Life's a Stitch

This particular Saturday, the hands were involved in another creative endeavour. Having taking beginner level courses two years ago and as a birthday gift this year, I attempted the next step: Intermediate Silversmithing with a satisfying result. Here is my sterling silver spinner ring with a gold filled center ring:

It's due to a wonderful teacher, "Silver Bee," who in an encouraging manner, doesn't let you proceed to the next step until you've got it right. Not a sliver of light can be showing through the join prior to soldering. The only disappointment is that she's moving away so I signed up for one more class to reinforce my skills. 

My favourite part of ocean crossings is at about 1500 miles at sea. No buildings, no land, no signs of the motion of life other than an occasional flying fish and the rhythm of the waves, or in this case, "wavelets." Total relinquishment of control:

I know that it's not always like this but, I never would have thought the middle of the ocean could be so calming. Three times lucky.

The laurels haven't been updated in this version, however the movie has won another audience award at the Maui Film Festival, where 1000 people watched it under the stars. Sometimes I've doubted what we've done putting ourselves out there, as a friend from college said, "In front of God and everybody." Admittedly it may not appear to be everyones' cup of tea, you know how sensational movie traier's can be, but reviews such as this one confirm that it was an authentic part of our family's life. Thank you to Michelle Muldoon for this recent heartfelt review of our son's movie, posted on C's birthday, an unexpected gift:

I had the pleasure of seeing Taking My Parents To Burning Man at a recent super stealthy screening. Alright, truthfully,  I know the producer, but what I’m trying to say is, I know what I’m about to talk about so you should take note on this one. Taking My Parents to Burning Man is on the film festival circuit and being the smart people I know you are, you will do exactly as I say, run don’t walk to the theatre and go see this documentary.

What makes this film so special is the authenticity that surrounds it; from the love the filmmakers obviously have for Burning Man, to the open and fresh-faced wonder you experience through the eyes of the parents. Taking My Parents to Burning Manteaches you that age doesn’t have to affect experience, friendship, or the potential to learn new things about the world, or ourselves.   If you don’t believe me, then ask the already seven sold out screenings at the festivals it’s played at. That’s right, seven, and at events like the Newport Beach Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice Award for Feature Documentary, and The Sonoma International Film Festival where, you guessed it, they also won the Audience Choice Award. If that wasn’t enough, throw in a private screening at Pixar and, well, you get the message, this is a can’t miss film.

Taking My Parents to Burning Man chronicles the adventures of Spry Bry, a DJ, entertainer, and party-monster extraordinaire. The guy has it going on. His parents are nice, good, decent people. They are supportive and loving, and not who you would typically think would be willing to take on Burning Man in front of a camera. But they do, and the way they and their lives change (for the better) is the main reason you need to go on the journey with them. By the end of this movie, you want to be their friends, their children, and their dinner guests.

This is a great film with a huge heart. The visuals of Burning Man are stunning, and yet that’s the least impressive part of it. What makes this film so special is that it connects with something in all of us. It speaks to a universal need to share, love, connect, and experience in a world devoid of politics, agendas, or deception. This is the heart of Burning Man as an event, and it’s the heart of the film.

The Rio Theatre in Vancouver is home to two screenings of Taking My Parents to Burning Man. The shows on May 30th and 31st are already 70% sold out (more screening schedules – see below). I suggest you get you get a ticket before the other 30% are gone. It’s the kind of movie experience we just don’t get enough of anymore.

Want to know more? Check out the Taking My Parents to Burning Man Trailer.

Further screenings are scheduled for Calgary – June 26 and 27, Vancouver – July 3rd and Victoria BC on the 20 and 21st of July.

Thanks, Michelle Muldoon, come to my house for dinner anytime.

While crossing the ocean this was my knitting, an appropriate colour for the occasion:

Pattern: Free and easy Pie Wedge Shawl, by Lorna Miser, available as a download on Ravelry, for free as the title indicates.

Yarn: Fleece Artist Tara, colourway – Mermaid, a laceweight mohair blend. It is the softest, most irritation-free mohair I have ever knit with. And I'm sorry to report it's been discontinued. 

Needles: US size 8

Thoughts: This is my fourth pie wedge shawl and there will be more. Previous ones can be viewed here, here and here. I used a provisional cast on and sewn bind off to avoid the near disaster I experience on my first one. The edges were so tight that the yarn snapped when I tugged on them to straighten them out.  Like the others, I've added in an extra wedge. It can be worn scrunched up for a scarf or flat for a light as a feather shawl. I especially like knitting it in  a cobwebby yarn on larger needles.

Police definition: Your property is taken without your permission.

Yup, that fits. Let me back up, what a week it's been. Went to work Monday, feeling like it was a Monday after a long party on Saturday night, just a wee tad tired (it was the after party for the Vancouver premier of Taking My Parents to Burning Man, two more sold out audiences).

Back to Monday. At lunch time I could hardly make it  down to the food court to eat – shivering, achy body and whomping headache came on like a lead balloon. Let the office know I would be heading home. Took my temp and confirmed the ikky feelings were due to fever. Long story short: antibiotics, right neck gland reminiscent of mumps (is one sided called a mump?), sinus infection, ordered to stay at home until the fever is gone for 24 hours. Not there yet. 

Phone rings this morning"

"Hello, this is your neighbour and board member from your condo association in California. We were inspecting your roof for damaged tiles and noticed your air conditioning unit was gone."

Apparently people remove air conditioning units to recover $70 worth of copper. It's a speedy crime and they work on volume. 

The remedy so far includes: five unsuccessfully answered calls to the insurance company, one to the police who require a property inspection to assure there hasn't been a break in. Call back to the neighbour, whom we have never met. He offered to go over and check and that's where we are. Waiting. Waiting. I am going to assume no news is good news.

Lifesastitch and Blogless Marsha have knit across the Atlantic for the third time:

This time we added in a calm as a lake English Channel and glassy North Sea. All the way from Miami to Copenhagen there was daily knitting. I kept mine simple on the hands – 100% knit stitch, none of those painful k3tog. And we weren't alone:

On the ten sea days, this group from at least seven countries, met each morning for what we called our "knitting adult day care sessions." It kept us out of trouble as there are worse places to be on a cruise ship – the blazingly bright sun deck, casino, bars and gift shops, and the never-ending opportunities for food.

There has been a dearth of knitting on this knitting blog, I admit it. Granted, there has been a fair amount of recent excitement in our lives, demonstrated by recent posts, but that's not the reason. Rest assured that my knitting, limping along with these prematurely arthritic wrists, has accompanied me on those recent trips. The truth is, however, there'll only be slow knitting until I have an appointment at Vancouver's hand clinic referred after x-rays, a round of prednisone, rest and ice. 

In the spirit of our family 's usual mayhem, Mr. C is recovering from a broken rib. His is a more dramatic story. Once upon a time, a 63 year old guy was climbing down from his adult son's loft bed and missed the foothold. 

The end.

I have no  doubt, though, that we'll live happily ever after. In the mean time Lifesastitch will follow doctor's orders and take a little rest. I'll be back in early June.

This movie of ours has lead to one surprise after another. I had the privilege of being interviewed on radio by Rudy Maxa.
You can listen to the podcast here, starting around minute 23.

Another audience Choice Award: Best Documentary –  Newport Beach Film Festival

Imagine you have a kid, who in high school, went from honour roll to a 52 average in 18 months flat. All that parental worry until a year and a half prior to graduation, he discovers his passion, filmmaking. Goes on to four years in a degree program (notice I didn't say to get his degree in filmmaking because he is three credits short) and combines that passion with another talented classmate to bring together his dream of a movie: Taking My Parents to Burning Man.

So here we are, revelling in these two boys' success at the start of their career. Audience Choice Awards for Best Documentary at the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Sonoma International Film Festival.

I especially appreciated  this review.

We're just an average family having a fairytale experience.  How good is this?