It's a new year.

Sometimes life is a mystery.
For some unknown reason the computer gremlin decides to underline everything - in blue! - from time to time.
As you can see it's still winter but we have had a week without new snow which is reason enough for hope. The weather here has moderated while everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains is locked in a relentless deep freeze - minus 40 degrees some places!!! Brrrr.
For Christmas I bought myself a set of circular looms (Nifty Nitters) which work on the same principle as the spool knitting we did as children. I've been making touques for my husband and I and a few left over.
Last fall my sister bought me a kit with eye lash yarn to crochet a shawl but I could not see to stitch it. Knitting with a strand of worsted yarn and a strand on eyelash on the loom I can see! and I can figure how I'll do the shawl. The eyelash was red with black and I used black worsted and made a really soft and fuzzy hat. I have a "fat head" and most commercial hats are too tight. I've finished 3 touques and then dug out a lap robe I started 10 years ago and finished it. It is crocheted in blues in a lacy ripple pattern.
Right now I'm making a soft hat of an very irregular novelty yarn in pinks and mauves, along with a Federalist Blue worsted, then I may go back to the shawl.
The cats very much approve of the thaw. What was over 2 feet of snow has sunk down to from 8 inches to a foot of hard frozen snow which supports their weight and yesterday they both had to go out and scoot up the electric pole just because it was there.
This time of year, and with as deep snow as we've had, they begin suffering from Cabin Fever and taking up various naughty habits. Skeeter has decided she likes the sound of pencils played with on the floor. She's found the cup I keep them in on a buffet and has been choosing her own. She also is tearing little bits off the newspapers we start the fire with and eating my plants. A nice romp over the snow is good for her!
James saw the elk in the neighbour's field last night - barely, as it was after dark, but the field is white and the elk aren't.
Now that it isn't 15 below Celsius anymore James and Bruce have started working on the conversion of the changing rooms from the old pool at the Wynndel Hall. They are removing walls and making them into a place for the Wynndel Mudders to work in clay and not have to put tables away each time.