the ides of December

Allow me to share with you a little-known secret. I have discussed at some length the holiday in the Annals of Brouhaha known as PayDay. This typically occurs on the 15th and the 30th of each month. Well, when the 15th falls on a Saturday, this means that PayDay actually occurs on the 14th!

So, in celebration of PayDay and despite the pile of work on my desk screaming to be done before I leave the country on Monday, off I headed to Romni over the lunch break.

(And yes, yes... I do remember what I said to you yesterday about not buying any more yarn in 2007. That steely resolve lasted approximately 1/2 hour and had flown away by the time I passed the Bank of Montreal on the way to the office...perhaps "cotton candy-like resolve" is a more appropriate term, really.)

I had actually gone in for the sole purpose of purchasing three skeins of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted (approximate cost = $29.25 total). This was to be in aid of a Moebius hat for me to take on my trip with me. In this regard, I got to Romni and marched resolutely past the Handmaiden section, not even glancing toward the Butterfly Super 10 and made it to the very back of the store where they keep the Brown Sheep.

I had even managed to pick what I wanted for the hat when I spied this:

Malabrigo! In Jacinto, Fuscia, and Vermilion!!!

I have virtually "heard" reams about this stuff on message boards and had thus far managed to avoid looking at it or touching it. I now realise what all that talk about rolling around in it naked was all about. It was very difficult to restrain myself.

So, back went the Brown Sheep.

Unfortunately, I was persuing the Magical Knitting book by Cat Bordhi on the subway to work, and spied with my little eye something that was made with Noro Kureyon:

So, this will be a scarf at some point.

And, of course, right next to the cash the evil Romni types had placed a display of this:

More Grande Godiva!

Sigh.

Lest you think, however, that I am completely selfish, Aphrodite got something as well...

A windbreaker/rainjacket from Mountain Equipment Co-op!

All right, all right ... I confess. It is really for me. Hey - I'm going to England and was told to bring an umbrella! I don't own a rainjacket (or at least I didn't until yesterday).

Will all my stash in hand plus a pile of work to bring home with me (sigh), I made my way to the Bar Wellington to meet The Tenant Advocates. A good time was had by all.

And what lies in store today?

Errands. Argh. Must go to three different banks and gather funds for the trip, get a haircut, buy Nicorette for the plane and President's Choice fudge for John's son and his partner. I will be meeting a friend for falafel at Cleopatra as well, so all is not lost.

Then... I will be doing a mountain of laundry and work that I need to finish and sign off on before I go. I'm a bit angry with myself as it seems I will not get my Tilted Duster in time to take on the trip as I had hoped. But I guess I don't need to be so hard on myself... the only really tough part will be deciding what yarn to take with me on the trip.

And... knitting needles are allowed in carry on luggage in Canada these days! Yippee! And thanks to Sarah for reminding to triple-check! So, if worse comes to worst I can always finish the Tilted Duster on the plane!!!

A happy and peaceful Saturday to you all: and today marks the birthday of both Gustave Eiffel (creator of the Eiffel Tower, which I will be seeing "live" in a couple of weeks!) and Nero. How appropriate. I've spent around a week fiddling, and will now be burning up the books this weekend!

Sigh.