Victoria has a new fibre store, and I'm just tickled about it! My friends Stephanie and Ryan have dreamed about this for a long time, and finally, on November 1st, the dream came true. They are both spinners, weavers, knitters and felters and will carry supplies for all of the above in the store.
The store itself looks amazing .... a blur of color and texture and wood and brick that's a feast for the eyes from the moment you walk in the door. Oh, and there's a real, live 400+ year old walking wheel on display in the front window, too.
I'll be helping them with some marketing, including the GRAND OPENING. If you're a local, put Saturday, Dec. 6th on your calendar -- details to come!
Working on River's camoflage socks (which I hope to finish today at Knit'n'Cafe) and some Christmas knitting (about which I cannot speak here). It's been pouring rain here for two days, and this is the only time I miss having a couch to curl up on. Our little settee in the salon just doesn't cut it sometimes!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
WHERE HAS THE WEEK GONE?
It's already Thursday morning, and I feel like I haven't accomplished a thing all week!
Oh, well, I won't likely accomplish much today, either... it's pouring rain, and we have a 'rainfall and wind warning' for the coast. It's already blowing 25 knots out there, and miserable. I do have to go out long enough for a haircut, but other than that, I might actually get some knitting done.
Yesterday morning I had breakfast with my friend Esther at Ogden Point, and we watched this creature being towed in to the harbour... (remember that you can click on the pics to see them bigger if that interests you...)
While I went outside to take a picture, someone at the next table told Esther that it was a landing barge, but I don't think that's true... I believe it's the part of the approach at a ferry landing between where you drive off the edge of the ferry and where your vehicle meets terra firma again. I'm going to swing by Point Hope Shipyard today to see if I can get the scoop -- I can't imagine where else it would have been going!
Oh, well, I won't likely accomplish much today, either... it's pouring rain, and we have a 'rainfall and wind warning' for the coast. It's already blowing 25 knots out there, and miserable. I do have to go out long enough for a haircut, but other than that, I might actually get some knitting done.
Yesterday morning I had breakfast with my friend Esther at Ogden Point, and we watched this creature being towed in to the harbour... (remember that you can click on the pics to see them bigger if that interests you...)
While I went outside to take a picture, someone at the next table told Esther that it was a landing barge, but I don't think that's true... I believe it's the part of the approach at a ferry landing between where you drive off the edge of the ferry and where your vehicle meets terra firma again. I'm going to swing by Point Hope Shipyard today to see if I can get the scoop -- I can't imagine where else it would have been going!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A NEW DAWN and all that .... :-)
For the record .... I'm not one of those Canadians who believes that we've 'sold out' to the U.S, or that our government is just a 'puppet' to the U.S. president's wishes. Maybe I'm just naive....
But I *am* one of those Canadians -- and there were, no doubt, millions -- who was glued to the television last night watching an historic moment, and being pretty excited about what was unfolding on the screen.
I'll even admit that I got teared up, too, when the camera showed Jesse Jackson, and then Oprah, in the victory party audience in Chicago ... crying. What an amazing, amazing time it must be for millions of African-Americans ... and for all Americans.
And, naive or not, I went to sleep last night feeling a little more peaceful, a little safer in an increasingly unsafe world. I completely agree with Jackson, who said Obama "will make America a better nation ... and make the world more secure."
Sitting barely on the other side of the longest unprotected border in the world, I like that idea.
And that's probably the most political you'll ever hear me on this blog.
On the other hand, I have socks...
Lorna's Laces, 'camoflage' colorway, a perfect stocking stuffer for a certain almost-ten-year-old 'cool dude' grandson I know and love.
And I'll probably have enough yarn left over for a smaller pair for his little brother! :-)
But I *am* one of those Canadians -- and there were, no doubt, millions -- who was glued to the television last night watching an historic moment, and being pretty excited about what was unfolding on the screen.
I'll even admit that I got teared up, too, when the camera showed Jesse Jackson, and then Oprah, in the victory party audience in Chicago ... crying. What an amazing, amazing time it must be for millions of African-Americans ... and for all Americans.
And, naive or not, I went to sleep last night feeling a little more peaceful, a little safer in an increasingly unsafe world. I completely agree with Jackson, who said Obama "will make America a better nation ... and make the world more secure."
Sitting barely on the other side of the longest unprotected border in the world, I like that idea.
And that's probably the most political you'll ever hear me on this blog.
On the other hand, I have socks...
Lorna's Laces, 'camoflage' colorway, a perfect stocking stuffer for a certain almost-ten-year-old 'cool dude' grandson I know and love.
And I'll probably have enough yarn left over for a smaller pair for his little brother! :-)
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
TEN REASONS WHY WE LOVE TO LIVE ABOARD, Part Two...
(Continued from yesterday's entry...)
6. I find lots of writing material – interesting characters, events and happenings around an interesting harbour.
A few years ago I owned a regional boating magazine, and in the summer, I could hardly keep up with the water-related events. In one month alone, I remember having to juggle my time to cover the Cadillac Van Isle 360 race, an Open House at the Institute of Ocean Sciences on the Saanich Peninsula, tribal Canoe Races in Cowichan Bay, the Chris Craft Rendezvous in Maple Bay, Oceans Day in Campbell River, The Cowichan Bay Wooden Boat Festival, at least one sailing regatta, and the Spencer Yacht Rendezvous in Montague Harbour!
7. Our ‘pets’ are seals, sea gulls and otters – and we don’t have to feed them, amuse them or take them for walks.
8. When we have to move, it's easy -- start the engine, untie the ropes, and go. (Except for having to pack up the yarn stash, that is...) Four years ago, when we made the decision to move to Victoria from Nanaimo, it was less than 3 weeks from the moment of that decision to tying up to our new home (marina) in Victoria -- and that included time to 'haul out' (4 days) and cruise here (3 days)!
9. We get ‘rocked to sleep’ every night. Where we live now is actually quite sheltered so it's calm most of the time, but there's always a slight movement under the hull, and we love it! And when it's stormy, we love it even more .... it's a great excuse to 'hunker down,' 'batten down the hatches', wrap up in the warmest shawl I own (and I own several, lol), and light the fire. When we first moved aboard, every time a storm blew through, some friend or family member would call to ask if we'd like to come spend the night ... it took a long time for them to get that we were really doing this by choice!
(Besides, we do live in the Pacific North-West -- the weather patterns here are not hard to take!)
10. Nothing beats watching a sunset – or a lightning storm, or a rainbow or a Snowbirds fly-by – outside, with your feet up, from the bridge of a boat. Especially if that boat is 'swinging' from the hook' in some deserted little cove and there isn't a sound anywhere.
It's been ten years on the Wind Walker, 12 years of life afloat ... and we still wouldn't trade it for anything!
(Meanwhile, I FINISHED the black socks, and I'm doing the happy dance in them!!)
6. I find lots of writing material – interesting characters, events and happenings around an interesting harbour.
A few years ago I owned a regional boating magazine, and in the summer, I could hardly keep up with the water-related events. In one month alone, I remember having to juggle my time to cover the Cadillac Van Isle 360 race, an Open House at the Institute of Ocean Sciences on the Saanich Peninsula, tribal Canoe Races in Cowichan Bay, the Chris Craft Rendezvous in Maple Bay, Oceans Day in Campbell River, The Cowichan Bay Wooden Boat Festival, at least one sailing regatta, and the Spencer Yacht Rendezvous in Montague Harbour!
7. Our ‘pets’ are seals, sea gulls and otters – and we don’t have to feed them, amuse them or take them for walks.
8. When we have to move, it's easy -- start the engine, untie the ropes, and go. (Except for having to pack up the yarn stash, that is...) Four years ago, when we made the decision to move to Victoria from Nanaimo, it was less than 3 weeks from the moment of that decision to tying up to our new home (marina) in Victoria -- and that included time to 'haul out' (4 days) and cruise here (3 days)!
9. We get ‘rocked to sleep’ every night. Where we live now is actually quite sheltered so it's calm most of the time, but there's always a slight movement under the hull, and we love it! And when it's stormy, we love it even more .... it's a great excuse to 'hunker down,' 'batten down the hatches', wrap up in the warmest shawl I own (and I own several, lol), and light the fire. When we first moved aboard, every time a storm blew through, some friend or family member would call to ask if we'd like to come spend the night ... it took a long time for them to get that we were really doing this by choice!
(Besides, we do live in the Pacific North-West -- the weather patterns here are not hard to take!)
10. Nothing beats watching a sunset – or a lightning storm, or a rainbow or a Snowbirds fly-by – outside, with your feet up, from the bridge of a boat. Especially if that boat is 'swinging' from the hook' in some deserted little cove and there isn't a sound anywhere.
It's been ten years on the Wind Walker, 12 years of life afloat ... and we still wouldn't trade it for anything!
(Meanwhile, I FINISHED the black socks, and I'm doing the happy dance in them!!)
Monday, November 3, 2008
TEN REASONS WHY WE LOVE TO LIVE ABOARD
1. There’s no lawn to mow.
One time, not long after we moved aboard, Michael came home from running errands one day with a big grin on his face. He said he'd been driving home sort of wondering if we'd done the right thing when he saw a guy out mowing his lawn, sweat pouring down his face. To Michael's delight, he realized "that guy wasn't having fun."
2.We’re close to the elements – no storm windows, 8” thick walls or carports to ‘protect’ us.
Several years ago, we were asked to house-sit for some friends who had a waterfront home, and on a Saturday morning sitting with his coffee at the kitchen table and looking out over 10 miles of the Strait of Georgia, Michael felt a weird uneasiness. Paying attention to his senses, he realized that he was watching birds flit around the yard -- but he couldn't hear them singing. Waves were crashing on the shore 50' away -- but he couldn't hear them. He realized then that the doubled thermo-pane windows were completely cutting him off from the outside world! To this day, whenever we see folks sitting inside a house like that -- or watch a boat captain, on a hot summer day, steering from inside his living room instead of up on the open bridge -- we joke about how some folks are just afraid to 'get any environment on 'em.'
3. We have to ‘keep it simple.’
I can't own 10 pairs of shoes or three sets of dishes -- there simply isn't enough room to store them. In fact, we have a general rule that if something new comes aboard, something old has to go. (The knitters among you are now wondering where on earth I keep my stash -- well, you already know how much yarn a few medium-sized baskets can hold. And we do have a storage room here at the marina -- in my world, we actually call it my yarn room.)
4. We live right downtown, but you’d never know it. Life on the water is quiet! We can't even hear the traffic, except an occasional siren if it's right in the neighbourhood.
5. We are part of a ‘community’ of like-minded folks who are passionate about the lifestyle. We find that boaters in general, and live-aboards in particular -- old and young, men and women, experienced or 'green' -- all share the same passion for all the things I've just mentioned -- keeping it simple, being close to the environment, and living quietly.
I'm going to save the last five reasons we love to live aboard until tomorrow, but meanwhile, feel free to read this old column I wrote several years ago for a little more insight into the lifestyle ...
One time, not long after we moved aboard, Michael came home from running errands one day with a big grin on his face. He said he'd been driving home sort of wondering if we'd done the right thing when he saw a guy out mowing his lawn, sweat pouring down his face. To Michael's delight, he realized "that guy wasn't having fun."
2.We’re close to the elements – no storm windows, 8” thick walls or carports to ‘protect’ us.
Several years ago, we were asked to house-sit for some friends who had a waterfront home, and on a Saturday morning sitting with his coffee at the kitchen table and looking out over 10 miles of the Strait of Georgia, Michael felt a weird uneasiness. Paying attention to his senses, he realized that he was watching birds flit around the yard -- but he couldn't hear them singing. Waves were crashing on the shore 50' away -- but he couldn't hear them. He realized then that the doubled thermo-pane windows were completely cutting him off from the outside world! To this day, whenever we see folks sitting inside a house like that -- or watch a boat captain, on a hot summer day, steering from inside his living room instead of up on the open bridge -- we joke about how some folks are just afraid to 'get any environment on 'em.'
3. We have to ‘keep it simple.’
I can't own 10 pairs of shoes or three sets of dishes -- there simply isn't enough room to store them. In fact, we have a general rule that if something new comes aboard, something old has to go. (The knitters among you are now wondering where on earth I keep my stash -- well, you already know how much yarn a few medium-sized baskets can hold. And we do have a storage room here at the marina -- in my world, we actually call it my yarn room.)
4. We live right downtown, but you’d never know it. Life on the water is quiet! We can't even hear the traffic, except an occasional siren if it's right in the neighbourhood.
5. We are part of a ‘community’ of like-minded folks who are passionate about the lifestyle. We find that boaters in general, and live-aboards in particular -- old and young, men and women, experienced or 'green' -- all share the same passion for all the things I've just mentioned -- keeping it simple, being close to the environment, and living quietly.
I'm going to save the last five reasons we love to live aboard until tomorrow, but meanwhile, feel free to read this old column I wrote several years ago for a little more insight into the lifestyle ...
Sunday, November 2, 2008
WE NEED AN ARMY OF WOMEN
So I want to recruit you to the Army of Women, an Avon-sponsored effort in the battle against breast cancer. (Please click the link!)
I got this info from Saving Nine.
This is going to be a massive study for breast cancer research and prevention, something I think is important to each and every one of us, as women. So go sign up, please, and spread the word to your mom, your sister, your daughter, your friends.
In fact, I think I'll hold a draw for anyone who posts this info/link on their blog, and lets me know. If you post about the Army of Women on your blog, with a link to the Army of Women website, and then leave a comment for me here with a link to YOUR site, I'll enter your name into a draw for a surprise package (which will be knitterly if you're a knitter, and otherwise if you're not!) Or if you don't have a blog, leave me a comment that you're telling others about the Army of Women, and ask them to comment on my blog that you sent them. Each one gets you an entry into the draw.
SO GO SPREAD THE WORD! I'll keep the contest open until November 20th.
Back to knitting black socks now.... :-)
I got this info from Saving Nine.
This is going to be a massive study for breast cancer research and prevention, something I think is important to each and every one of us, as women. So go sign up, please, and spread the word to your mom, your sister, your daughter, your friends.
In fact, I think I'll hold a draw for anyone who posts this info/link on their blog, and lets me know. If you post about the Army of Women on your blog, with a link to the Army of Women website, and then leave a comment for me here with a link to YOUR site, I'll enter your name into a draw for a surprise package (which will be knitterly if you're a knitter, and otherwise if you're not!) Or if you don't have a blog, leave me a comment that you're telling others about the Army of Women, and ask them to comment on my blog that you sent them. Each one gets you an entry into the draw.
SO GO SPREAD THE WORD! I'll keep the contest open until November 20th.
Back to knitting black socks now.... :-)
Saturday, November 1, 2008
IT'S NOVEMBER ALREADY!
We got back from up-Island about an hour ago, and I would have waited until tomorrow morning to post, but I just remembered that I signed up for National Blog Posting Month, and today is DAY ONE. Sez the website:
National Blog Posting Month is the 'epicenter of daily blogging'! People who want to set the habit of blogging by doing it every day for a month, including weekends, can come here for moral support, inspiration, and the camaraderie that only marathon blogging can provide.
I would've looked a little foolish if I jammed out on the first day, now, wouldn't I?
So ... for any guests who are cruising blogs today, and are here for the first time, welcome! Feel free to check out the archives on the right if you want to know more! (Or I'll just tell you right now that my blog is about living on a boat in Victoria, BC with my hubby Michael; my knitting and other fibre-related projects; the grandkids; and whatever else comes up)!
Now, for the rest of you 'regular' folks.... ...
Had a great time in Qualicum, as always, even though we (Susan and I) got trounced in our euchre games yet again. We made a few pit stops on the way home, but the main one for me was Michael's Craft Store, where they had Paton's Kroy on sale, 2 balls for $7. So the sock stash is a little fatter than it was yesterday.... :-)
Speaking of socks, I'm SO NEARLY FINISHED the interminable black socks that I could kiss them, AND I cast on for the front of the purple sweater. But that's it -- I HAVE to start my Christmas knitting now, and stop knitting for me. Honest.
There's a gale warning for the Strait tonight -- it could blow up to 35 knots here. So much for all those gorgeous fall colors!
National Blog Posting Month is the 'epicenter of daily blogging'! People who want to set the habit of blogging by doing it every day for a month, including weekends, can come here for moral support, inspiration, and the camaraderie that only marathon blogging can provide.
I would've looked a little foolish if I jammed out on the first day, now, wouldn't I?
So ... for any guests who are cruising blogs today, and are here for the first time, welcome! Feel free to check out the archives on the right if you want to know more! (Or I'll just tell you right now that my blog is about living on a boat in Victoria, BC with my hubby Michael; my knitting and other fibre-related projects; the grandkids; and whatever else comes up)!
Now, for the rest of you 'regular' folks....
Had a great time in Qualicum, as always, even though we (Susan and I) got trounced in our euchre games yet again
Speaking of socks, I'm SO NEARLY FINISHED the interminable black socks that I could kiss them, AND I cast on for the front of the purple sweater. But that's it -- I HAVE to start my Christmas knitting now, and stop knitting for me. Honest.
There's a gale warning for the Strait tonight -- it could blow up to 35 knots here. So much for all those gorgeous fall colors!
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