Weepy

I don't know if it is because I am the daughter of immigrants or simply because I am an unconditional patriot, but my heart aches to be on United States soil right now. As I watch the inauguration news updates, I feel sad that I am in Canada watching the inaugural excitement from afar.

Canadians are pleased and positive about Tuesday's inauguration, but the mood in Vancouver does not match the electric buzz that the Americans are feeling right now. I wish I could be there and feel the sense of awe and importance that is growing as January 20th approaches.

Naturally, my move to Canada came with feelings of homesickness and a deeper appreciation for all things American, but my feelings are more acute now than ever before. For example, I recently watched this silly video and became weepy.

So, for those of you who are in the States, how will you be observing the inauguration? And how about you Canadian Samosa readers? And the rest of you?

Mushmouth Hat

I bought two skeins of thick wool while I was in Australia with the intent of knitting a gift for my brother-in-law.

I spent the entire month of December knitting him a hat. It took me 4 weeks to knit the wreck pictured above because I actually had to knit the hat three times.

The first time I knit the hat, it annoyingly twisted into a moibius. My brother-in-law lives in Wisconsin, not an M.C. Esher painting, so I had to rip out the hat and start over.

The second time I was too conservative with my calculations and knit a hat that was six inches too big. I don't know what size his skull is, but I am sure it is not a 29inch circumference, so I had to rip it out and start all over again.

The third time I screwed up the decreases while shaping the crown and ended up with the Mushmouth hat you see above.

I can't give this hat to my brother-in-law as a gift, I can't wear it myself because just looking at it fills me with rage, and I am too sick of this project to rip it up and start over again.

Tell me, have you ever failed at something three times and then just thrown it out? Or did you stick with it till the end?

Washed Off

2008 was a crummy year for most of us. Election fatigue, the economy, attacks in Mumbai, yada yada, I could drone on and on about all that went wrong. Last night as I sat in a local pub watching Vancouverites party away the last few moments of 2008, I felt a sick mix of gladness and sadness. I was glad the year was over and behind me. But at the same time I felt sad that time is marching on and I am getting old.

2008 was the year I dieted for the first time in my life. I used to be able to maintain my weight. But now I have to carefully watch what I eat. In 2008 I gave up alcohol so I could wear a swimsuit in Australia and not look like a bloated American tourist. In 2009, I am giving up refined sugar in the hopes that I will be able to lose a pound or two and fit into the swimsuit for years to come.

2008 was also the year my grey streak got organized. I have had grey hairs since my 20s and every year a few more grey hairs sprout across my scalp. But in the last six months of 2008 the hairs above the arch of my right eyebrow coordinated themselves. The brown hairs fell out in waves and were replaced by their grey sisters. Now I have a grey streak over my eyebrow. The grey hairs are brittle and break easily, leaving behind short stubs that stick out of my scalp at random angles.

Part of me wishes I could have a limbo year where I could stay the same, but I know that would be a torturous existence. So, I say, bring on 2009 in all of its sugar-free and alcohol-free glory. My husband and I welcomed 2009 in the same way we did last year. We bundled up, drove downtown to English Bay, stripped down to our swimsuits and dunked ourselves in the water. We washed off 2008 and left it in the bay, where the 36F (2C) currents will carry it out to sea.

Before the swim.

After the swim.