Pooh Bear in the Honey Pot

I almost didn't make it to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning.  Someone (cough, FC) has put the garage remote somewhere, and I had to get the Raging Success to get the spare one out of his truck. This is how things are set up around here.  I don't have keys to the garage door either, so I would have been stuck.
Like Pooh Bear.

But that's life.  I find that I have to force myself to do things.  When I do them, I am happy, but the motivation to do them in the first place just isn't there.  Okay, enough.


I  have completed my handspun hooded sweater.  I lurve knitting with handspun, and this is perfect.  Totally the kind of thing I have always longed for.  I did somehow manage to put the buttonholes on the left side, but other than that, I am pleased.  I used a 3needle I cord bind off for the hood, and an I cord bind off for the front edges- so it has some nice details.  The fiber is from (where else?) Fat Cat knits, and it's Polwarth in Shadowed Glen, with some turquoise added. Thanks again, Ginny.
I spun some BFL in Dragonfly- loved every second of this too.
Some of you may remember this design "Minstrel" that has been in the works for a long time.  I am on a mission to either finish things, or ditch them.  This has all the autumn colours I love, and I hope to photograph it THIS coming autumn- in my beloved High Park.  This is a cardigan, and there is a hap shawl too.
I do love Shetland yarn, and wanted to make Kate Davies "Rams & Yowes" blanket.  Added to the ever -expanding queue.  This is the Shetland Supreme, which I have worked with before, and I love it.  (I DO seem to be full of love today...)
Spring is springing- and the hyacinths smell gorgeous.
But Kitten Chow wants to know when squirreling season officially starts. Can someone help a kitty out with that?

Kittyspin

This year will be known as the time we skipped winter.  I went walking with a friend yesterday, and it was just like spring. The park was muddy, and it was very mild.  It felt surreal.

I had a pedometer on, and was surprised to find that I did over 12,000 steps, which equates to over 8km. In  one day.  My weight loss is slow, but it's happening. I feel better than I have in years.

I finished this book. E.L. Doctorow is a writer I admire, and I admit that the subject matter of the Collyer brothers was interesting. It is told from Homer's perspective. For some reason, the author has them living into the 1970's, and even gives an account of "hippies" moving into the house.  Also, Langley was the younger brother who went off to war, and came back damaged from mustard gas.  The true story was tragic.  I will say, I am not much of a fiction reader, but this was okay. I wouldn't read it again. Blogger is messing with the photos again- 
I am working on a hooded sweater, sort of making it up as I go along.  This is some handspun from Fat Cat Knits.

I've been doing alot of spinning lately.  But it isn't always easy with a large kitty.  Maybe I should think about getting my hair cut, ya think?  I've burned it twice now, sitting in front of the gas fire.

Is anyone giving up anything for Lent?  I've pretty much given up all my vices- except tea and coffee. What do you do when there are no indulges left?  Something to ponder, until next time.

Peace out.

Maybe Not A Good Thing

You know what?  Sometimes, it actually amazes me when I finish a project.  I tend to measure my life in terms of what I can accomplish in a given day.  I should be more focused on living rather than doing.  These thoughts are relevant- I just read the worst book on the planet.  No, I tell a lie- the universe.

I got this book, because, let's face it, we want to know what Martha is really like, and the author was a neighbor and friend.  She witnessed Martha's rise to the top, as well as Martha's divorce, and eventually her own marriage falls apart.  She accompanied MS on a number of trips, surprised to be billed later for her expenses, and seems to always be crying poor.(while telling us that she preferred shopping at Hermes)  I just wasn't buying any of it- she came off as a wannabe- and after the stock scandal that sent MS to jail, they were no longer friends.  I wonder what the point of this book really was. But then, who cares?

So why is this relevant?  I go to bed at night, making a mental list of what I actually did. When I wake up, I list what I can do in the day ahead.  I seem to have a hard time being in the moment, because once something is accomplished, I am onto the next thing.

 I finished my Boreal but I haven't blocked it. The Artesano Aran is wonderful yarn.  I did add some extra snowflakes in, so I wouldn't have to do as many long floats. I am really pleased.

FC is renovating our bathroom, and I have some stuff to do over the weekend.  One thing we all should make more time for is kitty snuggling. That is top priority.

Later, gators.

Of Fiber and Felines.....

Tomorrow is February 1st, so we are almost into the second month of 2012. My, how time flies when you're having fun!

I'm pleased to report that Miss Mew is very much on the mend, and thank you all for your well wishes. They certainly did the trick.  The other family member is on the mend, and recuperating at home, with his dog, so that's a relief.

In other news, I decided to skip my weekly WW meeting this morning. It finally snowed last night, and the roads were kind of messy, and I wasn't into it.  What a strange no-snow winter this has been.  What I feel like doing is hermitting myself in the house and work on some projects.

 Alex calls this "The Hanging Gardens of Fiberlon"- isn't he cute?  I love spinning.  I didn't expect to love it so much. Everything about it.  The fibers, the smell of the wool, the spinning, the plying, the niddy-noddy, and the resulting yarn. Then you get to knit with it.
I started a new cross stitch for an upcoming wedding. I don't like anything too twee or sucky, so this will have their initials and the wedding date.


I have one sleeve done on my Boreal-  but I have a feeling I am going to run out of the magenta yarn.  Shit.

Kitten Chow may have cabin fever, but it's hard to tell sometimes.

My Year So Far

This has been a heck of a week.  On Saturday, Miss Mew had to have an unexpected appendectomy, but the good news is she's home, and on the mend, and I get to spend some fun times with my daughter, who I miss more than I knew.  Another close family member has had surgery twice in the last 2 weeks, so it's been one thing after another.

I have been knitting and spinning to keep, somewhat, sane.


This is Borealhttp://www.ravelry.com/projects/Knittingham/boreal, By Kate Davies. I've admired this designer for years, beginning with her Owl sweater, and she has a great blog,.  Kate made hers in shades of green, but I decided to go for something different, and chose this magenta and natural colour. Lots of fun, and wonderful yarn to work.
I spun some Fat Cat BFL, for a shawl.  That was fun, in snowy gray shades.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

For laughs, I added to my Anne Taintor magnet collection- this is one of my favorites.


 "Let's get a closer look at that new camera........"






                                                                       

Bring It On

January 2nd of 2012. I remember when I was a kid, in the '60's, we were lead to believe that life would be like The Jetsons. I thought it would be so cool to whiz around in a spaceship. And have a dog named Astro.

Christmas was nice- we had a huge turkey, and decided that turkey on Thanksgiving is good, but not at Christmas. We'll change to something else, something that would be less work.

I got a new camera, and have been playing with some of the settings, the most hilarious being the fisheye lens.
My sister at New Years- snork.

FC's finger going up Todd's nose- snork. I did not make it to midnight, I was totally exhausted. But we had fun playing Trivial Pursuit.

I got this book. Diane Keaton is wonderful- quirky and funny, and most of all a real individual who makes no apologies for who she is. She adopted her daughter at 50, and her son at 55. The book also talks about her mothers diaries, and her sad descent into Alzheimers. A great read.

I guess Brigitte and I were on Santa's good list, because we both got this kit from VY. I will be making the gloves, so this will be a treat for when I've finished a few WIP's. I have taken stock of what I have, and what I want to get done.

As usual, I promised myself I would buy no more yarn or crafting supplies this year. Not even books. Last year, I learned to spin, and have a huge stash of fiber. I love spinning- and I love the spinning community. I have made alot of wonderful friends, so that was a gift to myself. I've also got in far better shape walking, and connecting with some friends, and losing some weight. That is another gift to myself.

This year, I will turn 50. That is a milestone birthday. Alot of great things happened for me and my family last year, and I hope 2012 continues like that.

And I hope the same for you- onward and upward.

Kitten Chow didn't make it to midnight either- big surprise.

From Kitten Chow

I probably won't get a chance to post before the big day, so I'm doing it now, before I descend into cooking, cleaning and laundry. My friend Jerry did the picture of Kitten-Chow last year, and I wanted to have a card made out of it. I thought I would share it, because it's great.

I got some Halflinger sheep slippers.

And this totally cool Emma Bridgewater jug. It's huge. My friends at Say Tea on Bloor ordered it for me. Every time I look at it, I smile like a fool. It just makes me SO HAPPY!

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those peppermint candy canes that no-one really wants to eat? Laura made these fabulous cookies, and I'll share the recipe with you.

Candy Cane Cookies

1 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp peppermint extract (it really makes a difference)
2 1/2 Cups sifted flour
1/2 Cup crushed candy canes
2 tsp sugar

Beat butter and sugar together. Beat in the egg and extracts. Combine flour and candy canes and stir into creamed mixture. Roll into 1" balls, and place 2" apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten with the back of a fork, and sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Mr. Chow would like to wish all of you and the kitties a wonderful holiday, and copious mousies in all of your stockings.

Duke Nukem?

Some thoughts about Christmas, and the holidays in general. The state of affairs here is that it is going up to 13 degrees, it's raining, and it's being predicted that there will be no snow this year. However, it is cold in Arizona.

Suffice to say, I feel completely cheated. At this time we usually have the tree up, and decorations done, and the turkey in the freezer. That hasn't happened.

My dear friend and I made cookies this year, for she is the Queen of shortbread. After sampling some Lavender cookies earlier this year, we made some, and I can't tell you how good these are.
We baked these for 20 minutes at 325, so depending on your oven. You have to use culinary lavender, and lemon, and add only 2 tbsp of the lavender. I hope you make some, because your house will smell incredible too.

I'm making some Man Size mittens for FC. No thrills here.

I am on the last 2 braids of "Country Roads" BFL- and I am going to spin the rest today, as a treat to myself.

Some thoughts and observations:

- Why do people "text" when they are driving? On the highway? Bad enough they talk on the phone, but I see this all the time, and it scares me.
- Why do people wait until now to start Christmas shopping? I would be in such a state that I would have to be hauled off to the nearest psych ward. As it is, I have finished shopping, wrapped it, and am still in a pre-meltdown mode. When someone tells me they haven't started yet, I get a knot in my stomach. At least have a list.

- I am starting to think that there really is no point in wearing pajamas, unless there is Snoopy on them. I need to find some more.
-I always say I'm going to do things differently, but I never do. Maybe it's just something people say.
-I've decided that when I use up all the weird Christmas paper on rolls, I won't buy any more.(Unless there are kittens or Snoopy on them). Plain Kraft paper only, and I can doll it up with stickers or raffia. This will work for birthday presents too.
- My son has requested "Duke Nukem Balls of Steel" edition for his PC. Yes.
- I am going to watch "Black Christmas" a few more times, because it's a great movie that also really scares me.
- I'm thinking about how unfair it is that I can't have some more cats, or a nice dog. I would like a dog. I love animals- but FC, not so much.
-I am already getting depressed about New Years. And it's crazy to get depressed about something like that.
-If anyone else leaves a used kleenex in their pocket, and puts it in the wash, so it shreds all over the laundry, and you can never get rid of the little bits of it- someone will pay dearly, and will have to make other laundry arrangements.

Despite all of this, I am going to have a nice holiday, see some people I love, and not over eat. This middle aged dog can learn new tricks.

However, this aging kitty will not.

It's beginning to look alot like....

....uh, no. It isn't. The weather is mild, and it's raining. On Friday, I took a trip into Toronto to look at the amazing Christmas windows at The Bay, as well as in The Eaton Centre. Giant reindeers- I really love downtown when it's all lit up.

I met Miss Mew and FC, and we went the Grace Kelly exhibit, and we looked at her letters, clothes, her Oscar and a replica of her wedding dress. It was really interesting, and like alot of actresses from that era, she was tiny. Small waist- maybe they wore foundation garments.

A few weeks back we attended a showing of The West Wind at the McMichael gallery. The director and some of the people involved were there. I enjoyed the film, but I cannot believe the rudeness of the public in general. One woman behind us would not stop talking, and getting up during the movie, until we gave her the malocchio- and after it was over, I heard another lady speaking to the director, complaining at how loud the music was. Good thing I don't give into my urge to slap people, my hand would be sore alot.
In knitting news, I made this tam from this book. It was fun.

I haven't made too much progress on Lorna Suzanne...however.....

Miss Mew finished her first sweater- Eileen Mary. She used Peace Fleece in Perestroika Pink. I think she did an amazing job.

There is a back keyhole, and she added a rhinestone button.

As for Kitten Chow, he's been busy with his bag.

You Better Not Pout

Santa got here yesterday. The parade in Toronto had a Mrs. Clause this year, as well as a Santa cam- and he Tweets. The weather wasn't cold enough, and we had no snow, which just isn't the same. Anyway, now we can watch all the Christmas movies. Because Christmas is coming, whether we like it or not, so why not enjoy it?

On Saturday I went to a craft sale at one of my old primary schools- and they have since added a pool, and a few other things to the old building. It was alot of fun, and I ended up getting some cute Fimo sheep ornaments.

I've made about 8 of these- glass ornaments with knitted socks and toques. I have glitter everywhere- but these were alot of fun.

Mary Jane Mucklestone is a designer I admire, and I pre-ordered this a while back. I actually haven't had a chance to sit down and read it, but I am sure it will be a great resource.

I made these Autumn Fire mittens- these come in a kit, with gorgeous natutally dyed yarns from a lady in Finland.

I fell in love with this pattern, and since I have most of my gift knitting done, I have the pleasure of making it- I chose a colour called "Lupine" which always makes me think of that Monty Python sketch where Dennis Moore, the Highwayman, steals all the Lupines. Anyway, I love this designer, she's a bit retro.

As for Kitten Chow, he's feeling a bit displaced by drum equipment in the front room, and is looking for a happy place.