Friday, November 04, 2016

Conquering Technical Difficulties

 While I have been unable to access the pictures on my phone, related to different download issues, I have been making and playing. As well as a "to knit" list, I have a queue of other crafts. I finally sat down to the sewing machine and made the lavender sachets I had embroidered. I still have lots of lavender left, not including this year's harvest. I'll have to plan for some more.
 A spontaneous crochet, I wanted to use some of my cotton stash and make dishcloths for my sister. Well, I had to learn how to do Tunisian crochet all over again! Just sat with the hook and the yarn and stared at it. Thank goodness I had a good teacher, Sarah Bee and found some on line resources at Purl Soho.
 Christmas crafting continues. I love this Wurm hat. It is for a nephew who actually wears hats I make him and used almost exactly one skein of wool blend yarn. The pattern is so easy to memorize, I 'm sure I'll make more.
 D bought some cranberries from a local farm. It ended up being about 15 litres! They were dry picked and so lovely. I washed them and bagged them up for the freezer. Seriously sharing these! He says you can put them in drinks. But he drinks scotch and beer? Should I try?
 A pair of waffle mitts from a very small skein of yarn I won in the baby pool. They are actually large enough for a man and very soft. Almost done the Christmas knitting.....
 We paraded in the Rosedale Days parade, just east of Chilliwack, and there were so many tractors and so many families with kids, including my niece and great nephew.
 Almost the last knit. It is appropriate to give mitts to ones manicurist, no? These were knit in only one day a piece! I also knit a cowl for my hair dresser, but it still didn't want to load.
 My friend, Sarah Bee, knit a Sasquatch mask and invited me over for a photo shoot.
 We went to the far side of Cultus lake and had so much fun playing on the trail and taking shots.
 Then we went to an awesome gluten free bakery and bistro in Abbotsford, about 30 minutes west on the #1 Highway. She loved choosing from the entire menu.
 There were little yarn ghosties too!! We knew we were among friends.
 On the way back we stopped in Yarrow at a pumpkin farm. Like little kids!
We had 9 trick or treaters. That's a 19 year record! Our driveway is long and dark.
 To celebrate Hallowe'en I knit some teeny zombies.
 But now it's November, so move over spookies and make room for gnomes.

 I always plant an amaryllis (and one to share) on November 1st, All Saints Day, and try to remember friends who have passed in the last year.
The morning fog is starting, but it is still nice in the afternoon. I have to do some garden tidying.
 We started practicing for Christmas music at church and in the community.
And I finally wore the hat Emily gave me for Mothers' Day. She is making them to order and selling them to her friends. I embroidered a ribbon. It makes me so happy to be surrounded by the kindnesses of my children. I have been putting up the little drawings from their early days and the setting out the pottery and gifts they made at school.
It has also been a difficult few weeks because I do a lot of volunteering and really put my heart out there. But I feel that I am underappreciated and given more and more work in isolation. After a few sleepless nights and lots of journalling, I decided to step back and then take a break in January.
My focus this year has been on wellness and I have done so well with yoga and strengthening. I don't want to risk that with becoming crazy busy and increasingly stressed.
That's one reason why the Christmas knitting is done early. I like to spend the holiday season visiting with friends and baking cookies. As old as I am, it's time to lean into my own strengths and not try to make everyone else happy. Conquering real difficulties.
Rather, spend time with people who like to be happy too.