Hello... Goodbye...

Hello Year of Lace that is! Ever the procrastonator, I joined today. SO GLAD. I joined because I saw the first kit. No spoiler here... only one word... STUNNING!!! Plus it's not like I've ever had a bad experience with Make One, it's my LYS. Classes, sock club, Retreat... all have been fantastic experiences. So I am stoked. Stoked I say.

I also joined the Swallowtail Shawl KAL on Ravelry's Make One Yarnies group, I have MMMMMalibrigo lace yarn, I have my needles, I have not the pattern, not yet anyway. But I'm working on it.

This is fearless knitting at it's finest for me... that left-handedness is a particular bug when it comes to things like... well like lace. Wish me luck. It'll either be my Year of Lace or my Year of Crazy Making.

I said goodbye to my son today. He's off to Ontario to visit his Dad. I am already going stir crazy but hope that a total and overwhelming obsession with knitting will get me through the next 10 days without me turning into a unmitigated disaster.

There is reason to worry. The last time the boy went to his Dad's, I got daily sobbing phone calls, he fought incessantly with his new step mother and in the end, he came home early. He didn't speak to his Dad for months afterwards (he'd hang up on his Dad if he called). That was 1-1/2 years ago. After that, the boy started having severe anxiety problems (requiring professional intervention) and we have that under control now. I don't want to project negativity on this trip. The boy is more mature, and with any degree of luck, so is his Step Mom. The anxiety is well under control (and we reviewed what he needs to do if he does have an anxiety attack). One might hope, his Dad has made a better plan of action for this trip to ensure it's fun, pleasant and goes more smoothly. I told the boy to chill, don't take things to heart and above all HAVE FUN. Tell his Dad if anything upsets him, breathe.

I miss him already.

Can't believe, I almost forgot I have an FO. It's a miracle! Gigi is done! She's going to her new home. Specs: Gigi from Romantic Knits by Annie Modesitt in Tilli Tomas, Pure and Simple: Ruby Wine

Warming Up...

Winter in Calgary can seem endless... endless cold...endless snow...endless wind... and then you get a day like today. It gives a false sense of hope. I know in my head that Winter is by no means over but my heart... my heart leaps at the warmer weather. Not wearing mittens... not wearing a toque... not wearing my red winter parka or the matching scarf I knit to go with it. Needless to say, I got outside while the getting was good.

Even Ginger's heart seems to be leaping look at her!
While I was out, I took a few pictures of my neck of the woods. I love my inner city neighborhood. I've lived here for nearly 20 years. But it's changing.

When I moved here... Jimmy's was Harry's. The first time I met Jimmy... he was in high school. Now Jimmy's is an institution. Yummy food, always packed.

The Chinese Kitchen is still there. Even though the coin laundry next store has now become a real estate office.


The park is still the same.

But you can see where things are going...

Look no further than my street. When I bought my home, it was a street in a run down, inner city neighborhood with a lot of rentals. All the homes were little post war bungalows (mine still is). Well you can see what's happening to the post war bungalows, they are torn down the minute they are sold and up goes another infill (or two) all house and no yard. The value on my property went up more last year than I paid for it in the first place. Kind of hard on the seniors who are still trying to stay in their homes. I know denser population is a good thing. Revitalizing the inner city is better than endless, hideous, suburban sprawl. Does it HAVE to be my neighborhood?

Same ol' WIPs SKB Body done, sleeves anyone?

Gigi, nearing completion, love the waving lace pattern!