Adventures of a Crim Grad

What do you get when you bake a 20-year-old coffee cake mix?

2010-11-25T15:46:00.003-08:00

POOP CAKE!!!

Looks good on the box, right? Yeah, until you find the "mail away for a cookbook" form inside with the offer expiry date of June 30, 1990. I should have realized there that this was probably a bad idea.

But someone has to try it FOR SCIENCE so it's me.

Mmmm... just like Mom used to make! If she put turds on it! That's not caramel sauce, I discover later, those are the cinnamon apples for the topping! Even better!!!

Appetizing, no? It will be in ALL the Starbucks locations next holiday season!

The iPhone camera couldn't focus on it properly. This may be a blessing for you all. Be sure to compare this image with the first image from the box above. Notice how NOT risen it is.

Oh come on, you know you want a bite!!

Don't make that face, it can't be that bad!

Well?

The verdict is... it tastes like someone baked it 20 years ago and left it in the cupboard. I guess that's about all one can hope for from a flat, non-rising cake mix with questionable-looking "apples" as a topping. The brown sugar part of the streusel topping was good though.

Beentsy was right, I shoulda used it as a dog frisbee.

It's coming...

2010-08-26T19:12:00.002-07:00

Can you smell it out there? Fall is coming.

The wind has a chill to it this evening, and night is already upon us. Darkness is coming quicker and quicker, the days aren't as warm and when they do warm up it doesn't last as long.

You know what that means? Sweaters!!!

This makes me very happy; I've just frogged my Heather Hoodie Vest that I knit last fall because it was too big and am going to re-knit it in a smaller size. Nice when you can say that, right? It'll still be in the same Patons' Shetland Chunky Tweed in brown, but I have to wash the yarn to straighten it out and wind it all again.

And scarves... it's time to find all my scarves and shawls, perhaps a new shawl pin - a girl needs a new accessory for fall, right? - and start thinking about fingerless gloves.

Ah fall. Soon I'll be wearing handknit socks in the oh-so-cute maryjanes that just came in the post courtesy of Beyond the Rack. Hm, I wonder if I'll be able to wear a cute beret this weekend? Can't get one's head get cold!

The only sad part? My watermelon plant and my eggplants have not quite fruited yet. The watermelon vine has a few miniscule watermelons on it and the eggplants are still just leaves. Perhaps it's good that I bought new shoes.

Welcome to Saskatchewan - in Brief

2010-08-23T16:27:00.002-07:00

Here's the breakdown with some elaboration. I was going to make a larger post out of these rough points, but I'm not so inclined anymore as I'm leaving tomorrow and have one more post to come after this one.

Travel from Abbotsford to Calgary, 2hr45min layover - Nothing really at the $20 or Less store, a belt that didn't fit and a purse that didn't come in the colour I wanted. Oh well, maybe tomorrow there will be something new. Otherwise, I got an iced tea lemonade from Starbucks and a bagel with cream cheese at Timmy's, then enjoyed the free 2 hours of wifi at the Calgary Airport. Damn right it should be free, last time I used the wifi in Calgary I had to buy a subscription!

Calgary to Saskatoon; WestJet Winglet Wednesday photo, whole seat row to myself - This was one of the best flights ever because I had all the seats to myself. I got to put my carryon bag under the next seat, I put my magazine and iPod on the seat beside me, and I put the arm rest up. I also snapped my Winglet Wednesday photo that I will upload to Twitter (follow @WestJet and your photo might get re-tweeted!) tomorrow while I'm in Calgary airport again.

Quickest exit from Diefenbaker Airport EVER - this was truly amazing. Dad & Kathy met me at the airport, getting in just minutes before I came through the terminal, and then my bags were among the first off the carousel! We were out of the airport within 15 minutes of me landing! That just goes along with having the whole row of seats to myself making it one of my best flights ever. Let's hope tomorrow's trip goes as smoothly!

Gas stop in Blaine Lake; free laying hens – 21 not 2! - So because the drive from Saskatoon airport to Canwood is roughly two hours, we often have to stop for gas halfway, which is anywhere from Blaine Lake south of the Petrofka Bridge to Marcelin or Leask, which are around 45 minutes from Canwood. So we stop at the gas station in Blaine Lake and Dad is perusing the notices on the bulletin board outside when we all spot the same one at the same time: "Free 2 laying hens" and a phone number. So Dad goes up and snags the page, when I say to Kathy, "Oh my gosh, that doesn't say 2 hens, it says 21!" Dad comes out after paying for gas and exclaims his excitement that it's actually 21 hens rather than just 2, thinking this is an amazing bargain. Meanwhile I'm picturing my father driving back to the farm with 21 hens inside the cab of the truck, all clucking at him for one reason or another. I know he wouldn't have them in the cab of the truck, but still, the image is amusing. More on chickens in the next post.

60 pounds of peaches awaiting me - I was informed the day before I flew out here that there was fruit to be canned and due to Kathy's Parkinson's she needs a hand with some of it. No problem, how much is there? Yes, 60 pounds of peaches, and about 20 pounds of nectarines. Kathy and I bottled roughly 20 pint jars of peaches and nectarines. But it was fun, it went smoothly.

Gorgeous 14 degrees Celsius & some clouds; this is the first I’ve worn socks and a sweater in WEEKS! - Considering I left home after a stretch of 30+ degree weather, I'm thrilled to experience a chill that doesn't come from standing in the refrigerator door.

Satellite TV means 300 channels and nothing’s on - Sometimes there really is only Jerry and Maury on. Glad I don't pay for a satellite dish at home!

That's all for this one, I have another post coming in a little while, Dad wants some help with his kohlrabi salad.

I never thought this would happen...

2010-08-09T00:37:00.006-07:00

I've always joked that because my cat - Lucy - is largely an indoor cat, she likely wouldn't have any idea what to do with a mouse if she caught one.

Well, Lucy has answered that question tonight, she GOT one!

It's even a little black mouse, caught by my fat black cat. She didn't seem too concerned that I was picking it up and putting it in a plastic bag to go out to the garbage, she looked kind of disappointed that it wasn't playing anymore.

She's gone back outside, I wonder if there will be another trophy at the back door soon?

Your Local Neighbourhood Criminologist

2010-08-01T05:51:00.000-07:00

Attention people in my neighbourhood:

If you do something stupid like have a loud, rowdy party with drunk people arguing, throwing bottles down the street, or just some drunk broad yelling like she's on a bull at a rodeo: I WILL CALL THE COPS AND REPORT YOU.

You all know I'm a criminologist and was hit by a drunk driver, so don't look surprised when the squad car pulls up.

Summer Reading

2010-07-29T23:18:00.004-07:00

It's time for the summer reading list again.

Okay, so the bottom four I've had for quite some time, and yes, I'm almost finished Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, but heck; I've heard so much about Larsson's Millenium trilogy that to see the first two available in paperback was too good to pass up.

Oh, and the Koontz? Well, Coles had a buy-two-get-one-free on paperbacks. My mom will probably read that first on their vacation and I'll read it... sometime... probably not until after my thesis. Which doesn't look near as imposing as this stack of books does.

Updated Knitting Meme from 2009

2010-02-10T01:38:00.004-08:00

Originally the idea was to mark in bold the items that you have knit, italics for the ones you plan to knit, and leave the ones you haven't done in plain font. In order to reflect the things I have done since this last list, I'll be marking them in red bold just to make them stand out better.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting (I have no idea what this is)
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money (not recommended involves lots of knitting very little money)
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding - the wedding is coming up this summer
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting (I was a total failure at that…. not enough time)
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public Now I knit even MORE! :)

SUSHI!!

2010-02-10T00:52:00.003-08:00

If you've followed me over here from the Ravelry group Terminal City Yarn Wranglers' thread about Sushi in the lower mainland, thanks for coming by! If you've read my blog before - and perhaps wondered why I haven't posted since last VD day? Good question! Consider this the impetus to revamp my blog, which may or may not include a name change and perhaps even a venue change. Am I happy with Blogger? Or is it time to test out LiveJournal or Wordpress? Oh the choices!

Yoko Sushi & Noodle House at 16013 Fraser Highway in Surrey. We've been there often enough that all the servers recognize us, know what we want to drink, and that 9 times out of 10 we're going to get the sashimi box and that 10th time I'm going to do sashimi and maki a la carte, usually a rainbow roll.

I live in Cloverdale and am lucky to have four sushi restaurants nearby when only a few years ago there was just one, and it was at least a sign that Cloverdale was ready for raw fish. The first sushi restaurant was O.E.C. Japanese Restaurant at 5827 - 176 Street in Cloverdale, run by a Japanese family willing to be on Cloverdale's maturing tastes.

The location was initially perfect because 176 Street had a left-turn lane to take you south direct down 176 Street which is Cloverdale's "Main Street" as well as a northbound lane to merge with traffic coming up Pacific Highway from South Surrey & White Rock. However when they re-engineered the road accesses and blocked off that left turn lane to head south, but even more odd, they blocked the quickest access to Pacific Highway for our BC Ambulance Service station, located next door to the restaurant. At any rate, the traffic pattern change makes getting to the O.E.C. restaurant a bit more of an effort but hey, two wrongs don't make a right, so happily three lefts will still get you there. The restaurant had been closed for some time due to a family emergency in Japan, but thankfully it has re-opened and according to recent reviews on dinehere.ca it's just as good as it was when they opened.

My favourite sushi place right now is the one closest to me, Umami Sushi at #205-17725 64 Avenue, in the Cloverdale Crossing complex (176 Street & 64 Avenue). It's a small place, a few tables, a nice counter, but I'm usually doing take-out. Great fresh fish, and real crab in the california roll, too.

I was at first sad that my Taco Del Mar closed, but perhaps it's a sign because sushi is so much healthier for me and sometimes easier to digest (Crohn's + refried beans = unstable tummy).

Then there's Nikko Sushi at 5676 - 176 Street, Tanuki Sushi at 17617 - 56 Avenue (aka Hwy #10), and Sashimi Sushi just down the street in the Clover Square Village complex. I haven't tried these ones yet, so I suspect a sushi tasting marathon might be in the works!

Thanks for stopping by, and if I do decide to jump ship or just spin off to another blog, there will be a link for future visitors to know what's goin' on. And if you check me out on Ravelry I'll post any new blogs there, too.

VD Day... it's about me!

2009-02-14T01:11:00.004-08:00

I have a looooooong history of having a dislike for VD day. When I was a kid I loved the big books of die-cut Valentines you could get with the vintage designs and the fold-your-own envelopes. Then Valentines came pre-cut in boxes with Barbie, cartoon characters, and became marketing tools for Mattel, Hasbro, and the other toy companies. Transformer and G.I. Joe? They're not about romance! I guess I was disappointed with the commercialization of VD day at an early age.

It didn't get much better after I started dating, mostly because I was a late bloomer and didn't date until I was near my twenties, and rarely had a boyfriend when THE DAY would come around. A few times, but not often.

My last long-term, serious boyfriend, on our last Valentine's Day together, decided he wasn't feeling well, so instead of making dinner for me on his day off while I was at work all day, we went to the pub across the street. Yay.

So this year, my VD weekend will be about taking care of **me.** Stripping the bed tomorrow to air the pillows and feather bed, and putting away the winter blanket. Folding all the clothes on my bed and my chair and putting them all away, or at least in neat piles on the floor until the other blankets find space downstairs. Then heading to Starbucks at the bookstore to read the paper and knit either in a comfy chair or outside with a latte. Then the afternoon is shopping with my friend and her little girl and dinner out with them. I may even buy myself some yarn. Then I'll come home for a hot bath, maybe a facial, and sink into the aired-out feather bed & clean sheets.

Sunday is laundry day (I know, but I love doing the laundry), tidying up in my basement so I can find space for my Wii Fit board so I can start my yoga program and get some of my overflowing yarn & crafts under control. If it's sunny, the sheets and all my handknit socks are getting hung out on the line, and I will start looking at my herb planters to see what they need for the coming spring, maybe start some new herb seedlings in the workshops. In the evening I plan to re-do my red haircolour and my blonde chunks in front, and maybe get my mom to cut some layers in the back to take some of the bulk out of my hair, it's looking bigger than my ass these days.
Then I'll weave the ends in on the Bonsai Tunic I've been knitting and block it so that I can start wearing it before the weather warms up too much.

So basically, as long as I do what I want to do, I'll have a good VD day.

A Knitting Meme - Just for fun

2009-02-05T23:56:00.002-08:00

Here's the deal... mark in bold the items that you have knit, italics for the ones you plan to knit, and leave the ones you haven't done in plain font. Sound good? Cool...

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting (I have no idea what this is)
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money (not recommended involves lots of knitting very little money)
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting (I was a total failure at that…. not enough time)
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Wow, I knit a LOT!!!

Happy New Year! Welcome 2009!

2009-01-02T00:19:00.004-08:00

I don't like making resolutions, it sounds so lofty and makes it seem that there are things I have failed at in the past year, which only serves to make me feel negative about my past year. Instead I think about things I want to change and then set achieveable goals for myself. Having Crohn's disease for over 20 years my health is directly affected by stress and diet, and I have made some very significant changes in the past year. Unfortunately my Crohn's has returned recently, which means a few more changes need to be made, but again those are achieveable goals.

In 2008 I made the goal to drink more water as I dehydrate easily, and I achieved that. I quit eating popcorn because of the risks to my health and I have followed that even though I desperately love popcorn at the movies. I have largely given up potato chips in favour of brown rice and multigrain chips. I switched from 1% milk to skim milk, and have added low-calorie soy milk to my cereal, coffee, and chai teas. Soft-cooked oatmeal with my own spices, brown sugar or cane sugar and frozen or fresh fruit instead of instant oatmeal packets. Brown rice instead of white rice. Raw, organic, unbleached sugar instead of refined white sugar. Whole grain breads instead of white bread. More salad and vegetables to keep my vitamin intake up and keep that "full" feeling, and taking my damn vitamins in the first place.

But I've also become more adventurous in my recipes, and have embraced Indian and Thai flavours instead of the usual "Western Chinese" recipes loaded with salt and sugar. A few hot pepper flakes and spices to stimulate metabolism and make portion control easier. Lentils and beans, couscous, and falafel instead of potatoes. Whole wheat pasta and vegetables in my pasta sauce. And the days when I know vegetables could be difficult on my digestion there is always tomato juice and V-8 juices. Sparkling water with lemon and lime instead of sodas. Fruit and yogurt instead of pie and ice cream. And of course I want to cook more, bake more, learn to bake my own bread, and make my own frozen yogurt and gelato using my ice cream maker. And put my crock pot to good use.

I wanted a Wii Fit to encourage me to practice my yoga at home instead of a once-a-week class, and next week I am returning to my local Curves to rebuild my muscle tone and stamina. And when the weather gets better I want to spend more days at the driving range even if I'm not up to a whole round of golf. Also because I just love hitting with my driver and watching that ball sail up to 300 yards and think to myself, "Wow, did I hit that ball that far?" and impress my boss who has been my golf coach since I said I wouldn't mind to try playing.

But the new year isn't just about food and exercise, it's also about creativity and completing things that have been started or are merely ideas in my head. That means cleaning up my workspace/knitting space/yoga space. Getting rid of the things I haven't needed/wanted/looked for in three months or more. That's the biggest job, but it can be done, even just a little at a time. But that's the way everything can change, just a little at a time, and build on the steps that have been achieved towards the larger goal. And that's the key to tackling any big goal. First step: purge. Clothes, papers, knick-knacks, books we won't read again, get rid of the "beauty" products I no longer use that are taking up too much space. I may even purge shoes.

I knit obsessively and need to practice using my spinning wheel to create my own yarns. I buy more Canadian-made yarns and indie-dyer yarns to support creative women whom I respect and who have great talent for mixing colours. I want to knit more for other people and encourage more people to explore their own creativity and their crafty sides. I want to embroider more, given that there are very cool embroidery stencils to bridge the old-fashioned practice of embroidering home linens with modern and exciting patterns. I want to learn needle felting.I want to sew more, I can't justify spending the money on clothes that I can save by sewing them myself. I want to sew the ultimate knitting bag and a knitting needle roll to keep all my good and favourite needles in one place. I want to paint more; I know there is a painting in me that needs to come out, and practice will set that painting free. With the money I save on not taking my local yoga class I plan to take an oil painting class to explore my abstract side. I want to try freeform crochet and see where it can take me. I want to dye my own yarns because painting on canvas can be translated to painting on yarn. I want to open an Etsy shop for my jewelry and creative items. I want to attend craft fairs and create incredible knitwear that people will ooh and aah over. Socks, fingerless gloves, finger gloves, jewelry, and stitch markers.

And I will finish my thesis and graduate in September. I want to teach full-time for a year or two and then start my PhD studies.

It's going to be a full year, and it helps to have a positive view.

So what's going to be new for you in 2009?

Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2008

2008-11-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

It’s a knitting magazine. I must buy it. I didn’t even look inside, I just grabbed it out of the magazine rack and it was mine. Along with another $85-some-odd in yarn that I either needed or just had to come home with me and live in my stash.

Am I thrilled with the magazine? At first I would have said no, but after writing the review and now typing it out, I have to say yes, I’m very glad I picked it up, it’s going to help me out a lot in the next few weeks.

There are some great patterns in it that were completely worth it for me. Most notably is the Frost Flowers Stole by Charlene Schurch. The lace is so delicate and looks just like a frosted window pane, I’d have bought the magazine even if this was the only pattern I liked. It seems serendipitous that I picked up two skeins of Fleece Artist silk “seconds”. They’re called “seconds” because they’re a test colour that may not be continued. These particular skeins are a beautiful Easter-y yellow-and-pink, perfect for the stole pattern. :::Sigh::: add them to my growing queue.

Another pattern I’m happy to have found was the Aran Isle Slippers by Jennifer Lang. A traditional loafer-style, these slippers are knit in aran-weight/10-ply yarn with a cable-paneled upper vamp, seed-stitched surround, and stockinette soles. In sizes for the whole family, these just might be the solution to the dilemma of my Dad’s Christmas gift!

Need another quick-knit project that looks great? There are two armwarmer/fingerless glove patterns with different looks to satisfy your recipient. The first pair comes from one of my favourite designers, Veronik Avery with her Arrowhead Arm Warmers. I love the look, the lacy pattern, and especially their elbow-length. They’d also be an easy pattern to turn into fingerless gloves, which I just might do.

Have someone who likes slightly different designs or details? Caroline Bautista offers her cable-trimmed Helix Gauntlets with buttons at the cuffs and around the knuckles. Great details, I’d never thought of cuffs on gloves before.

Something else I’d never thought of? Knitted lace curtains. Annie Modesitt’s Sheer Bathroom Set is lacy and delicate, and I don’t know if I like the curtain set better or the lace insert idea in the shower curtain. But I do know that the next bathroom I decorate - hopefully mine! - will use at least the curtain pair, I have glass shower doors around my tub.

Don’t think there’s enough to entice you to pay the cover price? Sign up or log in to IK’s Knitting Daily website and you can download their Staff Project feature with four ornaments and a mini gift bag which could doulbe as an ornament itself in Ozark Handspun, or your own favourite handspun yarn.

There’s also sweaters, hats, scarves, blankets, embroidery & embellishment tips, and a gorgeous Delft Pillow from Eunny Jang, but I was looking for quick gifts to finish up my Christmas knitting list. Thanks to the Aran Isle slippers, I may yet get my Saskatchewan parcel mailed in time without having to pay priority shipping! So it was worth it for me. Now to wind up that Easter-egg silk…

Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine Fall/Winter 2008 - Premiere Issue

2008-11-10T06:22:00.002-08:00

I recently knit myself another pair of fingerless mitts out of a single skein of creamy Debbie Bliss Cashmerino yarn and embellished them with lazy daisies and French knots in the same yarn. They look very chic with the cream-on-cream embroidery, and I feel very chic wearing them, even if only by association because they’re “Debbie Bliss”.

So when I saw Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine's Premiere Issue in my drugstore’s magazine centre, I wondered first if it was just going to be a 100-plus page advertisement for all things Bliss, so I am guilty for practically reading the entire magazine in front of the rack before making my decision. And yes, I bought it.

The first reason I bought it? She included her own recipe for English Tea Scones. A knitting magazine with a recipe! No, it’s not Martha Stewart (thank goodness!), it was just a neat surprise. Plus product and book reviews, interviews and questions for other knitters/designers, a store profile, and… PATTERNS. Ohhh the patterns.

A series of gray patterns from silver to charcoal featuring sweaters, socks, a dress, and a great messenger bag. Another series of candy-coloured feminine sweaters all paired with girly skirts and dresses, a nice layout. Home decor patterns, kitchen decor (I must make the egg sweaters!), a needle-roll case, baby and child treats, and… a set of four, very classy, stylish, MEN’S SWEATERS!

I’m convinced that the Millford - somehow there is a typo in my copy and it was titled “Shawl Collared Sweater”, thankfully it’s changed on the Ravelry pattern link now - and the Cabled Hooded Top could cure the boyfriend/fiance “sweater curse”. I almost want a boyfriend so I can test this theory!

So happily, it’s not just one big Debbie Bliss ad, there’s a great range of my much-anticipated advertisements with bright colours, listings of yarns and shops (both brick-and-mortar and those online), and lots of other patterns to ooh and aah over.

But there is a downside. Looks like I’ll be out another nine bucks each time, but at least it’s only publishing seasonally.

Stuff teh internets taught me about me...

2008-09-22T20:03:00.005-07:00

According to the personality tests found on Blogthings, I have learned the following things about myself. I am:

68% goth
24% sociopath - interesting
thai food - exotic and interesting, but people don't know why
chopsticks (what utensil are you) - simple yet exotic to some people
chai tea (what kind of tea are you?)
yoga (kind of exercise)
Sweden (what country are you?) - hockey doesn't make me Canadian?
a horrible 1930's wife - too outspoken & controversial
spaghetti with pesto (what kind of pasta)
arson (what crime would you be)
condiment: salsa!
slogan: "Between love and madness lies Kelle." - interesting
dance: ballet - duh
cereal: corn flakes - blah
disturbingly profound
total braniac
recipe for Kelle: 3 pts Passion, 2 pts Intensity, 1 pt Cleverness, splash of Enchantment
date style: sassy
a fiery redhead - duh!
what kind of breakfast food: eggs; grown-up and traditional
green tea Pocky
76% healthy eater - that must be where the 24% sociopath comes in
an excellent cook - how do they figure that?
a tuna fish sandwich (what kind of sandwich are you)
fish (what kind of meat)
a Boston cream donut - no cinnamon sugar?
7-Up (what kind of soda)
Jones' Holiday Smoked Salmon Pate soda - WTF??
mashed potatoes at the Thanksgiving dinner; it holds everything together
lemon meringue pie (what kind of dessert are you)
Bloody Mary (what kind of mixed drink)
cheese pizza (what kind of pizza)
cayenne pepper (what spice are you?)
a pistachio (what nut are you?)
a fudgesicle (what ice cream treat are you)
a banana (what fruit are you) - even though I hate bananas
chocolate shake (what shake flavour) - dramatic & sophisticated
salty personality; comfortable in male environments
strawberries and cream (what kind of dessert are you) - fresh, uncomplicated, with no facade

Thank goodness for the internet, I might not know who I am without it!!

Missives from SMH Ward 3 Orthopedics - Weekday Report

2008-09-22T19:51:00.002-07:00

Originally emailed
September 18, 2008

Hello Poppets! and various university & professional friends & acquaintances...

What's new in the loony bin, y'all might ask? Lessee, I've been here since September 7th and I am finally feeling ready to get the hell out of here. Once my IV drip is discontinued I get to wear my own real clothes even though I'll have a saline lock - the IV bit stays in my hand, but they'll only attach the drip when I need antibiotics or other meds - but I won't be inconspicuous enough to sneak out on my own. Darn!

I have new roommates. I've counted that I've had 9 roomies in the 11 days I've been here. I'm now referred to as "the mascot", and even the hospitalist (the doctor on-call who cares for everyone on the ward) said I get a gold star for being one of the best-educated patients they've had. I even downloaded a PDF of my Remicade info to my phone and offered to beam it to him for upload if the nurses needed a manuscript on it. He just looked at me in awe. I am truly a geek.

So back to my roomies... Beth from Bed C went home and hopefully is doing well. The lady who has taken her bed is going home tomorrow, but she's so quiet you'd never know anyone was there.

Anyone who missed the saga of Mr Whiny-Pants in Bed D should be sure to ask me to forward that one on, I was so unimpressed with the "ironman triathlete" with bad blood pressure and no pain threshhold, whose brother was concerned about him having a "warm, caring environment". But thank god the nurses got the doctor to discharge him. I was ready to impale him with a blunt-ended IV extender. Or hang him off the patio by his IV.

Mr. Castillo ended up occupying Bed D for a couple days but he went home yesterday afternoon. His wife and sons were here the first day, even him mom and sister came at dinnertime for family dinner, but they were so quiet you'd never know there were six people in there. Unlike me with Sheri, Melissa, Kristie, Anthea, and Les all in my room last night, even when my specialist came in to check on me!

Bed B until yesterday had Donald. Poor Donald, he fell in his nursing home and broke his left hip, so the poor bugger was out of it, had some dementia going on, didn't know where he was or why he was there, and he kept stripping his blankets and gown off, yanking out his IV, and pulling out his catheter. Needless to say the poor guy had to get tied to the bed so that his leg would stay in traction and he didn't get naked or pee all over the floor. Remind me never to get old.

But Donald, being an elderly fellow and recovering from his second broken hip, slept most of the day. And the night. And because he's in traction, tied down to the bed, and out of things on morphine, he pretty much slept in a near-upright position, mouth open like a gaping venus flytrap. During the day, you can understand it, even put up with it, because it's the day and there's other stuff to do like listen to podcasts. But nighttime, for an insomniac who is up peeing every freaking hour because the IV is running at 150 ml's per hour, you really want that hour of sleep before you have to get up again. And seriously, I have the cleanest urine on the freaking PLANET! I could sell it for a fortune if the Olympics & Paralympics weren't over!!

So it's 3am, and Don is sawing logs. And I mean it. A chainsaw has nothin' on this poor bastard. A bull moose in mating season would be scared and horrified. And it wasn't the nasal snoring, we're talking the open-mouth moaning with air intake like the winds are howling past the Matterhorn or through the fjords. And of course, this is all after I've been here more than a week, the hospital food actually tastes good (but my tongue is so coated from antibiotics that I can't taste anything for real!), and I haven't worn my own pyjamas in about three weeks. I am now scouring the linen cart every day to see if I can find the "good" IV gowns, the ones that are cut a bit different and fit me less like a burlap potato sack. I didn't have a good one the other day so I took my scissors to one end and made some "alterations" to the one I had. Yes, I vandalized hospital property. But I figure after over 3 weeks in here, I can cut a hole in one freaking gown.

If you hadn't noticed, I tend to digress... but back to Don, or "Skippy" as I misnamed him the other day when I had a morphine moment. Skippy got left in the room that night because the doctor ordered him atavan at night to keep him from pulling on his goodies and stripping naked, so I got to hear the full decibel range of his moan-snoring. And I was so tired, and tired of peeing, and tired of gowns, and tired of my super-fun electric bed, that I found myself negotiating with a comatose man at 3am, pleading with him that if he would just close his mouth and stop snoring, I would fetch him water, call his children for him, and even talk with him in his lucid moments so that he wasn't by himself. I was even at the point that I said I would even consider going to a Church when I got released to thank God if He would just make Skippy stop snoring.

Then I thought, maybe God is mad because I called him Skippy and He's getting back at me. Referring to Don as "Skippy", that is, not referring to God as "Skippy," I'm not retarded. Anthea and Kristie, do not roll your eyes at me, you both know I'm not retarded, according to Les I just have no "filter".

Finally I got to sleep, Don had a quiet moment - or he stopped breathing with sleep apnea, I really wasn't concerned at that time - and the world got better.

But good news; Sheri, Kristie, Melissa, and Anthea were all here when my specialist came by (Sheri & Anthea claim it's because I needed witnesses so I can't lie about when my parole hearing is, Kristie agreeing that I'm using my "faint hope" clause) to say she was ordering my Remicade (hooray!!), and that depending when the hospital acquired it for me, I could be here until maybe Sunday or Monday. The pharmacist came up to see me this morning to tell me that they don't stock it normally (because it costs about $4200 per treatment for me) and that it could be a couple days before it would come in, but did I happen to have any at home. Yes I did, thank God, and they let me call my mom to bring it in so I could have it prepped & administered today. As we speak my meds are dripping and I just feel that little bit better knowing the light at the end of the tunnel has a skyline and it isn't the train from the oncoming rail. I'm still being conservative in a Sunday-Monday discharge because of everything that's gone on with me, but definitely a 48-hour waiting period.

So folks, that's it for me, the laptop battery is just about drained, my internal batteries are nearly drained, so I'll be on the mend. My mom may not come by till later tomorrow, but I am in contact.

I just have one more thing to say to everyone, and that is a massive, and yet somehow incomplete-sounding thank you. I have the best friends in the entire English-speaking world. I know not everyone has been able to come out and visit due to other commitments, family obligations, jobs, or your own health concerns (to which I say PLEASE take care of your SELVES first... I need to have healthy friends!!), but the emails, cards (I just got it today Kate, that was so cool!!), messages passed on through friends, text messages, and phone calls/voice mails have been so greatly appreciated. I have not truly realized how lucky I am until this episode, and I thank each and every one of you for your thoughts, hugs, good wishes, concerns, jokes, and offers of helping "off" my questionable roommates. Of course my mom deserves the biggest thank you, for coming to see me every day, for bringing my laptop, and learning how to send & download my email and even restart my wireless network (yay mom!!) so that I can remain in contact. If you get a chance to talk to my mom, maybe give her an extra pat on the back for being an incredible mom to me, despite what a rotten, spoiled, yarn-hoarding, shoe-collecting, purse-squirrelling, brat of a child I've been in my 36 years.

At least I'm not hiding sugar packets under my mattress.

Missives from SMH Ward 3 Orthopedics - SUNDAY EDITION

2008-09-22T19:47:00.005-07:00

Originally emailed
Sunday, September 14, 2008

Hello all, just a quick update from the happy ward.

First off about me, I'm doing well. My creatine level from my kidneys is down to 180 today from the 260 that it was at its highest point. That means I'm recovering well with the IV fluids, likely won't need to see a kidney specialist, and there likely is no possible outlying kidney disease. Such a relief! It also looks like I can get the greenlight from my specialist to have my Remicade treatment this week. Still no word as to when I'll go home, Remicade is an immune-suppressing drug and with me having been so sick I can see Dr Prest keeping me here a couple extra days to ensure I'm safe to go home. At least there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not me sitting in oncoming traffic in the wrong lane. :)

It's Sunday in the hospital which means that despite any quiet going on, there's still the usual comings & goings, but it means that people with free time think visitors' hours are just a rough guideline. Started off this morning with getting my morning morphine shot - god that's a lovely phrase to say! - and watching some man with a coffee wander through my ward room looking at one of the patients asleep, then eyeing up my bed and my breakfast tray. The nurse and I are looking and she's saying, "Can I help you?" while this old duffer tells her something about the man next to me in bed B and his fractured hip, that if he wakes up he might not know where he is. Well I learned that last night when he'd wake up and say to me, "Hello there... are you my nurse?"

In bed C is a cool lady named Beth recovering from a third reconstruction for breast cancer and double mastectomy. She's my hero; she was up the day after surgery doing her own self-care and today we went out to the patio off my nurse's station for twenty minutes or so. It was great to be in the sun for a few minutes, it felt so good out there. Her story rocks, I totally want to send in something to the breast cancer society about her, she's just awesome.

Then we have bed D. In bed D we have Mr Youngish-Mid-Thirty-ish Man who has somehow broken his leg and needed surgery. The bit of the story I caught while pretending to listen to my iPod was that he was "doing something stupid and it caught up" to him. So I'm not sure what the stupid is, but somehow it appears to be terminal. But the best part? The whinging. Oh my god, you'd think they'd lit his foot on fire he claimed to be in such pain. He was whining and moaning and arguing that he was ready to crawl down to emergency for painkillers. The nurse's answer: "So you can move your foot?" They ended up calling the surgeon out of the OR to come look at him, to find that by cutting and loosening his dressing that it felt better, but no morphine. The surgeon was pissed. "I just cut into someone else an hour ago, I have to go back to surgery and I will check on you later. You can have Tylenol, but you don't need morphine." Then the surgeon muttered back down the hall about having been called out of the OR for this. Pissed. Me too!!

Then... oh yes, it gets better... he calls his brother at 10:00pm to come back because he doesn't think he's being taken care of properly. At midnight I realized there's still some strange man in my room and I complained that it's past visiting hours. The excuse? "We're concerned that he's not in a warm and caring enough environment." Please, the nurses aren't going to hold his hand because he has a pain in his widdle leg. I was ready to go over and ask him in my nice teacher voice, "Are you dying? If so, could you do it quieter? I can't sleep. Nurse! Can I have my morphine please??"

Oh yes, I make sure to ask quite distinctly that I want my morphine shot... I'll rub it in if I have to. I'm on prednisone, I can say whatever I want, it's the steroids talking. Oh that is going to work on so many levels for the next few weeks. Anthea! I have a new slogan...

Christ, it was better when I was outnumbered by the dementia patients who were strapped into bed each night. At least they weren't out roaming the halls and only jammering in polish.

Alright kids, this has been fun but it's time for the morphine to come around (I don't need it, I just want to remind Mr Terminally Stupid that I'm getting it and he's not) and mom to take the laptop back home and send my missives.

Darwin awards nominee... my Dad!

2008-08-18T19:25:00.006-07:00

It's the middle of August which means it's once again time to visit my dad and stepmom out in Saskatchewan for a couple of weeks. I arrived in town early on the 13th, and my first realization is that I am never going to take a flight that has me arriving at the airport at 5am again. But there was less traffic all around, and I got to have a little nap after arriving.

My first couple days here were fairly quiet, we didn't do a whole lot partly because I'm still recovering from my sinus infection and Kathy had a bout of food poisoning on Friday morning. Note: don't order a breakfast biscuit with butter at the Tim Horton's in Saskatoon off Circle Drive and the highway, the butter was off. 'Nuff said.

Saturday is auction day in Saskatchewan so we loaded up and drove out to Asquith somehwere south-ish of Saskatoon to check out an estate auction. We found a few deals, Kathy's son is moving out here in a couple weeks so she's been collecting household items for him at various auctions around the province and this one was no exception. And there's always the odd treasure in a box of stuff for $2 or $5, such as the blue glass oil lamp in a box of glass casserole dishes, and even a Singer yarn ball-winder in a box with plastic food storage contianers and a salt & pepper shaker, so I lucked out with a free ball winder instead of paying $45 easily for a brand new one!

Sunday we were sitting outside and enjoying the breeze instead of being inside the house, and Dad was looking around the yard for something to keep him occupied. Usually Dad is pretty good at relaxing and taking a break, but he decided that the dead branches in one of his trees was bothering him and he wanted to take them down. But how?

Ideally, Dad needed one of those "cherry picker" trimmers that has a long handle and a cutter on the end. But Dad doesn't have one. But what Dad does have is creativity and ingenuity. Dad has a truck. And a ladder. And a long-handled shovel.

So with some imagination that was - I'm sure - influenced heavily by Warner Brothers cartoons of Sylvester stacking furnniture in impossible positions in order to get to Tweety and avoid Sam the bulldog, we have this image:

If you can't see it too well, check out the flickr page here to see the larger image. Notice however that the ladder is in the back of the pickup truck and two of the legs are on the lowered tailgate.

Now while Dad wore real shoes to pick me up at the airport, he's been sporting his "town slippers" every other day we've wandered around as is his norm. They're starting to look a little beat-up though, his toe is poking through one slipper already and they're dirty as hell. This morning however, out to the grocery store I had to ask him in the driveway if he planned to wear any shoes at all today as he was still barefoot on his way to the truck. "Oh yeah... no wonder it feels weird."

Then we get down there and Dad forgot his wallet and bank card, and only has a five-dollar bill in his pocket and some change in the ashtray. Meanwhile I was popping in to the drugstore to get some acidophilus as three weeks on antibiotics has eliminated all the good bacterial flora in my tummy. We were only supposed to be a few minutes and meet back at the truck, but Dad wasn't back yet so I decided to check out another shop I hadn't visited yet. Fifteen minutes later Dad finally makes his way out to the truck. "There was actually a lineup at the Bigway and only one cashier on shift, and then once I got to be the next person in line I realized I forgot to pick up the eggs. Then there was another big lineup when I got back."

Then we get home and there's a message on the answering machine. Kathy reminding Dad to pick up cat food and aspirins. So he heads back down to the store. Five minutes later he's back because he still hadn't taken his wallet or bank card. Dad filled up with gas yesterday for $95 and I'm sure he burned $20 of that today in his three round trips to the grocery store for: a dozen eggs, coffee cream, bread, cat food, and aspirin. No wonder the people in town already know him.

I need to watch more Buffy...

2008-07-09T23:00:00.001-07:00

55%

OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets

FREE SPEECH SHOULD MEAN FREE TEXT MESSAGING

2008-07-08T14:28:00.004-07:00

Everyday Canadians are already paying more to use their cell phone than subscribers in the US and Europe, yet two of Canada’s largest cellular providers are planning to gouge you further.

Starting in August, many ordinary consumers will be charged a fee each time they receive an incoming text message – including spam and unwanted messages. My former plan allowed me to add on $5.00 per month for unlimited text messaging, both incoming and outgoing. But it appears that my $5.00 isn't enough for the cellular providers anymore.

It doesn't matter if you're an NDP'er, a Liberal, Conservative, a Greener, or a Marijuana Party supporter, nobody wants to pay more for text messaging. Help stop the text message cash-grab. Sign the petition now at ndp.ca.

Happy Belated Birthday, Canada!

2008-07-03T00:24:00.002-07:00

I'm a proud Canadian. I love my access to universal healthcare and access to prescriptions that would bankrupt me if I lived in the US. I can still get health insurance even though I have a chronic illness. I may have to wait a little while but I get to see the doctor I want to see, not the doctor my insurance is willing to pay for.

I teach in a university where individual thought, innovative ideas, and critical thinking skills are valued more than just your grades. Where my department nurtures graduate students and encourages us to nurture our own students in turn.

Canada is surrounded on three sides by water, and on the fourth by the longest undefended border in the world (except for the Minutemen and various other militias but we don't really worry about them). And until last year, our border officers manned our border crossings without guns.

I love that my home city is 40 minutes away from a major international tourism destination for the Pacific Rim. Even though I don't ski I love knowing that I can go skiing in the morning and golfing in the afternoon. I also happen to live only 20 minutes from the US Border, making it convenient to visit my friends who live in Seattle (one of my second-favourite cities in the world!)

I live in Surrey, one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada; Vancouver has the largest Chinatown outside of San Francisco; Vancouver is a nuclear-free zone and the home of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior. I work in the SFU Surrey campus, located in a major shopping centre, making our campus a unique convergence of commerce, business, and education. Sure, it seems weird that I go to school in a mall, but it saves costs for the University on food services (the mall has a huge food court and three other larger restaurants on the property), there is a range of retail outlets both small and large-scale, medical and banking services, and is next to a major transportation hub with Skytrain (similar to a monorail or EL train), bus exchange, and community recreation and other services.

I love sharing Canada's unique characteristics with people in other cities and countries. I look forward to my trip to France next summer, knowing that having the Canadian flag on my jacket and bags means I will be welcomed and accepted as a tourist. I also like that I haven't had to get a passport to travel to the US until this year, and happily it coincides with having to get one to go to France next year.

Canada is also a country with a proud history of our national policing service featuring the famous "RCMP Musical Ride". All you need to see is the maple leaf emblem groomed into the horses' butts to be convinced that those are some cool-as horses.

Canada is also a country of vast dichotomies. Hastings Street in Vancouver is itself both swings of the pendulum. East Hastings is home to the poorest postal code in all of Canada, yet only blocks away is West Hastings, home to some of the most expensive.

I can have dim sum for breakfast, sushi for lunch, butter chicken and naan for dinner, and finish up with perogies of all nationalities and cuisines for a midnight snack. Buddhist temples sit side-by-side with Christian churches, and everyone's Ukranian for "too much starch" night when all the Ukranian church ladies put on the monthly perogy dinner.

Oh... and if you think about it, dumplings are THE most Canadian food ever, they truly resemble the cultural mosaic. Samosas, spanakopita, potstickers (Chinese) or gyoza (Japanese), perogies, piroshki, dumplings, won tons... just like Canadians. Our outer wrappers look very similar, holding the secrets of our culture inside.

But I can't explain why we call it "Kraft Dinner" instead of macaroni and cheese.

An Interesting Meme

2008-06-12T01:22:00.003-07:00

The Rules:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

1. Grevillea Ned Kelly with native bee, 2. Black is Back, 3. Tweeds, 4. Noche de luna llena - Full moon night, 5. anthony bourdain, 6. Club Soda, Slice of Lime, 7. Montmartre, 8. Creme Caramel, 9. Statue in Maastricht, The Netherlands, 10. The Earth is God's Canvas., 11. searching, 12. The Chicken Coop

Breaking news..... literally!

2008-02-08T13:00:00.001-08:00

TO THE ASSHOLES WHO BROKE INTO MY OFFICE AND STOLE MY MONITOR:

You dropped $100 when you tried to rip the alarm wiring out of the ceiling.

It's my money now.

P.S. If you want your money back, call 604-585-4343 and ask for Stu Loutet to claim it.

Free online painting... okay not a REAL painting....

2008-01-06T23:52:00.002-08:00

Click here to create your own painting.

Take the Buy Handmade Pledge!

2007-11-19T23:05:00.000-08:00

Similar to the rule I instituted for my birthday of nothing unless it was handmade, less than $2, or a charitable donation, I have taken the handmade pledge. I might as well knit for Christmas since knitting for my sanity hasn't done anything. :)

Recent News in No Order of Importance at all

2007-10-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Greetings all, I have been asked for some updates on current things - most notably updates on Farmer Geb's escapades in farming (Are the cows home? Is the tractor out of the bog?) - so I thought I'd put together a post for those I don't see or talk to often enough to make sure everyone's up-to-date on the latest things.

Farmer Geb and the Boys

Well, I am sad to say that the cows have gone out on their last, long truck ride to the auction. However they made the most of their last week on the farm by managing to escape once again and send Farmer Geb out searching for them in the truck. And again they ended up back at Lester's with all their friends, so at least they had a good visit with all their buddies before they all went to the big auction house.

Farmer Geb's feelings on the cows going away: "Good riddance! They cost me time and money for gas driving all over looking for them..... got my tractor stuck..... hurt my farmer pride..... I've ordered a truckload of hamburger buns!"

He's threatening to make "meatloaf surprise" for Christmas dinner instead of turkey. I suggested we could have a "tofurkey" instead so that we aren't in danger of eating anyone we may have known.

Not So Home-on-the-Range

I'm going to have to start referring to Farmer Geb as plain ol' "Dad" again as he and Kathy are moving to Rosthern as Kathy got a new job with Yanke Properties in Saskatoon and it's just too much for her to be driving two hours each way to work every day. They bought a house in Rosthern last year as an investment property/possible other house in case Kathy kept working with the other company in 'Toon, so now they're painting and getting it in shape for moving in next month. So my first Saskatchewan Christmas will not be on the farm, but there's still 5 bedrooms and Dad still has a quarter acre to justify keeping the ride-on mower, but no room for cows. I'm also curious how he's going to get his "free" Christmas tree this year.

Thesis (yes it's still there!)

I'm waiting to find out if I am going to be shortlisted for a fellowship offered by the IMPART program. Their program coordinator has emailed me several times to ensure that all my required documents for the application package are received on time, even saying that my references can email their letters directly as long as they send hard copies to follow up. The fellowship is worth $18,000 at the MA level and you can either do your own research project (such as my thesis project) or they can get you onto a project if you don't have one already. They also provide you with training in an area of the field of women's and girls' addictions issues, whether that's in policy, one-on-one work, or anything you think you need more training about. I indicated that I would like greater training on drug and alcohol counselling in order to work more effectively with females who are entering or maintaining their recovery as well as how to recognize addiction and withdrawal symptoms of our popular street drugs.

The committee meets on Tuesday, so fingers crossed that I have everything in on time.

The Yarn Stash

It's growing. I know it is, and I'm enabling it. Part of it is not my fault since I have yarn to make the slippers that my mom needs for Christmas presents for the grandkids and for my other friends. Okay yes, I have a lot of yarn that I've bought just for me, but it's not a given that I'm keeping everything I make out of it. Yes, I like yarn, it's more that I want to work with the yarn than just make more things for myself. It's the process as opposed to the end result.

However I'm obsessed with knitting fingerless gloves right now, in various designs and using different stitch patterns. I've made three pairs in a cable stitch and quite like them, one pair in a lace pattern for my sister-in-law, and currently have another pair in a tencel yarn using a faux-cable pattern called a Spiral Column. I'm also in love with the new cowl-style shawls that I've seen on Etsy by a couple of sellers and am making one for myself to see how I like making them. There's no fancy stitches or lace patterns, the shapes themselves are easy, it comes down to choosing your yarn and using a large enough needle to knit them up quickly.

I'm also waiting patiently for my Ravelry invite. I signed up at the beginning of the month and at the time there were over 10,000 people ahead of me. Today there are just over 4,000 people ahead of me. Why do you have to wait to be invited to Ravelry? Because the site is still in beta and under construction and they don't want to let it go live and let people suffer through de-bugging. If you're a crafter and are looking for something a little less teeny-bopper-ish than Facebook, sign up for an invite and take the video tour; this site is going to be AMAZING.

That's about all I have for today, I need to get back to laundry, my lit review reading list, and my stash. Will send out more info after I hear back from the IMPART people. Fingers crossed for me!!

News from Away

2007-09-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

Farmer Geb reports that the tractor has been retrieved from the bog and is safe at home in his backyard. That'll teach him to try to use farm equipment to rustle his own cattle.

Kathy has a new job with Yanke property management doing commercial properties out of Saskatoon so they will be moving to the house in Rosthern (about a half hour outside of 'Toon) in November. This means that I won't be spending Christmas at the farmhouse, but the Rosthern house is still huge, a two-storey plus basement on a quarter-acre lot big enough so Dad can keep his ride-on mower, but not big enough for Dad to keep Chuck, Winston, and Ralphie.

I asked Dad today what happens with the cows since they're moving in November, and he said that they'll all be going to auction. Actually, the answer I got was "Burgerfest!" but after some discussion we agreed that we would not want to sit down for dinner and have "roast Ralphie," we'd rather have anonymous beef than remember the face it came from. Turkeys, however, are a different matter since a) turkeys are stupid and b) they're mean bastards.

This also means that Dad's Christmas-tree expedition will be drastically different. I don't imagine it'll go over very well to be driving through the suburbs to cut down a Christmas tree out of someone's yard, they're more likely to see us and call the police.

But Christmas will be a new adventure... new house, lots of bedrooms (apparently I get to decorate the one I'll be staying in), and something new for Dad..... neighbours.

This should be interesting.

Ahem...

2007-09-17T23:20:00.000-07:00

To the guy in the SUV riding my bumper while reading a book with his child in the backseat at approximately 6:04pm on September 17th on 168 Street southbound to 64th Avenue....

PUT THE DAMN BOOK DOWN AND
WATCH THE F*CKING ROAD!!!

Thank you.

And now back to your regularly-scheduled ranting.

Home Sweet Home.....?

2007-09-06T15:14:00.001-07:00

I am home. Back in my own house, my own bed, and my own cat. The parentals have gone on their holidays up to the Kelowna area and taken the dog - happy cat!! - as well as several other household items.

Now don't get me wrong, I am perfectly capable of going to the store to pick up milk and bread - I like skim & soy milk and multigrain bread anyhow - and anything else I may want or need. The odd part came about when I read on their note that they packed the dishwashing soap from upstairs but that there was more in the cupboard in the garage.

Oh sure, a six-litre refill bottle from Costco. Ever try to get one little drip of soap out so you can wash one coffee mug from a six-litre bottle? Not so handy.

I didn't even have a little squirt bottle in which to pour some of that six litres into! So I bought dishwashing liquid. But then the question becomes which brand to buy? Palmolive is on sale but comes in overly-fruity scents of orange, pear-violet (as far as I know violets don't have a scent), and the ubiquitous "you're-soaking-in-it" original green. Method the biodegradeable brand only had two scents available, mango tangerine (too fruity) and french lavender. I have the french lavender biodegradeable cleanser cloths, but the interpretation of lavender in the dishwashing liquid was still too floral somehow. So I bought Sunlight in grapefruit scent, which was both on sale, a bonus 18% more (woohoo me!), and it smells very clean and bright. Interesting how one can have this much choice just for dish soap!

But the best part of being home has to have been my first night back home in my own bed, hearing the sounds I haven't heard in over three weeks like the white noise of traffic, the faded whistle of the freight train, and the giant SUV slowly roaring through my neighbourhood with the drunk guy yelling out the window, "DAAAAAVE! DAAAAAVE! WHAT HOUSE ARE YOU AT??? DAAAAAAVE!"

I got up, knocked the cat off the windowsill (YEOW!), and yelled, "SHUT THE F*CK UP AND GO HOME!!"

God I love Surrey.

More Things I Learned About Saskatchewan

2007-08-31T18:28:00.000-07:00

1. Garage sales usually start on Fridays, on Thursdays if you're planning to go up to the lake for the weekend.

2. The sign "garage sale" does not necessarily mean that there is a garage.

3. As well, "farmer's market" does not necessarily mean that anyone there is a farmer.

4. The tractor is still stuck in the bog. The farmer who owns that field has threshed around it.

5. There are entire towns that do not have ATM machines.

6. There are about a zillion different varieties and interpretations of the genus "perogy".

7. All interpretations of perogies are yummy.

8. It takes about an hour to get anywhere with a good farmer's market and an ATM machine.

9. The Red Bull restaurant in Radisson has great perogies.

10. The best chinese food is in Cudworth.

Multinational Corporate Enterprises in Saskatoon

2007-08-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post this one last week after we had returned from our day in 'Toon, but I wanted to put it out there anyways because it may be interesting for those who have never been to Saskatoon.

So here goes.... imagine the Wayne's World dissolve to indicate a flashback.....

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

We spent most of yesterday in Saskatoon, Kathy had some appointments then she was flying out to Vancouver for a week for some unfinished BC business. Saskatoon is a nice little city; yes there's a Starbucks, it's on the Saskatchewan River, the University campus is really nice, and many of the houses on the University side are heritage-style homes. But there are also a lot of what are called "prairie bungalows" in the semi-urban stretches. Those are ranchers with basements, apparently, but they're not called ranchers with basements. Whatever.

What I found odd - or enterprising, however you want to view it - were the number of these formerly residential properties that are used as commercial businesses, and the number of them which house two different businesses in the one space! For example, the "natural healing" clinic which also has "U-Haul Rentals" in the single-car garage. Not sure how that works. Or "Debbie's Dream Home Service" who also runs "Debbie's Diet Centre". I guess if you don't fit into your dream house Debbie will help you slim down to fit in there. Provided you're only using the U-Haul from the single-car-garage natural healing centre. Granted, these days we can find the mortgage broker, real estate agent, and conveyancer all in one office, but at least those things are related! I'm curious how someone decides they'll open their natural healing clinic and rent U-Hauls at the same time; what market is there that we haven't discovered?

Today is being spent at home, it's extremely windy out today and actually quite cold. It rained for most of the night so hopefully the clouds are just blowing past us today since it's supposed to get better for the weekend. Still have not gone a day without wearing a sweater or long sleeves, and have not yet worn my shorts. We heard the wolves howling last night in the rain and I went through the house and on the sun porch counting pets and kittens to make sure all the "urchins" - as Dad calls them - were all accounted for. Haven't gone out to check on the ones in the garage but the kittens on the porch are all fine.

Anyone want a kitten? I can take a pet on board WestJet in my carryon baggage.... :)

Tractor Watch

2007-08-25T22:39:00.001-07:00

It's still stuck in the bog.

Caught On Video: JAILBREAK

2007-08-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

Just when you think you have everything under control....

After this video, they got out a second time and all three of them were in the yard eating the grass. Dad was considering sleeping outside with his giant flashlight and is thinking of installing motion-sensor lights if they get past the pump house.

This is why farmers in the old days had cow bells.

Growing Trends in Canwood, SK

2007-08-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

We drove in to town just to the Co-Op - yes, they have the Co-Op out here - to pick up a few things and outside there was a lady who had come to the Co-Op wearing........

.... her slippers.

Dad is not alone.

Cows No Longer on the Lam, page A2

2007-08-22T13:53:00.000-07:00

**Insert "Dragnet" theme here.**

Correctional officers at the Nestledown Road Bovine Correctional Facility are pleased to report that the cows are now back in custody. They were caught in a sting operation on the Wyatt Organic Correctional Farm where they were lured into a pen of other inmates and then segregated for transport back to the Nestledown Road institution. There were no outward signs that the escapees were upset about their remand, however security - in the form of barbed wire fencing - has been increased in the exercise area closest to the neighbouring grain bins, which have proved to be at risk for breach. Warden Farmer Geb indicated that patrols may be increased as well as more communication with neighbouring bovine correctional facilities. :)

Submissions from the Urbanites

2007-08-21T09:16:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Doe for this picture, I love all the Gary Larson (the Far Side) comics involving cows.

Happily we still know where the cows are, they're in with Lester's gang. Lester and his wife Bev and youngest son Jesse had us over for dinner last night, so it's nice to see that Dad has some nice neighbours. Very nice people, Jesse is a fiddler, Lester plays guitar and jigs/clogs and they both perform at festivals and competitions and such. Unfortunately I think Jesse was hoping I was about 21 years younger, there's not too many prospects for 14-year-old boys in Canwood.

Lester is an organic farmer out here; the cattle are all raised without hormones and with organic feed & hay, he doesn't use pesticides on any of his crops, and is even experimenting with a heritage grain called red fife. It hasn't been cultivated for decades, but there is a weekend called "Seedy Saturday" in Prince Albert where folks can bring whatever seeds they've saved, heirloom and heritage varieties, seeds from giant sunflowers or pumpkins, unusual beets or potatoes or whatnot, and trade or sell them. Lester got his red fife seeds from an old farmer at one of these swaps who was just saving them in a cigar tin for years, and they've been growing well in his fields. He not only grows it, but he threshes and mills the grain himself into flour, and then even bakes the bread. It's a different grain, he uses it whole-grain, and the bread is a rich light brown but still very light, and has a sweet taste to it. He does ship some to just a couple of artisan bakeries on Vancouver Island, but nothing on the mainland yet. I might have to get the new artisan bakery in Langley to give him a call and try it out, I want some of that bread!

We're heading off to Saskatoon in about an hour, Kathy has a couple of appointments before her flight to Vancouver at 4pm, then it's me & Dad for a week. I better get him to stop at Canadian Tire so I can get some gumboots in case I have to help with the rounding up of the steers.

I'm picking up some postcards while I'm in town today, so if you want a postcard, please email me or leave a comment with your address so I can make sure to send enough out. Some may be typical touristy postcards, but some of you may be lucky enough to get some painted postcards.... provided I'm ambitious enough :)

BTW, it's windy and cold. I brought a pair of shorts to wear if it were warmer - like we always think it is in summer on the prairies - but it's COLD! I wish I'd brought a second sweater, it's a bit chilly in here! Even the cats are all cuddled up in blankets. I may have to buy some more yarn and knit myself another sweater! Hmm.... that could work..... :)

Post Scriptum

2007-08-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

The tractor is still stuck in the bog.

Thunderstorms, Lightning, Steers, and the Internet Goes Down and the Riders Game Called for Severe Weather

2007-08-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

It's been an eventful week at Farmer G's out here in Saskatchewan. Dad's friend Larry and his wife Toni came out to visit for a couple days bringing their two oldest grandchilden Jordan (6) and Ethan (5) from Edmonton to see what it's like on the farm. We drove them up in the truck to go see where the cows were (boy they travel around!). Jordan had a great idea. She said, "Farmer G why don't you just put them in the back of your truck and take them home?" The logic of a six-year-old is great. Ethan said, "Maybe you should tell them you miss them and want them to come home."

Even if Dad tried that they'd know he was lying. It's funny as hell because they stand all together, real still, looking at us like, "Oh crap there's that guy in the truck again! How'd he find us?"

After Jordan and Ethan left, Skyler (aged border collie/former flyball champion who doesn't know when to quit playing ball) had a half day to recuperate before my brother and his wife came for dinner with my nearly four-year-old nephew who loves to play ball with the dog. The cats weren't quite so trusting, they seemed to sense that "HE" was coming. Zack (nephew) loves cats but four-year-olds are a bit too excited for cats.

So of course Dad was excited to watch the Riders play Winnipeg on Saturday night. It was neck and neck, the Riders were coming back from a couple bad plays that cost them points to get ahead of the Bombers when...... BZZZOT!! Lightning, rain, the referee evacuated the teams from the field (the drunks in the stands didn't leave so quickly) and then CBC lost their feed as the power was lost at the stadium. I thought Dad was going to have a coronary. "18 minutes left! For the love of 18 minutes!"

At least Dad got to watch America's Got (No) Talent to keep him occupied and waiting, then we all decided we were too tired, we'd see if they played the remaining 18 minutes the next day. Nope, nothing on the tv channels that the 18 minutes were being played, and Dad kept missing all day the sports scores until the late news that explained they waited an hour, the weather calmed down, and they resumed the game around 12:30am. Just a bit late for some of us. But at least they won and are holding first place in the west.

Then we realize that we have no internet. No matter, it should be up by morning. So we think. Okay, one day without the internet, no big deal. Then Monday morning comes, still no internet, and I realize I have to get the Caucus minutes to Melissa somehow. I print them out and try faxing them, but the fax machine was busy. So what do you do when you can't send a fax? Go to the liquor store and buy wine. But that was fine, by the time we got back the internet was back up and running.

So things have settled down again, we had a quiet day with the wind and a little rain, getting our daily cow-watch report from various neighbours. Today it was Lester, he called to let Dad know that they are now penned up in his pasture and if he can manage to get them in his cow trailer he'll bring them home. So they might end up back in their pen here on the farm before I have to come home. Although it's not like I haven't seen them, we drive over and visit the cows.

I asked Dad if all three cows were charolais or if the brown two were simmental or limousin (my boss was a cattle rancher; knows the breeds by sight), he said they were "dead meat".

Which is, as I'm sure you all have surmised, how the cows will all end up.

Heading into Toon Town tomorrow!

UPDATE: Steers still missing, Farmer Geb calling off search

2007-08-14T23:10:00.000-07:00

Not long after the last post Kathy came in and said my assistance was needed in the herding expedition. I was a bit concerned since I don't yet have gumboots - an essential in the manual herding process - but she said that was okay, I could just herd them in the car. The plan was to go back out and meet Dad (he's the one known as Farmer Geb), he would drive the tractor out to where they were, Kathy would sneak up behind them and get them back on the road, then Dad and I would drive alongside to make sure they didn't wander off on another road or head into another field.

This was all happening according to plan when some dipsh*t comes along and drives about 40 km/h up past the cows, spooking them enough to make them run back into the field, kitty cornering past me and Farmer Geb, and back into another field. We drove down in the car near them, and they wandered futher into the field, watching to see if we would really come in after them.

By this time Dad and Kathy have slogged through some boggy, marshy parts of the fields, got water and mud in their gumbies, and the tractor is now stuck in one of the boggy parts. Farmer Geb may have to resort to hiring a couple of real cowboys on horses to round up and return his wayward cattle - " 'Toopid cows!" - and get Lester (who may never sell him any more cows after this) to help pull the tractor out of the bog.

So yes, I have seen the cows, but from no closer than about 40 feet.

And no, we did not have corndogs for lunch.

MISSING: Three Steers, call Farmer Geb at 1-306....

2007-08-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

Yep, the cows got out again. They had made another escape before I got here so I haven't even seen them yet myself. Dad went out on Sunday to have a look for them and did find them not too far away. He was herding them along with the truck - I know, new millenium farmers - when they spotted a ditch with some long grass and decided to evade him in there.

This morning about a half hour ago one of the neighbours called to say they'd spotted the cows only a mile up the road and another part mile eastward, so Dad's headed off in the truck to see if he can lure them back home. He's thinking perhaps that cows weren't such a good idea. Maybe ducks and chickens next year instead. Yes, he's driving around in his "town slippers".

I have to explain the "town slippers" bit. Last year, Dad and I were out running errands when we stopped at his pharmacy and I realized he'd been wearing his slippers. "They're my town slippers," he said. The truth of the matter is that Dad has a) size 14 feet, which are difficult to find shoes for, even in Saskatchewan, and b) Dad has bad ankles and if they swell it makes shoes very uncomfortable to wear. So Dad goes around in his town slippers, and either nobody notices or out here nobody cares. I'm going with the latter.

If it makes it easier, he has a good pair for going to town in, and an everyday pair for herding cows in. :)

More farm news as it happens, I'm off to work on my textbook edits and find out if Dad's really making corn dogs for lunch.

The Airshow, Airports, and Layovers

2007-08-13T08:38:00.000-07:00

I am on vacation, thank god. It's interesting how when you're going on vacation you can put up with more than when you're going home.

My folks were worried about the traffic for the Abbotsford Airshow so I said they could leave early to drop me off. I arrived at the airport at 12:42pm. My flight was scheduled for 3:30pm.

Okay, so I'm early. I entertain myself with the iPod - thank goodness for video iPods! I never thought I'd appreciate it so much! - and wait patiently to be able to check my bags. Once I do, I move over to the waiting area and watch a bit of the airshow before security screening, which I pass easily. Even the egg roll wrappers didn't get a second look.

But then we are informed that our plane hasn't landed yet because it's circling, waiting for the current airshow performer to finish his bit so it can land, kick off the passengers, clean the plane, load us and our bags, and take off again before the stealth bomber takes off in 20 minutes. I've never seen a more orderly airport crowd.

We took off within that 20 minute window, and interestingly enough we passed by the Canadian Snowbirds all lined up, I got within 50 feet of the stealth bomber as it was making its way around the tarmac behind us. It was pretty cool, I have to admit.

Calgary Airport is pretty nice, I must say. I've been there four times now and it's very well laid-out, at least the domestic departures/arrivals area is pretty good. The food court isn't bad, it's always clean, and the "$15 Store" is my favourite place in the airport. I promised myself I wouldn't buy anything there on the way to 'Toon, but there was a cute cute cute baguette-style purse there for - you guessed it - $15. I did inquire if they had many left and would there be one left on September 2nd and the owner said there were only a few left, it was the end of that line for the season and likely not. I had to get it this time around. Let's see what excuse I come up with on my way home!

So then I go back to the WestJet gates to wait for my flight to Saskatoon. Checking the departures board I find my flight number with a big "TARD" label on it, which quickly changes to the English word, "LATE". The revised departure time? 21:18; 9:18pm for you 12-hour persons. I was originally scheduled to leave at 7:50pm which would put me in Saskatoon around 9, and now I wasn't departing until after 9!

Oh well. Free newspapers keep me occupied for a while, chatting with another lady also travelling to Saskatoon passed some time, a grande dulce de leche frappuccino with whipped cream at the Starbucks outlet - thanks Jen M!! - and we were soon on the way.

I lucked out by having a nice fella to talk to on the flight, so that's always better too. Jeff was flying home after a family Harley riding vacation in Sturgis to his girlfriend and their newly-purchased house. It was nice talking with you Jeff, and hope you had a happy birthday.

And then arriving at Saskatoon. The WestJet crews are always a lot of fun, makes your later-than-expected departure much more bearable, and entertaining at the same time. I spotted Dad and Kathy on my way into the terminal and lo and behold..... Dad came to pick me up in his "town slippers."

More to come, the cows got out and we haven't seen them yet!

Working in between vacations...

2007-08-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

This is hard. I just got back from Seattle yesterday and am back at work today, fretting about what I need to do before I leave again for three weeks for Saskatchewan. I have my travel insurance in place already, but I still have a meeting at SFU regarding my thesis supervisory committee, several emails to send about that, more work, prescription refills and going over my packing list. I don't know how I'm going to manage to knit in and amongst these other responsibilities, but I think I'll find the time, it's about the only thing that doesn't stress me out at this point. :)

Tara's Birthday e-Card 2007

2007-06-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Hockey and Bomb Threats

2007-04-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a crazy week. The high of highs is coming for us Canucks fans (hopefully tonight) and yet it feels a bit tempered for me in light of the horrible incident at Virginia Tech, the controversy over the airing of the videotapes, and the subsequent threats that have occurred all over North American (including North Delta Secondary and SFU Burnaby). And yet violence on a local scale is also gaining more attention with the beating of the asian woman at the 29th Street Skytrain Station and the renewed call for greater police presence and the targeting of women for their purses.

Being a criminologist-in-training I understand the need to study these types of extreme events and the circumstances surrounding them in order for professionals such as those whom I work with to be able to better recognize warning signs and be able to perform more accurate threat assessments (the new buzzword in crime prevention). But at the same time, I agree with those who question the necessity of publicizing the videos and photos sent to the media. Are we simply playing to his desire for fame through murder by airing these images? Is our need for gore so insatiable that we are willing to glorify one man's obvious mental health issues while ignoring those who were arbitrarily chosen for harm? We will remember the gunman's name, yet in three months will any of us be able to name even one of the victims?

And just as we have seen with such other high-profile incidents such as Columbine, Taber, and recently Dawson College, such incidents are splashed across our televisions (and now our computer monitors), which we know incites other desperate persons to engage in similar actions. Are we not simply providing easy solutions to complex problems? We show these people that they will be memorable for the number of victims they claim, without much discussion about how we can better address their needs that have gone ignored for so long.

These events are rare and shocking, and yet we find ourselves fascinated by them. Particularly in the field of Criminology we wish to understand what leads people to this point; why the feel they need to take others with them into their suffering and spread their fear, negative self-talk, and visions of violence. Yet these events seem to happen with greater frequency, and yet we are still shocked by them. We do not appear to be any closer to preventing these events, as we have seen in the Virginia Tech reports that faculty and students were concerned about the gunman's state of mind and behaviours for more than a year prior to this incident.

So what's the answer? Better resources for people in need of mental health care, better attention paid to those reportedly displaying mental health problems, and better interventions for those who may be a danger to themselves or to others. Awareness in society is also important; while we are concerned with large-scale events such as school campus shootings, persons with mental illness are most often a danger to their own safety rather than a danger to the public. Persons with mental illness are more likely to harm themselves through alcohol and drug use, risk-taking behaviours, self-harm behaviours, and suicide attempts than they are to turn their depression outward and harm other persons. We need to be aware of people with mental health issues, but not be so afraid of them that we can't try to help them.

Back to the hockey game, perhaps some good news will lift everyone's spirits.

I got my school button done, but not a sock...

2006-02-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

I couldn't be a graphically-inclined person without creating a button for my school too!

Go Team SFU Go! Oh wait, that's just me.

Go me go!

Team Canada

2006-02-10T23:27:00.000-08:00

I just found the Knitting Olympics Team Canada blog and am hoping to join in before it's too horribly late. But since most of our men's hockey team isn't there yet, I'm hoping I can still get on the list!

Can I manage my responsibilities as teaching assistant for Crim 131 at the Surrey campus, my own courseload for Crim 863 at Burnaby campus, working off-campus, somehow starting my thesis proposal and research project and knit? One word:

crazy

But that seems to describe most of us knitters.

Mmmm.... yarn....

More to come!