Getting It Done

I know, I know, I haven't been seen in blogland for a couple of weeks.
It's just that I've been busy.
Remember my last post, all about all the jobs I have on my TO DO list?
Well, I've been doin' 'em.
First, we moved all the furniture out of the bedrooms. I ripped up the ancient blue carpet and the underpad, hoping that the hardwood floor underneath was in good shape, but it's stained and damaged. Not totally unsalvageable, but not by me. New carpet will be going down soon.

The ceiling, previously pale yellow, is now white, and the blue walls have been primered, ready for painting.

And this room needed lots of attention, with special emphasis on the orange 1960s plush carpet.

I found a tile floor under the carpet.... not good enough to keep, so more carpet will be covering it. Again, a yellow ceiling is now white.

Why all the renovations? Because it's time.
The carpets have been there since dinosaurs walked the earth.
And I'm seriously thinking of making a move to a smaller house.
I'll keep you posted.

And now, on a completely unrelated topic, I saw a possum in my driveway yesterday! I've read that these animals are common in the southern States, but some sleepy possums have hitched rides on trains and trucks and have woken up in Southern Ontario, where they are increasing in numbers. They are North America's only marsupial, with the babies being carried in the mother's pouch until they are three months old. I've never seen one in my neighbourhood before.

S. P. R. I. N. G......

It's definitely on the way.
We've had a pretty good winter, not much snow and very few of those unbearable -20C overnight temperatures. My snow tires have only had to negotiate snowy roads twice.
The birds are squabbling over married quarters in the 27 apartment birdhouse, and the tulips are struggling up through the cold earth to greet the sunshine.

And with Spring, comes all the Spring cleanup. I have to start making TO DO lists.
Like this:

1. Get my snow tires off... better wait until April, just in case.
   
2. Wash my house windows. I can hardly see out of them.
3. Change the clock in Bluebottle. I already changed all the others. DONE!
   
4. Continue with the De-cluttering Project that I started last spring. Look out eBay, Craig's List and Kijiji....
   
5. Take 8 heavy boxes of unwanted books to the annual Library Book Sale. DONE! Thanks for your help, OlderSon.
   
6. Book my handyman for a couple of necessary household repairs. Booking is done, repairs to follow!
   
7. Move some furniture, paint a couple of bedrooms, change some carpets, rake the back yard (partially done), clean out the garage..... it's a never ending litany of "stuff" needing my attention.
   

Up and Down

Upstairs and downstairs....

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Sock It To Me!

There's nothing like a pair of handknitted socks to make a pair of cold feet feel comfy and warm.

I'm not a very accomplished knitter, but I look on knitting socks as a challenge.

My mother used an antique sock knitting machine just like the one pictured here, probably dating from the early 1900s. But it worked and she allowed me to turn the handle as long as I didn't turn it too fast. She was able to run off a pair of wool socks for my dad in just a couple of evenings.

Not me. My handknitted socks took me at least a couple of months each!

The striped socks on the left were knitted on 5 needles using pre-striped yarn and a pretty easy pattern found free on the internet.
The other two pairs are more intricate, with fancy stitches requiring lots of concentration and a paper and pencil close by to keep track of the rows. I blogged about the pattern here.
I've had a go at baby socks and shoes too, here.

O No! Canada (and update)

There's a nasty rumour that the powers that be here in Canada are proposing to change the words of our national Anthem.
Apparently, some female Canadians object to the phrase "in all thy sons command".
In that case, perhaps the phrase "our home and native land" should be the next target of the revisionists?
What a load of codswallop.
Well, I'm not anyone's son (I'm a daughter), and this is not my native land (I was born in the UK), and singing those non-PC words don't worry me a tiny bit. I've been belting out O Canada for the last thirty years with no problems.

Don't the pollies in Ottawa have anything better to do to earn their outrageous salaries?

O CANADA update: Saturday March 6 2010
After a loud public outcry, the pollies have decided not to change anything. They are actually going to listen to Canadians for a change..... what a concept! If only they could manage to make all their important decisions in just two days.

Seventeen Days

I'm exhausted!

For the past seventeen days I've been skiing, snowboarding, speed skating, curling and playing ice hockey.
I've executed a perfect triple lutz followed by a double toe loop.
I've delivered a rock with the right amount of curl to blank the end.
I've fearlessly raced head first on a tiny sled down a practically vertical serpentine ice track.
And I've proudly stood on the podium and belted out "O Canada" with an enormous gold medal on a blue ribbon hanging round my neck.

In my dreams, of course.

The Vancouver Winter Olympics are now just a memory. The show's over, folks, but what a show! I've been glued to the telly at every opportunity to follow the fortunes of athletes from around the world.... with special attention, of course, to our own athletes from Canada.

And didn't they do well?

Fourteen gold medals, seven silver, and five bronze. The most gold medals won by a host country ever. Congratulations to Team Canada, and congratulations to all athletes who worked so hard to be part of this world event, whether they took home a medal or not.

You are all winners in my opinion.

And the final gold medal ice hockey game..... Team Canada beat Team USA 3-2 in overtime, what a game! Canadians held their breath and crossed their fingers, and when Sidney Crosby sizzled the puck into the net, a joyful noisy celebration broke out throughout this country, you could hear the cheering from coast to coast to coast.

Sid the Kid, you've become a national hero overnight.

All together now.... " O CANADA......"