Cabled Wrap in Gold and Grape

Another Knitted Accessory

Sometimes it takes me forever to get things done and completed.  I am very diligent about working away to prevent chores from backing up and am actually quite organized and enjoy crossing items off my to-do list, but as soon as I need someone else to aid me in any sort of a way, time passes very quickly in comparison to number of things accomplished.  

This Cabled Wrap is a perfect example.  I just needed (or wanted) someone to take photos of the piece as looks when it's worn, and also in the sunshine to show the detail and colour well.  

Finally it happened!  And here they are, photos all lovely in my favourite colour!

I liked the yarn, a thin to thick single ply with a rope of golden twisted in, called Granite. 

I made up the pattern as it's really just a long rectangle.  Easy and pleasing.

Salt Spring can be such a great place to get things done.  Just doing things in your own space.  

The beauty around me there is inspiring in an artistic sort of way, even if my art comes in the form of fiber and flour!

Fewer electronic distractions, I suppose.  Cell phones can be great - Miniature computers that fit right into your hand.  But I have to admit I do like to unplug from the world when I am exactly where I want to be, with exactly who I want to be with. Simple.

HAPPY AUTUMN!  HAPPY FALL!

Birthday Love

I Love Birthdays

Why?  Well, why not?

I think everyone should be made to feel extra-special on their special day.  After all it only happens once a year and 1/365th of your life is not that much.  Birthdays are a great reason to celebrate and to get together with people you love!   I have to say I also think the fact that birthdays always come complete with birthday cake is fantastic!!! (Who could say no to that???) And for those people out there who don't like turning a year older: in case you haven't yet noticed, everyone's getting older at exactly the same speed so you might as well take a deep breath so you can blow out all those flaming candles and enjoy a delicious slice of cake.  There's a silver lining in everything :)

The reason that I am on the subject of birthdays is because it was just my Dad's birthday.  I was very happy that I was able to go home for the occasion in order to celebrate with my parents, my niece and my niece's boyfriend. We had a lovely dinner in which everyone contributed, followed by cake.  I really enjoyed baking in a kitchen (thanks for lending me yours, Mom) since I'm without one this month. 

The Brown Sugar Butter Cream
Just before adding butter!

The cake was again from trusty Sweetapolita.  And it was another hit!  I'd asked my Dad what kind of cake he'd like, which started off with Spice (likely what he actually wanted) and ended with Chocolate (likely what he figured I wanted to make).  Chocolate is a classic flavour for a birthday cake, but since it's Autumn I decided on Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice.  Not because I am a girl.  No not at all.  It was because I was intrigued.  You see, I found this recipe which called for yams.  And it had rave reviews.  I figured yam, like carrot, should be good.

Autumn Delight Cake

Well it was a success and I highly recommend trying it yourself, or just telling me you need it, because I'd love to do it again, but next time I'll use my Kitchen Aid Mixer and my small offset spatula.  Oh how I love the perfect tools!  As usual, I did something a little different from the instructions, and in this case I didn't make the filling (too sweet maybe? and my Dad doesn't care for marshmallow...) and simply used the butter cream inside and outside.  And this wasn't just any butter cream icing, it was brown sugar butter cream and it IS amazing!  I suppose it wouldn't go with everything, but it sure was a perfect match for the spice/yam cake, which also was delicious.  With the candied pecans on top, the cake was just as she described: 

"Every bite is crunchy, then brown sugar creamy, then dense, moist & spicy, then sweet and crispy, oh, and then crunchy, and then dense, moist & spicy, and then, alas, sweet and crispy, and then dense, moist & spicy. Help me, Rhonda."  

 Yes, Help me Rhonda!  
The Autumn Delight Cake might be vying 
for first place in my cake hall of fame, too!

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Sitting In The Pilot's Seat

I noticed this chair one early morning before work and thought I'd share it.  It's got a sort of nostalgia to it.  Made me think a little of goggles and a scarf in an open cockpit bi-plane...  Or perhaps if you sit in it long enough you may encourage philosophical thought along the lines of Le Petit Prince - although you might need the company of a fox...  

... or an Alepou (that's a Greek fox, and Greece is known for it's its philosophical contributions)

Anyway, I think it looks pretty cool.

My Big Project

Sitting On the Left Side

Life may have been a little simpler over in the right seat, but after a year and a half of that and the offer to take on more responsibility and stress, only if I also agreed to move to Calgary, 

I decided up-grading was really the only thing to do.  

Too bad for having become accustomed to my little life in Toronto, too bad for the cold Calgary winters, and too bad that I have accumulated more possessions than seem logical for a person living in a furnished suite - the benefits seemed (and still seem) to outweigh the drawbacks. 

This is still in Toronto on the first day of LID - you can tell because
I have the YYZ runway diagram out and I don't yet look ridiculously tired.

The job itself involved enough stress, but along with the move (I'm about half way - call it Winnipeg!) and other things that came up unexpectedly and inconveniently along the way, the level of tension has been pretty high so as a result I am rather tired out, but I am also very happy.  

There have been many people who have been extra amazing along the way 

and without their contributions this simply wouldn't have been possible 

or at least not nearly so much fun.  Thanks everyone!

This is the ramp in Cranbrook, looking east.
We are just inside British Columbia, but still on Alberta time
and definitely in the Rocky Mountains!

It's certainly not all over yet and it will take time to adjust to my new role.  I figure more sleep will be required, but that along with the positivity that seems to be bubbling out from some internal (hopefully eternal too!) spring in my heart, I think October will go out like a lion and November will come in like a lamb.  I know that's meant to be April, but I predict there's a good chance the eleventh month will also see my fingers touching a bit more wool :)  

This huge sky is inspiring!
They don't call it Beautiful British Columbia for nothing.

Perhaps flying across at least one time zone in a flight will be my next goal...  

Currently our routes don't go that far.  But maybe a charter will take me there!

This is after my first leg as a Captain, on my own, but with the best First Officer ever.  Exciting! 

I'm not sure anyone gives much thanks to crew schedulers but for this I am! - Thanks Jeff!

It must have been luck though to be granted such perfect weather!

And just for a few laughs, since everyone seems to find this silly photo of me funny:  I am locked in the back of a van without seats, along with my LID Captain (who took the picture), on the way to our unexpectedly repositioned aircraft in Detroit one very early morning...  We were prisoners!

For now, only one thing at a time, one day at a time, stay as organized as possible, shed other people's stress, and laugh, because after all, the only things in life I can control are what I do!  

Bittersweet Moments Between Thanks and Giving

Happy Thanksgiving!

I like Thanksgiving because it is composed of some pretty good things.  First of all, everyone has many reasons to be thankful which means anyone can participate.  Many of our national holidays are religious  and therefore somewhat exclusive, but this isn't really.  Feasting is another huge bonus.  Turkey dinner is delicious, because it involves stuffing of course - my personal favourite, though any mouthwatering feast is completely suitable.  It's also a great excuse to have a good time together with the important people in your life. And you get a day off!  :)

Thanksgiving can be unpleasant though if you don't have company to share with. I've certainly had that happen on a few occasions.  If you have experienced this you'll know what I mean, and if you haven't, well just consider that feeling for a moment.  Looking through the windows of houses where people are enjoying the festivities... and knowing you haven't been included.  It's such a lonely and a sad feeling.  So, please make sure on any holiday no one you know ever gets left out!

Sharing is good for everyone.  Have a heart and remember what you were taught in Kindergarten.  Just saying.

This was a bittersweet get-together since it's the last Thanksgiving and big dinner here at Magda's, where I am, very thankfully, always included.  I couldn't be sadder leaving this wonderful home I live in because I've been properly adopted and it feels so good.  It's an oasis in this crazy city.  I'm so lucky!  Nevertheless, I have to grab my career by the horns, and maybe some other bits a pieces of my life and get them all in a row and going in the right direction.  So here I come Calgary!  After all I'm not getting any younger.  (Why do people keep reminding me of that.  Geez...)  And I'm slow.  I know, Mom.  But you can't always be the proverbial ready for everything and in the right place at the right time.  Sometimes things just don't work out, but I certainly found myself standing just where I wanted to be crossing the threshold into Magda's home.  And that's exactly what I know I'm thankful for this weekend!

I'll be back.  At least to visit.  Special connections last forever. xo

Rouge Wrap

Finally, the Rouge Wrap!

Gosh this took me a long time to get organized, but here it is:

Though I usually do knit most of the time, I have been too busy lately for this adored past time, so I've been admiring this pretty shawl at it's finished stage, because it's the last 'finished object' (FO in the knitting sense... haha not first officer) I've produced in what feels like forever.  

I am happy with the look of the yarn, pattern/style, finished size and wearability.  

Although I enjoy the challenge of knitting more complicated projects, sometimes simpler ones really are the most useful and stylish.

This is the Oscilloscope Shawl by Kate Gagnon Osborn from Kintscene Fall 2010.

Also I have been working on my photo quality for the posts and I'm quite pleased with the progress since the summer.  

I have used an app here for boarders and shading, which I really enjoy.  

Check it out for a fun time - it's called Camera Plus.

And what have I been doing to busy myself the past month or more?  

Well, some has been mentioned in past posts and some has not, 

so stay posted for the next illustrated installment!