Well. I had pondered the possibility of a meandering, thoughtful post full of ruminations and reminiscences on the year past....But, aside from the fact that "ruminating" makes me think of a grazing cow, I've had far too busy a day to have time to compose such an epistle.
A lovely day, mind you, with yarn fondling and new knitting notions and a most excellent lunch (bleu-brie, warmed, on a baguette with prosciutto, pear slices, toasted walnuts, olive oil and balsamic vinegar....divine!), all in the highly-enjoyable company of a certain yarnpiggy...
But still, a day too busy to allow for much of a post. Besides, I still don't have a card reader for that new-to-me camera. Maybe on the weekend? And now I have to start thinking about getting ready to go out for the evening.
Yes, the home-body Mrs.Q is actually going out for New Year's Eve. To a bar, even! Where Mr.Q's Queen tribute band is opening for a Who tribute, and a Doors tribute. How much fun will that be? Hmmm? I'm pretty stoked.
(And I'm totally bringing earplugs!)
Wherever you are tonight, I hope you're warm and safe, that you get home safe from wherever your celebrating takes you, and that your evening is as much fun (however you define that!) as mine looks set to be.
Happy New Year, Gentle Readers! May 2009 be full of laughter, light, love, music, whimsy, warm hand-knits (and/or hand-knitting), good people, magic, and excellent chocolate. Much love from the Quimby household to you and yours!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Yay for more holidays!
Starting into the second week of my Christmas break, and oh my! It's lovely. I'm trying not to talk about it too much when Mr.Q's around, as he had to get up at 5:30 this morning and head off to work as usual. Let's just not mention that after he left this morning, I went back to sleep till 10:00. (I never sleep that late! I guess I really needed it.)
In fact, the only thing that got me up then was an odd smell that I thought I should get up and investigate. Not a bad smell, just something unusual.
I forgot that I had put a chicken-mushroom thing in the slow cooker when I got up to see Mr.Q off for work. That's how tired I was. (And once I identified what it was, the smell was actually pretty tasty. Most excited about dinner, I am!)
Trying to decide if we have enough coffee to do us for tomorrow morning. If so, there's no need to leave the house until I go out tonight...which would be nice, since the weather continues to be crappy. It has warmed up and started raining...which means giant slush puddles on either side of the snow banks, and super-icy bits where sidewalks (I'd say at least 75% of them) went unshovelled. Meanwhile, inside, it's all nice and cozy, and the cats are setting an excellent napping example, and my PJs are comfy, and why would I want to give any of that up, if I don't need to?
Anyway. While I struggle to make that especially difficult decision, here are a few shots of the Christmas knitting I sent back to the Kootenays:
First, all of the "away" knitting, en masse:
4 hats, 3 headbands, a pair of slippers (not pink as shown, but burgundy) and a scarf.
The scarf, a one-skein "keyhole" thingy made with Malabrigo Silky Merino, I was not so sure about at first. Then I blocked it - and almost didn't send it away. Sooooo soft! Here's a better shot of the FO:
And two more of the hats on heads - first Dad:
And my tres-cool brother-in-law - I love the stylin' addition of the bow! As near as I can tell, he wore it like that all day.
(I dunno - I think the hat's a little short, but he swears it's OK. Hmmm....)
In other knitting-related stuff...I am about 1 inch away from finishing the main part of the body of the Viking Sweater of Doom (which is only about 2/3 of the body, but then I get to start shaping for sleeves and the V-neck, so it will be a slightly more interesting black hole of knitting.) I've got a couple different socks on the go, and am debating whether I want a wrap/stole thingy, or a sexy cashmere scarf, or a cardigan for myself for spring....any suggestions?
Mr.Q, thoughtful man that he is, got me a gift certificate to my favourite LYS for Christmas. I had hoped to get up there to play with it before they went on holiday, but the weather got in the way. O lovely Fate! Since I just found out they're having a sale in the very near future.
Heheheheheh.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Ho Ho!
I am most delighted to report that we did, indeed, make it out for dinner last night, and even got a taxi home again after a certain amount of....adventure. And I am so glad we went. (Not only coz 2 turkey dinners is totally twice the fun! And twice the naps!) The "raspboffie" pie was quite tasty, the company of the most excellent sort, there were games and music, and Mr.Q got to bring home a toilet seat which he won in the "useless gift exchange." Really, does it get much better?
(Seriously - it was a fantastic evening. Mostly because this particular group of people seems to be the west-coast equivalent of the pot-lucking, music-making circle we miss from Home. Not a replacement - but a fantastic enhancement. And life is certainly richer with that kind of community!)
Woke up much earlier than I should have this morning, which may necessitate a nap later on. Of course, it was well worth talking to the kidlets and other fambly members, chaotic though it sounded. (Shiloh got a doll! That pees and poops! And comes with a diaper! Wow!) I'm of mixed feelings about staying here this year...I miss the mob like nuts. And I really liked going back to sleep in my own (quiet) bed.
Dad was kind enough to try for a few knitting photos for me. Here's Baby Sis, modelling her eggplant hat, which she has promised to wear in public:
Hopefully more to come...but I 'spect the kidlets were way too enthralled with the toys at hand to stay still long enough for a photo. I can't blame them, either. That doll sounded pretty cool.
(And we did have our own excitement here this morning, as the sardines seem a little rich for Bagheera all at once. I guess it's not really Christmas without cat puke!)
Merry merry to all, and to all a goodknit night!
(Seriously - it was a fantastic evening. Mostly because this particular group of people seems to be the west-coast equivalent of the pot-lucking, music-making circle we miss from Home. Not a replacement - but a fantastic enhancement. And life is certainly richer with that kind of community!)
Woke up much earlier than I should have this morning, which may necessitate a nap later on. Of course, it was well worth talking to the kidlets and other fambly members, chaotic though it sounded. (Shiloh got a doll! That pees and poops! And comes with a diaper! Wow!) I'm of mixed feelings about staying here this year...I miss the mob like nuts. And I really liked going back to sleep in my own (quiet) bed.
Dad was kind enough to try for a few knitting photos for me. Here's Baby Sis, modelling her eggplant hat, which she has promised to wear in public:
Hopefully more to come...but I 'spect the kidlets were way too enthralled with the toys at hand to stay still long enough for a photo. I can't blame them, either. That doll sounded pretty cool.
(And we did have our own excitement here this morning, as the sardines seem a little rich for Bagheera all at once. I guess it's not really Christmas without cat puke!)
Merry merry to all, and to all a good
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Again with the "whew"
So Bagheera's more or less fine. A persnickety old beast, as usual, but he's speaking to me again, so that's good. The lump on his leg? Not a tumour, nor an extra testicle, or nest of hatching tropical spiders, or alien life form....but a fat deposit. Which may or may not need to be removed, depending on whether it grows any more. However, he also needs some work done on his teeth - major cleaning, possible extractions, good times; he has very, very dry skin; and he (duh) needs to go on a diet. To add to the indignity, Mr.Q has started calling him "Lumpy."
The diet thing is complicated by the fact that he needs lots of fatty acids to deal with the dry skin. (Also, the vet was concerned about how we would manage to put one cat on Weight Watchers when there are two others in the house. I laughed. Have you seen the size of these beasties? Guess who're all going to Kitty Craig after Christmas!)
So they all get sardines for breakfast, and dry food at night. I tried out the sardines this morning, to see how they'd like 'em. They like 'em. (The smell gives me flashbacks to a high school play, Noises Off, that I did props for in Grade 11, but there's more than enough booze in the house to deal with that.)
We have to take him back in February to get his teeth done, at which point (since he'll already be under anaesthetic) they can also remove the lump. (The receptionist mentioned that she thought Feb was their "dental health" month, which would mean a discount....here's hoping!) In the meantime, the vet gave me some stuff for Bagheera's skin. I didn't really ask questions, I just wanted to get home - I was pretty traumatized by the drive there, and Bagheera was pretty traumatized by the thermometer.
But when I went to apply the stuff last night, I had a look at the package. And I have to say, I think I really like this vet. He was efficient, thorough in his explanations, gentle with the cat and human both....and the goop for Bagheera's skin is all natural essential oils and the like. No icky chemicals or steroids. I like that.
Returning the rental car was about as much fun as picking it up...yay Translink! (NOT.) It's dumping snow again, and we're supposed to go to a friend's for dinner tonight. I hope we can make it there (and home!) or otherwise we're going to be eating a whole banoffee pie between us for supper.
(Note to fambly members who also make this dessert - I'm trying it with raspberries instead of bananas, and I cooked the milk in a saucepan, instead of boiling the cans...a little tedious, but it seems to have worked well - and without the fun of exploding cans!)
I just really, really hope we can make it out to Sis's tomorrow for dinner! You know the roads are bad when you have to give a 2-hour window for arrival at the end of a 1-hour trip. ("We'll be there...I dunno...somewhere between 2:00 and 4:00? I hope?") Good times. Meanwhile...while I wait for the filling in the pie to cool, I'm going to do a wee bit of tidying, and then spend the afternoon in my PJs picking out a sassy sock pattern.
Merry Christmas Eve, all! Stay warm and safe!
The diet thing is complicated by the fact that he needs lots of fatty acids to deal with the dry skin. (Also, the vet was concerned about how we would manage to put one cat on Weight Watchers when there are two others in the house. I laughed. Have you seen the size of these beasties? Guess who're all going to Kitty Craig after Christmas!)
So they all get sardines for breakfast, and dry food at night. I tried out the sardines this morning, to see how they'd like 'em. They like 'em. (The smell gives me flashbacks to a high school play, Noises Off, that I did props for in Grade 11, but there's more than enough booze in the house to deal with that.)
We have to take him back in February to get his teeth done, at which point (since he'll already be under anaesthetic) they can also remove the lump. (The receptionist mentioned that she thought Feb was their "dental health" month, which would mean a discount....here's hoping!) In the meantime, the vet gave me some stuff for Bagheera's skin. I didn't really ask questions, I just wanted to get home - I was pretty traumatized by the drive there, and Bagheera was pretty traumatized by the thermometer.
But when I went to apply the stuff last night, I had a look at the package. And I have to say, I think I really like this vet. He was efficient, thorough in his explanations, gentle with the cat and human both....and the goop for Bagheera's skin is all natural essential oils and the like. No icky chemicals or steroids. I like that.
Returning the rental car was about as much fun as picking it up...yay Translink! (NOT.) It's dumping snow again, and we're supposed to go to a friend's for dinner tonight. I hope we can make it there (and home!) or otherwise we're going to be eating a whole banoffee pie between us for supper.
(Note to fambly members who also make this dessert - I'm trying it with raspberries instead of bananas, and I cooked the milk in a saucepan, instead of boiling the cans...a little tedious, but it seems to have worked well - and without the fun of exploding cans!)
I just really, really hope we can make it out to Sis's tomorrow for dinner! You know the roads are bad when you have to give a 2-hour window for arrival at the end of a 1-hour trip. ("We'll be there...I dunno...somewhere between 2:00 and 4:00? I hope?") Good times. Meanwhile...while I wait for the filling in the pie to cool, I'm going to do a wee bit of tidying, and then spend the afternoon in my PJs picking out a sassy sock pattern.
Merry Christmas Eve, all! Stay warm and safe!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Whew!
Well. It's been a busy 24 hours chez Quimby, but the chaos is almost over. Bagheera has a "thing" on his leg...I'm not sure what, there's no evidence of a bite or a scratch, so I don't think it's an abscess. It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all, but it's just weird. It's kind of like he suddenly grew a testicle out the side of his leg. Very strange. I'm not all that worried about it, but we decided that it would be better to have it looked at before Christmas, if we could, rather than have something go apocalyptically wrong over the holiday and have to take him to the emergency clinic - an option far too rich for our blood.
Of course, not having a vehicle now makes trips to the vet an adventure. And this snow makes trips anywhere on transit a nightmare. So we decided to book a rental car for the day, and take advantage of it to get a lot of errands done. (Getting to the rental agency was enough to drive a saint to drink, I'll spare you the details!)
We picked up the car, did some running around last night, went for dinner....came home and still had to shovel out a parking spot before we could call it a day. (Poor Mr.Q's boots will prolly take days to dry out! I'm cooking him a tasty dinner tonight to make up for it.) However, one of the things we did last night was to pick up those gaiters for me...and holy cow, are they ever fun!
Fashionista, I'm not - but they did a great job when I was out trudging around today. Which was also an adventure, trying to find parking. I managed to not get stuck, thank FSM. Ran a ton of errands and did a major grocery shopping, so we're stocked up for the next few days. I thought it would be wise, since we're supposed to get yet another dump of snow!
No pictures yet...I need to go elsewhere to find a card reader for the camera, they didn't have one at London Drugs...and there's no way that's going to happen before next week. There's just no way I want it badly enough to make the 4-hour expedition. At least, not without a dogsled. I can't believe how paralyzed this city gets in the face of snow. I mean, it is a lot of snow, and the roads do get icy pretty quick, and the wind chill can be wicked cold, with the humidity...but the buses don't work, nobody shovels their sidewalks, people still drive like they're Nascar racers...it's nuts! So after I get back from the vets, and return the rental car...I 'spect there's going to be a lot of cozying up scheduled.
OK...off to excavate the cat carrier from the snowdrift it's buried under. Fingers crossed!
Of course, not having a vehicle now makes trips to the vet an adventure. And this snow makes trips anywhere on transit a nightmare. So we decided to book a rental car for the day, and take advantage of it to get a lot of errands done. (Getting to the rental agency was enough to drive a saint to drink, I'll spare you the details!)
We picked up the car, did some running around last night, went for dinner....came home and still had to shovel out a parking spot before we could call it a day. (Poor Mr.Q's boots will prolly take days to dry out! I'm cooking him a tasty dinner tonight to make up for it.) However, one of the things we did last night was to pick up those gaiters for me...and holy cow, are they ever fun!
Fashionista, I'm not - but they did a great job when I was out trudging around today. Which was also an adventure, trying to find parking. I managed to not get stuck, thank FSM. Ran a ton of errands and did a major grocery shopping, so we're stocked up for the next few days. I thought it would be wise, since we're supposed to get yet another dump of snow!
No pictures yet...I need to go elsewhere to find a card reader for the camera, they didn't have one at London Drugs...and there's no way that's going to happen before next week. There's just no way I want it badly enough to make the 4-hour expedition. At least, not without a dogsled. I can't believe how paralyzed this city gets in the face of snow. I mean, it is a lot of snow, and the roads do get icy pretty quick, and the wind chill can be wicked cold, with the humidity...but the buses don't work, nobody shovels their sidewalks, people still drive like they're Nascar racers...it's nuts! So after I get back from the vets, and return the rental car...I 'spect there's going to be a lot of cozying up scheduled.
OK...off to excavate the cat carrier from the snowdrift it's buried under. Fingers crossed!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Again with the snow!
Wow, you'd think it was winter in Canada or something! We got another dump of snow overnight, and it's started coming down again this afternoon. At least it's warmed up a bit.
(No, I know it's nowhere near as frozen as it is in many, many other parts of the country. But if your boogers freeze, it still counts as pretty darned cold!)
The thing about snow here is that people are just not equipped to deal with it. Also, the smallest difference in altitude can make a huge difference in depth of snow and crappiness of roads. Those extra few inches of the white stuff go a long way to wreaking havoc. Mr.Q decided to brave it anyway, and went over to the North Shore to pick up some books. And, hopefully, stop by MEC on his way home and pick me up those gaiters I never got around to. Thing is, about the same time he left, the transit website posted a note that, because it had started snowing heavily again, roads on the North Shore were like to "become impassable" in the next few hours.
I called and told him not to spend too much time browsing. Just in case.
Meanwhile, we're stocked up with coffee, eggnog, Christmas cookies, and soup. I figure we're good for a snow day. And...woot! I finally finished the last of the Christmas knitting yesterday. Squee! (Not including Mr.Q's Viking Sweater of Doom, which has been moved back to a birthday present.) So now I get to settle in with something indulgent for myself. Will it be cashmere? Those Rivendell socks? A wrap? Something lacy? The possibilities are endless!
And...I'll even be able to take pictures of the knitting soon - and the snow, and the cats, and and and....- as my dear Baby Sister sent us her old camera with the Christmas package from home. I need a new card reader thingy, since the "new" card doesn't work with our old reader, but what the heck - it's a darn sight cheaper than replacing the camera!
I put up our "tree" (such as it is - pictures to follow soon! Woot!) and stockings yesterday; went for a stroll to check out the neighbourhood lights with a certain Piggy the other night; picked up the turkey this morning & sent it off with Other Sis for dinner on Thursday; and am so far doing a reasonable job of not opening the stocking stuffers (though I can't say the same for the cats; somebody sent them a wee giftie that they got right into last night...so we opened it for them: A catnip mouse. With a bell. That landed in the water dish. Good times.) And - I'm on holidays till after the New Year now. Feels a lot like Christmas, it does!
Stay warm!
(No, I know it's nowhere near as frozen as it is in many, many other parts of the country. But if your boogers freeze, it still counts as pretty darned cold!)
The thing about snow here is that people are just not equipped to deal with it. Also, the smallest difference in altitude can make a huge difference in depth of snow and crappiness of roads. Those extra few inches of the white stuff go a long way to wreaking havoc. Mr.Q decided to brave it anyway, and went over to the North Shore to pick up some books. And, hopefully, stop by MEC on his way home and pick me up those gaiters I never got around to. Thing is, about the same time he left, the transit website posted a note that, because it had started snowing heavily again, roads on the North Shore were like to "become impassable" in the next few hours.
I called and told him not to spend too much time browsing. Just in case.
Meanwhile, we're stocked up with coffee, eggnog, Christmas cookies, and soup. I figure we're good for a snow day. And...woot! I finally finished the last of the Christmas knitting yesterday. Squee! (Not including Mr.Q's Viking Sweater of Doom, which has been moved back to a birthday present.) So now I get to settle in with something indulgent for myself. Will it be cashmere? Those Rivendell socks? A wrap? Something lacy? The possibilities are endless!
And...I'll even be able to take pictures of the knitting soon - and the snow, and the cats, and and and....- as my dear Baby Sister sent us her old camera with the Christmas package from home. I need a new card reader thingy, since the "new" card doesn't work with our old reader, but what the heck - it's a darn sight cheaper than replacing the camera!
I put up our "tree" (such as it is - pictures to follow soon! Woot!) and stockings yesterday; went for a stroll to check out the neighbourhood lights with a certain Piggy the other night; picked up the turkey this morning & sent it off with Other Sis for dinner on Thursday; and am so far doing a reasonable job of not opening the stocking stuffers (though I can't say the same for the cats; somebody sent them a wee giftie that they got right into last night...so we opened it for them: A catnip mouse. With a bell. That landed in the water dish. Good times.) And - I'm on holidays till after the New Year now. Feels a lot like Christmas, it does!
Stay warm!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Snow day for really! (sort of)
Well, there wasn't enough snow this morning to cancel classes...but there was enough by lunchtime to send us all home early! Best of both worlds...an afternoon playing hooky, without losing a full day's wages. Woot! I gave my students detailed instructions on how to make the best snowballs (go softer for spatter, for better effect!) and how to make snow angels. I was able to get a couple crucial-but-piddly Christmas errands done downtown before coming home. I walked home from the bus and made the first impressions on untouched snow. There's something so satisfying about that, the shush of the powder across my shoes.
(I don't have boots. I haven't been able to find any that work for me. Maybe, as my hiking shoes are fairly water-resistant, I'll just give into the urge to geek out and get a pair of gaiters.)
There's nobody home upstairs, either, and everything has that muffled air to it that comes with a heavy snowfall. (And yes, all you who would mock us West Coasties, there is actually a fair bit on the ground, so put that in your snow shovel and, well, shovel it!) There's eggnog in the fridge that I'm pondering heating up and spiking with some of that rum. I'm in my PJs, debating whether to wash some dishes, or curl up with the cats.
Any bets on which I'll end up doing?
(I don't have boots. I haven't been able to find any that work for me. Maybe, as my hiking shoes are fairly water-resistant, I'll just give into the urge to geek out and get a pair of gaiters.)
There's nobody home upstairs, either, and everything has that muffled air to it that comes with a heavy snowfall. (And yes, all you who would mock us West Coasties, there is actually a fair bit on the ground, so put that in your snow shovel and, well, shovel it!) There's eggnog in the fridge that I'm pondering heating up and spiking with some of that rum. I'm in my PJs, debating whether to wash some dishes, or curl up with the cats.
Any bets on which I'll end up doing?
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