Update

Is it a long weekend, where you live?  It is Victoria Day long weekend in Canada and it is largely seen as the official kickoff of summer.  Thing is, it's usually raining and cold.  People go camping in the hopes of a good time and typically come back with pneumonia.

But not this year.  This year, we are having the most beautiful "May Long" that I can ever remember having.  It was somewhere in the neighbourhood of 25 Celcius today and right now, at 8:45 pm, it's still 20 C.  Folks, when I'm on my deathbed (assuming I have a deathbed), today is the kind of day I want to have on my mind.  I know that sounds morbid, but trust me when I say it is not.  Today was the kind of day where I find myself putting down my work and smiling up at the sky with a silent "Thank You" going out into the Universe.  I felt very fortunate to be experiencing it and to have the opportunity to enjoy it to its fullest.




Ok, enough of that.  It turns out at least ONE of you is waiting with bated breath to see if our deck/planter/walkway project is complete.

It isn't.

The End.

Ok, I'm just kidding.  I'll fill you in. 

It really isn't finished.  But it's getting there.  I just zipped out there to take some photos of our handiwork (and had to run around, making windmill motions with my arms in order to dodge about 16 million black flies that all decided they wanted a piece of me - ever try to windmill your arms while taking photos?):

Ooh, that lawn looks nasty.  For now, anyway.

Those daylilies, geranium and hostas are all waiting to be replanted, tomorrow (after we go get some mushroom compost to fill the boxes with).  I didn't want to start on the box for the other side of the deck, as I was a little concerned about the effect the heat was going to have on the uprooted plants.  We'll whip that one up in no time (that box is a little smaller), so it can wait 'til tomorrow.

As you can see, we haven't had a chance to finish the deck.  We need someone with a table saw to "rip" a few pieces for us, which will likely have to wait until later this week, when my coworker has a few moments to help us with that (thanks, Kelvin!).

While I was out there running (and windmilling) from shot to shot, I figured I might as well do a circuit of the yard and give you an update of the rest of the garden:

My two-foot-tall chives (are chives SUPPOSED to get that tall?)... crazy chives.

Our awesome new compost (we picked it up yesterday) that has lobster and mussel shells in it.

I'm going to try and put together some gardening posts, wherein I share with you some of the wisdom I have picked up from family and friends that you might find useful.  Here's the first snippet:

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD AND HOLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO PLANT MINT, PLANT IT IN A RING.  A STRONG,  INDESTRUCTIBLE RING.

Otherwise, you will rue the day you ever set eyes on said herb.  It looks all innocent and lovely and fragrant and tasty in this picture, but DO NOT BE FOOLED, PEOPLE.  This plant is possessed by the DEVIL.

Go ahead, ask me how I know.

PS: No, I have not finished the sweater.  Or the top-secret project.  Or any of the fun items on my to-do list.  I'm going to start pulling my hair out, now.

I am SUCH a delinquent

Do you forgive me for being away for so long?

I have no good excuse.  I've been busy, but you already knew that.  I've also been inexplicably tired.  Going to sleep at 8:30/9:00 pm every night and sleeping right through 'til 6:00 every day.  Not exactly sure why, but I figure a lack of exercise is to blame.  This past two weeks, I've been focusing on making sure I walk regularly (the 3 hours of yoga per week are not enough) and my energy levels have been improving.

A couple of weeks ago, we got some company - a couple that my husband works with decided to come by with their dog and offered to give us a helping hand outside for the afternoon.  Holy cow, people!  Did you know that 2 people + 2 people does NOT = 4 people?!?!  No.  In this case, 2+2=6.  We got so much work done and it was FUN!  It's like they brought us a dose of motivation and energy, in addition to the offer of help.

This is what my husband was doing that morning, before they arrived:

(he's cutting out part of the front lawn to form a new walkway... so we stop mucking up the lawn)

It had taken him a good hour and a half to do what you see, there.

This is where he was at after 2 hours, with his friend helping:

Yup, like I said, 2+2=6.

I'm really glad we got that little kick in the pants, because it got me moving.  I decided to take this upcoming Monday off and drew up a pretty extensive to-do list for myself.  I've got all sorts of things on there, like "finish pile of sewing" and "finish @%$#ing sweater", but also more pressing/less fun things like "wash car, inside and out" and "clean and organize basement" and "rig up sump pump hose connection" (that's a big one).  Not to mention the standard "do the laundry - all of it" and "cook meals for the week".

So, I got up bright and early this morning, went to get my haircut and made a stop at the hardware store.  'Cause MAMA'S GETTING A NEW DECK, BABY!

This is something we've been dragging our feet on for almost 4 years.  It's not exactly like we've been sitting on our laurels, but a new front deck was much less pressing than say, a new roof.  Or painting the exterior of the house.  Or installing a wood stove.  All of those things were expensive and extremely time-consuming.  So, our little front deck has remained much as it looked the first day we moved in:

Well, actually, this is what it looked like the day we moved in:

(kinda scary, eh?)

That original front door was actually TAPED SHUT, when we took possession of the house.  There was an vestibule addition on the far side of the house which was used as the main entrance.  We tore down the rotten addition, replaced the front door, painted the exterior (thanks to the Hubbie, who is a teacher and gets his summers off).

Anyway, I digress (gee, quelle surprise).  This was a post about a deck.

Before you make fun of his awesome head-wear, you should know that he's wearing it so as to avoid going insane.  The black flies are out and they are rabid.  If you have the good fortune of not knowing what I mean by "black flies" (some people call them midges or no-see-ums), count your blessings.  They are absolutely, mind-blowingly, excruciatingly horrid.  And nothing (NOTHING!) keeps them away.  Netting is the only way to go.  I was wearing a full bee-keeper's shirt, 'cause they like me 'specially well and they like to bite me through my clothing.  Good times.

At the last minute, we decided that we would close in the risers, so we ran out of decking, but that will be remedied on Monday, while I am enjoying a well-deserved day off.

So by the end of this weekend, we will have the walkway finished and filled and I *may* even have the planters built.  We'll see.  The front door also needs to be cleaned and painted (that's just a factory-primed finish you see there - it's going to be butternut squash orange/yellow before long), but I can't do that until we get slightly warmer weather.

I am exhausted in a way that feels delicious.

Good night, friends.  Have a good evening and a good Sunday.

In another life...

..I was a musician.

Just not in this life.  I am so completely musically DIS-inclined that it's laughable.  I am totally tone deaf.  I couldn't sing on key if my life depended on it.  I've tried to learn to play the guitar and it was like running uphill against the wind.  Mission: Impossible.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I have no false modesty.  I know what I'm good at and I take pride in the things I can do.  I can accept that I can't sing and I can laugh at my lack of musical inclination.

Except that I LOVE music.  I really really really do.  I've loved it since I was a sprout.  I live with music and a day that I forget my earbuds at home is a bad day.  I listen to music almost all day long.  I need to have it playing in my ears in order to focus on my work.

So, here's what I'm getting at: I have discovered CBC (that's the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - our national/public broadcaster) Radio 2.  I'm not entirely sure what took me so long to get on the bandwagon, but I guess I discounted it because our radios at home can't properly *catch* the signal.  BUT, my car radio is fine.  And I can listen online.

Oh dear, I'm in trouble now:



(more available here)

And now:



And some girls I went to high school with (seriously, I can't believe how big these girls have made it - to me, they'll always be the bratty 10th graders I remember them being):



Good times.  These people make me wish I could I sing.  Then again, they're so good at it that I don't really mind being the one doing the listening.

May Day

Just wanted to pop in and say I hope you had a nice May Day.  I know we did.

There was the Farmer's Market:

And then there was a visit to a nursery:

And then I met a neighbour who was selling some perennials from her garden:

Managed to get a shasta daisy out of it and the promise of some asiatic lilies.  Oh dear.

Plus, we both bought some new shoes (photos to come when I have decent photos) and ate some really good food. 

Life is good.

So hi!

Just figured I'd stop in to say "Yup, I'm still alive."

I also wanted to let you know that my re-upload of the sweater pattern didn't help - it still isn't printing properly.  My guess is that the new version of Flash they're insisting on really is required in order to print it correctly, but I don't blame you if you don't want to upgrade.  That version is still being tested and tweaked and I don't know about you, but I'm averse to installing things on my computer that might make a mess of things.

However, if you sign up for a (free!) account on Scribd, you can download the pdf and print it out to your heart's content.  It works fine (go figure).  Alternatively, you can send me an e-mail and I will say HI and forward you the pdf as quickly as possible.  That's my favourite option, as it is quite fun to receive mail. 

Speaking of receiving mail, it turns out that a good many of you took my yoga post to heart and are now well on your way to getting out there and trying it.   

YES!  MY QUEST FOR YOGA WORLD DOMINATION IS FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION!!!  MWWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ahem.  I mean, that's great.  Seriously, I'm really happy that you've started thinking seriously about taking charge of this part of your lives and making the change.  That's so great.  And especially nice is the fact that you even read the entry - I had no idea if it would even be of any interest to you.  Awesome.

So, I'm on my lunch break and I have no photos here at work to upload, so this is a really boring post, but I'll be back this weekend with more.  I haven't really managed to finish anything of note.  I've been tired and trying to just stay on top of everyday tasks.  But I have done about 3 more inches of the left sleeve of my sweater and have more fabric cut out of my new mystery project.  (How many times can I bring up this mystery project before you get annoyed and start demanding some action?)  It's supposed to be nice on Sunday, so maybe we'll get started on some raised bed construction...  See you soon, friends. 

Have a good weekend!

Not-so-magic-raglan download

Uh oh.

It has come to my attention (thanks, Ladies!) that the Scribd site is giving people headaches, when they try to print the Magic, Custom-Fit Raglan pattern.  Turns out that pages 3 and 5 aren't printing properly, so I just went back and re-uploaded it, to see if that would help.  I don't have my printer set up at the moment, but I'll try it out tomorrow to see if that worked.  I'm not sure if downloading works, so you may want to sign up for a free account and try that, if you're having problems...

In the meantime, if you want to use the pattern (or just print it out for future use - I understand, I'm a pattern hoarder....oh if only you knew how much knitting stuff is stored on this poor little computer of mine...), please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail request, ok?  I will send you the pdf file, no problem (it's working fine).  My address is atmymothersknee[at]gmail[dot]com.  I'll check it often and get back to you asap - just one more excuse to have my iPod Touch with me at all times...like I needed any more excuses.

In other news, I am working diligently on some projects that have been festering in my to-do pile and taking up precious mental capacity.  I had a little discussion with myself last weekend about why it was taking me so long to finish my cardigan and I came to the conclusion that there were two things holding me up:

1. The nice weather and spring.  After spending so many hours indoors this winter and working crazy hours at work for the past three months, I just want to be outside.  Gardening, walking on the beach, driving around taking photos...whatever.  Well, there's nothing I can or want do about that - I'm going to enjoy it and not feel guilty.
2. Too many ongoing projects sitting around that I should have finished a long time ago.   That one I CAN do something about, so I spent last Saturday going through my project stash, my fabric stash and my (gasp) yarn stash.  I weeded, I sorted, I culled.  I came up with a looming pile of sewing that needs to be done (can anyone tell me why I have 3 pairs of pants started, yet to be finished???) and a fair bit of fabric to donate to Lori, my partner in knitting and sewing crime.

 Ooh, this is a horrible picture.  I know I said I'm an Interior Designer, which likely leads you to expect my house to look something like this (and I wish it did), but in reality the combination of overwork, crazy commuting, obsession with cooking/knitting/sewing/gardening and lack of funds means that my house looks more like a hovel.  I really can design interiors, it's just that they take money, time and energy.  I'm working on it, slowly but surely.

Once I had pulled all of this out and sorted through everything else, I felt much better about things.  I still have a bigger stash than I am comfortable with, but we're getting there.  I spent Sunday cutting out fabric for my new project (to be revealed shortly) and I was able to use up a fair bit of scraps on it, so that made me happy.  Well, except that I don't have a great cutting surface, so I got a bit sore from leaning over awkwardly.  And all the dust I found while I was cleaning grossed me out (spider webs *shudder*).  Other than that though, I was happy.

Anyway, suffice it to say that I have my work cut out for me.  I was hoping to make a dent in the to-do list today, but it was too nice out (see item #1 in list of sweater-obstacles, above) so I spent a good portion of the day pecking around in the dirt.  I WILL get to it tomorrow, however.  I WILL.

In the meantime, I'm off to watch Avatar again (just watched it for the first time last night - yes, I KNOW, I am the last person on the planet to watch it - I kept trying to see it at the cinema, but they kept selling out and I wasn't able to pre-order tickets, so I lost patience and stopped trying...it's not my fault that I live in the middle of nowhere and they only had one theater capable of showing the film in 3D).  Where was I?  Oh yes, I'm going to watch it again tonight and I'm going to knit at the same time.  So, I shall have approximately one extra inch completed of my second sleeve by this time tomorrow.

*Sob*

PS:  Have you watched "The Young Victoria", yet?  Those sets and costumes?  Yum.  Also, Emily Blunt is lovely and wonderful.  I wanna be her when I grow up.   Except that she's younger than me, so I guess that won't work.  Drat.

Welcome to my cult.

Anyone who knows me even a little knows one thing about me.  I do yoga.  I practice yoga.  I love yoga.  Someday, I will be a yoga instructor.  I wish I could quit my job and just practice yoga all day long.  I commute for 7 1/2 hours per week, so it makes doing yoga difficult.  If I worked closer to home, I would probably implement a mandatory daily yoga-hour, starting at 4:00 pm.  That's my yoga time.

I have tried to convert everyone I know to yoga, because I really feel that the world would be a better place if everyone practiced this art (just like it would be a better place if everyone was a knitter).

I was reading a recent blog entry by one of my favourite knitters/photographers, Knitorious.  She mentioned that her back was acting up and talked a little bit about how she's been struggling with it.  People left comments about different therapies she should try and I chimed in with something really pithy like "yogayogayogayogayogayogayoga", which I thought was so witty and cute.  Lame-o.  Well, I guess it caught someone's attention and I got a message a few days later, from a woman named Melanie.  She wanted to know more.

I figured I would let you in on it, in case you could use the information:

"Well, hello there, Melanie-from-Boston!

You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, by asking me about yoga.  This is a subject near and dear to my little heart and I could go on and on and on and on and on.....and on about it (and I'm about to).  And don't you dare feel bad asking for medical advice from someone you "met" on the internet - if I didn't talk about my physical ailments with strangers, I wouldn't know that I have Celiac Disease and I'd be popping pills for the rest of my life, thinking I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  So, how's that for honesty?

Ok.  So.  Yoga.  Yes.  But first, I'm going to give you a bit of background (I'm sorry in advance - I am terribly long-winded):

I am an interior designer.  This is only important for you to know because of context: I work in an industry where we are expected to sit still for long (LONG) hours (like 10 hours/day, in many cases) and don't have the energy/time/money to do any sort of physical exercise on our down-time.  Plus, many of us are kind of artsy and don't like the physical stuff, even if we do have the time/money.  You see, I would prefer to peruse knitting blogs at home than go for a walk.  You also, yes?

Sometime about oh...6 years ago, I was helping a friend move and something "snapped" in my lower back.  It took a long while (2 years) to figure out that the damage was serious and that I really had to do something to fix it.  {I once hurt myself just reaching down in the car, for the lever to pop the front hood.  WHO does that?}  It wasn't just going to go away.  I wasn't very old and I refused to contemplate the idea that I was going to have to live with this for the rest of my adult life OR get surgery.  Nope.  Not gonna happen.  I saw a physiotherapist and it seemed to get better, but I couldn't stick with the exercises she prescribed me.

I moved to the country when I turned 27 and my life slowed down a bit.  I heard a story on the radio about "power yoga" and it was the first time in...ever...that I could relate to the idea of exercise.  I hate sports, I hate sweating, I hate sacrificing my craft-time for exercise.  Hate those things.  But, I figured I'd better get my health in order, or I would stop being able to enjoy the things I do.

So, I called up the instructor I had heard on the radio.  Joined her class and started attending two 90-minute classes per week.  I walked in, having ABSOLUTELY no idea what I was doing.   I also had no physical strength, was a good 40 lbs overweight and couldn't even REACH MY KNEES, nevermind my feet!  I had been too afraid to move for the past 4 years, that I had lost the ability to move. 

We started slowly and I was very conservative in the amount of pressure I put on myself.  I was just happy to work up some sweat (OMG, there is A LOT of sweat, but for some reason, I love it - for the first time in my life) and was ECSTATIC to find a form of physical exercise that didn't bore me to tears, make me feel stupid or turn me into a competitive psychopath.  In fact, I really really really enjoyed it.  I still really do.  I beg for the punishment.  It has helped me in so many ways:

• I sleep better
• I digest my food properly (see note about Celiac Disease above - my yoga teacher is the one who figured it out for me...after I spent 4 months seeing specialist-after-specialist, to no avail)
• I am less stressed-out
• I have energy
• I am less emotional (I'm referring to the bad kinds of emotions, of course)
• I WANT to move around
• I have lost 20 lbs without even knowing how I did it
• I'm not afraid of getting hurt anymore
• I feel connected to my body in a way that I had not in a very very very long time

and, most importantly:

• my back has only troubled me once (for a couple of days) in the past 3 1/2 years - other than that, not one little twinge
  

So, if you're serious about getting better, here is my advice to you (and these are just my opinions - please don't take offense to anything I'm suggesting):

1. See a physiotherapist.  Physiotherapists are better than chiropractors - they teach you how to heal yourself.  Also, if you want to see someone, try to find someone who specializes in spinal injuries.  Get your acute pain in check before you even THINK of starting a yoga practice.  You won't get far if you're in agony.
2. Do your research.  I didn't, but I was very lucky.  You will likely want to experiment with a few different types of yoga so you can find the one that's right for you.  You can also practice many different types, simultaneously.  And you may start out with one and evolve into others.  Yoga is all about evolution.  Here are some examples that I know of (and I've tried most of them):
   
   
   Moksha or Hot Yoga
   Yin Yoga
   Ashtanga Yoga
   Bikram Yoga
   Iyengar and Hatha Yoga
3. I study Ashtanga Yoga.  On the radio, they described it as "power" yoga, but I'm not sure about that description.  It makes it sound like a hardcore workout, but it's not about physical power.  It is an intense practice, but it's also incredibly relaxing.  It's more about mental focus, balance and alignment.  It's about using your breathing, your mental focus and your core muscles to move your body in intentional ways, instead of the wimpy flopping around that most of us do on a day-to-day basis.  Here's my teacher's website.  And her teacher's website. 
   
4. If you have the opportunity, go and test out several studios.  Don't expect to luck out on the first try and don't get discouraged.  It's kind of like house-hunting, that way.
5. Don't try yoga without an instructor.  I know there are a lot of videos and books out there that claim that you can learn it on your own.  I doubt that strongly.  There are so many ways that an uninitiated person could get hurt (especially if she's starting out with chronic pain, as it is), I cringe to think of the potential disasters.
   

Once you know where you're going:

1. Don't spend a lot of money on gear.  A simple, inexpensive mat is fine at first.  Some snug-ish leggings/sweats/shorts are fine, and a long t-shirt (too short and you'll be tugging it down all the time - don't do that to yourself!).  Bring a towel.  Or two.  No additional gear is needed.
   
2. Breathe, breathe, breathe.  Yoga is. All. About. Breath.  In the case of Ashtanga, it's one movement per inhale, one movement per exhale.  If you're out of breath, slow down.  Take a short break.  Get your breath back and then continue.  Some yogas require breathing through the nose, some through the mouth.  Ask the instructor before you start.
   
3. Don't eat for 2-3 hours before class.  Drink a lot of water the day before and the day of class.  Stop drinking about an hour prior to class and ask your teacher about drinking during class.  If you're hydrated, you shouldn't need it (some types of yoga are different in this aspect - just ask the instructor).  Always drink plenty after class.
   
4. Don't wear perfume or use scented (regular) detergent.  Use only unscented.  When you're working out like that (and breathing through your nose, most likely), your scent will be magnified.  You will irritate your mat neighbours.
   
5. Don't be hard on yourself.  Yoga is a practice, not perfection.  Everyone is different and everyone's yoga is different.  You have to be honest with yourself and you have to forgive yourself for your limitations/challenges/weaknesses, just like you have to celebrate your strengths.  You'll stick with it a lot longer if you feel good about it.
6. Listen to your teacher.  Do not do more than you are being asked to do.  Having said that, if the idea of doing something in class scares you, DON'T DO IT.  Wait until you feel ready.  {At the same time, don't be afraid to try small, simple things that might have a big impact on your practice.}
7. Do NOT, under ANY circumstances EVER let an instructor push/pull/tweak/twist/yank you into position.  They will sometimes gently place their hands on your to correct your alignment or subtly guide you in the right direction and that is fine.  But, physically torquing you into place is incredibly dangerous and if anyone ever tried that on me, I would tell them off.  Loudly.  Right there, in front of everyone in class.
8. Warm up and cool down properly.  At the end of class, there is often a posture called "Corpse Pose".  Self-explanatory, no?  You lie there for a good 10 minutes and play dead.  It allows your body to take it all in and recharge before you run off to do the next chore/activity/whatever.  Very important.  Don't skip that one.

I just Googled "Boston Yoga Studio" and there seem to be a lot of options available to you.  I've never been there, so I have no idea what you should try first.  I would call around and see if you can pick an instructor's brain for a bit before you commit.  A good instructor will want to help you, so you shouldn't have any issues finding some that will explain their form of yoga and help you find the one you need.  And don't get scared off.  Remember, I couldn't reach my knees, three years ago.  Now, I can *almost* get my feet behind my head.  Almost!  And I can do this.

Ok, so that's all I have.  OMG, I can't believe how long this e-mail is.  I'm sorry to talk your ear off like this - I just love this topic and it has completely changed my life, so I'm super keen to encourage others to do it, too.  So, go forth!  Yogafy!

And don't hesitate to e-mail me back if you still have questions or if you want my opinion about anything you've found.  As you can *probably* tell, I have no problem sharing my opinion.

Good luck!  And namaste!!

dw"