One down, one to go

The power went out this morning at about 9:45 and stayed out for an hour and a half. I had nothing better to do but finish my first mitten. I think it's pretty frigging cute and can't wait to finish its pair so I can wear them proudly. The weather is starting to get colder, so it'll soon be time for scarves, mittens, hats and all things wooly. I wove in most of the ends, but I still need to either block or press the base of the mitten so it doesn't curl.

Here is the amazingly yummy Artyarns supermerino I bought in Dartmouth last weekend. And yes, that is Moustache getting ready to pounce. If Moustache was a 20something young woman, he would be the most high-maintenance woman out there. He will only play with expensive yarn. He scoffs at the thought of playing with anything made of acrylic. It's only cashmere and merino wool for this kitty.
The Artyarns supermerino is colour 101: a melange of purple, gold, navy, brown, olive, with turquoise highlights. These three balls will soon (when I finish my second mitten) become some lovely Thuja socks for hubby. Here's hoping I can figure out how to turn a heel. Eeek!

Trying my hand at mittens

I decided that my kitty hat needed some friends, so I'm making some matchy-matchy mittens with my leftover yarn (okay, it's more than just "leftover yarn". I bought two hanks and still have one left). This is my first time knitting mittens, and so far it's going well. I think lefty is looking pretty cute.

I went to Halifax on Sunday to drive my cousin back to university after a weekend at home. I stopped at Tooshie's to pick up my new best friend, Mrs. Pinky Kettle. Isn't she lovely on my barfalicious harvest gold stove?

She's a beauty and she whistles! I've only had electric tea kettles in the past, but I am officially in love with Mrs. Pinky. I've even stored the old electric kettle under the sink.

I stopped at Tangled Skeins in Dartmouth. I've heard that it's the happiest place on Earth, but had never visited before. I can confirm all rumours: it is indeed the happiest place on Earth. I bought several bamboo dpns and circulars and some beautiful Artyarns supermerino sock yarn (for my first attempt at socks, of course). I will take a photo of the new yarn whenever the sun comes out.

And now for some eye candy. Here's a print hubby made of moi! It's awesome. I love it.

Happy Holidays from Mr. and Mrs. Homicide

We were taking Christmas card pictures last night at Mum and Dad's house. Of course, we had to test the lighting first, so instead of just sitting there in front of the fireplace, hubby and I decided to put on a show.


Now that's creepy enough . . . having your hubby threaten you with a fire poker, but then Jesse got even more homicidal:


Hmmmm. Makes you wonder how the love of your life really feels about you.

Not much knitting to report. I'm working on another 2x2 rib scarf for my hairdresser. After that, I hope to dive in to my first sweater.

Two new finished projects

It's finally happened. After starting this project three times, I've finished it. This is my third hat and, of course, my first cable. Isn't it sweet?

Pattern: Cable and seed stitch baby hat by Sundara
Source: Purly Whites
Materials: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in colour #602 (1 ball)
Needles: US 3/3.25 mm dpns
Started: November 16, 2006
Finished: November 22, 2006

Modifications: Only one! In the increase row, I increased after every 17 knit stitches instead of after ever 16 stitched because 17 divides into 102 a heckuva lot better than 16.

Notes: This is such a lovely hat and the baby cashmerino was a pleasure to knit with. However, I found that since the yarn is so soft and smooth, it slipped off of my needles a lot and then I became frustrated. But cables were much easier to do than I thought they would be and I can't wait to try them again. I knit this hat because it seems as though everyone I know is having babies. This little gem will go to the first one who pops out a little baby girl.

I also finished this secret project a few weeks ago. Since the person who will receive this as a Christmas present may or may not read this blog, I decided to take a photo that doesn't reveal what it is . . . so just admire the blanket stitch and neat material.

new friend

This lovely gal will be a permanent fixture in my kitchen very soon. I saw it on a full-page ad in the paper last week, on sale for $29.99 at the Paderno Factory Blow-Out sale. Awesome, except the sale is at the Halifax Forum and I wasn't planning to drive three hours for a tea kettle, albeit a very cute one. So, I asked Tooshie if she'd pick it up for me, and she did. I can't wait to see it!


The cut-off date for the job I applied for is today. I'm really hoping I'll get a call for an interview this week! Keep your fingers crossed!

Baby's first cable

After starting this project three times, I've managed to make my first (and second, and third) cable. It's oh-so exciting and I feel extremely accomplished. Before I was a knitter, I looked at cables and thought only experts could knit them -- now I know all you need is a crooked needle and ta-da! Instant cables! This photo is far from great (can you say "no sunshine for days"?), but if you try hard, you can see a cable somewhere in there.

This will be another baby's hat made of Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino in a pretty pinky coral shade (I know it looks orange in the photo -- blame the bad lighting).

I gave my umbilical cord hat to my friend today. We tried it on the little one and it's absolutely adorable. It's still a little big for him (he's only one month old), but he'll soon grow into it. I wish I had my camera with me when we stuck it on his head, but alas, I didn't.

Chapter 2

Well, I've fnished two new projects. I finished a secret project last night that's for someone who may or may not read this blog. Here's a hint:

Could be a button hole? Maybe not. Oh, it's all so intriguing.

And, as promised, the Kittyville Hat is done. I tried making pompoms (pompons?) to go on the ends of the drawstrings, but they didn't turn out. I think my yarn is too slippery because no matter how taught I pulled the string that goes around the centre, the pompom wouldn't hold. Oh well, I'm happy with a couple of knots on the ends of the drawstrings. I think the hat is rather lovely and cute as a button. Can't wait til it starts snowing and I can wear it (well, maybe not).


I also quit my job today. I had a huge problem with the bureau chief (I've had a problem with him since he came back from his "leave" in July) last week, so I sent an e-mail with the deputy managing editor telling him the whole story (the bureau chief essentially stole one of my stories and put his name on it). The deputy managing editor got back to me today, apologized for the way the bureau chief acted and wished me well. I've applied for a job that seems promising, so I'm hoping to snag it soon. If I don't get this job, who knows what I'll do. I have a freelancing opportunity coming up, so I'm looking forward to that.

I'm starting a new chapter in my life. One chapter has finished and I can't wait to read the next one.

new hat!

We join this kitty hat already in progress . . .

I started the Kittyville hat in the Stitch N Bitch book on Friday and it's already nearly finished. I just have to weave in some ends, finish the ears (so cute!) and add pompoms to the ends of the drawstrings.

Here's what it looks like so far:

I'm really happy with it. I knit it using Misti Alpaca worsted yarn that I bought in Saskatoon and it's so yummy and soft. It was a quick knit too. I started it in the car on the way to Halifax (to see the Hidden Cameras, eeee!) and knit like a champion all weekend. Knitting was a nice distraction Friday night when we went to Sarah's house for a small get together. The party was lots of fun (five of us spontaneously broke into Paradise By The Dashboard Light in the kitchen. We sounded awesome) until the world's most annoying couple showed up. I just focused all my attention on knitting and got through the evening fine.

Oh! and The Hidden Cameras were supergood. Jesse and I had a prime spot to watch the show (centre stage, first row) and we danced a lot. I don't think they were as good as two years ago, but they were still rather mind-blowing. The opening acts were good too. The drummer of Spiral Beach looked a lot like my ex-boyfriend Travis. Kind of creepy.

Stay tuned for my next post, for the Kittyville hat will be finished!

back in Nova Scotia

My cold proved to be a pain in the ass (ears?) on the plane ride home. When we took off in Saskatoon, it wasn't long before most of my hearing was gone, but I didn't worry about it too much. Little did I know that going down would be much worse. As soon as we starting heading down toward Earth, the pain started. I was so thankful to be sitting next to the nicest lady in the world (Thank you, Beth!) who held my hand, put her arm around me and gave me a constant suppy of water. There's no point in explaining how much pain I was in -- let's just say I was stomping my foot and came within a nanometre of crying. What was the worst part of all this? Realizing I had to take another plane to Halifax in three hours.

The second flight wasn't as bad (although it was delayed by an hour because of an "indication of a problem") but I couldn't hear in my left ear until the following morning. My left ear still kind of hurts and I still have a cold. Those Saskatoon colds sure are powerful.

I knit another umbilical cord hat for my cousin's new baby boy and I plan to knit another one today for my friend's baby (who is due to enter the world next week!). I have knitting group tonight, so I'll probably work on it then.

I'm also working on a special project for a special friend who may or may not read this blog. The project is almost done and is as cute as a button. I can't wait 'til she sees it at Christmas!!

I applied for a job yesterday! They're hiring two copy editors at the new dialy in the valley, so I applied. I've always wanted to be a copy editor, so I'm hoping this is my "in." As far as I know, copy editing is a lot like producing, which I really enjoyed, and I'm in desperate need of a change. It might be nice not to have my name in the paper anymore. Plus, we could live in Halifax if I got the job and I could commute to Windsor. I'm trying not to be too hopeful ... but I really want the job. I deserve it. I made sure all of my references know that I'm applying and I explained to them why I want the job. Now it's all up to them and my prospective employers.

Jesse and I are going to Halifax this weekend to see The Hidden Cameras. Superexciting!!

Last day on the prairie

My whirlwind tour of Saskatchewan is coming to an end. I've seen and done so much! I went to the Ukrainian Museum, saw the provinces two biggest cities, saw tumbleweed (I thought it was just something you see in Bugs Bunny cartoons, but there really is tumbleweed here!), went to an Aboriginal museum, saw Jason Collett and the Dixie Chicks, hung out with Erica and Recep and got a cold.

I also had time to visit some of the knitting stores in Regina and Saskatoon. I picked up some REALLY soft pink alpaca yarn. I'm thinking about knitting myself a hat with kitty ears with this:


I picked up this lot of yumminess in Regina at Hip2Knit. The blue Patons Decor is for a scarf for my hairdresser. I bought the green Mission Falls cotton yarn because I loved the colour and the Debbie Bliss cashmerino was just calling my name. It said, "Ingrid! Touch me! I'm cashmere!!!"

And this is the umbilical cord hat from the Stitch N Bitch book that I started and finished on the plane. Isn't it supercute?
Today I hop on the plane at 11:40 a.m. and I'll be in Halifax by 9:30 p.m. (if all goes well). I'm staying in Halifax tonight and making the trek back to Yarmouth Sunday afternoon. I'm a little (read: a lot) worried about how I'll do on the plane with my cold. I'm really congested and I know congestion+changes in altitude=pain. I'm planning to take a lot of drugs to try and clear my stuffy nose.

road trip to Regina

We had a good trip to Regina yesterday and I've learned the rumours are true about Saskatchewan: it's flat.

Here I am in the car with some flat land in the background:


This is the only hill in Saskatchewan (well, maybe not). The Qu'Appelle Valley:

Saskatoon's river (and, yes, that is ICE!!!):

The village of Chamberlain (near Regina), a typical scene in Saskatchewan. It could almost be the setting for Corner Gas.

The ubiquitous grain silo:

It's definitely cold here on the prairie, but I'm surprised at the difference between -10 degrees in Saskatchewan and -10 in Nova Scotia. It's not very windy here and the air is extremely dry (I feel like I have a cold, but I guess it's just that I'm not used to the dry weather. My throat is so dry and my nose feels funny. I'm hoping to find a solution to the dry throat soon. I will try cough drops today), while in NS it's always windy and wet. -10 definitely feels a lot colder in NS than in Saskatchewan.

in Saskatooney

I arrived in Saskatoon safe and sound ... and cold. There's S-N-O-W on the ground here. It's ridiculous. In Yarmouth, I was still wearing a fall jacket and Birkenstocks. The forecast for tomorrow in Yarmouth is 15 degrees Celsius. In Saskatoon, it's -4. Ack!

I (thankfully) was allowed to take my knitting needles on the plane. I played it cool through security, and it paid off. So, I took advantage of the blessing and knit like a pro during the entire flight. I finished two projects: the scarf for Marcel is done (will post photos soon) and the umbilical cord hat is complete. I couldn't believe how fast I finished the hat! I started it shortly before landing in Toronto and had it finished before I landed in Saskatchewan. Crazy.

I'm glad there's only a two-hour time difference between Yarmouth and Saskatoon. I woke up at 3:45 a.m. and can't wait to hit the sack.

We're going to Regina tomorrow. It's not every day that one gets to go to a city that rhymes with vagina.

spikes on a plane

My brother has expressed concerns about my bringing knitting needles on the plane to Saskatoon. According to CATSA, knitting needles are allowed on air planes in Canada. I've been googling "knitting + Air Canada" and have found that some knitters have run into problems while trying to bring knitting gear on airplanes, but it's definitely not the norm. I've decided not to bring straight needles because they're long and can look somewhat dangerous. Instead, I'm packing some bamboo dpns, bamboo circulars and metal circulars. I'm also packing them in a pencil case so they just look like skinny pencils and I'm planning to bring a padded SASE just in case my beloved needles are confiscated. Hopefully everything goes smoothly!

I went to Saulnierville today to work on a story about the missing scallop diver. When I finished interviewing the cop who's coordinating the search, I asked him about taking some kind of photo. He said the family didn't really want any photos taken (did he think I wanted a photo of the missing man's family?) because a reporter (me) was at the wharf two weeks ago taking photos and they didn't like that. This struck me as super weird because #1: I only took photos of the RCMP helicopter and the boat the missing man was diving from AND #2: the newspaper didn't use either photo. There were some people in the helicopter shot (two cops and two women), but if they were family members, that's news to me. I didn't end up taking any photos today because the search crews were scattered all along St. Mary's Bay and I couldn't find an easy way to get to them. Oh well.

Two more sleeps to Saskatoon!

Lazing on a Saturday afternoon

This is what I found when I entered the living room this afternoon:


Moustache is so cute when he's being a couch potato. If only he was this sweet when I'm trying to knit. Argh.

Getting a head start on the weekend

I got a call from BM saying I could work this weekend! That means I'll make a little extra money before I send in my expenses for the month. Awesome.

Usually when BM asks me to work for him, he doesn't hand me over any of his story ideas, which is fine because I don't mind scrounging around for a good story. But today he surprised me. When I said, "I'll call you later on today with some story ideas," he said, "I've got two for you right here." Crazy. One story idea was good and I actually did the interview, took the photos and transcribed my tape already; the other idea is kind of crummy. I'm considering calling him and telling him I'll be working on another story instead as search and rescue crews will be looking for the missing diver in Clare on Sunday. I think I will do that.

So, I got a head start on the weekend. I've got my Saturday story nearly finished and it's still Friday. Yay for me. That gives me more time to cover any breaking news that happens tomorrow (yeah right, as if anything ever happens on the weekend in Yarmouth).

That's it. No knitting today (yet). I've just been reading a LOT of knitting blogs and I think I have a blogiction (blog+addiction?).

New purchase

I went to knitting group last night and it was so good. I figured I would be the only person there under the age of 60, but, to my surprise, there was a good mix of folks. Two ladies were grandmotherly, one was about the age of my mother and the other was in her 30s! It was great fun. Good conversation too!

I was introduced to Mission Falls superwash merino wool last night. It is the softest, most lovely yarn in the world. And, since it's washable, it makes it even more practical. I didn't buy any last night ... instead, I dreamed about it ALL NIGHT. So, first thing this morning, I went back to Hands On Crafts and bought a skein.


I'm planning to knit the umbilical cord hat from the Stitch and Bitch book out of it. I was looking for something soft, washable and worsted for the hat ... all I could think of was acrylic. When I saw the Mission Falls yarn, I knew immediately it would be perfect for my friend's baby. I'll knit it on the plane to Saskatoon.

My hairdresser commented yesterday on my 2x2 scarf and I told her I'd make her one. She liked the denim colour. Then, when I went to Hands On Crafts this morning, two people in the store commented on it! So nice to hear that people like my handiwork.

Fresh from the salon

Yay for new haircuts! I just came back from the salon with this lovely 'do. I think this is the best haircut I've ever had:

I've gone through lots of different haircuts since I started growing hair on my head at age 3 (yes, I was a late bloomer, er, grower), but this is reminiscent of the haircut I had in seventh grade. Of course, it's updated and more mature, but still very similar to that 1993 'do. I had boy short hair and long hair since grade 7, but I think this cut suits me the best. It's cute and neat, just like me.

Tonight I may go to the knitting group at Hands on Crafts on Main St. in Yarmouth. I've been invited before, but I had kind of forgotten about it until I went to buy some needles Monday. The lovely lady working the cash told me they meet every other Wednesday evening to knit and I'm very tempted to attend. Plus, I think it's mostly old ladies who are members of the knitting group and there's nothing like hanging out with a bunch of old ladies who knit.

In six days I'll be in Saskatoon! Yay!

Overheard on Spring Garden Rd.

Middle-aged rich lady to similar middle-aged rich lady friend: "You don't exist ... until you bothered me."

Today is a beautiful fall day. So beautiful, I've decided it's a good day to wear party shoes, even though I'm not planning to go to a party. It felt great to go grocery shopping this morning in a cute new skirt and party shoes. Nothing can cheer a girl up like a nice pair of red rose flappers.


I'm working on a scarf for my friend, Marcel. He commented on one of my scarfs when I first moved back to Yarmouth and, right away, I went out and bought some lovely local yarn. I think it's from a farm in Chebogue. It's taken me since then to finally take my knitting supplies from out of the closet. The reason? Not because I didn't want to knit, but because of a little kitty named Moustache. I couldn't knit anywhere near him when he was a small kitten, but now that he's nine months old, he's not quite as interested in playing with yarn.

Here's a photo of the scarf in progress. And, yes, that's Moustache's paw in the frame ... just waiting to pounce on that scarf and beat it up.


I plan to finish the scarf on the plane when I go to Saskatoon on Halloween. I'm going to visit my amazing friend, Erica. She lives in Saskatoon with her hubby-to-be, Recep. I haven't seen her since we graduated from King's in May 2004, so I'm very excited to see her. I plan to drink lots of wine, eat sushi and *hopefully* Recep will cook something for us. (He used to be a part owner of Turkish Delight in Halifax and his veggie kebaps are something else.)

Jesse and I are going to the Daniel Johnston documentary tonight. It's playing at the Osprey in Shelburne, of all places. Of course, it didn't play at the movie theatre in Yarmouth and it's not for rent in the local video store, so I was so happy to find out the Osprey is screening it. Should be fun.

StorTroopers

Yeah, so I just discovered this little Web site where you can create little caricatures of people. This is me:
and hubby (although, he should have brown eyes):


You can create your own little person at www.stortroopers.com