Alyknitsandknits

Eat Your Vegetables!

2012-01-27T17:09:00.000-08:00

After a flirtation with Vegetarianism (the only reason it didn't stick is because I HATE making double dinners for the carnivores in the family), I decided to really try experimenting with different vegetables. To this end, I have discovered a couple of great things.......

PARSNIPS!
Yeah, I can hear you....."eeewwwwww parsnips!" And since about 85% of the recipes for parsnips involve cooking the things to death and then PUREEING them, I would tend to agree. But I found this little recipe just before Christmas, and the result was that my family has become parsnip partisans! Prepared this way, they are just a bit crunchy, and just a tiny bit sweet.They're pretty damn good in stew, too. Go ahead, try 'em. You know you wanna.

My other new fav is Roasted Yams
.
Yes, I said YAMS, and not sweet potatoes. Honestly, I don't like sweet potatoes (they're sickly yellow and bland), but yams......now, THAT's some good eatin.' As potato recipes go, it cooks up pretty quickly. The thing that takes the longest is cutting the potatoes. One note, the recipe is for only ONE yam. Increasing the recipe is easy, but it is NOT necessary to increase the amount of oil exponentially - unless you really like everything you eat swimming in oil.

I think I may try fennel, next. It looks so pretty!

Hello, It's Been A Long Time

2011-12-25T18:59:00.001-08:00

Yes, I have ignored my blog for nearly a year, but as a New Year's resolution (of sorts), I hope to make it a habit of blogging at least three times a week. Now if I can get myself to exercise three times a week, too, I would be GOLDEN.

So, on to the blogging......

One of my Rav/Tweet Friends (Poodlestar)asked me to give her my Swedish Meatball recipe,after I tweet-bragged that I was the Queen of the Swedish Meatball so I thought I would just post it here.

Please keep in mind, I am not Swedish, but I have been married for nearly 30 years....(CRAP! that long?) to a guy who is Swedish/Norwegian/Danish, so holidays with his folks usually means Lutefisk, which means I make Swedish Meatballs for the rest of the family that doesn't want to eat fish jello. Swedish Meatballs aren't particularly special or exotic, but they are damn good.

Swedish Meatballs
from The Everett Herald

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2/3 cup milk (whatever kind you use at your house)
3/4 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
Butter

Saute the onion in some butter (a tablespoon or so). In a bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk. Dump the sauted onion and the rest of the ingredients (except BUTTER) in the bowl with the bread and milk. Mix together with your hands until all the spices are distributed through the meat. Form into smallish meatballs (I use a cookie scoop) and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake the meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes. They will only be very lightly browned. (at this point, you can stop and freeze them or keep them in the fridge until you want to finish them.

The big finish:

In a large skillet, melt a generous amount of butter (the rest of the stick of butter that you didn't saute the onions in will be fine). Add the meatballs to the skillet and cook on medium heat until nicely browned all over. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and make a nice brown gravy from the bits of meat and pan drippings left in the pan. Take that gravy and dump over the meatballs and serve. If you are looking for a genuine Swedish experience, serve with boiled potatoes and a bit of lingonberry preserves.

Sorry there are no pictures of the finished product, but the meatballs never last long enough to be photographed.

And that's the Swedish Meatball recipe the more sane members of the family eat, when the inmates take over the asylum and demand Lutefisk. Fortunately, their insanity is rather short-lived and confined to holiday-time.

I have a couple other recipes I thought I'd post in future entries........Laters!

We Interrupt Our Knitting Content For..........

2011-01-30T21:42:00.000-08:00

MUFFINS!

My youngest son LOVES almond-poppy seed muffins, but I don't love the price of the Krusteaz muffin mixes he prefers. I knew I could make more, better muffins, from scratch and less expensively than the cost of a mix. So I warmed up my google-fu and searched for a muffin recipe. Reading down the ingredient list of the majority of recipes nearly gave me a heart attack. They ALL used so much OIL! I wanted Almond-Poppy Seed muffins, not OIL Muffins. This prompted me to figure out how to make a tasty muffin (that would be 13-year-old-boy approved), and not be swimming in oil. I suppose what I came up with is low-fat (sorta), but it wasn't what I was shooting for. I just wanted muffins my kid would eat. So here it is......

MY ALMOND POPPYSEED MUFFINS

WET INGREDIENTS
2 ½ cups plain non-fat yogurt
½ cup vegetable oil
6 large eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla
3 tsp almond extract
2 cups milk (I used non-fat)
Measure and mix all together.

DRY INGREDIENTS
6 cups flour
4 ½ sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
4 TBSP Poppy Seeds.

Measure and mix together dry ingredients. Then add wet ingredients to dry and mix until all is combined (do not beat). Spoon into muffin cups ( I used a standard size ice cream scoop for regular-sized muffins). Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

This makes a HUGE number of muffins - 4 dozen standard size muffins (I have a freezer and I'm not afraid to use it!). But you can easily halve the recipe, or make Lemon-Poppy Seed muffins by substituting Lemon Flavoring for the Almond, and throwing in the zest of a lemon. Next up, experimenting with other flavor muffins (although the kid will eat ONLY Almond-Poppy Seed - I told you he was weird).

2010 - The Year of Socks

2011-01-07T09:45:00.000-08:00

Apparently, for me, 2010 has been the year of socks......In no particular order......

A total of SEVENTEEN pairs of socks by my count on Ravelry (couldn't find all of the pics in my file). And I am proud to say that the majority of these socks were knitted for Afghans for Afghans. Although I am ashamed to say that I had promised my husband 6 new pairs of socks in 2010. He got ONE (well, I got a second pair of socks halfway done for him. Halfway). So I have to work harder on my hubby's sock supply. He loves his handknitted socks and I have to keep his tootsies warm.

I DO have a knitting goal for 2011. I want to knit a piece for entry into the Puyallup Fair. That's the big deal state fair in my neck o' the woods. I do have a piece in mind. Well, a couple of pieces, that require that I learn a new technique - Entrelac. Proud to say that learning Entrelac was pretty easy. I am now the master of entrelac, and to prove it, I knit THIS:

Noro Kureyon from the Beardsley stash. Next up, Motley from Knitty.com. I have assembled a HUGE random collection of Noro Kureyon for this little gem.

And now for recent FO's. Not much in the way of Christmas gifts. I wasn't in the mood to kill myself with a Christmas deadline this year, but I did do gifts for the girls in the office. A shawl for Galina:
Gloves for Kayley And a hat because I thought the pattern was interesting and I had yarn.

Well there is a big ball of Kureyon calling my name................

Binge Knitting

2010-11-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

I'm beginning to suspect that 2010 is the year of charity knitting for me. This is not a problem, BTW, except for the 6 pairs of socks I promised to knit for my DH this year. I've gotten ONE pair done.

But I just sent a small box of goodies off to Afghans for Afghans the other day:

I love that I have been doing some serious stash reduction with these projects. I found and used yarn that I had all but forgotten about. The blue stuff and the watermelon striped stuff, for example. They both made beautiful, colorful, and warm socks.

I've been thinking about and discussing charity knitting with friends online and in person, and I have come to the conclusion that charity knitting (especially for an organization like A4A) is a meditation on peace. Each stitch is a wish/prayer for peace. I like that idea. I like it a lot.

I, of course, already have other charity knitting in process. I'll keep on knitting goodies for Afghans for Afghans until they tell me to stop. My wish is that this charity knitting would be completely unnecessary in the very near future, but the realist in me knows better. I will keep knitting and praying for peace for as long as it takes.

Boom, Boom, Boom.....Muffins

2010-10-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

Kiddo #3 loves muffins for breakfast, but I don't like buying mixes when I can homebake easily (and get a MUCH better result).

So last night I did a couple batches of Muffins for my Boys (the ones I gave birth to, AND the one I married).

Almond Poppyseed Muffins

And Banana Nut Muffins

Gonna have to make more of those Banana muffins - I only had enough bananas to make one batch. They have a touch of strong coffee in them and it seems to do a trick.

Now I need to find a pumpkin strusel muffin recipe that DOESN'T have cream cheese in the middle (what's up with that).

2010-10-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

Charity Knitting holds a special place in the special place in my heart where my love of knitting dwells. I’ve always believed that knitting is a way of expressing love. I don’t knit for just anybody for any reason (although it is well known I need only the tiniest reason to knit something for someone). I knit socks for my husband to show how much I love him. I knit for my sons to surround them with warmth when I can’t be there with them. I knit for new babies to share the joy of their tiny lives with their parents. And, I knit socks for my Sister-in-law’s Mother just to make her happy (and keep her feet warm). But none of this is charity knitting. This is knitting to share my love with those that I love and care about.

But when I pick up my needles to knit socks or mittens or a blanket for Afghans for Afghans, it IS an expression of love, but not for individuals or for little babies. Charity Knitting expresses my love for my fellow humans, for those men, women and children for whom a warm pair of socks, or a blanket means their difficult life in a war torn country will be just a little more comfortable. Granted, pair of socks, or mittens, or a hat isn’t going to bring world peace, but the small comfort they bring may make someone start to believe that there may be hope for the future when there is a knitter far-far away who wanted to share a little bit of the love she shares with her family with someone they will never know.
A warm pair of socks may remind a tired Afghan woman that there is kindness in the world. A blanket may keep her son or daughter warm when they sleep. It may just bring them one day closer to a country at peace.

As I knit, I think about the woman or child who will wear what I’m knitting. How the work of my hands will make their lives just a little easier. With each stitch, I think about peace, justice and kindness, willing a little bit of kindness into each one.

Trying to keep up.

2010-10-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well, in an effort to be more consistent with my blog, I thought I would post some FOs that I have completed in the last week or so.

My productivity has been spurred by the latest Afghans for Afghans campaign: socks, mittens and sweaters for women, children and teens. My oft mentioned Beardsley Memorial Stash is perfect for charity knitting, and the fact that it is almost all worsted wool, provides some pretty satisfying knitting pretty quickly.
These are my first and second pairs of mittens. And the first mittens I've ever knitted. I've made tons of socks, and nearly as many fingerless mitts, but never actual mittens. I think this is mostly because I wouldn't wear mittens on a bet, but that sure's heck not going to stop me from knitting them. The purple ones were finished during "Glee" last night.

Wanna know a secret? I designed these mittens, too! It's a heavily adapted version of the "Cigar" fingerless glove pattern. It's nothing earthshattering, and plain as hell, but the pattern works and the mittens WILL keep the hands of women and children I could never hope to meet warm.

I've also finished a graduation present for one of my "extra sons." OK, so it's nearly November and he graduated from high school in June, but I've been doing a lot of charity knitting, so other stuff has taken a back seat. But it's getting cold, and Alex needs his collegiate hat and gloves. They're in University of Oregon colors (insert nasty OU Duck commment here), other than that, Alex is a really nice kid. The gloves are the Cigar pattern from Knitty and the beanie is a pattern called Zports.

It apparently appeals to the collegiate set, because I've made nearly a half-dozen of them in the past year.

Back to charity knitting!!!

I SUCK!

2010-10-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted since early JULY! I am a slug, a non-blogging slug. But I have been knitting. After my crazed sock phase, I entered a crazed shawl phase - that I am still in, I think. Witness my work (in no particular order):

A simple shawl in Kauni. Niiiiiice!

A bit more than 198 Yards of Heaven. The yarn is Berrocco Jenny (sorry folks, discontinued) from the Joan Beardsley Memorial Stash. Usually I don't make things for myself out of the Memorial stash, but this I couldn't resist. Also, the yarn is cotton and rayon, and I didn't think it was properly suited for charity knits (wool-less yarn is not helpful for cold folks).

And then two Mini Mochie Shawlettes, One for me (above) and one for an auction (below). The top one is made from Mini Mochie, and the bottomone is Wisdom Yarns Poems Sock. I love them both, but the one made out of Poems Sock is light, airy and awesome. I will be using this yarn again for shawls (not sold on it for socks, however).

So I suck as a blogger, but I STILL am a very dedicated knitter. Rabid, in fact. Some might say a little out of control. You see, I only post finished objects, my UFO pile is embarassingly large. And try as I might I can't resist a new project. Especially when Afghans for Afghans announces their Fall campaign, and they want more socks and mittens! (the Beardsley Stash is just perfect for pair after pair of mittens). Have I mentioned that I have three, no....four afghans started and NONE of them anywhere near completion? Oh, and the six pairs of socks I promised my husband in 2010 (I'm on pair #2). And the sweater I started for #2 son.....TWO YEARS AGO!

OK, so I have a problem, but I'm having a good time.

P.S. I could have linkied this post up the B-hind, but I really wanted to get something up and tracking down links takes time. BTW, all the shawl patterns are FREE and are available on Ravelry.com. (I love free!)

STOP ME BEFORE I SOCK AGAIN!!!

2010-07-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

Afghans For Afghans (a worthy organization, if you are not familiar with them already) announced a summer sock knitting campaign in the middle of June. After a wild bout of stash-diving, I have been knitting "plain vanilla" socks with a passion. So much so, I'm not sure I can stop!

The above pair of socks were made from my early knitting days, where I thought cheap self-striping yarns were just "all that."

These two pairs are from some KnitPicks sock yarn that I bought ages ago for a shawl that just didn't pan out, but it makes some awesome warm socks that will warm the feet, and hopefully the heart, of some kid in Afghanistan.
And I even started a FIFTH pair of socks.....Initially, I thought I might keep this pair for myself, cause I really like the way they are turning out, but I have to give them to A4A. That's what the socks are telling me to do. YES, my knitting does talk to me. You act like there is something wrong with that!

Even though the socks are simply knitted, they are giving me a great deal of satisfaction. I am trying out techniques that I've understood for a while, but never tried....afterthought heel, and afterthought leg. I am trying to build up enough confidence to try two at a time, toe-up.

The only problem with this wild spate of sock knitting, is that I PROMISED my husband I would knit him SIX pairs of socks in 2010. I have completed ONE, and the year is slipping away from me.

I know, NEXT pair of socks will be for my hubby.....REALLY!

I'm Spent!

2010-06-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

I got to spend the day making Spent Grain Bread. "Spent"......Not "spelt." Spelt is indeed a grain, but my bread is made from the, well....leftovers of my Darling Hubby's beer-making. Making beer requires grain, once the beer-making is over, the grain is "spent," but far from useless.

Take the grain, spread it out on a cookie sheet and let it dry (it's wet, you see). Once it's mostly dry, you can store it in a zip-loc bag in the freezer until you are ready to make the bread.

So, spent grain, flour, another kind of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, butter, olive oil and warm water, and the usual bread-making magic, and you come up with THIS.....

Warm, and buttery, out of the oven......

And I have three MORE loaves rising right now! Yeah, that's an awful lot of bread, but who cares! Fresh, hot, healthy and HOMEMADE!! This is how you LIVE!!

BTW, I would really like to find a butter churn................

Where the Hell have I been???

2010-06-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Yeah, I dropped off the face of the earth again. It seems to be a habit of mine, and honestly, I'm as annoyed by it as you are. But life, constantly, intrudes. If I had my way, I would knit, watch Doctor Who and play on my computer all day every day. But last time I checked, no one had died and made me God, so I'm stuck with having a job, and trying to balance work, home, family, and yarn all at once. Mea Culpa,

But I've been busy, went to Washington, DC again in May for the REALTOR mid-year meeting and ran all over the place as usual. We took the youngest son with us, so that added a whole new aspect to the adventure. (and prevented us from our usual sojourn to Russia House for vodka, russian beer and foolishness, but oh well, sometimes you just HAVE to act like an adult).

Oh yeah, we did get our picture taken with our local Congressman on the roof of the congressional office building (one of the best views in DC, really).

Back from DC and back into the fray - work, little league, and end of school year activities. The youngest son has been out of school for a week now, and I am not yet motivated to ship him off to grandma's...permanently.....but just a little more newly minted teenaged attitude and I may change my mind.

I have been knitting, however. It is, after all, one of my few attachments to sanity. This is what I've been up to.

I joined a square swap on Ravelry, and I have completed 4 squares so far. I even CROCHETED a square. I know! It shocked me, too!!

I knitted a pair of socks for an elderly friend for her birthday. She loves my handknitted socks, so I try to make her at least one pair a year. Her daughter is hopelessly NON-crafty, so someone has to knit for the poor woman!

I knitted a blanket and some baby hats for the babies who just keep popping up around me. Babies are always worth knitting for, even if you hardly even know them. Baby stuff is just plain FUN to do (and no, I am NOT longing for grandchildren). Actually, I didn't knit just one baby hat, it was more like FOUR, with matching booties, but boy babies just keep showing up and I keep giving everything away, so no pictures! But all the hats pretty much look like the one above.

Also knitted a hat and bootie set for a little girl baby. Picture is crap, sorry. Now bear in mind I don't know anyone with a little girl baby, at the moment, but that has never really stopped me knitting something. A girl baby is bound to show up sometime soon, and I'll be ready!!

And I even finished a pair of socks for ME! Can you believe it for ME! I would be a whole lot more pleased with this accomplishment if I hadn't started them in October of 2008, and just finished them this week. And of course, this week is the first week of summer and sporting brand new pair of hand-knit wool socks is not the most intelligent thing I've done. But hey! They're done, and I LOVE 'EM!

There's other things in the knitting queue, two shawls, two sweaters, two...wait....three.....nope, FOUR afghans....oops...FIVE afghans, and at least two other pairs of socks. But what is a knitter without a list of UFO's a mile long?

2010-03-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here are my Cinnamon Rolls in their natural state...........................

And after they are enrobed in delicious cream cheese frosting......YUM!

Worship she who is Pioneer Woman!

I'll see your Cookies, and raise you a Cola Cake!

2010-03-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

My blog-friend - Kniter Bunny - occasionally shares her baking prowess on her blog. Before Christmas it was cinnamon rolls, the other day, it was her own recipe for oatmeal cookies. Now I love my Knitter Bunny , she's an awesome lace knitter, baker and all-round terrific person, but I could not be out done in the baking department. My baking-foo has been strong, lately, whipping up scones, and biscuits that could make you weep, but I decided to reach into the old, family recipes for this one. I give you.......COLA CAKE!

I've had this recipe for a long time, and honestly, I've ignored it. It was one of the recipes I got from my mother-in-law when I joined the family, lo, some 27 years ago. I ignored it, mostly because my MIL has a reputation for having a great recipe, taking it one step too far, and basically futzing the whole thing up.

But I have had two people mention how awesome Cola Cake was in the space of just a couple days. The recipe has been calling to me, and I had to heed the call. This cake is AWESOME, sweet, chocolatey, and fluffy. It has melted marshmallows in the batter! Come on! MARSHMALLOWS!

On another front, I give you the arrival of SPRING!

This is a little lilac bush I planted in our front yard three or so years ago. It was such a little baby when I planted it, that I knew that it would be a couple of years before I would ever get to enjoy any blossoms. Well, it looks like THIS will be the year. Those are little lilac buds! I am SO excited! Lilacs are of of my favorite flowers. We always had lilac bushes in our yard when I was a kid, and have been missing having my own lilacs for a long time. More pics when the blooms are out.

RANT!!!

2010-02-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

OK, this is a rant that has been building up for a while and it has decided that it needs to come out NOW!!!

I am sick to shit of people bitching and moaning about how awful things are for them. Yes, the economy is not great (it HAS been worse), Yes, the real estate market isn't what it was (but let's face it, the market was way crazy and just a little bit beyond anything resembling reality. Downturn can also mean someone decided that it had gotten just a bit too crazy). Rich people aren't as rich as they were two years ago, and they aren't happy about that (Boo-Hoo, I don't CARE!). And my sons' little spoiled bitch girlfriends can't get mummy and daddy to buy them a new pair of Jimmy Choos.

Get a little perspective people!!! There are people literally DYING for the opportunity to be allowed to learn to read! People who have lost everything they ever owned (and it wasn't much to begin with) in an earthquake that flattened their whole country! We have young soldiers fighting extremism in all forms all over the world, but we can't even get two political parties together in the same room to intelligently discuss healthcare reform. Be grateful that OUR politicians don't settle disagreements between each other by shooting at each other. (Instead, they much prefer implying that the opposing party is helping load the handbasket that the world is going to hell in).

So, I'm going to propose something Amazing, Improbable, and just a little Crazy. Be NICE to each other! Smile. Say "Thank You." Tell someone you appreciate the work they've done. Set aside your pocket change and donate it to a cause you care about (and don't criticize someone if they think another cause is more important to them). Give some one a smile, a compliment, a helping hand. No one person is going to change the world, but if each one of us does one good thing....we can move mountains.

And That Was The Year That Was!

2010-01-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

Honestly, I'm not one for a lot of end-of-year contempaltion, but I decided to do a little wrap up, and fortunately, one of my favorite bloggers - Linda - over at All and Sundry does one every year, and I decided to borrow....appropriate....OK, outright STEAL her end-of-year questions. So, here goes.........

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Helped take our company in a whole new direction by going from a fiercely independent real estate company to a franchise member of one of the fastest growing real estate organizations in the world. Have you ever tried to organize a event for 250 people and keep the whole damn thing secret?

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?  

Oh Hell no! It's so embarassing, but no.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?  

No.

4. Did anyone close to you die? 
 
No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit? 

Did a lot of travelling this year, but none of it out of the country. 

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

More time for myself!
 
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March 3, 2009. That's the date we launched the rebranding of our real estate company. And it has been a sometimes merry, and sometimes terrifying roller-coaster ride since

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 

The launch of the new company. And getting some of our.....ah.....less technologically adept agents to at least try some new tech. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

Damn near everything else in my life. Not exercising, not losing weight, not being able to spend enough time with my kids.......
 
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had two minor foot surgeries this year, made exercising in 2009 difficult, but 2010, look out!
 
11. What was the best thing you bought?

Uh, really nothing springs to mind..... I tried really hard not to be extravagant this year.
 
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My youngest son's. He's a straight A student and a little musical genius!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?  

My brother-in-law ('nuff said)

14. Where did most of your money go?

College tuition.  

15. What did you get really excited about?

The Launch.....this year, it HAD to be all about the launch.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

It Happens by Sugarland
  
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: 
– happier or sadder? Overall, it's a toss-up.
– thinner or fatter?  Fatter, definitely fatter.
– richer or poorer? Poorer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?  

Spend more time with my kids and with my Mom.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?  

Getting frustrated about people who I can't change.

20. How did you spend Christmas?  

Quietly, at home, with my family. It was very nice.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Only more in love with the Hubby.

22. What was your favorite TV program?  

Hmmmm, Doctor Who, Castle......

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?  

Nope, I pretty much hate the same folks, and for pretty much the same reasons.

24. What was the best book you read?

29 Gifts

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? 

My youngest son. It still blows me away that he's musical!

26. What did you want and get?

My DH bought me a spinning wheel for xmas! Now I just have to learn how to use it.

27. What did you want and not get?

A quiet vacation by myself.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Star Trek??

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I had to accompany my DH to a meeting in Wenatchee, and I turned 48. Woo-Hoo.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

If more people would have faith in my husband's vision. I KNOW it always comes out the way he plans. It really does.

  
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Any day I didn't have to wear spanx was a good one.

32. What kept you sane?  

KNITTING!!!

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Hmmmm, David Tennant, of course.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?  

Renewal of the first time home buyer tax credit AND Equality for gay marriage.

35. Who did you miss? 

My #2 son when he went to college 

36. Who was the best new person you met? 

Probably Sherry Chris. 

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.  

Believe, believe, believe, even if others question your vision.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 

Ain't no rhyme or reason
No complicated meaning
Ain't no need to over think it
Let go laughing

Life don't go quite like you planned it
We try so hard to understand it
Irrefutable, indisputable
Fact is it happens

So that's it friends. My 2009. Seems like a lot of people are eager for 2010. Hopefully, that means we are done with all this negative crap. I know I am.

Let's get out there and kick some butt!!!!

Holiday Letter

2009-12-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

There are certain persons in our extended family, who exult in the "Holiday Letter." You know what I mean, those holiday missives sent to your family by relatives you hardly see the rest of the year, to impress upon you how perfect their lives are. In reality, their marriage might be falling apart, and one of their kids just got out of rehab for their addiction to Ritalin, and the other one is about to be suspended from school, but everyone is deliriously happy, well-adjusted and successful. Often, I have threatened to send out the "anti-Holiday Letter" but I really doubt the people who participate in the Holiday Letter ritual would get the joke.

Unfortunately, I am in a situation this year, where a straight holiday letter is not only a good idea, but is almost necessary. This year has been such a busy one, that an update for distant family is pretty much necessary.

But that doesn't mean that my first draft was my best one:

"As many of you know, we usually don’t do this “Holiday Newsletter” thing. Mostly, because I lack the time, interest or motivation to write one of these self-aggrandizing tomes every year. BUT, 2009 was a banner year in our Household (what we have been calling “The Lost Year”), so here we go!

The oldest son graduated from college this year, immediately moved home and is now camping out in our basement. He does have a job (working for daddy), but shows no sign of moving out. He has come in handy as a Nanny a time or two however.

#2 son (otherwise known "as the hole into which we pour money" graduated from high school and headed off the the hinterlands of the Midwest for college. Apparently, freezing cold, tornadoes and an appalling lack of Starbucks held an attraction for him somehow.

Our youngest son continues to amaze us. Sometimes it's hard to believe he is from the same gene pool as the other two boys. He is a straight "A" student and is shaping up to be a brilliant musician. We should get the DNA results back next week.

My darling husband has taken up homebrewing his own beer. Homebrewing goes excellently with his other hobbies, fishing, shooting guns, motorcycles and fast cars.

I am in the full throes of menopause, complete with hot flashes and mood swings. Or as hubby calls it "peri-menopausal and semi-homicidal." BTW, his broken arm is healing nicely......I TOLD him not to touch the thermostat!

We are really looking forward to the Holiday Season this year. Everybody will be home for Christmas (everyone made bail) and we have made it through another year without any "surprise grandkids" showing up.

Wishing you and yours a Joyous Holiday and a Successful New Year!

Final Stretch?????

2009-12-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

I controlled my ornament knitting urge long enough to finish another pair of socks.

These are the next to last House Socks I need for Christmas. I'll likely do a couple of hats, and perhaps a regular pair of socks for my oldest son. But Lord knows if I'll get them done in time....he's got size 14 feet. He appreciates a good pair of socks, but he is hell to knit socks for. I'm also on the second sock of a pair for my hubby. (Otherwise known as "he of the cold feet").

I may be on the final stretch, but face it, you know I'll find someone I need to knit an elaborate gift for, two days before Christmas. We all do it, don't we?

So Easily Entertained

2009-12-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

These little ornaments may become a problem! I LOVE knitting them! I have other stuff to do, to knit, to clean, etc., but all I want to do is knit these little puppies!

Friggin' Cool

2009-12-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

I am unreasonably pleased with myself over this........

I entertain a fantasy of one day having a Christmas tree with nothing but knitted ornaments (it may one day evolve into having a knitted TREE, too, but I need a lot more free time for that one). I have searched for the perfect design. The one that strikes my fancy, is easy to do over, and over, and over, and over again, but looks like it is SUPPOSED to be knitted. That it is meant to be no other way, but knitted. Well, I finally found it. This lovely little ornament is a snap to make, uses leftover from sock yarn(of which I have, well, I have a lot), and is clean, simplistic and just my style.

I am going to be making LOTS more of these, I swear!

On another note..........

I am unreasonably amused by this......

This is lingerie by Vera Wang, for Kohl's. 'Nuf said!

Missing, but lots of Action

2009-11-05T11:29:00.001-08:00

Yeah, so I have neglected by Blog for more than two months. But it doesn't mean that I haven't been knitting. I got a wild hair a while back and decided that EVERYONE needed house socks for Christmas. You know what I mean by "House Socks," right? Socks meant to be worn around the house to keep toesies warm. Not for putting into shoes and wearing around. So following the purchases of MANY skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash (and any other kind of superwash wool I could find), I have embarked on a house sock knitting frenzy!

For Mom:

For One of the Nieces:

The Nephews:

For a Niece:

And Another Nephew:

And there was a little crochet Christmas decoration action, too:

Yes! Crochet!! I know, I know, near blasphemy, but hey.....Snowflakes are more like crochet than knitting, anyway. And I can tell you even this kind of simple crochet takes me to the ragged edge of my crochet skills. But it is going to be the perfect finish to a tree that will be auctioned off for a scholarship fund.

Last time I wrote, I was on the road, taking my middle son to college. Well, he will be home for Thanksgiving in a little more than a week, apparently sporting a rather rugged beard and mustache for "No-Shave November." I PROMISE pictures....this should be really good. #2 son is the one who really can grow some impressive facial hair (something he can be quite vain about BTW). He has sported a beard of sorts for quite a while, now, but never a mustache. THIS should be fun to see.

I'm about to take off on another trip tomorrow, to a REALTOR convention in San Diego. My biggest consideration when packing....what will I take to KNIT!! My latest house sock....check. My snowflake garland.....check. Back up sock knitting....check. Why do I always travel with this fear of running out of knitting? They DO have yarn shops in San Diego.

Well, still some things to do........

Things I Have Missed

2009-08-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Things I have missed while on this God-forsaken roadtrip......

1) my Husband
2) my youngest son
3) my dogs
4) my BED!!
5) Kate Hudson at the Mariner's game (apparently)
6) eating decent food
7) being able to sleep past 6am
8) decent quality toilet paper (do NOT ask)
9) not having heartburn on a daily basis
10)my knitting stash (I have been working on the same socks for 4 days straight, and it's beginning to drive me batty!)

Things I have discovered while on this God-forsaken roadtrip......

1) there are a number of clean bathrooms in gas stations these days
2) there are no Chevron gas stations east of Idaho
3) because of #2 the balance on my AmEx is going to be HUGE this month
4) although the drive is boring, Wyoming has some awesome geology
5) Wyoming also has awesome wind farms
6) contrary to popular belief, most of Colorado is FLAT, and I mean F-L-A-T!!
7) the world needs a vegetarian fast food chain of restaurants
8) lightening storms are cool in Kansas (as long as you're in your comfy hotel room)
9) I'm really dreading the return trip
and........
10) next time my of my kids decides to go out of state for college.....He's FLYING there....ALONE!!

Eastbound and Down!

2009-08-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, we begin the great trek East to take #2 son and his esteemed girlfriend (the one who decorates cake with Fondant!) to their home away from home for the next four years - Wichita State University.

Wichita State University!!??!! What's up with THAT, you may ask. Well, with an across the board 17% tuition increase at Washington State Colleges and Universities, and the $3000 academic scholarship he received from Wichita State, it is actually CHEAPER for #2 son to go to college out of state, than right here in Washington. Besides, they have an awesome baseball program (we're keeping our fingers crossed for that one) and an amazing business program there.

OK, so that's the positives of the school, but no matter how you cut it, this drive is gonna SUCK....BIG TIME. Nine hours a day of driving for three days, across half the dang country!! Only good thing to think about is that when I'm not doing my driving shifts, I can be knitting. Maybe I'll get the mate to this sock done............

Absolutely sucky picture, I know...but hey....Ansel Adams, I'm not. Sock #1 was finished on a road trip to San Francisco via the Oregon Coast. How beautiful!! How Romantic!! You may think......Not so. First it was for a business trip (although the drive in the Corvette WAS nice)...and second, this is mostly what our views of the Oregon Coast looked like:

Beautiful.....but kind of, um.....foggy. All the way down the coast!

I would show you all the pictures I took of San Francisco, but - um - well, it would be pictures of one hotel meeting room after another. Finally got more than 5 blocks away from the hotel when we hit Fisherman's Wharf for lunch, on our way out of town!

So tomorrow, it's on the road again...........

Yech!

2009-07-30T20:49:00.000-07:00

Still Hot.
Still Uncomfortable.
Getting grumpier every day.
Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler.
Yeah, right.

Hot! Hot! HOTT!

2009-07-27T22:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, I will admit it. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and we are used to beautiful, pleasant, mild summers. A place where we consider brief periods when the temperature goes over 80 degrees to be "heat waves." But for the second time this summer, we are experiencing an extended period of 90+ degree weather. This, my friends, is flat out intolerable. You see, we Northwesterners don't usually have air conditioning in our houses. Why??? Honestly, hell if I know. Being used to rather mild weather most of the year, we aren't used to heat even for a few days during the summer. Ao don't you think we would make air con a priority? Unfortunately, Pacific Northwesterner practicality tells us that having air conditioning for just a few days of unpleasant weather is just ridiculous! That argument sounds really good in April when we are just getting out from under months of rainy, overcast gloom. But during the last week of July...that argument is just plain stupid!

I am hot, sweaty, uncomfortable, and can't manage to wear little enough clothes to make me comfortable without causing a scandal. And I tell ya, menopause does not make this summer any more tolerable. I have begun thinking that moving to Iceland would be a good idea. I've heard the men are tall and handsome there. And have names like manly man Viking names like Gunnar and Gudrun. To hell with that....it's cooler there! That's all I care about at this moment.

Sorry, two posts and know pictures. But I don't think you want to see pictures of melting middle-aged women.

Support the Harlot!!

2009-07-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

Pardon me while I step up on Soap-Box for a moment........

There is some crazy person harassing The Yarn Harlot via her own blog and attacks on Steph’s blog - see the deets here - If you haven’t done it already, tweet your support on your Twitter, or any other venue you have. Personal attacks (and actual threats!!) on a blog just meant to entertain is flat out WRONG!! The community has to put pressure on cyber-stalkers!

Steph herself is trying really hard to take a rational and reasoned approach to this person’s vitriol - which apparently started with Steph’s latest Canada Day post (which I always find enlightening and hilarious!). The “stalker” decided Steph hated Americans (yeah…..right) and proceeded to attack her at every opportunity. I believe only an avalanche of love and support will silence this hater. Let the hater know she is allowed to have her opinion, but personal attacks will not be tolerated by those to love/respect/admire/like to laugh with/ the Harlot.

This blows me away totally, because I see knitters/crocheters/crafters as totally caring and giving people, but apparently there is one giant hater out there. It’s scary!!

I now open the Soap-Box to others ...........

Dorkiness - Puppisonified

2009-07-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

My big old 90-pound lab, Otto, is a supreme dork.......

And I'm being driven slowly insane knitting this.......

Miles and miles of garter stitch. I've committed to doing this for my son heading off to college, but damn! It's really starting to drive me batty! And I'm only half-way done! It will look beyond cool when it is done however:

And I've begun to cheat......I've been caught crocheting......CROCHETING....headbands!

It's so girly, it almost makes me Puke!

NOT on the Road again!

2009-06-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

OK, so I am such an effing slug about Blog entries lately, but hey! I've been busy! Not one, but TWO business trips since my last post, a Sock War (and noble death by a fellow knitter), a kid graduating from college, one that graduates from high school on Monday, and oh yeah.......a job and family, too. The only good thing about the business trips was that those long plane flights provide lots of knitting time.

First up, the mere beginnings of a project I had a lot of help on. The Doctor Who Charity Afghan! Tons and tons of my Ravelry friends knitted up and sent me 4x4 bias squares made from fingering leftovers.......ah.....last year! I finally got around to starting to sew them up. I spent literally months procrastinating on this project, paralized by the fear that I would start sewing the squares together and I would ruin the hard work of many kind people (that, and sometimes my color theory doesn't work so well). So one day, I took a flyer and started sewing. It seems that there really is no "wrong answer" with this project! (Thank God!) Every arrangement looks great. Haven't gotten too far on this, as yet, but check back for progress. Eventually this will be offered for auction on Ebay to benefit Doctors Without Borders.

Next, my "weapon of choice" in Sock Wars. The wonderful Air Raid pattern done in Brown Sheep's Wildfoote luxury sock. Great yarn, and a great pattern. I killed my target promptly, only to be exterminated myself by a novice sock knitter and her Barcelona socks.

The neophyte sock knitter, Openbook, sent me a soft and comfy demise. I'm looking forward to wearing socks that I didn't knit when the weather gets cooler again.

And finally, my current labor of love...The Grad Ghan for #2 son done in Wichita State University's school colors, black and gold (Woo!! Shock!!) Granted it looks like a giant bumble bee at the moment, but when it is done, it will be the wonderful Wooly Thoughts >"Long and Winding Road" pattern. Woolly Thoughts patterns are easy enough, yet creative enough to keep a confirmed anti-ghan knitter like me deleriously entertained! I love the miles and miles of mindless garter stitching combined with the absolute knowledge that this thing is gonna be AWESOME when it's done. It's what keeps me knitting on the darn thing!

So I have officially updated you on all the interesting things going on. OK, so there is business stuff, but really, that is so much of my life right now, I don't want to talk about it here. Knitting is my joy, my kids are a constant source of amazement. The realization that I will soon have two out of the house and only one at home is just starting to dawn on me. I really don't know if I should be happy about it, or sad. Right now, I just take it as it comes.

Actual Knitting Content

2009-04-28T17:49:00.001-07:00

Strangely enough, there has been some knitting going on around here! But as usual, work is getting in the way.
These are my first successful toe-up socks! Hubby loves them. I learned that toe-ups work best with a sewn cast-off (well, at least when I'm knitting them). I've also learned that I love knitting toe up!

As you can see from my second pair of toe-ups - started immediately after finishing my first pair.......
There are also third and fourth pairs in process. Part of my enthusiasm for sock knitting - not that it ever really dims - is that my sister-in-law's mother absolutely loves my hand-knitted socks, and she turns 90 in just a couple weeks. I hope to have at least 3 pair all knit up to give her by May 14th. Normally, I wouldn't be so enthusiastic about knitting socks for someone who is not my husband, but Phyllis loves my socks so much, and I can't deny a sweet little old lady her heart's desire.

And I've added more stitch markers to my burgeoning collection. I'm still trying to figure out exactly WHEN I'm going to use all these stitch markers I'm making........since I really do try to use markers as little as possible. Another reason for liking knitting toe-up. I can do it without using any markers at all!

The exercise thing has not been going well, mainly because I had to have a bit of surgery on one of my toes last week to remove some nastily ingrown toenails and a bone spur. Had to get this done before going to Washington DC in May. Walking around in DC (and there is ALWAYS walking in DC) and bone spurs do not make a good combination. So the surgery was a priority, so I am healed by May 11th. Please God, let me be healed by May 11th. Of course, snotty regular exerciser Hubby pointed out that I could still use the stationary bike.

A second day of SUCCESS!

2009-04-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

As promised, my second declaration of devotion to my exercise program. Really, the Couch to 5K program is likely one of the easiest programs to get into, and the podcast downloads make it really easy to keep track of what you're doing. I did break down the other day and buy myself a new iPod Nano (in pretty green!) For the workouts, it is far superior to my old (and now thouroughly dead!) iPod Video. Much lighter, by far.

But I have begun contemplating knitting a Nano cozy/armband. For some reason, I think sticking my Nano in my sports bra is not a very good idea. I have a good supply of Cascade Fixation. I'm thinking that would be exceptional for an armband.

Loved the work out again today. Strangely enough, if you do this on a treadmill, you can see your progress pretty quickly. My comfortable jog speed already increased from 4.5 mph to 5 mph. Granted I could go slower, but my stride shortens up and my legs cramp.

Still liking the feeling I get. And I KNOW I am doing something good for my body, so I do start feeling a bit righteous.

Self-Talk

2009-04-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

Here begins the "self-talk" portion of our show, wherein I try to convince myself that regular exercise is a GOOD THING!

A while back, I started the Couch-to-5K program. Did really well for three weeks. Then Our big Better Homes and Gardens launch project started and the first thing that went by the wayside was MY exercise time. I will point out that hubby is far more dedicated and his exercise routine never lost a beat.

The busy-ness subsided, and it took me two weeks for my desire to exercise overtook my lame excuses NOT to exercise. So I am back to day one, week one of the program. I didn't even let the imminent demise of my iPod (which holds my interval training program) stop me today. So while I was alternately walking and running, I hit upon the idea of declaring my reasons for liking exercise every time I hit the gym! So here goes.......

WHEN I EXERCISE......

I feel better......
my back hurts less....
the temporary tired is soon replaced by more energy and a better attitude.....
my posture is better.....
I make better food choices all day long.....
I think more positively about myself......
I start to believe I can accomplish anything I put my mind to.

I apologize if this little exercise is a bit boring for you all. But a public declaration of what I am doing and why is going to go a long way in making this a part of my life.

Tomorrow, I get to take a rest-day - after only ONE day of exercise, not a bad deal! Friday is day two of week one. I plan to be checking in with you then.

New Obsession

2009-04-04T18:38:00.000-07:00

I've developed a new obsession. I suppose it is a natural extension of knitting. But still, considering that I only rarely use them, it IS kind of weird.
It started innocently enough. A little giftie for an online friend..........
Then a little trip to the bead store.......

Then a $50 shopping spree here. I can feel trouble brewing already. But on the other hand. They're fun and only take a few minutes to make.

Doin' the Parental Thing

2009-03-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

The Big Project, took a lot of time away from the kids in the past month. #3 son felt the brunt of it. Being the youngest, and the one who has always wanted more attention from the 'rents than the other two, the past month has made him feel like a demi-orphan, sometimes. So DH and I have been trying to spend a bit more time with him, and reminding him that he is a priority in our lives. To this end, we took our budding little concert violinist to his first classical concert. Boring, right? Not at all. Violinist, Tasmin Little, presented a mid-afternoon concert called "The Naked Violin" at our otherwise Hoity-Toity symphony concert hall. It was thouroughly enjoyable, and #3 son was enthralled. Ms. Little, played, talked about her violin and the pieces she played, answered questions from the audience - adult and child alike; and a good time was had by all. Best of all, the concert was free for the kids and their parental escorts. A free classical concert you could attend in your jeans, what better way to introduce a kid who loves his violin, skateboarding and baseball, to classical music.

You can even download "The Naked Violin" for FREE on Ms. Little's website.

Now, there has been some knitting going on....not as much as I would like, though. It seems that I can't get more than a few rows done in the evening without thinking that a little snooze is just what the doctor ordered. A couple of weeks ago, I started - for no particular reason - a baby blanket. I do this occasionally with no specific baby in mind; having faith that one will pop up from somewhere. Well, no sooner had I cast on, when my boys came home announcing that several of their teachers, or teachers' wives were expecting. So now the question has gone from "where will I find a baby to give this blanket to," to "which of the dozen babies soon-to-be-born will get the ONE blanket I have to give." Ya know, that Teacher's strike in September is reaping some unusual benefits.

Still slogging away on hubby's toe-up socks. They go with me everywhere, but lately, when I have kid-wait time, it is spent making or returning phone calls. I spent an entire two hour baseball practice the other day talking to our agents who had not heard about our big change. I would have much rather been knitting on those socks - but no such luck. And just the same, I have been wanting to start a dozen other projects, despite the fact that I have a dozen UN-finished projects patiently waiting their turn in the limelight.

WANTED: My Own Cabana Boy

2009-03-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

OK, so the big project that has kept me away from the blog for over the month is finally over, well, mostly. THIS is what has kept me busy, building spreadsheets, making lists, double-checking those lists, changing the lists after the double-checking, planning, emailing, more planning....and doing all this in SECRET!

I understand, to most of the world, this is no big deal. Just another real estate company (and in a down market, are we insane!?) But we've been around for 19 years as a proud, independent, non-franchise company, and we took the big, BIG step of going with a franchise. A new, amazing, totally worth it, wonderful franchise. We expect big things of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, and they expect big things of us. Even in a down market, there can be great opportunities, and this is ours.

But putting everything all together was a lot of work. And most of it fell on my Sister-in-Law and me (Oh! did I mention that we are a FAMILY business?). We have been scurrying around like a couple of squirrels on RedBull for a month. The launch was last Tuesday, and now we are in the honeymoon stage. Checking in with all the agents, smoothing out all the inevitable blips, making sure that all is going well. I have been in constant "Customer Service with a Smile"-mode for a month, and it's wearing a bit thin. I'm tired. Physically tired, and tired of running and being "on" all the time. I'm not complaining, really. I'm excited about our new venture, and I'm excited that I am playing such an important role in them. But I am in desperate need for a bit of "Me Time."

Actually, a lot of "Me Time." I haven't read more than a few pages in a book, or knitted a few rows, or done one of my Couch to 5K workouts in a month. I don't wind down at the end of the day any more.....I collapse. And I've developed this nasty habit of waking up at 2am. Yeech!

But there is a glimmer of hope. DH and I get to go on a little business trip to San Diego next week. Well, it's supposed to be a business trip. We are going to try to make it a mini vay-kay, with a tiny bit of business attached. I promise the "Do Not Disturb" sign is going to get a workout.

That's where the Cabana Boy comes in. I want someone to take care of me for a bit. Fetch for me, carry for me, bring me drinks with little umbrellas in them, massage my tired feet.....and if he knows the location of all the good yarn shops in San Diego, so much the better. He doesn't have to be cute, or sexy....I got a man for that....I just want to be a little lazy and selfish for a while.

Then I'll be ready to go back to the real world, and deal with work and the kids, and meetings, and schedules..........

Well, Maybe, I'll be ready to go back to the real world.

In Memoriam

2009-02-06T01:08:00.000-08:00

We witness this day the passing of an old friend.....one of my first pairs of handknitted socks. Granted, it was not the first pair I knitted. Those, I hate to admit, were done in such a hideous color of self-striping yarn, that they are destined to live in my sock-drawer forever, since I so seldom can bring myself to wear them. But rather my recently departed socks were worn so often, in all but the warmest of summer weather, that they served me long and hard for three winters before finally expiring at the toe. But they lived a good and useful life, providing their final day of service in a new pair of Dansko boots.

These socks, my dear reader (yeah, I know there's only ONE of you out there), went out at the top of their game!

There are new pairs of socks on the horizon (there is
always a new pair of socks on the needles somewhere around here), and they may be fancier than my old blue, aloe-impregnated, top-down socks - I have progressed to lace and toe-up patterns - but they will always be my first. Among the first made, the first loved, and now......the first lost to old age. Rest well my old friends.

Cave In!

2009-02-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

OK....I admit it. I caved and bought a subscription to Handknit Heroes.

I am so weak!

I've Seen Everything

2009-02-03T08:11:00.000-08:00

It's Official.....I have NOW seen everything when it comes to knitting. Was visiting my usual rounds of my favorite blogs and found this on Mason-Dixon Knitting. A graphic novel for knitters! I am simultaneously incredulous and thrilled. I want a copy of this comic so badly.......but I don't want anyone to know I would actually buy it. Geez, talk about dirty little secrets. I have a couple of swaps to buy stuff for.....Hhhhhmmmmmm, hey swapees, how do you feel about "modern art?"

Also finished my Clever Shawl for the school auction. O.K., so the pic is a bit fuzzy. I'm still trying to learn how to control my new camera. But fuzzy is good.....the shawl is all fuzzy and soft, just like a nice bit of wool and alpaca should be.

Oh hey! one last thing.....I hurt not at all! from my first week two workout. That ROCKS! I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow's workout.

Week Two, Day One

2009-02-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I successfully repeated week one of the Couch-to-5K program, and confidently (this time) went on to week two this morning. This week, it's six 90-second segments of running interspersed with 2 minutes of brisk walking. It went surprisingly well, considering that one of my knees was giving me fits at the end of the week, last week. I was afraid for a bit that this running thing might not be for me. But it became clear that the knee pain was more a result of too much high-heel wearing and not too much running. So less of the high-heel thing, in future.

I also finished a second Carol's Clever Shawl. This one is for the upcoming school auction, done in a lovely blue-grey wool and alpaca blend (Berroco Ultra Alpaca).

I'm starting to come up with ideas to modify this pattern with different lace edgings. A trip through Knitting On The Edge can really get the ideas flowing. I have a feeling that I will be doing several of these over the next year for the females of my family. SIL has already requested one for her birthday. Fortunately, her birthday isn't until November, so there is hope that I will be able to knit something besides shawls all year.

I'm going to try to knock out a Little Arrowhead Shawl for the auction, too. I've got a month, and it shouldn't take too long. I've got this much so far..... I'm using Jojoland Melody Superwash. I think the way it's dyed will make an interesting and versatile shawl. Not that the picture is any indication of the color....looks kind of indistinctly salmon-y to me. It WILL get better as it progresses. Until I pinned it out, I wasn't all that impressed with this pattern. Now......I LIKE it.

Week One, Again

2009-01-26T10:35:00.001-08:00

So I mentioned before that I'm doing the "Couch to 5K" program. I completed week one last week, but I am repeating it this week. Mostly because I decided that since I am still pretty much out of shape that running in a hilly neighborhood, when it is below freezing! is a bad idea. The local gym with the nice treamills is MUCH better. My lungs don't do that nasty freeze-thaw thing at the gym. Granted, it can be a bit overwarm, and way sweaty, and I am displaying my out-of-shape body to the great unwashed, but I know what I'm reaching for, so I'm cool with it. Besides, it hurts less, and I can actually finish a workout without thinking about dropping dead in the street.

Really, this is a pretty cool program. Free, lots of support online - almost anywhere you look - and achieveable. Workout three times a week following the program and that's it. In fact, the program insists on a rest day between workouts. Just what I like, a program that encourages vegging out. I'll keep you updated......

Auction Stuff

2009-01-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

It is again "Auction Season" here at the Ranch. For me, that's means deadline knitting, and driving myself crazy wondering if anyone will actually want to bid on my bits of yarn. For my hubby.....it means a new pair of socks for him has been put on the backburner, again! Funny, hubby complains about my knitting, unless it's a pair of socks for him.

So I made a pig purse for a scholarship auction. The "why's" of the pig purse, is a long story, but suffice it to say, it fit with the occasion. I think my little piggy girl was adorable, and a way easy knit. It was a Noni pattern, and done in a flash. A couple years ago, I was on a real felted bag kick - so much so that I totally burned myself out. But this little piggy might get me started again.

The second piece was actually for me, but a test knit for an auction piece. This is my version of Carol's Clever Little Shawl. Really an easy knit, and endlessly different depending on the yarn you use. I used some Noro Kureyon that I had "repurposed" from a shawl I had made when I first picked up knitting again. It's shortened width and slight short-row shaping, make it an excellent everyday wear accessory, guaranteed to keep you warm. Don't let the short-rowing scare you. This is very much a "short-row 101"-type thing. I only finished my first one the other day...and I've started my second already - the "offical" one for the school auction in a wonderful blue-grey wool alpaca blend. Just going from a long-varigated to a single color yarn, really changes the way it looks. I already have a couple other ideas for playing with the pattern. We'll see what happens!

A little sift through my stash revealed at least three other choices in yarn I could make one of these shawls from. I think I may end up knitting this shawl so much this year, I could end up hating it. But for now, I'm in love!

In other news....I have completed the first week of the "Couch to 5K" program. The program trains you to go from being a couch potato (pretty much me, now) to being able to run a 5K in NINE weeks! I plan on repeating week one, next week, mainly because it was so cold last week, that although I did complete the three workouts for last week, I think I would be well served if I repeated it. I have also decided to either train at a local park with a flat walking track, or if it stays really cold like it has been, at the gym. That's the beauty of this program.......it's adaptable to treadmill or outside training, and there are supports for the program everywhere. Itunes has several free podcasts that provide music and verbal cues while training. (free.....I do love me some free!) And if you're on Ravelry and following the program, there's a group there, too.

Speaking of Ravelry....if you haven't joined, why not?

So wish me luck on my repeat of week one. My goal is not to have my lungs scream at me at the end of the week.

The year in Review

2009-01-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Honestly, 2008 was not a stellar year in some respects (real estate, 'nuff said), but in others, it was quite good. DH and I are zeroing in on year 26 of marriage - and we still talk do each other (among other things)! All of our boys are happy and healthy (when they aren't trying to kill each other). #1 graduates from college in May, #2 graduates from high school in June and is already accepted to his first choice college. The youngest......well, he's still alive.......and considering every member of the family has threatened to kill him at one time or the other in the last few months because of his current Tech Deck obsession....that's a huge accomplishment.

Despite problems with tendonitis in my wrists and elbows, my passion for knitting has not dimmed, even though my production might have been a bit reduced. There was a lot of quality knitting time in 2008.

Wow! so the year was more productive than I thought! That's only barely half the year's production. And I was thinking my "Hall of Shame of UFO's" was bigger than my FO's. Silly me!

I have been contemplating a New Year's Resolution for 2009. I'm one of those who tries to make a valid resolution every year and fails misrably by January 5th. So I have been thinking of an achievable resolution. I came up with this, "to take better care of myself, physically and emotionally." That sounds reasonable, doesn't it? Not too vauge, not too specific (for me, specificity is the killer), and any positive move forward can be perceived as success. I like it.

So that's it....I'm going to go with "taking better care of myself, physically and emotionally." Next to "I resolve to make no resolutions," I think it's the most fool-proof.

Re-cap

2008-12-29T08:07:00.001-08:00

Well, I survived another Christmas........barely. Now all that's left is a ton of leftovers and a slowly dying tree.

Even though we kept gifts at a minimum this year, the kids seemed to enjoy what they got (even though some of it hasn't arrived yet - damn Fed Ex and snow). Hubby did surprise me with my own digital camera; even after I told him he didn't really need to get me anything. Still, it was a nice giftie, and a wonderful surprise.

Finally got all my holiday knitting done....OK, so it was three days AFTER Christmas, but my nieces and nephews will be enjoying their handknit goodies before the end of the week.

A recap:
Hat for Nephew Hans...

Hat for his twin, Evan.

Mitts for their big sister, Chelsea.

Mitts for Niece Heather.

Mitts for Niece Hailey (they're actually done, now).

And last but not least, a hat for Nephew Drew....which I gave to the recipient before I thought to get a picture of the hat. But he loved it. Which is kind of funny, because he was the one who said "I don't need a hat....you made me one last year." Silly boy.

Next year, I plan on starting my holiday knitting, BEFORE Thanksgiving!

I've even started two new projects, which I need to have completed before January 9 (why do I do this to myself?)

You will note from the above list of holiday productivity, that there is nothing for my own sweet DH (OK, don't laugh, I'm in a good mood today, and he's not here), or any of my own sweet sons (good mood splashover, sorry). I do owe all of them pairs of socks, at the very least. I also owe #2 son a sweater I started for him last year, and a graduation afghan - due in June. Actually, I still owe #1 son his graduation afghan (he graduated from high school in 2005 - do you think I can get it done before he graduates from college in May?). But I am 3/4 done with #1 son's afghan. OK, so it's been that way for 3 years. But hope springs eternal.

I'm considering a New Year's Resolution. I tend to be a dismal failure at these things - but it is something I really want. The only trick is to make the resolution managable. Small changes, big results. More on this later....when I get up enough guts to talk about it.

Dateline.....Christmas Eve 2008

2008-12-24T18:07:00.000-08:00

Two Pumpkin Pies?......................Check
Cheesecake?............................Check
Veggie Pot Pie?........................Check
Mushroom Pie?..........................Check
Christmas Morning Monkey Bread?........Check
Jello Salad?...........................Check
Fresh Baked Dinner Rolls?..............Check

OK, so the cooking is done, but there are NO presents wrapped, two knitted presents yet to be finished, two presents apparently caught in the black hole that is Fed Ex delivery after the worst snow storms (plural) that Washington State has seen in nearly 20 years, and it's 50/50 that we'll be able to pick my mom up from the nursing home for Christmas, because of the weather (who the hell puts a nursing home at the bottom of a steep - and now icy - hill?).

And my 11 year old has been bouncing off the walls all day (all week....all the time....)

The Good News......we weren't going anywhere special for Christmas.

The Bad News.......we weren't going anywhere WARM for Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Blessed Eid, Merry Solstice, and Best Wishes for a much happier New Year.

My Martha Moment

2008-12-07T22:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the company Holiday party is this Wednesday. So late Saturday afternoon, I decided I should take a peek at the holiday decorations liberated from my MIL's to see what I had for centerpieces. Guess what there was for centerpieces? Jack-flippin'-shit! My Mother-in-law, the queen of "name that party theme" had given me a huge box of mis-matched random holiday crap. Nothing at all that would create a coherent group of centerpieces. Now, really, I know what you're thinking. "So your MIL didn't have any centerpiece decorations, what's the big deal?" The big deal is that this woman has multiple sets of Christmas decorations in multiple color schemes - and all she was willing to part with was a box of random stuff. Lord knows I wasn't planning on keeping it - cutesy just isn't my thing.

So there was a mad dash to my local craft store to come up with a centerpiece idea times 12, for the tables at the party. After of nearly an hour and a half of putting this and that together to come up with some kind of idea; this is what I left with:

2 cans of translucent spray paint in "MacIntosh" color - $7.99 each
12 large red plastic charger plates - $3.99 each
12 sets of battery powered Christmas lights - $2.49 each
12 pillar-type clear glass vases - $5.99 each
14 random picks of little Christmas ornaments in various designs, white and clear - $1.99 each
6 2-ounce packages of "fake" snow - $1.22 each.

I spray painted the vases with the translucent paint, creating red pillars, instead of clear......let them dry - thouroughly - placed a string of little lights in each pillar; placed a pillar on each charger; and decoratively sprinkled fake snow and a few ornaments around the pillar on the plate. And viola! A Centerpiece to make Martha Stewart envious!

Well, at least that's what I'm going to keep telling myself.

Two!

2008-12-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

I finished my second holiday knitting project the other day. A pair of fingerless mitts for one of my nieces.
Sorry it's a picture of only one. There really are two of them, but I can't take a picture and model with both hands at the same time. They are Bee-YOU-tee-ful! And so wonderfully soft.

Started another pair for another niece right away, not much to show for it, yet, using a Knitspot pattern called Wiggle Mitts. Hoping these will come out as nice.

I guess I'm going to have to sit down and think about what I want to do for the other 'Phews and my own boys. How many knitting days before Christmas?

Lame....

2008-12-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been Lame. My content has been next to nothing lately....(did you try the recipe?) And my determination to successfully navagate my first NaNoWriMo came to naught. Please explain how first time novelists with kids, and husbands, and jobs, and REAL lives, ever get that first book down on paper?

I have been knitting, however. I have some finished projects, some half-finished projects, and some really good starts to show off.

In finished projects, I present the first of my holiday knitting. A hat for my nephew Evan. We visited Ravelry together and he fell in love with this Snowboarder Hat That Rocks pattern.
It worked up pretty quickly pulling two skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash. Nice hat, nice result, and happy teenaged boy at Christmas. Such a deal.

Also finished (about a month ago, sorry) is my Hey Teach sweater. I've been holding off taking picks of it because I need to wash it again, or the light is bad, or I'm not wearing the right top to show it off properly. If I wait for all the conditions to be right, it will never have it's own picture. So here it is.
Really, I love this sweater, Easy to make, fun to wear, and it goes with tons of stuff. I plan on making another one in cotton for the spring.

In half-finished, I have half a pair of socks for me done. Those will be going on the "Let It Wait" pile until after Christmas. Also on the "Let It Wait" pile will be my February Lady sweater. I wish I could get this done in time for the holidays....I love it already, but knitting for others always comes before knitting for self...right? When am I going to get over that bull-crap thinking?

On the starting block is a pair of fingerless mitts for my niece, Heather. It's a pretty straightforward knit. With this one, it's the yarn that makes the piece. This soft, "heathery" blue is perfect for my petite niece (pleeze, a light breeze could knock her over - but she's not afraid to shoo her mom out of the kitchen when there's baking to be done!)

I have a couple other small holiday projects on the horizon for the various "Phews" and "Ieces," even a couple for my own kids perhaps.

I also have a felting project due for an auction, but not until early January. That will be my "holiday break" knitting.

What, you don't plan knitting especially for vacations?

2008-11-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been away for so long.....but....well, life interferes---constantly.

For about three months I have been attempting to be vegetarian. I have been toying with this idea, off and on for a couple years now. It's been going pretty well, overall. Except for a long weekend trip to Kansas, where "beef" is apparently considered a vegetable. I'm not a uber-strict vegetarian (I eat fish, sometimes). I am not vegan (too much work). But I prefer to eat vegetarian meals, and have found some immediate health benefits - lower blood pressure....yeah! I don't think vegetarianism will save the earth, or that folks who eat meat are killers. I just think eating veggies is a healthier way to go. And for me, it works. End of philisophical discussion about vegetarianism.

Since I am the only vegetarian in a house full of "carnivores," I am often confronted with the problem of cooking two different meals so everybody can eat. But once in a while, I find I can convert one of the family favorites into vegetarian meal that the whole family enjoys. This is one of them.......

Veggie Sloppy Joes

2 - 12 ounce packages Quorn Grounds
1 good-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup Catsup (or Ketchup)
2 TBSP prepared yellow mustard
2 tsp chili powder
1-1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 - 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
1 - 15 ounce can black bean, drained and rinsed
1 - 14 ounce can diced tomatoes (drained or undrained, your choice)
1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 package hamburger buns of your choice

In a dutch oven, saute garlic, onion and green pepper until soft. Add the remaining ingredients (except hamburger buns), stir and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Serve on the hamburger buns.

Now this makes a ton, but it can easily be portioned out and frozen for future use. I use the Gladware 1-3/4 containers for this kind of thing for portions just for me.

This is an adaptation of an old Cooking Light Sloppy Joe recipe, but it adapts great. I love it, the kids love it, the hub loves it - and I only have to make one main dish.

I have tons of knitting content to slap on here, but not today. Eat a veggie today.

Busted!!

2008-10-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, after literally YEARS of doing the stupidest/coolest thing a knitter can do, I got busted.

I had to drive up to Whatcom county yesterday for what turned out to be a wasted trip, and of course, my knitting came with me. It's my closest and bestest friend, after all.

On the way back down, (after a stop in Bellingham for perhaps the best poppy-seed bagel and scallion schmear this side of New Yawk), I had driven though the little mountain pass, past all the outlet malls, and was on my third episode of Lime N'Violet before my fingers started to get a little itchy....... I mean what's the harm, a little sock knitting, really vanilla stuff, while driving 74 mph on the I-5.

Well, there was this brown minivan at first beside me, and then behind me - I thought nothing of it. I try very hard to ignore mini-vans at all costs. They make me itch. Suddenly, the brown van sprouted flashing lights! Busted! It was a frickin' County Sheriff's vehicle. What's up with that? County Mounties driving crappy, early 2000's minivans! Talk about sneaky! So I pulled over, and carefully dropped the offending sock and needles into the back seat (without trying to look like I was dropping anything into my back seat - I've seen "Cops.") The kindly deputy walked up to my passenger side window, and intead of asking, "do you know how fast you were going?" he asks, "were you knitting?"

OK, so the innocent doe-eyed thing doesn't work for me. I'm more the blank-dumbfounded-stare type, really. Finally, I admitted I was, without really saying I was - the Alford plea of knitting. I was already calculating what the ticket was going to cost me, and how big the hit on my brand, shiny, new auto insurance policy was going to be - and just what Snohomish County's finest was going to charge me with, anyway..."wreckless knitting?"...when he asked me kindly to stop knitting while driving, told me to have a good day........and let me off the hook.

I have not told my husband about this little adventure, and I will not. He accuses me of knitting while driving when I have both hands on the wheel! Will I knit while driving again? Yes. Will I knit while driving in Snohomish County again? Not if I see any crap-brown minivans around!

Happy Birthday.....to Me!

2008-09-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

Last week was my fourty-mumphth birthday. We are not precise with numbers when we are taking about my age, pleeze!. Hubby was out of town, kids were at school, so it was me and the dogs. I spent the beginning of the week thinking of all the things I was going to do on my "ME Day." Shopping, wandering, lunching, knitting, maybe trying out the new kick spindle.....so what did I do? I knit little fishes! I know, what's up with that? But I was just hit with a big bag of entropy and all I could do was knit and watch the boob-tube all day.

It's not depression. It was just the joy (or absolute shock, I'm not sure which) of having a day where no one expected anything of me. Really, I should have done something active and enjoyable, but I just didn't want to.

I've been working on my Hey Teach Sweater pretty steadily. I just have the sleeve decreases and the button band to go and I'm done with that. I really want it done by the end of this week. I hope I'll make it. I always seem to slow to a snail's pace as I get to the end of a project - especially if that project is for me. But I picked up buttons for it last week, so when I'm done, I'll be done. No endless search for the perfect buttons.

In other knitting news......... I'm taking another stab at knitting toe-up socks. Actually the socks are much farther along than this now - considering I sat in the emergency room with my mom for much of the day today. She has another broken bone - the second one this year - the second one that will require major surgery to repair - the second one that will require a stint in rehab (a polite word for nursing home). Enough bitching about that. I have a rather large amount of emotions to process about this, and I'm not quite ready for it. Besides, I try to keep the griping down to a minimum here.....well, at least if I can't make fun of myself or my hubby at the same time.

I'm working on the heel of this sock. That's where the last attempt shot me down. I'm hoping I do a better job on this one.

Every Day is a Little Gift!

2008-09-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

This week has been a goodie-filled one at my house. Fun Stuff that I ordered, and swapped for started arriving. A couple weeks ago, I discovered the concept of Kick Spindles. I look at a Kick Spindle as a logical step between a Drop Spindle and an all-out Spinning Wheel. I've had a hankering to learn to spin for a while, and even tried to learn to drop spindle. But I discovered I have a lingering rotator cuff injury that makes learning to drop spindle painfully illogical. Still, my desire to learn to spin has not waned. Tried to convince the DH that a nice traveling wheel would be a fine gift for me, but he saw it as just feeding my obsession with fiber. (OK, so the $1000 fly fishing trip - where he brings home NO FISH - and the $4000 hunting club membership don't feed HIS obsessions) But once I found the Kick Spindle, it seemed to solve a number of problems.....inexpensive (less than $60), compact, and the spinning method does not involve my right hand over shoulder-height for inordinate amounts of time. So.....thanks to the Internet, I located and ordered a Little Meggie, from Heavenlyhandknits.com.

I haven't had a chance to sit down and try this little sweetie out, but plan to soon. I have been watching Youtube Little Meggie instructional videos intently trying to suss out the mysteries of the Kick Spindle.

It was also a fun day when my copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside The Lines came to my door through the kind auspices of Amazon.com and my friendly (he really is) neighborhood UPS man. The first M-D Knitting book was fun....this one....AWESOME and as my Ravelry friends say "Full of WIN!" There are at least four patterns in the new book that my life will not be complete without. Even better, I already have the yarn for some of them!!

And a couple of weeks ago, I swapped a copy of Favorite Socks with a Ravelry friend of mine who had lost almost her entire knitting book collection in a move (may the Gods curse moving men to wear machine knit socks their entire lives!). She in turn sent me a skein of recycled sari silk yarn. (PIC HERE) I have been coveting this yarn for quite a while, although I have never had guts enough to pick up a skein "just because." Now I have one lucious skein of the stuff. Probably only enough to do a scarf. But I will spend the next six months dreaming of the possibilities.

On the Knitting Front, I have been working deligently on my Hey Teach sweater. I'm hoping to have it done in time to wear to a professional thing on October 5th...hey and the Yarn Harlot's book signing the night before!. Only the right front and the (thankfully) short sleeves to go. I just may get it done. Keep your fingers crossed.

The professional thing I have to go to is a REALTOR's Education Conference. Two days of classes. Read that two days of blessed knitting time, while pretending to be learning something about the Real Estate Profession. Actually, I do pick up quite a bit knitting and listening to these classes. If I didn't have the knitting to keep me occupied, the blind screaming fidgets would kill me at these things. I plan on adding to my knitted hat and glove collection. I'm getting quite a collection going now. But between chairty donations, and Adopt-a-Crew donations, the hats and goodies will not go to waste. Here are a few I forgot to post before. A Fake Isle Hat made from Cascade 220 in Forest Green and a random skein of Noro Kureon.

And Cigar Gloves, made for one of #2 son's friends, bound for college in Montana (Go Montana State University!)

I haven't even begun to wrap my mind around Christmas knitting for this year. We're half-way through September and I haven't even given this a minute's thought.......I'm screwed!

One more thing.....just because I think it's cool. For those of you with a Post-It Note fixation......have fun!

EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment from Eepybird on Vimeo.

News Update.......

2008-09-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

The first day of Middle School was just fine for Son#3. He came home smiling, happy he did well on his summer reading quiz (all of Mom's nagging paid off!), and declaring that all his teachers were "way cool."

Another developmental milestone in the books!

Free At Last!

2008-09-14T19:33:00.002-07:00

After an additional TWO WEEKS of summer vacation, my kids are headed back to the salt mi.....ah school, tomorrow! Thanks to the Bellevue Teacher's Strike, my kids have be underfoot, at each others throats, and workin' my last nerve for the last fourteen days!

The oldest has been back at college for three weeks at this point. His last year in college.....I should be sad. He's not my baby any more. But no. I've been excited to see how he will turn out as a person for quite a while now. The first real glimpses of the man he is becoming are just starting to show through. It's exciting.

Hey! maybe I'll try to get his high school graduation blanket done for his college graduation!

Number Two Son is starting his senior year of high school.......late, as usual. Can't pick on the kid, too much, though. He has been getting up to get to school an hour early for a special 6:30am welding class for more than a year. My boys love their welding! It's about the only thing the older boys would ever get up early for.

The Baby is starting his first day of middle school today. I thought he was cool with everything and then I heard some snuffling behind me. He's my emotional one.....my worrier....my nervous wreck! He'll be OK though. He doesn't realize, yet, that about a third of the kids there today are just as nervous as he is. And when he sees all the kids he already knows there (only one of his elementary school friends will be going to middle school with him), he'll calm right down. He has older friends there, sibs of some of his brothers' friends, baseball teammates. He'll be fine.........Still, I think I'll make sure I'm home when he gets home. Should I have brownies or rice krispie squares waiting for him?

On the knitting front, things have been getting done.....some little projects..... Hats.........and Fetching fingelesss mitts

I've also started a sweater for me......Hey Teach. No pics of my own, yet. My first experience with shaping lace in a garment. A bit challenging in spots, but I will survive. My hope is to have this done by the end of September, so I can wear it to a professional event at the beginning of October. Pushing it, I know, but I want something no one else will be wearing. I have a reputation for my hand-knits to uphold. There are also a couple pair of socks wandering around here, too. They get a few stitches when I get the chance.

Right now, I feel all adrift, suddenly. No kids arguing underfoot, my days are (kind of) my own again........OK, so NOW what do I do?

One more time....with feeling

2008-08-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to try adopting a vegetarian lifestyle.....AGAIN. I say again, because I have made a couple of false starts over the last couple of years, but have been getting closer and closer to success with each try. Did some research last year, got some good information....did well for about a week, then dropped it. Decided to try again about three weeks ago....and so far, so good. I am not the poster child for Vegetarianism, by ANY means....but I'm liking what I'm doing, and at this point, that's all that matters. I suppose for the purists out there, I plan on being a "pescitarian." I will eat fish. Mostly because some social situations make being a vegetarian a hassle, and I have social obligations that make being real strict about it difficult. If pressed, I'll even eat meat, but usually there is a compromise situation somewhere....I just have to find it.

I've noticed that eating vegetarian is starting to release my creativity in the kitchen again. And my kitchen creativity has been taking a long-long nap. Take last night's dinner for example.......

I just took a flyer last night and made an awesome dinnner. I was planning to make Swimming Rama for dinner....Chicken for the kids, tofu for me (am NOT making the family go veg - that would result in Mutiny and my being forced fed a Big Mac). Pulled out my recipe for peanut sauce....and decided I didn't feel like measuring. Took brown sugar, peanut butter, some unsalted peanuts I had, half a purple onion, soy sauce, lemon juice, veg broth and siracha sauce, and blended it up with my immersion blender until I thought it tasted right. Threw it in a saucepan and put it on low to thicken it. Pressed and cut up some tofu and browned it. Browned some chicken breast slices. #2 son decided he wanted broccoli instead of spinach with the rama, so I sent him to the store for broccoli. Made rice, steamed the broccoli in the microwave, and then presented it all on separate plates on the table, so that the fam could mix together what they wanted. Everyone loved it!!
I think my old peanut sauce recipe is going to take permanent retirement in my recipe file. I don't need no Stinkin' Recipe!

On the knitting front, I have been working diligently on my Ravelympics Sweater Sprint project......Until yesterday, that is. I've got the body done, and about 2/3 of one of the sleeves done. Only the other sleeve and the button band left to do. Even stopped by one of my fav LYS' (Great Yarns! in Everett) to pick out the perfect button for the sweater. But then my mind wandered.....I started thinking about hats, "fake isle" hats to be specific. So two skeins of Noro Kureyon and two skeins of Cascase 220, came home with me, and I cast on for one of the hats last night. I didn't mean to be unfaithful to the sweater, but....but....I've been with that sweater for nearly two weeks straight! A knitter needs a bit of variety! So I might not get my sweater done by the time the Olympic torch is extinguished on the 24th...but I will have it done for my Mom's birthday in November, and that was my real goal.

Knitting the sweater has reminded me that sweater knitting is fun, and that was something I had almost forgotten. Between the ton of socks and the miles of shawls, I had forgotten that some people knit nothing but sweaters and lead full, rich knitting lives. Rich lives despite never holding a pair of Addi Turbo Lace needles in their hands, or contemplating the joy of a skein of Koigu turned into a pair of socks. Middle son will eventually enjoy this revelation. I have about half a sweater for him started somewhere. He might actually get to wear it before he graduates from high school next June.

Making Progress, slowly......

2008-08-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

Despite my wounded state, I have gotten a few things done over the past couple of weeks. These nifty baby booties were the last thing I did on small needles (US 0, I believe) And it's gonna be the last little needle project for a while.
And this dandy hat, done in SWS natural geranium. Finally something I like made with this yarn. I've always liked the colorway, but for some reason it only fits with certain patterns (at least for me). This "Hat Fit for a Boyfriend" was made for the Doctor Who Adopt-a-Crew project. A group of us want to show our love for the crew of Doctor Who by keeping them warm while they work creating our favorite show. What?? Wales is really cold in the winter!

This doily was a warm up project from a new book I got....Knitted Lace by Sonja Esbensen and Anna Rasmussen. I didn't want to embark on a big lace project from my new absolute favorite lace book until I tried something more manageable. At first glance, the charts are different and intimidating. But a few rounds of working the pattern and the charts are actually pretty easy to understand.

This is the project that is going to suffer. My latest sock project is just a bit too much on the old thumb. A few minutes and my thumb aches and it feels like someone stabbed with a DPN in the palm of my hand. This really kills me, as I have some awesomesauce sock yarn I want to play with, and I can't right now.

But tomorrow the Ravelympics begin. I have most of the day off, my projects all picked out, and all four series Doctor Who and both series of Torchwood DVD's to Knit along to. Dodgy thumb or not, I am starting the Sweater Sprint tomorrow with Mr. Greenjeans, and some Knitpicks Claret Merino Heather. Shhhhhhh, don't tell my Mom. It's her birthday present!

Wounded

2008-07-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Wounded...I'm woooounded......battered and broken and bruised.......

Like the song says, I'm wounded. Seems like I have developed tendonitis in my thumb. Yeah, I said it, my THUMB! Didn't think thumbs were so important in knitting. Heck, I didn't think thumbs were that important at all! But try to hold a US 1 knitting needle for an hour, hit the spacebar on the computer, or twist the lid off a jar without using your left thumb. The doctor and the occupational therapist both say I shouldn't knit at all for up to four weeks, wear the black brace from hell, and try to not use that thumb at all (except for gentle flexibility exercises). Yeah, right. Ravelympics start on August 8th and I'm signed up for the Sweater Sprint.

I have gotten a few things done, however.....a pair of baby booties (no baby to go into them, just booties....)

And half a pair of socks.....

A bunch of other stuff on the needles, but nothing significant. I'm stuck in a knitting space warp. I knit and knit an seem to get nowhere fast. But I'm itchin' to do another big lace. Seems like the only thing that makes me happy these days.

The Long Goodbye

2008-07-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

Last pic of the Wedding Lace. It certainly wins the "most photographed project" prize around my house. I love this to death - and of course, it goes to it's new home on Sunday. Isn't that the way a knitter's life goes? The things we love the most never stay. We have to say goodbye to them.

Now this next stuff is my latest find, and I love it! It's called Flat Feet. It's a machine knit flat piece of superwash merino fingering weight. It's knitted undyed and then dyed after it has been knitted flat. THEN, you knit right off the flat and into your sock. The result is a hand-dyed sock yarn that is a total surprise until it comes out. Grab-bag knitting at it's finest. Knitpicks offers the pre-knitted blanks, so you the hand-dyers among you can do this yourself. After I finish playing with at least one of my Flat Feet "skeins" (would you really call them skeins?). I might try my hand at dyeing a couple of the Knitpicks blanks. Do I detect a new obsession looming?

I'm knitting a top secret project that has been bandied about on a couple Ravelry boards, and puttering around with a sock in Maizy, too. This is a wonderful non-wool sock yarn.

That's about it on the knitting front. My DH's insistence that I become more involved in the family business, and a flare-up of tendonitis (or arthritis, Dr. doesn't know which) has slowed my knitting progress considerably. The Doctor wanted to know if I could lay off the knitting entirely for a few weeks....yeah, right. Silly Doctor.

Big Wedding Lace

2008-07-06T21:32:00.001-07:00

This is some Big Wedding Lace! I love it when I plan a knitted gift and I get it done a FULL WEEK before the big event.

This bit of loveliness is based on the Egeblad doily pattern from YarnOver. Whomever is responsible for the patterns found on Yarnover is a genius! And their love for finding and recreating vintage/antique lace patterns is evident in everything they do. I wish I had half their talent!

I've said it before and I'll say it again....this is not the last big lace I will do. It's about time I do a big lace for the daughter of the woman who I inherited all this lovely yarn from. And I just learned today that they are undertaking a big remodeling project in their house. So a big lace piece will be a perfect housewarming gift once their remodel is done.

Bits and Pieces

2008-06-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Check out the latest issue of Craft. Knitted Chucks!

I held the magazine in my hands for a good 10 minutes, trying to legitimize the $15.00 cover price for ONE pattern. But checking the website, you can now get a year’s digital only subscription for $26.95. That’s about $7.50 an issue, and it’s environmentally sound!…..(wanders off to check my credit card balance again).

I have a number of things on the verge of completion. Will do a pictorial when I get them done.

Just a taste for now.....The Diamond Brocade baby blanket is done.

Loved the pattern, hated how I finished it. A quick check on Ravelry showed that others have done what I am thinking about doing next time.....Knitting the blanket and foregoing the embroidery and lining. I would do the lining again, but I think I would do something like quilting the diamonds together with the lining, so they stay together. The embroidery? Heck no! I hate embroidering on knitting! You have seen my first and last attempt!

Had to add this bit of video loveliness. I don't know who holluwoodgrrl is, but he/she/it is an amazing video editor.

Freakin' Fantastic Big Lace - Done!

2008-06-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

Just browsing my Blogger and noticed that I had not published the finished pictures of my Big Hemlock Ring Lapghan. I love it. I love it so much, that I'am adapting this concept to other patterns, and making a list of other projects, too. I'm within 20 rows of finishing my second lapghan. A gift for some friends getting married next month. I've already got lace lapghan #3 planned out.

This is a great way to use up the "Joan Beardsley Memorial Yarn Stash." Oops! That reminds me......gotta knit one of these beauties for her daughter. The woman who generously gave me all this yummy bulky yarn! Jennifer, you don't know it yet, but yours is in the works, too!

Big Freakin' Lace!

2008-06-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

In my active attempt at stash reduction, I took a dive into the "Joan Beardsley Memorial Stash" to hunt for some yummy wool to try the Hemlock Ring Blanket from Brooklyn Tweed's blog. Started on Thursday June 5, ripped out to row 26 on June 8th and am on the bind-off today. The bind-off may take a couple of days, honestly. It's a lot of stitches to bind off....a LOT of stitches. But I gotta say, Big Freakin' Lace is FUN!

Here's the beginning.....

And this is the home stretch..... Only 7 more sections of the lace to do.

Birthday Boy

2008-06-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

The youngest boy is 11 years old today. At 2:13 pm, eleven years ago, I gave birth to our third, and final, baby. A BIG baby....9lb., 13oz.

Now, normally, I wouldn't publish pictures of my kids on the net - but let's face it......nobody is really going to notice my boy standing next to the loveliness that is "Heidi The Seagal." Heidi is one of my son's many girlfriends - he is "the Playa."

Dad is out of town at the moment, but when he is back, boy has declared that his birthday dinner must be at Hooters (I told ya he was a Playa.) I will break my picture rule for that,too, because little boys surrounded by hot girls in tight orange shorts is just hilarious!

On the knitting front, I am about 3/4 the way through a second new pair of socks for boy. Did a little stashbusting to do these, and I'm really liking my find.

I also pulled out a half-completed Diamond Fantasy shawl to finish yesterday. I forgot how fun, and EASY this pattern is! After languishing in my UFOs for months, just picked this up and started it up without any futtering about on figuring out where I was.
I mentioned that I love this shawl, right?

I'm really developing a severe shawl jones again, so I have to get a few done and try to deplete my yarn stash just a bit (yeah, right!).

Happy Birthday Boy!

Late Update

2008-05-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

Finished these socks a couple of weeks ago for #3 son. Scares me that, at 10, his feet are nearly as large as mine (and I'm not a dainty-feet kind of girl). On the other hand, it makes knitting socks for him a breeze. Just act like I'm casting on for me, and make 'em a little bit shorter.

The cold is better, although the cough lingers (and how). I became a hazard to traffic safety yesterday when I was stricken with a coughing fit on the freeway. No water in the car, no tissues, eyes watering, and coughing my head off. So fun. I was actually so sick that I didn't knit for THREE DAYS! Ye Gods, did the world come to an end??

Looking through my old posts I found a couple of drafts that I never published. One is still relevant:

A bunch of my Doctor Who Ravelry friends and I, have gone completely insane and are going to knit a bias square Charity Blanket, a la Oliver's Blanket over at Mason-Dixon Knitting (page down to see these girls great work) When it's done, it will be auctioned off on Ebay to benefit Doctors Without Borders. Doctor Who....Doctors Without Borders....get it??

I had a few squares started........

But I've knitted a few more besides,

and am anxiously awaiting the packages from my friends to arrive, so I can start playing with everyone's squares and see what we all can come up with. Actually there are plans for two blankets - a North American and a European blanket. That way, my international friends don't have to pay an arm and a leg in shipping costs to get those squares over on my side of the pond. Thanks to Merrypippin for volunteering to take up the assembly chores on the European blanket. I'll be posting about progress on this once in a while. Plan on clearing out some space on those credit cards so you can bid on these beauties when they come up for auction.

And although the squares are fun, I needed to create more leftover sock yarn, so I started a new pair of socks for #3.

Did a little stash-diving and came up with this Sockotta yarn that makes a pretty good "guy-sock." Like the colorway so much, I have to keep reminding myself that the socks are not for ME!

Lots of baseball games in my future, so expect the socks to come pretty fast and furious for a while.

You Know You're Sick When.........

2008-05-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

You don't even want to knit..........bleeeech!

Death Socks!

2008-05-22T18:37:00.001-07:00

These are the socks that caused my demise in SockWars III. Knitted by the lovely Alvia. They fit perfectly, although I wish she had taken much longer to knit them.

My completed SMDs (Socks of Mass Destruction) managed to take out my target, before I met my demise. But, idiot that I am, I forgot to take pictures of the completed socks. Thanks go to my target, Amy, who kindly sent me pictures of the socks that caused her demise.

Poor girl, she didn't have a chance. HER target as size 10+ feet. Amy's are a petite 6.5. I SO got the better of that deal!

Gotta Put This Out There..........

2008-05-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

I decided this morning that I need to put something "out there," in order to give myself some kind of kick in the butt. I have harbored a fantasy, for about three years now, to go back to college to get my MFA in Creative Writing. I am NOT ready to take this step.......yet. I have to get back to some decent writing habits, get the youngest kid a little farther along in school, and the family business has to settle down some for this dream to become more plausible. My old Alma Mater, actually offers a low-residency Creative Writing program, and is only an hour away from my house. So this is a do-able thing....If I WANT it bad enough.

See there's the rub. Do I want it bad enough? I love good writing. I love writing a really great piece that touches someone. I am amazed that my oldest son (Mr.-I-hate-to-write in high school) is now a creative writing major and loving every minute of it. And I want to write, too! But then again, I love knitting and I want to become better and better at that, too. Can I do both? Soon, two of the three kids will be out of the house grown-ups. If I'm gonna do it - there is no better time.

I really think I will need two to three years to prep myself for this. The first goal is to write. Write every day. And not just emails, board posts and blog entries. REAL writing. It may be good, it may be bad, but it needs to be out in the world. I'd say "on the page" but really, who actually writes longhand anymore?

The next goal - write something others may want to read. I can do it, I know. Crap! I used to write and edit a community newspaper all by myself. I can do it again. I'm not saying write a book, but how about a few essays, a small article or two. Try to get something published. Publication doesn't even need to be the goal. Just write something I willingly want to share with others.

Finally, make the plunge and apply for the program. Actually, if I can do step #1 and #2, step #3 will be cake (almost a given).

So why am I making this statement? Well if you want it, you have to declare it. Find a way to make yourself accountable. So this is it. I want to earn an MFA in Creative Writing. So there!

I'm Baaaaack!

2008-05-18T16:58:00.000-07:00

So, we're back from our trek to our Great Nation's Capital - otherwise known as the alternately wet and hot Washington, D.C. Did a lot of REALTOR schmoozing, got drunk for the very first time in my life, and tried to work on my SockWars III socks. Still not done, but not doing too bad.

The SockWars sock was a good traveling companion, and visited several DC landmarks.....

The sock visited The White House:

The sock was afraid to get any closer, for fear of being arrested by the Secret Service and sent to Gitmo as a "Sock of Mass Destruction."

The sock went to Camden Yards in Baltimore to watch the Orioles beat the Red Socks...

And the sock sought a photo op at The Library of Congress:

The sock was also secretly in on a couple congressional meetings, but no photographic evidence of this exists.

The sock did NOT accompany a rowdy group of REALTORS to The Russia House, where we discovered the joys of orange/pineapple infused vodka (YUM!!) and Baltika #9 beer. Hey, while looking for that link, I discovered that The Russia House actually serves FOOD! Wow, maybe I'll actually eat dinner there next year!

I used to be a good girl.....then I went to DC with my hubby......I drank way too much vodka and learned my hubby knows the cure for bedspins.

Washington, DC has one serious deficiency, however. Apparently, there is only ONE yarn shop in DC - granted, it has three locations, but still only one shop. That must be a sin. Although I did score some fab-u-lous black merino fingering weight for a new shawl there.

Hiatus

2008-05-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Going on a little business vay-kay this week. Will return with pics and lots of blog-fodder, hopefully! See ya next week!

Tickle Your Tofutsies

2008-04-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Using my #3 son as a foot model, I present to you my first Tofutsie socks. Done on US 1 needles, using the free Tidal Wave pattern from the SWTC yarn website. I did make one alteration.........Thanks to BeckyB at my LYS (and new Ravelry bud) who just mentioned in passing that it would be so cool if the second sock would spiral in the opposite direction........So I did. I cannot ignore a comment like that!

So not being able to install a chart here; offer my alteration to the pattern in words.

8 stitch repeat, 12 row pattern - all even numbered rounds are plain knit. Between * and * is one repeat of the pattern.

Row 1 - *knit 5, k2tog, yo, knit 1*
Row 3 - *knit 4, k2tog, knit 1, yo, knit one*
Row 5 - *knit 3, k2tog, knit 2, yo, knit one*
Row 7 - *knit 2, k2tog, knit 3, yo, knit one*
Row 9 - *knit 1, k2tog, knit 4, yo, knit one*
Row 11 - *k2tog, knit 5, yo, knit one*

Haven't test worn the socks, but the look is amazing. Tofutsies is my weapon of choice in Sock Wars III - so I liked the practice I got working with this yarn. I still think it would make an awesome lace shawl.

My Back

2008-04-18T09:04:00.001-07:00

So you see my back, with my newly completed Syrian Shawl draped across it. For some reason, this shawl is disconcertingly NOT black in this photo - what do you expect when you let a 10 year-old handle the camera? There was a pic of my front taken, but my only reaction was "moo!" You would think after spending nearly $300 at Gene Juarez Salon yesterday (cut, color, eyebrow waxing, and professional make-up application) I would look better......but it's a "me thing" I know. I hate getting my picture taken. But hubby just won't model my completed shawls for me - weird, I know.....

Now I don't normally wear a cocktail dress in my front yard, but DH and I had a black-tie optional affair to go to last night. This was my shot at "glamorous."

Next on the knitting front, completing the Diamond Brocade Baby Blanket and getting back to my Diamond Fantasy shawl.

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2008-04-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Well, it is done! and a full 24 hours ahead of schedule - The Syrian Shawl, ladies and gentlemen! Really I am pretty proud of this. It is only my second triangular shawl (with knitted on border) AND my first successful foray into laceweight knitting. Tried it before - failed misrably. Which was really bad, since I had difficulty resisting not buying it. Now I can pull out all my skeins of laceweight and start making plans!

That edging used every blocking pin I had and then some to get it pinned out, but the cool thing is laceweight dries in a flash, so a couple hours on the board and it was done.

Now lets hope a new shawl makes this sow's ear look like a silk purse tomorrow night. If you're very good, I will post a pic with the shawl wearing me tomorrow night.

UPDATE!!

2008-04-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Rounded the third and final corner last night on the Syrian Shawl. I will make my deadline! Pics when I have it on the blocking board!

Around the Corner.........

2008-04-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

And the other corner too! Hard work on the edging of my Syrian Shawl had me rounding corner #2 early this evening - last full edge and half the top edge to go and I am DONE! Can't slack off though, I have a deadline. Thursday night is the REALTORS gala (black tie optional) and I needed a pretty to go with my LDB - new accessories can make the same dress go so far!

Gotta get back to knittin!

Sock Pron

2008-04-02T22:06:00.000-07:00

After reading about the Yarn Harlot's adventures in sock photography, and knowing that I would have several opportunities over the next year or so to take pictures of my socks in progress in some interesting places, I decided to start my own "traveling sock" photo collection.

My first entry is a very special one.....a picture of my friend (and NYT bestselling author) Jodi Picoult, me (the craptastic looking one in the glasses) and my first Tofutsies sock at her reading here in Seattle. Ya know, in all the years that I have been going to Jodi's readings, this is the first picture I have ever taken of her, or her and me. Partially, because I hate getting my picture taken and partially because I just recently figured out how to use the digital camera without swearing at it in the process. Mastery of technology trumped my distaste of getting my picture taken. It likely won't happen again. BTW, thanks Eileen for taking the picture. I love Eileen. I only manage to see her once a year or so, but she always makes me smile. And she knows all sorts of great stuff about visiting authors.

I think my sock photo essay could be interesting. I have some things coming up that will be fun to take the sock to. Come to think of it, I may be a little envious of the sock - it can go to black tie affairs without having to squeeze into a pair of Spanx to do so! I wish I could say the same thing!

Spring??

2008-03-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

I don't think the lawn is getting mowed today..........

If I lived in Colorado or Minnesota, this would not be strange, but this is WESTERN WASHINGTON. Mariner's opening day is tomorrow! Can they call a baseball game on account of frozen balls?

Kid Merino Syrian Shawl

2008-03-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

In an effort to have a new accessory to wear with my stand-by LBD, I am trying my hand at knitting a Syrian Shawl from Victorian Knits Today with Crystal Palace Kid Merino (otherwise known as the "economical knitter's Kid Silk Haze"). Lace weight yarn and I have had a love/hate relationship for quite a while. I have a ton of it, mostly because I can't resist the colors and feel, but I have yet to complete any project I've started using laceweight. This project may be the one that gets me over the hump. The Syrian pattern is way easy to remember, and I can happily keep knitting it until I get the size of shawl I want. The only real challenging part will be the knitted lace border, but that isn't a new technique to me, so I should be pretty comfortable with the yarn by then. I am, at this point, genuinely optomistic. I'm even considering adding beads to the border.

Do I have the Diamond Brocade blanket finished?......no
The socks for #3 son?.........no
The Diamond Fantasy Shawl........ah........NO!

What are you, the Knitting Monitor?!?!!

I need to try to finish this shawl by April 17th for an event I have to go to, so this comes first - and that ladies is my rationalization for starting a new project, so there!

Have to say that I am officially in L - O - V - E with the Addi Turbo lace needles. Started this shawl on bamboo, and got tired of trying to do K2togs with dull points. Switched to a pair of Addi turbos I had in my needle stash and they were a little better, but still went out this morning and bought a pair of the Turbo Lace - had to resist the urge to change my needles out right there in the LYS. You really don't see a difference between the Addi Turbo and the Turbo Lace needles until you try them......really. I still love my bamboo - there's something natural and smooth about them that I can't give up, but for socks and fine lace, the turbo and turbo lace are THE thing.

Jaggered

2008-03-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I am on a sock jag at the moment. After knitting two shawls to the total exclusion of everything else, I needed a little sock therapy. Besides, I've been promising my youngest that I will work on new sock sizing for him - 10 year olds and their feet, what can I say! It's plain jane 2x2 rib, but the goal is to calculate a sock size that will fit him for a while, or at least until his feet grow again!

The Diamond Brocade baby blanket is going along quite well. I have the body of the blanket just about half-way knitted. If I keep going at my repeat and a half per day pace, I should have the body finished by the beginning of next week (I hope!). Then I only need to knit the edgings and do the scattered embroidery. Plenty of time before the May 2, due date. I may actually get to that Bobbi Bear for the baby's big sister!

Knitting Schizophrenia

2008-03-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

After finishing the Auction Shawl of Doom, I have lapsed into a period of knitting schizophrenia. One day, it's the Diamond Fantasy Shawl - the next I am obsessed with Clapotis - the day after that, I ripped out Clapotis and worked on my latest baby blanket while discovering another yarn shop and buying yarn for yet ANOTHER shawl, a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock for baby booties and added to my collection of random skeins of Noro for a Lizard Ridge afghan (a future project......sometime.

I made pretty good progress on the Diamond Fantasy Shawl during the Real Estate conference I went to on Monday.

Real Estate continuing education classes are great knitting times - the knitting keeps the part of your brain that says you're getting bored from getting bored (Thank God! It's not like these real estate classes are fun or anything). It also kept me out of the snacks that the Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle offers during the conferences held there. The place is wall-to-wall food - fortunately, my knitting obesssion trumps my food obsession (sometimes). But the diamond fantasy shawl is not for "on-the-go" knitting, so it is relagated to at home or long stationary periods of knitting. Oh, using the addi turbo lace needles for the first time with this shawl.....what can I say, I'm in love! They really are nice to work with. And I can feel a difference. This was something I doubted initially, but it doesn't take much hands-on experience with them to recognize the difference.

I've also been working on a Diamond Brocade baby blanket (is there a theme developing here?) from Blankets Booties and Hats to Knit and Crochet.

This has been languishing for a while, but now the baby this is for is due in barely a month and I have to get to work. I started getting the rythym of the pattern yesterday, so real progress is beginning to be made. It's still portable - but a few more repeats and that may change.

I think I am settling down again. The baby blanket is drawing most of my attention, but there is a sock in progress in my purse, AND the Diamond Fantasy shawl is always on my mind.......and three other shawl projects on idle in my brain. Ya know, if I could just grow a couple more sets of arms like the goddess Durga.

Finally! Done!!

2008-03-16T21:47:00.000-07:00

The Auction Shawl of Doom is Done!! Really, it came out really nicely and is blocking as I type. It blocked wonderfully, and I like it (well, I like it now that it's done). I'm anxious to see what it looks like when it's totally dry, but for now, it's great.

Here's a link to my Ravelry project page for details. I hope it works.

On to my Diamond Fantasy Shawl.

I have to go to a way boring conference tomorrow.....that means SEVEN HOURS of knitting time! Yay Me!! (now if I didn't have to spend 7 hours knitting wearing slacks, SPANX and dress shoes.....)

Ralph Patrol

2008-03-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

I've been on Ralph Patrol for the last two days. We have been without "activity" for nearly 24 hours, so things are looking up. Today is dedicated to getting #3 son back to eating real food. I had been worrying that this was something that would go around the house, but now I'm leaning toward the theory that it was something he ate that caused it. Good, I've never been one for holding someone's head while they prayed to the porcelain god. And when my house becomes a porcelain prayer meeting, all I want to do is LEAVE!

The down time with the sickie kid saw some progress on Auction Shawl #2, but not enough. It's still hanging around kicking me in the ass. Apparently, my knitting endurance is being challenged by this product.

I finally broke down and cheated on the Auction shawl by casting on a new shawl for myself. A little Diamond Fantasy shawl, designed by Sivia Harding. I had a skein of Trekking Natura in blues. Just enough to make the scarf in the pattern. It should be perfect with jeans and a blouse, or tossed over my navy blazer later.

Only 19 rows in, but I'm already liking it - mostly because it is not the Auction shawl.

Light at the end of the tunnel

2008-03-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

Auction shawl #2 is STILL kickin' my butt, but I added on skein #4 today......that will be the last full skein in the shawl. Only a partial skein after that and I'm done. But Lord, am I getting antsy......I keep paging longingly through patterns, reading about triangle lace shawls, and scrutinizing the yardage on some of my skeins to see if I have enough to make a Diamond Fantasy shawl like the one the Yarn Harlot made a while ago. I have at least three skeins of sock yarn that will do the job, and they're calling to me. Oh Alyson, come look at our soft and shawly goodness.

And while I am getting bored out of my skull knitting the zig zag pattern, my brain plays little tricks on me, telling me of more interesting ways to modify the pattern for a yummy skein of seasilk I have.

Can you tell, I am having a true love-hate relationship with this shawl.

And THEN, there is the little voice that's telling me that I should give toe-up socks another shot, because the rumor is that the Sock Wars pattern this year is a toe-up. I have never done a successful one, and I feel a need to practice to prevent my getting assinated in the first round of sock play.

How much longer can I keep working on this thing??????

Still Rockin' the Anny

2008-03-07T23:07:00.000-08:00

The official Anniversary day was Wednesday, March 5th, and hubby didn't disappoint - maybe I should say his assistant didn't. Received a lovely arrangement of 25 sterling silver roses on the day. These are very cool for two reasons: 1) it is our silver wedding anniversary and 2) sterling silver roses were the roses used at our wedding. They are really cool, but pretty hard to find.

They are this amazing pinkish, soft purple-ish color. The photo doesn't do them justice. Unfortunately, they are also rather delicate, so they are starting to bloom-out already. But I love them while I have them.

As for knitting content. Auction shawl #2 is going more reliably, but hardly any faster. I have rarely been so bored knitting something.....I just want it done so bad, so of course it is taking forever.

I even started a new shawl from Victorian Lace Today this week, just to break up the monotony, but the knowledge that I need to get that auction shawl done keeps nagging at me. Funny thing is, the pattern is starting to grow on me. I have a single skein of SeaSilk that I plan to use a variation of the zigzag lace on to make a scarf. I think it would look lovely. I'm just desperate to make something for myself after the holiday knitting madness directly followed by baby blanket knitting, followed by auction knitting. I haven't made anything for myself in months. And I haven't added to my personal shawl wardrobe for nearly a year. Now THAT is a sad turn of events.

Romantic Interlude

2008-03-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

In celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary, hubby (with a great deal of input, planning and effort from his assistant) arranged a surprise overnight trip for us this past weekend. Originally, our plans were going to be much more grandiose, but business being a mad affair right now and our natural tendency toward procrastination blew that out of the water. So right now, a overnight was the best we could do. Hubby kept me in the dark right through departure. All I could get out of him was that I would not need dressy clothes or my passport and it would take only about 2 hours to get there.

So heading out from the house, I started eliminating possibilities….we went toward 520, instead of I-90; we didn’t turn on to 405. We headed into Seattle, on to Eastlake – around the Lake Union and into the parking lot of Kenmore Air. Finally, Hubby admitted we were going to Rosario Resort – by SEAPLANE. Apparently, I had never told him about my intense dislike for small planes. Actually, I’m not that fond of big planes, either.

Strangely enough, the idea of getting on the seaplane didn’t terrify me. There are some advantages, definitely. No long line at security, no stuffy recycled airline air, and the pilot sits right there in front of you.

So off we went, north winding our way along between the coastline and the San Juan Islands.

Of course, I knit furiously on the plane to ward of my fear of flying, but found myself looking out the window more and more. The weather was glorious and the possibility of perhaps seeing a whale passing below was too enticing.

No joy on the whale watching, but it didn't diminish the experience. We arrived at Rosario Resort.

This place has been known as a romantic rendezvous for years and it doesn’t disappoint. The main building dates back to the early 1900’s, and possesses that solid charm of old mansions of the Roaring 20’s.

The meals are wonderful, the service fantastic, and the fact that we had absolutely no cell service a joy! Other parts of the weekend were very fun, as well, but that is not for public consumption (at least not on a family blog!) Oh and we saw no less that four bald eagles! No pictures, of course, that would be way too easy.

Knitting content next time…….

Puppy Porn

2008-02-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

OK, today we're just going for some gratuitous puppy porn.....

Jo-Jo and Rosie having a little cuddle (aaawwwwww, how sweet).

And our resident "emo" Otto, contemplating the futility of an empty dog dish.

And Finally - what we affectionally call "The Black Mass" lounging on "their" bed.

Number Two

2008-02-27T09:29:00.000-08:00

I've got a start on shawl number two now. A real start this time. After playing with about six different lace patterns until 1am Monday morning, I finally found one that struck just the right chord. It's just a simple zigzag pattern, but it's simplicuty is deceiving. I have made two dumb mistakes in the two repeats I have done already (they're corrected now), just because the pattern is so easy and lulls you into a false sense of security. I have to keep the pattern close by, until I am sure I've learned to read it right every time.

I wasn't so sure of the color, at first, thinking red might be too vivid. But the color really does compliment the lines and angles of the pattern. A softer color might not make the pattern "pop" like the red does.

Still, I'm anxious to get this done. I want to do other stuff. For myself and for others. The list of things I would like to get done this year is nearly as long as the list of books I want to read. Well......it might be longer

Finito-Completo!!

2008-02-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Finally finished Auction Shawl #1. I think it's great. I hope folks with money to bid on it feel the same way. It blocked like a dream. I think the color and the rawness of the yarn really works for an all-round wearable wrap. I can see it with a simple blouse and a pair of jeans, a floaty summer dress, or something dressy for evening.

Here are the particulars on the shawl - 21 inches wide by 75 inches long, knit in a mystery Shetland-like fingering weight Welsh wool, in a yummy lavender color. Cast on 84 stitches (9 - six stitch repeats, plus 2, plus 10 for the seed stitch border edges). Pattern is the Alternating Motif stitch from The Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns, page 207. Eight rows of seed stitch bordered the ends. Used about 5 skeins of yarn. There was no yardage on the ball band of the yarn but I figure they were at least 150 yards each.

Then I packaged it up all pretty-like. I figure you can get livelier bidding going on when even the packaging even looks nice. Even tucked in a little lavender sachet.

I started on shawl #2 yesterday. Originally my plan was to knit it length-wise. I cast on 387 stitches on to a 42-inch circular to knit it length-wise. But once I started on the actual pattern, I realized that I miscalculated, and ripped it all out. For efficiency's sake, I abandoned that plan and am going to knit it width-wise. But I am not giving up on that plan altogether. I still want to knit a length-wise shawl, but the time I have to complete this project won't allow me to do it this time. So after I get this one finished, I'll knit a new swatch, revisit my math (three or four times) and try again. One thing I did learn, however, those new Addi-Turbo lace needles ROCK!

Flickr-ing

2008-02-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

Techno-Dork that I am, I am just beginning to learn about the really cool stuff that Flickr can do. Talking to my MIL this evening, it dawned on me that if I created a private Flickr group, open to my family members, that we could all share pics of the kids and the grands with "The Grandmas" who are totally scrapbook divas. Let me make it clear, my GIL (Grandma-in-law) Cha was scrapbooking before there was scrapbooking. My husband, his two brothers and sister, and all of our collected seven kids (and hubby's cousins and their kids), ALL have scrapbooks that date from their births to at least last Christmas. I am not shittin' you guys.......these ladies are serious scrapbookers. Probably one of the reasons I am the scrapbook anti-christ of the family. I take pictures, and then shove them in boxes, unmarked, unreferenced, never to be seen again.

The Flickr account is my way of making amends to the Grandmas for my laxity of sharing family pictures. If the pics are there on the inter-web for them to access, then I don't have to worry about getting hardcopies to them, ever....again. I believe a new photo-friendly printer and digital camera is in my mother-in-law's future. From then on, gift giving occasions can be used to replenish their photo-quality paper and ink supply. Oh boy! This could get way easy for me!

Thought I would share a pic from the long lost family archive of pics I've just downloaded:

I've gone against my normal policy of not showing any identifiable pics of my kids to show you this one. It's at least six or seven years old, and if you can recognize my son now, from his toddler shot, good luck. And hubby without beard. Believe me folks, I think this is one of the last pictures that was taken of my beardless hubby. He was cute then, but he is way cuter, now.

SOCK WARS!

2008-02-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

The announcement of registration for the upcoming round of Sock Wars came out the other day. I immediately signed up! I will likely die in short order, but I hope I last a few rounds at least. I have one small advantage.......The day after the War begins, I will be on a cross-country flight. All that lovely knitting time! (as long as the TSA doesn't "disarm" me at the airport). Hopefully I can develop my two at a time sock knitting skills enough by that point, to knit strong and FAST! I have about two months to "train." I am so excited by this, it's almost unreasonable!

Auction shawl #1 is approaching completion. I think I have about one more skein of yarn to knit in to it. Takes me about two days to knit in a skein. I have no idea of the yardage of each skein. I am thinking they are about 175 to 190 yards each. No pictures just yet. Looks the same as before, just longer. I am itching to get started on #2 however.

Took away from my knitting time yesterday to get my 2007 household records in order. So now I am ready for taxes. Really can't wait to get the taxes done early this year. We're getting a REFUND! That happens so rarely, that it is a genuine occasion when it does happen. Looks like I get my completely remodeled family room this year!

Unfaithful

2008-02-13T00:32:00.001-08:00

Knitting monogamy is a hard row to hoe, folks. Yes, I am sad to report that I broke down and cast on a pair of socks last night.

I swear! I couldn't help myself. The knowledge that I had sock yarn sitting at my bedside waiting to be made into snug little socks for my 10 year-old to wear inside his new hiking books, wore me down! OK, so his feet aren't that little. He can almost wear my shoes, I and wear a very substantial women's size 9. I'm OK with my youngest having feet the same size as mine, as long as he keeps his sweaty toes out of my little sparkly, strappy, high-heel sandals!

Along with the two auction shawls, I want to knit three pair of socks before we fly back to Kansas the end of March. And if that means I'm finishing sock #2 of the third pair of socks on the flight to Wichita, so be it.

Found some Trekking XXL in colors I actually didn't own for the socks for the big boys.

#2 son placed dibs on the blue stuff. So #1 son gets the browns. Gotta use Trekking or something like it for #1 son. Every inch of the generous 459 yards in a skein is needed to cover his size 14 feet. Now if the thought of buying shoes for that kid doesn't send a shiver down your spine, you are stronger than I am!

Monogamy/Monotony

2008-02-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

I have been true to the Auction Shawl for the past week. Knitting exclusively on the lavender lovely. I have to admit, I usually have a pair of socks going at the same time, and right now, I don't. Even though two of my boys need new socks for the "Great Kansas Bird and College Hunting Trip of '08" The whole Fam Damily is going to Kansas in March to shoot birds (for me, read that "knit") and look at a couple of colleges for #2 son. Hubby swears by my handknit socks for warmth and comfort in the Kansas winters and early spring, so the boys need to be equally outfitted. Originally, I was not going on this trip, then hubby decided that I need to go. There goes my three days alone with just my knitting.

In preparation for the Safari, we trekked down to the new Cabela's store in Lacey to buy hiking boots. I have been told that it is the largest Cabela's store in the country....if it's not, it is missing a great chance to be. This sucker is HUGE! Imagine the largest Costco or Ikea you have ever seen - and add a second story to it! Oh yeah, there's a restaurant, a video shooting gallery, a gun library, a mountain and an aquarium in the store. They have a boat section....with six boats in one corner of the store - and they aren't crowded in! We spent four hours looking around in the store, and DH claimed we were "rushing" him. Of course, his idea of heaven is a Cabela's in his backyard.

I have to admit that I drew a few chuckles knitting while walking through Cabela's. I was not going to waste all that good knitting time!

But, I may have to cheat on the shawl soon........

WIP

2008-02-06T17:02:00.000-08:00

So this is one of the auction shawl projects:
Yarn - some unpronounceable Welsh wool - fingering weight.
Needles US 7.
Pattern: Alternating motifs from page 207 of The Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns from Sterling Publishing, with a seed stitch border.

I've got about three and a half repeats of the pattern done. The picture is of the unblocked pattern, just pulled flat by pins. Not perfect by a long shot, but it gives you an idea of the finished product. The yarn is not the softest in the world, but it's slightly rough hewn quality appeals to me somehow. The funny thing is, the yarn is not soft, but I would not call it rough either. Just textured. I'm hoping some auction bidders will like it as much as I do.

Finally sussed out the pattern for the other shawl. But I do need to go yarn shoping before I get started (oh durn!). After trying all kinds of yarn in my stash, I decided I need to get some different stuff to work the pattern the way I want. It really calls for a smoother yarn. I've also decided this one needs to be knitted width-wise. This could be a nightmare, but I can't imagine it working as well any other way. Once I get started, I'll do a little more show and tell.

Project Socks

2008-02-05T10:06:00.001-08:00

Finished my project socks from the "2-At-A-Time Socks" book over the weekend. No, these aren't meant to be a pair. The book suggests knitting with two different colored yarns to keep the different socks in your head while you're learning the method. The whole method was pretty easy, but I got lost around the heel gussetts for a little bit. The problem righted itself and the rest of the sock was a breeze. I'm going to knit another practice pair, and this time be more mindful in reading the directions. I couldn't tell if it was my sloppy reading of the directions, or a problem with the way they were written. I will report back on this later. These socks will go into my Afghans for Afghans collection to be mailed later.

I think I've got one lace pattern settled on and started for the auction shawls. The other one, I have the pattern chosen, but after several tries with several types of yarn, I've come to the conclusion that I need to visit a yarn shop! I think I want to knit the second shawl in Lavold's Silky Wool. I have some in my stash, but I stashed it for myself (LOVE the color), so I have to find another color that I can bear to part with to make the shawl.

A Day Late is Never Too Late

2008-02-02T21:59:00.000-08:00

In honor of the third annual Silent Poetry Reading, I offer you all a poem from one of my favorite authors..........

Grief Calls Us to the Things of This World
by Sherman Alexie

The eyes open to a blue telephone
In the bathroom of this five-star hotel.

I wonder whom I should call? A plumber,
Proctologist, urologist, or priest?

Who is most among us and most deserves
The first call? I choose my father because

He's astounded by bathroom telephones.
I dial home. My mother answers. "Hey, Ma,

I say, "Can I talk to Poppa?" She gasps,
And then I remember that my father

Has been dead for nearly a year. "Shit, Mom,"
I say. "I forgot he’s dead. I’m sorry—

How did I forget?" "It’s okay," she says.
"I made him a cup of instant coffee

This morning and left it on the table—
Like I have for, what, twenty-seven years—

And I didn't realize my mistake
Until this afternoon." My mother laughs

At the angels who wait for us to pause
During the most ordinary of days

And sing our praise to forgetfulness
Before they slap our souls with their cold wings.

Those angels burden and unbalance us.
Those fucking angels ride us piggyback.

Those angels, forever falling, snare us
And haul us, prey and praying, into dust.

Puttering Around

2008-02-01T19:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I visited one of my favorite places - Packaging Specialities. If you don't have one of these stores near you, I pity you. PS is a wonderland of gift wrap, ribbon, and boxes; in short, everything you could imagine to create wonderfully wrapped gifts. I found this:

The only reason why I bought it, was because I wanted to figure out how to copy it! $3.50 for that! I had some cotton chenille left over from making washcloths, and have been wondering what to do with them. After some puttering around, these emerged:

I like the purchased one, but I like MINE better - mostly because I used my own scraps that cost me nothing. (I am not mentioning the beads, thread and pin backs I bought to dress up the flowers. Those don't count, you see.)

I also went to my LYS for a skein of Muench "Touch Me" (wool chenille) to experiment with what they would look like in felted wool chenille. Those are the dark purple ones in the above pic. Currently, they are unfelted and un-embellished. I hope to get around to playing around with those this evening when the Hub takes #3 to a Sonics game. Gotta get the high-maintenance males out of the house before I can get anything done.

So did I get anything done on the two auction shawls???? Of course not! But did you see my pretty flowers??????

Mine. All MINE!

2008-02-01T11:44:00.001-08:00

These are MY new socks! I know it sounds stupid to be so excited about finishing a pair of socks for myself, but so much of my knitting lately has been for others. It's nice to finally finish something for myself. I started these things the end of October and finally got them done yesterday. That's just too damn long to take to knit a pair of socks. But Holiday Knitting got in the way. We all understand that.

The particulars -

Yarn: Trekking XXL ombre (wish I could tell you the color, I keep losing the ball bands on this stuff) It's a purpily to almost baby blue with a touch of grey mixed in.
Needles: US1
Cast On: 64
Pattern: My own dubbed "DT Diagonal Rib"

Next up: a pair of socks for son #3. I'm going to work on the two socks on one magic loop method - using this book, and want to knit the smallest socks possible. But since his feet are nearly as big as mine now (he's only 10), I won't be saving myself that much work. A glance at the book looks like it should be a breeze to learn. Keep your fingers crossed.

Speaking of projects for others, I have two auction shawls to knit. I got one started yesterday, using some nice Trekking Pro Natura (wool and bamboo). Should be fun. The other? Well, that one is still rolling around in my head......wrap or triangular shawl? That funky purple Welsh stuff I found in my stash, or something else? Decisions......Decisions......

Your Opinions Are Appreciated........

2008-01-30T22:29:00.000-08:00

Just yesterday I was asked to knit pieces for two different school auctions. So out came the stitch dictionaries, and armed with yarn retrieved from Stash, I spent last evening swatching.

This is what I came up with...........

Now, I like this pattern, even though it is rather solid, as lace goes. The yarn is a fingering weight welsh wool in an awesome shade of purple. The color rocks. I just don't know if those wavey curves do the yarn justice. The rhythmic-ness of the curves strike me, somehow. I might need to go up a needle size to make the shawl a little more open, however.

I welcome your comments. I gotta make a decision on this ASAP.

Finished, Almost

2008-01-25T19:25:00.000-08:00

Finished the first of the baby blankets I am knitting from "Blankets, Hats and Booties to Knit and Crochet" by Kristen Spurkland. The Rose Leaf Blanket. Well, it's finished, except for the blocking. Here 'tis:

As you can see it is hanging out on my blocking board. I've never blocked a cotton piece before, so I'm hoping that wet blocking wasn't a totally bad idea. It's January, it might take a month to dry now - as I happen to be kind of stingy with the heat in my house.

Here is a close up of the lace border:

I really liked knitting this, even though I've never really been a fan of cotton. The blankets in this book are changing my mind. I also feel a bit righteous, because this is the result of stash-diving. Now to just find someone to give it to....

Now, I did make ONE change to this pattern. When knitting the body of the blanket, the original pattern called for Kf&b to create the increases. The look didn't thrill me to the core, so I opted for M1R and M1L one stitch away from the corner for a more symmetrical look. Just a personal preference, but I like the way the corners turn out doing it my way. Besides, I hadn't done "make ones" for a while, and it is nice to get back into practice on that.

I also finished a hat that doesn't really deserve a picture. Hat was meant for Hubby, but ended up fitting #3 son. Either I have an issue with hat sizing, or the men in my family have HUGE heads!

So now that I am over my "startup-itis." I am on to the second of the blankets I want to make from that book. This one actually has a recipient in mind. #3's teacher's wife is having a baby in May. Gotta do a blanket for a new baby girl. I might try to find something cute to make for big sister, too. Maybe a new stuffed toy.

Yarn Crawl!

2008-01-20T16:24:00.000-08:00

Saturday was such an adventure! A group of intrepid ladies - and one very faithful Husband - took the train from Seattle to Portland to prowl the Pearl District in search of yummy, yummy yarn. All I can say is MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Up at o'dark-hundred to be at King Street Station by 6:30am. Only the lure of Portland yarn shops - where they don't have sales tax - would get me out of bed at 5:30am on a Saturday! I had heard there were about 25 to 30 of us crawling to Portland. In reality, there were about 50! Fifty wonderful people bundled in handknits and outfitted in comfy shoes raring to get on that train. Massive props MUST go to Charisa - probably the most incredibly organized person on the planet! She organized the train, contacted the yarn shops to negotiate discounts and freebies, created maps, and kept us all informed about the trip. She is a wonder, beyond doubt. This woman could have organized the invasion of Normandy!

My first train ride. It wasn't what I was expecting, really. A lot slower than I assumed it would be. I knew we would be making a lot of stops, but hey now. Tukwila, Auburn, Tacoma, Yelm, Olympia, Centrailia, Longview/Kelso, Vancouver and THEN Portland. The Amtrak Pacific Cascades is a nice trip - sometimes it goes along the water and there are some nice views - but this wasn't no Japanese bullet train. Still, it was three and a half hours, where you got to knit and chat, and chat and knit; meet new people and find out about Kristen's (sorry, no picture), knitting injury. She jammed a 10.5 dpn into her foot......lengthwise! Need I say more? ACK! So all of us pussies that gripe about stiff necks and sore wrists because of knitting can hush up! Kristen has Shed Blood for her art!!

We arrived at Portland, and off we went! There are three, count 'em THREE yarn shops within easy walking distance of the train. We broke off into more manageable groups; with Alysa (nearly as intrepid and smart as Charisa!) in the lead, we headed off to Dublin Bay Yarn. The folks there were great, and the owner's mom had made scones and cookies for us. Mom makes some wicked scones! She's a keeper. They had a lot of lovely stuff, a bunch of yarns imported from Ireland. And the Handmaiden! Oh the Handmaiden! I bought a single skein of Seasilk....it's MINE, and nobody gets it but me! - my precious - I resisted the urge to buy something I had never seen from Handmaiden....Camelspin. Camel and silk amazingly hand-dyed the way only Ms. Handmaiden knows how. Beyond yummy! Next time, I doubt I will be as strong.

Off to Knit Knot Studio, run by Elizabeth Presiewicz - a lovely lady in a teeny tiny shop with some of the most decadent stuff around. Found a lovely skein of soft, browny, gold-flecked sparkly stuff. Elizabeth had a wonderful simple scarf/shawl pattern for this yarn (offically, Blue Heron Yarn Rayon Metallic in the chocolate colorway), that is now going to become one of the basics in my evening wear wardrobe. Now I just need to buy the dress to go with the yarn.

Then it was off to our final yarn stop, Knit/Purl, home of ShiBui yarn. Here I was introduced to the joys of ShiBui, Habu yarns (silk and bamboo, Yummy!) and the wall of KOIGU!!

This is the entirety of my yarn haul - Habu Bamboo Laceweight(lavender), 3 cones of Habu Silk Laceweight (mossy green), ShiBui fingering weight (the rust colored one - the green one I bought to go with it is hiding), the Blue Heron Rayon Metallic (chocolately), the Handmaiden (jewel colored hand-dyed); and the Zen Yarn Garden sock weight (pinkish/lavenderish hand-dyed). I guess I am knitting a lot of lace real soon.

Theoretically, I should not contemplate buying ANY yarn for quite a while......yeah, right.

Our final stop, was POWELL'S CITY OF BOOKS - otherwise known as "Mecca" to bibliophiles. Apparently, reading and knitting go together, because we ran into a lot of fellow-crawlers at Powell's. Amazingly enough, in the knitting books section! Go figure. This is the second time I have been to Powell's, and I have yet to make it to the second floor (unless you count the trip to the bathroom AND to take this picture.

Imagine.....this bookstore looks like this for three or four floors in a building an entire city block long! Next time, I'm starting on the top floor and working my way down!

Finally, walked, shopped and yarned out, we headed gratefully back to the train station for the return trip. Strangely enough, we were ALL back early. The Crawl was a blast and a half - but too much of a wonderful thing can wear you down.

So, ah, Charisa.....when's the next trip???

Baby Got Beer!

2008-01-16T15:12:00.000-08:00

Last night, DH bottled batch #2 of his homebrew. This was an amber ale, and ya know what, even uncarbonated it tasted pretty good! In two or three weeks, We'll have a nice amber ale to sip - can we say Superbowl Party?

Here's my man bottling up his ale.

Doesn't he just look like a burly-outdoorsy-man. Well, he is, but the plaid shirt and the boots make him look like we live in the Yukon, not suburban Seattle. But it was snowy yesterday. And the beard covers the baby face. Not that I mind the baby-face, but I hate it when people think he's younger than me!

Snow. AGAIN?

2008-01-15T14:41:00.001-08:00

It has snowed for the second time in a month. In most places in the northern United States, this would not be remarkable. But this is Washington, for Pete's Sake. It does not snow here on a regular basis - except on our ski slopes - where snow belongs! The kids had a one hour late start at school today. Not really a big deal, but not much help in the "waiting until it melts a bit" department either. If you were careful, driving was no big deal......except for being stuck behind an incredibly stupid woman that was driving up the rather steep hill up to the elementary school at FIVE miles per hour, while talking on her cell phone. Hang up the Friggin' Phone Bimbo!! I am not one of those cell phone hatin' people, but there are times when driving and talking is really stupid, and today is one of them! Now, it is cold, and the sun is shining, sky is blue, and it promises to get below freezing tonight. If you thought driving around today was fun.....wait until tomorrow morning, when the lovely sheet of ice is where the mushy snow is now.

But while I am comfy and warm and the snow is still pretty, I will share a picture of snow on my favorite Japanese Maple tree in my front yard.

The morning was spent watching Season 1, Disc 2 of The Tudors and working on some socks for ME! The work continues apace.

I love the colors in this yarn. Usually I'm not a huge purple fan, but that Trekking XXL just knows how to put colors together.

Why is it, once you get past the heel decreases on the first sock - the rest just blazes by? I am still working on the baby blanket, but I like the progress I'm making on these socks, too.