Due date

Today is the day my monster is due. I figure it's less likely that he comes today than any other day because apparently 5% of babies actually come on their due dates. To be honest, I am antsy and any time anyone jokes about how he'll probably be a week late, I almost snap.

Yesterday, I re-learned crochet and am using some of my spare yarn to make the coolest granny afghan ever. This day and age is amazing for learning a new craft. Learning crochet before was a matter of picking up an instructional book or having someone teach you. Something that is passed down through generations and learned from a mother or a grandmother. I learned to knit from my mother, who originally helped a little with crochet when I first bought a crochet book and made half a blanket from it. She told me it would drive me nuts and it did.



Enter, yarn:

I like to buy yarn by the boatload and about a year ago, knitted an entrelac ear warmer headband called Quant (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter07/PATTquant.htmlUEwinter07/PATTquant.html) with a yarn called Twilley's of Stamford Freedom Spirit. I liked the feel of the wool and the colours of it. I loved Quant and how every square was basically a different colour without me even having anything to do with it. So I bought 2 balls of a different colour for a scarf and it didn't work with the scarf pattern. Mom bought a ball and made her own Quant and donated me her leftovers. Every time I went to the yarn store, I came home with a ball of a different colour. I ended up with six different colours and decided I didn't want to make six different Quants after all. The yarn was purchased around the time I became pregnant and I thought it would be perfect for my cold-weather baby as a blanket. I started knitting log-cabin squares and finished a square and a half before putting it aside and doing something else. And now is where the yarn comes in. I figured that doing something new could take my mind off the fact that I am waiting for my babe, impatiently and rather painfully. I remembered the granny squares from years ago and thought about my beloved 6 different colours of wool. I couldn't find the crochet book and didn't have mother handy so I learned to crochet on youtube and instructional websites. It just amazes me that picking up something new can be this easy and I wonder why more people don't just pick stuff up like that (or maybe they do). So I tore apart my half-done log cabin square (I can't bear to tear apart the fully done one because I am emotionally attached to it and it's pretty) and dug out the wool. It took a couple tries before it looked normal but I have a good 10 inches on it now after very little time spent. I am so pleased. Rather than making several squares, I'm just going around and around and making one big granny square until I run out of wool. Jesse asks me, "How big is this blanket going to be?" and I say "It could be a baby blanket, or it could be bigger. We'll see when I run out of wool".
(On a side note, I haven't forgotten my reusable cup since the last post. But I have forgotten the shopping bags)

Halloween and reusable coffee cups

I always hate reading the news the day after Halloween. Like this: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/11/01/halloween-shooting.html
Although the frequency of Halloween related violence is certainly not new and crime in this country has been declining for decades, it is still concerning. This particular incident was in the States but it still freaks the hell out of me, especially now that I am a mother. I like the idea of community bonfires that are held as family events and I definitely look forward to having good times on Halloween with my family. Trick-or-treating is a tradition that I adore though. It was nice when I was little to go around the neighbourhood. It was familiar and I knew everyone. Every year, this little old man who lived a few houses down would scare us when we came knocking. He was so much fun and I always looked forward to going there. I think that trick-or-treating is still a tradition that can be carried out with the same kinds of precautions that one would exercise with their children normally. Adequate supervision, familiar neighbourhoods, going to houses you know, etc.
Today I was also thinking a lot about the environment. Anyone who knows me knows that I love my Timmy's coffee. I have always thought about disposible cups when I just get mine and realize that I didn't bring my reusable favourite Starbucks pumpkin and candy adorned Halloween themed coffee cup. I reuse sleeves but I know I should be remembering the cup. Today I remembered the cup and was pleased with myself. It's just a matter of remembering it. Even if I'm remembering the cup every second cup of coffee, I'm still reducing my personal consumption of disposable cups by 50%. As I was slowly sipping my coffee today, I realized how toasty the coffee stays in the reusable cup. I am a slow sipper and usually by the time the coffee is halfway finished, I'm drinking lukewarm coffee and occasionally having to microwave it. Today, I had hot coffee right down to the last drop. Saving the environment and having the benefit of fresh, hot coffee. Now, like the reusable shopping bags, I must actually remember to put the cup in the car before I leave the house. Hopefully my brain function returns after I have this baby and I can remember the bags and the cup at least most of the time. Actually after the baby, I plan to make more coffee at home which is ultimately the best thing. I have had such little coffee lately that creamer will go bad as I will not make enough to use the cream by the best before date as I have seriously cut back on coffee since I got pregnant. In fact, I didn't drink it most of my pregnancy because the smell made me feel all yucky until around month 7. I drank weakly-caffeinated coffee-ish beverages, which were flavoured to satisfy the caffeine withdrawl headaches.