Knitting for the Cure and All Jazzed Up

Wow, I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since my last post!
Let's see now...

Last week, on Friday Night, I joined the Downtown Knit Collective's Knit for the Cure night at the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life. What fun!! There were 10+1 of us knitting pink scarves through the night (6pm Friday to 6am Saturday). The scarves we knit that night, plus scarves knit by many other contributors, have been donated to be given to women who've been diagnosed with breast cancer, as a Hug from us to them. What a cool idea.

And speaking of cool - it was definitely cool that night! We were wearing every piece of clothing, blankets, etc. (except for one sleeping bag, kept in reserve), and still froze. Thanks to Wannietta for the Tim's run in the wee small hours of the morning. The hot coffee definitely helped to warm us up, and keep our spirits up.

I don't remember the exact number of scarves we donated, but it was a large cardboard box full.
Check out Wannietta's blog and the DKC Knit for the Cure Blog for more information.
And in addition to the scarves donated, our DKC team raised over $4,179, taking 2nd prize for highest number of team pledges. We received a copy of Dr. Marla's book "Life in the Balance." I'm looking forward to reading that, and sharing it, too.

This past week the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival has been on, and I've been downtown (at City Hall) catching some awesome music most days. It started with Noon on the Friday of the Relay and Brian Barlow's Big Band. Monday evening, my DH and I saw Holly Cole - she really put on a great show. Michael Kaeshammer opened for her - Wow, what Amazing Piano Playing!! His fingers just fly over the keyboard, sometimes with his 2 hands doing different rhythms, and I would go just about anywhere to be able to see him again.

Tuesday at noon was Russ Little - he's one of my favourites! Thursday I saw the Toronto Blues Society Competition Finals - it's so nice to see young/ undiscovered/ struggling talent get recognized and promoted. And Thursday night was the United Trombone Summit - a bunch of old-tyme jazz trombonists who really know how to put on a show. They were followed by Roy Hargrove on trumpet, but it was getting really late, and so we left after 2-3 tunes. I also think he's highly over-rated.

Yesterday (Saturday), we saw Colourblind Brian and the Blainettes down on the Danforth, for some wonderful blues with intelligent lyrics. One of my DH's favourite songs is known as "Chicken Cordon Blues". It's about this couple, and when they first got together, she fed him on chicken and wine and steak, but now she's become vegetarian, and only buys 10-lb bags of brown rice, and granola, and he's looking jealously at the dog down the street who's smiling because he has meat. It almost sounds like the story of our lives!

And tonite we have tickets to see Mavis Staples. We're both really looking forward to seeing/hearing her (and yes, I'll have my knitting with me!).