Well, dear little blog, nearly everyone here is sick... and definitely everyone who is under the age of 8... including the bambino, who still manages to look amazingly cute even while he's sniffing and snarfling. I haven't slept in three nights... but hey... I've been thinking about you and I just wanted you to know that... So here are the highlights from the last few days (boogies aside...)
Jordan participated in the Canada Spelling Bee on Saturday - he was very excited and totally pumped... he was ready to go all the way (but also preparing himself for the possibility of not winning...) He studied very hard for it. Triumphed in Round 1. But erred in Round 2. He was crushed. He mispelled warmth... such an easy word for him. Had to be nerves. He was totally crushed. The setting was horrid, I have to say... it was set in the middle of the food court in the mall... could you find a worse locale?? The sound quality was an issue as well... ok, I know... I'm going on a bit... but I think things could've been arranged a little better to see the kids be successful, not stressed out of their witts. Well, Jordan didn't make it to the next round. After the tears, he was able to accept that he was a winner... maybe not with first prize, but he worked exceptionally hard, went to all the practices, and tried his best. He'll need to study more than just words for next year - learning how to focus better and tune out distraction. He's determined to do better.
Pre-competetion: cool as a cucumber
Sneak shot during Round 1: Cut the tension with a knife!
WIP News: Started a new project..... a test project actually... I want to make a blanket out of my odds and ends of sock yarn... inspired by: Shelly, whom I read about on Yarn Harlot (scroll down)... but I thought I'd test it out first. It's made up of a bunch of mitered squares and looks very cool with all the fantasitc colour changes that come with sock yarns. I'm nearly done Jaden's raglan, getting a little tired of blue... so I thought I'd set my hands to testing it out. Ya know what? These squares have awesome MOJO!!! Great info here. These squares get faster as you go (because you decrease stitches every round) and it's quite thrilling. Honest. It's like riding a roller coaster - the slow climb... then zoom... down the hill, and you're done. What? You don't believe me? Fine then...
So, my test project: I dug out a bunch of crappy yarn that's been kicking around... mostly squeaky acrylic... actually I think it's all squeaky acrylic... but Frugal Me says I shouldn't throw it out, some good ought to come from it, even though it's like knitting with steel wool. Ick. Oh well. THe wicked mojo makes up for it.
Square 1: (My internal conversation...does this look right? it doesn't look like a square to me... hey, this looks like underpants...)
By last night:
And tonight: thought I'd try a big square mixed in. Messed with the mojo. Me not happy. Oh well.
The colours look a little nicer in real life... honest. Just a little though. It's not the prettiest bag of stash... most of it is coming from a neighbour who had a yard sale last year, and after I bought a scooter from here, she said "Hey Jo, you knit... take this wool." (I hate when all yarn gets called wool... this stuff hardly qualified as "wool"...) So it's been occupying a corner, and it's about time I did something with it... get rid of it, or make something out of it. I'd like to get some nice wool to occupy that space!
Ooooo! big BTW... a yarn shop finally opened in Burlington. Gotta go check it out! Spun Fibre Arts - owned by my former naturopathic doctor... I couldn't believe it! Sit and knit is tomorrow. Gonna try to make it out...
Bact to the blankie... It's putting my in mind of Nan actually. she's knit/quilt/craft with whatever she had on hand. Her quilts may not have won any state fairs, but they grace every bed in this household and keep us warm during the long Canadian winters... btw... will it ever end? geez, it's cold! enough already... so I'll knit up these squares from time to time, when the feeling hits and I need some mojo... the finished project will be religated to the tv room, where the kids will use it make forts, the dog will lay on it, and anyone who feels a little chilly can snuggle into it.
This one's for you Nan. I'm calling "Home by and by." I miss you.
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