Wednesday, July 25, 2007

I'm calling it

Spring has sprung. I'm not kidding. Yes, it was only a few months ago that I was getting excited about red leaves on trees because that officially meant that Summer was over. Yes, it was only 25 days ago that I took these photos of my rainy home. But it's indubitable. Spring is here.

Sunday night, I got home after my long, happy weekend (more later) at about 5. The air was soft and balmy, the light was gentle and warming. Spring was in the air. You could smell it.

This morning for the first time in months, I didn't wake up dreading the emergence of my warm body from it's snuggly nest of warmth into the cold air. Yes, I'm a wuss. I hate the cold, OK?

So, I was enjoying winter. I love the rain on the roof. I love sups of hot chocolate and snuggly blankets. I love the freshness you get after rain and they way it smells. I love the way you can be warm in winter - in summer, you're only hot or cool.

But I guess I had forgot. I had forgot how happy summer makes me, just by being. I winter, I have to watch and listen for the things I love. But now, as the early fingers of Spring creeping in have reminded me.

They reminded me how, in Summer, when I step out of my front door, and the balmy air of twilight hits me, or the hot air of a 35 degree midday, I am happy. My soul sing with joy every time the twilight slants golden through the trees at 7 at night. Sounds sound different through summer air - you can hear the echoes of good times and good company as you listen to kids playing and people talking. Summer is my time. I love it.

Bring it on.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

And the winning theme is: Geekdom!!!

I have had 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen' stuck in my head for three days now. Why? I bought a new backpack, and it's Caribee brand. Everytime I see it, my traitorous brain goes 'hmmmm... caribee. That sounds a lot like Caribou. And what do caribou do? Why, they lay around and snooze, of course, because, you know, why not, there's nothing else to do.' Damn you, Noel Coward!! Damn you!!!!

Although, if the Church is right, I needn't worry about that.


I just talked to a woman on the phone whose name was Jayne. Spelt like that.


The other day at a party, someone asked me someone's name.

Me: Kelvin

Her: Oh. Like the temperature?

Me (without hesitation): yes

And she mocked me for the whole night for being an irretrievable geek.



I have knit the same sock 5 times now. First time, I turned the heel perfectly. Then it was too long, so I frogged it back. Then, it took me about 4 tries to get the heel done right, with the right number of stitches, etc. It was perfect. And too long. It's mate is all but finished, and perfect. Why, why, I ask!


I feel like patient zero. A while back, one of my friends to whom I often wax lyrical about knitting told me that she thought she might like to knit a scarf. She already knew how to knit, but was shy about actually making anything. I was quietly encouraging. She came over about a week later and admired my hats that I'd knit. She told me she wanted a hat, but didn't like tight beanies. A week later she messaged me to tell me that she'd bought yarn and needles. A day later she messaged me to say she was done. She'd knit a square and sewn it together, and it's the coolest beanie I've ever seen, and very Her. Now she's knit two scarves for her sisters and she's making some arm warmers.


My mother called me the other day to say that two ladies she went to church with were looking for patterns - one for knitted slippers, the other for warm socks. I found some good ones on knitty.com, and emailed her the links. They were exactly what they were looking for, and now my mother has ordered yarn to make jaywalkers. NEVER thought that that would happen.


My mother also told me that one of my aunts was talking about taking up knitting again. This aunt tried to teach me the long tail cast on when I was about 13. It didn't take, and she stopped knitting a while ago, when her kids were small. We had a family do on the weekend (hateful, is all I can say. Truly, it was hateful. Although I took some awesome pictures, some of which I have uploaded to Flickr) and I brought a bunch of knitting books. She's currently hunting out Jo Sharp pattern books, and my grandmother found it within her to tell me that she loved turning heels and that I knit wrong (I do. My grandmother can jump)

I returned home after that weekend to find my cousin hanging out at my house. She started looking through my pile of knitting books. She decided she wants to make a scarf. She asked me to give her knitting lessons - she can also knit, but hasn't for ages, and her tension is apparently too tight. So we've set up a thrusday night knitalong at my place, once she gets the yarn. While we were talking about this, her sister, who I live with, brought out a jumper she'd started knitting before she moved in. She hasn't knit a stitch since. Still no progress, but it's sitting on our coffee table, staring at her. It's only a matter of time!




Howard's Storage opened right around the corner from my house. I love storage with the same passion I used to lavish on stationery, and the same aqquisatory urges we all share towards yarn. It's a sickness. I'm in trouble.