How rude

Last night I had a lot of pent up stress to wear off (there are a lot of layoff where I work right now and still 80 more positions they are going to remove...very stressful wondering if you or your team members are "next") so I was going to knit and relax with a glass of wine, but discovered my neighbors had piled a huge drift of snow from their yard up against the side of my house to shoulder height in some spots (some of it from their dog run. Yuck). It buried the AC unit and is the side of my house that tends to flood so I found a way to burn off my stress - I grabbed my new shovel and ice chipper and had at it for a few hours, clearing a 1 m trench along the house on that side. It wasn't easy because it was packed hard and frozen in spots and I had to walk the snow back behind or to the front to get it out (although I reaaaaaally just wanted to shovel it back into my neighbors yard!). I'd still like to do a bit more, but it's a very solid dent into the snow problem they created. It's twice the normal snowfall this year to begin with so I don't need help of added snow from other people. I'm amazed at the fact that they could do that without thinking...seriously rude. Like I want their dog pee snow in my yard... (they are generally really nice...I didn't go talk to them about it since I was too PO'd to be polite).

I rewarded myself with a lovely salmon steak and steamed broccoli and yams and it was very tasty indeed. Then I cracked open some blueberry wine and
set to baking up some treats for the bellydance hafla tonight. I had no eggs, so I put my newly poured glass of blueberry wine in a coffee travel mug (we're all for classy around here!!) and walked to the store and back for baking stuff. As a bonus, J called form work while I was out so I got to walk at sunset talking to my luv while sipping my own fine wine. Really put me in a most happy mood to finish off my day :) Got back and got down to baking. Made some banana muffins for us at home and haystack cookies for work. The loaf I made for the hafla looks deeeeelicious - banana coconut bread with lime glaze. Spent the rest of the late evening playing with costumes to find something fun to wear for dancing and finally plopped into bed happy, destressed and full of haystack cookies.

New shovels are cool

I just drove to buy a new snow shovel (my old one is utter crap) and then spent two and a half hours shovelling out my front walk, sidewalk and back path to the car. There were thigh high packed drifts for most of it. Whew! So glad on days like this that I have worked so hard for functional strength in my back and arms...I felt very amazon today hurling huge chunks of packed snow up onto the top of the shoulder high drifts in my yard. What a spring!

Now after a long hot shower I get a bottle of my favourite beer and a snack before I settle in and work on my poster. Ah! I feel a bit creaky but very much alive :)

Yes I'd love a glass thanks

I made a thing!

Hooray!
Now for the matching one...

Saturday morning rant

OK. I have to rant this out or I will explode:
If you're going to try and pick apart world issues or politics or science as evil and wrong, then take the time to learn about it. Study it. Experience it and learn as much as you can about it so you can find out what is REALLY going on. And from all angles - even those you disagree with. If you can, test it, empirically with controls and unbiased examination.
Then you can know what is known about it and if you dislike it - you can find other like minded people and work to change it! Or you can learn more about it and help people. YOU can make a difference.
Yes YOU.
Going with a "gut feeling" and what "sounds good" and ranting about the FDA and big pharma (or GMOs or police or...you get the idea) as evil is not new...letting the media and others with agendas manipulate your opinion happens on all sides...and, sure, I will support some of your statements on some issues. I'm as guilty as the next person sometimes for simply trusting others to be honest with me...but sadly, we need to be more vigalent.
For the love of all that is soft and furry and purring please USE YOUR MINDS! Think! LOOK at the world! Learn about it! Does what you find shock you? Good! Then DO something! Don't just repost biased unresearched half-truths on facebook or and expect me to not respond. BUT if you feel you have something legitimate to say go for it! Put it out there and debate and discuss and make the world a better place by changing people's minds and making them think for themselves. I have a lot of my own rants and issues too.
Fact is...I'm tired of picking apart flaws in arguments that could be found if someone just spent 5 minutes to look for them. You're all smart. The truth is out there.
*ahem*
There. That's better.
Anyone want a waffle? *blink*

So far so good

Almost ready to put the 5 rows of ribbing on the top of my first fingerless glove and sew it together. I am debating if I want to make it longer. Right now it should go slightly below my wrist...similar to a favourite pair I have at I have lost of of. This was rather painless and I am finally getting a regular tension going too...

Kewl!

Some days...

robot activate!

I inherited my mum's bread robot and I do so like it. I dislike kneading and it does the tedious parts of baking I dislike so well. The people at work keep lamenting about how I haven't brought baking lately, so I'm using it to whip up some dough to make some cinnamon nut twists to bring in for tomorrow so they'll stop whinging for a while. I love that I do nothing and the robot does it all and at the end I pull it out, roll it and make twists and everyone goes all gaga, especially when really all I've done this afternoon is drink good wine, waste time on the internet and make experimental soup and muffins for my week's lunches.. Pumpkin carrot ginger soup and muffins. Both are rather nice. I was sewing but I sewed something on backwards and it means ripping out a bunch of seams and redoing things and I can't be arsed, so here I am on the internet looking for amusement and trying not to open another bottle of wine. I picked up some tasty vanilla and caramel coffee syrups a while ago so I may crack them open and make myself a girly coffee instead. We shall see.
Tonight I am (perhaps, if the confusing ticket vouchers that we won but make no sense at all actually work for the show they may(?) be for this evening) going out to a play and will then psyche myself up for another week of whatsits and such. Work is ramping up. Life is trudging along nicely. I admit to being somewhat smug as I watch J be insanely busy while I am not - a worst I have 2 weeks to finish my poster to present in London, but it should be no big thing, since it's rather similar to the ones I made a few weeks ago so I'll just be a good little harvester and use that as a starter.
And perhaps open  another bottle of wine...

Steps to Knitting

While rummaging for sewing stuff on the weekend I came across a box of Mum's knitting needles and her old book she learned to knit with and a bit of yarn. Neat huh?

I have decided that I am indeed going to relearn to knit. I have some needles and a basic easy cowl scarf pattern and once I try a few things with the practise yarn I think I will try this pattern out. I had to work late today and on the way home tonight I stopped in at the local craft emporium and found a few balls of nice simple yarn on sale-Browny black with colored flecks...and so...here goes nothing :)
I'll post pictures for your amusement as I go!
If it works, then I'll go grab some more yarn and and attempt matching armwarmers....if not, we'll never speak of it again ;)

Fine options

I've never had a driving ticket. I drive carefully, and for the most part I figure I do OK. Many years of driving with nothing more than a parking ticket. Two weeks ago, apparently, I failed to come to a complete stop at a red light when turning right while out and about. And (lucky me) there was a camera there...so I owe $230. It's right on film that I did it so I have to suck it up. Ouch.
After being mad at myself I tried to look at how I'll deal with this.

I'm seriously looking into fine options. I like it the more I look into it. I can work off my fine at places like the Salvation army store, the local soup kitchen, CFCR or the Bingo hall on evenings and weekends. It will take me a little while (I think you earn about $10/hr of fines), but I'm thinking it will be good for me to do. I don't really have that kind of cash sitting around and  altho I could pay it and hurt a bit financially, this option will remind me to be more careful. It will help me teach myself to be more attentive while allowing me to help out some local non-profits that need help. It seems like the thing to do - I always rant about how community helps out it's people and this is my chance to put my money where my mouth is. Yes, I am pissed off at myself for getting a ticket, but need to deal with it.

 I like giving back time instead of money. I have to wait until my court date next month to do it but the more I think about it the more it seems the right thing to do.