Sanitarium.. just leave me alone...

I need to buy some winter type foot wear. All I wear are sneakers. No heels, no sandals, no boots. Sneakers. Oh and I have one pair of ballet flats I am crazy mad, mental insane in love with. Not practical for winter right? I used to wear all different kinds of shoes, clogs, heels, platforms, boots you name it. I have gotten so super lazy with my fashion sense, I guess it doesn't help that I dress like a 14 year old skater. I get so excited when I find something that is remotely *fashionable that I wear the shit out of it. And it is usually a fluke, like finding a sweater in the lingerie dept that I don't even know where to start looking for *normal* clothes. I'd love to find something to cover my feet that aren't sneakers, but everything feels so not sneaker like that I get frustrated. The joys of being a perpetual skater kid.

I haven't been acting like normal lately. I was a monogamous knitter for the longest time. It set me apart from other knitters as I would be finishing stuff all the time. Since I have discovered the joy of multiple projects it's like a whole new world opened up. BUT, I had nothing to post for ages. The bonus? When I finish stuff it seems to be all at once now!

This was a test knit for a gal on Ravelry. Gorgeous pattern (be. leaf.) and scrumptious yarn. Can you ask for anything more?

I love that this shawl was used by a group on Ravelry as a Supernatural KAL. One of my favourite shows EVER. The pattern is Gabriel's Wings, so I can see how it was close enough to Castiel for them to pick it. Great pattern and I love these shawlettes for fall. Winding them about my neck makes everything instantly warmer.

This took me FOREVER to finish and was the reason I started to cheat on my knitting in the first place. It is a gorgeous pattern called Laodice that I bought. It's gorgeous and soft and easy but DAMN. Did it ever take ages to finish! Totally worth it in the end.

I have been knitting all these shawlette/scarves and actually wearing them. This is the most productive, actively used knitting I have ever done. Selfish knitting mostly. I did knit one of these and sent it off to a pal in LA. I don't know if ever gets cold enough there for them, but I love her dearly and thought she should see it done out into something tangible. Besos Rhian.


The dogs have been practicing their sychronised sleeping! Aren't they getting good? Poor Max is back into his sweaters for the season. I shaved him down, but he really need it. He was smelly and shaggy. poor old goat.

Listening to Metallica in the morning is awesome. Great vacuuming music!


*not a t-shirt/jeans/hoodie.

Ain't that some shit?

I hate plumbing problems. HATE THEM. I have no idea how it works, and they are always so damn expensive! I keep telling Jake to learn to be a plumber, it's a license to print money I say! So when our hot water in the kitchen shut off for good* we were borked! Blergh. Chris pokes around at the faucet for a few minutes and tells me to phone the plumber in the morning.

So I phone the plumber in the morning. The same guys who did our dishwasher rough in and install. Some Russian/Eastern Block dude comes over turns the faucet on and proclaims it's the cartridge and he can't repair it because it's an IKEA faucet and their parts aren't standard, and the faucet is a piece of garbage and we really should get a new one as IKEA blows goats yadda yadda. He tries to sell me a 700$ (I blurted out HOLY SHIT NO WAY when he told me the price. then I started laughing) super fancy faucet. When I politely declined he said we could get a pretty good one at say Home Depot and get them to install it. I'm pretty pissed off at this point (I like having hot water in the kitchen. call me weird) so I tell him I'll talk to my husband about it. He left and to be fair, didn't charge me anything for coming out so yay for that.

I call IKEA to see if I can buy a replacement part. The dude tells me they don't carry them, and has no idea where I can get one. I was REALLY pissed of at this point and I cussed out the dude and hung up. I called Chris at work to tell him the bad news. He came home and we were getting ready to go buy a new faucet when he said "Lemme try something first!" Alrighty then! So he pulls some stuff apart, gets a big pot out and puts it behind the faucet (ok, writing faucet out so many times makes it look like a non word now!) fiddles around, pulls out some stuff and turns on some water, uses come compressed air and BAM! The faucet is FIXED. Turns out there was a blockage in the tube from the shut off to the tap. HURRAY!!!! A hearty thanks to the (now almost) handy man, and a big poke in the eye with a sharp stick to the SO CALLED professional.

The weather here has been so grey and rainy, I hate it. I don't mind that cold, but the grey? YUCK. I still don't know how you all on the Island can take it. It bums me out. I suppose getting used to these new meds I'm taking for the Fibromyalgia isn't helping either. I feel a little fuzzy, and disconnected from myself a little. I miss my Mom and I worry about my Dad. I am just a bundle of happiness, unicorns, wizards, rainbows and puppies aren't I?

I'm also doing slightly out of character things too. Nothing weird, just doing 3 knitting projects at the same time. Something most knitters do, but I've always been a fairly monogamous knitter. Not anymore. At least not now. I'm test knitting an awesome shawl for a gal on Ravelry and it is turning out GORGEOUS. I love me some red Malabrigo lace! The downside is I don't have any pictures for you. Not yet anyways.

AND... since my husband was such a good sport about his Slanket picture I reckon turnabout is fair play. This is totally what I look like most evenings. With less feigned joy. I have everything I need in my little corner. Water with a straw**? Check! Knitting? Check! Incense burning? Check! Bathrobe? Check! Small Dog? Check! Some sort of snack (usually still yogurt.. holy hell food jag much??)? Check! 

And what have you been doing?










*we've been having this problem for months and months but it has always resolved itself in 5 min or so. UNTIL NOW
**OMG I LOVE STRAWS.

We all float on

After this weekend I may need to get this app. We went to Montana's for lunch on Friday. We never go there but Chris was told by his GI Dr that he is low in iron so he wanted some RED MEAT and off we went. I order chicken finger because sometimes I roll like a toddler. The food came out and we dug in. I took one bite and it happened. I swallowed and swallowed and swallowed. It wasn't going down, in fact it wasn't going anywhere. I couldn't breathe or move and my ears started to ring. I looked at Chris across the table wordlessly and made my hands go around my neck. He laughed and then looked really weird.. he asked if I was choking and I nodded. The ringing was getting louder. He stood up and came over to my side of the booth (he is a trained first aid responder) and started to get behind me to give me the Heimlich. The ringing was getting louder and I thought "oh fuck, I don't wanna die in a Montana's! this SUCKS!" Utilising a Herculean force I managed to kinda throw up the blocking chicken piece and GASPED for air. Chris sat down and asked if I was ok. He said he knew it was trouble when I went dead silent. No noise is bad. I shook for about an hour after it was all said and done, and even managed to nibble on some chicken. I was really hungry what can I say?

I had no idea so many thoughts could race through your mind in such a short time. It was one of the scariest things that has ever happened. even if nothing did happen. Lesson learned, chew your food better. But I have to say I am a little bit scared of big solid food still. I've been eating lots of yogurt. :/

More knitting: Citron out of some colour changing cotton yarn. I'm not sure about the yarn, it's cool, but not fantastic to knit with. Very splitty and the colour change parts have knots in them. I think I am a wool girl at heart. Cotton seems lifeless in my hands. No bounce or spring. Blocking is a PITA* and um... I dunno..

But it *is* pretty! I may have gone on a little yarn bender when Chris was gone to Houston.

There's some nice wool in there I tell ya! Almost all of it was 50% off too. Shamefully I have a nail polish bender to almost rival that too.. it's the colours that get me. Every time.








*pain in the arse

Alone again.. naturally...

It's weird how many times I've done this lately. Seriously. Like 5 times in the last week! I'm blaming meds. I did start a bunch of news ones so..

The last few weeks have been not very great here. My Mom died on July 30th. She has been sick for a long time, but this was really sudden. We had expected a few more months.. but that's not how it went. None of us were ready for it to happen so quickly. We had a lovely service for her and so many people came! It was really a celebration of her life, she would have loved it, but been embarrassed by all the attention. That was my Mom. Our little English Rose.

The flowers were from my ex-In-laws. Weird right? But they are lovely people and Jake's grandparents. So very kind of them. I have to say I am impressed with the kindness people have shown me in the last few weeks. My friends have really been amazing, emailing and phoning and offering help. It is times like this that you find out who your friends really are. They are ones holding you up when you feel like falling down. Showing small kindnesses.

And now onto more uplifting things..

One of Jake's friends put this on Mr Pickles and holy shit did we laugh. Isn't he just the bomb? Poor Pickles, the indignities he suffers to make us laugh. I shaved him yesterday and after wards I was covered in picklefuzz so I took a shower. When I was done I called him in to the bathroom and brought him in the shower. That definitely sounds way pervier than it was. In fact it was hilarious as he doesn't realise he should shut his eyes when water is falling in them. He does the same thing in the rain. Anyways, he got a quick rinse and towel off. I'm sure he felt much better in yesterdays heat. Today however, I'm sure I was getting the stink eye. Summer in Alberta dude.. we have had our furnace on every month of the year. And I reckon it is going on tonight.

Chris is in Houston right now training a bunch of people to do I have no idea what.. so I have been eating badly, staying up late and shopping. In case you thought this was a knitting content free post, think again. I have been PRODUCTIVE!

 See? Lace is my crack right now. Which is better than say.. real crack.. right?

The Heart Remains a Child

Apparently I make a wicked good bean salad! Who knew? I've been trying to eat a little healthier since these stupid meds I'm on have a really awesome side effect of weight gain (which is full of suck) and really.. we could all totally eat better than we do. Right?

Awesomely bright bean salad.

1 can black beans (drained)
1 can corn (drained too)
1 pepper. red/yellow/green, your choice. I used yellow. mmm..
a bunch of grape or cherry tomatoes.
1 whole lemon
salt and pepper

Make sure your beans and corn are well drained, toss 'em in a big ol' bowl.
Dice the pepper. half or quarter your tomatoes. Depending on size. toss them in the bowl too.
cut the lemon in half, and juice that sucker right over the bowl. Both sides. You can add a little zest of the lemon if you were so inclined.
Add salt and pepper. I used lots of pepper. I love pepper.
Make sure your salad is well mixed and put it in the fridge. Let it chill for a couple of hours. Eat. Go OMG! I had no idea bean salad was this good with not a stitch of added fat in it! Marvel that your husband who can be notoriously fussy eats 2 huge bowls of it and is actually excited to eat the leftovers the next day. Feel good about making yourself look like a food rockstar.

I have been doing something really out of character for me. I have been working on more than one knitting project at a time! I KNOW RIGHT!?!

This was a super fun knit. The yarn is a silk bamboo mix I got from (gasp) Michaels ages ago. Beautiful drape and so shiny and pretty! I loves it!

Pickles says HAI GUISE!

Um.. yeah. So I went and got some more ink. It is the companion piece to my sweet cupcake. I was so excited when it was done I was showing all the hardcore dudes in the shop. Hey! Dudes! Look at this sweet fucking ball of yarn! Wow, did they all laugh. And they all loved it :) I really dig going to Strange World Tattoo, and Rick is totally the man. He is funny and really awesome to work with. Clearly I like him, he's done 6 tattoos for me. This is his first yarn ball he's done. I know, I live to provide people with fresh new experiences. It's a gift.

Max doesn't care. 

life goes on BRA!

We had visitors from the west coast this last weekend. It was so good to see Chris' parents.. it's far too long between visits. we didn't do a whole lot, but we did get to Stampede. First time in 10 years for us, 50 for my MIL (please don't kill me)! It was still.. yup.. Stampede! But we did go see SUPERDOGS!! Which was super. The host mentioned he had been doing it for the last 35 (25?) years and I don't think he had purchased any new clothes since then. They were very, um, natty. Like a game show host from the 70's. And happily as gay as a Christmas tablecloth. He was hilarious. They had 3 little pugs (HEATHER!!!) that ran this little flag course.. I about died from the cute. Ate a corn dog, some mini donuts and called it a day.

The rest of the weekend was pretty rainy, and I wasn't feeling super great so we all laid low. Watched the futbol, had some Chinese (spicy hut!) and caught up. Pickles made new BFF's. He was such an attention ho, I think he completely charmed Moms and Pops.

Do you see what a good sport my husband is? I caught him wearing my robe like a slanket and forced him to capitulate to some extremely shameful photos. Yes he is reading my Fangoria magazine and having a tasty treat out of my flirt mug. Gods, he is a keeper!

 I have been knitting, knitting, knitting. One project keeps getting put aside for faster, easier, smaller ones. I never thought I'd break with my knitting monogamy!

Poor little Max got some sort of gross thing on his foot (a wart I think, he is slowly turning into a roaming lump farm) so I put a little bandage on it so he'd leave it alone. It is working. I think.

We had a wicked hail storm last week.. our car is dimpled (not from smiling too much I tell ya!) and it beat the shit out of the trees. It was CRAZY HAIL.

Thems some big balls!



PS That is me up there. I found some photos in the car (!) and scanned them. I reckon this is the last time I wore a 2 piece. I think I was about 3.

this shit is bananas

Seriously the best muffins EVER. The secret? MORE bananas. We usually have quite small bananas in the house as we use them for smoothies mostly. Last time I made these I had 5 slightly rotten ones kicking around so I used them all. AND... BEST. MUFFINS. EVER. OF. THE. HISTORY. OF. MUFFINS.

Also I use my mix master cause I can and that is just how I roll. I also have a preference for unbleached brown muffin cups I get from Planet Organic. They are great!

best. muffins. ever.
oven at 350
yields 18 perfect muffins. 

wet mixture

1/2 cup butter (I usually end up nuking it for 30 sec's cause it's been in the fridge)
5 small bananas (browner is better here)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2-3/4 cup of sugar. the recipe calls for 3/4 c, but I found them a tad sweet. I cut it back to 1/2.

toss this all your mix master and beat the hell out of it. seriously. get it nice and smooth.

dry mixture

2 cups of flour. don't use whole wheat. trust me. all purpose is better.
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1tsp cinnamon
1 cup (or more.. I won't tell) MILK chocolate chips. I've done fancy dark, semi-sweet, but by FAR milk is the best.

When your wet is nice and smooth, add in your dry ingredients. DON'T OVER MIX. Muffins are best when they're not beaten into submission. Mix it until it's all incorporated. 

Spoon into 18 prepared muffin tins. Bake for about 20 mins or until tops are golden. Don't over bake these.

Cool. Eat. Enjoy.

PS I ate the one at the top of the post as soon I as took that picture. HOLY SHIT GOOD.

The Fear

Chris is putting together a recumbent bike in the spare room. Here's to hoping a little exercise will get done. You know, besides the assembling of it.

It's been unusually wet here for us, even if it is June. The southern parts of the province are experiencing enormous amounts flooding. Our lawn is still green. Which is really saying something. We don't water it. EVER. Yes, we are those neighbours. But we do mow. Rather, Jake does. It's nice having a teenage back around to do the heavy lifting.

 
I'm tired lately. The Fibro stuff makes me conscious of how much I do, and where I want to spend my spoons. Chris went to Pittsburgh overnight for a meeting this week, and I went out the first day he was gone to do some shopping. I used to be able to go go GO, but I was beat by the end of the day. Which awesomely involved new shoes, new dresses and did you know Perrier makes GRAPEFRUIT FLAVOURED WATER? Well they do. And it is gooooooood.

 Also: when you find a half a ice cream bar and tell Unilever about it, they send you coupons!  Plus check out that awesome nail polish. OMG. I love, it!! I started a polish blog, it's pretty much just pictures. But I do so enjoy it. Pretty Girly.

somewhere.. beyond the sea....

This has been a weird week-ish. I found out a very old friend passed away (is died too bad to say? I mean that is what happened, but it sounds so final doesn't it?) from a heart attack. We are only 41* isn't that too young? Yes, yes it is. I keep hearing songs that make me think of her, and I hadn't even seen her for years, but you know music has that effect. It gives you the STOP, REFLECT, THINK's doesn't it? Maybe I really should take up running now. Or at least lay off the frozen snickers bars. :/

Also May 8th was our 11th anniversary. I have now doubled my first marriage. Which maybe is crass but again, stop, reflect, think. Yup. Chris got a new TV. Such a silly goose. but he sure likes it. :)

We went bowling on Tuesday with Chris' work. Who knew your ass muscles were so integral in bowling? Well mine are sure pissed with me. The silver lining? My absolute suckage won me not one, but TWO prizes for being the worst there. GO ME!!! I kept imagining I was The Jesus from The Big Lewbowski. It didn't help, but I felt smoooooooth.  I still sucked.

I have been knitting, knitting, knitting. 

And painting my nails, which is approaching a level of near insanity with my renewed polish lust. It's like a super small craft project that is immediately done with shiny beautiful results. Oh my.. such possibilities!

We also had some visitors on our lawn last weekend...

They hung out for a hour or 2. And scared me. With the quacking. Big birds are scary!
What have YOU been doing? 







*42 on the 24th. I relish aging. it's preferable to the alternative.

may the road rise with you.......

I know it's perils of aging, but another one of my teenage idols died. Malcolm McLaren was an innovator, a firebrand, a dick, an inciter, a user, a visionary and many other things to many other people. This makes me haz a sad like the lolcats say. He died from mesothelioma, a lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. The picture above is him at his infamous shop he owned with Vivienne Westwood. They reckon it was this shop that the exposure came from as they tore out the ceiling to make it look like a bomb hit it. That was SO THE SHIT when I was a wee baby punk rocker. We aspired to that. Coveted it. sigh. Be careful what you wish for.

I found out about this from reading Mr Roger Ebert's blog this am. I truly love his blog, his writing is amazing and makes me tear up on a semi-regular basis. Since he lost his voice, he found mine. Truly awesome.

Anyways I read that, and sat here surfing the Internets aimlessly for hours it seems. I finally got up and took a shower and missed a phone call in the shower. Don't you hate that? When I got out I went and checked caller ID* and it was Jakey. You know, all it takes to buoy you up is to hear from your kid.

I'm gonna go call my parents now. You should too.

*How did we live without this? EVER?

the view belongs to everyone

the view on my desk as of today:

Chris went all over to find those Quatchi figures. There was much McDonald's eating. :/  My husband is a strange man sometimes.

enjoy the sun!

sheena is a punk rocker, me too!

So the time has slid by like butter on a hot plate yes?

Some recent highlights:

-Chris got some contract work (while he looks for a permanent place) with his old company! Hurrah! I now know we will be fine when he retires. I am lucky enough to truly enjoy my dude's company. Although stuff does get done more when he is at work. And the kitchen stays cleaner.

-Speaking of the kitchen.. why did I choose WHITE FLOORS? We've had a gorgeous spell of weather here which leads to little doggie foot prints. Good thing I have awesome floor mops* at either side of the room.

-We went to Canmore this weekend with the aforementioned company for their belated Xmas party. Nice!

-I've been baking and knitting and painting my nails with great regularity. Not all at the same time. I don't have that kind of skill set.

See? A nice sweater! Spud and Chloe sweater yarn and it's completely washable. NICE!!


And a lovely scarf. This is knit out of a merino/silk blend I spun up. It was fun and very, very simple. Great TV knitting.

-Chris had a quick trip out to the Island after his Grampa passed away. It was very sad, but he really loved seeing all his awesome relly's and goggling at the green grass. As always much love to you all out there.

-My Mom and Dad are in Vegas AS I WRITE. Moms' cancer treatment is done for now, and she was feeling a little perkier so off they went. I hope they are having a fabulous time.

-My back pain is still here, but since we have been treating this like a fibromyalgia case (which bites but WHATEVER. I am so frikken tired of being tired and in pain and all the symptoms fit so there!), the pills I am taking to help with my sleep has reduced it to being able to be managed with OTC stuff! Go Me!

-Jake turned 18. I cannot have an adult child. I AM NOT GROWN UP MYSELF!

-My hair is in a short bob right now. I'm trying to decide if I wanna chop it all off again. Really, it's just a matter of time right?

-I realise that I only like to blog when Chris isn't home. Blame him for the lack of posts.




*awesome floor mops? kitchen towels on the floor you scrub around with your feet. lazy is as lazy does.

so much ink.. so little skin.

When you spend your life following the rules, and you still get a kick in the goolies.. GET TATTOOED!! At least this seems to be Chris' new mantra. He was unfortunately laid off on Dec 9. It was a total shock for him (and me!) and seems to be a poor choice on his (former) companies part, but it is what it is. Happy Christmas assholes! So he just up and decided that FUCK THE MAN was kinda appropo.. and VOILA! I seem to have forgotten to take pictures of Chris' other side. It's the same as Big Red, but it's blue!






My reasons aren't nearly as shazam worthy.. I am an addict. Plain and simple. But ain't it just sweet?


This year promises to hold lots of challenges*, new beginnings and who knows what else. It should be.. interesting. To say the least.


*my little tiny baby turns 18. gulp.

all was calm

all was bright. Happy whatever you celebrate ya'll!