Thrifty Thursday

My lecture ended early today. I should have gone home to get caught up on some housework and/or schoolwork. Instead, I chose to do a tour of the local thrift stores. Thrifting around here is a pretty sad affair. Anything worth collecting is usually snapped up by the antique shops and resold at exhorbitant prices. Once in a while, I find something fun. I love old craft books and can usually find some fun ones. These books came home with me today. Mainly knitting and crocheting. The green book in the middle is circa late 1940s and I love it. It's filled with some beautiful old classic patterns and some fun ones, like bed socks and convalescent jackets. 

This was my favourite find of the day. I couldn't find a date anywhere, but I'm thinking it's from sometime in the mid-80s. I felt compelled to bring it home with me, if only to be able to share these great photos.

I love these leg warmers. I remember being about 9 or 10 years old and feeling quite desperate for a pair of my own leg warmers. I planned to wear them with sweat pants.

How about this handsome gentleman? I especially love the gold chain and bare chest.

Bat wing sweaters. Doesn't she look elegant? I'm not sure why, but it reminds me of the movie "Working Girl". I'm sure if it was 1985, I'd have my mother knit me this sweater. I'm pretty sure I've seen similar looks in Elle Canada this past season.

It was a fun few hours. But now it's back to work!

48 more days

The owner of these feet informed me today that there are only 48 days until her birthday. She will be 10. Double digits! I remember being so excited about turning "double digits" when I was little. What I just realized was how sad my mom must have felt. I'm sure every parent of girls starts to dread the day their little girl grows up. E has always been a mama's girl. I tried pulling her into my lap last night, but there were too many knees and elbows involved, so it was a little awkward. We had a little spat at the grocery store this week. I was grumpy. She was indecisive and "shruggy" as most 9-year-olds seem to be. I snapped at her. She cried and said "you are so mean since I got older". I melted the way I always have when she cries and we sat down in the aisle for a little heart-to-heart. I love my girl and can't wait to meet the young woman she turns into. I just wish she could be little for a while longer.

Almost ready to bloom

I used to have lots of plants in my apartment in Vancouver. I tried to move them to Calgary but they froze. Something about moving in December. Anyway, they survived for short while, but then my efforts failed and one by one, they eventually passed on. My gardening efforts are not much better. We had gorgeous perennials in a flower bed on our property when we first moved to this house. One year, I got a little overzealous with my weeding one year and then forgot to water the remainders during the heat wave, so plants seem to keep disappearing. I'm not sure what will come up this summer.

One of my sweet friends dropped this off on Christmas Eve. The gesture was so lovely, but honestly, my heart gave a little thud at the thought of having someone entrust me with something so fragile and plant-like. However, I gratefully took the package and put it in a sunny window with lots of watering and love. Look what's happened. It's been well over a month now and, not only is the amyrillis not dead, it's about to flower. Yay for me!

Brrr

I'm trying really hard to hate winter, but how can I when I look at the window last night to this...

This snow was absolutely pristine. No footprints. No car tracks. I give full credit to my husband for this photo (got to love a man who'll risk frostbite for me). I love the eerie, haunted feel. No we don't live in a graveyard. This is from the porch, just outside the front door.

This window is at the landing up to the 2nd floor. The little stained glass windows are all frosty.

It's very cold outside today, too cold to be outside very long. No blue sky out there today. Everything is white. We almost thought we'd get a snow day as most schools seem to be closed throughout the rest of Southern Alberta. E and I were both a bit disappointed. I had visions of staying indoors all day drinking coffee (me) and hot chocolate (E), eating bowls of popcorn, and playing scrabble. Oh well, at least it's too cold to shovel the side walk.

Mini-Breaks

I think we're in the middle of the January blahs. The snow is staying around. It's cold outside. Our skin is dry. I hate all my winter clothes (yuk). I like to think that I can wait until at least February to start longing for spring, but my thoughts are already there.

But wait a minute, look what I saw when I took E to school this morning. I had my camera with me and had to stop a few times for some pictures. This is around the corner from my house. 

All this wintery wonderfulness. Every twig, branch, bush, and blade of grass was covered with frost. I think I might be able to last a few more weeks at least.

J and I are heading on a mini-roadtrip tomorrow to Calgary. I have many plans, including leaving J at the mall to watch a movie while I do these wonderful things...

• Have the world's best chicken shwarma & dolmades at Tazza
  
• Buy some luscious yarn at Pudding Yarn or Make One to finish testing Alicia's beret
  
• Visit the magazine store to see if they still have copies of Marie Claire Idees (fingers crossed)
  
• Browse the truly delightful Reid's Stationers (sigh)
• Find some new mittens for E at MEC (she wore through here playing in the snow
  
• Use my gift certificate at William Sonoma to buy something wonderful, maybe this or perhaps one of these? who knows?
  
• Oh, and I have to find away to stop here...thanks to Saucy

Do you think I can do it all in less than 2 hours?

We also have plans to eat dinner out, maybe at our favourite diner. We used to live 5 minutes away from here when were in Calgary. Best meatloaf ever! Plus, we get to stay in a hotel. I just love staying in hotels. I don't have to do anything!!

Three cheers for mini-breaks! 

Why I love my kitties

I'm never alone for studying or naps (or cooking, reading, watching tv, showering, etc)

The seat of my desk chair is always warm, at all times!

They never complain about the dinner I serve, only if they don't get it in time--LOUDLY

A ray of sunshine never goes unenjoyed (is that even a word?)

They are highly talented, entertaining and make me laugh all the time. I swear my Ollie can open doors by himself and I'm pretty sure Rain was trying to push me out of bed the other morning.

They purr. I really wish I could take a picture of a purr. It's one of my favourite sounds in the world.

I love them so much I almost don't mind this...

or this...

My First Swap

In the year or so since I've been visiting blogs, I've been so envious of those participating in all those wonderful swaps. Now that I have more own blog I've decided to take the plunge and join one too! I'm so excited to be joining the Sassy Apron Swap. Now I just have to decide on a great spring theme!
I think this is probably a pretty boring post, but I'm tired today. Clinical days (hospitals practicums) are very rewarding, but exhausting. I'm not really sure why.

Meet Shawn

Here are a few facts about Shawn:

• Born in Dublin, Ireland
  
• Stowed away in Daddy's luggage for the trip home to a certain little E
  
• 7 years old
  
• Speaks in an Irish brogue (I've never heard it but understand it is truly delightful)
  
• Constant companion to a little girl for the first 3 years of his life, now relegated to cherished "stuffie" status
  
• A little scruffy due to being well-loved, but still very attractive
• Has a new fair isle sweater handknit by moi
  

• Enjoys the writings on Astrid Lundgren (who doesn't?)
  

I promised E I would make a sweater for Shawn ages ago. I used this as an opportunity to practice the fair isle technique before committing to a full-scale project. Fair isle is fairly easy, but I find the constant tangling of yarn frustrating. Any advice on how to avoid this? I have just been stopping at the end of each row to "unwind" the strands before starting the next row. Maybe there is another way?

Oops!

I just discovered I had limited my comments to only those with blogger accounts. This is fixed. Please comment freely (assuming anyone cares to!)

Go Tigers Go

I'm happy to say that I made it through hockey game. In the past I've gone with my husband to NHL games which I think I like a bit more, its showy and I have fun watching the hockey wives and girlfriends and the other. Hockey wives are a unique breed of woman...I'm not sure if I could keep myself that well-groomed all the time. Having said that, Medicine Hat loves their Tigers and the fans are passionate about the game. So the fan-watching was fun as was listening to the tidbits of conversation from beside me. Remember I was with three little girls, E & her two good friends. Here are some snippets...

• Let's start a wave!
• Go, Tigers, Go..woo woo
• Did you check out the new Webkins on the website?
• Cool
• I'm getting a chocolate bar after this period
• Aaaaaw, not another penalty
• Let's stick straws up our nose...look I'm a tiger
  

I think it was 20% watching the game and 80% giggling. They had fun though, but the Tigers unfortunately lost.

WARNING: Proud Mommy Alert

Little E was in a spelling bee today at school. She made it to the third round, even with some pretty difficult words: idiom, hickory & sombrero. She was 4th out of 10 students in grades 4 through 9. We moved her to a Christian school this year from the public system for a number of reasons. So we were a little worried how the transition with the new friends and different teaching would affect her school work, but apparently she's thriving. J and I are just so proud of her. She stayed home most of yesterday because of the same nasty cold I had, but she literally bounded out of bed this morning and ran into my room shouting "I feel great". What a little trooper. She didn't want to miss out on the spelling bee or the Tigers hockey game tonight with dad & friends. Did I say that I'm proud of my little miss?

Update: My getaway to Calgary got cancelled so I made myself better by ordering a few books at Amazon.ca, including this one. I also got stuck taking three little girls to the hockey game tonight. I don't even like hockey, so I think I'm even more justified with my purchases!

Favorite Corner #1

I love my home, but I have a lot of work to do until it's perfect. So until I can get everything just the way I want it, I will celebrate some of my favourite parts of my home. This area is special because it reminds me of my old apartment in Vancouver's West End. My daughter and I had this magical little place about 500 square feet in size and it was PERFECT. It's hard to create the same kind of feeling in a much bigger house. This is where I study and relax by myself. My cats usually join me. One on my stomach or chest and the other on my feet. Sometimes I just sit and listen to my little girl chatter in her room with her friends. Such things I discover! Apparently, even at 9, kids know their parents just don't get it! 

I only set up this area a few months ago. It used to be our primary office, but we now have another computer downstairs, so now it's my space. I want to make it cozier with more pictures on the walls, lots of lovely little objects on the shelves, and pretty curtains instead of blinds on the window but that will take time. For now I'm pretty happy with it.

The afghan is my "5 North Blanket". I made every hexagon and diamond during my night shifts at the hospital over the summer. I sewed it together recently and discovered some oddly shaped pieces that I'm sure were crocheted at the end of the night when I could hardly see straight. I love it's patchwork feel. I made it based on a book I picked up at the library, something about Granny Squares. 

I made a little girl cry today

Oh don't worry I'm not an ogre. I just started my pediatric rotation today and I had to do a procedure that was a little uncomfortable. Can I just say that I'm going to love working with kids? I was worried that I might have a difficult time working with sick kids because I'm a mom, but seeing that little grin when I say something funny just warms my heart.

I've been sick with a cold since the weekend. I wish I could just get the sniffles like other people, but no. I have to get all sleepy and useless and pathetic. Oh well, sometimes it's nice to let other people take care of me for a change. Maybe I have ulterior motives?

I never did get my list done on the weekend. Sometimes I'm a bit too ambitious. Here's my new list in no particular order:

• Bioethics - yuck (at the top of every list...I'd be perfectly will to come and clean someone's house if they would finish this course for me)
• Finish Shawn's (the bear) sweater
• Sew the linings of my snazzy new tote bag & ipod cozy so I can use them
• Laundry
• Visit my friend this weekend in Calgary
• Use my William Sonoma gift certificate on previously mentioned weekend to Calgary
• Work
  
• Oh, and attend tomorrow's pediatrics lecture

By the way...she only cried for a few seconds.

It's no B&B but at least it's clean!

I really have to give credit to the bloggers out there who post everyday, with pictures even! The title of this post was what I started yesterday, when I finished cleaning my house...and the title is all that I did. Perhaps the true title should be "what I'm doing on a weekend to avoid doing school work". I'm now sitting here trying to inspire myself to complete two units of bioethics, so I can meet my deadline, but instead everything else is more important & more INTERESTING. I hate bioethics. Now I don't actually hate bioethics. As a future nurse I can understand how it is important, but the course work just SUCKs. There. I've said it.

So here's a list of the stuff I want to do...

• make sweater for my daughter's teddy bear
• finish the totebag that waiting for me downstairs
• reorganized my food pantry (I really don't like bioethics)
• take some pictures of my finished projects & WIPs & post them on this blog
• write my grad newsletter
• make a banner for my blog & figure out how to work with photos
  

And what I have to do...

• finish two units of bioethics
• read 2 or 3 chapters of my mat/child text

Maybe this guy will help?

I'm Going to Be a Nurse

I should have said in my last email that it's my final year of NURSING school. After countless years of studying I will finally have my degree in December of 2008!!  I feel like I'm coming to the last few kilometres of a marathon. I'm tired and wonder sometimes if I can make it to the end, but I really know that I'll get there somehow. I'll just have to do my crafting in my spare time to keep myself same. 

I promise this is not a pet blog or even a school blog. However, I feel I would be remiss if I didn't at least introduce you to this blog's namesakes, Oliver (the fluffy one) and my sweet Rain.

Taking Baby Steps...

After a year or so of lurking around the blog world, I've decided to start my own blog. Oh, the fear, the trepidation. Will anyone read about me...and worse, will anyone care? I plan to use the blog as a type of journal, to track my numerous projects and record the events of this, my final year of school.