Softly snowing, even in my head

It's one of those days, when the fog turns to snow inside one's head, it being December and all. An inordinant amount of strong coffee has been consumed and still the snow keeps softly dancing, and no clear thought can form in its midst. It is snowing outdoors too.

The good news is that the stole is done, and goregous, though I can't post a picture until after Xmas. So on to other Xmas projects. Do we hear it for socks?--omigod do we have a sock list, some of it from LAST Xmas (it's in my head with the snow). Sorries go out to all friends still waiting even if you don't know who you are.

What I'd like to do today: sleep (the usual low pressure system response), start the next shawl (waiting on yarn so that's not an option), or just about anything except what I'm supposed to do--edits and content creation for my current income earning project. Maybe having a wee snack of something with almond paste in it would help? I bought a pound of the stuff last week and will attempt to make myself an 'almond ring' with phyllo pastry assuming I can find instructions some where.

Okay, to make the work stuff seem more palatable I could have a look at my stove, to discover where the bottom oven element is and whether I can replace it and have a working oven. This thought (inspite of inner snow) follows on thinking about baking something. Haven't had a working oven since June, but recently discovered that the bottom element might be the problem and not the electronic panel as I first thought.

December makes me yearn for Xmas baking, mostly the baking part because I no longer eat much of what I make but love to have it to give away. So I will in fact make myself attempt the repair of the oven element soon even though it requires major physical contortions to get at it. I hate that beached whale thing when I get down on the floor and can't get myself up easily or with much dignity; imagine that and crawling, somehow, into the bottom drawer area of the stove. Sorry, can't take photos of myself doing that!

Nearly done spinning the Blue-faced Leiscester for the trim on my 'marmalade' sweater and hope to have that done as a Xmas gift for myself. Also have two vests in progress and many, many socks. Will start carding and spinning for the gansey I want to make during the Xmas break. There are always more projects in waiting than I can probably do in this life, but that doesn't mean I won't keeping on building that list. When inner snow isn't falling I find the list quite entertaining, exciting even.

Ah, excellent....

It's been a week to endure and grin, whether I feel like grinning or not. Did a road trip to St. John, NB Monday and Tuesday, to present for and hour and a half on my favourite topic--how to get boomers motivated to take on new life challenges, post job loss, post depression and the 'what the @!*# am I doing with my life anyway'? Been there, done that, continuously re-inventing myself and with more revenue sources would be happy to do so even more enthusiastically. So driving 1000 kms in two days isn't my favourite way to spend time, but as a) I didn't do the driving, and b) I got to knit most of a sock in good company while Amie drove, I have nothing to complain about. Besides I was out of the office-cave for two days and spent those two days in daylight--what a concept!

Meanwhile on the knitting front the shawl project continues to grow (at last, attempt 7 is working). If my other six attempts had been successful, I'd be done by now, but we'll call this a learning experience. And another shawl I'm contemplating will be started in January so I have a year until my deadline, not two months and I don't know what I'm doing. I love knitting denial, it is so very entertaining.

Sunday afternoon, listening to opera on the internet, having already schlepped firewood to the porch, laundry in progress and knitting soon to be.

My biggest frustration, always, seems to be that I can think up so much more I want to do, try, play with, than I have time to indulge. I've had my painting stuff out and ready to play with for months and have yet to put brush to pigment. I've only been at the spinning wheel about 2 hours in the last month, I need to map out my new web site and revamp content for the present one; I have a dozen knitting projects I'm just twitchy with wanting to begin; there are a stack of books to read; I've not written anything except blog posts (and haven't they be massive and often?) since the summer. One would have to wonder what one does with one's time.

Do we have a time theme here? What me, the 60 year old Capricorn late bloomer boomer worried about time? Nah, couldn't be. For the record--I don't want to work at a job, I want to play, all the time, everyday: as a writer, painter, weaver, spinner, knitter, gardener and amateur chef. I don't have time for a job; but without one I don't eat, so what to do, what to do??? Oh joy, your other name is Old Age Pension! Four more years....

Where does the time go?

Every weekend I have a long list of things I WANT to do and a much shorter list of things I actually accomplish. For nigh on a month now I have been struggling to get a stole project to work to my satisfaction and I'm still not there. That means the piece has been frogged now 6 times. Each time I try a different something--tension, yarn weight, or pattern. Each time my very inadequate understanding of lace knitting comes along to bite my behind. I'm getting into a bit of a panic now as this is a project for Xmas giving and I'm no where near where I should be by this time--ie. I don't have anything that works. Yet I've knit for hours over the last month trying to make this work. I'm usually good with technical challenges so don't give up easily. There's something about knitted lace that seems determined to defeat me.

This morning I decided to try something else so will frog back the current 12 inches of stole and give it another go. Last night I tried a different pattern--and don't like the look or the feel of it with this yarn. To further complicate my life I'm working with my own dyed yarn, and have had fun with that--3 dye lots now, only one of which I think works. I have one more skein that may go in the pot this afternoon and with luck it will be close to the dye lot I've got two of to make this work and give me the yardage need to make a stole, not a doily. One dye lot has already been over-dyed and won't work for this project, and one I think I can incorporate as a design element? or whatever. If push comes to shove I'll over dye the finished piece and bring everything together that way. Who knew this would be so annoying and persistently challenging. Apparently I'm unable to read gauge, yardage count or needle size--but then that's not exactly news. Note to self--read the instructions and pay attention! Would it be too much to expect that I could do what the pattern says? Rebel good, untutored knitting rebel, not so good.

I'd hoped to be able to use the new 'Harmony' needles I bought from Knitpicks, but I don't have the requisite size yet. Nice needles though, so will consider getting more sizes eventually.

I took some pictures in the woods on a walk with Pia and Freya (the dog) last weekend; now these colours and leaves are gone, what with a wicked wind and rain storm this weekend. Undoubtedly winter is not so far off. The time changed last night so it was dark today by 5:30. I've never accepted the time change concept, having lived much of my life in a part of the country where it is not entertained. Twice a year this clock fiddling annoys the crap out of me, still. It's been ten years of this nonsense and I'm not at all resigned.

October weekend

Fall photos taken recently in Mahone Bay where I go each Friday morning to get bread from the French organic bakery for the week. And the occasional treat, chocolate croissant anyone? This was the view from the market's location throughout the summer. Now the bakery will move indoors for the winter, to the Biscuit Eater Cafe--what could be better than that, I can get all the essentials at one stop.

Down with a bacterial infection this weekend so haven't been having any fun, haven't been to the B.E., or even had coffee for that matter. Mostly I've been curled up on the sofa knitting a top down cardigan from handspun. Just got the Japanese Sukori vest out of exile so I can finish that up over the next couple of days. Fiddlesticks shawl pattern nearly done, only 5 more rows, but as friend Cindy said, that's 2000 stitches. Not sure I wanted to know that. The cooler weather inspires me to finish projects faster than summer humidity does which is good considering how high the current UFO count is (unfinished objects). I'll post pictures as I get things blocked and ready to wear.

No spinning this weekend either, haven't been able to sit upright never mind move anything other than knitting needles. Ah well, there's always next weekend isn't there?

So Thursday I managed to do two 'smiley face' events, one of which got me written up in the Halifax paper. Very pleased with my wee speech and considering the state of misery I was in at the time, I'm impressed I stayed upright--though I won't make any claims for coherence for anything I said that wasn't in writing.

I'm to begin working full time tomorrow, but hey, I'll start that with a sick day, I'm sure I've earned one by now, even working part time. Still too wobbly to attempt anything much, and then I need a nap.



I thought this was a particularly lovely fall shot; from the farmers market up the hill where I buy strawberries, raspberries, apples, pears, potatoes, onions, cukes and all the other usual farm produce. Great place to shop from June through December.

Fleece Judging workshop

The day started with a demonstration of shearing. While I've seen shearing before, I was more than pleased to watch as the instructor showed how to get the crud out of the way so that what winds up on the board when the sheep is done, is good useable fleece. Some folks I know don't skirt fleeces at all, and I hope that now the shearers and the producers will be clearer about the value of skirting everything obnoxious instead of rolling it into the fleece.





See, not a sheep turd in sight. And while I do appreciate the free manure washing a dirty fleece provides for the garden, I don't like the price I have to pay for it, ie. premium wool prices.

We learned to look for breaks, cotting, inconsistent staples, how to estimate clean yield, how to evaluate what was appropriate for the breed. And the instructor was clear (we needed someone with his experience to say this a number of times) that vegetable matter (VM), shit and pizzel stains were not wanted in a 'crafter's fleece' and producers should not expect to get spinning grade prices for fleeces that were dirty and full of VM. Bless you Morris says I. I've picked too much crud and VM out of too many otherwise lovely fibre to want to do that ever again. A little care by the producer and all will be well and I'll happily pay top dollar for their fleeces.

Here are the participants learning to judge fleeces laid out on long tables.

Knitting lace & listening to Pavarotti

I've begun my Fiddlesticks pattern lace project, after having learned how to install a 'lifeline' to avoid having to rip back to the beginning. Thinking at the moment that I should have a lifeline at every chart change on a knit row. This proves surprisingly easy to do with the aid of my beloved Knitpicks Options needles and a simple needle threader from the sewing box.

I have done a lace pattern swatch for another project I'm considering, but will need to check with the person I plan to make this for whether she wants a rectangular or triangular shawl. The one I'm making now is triangular, and the swatch is for a rectangle shawl from Victorian Lace Today.

What I am not doing is going anywhere near writing project work. All I can manage it seems are brief blurbs here or in my journal. I'm somewhat okay with that, and thoroughly enjoying the knitting time as well. It is very hot today and it seemed just the thing to sit on the sofa, listening to radio and engaging with the intracies of my first lace project. When I get weary of that, I'll work on the baby kimono sweater or any of various socks in progress.

After decades of listening to opera in general and Pavarotti in particular I was saddened to hear of his passing this week. A search of my iPod, which contains all the music I own, proved that I need to collect many more albums in order to have even a small representation of his work; two albums hardly counts. My wish list will expand considerably in the next few weeks as I begin to research what I want (note to G--iTunes gifts save on postage!)

I've enjoyed hearing all the tribute broadcasts this week on radio, though I could have done with hearing more of the range of Pavarotti's work instead of the same three or four pieces many times. My first wish is to have an early version of him in La Boheme.

Reading: Harry Potter, In Praise of Slow, Stress and the Crisis in Modern Life, Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop, Gladys Thompson's Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys & Arans.

And here's a pair of finished socks.

Not the greatest photos yet, but I'll work on improving that.

Are we having fun yet?

One of the rituals of autumn that I have participated in the last few years is to take Caitie shopping in the city for school attire. This means trawling through a long series of shops that cater to teen fashion at what is to me horrendous prices for the quality of the goods on offer. I recognize that fashion is paramount here, not durability, classic design or clothing that one can wear for several seasons and that I have to pretty much keep my gob shut about these things so I don't distress or otherwise take the pleasure out of the experience of this for her. But it is always a challenge to see money put down for things that either won't fit in a couple of weeks (or after the first wash) and that won't be wearable because they'll be a fashion crime by Christmas. Perhaps it is the weaver of near 30 years experience in me, but I demand a certain amount of quality in any garment I buy, and nine times out of ten will buy it used where I can buy better quality for less money. Then again fashion has never been a driving force in my life (see earlier post on being made over...) because I've never had the money to participate in that particular shill game.

My current goal is to create with my own handspun, a series of 'classic' knitted pieces to go with my standard khakis and jeans. The pieces I've made so far give me great pleasure and I feel good when I wear them. When I tire of a particular sweater or vest I can always choose to rip it out, and recycle it into another or simply pass it on to someone else via the donation box at the local hospital auxillary shop. My cost is primarily time.

I'm not suggesting that my young friend ought to do what I take such delight in, I just wish that what was fashionable for her age was of better quality, durability and price point, in a word, less disposable. I'd wish for precedent that things, including clothing are meant to last, and not to show up in landfill within the year. I'd wish for an understanding of the concepts of durability, quality and things built to last. Unfortunately these ideas seem to have gone out of the culture so it is small wonder that they are difficult for the young (or anyone) to grasp.

Pesto, oh pesto

Handsome eagle, ain't he?

I found lush bunches of fresh basil at the Farmers Market in Lunenburg Thursday so made up two batches of pesto in the amount of 2 cups for the freezer. This is pesto without butter or cheese so it actually goes a lot further than two cups may sound. If however I use this pesto as a pizza sauce, two cups won't go very far at all. I'll have to consider the best use of my little pesto stash, or perhaps make another 2 cup batch.

What hasn't yet happened is dill pickle production. The baby cukes are coming on fast they tell me at the market garden up the hill, but I'm not in gear to take advantage of the bounty. Perhaps tomorrow I'll see what I need to do to prepare, make a list of supplies and get on with it. We'll see, I may be compelled to spin for a good part of the day instead--which would be a different sort of comfort in the winter. Last time I made pickles I put up 18 jars of tiny cukes--each wee cuke needed to be scrubbed clean in several changes of cold water so the whole process took many hours. Tracking down sufficient fresh horseradish for my recipe is always a challenge as is peeling masses of garlic cloves. Barry and I usually did 50 pounds of cukes, and that with water that had to be pumped and hauled by hand, though with two of us working it only took a day to do that much. That was in another life or course.

Have begun spinning the fleece from Pia's 'Dottie' and oh my is it some lovely. It just flows onto the bobbin and I don't want to do anything other than sit there and facilitate such a wonder. Life as usual has a way of intervening and insisting on pesto making, nagging about good dills which won't pickle themselves.

Writing work on the current project has begun again, so spinning is reward for serious head work. But then so is talking to people, hanging out at the Biscuit Eater in Mahone Bay or knitting on the half dozen projects I have in the WIP piles. Began the Fiddlesticks Rainbow Shawl (3, count 'em, 3 charts to knit through!) today, though I'm knitting it in a single colour Zephyr called Ruby. Also knit most of a sock in handspun merino which is so lumpy that it looks 'handspun' as that is understood by the untutored. I have 4 skeins of this yarn which was the first spinning I did in over twenty years. I've improved considerably in the three years since and now couldn't spin such 'novelty' yarn no matter how hard I tried. Now ask me for fingering weight 3 ply--that I can do.

A very soggy day on the south shore of Nova Scotia today so I stayed in and played with fibre all day long. Even cleared space on the work table to try the wool combs I borrowed from Sharon, but there seems to be something missing in my understanding of the process for I didn't get the result I thought I would. The Cotswold cleans up nice however, even if the combing process needs some refinement. Will read the instructions I found on-line and try it again tomorrow.

Early August

'Tis the first week of August already. There has been considerable work done on the wheel this long weekend. I've begun to do the V-neck shaping on the vest I'm knitting and have borrowed a vicious looking set of wool combs from my friend Sharon. The last of the fleece has been washed and is laying on a piece of screening in the yard draining and hopefully also drying.

I visited Sharon to drop off a bag of qiviut which a friend will deliver to the Belfast MiniMill in PEI sometime next week. The hope is that the fibre can be de-haired and blended with something into a roving I can spin. It is beautiful but also problematic to card when I do not have a fine specialty card cloth option. I have a good pound and a half plus of the qiviut in a raw state and that's enough to make something fine and lovely--if I can get it processed properly.

Here are some pictures of the wheels in Sharon's studio. Two of which I covet (she knows, she humours me). The top photo is a basket of Louet roving, the next is a Reeves Norwegian style flax wheel, then we have a Wee Peggy from New Zealand, and finally the Bosworth Journey wheel. Rare beauties all of them, the first two have the covet factor for me...it's good to have dreams, eh?

Being made over

I spent the day in Halifax shopping in the best 2nd hand clothing stores for what I believe is called business attire. My personal style is on the order of, hey, this is comfy, not too ugly, a natural fibre and it works for me. Never elegant it's true, but I'm of the birkenstock generation and persuasion so comfort is very high on my agenda. Zoot suits, not so much. But now I have an image to foster: consultant and speechifying geek and comfort, while still important, is second to my image and first impression. Sigh.

Okay there were things I tried on that made me feel I was over 100, or shopping for my own funeral outfit, didn't buy those. There were other things I had to have and didn't buy because they were too expensive for used clothing; what I came home with were three jackets and two vests, all of it comfy for its type and adequate to the need to make a professional first impression.

Whaaaa, why can't I just wear handspun & handknit sweaters with dressy khakis? Not professional apparently, even when I feel proud as can be about the handspun sweaters. Clearly, not enough people in the business world share my taste for the handmade. And I'm deemed idiotic rather than competent for preferring my handmade casual style--as in you couldn't possibly have anything important to offer if you're dressed like that!

Next phase of this make over thing is to try on these pieces and make 'outfits'. Anyone who knows me at all well will laugh themselves silly at this notion of me and outfits. I consider myself completely outfitted for summer if I'm covered, wearing unstained clothing (always a challenge, that's what Shout is for) and have at least Crocs on my feet. Yes, outfit complete!

Actually the truly terrifying aspect of the next phase of this make over concerns under garments. I refuse to specify or give further details, all you need to know is that a forty year tradition is at risk.

Meanwhile, on the needles: a cotton tank top, a vest for autumn, a silk scarf in checkerboard lace, cabled socks, several pairs of plain socks in interesting yarns. Nagging to get on the needles: the Fiddlesticks pattern of the Rainbow shawl, done without the rainbow in garnet wool/silk blend; considering a legion of other projects but need to get more spinning done so I have enough yarn to swatch for them first.
I saw an interesting thing on a blog I read recently, a little colour bar that tells the reader how much progress has been made on each project on the needles, say 20% or 55%.

The lily surprise is from my garden. Last year the deer ate all the buds so I had no idea what I had, now I know, white and also golden lilies!

One of those delicious weekends

I'm just getting to the end of a weekend in which I actually had time to spin and managed to fill a bobbin with Blue-faced Leiscester for the fall sweater project. I so feel I've accomplished great things. Then there's the rebuilding of the stash room now that the production loom is installed in Pia's house. Oh, an organized stash--will I lose points for that, or gain them. There are points, one way or the other? Considered, briefly, that I could list the fleeces I have on hand, but thought that might be too worrying. Considered, for a slightly longer time, that I might want to buy a Patrick Green Triple Picker to help me get these fleeces into a spinnable state. Then I calculated the price; and so much for that idea, umm, fantasy.

Have begun sorting fiction books for sale. I have three piles, yes, no, and maybe. The object of this little game is to move everything possible into the yes pile, then actually get them all out of the house before I have time to shuffle them back onto a book shelf. Wish me luck, eh?

There was another wonderful concert at St. John's Church in Lunenburg tonight, the second I've been to in a month. A Baroque Ensemble called Tempest: cello, viola de gamba, violins, recorder, wooden flute, harpsichord and bass. If you get a chance to hear them, treat yourself.

Such delight for my senses this concert was, though I must say the seats in this church are miserable and the heat tonight no less so. Difficult to keep one's mind blissed on the music when one is in danger of melting or developing a permanent crick in the back, neck, knees and hips from the hard narrow wooden bench that passes for seating. The floor might have been more comfortable. But for all that for most of the concert I was indeed blissed. I didn't enjoy the tenor, but whether that is the fault of the musical style or the voice I'm not sure. Instrumentals, ah sigh, as lovely and memorable as the one really fine smooth scotch I've tasted, Langevulin (spelling?).

A perfect weekend then, delicious in many many ways.

To bed she said....

Work in progress, but not THAT!

'Tis summerish here, and today that means no fog and warmer temperatures. What I love about NS is just how variable the weather is. What me and the books don't love is 87% humidity in the house, though I suppose winter heating with a woodstove brings everything back into something like balance, but meanwhile it tries the patience and makes me sweat like a litter of piggies. Air conditioning would probably just give me snow in the house.

Works in progress? No, nothing in the writing line as yet, wait for the production loom to be safely moved to its new home, then we'll talk writing projects. So, w-i-p is a lace scarf knit out of many plies of very very fine silk thread. Same thread used to make the 8 harness silk satin at 90epi on the production loom. It makes me feel a tad nostalgic, but only a wee tad.

[pause for taxi service for Ms C and her friend...]

Supper completed, laundry in from the line, and two mesh bags of wool soaking in hot water and Orvus paste in the washing machine. This is a lovely soft white fleece from P and I'm really looking forward to spinning it up into fine sock yarn and then doing something fun with it in the dye bath.

Now the Cotswold, what will I do about the gorgeous Cotswold I have? Do I wait patiently until I can research and purchase combs and then comb this fleece, or do I just fling bits onto the carder tray and hope for the best? It is such lovely fleece that it seems to me to make sense to learn to use the combs and a diz, but I'm all for jumping in with my usual impatience and just getting what I get. I read recently that this fleece is called 'poor woman's mohair' and it certainly has the lustre and dyeing it gives luscious results whatever the colour.

I ought to be doing chores, vacuuming, organizing, clearing a path for the removal of the Lervad loom but I'm warm, weary and attached to a cold drink, my recliner and the macbaby. At least until I have to drain the washer and give the fleece a rinse in about 20 minutes.

The next couple of weeks will be summer busy, so I need to carve out as much time for the scarf project as possible so I can get it done in time to mail it for a September birthday gift. It would help immensely if I didn't have to take it apart every so often when confronted by a glaring error. Minor errors I'll live with, glaring, not so much. It does require a great deal of persistence when knitting the same 4 inches over and over again, so when I get to pull yarn from the ball I let out a cheer, yes, we're past the point of the last......umm, ____up. Way to go girl.

Considering going to Lunenburg after work tomorrow to see how close I can get to the Tall Ships in port. I mean if I have to walk from Mahone Bay or Blockhouse due to massive traffic snarls and zero parking, I'll be turning around for home without so much as a second thought about it at the earliest opportunity. I'm hoping to have a 'window' around 4:30 where I can get into town and find some place for the car and be homeward bound again by 6:30 or so.

Okay, so the strawberries are wonderful this year and I've made 16 cups of jam and have it stowed in the freezer for winter. I don't know how I found room, but I did. I know, I know, I've promised to excavate the freezer but I'm waiting for more information on the correct method, grid layout and possibly an historical artifact removal permit from the county. And then of course I have to carefully select my highly trained team. It could take years.

Spin, span, spun

What a glorious long (Canadian) weekend. I managed to wash another Cotswold fleece, beginning with a rain water soak or two and dumping the sludge onto plants and shrubs in my much neglected garden. The fleece then had a hot wash and a spin in the washer so it is now quite presentable. It still has enough 'eau de mouton' to be enjoyable but it ain't pissy rank.

Then there was spinning, many hours of it, while I listened to radio and the iPod depending on my mood. I've discovered the Putumayo genre recently and I'm definitely a fan. Knitting progress was made on the tank top as I watched the Rocky Horror Picture show (twice), Deepa Mehta's Fire and the first two discs of Season 1 of Arrested Development. Looking at that list I may have to worry about myself.

Spinning: I finished a bobbin of 'oatmeal' coloured Blue Faced Leiscester and am nearly done a bobbin of Louet's 'marmalade' colourway. I've quite a bit more to do as I'm spinning for a sweater project I plan to begin in the late summer.

Surprises: I have a textile book that I want to sell that is priced at over $400 on Abebooks & Amazon. How delicious is that? Then today I brought half a dozen books to a local book trader and sold 4 of them to him. I've just received an email asking me to pick up 3 of them because they are worth over $100 each and he thinks I should get that money. I take this as extraordinarly honourable and kind. So if you're in Nova Scotia, make a trip to The Biscuit Eater in Mahone Bay to enjoy this treasure as much as I do. Besides, he'll likely get the money I make on these books as I'll be able to afford more stops for coffee, biscuits, muffins and today's treat - carrot cake.

Time to hit the sofa and knit for the rest of the evening. Thinking I need to work on my shawl project (Bird's Nest pattern from Folk Shawls in silk and alpaca) or perhaps (dare I think it?) begin the Fiddlesticks shawl pattern I bought, I think it is a Feather & Fan, but then I'd have to use my hummm, profits (see above) to buy the yarn I want to make that in.

Time passing

Oh but I be glad to see the end of June, what with roofing and company, two part time jobs and too many things scheduled to do, never mind remember past the moment I did them. Bare (the company) was fun, and there was glorious seafood nearly every evening and one scrumptious smoked pork roast, while he was here; as well as two, count 'em two lunches at the Tempest in Wolfville; which lunches were so heavenly that I do in fact remember them. So that gives me two things I can recall for June. Well, okay, three, the pork roast was amazing. Let's hope that July goes at a much, much more reasonable pace so I can a) remember more and b) enjoy things much more thoroughly.

Ms. C, the teenage challenge in my life distinguished herself at her grade 9 grad by accomplishing the goal she set herself for the year--to make the Principal's Gold list for an average over 90%. Please heaven she will be as focused in grade 10 and beyond. The magic word is 'options' as in keep the grades up and that gives you some. Her goal a couple of years ago was to go to university entirely on scholarships, so she won't have a massive debt load. What? Do 13 year olds normally think like that?

After a long and interesting relationship I am now in the last stages of parting with my 55 inch weaving width flyshuttle production loom. It moves to its new home sometime around the middle of the month, where its arrival is anticipated with a great deal of excitement and possibly the counting of sleeps until it is installed. It will take two of us a full day to take it down and at least another day to put it back up in P's house. While I know how excited she is to begin to work with it, I'm excited to see what she will do to make it sing again. It could not go to a better home.

Half of my sixtieth year is now over and I can't say that I'm any closer to my plan to travel to Italy this fall. For one thing I don't yet have a passport and worse, can't find my citizenship paper to actually apply for one. Deadline for finding said document--midnight tomorrow. The bureacracy informs me by recorded message that if I have to apply to replace my document it will take them seven months and $75 to process my request. I wish I were kidding, I'm not. It should be easy to figure out that I am in fact a citizen of this fair land as I'm entitled to pay taxes and receive a pittance of CPP pension, have a medical card, social insurance number and some few dozen other pieces of related documentation. If Big Brother knows all, why does it take them forever and 7 months to confirm one's citizenship? I don't believe for a minute that they don't have all this information linked on some BB computer, a recent act of parliament respecting my rights to privacy notwithstanding.

Very little fibre work accomplished in June, only one pair of socks and minimal progress on my summer tank top. Don't say it, don't even think it. Tank top is navy with vertical stripes and very slimming, so there. Tomorrow, at long last, we spin!

Saturday was the World Wide Knit in Public Day, celebrated at the Biscuit Eater Cafe & Books in Mahone Bay with about 2 dozen other enthusiastic knitters. I was particularly enthusiastic about the company and all the interesting socks being knit. And you thought women carrying an array of yarn and pointy sticks might be dangerous? We're exceptionally well behaved unless you get between any one of us and caffeine or worse, chocolate cake.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, um well no, that's wishful thinking or astral hinting to #1 son. At the house, I mean, which is about to suffer the indignities associated with being scraped of shingles so ancient they likely qualify for historic artifact status, or at least the ones still on the roof do, the others (many, many others) are littered around the yard like so much black flakey pastry. I imagine this is not at all good for the garden.

Supervision for the installation of said new roof comes in the form of friend Bare from Toronto. This will be an experience for sure. He was last seen during our tour of Cape Breton music festival events in October. Presently he is on the VIA train somewhere in Quebec headed easterly.

Now if I can only get my self in gear enough to make a couple of loaves of my famous Dutch 'Breakfast Cake' I can consider the day well spent. Well that and fill the dishwasher will do it.

Note to self--always wear a ball cap when visiting Lunenburg. Discovered today just why this is so important. You want to be wearing something washable on your head so that when a seagull decides to crap on you, the shit doesn't slime your hair, only the hat. Please, don't ask me how I know this...

Isn't it great to be so in tune with nature that you know what to wear to be fashionable and washable? Who said I don't know what's what?

It is also fiddlehead season, which must last, what? all of three days. This is a culinary treat not to be missed no matter what the little suckers cost. Presently simmering some on the stove for supper, prior to dowsing them in garlic butter. I figure my arteries need the butter and besides isn't garlic good for me, stands to reason combining them will be even better.

Dyed some Cotswold fleece acquired during a visit to Ross Farm Museum last Sunday. Boulder Brook Spinners were there with wheels and spindles to spin all afternoon and talk to visitors about spinning. We had a great time, doing our spinning thing in public! The dyed fleece is an experiment to see how close I could get to the copper colour I want for a Lucy Neatby pattern called Faroese Flower Shawl. I did pretty good in terms of colour, never mind that I figure it will take me at least three years, yes years, to knit this. The pattern runs to 7 pages with another four pages of chart. Yikes. It may be too late in life to start such a project, even though I plan to live into my nineties--I hear the nineties are all champagne and roses, or at least mine will be.

I plan to knit the shawl in the Polwarth I've been spinning in fingering weight--only a bit left to do and I can ply up for the last skein.

A month of all manner of stuff, none of it memorable to record. Well maybe that's not quite true. Last month of freedom for a while, might warrant a notice. Began a job this week, part time, around my other part time job. So yes, I have two part time jobs which add up to full time and leave me very little (no) play time.

Twice this week I've travelled Hwy !2 to Wolfville in an attempt to connect with an Acadia ID card and computer. Was successful today thankfully. Next week I'll work from the office here instead of spending my time in transit between here and there.

Sunday the Boulder Brook Spinners will be at the Ross Farm Museum with all our gear/wheels and enough woolens to keep us warm. It is supposed to rain and not be more than about 13C on Sunday so it will be nippy in the unheated barn where we sit to spin. But with experience we'll know to dress for the day with plenty of layers. I need to organize a picnic lunch and plenty of coffee to keep me going. Caitie the 15 year old is considering coming along, though I doubt she's considering it seriously. Drove her and two other hyper giggling teenage girls to their last junior high dance. Between the scents they'd slathered on and the raging hormones emanating from them I had trouble keeping the car on the highway!

I now have two computers to use, my Macbaby and the Dell for work. Set up the Dell to recognize my router so if I have to work from home I actually have a wireless internet connection. Good for me, only took a couple of hours of fiddling to get that done--and still don't have the connection to the library I need. That'll wait until tomorrow.

Landed in an office for this three month part time gig, which contains too many used toothbrushes abandoned by the previous occupant as well as the remains of an enormous jug of Pepto Bismal. What can I deduce from this I wonder.

So the third day of the second part time job tomorrow and then a rest of sorts until Tuesday. Might consider doing some laundry and kitchen chores over the weekend, as I no doubt should.

I finished my 'Artisan' vest (pattern from Green Mountain Spinnery) in handspun natural Wensleydale and I'm still considering if I like it. It needs buttons and maybe that will give it the lift I think it needs. It is perhaps a bit stark, except for the luscious cream coloured fibre. Sometimes it takes me a while to warm up to a thing I make because of course I have to be critical of things like tension issues in both spinning and knitting (and this poor baby was definitely tension challenged!). It is a beautiful wool to spin and I'm hoping to do another project with it. Currently I'm keen on some 'oatmeal' coloured Blue-faced Leiscester and a dyed colour way of unidentified wool called Marmalade. I'm postively twitchy any time I see it at Sharon's studio so I go stroke the fibre in the bags because I cannot yet afford to take it home. Another down side of being on pogie and having every penny accounted for weeks before it even arrives.

Spent a couple of hours knitting at Sharon's today, working on the Sakori vest (Folk Vests book) now that the Artisan is done. A lot of plain knitting in this project and then I'm done with winter woollens except for socks which I plan to go at with wild abandon (I can afford wool for socks!) until such time as real and considerable income arrives in my life. It was such a miserable soggy day that I decided I didn't want to haul my Little Gem wheel, basket with wool and snacks etc. anywhere. It was simpler to take a smaller bag with my knitting.

It was cool enough in the house this evening for me to light a fire in the woodstove. I love to sit and watch the fire. Too bad there's not enough space in this room for me to bring a wheel in here safely (it would sit too close to the stove, not a good idea). What I do in this room is write, knit, or pick wool. And at that I've got it packed with too many books and bags of projects. As I complete projects I think for at least a minute that will mean that the pile will go down somewhat. Hah, that's a good joke. I simply move projects in from other areas of the house, to keep the pile constant I guess and never have to face that terrible feeling that I have nothing to do. Now what will I spin next I wonder, or do I need another skein to be safe that I have enough for the Sakori vest. I know, I know, I should work out the number of yards per skein and check that against the pattern, but what's the fun in that?

Mid-week blahs

My energy has tanked today; and why that should be so on a gloriously sunny warmish day I'm not sure. Possibly because it has now been two days without any spinning. Clearly life is not happily sustainable unless I spin something every day, it's either that or alcohol and as I can't afford the latter, spinning it will be. Think I'll have a salad for supper and then go to the wheel for some productive meditation time. Then knitting and perhaps a movie until bedtime.

Have decided that I need to WORK the next several days, prepare for the portfolio sessions which I'm facilitating next week and just generally catch my breath in terms of my work commitments.

The road trip was unsettling because we were asked if we wanted to present at a major conference in June. More on that when I have details and confirmation. Even more unsettling was news that the career resource centre in this town is very likely defunct. This is a terrible bureaucratic move, a waste of resources as well as a reputation for excellent work with clients which has been built over many years. Who is going to do this work now?--persons/organization so far unknown. And does that leave me any options to do contract work for the CRC?--I doubt it. It's the old 'one door closes, another door opens' but at the moment it seems to me that doors and windows are bolted and I have too few options for income earning in the immediate future. Much as I enjoy subsistence on pogie, it has a very limited run--until sometime in September. Then what?

Well I can always bury myself in books. I have a huge stack on loan from the library and the CRC. Books on the history of Naples and the library of the Papyri in Herculaneum, American Fascists by Chris Hedges, Work Identity, Narrative Therapy, Ellis Peters mysteries, and a knitting mystery. Throw in a few cutesy self-help books and knitting and spinning magazines and you have a fuzzy picture of what I'm entertaining myself with at the moment.

Meanwhile (I'm very fond of this word lately) I have to get off my duff and do something--either about supper or spinning but have been sitting here for an hour without the ability to make up my mind which it should be. That energy thing you know.

A long weekend seems a perfect time to indulge in some serious cookery. On a small budget I really needed to be creative and think I did remarkably well. Began my kitchen marathon with Savoy cabbage and Italian meatballs, a Marcella Hazan recipe. Then I made a paté with pork and veal of indeterminate age excavated from the freezer. From there I went on to Braised Lamb Shanks a la Rob Feenie-a spectacular recipe which fills the house with fragrance all afternoon as the shanks simmer. Tonight it was another Hazan recipe, Sausages & Cream sauce for pasta. Who says you can't eat well while subsisting on the 55% of your work income that pogie so generously gives you as an unemployment stipend. And everything makes leftovers so I probably won't actually cook again until next weekend.

But I do have to bake some banana bread or muffins to use up over-ripe bananas and as I'm going on a road trip (not long only a day trip to Truro) I need something for snacking in the car. I'm not that interested in moving now that the sausages & cream sauce and pasta are settling, though I'd best get at the task anyway.

Spun more silver coloured fleece this afternoon for the Sakori vest I'm making out of it. Worked on the artisan vest-but finding it difficult to crochet the edgings as I can't see the damn thing easily. Definitely need my glasses tuned up a notch or two because I'm going cross-eyed doing handwork lately or reading the computer screen.

Did write today, and completed my preparations to take the taxes info to the accountant. That was the work portion of my day.

Was disappointed last night that the copy of Auntie Mame (1958) wouldn't run past scene 18. The DVD is broken and badly scratched so it has gone back to Zip.ca for replacement. I have Little Miss Sunshine to watch again if I feel so moved, but I'll probably just knit for an hour and get to bed early. I have to be ready to hit the road at 8:00am which means for me a 6:45 stumble out of bed. Not a favourite thing to do, and must do this twice this week. Hey, I'm unemployed, what's with these early mornings anyway!

April Fools are continuing to call my phone--wrong numbers of course, early in the morning, late at night and all different folks. What is it about dialing the correct number that people don't get? I particularly enjoy it when I answer, inform the person that this is a not the right number, and they immediately dial it again. This just happened as a write this note. I mean it is annoying enough to get endless sales calls at supper time without a raft of wrong numbers as well.

Ah, a gripe, what better way to begin my new effort to write regularly on this blog. Perhaps I have nothing more interesting than the occasional 60 year old's annoyance to report, but I don't believe that's true or I wouldn't bother myself or you, dear reader.

I'm decompressing at the end of a lovely day spinning Polwarth top on my Majacraft Gem in Sharon's studio, and enjoying her teaching a young girl the finer points of drop spindling. The decompression was required as a result of a drive home in slushy rain and hysterical amounts of traffic for rural Nova Scotia. Traffic gets into this state on any weekend where stores may be closed for a few hours--what? we'll starve in the next 24 hours if we don't buy out the local grocery stores while we have the chance?

Me? I'm staying home and cooking for the next couple of days. And yes, writing a book proposal and working on the non-fiction project. I'm keen to justify my long coffee swilling visits at a local cafe or two, hanging about talking to people, which of course is so much more fun than work. Will spend some time at the spinning wheel for relaxation and to keep making progress on a knitting project with a spin as you go feature.

What am I cooking? Braised cabbage, because I have a tired cabbage to use up; and braised lamb shanks for Easter dinner. Have done my research on www.foodtv.ca and found two lamb recipes for which I have most of the ingredients--I'll therefore likely combine them in some way and make my own, that's usually how it works. Any excuse in both recipes, to use juniper berries.

Time to feed the woodstove and consider what I want for dinner--ah, yes, the last of the French onion soup would be perfect, a little glass of red wine and something in the chocolate way for dessert. Ciao!