Monday, February 25, 2013

Bring It Homan

Last night was the final game of the 2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.  The winner goes on to represent Canada at the World Championships in a few weeks.  And gets an automatic trip to the Scotties next year as Team Canada.  As well as an automatic entry in the Roar of the Rings in November - the competition to determine Team Canada for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

No pressure.

At the end of round robin play, Team Manitoba skipped by Jennifer Jones had clinched the top spot going undefeated with an 11-0 record (which hasn't happened since 1985 which it was accomplished by Linda Moore, now of announcing fame, although they only had a 10-0 record since Team Canada didn't automatically get the chance to come back).  Team Ontario, out of OUR curling club, skipped by Rachel Homan parked themselves firmly in second, with their only loss being to Jones and the Manitoba rink.  In third, Team Canada from last year skipped by Heather Nedohin, and fourth, BC skipped by Kelly Scott.

The National Curling Association uses the Page Playoff system.  Once the ranks are established, the quarter finals are played.  The first and second ranked teams play each other, as well as the third and fourth ranked teams.

The winner of the 1-2 game gets a by into the finals.  The loser plays in the semi-finals against the winner of the 3-4 game.  The semi-final winner goes on to the finals.

Complicated enough?  It makes a lot of sense once you get used to it. 

Team Canada beat BC in the 3-4 game on Saturday afternoon.  Or so we heard later.  We'd been taping the game to watch it once Andre got home from curling that morning.  We hit the fifth end break and I looked at the clock.  4:15 pm.  The 1-2 game is on at 7.  Kingston is only 2 hours away, and neither of us has to work in the morning.  Then I opened my big mouth.

"You know, if we leave now, we could make the 1-2 game."

And so we drove to Kingston.  Again.

I still haven't been able to figure out how we managed to pull this off, but we got there, parked, collected tickets, and found our seats with 15 minutes to spare.


Oh, yeah.  And we had ice level seats.  At the home end (which means that when it comes down to that critical shot in the last end for the win or loss, we are in the front row).

Knitting and curling watching (and associated beer drinking) go together like peanut butter and chocolate.  The rumble of the rock as it's being thrown gives the cue to look up to see the shot.  On TV the announcers just talk, so all I have to do is listen.  Until Russ starts putting arrows everywhere. Then I'm liable to drop stitches if I don't pause for a minute. 

When we went on Monday I had packed a very special project to bring with me.  Socks for our friend Kyle.  He is one of the people that taught André and I how to curl 4 years ago.  He and André have curled the Ottawa Valley Curling Association Men's Speil the last few years together.  He skips and André throws second.  The first year they curled together one of the rinks was particularly chilly and Kyle eyed the socks I was knitting for myself.  Apparently he'd like a pair to keep him warm while curling. 

It's a good thing I like him, the man has size 11 feet.

So what better project to take to the Scotties, then socks for the man that taught us the game. 


Look!  Homan and Jones!  And a giant green sock in progress.  At the page 1-2 game in Kingston.


Homan went on to with that game, leaving Jones to battle Nedohin for the chance to play the finals.  Pardon the fuzzy cell phone picture, but they came right near where we were, and the crowd crushed in.  Remember, they are Team Ontario, we are playing in Ontario, and Kingston is close to Ottawa, so lots of local fans.  Oh, and Ontario hasn't won the Scotties since 1996. And now they are guaranteed at least a silver. 

Jones and Manitoba beat Nedohin and Canada in a very exciting Sunday morning game, meaning that at 7pm last night there would be a Jones/Homan rematch.  They were 1-1 against each other.

And Homan and the rink out of the Ottawa Curling Club won the 2013 Scotties!  The coming home party at the club is going to be epic.  And there will be a Scotties banner in our club.  Unreal.

In the mean time, I continue to slave away on the giant green sock.  There's no curling on TV for now, but the Brier, Men's Nationals, starts on Sunday, so there will be time enough soon.  It's in Edmonton this year, which is a wee bit more than a day trip from home, so no unannounced trips to see the men play.  Oh well, there's always next year.

Although then it's in Kamloops, BC. 

I guess there's always 2015. 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

I Wish We Had Inches

A few years ago there was a commercial that caught the essence of curling, and at least in my mind, helped lay to rest the debate about whether or not curling was a sport or a game.  Although what the commercial was actually for, I can't recall.  Nor can I find it anywhere online beyond forum references to an additional debate about whether it is genius (my vote is yes) or a petty knock at a "more popular" sport.  And why the thrower decided to go for the essentially non-existent port between those stones rather than doubling them out. 

Regardless, if someone out there can find it, PLEASE tell me.  I just lost an hour trying.  And for the failure of both You Tube and Google, you are stuck with my dramatic re-typing. 

~~~~~

Cue image of a delivery.  The sweepers are called on.  The rock nears the house.

[unreasonably calmly] "They say football is a game of inches"

The rock passes between 2 opposition rocks with millimeters to spare on either side and curls neatly to the button.

"I wish we had inches"

~~~~~

Curling, especially world championship level curling, is a sport where shots can be made or missed by literally a hair's breadth.  Points are awarded or stolen on measures with a micrometer.  It's epic. 

And I was reminded of this commercial as I knit happily along on Amy's fingerless gloves while watching the Scotties. 

Knitting away on the second mitt, as I started the thumb gusset I paused a took a good hard look at the rapidly diminishing amount of yarn I had left.  And I wasn't sure I was going to make it. 

Although, really, I should have seen this coming.  I let Amy pick the pattern and the yarn, and just shrugged when the weight called for and the weight I was holding didn't quite match.  No worries, it's not off by much.  (Karmic smack #1)  And Amy would like them to go almost to her elbow (more that double the length of the pattern).  No problem I said!  (Karmic smack #2)

If that wasn't hint enough that catastrophe was imminent, the sample couple of inches that Amy tried on before I boarded the train home fit perfectly. (Karmic smack #3)

No, I thought to myself, this project is going along too nicely for something silly like running out of yarn to happen.  This will work out. 


Or not.  Yes, that is the second mitt, 8 rows from the end.  And that little hanging tail is ALL of my yarn. 

So now what?

Option 1 - rip back this mitt to below the thumb gusset.  Rip out an entire cable repeat.  Knit back up with just enough yarn (cable repeat = 8 rounds).  THEN rip back the first mitt below the thumb gusset, remove one cable repeat.  Knit back up and have more yarn to spare.  Not a fan.

Option 2 - I'm only 8 rows short, and there is a 6 row repeat in the top part, which I'm already not that keen on since it tends to flair out right at the end.  So, pause this mitt.  Rip out the first mitt to the round right after the thumb cast off.  Reknit taking out 4 rounds of the 6 row repeat.  Cast off.  Use recovered yarn to knit 2 round repeat and ending rounds, and cast off.  I should have enough.  I like this plan better.  It has less ripping. 

And the result?



 I wish I had inches. 


OK, so in truth I have exactly 7.5 inches, not including the 1/2" tails I tucked in.  But still. 

And before I forget to post the details, Linda K's Yummy Mummy wrist warmers.  Knit on 4 mm.  Extended to have 10 cable repeats (instead of 4).  Using Tanis Fiber Arts Yellow Label DK in Plum.  It was beyond nice to work with.  Soft, just a little bit squishy, and not once did it split (even after ripping and reknitting).  Although another 2 meters (to make a nice round 240 meters/ball) would have been nice. 

Dearest Amy, these gloves will be on their way to you promptly (delivery method as yet to be finalized).  I hope they keep you warm while you create beautiful things.  I'll start the second pair once my blood pressure returns to something more reasonable and I can look at purple wool without mentally trying to calculate how many stitches I might get out of that last little 1.5" piece that's left over.  

At least the next yarn comes pre-divided.  Not going to wonder about the half way mark there. 

Love, Jen

I've also got some socks that really need to be done in the next 3 weeks, for a wonderful man with size 11 feet.  For some reason I thought this was a good idea...  It'll keep me busy during the Scotties finals today and tomorrow.  And the entire Men's Brier tournament next week.  We'll see if I still like him by the end. 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Family Day Between the Sheets

Monday was Family Day in Ontario - that strange provincial holiday that causes a lot of confusion.  It was created to give families a day off together.  Yet in Ottawa, what is open and closed can be a wee bit convoluted.  Most of the federal government still works since they are only mandated to have the federal holidays off.  But local and provincial businesses are closed.  Unless of course you work over the border in Quebec.  Then you work regardless (but you get St. Jean Baptist day off in June, which those of us in Ontario don't). 

As it happens André and I have a day off together.  Which we realized Sunday night.  Now, you'd think with the piles of things that need doing between our house and his business we'd buckle down and really get some work done.  But that would be the sane people thing to do. 

Instead, we jumped in the truck and drove down to Kingston to watch an afternoon draw of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.  Work be damned, when is the next time that the Scotties is going to be this close to us?

It was great.  The drive was peaceful and the traffic was almost non-existent.  We scored parking right across the street from the arena and our seats gave us a fantastic view.  We had lunch and dinner in two different pubs less than 2 blocks from the rink.  And the games were phenomenal!  Team Canada had a blow out win over Quebec, and Team Ontario (a young rink that curls out of OUR club!!) won their game in an extra end. 

To top it all off, we met some of curling's most famous people.  And we aren't talking about the players.  As soon as the game ended, André and I made for the TSN commentator's booth.  There we met and got autographs from Vic Rauter, Linda Moore, and Russ Howard!!!  Vic and Linda have been calling curling games for as long as I've been watching, along with now retired Ray Turnbull.  Russ joined the team a few seasons back, and has added a whole new level of entertainment with the depiction of shots with arrows on the screen.  These people are minor gods in the curling world.  No matter who takes the Team Canada jackets this year or next, they will always be there to call the shots. 

All in all, sure it wasn't the most productive day we've ever had, but what an amazing break from life. 

Now, however, it really is back to work. 

Oh, and the Scotties are in Montreal next year.  We're already scouting couches to surf.  One draw was fun, but how cool would it be to make a weekend of it?

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Time Out in the GTA

The last few weeks were meant to be productive in so many ways... There is a bedroom to finish, knitting to do, year end paperwork for André to complete.  We were going to be so organized, the Dewy Decimal system would look chaotic in comparison.

Right.  Not so much.

Instead, André caught a wicked bad cold/flu thing.  And I went for an impromptu visit to Toronto. 

So the house is still a wreck - tools in my living room and the such like.  The bedroom still isn't done (although while we have working blinds and super cool curtains now, we had to make some adjustments to the outlets next to the bed meaning some significant drywall patching... and more painting). 

On the bright side though, taking the train to Toronto gave me hours and hours of me time.  Me and a cup of coffee, my knitting and my thoughts.  So an entire ball of Knit Picks Andean Treasure in Mystique became this (pattern on Ravelry somewhere, I'll find it when I show you the finished item):


And that was just the 4.5 hours on the trip up!  Yes, it's another hat.  André and I have both lost ours (yes, he lost Exeter.  It took him 3 weeks.).  There've been a few more rows added since with the start of the second ball.  It's progressing nicely.  And is now on hold.  I needed the needles for a special request. 

I love taking the train places, and despite André's suggestion that I fly (with our airmiles it worked out to almost the same price), it's just as well I did.  Last friday saw yet another massive snow dump on southern and eastern Ontario.  This would be our third in Ottawa, we're used to it.  But Toronto?  Not so much.  Flights were being cancelled on both ends, and the 401 highway was a disaster (which I would have been on had I decided to take the bus.  But really... more leg room, more space, and only $16 more?  TRAIN!).  And we were only 20 minutes late pulling in, which for VIA rail is par for the course. 

I was met at the train station by my darling sister Amy.  She moved to Toronto a few weeks ago and is settling in.  What better time for a sister visit!  It was fantastic :D  We talked for hours, it's so nice to catch up with family like that.

I had a few simple requirements for traveling to Toronto.  One - there must be coffee in the morning.  No problem, Amy drinks as much as I do.  And hers is better.  Check.

Two - At some point during the weekend there would be a return trip to The Purple Purl.  André and I had visited this wonderful store a few years back as they celebrated their first anniversary.  Now I'm back just after their 5th!  It's a perfect combination of cozy yarn store with added bonus cafe.  Try the peanut butter square thingies.  Heaven!

Amy is an artist.  Illustration mostly.  Her work is beautiful and she is seriously talented.  But working long hours sketching and on the computer can mean chilly fingers.  At her request we picked up some yarn for fingerless gloves/arm warmers.



I've already lost the tag for this one, but it's been a real treat to work with.  When/if I find it I'll let you know what it is.  Most of it has already become Linda K's Yummy Mummy Wristwarmers with some modifications (shorter thumb, but way longer up the arm).



I had the ball wound up at the store, and by the time the train came in to Ottawa, I had one complete.  The other is well on its way.


We also picked up some Turtlepurl self striping sock yarn in Gothic Plum.  It's super neat - you get 2 identical balls so that if you knit one sock with one, and start the second at the same point on the second ball you get 2 perfectly matched socks!  It has not been started yet, there will need to be some form of pattern design for this one.  I'd really like to knit wrist warmers from the fingers down since I don't know how long each ball will last, but I have yet to find ANY patterns that do this.  There will be some inventing in my future I believe.




I also managed to steal an afternoon to spend with the incredible duo of Jenny and David, two of my longest and best friends in the world.   We had crepes and went to the library (Sherlock Holmes at the Reference Library = GEEK OUT!) and visited David's theater.  All topped off with the most amazing dinner with Gigi and a quick visit with beloved Rachellelala.  Every so often I wonder why we don't move to Toronto.  Then we have conversations about housing prices there.  Combine that with traffic/commuting distances, and you've got your answer.  But it's sure fun to visit!

In short, a whirlwind weekend of amazing people, much knitting, and a chance to recenter myself.  I should do this more often.

In the mean time though, it's back to the daily grind.  There is laundry to do, paperwork to file, and a never ending list of house projects to tackle.  Bring it on!