It is with great sadness that I report that my ENTIRE family, with the exception of my sister in Texas, who is addicted to Facebook and probably got a reminder, forgot my birthday. I know where I fall in the pecking order.
I would like to thank my friends at work, who never seem to forget. Also - my neighbours for making me dinner, including cupcakes, and buying me beautiful tulips. I love you, man.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Birthdays
When you're a kid, your birthday is the epitome of self-indulgence. It's all about you. Princess for a day. God help you if your birthday falls in the summer or during Christmas because then your friends can't fuss over you at school! (Let's ignore the fact that my little brother managed to be sick and ruin virtually every single one of my birthday parties from the age of 6 to 10 - at least it felt that way, it was probably only twice.)
When I was young, independent and living away from home, it was pretty much guaranteed that there would be copious drinking involved. Nothing says happy birthday like a solppy drink. At the very minimum I had a couple of roommates to wish me happy birthday with the utmost sincerity. Even my family usually came through for me eventually with some cash and a phone call.
Then, once I was happily domesticated, I could count on presents, cake and drinks on the day from my significant other. OK, maybe the presents didn't quite hit the mark, but the thought was there and I didn't have to buy them. There was an element of surprise, and predictability.
Being old and single is... interesting. You have friends, of course, but they don't live with you and generally have their own lives. My family usually forgets, even my mom, until late in the day. My kids are so oblivious they wouldn't even notice if we don't have cake, I think, and they LOVE having cake. One of the perils of single-parenthood is they don’t have anyone constantly reminding them about mommy's birthday, and going off to buy presents, etc. Whatever. It's not like presents make it more special and one can hope that as they get older they might actually remember…
The presents are the great part. Chosen by me for me. Don't get me wrong - I love a surprise present, but the ability to choose exactly what you want for your birthday, to buy something you've been lusting after for a while, is awesome. You get JUST what you want, not your subtle hint filtered though someone else's brain. Yeeeeeeeeeeee ha.
All I wanted for my birthday was a great pair of shoes and two sloppy kisses. Mission accomplished.
When I was young, independent and living away from home, it was pretty much guaranteed that there would be copious drinking involved. Nothing says happy birthday like a solppy drink. At the very minimum I had a couple of roommates to wish me happy birthday with the utmost sincerity. Even my family usually came through for me eventually with some cash and a phone call.
Then, once I was happily domesticated, I could count on presents, cake and drinks on the day from my significant other. OK, maybe the presents didn't quite hit the mark, but the thought was there and I didn't have to buy them. There was an element of surprise, and predictability.
Being old and single is... interesting. You have friends, of course, but they don't live with you and generally have their own lives. My family usually forgets, even my mom, until late in the day. My kids are so oblivious they wouldn't even notice if we don't have cake, I think, and they LOVE having cake. One of the perils of single-parenthood is they don’t have anyone constantly reminding them about mommy's birthday, and going off to buy presents, etc. Whatever. It's not like presents make it more special and one can hope that as they get older they might actually remember…
The presents are the great part. Chosen by me for me. Don't get me wrong - I love a surprise present, but the ability to choose exactly what you want for your birthday, to buy something you've been lusting after for a while, is awesome. You get JUST what you want, not your subtle hint filtered though someone else's brain. Yeeeeeeeeeeee ha.
All I wanted for my birthday was a great pair of shoes and two sloppy kisses. Mission accomplished.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
I'll take this as a message
I bought a new machine. It is fabulous. Besides the fact that it needs new sponge bars and smells a tiny bit like smoke, I think it will be great!
As well as all the regular stuff, it came with a box of magazines - 1980's, quite amusing - and a huge pile of punchcards. Some 12 stitch (which I should sell as I hear they're hard to come by and I don't have a 12 stitch machine) some Toyota, some Singer (most of which I have but there's some blanks!) and of course, a pile of Brother ones, another punch, another copy of the knitting course I got with my Singer (which is an excellent resource), and ANOTHER ball winder (now I have three). The punch and book I'll probably give to Miko but you can't seem to give away a ball winder for love ror money, go figure.
Brother knitleader? HUGE. The Studio knit radar is about 6" across; this thing is about 2 FEET across.
___________________________________________________________________
There's a new organic burger place near me and we got takeout from there last night. Evidently, eating nothing but donuts all day followed by a huge burger and 1/3 of a poutine is a recipe for GI distress. After a few hours trying to sleep, I gave up and exorcised myself of that demon. Unusual for me. Maybe I'll get the skinny sickies again. One can dream.
____________________________________________________________________
Mine:
Wow - this is probably the most money I've spent in one day since... I bought my car? Thanks, Revenue Canada!
As well as all the regular stuff, it came with a box of magazines - 1980's, quite amusing - and a huge pile of punchcards. Some 12 stitch (which I should sell as I hear they're hard to come by and I don't have a 12 stitch machine) some Toyota, some Singer (most of which I have but there's some blanks!) and of course, a pile of Brother ones, another punch, another copy of the knitting course I got with my Singer (which is an excellent resource), and ANOTHER ball winder (now I have three). The punch and book I'll probably give to Miko but you can't seem to give away a ball winder for love ror money, go figure.
Brother knitleader? HUGE. The Studio knit radar is about 6" across; this thing is about 2 FEET across.
___________________________________________________________________
There's a new organic burger place near me and we got takeout from there last night. Evidently, eating nothing but donuts all day followed by a huge burger and 1/3 of a poutine is a recipe for GI distress. After a few hours trying to sleep, I gave up and exorcised myself of that demon. Unusual for me. Maybe I'll get the skinny sickies again. One can dream.
____________________________________________________________________
Mine:
Wow - this is probably the most money I've spent in one day since... I bought my car? Thanks, Revenue Canada!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Jacquard for all
I got a YC2 double bed yarn changer a while ago and couldn't think of a use for it. In fact I didn't even try it. Everything I read lead me to believe it was obsolete and essentially useless. Then I ran across a YouTube video of someone using it, or trying to, or something. I can't really remember and I couldn't find it again when I started to look. Anyway, I looked up some stuff on double bed jacquard and it seemed like a totally cool thing to do with a knitting machine, even with my yarn changer.
I hooked up the yarn changer last week and it seemed to work fine. Damn naysayers.
Unfortunately there is hardly any info on the web about DBJ. I thought about it for days, spending countless meetings doodling and trying to figure it out. While I eventually grasped the basic concept of how it worked, when someone recommended the book Jacquard for All, by Wendy Damon, I snapped it up and it was money well spent, my friends. It not only deciphers what's happening, it tells how to punch the cards properly, and even more revolutionary, how to do single stripe backing and even solid backing!
Inspired by the cover of the book and several swatches, I set out to chart the interlocking circles pattern. We shall not discuss how long this took and where I did it. And while a normal person starts with something simple to master the technique without driving themselves batty, no - not I. Jump in with both feet. (Also, I only have two punch cards left so I wanted to make the most of them.)
Anyway I charted the pattern onto graph paper (the centre block is the graph, the rest are just copies to make sure it lines up)
Then drew it onto the punchcard
Then I tried it. While I followed the directions pretty carefully, I got stripes on both sides the first two times. Eventually I clued in that I might have started the pattern on the wrond row, and sure enough, I backed the punch card up a row and the next time, tada! Not perfection in any charting sense, but it worked! (Squint a bit and it looks better.)
Colour me pleased.
I might be buying a new machine. Maybe. One I REALLY need.
I hooked up the yarn changer last week and it seemed to work fine. Damn naysayers.
Unfortunately there is hardly any info on the web about DBJ. I thought about it for days, spending countless meetings doodling and trying to figure it out. While I eventually grasped the basic concept of how it worked, when someone recommended the book Jacquard for All, by Wendy Damon, I snapped it up and it was money well spent, my friends. It not only deciphers what's happening, it tells how to punch the cards properly, and even more revolutionary, how to do single stripe backing and even solid backing!
Inspired by the cover of the book and several swatches, I set out to chart the interlocking circles pattern. We shall not discuss how long this took and where I did it. And while a normal person starts with something simple to master the technique without driving themselves batty, no - not I. Jump in with both feet. (Also, I only have two punch cards left so I wanted to make the most of them.)
Anyway I charted the pattern onto graph paper (the centre block is the graph, the rest are just copies to make sure it lines up)
Then drew it onto the punchcard
Then I tried it. While I followed the directions pretty carefully, I got stripes on both sides the first two times. Eventually I clued in that I might have started the pattern on the wrond row, and sure enough, I backed the punch card up a row and the next time, tada! Not perfection in any charting sense, but it worked! (Squint a bit and it looks better.)
Colour me pleased.
I might be buying a new machine. Maybe. One I REALLY need.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Self-employed is the new buzzword
Ah spring. The turtles are out at Riverdale farm
As are the monkeys
Spring also seems to have brought out the critters from the online dating woodwork. The new code word for the day is "self-employed". By throwing this out, you no longer have to make a commitment until the last moment, keeping your options open. God forbid you set up a date with Suzy and then along comes Cindy, who seems much hotter and easier. This saves you the akwardness of cancelling with loser Suzy to bone Cindy. Brilliant! Add this to "average" as a classic.
CrustyRUs
As are the monkeys
Spring also seems to have brought out the critters from the online dating woodwork. The new code word for the day is "self-employed". By throwing this out, you no longer have to make a commitment until the last moment, keeping your options open. God forbid you set up a date with Suzy and then along comes Cindy, who seems much hotter and easier. This saves you the akwardness of cancelling with loser Suzy to bone Cindy. Brilliant! Add this to "average" as a classic.
CrustyRUs
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