Finally reconnected

I'm finally reconnected, as of one hour ago! In another week or so I should have my office furniture, and then life at CGK can get back to normal!

The move continues....

(@#$*ing Rogers!

On Saturday I learned that Rogers Communication is an oxymoron. When I processed a change order (one of several, because I have had to move twice in the last month), NO ONE, not of FIVE "customer service specialists" communicated to me that I needed a piece of equipment from my old equipment when they came to hook up my new service. The technician who came to hook my internet service on Saturday was the Rogers employee who was kind enough to deliver the message, and it was the fourth person I spoke to at customer service after HE had left who pointed out to me that as a result, my e-mail would be disabled.

As a result, you may have difficulty reaching me this week. Our phones are still working, both the 722-6495 and the toll-free number, however all my e-mail -- cgknitters.ca and (naturally) my rogers.com e-mail are out-of-commission until Friday.

On behalf of Rogers Communications, I apologize for this inconvenience.

Cynthia Update

Things are changing in my world -- I am going through a period of re-settlement

I am trying to stay on top of everything I need to, however there is much going on right now. Your patience as I go through these changes is appreciated!

Rolling into Fall

Well, the temperatures have necessitated an additional blanket on the bed, the stacking of fire wood, and the cleaning and putting away of some of the summer clothes.

September was a busy month with the presence of Canadian Guild of Knitters at Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter's Fair, where we met many knitters -- some who are happy to see us featured in A Needle Pulling Thread, and some who told us they miss Knit Together. It was good to be feeling well enough to be there to meet and greet so many knitters this year. This is what our booth looked like this year -- the tall sign is a new addition -- I've wanted a good sign for a couple years now, and this was the year it happened!

The week after that, Canadian Guild of Knitters joined A Needle Pulling Thread at Knit Trade, a new show for yarn shop staff to see what new products they might carry in their shops. The show was put on by Cabin Fever, and, for a first event was quite successful -- they're planning to do it again next year, hopefully with some new wholesalers, and many more yarn shop registrants!

We had a lot of new people sign on in September, so today was a "catch up" day, getting membership cards processed and magazines and Level 1 packages off to people have ordered them within the last month.

Speaking of Level 1, Janie H. Knits in Perth Ontario has started a study group of knitters in her area interested in completing the Accreditation Program. We have a retailer incentive program, and Janie has recruited a lot of interest in Canadian Guild of Knitters. For more information about our tetailer incentive program, contact Cynthia.

Next weekend is Thanksgiving. This year I'll be grateful for the recent happiness in our family, and for having my health restored. In the office, I plan to give the website another brush up and get caught up with our Random Acts of Knitting book givaways for this year... I'm a few months behind. The other thing on the agenda for next weekend is to get a serious dent in the rest of Level 2. I also have some level 2 material here to mark, and I believe there's a Level 1 coming in later this month to mark.

As the days grow shorter, the "to do" list continues to grow!

Because they bought the farm!

In my post earlier today, you learned of my brother's recent nuptials. A wedding is every reason to make a family happy, but these two did something that has sparked nearly unheard of excitement in our midst... they bought the farm.

Not "a" farm, not just any old farm. They bought the farm that belonged to our great-grandfather! Really! So, they bought a very special old farm!

We're all doing the happy dance for them!

Even Mother Nature is happy... on Saturday, she showed her pleasure over the barn:

Yes, that's a rainbow!

A bit about the barn: the wing on the right is the "old barn" with a stone and concrete foundation. "New barn" on the left has a poured concrete foundation, and, speaking of concrete, our grandfather built the silo on the left of the photo.

So, the newlyweds are working. We're all pitching in. The old farm house was very overgrown. Here's a before and after shot of the front of the house:

On Day 1, my sister was cleaning kitchen cupboards while Deb washed walls that were probably wallpapered in the 1960s. Darren and Dad started tearing down lattice and vines. Creepy old carpets were ripped up and tossed.

On Day 2, Lisa tackled some of the gardens, and she and Deb washed the living room walls down to prep for paint.while Darren did two 'dump runs' and he and Dad looked after some brush removal, gutted the bathroom, and Dad spackled the living room. Lisa and Dad painted the living room ceiling, too! I felt SO helpless! I had to work these two days, and the best I could do was stop by with a journal for them to chronicle this new chapter in the family's homestead. I put a section in the back to log contacts for repair people -- they're gonna need it!

I got to pitch in on Day 3. Dad and I sanded and painted the living room. Darling cleaned and swept the upper floor of the chicken coop (I've never seen a two-storey chicken coop, but that's what Dad says it used to be...), and, when more friends showed up, Darling and Kirk headed out to clean the lower floor of the old wing of the barn. Meanwhile, Deb, and Yvonne went back over the kitchen with cleaners again. (The kitchen was scary, and it will be a couple months before the contractor can get at 'er.)

I'm writing this more for Deb's benefit than mine, but it is great to be sharing the excitement!

Yesterday, I had a day off to nurse sore muscles from painting -- I was cutting in the walls at the ceiling level, so I was up and down that ladder countless times.

Today, I'm pleased to report that I've been in the office, and got memberships caught up. While I've been doing that, I've been burning CDs of the wedding photos on the other laptop. And now, I'm going to put the membership cards in the envelopes, write a couple of notes to new members, and close the office for the day.

September is starting out to be very productive. Carla, Kate and I will be at Knitter's Fair next weekend with recent and upcoming projects from A Needle Pulling Thread. Stop by the booth and say hi!

And just WHERE did August go?

August, as far as my memory goes, was pretty rainy. As I reflect back over it, I'm totally perplexed as to where it exactly went.


I've done some writing, but clearly not blog posts... I've done some knitting, but all garter stitch -- I've had no mind to do anything complex... shades of last year. I did knit Deb a shawl for her bridal shower -- I made her Idella from Myrna Stahmann's Seaman's Scarves and Faroese Shawl book, but I had that finished in July. I made a full-size faroese shawl in three weeks. That may be why I haven't been knitting a lot this month...


I have pulled out the Level 2 file and got another look at it. I also had another person step forward for testing the first portion of Level 2 exercises, and that package is going out in tomorrow's mail.


There have been no Level 1 submissions, so the office is still empty.


Two really great things happened just last week...


My brother, who we thought was a confirmed bachelor, got married last Saturday! Here are him and his bride beside our dad's 1949 Ford pickup truck.

Here is Darren and me before the service...


And lastly, here are the newlyweds standing beside a rusted old artifact of a tractor on the Museum site where the wedding was held.



It's completely appropriate that these two got married at a Museum, and that they had wedding photos taken next to a tractor. I'm not being unkind... and will explain it in my next post.

And Another Month Flew By!

And, it was a busy one!

Before the Cambridge WWKIP event and the Midland Tornado (my last two posts), I learned of a shower for my brother's bride-to-be. So, I decided to knit something for her. Now, I doubt that she reads my blog (or even knows it exists), so, I can happily say that my 'power knitting' efforts were successful; I finished the project with weeks to spare! Still, I won't mention any more here for fear of giving away a surprise.

Darling has been busy with art shows -- he does bird studies in watercolours. I don't have a photo of one of his recent works, but here is an older specimen -- this painting is now in Australia. At the same time he was doing art shows, we were joined by some of his relatives from New Zealand. A good time was had by all, and both Tina (visiting) and Cynthia got some handsome new luggage!

I've been working on my article for the Spring 2011 issue of A Needle Pulling Thread. Renewals for people whose memberships expired with the Summer 2010 issue are now in the mail.

The Fall 2010 issue of A Needle Pulling Thread is currently at the printer's, and renewals for CGK members whose memberships conclude with the Fall issue will be processed soon.

The website, too, received a mini overhaul... check out the home and retailers' pages.

We've been in touch with the good folks at Kitchener-Waterloo Guild, making our plans for this fall's Knitter's Fair. If you're planning to attend this event this year, we're planning to be there to greet you!

The work at Canadian Guild of Knitters is always on-going. Apart from finishing my Spring 2011 submission to A Needle Pulling Thread, other tasks on the slate for the August long weekend are finalizing the draws for the June and July Random Acts of Knitting (see the website for details) and doing further edits and photos for Level 2 of the Knitting Accreditation Program. Cynthia has a design to prepare for the Fall, 2011 issue of A Needle Pulling Thread, too.

First, though, is a canoe-camping trip with the fella for a couple days. Wish me luck! And, yes, I'm taking some knitting...