Turn down the suck

It's past my bedtime, but I still can't sleep. It's like this every Monday, I yawn my way through choir practice, then by the time I get home I'm totally wired. No point going to bed and tossing and turning, right? Plus this way, I get some quality alone time with the computer, something that doesn't happen very often when the kids (and Phil!) are around. Sweeeeeet.

Speaking of choir, our concert dates are looming, and there's still a fair amount of suck in at least half the program, so it was a difficult practice tonight, and it's looking as though there will have to be an extra practice next week. I love to sing, but I find it really difficult when concert season comes along, and I'm basically never home for about 10 days. Oh well, I'll get through it.

I ran again yesterday! I had Muay Thai class in the afternoon, so when I dropped the kids off at my mum's house just before lunch (Phil was flying kites for the Tour de l'île, I decided to go on my run in her neighborhood. It was nice, and yesterday's program wasn't too exerting (says the girl who can't feel her legs today), just 5 x (3 minutes running + 1 minute walking). Oh! And I scored a great digital watch that I can program for interval training at Zellers, 69$ + 25% off. Bar-Gain.

Yesterday was my 6-year wedding anniversary. Phil and I have been together 15 years, and we never really "did" the anniversary thing. But since he was away on business for Mothers' Day and he was gone all weekend flying kites, I guess he figured he had some stuff to me up for? Because when I got home from Muay Thai, he gave me this:

Oooooooooh, shiny! Yup, nothing says "I love you" like jewelry. Wasn't it Ron White who said "Diamonds, that'll shut her up!". GRIN. I think it works for cubic zirconium too :)

I've been neglecting my garden of late. This happens every year, I get really excited in the early Spring, then I completely and utterly lose my gardening mojo. Mother Nature isn't helping me along though, the crazy beotch just can't quite seem to get it together this year! We need some Summer, lady!!!

Émilie, on the other hand, has been watching our strawberry patch like a hawk, and as soon as one is ripe, she is All. Over. that action.

Good thing she's cute! I wonder if I'll ever get to taste one?

Well, I'd better wrap it up. I had a day off running today (I still went to Curves though), but tomorrow will be the first day I have to go out after the kids are in bed, when the lure of the couch and the knitting is at it's strongest. Wish me luck!

Happy Knitting Everyone!

Finish Line

I am very close to completing Colette. Very. Close. One more sleeve to go, plus all the ends to weave in, and then I'll be on the lookout for another project. I remember being miffed about this sweater, thinking I wouldn't be able to wear it much because it would be too hot (it IS 50% merino, after all). But apparently I needn't have worried, nothing but clouds, rain and balmy 21° highs for the next week. I am SO ready for Summer to get here! Ugh!

I'm pretty sure I'll have enough yarn left over from this project to knit the Sculptured Lace Scarf from the Spring 2009 IK (maybe not right this minute though!). We'll see if any of the men in my life can handle a little lace.

Speaking of lace, being so close to the finish line, I'm free to start thinking about my next project. I'm thinking lace, probably Anne Hanson's Hamsa. I won this package at the Ravelry party draw at Rhinebeck last year, and the colours are really speaking to me lately (see above reference to icky, grey and rainy weather). Plus it's part of her "Little Nothings" collection, so it should be a quick knit.



In non-knitting-related news, I signed up for the 10km running event of the Montreal Marathon in September! I've been thinking about it for a few weeks, and finally yesterday I just decided "Stop daydreaming about what you want and MAKE IT HAPPEN!". I'm super excited about this, I think it's going to be awesome. Of course, now I need to... you know... start running!

I haven't trained for anything even remotely like this since high school! But I figured with the Curves workouts and the weekly boxing lessons, I can't be THAT out of shape, right? A colleague of mine from work who runs the half-marathon every year is going to write up a training regimen for me, I'm really anxious to see what's involved!

Preparations for my choir's upcoming concerts are really starting in earnest. We've got 2 concerts in senior citizens' homes (on June 22nd and 26th), then 2 concerts as part of the Mondial Choral festival (on June 27th - my birthday! - and June 28th). I've got the only solo performance for those last 2 concert, and I'm a bit nervous, even though I did the same piece last year. It just seems like the pressure is that much higher when I'm the only one that's going to be singled out. Plus our director seems to think I'm this über-soprano or something (I'm really not), and he keeps giving me these pieces with really high, long notes. *Sigh* Well, what's the worst that can happen, right?

Happy Knitting Everyone! I hope to have pictures of a finished object next post!

Pot Pourri

It feels as though a big chunk of my life these days involves waiting of one kind or another. Waiting for the second half of the Pacific Islands stole to be done, waiting for the second Landscape Fire sock to be done, waiting for that big project at work to finally pick up some momentum and get off the ground, waiting for Spring... All I do is wait, wait, wait!

I was complaning with a friend on Facebook lately, and he said "Yeah, it does seem like the suck to happy ratio is a bit high lately, doesn't it?". Well put, dude.

*Sigh* Aaaanyway, hence the lack of consistent blogging. My "largest fan", aka my Dad (his words, not mine!) commented on it tonight, effectively telling me to get over it already and get to posting, because some people just couldn't handle these 4-day breaks.

So...

I completed 24 rows on the stole last night! Woot! How's THAT for exciting, huh? I've got about 12 repeats and a bit completed on the second half, with about 6 more to go. I'm already starting to dream about my next project (I'm really tempted by Colette! Pioneer, from the new Knitty, is also calling to me). Soon, my precioussss....

Oh! Here's some interesting news! Phil and I (and Émilie and Maxime, come to think of it) might be inheriting a dog! Phil's brother is looking to place his Boston Terrier in a new home, and he's just a sweetie. Not too big, very affectionate, good with kids. We're going to take him for a week and see how it goes. Hah! And Phil thinks the KIDS are ruining the hardwood floors! Bwahahahaha!!!

Oh wait, OK. HERE'S something you'll appreciate. I recently got a copy of the DVD of my choir's Christmas concerts, and after some pretty gosh darn fancy technical wizardry (at least, I was impressed), Phil managed to extract my solo performance and upload it onto YouTube. The video quality isn't the greatest, I'm afraid (we're not talking MuchMusic, people), but it's enough to give you the jist. Enjoy! (or, you know, be kind!)



Happy Knitting Everyone! I've got, you guessed it!, 21 rows to knit.

Break on Through

I did it. I somehow managed to survive another weekend. How do people do it? How do we get through the mad rush of the shopping and the cooking and the laundry and the social obligations and still keep our sanity intact? I'm serious, I think this is one of life's great mysteries.

Okay, truth be told, this weekend wasn't really THAT bad. I'm just exhausted from Émilie waltzing into our room and turning on the light at 6:09 AM this morning. In her defense, we have to get up at 6 during the week, but she has yet to grasp the concept of "sleeping in". When you think of it, Phil and I are really the ones who need to keep up with the learning curve though, because we keep falling into the trap of going to bed at 11 o'clock on Friday and Saturday nights (you know, 'cause it's the weekend! we can sleep in! NOT!). Sharp as a butter knife, people.

So, first things first. Saturday evening we were invited to the hippest, happenin'-est party of our neighborhood, Kate-the-Enabler's son Liam's first birthday party.

Liam seemed a little freaked when everyone started to arrive (no biggie, I feel the exact same way when too many people invade my tiny abode), but he and Maxime were eventually able to sit and chill at the Play-Doh table. Can't you just picture them in a few years, trading hockey cards and giggling because on of them said "boobies"?

Now, Phil and I took a bunch of pictures of the party, but one of the adults always managed to be in a most unflattering position in every. single. picture (you know, eyes closed, finger up nose, bent over flashing droopy cleavage, that kind of thing), so this is all you get. *Speaking of droopy cleavage, Chris, if you EVER post that picture you took of me, be prepared to endure my wrath*.

Today we put up some of our Christmas decorations. Émilie and Dad picked up a little tree (I think it's a four-footer?) this morning, and we got to work.

And I do mean WORK, people. Controlling Émilie's creative impulses while simultaneously trying to keep 18 month-old Maxime away from the tree and it's glass ornaments (note to self - invest in some plastic ornaments!) was, um, challenging. See my face in this picture? That's what's referred to as "The Look" in my family. (and MAN! Why is it that I look like a tank in all these pictures! I've lost weight, I tell you!)

We pretty much stopped at the tree. I've got quite a collection of snowglobes and other decorations that I'm still debating on putting out, what with Maxime's enthusiasm and Émilie's overzealousness.

I was hoping that decorating would put me into the Holiday spirit, but I'm just not feeling it. Perhaps after a good night's sleep, I'll feel differently. We'll see.

This afternoon Émilie and I went over to Alison's to drop off some recipe books I'd been holding hostage for a few months, and to meat her new fur baby Newman. Émilie was enchanted to meet a kitty, and of course had a major fit when it was time to leave, crying that the cat would "miss her terribly" and "why can't I get a cat???" (I'm allergic). I think she had finally stopped crying for all of 2 minutes when we got home, and of course, what should Phil ask her when we walked through the door? "Did you see a CAT???" (I think it's a safe bet that "The Look" was used again).

And here we are, another weekend over and done with. Hallelujah! I've got a busy week ahead of me, with choir practice on Monday and 2 concerts this week (including the Oratoire St-Joseph on Saturday!). But I'll do my best to blog. I do it all for you, people! (actually that's a lie, I'm just a comment junkie).

Happy Knitting Everyone!

Bear With Me

Sometimes I can't find the inspiration to write a proper, "good" post. I often like to prepare an outline of what I want to say during the day, but as I sat down today, it took a while for the creative juices to flow. But I DO want to put up a post. I've neglected you, my dear readers, and I want to make up for it.

Those of you who live in Montreal will know that we had our first snowfall here last night, and it still gets me excited every time. The kids were pretty excited too! Well, Émilie was anyway, Maxime didn't seem to know what to make of it, poor little guy. He would get really excited to step IN the snow, then get frustrated because he couldn't quite manage to get OUT of the snow.

Sometimes I wonder if Mother Nature has PMS days just like the rest of us. I swear, the crazy bitch didn't know WHAT the hell she was on about today. I watched it go from snow to drizzle to rain and back to snow today, and the local students, bless their silly little hearts, were walking around in tennis shoes and hoodies. Wisdom, I've come to realize, is when you recognize the value of warm winter accessories and can proudly wear your hat out in public (especially when you knit it yourself!).

So yeah, I'm thinking the snow is going to make it harder to ignore Christmas. I find I'm a bit restless with my knitting lately, probably due to the fact that I've got too many wips on the needles (of, and the fact that I'm completely obsessed with New Moon, but that's a whole nother story).

The run-down:The Pacific Islands stole, knit with Dyed in the Wool Handmade laceweight, in the Havasy Falls colourway. It's looking like crap right now, as lace is wont to do before blocking. Now that the pattern is really underway, it's quite an enjoyable knit.

The second thrum sock. Meh... Been there, done that. I've never fallen prey to Second Sock Syndrome, but I think I may have it now. I'm just not interested in knitting this right now.

Pillars socks (Ravelry link), knit with Dyed in the Wool Handmade fingering weight, in the Butter Cream colourway. These were meant to be my metro knitting, but since I'm NOT knitting in the train these days (too busy reading), the progress has been slow...

So yeah, progress is slow, and I'm feeling un-enthused about knitting lately. The coming weeks are only going to get busier, with Phil traveling for work and choir concerts left and right. Oh, and speaking of the choir, guess who had Panis Angelicus sprung on her a mere 10 days before the first concert? Aaaack.

Happy Knitting Everyone!