Halloween candy shuffle

After last year's candy debacle, I decided to stock up on Halloween candy.

2011 was our first year in the neighbourhood. Unsure about how many spooks and goblins would visit our door, I asked our next door neighbour. She said to expect 20 to 25. Halfway through the night we ran out of candy. At the time, my daughter was three and easily distracted while I rummaged through her candy bag to give out to the neighbourhood kids. Luckily, she had lots to spare. A couple of days before we attended a family-friendly Halloween event where she loaded up on candy. And on Halloween day we hit up a kids event at the mall. As a last resort, I was prepared to hand out individual bags of animal crackers, along with juice boxes.

When the Glee-inspired teenage girls quartet left my front door, I was out of candy. There was no more candy that I could squander from my daughter's bag without her noticing. I quickly shut off the lights and hid out in the back room.

This year I'm prepared. In addition to the photo shown, I've got 21 candy bags prepared, a box of 50 bags of chips and another mega bag of chocolate bars. I've also got half a box of Sunkist treats.

The kids better come. I don't want to be stuck with all this candy.

Rhinebeck: A primer for newbies

I'm currently working on an article for my knitting guild's newsletter. At last week's executive meeting I had let it slip out that I went to Rhinebeck. People's ears perked up and I was encouraged to write an article. So I decided to write a primer for anyone thinking of going to Rhinebeck for the first time. Although Rhinebeck has been over for a week, I really should stop obsessing over it. Regardless, I'll share my ideas that any Rhinebeck newbie should know.

If you are wondering about the photos, they were taken at the front gates. The first photo is of the line in front of me. The second photo is the line behind me. 

Rhinebeck: A Primer for newbies

Rhinebeck, NY. It's the holy grail of everything fibrey. Taking place on the third weekend in October, tens of thousands fibre enthusiasts from across North America and beyond make the pilgrimage to the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival.

Want to go, but don't know how to go about planning your Rhinebeck adventure? Here's some tips from a novice Rhinebeck goer. I've gone to Rhinebeck twice and here's some pointers that may find helpful when planning your trip.

Plan well in advance

One of the main hurdles to planning your Rhinebeck adventure is booking a hotel room. Book early. You may want to make reservations as early as February or March to secure a hotel room. Places to stay include Kingston, Saugerties, Fishkill and Poughkeepsie. If you rather stay in an inexpensive hotel to direct more money to your stash acquisition budget, you can do that. Browse through the threads on the Ravelry Rhinebeck group where you can find honest reviews about hotels. If you want more information about a particular hotel, send a private message to a Raveller who has stayed at the establishment in question. Also, visit TripAdvisor to get more reviews. Renting a house is also a possible option, as well as renting a campsite cabin.

Travelling as a group

Want to travel with other knitters? It's very doable! Start putting out feelers to your knitter friends now to see if they are interested in making the six hour trek to the Hudson Valley area. If you've got a large group, consider renting a vehicle that will comfortably accommodate you, your passengers and your purchases. The key in travelling in a large group is to pack lightly so you can accommodate everyone's stash acquisitions.

Budget

Start saving now! Putting away money from every pay cheque will add up over time. Not only will you be spending money on yarn, fiber and equipment, you will need to direct money to lodgings, gas and food. You may want to divvy up your stash acquisition money if you plan to shop on both the Saturday and Sunday.

Take cash

Cash is the best way to pay for your purchases. Although many vendors do take credit cards, Internet access can be spotty at the fairgrounds. This year some vendors have had to turn away customers because they simply can't process credit cards. While there are ATMs at the fairgrounds, its likely best you hit up at ATM before you arrive to the festival.

Take a class

Rhinebeck has classes that run over a period of four days: Thursday to Sunday. From natural dying to beginning spinning, there is a class for about everyone's tastes. Classes are announced in the spring. Again, if you are interested in taking a class reserve your spot early as they do fill up fairly quickly. If you sign up early enough you will take home a gift bag.

Navigating the fairgrounds

The Dutchess County Fairgrounds open at 9 a.m. and Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday. To beat traffic leave your hotel early. Traffic will be particularly heavy when the fairgrounds close at 5 p.m. One way to beat the traffic is to leave early. Or have dinner across the street at the Eveready Diner to wait for the traffic to die down.

Go with a plan (or not)

If you are a planner and to visit specific vendors at Rhinebeck, make a detailed list that includes the vendor's name and location. Festival organizers compile an up-to-date vendors list on the show's website. Vendors can be easily found by noting their building and booth numbers. Going with no plan is a good strategy if it's your first visit to Rhinebeck as you will likely be overwhelmed with the number of vendors.

Meeting spot

Since the fairgrounds are vast and the crowds are large you will likely get split up from your group. After entering the fairgrounds, pick a meeting spot and time. This ensures that if you do decide to shop alone or inadvertently lose your shopping partner that you can reconnect before the fairgrounds close.

Pack your patience

Pack your patience is key when at Rhinebeck. Tens of thousands of people travel to this festival yearly, many of whom have the same goal as you: buy fibre and yarn. Booths such as Miss Babs, The Fold, Cephalopod Yarns, Jenny the Potter will busy and the line ups to pay for purchases will be long. Time your visits to big name vendors wisely. Also, food lines will be long and slow. It may be wise to pack a snack to nibble on while waiting in line or to tide you over while you shop.

Bring your knitting

You can only shop for so long before the yarn and booths start to meld together. Take frequent breaks. There is adequate seating throughout the fairgrounds so take advantage of it. To relax, take your knitting. Also, knitting in line ups will help kill time.

Chat with others

One of the best things about Rhinebeck is connecting with other knitters. Knitters from around the world make the trek to the festival every year. This year at Rhinebeck I met a woman from Virginia who came specifically for the podcasters meetup, a sheep farmer from Michigan, an avid quilter who was saving her money for an upcoming quilting festival in Houston, Texas, and I even saw a couple of fellow knitters from Ottawa. Take the time to chat with others. Everyone has a story. Keep an eye out for Ravelry meetups, too. There are usually meetups on both festival days.

Have fun

In my opinion, having fun is the main goal of Rhinebeck. Despite your purchases, the weather and traffic, you will make memories that you will cherish for years.

Plan for next year

If everything has gone according to plan you will likely start thinking about next year. It's never too early to plan for your next visit to Rhinebeck.

Fine tuning

When I went to Rhinebeck, I took a beginner's spinning class.

When I signed up my plan was to experience spinning, decide if I liked it and possibly buy a spinning wheel. Since paying my class fees in May, I've gotten addicted to spinning and built up a huge fiber stash. Please note that I'm currently in denial about large it has grown since July.

The spinning class was helpful. I learned that I was treadling way too fast. I need to keep on reminding myself that it is not a race. I'm tempted to post a little sign on my wheel that says slow down. I also learned how to correctly attach fiber. (Apparently the correct way is not to cross your fingers and hope for the best). And I've also learned the long draw drafting technique.

Today, I finally got to sit down at the wheel and practice what I learned. The long draw method, which I'm working on perfecting, is helping me to produce a consistent-looking yarn that has no corkscrews. I found some leftover practice Corriedale to use and spun two bobbins. I'll ply them together tomorrow.

As for the challenge I'm doing well. The only day I didn't manage to spin was last Thursday, which is pretty good considering I was at Rhinebeck.

Why I shouldn't return to Rhinebeck anytime soon (but will likely be back next year)

My name is Yarnitmomma and I've got a serious fibre addiction. I lay out the following evidence to back up my claim. 

This is my haul from Rhinebeck 2011:

Out of the above acquisition, I've used the following: two skeins of sock yarn, the knitting needles and roving. Although beautiful, I don't really use the yarn bowl. However, it looks great against the fire place, filled with braids of fibre. So in that sense I'm using it.

For those who don't know the lingo, Rhinebeck is the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, held annually at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, NY on the third weekend of October. It is a huge festival. HUGE. Thousands of people come every year. Hotels rooms are booked months in advance. People block off the third weekend of October in their calendars every year. Fellow knitters plan their vacations around the festival. 

Any reasonable person would say, "Hey Yarnitmomma, maybe you should take a pass at Rhinebeck this year. You've got about 10 skeins of yarn to use up. Perhaps adding to your stash isn't necessary. Just saying."

But that's what a reasonable person would say. As my friend L says, "We aim to corrupt." Meaning, no knitter worth her knitting needles would use logic to dissaude a fellow knitter from acquiring and/or adding to her or his stash.

So I returned to Rhinebeck this year. I even extended my stay by taking a spinning class. Despite only having one market day to enjoy, I managed to do some damage. This is what I brought home:

This year's acquisitions focused on fibre and equipment. I've been hanging around spinners too long. I finally caved in earlier this year and started spindle spinning. It was an instant addiction, resulting in me buying a spinning wheel in July. Between the wheel and the two Bosworth spindles I bought this year at Rhinebeck, I have no excuses not to turn all the fibre into yarn by next October. What is not shown is a Romney fleece I purchased. It is likely now at a mill in Michigan, slated to be processed.

Now, my stash acquisitions may not look like much or impress seasoned knitters. However, I've been in stash enhancement overdrive since the beginning of the year. It's a bit crazy. Well, it's more than a bit crazy, it's just darn crazy. I don't even want to look at my fibre stash. It started out humbly, but grew out of control around mid-summer when L got me a ball of BFL roving the size of my head as well as a pound of Merino Cashmere and Nylon mill ends at a festival in Quebec. And then there have been the miscellaneous fibre purchases.

When we left Rhinebeck on Sunday, I said no more! No more going to Rhinebeck until I do something with the out-of-control stash. But after looking at everyone's fibre and yarn photos in the Rhinebeck group on Ravelry, I started to relent. Soon, a plan started forming in my head. "Hey," I said to husband. "Why don't we go to Rhinebeck next year as a family? Lots of yummy food, kids activities and fun for the entire family."

He's thinking about it. And I'm thinking about next year's shopping list.

Shopping in America!

I just returned home yesterday after a five-day visit in the States.

I was fascinated with the food options you can get across the border. Not only is the selection wider, the prices are cheaper. On our first night we ate at diner. I got the following: soup, salad, drink, a huge entree and dessert. Grand total: $13.99. A couple of weeks ago I ate at Kelsey's. I ordered an appetizer, drink and a dessert. Grand total: $23.

Craziness!

The yogurt selection is better in the States than in Canada. And it's cheaper, too. I bought four huge cups of Chobani Greek yogurt for $1 each. I can't find this brand of yogurt in Canada. And if I didn't, I doubt it would be $1 per cup.

Then I found some slightly disturbing things, including sausages on a stick. Not only can you eat your sausage on a stick, it is surrounded by pancake batter. Artificial blueberry pancake batter. Not all that appetizing, if you ask me. But what do I know? It may be tasty. I would have picked up a box to take home, but I didn't have a freezer to store it in for five days.

However, I really wish I could find yogurt and M&Ms together. Where have you been all my life?

Why you should get your mammogram done

Mammograms are not fun. No one likes some stranger positioning you in awkward position so your breast can be pressed and squished into a pancake. However, getting one done can save your life.

I'm not even 40 yet and I've had two mammograms done. My latest one was done yesterday. Luckily I walked out of the breast health clinic in less than an hour of my scheduled appointment. This was a vastly different experience compared to my first mammogram.

Earlier this year I was told I had breast cancer. I ended up at the breast health clinic after my family physician  discovered a cyst. With a requesition for an ultrasound in hand, I made an appointment at the clinic. A routine ultrasound turned into a me getting a mammogram and a second ultrasound done. The radiologist told me that she believed I had cancer. There was a dark, but subtle, area in my left breast that raised alarm bells.

More appointments were made, this time for a biopsy and a MRI. For almost two weeks I walked around thinking I had cancer. I started making plans. I arranged for child care for my daughter. I called relatives. My husband made arrangements to take time off for appointments.

While I was counting down the days to meet the surgeon, I received a phone call from my family physician who informed me the area in question was actually dense tissue. No cancer. I didn't light up the MRI.

It was a surreal experience. I have no ill will towards the breast health clinic. They take this stuff seriously. I was just lucky. After reading some statistics and talking to professionals at the clinic, about 90 per cent of the time the radiologist is correct in his or her's assessment after reading the ultrasound and mammogram results. Luckily, I just happen to fall in that 10 per cent.

After meeting with the surgeon, he told me they follow up on every case. He also told me that the worst thing a doctor can do is dismiss that you have breast cancer because of age.

When my family physician discovered that cyst, she could had easily said, "It's a cyst. Don't worry about it." Instead, she followed up on it.

This whole experience has showed me that breast cancer screening is important. If you need to get a mammogram done, get it done. Again, no one likes there breasts squished into pancakes, but a bit of annoyance can save your life.

Spin challenge update

I've been spinning in earnest. Every day I've been spinning either on the wheel or spindle, but mainly with the spindle. I'm not too sure what it is about spindle spinning that makes it so satisfying. Maybe it's the act of the fibres sliding past each other with ease. Or maybe it is the meditative effects of the twirling spindle. Whatever it is I just can't get enough.

I've been spinning a braid of BFL roving from Turtlepurl. This is my second time spinning her stuff and I love it. What I don't love is plying on a spindle. I've learned from experience that spindle plying will send me into a tear-induced fit of rage. I now ply on the wheel. Much, much easier.

So here's a photo of my progress. I'm plugging along. I'm over halfway done the braid. I should be done by the end of the month.

He's like freaking CityTV: He's everywhere!

Remember my post earlier this year about me meeting a robot on my front doorstep? If not, let me refresh your memory. (Linky here!)

Today, while meandering downtown on a Thanksgiving Monday on Wellington Street, we bumped into Robbie the Friendly Robot. Robbie, who seems to be a robot with a heart, was collecting money for the food bank. We made a donation. We took another photo of Robbie and my daughter. Actually, he's quite a photogenic robot.

For a robot, he gets around. This is the fourth time I've seen Robbie. The first two times were on my front doorstep and the third was at a cancer run in June. I've seen a picture of him on Meanwhile in Canada's facebook page. Robbie is like CityTV in Toronto. He's everywhere!

My day in a Haiku

This morning someone posted a thread in a Ravelry group asking people to describe their day in a Haiku.

This is what I posted this morning:

Today is gloomy
Husband’s servers are down now
Thanksgiving solo

It pretty well summed up my morning. I woke up to a wet and cold October morning with no husband in sight as he drove to work at 5 a.m. regarding computer issues. This meant I'd be travelling alone to Thanksgiving celebrations at my grandmother.

This is what I posted 11 hours later:

I love pumpkin pie
Sweet, delicious pumpkin pie
Don’t make me fat, k?

I love pumpkin pie. Not sure where this love stems from as I avoided it at all family functions when I was a kid. My mom brought a couple of pumpkin pies at a local farm stand and they delicious. She gave me one to take home. It will likely make me fat. Damn flaky pastry crust.

Spinning challenge

I've fallen back in love with spindle spinning again.

I started spinning on a spindle back in May when I borrowed a friend's Bosworth. I was instantly hooked. Although I don't own a spindle of my own, I love, love, love spindle spinning. At one point I had two Bosworths (both borrowed) going at the same time. I eventually gave the spindles back to my friends when I got back into knitting at full speed. But ended up reborrowing a Bosworth two weeks ago. Glad I did because I'm pretty happy with the results. Also, I've been spinning every day this month.

The reason I love spindle spinning is that I can take it on the go. I can spin at the park, cafes, restaurants and outside my daughter's school. People are fascinated when you bring out the spindle. I will admit when I spotted a knitter spindle spinning at a knitting guild meeting I didn't have a clue what she was doing. Kids are particularly spellbound with whirling spindles. They look like toys. Cool toys that they've never seen before. When I was spinning at Ikea this morning a friend's two-year-old daughter looked at the spindle with delight. She even "helped" me spin the spindle. It was just too cute.

So this month's challenge is to spin every day, regardless if it with a spindle or spinning wheel. My hope is to spin and ply the Turtlepurl roving I've got on the Bosworth by the end of the month and start kntting socks. (See, everything relates back to socks!) 

Last harvest

Today, I pulled up my garden.

It was time. It's October. The days are getting cooler and we're bound to get frost soon. I should have done it sooner, but I formed a weird attachment to my bean plants. The beans served me well. I can't believe how much beans they produced. If summer had lingered a bit longer I'm sure they would have produced more beans.

I pulled out some peas, along with peppers and tomatoes before ripping out the plants from the garden. Peppers did not do well this year. As such, they won't be planted next year. I've got big plans for next year and they will likely center on beans. I'll likely try cucumbers again, even though we had disastrous results this year.