The day that didn't work

Ever notice that some days are better then others? . I have been re-doing my main floor washroom this past week. I changed to a low flush toilet to save water. I also bought a vanity and faucet set. Well someone came by and hooked up the vanity. The next morning there was water on the bottom shelf of the wood vanity. Worse, the wood had swelled and cracked. Great, not even a day with something new and it looked terrible. So, I called my friend to come back and look at the leak. As he did we saw that the faucet was leaking. It seems that just a small little plastic piece had broken and now the vanity was ruined. The faucet upon closer inspection also had quite a few cheap plastic parts and it too would have to be replaced.


Later on I went to look at a camera I had received as a bonus for buying a printer. I put the batteries in and pressed the "On" button. Nothing happened. I took out the batteries and put them back in, given that I had obviously done it wrong the first time, and again nothing. I figured that perhaps the batteries were old so I replaced them with new ones. Nope still nothing. So, I went back to the first set of batteries, of course thinking that the prior two times were just my mistake. Nothing. Finally it sunk in that the brand new camera did not work.

Then I went to change a dimmer switch that turned on the kitchen lights. A few days ago it stopped working. Then a day ago it started again. Today it didn't work so I bought a new one and put it in. I checked all the wires in the box and it looked great. I then turned on the light. Nothing. I turned off the light and tried again. Nothing. Okay so maybe it was not the dimmer switch that was the problem. My thoughts turned to the light fixture so I set out to take it down. Just as I started I noticed that the dimmer was glowing. So I walked over and turned it on and this time the lights came on. That's great, but now I figure that there is a short problem in the fixture. When I went to take it down I must have moved something and the light connected again. This was good in that I now had a light again. It was bad because I now had to take down the fixture.

So now I have to take back the new faulty vanity and faucet. Then take back the camera and try and get a new one. And then take back the dimmer because the old one wasn't broken. .

I think I should just go to sleep now and wake up tomorrow. Perhaps things will be working again then.

Almost Finished

Just  400 stitches left to cast off and I will have finished my Lehe Shawl. Over the last month we have really become good friends. While we were friends it was funny because I couldn't wait till the time when we would part ways. Every day I worked so hard to get to that spot. But now that I am almost at that point in time, the end,  I don't feel happy but instead sad.

Sure, in just a few days I can proudly show off my friend to everyone.  Some will marvel at it, and others will not. From this point forward my friend will belong to the world. But one thing it will never be again is just my friend

Yes as I come to the end I know that the intimacy is about to end. No longer will my friend be there to soothe my aching mind by giving so freely of its stitches. It would no longer calm me with the rhythmical motion of our friendship. No. very soon I will have lost this friend to the world.

My mind races forward to what sorts of new friends I might find. There are many I know of waiting to meet. It's kind of like it own dating service, while that really does sound a bit "sic". And just like that I find myself losing the sadness and instead begin gaining hope. Hope of a new friend and new experience.

Who knew that knitting would prove to be so emotional.

My How Time Flies

It's almost mid way through January and it's been quite a while since I have blogged. December was a mitten and shawl and scarf month, making small projects for my kids and relatives. I also finished the Miralda Shawl from Nancy Bush that you see on the left.

Over the last few months I have been dealing with a few parental issues. Mainly this is that my parents have reached the time in their lives when it's time to get help. This means time to move out of their apartment and into a retirement place where things could be a bit easier.

It's funny how I just reached a point in my life where my kids have grown and are pretty independent but now my parents have replaced them in the "need help" part of life. My mom has some physical problems but generally is there mentally. If she would eat better and exercise more it would help a great deal.

My father on the other hand seems to be having some cognitive problems. Over the past few months they really seemed to have gotten worse. Sometimes it's quite sad to talk on the phone to him, which I have done everyday over the years, as it is like talking to a child. I don't know whether he is aware of what is going on. I still think this is the early stages of something but sometimes it's really hard to see it. I am pushing his doctor to get some tests done and for him to go to a memory clinic. We are just waiting for the referrals to go through.

Overall I am okay handling this stuff as it is what happens in life. It's time's like these that my knitting really helps to keep me calm and focused.

On the other side my daughter is doing great in her first year of University and I am so happy for her. It's still hard some days that she is not home and with me, but overall I am really proud of her. My Son also has been doing great in school and is about to get his drivers license (gulp).

As for me I have a few knitting classes to teach this month, and so many projects in my head that I want to get on my needles. I also have become the resident knitting teacher at work as a few of the girls have become knitters.

Happy New Year to all and I will try and not leave it so long before I write again.