Don't take a picture of a Swiss Guardsman until you exit St. Peter's Basilica. Even if you are five feet from the exit. Learn enough Italian to be able to purchase cheese in expected quantities that cost less than 17 Euros. When you stand on the Metro, noses land uncomfortably close to armpits. I guess…

An emotional roller coaster ride has come to an end. As of tomorrow I'm off to Rome without Chuck, who is still laid up recovering from his detached retina surgery. It was a difficult decision because honestly, and it takes a fair dose of honesty to remain happily married, I know if the trip had…

From this: To this, in one week flat: A Round Ripple Afghan with an added picot edge:

It seems I missed the call of a lifetime today. Arriving home after work I checked out the call display: Out of area (no number listed), Scotiabank (my friend, Lynn), N Shore Comm Res (that was me, calling from work – North Shore Community Resources,checking up on Mr. Sideways), and Responsive Mark. Hmmm, don't recognize…

Thank you for all the well wishes. The patient is impatient but mostly compliant. What a combination of decisions and feelings this past week, fear, disappointment, guilt. Fortunately there is very little physical pain.The recovery has started. We can even muster up some black humour. In the hospital I was asking about his condition and…

I saw that on a bumper sticker today. File this under "Life's not necessarily fair." It's not that I'm a total heathen who can't put this into some sort of perspective, but give me permission to emote. Please? All I can do is put this in point form: 18 months ago, in preparation of our…

I'm a knitter and this is a knitting blog. I remember when I first started following others in blogland, being turned off by those who displayed too much of the single hook stuff. So, self identified regulars and lurkers, I've been afraid to show too much of the alternative yarn art, for fear of losing…

Not a long post  because I have a headache. This kind that starts in the neck and crawls up the side of my skull and grows into throbbing-through-the-eyeball migraines used to be quite common for me. I've posted about my failed treatment attempt, but I finally found one that works. Botox, same as the cosmetic…

Indulge me in a linen rant. Back in the day, about 1977, good sheets were 180 thread count percale and lasted forever. They wore well and improved with age. The elastic in the fitted ones would wear out before the fabric. They cost a quarter the price and lasted ten times as long.  Fast forward…

If you're a reader from British Columbia you'll be able to decipher those letters as belonging to the Pacific National Exhibition, our urban version of a state fair, summer's last hurrah. It occurs at the end of the season, usually in rainy BC weather, smells like mini donuts, sounds like excited Hell-a-vator induced shrieks, and…