Simple Woman's Day......

What you are about to read is factual not fictional...
and names have been changed to protect the innocent....

*Outside my window.....Beatles is halfway in and halfway out the window. It is windy and nearly 60 degrees out.

I Am thinking..about how much I would prefer to take a nap over going to my late uncle's wake this afternoon. I know I am awful...but it is the truth....

I am thankful for fun knit friends who gather at Granpa's Place . These women are some of the most grounded people I know.

In the kitchenI hear Rosalyn heaving. She threw up into my shoe....thanks Rozzy....Cat vomit comes and goes around here.....more coming than going of late.

I am wearingjeans and a cotton sweater before I change for the wake.

I am goingto cast on a new shawl tonight. I haven't decided which one yet, but I am finishing my fourth pair of socks of 2012, and want to switch to a shawl.

I am reading the cyberpage of Nobleknits on Karen's recommendation. I like this site and will order from them. Thanks Karen.

I am hopingAl finds an apartment she loves in Evanston.

I am looking forward toa fountain Coke late today.

I am hearingthe scanner go off in the kitchen..."Message received"

Around the housethere are few groceries. I have to get to the store tomorrow.

Plans for the rest of the weekinclude: Spay Nueter clinic in the early morning tomorrow, lots of knitting, lots of blog reading, and a few good naps.

Who Needs to WIn an Oscar? Look what I won!

I love a knitted headband. I won this gorgeous green headband from Allison at Perknitous blog fame. I had a black coat for winter....but I just so happened to find a 300 dollar coat for 99 dollars in .....green. So I bought the coat to match my headband win....

I learned fireman's Meatloaf tricks tonight. He is the best meatloaf maker we know. Everyone wants his recipe. Seriously. I don't think he would have shared the secrets unless he had the little Beatle bug kitty sleeping on his lap. He talked me through it. It is all about the kneading of the beef and the breadcrumb ratio......
I honestly thought we were done long before he said we were.....keep kneading it, keep kneading it. Really? My hands and fingers were oh so freezing too......

Maybe if I wore my new winter coat and headband while I made the meatloaf......I wouldn't have been so cold....

IT's a Birthday~~~~ Book Suggestions Please

Al's having her birthday today. We bought her a NOOK!!! A nook for a book . Please, titles .....books she should read. She reads all kinds of books......ALL kinds. TEll us a favorite.
Tell us one you want to read. One you read and read over and over again.

Some of her favorite books of all time:

EXPECTING ADAM by Martha Beck

STITCHES...a graphic novel not a knit book!!

The Red Tent

THe Bean Trees

And the Band Played On (aids epidemic)

Ella Enchanted

Knittng Nature

Magazine: Real Simple
Bon Appetite

The Hunger Games

AN Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination

(and the cupcake is Strawberry White Chocolate)

(THe sock is next to the nook for your vote: Frog it or not? Im not too happy with the stripes....)

Love AL's mom

Thanks Jennifer

Major Jennifer sent me goodies, just because. What a great surprise. I have always wanted to knit with Happy Feet yarn and I love this color way. SHe sent a pattern, the darling card, and some chocolate to boot! It really made my knit week. Thanks again Jennifer. It doesn't seem right to just say thanks to such a wonderful gesture..

It is the workend for me. I hope you all enjoy the Oscars if you are so inclined. I won't be able to watch them. I may bring popcorn to my fellow nurses, however, and slip in a few quotes from my favorite movies during the night....

"Sir you have no call to get snippy with me, I'm just doing my job." Marge Gunderson.....Fargo

A Taste of Winter

When the snowflakes fell yesterday they were the amazing kind that makes the world look beautiful. Big huge soft flakes fell for awhile while Al and I were out shopping.

If you want a taste of knit success head over to MajorKnitters blog. Jennifer finished a sweater coat that can only be described as amazing.

If you want another taste of knit success head over to Grace's blog and see her latest shawl. How you ladies knit up these masterpieces, is really inspiring.

Al has cast on for a lace shrug that is going to be lovely. She was able to knit her lace shrug while we watched MOONSTRUCK yesterday. I don't know how to do this. Anything more than a few row repeat takes my full, 100% uninterrupted concentration to succeed.

I saw a Pine Street Inn blanket on someone's blog while I was surfing this week. It made me toy with the thought of 9 inch squares and a blanket. Over the course of the year, I could probably make one. Because color choices overwhelm me, I started thinking about a kit. Have you ever purchased a kit for a project? How did it go?

3rd Pair of 2012 Socks off the Needles

Pattern: Simply Ginny by Anna Peck
Yarn: Paton's Kroy Socks FX
color: 57210
Needles: Signature Double points size 2

Well I hope they wear well. I didn't enjoy the yarn or the needles. Yup, those expensive Signature double points and I are not going to be best pals. They are too stiff. I must say their super sharp point is the only reason I kept knitting with this yarn. I think any other needles would have split the strands...so that's to their credit.

I"ve already started my next pair of socks. (In Koigu and Claudia's Hand Paint....for the bounce of it all) I'm going to stripe them. I'm oh so happy to be back to my wooden double point 2's .

I try to think of the Signature Needle cost like this: It isn't even one round of bad golf....
and it is not like I'll never ever use them again. Still they are sinfully expensive....
and I wish I did like them. On the upside the yarn was free from a friend....
I try to look on the upside....

Are you rationalizing any yarny purchases Today???

Word Wednesday

Hair: red

Yarn: unkind

Weather: Miserable

Pattern: Cables

Needles: Stiff

Plan: Bind-off

Mailbox: Yarn?

Dinner: OUT!

zimmermania's silly pants. and other sillies

These incredible fair isle pants we're knitted on Zimmermania's blog. Aren't they amazing?? I LOVE them. They are my current favorite knit up posted in 2012.

This cartoon is very appropriate for our house. Both Beatles and Radar like to sleep on my head....I'm such a deep sleeper it doesn't bother me.

I look for whimsy and humor all around me. If I had to pick a theme for this blog, it would be whimsical. Any whimsy you'd like to share today?

2nd Pair of Sock Finish

Tada! Or is it Tah Dah???? I've finished my second pair of socks for 2012. I think I'm on track for 13 pairs in 2012. This pair was an easy delightful knit with Blue Face L. from Grace's stash sale last year. I knit them to fit someone with bigger feet than mine....so they'll go into the gift pile with the other pair I finished in January. I think they look great with blue jeans...

Happy Friday and Workend/Weekend to all.

Blurry

Seems the perfect image of Beatles to share with y'all since WORD VERIFICATION went Postal as of yesterday.....
I can barely read the verifications to leave you all comments but I'm trying!

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Too Much?

I simply don't believe that you can have too much of a good thing:

*This decadent chocolate mousse cake found it's way into my fridge, via Fireman. It is so wonderful with a glass of milk before I go to bed..

*I'm still sock knitting and staying entertained by it. I have one finished pair, one 3/4 finished pair, and 2 half finished pairs.....

*I only have about 4 sock yarns in my stash. THat is definitely not too much. So, when Major Jennifer of MajorKnitter blog fame announced another yarn sale to benefit her sister's family, I had to buy some sock yarn. IT is deeply discounted and there is some Koigu left....Just saying.
I don't believe you can have enough Koigu or enough sock yarn.

DO you?

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Happy Valentines Day 2012

May your frogging be less
and your knitting be more
and may nothing but
Skeins of yarn come through your door.

May your friends be all grateful
and your hand knits worn out
and may aches never find you
like soreness and gout.

May your chair be a good one
and you knit in good light
and may you have time for your
knitting each night.

May your real friends be quiet
when you need to count
and your blog friends
leave comments for you to surmount.

May your yarns be on sale
and your pockets be deep
and may patterns you purchase
not cause you to weep.

May Koigu and Noro and Trekking
abound
and may all your sock knitting
be in the round.

Happy Valentines Day!

An interview with AL

My yard yesterday afternoon....in the snow

This is the Lorna's Laces I'd like to pick up next.....


and Now and interview with AL:

*When you hated high school and I told you to bring your knitting with you, what was the reaction of your classmates?

"Probably they thought I was weird." "I don't remember."
However Al has a friend who got engaged to one of her teachers and he remembered that she knit in his class.....

**What is the worst thing you ever knit?"
"That time that I tried to make a baby sweater out of 15 skeins of Koigu and it looked like vomit. It was a Lucinda pattern. I ripped it all out and made a ruffle shawl instead and that looks much better."

***Tell us about your stash::

"I've been trying to reduce my stash which isn't really working. I did use the yarn from the Man sweater for Dad to make a gift scarf and hat for a friend."

****Do you still want to be a Master knitter?
"Maybe. I"m kind of a lazy knitter right now. OMG Paula Deen's mac and cheese has 821 calories per serving and 94 percent of your daily cholesterol ...what should I make in my slow cooker tonight? I think Crock Pot Italian Chicken...." (Al is digressing)

*****What is your favorite kind of yarn?
"Malabrigo"

******When you pick a pattern what do you look for?
"Ummmmm, charts probably. I like charts." (whose child is this?) I like minimal writing and more charts.

******NO question:
"You can write on there that my favorite thing to watch on the Food Channel is 5 Ingredients Fix because Claire is a hottie and everything looks amazing. People better start watching it ...it is on Sundays. IT is way better than Pioneer Woman...sorry Pioneer Woman."

******BACK TO KNITTING:
How often does a patient or their family knit in the ER?
"OH SOMETIMES. Maybe once a week. SOmeone crocheted Terri a hat in one sitting last week. IT was bulky. She was very touched because people in the ER rarely get anything from patients."

********Do you use stitch markers?
"I am obsessed with stitch markers. THey are beautiful and useful. I Do them with every pattern repeat even small ones." (I have some stitch markers to give her now!)

*********IF you owned a yarn shop what would it be named?
"First of all it looks like running a yarn shop is not much fun. Working there was fun though. Okay, it would named: MOTHER OF PURL.


***************What time of day are you most likely to knit?
"Nightime when watching TV"

**********What is on your needles currently?
"The Madigan Cowl Neck Pullover...
swatching for a Lace Shrug from Quince and Company
Cup Cozy for my roommate , for her Coke

**********What blogs do you read?
Writers Almanac
Irisheyes of course
Crockpot 365
"I spend too much time on Pinterest"

**************Do you knit in movie theaters?
"Yes, I can probably knit my boring cowl neck watching the Artist...."

Thank you Al for your candid remarks. Keep knitting!


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The Mom Cave?

For starters today, I'd like to thank a girl who is a light in our life right now. We didn't meet her until today, but she is showing Al a great kindness. There is something very powerful about being a light for each other in this life of ours. Usually the person who is the light, doesn't even realize it. I am always impressed with the power of one little flame when our electric goes out and we light that first match. It chases the darkness to the corners of the room, and that is what this young girl has done. I think I better knit her some socks....

Beatles is surrounded by my next yarn. I sort of snatched it from Grace when she had a sale....could these colors be any better for a grey Chicago knit up in February? I really shouldn't cast on another pair until I finish the Simply Ginny's but I have to give my hands a break. As slick as the new needles are, they are too stiff. I need my woodies......

and finally, I heard the term MOM Cave today. It is supposed to be the equivalent of the Man Cave for a woman. It is a silly idea, that a woman needs a whole room before she can relax......we all know all she needs is a pair of needles and some good yarn.

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What do you look forward to?

Radar looks forward to a bit of butter every night. Just a dab. He comes to the table and reminds me that he deserves a bit of buttah....
I think this started after Huck died. I loved to give Huck treats. I think we all need things to look forward to; I know I do. I realize this defeats the living in the present frame of mind we are supposed to strive for these days. Anyhow, I cannot resist his obvious request each night..

I am looking forward to casting on the second Simply Ginny Cabled sock. I hope to get to it today. I have to admit that I couldn't use this yarn (Paton's Kroy), without the new needles I splurged on. My new Signature needles have a great point that keeps yarn from splitting. I am not 100% certain that I prefer them to wooden needles. I wish they GAVE a bit. They don't give.
Since I have not been known to bend metals, yet, I'm looking forward to a wooden needle with just as sharp a tip. Do you know of one???

Other things I'm looking forward to:
*reading your blogs

*eating a Pretzel bagel from Einstein Bagels this afternoon
(yes I need more salt in my bread....apparently we are getting too much salt
in our breads these days, but I'm throwing caution to the wind with this one)

*talking to my kids today

*sending out Valentines...

*photographing Al's cat Helo who is visiting, today


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A Noro Cowl and Sweet Sixteen hundreth

When I was knitting up this Noro cowl last night my eyes were very irritated. I think all the little fibers that make this yarn so soft looking and magical, snuck up my nose and into my eyes. Fireman laughed and said, "Why did someone so allergic to wool take up knitting?" You should have seen my eyeballs when I cast off. Suffice to say there will not be any more of this Noro knitting around my house.

I only had the one skien of it, so a quick cowl was the only answer for me. Although from the looks of the tears last night, you'd think I would have just given the stuff away. When we cried growing up, my father would always say, "I'll give you something to cry about!" Did you parents say that?

I am still working on my leftover sock yarn cowl/scarf. I realized knitting this leftover project up, that a little ball of leftovers goes a really long way when you want to use it up. The same amount of yarn would make you just short of something else.. you know? Yarn is funny that way; we all know yarn has a mind of its own.

Next up: Simply Ginny Sock knitting while Chicken Pot Pie cooks up in the crock pot.....oh and this is my 1600th post since my blog began. Happy Sweet sixteen! Thanks for making this so much fun
What's up with you??

Super Bowl Weekend

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So much for the Bears and our Bear gnome.....
To all of you who are having fun with the Football Game this weekend, I wish you great knitting and great munching.

The cabled sock is really fun and coming along nicely. Photos soon....Thanks for the encouragement and permission to put down the lace.....(Fireman thanks you too)

Here is my favorite bread machine recipe that I am using for tonight:

Milk Bread

2 1/3 Cups flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 T butter
1 cup milk
( i use skim)
1 tsp dry yeast

This recipe is taken from Panasonics Bread Recipe Book.




If you need a munch recipe for Sundays' festivities here you go:

The old Vleveeta Dip with a twist.....

Cut a pound of Velveeta into 1/2 cubes
(I think this recipe covers all the food groups....in some twisted way)
Thaw and drain a 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach
Cut up 4 oz of Cream Cheese
crisply cook and crumble 8 slices bacon

Open a 10oz can Rotel Diced tomatoes and Green chilies undrained....

Mix all the above and microwave on high 5 minutes

Serve hot with tortilla chips or cut up fresh veggies.

This a a Kraft Velveeta and Rotel ConAgra Food Recipe.


And as we like to say here in Chicago, there's always next year......
enjoy the commercials and the half time show.....
I'm working the workend, but I'm sure we'll have chips and dips in the lounge.....

Groundhog Day Around HERE

My knitting attempts with the lace chart are about as futile as Bill Murray's efforts to WAKE UP after Groundhog Day. It was getting painful. I've suspended my efforts on Montana Woolie socks.

The knitting groundhog DID not see his shadow because I cashed in a JoAnn's gift card and bought some Paton 's Kroy Sock Yarns. I've successfully cast on and am now knitting the free Simply Ginny Cabled sock pattern by Anna Peck. Instead of tensing up my shoulders and counting madly and muttering....I've moved on. Cabling socks is a challenge for me, so I am pushing my limits.
Fireman asked me, "Aren't you supposed to be enjoying this?" last night after I pulled out the lace sock time and time again. I reminded him he doesn't always love cycling uphills on his century rides....
but he was right.

I was determined to show you some beauty today. The leading line of cinnamon bundt cakes was taken inside Maggiano's Corner Bakery around noon today. The meadow grasses are in our yard. They do provide some glorious softness mid-winter in my yard.

Here's a lithe aside: I love Bill Murray. I love him in Groundhog Day, What About Bob and yes even Caddyshack. He grew up in our area of Chicagoland. His brother and I were in a play in high school together. Joel Murray was cute. I don't think I'll violate any confidentiality laws if I tell you that Bill Murray came into our Infant Special Care Unit years ago. One of our respiratory therapists was down at the vending machines at zero dark thirty, and so was Bill Murray. He has a very sick family member in the hospital. Bill Murray, in the midst of his family crises, came up to our unit to cheer up OUR staff in the middle of the night. I so wish I was on that night. If you need to relive some of the funny funny scenes in Groundhog Day go to Susan B's blog. You can click on links of Groundhog Day and laugh yourself silly......

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My friends can KNIT

My friend Kathy C can knit! She nearly finished this lovely sweater and tried it on for us today. She followed a pattern and mixed up her yarns. She loves black. I apologize for the photos. They could be much better. Dear friend Karen did the finishing/sleeve set work, and she did an awesome job. To everyone of you with a sweater on the needles, I applaud you. Really I do.

For now I'm trying to knit a lace sock. I've frogged it once. I'm NOT giving up. I find I can work one 4 row repeat successfully without :
Talking to Fireman
Answering the phone
Looking up at the TV
Getting up from my seat.
Then, and I am serious, I pick up something else for a few rows, speak to Fireman, look at the tv and drink something. This may be the slowest lace sock every knit......but I will not give up. I have the UTMOST respect for you lace knitters....


I'm well on the way with the second Cascade sock and I do think I'll need to do the toes in a different color for certain. Phew, so glad I left the first sock stitches live. I may felt them too......

Al wants a NOOK for her birthday....any suggestions, thoughts, ideas for me about this? Is one the same as another? Do they need a cover, (hand knit by the mother??)




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