Day 24 of NaBloPoMo

It's the last week of November already. US Thanksgiving is this week. I'm actually going to PVR the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. I used to watch it every year and since I started working I've missed it. I can't even remember the last time I was home on Thanksgiving to be able to watch. I'm looking forward to it.

There isn't much to report about the knitting. I've gotten to row 10 of the Evergreen Trees chart but each round takes over an hour because of the stitch count so, until I get further along, progress is going to be slow.

I didn't get much knitting done on the socks either. I was too busy working on the shawl so there is no point of taking pictures of either project.

Joseph is slowly catching up at school but the progress is not as quick as I would have hoped. His TA is on his back too so hopefully between the two of us he will be all caught up before the holidays.

Day 21 of NaBloPoMo

One of the requirements for high school here in Ontario is you must complete 40 hours of community service before you can graduate. You have grades 9 through 12 to do it. Joseph competed in the debating competition in grades 7 and 8. The judges in the competition are high school students. He asked his gifted teacher from last year if he could help judge this year. Since he needs the hours anyway, Paul and I decided to let him go. I did tell Joseph he would have to make his way to the debating competition on his own in the morning. I was fine with that because it's just 2 buses to get there and not difficult at all. Paul on the other hand didn't like the idea and ended up taking him there this morning. I found that so interesting because on Wednesday when he needed to take the bus and subway to go to do an interview for a gifted project his group is working on, I was freaking out and Paul was a calm as could be. He said it was because Joseph would be going with 3 other people but when he went to the debate he would be alone.

Moms and dads are so different. I am making progress at letting go of the apron strings. It isn't easy but I am getting there. On Monday, when we went to the mall to try and get boots for Joseph, I let him go put his coat in the car while I stayed inside. Then I let him go to the food court to get something to drink. This was extremely difficult for me but I still did it. Baby steps.

Day 18 of NaBloPoMo

Paul and I went and bought a new microwave. The old one we bought when I was pregnant with Joseph so it's close to 14 years ago. It was making some funny noises so we figured it would be better to get it now before the other one broke down completely. The new one has a broil in it just like on the top of regular ovens. I can't wait to actually have something I want to grill so I can try it out.

As I said before, I started the Sockamania November sock on Sunday. This is the progress I have made so far. The yarn is sock yarn I bought from Maggie. The yarn is so soft and easy to work with. I'm getting used to the pattern now. After the heel the pattern is different on the front and back of the sock. What I am trying to do is get one or two repeats of the edging done per day and then get some knitting done on the sock. I am still hoping I can get the pair done before the end of the month.

I've completed 35 repeats of the edging now so that means there's only 13 more to go. If I can do 2 repeats per day I should have the edging done by the end of next week and finally get the ends grafted together and proceed with picking up those 1,152 sts.

Day 12 of NaBloPoMo

Missed another Snb last night. I hate having to miss them. I just wasn't feeling up to it. I am going to go to the doctor today and check things out.

I thought I finished a few repeats on the Magickal Earth Shawl edging but, when I double checked things yesterday, I made another mistake right at the beginning of repeat number 29 so I ripped it back. I didn't knit anything after I ripped. I just got the sts back on the needle and put it aside. If I'm feeling up to it, I hope to get some knitting done today.

I'm still waiting for my order from Shuttleworks. I still hope it will come tomorrow since I only work a half day on Friday.

ETA: The order arrived a little while ago!!! I will open the box when I get home from work and take pictures. Will blog all about it tomorrow.

Day 11 of NaBloPoMo

Since Ikea is just blocks from the doctor's office, after we all got our flue shots yesterday we decided to go and look for chairs. This is my first trip to Ikea and I think it will be my last. We couldn't decide on which chair to get and having Joseph with us didn't help matters. We decided to think it over and took the elevator down to where we thought we had begun. The set up in the store is very confusing. I totally understand the reason is to prevent theft. I totally respect that. It's just too confusing for my book and the construction that's going on near the Ikea I went to will keep me from going back for quite some time.

Joseph had detention for the day yesterday, or so he claims. Therefore, he didn't have any new signatures to prove he handed in any units. We'll see what today brings. I'm waiting to hear a reply from the email I sent his TA. I'm getting really tired to having to police him all the time.

Day 9 of NaBloPoMo

It's finally happened. Paul has joined the unwanted club of having his bank card compromised. He tried to use it at the bank on Friday and it wouldn't work. Off we went to the bank yesterday so he could get a replacement card. Nothing was taken this time but I sure am getting very tired of this. I've said it before and I'll say it again, GET A DAMN JOB AND LEAVE HONEST HARD WORKING PEOPLE ALONE!!!!! The people at the bank have said that with the chip card coming soon (I hope) the criminals are trying to get as much as they can before the card is available everywhere.

From the bank we went to get Joseph winter boots. He hates shopping and trying to get him to cooperate can be a challenge. To his credit, he did try on tons of boots but we couldn't find anything that was ok in the leg and ok in the foot. Paul is going to check at the Eaton Centre on Monday to see if they have the right size now that he knows which boot Joseph liked and what size he needs.

We usually do our laundry on the weekends at my in-laws. It's been this way ever since we moved into this apartment over 13 years ago. This way my in-laws get to see Joseph ever week and we don't need to use public machines. After the bank and boot shopping we went to do the laundry. It was really nasty and rainy by the time we were done. What a contrast from the weather earlier this week. Now I am looking at the long range and it looks like we are supposed to get rain or snow most of this coming week. I guess that's the price you pay for weather in the teens to 20 (50s or 60s for you Fahrenheit people) this time of year. You have to suffer with nasty weather as a follow-up.

With the sale of the Louet Victoria I took the opportunity to order some extras for my wheels. The order has shipped and I am hoping it should arrive by Friday. I'll show the goodies when they get here.

Day 7 of NaBloPoMo

I really feel like that meeting, on Monday, Paul and I had with Joseph's teaching adviser was useless. Granted, it shows the school that Paul and I are interested in Joseph's education and want to try and help him succeed but it didn't impress Joseph. Monday no units were handed in. He said he was too busy. Tuesday he said he handed in some units but didn't get them signed off in his agenda because he forgot his agenda at home. Wednesday he went to work with Paul because it was "bring your child to work day." Yesterday morning I told him I except to see signatures in his agenda. When he got home from school last night the first thing I asked him for was his agenda. About 30 minutes later he finally hands me his agenda and surprise surprise no signatures. I just about blew my top. I've deleted about as many games from the computer as I can. I've deleted messenger. Today there is no school because it is "a day for carry over exams." Since Joseph is in grade 9 and has no carry over exams, he gets a day off. How nice for him (sarcasm abounds). I emailed Joseph's TA and told him I want Joseph in detention next week for those units he handed in and did not have them signed off. He replied and told me he will talk to Joseph on Monday. Right now I am totally at a loss as to where to go from here. Today I am calling the school to find out specifics of trying to get Joseph transferred to a different school in September. I want to find out the procedure.

Today I only work until noon and with Joseph not in school today I would have tried to go somewhere with him but I am not going to even bother. I don't feel he deserves anything right now.

I called the bank yesterday. I was told that the stolen money should be back in my account today. That hasn't happened yet but I am hoping they know what they are talking about.

Day 6 of NaBloPoMo

I am getting more than a little frustrated with the bank. Still no sign of my stolen money being returned. When they say 10 business days they won't give it back to you a day sooner. Or so it would seem. I am going to call them tomorrow to see what is happening.

Am I the only one out there that has trouble adjusting to the time change even in the fall? It is usually worse for me in the spring than in the fall but I am feeling so sleepy. Part of it could be because I was up WAY too late Tuesday night watching the election returns when I got home. I only had about 4 hours sleep Tuesday night. Yesterday I had such a headache I fell asleep when I got home from work and slept for a couple of hours. That didn't stop me from going to sleep around 11 and still sleeping until 5 this morning.

I didn't get any knitting done last night. That's not going to help my plans of getting the border done anytime soon. This is what approximately half the border looks like. Joseph keeps asking me what I am making and when I tell him a shawl he looks at me like I'm crazy. I've tried explaining it's done from the outside in but he still thinks I'm knitting a scarf. I love the colour and I'm almost done with the first ball of yarn. I have 4 in total so I am hoping it is going to be enough. Back to knitting tonight, I hope.

Look What Points Can Do!

You know those pesky cards that a lot of stores have these days? The ones where you accumulate points for purchases you make in their stores? Thanks to Maggie, I found out that Shopper's Drug Mart carries the Wii and the Wii Fit. Not only that, I could use my Optimum points towards the purchase of said Wii Fit. So, tonight on my way home I stopped at one SDM and no go. They didn't have the game console or the Wii Fit. On to the next SDM that is on my way home. I saw the console in this store so I had a little bit of hope. I asked at the check out and the girl checked and was told nope. I asked about putting my name on a waiting list and she said I would have to come back between 9am and 9pm because the people that did that would be in during those hours. Ok, I'd do that tomorrow. As I am about to leave the store her phone rings and she tells me to wait. They might actually have one Wii Fit in stock. Yup they did!! I was able to redeem my points for the Wii Fit and was able to buy it for a whopping $11.70!!!! Can you believe that? All I had to pay was the taxes! When I walked it the door and showed it to Paul he couldn't believe it. He said he's been wanting to get it for quite some time but the $100 price tag was just too much right now. The price at Shopper's is $10 less than either Future Shop or Best Buy so not only did I redeem points I saved more because the additional $10 would have been another $1.30 in taxes. Thank you Maggie. I never would have known about this if you hadn't told me.

Ripples Complete

Once Sparkle was all dressed, I turned my attention back to sock number two of the Sockamania November sock. This pattern is called Ripples. Yarn used is some of Maggie's hand dyed yarn from Dyed in the Wool Handmade. The colour is Hanging Baskets. I worked the pattern from the toe up and changed the top by added a 3x3 ribbing. I tried to cast off without it and it just didn't fit right. This way it's much better.

Next up, I have to finish a project from yarn gifted by Kimberly. Knit another scarf like the scarf I did for my ISE partner, and finally two babies are due any second so I think I am going to forget about the blankets and do either Tulip or Rocketry depending on the sex of the babies. I don't think I am going to do a colour version. It will take too long to knit up. Once the little ones arrive I'll decide on yarn. For now, I'll get started on that second scarf, since I can knit that practically from memory and not have to concentrate on charts.

Me & My Big Mouth

I should have known years ago that when I opened my mouth and told Joseph I would not allow him to go to Mary Ward that he would choose that school. Right now I am so furious I can't even speak. This is the only outlet I have at the moment. I also feel powerless to do anything about it. I should have known the writing was on the wall. I suppose the only good part is he chose Brebeuf as his second choice but there is no way he won't get into Mary Ward. So now I will spend the next year worried that he isn't getting his work done. I will say this much, and Joseph has been warned, if he doesn't finish all the courses that he needs to for grade 9 he won't be going back to Mary Ward for grade 10. I hate my life right now.

Snakes!!

I went to Gemini Fibres this afternoon and picked up a Kromski arc lazy kate in walnut. Only problem is the lazy kate was missing the spokes, or whatever it's called, that hold the bobbins. I didn't realize the kate was missing parts until I tried to put it together when I got to Maggie's. No problem though. Cheryl is giving me the spokes from the lazy kate she has in the shop and she'll get more from Kromski. I also got a little fibre to try and play with on the carder and a little fleece to play with as well.

From Gemini I went over to Maggie. That thing I've been working on and not blogging about, I'm designing the December sock pattern for Robyn's December sock club kit. I can't really go into more details than that but it's been lots of fun. Maggie took some pictures of the socks for the pattern. While we were outside I moved and Maggie noticed this snake in the grass. I was standing on the bloody thing!!!! I was sure it was dead but it wasn't. I guess I wasn't totally on it or something. Maggie picked it up with a stick and it was sticking it's tongue in and out while she moved it. Later she realized she never took a picture of the snake and when we went out to try and get one but it had already slithered away to a different place and we couldn't find it.

Ripples

I've started my Ripples sock, the November sock from the Sockamania Club. There isn't much progress but here is what I've done so far. The pattern is done cuff down so I've changed it to toe up. I don't usually do top down socks anymore because when I do kitchener stitch my hands hurt. I can't explain why that is, it just is. The yarn is hand dyed yarn from Maggie at Dyed In The Wool Handmade. It's called Hanging Baskets. So far, I am very pleased with the way they are working up and they are so soft. I might have a problem knitting some other sock yarn in my stash now.

Last night was Friday night and I'm trying to go back to Friday night spinning. Not a heck of a lot of spinning went on here last night. I was so tired I conked out in my chair after just a piddly little amount of spinning was done. I'm going to spin this morning instead of knitting to make up for lost time. I'm off to Mt. Albert and Keswick later today. I have a lazy kate to pick up at Gemini Fibres and then off to Maggie's for more goodies.

Shannon has blogged about her colour triangle from our carding class. Boy does it look good. I have to get my ass into gear and get mine done. Maybe I'll manage that this weekend.

Life is way too busy these days - open houses for high schools, confirmation meetings that were just a waste of time. I tell you I'll be a complete nut job (more than I already am) by the time this school year is over and done with. Then I get to have fun dealing with Joseph in high school. I'm still not ready for that but it's coming ready or not and will be here before I turn around, YIKES!