Cross Stitch

I finally finished my years-old cross stitch project!  With many thanks to my long train and bus rides.  I knew there was a good reason to live way out in the suburbs!  I'm really pleased with the final product.  And honestly, it's just nice to check it off my list!  Now I need to frame it somehow.  Are there places that do that?  Or sell the supplies?

Anyway, here it is with the rough edges.

And here's zoom-in on the bear and his bows.

Also on the subject of cross stitching, my lovely friend Maryanne did this amazing piece of work for our wedding anniversary.  I know just the place to put it, once it gets framed too.

Check out the beading detail on hers!

1st Anniversary Celebration!

This is a month late but better late than never!

We celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary in Banff on May 15th, 2010.  My wonderful husband planned the entire event and only told me which town we were going so I knew what to pack.  We left on Friday evening after work and went to the Saltlik in Banff for supper.  Then we took a few wrong turns on our way to the Rimrock Resort Hotel partway up the mountain.  Leif managed to get a top floor, corner room!  The view was incredible!!!  I don't think I've ever appreciated the beauty of the mountains like that before.  Leif had chocolate covered strawberries and a cheese and cracker platter sent to the room too.  We got to sleep-in on our actual anniversary on Saturday (which we never seem to be able to do anymore) and then went for lunch and London Fogs at a cute coffee shop in Canmore on our way home.  The only bad thing is that we had to clean the turtle tank when we got home!!!

Here's a couple pictures of the view!  Sorry, no pictures of us.

Research

Research is definitely not my favourite thing to do. I don’t like trying to find out something new. And I sure don’t like writing long reports. Give me equations and a problem to solve and I’m happy.

But after my first couple weeks of work this summer, I have a much deeper appreciation for researchers. Some guy named Broms developed equations that I needed to use for the bending of drilled shaft foundations in different types of soil. Another guy named Meyerhof came up with an empirical equation for the bearing capacity of cohesionless soil so I didn’t have to go through a whole bunch of theoretical calculations with variables I don’t know. Where would I be without these guys?

SISs BROs SILs BILs HUBs NIEs

You are...

...an amazing pianist.
...a talented photographer.
...a gifted athlete.
...a loving mother.
...a brilliant fixer.
...a caring friend.
...an intellectual debater.
...the cutest little girl ever.

You are...

...priceless.

Hockey

Seems like everyone is obsessed with NHL playoff hockey these days.  I have to admit that I like following it a bit too.  But let me tell you where the real hockey action is!

Yesterday I went to watch the husband play hockey in the NCHL (Non-Contact Hockey League) in Chestermere.  I sat in a nice room upstairs that was way warmer than in the rink.  The first couple periods were full of impressive wipe-outs.  But then in the third period, he scored a goal!  His first ever of organized hockey in only his second game!  He was parked in front of the net and the puck came out from the corner and he got and spun around and put it in past the surprised goalie!  The funniest part of this whole story is that just after, on the same shift, he got a high-sticking penalty!  Bad Leif.  Don't worry - he made sure his victim was alright.

Next time you should all join me in the cheering section!

Plugged In and Turned Up

Why do people need to have plugs in their ears all the time?  Well, I don't really mind that part - I just don't get it.  I tried wearing headphones on the bus to school when I first moved to Royal Oak once, but I felt completely disconnected from my surroundings.  I felt so claustrophobic and disoriented.  I felt like my other senses didn't work either - I couldn't see or walk properly.  Maybe that's why people like it.  I remember the first time I put earbuds in my ears instead of those silly headphones.  It was in grade 5 in the school field at lunch time and my friend let me use her walkman to listen to The Backstreet Boys maybe?  Or some other popular boy band.  It was so cool.  It was like the WHOLE world was singing to me.  It made me feel huge and small at the same time.  I remember wanting to stand up with my arms out and do a few circles.

But seriously people, I do NOT need to hear your music out of your earbuds from one end of the train car to the other.  That is NOT good for your ears.  And it's super annoying!!!  I can hear the boom-boom-boom of your song and a few screaming notes and that's it.  What's a tactful way to tell people to turn it down?

Finished Projects

I love making things.  I'm almost looking forward to the long commute to work this summer because I'll have lots of time to crochet on the train!  Finishing projects is so rewarding, even if hand-sewing is not my favourite thing to do. This is what I've finished recently.

Here's a purse that I crocheted a while ago, but recently lined.  It even has rivets!

This is a little, bright pink clutch complete with snaps inside!

This is the same pattern as the one above, but I made it bigger and it's my new bible bag!

I'm so happy with how this afghan turned out!  It was a big project, but worth it.

Maybe thinking about opening an Etsy shop?

Snow Day!

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

This is what Leif is singing in his heart because he is taking a snow day.

I, unfortunately, have to go to work soon because it is the second last day of tax season.  But seriously, who's going to come pick up their tax return in this weather?!

Ode To The Turtles

Oh turtle tank how I wish you would stay clean
So your waters would stay crisp, sparkle and gleen

Our turtles love to frolic and play
But we fear that they might be gay.

Edit?

Wow!  It's been over a month since anything was posted on here!  And here's a clue why.  I had to read a 400 page book called "Guns, Germs, and Steel" and then write an essay about it.  Brutal.  I think when I'm "working" on an essay, I waste more time than I'm actually productive for.  But it's finally done!!!

Now would anyone like to edit it for me pretty please??  I usually ask my mom to edit for me, but she's unfortunately in Florida at the moment and won't get back until after it's due.  It's 1327 words or almost three pages 1.5 spaced.  I just need someone (or someones) to read it for flow and see if it all makes sense.  You don't have to have read the book to understand the essay.

It's due on Monday so if you have time to read it by Friday sometime, I'd really appreciate it!  You can either use track changes in Microsoft Word, or print/scribble all over it/scan it back, or just tell me what you think.

Thanks in advance!!