Tidying up

Random Wednesday. (Idea shamelessly still ripped off of Cate.)

1. The rain has had stopped and I have a porch.

Porchneww2

I love the porch. My feelings toward this porch are so fond that I have swept it four times today when it became defiled with the footsteps of my family. Sweeping the porch is so fulfilling that it may be my new hobby. Sadly, this feeling has not translated into sweeping anything anywhere else in my house, but such is the nature of my fickle heart.

Now that the front of the house is not trashed, I can focus on the nightmare of the trashed back of the house. My expectations that I could have the old raised garden beds replaced with new raised garden beds in three short days have been shattered by rain. (Today is day 9) That big blue mountain is a pile of dirt half covered with a tarp. I’ve been watching it melt into a sucking quagmire of filthy mud for days. My backyard (really more of a patio) is paved, so the slurry of soil and water has had nowhere to go. Zero drainage, and the pile of dirt blocks the only direction for the mud to run off. For days I’ve been watching it rain, watching the forecast, and spending my time going to the back door, looking at the level of the mud and water and hoping that the fates will stop the pour before it reached the level of the office door.

Ianwworkingnotrain

Today the sun is shining scratch that, it’s raining again, and Ian’s working as fast as he can drowning. Think dry thoughts.

2. Erle is back.

Erle4Pi2

Two sleeves, one back, one front. Twins still inside their mother, expected date of arrival, May 30. I’d say no problem, but I’ve decided not to tempt the fates.

3. To please Auntie Rams and her band of merry cohorts, Tuesdays are for spinning was a grand success. I spun a whole bobbin and a bit of the corridale for Joe’s Gansey,

Bobbinsal3Jgn1

and when I ran out I washed more fleece to finish that last bobbin.

Wahsedfljg23

When I’ve got this last bit spun I’ll ply the three together and get three skeins (about 500-600m) of yarn. Together with the efforts of the last year two years, it may be enough. I’ll count them and do some math, see if I’m anywhere near finished. (I really hope I’m finished.)

4. Joanne (The Canuck in Colorado) brought these back to my attention. (I’d already bought “Toronto” and “Quebec” ) I’m both charmed and perplexed by them. I wonder where the colourways for the Northwest Territories, The Yukon and Nunavut are? I wonder why some are cities and some are Provinces? I wonder where the Maritimes are? Why Calgary and not Charlottetown? (Maybe it’s the hats, Calgary does have great hats.) It can’t be the cold, I mean if you’re doing it by who needs wool the most, then whack Vancouver off of that list and go whip up a Yellowknife colourway in a big hurry.

5. Speaking of Provinces and Territories, Ryan has a goal. (I love this kind of challenge) She’d like an item for the Dulaan project knit and sent from every Province and Territory in The Great White North. (She’d like all 50 States too, if you think you can help.) She’s short items from Newfoundland and Labrador, The Northwest Territories, Nunavut, PEI and the Yukon. Anybody know anybody?

6. Grenyrn? What’s a Grenyrn? Oh yeah. I think that was stolen out of my car, (Hint: I don’t have a car.) Let’s never speak of this again.

7. The sock is packing again, this time for a quick trip to BEA, in Washington DC.

BEA isn’t open to the general public, but if you are a librarian, a bookseller, a publisher or anyone who has anything to do with books who will be there, or if you know anyone who has anything to do with books who would be there… I’m signing on Saturday from 4-5 at table 20.

I’m out Friday and back late Saturday night, rushing as fast as I can and hoping that the twins can hold off and just not be born the 28 hours that I’m out of the country. I’ll be speaking on a panel about how bookstores can do a better job of catering to knitters. It’s an interesting topic. Is there anything you want me to tell them?