Labour Day Weekend 2009

The last holiday weekend of the summer is usually invigorating for me. It spells the (almost) end of extreme summer heat, which is a huge relief. The older I get, the more I hate summer heat! I took this photo at the bottom of "University Hill" the other morning. When we're greeted with low cloud cover like this, you know summer is coming to an end. Labour Day weekend also spells the beginning of new school terms. While I have a grandaughter experiencing the joy and excitement of her first days in kindergarten, and two friends who are off embarking on nursing programs in other cities, I am not returning to school myself this September. Last year, I started a graduate program via distance ed, and I've come to the conclusion that obtaining my Master's degree via that method is not for me. I miss classrooms. I miss human interaction and debate and the complexity of humans sharing ideas face to face. So I'm in academic limbo until I figure out what to do. Maybe I'll head back up "University Hill" to my friendly local campus?

This weekend is not what I expected at all. I was invited on a fishing trip.

I'm not fishing.

The alternative was a sewing weekend at home.

I'm not sewing either.

Last Monday, I had a close encounter with a sidewalk. I stepped backward in an attempt to avoid a collision with a rude dude in a hurry, realized I was off-balance, and tried to quickly step forward to regain my balance.

Didn't work. I left a few patches of skin on the sidewalk. Here's my left knee ...... right after the fall and before the kaleidoscope of bruises started to show. Fortunately, my knees were not seriously damaged. My glasses, however, were ...... and if you know me at all, you know I really can't function without my glasses! Fortunately, I keep the previous pair of glasses for just such emergencies. I'll spare you the picture of my face. I skidded along the sidewalk on my left cheek bone. It felt like it was happening in slow motion, and I remember thinking "this must really hurt!" I'm not sure what position my left arm was in while I was thinking this, but it received the most damage ...... I tried to shrug it off as just scraped and bruised, but by that evening, knew I wasn't going to pull it off. I had to face up to the reality of fractured and torn. Consequently, my left wing is now out of commission for the next couple of weeks, and will require some physiotherapy after that. DAMN! (I'd say worse things than that, but Motrin is keeping the pain at bearable limits.)

So here it is the long weekend, and I'm doing everything with one hand. I have no problem typing one-handed, although it's a little slower going. There are a number of things I can't figure out how to do one-handed, such as putting on my bra, doing up buttons, opening the jam jar, and opening the front door of my building. Thankfully, neighbours have helped out with the door thing ... the rest of that list I'll just keep to myself!

Here's one of the sewing projects I was going to work on this weekend ... felted coasters. I did this first part of the project two weekends ago. First, I knitted four big squares out of some Noro wool that I've had buried in my stash for years.I knitted them fairly loose, about 5 stitches to an inch on 5 mm needles.Then I felted the finished squares by hand by squooshing them around in the kitchen sink in warm water with a few squirts of dish soap.Contrary to what many people think, you do not need super hot water or washing machine agitation to felt wool. You only need warm water and dish soap and the patience to work the wool between your hands until the desired degree of felting is accomplished. Here are the felted squares laid out to dry:

Sorry, fuzzy picture! These squares are quite densely felted ... no individual knitting stitches visible now. The next step will be folding the four corners in to the centre so that each looks like four triangles on one side and one square on the other side (does that make sense?) and then add tassels to the outside corners.

So how am I entertaining myself this long weekend???

Reading ... "Baked to Death" by Dean James ... a light-hearted British tale combining modern-day vampires and medievalist re-enactors. Watching DVDs ... the first entire season of "Deadwood" ... America's Wild West at its raunchiest and rawest. Playing computer games ... Sims 3 ... for the first time ever, I have played an invented character throughout an entire life span, birth to death. It was quite a surprising moment when she popped out of her body and faced the Grim Reaper!

What are YOU doing this long weekend???

Labour Day

Labour Day has always felt like New Year's Day to me. New cycles of life and living begin in fall, not in spring. For me, I am beginning graduate studies. Tomorrow. Tomorrow! Yes, I'm excited and impatient and a bit nervous about the work load and new professors' expectations ... all the feelings I've enjoyed about every single first September weekend since I was "knee-high to a grasshopper"! Oh, and school shopping! I didn't really need anything, but went out and bought myself a new 3-ring binder "just because". Said binder is now filled with pristine loose-leaf paper (I still write notes the old-fashioned way), and waiting beside a stack of intriguing text books. If only I could access the assignment lists and class forums today ...Subjecting you to a little word play here, Labour Day is also about another kind of labour ... giving birth. (Relax ... no pregnancies involved!) A couple of weekends ago, I had a very serious conversation with Little Madam C. We always have very serious conversations when she comes to visit. She's 4 going on 65, I'm sure! A very bright little adult stuck in a child's body. Anyway, she told me how toy makers should be more aware of toy users' real lives, as toys that need batteries aren't very practical.

Why is that, I asked. Cuz mamas might buy new batteries once, if you don't complain too much, but they never EVER buy new batteries again, and then kids are left with useless toys.

So what would you suggest to toy makers, I asked. Toy makers should make more toys that are fun to play with and that don't use batteries. Like really, I'M capable of using MY 'MAGINATION!

Can you give me an example of a fun toy that doesn't use batteries? DUH! Like a nice dolly. It doesn't have to do anything cuz I can 'magine it eating and playing and sleeping and stuff. (Remember, she was absolutely serious here!)

Did you know ALL dolls used to be without batteries and computer chips? Well I think toy makers should make them all like they did in the old days again.

By the end of Little Madam C.'s visit, we (using this term loosely ... I don't quite recall having a vote in this matter) had decided that I would make her a pair of dollies that will not ever require batteries or computer chips or anything electronic for her birthday in September. We (as in she) rooted through my bin of craft patterns, and settled on Raggedy Ann and Andy, which was fine by me. However, not without further specific instructions:

1. They have to be 'THENTIC. What's 'thentic, I asked. And promptly received a lesson in the difference between fake and authentic! And don't think I won't KNOW ... I'm going to be FIVE remember!



2. They have to have underwears and jammies.
   


3. Their clothes have to be washable. Why is that, I asked. DUH! Would YOU live in dirty clothes every day for the rest of your life? Point well taken. Funny she didn't mention BATHS!

So here is progress on the births of Little Madam C.'s Raggedy Ann and Andy so far today:Raggedy Ann cut out. Andy is hiding underneath her. I searched every fabric store in town for red and white stripes for their legs/stockings, and the closest I could find was orange and white stripes. I sure hope this is 'THENTIC enough for Little Madam C.!Ann and Andy get faces and hearts. I KNOW I have a brown Pigma pen, but do you think I can find it? Had to settle for black. I think it looks okay.

Arms and legs attached to bodies. I'm following pattern directions here ... and directions say sew up arms and legs, leaving a small opening for stuffing, BEFORE attaching to body. If I had my druthers, I'd stuff first and attach second.Those are some LONG legs! (And does my grotty ironing board cover ever need replacing!) It occurred to me that it might be easier to sew button eyes on BEFORE stuffing, although direction indicate that is the final step. Why Annie! What beautiful eyes you have! (I used circles of white heavy iron-on interfacing to reinforce the eyes ... Little Madam C. is gentle with her toys, but she has a younger brother who isn't!)Ann and Andy, stuffed and assorted openings sewn up, and awaiting wigs and clothing. I've chosen fabrics in an autumn / oranges theme (see bottom left of above picture) to go with their orange and white legs / stockings. What do you think? What do you think Little Madam C. will think???


To be continued ...