A New Year?

Well its been a year since I last blogged. Well just about. A year since my father died (well just about) and I missed him everyday and probably will continue to do so.

Life has changed dramatically in the Gagnon house hold. Richard (the youngest) moved out. Pierce the university student moved in for the summer holidays and worked at the mine. Just when he was about to leave John's oldest daughther, Danielle and our two grandchildren...girls aged 7 and 8 moved in. Rebecca finished her nursing school and found a job in beautiful Victoria and she, Bronson and Kyle relocated.

Having the girls here is both stimulating and trying at the same time. They bring so much joy to our lives...however you have to remember we aren't used to living with a 7 and an 8 year old and our little cottage is only 900 sq feet. I'm sure Danielle feels the same way as well. Kids seem to be adaptable and don't notice the chaos so much.

I've taught them all to knit though. And my stash is being reduced at an alarming rate, into holey scarves, doll blankets, afghan squares etc.

On the other hand I have been going thru life each day pretty much the same. Work, cook, knit, cook, sleep, shower, cook, work, cook, knit, cook, sleep, shower, cook, work....etc.

I was on a knitting deadline..which I hate but yesterday...yes 3 days late, finished my last two Christmas gifts. Socks for Kyle out of Kroy and a lovely pair of Wood Hollow Mittens by Thru the loops out of stashed cascade 220 and lined with some soft angora.

For my birthday in December, John bought me a satellite that will bring me high speed. that is what encouraged me to begin blogging again. Finally I can upload pictures a little faster and it won't drive me nuts and fail all the time.

My Dad - Feb 2, 1938 - Jan 21, 2009

Are you a Canadian Knit Blogger?

I got this link from my Friend Eulanda and thought it would work for knitting blogs as well. Therefore if you are a Canadian (or live in Canada) and have a knitting blog email me with your Name and I'll add you to my sidebar under the heading "Canadian Knit Blogs".

Be sure to include your name and location as well as a link to your blog. Please help me out and pass the word around as well so I can get a comprehensive list going.

thanks for the help


Judith

Downloading and Babble (Thanks Meghan)

Here I sit waiting for my Dishcloths to download. I don't know why...maybe it is the monthly dishcloth KAL but I am crazy for dishcloth patterns. No, I haven't made one yet... but I did order all the peaches and Creme cotton to do the complete year long KAL. Hmmm I hope I knit them otherwise I might as well pick up another plastic bin to stash the cotton in.

Although I've been thinking..I've never said it aloud ...I'm going to cut back on my yarn buying this year... I did receive two glorious bumps (?) of pencil roving in the mail yesterday. (Surely it can not count as yarn....yet). The color ways are Masquerade and Black Coffee from Fiber Optic Yarns. I've never used pencil roving before and had to go on to Ravelry and asked Meghan from the Stitch It podcast some questions before I started with it. But let me tell you it is glorious stuff. However Meghan tells me thaqt with pencil roving you don't have to draft it...you can just start spinning it. Now I am tempted to take my spindle with me to town.... I don't think I'll do lace weight though...so maybe I'll put it on the wheel. Listen to me...it sounds like I know what weight will come off the wheel! Ha! It is always a guessing game what gauge it will knit up to, until it has been spun, plied, washed and "thwacked"!

Speaking of trying to learn something I did something spontaneous the other day. I got an email from Sweet Georgia Brown and in it they listed the classes they were offering. I must be honest I didn't realize that they were Canadian, let alone only 6 hours down the road in Vancouver, so what does a beginner spinner with any common sense do....sign up for a 3 hour "Spinning Sock Yarn" course of course! I'm glad I did it. I may not be when I have to drive to Vancouver in March, but right now I'm happy. I make enough $ that I should be able to take any spinning course I want, but I never have. So I deserve it. Plus I may learn something, not to mention meet some other spinners! Just think of the info I may be able to glean! So I'm excited.

Of course I'll have to take the volkwagen down. I am not driving the truck to Vancouver and I doubt I'll have my car by then. Its good to have a mechanic for a hubby and it is good that he is frugel... but when second-hand-car-shopping a frugel mechanic is not really what you need when you just want a car.

We saw a perfectly good 1997 Ford Escort..yes I know, but it was in beautiful shape, perfect paint, clean inside, one driver, etc etc...it only had 51,000 km on it. I would have bought it on the spot (probably for the $4200.00 they were asking) but John says he wouldn't pay more than $3000.00 for it (on the high side) and the dealership wouldn't go lower then $3700.00. So we left the dealership. I must confess its been on my mind though..and I even asked again this am (as I get ready to take the truck into town and think of filling it up with gas) if I should just go in and buy the car and again he says no. Does he have some mechanic-ly reason or is it just principle now? I'm not really sure, but he has never led me astray before... so I guess I'll wait it out. Frustrating though not having a vehicle I can call MINE and do whatever I please whenever I want.

I'm sure the car prices will continue to fall considering the economic conditions. I certainly don't want to buy new, considering the main purpose for this car is to travel the 13 km on gravel roads to and from work. But I do what it to be reliable and not nickle and dime me to death. The last two I had (R.I.P.) both did me very well and I am sorry I totaled them. The thing with older cars you do pay alot of insurance for them and then when you wreck them you get so very little. Apparently that was John's issue with the little ford. He knew if I totaled it on the way home, regardless of how few KM were on it the insurance company wouldn't even cover half the cost of it just due to the age.

OK I'm off to town. I'll get pics in over the weekend of what i've been up too and the pencil roving. I have to take dear little Midge to the spa for 9 AM and the boy shopping for some new shirts, one pair of jeans and some skate shoes. (He added the jeans and skate shoes I thought it was shirts only) then to Janelle for new nails for me! (And I may go by the bead store as for some reason I cast on the Mystery sock at 10PM last night (tired maybe) and apparently the pattern calls for beads.

The Year Begins..I'm not so sure its a good start but it has started regardless

Did I mention the bar in Likely has closed for 3 months? Did I mention that my husband had a hobby up until three weeks ago and that was going to the bar.

Now my husband doesn't have a hobby so he is looking for others to entertain him. It has made for some long days and nights and very little knitting has been accomplished.

When I realized I was going to have 4 days off in a row, I thought about all the things I could knit. I even thought that I was going to be able to perhaps cast on AND finish a sweater in those 4 days. I mean it is worsted weight after all...but no. I just, just this AM before our second trip into Williams Lake in so many days, cast on for the lovely Cabledown Pullover from patternfish. Now that John and Richard are attempting to put together a new futon base for Richard's gaming room..I may have a few minutes to do a few rounds. Poor Richard...I just keep telling him to smile and nod. Boy I sure hope there is a Canucks game tonight.

Talking about 2 trips into Williams Lake in two days has anyone else ever heard of Wrestling Day? Apparently it started in the 1930's in Williams Lake and it is the day after new years day (Jan 2nd) and all the stores, etc are closed. Who'd a thunk it in this day and age. I mean we've been in Likely for 8 years (on and off) but I have never heard of Wrestling Day before and didn't think for a minute that we wouldn't be able to shop! On the good side, we managed to go thru Big Lake at 4 PM, which happens to be the exact time their bar opens, so John invited me in for dinner..along with a beer or two for him. That took the edge off the evening anyway.

Welcome 2009

Ahhhh... the morning dawns with a beautiful soft snow falling. Can't beat living in the woods in Likely in January. I'm in good spirits not only because of the gorgeous day but also because Betty and I convinced ourselves we don't have to go in to work on Saturday after all (we'll stay late Monday and Tuesday) so we will have 4 days off in a row. Plus John is off work this week as well so it will be glorious!




My darling daughter bought me a new travel mug for my birthday...she took my favorite saying and had it engraved and put on to the mug. I doubt it is politically correct but it makes me laugh.

I'm glad to see that they finally realized that I have a serious problem and should start to feed my habit and enable me. I think they may be off to a good start.

My oldest son (Pierce) and my (daughter) Rebecca bought me a nice new lace weight spindle. I do have a wheel and a heavier spindle, but wanted a laceweight one as well. Its fun to take along when ever I go somewhere that I can't take a wheel. I think she made a beautiful choice...I think its bloodwood?

The gorgous burgandy roving is from Fleece Artist (MY FAVORITE) and the colorway is BEET and that is exactly the color. Just imagine. As you know my photography skills aren't the best!

Note the "Christmas Green" Glittery fingernails! Not reallly my style but fun for Christmas.

I printed out a couple of new patterns yesterday... I'm trying to figure out what I should make next. I've got malabrigo for Marta, I also bought some elann Highland wool to make Snowwhite and Tang, but I don't like the hand of the fabric when I get gauge with it. So I'm thinking of something from ChicKnits like Ribby Pully or Cassidy. I'll swatch today. I still have tons and tons of different reds to do mom a cabled pullover, and although I've started so many different patterns I just can't find one that I like!

As I mentioned earlier this is an attempt of trying to blog my often. So they will be short and sweet posts. (Unless something unusual happens!)

Happy new year to all.