Photo taken: Dec 12, 2011

I should add to yesterday’s post that I don’t work 8 hours a day at the office, I work 5 hours at the office each day. I’m off in time to pick up Bushboy at school, and do school activities, and I feel very fortunate to have found a job that uses my skills and yet allows me to still be a mom. That also leaves me time for editing and tutoring, although not much writing gets done when I get home. Except here – I love writing on this blog, it gives me a place to connect with many like-minded people, or to have my mind expanded a little by the smart people who read this blog. Yesterday wasn’t about sympathy, as there are many many women much busier than me, but more about acknowledging another step in my acceptance journey.

Knit on, my friends. Knit on. I have another purl row calling me.

Big calendars help. Making lists helps. Good communication helps. And an acceptance that we can’t do it all, that I can’t attend as many meetings as I used to, that the house doesn’t always get cleaned on time or the way we’d like, that helps.

Maintaining balance, for me, is partially achieved through good Time Management, so I know I’m not doing so well when I start to feel overwhelmed or off-balance. Rushing occasionally is ok, feeling rushed all the time is not ok. Finding the path for our little family through that maze is a new challenge. I’ll let you know how I do.

Anyhow, lots of knitting going on. I have started on Bushboy’s sweater – black yarn, but not too complex thankfully. I’m having to size up, as the pattern he picked doesn’t go up to his size, but that’s just math. I made myself a blue pair of fingerless mitts for my desk at work, and of course took them to work before taking pictures. But I then made my co-worker a pair, which I think I like even better.

The yarn is some most luscious Koigu sock yarn, so soft! The pattern is my own.

The other project I am working on, in fact the one taking most of time, is Haruni. This is a gift for my mum’s 70th birthday which is coming up at the beginning of February. So I’m knitting as fast as I can! I’m almost finished the body pattern section now. (The picture was taken last week and I don’t have a more recent one – I’m too busy knitting to take pictures.)

This yarn is Diamond Luxury Collection’s Foot Loose, and it is also a nice, soft yarn. I love the greens, and I think they will complement my mum’s wardrobe nicely.

What are you all working on these days?

The January beach in sunshine is so special, we try to take advantage whenever we can. This day was cold, but at the protected beach with the sun shining it felt warm on the bones.

The beach in January blows out cobwebs, allows fresh air to get into the lungs and the hair and on the face. The tang of salt and the call of birds enhances the experience. Aside from camping, it is the place where we are all the most at peace.

We search for treasures, watch the birds dive in the water, throw sticks for the dog. We simply be, for twenty or thirty minutes, and allow life to come to us. We accept this gift.

This year that day was last Friday. The skies were cloudy but clear, and we were hopeful that we would have a good day on the slopes.

Ready to head up the hill. January skiing was once again cold!

We spent the morning getting our ski legs back and enjoying our regular runs. The Hawk was pretty busy, with a lot of classes happening. We headed up the Eagle, and were rewarded with some spectacular views.

Getting off the Hawk, looking North-West over Strathcona Park.

Getting off the Eagle chair, looking over Georgia Strait, south down to Denman Island and Hornby Island. The mountains in the distance are the Mainland Coastal mountains.

Half way down Linton's Loop, looking South-West into Strathcona Park and the Central Island mountains.

I had been predicting that this year Bushboy would be ready to do some more adventurous skiing, and I was right. So after lunch Bushboy and I went off together and ventured over to the Sunrise chair, while Mr. Kate enjoyed the more relaxed runs of the Hawk. We skied our hearts out, and Bushboy was right with me as we swooped down the big runs, which we had almost to ourselves. In fact, as he would be quick to point out, he passed me on one of them (I kept him on my heels for the rest of the runs). This was such a thrill for me, as I love to ski fast, and although I love to ski with Mr. Kate, he doesn’t quite love it as much as I do. So to have Bushboy now be able to comfortably ski with me was really fun.

Ready for adventure! (Still at the top of the Eagle, on our way to Sunshine.)

We ended the day with no mishaps, big smiles, and three delicious Beaver Tails. Best ski day yet.

He now is the proud owner of an iPod, and like it or not, we are deeply immersed in the electronic age around here as I may have given Mr. Kate a toy as well – a waterproof, shockproof video camera to film the river and riding adventures.

It is an interesting fence to straddle – the desire to be a part of the electronic age and yet the need to stay grounded in the natural beauty that surrounds us and the physical world we exist in.

At least I know it won’t dampen his love of reading – the first few things he did were to download a free ereader app which gave him The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes which he immediately started; find an Archie comics app and find an app for the other series that he likes, Bone. But lets not kid ourselves, there are a number of games already on there as well!

The rules adapt, and grow and expand. Not to school, not in bed unless for reading, no video or internet upstairs. Slippery slopes require tough footgear, inside and out.

As much change as we have seen in the past 10 to 15 years, I’m not sure it can compare to the changes that were seen at the turn of the past century. From horse carriages to subways, from oil lamps to electric lights, from Victorian design to a new esthetic. And yet also, some things have not changed as much as we would like to think, basic human equality, freedom to love and be loved by whom we chose and not be restricted by that in where we go or work or what we do.

The book is dripping with names of famous people who helped shape New York, and the western world of the 20th century, with their wealth, or art, or words. But there is also attention paid to the immigrants, to the poor and to the working masses.

I liked the little details, things like women getting to wear swimming costumes for the first time, and being able to rent them at the seaside. Or what the residents of the city thought of the Statue of Liberty. Or people learning to ride bikes as adults for the first time.

While the writing wasn’t stunning (although it was solid and well-written), the story itself was. A delightful piece of history.