What a way to start the day!

Earlier this week I was awakened by Hubby saying, "There is a parcel for you!" Hurray! It was a big box from my Virtual Vacation Swap. As it turns out I went to Kansas, and look at all the goodies I got.

That Mandy is just too good to me. I got a Kansas keychain, scrunchies, chocolate, popcorn (which Hubby is drooling over), coffee and tea, a beautiful dishcloth, a cute postcard, two citrus candles, and yummy smelling soaps. I also got all of the things I things I need to make a beautiful blue and purple felted bag. And I can't tell you how much I love the magnet and mug she sent.

In case you can't read my blurry photo they both say: "Dear Dorthy; Hate Oz, took the shoes, find your own way home! Toto" I LOVE it - they have already made their way to my office and are the envy of my co-workers.


This week I also got to take my Monkey to the Exibition. He went on all of the kiddie rides and then wanted to go on the big Ferris Wheel. I was shocked at how much he remembered from his trip last year. Before we even got there he had told me about all the rides he was going on, starting with the rockets that he was too small for last year. He also insisted that he was going to have cotton candy on the cone and so he did!

That is one happy boy!

After he went home I met up with some friends and stayed all night riding the rides, eating dippy dogs and chocolate dipped frozen bananas. I had a great time, there were surprisingly few people. I was a little disappointed that there was no Whack-A-Mole. They must have heard I was coming and hid it so I wouldn't win the giant prize again this year!

Slowly crawling out of my hole.

So you may be thinking that I've been spending the last few weeks crying in my bed. While I did spend a few full days there I have been slowly but surely crawling out of the hole and back to life. Instead, I've been crying at work, at restuants, in my car, when anyone looks at me,(mostly kidding) but I've done a pretty good job at avoiding the temptation to spend the next month in bed.


I find that anytime I am not busy I'm in trouble. I've been running myself ragged so that I don't think about baby stuff and so at night I am exhausted and can sleep. I'm not prone to depression, like everyone I've had my moments, but I am generally a take charge and move on kind of person and it is really unnatural to me to wake up crying and feel on the verge of tears all day.


It is hit or miss these days, I did have a minor meltdown earlier this week when my pregnant cousin sent me two separate invitations to her baby shower and then a link to a webpage they have created for their unborn child. To my credit, I did not melt down at her, I did however ask my sister (who got the brunt of it) to intervene and politely ask her to stop sending me baby related stuff.

Yesterday, I managed to buy sleepers for my cousin who just had a baby girl and my cousin who is expecting - with out tears. I gave myself a "Suck it up" speech and put them in the cart, only to cry all the way home from Moncton.

I think at this moment I am my own worst enemy. I am beating myself up for not "getting over this already" and I feel the need to bottle it all up because people are probably sick to death of my self-pity party- I know I am.

So part of keeping myself busy was finalizing and sending my Knitter's Virtual Vacation Swap package and doing my part for Team Canada for Dish Rag Tag. (By the way thanks to Ruby for the great stitch markers and beautiful rainbow dish rag.) Done and Done! I can't wait to get my package from my pal.

Here is my new favourite dish rag pattern, it is textured and great for scrubbing. It is a great first project for a beginner. If you don't know how to crochet there are lots of great sites and even some YouTube videos that can show you these basic stitches. Chain, Single Crochet, Double Crochet

Chain 29-33 sts depending on your tension and desired size. Turn.

Beginning with a single crochet in the third chain from the hook work each stitch across alternating between single crochet (sc) and double crochet (dc). Turn

Continue to work the pattern, alternating sc and dc stitches. If the stitch below is a sc you should dc into the top, if the stitch below is a dc you should sc into the top. Once you have reached your desired length you can tie off and you're done.

Depending on how fancy you like your dish rags you could work around the dishrag with a single crochet or a more elaborate edging.

Did I mention it is fast too. I did mine in approximately 45 minutes. Too bad I was not home early enough to get it back in the mail the same day. I did my best to reinforce the box a little as it was pretty squished when I got it.

I should also mention that Monkey and I were featured on the front page of a local paper for our summer reading and we more than met our goal of another 100 books. As a reward I gave him a beautiful book and cd of Puff the Magic Dragon. Poor little monkey had an eye infection and has to stay home from daycare today so I will be closing the office early and sending all my staff home for an extra long weekend. It's good to be the queen.

I want to say thank you again to everyone online and off for the wonderful support. It is greatly appreciated. I hope everyone has a good long weekend.

The Clomid Chronicles - Vol. 2, Part 1 - There not fair and then there is just playing dirty!

I am sorry to announce the second volume of the Clomid Chronicles. I am feeling a little bit resentful about this round (yes, more than usual). This is mostly because I was sure it had worked and that I would be announcing happy news. Which brings me to the title of this installment. Life is not fair, we all know this, but there is not fair and then there is just playing dirty! I know I only set myself up for disappointment by getting my hopes up but this month I was 5 DAYS late. That is a long time, I took the pregnancy tests stashed in my cupboard. (Those who have not dealt with infertility may not know this but you can buy pregnancy test strips in bulk!) Each time the test was negative - not even a hint but I told myself it may just be too soon to test. Sadly that is not the case.

I asked Hubby to go to the drugstore to pick up the Crazy Pills and he came back in a huff. They said they didn't have it, so your doctor probably didn't call it in. He asked the woman at the pharmacy if there was anything she could do since I was suppose to start the pills that night and he said the woman was really rude to him so he had stormed out. (It is not like they are prescription pain meds!)


So I called the pharmacy and got the woman on the phone, I told her my name and said that my husband had just left there and said there was some mix-up with my prescription. She snarked at me and told me she had checked everywhere and it was NOT there. So I explained that last month there was some confusion because they had filled the order as soon as the Doc called it in and it had been sitting at the cash, when I called to fill it they told me there were no refills. I asked if it was possible that this had happened again.


She assured me that she had looked already and that they filled my last prescription on June 11. Ah-ha! To told her that was the day the doc had called it in, it must be there. I explained that it would have been a full month ago that I picked up the last prescription. (A full month and 5 DAYS to be precise!) I then had the audacity to ask her to "please look again. " She assured me again that she had already looked but that she would (reluctantly) look again. "Sigh" Wait, wait, wait. "I am SO sorry, they were at the back of the drawer by the cash. Can someone be here in the next 8 minutes to pick it up before close?"


So it was off to a rocky start. When I got the prescription - on Day 2 - I looked at the label and noticed that he has bumped up the dose again. It is still 3 pills a day but for 7 days instead of 5. Yikes!


I have done my due diligence and warned my co-workers. This is after all crunch time for final reports and financial statements and STRESS + CRAZY =TROUBLE! Stay tuned!


Now here are the promised pictures from our weekend at the beach with Monkey and my FABULOUS Spring Felted Bag!




Monkey and Teecee flying a kite

Monkey helps build the fire.


We put the crab in the bucket (and touched it!)

Hubby and Monkey in the water.


In my happy place!
And now the bag!





Purple also makes me happy! Look at this bag! I love the beautifully knit roses and Laurie did a great job on the lining. I really like the handles too, it gives it a very professional look. I just can't find handles like that here. All I can really find is the bamboo circles.
Thanks again Laurie, you rock!

My Computer Hates Me.

I had a great weekend update drafted-complete with oh-so-cute photos from the beach. However, it will have to wait. My internet went out in the middle of my post so Blogger didn't save my files, my computer has decided not to recognized the memory card so I can't reload the pictures I had picked out and I've tried 4 different USB cords and can't find the one for the ____ing camera.

I assure you we had a great weekend and I will post great pictures when my PC gets over itself and lets me get on with my blogging.

Unfortunately this also prevents me from sharing with you the photos of my most fabulous Spring Felted Bag! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Laurie! I just love it and everyone (except my sister who hates purple) is very jealous! Even Lil' Sis agreed that it absolutely suited me. Sorry fellow felters, I assure you I will share pics soon.

First bike ride of the year.

Friday I got to meet with my swapee, for the Spring Felted Bag Exchange. We had a lovely lunch and I think the bag I made suited her! Thanks again for a great lunch date Miss Me. Here is a poor photo of the bag, the colours are actually much brighter.

Friday evening was a girl’s night and Saturday evening was a deck party at my house. Hubby brought home some monstrosity of a bar from a yard sale and we had to host a party to “celebrate”. The role of Isaac was played by Hubby (making me Captain Stubing I think). We had a great turn out for such short notice and a good time was had by all!

On Sunday I went for a bike ride with RB and Canknitian, our afternoon trip was about 29kms out and back. I knew on Sunday that Monday would be rough. I have no idea how I managed to sit at my desk all day. I don’t remember as a kid having to ease into biking each summer. It doesn’t make any sense – I have MUCH more all-natural padding built in these days than I did as a kid and I’ve got a nice bike with a wide-ass seat and yet I felt like I may never sit again after just one afternoon out on the trail! It is one of the great mysteries of the universe why they haven’t been able to design a comfortable bike seat in the last 150 years!

I spent Monday mostly whining about my behind and had to soothe myself with a little retail therapy. A fabulous little black dress, a new brown suit and two pairs of sunglasses I was feeling no pain!

Today, dare I say it, I may actually be able to get back on the bike for a little more torture. There will not be any 27kms but a little tour around town may be in order. I’ll have to see how my fellow travelers are making out and if the rain will hold off.

Knitter's Virtual Vacation Swap

Okay so I'm hooked! I've signed up for another swap. The Knitter's Virtual Vacation Swap.
I have already started collecting goodies from NB for the lucky swapee. I just love the idea of showing off some of my New Brunswick pride!

If you could visit any state in the US which would it be and why?
Tough question, I’d like to go someplace warm but without the touristy hype of Florida or California. (Okay maybe Hawaii) I prefer small towns and isolated beaches to big cities. Oh and of course, someplace with great yarn shops! Any recommendations?

If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why?
No fair, there is still so much of Canada I have yet to see! But if you insist, I’d say Greece because I did my undergrad in Classics and would like to actually see the places, art and architecture I studied first hand. I missed out on a trip last year with friends because the booked 7 months in advance and I was really hoping to be pregnant by then. I really regret missing out on the opportunity.

Have you ever driven across several states/provinces/countries?
Yes! Most driving in one day took us from New Brunswick to Toronto and back as far as Montreal. Okay so it was more of a day and a half when we arrived in Montreal at 2am. I also took a bus trip to Boston in high school. I would love to drive all the way across Canada someday.

Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it?
Nope, the furthest south I’ve been is Florida. I am planning a trip someplace tropical next April.

What was your favourite “travel” vacation?
I had a really good time in the Rockies last year with Hubby.

Have you ever played tourist in you own home city/state?
Every year we hit our favourite vacation destination with up to 30 of our closest friends. Our own beach on the sunny shores of Anse-Bleue, New Brunswick! My in-laws graciously host a long weekend birthday celebration and turn their backyard into a tent city. There are 408 people who live in Anse-Bleue a tiny French community on the Baie de Chaleur. Our annual pilgrimage increases the population by at least 5% for August.

Are you a museum visitor, beach comber or an amusement seeker?
I am more of a Beachcomber (couldn’t resist the link) but I do love a museum. When Hubby was in the hospital in Toronto I spent a lot of time at the Royal Ontario Museum.

What is your favourite type of yarn?
While I have to give a shout-out to the local Briggs and Little, I love the bright colours of the Paton’s Classics.

What is your least favourite type of yarn?
That eyelash crap.

What items do you like to knit/crochet?
I’m on a felted bag kick. (like everyone else) but I am learning to knit socks and mitts.

What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation?
I pack my big orange knitter’s tote with a couple of different projects because I never know what I’ll be in the mood for.

What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than knit or crochet?
I like to try just about everything (thus the 101 unmarketable skills) I have yet to try rug hooking but a friend as taken it up and I’m not sure how long I can resist before trying it.

Are you allergic to anything? (yarn wise or treat wise)
Nope!

What is your favorite color? Least favorite?
My favourite colours are lilacs and sages. My least favourite is peach.

Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)?
Sweet, Sweet, Sweet!

Anything we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know?
No, if there is anything you need to know just ask!

A great day!

That's right two posts today. How could I wait I had such a good day. Today started off as a good day from the minute I stepped outside the door! I nearly walked right into the delivery guy who was bringing me my package of goodies from the Spring Felted Bag Exchange! What could I do, I didn't have time to take it back inside and I was certainly not going to wait for tonight to see what was inside so I took it to work!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Laurie C!

The first thing I noticed was that it was from Georgia and I thought "Hey I know a super cool blogger from Georgia who leaves me wonderful notes!" My suspicions were confirmed by those sneaky Canada Customs people who insist on having the name on the declaration slip.

Look at all the goodies that were in the giant box she sent.

In this very poor phot you can barely make out the Lamb's Pride in Green and the Galaway in Brown that was included. There were two books ( I love the patterns, I will be an expert knitter in no time!), some wool needles with a handy dandy case, tissues with bags on it, a stitch counter, three pink grapefruit scented products and a lovely card.

The small gold pouch on top of the book is my brand new, very first ever beaded stitch holders. My days of stitch holder envy are over thanks to my very generous Swap Pal.

Here you can see the fabulous colours of the yarn.

Thank you again Laurie!

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I told my Director that I would love to get some work done for her today but I was going to have to go home and knit something. She didn't agree. Today was crazy busy workday, I barely got up from my desk all day and as many things as I got done there were twice as many things on my list at the end of the day.

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One of my rare excursions from the office was put together some materials for an order. On my way to the storage room I noticed there was some odd green foam board outside the IT office next door. It did not look like anything you would normally associate with computers and I wondered what it was. When I passed it again on my way back to the office I thought it looked a like something used for sound-proofing (how I know what soundproofing looks like I'm not sure, may be a remnant from my college radio days). Again I thought it was a strange thing to be outside an IT office. I had a fleeting thought that they may be tired of listening to my boss yell into her speaker phone or argue with her research partner.

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Don't get me wrong, I really like my boss, most days. But she is easily frazzled, stamps her feet and swears when something goes wrong and has the most annoying habit of ONLY using speaker phone. There has been an ongoing feud between her and the guy next door. He bangs things agains the wall and sneezes so loud I've had people say they could hear it on my phone. Last year "they" (not sure who "they" were) made her switch her office around so that she was not facing their shared wall when she was yelling into the phone.

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Today was particularly loud as she and her research partner were argueing and both yelling into the speaker phone to the research assistant. It made for a long afternoon but when I stopped in to say goodbye to my boss I noticed that they had actully covered the other side of the wall in sound-proofing- including the windows at the top! I have to say I laughed all the way home. I can only imagine how much complaining he had to do to get them to actually soundproof the office! Too bad they didn't leave enough in the hall to soundproof the other wall which divides her office from mine.

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Tonight I had Pilates, it was a small class with quite a few people missing. Not sure where all my pals were tonight but we had a good time, lots of laughs and enough crunches to ensure that I will not be able to move tomorrow with out calling the instructor names. After class, those of us who were good enough to go to class decided to undo all of the work we had done with a trip to DQ. Mmmm ice cream, my favourite!

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Some of my fellow fertility bloggers have had a rough week this week and my heart goes out to them. It is so hard not to get your hopes up. When the Doc told me there was increased pregnancy rate following the HSG I told myself that I was not going to get my hopes up but I can't help it. I realized today that my hopes are definately up since I have been taking prenatal vitamins faithfully which I never do (stupid horsepills), I have been extra careful about not missing any of my daily pills and taking them at the same time every night. I also made sure that Hubby and I had lots of ... er... um... 'quality time' on the peak days. While I know deep down that it probably will not happen I just can't help thinking that maybe, just maybe this will be the month.

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I had a great comment from Cass today who said she enjoyed reading my rantings. It's good to know I amuse someone other than myself. (I peeked over at your blog, and can't wait to have the chance to look at it closer.)

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Finally, I have set a lunch date for Friday to meet the one and only Miss Me in person. I have finished her felted bag and can hardly wait to meet her and see how she likes it! She posted some pics from the first package on her site. (I forgot to take any pics myself so I'm glad she posted a few.)

Spring has sprung

Spring Felted Bag Exchange Question #2: Where you live, what signifies the beginning of Spring? A favorite flower blooming? Snowmelt? Pollen (Cough cough, gak, here in ATL, thanks) Post something up describing how you knew 'Spring had Sprung' for you!

Spring in New Brunswick means mayflowers and fiddleheads.

Mayflowers are tiny pink or white flowers that grow wild in the woods. They are very small and very fragrant. When I was young I would go every spring with my grandparents for a muddy tramp through the woods searching under trees for these tiny flowers. They are only around for a few weeks and the smell is wonderful. Sadly the place we use to go to pick them has since been developed and I haven't the faintest clue where to get them in the wild now. I am forced to pay outrageous prices for two small tinfoil wrapped bunches at the Farmer's Market - one for me and one for my Gram.


Fiddleheads:
Few things make my mouth water like the thought of fiddleheads. They are only available for brief time in the spring and are a New Brunswick delicacy. For those of you who thought a fiddlehead was only the end of a violin here is a picture of a fiddlehead in the wild.

Yes, it is a baby fern, and yes we eat them – by the bucket.

When they are cleaned and steamed and ready to eat they are the most brilliant and appetizing shade of green. They have a taste that is described as being similar to spinach or asparagus. The first time I had asparagus I thought it tasted almost like fiddleheads.

They are eaten with lots of butter, garlic butter, lemon juice or vinegar. (I prefer just butter with just a bit of vinegar.) I have never prepared them any way but steamed, why mess with perfection, but I am anxious to try a fiddlehead chowder recipe I found.

If we manage to save any in the spring we freeze them for special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Like anything, they are not as good from frozen as they are when they are fresh. I’ve heard that McCain’s sells frozen fiddleheads at the grocery store so if you are not fortunate enough to live in the Maritimes or New England then you can try to find them at the store.

I'm going to have to make a trip to market this weekend to see if either are available yet.

My first exchange!

On all of the crafty blogs I read everyone is doing these fun exchanges and now I'm going to get to try it out. I've joined the Spring Felted Bag Exchange. (Thanks Miss Me, I found the link on your site!)

I can't wait to get a match and start working on a gift for them. Any tips on what makes a good exchange pal? I don't want to drop the ball on my first exchange.

Here is my questionaire:
1. How long have you been knitting or crochetting? How did you learn?
I have been crochetting for 23 years, my Grampy taught me when I was 8. I have only recently learned how to knit.

2. What are your favorite yarns to knit\crochet felted bags with? I love Patons Classic Wool for felting - great colours.

3. What are your favorite needles to knit\crochet with? I've had my steel hooks so long I don't know what brand they are. I am just starting to accumulate a hodge-podge of knitting needles.

4. What are the last 3 bags you knitted\crochetted (include URL for Yahoo! or flickr album or your blog if you have them!)? You can also link to patterns if you don't have pictures of your finished objects!
The last three felted bags I've made have all been circle bags but I just finished a cute crocheted purse from a pattern in a magazine.

5. Do you carry the bags that you make, give them as gifts, or both? Like most crafters I usually give away everything I make. I rarely get around to making something for myself.

6. What is your favorite felted bag that you have made for yourself? It was a circle bag but it has not yet been felted.

7. What are your favorite colors? Do you like bags in these colors or choose other colors? Purples (mauves and plums) Sage green, chocolate brown (oddly all food related colours) but I'm not fussy - anything but peach.

8. Chocolate: White, Milk, Dark, or not so much? Dark or Milk

9. Coffee, Tea, or Milk? Fruit Teas and Milk

10. Do you prefer sweet or salty treats? What kinds? Sweet.

11. If you went into Bath and Body Works and could only come out with one item, what would it be and what would it smell like? Grapefruit

12. Do you enjoy any other crafts or hobbies? Do you collect anything? Lots of hobbies - decorating cakes, sewing

13. Are there any bag patterns you have not yet knit, but hope to someday? none that I can think off

14. What is currently OTN (on the needles) for you? A special request for a purple and red bag for a member of the Red Hat Society.

15. What is your most recent finished object before that? A knit scarf patterned like the Acadian flag - compete with star.

16. What's cutest: Puppies, Piggies or Pixies? Puppies

17. Do you enjoy reading? Books, Magazines, or both? Both, I enjoy a novel with great characters.

18. Do you have any children? (kid-kind or pet-kind apply!) A cat

19. What are some of your favorite yarns for other projects? Freedom Wool, Briggs and Little, I'm not fussy.

20. And for the final question, one I see debated all over: Novelty Yarn - Love it or Hate it? - Hate it.

So there it is, now I just have to wait to be matched up!

So far its been a hectic day. It's not even noon and I've cleaned up from last night's BBQ Party, made a date with my Grandparents, connected with an old flame on Facebook, and gone on a rescue mission to help my friend who had sprained her ankle and was lying in her driveway up the street for me. (DM is fine, just a little sore.) What an awful feeling to not be able to get up and be stuck in the driveway with two young kids running around. The oldest (6) comes running to my car to tell me that "Mom is going to be okay" while the youngest(3)is desperate to get into the house because "Mom needs a Band-aid". Kids have such big hearts.