Sorry

This blog has been delayed due to technical difficulties!
I decided after starting the 2009 year in review, that I would upload the photos in reverse order so that when Blogger puts them in the working window, they would be in the right order. However, at about the same time, I started a massive re-arrangements of my photos. When we first started using digital photography, I wasn't sure how I wanted them organized. I made separate folders for each of the kids, one for the family, and then added folders for particular events...but then I'd be faced with the question...does this go in Meg's folder, or the family folder? Etc. I decided a couple months ago to just keep my knitting/sewing etc pictures separate and start just using the monthly folders. Then I had to go back through the other folders, and make many new ones, to put the old pictures into the correct month. To add to the difficulty, when we transferred the pictures from our old computer to this one in Nov. 07, most of those pictures did not keep their 'taken on' date info. Some pictures I had dated as their file name, some were of particular events and I could easily remember the month, but there were some that were too general---Huey in the sprinkler at Grandma's.
And then...Rob decided to 'optimize' the computer's viewing system and now all the pictures show up as photo icons instead of the actual photo thumbnail. And since I stopped naming most pictures, I have to open each picture to find out what it is.

So, until we get that sorted out, just keep up with me on Facebook, LOL.

So This is 2010.

I have a (step) aunt who sends out a wonderful yearly letter of her family's adventures that year. It's always filled of trips and cruises, the success of their business, and what their kids are up to. We know their life is not perfect, but for 15 minutes while reading the letter, it sure seems like it.

I keep thinking I should write one too. But keep the real stuff in it. Let's see. How did 2009 go for the Mainwarings of Orangeville, now Whitby?

January

We had a massive snow storm at the end of January, after having a fairly mild Christmas.
Meg's fashion sense continued to evolve.

And Daddy did his first and only hair cut on one of the girls.

FebruaryMeg explored the world of make up. And got a 'real' big-girl haircut.

We went to Bancroft to 'celebrate' the creation of the newest statuatory holiday "Family Day" which co-incided with my mom's birthday. If you look through the bush, you can see the 4 wheeler out on the pond, with Rob and probably the two girls.

We went for an evening walk around the neighbourhood. Almost all the snow we got at the end of January melted.

One happy participant; one not-so-happy one. Rob grew a goatee for Valentine's Day. I made him the hat for Valentine's Day. Guess which one has lasted longer?In early February, Rob got another job interview with OPG (Ontario Power Generation, the portion of the former Ontario Hydro that deals with power generation management--they create and run the power sources, but Hydro One actually delivers the power). This time, it was in downtown Toronto. They wanted to set up the appointment quite quickly so we thought things would move along quickly. After travelling from his parents' house in Oshawa to downtown Toronto by GO Train and subway, Rob was pretty sure he didn't want to work downtown. They seemed pleased with the interview though.

I'm going to leave off here as I forgot to upload the pictures in reverse order and it takes too long to rearrange them.

Sami---Singer 327

Sami left a comment (not sure why this blog and not my knititng one) asking if the Singer 327 has a built in knit contour. It does! I haven't used it, but I do have patterns for it. I'm hoping I'll have room in my new studio space to have it set up all the time and finally learn to use all the features. There is a (bad) picture of the machine on my other blog and the knit contour is the black roller on the left side of the machine.

Sorry!

I can't believe my last post was Nov. 24!!! A LOT of things happened in December, mostly crummy, and I had lots of fodder for posts, but between Facebook, life, Ravelry, and my other blog, this one just got a little neglected. Sometimes I need time to digest things before I start blabbering away on my blog too, LOL.

The kids started back to school today, so finally I can use the computer again! I have a long list of things to do now that I have my kidless time back in the afternoons, so it may be a couple days till I get back here again. Hang tight (or check me out on Facebook, LOL).

Tragedy

One reason we won't take the kids on a cruise yet (well, not on Royal Caribbean anyway) is that the railings have horizontal bars...perfect for kids to climb up on to lean over the railing. I just know my children would do that. Maybe not yours, but mine would.

I was heading to my Yahoo email, when a heading in the Yahoo news caught my eye. A 15 month old toddler was being held by his mother in the Toronto airport, she got distracted with her other son, and the toddler wiggled loose--over the railing, fell 15m, and sadly died. This might sound like an accident, but it was preventable. Simple babywearing could have prevented this. The next option would be the 'traditional' stroller. I have such a fear of this sort of thing happening to my own children, and I don't have either safety method anymore (I also don't, generally, hold any of my children on my hip anymore either). The next time you lift your child up to see something, think about this little boy.

Oh Really?

I get an email newsletter from Burda, the sewing company. It said there's a new pattern for a plus size wrap dress. Now, I know I've put on weight, but I don't consider myself plus size...however, in the sewing world, I know I'm at the top of the normal range. However, when I went to the pattern page, this is what I saw:

Does she look plus size in the least? From looking at the comments, I think she's in the smallest size. While the media gets slammed a lot for using tiny wisps of gals to portray real women, I think there's also an issue in the sewing world. Many women turn to sewing because they don't fit regular clothes, and even still, I don't fit perfectly in sewing patterns either. But to see this, and be told it's "plus size"? Makes me want to never buy a Burda pattern.

More

Thanks Cheryl for the comments on the last post. It's nice to know there's someone reading :)
It got me thinking a bit more about clothing and immigration, etc. Adapting to a new culture while still being proud of your 'old' one and trying to incorporate the two. The 'holiday' season is a great example of this. The incredible hoopla about not being able to say "Merry Christmas" or have Christmas trees up in public buildings. I don't believe in Christ, but I still say "Merry Christmas". However, I know that in reality, especially in larger urban centers, many of the people you run into also do not believe in Christ but still have strong---very strong---religious views. Just different. Even years ago, if you knew (or guessed that) someone was Jewish, for example, you just knew not to say "Merry Christmas". You might not say "Happy Hanukkah" but you wouldn't be inconsiderate and force your seasonal greeting on someone you knew wouldn't appreciate the sentiment. So, I sort of see the point of not saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone you come across. Even the white chick hairdresser (is--not an 'obvious' non-Christian minority) might be pagan, or Jehovah, etc. LOL. It's a consideration that's pretty easy to adapt to. Now, being that I don't believe in Christ, perhaps it's easier for me to think this way. We DO celebrate "Christmas" and I wish there was another term for it (this was a big debate on a parenting group I'm in). Happy Santa Day? Keep the religious salutations to the religious buildings and settings they belong in.

Further along this line is the idea of cultural dress versus religious dress. I imagine it can be fairly easy to give up cultural dress (a kilt; Bermuda shorts; cowboy hat) when you come to a new country, particularly if there's a different climate. However, for some cultures, religion IS their culture. While the wearing of the bourqa might be a cultural imposition on women, it is rooted in a deep religious faith. And then, on the flip side, we never ask an Arab man how he feels to be 'forced' to wear the traditional, culturally based robes and headgear. It's just what you wear as a man in an Arab country. But should it still be worn here in Canada? Well, as soon as a nor'easter whips up under those robes, I'll bet someone discovers the joys of pants, LOL.

What about turbans? Are they religious or cultural? Most religions have 'rules' regarding keeping the head covered, but each faith interprets it differently. And each culture tends to have it's own religion. Remember the big hoopla about police officers insisting they should be able to wear turbans instead of the police caps? Police caps, in a way, are a cultural uniform; should religion trump culture and professional uniformity? And then there was the fascinating case last year about the motorcycle rider who insisted he could not wear a helmet because he must wear his turban. My solution--let him wear the turban, but have him sign a waiver--attached to the digital documentation of his health card--that says he will be responsible for the financial cost incurred if injured due to not wearing a helmet.

On further thought, I think a waiver like that should be enforced for everyone. Let's also add seat belts to the list. If you are injured in an accident due to not wearing a seat belt, you should be financially responsible. If you're still alive. What else can we add? There's the debate about if alcoholics who need a liver should be ahead of 'innocent' victims on the transplant list...

Okay, getting really off the immigrant theme here. LOL. But this is my blog, and it's fun to have a place where I can 'rule' my own little imaginary world :)