Let them eat cake

Sometimes, a few pictures is all you need to sum up a day. In my case, the last few days have been full of friends, books, and knitting. Sigh...life's pretty good when you're on summer vacation as a teacher. I'll write something more detailed tomorrow. Funny thing heard on the way home from the fireworks finale tonight: Police car approaching with lights and siren, struggling to get through rush hour like traffic "Your sirens mean nothing in the anarchy of tonight!" =) I love 14 year old kids.


Oh, and its seems I'll have to wait till next year to figure out why our camera doesn't take great fireworks photos even on the correct setting. Sigh...

Just call me Maria

Its funny how a feminine dress makes you feel pretty. Its not even a great dress, nor was it an expensive dress, but well....I feel pretty. Its been a great day overall - I had a tasty (and healthy) lunch with my mom, got to visit the LYS and showed excellent self-restraint (pats self on back). I rambled over to Chapters and spent a delightful 90 minutes selecting fluffy summer reads that I'll be embarrassed to add to my list (though how can you resists at title like "Coffee and Kung-Fu" I ask you?!?) and on the bus ride there had a moment of fear topped by grand chuckle. I was knitting the bus and a large biker-ish man (and I do mean large and bearing skulls on his Harley-Davidson clothing and in jewellery) was watching intently. This was not a problem, as many people watch me knit on the bus, but I was a little concerned when he got up to move closer and get a better view. I was a wee bit creeped out and wondered whether I should get off the bus a little earlier than anticipated. As it turned out however, he's a knitter too! He was watching because he was impressed with the pattern on the cardigan because he'd never done something as complicated, and wanted to know what yarn I was using. Serves me right for making assumptions about people based on their appearance.

When I got home, I finished the ball band cloth - first dishcloth ever! Its funny, I've started with complicated cabled textured sweaters, am working on lace, and have never done a dishcloth till now. No wonder why people say I do things "bass ackwards."


Ballband washcloth from "Mason-Dixon" using Bernat Handicrafter cotton in "Summer Splash"

Wax on, wax off

My day in photos:

My day began with the hopes of sitting back and relaxing while observing the Hutchison Family Ritual of "Waxing the Car."

Its a very important rite for any Hutchison vehicle, occurring at least 3 times a year. I mean, my father in law even waxes his LAWN MOWER! Its 18 years old and looks brand new.

I wasn't overly interested in waxing the car myself, that is, until I was informed that girls aren't allowed. Screw that (thought me)! I should have known it was a ploy to get me on my hands and knees, scrubbing brake dust and road tar off the wheels. Sigh... Anyhow, here was my view from about 9:00 am till 2:00 pm. Note that the car is so shiny it reflects like a mirror now. And this is before the gloss-coat sealer went on. Boys....

Following our adventure in setting up a tent in the front lawn, stopping by the big-box-craft-store that shall remain nameless to pick up some cheap dishcloth cotton, we arrived home by 5:00 ish, just in time to relax for an hour before heading out to the fireworks with by friend Olivia and her kids. I was glad her 2 and 5 year old sons came along - Aaron needs more exposure to younger kids if we're going to start our own family in the next year or two. Here's how the evening went (more or less). After a 1/2 hour walk from the car, we found a great spot, set up our blankets and personal affects, and the boys (including the 33 year old one) were ready for snacks. An hour later, after walks with ducks and more snacks, a trip to the popcorn stand, and an inch or so started on a knitting project, the coats came on and the stars came out. Olivia's oldest son decided to make like Shrek and outdo Aaron's funny faces. To quote Forrest Gump, at times the two boys were "just like peas and carrots." The two of them spent a bit of time looking for stars, and I got to play with the fireworks mode on the camera. Now if only I could figure out how not to wiggle.