My Baby is Growing Up! and I'm Not sure I'm Ready!

DD arrived home Sunday March 16 from her winter camping trip up in Haliburton. From all the stories I have been hearing I have to say that Snowshoeing camp was successful. AND she even brought something to knit while she was away!

Tuesday, DS informed me that he wanted to get his G1. So he and I jumped in the van and headed over to the DriveTest Center. DS stood in line and did what he had to do to get it done! I sat in the waiting area and knit my socks. He wrote the test and passed with no problems. DS is now in possession of a Temporary drivers license. He is patiently awaiting the permanent card version to arrive in the mail.

I thought I was ready for this but now I'm not so sure... On Good Friday I promised him that I would take him out for a 'driving lesson'. He was SO excited. We went to the local mall parking lot and he drove around there for about an hour. DS did really well. He backed into a parking spot, drove around obstacles and a few other thing that I could think of. Basically he got used to my vehicle.

A few evenings later he drove on the road, from our house to the local Starbucks. It is a good thing that DH has nerves of steel. He sat in the front with DS. I sat in the back. I think that sitting in the back seat is a really bad thing because I have NO control of what happens in the front! My nerves were shot! The boy did really well for his first time on the road, only 1 sort of close call but nothing serious and DH fixed the problem. But in defense of the boy it was dark out AND his first time on the road with other traffic. I think it will take a few more times out before I feel a bit more comfortable with the whole idea of my baby driving! He is planning on taking driving lesson from a professional too!.

Saturday evening we (DH and I), went to visit MIL. We took her out to dinner for her birthday. It was a lovely evening.

This year DD's 15th birthday landed on Easter Sunday, so we celebrated BOTH. We went to my Dad's for dinner. It was great! Dinner was to die for and the company was good.

Della and I went to our LYS in Ancaster. It was the first time I had been there. It was a great place. The yarn that they have was amazing. I have not seen that much sock yarn in one store before. I joined the World Yarn Swap again on Ravelry. I got few thing 'Canadian' from there. I hope my Finnish girl likes what I got for her!

On Tuesday Mar. 26 I finished DH's Gentlemans socks. They seemed to take a bit longer than usual but then I don't knit size 11 that often. I am happy with how they turned out. I like the colours and pattern together. They don't to conflict with each other.

On Tuesday evening, while waiting for DD at dance class I started a new pair of socks.

BIG SHOCKER!

I started the Charade socks. I REALLY like this pattern. It looks really cool and is very easy to memorize. I am using Arequipa yarn that is made with alpaca. Man is it soft! I love the colourway. I wasn't sure when I bought the yarn if I would like it our not, but I do. It has browns in it and some subtle pinks and purples. The pattern is a simple enough one but looks a little more sophisticated than a plain stockinette sock.

Somewhere in the middle of my hectic, nervewracking week DD, Della and I managed to go to our Knitting get together. The BurlOak knitters are a great group of Ladies! We had alot of laughs, a few giggles, some shocking and exciting news, oh yea, and we knit too!

A Sad, Yet Happy Time!

What a week!

The anchor has sunk.

It is with great sorrow that I write this post. On Wednesday, March 12, in the early morning hours, FIL passed peacefully away. He is in a better place now.

We, DH and myself, went to visit him on Tuesday afternoon where he was not looking well at all. He was not very responsive until just before we were leaving. He managed to flick DH's hand when he touched his and he moved his eyebrows up and down when I kissed him good bye. We had a quiet drive home. Early Wednesday morning we got the call...and that was when it all began. The arrangements, the people, the stories, the tears, the laughter...

The visitation was nice and sad at the same time. The service was beautiful. I laughed and cried! He was a wonderful man who touched alot of people! The stories down memory lane were the best. Everyone that we talked to had a great memory of FIL. THAT is what life is all about. The people that you meet and the lives that you touch!

I didn't knit too much this past week, however I did manage to finish the Maizy Lace Socks. They took the longest of all my socks so far to complete. Under the circumstances it is understandable. But I did miss knitting as I find it to be my release.

The Maizy Lace socks turned out to be perfect. They fit properly and are very soft and comfy. They were knit using Seacoast Handpainted Superwash Sock yarn in the Desert Rose colourway.

I also started the Gentleman's Socks for DH. I am using Austermann Step yarn in a red and grey colourway. I am not sure if I like this pattern or not. I guess time will tell. It does look nice though.

Knitting Through the Unknown

I never really know what to say on this blog.

I have been knitting quite a bit since my last post. I finished the Kaibashira Socks and started the Maizy Lace Socks, completed week 7 on the CWS and am getting ready to start a pair of Gentleman's Socks for my DH. This is the colour that I am going to use. It is Austermann Step.

This past week has also been very long and tiring.

Last Tuesday evening, at DD's Dance class, I met with Della and we started on week 7 of the CWS. I am using a 60" long, 4mm Addi Needle and the stitches are getting a little too tight for me, so I decided to use 2 needles. I figure with the 60" one and a 40" one that it will be easier to move the stitches around. When I switch to the other needle I will be able to tak e a pictutre and post it here. It is not perfect but I am happy with it.

I have also been working on the Kaibashira Socks. I completed them on Wednesday. I really like the lacy look to them and I LOVE the colour.

On Thursday evening at the BurlOak knitters meeting I started the Maizy Lace Socks in Seacoast Hand Painted yarn. The colourway is Desert Rose and is so soft. It is a pleasure to work with. The pattern is working very well with this yarn.

Friday evening DH and I actually stayed at home. Well I did, DH had to work the midnight shift. He left for work during the start of a snow storm. What a night! The snow started during the dinner hour and continued for a few more hours. It stopped for a bit...then it really started. I had to go to work Saturday morning, so DD came with Tiger and I. We ended up closing the store by noon as no one had come in at all. All day Saturday the snow continued. Big flakes, small flakes, blowing snow, white out conditions, we had it all. It was the perfect evening to be inside knitting, and I did! DH and I watched a few movies. It was really nice. It snowed for like 24 hours straight! We ended up with about 30 cm of snow.

We awoke Sunday to something strange in the sky...the SUN! I
t was a beautiful, bright sunny day! We started to shovel our way out of the driveway. Fortunately the snow was very fluffy and light so shovelling went fast.

We, all 4 of us, were then off to visit the FIL. He is not doing well at all. The change from last week to this Sunday was drastic. He was not talking at all. It is all very sad, as a vital and funny man lay there looking lost and vacant. The anchor to the family is sinking fast and there is no life line we can throw to him. We visited with MIL, BIL, and a few cousins, sitting in the same room as FIL. I believe that he knows we were there. Leaving was a bit difficult...damn the unknown and inevitable.

Monday morning came very early, as I had to have DD at the camping pick up spot at 6:15am. She was very excited to be going as she has never winter camped before. She is gone until Sunday afternoon. While she was packing up her gear, she put in 2 balls of SWS and her prized Addi needles in to make a neck collar to keep out the cold. DD figured that she would have a few hours on the bus ride up and back to knit, as well as some free time up there. I was so proud! I will be curious to see if she finishes it while she is away.

Well that brings us up to today, Tuesday. I got up with DH this morning as he went to work at 6am. I decided that since it was my day off that I would knit. I have made great progress on the Maizy Lace socks. I have turned the heel and am working my way along the foot. I knit until about 9:30 when I decided to blog and update Ravelry. I have a few things to get done today, laundry and dishes, and then I will be knitting again. Then after DH's work at 3pm, we will be going back to see FIL. I don't have dance class tonight, as it's March break so we can go. I will bring my knitting with me.

Because ther eis no dance class tonight, Della and I decided to wait a week (since it is March Break) before we continue with the CWS. We both have a few things on the go that we would like to get done. So the pressure is off for this week.

Well I had better get moving or I won't have any time to knit! Apparently, I know what to say on my blog...

Another Tuesday Off and They Are Calling For Snow Again! Typical!

Well, it's my day off and they are calling for snow again! I wish I could have a nice day off just once this winter. I also have to work too! I guess that's the price of sort of owning your own business...you never really get a day off.

I have been busy knitting the Kaibashira socks. I really love how they are turning out. The colourway is perfect for these sushi inspired socks. I am hoping to get the toe finished by the end of the day.

Tonight Della and I are going to work on the next week of the Civil War Shawl. I think it's week 7. It is getting big. The rounds are getting longer to knit, but will be worth it in the end.

The month of February flew by. I don't know about you but I truly don't know where the month went. I guess with dance 3 times a week, hockey once a week, work, and visiting the FIL whenever we get the chance, time really does fly by! I hope March slows down a bit!

DD is going winter camping and snowshoeing for March break. I think she is really going to enjoy herself. DS went a few years ago and really liked it. He was going to go but decided to give this trip to his sister. By that I mean that he will let her have her time alone without him. I thought that was a nice thing for him to do.

DS is going to come and help me at my store. I have decided to paint, hoping that will brighten and freshen it up and since DS will be off school I decided that he can help me for a few hours each day! He wasn't too impressed with that idea but agreed to do it when I said I would feed him lunch. Ahh... food and teenagers! I love the bribery factor that food has...LOL

I am looking forward to the Burloak knitting meeting this week. I miss it in the off weeks but then I think that every week would be too much!

I am going to go and get ready to go to work and the post office. Tiger doesn't know it yet but he is staying at home today! He's not going to be happy with me...oh well sucks to be him!