Heartwrenching: Errandonnées #10-12

Yesterday was the last day of the Errandonnée, and I still needed to complete two more errands and ride a bunch more kilometres. And so I did.



The recent rise in temperature has led us to believe we won't need our space heater again, so I strapped it to my Opus to take it to our storage locker. It's an odd shape, with an asymmetric bulge at the back, so I had to balance it at an angle and it was a bit awkward biking with the top right beside the seat. I was worried that the horrible state of road on Ossington would bounce it right off, but that net bungee held it solidly.

I'm sure this will come back to bite us in a month.

Today's pi is round

Happy birthday, Albert Einstein! Complete coincidence.

Yes, it is that day beloved/hated by mathematicians and other number geeks, and which I celebrate because I quite like pie.

For those of you who write the date yyyy/mm/dd, happy 641.72272548*pi day. @jamesgrime

— Museum of Math (@MoMath1) March 14, 2016

Math with Bad Drawings has several (mathematical) pi recipes.

Here is a quite lovely Buffon's Needle explanation and applet from the University of Illinois.

And of course it wouldn't be Pi Day without a rant from Vi Hart. Substance over appearance all the way.

Urban weekending: Errandonnées #5-9

This past weekend was very urbany. It included shopping, a quasi-event, and brunch.

Errandonnée month means it's time to get my library card renewed. These days I've mostly been downloading ebooks, which is excellent for borrowing library books for the completely lazy because if you forget to pick them up or return them they just return themselves, no fine accruing. Alas, you still have to renew your card in person, so yesterday I set off up the road. It was one of those days were you feel that Spring is definitely about to happen; 17°C, sunny, and nary a curb snowbank in sight.

In which PhysicsGirl gets over a slight hangup and sews a top

Posted timey-wimey nearly two months later.


I have been slightly terrified of button holes. Not making them, because my machine makes a very nice button hole, but placing them, because while my machine makes a very nice button hole, I hadn't quite figured out where to put the fabric to get consistent placement. More to the point, I've been leary of my ability to accurately mark button hole placement. For this reason, I've been putting off starting my Mathilde blouses, which is all highly visible buttons up the back. This despite my having cut out two versions of said Mathilde nearly two years ago.

When I signed up for MakeDay at Victory Patterns studio (hosted by by Kristiann from Victory Patterns and Jennifer from Workroom Social — and yes, she is just as bubbly and friendly in real life), I decided it was time to pull up my socks and get going on this top.

A warm, cuddly sweater just in time for Spring

Posted timey-wimey-wise two months later.


I've been planning to make the Dana sweater from Interweave Crochet winter 2013 for over a year. I splurged last year on some Madeleinetosh Sock in Norway Spruce, which is blue with hints of green undertones. I would occasionally pet it, but I didn't really feel I could start it until I had finished the DC's waistcoat. That project was mostly done by the end of January, so I finally wound a ball (I've started making centre-pull balls and they are the best) and got started. I crocheted this mostly before, on the way to, during, and on the way home from my trip to Florida with Aged P. I kept trying to take breaks, but this pattern was kind of addictive and I wanted the sweater sooo much. My Ravelry notes are here.

Bike, food, and charity: Errandonnée #4

Danielle has been going to the weekly charity lunch at the Palais Royale for a while and thanks to the errandonnée (and being on leave) I finally got off my duff and went. I even finished my Mathilde top for the occasion.



The Palais hosts this lunch every Wednesday, unless notified. For a minimum donation of $15, you get to eat good food in art deco splendour. It's quite stripped down: you pick up the food buffet style, there are no linens, and you bus your own table, but it's a good place to hang out with friends and I'll be back for sure.

It's fairly easy to ride to but I have to complain about the utter lack of bike parking, even though it's right on the Martin Goodman trail. We really shouldn't have to ask for it.



As I left, it started sprinkling rain, but I made it home before I got too wet. Rain, not snow! Exciting!

Errandonée tally
Social Call: Charity lunch at Palais Royale (7 km)

Total Mileage: 18.8 km/11.8 mi
Total Categories used: 4

Gracefully Saved: Errandonée #1

The Errandonée started on Friday, but I didn't get started until today. I celebrated by dragging the DC out of bed so we could catch an early table for brunch at Saving Grace. He was thrilled, so say the least.