Jo Knits!

Piccoli, piccola!

I've cast on new socks, these are dubbed my "Hot Stuff" socks made with HOT pink Fleece Artist merino yarn and Kate's oh-so fabulous Marina Piccola pattern. :) Now I'm going to keep her cast on method for future socks, great idea Kate!!! What you see peaking in the back is my reward! I have been actively planning a surprise trip for the kids and I, to just step out of our 'lives' for a few days and r-e-l-a-x. Obviously we are going to our Nation's Capital city and hope to learn a few things along the way. This will be a terrific time for the kids (I've planned everything around making them happy, hope it works out like that!). We will take the train as the kids ride for free and I even googled to find a 35% off rebate to help on my own ticket. Now isn't that just the best! Anyway, I still have tons of things to Google before we make it there but this is so much fun to organize. :)

Sadly MS3 isn't progressing too quickly, it's actually exactly at the same point as it was in a previous post. I haven't started clues 3 and 4 yet, eventually they will get done, I just go by spurts into lace and then socks.

Yesterday we went to see Benoit chez moi at the FrancoFolies. This is a french show for kids of about an hour. It has got to be one of the best kids show I have ever seen. The singer is also a member of the popular group: Mes Aieux and he is just like a big kid himself. My kids were totally into his songs and younger kids were up and dancing throughout the show. It was a great way to escape the very hot and humid weather we've been having, as the show was inside a shopping mall.

Short and sweet, that's pretty much it for now. The kids are sleeping and I'm diving into a bath with my friend Frommer's.

WOW! Time is flying by so quickly these days. These socks have been finished and I am in LOVE! I hope Femiknitzi is happy as to how they came out. I know the stitch pattern isn't all that easy to see but I LOVE my socks. They feel so thick and comfy compared to others (like Regia or Opal socks) they simply feel like walking on clouds.

Pattern: Retro Rib socks from IK Winter 2004
Yarn: Cabin Cove 100% wool
Needles: metal 3mm and got 8sts per inch
Pattern changes: a few more rows of stitch pattern on the leg and foot
Would I knit this again: sure thing, this is a fun and easy stitch pattern to remember
Made them for: totally for ME!
More thoughts: This yarn was sublime to work with, I am used to tightly spun yarns and this lofty softly spun yarn was pure joy to knit with. I could see myself knit warm hats, mittens and all sorts or projects with it. It was a real delight to receive and knit this special yarn. I felt like this was a luxury yarn, something you would buy to knit a gift with, a yarn to make people convert to handknit socks frankly!

The kids just finished their summer swimming lessons, Zoe got a badge to start the 2nd level in the fall. Lucas will start the 1st level again, I am not worried about it. This guy was afraid of the water and now he is jumping in without fear, water over his head, in love with the water slide at the pool. He has improved SO much, it was great seeing him fall in love with playing in the water. He has enjoyed his lessons immensely and that's all that counts! :)

I have joined the dish rag tag and am practicing a few patterns while I wait to be tagged. This Tweety bird was made for Zoe, Lucas is eagerly awaiting me to start his big truck dishcloth. Hey, whatever helps them want to take a bath in the evening works for me! LOL!

Our home garden is growing nicely, Zoe's summer activity garden is also producing a lot of vegetables. Let's just say we have been eating freshly picked purple, green and yellow beans for the past 3 days. LOL!

Clue number 2!

I couldn't help it, yesterday I knitted the 2nd clue for the mystery stole. It went by so quickly, the chart is really easy to follow and I am tempted to get more patterns from Melanie. I love the idea of a stole, compared to a shawl the number of stitches stays the same throughout most of the project. The rows are completed quicker and it is encourage not to have to rip a row of 400+ stitches because you miscounted. lol! That said, I will NOT knit a single row of clue number 3 until my socks are completed. ACK! Don't get me wrong I LOVE the socks I am knitting, I just also like knitting with Sea Silk too. teehee! Wouldn't you know it, if you go check the yarns at Handmaiden, I am using the same color that the picture of Sea Silk they are showing, it's called Midight and is just a beauty. :)

Lucas has a loose tooth so we are off to buy corn on the cob and see if it will make it fall. LOL! We would make Zoe eat corn or apples when she had a loose tooth and usually if would fall. For Lucas his 1st tooth fell while he brushed his teeth. Odd kid.

1st clue done!

This is the completed first clue for Mystery Stole 3. I have a lot of knitting on my plate right now and can't seem to progress quickly in anything. I want to finish a pair of socks over the weekend, yet MS3's second clue in calling me. Argh! Also tomorrow we are babysitting my 2yo 'nephew' so lace knitting will be totally out of the question then. LOL!

I can not express how much my kids impressed me at their latest swimming lesson. They went in the deepest pool, (which is the diving pool), with life jackets on and swam towards their teacher without any fear. It is a lot of fun to see them progress so quickly and see how much they enjoy the water. I jumped in with them after the lesson and we spent more than an hour in the water before heading home. Both kids are psyched on keeping swimming lessons for fall. I'm thinking we will skip super expensive private ice skating for cheaper group sports this year. I'm still hoping Lucas will get to try out the 1-time violin class before the summer ends, then we will decide if music is in the fall lineup or not.

Are Montrealers tired of all the rain we have been getting? I actually like rain but just not 10 days in a row (or so it feels like). One day it poured for 5 minutes, of course I was walking outside with the kids in those 5 minutes. LOL! It's a good thing we were heading for the pool but I prefer to be in the water to get soaked.

Knitting along the way

Just like everyone else in blogland, I have joined the mystery. I even swatched with THREE needle sizes before actually starting to knit the 1st clue. That should say how much I want this to look good. LOL! The clue is very easy to understand and it's been great to see people's progress. I should be able to catch up before clue number 3 is out. I don't worry too much as the new Harry Potter book release will not affect my knitting time. I never did read any of the books...

Here is the latest progress on the Cabin Cove Mercantile socks. I am a bit behind on how quickly I wanted to knit these but it's going well. The yarn is just SO nice, SO cushy to knit with, I WANT more but you don't want any, ok? LOL! I know I keep saying the same things about this yarn but it is what it is. This yarn isn't as tightly spun as say, Regia or Opal yarn but it doesn't split when you knit with it either. It is lofty and a real pleasure to work with, just the kind of yarn I would expect from a small dyer, you know? Anyway, there should be an update soon at Cabin Cove's but please don't go there, you do not want this yarn before I get to it.

The kids swimming lessons couldn't be any more fun. Lucas is shy around water but he has been putting his head under the water without any fear. He is doing so well in the lessons, it's hard to believe he's the same little guy I had to convince to try swimming. LOL! Tonight I'll be jumping in the water with them after the class, I'm hoping playing in the water will make me beat inscomnia tonight. I've been waking up more tired than when I have gone to sleep, I really need to rest 'cause the kids need me in top shape.

Just a little pic of Zoe playing the piano with her feet. We spent the afternoon at the Montreal Jazz fest last weekend. It was a lot of fun, so many things to do for the kids. :) It was even better in their opinion as daddy was there to share this with...

This & that

I'm not sure I want everyone else to know but I LOVE Cabin Cove's yarn!!! This has to be one of the greatest times I've had knitting socks. This yarn is heavenly, it is so cushy, so soft, I never want to stop knitting with it. I would totally buy more to knit a hat and mittens out of it too. It's just SO lovely. Now I say that but I don't want you to love it as much as I do or else I will never get my hands on any. LOL! I wanted to show off the colourway, the sock on the right looks like a ribbed sock, it is actually the reverse side of the Retro Rib socks I am doing.

A part from knitting I have been keeping busy by reading a series of 4 books in less than a month, that's more than 2000 pages. It's hard for me to knit and read, I usually have to stop one to do the other and reading has been the one I haven't done much in the past months. The book series I am reading is really fun though, it's about the life of a family from 1940's to 1970's. It talks about construction in Montreal, street names that are still there, it is like reading a part of history through this family. It is very interesting. If anyone is interested it is called La poussiere du temps by Michel David. I was lucky enough to borrow all four books at the Bibliotheque Nationale where I go once a week to 'rent' free dvds. :) In the past week, I've had the pleasure of watching the whole series of Anne of Green Gables, the kids had a much fun as I did watching it.

Yesterday was a fun day, the kids and I babysat my "nephew" for the afternoon. He is 2 years old and just started calling us all by name, it's really cute. I've never been in close contact to any kids except my own (and a summer where I babysat my 2 cousins) but I care so much for this little guy. The kids adore him, I have to keep reminding them not to hover over him at all times. LOL! Zoe will become a great babysitter later on if she wants, she is such a caring and thoughtful girl. Lucas had a great time playing cars with the little guy, they really bonded over these past few weeks. :)

The kids started swimming lessons and I can't believe everything their teacher made them do in the 1st class. Lucas is fearful of the water, yet he jumped into the water and even did the floating star with his face in the water. WOW! He adored his lesson and he is slowly able to put his face in the water. I am SO happy that I took the step to register them to these lessons after letting go of the summer figure skating lessons... It broke my heart and theirs (you can imagine) they've been looking forward to skating all summer since spring camp finished in May. Luckily swimming seems to have won them over. :)

Well Lucas and I have the whole day together, let's see what we will make out of it.

p/s: Thank you SO much to everyone who comments on my blog, it really makes my day each time I receive one. I am sorry I haven't taken the time to reply to everyone, I am pretty overwhelmed these days but am getting better. ;)