Distractions Abound

If destruction fails to entangle us, distraction will do it's best. --Beth Moore

So... I was all on track to finish my Aphasia vest by this weekend. I was sailing along, pattern memorized, beads flying on and off, stitch after stitch landing true...

... except I'm not finished. Not even close:

I can blame it on a number of things. I had most of the week off and I wanted to make the most of it by spending lots of time with the hubby and the dog. It's been raining so much that every break in the clouds is a mad dash to get outside and get Seymour walking. We had one day when we had a good few hours of sunshine, so we went out to one of our favourite trails to enjoy it while it lasted.

While we were there, I noticed this tree in the distance. "Oh look," I said. "Someone's decorated a tree on the trail for Christmas." But then I noticed a fellow dog walker ahead of us stop and read and then look carefully at all of the things that were hanging there. And then she turned to her dog and gave him a really tender pat on the head and scratched his neck before she moved along:

When we got close, I realized it was a tree dedicated to pets who have "crossed the Rainbow Bridge." This is the tree where people hung up photos of their dogs who have passed on to remember them:

I'll admit: for the next five minutes of our walk, I sobbed quietly. I don't think I'll ever find it easy to think of my pets dying. They are the purest of nature, and my heart can't bear the thought of them leaving me.

Speaking of pets, check out this little spoiled guy:

We took him out to Canadian Tire with us to pick up a couple of supplies, but I couldn't leave without stopping in the pet section, because how unfair would that be? We didn't buy any toys, but Seymour did score a new "travel bed." He always settles down really nicely if he's got a comfortable seat in the car and this one looked great: comfy and easy to clean. Seymour tested it out when we got home and deemed it worthy:

But his favourite seat is always on my lap:

But the real reason I haven't finished my vest is that I got distracted by another project. Yes, me: the monogamous crafter, one-project-at-a-time-Adriene, that's me. Except that wasn't me this week.

I can't remember how I got started on it, but the next thing I knew, I was trying out colours and had a couple of false starts:

And then I found myself at a yarn shop picking up a couple more skeins of cotton... and a few days later, I am almost finished. This is a pattern by the same designer of the Rozeta blanket I finished a couple of weeks ago. This is called the Mira Mandala:

I'm quite new to making mandalas, and I'm still undecided about what I will do with this when it is finished. It is made with two different weights of cotton: both fingering weight and DK, but it has resulted in such a lovely textured look that it is worth the struggle with the thicker yarn on my hook.  I think I may make it into a cushion because it would be nice to have it on view as much as possible.

Yes... a cushion... that would be great... I just need to figure out what kind of backing I will use. Maybe I'll knit a back to it, or maybe I'll use some fabric...

Or maybe I should finish my vest. Right. One-project-at-a-time-Adriene. That's me.

We'll see how that goes... just as soon as I find another ball of white cotton.

Have a good week!