Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Not too much to report

August seems to be much kinder than July temperature-wise. The nights are cooler and I'm loving it up.

I am on a quest to buy a sewing machine. I saw one made by Kobe at a little sewing machine store two subway stops away. When I went back for it, all sweaty from walking, with baby and husband in tow, it was gone. Today I went to Wal-Mart to see what they had and there is one possible one. I still need to check out Sears. I know they have Kenmore and it's supposed to be second best. I don't need hundreds of stitches or anything, but I do need it to sew through denim and have some basic stitches, wind the bobbin automatically, etc. And I'd like it to last me a few years. I got all jealous of Glacia making her own dress.

My friend Emma came on Sunday, with her son Simon. Simon is almost four and very lively. We took the kids to a park. This was a major production as we had two kids, a kite, a stroller, snacks, a backpack and two purses. Alex rode in the stroller, though he was not happy about it. He fussed all the way there. Simon needed to be carried some of the way, especially up a hill. After a few years of wandering, we got to the park, where there was swinging, flying of kites, making bubbles and major fussing from Alex because I would not let him go into freezing cold wading pool water. We went back the same way we came, part pushing, part carrying, laughing ironically at what is called maternal bliss. It was good to see her though. Simon is big. He's going to school next month. It feels like yesterday he was a baby. It feels like yesterday Alex was a year old. And now look at them both... sniff. I'm so proud.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Lest you thought I was bluffing...

About the knitting, that is. Here is what I have been working on for the last few months. It's a throw for the grandma of a co-worker of mine. I pledged my knitting services for the United Way and this is what she chose. The pattern is my own invention. Feast your eyes.

















I am about 2/3 done. Now, Jen's grandma is coming the third week of this month and I would dearly like to be finished, but I don't have a lot of hope. Because it's a 100cm across, it takes time to do one row.

In other news, we saw a meteorite Sunday night. OK, I still call them falling stars, but only to myself, to avoid a roll of the eyes from my lord and master. I think they are falling stars though and I think it's a good sign, even if it did happen so fast that one did not have a chance to make a wish.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Feeling hot, hot, hot!

Yes, my friends, it is a record breaker in Toronto. 36 degrees Celsius, with the Humidex in the high 40s. I thank God for a/c and hope there is not another blackout. It's bloody hot. I got no sleep last night because on top of the heat, I caught my baby's cold and was sniffling all night. Finally Arthur took pity on me, took the little one into the living room so I could get a few hours' sleep.

Today my brain is just melting. Alex had a 3 hour nap and is still fussy and crying. I understand. Weather like this should be against the law.

They were crying on the news this morning that they have cooling centers open all night and nobody is using them and that it costs $ 30 000 to do that. Well, one needs to GET to the cooling center, does one not? And how to do that with half the buses and all streetcars with no air conditioning? They would be better off handing water out to the homeless and ensuring all seniors are in a cool, airy place.

In other news, Castro has TEMPORARILY relinquished power to his brother Raul. People in Miami are celebrating. Hold on there, people, this is a temporary measure. This man is made of titanium and will even rule from the grave.