November 30, 2009

What a very scary morning. My poor coworker got taken away in the ambulance this morning. She came in like normal but about an hour after she got here she had a very intense pain in her left side that started in her back and radiated into her groin. She was so out of it with the pain that she was literally rolling around and talking non-sense. The worst part was not being able to do anything for her. I did my best to comfort her and tried to comfort her husband over the phone and give directions to the hospital.

By the time that they got her out of the office and into the ambulance I was very shaken. Visibly shaken. I can only hope and pray that she will be alright.

Hope the rest of the day is better then this morning.

November 27, 2009

Finished Objects:

First a pair of mitts to keep my hands warm in the morning before my car warms up enough to prevent me from freezing to death (OK, fine. It's not that cold but I hate being cold and it makes me grumpy) and in the office where they set the thermostat at temperatures only someone having a hot flash would think is appropriate. I admit that I'm cold blooded. Between the winter temperatures and the air conditioning in the summer, I freeze.


Pattern: Cabled Fingerless Mitts by Joelene Wiggins
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Jeweled Hand Dyed in Red
Started: 11/23/09
Finished: 11/24/09
Mods: Added an extra repeat of the band at the top of the glove and the thumb to make it a bit longer. I have very long fingers and need extra length.



Pattern: Robin's Egg Blue Hat by Rachel Iufer
Yarn: Cascade Jeweled Hand Dyed
Started: 11/21/09
Finished: 11/22/09
Mods: Only knitted the sides of the hat for 4 inches instead of the 5 to 5.5 inches the pattern called for. I think I would have liked the hat better if I had only done 3 inches instead of the 4 I did but I'm too lazy to go back and red0 it, so it is what it is.

Both of these patterns were very simple to follow and easy to knit. I enjoyed them very much.

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Mine was pretty uneventful, had dinner with the In-laws and as usual enjoyed every ones company. The party was very small this year, just Hubbs and I, Sister-in-law and her 2 year-old son and Mom & Dad. Turkey was eaten and desserts were enjoyed (even if SIL did steal my chance at making my first homemade pumpkin by out from under me. lol)

Hubbs and I are off for our semi-annual post thanksgiving camping trip with the car club. We're going to be camping out up in the Sierras and rumor has it that there might be snow tonight! So excited! Thankfully it's RV camping and we'll have our heater since I'm such a wimp when it comes to cold. I have all my cold weather gear packed including my silk long johns and snow boots. I'm hoping that I survive! Wish me luck! I'm sure that I'll be back with lots of good stories and good pictures to share next week! God Bless!

November 26, 2009



Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

November 25, 2009

So in an effort to learn to do some of things on my 10 on Tuesday list I bought some patterns. Who knew patterns were so dang expensive?! Thankfully the fabric store was having a sale and they were only $2. I do love a good deal.



Simplicity 2550, bodice A



Simplicity 5914, view B




I'm going to do my best to make both of these. Hopefully they aren't so far ove my head that I can't do it. I know I can get sewing support from my mom over the phone when I need it but it's not the same as having her here. Hubbs and I are actually taking off on Friday and going on our annual camping trip with our car club but now I'm kinda wishing I could stay home and make one or both of these to wear next week to work!


Yikes, I just pulled the pattern out of the envelope just to look at it and it's all ready scary! Somebody hold me!! I'm sure if I just take it one step at a time I can do it. It might now come out perfect but in the end I'm sure I'll have at least something that looks kinda like it's supposed to! lol! Wish me luck!

November 24, 2009

10 on Tuesday....

10 things you wish you knew how to do:

1. I wish I knew how to play my mandolin. I bought it earlier this year and have put no effort into learning to play it what-so-ever. Embarrassing.

2. I wish I knew a couple different kind of cast on's for knitting. It would be nice to pick up a different technique.

3. I wish I knew how to fix cars. Then maybe mine wouldn't be falling apart all the time and I wouldn't have to rely on someone elses time table to get it fixed.

4. I wish I knew how to fly. Then I wouldn't need a car! lol

5. I wish I knew how to either be a stay at home mom or just work from home. I hate having to leave the house every morning in the freezing cold to drive into a cold office where I spend most of the day thinking about being at home.

6. I wish I knew how to teleport. I'd love to spend more time with my family and if I could teleport it would be so much easier then driving 2 hours one way.

7. I wish I knew how to have a positive attitude more often. This one I'm working on. I smile even when I don't want to and it helps me feel better.

8. I wish I knew how to lose weight and keep it off with off without out having to make any effort to do so. Miracle pill anyone?

9. I wish I knew how to get my neighbors to understand that their dogs barking all night long is a problem.

10. I wish I knew how to sew clothes. I think this is one I can work on.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

November 20, 2009

I recently came across a list of the top 10 banned books (found here: http://classiclit.about.com/od/ladychatterleyslover/tp/aatp-ban.htm ).
1. Ulysses
2. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
3. Madame Bovary
4. The Scarlet Letter
5. Uncle Tom's Cabin
6. Of Mice and Men
7. Brave New World
8. Lady Chatterley's Lover
9. Moll Flanders
10. Candide

My new resolution is going to be to read all of these books. So far I've already read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Scarlet Letter, and Of Mice and Men and I read them all with in the last year. I think Ulysses is going to be the hardest one to get through so I have a feeling that one is going to be saved for last. I'm wondering if I can even get Lady Chatterley's Lover at the library or not. I'm scared to even as for it. This is going to be a challenge but I'm totally up for it. It's only 7 books in 12 months, well 13 since no one said I have to wait until after the new year to start. Due date to be finished is 12/31/10. I'll be sure to keep my sidebar updated with my current read. I'm going to have to finish the HUGE Mark Twain that I'm currently reading before I can go on to anything else. Not to mention the new Stephen King that I just bought that's sitting on my night table. So much reading and so many books but so few hours to read.

November 17, 2009

One of my current knitting projects:

Pattern: Mina's Tuxedo Vest by Wendy Bernard from the book, Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Cascade 220 in 4002 (black heather)
Started: 11/06/09




I started this in a medium on size 6 needles, got down to the point to try it on (same stage as the above pictures) and it was two sizes to large. It was huge. I think Hubbs could have worn it easy it was so big. So I had to rip back and start from scratch all over again. Thankfully when I tried it on again, it fit perfect. The pattern is written for it to be a vest with 3 buttons up the front in a cardigan style. I'm doing the pull over option. I love this and it's a really easy knit.

I still haven't given up on the two other projects I've got on the needles. The Central Park Hoodie is blocked and I just need to seam it to start on the hood. The Celeste is on hold for right now. I'm not really enjoying the pattern too much but in typical fashion I will finish this. I can't leave something unfinished plus I hate to waste money on yarn that never gets made into something.

I'm hoping that I'll soon have at least one finished object to show you! Fingers crossed!

November 15, 2009

Before I could cut the pie last night, Hubbs wanted to get a proud cook pic. He cracks me up! My first pie!

First cut

First bite

Official verdict!

The pie turned out really good. I'm not sure I'm happy with the way the apples baked down. It looked awesome before I cut it but once it was cut it was a bit like apple sauce inside. I think it might have been the variety of apples that I used. I might have to try again with a different kind to see if they don't bake down so far. But all in all it was a great pie, good flavor and the crust was awesome. I was really worried about the crust. I know that I can tell the difference between a store bought crust and a homemade one so I was worried about how it was going to turn out. But it turned out light and flaky and very yummy.
Thankfully the official judge, Hubbs, gave it a thumbs up and had two slices! I'll call that a total victory since he doesn't really like pies with fruit in them. Next pie is Chocolate Silk, his favorite. Pressure is on since he's only had ones from bakery's. I'm sure I can do it.


November 14, 2009

I! Have made pie! From scratch!

It's my first apple pie, actually it might be my first pie ever. I can't ever remember ever making one before. When I was doing the pie crust it seemed very familiar but I think it was just from having watched my mom do it a million times before.

Isn't it lovely?! I was hoping it would brown up more but since I forgot to put the wash on the crust before it went into the oven, it looks pretty good to me. I'm waiting for Hubbs to get home from work to cut into it. I know that he's a boy and won't appreciate how it looks, all boys care about it how it tastes. But I'm dying to know! I know I can bake some killer cookies but this is my very first pie.

The recipe is from Cooking Light.com. I love that website. It's got tons of great stuff on it, everything from cooking to healthy living to exercise. Great magazine, great website. The recipe can be found here: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1054849 It's just a basic apple pie but I didn't want to try anything too fancy coming out of the gate on this one. For Thanksgiving at the in-laws I'm going to make a chocolate silk pie (Hubbs favorite) and what I call a cowboy cake. The cowboy cake is a "make in the pan" cake. There are no bowls and it's super easy. A definite fan favorite since my mother-in-law asked for it. I'll have to make a second one to take on our annual camp out for Thanksgiving weekend. I'll be sure to post the recipe before thanksgiving.

I'll let you know if Hubbs likes the pie or not! Fingers crossed! lol

November 3, 2009

I cast on for my Celeste from French Girl Knits recently. I finished the first cuff and am blocking it. It's a lace weight yarn that is going to be really nice as a light weight sweater when it's all done. The pattern is a bit boring to knit but it is challenging me to try some different techniques that I have done before like the crochet cast on. I'm not sure I like it but it is good to learn a new skill.

I finally, after a long delay, blocked my Central Park Hoodie parts. I finished both fronts, both sleeves and the back. I needed to block it so I could seam the fronts to the back and start on the hoodie part. The sweater has been blocked for a while but I haven't seamed it yet. I'm scared! I haven't seamed anything yet and I'm worried about doing it right so it doesn't look all wonky and funky. Fingers crossed it will come out ok.
Right now I need to get the lead out and seam the scarf that I made for my mother-in-law for her up coming birthday. Her birthday is in a couple of weeks and all I need to do is seam the ends onto the scarf and then I'm done. Maybe I should go pull it out right now so I'm not trying to seam it right before we walk out the door for the birthday dinner. Maybe I need to invite the family down for dessert to celebrate her birthday this year...oh the pressure!!! I just found out I need to bring the Thanksgiving dessert! I can bake cookies like nobodies business but I can't really bake a pie, 'cause I've never tried. I need to learn more new skills!!! Yikes, talk about pressure!

November 1, 2009

A while back my mom bought me an attachment for my kitchenAid mixer. I love making stuff from scratch and had been dying for the pasta roller attachment for my machine. Mom splurged for me and bought it. I've been wanting to give it a try but a variety of things kept me from actually getting to it, but no more! I pulled it out this after noon and made some pasta.

In about 30 Min's it went from dry ingredients to finished pasta! Yummmmy!