Whenever I sit in my favourite spot in the kitchen I am immediately surrounded by dogs. To the right we have a Stella:
She sleeps with her head on the hockey ball so no one can steal it from her while she’s napping.
And to the left we have an Abby:
Or, if you prefer, in the awake mode:
Note the 5 gallon buckets. They are full of flour, rice, sugar, etc. Hubby is sure that plague is coming and he’s been laying in a heck of a supply o’ food.
Categories: dogs
It’s Sunday and I’m pooped! It was a very long week, especially considering Monday was a holiday. Back in class and getting used to parcelling my time into working blocks/reading blocks/knitting blocks/sleeping and eating blocks. Okay, not quite that bad, but you get the idea. 
Here’s a few things that have been going on around here. The tomato plants have been very giving of themselves. From them we’ve created chili, minestrone, BLT’s, and just ate them with salt. The only thing that got its pici taken was the chili. Nom, nom, nom.
I bought some wine, using my tried and true, ‘Oh! Look at the label on this one!’ method. Rigaramole and Road 13. 13 is my lucky number and the Rigaramole had a picture of a fainting goat on it! How could I not?
Both were pretty tasty. The Rigaramole was a bit acidic though, so has some Tums on hand, just in case.
I made a new bed for the wee dog. Then the cat found it. I don’t think the dog has gotten to sleep in it much at all.
That’s about it for me. I’m going get my butt off the couch and have a shower. I was up early and got a bunch of my chores done already so I think I’m going to head out to knitting group today and hang with my peeps.
Had a rather challenging day at work today and decided at around 10:00 am this morning that when I got home today I’d make some biscuits or some muffins. Something that I could have for a quick breakfast in the morning as I run to the bus so that I am suitably fortified for the day ahead. If only I’d thought of it yesterday, I could have been fortified today!
The weekend was loverly. Saturday Mr. B and I headed out to the momma and the pappa’s house for a little visiting. My dad got a nice little Canon camera a couple of months ago and he’s been playing around with it. Here’s a shot he took of this new super plant in mom’s garden:
Good job eh? He’ll be stalking the dogs & neighbours with that camera for weeks, I’m sure! LOL. Expect to see pictures of their dogs here very soon.
We weren’t too sure the plant was until Mr. B looked it up on the handy dandy iPhone and turns out, it’s a Cleome. Very pretty flowers that just keep on going and going. Strangely though, the leaves sort of look like a pot plant and it unfortunately, really sort of smells like one too. I wouldn’t recommend it as a cut flower, but it is gorgeous in the garden. What? How do I know what marijuana smells like? Dude, seriously, I spent my formative years in Surrey. Whalley actually. For those of you not local, think of the most ‘interesting’ neighbourhood in your city/town, got it? Yep, that’s us!
Anyway, then on Sunday it was off to meet with the knitting gals. Very nice time at the coffee shop. A couple of us were (didn’t bring her new stash yummies, although I’m sure there must have been some!) newly returned (this one? Yeah, she got a tonne of people to knit on her wedding shawl, one of them was Barbara Walker! Yes, THAT Barbara Walker. Isn’t that sort of like meeting God?), from Sock Summit and had BAGS of yarn & yummies. The drool, it was flowing. Later we went to Three Bags Full and I sort fell off the truck and got some new pretty yarn, ’cause I was completely jealous of the Sock Summiteers.
There was also a wonderful little gift received by yours truly. A cunning and brilliantly thought out little object. I shan’t tell you from whom, but let me just say, it’s part crochet hook (for dropped stitches, etc.)
And it’s part knitting needle, (for cabling, slipping stitches, etc.):
Cunning yes? All combined into the all fixing all correcting wonder tool:
This is a wondrous thing and I have already placed it in the knitting travelling box of honour. Now I can fix all my mistakes immediately and pretend they never happened. Thank you mystery gift giver! You are THE awesome. 
If you ever decide to leave that husband of yours (not bloody likely!), you just give me a call. I will absolutely set up a knitting commune with you.
Then, suddenly, Stella felt the need to inspect and help with the wonder tool!
Dogs, you gotta love them. Don’t you? Directly after this shot she did a humongous dog sneeze and blew dog snot all over me. She loves me.
I also started a new transit knitting project. Heather and I were Tweeting/Twittering/Twitting? Whatever, and we think it’s going to be a spectacular winter. I thought a new scarf was in order. I’m doing Baktus in some handspun singles that I got from Birkeland Brothers about a year ago. Lovely smooshy, gorgeous, brainless garter stitch. Mmmmmmmm.
I’ve also gotten almost 14 pattern repeats done in the Super Secret Beaded Lace Knitting Project (caps intentional).
Then today was work. And boy howdy was it busy. You sure can tell when the new moon is coming. Oy. 50 calls by the time I left (the normal is about 20 or 25) and I don’t know how many emails and faxes. It was all just a blur!
Anyway, I have 20 yummy cheezy/bacony baking soda biscuits for morning fortification and I’m going to go make some omelettes for dinner now. Win and win!
As pointed out by the inimitable yarnpiggy, I had a mistake in my post yesterday about books being applicable under the new proposed BC HST laws. I apologize, hugely. So, in the interest of being absolutely positively right (’cause there is not much I like more than being right), I’ve gone to the Goverment of British Columbia site and lifted a copy of the list things that the government is proposing there be a point of sale rebate on:
These things would not have the PST (7%) portion of the HST charged on them. Sure, fuel is exempt but not yarn? Hello!
Seriously, other than the books, there is not a lot of fun stuff going on with that list. Gee, thanks for the feminine hygiene products & diapers though. Way to woo the female vote! Sigh.
Okay, I’ve found some other ways you can voice out. You can join a Facebook group over here (26, 419 members right now), if your that sort of social networking kind of person. Some Twittering type goings on.
Honestly though, this is what I believe will stop the HST. If you, your friends, your family, your co-0workers, and every other overtaxed British Columbian were to write to their MLA and tell them that you are not okay with this and that the implementation of this tax will effect who they vote for in the next election, those MLA’s are going to think twice about this tax. They don’t want to be out of a job anymore than you do and if it comes down to losing too many votes, they will do what the people say. After all, doing what the people say is their job, right? No really, that’s supposed to be how it is, right? I know, I know, I’m a closet optimist.
Okay, enough ranting for one night. Wanna see a cute dog & cat? Sure you do!
That’s my big Jane. She turned twelve this year so she’s kind of the grand dame of the dogs in the house. She was only 5 weeks old when we got her and weighed about 7 pounds. She’s about 100 pounds now. Kind of grew a bit. The entire litter was dumped on the Surrey BCSPCA doorstep. I believe there were 8 or 12 of them. The whole litter was even on the local noon news trying to find homes. Looking back I wish we had gotten two of them so they could have been together for all this time. We just couldn’t afford it way back then with having just bought a house and all. That’s her with the Beentsy girl.
Now I’m feeling all nostalgic and maudlin. Time to make dinner! Kebabs and home made hummus. Nom! Happy Wednesday y’all.
Sure you do. Here’s what you’ll need:
Now, and here is the important part, bounce said ball across the lawn and through the gaggle of aforementioned dogs. If you can get the ball back from whichever dog catches it, repeat previous step until you’re tired of all the barking.
Super cheap entertainment in these financially challenging times.
The garden is definitely coming along great. We have a bazillion snapdragons:
And the sent of Sweet Peas is almost intoxicating. I wonder if you can make Sweet Pea water the same way you can make Rose water? Hmmmmmm. Must google later.
Her Beentsyness has also been hanging out in the yard lately. She’s still a bit too skinny for my liking but she sure seems to be feeling a tonne better. Although today I found her laying in a puddle of water on the driveway. Rolling around. That’s not normal cat behaviour, pretty sure.
Um, yeah, every day on transit is knit in public day. Today, I just could not face taking transit for more than an hour each way to hit the sort of local WWKIP event. I know all my knitting peeps (gosh, I’m so hip) were all there. Me? I was here:
Spinning this;
I also had some company:
Then later, there was more company:
Then I was overwhelmed with company:
Turns out, I’m wicked popular with the four legged/hairy set! I think it’s because my opposable thumbs can open their bags of treats.
Oh yeah, we also built the final kitchen island the other day:
We ended up rotating that far right cabinet and made it into a drawer cabinet instead of a shelf cabinet. Now we have a place near the fridge for pop…and chips…and pretzels…and cookies…damn, I just gave away the snack drawer. Didn’t I?
Island? Um no, that’s a continent. I’m going to call it Australia. Wait, that’s not been used, hasn’t it? Hmmmm, okay, how about Beentsylvania? Right, I like it. Today we built some drawers and stuff and now it looks like this:
That’s my favourite spot to sit and read, Internet, snack, everything really. I’ve spent more time in the kitchen in the last week than I have in the last year. It’s just so much nicer than it was before and I’m deeply, madly, passionately in love with this little corner of it.
There are shelves and doors for the left hand open space and an end cover piece for that light coloured bit on the right. The entire thing is something like 6 feet by 5.5 feet. We’re prolly going to cut it down to about 5.5 by 5.5 feet. That seems somewhat more logical for a household of two people! That way we can seat 6 comfortably. ‘Cause we’re always having dinner parties for 6. ANYWAY…
We absolutely over planned and over built this entire kitchen. Story of our lives. You should see when I make chili. I could feed a football team.
Okay, I’m going back outside to spin some more. I have 8 ozs of that fibre and it is calling me and begging to be made into yarn so I can knit it up for something lovely.
And by ‘that’ I mean the snow. Here are a few shots from the past week:
The entire front yard and driveway is ringed in a wall of snow. Most of it is taller than me and I’m 5′9″. If I was 12 this would make a fantastic defence during a snowball fight. Unfortunately, I’m not 12.
Laurels in the side yard. Don’t worry, darn things are like weeds. They’ll be back to normal very soon.
The best part of it all? Dogs in snow! I love throwing snowballs and watching them search frantically for them. I realize it’s cruel but I’m okay with that. I make up for it by giving them crunchies, toys, soft beds, and a place in front of the fire. Note look of joy on my face.
I love this one. It looks like Abbie is swimming behind Stella.
Hey, do you have a problem with snow sticking to your fur? No? Oh, it’s just me then. Hmmmmm.
Finally today, there was some sun. It was so beautiful that I sat myself right down in it and did some spinning. With supervision of course. Please ignore the incredibly sexy pyjamas.
And finally, I waterproofed my boots in preparation for the commute tomorrow. They’re getting new laces this afternoon too. Big day I tell you! Big day.
Hubby was cleaning up yesterday while I was out. You know, sweeping up the leaves, cleaning out drains, tidying the garage, blah blah blah. Every time he would sweep up a pile of garbage and turn his back the little skanky dog (we also call her Abbie) would run behind him and gleefully roll and rub herself all through the pile. Dead earthworms, rotting leaves, all forms of organic matter that have been sitting in the rain for the last week or so, and who knows what else.
When she jumped on my lap a little while ago I almost kacked up in my mouth she stunk so bad. Turns out that dead earthworms make dogs whiffy. Into the bath she went and I used the Tea Tree shampoo so hopefully it will help kill the bacteria of whatever it is that’s making her reak so bad. After the bath she runs around like a fool and rolls and rubs herself on anything. I think she’s trying to get her stink back. Here are a few full motion shots of my little spastic stink bomb, post bath.
Love this one. Caught her mid shake. It looks like certain aspects of gravity have stopped applying to her!
After 30 minutes she’s finally settling down and laying on the couch. She sure smells better now though!
Dogs days at the river:
Phew, cut that one pretty close!
Categories: ABC 2008-Along · dogs
Izzy for short. Like Dizzy Izzy. Get it? She spins?!?!?!? Yeah I know, super weak. I do think it suits her though. She can be all grown up and Isabella when we’re out at guild or whatever and then be simple Izzy when we’re at home.
Have I mentioned how very much I love her? I’m thinking it’s obvious, but I could be wrong. Here is her first skein in all it’s thick and thin glory:
150 grams, 84 yards or so (I don’t have a niddy noddy so that may be off a bit). Pretty chunky but that’s okay. Practice practice practice. This was from a 250 gram bag of Colonial Wool Top from Birkeland Bros. The remaining is also now spun up and weighed in at just under 75 grams and 22 yards. (eta – correction – that’s 44 yards. Apparently I’m not so good with the maths lately!) Both skeins have been bathed and and are hanging and drying in the bathroom.
I had a heck of a time plying last night. Today I realized I had my tension too tight and things went much smoother with the second skein. I also plied the second skien from a centre pull ball and much preferred that to doing it off the bobbins on the lazy kate. I might just wind each bobbin to centre pulls then ply them. We’ll see if I get any more comfortable with it as time goes on.
Oh, and here is Stella’s new favourite place to be:
As soon as the wheel comes out she hops up there in front of me and goes right to sleep. She doesn’t move unless I get up. I think she must find it soothing too. I was really worried about her trying to put her head in the wheel when it was moving (she’s a bit special is our Stella) but so far she just sleeps and listens to it whir. Spinning wheel = doggy sedative. Sweet!
I also made homemade soup and there is homemade bread cooking as we speak. It’s like Pioneer Quest around here lately! Oh, and we had our first snow last night. One year less a day to when we got more than a foot of the stuff and had to shovel every two hours for days. Thankfully it was only a dusting of the stuff.
