Motherhood is Awesome!

So, this was my day today. Went to see my hairdresser to get my hair “fixed” – no more orange hair (I accidentally dyed it orange a few weeks ago by falling asleep with the dye in). In the middle of the dye process I got a call from N’s school. Haircut interrupted because N had a poo accident and wouldn’t let his teacher help him clean up. Could hear him in the background crying. Had to leave with wet, dye-covered hair and HOPE I would get back in time to wash it out. Did make it back in time and my hair looks MUCH better. N was fine too.

Afterwards, got home, went downstairs to turn off furnace (house was 85’F for some reason), came upstairs to A screaming and dirt everywhere (I swear I was gone 30 seconds maybe) – he was eating the dirt out of my ficus tree and N tried to stop him. Cleaned him up and left him playing in bathroom with bath toys while I cleaned up the living room. Heard water running. Came back into the bathroom to find N trying to “clean” up A with the plunger. Plunger was on A’s head and there was water EVERYWHERE. Cleaned up both boys and went out to living room to relax. Curled up in rocking chair with A and nursed him for a few minutes. He and I had a good snuggle and then he suddenly sat up and puked ALL over me – basically MUD.

Motherhood is awesome.

Not so Blissful

Okay, seriously. I give up. I thought it was just me. I thought I was not paying close enough attention. I thought maybe it was a blonde thing. I thought maybe it was a British thing. I thought maybe I'm just a little bit stupid. But I CANNOT figure out the pattern for Debbie Bliss's Diagonal Front Jacket!


I have cast on, knit the whole first PAGE of the pattern and it never lines up properly. Once I had the wrong number of stitches (fine, blonde and a little bit stupid). Once I was doing the M1 stitch wrong (lost in translation? Maybe a British thing). So I looked it up in Ms. Bliss's How to Knit book. Corrected that problem. But still, can't get it right. And I've been trying, on and off, for over a year now.


So yesterday, while baby napped, I cast on for the 10 millionth time and tried again. I was sitting in a good chair with good lighting. I had no distractions. I counted everything THREE times. Considering the cast-on is 247 stitches this was a LOT of counting. I was extra-super-duper careful. And still it didn't work. I think I figured out WHERE the problem is, so I looked online for any reference to errata. Nothing. Here is someone who clearly was able to handle the pattern. She even played with it and made it her own. Not me. Can't even get past the first section of the pattern. For the record, I CAN make the sleeves work. But what good are sleeves without a body?

What is more frustrating is that, while I love photos of Debbie Bliss's patterns I have yet to find a single one that I can follow without difficulty.

I tried making these:

Worked fine except for the heel. Came out FULL of holes and a total mess. Had to go back to Cat Bordhi and Debbie Macomber to finish them at all.

I tried many of the bear patterns in her teddy bear book. Issues with all of them. Have had trouble with a few of the "beginner" baby sweaters too. Must be just me. Seriously. There is a Debbie Bliss Knit-a-long for heaven's sake. I can't imagine that many people looking to be frustrated on purpose.

Yes, must just be me. So I have frogged the project for the last time and have repurposed the yarn for a new wubby for the boy. He is rapidly wearing out the current blanket and will need a new one before I know it. I'm using my favourite pattern for my favourite guy. I guess I'm just meant to find my bliss elsewhere :)

Green Bin Diet

Okay. So. I'm insulted. Like most women I know I've been on some form of diet for as long as I can remember. I'm "good" at dieting. But I've never been mocked or rejected for my weight. Never actually put down or deliberately insulted. But today I recieved a slight from the City of Toronto that REALLY hurt.

I am new to the whole "Green Bin" thing. I've lived in an apartment for the last eight years and everything went down the shoot or to the recycling room. The whole garbage-day-drag-stuff-to-the-curb thing I've never done. When I lived at home it was my brother's job. It's a boy job in my mind. However my husband is ....useless...and unwilling in this situation and SOMEONE has to take out the trash, so it's become my job. And honestly, my new obsession. I thought I was doing everything right. I've been super careful.

But I got home from my daily errands today to find this:

My recycling had been emptied but my green bin sat there full as ever. And there was a little yellow tag sticking out the side:

It read "Items were left at the curb becasue: Overweight".

Seriously?! The thing currently holds a weeks worth of dirty diapers, some crackers and a few apple cores. The only thing that might make it too heavy is that it's winter and the contents of the thing FROZE. So now it's in my basement defrosting. HOpefully they'll take it this week. Cause I'm not sure what to do with it if they dont. Hmmmmm..... How does one put their green bin on a diet??