Not so Brilliant

All week long I write the next post in my head.  My insights are brilliant.  I am funny and endearing.  The photos are spectacular and exactly capture what I am trying to say.  The lighting is perfect and the colours true.

Then on Sunday I sit down at the dining room table and stare at my laptop.  I can't remember a single thing.  The topics explored in my head on Monday are gone.  The the fabulous sentences and phrases are a ghost of a dream.   You remember you had them but they have completely faded away.  I am blank.  Instead, I write the first thought that comes to mind. Usually something from the last 24 hours if I am lucky.  The photos are whatever I can structure on Sunday morning.  The lighting sucks and the colours are some exotic shade banned from the colour wheel.

So sit back and enjoy some  poor photography while I explore what I can extract from the faint tendrils of my formerly brilliant insights.

Back in the spring I had a plan for the summer.  I was going to visit a different town or village in the County every Friday.  I was going to be a Tourist in my own backyard.  The plan was to have lunch at a restaurant never tried before.  I was going to leisurely explore the shops and uniqueness that makes up each community.  Like so many plans that are just good intentions, it did not happen.

On Friday I had the opportunity to head on over to Amherstburg.  I had a 3 o'clock appointment. I decided to go early and explore Amherstburg.  It might be December but it was not too late to start the summer plan.  The day was warm after all.

I had lunch here.

I greatly enjoyed the gumbo soup and spinach salad.  The building was a bar back in 1836.  The historical sign on the building said it was called Bullocks Tavern.  I don't know if it has been a bar for all of its 179 years.  I like to think beer has been continuously dispensed from this location with generation after generation hanging out at the same "local".  The patrons telling some johnny come lately that, "My great great great grandfather drank here.  It is a family tradition."

The windows overlook the Detroit River and I was able to watch the ships pass by.  Amherstburg has a lovely water front park.  I love the seasonal decorations on the fountain.

The hydrants along the waterfront reflect the military heritage of the Town origins.
I explored some shops, the waterfront and made note of some other shops and restaurants I want to check out on my next tourist day in Amherstburg.

I worked on my brother's sweater over lunch and later.  I cast off the two fronts on Saturday.

Again a lousy photo.  I just did not want to take the time to uncurl and pin out the fronts so you could see the full pieces.  Trust me, once you've seen one front, 

you have seen all plain raglan sleeve fronts.  I felt my time was better spent assembling the next afghan strip.

Five more squares to go.  I am starting to worry about how to finish this baby.  It is at least 5 feet long.  That is going to be a lot of stitches to pick up not to mention the estimated 4 feet width.  If I knit a few rows all around the edge I may need some more circular needles.  I am starting to contemplate doing an i-cord edge.  Only pick up stitches then the i-cord finishes off the edge nicely. The one row is all bind off.

My office Christmas Party was last night.  That is part of the reason for the late posting today.  Of course, it would not be a party with out knitting so I cast on the sleeve and headed out the door.

Dinner was lovely.  Hubby and I enjoyed the comedian entertainer.  I even tipped him afterwards for not hassling me for knitting during his performance.

Years ago Hubby and I visited Halifax while the Halifax Busker Festival was on.  For us, the Festival was a happy coincidence.  We wandered about the City enjoying the bits of the performances we saw while exploring the sights.  

Hubby wanted to go to the casino.  I find gambling boring.  I work hard for everything I have and to sit putting money in a machine with nothing to show for it afterwards (I am not a lucky person) is not my idea of entertainment.  I would rather knit. Knitting is  endlessly entertaining and at the end you have socks, a sweater or some other useful article.  I found some seating outside the Casino where I could knit and be out of any possible rain while I waited.

Turns out I was sitting in one of the busker venues.  I was the only one there.  The performer refused to perform at the specified time as there was only me - knitting away.  That was okay, I was simply putting in time and knitting.  I did not expect or need any other entertainment.  Eventually a few other people sat down and the performer began his routine.  That is when the hassling began.  He insulted me for crocheting.  I said it was knitting.  He acted insulted that I was not paying full attention to him.  He  said he was not a TV.  I calmly said as I looked him straight in the eye I knit without looking at my needles. 

Now if the comments had been part of a very funny comedy routine I would have been quite happy to go along with the jokes.  I would be the one laughing loudest.   After all, my knitting has been part of my own comedy schtick for years.   The worst part of the whole sorry episode in Halifax?  The guy was not funny.