Updates

It's been so long that so much has happened, I don't know where to start.
I moved from Portland, OR to Victoria, BC, left behind my friends, and 20 lovely yarn shops; and explored new territory, exported and imported my car, and have begun to make new friends in this old but new strange-to-me city.

It has been a challenge to adjust to many things - not the least of which is the consumer tax. Going from 0 to 12% has been a shock to my system, and I've been able to pull back a little from previous consumer spending habits. 5% GST (federal) and 7% PST (provincial); plus about 25% of my gas tank fill is tax. When I filled my tank for the first time in January, the price was $1.08/L. Having previously filled my tank at $25-$30 per 10G tank for 2 weeks' worth of driving. I nearly fell over when the same 10G tank now cost $45.00. Now, 6 months later, I'm paying $56.00, and hear gas in Portland, Or surpassed the $4 mark several weeks ago.

Another adjustment is that I'm eating out less than I used to. The portions are simply smaller. Thai food once a staple, and near to my home costs more - and they charge for rice!

On the positive front, I am making more friends in my age group - I meet with a nice (and growing) group of knitters in their 20s to 40s at Khona Cafe, called the Bitchy Bees. Each week, we start out 4 to a side of a longish table, and expand, subtly pushing out any would-be writers, post-yoga relaxers, or non-knitting coffee drinkers. On a regular week, we meet Tuesdays and Fridays from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, and have about 15-20 people. It's relaxing, and fun to see others' projects, and take a few sips of tea, while working on my own.

Speaking of projects, I had to stash the dress to make my move, and temporarily misplaced it. Then, lost the book, and wasn't able to get my hands on my copy until May of this year. Now, I'm finished the back, and on the part of the top of the front; just swatching to see what colors I will settle on. I have been renewed in my inspiration about knitting, that one thing is for sure --- I have started a pair of socks, using Yarn Pirate's Patina yarn (may 2008's colorway) in Merino-tencel. The yarn is very soothing to knit with, and I often find myself overknitting past the cable twist that need to be put in. The pattern is Salto, which is probably not the best for a beginner sock knitter to knit at knit nights, but there you go. I keep a tiny 2.10mm crochet hook at the ready in case I need to drop down a cable and pick it up again.

Also stalled is the red Blue Sky Alpaca Suri Merino sweater which I had started in December; in a top-down cardigan from Knitting Pure and Simple. I'm at the cuff of the second sleeve, and needing to finish that, the collar, and put in the zipper.