Life's a Stitch

Next month this blog is going on summer vacation. Actually I’m the one going on vacation and the blog gets to stay home. I’m usually pretty good about blogging on the road but this will be an exception. From August 1-24th part of the family, including me,  will be in Europe! We have a unique plan with another couple, the parents of a girl in Bremen, Germany, who was involved on the same exchange as Elina when they were in tenth grade. We have a deal that when one couple comes to visit, we supply them with a car and a "base camp" from which to travel. We spend some time together and some time apart. While at home base, the ‘host" couple arranges and covers the meals and entertainment for the other couple. This way each couple only has to worry about airfare to the other country and the rest is pretty much taken care of except for the time when travelling around.

The first time we went there, we spent a few days in Bremen and then headed up to Denmark to visit with Chuck’s cousins in Copenhagen and the Island of Bornholm. When they came here they spent time with us and then took off by car to Jasper and Banff. This time we have decided to do some travelling together, so after five days in Denmark we will meet them on the German island of Usedom for a week. It feels like a dream. We’ve been saving to do this for awhile and it feels good heading off on a holiday pretty much paid for. So, next month this blog will be on vacation and I will miss it and all of you. Hopefully I’ll have some good knitting to show for it upon my return.

I’ve been researching German mail order knit sites so I can have stuff sent to our friend’s house in time for our trip. I don’t think the others would appreciate my planning the road trips around yarn shops as I do here. I’ve found Addi turbos for six Euros! If you are familiar with yarn shopping in Germany and have any suggestions for me, let me know.

I had a long wait while Elina was having her ultrasounds and was able to get in some serious Marina time:

Imelda Marcos I’m not. I am known for my lack of fashion when it comes to shoes; having to wear orthotics there are very few shoes that work with them. I’m known for owning no more than three pairs at any given time; a pair of running shoes that are worn out well loved like an old teddy bear, my pair of custom orthotic sandals, and for dressy occasions – Aerosoles with metatarsal inserts. I have very boring feet – until today. Give me a half price sale and shoes that accommodate my orthotics and voila! Blue suede shoes, and red ones, and brown ones…

And I’ve just finished six suede booties. At Chicks with Sticks the other night as I was knitting the fourth, someone asked me if I was knitting them for a dog! It was a fun evening in the company of two other bloggers, Maureen and Nadia.

It’s a gamble using the ladies’ washroom at our office. We are located in a decent shopping mall, but the ladies’ room is a challenge. Located at the end of a long hallway I’ve encountered a naked man outside the washroom and a naked woman inside. Re the naked man, I only saw him from the back, as he took off running. Mall security asked me, if I only saw him from the backside, how did I know he was a man!

Recent challenges include the installation of an automatic soap dispenser that doesn’t dispense, water controls that release only cold water, and a stall door that has a tendency to lock people in. I said it was a decent mall, but slithering under the stall door is gross, no matter how nice the facilities.

Yesterday, when I was in there, on one of my frequent visits (I should just take my tea and pour it down the toilet), waving my hands under the sensor in an attempt to get a squirt of soap, a co-worker shrugged and said "it’s luck of the draw in here." I don’t know about you, but I want my bathroom to be something I can rely upon and not something that’s "luck of the draw."

I once read an article that instructed you to list ten things in your life that bug you and then do something about them. I’ve done that from time-to-time and it is an empowering experience. It’s time to do it again. My new list includes three ladies’ room items. I guess that’s five if you count the random naked people; although I’m not sure what I can do about them short of carrying around a bathrobe.  I’m sure there are a few knitting items to add to the list  – something about misplaced stitch markers and needle point protectors. OK, today I’ll call mall mgmt and hit Walmart for some little plastic containers for my stitch markers.

On the subject of stitch markers, I received a wonderful package from Leah with stitch markers, tea, chocolate and note cards. Leah was so nice. She wanted to reward her regular readers and asked them to identify themselves in order to receive a surprise package. She found, as I did, that it was difficult for people to come forward because it felt awkward asking for a gift. But with encouragement her plan was successful. Thanks, Leah.

We are a summer camp kind of family. Early on in our relationship Chuck and I realized the impact summer camp had on our early years. When we moved to Vancouver he ended up as an executive director of a summer camp on a remote island. It was one of those things that was meant to be because before they offered him the job the board of directors insisted that we see the camp together, as a couple, in order to make a decision. It was February, the site was in ill repair and there were enough deer turds on the ground that it could be measured like heavy brown snow – in inches. Upon the end of the tour I whispered to Chuck, "Your take this job and you’re on your own." Insisting that he heard me say "You take this job," that he didn’t hear (go figure) the last part of the sentence (it ended up being a four year sentence), he accepted the job.

It was a rich experience. Mari took her first steps there, thank goodness, I had had enough of her picking up mouse poop as she crawled along our cabin floor. Elina had her first out trip at age four and was thrilled when she discovered a slug in her boot after her first night camping out. Bryant was conceived there (no details necessary) and I gained experience as the regular weekend relief cook after the designated cook staggered off the job drunk during the first weekend. For me it was a fine contrast to my social work job, people loved you immediately, no one was miserable, and everyone was happy for a good meal. They liked me as the relief cook because it was a relief to eat fresh veggies and recognizable meat from a bone.

Our children have carried forward the tradition, although at a different camp. Elina started there as a camper in seventh grade, worked her way up through the ranks as counselor and then staff. This year she is in charge of the counselling staff, and who is one of her counselors? Her brother, Bryant. This is his eighth year there. I can hardly believe it myself. How did these kids grow up so fast? Poor boy had a cabin full of sick campers all week and  now he’s home with a fever and earache. Despite that he had the time of his life. There are far worse things to inherit than a camping gene.

Back on track with Marina:

I decided on a brief break from Marina, to make something that could be finished in a short amount of time. These are right up there with the cutest booters I’ve ever seen. And it’s a free pattern to boot (excuse the pun)! It’s the Bethany bootie pattern from Berroco in Suede. I haven’t trimmed the fringe yet.

Elina and I spent Saturday morning together. First stop was a trip to Urban Yarns to spend the gift certificate she had given to me for my birthday. It was a good thing she was with me or I wouldn’t have bought what I did. I needed an accent yarn to go with my Classic Elite Miracle to make an acceptable size shawl. I would normally not have spent so much, but I ended up with Bouton D’Or Opale, which cost more than the main yarn for the project! Elina rationalized it for me saying the gift was from her and if she had to select something that is what she would have picked. It’s an interesting mix of fibre, some metallic, encased in a net tube. Thank you, Elina!

Thanks for all your good wishes, her scan is tonight.

Once you have kids, the worrying never stops. Mari is driving to Calgary Stampede for a long birthday weekend. Eleven hours of driving seems a bit excessive for me, the one who doesn’t tolerate long distance driving very well.

Elina is having some health issues. In a county of socialized medicine, where things happen slowly, after some concerning blood work, next week she is scheduled in for a CT scan, two ultrasounds, a specialist visit to be followed up with a visit to another specialist. On the way out of the doctor’s office today she made a comment that next week she had to drive into town three times from her one hour away job for medial appointments. I suggested she take the week off. She explained that it wouldn’t be possible since she is taking the following week off to travel with her BF. In my mommy fashion, I told her that her health was more important. In Elina fashion, she replied, "Mother, I love you a lot, but you are so difficult," I replied, "Just wait until I’m 80."

When you raise kids, the issues don’t go away, they just change.

I’m coping by knitting away, but my photos aren’t available on my laptop. See you next week. Thank goodness my job allows us to use our sick time to tend to family member’s health problems.

I love the summer. Now, if the weather would cooperate. This Pacific Northwest summer is right up there with the one first week in July when I watched my kid’s swim lessons – me in Goretex under an umbrella, and them, in swimsuits. That might have been the year when Bryant’s swimming lesson report card read "It was a pleasure having Bryant in the class, looking forward to next year when maybe he’ll get wet."

The living was very easy this past weekend in Bellingham. Our biggest decision was weather related – if it’s over 70 degrees at cocktail hour we decided on white wine, under, it was red.

It was fun teaching the visiting 14 yr old the love of knitting. She told me I didn’t fit her image of a knitter. I was glad to part of her reality check; she doesn’t fit her image of a knitter either. I think she likes her knitting goth combination. It sets her apart from others her age, which seems to be her goal for this part of her life. I tried to teach her the concept of process knitting. If you’ve made up your mind that you like to knit, and you’re going to do it on a regular basis, it doesn’t matter what you are knitting or how long it takes to finish a project. In fact sometimes, you even go backwards. I was a good role model with Marina.

And of course there was the shopping. Here are my finds, all rationalized by being discovered in the clearance bin of Hellens, where I met up with Dorothy of Missouri Star:

1. Quite possibly the softest yarn I’ve ever felt – Classic Elite Miracle, alpaca and tencel (made from wood fibre). Destined to be mixed with a ribbon for a fancy shmancy shawl.

2. Grignasco Top Print, another alpaca, with subtle self striping! Another shawl.

3. Grignasco Top Print for a scarf.

4. Berroco Suede for moccasin baby booties – so cute.

And the best part – all but the Suede were in the clearance bin.

After fighting holiday weekend traffic Thursday night, Lynn, Samantha and I arrived at our place in WA. As we turned into the driveway I saw someone was parking in my space. Then I looked through our windows and saw someone was watching my TV. It wasn’t a stretch to think that someone was sleeping in my bed. Middle aged confusion ensued. We rent our place out by the night and for a second I considered that perhaps I had forgotten a holiday weekend rental. Had things really gotten that bad with my pre menopausal brain that I could do something like that? And why hadn’t this renter called and complained that the condo hadn’t been cleaned since the last renter?

There was a logical explanation. There were some date changes in the last rental and we had arrived a day early. There was no need for this apparently ditzy landlady to disturb the unsuspecting family.Luckily we had a key to a neighbour’s weekend place and after he stopped laughing was more than agreeable in helping us out of our bind.

The weather wasn’t cooperative so we started out our weekend shopping. US shopping, despite the dollar difference, is a treat for those of us from north of the border. Such selection, the sales, one sales tax!

Then Missouri Star met Life’s a Stitch. What is it about getting together with another blogger that guarantees a good time? Dorothy and I met for the first time live at Hellen’s Needlework shop in Mount Vernon WA, along with my good sport non blogging very little knitting friend Lynn. I took along Marina and my flower basket bag.Dorothy brought several examples of her amazing lace knitting. You should see it in person.

When Missouri Star met Life’s a Stitch there were smiles:

When Missouri Star met Life’s a Stitch, the yarn stash multiplied (photos later). Really I wasn’t going to buy any yarn…

I’m known for my high energy level so I shouldn’t be surprised when my eldest seems to take after me. It became apparent early on. One night, when she was a preschooler, she couldn’t get to sleep. I explained to her the concept of counting sheep. She knew her numbers well, so I figured we were all set for a peaceful time of it. A while later, she came into our room and proclaimed, "I was counting those sheep, but they were going too fast." Oh yeah, that’s my girl.

So, this girl is now 21; she’s the one who has completed her nursing degree. This summer she elected to put nursing on hold and work a 24 hour a day job as a camp director at the camp she went to as a child and where she worked as a student. Did I mention that it’s for minimum wage? OK I get mean mommy points for that comment. Don’t cry, Elina (she’s my sensitive  child), you have very good intentions and I respect them. How can I complain when I’ve chosen a career in social work in the non-profit world? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as they say.

I am disappointed though, that she won’t be able to come to Bellingham for our yearly "girls’" weekend today. Each year Lynn, the mom of Elina’s best friend since kindergarten, and some combination of her three daughters, my two daughters and Bryant, have escaped to Bellingham, WA for a few days. We’re doing it this weekend, except both Bryant and Elina will be working at the camp. We have a new addition, Lynn’s boyfriend’s daughter, a 14 year old, eager to learn knitting is joining us. I’m looking forward to indoctrinating her into the knitting life. The other knitting highlight will be meeting Dorothy, aka Missouri Star, a fellow blogger, at a knit shop in Mount Vernon, WA.

If I’m able to piggy back  bum off of someone’s wireless network down there, I’ll post over the long weekend. If not, I’ll be back next Weds or Thurs. Have a wonderful Canada Day/4th of July weekend! And here’s my latest Marina update:

Have you ever read Judith Viorst’s, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day? Poor Alexander, nothing went right for him that day. He wakes up late with gum in his hair, gets left out of games at school, and even has to go to the dentist! If only he could move to Australia, then life would be good.

I’ve had a terrible horrible no good very bad knitting day. Have you ever knit two million stitches before you realize there is a mistake 100,000 stitches back? OK, I knit 64 stitches when I thought I had a mistake 32 stitches back. I went back and fixed it. Merrily knitting along, 300 stitches later, I realized my mistake had really been 64 stitches back instead of 32. The dilemma – unknit 300 stitches or take out the section of 32 and reknit them two rows below. It didn’t matter because it took the same amount of time either way. After fixing it I realized another mistake occurring once every 32 stitches. When will it end! I feel like I’ve spent the entire knitting part of my day fixing Marina mistakes.

I guess it’s like the end to Alexander, "Some days are like that, you know."

Had a good day on Sunday, though. We made it to two concerts that were part of the Vancouver Jazz Festival: Swingamajig – a feel good gypsy swing group featuring a dad and his 15 yr old son and then Sophie Milman, a 21 yr old raised in Russia and Israel, with an incredible jazz voice. Move over Diana Krall.

Marina, frontwards and back: