I've graduated ....

 I have completed my new graduate degree, I am now a clinical mental health counselor. It's bittersweet ... a challenging three years .... working full-time, family responsibilities, stress of the world, the death of my mom .... I made it through. Patting myself on the back here .... it's important to remind oneself how resilient we are. Life is not always a piece of cake. Thank you for being on this life journey with me.

On another note, now that I have some free bandwidth, I started a new knitting project. The pattern is called Aristea by Evelyn Siatra. 

I purchased the yarn at Les Laines Biscotte in St Eustache. Love the hand dyed look. The yarn consist of 90% Merino SW and 10% Silk. It's so soft!

It took me forever, like three (3) days to figure out how to properly do a 2 x 2 Tubular cast-on. OMG, what a nightmare ... but persevered and finally got it to look right. I wouldn't get that continuous look from front to back.

It's been pushing my comfort zone ... slowly moving into more complex patterns. I'm enjoying creating new pieced for my wardrobe. 

Thanks for stopping by .... Peace to all! Namaste

Almost done ....

Hello, it's been a while. I'm still here. Just trying to button things up with school. I'm almost done! A bit about a knitting project. 

I started the, The Felix Cardigan, back in September 2023. I had to put it aside to finish my daughter's version for Christmas. Mine is in dark blue. I purchased the yarn at Three Bags full of Yarn Emporium in Moncton, NB on my first trip to Newfoundland. 

Voila!

It's almost a done deal. All I have left to do is sew some buttons on. I don't usually button my cardigan, which made me wonder why I knit a button band. I mean, I could finish it a different way. Oh well, I have the buttons, it's just a matter of doing it. The cardigan is a nice memory of my first trip to Atlantic Canada. 

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

Self-care ... immersed in nature

 While in St Luniere cricket, I relaxed ... I even let my hair down .... the vacation look! LOL

Bought some yarn and a book while in Newfoundland and did a lot of knitting. Finished two projects during my stay.

And this pattern ... a gift for my dad.

I was also able to enjoy a daily latte and my favourite treat at Cafe Nymphe - The Dark Tickle Company ... A carrot and partridge berry cake .... OMG .... Yummy! I'd go back just for a piece of cake! lol

My ride home ... what a beauty!

I would recommend visiting Newfoundland. It is such a beautiful and serene place. I will leave you with the sound of the Atlantic ocean ... Enjoy!

Take Care ... and thanks for stopping by. Cheers!

Self-care .... Immersed in Nature

 Once I had explored the intended area, I went back to a familiar place Gros Norme National Park, a place I could rest. I enjoyed long walks on the beach ... in the rain

There were quite enjoyable, but there's only so much walking one can do in the rain ... that is .... until the humidity gets in your bones. I thought perhaps I would catch the ferry and leisurely head back home. However, there was no room on the ferry. So I did the next best thing and headed to Newfoundland's most northern part, back to where the Vikings landed.

Leifur Eiriksson, a viking settler of Newfoundland.

Historical marker.

I landed in Luniere-Griquet, a place where I felt at peace. There was also an amazing restaurant there ... The Daily Catch ... delish!

I stayed at the Pistolet Bay Provincial Park.  I made myself at home ... it was quite cozy ... so peaceful.

Thanks for stopping by ....

Travel pause ....

As part of my degree requirement, I took a class on career, which mainly covered assessments and theories on career choices/life spans. For the last class, our lecturer had us watch a film called Idiocracy (2006), a film directed by Mike Judge.

Not sure if you've seen this film, but it is a Sci-fi comedy. Here is the link to the trailer. As I watched the film, some parts were funny but other parts frightened me. Let's face it, many of our recent accomplishments had their origin in science fiction.

The next day, I'm at a gas station filling up my car. I look across to the next pumping station and see this person, lit cigarette in their mouth, puffing away as they are filling up their vehicle with gas. It then dawned on me .... the movie I watched is not really just sci-fi but a possibility of our future. People lacking common sense and decency. 

I've been quite stressed, as of late, with the state of the world, which I'm sure many of you are also. I can't help but think about that movie and the direction the world is presently headed. It frightens me. Although I limit my social media access, the news still finds me, in my work and in my everyday experiences. Decency, respect, privacy and personal freedom is irroding. The cost of living has skyrocketed ... I fear for those who are already struggling financially. 

I'm not sure where we are headed, but ... from my perspective, it's not looking good. We need a miracle!

I believe in kindness .... and respect ... it's a part of who I am.

Thank you for being a reader of my blog. I appreciate you ... Namaste!