Vancouver(ish) Tribe: Sugared Mountains & Bare Branches - Page 8

[vancouverlori]

Ooh, I'd be up for a knitting get together. Of course I don't actively knit (where do people find the time?), but I've got a few things started I could carry on with...

Originally Posted by Ksenia

freaking out here. The parcel that Canada Post was supposed to deliver yesterday is still in Mississauga . The shipper has put in trace. I need it by Monday.

Well, not much you can do. Is it a shared gift? As in a game or toy that they're all supposed to play with? Or is it individual items? Fortunately you've got 2 business days AND at least it doesn't have to cross any borders. Chances are good that you'll get it in time.

[Pealette]

Knitting! Me me me! I'll be in town on Monday night only. Perhaps a North Van knit?
I would LOVE an excuse to get out of my in-laws!!! (Things aren't so smooth there this year.)
Devin has asked me to finally finish the finishing touches on his stocking. I'll work on snowflakes.

[vancouverlori]

Lisa/Stormbride - good luck to your sister! My dad's long-time girlfriend (my favourite one) had heart valve surgery in her 30's (and probably a few other times) and has had several different kinds of pacemakers over the years. And she's still tickin' in her late 60's. Admittedly, she's had some tough times in the health department (chain smoking and a history of heavy drinking doesn't help!), but she's still here enjoying life. Hopefully a pacemaker will be all your sister needs, but in any case, she's in good hands.

As for the baking - it's easy for me to say "meh, fuggedaboudit!" because I don't bake. (It stresses me out. And I eat most of it.) But I've had friends who found that baking was a big help to them when they were anxious (or needed to procrastinate). Do what makes you feel better and what you enjoy and don't worry about the rest. Your DD2 is still so little - you're doing way more than I manage now, and I've only got 2 and the youngest is 6!!! You're super-woman! (And no, my house doesn't look any better...)

DH and I had a talk about gifts for each other tonight. We've decided that we just won't bother getting gifts for each other, but rather we'll go on a date and go shopping together and each buy a thing or two we want/need. For every gifty occasion. Excellent!

[Ellp]

Hugs Lisa, my thoughts are with you and your sister...:

Baking: I've done two batches of cookies and somehow they disappear really fast. I love baking though, its my stress reliever. There's just something really rewarding about measuring things, mixing it all together and having a finished product that eventually disappears.

I'd be up for a knitting session. Are we talking about a daytime or nighttime knit? I'd prefer a daytime knit if possible just because I hate driving in the dark.

I haven't been knitting in a long time though as I've gotten into Tablet weaving, aka: card weaving. So I might bring that instead. I have a small portable loom that I weave on. Here's an example of a sash (belt) I made for someone: http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...p/IMG_1439.jpg

[tooticky]

Ellaine - that is BEAUTIFUL!

to you Stormbride. And sending healing thoughts to your sister...

[Laggie]

Ksenia - Canada Post's tracking system is weird, they usually only update it after the fact. So there is a faint hope that the package is actually much closer than Mississauga.

I can't believe Christmas is so close and I am so far from finished! Ack!

I am frantically trying to knit a pair of gloves for my little sister. Well, they became mittens since that is way faster. I guess I'll be sending DP to the store next week for all the last minute stuff, since he is off work. I'm also waiting for 3 more things to arrive in the mail. That part is the worst, not really knowing if I will need to find something else or not. I might have to fall back on my grandma's tradition of socks and chocolate for everyone.

I'm planning a baking storm on Saturday. It's the only day I have, so let's hope it goes well... Sunday I'm having some family over for brunch and don't know yet if it will be for 8 people or 12. I just need to r-e-l-a-x. Next year I'm going somewhere warm and sunny for Christmas. I say that every year.

[Storm Bride]

Autumn Mama: You didn't sound insensitive at all. It's good to hear from people who have dealt with pacemakers, because I've never known anybody who had one (well, that I knew of, anyway). My maternal grandmother had triple bypass surgery when I was really young, and had heart health issues right up until she died, but she didn't have a pacemaker.

Thank you all so much. My sister is supposed to go to St. Paul's for an angiogram...it was supposed to be today, but she can't go over yet...don't know if they do those over the weekend or not. I gather they're thinking she might need a stent. So...we'll see how it goes. I'm trying not to get into a tizzy about this, but I don't do well with the waiting part!

She's a heavy smoker, occasional drinker (I don't mean an occasional drink - I mean she's an off and on again drinker), and has had some pretty major dental issues in the past. I'm sure those all contribute, but...wow...I'm still a bit stunned.

I got my pfefferneusse dough made yesterday. Today, I make those cookies and mix up my pastry. I'll do the mincemeat tarts tomorrow. And...that's everything, I think.

I might do one more batch of shortbread, but that's easy. (It's hard to get it right, but I never do, so I don't have to worry about that part. It's still pretty yummy, even if I can't quite nail the texture.)

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Laggie

Ksenia - Canada Post's tracking system is weird, they usually only update it after the fact. So there is a faint hope that the package is actually much closer than Mississauga.

This is a good point. It wasn't Canada Post, but I got an email a couple of days ago telling me that a package I'd ordered had shipped. The email arrived about 3 hours after the package did!

[Autumn Mama]

knitting...

I would love to come! It would be great to meet some of you who I have not yet met. I may just chat as my knitting practise is not exactly thriving, lol! I can definitely come after the 1st of January, before that it is dodgey, but I may be able to arrange it.

Ksenia, my heart goes out to you about your missing parcels. Have you found some alternatives yet (question mark...yes, that annoying French thing again!)
I wondered about picking up some Doodle books at Chapters, adding some art suplies tailored to the ages of the various kids and voila...art projects!

Or make some snowman kits...visit the thrift store or Sally Anne and get some interesting hats scarves, mittens, collect pretty rocks for eyes, buttons etc, cut different branches while at the cabin, some evergreen, some mossy etc and present these (question mark)

Maybe visit the library and bring alot of winter-themed books for helping pass the time (in lieu of the gifts that you no doubt found being quite engaging...)...I have two potentially missing parcels too, and I paid over $30.00 for shipping...they could be late but itès been over 10 days! These are the things coming from Santa...if they get here.

[Autumn Mama]

Yes, I got the confirmation of shipping email too............ 10 days ago. Oy!!!

I keep wondering if it arrived here, got left on the doorstep, and someone stole it...no, wait a minute I now live in the boonies. That was central Richmond (three blocks from Daiso actually ) where that would have occurred! Now I rarely lock my door at night or when I go out, lol.

[Storm Bride]

I ordered ds1's gifts late (we were going to get him a snowboard - used - and he came home one day and announced that a school friend was going to sell him a used snowboard for $20.00 and wasn't that awesome?). I don't know if either of them are going to get here in time. *sigh*

[Autumn Mama]

Does anyone know where I can pick up a K'Nex Pulleys and Cranks locally?? My Mom and Dh's mom send us cheques to use for gifts at the last minute. Sigh. I thought I was done shopping. This happens every year, and I forget to be ready for it. Any ideas?? It falls under the "educational" series so Toys R Us doesn't have it...usually I find them at the independants...if you've seen it let me know!!

[flowmom]

Autumn, love your santa gift!! I bought a poorly designed fort building thingy that I returned...your looks great.

sending to those waiting on parcels. I'm feeling sick about mine. I can't fudge the santa thing -- I will have to go shopping on monday if they don't arrive by then (and I have to come up with another plan as what I ordered isn't available locally). the gifts from us can be given on another day, but traditionally all the children get one identical thing from santa, so...

[flowmom]

Autumn Mama, you might want to call The Toy Jungle in coquitlam...they have slightly more educational selection of toys than toysrus.

[flowmom]

Where's the best place to buy LEGO - closeish to North Burnaby?

[Piglet68]

Wow, last minute Xmas shopping stress is here! I have booked a whole day off (Wednesday) to do all my shoppping. I'm going with my Mum and we always have a nice time, stop for coffee, etc. I think I might try to make it to Daiso, as I'm sure she would love that store.

Speaking of Lego, my cousin just handed me a huge tub of it! Her kids are in college now and bless her, she kept it and has given it to us. Yay! It appears to be good "fine motor skills" therapy for DS!

[sea island mama]

Started this a while ago...sorry if some things aren't current...

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

No suggestions about keeping track. I used to be really good at it, but I've completely lost it over the last few years. I think I have about twice as much as I need for ds1's stocking, and dd1's and ds2's are almost empty.

Oh no - stockings!

She's now in the hospital, in the cardiac unit, and I'm spending a lot of time trying to pretend I'm not freaked out. I can't seem to collect my thoughts or get organized...

Sorry to hear that - I hope she is better soon . My mum has had a pacemaker for a few years & it's not a big deal...just a little bump under the skin.

I should go make my pfefferneusse. That would only leave a batch of gingerbread and a pile of pastry for mincemeat tarts...and a ton of wrapping.

I'd be impressed if you only got a quarter of that done!

[Autumn Mama]

Ksenia, Lego is interesting... there are so many singular items now on the market with specialized pieces, that basically only build that thing and don't interchange with other pieces very well. The very basic bricks are trickier to find. I might call ahead to Toy Jungle or the Toy Traders in Langley by Willowbrook. They have tonnes of Lego (and Playmobil ) but I'm not certain I saw plain bricks. I picked up some plain bricks in an ugly plastic tub but I know DS likes to freefrom with his Lego, so it will work better for him than the series sets. It was from the Tsawwassen toy store. My Ds had a few years of K'Nex fun too, as an idea...some of their sets are "educational" simply meaning they pull from physics concepts etc (like the Pulleys set I'm trying to find. They have a gears set that is fun...). Ds loves it and it blends with Lego too. My Ds has Playmobil hanging out with the Duplo, and with the K'Nex and Tumble Tree Timbers, etc etc, It's all one big happy unschooly toy menagerie over here! Oh, and there's usually train track I have to watch out for, winding here and there. My DH always trips; I never do. Go figure.

By the way...anyone else's floor look like Christmas has already come?? It looks like a toy cyclone swept through here...I think we have enough stuff, yet there's more coming. ("More coming!" Like the hamsters in the Ten Minutes 'til Bedtime story...LOL!) I'd really like to persuede the boys to adopt a "one in, one out" philosophy around gifts. I'm afraid it will go over like the proverbial lead balloon. I guess some stuff might have to vanish in the night!

And thanks, Ksenia, Toy Jungle was one of the places I called...they're a 1/2 hour away. Granville Island sounds dismal at this time of year...too far and lousy parking. Maybe we'll just order it in January with the next LI load...

[flowmom]

I agree with your thoughts on LEGO Autumn. I had actually ordered a bin of bulk LEGO from ebay -- that's one of my missing parcels. Ds has a tiny amount of bricks so I wanted to add to that. Piglet, you're lucky about the bin that you scored. You'd be shocked at how much that is likely worth if you look at prices on Craigslist. Ds' grandparents (ILs) have boxes and boxes of vintage LEGO that is perfectly sorted into sets in ziploc bags with instructions. I had to beg to get ds access to one little set when he was bored stiff while we were staying at their home. According to them, ds shouldn't have LEGO because we don't have a "LEGO room" and he is not old enough to keep them in sets . I wish they would at least sell the sets and get the money for it if they don't want their grandchildren to play with it .

[Piglet68]

Wow, Ksenia, that is brutal about the IL's Lego!

Btw, you can get a set of plain Lego building blocks (i.e. not a set for a specific thing) at the toy store at Lonsdale Quay (forget the name, but it's on the second floor, always has a Thomas the Train table set up out front). It was pretty pricey, as I recall, but I was pleased to see at least someone carried plain ol' Lego blocks.