Wednesday

I really don't have much knitting content to report, since I'm still working on my secret project (check out Ravelry). I should be done within a day or two (maybe in time for Friday's post), and even though I'm going to move on to another Christmas project, this one will be for a non-reader, so I'll be able to post plenty of pictures.

Yesterday Kate-the-Enabler and I had what will probably be out last Stitch 'n Bitch for at least a few weeks. As of this morning, she's now 7 days overdue, and is scheduled to be induced tomorrow morning. If she agrees, I'll post a picture of the new cherub when he finally arrives. I have to say I'm finding this whole waiting game to be highly stressful, and it's really revealing how much of a stalker I actually am. I'm constantly checking out my window (Kate lives across the street), scoping out the action. Is the car there? Is there any movement? Sheesh... At least now there's an end in sight to my anxiety. :)

In other random news, yesterday I was at the computer (where else would I be?), looking to put on some music, when I stumbled upon a song that I absolutely love but haven't listened to in years. Notice how I haven't mentioned which song? That's because it belongs in my Hall of Shame: it's Barry Manilow's "Could it Be Magic". I swear, I've listened to it about 10 times this morning, I just can't get enough. The fact that I'm pretty much embarrassed to listen to this song in public made me wonder what other songs I'd put in my "Corny-Cheesy Songs I Love" list. Here's what I've come up with so far:

• Barry White "Never Ever Gonna Give You Up" (the whole orgasmic sequence at the beginning of the song just cracks me up. Every. Single. Time.
• Barbara Streisand "Woman in Love": from the appropriately titled "Guilty" album.
  
• Anything by Michel Fugain (this is a bilingual list of shame): Check out this video if you don't understand why I'm cringing.
• Air Supply "Lost in Love": Honestly. Enough Said.
• Ginette Reno "Ça va mieux": I'm a sucker for that sweeping, swelling stuff.

I also stumbled on this site yesterday. It's a playlist of Ultimate Cheesy Ballads that really took me back (I LOVED Richard Marx!). OK, so now that I've secured my place as a total geek, I ask you: what would feature in your Hall of Shame?

And since I can't just sign off without redeeming myself in some way, here's a picture of Maxime, taken this morning. See his teeth? Say it with me: Aaaaaaaw!

Not so much

Friday's planned outing, which I was really looking forward to, turned into a total nightmare. On our way into the city, we hit a wall of traffic, and after our attempts to find alternate routes all failed miserably, Phil got in a huff and decided we weren't going. (Before you get upset at him, read the rest of this post). I then got in a huff myself (to put it mildly), because even though Maxime was with us, it had kind of felt like we were going out on a date, and now the whole thing was ruined. Phil then proposed we head to Ikea to check out some sofas (we want a pull out for our basement), to which I, again, threw a hissy fit (I don't WA-nnnaaaaa go to Ikea!!!).

OK, so now we're both completely pissed off (so much for THAT date!), and Phil decides to circle back and try to get to the Christmas store again (YOU WANNA GO??? FINE!!!). He's now fully enraged, and motoring along, and it's at that precise moment that he gets stopped for speeding and receives a 245$ ticket. HeeHee!!! That pretty much cured me of my childish behaviour, but understandably, Phil was still pissed. Then I got upset that he wasn't talking to me ('cause he was still fuming).... Anyway! Long story short? We went home and didn't talk to each other for about an hour.

No worries though! We made up that very afternoon, and headed out to the mall to try and salvage what was left of the afternoon before we had to pick up Émilie from daycare. And we DID manage to get to the Christmas store on Sunday morning, where I picked out this snow globe. Isn't it cute? Santa's on a little toboggan (maybe it's a snowboard?), and it moves when you crank up the music (it plays Jingle Bells). And isn't that a great picture? I took it using my brand-new photo tent. It's sort of a quick and dirty version, taken from this tutorial, but it works great, and Phil assures me that he's going to make me an even better one now that he understands what I want to do with it.

I've been diligently working on my secret project (check it out on Ravelry). It should be done by the end of the week, so I'll be able to post pictures of my knitting once again by next week. In the interest of efficiency, I'm trying to be as monogamous as possible.

One down!

Yesterday was a rather snowy day here, which gave me the perfect excuse to cozy up to my knitting and finish my Summer of Love Lace Socks. I believe I've mentioned before how smitten I am with these socks, and while I haven't changed my mind that they'll be heading to a new home come Christmas, I just had to try them on at least once before they go. Don't worry, I've since washed and blocked them, and they're ready to go :)

I also cast on for a new project last night, one that I unfortunately can't share with you on this blog, since its intended recipient is a reader :). However, if you're on Ravelry, you can check out my project page, I'll be uploading it today, as soon as I have a spare minute. I think it'll be a fairly easy and quick knit, though it's something I've never attempted before (how's that for suspense?).

No knitting this afternoon, though. Phil has the day off, and as soon as Maxime has had his lunch, we'll be heading into town for two of my mostest favourite things ever. First, a trip to Pho Bang New York, on St-Laurent, for some lovely Pho Bang soup. Then it'll be off to Noël Éternel to buy my annual water globe (I've been collecting them forever, and no, it has nothing to do with this movie) and a Christmas stocking for Maxime. I love shopping for Christmas decorations! I can't wait to start decorating the house.

Kickin' it into gear

There are now less than 5 weeks to go until Christmas, and as of this morning, I still have 3 gifts to knit up. Actually, I would really have to knit something like 10 more gifts if I were to give everyone on my list some woolly love this year, but since that's not going to happen (unless I, you know, forgo sleep entirely), I'm aiming for my parents and in-laws this year. That makes for 6 people (my parents are both remarried), which I think is doable.

I'm currently working on a gift for one of the ladies in that set (gotta be careful here, because the intended recipient is a sometime reader), the Love Lace socks. I've turned the heel on the second sock, and while I haven't yet finished the decreases along the gusset, provided Maxime gives me some knitting time, I should be finished by tomorrow night (pipe dream?).

I've also ordered some yarn from Maggie, and I think I'll be using the Evergreen colourway for a lovely pair of man's socks. Who will they be for? I don't know yet. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on this yarn, though. New yarn (even when you really don't need new yarn) is just the thing to cure one of the knitting doldrums (I don't respond to pressure-knitting well).

Unfortunately, I won't be able to do much in the way of knitting today. Our "good" car is in the shop, so I'll be chauffeuring Philippe and Emilie in the "crap" car all day. Grrrrrr.

I'm ba-aaaaack!

It turns out I was a little premature in titling my last post, and I actually took a turn for the worst on Thursday (I was battling a stomach flu). Factor in that we thought Emilie might be getting it as well (and therefore stayed home from daycare on Friday) and that Maxime had us all up at 4:30 AM (yes, you read that right) Friday morning, and my darling husband was forced to take the day off to take care of us all. Take care of us he did, so well in fact that by Friday night I felt much better, and all was well on Saturday. Thanks so much to all of you who left comments wishing me a speedy recovery. It was really very thoughtful of you.

Needless to say, not much knitting has gotten done lately. Not only did this bug strip me of my will to live, but it also completely siphoned my will to knit as well (scary, I know). That all changed when I got my invite to Ravelry on Saturday (my username is DearKnits (of course)). Now, instead of knitting, I've been raveling about knitting. Not much more progress to show off, but I've been having fun. I started off adding books to my library (I am a librarian after all), and am now in the process of updating my projects page. Eventually I'll get around to taking an inventory of my stash, though I'm not sure I'm up to taking pictures of everything. Actually, I've asked Phil to make me a photo tent (as seen on this free tutorial - thanks Maggie!), so maybe that'll make me want to take plenty of yarn prOn pictures. Who knows?

Feeling better (sort of)

As knitters, I know we're all interested in patterns, so I thought I'd share with you what my days have been like of late:

• Wake up, pick up Maxime, *put down Maxime, run to bathroom, pick up Maxime, repeat from * to end of day, go to bed.

Fascinating, n'est-ce-pas? Actually, I am feeling better today (as long as I, you know, don't stray too far from the foetal position). Good enough to proudly display my latest finished objects!

I finally finished the gorfing on these babies and now have another completed pair of socks for the Christmas stash. Good thing too, because Christmas is now less than 6 weeks away. Aaack.

Anyhoo, here are the specs: Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern, from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. Knit with Fleece Artist Merino using 2.5 mm dpns. I'm happy with them, they're lovely, and best of all, they're DONE. Woo-Hoo!!!

Other than the gorfing, there's been zero knitting done at chez Dear, simply because I've been feeling so, pardon the pun, crappy. Once everything is back to normal, I'm sure I'll get my knitting mojo back.

C-R-A-P

That's how I feel today, and I imagine it's how I look as well :( Apologies to my readers, I promise I'll have a proper post tomorrow.