Luxuries...

Tonight I enjoyed the luxury of having the silent, clean, dark house to myself.

My partner in crime and home to my heart was out with his community of comedians before putting up his show. Enriching his life with the people that inspire him most in all of the ways that I could only dream of.

Our extremely thoughtful baby allowing us the luxury of one more day that we can think of only ourselves and meeting our own needs. I can't remember the last time I spent 2 hours lying in bed reading a book that I couldn't put down if I tried.

Then sobbing for almost an hour at the end of it because the protagonist reached the end of her rich, painful, full life naturally and without anger. The Red Tent. The luxury of female companionship. The luxury of a good cathartic cry without having to explain why or apologetically invading someone else's emotional comfort zone.

Oh hormones how I love you and the tension release you enable.

Tomorrow is the first weekday that we are not working and we are both looking forward to the time we have in our home - writing, spinning, knitting, reading....kicking each other's asses in cribbage. Oh yeah....it's on!

I'm trying to tattoo this amazing guilt free feeling of nesting where we are not only allowed but expected to take the best care of ourselves possible to prepare for our new life as a family. How often do we let ourselves do this? Not enough.

A sign that it's time to stop hibernating

My horoscope from Wednesday, September 26 2007.

Support from those close to you, including friends, family, and the women
in your life give you confidence now. This is a good time to mend broken bridges
and alleviate problems in your home life.

I knew that I should have overcome my nap and fatigue and gone to stitch and bitch for what could be the last time in a while. Those ladies are good for the soul.

And then there was one...

Go congratulate Ms. Mel on her beautiful new baby Liam Nathan! Looks like all the babies are politely keeping to their schedules (hopefully). J and I are counting the minutes until we're done work on Friday.


We're really hoping Gargalor follows the leads of the rest of the triumverate and gives us a week before joining the party on or after the due date. A week off of work before becoming exhausted new parents is a lot like porn to me right now.


Last weekend we fell into baby shower after baby shower so there is a long mushy post about all the festivities in the making.


In the meantime a portrait of the bliss that is ignorance. Poor kitty won't even know what hit him.

Knitting and Knesting

Before getting on the wheel I needed to finish a few projects that had been haunting me for months.

A pair of Sock Candy socks - I loved the colourway, love the striping but hated knitting with the cotton. They took forever but look how pretty they are now - the pattern is the standard sock, nothing special. Taking pictures of my feet nowadays is something I'm quite proud of as it requires some minor gymnastics.

Personalized baby blanket from Erika Knights book Simple Knits for Cherished Babies out of Rowan All Season's Cotton. It was the perfect project for my baby brain when following a pattern or thinking while knitting was too much to consider. The book is wonderful.
Some booties out of left over Opal sock yarn. Fast. Simple. Adorable.

To prove that I can still knit the 'real' stuff I give you the first Endpaper Glove for my sister. Out of Socks that Rock 'Mystery Colourway' and Baby Ull in black. I love the way these are turning out and when I feel like I need knitting that requires a brain they are the perfect project.
We had the midwives over for the home visit last night. Everything is perfect the bunner is heading south at a leisurely pace and is no longer 'floating', I'm GBS negative and everyone is on track for getting our game on. The bun is now old enough that if I went into labour I wouldn't have to go to the hospital - hooray!

Jason and I have everything at home that we need if I went into labour this afternoon. Diaper delivery is scheduled for next Tuesday, mat leave is impending (thank god!) and both the OB and the midwives are in agreement that I'm in great shape for birthing at home.

Feeling good and blessed.

Like being chosen for Dodgeball only better

Ever since I started working from home I've gotten to know some of the folks that work in my neighborhood that I wouldn't see if I worked in an office. Tho folks that come by during business hours. This includes the mail lady (good luck on that audition!) and the Postal guy who delivers packages.


It came out that I spin when I paid for some fleece from Lindenhoff and that led to me knowing that he collects antique clocks. Names have never been formally exchanged nor has the conversation deepened beyond hobbies and weather.


After a long day of seeing clients on Friday I came home and found this note tucked in my door.Whaaaaaaat? Where on Jones at Gerrard? What could it mean? How could I resist? So I packed up my drunken knitting projects (am having a bad time with decision making right now) and off I wandered off to see where this note would lead me.


To facillitate a trip out of my pregnant slow way the Fates sent a streetcar to greet me at every intersection to bring me to the corner of Gerrard and Jones. I decided to walk south on Jones for 5 minutes and if I didn't see anything I would head north for 5 minutes and catch a bus to the subway.

I didn't have to walk far because I saw this from the streetcar stop:Why hello my pretty! I checked her out as the storm clouds started to gather - the owner came out with the flyer and the bobbins that fit like a dream. She was only missing her drive band to make her operational. This is stamped on her underside - does anyone recognize the stamp? I couldn't find anything online....Lorraine? A. Colbeck? Anyone?The owner, noting my gargantuan huffing (am out of breath alla time now) delicate condition offered to deliver her to my home for free - I could pay him then. The Jones bus came as I arrived at the bus stop and I got to Drunken Knitters in tons of time to see my long lost friend Tanya.

The next day he came with my pretty wheel and these surprise delightful accessories! A set of, stamped, well loved handcarders made by Leclerc, a small lock comb and a wicked cool old school carding wheel from Louet! Meet the newest members of my family! I've heard a lot of stories from artists of how wheels and looms have found their ways to the possession of the artist but have never really experienced it.

Does anyone have any hints on how I can thank my Postal Person who went out of his way to deliver this news? As a special treat - a new picture of us at 36 weeks. It makes me laugh

And then there were two....

It would seem Joyce (the middle mother) has gone and done it. The first of our posse has had the first beautiful baby Zoe - she sounds wonderful. Here is the last known documentation of a juicy fertile Joyce all wrapped in the love that is a handmade blanket.


Laura spun and knit beautiful sweaters for all of us. My superlative model is a special Ms Claire who grew a little attached to the sweater as the evening cooled off at the cottage.
Meet Lambert the Lamb from Auntie Rachel - Lambert is a Cancer who loves to read classics on the dock in the early morning - preferably upon the finest of blankets made by many loving and dedicated hands. Lambert is softer than soft and enjoys a prominent place upon the book shelf that will house a special baby's worldly possessions.
Some of which will include a cableknit sweater from Joyce the new Matriarch herself, Tulip from the garden of Ms. Pearl-McPhee and a spectacular kimono sweater from the uber generous Jean Anne.
It took all of my power to tear the cupcake away from my very own Matriarch who taught me to knit. Mimi was quite taken with the cuteness that is from The Rocket herself.
Missing from this essay are the rolling dice from Emily and Clara and all of the sentiments from all of the wonderful women and men who collect at Lettuce Knit every week to knit and jibber jabber...Such wonderful people to surround oneself with.

Spoiled. Rotten. In utero no less.

My placenta thanks you.

Aw you guys are such nice commenters! Thanks for all the kind words and well wishes.

This is a quick post as I'm back in Toronto for about 1 hour before heading back up north for a weekend of hopefully no travelling, moving or projects. Last week was just packed with love.

The Ladies Who Knit threw a triple header baby shower for the Triumverate of Breeding, Mel, Joyce and I. All of the beautiful gifts up and brought them to the cottage for photographing, showing off to my Mimi and worship.

I can't help but think that when a community of women take a baby (in this case three babies!) and it's mother that the term blessed is defined. We are very very lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful, giving, generous and inspiring souls.

If you think this post is soppy just wait until the camera and the computer are in the same place!