Room Sweet Room

Today I feel more moved in, more comfortable, and happier in my new space.  

New temporary space that is... It's way too small and I am dying for a kitchen.  

It's been almost two months without one and it's no fun eating out when you must, 

always, other than cereal and pre-prepared things straight from the fridge. 

Also I'd really like to be closer to the airport. 

I've made some changes to this space since I arrived in Calgary. 

A new orientation for the bed and using the set of drawers that were in the closet, in the room instead, has given more space overall and lets me stack boxes more effectively in the closet.  

Hooks on the walls are really helpful!

Thank you Nathan!

The theme is somewhat blue/purple/turquoise, not my usual red tones.  

The plan is to be with my parents for Christmas so that doesn't matter at all.  

The star is a bit festive, as are the lights on the shelf, 

so I will be a satisfied little elf come December.

I checked out the library today as well... 

It's the first library where I had to pay 

in order to get a card to borrow books, however it may 

well prove to be the best library system 

I've been a part of so far...  

It's enormous and the staff are so helpful!

I came across an idea today: SkyWest Condos

Maybe I should take a look.  

Just a suggestion... I'll think on it.

I am really looking forward to my Desert Adventure - It begins tomorrow!

Sunshine!  Warmth!  Hiking!  Swimming!  Exploring a new place!

YAHOO!!!!

Toronto to Calgary by Automobile

My Dad and I made a four day driving trip from Toronto to Calgary.  

It was a sad event to leave Toronto and the home I was living in, 

but the drive was quite a success, and very enjoyable time spent with my Dad.  

The car was packed, carefully without leaving any spaces in between, 

and we just fit up in the front with a map book and great conversation.  

We never even turned on the radio.

The route chosen was somewhat arbitrary and spur-of-the-moment, however the general idea was to drive mostly through the United States because the weather further south was bound to be better and the price of gas is much less than in Canada.

Day1 - We packed up in the morning and left later than we'd hoped.  We drove off in the storm, Sandy, in the pelting rain and driving wind. We crossed into The US by way of Sarnia, Ontario and drove through Lansing and Kalamazoo on our way through Michigan, Michigan City and Gary in Indiana, Chicago in Illinois and all the way to Madison, Wisconsin where we stopped for the night. 

We enjoyed Chicago's Specialty, which lasted us for a few days.

And yes, the pizza is at least as big as it looks!

YUMMYYYYY!!!!

Day 2 - This was a shorter day, happily for us both.  Around eight hours of driving versus 

the eleven on the first day.  We thought of Laura Ingalls Wilder while traveling 

at speeds much faster than a covered wagon on a dirt road...  

Here are some interesting rock outcroppings we admired on this beautiful morning.

We made it to the edge of North Dakota, to Fargo, where we spent the night.  

The hotel was a lodge style place decorated with lots of wood and green and wild animals.  

Day 3 - We were looking forward to viewing the badlands and Theodore Roosevelt National Park, however it was extremely foggy and this was the only descent photo:

In order to angle off toward Canada, we had to leave the main highway on this day, 

but the pace was still good.  We ate an excellent steak dinner in a tiny little cowboy town

 and carried on the Havre where we spent the night.  

Apparently American's don't really do this French name justice... It made us giggle!

 I tried to get some knitting done but, despite my best intensions, 

we mostly chatted and of course I had to do at least half the driving.

 Day 4 - Entry back into Canada via the tiniest boarder control crossing in the middle of literally no where.  The agents were very nice - we figured they were pretty happy to get some company.  

The weather was an erie fog that hung over the rolling tree-less land.  

Perhaps it was a fore shaddow of the Cypress Hills ahead, 

where we thought of our sweet Georgianna still missing in our hearts.  

The area there, though is very pretty and would surprise most people to think it is in the Prairies. 

 We made it to Calgary!  

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!

********************

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!