Summer Things

This has been my summer staycation week and we've done some summer things! 

Saturday was BBQing/smoking day. Craig & I smoked 4 butt roasts. 

 

We ate the 1^st one that day; the other 3 went into the freezer. A 2^nd cooking in the slow cooker will have them even more fall apart for an even more delectable pulled-pork experience!!

True to BBQ traditions, there was a good amount of waiting and watching, and we couldn't have had a better day for it!! 

 

Tuesday was Beach Day and Craig chose Grand Bend as the destination. 

We even found Craig's Town. 

 

Again, a picture perfect day. 

 

 

I got schooled in mini golf, but we had so much fun, it was totally worth it! 

 

 

I got a yearning to see Julie, not in the least because she got in a shipment of Hedgehog Fibres ! Craig was totally on board. He's wonderful❤️ I say "Do you want to ...? or, Let's ..." and he's on his feet ready for the adventure!! 

He went off checking out some local historical buildings/pubs, while I had a nice catch-up with Julie. I came away with a skein of Twist Sock 

for myself and some Mrs Crosby Reticule 

 

to knit up an Ashling Shawl. 

And then there's that whole Pokémon GO thing. Yes, we play. It's so much fun! 

 

While Petey has never been a distance walker (aka lazy), this is really highlighting his lack of walking enthusiasm. 😂😂 

Chica is my Pokédog and would willingly walk and help me catch 'em all while Petey is my pokey dog, starts balking and it takes all of my encouragement and even some pulling to get him back to home. He was right tuckered out by the end of today!! 

 

Bless❤️

Definitely a memorable vacation!!

Ordinary Things

This was a wonderful weekend. We didn't do anything extraordinary, but it was special for doing them together. 

After a long lie in on Saturday morning (a 3 AM bedtime is quite late for these old bones) we went up to Barrie Hill Farm  to pick strawberries. As ever, the berries were lovely, and the day was perfect for it.

 

 

 Since I was young, strawberries went with proper whipped cream. Not canned, not Cool Whip (horrors!!!), but whipping cream, whipped at home just before dolloping it on top of the freshly cut strawberries. Craig had been deprived of this, but now understands the singular and most pleasurable experience. Sorry, we just gobbled them up before I thought to take enticing pictures. 

Today we did some errands and then went to the OCTRA FEI Provincial Championships in New Lowell. Craig's father had sold a horse that was competing, and Jazz (renamed Ginger) is a horse that Craig really loved. 

 

 

Unfortunately, she had a misstep in the trail and was stiff in her hindquarters and was unable to finish despite a first-class rider. 

It was interesting learning about an endurance competition, and the horses were all well mannered and beautiful. 

I didn't get a whole lot of knitting done, but it was a weekend well worth the sacrifice. I'm making up for lost time tonight as its back to work tomorrow. 

Bernat Sweet Spot

This is my first foray outside of my traditional fingering weight and indie designer yarns for a Sweet

Spot afghan. 

It knits up faster, and it's acrylic, but I keep reminding myself that this is for function and ease of care. And I'm not disliking it, the colours are working up wonderfully! 

 Though I was surprised that given that this is a manufactured yarn, that I have two balls set aside because they are hitting the sweet

spot at a stitch count 4 sts greater than what I'm at now. I know. Damned odd, and well outside of my expectations given my not insignificant experience. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the colours break down. 

It's not an insurmountable problem though; I'll just do a strip at the higher stitch count. 

I discovered a fantastic and delicious alternative to traditional potato crisps at Costco. 

Whisps are made from Parmesan cheese. That's it, that's all.  They are salty and crunchy with no added sugars/carbs. Craig was especially impressed and we are going to buy a significant atock pile!! 

It was nice to have a day to just watch him play his games whilst I alternates between dozing and knitting. 

Tonight, it's the drive in. We're both clearly quite pleased at the prospect. It's been a while since I've been to a drive in!! 

 Independence Day and The Purge:Election Year. 

Great start to a long weekend!!