Where Has The Time Gone

Time has gotten away from me and I really didn't realize how long it's been since I've posted. Now most of you know already that we are home since I've been visiting blogs and commenting. I'll try to recap my life since end of September.

Our trip home was uneventful with the slight exception of the wonderful (tongue firmly in cheek) people at the Air Canada check in counter in Athens. Now, we went to Greece with three suitcases and decided to return with only two. Mostly because I didn't feel like paying 50 Euros ($70. Cd) and also because I left a lot of things there for next year. I packed very carefully and distributed things evenly or so I thought.

Turns out I was wrong. One suitcase was two kilos under the allotted weight and the other one was 4 kilos over. Those 4 Kilos were going to cost us $70 Euros. Yup, you read that right. An extra suitcase that can weigh 22 kilos costs 50 Euros and the 4 extra kilos in an existing suitcase costs 70 Euros. So there I was on the floor (I'm beginning to get used to this), opening the offending suitcase and removing the 4 kilos to stash in my carry on. The next problem was that they didn't like the size of my carry on even though the weight was easily within the limit. Seems that the measurement was wrong by one inch in the length and 3 inches on the height.

I did what I normally do when stressed, I started to cry.

Once we got home I just about immediately went to my family doctor to discuss the ongoing problem I had in Greece. I was tested for Ecol i, Listeria, Parasites and C dificile. All came back negative and an emergency colonoscopy was arranged. I had that about a week ago and it showed nothing, not even a teeny weeny polyp, zip, zilch... The problem continues to plague me. I've also had an MRI of my upper GI tract and the Bile Duct. Next week I see the surgeon for some kind of resolution. I cannot live this way.

In case you think I've just been sitting on my bum doing nothing, not so... I've been knitting.



A cardigan for Elliotte in my favorite color. I ran out of yarn with just 16 stitches left to cast off. Talk about stress.



I searched in my knitting basked and found this...



Believe it or not, there were just enough little pieces left to finish casting off. Wow, that was close, now the hunt for some pretty buttons.

On my next project I did the same darn thing again, cut it really close. This is the Ishbel Shawl that I've done before and really liked.



Again, look how little yarn I have left over. I have to calculate things better in future.



There are also socks I'm working on but no finished pairs as of yet, just a lot of singles. Attention deficit strikes again. Oh yes, before I forget. When I got home I also had an appointment with a foot surgeon. This is the same surgeon that I waited three years to see and out of sheer desperation found another one to operate (ruin) my foot. He is the best in Ontario I'm told and he said yes absolutely he would fix the foot. He will operate but wait for it, the wait will be somewhere between one and one and a half year! Oh joy...

I only offer one excuse, I really really feel like crap, pun intended...ciao

Where Have I Been?

Here actually, the whole time here. Reading blogs, watching news and battling the mid winter blahs or possibly a depression, who knows.

I've been doing some knitting, lots of knitting actually and spending too much money on yarn. It's just too darn convenient to order on line.

Socks, yes always sock on the needles and this is a pair of Jaywalkers.



Also finished is a Silky Alpaca Lace Scarf but I used Merino and Silk.



This is one honking long scarf.



A vest that is knit from the top down is starting to take shape. I'm using Noro Kuryon for this one since I really love the colors. This pattern is from the Interweave Knit magazine Fall 2009 issue.



In honor of our blizzard it had to go out and check out the snow. Since it was still snowing the colors are not as vivid as they really are. I am starting to see some definition where the sleeves will be. I'm not really sure what I'm doing here so I'm really trusting the pattern and my ability to read it correctly.



I also knit some man mittens for my sweetie who always gets cold fingers whilst shoveling snow. At first he wasn't convinced he'd like them but now raves about them. All leftover yarn with double yarn so they are really warm.



And one more thing for me, a nice warm tam.



I've also been trying to figure out what to do about the hip with my regular ortho surgeon telling me that there's nothing wrong and the physiotherapist telling me that it's not supposed to hurt where it hurts. The pain plus the clunking that I hear when I walk is making me crazy.

My wonderful GP has referred me to another ortho surgeon who I'm told is known for fixing bad surgeries. If I can believe what I've read about him on Ratemd.com the man is a God. Better yet I thought I'd have to wait a couple of months to see him but luck is on my side and I have an appointment for February 17th.

I've also been watching and reading the news and tweets out of Egypt and a blogger that I follow is now fearful or his life. It would be a very scary time to be living in that part of the world.

So that's about it for now and hopefully I won't stay away so long...

The Socks Are In The Mail

Rowan Falar, I'm putting you on notice... by Thursday I hope to hear of your demise, he he he... Now I just have to hope that my Assassin is a slow knitter and I can knock your Assassin off too.

Doesn't look good for me though really, my target and I have been exchanging friendly emails and my Assassin has been dead silent. That can only mean two things; either she's dropped out of the game or she's keeping real quiet about how fast she can knit and her bomb is on the way.

Either way, it was an interesting experience and kept my mind thoroughly occupied during this past very difficult weekend and for that I'm grateful.

While I was busy knitting the world is crying for dead and injured people. America has had tornadoes, Myamar (Burma) that horrible typhoon and now China with a devastating earthquake. Thousands of people have died and are still dying in Burma while their government led by the army refuses to let the world in to help. It is definitely to cry for...

Gone For A Few Days

I'm still around but will probably not blog for a few days. I'm getting up at 7 AM tomorrow morning, having my coffee and getting my knitting needles and wool all ready for Sock Wars III.

At exactly 8 AM, I will be given the sock pattern and the name of the person I must assassinate by knitting and sending them their socks. I have never done anything like this before but hey, for 500 bucks worth of yarn at stake I will give it my best shot.

Reuters describes it as;

the "bloodiest death-by-knitting tournament," enlists players from around the world to take part in a game that shows knitting is no longer just a grandmothers' hobby.

Wish me luck...