1. It was a long weekend here in Canada, celebrating Victoria Day, which is a pretty confusing holiday to explain. Technically it’s the official celebration of the reigning Monarch’s birthday- although the current Queen of Canada’s birthday is the 21st of April. The 24th of May was Queen Victoria’s birthday, and it seems that it was easier just to assign a permanent birthday that was observed in Canada, no matter when the actual birthday is. (To be fair, Australia and the UK have assigned her a birthday that isn’t her birthday either.) To further confuse things, the May 24th long weekend isn’t always on the 24th of May, but is celebrated on the Monday on or before May 24th. This weekend the holiday actually fell on May 24th, but it could have been the weekend before. (For example in 2008 it fell on May 19th.) Stubbornly though, it’s still called the May 24th long weekend even if it’s not on the 24th and even though technically that means that the next weekend will be the May 24 weekend.
In any case, this weekend is regarded as the official start of summer. It’s the weekend that you can plant (in most of Canada) the weekend that you open the cottage (if you have a cottage) and the weekend that your neighbours are most likely to drink a whole whack of beer set off fireworks all weekend long, even (perplexingly, and in the case of my neighbours) when it is not dark.
2. We put in the garden. (We also drank beer, but not enough to consider pyrotechnics at any time of day.)
3. I’m feeling a whole lot better, and have a sweater back, both fronts and a sleeve to thank for it. 
4. It has been very difficult to stay focused on the last sleeve. I have been thinking about lace a lot.
5. I’m really glad that I have a knitting blog, because this is really the only place where I can admit that I think about lace a lot and not have people look at me funny.
6. At least for knitting.
I’m glad you’re back to feeling better…
You could add a lace pocket, either inside or outside.
What? Everyone thinks about lace a lot, and considers the weirdness of holidays celebrating birthdays that actually happen at some other time. (We have similar weirdness involving the holiday known as Presidents’ Day, which I will not even attempt to explain.)
Glad you’re feeling better. I’ve often wished I could knit in my sleep… yesterday, after my surgery, I found that I can, as long as it’s something easy like the foot of a sock. Knit 2 inches on the sock in progress with my eyes closed and most of my brain turned off… Enjoy your after holiday week!
P.S. I did not actually say that I’m glad you’re feeling better. I am, though. I could tell from #1.
I don’t delude myself that I’m first; I hear the clacking of dozens of other keys too – but HAPPY VICTORIA DAY (late)! I’m for celebrating Queen Victoria for anything, without her we wouldn’t have white wedding gowns or lovely mourning. And a lot of other stuff. Works for me, startng summer now. HAPPY SUMMER, ma chere Canadienne! (It’s fiercely hot here; I don’t think I’ll work on my Perpetual Toque until after dark)
Happy to hear you’re back and well. I can’t wait to see the finished project!
Just trying to follow the bit about the holiday made me want to drink beer…
Glad to hear you are feeling better.
How about some garden pics, with lace shots randomly, shamelessly thrown in??
At least your neighbours were letting of fireworks while you were awake!
I had finally managed to fall asleep in this wretched heat when some of my dear neighbours stood in the road outside of our building (a few meters away from the front door) and started lighting their fireworks. In the middle of the road. The wind blew them towards our building.
Anyhow, did you know that non-professional fireworks will explode at roughly 10th floor height? Ask me how I know.
Luckily they only lit two batches before more neighbours came to their windows and balconies and threatened to phone the police.
Happy May 2-4!
So glad you’re feeling better. Just think of the joy of modeling that new sweater!
Yay for feeling better! Thinking about lace is almost never weird. On the other hand, you’re so close you can taste it on a lovely green sweater…
I LOVE that green color. Perfect for the beginning of summer. Glad you are feeling better. I don’t understand setting off fireworks in daylight hours either.
In the US, we’re about to go through a similar thing this coming weekend. It’s called Memorial Day, and it’s intended to remember military people who died in war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day
That doesn’t sound very much the same, but most people consider it the official beginning of Summer, and it provides a three day weekend to do Summer things in, like going to the beach, barbeque outdoors, and pretty much anything you’d usually do in the Summer.
Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Mine’s coming up!
Glad you’re feeling better. Obviously you live in the only country as confusing as the one I live in. Must be the language.
That’s a gorgeous green yarn, the variegation works wonderfully in the garter stitch.
I hope you manage to slog through the final sleeve. Either that or set it aside for the next time you get sick…
Steph, we love you and your blog.
Finish that last sleeve. Your reward will be a whole new sweater.
No one sets off fireworks in LA, where I live. It’s dangerous and illegal, and you can’t get them here. Last year, I spent the Fourth of July in Oregon, where water comes out of the sky, and fireworks are readily available. Yes, fireworks were going off all around, for days.
I had a great-aunt who swam in Lake Huron every day from the 24th of May to Labor day well into her 90s! “The 24th of May is the Queen’s birthday, if you don’t give us a holiday we’ll all run away!”
Ha! People look at me funny all the time for lace knitting (actually for all my knitting–I tend to knit in public a lot). I signed up for a summer lace group and I can’t seem to talk about anything else or stop making people look at the yarn that I have picked out for it (yes–I do carry some of it around with me–hmmm maybe that explains some of the funny looks).
Hi! We have lots of holidays like that in the US too – they are not celebrated on the day they claim to be, and beer and fireworks figure quite seriously in the celebrations. Here in Massachusetts we celebrate Patriot’s Day, which commemorates Paul Revere’s ride to warn of the British, even though there was another rider involved and even though it gets attention mostly because of Longfellow’s poem about it. On the other hand, we get a day off (unless one works for the federal government) and there is always the Boston Marathon to watch. Much safer (and a better knitting event) than fireworks!
What is it about spring that brings on constant thoughts of lace?
P.S. And to think, you don’t have to hurry and do the May socks!
Let’s just face the fact that many holidays are quaint relics left from an earlier era when the date actually had meaning (other than a looooong weekend)!
Tackle explaining how we arrive at Easter Sunday next year (preferably after a beer or two)!!! heeheehee
Glad you have re-joined the land of the living! It was #2 that was my tip-off that you felt better…though I can’t say for sure if it was the gardening…or the beer. Well, honestly, it was definitely the beer!
But finish that sleeve! It would be a shame to come that far through the dark vale of illness only to chuck the cardigan into the Vale of UFO’s for some fleeting lace fancy.
;-D
Lovely sweater–almost sweater. Glad you were able and well enough to enjoy your holiday. Holidays are wonderful no matter when. And so are hand knitted sweaters!
You must be feeling better if you’re entertaining lace thoughts. Your sweater looks gorgeous, btw. Gald you’re feeling better.
I think your neighbors might be related to our neighbors (here in the US) who let off fireworks during the whole week leading up to to 4th of July (and a few days after, if they have leftovers). Even during the daytime. In fact, a few years ago, I had to “have words” with the guy because we had guests over for our own picnic and their fireworks ashes were falling into our food. I think those neighbors don’t like me anymore as a result of it, but to be honest, I never really liked them to begin with.
So glad you’re feeling better but what in the world is wrong with thinking/dreaming/yearning of/for lace?
The sweater is lovely, by the way.
So glad you were feeling better for the holiday. Lace is always worth dreaming of. Make a lace project a reward for finishing the last sleeve.
At the risk of stirring the confusion bowl a little more – I’m pretty sure the reigning queen of Brittania is named Elizabeth…
I like it though, a generic Queen Birthday Name. And I think Victoria is quite regal sounding, with none of the baggage of all the Elizabeths.
I myself am looking forward to our long weekend coming up. Knitting for sure, and lace on the needles! Welcome back and glad you’re better–
I think about lace A LOT. both because I love knitting it and I’m a lingerie designer. that’s another good excuse….
I think about lace all the time, except when I am knitting lace, which is when I think about cables. Unless, of course, I am thinking about socks to start with …
Just off to design socks with lace and cables – that’ll fool me.
PS glad you had a good Victoria\QE birthday long weekend … I’m sure both the old dears are delighted we are all cheering them on!
Thank you for your description of Victoria day weekend, next time an American asks me what its all about I am going to refer them to your blog.
And thank you for not mentioning that we also call it may 2-4 because a 2-4 is what we call a case of beer. we don’t want them to think we are lushes.
We had fireworks, but no beer. You have to do the fireworks even if it’s not totally dark, because the kids get restless and the parents think the kids need to be in bed before midnight, and it’s May so it doesn’t get dark before 9 or even later. When I was a kid in Vancouver we had fireworks on Halloween, when it’s dark by 6. Much preferable, in my mind.
So glad you are feeling better.
Please knit the sleeve. It would probably take you, like 30 minutes (I’ve seen the videos of your rapid skill). I am sure we would all like to see it complete so you can move on to the lace project…. ;^)
I can understand the lace addiction.. I’m currently hooked on drop stitch! 🙂
No fireworks in my neighbourhood, then again it was kinda drizzly most of the weekend!
In BC the May long weekend is the start of Camping season! woohoo!
Enjoyed your post and the pic of your lovely patio! We in the States are looking forward to our upcoming 3 day weekend for Memorial Day. Of course, here in South Florida, we also are looking to start preparations for the beginning of Hurricane Season, which begins June 1. 🙁
Glad you’re feeling better. I feel ya on the fireworks, new years, memorial day, 4th of July, all huge fireworks holidays in Florida. Doesn’t matter what time of day it is on those holdiays, someone is always shooting off fireworks. Scares my cat half to death and makes it hard to sleep, but some of them are really neat.
There was a time in the US when holidays were celebrated on their actual days. Independence Day (i.e., 4th of July) was actually celebrated on the 4th of July (quelle surprise!!). Now it’s called the “4th of July weekend,” and it doesn’t matter if the 4th is a Wednesday. We don’t celebrate it unless we can have a 3-day weekend. President’s Day is a more complicated but similar thing. Oy…
Hooray, you are better!
The lace inspirations prove it, and nice sweater by the way. I have come to fiercely dislike the setting off of fireworks makes my spunky dog Picasso shake and shiver with fear. I think it is just loud sounds of people burning up their money which could be used to purchase fine cashmere.
In my opinion, the more people thought about lace, the better off the world would be. (Now who’s getting looked at weird?)Glad to hear you’re feeling better. Think about lace all you want but finish that sweater, you yarn harlot you!
Love the green. I may need to track down that yarn, because it is haunting my dreams.
Also, this weekend I, um, did drink a lot of beer and set off pyrotechnics. In my own defense, I was at a lake in northern Manitoba, it was dark, and rainy… There’s something strangely satisfying about small explosives in the desolate Canadian shield landscape.
Wonder if the lace is related to all the thinking about Queen Victoria? She quite liked lace, didn’t she?
Glad you’re feeling better.
I was stupefied when I opened the shade on my bedroom window yesterday morning – it was snowing here in Salt Lake City! Hard! Enough to stick to the road all morning. Unfortunately, spring was the last thing on my mind.
I’m glad that nasty infection is going away and you are feeling so much better. Finish the sleeve before you start any lace. You can wear the sweater while you’re knitting the lace. You want people to look at you funny? Tell them how excited you are that your three pounds of Pagoda Red Cormo roving came in the mail yesterday and how you dumped the whole lot of it on your couch and just hugged it, petted it, inhaled its sheepiness….right about there they start backing away. 😉
SO glad you’re feeling better. Thinking about lace means you’re MUCH better. Otherwise garter stitch would still be facinating.
So very glad you’re on the mend! Love the color you chose (though not surprised it’s green) and it looks so soft and squishy! Enjoy!
Glad that you’re feeling a bit better, thinking about lace is never a bad thing..
However, I worked 12 hour night shifts all weekend as a police dispatcher..tell me what it is about fireworks and long weekends? I don’t know how many calls we had…my hubby is a firefighter and they were called a half a dozen times to small fires…since when was it a good idea to drink beer, blow things up then set them on fire? LOL
Oh well, its job security for both of us…
Drinking beer sounds good tho, its 38 deg C or 100 deg F in the shade on my deck..beats the heck out of winter and we are 5 hours north of you Stephanie.
Love the sweater and am looking at some of that yarn…thanks for suggesting it..LOL
Glad you’re back at it. Aren’t knitting obsessions fun, harmless and special!
Hi, Steohanie,
I’m so glad to see you were well enough to knit in the garden on the Queen’s Birthday. Lovely. Please continue to get better. That is the prettiest green yarn and I see your cardigan is coming along nicely. If you get so well so quickly that the all stockinette stitch bores you, the sweater could always acquire some lace bits toward the top of the shoulders in front. Lace is a wonderful thing indeed.
I’m finishing a beautiful lace alpaca shawl today, maybe tomorrow I can block it. I feel like I’m on the way to the prom. Funny, as a teenager I never went to the prom, LOL.
FO’s do that.
Julie in San Diego
I’ll finish your sleeve if you’ll finish the hose cover I’m knitting for DH’s CPAP. About 10 feet of fingering weight, 24 stitches per round, on two circs. Slow. Very slow.
Boring doesn’t begin to describe it. Good thing I love him!
Oh you are so right. Actually I think my blog is probably almost the only place where I can be honest about my creative whimsy – my friends (none of whom can as much as sew a button on) don’t understand at all and would a) be bored and b) think I was off my rocker. My long suffering husband manages to smile politely, but I think he mostly has his ears switched off when I burble on…
On the subject of the Queen’s birthday – in England it is sometime in June. I guess they gave up on April too as it always rained on all the parades – at least in June there is a slight chance the day might be nice – but we don’t get a public holiday – there’s just a parade and they play the national anthem on the radio early in the morning. 🙂
I think about lace a lot too. Love it! I fooled myself into thinking sweaters were the reason I wanted to learn knitting–but it’s lace. Glad you’re recovering, please pace yourself so as not to relapse. Happy Victoria Day!
You forgot to mention, that the Victoria Day weekend marks the day that we can start wearing white shoes, dresses, pants, purses, etc. (at least that’s what my Mum always told me)
Glad you are feeling better. Very enlightening about the holiday, thanks. I am also knitting with Mossay just now, in STR. Looks lovely with the hostas/greenery in background.
Growing up in southern Maine means that the official start of summer and more importantly the tourist season was Mem Day weekend. Even now I wish tourist season was more like rabbit season, because working in a tourist town can be a pretty traumatic experience.
Oh, I feel for you, having grown up in Detroit and worked with a lot of Windsorites. We could never keep our respective holidays straight (neither could the hospital that paid us!), so we would really enjoy our fake July 4 celebration on the river (for those not from the area, I’m referring to the huge fireworks celebration on the waterfront of both Windsor and Detroit on the early July weekend of consensus). Fireworks, music piped in from both CK- and W- stations (yes, I am old), lots of beer (Molson’s for those with a tastebud, or Stroh’s for those with a budget), and a significant amount of OOOHHHH and AHHHHH.
Glad you enjoyed the festivities and hope you are feeling better.
I think its funny that Canada’s official first day of summer happens before the USA’s first day of summer and you guys are further north than us. Crazy.
Glad you are feeling better! This year Memorial Day in the US will actually be on the 31st of May, as it is supposed to be. But the observance does the same as your Victoria Day….moves to the closest Monday. I’m sure my neighbors will all drink beer. Fireworks, however, they save until July (well, sometimes they “practice”, you know, to make sure they work). That yarn is lovely – I followed the link to the site and clicked through the other yarns and colorways. Sigh, but I have other yarn to knit up first. Sigh.
Glad you are better and the medications seem to have worked along with rest and knitting and now you have enough energy to cope with things outside.
Love the variegations in the cardigan. Delightful.
New Zealand too does things about statuatory holidays, and Queen’s Birthday Weekend (coming up weekend after next)in particular. Our spring long weekend is Labour Day (celebration of the adoption of the 40 hour week for workers – hollow sound now as our world goes largely 24/7), and the traditional time to get your tomato plants in, but we never get the high temperatures that you get (even in the summer, we specialise in humidity).
Pleased the lace thoughts are returning, (I am glad you have a knitting blog too).
When I was a youngster, Memorial Day meant you could start wearing white shoes.( and gloves)!
I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better! And your Victoria Day sounds a lot like the Fourth of July around here, which is usually celebrated on whatever nearby weekend day works best for fireworks.
I understand about the lace. I do that, too, although recently it’s been fleece; I’ve got my first fiber festival ever coming up this weekend, and I’m wondering whether that means I’ll be coming home with a fleece with which I have no idea what to do…
Boy, talk about confusing the holiday issues by changing their proper dates and then continuing to call them by their original names. The 4th of July could just as easily be called by it’s more proper name, “Independence Day”, but nooooo. November 11 was called “Armistice Day” because it was the end of WWI, then we had to have another war and 11/11 was re-named Veterans’ Day. Back in the 50s we got Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday off from school, but then it was decided to only have one legal holiday in February, so we got Presidents’ Day which supposedly celebrates all presidents but is on no-one’s birthday.
We spent out honeymoon in Bermuda (how original) and found out that the Queen’s Birthday is celebrated on the 2nd Saturday of June when we were leaving and had to miss the parade. I find it even stranger than our messed up holidays that the monarch’s “official” birthday is different in different countries. The poor Queen doesn’t even have a say in when her birthday is celebrated officially?? Maybe HER husband remembers the real one!
glad you are feeling better. infections can really wear you out. years ago i found that if i knit both sleeves at the same time i don’t have one longer then the other and i don’t end up with the “2nd sleeve” syndrom. 🙂
In the US, Memorial Day was traditionally observed on May 30th, not the 31st as a previous commenter stated. sorry to be a nitpick, just wanted to set facts straight. When I was six years old, my brother was born on May 30, and back then we were observing Memorial day on that date.
Just went to Blue Moon site to look at LSS Mossay, and it looks like a COMPLETELY different color. Very pale sort of yellow green, nothing like what you’re knitting with.
Would never have considered using what I see on the site, but I love what’s in your sweater. Hunh!
If I did all that garter-stitching and stockinette stitching — I’d be thinking of lace too. Glad you’re up and about again. You were missed.
You inspire me. I love the way you let it all hang out, unwoven-in ends and all.
What’s wrong with thinking about lace? You could whip up a pretty pair of lace socks if your thoughts are going that way and maybe don’t want be distracted from your sweater for as long as a shawl or scarf would take. On a separate note, it’s funny how Canadians from different regions call this holiday different things – my old room-mate who is from Winnipeg always calls it “May Long” and laughs at me for calling it “Victoria Day weekend” 😉
For Leslie at 2:27 – Easter is always the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox. Perfect sense, yes? (Yup, inspires one to go find beer.)
For Stephanie: so very glad you’re feeling better, the sweater’s yummy, and there’s never a bad time to think of lace. I’m doing a KAL on Cheryl Oberle’s Northwest Celtic Jacket (great idea heading into summer, good grief) so also find myself thinking of lace. A lot.
I think of lace a lot, too!
Victoria Day – or NAtional Patriot’s Day as it is known (but in French) in Quebec is very puzzling being originally a Brit…since we didn’t get a day off in England for the monarch’s birthday – no matter who she is – on her real birthday or her official birthday!!! So I guess it’s just another holiday and I will take it 😉
Something good came out of the bad –a beautiful looking sweater almost done. Good for you . I think of lace all the time and look at lace knitting books but never get up the nerve to try anything more challenging than feather and fan but one of these days haha. Stay well and cool .
This past weekend my knitting group had our 6th annual retreat which is held at a B & B in PA. Every morning before breakfast I read the “morning meditation” which is a reading from At Knits End. It used to just be our group on the weekend but the B & B has expanded and now seats about 50 in the new dining room. One morning we were sitting down and it was rather noisy. Someone said “shhh, Georgine is going to read the morning meditation”. Well everyone in the room got quiet and lowered their heads and you can imagine what they must have been thinking as I’m reading about knitting sweaters!!!
Glad you’re feeling better! I really like the colour of the sweater you’re knitting. You’re right. Around here everyone understands thinking about lace. Around here it’s okay to think about such things, long as I don’t say something aloud. Then I get funny looks. 🙂
Your holiday sounds like our Memorial Day which is this coming weekend-and the unofficial start of summer. Join the Lace Thinkers Club!!! afterall sock yarn makes lovely shawls.
I’m glad you are feeling better!! Your sweater is so pretty!! I love the color!! Don’t feel bad about thinking about lace all day – I think about socks all day!! 😉
So glad you are feeling better! And Oy with the Poodles already on the Victoria day explanation… crazy! Sounds like our 4th of July or Memorial Day weekends… Hope the rest of your week is just as lovely. 🙂 Oh – and gorgeous sweater!!
I’ve been having lascivious thoughts about toe-up socks, myself…
Australia has to wait until June for our Queen’s Birthday long weekend. I always feel, falling in our winter, that it’s a perfect excuse to sit around knitting all weekend. I’m apt to have a drink whether it’s the Queen’s birthday or not but I don’t want to give up my long weekend if we become a Republic.
Glad you’re feeling better. The weather there looks great. My sister will be pleased. She and her husband are currently railing across Canada to Vancouver where they are meeting up with an old friend of my late Mum’s. Love your work Steph.
Sue, Victoria, Australia
Glad you’re feeling better. Love the color of your sweater.
BTW, when I lived in Australia, the Queen’s birthday was called “The Queen’s Birthday” and was celebrated in June. Go figure.
Well, I’m very glad you’re feeling better, and have had a good start to your summer. Ours doesn’t officially start ’til Memorial Day, here in the States (but you probably already knew that).
I’ve had lace on my mind a lot lately too, but not with regard to knitting…my husband is coming home tomorrow, after being overseas on a job for two months. I’m hitting the lingerie store before heading to the airport, and have a fun weekend planned before he heads out again! 🙂
Twenty years ago, we spent Victoria Day in Victoria, B.C. While walking by Parliament House, we stopped to watch a wreathe laying ceremony in remembrance of Canadian ships and men lost at sea druing WWII. Continued for over an hour, with one wreath being laid about every 15 seconds. Still makes me cry.
Karma. You’ve got better-looking weather there than we do here, where it’s cold and raining–in California. You’ve earned that sun and that garden, and I love that your sweater looks like an exuberant garden all by itself.
Even without lace leaves.
I’m so glad that you are better, with a sweater to show for it. Continue to force fluids. I used to get them one after another when I used antibiotics. I know you are a wise woman, you knit!
I, too, like to think of lace, more when I’m knitting lace. I have a couple of lace projects in the queue (“lace, lace, lace”, they say).
Have to knit baby stuff before the 4th (what we say for Independence Day).
So in other words, Victoria Day is to Canada what Memorial Day is to the US, with a bit of the 4th of July thrown in, although I understand you guys also have Canada Day in July. Because there are certain times of the year that people just need a three-day weekend in which to drink beer and set off fireworks.
I am so glad you are rejoining the ranks of the living, or the interested in living. And the interested in lace.
And I do appreciate the detailed explanation of Victoria Day with cultural connotations!
So glad you’re feeling better. I was starting to get a little worried. Our end-of-May holiday is Memorial Day – last Monday in May. Same celebrations, except not usually the fireworks. I like that the Queen’s birthday is not celebrated on her birthday and that the holiday may not be on the chosen day, either. Keeps everything funny! And funny is good!
yep 3 days long weekend just past but it was a nice one. Despite the fact Saturday it was cloudy all the time I’ve got a pretty good time Sunday and Monday at front harbor.
Thanks for the precious info about Victoria Day. I’m not that interested in historical facts but yet again I like this kind of info, making me to do not feel that dumb :))
Good to hear that you’re feeling better and had a pleasant Victoria Day weekend. It was a fabulous weekend here, too. The pool is open and warm (85F) already.
Glad you’re back and feeling better; can’t wait to see the sweater. Does a knitting blog also keep you honest about actually seaming your sweaters?
in Utah we have July 24th- Pioneer Day- I won’t elaborate. The banks and state offices all close, and the fireworks are generally more awesome than on July 4th.
We had snow and hail on May 24th , but the tomatos didn’t freeze- at least where I am.
Weather is like a box of chocolates…. forget the saying….I’ll just take the chocolates.
Hey! An official holiday for my birthday (which actually IS May 24)! Cool!
Hmmm. If the amount of time you spend thinking about lace is strange, then I must be certifiable. I’m getting ready to attend a week-long international conference that is all about making lace. Bobbin lace, needle lace, tatting, knotted lace, embroidered lace … I had no idea that was weird.
PS: I hear it is hot in Toronto. It is cool and rainy here in Vancouver and I want you guys to give us our summer back. I bought plants on the weekend and it’s too cold to put them in.
Greetings from the Oregon Coast:
I have followed your blog with interest. Usually via Jen Little’s blog “Looking Glass” (ravelry).
You both are some of the most interesting bloggers!!
I purchased your book “Free Range Knitter” last summer, during a low in my life….you made me laugh, you made me cry…I absolutely loved it, I didn’t want it to end! It made the tough times simply fade away….I hope you are recovered from your illness. Keep up the good work and your beautiful creations.
Maria
I’m behind. The patio furniture has NOT been cleaned and the garden has NOT been planted. However, I’m knitting a pattern from Knitted Lace of Estonia complete with nupps as well as finishing a second pair of Secret Garden socks in STR medium weight. The weekend was glorious beyond belief. Glad you’re on the mend.
Sounds like a fun weekend. It’s similar to Memorial Day weekend, except that we are supposed to be thinking about all the soldiers who have died in the wars. I think most people think more about what’s going on the grill or what is getting planted in their gardens, too! There are no fireworks, though. At my house, too, no amount of alcohol would induce us to set off any fireworks, at any time. For one thing, it’s illegal and secondly, it freaks out the dog.
There’s nothing wrong with thinking about lace a lot. Glad you’re feeling better.
Huzzah for fiber therapy!
i too have been thinking about lace a lot . . .
So happy your feeling better…………Speaking of knitting lace…we would all knit lace if you would be so kind as to share the name of that beautiful baby bonnet. Please, Please, Please. Happy Knitting Ü
I too am glad you are feeling better. I wish summer would start now……We here in Oregon don’t get summer until the 5th of July, that is when the rain stops long enough for our webs to recede, our gardens to grow and use those things called “sun-glasses”. Now where did I put those things?
Love Random Tuesdays…I read this to my husband and he laughed along with me.
Just curious though, do you celebrate the reigning king on a different day?
Glad you’re feeling better, I too have been thinking about lace a lot lately and I too love the color of the sweater.
Glad to hear your health is improving!
Made my way to Thunder Bay to celebrate Victoria Day by running in the 100th Anniversary of the Firefighters Ten Mile Road Race. First time in Ontario despite it being a mere 170 or so miles north of my hometown. Lovely drive (had just finished 5 days of backpacking on Isle Royale) and lovely people. Interesting to see how most of the community shut down for the holiday (vs America where everything is open except banks, government offices and – thankfully – the clinic I work at, on federal holidays).
Had my knitting along – knee high socks incorporating the mathematical constant “e” and their companion hat (I ran out of numbers and had to set the socks aside for the hike).
Glad you are feeling better!
i did get your email about the vote and i sent a response.
now i fear that somehow my computer isn’t letting my emails go through (technology and i are in a cold war)
but since my blog comment got through i thought i’d tell you here that i got your email.
and yes let the voting begin.
Love the green color. So glade your feeling better. Think about lace all you want. It doesn’t hurt anyone, you don’t gain weight, no laws are broken. And besides lace is a foarm of art.It’s good for mind & soul. Let the thinking begin….
That’s a lot of sweater knitting! I tried to knit a stocking stitch sweater fast the other weekend, but ended up getting RSI from too much knitting (got most of the way through the back in a single sitting) and had to take a break from knitting for the next few days.
In the UK we don’t get a day off for Queen’s birthday, although next weekend is the imaginatively named “late May bank holiday” – to distinguish it from “May bank holiday”. Back in NZ we had a day off, but I don’t remember when it was.
By the way, that yarn reminds me of the Manos silk blend – it’s the same composition. We’ve got a sample knitted up in the shop and amazingly it still looks incredible after a lot of handling, no pilling or anything.
At least we Aussies call it “The Queen’s Birthday”. lol. Pretty green ;D
The Queen’s birthday in Western Australia is even more fun. WA celebrates Foundation Day on the first Monday in June, and that conflicts with the Queen’s Birthday (well, not really, since the Queen’s Birthday is not in June, but the rest of Australia celebrates it on the second Monday in June, which is practically the first Monday in June, which is Foundation Day… so… conflict). So WA celebrates in September or October, which is more convenient.
From Wikipedia: the Governor of Western Australia proclaims the day on which the state will observe the Queen’s Birthday, based on school terms and the Perth Royal Show. There is no firm rule to determine this date before it is proclaimed, though it is usually the last Monday of September or the first Monday of October.
My relatives back in the UK have given up calling the May 24 weekend Victoria day or Queens birthday, and simply call it the May Bank Holiday. (although it means pretty much everyone gets the 3 day long weekend) They thought it was rather funny that we were still celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday!
Doesn’t everyone think of lace a lot? :o)
Glad to hear you’re feeling better. Love the colour of your knitting, very springlike and fresh!! You think about lace whenever you like – we understand……!!!
Knit on Sweet Stephanie!
I am grateful that you are better!
I had the Chesterfield blues without you.
🙂 As per usual, your blog brought a smile to my face
What did you put in the garden? I’ve got herbs in pots on the patio.
I’m also thinking about lace a lot. And linen. And knitted flowers for some reason.
I just love it that your holiday doesn’t make any sense, and I love the way in which it does not. The world would be a better place if there was more of that.
Now that’s the best explanation of May two four I’ve ever read.
We wanted to plant the garden. But it froze every dang night, so the seeds would have just rot in the ground. Zone 2 is such a pain in the spring!
I think about lace as I am drifting off to sleep. I thought everyone did that???
Love the jumper – it’s like tender May leaves. I feel cool just looking at it, which is sort of contradictory, since it’s snuggly-looking.
I’m intrigued about Victoria Day, I suppose beacause nominally it’s a day celebrating a long-dead queen’s not-real birthday! 🙂 Do Canadians mark this day with particular patriotism/links with the UK, or is it now just another public holiday?
Am inclined to say, if you’d like the Queen, please take her, and her family too, but that would be ungracious of me, since they do cost a lot… 😉
(yes, I am in the UK)
USA has President Day one Monday in February for all presidents. Two rules re: USA presidents –
1. We ignore the president.
OR
2. We try to see if we want to understand what the president is up to now (whoever is living in the White House).
(Glad you are feeling better!!)
Stephanie,
I’m glad you are better. Right after reading about your illness, I got a bladder infection. I’ve never had one and I now have complete sympathy for anyone with issues. Than goodness for pyridium (sp?) and antibiotics.
While you can whip out a sweater on your near deathbed, I had to abandon all projects (none that hard!) and go to garter stitch log cabin. Started a new little baby blanket.
I’ve had a few minutes of complete panic because I can’t remember all my WIP. I’m not kidding. I kept remembering another “thing” on the needles and it made me feel out of control. I’ve completely misplaced a shawlette that is well under way. What’s happening???
Glad you’re feeling better! Sounds like you had a nasty few days. The sweater is beautiful, too. Maybe a little lace around the sleeves, or a pocket or something?
back in high school I learned that this holiday is called May 2-4 weekend because beer comes in a case of 24…that explains it!
Glad you are better.
Love the current green on the needles, yum!
Glad you’re feeling better.
That May 24th thing doesn’t sound a whole lot more strange than some of the US Federal holidays ( the fourth of July is celebrated on the 4th of July. However, when July 4th falls on a weekend, federal workers get the Monday or Friday before off in addition…..)
It is incredibly disturbing to me that Canada’s summer starts on (or around) May 24 but Boston’s doesn’t start until the following weekend – Memorial Day (last weekend of May). Tomatoes don’t go in until this coming weekend!
mmmmmmmmm lace. I’ve been thinking about it a lot too.
How about a slightly lacy tank top/shell to go under the sweater? It could be a different yarn, but similar colors or something. That would look snazzy.
So glad you’re getting up and about again – I’ll have to attack my garden this weekend (Memorial Day here). Between sleeves, of course.
I have never quite got the concept of a “bank holiday” myself…..
Glad to hear you’re feeling better. Welcome back to being among the living. It’s good to be vertical.
I think about lace a lot, too. I’ve been stuck in lace mode for a few years now, despite the fact that I’ve sworn it off twice & promised myself that I’d explore cable knitting. But here I am, about to cast on yet another shawl. (How many lace shawls does one person need, anyway?)
Glad to hear that you are feelng better! I have completed my first sweater and now that I have I think to myself ” Why was I so afraid to knit sweaters?” Anyway hang in there, it was tough even for me to finish my last sleeve but once I did man i was so happy that I almost had a complete sweater I sat and finished the yoke and neck!
I do have a question I know you can turn a sweater into a cardigan but how does one remove the old collar to make a new collar along with a button band? Anyway AGAIN I am glad to hear that you are among the living and happy spring! Enjoy your garden!!!
Another factlet about U.S. national holidays–perhaps I’m remembering my youth with excess nostalgia, but seems to me we used to observe (as in schooldays off) both Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12th) and George Washington’s (February 22nd). In any case, we were certainly TAUGHT what the dates were:-). But let’s face it, we’re all still pagans at heart (even Episcopalians like me) and want holidays to celebrate the changes of season. As for when to plant the garden–you can plant seeds for cold-tolerant vegetables before the last frost date, but stuff like beans, corn, and tomatoes really want warm weather pretty quickly. If Toronto is in zone 6a or 5b, Victoria Day weekend is right on for last frost date.
Thank you for your posts about life and customs in Canada. My husband and I have been traveling to Victoria every summer for more than ten years (yes, despite being an American, I love Canada), but I am still often perplexed and sometimes embarrassed by what I don’t know or understand about my second home.
Hmm, something must be in the air because I have been thinking of lace a lot lately as well. Unfortunately, it seems I’ve been thinking about it too much because I can’t seem to settle on any one yarn or pattern to get started on. The fact that I’m going to be an aunt for the first time in October is making me think that it needs to be a baby blanket and that I better get started soon cause October will be here quicker than I think it should.
Why can’t I stop knitting lace? It really is out of hand.
I’m not the only one who feels that way about thinking about knitting lace, this is such a relief! My family thinks I’m crazy for wanting to knit with what my mother refers to as “needlepoint silk”… No mommy, that’s my tencel laceweight. 1050 yards of it, actually…
Who doesn’t think about lace a lot?
Dreaming about lace and flying – glorious!
Hmmm…how lame is it that I’m Canadian that I had no idea that the actual holiday was May 24th? I live in Victoria and we have a great parade every Victoria day though. It’s always a great time!!
I’m glad you’re feeling great too.
I’m totally jealous that you got your garden in. It rained all weekend here (Edmonton) and I refuse to play in the mud.
So glad you are feeling better. I love reading your blog. My boyfriend and I are planning on immigrating to Canada from the US. Victoria day sounds very confusing, but also very cool.
We must have neighbors in common, mine also set off fireworks at 4:00 in the afternoon in July. I don’t really care especially if the option is to set them off at 4:00 a.m.
Liza the blogless
Part of the reason it’s always called the May 2-4 weekend regardless of when it falls, is because of what you mentioned–drinking a whack of beer…most frequently, in the form of a 2-4 case. LOL. It’s the first weekend of the year that’s acceptable!