Wanted: A Life

It isn't just me, I think my whole family needs a life. I think this because I doubt if their reaction was motivated by a good blog post for me.

TURTLES:

"Spring is here and once again, turtles are emerging from their winter hibernation. Many of the slow moving critters will attempt the extremely hazardous trek across roads and highways in search of food and nesting sites. Unfortunately, a turtle’s thin shell is no match for motor vehicles. Highway fatalities are devastating for turtle populations. In Ontario, we are lucky to have all eight of Canada’s native turtle species. Sadly, seven of these species (the Spotted, Wood, Blanding’s, Eastern Spiny Softshell, Common Musk Common Map and Snapping Turtles) have been classified by provincial and national authorities, as endangered, threatened or of special concern. The good news is that there are now 700 turtle crossing signs installed on highways throughout Ontario, thanks to the dedication and efforts of Turtle S.H.E.L.L Tortue (a registered charitable organization). You, as caring citizens, can help by paying close attention to the road and shoulders in these designated turtle crossing areas and near any water-bordering areas from April to September."

The above is an excerpt from a post by this organization. http://www.turtleshelltortue.org/

With that being said (or written) let me continue on with my lack of life story. I was getting dressed for work the other day when I looked out the window.

Me: Hey there's a turtle on our lawn, quick go get the camera!

The whole family rushed out to see the turtle. DH had the camera and took several shots. Seriously, I have never seen four people move that fast. I doubt that they could move that fast if the house was on fire.

Yup, I definitely need some excitement in my life!

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

No more smoke signals

This is a tale of two companies.
A few weeks ago ,DH decided that enough was enough. Dial Up was too slow and we kept getting disconnected after 10 minutes of activity. This is no tconducive to web surfing/downloading by any stretch of the imagination.

There are very few Internet companies servicing my area (aka the boonies) so there is little to choose from. The one company we did decide upon has two install contractors and this is where my story begins:

Installer number one was rather eager to make an appointment.
"Are you sure no one will be home on Monday?"
"Yes I'm sure"
"What about Tuesday?"
"Same thing....."
He shows up on Wednesday, because I'm not working that day and he has no other choice to accept this. After standing on my roof twice and calling to see if the nearest tower is undergoing some unscheduled maintenance, he tells me that the very tall trees surrounding my property are interfering and he can't even get a bar. He tells me that he'll put my name on the list if a much closer tower becomes available. He leaves with $30 of my money.

With head hung low, I shuffle back to my Neanderthal cave to once again send the equivalent of smoke signal emails.

DH is determined in his need for speed and, when he gets home, calls our neighbour to find out how she got high speed with the same Internet company. Answer: she used installer company number two.

Company number two asks questions when we make the appointment. They want to know they layout of our property and surrounding area, do we have tall trees....etc. All things that would affect us getting a signal.

The appointment is made. This time two guys show up and they bring an extender with them. They test the signal from the top of our antenna: two bars. They go up even higher: Five bars.

Moral of the story. High speed Internet is a wonderful thing, but people who know what they are doing are priceless.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Bust a Stash

If you have ever wondered "how do I use up all those odd balls in my stash or how do I get rid of all my stash so that I can start over"......I have the solution for you.

Rachel John....EXTEREME KNITTING

I'm of two minds about this. Part of me says that this woman is a genius and that I should just leave it at that, the other half wants to knit my own mattress. I almost regret giving away all those odd balls.

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Flashing my needles at the public

Me: This Saturday I'm going downtown to a Knit in Public event.
Teen: Why? You knit in public every day.

She does have a point but off I went to Majors Hill Park with chair and sock yarn blanket in tow. I met up with a group of ladies and had a great number of laughs. This is a picture of my view from my knitting spot under the shade of a tree.


We have a number of Gothic style buildings in Ottawa which equals lots of opportunity for sock mojo. This is the back of the Connaught Building.

While I am content to knit in the seclusion, of my corner of the world, it did make me realize that I miss a regular knitting group.

However, driving for an hour, to get together with a knitting group seems like an awful waste of valuable knitting time. What a conundrum! I need to find something local.....

But this does bring to mind the fact about how much I knit at work. I told you all that I babysit a building but I didn't mention that there are people in this building who walk by me and see me knitting. Lately some of them are calling out numbers....."7 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 11" they sound suspiciously like shoe sizes. I think these people want socks. HAH!!!! I'll put it on my TO DO list just before the large man's sweater and the car cozy I've been asked for by these people.

A co-worker once gave me the "I can buy socks for next to nothing at Wal-Mart" spiel. (The nerve!!!!)
My reply? "That's because no one likes you enough to give you hand knit socks"

Until next time
Yours in Yarn,
The Fibreholic

Out of the Closet

You know that you've hit a new low when the only place, in your house, that your kids don't try to follow you, is your closet.

I hit that low last weekend and ended up in my walk-in closet. I learnt a few things while I was in there:

1. walk-in closets hold a lot of stuff.
2. I put a lot of stuff in my closet.

So while I was in there, hiding, I decided to tidy up a bit. I discovered that:

1. my closet really holds a lot of stuff.
2. if I organize some things and get rid of others, my closet will hold more stuff.
3. if I organize it all and find other places for some things I will actually have a nice place to sit and knit as I cower and hide from my children during the summer holidays.

In my initial survey of this hidden hideaway I discovered this:

It is a hexagon from the Mountain Laurel Crib Counterpane. It's been a UFO since I bought the yarn almost six years ago. I knew that my friend was going to have another baby so I wanted to knit something special. Since time flies when you have so many projects on the go......let's just say.......that baby will be 5 years old this August. (Stop laughing.....all of you)

This project really deserves to see the light of day so I'm determined to finish it.....(I mean it, stop laughing). Wish me luck!

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

Shifting from Cheek to Cheek

Yesterday I bought a torture device.

Yes, I willing went to the store and bought something that was designed to inflict pain upon its users. Or maybe this thing is completely harmless and has been possessed by the demon of agony and sore muscles.

I'm sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that I have not gone near one in over a decade. NAW!!!!! can't be it at all. It's got to do with an old gypsy curse dealing with torment. Or maybe a witch doctor put a spell on it to cause untold suffering to the users. Yes that must be it!

In any case, here's a picture of the guilty party:

Its only saving grace is the fact that it is attached to this:

So until my underside toughens up, while sitting down, I'll just shift from cheek to cheek, as I try to get comfortable.

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic

Have Sheep, must Travel

Me: Woolworth what are you doing in my suitcase?
WW: I bought a book.

Me: OK, but what are you doing in my suitcase?

WW: I bought a book!

Me: I understand, you bought a book. But why did you get my suitcase out and why are you sitting in it?

WW: I have to go see Denise.

Me: Denise?

WW: I want her to sign my book.

Me:(clarity has come upon me) Oh I see. You do know that Denise lives very far away.

WW: That's okay. I have to ask her something very important.

Me: Why don't you ask me, it would save you a very long journey.

WW: No, it's something that I can only ask her.

Me: OK, but you'll have to wait a bit before I can get you and the book to her for the question and the signing.

WW: I can wait.

Me: I'm glad that you are showing such patience.

WW: So next week then?

Me: Not next week or even next month.

WW: So when?

Me: Before you know it.

WW: When is that?

Me: Forget what I said about you having patience. Why are you so anxious to meet Denise?

WW: Denise? I don't want to meet Denise. I want her to introduce me to LuLu.

Me: Lulu? This has just been about meeting Lulu?

WW: Yup.

Me: Figures!

Until next time

Yours in Yarn,

The Fibreholic