Randomness

I have been taking a bit of a knitting break this week. As I was knitting up the border on Julian's blankie, I started getting weird cramps in my right pinky (the one that tensions the working yarn while I knit). My hand kept getting strangely deformed and really hurt. Ever happen to you? So I put the needles down and didn't knit for the rest of the evening. Next day, pick up the needles and there it is again. So maybe a longer break.... like say 'til Monday! I really don't think I can take a longer break without loosing my mind ;0)

So instead, a random post! I have become a bit of a regular at Jennifer's etsy shop since she launched it this Spring. I especially love her pottery and recently added her petite nesting bowls to my collection of JCASA originals. I received them a while back, but I don't think I showed them to you yet so here they are. Aren't they lovely? I love how they have different rims. They are really small (think the size of the palm of your hand) and I originally thought I'd use them to serve spiced olives (one for the olives, the other for the pits), but now that my return to work is looming, I think I'll need a little bit of blog love on my desk to keep my spirits up when I'm away from Julian and yarn so I think I'll bring them to work and fill them with paper clips instead ;o)

I'm going back to work next week, July 3rd to be exact, after a year long maternity leave. {Yup, that's right, the Canadian government pays 55% of your salary for a year to stay home and take care of your baby all the while guaranteeing your job upon your return to work! Ain't Canada great!} Anyhow, I am feeling really weird about going back. So many emotions, all conflicting with each other. I'm happy. I'm sad. I'm excited. I'm guilt-ridden. And through all of those emotions, I have to keep reminding myself that it's not like I'm giving Julian up. I won't be spending long days with him (he'll be having oodles of fun and making memories with his grandma and grandpa - lucky him), but I'll be home for dinner, I'll still be nursing him 2 or 3 times a day, he'll still be sleeping in our family bed at night, we'll get to spend lots of time together on weekends, and I have 8 weeks of vacation coming my way next year to boot. I do know that all things considered, I am pretty lucky and that I really can't complain. But it's hard.

So since I've been a bit of an emotional wreck this week, I bought a lot of yarn! And when I'm bad, I'm really bad. I had a bit of a yarn spree over at Cucumber Patch. First I picked up this Rowanspun 4ply in 708 midnight because it was $19.99 shipping to Canada included for, get this, 10 skeins! I mean, please! At that price, you don't ask questions like what the heck am I going to knit with tiny yarn...at that price you just by it. Right? Then I came across this Rowanspun Aran in 971 heath and because I love the colour and am planning another original design, this time a sweater for myself, I had to buy it now. Plus, it was $65 for 10 big 100g skeins, overseas shipping included. So naturally I had to buy it too.

So far, not so bad. Right? But then I saw this kit for Hanne Falkenberg's Diva cardi and couldn't resist. I tried. Really. But atlas, the cleverness of the pattern was stronger and it is on it's way to me from the UK as I write this ;0) I got the teal/emerald green combo and can't wait to see it in person. The whole thing is knit in garter stitch though on tiny (for a sweater) needles so I don't know how much fun it'll be knit, but I think wearability will make up for it.

So now I really have to go back to work to pay for my "it's okay Anny, life as you know it is not really over, you can totally knit on the train" yarn indiscretions.

Sniff! Sniff!