It was rather nice to not have to go anywhere last evening for a change. I made pizza (with a “crust” made of steamed slices of zucchini and eggplant) and we caught up with a bit of recorded TV. It’s a dark and rainy day today, at least so far. This time of year, and all the way through until next spring come to think of it, the sunny days are few and far between. That’s not to say that it rains all the time but one low pressure band after another sweeps in off the north Pacific with insignificant gaps between most of them. The days are getting much shorter too but we still have more than a month to go to where it’s getting dark at 3pm and not light again until 8am. Although some people suffer a lot during the winter, it doesn’t bother me much unless I have to go somewhere farther than a few blocks without someone giving me a ride. It’s amazing how fast you can get wet to the skin even while wearing Gore-Tex and using an umbrella. It’s also amazing how cold you can get out there when it’s not even anywhere near freezing. We’re not quite at the “winter” stage yet, but it’s getting increasingly unpleasant at times out there. Luckily there’s still lots of pretty leaves to take the edge off the darkness. We should still have some nice days to get outside but you never know. Hopefully we can avoid those awful storms we had last year that knocked down so many trees and did so much damage.
Have I mentioned that the civic strike is almost over, except for the library workers who haven’t settled yet? They are allowing both our special garbage and yard waste cans (with garbage instead of yard waste) plus up to 6 plastic bags for the first while. No recycling, actual yard waste or leaf pick-up for a couple of weeks though. For the desperate to recycle they’ve set up a collection area in a parking lot but we’ll hold out until regular pick-up resumes. We only have maybe 3 bags plus the 2 bins so we’re doing OK. We don’t create a lot of waste and we have a big compost so we’re better off than some folks. Our regular pick-up day is Friday so they haven’t come by here yet. It will be nice to get rid of the stuff we’ve been collecting since last July!
They’re slowly getting community centres and such back into full programs. The inside workers went back to work last week so they’ve already started to deal with the backlog of such things as permits. A new house just started to be built across the alley from me the minute they got their building permits through. It’s going to be a “skinny” house on a half-width lot situated between two large Edwardian houses that are divided into suites. A neighbour tried to get a negative campaign going on this one but it obviously didn’t work. There are only a few of these narrow detached houses in the city but they are actually quite attractive. There’s another one 2 blocks from here. I’d certainly rather live in one of those than in an apartment. There needs to be more density in the city and this is a rather painless way to get it. We may even build a “coach house” on our wider corner lot one day. We aren’t zoned for that yet though.
Enough about my neighbourhood, what about my crafty stuff? It’s too dark for photos today. Still plugging away on the Earl Grey Socks. They’ve become my Blog Reading Project. I’ve crocheted 15 repeats on the Boteh Scarf. After I get to 16 then I’ll decide how many more to go before I consider it long enough. I’m thinking now maybe 18? I cast on for the Jacoby Gauntlets though I’m really only using it as a basic shape. I’ve reduced the number of stitches to 56 from 60 because my handspun yarn is thicker than sock/fingering, more like sport yarn. I’m also using 2mm needles but they feel a bit small. I don’t want these to become too wide though so I will persevere. I do want to be able to wear these by themselves or over a pair of gloves for extra warmth.
Speaking of the gloves, I can’t knit them yet until I spin more of the black wool that I used in the Icelandic Lace Shawl. I have 30 g left and need probably at least that much more again. I’ll probably spin 50 g just to be on the safe side. I’ve been wearing either fingerless gloves or those cheap stretchy acrylic ones from the dollar store when my hands get cold. The only pair of handspun ones I have were made in 1987 and are somewhat felted from cross-country skiing with them. Past time for a new pair methinks. And maybe another pair after that. No, I don’t wear mitts and no, I don’t mind knitting fingers. At least my hand-knit gloves fit me, unlike any commercial ones besides the stretchy ones.
What else? Oh yeah. The Hepburn Cardi is still in Time-Out. It seems I’d rather do housework than swatch some more and start over again. Not a good sign. I really need another sweater.
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