Alero

My Car on the Cape Breton Trail 08

I drive a 99 Olds Alero. She's seen better days. She has some rust spots and recently I noticed one spot goes right through the body. She isn't as shiny as when I bought her back in 2001. When I first got her she had only 65,000 km on her but in 8 years, I've put another 220,000 kilometers on her. That's an average of 32,000 km a year. I have a friend who has a car that's a 91 and still has under 100,000 kilmeters on her. She took us all the way to the East Coast and back last summer because I didn't want to take Jeff's Jeep. It has no trunk and in the summer he has a soft top and you can't lock it. How would I bring mountains of yarn back? Hubby loves his Jeep and I think it's fun but not for a long trip. I lent this car to Hayley one summer when she was doing landscaping for a summer job in Oakville. It's survived one teenage driver (luckily Mike had his own car by this time) and yes Hayley, you are a great driver who would never smash up her mother's car like her brother. This car has never left me stranded. Sure, I've replaced the battery and done regular maintenance. Lately, the little problems are getting more regular. I have no rear defrost anymore, my gas gauge no longer works properly and my dash lights up like a Christmas tree with all the warning lights, and currently the trunk is bungied shut because it won't close. And before Christmas, suddenly my fan would stop working after a few minutes. Jeff replaced it and all was good with the world. Here in Canada, the last thing you want is to be caught with no heat, driving in a blizzard. Well, yesterday when I left on my 40 minute trek to work I had heat, and then suddenly on the 401 it was gone. Luckily, although cold, there wasn't snow or ice to deal with so I didn't experience any problems, and the same again on the way home. Jeff will have to take a look at her again. It's like her heart keeps beating but all her other faculties are starting to go. I'd really like to nurse her along 1 more year and buy something newer when the Jeep is paid off. Hang in there baby!!!!!

On the knitting front, I've been working diligently on a Central Park Hoodie for Hayley which I'm calling the High Park Hoodie because High Park is close to wear Hayley lives. The yarn is Saphira, a superwash merino in a rich wine shade. I've got the back, the fronts, 1 sleeve and a part of a sleeve done. Just the hood and the button bands to do and then the finishing. The pattern is very easy to follow plus I joined a KAL on ravelry and whenever I seem to have a question it's one that's already one that's been asked. Google is our friend. I think Hayley will really be happy with this sweater.














I also knit up a speedy cabled beret for my friend Mary from work. I had a beautiful Araucania Azapa in a light blue from Rose Haven Farm Store in Picton. Note Rose Haven is a wonderful store and I'll be back. The hat was so speedy that I started it on a Saturday night and finished it up Sunday morning and then had enough yarn left that I made a matching cowl to go with it. Mary said she loved it and that her daughter Maddie nabbed it and wore it to hockey that night. I have a photo posted on ravely but it's not very good because I didn't have anyone other than Jeff to model and it's just a little to feminine for him. The next day I found a big jug of wine on my desk from Mary. Thanks Mary!!

As I've mentioned before in this blog almost every Tuesday night I go with Jeff to cheer on the local Junior C team. Until Thursday night, they had an undefeated season. I'm not sure what happened that night but in my eyes the team is still fantastic. Hopefully, they just had a bad night and maybe they are just adjusting to recent player changes to their team. I got a new camera from Jeff for Christmas. I love it because I've never been that good at photography but even I can not screw this one up. I tried it out at the hockey game but there is definitely an art to following the players and snapping the picture at the right time when it focuses. Sadly, the pictures I took are not as good as the ones Jeff took and standing behind the dirty plexiglass doesn't help but I at least didn't have to pick the dirtiest piece to stand behind. Therefore I give you a picture Jeff took of the hockey game which I think captures the action and one that I took of the Zamboni...everyone loves Zamboni's right?