Down the rabbit hole - many times today!

Oh my-- I have a few things to learn about knitting, but that's OK. What I noticed was the number of large loose sweaters in the store on Salt Spring. Oversized chunk sweaters are back!

My hands will get used to it! 

OK -- here's a hilarious story about knitting sweaters. When I was young -- very young, OK, young, in my late teens, I knit a sweater for my then boyfriend, who was a large guy, so it took a lot of knitting. I forgot about that sweater. He tracked me down one day a couple of years ago through my quilting - his sister is a quilter, and he came across my blog. I don't remember all the details. 

Anyway, can you believe that he kept that sweater all that time? And the sweater is still being used? OH MY GOD -- I guess that is someone who appreciates a knitted sweater, but it wasn't made with great yarn, so I can imagine how pily it is. 

Amazing what you can find on the blog when you go back and search. Here is the blog post about my early days of knitting.

I was first and foremost a knitter, and then got into quilting. That story about Rod's sweater is hilarious!! That was TEN years ago!!! It seems this trip has triggered many memories from 10 years ago. 

And I will say that I've become a slug. No walking - well, very little, no cares about the number of steps I get in a day, and sleeping? I just got up! This summer has been the summer of little walking, and I need to get everything caught up. I haven't even entered any steps or mileage since July!!!! Am I done with the excessive walking? I don't think so. Am I done with the medals for The Conqueror? I don't think so, but I need to get my mindset back. That trip to Africa just changed so much!!!

Anyway, I'll make it happen - whatever that is, and I'm not worried. But I do need to get those stretches in. 

I was looking through Dillon's pictures from the other night at Capilano Suspension Bridge, and here's a better one of the cliff walk. You are NOT walking beside the cliff -- it goes out. That makes me think I could do the one at the Grand Canyon. I'll wait a bit before I venture down there, but wouldn't that be fun?

The cliff walk

Good grief - the next thing you know, I'll be skydiving! OK - I have jumped out of a plane - twice, but that was many, many years ago!

Here is M's magnet collection from her travels. Hmmm -- we don't seem to have as many, but they were much smaller and less elaborate in our day! What's hilarious is that in the first picture in this blog post, look at the fridge!!!! 

M's magnet collection

I went outside to take a picture of the view, and this hummingbird just popped out of nowhere to feed at the feeder. They are fascinating to watch. And he was pretty happy to hover in the air and show off his skills, and then he landed on the feeder to get a drink. 

The resident hummingbird

This is the view from their second-floor balcony. It's a beautiful spot to be sure. The trees in the distance are located in Stanley Park. 

The view

And they get to see the barges go by to get to the dock in North Vancouver. On a nice day, I would be sitting on the deck and just watching the world go by - literally as the cruise ships go by as well. The weather is pretty decent here - it was cloudy yesterday, but we did not have any rain. And it's relatively warm - I'm happy! 

A container ship

Bear, M, and I had a walk along the waterfront, which is just a couple of blocks from their house, and yes -- I would spend a lot of time along the waterfront as well. It really is stunning and such a different life from my forest back home. I'll take the forest over the water, but I could easily handle the water as well. And there are plenty of trees everywhere for forest bathing! 

Bear and M

Then, for something to do, we went to the Vancouver Public Library! Yep -- the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but she went for some books on creativity that looked pretty interesting, while I went somewhere else. But first, we checked out the rooftop deck on the 9th floor, and then looked briefly at all the floors on the way down. The place is enormous and would be a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. 

The Vancouver Public Library

Of course, I went to the quilt section and WOW!!!! I could have browsed all afternoon. While they have a lot of technique and standard books you would find in a public library, they also have a great selection of historical quilt books. OK -- I would take some of those home if I could! I know I have a great deal of those types of books at home, and many of them are ones I already own, but there were a few!!!!

The quilt section

I took one out so I could browse for some ideas. More of an art book based on the next assignment I have to get done. 

As we were driving back, we spotted this on a condo construction site. HMMM -- are those balconies sticking out, or is that a construction thing? They have bizarre buildings here, and they seem to try to outdo the one beside it. 

Balconies? 

Then, over the Lion's Gate Bridge, which I rode my bicycle across in 2010, I was totally terrified. It was my first big bike trip, and we started at UBC. As I saw the bridge looming in the distance, my heart was in my mouth!!!! But I made it, and I survived!!!

The Lion's Gate Bridge

Well, I certainly did not make any bones about my fright in that day's blog post. Here's the link. You won't find it on this blog page because at the time, I was using another platform!!!! Oh dear -- do not go down a rabbit hole with that. But I really should pull off that Arctic trip and make a digital book out of it with the pictures in the right place. 

And here is Mr. Snuggle Pants sleeping on the couch!! His ear still isn't perfect, and you can tell it's dirty from the grim collected by the ear drops. But he's doing just OK. and so happy to be with Dillon and M. As much as I would like to dognap him, this is his home. But he's welcome to visit any time!

Mr. Snuggle Pants

Now, my blog posts about a brand-new Husqvarna Viking sewing and embroidery machine are being posted on QUILTsocial this week. Here's the link to the first one. It is the Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 65, and wow—I love it. There are so many things you can do with an embroidery machine. 

Day One -- Meet the Husqvarna Viking Designer Topaz 65

Oh my - I went down a rabbit hole and listened to all the videos!!! Yep -- I made some pretty decent videos explaining the features. And here's the thing -- all the Husqvarna Viking embroidery machines have similar tools, so if you have a different Wi-Fi-enabled Husqvarna Viking machine, you may want to check out those videos!!!!

I'll post more links tomorrow. 

I also had dinner with my SIL, who lives in Vancouver, so that was a good visit. Yep -- the entire trip is a lot of coming and going. We have a lot in common and discussed her upcoming wedding plans, hiking, reading, etc. Yep -- next year is also going to be an interesting year!

Oh my -- I'd better get myself together here, or M will think I have died!!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!