Weekend Warriors

Dear N,

Oh how I would give anything to bite into a just-picked apple! Your lovely photos took me back to my childhood in Fredericton when we went apple picking every fall. Like your girls, my sisters and I would climb and pick and eat the day away. We've got some pretty fantastic pictures of us in our 80's haircuts and bellbottoms sitting on tree branches. I would post one but all of the pictures are back at my parents'. Fast forward fifteen years and I can't go within ten feet of an apple. Ok, I can have cooked apples so I can still enjoy a pie or a crisp with some ice cream but I am really quite allergic to fresh apples. I dream of biting into a fresh Mac like I did when I was a child. I know it sounds funny but when you can't have something, it really makes you want it all the more. T is well aware of my many allergies and keeps me in line or else I'd just eat stuff that I can't because I have no self control.

I haven't done much knitting this weekend as T and I have become weekend warriors (if only for just one weekend). We hauled two tables that needed repainting out to the garage and armed with our load of supplies from the Home Depot attempted to make them look better. One of the tables had about three very thick layers of paint on it and I could just hear those layers of paint laughing at our little electric sander as it tried to strip it all off. It's Sunday night and only one of the tables is ready to paint. I'll show you pictures when they're done.

Still working on my mesh bag. The pattern is from the Summer 2007 issue of Knitty. I've always wanted a mesh bag to take with me to the market and grocery store because my mother had one when I was a kid and I always thought that she was so chic. Michael's had chocolate brown Lily Sugar 'N Cream on sale for $1/ball! Needless to say my mesh bag is knitted in chocolate brown Sugar 'N Cream. Yum!

P.S.

I love the kettle! Great Danish modern style!

Row 97 of the Apple Orchard

The MacIntosh apples were ripe for the picking today, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous.The girls ate and picked at the same time. I left the picking to them, and I took loads of pictures. There were hundreds of rows of apple trees, and the trees were full of apples. It was beautiful. No apple from the grocery store can compare with one plucked out of a tree. They were delicious. I could have sat there in the sun and ate apples all afternoon. We are so lucky to have so many orchards within a short drive. Mmmm.

The colours of these apples would make a beautiful colourway for a pair of socks, wouldn't they?And that concludes another much-needed weekend. Cheers!

N

Time for Tea

The kettle we have had for eons finally kicked the bucket, and it was up to me to replace it. We have a high regard for our kettle. The girls could live on instant oatmeal for breakfast every day, and I love me a cup of tea whenever the itch to sip strikes. So going even one day without was inconceivable!

Ta da! Isn't it just scrumptious! Even J noticed it right away. It's so pretty. Is it wrong to love a kettle?
It's a beatiful day out today - great for many things like apple picking and hiking. First thing up is getting everyone ready. Pyjamas and bedheads are still being sighted. Maybe when we get home, I can whip up some apple crisp. Mmm. All is well.

A Higher Education

This weekend is Doors Open London, and this year, there are 50 different historical buildings open to public viewing. When I reviewed the list of sites, I knew automatically which one we couldn't miss! I just had to take the girls to Brescia University College and show them what their future could possibly hold. Surprisingly, they willingly piled into the car, and although "it was really weird" to just walk up to a strange building that could be seen as a bit "creepy", they followed me everywhere with awe-struck eyes and hushed tones. We had punch and cookies in the formal lounge, and El headed over to the pictures of all the graduates and immediately spied her teacher amongst the photos. She was bowled over, and I think has lots of questions for Madame on Monday. And now that I think of it, B probably has half a chocolate chip cookie still in her pocket.

We had a little more time left, so on the way home, we stopped and toured the London Waldorf School. Big mistake. The three of us cried the rest of the way home, because we are too poor to register. Well, to be honest, I haven't looked at the school fees, but I am sure they are way out of our league. It was absolutely lovely. The grade 6 students are kicking my butt in knitting socks, and the grade 8's were building canoes and writing essays on Edith Wharton. I literally swooned. But don't despair. We devised a plan for the next generation of Learns. The girls are going to attend Brescia and become scholars and achieve notable success, and with that success, they will have the means to send their children to Waldorf, and all will be well again. And with that, we wiped our runny noses and tear-streaked cheeks, and we headed off to our separate corners to quietly ponder on future opportunities.

The first of two decreases has gone well on the capelet. Hopefully a picture will be in order soon. The computer has crashed (J hasn't admitted this, but I am fear the worst), and all the pictures are on that computer as well as the camera software to upload new pictures. Let's all cross our fingers that J has enough time to 'play' around with the computer so it will turn on again.

N

blueprint

I seriously need to catch up with you on the baby sweaters, T! Holy crap - you're churning them out like no tomorrow. I put holds on a whole bunch of Elizabeth Zimmermann books at the library - she turned the knitting in the round and seamless garments into a movement. How can anyone be expected to do so much mother-flippin' seaming?

What's been going on around here you ask? Hmmm. Well, I have been finishing up some projects that I had left to slowly die in a giant heap behind my sofa. I think I was experiencing some bad knitting karma because I was guilty of starting a load of projects and not completing one. That would explain the tiny sock snafoo, the moebius capelet disaster, and the wristlet that I knit and frogged four times. That's to name only a few. Yes, you could say that I failed to swatch the sock. That's true. You could say that I didn't join the Noro in the round properly. And yes, that too is true. And I misread the pattern differently on four separate occasions??? That's crazy!

So one-by-one, I have weaved in ends that were left dangling, and I knit the last few remaining rows of the second wrap that was balled up in a bag by my bed, and slowly my knitting mojo is returning. I can feel it. The Noro capelet has been revived, and is going along quite nicely. I feel ready to tackle the tiny sock - once I find it. And books are starting to reappear on the library hold shelf! And here's the kicker - last night I figured out my yahoo account info, and I was able to set up my Flickr photo album, so that I can start uploading pictures onto my Ravelry page. Holy crap. Even work is going along swimmingly. It feels fantastic to be accomplishing things.

Back to the capelet, before my luck runs out! Ta ta.

N

Raglan Along

Dearest N,

It's Sunday night again and I'm sad to have to go back to work. The weather here was so lovely and there really wasn't much to do at home except go for walks along the creek, watch funny movies, make nice dinners, and of course, knit. Lots of knitting was done this weekend. I started this little purple top down raglan hoodie on Saturday and have the yoke mostly finished.

And yes, that's Vanna White on the yarn label. It's her new line from Lion Brand. The hoodie is for my eldest neice in Vancouver who's favourite colour is purple. I adapted it from this pattern to make it fit a four year old. I'll send you the details if you're interested in knitting one for B. Did I tell you that I love, no LOVE, these raglan sweater patterns? They knit up so fast and there's barely any seaming to do once you're done. It's really cool watching it take form as you knit it.

Next is the felted ballet slipper for one of my sisters (haven't decided which one yet). I have one knitted up and you can see that I have yet to weave in the waste yarn.

I think it'll be cuter than the felted clogs. The ballet slippers are also a Bev Gellaskas pattern but from this book that I borrowed from the library. The yarn is Cascade 220 in colour 9424.

I'm off to knit the last couple of rows of the purple hoodie before dividing for the sleeves and body. I will try to enjoy the last bit of weekend left before Monday rolls around again. Hope you had as knit-ful a weekend as I!

T

Pinkette Returns

Dear N,

Your pictures brought T and I back to the good ol' LPL. We remember the Cherryhill library fondly. And what a sweet little thing B is. Funny too.

After being Kitchen Aid-less for about three weeks, she finally returns, rehabilitated, with a few knicks but otherwise healthy and whirrrrrring like her usual self. Of course Pinkette (as she has been aptly named) wanted to be put to work again right away so a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting was made to celebrate her homecoming. Welcome back!

And it's corn season here in the midwest, as I'm sure it is in your neck of the woods. I remember going down to Farmer Jacks and that other market down the road for fresh produce. That was some of the best corn on the cob I've ever had. T and I picked up a few cobs at our local fresh market and found a recipe for these yummy corn fritters here. Nestled on a bed of spinach and you got yourself a delicious weeknight dinner. Wish you were around to share in the corny goodness. I'll show you what I've got on the needles tomorrow. Good night N.

T