When It's Hot Outside

It's cool and cozy in here.

Train Knitting

I went to visit my family yesterday. One of my favourite parts of this little journey is the commuter train trip. It's a one hour, air conditioned pause from hectic life; a chance to rest, knit, and listen to a book. 

On the mp3 player: Moby Dick courtesy of The Big Read
On the needles: Diagonal Rib Socks courtesy of Ann Budd

Birthday Trip - Again!

For the second year in a row, I was treated to a birthday trip. What a lucky girl am I! We spent a weekend in Montreal, a city to which I have not been in thirty years. Remarkably, little of it has changed at first glance. Montreal respects its heritage and architecture in a way Toronto never has, so many of the streets display the same vistas they have for many, many years. Of course Rue St. Catherine has become somewhat of an outdoor major chain mall and Old Montreal a collection of tacky souvenir shops. Still, the buildings themselves are beautiful and original in this highly walkable city.

Saturday was spent walking. And walking.
And buying earrings from street vendors.

A picture of my lover taking a picture. We saw many churches - as one does.

Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel. I had a bit of a religious experience here. All my latent Catholicism came to the fore. Stained glass brings it out of me I guess. Here we lit candles for lost loved ones. It felt like the right thing to do.

We had a suite! That`s right. I said suite.

And now I`m 52.

New Colours

One interesting aspect of knitting for others is the opportunity to experience and appreciate new colours. Take this mustard toned Manos del Uruguay Allegria for instance. It was purchased, with The Daughter's help, to knit gifts socks for her best friend. Normally, this is a tone my eyes would pass right over on my way to the blues and reds.

"That one up there", said The Daughter pointing to the top row. "She'll love that."

It's true. The young woman wears this family of colours all the time. And now, like a pop song dismissed when heard for the first time, but that grows on you with repeated listening, I am coming to like this colour. The bald statement, "I don't like mustard" has been reconsidered. Every time I look at the rich tonal dyeing on this sock yarn, I appreciate it more and more.

Here we have the socks in progress for Brother of Best Friend - much more within my comfort zone in purple and blue. Both "children", now in their twenties, have birthdays in early August, so knitting socks for them now is a nice leisurely warm weather pastime.