Ratings

I saw this on Barbara's blog.



If I had written my post yesterday with all the colourful words I was thinking I would have had a much different rating. I held my tongue because sometimes Joseph reads my blog.

And speaking of ratings. Paul, Joseph, and I went to the movies this afternoon. I can't even remember the last movie we went to see in the theatre. I think it was Pirates - Dead Man's Chest last summer. Joseph decided on the movie. To be honest I wasn't really thrilled with his choice but I am so glad I went. We saw Evan Almighty and let me tell you I was cracking up. I really really needed the laughter today. I would really recommend this movie. It is very funny.

May 22

I saw this on Maggie's blog.

Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday month and day only. Then post three events, two births and one holiday that occurred on your birthday.

Events

1969 - Apollo 10s lunar module flies within 8.4 nautical miles (16 km) of the moon's surface.
1990 - The Windows 3.0 operating system is released by Microsoft.
1992 - After 30 years, 66-year-old Johnny Carson hosts The Tonight Show for the last time.

Births

1859 – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, British physician and writer (d. 1930)
1950 - Bernie Taupin, English songwriter

Holiday

National Maritime Day in the United States

My Car Ate My Vacation

I can't remember when I have had such a HORRIBLE day. You've heard the excuse "my dog ate my homework?" I was supposed to be driving to NYC on Sunday. Well that trip is now postponed because my car ate my vacation. I brought the car in for a check up before the long drive. Regular maintenance was going to cost much more than I anticipated. I had figured it would cost me about $300. Turns out it was going to cost me about $600 until I found out I need new break pads. I could put off some of the other stuff but I wouldn't feel comfortable driving from Toronto to NYC if I didn't do all the work that needed to be done. I am not going to risk safety. The total now is over $700 and there is just no way the trip is going to happen this week. I might go in August, if I can manage it then because if I go then I will have to take the time off work without pay. That's alright though.

I was right about the urine test. I got a call from the doctor's office today. There is bacteria and I need to take the antibiotics for 3 months. It's a good thing I filled the prescription earlier in the week. The pain isn't getting better yet but since I have to take the meds for 3 months I would imagine it will take a while before I am feeling better. I go back to the doctor mid September and have another test to see if the bacteria is still there. If it isn't I can stop taking the meds. If it is I think I will have to be on it for another 3 months. But hey I don't have kidney stones and I am very relieved about that.

RANT MODE ON SKIP IF YOU'D LIKE

After the day I had at work today I am just about ready to take my boss and chop his head off. I don't talk about work much. Today I had it. I normally get paid every other week. I got paid last week. So I asked my boss about getting paid for the two weeks today since I won't be here next Friday. I always thought that if you are not on direct deposit for your pay you get your vacation pay (not extra vacation pay, I don't get that, just the pay I would have gotten if I had worked next week) when you take vacation. Well he said that he would only pay me for this week. When I get back he will pay me for next week. WHY YOU MIGHT ASK?????? This is just too much for words. Since not as much business settled this week as he had anticipated and he hasn't taken pay for himself in a while so he can't pay me for both weeks!!!!! My pay for one week is $420, he will definitely pay himself about $5,000. I swear if I don't find another job soon I will have some sort of an attack from having to work for this bastard. I can't take it anymore. He is nothing but a scumbag. He has all the advantages of me working there and I have none. The only advantage I have is that it is close to where I live and is flexible. Well I would rather not work, live off my stash, etc. then continue there. Paul and I are going to have to figure something out because I can't and won't work there anymore. If anyone in the Greater Toronto Area knows of someone in need of an office assistant that is nice, a quick learner, a pretty fast typist, please email me and let me know. The link to my email address is on my sidebar.

Amazing

Joseph went for his haircut this afternoon. I tried to take a before picture. This is Joseph running out the door trying to hide his face from me so I couldn't get the picture.


So I had to sneak this one in when he sat down waiting for Farrah to start. I went into a corner and took a picture of him in the mirror. He didn't even know I snapped it (no flash).


Watching intently as Farrah cut. He told her exactly what he wanted. I was busy taking the picture while he told her what he had in mind.


Look at all that hair. That isn't even all of it. I wanted to take a picture of the pile when they swept it all together but I was too late.


Now THAT'S my boy, looking like a boy once again. I love the haircut. I can hardly recognize him. He looks so different. I like this much better. Even Joseph said he's glad he doesn't have to see himself much because he doesn't recognize himself. I did tell him he had all summer to decide what he wanted to do with his hair. I mentioned if he wanted to grow it long again he could grow the back long and keep the top short so it wouldn't get in his eyes all the time. The reply I got was music to my ears. "The novelty of long hair has worn off," was all he said. I love my son long hair or short hair. I am just glad I won't have to fight with him every morning when he brushes his hair. His hair is very thick and it is always tangled - NOT ANYMORE!!

Meds And Local Yarn Shops

I caved in and went to fill the prescription today. I was having a lot of pain and I am 99% sure the tests are going to come back showing white cells so I started taking the meds today. Now I just hope I won't have to adverse a reaction. I am planning on driving to NYC with Paul and Joseph on Sunday and I don't want to have to worry about a bad stomach from the pills.

What's someone to do when you're waiting for a prescription to be filled? Why go to your LYs of course. Especially if you're lucky enough when the drug store is in the same mall as the LYS. Said LYS being The Knitting Basket at Bridlewood Mall. I really wasn't planning on buying any yarn. I just went to have a chat with Farida while I waited the 20 minutes. That is until this caught my eye. I loved the colourway and I have heard such great things about Lucy Neatby's yarn I just couldn't resist. Thankfully there was only one skein left in the store so I wasn't able to be tempted by more colours.

Still Confused But Happy

I went to the urologist this afternoon to get the results of all the tests. I am pleased to report the CT scan showed I DO NOT have kidney stones. The 24 hour collection showed everything was normal as well. That's the confused part. I still have pains now and again in the kidney area so what is causing the pain? The doctor said when I went to him back in May and I had to give a sample for analysis the sample showed white cells. That would indicate some sort of infection. I gave another sample today to see if there are still white cells in the urine. The doctor gave me a prescription for some antibiotic that I will have to take for 3 months. I am not going to fill the prescription until I get the results of today's test but I am pretty sure I am going to have to take the meds. I've been having discomfort today but is it in my head or is it real (is it real or is it Memorex). I'm relieved there are no stones and I am relieved that the CT scan shows my kidneys look fine. That and the news my colon is fine makes me a very happy camper. Now I would just like the pain to go away and I will be blissfully happy.

I turned the heel on the chevrons socks while I was waiting in the doctor's office. I finished the heel while I was at my in-laws. Now I just have to finish the cuff and I'll have one sock finished.

The buttons are all sewn on and Rocketry is now officially a complete FO. I just love this sweater. I might try and do another one with my own yarn and in different colours and make it larger. It was such a fun knit. I have some books on knitting from the top down so trying to make it larger shouldn't be a problem. A trip to one of the LYS will be needed to decide on colours and yarn.

Summer or Socks??

I didn't know about Summer of Socks in time to join but that doesn't mean I can't knit socks. This sock is from the Sensational Knitted Socks book. The yarn is Sock It To Me. The pattern is just a chevron pattern but I like the way it is coming out.

To continue the Summer of Socks theme, I finally caved in and bought 2 balls of the Tofutsie sock yarn. All the colours are so nice it isn't easy to decide which one to get. I was actually amazed that this yarn was 100 grams. The first time I saw this stuff and I was told the price I thought it was a lot of money for a 50 gram ball of sock yarn. I was very surprised when I was told it was 100 grams. The yarn is really packed into that ball. I am also told there is a lot of yardage so it goes a very long way. I saw a pair of socks done up in a pale pink colour and it feels so nice. I think I will knit up a pair once the chevron socks are done.

Along with the sock yarn I bought buttons for the Rocketry sweater. I love these buttons. I was trying to pick something that is cute but not too feminine. I am wondering if Elisheva will ever get to wear the sweater. The size is 6 to 9 months but size is rarely true to age. Shmuel Dovid tells me she was close to 10 pounds when they had her by the doctor and it is summer now. I fear by the time fall arrives she will be way to big for the sweater. If the buttons are more neutral it can still be worn by a future brother or sister, when the time comes. I think these buttons go well with the sweater. Now I just have to get them sewn on.

Just The Buttons

I finished and blocked the Rocketry sweater today. I had a bit of a challenge trying to do the twisted row and I don't think I did it right but it was the only way I could get it to work since I am very inexperienced when it comes to colour knitting. I held one colour yarn in my left hand and the other in my right. I kept trying different things to get the yarn to twist but it just came out with the straight lines you see here. I know it has something to do with how you position the yarn when you switch colours but I couldn't get my hands to work properly. All in all, I am happy with the end result. Now I have to find buttons. I went looking today but I didn't have the sweater with me. I'll try and get buttons tomorrow. I saw some really cute ladybug buttons but I wanted to make sure they weren't too small before I bought them.

Final SP 10 Contest

Robyn, our SP10 hostess, has asked us to blog about the 3 yarns we are dying to try. Narrowing it down to three is a little difficult for me. I can think of at least 4. I knit mostly socks and shawls/doilies etc. I rarely knit sweaters and when I knit something thicker than fingering weight it is usually for the grandchildren so it goes quickly.

The sock yarns I really want to try are the Socks That Rock from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. Thanks to Robyn for a generous gift certificate from BMFA, I have 2 skeins of this sock yarn on order. They will be sent to my daughter and hopefully they will be there by the time I go there in July.

The second sock yarn is the Jitterbug sock yarn by Colinette. The colours are just amazing. If there was one thing I would like about this sock yarn is more yardage but I split my balls by weight before I start knitting socks and I knit from the toe up so I am sure a 100 gram hank should be fine. Now I just have to get my hands on some.

The other two yarns are lace weight yarns. The first is Suri Elegance. This is 100% Suri Alpaca lace weight. I believe it is the yarn that was used in the Forest Path Stole. I would just love to be able to try this stuff. I've heard amazing things about this yarn. One of these days.

Finally I would love to try Lorna's Laces Helen's Lace. This laceweight yarn is 50% silk and 50% wool. I've used Jaggerspun Zephyr which is also a 50/50 blend but I would love to try this yarn. Since one skein should be enough to make a triangular shawl I would only need one skein. Now all I have to do it get some. Again, one of these days.

Rocketry

The Rocketry is now a work in progress. I had some challenges but I am rolling along now. I believe there are some problems with the pattern. First, when doing the colour change row, ignore the notes. You do not K1, P1. Thank you Ken for your help and thank you Stephanie for passing along Ken's email address so I could get the help I needed.

I got through the first two colours and was just about ready to put the sleeve stitches on scrap yarn to work later when I realized one of the fronts had 1 stitch less than the other. I had to rip back to the first colour change. It's a good thing this is a baby sweater because I worked it back up again in less than an hour at 3 this morning.

I also think the stitch count is wrong when it tells you there are 91 sts after you put the sleeve sts on hold. I have 92 sts and I am not going to go nuts about it. Here is why I think there is another error in the pattern. You have 20 sts for each front, 34 sts for each sleeve section, 40 sts for the back. When you put the sleeve sts on hold you put 33 sts for each sleeve on hold. Then you cast on 5 sts for each underarm. Before you put the sts on hold you have 148 sts total. 148 minus 66 is 82. When you add the 5 sts at each underarm that gives you 92 sts, not 91. If I am wrong I am not going to worry about the extra st.

Joseph has a birthday party today so I think it will be mostly sock knitting. I have to find my way to Adam's Park. I have a feeling an SnB pal of mine lives in that neck of the woods. Joseph will be there from 12-4. At this age, I think he will be mortified if Paul or I try to stick around and supervise. That's what we did in his younger days but he's practically a grown man. He'll be a teenager in 6 months (less 1 day). Why is letting go of the apron strings so difficult. If it was up to me I'd stick around but I know I shouldn't. Today will be another challenge in the letting go of those apron strings.

Belated Birthday Party

Last night was our Snb. Ramona joined us for the first time. For those of you that don't know, Ramona is the person I was spoiling for SP10. She fit right in with the rest of us.

My wonderful group decided to have a surprise belated birthday party for me. Just look at the great stuff they got me.

I love coconut. Mix coconut and lime and it's heavenly.
The lipstick is a Viva Glam V a light pinkish colour that is really great. I don't think I have ever touched a softer yarn than the Sublime. I am going to use it to knit a hat and socks for Elisheva.
I tried the tea this morning when I got to work. I am only going to use one word to describe it, YUMMY!!
I think the scheepjes yarn speaks for itself. It will become a great pair of socks. I just have to live with it for a while before I decide what stitch pattern I want to use. I have started collecting the left over sock yarn to make a blanket like Robyn was working on when I met her at the TTC Knit A Long.
Just look at the pink alpaca yarn. It is almost as soft as the Sublime. I have to be reminded of the yardage and then I can figure out what I want it to become.

The fibre Maggie dyed just for me. Isn't that just the sweetest thing? I can't tell you how much I love the colours. We have totally different tastes in colours and I think we've spent enough time together by now that she got it just right.

I can't express how much last night meant to me. I never have been very good with words but our snb group is the best bunch of people you would ever want to meet. I am so blessed to have them as my friends and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

On the knitting front, the Forest Path Stole is off the needles!!! I still have to block it but that's alright. Just knowing the knitting is done is such a relief!!

Knit Picks had some colours of their Shadow yarn on sale. The picture on top is Redwood Forest and the one below is Grape Jelly. I just love these colours. I wanted to order more yarn but the price went back up again so I'll wait for another sale.

Sockapalooza Completed

I finished the socks for my Sockapalooza 4 pal. This is the first time I have joined Sockapalooza so I hope my pal will like them. The pattern is from the Sockamania Club KAL. It's the May Day socks. The pattern, from what I'm told, is similar to the Jaywalker socks. I am going to knit those this summer as well. These will go off to my pal in August.

I'm Speechless

Robyn was kind enough to bring my SP10 package for me. My SP10 partner brought it over to her and the hostess with the mostess brought a small portion to the TTC KAL and the rest she dropped off at my place. I am totally speechless so I am just going to let the pictures do the talking.

June Sockamania Club Socks

I finished the June socks for the Sockamania Club socks last night. This pattern is called River Valley Socks. The pattern was given for toe up or cuff down. I prefer toe up so I knit them the way I knit all my socks and just plugged in Anni's stitch pattern. This was so much fun to knit. I just love the pattern. It was easy to remember but not so mindless that it became boring. Yarn used is Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton but I lost the label when I split the ball so I can't tell you the colour. Needles used Knit Picks 2mm or US 0 and knit using the magic loop method.

WWKIPD

I know this is late, but, better late than never.

Saturday was World Wide Knit In Public Day. We celebrated here in Toronto by having our TTC Knit A Long. The weather was fantastic. It was a huge different to the rain we dealt with in October when we had the KAL. This time I joined the central team with Kimberly. The quick version is we started out at Alterknit. From there we went to Knitomatic where we saw Fab Haley and Pluto. While there I bought some Misty Alpaca in a blue colour. This stuff is so soft. I have to figure out something really nice to knit. Maybe I'll use it for the Mystery Stole 3.
From Knitomatic we went to Lettuce Knit. I bought the Rocketry kit. I would have preferred the Tulips sweater but Megan didn't have it in stock and the waiting list is long. If I waited Elisheva would be too big for it by the time I'd get to knit it. So I bought the boys version. I really think it will work for a boy or a girl. The colours are so nice. And there is purple in it so I think it will be alright. Believe it or not, that's all the stuff I bought.
There's lots more to write about but that will wait for another day.

Home At Last

Elisheva is home!!!! I can't explain it but I am not going to complain about it. All I can imagine is the cultures must have come back and whatever they thought the baby might have, she didn't. The picture on the right is of three of my sons. Shmuel Dovid is on the left. He is my oldest boy and daddy to Elisheva. He is holding Mati. Mati's daddy is Usher and is the one in the middle. Thank goodness he trimmed that beard when I was in NYC. Usher is son number 3 and is holding Elisheva. Next to Usher is Izzy. He's son number 2. Shlomie isn't there. He's in Israel right now. I LOVE the picture on the left. Elisheva is just adorable. I will be in NYC at the beginning of July and I can't wait to hold her and pinch those cheeks.