I'm back..

I have decided after a long hiatus to give blogging  another try.

Alot has happened in the past year and a half since I last wrote here.

I have done alot of knitting and joined a Scottish Pipe and Drum band as a drummer.

Okay...first off, the pipeband. I joined a small family oriented Pipe and Drum band out of Mississauga, Ontario. They are called St. Andrews Pipes & Drums. I started out wanting to play tenor drum but there was not a teacher to tesch me so I learned the Bass drum. I played that in a few parades and had fun but really wanted the tenor drum. In the meantime,I decided to learn snare...there was a teacher every other week so instead of not learning anything I decided to give it a shot. I was told that it will eventually help me when I find a tenor teacher. I enjoy the snare,but it is a bit too much for me I believe.

This past spring the Pipe Major of our band found me a tenor drum teacher! Unfortunately I have to drive about an hour to get to my lessons but she is great! I have only had about 7 lessons so far but I feel like I am improving each time and I am having fun!!! AND I got to buy some pretty tenor sticks!

On the knitting side, I have knit quite a bit. Not alot of socks but a few sweaters, a doll or 2 and a few other bits and pieces.

This is the Double V Cabled Sweater                                                  This is Iced

 

The Central Park Hoodie for DD

Central Park Non-Hoodie 

I knit quite a few pairs of Fiddlehead Mittens for Christmas gifts. In a variety of different colours. They were well received.
 

I knit Concentric Squares baby blanket a few times for different people.

I also knit a few of the Hudson Bay Inspired Baby blanket

I also knit this little Sally doll for DD.

There are a few other pieces that I have knit but can't find the photos of them.

Well I have to go and practice for my tenor lesson.

Keep on knitting!

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Just Knitting Pictures

Here are some of the items that I have knit in the past month or so.

Jacques Cousteau Hat


Dead Fish Hat - I knit 2 of them.


Felted Clog Slippers before felting


Basic Plain Socks

Plaid Socks

Braided Scarf

Operation Holiday Stockings - Canadian Style

Sleepy Hollow Socks - part of my Self Imposed Sock Club

I have also knit 2 pairs of wrist warmers, a Doll's Clothes (Dress, Mittens, Shawl, body suit, hat),

another pair of plain socks and I continue to work on my sweater. Hopefully I will have pictures of the projects soon.

Awesome!!!

I love this...

What I Saw On My Hunting Trip...

Whisky Jack eating leftovers

The view from out camp site

Since My Last Post I Have....

been doing a lot of things.

We have been slowly renovating PakMail. The corporate colours have changed and since the store has not been painted in, I'm sure the past 20 years. I decided it was time...The new colours are burgundy, white and a colour called Gardenia (it is a yellowy white). The old colours were burgundy and grey. Very nice, but also very industrial when in the presence of packaging material. LOL

Our lease was up for renewal and we negotiated a set of double doors for the front of the store with them. OMG what a difference. I can not wrap and strap skids of goods INSIDE instead of out front on the sidewalk! It sounds like a minor thing, BUT if the weather was bad I had to postpone the shipping date. Which can be a big deal for some shipments.

We also redesigned the mailbox wall. My store looks HUGE now! AND very bright! it is a much nicer place to walk into. Very fresh! The only thing left is to have the floor done....soon!

At the beginning of September, (Labour day actually) DS an I headed to St. John's, Newfoundland. DS is going to Memorial University for Physics and Physical Oceanography. Something he has always wanted to do!

I decided when he first applied that I would take him out there to get him settled. That way I could see where he would potentially go and hang out over the next 4 or so years. It's a Mom thing, to know that your kids is settled in and safe! LOL

We arrived Friday around noon in St. John's, with 3 HUGE suitcases, got the rental car and headed off to the hotel. Siunce DS had to register on the Sunday at his dorm, we decided to do aa bit of sightseeing on the Friday evening and the Saturday. We drove downtown and around the city to orient ourselves with what is where. What a gorgeous city! There are some funky coloured homes...

We even found a yarn store or 2...DS played with Franklin the dog in the one store. (That way I could wander around a bit longer!) A few skeins found their way into my bag...some sock yarn (BIG shocker there! LOL) and some yarn to make DS a Hat.

A Good Yarn, St. John's NL

On the Saturday, we went to Signal Hill and Cape Spear. Both were amazing places. We read that at Cape Spear we were closer to Ireland than we were to home! Very cool!

Signal Hill

DS at Cape Spear

Registration was Sunday morning...OMG the line...Talk about long, but the University had it all under control. I was amazed that we got in line at 8:30 (registration was starting at 9) and by 10 we were to the front of the line. The parents went to one spot for tea, coffee and breaky and the students went through the line for their Student card and keys to their rooms. Organized...Definately!

Once DS got his room key, we headed off to his dorm, suitcases in tow. DS is on the 3rd floor. Well HE muscled the suitcases, his fridge and all the other necessities that a University student needs to have in their room, up the 3 flights of stairs. We got him all unpacked, the bed made and everything put away and he decided that it was time for me to go so he could mingle with the other students on his floor. The dorm also had a bunch of activities for them planned for later that evening.

I left feeling absolutely unloved and rejected, and went off to get the final few things that he needed for his room. I picked up the last things (and a few extras!) and called DS to let him know that I had them. He told me to stop by and that he would come down stairs and get them from me...

Monday was Orientation...Both for the Students and Parents. I learned of all the services that MUN offers their students, how to cope with your kid not being home and what to say if they are having difficulty. After sitting through all the guest speakers, I definately felt better about leaving my "Baby" there.

Back to the hotel I went after a quick last visit with DS. He had a blast at his Orientation and the swag that he had...what a haul! He was telling me about the dorm and how he had met alot of people there. He was BEAMING!!!!

Tuesday morning had me heading to the airport, Alone...It felt really wrong...even as I type this my eyes are watering and my heart hurts a little bit! But I know this is the progression of having kids. You raise them all these years to get to this point in time, when they are becoming independent and all grown up! But as a parent it is still hard, one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life...

A week and a half after I got home from NFLD, DH and I went moose hunting in Northern Ontario. Well, we went LOOKING...didn't see anything but a small black bear.

It was a lovely week, it rained 4 out of the 7 days we were gone. BUT I was away and had the much needed break from the work world!

I knit a pair of socks for one of the guys in our hunting party. He was VERY happy to receive them and wore them up there to keep his feet warm.

On the drive home, I was working on the back of a sweater that I bought at the Kitchener Knitters Fair.

I have also knit quite a bit since my last post. I joined the Iron Knitter 2 competition and have so far completed 3 pairs of socks (and learned new techniques). I have knit a baby blanket, another giraffe, a few hats, a hot water bottle penguin cover, I started a pair of fairisle mittens, a sweater and another pair or 2 of socks.

Iron Knitter 2 Round 1

Iron Knitter 2 Round 2 (Intarsia)

Iron Knitter 2 Round 3

Pinwheel Baby Blanket

Kim's Giraffe

Dragonfly socks

Hot Water Bottle Cover for DS

Fairisle Mittens for me!

Currently I am working on Christmas knitting.

I will keep you posted on what happens next...
Keep on Knitting!

Once again I don't have any excuse for not blogging. Life is my only reason...

As you can see from my previous post, I HAVE been knitting. Alot!

Work has been a little slow, but seems to be picking up a bit. DD's and my dance classes are over now until September. I am looking forward to returning to class. I enjoy it quite a bit. We laugh alot.

Both DS and DD have been working this summer. DD in her coop as credit for school and DS in a full time summer job. Both have been getting up at the proper time by themselves, in order to get to work on time. Funny thing is that they can NEVER do that when it involves getting to school. I have to wake them in the morning and if they were up late the night before, they are really ugly! DS will hopefully be able to wake himself in September when he is a way at University. Speaking of University...I am taking him out to Newfoundland in September to get him settled at Memorial University. He has decided to take Oceanography. I don't know who is more excited about going...him or me!

I know I am going to miss him, but ever since DD & DS were little they would go away in the summer for a month and visit their father. He lives in the Caribbean. They used to go down to see him every summer from the time they were like 5 and 6. I had a hard time the first time they went, but each time got a little easier. I enjoyed MY freedom. It was nice to go to the grocery store and not have to take little kids with me.

But I digress.... If you take into account the length of time University students are away from home at one time, it is only like 3 months. With computers, cell phones, email, MSN and video calling, I don't think I will have a chance to miss him, or for him to miss me! Hopefully he will be busy with classes and new friends and all the other activities that go along with being at university.

I will be there for 4 days with him. We arrive on Friday and Sunday he can get into the dorm. Monday and Tuesday is the students orientation, and Monday there is one for the parents! I leave to come home on Tuesday afternoon. Hopefully we will get to do a little sightseeing on the Saturday...

We have been picking up some of the things that he will need...bed linens, towels, etc. Because of the flight there we are limited to what he can bring...we will have to get the bulk of the stuff there in St. John's...thank God for Walmart and Zellers! I can't justify spending alot of money on things when we can get them at those stores.

This weekend I will be attending a meeting with our (DH and my) hunting group, to make some decisions for our hunting trip in September. We are going moose hunting again and I am very much looking forward to getting away from the hustle and bustle of my store. I love the customer service aspect of my store, but it does get a little tiring...

Sunday is the PakMail Annual Golf Tournament. Last year was the first time I was able to attend and DH and I had fun. I am NOT a golfer, in fact last year was the first time I had ever golfed. I have been a few times to the driving range but never on a golf course. This year we are attending again, but my father will be joining us. It hopefully will be a good day. I will let you know how we did. Last year DH and I won the Horse's Ass trophy...in other words we came in DEAD LAST!!! BUT in my world the main thing was to have a good time and we did...this year should be about the same!!

That's it for now....I will try not to be so long between posts...

Happy Knitting!!!