Spring has Sprung!!!! In Hay River that means you spend hours diverting the water that is trying to head for the basement. We had about 3 feet of snow around the house and the melt happened really fast this year. Yesterday I spent hours clearing snow from near the back walls and emptying garbage cans full of water. The eves-troughs were overflowing at one section and it was all heading towards the house. I grabbed the garbage cans to collect the water. Jesse thought it was all such fun though. He was soaked when I finally got him to come in.

Today the driveway melted and that began to come in near the basement windows. So I was syphoning water from that area all afternoon. The snow on the grass is now so soft that Jesse keeps loosing his boots. Soon it will just be under water - then what do you do with an energetic 2 year old????

You should see the ice crossing on the river. It must be 2 feet of muddy water. But everybody is still driving back and forth to the reserve. I won't be taking my shiny van across any more until it freezes again next winter. A couple of years ago a truck went through the ice. That was the most exciting thing to happen here in years

Finished Meg's little crocheted dress. It sure looks cute. I think it is too big for her but she will soon grow into it. Hope to get a pic of her wearing it as soon as I can.

Still knitting a few rows per night on my dishcloth for Brenda's Dishcloth-Along . I find cotton hard to knit with...wears my poor wrists out too quickly. (And all this snow moving has just added to that - plus blisters). I guess I am about halfway along now.
Here is the progress photo.

Distraught!!!

Hold it All Handbag is finished and felted. And just as I was trying to shape it as it was drying, I noticed an error. Falls on her knees in complete sadness I clearly started the strap in the wrong place so it doesn't match on both sides. Can't believe I messed up so badly. All I can say is that I was probably more worried about running out of yarn (which I did) than paying enough attention to my work. DUH DUH DUH!!!!!!!! The bag is useable or carrying Jesse's spare pull-ups and stuff and probably I am the only one who will ever notice that it isn't symmetrical but......

Oh well! Now I guess I need to make another bag and try doing it correctly this time.

Thought spring was finally arriving this weekend and then back came the -25c and snow. It is windy out too so the windchill must be bad. Poor Jesse just wants to go outside and play but it is too cold.

Been working on the taxes. It is a lot of stress as I do the books for my business and DH's taxes too. Hopefully we can Netfile them tonight and then I can do the GST return tomorrow. After that, perhaps I can take a break from stressing myself SOOOOO much. My name is Jackie and I am a work-aholic. And working from home means that I often find reasons to come in the office and work when I could be relaxing. Crazy!

At last the White Buffalo yarn arrived so I can finally finish the Hold It All Handbag. It has been bugging me that I was so close to the end.

Also started knitting a dishcloth for the Dishcloth-Along. I decided (though God know why) to use straight needles. Managed to knit two rows and my arms were really aching. Now I remember why I much prefer to use circulars for any work - not just knitting in the round.

The pattern that I am using comes from this book. Nifty Knit Dishcloths The design I chose is the beige one in the bottom row.

Just got home from watching the local skating club ice show. It was the best that I have seen yet. Watching all these tiny tots wobble about on the ice just brings me to tears. Heaven help me when Jesse starts skating next winter. I will be the blubbering mom in the bleachers. Some of the skating was quite impressive for a little town of only about 3500. The new coach that was hired in 2002 really seems to have improved the abilities of the skaters in all age groups.

But the highlight of the evening had to be McKenzie Pederson. She is a grade 8 student from Okotoks, AB who came up to do a show as guest skater. If I am not mistaken, she is heading for great things. What amazing talent! She has poise and charm of a skater much older. I can't find a photo of her online but I did find an article about her. Read it here. If any of you are skating fans, remember her name. I think she will be a top ranked skater in Canada before too long.

Finally took a picture of the little dress that I was crocheting for Meg before I hurt my wrist. Still have a few inches to go on the skirt.

  Pattern is American School of Needlework's Crochet Summer Sweeties

Going to try to do a little crocheting this evening...will try not to use the left hand much. Really good that it was my left hand and not the other one.

Can't stop Hubby from driving since we got the van. We are getting to the point where we just might start arguing about who drives LOL. Everybody looks at it when we are out. It does really stand out, especially when the sun is shining.

Here is a better pic of the new van complete with just about the worst photo of me. Talk about toothy grin!!!!
Photo was taken at DH's workplace hence all the telephone cable reels in the background. But check out that blue sky! It is about -25c but so sunny. Love days like this!

So long as I don't do much, I can use my wrist again. It gets sore fast if I overdo it. No knitting yet.

Well I have officially become a "frump ordinary family person". That is what my neighbour said anyway. We bought a Ford Windstar van today. Had spent 3 sleepless nights trying to make up our minds. Test drove 2 . Last weekend we tested the following for 2 days - a 2000 Ford Windstar SEL NWT Diamond Limited edition (NWT being Northwest Territories which is where we live and Diamond most likely is some celebration of the diamond finds up here over the past years). Last night we had a 2002 Ford Windstar Sport. The latter was driven by Hubby who wouldn't comment. Then I drove it a bit. It just didn't seem such a nice ride as the 2000 model. It bounced from side to side more. The engine was noisier too. Hubby then commented. He thought exactly the same as me.

Jesse loved the first van. He kept saying "Back! Van!" every time we went anywhere near the sales lot. He is a totally different child in a van than when he is in the truck. Just that alone was a huge selling point for us.

So now I am a frump. I never would have guess that I would have ever owned a van. Felt they were boring. I always drove the fast sporty type cars in England. Here I drove a F150 truck here which I felt drove me, instead of me driving it. HATE rear wheel drives. That truck was traded in for the van. Now I am back driving a front wheel drive. And this has so many bells and whistles including and power opening passenger door...and that really caught Jesse's attention.

Here is a bad pic of it at the showroom. Will try to take some good ones soon. It has chrome along the side which looks just awesome.

What color of sock yarn do you prefer?
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