $50,000 or more! You can also join the country club or buy day passes, too. I used to have country club membership back in late high school. Me and my best friend, her boyfriend, and another guy used to go out there every weekend and spend hours in the pool and hot tub and in the games room. That whole area remains the same as it was back then. But they did renovate the front desk area recently and build more cottages and outlying buildings. One of the daughters of the man who owns the place married the goalie for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks a couple of years ago this summer. (From Quebec -- Jean Sebastian Something-or-Other, I think.) They got married in town and had the reception at the Lodge, naturally. There were tons of people waiting outside of the church to take their pictures, so they were really good and hung around so everyone could get their picture.

Anyways, after that rambling, nothing got done on the knitting front this weekend. Way too busy. I think I will get the boys jammied and go do some now. I have been planning my Secret Pal's next gift, which I won't elaborate on, just in case she stumbles across this site and the surprise gets ruined. The last gift will be the neatest one. I think she will really like it.

Enough babble for one night. Happy knitting!

Our room was in one of the outlying buildings on one of the lakes, just a minute walk from the main lodge. This was the view out of the patio doors at the back of the room. 

Another angle. 

Logan by the fireplace right outside of the dining room and lounge. This one has a dying fire in it, as you can see. This fireplace is supposed to be kept going 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week, 365 days/year. If it does go out its just because someone wasn't watching it closely enough. 

Darren by the fireplace in the Stateroom. This is where they have meetings and sometimes wedding receptions. 

Darren feeding the bunnies, which are everywhere out there. They have free bags of rabbit food at the front desk. 

Darren and Logan at the race car arcade game. Logan just liked playing with the steering wheel. Darren could reach the pedals if he sat on the edge of the seat.

The boys played pool for awhile. 

Darren and I went up to the main lodge and brought back a couple of games to play. (Connect 4 and Mousetrap. Most of the games were more teen-adult games.) This game hadn't been played yet, so we got to open all the packages and break apart the "cheese". 

Daddy and Darren played Connect 4. 

Too much excitement for Logan. He finally fell asleep around 3 for about an hour or a little longer. 

Pictures Finally Posted

I tried posting my pictures again, and this time it worked. So here are some shots of Pumba and a couple of the hats I was making for the Dulaan Project. They are both finished now.

I also got two framed pictures from Shane, another guy I work with, for my birthday today. Really nice ones of Long Cove he took with his digital camera. And Heather (work with her as well) dropped off a card tonight.

Must go get Logan ready for bed.

Happy Knitting!

The red eye reduction flash was on, so every time I took the picture he closed his eyes! 

The flash woke him up! 

Pumba sleeping in my chair. 

Twisted stocking stitch hat for the Dulaan Project. If you are knitting with two needles, Row 1: knit into the back of all stitches Row 2: purl. If you are knitting in the round, Row 1: same as above Row 2: knit. 

Mock cable rib hat for the Dulaan Project. It is simply 2x2 rib, but on every 3rd row you either C2F or C2B, depending on which way you want your twists to go. I have been doing C2B.