The Urge to Splurge

Hello T.

Feast your eyes on the roses from my garden!

I was flipping through the pages once again in Last Minute Knitted Gifts, and on a complete whim, I decided I needed to make the hand/wrist warmers immediately. And before I could reason with myself, the car keys were in hand, and I was out the door, down the steps, and in the car. I had an hour before my lys closed. Lots of time.

I pulled into the parking garage that promises 1-hour free parking for plaza customers only, but all cars are under 24-hour surveillance, and you must pay on Level 2. Where is Level 2? Do I need a ticket? How do they know I am shopping in the plaza? I should mention that all the parking spots are too small, and there are loads of giant cement pillars that threaten to scrape the crap off your vehicle if it doesn’t dent it first. I should also mention that this is like my sixth trip to this store, and none of this is new to me, but my nerves continue to wreak havoc each time. There’s never a soul to approach with my 101 questions, and the signs seem to increase in number and hostility. Eek. So I glanced back over my shoulder and said good-bye to my only way home like it was the last time. I was going to hurry.

I walked into the store, and instinctively, I eyed the Noro Cash Iroha and grabbed the first colour I fancied which happened to be lavendar - what is up with all things lavendar? I can't seem to choose any other colour at the moment. Oh well. I went around and pawed all the balls within reach. This alerted the owner to ask me if I required any assistance, to which I replied, "Yes! Was I right to just park and leave my car? Do I need a ticket? Do I need to pay someone? How do they know that I am shopping in the plaza? Will my car still be there when I leave?" She calmly noted that I did the right thing by just parking, and if there were any problems, I just need to come to her, and she would sort it all out. I nearly sobbed with relief, and then I went back to my yarn shopping to my leisure. Ahh. I bought the one skein of Noro and three balls of a discounted chocolate brown alpaca blend wool, and I didn't break the bank entirely. And my car was in tact when I left. Good times.

N

Back to my mittens . . . One down with one to go.

Past Posting

Dear N,

The craft room of your dreams sounds like the garage behind where you work. Where will the students assemble Newborn Literacy Kits?

Anyway, I was poking around in my pictures files and found some pics of Vancouver that I hadn't posted. I don't think we'll be coming back to Canada anytime soon, what with the upcoming civil ceremony in July and then my immigration process will begin. That means that I can't leave the country. Well, I could but they wouldn't let me back in. So I am missing Canada and poutine and real news on the TV. I am so sick of Fox and CNN. We have long resorted to streaming the CBC on the web or watching international news from France. Anyway, I digress. Here is T in the big hollow tree in Stanley Park.Here is the devastation from last winter's wind storm that took down hundreds of trees. My heart broke as we drove through the park. You could literally see through the forest where 300 year old trees used to be. So sad.
My favorite cupcake shop in all of the world on Denman Street just off of English Bay. So yummy and such a cute place.Check out the pink table and chairs!

Don't get me wrong, the Forest City is pretty hype too. It is home of the Labbatt's brewery, the Knights and the only place you can get bear claw ice cream!

Imaginary Friends

I dreamt last night that I was walking through my house and happened upon a huge bright and airy warehouse-type room. The floors and walls were cement, but there were big windows and doors (although in need of a lot of scrubbing), and there were old cupboards and appliances, but I thought to myself that it would make a brilliant craft area. Along one wall, I found a really long and wide formica table that I delegated for my sewing machine and cutting mat. I was excited to clean and cozy up the space and throw up loads of shelving, and it would be heavenly.

As I sit here ‘working’, I was thinking how nice it would be to get started on the workspace when I get home tonight. And then I remembered that it was all just a dream. Why am I grieving as if it were a real loss? I’m so silly sometimes. As if a big room would appear on my house’s butt out of nowhere!

I started on another pair of Malabrigo mittens. I think I will start to work on more mittens to prepare for next winter. These mittens were fantastically delicious on my hands last year. I want to spread that mitten love. Soon I will be the mitten wizard! People will bow down to my mittens.

At the wedding last weekend, the deejay played Sexy Back before I could get inebriated enough to dance in front of people, and I fought the urge to boot it back to London to blast some JT down in my basement where I could dance all crazy without being seen. The timing was all wrong. I managed to last a few more hours, and I danced to two or three songs for the amusement of my family. I believe they took pictures, and no, I don’t want to see them.

Oh! It’s sweltering outside, and E decided to wear jeans, and B told me out of the blue that Jesus lives in yellow sand land. Really?

N

March of the Penguin

This morning in a moment of insanity, I decided to walk to work. I always think how easy it would be to walk every day, but I am excellent at thinking up excuses. Most days, I have to drop B off at daycare, and I would need the car to drive her home again; however, truth be told, that kid has two very long sturdy legs, and she is fully capable of walking or taking a bus as well as I am. I am certain that time is always an issue as well. I enjoy getting ready in the morning at my leisure – it’s not all leisurely since I am not only getting myself showered, dressed and fed, but two other little ones as well. And the weather plays a role in my decision-making on the days when it is freezing, raining, windy, grey, too hot, too cold, wet, snowy, icy . . . . Doesn’t leave me many days to take that walk. Know what I mean? So I am either rushed, have too much baggage (that includes a tot), and the weather is not up to my standard.

But that’s not all. My feet have been destroyed by too many years of being on my feet serving customers for minimum wage for nine hours a day then walking, biking or standing longer for buses in crappy shoes because I couldn’t afford a vehicle never mind a good pair of shoes. That was five days a week for seven years – no vacation and no sick days. After my walk to work this morning those stumps that look like feet were burning!

I’m going to see if I can buy some gel pads my soles and see if that makes a difference. I hope it does because I really enjoyed the walk. Things I found out:

· People on the path are friendly, and I was really getting into greeting passers-by with salutations. Good morning to you too!

· Construction is no more easier to avoid. In fact I encountered more roadwork than I have in my entire life. It’s as if the City is rebuilding my entire walk to work. I am not exaggerating! Every ten steps I had to cross the street. In addition to gel pads, I will be on the lookout for a yellow hard hat.

· Construction workers are hunky – even the old raggedy guys. I love me a muscle-y arm. Oh dear.

· Sweaty shirts take about two hours to dry. And the minister’s wife has deodorant in her office. How come she doesn’t have nail clippers?

· Tretorns are great for tennis, but not for walking – I actually learned this back when I took that walk after dinner, and I saw the Star Wars wedding by the river. I think I was laid up for a couple days after that. Who said bringing back the 80’s would be easy?

· Take the camera. This goes back to the Star Wars wedding. Who’s going to seriously believe that?

· Walking takes as long as driving some days. I got to work in about 40 minutes. If I hit construction or an accident and drop B off at daycare – this is actually the same amount of time. I didn’t spend have my morning waiting for lights to turn green!! It was liberating.

I will definitely be walking again this week! Really.

N

Don't Let Cake Push You Around

Dear N,

I swear I almost lost it Thursday night, no actually, I did lose it on Thursday night and Friday morning. It all started on Thursday when I volunteered to bring a cake for the farewell lunch for one of the girls at work who was beginning her maternity leave. I had a cake in mind and thought that it would be simple enough to do in one night. Normally this would be true but I had a super crazy week and by Thursday I was exhausted. So it was kind of last minute anyway, as I usually bake my cakes a couple of days before so that they can fully cool and settle. Then I decorate them the day after. Not only did everything go wrong with this little baby bassinet cake, I was just not in the frame of mind and the cake was getting on my last nerve. The icing was the wrong consistency, the white chocolate filling was way too thin while the strawberry filling was way too thick, and did I mention that it was about thirty five degrees in that kitchen? I walked away from it twice, only to be lured back to it twice, thinking to myself "the cake cannot win". I finally go to bed at 12:30am with the thing half finished and wake up at 6:30 to complete it. Needless to say, I wasn't that happy with it but I promised cake so I was going to bring cake. Many times it crossed my mind that I would just throw this cake out the window and pick one up at the grocery store on the way to work. But I did not let the cake win! I finished it, boxed it up and just as I thought I was safe, the demon possessed thing shifted and landed upside down still in its box. I did not cry. I ran back into the house to get a spatula, scooped the cake back onto the cake board, gooped the icing back onto the spots where it had fallen off and off to work we went. Let me tell you, I was very happy to see that knife go into that cake. Die cake, die! Here it is before it's deliberate fall in the car.

Low Tide

Dear T,


My cousin's wedding is Saturday, and slowly, bit by bit, I have been preparing for her big day. Eyebrows have been waxed, the grey has been coloured a chocolate truffley brown, my nails buffed and polished, my outfit dry cleaned, and all that is left is an early hair cut and style appointment with my favourite hairdresser early Saturday morning. Oh how I adore Rudy. Rudy and his wife are expecting their first child in the fall, and I am so thrilled for him. He is going to be the coolest dad EVER! Mini-Rudy is the perfect recipient for the baby einstein sweater and matching receiving blanket (the matching thing was a total fluke).

He doesn't get to keep Naked Baby. I wonder where Naked Baby's clothes went to. The batteries in Naked Baby are dead, and Naked Baby can no longer open her eyes. Poor Naked Baby or rather lucky Naked Baby. A perpetual nap would seem like a gift some days.

I have discovered that KNIT club knitting must be kept simple and mindless, so I propose another wrap. This time, rather than buying another kit, I have rummaged through my under-the-bed stash for navys and oranges. In my small pile, I have some cashmerino aran, fancy ribbon, and chunky alpaca. I heart chunky alpaca! I can feel it just thinking about it. The only yarn missing is some mohair, or maybe another colour is needed. A gold perhaps? I have another week to solve this, so feel free to share any suggestions.

Can you believe that I made another batch of church windows? Beah wanted a couple of fruity marshmallows, so I figured while I had the bag opened, I might as well whip up some squares. And yet I feel lazy.

And look what I got from the Board of Directors - a pot of lavender mums! A thank you for my pleasantness and efficiency. It was completely unexpected, and as I blushed furiously, I blurted out, "I enjoy working here!" to some friendly chuckles. I am so awk-mo that I shouldn't be allowed out in public. One of my highschool friends and I coined the word to describe all the awkward gestures, gaffes and motions only teenagers are capable of. Put that in the urban dictionary!

N

Respite

Dear N,
If only you had been here only yesterday you wouldn't believe what a relief this 27 degrees is today and it's not even officially summer yet! I was even able to take a hot shower today instead of a cold one, which was a nice change.
The balcony garden is coming along. It's nice to walk out of the kitchen and be able to pick fresh basil and mint for a salad. We had tuna, garbanzo beans and a mess of fresh herbs with some toasted pita bread for dinner, yum!

Do the chairs look familiar?

And here are the boots that I blogged about a few weeks ago. They are now sitting in the linen bag that they came with, awaiting the cooler weather of fall. I can't wait to wear them but I am definitely enjoying the weather that we're having now. The boots and the fall can wait for now.