Thinking of you all in the South

We are all thinking about you. I don't know if any of my readers are from any of the states affected by this colossal tragedy but please know that you are in my thoughts and as empty as this can sound it is true. I wish I knew of something to do in your time of need. I realize that there will be Red Cross appeals as well as others but here I sit in the comfort of my airconditioned home, in dry clothes, with my healthy family all around me and I feel that my donation is not going to get there fast enough for you NOW. The wheels of bureaucracy seem to turn so slowly at times like this.

What to Knit this Fall

Good Morning Glory!

Can you tell I'm going with a happier theme today? Everything I write must be positive. I feel like crap bringing you all down like that yesterday. Most times I am an upbeat type of gal but sometimes you gotta just let it all hang out. Onward and upward.

This is one of my beautiful morning glories (glorys?). Stunning little beauties aren't they? And to complete this little cheery little pictorial I am overjoyed to have received my Ram Wools catalogue.

Too many gorgeous patterns to mention them all. Will post some pics as soon as I drop Dn1 off at work. BRB.

Been kinda rough around here

Last week was the week from hell. Tried to organize myself, get the sweet 16 party arrangements together and look after a sick dog. Then things went downhill from there. Test results came back from the vet and it was not good news. Needless to say, I had to put the dog to sleep on Thursday morning. I had to put our 18 year old cat down a month ago and now this. DN2 has taken it pretty hard. The dog used to go upstairs and wait by the front door at 3:00 everyday, knowing she would be bursting in the door around 3:20. So I am dealing with this.

And I have a sinus infection.

Now aren't you glad I posted today? Just a little ray of sunshine eh? I'll try and be more upbeat next post.

Ten reasons why I can't wait for them to get their butts back in school

1. I can go back to eating chocolate cake for breakfast.
2. I can race around all morning do my chores and relax for the afternoon without hearing "Is this what you do all day?".
3. I can return home with bags/packages without someone rifling through them while commenting "Who is this for ?" and "Why don't you ever buy me____?"
4. When I feel the need to talk on the phone/use the computer, I won't have to wait in line.
5. The house will stay clean for more than 20 minutes.
6. Silence in the bath. Need I say more?
7. I will not have to constantly guess "Who is that person in the sleeping bag?".
8. I can surf on the computer/chat on the phone without teenage sighs (you know the one they do with their arms crossed?).
9. 10:00 pm bedtime for all of them.
10. Have sex at 11:00 pm again.

*** Any Canadians care to guess what famous apple that is?

Back to Life, Back to Reality

This is how I am feeling. Too much pop, too much junk food and not enough exercise during vacation. We got back late Saturday night and am still trying to get my poop in a scoop (little joke there, see previous post). Not a whole lot of knitting done but I did get this beautiful pattern while I was away. It is the "Everyday Cardigan" from Peace Fleece. It will be on my list of "to do's" this fall. Other than that, not a whole lot to report. Will give you more when I am more organized. Who am I kidding? I have 6 more loads of laundry to do, bedding to change and a Sweet Sixteen birthday to plan. I have to drop DN1 off at work for 11:00, drop something off to hubby at his work and get back to the house for 2:00 to pick up the dog and take her to the vet. DN3 has soccer tonight and dinner has to be prepared. Was that me complaining about vacation?

What IS that smell?

The first noxious smell this week originated from this. Thank God there were no fatalities. It truly was a miracle. However, living less than 10 minutes away from the crash, we got the smell. Kind of a combination of burning plastic and rubber. That went on for most of the evening. This picture is taken from one of our traffic cameras on Canada's busiest highway, the 401. And Knittingnurse? This is less than 5 minutes west of my father's store you will be visiting. My dad actually heard the explosions.

The other smell originates from a much more basic source, these. Why the hell can't people scoop? My mum tells me that on Sunday, a neighbour up the street with a large shepherd cross, let his dog do his thing and was walking away when my mum yelled out the window, "Hey, if you are going to leave that..."and doesn't he pipe up "Ya, ya I'm goin' pick it up", apparently his tone was less than congenial. My mother was going to finish with "I'll give you a bag" but he was a little too pissed to let her finish. Now, why should he be pissed? And doesn't he send the wife down, in her car no less, to pick it up? There is a tonne of dog feces around here and all the piles are HUGE. Why can't people pick up. I am a dog owner/lover and just can't understand it. Then they have enough nerve to be angry at YOU. Some of these owners only walk at night, under cover of darkness and guess what? No plastic bags to be found. The smell is less than flowery around here. Maybe they should take lessons from here.

And tomorrow, I am on vacation. Will be stopping here, but have not told passengers this as yet. Wish me luck!

Five more days...

Then this will be my view every night for a week (maybe more depending on my 3 lovely and easy to live with in a small place children). We will be taking our annual vacation which means knitting, reading, lying in, swimming, eating and shopping. No soccer, hockey, chauffeuring, chaperoning, tutoring or organizing. We are just going to ...be. And if any of you out there are starting your vacation, may it be as relaxing as I am planning mine to be. So any suggestions for fast and light knitting for vacation? Kinda like a beach novel but for vacation knitting.