Tonight we are hosting the 2nd tweetluck ever. And I'm really excited but completely slacking on my cleaning duties today.
What is a #tweetluck you ask? Well it was an idea born out of a really great person named Wendy. She thought it'd be great to have some of her twitter friends together to eat food and enjoy a few laughs. Initially she thought of hosting in a local park, but there are huge rules against drinking in parks these days so she agreed to host at her house. She spread the word, and soon enough her deck was full of people, food and laughter.
Wendy and her husband Greg are great people and the event was a huge success. The hubby and I agreed that we would host the next one, before the last one was even over. We love hosting events and we figured this was a great way to have a summer event.
The joy of twitter means that you can widen your circle of friends and meet some really interesting people. This also means there will be some really interesting foods. I'm very excited to see what everyone brings tonight.
So you - if you are on twitter, send me a message and I'll send you the link to the event site and come on down. We'd love to see you :)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Tales of Toronto
My husband and I took on a crazy adventure yesterday and it wasn't the adventure we set out for. My husband really wanted to go to The Taste of the Danforth as was mentioned in my post yesterday. However the more I researched it the more it freaked me out. Big crowds are my kind of personal nightmare. I was willing to go for him and so we set off. This is when it went a little insane.
Traffic was a nightmare.
Toronto traffic is pretty well known but it was a little insane to see how bad it actually was yesterday. The planning department is not neccessarily working with a full deck in that they decided with a Blue Jays game, a Toronto FC game and a major food festival going on it was a brilliant idea to shut down the highway that leads to all three locations. This took all the traffic off the highway and onto the side streets. Everywhere we went we were stuck in one traffic jam after another. It was crazy.
Traffic aside, we ended up doing some pretty interesting things and it will definitely be a day for us to remember.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #1 --- Shopping
We very rarely go shopping for shopping sake. And we rarely if ever go to a shopping mall to do it. But we both got the itch when we got stuck in traffic on the 401. After some crazy roundabout ways we ended up at Square One. It had been so long since I was in a mall it was like we were entering a foreign world. I was drawn this way and that looking at gorgeous window displays and interesting patterns. I noticed that a bit of the early 90s is back with a twist in that there was a lot of plaid and Chuck Taylor converse sneakers are back with a vengeance. It's a slightly prettier version of plaid though in that the shapes are better cut to show off your figure. Long gone is the tank top with a plaid shirt over it. Now they are throwing in belts and ties to make the shirt match your shape. I haven't found one in my size yet, but I'm still happy to see plaid back on the shelves.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #2 --- spending time at the beach
I've been itching to go to the beach for about a month now - and never thought that my wish would come true in Toronto of all places. No one was swimming but the beaches along the Lakeshore are gorgeous. There were so many sailboats and even a tall ship out in the water. We not only saw seagulls and Canadian geese, but there were some beautiful white trumpeter swans in the water. The Toronto lakefront has playgrounds, and wading pools. There are picnic areas as well. We got out and took a walk, had some ice cream from an ice cream truck and just reveled in the fact that we weren't still sitting in the incredibly slow moving traffic on the Lakeshore. It was amazing how we were so close to the busy hustle and bustle of all the diverted highway traffic but we felt like we were miles away. I can see why people flock to this area of the city any chance they can get.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #3 --- going to Chinatown
After leaving the beach and getting stuck in the traffic again, we decided to head downtown - namely to the Chinatown area off Spadina. We've driven down there many times and have been amazed by how much it seemed like you were in a completely different city - one in the far east. The signs are in different languages and people are wheeling and dealing in languages we could only imagine. We pulled in and found a parking garage. I was slightly nervous by the area as there were definitely homeless people sleeping in the alleyways and there were so many people around that it was a prime location for me have a panic attack. My rule - keep moving. Luckily the people were mostly on the street but were really respectful of space. They didn't want to bump into me anymore than I wanted to bump into them. We ducked into a few of the little shops where we found many low priced items and some fun little items that we would never find on store shelves around Cambridge. There were toys that were made in Asia and translated into English so that they made us laugh. Loved seeing the "hair solon" and the many places to go and get a food massage or see a herbalist.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #4 --- Eating in an Asian restaurant
I have never really eaten at a truly Asian restaurant so this was a new experience for me. The hubby was drawn in by all the meat hanging in the window from duck and chicken to pork and lord knows what else, we headed in. There were some really tasty looking options on the boards outside so we made our way in. The first thing we noticed was that this restaurant was fairly big but there were a lot of people eating and a lot of people working. The noise was a little overwhelming and I had a hard time hearing the hubby on the other side of the table. Staff yelled at each other across the restaurant and they all were bustling around. They were very helpful to the couple next to us who was completely new to Asian food. However I guess we knew what we were doing because we had a very difficult to understand waitress. My hubby ordered a combo meal that had three kinds of meat and rice and was served very quickly. I had some "Chicken in lemon sauce" that came with an egg roll. But the best thing I had was a Honeydew Melon Milkshake. It was so summery and delicious. I could tell they were making fun of me for using a fork, but I'd rather do that then look more like an idiot by using chop sticks. Go ahead - you can laugh at me too.
All in all it was a really great day. We saw areas of Toronto we may have never seen. Even being stuck in the traffic jams on Queen Street really showed different sides of the city and we loved seeing all the different neighbourhoods.
I still hate traffic, but I'm sure we'll go back to Toronto again.
Traffic was a nightmare.
Toronto traffic is pretty well known but it was a little insane to see how bad it actually was yesterday. The planning department is not neccessarily working with a full deck in that they decided with a Blue Jays game, a Toronto FC game and a major food festival going on it was a brilliant idea to shut down the highway that leads to all three locations. This took all the traffic off the highway and onto the side streets. Everywhere we went we were stuck in one traffic jam after another. It was crazy.
Traffic aside, we ended up doing some pretty interesting things and it will definitely be a day for us to remember.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #1 --- Shopping
We very rarely go shopping for shopping sake. And we rarely if ever go to a shopping mall to do it. But we both got the itch when we got stuck in traffic on the 401. After some crazy roundabout ways we ended up at Square One. It had been so long since I was in a mall it was like we were entering a foreign world. I was drawn this way and that looking at gorgeous window displays and interesting patterns. I noticed that a bit of the early 90s is back with a twist in that there was a lot of plaid and Chuck Taylor converse sneakers are back with a vengeance. It's a slightly prettier version of plaid though in that the shapes are better cut to show off your figure. Long gone is the tank top with a plaid shirt over it. Now they are throwing in belts and ties to make the shirt match your shape. I haven't found one in my size yet, but I'm still happy to see plaid back on the shelves.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #2 --- spending time at the beach
I've been itching to go to the beach for about a month now - and never thought that my wish would come true in Toronto of all places. No one was swimming but the beaches along the Lakeshore are gorgeous. There were so many sailboats and even a tall ship out in the water. We not only saw seagulls and Canadian geese, but there were some beautiful white trumpeter swans in the water. The Toronto lakefront has playgrounds, and wading pools. There are picnic areas as well. We got out and took a walk, had some ice cream from an ice cream truck and just reveled in the fact that we weren't still sitting in the incredibly slow moving traffic on the Lakeshore. It was amazing how we were so close to the busy hustle and bustle of all the diverted highway traffic but we felt like we were miles away. I can see why people flock to this area of the city any chance they can get.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #3 --- going to Chinatown
After leaving the beach and getting stuck in the traffic again, we decided to head downtown - namely to the Chinatown area off Spadina. We've driven down there many times and have been amazed by how much it seemed like you were in a completely different city - one in the far east. The signs are in different languages and people are wheeling and dealing in languages we could only imagine. We pulled in and found a parking garage. I was slightly nervous by the area as there were definitely homeless people sleeping in the alleyways and there were so many people around that it was a prime location for me have a panic attack. My rule - keep moving. Luckily the people were mostly on the street but were really respectful of space. They didn't want to bump into me anymore than I wanted to bump into them. We ducked into a few of the little shops where we found many low priced items and some fun little items that we would never find on store shelves around Cambridge. There were toys that were made in Asia and translated into English so that they made us laugh. Loved seeing the "hair solon" and the many places to go and get a food massage or see a herbalist.
UNEXPECTED ACTIVITY #4 --- Eating in an Asian restaurant
I have never really eaten at a truly Asian restaurant so this was a new experience for me. The hubby was drawn in by all the meat hanging in the window from duck and chicken to pork and lord knows what else, we headed in. There were some really tasty looking options on the boards outside so we made our way in. The first thing we noticed was that this restaurant was fairly big but there were a lot of people eating and a lot of people working. The noise was a little overwhelming and I had a hard time hearing the hubby on the other side of the table. Staff yelled at each other across the restaurant and they all were bustling around. They were very helpful to the couple next to us who was completely new to Asian food. However I guess we knew what we were doing because we had a very difficult to understand waitress. My hubby ordered a combo meal that had three kinds of meat and rice and was served very quickly. I had some "Chicken in lemon sauce" that came with an egg roll. But the best thing I had was a Honeydew Melon Milkshake. It was so summery and delicious. I could tell they were making fun of me for using a fork, but I'd rather do that then look more like an idiot by using chop sticks. Go ahead - you can laugh at me too.
All in all it was a really great day. We saw areas of Toronto we may have never seen. Even being stuck in the traffic jams on Queen Street really showed different sides of the city and we loved seeing all the different neighbourhoods.
I still hate traffic, but I'm sure we'll go back to Toronto again.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The taste of the Danforth
My husband really REALLY wants to go to the Taste of the Danforth today. He's mentioned it a few times but never made it happen over the years.
At the start of the warm spring we were talking about things we'd like to do this summer and he brought up how he's always wanted to go to the wonderful Greek Food but every year we've had something come up and it was too late to go. So like the good wife that I am, I told him that I'd write today's date down in the calendar that seems to rule our lives and therefore if someone asks us to do something, we would have to turn them down. The only thing that could trump it would be a wedding or a wedding/baby shower. The showers would only trump it if they were for a) someone we were related to or b) someone we really liked. Lucky for us - neither materialized and so we can actually go.
Personally I knew nothing about it other than it was a Greek Food festival in Toronto on the Danforth. I figured they closed the road and served food. I had no idea how big it was, or what to expect. So this morning I awoke incredibly early with the food festival on the forefront of my mind.
Just what have I signed up for?
Lucky for me, I have a little thing called the interwebs to get me informed. Here are a few things I've learned.
I can do this. The food alone has me drooling. Will we see you there?
At the start of the warm spring we were talking about things we'd like to do this summer and he brought up how he's always wanted to go to the wonderful Greek Food but every year we've had something come up and it was too late to go. So like the good wife that I am, I told him that I'd write today's date down in the calendar that seems to rule our lives and therefore if someone asks us to do something, we would have to turn them down. The only thing that could trump it would be a wedding or a wedding/baby shower. The showers would only trump it if they were for a) someone we were related to or b) someone we really liked. Lucky for us - neither materialized and so we can actually go.
Personally I knew nothing about it other than it was a Greek Food festival in Toronto on the Danforth. I figured they closed the road and served food. I had no idea how big it was, or what to expect. So this morning I awoke incredibly early with the food festival on the forefront of my mind.
Just what have I signed up for?
Lucky for me, I have a little thing called the interwebs to get me informed. Here are a few things I've learned.
- This party is pretty massive. They close the street for blocks and it fills up with thousands upon thousands of people.
- They serve more than just souvlaki. In a video on their website www.tasteofthedanforth.com they have grilled corn and other tasty nibblies to tantalize your tastebuds
- There will be a flash mob at 4pm. I saw the dance and it looks quite tricky. I'm sure that it's going to be completely awesome though and a real surprise for all those that don't know anything about it.
- Parking for this festival is very VERY limited and will be difficult to find - especially later in the day. The subway is being touted as the absolute best option.
- Did I mention there is going to be a very LARGE amount of people. I get very anxious in crowds and have panic attacks. I need to be mentally prepared and I must mentally prepare my husband for what might happen.
- The festival starts at noon and runs until midnight - it might be smarter the earlier we are getting there.
I can do this. The food alone has me drooling. Will we see you there?
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Zoom Zoom Zoo!
It's official - my hubby is taking me to the zoo! And by zoo I don't mean just any zoo. I mean the big Metro Toronto Zoo.
If you are new here, you may not already be aware but I really like animals. My husband said it was one of the reasons he fell in love with me. Apparently when I see any sort of unexpected animal on my daily journey I start to squeal and get a big smile on my face. He has told me that it is one of my most endearing qualities.
Ever since before the holidays when Telus came out with those adorable hippo commercials I've been jonesin' to go and see them. I even entered an online contest and won my very own hippo! So it was a sign that I needed to go to the zoo.
A few of my twitter friends have also been talking about how much they'd love to go to the zoo too. Anytime it's been brought up I've been bouncing off the walls in excitement. Once it starts to sink in and I think about the reality of the situation, I honestly didn't think it was going to happen.
My husband takes his soccer very seriously and therefore would never miss a game - therefore Sunday's are out. Unfortunately he's so serious that he'd never want to go the day before a game or his legs might be pooched. As he just started a new job, we really couldn't take any time off during the week. It seems my dreams of the zoo were dashed.
It's not that I don't do anything without my husband, but something this awesome I'd want to share with him. It's been 10 years since I was there and he can't even remember going. I really wanted to share with him. I want to see what he likes and share those that I like with him.
Well my hubby came up with a fabulous idea. We're going to the zoo on Canada Day! It's a Thursday. As that weekend is a long weekend his legs won't be pooched and it might not be nearly as busy as it would be on a Saturday.
Now we just pray for nice warm but not too hot weather and no rain.
Hold on hippo! I'm on my way!!!!
If you are new here, you may not already be aware but I really like animals. My husband said it was one of the reasons he fell in love with me. Apparently when I see any sort of unexpected animal on my daily journey I start to squeal and get a big smile on my face. He has told me that it is one of my most endearing qualities.Ever since before the holidays when Telus came out with those adorable hippo commercials I've been jonesin' to go and see them. I even entered an online contest and won my very own hippo! So it was a sign that I needed to go to the zoo.
A few of my twitter friends have also been talking about how much they'd love to go to the zoo too. Anytime it's been brought up I've been bouncing off the walls in excitement. Once it starts to sink in and I think about the reality of the situation, I honestly didn't think it was going to happen.
My husband takes his soccer very seriously and therefore would never miss a game - therefore Sunday's are out. Unfortunately he's so serious that he'd never want to go the day before a game or his legs might be pooched. As he just started a new job, we really couldn't take any time off during the week. It seems my dreams of the zoo were dashed.
It's not that I don't do anything without my husband, but something this awesome I'd want to share with him. It's been 10 years since I was there and he can't even remember going. I really wanted to share with him. I want to see what he likes and share those that I like with him.
Well my hubby came up with a fabulous idea. We're going to the zoo on Canada Day! It's a Thursday. As that weekend is a long weekend his legs won't be pooched and it might not be nearly as busy as it would be on a Saturday.
Now we just pray for nice warm but not too hot weather and no rain.
Hold on hippo! I'm on my way!!!!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Here Kitty, Kitty!
A little something has entered my head and I can't seem to move past it.
I really want a cat.
Most people would think that my dog would be the biggest obstacle to overcome. After all most dogs don't neccessarily get along with cats. The Dude however loves them. We had a cat come meandering in through our doggie door the one day and he just sat there looking at the cat and then at me with this happy drooling grin on his face. He was fostered with a cat and they got along famously. He loves cats.
Nope, it's not the Dude I have to contend with.
It's my husband.
I love him. And I knew when we got together that he had a cat allergy. But at the time, I had a cat and he had no issues with her at all. She was a bit of a bitch and really was only affectionate with certain people. They had an understanding was how he always explained it to me. She would walk right across the back of the couch past him and come to me. He never once had a reaction with her and even pet her on a few occasions. She was a really special cat and I was devastated when she passed away.
He knew how sad I was without her, and after a reasonable amount of time he decided he was going to get me a cat. He wanted to make me happy so we trucked up to the big cat adopt-a-thon that the local Humane Society was having at Petsmart. I instantly fell in love with this crazy black and orange calico. The cat was playing with the tab on my zipper and was so gentle and fun. I asked to hold it and it melted in my arms. It was so loving and gentle and yet playful at the same time. She was declawed and was perfect for my tastes. I would've named her chaos.
He had a different vision. "I'm a designer. I like things symmetrical." So he picked out this grey snobby cat that was incredibly elegant looking. She was at the back of her cage and showed big signs of being a complete bitch. He asked to hold her and they tried to warn him that she might not want to be held right away. He reached his hand in and she scratched him. He pulled it out but tried again slowly and the bitch bit him. We decided she wasn't the kitty for us - even if he did want to name her Kennedy. We walked away to talk about things and that's when he told me to look at his arm. He had broken out in hives.
In that moment I looked into his eyes and I saw how much pain was there. I decided then and there that we would have a dog and that I'd have to give up on getting a cat.
It broke my heart, but I do all I can to get kitty love whenever I can. Friends and families with cats know that I love when their cat comes up for pets and love. I practically fall all over myself just to get close to them.
I chose to love my husband. I know that a cat cannot be part of my house.
But then my husband does something remarkable. He starts looking up what the causes of cat allergies are. He discovers that the cat allergy doesn't come from the fur or the dander but from the saliva. Of course the Kennedy kitty made him break out - she bit him. This gets him wondering if there is any cat breeds out there that are better for people with allergies - in particular breeds that actually have fur or hair.
He does all this and comes in and completely shines a light on my life. The hope that there is a way that I could have this man that I love and this pet that I love has brightened my skies.
Of course looking into it further we were able to see that the cats that are best for those with allergies are really expensive and not that common around here. Going to a breeder would mean spending nearly $1000 for a cat and that's before all the vet bills, food and kitty litter.
My hopes aren't completely gone. Cats are a big responsibility and many people don't really want them when they grow up. They get bored of their pets or they move where they can't take them. There are so many cats in shelters all around the world, that there has to be some that fit the bill for what we'd need.
So here's what they recommend:
- female, spayed is recommended
- cat breeds such as the LaPerm, Sphynx,Oriental Shorthair, Devon Rex, and Cornish Rex
- Siberian and Russian Blue breeds may be naturally hypoallergenic (I'm leaning to the Russian Blue)
With that said, time will tell if my kitty dreams come true. In the meantime - I have an awesome husband and loving pup. I'm a pretty lucky lady.
I really want a cat.
Most people would think that my dog would be the biggest obstacle to overcome. After all most dogs don't neccessarily get along with cats. The Dude however loves them. We had a cat come meandering in through our doggie door the one day and he just sat there looking at the cat and then at me with this happy drooling grin on his face. He was fostered with a cat and they got along famously. He loves cats.
Nope, it's not the Dude I have to contend with.
It's my husband.
I love him. And I knew when we got together that he had a cat allergy. But at the time, I had a cat and he had no issues with her at all. She was a bit of a bitch and really was only affectionate with certain people. They had an understanding was how he always explained it to me. She would walk right across the back of the couch past him and come to me. He never once had a reaction with her and even pet her on a few occasions. She was a really special cat and I was devastated when she passed away.
He knew how sad I was without her, and after a reasonable amount of time he decided he was going to get me a cat. He wanted to make me happy so we trucked up to the big cat adopt-a-thon that the local Humane Society was having at Petsmart. I instantly fell in love with this crazy black and orange calico. The cat was playing with the tab on my zipper and was so gentle and fun. I asked to hold it and it melted in my arms. It was so loving and gentle and yet playful at the same time. She was declawed and was perfect for my tastes. I would've named her chaos.
He had a different vision. "I'm a designer. I like things symmetrical." So he picked out this grey snobby cat that was incredibly elegant looking. She was at the back of her cage and showed big signs of being a complete bitch. He asked to hold her and they tried to warn him that she might not want to be held right away. He reached his hand in and she scratched him. He pulled it out but tried again slowly and the bitch bit him. We decided she wasn't the kitty for us - even if he did want to name her Kennedy. We walked away to talk about things and that's when he told me to look at his arm. He had broken out in hives.
In that moment I looked into his eyes and I saw how much pain was there. I decided then and there that we would have a dog and that I'd have to give up on getting a cat.
It broke my heart, but I do all I can to get kitty love whenever I can. Friends and families with cats know that I love when their cat comes up for pets and love. I practically fall all over myself just to get close to them.
I chose to love my husband. I know that a cat cannot be part of my house.
But then my husband does something remarkable. He starts looking up what the causes of cat allergies are. He discovers that the cat allergy doesn't come from the fur or the dander but from the saliva. Of course the Kennedy kitty made him break out - she bit him. This gets him wondering if there is any cat breeds out there that are better for people with allergies - in particular breeds that actually have fur or hair.
He does all this and comes in and completely shines a light on my life. The hope that there is a way that I could have this man that I love and this pet that I love has brightened my skies.
Of course looking into it further we were able to see that the cats that are best for those with allergies are really expensive and not that common around here. Going to a breeder would mean spending nearly $1000 for a cat and that's before all the vet bills, food and kitty litter.
My hopes aren't completely gone. Cats are a big responsibility and many people don't really want them when they grow up. They get bored of their pets or they move where they can't take them. There are so many cats in shelters all around the world, that there has to be some that fit the bill for what we'd need.
So here's what they recommend:
- female, spayed is recommended
- cat breeds such as the LaPerm, Sphynx,Oriental Shorthair, Devon Rex, and Cornish Rex
- Siberian and Russian Blue breeds may be naturally hypoallergenic (I'm leaning to the Russian Blue)
With that said, time will tell if my kitty dreams come true. In the meantime - I have an awesome husband and loving pup. I'm a pretty lucky lady.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The politics of being me
Recently one of my twitter followers described me as someone they enjoy following because I'm not political.
It isn't that I'm not political. As I am and I do have strong opinions on certain things. But I've taken a page from my parents note book. Don't talk about anything like that in writing. Save it for face to face contact. Even then, I know that I need to hold my tongue.
I have certain people in my life that take great offense to people opposing their views. These are generally those that are extremely political to the left or the right. They have views on nearly everything and it's easier for me to remain their friend if I just shut up.
I also don't like to talk about issues when I don't know all the facts. I like to think I'm well read but I'm not that knowledgeable on everything. It's better to leave the debate out of things and get to know the people that I'm talking to.
A few months ago I was having a wonderful morning with a fairly new friend who has very strong views on the environment and city living. I could've expressed my dislike for the way in which he talked about his views but chose instead to talk to him about his life and where he came from. I wanted to know more about him as an individual. I asked questions and got to know him. Soon he was expressing his feelings about life, his childhood and his family. I heard about family pets and the great loves of his life. By talking and listening I did what I do better than most. I had him open up to me like I was Barbara Walter.
That expression has been used by my husband on more than one occasion. It seems by not getting political, or rather looking past the political views of others, I am able to easily make friends and get people talking. Everyone has a story and I love hearing them. Every person that I talk to - I give a little of myself. You'd be amazed how much you get back in return when you do that.
Back when we were only dating, my husband introduced me to one of his more outgoing best friends. This friend was normally the life of the party and constantly coming up with ways to have people look at him. He wanted everyone to laugh all the time and sometimes went to extremes to do so. Within a 10 minute conversation with him I had learned all about his dreams and his job and where he wanted to go with it. My husband didn't have a clue that his friend had feelings and interests like the things he was telling me. He was amazed that in such a short period of time I had gotten to know his friend in ways he had never imagined.
I like to think it was my love of people, and my love of animals, that truly made my husband fall in love with me.
I like people. I like to try and keep people happy and when they aren't I want to understand why and I want to try and help them.
So to my twitter follower who thought I wasn't political. You are wrong. I just like people more than I like being political.
It isn't that I'm not political. As I am and I do have strong opinions on certain things. But I've taken a page from my parents note book. Don't talk about anything like that in writing. Save it for face to face contact. Even then, I know that I need to hold my tongue.
I have certain people in my life that take great offense to people opposing their views. These are generally those that are extremely political to the left or the right. They have views on nearly everything and it's easier for me to remain their friend if I just shut up.
I also don't like to talk about issues when I don't know all the facts. I like to think I'm well read but I'm not that knowledgeable on everything. It's better to leave the debate out of things and get to know the people that I'm talking to.
A few months ago I was having a wonderful morning with a fairly new friend who has very strong views on the environment and city living. I could've expressed my dislike for the way in which he talked about his views but chose instead to talk to him about his life and where he came from. I wanted to know more about him as an individual. I asked questions and got to know him. Soon he was expressing his feelings about life, his childhood and his family. I heard about family pets and the great loves of his life. By talking and listening I did what I do better than most. I had him open up to me like I was Barbara Walter.
That expression has been used by my husband on more than one occasion. It seems by not getting political, or rather looking past the political views of others, I am able to easily make friends and get people talking. Everyone has a story and I love hearing them. Every person that I talk to - I give a little of myself. You'd be amazed how much you get back in return when you do that.
Back when we were only dating, my husband introduced me to one of his more outgoing best friends. This friend was normally the life of the party and constantly coming up with ways to have people look at him. He wanted everyone to laugh all the time and sometimes went to extremes to do so. Within a 10 minute conversation with him I had learned all about his dreams and his job and where he wanted to go with it. My husband didn't have a clue that his friend had feelings and interests like the things he was telling me. He was amazed that in such a short period of time I had gotten to know his friend in ways he had never imagined.
I like to think it was my love of people, and my love of animals, that truly made my husband fall in love with me.
I like people. I like to try and keep people happy and when they aren't I want to understand why and I want to try and help them.
So to my twitter follower who thought I wasn't political. You are wrong. I just like people more than I like being political.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
C'est Finis!
I finished.
wow. Never thought it would end but here we are less than 5 months later and I am the proud owner of a new scarf! How did I get here. How did I become a person who can knit?
I've made some great friends since I started knitting and even before. And without them I really couldn't have made it here. I've listed them in no particular order below.
Really - I owe everything to Wendy. Without her teaching me how to get started and how to finish there wouldn't be a scarf. She was patient and kind and encouraging and I really feel blessed for knowing her.
Jodi helped push me along too by telling me that it was possible to finish and then even to move onto other things.
Sue Sturdy was a help without even talking to me. Her starting the project to Knit the Bridge in downtown Cambridge really was an inspiration.
My husband helped out too. He really thought it'd be a neat thing for me to learn something knew and potentially make some new friends in the process.
My future children were an inspiration too. I envisioned them going off to school all wrapped up in scarves made with love by their mother. (of course I also envisioned mitts and hats too because I really didn't think I'd stop at just doing scarves.)
Lindsey, my sister-in-law, also helped out with inspiration. She tried knitting and had some fabulous books for me to look at and admire. Her knitting was more about yarn she fell in love with and wanted to try making something. She has since given it up - but it was nice to know that she tried and that I could try too.
Growing up there was knitting all around me. My mother learned how to knit from her mother. She made two absolutely gorgeous sweaters among other things around the time she was quitting smoking. With three girls of similar sizes living under the same roof - we all took turns with her sweaters.
My main inspiration and truly the person who's kitting I have admired the most is my grandmothers. My Grandma Hyde was always knitting growing up. I got some wonderful mittens and sweaters when I was smaller and hated growing beyond them. When grandma was getting on in years she made the decision that before she was unable to knit anymore, she wanted to knit all of her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren sweaters. It took over a year but finally she was able to give us all a wonderful Christmas gift. My sweater was green and white and I still cherish it to this day.
It is so fitting that I've finished my first scarf in May. May was the month my grandmother was born and it was the month that she passed. Nearly 7 years ago to the day from when my grandmother left us, I've finished my first ever scarf. She tried to teach me back when I was in my early teens but I just had so much going on that I wasn't dedicated to the task.
It is with that in mind that I dedicate this first scarf to an amazing knitter and an amazing person - Grandma - I love you.
wow. Never thought it would end but here we are less than 5 months later and I am the proud owner of a new scarf! How did I get here. How did I become a person who can knit?
I've made some great friends since I started knitting and even before. And without them I really couldn't have made it here. I've listed them in no particular order below.
Really - I owe everything to Wendy. Without her teaching me how to get started and how to finish there wouldn't be a scarf. She was patient and kind and encouraging and I really feel blessed for knowing her.
Jodi helped push me along too by telling me that it was possible to finish and then even to move onto other things.
Sue Sturdy was a help without even talking to me. Her starting the project to Knit the Bridge in downtown Cambridge really was an inspiration.
My husband helped out too. He really thought it'd be a neat thing for me to learn something knew and potentially make some new friends in the process.
My future children were an inspiration too. I envisioned them going off to school all wrapped up in scarves made with love by their mother. (of course I also envisioned mitts and hats too because I really didn't think I'd stop at just doing scarves.)
Lindsey, my sister-in-law, also helped out with inspiration. She tried knitting and had some fabulous books for me to look at and admire. Her knitting was more about yarn she fell in love with and wanted to try making something. She has since given it up - but it was nice to know that she tried and that I could try too.
Growing up there was knitting all around me. My mother learned how to knit from her mother. She made two absolutely gorgeous sweaters among other things around the time she was quitting smoking. With three girls of similar sizes living under the same roof - we all took turns with her sweaters.
My main inspiration and truly the person who's kitting I have admired the most is my grandmothers. My Grandma Hyde was always knitting growing up. I got some wonderful mittens and sweaters when I was smaller and hated growing beyond them. When grandma was getting on in years she made the decision that before she was unable to knit anymore, she wanted to knit all of her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren sweaters. It took over a year but finally she was able to give us all a wonderful Christmas gift. My sweater was green and white and I still cherish it to this day.
It is so fitting that I've finished my first scarf in May. May was the month my grandmother was born and it was the month that she passed. Nearly 7 years ago to the day from when my grandmother left us, I've finished my first ever scarf. She tried to teach me back when I was in my early teens but I just had so much going on that I wasn't dedicated to the task.
It is with that in mind that I dedicate this first scarf to an amazing knitter and an amazing person - Grandma - I love you.
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